Trash the ISA.. release those in

Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin was sent to the Kamunting Detention Centre in Taiping, Perak, this morning to begin his two-year detention without trial under the Internal Security Act.

MCPX
Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar last night signed the detention order for the blogger to be held under section 8(1) of the tough security law. Under the Act, the initial two-year detention period can be renewed indefinitely.According to journalists stationed outside the Kamunting detention camp, Raja Petra arrived at 11.50am in a white van with heavily-tinted windows.
"The act by the minister to sign the section 8 order yesterday is completely unacceptable," said Raja Petra's lead lawyer Malik Imtiaz. The legal team believes the minister’s decision was linked to a habeas corpus hearing in the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning, which had been filed by Raja Petra's lawyers to secure his release.A writ of habeas corpus orders the authorities to produce detainees before a judge to determine whether the government has the right to continue holding them.
Speaking to reporters later, Malik (left) argued that “the arrest was issued last night to avoid the consequences of this habeas corpus”.
Amarjit Sidhu, another of Raja Petra's lawyers, said the government had pulled a "mean, dirty trick" by issuing the detention order last night.
"The government can now hide behind a veil of secrecy because they do not have to disclose reasons for detaining him," he said.
Senior federal counsel Abdul Wahab Mohamad in his preliminary objection argued that the hearing was rendered academic as the clause under which Raja Petra is now detained supercedes section 73(1) of the ISA, under which he was initially held.However, Malik countered: “Section 73(1) detention was without basis, unconstitutional and in bad faith… so the minister’s order could only have been the result of enquiry by the police, meaning that the section 73(1) order flows into the minister’s (present) order. “Because it flows, what we say is that the question of whether this section 73(1) detention was lawful is a matter which is relevant for the challenge on the section 8 order.”Malik pointed out that, if the matter is argued under the section 73(1) order, the court can review the matter objectively and look into the basis of detention.Still, the legal team will file another suit to challenge the section 8 order - even if the court’s jurisdiction is limited to weighing the procedure only.Malik said the basis of detention under section 73(1) and section 8(1) is the same. “(Section 8) is relevant to section 73(1). So if we declare this to be unlawful, we can have a basis to argue that the minister’s detention is not just irregular for procedure - therefore showing the minister has no power to make the order. And that would give a wider basis to argue,” he said.Judge Suraya Othman told lawyers to make their submissions on Oct 28. Ex-minister attends hearing Also making a surprising appearance in the courtroom was former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim, who sat next to Marina. “He (Raja Petra) writes well, he speaks his mind and we need more people like him," said Zaid (left in photo), who had resigned to protest the use of the ISA to detain Raja Petra and two others on Sept 12.Zaid said he attended the hearing to show support for the wives of many others being held under the restrictive law. “We should encourage people to speak out. If (those detained) have done wrong (then) we (should) charge them (in court),” he said.Zaid also said that freedom of expression and of speech are important values and that “we cannot intimidate with fear”.Earlier this morning, Raja Petra's wife Marina Lee Abdullah had confirmed the continued detention of her husband.“(Police) said my husband had been sent to Kamunting this morning and that he will remain there for two years with no trial.
"This is the worst news I can receive but we will keep fighting for his release,” she told AFP, holding back tears.“This is very unfair… we have filed our affidavit, they don’t reply to our affidavit for five days… this is ridiculous. This is a political move, it is very clear… he is not a threat to national security - it is bullshit.“This is dirty foul play by the government as they know that we are in the process of fighting for his release in the court, but I was expecting this.”Raja Petra, 58, has been under police custody in an unknown location since his arrest.Fellow-detainees Sin Chew Daily senior journalist Tan Hoon Cheng, 33, was freed 18 hours after being arrested, while Selangor senior executive councillor and Seputeh parliamentarian Teresa Kok, 43 was released after seven days. According to his lawyer J Chandra, Raja Petra was arrested for publishing articles on his news portal which allegedly tarnished the leadership of the country and insulted the sanctity of Islam.The former newspaper columnist had earlier been charged with sedition and defamation after linking Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife to the sensational murder of a Mongolian woman.
Minister confirms detention
Meanwhile minister Syed Hamid confirmed Raja Petra's detention under the ISA, stating that he was satisfied with the reasons given by the police for the blogger's detention."The detention is due to Raja Petra's articles that ridiculed Islam which could arouse anger among Muslims."The police had recommended his detention and after going through the papers, we are satisfied that there are strong grounds for him to be further detained for two years (in Kamunting)," he said. This is second time that Raja Petra has been arrested under the ISA.
He was detained under the draconian law in 2001, at the height of the reformasi movement triggered by the sacking and jailing of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, who is now opposition leader.However, he was released by the police after 53 days without being sent to Kamunting detention centre.

source by http://www.malaysiakini.com/

Mahathirs concern regarding UMNO and PM

Dr M: Don't repeat my 'mistake'
Jul 26, 08 5:51pm
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged Umno members not to repeat his ‘mistake’ in backing Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to be prime minister.
MCPX“I admit I wronged in choosing Abdullah as my successor. Now I regret because I didn’t think that ‘Mr Clean’ would not be that clean.“I believe that Umno members and leaders at all levels who are angry with me (for anointing Abdullah) surely does not want to make the same mistake,” said Mahathir. The former premier said this in his post on his blog - chedet.com - yesterday, which was aimed at urging Umno members at divisional levels not to nominate Abdullah as Umno president. Despite dissatisfaction within Umno on his leadership, Abdullah has announced that he would defend his party presidency during party polls in December. Explaining how Abdullah was hand-picked as his successor, Mahathir said that he was influenced by people who called the former 'Mr Clean'.No one asked Pak Lah to stayMahathir added that Abdullah was also older than Najib Abdul Razak and no one objected to the succession plan at that time. “(Following this) the Umno general assembly officiated (my choice) of Abdullah as deputy party president during the party elections. “Thus, I assumed that the succession plan to Abdullah was not something that was not wanted by Umno. No one objected,” added Mahathir. However, he notes that when Abdullah announced that he would step down as prime minister in 2010, it was well-received by all - Malays and non-Malays alike. “No one pleaded for him to stay on. It is clear that everyone wanted him to step down,” he said.‘Blame yourself’Mahathir argued that the 2010 time frame was too long and Abdullah should be made to resign immediately in order for Umno and Barisan Nasional to invigorate itself. “If the divisions and branches allow Abdullah to continue as party president, the blame would be on Umno members.
"They would be held responsible for the destruction of Umno and the disaster that will strike the Malays and Malaysia. Component parties would also be destroyed,” he said. Mahathir, who quit Umno in protest of Abdullah’s leadership, has been going on a campaign to unseat Abdullah who he blames for Barisan’s electoral setbacks in March.He has previously backed Najib for the post of Umno president and recently hinted that current Umno vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin was better candidate.

sorce by malaysiakini.

Karpal's view on US

We criticise US, they too can critcise us: Karpal
Ahti Veeranggan Jul 26, 08 6:08pm
If one is ever ready to criticise others on their application of rule of law, one should be prepared to accept similar criticisms against its own system, Bukit Gelugor MP Karpal Singh said today.
MCPXIn a statement, the DAP veteran ticked the government off for rejecting Washington's concern on the application of rule of law in PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy charges.“As such Washington's call for fair and just investigation on Anwar's case was necessary and understandable.“Instead, as sovereign nation, Malaysia should make every effort to be consistent in ensuring justice via application of universal rule of law,” he said.Yesterday, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim demanded that the United States stop “interfering” in an investigation into sodomy allegations against Anwar lodged by a former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.He was responding to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice statement on Thursday urging Malaysia to ensure a “transparent” investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations against Anwar.Karpal said the Putrajaya administration should not accuse the US of meddling in the country's internal affairs when Malaysia itself was guilty of doing the same on Washington in many instances.
Not meddling in internal affairsHe cited the government's criticisms against the US on its application of the rule of law on its own citizens, especially on the high-handed action by law enforcers against blacks, and the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay as fine examples of interference.He also noted that the Malaysian government under former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was among the first government to criticise the treatment of Bosnian Muslims by the Serbs in 1990s.“In a world of rapid globalisation, any country which criticises another on application of the rule of law cannot be deemed as meddling into the domestic affairs of the country.“No country can deem itself as immune from criticism when the rule of law was defied and, rendered ineffective and impotent,” he stated.“Therefore Malaysia should not suffer from a phobia over criticism by the US in regards to Anwar's case,” he added.In light of the growing criticisms from abroad condemning the apparent high handedness in the way Anwar was arrested from his house last week, Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar recently briefed more than 90 envoys on this issue.Karpal deemed the government’s move as “Putrajaya's lack of confidence in our very own legal system.”“The government need not be apologetic by ensuring envoys that Anwar would be given a fair trial,” he said.He said the government should not have briefed envoys if it was confident that Malaysia legal system upholds the rule of law and was beyond reproach.

source by malaysiakini

Petol pricve comparison among the petroleuum producers

Dear malaysians...Due to the recent petrol hike, most of the vehicle owners are suffering deadly.
They are not satisfied with the governemnts decision on hiking the petrol price to 41%.
1 litre of petrol is now RM 2.70 compare to RM 1.92 last thursday. The petrol price comparison is to be with the producers of petrol not among the country which does not produce petroluem.

Malaysia should compare prices with the following country that priduce petroleum.

UAE - RM1.19/litre
Eygpt - RM1.03/litre
Bahrain - RM0.87/litre
Qatar - RM0.68/litre
Kuwait - RM0.67/litre
Saudi Arabia - RM0.38/litre
Iran - RM0.35/litre
Brunei - RM1.10/litre
Nigeria - RM0.32/litre
Turkmenistan - RM0.25/litre
Venezuela - RM0.16/litre
MALAYSIA - RM2.70/litre

clearly shows that Malaysia is the most expensive petrol sellers among the rest...

Anti -fuel hike demo starts

Anti-fuel hike roadshows begin Saturday

The Coalition Against Inflation (Protes) is launching their nationwide roadshows condemning the sharp hike in fuel prices starting this Saturday in Seremban.
MCPXProtes spokespersons would be issuing a short public statement at the Terminal One shopping mall to mark the start of the campaign at 3pm. A host of NGO representatives and Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives from the federal and local level would then distribute leaflets at the shopping mall. “The climax of the launch would be the ceramah in Taman Jasmin, Senawang (near Seremban) on Saturday evening where a strong line-up of speakers will be sharing their views on the shocking hike in fuel prices,” said Badrul Hisham Shaharin, who is part of the organising committee for the Seremban roadshow.
An application for a police permit was made last Friday and a reply is expected soon. Since 2006, the Protes coalition - consisting of 57 NGO and five opposition parties - have been organising a series of activities against rises in utility, fuel and toll charges. Through a series of roadshows throughout the country, the coalition seeks to rally 100,000 people to a mass demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on July 12 against the recent hike in fuel charges.Police probeIn a related development, police have recorded statements from several Pakatan elected representatives from Negeri Sembilan yesterday over a demonstration in Seremban last Friday. Among those who have had their statements recorded included state assembly opposition leader Loke Siew Fook (Lobak), assemblypersons Wong May May (Mambau), Cha Kee Chin (Bukit Kepayang), P Gunasekaran (Senawang), Chai Tong Chai (Chuah) and PAS Negeri Sembilan chief Zulkifli Omar. According to Loke, the demonstration jointly organised by Pakatan Negeri Sembilan took place for one hour at the Seremban market involving some 100 people. “It was peaceful. We dispersed on our own after making our stand known,” he said, adding that Seremban district police were investigating a report filed by their own officers. Loke expressed surprise that he was called in for questioning and said that the police action may be a form of intimidation as the Seremban-leg of the Protes roadshow was around the corner.“This is my second term as an elected representative. Before this, I was involved in many protests before. They were all peaceful and we dispersed peacefully after that. “In all of those instances, the police had never taken statements from me before, nor had the police lodged a report against us. This is the first time my statements were taken over a peaceful assembly,” he stated.

source by malaysiakini ( www.malaysiakini.com)

Sarwak MP's ready to take a shift

Sarawak BN reps urged to cross over
Tony Thien May 10, 08 12:06pm
PKR’s sole elected representative in the Sarawak legislative assembly has asked Barisan Nasional state assemblypersons and MPs to join the ranks of Pakatan Rakyat “to fulfill the phenomenal expectations of the people after the March 8 general election”.Dominique Ng Kim Ho (PKR-Padungan), who is also Sarawak PKR chairperson said the defining moment had come to realise what he called "the dimensions and meaning of Merdeka in Malaysia after decades of hardship and unjust subservience".
"You can help raise Sarawak to the centre stage in our nation, to a respected position in the Asean region and even beyond,” he told the ruling state BN’s 61 representatives, including ministers and assistant ministers.In his debate on the motion of thanks to the head of state, Ng said Pakatan has the numbers to take control of the federal government and that in due course there is a strong possibility Malaysia will have her first woman prime minister.According to Ng, Pakatan is confident of support from at least 10 MPs from Sabah and some from Sarawak.He said under a Pakatan government, apart from the oil/gas royalties being raised, the land policy of the BN government will also be changed and land will be returned to the people.’
Land a contentious issue Ng was referring to both urban and suburban lands under the mixed zone land category which have been placed under Section 47 (notice to compulsorily acquire the land). Land affected are public purchases which are expiring in their leases and may not be renewed as well as native customary rights (NCR) lands affected by commercial development, especially oil palm plantation activities. Land has been a contentious issue and is central to the election campaign theme of the opposition in the recent elections in the state. PKR has promised that land lease will be extended to 99 years or in perpetuity should Pakatan form the state government after the next state elections due in 2011.
Ng said the post Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud era is coming soon with the expected new dawn in the Land of Kenyalang (Sarawak) with the blossoming of the Malaysian spring that came on March 8 in a display of the Malaysian people’s power and the recent legal return to politics of former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, PKR de facto leader and prime minister-in-waiting.When Ng stood down, he received applause from the six DAP state assemblypersons, led by their leader Wong Ho Leng, the member for Bukit Assek.

source from www.malaysiakini.com

Ibrahim refuse to apologize to Karpal

Ibrahim’s refusal to apologise to Karpal causes commotion
A COMMOTION broke out in the Parliament lobby during a meeting between Datuk Ibrahim Ali (Independent – Pasir Mas) and a group of disabled people who demanded that he apologise to Karpal Singh.
The group, known as Malaysians Against the Discrimination of the Disabled (MADD), urged Ibrahim to retract his recent statement in Parliament requesting that Karpal Singh (DAP – Bukit Gelugor) stand up while speaking in the Dewan Rakyat.
Ibrahim had apologised to the group initially for hurting their feelings over the remarks he made in the Dewan.
However, when he refused to apologise to Karpal Singh, who is wheelchair-bound, several from the group became agitated and this led to a shouting match.
Shouting match: Ibrahim arguing with the disabled yesterday. On his left is Gobind Singh.
“My problem was with Karpal Singh and never with all of you. I have never offended you and I love disabled people from the bottom of my heart.
“But if you all have misinterpreted my meaning, I extend my sincerest apologies.
“I hope you don’t misunderstand this because there are groups trying to take advantage of you,” he said, referring to several Pakatan Rakyat leaders – Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Lim Lip Eng, Loh Gwo Burne, Gobind Singh Deo and others – who had escorted the group into Parliament.
Ibrahim even said that he would propose that the Government allocate a RM500 monthly allowance to the disabled, which was greeted by cheers.
However, a huge spat ensued when Lim Lip Eng (DAP – Segambut) questioned Ibrahim if he would offer an apology to Karpal Singh.
To this, Ibrahim shouted “No! No! No!”.
“I will not apologise to Karpal. You cannot force me. I will not apologise for the benefit of the opposition party,” he retorted, and stormed off from the meeting.
In response, the group shouted back at him: “What if you are disabled one day?”
A representative from MADD later handed over a memorandum to Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah.

source from www.star.com.my