By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: No real innovation will take place without first democratising the education sector and giving autonomy to the higher education institutions, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said.

She said that without offering democracy and autonomy to the education field, the ambition of developing a strong human capital will remain a pipe dream.

“Democratising the education sector should be followed up by a sense of responsibility and integrity in the nation’s economy,” she said when debating the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

“This will show the government has the political will to encourage innovation,” said Nurul Izzah, the Pakatan Rakyat’s member of the Science, Innovation and the Environment Committee.

On June 10, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak unveiled the 10MP which focuses, among others, on nurturing a strong human capital based on skills development and innovation capabilities.

Nurul Izzah added that currently the nation’s education is not centred on creative and analytical human capital.

“In terms of Global Competitiveness Index, our nation was at 19 in 2007 and tumbled to 21 in the following two years.”

“In the latest list, we now stand at 24, behind nations like the UAE, Qatar, Luxembourg and New Zealand,” she said.

She said this is a sign that the nation is in dire need of complete reformation of its education and its economic culture.

“Without this complete overhaul, the 10MP will fail,” she said.

by Deborah Loh from The Nut Graph

Name : Nurul Izzah Anwar

Constituency: Lembah Pantai

Party: PKR (Opposition) 

Years as MP: Since 2008 

Government position: None

Would you support the abolition/review of the Internal Security Act (ISA), in particular the provision that allows for detention without trial?

I began my political education with the knowledge that the ISA is a draconian and oppressive Act that is used in Malaysia to silence dissent related to the Barisan Nasional (BN).

It is a basic principle in law, as well as Islamic teachings, that a person is innocent until proven guilty. That fact led to my active campaign against the ISA, with [non-governmental organisation Suara Rakyat Malaysia or Suaram], back in the political upheaval of 1998 — championing my father’s release from political incarceration, as well as many others held behind bars under the ISA.

That knowledge left such an impression on me that there is no turning back from [my stand that the Act should be abolished]. Terrorist threats or not, it is open to abuse, and has repeatedly been abused by the powers-that-be.

There are sufficient avenues in an open court to deal with concrete threats. Suspects should be charged in court when the authorities have sufficient evidence to do so, i.e. when there is a prima facie case.

2. Do you think Malaysia should be a secular or an Islamic state? Why?

The term “secular” or “Islamic” has been abused repeatedly by the ruling BN coalition, especially Umno. How can anyone categorically state what Malaysia falls under?

I am confident in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR)’s stance to uphold the Federal Constitution. We are not changing Islam as the religion of the federation, or anything else related to Malay [Malaysian] rights, despite what [some] would like to allege against us.

3. How do you define your role as an elected MP? Does Parliament provide you with the necessary infrastructure and support to fulfill your role?

As an elected MP, I am the voice for my constituents.

At the ground level, minus a local government and state assemblypersons, MPs are expected to address local issues and problems, which directly fall under the purview of DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall) — the enforcer, service provider and overall caretaker.

Unfortunately, since DBKL, and even the police force, are not elected, they remain unaccountable to the rakyat. This situation poses quite a challenge to the PR Kuala Lumpur MPs. [Federal constituency allocations also] escape [PR] MPs’ hands and go directly to the ruling party.

It is a steep learning curve that can be useful for MPs as well as their constituents — [to learn] that MPs, as legislators, should be allowed and be given the necessary resources to keep track of Parliament’s day-to-day activity as it makes new laws and be allowed to reject terrible laws, and to check [on] the government’s work.

When in Parliament, each MP should be given research support to aid us during the introduction of bills and specific issues pertinent to the nation. Our Parliament does not provide MPs with the necessary infrastructure and support — a new laptop or personal computer is surely no replacement for consistent research support.

4. Would you support a Freedom of Information Act? Why or why not?

Yes I would. It would go a long way in introducing a culture of transparency and accountability.

However, the current state of the Malaysian Parliament disallows any private member bills (such as the one Subang MP R Sivarasa brought for such an act) to see the light of day. Priority is given for ministerial matters, as well as government-related agenda only.

This situation only feeds the government’s needs while marginalising the needs of civil society.

5. If there was one thing you could do to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Malaysia, what would it be?

Immediately set up a system where select committees are allowed to exist and debate on selected topics.

As it stands now, all 222 MPs are fighting for their chance to speak in the Dewan Rakyat, with no time allocation for specific issues to be debated at length. The DNA Identification Bill 2008, for example, has ramifications affecting all Malaysians. There should have been a select committee created, consisting of MPs from different parties, who are then allowed to debate and come up with a nuanced version of the bill before [it was] approved.

In the long term, we seriously need to relook at just how subservient our Parliament has become — negating any separation of powers that we might think we have.

5. Do you believe in separation of powers between the government, Parliament and judiciary? Why or why not?

Malaysia is governed by three major institutions — the legislative, executive, and judiciary. These three institutions need to function without interference from each other under the doctrine of separation of power.

In turn, the doctrine guarantees that the institutions can work independently so as to avoid one institution from becoming too powerful. Each institution should function as a check and balance to the other. Only when we have total separation of powers can we then call our country truly democratic.

Hence, I call upon the government to take the first step towards this end by [making] our key institutions such as the police and the attorney-general’s chambers answerable to Parliament instead of the prime minister.

The various abuses currently taking place are a direct result of such a powerful Malaysian executive. A clear example is the attorney-general, who is also the legal adviser to the [government] — a clear conflict between [serving] the judiciary and the executive.

As for the judiciary, what more can I say?

Judicial reform is a fundamental need we cannot do without. Unfortunately, I can say there is no sign towards improving judicial integrity. What we have is continuing wastage of public funds on royal commissions. To date, no action has been taken on the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on the VK Lingam tape. Apparently judicial fixing is not a crime in Malaysia.

In sum, we have a long way to go, and we need a huge dose of political will, before true separation of powers becomes a reality in our democracy.

PKR’s young leaders optimistic despite defections

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani (Malaysian Insider)

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/55196-pkrs-young-leaders-optimistic-despite-defections

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Nurul Izzah Anwar stepped into the forefront last night, stressing that the future of a PKR wracked with resignations lies in the younger generation.

The Lembah Pantai MP said the voice of the young is being lost in the aftermath of three resignations that have rocked the party which is led by her father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“I believe it is important that the public at large realize or know the voices or aspirations of the younger leadership in the party which sometimes can be left behind and forgotten in the calamity that has ensued,” the first-term MP told a forum here.

Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri yesterday became the third MP to quit PKR and turn independent after the resignations of Bayan Baru MP Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim and Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng.

“I think of all us here has differences of opinion and that the fact we are here and still committed to the struggle is basically testament that there are sufficient avenues to air opinions especially from the younger generation. If you are truly a reformist then you will do the best to address the differences and work together to come out with a workable solution.

“People who decide to leave the party should just be labelled opportunists because you are leaving the struggle,” she said.

Dubbed “Puteri Reformasi” when leading the movement to free her father years ago, she said the party needed the young to succeed.

“When you talk about the future direction of the party, you cannot succeed without the support and the younger generation coming together,” she told her audience.

Nurul Izzah said the country’s political landscape had been shaped by Barisan Nasional with many of the institutions getting young people to be involved in money politics.

“You have to understand the realities of being involved in opposition politics. You are facing real trials and tribulations even a harsh future without financial renumeration so how do you educate the younger generation to be part of the political process. You should be incorruptible when you are young and should not be together with those people who are willing to sell their souls to do anything so that you can the rich or to be very successful.

“So this is very important struggle for me which is beyond the struggle of Pakatan Rakyat,” she added.

Seri Setia assemblyman, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, added that the party defectors were not used the party’s new politics.

“We want to show that we are defection proof unlike the mentality of the old guards that have tried to play with the media.

“PKR as a new party is bringing a new culture of politics which maybe stranger for those used to old politics. It is difficult for certain people so we have to go through this process,” said the political secretary to the Selangor Mentri Besar.

He noted that Anwar had apologised for the quality of candidates following other spate of resignations in the past.

“Of course, we have to improve certain things but I think we just have to bite the bullet and face it,” said Nik Nazmi.

Since the 12th General Election, PKR has lost six assemblymen beginning with the Perak “frogs” Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, and followed by Lunas assemblyman Mohd Radzhi Salleh, Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah and former Penanti assemblyman and former Penang Deputy Chief Minister I Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin.

Another PKR assemblyman, V. Arumugam (Bukit Selambau) had also quit the party in April last year due to personal marital issues. He had contested as an independent in March 2008 but subsequently joined PKR.

Ikrar Setia Kami kepada Keadilan 

3 Mac 2010 

Pada 8 Mac 2008, kami dipilih warga Malaysia di kawasan kami yang mengundi untuk sebuah harapan dan perubahan menggantikan kejumudan. Rakyat mahukan politik baru yang menolak desakan perkauman, rasuah dan salah guna kuasa. Objektif yang kami terus usahakan apabila mewakili Parti Keadilan Rakyat ialah untuk membentuk “masyarakat yang adil dan negara yang demokratik, progresif dan bersatu-padu”. 

Namun, ada mereka yang berfikir bahawa dengan kemenangan, perjuangan ini sudah tidak perlu diteruskan. Mereka berhenti berkhidmat kepada rakyat sebagaimana yang sepatutnya dan mahu menjadikannya sebagai “masa mengaut hasil rampasan perang”. Apabila ini tidak dapat dilakukan, mereka menuntut ‘pampasan’ dari parti, membuat tuntutan di luar kewajaran demi kepentingan diri mereka sendiri. 

Apabila dinafikan, mereka bertindak seakan mengugut dan kini meninggalkan parti. Mereka mengisytiharkan diri mereka bebas sedangkan semua melihat mereka sedang bergantung dengan corak rasuah dan pendekatan kuno masa lalu. Ada yang mahu insiden ini dilihat sebagai perpecahan dalam Pakatan Rakyat, namun ia sebenarnya satu lagi usaha berterusan mereka yang mahu terus berkuasa. 

Barisan Nasional menyedari bahawa cara politik usang yang mereka bawa kian tiba ke penghujung. Untuk melengahkan hakikat ini, mereka menggunakan strategi serampang dua mata. Pada satu sudut, mereka cuba menggambarkan bahawa mereka sedang menjuarai perubahan yang kami canangkan. Pada sudut lain, mereka merosakkan kepercayaan rakyat dan memanipulasi jentera kerajaan untuk menghancurkan Pakatan Rakyat. Pendakwaan terhadap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, serangan perkauman terhadap kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang dan tindakan memperlekehkan Tuan Guru Dato’ Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat sebagai pemimpin utama PAS di Kelantan dan Malaysia adalah sebahagian contoh jijik yang ada. 

Dengan memilih untuk mendokong tindakan jahat ini, mantan pimpinan Keadilan yang bertindak keluar parti ini telah memilih untuk terus memandang ke belakang. Mereka telah mengkhianati harapan rakyat biasa di Malaysia yang memilih untuk perubahan dua tahun lalu. Tindakan mereka membuktikan bahawa mereka tidak peduli malah sesungguhnya memusuhi masa depan negara dan rakyat. 

Mungkin ada yang percaya bahawa ada lagi yang akan mengikuti mereka, tapi kami pimpinan muda dalam Pakatan Rakyat, yang dipilih oleh rakyat, berikrar bahawa kami akan kekal berjuang biarpun berdepan dengan cabaran, pujukan dan penindasan yang ada. Kami tidak akan berpatah balik. Kami mahukan perubahan untuk Malaysia, kami mahu berkhidmat kepada rakyat. Kami akan memenuhi kepercayaan yang diberikan rakyat. Kami tahu bahawa agenda Keadilan yang inklusif dan tidak bersifat perkauman adalah ruang terbaik untuk kami meneruskan agenda membawa negara ke hadapan. Selama ini semua anggota parti mempunyai ruang memberi pandangan terhadap agenda yang dibawa Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim kepada rakyat, yang telah disepakati dengan semangat musyawarah. 

Pakatan Rakyat telah mencipta sejarah dengan Kerangka Dasar Bersama yang memaparkan persetujuan tulen rakyat Malaysia untuk abad ke-21. Kami akan turun bersama rakyat untuk berbincang dan bertukar fikiran dengan seluruh masyarakat bagi merealisasikan prinsip ini. Berikan kami dokongan juga nasihat dan pandangan. Kami mahu belajar daripada anda, dan bersama anda.

Dengan cara ini, kami berharap dapat menggembeling rakyat yang perihatin untuk menghidupkan semula Perlembagaan dan semangatnya, menyatukan rakyat dan merealisasikan impian yang disebut oleh Bapa Kemerdekaan kita dalam Pemahsyuran Kemerdekaan “…menjadi sebuah negara merdeka dan berdaulat serta berdasarkan kebebasan dan keadilan dan sentiasa menjaga dan mengutamakan kesejahteraan dan kesentosaan rakyatnya dan mengekalkan keamanan antara segala bangsa”. 

Ini adalah impian mereka dan kini kami. Ini adalah impian bersama kita rakyat Malaysia. Kami akan mempertahankan dan menghidupkannya dengan seluruh jiwa dan maruah yang ada.  

Kami telah berikrar menyumbang usaha Pakatan Rakyat menyelamatkan negara ini, dan kami akan menunaikannya. 

Disepakati oleh

YB Nurul Izzah Anwar (Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Wilayah Persekutuan)

YB Amran Ghani (Ahli Parlimen Tanah Merah, Kelantan)

YB S. Manikumar (Exco Pelancongan Pembangunan Masyarakat dan Sumber Tenaga Manusia Perpaduan dan Hal Ehwal Masyarakat India dan ADUN Bukit Selambau, Kedah)

YB Amirudin Shari (ADUN Batu Caves, Selangor)

YB Gan Pei Nei (ADUN Rawang, Selangor)

YB Yunus Jamhari (ADUN Kuala Kurau, Perak)

YB Chang Lih Kang (ADUN Teja, Perak)

YB Chan Ming Kai (ADUN Simpang Pulai, Perak)

YB Sim Tze Tzin (ADUN Pantai Jerejak, Pulau Pinang)

YB Kesavan (ADUN Hutan Melintang, Perak)

YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (ADUN Seri Setia, Selangor)

TINTA KHAS

NURUL IZZAH ANWAR SEMPENA SAMBUTAN MAULIDUR RASUL 1431

Teman-teman seperjuangan sekalian,

Tanggal 12 Rabiul Awal  merupakan tarikh istimewa bagi umat Islam di seluruh dunia.Pada tarikh tersebut, Rasul Junjungan kita, Nabi Muhammad S.A.W dilahirkan sebagai pembawa khabar berita dan rahmat Allah s.w.t ke seluruh alam.

Kelahiran beliau di tengah-tengah kegawatan masyarakat Arab Jahiliyah ketika itu membawa perubahan besar yang tidak ternilai bukan sahaja kepada masyarakat setempat bahkan terhadap seluruh peradaban manusia. Kelahiran beliau merupakan petanda berakhirnya zaman kegelapan dan kekufuran masyarakat Jahiliyah ketika itu serta bermulanya tradisi kecemerlangan dan pencerahan masyarakat di seluruh dunia sehingga ke hari ini. Maka tidak hairanla jika tarih kelahiran Rasulullah S.A.W ini diraikan dengan begitu meriah sekali oleh umat Islam di seluruh dunia.

Teman-teman seperjuangan sekalian,

Sempena hari yang penuh berkah dan mulia ini, saya ingin mengajak teman-teman semua merenungi mesej penting  yang diutarakan oleh Rasulullah dalam Ucapan Wida’ baginda:

“…Ketahuilah bahawa setiap Muslim adalah saudara kepada Muslim yang lain. Kamu semua adalah sama; tidak seorang pun yang lebih mulia dari yang lainnya kecuali dalam Taqwa dan beramal saleh.”

Dalam kemeriahan menyambut Maulidur Rasul, janganlah kita alpa dan lupa kepada perjuangan kita untuk menegakkan keadilan dan kesaksamaan di bumi Malaysia ini. Seharusnya sambutan Maulidur Rasul ini dijadikan inspirasi untuk kita bersama-sama mendukung usaha ke arah membawa perubahan yang positif dan bermakna untuk rakyat Malaysia. Ambillah peluang ini untuk bermuhasabah atau membuat penilaian diri agar ketinggian akhlaq dan peribadi Rasulullah S.A.W itu dapat dicontohi dalam kehidupan kita. Janganlah pula kita bertelingkah sesama sendiri sempena sambutan Maulidur Rasul ini hanya kerana kepentingan dan agenda peribadi. Tidak kiralah apa cara sekalipun kita menterjemahkan rasa kasih yang mendalam terhadap Rasul Junjungan, samada dengan berarak, berpuasa atau mengadakan majlis ilmu, yang penting dan yang lebih afdal adalah agar kita sentiasa ikhlas dan bermuafakat dalam apa jua usaha kita, terutamanya dalam menentang kebatilan dan menghindar kezaliman di negara ini.

Teman-teman seperjuangan sekalian,

Justeru, saya menyeru kepada teman-teman sekalian agar menghayati sambutan Maulidur Rasul ini dengan menanam iltizam untuk memperbaiki diri, bangsa dan agama dengan cara mengukuhkan hubungan kekeluargaan dan persaudaraan bukan sahaja dengan umat Islam tetapi rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya.

Akhir kata, marilah kita mengingati bagaimana Rasulullah S.A.W menumpaskan kezaliman dan ketidakadilan bukan menggunakan kekerasan fizikal tetapi dengan keluhuran akhlaq dan ketajaman akal baginda. Semoga kita berupaya untuk menjejak langkah baginda itu, InsyaAllah.

Salam Maulidur Rasul

Dari Nurul Izzah sekeluarga.

(Malaysian Insider, 10th February 2010)

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/52634-anwars-sodomy-trial-meant-to-hurt-us-says-izzah

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Today will be the seventh day of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s second sodomy trial as Nurul Izzah and family walk through the swarm of photographers and reporters to show support for their well-loved father.
Izzah was only 18 years old when her father was first implicated for sodomy in 1998 and 12 years later, Anwar is accused of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a posh condominium in the exclusive Bukit Damansara suburb in Kuala Lumpur.
Anwar’s eldest child is now a mother of two and a first-term MP for Lembah Pantai which she won in Election 2008.
She explained to The Malaysian Insider that her current situation is different from the last sodomy trial because she is now not only responsible for her family but also supporters.
“All of us are older now and I have my husband by my side and my two children. It was very much more complex having a constituency and you really carry the hopes and inspiration of our supporters including Pakatan Rakyat supporters,” Izzah said while sitting beside her husband Raja Ahmad Shahrir at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
However, she admitted being angry that her family has to go through and witness her father on trial again.
“On a personal level, I would say it is very difficult and I am angry as well when I first heard his (Saiful) testimony in court to a point that it is almost unbelievable that we have to go through this again, are you kidding me? When the trial should have stopped immediately looking at the evidence.
“So it is harrowing and we just have to remain focused because they mean to do this, they mean to hurt us and basically make us feel that that there is no hope for the future,” she said.
Izzah said that the sodomy trial proves that her father is still a threat to Barisan Nasional.
“I think it is a continuation and it is better choreographed this time around but it still came as a shock to the family. We were focusing on the reform agendas especially the March 8 election results and it just reaffirms two things. The first is my father is still very much a threat to the ruling government and they will do whatever it takes to destroy his political career and the political future of Pakatan Rakyat.
“Second there is no way, you can get around unfinished reform; basically you need to implement reforms in the judiciary, in the police force and even parliamentary reforms because the same players who are responsible for ‘98 have been promoted, and again play a vital role in this episode so that is basically what my take is,” she said.
Izzah is still confident that her father would not be “put behind bars”.
“We shouldn’t assume that all hope is lost. We have a very very good case and a good team of lawyers basically almost all Malaysians know what is happening. They can see the transgression that has taken place but I believe it is also a wake-up call for Pakatan Rakyat to really strengthen the party. Our structure and position.
“I remain optimistic but of course now we are asking for the judge to recuse himself so as you can tell we are doing our best so that he is not put behind bars,” she said.
Izzah said that her family understand the situation better now and vow that her father will be “vindicated”.
“I would say that it is very difficult, because the kids have grown up so everyone understands the term conspiracy. So that is helpful. And my daughter can say ‘masalah politik’ (political problem) and ‘kesian papa tuk’ (poor grandfather). So I think we have more family support in that sense. But I think we do what we can to support him and we will not waiver in our resolve to vindicate my father,” she said.