Click on this link to watch R. Sivarasa discussing Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal, the political considerations and the implications for PKR.
http://mobtv.my/talkshow-679.html
Raja Petra’s scurrilous and dishonest accusations
I refer to his comments on January 6 in the blog Malaysia Today titled “Just do it, not DUIT!” and the consequent report in the news portal Free Malaysia Today “RPK reveals cases of graft, power abuse in S’gor”.
Raja Petra’s comments show he is rapidly descending to the level of the likes of Nallakaruppan, Ezam and Zulkifly Nordin the way he is prepared to make completely unsubstantiated scurrilous and mischievous allegations.
He purports to produce what on the surface look like believable stories with flourishes of lurid detail. When you examine them closely, we find that key assertions are false. Other assertions remain simply that – pure allegations without evidence. However he is fully aware that the intent of his written comments is to attempt to damage reputations of individuals and smear PKR and Pakatan Rakyat.
Let me reproduce his allegations in respect of myself, Surendran, Derek Fernandez and Latheefa Koya. “Through the influence of Lateefa (sic) and Derrick (sic), a good chunk of the legal work in MBPJ is diverted to the firms of Sivarasa, Surendran and Derrick.” “legal work dished out by MBPJ legal department is given exclusively to a group of lawyers who are all PKR leaders”. “a large amount of legal work to these chosen few” . In one breath, he alleges “exclusivity” to these firms, and then contradictorily says “a good chunk” and “a large amount”.
He then suggests that this is corrupt practice or at the very least reflects a conflict of interest.
His assertions that Derek Fernandez and Surendran are doing work for MPBJ are completely false. He can’t even get Derek’s name and the name of the name of his firm correct. Derek Fernandez is not even a member of PKR.
Since 2009, my firm M/s Daim & Gamany have been retained by MBPJ to defend it in 4 cases. Two cases involved judicial review challenges brought by advertising companies unhappy with its new billboard policy. Two other cases involved a judicial review challenge initiated by a developer unhappy with stop work orders issued by MBPJ and a related civil suit. The firm is paid according to a scale of fees applicable to all firms retained by it. I believe there are about 14 firms on that list. 4 cases does not amount to the”large amount” or “a good chunk” or the “legal work dished out exclusively to PKR leaders” that Raja Petra alleges
I believe I am retained by MBPJ to defend it in these cases because judicial review is one of my areas of practice and as a lawyer of 24 years experience, they believe I am competent to defend their interest.
I have no executive role in MBPJ or in the Selangor State government. No question of any conflict of interest arises at all.
Similarly with Latheefa Koya. She practices as a legal assistant with Daim & Gamany. She is also a councillor of MBPJ. Hence she ensures she stays OUT of all meetings and decision making in respect of cases that are referred to my firm.
These issues about my firm receiving work from MBPJ and Latheefa’s role were raised two years ago by Wee Choo Keong after he left PKR. MBPJ clarified then that there was no conflict of interest on the part of Latheefa and myself. A simple check would have verified that.
Raja Petra insinuates scurrilously that I seem to have suddenly increased my personal wealth as a result of being given huge amounts of legal work by MBPJ. His evidence is “ Daim & Gamany has moved from their humble office in ‘slum’ Masjid India area to a new swank office near MBPJ.
Again, he has got it completely wrong. My firm was in PKNS Wisma Yakin in Jalan Masjid India up to 2005. In that year we moved to Megan Avenue II in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. Then in May 2011, we moved to a smaller office in the Maris Brothers premises next to Catholic High School in section 10 PJ. We currently occupy office space in the form of 2 rooms about 300 sq ft each.
The “new swank office” that Raja Petra describes that Daim & Gamany have can only exist in his malevolent imagination ( Nathaniel Tan has published some useful photos of our office at http://jelas.info/2012/01/07/rpks-accusations-of-selangor-corruption-proven-to-be-bunk/ ). I say malevolent because these are matters that are simple to verify by any responsible writer and should have been verified before they were falsely and scurrilously published.
Raja Petra lied similarly when he described Surendran’s change of car ( again non-existent ) as connected to the non-existent huge work allegedly received from MBPJ post 2008. Language such as “talk about rags to riches in a blink of an eye” is malicious in intent when asserted either knowingly or reckless that it was false.
.These issues about my firm receiving work from MBPJ and Latheefa’s role were raised two years ago by Wee Choo Keong after he left PKR. MBPJ clarified then that there was no conflict of interest on the part of Latheefa and myself. A simple check would have verified that.
Raja Petra insinuates scurrilously that I seem to have suddenly increased my personal wealth as a result of being given huge amounts of legal work by MBPJ. His evidence is “ Daim & Gamany has moved from their humble office in ‘slum’ Masjid India area to a new swank office near MBPJ.
Again, he has got it completely wrong. My firm was in PKNS Wisma Yakin in Jalan Masjid India up to 2005. In that year we moved to Megan Avenue II in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. Then in May 2011, we moved to a smaller office in the Maris Brothers premises next to Catholic High School in section 10 PJ. We currently occupy office space in the form of 2 rooms about 300 sq ft each.
The “new swank office” that Raja Petra describes that Daim & Gamany have can only exist in his malevolent imagination ( Nathaniel Tan has published some useful photos of our office at http://jelas.info/2012/01/07/rpks-accusations-of-selangor-corruption-proven-to-be-bunk/ ). I say malevolent because these are matters that are simple to verify by any responsible writer and should have been verified before they were falsely and scurrilously published.
Raja Petra lied similarly when he described Surendran’s change of car ( again non-existent ) as connected to the non-existent huge work allegedly received from MBPJ post 2008. Language such as “talk about rags to riches in a blink of an eye” is malicious in intent when asserted either knowingly or reckless that it was false.
Many PKR lawyers are successful practitioners in their own right and are entitled to the income they generate for themselves in that capacity. What is Raja Petra’s motive in wilfully making such malicious accusations?
Raja Petra again lies when he says I am paid “tens of thousands a month” as a director on the board of Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor. I am certainly not paid “tens of thousands a month”. That would be immediately obvious from the published accounts of the company. I am paid the same as any other director. We are paid as professionals for the services we render on the board and in board committees for the responsibilities of helping to manage a public listed company with assets worth several billion ringgit; the amounts we are paid are similar to that paid in similar sized companies or possibly even less.
Look carefully at the allegations, insinuations and innuendo made against Azmin Ali without a shred of real evidence for something his brother has allegedly done. What is the intent here? Compare the way Rafizi produced documented fact after fact regarding Sharizat and the National Feedlot Corporation scandal. Raja Petra, if you have credible evidence of corruption in Selangor, produce it and I am sure Tan Sri Khalid and the PR leaders will deal with it.
Raja Petra has said subsequently as follows “PKR needs to prove me wrong. And if I am wrong then I will tender a public apology. Maybe my Deep Throats are wrong. Or maybe they intentionally set me up with a Red Herring.”
No. Petra, it is not so simple. You cannot get it so wrong and then wriggle out of it blaming someone else. As I said above, you maliciously knew it was false or were reckless as to whether it was false.
What you have done since your TV3 interview timed for release just before the 2011 Sarawak State Elections and your recent attacks timed for 1st January 2012 just before the 9th January Anwar verdict shows clearly now a malicious agenda with regard to PR and Anwar. Would you like to tell us in some detail what is your part of the deal?
What’s happening to you now is truly a pity. I still remember arguing for your freedom in the habeas corpus case we filed on your behalf in April 2001 after your first ISA arrest with Tian Chua and others.
It’s a timely reminder to us that along the difficult road we will all travel in our struggle and battle for justice and democracy that that there will be casualties. We will also have those who will betray the cause.
Sivarasa Rasiah
8th January 2012
Saturday, December 10, 2011
6 November 2011
Kenyataan Akhbar
MENDESAK SUPAYA TANAH SEKOLAH – SRJK(T) EFFINGHAM – DIKEMBALIKAN OLEH MALAYSIAN INDIAN CONGRESS (MIC ) KEPADA PIHAK SEKOLAH
Isu SRJK Effingham merupakan suatu masalah penyelewengan besar berkaitan dengan tanah yang dihadapi di kawasan Parlimen Subang untuk satu tempoh masa yang agak lama.
2. Tanah seluas 6 ekar telah diperuntukkan kepada pihak sekolah oleh pemaju Bandar Utama iaitu See Hoy Chan Holdings Group mengikut peraturan dan dasar Kementerian Pelajaran dan juga peraturan perancangan bandar. Semua sekolah lain di kawasan yang dibangunakan oleh pemaju tersebut hari ini adalah di tapak sekurang-kurang 6 ekar.
3. Namun begitu, SRJK Effingham hanya didirikan dalam kawasan seluas 3 ekar.
4. Baki 3 ekar didapati dimiliki oleh Dato Seri Samy Vellu dan pemimpin MIC. Siasatan kami menunjukkan ini berlaku selepas pemimpin MIC telah memohon untuk dan mendapat tanah ini yang diperuntukkan untuk sekolah.
5. Saya menegaskan bahawa baki 3 ekar tanah sekolah tersebut yang dimiliki oleh Dato Seri Samy Vellu dan MIC wajib dikembalikan kepada pihak sekolah atas sebab – sebab berikut:
a) Sekolah Rendah sepatutnya mempunyai keluasan seluas 6 ekar mengikut dasar dan peraturan Kementerian Pelajaran tetapi SRJK Effingham hanya mempunyai 3 ekar.
b) Kawasan sekolah terlalu sempit di mana tiada pembaharuan untuk sekolah dapat dilakukan.
c) Waktu rehat adalah 2 sesi kerana ruang kantin tidak dapat menampung bilangan pelajar berehat pada waktu yang sama.
d) Bilik guru terlalu sempit. Seramai 34 tenaga pengajar terpaksa berkongsi bilik yang agak kecil.
e) Tempat letak kereta yang terhad disebabkan keluasan yang tidak mencukupi. Kebanyakkan tenaga pengajar menggunakan kereta menghadapi masalah untuk meletak kereta mereka.
f) Sebuah dewan sedang dirancang untuk dibina. Dewan ini akan dibina di atas kantin. Pada dasarnya pembinaan kantin sendiri tidaklah begitu memberangsangkan. Tambahan pula, pembinaan dewan di atas kantin adalah kerana keluasan 3 ekar untuk sekolah tersebut tidak mencukupi.
g) Kawasan padang adalah terhad. Pelajar tidak dapat berlari 100m seperti pelajar – pelajar lain kerana keluasan yang tidak mencukupi. Mereka hanya boleh berlari 75m dari hujung ke hujung padang.
Maka, sebab – sebab di atas wujud kerana keluasan tanah sekolah tersebut hanya 3 ekar. Jika sekolah itu mempunyai 6 ekar seperti sekolah sekolah lain, masalah – masalah seperti ini tidak akan wujud dan dapat dielakkan.
Saya, dengan tegasnya medesak bahawa Dato Seri Samy Vellu dan MIC kembalikan baki 3 ekar tanah untuk sekolah tersebut. Ini adalah kerana pelajar – pelajar sekolah tersebut memerlukan suasana pembelajaran yang sempurna seperti pelajar – pelajar di sekolah – sekolah lain.
Kami sanggup membayar balik kepada Dato Seri Samy Vellu dan MIC semua wang yang dibayar kepada Kerajaan Negeri Selangor untuk tanah 3 ekar tersebut.
Kami yakin masyarakat India dan semua rakyat Malaysia yang mencintai keadilan sanggup menyumbang dana untuk tujuan tersebut supaya mengekkan keadilan dan memperbetulkan satu penyelewengan besar.
R. Sivarasa.
Ahli Parlimen Subang
Ahli Majlis Pimpinan Pusat Parti Keadilan Rakyat
YB SIvarasa hosted the Pakatan Rakyat SUBANG Raya Open House on the 24th of September, which is also the 26th day of Syawal 1432H.
Over 4000 guests turned out at the Padang Awam, Kampung Paya Jaras Hilir in a show of support for Pakatan Rakyat.
Sessi Parliament ke 3, Tahun 2011 bermula 3hb Oktober 2011
Sessi ke 3, Penggal 4, Parliament ke 12 akan bermula pada 3hb Oktober ini dan berlanjutan hingga 1hb Disember.
Dalam sessi ini, Belanjawan 2012 akan dibentangkan oleh YAB Menteri Kewangan pada Jumaat, 7hb Oktober dan diikuti dengan sessi bahas badjet sehinnga 29hb November.
Dalam sessi ini, YB Sivarasa telah mengemukakan soalan-soalan seperti berikut:
1. Tuan R. Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Menteri Luar Negeri menyatakan, memandangkan keputusan terbaru daripada Mahkamah Tertinggi Australia berkaitan dengan perjanjian menghantar 4000 pelarian kepada Malaysiia, adakah Kerajaan bercadang untuk menandatangani Konvesyen Antarabangsa Pelarian 1951
2. Tuan R.Sivarasa [ Subang ] meminta Menteri Pertahanan menyatakan adakah ’komisyen’ tambahan selain daripada komisyen 114 .9 juta Euro dan juga ’komisyen’ 30 juta Euro dan 2.5 juta Euro yang dibayar kepada pihak-pihak lain termasuk Perimekar Sdn Bhd dan syarikat di Malta bernama Gifen yang berkaitan dengan pembelian kapal selam Scorpene.
3. Tuan R. Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Perdana Menteri memberikan unjuran pendapatan tahunan, kos penyelenggaraan, penambangan (ridership) dan harga tambang MRT dari tahun 2016 hingga 2020 dan juga menyatakan kenapa permintaan puluhan ribu penduduk untuk MRT dibena di bawah Tanah di kawasan Kota Damansara, Bandar Utama, Taman TTDI, seksyen 16, 17 PJ tidak dipedulikan4. Tuan R. Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Menteri Pelajaran menyatakan kenapa untuk mata pelajaran Kesusasteraan Cina dan Tamil, di tahun 2010, tiada satu murid pun yang dapat gred A+, manakala 336 murid dapat A+ untuk mata pelajaran Kesusasteraan Melayu dan di tahun 2009, 134 murid dan 36 murid dapat A+ untuk Kesusasteraan Cina dan Tamil masing-masing 5. Tuan R.Sivarasa [ Subang ] meminta Perdana Menteri menyatakan sama ada kerajaan akan bercadang meminda Peraturan Mesyuarat Parlimen yang sedia ada untuk memastikan perjalanan semua jawatankuasa parlimen adalah terbuka kepada awam mengikut tradisi Parlimen Westminster dan parlimen moden dengan kuasa untuk mengadakan mesyuarat tertutup dalam keadaan yang istimewa ( special circumstances )
6. Tuan R.Sivarasa [ Subang ] meminta Menteri Kesihatan menyatakan hasil siasatan Jawatankuasa Siasatan (Investigation Committee) yang ditubuhkan oleh kementerian bagi menyiasat kes menembak gas pemedih mata dan menyebur air berkimia ke dalam kawasan Hospital Tung Shin pada 9 Julai 2011.
7. Tuan R.Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Menteri Pelajaran menyatakan samada Kerajaan Barisan Nasional bercadang mengambil balik tanah 3 ekar yang mulanya diperuntukkan untuk Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil Effingham di Damansara Utama yang sekarang diambil oleh pemimpin MIC.
8. Tuan R.Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Menteri Luar Negeri menyatakan sama ada tindakan Ratu Queen Elizabeth II memakai baju kuning semasa Perdana Menteri menghadapnya di Istana Buckingham pada 14 Julai 2011 akan menjejaskan hubungan antara Malaysia dengan United Kingdom?
9. Tuan R.Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Menteri Kewangan menyatakan pelan kerajaan untuk membantu pesara menghadapi situasi inflasi menghakis keupayaan menabung kerana menurut Global Aging Report, hanya 21% rakyat Malaysia bersedia dari segi kewangan untuk persaraan.
10. Tuan R.Sivarasa [Subang] meminta Perdana Menteri menyatakan samada Kerajaan bercadang meratifikasikan Konvensyen menentang Penyeksaan dan juga Kovenan Antarabangsa berkenaan Hak Sivil dan Politik dan juga Kovenan Antarabangsa berkenaan Hak Ekonomi, Sosial dan Kebudayaan
Flash floods hit several areas within the Subang Constituency recently. As a concern Member of Parliament, Sivarasa visited the affected areas and stayed on till late night to ensure all necessary action are taken by the relevant authorities.
Kenyataan Media – YB Sivarasa, Ahli Parlimen Subang – 16hb September 2011
“Najib memberi tapi dalam masa yang sama mengambil”
Dalam ucapan sambutan Hari Malaysia tadi malam, Perdana Menteri Datuk Sri Najib mengisytiharkan ayat berikut “ Suka saya mengumumkan pada malam yang bersejarah ini, Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) akan dimansuhkan terus”.
Namun beliau secepatnya menambah bahawa “…dua undang-undang baru yang sesuai akan digubal di bawah semangat serta payung Perkara 149 Perlembagaan Persekutuan … untuk memelihara keamanan kesejahteraan dan kesentosaan serta kerukunan hidup rakyat dan negara”.
Ramai dikalangan kita mungkin tidak terus segera memahami makna yang tidak menyenangkan disebalik penggunaan perkataan “Perkara 149”. Perkara 149 merupakan bahagian jelek Perlembagaan yang membolehkan kewujudan Akta ISA sebagai undang-undang yang sah. Jika Perkara 149 tidak berada di sana, ISA dan kesemua undang-undang yang memperuntukkan penahanan tanpa bicara seperti Akta Dadah Berbahaya ( Langkah-langkah Pencegahan Khas) 1985 akan gugur kerana bercanggah dengan perlembagaan dan tidak sah.
Perkara 149 membenarkan undang-undang itu melanggar bahagian hak-hak asasi Perlembagaan seperti Perkara 5, 9 dan 10 yang menjamin perlindungan perbicaraan awam, antara perlindungannya, jadi dapat dikatakan ia sah diamalkan “di sisi undang-undang”.
Justeru, apa yang dibuat Najib tadi malam? Dalam cara yang tidak jujur, beliau membuatkan sebahagian rakyat Malaysia berfikir bahawa beliau melakukan ‘tindakan bersejarah’ dan menghapuskan kejahatan ISA dan penahanan tanpa bicara selama-lamanya. Tiada satupun yang menepati kebenaran. Beliau melakukan silap mata. Sekarang anda nampak, sekarang anda tidak nampak!
Beliau tidak menjelaskan dengan tuntas bahawa penggubalan kedua-dua undang-undang baru di bawah Perkara 149 itu, sebenarnya mengembalikan semula penahanan tanpa bicara, walaupun kononnya dengan cara yang lebih lunak yang masih belum dapat dilihat lagi.
Dalam erti kata lain, beliau hanya menyatakan hasratnya untuk menghapuskan ISA dan mengembalikan ia semula dalam pakaian baru yang masih belum kita nampak. Ada udang disebalik batu, wajah yang sama bertopeng baru?
Frasa-frasa Najib saperti ‘transformasi politik’, ‘mengamalkan demokrasi yang berfungsi dan inklusif’ serta ‘menjadi negara maju yang sepenuhnya’ semuanya tidak bermakna apa-apa, jika rakyat Malaysia masih terus menderitai penahanan tanpa bicara dengan kuasa diberi kepada Menteri untuk mengeluarkan perintah tahanan selama-lamanya.
Walaupun Najib menyatakan kuasa Menteri untuk menahan akan hanya untuk ‘keganasan’, janganlah kita lupa pada penahanan Saari Sungib (sekarang ADUN Hulu Kelang), Tian Chua (sekarang Ahli Parlimen Batu), aktivis Hishamuddin Rais (sekarang bloger TukarTiub) dan 7 orang yang lain pada bulan April 2001 kononnya kerana mereka ‘menyimpan pelancar roket dan bom Molotov koktail’. Suatu dakwaan bodoh (atas kebodohannya sendiri) tanpa bukti yang pernah dihasilkan dalam satu kenyataan akhbar bertulis yang dikeluarkan oleh tidak lain dan tidak bukan daripada Ketua Polis Negara Norian Mai. Begitu juga seperti hal yang berlaku baru-baru ini, Dr Kumar Devaraj (Ahli Parlimen Sg Siput) dan lima rakan-rakan beliau ditahan di bawah Ordinan Darurat (yang berfungsi sama seperti ISA) kerana didakwa menjadi sebahagian daripada anasir subversif komunis militan.Satu-satunya bukti keterangan hanya berpandukan beberapa helai t-shirt dengan wajah Che Guevara dan Abdullah CD, seseorang itu dapat membelinya dengan mudah di pasar Chow Kit.
Dalam erti kata lain, jaminan lisan Najib semata-mata bahawa tiada siapa yang akan ditahan kerana ideologi politik sebenarnya merupakan kenyataan kosong kerana anda dapat melihat dalam contoh yang diberikan tadi, pihak polis (dan memang Menteri pun) dengan mudah menuduh seseorang itu, khususnya ahli politik sebagai pengganas.
Jangan kita lupa, atas sebab inilah penahanan sewenang-wenangnya menjadi mercu tanda rejim-rejim zalim berpemerintahan kuku besi.
Najib membayangkan bahawa ‘rangka perundangan khas yang digubal oleh negara-negara demokrasi yang maju seperti Amerika Syarikat dan United Kingdom untuk menangani keganasan adalah serupa dengan langkah-langkah kita yang sedia ada seperti ISA dan tahanan pencegahan. Ini memang merupakan kenyataaan yang mengelirukan.
Amerika Syarikat memperuntukkan kem tahanan Guantanamo Bay yang terkenal dan menjijikkan itu hanya kepada warga asing. Namun begitu, ia telah dikritik dengan meluas (dan benar) di selurung dunia kerana melanggar hak-hak asasi. Malaysia sebaliknya kerap mengurung dan menganiaya warga setianya sendiri tanpa bicara awam. Melihat kata-kata Najib, Barisan Nasional bercadang untuk terus berbuat demikian.
Undang-undang khas di United Kingdom hanya membenarkan mereka untuk menahan rakyat asing yang bermasalah yang jika dihantar pulang kembali ke negara asal mereka akan tertakluk kepada penyeksaan dan penahanan oleh pihak berkuasa di sana. Rakyat di UK tidak akan bertolak ansur untuk satu minit pun berkenaan apa yang kerajaan kita lakukan untuk rakyat kita sendiri atas nama ISA dan undang-undang yang serupa.
Pakatan Rakyat menyatakan pendirian secara bertulis dalam Buku Jingga kami. Kami berkata bahawa sebuah kerajaan persekutuan Pakatan Rakyat akan memansuhkan terus Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dan undang-undang lain yang membenarkan penahanan tanpa perbicaraan pada masa yang sama, membatalkan semua pengisytiharan darurat yang sedia ada.
Kami berpuas hati melihat Najib memutuskan untuk menerima pakai pandangan kami bahawa kita mesti membebaskan diri daripada pengisytiharan darurat masa lalu. Kewujudan berterusan pengisytiharan darurat tersebut telah menjadi sasaran ejekan di sini dan di luar negara khususnya kerana ketiadaan keadaan mirip darurat sekalipun di dalam negara selama beberapa dekad ini. Pakatan Rakyat pasti akan menyokong satu usul di Parlimen untuk membatalkan pengisytiharan darurat ini dan juga menggesa kesemua ordinan yang diluluskan dibawah pengisytiharan tersebut perlu dimansuhkan dengan serta-merta tanpa perlu menunggu tempoh 6 bulan seperti yang diperuntukkan dalam Perkara 150 (7).
Bagaimanapun kami amat jauh berbeza dengan Najib yang berhasrat untuk terus mengekalkan amalan jijik penahanan tanpa bicara yang tidak akan berlaku dalam era pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat.
Malah, kami akan melaksanakan reformasi menyeluruh pasukan polis dan agensi-agensi keselamatan lainnya. Kami akan memastikan pasukan polis diberi kuasa yang mencukupi, latihan dan sumber bagi menjalankan tanggungjawab utama mereka mencegah jenayah dan mengekalkan ketenteraman awam secara profesional, cekap dan bebas, di samping menghormati hak-hak asasi rakyat.
Sivarasa Rasiah, Ahli Parlimen Subang, Ahli Majlis Pimpinan Pusat dan Biro Politik untuk Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Press Statement – YB Sivarasa, MP for Subang16th September 2011
“Najib giving with one hand and taking away with another”
In his Malaysia day speech last night, Prime Minister Najib declared in the following words “I would like to announce on this historic night, the Internal Security Act 1960 will be abolished”.
However he immediately went on to say that “… two new pieces of legislation will be formulated under Article 149 of the Federal Constitution … to maintain peace and well-being”.
Some of us may not have immediately understood the ominous meaning of the use of those words “Article 149”. Article 149 is the obnoxious part of the Constitution that allows the draconian ISA to exist as a valid law.If Article 149 were not there, the ISA and all other laws that provide for detention without trial in this countrysuch as the Dangerous Drugs ( Special Preventive Measures) 1985 would be struck down as unconstitutionaland void.
Article 149 allows such laws to violate the fundamental rights part of the Constitution such as Article 5, 9 and 10 which guarantee the protection of public trial, amongst other protections, and yet operate “legally”,so to speak.
So what did Najib really do yesterday night? In a disingenuous manner, he left some Malaysians thinking he was making a ‘historic move’ and ridding this country of the evil ISA and detention without trial for good. Nothing can be further from the truth.He was doing verbal sleight of hand.Now you see it, now you don’t!
He did not quite explain that with the two new laws to be formulated under Article 149, he would be in fact reinstating detention without trial, albeit supposedly in a more palatable fashion which is yet to be seen.
In other words, he only stated his intention to remove the ISA and reinstate it again in new clothes we are yet to see.The proverbialold wine in new bottle?
Platitudes about ‘political transformation’ and ‘practising functional and inclusive democracy’ and ‘becoming a full-fledged developed nation’ are meaningless if Malaysians are stlll to suffer detention with trial with power given to the Minister to order indefinite detention.
Even if Najib says that the power of the Minister to detain will be only for ‘terrorism’, let us not forget that the detention of Saari Sungib ( now ADUN Hulu Kelang), Tian Chua ( now Member ofParliament for Batu) , activist Hishamuddin Rais and 7 othersin April 2001 were supposedly because they were ‘stockpiling grenade launchers and Molotov cocktails’.This foolish ( because of its inherent idiocy ) assertion for which no evidence was ever produced was in a written press statement issued then by noneother than the Inspector –General of Police Norian Mai.Similarly and much more recently, Dr Kumar Devaraj ( Member of Parliament for Sg Siput) and five colleagues were detained under the EO ( which works exactly like the ISA ) for allegedly being part of militant subversive communism with the only evidencebeing some t-shirts with Che Guevara and Abdullah CD faces, which one could buy easily down in Chow Kit market.
In other words, Najib’s mere verbal assurances that no one will be detained for political ideology are in reality meaningless platitudes because as you can see in the two examples given earlier, the police ( and the Minister by extension ) can easily present anyone especially a politician as a terrorist.
Let us not forget that this is why arbitrary detention is the hall mark of oppressive despotic regimes.
Najib implies that the ‘special legislation’ formulated by advanced democratic nations such as the United Statesand the United Kingdom to handle terrorism is similar to the measures that we have had in place such as the ISA and preventive detention.This is downright misleading.
The United States reserves its obnoxious and notorious detention regime in Guantanomo Bay only for foreigners. Even then,it has been thoroughly ( and rightly ) criticized all over the world for violating fundamental rights.Malaysia on the other hand has regularly locked up and ill-treatedits own loyal citizens without due process, and given Najib’s words,intends to continue to do so.
The special law in the United Kingdom only allows them to detain a problematic foreigner who if deported back to his country of origin will be subjected to torture and detention by the authorities there.Citizens in the UK would not tolerate for a minute what we do to our own people in the name of the ISA and similar laws.
Pakatan Rakyat’s position is set out in writing in our Buku Jingga. We said that a Pakatan federal government will abolish the Internal Security Act and other laws that allow for detention without trial while simultaneously rescinding all existing emergency declarations.
We are gratified to see that Najib has decided to adopt our view that we have to unshackle ourselves from the emergency declarations of the past.The continued existence of these declarations had long been an unfortunate target for mockery both here and overseas particularly because there was no semblance of an emergency like situation anywhere in the country for decades now. Pakatan will certainly supporta resolution in Parliament to rescind these declarations and will also urge that all ordinances passed there under must also be annulled forthwith without waiting for the 6 month period provided for in Article 150(7).
However we part ways with Najib in his intention to maintain the repulsive practice of detention without trial which will no place in a new era of government under Pakatan Rakyat.
We will instead undertake comprehensive reform of our police force and other security agencies.We will ensure that our police force will be given sufficient powers, training and resources in order to carry out their primary responsibilities i.e. prevent crime and maintain public order professionally efficiently and independently whilst respecting the fundamental rights of our people.
Sivarasa Rasiah, Member of Parliament for Subang
Member of Central Leadership Council and Political Bureau for Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Parliament Subang will be hosting the 2011 Hari Raya Open House on,
24th September, Saturday from 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
at
Padang Awam, Paya Jaras Hilir
Pada petang 14hb September, berikutan hujan lebat, beberapa kawasan di Parlimen Subang telah dilanda banjir kilat yang mengakibatkan kesusahan kepada penduduk dan kerosakan harta benda.
YB Sivarasa dan pasukan daripada Pusat Khidmat Ahli Parlimen Subang telah turun ke kawasan terlibat sebaik sahaja menerima makluman bencana. Pelbagai perkhidmatan diatur dan disediakan dengan keselamatan penduduk diutamakan.
Kawasan yang terlibat adalah kawasan rumah kos rendah di Bandar Baru Sg Buloh, Kpg Paya Jaras Hilir, Kpg Kubu Gajah dan Kpg Merbau Sempak.
Rumah Ahli Majlis Selayang, Sdr Zulnizam juga ditenggelami air dan YB Sivarasa juga sempat melawat kediaman tersebut untuk memberikan sokongan moral kepada Sdr Zulnizam sekeluarga.
