Saturday, July 28, 2007

[Mkini] Academics on mission to conquer fear

Academics on mission to conquer fear
Jul 25, 07 2:29pm

The nation's campuses are still in the grip of fear. However, a group of academics are seeking to conquer it with their bold campaign against the Universiti Akujanji - a document pledging loyalty to the government which all students and academics are required to sign.

Led by Dr Syed Husin Ali (left) and Dr Lim Teck Ghee (right) - two former professors at Universiti Malaya, the country's leading higher educational institution - the group has enlisted 38 of their colleagues to endorse a petition against the Akujanji.

The petition, which described the loyalty pledge as a "major deterrent to the healthy development of the universities" and demanded its immediate revocation, has been submitted to the government.

"The Akujanji has not only inculcated a culture of fear, passivity and uncritical thinking in the campuses. It has also eroded the fundamental right of freedom of association and expression that is so important to protect and enhance if our nation is to advance," said a statement signed by the two former top academics.

It added that the Akujanji is antithetical to the development of the country's universities and to the quality of teaching and scholarship.



Names not to be published

The list of endorsees appeared to prove their case. Of the 40 academics who gave their backing to the petition, 29 are no longer teaching at their respective educational institutions. [See full list below]

"The endorsers include many current serving academic staff from the nation's public universities, including some presently undertaking sabbatical and higher studies programs abroad. They have written to express support of the petition but have requested that their names not be published," said the statement.

The petitioners said that many present university staff members were unable to include their names on the list "for fear of victimisation by the authorities".

Among the big names who endorsed the petition is former deputy vice-chancellor at Universiti Malaya, Drs Abu Bakar A Hamid.

Those endorsees who are still at working at the nation's universities are professors Dr Norchaya Talib, Dr Loh Wei Leng, associate professors Dr Azmi Sharom, Dr Terence Gomez (photo) and Dr Rosli Omar (all Universiti Malaya), professors Dr Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda, Dr Francis Loh Kok Wah and associate professor Dr Khoo Boo Teik (Universiti Sains Malaysia), lecturers Dr Mohamed Aslam Haneef and Nur Barizah Abu Bakar (International Islamic University Malaysia) and associate research fellow Wong Chin Huat (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia).

According to the petition organisers, one of the endorsers has lamented that the "shackling the minds of academics only makes eunuchs of our children's teachers".

"We hope that the government can rise above narrow and self-serving political interests and do the right thing in revoking the Akujanji requirement.

"Failure to do so will only further undermine the ability and willingness of our academic community to engage in critical and independent thinking and scholarship that can make the difference to the building of an intellectually robust and progressive country," added the joint press statement which was released today.

Reinstate sacked lecturers

The petition said that the requirement of loyalty to the government, which is found only in a few repressive university systems in the world, has stifled academic freedom in Malaysia "to an unprecedented extent".

It called for on the government to reinstate Dr Azly Rahman, Dr Mutiara Mohamad - both of whom were lecturers at the Universiti Utara Malaysia - and other academicians who have been dismissed as a result of their opposition to the Akujanji.

Azly (photo), who is currently teaching in the United States along with his wife, Mutiara, writes a weekly column for independent news website malaysiakini.

"Similarly, others who have suffered in their career development due to the Akujanji should have their cases reviewed and should be provided with justice and redress. These are our academic prisoners of conscience who have been unjustly victimised and whose continued exclusion is a black mark against academia and our democratic system and values."

In addition to the academics, 46 non-governmental organisations have also endorsed the petition.

Since 2002, all civil servants and local university students and staff are required to sign the Akujanji.



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Academics on mission to conquer fear
Jul 25, 07 2:29pm

The nation's campuses are still in the grip of fear. However, a group
of academics are seeking to conquer it with their bold campaign
against the Universiti Akujanji - a document pledging loyalty to the
government which all students and academics are required to sign.

Led by Dr Syed Husin Ali (left) and Dr Lim Teck Ghee (right) - two
former professors at Universiti Malaya, the country's leading higher
educational institution - the group has enlisted 38 of their
colleagues to endorse a petition against the Akujanji.

The petition, which described the loyalty pledge as a "major
deterrent to the healthy development of the universities" and
demanded its immediate revocation, has been submitted to the government.

"The Akujanji has not only inculcated a culture of fear, passivity
and uncritical thinking in the campuses. It has also eroded the
fundamental right of freedom of association and expression that is so
important to protect and enhance if our nation is to advance," said a
statement signed by the two former top academics.

It added that the Akujanji is antithetical to the development of the
country's universities and to the quality of teaching and scholarship.


Names not to be published

The list of endorsees appeared to prove their case. Of the 40
academics who gave their backing to the petition, 29 are no longer
teaching at their respective educational institutions. [See full list
below]

"The endorsers include many current serving academic staff from the
nation's public universities, including some presently undertaking
sabbatical and higher studies programs abroad. They have written to
express support of the petition but have requested that their names
not be published," said the statement.

The petitioners said that many present university staff members were
unable to include their names on the list "for fear of victimisation
by the authorities".

Among the big names who endorsed the petition is former deputy vice-
chancellor at Universiti Malaya, Drs Abu Bakar A Hamid.

Those endorsees who are still at working at the nation's universities
are professors Dr Norchaya Talib, Dr Loh Wei Leng, associate
professors Dr Azmi Sharom, Dr Terence Gomez (photo) and Dr Rosli Omar
(all Universiti Malaya), professors Dr Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda, Dr
Francis Loh Kok Wah and associate professor Dr Khoo Boo Teik
(Universiti Sains Malaysia), lecturers Dr Mohamed Aslam Haneef and
Nur Barizah Abu Bakar (International Islamic University Malaysia) and
associate research fellow Wong Chin Huat (Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia).

According to the petition organisers, one of the endorsers has
lamented that the "shackling the minds of academics only makes
eunuchs of our children's teachers".

"We hope that the government can rise above narrow and self-serving
political interests and do the right thing in revoking the Akujanji
requirement.

"Failure to do so will only further undermine the ability and
willingness of our academic community to engage in critical and
independent thinking and scholarship that can make the difference to
the building of an intellectually robust and progressive country,"
added the joint press statement which was released today.

Reinstate sacked lecturers

The petition said that the requirement of loyalty to the government,
which is found only in a few repressive university systems in the
world, has stifled academic freedom in Malaysia "to an unprecedented
extent".

It called for on the government to reinstate Dr Azly Rahman, Dr
Mutiara Mohamad - both of whom were lecturers at the Universiti Utara
Malaysia - and other academicians who have been dismissed as a result
of their opposition to the Akujanji.

Azly (photo), who is currently teaching in the United States along
with his wife, Mutiara, writes a weekly column for independent news
website malaysiakini.

"Similarly, others who have suffered in their career development due
to the Akujanji should have their cases reviewed and should be
provided with justice and redress. These are our academic prisoners
of conscience who have been unjustly victimised and whose continued
exclusion is a black mark against academia and our democratic system
and values."

In addition to the academics, 46 non-governmental organisations have
also endorsed the petition.

Since 2002, all civil servants and local university students and
staff are required to sign the Akujanji.

----------------------------------------------------------------
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Bacalah Yaasin

BACALAH YAASIN

RASULULLAH s.a.w telah bersabda yang bermaksud:
"Bacalah surah Yassin kerana ia mengandungi keberkatan", iaitu:
1. Apabila orang lapar membaca surah Yaasin, ia boleh menjadi
kenyang.
2. Jika orang tiada pakaian boleh mendapat pakaian.
3. Jika orang belum berkahwin akan mendapat jodoh.
4. Jika dalam ketakutan boleh hilang perasaan takut.
5. Jika terpenjara akan dibebaskan.
6. Jika musafir membacanya, akan mendapat kesenangan apa yang
dilihatnya.
7. Jika tersesat boleh sampai ke tempat yang ditujuinya.
8. Jika dibacakan kepada orang yang telah meninggal dunia, Allah
meringankan siksanya.
9. Jika orang yang dahaga membacanya, hilang rasa hausnya.
10. Jika dibacakan kepada orang yang sakit, terhindar daripada
penyakitnya.
11. Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: "Sesungguhnya setiap sesuatu
mempunyai hati dan hati al-Quran itu ialah Yassin.
Sesiapa membaca surah Yassin,nescaya Allah menuliskan pahalanya
seperti pahala membaca al-Quran sebanyak 10 kali.
12. Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w lagi, "Apabila datang ajal orang yang
suka membaca surah Yassin pada setiap hari, turunlah beberapa malaikat
berbaris bersama Malaikat Maut. Mereka berdoa dan meminta dosanya
diampunkan Allah, menyaksikan ketika mayatnya dimandikan dan turut
menyembahyangkan jenazahnya".
13. Malaikat Maut tidak mahu memaksa mencabut nyawa orang yang
suka membaca Yaasin sehingga datang Malaikat Redwan dari syurga membawa
minuman untuknya. Ketika dia meminumnya alangkah nikmat perasaannya dan
dimasukkan
ke dalam kubur dengan rasa bahagia dan tidak merasa sakit ketika
nyawanya diambil.
14. Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda selanjutnya: "Sesiapa
bersembahyang sunat dua rakaat pada malam Jumaat, dibaca pada rakaat
pertama surah Yaasin dan rakaat kedua Tabaroka, Allah jadikan setiap
huruf cahaya di hadapannya
pada hari kemudian dan dia akan menerima suratan amalannya di
tangan kanan dan diberi kesempatan membela 70 orang daripada ahli
rumahnya tetapi sesiapa yang meragui keterangan ini, dia adalah
orang-orang yang munafik.

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A friend of mine recently had a growth in her womb and she underwent an
operation to remove the cyst. The cyst removed was filled with a dark
coloured blood. She thought that she would be recovered after the
surgery
but she was terribly wrong.

A relapse occurred just a few months later. Distressed, she rushed down
to
her gynecologist for a consultation. During her consultation, her doctor
asked her a question that puzzled her.

He ask if she was a frequent consumer of chicken wings and she replied
yes
wondering as to how, he knew of her eating habits.

You see, the truth is in this modern day and age; chickens are injected
with steroids to accelerate their growth so that the needs of this
society
can be met.

This need is none other then the need for food. Chickens that are
injected
with steroids are usually given the shot at the neck or the wings.

Therefore, it is in these places that the highest concentration of
steroids
exists. These steroids have terrifying effects on the body as it
accelerates growth.

It has an even more dangerous effect in the presence of female hormones,
this leads to women being more prone to the growth of a cyst in the
womb.

Therefore, I advise the people out there to watch their diets and to
lower
their frequency of consuming chicken wings!

People, who receive this email, please forward it to your friends and
loved
ones. I am sure no one wants to see him or her suffer!


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[MToday] Lessons from Singapore and HK

24/07: Lessons from Singapore and HK
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
GUEST COLUMNISTS

by Tunku Abdul Aziz

*THE very idea of a new metropolis in southern Johor to rival
Singapore and Hong Kong is intriguing, to put it mildly.

Sceptics, of whom there are many in our midst, are already raising
their eyebrows, plucked or otherwise, as if to say, "Here we go again!"

Malaysia 's thirst for the "superlatives", and don't we know it, is
unquenchable.

I see nothing wrong with our trying to replicate the best; the
verdict of the international business community is that Singapore and
Hong Kong are the best cities in our region in which to live and work.

We, too, have a great city, Kuala Lumpur, the pride of the nation.

Why is it that in spite of the iconic Twin Towers and the biggest
this and the longest that, we do not measure up to international
standards?

Some years ago, the Economist Conferences invited me to deliver a
speech in Bangkok on (no prizes for guessing) fighting corruption.

The three-day gathering was attended by dozens of high-powered chief
financial officers of multinational corporations in the Asia-Pacific.

The Economist's straw poll during the conference asked which city
they would choose if they were setting up a regional office, and, by
implication, where they would prefer to live as expatriates.

To a man/woman, the choice was Hong Kong first and Singapore second.
Kuala Lumpur, to my utter consternation and embarrassment as a proud
Malaysian, did not even get a look-in.

In the late autumn of 1999, I was a guest at a private dinner in
Washington DC. An American private investment banker who had just
returned from a "shopping" trip to Malaysia was asked, "Of all the
countries in Asia, where would you invest your clients' money?"

His reply shook me to the marrow: "Anywhere except Malaysia."

He then mentioned how a senior government official had told him that
a foreigner could not buy a Malaysian company unless he had a Malay
partner and he would be more than happy to recommend one in the
spirit of US/Malaysia relations.

Upon further enquiry, it turned out that the proposed partner was the
civil servant's brother-in-law.

I spent much of the evening explaining to the Americans that it was
not government policy that a foreigner had to have a Malay partner
before he could acquire assets in Malaysia .

The point about these little stories is that both Hong Kong and
Singapore set out deliberately to become attractive, well-ordered and
safe cosmopolitan cities in which business could be conducted with
minimum
inconvenience. They have not become great cities by accident.

For us, so used to and comfortable with our slapdash approach to
doing things, it will require a complete culture change, which in
turn can come about only if there is an unequivocal commitment by the
government to facilitate the necessary change management.

Nothing less than a thoroughgoing reform of our legal framework,
rules and regulations will suffice.

When we talk about the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) as a
metropolis to rival both Hong Kong and Singapore, we are entering the
realm of serious competition, in every respect, with the top world
competitiveness heavy weight champions.

While I have not the slightest doubt that we are more than up to
pouring colossal amounts of cash and concrete into this project, do
we have the capacity and inclination to see it through by continually
seeking to meet the ever-changing global environment and business
requirements?

Judged by almost all the important social, economic and environmental
indicators, these two cities beat the Twin Towers hands down.

Our only claim to fame is that Kuala Lumpur is the cheapest city in
the world for visiting businessmen.

What we want badly are those who will come to set up offices and live
here and add richness not only to our economy but also to our
national diversity.

Being cheap may count as a competitive advantage, but in our case,
listening to the woes of foreign businessmen trying to set up
operations here and dealing with the bureaucracy, we seem to offer a
service that is cheap but with a nasty twist in the tail.

And when we factor in corruption, then doing business in Malaysia
becomes costly.

Ever wondered why more foreign direct investment is not parking
itself here? Talk to both the local and foreign business communities,
and what they have to say based on their experiences would make your
hair curl.

Both Singapore and Hong Kong, which the IDR aspires to rival, started
as very corrupt societies and yet today are among the top 10 least
corrupt countries in the world, according to the Transparency
International Corruption Perceptions Index.

In short, they have shown that corruption is bad for business,
especially global business, and they are making sure that the good
old days will never come back to haunt them again.

Have we the political will to confront corruption decisively or have
we run out of steam?

If the dream of a new super metropolis is not to become a fiasco and
a burden, to be borne, as always, by the hapless taxpayer, the
government must ensure that the IDR is as different from Kuala Lumpur
as it is possible to be.

Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur has absolutely nothing to offer in
either efficiency or integrity. Again, do not take my word for it;
ask the long-suffering taxpayers of Kuala Lumpur .

We have the great fortune of starting from scratch, from the ground
up, and we have the biggest advantage of all: The lessons we can
learn from Hong Kong and Singapore on what makes them tick as the
preferred business destinations of East Asia and the Pacific.

No shame in learning from two "little red dots" which, in my book,
are truly "islands of integrity".

In summary, therefore, do not put crooks in charge, so that good
governance can take root to make the IDR shine even brighter than
Hong Kong and Singapore -- and while we are in a dreaming mood, why
not throw in Dubai for good measure?

We are entitled to our dreams. This is Malaysia, after all.

Tunku Abdul Aziz is a former special adviser to the UN secretary-
general on Ethics.

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JEMPUTAN SEMINAR SEMPENA MUKTAMAR KE 36 ABIM

SEMINAR ISLAM DAN CABARAN SEMASA
ANALISIS KEDUDUKAN ISLAM DI MALAYSIA PASCA 50 TAHUN KEMERDEKAAN

Sempena
Muktamar Sanawi Ke-36 Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) "KETEGUHAN
ISLAM TERAS KEMAKMURAN NEGARA" Tarikh : 18 Ogos 2007
bersamaan 5 Syaaban 1428H (Sabtu)Masa : 8:00 pagi –
5:00 petang Tempat : Dewan Seri Bestari,
Sekolah Menengah Agama Kuala Lumpur ,
Menjalara, Kepong, Kuala LumpurAnjuran : Angkatan Belia Islam
Malaysia (ABIM) Seminar ini membariskan tajuk-tajuk semasa yang akan
dikupas oleh pakar peneliti yang terlibat langsung dengan isu-isu semasa
berkaitan Islam dan kedaulatannya di Malaysia (Sila rujuk tajuk dan
atucara seminar di bawah) Kenapa anda perlu hadir ke seminar ini?
Hakikat sejarah sememangnya mengiktiraf peranan dan sumbangan Islam
sebagai agen perubah kepada masyarakat dan tamadun Alam Melayu. Sejak
zaman kesultanan Melayu Melaka sehingga berakhirnya penjajahan Inggeris
pada tanggal 31 Ogos 1957, Islam terus kekal relevan dalam konsep dan
amalan bernegara di Malaysia. Kedaulatan Islam dalam perlembagaan
misalnya, jelas terserlah dengan permartabatan Islam sebagai agama rasmi
negara, pengukuhan kedudukan mahkamah syariah dalam sistem perundangan
negara dan pelbagai lagi peruntukan yang menjamin kedudukan Islam di
Malaysia. Proses Islamisasi yang rancak dilaksanakan sejak kemerdekaan
negara tampak lebih terjelma dengan tegak berdirinya institusi Islam
dalam sistem pendidikan, kewangan, sosio-ekonomi, politik dan
sebagainya. Namun demikian, sejak akhir-akhir ini, tampak semakin
jelas usaha-usaha sesetengah individu dan kelompok tertentu untuk
merungkai kembali proses Islamisasi yang berjalan sejak sekian lama.
Kelompok ini yang muncul dalam pelbagai wadah secara agresif dan
konfrontasi dengan sewenangnya mencabar kedudukan Islam dalam
perlembagaan, pelaksanaan undang-undang syariah dan moral serta
mencampuri urusan agama umat Islam untuk menjayakan agenda
de-Islamisasi, liberalisasi dan sekularisme. Berlatarbelakangkan
cabaran-cabaran inilah "Seminar Islam dan Cabaran Semasa : Analisis
Islam Di Malaysia Pasca 50 Tahun Kemerdekaan" ini berhasrat untuk
meninjau proses Islamisasi di Malaysia pasca kemerdekaan dan mendepani
realiti serta cabaran semasa yang berkaitan kedudukan Islam di negara
ini. ý OBJEKTIF i. Membincangkan
idea-idea semasa seperti kedudukan agama Islam, bangsa, bahasa dan
kebudayaan Melayu serta perpaduan nasional dalam pembangunan Malaysia
pasca 50 tahun kemerdekaan. ii. Membantu ABIM
mendepani realiti semasa bagi melaksanakan tanggungjawab dakwah dan
memelihara kedudukan Islam di Malaysia Malaysia. iii.
Mendidik generasi muda agar menginsafi hakikat kemerdekaan negara serta
kedudukan istimewa Islam di Malaysia daripada persepektif sejarah dan
realiti semasa. Bagaimana Menyertainya? Penyertaan untuk seminar ini
ditujukan kepada pertubuhan-pertubuh an belia, mahasiswa, pertubuhan
bukan kerajaan dan masyarakat umum, pimpinan masyarakat, agensi agama
Islam, Jabatan Agama Islam Negeri, Pejabat Mufti, pegawai masjid
pegawai-pegawai kerajaan, pengamal dan penguatkuasa undang-undang
syariah ,pensyarah dan para guru serta mana-mana individu-individu yang
berminat. Maklumat lanjut berkaitan seminar serta yuran bayaran sila
rujuk kepada :- Sekretariat Seminar Islam dan Cabaran Semasa, Angkatan
Belia Islam Malaysia\Bt.6 Jalan Gombak, 53 100 Kuala Lumpur 03 61880300
(Cik Suhaida) atau 016 2068700 (En.Raimi/En. Hamim) Laman web ABIM :
www.abim.org. my <http://www.abim.org.my/> . E – mel :
seminar_1428h@ yahoo.com
<http://us.f326.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=seminar_1428h@yahoo.com> ,
atau seminar@abim. org.my
<http://us.f326.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=seminar@abim.org.my>
------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
--------- --------- --------- ------- ATUCARA SEMINAR *Senarai
pembentang tertakluk kepada sebarang perubahan akhir 07:45 – 09:00
pagi Pendaftaran Peserta Seminar 09:15-10:30 pagi Ucapan
Dasar Presiden dan Majlis Perasmian Seminar dan Muktamar Sanawi ke-36
Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia Tn. Hj.
Yusri Mohamad Presiden
Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia 10:30-10:50 pagi Rehat dan minum
pagi 10:50 pagi-12:00 Slot 1t.hariPenilaian Terhadap Proses
Islamisasi di Malaysia : Hakikat Sejarah dan Realiti Semasa Pembentang
: Prof. Dr. Wan Mohd.Noor Wan Daud
Profesor, Institut Antarabangsa
Pemikiran dan Tamadun Islam (ISTAC) 12:00–1:00 petang Slot 2
Satu Bangsa, Satu Agama, Dua Negara : Perbandingan dan Analisis Kritis
Kedudukan Islam di Indonesia dan Malaysia Pembentang : Sdr. Adian
Husaini Institut Kajian Pemikiran dan
Tamadun Islam (INSIST), Jakarta . 1:00-2:00 petang Makan tengahari dan
Solat Zuhur 2:00 – 4:45 petang Slot 3 Analisis Kedudukan Islam
dalam Konteks Masyarakat Majmuk di Malaysia : Sorotan Aspek Agama,
Budaya, Perundangan dan Perpaduan Pembentang : 1. Dr. Muhammad Nur
Manuty Timbalan Presiden, Wadah
Penderdasan Umat (WADAH)
2. Dr. Mohd Nor Nawawi Pengarah Bersama
Pusat Kajian Moderniti dan Masyarakat Sivil (CESMACS) 3. Tn. Hj.
Pawanchek Merican Pengamal Undang-Undang Sivil dan Syariah
4. Prof. Dr. Abdul Aziz Bari Profesor
Kuliyyah Undang-Undang Ahmad Ibrahim Universiti Islam Antarabangsa
Malaysia. 4:45 -5:00 petang Resolusi dan Majlis Penutup 9:00 - 11:00
malam Forum Khas Sempena Kemerdekaan : "Islam dan
Penghayatan Kemerdekaan" Tempat :
Dewan Masjid Al Jamek Al Ghazali, Menjalara,
Kepong, Kuala Lumpur Masa : 9:00
malam *Penyertaan adalah terbuka dan
percuma. Panelis :
1. Dato' Dr. Siddiq Fadzil
Presiden Kolej Dar- al Hikmah 2. Tn.
Hj. Yusri Mohamad Presiden ABIM
* Gerai jualan, pameran dan pemeriksaan kesihatan percuma akan
berlangsung sepanjang seminar diadakan.

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[MToday] A comedy of errors

26/07: A comedy of errors
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Yes, guilty as charged. I have stolen this line from Shakespeare. But
I can't help it. What better way to describe the eight hours I spent
under interrogation at the Dang Wangi Police Station yesterday other
than it was a comedy of errors? By the way, before I go on, I have
received more than a thousand phone calls, SMSes and e-mails from
well-wishers and supporters. I have not found the time to reply to
each and everyone yet so I hope you will forgive me for my rudeness.
I am certainly touched by the concern and the messages of support
posted in Malaysia Today's blogs. From the bottom of my heart, and
with sincere humility, I thank you all and promise you that the fight
for more freedom in Malaysia shall continue come hell or high water.

I received a call from the police at 8.00am yesterday that they want
to record my statement on the police report lodged by an ex-Selangor
Menteri Besar with two Muhamads in his name. I saw the phone call
coming and was not only expecting it but was hoping that they would
summon me for interrogation so that I can expose this entire episode
for the farce that it really is. In short, I pushed their hand with
the 'See you in hell Muhamad son of Muhamad' article so that they
would be forced to make their move on me.

They wanted me in at 10 but I told them I can only make it at 11. I
wanted to update the website first in case my visit to Dang Wangi
ends up a two-week stay.

According to the press reports, the police report made against me was
with regards to an article I wrote on 11 July 2007 that they regard
as insulting the Agong and Islam. By the way, in case you did not
know, Malaysia does not have a king so please stop referring to the
Agong as King. Agong does not translate to king. Agong means supreme
and it merely means he is the Supreme Ruler of the nine rulers, a
sort of 'first amongst equals' situation.

I brought along two shopping bags of four copies of the Quran in
Arabic, English and Bahasa Malaysia, the Salasilah or family tree of
the Selangor Sultanate, and an 'approved' version of Selangor's
history written by Buyung Adil. I could of course have also included
Joginder Singh Jessy's, DJ Tate's and Winsted's versions as well, but
I thought the Buyung Adil version, which is in Bahasa Malaysia, would
be less strenuous on the more simple-minded.

The police informed me that my interrogation was not about my article
of 11 July 2007. In fact, on 11 July 2007, I never wrote any article.
I did on 8 July though and again on 13 July, but never on 11 July.
According to what the newspapers reported, I was alleged to have
insulted the Agong and Islam, so the purpose of the two shopping bags
of books was to debate Islam and the Agong with those who were about
to interrogate me. But they did not want to talk about any of my
articles. They only wanted to talk about some of the comments in the
blogs posted by Malaysia Today's readers.

I told the police I refuse to talk about the comments in the blogs. I
did not write these comments so I refuse to talk about what I did not
write. I only want to talk about what I wrote and defend myself
against charges that I have insulted the Agong and Islam. But no, the
police did not want to talk about my articles. They only wanted to
talk about the comments in the blogs.

I told the police I still refuse to talk about the comments and if
therefore they want to charge me for sedition under the Sedition Act
then go ahead. I banged the table with my fist and shouted, "Charge
me! Charge me now!" The police said that they do not wish to charge
me yet but only to take my statement. I can refuse to reply if I wish
or reply that I do not know anything. But they have no choice but to
take my statement because a police report had been made against me.

It boggles the mind that they MUST take my statement barely two days
after the police report against me was made whereas they do not feel
they MUST do anything on the hundreds upon hundreds of other police
reports made the last ten years or so since 1998. Take, as one
example, the police report made by four Umno delegates to the Kubang
Pasu AGM last year alleging that they were each bribed RM200 to not
vote for Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Malaysia Today published copies of
these police reports. One of the Umno delegates who made the police
report was subsequently beaten up in his house in front of his
family. He made a second police report on the beating and even
fingered those who had beaten him up because he knew them personally.
Again, nothing was done. So this MUST take your statement once a
police report has been made against you is as truthful as I am still
a virgin.

When that ex-Selangor Menteri Besar with two Muhamads in his name
went to the Dang Wangi Police Station on Monday to lodge his police
report, he did not have any details to support the allegation that
Malaysia Today had insulted the Agong and Islam. He was told that the
evidence to support this allegation must be attached to the police
report. They then tried to get onto the internet to access Malaysia
Today so that they could look for the evidence. But they did not know
how to and could not find Malaysia Today.

They then enlisted the help of a journalist from one of the Chinese
newspapers who was there covering the event. Through the good help of
this Chinese reporter, they finally found Malaysia Today and went
through the comments in the blogs to find the evidence that they
needed to support the police report.

Malaysia Today was launched on 13 August 2004 and since then we have
about 20,000 or so items with an estimated five million comments in
the blogs. Looking for the evidence would be like looking for a
needle in a haystack. We must note that at this point of time they
had lodged a police report but lacked the evidence. They were now
putting the cart before the horse. They now needed the evidence to
support the police report.

They finally found about a dozen or so postings amongst five million
that looked strong enough to prove that Malaysia Today has insulted
the Agong and Islam. One was my own posting that said if you insult
any race or religion then I would have no choice but to delete your
posting and ban you from further posting comments in Malaysia Today.
Another was by Indianputra who was appealing to Malaysia Today's
readers not to fight and argue as some people might take advantage of
the squabbling and exploit it to divide the races. What we want is a
peaceful country, argued Indianputra, so if we engage in a civil
manner then we will be able to unite all the races. And so on and so
forth. Basically, this was the evidence they were working on to prove
that Malaysia Today insulted the Agong and Islam.

I asked the police whether these postings are insulting the Agong,
insulting Islam, and are trying to divide the races, or whether they
are actually the reverse. The face of the ASP interrogating me turned
red as he tried to explain that he was just doing his job and that he
was ordered to take my statement. I replied that the person who made
the police report is a stupid person who can't speak English. So what
do you expect from someone like that? He can't even understand
comments that are appealing for national unity and instead interpret
it as calling for racial strife.

"Do you know that that orang bodoh ran away with the Sultan's
daughter and then denied it?" I asked the police. They just smiled.
"Well, I am going to reveal this to the world," I continued. "I am
going to publish the letter he wrote to the Sultan where he denied he
had married the Sultan's daughter whereas he had in fact already
secretly married her in Thailand. You tengoklah. I akan balun si
bodoh tu habis-habis."

The police appeared amused at what I had to say although their only
retort was, "Banyak maklumat kita dapat hari ini."

They then wanted to know the identity of those who post comments in
Malaysia Today's blogs. I told them I do not know who they are but I
do know that amongst them are 25 Umno cyber-troopers headed by
Azalina and Norza.

"Azalina?" they asked.

"Yes, Azalina lesbian," I replied.

"Oh, Azalina Othman." Apparently they know who I meant by Azalina
lesbian.

"I did not say Azalina Othman. I said Azalina lesbian. You are
supposed to record everything I say the way I say it. That is what a
cautioned statement under Section 112 is all about. Saya kata Azalina
lesbian. Bukan Azalina Othman. You record what I say and I will sign
the statement."

The second police officer stopped typing and scratched his head with
a sheepish grin on his face. "Okaylah, I don't want you to get into
any trouble. Drop the lesbian and change it to Othman." The second
officer continued typing while chuckling. He was certainly enjoying
himself.

I pointed out a few IDs that belonged to the Umno cyber-troopers and
the second officer recorded them down. "How do you know they are Umno
cyber-troopers?" the first officer asked me.

"Because I have received information from inside Umno," I replied.

"You have people planted in Umno?"

"Of course I do, and I bribe them to feed me information. I just slam
RM1,000 onto the table and ask them to tell me everything and they
sing like a canary. It is not that hard to buy information."

The four police officers in the room smiled and shook their heads in
disbelief. "Can we record this in your statement?"

"Of course you can. The reason I am telling you this is so that you
can record it in my statement. I want it on record that Umno is
attacking Malaysia Today with 25 cyber-troopers and they are the ones
who are posting racial statements. Sometimes they even masquerade as
Chinese and whack the Malays and Islam. Then other cyber-troopers
would respond and whack the Chinese. The Umno cyber-troopers are the
ones behind this racial and religious bashing in Malaysia Today. Then
they make a police report alleging that Malaysia Today insults Islam
and stirs racial sentiments."

All this exchange was of course recorded as anything you say under
Section 112 interrogation is recorded and you are made to sign the
statement at the end of the interrogation. And you go to jail if you
make a false statement.

At the end of the eight-hour interrogation, I asked them whether we
are finished and they said yes. "Okay, now I want to make my
additional statement," I informed the police.

"Of course, we will ask you before we end whether you want to add
anything more to your statement. That is the procedure."

"Okay, now I will make that statement. Malaysia Today's domain name
is registered in the UK," I told the police. When you click on the
domain name malaysia-today.net you are sent to the server of the
registered IP address in that domain name. Our server is in
Singapore. But what you see is only the front page. Then you choose
which item on the front page you want to read and you are sent to the
blog. The blog sits in the US. When you post a comment it goes
straight to the blog. For all intents and purposes, Malaysia Today is
a foreign website and not a Malaysian website. We therefore do not
come under Malaysian laws."

"Let me put it another way," I told the police. "Sodomy is a crime in
Malaysia and you can get sent to jail for nine years for the crime of
sodomy even if you are a Deputy Prime Minister. In England, men can
marry men and you will even receive a congratulatory message from the
British Prime Minister. So, sodomy is not a crime in the UK and you
do not go to jail."

"In short," I summed up. "Your Sedition Act is valid only in Malaysia
and not outside Malaysia. So you cannot impose Malaysia's Sedition
Act on Malaysia Today which resides outside Malaysia. I can actually
tell you to go to hell and that I will not waste eight hours
answering all your questions. But I do not want you to think I am
sombong so I was prepared to spend eight hours with you answering all
your questions as I know you have a job to do and it is not your fault."

I knew this officer was under tremendous pressure because every half
an hour he would receive a phone call from his OCPD as well as the
IGP asking about the progress of the interrogation. The top bosses
were monitoring the whole situation and my interrogation was not a
routine one at all. One senior Chinese officer who sat there the
entire duration without opening his mouth revealed his true role when
the only time he spoke was to utter the statement that I am trying to
topple the IGP. That was what the police really wanted. It was
payback time for the revelations of the links between the IGP and the
Chinese organised crime syndicate.

Umno, however, had other motives. It was not about Malaysia Today
insulting the Agong or Islam. They did not even have any evidence of
this until that Chinese reporter helped them get onto the internet
and access Malaysia Today's website. What they were perturbed about
is my article in my column No Holds Barred on 8 July 2007 about the
powers of the Agong.

If you read Article 150 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia --
which I have reproduced below -- you can see that the Agong has the
power to remove the Prime Minister if the Agong perceives the Prime
Minister as totally incompetent and a danger to the economic life and
well-being of Malaysians. Of course, this has never been done before
except in 1969 to address the problem of the May 13 race riots. But
this does not mean it cannot be done, just that it has never been
done or done only once in 1969.

Note the key points in Article 150 such as:

1) If the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied
2) That a grave emergency exists
3) Whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in the
Federation or any part thereof is threatened
4) He may issue a Proclamation of Emergency making therein a
declaration to that effect.
5) A Proclamation of Emergency may be issued before the actual
occurrence of the event which threatens the security, or the economic
life, or public order in the Federation
6) Except when both Houses of Parliament are sitting concurrently
7) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that certain circumstances
exist which render it necessary for him to take immediate action
8) He may promulgate such ordinances as circumstances appear to him
to require.
9) The Houses of Parliament shall be regarded as sitting only if the
members of each House are respectively assembled together

Now, Article 150 is very clear in that the Agong can interpret the
situation as he sees it and take action that he thinks is befitting
the situation. Basically, it is his opinion and only his opinion that
rules and he can act based on his opinion.

When this article was first published on 8 July 2007, it sent
shockwaves right through the fourth floor and right up to the fifth
floor of the Prime Minister's office in Putrajaya. They suddenly
realised that if the Agong perceives the Prime Minister as
incompetent and a danger to this country, then the Agong can remove
the Prime Minister and appoint anyone he so wishes to replace the
Prime Minister. It need not be the Deputy Prime Minister or any of
the Umno leaders. In theory, it can even be the Agong's gardener if
the Agong thinks he is better than the Prime Minister and the best
man to lead this country.

And that was when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi decided to quietly sneak out
of the country with his entire family. They suspected that this
article of 8 July 2007 was not a coincidence but was instead a hint
that the Agong may act within his powers under the Federal
Constitution of Malaysia to sack the Prime Minister and replace him
with someone better. The Prime Minister then summoned the IGP and the
Director of the Special Branch to Australia to obtain feedback as to
whether he is in danger of being ousted.

Earlier, Abdullah had announced the extension of the IGP's tenure on
contract basis beyond 13 September 2007 when he is supposed to
retire. Abdullah received a major blow yesterday during the Rulers'
Conference when the Rulers expressed displeasure at Abdullah's
announcement of this extension without first informing them about it.
This was the Rulers' very strong message to Abdullah that they are
not happy with the way he is running this country.

Abdullah is worried that Malaysia Today might be playing a role of
'instigating' the Rulers to sack him. They then sat down and came out
with a plan to turn the Rulers against Malaysia Today by accusing
Malaysia Today of insulting the Agong and Islam. They hope that by
doing this the Rulers would get angry with Malaysia Today and be very
grateful to Abdullah for putting Raja Petra in jail and in that same
process protect and defend the image and dignity of the Rulers. In
short, Abdullah wants the Rulers to think that Malaysia Today is
their enemy while the Prime Minister is their friend. So, no need to
sack Abdullah. Instead, put Raja Petra in jail. And with that
Abdullah and his family can continue to live happily ever after as
the First Family of Malaysia.

Abdullah is due back on 27 July 2007. According to his office, he may
delay his return until the first week of August. Abdullah was hoping
that by the time he returns on 27 July 2007, Raja Petra would be
safely tucked away behind the high walls of the Sungai Buloh Prison
and he can then request an audience with the Agong to inform the
Agong how he defended the image and dignity of the Agong by punishing
Raja Petra for the crime of insulting the Agong and Islam.

But they sent a fool to undertake the job of assassinating Raja
Petra. This ex-Selangor Menteri Besar with two Muhamads in his name
botched the mission. Abdullah now has to rethink his strategy as well
as the date of his return home. Would he still be walking in the
corridors of power or would he have to stay in Australia and apply
for PR status? Yes, we live in interesting times. A certain Datuk
from Abdullah's camp phoned me last night and I told this Datuk to
inform his boss that Raja Petra is bent on destroying Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi and ensure that all that remains of him is a pile of dust. An
Uncle to the Agong phoned me two days ago and said "Bodoh betul Mat
Taib!"

Round One: Raja Petra. But will I also win Round Two? I don't know
yet. We will have to wait and see. Time will of course tell. But what
I do know, it is a fight to the death and I really do not care
whether that will be me.

Article 150 of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia

(1) If the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that a grave emergency
exists whereby the security, or the economic life, or public order in
the Federation or any part thereof is threatened, he may issue a
Proclamation of Emergency making therein a declaration to that effect.

(2) A Proclamation of Emergency under Clause (1) may be issued before
the actual occurrence of the event which threatens the security, or
the economic life, or public order in the Federation or any part
thereof if the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that there is
imminent danger of the occurrence of such event.

(2A) The power conferred on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by this Article
shall include the power to issue different Proclamations on different
grounds or in different circumstances, whether or not there is a
Proclamation or Proclamations already issued by the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong under Clause (1) and such Proclamation or Proclamations are in
operation.

(2B) If at any time while a Proclamation of Emergency is in
operation, except when both Houses of Parliament are sitting
concurrently, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that certain
circumstances exist which render it necessary for him to take
immediate action, he may promulgate such ordinances as circumstances
appear to him to require.

(2C) An ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B) shall have the same
force and effect as an Act of Parliament, and shall continue in full
force and effect as if it is an Act of Parliament until it is revoked
or annulled under Clause (3) or until it lapses under Clause (7); and
the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to promulgate ordinances under
Clause (2B) may be exercised in relation to any matter with respect
to which Parliament has power to make laws regardless of the
legislative or other procedures required to be followed, or the
proportion of the total votes required to be had, in either House of
Parliament.

(3) A Proclamation of Emergency and any ordinance promulgated under
Clause (2B) shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament and, if
not sooner revoked, shall cease to have effect if resolutions are
passed by both Houses annulling such Proclamation or ordinance, but
without prejudice to anything previously done by virtue thereof or to
the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to issue a new Proclamation
under Clause (1) or promulgate any ordinance under Clause (2B).

(4) While a Proclamation of Emergency is in force the executive
authority of the Federation shall, notwithstanding anything in this
Constitution, extent to any matter within the legislative authority
of a State and to the giving of directions to the Government of a
State or to any officer or authority thereof.

(5) Subject to Clause (6A), while a Proclamation of Emergency is in
force, Parliament may, not-withstanding anything in this Constitution
make laws with respect to any matter, if it appears to Parliament
that the law is required by reason of the emergency; and Article 79
shall not apply to a Bill for such a law or an amendment to such a
Bill, nor shall any provision of this Constitution or of any written
law which requires any consent or concurrence to the passing of a law
or any consultation with respect thereto, or which restricts the
coming into force of a law after it is passed or the presentation of
a Bill to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his assent.

(6) Subject to Clause (6A), no provision of any ordinance promulgated
under this Article, and no provision of any Act of Parliament which
is passed while a Proclamation of Emergency is in force and which
declares that the law appears to Parliament to be required by reason
of the emergency, shall be invalid on the ground of inconsistency
with any provision of this Constitution.

(6A) Clause (5) shall not extend the powers of Parliament with
respect to any matter of Islamic law or the custom of the Malays, or
with respect to any matter of native law or custom in the State of
Sabah or Sarawak; nor shall Clause (6) validate any provision
inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution relating to any
such matter or relating to religion, citizenship, or language.

(7) At the expiration of a period of six months beginning with the
date on which a Proclamation of Emergency ceases to be in force, any
ordinance promulgated in pursuance of the Proclamation and, to the
extent that it could not have been validly made but for this Article
any law made while the Proclamation was in force, shall cease to have
effect, except as to things done or omitted to be done before the
expiration of that period.

(8) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution:
(a) the satisfaction of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong mentioned in Clause
(1) and Clause (2B) shall be final and conclusive and shall not be
challenged or called in question in any court on any ground; and
(b) no court shall have jurisdiction to entertain or determine any
application, question or proceeding, in whatever form, on any ground,
regarding the validity of-
(i) a Proclamation under Clauses (1) or of a declaration made in such
Proclamation to the effect stated in Clause (1);
(ii) the continued operation of such Proclamation;
(iii) any ordinance promulgated under Clause (2B); or
(iv) the continuation in force of any such ordinance.

(9) For the purpose of this Article the Houses of Parliament shall be
regarded as sitting only if the members of each House are
respectively assembled together and carrying out the business of the
House.


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Raja Petra: Your postings can land me in jail

Raja Petra: Your postings can land me in jail
Jul 26, 07 12:36pm

Popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, 57, who is being investigated for insulting the King and Islam, has urged his readers to be responsible when posting comments on his website.

"The bottom line is, what you post in the comments section may get me sent to jail under the Sedition Act," he wrote in his political blog, Malaysia Today.

The Sedition Act is notoriously broad and vague in its references to sedition and leaves undefined such subjective terms as "hatred" and "discontent." Offences under the act are punishable by up to three years in prison and fines. [See FAQ on Sedition Act]

Yesterday, Raja Petra was summoned to the Dang Wangi police station in response to a report lodged on Monday by Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib. He was released after eight hours of questioning.

After emerging from the police station last night, Raja Petra accused Umno of setting up a special team of 'cybertroopers' under Sports and Youth Minister Azalina Othman Said to post seditious comments on his website.

"There are about 25 of them, paid RM2,750 a month to raid and invade malaysia-today.net. They flood my website with about 500 to 600 unwanted and sensitive comments daily and I lose sleep every night cleaning this mess up by deleting them from my site," he said.

While those posting comments must first register with Malaysia Today, Raja Petra conceded that it was difficult for him to police all the postings.

"We have 20,000 news items and five million comments from bloggers coming from 146 countries," he said since Malaysia Today when live three years ago.

Grave concern

In a related development, New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed its grave concern over the police interrogation of Raja Petra.

"We call upon the Malaysian authorities to immediately cease harassment of Internet journalist Raja Petra Kamarudin," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director.

"Any new laws tailored to censor the Internet would represent a significant step backward for press freedom in Malaysia."

In recent months, the government has gone on an offensive against the bloggers ahead of a general election to be called soon.

On Tuesday, de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz warned that bloggers and Internet writers are subject to existing laws, including the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

Critics say that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government seemed bent on cracking down on Internet writers who post material critical of his government.

Last week, Nathaniel Tan, a blogger and political aide to opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim, was detained by police for four days in relation to comments posted on his website by a reader linking a deputy minister to corruption.

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Raja Petra: Your postings can land me in jail
Jul 26, 07 12:36pm

Popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, 57, who is being investigated
for insulting the King and Islam, has urged his readers to be
responsible when posting comments on his website.

"The bottom line is, what you post in the comments section may get me
sent to jail under the Sedition Act," he wrote in his political blog,
Malaysia Today.

The Sedition Act is notoriously broad and vague in its references to
sedition and leaves undefined such subjective terms as "hatred" and
"discontent." Offences under the act are punishable by up to three
years in prison and fines. [See FAQ on Sedition Act]

Yesterday, Raja Petra was summoned to the Dang Wangi police station
in response to a report lodged on Monday by Umno information chief
Muhammad Muhammad Taib. He was released after eight hours of
questioning.

After emerging from the police station last night, Raja Petra accused
Umno of setting up a special team of 'cybertroopers' under Sports and
Youth Minister Azalina Othman Said to post seditious comments on his
website.

"There are about 25 of them, paid RM2,750 a month to raid and invade
malaysia-today.net. They flood my website with about 500 to 600
unwanted and sensitive comments daily and I lose sleep every night
cleaning this mess up by deleting them from my site," he said.

While those posting comments must first register with Malaysia Today,
Raja Petra conceded that it was difficult for him to police all the
postings.

"We have 20,000 news items and five million comments from bloggers
coming from 146 countries," he said since Malaysia Today when live
three years ago.

Grave concern

In a related development, New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ) expressed its grave concern over the police
interrogation of Raja Petra.

"We call upon the Malaysian authorities to immediately cease
harassment of Internet journalist Raja Petra Kamarudin," said Joel
Simon, CPJ's executive director.

"Any new laws tailored to censor the Internet would represent a
significant step backward for press freedom in Malaysia."

In recent months, the government has gone on an offensive against the
bloggers ahead of a general election to be called soon.

On Tuesday, de facto law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz warned that
bloggers and Internet writers are subject to existing laws, including
the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

Critics say that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government
seemed bent on cracking down on Internet writers who post material
critical of his government.

Last week, Nathaniel Tan, a blogger and political aide to opposition
politician Anwar Ibrahim, was detained by police for four days in
relation to comments posted on his website by a reader linking a
deputy minister to corruption.

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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

[MToday] A game of cat and mouse

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi left the country
quietly and in a hurry early on the night of 16 July 2007. He is due
back on 27 July 2007; or so they say. Where he went and why he went
there was never explained and no one is being told why the Prime
Minister needs to sneak out of the country and stay away for ten
days. The mainstream media imposed a total news blackout on the
matter and only a few would have known had Malaysia Today not written
about it. What was puzzling is the fact that the Prime Minister of
New Zealand was still in the country and Pak Lah was scheduled to
meet her the day she was supposed to leave for home. Needless to say,
Pak Lah stood her up. Other engagements Pak Lah was supposed to
attend or officiate had to suffer the disappointment of not being
able to witness the spectacle of our Prime Minister fast asleep the
entire duration of the event. They were just told by telephone that
Pak Lah would not be able to attend without any explanation as to why.

It makes one wonder when Pak Lah leaves the country every time there
is a tragedy and lives are lost. Remember the Johor floods late last
year? Now it is the Nuri helicopter crash. By the way, the government
will be using these Nuris for another three years but will install
beacons in them to enable the authorities to find them faster when
all the balance crash. The pilots in fact call them flying coffins.
Sheesh! What kind of insensitive and irresponsible government do we
have anyway?

Anyway, that is not the most perplexing part of this whole issue. The
day Pak Lah left, his most trusted secretary resigned in a huff. He
just threw his resignation onto the table and flew off to London, not
wanting to have anything more to do with his boss who has been most
difficult of late. If there was one man who the late Endon liked and
trusted very much it is this man. And this man is now gone.

But no, that is still not yet the most perplexing part of this whole
issue. The next day, the IGP, Musa Hassan, the Director of the
Special Branch, and according to some reports, the Sabah Chief
Minister, Musa Aman, flew to Australia to meet Pak Lah. (Others,
however, say Musa Aman went earlier and missed Pak Lah while even
others say he actually went to Singapore and not to Australia --
without Pak Lah's knowledge and permission of course).

Now, there are many theories as to why they all suddenly joined Pak
Lah in Australia. One theory is that Pak Lah wanted their feedback on
whether he can call for a general election in August. The boys on the
'Fourth Floor' led by his son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin, want the
elections over and done with by the third week of August so that the
50th Anniversary of Merdeka on the night of 30 August 2007 can also
be a celebration of Pak Lah's landslide victory, a repeat of the 2004
General Elections of sorts. Of course, the Elections Commission (SPR)
has announced that they will only be ready for an election by
September so the August theory may not be correct. On the other hand,
the SPR announcement could be a Red Herring to fool the opposition
into thinking that the elections cannot be called before September,
and then suddenly, in August, they call for an election and catch the
opposition with its pants down.

I, however, would discount this first theory because such a
discussion can easily be held in Putrajaya or Kuala Lumpur and the
entire top guns need not fly to Australia just to discuss this.
Furthermore, Khairy was not in the discussion so certainly Pak Lah
would not want to discuss the matter of the general election without
his son-in-law being present -- unless he now wants to exclude Khairy
from the equation like he is telling some people whom he is trying to
persuade to swing over to his side.

The second theory -- and this is what the people in the intelligence
community tell me -- is that Musa Aman and Musa Hassan wanted to
discuss Malaysia Today, plus get Pak Lah's blessing and permission to
close Malaysia Today down and arrest me. The reason the Director of
the Special Branch was asked to tag along is so that he can brief Pak
Lah on the intelligence reports they have obtained as to the damage
Malaysia Today has inflicted on the image of Sabah, the Royal
Malaysian Police, and Pak Lah personally.

Musa Aman recently announced that Barisan Nasional Sabah is confident
of sweeping all the 60 state seats and all the 25 parliament seats in
Sabah and in that same process will wipe the opposition off the face
of Sabah. But he is not really sure that this can be done as Malaysia
Today is quite popular and is widely read in many parts of Sabah,
even in some of the rural areas. Musa Aman feels that Malaysia Today
needs to be silenced as fast as possible if they want to realise
their dream of pembangkang sifar (zero opposition) in Sabah.

Other theorists say that Musa Aman did not really go to Australia to
meet Pak Lah but instead just used this as an excuse to go visit his
mistress, Jennifer Marcos, who they say lives in Perth not far from
Pak Lah's house. I personally don't buy this theory of course as I
don't think Musa Aman would be so rash as to squeeze some sex in on
the side with our most righteous and most virtuous Prime Minister in
town. Surely Pak Lah would not tolerate such pussy-footing from one
of his ministers. I mean, would Pak Lah allow one of his ministers to
do what he would never do himself? No, I don't think so.

Musa Hassan, in turn, say my Deep Throats, wanted to cry on Pak Lah's
shoulder about the second 'Black Eye' the Royal Malaysian Police is
suffering after the first one on 20 September 1998, the night that
the then IGP beat up Anwar Ibrahim to a pulp. The Police Force is
rapidly losing its credibility and they are worried that with five
more Statutory Declarations of police officers that Malaysia Today
has promised to reveal, the damage to the Royal Malaysian Police may
be beyond repair. Musa Hassan too feels that Malaysia Today must be
silenced, and as fast as possible.

The police is now looking into how it can silence Malaysia Today. One
possibility would be to arrest me and charge me for sedition. The
other would be to get the ISPs to block Malaysia Today like they did
recently with the get-rich-quick websites. But blocking Malaysia
Today may not work as there are always ways around this 'road-block'.
Furthermore, Malaysia Today is not located in Malaysia so the long
arm of the Malaysian law cannot reach beyond our shores. The fast-
track and sure-fire way would be to arrest me and charge me for
sedition. And they are now studying the articles I wrote plus the
comments from readers and bloggers to see what seditious laws we have
broken and use this to come get me. (So expect me to start deleting
your 'offensive' postings and maybe even bar you at the same time if
you don't behave).

Well, let them try. They will certainly be very surprised. It is not
that easy to pin down an Anak Raja Bugis. Not even the mighty Dutch
could do that and in the end they were forced to make a treaty with
the Bugis and share everything they plundered in the Straits of
Malacca 50:50. Anyhow, I doubt this was the purpose of Musa Aman's,
Musa Hassan's, and the Director of Special Branch's trip to Australia
to meet Pak Lah. That is if we go by what the third theorists tell me.

As I said earlier, Pak Lah made this sudden and unplanned trip to
Australia while dropping all his appointments in the process,
including the meeting with the Prime Minister of New Zealand who was
left hanging in her hotel room. This is not only unbecoming of a
Prime Minister but highly unusual as well. Now, according to some
other Deep Throats, Pak Lah was advised to leave the country and to
take his family with him for his own good. It seems, according to
what I have been told, if Pak Lah does not leave, then he may suffer
arrest. And the reason he summoned the two topmost policemen to
Australia is so that they could brief him about the security
situation and whether it is true that there are moves to arrest him.

Now, what is not clear is: why should Pak Lah be arrested and who
would be the one who will arrest him? After all, Pak Lah is clean and
has committed no crime -- well, other than the Scomi government
contracts, the ECM Libra insider trading, the Oil-for-Food scam, the
RM600 million bribe to 191 Umno divisions, sabotaging Tun Dr Mahathir
Mohamad in Kubang Pasu, mismanagement of the RM1 billion a year
Terengganu Oil Royalty, etc., etc., etc. This, I cannot comprehend,
and unless this is made clear then I find this theory difficult to
accept as well.

There is another theory which I find even more far-fetched, although
some of my Deep Throats swear on their mothers' graves they are
telling me the truth (they never told me whether their mothers are
dead or still alive though). According to these people, Pak Lah's
wife, Jeanne Danker, was actually married a second time after her
divorce from Endon's brother and that Pak Lah is actually the third
husband. However, say my Deep Throats, with an extremely strong
conviction to boot, Jeanne is not yet divorced from the second
husband. My Deep Throats further testify that Pak Lah's people are
now looking for this second husband somewhere on planet earth to get
him to testify that he has in fact verbally divorced Jeanne although
there are no documents to this affect. Have you heard the saying that
a verbal agreement is not worth the paper it is written on?

No, this theory is even more difficult to fathom. Even if this is
true, which, as I said, I am inclined to believe is not, why did the
entire family have to leave Malaysia in a hurry, and unplanned on top
of that? Are they telling me that his matter of Jeanne's second,
missing husband cannot be settled in Malaysia but can in Australia?
Can you see how this does not make sense? I know they say that
Jeanne's second husband is a foreigner but surely he couldn't have
been an Aborigine!

Anyway, let us forget about all these theories and let us instead
speculate on what might be the real reason. But this is mere
speculation mind you. And speculation is just that, speculation.
Okay, Pak Lah and his family left Malaysia in a hurry, just like the
previous Thai Prime Minister. Was Pak Lah; just like the previous
Thai Prime Minister; under extreme pressure and that is why he left
the country? Hmm.....interesting.....wasn't the previous Thai Prime
Minister ousted. Nah, it can't be, not in Malaysia.

Well, Pak Lah is due back on 27 July 2007. I am sure he will return
all safe and sound; and as sleepy as usual. And I am sure that was
what Malaysia's two topmost policemen went to Australia for; to
assure Pak Lah that all is honky-dory and peachy-rosy back in
Malaysia. In the meantime, I will half-believe the theory that the
purpose the IGP, the Sabah Chief Minister, and the Director of the
Special Branch went to meet Pak Lah in Australia was to discuss how
to close down Malaysia Today. And, since I half-believe that, I am
going to fire another shot at Musa Aman and Musa Hassan; you know, a
sort of cat and mouse game.

I am going to recap what I previously wrote about the raping of
Sabah's forest reserves and how Musa Aman is going to make RM4.8
billion from this scam. This time, however, I am supporting my
allegation with documents in the form of Agreements. Please read what
I previously wrote as follows (click the headings to access the full
articles):

Raping of Sabah's forests
How to make RM4.8 billion in just a couple of years

Monday, July 31, 2006

The Ulu Segama Reserve (203,080ha), Malua Forest Reserve (33,969ha)
and Ulu Kalumpang Forest Reserve (51,118ha) cover an area the size of
Rhode Island or four times the size of Singapore.

Based on government valuation, the value of these three forest
reserves is RM4.8 billion. The open market price would of course be
many, many times that.

Large-scale timber harvesting would end by 2007 and will be replaced
with sustainable forest management practices. To beat this deadline,
the Sabah government is allowing fast-track logging in these forest
reserves so that they can clear the area of trees within the next
year or so.

This is genocide of the highest degree.

The pictures can be viewed here

PROPOSAL FOR TAKE-OVER OF TIMBER EXTRACTION & SALE OF TIMBER OF SABAH
FOUNDATION TIMBER CONCESSION AREA IN SABAH

1. Background of the concession

i. Locality : Gunung Rara, Kalabakan, Tawau, Sabah bordering to
Maliau Basin.

ii. Coupe No. : YT 3/04 (NFM)

iii. Acreage : 61,217 acres (24,774 hactares)

v. Ownership : Yayasan Sabah conession area managed by a wholly-owned
subsidiary company of Sabah Foundation.

2. Current Status

i. Approval : The said concession has been approved for assignment by
the Board of Directors of Innoprise Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

ii. Value of concession : The inventory report estimates that the
proceed from the sales of timber amounts to RM400 million.

The total destruction of Sabah's rainforests: genocide of alarming
proportions

In 1800, there were 2.9 billion hectares of tropical forests
worldwide. However, over these last 200 years since 1800, mankind has
been rapidly destroying this valuable forest area that took thousands
of years to develop. Since 1950 alone, half of all tropical
rainforests have disappeared, leaving just 2.5 million square miles
(647 million hectares) of forests remaining and, every year, we
continue to lose an estimated 93,000 square miles more.

The RM11 billion silap mata (sleight of hand)

On a conservative calculation of RM42,000 per hectare, the market
value of 250,000 hectares of virgin rainforest is roughly 11 billion
Ringgit. Yes, that's right, RM11,000,000,000; more than you can count
in your lifetime. The perplexing part about this whole deal is,
logging started as far back as the 1990s though the project was only
supposed to kick off in 2005. This means they started extracting the
logs almost ten years before the commencement of the paper mill --
starting from Yong Teck Lee's tenure as Chief Minister, right through
to Bernard Dompok, Osu Sukam, Chong Kah Kiat and now Musa Aman.

Musa Aman's hidden hand

For almost ten years now, Benta Wawasan Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of
Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd, which is in turn owned by the Sabah
Foundation (Yayasan Sabah), has been reaping, or should I instead say
raping, Sabah's rich forest resources. They did this under the
pretext of servicing their pulp and paper mill project, which
actually never took off. In fact, it appears like there was no
intention to embark on the project in the first place. They just
wanted the RM11 billion worth of logs.

Sabah's Malua and Ulu Segama forest reserves about to be plundered

Two Sabah forest reserves, to be bequeathed as Malaysia's
biodiversity gift to the world by the end of 2007, are set to be
logged in a month or two - endangering countless species of plants
and wildlife. A race against time is underway to log the Malua and
Ulu Segama forest reserves, covering a total of 236,825ha, which is
three times the size of Singapore, before the deadline. The state-
owned Yayasan Sabah holds logging rights in the forest reserves and
recently appointed at least three companies to log in the area.

EIA sought over logging plan

Show us the EIA report. This is the call by environmentalists
concerned over the proposed logging in the Malua and Ulu Segama
forest reserves covering 236,825ha in east Sabah. An environmental
impact assessment (EIA) report, they said, was necessary for such a
massive project and should be put to public scrutiny if it existed.

Logging at Sabah reserves to go ahead

Sabah will go ahead to log at two forest reserves bequeathed as
Malaysia's biodiversity gift to the world once the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) report is approved. The EIA report for
logging at the Malua and Ulu Segama forest reserves in the state's
east coast has been completed. Whether it would be made public will
depend on the Department of Environment (DOE).

State Govt unlikely to back down on Malua, Ulu Segama

It is very unlikely that the State Government will withdraw its plan
to allow logging in the Malua and Ulu Segama forest reserves, home to
various endangered species, including wild orang-utans. Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman also continued to insist that felling
of timber in the two areas would not damage the environment.

Okay, that takes care of Musa Aman. And this is only a fraction of
what I have written over the last three years mind you. If I compile
everything I have written thus far, I can fill the pages upon pages
of an entire book. Anyway, for more details, please see the
Chronology, Notes and Addendums in the section below. Now, for Musa
Hassan, I will just reveal some brief excerpts of what I have in my
possession. Trust me; this is also a mere fraction of the whole thing
and I am keeping the rest for when they come for me.

AKUAN BERKANUN DEEP THROAT TWO

2. Pada Mac 2005 jam 0030, saya bersama PPKG C/Insp. Mohd Shah Bin
Kamaluddin dan anggota telah melaksanakan tangkapan WTT terhadap Ah
Chai. Ketika itu saya nampak Ah Chai menelefon seseorang (panggilan
Dato') dan bercakap dalam keadaan gelisah. Kemudian saya telah
menyemak nombor telefon orang yang bergelar Dato' tersebut dan saya
dapati nombor telefon tersebut adalah kepunyaan YDH Tan Sri Ketua
Polis Negara yang ketika itu adalah Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara.

3. Pada Mac 2005 jam 0200, ketika sedang menguruskan tangkapan
terhadap Ah Chai di pejabat D7, IPD Kluang PPKG, C/Insp. Mohd Shah
ada beritahu kepada saya bahawa seorang pegawai dari IPK Johor, DSP
Tukiman ada menelefonnya dan mengatakan YDH Timbalan KPN meminta
supaya Ah Chai dibebaskan pada malam itu juga dan meminta pendapat
saya. Saya memberitahu kepada PPKG bahawa kita tidak boleh berbuat
demikian kerana repot tangkapan telah dibuat. Semasa dalam perjalanan
untuk menghantar Ah Chai ke penjara Air Molek, Ah Chai ada beritahu
kepada saya yang beliau hanya akan menjalani sekatan selama 6 bulan
sahaja. Saya dapati Ah Chai kelihatan tidak puas hati dengan saya
kerana membuka kes fail keatasnya.

4. Pada 08/03/2006, saya menyertai pasukan serbuan terhadap premis
bersama ASP Md. Yusof dan anggota dan telah berjaya menangkap 4 orang
termasuk isteri kedua Ah Chai nama Than Lee Poey dan merampas
peralatan perjudian ekor haram.

5. Pada 30/03/2007 jam 0100, Ah Chai bersama isteri keduanya serta PR
nama Ah Chin telah ditangkap dibawah Sek 3(1) Ordinan Darurat oleh
pegawai D7 IPK Johor, ASP Mior Fahim Bin Ahmad dan dibawa balik ke
IPK Johor untuk ditahan di sama selama 60 hari bagi meneruskan siasatan.

6. Pada 08/04/2007, saya dihubungi oleh sumber memberitahu Ah Chai
terlalu marah pada saya dengan menuduh saya membuka kes fail
keatasnya. Sumber memberitahu bahawa group Ah Chai akan menukarkan
saya ketempat lain.

7. Pada 07/05/2007, saya mendapat tahu melalui E-siar yang saya
ditukarkan ke Bahagian D4, JSJ Bukit Aman.

AKUAN BERKANUN DEEP THROAT THREE

2. Diantara Ogos dan September 2004, saya terima arahan dari KPP D7,
Bukit Aman melalui semboyan mengarahkan supaya kes fail AKT terhadap
salah seorang penganjur judi ekor haram di Kluang bernama Chai Ngew
atau nama panggilan Ah Chai. Saya arahkan D/Sjn Yassin untuk membawa
kes fail tersebut ke D7, Bukit Aman untuk tatapan YDH KPP D7, Bukit
Aman. YDH KPP D7 mengarahkan supaya kes fail tersebut dikemaskini
dengan segera.

3. Pada Mac 2005, Waran Tangkap dan Tahanan (WTT) terhadap Ah Chai
dikeluarkan oleh KKDN. WTT telah disempurnakan oleh PPKG Kluang, C/
Insp. Mohd. Shah Bin Kamaluddin dan Ah Chai kemudian dikenakan
tindakan buang daerah selama satu tahun setengah di bandaran Nilai,
Negeri Sembilan. Selepas 6 bulan dalam buangan, Ah Chai kemudian
telah dibebaskan setelah memenangi kes habeas corpus.

4. Pada September 2005, setelah dibebaskan Ah Chai dapati masih
meneruskan aktivitinya sebagai penganjur perjudian ekor haram di
kawasan Kluang. Pada 08/03/2006, hasil maklumat yang diberikan oleh
YDH Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara pada masa itu Dato' Musa bin Hassan,
saya bersama sepasukan anggota D7, IPD Kluang telah menyerbu sebuah
'Counting Center' kepunyaan Ah Chai dan berjaya menangkap 4 orang
termasuk isteri kepada Ah Chai serta merampas peralatan penganjuran
judi ekor haram. Kemudian pada 18/03/2006, satu serbuan lagi telah
dibuat oleh D7, IPK Johor terhadap sebuah lagi 'Counting Center' juga
kepunyaan Ah Chai dan berjaya menangkap 5 orang pekerja dan merampas
peralatan judi ekor haram. Intelligent statement 9 tangkapan tersebut
telah diambil oleh PPKG dan anggota D7 saya dan kesemuanya menjurus
kepada aktiviti yang dijalankan oleh Ah Chai.

5. Pada 30/03/2007 jam 0100, Ah Chai bersama isteri keduanya serta PR
nama Ah Chin telah ditangkap dibawah Sek 3(1) Ordinan Darurat oleh
pegawai D7 IPK Johor, ASP Mior Fahim Bin Ahmad dan dibawa balik ke
IPK Johor untuk ditahan di sana selama 60 hari bagi meneruskan
siasatan (soal siasat). Saya berasa hairan kerana pihak JSJ, IPD
Kluang belum membuka kes fail yang baru terhadap sabjek yang
ditangkap dan percakapan risikan yang ada hanya berdasarkan 2 serbuan
terhadap counting center. Pihak D7, IPK Johor juga ada meminta
kersemua percakapan risikan sabjek yang dirakam oleh IPD Kluang
supaya dihantar ke D7, IPK Johor pada bulan Feb 2007. Saya juga
berasa hairan kenapa masih ada lagi tindakan terhadap Ah Chai
sedangkan dia baru saja dibebaskan dari sekatan di bawah AKT.

6. Pada 07/04/2007, saya terima panggilan telefon dari D7 Johor, DSP
Ng Fook Long bertanyakan kepada saya adakah Ah Chai, isterinya dan Ah
Chin dari group MIMI (salah satu penganjur judi ekor haram di kawasan
Kluang). Saya beritahu kepada DSP Ng, mereka bukan dari group MIMI
tetapi group Ah Chai sendiri.

7. Pada 08/04/2007, sehari selepas mereka dibebaskan saya telah
berjumpa Ah Chai di bandar Kluang dan telah berbual berkaitan
pembebasannya. Ah Chai berkata kepada saya yang dia tidak berpuas
hati terhadap saya kerana telah menganiayakannya. Saya bertanya
kepadanya bagaimana dia boleh bebas. Ah Chai beritahu ada seorang
kawannya (nama tidak diberitahu) baik dengan IGP sekarang. Saya
bertanya lagi kepada Ah Chai, adakah orang itu bernama Tengku, Ah
Chai hanya tersenyum sahaja. Sejak dari itu, saya merasakan bahawa
group Ah Chai mungkin bernaung dibawah group Tengku.

8. Pada Mei 2006, saya dipanggil oleh Supt. Navamany untuk berjumpa
beliau dan membawa 2 Kertas Siasatan berkaitan serbuan tersebut,
statistik serbuan dan kes fail. Dalam temuduga, soalan yang diajukan
kepada saya menjurus kepada percakapan risikan keatas sabjek-sabjek
yang ditangkap keatas 2 serbuan tersebut serta 3 kes fail terhadap Ah
Chai, isterinya dah Ah Chin. Saya merasakan persoalan yang diajukan
kepada saya mempertikaikan kesahihan percakapan risikan yang telah
diambil. Semasa itu, saya telah diarahkan bertukar ke IPD Kajang,
Selangor Sebagai KBLD. Pertukaran ini adalah merupakan sesuatu yang
tidak adil bagi saya kerana saya tidak pernah melakukan kesalahan
tatatertib mahupun prestasi tugas berdasarkan kejayaan-kejayaan yang
telah saya capai sepanjang tempoh saya bertugas sebagai KBSJD Kluang
dan saya rasa saya masih lagi berupaya dan mampu menyumbangkan tenaga
saya dalam JSJ. Dengan pertukaran saya ke bahagian Logistik saya
tidak dapat memberi kesinambungan dalam tugas saya untuk memerangi
jenayah.

MORE ON THE MUSA AMAN STORY

CHRONOLOGY

1) On 22 December 1994, Raykat Berjaya Sdn Bhd signed Re-logging
Agreements with four companies -- Kemudi Teguh Sdn Bhd, Nisbah Yakin
Sdn Bhd, Kurnia Pulangan Sdn Bhd and Perwira Harmoni (M) Sdn Bhd --
giving each company 17,000 hectares of logging concession (17,000
hectares X 4 companies) in the Gunung Rara/Kalabakan/Ulu Segama
Forest Reserve at a way below market price of RM50.00 per cubic meter
of logs extracted (See items '1' to '4' in the ADDENDUMS below).

2) On 15 February 1999, Raykat Berjaya Sdn Bhd signed Deeds of
Cancellation of Agreements with the same four companies -- Kemudi
Teguh Sdn Bhd, Nisbah Yakin Sdn Bhd, Kurnia Pulangan Sdn Bhd and
Perwira Harmoni (M) Sdn Bhd (See items '5' and '6' in the ADDENDUMS
below).

3) That same day, 15 February 1999, Sabah Softwoods Sdn Bhd signed a
Log Extraction Agreement with Sabavital Sdn Bhd giving it 129,500
hectares of logging concession in the Gunung Rara/Kalabakan/Ulu
Segama Forest Reserve with NO PRICE SPECIFIED.

4) That same day, 15 February 1999, Sabah Melale Sdn Bhd, Rintisan
Bumi Sdn Bhd, Sabah Softwoods Sdn Bhd and Sabavital Sdn Bhd signed a
Log Extraction Agreement involving 306,310 hectares of logging
concession in the Gunung Rara/Kalabakan/Ulu Segama Forest Reserve at
a price of RM145.00 per cubic meter.

NOTES

1) Tun Sakaran Dandai was the Sabah Chief Minister until 27 December
1994. Therefore, the first Agreements were signed in a hurry just
five (5) days before his term of office expired.

2) Tun Sri Bernard Dompok was the Sabah Chief Minister until 14 March
1999 so the cancellation of the Agreements and the new Agreements
were signed one month before his term of office expired.

3) Musa Aman, the present Sabah Chief Minister, was the Director of
the Sabah Foundation, Treasurer of Umno Sabah, and later Minister in
charge of the Sabah Foundation.

ADDENDUMS

1) Pages 1 to 8 of the Relogging Agreement dated 22 December 1994
between Rakyat Berjaya Sdn Bhd and Kemudi Teguh Sdn Bhd

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