http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/30/nation/20080330150355&sec=nation
Release Hindraf 5, says Samy ... yes, you read that right!
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has urged the government to release the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders who are being detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
He said two of the leaders -- R. Kenghadaran, 40, who is very sick and M. Manoharan, 46, who had won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor on a DAP ticket on March 8 -- should be freed sooner.
He said another two, V. Ganabatirau, 34, and K. Vasantha Kumar, 34, had not been very much involved in the rally organised by Hindraf in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25 last year.
The fifth leader being detained under the ISA is P. Uthayakumar.
Speaking to reporters after opening a workshop on "Rebranding the MIC" here Sunday, Samy Vellu said the wives of Kenghadaran and Manoharan had approached him for his assistance.
"I have decided to raise it with the government. I will raise it (the issue of their release) with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after he returns from Sabah.
"I will also meet Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar and Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan. I have already made some moves on this earlier but I did not tell anyone. I will now make a firm move to see what can be done by the government with regard to their plight," Samy Vellu claimed.
He said Ganabatirau, and Vasantha Kumar were "not very much involved (in the rally), so the government has to make a decision."
Samy Vellu claimed that this was not a publicity stunt or a move to win back Indian support for the party.
"This is done in fairness, sympathy and, also, we feel that we as Indians have to do something about it. It is not a publicity stunt," he said.
Samy Vellu said that he was harshly criticised by certain people when he spoke to Abdullah and the Attorney General about reducing the attempted murder charges against the 31 people detained during the Hindraf rally, but he had continued to assist them.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Release of Hindraf 5 -- pressing agenda of 82 MPs and 196 State Assembly members
Release of Hindraf 5 - pressing agenda of 82 MPs and 196 State Assembly members from DPP
One of the major breakthroughs of the March 8 political tsunami was the transformation of “Makkal Sakti” from a call for the end of the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians into a rallying and symbolic cry by all Malaysians to end all forms of marginalization against any Malaysian or group, regardless of race or religion.
It is distressing therefore that despite assurances by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that he has heard the voice of Malaysians on March 8 for change, actions taken by the second Abdullah administration have proved otherwise – in particular the statement by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar refusing to release newly-elected Selangor DAP State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah and four other Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha Kumar from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention.
A pressing agenda for 82 MPs and 196 State Assembly members from DAP, PKR and PAS in Malaysia is to work out a common strategy for the immediate and unconditional release of the five Hindraf leaders from ISA detention and to ensure that the second Abdullah government understand the meaning of “Makkal Sakti”.
(Speech at the DAP Bukit Glugor general election thanksgiving dinner to celebrate re-election victory of Karpal Singh as MP for Bukit Glugor at Long Say Building, Burmah Road, Penang on Saturday, 29th March 2008)
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/03/30/release-of-hindraf-5-pressing-agenda-of-82-mps-and-196-state-assembly-members-from-dpp/
One of the major breakthroughs of the March 8 political tsunami was the transformation of “Makkal Sakti” from a call for the end of the long-standing marginalization of the Malaysian Indians into a rallying and symbolic cry by all Malaysians to end all forms of marginalization against any Malaysian or group, regardless of race or religion.
It is distressing therefore that despite assurances by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that he has heard the voice of Malaysians on March 8 for change, actions taken by the second Abdullah administration have proved otherwise – in particular the statement by the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar refusing to release newly-elected Selangor DAP State Assemblyman for Kota Alam Shah and four other Hindraf leaders, P. Uthayakumar, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha Kumar from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention.
A pressing agenda for 82 MPs and 196 State Assembly members from DAP, PKR and PAS in Malaysia is to work out a common strategy for the immediate and unconditional release of the five Hindraf leaders from ISA detention and to ensure that the second Abdullah government understand the meaning of “Makkal Sakti”.
(Speech at the DAP Bukit Glugor general election thanksgiving dinner to celebrate re-election victory of Karpal Singh as MP for Bukit Glugor at Long Say Building, Burmah Road, Penang on Saturday, 29th March 2008)
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/03/30/release-of-hindraf-5-pressing-agenda-of-82-mps-and-196-state-assembly-members-from-dpp/
Dictatorship Malaysia style: elected Hindraf leader will not be released from detention
Dictatorship Malaysia style: elected Hindraf leader will not be released from detention
Malaysia Spurns Calls to Free Lawmaker
1 hour ago (29 March 2008, 3 PM IST)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian opposition party on Saturday condemned the government's refusal to release an ethnic Indian activist elected as a state legislator while in jail.
M.Manoharan — a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf — was arrested shortly after his group organized a rally in November in which 20,000 Indians protested alleged government discrimination. He has been held since December under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.
While behind bars, he contested the March 8 election as a member of the Democratic Action Party and won a seat in the Selangor state legislature.
Despite Manoharan's win, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the government cannot free him because he is still a security threat, The Star newspaper reported Saturday.
Calls to Syed Hamid and his aides went unanswered Saturday.
Lim Kit Siang, who heads the opposition Democratic Action Party slammed the government's decision.
"It shows that the Cabinet is not really listening to the people's voice for change toward a more democratic, accountable, just and more progressive Malaysian society," Lim told The Associated Press.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling National Front coalition retained power in the March election, but suffered the worst losses in its 51-year rule.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_8738770
Jailed Malay Indian MP cannot be released
Saturday, 29 March , 2008, 11:59
Kuala Lumpur: Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M Manoharan who is being detained under the Internal Security Act cannot be released although he won the Kota Alam Shah Assembly seat in the General Elections held March 8, 2008 Malaysian Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has said.
"We cannot simply react to political parties' calls. We have to give priority to public safety and peace and will give due consideration (to the issue of his release) only if there is no threat to national security," he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper on Saturday.
Manoharan will not be able to attend state assembly sessions while under detention.
He can, however, take oath as a state assemblyman at the detention camp as this had been done in the past, Albar said.
Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit, who won the Batu Gajah and Sungai Besi parliamentary seats respectively on a Democratic Action Party (DAP) ticket, took oath in the presence of the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) speaker and secretary, and camp authorities in 1978, he said.
Manoharan, along with P Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau, K Vasantha Kumar and R Kengadharan, is being detained for two years on charges of sedition for being part of Hindraf.
An unregistered body, Hindraf, claiming to speak for two million Tamil Hindu settlers, courted controversy after it organised a rally here November 25, 2007 to highlight the problems faced by ethnic Indians. Police forcibly dispersed the rally using water cannons and the group's leaders were arrested.
Albar said an advisory board comprising judicial and legal officers would review their detention.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14631976
Malaysia Spurns Calls to Free Lawmaker
1 hour ago (29 March 2008, 3 PM IST)
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian opposition party on Saturday condemned the government's refusal to release an ethnic Indian activist elected as a state legislator while in jail.
M.Manoharan — a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf — was arrested shortly after his group organized a rally in November in which 20,000 Indians protested alleged government discrimination. He has been held since December under Malaysia's Internal Security Act, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.
While behind bars, he contested the March 8 election as a member of the Democratic Action Party and won a seat in the Selangor state legislature.
Despite Manoharan's win, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the government cannot free him because he is still a security threat, The Star newspaper reported Saturday.
Calls to Syed Hamid and his aides went unanswered Saturday.
Lim Kit Siang, who heads the opposition Democratic Action Party slammed the government's decision.
"It shows that the Cabinet is not really listening to the people's voice for change toward a more democratic, accountable, just and more progressive Malaysian society," Lim told The Associated Press.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's ruling National Front coalition retained power in the March election, but suffered the worst losses in its 51-year rule.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_8738770
Jailed Malay Indian MP cannot be released
Saturday, 29 March , 2008, 11:59
Kuala Lumpur: Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M Manoharan who is being detained under the Internal Security Act cannot be released although he won the Kota Alam Shah Assembly seat in the General Elections held March 8, 2008 Malaysian Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar has said.
"We cannot simply react to political parties' calls. We have to give priority to public safety and peace and will give due consideration (to the issue of his release) only if there is no threat to national security," he was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper on Saturday.
Manoharan will not be able to attend state assembly sessions while under detention.
He can, however, take oath as a state assemblyman at the detention camp as this had been done in the past, Albar said.
Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit, who won the Batu Gajah and Sungai Besi parliamentary seats respectively on a Democratic Action Party (DAP) ticket, took oath in the presence of the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) speaker and secretary, and camp authorities in 1978, he said.
Manoharan, along with P Uthayakumar, V Ganabatirau, K Vasantha Kumar and R Kengadharan, is being detained for two years on charges of sedition for being part of Hindraf.
An unregistered body, Hindraf, claiming to speak for two million Tamil Hindu settlers, courted controversy after it organised a rally here November 25, 2007 to highlight the problems faced by ethnic Indians. Police forcibly dispersed the rally using water cannons and the group's leaders were arrested.
Albar said an advisory board comprising judicial and legal officers would review their detention.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14631976
Some advice for the new MIC Minister
Some advice for the new MIC minister
Dr AM Raj | Mar 25, 08 4:26pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/80368
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Dr Subra: March 8 an awakening.
As a politician he knows how to be evasive when asked an uncomfortable
question like why was not the MIC given the Works Ministry. The fact
of the matter is that the MIC did try very hard to retain this
ministry but failed to do so.
Umno has been wanting to wrestle the portfolio from the MIC for a long
time. Of course, many in Umno fail to understand that the works
ministry is better off in the hands of a non-Umno minister so the
Umnoputras can shamelessly demand and get government contracts without
raising any eyebrows.
Nevertheless Dr S Subramaniam comes out in the interview as an
intelligent and dignified bearer of public office. The good doctor is
going to have his hands full. In all fairness, it must be said that
his predecessor in the cabinet, S Samy Vellu, was probably the most
hardworking cabinet minister.
How he managed with so little sleep and a frugal diet is a wonder. He
was also probably the only minister who personally answered phone
calls from the rakyat. The fact that Samy Vellu totally misread the
people's sentiments (probably aided and abetted by his staff of
various secretaries) contributed to his downfall.
The thousands of Indians helped by him to get contracts, loans,
scholarships and medical benefits did not count finally. He was like a
zamindar (land owner/chieftain) who dished out goodies on an ad-hoc
basis truly believing that he was doing the right thing. Indeed, many
Indians did benefit from his largesse and in a way, it is pitiful to
see them going for his jugular now.
So, Dr Subramaniam, I do have a few tips for you;
1. Emulate your predecessor in being a hardworking, disciplined
minister. You don't have to sleep only five hours a day like Samy
Vellu does and yes, you may continue being a vegetarian .
2. You don't have to inherit any personal staff of your predecessor.
It is better for you to bring in your own team if you are concerned
about your image.
3. Do not behave like a zamindar dishing out goodies. Those who get
the goodies will end up being ungrateful and those who do not not get
them will end up being your enemies. Instead, conceptualise your
vision to help poor Indians into a policy and demand that the
government act on it.
4. Do not be seen to be subservient member of the ruling coalition.
Demand that MIC be treated as an equal component of the ruling
coalition failing which you should consider pulling out of BN.
The MIC maintained the status quo by feeding on the fear that without
adequate Indian representation in the administration, the community's
needs would not be met. It may have been true in the past but not any
longer.
The 2008 general election has showed that the rakyat has matured and
voted across racial lines. The only ones who seem obsessed with race
seem to be the politicians. However, the MIC need not be written off.
It has a golden opportunity revamp itself into a dynamic party that is
sensitive to the needs of the poor and downtrodden Indians.
Eventually it is hoped that MIC, along with its friends in the BN will
form a single multiracial party a la PKR. Only then can we have a
truly credible two-party system that would be the envy of any plural
society. Someone did say that politics is far too important to be left
in the hands of politicians!
Dr AM Raj | Mar 25, 08 4:26pm
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/80368
I refer to the Malaysiakini report Dr Subra: March 8 an awakening.
As a politician he knows how to be evasive when asked an uncomfortable
question like why was not the MIC given the Works Ministry. The fact
of the matter is that the MIC did try very hard to retain this
ministry but failed to do so.
Umno has been wanting to wrestle the portfolio from the MIC for a long
time. Of course, many in Umno fail to understand that the works
ministry is better off in the hands of a non-Umno minister so the
Umnoputras can shamelessly demand and get government contracts without
raising any eyebrows.
Nevertheless Dr S Subramaniam comes out in the interview as an
intelligent and dignified bearer of public office. The good doctor is
going to have his hands full. In all fairness, it must be said that
his predecessor in the cabinet, S Samy Vellu, was probably the most
hardworking cabinet minister.
How he managed with so little sleep and a frugal diet is a wonder. He
was also probably the only minister who personally answered phone
calls from the rakyat. The fact that Samy Vellu totally misread the
people's sentiments (probably aided and abetted by his staff of
various secretaries) contributed to his downfall.
The thousands of Indians helped by him to get contracts, loans,
scholarships and medical benefits did not count finally. He was like a
zamindar (land owner/chieftain) who dished out goodies on an ad-hoc
basis truly believing that he was doing the right thing. Indeed, many
Indians did benefit from his largesse and in a way, it is pitiful to
see them going for his jugular now.
So, Dr Subramaniam, I do have a few tips for you;
1. Emulate your predecessor in being a hardworking, disciplined
minister. You don't have to sleep only five hours a day like Samy
Vellu does and yes, you may continue being a vegetarian .
2. You don't have to inherit any personal staff of your predecessor.
It is better for you to bring in your own team if you are concerned
about your image.
3. Do not behave like a zamindar dishing out goodies. Those who get
the goodies will end up being ungrateful and those who do not not get
them will end up being your enemies. Instead, conceptualise your
vision to help poor Indians into a policy and demand that the
government act on it.
4. Do not be seen to be subservient member of the ruling coalition.
Demand that MIC be treated as an equal component of the ruling
coalition failing which you should consider pulling out of BN.
The MIC maintained the status quo by feeding on the fear that without
adequate Indian representation in the administration, the community's
needs would not be met. It may have been true in the past but not any
longer.
The 2008 general election has showed that the rakyat has matured and
voted across racial lines. The only ones who seem obsessed with race
seem to be the politicians. However, the MIC need not be written off.
It has a golden opportunity revamp itself into a dynamic party that is
sensitive to the needs of the poor and downtrodden Indians.
Eventually it is hoped that MIC, along with its friends in the BN will
form a single multiracial party a la PKR. Only then can we have a
truly credible two-party system that would be the envy of any plural
society. Someone did say that politics is far too important to be left
in the hands of politicians!
Demolished Hindu temple to be rebuilt on new site in Malaysia
Monday March 17, 2008
Demolished Hindu temple to be rebuilt on new site
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/17/nation/20080317191838&sec=nation
SHAH ALAM: A new site for the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Padang Jawa, which was demolished in November last year has been approved.
Mayor Mazalan Md Noor said the temple would be rebuilt soon on a 10,000sq feet land near the Keretapi Tanah Melayu quarters, a much bigger site than the original temple.
He was speaking to reporters after Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Shah Alam MP Khalid Abd Samad visited the Rimba Jaya flats Monday.
The Hindu temple was ordered torn down by the authorities as it stood in the vicinity of the Rimba Jaya squatter settlement.
The 11ha site in the area is owned by Ken Rimba Jaya Sdn Bhd.
"The developer has been directed by the state government to provide the land and RM40,000, the cost of the building construction.
"It is up to the temple committee and the developer to decide when to start the temple construction," he said.
Mazalan said the Shah Alam City Council had cleared up the land to make way for the temple project.
Earlier, Khalid and Anwar had a dialogue with the Kampung Rimba Jaya residents and the demolition of the temple was among the hottest issues raised during the 15-minute meeting.
Khalid said the new state government was working hard to solve the squatter problems in the state.
Demolished Hindu temple to be rebuilt on new site
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/17/nation/20080317191838&sec=nation
SHAH ALAM: A new site for the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Padang Jawa, which was demolished in November last year has been approved.
Mayor Mazalan Md Noor said the temple would be rebuilt soon on a 10,000sq feet land near the Keretapi Tanah Melayu quarters, a much bigger site than the original temple.
He was speaking to reporters after Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Shah Alam MP Khalid Abd Samad visited the Rimba Jaya flats Monday.
The Hindu temple was ordered torn down by the authorities as it stood in the vicinity of the Rimba Jaya squatter settlement.
The 11ha site in the area is owned by Ken Rimba Jaya Sdn Bhd.
"The developer has been directed by the state government to provide the land and RM40,000, the cost of the building construction.
"It is up to the temple committee and the developer to decide when to start the temple construction," he said.
Mazalan said the Shah Alam City Council had cleared up the land to make way for the temple project.
Earlier, Khalid and Anwar had a dialogue with the Kampung Rimba Jaya residents and the demolition of the temple was among the hottest issues raised during the 15-minute meeting.
Khalid said the new state government was working hard to solve the squatter problems in the state.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Free Hindraf 5: UN Special Rapporteur urges Malaysian Govt.
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Mar252008/foreign2008032559383.asp?section=updatenews
Free Hindraf leaders, UN official urges Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, IANS: 25 March 2008
In a letter to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, Param Cumaraswamy has urged that they should be released in the interest of justice and harmony in the country.
UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers has urged the Malaysian government to review the detention of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders and release them unconditionally.
In a letter to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, Param Cumaraswamy has urged that they should be released in the interest of justice and harmony in the country.
The five are being held for two years under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA) and charged with sedition after they organised a protest rally on November 25 last year.
Cumaraswamy pointed out that one of those detained, M. Manoharan, was now an elected member of the state assembly in Kota Alam Shah.
This should be seen as a clear message that the electorate did not view him as a threat to state security.
He added that there was clearly no justification for the five to be detained any longer.
"Unite them with their families and allow Manoharan to serve his electorate effectively," The Star newspaper quoted him as saying.
Hindraf, an unregistered organisation, claims to speak for Malaysia's two million-plus Tamil Hindu settlers. It has been alleging that temples have been demolished and the community has been denied its due in terms of jobs and educational facilities.
Free Hindraf leaders, UN official urges Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, IANS: 25 March 2008
In a letter to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, Param Cumaraswamy has urged that they should be released in the interest of justice and harmony in the country.
UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers has urged the Malaysian government to review the detention of the five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders and release them unconditionally.
In a letter to Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar, Param Cumaraswamy has urged that they should be released in the interest of justice and harmony in the country.
The five are being held for two years under the stringent Internal Security Act (ISA) and charged with sedition after they organised a protest rally on November 25 last year.
Cumaraswamy pointed out that one of those detained, M. Manoharan, was now an elected member of the state assembly in Kota Alam Shah.
This should be seen as a clear message that the electorate did not view him as a threat to state security.
He added that there was clearly no justification for the five to be detained any longer.
"Unite them with their families and allow Manoharan to serve his electorate effectively," The Star newspaper quoted him as saying.
Hindraf, an unregistered organisation, claims to speak for Malaysia's two million-plus Tamil Hindu settlers. It has been alleging that temples have been demolished and the community has been denied its due in terms of jobs and educational facilities.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Hindus avenge their humiliation in Malaysia, the fight goes on to get Hindraf 5 released
March 30, 2008
Parvasi Bharatiya
Hindraf makes a dent in ruling coalition vote bank
Hindus avenge their humiliation in Malaysia
By Petaling Jaya
Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from its worst-ever election performance with the ruling coalition losing 2/3 majority. While it managed to keep Terengganu and will form the next government, it lost Penang, Selangor Kedah and Perak to the Opposition and failed to recapture Kelantan. Barisan Nasional chairman, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in accepting the results, said this was a clear proof of democracy at work in the country. He urged people to remain calm and not take to the streets to celebrate.
Tamil Nesan had a massive pull-out for birthday boy Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu with back-to-back coverage and full-page live-size photographs of him taken out by all 28 MIC candidates, hailing their chief as the greatest man ever born. The surreal coverage was in stark contrast to the ugly mood among Indians who had already ‘told’ Samy Vellu that his time was up—through the November 25 protest and the boycott of Batu Caves during Thaipusam—and were waiting to say it again through the ballot box. It was Samy Vellu’s final swan song. Except for Dr S. Subramaniam , S. Saravanan and K. Devamani, the other MIC candidates were all wiped out in an unprecedented wave of anger, opening up a new era in politics for Indians. With most of the MIC bigwigs wiped out, the internal power equation in the party has gone haywire and only time will tell how it is going to unravel. After such a beating it is also inconceivable that Samy Vellu should continue as party president. Sadly, he does not have a winner in a number two or three to hand over the party to. The vice-presidents, until press time, appear to have been defeated as well, leaving the MIC leadership in shambles. It will take a long time for the mess to be sorted out.
The MIC representation in the Cabinet and the administration is also in question now that Samy Vellu, the sole Indian minister for 29 years, has been defeated. Who is the winner or loser? Who will to take his place in the Cabinet? Indian voters form significant numbers in at least 67 parliamentary and 141 state assembly seats where they comprise between 9 per cent and 46 per cent of the electorate. The results across the country indicate they had used their numbers to vote Opposition and helped change the direction of politics in the country. They were the deciding factor in constituencies where Malay and Chinese votes divided. Indians who traditionally backed the Government made their small numbers count. Twenty-two Indians contested in 18 parliamentary seats and 53 Indians contested in 40 seats. They comprised about 8 per cent of contestants. MIC fielded nine for the Parliament and 19 for the state assemblies. The DAP had seven Indians for the Parliament and 17 for state while PKR fielded 19 Indians. In the Parliament and the state assemblies, there will be about 20 Indians from the DAP and PKR and all will be sitting on the opposition bench. Previously, in the entire country there were only two Indian MPs—Karpal Singh and M. Kulasegaran—holding the fort. It is going to be a lively Parliament and Opposition Indian MPs are going to fall over each other to voice Indian woes. The results are a victory for Makkal Shakti, the force unleashed by Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar on November 25, which ballooned into a formidable Indian movement to carry away so many MIC leaders. The larger question is of course Indian representation in the government, which would be lesser with so many casualties. The government will have to find new ways to fill the vacancies and not just promote losers into senators and then ministers. Because of the defeat in some states, Indian representation is nil, making it a challenging task for the Barisan Nasional power-sharing formula to work.
While Malaysian political parties have managed to negotiate communal issues with remarkable dexterity over the past five decades, it is clear that the race-based formula that defines our political landscape must be re-modelled in due course. This is necessary because a long-entrenched habit of organising society into separate racial groups is patently unhealthy and ultimately counterproductive. The task should begin, naturally, with the envisioning of a society that emphasises a unifying, cross-cultural experience instead of striving to maintain social and institutional differences based on race and religion. This would require investing time and energy in reforming all important public institutions and processes to become inclusive, universal and egalitarian so that communal differences are de-emphasised and common values embraced as core principles. This is obviously a massive undertaking that will require decades if not generations to accomplish. Nevertheless, it must begin with a sense of conviction among all communities that such a society is not only achievable, but most desirable.
Further, as the goal involves a radical transformation in thinking, it must be approached in a systematic manner that would foster a gradual acceptance of the idea. The process should move from discussion of the idea among cultural experts, political leaders, public figures, community groups and civil society organisations, to confidence-building initiatives, experimental programmes and onward to more institutional efforts. A first step could be the establishment of a race relations commission that reports to the Parliament. Such an entity should be tasked with driving the agenda of racial harmony by drawing on the strength of opinion leaders and leading lights in the various communities. Thereafter a blueprint for promoting racial unity should be developed, including a revamp of institutions such as the Department of National Unity to make its role in promoting racial harmony more effective. Such a blueprint should encompass the reform of major national institutions including educational institutions, the civil service, Parliament, the justice system and others to reflect a race-blind public policy. This would ensure that over time, all public institutions would be guided by the principles of egalitarianism and universal values. In this process, a move towards reforming legislation to make them consonant with the values of a race-blind society would be a logical progression. Admittedly, from our current position, all this looks like a distant dream. However, the challenge of taking up the discussion is open to all who wish to forge a great future for Malaysia.
With the damming defeat, the MIC now becomes the only party, with its top leaders — president, deputy president (Datuk G. Palanivel) and three-vice presidents (Datuk S. Sothinathan, Datuk S. Veerasingam and Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar)—will not have parliamentary seats to their names.
The MIC was allotted nine parliamentary and 19 state seats to contest. Only three MIC candidates won parliamentary seats while a mere seven won state seats.
MIC candidates who emerged victorious in the parliamentary seats were MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan (Tapah), S.K. Devamany (Cameron Highlands) and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (Segamat).
The party’s candidates were wiped-out in Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor while the seven who managed to cling on were the four state assembly men in Johor, one in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.
Political observers said MIC’s dismal performance in this polls was to be expected as the “tell-tale” signs were there but were never noticed by party leaders.
It began when certain segments of the 1.8 million Indians unhappy with the way the party was addressing the woes of the community, sparked an uprising of some sorts by organising a street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in November last year.
Despite the intense pressure, Samy Vellu vowed that he would make changes to the MIC line-up in this election. He did make changes but they were minimal. He brought in new faces only in Saravanan and S. Murugesan (who contested the Subang constituency and lost).
It is without doubt that the veteran leader, who was appointed as Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister in 1978 and subsequently Works Minister in 1979, has to leave the Cabinet, in which he was a member for many years.
Samy Vellu, who once worked as a bus conductor, office boy and a newscaster in RTM, climbed the party’s ladder the hard way.
After becoming an MIC member in 1959 at the Batu Caves branch, he clawed his way up as the acting president in 1979 following the death of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, the then MIC president.
The eldest son of rubber tappers Sangilimuthu and Angammah, took the helm of MIC in 1981. He has held on to that position despite facing strong challenge many a time.
After serving the community for nearly 30 years, the man, who as a kid, moved from estate to estate with his parents in search of employment, had a hard decision to make in the light of the current circumstances.
Will he step aside in the party or plod on, will he be made a senator and retain his works minister’s portfolio, one time will tell.
Malaysia’s opposition was set on recently to hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset ever, winning the northern industrial state of Penang and putting the prime minister’s political future at risk.
The multi-racial National Front coalition was almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but the two-thirds majority in parliament it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule was looking shaky in early returns.
“It’s bad. They have lost Penang,” a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Reuters just two and a half hours after polling booths closed. “It’s a perfect storm,” he added. “Big guns are falling all over the place.”
The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state’s opposition leaders said.
“He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents,” said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), which was set to lead the new government in the state.
The surprise defeat for the ruling National Front coalition aroused memories of the last time it failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
Abdullah said he accepted defeat in some areas and urged people to remain calm.
Police officials vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours of race riots, and banned victory processions after the results, one of which had triggered the violence in 1969.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Abdullah’s rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Another slap in the face for the government was a victory by detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan, who won a parliamentary seat, after being held under internal-security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
“This looks like a revolution,” said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state.
“The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, ‘Enough is enough’”, he told reporters.
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=230&page=25
Parvasi Bharatiya
Hindraf makes a dent in ruling coalition vote bank
Hindus avenge their humiliation in Malaysia
By Petaling Jaya
Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from its worst-ever election performance with the ruling coalition losing 2/3 majority. While it managed to keep Terengganu and will form the next government, it lost Penang, Selangor Kedah and Perak to the Opposition and failed to recapture Kelantan. Barisan Nasional chairman, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in accepting the results, said this was a clear proof of democracy at work in the country. He urged people to remain calm and not take to the streets to celebrate.
Tamil Nesan had a massive pull-out for birthday boy Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu with back-to-back coverage and full-page live-size photographs of him taken out by all 28 MIC candidates, hailing their chief as the greatest man ever born. The surreal coverage was in stark contrast to the ugly mood among Indians who had already ‘told’ Samy Vellu that his time was up—through the November 25 protest and the boycott of Batu Caves during Thaipusam—and were waiting to say it again through the ballot box. It was Samy Vellu’s final swan song. Except for Dr S. Subramaniam , S. Saravanan and K. Devamani, the other MIC candidates were all wiped out in an unprecedented wave of anger, opening up a new era in politics for Indians. With most of the MIC bigwigs wiped out, the internal power equation in the party has gone haywire and only time will tell how it is going to unravel. After such a beating it is also inconceivable that Samy Vellu should continue as party president. Sadly, he does not have a winner in a number two or three to hand over the party to. The vice-presidents, until press time, appear to have been defeated as well, leaving the MIC leadership in shambles. It will take a long time for the mess to be sorted out.
The MIC representation in the Cabinet and the administration is also in question now that Samy Vellu, the sole Indian minister for 29 years, has been defeated. Who is the winner or loser? Who will to take his place in the Cabinet? Indian voters form significant numbers in at least 67 parliamentary and 141 state assembly seats where they comprise between 9 per cent and 46 per cent of the electorate. The results across the country indicate they had used their numbers to vote Opposition and helped change the direction of politics in the country. They were the deciding factor in constituencies where Malay and Chinese votes divided. Indians who traditionally backed the Government made their small numbers count. Twenty-two Indians contested in 18 parliamentary seats and 53 Indians contested in 40 seats. They comprised about 8 per cent of contestants. MIC fielded nine for the Parliament and 19 for the state assemblies. The DAP had seven Indians for the Parliament and 17 for state while PKR fielded 19 Indians. In the Parliament and the state assemblies, there will be about 20 Indians from the DAP and PKR and all will be sitting on the opposition bench. Previously, in the entire country there were only two Indian MPs—Karpal Singh and M. Kulasegaran—holding the fort. It is going to be a lively Parliament and Opposition Indian MPs are going to fall over each other to voice Indian woes. The results are a victory for Makkal Shakti, the force unleashed by Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar on November 25, which ballooned into a formidable Indian movement to carry away so many MIC leaders. The larger question is of course Indian representation in the government, which would be lesser with so many casualties. The government will have to find new ways to fill the vacancies and not just promote losers into senators and then ministers. Because of the defeat in some states, Indian representation is nil, making it a challenging task for the Barisan Nasional power-sharing formula to work.
While Malaysian political parties have managed to negotiate communal issues with remarkable dexterity over the past five decades, it is clear that the race-based formula that defines our political landscape must be re-modelled in due course. This is necessary because a long-entrenched habit of organising society into separate racial groups is patently unhealthy and ultimately counterproductive. The task should begin, naturally, with the envisioning of a society that emphasises a unifying, cross-cultural experience instead of striving to maintain social and institutional differences based on race and religion. This would require investing time and energy in reforming all important public institutions and processes to become inclusive, universal and egalitarian so that communal differences are de-emphasised and common values embraced as core principles. This is obviously a massive undertaking that will require decades if not generations to accomplish. Nevertheless, it must begin with a sense of conviction among all communities that such a society is not only achievable, but most desirable.
Further, as the goal involves a radical transformation in thinking, it must be approached in a systematic manner that would foster a gradual acceptance of the idea. The process should move from discussion of the idea among cultural experts, political leaders, public figures, community groups and civil society organisations, to confidence-building initiatives, experimental programmes and onward to more institutional efforts. A first step could be the establishment of a race relations commission that reports to the Parliament. Such an entity should be tasked with driving the agenda of racial harmony by drawing on the strength of opinion leaders and leading lights in the various communities. Thereafter a blueprint for promoting racial unity should be developed, including a revamp of institutions such as the Department of National Unity to make its role in promoting racial harmony more effective. Such a blueprint should encompass the reform of major national institutions including educational institutions, the civil service, Parliament, the justice system and others to reflect a race-blind public policy. This would ensure that over time, all public institutions would be guided by the principles of egalitarianism and universal values. In this process, a move towards reforming legislation to make them consonant with the values of a race-blind society would be a logical progression. Admittedly, from our current position, all this looks like a distant dream. However, the challenge of taking up the discussion is open to all who wish to forge a great future for Malaysia.
With the damming defeat, the MIC now becomes the only party, with its top leaders — president, deputy president (Datuk G. Palanivel) and three-vice presidents (Datuk S. Sothinathan, Datuk S. Veerasingam and Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar)—will not have parliamentary seats to their names.
The MIC was allotted nine parliamentary and 19 state seats to contest. Only three MIC candidates won parliamentary seats while a mere seven won state seats.
MIC candidates who emerged victorious in the parliamentary seats were MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan (Tapah), S.K. Devamany (Cameron Highlands) and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (Segamat).
The party’s candidates were wiped-out in Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor while the seven who managed to cling on were the four state assembly men in Johor, one in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.
Political observers said MIC’s dismal performance in this polls was to be expected as the “tell-tale” signs were there but were never noticed by party leaders.
It began when certain segments of the 1.8 million Indians unhappy with the way the party was addressing the woes of the community, sparked an uprising of some sorts by organising a street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in November last year.
Despite the intense pressure, Samy Vellu vowed that he would make changes to the MIC line-up in this election. He did make changes but they were minimal. He brought in new faces only in Saravanan and S. Murugesan (who contested the Subang constituency and lost).
It is without doubt that the veteran leader, who was appointed as Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister in 1978 and subsequently Works Minister in 1979, has to leave the Cabinet, in which he was a member for many years.
Samy Vellu, who once worked as a bus conductor, office boy and a newscaster in RTM, climbed the party’s ladder the hard way.
After becoming an MIC member in 1959 at the Batu Caves branch, he clawed his way up as the acting president in 1979 following the death of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, the then MIC president.
The eldest son of rubber tappers Sangilimuthu and Angammah, took the helm of MIC in 1981. He has held on to that position despite facing strong challenge many a time.
After serving the community for nearly 30 years, the man, who as a kid, moved from estate to estate with his parents in search of employment, had a hard decision to make in the light of the current circumstances.
Will he step aside in the party or plod on, will he be made a senator and retain his works minister’s portfolio, one time will tell.
Malaysia’s opposition was set on recently to hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset ever, winning the northern industrial state of Penang and putting the prime minister’s political future at risk.
The multi-racial National Front coalition was almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but the two-thirds majority in parliament it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule was looking shaky in early returns.
“It’s bad. They have lost Penang,” a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Reuters just two and a half hours after polling booths closed. “It’s a perfect storm,” he added. “Big guns are falling all over the place.”
The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state’s opposition leaders said.
“He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents,” said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), which was set to lead the new government in the state.
The surprise defeat for the ruling National Front coalition aroused memories of the last time it failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
Abdullah said he accepted defeat in some areas and urged people to remain calm.
Police officials vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours of race riots, and banned victory processions after the results, one of which had triggered the violence in 1969.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Abdullah’s rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Another slap in the face for the government was a victory by detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan, who won a parliamentary seat, after being held under internal-security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
“This looks like a revolution,” said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state.
“The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, ‘Enough is enough’”, he told reporters.
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=230&page=25
Time for Malaysia to address minorities' concerns: Hindraf
Time for Malaysia to address minorities' concerns: HINDRAF
Chennai (PTI): Malaysia-based Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) on Monday said the defeat of Malaysian Indian Congress headed by former minister Datho Samivelu in recent polls, showed that it was time for the Malaysian government to come out with an "affirmative plan" to address the concerns of the minorities.
P Wayda Moorthy, Chairman, HINDRAF, told reporters here that after the elections, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had said that he would correct some of his mistakes like the crackdown on ethnic Indians.
Moorthy said the Government should announce "concrete, affirmative plan for the Indians."
He also called for repealing of the Internal Security Act under which several HINDRAF activists were detained and demanded their immediate release.
They were detained when HINDRAF organised a rally of ethnic Indians on November 25 last year, demanding equal rights to the community.
Moorthy said the recent MoU proposed by Malaysia offering all rights and facilities to the Indian expatriates and migrant workers was aimed at keeping India quiet.
"Migrant workers from various countries are employed in Malaysia. But, the proposed MoU for Indians alone is aimed at preventing India from taking up with it, the struggle by the ethnic Indians," he said.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803241702.htm
Chennai (PTI): Malaysia-based Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) on Monday said the defeat of Malaysian Indian Congress headed by former minister Datho Samivelu in recent polls, showed that it was time for the Malaysian government to come out with an "affirmative plan" to address the concerns of the minorities.
P Wayda Moorthy, Chairman, HINDRAF, told reporters here that after the elections, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi had said that he would correct some of his mistakes like the crackdown on ethnic Indians.
Moorthy said the Government should announce "concrete, affirmative plan for the Indians."
He also called for repealing of the Internal Security Act under which several HINDRAF activists were detained and demanded their immediate release.
They were detained when HINDRAF organised a rally of ethnic Indians on November 25 last year, demanding equal rights to the community.
Moorthy said the recent MoU proposed by Malaysia offering all rights and facilities to the Indian expatriates and migrant workers was aimed at keeping India quiet.
"Migrant workers from various countries are employed in Malaysia. But, the proposed MoU for Indians alone is aimed at preventing India from taking up with it, the struggle by the ethnic Indians," he said.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803241702.htm
Protests organized world-wide on 100th day of detention of Hindraf 5
PWM: PRESS STATEMENT 23/03/2008
Mon, 24/03/2008 - 18:07 — admin The 100th day detention of the 5 HINDRAF linked persons and leaders were remembered throughout the country on the 22nd and 23rd March 2008.
Worldwide vigils and protests in conjunction with the 100th day detention would be organised on different dated as Europe celebrated the Easter break and India had its Holi Festival during this period.
A protest were organised at San Francisco United Nations Plaza on the 22nd March 2008.
Throughout the country thousands of Malaysians attended various “Abolish ISA Forums” and a total of 8 resolutions were unanimously adopted as follows:
1. HINDRAF through its MAKKAL SAKTI power has sent a clear message to the Government of the 50 years of marginalisation, suppression and oppression of the Indian community in Malaysia and calls upon the Government to adopt and implement all 18 demands made via a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister on 12th August 2007.
2. THIS FORUM does not believe that the 5 linked to HINDRAF detained under the ISA are a threat to National Security. The Government have maliciously linked them to terrorist organisation in December 2007, being extremist ect to justify their arrest under ISA.
THIS FORUM recognises that the Government felt threatened of losing the traditional Indian voters support as a result of the mass gathering organized by HINDRAF and show of MAKKAL SAKTI (PEOPLE POWER) ON 25TH November 2007 and hence the decision to detain under ISA.
THIS FORUM calls upon the Government to immediately release all 5 detained persons unconditionally and compensate them for their unlawful incarceration.
3. THIS FORUM reminds DAP KEADILAN PAS that the spirit of multi racial politics shown and advocated by HINDRAF during the General Elections are a commitment given by HINDRAF on behalf of the Malaysian Indians which is a total shift from previous voting trends. HINDRAF now calls upon the abovementioned political parties to recognize the contributions of HINDRAF by appointing a minimum of 5 HINDRAF leaders in the Senate (DEWAN NEGARA) a Deputy Menteri Besar position in each of the states in Penang, Perak and Selangor and equitable numbers of Timbalan Yang Dipertua’s and councillors from amongst HINDRAF.
4. THIS FORUM calls on the Government to recognize the legitimate existence and contributions of HINDRAF to the country and calls upon the Government to immediately approve the registration of HINDRAF as a Civil Rights and Political Pressure group/organization.
5. THIS FORUM recognises that the ISA is an obsolete act of Parliament and the detention under ISA is cruel, inhumane and against all International Human Rights standards.
THIS FORUM calls on the Prime Minister to table as the first act of Parliament, an act to repeal the ISA in the forthcoming new Parliamentary session.
6. THIS FORUM calls on the Government to heed calls made by all concerned citizens and Human Rights organisations to immediately release all detained persons unlawfully held under the ISA and compensate each individual for the loss of years and sufferings they and their families underwent.
7. THIS FORUM urges all Political Parties and the Government to accept the reality that HINDRAF IS THE NEW VOICE OF MALAYSIAN INDIANS.
8. HINDRAF declares and vows to vigorously campaign for the repeal of fINTERNAL SECURITY ACT even upon the release of the 5 linked to HINDRAF.
On the 23rd March 2008 between 7.00am-10.am a total of 131 yagams (yagas/ fire rituals) were conducted by Hindus to invoke the blessings of the ALMIGHTY for the release of the 5 and for the protection and guarantee of Minority Indian Rights in Malaysia.
HINDRAF congratulates and thanks all supporters for their participation and support in organizing these events and a special thanks to our fellow brothers and sisters in London and Dublin who despite the “safety restrictions” organized successful yagams and to our fellow brethren in San Francisco for their commitment in organizing the protest despite the Easter break.
P.Waytha Moorthy
CHAIRMAN
HINDRAF
http://www.hindraf.org/content/pwm-press-statement-23032008
Mon, 24/03/2008 - 18:07 — admin The 100th day detention of the 5 HINDRAF linked persons and leaders were remembered throughout the country on the 22nd and 23rd March 2008.
Worldwide vigils and protests in conjunction with the 100th day detention would be organised on different dated as Europe celebrated the Easter break and India had its Holi Festival during this period.
A protest were organised at San Francisco United Nations Plaza on the 22nd March 2008.
Throughout the country thousands of Malaysians attended various “Abolish ISA Forums” and a total of 8 resolutions were unanimously adopted as follows:
1. HINDRAF through its MAKKAL SAKTI power has sent a clear message to the Government of the 50 years of marginalisation, suppression and oppression of the Indian community in Malaysia and calls upon the Government to adopt and implement all 18 demands made via a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister on 12th August 2007.
2. THIS FORUM does not believe that the 5 linked to HINDRAF detained under the ISA are a threat to National Security. The Government have maliciously linked them to terrorist organisation in December 2007, being extremist ect to justify their arrest under ISA.
THIS FORUM recognises that the Government felt threatened of losing the traditional Indian voters support as a result of the mass gathering organized by HINDRAF and show of MAKKAL SAKTI (PEOPLE POWER) ON 25TH November 2007 and hence the decision to detain under ISA.
THIS FORUM calls upon the Government to immediately release all 5 detained persons unconditionally and compensate them for their unlawful incarceration.
3. THIS FORUM reminds DAP KEADILAN PAS that the spirit of multi racial politics shown and advocated by HINDRAF during the General Elections are a commitment given by HINDRAF on behalf of the Malaysian Indians which is a total shift from previous voting trends. HINDRAF now calls upon the abovementioned political parties to recognize the contributions of HINDRAF by appointing a minimum of 5 HINDRAF leaders in the Senate (DEWAN NEGARA) a Deputy Menteri Besar position in each of the states in Penang, Perak and Selangor and equitable numbers of Timbalan Yang Dipertua’s and councillors from amongst HINDRAF.
4. THIS FORUM calls on the Government to recognize the legitimate existence and contributions of HINDRAF to the country and calls upon the Government to immediately approve the registration of HINDRAF as a Civil Rights and Political Pressure group/organization.
5. THIS FORUM recognises that the ISA is an obsolete act of Parliament and the detention under ISA is cruel, inhumane and against all International Human Rights standards.
THIS FORUM calls on the Prime Minister to table as the first act of Parliament, an act to repeal the ISA in the forthcoming new Parliamentary session.
6. THIS FORUM calls on the Government to heed calls made by all concerned citizens and Human Rights organisations to immediately release all detained persons unlawfully held under the ISA and compensate each individual for the loss of years and sufferings they and their families underwent.
7. THIS FORUM urges all Political Parties and the Government to accept the reality that HINDRAF IS THE NEW VOICE OF MALAYSIAN INDIANS.
8. HINDRAF declares and vows to vigorously campaign for the repeal of fINTERNAL SECURITY ACT even upon the release of the 5 linked to HINDRAF.
On the 23rd March 2008 between 7.00am-10.am a total of 131 yagams (yagas/ fire rituals) were conducted by Hindus to invoke the blessings of the ALMIGHTY for the release of the 5 and for the protection and guarantee of Minority Indian Rights in Malaysia.
HINDRAF congratulates and thanks all supporters for their participation and support in organizing these events and a special thanks to our fellow brothers and sisters in London and Dublin who despite the “safety restrictions” organized successful yagams and to our fellow brethren in San Francisco for their commitment in organizing the protest despite the Easter break.
P.Waytha Moorthy
CHAIRMAN
HINDRAF
http://www.hindraf.org/content/pwm-press-statement-23032008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Malaysian govt. softens stance toward bloggers
Malaysian govt. softens stance toward bloggers
Kuala Lumpur (AP), 23 March 2008: Media reports say Malaysia's new information minister has pledged not to impose curbs on bloggers, who have been accused by authorities of spreading slander and undermining multiethnic harmony.
Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said bloggers played a key role in recent general elections by catering to voters who wanted an alternative source of information apart from mainstream newspapers and television.
Newspapers on Saturday quoted Ahmad Shabery as saying that everyone would have ``the freedom to use the blogs as an information distribution center.''
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803230321.htm
Kuala Lumpur (AP), 23 March 2008: Media reports say Malaysia's new information minister has pledged not to impose curbs on bloggers, who have been accused by authorities of spreading slander and undermining multiethnic harmony.
Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said bloggers played a key role in recent general elections by catering to voters who wanted an alternative source of information apart from mainstream newspapers and television.
Newspapers on Saturday quoted Ahmad Shabery as saying that everyone would have ``the freedom to use the blogs as an information distribution center.''
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803230321.htm
How the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Failed The Indians
An open letter to Dato S Subramaniam and others who want to resurrect the now dead MIC
Posted by Raja Petra, Thursday, 20 March 2008
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/4708/84/
The abandonment of MIC by Malaysian Indians is surely a reflection that MIC has failed itself significantly in representing the very people it serves.
MIC failed the Indians, when did barely nothing to prevent the temple demolitions. MIC failed when its leaders did not ensure that budgeted allocations actually went towards needy Tamil schools. MIC failed when it's leaders did not negotiate for better salaries for Estate Workers, or find jobs for displaced Estate workers. May we ask what MIC did towards halting the rising rates of gangsterism within the Malaysian Indian community?
We did not hear a squeak from MIC leaders when time and again Indians died in police custody. Once again where was the voice of MIC leaders when our deserving students did not get placement in the Universities? Neither did we hear our MIC representatives clamour to give housing for poor urban Indians. Where were the MIC leaders when our community were deprived of jobs and when the number of Indians in Government dropped alarmingly?
Sir, sorry to say, that our MIC leaders together with the ruling Government wilfully neglected the Indian community. So now you tell us, why do we Indians need such category of self serving leaders?
Though we Malaysian Indians had MPs and other leaders in Government, rarely did anyone take up their cause, a case in point, the hundreds of Memos sent in by Hindraf went virtually ignored and unanswered by all in government. When in actual fact, the MIC should have taken onus to address the problems enumerated in the Hindraf demands, this being specific Indian issue. Instead leaders went all out to demonise us, resorting to all manner of name calling from penyangkak to extremists to murderers even to the extent of our esteemed police force's vivid and imaginary terrorist links.
Why you too Sir, did not make any efforts to take up the Indian cause, surely with your connections you could have highlighted the Indian plight, but then I guess all of you very busy pursuing your own personal and business interests. Why did you not use your influence with the Government to speak on behalf of the thousands of Indians who came out on the streets in a voice of discontent? Were you lounging in one of the hotels on Jalan Ampang watching us Malaysian Indians being jetted with chemical waters and tear gas?
Consider the 12th General Elections and see for yourself how the Indians rallied with the opposition especially in constituencies where MIC candidates were contesting. Indians tirelessly worked to ensure that MIC candidates failed to get elected. Is that not proof in itself, that the very people MIC represents, in effect ensured its failure? Otherwise how do you attribute that even the CEO of MIC and his deputy failed to get elected, it was not by coincidence but the very intention of frustrated and marginalised Malaysian Indians.
One of the main reasons for the debacle of the BN in this elections, is that the Indians previously complacent openly came out in large numbers to assist the opposition candidates, be it DAP, PAS or PKR, it did not matter to them whether the candidates were Indian, Chinese, Malay or any other, nevertheless Indians gave their whole hearted support to any candidate other than BN.
By now you should know that the reason for the component parties' devastation in the 12th GE was primarily because the minorities felt that their leaders failed to represent and voice out the discontent of the people. This in turn effected the rise of the elite UMNO and their racial policies. Just to illustrate, when the Keris was raised, those who mumbled and grumbled a bit, were seen in the next days papers, smiling and shaking hands, with the keris wielding leader who today unfortunately still sits in cabinet, while the rest of us were furious and feared our very future in this nation.
To your question on who will represent the Indians, there are enough Indians in Parliament and the State Assemblies to ensure the welfare of the Indians. Right now there is a strong Indian presence in five state governments, so to you we say we have sufficient representation of Indians in whom we have placed our trust and confidence.
For the development of respective Arts and Culture, there should not be a problem to initiate societies and associations for the promotion of language, literature, culture, arts, music and dance.
It is timely that big industrialists and entrepreneurs come forward to develop, train and mentor the younger generation. I am equally sure that you should not have a problem with your expertise and being a person of influence to establish ways to promote economic growth of marginalised and deserving Malaysians irrespective of race or religion.
To Samy Velu, who today said "who will represent the Indians"? Go and seek penance in Kasi and prepare yourself to meet your maker, your end is nearing. Be sure you have answers for your bad performance and your major role in the making of a powerful opposition, for certain, they have already thanked you for this. Meditate how your devious actions led to the sad demise of MIC. By raising the tolls, in amassing huge amounts of wealth. We ofcourse in the elections did not forget how the Hindraf assemblers were treated at Batu Caves and we gave you the answer by booting you out. Be gone. You have negated all the the efforts and the good done by the early founders of MIC, you have dragged all their work into the stinking muck.
By the way, Dato Subramaniam and others you could earn back some semblence of respect if you could get not just the Hindraf 5 but also all other ISA detainees released. However if you wish to serve,let it be all Malaysians, not just one community, that is our sincere advice to you.
We have now reached a mature stage whereby we the people, Malays, Chinese, Indians and others will directly involve ourselves with our elected representatives to ensure that all our interests are taken care of. We have made our voice heard in this elections and we say once and for all, be gone all yea who want to encourage racism and partisan politics in Malaysia, that was once and no more shall the people let self-serving politicians divide us.
Why have you not heard our loud "NO TO RACISM, NEPOTISM, WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE AND CORRUPTION.
Right now, there are stalwarts who are true patriots, working to ensure the success of the Barisan Rakyat.
Barisan Rakyat is the only way forward for Malaysia.
From:
I am of one race - Malaysian
Posted by Raja Petra, Thursday, 20 March 2008
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/4708/84/
The abandonment of MIC by Malaysian Indians is surely a reflection that MIC has failed itself significantly in representing the very people it serves.
MIC failed the Indians, when did barely nothing to prevent the temple demolitions. MIC failed when its leaders did not ensure that budgeted allocations actually went towards needy Tamil schools. MIC failed when it's leaders did not negotiate for better salaries for Estate Workers, or find jobs for displaced Estate workers. May we ask what MIC did towards halting the rising rates of gangsterism within the Malaysian Indian community?
We did not hear a squeak from MIC leaders when time and again Indians died in police custody. Once again where was the voice of MIC leaders when our deserving students did not get placement in the Universities? Neither did we hear our MIC representatives clamour to give housing for poor urban Indians. Where were the MIC leaders when our community were deprived of jobs and when the number of Indians in Government dropped alarmingly?
Sir, sorry to say, that our MIC leaders together with the ruling Government wilfully neglected the Indian community. So now you tell us, why do we Indians need such category of self serving leaders?
Though we Malaysian Indians had MPs and other leaders in Government, rarely did anyone take up their cause, a case in point, the hundreds of Memos sent in by Hindraf went virtually ignored and unanswered by all in government. When in actual fact, the MIC should have taken onus to address the problems enumerated in the Hindraf demands, this being specific Indian issue. Instead leaders went all out to demonise us, resorting to all manner of name calling from penyangkak to extremists to murderers even to the extent of our esteemed police force's vivid and imaginary terrorist links.
Why you too Sir, did not make any efforts to take up the Indian cause, surely with your connections you could have highlighted the Indian plight, but then I guess all of you very busy pursuing your own personal and business interests. Why did you not use your influence with the Government to speak on behalf of the thousands of Indians who came out on the streets in a voice of discontent? Were you lounging in one of the hotels on Jalan Ampang watching us Malaysian Indians being jetted with chemical waters and tear gas?
Consider the 12th General Elections and see for yourself how the Indians rallied with the opposition especially in constituencies where MIC candidates were contesting. Indians tirelessly worked to ensure that MIC candidates failed to get elected. Is that not proof in itself, that the very people MIC represents, in effect ensured its failure? Otherwise how do you attribute that even the CEO of MIC and his deputy failed to get elected, it was not by coincidence but the very intention of frustrated and marginalised Malaysian Indians.
One of the main reasons for the debacle of the BN in this elections, is that the Indians previously complacent openly came out in large numbers to assist the opposition candidates, be it DAP, PAS or PKR, it did not matter to them whether the candidates were Indian, Chinese, Malay or any other, nevertheless Indians gave their whole hearted support to any candidate other than BN.
By now you should know that the reason for the component parties' devastation in the 12th GE was primarily because the minorities felt that their leaders failed to represent and voice out the discontent of the people. This in turn effected the rise of the elite UMNO and their racial policies. Just to illustrate, when the Keris was raised, those who mumbled and grumbled a bit, were seen in the next days papers, smiling and shaking hands, with the keris wielding leader who today unfortunately still sits in cabinet, while the rest of us were furious and feared our very future in this nation.
To your question on who will represent the Indians, there are enough Indians in Parliament and the State Assemblies to ensure the welfare of the Indians. Right now there is a strong Indian presence in five state governments, so to you we say we have sufficient representation of Indians in whom we have placed our trust and confidence.
For the development of respective Arts and Culture, there should not be a problem to initiate societies and associations for the promotion of language, literature, culture, arts, music and dance.
It is timely that big industrialists and entrepreneurs come forward to develop, train and mentor the younger generation. I am equally sure that you should not have a problem with your expertise and being a person of influence to establish ways to promote economic growth of marginalised and deserving Malaysians irrespective of race or religion.
To Samy Velu, who today said "who will represent the Indians"? Go and seek penance in Kasi and prepare yourself to meet your maker, your end is nearing. Be sure you have answers for your bad performance and your major role in the making of a powerful opposition, for certain, they have already thanked you for this. Meditate how your devious actions led to the sad demise of MIC. By raising the tolls, in amassing huge amounts of wealth. We ofcourse in the elections did not forget how the Hindraf assemblers were treated at Batu Caves and we gave you the answer by booting you out. Be gone. You have negated all the the efforts and the good done by the early founders of MIC, you have dragged all their work into the stinking muck.
By the way, Dato Subramaniam and others you could earn back some semblence of respect if you could get not just the Hindraf 5 but also all other ISA detainees released. However if you wish to serve,let it be all Malaysians, not just one community, that is our sincere advice to you.
We have now reached a mature stage whereby we the people, Malays, Chinese, Indians and others will directly involve ourselves with our elected representatives to ensure that all our interests are taken care of. We have made our voice heard in this elections and we say once and for all, be gone all yea who want to encourage racism and partisan politics in Malaysia, that was once and no more shall the people let self-serving politicians divide us.
Why have you not heard our loud "NO TO RACISM, NEPOTISM, WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE AND CORRUPTION.
Right now, there are stalwarts who are true patriots, working to ensure the success of the Barisan Rakyat.
Barisan Rakyat is the only way forward for Malaysia.
From:
I am of one race - Malaysian
Friday, March 21, 2008
HAF welcomes 'political tsunami
HAF welcomes "Political Tsunami" in Malaysia
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1206013324&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&cat=3
Blitz Desk
The political landscape was in upheaval in Malaysia late last week after the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition was handed a shocking defeat in national elections losing its two-thirds majority in the country's parliament. While the BN leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in as Prime Minister for another term, his mandate is severely weakened. The Hindu American Foundation, along with many human rights observers in the United States welcomed the development as a referendum against the Prime Minister's recent crackdown on ethnic minority Indians and jailing of Hindu leaders under draconian laws.
Political change began sweeping the country in late 2007 after the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) organized 80,000 ethnic Indians to march on the nation's capital to protest ethnic and religious discrimination and the destruction of several Hindu temples by the government. The rally was brutally dispersed and the government tried to silence any opposition. In an obvious blow to the Badawi government, M. Manoharan, one of the five HINDRAF leaders held under a draconian security law that allows indefinite detention without trial, won a seat in parliament convincingly on a Democratic Action Party (DAP) ticket.
"The overwhelming message we can glean from these elections is that a national policy of ethnic marginalization, discrimination and, indeed, religious persecution was rejected by Malays from all backgrounds," said Aseem Shukla, M.D., member of the HAF Board of Directors. "The Badawi government's regressive policies of reserving coveted jobs, leadership opportunities and school admissions for ethnic Malays, and a promotion of Islamist ideology poisoned and polarized the polity in Malaysia too far."
The Barisan Nasional, headed by Prime Minister Badawi won a majority of the seats (140 of the 222 seats), but compared to the 2004 elections in which it had won 64 percent of the vote, and 90 percent of the parliamentary seats, this time around it won only 51% percent of the votes and 63 percent of parliamentary seats. This despite widespread reports of vote-rigging and the huge advantages that the ruling coaliton had in terms of resources and support to hold big public rallies, denied to the opposition. Much more significantly, the BN lost its two-thirds majority, and suffered its worst outcome in 50 years. A two-thirds majority in parliament is needed to amend the constitution. The opposition parties together have won 82 seats compared to only 19 in the outgoing parliament.
The chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Samy Vellu, lost the seat he had held for 34 years. Many Hindu-Malaysians had blamed Samy Vellu for ignoring the real plight of his fellow minorities to gain favor within the Badawi government of which he was a cabinet member.
"The Hindu American Foundation is gratified that Hindu-Malaysians, who have borne the brunt of Malaysia's discriminatory policies, have been vindicated in their struggle to right the old wrongs," said Dr. Mihir Meghani, President, HAF. "We were one of the few international Hindu organizations who stood firmly behind HINDRAF's struggles this past year, and we look forward to the leaders of HINDRAF being released from prison, allowed to participate freely in public life, and fight for the rights of the long-discriminated Hindu minority."
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1206013324&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&cat=3
Blitz Desk
The political landscape was in upheaval in Malaysia late last week after the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition was handed a shocking defeat in national elections losing its two-thirds majority in the country's parliament. While the BN leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in as Prime Minister for another term, his mandate is severely weakened. The Hindu American Foundation, along with many human rights observers in the United States welcomed the development as a referendum against the Prime Minister's recent crackdown on ethnic minority Indians and jailing of Hindu leaders under draconian laws.
Political change began sweeping the country in late 2007 after the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) organized 80,000 ethnic Indians to march on the nation's capital to protest ethnic and religious discrimination and the destruction of several Hindu temples by the government. The rally was brutally dispersed and the government tried to silence any opposition. In an obvious blow to the Badawi government, M. Manoharan, one of the five HINDRAF leaders held under a draconian security law that allows indefinite detention without trial, won a seat in parliament convincingly on a Democratic Action Party (DAP) ticket.
"The overwhelming message we can glean from these elections is that a national policy of ethnic marginalization, discrimination and, indeed, religious persecution was rejected by Malays from all backgrounds," said Aseem Shukla, M.D., member of the HAF Board of Directors. "The Badawi government's regressive policies of reserving coveted jobs, leadership opportunities and school admissions for ethnic Malays, and a promotion of Islamist ideology poisoned and polarized the polity in Malaysia too far."
The Barisan Nasional, headed by Prime Minister Badawi won a majority of the seats (140 of the 222 seats), but compared to the 2004 elections in which it had won 64 percent of the vote, and 90 percent of the parliamentary seats, this time around it won only 51% percent of the votes and 63 percent of parliamentary seats. This despite widespread reports of vote-rigging and the huge advantages that the ruling coaliton had in terms of resources and support to hold big public rallies, denied to the opposition. Much more significantly, the BN lost its two-thirds majority, and suffered its worst outcome in 50 years. A two-thirds majority in parliament is needed to amend the constitution. The opposition parties together have won 82 seats compared to only 19 in the outgoing parliament.
The chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, Samy Vellu, lost the seat he had held for 34 years. Many Hindu-Malaysians had blamed Samy Vellu for ignoring the real plight of his fellow minorities to gain favor within the Badawi government of which he was a cabinet member.
"The Hindu American Foundation is gratified that Hindu-Malaysians, who have borne the brunt of Malaysia's discriminatory policies, have been vindicated in their struggle to right the old wrongs," said Dr. Mihir Meghani, President, HAF. "We were one of the few international Hindu organizations who stood firmly behind HINDRAF's struggles this past year, and we look forward to the leaders of HINDRAF being released from prison, allowed to participate freely in public life, and fight for the rights of the long-discriminated Hindu minority."
Malaysian Indians' winter of discontent
Malaysian Indians Winter of Discontent
Thursday, March 20, 2008
http://makkalsakti.blogspot.com/2008/03/malaysian-indians-winter-of-discontent.html
Joe Fernandez | Mar 19, 08
'Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya' (Don't think there are no crocodiles in the water just because it is still.) The unhappiness has always been there even before Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) emerged in public.
It began well before Malaysia announced the New Economic Policy in 1970, several months after the May 13, 1969 race riots. There were deviations in the policy from the very outset, it is alleged, and this apparently further exacerbated the 150 years of exploitation during the British colonial era.
When you virtually kidnap, which is what the British colonials allegedly did, perfectly-contented people from the freedom of the vast Tamil Nadu countryside and subject them to virtual enslavement in the pressure-cooker of a regimented estate environment, the pressures build up over the century and decades and must eventually find an outlet.
Historically, the vast majority of even voluntary migrants everywhere, since time immemorial, have generally exchanged grinding poverty in the old country for genteel poverty in their new land. That's the perennial lot of the wage-earner. The "smart" Indians in Malaysia, mostly in the towns and some among the planting class in the estates, are the ones that didn't stay when independence came. They came during the days of the British Empire, saved almost every sen they could lay their hands on and went back cash rich to invest in India, taking advantage of the exchange rate.
In the end, no matter where you go in the world, what matters is the exchange rate and how much you can save every month and whether you can eventually return and neutralise your "karma". Others, especially those shanghaied and kept in the estates against their will on a pittance, were trapped when the Empire fell apart.
Then, came the big Hindraf-led demonstration in front of the British High Commission. There are reports which suggest that many of the Hindraf demonstrators were MIC members. Obviously, there are attempts to distance people from Hindraf. The official line proceeds along an all too familiar pathway: criminalisation, demonisation, dehumanisation, neutralisation, isolation, marginalisation and finally elimination. Will that be the end of the government's troubles?
Hindraf claims to represents the voice of the unseen, the unheard, the forgotten, the ones outside the tight-knit MIC ambit which not so long ago expelled the poorest of the poor led by M G Pandithan. Having just one party in the BN to represent the Indians, it seems, no longer works.
Initial eye-opener
The initial eye-opener came, observations show, with an influx of Indian tourists and when Indian IT expatriates started working in Malaysia. These were the new role models. The government's idea, from press reports, is to get at least one million Indians from India's middle class, as large as and richer than the combined populations of France and Germany, to visit Malaysia every year and a further one million from China. Sounds good on paper. Now that India is an emerging economic and military power as well, besides being second only to the US in medicine and IT, the Indian community has been further emboldened to make demands especially since Malaysia is increasingly eyeing India (and China too) economically in the wake of globalisation.
India aside, the issue is simple. Hindraf wants the British government to right the historical wrongs to the Indians in Malaysia, the Tamils in particular, and compensate them as well as issue an official apology from the Queen and the prime minister. The memo was meant to internationalise the issue of religious freedom in Malaysia which, allegedly, is less than satisfactory at the state and local government levels.
Aside from freedom of worship, Hindraf also wants equal rights as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. They are not touching on the special privileges of the Malays because there's no need. Affirmation programmes to correct historical injustices can be within the ambit of the law and the Constitution as long as they do not deviate from an accepted framework and timeframe and do not violate the Constitutional provisions on equality, the fundamental bedrock of colour-blindness.
According to Hindraf, the random demolishing of Hindu temples, allegedly built illegally, has been a growing problem in Malaysia. Hindraf has reportedly threatened a Sri Lanka style situation in Malaysia if the Tamils are further pushed into a corner.
Again, the core fact is that all this would probably not have risen if not for the temple incident in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Selangor, where not only was the temple demolished around Deepavali day, but the idols too were reportedly smashed. Why did they have to smash the idols? That was the last straw, the proverbial one that broke the camel's back.
In the wake of the current flare-up, the former Selangor MB visited Kampung Rimba Jaya and advised the residents to let bygones be bygones and move on. He mentioned compensation of RM40,000 from a developer for the destroyed temple and a new site. It was in the papers (Move forward, Dr Khir tells Kampung Rimba folk . . . New Sunday Times Dec 9, 2007, Page 5) with a picture etc.
There must be no violence on either side no matter what the provocation. The future of the country is at stake. Besides, Government officials must tone down their rhetoric which only further inflames the situation. Don't they realise that when politics comes in through the door, economics flies out through the window? The rational approach is to talk and keep talking. It's not wise to close doors. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. As long as the talking continues, there would be no violence.
Allegations of police brutality
The police are another issue. There are allegations of police brutality against those in custody resulting in unexplained deaths. Apparently, the "smarter" ones among the newly arrived Tamils from the estates have embarked on a life of crime in collusion with the triads to accumulate capital, as much as possible, in the shortest, easiest, quickest time frame This is a well-trodden path taken by many peoples all over the world, since time immemorial, to accumulate capital and eventually get into politics.
At this stage, we are not sure whether the urban middle class Indians are riding on their underclass brethren. Historically, movements for change have always been led by the middle class, not the down-trodden, when something bugs them in their comfort zone.
If there are two things that the Tamils are fanatical about, it is language and religion. The Tamils are even more fanatical than the French over language. That's why the Malaysian government doesn't want to dwell too much on the issue of Tamil schools.
For another, it doesn't mean that just because there are quotas for the Malays everywhere, there should be quotas for the Tamils too. I doubt that the Tamils, apart from the MIC, are really interested in this approach. Does the fate of the Tamils in Malaysia hinge solely on the government? The Tamils are the last people on Earth to protest over jobs, business opportunities and university intake etc. That doesn't mean that these are no serious economic issues.
Somehow, they find their own way in these matters. These matters are just add-ons in the current flare-up, not the real issue. Unless, of course, I am out of touch with the younger generation of Tamils in Malaysia. In that case, there's little difference between Tamil and Malay youth. In fact, no one in the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world has protested over economic issues. Malaysian Tamils are the first to do so and that's what surprises everybody. The temple issue was the catalyst. The "well-off" Indians in Malaysia are of course "ashamed" by the demos etc.
Malaysia has an economy in transition, in the wake of globalisation, and will surely pay a huge economic cost in terms of lost investments, diminished values and higher insurance and business costs, if a picture emerges in the international arena that the country is in the same league as Sri Lanka and Muslim countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan and Somalia. Closer home there are trouble spots like Aceh, the Thai south and the Southern Philippines.
Fifty years after independence, we wonder what the next half century will bring. More of the same?
Pre-occupation with economics
Much of the last 50 years has seen a pre-occupation with economics. This is not surprising considering that Malaysia is a microcosm of the British Empire which was essentially a commercial empire. Globalisation is now seen as the better way forward. The emphasis is on market efficiency, smart partnerships, giving consumers choices rather than allowing governments to protect inefficient industries run by fat cats and cronies, a policy of prosper thy neighbour and the common good that comes from companies, wherever they are, doing good, countries doing good and being a blessing to all. Malaysia surely sees a prosperous Indian community as good for the country.
Malaysia will be pre-occupied with race relations and national unity for the next 50 years. We have a Department of National Unity in the PM's Department run by Dr Maximus Ongkili, the former minister in the PM's Department.
They tend to focus on a lot of cosmetic programmes. What they need to work on is substance. My recent SMS to Dr Max reads: "At present, there is too much lip service when it comes to national unity. As one who has dear relatives and friends among all races and religions, I venture that national unity is of paramount importance and will hinge on two major factors viz. tak kenal, maka tak cinta; and parents and teachers must not transfer their prejudices to their children. Perhaps this is something that your department can take up urgently, starting with our police, the press, politicians and PTAs."
I would add that a third factor would be instituting a culture of sharing and caring. Now, greed and materialism gets in the way. I am happy to see the Malays, or others for that matter, doing well. I think it will be good for the country. The same sentiments cannot be detected in the Indian community. When they see others forging ahead while they lag behind, their anger and frustration knows no bounds and borders on the explosive.
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad did say before he retired that he has put everything in place for the next century or so. "Only a congenital idiot would ruin everything," he said. A house divided against itself cannot stand and must surely fall!"
Man proposes, God disposes
On a personal level, the Indians can take a leaf from the Chinese in their winter of discontent and not give in to negativity. Man proposes, God disposes. This is not a case of talk being cheap or easier said than done. There are deep spiritual truths here. Always be thankful and grateful and there will be more opportunities to be thankful and grateful for. Look for the silver lining in the clouds, consider everything that happens as a blessing in disguise and always count your blessings. Opportunities often come disguised as problems. You cannot keep a good man down.
For starters, one cannot insist on having the cake and eating it too. Tamil education, up to Year 6, was started by the British colonialists not only to keep the community in the estates in perpetuity but to turn out better tappers.
Obviously, the lack of language skills create a communication gap with other Malaysians and even the syndrome best expressed by the Malay saying: "Seperti katak di bawah tempurung" (The frog under the coconut shell thinks that is the world.). There needs to be greater interaction between Indians and non-Indians in all spheres of national life. It's a great loss to the nation if the Indians keep away from others, either deliberately, or because they have no choice in the matter. Already, there is polarisation between Muslims and non-Muslims thanks to the 911 tragedy in New York.
The unrest in Malaysia sounds all too suspiciously like similar eruptions elsewhere in the world in the wake of globalisation. The influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal, from neighbouring countries has had a negative effect on Indian jobs and depressed wages. Indian unrest should not be allowed to spill over into the other communities. The stresses and strains are evident in Malaysia after 50 years of "nation building". It's a brave new world out there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOE FERNANDEZ is an educationist and former newspaper editor who feels compelled to put pen to paper when something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview). He readily admits that there's a demon in him at these times, urging him on. Otherwise, he's working quietly on a semi-autobiographical travelogue, and teaching English privately.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
http://makkalsakti.blogspot.com/2008/03/malaysian-indians-winter-of-discontent.html
Joe Fernandez | Mar 19, 08
'Air tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya' (Don't think there are no crocodiles in the water just because it is still.) The unhappiness has always been there even before Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) emerged in public.
It began well before Malaysia announced the New Economic Policy in 1970, several months after the May 13, 1969 race riots. There were deviations in the policy from the very outset, it is alleged, and this apparently further exacerbated the 150 years of exploitation during the British colonial era.
When you virtually kidnap, which is what the British colonials allegedly did, perfectly-contented people from the freedom of the vast Tamil Nadu countryside and subject them to virtual enslavement in the pressure-cooker of a regimented estate environment, the pressures build up over the century and decades and must eventually find an outlet.
Historically, the vast majority of even voluntary migrants everywhere, since time immemorial, have generally exchanged grinding poverty in the old country for genteel poverty in their new land. That's the perennial lot of the wage-earner. The "smart" Indians in Malaysia, mostly in the towns and some among the planting class in the estates, are the ones that didn't stay when independence came. They came during the days of the British Empire, saved almost every sen they could lay their hands on and went back cash rich to invest in India, taking advantage of the exchange rate.
In the end, no matter where you go in the world, what matters is the exchange rate and how much you can save every month and whether you can eventually return and neutralise your "karma". Others, especially those shanghaied and kept in the estates against their will on a pittance, were trapped when the Empire fell apart.
Then, came the big Hindraf-led demonstration in front of the British High Commission. There are reports which suggest that many of the Hindraf demonstrators were MIC members. Obviously, there are attempts to distance people from Hindraf. The official line proceeds along an all too familiar pathway: criminalisation, demonisation, dehumanisation, neutralisation, isolation, marginalisation and finally elimination. Will that be the end of the government's troubles?
Hindraf claims to represents the voice of the unseen, the unheard, the forgotten, the ones outside the tight-knit MIC ambit which not so long ago expelled the poorest of the poor led by M G Pandithan. Having just one party in the BN to represent the Indians, it seems, no longer works.
Initial eye-opener
The initial eye-opener came, observations show, with an influx of Indian tourists and when Indian IT expatriates started working in Malaysia. These were the new role models. The government's idea, from press reports, is to get at least one million Indians from India's middle class, as large as and richer than the combined populations of France and Germany, to visit Malaysia every year and a further one million from China. Sounds good on paper. Now that India is an emerging economic and military power as well, besides being second only to the US in medicine and IT, the Indian community has been further emboldened to make demands especially since Malaysia is increasingly eyeing India (and China too) economically in the wake of globalisation.
India aside, the issue is simple. Hindraf wants the British government to right the historical wrongs to the Indians in Malaysia, the Tamils in particular, and compensate them as well as issue an official apology from the Queen and the prime minister. The memo was meant to internationalise the issue of religious freedom in Malaysia which, allegedly, is less than satisfactory at the state and local government levels.
Aside from freedom of worship, Hindraf also wants equal rights as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. They are not touching on the special privileges of the Malays because there's no need. Affirmation programmes to correct historical injustices can be within the ambit of the law and the Constitution as long as they do not deviate from an accepted framework and timeframe and do not violate the Constitutional provisions on equality, the fundamental bedrock of colour-blindness.
According to Hindraf, the random demolishing of Hindu temples, allegedly built illegally, has been a growing problem in Malaysia. Hindraf has reportedly threatened a Sri Lanka style situation in Malaysia if the Tamils are further pushed into a corner.
Again, the core fact is that all this would probably not have risen if not for the temple incident in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Selangor, where not only was the temple demolished around Deepavali day, but the idols too were reportedly smashed. Why did they have to smash the idols? That was the last straw, the proverbial one that broke the camel's back.
In the wake of the current flare-up, the former Selangor MB visited Kampung Rimba Jaya and advised the residents to let bygones be bygones and move on. He mentioned compensation of RM40,000 from a developer for the destroyed temple and a new site. It was in the papers (Move forward, Dr Khir tells Kampung Rimba folk . . . New Sunday Times Dec 9, 2007, Page 5) with a picture etc.
There must be no violence on either side no matter what the provocation. The future of the country is at stake. Besides, Government officials must tone down their rhetoric which only further inflames the situation. Don't they realise that when politics comes in through the door, economics flies out through the window? The rational approach is to talk and keep talking. It's not wise to close doors. There is nothing to fear but fear itself. As long as the talking continues, there would be no violence.
Allegations of police brutality
The police are another issue. There are allegations of police brutality against those in custody resulting in unexplained deaths. Apparently, the "smarter" ones among the newly arrived Tamils from the estates have embarked on a life of crime in collusion with the triads to accumulate capital, as much as possible, in the shortest, easiest, quickest time frame This is a well-trodden path taken by many peoples all over the world, since time immemorial, to accumulate capital and eventually get into politics.
At this stage, we are not sure whether the urban middle class Indians are riding on their underclass brethren. Historically, movements for change have always been led by the middle class, not the down-trodden, when something bugs them in their comfort zone.
If there are two things that the Tamils are fanatical about, it is language and religion. The Tamils are even more fanatical than the French over language. That's why the Malaysian government doesn't want to dwell too much on the issue of Tamil schools.
For another, it doesn't mean that just because there are quotas for the Malays everywhere, there should be quotas for the Tamils too. I doubt that the Tamils, apart from the MIC, are really interested in this approach. Does the fate of the Tamils in Malaysia hinge solely on the government? The Tamils are the last people on Earth to protest over jobs, business opportunities and university intake etc. That doesn't mean that these are no serious economic issues.
Somehow, they find their own way in these matters. These matters are just add-ons in the current flare-up, not the real issue. Unless, of course, I am out of touch with the younger generation of Tamils in Malaysia. In that case, there's little difference between Tamil and Malay youth. In fact, no one in the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world has protested over economic issues. Malaysian Tamils are the first to do so and that's what surprises everybody. The temple issue was the catalyst. The "well-off" Indians in Malaysia are of course "ashamed" by the demos etc.
Malaysia has an economy in transition, in the wake of globalisation, and will surely pay a huge economic cost in terms of lost investments, diminished values and higher insurance and business costs, if a picture emerges in the international arena that the country is in the same league as Sri Lanka and Muslim countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan and Somalia. Closer home there are trouble spots like Aceh, the Thai south and the Southern Philippines.
Fifty years after independence, we wonder what the next half century will bring. More of the same?
Pre-occupation with economics
Much of the last 50 years has seen a pre-occupation with economics. This is not surprising considering that Malaysia is a microcosm of the British Empire which was essentially a commercial empire. Globalisation is now seen as the better way forward. The emphasis is on market efficiency, smart partnerships, giving consumers choices rather than allowing governments to protect inefficient industries run by fat cats and cronies, a policy of prosper thy neighbour and the common good that comes from companies, wherever they are, doing good, countries doing good and being a blessing to all. Malaysia surely sees a prosperous Indian community as good for the country.
Malaysia will be pre-occupied with race relations and national unity for the next 50 years. We have a Department of National Unity in the PM's Department run by Dr Maximus Ongkili, the former minister in the PM's Department.
They tend to focus on a lot of cosmetic programmes. What they need to work on is substance. My recent SMS to Dr Max reads: "At present, there is too much lip service when it comes to national unity. As one who has dear relatives and friends among all races and religions, I venture that national unity is of paramount importance and will hinge on two major factors viz. tak kenal, maka tak cinta; and parents and teachers must not transfer their prejudices to their children. Perhaps this is something that your department can take up urgently, starting with our police, the press, politicians and PTAs."
I would add that a third factor would be instituting a culture of sharing and caring. Now, greed and materialism gets in the way. I am happy to see the Malays, or others for that matter, doing well. I think it will be good for the country. The same sentiments cannot be detected in the Indian community. When they see others forging ahead while they lag behind, their anger and frustration knows no bounds and borders on the explosive.
Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad did say before he retired that he has put everything in place for the next century or so. "Only a congenital idiot would ruin everything," he said. A house divided against itself cannot stand and must surely fall!"
Man proposes, God disposes
On a personal level, the Indians can take a leaf from the Chinese in their winter of discontent and not give in to negativity. Man proposes, God disposes. This is not a case of talk being cheap or easier said than done. There are deep spiritual truths here. Always be thankful and grateful and there will be more opportunities to be thankful and grateful for. Look for the silver lining in the clouds, consider everything that happens as a blessing in disguise and always count your blessings. Opportunities often come disguised as problems. You cannot keep a good man down.
For starters, one cannot insist on having the cake and eating it too. Tamil education, up to Year 6, was started by the British colonialists not only to keep the community in the estates in perpetuity but to turn out better tappers.
Obviously, the lack of language skills create a communication gap with other Malaysians and even the syndrome best expressed by the Malay saying: "Seperti katak di bawah tempurung" (The frog under the coconut shell thinks that is the world.). There needs to be greater interaction between Indians and non-Indians in all spheres of national life. It's a great loss to the nation if the Indians keep away from others, either deliberately, or because they have no choice in the matter. Already, there is polarisation between Muslims and non-Muslims thanks to the 911 tragedy in New York.
The unrest in Malaysia sounds all too suspiciously like similar eruptions elsewhere in the world in the wake of globalisation. The influx of foreign workers, both legal and illegal, from neighbouring countries has had a negative effect on Indian jobs and depressed wages. Indian unrest should not be allowed to spill over into the other communities. The stresses and strains are evident in Malaysia after 50 years of "nation building". It's a brave new world out there.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOE FERNANDEZ is an educationist and former newspaper editor who feels compelled to put pen to paper when something doesn't quite jell with his weltanschauung (worldview). He readily admits that there's a demon in him at these times, urging him on. Otherwise, he's working quietly on a semi-autobiographical travelogue, and teaching English privately.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Penang Malay protest compared with Hindraf Rose Rally
Penang Malay Protest Vs Indian Hindraf Rose Rally -- See Police
Treatment Photos juxtaposed.
Compare the police non-violence in the Malay protest versus the brutal treatment of Indians in the Rose Rally
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2292469/penanghindraf
Treatment Photos juxtaposed.
Compare the police non-violence in the Malay protest versus the brutal treatment of Indians in the Rose Rally
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2292469/penanghindraf
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Rally in San Francisco on March 22, 2008 in support of Hindraf
HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION: Malaysian rights rally in San Francisco
Sat, 15/03/2008 - 13:46 — admin HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION
SUPPORT
Malaysian rights rally in San Francisco
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is throwing its support behind a rally planned to take place in front of the United Nations Plaza in San Francisco, California on Saturday, March 22, 2008. The rally, organized by American Hindus with familial ties to Malaysia, is to support human rights in Malaysia.
The organizers are calling for an end to the apartheid policies of the Malaysian government that favor ethnic Malay Muslims over other ethnic groups, and are demanding an immediate end to the destruction of Hindu Temples. The rally will also mark the 100th day of the unjust and unlawful detention of 5 leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), who were jailed after they led a non-violent protest in the nation's capital in late November.
Venue: United Nations Plaza in San Francisco, CA (at the intersection of Market & Hyde)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 10a.m. – 1p.m.
Contact: Bhuvan Govindasamy
bhuvan.govindasamy@gmail.com
The Hindu American Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism. Contact HAF at 1-301-770-7835 or on the web at www.HAFsite.org.
http://www.hindraf.org/content/hindu-american-foundation-malaysian-rights-rally-san-francisco
Sat, 15/03/2008 - 13:46 — admin HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION
SUPPORT
Malaysian rights rally in San Francisco
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is throwing its support behind a rally planned to take place in front of the United Nations Plaza in San Francisco, California on Saturday, March 22, 2008. The rally, organized by American Hindus with familial ties to Malaysia, is to support human rights in Malaysia.
The organizers are calling for an end to the apartheid policies of the Malaysian government that favor ethnic Malay Muslims over other ethnic groups, and are demanding an immediate end to the destruction of Hindu Temples. The rally will also mark the 100th day of the unjust and unlawful detention of 5 leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF), who were jailed after they led a non-violent protest in the nation's capital in late November.
Venue: United Nations Plaza in San Francisco, CA (at the intersection of Market & Hyde)
Date/Time: Saturday, March 22, 2008 from 10a.m. – 1p.m.
Contact: Bhuvan Govindasamy
bhuvan.govindasamy@gmail.com
The Hindu American Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting the Hindu and American ideals of understanding, tolerance and pluralism. Contact HAF at 1-301-770-7835 or on the web at www.HAFsite.org.
http://www.hindraf.org/content/hindu-american-foundation-malaysian-rights-rally-san-francisco
Friday, March 14, 2008
Penang Malay Protest Vs Indian Hindraf Rose Rally -- See Police Treatment Photos
Photos: Penang Malay Protest Vs Indian Hindraf Rose Rally -- See Police Treatment
How genuine is the Malaysian Indian's complaint of discrimination and police brutalities. Check out these telling photos
Have a look at these photos of the and decide for yourself
March 14 protests in Penang at the KOMTAR area by Penang Malays -- See Police Action (or rather Non-Action)
http://mahaguru58.blogspot.com/2008/03/anti-guan-eng-protest-by-penang-malays.html
http://anilnetto.com/2008/03/14/2000-gather-for-pro-nep-demo-in-penang/
And compare with the police high handedness here (tear gas, chemical laced water etc)
Feb 18th Hindraf Rose Rally
http://indiaboleh.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-pictures-hindraf-rose-rally.html
http://gmurali.com/what-the-world-say-on-hindraf-rose-rally-plus-unseen-photos.html
How genuine is the Malaysian Indian's complaint of discrimination and police brutalities. Check out these telling photos
Have a look at these photos of the and decide for yourself
March 14 protests in Penang at the KOMTAR area by Penang Malays -- See Police Action (or rather Non-Action)
http://mahaguru58.blogspot.com/2008/03/anti-guan-eng-protest-by-penang-malays.html
http://anilnetto.com/2008/03/14/2000-gather-for-pro-nep-demo-in-penang/
And compare with the police high handedness here (tear gas, chemical laced water etc)
Feb 18th Hindraf Rose Rally
http://indiaboleh.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-pictures-hindraf-rose-rally.html
http://gmurali.com/what-the-world-say-on-hindraf-rose-rally-plus-unseen-photos.html
Thursday, March 13, 2008
From Malaysia, IPS: "The opposition benches are infested with bloggers"
March 13, 2008
From IPS: "The opposition benches are infested with bloggers"
BN = Barisan Sosialis???
MEDIA-MALAYSIA: Bloggers On Opposition Benches
Analysis by Kalinga Seneviratne
SINGAPORE, Mar 13 (IPS) - The presence of five bloggers on opposition benches in Malaysia’s newly elected parliament must be galling for the ruling National Front (NF) coalition, which was returned to power in Saturday’s general elections minus its long-held two-thirds majority.
Internationally renowned blogger Jeff Ooi, a 52-year-old former advertising copywriter, won a seat in the western island state of Penang, while Oxford University economics graduate Tony Pua, 34, claimed a seat in the bustling Kuala Lumpur suburb of Petaling Jaya with over a majority of over 19,000 votes. Both were candidates of the left-leaning Chinese Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Wining seats in state parliaments for the multi-racial Parti Kadilan Rakyat (PKR) were prominent bloggers Nik Azmi Nik Ahmed and Elizabeth Wong, a noted human rights activist and media reforms advocate. Tian Chua, a former political prisoner under the notorious Internal Security Act, was another claimant to a seat in the national parliament.
The only prominent blogger who lost a fight was Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who contested a semi-rural constituency south of Kuala Lumpur and lost to Khairy Jamaluddin, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s controversial son-in-law.
Prem Chandran, chief of the Internet news portal Malaysiakini, argues that the Internet had a major influence on the election outcome because the issues which make a difference, such as corruption and interference in the judiciary, were only carried on news sites like theirs.
There were large swings in urban and semi-urban areas, especially (to opposition) among first-time young voters, Chandran told IPS. Internet, he said, allowed political parties to reach out to a very important constituency which was non-existent in previous elections.
Raja Petra Kamaruddin, owner of malaysia-today.net, argues that the Internet’s biggest contribution was to get the middle-class to the ballot box. The opposition is infested with bloggers noted Raja Petra in an interview with Singapore’s ‘Strait Times’.
Alternative media cured the apathy the middle-class has. They were no longer saying: ‘’Let’s not bother. Suddenly, it was let’s go and give the opposition a chance.’’
Denying the NF (or Barisan Socialis) coalition two-thirds majority in the national parliament, which the party enjoyed for the past 40 years, is seen as a major victory for the opposition. The opposition also won majorities in five state parliaments, an act never before accomplished in Malaysia. Nationally, the government won only 51 percent of the vote and in fact would have lost the elections if not for the slew of seats they retained in the eastern Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah.
It was direct access to the Internet in urban areas -- ironically, because of the government’s policy of developing a Multimedia Super Corridor -- that allowed urban voters to access information not available in the government-controlled mainstream media.
Chandran pointed out that apart from the Internet, the use of SMS (telephone text messages) and photocopiers took information rural electorates, bridging the digital divide. He also said that Malaysiakini’s Internet-streamed television programmes were copied on to VCDs and circulated for viewing in rural homes (where VCD machines are popular).
More than the Internet, SMSs played a critical role in spreading the opposition message, says Sankaran Ramanathan, managing partner of Media Plus Research Consultants. Because rural people now have mobile phones, it was easy to break the urban-rural barrier.
"There were Internet groups which exchanged messages via e-mail, especially among the Hindu (Indian minority) community… I know at least half a dozen users," Ramanathan told IPS. "They were not registered organisations and were urban based. There were similar groups among the (minority) Chinese community," he added.
Ramanathan pointed out that both the information minister and his deputy were beaten by opposition candidates promoted by the Internet media.
Though Malaysia’s mainstream newspapers, radio and television, are mainly private-owned, their licenses are held by business people closely connected with the constituent parties of the NF.
But analysts argue that the poor reputation that Malaysia’s newspapers have, as mouthpieces of coalition parties, worked against them, and in favour of alternative media.
Malaysian mainstream media are directed and constrained by two interrelated entities; the state and the market, argues Zaharom Nain, associated professor of communication studies at the Science University of Malaysia. Through direct and indirect ownership there tends to be collusion between the state and the market.
What the alternative media has done, according to Nain, is improvise communication systems using a combination of the Internet, mobile phones, blogs, e-mails, SMS and the YouTube. They were not only used effectively by opposition parties but also by civil society to raise consciousness and create awareness, he noted.
Chandran feels the government may now be tempted to impose sanctions on the Internet media to protect them from further damage as Singapore has done. They have a tough decisions ahead of them, Chandran said, adding that it was best if they adopted path of reform by opening up the media and cracking down on corruption -- changes that people obviously want.
Ramanathan believes that the government will not take to the repressive path simply because they have already tried to take bloggers to courts, without much success, and failed in its attempts to police the Internet.
Gayathri Venkiteswaran, executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, believes that with five opposition-led state governments taking office in Malaysia it was now possible to completely reform the media scene.
‘’State governments can allocate grants and other financial support for communities to have their own newspapers and media, paving the way for more diverse and dynamic expression of views and exchange of information,’’ she said.
(END/2008) http://howsy.blogspot.com/2008/03/from-ips-opposition-benches-are.html
From IPS: "The opposition benches are infested with bloggers"
BN = Barisan Sosialis???
MEDIA-MALAYSIA: Bloggers On Opposition Benches
Analysis by Kalinga Seneviratne
SINGAPORE, Mar 13 (IPS) - The presence of five bloggers on opposition benches in Malaysia’s newly elected parliament must be galling for the ruling National Front (NF) coalition, which was returned to power in Saturday’s general elections minus its long-held two-thirds majority.
Internationally renowned blogger Jeff Ooi, a 52-year-old former advertising copywriter, won a seat in the western island state of Penang, while Oxford University economics graduate Tony Pua, 34, claimed a seat in the bustling Kuala Lumpur suburb of Petaling Jaya with over a majority of over 19,000 votes. Both were candidates of the left-leaning Chinese Democratic Action Party (DAP).
Wining seats in state parliaments for the multi-racial Parti Kadilan Rakyat (PKR) were prominent bloggers Nik Azmi Nik Ahmed and Elizabeth Wong, a noted human rights activist and media reforms advocate. Tian Chua, a former political prisoner under the notorious Internal Security Act, was another claimant to a seat in the national parliament.
The only prominent blogger who lost a fight was Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who contested a semi-rural constituency south of Kuala Lumpur and lost to Khairy Jamaluddin, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s controversial son-in-law.
Prem Chandran, chief of the Internet news portal Malaysiakini, argues that the Internet had a major influence on the election outcome because the issues which make a difference, such as corruption and interference in the judiciary, were only carried on news sites like theirs.
There were large swings in urban and semi-urban areas, especially (to opposition) among first-time young voters, Chandran told IPS. Internet, he said, allowed political parties to reach out to a very important constituency which was non-existent in previous elections.
Raja Petra Kamaruddin, owner of malaysia-today.net, argues that the Internet’s biggest contribution was to get the middle-class to the ballot box. The opposition is infested with bloggers noted Raja Petra in an interview with Singapore’s ‘Strait Times’.
Alternative media cured the apathy the middle-class has. They were no longer saying: ‘’Let’s not bother. Suddenly, it was let’s go and give the opposition a chance.’’
Denying the NF (or Barisan Socialis) coalition two-thirds majority in the national parliament, which the party enjoyed for the past 40 years, is seen as a major victory for the opposition. The opposition also won majorities in five state parliaments, an act never before accomplished in Malaysia. Nationally, the government won only 51 percent of the vote and in fact would have lost the elections if not for the slew of seats they retained in the eastern Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah.
It was direct access to the Internet in urban areas -- ironically, because of the government’s policy of developing a Multimedia Super Corridor -- that allowed urban voters to access information not available in the government-controlled mainstream media.
Chandran pointed out that apart from the Internet, the use of SMS (telephone text messages) and photocopiers took information rural electorates, bridging the digital divide. He also said that Malaysiakini’s Internet-streamed television programmes were copied on to VCDs and circulated for viewing in rural homes (where VCD machines are popular).
More than the Internet, SMSs played a critical role in spreading the opposition message, says Sankaran Ramanathan, managing partner of Media Plus Research Consultants. Because rural people now have mobile phones, it was easy to break the urban-rural barrier.
"There were Internet groups which exchanged messages via e-mail, especially among the Hindu (Indian minority) community… I know at least half a dozen users," Ramanathan told IPS. "They were not registered organisations and were urban based. There were similar groups among the (minority) Chinese community," he added.
Ramanathan pointed out that both the information minister and his deputy were beaten by opposition candidates promoted by the Internet media.
Though Malaysia’s mainstream newspapers, radio and television, are mainly private-owned, their licenses are held by business people closely connected with the constituent parties of the NF.
But analysts argue that the poor reputation that Malaysia’s newspapers have, as mouthpieces of coalition parties, worked against them, and in favour of alternative media.
Malaysian mainstream media are directed and constrained by two interrelated entities; the state and the market, argues Zaharom Nain, associated professor of communication studies at the Science University of Malaysia. Through direct and indirect ownership there tends to be collusion between the state and the market.
What the alternative media has done, according to Nain, is improvise communication systems using a combination of the Internet, mobile phones, blogs, e-mails, SMS and the YouTube. They were not only used effectively by opposition parties but also by civil society to raise consciousness and create awareness, he noted.
Chandran feels the government may now be tempted to impose sanctions on the Internet media to protect them from further damage as Singapore has done. They have a tough decisions ahead of them, Chandran said, adding that it was best if they adopted path of reform by opening up the media and cracking down on corruption -- changes that people obviously want.
Ramanathan believes that the government will not take to the repressive path simply because they have already tried to take bloggers to courts, without much success, and failed in its attempts to police the Internet.
Gayathri Venkiteswaran, executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, believes that with five opposition-led state governments taking office in Malaysia it was now possible to completely reform the media scene.
‘’State governments can allocate grants and other financial support for communities to have their own newspapers and media, paving the way for more diverse and dynamic expression of views and exchange of information,’’ she said.
(END/2008) http://howsy.blogspot.com/2008/03/from-ips-opposition-benches-are.html
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Mahathir's unfair attack on Samy Vellu
Former PM Mahathir's unfair attack on Samy Vellu
Samy Vellu: Did he speak up or not?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinions/79386
Denison Jayasooria | Mar 7, 08 8:12pm
MIC President S Samy Vellu has been facing many attacks from all sides in recent days. These attacks have intensified especially in the post-Hindraf rally in November last year and during the 2008 election campaigning period now.
Samy Vellu has been very skilled in avoiding the venom from the sting of the darts. This he has done through aggressive rebuttals in press conferences, adverts in papers and dissemination of information. At the same time he has not shied away from the angry crowds whom he calls as his people when they want to talk him.
With these direct approaches, there is a definite softening of the heart of ordinary people except diehard Indian opposition members in the run up to polling day.
However the attack by Dr Mahathir Mohamad two days before polling is really uncalled for. Furthermore to say that 'Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance' is totally unbecoming of a former prime minister whom we hold so dearly.
I do agree with Mahathir that Samy Vellu would not have highlighted the Hindraf position on 'genocide' or 'ethnic cleansing' which is an argument that MIC does not subscribe to and an argument used by Hindraft only recently. MIC has also not subscribed to the Malay dominance theory nor questioned the position of the specific privileges for the Malay community.
However time and time again, Samy Vellu has been consistent in highlighting the plight of the poorer sections of the Indian community on specific matters related to:
Plantation workers their monthly wages, displacement, social conditions and retraining
On matters related to the Tamil language and Tamil schools especially in the infrastructure requirements
On the weak economic position of Malaysian Indians especially with reference to the equity position
On the inability of Indian youths to secure adequate places in higher education
On the requirement of foreign workers by Indian business community especially restaurant owners, textile shops, provision shops, jewelers, barbers and metal traders
On the issues related to Indian youth, social ills and gang-related problems and the need for social intervention programmes
On the issues pertaining to the urban poor and low income families with regards to housing, welfare, public facilities in high density low cost housing areas.
Gross misrepresentation
The Yayasan Strategik Sosial was established by the MIC in 1997 and we have prepared many papers for consideration at the Second Economic Consultative Committee, Input into the Third Outline Perspective Plan, Eighth Malaysia Plan and Ninth Malaysia Plan. These are also in record to show the submissions indicating the status, plight and requirements of the poorer sections of the community.
All these were directed and commissioned by Samy Vellu who has played a very important role in policy advocacy on behalf of the Indian community within the government.
During every MIC AGM attended by Mahathir, a whole list of community needs and concerns were presented as the presidential address by the MIC president. MIC clearly articulated the issues and concerns. Furthermore the MIC general assembly resolutions have also systematically highlighted all the major concerns of the community. These were submitted to all the relevant government agencies.
Therefore, to say that the MIC president has not asked for assistance is gross misrepresentation of a man who has been very vocal in all the meetings he has participated in. How is it, that Najib Abdul Razak could make a public declaration on Feb 3, 2008 at the PWTC that Samy Vellu fights for the community in the cabinet?
'So, if people accuse Dato Seri Samy Vellu of not fighting for the Indian community, I will be the first to deny, because he has fought for Indians. He has fought hard for the Indian community. He is very colourful in his presentation. And he does that because he is the leader of the MIC and of the Indian community,' said Najib.
Delivery of services
In my assessment it is only fair and just to acknowledge that Samy Vellu has spoken up on all the critical matters affecting the community. The government has acknowledged these concerns as reflected in the appropriate action of the government in the time of Mahathir such as the providing of financial assistance for the rebuilding of Tamil schools, funds for the purchase of Tafe college and the building of the Aimst University.
In addition, government established the Cabinet Committee on Urban Poverty and also another cabinet committee to address the squatter issue in the Klang valley. The initial work by the cabinet committee on addressing social ills in the community was re-established as the National Social Council. These were major policy drives at the national level recognising the Indian concerns along with those of other communities.
The Indian community's concerns and the uprising of the grassroots is over their dissatisfaction on the monitoring and the delivery of services. There are however clear indications in the Eighth and Ninth Malaysia Plans and the government has executed programmes such as skills-training for underachieving Indian youths through Giat Mara or micro-business training and access to micro-business loans.
However there is an urgent need through the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan to enlarge the outreach and ensure a much larger number of youths are able to access the services and provisions.
Furthermore, as promised by both the prime minister and deputy prime minister, the Indian concerns of the lower thirty percent must be addressed as national concerns. This, I believe, should be the main agenda for the post-2008 elections.
DATUK DR DENISON JAYASOORIA heads the Yayasan Strategik Sosial (YSS), the social initiatives arm of the MIC.
Samy Vellu: Did he speak up or not?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/opinions/79386
Denison Jayasooria | Mar 7, 08 8:12pm
MIC President S Samy Vellu has been facing many attacks from all sides in recent days. These attacks have intensified especially in the post-Hindraf rally in November last year and during the 2008 election campaigning period now.
Samy Vellu has been very skilled in avoiding the venom from the sting of the darts. This he has done through aggressive rebuttals in press conferences, adverts in papers and dissemination of information. At the same time he has not shied away from the angry crowds whom he calls as his people when they want to talk him.
With these direct approaches, there is a definite softening of the heart of ordinary people except diehard Indian opposition members in the run up to polling day.
However the attack by Dr Mahathir Mohamad two days before polling is really uncalled for. Furthermore to say that 'Samy Vellu did not ask for assistance' is totally unbecoming of a former prime minister whom we hold so dearly.
I do agree with Mahathir that Samy Vellu would not have highlighted the Hindraf position on 'genocide' or 'ethnic cleansing' which is an argument that MIC does not subscribe to and an argument used by Hindraft only recently. MIC has also not subscribed to the Malay dominance theory nor questioned the position of the specific privileges for the Malay community.
However time and time again, Samy Vellu has been consistent in highlighting the plight of the poorer sections of the Indian community on specific matters related to:
Plantation workers their monthly wages, displacement, social conditions and retraining
On matters related to the Tamil language and Tamil schools especially in the infrastructure requirements
On the weak economic position of Malaysian Indians especially with reference to the equity position
On the inability of Indian youths to secure adequate places in higher education
On the requirement of foreign workers by Indian business community especially restaurant owners, textile shops, provision shops, jewelers, barbers and metal traders
On the issues related to Indian youth, social ills and gang-related problems and the need for social intervention programmes
On the issues pertaining to the urban poor and low income families with regards to housing, welfare, public facilities in high density low cost housing areas.
Gross misrepresentation
The Yayasan Strategik Sosial was established by the MIC in 1997 and we have prepared many papers for consideration at the Second Economic Consultative Committee, Input into the Third Outline Perspective Plan, Eighth Malaysia Plan and Ninth Malaysia Plan. These are also in record to show the submissions indicating the status, plight and requirements of the poorer sections of the community.
All these were directed and commissioned by Samy Vellu who has played a very important role in policy advocacy on behalf of the Indian community within the government.
During every MIC AGM attended by Mahathir, a whole list of community needs and concerns were presented as the presidential address by the MIC president. MIC clearly articulated the issues and concerns. Furthermore the MIC general assembly resolutions have also systematically highlighted all the major concerns of the community. These were submitted to all the relevant government agencies.
Therefore, to say that the MIC president has not asked for assistance is gross misrepresentation of a man who has been very vocal in all the meetings he has participated in. How is it, that Najib Abdul Razak could make a public declaration on Feb 3, 2008 at the PWTC that Samy Vellu fights for the community in the cabinet?
'So, if people accuse Dato Seri Samy Vellu of not fighting for the Indian community, I will be the first to deny, because he has fought for Indians. He has fought hard for the Indian community. He is very colourful in his presentation. And he does that because he is the leader of the MIC and of the Indian community,' said Najib.
Delivery of services
In my assessment it is only fair and just to acknowledge that Samy Vellu has spoken up on all the critical matters affecting the community. The government has acknowledged these concerns as reflected in the appropriate action of the government in the time of Mahathir such as the providing of financial assistance for the rebuilding of Tamil schools, funds for the purchase of Tafe college and the building of the Aimst University.
In addition, government established the Cabinet Committee on Urban Poverty and also another cabinet committee to address the squatter issue in the Klang valley. The initial work by the cabinet committee on addressing social ills in the community was re-established as the National Social Council. These were major policy drives at the national level recognising the Indian concerns along with those of other communities.
The Indian community's concerns and the uprising of the grassroots is over their dissatisfaction on the monitoring and the delivery of services. There are however clear indications in the Eighth and Ninth Malaysia Plans and the government has executed programmes such as skills-training for underachieving Indian youths through Giat Mara or micro-business training and access to micro-business loans.
However there is an urgent need through the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan to enlarge the outreach and ensure a much larger number of youths are able to access the services and provisions.
Furthermore, as promised by both the prime minister and deputy prime minister, the Indian concerns of the lower thirty percent must be addressed as national concerns. This, I believe, should be the main agenda for the post-2008 elections.
DATUK DR DENISON JAYASOORIA heads the Yayasan Strategik Sosial (YSS), the social initiatives arm of the MIC.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Vellu and Badawi will quit only kicking and screaming !
Some people like Samy Vellu, Badawi will only quit office, kicking and screaming!
samy vellu's next step
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2182904/Article/index_html
KUALA LUMPUR 10 March 2008: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has pledged to continue serving the Indian community in his capacity as MIC president.
In a statement yesterday, Samy Vellu said he would restructure and rebuild the party.
Samy Vellu, who was defeated in the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, said that he was not unhappy.
He thanked the voters for giving him the opportunity to serve them since 1974.
"All good things have to come to an end but there is always a new beginning.
"We accept the people's verdict because they are the ones who matter."
samy vellu's next step
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2182904/Article/index_html
KUALA LUMPUR 10 March 2008: Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has pledged to continue serving the Indian community in his capacity as MIC president.
In a statement yesterday, Samy Vellu said he would restructure and rebuild the party.
Samy Vellu, who was defeated in the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, said that he was not unhappy.
He thanked the voters for giving him the opportunity to serve them since 1974.
"All good things have to come to an end but there is always a new beginning.
"We accept the people's verdict because they are the ones who matter."
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Badawi fails to gauge public anger; he should release Hindraf leaders and then resign.
Malaysia PM fails to gauge public anger (The Hindu, March 10, 2008)
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia's prime minister may have made his biggest political blunder by calling early elections that only exposed public anger over simmering racial tensions and his perceived missteps.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in Monday for a new five-year term in office, following a stinging defeat by his ruling coalition in general elections. Abdullah is rejecting calls to step down, but analysts say Saturday's poll results will place Abdullah under pressure to resign.
``He misread the signs. A lot of people were voting against Badawi,'' said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, a human rights lawyer and political commentator. ``He became the face of the mismanagement of the country.''
Abdullah's National Front coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the 222-member parliament for the first time in four decades, winning only a simple majority of 140 seats.
The opposition gained control of five of Malaysia's 13 states and a third of its parliament in the biggest electoral upset in the country's history.
The results were seen as a verdict against a string of perceived missteps by Abdullah, 68, and his failure to fulfill promises made ahead of the 2004 elections, which the National Front won in its biggest victory ever.
Among those missteps, analysts said, Abdullah ignored Malaysia's widening poverty gap and increasing cost of living. He appointed his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin as an adviser. And when the southern state of Johor was struggling after floods in 2006, Abdullah was in Perth to inaugurate his brother's curry restaurant.
Abdullah also has faced criticism for remarrying less than two years after his first wife died of cancer and engaging in public displays of affection with his new wife.
``At a time when the country is crumbling around us we have to watch his lovey-dovey going-ons with his wife,'' said Malik. ``People don't want to see a lovable teddy bear. They want a tough leader.''
Abdullah's next big test will come later this year when he faces the general assembly of the United Malays National Organization, the largest party in the National Front coalition. A date has not yet been set.
``The reality is that there will be tremendous pressure within UMNO for him (Abdullah) to step down,'' said Bridget Welsh of the Johns Hopkins University, a Southeast Asia expert who was in Malaysia to monitor the polls.
Former longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad already has called for Abdullah's resignation, saying he had ``apparently made the wrong choice'' when he hand-picked Abdullah to succeed him in 2003.
Mahathir's son Mukhriz, an active member of UMNO, joined the call.
``The message is clear from the results of the elections. That's the voice of the people. We have to respect it. It is a very humbling experience and points to dissatisfaction of the prime minister's leadership,'' he said.
The Front's formula for success all these years was simple. It is a coalition of 11 small parties and three major ones that represent Malaysia's main ethnic groups _ the majority Muslim Malays who make up 60 percent of the 27 million population, the Chinese at 25 percent and Indians at 8 percent.
Traditionally, Malays have voted for UMNO, the Chinese for the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Indians for the Malaysian Indian Congress.
The power-sharing arrangement has worked as long as the three races believed only their parties could look after their respective communities' interests. But the minorities have become increasingly disappointed with their parties.
The Chinese and Indians are angry about an affirmative action program known as the New Economic Policy that has given Malays preference in jobs, education, business, housing, finance and religion since 1971.
They also worry that their religious rights are being eroded by the government. Several Indian temples were destroyed by authorities last year, purportedly for illegal construction, and many courts presiding over religious disputes ruled in favor of Muslims.
Ordinary Malays also are unhappy, many charging that the benefits of the New Economic Policy are being reaped only by rich and well-connected Malays.
Repressive police tactics have further aggravated racial tensions. In October, officers dispersed thousands of people with tear gas and water cannons at a street protest for electoral and judicial reforms.
A month later, Indian demonstrators were chased away by police when they held a rally to protest discrimination. Five of their leaders were jailed under a law that allows indefinite detention without trial.
These tensions were tapped by the opposition parties, which for the first time set aside their ideological differences and came together to pose a united challenge. They countered National Front propaganda in government-controlled media with campaigns on the Internet.
In the end, the Indian and Chinese minorities abandoned the National Front in droves. MCA, the Chinese party, won only 15 of the 40 seats it contested, and the Indian MIC won three out of nine. UMNO won only 78 seats compared to 109 in 2004.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim campaigned on a platform that urged people to look outside race-based politics. Although the opposition parties are also identified by race, they have agreed to build a multiracial alliance where all races will be treated equally.
``What is crucial now is how the opposition works as a coalition,'' Welsh said. ``The mandate given to them has created a national opposition for the first time.''
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803101121.htm
KUALA LUMPUR (AP): Malaysia's prime minister may have made his biggest political blunder by calling early elections that only exposed public anger over simmering racial tensions and his perceived missteps.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was sworn in Monday for a new five-year term in office, following a stinging defeat by his ruling coalition in general elections. Abdullah is rejecting calls to step down, but analysts say Saturday's poll results will place Abdullah under pressure to resign.
``He misread the signs. A lot of people were voting against Badawi,'' said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, a human rights lawyer and political commentator. ``He became the face of the mismanagement of the country.''
Abdullah's National Front coalition lost its two-thirds majority in the 222-member parliament for the first time in four decades, winning only a simple majority of 140 seats.
The opposition gained control of five of Malaysia's 13 states and a third of its parliament in the biggest electoral upset in the country's history.
The results were seen as a verdict against a string of perceived missteps by Abdullah, 68, and his failure to fulfill promises made ahead of the 2004 elections, which the National Front won in its biggest victory ever.
Among those missteps, analysts said, Abdullah ignored Malaysia's widening poverty gap and increasing cost of living. He appointed his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin as an adviser. And when the southern state of Johor was struggling after floods in 2006, Abdullah was in Perth to inaugurate his brother's curry restaurant.
Abdullah also has faced criticism for remarrying less than two years after his first wife died of cancer and engaging in public displays of affection with his new wife.
``At a time when the country is crumbling around us we have to watch his lovey-dovey going-ons with his wife,'' said Malik. ``People don't want to see a lovable teddy bear. They want a tough leader.''
Abdullah's next big test will come later this year when he faces the general assembly of the United Malays National Organization, the largest party in the National Front coalition. A date has not yet been set.
``The reality is that there will be tremendous pressure within UMNO for him (Abdullah) to step down,'' said Bridget Welsh of the Johns Hopkins University, a Southeast Asia expert who was in Malaysia to monitor the polls.
Former longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad already has called for Abdullah's resignation, saying he had ``apparently made the wrong choice'' when he hand-picked Abdullah to succeed him in 2003.
Mahathir's son Mukhriz, an active member of UMNO, joined the call.
``The message is clear from the results of the elections. That's the voice of the people. We have to respect it. It is a very humbling experience and points to dissatisfaction of the prime minister's leadership,'' he said.
The Front's formula for success all these years was simple. It is a coalition of 11 small parties and three major ones that represent Malaysia's main ethnic groups _ the majority Muslim Malays who make up 60 percent of the 27 million population, the Chinese at 25 percent and Indians at 8 percent.
Traditionally, Malays have voted for UMNO, the Chinese for the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Indians for the Malaysian Indian Congress.
The power-sharing arrangement has worked as long as the three races believed only their parties could look after their respective communities' interests. But the minorities have become increasingly disappointed with their parties.
The Chinese and Indians are angry about an affirmative action program known as the New Economic Policy that has given Malays preference in jobs, education, business, housing, finance and religion since 1971.
They also worry that their religious rights are being eroded by the government. Several Indian temples were destroyed by authorities last year, purportedly for illegal construction, and many courts presiding over religious disputes ruled in favor of Muslims.
Ordinary Malays also are unhappy, many charging that the benefits of the New Economic Policy are being reaped only by rich and well-connected Malays.
Repressive police tactics have further aggravated racial tensions. In October, officers dispersed thousands of people with tear gas and water cannons at a street protest for electoral and judicial reforms.
A month later, Indian demonstrators were chased away by police when they held a rally to protest discrimination. Five of their leaders were jailed under a law that allows indefinite detention without trial.
These tensions were tapped by the opposition parties, which for the first time set aside their ideological differences and came together to pose a united challenge. They countered National Front propaganda in government-controlled media with campaigns on the Internet.
In the end, the Indian and Chinese minorities abandoned the National Front in droves. MCA, the Chinese party, won only 15 of the 40 seats it contested, and the Indian MIC won three out of nine. UMNO won only 78 seats compared to 109 in 2004.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim campaigned on a platform that urged people to look outside race-based politics. Although the opposition parties are also identified by race, they have agreed to build a multiracial alliance where all races will be treated equally.
``What is crucial now is how the opposition works as a coalition,'' Welsh said. ``The mandate given to them has created a national opposition for the first time.''
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200803101121.htm
Anwar to fight Malaysia race laws as opposition gains -- Bloomberg
Anwar to Fight Malaysia Race Laws as Opposition Gains (Update2)
By Douglas Wong
March 10 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysia's political world has been upended. The March 8 election left the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hobbled though still in power, its legalized system of preferences for ethnic Malays under attack.
When the dust settles, the most powerful man in Southeast Asia's third-largest economy may be opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister. Anwar, 60, spent the 2004 election in prison after being ousted from the government and prosecuted on criminal charges -- later overturned -- of having homosexual relations.
The ruling National Front coalition's worst-ever performance will force Abdullah, 68, to face Anwar's emboldened opposition as it presses to scrap race rules that disadvantage ethnic Chinese and Indians in housing, jobs and education. The opposition also wants to increase aid for the poor and fight corruption.
Once all but written off, Anwar now is well positioned to become prime minister eventually, said Eddin Khoo, the director of Pusaka, a Malay cultural studies center. ``It probably won't be until the next election,'' Khoo said. ``This vote was more anti-government than pro-opposition, but he's here to stay.''
The opposition parties yesterday quickly moved to implement their policies, announcing plans to drop race rules in a state where they won control -- Selangor, which is Malaysia's most populous area and surrounds the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
1969 Loss
For now, Malaysia is in uncharted territory, with the government facing meaningful opposition for the first time since 1969, when the National Front, also known as Barisan Nasional, last was denied a two-thirds supermajority in parliament.
After winning 91 percent of the legislature in 2004, the National Front won just 63 percent this time, worse than its 1969 performance by three percentage points. In the new parliament, the National Front will have 140 of the 222 seats.
Malaysia's stock index today slumped as much as 7.6 percent, set for the biggest drop in almost 10 years, and the ringgit weakened.
The opposition alliance -- Anwar's multiethnic People's Justice Party, the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS -- won the remaining 82 seats, up from 19. Among the losers were Indian and Chinese leaders in Abdullah's Malay-dominated government. Five of 12 states contested fell into opposition hands, including Penang, a manufacturing base for Intel Corp. and Motorola Inc.
Anwar got his start in politics as a student activist at the University of Malaya and helped found the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, many of whose members supported PAS.
Malay Champion
He shocked allies in 1982 by joining the United Malays National Organisation, the Malay party that heads the National Front. For a time, he championed the pro-Malay policies he now opposes.
After successfully backing UMNO's Mahathir Mohamad for prime minister, Anwar rose to became deputy prime minister in 1993. In 1998, Mahathir fired Anwar amidst speculation that the deputy was moving to oust him, eventually choosing Abdullah as his successor instead.
Imprisoned from 1998 to 2004, Anwar was barred from competing as a candidate until April and didn't run. He plans to take one of 31 seats won by his members of his party, including wife Wan Azizah Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah, 27.
``I have plenty of choices and a lot of work to do,'' he said in an interview yesterday.
Najib Razak
The opposition benefited from attacks on Abdullah's administration by Mahathir, 82, who said the prime minister should step down in favor of his deputy, Najib Razak, 54. ``I made the wrong choice,'' Mahathir told reporters yesterday, calling for Abdullah to take responsibility for the losses by stepping down.
The state-owned Bernama news agency said Abdullah won't resign because he has the support of UMNO leaders, including Najib.
The prime minister was sworn in by Malaysia's King, Mizan Zainal Abidin at 11:15 a.m. local time today. Abdullah will meet the supreme council of UMNO at 12 p.m., and gather leaders of the coalition parties at 3 p.m.
An adviser to the prime minister said Abdullah probably will step down in favor of Najib before the next election, due within five years. The adviser, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said Abdullah will try to rebuild the coalition first.
Challenging Task
That will be a challenging task, said Mushtaq Ibrahim, who manages about $1.4 billion at Amanah SSCM Asset Management Bhd. When UMNO and its partners -- the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress -- lost their supermajority in 1969, they regained it by persuading some opposition parties to join their coalition.
``You now have three very weak component parties,'' Mushtaq said. ``They have to go back to the drawing board to find ways of winning back the confidence of the voters.''
Malaysia was calm in the immediate aftermath of the election. In 1969, Chinese opposition celebrations were followed by clashes that killed hundreds and prompted the government to impose pro-Malay preferences. This year, Abdullah urged supporters to accept the results. Musa Hassan, the country's police chief, promised to maintain order by enforcing a ban on victory parades.
To contact the reporter on this story: Douglas Wong in Kuala Lumpur at Dwong19@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: March 9, 2008 23:24 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=axMRUN_fhgb0&refer=home#
By Douglas Wong
March 10 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysia's political world has been upended. The March 8 election left the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hobbled though still in power, its legalized system of preferences for ethnic Malays under attack.
When the dust settles, the most powerful man in Southeast Asia's third-largest economy may be opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister. Anwar, 60, spent the 2004 election in prison after being ousted from the government and prosecuted on criminal charges -- later overturned -- of having homosexual relations.
The ruling National Front coalition's worst-ever performance will force Abdullah, 68, to face Anwar's emboldened opposition as it presses to scrap race rules that disadvantage ethnic Chinese and Indians in housing, jobs and education. The opposition also wants to increase aid for the poor and fight corruption.
Once all but written off, Anwar now is well positioned to become prime minister eventually, said Eddin Khoo, the director of Pusaka, a Malay cultural studies center. ``It probably won't be until the next election,'' Khoo said. ``This vote was more anti-government than pro-opposition, but he's here to stay.''
The opposition parties yesterday quickly moved to implement their policies, announcing plans to drop race rules in a state where they won control -- Selangor, which is Malaysia's most populous area and surrounds the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
1969 Loss
For now, Malaysia is in uncharted territory, with the government facing meaningful opposition for the first time since 1969, when the National Front, also known as Barisan Nasional, last was denied a two-thirds supermajority in parliament.
After winning 91 percent of the legislature in 2004, the National Front won just 63 percent this time, worse than its 1969 performance by three percentage points. In the new parliament, the National Front will have 140 of the 222 seats.
Malaysia's stock index today slumped as much as 7.6 percent, set for the biggest drop in almost 10 years, and the ringgit weakened.
The opposition alliance -- Anwar's multiethnic People's Justice Party, the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS -- won the remaining 82 seats, up from 19. Among the losers were Indian and Chinese leaders in Abdullah's Malay-dominated government. Five of 12 states contested fell into opposition hands, including Penang, a manufacturing base for Intel Corp. and Motorola Inc.
Anwar got his start in politics as a student activist at the University of Malaya and helped found the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia, many of whose members supported PAS.
Malay Champion
He shocked allies in 1982 by joining the United Malays National Organisation, the Malay party that heads the National Front. For a time, he championed the pro-Malay policies he now opposes.
After successfully backing UMNO's Mahathir Mohamad for prime minister, Anwar rose to became deputy prime minister in 1993. In 1998, Mahathir fired Anwar amidst speculation that the deputy was moving to oust him, eventually choosing Abdullah as his successor instead.
Imprisoned from 1998 to 2004, Anwar was barred from competing as a candidate until April and didn't run. He plans to take one of 31 seats won by his members of his party, including wife Wan Azizah Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah, 27.
``I have plenty of choices and a lot of work to do,'' he said in an interview yesterday.
Najib Razak
The opposition benefited from attacks on Abdullah's administration by Mahathir, 82, who said the prime minister should step down in favor of his deputy, Najib Razak, 54. ``I made the wrong choice,'' Mahathir told reporters yesterday, calling for Abdullah to take responsibility for the losses by stepping down.
The state-owned Bernama news agency said Abdullah won't resign because he has the support of UMNO leaders, including Najib.
The prime minister was sworn in by Malaysia's King, Mizan Zainal Abidin at 11:15 a.m. local time today. Abdullah will meet the supreme council of UMNO at 12 p.m., and gather leaders of the coalition parties at 3 p.m.
An adviser to the prime minister said Abdullah probably will step down in favor of Najib before the next election, due within five years. The adviser, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said Abdullah will try to rebuild the coalition first.
Challenging Task
That will be a challenging task, said Mushtaq Ibrahim, who manages about $1.4 billion at Amanah SSCM Asset Management Bhd. When UMNO and its partners -- the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress -- lost their supermajority in 1969, they regained it by persuading some opposition parties to join their coalition.
``You now have three very weak component parties,'' Mushtaq said. ``They have to go back to the drawing board to find ways of winning back the confidence of the voters.''
Malaysia was calm in the immediate aftermath of the election. In 1969, Chinese opposition celebrations were followed by clashes that killed hundreds and prompted the government to impose pro-Malay preferences. This year, Abdullah urged supporters to accept the results. Musa Hassan, the country's police chief, promised to maintain order by enforcing a ban on victory parades.
To contact the reporter on this story: Douglas Wong in Kuala Lumpur at Dwong19@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: March 9, 2008 23:24 EDT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=axMRUN_fhgb0&refer=home#
Badawi, read the writing on the wall; release Hindraf leaders, quit politics
MIC - A new era begins
RK Anand | Mar 10, 08 1:35am
On March 8, MIC president S Samy Vellu turned 72. It was also the day the curtain fell on his political era.
After nearly three decades in power, the politician who commanded a cult-like following in his party was defeated in the fortress where he reigned for nine terms.
It was a cleansing of MIC's top echelon. The casualties included deputy president G Palanivel, vice-president S Sothinathan, Youth chief S A Vigneswaran and Women's wing chief P Komala Devi.
The party only managed to retain three out of nine parliamentary seats and six out of 19 state seats. The message was loud and clear.
According to Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar, this could signal the birth of a new era for MIC.
But firstly, he said, the party must conduct an in-depth analysis to determine the reasons behind its crushing defeat.
"When you fall, you must pick yourself up and look at the reasons as to why you fell so that you do not fall again," he told Malaysiakini yesterday.
Likening the damage inflicted on MIC to the destruction brought about by the Sept 11 terror attacks, he said it also served as a lesson for the younger generation of leaders.
The factors
Sivakumar said the first, and most important, factor which contributed to the devastation of MIC was the advent of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the wave of discontent it created.
On Nov 25 last year, some 30,000 disgruntled Indians took the streets to vent their frustration against the government and MIC, namely its president.
"These were not the voices of a few hundred, but tens of thousands of people. Many organisations also came out to help MIC and the government on this issue, but no immediate attention was given, except for some assurances," he said.
MIC - to the chagrin of the community - had also joined the government in condemning the Hindraf movement whose five key leaders are now held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Another factor, Sivakumar said, was the silencing and removing of dissenting voices in MIC, including Samy Vellu's former estranged deputy S Subramaniam.
"Thousands of Subramaniam's supporters were left in the lurch and they also expressed their anger in this polls," he noted.
Thirdly, the Miba president pointed out that the manifestos of the opposition parties, which stressed on equality, were also well received by the Indians.
"The Indian community is not questioning the special rights and the privileges accorded to the Malays, but just want their due rights and equal opportunities as citizens of this country," he said.
The future
On the future of MIC, Sivakumar said the most important issue to address now was unity in the party.
"MIC must look into the possibility of bringing those on the outside back into the fold in order to strengthen the party," he added.
Asked if this included Subramaniam, he responded: "Why not? He has a large following and he was the longest serving deputy president."
Subramaniam, whose ties with Samy Vellu had been strained for years, was defeated in the 2006 party polls by Palanivel, who was endorsed by the president.
Meanwhile, Sivakumar also stressed on the importance of MIC to craft a new image for itself.
"The party must break free from the image of violence and thuggery. It must become a party which is willing to accept constructive criticisms and feedback
"A conducive environment must be created to attract the thousands of well-educated and talented Indians in the community who prefer to speak freely about issues," he said.
"We need a large number of dynamic young minds to chart the future course of the party. More bureaus must be set up to look into the critical issues facing the community instead of leaving it in the hands of one or two think-tanks," he added.
Still relevant
Sivakumar also reminded MIC leaders that the younger generation of Indians are more aware of their rights.
In view of this, he said the party must create a leadership which blends the experience of the veterans with the dynamism and talents of the young.
On that note, the Miba president also stressed that MIC was still a relevant political force in the country.
"BN (Barisan Nasional) is still ruling the country, so MIC is still relevant. We must not forget that the founding fathers had entered into a social contract between MIC, Umno and MCA. MIC is still a good platform for the Indian community," he said.
Sivakumar advised the younger leaders in MIC to pay heed to the valuable lessons from this tragic episode for the party.
"Do not cull talents because of rivalry. MIC is a powerful party, talents must be nurtured and not expunged," he said, adding that the ball was now in the president's court.
"This is a new beginning for MIC. Samy Vellu's next step is crucial," he stressed.
Agreeing with Sivakumar, a party observer said the younger leaders must also realise that they cannot afford to ignore the voice and sentiments of the people.
"Samy Vellu had given the kiss of life to the political careers of the leaders in MIC and now he has taken it away. These leaders have learned, albeit bitterly, the true meaning of democracy," he said.
"From the ruins of yesterday, hopefully a new and more vibrant MIC will rise tomorrow. A party which the Indians will once again embrace," he added.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79529
Samy's conqueror: It feels great!
RK Anand | Mar 10, 08 4:02am
A 'confluence of forces' had made it possible to defeat MIC president S Samy Vellu in his stronghold, said his victor Dr D Jeyakumar.
On Saturday, the 53-year-old physician staged a major upset by knocking out the 72-year-old politician on his birthday in the contest for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat - which the latter held since 1974.
Asked how this felt, Jeyakumar replied: "It feels great!"
The Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) leader who stood under the PKR banner had contested against the MIC president and former works minister on two previous occasions.
This time around, Jeyakumar conceded that his opponent, whom he regards as formidable, had been weakened by other factors.
The PSM pro-tem central committee member also admitted that he did not expect to win. "We cannot take full credit for everything," he told Malaysiakini yesterday.
"We went in as the underdog but his (Samy Vellu) credibility had eroded terribly among the Indian voters," he said.
The MIC president's influence in the Indian community had waned in the wake of the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
Low-key campaign
Jeyakumar also acknowledged that Samy Vellu's campaign this time around was rather low key compared to the previous elections.
He said apart from the Hindraf factor, the work PSM had done on the ground in the constituency over the past decade as well as the hard work of the volunteers also contributed to his victory.
On top of that, he said the strong DAP candidate for the state seat and the cooperation from PAS also helped.
"The swing against BN (Barisan Nasional) was stronger than anticipated. BN has been taking the people for granted," said the PSM leader who saw an increase of support among all three races.
Jeyakumar, who is being flooded with congratulatory messages from all over the country, also revealed that he had received several death threats.
"We are concerned and are taking the necessary precautions," he said.
'We went all out'
On his plans for this term, Jeyakumar, who is still settling into his new role as a parliamentarian, replied: "I intend to bring the problems faced by the common man to Parliament."
"This elections has shown that ideology is still relevant," he added.
His wife and campaign manager R Rani said she was "delighted and overwhelmed" by the victory in what she described as "not an easy seat to win" due to the alleged underhand tactics employed by their rival.
However, the PSM pro-tem central committee member said that during the course of the campaign, there were positive vibes from all the races indicating the possibility of upstaging the incumbent.
"He (Samy Vellu) never expected to lose just like how we never expected to win," said Rani, adding that PSM "went all out" this time around.
Jeyakumar had defeated Samy Vellu with a 1,821 majority. In the 2004 polls, he lost to the MIC president by more than 10,000 votes.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79530
Voters played the race card
Monday • March 10, 2008
— AGENCIES
IT was the day the Malays failed Umno.
The Malays — apart from their Kelantanese brethren — were to have been the Umno-led Barisan Nasional's (BN) last bastion of support even as the coalition braced itself for massive rejection by Chinese and Indian voters in the general election.
The conventional wisdom was that the Malays had no major quarrel with the government and would provide the votes needed to help Umno and the BN retain its two-third parliamentary majority as well as control of all local governments in most, if not all, states.
Yet, desert Umno the Malays did — in numbers large enough to enable the unthinkable to happen: BN losing control of the state governments in Kedah, Selangor and Perak to the loose opposition coalition comprising the Democratic Action Party (DAP); Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).
The loss of support for BN from the Chinese and Indian communities were expected due to several reasons, from concerns over inflation and rising crime, which also affected the Malays, to worries over "creeping Islamisation" in Malaysia at the expense of the other religions.
And, of course, there was the "Hindraf effect".
The street protests led by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) might have started out with the goal of airing the Indian community's grievances but many Chinese could also empathise with their complaint that the country's pro-bumiputera policy has denied non-Malays fair access to jobs, education and housing.
But if the non-Malays' swing against the BN was expected, the Malays' considerable support for the opposition parties appeared to have caught even the Umno leadership by surprise.
Bread-and-butter issues aside, some analysts attributed it to the Anwar Ibrahim factor, crediting him with the ability to convince fence-sitters that Malay interests would not be neglected even if they were to vote the opposition parties.
Umno also had its own party infighting to blame for its losses.
In Kedah, Umno was divided into two camps, one led by supporters of former Premier Mahathir Mohamad and the other by former Mentri Besar Mahdzir Khalid. In several other states, many Umno members reportedly refused to campaign for BN candidates who had been "parachuted" into their constituencies.
Mr Ibrahim Suffian, the programmes director of the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, told the Malaysiavotes news portal: "From the dissolution of Parliament till Nomination Day, the bickering and horse-trading between Umno candidates started the erosion in Malay support.
"The attack on Anwar and the belated attempt to go on an offensive further pushed the Malay electorate away from BN."
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/242020.asp
Badawi refuses to resign after a stunning electoral reversal (The Hindu, March 9, 2008)
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): In a stunning electoral reversal, Malaysia's ruling coalition that had alienated ethnic-Indians failed to secure a 2/3 majority for the first time in five decades and was defeated in five states, prompting demands for premier Abdullah Badawi resignation but he remained defiant.
Badawi on Sunday said he will not resign as he is not under pressure to do so, the state-run Bernama news agency said after his predecessor and mentor Mahathir Mohammed joined the chorus pressing for his ouster following the Barisan Nasional's win in only 139 seats in the 222-member Parliament.
Badawi's gamble for a snap poll backfired as the coalition came up with its worst ever electoral performance, losing power in four out of 12 states for the first time-- Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Perak. The opposition retained its hold on the Kelantan state
The opposition parties together have won 82 seats compared to only 19 in the outgoing parliament.
Among the key losses to Barisan were the president of the Malaysian Indian Congress Samy Vellu, the lone ethnic Indian in the cabinet who had derided the street protests by the community against alleged racial discrimination.
The MIC won only three of the nine parliamentary seats and and seven of the 19 state seats allocated to it. The party was wiped out in the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.
The ethnic Indian voters, who form nearly 8 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population, helped the opposition win more mixed seats, Jenison Jayasooria, Executive Director of MIC's think tank Yayasan Strategic Sosial said.
M Manoharan, one of the five Hindraf leaders held under a draconian security law that allows indefinite detention without trial for spearheading protests by ethnic Indians, won convincingly on DAP ticket.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200803092072.htm
He's staying, for now
Exclusion of 'favourite man' Radzi from the Cabinet may signal Pak Lah's exit: Analyst
Monday • March 10, 2008
Nazry Bahrawi in Kuala Lumpur
nazry@mediacorp.com.sg
READ his lips: Pak Lah is not resigning.
"I don't know who is being pressured to step down, I'm not resigning," Malaysia Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told a news conference early yesterday, after his Umno-led Barisan Nasional suffered its worst defeat in nearly 40 years.
Despite his denial, several analysts believe that Mr Abdullah's resignation is inevitable — the only question is when.
Journalism lecturer and political observer Wong Chin Huat believes that Mr Abdullah will negotiate with the Umno leadership for a graceful exit. He said: "Abdullah may negotiate a dignified exit like Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman did in 1969 — the first time the ruling coalition was denied a two-third parliamentary majority."
Arguing that there will be "enormous pressure" for Mr Abdullah to resign, political analyst Dr Farish A Noor of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: "This election is a mandate for Abdullah and his performance for the past four years. Now, the Malaysian public has sent the message that he has failed."
Dr Farish also believes that Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Najib Razak will launch a more aggressive bid to secure his position as the next Prime Minister.
Mr Najib scored a personal triumph by securing a 26,000-vote majority in his Pekan seat in Pahang, an increase of about 3,000 votes from the 2004 polls. Mr Abdullah himself won his Kepala Batas seat with a reduced majority of about 11,000 votes, down from the more than 18,000-vote majority in 2004.
However, Dr Farish added: "Even if he (Najib) were to assume power, the Umno would still suffer a crisis.
"Its leaders have lost credibility."
Mr Wong believes that the shape of the new Cabinet — whether it will include those close to Mr Abdullah, such as his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin and Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad — will offer some clues as to when the Premier may resign.
Mr Wong said: "If he (Radzi) is out from the Cabinet, then it would be a strong indicator that Pak Lah is losing control. He is Pak Lah's favourite man."
As for Mr Khairy, "I would be surprised if he could get a full ministership. He would probably be brought in as frontbencher."
As Mr Abdullah grapples with his political future, another question on the minds of many will be whether the BN's loss of its two-third majority in Parliament will scare away investors?
Ms Tricia Yeoh, of the Centre of Public Policy Studies in Kuala Lumpur, said: "Investors are going to wait and see what is happening on ground level before making any decision." She believes investors will have a clear picture of Malaysia's new political dynamics only in about a year or so.
However, Mr Wong believes that the rise of opposition state governments in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak may encourage even more foreign investments.
This is because the opposition parties would want the states under their control to be become a model of success so that they can win even more seats in the next general election, he said.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/242044print.asp
RK Anand | Mar 10, 08 1:35am
On March 8, MIC president S Samy Vellu turned 72. It was also the day the curtain fell on his political era.
After nearly three decades in power, the politician who commanded a cult-like following in his party was defeated in the fortress where he reigned for nine terms.
It was a cleansing of MIC's top echelon. The casualties included deputy president G Palanivel, vice-president S Sothinathan, Youth chief S A Vigneswaran and Women's wing chief P Komala Devi.
The party only managed to retain three out of nine parliamentary seats and six out of 19 state seats. The message was loud and clear.
According to Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar, this could signal the birth of a new era for MIC.
But firstly, he said, the party must conduct an in-depth analysis to determine the reasons behind its crushing defeat.
"When you fall, you must pick yourself up and look at the reasons as to why you fell so that you do not fall again," he told Malaysiakini yesterday.
Likening the damage inflicted on MIC to the destruction brought about by the Sept 11 terror attacks, he said it also served as a lesson for the younger generation of leaders.
The factors
Sivakumar said the first, and most important, factor which contributed to the devastation of MIC was the advent of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and the wave of discontent it created.
On Nov 25 last year, some 30,000 disgruntled Indians took the streets to vent their frustration against the government and MIC, namely its president.
"These were not the voices of a few hundred, but tens of thousands of people. Many organisations also came out to help MIC and the government on this issue, but no immediate attention was given, except for some assurances," he said.
MIC - to the chagrin of the community - had also joined the government in condemning the Hindraf movement whose five key leaders are now held under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Another factor, Sivakumar said, was the silencing and removing of dissenting voices in MIC, including Samy Vellu's former estranged deputy S Subramaniam.
"Thousands of Subramaniam's supporters were left in the lurch and they also expressed their anger in this polls," he noted.
Thirdly, the Miba president pointed out that the manifestos of the opposition parties, which stressed on equality, were also well received by the Indians.
"The Indian community is not questioning the special rights and the privileges accorded to the Malays, but just want their due rights and equal opportunities as citizens of this country," he said.
The future
On the future of MIC, Sivakumar said the most important issue to address now was unity in the party.
"MIC must look into the possibility of bringing those on the outside back into the fold in order to strengthen the party," he added.
Asked if this included Subramaniam, he responded: "Why not? He has a large following and he was the longest serving deputy president."
Subramaniam, whose ties with Samy Vellu had been strained for years, was defeated in the 2006 party polls by Palanivel, who was endorsed by the president.
Meanwhile, Sivakumar also stressed on the importance of MIC to craft a new image for itself.
"The party must break free from the image of violence and thuggery. It must become a party which is willing to accept constructive criticisms and feedback
"A conducive environment must be created to attract the thousands of well-educated and talented Indians in the community who prefer to speak freely about issues," he said.
"We need a large number of dynamic young minds to chart the future course of the party. More bureaus must be set up to look into the critical issues facing the community instead of leaving it in the hands of one or two think-tanks," he added.
Still relevant
Sivakumar also reminded MIC leaders that the younger generation of Indians are more aware of their rights.
In view of this, he said the party must create a leadership which blends the experience of the veterans with the dynamism and talents of the young.
On that note, the Miba president also stressed that MIC was still a relevant political force in the country.
"BN (Barisan Nasional) is still ruling the country, so MIC is still relevant. We must not forget that the founding fathers had entered into a social contract between MIC, Umno and MCA. MIC is still a good platform for the Indian community," he said.
Sivakumar advised the younger leaders in MIC to pay heed to the valuable lessons from this tragic episode for the party.
"Do not cull talents because of rivalry. MIC is a powerful party, talents must be nurtured and not expunged," he said, adding that the ball was now in the president's court.
"This is a new beginning for MIC. Samy Vellu's next step is crucial," he stressed.
Agreeing with Sivakumar, a party observer said the younger leaders must also realise that they cannot afford to ignore the voice and sentiments of the people.
"Samy Vellu had given the kiss of life to the political careers of the leaders in MIC and now he has taken it away. These leaders have learned, albeit bitterly, the true meaning of democracy," he said.
"From the ruins of yesterday, hopefully a new and more vibrant MIC will rise tomorrow. A party which the Indians will once again embrace," he added.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79529
Samy's conqueror: It feels great!
RK Anand | Mar 10, 08 4:02am
A 'confluence of forces' had made it possible to defeat MIC president S Samy Vellu in his stronghold, said his victor Dr D Jeyakumar.
On Saturday, the 53-year-old physician staged a major upset by knocking out the 72-year-old politician on his birthday in the contest for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat - which the latter held since 1974.
Asked how this felt, Jeyakumar replied: "It feels great!"
The Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) leader who stood under the PKR banner had contested against the MIC president and former works minister on two previous occasions.
This time around, Jeyakumar conceded that his opponent, whom he regards as formidable, had been weakened by other factors.
The PSM pro-tem central committee member also admitted that he did not expect to win. "We cannot take full credit for everything," he told Malaysiakini yesterday.
"We went in as the underdog but his (Samy Vellu) credibility had eroded terribly among the Indian voters," he said.
The MIC president's influence in the Indian community had waned in the wake of the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).
Low-key campaign
Jeyakumar also acknowledged that Samy Vellu's campaign this time around was rather low key compared to the previous elections.
He said apart from the Hindraf factor, the work PSM had done on the ground in the constituency over the past decade as well as the hard work of the volunteers also contributed to his victory.
On top of that, he said the strong DAP candidate for the state seat and the cooperation from PAS also helped.
"The swing against BN (Barisan Nasional) was stronger than anticipated. BN has been taking the people for granted," said the PSM leader who saw an increase of support among all three races.
Jeyakumar, who is being flooded with congratulatory messages from all over the country, also revealed that he had received several death threats.
"We are concerned and are taking the necessary precautions," he said.
'We went all out'
On his plans for this term, Jeyakumar, who is still settling into his new role as a parliamentarian, replied: "I intend to bring the problems faced by the common man to Parliament."
"This elections has shown that ideology is still relevant," he added.
His wife and campaign manager R Rani said she was "delighted and overwhelmed" by the victory in what she described as "not an easy seat to win" due to the alleged underhand tactics employed by their rival.
However, the PSM pro-tem central committee member said that during the course of the campaign, there were positive vibes from all the races indicating the possibility of upstaging the incumbent.
"He (Samy Vellu) never expected to lose just like how we never expected to win," said Rani, adding that PSM "went all out" this time around.
Jeyakumar had defeated Samy Vellu with a 1,821 majority. In the 2004 polls, he lost to the MIC president by more than 10,000 votes.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79530
Voters played the race card
Monday • March 10, 2008
— AGENCIES
IT was the day the Malays failed Umno.
The Malays — apart from their Kelantanese brethren — were to have been the Umno-led Barisan Nasional's (BN) last bastion of support even as the coalition braced itself for massive rejection by Chinese and Indian voters in the general election.
The conventional wisdom was that the Malays had no major quarrel with the government and would provide the votes needed to help Umno and the BN retain its two-third parliamentary majority as well as control of all local governments in most, if not all, states.
Yet, desert Umno the Malays did — in numbers large enough to enable the unthinkable to happen: BN losing control of the state governments in Kedah, Selangor and Perak to the loose opposition coalition comprising the Democratic Action Party (DAP); Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS).
The loss of support for BN from the Chinese and Indian communities were expected due to several reasons, from concerns over inflation and rising crime, which also affected the Malays, to worries over "creeping Islamisation" in Malaysia at the expense of the other religions.
And, of course, there was the "Hindraf effect".
The street protests led by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) might have started out with the goal of airing the Indian community's grievances but many Chinese could also empathise with their complaint that the country's pro-bumiputera policy has denied non-Malays fair access to jobs, education and housing.
But if the non-Malays' swing against the BN was expected, the Malays' considerable support for the opposition parties appeared to have caught even the Umno leadership by surprise.
Bread-and-butter issues aside, some analysts attributed it to the Anwar Ibrahim factor, crediting him with the ability to convince fence-sitters that Malay interests would not be neglected even if they were to vote the opposition parties.
Umno also had its own party infighting to blame for its losses.
In Kedah, Umno was divided into two camps, one led by supporters of former Premier Mahathir Mohamad and the other by former Mentri Besar Mahdzir Khalid. In several other states, many Umno members reportedly refused to campaign for BN candidates who had been "parachuted" into their constituencies.
Mr Ibrahim Suffian, the programmes director of the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, told the Malaysiavotes news portal: "From the dissolution of Parliament till Nomination Day, the bickering and horse-trading between Umno candidates started the erosion in Malay support.
"The attack on Anwar and the belated attempt to go on an offensive further pushed the Malay electorate away from BN."
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/242020.asp
Badawi refuses to resign after a stunning electoral reversal (The Hindu, March 9, 2008)
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): In a stunning electoral reversal, Malaysia's ruling coalition that had alienated ethnic-Indians failed to secure a 2/3 majority for the first time in five decades and was defeated in five states, prompting demands for premier Abdullah Badawi resignation but he remained defiant.
Badawi on Sunday said he will not resign as he is not under pressure to do so, the state-run Bernama news agency said after his predecessor and mentor Mahathir Mohammed joined the chorus pressing for his ouster following the Barisan Nasional's win in only 139 seats in the 222-member Parliament.
Badawi's gamble for a snap poll backfired as the coalition came up with its worst ever electoral performance, losing power in four out of 12 states for the first time-- Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Perak. The opposition retained its hold on the Kelantan state
The opposition parties together have won 82 seats compared to only 19 in the outgoing parliament.
Among the key losses to Barisan were the president of the Malaysian Indian Congress Samy Vellu, the lone ethnic Indian in the cabinet who had derided the street protests by the community against alleged racial discrimination.
The MIC won only three of the nine parliamentary seats and and seven of the 19 state seats allocated to it. The party was wiped out in the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.
The ethnic Indian voters, who form nearly 8 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population, helped the opposition win more mixed seats, Jenison Jayasooria, Executive Director of MIC's think tank Yayasan Strategic Sosial said.
M Manoharan, one of the five Hindraf leaders held under a draconian security law that allows indefinite detention without trial for spearheading protests by ethnic Indians, won convincingly on DAP ticket.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200803092072.htm
He's staying, for now
Exclusion of 'favourite man' Radzi from the Cabinet may signal Pak Lah's exit: Analyst
Monday • March 10, 2008
Nazry Bahrawi in Kuala Lumpur
nazry@mediacorp.com.sg
READ his lips: Pak Lah is not resigning.
"I don't know who is being pressured to step down, I'm not resigning," Malaysia Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told a news conference early yesterday, after his Umno-led Barisan Nasional suffered its worst defeat in nearly 40 years.
Despite his denial, several analysts believe that Mr Abdullah's resignation is inevitable — the only question is when.
Journalism lecturer and political observer Wong Chin Huat believes that Mr Abdullah will negotiate with the Umno leadership for a graceful exit. He said: "Abdullah may negotiate a dignified exit like Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tengku Abdul Rahman did in 1969 — the first time the ruling coalition was denied a two-third parliamentary majority."
Arguing that there will be "enormous pressure" for Mr Abdullah to resign, political analyst Dr Farish A Noor of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said: "This election is a mandate for Abdullah and his performance for the past four years. Now, the Malaysian public has sent the message that he has failed."
Dr Farish also believes that Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Najib Razak will launch a more aggressive bid to secure his position as the next Prime Minister.
Mr Najib scored a personal triumph by securing a 26,000-vote majority in his Pekan seat in Pahang, an increase of about 3,000 votes from the 2004 polls. Mr Abdullah himself won his Kepala Batas seat with a reduced majority of about 11,000 votes, down from the more than 18,000-vote majority in 2004.
However, Dr Farish added: "Even if he (Najib) were to assume power, the Umno would still suffer a crisis.
"Its leaders have lost credibility."
Mr Wong believes that the shape of the new Cabinet — whether it will include those close to Mr Abdullah, such as his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin and Home Minister Radzi Sheikh Ahmad — will offer some clues as to when the Premier may resign.
Mr Wong said: "If he (Radzi) is out from the Cabinet, then it would be a strong indicator that Pak Lah is losing control. He is Pak Lah's favourite man."
As for Mr Khairy, "I would be surprised if he could get a full ministership. He would probably be brought in as frontbencher."
As Mr Abdullah grapples with his political future, another question on the minds of many will be whether the BN's loss of its two-third majority in Parliament will scare away investors?
Ms Tricia Yeoh, of the Centre of Public Policy Studies in Kuala Lumpur, said: "Investors are going to wait and see what is happening on ground level before making any decision." She believes investors will have a clear picture of Malaysia's new political dynamics only in about a year or so.
However, Mr Wong believes that the rise of opposition state governments in Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Perak may encourage even more foreign investments.
This is because the opposition parties would want the states under their control to be become a model of success so that they can win even more seats in the next general election, he said.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/242044print.asp
Hindraf congratulates opposition parties for their success
HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban.
09 March 2008
BRIEF PRESS STATEMENT
HINDRAF congratulates opposition parties for their success.
The opposition parties should appreciate the "Makkal Sakthi" wave
created by HINDRAF as it is the root cause for change in mindset and political
maturity of all races.
HINDRAF demands that DAP and Keadilan appoint a deputy Menteri Besar/Chief
Minister in the state of Selangor, Penang and Perak to show their sincerity towards
the Indian community.
HINDRAF urges DAP and Keadilan to appoint M. Manoharan as deputy Menteri Besar
for the state of selangor.
HINDRAF cautions DAP and Keadilan not to shortchange/betray the indian
community and the trust placed upon them.
P. Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in New Delhi
p/s: Please send this statement out via email/sms to everyone you know.
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban.
09 March 2008
BRIEF PRESS STATEMENT
HINDRAF congratulates opposition parties for their success.
The opposition parties should appreciate the "Makkal Sakthi" wave
created by HINDRAF as it is the root cause for change in mindset and political
maturity of all races.
HINDRAF demands that DAP and Keadilan appoint a deputy Menteri Besar/Chief
Minister in the state of Selangor, Penang and Perak to show their sincerity towards
the Indian community.
HINDRAF urges DAP and Keadilan to appoint M. Manoharan as deputy Menteri Besar
for the state of selangor.
HINDRAF cautions DAP and Keadilan not to shortchange/betray the indian
community and the trust placed upon them.
P. Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in New Delhi
p/s: Please send this statement out via email/sms to everyone you know.
Election fiasco: Badawi should step down, says Mahathir
Election fiasco: Badawi should step down, says Mahathir
Malaysia's former leader calls on prime minister to step down after election fiasco; Mahathir also apologizes for hand-picking B
The Associated Press
Published: March 9, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday urged his successor to resign in the wake of stunning election losses, and apologized for hand-picking him in 2003 to lead the country.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament and five of 13 states to the opposition in Saturday's general elections — the coalition's worst setback in its 51-year rule since independence.
"I think he should accept responsibility for ... this massive defeat," Mahathir told reporters. "He needs to consider stepping down."
Mahathir, who resigned in 2003 after 22 years in power, choose Abdullah as his successor but turned against him Abdullah two years ago and has frequently accused him of corruption and nepotism. He has said in the past that Abdullah's deputy, Najib Razak, would have made a better prime minister.
"I'm sorry that I apparently made the wrong choice," he said. "My greatest concern is that the leader doesn't understand the situation." He said Abdullah and others in the coalition "have become so arrogant."
Earlier Sunday, Abdullah dismissed suggestions that he would now face pressure from party members to step down.
"I don't know who would pressure me. There is nothing at this time," he said.
Mahathir cited voters' frustrations over price hikes and alleged nepotism as the main reason for the poor election showing, which gave the National Front 139 parliamentary seats and the opposition alliance 82 seats with one still to be decided. Previously, the opposition held only 19 seats.
He said successive high economic growth has not trickled down to ordinary Malaysians, who were now suffering from the rising cost of living.
"And then, of course, they've observed that this government is run by one family," he said, accusing Abdullah of favoring his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, a National Front member.
Malaysians also were upset over the rise in crime and seething ethnic and religious tensions. Some 60 percent of the country's 27 million people are Muslim Malays, while a quarter are ethnic Chinese and 8 percent ethnic Indians.
Discontent over policies that favor Malays in education, business and job opportunities led some 20,000 Indians to protest last November in a rare show of anger. They also complained their Hindu temples were unjustly demolished.
But critics say many of the problems facing the country, including racial tensions, inflation and judicial corruption, have their roots in Mahathir's rule
"Twenty-two years of Mahathir's maladministration and dismantling of democracy and weakening of institutions came to fruition in the last four years," said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, a political commentator.
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=10830434
Malaysia's former leader calls on prime minister to step down after election fiasco; Mahathir also apologizes for hand-picking B
The Associated Press
Published: March 9, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad on Sunday urged his successor to resign in the wake of stunning election losses, and apologized for hand-picking him in 2003 to lead the country.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's National Front lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament and five of 13 states to the opposition in Saturday's general elections — the coalition's worst setback in its 51-year rule since independence.
"I think he should accept responsibility for ... this massive defeat," Mahathir told reporters. "He needs to consider stepping down."
Mahathir, who resigned in 2003 after 22 years in power, choose Abdullah as his successor but turned against him Abdullah two years ago and has frequently accused him of corruption and nepotism. He has said in the past that Abdullah's deputy, Najib Razak, would have made a better prime minister.
"I'm sorry that I apparently made the wrong choice," he said. "My greatest concern is that the leader doesn't understand the situation." He said Abdullah and others in the coalition "have become so arrogant."
Earlier Sunday, Abdullah dismissed suggestions that he would now face pressure from party members to step down.
"I don't know who would pressure me. There is nothing at this time," he said.
Mahathir cited voters' frustrations over price hikes and alleged nepotism as the main reason for the poor election showing, which gave the National Front 139 parliamentary seats and the opposition alliance 82 seats with one still to be decided. Previously, the opposition held only 19 seats.
He said successive high economic growth has not trickled down to ordinary Malaysians, who were now suffering from the rising cost of living.
"And then, of course, they've observed that this government is run by one family," he said, accusing Abdullah of favoring his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, a National Front member.
Malaysians also were upset over the rise in crime and seething ethnic and religious tensions. Some 60 percent of the country's 27 million people are Muslim Malays, while a quarter are ethnic Chinese and 8 percent ethnic Indians.
Discontent over policies that favor Malays in education, business and job opportunities led some 20,000 Indians to protest last November in a rare show of anger. They also complained their Hindu temples were unjustly demolished.
But critics say many of the problems facing the country, including racial tensions, inflation and judicial corruption, have their roots in Mahathir's rule
"Twenty-two years of Mahathir's maladministration and dismantling of democracy and weakening of institutions came to fruition in the last four years," said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, a political commentator.
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=10830434
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Congrats, Malaysia! Now, get rid of Badawi.
Congrats, Malaysia! Now, get rid of Badawi who has lost moral authority to rule.
Watch video: Why Badawi lost big: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/03/08/sesay.malaysia.election.cnn
Malaysian opposition scores upset
Story Highlights
National Front falls short of a majority in elections, preliminary results show
The opposition alliance claims 82 seats, or 37 percent
PM and National Front leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he's not resigning
"The people of Malaysia have spoken," opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says
(CNN) -- In a surprise upset, Malaysia's ruling party, which has retained power since the nation declared independence in 1967, fell short of a two-thirds majority Saturday amid rising inflation, crime and ethnic tensions.
The protest vote gave the opposition alliance a third of parliament and control of five states, according to the Associated Press.
"Political tsunami," read the headline of Malaysia's The Star newspaper.
The National Front's loss raised questions about the future of its party leader, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
His predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, has called for his resignation, The Associated Press reported, a prospect Badawi shot down in a news conference after preliminary results were announced.
"I'm not resigning," said Badawi, who has held his post since November 2003.
His National Front coalition won 137 of the 222 seats at stake, or less than 62 percent, the Election Commission announced in releasing preliminary results, according to state news agency Bernama.
The opposition alliance of the Democratic Action Party, the People's Justice Party and the Islamic Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS claimed 82 seats, or 37 percent.
By contrast, in 2004, the National Front clinched 199 of 219 seats, or nearly 91 percent.
"Today, at the ballot box, you listened to your heart with a firm conviction that the time for change has arrived," former Deputy Prime Minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said. "The people of Malaysia have spoken. This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history." Watch Anwar describe the election as a "defining moment" »
Badawi has been battling demonstrations against alleged vote fraud for weeks and demanded an overhaul of Malaysia's electoral commission before the election.
Last fall, more than 30,000 protesters gathered in the streets and faced squads of police with water cannons.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/09/malaysia.elections/index.html
Malaysia's governing coalition takes heavy hit in elections
By Thomas Fuller
Sunday, March 9, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's governing coalition, which has run this multiracial country without any major challenges for the past four decades, suffered a string of election defeats on Saturday, losing control of three major states and all but surrendering urban areas to the opposition.
Results early Sunday showed that the coalition of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won 136 of 222 seats in Parliament, enough to be able to remain in power. But unexpectedly strong gains by opposition parties, which quadrupled their seats in Parliament, are likely to challenge the longstanding paternalistic practices of a government that controls the mainstream media, bans most street protests, bars students from taking part in politics and jails political opponents without trial.
Stripped of its long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, the governing coalition will no longer be able to freely amend the constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
Anger among ethnic Indians and Chinese over religious disputes and economic preferences for the Malays, the majority ethnic group, appeared to play a major role in the opposition's gains.
"I don't think Malaysian politics will ever be the same again," said Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who was expelled from the governing party a decade ago and is now one of the leaders of the opposition. "There is a wave, an outcry for democratic reform."
The opposition parties unseated several political veterans by fielding fresh but inexperienced candidates, including a political science professor, a popular blogger and a human rights advocate.
Opposition candidates did especially well in urban areas, winning 10 of the 11 seats in Kuala Lumpur, the commercial capital, and capturing the relatively prosperous and populous states of Selangor and Penang. The opposition also made inroads into the rural heartland.
The Pan-Islamic Party, one of the three main opposition parties, strengthened its control over the northern state of Kelantan and won control over the states of Kedah and Perak.
Losing control of those states is a blow for the governing coalition because states have jurisdiction over land allocation, local matters and Islamic laws.
Voters showed their anger over a recent government crackdown against ethnic Indians by electing to a state legislature M. Manoharan, one of five advocates jailed after a street protest by Indians. It is unclear how Manoharan, who is being detained without a trial, will carry out his duties.
The loss of Penang, which alone among Malaysia's 13 states has a majority of Chinese voters, is a major blow to Abdullah, whose constituency is based there. The state is an industrial center, producing microchips, cell phones and computer parts in factories owned by Intel, Dell and Motorola, among many others.
The departing chief minister, or governor, of Penang, Koh Tsu Koon, lost his seat on Saturday to a dissident university professor, P. Ramasamy.
The leaders of the two ethnic Indians parties represented in the government also lost their seats, including the only ethnic Indian in the cabinet, Samy Vellu.
Those losses call into question the future of the country's race-based coalition, a system in place since independence in which each major ethnic group - Malays, Chinese and Indians - is represented by a political party.
Opposition leaders have vowed to move Malaysia away from the system, with the National Justice Party of Anwar the loudest proponent of the change. Anwar, who many see as a possible future prime minister, is barred from holding public office until April because of a conviction for abuse of power in a politically charged trial. But his wife and his daughter won seats in Parliament on Saturday.
He said in an interview that he would not rule out asking a member of his party to resign so he can run in a by-election. "I'm not in a hurry," said Anwar, whose party won 32 seats, up from one seat in the last election in 2004.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/09/news/malay.php
Ivy Sam, Agence France-Presse
Kuala Lumpur, March 09, 2008
First Published: 10:42 IST(9/3/2008)
Last Updated: 11:04 IST(9/3/2008)
Malaysia's ruling coalition suffers stunning blow
Malaysia's ruling coalition suffered a stunning blow in weekend polls, losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in nearly 40 years and conceding four states to a resurgent opposition.
The result puts a question mark over the future of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who said in the early hours of Sunday that the Barisan Nasional coalition could form the next government but declined further comment.
"I will issue a statement and give my views after everything is over. That is all I have to say," the visibly exhausted prime minister told reporters at the headquarters of his United Malays National Organisation party.
Asked if the results were a vote of no confidence in his leadership, which has been criticised as weak and ineffective, Abdullah responded: "Maybe. There are a lot of messages from the people."
Barisan Nasional, which has governed Malaysia for half a century, won 137 seats in the new 222-seat parliament but had needed 148 to form the two-thirds majority that allows it to amend the constitution at will.
The Keadilan party of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who has made a spectacular political comeback after his 1998 sacking and imprisonment, won 31 seats for the biggest opposition presence in the new parliament.
The Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 28 and the Islamic party PAS won 23.
In an unprecedented result, the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor all fell into the hands of the main opposition, while PAS extended its hold on Kelantan which it had ruled with a razor-thin majority.
It was the worst defeat the ruling coalition suffered since 1969, when it last lost its two-thirds majority in a result that was followed shortly after by serious racial clashes.
Abdullah had won a landslide victory in 2004 polls after taking over from veteran premier Mahathir Mohamad, but analysts said he was being punished this time for high inflation, rising crime rates and mounting ethnic tensions.
Minority voters are concerned over the growing "Islamisation" of Malaysia and are angry at the government's refusal to drop affirmative action policies for Muslim Malays that provide advantages in housing, education and business.
"It's an overwhelming protest vote against the government. It shows a maturing society which doesn't necessarily vote solely upon racial lines," said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies thinktank.
"They are voting according to principles instead and are practising priciples of mature democracy."
While Malaysia's minority ethnic Indians and Chinese had been expected to turn away from the government, pollsters said the coalition also suffered a loss of support from the majority Muslim Malays who form its bedrock.
In the outgoing 219-seat parliament, there were 199 lawmakers from Barisan Nasional -- an alliance of 14 race-based parties -- with 12 from DAP, six from PAS, one from Keadilan and one independent.
Rights monitors and opposition leaders had warned that the coalition could manipulate the vote in tightly fought seats.
Concerns over electoral fraud triggered a clash between PAS supporters and police in northern Terengganu state. Authorities using tear gas to disperse some 300 people and 22 people were arrested.
http://tinyurl.com/2pqyej
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Revolution in Malaysia
Sophie's World is still surprised but glad with the totally unprecedented electoral outcome in Malaysia. Sophie's World is digesting the latest news and views, and and will provide a more detailed analysis soon.
But the signs are very clear. It's a revolution.
9 March 2008
Malaysia's BN suffers worst upset in national polls
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S ruling party faced its biggest electoral debacle on Sunday, as the opposition won five of 13 states, putting a dark cloud on the prime minister's political future.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's multi-racial National Front coalition managed to win just a simple majority in parliament and will form the government at the federal level.
But it lost a crucial two-thirds parliamentary majority it has held for most of its 50-year-long rule, the election body said. That level is needed to change the constitution.
Mr Abdullah dismissed suggestions by a reporter that he would now face pressure from party members to step down.
'I don't know who would pressure me. There is nothing at this time,' he said. 'We suffered a lot of losses tonight,' Mr Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin told reporters. 'But we are going to fight on. We are not going to quit. It is not the end of the world and we are going to get through this.'
The leftist Chinese-backed Democratic Action Party (DAP) won Penang state, which houses many multinational firms.
The opposition Islamist party PAS scored shock victories in the northern heartland states of Kedah and Perak and easily retained power in its stronghold in northeastern Kelantan state.
DAP and PAS also joined the People's Justice Party, or Parti Keadilan, to take control of the industrial state of Selangor and almost all the seats in capital Kuala Lumpur.
'Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future,' opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, whose wife heads Parti Keadilan, told reporters. 'This is a new dawn for Malaysia.'
The shock defeat in Penang stirred memories of the last time the ruling coalition failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
'This is the biggest defeat ever since our party's founding 40 years ago,' Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon said.
'I feel sad and surprised. I urge all National Front members to stay calm and not to take any action that could jeopardise peace and security in the state.'
Police vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours and banned victory processions, one of which had triggered the 1969 violence.
Results from the elections commission as of 2145 GMT (5.45am Singapore time) showed the National Front with 137 seats in the 222-seat parliament versus 82 for the opposition, with 3 seats still being tallied.
Referendum on Abdullah
'This looks like a revolution,' PAS Vice-President Husam Musa said. 'The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough.'' The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Mr Abdullah's rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption .
'I think the PM will potentially have to resign,' said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia specialist at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. 'This is unprecedented. The only other time this happened was in 1969 and that's why everybody is very nervous now because of the uncertainty.'
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the National Front parties, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Two other cabinet ministers, both ethnic Malays, also lost.
Detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan delivered another slap in the face of the government, winning a parliamentary seat despite being held under internal security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, business and religious policy.
About 70 per cent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's top poll official said.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Mr Abdullah's Malay-dominated coalition.
First-time voter Michael Lim said he voted for an opposition party.
'They have not taken care of the people,' he said in Kuala Lumpur, referring to the ruling coalition. 'A lot of promises were made, but nothing was fulfilled.'
'This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history,' said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. 'The people have voted decisively for a new era where the government must be truly inclusive and recognise that all Malaysians, regardless of race and colour, culture and religion, are a nation of one,' Mr Anwar said.
'This clearly shows Malaysians want an alternative. Going forward Malays, Indians and Chinese all have to work together and make a formidable pact.'
A key issue in the elections was the disillusionment among Malaysia's minority ethnic Chinese and Indian population who have long complained about discrimination, particularly an affirmative action system that gives the majority Muslim Malays preference in jobs, business and education.
The programme was designed 37 years ago to help the Malays catch up with the wealthier Chinese. But minorities complain the programme continues despite rising standards of livings for Malays.
The National Front held 90 per cent of the seats in the outgoing federal parliament. Political experts had predicted Mr Abdullah's continued leadership could be in jeopardy if his majority fell back below 80 per cent, or around 178 seats, in the new 222-seat parliament.
The economy grew 6 per cent last year but inflation and a likely US economic slowdown have fueled worries. -- REUTERS, AP
Posted by Sophie at 12:30 PM
http://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/revolution-in-malaysia.html
Ruling Coalition Suffers Major Elections Defeat - Malaysia Boleh!!!
Dear readers of my blog,
Despite being in China right now, I am jumping about my hotel room in glee. The corrupt ruling coalition (Barisan National) has suffered the worst ever election results since the 1957 independance thanks to clever teamwork between the opposition parties and blogs!
Let me give you the details, point-by-point:
1. In 1969, the majority Malay community had stayed loyal to Barisan while the Chinese backed the opposition, setting the stage for racial clashes. Malaysia’s streets were largely quiet, and political experts said they doubted there would be racial violence this time, noting that all of Malaysia’s major ethnic communities - Malays, Chinese and Indians - had deserted the government.
2. Stripped of their long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, Barisan Nasional will no longer be able to freely amend the Constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
3. Barisan Nasional has lost the state of Kedah to the PAS (the Islamaic party) who will form the next state government
4. The defeat of Barisan Nasional in the state of Kedah is shocking, PAS took 38 of the 45 state seats. Note that 80% of the population in that state turned out to vote!
5. The much loathed president of the MIC (Malaysia Indian Congress) has been defeated. He can’t handover the presidency of his number 2 or 3 (they were defeated as well). In fact all but 3 of the MIC candidates were defeated, a clear sign of rejection by the Malaysian Indians.
6. The opposition party DAP (Malaysia for All Malaysians), has taken Penang - blogger Jeff Ooi (whom I supported here) has won, making him the first blogger in parliament.
7. The combined opposition of DAP, PKR and PAS will form the new government in Perak. Collectively the three parties have won 30 seats (DAP - 18, PKR - 6, PAS - 6) out of 59 seats.
8. Jailed for years for sodomy, former minister Anwar Ibrahim fielded his daughter (Nurul Izzah Anwar of PKR) in his place (criminals can’t stand for election) and she won the Lembah Pantai seat. His wife, Wan Azizah - won the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by a 13,388-vote majority. Nicely done!
9. The opposition have taken over the state of Selengor. The opposition needed just 29 seats to form the state government with a simple majority - they won 35 seats!
10. BN retains Johor with reduced majorities losing the shocking seats of Bakri Parliamentary seat and the state seats of Skudai, Bentayan, Senai and Mengkibol to the DAP. It also lost the Sungai Abong and the Maharani state seat to Pas. In the past, the opposition has never won more than 2 seats at best.
The DAP retained its Bandar Kuching seat (Kennysia’s playground) with a larger majority this time round.
11. The PM’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin beat PKR’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin
12. Manoharan, a detainee under the Internal Security Act has won in the general election. He is currently being detained for his involvement in Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf aka Indians Kena Bully).
13. The current Miss Malaysia, Deborah Priya Henry needs to shut the f87k up and smell the roses.
14. We Welcome These Bloggers Into Public Office!
http://cowboycaleb.liquidblade.com/index.php/archives/2008/03/09/ruling-coalition-suffers-major-elections-defeat-malaysia-boleh/
March 9, 2008
HINDRAF prowls in Malaysian polls
Ethnic Tamil Minister Velu defeated in Malaysian polls
Result of HINDRAF effect
Malaysia's long-serving Tamil minister Samy Velu was on Saturday handed down a surprise defeat in Malaysian snap polls seen as a 'litmus test' for the ruling coalition, which faces the danger of a getting its majority dented.
Even on Friday, he was confident that ethnic Tamils will overwhelmingly vote for him and his government and would not be misled by a few leaders who had been running a campaign complaining of racial inequality in the multi-ethnic country.
Adding salt to the ruling coalition's injury was the impressive victory of detained Hindu Rights Action Force leader M Manoharan fighting on opposition Democratic Action Party ticket from the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor. He beat Barisan Nasional's Ching Su Chen, reports here said.
Manoharan, whose organisation has been fighting against the alleged marginalisation of ethnic Indians, has been behind bars since late 2007 along with four other Hindraf leaders for organising the November 25 ethnic Indians' rally. His wife, a political novice, campaigned relentlessly for him.
http://factusa.blogspot.com/2008/03/hindraf-prowls-in-malaysian-polls.html
Watch video: Why Badawi lost big: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/03/08/sesay.malaysia.election.cnn
Malaysian opposition scores upset
Story Highlights
National Front falls short of a majority in elections, preliminary results show
The opposition alliance claims 82 seats, or 37 percent
PM and National Front leader Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says he's not resigning
"The people of Malaysia have spoken," opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says
(CNN) -- In a surprise upset, Malaysia's ruling party, which has retained power since the nation declared independence in 1967, fell short of a two-thirds majority Saturday amid rising inflation, crime and ethnic tensions.
The protest vote gave the opposition alliance a third of parliament and control of five states, according to the Associated Press.
"Political tsunami," read the headline of Malaysia's The Star newspaper.
The National Front's loss raised questions about the future of its party leader, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
His predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, has called for his resignation, The Associated Press reported, a prospect Badawi shot down in a news conference after preliminary results were announced.
"I'm not resigning," said Badawi, who has held his post since November 2003.
His National Front coalition won 137 of the 222 seats at stake, or less than 62 percent, the Election Commission announced in releasing preliminary results, according to state news agency Bernama.
The opposition alliance of the Democratic Action Party, the People's Justice Party and the Islamic Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, or PAS claimed 82 seats, or 37 percent.
By contrast, in 2004, the National Front clinched 199 of 219 seats, or nearly 91 percent.
"Today, at the ballot box, you listened to your heart with a firm conviction that the time for change has arrived," former Deputy Prime Minister and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said. "The people of Malaysia have spoken. This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history." Watch Anwar describe the election as a "defining moment" »
Badawi has been battling demonstrations against alleged vote fraud for weeks and demanded an overhaul of Malaysia's electoral commission before the election.
Last fall, more than 30,000 protesters gathered in the streets and faced squads of police with water cannons.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/09/malaysia.elections/index.html
Malaysia's governing coalition takes heavy hit in elections
By Thomas Fuller
Sunday, March 9, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's governing coalition, which has run this multiracial country without any major challenges for the past four decades, suffered a string of election defeats on Saturday, losing control of three major states and all but surrendering urban areas to the opposition.
Results early Sunday showed that the coalition of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won 136 of 222 seats in Parliament, enough to be able to remain in power. But unexpectedly strong gains by opposition parties, which quadrupled their seats in Parliament, are likely to challenge the longstanding paternalistic practices of a government that controls the mainstream media, bans most street protests, bars students from taking part in politics and jails political opponents without trial.
Stripped of its long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, the governing coalition will no longer be able to freely amend the constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
Anger among ethnic Indians and Chinese over religious disputes and economic preferences for the Malays, the majority ethnic group, appeared to play a major role in the opposition's gains.
"I don't think Malaysian politics will ever be the same again," said Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who was expelled from the governing party a decade ago and is now one of the leaders of the opposition. "There is a wave, an outcry for democratic reform."
The opposition parties unseated several political veterans by fielding fresh but inexperienced candidates, including a political science professor, a popular blogger and a human rights advocate.
Opposition candidates did especially well in urban areas, winning 10 of the 11 seats in Kuala Lumpur, the commercial capital, and capturing the relatively prosperous and populous states of Selangor and Penang. The opposition also made inroads into the rural heartland.
The Pan-Islamic Party, one of the three main opposition parties, strengthened its control over the northern state of Kelantan and won control over the states of Kedah and Perak.
Losing control of those states is a blow for the governing coalition because states have jurisdiction over land allocation, local matters and Islamic laws.
Voters showed their anger over a recent government crackdown against ethnic Indians by electing to a state legislature M. Manoharan, one of five advocates jailed after a street protest by Indians. It is unclear how Manoharan, who is being detained without a trial, will carry out his duties.
The loss of Penang, which alone among Malaysia's 13 states has a majority of Chinese voters, is a major blow to Abdullah, whose constituency is based there. The state is an industrial center, producing microchips, cell phones and computer parts in factories owned by Intel, Dell and Motorola, among many others.
The departing chief minister, or governor, of Penang, Koh Tsu Koon, lost his seat on Saturday to a dissident university professor, P. Ramasamy.
The leaders of the two ethnic Indians parties represented in the government also lost their seats, including the only ethnic Indian in the cabinet, Samy Vellu.
Those losses call into question the future of the country's race-based coalition, a system in place since independence in which each major ethnic group - Malays, Chinese and Indians - is represented by a political party.
Opposition leaders have vowed to move Malaysia away from the system, with the National Justice Party of Anwar the loudest proponent of the change. Anwar, who many see as a possible future prime minister, is barred from holding public office until April because of a conviction for abuse of power in a politically charged trial. But his wife and his daughter won seats in Parliament on Saturday.
He said in an interview that he would not rule out asking a member of his party to resign so he can run in a by-election. "I'm not in a hurry," said Anwar, whose party won 32 seats, up from one seat in the last election in 2004.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/03/09/news/malay.php
Ivy Sam, Agence France-Presse
Kuala Lumpur, March 09, 2008
First Published: 10:42 IST(9/3/2008)
Last Updated: 11:04 IST(9/3/2008)
Malaysia's ruling coalition suffers stunning blow
Malaysia's ruling coalition suffered a stunning blow in weekend polls, losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority for the first time in nearly 40 years and conceding four states to a resurgent opposition.
The result puts a question mark over the future of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who said in the early hours of Sunday that the Barisan Nasional coalition could form the next government but declined further comment.
"I will issue a statement and give my views after everything is over. That is all I have to say," the visibly exhausted prime minister told reporters at the headquarters of his United Malays National Organisation party.
Asked if the results were a vote of no confidence in his leadership, which has been criticised as weak and ineffective, Abdullah responded: "Maybe. There are a lot of messages from the people."
Barisan Nasional, which has governed Malaysia for half a century, won 137 seats in the new 222-seat parliament but had needed 148 to form the two-thirds majority that allows it to amend the constitution at will.
The Keadilan party of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who has made a spectacular political comeback after his 1998 sacking and imprisonment, won 31 seats for the biggest opposition presence in the new parliament.
The Chinese-based Democratic Action Party (DAP) won 28 and the Islamic party PAS won 23.
In an unprecedented result, the states of Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor all fell into the hands of the main opposition, while PAS extended its hold on Kelantan which it had ruled with a razor-thin majority.
It was the worst defeat the ruling coalition suffered since 1969, when it last lost its two-thirds majority in a result that was followed shortly after by serious racial clashes.
Abdullah had won a landslide victory in 2004 polls after taking over from veteran premier Mahathir Mohamad, but analysts said he was being punished this time for high inflation, rising crime rates and mounting ethnic tensions.
Minority voters are concerned over the growing "Islamisation" of Malaysia and are angry at the government's refusal to drop affirmative action policies for Muslim Malays that provide advantages in housing, education and business.
"It's an overwhelming protest vote against the government. It shows a maturing society which doesn't necessarily vote solely upon racial lines," said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies thinktank.
"They are voting according to principles instead and are practising priciples of mature democracy."
While Malaysia's minority ethnic Indians and Chinese had been expected to turn away from the government, pollsters said the coalition also suffered a loss of support from the majority Muslim Malays who form its bedrock.
In the outgoing 219-seat parliament, there were 199 lawmakers from Barisan Nasional -- an alliance of 14 race-based parties -- with 12 from DAP, six from PAS, one from Keadilan and one independent.
Rights monitors and opposition leaders had warned that the coalition could manipulate the vote in tightly fought seats.
Concerns over electoral fraud triggered a clash between PAS supporters and police in northern Terengganu state. Authorities using tear gas to disperse some 300 people and 22 people were arrested.
http://tinyurl.com/2pqyej
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Revolution in Malaysia
Sophie's World is still surprised but glad with the totally unprecedented electoral outcome in Malaysia. Sophie's World is digesting the latest news and views, and and will provide a more detailed analysis soon.
But the signs are very clear. It's a revolution.
9 March 2008
Malaysia's BN suffers worst upset in national polls
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S ruling party faced its biggest electoral debacle on Sunday, as the opposition won five of 13 states, putting a dark cloud on the prime minister's political future.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's multi-racial National Front coalition managed to win just a simple majority in parliament and will form the government at the federal level.
But it lost a crucial two-thirds parliamentary majority it has held for most of its 50-year-long rule, the election body said. That level is needed to change the constitution.
Mr Abdullah dismissed suggestions by a reporter that he would now face pressure from party members to step down.
'I don't know who would pressure me. There is nothing at this time,' he said. 'We suffered a lot of losses tonight,' Mr Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin told reporters. 'But we are going to fight on. We are not going to quit. It is not the end of the world and we are going to get through this.'
The leftist Chinese-backed Democratic Action Party (DAP) won Penang state, which houses many multinational firms.
The opposition Islamist party PAS scored shock victories in the northern heartland states of Kedah and Perak and easily retained power in its stronghold in northeastern Kelantan state.
DAP and PAS also joined the People's Justice Party, or Parti Keadilan, to take control of the industrial state of Selangor and almost all the seats in capital Kuala Lumpur.
'Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future,' opposition icon Anwar Ibrahim, whose wife heads Parti Keadilan, told reporters. 'This is a new dawn for Malaysia.'
The shock defeat in Penang stirred memories of the last time the ruling coalition failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
'This is the biggest defeat ever since our party's founding 40 years ago,' Penang Chief Minister Koh Tsu Koon said.
'I feel sad and surprised. I urge all National Front members to stay calm and not to take any action that could jeopardise peace and security in the state.'
Police vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours and banned victory processions, one of which had triggered the 1969 violence.
Results from the elections commission as of 2145 GMT (5.45am Singapore time) showed the National Front with 137 seats in the 222-seat parliament versus 82 for the opposition, with 3 seats still being tallied.
Referendum on Abdullah
'This looks like a revolution,' PAS Vice-President Husam Musa said. 'The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough.'' The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Mr Abdullah's rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption .
'I think the PM will potentially have to resign,' said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia specialist at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. 'This is unprecedented. The only other time this happened was in 1969 and that's why everybody is very nervous now because of the uncertainty.'
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the National Front parties, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Two other cabinet ministers, both ethnic Malays, also lost.
Detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan delivered another slap in the face of the government, winning a parliamentary seat despite being held under internal security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, business and religious policy.
About 70 per cent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's top poll official said.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Mr Abdullah's Malay-dominated coalition.
First-time voter Michael Lim said he voted for an opposition party.
'They have not taken care of the people,' he said in Kuala Lumpur, referring to the ruling coalition. 'A lot of promises were made, but nothing was fulfilled.'
'This is a defining moment, unprecedented in our nation's history,' said opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. 'The people have voted decisively for a new era where the government must be truly inclusive and recognise that all Malaysians, regardless of race and colour, culture and religion, are a nation of one,' Mr Anwar said.
'This clearly shows Malaysians want an alternative. Going forward Malays, Indians and Chinese all have to work together and make a formidable pact.'
A key issue in the elections was the disillusionment among Malaysia's minority ethnic Chinese and Indian population who have long complained about discrimination, particularly an affirmative action system that gives the majority Muslim Malays preference in jobs, business and education.
The programme was designed 37 years ago to help the Malays catch up with the wealthier Chinese. But minorities complain the programme continues despite rising standards of livings for Malays.
The National Front held 90 per cent of the seats in the outgoing federal parliament. Political experts had predicted Mr Abdullah's continued leadership could be in jeopardy if his majority fell back below 80 per cent, or around 178 seats, in the new 222-seat parliament.
The economy grew 6 per cent last year but inflation and a likely US economic slowdown have fueled worries. -- REUTERS, AP
Posted by Sophie at 12:30 PM
http://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2008/03/revolution-in-malaysia.html
Ruling Coalition Suffers Major Elections Defeat - Malaysia Boleh!!!
Dear readers of my blog,
Despite being in China right now, I am jumping about my hotel room in glee. The corrupt ruling coalition (Barisan National) has suffered the worst ever election results since the 1957 independance thanks to clever teamwork between the opposition parties and blogs!
Let me give you the details, point-by-point:
1. In 1969, the majority Malay community had stayed loyal to Barisan while the Chinese backed the opposition, setting the stage for racial clashes. Malaysia’s streets were largely quiet, and political experts said they doubted there would be racial violence this time, noting that all of Malaysia’s major ethnic communities - Malays, Chinese and Indians - had deserted the government.
2. Stripped of their long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, Barisan Nasional will no longer be able to freely amend the Constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
3. Barisan Nasional has lost the state of Kedah to the PAS (the Islamaic party) who will form the next state government
4. The defeat of Barisan Nasional in the state of Kedah is shocking, PAS took 38 of the 45 state seats. Note that 80% of the population in that state turned out to vote!
5. The much loathed president of the MIC (Malaysia Indian Congress) has been defeated. He can’t handover the presidency of his number 2 or 3 (they were defeated as well). In fact all but 3 of the MIC candidates were defeated, a clear sign of rejection by the Malaysian Indians.
6. The opposition party DAP (Malaysia for All Malaysians), has taken Penang - blogger Jeff Ooi (whom I supported here) has won, making him the first blogger in parliament.
7. The combined opposition of DAP, PKR and PAS will form the new government in Perak. Collectively the three parties have won 30 seats (DAP - 18, PKR - 6, PAS - 6) out of 59 seats.
8. Jailed for years for sodomy, former minister Anwar Ibrahim fielded his daughter (Nurul Izzah Anwar of PKR) in his place (criminals can’t stand for election) and she won the Lembah Pantai seat. His wife, Wan Azizah - won the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by a 13,388-vote majority. Nicely done!
9. The opposition have taken over the state of Selengor. The opposition needed just 29 seats to form the state government with a simple majority - they won 35 seats!
10. BN retains Johor with reduced majorities losing the shocking seats of Bakri Parliamentary seat and the state seats of Skudai, Bentayan, Senai and Mengkibol to the DAP. It also lost the Sungai Abong and the Maharani state seat to Pas. In the past, the opposition has never won more than 2 seats at best.
The DAP retained its Bandar Kuching seat (Kennysia’s playground) with a larger majority this time round.
11. The PM’s son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin beat PKR’s Badrul Hisham Shaharin
12. Manoharan, a detainee under the Internal Security Act has won in the general election. He is currently being detained for his involvement in Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf aka Indians Kena Bully).
13. The current Miss Malaysia, Deborah Priya Henry needs to shut the f87k up and smell the roses.
14. We Welcome These Bloggers Into Public Office!
http://cowboycaleb.liquidblade.com/index.php/archives/2008/03/09/ruling-coalition-suffers-major-elections-defeat-malaysia-boleh/
March 9, 2008
HINDRAF prowls in Malaysian polls
Ethnic Tamil Minister Velu defeated in Malaysian polls
Result of HINDRAF effect
Malaysia's long-serving Tamil minister Samy Velu was on Saturday handed down a surprise defeat in Malaysian snap polls seen as a 'litmus test' for the ruling coalition, which faces the danger of a getting its majority dented.
Even on Friday, he was confident that ethnic Tamils will overwhelmingly vote for him and his government and would not be misled by a few leaders who had been running a campaign complaining of racial inequality in the multi-ethnic country.
Adding salt to the ruling coalition's injury was the impressive victory of detained Hindu Rights Action Force leader M Manoharan fighting on opposition Democratic Action Party ticket from the Kota Alam Shah state seat in Selangor. He beat Barisan Nasional's Ching Su Chen, reports here said.
Manoharan, whose organisation has been fighting against the alleged marginalisation of ethnic Indians, has been behind bars since late 2007 along with four other Hindraf leaders for organising the November 25 ethnic Indians' rally. His wife, a political novice, campaigned relentlessly for him.
http://factusa.blogspot.com/2008/03/hindraf-prowls-in-malaysian-polls.html
Stunning scale of Badawi’s debacle: Badawi should quit politics
http://malayindians.blogspot.com/2008/03/stunning-scale-of-badawis-debacle.html
Stunning scale of Badawi’s debacle: Badawi should quit politics
ANALYSTS' VIEW - Malaysia's ruling coalition suffers upset
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:30pm GMT (Reuters, UK)
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition handed the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition the biggest upset in its history after Saturday's elections, putting the premier's political future at risk and raising security fears.
Barisan retained a parliamentary majority, according to the election commission, but could put in its worst performance since 1969, when polls were followed by race riots and a state of emergency.
The election commission said the ruling coalition lost four states across the northern part of the peninsula and the opposition was claiming victory in a fifth state.
Indicative of the scale of the debacle, the chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, a key component of the National Front, lost the seat he had held for 34 years.
Following are views of political analysts and politicians on Malaysia's watershed general elections.
SANI HAMID, DIRECTOR OF SOVEREIGN RATINGS, STANDARD AND POOR'S
"In my point of view there is no immediate effect on the sovereign rating, but the focus will actually be on two fronts, one is a decision-making process, i.e. what is the impact from the loss of the two-thirds majority on parliament?
"If that is going to lead a more difficult push to pass legislation, especially those measures that relate to the economy, one can imagine that if the government wants to raise oil prices, the other parties could create some opposition and the process would be more protracted.
"Secondly, the opposition states, Kedah and Penang, are key states in the northern corridor story, so how this is going to impact those states with regard to investment and public funds will have to be seen as well."
MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ANWAR IBRAHIM:
"All Malaysians regardless of race, culture and religion are a nation of one. The people have expressed in no uncertain terms that they want accountability, transparency and the rule of law. Today unity, consensus and mutual respect thrives. Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future. This is a new dawn."
TIM CONDON, HEAD OF ASIA RESEARCH, ING:
"This is probably not good news for the equity market or the ringgit. I think the consensus was that the BN coalition would soldier on and have a sufficient majority to push through their spending programmes and the development of their corridors (economic development zones) ... but this puts in doubt that they will even be able to implement their spending programmes. There really was no feel-good factor before (the election) and this really reduces the likelihood that there will be one in the near future."
BRIDGET WELSH, POLITICAL ANALYST, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY:
"It was a phenomenal shift. They lost up to potentially four state governments. I think the PM will potentially have to resign. This is unprecedented. The only other time this happened was in 1969 and that's why everybody is very nervous now because of the uncertainty."
DAVID COHEN, ECONOMIST, ACCESS ECONOMICS:
"I guess the question now is, 'Is it going to be peaceful?' If they are able to control it, then that would at least avoid one potentially negative reaction ... Maybe it's an encouraging sign that real contested elections can be held without violence. If they had won overwhelmingly, I think there would have been suspicions that there was fraud, so the fact that they did allow the opposition to make these gains is encouraging."
Cohen doubted that rising prices alone would account for a heavy backlash against the ruling coalition.
"Frankly, I don't think that that's what would have been to blame for the opposition doing so well. People are certainly nervous about the economic outlook for the world economy right now, but I think that's more a function of what's going on in the U.S."
IBRAHIM SUFFIAN, OF MARKET-RESEARCH FIRM THE MERDEKA CENTER: "I think the opposition is 20 to 30 seats away from forming government and that's what the unofficial count is revealing. I think it's a combination of many factors. I think, number one, is the economy -- the economy is doing well, but it's not translating into a better standard of living for ordinary Malaysians.
"The level of campaigning that's being done by the opposition is phenomenal, much, much better than previous elections. It's not just the result of being better organised and better prepared, it's also the support of the people who are a bit fed up. There's also infighting within (main ruling party) UMNO."
SAM ZARIFI, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, WASHINGTON:
"First of all, we saw several attempts by the coalition to try and not have these elections free and fair. Clearly, they were worried about the possibility of losing, more than any other time. At the same time, it was clear that there has been some discontent with the state of affairs in Malaysia and that the people of Malaysia really wanted an end to what has essentially been a state in which they don't have freedom of press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
"There is no excuse or reason any more for Malaysia not to have that freedom. For a country that has made so much of economic progress, it is time to catch up politically. ... What we hope to see is that parliament will begin dismantling some of the authoritarian laws and systems that have been in place for too long, starting with the Internal Security arrangements. ... Opening up of Malaysian society to allow it to flourish.
YAP SWEE SENG, ACTIVIST WITH HUMAN RIGHTS BODY SUARAM: "This is a victory of people who were fed up with Barisan Nasional's mismanagement and abuse of power. People have sent a very clear message that they are fed up with racial politics.
HUSAM MUSA, VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTI ISLAM SE-MALAYSIA: "This looks like a revolution. The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'".
LINKS:
- The official election result is available at the Web site of the Election Commission of Malaysia pru12.spr.gov.my/spr/
- Comment from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be available at the official Web site, www.pmo.gov.my
(See also MALAYSIA-ASIA-ELECTION/SCENARIOS, MALAYSIA-ELECTION/VOTERS (FACTBOX) and MALAYSIA-ELECTION/OVERVIEW)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKKLR15040220080308
________________________________________
« BN leaders - grow up and accept ups and downs of democratic process
Devilish Star heading with two lies in 11 words - call for nation-wide firestorm protest without instant Star online apology »
No Chinese representationn in govt - then Pak Lah must step down as PM as he had promised to be PM for all races
(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12 noon)
I am utterly shocked and stunned – that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has done what even Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his most undemocratic excesses had never done in 22 years as Prime Minister, trying to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan with the irresponsible threat that they could end up without any Chinese Ministers or representation in Government.
It is a grave sign of political desperation and bankruptcy – that Abdullah himself should go down into the gutter to indulge in the politics of scare, intimidation and blackmail to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan candidates.
The MCA leadership has been adopting a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” attitude – playing both the role of human being and the devil at the same time - with the MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy boldly declaring only yesterday that MCA is confident it will be able to capture the majority of the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly seats it is contesting, while on the other hand, egging Abdullah to warn that the Chinese will end up not having any representation in the Government if the Chinese give the DAP their votes.
Why is Abdullah prepared to do the “dirty work” for MCA with the baseless poser that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, when Chan Kong Choy had just said that the MCA is confident of winning the majority of the parliamentary and state assembly seats it is contesting?
When Abdullah said that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, is he suggesting that the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting could be defeated in the Kulai parliamentary seat and that all the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly candidates of MCA could all be wiped out in the general election tomorrow?
From the wind of change blowing throughout the country, if they reach a great velocity on polling day tomorrow, I expect MCA to lose many parliamentary and state assembly seats but never near being wiped out completely in Parliament and the State Assemblies as to have no representation in the government, both at national and state levels.
Abdullah referred to the 1990 general election when the MCA was “paralysed”, saying: “When the MCA lost its voice, the people felt it. I hope they will think very carefully. This is important in the interests of all races.”
Abdullah cannot be more wrong. In 1990, the MCA “paralysis” was in fact beneficial to the Malaysian Chinese and the Malaysian nation, for it forced the Mahathir government to abandon the long-standing nation-building policy of assimilation and acceptance of the DAP’s policy of integration – resulting in “little liberalization” on policies of language, education and culture. It also led to the Vision 2020 with its goal of building a Bangsa Malaysia, transcending ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious differences - a copy of the DAP’s version of Malaysian Malaysia.
It was only when the MCA was very strong, as in 1999 general election, when the Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional from losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority as the Malays defected from Umno with Umno candidates suffering their worst electoral setbacks, that MCA produced the weakest and most ineffecfive results – particularly in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony!
Abdullah has said the Barisan wanted the Chinese community to be part of government.
He said: “We do not want to have a government that does not have representation of all ethnic groups in the Cabinet”.
Has Abdullah forgotten one of his great pledges when he became the Prime Minister four years ago – to be Prime Minister for all Malaysians and all races and not just for Malays?
If so, if there are no Chinese representations in government, then it must be regarded as his greatest personal failure. How can he continue to cling on as Prime Minister if he cannot lead a government with fair and equal representation from all races, including the Chinese in Malaysia?
Let me answer Abdullah’s poser to the Chinese - the Chinese want both a louder voice in Parliament as well as meaningful representation in government as the best way to ensure effective representation in Cabinet is to have a louder voice in Parliament!
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/03/07/no-chinese-representationn-in-govt-then-pak-lah-must-step-down-as-pm-as-he-had-promised-to-be-pm-for-all-races/#more-1074
Stunning scale of Badawi’s debacle: Badawi should quit politics
ANALYSTS' VIEW - Malaysia's ruling coalition suffers upset
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:30pm GMT (Reuters, UK)
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition handed the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition the biggest upset in its history after Saturday's elections, putting the premier's political future at risk and raising security fears.
Barisan retained a parliamentary majority, according to the election commission, but could put in its worst performance since 1969, when polls were followed by race riots and a state of emergency.
The election commission said the ruling coalition lost four states across the northern part of the peninsula and the opposition was claiming victory in a fifth state.
Indicative of the scale of the debacle, the chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, a key component of the National Front, lost the seat he had held for 34 years.
Following are views of political analysts and politicians on Malaysia's watershed general elections.
SANI HAMID, DIRECTOR OF SOVEREIGN RATINGS, STANDARD AND POOR'S
"In my point of view there is no immediate effect on the sovereign rating, but the focus will actually be on two fronts, one is a decision-making process, i.e. what is the impact from the loss of the two-thirds majority on parliament?
"If that is going to lead a more difficult push to pass legislation, especially those measures that relate to the economy, one can imagine that if the government wants to raise oil prices, the other parties could create some opposition and the process would be more protracted.
"Secondly, the opposition states, Kedah and Penang, are key states in the northern corridor story, so how this is going to impact those states with regard to investment and public funds will have to be seen as well."
MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ANWAR IBRAHIM:
"All Malaysians regardless of race, culture and religion are a nation of one. The people have expressed in no uncertain terms that they want accountability, transparency and the rule of law. Today unity, consensus and mutual respect thrives. Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future. This is a new dawn."
TIM CONDON, HEAD OF ASIA RESEARCH, ING:
"This is probably not good news for the equity market or the ringgit. I think the consensus was that the BN coalition would soldier on and have a sufficient majority to push through their spending programmes and the development of their corridors (economic development zones) ... but this puts in doubt that they will even be able to implement their spending programmes. There really was no feel-good factor before (the election) and this really reduces the likelihood that there will be one in the near future."
BRIDGET WELSH, POLITICAL ANALYST, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY:
"It was a phenomenal shift. They lost up to potentially four state governments. I think the PM will potentially have to resign. This is unprecedented. The only other time this happened was in 1969 and that's why everybody is very nervous now because of the uncertainty."
DAVID COHEN, ECONOMIST, ACCESS ECONOMICS:
"I guess the question now is, 'Is it going to be peaceful?' If they are able to control it, then that would at least avoid one potentially negative reaction ... Maybe it's an encouraging sign that real contested elections can be held without violence. If they had won overwhelmingly, I think there would have been suspicions that there was fraud, so the fact that they did allow the opposition to make these gains is encouraging."
Cohen doubted that rising prices alone would account for a heavy backlash against the ruling coalition.
"Frankly, I don't think that that's what would have been to blame for the opposition doing so well. People are certainly nervous about the economic outlook for the world economy right now, but I think that's more a function of what's going on in the U.S."
IBRAHIM SUFFIAN, OF MARKET-RESEARCH FIRM THE MERDEKA CENTER: "I think the opposition is 20 to 30 seats away from forming government and that's what the unofficial count is revealing. I think it's a combination of many factors. I think, number one, is the economy -- the economy is doing well, but it's not translating into a better standard of living for ordinary Malaysians.
"The level of campaigning that's being done by the opposition is phenomenal, much, much better than previous elections. It's not just the result of being better organised and better prepared, it's also the support of the people who are a bit fed up. There's also infighting within (main ruling party) UMNO."
SAM ZARIFI, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, WASHINGTON:
"First of all, we saw several attempts by the coalition to try and not have these elections free and fair. Clearly, they were worried about the possibility of losing, more than any other time. At the same time, it was clear that there has been some discontent with the state of affairs in Malaysia and that the people of Malaysia really wanted an end to what has essentially been a state in which they don't have freedom of press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
"There is no excuse or reason any more for Malaysia not to have that freedom. For a country that has made so much of economic progress, it is time to catch up politically. ... What we hope to see is that parliament will begin dismantling some of the authoritarian laws and systems that have been in place for too long, starting with the Internal Security arrangements. ... Opening up of Malaysian society to allow it to flourish.
YAP SWEE SENG, ACTIVIST WITH HUMAN RIGHTS BODY SUARAM: "This is a victory of people who were fed up with Barisan Nasional's mismanagement and abuse of power. People have sent a very clear message that they are fed up with racial politics.
HUSAM MUSA, VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTI ISLAM SE-MALAYSIA: "This looks like a revolution. The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'".
LINKS:
- The official election result is available at the Web site of the Election Commission of Malaysia pru12.spr.gov.my/spr/
- Comment from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be available at the official Web site, www.pmo.gov.my
(See also MALAYSIA-ASIA-ELECTION/SCENARIOS, MALAYSIA-ELECTION/VOTERS (FACTBOX) and MALAYSIA-ELECTION/OVERVIEW)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/wtMostRead/idUKKLR15040220080308
________________________________________
« BN leaders - grow up and accept ups and downs of democratic process
Devilish Star heading with two lies in 11 words - call for nation-wide firestorm protest without instant Star online apology »
No Chinese representationn in govt - then Pak Lah must step down as PM as he had promised to be PM for all races
(Media Conference Statement by DAP Parliamentary Candidate for Ipoh Timur Lim Kit Siang at the DAP Ipoh Timur Ops Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 7th March 2008 at 12 noon)
I am utterly shocked and stunned – that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has done what even Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in his most undemocratic excesses had never done in 22 years as Prime Minister, trying to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan with the irresponsible threat that they could end up without any Chinese Ministers or representation in Government.
It is a grave sign of political desperation and bankruptcy – that Abdullah himself should go down into the gutter to indulge in the politics of scare, intimidation and blackmail to force the Chinese voters to vote for MCA and Gerakan candidates.
The MCA leadership has been adopting a “Jekyll-and-Hyde” attitude – playing both the role of human being and the devil at the same time - with the MCA Deputy President Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy boldly declaring only yesterday that MCA is confident it will be able to capture the majority of the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly seats it is contesting, while on the other hand, egging Abdullah to warn that the Chinese will end up not having any representation in the Government if the Chinese give the DAP their votes.
Why is Abdullah prepared to do the “dirty work” for MCA with the baseless poser that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, when Chan Kong Choy had just said that the MCA is confident of winning the majority of the parliamentary and state assembly seats it is contesting?
When Abdullah said that the Chinese have to decide if they want a louder voice in Parliament or representation in the Cabinet, is he suggesting that the MCA President, Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting could be defeated in the Kulai parliamentary seat and that all the 40 parliamentary and 60 state assembly candidates of MCA could all be wiped out in the general election tomorrow?
From the wind of change blowing throughout the country, if they reach a great velocity on polling day tomorrow, I expect MCA to lose many parliamentary and state assembly seats but never near being wiped out completely in Parliament and the State Assemblies as to have no representation in the government, both at national and state levels.
Abdullah referred to the 1990 general election when the MCA was “paralysed”, saying: “When the MCA lost its voice, the people felt it. I hope they will think very carefully. This is important in the interests of all races.”
Abdullah cannot be more wrong. In 1990, the MCA “paralysis” was in fact beneficial to the Malaysian Chinese and the Malaysian nation, for it forced the Mahathir government to abandon the long-standing nation-building policy of assimilation and acceptance of the DAP’s policy of integration – resulting in “little liberalization” on policies of language, education and culture. It also led to the Vision 2020 with its goal of building a Bangsa Malaysia, transcending ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious differences - a copy of the DAP’s version of Malaysian Malaysia.
It was only when the MCA was very strong, as in 1999 general election, when the Chinese voters saved Umno and Barisan Nasional from losing its two-thirds parliamentary majority as the Malays defected from Umno with Umno candidates suffering their worst electoral setbacks, that MCA produced the weakest and most ineffecfive results – particularly in allowing the rise of Umno political hegemony!
Abdullah has said the Barisan wanted the Chinese community to be part of government.
He said: “We do not want to have a government that does not have representation of all ethnic groups in the Cabinet”.
Has Abdullah forgotten one of his great pledges when he became the Prime Minister four years ago – to be Prime Minister for all Malaysians and all races and not just for Malays?
If so, if there are no Chinese representations in government, then it must be regarded as his greatest personal failure. How can he continue to cling on as Prime Minister if he cannot lead a government with fair and equal representation from all races, including the Chinese in Malaysia?
Let me answer Abdullah’s poser to the Chinese - the Chinese want both a louder voice in Parliament as well as meaningful representation in government as the best way to ensure effective representation in Cabinet is to have a louder voice in Parliament!
http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2008/03/07/no-chinese-representationn-in-govt-then-pak-lah-must-step-down-as-pm-as-he-had-promised-to-be-pm-for-all-races/#more-1074
Badawi: 'we've lost, we've lost'; so, release Hindraf leaders, quit from BN, Badawi
Badawi cries: 'we've lost, we've lost'; so, release Hindraf leaders, quit from BN, Badawi. You have lost the moral right to rule Malaysia.
k
March 8, 2008
Malaysian opposition wins 5 states, MIC President ousted, Hindraf ISA detainee wins
Malaysian opposition take over 4 new states - Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and maintains Kelantan.
Malaysian Indian Congress President S Samy Vellu (who the Malaysian Indians wanted removed) has suffered a defeat at the hands of PKR's Dr D Jeyakumar for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat which he has held for nine terms.
Hindraf leader and ISA-detainee M Manoharan, on a DAP ticket, obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority.
PM Badawi: 'We've lost, we've lost'
These were the only words which Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could muster when quizzed on the ruling coalition's shocking defeat in five states.
Abdullah was posed with the question during a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. He was accompanied by his wife Jeanne, deputy Najib Abdul Razak and other BN leaders.
The prime minister added that he will make a media statement after analysing the results in detail.
Anwar ushers in 'a new dawn for Malaysia'
A triumphant PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim described the victory of the opposition parties in five states and its breach of Barisan Nasional's two-third majority in Parliament as "a defining moment" in the history of the nation and the opening of "a new chapter."
"The people have voted decisively for a new era where the government must be truly inclusive and recognises that all Malaysians, regardless of race, culture or race are a nation of one," he told a packed press conference at his residence in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur.
"The people have expressed in no uncertain terms that they want accountability, transparency, and the rule of law."
http://singaporeindianvoice.blogspot.com/2008/03/malaysian-opposition-wins-5-states-mic.html
k
March 8, 2008
Malaysian opposition wins 5 states, MIC President ousted, Hindraf ISA detainee wins
Malaysian opposition take over 4 new states - Penang, Kedah, Perak, Selangor and maintains Kelantan.
Malaysian Indian Congress President S Samy Vellu (who the Malaysian Indians wanted removed) has suffered a defeat at the hands of PKR's Dr D Jeyakumar for the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat which he has held for nine terms.
Hindraf leader and ISA-detainee M Manoharan, on a DAP ticket, obtained 12,699 votes to win with a 7,184-vote majority.
PM Badawi: 'We've lost, we've lost'
These were the only words which Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could muster when quizzed on the ruling coalition's shocking defeat in five states.
Abdullah was posed with the question during a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur. He was accompanied by his wife Jeanne, deputy Najib Abdul Razak and other BN leaders.
The prime minister added that he will make a media statement after analysing the results in detail.
Anwar ushers in 'a new dawn for Malaysia'
A triumphant PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim described the victory of the opposition parties in five states and its breach of Barisan Nasional's two-third majority in Parliament as "a defining moment" in the history of the nation and the opening of "a new chapter."
"The people have voted decisively for a new era where the government must be truly inclusive and recognises that all Malaysians, regardless of race, culture or race are a nation of one," he told a packed press conference at his residence in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur.
"The people have expressed in no uncertain terms that they want accountability, transparency, and the rule of law."
http://singaporeindianvoice.blogspot.com/2008/03/malaysian-opposition-wins-5-states-mic.html
Setback for Malaysia's ruling coalition
Malaysia's ruling coalition wins simple majority, down from 90% majority in the last Parliament. This should make Badawi quit his position in the front.
k
March 9, 2008
Malaysia’s Governing Coalition Suffers a Setback
By THOMAS FULLER
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s governing coalition, which has run this multiracial country without any major challenges for the past four decades, suffered a string of election defeats on Saturday, losing control of three major states and all but surrendering urban areas to the opposition.
Results early Sunday showed that the coalition of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won 136 of 222 seats in Parliament, enough to be able to remain in power. But unexpectedly strong gains by opposition parties, which quadrupled their seats in Parliament, are likely to challenge the longstanding paternalistic practices of a government that controls the mainstream media, bans most street protests, bars students from taking part in politics and jails political opponents without trial.
Stripped of their long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, the governing coalition will no longer be able to freely amend the Constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
Anger among ethnic Indians and Chinese over religious disputes and economic preferences for the Malays, the majority ethnic group, appeared to play a major role in the opposition’s gains.
“I don’t think Malaysian politics will ever be the same again,” said Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who was expelled from the governing party a decade ago and is now one of the leaders of the opposition. “There is a wave, an outcry for democratic reform.”
The opposition parties unseated several political veterans by fielding fresh but inexperienced candidates, including a political science professor, a popular blogger and a human rights advocate.
Opposition candidates did especially well in urban areas, winning 10 of the 11 seats in Kuala Lumpur, the commercial capital, and capturing the relatively prosperous and populous states of Selangor and Penang. The opposition also made inroads into the rural heartland. The Pan-Islamic Party, one of the three main opposition parties, strengthened its control over the northern state of Kelantan and won control over the states of Kedah and Perak.
Losing control of those states is a blow for the governing coalition because states have jurisdiction over land allocation, local matters and Islamic laws.
Voters showed their anger over a recent government crackdown against ethnic Indians by electing to a state legislature M. Manoharan, one of five advocates jailed after a street protest by Indians. It is unclear how Mr. Manoharan, who is being detained without a trial, will carry out his duties.
The loss of Penang, which alone among Malaysia’s 13 states has a majority of Chinese voters, is a major blow to Mr. Abdullah, whose constituency is based there. The state is an industrial center, producing microchips, cellphones and computer parts in factories owned by Intel, Dell and Motorola, among many others.
The departing chief minister, or governor, of Penang, Koh Tsu Koon, lost his seat on Saturday to a dissident university professor, P. Ramasamy.
The leaders of the two ethnic Indians parties represented in the government also lost their seats, including the only ethnic Indian in the cabinet, Samy Vellu.
Those losses call into question the future of the country’s race-based coalition, a system in place since independence in which each major ethnic group — Malays, Chinese and Indians — is represented by a political party.
Opposition leaders have vowed to move Malaysia away from the system, with the National Justice Party of Mr. Anwar the loudest proponent of the change. Mr. Anwar, who many see as a possible future prime minister, is barred from holding public office until April because of a conviction for abuse of power in a politically charged trial. But his wife and his daughter won seats in Parliament on Saturday.
He said in an interview that he would not rule out asking a member of his party to resign so he can run in a by-election. “I’m not in a hurry,” said Mr. Anwar, whose party won 32 seats, up from one seat in the last election in 2004.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/world/asia/09malaysia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): Malaysia's ruling coalition Barison Nasional (BN) won a simple majority in Saturday's general elections.
The Front led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has bagged 112 out of 165 seats for which the counting has been completed, the Election Commission said.
The Opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) has secured 22 seats and Islamic Party of Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) 13 seats.
While Badawi retained the Kepala Batas seat, his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin won from the Rembau parliamentary seat.
The vote counting is still continuing and the final results are expected Sunday morning.
The Barisan Nasional comprises the majority UMNO (Malay party), Malaysian Indian Congress and Malaysian Chinese Association.
The polls saw a rout of MIC chief Samy Vellu, the lone Indian minister in Abdullah's cabinet. Abdullah's Barisan Nasional held a 90 per cent majority in the last parliament when it had recorded a landslide victory.
However, this elections has seen a historic setback with the Opposition parties claiming victory in five state assemblies.
The Opposition has won the northern states of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Perak and central Selangor state.
"Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future...This is a new dawn for Malaysia," Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy premier and de facto leader of Opposition party Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), told reporters. His daughter Nurul Issa Anwar defeated Family Welfare Minister Shahrizat of the BN.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200803090331.htm
k
March 9, 2008
Malaysia’s Governing Coalition Suffers a Setback
By THOMAS FULLER
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s governing coalition, which has run this multiracial country without any major challenges for the past four decades, suffered a string of election defeats on Saturday, losing control of three major states and all but surrendering urban areas to the opposition.
Results early Sunday showed that the coalition of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi won 136 of 222 seats in Parliament, enough to be able to remain in power. But unexpectedly strong gains by opposition parties, which quadrupled their seats in Parliament, are likely to challenge the longstanding paternalistic practices of a government that controls the mainstream media, bans most street protests, bars students from taking part in politics and jails political opponents without trial.
Stripped of their long-held two-thirds majority in Parliament, the governing coalition will no longer be able to freely amend the Constitution, which it has done more than 40 times since independence from Britain in 1957.
Anger among ethnic Indians and Chinese over religious disputes and economic preferences for the Malays, the majority ethnic group, appeared to play a major role in the opposition’s gains.
“I don’t think Malaysian politics will ever be the same again,” said Anwar Ibrahim, a former deputy prime minister who was expelled from the governing party a decade ago and is now one of the leaders of the opposition. “There is a wave, an outcry for democratic reform.”
The opposition parties unseated several political veterans by fielding fresh but inexperienced candidates, including a political science professor, a popular blogger and a human rights advocate.
Opposition candidates did especially well in urban areas, winning 10 of the 11 seats in Kuala Lumpur, the commercial capital, and capturing the relatively prosperous and populous states of Selangor and Penang. The opposition also made inroads into the rural heartland. The Pan-Islamic Party, one of the three main opposition parties, strengthened its control over the northern state of Kelantan and won control over the states of Kedah and Perak.
Losing control of those states is a blow for the governing coalition because states have jurisdiction over land allocation, local matters and Islamic laws.
Voters showed their anger over a recent government crackdown against ethnic Indians by electing to a state legislature M. Manoharan, one of five advocates jailed after a street protest by Indians. It is unclear how Mr. Manoharan, who is being detained without a trial, will carry out his duties.
The loss of Penang, which alone among Malaysia’s 13 states has a majority of Chinese voters, is a major blow to Mr. Abdullah, whose constituency is based there. The state is an industrial center, producing microchips, cellphones and computer parts in factories owned by Intel, Dell and Motorola, among many others.
The departing chief minister, or governor, of Penang, Koh Tsu Koon, lost his seat on Saturday to a dissident university professor, P. Ramasamy.
The leaders of the two ethnic Indians parties represented in the government also lost their seats, including the only ethnic Indian in the cabinet, Samy Vellu.
Those losses call into question the future of the country’s race-based coalition, a system in place since independence in which each major ethnic group — Malays, Chinese and Indians — is represented by a political party.
Opposition leaders have vowed to move Malaysia away from the system, with the National Justice Party of Mr. Anwar the loudest proponent of the change. Mr. Anwar, who many see as a possible future prime minister, is barred from holding public office until April because of a conviction for abuse of power in a politically charged trial. But his wife and his daughter won seats in Parliament on Saturday.
He said in an interview that he would not rule out asking a member of his party to resign so he can run in a by-election. “I’m not in a hurry,” said Mr. Anwar, whose party won 32 seats, up from one seat in the last election in 2004.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/world/asia/09malaysia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Kuala Lumpur (PTI): Malaysia's ruling coalition Barison Nasional (BN) won a simple majority in Saturday's general elections.
The Front led by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has bagged 112 out of 165 seats for which the counting has been completed, the Election Commission said.
The Opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) has secured 22 seats and Islamic Party of Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) 13 seats.
While Badawi retained the Kepala Batas seat, his son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin won from the Rembau parliamentary seat.
The vote counting is still continuing and the final results are expected Sunday morning.
The Barisan Nasional comprises the majority UMNO (Malay party), Malaysian Indian Congress and Malaysian Chinese Association.
The polls saw a rout of MIC chief Samy Vellu, the lone Indian minister in Abdullah's cabinet. Abdullah's Barisan Nasional held a 90 per cent majority in the last parliament when it had recorded a landslide victory.
However, this elections has seen a historic setback with the Opposition parties claiming victory in five state assemblies.
The Opposition has won the northern states of Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Perak and central Selangor state.
"Tomorrow we will start building a brighter future...This is a new dawn for Malaysia," Anwar Ibrahim, former deputy premier and de facto leader of Opposition party Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), told reporters. His daughter Nurul Issa Anwar defeated Family Welfare Minister Shahrizat of the BN.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200803090331.htm
Electoral verdict in Malaysia: moral victory for Hindraf
ELECTORAL VERDICT IN MALAYSIA: MORAL VICTORY FOR THE HINDRAF
BY DR. ADITYANJEE
Dr. Adityanjee is the President of the Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi and can be contacted at adityan@pol.net
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind! The winds of change are indeed blowing strongly in Malaysia. The election results in Malaysia despite the allegations of vote rigging, electoral malpractices, last minute changes in election rules, reflect an electoral loss of historical proportions for Abdullah Badawi and 13-party ruling alliance the Barisan Nasional (National Front). Though the new federal government would still be formed by the Barisan Nasional, it will not command the towering two-thirds majority in the federal parliament. The opposition had only 20 seats in the federal parliament in the 2004 elections compared to 198 of BN. In 1999, under the sagging leadership of Mahathir Mohammad the BN had won 148 seats compared to 42 of the combined opposition. Whereas the 2004 elections were a landslide in favor of reform promising, soft-spoken Abdullah Badawi; this is a humiliating defeat for him personally. Abdullah, who replaced longtime UMNO leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003, had led the ruling Front to a landslide victory in 2004, taking 91 percent of the seats in Parliament. Calling the mid-term elections now instead of May 2009 when the parliamentary elections were scheduled backfired on Abdullah Badawi who was hell-bent upon preventing the 60 years old charismatic opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim from contesting the elections as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate of the loosely combined opposition.
Most analysts and election observers were initially forecasting a mild protest vote by the Hindu-Malaysians and Chinese-Malaysians alone, predicting that ethnic Malays will cast their votes in favor of United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and BN. This analyst, in article written on March 4th 2008, had projected 80-90 seats in federal parliament for the combined opposition . However, the results suggest a 15% swing away from the UMNO among the ethnic Malay voters in the latest elections. This may be interpreted as a vote against rising crimes, rising prices, politics of cronyism, politics of institutionalized corruption in the majority Muslim Malay community. The federal election commission in Malaysia had been slow to announce the results except for the constituencies where UMNO had won. By the time this report is filed the BN tally in the federal parliament is 137, with 82 seats going to the opposition giving only a simple majority to the BN in 222 seat federal parliament with three results still pending. Initially Barisan Nasional edged closer towards the coveted two-thirds parliamentary majority of 148 by securing 137 seats, but the two-third majority was ultimately denied only for the second time in the history of independent Malaysia. This “simple victory” for Abdullah Badawi and BN is still a defeat because the state machinery and the official media were blatantly misused for electoral purposes by the BN. Standard precautionary plan to prevent multiple voting by marking every voter’s finger with indelible ink was cancelled by the election commission at the last moment. According to ridiculous claims by the EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman there was a conspiracy to import such ink and mark voter’s fingers to prevent them from voting!
The Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan has gone on the record in Kuala Lumpur to ban public rallies by victorious candidates to avoid repetition of the May 1969 ethnic riots. When the dust settles and all the results are finally announced, what would Abdullah Badawi do? That is a 64 million dollars question. Yes, the government will still be formed by BN/UMNO which has obtained a simple majority in the parliament. Yes, Abdullah Badawi won his own parliamentary seat. But would Abdullah Badawi re-emerge as the Prime Minister and leader of very much weakened UMNO or the dominant ethnic Malay party will choose a new leader? Abdullah claims that he will go before the ceremonial king tomorrow to stake his claim for forming new government. Will he have the moral courage to govern for the next five years?
MCA that had 31 seats in the dissolved parliament has now only 15 seats. Both Chinese dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or People’s Justice Party of Anwar Ibrahim of “Reformasi” fame have emerged as main opposition parties with PKR winning 31 seats and DAP getting 28. Islamic hardliner PAS has won 23 seats in the parliament. The state of Penang has gone to the (DAP) that is set to form the state level government in Penang. The state of Kelantan was already ruled by the Islamic hardliner PAS that retook the state in this election as well. In the northern state of Kedah, from where the former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad comes, PAS claimed a completely unanticipated victory. An opposition alliance of three parties won the state assembly in Perak. The state of Selangor witnessed the opposition victory as well. This means five out of 14 states have gone to the opposition instead of only one in 2004. In the capital Kuala Lumpur, opposition candidates have trounced BN candidates. Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil lost the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in the capital to Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of the former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who is not allowed to hold a public office till April 2008. Human rights activist, parliamentarian and lawyer Karpal Singh of DAP has won the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat by a comfortable 21,015-vote majority.
Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) leader M Manoharan, a lawyer by profession, won his elections on DAP ticket from behind the bars having been arrested under the dreaded Internal Security Act. He won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in the state of Selangor, beating Ching Su Chen (BN) by a 7,184-vote majority. His arrest under ISA was “justified” by the apartheid state because HINDRAF leaders had the audacity to hold a public rally of 20,000 Hindu-Malaysians protesting against the excesses of the Islamic state. Public works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the discredited leader of the Malaysian Indians’ Congress (MIC) has lost to PKR’s Dr. D. Jeyakumar Devaraj his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat that he held for more than 30 years. Samy Vellu was totally and hopelessly out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Hindu-Malaysians whose temples were being demolished on a weekly basis by the UMNO led government, whose dead bodies were snatched and stolen by the Shariat authorities under false pretext that there was conversion to Islam before death. The MIC so far has won only 3 seats compared to nine seats it held in the federal parliament that was elected in 2004. Hindu–Malaysians were discriminated at every level and Samy Vellu chose to denounce the HINDRAF leaders. Abdullah Badawi’s despicable actions in labeling HINDRAF leaders as terrorists aligned to LTTE have miserably failed and actually backfired not only against the BN but also against the MIC.
A weakened BN headed by Abdullah Badawi will form yet another Government in Malaysia. The ruling coalition's performance is the worst since 1969, when it last lost its two-thirds majority in parliament in a result that triggered serious racial clashes. That time victories of DAP triggered attacks on Malaysian Chinese by dagger wielding Malay youths belonging to UMNO Youth. Since this time the electoral defeat of the BN is triggered by protest voting against BN by the Hindu -Malaysians, it is hoped that the law and order machinery in the state of Malaysia will work hard to prevent any revenge attacks against the Hindu-Malaysians. If Abdullah Badawi sticks to his pre-election rhetoric warning about chaos and instability in case BN is defeated by a protest vote, will he control the law and order situation in next few weeks to prevent such ethnic riots directed against Hindu-Malaysians?
Will Abdullah Badawi give any representation to the shrunken MIC in the federal cabinet since most of the Hindu-Malaysians voted against BN this time? During the election campaign, Abdullah Badawi wanted the support of Chinese Malaysians and Hindu-Malaysians so that they are well-represented in the federal cabinet! If he follows that flawed reasoning, he may not provide any representation to the defeated MIC marginalizing the Hindu-Malaysians further. However, after this humiliating defeat, Abdullah Badawi may face challenge for the leadership of the UMNO during its next annual meeting. Mahathir Mohammad who has been very critical of Badawi may try to reassert his influence in the UMNO by supporting an alternative new leadership during the next annual UMNO meeting. Badawi may not be able to stop the ultimate rise of former Islamist turned democracy and civil rights activist Anwar Ibrahim. There may be calls within UMNO to bring the charismatic Anwar Ibrahim back into the UMNO fold for the sake of “Malay supremacy”. For Anwar Ibrahim, this is sweet victory with his party PKR getting 31 seats compared to only one in 2004. Both his wife and daughter have won their respective seats. After April 2008, he may enter the parliament with his wife opting to resign her seat so as to enable him to contest a bye-election.
Denied two-thirds majority in parliament, Abdullah Badawi and the BN will not be able to bring constitutional amendments at the drop of a hat. A rejuvenated opposition will have to be consulted on every major policy decision. However, in the ultimate analysis this is a moral victory for the HINDRAF leaders. Among everything else, the elections results force the international community to salute the brave leaders of HINDRAF who had the tremendous courage to bring into open the systematic persecution of Hindu-Malaysians by the Islamized and apartheid state of Malaysia. More than 20,000 Hindu-Malaysians of ethnic Indian origin attended the rally organized by the HINDRAF group on November 25, 2007. Most Hindu-Malaysians feel that it was only after this mass rally organized by NGO Hindu Rights Action Force that the Malaysian government had actually conceded that there were problems being faced by the Hindu-Malaysian community. When government of India had expressed concerns about the sorry plight of Hindu-Malaysians of Indian ethnic origin, Abdullah Badawi had the nerve to claim that HINDRAF leaders are terrorists with ties with LTTE.
The new BN government is well-advised to release all the arrested HINDRAF leaders and workers, withdraw cases against them under the repressive ISA and seriously address their genuine grievances. The new Malaysian government needs to stop demolishing Hindu temples, provide land for building of already demolished temples, stop stealing the dead-bodies of prominent Hindu-Malaysians under the garb of Shariat laws, provide educational and job opportunities to marginalized Hindu-Malaysians and dismantle the apartheid rules of New Economic Policy-II. Malaysian civil courts and the Supreme Court will have to re-assert their supremacy in the filed of justice for the citizens over the rulings of Shariat courts that can not be challenged currently. Abdullah Badawi, having eaten a crow, owes a personal apology to HINDRAF leaders for characterizing them as terrorists. HINDRAF will have to convert itself into a formal political party if the ethnicity based apartheid state in Malaysia continues to exist. If the apartheid laws and the New Economic Policy –II are dismantled, HINDRAF, DAP and PKR of Anwar Ibrahim should merge into a single multi-racial party in trying to bring about the birth of a new, post-racial, multi-religious and democratic Malaysia!
BY DR. ADITYANJEE
Dr. Adityanjee is the President of the Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi and can be contacted at adityan@pol.net
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind! The winds of change are indeed blowing strongly in Malaysia. The election results in Malaysia despite the allegations of vote rigging, electoral malpractices, last minute changes in election rules, reflect an electoral loss of historical proportions for Abdullah Badawi and 13-party ruling alliance the Barisan Nasional (National Front). Though the new federal government would still be formed by the Barisan Nasional, it will not command the towering two-thirds majority in the federal parliament. The opposition had only 20 seats in the federal parliament in the 2004 elections compared to 198 of BN. In 1999, under the sagging leadership of Mahathir Mohammad the BN had won 148 seats compared to 42 of the combined opposition. Whereas the 2004 elections were a landslide in favor of reform promising, soft-spoken Abdullah Badawi; this is a humiliating defeat for him personally. Abdullah, who replaced longtime UMNO leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003, had led the ruling Front to a landslide victory in 2004, taking 91 percent of the seats in Parliament. Calling the mid-term elections now instead of May 2009 when the parliamentary elections were scheduled backfired on Abdullah Badawi who was hell-bent upon preventing the 60 years old charismatic opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim from contesting the elections as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate of the loosely combined opposition.
Most analysts and election observers were initially forecasting a mild protest vote by the Hindu-Malaysians and Chinese-Malaysians alone, predicting that ethnic Malays will cast their votes in favor of United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and BN. This analyst, in article written on March 4th 2008, had projected 80-90 seats in federal parliament for the combined opposition . However, the results suggest a 15% swing away from the UMNO among the ethnic Malay voters in the latest elections. This may be interpreted as a vote against rising crimes, rising prices, politics of cronyism, politics of institutionalized corruption in the majority Muslim Malay community. The federal election commission in Malaysia had been slow to announce the results except for the constituencies where UMNO had won. By the time this report is filed the BN tally in the federal parliament is 137, with 82 seats going to the opposition giving only a simple majority to the BN in 222 seat federal parliament with three results still pending. Initially Barisan Nasional edged closer towards the coveted two-thirds parliamentary majority of 148 by securing 137 seats, but the two-third majority was ultimately denied only for the second time in the history of independent Malaysia. This “simple victory” for Abdullah Badawi and BN is still a defeat because the state machinery and the official media were blatantly misused for electoral purposes by the BN. Standard precautionary plan to prevent multiple voting by marking every voter’s finger with indelible ink was cancelled by the election commission at the last moment. According to ridiculous claims by the EC chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman there was a conspiracy to import such ink and mark voter’s fingers to prevent them from voting!
The Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan has gone on the record in Kuala Lumpur to ban public rallies by victorious candidates to avoid repetition of the May 1969 ethnic riots. When the dust settles and all the results are finally announced, what would Abdullah Badawi do? That is a 64 million dollars question. Yes, the government will still be formed by BN/UMNO which has obtained a simple majority in the parliament. Yes, Abdullah Badawi won his own parliamentary seat. But would Abdullah Badawi re-emerge as the Prime Minister and leader of very much weakened UMNO or the dominant ethnic Malay party will choose a new leader? Abdullah claims that he will go before the ceremonial king tomorrow to stake his claim for forming new government. Will he have the moral courage to govern for the next five years?
MCA that had 31 seats in the dissolved parliament has now only 15 seats. Both Chinese dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) or People’s Justice Party of Anwar Ibrahim of “Reformasi” fame have emerged as main opposition parties with PKR winning 31 seats and DAP getting 28. Islamic hardliner PAS has won 23 seats in the parliament. The state of Penang has gone to the (DAP) that is set to form the state level government in Penang. The state of Kelantan was already ruled by the Islamic hardliner PAS that retook the state in this election as well. In the northern state of Kedah, from where the former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad comes, PAS claimed a completely unanticipated victory. An opposition alliance of three parties won the state assembly in Perak. The state of Selangor witnessed the opposition victory as well. This means five out of 14 states have gone to the opposition instead of only one in 2004. In the capital Kuala Lumpur, opposition candidates have trounced BN candidates. Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil lost the Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat in the capital to Nurul Izzah Anwar, the daughter of the former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who is not allowed to hold a public office till April 2008. Human rights activist, parliamentarian and lawyer Karpal Singh of DAP has won the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat by a comfortable 21,015-vote majority.
Hindu Rights Action Force (HINDRAF) leader M Manoharan, a lawyer by profession, won his elections on DAP ticket from behind the bars having been arrested under the dreaded Internal Security Act. He won the Kota Alam Shah state seat in the state of Selangor, beating Ching Su Chen (BN) by a 7,184-vote majority. His arrest under ISA was “justified” by the apartheid state because HINDRAF leaders had the audacity to hold a public rally of 20,000 Hindu-Malaysians protesting against the excesses of the Islamic state. Public works Minister S. Samy Vellu, the discredited leader of the Malaysian Indians’ Congress (MIC) has lost to PKR’s Dr. D. Jeyakumar Devaraj his Sungai Siput parliamentary seat that he held for more than 30 years. Samy Vellu was totally and hopelessly out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Hindu-Malaysians whose temples were being demolished on a weekly basis by the UMNO led government, whose dead bodies were snatched and stolen by the Shariat authorities under false pretext that there was conversion to Islam before death. The MIC so far has won only 3 seats compared to nine seats it held in the federal parliament that was elected in 2004. Hindu–Malaysians were discriminated at every level and Samy Vellu chose to denounce the HINDRAF leaders. Abdullah Badawi’s despicable actions in labeling HINDRAF leaders as terrorists aligned to LTTE have miserably failed and actually backfired not only against the BN but also against the MIC.
A weakened BN headed by Abdullah Badawi will form yet another Government in Malaysia. The ruling coalition's performance is the worst since 1969, when it last lost its two-thirds majority in parliament in a result that triggered serious racial clashes. That time victories of DAP triggered attacks on Malaysian Chinese by dagger wielding Malay youths belonging to UMNO Youth. Since this time the electoral defeat of the BN is triggered by protest voting against BN by the Hindu -Malaysians, it is hoped that the law and order machinery in the state of Malaysia will work hard to prevent any revenge attacks against the Hindu-Malaysians. If Abdullah Badawi sticks to his pre-election rhetoric warning about chaos and instability in case BN is defeated by a protest vote, will he control the law and order situation in next few weeks to prevent such ethnic riots directed against Hindu-Malaysians?
Will Abdullah Badawi give any representation to the shrunken MIC in the federal cabinet since most of the Hindu-Malaysians voted against BN this time? During the election campaign, Abdullah Badawi wanted the support of Chinese Malaysians and Hindu-Malaysians so that they are well-represented in the federal cabinet! If he follows that flawed reasoning, he may not provide any representation to the defeated MIC marginalizing the Hindu-Malaysians further. However, after this humiliating defeat, Abdullah Badawi may face challenge for the leadership of the UMNO during its next annual meeting. Mahathir Mohammad who has been very critical of Badawi may try to reassert his influence in the UMNO by supporting an alternative new leadership during the next annual UMNO meeting. Badawi may not be able to stop the ultimate rise of former Islamist turned democracy and civil rights activist Anwar Ibrahim. There may be calls within UMNO to bring the charismatic Anwar Ibrahim back into the UMNO fold for the sake of “Malay supremacy”. For Anwar Ibrahim, this is sweet victory with his party PKR getting 31 seats compared to only one in 2004. Both his wife and daughter have won their respective seats. After April 2008, he may enter the parliament with his wife opting to resign her seat so as to enable him to contest a bye-election.
Denied two-thirds majority in parliament, Abdullah Badawi and the BN will not be able to bring constitutional amendments at the drop of a hat. A rejuvenated opposition will have to be consulted on every major policy decision. However, in the ultimate analysis this is a moral victory for the HINDRAF leaders. Among everything else, the elections results force the international community to salute the brave leaders of HINDRAF who had the tremendous courage to bring into open the systematic persecution of Hindu-Malaysians by the Islamized and apartheid state of Malaysia. More than 20,000 Hindu-Malaysians of ethnic Indian origin attended the rally organized by the HINDRAF group on November 25, 2007. Most Hindu-Malaysians feel that it was only after this mass rally organized by NGO Hindu Rights Action Force that the Malaysian government had actually conceded that there were problems being faced by the Hindu-Malaysian community. When government of India had expressed concerns about the sorry plight of Hindu-Malaysians of Indian ethnic origin, Abdullah Badawi had the nerve to claim that HINDRAF leaders are terrorists with ties with LTTE.
The new BN government is well-advised to release all the arrested HINDRAF leaders and workers, withdraw cases against them under the repressive ISA and seriously address their genuine grievances. The new Malaysian government needs to stop demolishing Hindu temples, provide land for building of already demolished temples, stop stealing the dead-bodies of prominent Hindu-Malaysians under the garb of Shariat laws, provide educational and job opportunities to marginalized Hindu-Malaysians and dismantle the apartheid rules of New Economic Policy-II. Malaysian civil courts and the Supreme Court will have to re-assert their supremacy in the filed of justice for the citizens over the rulings of Shariat courts that can not be challenged currently. Abdullah Badawi, having eaten a crow, owes a personal apology to HINDRAF leaders for characterizing them as terrorists. HINDRAF will have to convert itself into a formal political party if the ethnicity based apartheid state in Malaysia continues to exist. If the apartheid laws and the New Economic Policy –II are dismantled, HINDRAF, DAP and PKR of Anwar Ibrahim should merge into a single multi-racial party in trying to bring about the birth of a new, post-racial, multi-religious and democratic Malaysia!
Hindraf effect: Malaysia's political landscape changes
Barisan reels from worst-ever election performance [the ruling coalition
loses 2/3 majority]
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from
its worst-ever election performance.
While it managed to keep Terengganu and will form the next government, it
lost Penang, Selangor Kedah and Perak to the Opposition and failed to
recapture Kelantan.
Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in accepting the
results, said this was clear proof of democracy at work in the country.
He urged people to remain calm and not take to the streets to celebrate.
Story: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/9/nation/20590068
MIC [Malaysian Indian Congress] in shambles with no leader in the wings
[Many senior leaders defeated]
KUALA LUMPUR: Saturday's Tamil Nesan had a massive pullout for birthday boy
Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu with back-to-back coverage and full-page live-size
photographs of him taken out by all 28 MIC candidates, hailing their chief
as the greatest man ever born.
The surreal coverage was in stark contrast to the ugly mood among Indians
who had already 'told' Samy Vellu that his time was up - through the Nov 25
protest and the boycott of Batu Caves during Thaipusam - and were waiting to
say it again through the ballot box.
It was Samy Vellu's final swan song. Except for Dr S. Subramaniam , S.
Saravanan and K. Devamani, the other MIC candidates were all wiped out in an
unprecedented wave of anger, opening up a new era in politics for Indians.
With most of the MIC bigwigs wiped out, the internal power equation in the
party has gone haywire and only time will tell how it is going to unravel.
After such a beating it is also inconceivable that Samy Vellu should
continue as party president. Sadly, he does not have a winner in a number
two or three to hand over the party to.
The vice-presidents, until press time, appear to have been defeated as well,
leaving the MIC leadership in shambles. It will take a long time for the
mess to be sorted out.
The MIC representation in the Cabinet and the administration is also in
question now that Samy Vellu, the sole Indian minister for 29 years, has
been defeated. Who is the winner or loser? Who will to take his place in the
Cabinet?
Indian voters form significant numbers in at least 67 parliamentary and 141
state assembly seats where they comprise between 9% and 46% of the
electorate.
The results across the country indicate they had used their numbers to vote
Opposition and helped change the direction of politics in the country.
They were the deciding factor in constituencies where Malay and Chinese
votes divided. Indians who traditionally backed the Government made their
small numbers count.
Twenty-two Indians contested in 18 parliamentary seats and 53 Indians
contested in 40 seats. They comprised about 8% of contestants.
MIC fielded nine for Parliament and 19 for the state assemblies. The DAP had
seven Indians for Parliament and 17 for state while PKR fielded 19 Indians.
In Parliament and the state assemblies, there will be about 20 Indians from
the DAP and PKR and all will be sitting on the opposition bench. Previously,
in the entire country there were only two Indian MPs - Karpal Singh and M.
Kulasegaran - holding the fort.
It is going to be a lively Parliament and Opposition Indian MPs are going to
fall over each other to voice Indian woes.
The results are a victory for Makkal Shakti, the force unleashed by Hindraf
leader P. Uthayakumar on Nov 25, which ballooned into a formidable Indian
movement to carry away so many MIC leaders.
The larger question is of course Indian representation in the government,
which would be lesser with so many casualties. The government will have to
find new ways to fill the vacancies and not just promote losers into
senators and then ministers.
Because of the defeat in some states, Indian representation is nil, making
it a challenging task for the Barisan Nasional power-sharing formula to
work.
Story: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/9/nation/20591166
Beyond racial politics [a pre-election editorial appeal by Sun Newspaper]
While Malaysian political parties have managed to negotiate communal issues
with remarkable dexterity over the past five decades, it is clear that the
race-based formula that defines our political landscape must be re-modelled
in due course. This is necessary because a long-entrenched habit of
organising society into separate racial groups is patently unhealthy and
ultimately counterproductive.
The task should begin, naturally, with the envisioning of a society that
emphasises a unifying, cross-cultural experience instead of striving to
maintain social and institutional differences based on race and religion.
This would require investing time and energy in reforming all important
public institutions and processes to become inclusive, universal and
egalitarian so that communal differences are de-emphasised and common values
embraced as core principles.
This is obviously a massive undertaking that will require decades if not
generations to accomplish. Nevertheless, it must begin with a sense of
conviction among all communities that such a society is not only achievable,
but most desirable.
Further, as the goal involves a radical transformation in thinking, it must
be approached in a systematic manner that would foster a gradual acceptance
of the idea. The process should move from discussion of the idea among
cultural experts, political leaders, public figures, community groups and
civil society organisations, to confidence-building initiatives,
experimental programmes and onward to more institutional efforts.
A first step could be the establishment of a race relations commission that
reports to Parliament. Such an entity should be tasked with driving the
agenda of racial harmony by drawing on the strength of opinion leaders and
leading lights in the various communities. Thereafter a blueprint for
promoting racial unity should be developed, including a revamp of
institutions such as the Department of National Unity to make its role in
promoting racial harmony more effective.
Such a blueprint should encompass the reform of major national institutions
including educational institutions, the civil service, parliament, the
justice system and others to reflect a race-blind public policy. This would
ensure that over time, all public institutions would be guided by the
principles of egalitarianism and universal values.
In this process, a move towards reforming legislation to make them consonant
with the values of a race-blind society would be a logical progression.
Admittedly, from our current position, all this looks like a distant dream.
However, the challenge of taking up the discussion is open to all who wish
to forge a great future for Malaysia. Let the work begin.
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=20983
loses 2/3 majority]
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is in shock. The Barisan Nasional is reeling from
its worst-ever election performance.
While it managed to keep Terengganu and will form the next government, it
lost Penang, Selangor Kedah and Perak to the Opposition and failed to
recapture Kelantan.
Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in accepting the
results, said this was clear proof of democracy at work in the country.
He urged people to remain calm and not take to the streets to celebrate.
Story: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/9/nation/20590068
MIC [Malaysian Indian Congress] in shambles with no leader in the wings
[Many senior leaders defeated]
KUALA LUMPUR: Saturday's Tamil Nesan had a massive pullout for birthday boy
Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu with back-to-back coverage and full-page live-size
photographs of him taken out by all 28 MIC candidates, hailing their chief
as the greatest man ever born.
The surreal coverage was in stark contrast to the ugly mood among Indians
who had already 'told' Samy Vellu that his time was up - through the Nov 25
protest and the boycott of Batu Caves during Thaipusam - and were waiting to
say it again through the ballot box.
It was Samy Vellu's final swan song. Except for Dr S. Subramaniam , S.
Saravanan and K. Devamani, the other MIC candidates were all wiped out in an
unprecedented wave of anger, opening up a new era in politics for Indians.
With most of the MIC bigwigs wiped out, the internal power equation in the
party has gone haywire and only time will tell how it is going to unravel.
After such a beating it is also inconceivable that Samy Vellu should
continue as party president. Sadly, he does not have a winner in a number
two or three to hand over the party to.
The vice-presidents, until press time, appear to have been defeated as well,
leaving the MIC leadership in shambles. It will take a long time for the
mess to be sorted out.
The MIC representation in the Cabinet and the administration is also in
question now that Samy Vellu, the sole Indian minister for 29 years, has
been defeated. Who is the winner or loser? Who will to take his place in the
Cabinet?
Indian voters form significant numbers in at least 67 parliamentary and 141
state assembly seats where they comprise between 9% and 46% of the
electorate.
The results across the country indicate they had used their numbers to vote
Opposition and helped change the direction of politics in the country.
They were the deciding factor in constituencies where Malay and Chinese
votes divided. Indians who traditionally backed the Government made their
small numbers count.
Twenty-two Indians contested in 18 parliamentary seats and 53 Indians
contested in 40 seats. They comprised about 8% of contestants.
MIC fielded nine for Parliament and 19 for the state assemblies. The DAP had
seven Indians for Parliament and 17 for state while PKR fielded 19 Indians.
In Parliament and the state assemblies, there will be about 20 Indians from
the DAP and PKR and all will be sitting on the opposition bench. Previously,
in the entire country there were only two Indian MPs - Karpal Singh and M.
Kulasegaran - holding the fort.
It is going to be a lively Parliament and Opposition Indian MPs are going to
fall over each other to voice Indian woes.
The results are a victory for Makkal Shakti, the force unleashed by Hindraf
leader P. Uthayakumar on Nov 25, which ballooned into a formidable Indian
movement to carry away so many MIC leaders.
The larger question is of course Indian representation in the government,
which would be lesser with so many casualties. The government will have to
find new ways to fill the vacancies and not just promote losers into
senators and then ministers.
Because of the defeat in some states, Indian representation is nil, making
it a challenging task for the Barisan Nasional power-sharing formula to
work.
Story: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/9/nation/20591166
Beyond racial politics [a pre-election editorial appeal by Sun Newspaper]
While Malaysian political parties have managed to negotiate communal issues
with remarkable dexterity over the past five decades, it is clear that the
race-based formula that defines our political landscape must be re-modelled
in due course. This is necessary because a long-entrenched habit of
organising society into separate racial groups is patently unhealthy and
ultimately counterproductive.
The task should begin, naturally, with the envisioning of a society that
emphasises a unifying, cross-cultural experience instead of striving to
maintain social and institutional differences based on race and religion.
This would require investing time and energy in reforming all important
public institutions and processes to become inclusive, universal and
egalitarian so that communal differences are de-emphasised and common values
embraced as core principles.
This is obviously a massive undertaking that will require decades if not
generations to accomplish. Nevertheless, it must begin with a sense of
conviction among all communities that such a society is not only achievable,
but most desirable.
Further, as the goal involves a radical transformation in thinking, it must
be approached in a systematic manner that would foster a gradual acceptance
of the idea. The process should move from discussion of the idea among
cultural experts, political leaders, public figures, community groups and
civil society organisations, to confidence-building initiatives,
experimental programmes and onward to more institutional efforts.
A first step could be the establishment of a race relations commission that
reports to Parliament. Such an entity should be tasked with driving the
agenda of racial harmony by drawing on the strength of opinion leaders and
leading lights in the various communities. Thereafter a blueprint for
promoting racial unity should be developed, including a revamp of
institutions such as the Department of National Unity to make its role in
promoting racial harmony more effective.
Such a blueprint should encompass the reform of major national institutions
including educational institutions, the civil service, parliament, the
justice system and others to reflect a race-blind public policy. This would
ensure that over time, all public institutions would be guided by the
principles of egalitarianism and universal values.
In this process, a move towards reforming legislation to make them consonant
with the values of a race-blind society would be a logical progression.
Admittedly, from our current position, all this looks like a distant dream.
However, the challenge of taking up the discussion is open to all who wish
to forge a great future for Malaysia. Let the work begin.
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=20983
Hindraf effect: Malaysian ruling coalition suffers loss of 2/3 majority
Malaysia ruling coalition loses crucial 2/3 majority
Reuters
Published: March 09, 2008, 00:03
Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian premier's multi-racial coalition lost its crucial two-thirds majority in parliament in general elections on Saturday, the Election Commission said on Sunday.
The coalition also lost control of three states - Kedah, Penang and Kelantan, the election body said.
The oppositiobn is claiming victory in five state assemblies including Selangor and Perak, while also capturing at least one-third of the seats in federal parliament.
A two-thirds majority is needed to amend the constitution. The last time it lost that majority was in the 1969 election.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's opposition threatened on Saturday hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset in 40 years by winning the northern industrial state of Penang, putting the prime minister's political future at risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The multi-racial National Front coalition is almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but it was as yet uncertain of retaining the two-thirds majority it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule.
"It's bad. They have lost Penang," a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said just two and a half hours after polling booths closed at 0900GMT. "It's a perfect storm," he added. "Big guns are falling all over the place." The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state's opposition leaders said.
"He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents," said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) in Penang, which was set to lead the new government in the state.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Complaints
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
"This looks like a revolution," said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party PAS, which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state. "The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'," he told reporters.
About 70 per cent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's chief election official said. "What has happened is there were aspects of unhappiness everywhere - Indians, Chinese and Malays," the source said.
"All these storms came together and there's this massive swing. The only thing you can say now is that there will be a simple majority. It will be the biggest setback since 1969."
Race relations have become a big issue in a country that has long been proud of the racial harmony among its majority Muslim Malays, and ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Badawi's Malay-dominated coalition. An early hint of the changing political winds was a police ban on victory processions. Malaysia's worst episode of racial violence in 1969 was sparked by such a parade.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Badawi's rule. But the electoral system was also on trial as opposition parties accused the multi-racial Barisan Nasional coalition of vote-rigging to continue its five-decade-long grip on power.
It's bad. They have lost Penang.It's a perfect storm. Big guns are falling all over the place."
Source close to PM
Kuala Lumpur (Reuters) A detained ethnic Indian activist won a seat in the Malaysian parliament yesterday, local media said, handing another sharp slap in the face to the national ruling coalition in general elections.
Lawyer M. Manoharan, one of five Hindu rights activists detained under internal security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year, won his parliamentary seat outside the capital, pro-government newspaper the Star said in a text-message alert.
The five activists are being held in a detention centre in the country's north.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Malaysia/10195989.html
Malaysian Indian Party (MIC) Suffers heavy losses in elections due to Hinduraf Effect
End For Samy Vellu's Legacy After Historic Loss At Sg Siput
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=319468
March 09, 2008 06:13 AM
By S. Retna
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- March 8 was his birthday but what he did not bargain for was the unexpected birthday gift from "his" voters in Sungai Siput which had been his bastion since 1974.
The man in question is none other than MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who turned 72 yesterday, and was trounced resoundingly in the 12th general election.
He may not have seen it coming but for many, especially in the last few months, the writing had been on the wall.
The relationship between Samy Vellu and the constituency goes back a long way when he was picked to contest in 1974 as a young aspiring politician.
Sungai Siput became synonymous with Samy Vellu and it was his stronghold for there was a general notion that he could never be defeated there.
But the impossible did happen on his ninth attempt to stand in Sungai Siput when Dr D. Jeyakumar, contesting under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat ticket, coasted to victory on Samy's "special" day.
As if this was not enough, the entire MIC line-up formulated by the veteran politician for this election was nearly wiped out by the Opposition, including the party's deputy president and vice-presidents.
With the damming defeat, the MIC now becomes the only party, with its top leaders -- president, deputy president (Datuk G. Palanivel) and three-vice presidents (Datuk S. Sothinathan, Datuk S. Veerasingam and Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar) -- will not have parliamentary seats to their names.
The MIC was allotted nine parliamentary and 19 state seats to contest. Only three MIC candidates won parliamentary seats while a mere seven won state seats.
MIC candidates who emerged victorious in the parliamentary seats were MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan (Tapah), S. K. Devamany (Cameron Highlands) and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (Segamat).
The party's candidates were wiped out in Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor while the seven who managed to cling on were the four state assemblymen in Johor, one in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.
Political observers said MIC's dismal performance in this polls was to be expected as the "tell-tale" signs were there but were never noticed by party leaders.
It began when certain segments of the 1.8 million Indians unhappy with the way the party was addressing the woes of the community, sparked an uprising of some sorts by organising a street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in November last year.
Despite the intense pressure, Samy Vellu vowed that he would make changes to the MIC line-up in this election. He did make changes but they were minimal. He brought in new faces only in Saravanan and S. Murugesan (who contested the Subang constituency and lost).
It is without doubt that the veteran leader, who was appointed as Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister in 1978 and subsequently Works Minister in 1979, has to leave the Cabinet, in which he was a member for many years.
Samy Vellu, who once worked as a bus conductor, office boy and a newscaster in RTM, climbed the party's ladder the hard way.
After becoming an MIC member in 1959 at the Batu Caves branch, he clawed his way up as the acting president in 1979 following the death of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, the then MIC president.
The eldest son of rubber tappers Sangilimuthu and Angammah, he took the helm of MIC in 1981. He has held on to that position despite facing strong challenge many a time.
After serving the community for nearly 30 years, the man, who as a kid, moved from estate to estate with his parents in search of employment, had a hard decision to make in the light of the current circumstances.
Will he step aside in the party or plod on, will he be made a senator and retain his works minister's portfolio, one time will tell.
-- BERNAMA
Malaysia ruling coalition suffers surprise upset
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:29pm IST
By Mark Bendeich
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition was set on Saturday to hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset ever, winning the northern industrial state of Penang and putting the prime minister's political future at risk.
The multi-racial National Front coalition was almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but the two-thirds majority in parliament it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule was looking shaky in early returns.
"It's bad. They have lost Penang," a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Reuters just two and a half hours after polling booths closed at 0900 GMT. "It's a perfect storm," he added. "Big guns are falling all over the place."
The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state's opposition leaders said.
"He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents," said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), which was set to lead the new government in the state.
The surprise defeat for the ruling National Front coalition aroused memories of the last time it failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
Abdullah said he accepted defeat in some areas and urged people to remain calm, the Star newspaper reported.
Police officials vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours of race riots, and banned victory processions after the results, one of which had triggered the violence in 1969.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Abdullah's rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Another slap in the face for the government was a victory by detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan, who won a parliamentary seat, after being held under internal-security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
"This looks like a revolution," said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state.
"The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'", he told reporters.
The final result is unlikely to be clear until early on Sunday. About 70 percent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's chief election official said.
Race relations have become a big issue in a country that has long been proud of the racial harmony among its majority Muslim Malays, and ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Abdullah's Malay-dominated coalition.
"Our victory is really impressive," opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim told reporters. "Unofficially, we have formed the state government in Penang, and we have made inroads in UMNO's stronghold. This clearly shows Malaysians want an alternative."
"Going forward Malays, Indians and Chinese all have to work together and make a formidable pact," he said.
Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah, won her maiden election foray winning a parliamentary seat in the capital, state news agency Bernama said in an unofficial result.
Barisan held 90 percent of the seats in the outgoing federal parliament. Political experts had predicted Abdullah's continued leadership could be in jeopardy if his majority fell back below 80 percent, or around 178 seats, in the new 222-seat parliament.
The economy has been growing at a 6 percent annual clip but inflation and a likely U.S. economic slowdown have sparked worries.
(Additional reporting by Mark Bendeich, Jalil Hamid and Liau Y-Sing)
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-32369120080308
Reuters
Published: March 09, 2008, 00:03
Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian premier's multi-racial coalition lost its crucial two-thirds majority in parliament in general elections on Saturday, the Election Commission said on Sunday.
The coalition also lost control of three states - Kedah, Penang and Kelantan, the election body said.
The oppositiobn is claiming victory in five state assemblies including Selangor and Perak, while also capturing at least one-third of the seats in federal parliament.
A two-thirds majority is needed to amend the constitution. The last time it lost that majority was in the 1969 election.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's opposition threatened on Saturday hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset in 40 years by winning the northern industrial state of Penang, putting the prime minister's political future at risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The multi-racial National Front coalition is almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but it was as yet uncertain of retaining the two-thirds majority it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule.
"It's bad. They have lost Penang," a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said just two and a half hours after polling booths closed at 0900GMT. "It's a perfect storm," he added. "Big guns are falling all over the place." The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state's opposition leaders said.
"He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents," said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP) in Penang, which was set to lead the new government in the state.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Complaints
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
"This looks like a revolution," said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party PAS, which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state. "The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'," he told reporters.
About 70 per cent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's chief election official said. "What has happened is there were aspects of unhappiness everywhere - Indians, Chinese and Malays," the source said.
"All these storms came together and there's this massive swing. The only thing you can say now is that there will be a simple majority. It will be the biggest setback since 1969."
Race relations have become a big issue in a country that has long been proud of the racial harmony among its majority Muslim Malays, and ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Badawi's Malay-dominated coalition. An early hint of the changing political winds was a police ban on victory processions. Malaysia's worst episode of racial violence in 1969 was sparked by such a parade.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Badawi's rule. But the electoral system was also on trial as opposition parties accused the multi-racial Barisan Nasional coalition of vote-rigging to continue its five-decade-long grip on power.
It's bad. They have lost Penang.It's a perfect storm. Big guns are falling all over the place."
Source close to PM
Kuala Lumpur (Reuters) A detained ethnic Indian activist won a seat in the Malaysian parliament yesterday, local media said, handing another sharp slap in the face to the national ruling coalition in general elections.
Lawyer M. Manoharan, one of five Hindu rights activists detained under internal security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year, won his parliamentary seat outside the capital, pro-government newspaper the Star said in a text-message alert.
The five activists are being held in a detention centre in the country's north.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/Malaysia/10195989.html
Malaysian Indian Party (MIC) Suffers heavy losses in elections due to Hinduraf Effect
End For Samy Vellu's Legacy After Historic Loss At Sg Siput
http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=319468
March 09, 2008 06:13 AM
By S. Retna
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Bernama) -- March 8 was his birthday but what he did not bargain for was the unexpected birthday gift from "his" voters in Sungai Siput which had been his bastion since 1974.
The man in question is none other than MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, who turned 72 yesterday, and was trounced resoundingly in the 12th general election.
He may not have seen it coming but for many, especially in the last few months, the writing had been on the wall.
The relationship between Samy Vellu and the constituency goes back a long way when he was picked to contest in 1974 as a young aspiring politician.
Sungai Siput became synonymous with Samy Vellu and it was his stronghold for there was a general notion that he could never be defeated there.
But the impossible did happen on his ninth attempt to stand in Sungai Siput when Dr D. Jeyakumar, contesting under the Parti Keadilan Rakyat ticket, coasted to victory on Samy's "special" day.
As if this was not enough, the entire MIC line-up formulated by the veteran politician for this election was nearly wiped out by the Opposition, including the party's deputy president and vice-presidents.
With the damming defeat, the MIC now becomes the only party, with its top leaders -- president, deputy president (Datuk G. Palanivel) and three-vice presidents (Datuk S. Sothinathan, Datuk S. Veerasingam and Tan Sri Dr K.S. Nijhar) -- will not have parliamentary seats to their names.
The MIC was allotted nine parliamentary and 19 state seats to contest. Only three MIC candidates won parliamentary seats while a mere seven won state seats.
MIC candidates who emerged victorious in the parliamentary seats were MIC information chief Datuk M. Saravanan (Tapah), S. K. Devamany (Cameron Highlands) and secretary-general Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam (Segamat).
The party's candidates were wiped out in Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor while the seven who managed to cling on were the four state assemblymen in Johor, one in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang.
Political observers said MIC's dismal performance in this polls was to be expected as the "tell-tale" signs were there but were never noticed by party leaders.
It began when certain segments of the 1.8 million Indians unhappy with the way the party was addressing the woes of the community, sparked an uprising of some sorts by organising a street demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in November last year.
Despite the intense pressure, Samy Vellu vowed that he would make changes to the MIC line-up in this election. He did make changes but they were minimal. He brought in new faces only in Saravanan and S. Murugesan (who contested the Subang constituency and lost).
It is without doubt that the veteran leader, who was appointed as Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister in 1978 and subsequently Works Minister in 1979, has to leave the Cabinet, in which he was a member for many years.
Samy Vellu, who once worked as a bus conductor, office boy and a newscaster in RTM, climbed the party's ladder the hard way.
After becoming an MIC member in 1959 at the Batu Caves branch, he clawed his way up as the acting president in 1979 following the death of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, the then MIC president.
The eldest son of rubber tappers Sangilimuthu and Angammah, he took the helm of MIC in 1981. He has held on to that position despite facing strong challenge many a time.
After serving the community for nearly 30 years, the man, who as a kid, moved from estate to estate with his parents in search of employment, had a hard decision to make in the light of the current circumstances.
Will he step aside in the party or plod on, will he be made a senator and retain his works minister's portfolio, one time will tell.
-- BERNAMA
Malaysia ruling coalition suffers surprise upset
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:29pm IST
By Mark Bendeich
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia's opposition was set on Saturday to hand the ruling coalition its biggest upset ever, winning the northern industrial state of Penang and putting the prime minister's political future at risk.
The multi-racial National Front coalition was almost certain to get a majority and form the government at the federal level, but the two-thirds majority in parliament it has held for most of its five-decade-long rule was looking shaky in early returns.
"It's bad. They have lost Penang," a source close to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Reuters just two and a half hours after polling booths closed at 0900 GMT. "It's a perfect storm," he added. "Big guns are falling all over the place."
The chief minister of Penang conceded defeat and said he would hand over power to the opposition, one of the state's opposition leaders said.
"He has contacted the governor. He respected the wishes of the people and hoped there are no untoward incidents," said Chow Kon Yeow, head of the Chinese-dominated Democratic Action Party (DAP), which was set to lead the new government in the state.
The surprise defeat for the ruling National Front coalition aroused memories of the last time it failed to win a two-thirds majority, in 1969, when deadly race riots erupted between majority ethnic Malays and minority Chinese.
Abdullah said he accepted defeat in some areas and urged people to remain calm, the Star newspaper reported.
Police officials vowed to use tough internal security laws against anyone spreading rumours of race riots, and banned victory processions after the results, one of which had triggered the violence in 1969.
The poll, called before it was due in May 2009, was widely seen as a referendum on Abdullah's rule, and Malaysians took the opportunity to administer a stinging rebuke over price rises, religious disputes and concerns over corruption.
Works Minister Samy Vellu, chief of the Malaysian Indian Congress, one of the parties in the ruling National Front coalition, lost the seat he had held for nearly 30 years, because many Indians thought he was out of touch with their concerns.
Another slap in the face for the government was a victory by detained ethnic Indian activist and lawyer M. Manoharan, who won a parliamentary seat, after being held under internal-security laws for organising a major anti-government protest last year.
Chinese and Indians account for a third of the population of 26 million and many complain the government discriminates in favour of Malays when it comes to education, jobs, financial assistance and religious policy.
"This looks like a revolution," said Husam Musa, vice president of the Islamist opposition party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), which looked to be winning in northeastern Kelantan state.
"The people have risen and are united. The message to government is, 'Enough is enough'", he told reporters.
The final result is unlikely to be clear until early on Sunday. About 70 percent of Malaysia's 10.9 million eligible voters had cast ballots, the country's chief election official said.
Race relations have become a big issue in a country that has long been proud of the racial harmony among its majority Muslim Malays, and ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
Opposition rallies drew big crowds, especially Chinese and Indian voters unhappy with Abdullah's Malay-dominated coalition.
"Our victory is really impressive," opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim told reporters. "Unofficially, we have formed the state government in Penang, and we have made inroads in UMNO's stronghold. This clearly shows Malaysians want an alternative."
"Going forward Malays, Indians and Chinese all have to work together and make a formidable pact," he said.
Anwar's daughter, Nurul Izzah, won her maiden election foray winning a parliamentary seat in the capital, state news agency Bernama said in an unofficial result.
Barisan held 90 percent of the seats in the outgoing federal parliament. Political experts had predicted Abdullah's continued leadership could be in jeopardy if his majority fell back below 80 percent, or around 178 seats, in the new 222-seat parliament.
The economy has been growing at a 6 percent annual clip but inflation and a likely U.S. economic slowdown have sparked worries.
(Additional reporting by Mark Bendeich, Jalil Hamid and Liau Y-Sing)
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-32369120080308
Manoharan, ethnic Indian detainee wins seat in Malaysia polls
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_2_MOLT/idUSKLR14528320080308
Ethnic Indian detainee wins seat in Malaysia polls
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:57am EST
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A detained ethnic Indian activist won a seat in Malaysian parliament on Saturday, local media said, handing another sharp slap in the face to the national ruling coalition in general elections.
Lawyer M. Manoharan, one of five Hindu rights activists detained under internal-security laws for organizing a major anti-government protest last year, won his parliamentary seat outside the capital, pro-government newspaper the Star said in a text-message alert.
The five activists are being held in a detention centre in the country's north under a colonial-era law that provides for indefinite detention without charge or trial. Manoharan was nominated by the opposition Democratic Action Party.
They were arrested after more than 10,000 ethnic Indians took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur in November, accusing the ruling multi-racial National Front coalition of discrimination and depriving Indians of equal opportunity to jobs and education.
Earlier on Saturday, state news agency Bernama said the head of the Front's component Indian party, S. Samy Vellu, had his own seat in a stunning upset. Vellu had backed the decision to jail the five activists and faced down the protesters.
Vellu, leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress, lost the seat he had held for three decades. He was also the longest-serving government minister with almost 30 years in cabinet.
(Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
Ethnic Indian detainee wins seat in Malaysia polls
Sat Mar 8, 2008 9:57am EST
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A detained ethnic Indian activist won a seat in Malaysian parliament on Saturday, local media said, handing another sharp slap in the face to the national ruling coalition in general elections.
Lawyer M. Manoharan, one of five Hindu rights activists detained under internal-security laws for organizing a major anti-government protest last year, won his parliamentary seat outside the capital, pro-government newspaper the Star said in a text-message alert.
The five activists are being held in a detention centre in the country's north under a colonial-era law that provides for indefinite detention without charge or trial. Manoharan was nominated by the opposition Democratic Action Party.
They were arrested after more than 10,000 ethnic Indians took to the streets of Kuala Lumpur in November, accusing the ruling multi-racial National Front coalition of discrimination and depriving Indians of equal opportunity to jobs and education.
Earlier on Saturday, state news agency Bernama said the head of the Front's component Indian party, S. Samy Vellu, had his own seat in a stunning upset. Vellu had backed the decision to jail the five activists and faced down the protesters.
Vellu, leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress, lost the seat he had held for three decades. He was also the longest-serving government minister with almost 30 years in cabinet.
(Reporting by Mark Bendeich; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
The rise of 'makkal sakthi' (Peoples' power) in Malaysia
The rise of 'Makkal Sakthi'
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79420
B Mahendran | Mar 8, 08 1:09pm
Indian Malaysians make up at least 25 percent of voters in more than 20 parliament and state seats and this is where they can make a difference today at the ballot box. Once staunch supporters of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, the winds of change have recently blown through this minority community.
The Hindraf cause last November was the spark in the awakening of political awareness among the mostly conservative Indians. Claims of marginalisation were the major topic of discussion among the Indians at coffee shops, weddings and even toddy shops in the rural areas.
Hindraf has been used as the rallying call for not only the underclass, but also educated middle-class Indians. The November rally saw 30,000 Indian Malaysians taking the street to express their frustrations, not so much over the government's pro-Malay policy, but the discrimination they face during its implementation.
The hatred towards Umno and the New Economic Policy has also affected BN's Indian partner, MIC and its party chief, S Samy Vellu (right).
MIC officials secretly admitted that Samy Vellu has now become a liability to the party and BN, yet they defended him publicly. Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in an interview in Malaysiakini recently has said that Samy Vellu has never raised Indian concerns in the cabinet, and this added fodder to existing frustrations.
In his defence, Samy Vellu pulled out facts and figures on how the government has helped the Indian minorities. He claimed that the MIC-administered Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) has alone received RM300 million, and it was named the first PIO (people of Indian origin) university outside of India.
But many Indians were not taken by such claims.
"In his (Samy Vellu's) statement, he claimed that RM1 million was allocated annually to the temples in Malaysia. Do you think that is enough? How many temples are there in Malaysia?" said A Vickneswaran from Ipoh.
Vickneswaran was one of the detainees in the 'Rose for Pak Lah' rally last month. He represents the voice of younger generations who are expressing anger against the government.
"We have no future in this country, we are 'anak tiri' (stepsons) of this soil!"
Such sentiments are well and alive all across the country. In an estate in Sungai Siput, a group of ethnic Tamils gathered in front of a temple, each with a story to tell. Ladang Dovenvy has a sizable number of Indian voters, many of whom were once staunch MIC supporters.
"I am here not for myself, [...] but I realise these boys must be educated of the situation," said Kalai (right), a man in his 40s, referring to the young men around him. He came all the way from Puchong in Kuala Lumpur to Sungai Siput - Samy Vellu's stronghold in Perak - two weeks before the polling day to educate the residents on 'BN's injustice'.
"Hindraf has done what MIC couldn't do at all. The Indians are now politically awakened, they know their civil rights, and they realised they have been made a fool for the past 50 years or so," said the mechanical degree holder from Sunderland University.
The sentiment on the ground in Sungai Siput is very much the same as with other parts of the country.
Further up north, in Taiping for instance, PAS members were seen shouting 'Makkal Sakthi' (people's power) on nomination day to the delight of the Indians who were there. The feeling there among Indians is that they would rather vote for the opposition, or independent, rather than BN.
"The temple here is not being taken care of. What lies did Samy tell regarding the allocation for temples annually? What money?" says an angry youth in Ipoh, who declined to be identified.
"We have seen too much discrimination in this country, even at school level. There is no opportunity for us to further our studies, to get employment, no nothing."
Many angry youth not voters
One resident in Sungai Siput complained of being ignored by the Election Commission. The four-time voter in the constituency claimed that he was brushed aside by EC officials after finding out that he was not on the electoral rolls.
"They say I'm not on the list, but I have voted four times before. They just ignored my pleas. I am a citizen of this country. What difference is there between me and an Indonesian if I can't cast my vote?" said S Ravi (left) from Ladang Dovenby.
Kalai claimed he has come across similar cases elsewhere. However, while he conceded that the 'Makkal Sakthi uprising' is strong, most angry Indian youths are not registered as voters.
MCA's Yik Phooi Hong, who is standing for Ipoh Barat, is confident of wresting this Perak seat from DAP based on this factor alone.
"Most of the youth who are angry with us are not even registered," says M Rajoo, a volunteer at BN's service centre in Buntong - a state seat which has the highest proportion of Indian voters in the country. Popularly known as 'Buntong Tiger', Yik will be facing incumbent M Kulasegaran from DAP.
Not surprisingly, Kulasegaram (right) is facing a tough fight to retain his seat, but he hopes the popularity of party leader Lim Kit Siang - who is defending the neighbouring seat of Ipoh Timur - will pull him through.
Nevertheless, whatever the outcome today, the Indian community has already made history. For the first time since Independence, they are united in their mission to ensure everyone has a place under the Malaysian sun.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/79420
B Mahendran | Mar 8, 08 1:09pm
Indian Malaysians make up at least 25 percent of voters in more than 20 parliament and state seats and this is where they can make a difference today at the ballot box. Once staunch supporters of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, the winds of change have recently blown through this minority community.
The Hindraf cause last November was the spark in the awakening of political awareness among the mostly conservative Indians. Claims of marginalisation were the major topic of discussion among the Indians at coffee shops, weddings and even toddy shops in the rural areas.
Hindraf has been used as the rallying call for not only the underclass, but also educated middle-class Indians. The November rally saw 30,000 Indian Malaysians taking the street to express their frustrations, not so much over the government's pro-Malay policy, but the discrimination they face during its implementation.
The hatred towards Umno and the New Economic Policy has also affected BN's Indian partner, MIC and its party chief, S Samy Vellu (right).
MIC officials secretly admitted that Samy Vellu has now become a liability to the party and BN, yet they defended him publicly. Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in an interview in Malaysiakini recently has said that Samy Vellu has never raised Indian concerns in the cabinet, and this added fodder to existing frustrations.
In his defence, Samy Vellu pulled out facts and figures on how the government has helped the Indian minorities. He claimed that the MIC-administered Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) has alone received RM300 million, and it was named the first PIO (people of Indian origin) university outside of India.
But many Indians were not taken by such claims.
"In his (Samy Vellu's) statement, he claimed that RM1 million was allocated annually to the temples in Malaysia. Do you think that is enough? How many temples are there in Malaysia?" said A Vickneswaran from Ipoh.
Vickneswaran was one of the detainees in the 'Rose for Pak Lah' rally last month. He represents the voice of younger generations who are expressing anger against the government.
"We have no future in this country, we are 'anak tiri' (stepsons) of this soil!"
Such sentiments are well and alive all across the country. In an estate in Sungai Siput, a group of ethnic Tamils gathered in front of a temple, each with a story to tell. Ladang Dovenvy has a sizable number of Indian voters, many of whom were once staunch MIC supporters.
"I am here not for myself, [...] but I realise these boys must be educated of the situation," said Kalai (right), a man in his 40s, referring to the young men around him. He came all the way from Puchong in Kuala Lumpur to Sungai Siput - Samy Vellu's stronghold in Perak - two weeks before the polling day to educate the residents on 'BN's injustice'.
"Hindraf has done what MIC couldn't do at all. The Indians are now politically awakened, they know their civil rights, and they realised they have been made a fool for the past 50 years or so," said the mechanical degree holder from Sunderland University.
The sentiment on the ground in Sungai Siput is very much the same as with other parts of the country.
Further up north, in Taiping for instance, PAS members were seen shouting 'Makkal Sakthi' (people's power) on nomination day to the delight of the Indians who were there. The feeling there among Indians is that they would rather vote for the opposition, or independent, rather than BN.
"The temple here is not being taken care of. What lies did Samy tell regarding the allocation for temples annually? What money?" says an angry youth in Ipoh, who declined to be identified.
"We have seen too much discrimination in this country, even at school level. There is no opportunity for us to further our studies, to get employment, no nothing."
Many angry youth not voters
One resident in Sungai Siput complained of being ignored by the Election Commission. The four-time voter in the constituency claimed that he was brushed aside by EC officials after finding out that he was not on the electoral rolls.
"They say I'm not on the list, but I have voted four times before. They just ignored my pleas. I am a citizen of this country. What difference is there between me and an Indonesian if I can't cast my vote?" said S Ravi (left) from Ladang Dovenby.
Kalai claimed he has come across similar cases elsewhere. However, while he conceded that the 'Makkal Sakthi uprising' is strong, most angry Indian youths are not registered as voters.
MCA's Yik Phooi Hong, who is standing for Ipoh Barat, is confident of wresting this Perak seat from DAP based on this factor alone.
"Most of the youth who are angry with us are not even registered," says M Rajoo, a volunteer at BN's service centre in Buntong - a state seat which has the highest proportion of Indian voters in the country. Popularly known as 'Buntong Tiger', Yik will be facing incumbent M Kulasegaran from DAP.
Not surprisingly, Kulasegaram (right) is facing a tough fight to retain his seat, but he hopes the popularity of party leader Lim Kit Siang - who is defending the neighbouring seat of Ipoh Timur - will pull him through.
Nevertheless, whatever the outcome today, the Indian community has already made history. For the first time since Independence, they are united in their mission to ensure everyone has a place under the Malaysian sun.
Enough is just too much, Barisan (of Malaysia)
http://www.aliran.com/content/view/490/40/
Enough is just too much
(Aliran monthly)
Saturday, 08 March 2008
Barisan, you told me before and you keep telling me again and again that you are the best party to rule this country. You have always coaxed the electorate to give you a two-thirds majority in Parliament. You keep telling us that you will transform Malaysia into “negara cemerlang”. The electorate has believed you and trusted you.
You promised ...
* to defend the Federal Constitution but it has proved to be an empty promise. The Barisan has treated the Constitution as a mere piece of paper to be trampled upon. Just imagine, in the last fifty years the Constitution has been amended six hundred times, resulting in the loss of many precious provisions safeguarding the country’s secular democratic status, civil rights and liberties, religious freedom, rule of law, independence of the judiciary etc. You have converted a secular democracy into an “Islamic” state though the Constitution does not mention the word “Muslim” even once! You trampled upon the 20-point Sabah Agreement. Frankly, would Sabah and Sarawak have joined Malaysia if it was an “Islamic” state?
* to build a participatory democracy and yet local council elections remain suspended — the main reason being the fear that non-Malays will gain control of town and city councils. This in actual fact means that non-Malays are seen fit to vote in the general elections but not in local government elections. The lopsided rural/urban weightage in terms of voter strength ensures your unfair grip on paper. The Election Commission’s method of delineating constituencies ensures your political survival. Just ask what happened to the many Kadazan-majority constituencies in Sabah?
* to wipe out corruption - but corruption at all levels of the civil service and government is forever galloping. The ACA, under the control of the government, is a joke! Just imagine the ACA cleared Muhammad Taib, the currency smuggler, Judge Eusoff Chin and Zakaria of Klang of any wrong-doing. And now it is alleged that the ACA indulged in a serious corrupt practice by buying the silence of a clerk to close a criminal case because political bigwigs were involved. The Auditor-General’s Report contains many examples of corrupt practices like the set of RM40 screwdrivers supplied at RM224! Negotiated contracts at absurdly inflated prices — to ensure lucrative kickbacks — have enriched contract-awarding authorities at all levels of government. In 2007, our Transparency Index (TI) stood at 44; Corruption Perception Index (CPI) stood at 30. You are not serious about fighting corruption. You have refused to appoint an Ombudsman. Why? Neither have you set up a public register for civil servants and politicians to declare their income and assets.
* to ensure national unity but your actions go contrary to what is required to build a united nation. Islamo-fascism has permeated every level of government — only one ethnic group and one religion is important. Every objection, however trivial, by Muslims holds sway. The Kuan Yim statue in Ayer Itam, Penang, was shortened. The Catholic Church in Shah Alam, though approved by the Council, was given a stop-work order. Hindu temples and churches for Orang Asli have been destroyed on the grounds that they were illegal constructions. (What about Zakaria’s mansion in Klang?). The Hindu temple in Kg. Rawa, Penang, was relocated. You talk of respecting the sensitivities of various ethnic groups. You allow the slaughter of cows in the compound of Parliament House. You talk of give-and-take but who is giving and who is taking?
* to be fair to all ethnic groups in your recruitment policies for the civil service but Islamo-fascism has ensured mono-ethnic control of the civil service — education, police, the army, navy and air force, town and city councils etc. You give the reason that the non-Malays are not interested to join the civil service, army etc. Letters in the media of unsuccessful applicants speak otherwise.
* for a start, to recruit people based on merit — the mere mention of this word is bound to drive recruiters into a paroxym of fear and epilepsy! Constitute interview boards which comprise 50 per cent non-Malays. If the criteria for selection for the police and armed forces is rotten, the country is in danger of having low calibre men with high calibre weapons. A non-Malay applicant for a civil service job was asked to name the first Agong together with his full awards! It has not occurred to both the MCA and MIC to set up a database and encourage every applicant for a government job, scholarships, promotion posts to punch in so that they will have correct statistics of applicants, the success rate, the failure rate etc. The MCA and MIC claim to look after the interests of the community they represent but their failure is patent to all.
* to ensure that our education system is dynamic, liberal and progressive. The quality of education provided at all levels — primary, secondary and university is very low. Policies coloured by Islamo-fascism has ensured literally, total mono-ethnic control of education. The non-Malays have all been wiped out in important jobs — no non-Malay directors in the various divisions of the Ministry of Education, no non-Malay Vice-Chancellors in any of the 23 public universities, out of 92 deputy Vice-Chancellors only one is a non-Malay, no non-Malay is a State Director of Education, the same of District Education Officers. Zaid Ibrahim, UMNO MP for Kota Baru, in a recent interview said that “education is an absolute disaster” in Malaysia. He further commented that racism runs deep in our country and this is clearly the case with the Ministry of Education. The UN Report on education clearly expresses a serious concern of the poor quality of education in Malaysia, which is bound to be sidelined in a highly competitive globalised world. The public universities keep crowing that they are centres of education excellence and demand better grants. Keris-kisser Hishamuddin believes that more money pumped into education at all levels will improve quality. A Malay academic at the public university where I worked exclaimed in bitter frustration that one cannot turn donkeys into race horses. The THES-QS World University Rankings tell the truth: UM stands at 246, UKM at 309, UPM at 364 and USM at 307.
* to create a safe environment but the crime rates — murder, rape, kidnap, robbery, snatch-thefts, burglary etc. — are frighteningly high. The government statistics are just the tip of the iceberg as people do not bother to report crimes because of the “tidak apa”and “macam biasa” attitude of the police. A correspondent to a local newspaper made an impassioned plea not to deny her a normal life. Women are frightened to walk on our streets. They dare not carry handbags or even wear ear-rings, let alone chains and bangles.
The price of food has risen dramatically and petrol price hikes and increased tolls have further burdened the people and damaged the quality of life.
* to protect the environment but the Mentris Besar/Chief Ministers together with their Excos have destroyed the environment in the name of so-called progress and development. They in actual fact have severely harmed our survival. Under the slightest excuse of a threat to national security, people have been locked up under the ISA. National survival is more important than national security because if you do not survive there would be no need for national security. Out of 141 countries surveyed, Malaysia’s position with regard to the following is thus:
Air quality 79, water 47, environmental health 40. Overall 54.
* to build a caring society. Look at the problems experienced by senior citizens with health problems. They are denied the drugs they need to survive and the indignity and suffering they go through are pitiable. In Australia, a senior citizen gets a month’s supply of Zocor at $A3.70 cents (about RM11). That is a caring society.
* The youth who commence work are in an unenviable position. A rotten public transport system and malfunctioning public telephones force them to buy a car and a handphone. Prices of cars in Malaysia are the second highest in the world! In addition to this they need a credit card. Board and lodging costs are high. So they fall into the credit card trap. Many young people have been declared bankrupt. When will these people be able to save enough to buy a flat, get married and start a family? Does anybody care for them?
Dear Barisan, I am thinking whether any other political party could have done worse. The people of Malaysia I hope will be thinking too.
Enough.
Enough is just too much
(Aliran monthly)
Saturday, 08 March 2008
Barisan, you told me before and you keep telling me again and again that you are the best party to rule this country. You have always coaxed the electorate to give you a two-thirds majority in Parliament. You keep telling us that you will transform Malaysia into “negara cemerlang”. The electorate has believed you and trusted you.
You promised ...
* to defend the Federal Constitution but it has proved to be an empty promise. The Barisan has treated the Constitution as a mere piece of paper to be trampled upon. Just imagine, in the last fifty years the Constitution has been amended six hundred times, resulting in the loss of many precious provisions safeguarding the country’s secular democratic status, civil rights and liberties, religious freedom, rule of law, independence of the judiciary etc. You have converted a secular democracy into an “Islamic” state though the Constitution does not mention the word “Muslim” even once! You trampled upon the 20-point Sabah Agreement. Frankly, would Sabah and Sarawak have joined Malaysia if it was an “Islamic” state?
* to build a participatory democracy and yet local council elections remain suspended — the main reason being the fear that non-Malays will gain control of town and city councils. This in actual fact means that non-Malays are seen fit to vote in the general elections but not in local government elections. The lopsided rural/urban weightage in terms of voter strength ensures your unfair grip on paper. The Election Commission’s method of delineating constituencies ensures your political survival. Just ask what happened to the many Kadazan-majority constituencies in Sabah?
* to wipe out corruption - but corruption at all levels of the civil service and government is forever galloping. The ACA, under the control of the government, is a joke! Just imagine the ACA cleared Muhammad Taib, the currency smuggler, Judge Eusoff Chin and Zakaria of Klang of any wrong-doing. And now it is alleged that the ACA indulged in a serious corrupt practice by buying the silence of a clerk to close a criminal case because political bigwigs were involved. The Auditor-General’s Report contains many examples of corrupt practices like the set of RM40 screwdrivers supplied at RM224! Negotiated contracts at absurdly inflated prices — to ensure lucrative kickbacks — have enriched contract-awarding authorities at all levels of government. In 2007, our Transparency Index (TI) stood at 44; Corruption Perception Index (CPI) stood at 30. You are not serious about fighting corruption. You have refused to appoint an Ombudsman. Why? Neither have you set up a public register for civil servants and politicians to declare their income and assets.
* to ensure national unity but your actions go contrary to what is required to build a united nation. Islamo-fascism has permeated every level of government — only one ethnic group and one religion is important. Every objection, however trivial, by Muslims holds sway. The Kuan Yim statue in Ayer Itam, Penang, was shortened. The Catholic Church in Shah Alam, though approved by the Council, was given a stop-work order. Hindu temples and churches for Orang Asli have been destroyed on the grounds that they were illegal constructions. (What about Zakaria’s mansion in Klang?). The Hindu temple in Kg. Rawa, Penang, was relocated. You talk of respecting the sensitivities of various ethnic groups. You allow the slaughter of cows in the compound of Parliament House. You talk of give-and-take but who is giving and who is taking?
* to be fair to all ethnic groups in your recruitment policies for the civil service but Islamo-fascism has ensured mono-ethnic control of the civil service — education, police, the army, navy and air force, town and city councils etc. You give the reason that the non-Malays are not interested to join the civil service, army etc. Letters in the media of unsuccessful applicants speak otherwise.
* for a start, to recruit people based on merit — the mere mention of this word is bound to drive recruiters into a paroxym of fear and epilepsy! Constitute interview boards which comprise 50 per cent non-Malays. If the criteria for selection for the police and armed forces is rotten, the country is in danger of having low calibre men with high calibre weapons. A non-Malay applicant for a civil service job was asked to name the first Agong together with his full awards! It has not occurred to both the MCA and MIC to set up a database and encourage every applicant for a government job, scholarships, promotion posts to punch in so that they will have correct statistics of applicants, the success rate, the failure rate etc. The MCA and MIC claim to look after the interests of the community they represent but their failure is patent to all.
* to ensure that our education system is dynamic, liberal and progressive. The quality of education provided at all levels — primary, secondary and university is very low. Policies coloured by Islamo-fascism has ensured literally, total mono-ethnic control of education. The non-Malays have all been wiped out in important jobs — no non-Malay directors in the various divisions of the Ministry of Education, no non-Malay Vice-Chancellors in any of the 23 public universities, out of 92 deputy Vice-Chancellors only one is a non-Malay, no non-Malay is a State Director of Education, the same of District Education Officers. Zaid Ibrahim, UMNO MP for Kota Baru, in a recent interview said that “education is an absolute disaster” in Malaysia. He further commented that racism runs deep in our country and this is clearly the case with the Ministry of Education. The UN Report on education clearly expresses a serious concern of the poor quality of education in Malaysia, which is bound to be sidelined in a highly competitive globalised world. The public universities keep crowing that they are centres of education excellence and demand better grants. Keris-kisser Hishamuddin believes that more money pumped into education at all levels will improve quality. A Malay academic at the public university where I worked exclaimed in bitter frustration that one cannot turn donkeys into race horses. The THES-QS World University Rankings tell the truth: UM stands at 246, UKM at 309, UPM at 364 and USM at 307.
* to create a safe environment but the crime rates — murder, rape, kidnap, robbery, snatch-thefts, burglary etc. — are frighteningly high. The government statistics are just the tip of the iceberg as people do not bother to report crimes because of the “tidak apa”and “macam biasa” attitude of the police. A correspondent to a local newspaper made an impassioned plea not to deny her a normal life. Women are frightened to walk on our streets. They dare not carry handbags or even wear ear-rings, let alone chains and bangles.
The price of food has risen dramatically and petrol price hikes and increased tolls have further burdened the people and damaged the quality of life.
* to protect the environment but the Mentris Besar/Chief Ministers together with their Excos have destroyed the environment in the name of so-called progress and development. They in actual fact have severely harmed our survival. Under the slightest excuse of a threat to national security, people have been locked up under the ISA. National survival is more important than national security because if you do not survive there would be no need for national security. Out of 141 countries surveyed, Malaysia’s position with regard to the following is thus:
Air quality 79, water 47, environmental health 40. Overall 54.
* to build a caring society. Look at the problems experienced by senior citizens with health problems. They are denied the drugs they need to survive and the indignity and suffering they go through are pitiable. In Australia, a senior citizen gets a month’s supply of Zocor at $A3.70 cents (about RM11). That is a caring society.
* The youth who commence work are in an unenviable position. A rotten public transport system and malfunctioning public telephones force them to buy a car and a handphone. Prices of cars in Malaysia are the second highest in the world! In addition to this they need a credit card. Board and lodging costs are high. So they fall into the credit card trap. Many young people have been declared bankrupt. When will these people be able to save enough to buy a flat, get married and start a family? Does anybody care for them?
Dear Barisan, I am thinking whether any other political party could have done worse. The people of Malaysia I hope will be thinking too.
Enough.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Race, religion stirs pot in Malay election
Race, religion stirs pot in Malay election
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Campaigning wrapped up Friday for general elections that could see gains for Malaysia's opposition amid anger over race and religion among minority Chinese and Indians.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's coalition appeared certain to win Saturday's elections as it has for decades.
However, analysts predicted the opposition would win between 35 and 38 seats in parliament, nearly doubling its 19-seat share of the 289-seat body amid growing disenchantment among ethnic minorities who complain of discrimination.
Abdullah has been accused of failing to properly manage inflation, crime, corruption and, most importantly, ethnic tensions between the majority Malays and ethnic minorities.
"There should be a swing in these seats," said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Center for Public Policy Studies think tank. "The Chinese and Indian votes will be the important swing votes."
A reduced majority for the National Front would be seen as a personal rebuke for Abdullah, who has lost much of the goodwill he had when he replaced longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.
On Friday, Abdullah met fishermen and visited a mosque in the northern state of Penang, while his deputy, Najib Razak, inaugurated a health clinic and met schoolteachers and senior citizens in eastern Pahang.
"Every time you face the election, you get some degree of anxiety because we cannot assume that victory is in our hands," Najib told reporters.
At stake are 222 seats in parliament, along with legislatures in 12 of Malaysia's 13 states.
Muslim Malays make up 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and form the bulk of voters for Abdullah's United Malays National Organization.
The party dominates the National Front coalition, which includes Chinese- and Indian-based parties in a power-sharing arrangement that has ensured racial peace in this multiethnic country.
The National Front has won every election since independence in 1957.
Minorities object to a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays that continues despite their rising standards of living. The program, instituted after deadly race riots in 1969, gave Malays preference in government jobs, business and education to help them catch up with the wealthier Chinese.
The Chinese and Indians are also angry at a string of court decisions in religious disputes that have gone in favor of Malays, and Indians were infuriated by the demolition of Hindu temples by authorities last year. E-mail to a friend.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/07/malay.elex.ap/index.html
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Campaigning wrapped up Friday for general elections that could see gains for Malaysia's opposition amid anger over race and religion among minority Chinese and Indians.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's coalition appeared certain to win Saturday's elections as it has for decades.
However, analysts predicted the opposition would win between 35 and 38 seats in parliament, nearly doubling its 19-seat share of the 289-seat body amid growing disenchantment among ethnic minorities who complain of discrimination.
Abdullah has been accused of failing to properly manage inflation, crime, corruption and, most importantly, ethnic tensions between the majority Malays and ethnic minorities.
"There should be a swing in these seats," said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Center for Public Policy Studies think tank. "The Chinese and Indian votes will be the important swing votes."
A reduced majority for the National Front would be seen as a personal rebuke for Abdullah, who has lost much of the goodwill he had when he replaced longtime leader Mahathir Mohamad in 2003.
On Friday, Abdullah met fishermen and visited a mosque in the northern state of Penang, while his deputy, Najib Razak, inaugurated a health clinic and met schoolteachers and senior citizens in eastern Pahang.
"Every time you face the election, you get some degree of anxiety because we cannot assume that victory is in our hands," Najib told reporters.
At stake are 222 seats in parliament, along with legislatures in 12 of Malaysia's 13 states.
Muslim Malays make up 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and form the bulk of voters for Abdullah's United Malays National Organization.
The party dominates the National Front coalition, which includes Chinese- and Indian-based parties in a power-sharing arrangement that has ensured racial peace in this multiethnic country.
The National Front has won every election since independence in 1957.
Minorities object to a 37-year-old affirmative action program for Malays that continues despite their rising standards of living. The program, instituted after deadly race riots in 1969, gave Malays preference in government jobs, business and education to help them catch up with the wealthier Chinese.
The Chinese and Indians are also angry at a string of court decisions in religious disputes that have gone in favor of Malays, and Indians were infuriated by the demolition of Hindu temples by authorities last year. E-mail to a friend.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/03/07/malay.elex.ap/index.html
India has a stake in the few, poor and scatterd Malaysian Indians
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080308/jsp/opinion/story_8991923.jsp
FEW, POOR AND SCATTERED
- India has a stake in ethnic peace and stability in Malaysia
Sunanda K. Datta-Ray
Kumutha Rahman
New Delhi can rest assured that today's Pilihan Raya Umum (general election, 2008) in Malaysia will not affect the strengthening of military and strategic ties since Abdullah Badawi's ruling Barisan Nasional will return to office, though perhaps with a smaller majority. But the two million Indians (7.1 per cent of the population) whose controversial leader, S. Samy Vellu, of the impossibly black hair is also celebrating his 72nd birthday today draw little comfort from a process that leaves them out in the cold so far as education, jobs and effective political representation are concerned.
India's concern is not only because of its diaspora. Selling cruise missiles, training Malaysians to fly fighter jets, giving scholarships and road-building contracts to Malaysia and building railways there and burgeoning trade give India a stake in the kingdom's stability. That demands ethnic peace. The problem is not religious. Malaysia is not a Shariah-driven theocracy. Not yet. But it is an ethnocentric society in which Indians are too few, too poor and too scattered not to be marginalized. They constitute more than 20 per cent of the voters in only 10 parliamentary and 34 state constituencies and must, therefore, come to an accommodation with Malay-Muslims to prosper. There are two alternatives to Vellu, who has been president of the Malaysian Indian Congress since 1975. Indians can emulate either the devoutly Hindu, 29-year-old Kumutha Rahman, who has thrown her lot in with the Islamists, or the defiant Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force), whose leaders are languishing in jail without charges or trial.
It's a feverish time for them, mobilizing makkal shakti, people power, through SMS, DVD and e-mail. Indian anguish is not the only blot on the fabric of Malaysian life. There are more weighty reasons like crime and corruption for wondering if today's outcome will accurately reflect voter sentiment (even among Malays) or just skilful management. The timing of elections was clearly designed to exclude the charismatic former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who is banned from contesting until next month. The latest surprise announcement, dispensing with indelible ink, invites speculation about what the Barisan's dominant constituent, the United Malay National Organization, might be up to. Postal votes from the military and the police will play a large part in its success. Constituencies are mapped out almost for Barisan's convenience. The Chinese-majority Seputeh constituency had 46,500 voters in 2004, when the Malay-majority seat of Putrajaya had only 4,654. Thus, one Malay vote is the equivalent of about 10 Chinese votes.
The Chinese who comprise 23.7 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population are also perturbed by the drift from secularism, which alone can unite a multi-racial state in contented peace. The election announcement during the Chinese new year celebrations was seen as an insult. UMNO's 2005 general assembly — when the party's youth chief brandished a traditional Malay dagger (keris), threatening to bathe it in Chinese blood — awakened memories of the horrendous 1969 race riots. But the Chinese have weightage of numbers (they are in a majority in 26 constituencies), wealth (several millionaires), and political power (Penang state has a Chinese chief minister). They also have China and Singapore (especially Lee Kuan Yew) behind them. Indians are helpless in contrast.
They voted solidly for Barisan, hoping for justice in return. But as works minister and the MIC's sole representative in the government, Vellu was seen more and more as a token Indian leader, rather like apartheid South Africa's Bantustan chiefs. He trounced his opponent in 2004 by 10,349 votes, but has recently been jeered at, harangued and insulted by Indian crowds. He has had to flee meetings where he has been heckled. His official car has been blocked from entering Indian enclaves in Penang and Kuala Lumpur and rowdy protesters have shoved his bodyguards around. Some MIC candidates feared his appearance would undermine their position but were embarrassed to ask their president to keep away. On police advice, the MIC cancelled many events. Mounting resentment against Vellu reportedly prompted Badawi at one time to consider dumping him. It is believed this is his last election though there has been no formal announcement.
Does Kumutha Rahman suggest an alternative? Her name should really be Raman, but a clerical error inserted the 'h', which could be dangerous in a country where body-snatching for the faith is a pastime with Muslim clerics. Reporters say she rattles off the names of Hindu temples she visits regularly; eats only vegetarian meals three times a week; and that nary a drop of alcohol passed her lips while she studied for a law degree at Northumbria University in England. She is active in the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia Supporters Club and her brother, president of an organization with 2,500 Indian youth members, organizes joint activities with the PAS. But since the PAS constitution does not permit non-Muslim members, she is technically contesting on the affiliated Parti Keadilan Rakyat ticket for the Tiram assembly seat in Johor state. It is no coincidence that 14 per cent of Tiram's voters are Indian; by fielding her, the avowedly Islamic PAS hopes to mop up that vote as well as substantiate its claim to have abandoned the original goal of a Muslim theocracy. Supping with Islamists is, for Kumutha, an acknowledgement that an Indian can achieve something only by cooperating with the mainstream. "The Hindu religion made me aware of my limits," she says.
Hinduism also has a role in the third — Hindraf — alternative. The courts' recent refusal to release the five leaders held under Malaysia's Internal Security Act means more prayers for their welfare in temples. Inevitably, prayers lead to political speeches, bestowing on temples, for the first time in Malaysian history, a function that churches discharged in medieval Europe and mosques do most conspicuously now. Temple prayer meetings are still safe from police raids.
Malaysia's deputy prime minister, Najib Razak, suggests the MIC can meet the challenge by "rebranding itself as a political party". That demands a new and dedicated leadership but as Mahathir Mohamad (the former prime minister) says, Vellu will not allow any other Indian to come up. Hindraf can probably rebrand itself more easily if it softens its defiance, gives up a rejectionist posture, capitalizes on the goodwill it has won and harnesses the Tamil youth power now at its disposal. After all, its target of 20 parliamentary seats indicates a yearning for participative legitimacy. The nature of the Malaysian state rules out meaningful minority politics save with the majority's consent. Malaysia is not India (or Britain), where the minority can call the tune in many social matters, and where law and tradition provide a level playing field and an impartial umpire. Malaysian Indians can ensure the sanctity of their places of worship and their social and economic opportunities only with Malay-Muslim patronage. Sadly, there is no alternative to the Kumutha Rahman way, no matter how it is disguised.
India might remind protesters who carry Mahatma Gandhi's pictures that apart from compromising with the British, he was ready to make massive concessions to the Muslim League. The task would be easier if Badawi is also convinced that the only way of defusing anger and restoring the Barisan-Indian compact is by co-opting Hindraf into mainstream politics. Releasing the incarcerated leaders is a necessary first step. Malay-Muslim hotheads, who reportedly prevented a new election manifesto promising an equitable share of the economy to minority groups and who reacted hysterically last year to Manmohan Singh's innocuous comment, will object. But Badawi must know that if it's surrender all the way, there will be little difference between UMNO and PAS or, for that matter, between Malaysia and Iran. He calls Barisan a racially "inclusive" organization. Proving it, irrespective of the result of today's voting, would benefit Malaysia in the long term, at home and abroad.
FEW, POOR AND SCATTERED
- India has a stake in ethnic peace and stability in Malaysia
Sunanda K. Datta-Ray
Kumutha Rahman
New Delhi can rest assured that today's Pilihan Raya Umum (general election, 2008) in Malaysia will not affect the strengthening of military and strategic ties since Abdullah Badawi's ruling Barisan Nasional will return to office, though perhaps with a smaller majority. But the two million Indians (7.1 per cent of the population) whose controversial leader, S. Samy Vellu, of the impossibly black hair is also celebrating his 72nd birthday today draw little comfort from a process that leaves them out in the cold so far as education, jobs and effective political representation are concerned.
India's concern is not only because of its diaspora. Selling cruise missiles, training Malaysians to fly fighter jets, giving scholarships and road-building contracts to Malaysia and building railways there and burgeoning trade give India a stake in the kingdom's stability. That demands ethnic peace. The problem is not religious. Malaysia is not a Shariah-driven theocracy. Not yet. But it is an ethnocentric society in which Indians are too few, too poor and too scattered not to be marginalized. They constitute more than 20 per cent of the voters in only 10 parliamentary and 34 state constituencies and must, therefore, come to an accommodation with Malay-Muslims to prosper. There are two alternatives to Vellu, who has been president of the Malaysian Indian Congress since 1975. Indians can emulate either the devoutly Hindu, 29-year-old Kumutha Rahman, who has thrown her lot in with the Islamists, or the defiant Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force), whose leaders are languishing in jail without charges or trial.
It's a feverish time for them, mobilizing makkal shakti, people power, through SMS, DVD and e-mail. Indian anguish is not the only blot on the fabric of Malaysian life. There are more weighty reasons like crime and corruption for wondering if today's outcome will accurately reflect voter sentiment (even among Malays) or just skilful management. The timing of elections was clearly designed to exclude the charismatic former deputy prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who is banned from contesting until next month. The latest surprise announcement, dispensing with indelible ink, invites speculation about what the Barisan's dominant constituent, the United Malay National Organization, might be up to. Postal votes from the military and the police will play a large part in its success. Constituencies are mapped out almost for Barisan's convenience. The Chinese-majority Seputeh constituency had 46,500 voters in 2004, when the Malay-majority seat of Putrajaya had only 4,654. Thus, one Malay vote is the equivalent of about 10 Chinese votes.
The Chinese who comprise 23.7 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million population are also perturbed by the drift from secularism, which alone can unite a multi-racial state in contented peace. The election announcement during the Chinese new year celebrations was seen as an insult. UMNO's 2005 general assembly — when the party's youth chief brandished a traditional Malay dagger (keris), threatening to bathe it in Chinese blood — awakened memories of the horrendous 1969 race riots. But the Chinese have weightage of numbers (they are in a majority in 26 constituencies), wealth (several millionaires), and political power (Penang state has a Chinese chief minister). They also have China and Singapore (especially Lee Kuan Yew) behind them. Indians are helpless in contrast.
They voted solidly for Barisan, hoping for justice in return. But as works minister and the MIC's sole representative in the government, Vellu was seen more and more as a token Indian leader, rather like apartheid South Africa's Bantustan chiefs. He trounced his opponent in 2004 by 10,349 votes, but has recently been jeered at, harangued and insulted by Indian crowds. He has had to flee meetings where he has been heckled. His official car has been blocked from entering Indian enclaves in Penang and Kuala Lumpur and rowdy protesters have shoved his bodyguards around. Some MIC candidates feared his appearance would undermine their position but were embarrassed to ask their president to keep away. On police advice, the MIC cancelled many events. Mounting resentment against Vellu reportedly prompted Badawi at one time to consider dumping him. It is believed this is his last election though there has been no formal announcement.
Does Kumutha Rahman suggest an alternative? Her name should really be Raman, but a clerical error inserted the 'h', which could be dangerous in a country where body-snatching for the faith is a pastime with Muslim clerics. Reporters say she rattles off the names of Hindu temples she visits regularly; eats only vegetarian meals three times a week; and that nary a drop of alcohol passed her lips while she studied for a law degree at Northumbria University in England. She is active in the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia Supporters Club and her brother, president of an organization with 2,500 Indian youth members, organizes joint activities with the PAS. But since the PAS constitution does not permit non-Muslim members, she is technically contesting on the affiliated Parti Keadilan Rakyat ticket for the Tiram assembly seat in Johor state. It is no coincidence that 14 per cent of Tiram's voters are Indian; by fielding her, the avowedly Islamic PAS hopes to mop up that vote as well as substantiate its claim to have abandoned the original goal of a Muslim theocracy. Supping with Islamists is, for Kumutha, an acknowledgement that an Indian can achieve something only by cooperating with the mainstream. "The Hindu religion made me aware of my limits," she says.
Hinduism also has a role in the third — Hindraf — alternative. The courts' recent refusal to release the five leaders held under Malaysia's Internal Security Act means more prayers for their welfare in temples. Inevitably, prayers lead to political speeches, bestowing on temples, for the first time in Malaysian history, a function that churches discharged in medieval Europe and mosques do most conspicuously now. Temple prayer meetings are still safe from police raids.
Malaysia's deputy prime minister, Najib Razak, suggests the MIC can meet the challenge by "rebranding itself as a political party". That demands a new and dedicated leadership but as Mahathir Mohamad (the former prime minister) says, Vellu will not allow any other Indian to come up. Hindraf can probably rebrand itself more easily if it softens its defiance, gives up a rejectionist posture, capitalizes on the goodwill it has won and harnesses the Tamil youth power now at its disposal. After all, its target of 20 parliamentary seats indicates a yearning for participative legitimacy. The nature of the Malaysian state rules out meaningful minority politics save with the majority's consent. Malaysia is not India (or Britain), where the minority can call the tune in many social matters, and where law and tradition provide a level playing field and an impartial umpire. Malaysian Indians can ensure the sanctity of their places of worship and their social and economic opportunities only with Malay-Muslim patronage. Sadly, there is no alternative to the Kumutha Rahman way, no matter how it is disguised.
India might remind protesters who carry Mahatma Gandhi's pictures that apart from compromising with the British, he was ready to make massive concessions to the Muslim League. The task would be easier if Badawi is also convinced that the only way of defusing anger and restoring the Barisan-Indian compact is by co-opting Hindraf into mainstream politics. Releasing the incarcerated leaders is a necessary first step. Malay-Muslim hotheads, who reportedly prevented a new election manifesto promising an equitable share of the economy to minority groups and who reacted hysterically last year to Manmohan Singh's innocuous comment, will object. But Badawi must know that if it's surrender all the way, there will be little difference between UMNO and PAS or, for that matter, between Malaysia and Iran. He calls Barisan a racially "inclusive" organization. Proving it, irrespective of the result of today's voting, would benefit Malaysia in the long term, at home and abroad.
Malaysian Indians to desert govt in polls
Malaysian Indians to desert govt in polls
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2008/March/theworld_March280.xml§ion=theworld
(AFP), 7 March 2008
BATANG BERJUNTAI, Malaysia - Malaysia's ethnic Indians are expected to end 50 years of allegiance to the ruling coalition in Saturday polls as allegations of neglect and discrimination reach a crescendo.
Herding his cows along the roads of this rural outpost, 73-year-old R. Ceniyah seems an unlikely candidate for a political awakening, but he is one of many in the disadvantaged community who say they have had enough.
"I am angry with this government. This year I will vote for the opposition for the first time," he told AFP, still wearing the T-shirt emblazoned with the emblem of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition he was given years ago.
"My village floods when it rains heavily. Nothing is done to address it," he said in this sleepy district southwest of the capital Kuala Lumpur, where many Indians work in the palm oil plantations and in nearby factories.
"Promises are not carried out. I applied for a land grant for the past three decades without any results. But the ethnic Malays apply and they get it within five years."
Barisan Nasional, dominated by the Muslim Malays who make up some 60 percent of the multicultural nation's population, is assured of another victory in Saturday's elections but its majority is expected to be clipped.
In 2004 it won 90 percent of parliamentary seats, but this year voters are angry over inflation, rising crime and racial tensions that are seething among its minority Indian and Chinese citizens.
Ethnic Indian activists last year mounted unprecedented public protests claiming discrimination against the community, saying it is denied opportunities in education and employment.
Anger has been targeted at the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a coalition member which has been criticised for failing to advance the cause of its constituents.
Batang Berjuntai was once an MIC stronghold, but many here say they will now vote for opposition parties including former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan or even the Islamic party PAS.
They are particularly incensed over the demolition of hundreds of Hindu temples in Malaysia in recent years, steamrollered to make way for development projects.
Analysts said Saturday's ballot will see a shift among Indian voters who have never before been a factor in elections.
"I feel there will be some erosion of support in favour of the opposition," said political observer Chandra Muzaffar from University Sains Malaysia.
"It is quite possible some candidates of the Malaysian Indian Congress may lose. The party president S. Samy Vellu's own position may be vulnerable," he said.
Samy Vellu, Malaysia's only ethnic Indian minister, has led the MIC for some three decades, but in recent months has been heckled and abused at public events and faced mounting calls to quit.
While Indians make up only about eight percent of Malaysia's 10.9 million voters, political observers say they could affect the outcome in dozens of tightly fought parliamentary constituencies.
Malaysia's ethnic Indians are the descendents of labourers brought by the former British colonial rulers from southern India in the 19th century, mainly to work in the rubber estates.
K. Arumugam from rights group Voice of the Malaysian People said that even now, 40 percent remain labourers lacking skills, capital and education, typically earning less than 600 ringgit (186 dollars) a month.
In Batang Berjuntai, oil palm factory worker T. Vijayan, 44, said he joined the MIC four years ago thinking it would solve his problems. But the majority of the 100 workers on his estate now want to shift to the opposition.
"We were promised clean water by the MIC if it won, but months have passed. Look, the water still stinks," he said.
Chandra said that while the Indian community is unhappy, it is difficult to predict whether it will translate into votes or seats for the opposition.
"The Indians are dependent on the state, unlike the Chinese. Even if they are unhappy it is questionable whether they will want to abdicate their own wellbeing by being not represented in the government," he said.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2008/March/theworld_March280.xml§ion=theworld
(AFP), 7 March 2008
BATANG BERJUNTAI, Malaysia - Malaysia's ethnic Indians are expected to end 50 years of allegiance to the ruling coalition in Saturday polls as allegations of neglect and discrimination reach a crescendo.
Herding his cows along the roads of this rural outpost, 73-year-old R. Ceniyah seems an unlikely candidate for a political awakening, but he is one of many in the disadvantaged community who say they have had enough.
"I am angry with this government. This year I will vote for the opposition for the first time," he told AFP, still wearing the T-shirt emblazoned with the emblem of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition he was given years ago.
"My village floods when it rains heavily. Nothing is done to address it," he said in this sleepy district southwest of the capital Kuala Lumpur, where many Indians work in the palm oil plantations and in nearby factories.
"Promises are not carried out. I applied for a land grant for the past three decades without any results. But the ethnic Malays apply and they get it within five years."
Barisan Nasional, dominated by the Muslim Malays who make up some 60 percent of the multicultural nation's population, is assured of another victory in Saturday's elections but its majority is expected to be clipped.
In 2004 it won 90 percent of parliamentary seats, but this year voters are angry over inflation, rising crime and racial tensions that are seething among its minority Indian and Chinese citizens.
Ethnic Indian activists last year mounted unprecedented public protests claiming discrimination against the community, saying it is denied opportunities in education and employment.
Anger has been targeted at the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), a coalition member which has been criticised for failing to advance the cause of its constituents.
Batang Berjuntai was once an MIC stronghold, but many here say they will now vote for opposition parties including former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim's Keadilan or even the Islamic party PAS.
They are particularly incensed over the demolition of hundreds of Hindu temples in Malaysia in recent years, steamrollered to make way for development projects.
Analysts said Saturday's ballot will see a shift among Indian voters who have never before been a factor in elections.
"I feel there will be some erosion of support in favour of the opposition," said political observer Chandra Muzaffar from University Sains Malaysia.
"It is quite possible some candidates of the Malaysian Indian Congress may lose. The party president S. Samy Vellu's own position may be vulnerable," he said.
Samy Vellu, Malaysia's only ethnic Indian minister, has led the MIC for some three decades, but in recent months has been heckled and abused at public events and faced mounting calls to quit.
While Indians make up only about eight percent of Malaysia's 10.9 million voters, political observers say they could affect the outcome in dozens of tightly fought parliamentary constituencies.
Malaysia's ethnic Indians are the descendents of labourers brought by the former British colonial rulers from southern India in the 19th century, mainly to work in the rubber estates.
K. Arumugam from rights group Voice of the Malaysian People said that even now, 40 percent remain labourers lacking skills, capital and education, typically earning less than 600 ringgit (186 dollars) a month.
In Batang Berjuntai, oil palm factory worker T. Vijayan, 44, said he joined the MIC four years ago thinking it would solve his problems. But the majority of the 100 workers on his estate now want to shift to the opposition.
"We were promised clean water by the MIC if it won, but months have passed. Look, the water still stinks," he said.
Chandra said that while the Indian community is unhappy, it is difficult to predict whether it will translate into votes or seats for the opposition.
"The Indians are dependent on the state, unlike the Chinese. Even if they are unhappy it is questionable whether they will want to abdicate their own wellbeing by being not represented in the government," he said.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Ethnic tensions in Malaysian election
Ethnic Tensions in Malaysian Election
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5grS5WjOSUb5eC_gSY_TLD7ztrB5wD8V7SKG00
By VIJAY JOSHI – 2 hours ago
RINCHING, Malaysia (AP) — With a small knife, plantation worker Ramalingam Tirumalai makes raw incisions on the rubber trees every morning to harvest the oozing gooey latex.
Just like the gashes on the trees, Ramalingam says, countless wounds have been inflicted by Malaysia's government on the country's ethnic Indian minority, denying them jobs, education, freedom of religion and most of all dignity.
Seething anger among ethnic Indians like Ramalingam is likely to singe the government during parliamentary elections on March 8.
"We have been independent for 50 years," the stocky 53-year-old said of his country. "But there has been no change in the lives of Indians."
No one doubts that the National Front coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957, will return to power. But it is expected to fall short of its 2004 landslide, when it won 91 percent of the seats. Anything less than a two-thirds majority would signal plunging support for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Voters are upset by rising prices and a surge in urban crime. Ethnic tensions are also at a high, largely because of the increasing influence of Islam in daily life.
"We need a new kind of leadership," Ramalingam said in an interview near his plantation in Rinching town, about 30 miles from Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur.
The National Front is dominated by the party of the Muslim Malay majority, which make up 60 percent of the country's 27 million people. The Front also has the support of some ethnic Chinese, who are 25 percent of the population, and some Indians, who are eight percent.
Indians have traditionally voted for the Malaysian Indian Congress, their party in the National Front.
But now the Indians will "definitely vote for the opposition," said S. Nagarajan of the Education, Welfare and Research Foundation, a nonprofit group that represents impoverished ethnic Indians. "This time there is raw anger."
Indian voters could make a difference in 62 of the 222 constituencies, said Denison Jayasooriya, a political analyst who specializes in Indian affairs.
At the time of independence, most Malaysians were poor, regardless of race. But an affirmative action program that gives Malays preference in university admission and government jobs, discounted homes and a mandatory 30 percent share of all publicly listed companies has lifted the Malay standard of living.
The Chinese, already well established in business, continued to flourish. But the Indians remain at the bottom of the barrel.
The government denies discriminating against Indians, citing statistics that show the poverty rate among Malays is higher than for Indians. But analysts say the statistics are skewed because the Malay figure includes indigenous tribes that are extremely poor and not ethnically Malay.
Indians were also infuriated when municipal authorities destroyed several Indian temples last year because they were deemed to have been built illegally.
The disenchantment exploded on Nov. 25 when about 20,000 Indians demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur. Several smaller demonstrations have taken place since.
About 85 percent of the ethnic Indians are descendants of indentured laborers brought by the British to work on rubber plantations in the 19th century. The work, where it remains, pays about $60 month.
But many plantations were turned into golf courses and luxury home communities in the 1980s and 1990s, and the workers lost their jobs and the free housing and schooling that was included.
Other plantations converted to palm oil, which does not require the skills of rubber tapping, and the Indians were replaced with Indonesian immigrants at lower wages.
Another rubber estate in Kuala Lumpur was cleared for stadiums and athlete housing for the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Former workers still live on the last 40-acre patch, which is slated to become a graveyard.
The residents have been classified as squatters and offered two-room rental apartments in a nearby low-cost housing development. Their school and temple will be relocated inside the burial ground, a proposal that has incensed the residents.
"My age is 43 years. I have lived here for 43 years. How can I be a squatter?" said Shanti Vasupillai. "All I am asking for is our rights."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5grS5WjOSUb5eC_gSY_TLD7ztrB5wD8V7SKG00
By VIJAY JOSHI – 2 hours ago
RINCHING, Malaysia (AP) — With a small knife, plantation worker Ramalingam Tirumalai makes raw incisions on the rubber trees every morning to harvest the oozing gooey latex.
Just like the gashes on the trees, Ramalingam says, countless wounds have been inflicted by Malaysia's government on the country's ethnic Indian minority, denying them jobs, education, freedom of religion and most of all dignity.
Seething anger among ethnic Indians like Ramalingam is likely to singe the government during parliamentary elections on March 8.
"We have been independent for 50 years," the stocky 53-year-old said of his country. "But there has been no change in the lives of Indians."
No one doubts that the National Front coalition, which has ruled Malaysia since independence in 1957, will return to power. But it is expected to fall short of its 2004 landslide, when it won 91 percent of the seats. Anything less than a two-thirds majority would signal plunging support for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Voters are upset by rising prices and a surge in urban crime. Ethnic tensions are also at a high, largely because of the increasing influence of Islam in daily life.
"We need a new kind of leadership," Ramalingam said in an interview near his plantation in Rinching town, about 30 miles from Malaysia's main city, Kuala Lumpur.
The National Front is dominated by the party of the Muslim Malay majority, which make up 60 percent of the country's 27 million people. The Front also has the support of some ethnic Chinese, who are 25 percent of the population, and some Indians, who are eight percent.
Indians have traditionally voted for the Malaysian Indian Congress, their party in the National Front.
But now the Indians will "definitely vote for the opposition," said S. Nagarajan of the Education, Welfare and Research Foundation, a nonprofit group that represents impoverished ethnic Indians. "This time there is raw anger."
Indian voters could make a difference in 62 of the 222 constituencies, said Denison Jayasooriya, a political analyst who specializes in Indian affairs.
At the time of independence, most Malaysians were poor, regardless of race. But an affirmative action program that gives Malays preference in university admission and government jobs, discounted homes and a mandatory 30 percent share of all publicly listed companies has lifted the Malay standard of living.
The Chinese, already well established in business, continued to flourish. But the Indians remain at the bottom of the barrel.
The government denies discriminating against Indians, citing statistics that show the poverty rate among Malays is higher than for Indians. But analysts say the statistics are skewed because the Malay figure includes indigenous tribes that are extremely poor and not ethnically Malay.
Indians were also infuriated when municipal authorities destroyed several Indian temples last year because they were deemed to have been built illegally.
The disenchantment exploded on Nov. 25 when about 20,000 Indians demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur. Several smaller demonstrations have taken place since.
About 85 percent of the ethnic Indians are descendants of indentured laborers brought by the British to work on rubber plantations in the 19th century. The work, where it remains, pays about $60 month.
But many plantations were turned into golf courses and luxury home communities in the 1980s and 1990s, and the workers lost their jobs and the free housing and schooling that was included.
Other plantations converted to palm oil, which does not require the skills of rubber tapping, and the Indians were replaced with Indonesian immigrants at lower wages.
Another rubber estate in Kuala Lumpur was cleared for stadiums and athlete housing for the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
Former workers still live on the last 40-acre patch, which is slated to become a graveyard.
The residents have been classified as squatters and offered two-room rental apartments in a nearby low-cost housing development. Their school and temple will be relocated inside the burial ground, a proposal that has incensed the residents.
"My age is 43 years. I have lived here for 43 years. How can I be a squatter?" said Shanti Vasupillai. "All I am asking for is our rights."
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Indian Muslims in Malaysia: ancestry and history
This is in response to the article
Call us Malays, say Indian Muslim youth
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2175500/Article
Indian Muslims in Malaysia: ancestry and history
Kimma, Kurma and Karma
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/3779/1/
Posted by Raja Petra
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
BY Sheikh Moinudeen Chisti Syed Abdul Kadir
Kurma is an excellent Indian Muslim dish. The diference between a kurma and a curry is in the chilli.
A curry is reddish because it uses dried red chillies and also dried chilli powder. A kurma does not use dried red chillies or dry chilli powder. Instead a kurma is cooked with fresh green chillies. The taste and the colour are therefore different. Both are excellent methods for cooking poultry, mutton, beef, duck and even fish.
Kimma is of course the Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia, which is the 'mamak' version of the Kongres India Malaysia or Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC which itself is a namesake of the Congress Party of India. The MIC was founded by Mr John Thivy of Ipoh in the 1940s as the Malaysian chapter of Nehru's Congress Party of India.
It is really ignorant of the KIMMA members to claim that they are Malays when their party is still named after the Congress Party of India. This is a case of extremely serious mamak confusion.
An Indian Muslim can be anyone of Indian ancestry who is a Muslim. Tamils, Keralas, Punjabis, Sindhis, Mahrattas, Hydrabadis etc are all Indian Muslims. But in Malaysia a large majority of Indian Muslims are Tamil speaking. Hence the term Indian Muslim is generally applied to the Tamil speaking Indian Muslims. In Malaysia, Indian Muslims are also known as mamaks, DKK (darah keturunan keling), Kelings and Jawi Peranakan. The last one Jawi Peranakan is a strange misnomer. There is even a recent book written about the Jawi Peranakan which actually talks about the Indian Muslims.
In contemporary Malaysia Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari, Zainuddin Mydin, Siti Nurhaliza binti "Thaarudeen", Justice Haidar Mohd Noor, Ahmad Nawab, Akbar Nawab, P Ramlee, Man Bhai, Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan are all Indian Muslims or descended from Indian Muslims. Malaysia's first Speaker of Parliament Tan Sri CM Yusuf was a mamak. So was the permanent Chairman of UMNO Tan Sri Sulaiman "Ninam" Shah. 'Ninam' is actually truncated Tamil for 'Naina Mohamed'. Former Sabah Chief Minister Dato Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are all mamaks. They are not Pushtuns, Pakistanis or Yemenis.
Among our Prime Ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the son of an Indian Muslim. Abdullah Badawi has mamak blood from his father's side. Toh Puan Sharifah Radziah Syed Alwi Barakbah, the wife of our first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman, had mamak ancestry. The Tunku himself was of mixed Thai and mamak parentage. Ex DPM Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim's father is a mamak. The intellectuals Kassim Ahmad and Farish Noor have Indian Muslim fathers while the late Tan Sri Muhammad Noordin Sopiee had a mamak grandfather. Munir Majid is a Tamil speaking mamak and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor is a mamak too.
Here it is pertinent to note the "Syed" and "Sheikh" name. Among Indian Muslims the name Syed or Sheikh is common, its no big deal. The names "Shah" and "Khan" are also very common mamak names. Other 'Malay' names like 'Chik', 'Tamby Chik' and 'Keling' are definitely of mamak origins too.
The name 'Shah' is not common among the Malays but strangely enough it is very common among the Malay sultans, for example Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Nazrin Shah. Shah is NOT an Arabic name. It originates from Persia and comes to Malaysia from India through the Indian Muslim influence. This is just more indication of the mamak ancestry of our Malay rulers.
But among kampong Malays the name Syed and Sheikh are supposed to indicate Arab ancestry, the name Syed being associated with 'keturunan nabi' or lineage from the Prophet. To the kampong Malays these names are a really big deal. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Another common mamak name is 'Maricar'. Actually it is 'Marikiyaar'. This has evolved into 'Merican'. Hence the thousands of Malays who bear the 'Merican' name today are also of mamak ancestry. They call themselves Jawi Peranakan. They are actually mamak.
Many smart Indian Muslims realized very early on this Malay liking for Arabic names and Arab ancestry. So they started passing themselves off, (or did not object if they were referred to) as Arabs, usually of Yemeni descent. In Malaysia too many Syeds and Sheikhs from among the Malays today are actually recycled mamaks. One good example is Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari. Among the Malay elite Tan Sri Syed Mukhtar Bukhari passes of as being of Yemeni descent. His family actually comes from India. The former mayor of KL Tan Sri Elyas Omar is also of Tamil mamak origins from Penang.
Among the Malays it is also 'ok' if a mamak is from Pakistani descent. Perhaps Pakistan is closer to Bollywood. So some clever mamaks claim to be from Pakistan. The former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are said to be 'of Pakistan origins' but in actual fact they are of Indian mamak ancestry, and usually Tamil speaking.
Mamaks come in all colours and complexions from the dark skinned to the light skinned, green eyed and brown eyed types. A visit to the Masjid Kapitan Keling in Pitt Street in Penang or Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur on a Friday will witness all varieties of mamak.
The Indian Muslims in Malaysia today can be classified as follows :
Those mamaks who have inter married with Malays for generations and have actually become Malays. You can only know their mamak ancestry by their mamak sounding names like Merican, Shah, Syed, Sheikh etc, by their 'Indian' appearances – prominent nose, rounder eyes etc.
Those mamaks who have not inter married with Malays but who have assimilated closely into the Malay culture. They can only speak Malay and have cut off almost all their links with India. These would include thousands of mamaks in Penang, Kedah, Melaka and other parts of the country. Only their DNA remains Indian. But practically, for all intents and purposes they are Malay.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who can only speak pasar Malay. They may not have links with India but they watch Tamil movies and do not read the Malay papers or know much about the Malays. Despite being born in Malaysia they still would not know a 'kuih talam' from an 'otak-otak'. Many KIMMA members fall in this category. That is why they still call themselves Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia after the Indian Congress Party of Panditji Jawaharlal Nehru.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who cannot even speak pasar Malay despite being born in Malaysia. They will not know 'nasi lemak' from a hole in the ground. They will have strong family ties to India. They watch Tamil movies and know more about Tamil Nadu politics than Malaysia politics. They read Tamil Nesan and Malaysian Nanban religiously everyday to find out what is happening in Tamil Nadu and India. Again many KIMMA members also fall into this category.
Before 1970 the last two classes of Indian Muslims above (no.3 & 4) were usually overtly prejudiced against the Malays. Before 1970 many of them were not even citizens of the country. Their slang term for Malays was 'valayan-katti'. This is a term invented by Tamil estate workers but which became widely used by most Tamils including Indian Muslims to describe Malays.
A 'valayan' means wire. 'Katti' means to tie something. So 'valayan-katti means 'a person who ties a wire'. What does this mean? In the early days of the rubber industry, the British tried to get the Malays to tap the rubber trees. However the native Malays had problems tapping the rubber tree in the proper manner and ended up injuring the tree, reducing the output of rubber. The British had better luck getting the trees properly tapped with the Tamils from India. Malays were then delegated the simpler job of using wire (valayan) to tie (katti) the little latex cups to the rubber tree. Hence the name 'valayan-katti'.
Another Tamil term used for Malays is 'naattu kaaran' or 'naattan' which means 'native'.
Before 1970 the type 3 and 4 mamaks above and everyone else did not see much in the Malays. But post 1970 and the New Economic Policy the mamaks realized that they suddenly depended on the Malay for everything, especially the ever precious 'Entry Permit' to get Permanent Resident status in Malaysia. Until then few mamaks got married in Malaysia. They always went back to India to get married. After 1970 and the NEP, the trend disappeared in a hurry. The Malays refused to give Entry Permits for mamak brides and grooms from India. All of a sudden mamaks realized that they were short of wives and husbands. Hence the rate of inter marriage between mamaks and Malays increased tremendously after 1970. After 38 years of the NEP, the mamaks are even more assimilated now through marriage than ever before. Today there is rarely a mamak family which does not have a Malay son or daughter in law.
Post 1970, the mamaks realized that real political power and with it economic largesse had shifted to the Malays. But many mamaks included in class 1 and 2 above had no problem with this shift in power because often they were the ones holding high office. For example the first Speaker of Parliament CM Yusuf, a mamak, was his own power in his day. It was only the class 3 and 4 mamaks described above who were (and still are) slow in assimilating into becoming Malaysians. The KIMMA represents many of these people.
Hence the present scramble among them to be recognized as bumiputras, to get Malay classification in the Birth Certificate, BIN in the IC etc.
But it is a fact that the Indian Muslims are heavily intermarried with Malays. This trend started over 600 years ago and continues until today. They and their offspring have played major roles in the history of this country. Sang Nila Utama, Parameswara, Tun Ali, Hang Kasthuri, Hang Tuah, Mani Purindan, Tun Teja, Abdullah Munshi and ALL the Malay Sultans are descended from Indian Muslims. The Perlis Royal family is almost certainly of mamak/Thai mix.
It is also true beyond any single doubt that from their earliest history here, the mamaks have had extreme affection which the Indian Muslims have had for the Malays throughout history. This could be attributed to the similarities in religion but there are also other Muslims in the country (including from India) like Pakistanis, Punjabi Muslims, Patans and also others like the Chinese Muslims.
Although the Indian Muslims are generally friendly with all races there is not as much intermarriage between Indian Muslims and other Muslims compared to the heavy intermixing and intermarriages between Indian Muslims and the Malays.
And it is an established fact (evidenced by all the names mentioned above) that throughout history the Indian Muslims have always stepped forward to defend the rights of the Malays. In the process many of the Indian Muslims have lost their identity almost completely to the Malays. Who are the descendants of the Tamil educated Munshi Abdullah today? No one knows. A DNA test will reveal Indian DNA among all our Malay rulers but which Sultan can or wants to retrace his Indian ancestry? These are the mamaks who assimilated into the Malay community from generations ago.
Fast forward to today : in UMNO there are thousands of mamaks fighting for Malay rights. In PAS there are mamaks fighting for Islam (aka Malay) rights. PAS stalwart Hanipa Mydin is a pure mamak while Deputy MB of Kelantan Dato Husam Musa may have mamak blood. In the old Keadilan 'brother' Abdul Rahman Othman, another mamak tulen, became party secretary general and then quit later – to join PAS. In the Civil Service and in the Melayu korporat sector there are thousands of mamaks helping the NEP 'social engineering' come true.
In Penang pure Malays are a rarity. As late as the 80s, they could only be found in Sungai Ara, Balik Pulau and other places where there were no roads. In all other places in Penang, mamak blood is almost a certainty. Hence words like 'chacha' and 'nana' are a part of Penang Malay. In Kedah and Melaka the mamak 'penetration' of the Malay populace is much more earlier than in Penang. Which means the mamaks in Kedah and Melaka have diluted their DNA into the Malay population from much earlier (from Portugese, Dutch and British times).
In short mamaks are a permanent feature of the Malay 'make up'. It is the karma of the mamaks that they have become kurma in Malaysia.
Call us Malays, say Indian Muslim youth
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2175500/Article
Indian Muslims in Malaysia: ancestry and history
Kimma, Kurma and Karma
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/3779/1/
Posted by Raja Petra
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
BY Sheikh Moinudeen Chisti Syed Abdul Kadir
Kurma is an excellent Indian Muslim dish. The diference between a kurma and a curry is in the chilli.
A curry is reddish because it uses dried red chillies and also dried chilli powder. A kurma does not use dried red chillies or dry chilli powder. Instead a kurma is cooked with fresh green chillies. The taste and the colour are therefore different. Both are excellent methods for cooking poultry, mutton, beef, duck and even fish.
Kimma is of course the Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia, which is the 'mamak' version of the Kongres India Malaysia or Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC which itself is a namesake of the Congress Party of India. The MIC was founded by Mr John Thivy of Ipoh in the 1940s as the Malaysian chapter of Nehru's Congress Party of India.
It is really ignorant of the KIMMA members to claim that they are Malays when their party is still named after the Congress Party of India. This is a case of extremely serious mamak confusion.
An Indian Muslim can be anyone of Indian ancestry who is a Muslim. Tamils, Keralas, Punjabis, Sindhis, Mahrattas, Hydrabadis etc are all Indian Muslims. But in Malaysia a large majority of Indian Muslims are Tamil speaking. Hence the term Indian Muslim is generally applied to the Tamil speaking Indian Muslims. In Malaysia, Indian Muslims are also known as mamaks, DKK (darah keturunan keling), Kelings and Jawi Peranakan. The last one Jawi Peranakan is a strange misnomer. There is even a recent book written about the Jawi Peranakan which actually talks about the Indian Muslims.
In contemporary Malaysia Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari, Zainuddin Mydin, Siti Nurhaliza binti "Thaarudeen", Justice Haidar Mohd Noor, Ahmad Nawab, Akbar Nawab, P Ramlee, Man Bhai, Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan are all Indian Muslims or descended from Indian Muslims. Malaysia's first Speaker of Parliament Tan Sri CM Yusuf was a mamak. So was the permanent Chairman of UMNO Tan Sri Sulaiman "Ninam" Shah. 'Ninam' is actually truncated Tamil for 'Naina Mohamed'. Former Sabah Chief Minister Dato Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are all mamaks. They are not Pushtuns, Pakistanis or Yemenis.
Among our Prime Ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is the son of an Indian Muslim. Abdullah Badawi has mamak blood from his father's side. Toh Puan Sharifah Radziah Syed Alwi Barakbah, the wife of our first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman, had mamak ancestry. The Tunku himself was of mixed Thai and mamak parentage. Ex DPM Dato Sri Anwar Ibrahim's father is a mamak. The intellectuals Kassim Ahmad and Farish Noor have Indian Muslim fathers while the late Tan Sri Muhammad Noordin Sopiee had a mamak grandfather. Munir Majid is a Tamil speaking mamak and Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor is a mamak too.
Here it is pertinent to note the "Syed" and "Sheikh" name. Among Indian Muslims the name Syed or Sheikh is common, its no big deal. The names "Shah" and "Khan" are also very common mamak names. Other 'Malay' names like 'Chik', 'Tamby Chik' and 'Keling' are definitely of mamak origins too.
The name 'Shah' is not common among the Malays but strangely enough it is very common among the Malay sultans, for example Sultan Azlan Shah and Raja Nazrin Shah. Shah is NOT an Arabic name. It originates from Persia and comes to Malaysia from India through the Indian Muslim influence. This is just more indication of the mamak ancestry of our Malay rulers.
But among kampong Malays the name Syed and Sheikh are supposed to indicate Arab ancestry, the name Syed being associated with 'keturunan nabi' or lineage from the Prophet. To the kampong Malays these names are a really big deal. This is the furthest thing from the truth. Another common mamak name is 'Maricar'. Actually it is 'Marikiyaar'. This has evolved into 'Merican'. Hence the thousands of Malays who bear the 'Merican' name today are also of mamak ancestry. They call themselves Jawi Peranakan. They are actually mamak.
Many smart Indian Muslims realized very early on this Malay liking for Arabic names and Arab ancestry. So they started passing themselves off, (or did not object if they were referred to) as Arabs, usually of Yemeni descent. In Malaysia too many Syeds and Sheikhs from among the Malays today are actually recycled mamaks. One good example is Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhari. Among the Malay elite Tan Sri Syed Mukhtar Bukhari passes of as being of Yemeni descent. His family actually comes from India. The former mayor of KL Tan Sri Elyas Omar is also of Tamil mamak origins from Penang.
Among the Malays it is also 'ok' if a mamak is from Pakistani descent. Perhaps Pakistan is closer to Bollywood. So some clever mamaks claim to be from Pakistan. The former Sabah Chief Minister Harris Salleh and present Chief Minister Musa Aman are said to be 'of Pakistan origins' but in actual fact they are of Indian mamak ancestry, and usually Tamil speaking.
Mamaks come in all colours and complexions from the dark skinned to the light skinned, green eyed and brown eyed types. A visit to the Masjid Kapitan Keling in Pitt Street in Penang or Masjid India in Kuala Lumpur on a Friday will witness all varieties of mamak.
The Indian Muslims in Malaysia today can be classified as follows :
Those mamaks who have inter married with Malays for generations and have actually become Malays. You can only know their mamak ancestry by their mamak sounding names like Merican, Shah, Syed, Sheikh etc, by their 'Indian' appearances – prominent nose, rounder eyes etc.
Those mamaks who have not inter married with Malays but who have assimilated closely into the Malay culture. They can only speak Malay and have cut off almost all their links with India. These would include thousands of mamaks in Penang, Kedah, Melaka and other parts of the country. Only their DNA remains Indian. But practically, for all intents and purposes they are Malay.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who can only speak pasar Malay. They may not have links with India but they watch Tamil movies and do not read the Malay papers or know much about the Malays. Despite being born in Malaysia they still would not know a 'kuih talam' from an 'otak-otak'. Many KIMMA members fall in this category. That is why they still call themselves Kongres Indian Muslim Malaysia after the Indian Congress Party of Panditji Jawaharlal Nehru.
Those mamaks who are still very much Tamil and who cannot even speak pasar Malay despite being born in Malaysia. They will not know 'nasi lemak' from a hole in the ground. They will have strong family ties to India. They watch Tamil movies and know more about Tamil Nadu politics than Malaysia politics. They read Tamil Nesan and Malaysian Nanban religiously everyday to find out what is happening in Tamil Nadu and India. Again many KIMMA members also fall into this category.
Before 1970 the last two classes of Indian Muslims above (no.3 & 4) were usually overtly prejudiced against the Malays. Before 1970 many of them were not even citizens of the country. Their slang term for Malays was 'valayan-katti'. This is a term invented by Tamil estate workers but which became widely used by most Tamils including Indian Muslims to describe Malays.
A 'valayan' means wire. 'Katti' means to tie something. So 'valayan-katti means 'a person who ties a wire'. What does this mean? In the early days of the rubber industry, the British tried to get the Malays to tap the rubber trees. However the native Malays had problems tapping the rubber tree in the proper manner and ended up injuring the tree, reducing the output of rubber. The British had better luck getting the trees properly tapped with the Tamils from India. Malays were then delegated the simpler job of using wire (valayan) to tie (katti) the little latex cups to the rubber tree. Hence the name 'valayan-katti'.
Another Tamil term used for Malays is 'naattu kaaran' or 'naattan' which means 'native'.
Before 1970 the type 3 and 4 mamaks above and everyone else did not see much in the Malays. But post 1970 and the New Economic Policy the mamaks realized that they suddenly depended on the Malay for everything, especially the ever precious 'Entry Permit' to get Permanent Resident status in Malaysia. Until then few mamaks got married in Malaysia. They always went back to India to get married. After 1970 and the NEP, the trend disappeared in a hurry. The Malays refused to give Entry Permits for mamak brides and grooms from India. All of a sudden mamaks realized that they were short of wives and husbands. Hence the rate of inter marriage between mamaks and Malays increased tremendously after 1970. After 38 years of the NEP, the mamaks are even more assimilated now through marriage than ever before. Today there is rarely a mamak family which does not have a Malay son or daughter in law.
Post 1970, the mamaks realized that real political power and with it economic largesse had shifted to the Malays. But many mamaks included in class 1 and 2 above had no problem with this shift in power because often they were the ones holding high office. For example the first Speaker of Parliament CM Yusuf, a mamak, was his own power in his day. It was only the class 3 and 4 mamaks described above who were (and still are) slow in assimilating into becoming Malaysians. The KIMMA represents many of these people.
Hence the present scramble among them to be recognized as bumiputras, to get Malay classification in the Birth Certificate, BIN in the IC etc.
But it is a fact that the Indian Muslims are heavily intermarried with Malays. This trend started over 600 years ago and continues until today. They and their offspring have played major roles in the history of this country. Sang Nila Utama, Parameswara, Tun Ali, Hang Kasthuri, Hang Tuah, Mani Purindan, Tun Teja, Abdullah Munshi and ALL the Malay Sultans are descended from Indian Muslims. The Perlis Royal family is almost certainly of mamak/Thai mix.
It is also true beyond any single doubt that from their earliest history here, the mamaks have had extreme affection which the Indian Muslims have had for the Malays throughout history. This could be attributed to the similarities in religion but there are also other Muslims in the country (including from India) like Pakistanis, Punjabi Muslims, Patans and also others like the Chinese Muslims.
Although the Indian Muslims are generally friendly with all races there is not as much intermarriage between Indian Muslims and other Muslims compared to the heavy intermixing and intermarriages between Indian Muslims and the Malays.
And it is an established fact (evidenced by all the names mentioned above) that throughout history the Indian Muslims have always stepped forward to defend the rights of the Malays. In the process many of the Indian Muslims have lost their identity almost completely to the Malays. Who are the descendants of the Tamil educated Munshi Abdullah today? No one knows. A DNA test will reveal Indian DNA among all our Malay rulers but which Sultan can or wants to retrace his Indian ancestry? These are the mamaks who assimilated into the Malay community from generations ago.
Fast forward to today : in UMNO there are thousands of mamaks fighting for Malay rights. In PAS there are mamaks fighting for Islam (aka Malay) rights. PAS stalwart Hanipa Mydin is a pure mamak while Deputy MB of Kelantan Dato Husam Musa may have mamak blood. In the old Keadilan 'brother' Abdul Rahman Othman, another mamak tulen, became party secretary general and then quit later – to join PAS. In the Civil Service and in the Melayu korporat sector there are thousands of mamaks helping the NEP 'social engineering' come true.
In Penang pure Malays are a rarity. As late as the 80s, they could only be found in Sungai Ara, Balik Pulau and other places where there were no roads. In all other places in Penang, mamak blood is almost a certainty. Hence words like 'chacha' and 'nana' are a part of Penang Malay. In Kedah and Melaka the mamak 'penetration' of the Malay populace is much more earlier than in Penang. Which means the mamaks in Kedah and Melaka have diluted their DNA into the Malay population from much earlier (from Portugese, Dutch and British times).
In short mamaks are a permanent feature of the Malay 'make up'. It is the karma of the mamaks that they have become kurma in Malaysia.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
No black mark in Malaysia to allow phantom voters
U-turn on ink: A black mark for EC
Wed, 05/03/2008 - 02:37 — lucid [via malaysiakini.com]
Mar 4, 08 6:32pm
Opposition parties today slammed the Election Commission for the last-minute reversal of its plan to use the indelible ink in the coming general election, which they claimed could have stopped the menace of phantom voters.
In an immediate reaction, PKR’s deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali did not mince his words when he charged that the cancellation of the use of indelible ink was clear proof that the “EC is colluding with BN to allow cheating in the coming general elections”.
“Despite all assurances and false gestures, it is now clear the (EC chairperson) Abdul Rashid (Abdul Rahman) is content to conduct the 12th general election in an atmosphere completely bereft of integrity,” he said in a statement.
“Citing 'public order' and 'security' is also nonsensical reasoning that is perfectly consistent with the language of forces around the world who seek to supress democratic freedoms,” he added.
Syed Husin said that polls reform group Bersih, which represents not just political parties but a wide swathe of civil society, has campaigned tirelessly for indelible ink to be used to battle the scourge of phantom voters.
He also said that candidates have observed irregularities in postal voting, and revealed "hundreds and thousands" of false addresses, dead individuals and voters over 100 years old in the electoral rolls.
“At a moment where the eyes of the entire world are upon us, the EC has now conclusively and irrevocably shown that any overtures towards reform that it had made previously were in bad faith, and that in decisive moments, the EC will yield to every demand of its political masters,” Syed Husin decried.
He however said that the PKR noted one positive outcome of this development - that the BN intelligence must clearly be showing a swing towards the opposition, thus forcing them to resort once again to phantom voters and other forms of cheating.
Under protest
Meanwhile PAS leader and member of Bersih's steering committee Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad also similarly expressed his outraged with EC's stunning reversal today.
"This means that none of our demands are getting through. We thought it would at least go through with (using indelible ink)," said the director of PAS Research Centre.
"We want to make it clear that we are entering this election under protest," he said.
"We could foresee this coming. Now, our concerns and anxieties are immensely vindicated."
Despite his outrage with the EC's move, Dzulkifli urged opposition candidates and sympathisers to remain calm and focus on the task at hand - winning the upcoming polls.
"We will not be provoked. We will remain resilient, calm and relentless. We will maintain the due process of the elections. We will not destroy our chances of victory and will not do anything untoward."
After the polls, however, Bersih would "surely" file a petition on this matter, Dzulkifli said.
DAP looking at legal avenues
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng also said that the decision today would only benefit BN as it amounted to the EC sanctioning the ruling party’s "cheating and abuses" in the election.
He said that the EC must also explain as to how the use of indelible ink can threaten public order and security issues.
“It is ridiculous that the use of indelible ink can put the whole country into chaos and ruination,” he said.
He also said that the decision to cancel the use of indelible ink meant that the EC was wasting the RM2 million spent on buying 47,000 bottles of indelible ink.
“The EC has also destroyed its credibility, integrity and independence by cancelling the use at the last minute when it had earlier touted the use of indelible ink as a sign of its commitment towards ensuring free, fair, clean elections,” he said.
He warned that the people might not accept the results of the election on March 8 if it was tainted by abuses, cheating and vote rigging.
Lim also said that DAP was exploring legal avenues to see how it can prevent the EC from abandoning the use of indelible ink.
Mafrel PC tomorrow
PKR vice-president R Sivarasa, who is also the candidate for Selangor's Subang parliamentary seat, matched the indignation unleashed by Dzulkifli.
"I am completely shocked by this decision. It is tantamount to perpetuating a fraud on the elections," he said.
"From last July to just recently they told the Malaysian public that they were using indelible ink. And the reasons they give for cancelling the ink are nonsensical. How can marking someone's finger have anything to do with national security?" he asked.
Election watchdog Mafrel, when contacted, said that it would be commenting on the matter through a press conference tomorrow.
Earlier today, EC chairperson Abdul Rashid announced the cancellation of the use of the indelible ink for this general election, citing public order and security issues.
http://www.hindraf.org/content/u-turn-ink-a-black-mark-ec
Wed, 05/03/2008 - 02:37 — lucid [via malaysiakini.com]
Mar 4, 08 6:32pm
Opposition parties today slammed the Election Commission for the last-minute reversal of its plan to use the indelible ink in the coming general election, which they claimed could have stopped the menace of phantom voters.
In an immediate reaction, PKR’s deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali did not mince his words when he charged that the cancellation of the use of indelible ink was clear proof that the “EC is colluding with BN to allow cheating in the coming general elections”.
“Despite all assurances and false gestures, it is now clear the (EC chairperson) Abdul Rashid (Abdul Rahman) is content to conduct the 12th general election in an atmosphere completely bereft of integrity,” he said in a statement.
“Citing 'public order' and 'security' is also nonsensical reasoning that is perfectly consistent with the language of forces around the world who seek to supress democratic freedoms,” he added.
Syed Husin said that polls reform group Bersih, which represents not just political parties but a wide swathe of civil society, has campaigned tirelessly for indelible ink to be used to battle the scourge of phantom voters.
He also said that candidates have observed irregularities in postal voting, and revealed "hundreds and thousands" of false addresses, dead individuals and voters over 100 years old in the electoral rolls.
“At a moment where the eyes of the entire world are upon us, the EC has now conclusively and irrevocably shown that any overtures towards reform that it had made previously were in bad faith, and that in decisive moments, the EC will yield to every demand of its political masters,” Syed Husin decried.
He however said that the PKR noted one positive outcome of this development - that the BN intelligence must clearly be showing a swing towards the opposition, thus forcing them to resort once again to phantom voters and other forms of cheating.
Under protest
Meanwhile PAS leader and member of Bersih's steering committee Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad also similarly expressed his outraged with EC's stunning reversal today.
"This means that none of our demands are getting through. We thought it would at least go through with (using indelible ink)," said the director of PAS Research Centre.
"We want to make it clear that we are entering this election under protest," he said.
"We could foresee this coming. Now, our concerns and anxieties are immensely vindicated."
Despite his outrage with the EC's move, Dzulkifli urged opposition candidates and sympathisers to remain calm and focus on the task at hand - winning the upcoming polls.
"We will not be provoked. We will remain resilient, calm and relentless. We will maintain the due process of the elections. We will not destroy our chances of victory and will not do anything untoward."
After the polls, however, Bersih would "surely" file a petition on this matter, Dzulkifli said.
DAP looking at legal avenues
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng also said that the decision today would only benefit BN as it amounted to the EC sanctioning the ruling party’s "cheating and abuses" in the election.
He said that the EC must also explain as to how the use of indelible ink can threaten public order and security issues.
“It is ridiculous that the use of indelible ink can put the whole country into chaos and ruination,” he said.
He also said that the decision to cancel the use of indelible ink meant that the EC was wasting the RM2 million spent on buying 47,000 bottles of indelible ink.
“The EC has also destroyed its credibility, integrity and independence by cancelling the use at the last minute when it had earlier touted the use of indelible ink as a sign of its commitment towards ensuring free, fair, clean elections,” he said.
He warned that the people might not accept the results of the election on March 8 if it was tainted by abuses, cheating and vote rigging.
Lim also said that DAP was exploring legal avenues to see how it can prevent the EC from abandoning the use of indelible ink.
Mafrel PC tomorrow
PKR vice-president R Sivarasa, who is also the candidate for Selangor's Subang parliamentary seat, matched the indignation unleashed by Dzulkifli.
"I am completely shocked by this decision. It is tantamount to perpetuating a fraud on the elections," he said.
"From last July to just recently they told the Malaysian public that they were using indelible ink. And the reasons they give for cancelling the ink are nonsensical. How can marking someone's finger have anything to do with national security?" he asked.
Election watchdog Mafrel, when contacted, said that it would be commenting on the matter through a press conference tomorrow.
Earlier today, EC chairperson Abdul Rashid announced the cancellation of the use of the indelible ink for this general election, citing public order and security issues.
http://www.hindraf.org/content/u-turn-ink-a-black-mark-ec
Free polls? Not in Malaysia.
Free polls? Not in Malaysia
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=OPED&file_name=opd2%2Etxt&counter_img=2
Malaysia's ruling coalition is busy fixing the general election
scheduled for March 8. Julia Zappei reports from Kuala Lumpur
If election results were a measure of popularity, Malaysia's ruling
coalition would be one of the most adored Governments in the world.
But few believe popularity alone has kept the National Front in power
continuously since independence in 1957.
The parliamentary election on March 8 has once again fuelled
complaints that a subservient Election Commission, gerrymandering,
vote fraud, a compliant media, misuse of Government resources and
massive vote buying gives the Front an unfair advantage. The
Government "controls everything during election time," said Mr
Mohammed Agus Yusoff, a political science professor at the National
University of Malaysia. "This is why it's very difficult for the
Opposition to win."
The head of the Election Commission rejects such accusations.
"Cheating has never been proven anywhere in this country," said
Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, who himself has been accused of
being partial to the ruling coalition.
Regardless, the National Front is all but assured of remaining in
power after this week's election, because it offers a sense of
stability that many voters find comforting. But critics say the
alleged election irregularities unfairly increase its margin of
victory and make a mockery of democracy. The National Front has become
institutionalised to such an extent, they say, that people no longer
see the Opposition as an alternative.
Opposition leaders say the Election Commission creatively draws
election districts to favour the Government, so the National Front
wins far more seats than its percentage of the popular vote. In the
2004 election, the National Front took 91 per cent of the 219
parliamentary seats with only 64 per cent of the popular vote.
"The election is far from a level playing field," said Mr Dzulkifli
Ahmad, the chief political strategist of the Opposition Pan-Malaysian
Islamic Party. "We are really pushed to the wall." Mr Ramon
Navaratnam, president of the Malaysian branch of Berlin-based
anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, said such
gerrymandering is his main concern.
"It shows weaknesses in the democracy as it doesn't reflect the true
aspirations of the people," Mr Navaratnam said.
Activists also allege the electoral roll includes the names of
thousands of deceased people. They suspect "phantom voters" use these
names to cast ballots for the National Front, using fake
identification documents.
Until late last year, as many as 31,000 people above the age of 107
were on the electoral roll, according to Bersih, a watchdog
organisation made up of opposition parties and some independent
groups.
The Election Commission has deleted some names, but more than 8,600
people above 100 years old remain on the list, the commission says,
adding it cannot remove a name unless it has proof that the person has
died.
Ms Sharmila Thuraisingam, a 35-year-old housewife in Kuala Lumpur,
found out in 2004 that she was on the electoral roll in Kelantan
State, even though she had never registered to vote. "How are you
going to ensure that no one votes on my behalf?" she said, adding that
she complained to the Election Commission but is still listed in the
north-eastern Malaysian State this year.
Responding to critics, the commission has agreed to introduce a few
reforms such as marking voters' fingers with indelible ink to prevent
people from voting more than once. But the measure is voluntary, so
voters can refuse to have their fingers dyed. The Opposition also
complains that media coverage is biased. Most newspapers and
television stations are controlled by or closely linked to parties in
the National Front.
The media often trumpet Government achievements, especially during
election season, while the Opposition is portrayed as bumbling and
hypocritical.
Mr Abdul Rashid, the Election Commission's head, acknowledges that
"there are media bodies that take only one side," but says the
commission has no power to stop that.
Ms Somsri Hananunta-suk, director of the Bangkok-based Asian Network
for Free Elections, said Malaysia needs to curb prejudiced media
reports. "There are so many things that need to be reformed," she
said. "There are no checks and balances. In any democracy, you have to
have checks and balances."
-- AP
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=OPED&file_name=opd2%2Etxt&counter_img=2
Malaysia's ruling coalition is busy fixing the general election
scheduled for March 8. Julia Zappei reports from Kuala Lumpur
If election results were a measure of popularity, Malaysia's ruling
coalition would be one of the most adored Governments in the world.
But few believe popularity alone has kept the National Front in power
continuously since independence in 1957.
The parliamentary election on March 8 has once again fuelled
complaints that a subservient Election Commission, gerrymandering,
vote fraud, a compliant media, misuse of Government resources and
massive vote buying gives the Front an unfair advantage. The
Government "controls everything during election time," said Mr
Mohammed Agus Yusoff, a political science professor at the National
University of Malaysia. "This is why it's very difficult for the
Opposition to win."
The head of the Election Commission rejects such accusations.
"Cheating has never been proven anywhere in this country," said
Chairman Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, who himself has been accused of
being partial to the ruling coalition.
Regardless, the National Front is all but assured of remaining in
power after this week's election, because it offers a sense of
stability that many voters find comforting. But critics say the
alleged election irregularities unfairly increase its margin of
victory and make a mockery of democracy. The National Front has become
institutionalised to such an extent, they say, that people no longer
see the Opposition as an alternative.
Opposition leaders say the Election Commission creatively draws
election districts to favour the Government, so the National Front
wins far more seats than its percentage of the popular vote. In the
2004 election, the National Front took 91 per cent of the 219
parliamentary seats with only 64 per cent of the popular vote.
"The election is far from a level playing field," said Mr Dzulkifli
Ahmad, the chief political strategist of the Opposition Pan-Malaysian
Islamic Party. "We are really pushed to the wall." Mr Ramon
Navaratnam, president of the Malaysian branch of Berlin-based
anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International, said such
gerrymandering is his main concern.
"It shows weaknesses in the democracy as it doesn't reflect the true
aspirations of the people," Mr Navaratnam said.
Activists also allege the electoral roll includes the names of
thousands of deceased people. They suspect "phantom voters" use these
names to cast ballots for the National Front, using fake
identification documents.
Until late last year, as many as 31,000 people above the age of 107
were on the electoral roll, according to Bersih, a watchdog
organisation made up of opposition parties and some independent
groups.
The Election Commission has deleted some names, but more than 8,600
people above 100 years old remain on the list, the commission says,
adding it cannot remove a name unless it has proof that the person has
died.
Ms Sharmila Thuraisingam, a 35-year-old housewife in Kuala Lumpur,
found out in 2004 that she was on the electoral roll in Kelantan
State, even though she had never registered to vote. "How are you
going to ensure that no one votes on my behalf?" she said, adding that
she complained to the Election Commission but is still listed in the
north-eastern Malaysian State this year.
Responding to critics, the commission has agreed to introduce a few
reforms such as marking voters' fingers with indelible ink to prevent
people from voting more than once. But the measure is voluntary, so
voters can refuse to have their fingers dyed. The Opposition also
complains that media coverage is biased. Most newspapers and
television stations are controlled by or closely linked to parties in
the National Front.
The media often trumpet Government achievements, especially during
election season, while the Opposition is portrayed as bumbling and
hypocritical.
Mr Abdul Rashid, the Election Commission's head, acknowledges that
"there are media bodies that take only one side," but says the
commission has no power to stop that.
Ms Somsri Hananunta-suk, director of the Bangkok-based Asian Network
for Free Elections, said Malaysia needs to curb prejudiced media
reports. "There are so many things that need to be reformed," she
said. "There are no checks and balances. In any democracy, you have to
have checks and balances."
-- AP
Malaysian elections and geopolitical implications: Dr. Adityanjee
Monday, March 3, 2008
MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS AND GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS
By Dr. Adityanjee
Mr. Abdullah Badawi, the Prime Minster of Malaysia faced a scheduled parliamentary election in 2009. Not unexpectedly, on February 13th 2008 he announced mid-term elections one year ahead of schedule. He wanted to avoid an electoral contest in which the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former Islamist turned democracy activist, could be allowed to participate as the leading opposition figure and possible Prime Ministerial candidate. Anwar Ibrahim faces ban from electoral scene till 2009 on trumped up charges of corruption and sodomy on behalf of previous Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad. Anwar Ibrahim might have pulled off an alternative, credible multi-racial political front by 2009 to confront the ruling coalition if the mid-term elections were not announced prematurely. Badawi seems to be using the stability, economic prosperity and continuation of Malay dominance to face electorate again on March 8th 2008. He has targeted the Malaysian civil society and the leaders of the (Hindu Rights Action Forum) HINDRAF who are in prison under the infamous Internal Security Act. Badawi had got the opposition leader Mr. Anwar Ibrahim also arrested a few weeks ago to prevent him from informally campaigning for the expected but not announced elections
India has genuinely tried to engage Malaysia since independence. India is currently trying to negotiate a free trade area with Malaysia. The Defense Minister AK Anthony visited Malaysia few weeks ago to develop military relations with that country despite claims of marginalization and oppression of Hindu Malaysians. A day after his visit, Malaysia announced new visa rules restricting entry of Indian Professionals in Malaysia. Though successive governments of India have truly considered Malaysia as a friendly Asian nation, the diplomatic sentiments have not been reciprocated by the successive Malaysian governments. Malaysia has consistently blocked India’s entry into ASEAN+6, ARF, APEC, East Asia Community on behest of China and Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad was very vocal in proposing anti-India entry parameters in these East Asian fora to keep India isolated. In fact Malaysia has been counter-balanced by Singapore that has welcomed India’s role as an ASEAN regional dialogue partner. Singapore is facilitating India’s entry into derivative East Asian and Asia-pacific institutions. Malaysia has always taken pro-Pakistan stance in international fora against vital Indian interests.
While denouncing India for the 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests, Malaysia became a willing participant in Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear trade and commerce. Mr. Abdullah Badawi’s own son was allegedly front-running a shadow company for the benefit of AQ Khan's international nuclear Wal-Mart that benefited Pakistan and smuggled nuclear weapon components to North Korea, Libya, Syria and Iran. Details of these transactions are carefully documented by Adrian Levy and Catherine Clark-Scott in their best seller entitled “Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons”. Also not widely known is the fact that Kuala Lumpur was the active planning and meeting ground for the Islamic terrorists who brought down the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks. It appears that after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia has turned out to be the incubator of Jihadi terrorism in Asia.
In the Asian geo-political theatre, a de-facto China-Pakistan-Malaysia axis has emerged with its strong anti-India under-pinnings. Malaysia, like Pakistan is an artificially contrived product of British Colonialism. The British colonial territory of Peninsular Malaya was merged with Sabah and Sarawak states that constitute East Malaysia. Analogous to Pakistan, it has pre-Islamic Indic and Hindu heritage that Malay Muslim civil society vehemently refuses to accept and acknowledge unlike their Indonesian cousins. Both countries are part of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and tend to view international policies through the prism of Islamic Ummah. Both countries lack true democracy and have authoritarian, anti-minority constitutional provisions that have brought about ethnic cleansing of Hindu minority since independence from colonial Britain. This has reflected in demographic pattern of both these countries with declining Hindu minority population since the time of Independence from colonial power Britain. Meanwhile, China, in order to counter-balance US in the Islamic world, has gone out of the way to aggressively cultivate Islamic countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Albania, Libya and Malaysia etc. It is no secret that China has cultivated Pakistan over the last four decades to contain India. With their similar hostile anti-India and anti-Hindu national mindsets, both Pakistan and Malaysia have become Chinese pawns in the international chess-board.
Mr. Badawi hopes to hold on to power in the March 8th 2008 federal elections. Four years ago, Mr. Badawi obtained more than two-third majority in national elections winning 200 seats conceding only 20 seats in the Malaysian parliament to the opposition. Mr. Badawi has gone on the record to say that Malaysian Indians might not vote for Barrisan Nasional this time. As a sop to Hindu-Malaysians, the Hindu festival of Thaipussam was declared a national holiday just before announcing the mid-term elections. The discredited MIC leader Sami Velu initially decided to not contest the elections having realized that he may not win this time. But ultimately, in the name of experience, he was persuaded to contest his seat by Abdullah Badawi to avoid giving any moral victory to HINDRAF leaders. Now, during the elections Sami Vellu who has been a minister in the Barrisan Nasional government for more than thirty years claims that the Malaysian government has not done enough for the Malaysian Indians!
It is widely predicted that though Barrisan Nasional will come back to power, it may not get two-third majority. It is likely that the loose opposition combine of Democratic Action Party, Kedilan (Justice) Party of Anwar Ibrahim and the Islamist PAS may together get a total of 80-90 seats in the national parliament. Last time when the ruling UMNO (United Malay National Organization) lost electorally in May 1969, there were racial riots with targeting of Chinese Malaysians. The youth wing of UMNO has been displaying spears and axes in their annual meetings to maintain the Malay supremacy. In this context, one may remember former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad ‘s overt threats in his book “The Malay Dilemma” that Malays will be forced to “run amok” if Malay supremacy is challenged. This time, in case of UMNO electoral losses, the potential targets of Malay mobs will be Hindu-Malaysians. The international community needs to anticipate racial and religious violence targeted against Hindu-Malaysians in the aftermath of UMNO defeat in the March 8th 2008 elections in Malaysia.
A wounded but victorious Abdullah Badawi and UMNO may show persistent hostility towards Hindu-Malaysians in the domestic arena. Genuine grievances of Hindu Malaysians may not be resolved after the elections. Cornered domestically, Malaysia led by Abdullah Badawi may draw closer into the undeclared CPM (China-Pakistan-Malaysia) axis and show its intense displeasure by striking at India’s interests in international arena with scorn and renewed vigor.
The de facto and de jure system of racial and religious apartheid needs to be dismantled in Malaysia. If the international community can criticize and demand reforms in South Africa for racial segregation and apartheid policies, we can certainly criticize Malaysian government for the same. Multi-lateral, carefully calibrated economic sanctions against Malaysia are warranted till the apartheid state is dismantled and the proposed constitutional reforms are implemented. The US, India and Japan are not morally justified in negotiating an FTA with Malaysia under current apartheid system when minorities are being systematically persecuted. Asian democracies like India and Japan need to take moral lead and use calibrated and targeted economic sanctions to change this system of apartheid in a fellow Asian nation.
All diplomatic means must be used to avoid any repetition of ethnic riots following declaration of results of the March 8th 2008 elections. Strong political message needs to be sent to the law-enforcement agencies of Malaysia (Police and Army included) that ethnic violence and genocide following a possible defeat in the March 2008 elections will not be tolerated. If such timely steps are not taken now, the whole of South-East Asia will be destabilized consequently. History will not forgive us for our failure to act in Malaysia at this crucial juncture.
Posted by intellibriefs at 7:44 PM 0 comments
MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS AND GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS
By Dr. Adityanjee
Mr. Abdullah Badawi, the Prime Minster of Malaysia faced a scheduled parliamentary election in 2009. Not unexpectedly, on February 13th 2008 he announced mid-term elections one year ahead of schedule. He wanted to avoid an electoral contest in which the opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, a former Islamist turned democracy activist, could be allowed to participate as the leading opposition figure and possible Prime Ministerial candidate. Anwar Ibrahim faces ban from electoral scene till 2009 on trumped up charges of corruption and sodomy on behalf of previous Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad. Anwar Ibrahim might have pulled off an alternative, credible multi-racial political front by 2009 to confront the ruling coalition if the mid-term elections were not announced prematurely. Badawi seems to be using the stability, economic prosperity and continuation of Malay dominance to face electorate again on March 8th 2008. He has targeted the Malaysian civil society and the leaders of the (Hindu Rights Action Forum) HINDRAF who are in prison under the infamous Internal Security Act. Badawi had got the opposition leader Mr. Anwar Ibrahim also arrested a few weeks ago to prevent him from informally campaigning for the expected but not announced elections
India has genuinely tried to engage Malaysia since independence. India is currently trying to negotiate a free trade area with Malaysia. The Defense Minister AK Anthony visited Malaysia few weeks ago to develop military relations with that country despite claims of marginalization and oppression of Hindu Malaysians. A day after his visit, Malaysia announced new visa rules restricting entry of Indian Professionals in Malaysia. Though successive governments of India have truly considered Malaysia as a friendly Asian nation, the diplomatic sentiments have not been reciprocated by the successive Malaysian governments. Malaysia has consistently blocked India’s entry into ASEAN+6, ARF, APEC, East Asia Community on behest of China and Pakistan. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad was very vocal in proposing anti-India entry parameters in these East Asian fora to keep India isolated. In fact Malaysia has been counter-balanced by Singapore that has welcomed India’s role as an ASEAN regional dialogue partner. Singapore is facilitating India’s entry into derivative East Asian and Asia-pacific institutions. Malaysia has always taken pro-Pakistan stance in international fora against vital Indian interests.
While denouncing India for the 1998 Pokhran II nuclear tests, Malaysia became a willing participant in Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear trade and commerce. Mr. Abdullah Badawi’s own son was allegedly front-running a shadow company for the benefit of AQ Khan's international nuclear Wal-Mart that benefited Pakistan and smuggled nuclear weapon components to North Korea, Libya, Syria and Iran. Details of these transactions are carefully documented by Adrian Levy and Catherine Clark-Scott in their best seller entitled “Deception: Pakistan, the United States, and the Secret Trade in Nuclear Weapons”. Also not widely known is the fact that Kuala Lumpur was the active planning and meeting ground for the Islamic terrorists who brought down the Twin Towers during the 9/11 attacks. It appears that after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Malaysia has turned out to be the incubator of Jihadi terrorism in Asia.
In the Asian geo-political theatre, a de-facto China-Pakistan-Malaysia axis has emerged with its strong anti-India under-pinnings. Malaysia, like Pakistan is an artificially contrived product of British Colonialism. The British colonial territory of Peninsular Malaya was merged with Sabah and Sarawak states that constitute East Malaysia. Analogous to Pakistan, it has pre-Islamic Indic and Hindu heritage that Malay Muslim civil society vehemently refuses to accept and acknowledge unlike their Indonesian cousins. Both countries are part of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and tend to view international policies through the prism of Islamic Ummah. Both countries lack true democracy and have authoritarian, anti-minority constitutional provisions that have brought about ethnic cleansing of Hindu minority since independence from colonial Britain. This has reflected in demographic pattern of both these countries with declining Hindu minority population since the time of Independence from colonial power Britain. Meanwhile, China, in order to counter-balance US in the Islamic world, has gone out of the way to aggressively cultivate Islamic countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Albania, Libya and Malaysia etc. It is no secret that China has cultivated Pakistan over the last four decades to contain India. With their similar hostile anti-India and anti-Hindu national mindsets, both Pakistan and Malaysia have become Chinese pawns in the international chess-board.
Mr. Badawi hopes to hold on to power in the March 8th 2008 federal elections. Four years ago, Mr. Badawi obtained more than two-third majority in national elections winning 200 seats conceding only 20 seats in the Malaysian parliament to the opposition. Mr. Badawi has gone on the record to say that Malaysian Indians might not vote for Barrisan Nasional this time. As a sop to Hindu-Malaysians, the Hindu festival of Thaipussam was declared a national holiday just before announcing the mid-term elections. The discredited MIC leader Sami Velu initially decided to not contest the elections having realized that he may not win this time. But ultimately, in the name of experience, he was persuaded to contest his seat by Abdullah Badawi to avoid giving any moral victory to HINDRAF leaders. Now, during the elections Sami Vellu who has been a minister in the Barrisan Nasional government for more than thirty years claims that the Malaysian government has not done enough for the Malaysian Indians!
It is widely predicted that though Barrisan Nasional will come back to power, it may not get two-third majority. It is likely that the loose opposition combine of Democratic Action Party, Kedilan (Justice) Party of Anwar Ibrahim and the Islamist PAS may together get a total of 80-90 seats in the national parliament. Last time when the ruling UMNO (United Malay National Organization) lost electorally in May 1969, there were racial riots with targeting of Chinese Malaysians. The youth wing of UMNO has been displaying spears and axes in their annual meetings to maintain the Malay supremacy. In this context, one may remember former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad ‘s overt threats in his book “The Malay Dilemma” that Malays will be forced to “run amok” if Malay supremacy is challenged. This time, in case of UMNO electoral losses, the potential targets of Malay mobs will be Hindu-Malaysians. The international community needs to anticipate racial and religious violence targeted against Hindu-Malaysians in the aftermath of UMNO defeat in the March 8th 2008 elections in Malaysia.
A wounded but victorious Abdullah Badawi and UMNO may show persistent hostility towards Hindu-Malaysians in the domestic arena. Genuine grievances of Hindu Malaysians may not be resolved after the elections. Cornered domestically, Malaysia led by Abdullah Badawi may draw closer into the undeclared CPM (China-Pakistan-Malaysia) axis and show its intense displeasure by striking at India’s interests in international arena with scorn and renewed vigor.
The de facto and de jure system of racial and religious apartheid needs to be dismantled in Malaysia. If the international community can criticize and demand reforms in South Africa for racial segregation and apartheid policies, we can certainly criticize Malaysian government for the same. Multi-lateral, carefully calibrated economic sanctions against Malaysia are warranted till the apartheid state is dismantled and the proposed constitutional reforms are implemented. The US, India and Japan are not morally justified in negotiating an FTA with Malaysia under current apartheid system when minorities are being systematically persecuted. Asian democracies like India and Japan need to take moral lead and use calibrated and targeted economic sanctions to change this system of apartheid in a fellow Asian nation.
All diplomatic means must be used to avoid any repetition of ethnic riots following declaration of results of the March 8th 2008 elections. Strong political message needs to be sent to the law-enforcement agencies of Malaysia (Police and Army included) that ethnic violence and genocide following a possible defeat in the March 2008 elections will not be tolerated. If such timely steps are not taken now, the whole of South-East Asia will be destabilized consequently. History will not forgive us for our failure to act in Malaysia at this crucial juncture.
Posted by intellibriefs at 7:44 PM 0 comments
Hindraf on Malaysia Genl. Elections 2008
Hindraf on Malaysia Genl. Elections 2008
HINDRAF CHAIRMAN'S PRESS STATEMENT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS 2008.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban.
Re : HINDRAF CALL ON MALAYSIAN INDIANS TO VOTE FOR OPPOSITION PARTIES EN BLOCK.
PAS KEADILAN AND DAP ARE FAIRER AND PROMISES COMMITMENT TO RESOLVE INDIAN ISSUES.
50 YEARS OF BLIND LOYALTY ENOUGH- MALAYSIAN INDIANS ARE POLITICALLY MATURED.
HINDRAF calls upon all Malaysian Indians to vote for the opposition parties en block in the forthcoming 12th general elections.
50 years of blinded loyalty to a political union which cheated, oppressed and mislead and made threat of serious repercussions to the Indian community should they not support is enough. HINDRAF believes the Malaysian Indians are politically mature now and are able to see the devious BARISAN NATIONAL Government controlled by UMNO.
HINDRAF wishes to reiterate that we are not against the Malay race or the muslim religion. We believe and respect the principle that all religions are true and have equal status clearly defined under International legislations. We have lived peacefully and in good harmony with the Malays but UMNO which controls the BN Government had deliberately adopted and implemented policies that divide and rule the multi racial and multi religious Malaysian population.
UMNO instils unfounded fear among the Malays on the demands made by HINDRAF. The truth is they fear losing the monopoly of the “elite class privileges” they had been enjoying over the last 50 years under the guise of “malay special privileges” but had in turn neglected the equally poor and underclass malay community.
Time has come for all Malaysians to think globally and in the Larger National Interest for the sake of nation building. Let us all do our part to deny BN the 2/3 majority as the “first step” and work towards a progressive, cohesive and strong opposition representation in Parliament.
HINDRAF invites our Malay, Chinese, Kadazan, Iban and all other ethnic community brothers and sisters to join us in this pursuit to undo 50 years of “systematic violations of the Federal Constitution”.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in London
http://makkalsakti.blogspot.com/2008/03/hindraf-chairmans-press-statement-on.html
HINDRAF CHAIRMAN'S PRESS STATEMENT ON GENERAL ELECTIONS 2008.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
HINDRAF
135-3 Jalan Toman 7
Kemayan Square 70200
Seremban.
Re : HINDRAF CALL ON MALAYSIAN INDIANS TO VOTE FOR OPPOSITION PARTIES EN BLOCK.
PAS KEADILAN AND DAP ARE FAIRER AND PROMISES COMMITMENT TO RESOLVE INDIAN ISSUES.
50 YEARS OF BLIND LOYALTY ENOUGH- MALAYSIAN INDIANS ARE POLITICALLY MATURED.
HINDRAF calls upon all Malaysian Indians to vote for the opposition parties en block in the forthcoming 12th general elections.
50 years of blinded loyalty to a political union which cheated, oppressed and mislead and made threat of serious repercussions to the Indian community should they not support is enough. HINDRAF believes the Malaysian Indians are politically mature now and are able to see the devious BARISAN NATIONAL Government controlled by UMNO.
HINDRAF wishes to reiterate that we are not against the Malay race or the muslim religion. We believe and respect the principle that all religions are true and have equal status clearly defined under International legislations. We have lived peacefully and in good harmony with the Malays but UMNO which controls the BN Government had deliberately adopted and implemented policies that divide and rule the multi racial and multi religious Malaysian population.
UMNO instils unfounded fear among the Malays on the demands made by HINDRAF. The truth is they fear losing the monopoly of the “elite class privileges” they had been enjoying over the last 50 years under the guise of “malay special privileges” but had in turn neglected the equally poor and underclass malay community.
Time has come for all Malaysians to think globally and in the Larger National Interest for the sake of nation building. Let us all do our part to deny BN the 2/3 majority as the “first step” and work towards a progressive, cohesive and strong opposition representation in Parliament.
HINDRAF invites our Malay, Chinese, Kadazan, Iban and all other ethnic community brothers and sisters to join us in this pursuit to undo 50 years of “systematic violations of the Federal Constitution”.
P.Waytha Moorthy
Chairman
HINDRAF
Currently in London
http://makkalsakti.blogspot.com/2008/03/hindraf-chairmans-press-statement-on.html
Apartheid in Malaysia: experience of a Malaysian Chinese
Apartheid in Malaysia: A Malaysian Chinese Narrates His Experiences
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/79136
Isn't this apartheid?
TSYH | Mar 4, 08 4:24pm
I was born in Malaysia in 1969. That was 39 years ago. As a Malaysian-born Chinese schooled under a curriculum that taught us to love the country we live in, I was proud to be its citizen. It is said that its sistem demokrasi is fair to all and gives all citizens rights that are protected under the constitution. I was a scout, so it was one of my responsibilities to recite the Rukun Negara. And
I believe in it.
When I grew older, some of my Malay friends left my class and I learned that the government said that they were clever and needed to be in sekolah asrama penuh. I didn't understand what that was at the time. Now I know the reality of the country that I grew up in.
In university, I received no scholarships or loans, but most of my bumiputera friends got them. My father was only a teacher. To support me in university was not easy, even though it was a public university. My mother, a housewife, needed to care for their children. And my younger brother did not proceed further in his studies because the family could not afford it. I am forever grateful to them.
For your information, I have no animosity towards anyone. I have friends of all races, so does my father. The policymaker is the one to blame.
After working in the private sectors for a few years, I started my own business. My company - which is open to all Malaysians - is registered with Matrade.I was sent e-mails about numerous talks and business opportunities that were open to all Malaysian companies. But on the front page of every application I saw a clause that divides Malaysia - Is your company a bumiputera company? How are the company's shares divided?
I wanted to know why this was necessary. If the company's not a bumiputera company, is the government not going to help?
The country's main asset is their citizenry. Politicians get their power from the citizens to manage the country. But with the current government's discriminatory policies and actions, the country will be falling apart and failing. Investors are going away. Even our own entrepreneurs are going away. A country without these assets will be at its knees sooner or later. The silent ones will just go away, leaving the land to those who have no means with which to live and no power to help themselves.
I am sure a lot of people share my views but don't have the time to write. I love this country. My childhood, my memories, my business are all here. But I cannot see any future in it at this moment. It's time to re-think our existence in this country.
The existing government needs to have a long overdue massive overhaul. For a change, the country must be lead by a fair and capable prime minister. This leader must be respected by all races and his/her party must be multi-racial.
With our natural resources, our country can be ten times better than Singapore. We just need the right and capable leaders to govern this country, not a group of people who only think of how to enrich themselves. Actually, I don't know the difference between apartheid and the system we live in now. Is our current system not discriminating against its own citizens?
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/79136
Isn't this apartheid?
TSYH | Mar 4, 08 4:24pm
I was born in Malaysia in 1969. That was 39 years ago. As a Malaysian-born Chinese schooled under a curriculum that taught us to love the country we live in, I was proud to be its citizen. It is said that its sistem demokrasi is fair to all and gives all citizens rights that are protected under the constitution. I was a scout, so it was one of my responsibilities to recite the Rukun Negara. And
I believe in it.
When I grew older, some of my Malay friends left my class and I learned that the government said that they were clever and needed to be in sekolah asrama penuh. I didn't understand what that was at the time. Now I know the reality of the country that I grew up in.
In university, I received no scholarships or loans, but most of my bumiputera friends got them. My father was only a teacher. To support me in university was not easy, even though it was a public university. My mother, a housewife, needed to care for their children. And my younger brother did not proceed further in his studies because the family could not afford it. I am forever grateful to them.
For your information, I have no animosity towards anyone. I have friends of all races, so does my father. The policymaker is the one to blame.
After working in the private sectors for a few years, I started my own business. My company - which is open to all Malaysians - is registered with Matrade.I was sent e-mails about numerous talks and business opportunities that were open to all Malaysian companies. But on the front page of every application I saw a clause that divides Malaysia - Is your company a bumiputera company? How are the company's shares divided?
I wanted to know why this was necessary. If the company's not a bumiputera company, is the government not going to help?
The country's main asset is their citizenry. Politicians get their power from the citizens to manage the country. But with the current government's discriminatory policies and actions, the country will be falling apart and failing. Investors are going away. Even our own entrepreneurs are going away. A country without these assets will be at its knees sooner or later. The silent ones will just go away, leaving the land to those who have no means with which to live and no power to help themselves.
I am sure a lot of people share my views but don't have the time to write. I love this country. My childhood, my memories, my business are all here. But I cannot see any future in it at this moment. It's time to re-think our existence in this country.
The existing government needs to have a long overdue massive overhaul. For a change, the country must be lead by a fair and capable prime minister. This leader must be respected by all races and his/her party must be multi-racial.
With our natural resources, our country can be ten times better than Singapore. We just need the right and capable leaders to govern this country, not a group of people who only think of how to enrich themselves. Actually, I don't know the difference between apartheid and the system we live in now. Is our current system not discriminating against its own citizens?
Want to change your race? Go to Malaysia
Malaysia is the only place in the world where one can change one's race
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/75098
The Indian-Muslim opportunists in Umno
AM Raj | Nov 21, 07 6:16pm
It was interesting to read two recent letters to Malaysiakini, Umno full of 'non-Malay' leaders by Jamiliah Kassim and You can't 'convert' to another race by Unprivileged Race.
A Sudanese friend who worked with me in a Kuala Lumpur hospital said, "Malaysia is the only place in the world where one can change one's race." As a foreigner, he was amused to find Indian Muslims masquerading as Malays and grabbing opportunities meant for Malays and other bumiputeras. I agree with Unprivileged Race that there is no such thing as "becoming" a Malay. Even Malays have realised that the term "masuk Melayu" makes no sense now.
Historically, there were two reasons for Malays to think that masuk Islam (converting to Islam) meant masuk Melayu (converting to Malay). Many Malays in those days thought that Malays (and perhaps Arabs) were the only Muslims in the world. Some will remember that even speaking in English was considered being kafir or ingrate.
The second and perhaps more pertinent reason was the fact that many Muslim converts were ostracised by their own communities. Hence, these converts were readily accepted into the Malay community and naturally adopted Malay customs and often married Malays.
Perhaps, for clearer understanding of Indian Muslims, it is important to put them into three groups:
Group 1: Indian Muslim converts
While It is true that some of them have somehow manipulated the system to claim privileges meant for bumiputeras, this number is small. In any case, most of them have married Malay Muslims and therefore their children can rightfully be called bumiputeras since the constitution clearly says that if either parent is a Malay, then the child is entitled to be a Malay. No harm in that, surely.
Group 2: Malays with Indian ancestry
These are predominantly found in the northern region of the country. They are, for all practical purposes, Malay and it is grossly unfair to label them as Indian. Their cuisine, jewelry and customs may have traces of Indian influence which has enriched the Malay culture. The smattering use of Tamil words in their language adds colour to it, just like the Kelantanese dialect. This group is often referred to as the mamak community and it is only appropriate that they be classified as Malay.
I think it is ridiculous that some ignorant people like Jamiliah Kassim keep harping on the issue of Dr Mahathir Mohamad being Indian. In my mind, there is no one more Malay than Mahathir. His father was of Indian origin and married a local Malay. By that virtue alone, Mahathir is constitutionally a Malay.
Let us not forget that in the pre-independence era when it was not fashionable to be called a Malay, Mahathir was brought up as a Malay and later passionately fought for the Malay cause. Simply because he is genetically part-Indian does not make him an Indian.
For all those who keep saying, with mischievous intentions, that Mahathir was registered as an Indian at University Malaya, Singapore, I can confidently say that nothing is further from the truth. I have had the opportunity to see his academic certificates in his home and found no entry saying he was classified as Indian. I hope this puts to rest the silly accusations once and for all.
Group 3: Indian-Muslim descendants of immigrants
In private, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujerati or even Burmese and in public, make a pathetic attempt to speak Bahasa Melayu. I have my doubts as to how many of them appreciate sambal petai or even understand the meaning of "Melepaskan batuk di tangga." It is this group of Indian Muslims who continue to make a mockery of the New Economic Policy by grabbing opportunities meant for the bumiputeras.
Many of them, indeed, occupy senior positions in Umno. I can think of at least one minister holding an important portfolio, who, by no stretch of imagination, can be called a Malay but is a member of Umno. There is another Umno leader whose late father was a state MIC chief! I am sure that took your breath away!
In my medical practice, I used to come across patients with names with very obvious Indian elements like Koya, Begum, Beevi claiming to be Melayu. When questioned they would invariably say "Cari makan, doktor."
I even had one Indian Muslim patient who got admitted to the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, the bastion of elite Malays. His father was a roti canai seller and his mother still an Indian citizen. Walk into any local university and note how many Indian Muslims have joined as trainee lecturers, a special scheme meant only for bumiputeras.
Often this group give the impression that they are mamak and try to piggyback on them for obvious reasons. It is up to the Malays if they want to embrace these Indian Muslims out of ignorance or in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood. But to allow the NEP to be hijacked by this group of Indian Muslims is an insult to the other non-Malay bumiputeras like the Iban, Kadazan and Orang Asli.
I laughed to myself when I read our deputy prime minister's speech to the Umno general assembly when he quoted Munshi Abdullah, obviously alluding to him as a "towering Malay". Munshi Abdullah was a Tamil scholar who made immense contributions to the Malay language.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/75098
The Indian-Muslim opportunists in Umno
AM Raj | Nov 21, 07 6:16pm
It was interesting to read two recent letters to Malaysiakini, Umno full of 'non-Malay' leaders by Jamiliah Kassim and You can't 'convert' to another race by Unprivileged Race.
A Sudanese friend who worked with me in a Kuala Lumpur hospital said, "Malaysia is the only place in the world where one can change one's race." As a foreigner, he was amused to find Indian Muslims masquerading as Malays and grabbing opportunities meant for Malays and other bumiputeras. I agree with Unprivileged Race that there is no such thing as "becoming" a Malay. Even Malays have realised that the term "masuk Melayu" makes no sense now.
Historically, there were two reasons for Malays to think that masuk Islam (converting to Islam) meant masuk Melayu (converting to Malay). Many Malays in those days thought that Malays (and perhaps Arabs) were the only Muslims in the world. Some will remember that even speaking in English was considered being kafir or ingrate.
The second and perhaps more pertinent reason was the fact that many Muslim converts were ostracised by their own communities. Hence, these converts were readily accepted into the Malay community and naturally adopted Malay customs and often married Malays.
Perhaps, for clearer understanding of Indian Muslims, it is important to put them into three groups:
Group 1: Indian Muslim converts
While It is true that some of them have somehow manipulated the system to claim privileges meant for bumiputeras, this number is small. In any case, most of them have married Malay Muslims and therefore their children can rightfully be called bumiputeras since the constitution clearly says that if either parent is a Malay, then the child is entitled to be a Malay. No harm in that, surely.
Group 2: Malays with Indian ancestry
These are predominantly found in the northern region of the country. They are, for all practical purposes, Malay and it is grossly unfair to label them as Indian. Their cuisine, jewelry and customs may have traces of Indian influence which has enriched the Malay culture. The smattering use of Tamil words in their language adds colour to it, just like the Kelantanese dialect. This group is often referred to as the mamak community and it is only appropriate that they be classified as Malay.
I think it is ridiculous that some ignorant people like Jamiliah Kassim keep harping on the issue of Dr Mahathir Mohamad being Indian. In my mind, there is no one more Malay than Mahathir. His father was of Indian origin and married a local Malay. By that virtue alone, Mahathir is constitutionally a Malay.
Let us not forget that in the pre-independence era when it was not fashionable to be called a Malay, Mahathir was brought up as a Malay and later passionately fought for the Malay cause. Simply because he is genetically part-Indian does not make him an Indian.
For all those who keep saying, with mischievous intentions, that Mahathir was registered as an Indian at University Malaya, Singapore, I can confidently say that nothing is further from the truth. I have had the opportunity to see his academic certificates in his home and found no entry saying he was classified as Indian. I hope this puts to rest the silly accusations once and for all.
Group 3: Indian-Muslim descendants of immigrants
In private, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujerati or even Burmese and in public, make a pathetic attempt to speak Bahasa Melayu. I have my doubts as to how many of them appreciate sambal petai or even understand the meaning of "Melepaskan batuk di tangga." It is this group of Indian Muslims who continue to make a mockery of the New Economic Policy by grabbing opportunities meant for the bumiputeras.
Many of them, indeed, occupy senior positions in Umno. I can think of at least one minister holding an important portfolio, who, by no stretch of imagination, can be called a Malay but is a member of Umno. There is another Umno leader whose late father was a state MIC chief! I am sure that took your breath away!
In my medical practice, I used to come across patients with names with very obvious Indian elements like Koya, Begum, Beevi claiming to be Melayu. When questioned they would invariably say "Cari makan, doktor."
I even had one Indian Muslim patient who got admitted to the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, the bastion of elite Malays. His father was a roti canai seller and his mother still an Indian citizen. Walk into any local university and note how many Indian Muslims have joined as trainee lecturers, a special scheme meant only for bumiputeras.
Often this group give the impression that they are mamak and try to piggyback on them for obvious reasons. It is up to the Malays if they want to embrace these Indian Muslims out of ignorance or in the spirit of Muslim brotherhood. But to allow the NEP to be hijacked by this group of Indian Muslims is an insult to the other non-Malay bumiputeras like the Iban, Kadazan and Orang Asli.
I laughed to myself when I read our deputy prime minister's speech to the Umno general assembly when he quoted Munshi Abdullah, obviously alluding to him as a "towering Malay". Munshi Abdullah was a Tamil scholar who made immense contributions to the Malay language.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Let's stop the pretence: Barry Michael Raj
One recent morning, I had just taken a gulp of my favourite java when I suddenly felt quite tempted to throw the hot coffee in my hand at my laptop screen.
It was not because my IBM Lenovo was giving me problems that I hate it so much or have a few spares lying around to use if I destroyed this. No, I love my machine very much, it works beautifully and I can't think of a life without it.
The object of my contempt that morning was a story that had popped up on my screen quoting our enlightened prime minister telling us – through that idiotic news agency Bernama – that Malaysian opposition parties were envious of his Barisan Nasional's success in administering the country and commanding the support of the people.
So now the opposition is jealous of Malaysia's success? I asked, unable to stop my lips from curling into a crooked smile. I thought all these while it was foreigners who were jealous of Malaysia's success?
Soon, the humour in me dried up and in its place, a nauseous wave of anger rose.
"What the…?" (a cursed word escaped my lips). "How long are they going to keep up with this…?" (more unprintable words followed).
Inflation is suffocating my fellow Malaysians and thousands are taking to the streets to get relieve from innumerable injustices. And our prime minister thinks the opposition is jealous of his success?
I ask this because Bernama had quoted him as saying that opposition parties "make up various stories".
"The opposition parties hope that by making up these stories they can influence the people to support them when BN is divided," he said.
He added that the opposition "know, but pretend not to know" what's happening in the country.
In my near 40 years in Malaysia before my career severed my umbilical cord from my beloved motherland, I knew of only two groups of people who knew everything that was happening in the country and yet pretended not to.
The first group comprised of Joe Publics like you and me who religiously read everything printed daily by our mainstream newspapers and pretended not to know that all the feel-good rubbish there was indeed rubbish.
The second group represented the primary source for the rubbish we were fed: the Government or "Gomen", depending on your favourite term of endearment for this company.
To me, it is the fault of the first group of pretenders that has kept up the song-and-dance of the second group. And the level of pretence by both groups had just gotten better over the years.
The "BN had led Malaysia to become the most developed country among the developing nations in the world", Abdullah proudly declared.
Indeed, I thought. With a foreign direct investment level even lower than Vietnam's, we must soon be swamping Singapore in the development stakes.
Abdullah said if the poverty level in Malaysia had been 10 percent previously, it had now gone down to 5.7 percent. "We cannot deny that this is another success," he said.
Sure, I thought. Let's pretend inflation is still digit-inflation like what your Gomen has been claiming the last 50 years -- although prices at restaurants and petrol pumps are up 30 and 70 percent in the last 5 years alone.
"Praise be to God that we have achieved success (in many areas)," Abdullah continued, without missing a beat.
I leafed through our many success stories and found a ranking below South Africa on the international corruption index and a police force unflatteringly compared with the Gestapo as among our achievements.
Abdullah showed he had more venom for the opposition when he said its ultimate aim was to make Barisan Nasional parties "suspicious of each other".
This will lead to "chaos, quarrels and eventually we become weak" he said.
I quickly admonished myself for thinking BN parties were out to kill one another when they actually loved each other to death. It must have been only the opposition that had condemned UMNO for all the keris-waving at the latter's assembly, not the MCA, I decided. It must also have been the opposition that caused the premature political demise of an MCA porn star by hiding a camera in his hotel room although he suspects his party colleagues did him in.
Abdullah finally ratcheted the pretence ante all the way by taunting the Joe Publics: "Who dares to say that his race is not developed or that they are always at the losing end ever since BN ruled the country more than 50 years?"
"Who dares to say that his community's wealth and assets have not increased over the years?
This was when I decided to end my pretence.
"Look here, you Gomen, I'm telling you," I hollered, my voice reverberating through my tiny San Francisco apartment. "Barry Michael Raj is telling you: My Indian Malaysian race has been at the losing end since the day your damn party started running this country 50 years ago."
"Barry Michael Raj is telling you that his community's wealth has vaporised over these last 50 years and those riches have not gone to poor deserving Malays but to the elite sons of your damn Gomen. I will also tell you that Indian Malaysians have less than 1 percent of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's market capitalisation; that there are less than 3 to 4 percent of Indian Malaysians studying in Gomen-run universities; and less than 1 percent of all scholarships awarded by the Gomen are for Indian Malaysians. Let me know if you want to hear more."
So, my fellow Malaysians, I have decided to end my pretence and come back and do the right thing on March 8.
Are you going to as well?
It was not because my IBM Lenovo was giving me problems that I hate it so much or have a few spares lying around to use if I destroyed this. No, I love my machine very much, it works beautifully and I can't think of a life without it.
The object of my contempt that morning was a story that had popped up on my screen quoting our enlightened prime minister telling us – through that idiotic news agency Bernama – that Malaysian opposition parties were envious of his Barisan Nasional's success in administering the country and commanding the support of the people.
So now the opposition is jealous of Malaysia's success? I asked, unable to stop my lips from curling into a crooked smile. I thought all these while it was foreigners who were jealous of Malaysia's success?
Soon, the humour in me dried up and in its place, a nauseous wave of anger rose.
"What the…?" (a cursed word escaped my lips). "How long are they going to keep up with this…?" (more unprintable words followed).
Inflation is suffocating my fellow Malaysians and thousands are taking to the streets to get relieve from innumerable injustices. And our prime minister thinks the opposition is jealous of his success?
I ask this because Bernama had quoted him as saying that opposition parties "make up various stories".
"The opposition parties hope that by making up these stories they can influence the people to support them when BN is divided," he said.
He added that the opposition "know, but pretend not to know" what's happening in the country.
In my near 40 years in Malaysia before my career severed my umbilical cord from my beloved motherland, I knew of only two groups of people who knew everything that was happening in the country and yet pretended not to.
The first group comprised of Joe Publics like you and me who religiously read everything printed daily by our mainstream newspapers and pretended not to know that all the feel-good rubbish there was indeed rubbish.
The second group represented the primary source for the rubbish we were fed: the Government or "Gomen", depending on your favourite term of endearment for this company.
To me, it is the fault of the first group of pretenders that has kept up the song-and-dance of the second group. And the level of pretence by both groups had just gotten better over the years.
The "BN had led Malaysia to become the most developed country among the developing nations in the world", Abdullah proudly declared.
Indeed, I thought. With a foreign direct investment level even lower than Vietnam's, we must soon be swamping Singapore in the development stakes.
Abdullah said if the poverty level in Malaysia had been 10 percent previously, it had now gone down to 5.7 percent. "We cannot deny that this is another success," he said.
Sure, I thought. Let's pretend inflation is still digit-inflation like what your Gomen has been claiming the last 50 years -- although prices at restaurants and petrol pumps are up 30 and 70 percent in the last 5 years alone.
"Praise be to God that we have achieved success (in many areas)," Abdullah continued, without missing a beat.
I leafed through our many success stories and found a ranking below South Africa on the international corruption index and a police force unflatteringly compared with the Gestapo as among our achievements.
Abdullah showed he had more venom for the opposition when he said its ultimate aim was to make Barisan Nasional parties "suspicious of each other".
This will lead to "chaos, quarrels and eventually we become weak" he said.
I quickly admonished myself for thinking BN parties were out to kill one another when they actually loved each other to death. It must have been only the opposition that had condemned UMNO for all the keris-waving at the latter's assembly, not the MCA, I decided. It must also have been the opposition that caused the premature political demise of an MCA porn star by hiding a camera in his hotel room although he suspects his party colleagues did him in.
Abdullah finally ratcheted the pretence ante all the way by taunting the Joe Publics: "Who dares to say that his race is not developed or that they are always at the losing end ever since BN ruled the country more than 50 years?"
"Who dares to say that his community's wealth and assets have not increased over the years?
This was when I decided to end my pretence.
"Look here, you Gomen, I'm telling you," I hollered, my voice reverberating through my tiny San Francisco apartment. "Barry Michael Raj is telling you: My Indian Malaysian race has been at the losing end since the day your damn party started running this country 50 years ago."
"Barry Michael Raj is telling you that his community's wealth has vaporised over these last 50 years and those riches have not gone to poor deserving Malays but to the elite sons of your damn Gomen. I will also tell you that Indian Malaysians have less than 1 percent of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange's market capitalisation; that there are less than 3 to 4 percent of Indian Malaysians studying in Gomen-run universities; and less than 1 percent of all scholarships awarded by the Gomen are for Indian Malaysians. Let me know if you want to hear more."
So, my fellow Malaysians, I have decided to end my pretence and come back and do the right thing on March 8.
Are you going to as well?
Indian achievements in USA, Indian despair in Malaysia
Indian Achievements in the USA vs Malaysia
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
http://orangewaves.blogspot.com/2008/02/indian-achievements-in-usa-vs-malaysia.html
USA: First known immigrant from India was in 1790 as a maritime worker.
MSIA: Earliest contact was more than 1500 years ago. Migration facilitated by the British began in 1786 when the British acquired Penang, Melaka and Singapore.
USA: Indian population is 3% in 2000. That's around 1 million at least. Over 100% growth rate since then, highest in the country.
Msia: 8% in 2007. Dropped from 12% in 1957. Estimated to be 4% in 2057.
USA: Indian Americans have a median income of around $60,000 which is the highest of any national origin group in the United States. This is 25% higher than for all U.S. households.
MSIA: Malaysian Indians poorest in the country. Indians have the lowest per capita income of only about RM 1000 per month when the national per capita income is projected at RM17,741 in the 2006 budget (The Star Online September 30th 2005) This is about 98.3% below the national average. At the ground many ethnic Indian families earning a mearge RM450.00 per month. After 46 years of independence the state has capped the monthly salary of plantation workers at RM325.00 (USD85.00) per month and RM 350.00 (USD92.00) per month for rubber tappers.
USA: 50% of all economy lodges and 35% of all hotels and motels in the U.S. are Indian-owned. 50% of Asian Indians in the U.S. own their own home.
Msia: 30% Indians are living in squatters or on temporary occupation license land. Their squatter colonies are in turn demolished to make way for development with no or little alternative housing. Classical case of poverty leading to further poverty.
USA: One in every 26 Indians in the US is a millionaire, comprising 10% of US millionaires. Merrill Lynch recently revealed that there are nearly 200,000 Indian American millionaires.
Msia: Anandha, Tony, Samy, err...Anandha, Tony, Samy...
USA: Indian Americans have the highest educational qualifications of all national origin groups in the United States. 64% of Indian Americans have a Bachelor's degree or more, compared to 28% nationally. Almost 40% of all Indians have a master's, doctorate or other professional degree, which is five times the national average.
MSIA: University intake for Indians reduced from 20% in 1956 and by about 50% from the over 10% quota in 1970 to 5.2% in 2003. (Note: IF all MARA higher education institutes and overseas scholarships are taken into account the Indians would actually end up having only about 1% of intake into higher education institutions) In 2004 the supposed meritocracy system was introduced but it turned out to be "meritocracy without merits" Hundreds of especially poor ethnic minority Malaysian Indian students were deprived of their basic right to education. Matriculation courses for entry into public universities are almost exclusively for the majority Malay Muslim community.
USA: According to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, there are close to 41,000 Indian American doctors.
MSIA: Medical seats in the University of Malaya was reduced by 98% from 16 seats in 2001 to only 1 seat in 2003. This in effect means that the almost 1.8 million Indians have to compete for just one (1) medical seat at this university. When they opted to study at affordable Universities overseas, the government in June 2005, in an effort to reduce the number of ethnic Malaysian Indian medical students studying overseas acted in the most hostile manner. The Crimea State medical university's medical degrees were derecognised for dubious and questionable reasons. In an effort to reduce the number of Indian medical doctors most other foreign medical universities with high ethnic Malaysian Indian student enrolment is currently having its status reviewed and is also expected to be derecognised.
USA: 43.6% of Indian Americans are employed in managerial and professional specialties. Technical, sales, and administrative support occupations constitute another 33.2% of the work force. The remaining 23.3% of the population works in other areas, such as operators, fabricators, laborers and precision production.
MSIA: 70% of ethnic Malaysian Indians have degenerated into becoming laborers, Industrial Manual Group (IMG) workers, office boys, security guards, public toilet cleaners, general workers, road sweepers, beggars, squatters, criminals, gangsters etc. Fifty-four (54%) of Malaysian Indians work as plantation or urban underpaid laborers. (Asiaweek 26/1/2002). Only around 25% are professionals.
USA: 40%, only 4 out of 10 Indian immigrants have taken up U.S. citizenship. 75% of Asian Indians were born outside the U.S.A.
Msia: All Malaysian Indians are MALAYSIAN citizens, mostly born in Malaysia.
USA: Political discrimination - On August 11, 2006, Senator George Allen singled out an Indian American political staffer in a crowd by calling him "macaca" and sarcastically saying, "welcome to America." Some members of the Indian American community saw Allen's insult, and the massive backlash that led to Allen losing his re-election bid, as "a cultural turning point" demonstrating the newfound confidence of Indian-born U.S. citizens.
MSIA: Khairy Jamaluddin,"Today is the first time the Umno president's speech is not being read by the masses because a particular ethnic group controls the distribution line of newspapers and they are on holiday.". Jamaluddin Jarjis, "Oh, I am not going to help upper class Indians, I only help to lower class ones. They are the ones that need it." Etc. Etc. Etc.
Statistics courtesy of US Census Bureau, Wikipedia.org, Hindoe Studenten Forum Nederland
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
http://orangewaves.blogspot.com/2008/02/indian-achievements-in-usa-vs-malaysia.html
USA: First known immigrant from India was in 1790 as a maritime worker.
MSIA: Earliest contact was more than 1500 years ago. Migration facilitated by the British began in 1786 when the British acquired Penang, Melaka and Singapore.
USA: Indian population is 3% in 2000. That's around 1 million at least. Over 100% growth rate since then, highest in the country.
Msia: 8% in 2007. Dropped from 12% in 1957. Estimated to be 4% in 2057.
USA: Indian Americans have a median income of around $60,000 which is the highest of any national origin group in the United States. This is 25% higher than for all U.S. households.
MSIA: Malaysian Indians poorest in the country. Indians have the lowest per capita income of only about RM 1000 per month when the national per capita income is projected at RM17,741 in the 2006 budget (The Star Online September 30th 2005) This is about 98.3% below the national average. At the ground many ethnic Indian families earning a mearge RM450.00 per month. After 46 years of independence the state has capped the monthly salary of plantation workers at RM325.00 (USD85.00) per month and RM 350.00 (USD92.00) per month for rubber tappers.
USA: 50% of all economy lodges and 35% of all hotels and motels in the U.S. are Indian-owned. 50% of Asian Indians in the U.S. own their own home.
Msia: 30% Indians are living in squatters or on temporary occupation license land. Their squatter colonies are in turn demolished to make way for development with no or little alternative housing. Classical case of poverty leading to further poverty.
USA: One in every 26 Indians in the US is a millionaire, comprising 10% of US millionaires. Merrill Lynch recently revealed that there are nearly 200,000 Indian American millionaires.
Msia: Anandha, Tony, Samy, err...Anandha, Tony, Samy...
USA: Indian Americans have the highest educational qualifications of all national origin groups in the United States. 64% of Indian Americans have a Bachelor's degree or more, compared to 28% nationally. Almost 40% of all Indians have a master's, doctorate or other professional degree, which is five times the national average.
MSIA: University intake for Indians reduced from 20% in 1956 and by about 50% from the over 10% quota in 1970 to 5.2% in 2003. (Note: IF all MARA higher education institutes and overseas scholarships are taken into account the Indians would actually end up having only about 1% of intake into higher education institutions) In 2004 the supposed meritocracy system was introduced but it turned out to be "meritocracy without merits" Hundreds of especially poor ethnic minority Malaysian Indian students were deprived of their basic right to education. Matriculation courses for entry into public universities are almost exclusively for the majority Malay Muslim community.
USA: According to the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, there are close to 41,000 Indian American doctors.
MSIA: Medical seats in the University of Malaya was reduced by 98% from 16 seats in 2001 to only 1 seat in 2003. This in effect means that the almost 1.8 million Indians have to compete for just one (1) medical seat at this university. When they opted to study at affordable Universities overseas, the government in June 2005, in an effort to reduce the number of ethnic Malaysian Indian medical students studying overseas acted in the most hostile manner. The Crimea State medical university's medical degrees were derecognised for dubious and questionable reasons. In an effort to reduce the number of Indian medical doctors most other foreign medical universities with high ethnic Malaysian Indian student enrolment is currently having its status reviewed and is also expected to be derecognised.
USA: 43.6% of Indian Americans are employed in managerial and professional specialties. Technical, sales, and administrative support occupations constitute another 33.2% of the work force. The remaining 23.3% of the population works in other areas, such as operators, fabricators, laborers and precision production.
MSIA: 70% of ethnic Malaysian Indians have degenerated into becoming laborers, Industrial Manual Group (IMG) workers, office boys, security guards, public toilet cleaners, general workers, road sweepers, beggars, squatters, criminals, gangsters etc. Fifty-four (54%) of Malaysian Indians work as plantation or urban underpaid laborers. (Asiaweek 26/1/2002). Only around 25% are professionals.
USA: 40%, only 4 out of 10 Indian immigrants have taken up U.S. citizenship. 75% of Asian Indians were born outside the U.S.A.
Msia: All Malaysian Indians are MALAYSIAN citizens, mostly born in Malaysia.
USA: Political discrimination - On August 11, 2006, Senator George Allen singled out an Indian American political staffer in a crowd by calling him "macaca" and sarcastically saying, "welcome to America." Some members of the Indian American community saw Allen's insult, and the massive backlash that led to Allen losing his re-election bid, as "a cultural turning point" demonstrating the newfound confidence of Indian-born U.S. citizens.
MSIA: Khairy Jamaluddin,"Today is the first time the Umno president's speech is not being read by the masses because a particular ethnic group controls the distribution line of newspapers and they are on holiday.". Jamaluddin Jarjis, "Oh, I am not going to help upper class Indians, I only help to lower class ones. They are the ones that need it." Etc. Etc. Etc.
Statistics courtesy of US Census Bureau, Wikipedia.org, Hindoe Studenten Forum Nederland
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Call us Malays, say Malaysian Indian Muslim youth
Call us Malays, say Malaysian Indian Muslim youth
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2175500/Article/index_html
2008/03/03
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima) want to be known as Malays and not Indians.
And they do not think this is an outrageous request since the Federal Constitution states that an Indian is a Malay "if he professes the Muslim religion, habitually speaks Malay and conforms to Malay custom".
These traits are practised by Muslims of Indian origin today, claimed Gepima president Mohamed Kader Ali.
"I am a second generation Malaysian and I can safely say that from wedding rituals to the food we eat and the language we speak, we conform to Malay customs all the way.
"As such, Gepima is appealing to the government to streamline the laws and recognise Muslims born after independence as Malays in their birth certificate.
"We have been facing this problem for the past 50 years.
"We have written several letters to the National Registration Department but it keeps saying that it can't do anything about this."
Kader's son, 24-year-old Syed Osman Mohamed, cited an incident last August when he went to the Registrar of Companies to apply for a business permit.
"In the forms that I filled up, I stated Malay as my race and Islam as my religion. But the officer called me up and asked me to change it to Indian, based on how I looked.
"He only had my MyKad and it does not state there whether I am Indian or not," Syed Osman said.
"We feel uncomfortable to be known as Indians, because people automatically think we are Hindus when we are actually Muslim."
Kader added that Muslims of Indian origin suffered an inferiority complex by being regarded as Indians.
"Our children do not even know how to speak Tamil.
"They only converse in Malay and our wives wear baju kurung or kebaya nowadays, no more the saree."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/National/2175500/Article/index_html
2008/03/03
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the Malaysian Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima) want to be known as Malays and not Indians.
And they do not think this is an outrageous request since the Federal Constitution states that an Indian is a Malay "if he professes the Muslim religion, habitually speaks Malay and conforms to Malay custom".
These traits are practised by Muslims of Indian origin today, claimed Gepima president Mohamed Kader Ali.
"I am a second generation Malaysian and I can safely say that from wedding rituals to the food we eat and the language we speak, we conform to Malay customs all the way.
"As such, Gepima is appealing to the government to streamline the laws and recognise Muslims born after independence as Malays in their birth certificate.
"We have been facing this problem for the past 50 years.
"We have written several letters to the National Registration Department but it keeps saying that it can't do anything about this."
Kader's son, 24-year-old Syed Osman Mohamed, cited an incident last August when he went to the Registrar of Companies to apply for a business permit.
"In the forms that I filled up, I stated Malay as my race and Islam as my religion. But the officer called me up and asked me to change it to Indian, based on how I looked.
"He only had my MyKad and it does not state there whether I am Indian or not," Syed Osman said.
"We feel uncomfortable to be known as Indians, because people automatically think we are Hindus when we are actually Muslim."
Kader added that Muslims of Indian origin suffered an inferiority complex by being regarded as Indians.
"Our children do not even know how to speak Tamil.
"They only converse in Malay and our wives wear baju kurung or kebaya nowadays, no more the saree."
Samy Vellu seeks re-election and faces ethnic rage
Govt may have not done enough for ethnic-Indians: Vellu
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=0095d218-afcc-4704-834d-ff2d07fb355a&MatchID1=4666&TeamID1=10&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1174&PrimaryID=4666&Headline='Govt+neglected+ethnic-Indians'+
Press Trust Of India
Kuala Lumpur, March 02, 2008
First Published: 16:50 IST(2/3/2008)
Last Updated: 16:59 IST(2/3/2008)
Seeking re-election in the upcoming polls, Malaysia's only
ethnic-Indian minister, who faced flak for opposing protests by the
community against alleged marginalisation, has now admitted that the
government may not have done enough for them.
Samy Vellu, whose Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) is part of the
ruling Barisan Nasional coalition led by Premier Abdullah Badawi, said
ethnic Indians were facing lack of education opportunities,
unemployment and inadequate housing facilities leading to sprouting of
illegal urban squatters as well as low literacy level.
Vellu, who is facing accusations of not doing enough for the community
and criticism for running down the unprecedented street protests led
by Hindu Right Action Force, said he wanted more opportunities for
ethnic Indians in all fields.
"This is what we have been asking the government, and the government
has been accommodative, although I must say that it may not be enough.
The government has promised to do more for the Indians. We are
confident," he told the New Straits Times.
Vellu is contesting from his traditional seat for the seventh time in
the March 8 poll though there was some speculation that the ruling
alliance wanted to dump him in the wake of the demonstrations since
November.
The minister said the progress of ethnic Indians in Malaysia, who have
migrated from rural to urban areas, is being impeded by a host of
social ills like "alcoholism, increasing school dropout rate and high
crime rate".
Vellu's comments came amid an advertisement blitz by his MIC asking
ethnic Indians to vote for the party. Leading dailies everyday carry
full page ads boasting about MIC's "strong and proven track record for
delivery".
The ads claimed that MIC understood the community's challenges in the
coming years and promised to create "world class Tamil schools."
Vellu admitted that there was a failure at the implementation level
which has resulted in the ineffectiveness of current delivery
mechanisms.
"We tell Malaysian Indians that there is no alternative to the MIC and
any replacement by opposition parties will not in any way protect the
interests or legitimate rights of Malaysian Indians," the MIC
president said.
In 62 parliamentary and 130 state seats, Indians comprise 10 per cent
or more of the registered voters.
Asked what the MIC had done to address the pressing issues listed out
by Vellu, the minister claimed that the party had "taken the burden on
itself and had created a new outlook to establish an educated Indian
community".
He said in the last 20 years, MIC had rebuilt almost 100 schools with
30 million ringit (Rs 30 crore) in grants from the government and an
additional 7 million ringgit raised by the MIC.
___________________
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=17061115-65a6-4e0d-a9d5-4609cb6af5e4&ParentID=0095d218-afcc-4704-834d-ff2d07fb355a&MatchID1=4666&TeamID1=10&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1174&PrimaryID=4666&Headline=Malaysian+opposition+targets+Samy+Vellu
Malaysian opposition targets Samy Vellu
Indo-Asian News Service
Kuala Lumpur, March 01, 2008
Malaysian Indian leader S Samy Vellu and his Malaysian Indian Congress
(MIC) are being targeted at election rallies as the opposition woos
ethnic Indian voters ahead of the March 8 elections.
Some of the criticism is directed at the government in which Vellu is
the works minister. The reference to "police repression" on Tamils
draws enthusiastic response from the crowds, media reports say.
Indian voters, predominantly Tamil, form eight per cent of Malaysia's
27 million population.
Among those wooing Indian and ethnic Chinese voters are senior Malay
leaders like controversial former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Ibrahim's daughter Noor Izza Anwar is challenging Shahrizat Jalil, a
Malay of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.
Politicians are exploiting the unhappiness felt by the Indians ever
since the authorities cracked down on them for taking to the streets
with allegations of discrimination. MIC president Samy Vellu is
targeted in the speeches.
When opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate Gobind Singh
Deo, an ethnic Indian, and Ibrahim's Parti Kedalan Rakyat (PKR) Wangsa
Maju candidate Wee Choo Keong speak about the police and the
judiciary, the crowds roar: "Correct! Correct! Correct!"
As March 8 approaches, microphones are getting louder, billboards are
getting bigger and campaign kitchens, meant to feed the volunteers
fresh cooked food, are getting busier, The Star newspaper said.
Mahathir Mohamad, defying his age and health, has come out,
selectively though, to campaign for his son Mukhriz Mahathir.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=0095d218-afcc-4704-834d-ff2d07fb355a&MatchID1=4666&TeamID1=10&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1174&PrimaryID=4666&Headline='Govt+neglected+ethnic-Indians'+
Press Trust Of India
Kuala Lumpur, March 02, 2008
First Published: 16:50 IST(2/3/2008)
Last Updated: 16:59 IST(2/3/2008)
Seeking re-election in the upcoming polls, Malaysia's only
ethnic-Indian minister, who faced flak for opposing protests by the
community against alleged marginalisation, has now admitted that the
government may not have done enough for them.
Samy Vellu, whose Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) is part of the
ruling Barisan Nasional coalition led by Premier Abdullah Badawi, said
ethnic Indians were facing lack of education opportunities,
unemployment and inadequate housing facilities leading to sprouting of
illegal urban squatters as well as low literacy level.
Vellu, who is facing accusations of not doing enough for the community
and criticism for running down the unprecedented street protests led
by Hindu Right Action Force, said he wanted more opportunities for
ethnic Indians in all fields.
"This is what we have been asking the government, and the government
has been accommodative, although I must say that it may not be enough.
The government has promised to do more for the Indians. We are
confident," he told the New Straits Times.
Vellu is contesting from his traditional seat for the seventh time in
the March 8 poll though there was some speculation that the ruling
alliance wanted to dump him in the wake of the demonstrations since
November.
The minister said the progress of ethnic Indians in Malaysia, who have
migrated from rural to urban areas, is being impeded by a host of
social ills like "alcoholism, increasing school dropout rate and high
crime rate".
Vellu's comments came amid an advertisement blitz by his MIC asking
ethnic Indians to vote for the party. Leading dailies everyday carry
full page ads boasting about MIC's "strong and proven track record for
delivery".
The ads claimed that MIC understood the community's challenges in the
coming years and promised to create "world class Tamil schools."
Vellu admitted that there was a failure at the implementation level
which has resulted in the ineffectiveness of current delivery
mechanisms.
"We tell Malaysian Indians that there is no alternative to the MIC and
any replacement by opposition parties will not in any way protect the
interests or legitimate rights of Malaysian Indians," the MIC
president said.
In 62 parliamentary and 130 state seats, Indians comprise 10 per cent
or more of the registered voters.
Asked what the MIC had done to address the pressing issues listed out
by Vellu, the minister claimed that the party had "taken the burden on
itself and had created a new outlook to establish an educated Indian
community".
He said in the last 20 years, MIC had rebuilt almost 100 schools with
30 million ringit (Rs 30 crore) in grants from the government and an
additional 7 million ringgit raised by the MIC.
___________________
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=17061115-65a6-4e0d-a9d5-4609cb6af5e4&ParentID=0095d218-afcc-4704-834d-ff2d07fb355a&MatchID1=4666&TeamID1=10&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1174&PrimaryID=4666&Headline=Malaysian+opposition+targets+Samy+Vellu
Malaysian opposition targets Samy Vellu
Indo-Asian News Service
Kuala Lumpur, March 01, 2008
Malaysian Indian leader S Samy Vellu and his Malaysian Indian Congress
(MIC) are being targeted at election rallies as the opposition woos
ethnic Indian voters ahead of the March 8 elections.
Some of the criticism is directed at the government in which Vellu is
the works minister. The reference to "police repression" on Tamils
draws enthusiastic response from the crowds, media reports say.
Indian voters, predominantly Tamil, form eight per cent of Malaysia's
27 million population.
Among those wooing Indian and ethnic Chinese voters are senior Malay
leaders like controversial former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Ibrahim's daughter Noor Izza Anwar is challenging Shahrizat Jalil, a
Malay of the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.
Politicians are exploiting the unhappiness felt by the Indians ever
since the authorities cracked down on them for taking to the streets
with allegations of discrimination. MIC president Samy Vellu is
targeted in the speeches.
When opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate Gobind Singh
Deo, an ethnic Indian, and Ibrahim's Parti Kedalan Rakyat (PKR) Wangsa
Maju candidate Wee Choo Keong speak about the police and the
judiciary, the crowds roar: "Correct! Correct! Correct!"
As March 8 approaches, microphones are getting louder, billboards are
getting bigger and campaign kitchens, meant to feed the volunteers
fresh cooked food, are getting busier, The Star newspaper said.
Mahathir Mohamad, defying his age and health, has come out,
selectively though, to campaign for his son Mukhriz Mahathir.
Malaysia's wealth star will continue to shine
Malaysia's wealth star will continue to shine
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2120331/Article/index_html
2007/12/30
Hindu astrologer Subramaniam Kandiah (left) predicts that the general
election will be held in early March but feels that it should be
postponed to mid-April; while Tarot card consultant Meetah Kaur sees a
sense of loss and disappointment among the people but predicts efforts
will be made to bring them together
Things don't look to be all that rosy next year but astrologers tell
TAN CHOE CHOE and P. SELVARANI that Malaysia's inherent good fortune
will help it overcome any challenges it may face
As far as race relations are concerned, feng shui consultant Lillian
Too says good sense will prevail and positive energy all round will
unite the people
Chinese astrologer and feng shui master Datuk Yap Cheng Hai predicts
that Malaysia's wealth star will continue to shine brightly next year
AS the clock ticks away the last hours of 2007 tomorrow night, many of
us will be hoping that the new year will be an improvement over the
old.
But will it?
The answer is "no", according to some astrologers, because all of the
elements that had a negative influence on 2007 would still be present
in 2008.
"Clashing elements, missing elements, no lap chun (Spring) -- we'll be
having the same bad signs in 2008 but they'll affect us in a different
way," said astrologer and feng shui consultant Lillian Too.
"It's (going to be) a very weak time," said Chinese astrologer and
feng shui master Datuk Yap Cheng Hai.
But all is not doom and gloom, said Too, because Malaysia was in a
favourable geographic location.
"The West will see more argument and instability but countries in the
East and Southeast will continue to do very well.
"In addition, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who
was born in the Year of the Rabbit, will be having a very good year.
"So that bodes well for the country."
Yap predicted that Malaysia's wealth star would continue to shine
brightly so there would be money to be made for everyone.
Their predictions were echoed by Hindu astrologer and member of the
Malaysian Astrological Society, Subramaniam Kandiah, who predicts the
year ahead to be a "generally good one".
But, he said, there would be troubled times, especially during the
period before and after the eclipse of the moon (chandra grhanam) on
Feb 21.
"There is a tendency for fights and natural disasters to occur during
this period.
"There will also be more chaos as I see some people will take to the
streets again," said Subramaniam.
POLITICS
The unanimous opinion is that the Barisan National will emerge
victorious again in the general election.
But Subramaniam, who predicted that the general election would be held
in early March during the inauspicious chandra grhanam, advised that
it be postponed until after Hindu New Year on April 14.
Yap also thinks BN would emerge victorious, but warned that it could
lose some 10 per cent of its votes.
ECONOMY
"Wood and water-related industries" will, likely, suffer in the coming
year. Publishing, printing, education, textile, fashion and shipping
industries are likely to have a rough time as competition stiffens.
"Foreign investments will be slow but local traders will not be so
badly affected," said Subramaniam.
On the upside, oil prices would start to ease and the US greenback
would stabilise, said Too.
"Fire-related industries such as restaurants, entertainment outlets,
the share market and pubs will enjoy good fortune, and so will metal
industries like mining," said Too.
"Earth-related sectors like construction and property will be average
-- property prices will rise and commodities like rubber and oil palm
will probably maintain its good run from 2007."
SOCIAL
Racial relationships would largely be stable, although the astrologers
generally said there would be some hiccups along the way.
Yap said Kuala Lumpur, being in the west of the country where "the
stars of two generals" sit next year, would probably see an increase
in "noise" level in that people would be more argumentative than
usual.
Tarot card consultant Meetah Kaur's cards tell her there would be a
sense of loss and disappointment among the people, but there would be
efforts to bring them together.
"Sometimes it seems they are united, but the relationship seems to be
fragile. It looks as if it'll fall apart easily. But the next few
months will see stronger efforts to unite the people and the future
looks bright."
Too feels that good sense would prevail eventually because "the
country has a sound base, the people are generally well-educated and
there's positive energy all around".
NATURAL DISASTERS
While none of the astrologers could guarantee there won't be floods
next year, Too thinks their severity will be "subdued" because 2008 is
the Earth Rat year, "and earth suppresses water".
"(Flooding) is not going to be as bad as this year. But next year,
earth rules, with missing metal and wood elements.
"There's also shortage of fire. But, luckily, Malaysia is in the
southeast and the fire energy will fly to the southeast sector, so
we're ok.
"But I think there'll probably be more occurrence of landslides as the
excess earth, combined with the missing elements will cause much
instability," Too added.
Subra said he did not see any major natural disasters occuring in the
region, but thinks there would be man-made ones such as landslides. He
also predicted a major earthquake in the northwest region of Africa,
where many lives would be lost.
INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK
Will Hilary Clinton be the next US president? Yes, said Too and Subramaniam.
"Hilary has the stronger personal chart compared to Barack Obama. Even
if he wins in Iowa, he'll not win the presidential election. Hilary is
the one," said Too.
Subramaniam, meanwhile, said there might be an assassination attempt
on Philippines President Gloria Arroyo.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/National/2120331/Article/index_html
2007/12/30
Hindu astrologer Subramaniam Kandiah (left) predicts that the general
election will be held in early March but feels that it should be
postponed to mid-April; while Tarot card consultant Meetah Kaur sees a
sense of loss and disappointment among the people but predicts efforts
will be made to bring them together
Things don't look to be all that rosy next year but astrologers tell
TAN CHOE CHOE and P. SELVARANI that Malaysia's inherent good fortune
will help it overcome any challenges it may face
As far as race relations are concerned, feng shui consultant Lillian
Too says good sense will prevail and positive energy all round will
unite the people
Chinese astrologer and feng shui master Datuk Yap Cheng Hai predicts
that Malaysia's wealth star will continue to shine brightly next year
AS the clock ticks away the last hours of 2007 tomorrow night, many of
us will be hoping that the new year will be an improvement over the
old.
But will it?
The answer is "no", according to some astrologers, because all of the
elements that had a negative influence on 2007 would still be present
in 2008.
"Clashing elements, missing elements, no lap chun (Spring) -- we'll be
having the same bad signs in 2008 but they'll affect us in a different
way," said astrologer and feng shui consultant Lillian Too.
"It's (going to be) a very weak time," said Chinese astrologer and
feng shui master Datuk Yap Cheng Hai.
But all is not doom and gloom, said Too, because Malaysia was in a
favourable geographic location.
"The West will see more argument and instability but countries in the
East and Southeast will continue to do very well.
"In addition, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who
was born in the Year of the Rabbit, will be having a very good year.
"So that bodes well for the country."
Yap predicted that Malaysia's wealth star would continue to shine
brightly so there would be money to be made for everyone.
Their predictions were echoed by Hindu astrologer and member of the
Malaysian Astrological Society, Subramaniam Kandiah, who predicts the
year ahead to be a "generally good one".
But, he said, there would be troubled times, especially during the
period before and after the eclipse of the moon (chandra grhanam) on
Feb 21.
"There is a tendency for fights and natural disasters to occur during
this period.
"There will also be more chaos as I see some people will take to the
streets again," said Subramaniam.
POLITICS
The unanimous opinion is that the Barisan National will emerge
victorious again in the general election.
But Subramaniam, who predicted that the general election would be held
in early March during the inauspicious chandra grhanam, advised that
it be postponed until after Hindu New Year on April 14.
Yap also thinks BN would emerge victorious, but warned that it could
lose some 10 per cent of its votes.
ECONOMY
"Wood and water-related industries" will, likely, suffer in the coming
year. Publishing, printing, education, textile, fashion and shipping
industries are likely to have a rough time as competition stiffens.
"Foreign investments will be slow but local traders will not be so
badly affected," said Subramaniam.
On the upside, oil prices would start to ease and the US greenback
would stabilise, said Too.
"Fire-related industries such as restaurants, entertainment outlets,
the share market and pubs will enjoy good fortune, and so will metal
industries like mining," said Too.
"Earth-related sectors like construction and property will be average
-- property prices will rise and commodities like rubber and oil palm
will probably maintain its good run from 2007."
SOCIAL
Racial relationships would largely be stable, although the astrologers
generally said there would be some hiccups along the way.
Yap said Kuala Lumpur, being in the west of the country where "the
stars of two generals" sit next year, would probably see an increase
in "noise" level in that people would be more argumentative than
usual.
Tarot card consultant Meetah Kaur's cards tell her there would be a
sense of loss and disappointment among the people, but there would be
efforts to bring them together.
"Sometimes it seems they are united, but the relationship seems to be
fragile. It looks as if it'll fall apart easily. But the next few
months will see stronger efforts to unite the people and the future
looks bright."
Too feels that good sense would prevail eventually because "the
country has a sound base, the people are generally well-educated and
there's positive energy all around".
NATURAL DISASTERS
While none of the astrologers could guarantee there won't be floods
next year, Too thinks their severity will be "subdued" because 2008 is
the Earth Rat year, "and earth suppresses water".
"(Flooding) is not going to be as bad as this year. But next year,
earth rules, with missing metal and wood elements.
"There's also shortage of fire. But, luckily, Malaysia is in the
southeast and the fire energy will fly to the southeast sector, so
we're ok.
"But I think there'll probably be more occurrence of landslides as the
excess earth, combined with the missing elements will cause much
instability," Too added.
Subra said he did not see any major natural disasters occuring in the
region, but thinks there would be man-made ones such as landslides. He
also predicted a major earthquake in the northwest region of Africa,
where many lives would be lost.
INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK
Will Hilary Clinton be the next US president? Yes, said Too and Subramaniam.
"Hilary has the stronger personal chart compared to Barack Obama. Even
if he wins in Iowa, he'll not win the presidential election. Hilary is
the one," said Too.
Subramaniam, meanwhile, said there might be an assassination attempt
on Philippines President Gloria Arroyo.
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