"Walk for Justice 2"...

Four years after the 2007 "Walk for Justice", the Malaysian Bar is again calling on its members to march in Kuala Lumpur to protest against the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 which has been presented to Parliament.

The march is to start at 11.30am on Tuesday and the lawyers will walk from the Royal Lake Club to Parliament, which is scheduled to debate the Bill, tabled on Nov 22, the same morning.

A memorandum will be submitted to the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Liew Vui Keong at the end of the march.

In an official circular entitled "Walk For Freedom 2011: Peaceful Assembly Bill Cannot And Must Not Become Law!" published on its website, Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee described the Bill as an "objectionable Bill".

Lim quoted the late American civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr, who said: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

He added: "The Malaysian Bar, and indeed Malaysia, is now facing such a moment of challenge and controversy - an objectionable Bill, being rushed into law with unseemly haste and without adequate public consultation, which effectively robs the rakyat of our constitutional right to freedom of assembly."

Lim (left) stressed that the Bill, which aims to replace Section 27 of the Police Act in regulating public assembly, is far more restrictive than the current law.

"It is not a piece of legislation which we, as lawyers, can watch enter our statute books without standing up against it.

"It is not a piece of legislation that we want future generations to inherit, without us walking, and spending every ounce of our energy to oppose. If this piece of legislation makes it to the statute books, future generations will inherit a nation that is far from modern and progressive."

Quoting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech on the eve of Malaysia Day on Sept 15 this year, Lim pointed out that the Bill was not "in accordance with the supremacy of the constitution, rule of law and respect for basic human rights and individual rights" as Najib promised.

"We feel let down by how far short this Bill falls in relation to what the Malaysian people were promised in the Prime Minister’s Malaysia Day 2011 message. In short, the prime minister must walk his own talk," he said.

Not in keeping with international norms

This Bill, Lim explained, was also not in line with international norms because of, among others:

• Prohibition of street protests (defined widely as “open air assembly which begins with a meeting at a specified place and consists of walking in a mass march or rally for the purpose of objecting to or advancing a particular cause or causes”);

• Prohibition of organisation of assemblies by persons below the age of 21 years;

• Prohibition of participation in peaceful assemblies by children below the age of 15 years;

• Unduly onerous responsibilities and restrictions on organisers and assemblies; and

• Excessive fines for non-compliance with the Bill.

Although the government seems adamant in passing the Bill, which is likely to be done next week, Lim hoped that the march could make a difference.

"We must urge the prime minister to amend the Bill by way of public consultation to ensure that Malaysia will have a legislation in the public interest, which truly upholds, protects and promotes our constitutional right to freedom of assembly.

"I call on all members to support us in this crucial initiative. See you on Tuesday. Let’s walk!" he concluded.

Back in 2007, more than 2,000 lawyers joined the Bar Council's 3.5km-march, dubbed 'Walk for Justice', in Putrajaya to push for the establishment of a royal commission of inquiry into the infamous 'Lingam Tape' expose.

Coupled with various public protests, the march succeeded in compelling the then prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to compromise and set up a royal commission of inquiry headed by former Chief Judge of Malaya, Haidar Mohamed Noor.

Peguam akan berarak bantah Bil Perhimpunan Aman

source:malaysiakini

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MyKad scam syndicate at it again...

PAS claims to have uncovered another citizenship-for-votes scam run by the same alleged syndicate that last month bused hundreds foreigners to Putrajaya to have their citizenship processed.

During a press conference at the Parliament lobby yesterday, PAS Youth treasurer Mohd Adram Musa said the alleged head of the syndicate resurfaced in Sepang with yet another group of foreigners.

"(On Wednesday), the person appeared again. We've been told of a similar modus operandi and they are suspected of trying to register foreigners to give them identification cards," he added.

Following a tipoff, Adram (left) said a team of PAS activists had brought the police to the Integrated Agrotourism and Training Centre in Sepang where the same alleged syndicate head was spotted.

"They tried to escape when they saw us and managed to run away. We lodged a police report at the Sepang police station about similar activities nearby," he said.

He said that some of the suspected syndicate members were arrested.

"Five of the suspects hold MyKads bearing code 71, which means they were born overseas. They are being investigated along with two others who hold permanent resident status," he added.

Cops coy about details

When contacted on Wednesday, Sepang district police chief Imran Abd Rahman said several individuals had been brought in for questioning in connection with the incident.

However, he said there had been no arrest, and declined to comment further.

Attempts to contact Imran yesterday for further verifications following the revelations at Adram's press conference proved futile.

Adram said that the home minister must address the allegations and the police must conduct a thorough investigation into the matter as it involved national security.

On Oct 12, a group of PAS members and locals had acted on another tipoff that six busloads of foreigners were having their citizenship processed at a resort in Bangi, Selangor.

At the time, both Imran and the National Registration Department denied the allegations, with police saying that the foreigners were undergoing an entrepreneurship course.

source:malaysiakini

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Assembly law allows persecution of Pakatan MPs...

The Peaceful Assembly Bill legitimises persecution of Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers and prevents them from conducting ceramahs and gatherings, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has charged.The PR de facto leader told Parliament today the new law regulating public assembly made it more difficult for the federal opposition to hold ceramahs and dialogue sessions.

Citing the 30 days’ advance notice provision within the new law, Anwar (picture) said the procedures would be a problem for PR.

“The Peaceful Assembly Bill prohibits, prevents Pakatan Rakyat from explaining to the rakyat about current issues on abuse of power, corruption, discrepancies by the ruling government,” he said.

The Permatang Pauh MP alleged Section 21 (3) of the new law, which allows protesters arrested by police to be fined up to RM20,000 would be used against opposition lawmakers.

“The stipulation which sets a fine up to RM20,000 if found guilty allows the government to drag Pakatan Rakyat MPs to court if they conduct ceramahs, explanations and gatherings which is one of our ways to explain daily issues to the rakyat,” he said.

The government had earlier this week tabled the Peaceful Assembly Bill, two months after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak first pledged reforms to laws on security and public assembly.

Shortly after it was unveiled, Pakatan Rakyat leaders said the new bill was “worse” than previous laws on public assembly, and that it simply meant “people could not gather anywhere in Malaysia.”

PR described the Peaceful Assembly Bill as repressive and restrictive of civil freedom, claiming it accords the police even more power to arrest individuals.

Najib today declared it a “revolutionary” law and a “giant leap” towards improving individual freedom.

The prime minister pointed out to opposition lawmakers in Parliament that, under the new legislation, the powers of the police would be capped and punitive action against protestors reduced to only fines instead of jail sentences.

Section 27 of the bill states that public gatherings cannot be held in the following areas: petrol stations, hospitals, fire stations, airports, railways, land public transport terminals, ports, canals, docks, bridges, places of worship, kindergartens and schools as well as dams and reservoirs.

It states that no street protests are allowed, and bars any assembly in or within a 50 metre buffer zone around the listed prohibited areas.

Section 9 (5) of the bill allows the police to fine organisers up to RM10,000 if no advance notice of a planned assembly is given to the authorities.

Section 20 (1) (c) allows for police to arrest anyone who brings or recruits children in an assembly.

The new law says that there also must be 30 days’ advance notice for assemblies except for designated areas defined by the home minister. The assemblies can then proceed unless there is objection by the police.

Simultaneous assemblies may be held, but this is subject to the discretion of the police. If a “counter assembly” should cause potential conflict with another assembly nearby, police have the right to name an alternative location and time for the counter assembly to be held.

Individuals under 21 years of age not allowed to organise assemblies and children under 15 are not allowed to participate in assemblies except for cultural and religious ones like funeral corteges or events approved by the home minister.

source:malaysian insider

Anwar: Akta Perhimpunan Aman untuk sekat Pakatan buat pendedahan

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RUU Perhimpunan Aman - Apakah rakyat nak dijadikan macam lembu2 UMNO...

Rang Undang-Undang Perhimpunan Aman yang dibentangkan kerajaan tidak ubah seperti melayan rakyat seperti lembu fidlot, kata Pengerusi NGO Jingga 13, Fariz Musa.

“Jingga 13 melihat Rang Undang-undang Himpunan Aman digubal sebagai satu usaha untuk “menjahit mulut, menggari dan memenjarakan rakyat” dan terus menguburkan amalan demokrasi.

“Rakyat bukan “lembu fidlot” yang boleh dicucuk hidung, mengikut telunjuk dan arahan, dikandang dan diikat sesuka hati oleh penguasa,” kata Fariz atau lebih dikenali sebagai Cikgu Fariz.

Kata beliau, ia bukan sahaja membuktikan kegagalan kerajaan menerima pakai standard antarabangsa dan melanggar hak asasi manusia, malah menafikan amalan demokrasi yang terkandung dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Semalam, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz membentangkan Rang Undang-undang Himpunan Aman di Parlimen kononnya untuk menjamin kebebasan berhimpun secara aman.

Namun pelbagai pihak mengecam undang-undang berkenaan yang meletakkan syarat yang lebih ketat dan menekan berbanding Akta Polis.

Antara isi kandungan rang undang-undang itu adalah penganjur himpunan perlu memberikan notis kepada polis 30 hari sebelum himpunan berlangsung.

Selain itu, ia juga tidak membenarkan sebarang bentuk himpunan jalanan yang tidak mendapat kelulusan polis.

Penganjur akan didenda RM10 ribu jika didapati tidak memberikan notis awal kepada polis, manakala peserta yang terlibat pula boleh didenda sehingga RM20 ribu.

source:keadilandaily.com

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There's something about "Juhi Sharizat Chawla's" NFC...

As UMNO tried to defend the failed NFC, portraying it as a success through the media, one can make an easy conclusion from the video clip that was aired via the UMNO television companies that showed the only herd of cows they had in the entire 5,000 acre farm. It is quite glaring that all of them are skinny; the cows are obviously underfed even with a RM250 million soft loan.

Why did the other bidder for the project Lamberts Agricultural Trade (M) Sdn Bhd, an Australian based company, withdraw from the scheme? Auditor-General Ambrin Buang said the ministry’s initial main operator Lamberts Agricultural Trade (M) Sdn Bhd (LAT) had backed out of the project, a move that contributed to the dismal performance of the NFC in failing to train 130 farmers for the project.

LAT was also the consultant to the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). It had proposed a grand ambition to the Malaysian government to transform the local livestock industry into a modern, competitive and sustainable growth sector. The ultimate aim was to ensure food security and to complement Malaysia's export revenue, adding to its balance of trade.

It was during Abdullah Badawi’s term as premier that the whole money-making scheme was hatched and implemented. Khairy was then the head of the fourth-floor goons; where the idea could have been promoted by him after the Ministry of Agriculture then headed by Muhyiddin Yassin envisioned it.

Muhyiddin did visit the NFC in Gemas to find out what was going on with the project on 23rd June 2011. At the farm, distinguished visitors are told that "It is a misconception that agriculture is not profitable. We also wanted to show Malaysia is capable of producing high quality beef," Malay Mali had reported NFC chief executive officer Izran Salleh as saying. Izran, along with his brother Izmir and sister Izzana, had set up their cattle farm on a 5,000-acre site in Gemas, Negri Sembilan in 2008.

Umno Women's chief Shahrizat Jalil, who is now a senator and appointed minister in the Najib administration, was at that time overshadowed by Wanita veteran Rafidah Aziz aka Mrs AP or Authorised Permits (for motor vehicles). To be under the shadow of such a tough and bossy Rafidah is not easy at all.

For Shahrizat(left), it was indeed the lowest ebb of her political life; nothing she did turned out right. She was defeated by PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar in her long-held Lembah Pantai parliamentary seat during the 2008 general election. She also no longer held much interest in her old law firm. Her husband, Salleh Ismail, was also at the end of his academic and research career while their three young children had not started out on their own careers yet.

Indeed, the situation was so bad for Shahrizat that she had to approach her boss Badawi for some kind of help. She did not know it then but she was going to be very fortunate.

When Shahrizat approached Badawi, she was 'naturally' referred to Khairy, who was notoriously possessive in wanting to screen anyone who wanted to see his dad-in-law first.

In a flash, Khairy saw an opportunity to wave his powerful magic wand and kill two cows with one stone, so to speak. The MoA under Muhyiddin was then in the midst of embarking on an agricultural 'transformation'; yes, the 'T' word was popular in Putrajaya even before Najib, the current PM, stole it for his Government Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme.

So it was that Badawi was said to have asked Khairy(left) to help Shahrizat by getting her involved in the NFC project. When Khairy allegedly called Muhyiddin, the then Agriculture minister, he was more than willing to help because this kind of favour to Khairy and Badawi could only boost his political future and add to his war chest of favors owed.

According to the Umno grapevine, Khairy decided that the agricultural transformation plan must come on sooner than planned so as to please his father-in-law. He instructed the “scheme” to be implemented in his home-base state of Negeri Sembilan so as to bring about some development there. He awarded it to Shahrizat’s husband taking the proposal from LAT as the project's framework.

It was not a bad choice actually because the Gemas-Gemencheh area already had some sort cattle farming activities going on. Lamberts Agricultural Trade (M) Sdn Bhd knew what was coming and there was no need for them to further waste money, effort and time doing farming business in Malaysia anymore; so they 'killed the dog' and quickly backed out.

Now, can Malaysian figure out why NFC was doomed from the start. The whole idea behind the NFC was not at all what was initially envisioned. Sad to say, what was actually eventually floated was all about politics, political survival and money - lots of money.

The NFC was the ultimate tool; a scheme within a larger scheme where power was wielded and money changed hands. As usual, Mr Oxford graduate Khairy Jamaluddin thought he had all corners covered. But not all the power in the world can turn mutton into lamb.

Shahrizat and her family are really fortunate to have Najib as the Prime Minister. Shahrizat is also aware that the NFC will be defended at all costs because it will be UMNO’s quagmire. Delegates attending the December annual assembly will surely demand to know how did the project end up being given to her family?

Now everyone is trying to distance himself or herself from the debacle. Noh Omar recently informed us that the RM250 million loan was not even referred to the Cabinet. But which Cabinet? The Badawi Cabinet or the Najib Cabinet?

This entire episode has exposed the true colours of UMNO-BN and the Malaysian ministers. Unfortuntely, the UMNO-BN government has no idea on how to salvage the NFC or what to do with it. The easy thing to do which is the norm for the UMNO-BN government is to bail NFC out.

Would this mean Shahrizat's family would be RM250 million richer and the rakyat RM250 million poorer?

NFC failed because it was not implemented in full to ensure success. Only a 'quickie' was pushed through to give an aura of work-being-done.

Just the feedlot part of the complex plan was hastily worked out under the guise of “Projek Berimpak Tinggi” or High Impact Project. It was implemented without much thought and proper planning; the NFC was doomed from the start.

Now UMNO has to bear the brunt of the impact of its less than perfect leaders. Shahrizat is being accused of letting everyone down and being very ungrateful for getting both Badawi and Khairy into hot soup. It is sad because such thinking only goes to show how far gone UMNO is on the down road to perdition. Stealing and free-for-all corruption is regarded as its right. - Nawawi Mohamad

Read full article here and here.

source:malaysia chronicle

Paya terbaru Umno: NFC – cerita penuh yang belum didedahkan

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NFC received loan before signing contract says PAC...

The National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) was able to withdrawn its RM250 million soft loan from the government even before a contract with the government was signed.

This was revealed by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Azmi Khalid (right) after the committee interviewed several Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ministry officers today.

“In this case, the money was disbursed in 2009 into a special account which needs the (relevant) ministry’s approval, to be withdrawn for the company’s operations.

“But only after the money was disbursed (in 2009) was the contract signed a year later in 2010,” Azmi told reporters.

He said that other problems with the NFC uncovered by the PAC were poor management, delays in approval and changes in goals.

PAC 'fed up' with fund mismanagement

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries secretary-general Che Mohd Hashim Abdullah and his predecessor Mohd Mokhtar Ismail were among some dozen other officers present today.

The practice, despite its shortcomings, is still largely exercised by government departments across the board, he said.

“2008, 2009, 2010 and now in 2011... year after year, the PAC deals with the same problem... We see this as an indication that our management system is something that should be viewed again and reviewed ,” Azmi complained.

The PAC and the people, he added, were 'fed up' with this annual debacle and the BN government was being cast in negative light because of this.

NFC’s operations have attracted negative comments in the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report, which said the project was “in a mess”.

Among the accusations made by PKR were that part of the loan had been abused to benefit a federal minister and her family members.

Although both the government and NFC have denied all the claims, PAC acted on queries raised by MPs in Parliament and began its investigations today.

Urgent revamp needed

The urgency to revamp the government’s fiscal management system was crucial, Azmi said, since government agencies were now directly involved in approving and overseeing business orientated projects.

“Their (the civil service staff) intentions may be good, even planning might be good... but the lack of coordination and weak management, and most of all, delay in this and that...

“If we ask the departments, they will give us a myriad of excuses. They will say they did everything correctly. It is true that their intentions are good, but it is the implementation that is being questioned,” he reiterated.

“Therefore, we have decided to call all the ministries involved to see what can be done and revamp the way we manage things,” Azmi said.

The Finance and Agriculture and Agro-based Industries ministries, he added, would be called in again in January, along with the NFC management.

PAC dapati projek lembu banyak kelemahan

source:malaysiakini

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Aziz Bari kena larang lagi...

Profesor undang-undang Abdul Aziz Bari, yang sebelum ini didakwa kritikal terhadap Sultan Selangor, telah dilarang oleh Majlis Agama Islam Selangor (MAIS) daripada membentangkan kerta kerja di satu seminar di Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (KUIS).

Terletak di Kajang, KUIS merupakan sebuah institusi pendidikan tinggi milik penuh MAIS, yang terletak di bawah bidangkuasa Sultan Selangor.

Aziz dijadual membentangkan kertas kerja di seminar itu pagi esok.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, pagi tadi beliau menerima notis yang
memaklumkan bahawa seseorang di MAIS, yang mendakwa rapat dengan istana Selangor, telah meminta pihak penganjur menggugurkan kertas kerjanya.

Katanya, pihak penganjur telah merayu kepada mereka untuk mengekalkan beliau seperti yang dijadualkan kerana orang ramai datang ke seminar itu untuk mendengar ucapannya.

Abdul Aziz memberitahu Malaysiakini bahawa seminar tersebut telah dirancang lebih daripada tiga bulan yang lalu.

Pakar undang-undang itu menjadi tajuk utama akhbar bulan lalu apabila polis menyiasatnya di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 berhubung komennya mengenai titah Sultan Selangor berhubung 'pemeriksaan' Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) terhadap makan malam kesyukuran yang diadakan di Damansara Utama pada 3 Ogos.

Berikutan ini, UIA telah digantung perkhidmatan Aziz selama enam hari. Penggantungan itu ditarik balik selepas bantahan besar daripada pelbagai pihak, termasuk pelajar universiti di seluruh negara dan para ahli akademik.

source:malaysiakini

Harap rakyat BOIKOT saja majlis tersebut...

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‘Peaceful Assembly Bill’ is thousand times worse from Police Act 1967...

The PAS Legal Bureau has described the newly tabled Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 as suicidal for UMNO, saying it was a far-cry from the reform pledges by prime minister Najib Razak and would only hasten UMNO's demise.

“Anyone in the right mind will know that the Bill is preventive or is to restrict any form of peaceful gathering in the country,” said the bureau's Hanipa Maidin.

According to Hanipa, by calling it the ‘Peaceful Assembly Bill’ when it in effect bans peaceful assembles, UMNO was just employing its age-old tactic of duping the public into believing that reforms were on the way.

“The new act is thousand times worse from its predecessor (Police Act 1967),” he stressed, echoing other Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

More powers to cops

The Bill tabled yesterday will allow the police to have more powers, particularly in imposing restrictions and setting up conditions to hold a gathering, such as the date and duration of the event, venue, participants' conduct and cleaning-up cost post-assembly.

The police have also been accorded wider powers which involved their final say on cultural or religious sensitivity as well as historical significance of proposed assembly venue. The police can also cite objections of persons who have interests in the assembly.

A central contention in the Bill lies in the fact that it lists scores of places where assemblies are banned within a 50-metre radius. They include dams, reservoirs, water catchment areas, water treatment plants, petrol stations, hospitals, fire stations, airports, train stations, public transport terminals, ports, canals, docks, wharves, piers, bridges, marinas, all places of worship, kindergartens and schools.

Hanipa said plans were underway to challenge the new bill in court as it cannot be approved as an act.

“We the PAS lawyers are officially launching a war against this tyrannical act through existing laws,” he said, while stressing that the new bill violated Article 10 of the Federal Constitution on right to assembly.

He further charged that the bill could have been the culmination of the government's disappointment over the Attorney General’s repeated failures in punishing participants of 'illegal' assemblies in the past.

“There is little doubt the new act will hasten the demise of UMNO-BN government,” he added.

source:harakahdaily

Akta Perhimpunan Aman usaha BN sekat kebebasan

Akta Perhimpunan Aman percepat ajal Umno BN

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