Court clears 21, including DAP’s Pua and Catholic priest, in Bersih vigil case

This photo was taken on 9th November 2008 in Petaling Jaya Police District headquarters showing me after assaulted by police shortly after the incident.

Me posing with Father Paulino Miranda, a priest who was charged for participating in an illegal assembly on 9th November 2008.

Taken from Malaysia Insider.
UPDATED @ 03:09:25 PM 18-09-2012 By Nomy Nozwir September 18, 2012

PETALING JAYA, Sept 18 — Twenty-one people, including several opposition lawmakers and a Catholic priest, were acquitted by a Sessions Court today for taking part in a Bersih anniversary candlelight vigil held four years ago.

Sessions Court judge Hayatul Akmal ruled this morning that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against the individuals, who were earlier charged with participating in an “illegal assembly” under the now-repealed section 27 of the Police Act.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom here, lawyer and DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo urged the prosecution not to appeal the matter to a higher court.

“The prosecution clearly did not have strong evidence to prove that the organisers had committed any wrong. Therefore, I hope the Attorney-General’s Chambers will not appeal the matter.

“This is a great victory for us, particularly since this case has been going on for almost three years now,” said the Puchong MP.

The 21, including Catholic priest Rev Father Paulino Miranda, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Selangor DAP state assemblymen Ronnie Liu (picture) and Lau Weng San, and Petaling Jaya city councillor Tiew Way Keng, were charged with taking part in an illegal assembly in front of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) building on October 9, 2008 between 9pm and 10.10pm.

They were accused of refusing a police order to disperse under section 27(5)(a) and section 27(4) of the Police Act 1967 which has since been amended and replaced with a new law allowing for peaceful public rallies.

All the 21 accused, whose ages ranged between 25 and 62, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry a maximum fine of up to RM10,000, and a maximum one-year jail term.

“In the first place, this is not even an offence. So I hope the AGC (Attorney-General’s Chambers) will accept the court’s decision and not appeal,” DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang told reporters today.

Pua, who is also the DAP’s publicity secretary, agreed, saying the vigil participants should not have even been detained as the event had not been violent.

Miranda had said he would rather go to jail than spend a single sen on a fine for his participation in the vigil. — File photo

“We merely gathered, sang ‘Negaraku’, and burned a candle to commemorate the occasion. We did not use violence.

“The Malaysian government should respect every individual’s constitutional right to freedom of assembly,” he said.

In June, Miranda, who is the parish priest of the Catholic church in Shah Alam, told The Malaysian Insider that he would rather go to jail than spend a single sen on a fine for his participation in the vigil.

“Paying the fine would be conceding that what I did was wrong,” he had said.

The vocal priest had also asked his lawyer, Francis Pereira, to write in to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in September last year asking for the charges against him to be dropped following the change in law. It was to no avail.

The public prosecutor wrote back three months later, in November 2011, rejecting his application.

“I’ve decided, simply because as far as I am concerned, I did not do anything wrong.

“The whole thing was a candlelight vigil calling for the abolishment of the ISA,” Miranda said, referring to the recently repealed Internal Security Act, which had been criticised as an outdated law used to clamp down on dissent against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

The case has been linked to the two Bersih rallies on July 9 last year and the more recent April 28 assembly in Dataran Merdeka, putting the spotlight on the government’s use of laws to clamp down on dissent, despite having repealed the controversial ISA.

控方无法证明参与黄潮日集会 潘俭伟刘天球等21名被告获释

这是我在2008年11月9日晚上在八打灵再也警局总部所拍下的照片。警方在逮捕我的时候抓伤我。

这是我在今天上午法官作出判决之后在庭外和另一位被告保利诺神父在庭外合影。

摘自《当今大马》
高嘉琪
2012年9月18日 上午11点22分

经过近4年的审讯，八打灵再也地庭今早裁决，21名被控参与2008年11月黄潮日一周年纪念烛光会的在野党议员与社运人士表面罪名不成立，当庭释放。

21名被告年龄介于28至65岁，其中19人是男性，2人是女性。

其中有3人是行动党代议士，分别是八打灵再也北区国会议员潘俭伟、雪州行政议员刘天球与雪州甘榜东姑州议员刘永山。

其余被控的人士包括沙亚南天主教会的神父保罗力诺（Paulino Miranda）、社运人士黄文强、行动党八打灵再也市议员张菲倩及律师阿索（Ashok Kandiah）。

无法证明违反警方指示

承审的地庭法官哈雅都（Hayatul Akmal）判决时表示，控方没有足够证据显示，被告们涉及非法集会及违反警方指示。

法官指出，控方传召的证人彼此供证不一，出现空隙（gap）。所以在这种情况下，疑点利益归于被告。

法官也说，被告被指在八打灵的东部草场（Padang Timur）一带非法集会，但控方没有证据显示这是一场经过策划的集会。

自动集会不需要准证

哈雅都在判决时表示，警方原本禁止他们在八打灵再也市政厅公民礼堂集会，也封锁了现场，之后怀疑同一批人转去了东部草场与Ampcorp广场，因此在东部草场逮捕被告们。
　
惟哈雅都表示，控方没有证据显示被告有策划地在东部草场举行非法集会，他们充其量只是自动聚集（spontaneous），而不是经过策划的集会。

衣着不一非策划集会

她续说，若是这种自动集会，就无需申请警察准证。

哈雅都也以被告们当时不一致的穿着，力证其看法。她说，这些人士身穿红衣、黑衣、黄衣，以及写着“反对内安法令”字眼的衣服，显示这不是一个有策划的集会。

哈雅都也把矛头转向警方的口供不一致，尤其是警方指示驱散的时间。

抓被告却无法解释原因　

哈雅都也逐一唸出各被告获释的原因，当中包括没有证据显示他们在集会扮演的角色，还有警方证人无法解释其中一名被告被捕的原因，以及也有被告是在离场时才被捕。

她指出，尽管被告被控违抗警方的驱散指示，但警方证人供词时所说的警方指示驱散的时间却有所不同 ，包括10点、10点15分等。

“为此，（若）只为了要他们解释这些疑点，法庭的看法是无需喻令被告抗辩；若（此案）有疑点，疑点（利益）应归于被告，我喻令释放被告们。”

希望总检察长不会上诉

哥宾星在休庭后向媒体表示，其当事人案等了4年才盼到审讯结果，过程冘长。

“政府废除警察法令第27条文后发生了很多事，地庭今日下达的是强而有力的判决，我认为总检察署应该好好研究地庭所提出的判案理据。”

“我希望，总检察长不会进行上诉。”

另一方面，现身为被告们打气的行动党国会领袖林吉祥也说，“我欢迎地庭的裁决，但事实上总检察署一开始就不应该提控他们，总检察长也应该更改其思维。”

刚洗脱罪名的潘俭伟则表示，地庭的判决是让集会自由运动取得一次胜利。

这些集会者也在法庭宣判后也在庭内欢呼骚动，令庭警被迫喝止他们，他们随后在庭外开心的举起胜利V手势与竖起姆指。

案件去年开审传21证人

此案是在2011年3月开审，控方共传召21名证人，今年8月14日才审结与陈词。

21名被告是参加于2008年11月9日在灵市公民礼堂的“黄潮日”一周年庆烛光会时被捕。这场活动由净选盟举办，以纪念2007年11月9日为争取选举改革与废除内安法令而发起的第一场净选盟大集会.

黄潮周年活动遭警镇压

当时，警方强行镇压烛光会现场，事先封锁所有进入活动地点的公路，更以粗暴手段逮捕23名人士，包括3名行动党议员和1名《当今大马》录影记者苏克里（Shukri Mohamad）。

2009年1月23日，21名集会者在警方法令第27条文下被控非法集会与违抗警方指示两项罪名。

首控状指他们在2008年11月9日晚上9点至10点10分，在八打灵市政厅广场参加非法集会，抵触警察法令第27（5）（a）条文。

第二项控状指他们违抗警方的解散指示，触犯警察法令第27（4）条文。

这两项的控状刑罚一样，即可在警察法令第27（8）条文下，罚款2000至1万令吉，或最高监禁1年。

此案主控官为莱拉娃蒂（Lailawati Ali），而辩方代表律师则是哥宾星。

Is Federal Government afraid of “Mahasiswa” when it continues to disallow university students active in political parties?

I find that the Federal Cabinet’s decision to disallow “Mahasiswa” (university students) from being active in partisan politics and its reason that university students are still allowed to involve in political parties if they obtain permissions from their vice-chancellors under Section 15 of the 1971 Universities and University Colleges Act (AUKU) is too shallow and totally unacceptable!

When BN youth leaders support the move to allow university students active in political parties, I was hoping that there could be some chances for the Federal Cabinet to table an amendment to AUKU, particularly to amend Section 15 of the Act which directly prohibits university students from being active in partisan politics. However, all hopes diminished when the Cabinet maintained the policy during the last Cabinet meeting.

There is no need for me to reiterate my reason on why university students should be given the rights as it has been well explained in the public domain for the past decade since Reformasi.

What I wish to question is when the Federal Government allows school teachers to be active in political parties, why the same hypocrite government refuses to grant the same right to university students? Is the BN-controlled Federal Government trying to slowly turn this nation into a communist state?

I was not a member of any political parties during my student days in University of Malaya (UM), however, I participated in a lot of activities organized by political parties inside and outside campus at the hike of Reformasi. I even secretly invited politicians to give talks in the campus and was one of the leaders in organizing several gatherings inside the campus when I studied in UM from 1999 to 2002.

Am I going to be charged by the Ministry of Higher Education for breaching Section 15 of AUKU when not only me, but others who are now still active in politics, also participated and organized activities which are largely seen as related to opposition political parties inside and outside the campus of UM from 1999 to 2002, without any consent from the Vice-Chancellor?

If the Cabinet is serious about disallowing university students from participating in politics, then they should enforce the law and prosecute the offenders. Else they are just a joke of themselves when they can’t enforce the law they created. If so, why do they still disallow university students from being active in politics? Is Federal Government still very much afraid of “Mahasiswa”? Why?

联邦政府是否太惧怕大学生，以至继续禁止大学生参与政党？

我们的内阁虽然禁止大学生参与政党活动，同一时间却又表示只要能够在《1971年大专法令》第十五条下获得副校长的首肯，大学生绝对可以要加入政党，对我来说，这种看似开通的做法，简直是不可理喻。

既然国阵青年领袖都赞同允许学生加入政党，那么我希望内阁能够提议修改现有的《大专法令》，尤其是限制学生参与政党的第十五条。然而，所有的希望却落空，皆因内阁在最近的一次内阁会议，决定保留该项政策。

有关大学生为何应该被赋予加入政党的权利，我认为我不需要再多加说明，只因这项课题自从前的烈火莫熄时期到现在的十年间，都一直重复被大众讨论。

我只想知道，既然联邦政府允许教师参政，为何这个伪善政府却拒绝给予大专生相同的权利？这个由国阵主宰的政府是否意图将这个国家变成一个共产国？

我在马大求学时期虽然没有加入任何政党，在烈火莫熄高峰时期，在校内校外却参与了不少有政党所主办的活动。1999年到2002年间，那时候，我在校园内曾带领举办不少拥有政治性质的学生活动，还暗自邀请政党领袖到校园发表演说。

既然如此，我是否已经抵触了《大专法令》第十五条？高教部是否该针对我的行为提出控诉？但是，除了我之外，别忘记今天有许多活跃于政坛的认识都在1999年到2001年直接的那段求学时期，在没有副校长的允许下，曾参与过于反对党有关系的校内校外活动！

既然内阁对于禁止学生参政仍然是那么坚持的话，他们就应该严厉执行该项法令，将所触犯的学生定，否则在执法不严的情况下，他们的模棱两可的做法将引人诟病，为这个政府的行政弊病添多一条笑话。禁止学生参政的同时，却又不敢执行法令，这是否意味着联邦政府惧怕大学生的力量？

Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar harus menyiasat kes Dr Selvaa terlebih dahulu dan bukan menghukum beliau

Laporan akhbar hari ini mengatakan bahawa seorang doktor yang membongkarkan keadaan pesakit-pesakit orng asli yang teruk di sebuah hospital Orang Asli di Gombak telah dikena surat tunjuk sebab oleh Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli (JHEOA) pada 19 April 2010.

Doktor yang bernama Selvaa Vathany Pillai berkata bahawa beliau menerima surat ini atas tindakan beliau membongkarkan peristiwa itu dan tindakan ini telah dikatakan sebagai melanggar peraturan tetap kakitangan awam.

Dr Selvaa telah membongkarkan perkara ini di Majlis Peguam Malaysia pada 11 Februari 2010 di mana beliau turut mengatakan bahawa rawatan yang diberi kepada pesakit-pesakit Orang Asli tidak memenuhi piawai yang ditetapkan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan.

Tindakan Dr Selvaa yang berani ini diikuti dengan peristiwa tunjuk perasaan yang diadakan di hospital berkenaan pada 24 Februari yang diadakan oleh lebih daripada 30 orang penduduk Orang Asli.

Saya berasa kecewa dengan tindakan JHEOA ini kerana tindakan ini sememangnya tidak akan menyelesaikan masalah kesihatan yang dialami oleh golongan Orang Asli. Selain itu, masalah yang ditimbulkan oleh Dr Selvaa ini berkait rapat dengan profesionalisme perkhidmatan perubatan di Malaysia dan sebagai seorang doktor perubatan yang bertauliah, beliau berhak untuk menyuarakan kepincangan dalam perkhidmatan perubatan kepada pihak yang berkenaan supaya tindakan pembetulan boleh diambil.

Saya percaya Dr Selvaa memilih untuk membongkarkan perkara ini kepada pihak luar kerana beliau tidak menampak apa-apa tindakan susulan daripada pihak berkenaan, sama ada daripada JHEOA, Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar ataupun Kementerian Kesihatan untuk memperbetulkan keadaan ini.

Jikalau kerajaan BN betul-betul berjiwa 1Malaysia, maka mereka harus menyiasat tuduhan-tuduhan yang dibuat oleh Dr Selvaa dan mengenakan tindakan disiplin terhadap pegawai-pegawai kerajaan di JHEOA dan Kementerian Pembangunan Luar Bandar yang tidak menyelesaiakn masalah yang dibangkitkan oleh Dr Selvaa ini.'

Saya menyeru kepada Kabinet dan Perdana Menteri untuk bercampur tangan dalam hal ini. Seseorang kakitangan awam tidak harus dipersalahkan hanya keranan beliau menyuarakan kebenaran. Sebaliknya, tindakan berani beliau harus dipuji dan siasatan harus dijalankan terhadap tuduhannya.

Collecting singatures to support RCI for TBH Tragedy

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140347&id=691844174

反贪污委员会在执行公务时侵犯人权

大马反贪污委员会调查组主任苏克里日前向媒体披露，大马反贪污委员会决定即日起暂停调查所有涉及政治人物的案件，避免一再被特定人士所怪罪。反贪污委员会也表示将会针对涉及政治人物的案件咨询政府意见。

反贪污委员会如果是独立操作，那么就不应该咨询政府的意见，反而能够独立运作。如果反贪污委员会是为了应付巴东巴西州议席补选而停止调查涉及政治任务的贪污案件，这更加证明反贪污委员会不乏独立运作。这是有前车之鉴的。

在今年1月17日瓜登补选前三天，即1月14日，反贪污委员会在成立首17天内展延提控涉嫌4项涉及20万令吉的贪污罪行的一名国阵前雪州州议员，以免影响瓜登补选的成绩。这名前国阵议员也是巫统乌鲁冷岳前区部主席兼前国阵雪州士毛月区州议员拿督阿末古力士。如果当初反贪污委员会可以为了瓜登补选而延迟提控涉嫌贪污人士，那么我们便无法天真地以为此时反贪污委员会暂停调查所有涉及政治人物的贪污案件和巴东巴西补选无关。

特别是最近翁诗杰和张庆信针对政治献金和私人飞机费用事件可能涉及贪污滥权之嫌，再加上之前关系吧生港口自由贸易区计划贪污案件尚未完成的调查工作，反贪污委员会不应该停止调查，因为这些程度更严重，涉及层面更广的贪污案件全部都涉及国阵政治人物，即使是Wijaya Baru Global Bhd.副首席执行员法依查阿都拉本身也是前加埔巫青团团长。

针对首相署部长纳兹里和反贪污委员会调查组主任苏克里阿都指责行动党口口声声要求当局取缔贪污，但是现在轮到行动党被调查却百般阻扰，我们必须澄清的是，行动党并非害怕反贪污委员会，也不曾拒绝与反贪污委员会合作。我们的要求是，反贪污委员会必须一视同仁、公正不阿、专业称职和尊重人权地进行调查。

难道反贪污委员会和纳兹里能够否认，当发生赵明福在反贪污委员会大厦离奇死亡事件之后，公众人士不会对反贪污委员会专业执行任务严重失去信心？

更何况，反贪污委员会在执行公务时侵犯人权。

1. 错误援引法令执行任务。反贪污委员会应该根据2009年反贪污委员会法令第49条文进行逮捕，而不是第53条文，因为隶属2009年反贪污委员会法令第4部分（罪刑和惩罚）的第49条文清楚列明反贪污委员会在进行各项逮捕行动的权利等等。反之隶属2009年反贪污委员会第3部分的第53条文谈及遭逮捕者的口供，跟逮捕行动没有任何关系。

2. 食言。反贪污委员会早前联络黄传好，声言要求黄氏以证人的身份在服务中心协助调查，录取口供。讵料，反贪污委员会却在8月14日当天早上突然出示书面通知书，援引2009年反贪污委员会法令第53（3）条文，称黄氏已经遭遇逮捕。然而，2009年反贪污委员会法令第53（3）条文根本没有提及逮捕任何人士。这项条文的前提是黄氏已遭遇逮捕，因此在这项条文下，黄氏有权力发表本身的声明。

3. 没有出示证件证明身份。反贪污委员会官员执行任务时并没有佩戴任何证件证明身份。反贪污委员会官员也拒绝出示任何证件证明身份。当局可以在没有佩戴任何证件就可以随意逮捕任何人士，难道这不是二战时期德国纳粹秘密警察（Geheime Staatspolizei ）（盖斯太保——Gestapo）的运作方式？

我们吁请反贪污委员会能够自我反省，因为指责他们的并不是行动党而已，还包括普罗大众甚至是媒体。

Isu larangan menjual minuman beralkohol: UMNO jangan berpoliticking

UMNO perlu bertindak ikhlas dan bukan berpoliticking dalam isu larangan menjual minuman beralkohol. Untuk beberapa minggu yang lalu, UMNO dan Utusan Malaysia telah menggunakan isu larangan menjual minuman beralkohol untuk menyerang PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat Selangor.

Malahan UMNO dan Utusan Malaysia telah mencampur-adukkan isu ini dengan isu-isu perkauman dan agama yang lain dan melancarkan serangan dan fitnah yang tidak berasas dan terhadap DAP, kononnya DAP anti-Islam dan anti Melayu.

Kalau UMNO betul-betul memperjuangkan Islam, maka saya mencabar UMNO jangan menuding jari ke atas PAS dan Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim sahaja kerana mereka juga perlu melakukan yang sama di negeri-negeri yang mereka mentadbir.

UMNO juga perlu menggubal undang-undang Parlimen yang sedia ada, termasuk Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk membolehkan kerajaan negeri dan PBT diberi kuasa yang lebih besar untuk melaksanakan dasar melarang minuman beralkohol.

Janganlah UMNO hanya bercakap kosong dan melemparkan tuduhan-tuduhan yang tidak berasas kepada orang lain sedangkan mereka sendiri hanya melepaskan batuk di atas tangga sahaja.

Artikel 5 dalam Perlembagaan telah memberikan kebebasan kepada rakyat dalam isu penjualan minuman beralkohol manakala Artikel 75 dalam Perlembagaan juga menyatakan jika terdapat perbezaan dari segi undang-undang Persekutuan dan negeri.

Oleh itu, jikalau UMNO hendak menjadi jaguh orang Melayu dan orang Islam, maka saya bercadang kepada UMNO untuk melaksanakan dasar yang sama di negeri-negeri yang ditadbir oleh UMNO dan BN. Malahan saya mencabar UMNO sama ada mereka dapat menyakinkan parti-parti komponen yang lain di dalam BN untuk menerima dasar yang sama.

Jikalau UMNO dan Utusan Malaysia tidak memberanikan diri untuk melakukan apa yang disarankan saya, maka ini sekali lagi membuktikan hipokrasi dan ketidak-ikhlasan UMNO dan BN.

Berikutan dengan perbincangan larangan menjual minuman beralkohol di kawasan majoriti Muslim di Shah Alam, Menteri besar Selangor telah mengumumkan dasar “Kawalan-Kenditi” (Self-Regulating) di mana sepuluh (10) kedai serbaneka di kawasan sekitar Shah Alam tidak lagi menjual minuman beralkohol kepada pengguna.

Ia melibatkan 7-Eleven di Seksyen 2,6,19,11,13, 8, 7, 3, dan 7-Eleven di Jalan Kristal dan Jalan plumbum U7/7 di Seksyen 7. Sementara itu, untuk tujuh kedai 7-Eleven di Seksyen 16, 17, 20, 9, Seksyen 13 (bersebelahan Giant), Seksyen 13 (bersebelahan Hotel Carlton dan juga Seksyen 18, minuman beralkohol tidak lagi dipamerkan di rak minuman tetapi dijual di kaunter untuk pelanggan khusus seperti pelancong dan orang bukan Islam.

Ini merupakan langkah-langkah awal dan bijak daripada Kerajaan Negeri untuk memastikan minuman ini tidak dijualkan kepada mereka yang tidak memerlukannya dari segi undang-undang di mana keputusan ini juga tidak bercanggahan dengan peruntukan undang-undang yang sedia ada.

Sampai bila kita nak biarkan kezaliman bermaharajalela di Malaysia?

Police raided DAP HQ

Eleven police officers came to DAP HQ located at No. 24, Jalan 20/9, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor just now at about 6:250pm together Ooi Leng Hang, 34, one of those who were detained in a candle light vigil in Pandan Indah.

Ooi Leng Hang is a DAP councillor for Hulu Selangor District Council and is also a graphic and animation designer for the DAP HQ.

He was brought hand-cuffed to the DAP HQ by the police, who came in three police cars led by ASP Kamal Khan bin Mohd Shariff from IPD Ampang Jaya. 

I was informed that the search was without a police warrant. One of our HQ staffs who were working then could not help but to allow the police to enter the HQ as the police officer only flashed his ID card in front of him without allowing him the opportunity to check the details of the ID card of the police officer. Then there was another officer requesting for the IC of our staff. It was also informed that the police came to search under Police Act.

Police officers came and took away Ooi's CPU, LCD screen, keyboard, mouse, headphone etc. Several pictures were also taken inside the office. 19 DVDs and a portable hard disk were also taken away. Our staffs were then ensuring that unauthorized items which does not belong to Ooi were not taken away.

Other DAP leaders, i.e Tony Pua, Gobind Singh, Ronnie Liu, Tan Kok Wai, Fong Kui Lun and me arrived later to assist. 

Question arise as to whether the police is authorized to carry out a search without any warrant. 

Gobind said that he asked ASP Kamal to let him under which provision of law that the search was conducted. ASP Kamal said at first he is conducting the search under Police Act, but Gobind rebutted that Police Act has no relation with such police search. ASP Kamal then called his colleague and was later told that the search was conducted under Printing, Press and Publication Act (APPP).

"Under Section 16 of APPP, there is a requirement of search warrant but the police who conduct the search did not produce any search warrant and this had intruded civilians' privacy," Gobind said.

Gobind also further explained that the requirement of a search warrant can only be excluded if the evidences required could be easily destroyed, prompting the police to conduct a quick search without warrant to secure the evidence. [Draft version from DAP HQ by Lau Weng San]

A thought on the candlelight vigils by DAP

Received an email from a DAP Supporter:

Just a thought. 

The bout of arrests at the candlelight vigils being organized by DAP in Selangor and KL recently is perplexing. If BN/Home Ministry is intending to shut off further public exposure to the Perak issue, then the manner of arrests is being counter-productive to their cause as it is attracting national attention each and every night. It doesn't make sense as to why they keep doing this. It would be better for the police to keep low profile and let the vigils proceed. 

And having such heavy police presence, with OCPD of each district involved directly with each bout of arrest seem to indicate a hidden sinister motive. I can't help but feel that UMNO Selangor is behind this. We know that Najib is heading the state now. We must be wary of what is happening here. Najib can use the failure of Perak to orchestrate public disorder in Selangor, ultimately resulting in the fall of the Selangor state government. 

They may be taking advantage of the fact that only DAP is holding vigils. This is the perfect platform to create a racial unrest. If only DAP keep holding vigils, and the police keep up their clampdown, I believe very soon it will turn ugly. UMNO Selangor will be in the crowd. And when a provocation is engineered, and an incident is triggered, the blame will fall on DAP. This may be taking shape right underneath our noses now. The strategy to bring down Selangor will be more sinister than Perak, as part of a bigger plan to break-up Pakatan.

DAP Selangor & KL must issue a directive to all MP/ADUN/branches. Either conduct legal assemblies or use unconventional strategies or joint-vigils with our Pakatan partners.

Send OCPDs back to school again

I was on my way rushing to Pandan Indah yesterday and in fact I was late to the candle light vigil.

In the midst of rushing to the event, a friend sent me a message that Jenice and others were arrested.

It was another blatant attempt by the police force to breakup peaceful gathering organized by peace-loving individuals and elected representatives. 

When journalist A. Kadir Jasin tried to cover the May 7 Perak State Assembly Sitting, he mentioned this in his blog “The Script” on 7th May: 

“Kad Pengakuan Media Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia yang saya pegang tidak laku. Itulah yang dimaklumkan dengan tegas oleh anggota polis yang bertugas.

Bagi yang tidak pernah berhubung dengan polis Malaysia, mereka mungkin menganggapnya sebagai kasar dan bengis. Bagi saya, itulah cara menjalankan perintah yang mereka tahu.”

Perhaps this could be correct, that this is what has been practiced by the police force, that when there is an order from the top, they have to obey and carry it out without any doubt.

But let’s take a step back, aren’t the police force part of human being too? Orders, not matter how strict it is, must adhere to the principle of respecting human rights.

Nonsensical arrests that the police made since 7th May only deepens the impression from the general public that this country has slowly turned to be a police state, no different from the Gestapo in Nazi’s Germany, the KGB during Soviet Union’s time and the many Secret Polices in Eastern European countries during Communist’s rule.

The recent spate of nonsensical arrests remind me of what former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) said three years ago in a Human Rights Seminar organized by the police force targeting at Officers-In-Charge of Police District (OCPD). 

Below are some quotes by former IGP, Tan Sri Bakri Omar, the predecessor of current IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan:

From The Star dated 2nd March 2006:

“Police personnel should have equipped themselves with knowledge on the Human Rights Act, the Police Act, the Criminal Procedure Code and other related laws when they completed their police training.

“We taught you this, if you feel it is not enough, we will add more; and if it is still not enough, you better leave the force and find another job,” Mohd Bakri said when opening a course for OCPDs at the Royal Malaysian Police College in Cheras here yesterday.

From NST dated 2nd March 2006,

Bakri was puzzled why some police officers focused on trivial matters.

"Why do we concentrate on things that are remeh-temeh (trivial) when there are more important things to do? Why find 10 men and shave them bald? "OCPD Kajang, I can tell you that if I drop by Kajang (district police headquarters) now, I can find 10 mistakes within an hour," said Bakri.

But Mohd Noor Hakim was not the only one taken to task, although he was the only one named by the IGP.

"We have been teaching you about human rights all along ... you cannot say we have not been teaching you. If this (three-day seminar) is not enough, then we can make it longer.

"After that, if you still do not understand (about human rights), then you might as well look for another job.

"We don't want stupid officers," he said.

Bakri said the district police chiefs needed to stress human rights and how to treat the public to all their men, especially those manning enquiry desks and patrol cars. 

I think what Tan Sri Bakri Omar said three years ago are some very good reminders not only to us as general publics but also to the current leadership of the police force.

Perhaps it is time for OCPDs to be sent back to school for such seminars again. Afterall, these seminars which Tan Sri Bakri Omar attended was held in Cheras Police Training Centre (Pulapol).

It must be a very different feel if OCPDs were to be sent back to school again.

Counts of human rights violations

First, police detained Wong Chin Huat under Sedition Act.

Second, 14 people including Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching were detained outside Bricksfield Police Station for "illegal assembly".

Third, police also detained 69 Pakatan Rakyat supporters and commoners on 7th May 2009 outside the Perak State Assembly building.

Fourth, police after that crashed into the State Assembly unlawfully and dragged Speaker, YB Sivakumar away and locked him up unlawfully for hours in a small room.

Fifth, even officers of court (justice), lawyers, are not spared. Five lawayers detained outside Bricksfield Police Station when they offered legal aids to Wong Chin Huat's supporters who gathered outside the police station. The lawyers were detained for the same reason, "illegal assembly" although they were not part of the candle light vigil but merely providing legal assistances.

Even I myself were assaulted and detained by the police months ago.

These are some counts of human rights vilations that the police commited. How many out there which are not reported? I do not know but I am sure the number is countless.

And day by day, we see crime rate skyrocketing. We need more policemen and women on the street to safeguard the safety of the people, but there are always reasons given: insufficient manpower, insufficient equipment, insufficient salaries.

No doubt all these insufficiencies are true or could be true, but I think the major insufficiency that the police force faces is insufficient brain in the top management.

《恢复地方议会选举可行吗？》座谈会

日期：10/12/2008（星期三）
时间：8pm
地点：八打灵民众礼堂
主持人：杨振达
主讲人：
1) 刘永山（东姑花园区州议员）
2) 卜丽云（地方政府研究员）
3) 张菲倩（八打灵再也市议员）
4) 顾兴光（前马六甲民选市议会署理主席）

Photo of the plaincloth who punched me

I was given a copy of Singapore Newpaper today in Bandar Puchong Jaya Police Station when Ronnie was detained by the police.

I was shocked but excited to read the extensive report by the Republic's free dailies.

What is more exciting for me is that the picture of the plaincloth policeman who punched me are captured and published by the dailies.

Go to here and you can read the report. Click on the picture and you can see a guy who holds a handcuff on his right hand. He was the plaincloth who punched me on that night. Please also take note that he was not wearing any police ID card at that time.

I have "print-screened" the report and downloaded the picture as you can see right as above. So, now you know who is the guy.

Kenyataan Ketua Polis Negara dan Selangor tidak berasas

Saya mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih terhadap rakan-rakan yang bertanya khabar tentang apa yang berlaku kepada saya apabila saya ditahan dan ditumbuk oleh seorang anggota polis berpakaian biasa. Saya telah menerima pemeriksaan perubatan pada hari Isnin di mana doktor mengatakan bahawa saya mengalami kecederaan luar.

Saya masih tidak memahami mengapa polis begitu tergamak berlaku sedemikian apabila saya telah menerangkan identiti saya dan tujuan saya iaitu hanya untuk bertanya tentang keadaan mereka yang berada di dalam trak polis. Pada masa itu, perhimpunan telah kelihatan bersurai dan polis masih menangkap orang yang tidak bersalah. Secara teknikal, perhimpunan haram yang dimaksudkan itu sudah tidak wujud lagi.

Sama ada perhimpunan itu haram atau tidak, polis tidak boleh menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka dengan menumbuk orang yang tidak berdosa, inikan pula wakil rakyat yang sudah menerangkan identitinya kepada anggota-anggota polis yang berkhidmat. Bagi kes saya pula, ianya tidak ada kena-mengena dengan perhimpunan itu kerana samasa saya ditahan, perhimpunan itu sudah bersurai dan saya hanya ingin bertanyakan situasi di dalam trak. Adakah tindakan saya ini menyalahi undang-undang?

Oleh itu, kenyataan dan tuduhan yang dilemparkan oleh Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan dan Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar bahawa mereka hanya menjalankan tugas mengikut undang-undang adalah langsung tidak berasas.

Saya ingin menggariskan beberapa perkara yang mana anggota-anggota polis yang bertugas pada kejadian itu melanggari peruntukan undang-undang.

Pertama, anggota polis berpakaian biasa yang menumbuk saya tidak memakai tag polis sebagaimana yang dikehendaki terhadap mereka semasa bertugas. Beliau juga tidak memaklumkan identitinya semasa menahan saya. Ini termasuk Ketua Polis Selangor Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar yang bertugas pada malam tersebut yang berpakaian seluar panjang jeans dan baju kemeja berlengan pendek berwarna kelabu tanpa memakai sebarang tag pengenalan.

Kedua, pihak polis tidak mengeluarkan sebarang amaran sebelum menyuraikan dan menangkap orang ramai. Dalam mana-mana perhimpunan, apabila polis ingin menyuraikan mereka yang berhimpun secara “haram”, mereka akan pasti mengumumkan melalui pembesar suara: ”Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan diminta bersurai dalam masa xxx minit kerana ini adalah satu perhimpunan haram. Jika tidak pihak polis akan menyuraikan tuan-tuan dan puan-puan dengan menggunakan kekerasan.”

Ketiga, saya tidak diberitahu sebarang sebab-sebab saya ditahan oleh Polis. Saya hanya diberitahu semasa kami dilepaskan daripada trak polis dan berkumpul di hadapan dataran balai polis Petaling Jaya tetapi bukan semasa saya ditahan.

Apa sekalipun, tindakan polis yang tidak bertamadun dan tidak siuman ini adalah tidak diperlukan sama sekali. Saya berharap Ketua Polis Negara dan Selangor berhati-hati dengan hujah mereka sebelum membuat tuduhan bukan-bukan terhadap saya.

Photos: Assaulted by police

Police Chief lying regarding BERSIH candlelight vigil at Civic Center

From Peter

Monday, November 10, 2008

This is not the first time and definitely will not be the last time. Police lied through their teeth that they charged at peaceful Malaysians singing Negara Ku. Read what the Selangor Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar has to say as reported by Malaysiakini:

Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has denied that the police moved in on participants at a candle-light vigil last night while they were singing the national anthem.

“That is what they (participants) are claiming,” Khalid told reporters at the Petaling Jaya police district headquarters about midnight.

When told that there was a video recording of the police action, Khalid replied: “I am denying it.”

Compare it with a video shot during the melee:

Speak up against ISA!

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Dear All Muslim, Buddhist, Hindus, Christian, Sikhs, Taoist, Confucians brothers and sisters,

I am sure that you all must be aware about what happened to some of the Hindraf leaders who were arrested under the ISA. And of course, one of the detainees is V. Ganabatirau.

My colleague, Tony Pua, has a posting on him and his arrest here. I have also written about him here.

I do not intend to say more here but I wish to alert you about a petition that is going on about the ISA detention.

By the way, I have received an email from CKM who is a Christian which mentioned:

“Whilst as Christians we should respect the laws of the country, it is our duty to speak out on unjust laws. The arrest under ISA is totally uncalled for and unjust even under Islamic laws. A caring government will inquire about the "ethnic cleansing" allegation by HINDRAF and listen to the issues raised by them. As Christians, we should be colour blind and be compassionate.”

Before, you erase this email, I wish to remind you of a letter written by Martin Niemoller before the 2nd World War in Nazi Germany which is reproduced below.

Martin Niemoller:
When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews, I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out.

I hope, there is someone there to defend us
when they came for us, Christians.

We can all choose to keep quiet or stand up and be counted. I have signed an online petition to protest on the ISA arrests (No 18340). Do not be afraid, this online petition is located outside the country and run independently which the police have no access. You can put any name or email address you fancy.

If you believe it is the right thing to do, please mass email to your circle of friends. Go to here and sign.

God bless

CKM

CKM and I have joined the petition and have become the 14380th signaturies. Besides what was quoted by CKM, I think it is also good for me to share this famous song in the mid-eighties by Michael Jackson, We Are The World with you:

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God's great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the
ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me…..

The lyrics, especially the first part which I have bolded and italic-ed in red, tells us that it is time for us to stand visible and counted for against injustices, that this is a call beyond the barrier of religion, that which ever religion we believe in and embrace, it will be a sin for us not to stand up against any injustices.

God Bless You,
May Peace Be Upon You,
Nandri Vanakum
愿主保佑你,
诸恶莫作、诸善奉行
السلام عليكم
Assalamu 'Alaikum
Shalom aleichem
שלום עליכם

Vexed MPs stage walkout

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Vexed MPs stage walkout
Yoges Palaniappan Dec 11, 07 4:46pm

Sixteen opposition MPs staged a walkout from the Dewan Rakyat in protest of the arrest of 26 Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) petitioners this morning.

The 16, including all DAP and PAS MPs who were present, walked out at about 3.55pm in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was scheduled to wind-up the debates on a controversial amendment five minutes later.

The walkout came after M Kula Segaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) debated on the constitutional amendment bill seeking to extend the retirement age of Election Commission members by a year to 66, a move that has elicited strong criticisms.

The opposition MP opposed the amendment and condemned the arrests.

"We feel there is no point to debate further on the Bill when the arrests have nullified our freedom of expression both in and outside the Parliament House.

"We make laws in Parliament and it is the highest legislative body. How can the police just come in and start arresting people?" asked Kulasegaran when contacted later.

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