a little civil disobedience is good

aka Malaysian Rule of Law.

I was wondering what ‘alternative Merdeka message’ I could write, and I got to thinking about the concept of the ‘Rule of Law’ viz Malaysia.

The concept was first postulated by one British Legal boffin A.V. Dicey, and is something which every Intermediate Law student should know by heart:

A.V. Dicey’s theory on the Rule of Law

Primarily…No man could be punished except for breaches of law. In other words, all government actions must be authorised by law.

But what laws do we have? Bad laws: Internal Security Act, Sedition Act, s.377 [Sodomy], S.27 Police Act [no public assemblies without police approval], Official Secrets Act, University and University Colleges Act, Printing Presses and Publications Act, new upcoming DNA Act … the list goes on.

The Criminal Procedure Code does not adequately protect you if you are ever called in ’to assist in investigations’ – as such the police can freely treat you like a common criminal - your name smeared in the press, denied police bail, subject to violent interrogation – even before you’re charged.

What ‘rule of law’ is this?

Secondarily…No man is above the law and everyone, regardless of rank, is subject to the ordinary laws of the land.

But in Malaysia, good people who expose the truth are hunted down, hauled up and charged, while the evil are allowed not only to roam free and carry on but left to remain in positions of absolute power.  

What ‘rule of law’ is this?

Finally…The courts are the final protectors of citizen’s rights – judicial decisions determine the rights of the private person.

KORRECK KORRECK KORRECK! - As long as the evil ones remain in position of absolute power, expect the plans to set up an independent Judicial Appointments Commission to go the way of the IPCMC [Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission]

Rule of Law? Where?

 

The other day I parked at the usual spot in from of my neighbourhood supermarket. It is not a designated parking area but nevertheless, set away from blocking the traffic flow. Brickfields at any time of the day is a full-on parking nightmare – too many cars, too few parking spots. Cars are double parked and placed in any available nook along the roads.

Needless to say, upon my return, a ticket was flapping happily in the breeze under my windsceen wiper. Last year I received the same ticket, of which I was required to pay a RM15 compound. Today the compound has been upped to RM100.

I decided not to pay – if there are no legitimate parking spaces, how do you expect me to park legitimately? 

The ticket is tucked away under my sun visor along with the six other outstanding summonses for speedtrap offences over the years - 0.1km/h above 120km/h on the highway will get you one. [On your handphone, type "POLIS SAMAN <your car number> SEMUA" and sms to 32728, and see how many you have.]

Last night I was caught in a two hour crawl driving from SS5 PJ to KL. More of the same as I hit the Federal Highway. I usually try and maneuvre between lanes to try and follow the fastest flowing one, but this time, I said to hell with all that and zipped along on the emergency lane from the Jalan 222 junction all the way past Kuen Cheng school.

All the while, I was thinking, if a cop flags me down, I’m going to say ‘if you can’t do anything to ease traggic congestion, if DBKL can’t widen this old highway, hell, I’ll ‘widen’ it myself. If you have no other work but to chase down traffic violators while the big criminals run riot, go ahead encik - saaaaamanlaaa!’

I’ll tear up the saman and use it as toilet paper.

Take me to court? Takelaa. How much can they fine me? And if I refuse to pay, how long can they jail me for a traffic offence?

I saw a few hundred Malaysian flags fluttering from lamposts along the highway last night – I could have stopped by and cut one down, taken it home and hung it on my balcony. I’m not stealing, I’m merely displaying the flag somewhere else. Hanging the flag is how they gauge ‘patriotism’ right? You don’t like it? Catch me, smear my name in the papers and charge me in court, while the evil ones continue free and undisturbed.

Malaysia’s ‘rule of law’ - bad guys roam free and abuse their positions but you and I get samanned for minor infringements.

In times like these, some civil disobedience is good.

 

With this in mind, I was thinking of an ‘alternative’ Merdeka song to play as I usher in the Merdeka, and I chose this one, dedicated to our men in blue who have nothing else better to do…

True to form, I just now spotted them manning their usual roadblock along the road past the old railway station leading to Central Market, stopping bikes and cars to presumably halt any dissidents joining in the Merdeka festivities tonight – we simply can’t have these ingrates joining in, can we?

Rule of Law, it seems.

[Warning warning! Parental advisory: Explicit lyrics
- do not click 'play' if you are easily offended]

bn’s five stages of grief

From Malaysiakini:

In a rare move, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has ordered all internet service providers (ISPs) to block controversial online portal Malaysia Today.
MCMC chief operating officer Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi, when contacted today, confirmed that the block was ordered by the commission (oh REALLY?), which is the regulatory body for online content.

“It is being blocked because we found that some of the comments on the website were insensitive, bordering on incitement,” he told Malaysiakini.

Local internet users however can still access the website by typing in Malaysia Today’s IP address or an alternative web address in their web browsers.

Mohamed Sharil said MCMC had instructed all ISPs to block access to Malaysia Today based on complaints received by the general public regarding offensive comments posted on the website. (Complaints … from the public … oh, truly frickin REALLY?)

Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar was also quoted in Malaysiakini:

“… when you publish content that is libelous, defamatory and slanderous to other people I think it is only natural we take action,” he said.

‘WE’ izzenit? Not MCMC alone, right? Which shows not only are MCMC BN’s running dogs, they are liars as well.

In an immediate reaction CEO of HackInTheBox [HITB], network security specialist and hacker extraordinaire, L33tdawg commented on their website:

This is really a sad day indeed – the MSC bill of guarantees clearly states that the Internet will not be filtered/censored or otherwise manipulated. Today it might be Malaysia-Today, tomorrow maybe it’ll be CNN and BBC. It’s the beginning of the end imho and I am truly disappointed with MCMC for ‘bowing down’ to the pressure of the incumbent government to try and stifle the flow of information merely because it paints the .gov in a negative light – We don’t need the govt to tell us what we can and cannot read; what we can and cannot think!

Meanwhile, political writer Anil Netto received an angry threat from what appeared like a BN lackey in response to his blog’s coverage of the Permatang Pauh by-election. Among the choicier bits:

You and your ilk ought to be detained under the ISA and the keys thrown away … you are ungrateful for the development and progress wrought by the BN … When the BN government finally wipes out the Opposition from the face of this Earth, we’ll be coming after you and all of your ilk … it seems now that a large minority of the rakyat are stupid enough to pay attention to the lies of the Opposition. The BN will educate them very soon and I assure you it will be a painful lesson indeed.

The BN from being in denial mode after March 8, that they NO LONGER have the rakyat’s support, are slipping into the next stage in their grief process – anger. As such, they are struggling desperately to prop up their crumbling facade of credibility, blindly lashing out against any and all who they believe are to blame for their loss, and in the process further fanning the rakyat’s hatred toward them.

Haris Ibrahim, in his blog yesterday wrote:

In your sheer arrogance, … you [Najib] and your friends refused to see and acknowledge the degradation into which you have all fallen …

Political analyst, Dr. P. Sivamurugan was [surprisingly] quoted in the NST as saying:

Barisan Nasional’s loss in Permatang Pauh was Umno’s own doing.

The next stage, if Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is correct will be “bargaining” ie: ‘if I give you a nice Budget 2008 tomorrow - perhaps lowering some taxes and giving a few nice perks - will you all then love me again?’

Then they’ll get depressed, ie ‘why don’t you love me after all I have done for you’ … after which the cycle of denial, anger, bargaining and depression wil begin again.

And finally, IF … IIIIF they realise that the only way they are ever going to regain any respect is to change themselves, perhaps only then will they ACCEPT that their 51 year reign is finally over, let go and step aside.

But until then, let’s all prepare for more anger, realiation and persecution.

 

‘a new dawn for malaysia’

pic from Malaysiakini

[Click on image to enlarge/download from http://anwaribrahimblog.com/2008/08/19/muatturun-poster-kempen/]

According to Malaysiakini, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia announced this morning that Anwar Ibrahim, the new member of parliament for Permatang Pauh, will be sworn in tomorrow [28 Aug].

(Which means he’ll be present for the tabling of the Budget 2008 AND the insidious DNA Bill - BN are trying to bulldoze it through in order presumably to compel Anwar by law to submit his DNA, which they will then most likely plant on Saiful’s underwear … You theenk I is yoking senor? Noooooooooo…)

YB DATUK SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM, MP PERMATANG PAUH & NEW OPPOSITION LEADER’S
PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [taken from his blog]:

PERMATANG PAUH, MALAYSIA, 26 AUGUST 2008

We won!  And our victory is decisive and overwhelming.

I share in the joy felt by all Malaysians on this historic day.   This is a victory for the people. And it’s great to be back!

On March 8th Malaysians voted for a New Dawn. Today, on the eve of our independence day, we have reasserted that call.  We celebrate our nation’s independence in the spirit that our founding fathers intended – a nation of one and a people united.

In the face of the greatest adversity, our campaign focused on the issues that matter to Malaysians.  Our calls for national unity, good governance and a vibrant democracy have silenced the voices of racist chanting, those who profit from the abuse of power and exploit the politics of fear and deceit.

We have promised a New Dawn for Malaysia and we will deliver on our promise.  We will forge ahead on our Malaysian Economic Agenda to revive the economy, and to uplift the poor and the marginalized of all races.  We will restore the integrity of the judiciary, fight corruption and build a truly unified nation.

We will be a government that is totally committed to realizing the people’s aspirations.

With the success of the eight of March and tonight’s resounding victory, I daresay we are indeed ready to face the challenges of the future, together.

We could not have won without the firm, unwavering support of our friends in the Pakatan Rakyat and the tens of thousands of Malaysians – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadhazans – who have come to Permatang Pauh to work hard for this victory. I truly appreciate your courage, conviction and valour; and congratulate your commitment to our shared principles of freedom, justice and democracy.

This may be one small step for Permatang Pauh but one giant leap for the people of Malaysia.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

                                               Video of Victory Speech

Video of Victory Press Conference

This morning, feeling lucky, I bought a lottery ticket for the draw on Sunday 31st, and regardless if I win the 3 million bucks or not, this Sunday August 31st 2008, I am planning to have a nice MERDEKA VICTORY REFORMASI celebration with my friends and loved ones.

We’re all winners, so you also have a nice one too, ok?

pic from Malaysiakini

permatang pauh – game, set & match!

Update Tuesday 26 August 11pm: POLLING DAY!

FINAL RESULTS
9.50pm: Official EC tally - Anwar got 31,195 votes, Arif Shah, 15,524, Hanafi, 92. Anwar won with a majority of 15,671.
The official voter turnout was 81.1 percent, or 47,410 out of 58,459 registered voters.

He's finally got a piece of da pie!!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY [from Malaysiakini & Suara KeADILan]

DSAW n' DSAI roll into their polling station

• 5.11pm: Malaysiakini reports: PKR top leaders are confident that Anwar would win the seat as their exit polls show that he is leading by 18,000 votes; while Arif Shah claims he’s confident of an upset – he and his BN buddies will probably be feeling very upset later this evening.
  
• 4.35pm: Badawi is noticed leaving Permatang Pauh – a sign that he’s either a) sleepy b) bored or c) already upset
  
•  4pm: Malaysiakini reports: “From our exit poll figures and what we are tracking, Anwar is safely leading in the polls and… I think that it is right to say about 61 percent,” said Sivarasa Rasiah, PKR vice-president. 
  
• 3pm: Firstly three, then five busloads of suspected phantom voters halted by PKR MP N. ”Ghostbuster” Gobalakrishnan. The buses, one registered with UMNO Melaka, were then herded into a nearby police station. According to Malaysiakini, Gobala tries to make police report but police are “too busy” to attend to them.
  

Video of ‘phantom menace’:

• Update: Then, in a dramatic turn of events, when Gobalakrishnan went back into the police station, the MP and his two sons were arrested for “stopping the buses”.
  

 His sons – Arvind, 20, and Pravin, 23 – were also allegedly roughed up by the police prior to their arrest.

The FRU also dispersed the waiting PKR crowd outside police station.

 

• 1.30pm: Acording to Suara KeADILan, C4, Kerbau and Kerishamuddin booed as they visit polling stations.
  
• 11.00am onwards: Massive gridlock and jam on all roads in and leading into Permatang Pauh – out of town voters worry they’ll not make it in time. Police roadblocks provide great service to this cause.
  
• 9am: Anwar casts vote – video of short speech thereafter:
  

 

More polling  day videos from KeADILan:  click here

If today is the day Anwar wins a parliamentary seat, would it also be an appropriate day to join KeADILan as a member?
 
Click here for the borang:
http://www.keadilanrakyat.org/library/documents/Borang%20Permohonan%20Keahlian.pdf

___________________________________________________________________________________

Update 21/8/08 8.55pm:

You must have seen the front pages of ALL mainstream newspapers today:

Two Perak PKR state executive councillors and a former PKR state assemblyperson were among six people detained in an Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) operation.

According to the ACA, the five who were nabbed in a sting operation yesterday were caught red-handed with RM100,000 found in a bag belonging to the exco at a hotel in Ipoh.

Here’s the inside scoop:

According to my usually reliable source’s VERY reliable source inside PKR, the guys were having coffee, a total stranger walks up smiling to their table, shakes their hands, makes small talk then leaves, but not before leaving a small bag under the table [literally, under-the-table money].

Badda-bing-badda-boom, the ACA swoops in, dives for the bag and finds RM100,000 cash in it and promptly arrests them.

According to PKR Deputy President Syed Husin Ali, in a statement on PKR’s website:

The manner in which the arrest has taken place indicates the possibility that the individuals involved may have been victims of entrapment.  The timing of this incident also gives reason to suspect a political motive given our close proximity to the by-election in Permatang Pauh.

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap

______________________________________________________________________________

Update 21/8/08 5.55pm:

Anwar’s Ceramah Perdana

The Kerbau from Rembau wants to “bury Anwar” in the padi field he just tilled.

Permatang Pauh Day 6 pix from Malaysiakini – CLICK HERE - the BN has shanghaied Beijing silver medallist Lee Chong Wei into campaigning for them – therefore they too deserve a silver medal in the by-elections…

Full Malaysiakini PP photo album – CLICK HERE

_____________________________________________________________________________

Update 20/8/08:

“Najiiiiibbb … remember Port DICKSON?”

In an “I know what you did last summer”-type scenario, Anwar Ibrahim is threatening to expose a ‘dark secret’ of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s, involving the southern beach town of Port Dickson.

“I will expose Port Dickson … Najib will run if I were to narrate its tales,” Anwar said in a Malaysiakini report, to which a 3,000-odd strong crowd at Bkt. Mertajam mini stadium rose to its feet shouting “bongkar sekarang!!” [expose now!!] but Anwar held off, declining to give further details.

I have been inundated with sms’s [ok-lah, ONE sms from someone under the delusion that I'm Anwar's personal adviser and PKR supremo] asking me if I know what Najib and Port Dickson have to hide, to which I replied: It’s either one of the following:

1) The port town was named after Najib’s nickname.

2) In order to hide that “Dickson” is his nickname, he tried to get PD’s name changed to the direct Bahasa Malaysia translation, but failed.

3) There are photos of Najib on the beach, shirtless, revealing that he has C-cup sized breasts and thus he fears that with these photos exposed, he’ll be given a nickname worse than “Dickson”.

Meanwhile, former husband of Michelle Yeoh, Dickson Poon [aka Poon Dik Sang] wonders what all the fuss is about …

———————————————————————-

PKR’s official by-election website:
http://permatangpauh.com/index.php

BN’s official by-election website: http://www.pp44.com.my/main.php

PKR wants to ”Merdekakan Negara” while BN merely wishes to “Merdekakan Permatang Pauh” – bah kata perpatah: “ akin to frogs under a coconut shell”.

Malaysians for Free & Fair Elections [MAFREL] website: http://mafrel.wordpress.com/

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Update: 17/8/08

Meagre showing by BN lackeys

PKR makkal have the sakti

(pix from Mafrel)

16/8/2008 

I was there!

50,000 other KeADILan/Pakatan people were there too, on a big school field with around 1,000 or so FRU men separating us by a wide gulf from 1,000+ BN ’supporters’ [who were possibly paid].

Among the highlights were:

 - seeing people regardless of ethnicity, actually dancing madly to kavadi drummers and and grooving wildly to a lion dance troupe!

- watching Puteri UMNO and BN boys getting lambasted by the crowd!

- being physically swept along by the wave of supporters as Anwar rolled in through the sea of people!

- being able to share this all with you ’cos I recorded it on video! (see below).

The scary part was when an Election commission lackey announced that nomination papers had been submitted, and OBJECTIONS were called from both parties and the ‘independent’ PAS man [planted to further spoil Arif's chances - PR apparently turned the tables on BN by using BN's time-honoured tactic this time].

Objection forms were handed out – BN lackeys took 3 and PKR took one.

The ONLY probable way the BN could get Anwar disqualified was to object citing a condition in the Elections Act: a person who had previously been jailed must have been freed AT LEAST five years before he can contest.

Anwar has been free for four years.

Although it can be agrued that Anwar spent a wasted extra two years on a conviction which was subsequently overturned [therefore eligible to contest], if the EC accepted these grounds, he would have to take the matter to court [and we know how long that would take...]

Further, if the EC, for any reason disqualified the man – PANDEMONIUM AND CHAOS WOULD ENSUE – 50,000 hot, hungry and angry supporters would have pulverised that EC lackey along with the 1,000-odd BN lackeys and the FRU, who by the way had HAND GRENADES tucked in their vest pockets, would have had a grand time pulverising everyone there.

Anyway, the EC threw all objections out, our man is in and the game is on…

The crowd rolls in…

(DeadAlienX tries to pick up his wife)

The crowd ‘turuns padang’ and trades jibes with BN supporters

Anwar rolls in…

Malaysians dancing to a kavadi beat

Raja Petra confronted by 2 lions – lions surrender

“Reformasi!!” [Kavadi remix]

Malaysiakini’s scenes [mostly of BN supporters singing the same old song]
 

 

Photos by DeadAlienx [click here]

“equality of the malaysian people”

An abridged version of the following post appeared in Malaysiakini on 14 Aug 08

This is a reflection of the events reported in my previous post “Sensitive Sycophants Scupper Serious Session”

Article 121(1)A has been a thorn in the side of our civil rights.

Just ask R. Subashini, S. Shamala, R. Anthony and M. Revathy, Lina Joy or their families. These are merely five of the increasing number of similar cases where Art.121(1)A has failed.

Thus it is high time this government [or the next one which will surely replace it soon] took heed the call to “convene a joint committee meeting of civil and syariah lawyers to discuss and recommend measures to formulate, clarify and rectify procedures relating to marriage between Muslim and non-Muslim, conversion, custody of children and burial ritual” [as enumerated by Gerakan President Koh Tsu Koon], which in effect means to amend Art 121, ie: Giving the High Court jurisdiction over Syariah in matters involving non-Muslims.

Otherwise, the conflict of jurisdiction between the Syariah and civil court in relation to divorce, child custody, burial rites and distribution of property will continue.

Although the Bar Coucil downplayed this solution by saying, it “did not dispute Art. 121(1)A”, this is the only apparent solution:

If I marry a non-Muslim who later converts to Islam we should get our divorce from the same court that issued our marriage license.

If I was born a non-Muslim, but later converted, then wished to revert or simply become an athieist, I should be able to change the particulars of my identity card under civil law provisions.

If I am a Muslim who for any reason wishes to ‘embrace’ another religion, it would be my personal decision and mine alone – after which the Syariah court no longer has any jurisdiction over me, simply because I no longer consider myself a Muslim.

But it will NEVER be this way, not unless…

The roundup on this blog of the Bar Council forum fracas recieved a comment from one “Pirates of the Caribbean” :”No matter how a small bunch of idiots interpret it, i still believe ‘ISLAM’ is still a beautiful religion that spreads love, peace and respect.”

Presumably “Pirates …” is a Muslim who does not count himself in as one of the “small bunch of idiots”, and that is all very well and good.

My question is: How come it is always this “small bunch of idiots” who seem to grab headlines worldwide?  How come this “small bunch of idiots” continue ‘representing Islam’ and giving it far from an image of the ”beautiful religion that spreads love, peace and respect”?

Where is the bigger bunch of level-headed, peaceful, loving and respectful Muslims when Islam needs representation? Why do they not denounce and control this “small bunch of idiots” in their minority each time they raise their idiotic heads?

I would be truly ashamed to be tarred with the same brush by non-Muslims the world over as belonging to a community of believers which are not only ultra-sensitive to criticism, but aggressive, if not thuggish, if not murderous.

At the forum there were video images of people holding threateningly-worded banners: “Jangan cabar Islam dan Ketuanan Melayu!” [Don't challenge Islam and Malay supremacy!].

It is submitted that the abject fear of losing the imagined power behind this notion of “Ketuanan Melayu-Islam” that drove them to behave the way they did.

It is submitted that “Ketuanan Melayu-Islam” was the sole reason why the police did not disperse the crowd but let them carry on [and further spoil the image of this "beautiful religion that spreads love, peace and respect"].

It is for “Ketuanan Melayu-Islam” and the imagined power that it brings that BN leaders did not denounce the hooligans but blamed the forum organisers instead for provoking them [see "Najib: Forum disruption expected" in the Sun.]

It is because of “Ketuanan Melayu-Islam” that PAS and certain quarters in Parti KeADILan hopped on the bandwagon with the “small bunch of idiots” and behaved like utter thugs.

It is submitted here that until and unless the bigger bunch of level-headed, peace-loving Malay-Muslims who believe in “Persamaan Rakyat Malaysia” [Equality of the Malaysian People] can convince their “small bunch of idiot” brethren that meritocracy and equality breeds self-respect, and therefore have nothing to be afraid of, the rest of us non-Malay-Muslims will continue to be second-class citizens forever being shouted down and threatened by our Tuan Melayu-Islam each and every time we assert our civil rights viz Art. 121(1)A.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Breaking News 12 Aug 08:

In a surprising about-turn, PAS Research Centre director Dr. Dzulkifli Ahmad stated, “The Bar Council forum on Saturday should have been allowed to proceed.”

“A small group of us met to discuss the forum and we were unanimous that it should have been allowed to proceed. There are valid reasons for such a forum,” said Dr Dzulkifli.

“As was emphasised to us by International Islamic University constitutional law expert Dr Abdul Aziz Bari and Hanifah Maidin, the head of PAS legal bureau, Article 121(1A) of the Federal Constitution when passed had not envisaged the circumstances that could arise, for example, the impact on people of other faiths embracing Islam.

Read full report in the Star HERE

Now, if the good Doctor could convince PAS Youth to lighten up a bit and stop calling for the banning of pop concerts, the latest being the upcoming one by Avril Lavigne, the common perception of PAS being PR’s ‘problem child’ may be attenuated slightly.

sensitive sycophants scupper serious session [updated]

a.k.a. Another one bites the dust …

“Fear is the root of aggression”

Updates at bottom>>

The facts:

Aug 3: The Bar Council (BC) announced it would be holding a public dialogue session, “Conversion to Islam: Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution, Subashini and Shamala Revisited”
at its HQ.

According to BC’s Family Law deputy chairperson, Foo Yet Ngo, “Among the issues was that of one person converting to Islam without the knowledge of the spouse, and the conversion to Islam of the children by one parent without the knowledge and consent of the other.

“The problems are due to the conflict of jurisdiction between the Syariah and civil court in relation to divorce, child custody and distribution of property,” she said in the Star.

Aug 4-8: Almost immediately the Home Minister Syed Albar, the Muslim Lawyers Society, DPM Najib, PAS and the Muslim Consumers Association  [they hate being called the other MCA] drew out their swords [UMNO even called for the ISA to be invoked!] in apparent fear that the forum would either undermine Islam, provoke people, cause unrest, be a threat to national security or all of the above.

Anwar Ibrahim apparently weighed in by calling for a closed-door instead of public forum; to which the Bar Council rejected on grounds that it was an issue of public importance.

Molotov cocktails [!!!] were thrown at the former house of current Bar President Ambiga Sreenevasan, the current house of former Women and Family Minister Sharizat Jalil, and two were apparently left outside the BC’s HQ.

Aug 9: The forum proceeds. Read report on proceedings here.

BC Vice President Ragunath Kesavan reiterated the BC’s reasons:

The Bar Council reiterates that the forum will not dispute Article 121(1A), nor question Islam or its status as enshrined in Article 3 of the Federal Constitution. The forum is not about conversion per se, as the Bar Council endorses the absolute right of individuals to embrace Islam. Instead, the forum will address the ancillary issues that arise from such situations and will emphasise the need for laws, and a judicial system, that protects everyone equally.

[read statement in full here].

300 protestors laid seige to BC’s HQ on Saturday morning, among them a Parti KeADILan Rakyat (PKR) MP [who is now facing possible disciplinary action].

Now, let’s have a look at the people who showed up at BC HQ’s doorstep who proclaim to “represent Islam”:

Aug 11: The DAP, Gerakan and Hindraf condemned the protest and its alleged support by UMNO.

DAP’s Lim Kit Siang: “DAP is … disappointed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s irresponsible remarks in condoning extreme, hooligan and rowdy behaviour that disrupted a forum held by the Bar Council and threats of using the Internal Security Act against the Bar Council is a desperate attempt to revive the waning political fortunes of Barisan Nasional. “

Hindraf [Hindu Rights Action Force] chairman P. Waytha Moorthy strongly condemned the veiled threat by Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to the Bar Council that “he hoped that the Bar Council got the message that there are certain things that are out of bounds for public discussion, even if held in a private place.”

Gerakan [a BN component pary no less]’s Koh Su Koon: “It is regrettable that some members of political parties such as Pas, PKR and Umno were involved in the almost violent demonstration,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He also said the federal government must convene the joint committee meeting of civil and syariah lawyers to discuss and recommend measures to formulate, clarify and rectify procedures relating to marriage between Muslim and non-Muslim, conversion, custody of children and burial ritual.

Read full report from Malaysian Insider here.

PKR’s Vice President Syed Husin Ali slammed the police for not properly controlling the situation and also urged the Bar Council “not to get trapped in UMNO’s dirty plot.”

Update: According to my usually reliable source, the forum was cut short due to a phone call to the BC president from de facto Law Minister Zaid Ibrahim, speaking on behalf of PM Badawi, who urged them to “give the PM some face…”.

It was for this reason, and not the intimidation by the mob, which drove the BC’s decision.

 In the Sun today [12/8], PM Badawi urged us all to “avoid open discussions” … “what have been stated as matters which should not be discussed, we should not discuss.”

[Why yu all all wan to deeskas deeskaass? Mekking der problem only kan? Yu all all pegi tidur cam saye kan baguus?]

Meanwhile the BC vowed that it “would not be cowed” despite ISA threats, will continue to speak up on the legal aspects of the issue and pledged to “press on”.

another najib-altantuya pic – is it for real?

The above was forwarded via e-mail to me by one of my contacts.

A search of http://sexy-dances.blogspot.com [a nude dance video blog!] did not reveal the picture. It (literally) revealed a whole lotta sexy dancers, though … fooo-weee!

I’m trying to find out what “this image is photo-enhanced…” means….

Oh, it means just that – enhanced.

Another usually reliable source who viewed the pic said, “Can’t tell cause it’s not the original image (the text at the above changes everything plus the watermark on the photo also changes it).

Changes what?

“It changes the meta information / the file information – you can’t do forensics on an image of an image. As soon as you edit the photo and add in watermarks, the entire photo is deemed as photoshopped’.”

… which probalbly means, once a pic has been watermarked, texted or enhanced, it is no longer technically authentic.

The first one was Tian Chua’s photoshop joke.

So you decide lah…

anwar released! (updated with videos)

BREAKING NEWS:

Anwar released on RM20,000 personal bond with no sureties.

The charge:

Having committed sodomy on Saiful under Section 377B of the Penal Code on June 26 between 3.01pm and 4.30pm at Unit 11-5-1 Desa Damansara Condo in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur.

Section 377B refers to consensual, not forced anal sex, as alleged by Saiful.

From www.CLJLaw.com:

377B.  Punishment for committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature.

Whoever voluntarily commits carnal intercourse against the order of nature shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to whipping.

[Any person who has sexual connection with another person by the introduction of the penis into the anus or mouth of the other person is said to commit carnal intercourse against the order of nature.]

Anwar was quoted in Malaysiakini as to why he was the only one brought to court if he supposedly had ‘consensual’ unnatural sex  with his former aide.

“If it is consensual, why was I the only one being charged? This is a political persecution,” he told reporters.

Read Pusrawi’s Dr. Mohd. Osman’s letter and Statutory Declaration on Malaysia Today.

Next court date: Sept 10 [his birthday] – application to have the case transferred to High Court.

By that time he would be a Member of Parliament!

The scent of victory is in the air!

Videos of scenes at Jln Duta courthouse
(taken by my usually reliable source):

This was surreptitiously taken INSIDE the courtroom
[hence mostly of people's feet]

If video is not visible CLICK HERE

This was taken from the balcony of the courthouse of people cheering below

If video is not visible CLICK HERE

 Malaysiakini videos

If video is not visible CLICK HERE

Ifvideo is not visible CLICK HERE

do you have info?

Kepada Rakyat,

Jika anda adalah seorang kakitangan kerajaan dan/atau mempunyai sebarang maklumat yang belum diketengahkan lagi mengenai:

> Tuduhan Saiful Bukhari terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar;

> Kes pembunuhan Altantuya Shaaribu;

> Siasatan terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar berikutan lapuran polis Saiful Bukhari.

Sila hubungi peguam-peguam Parti KeADILan Rakyat melalui publico.probono@gmail.com. Segala maklumat adalah sulit dan identiti diri anda akan dirahsiakan.

 

To the People,

If you are a civil servant and/or have any undisclosed information regarding:

> Saiful Bukhari’s accusation towards Datuk Seri Anwar;

> Altantuya Shaaribu’s murder;

> Investigations on Datuk Seri Anwar as a result of Saiful Bukhari’s police report.

Kindly contact Parti KeADILan Rakyat’s lawyers via publico.probono@gmail.com. All information will be treated with strict confidence and your anonimity will be safeguarded.

august – dates to remember

Let the games begin …

 Thurs Aug 7: Anwar charged in court. Take a bet his trial will proceed instantaneously.
Check out some havoc speculations from TULANG BESI.

Sat Aug 16: Nomination day for Permatang Pauh by-election.

Aug 16 to Aug 25: Campaigning period. It’s the school holidays, so why not plan a trip to PP with the kids and all, just for the fun of it? You can stay in Penang – very close by.

Mon Aug 18: The day Anwar was supposed to return to Police HQ for further questioning.

Tue Aug 26: Permatang Pauh by-election [Tuesday???].

In Malaysiakini, PKR information chief Tian Chua has condemned the Election Commission’s decision to hold the Permatang Pauh by-election on a Tuesday, instead of on the weekend which is usual practice.

“I think the reason they are having it on a weekday is to reduce the turnout,” he said.

“This is a deliberate action to inconvenience the voters. We condemn the Election Commission for their decision.

Permatang Pauh voting stats: 57,969 registered voters; 490 postal voters [barring any sudden shifting of an army barracks with a few tens of thousand postal voters].

 According to Malaysiakini: It is unclear whether Anwar will be denied bail. If bail was denied, as was the case when he was charged 10 years ago, Anwar will be detained and will have to fight the by-election behind bars.

Video of Anwar’s press conference today

Up till now, BN are still looking for a candidate with enough credibility to at least put up a fight.

They are at present trying to ask Barack Obama to join BN.