Let This Sekinchan Ikan Bakar Man, Jamal Yunus, Taste His Own Medicine

Kuala Lumpur Traders and Residents’ Action Council chairperson and owner of 1Malaysia Fish Restaurant Jamal Md Yunus has declared that he is a supporter of any political party or politician. However, he has gone through great length to do something even a hardcore supporter can't muster to do.


First, Jamal has branded his 18 restaurants as 1Malaysia Fish Restaurant or better known as Sekinchan Ikan Bakar Restaurant. As a luxury car dealer who has obviously benefited from APs handouts, he has offered two luxury cars to those who sign up and participate in the Bersih 4.0 protest. Of course, those who signed up must also visit and eat in his restaurants. The cars on offer are a 2005-model car which is worth RM225,000. The other car is a 2009-model Lamborghini Gallardo worth RM1.2 million.


What an opportunist, Jamal! This is better than even a guy who would advertise his thoughts on 1Malaysia and national unity on national newspapers. Brilliant! I am sure Perkasa and UMNO hardcore supporters would know where to eat and organize their functions in the following months running up to the general election.

Unfortunately, Jamal does not behave as a trader who is really affected by the Bersih 3.0 demonstration. He cannot fool anyone who was there. Those who had opened for business had probably made a killing that day for an entire week's profit. Those shops and eateries who had stayed opened during the 428 demonstration would have told us to bring it on every week!

Jamal is not such a generous guy if he has appeared to be so calculative in the first place. Do you expect a person such as Jamal to donate two luxury cars if he does not expect to make 100 x back in return?

He even charged a fee for those who wanted to participate in his Bersih 4.0 market.

I believe Jamal is probably an ambitious trader and businessman who wanted to impress his political bosses. Since Jamal is so rich and so generous, we should just stop giving him more business. There are other poorer restaurant owners selling ikan bakar who would appreciate and welcome our business.


We should 'Boycott' all of Jamal's 18 restaurants. Yes, he has a right to protest and voice out his opinion. We have a choice to choose not to patronize his restaurants.


Bersih 3.0 did not attempt to invade the privacy of anyone. It had merely requested to use the Dataran Merdeka which is a public space and big enough to accommodate a peaceful assembly. 


Jamal must be taught a lesson not to mess around with someone else's privacy and home. As a businessman, he must accept the risk associated with his behaviour. 


We have said that we will stand up for Ambiga and her courage to stand up for a clean and fair electoral system. 

Baljit: Perkasa Antics Will Cost BN; But No One Forces Gerakan to Stay in BN...

A local Gerakan politician has warned Barisan Nasional that Perkasa’s political frolics would cost the coalition massive vote loss, especially among non-Malays, in the next general election.

Given the general perception that Perkasa is a ‘subsidiary’ of Umno, Baljit Singh warned that other BN component parties would suffer politically as they are seen as “guilty by association” with Umno.

“Component parties like Gerakan, MIC and MCA are going to be the innocent victims.

“These parties will pay a heavy price for Perkasa antics. The voters will punish component parties for being associated with Umno. Malaysians are sick and tired of this gutter politics,” he said.

The point is why would Baljit and his party choose to become victims? Being in the same coalition with Umno means Gerakan is part of the dangerous liaison with Perkasa too. 

It is almost impossible for Gerakan to try to promote and market Umno and its brand of politics to non-Malay voters. In fact, Umno has been steadily losing urban Malay voters too in the last 15 years. 

Malay politics is fractured and disunited. Umno leaders are upset with a lack of Malay unity. But they are the biggest culprits who had caused a division in the Malay community. Such actions, e.g. the use of thugs and Perkasa members to create fear and disruption is not going to scare the middle ground. 

Baljit is right about Umno and its partners losing more support because of the use of violence and bigotry. 

But the question is why would Gerakan continue to stay put in BN when it is obvious that the liaison is not helping the party's survival? Are any Gerakan leaders benefit personally for staying put in the coalition? Are there any personal interests?

If Umno and Gerakan cannot give Baljit a clear answer, why would Baljit want to continue being a Gerakan member and hoping to contest on a BN ticket in the next GE?

FMT: ‘DAP should have questioned Tunku Aziz’

PETALING JAYA: DAP may have missed an opportunity to hear a different approach in the fight for clean and fair elections when it chose to admonish instead of challenging its vice-president, Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, over his criticism of the Bersih 3.0 rally.

Khoo Kay Peng , an independent political observer pointed out, the DAP leadership could have easily put Tengku Aziz in his place by demanding that he explain his statement and provide an alternative solution.

“If he thought Bersih’s way was the wrong way, then what was the right way?” Khoo asked. “Tengku Aziz must be able to answer this question in his capacity as a vice-president and a senator.”

“He cannot just stop by criticising everything without giving a solution because then the criticism would be pointless.”

Tunku Aziz broke ranks with the party leadership just days before the rally by saying that it would encourage Malaysians to “break the law” and predicted that it would end up in “violence and chaos”. His words rang true when police and protesters clashed an hour after the rally began.

In the aftermath, Tunku Aziz levelled further criticism at the Bersih 3.0 organisers and emphasised that they “are not a group of angels descended from heaven who are completely blameless.”

This earned him a rapping by DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng, for going against the party’s stand and embarrassing the party leadership.

Yesterday Tunku Aziz confirmed that his remarks had cost him a re-election to his senator’s position when his term expires at the end of this month.

While Khoo declined to comment on the dropping of Tengku Aziz as senator, he said that Lim’s response had been “harsh” and that DAP had been inconsistent with its stand on democracy.

“Tunku Aziz had every right to speak his mind,” Khoo stated. “Agreeing to disagree is the whole basis of democracy.”

“DAP should learn to be consistent. If it is fighting for freedom of speech and assembly, then the leadership should also respect a person’s right to a dissenting opinion.”

MCA Wanita secretary-general, Chew Lee Giok, had earlier expressed the same opinion when she urged DAP not to take action against Tunku Aziz.

“It is a basic right for one to express his or her views and positions, and DAP should refrain from reverting to their normal methods of supressing dissidence,” she said on Monday.

DAP has nominated Prof Dr Ariffin Omar to replace Tunku Aziz and former MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud to replace Penang PKR election director Mustafa Kamal Mohd Yusoff.

Gutter Journalism: NST Should Sack Reporter & Repent

While the Malaysian media is under siege, the NST has brought additional shame to the fraternity. It has opted to become a political tool rather than uphold the highest integrity of the profession. However, this time the newspaper has stooped too low, shamefully low and dishonest. 


The New Straits Times has apologised to Australian senator Nicholas Xenophon over its report that said he made an anti-Islam speech in Australia's Parliament in 2009.

In a statement published on the NST website today, the daily said it had made a "grave error" in publishing the statements in the article.

"We accept that in his speech in the Australian Parliament referred to in the article, Mr Xenophon did not use the word 'Islam' and neither did he assert that Islam is not a religious organisation nor a criminal organisation hiding behind its religious belief.
 
"For the above reason, we hereby retract all the statements contained in the article against Mr Xenophon and unreservedly and unconditionally apologise to him for any distress or embarrassment caused by the article.

"As a further mark of our contrition, we have also removed the article from our online version of the newspaper with immediate effect," reads the statement.


An apology alone does not suffice. Both the news editor and reporter must be held responsible for the devious act. Both of them should kiss goodbye to their integrity and credibility in the industry. 


All media professionals should take this incident as a good lesson to ensure that they do not compromise, ever!


Xenophon is right to feel disgusted and appalled by the devious allegation to smear his name. Fortunately, the blade cuts the other way.

Action Against Bersih 3.0 Protesters But Not Rogue Policemen Will End Hishammuddin's Political Career

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the police are ready to haul up protesters responsible for Bersih 3.0 violence to face rioting charges. He said those "who are wrong remain wrong and will be dragged to court".  I am prepared to support the minister's action if he is consistent. He remains in a very dicey situation.


There are hundreds of photography and video evidences which showed that some policemen were  the aggressors too. Hishammuddin's political star is going burn out its last remaining shine if he remains selective in his action against the aggressors. 


IGP Ismail Omar apologised today to Malay Mail cameraman, Muhammad Arif Kartono, who claimed he was roughed up by police while covering the assembly at Dataran Merdeka, last Saturday. His apology alone is not enough. He has admitted, and rebuffed Hishammuddin, that the police did not act accordingly by confiscating and destroying cameras belonged to some newsmen. 


Apparently, some photography and video evidences also pointed at more serious breaches of SOP which included a traffic policeman pointing his gun at unarmed civilians, policemen beating up and using adverse violence against protesters (not as self-defense) and policemen charging into restaurants to chase out protesters who were having their meal. These provocations are unnecessary and not in accordance to the police SOP, not in Malaysia and anywhere in the world!

If this is a mature democracy, the home minister would have resigned for being incompetent and incapable for allowing a peaceful demonstration to become violent. Human rights activists would have pushed for the resignation of the home minister for being inconsistent with his action and being unscrupulous with public safety and security.

Two weeks before the demonstration, Hishammuddin had announced that it was not a threat to national security. But days before the event, he had backed down to the stubborn and recalcitrant behaviour of the appointed city mayor who insisted that it was an illegal assembly and subsequently ordered a clamp down of the city centre. Any democratic government would have sacked the mayor. Any democracy which respected the third vote would have dumped the mayor in an election.

Ironically, Hishammuddin is calling for further action of the aggressors without making any commitment to take a stern action against some wild seeds in his security squad. If any civilians are being hauled up to face justice but the equally wrong rogue policemen are allowed to scoot free, it will spell an end to Hishammuddin's career.

Hishammuddin can act gung-ho and tough, while it lasts! Malaysian voters will demand for fairness, consistency and accountability at the upcoming general elections. They would know what to do to Hishammuddin and his reelection attempt.

Winners & Losers in Bersih 3.0

Winners:

1. The people: Malaysians are the winners because they have shown a political awakening which must be reckoned with by all political parties in the country. The people are beginning to embrace a new dawn of proactive democracy. People must be at the forefront of reforms and not any partisans. They have shown their ability to participate peacefully. Largely, the participants are peace loving and non-violent. Many are eager to lend a helping to fellow participants regardless of race or creed. There is hope still for Bangsa Malaysia.
2. Malaysia's democracy: Bersih 3.0 has put participatory democracy at the forefront. A large number of participants are youths below the age of 30. It means that this group of apolitical and indifferent Malaysians are finally awakened and embracing their responsibility to participate in the democratic process of the country. More youths are expected to register themselves as voters in the coming months and it may pave a way for a record participation in the next GE. Less than 50% of eligible voters had participated in previous elections.
3. The movement of Bersih: This movement has become synonymous to free and fair elections. Bersih shall become an important platform to those who want a free, fair and clean electoral process. It is not a small feat to be able to muster more than 250,000 people in over 40 cities to participate in simultaneous demonstration against electoral biases in Malaysia. The movement must convince more overseas Malaysians to come back to vote in the next GE.

Losers:

1. The Prime Minister, Home Minister, KL Mayor & IGP: History has repeated itself. The authorities have acted in the silliest way ever. They are repeating the violent, aggressive and authoritarian images from Bersih 2.0 all over again. A number of cases involving police violent were well documented by amateur videos and photographs. It is almost impossible and ridiculous to blame the violence on the unarmed protesters against an armed security force who came prepared to strike.
2. Najib's Reforms: PM Najib need to convince people of his sincerity in pushing through key reforms in the electoral system if he wants to win back the urban votes. After Bersih 3.0, it will become harder for him to do so. If the Peaceful Assembly Act was passed and came into effect, the government must respect the rights of Malaysians to assemble peacefully. It is ridiculous to suggest that Dataran Merdeka is so sacred and it is out of bound. It is only in Malaysia that the authorities are suggesting that demonstrations must be conducted in stadiums. Stadiums are for sporting events and not demonstrations. Dataran Merdeka would have been a perfect place for Bersih 3.0. The government would have looked very good if the KL Mayor did not act in the most irresponsible manner to disallow Bersih 3.0 at Dataran Merdeka and summoned the police to clamp down the city. He should shoulder the blame for the inconvenience and unnecessary tension built up through his action.
3. Bersih committee: This is perhaps one of my most controversial observations but the Bersih committee must accept their weakness and poor organization skills. The committee consists of generals but zero foot soldiers. Bersih 3.0 committee members had depended largely on Pakatan Rakyat to help them organize logistically. This is a big mistake. Any demonstration led by opposition members and leaders may get emotional and tricky. Politicians want to score political points against their rivals. Hence, provocations to secure certain responses from the police/authorities may have triggered some of the clashes. Bersih committee must be better prepared to organize such a mammoth event. They must be responsible to reduce and contain untoward and potentially fatal incidents. 
4. Pakatan leaders: Leaders such as PKR Azmin Ali, Anwar Ibrahim, Tian Chua and others who were accused of starting the provocations must be held responsible and possibly barred from attending future Bersih events. Their presence may jeopardize the credibility of the non-partisan movement. They must focus on helping Ambiga and her committee and not hijacking her initiatives for their own political benefits.

Bersih is a good and noble platform but it must stay non-partisan and it must be prepared to speak up against the political process without fear or favour. Ambiga has provided a good leadership but she must focus on building a good and reliable team to help organize the movement better. She cannot depend entirely on the Pakatan Rakyat if she does not want to be blamed for helping some parties to achieve their political agenda.

Bersih must be about electoral reforms. It must continue to stand on its ground to push for real reforms in the electoral system and process.

Can Bersih 3.0 in 70 Cities Translate into Flyback for 13th GE?

I would like to congratulate Malaysians who had participated in Bersih 3.0 from in over 70 major cities around the world. Finally, we have chosen to stand up for our rights and send a clear signal to all politicians to respect and safeguard our federal constitutional and value our democracy. If not, we have a choice to keep or dispose them.

However, can the same commitment be translated into a FLYBACK for the 13th GE. Since they are not going to implement overseas voting, we can still be part of the CHANGE we need by being part of it. It takes a small sacrifice but are you willing to do it?

We must take the final step in the 13th GE which will be called within the next few months. You need to make our commitment now so that this country can have a better future.

We, in Malaysia, need you to come back to vote if you are a registered voter!

Support FLY-BACK!

PM Najib, Where's the Mineral Water and Food? Why Only Tear Gas and Water Cannon?

In Sarawak today, PM Najib said the government is willing to provide mineral water and food to those who participated in the Bersih 3.0. He said those who participated should not cause any ruckus and discomfort to the public.

Honestly, we did not cause any damage or ruckus. It was a peaceful, carnival like and tame affair until the police started to act unruly. Instead of offering us mineral water and food, we ended up being severely affected by tear gas and water cannon fired on more than tens of thousands of crowd packed along Masjid Jamek.

As an elected government, the use of tear gas, which is vicious and terrible, should not even be considered as an option. Malaysian voters should not be treated like criminals. Ironically, this government is treating foreign migrants better than its own citizens. It was alleged that thousands of foreign migrants, especially those from Indonesia and Philippines, have been given instant citizenship so that they could vote for the regime.

There is no issue where the peaceful demonstration should be held. The focal point is not the venue but the right to organize a free and peaceful assembly. The government must walk its talk to guarantee a peaceful assembly and not doing all it can to frustrate and curtail it.

As a voter and a participant of Bersih 3.0, I find it extremely offending that tear gas, water cannon and brute force have been used against us.

If the KL mayor cannot handle and accommodate a peaceful demonstration in KL, he should allow others who are more flexible to sit on his chair. Peaceful demonstrations are very common in all top cities. When I was in Amsterdam, the authorities had cooperated and helped to coordinate a mammoth demonstration led by the Muslims to bring public attention to their issues and social status.

The detention of several newspaper photographers who have photographed alleged police brutality is another example of abuse of power and an unwarranted intimidation by the police against free press in Malaysia.

PM Najib, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, KL Mayor Ahmad Fuad and IGP should be held jointly responsible for the chaos, damage and injuries inflicted on Bersih participants.

Note: I have received some feedback there is a possibility that some RELA members may have been dressed up as policemen. They do not have an official code number on their uniform. These RELA members may have been responsible for turning violent against protesters.

Barisan Nasional should view the clarion call for real electoral reforms as something progressive and good for our country's democracy. UMNO may need these reforms one day. A political party cannot continue to rule indefinitely. They may need a free and fair electoral system when Umno becomes an opposition party in the future. The party should think of its future.

Oversight or Not? Election Commission Chairman and Deputy Chairman Must Step Down

Election Commission (EC) is under a lot of pressure lately by Bersih and other stakeholders. In politics, perception is key. EC which is tasked to run and and manage the electoral process in Malaysia must not only be be independent and impartial but it must be SEEN to be independent and fair too.


The problem is EC Chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof and his deputy Wan Ahmad Wan Omar are not seen to be independent and non-partisan after the duo have admitted that they could have been UMNO members "a long time ago". 


It does not really matter if Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad are active members or not, it is a fact that they are members of the ruling regime. Part of the problem lies with UMNO too. Since the EC is lies under the purview of the Office of Prime Minister it often considered as a government body. EC is not part of the government. It is supposed to be an independent commission which bears a huge responsibility in ensuring free and fair elections.


Since the admittance, it is no longer tenable for both Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad to remain as the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of EC. Replacements must be done immediately to stop the credibility pillars of the commission from crumbling completely.


Evidently both Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad have not acted in the most transparent and progressive manner when comes to electoral reforms. By being members of UMNO is not going to help at all but make the matter worse.


Bersih 3.0 has another legitimate reason to demonstrate this Saturday. 


It is for Umno's own good too if both Abdul Aziz and Wan Ahmad step down. Do it NOW!