Dakwa jenayah dirancang untuk ganti EO: Pemuda Umno lapor polis

Pemuda Umno Malaysia membuat laporan polis ke atas Pengerusi DAP Sarawak, Chong Chieng Jen kerana mendakwa insiden kes tembak-menembak serta jenayah yang berleluasa di negara ini merupakan sebahagian daripada sandiwara Barisan Nasional (BN) bagi mengembalikan beberapa akta yang telah dimansuhkan.

Menurut  Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (gambar) laporan tersebut di buat hari ini di Balai Polis Indera Mahkota, Pahang.

Kata Khairy lagi, kenyataan Chong sebagai pemimpin kanan DAP  itu jelas menampakkan tahap pemikirannya yang cetek dan keanak-anakan bagi memperjuangkan politik kebencian yang diamalkan pembangkang terutama DAP selama ini.

"Tohmahan serta tuduhan itu jelas merupakan satu bentuk hasutan yang serius, keterlaluan dan bertujuan mempengaruhi rakyat bagi membenci BN selaku kerajaan yang dipilih secara sah pada pilihan raya umum lalu,"katanya dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini.

Ekoran itu, Pemuda Umno yang menyifatkan kenyataan itu sebagai "politik kotor" Chong berharap  ia dapat  membuka mata rakyat tentang kualiti pemikiran dan perjuangan politik para pemimpin pembangkang.

"Atas rasa tanggungjawab serta cintakan keamanan negara, kesejahteraan rakyat dan prinsip memperjuangkan amalan politik matang dan laporan ini sebagai bukti bahawa  satu tindakan undang-undang yang tegas dan adil dapat dilaksanakan ke atasnya," kata Khairy.

Semalam, portal The Borneo Post memetik kenyataan Chong yang  juga merupakan Ahli Parlimen Bandar Kuching berkata kejadian jenayah yang meningkat di negara ini  adalah sebahagian dari rancangan kerajaan Barisan Nasional bagi menggantikan undang-undang baru menyerupai Akta Ordinan (EO).

Chong berkata demikian semasa sidang media yang berlansung di Ibu Pejabat DAP bagi mengulas mengenai isu jenayah yang tidak terkawal.

"Ia merupakan satu tindakan terancang apabila pemimpin BN termasuk Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi menggunakan kesempatan peningkatan keganasan jenayah membabitkan senjata api untuk menperkenalkan undang-undang baru," dakwa beliau yang dipetik dari The Borneo Post.

Beliau juga berkata dengan berbuat demikian rakyat menjadi mangsa bagi agenda politik BN.

Chong memberitahu undang-undang seperti EO yang bakal diperkenal BN hanya membenarkan penyalahgunaan kuasa kerana sesiapa saja termasuk pemimpin pembangkang boleh ditahan tanpa dibicara di mahkamah. 

The 30% rule – what holds back Opposition from Putrajaya

There’s no two ways about it  the road to Putrajaya is not a urban highway but rather one than wends its way through the kampungs and plantations of Malaysia, reveals a study of the way votes went in the past general election.

Just 30%, a little under one-third of Malaysians, live in the rural and semi-rural parts of Malaysia, but they sent 71% of the politicians into Parliament last May 5.

Yes, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) snared 51% of the popular vote. Yes, it snagged more than three-quarters of the Chinese vote. It even scored 54.9% of the Indian vote and stole about 40% of the Malay vote. But that only made PR the undisputed champion of urban Malaysia.

Barisan Nasional-friendly (BN) gerrymandering and unequal constituency sizes means that 158 or 71% of the 222 parliamentary seats are non-urban, so even if the pact of PKR, DAP and PAS performs better in all the above categories in the next general election, it will likely be occupying opposition benches in Parliament.

These facts were culled from a survey by Merdeka Center on voting patterns in 222 parliament seats. The data from voting streams from first-time voters to senior citizens was analysed by the independent researchers.

PR politicians and election watchdog groups have long complained that the carving out of constituencies is aimed at keeping BN in power and makes a rural vote worth an average of six urban voters.

But nothing is likely to change in the composition of seats and the redrawing of boundaries between now and GE14, making it necessary for Pakatan Rakyat to think up new approaches to win more friends in the rural heartland.

Ibrahim Suffian, head of Merdeka Centre, said that PR will have to come up with policies which address concerns of Malays, the largest segment of voters in rural and semi-rural seats. Or it has to make a much better effort in getting across its message of a new Malaysia to the back of beyond.

"If Pakatan Rakyat wants to win more support in rural areas, it has to first address some of the concerns about Islam and Malay rights.

“Barisan Nasional has done an effective job of creating some fear among rural folk, even planting in their minds the concern of whether Pakatan Rakyat has a plan for their economic wellbeing,” he told The Malaysian Insider, noting that even the decrease of Chinese support for BN was less pronounced in rural constituencies.

It is just not good enough to talk about corruption or the murder of Altantuya Shariibuu in areas where the Umno/BN network is strong, and where government handouts are welcomed by grateful hands.

The task of winning the rural vote was left largely to PAS in GE13 and the party had a patchy record in fighting off BN propaganda that PR rule would diminish the position of the Malays and Islam.

In a recent interview with The Malaysian Insider, PKR director of strategy Rafizi Ramli said that the Opposition pact had to focus more attention on the fears and concerns of rural Malay voters.

"It has to do with the fears of Malays on security and confidence in a multi-racial country and their livelihood in the rural areas. These are the issues that BN has been able to capitalise on successfully, to create a fear of Pakatan Rakyat, " he said.

He added, "We can't keep riding on urban dissatisfaction to make the numbers. We are working on strategies to get the message across to rural areas.

Zahid was part of EO repeal effort, reminds ex-NST boss

Despite his active lobbying for fresh preventive laws now, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had been part of the same Cabinet that agreed to repeal such legislation not long ago, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin reminded today.

The former New Straits Times(NST) group editor-in-chief noted Zahid's bellyaching over the loss of these laws but said neither the minister nor his Cabinet colleagues could claim they had not been partially responsible for it.

"The question here, where was Ahmad Zahid and other Cabinet members when the suggestion to abolish the ISA, EO and Banishment Act was discussed?" Kadir asked in his blog here.

"Don't wipe your hands off by saying that the Cabinet did not discuss and debate the matter ... What are the tasks and roles of the Cabinet then?"

"Were they all yes men? It makes no sense," he added.

According to Kadir, the absence of the Internal Security Act 1960 (ISA), Emergency Ordinance (EO), and Banishment Act 1959, which he said were "happily scrapped" by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was likely the cause of the recent crime wave.

His remark follows what he described as frank admissions by some, including Zahid, that the repeal has been a "folly" and had instead brought harm towards Malaysia and its people.

Zahid and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had previously stirred controversy when they indicated that the return of preventive detention laws would help the police carry out their crime-fighting duties more effectively.

On Sunday, Zahid had repeated his assertion that the police force had lost its bite in the repeal of laws that once allowed them to detain suspected criminals without trial.

With violent crimes on the rise and suspicions linking the sudden spate of shootings to gangland turf wars and firearms smuggling, the Home Minister appeared insistent on the need for preventive detention as a vital aid to assist crime busters.

In the interview published byUtusan Malaysia’s weekend edition Mingguan Malaysia, Zahid said the overall crime rate had dropped but index crimes were increasing, attributing the rise of the latter to four factors.

He said the four factors include the release of the 2,600 EO detainees from the Simpang Renggam detention centre, and their hardcore followers and subordinates whom the police said hit a figure of 266,000 people.

Meanwhile, Kadir has called on Najib and other lawmakers to fix the problem by introducing replacements to preventive laws.

"If Najib, Cabinet members and MP  — whether from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat — have stumbled, please admit your mistakes and turn back," said Kadir. 

"If they still care for 99 per cent of the citizens who love peace and need protection, they must quickly draft new and stricter laws to replace the acts that they have abolished."

Putrajaya had abolished the EO laws and the ISA, both of which allowed for preventive detention without trial, a feature that has been criticised by its detractors for allegedly infringing on human rights.

On July 26, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance that his administration would be “mindful” of human rights when drafting new laws to combat crime.

However, Najib had earlier this month pledged Putrajaya’s commitment to consider “anything” the police needs to fight serious crime, noting the sudden rise in gun-related incidents lately.

In continuing crime surge, minister blames preventive law repeals again

In the face of rising concern over the crime rate, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi repeated his assertion today that the police force had lost its bite in the repeal of laws that once allowed them to detain suspected criminals without trial.

With violent crimes on the rise and suspicions linking the sudden spate of shootings to gangland turf wars and firearms smuggling, the Home Minister appeared insistent on the need for preventive detention as a vital aid to assist crime busters.

”I think the ‘teeth’ of the police are less sharp now because their powers used to be strengthened with laws,” Zahid said in an interview published by Utusan Malaysia’s weekend editionMingguan Malaysia today.

Zahid said that the public now enjoy more freedom than before as the authorities now have to go through the courts when taking preventive measures to fight crime.

”This is what the opposition wants where the society feels that basic human rights and liberties are more important than the issue of public safety and peace,” he said.

Putrajaya had abolished the Emergency Ordinance laws and the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960, both of which allowed for preventive detention without trial, a feature that has been criticised by its detractors for allegedly infringing on human rights.

Zahid and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had previously stirred controversy when they indicated that the return of preventive detention laws would help the police carry out their crime-fighting duties more effectively.

But on July 26, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance that his administration would be “mindful” of human rights when drafting new laws to combat crime.

In the interview, Zahid said the overall crime rate had dropped but index crimes were increasing, attributing the rise of the latter to four factors.

He said the four factors include the release of the 2,600 EO detainees from the Simpang Renggam detention centre, and their hardcore followers and subordinates which the police said hit a figure of 266,000 people.

”The second factor, those that were released from detention have hardcore supporters. According to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), from the 2,600 released, they have at least 10 right-hand men, meaning there are 26,000 with the society.

”These right-hand men also have at least 10 of their own right-hand men, meaning there’s 266,000 people,” Zahid said, roping in these followers as allegedly having contributed to the rise of index crime.

The police force have yet to increase their manpower and upgrade their resources in line with the loss of the EO and Restricted Residence Act, Zahid said.

He also said there needs to be more awareness programmes on crime prevention.

To date, the police have not provided statistics of crime cases that are said to be committed by former EO detainees.

While acknowledging that the opposition’s suggestions for legal reforms were “positive”, Zahid hinted that their approach would leave the government bearing the brunt of criticism despite being stripped of some of their powers to prevent crimes.

”Meaning, how far is our preparations in terms of preventive steps including how to handle the detainees that were released from Simpang Renggam.

“They are now in the ‘market’, the question is what is the opposition’s contribution?” he asked, referring to the former EO detainees.

”They don’t feel responsible when crime happens but instead returns the fault to the government or the authorities.

“They don’t feel guilty if there are murders because the released criminal wants to take revenge on witnesses, the opposition also doesn’t feel the slightest terusik (feeling) if there’s any weaknesses in the implementation of laws because (they) think it is the government’s responsibility,” he said of the opposition when interview by Mingguan Malaysia.

”In this situation, don’t be trapped by the opposition’s tactics, the proposals look good but in the end, the proposal will trap the government,” Zahid said.

When asked to comment on the severe criticism faced by the police force in cases of custodial deaths, Zahid urged the public to be “fair” to the police.

”Those who are arrested are gangsters and criminals but those who are blamed are the police. Be fair to the police.

”Police can carry out investigations with close circuit cameras (CCTV). Police can carry out action according to SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) that is set and police can carry out investigations according to office hours, but is that effective enough?

He said the police’s actions would be based on their past experiences and the situation at hand, urging the public not to always blame the police.

”If the society feels that a certain action by the police is quite slow, they blame the team, but when the criminals acts on the police, the police is also blamed, so I think justice should also be given to the police,” he said.

Ahead of Umno polls, Najib warns members away from money politics

Umno members should steer clear of money politics to protect the party’s image during its internal elections this October, its president Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said.

He said Umno members should lodge complaints upon discovering any attempt at money politics during the crucial polls.

But he also noted that amendments to its party constitution, where a larger pool of party members now have a say in the elections, would make it more difficult for votes to be bought.

“With the current system where 150,000 members will elect Umno leaders at the division and top level, it becomes harder for us to give money to get support,

“However, this does not mean that money politics does not exist at all; maybe there are people who will use money politics with the hope of influencing delegates,” Najib, who is also the prime minister, told Malay-language daily Utusan Malaysiain an interview published today.

Utusan also reported Najib as stressing that the chances of polls results being manipulated through bribery were greatly reduced with the tweaking of the party constitution.

Following the amendment, which was approved in 2009, over 150,000 Umno delegates from 191 divisions are now eligible to vote in the party polls, as opposed to the 2,500 delegates in the past.

In the same interview, Najib said the new polling system meant that Umno was now more open and democratic, which would lead to more active contests for party posts.

But the leader appeared to caution against any contest that would jeopardise the party’s image.

“We are the party which the Malays hope in and we must preserve this so that the internal party contest will not lead to any negative image or perception of Umno,” he said, expressing his hopes that the Umno polls would mark the party’s maturity.

“We hope the intention and spirit will be appreciated by the Umno members, meaning that we want to make Umno more inclusive, democratic, and secondly, free from bribery,” Najib also said when asked whether the party members could accept the new polling system.

The outcome of the Umno polls would be closely watched, with Najib’s success in defending his presidency said to be closely tied to his position as the country’s leader.

Senior Umno leaders have been calling for the top two positions in the party to be uncontested, which would then see Najib and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin retaining their posts.

Empowering Malays is the solution, not handouts, say Pakatan leaders -

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has pledged to address Malay concerns without relying on “discriminatory” race-based policies, saying educating, empowering and raising the skills of the community are the best ways to improve their livelihood.

PR leaders agreed that the Malays, as the country’s dominant ethnic group, should have their needs attended to but stressed that this must not be at the expense of the other races.

PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli noted that both former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his Singaporean counterpart Lee Kuan Yew were of the opinion that Malays are “not capable”, and that the majority population in Malaysia could only participate in the country’s development process by being entitled to perpetual handouts.

“Pakatan’s proposition is we would be able to address the concerns and fears of Malays without being racially divisive and discriminatory,” Rafizi toldThe Malay Mail Online yesterday.

“Kuan Yew’s statement is if you want to be a government, and the Malays are majority, therefore you must have the support of the Malays because the Malays are incapable of standing on their own and have to be given assistance all the time,” added the Pandan MP.

Rafizi, 36, called Dr Mahathir’s and Lee’s views “outdated and repugnant, especially to younger Malays”, noting that the two elder statesmen, both of whom are almost 90 years of age, come from a generation that “looks down on the Malays”.

Lee wrote in a book “One Man’s View of the World”, which was released recently, that Malaysia’s brain drain problem was caused by Putrajaya’s insistence on promoting “one race” above all others.

Dr Mahathir also wrote a controversial book titled “The Malay Dilemma” in 1970, where he proposed affirmative action to enable the Malays to compete with the Chinese, who were more progressive economically.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said on Thursday that it was inevitable to pay more attention to the Malays as they form 60 per cent of the population.

Rafizi agreed, saying: “If the Malays are the major ethnic group, whatever their concerns and problems, the government has to attend to it.”

The young lawmaker, however, stressed that the way forward was to build the confidence of the Malays, to educate them and to enable them to voice independent opinions.

“Going forward, our generation doesn’t want to be given leeway just because we’re Malays. We want to be respected as Malaysian leaders because of our talent, our thinking, no matter whether we’re Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, or Kadazan,” he said.

Rafizi, however, acknowledged the difficulty of changing the mindset of some Malays, saying that Umno has conditioned the majority group for more than half a century to rely on the ruling party, without which the “Malays would be in trouble and not be able to compete with the non-Malays.”

PAS central working committee member Khalid Samad said that affirmative action policies were about “making sure no race is left behind”, and not about making one race “superior” to another.

“The special position of the Malays is just reassurance that they won’t be left out. It doesn’t mean other races have to be left out at the same time,” Khalid told The Malay Mail Onlineyesterday.

The Shah Alam MP noted that the special position of the Malays, as enshrined in the federal constitution, was agreed to by all races during the formation of the nation.

“What the constitution mentions is the special position of the Malays, which means ‘kedudukan istimewa Melayu’ or ‘hak istimewa Melayu’ (Malay special rights), which is different from ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy),” he said.

DAP publicity chief Tony Pua said that PR has always focused on “ketuanan rakyat” (people supremacy), and not “ketuanan Melayu”.

“We will help everyone. If the poor are the majority Malays, then the Malays will get it,” the Petaling Jaya Utara MP told The Malay Mail Online.

The enemy will come from within, Pak Lah tells Najib

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s biggest roadblock to reforming the country will come from his own Umno, according to Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in a new book due out next week.

“Najib is trying to do many good things. He is trying to transform the economy, the government and make changes.

“But he faces the same problem that I did ― resistance,” Malaysia’s fifth prime minister wrote in the 620-page book titled “Awakenings: The Abdullah Badawi Years in Malaysia”.

Abdullah succeeded the nation’s longest-serving prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in 2003.

A year later and riding on the promise of reforms, the man, fondly referred to as Pak Lah, led Barisan Nasional (BN) to its most dominant mandate in Election 2004.

But a scant five years after, he was hounded from office by the man who put him there, having led BN from the euphoria of 2004 to the despair of 2008 general election when it lost its customary stranglehold on Parliament.

“I was perhaps too idealistic and thought everyone would embrace the changes which could be the good of the country and people,” Abdullah wrote.

During his time, Abdullah had loosened the reins on the media and allowed seemingly open dissent on the Internet, the latter of which is often credited for the unprecedented gains made by the loose opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat during Election 2008.

“Unfortunately, there are still people in Umno and Barisan Nasional who refuse to accept that we did badly in 2008 because we did not meet the people’s expectations in carrying out reforms.

“They think we did not do well because we allowed too much discourse and openness to the people and the opposition.

“And it is these people who are set in doing things the old way,” Abdullah said.

“This, I believe is Najib’s biggest challenge.”

Najib, the son of Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak, took over from Abdullah in April 2009 ostensibly to lead the ruling coalition towards reversing its losses.

But he has since led BN to an even worse electoral showing in Election 2013, losing seven more parliamentary seats from the 140 it had won in 2008; the coalition also lost the popular vote for the first time since it began contesting as BN.

Najib also has more to contend with as he heads into the Umno election later this year.

Last Wednesday, ratings agency Fitch Ratings downgraded its outlook on the country’s debt to “Negative”, piling the pressure on Najib to speed up the very reforms that may put his Umno presidency — and, ultimately, his office as prime minister — in jeopardy.