Lee Way Loon
Jul 17, 10
1:51pm

A year has passed since the tragic passing of Teoh Beng Hock, but his family is still unable to come to terms with his death.

During an emotional speech at Beng Hock’s memorial last night, his younger sister Lee Lan said her family’s inability to reconcile with the death was due to the lack of answers forthcoming from the authorities.

Often fighting back tears, Lee Lan appealed to the 1,000-strong crowd at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall to offer “nothing but support” for the family’s fight for the truth.

“Your support gives us strength. I’m standing here before you because my family is seeking justice. Our family cannot reconcile with (Beng Hock’s) death.

“He was a good young man and he had left us. He didn’t even have the opportunity to cradle his own baby,” said Lee Lan, referring to Teoh’s son, born recently.

“We are not asking for much, only justice. We are worried that we may not have enough strength to pull through,” she said.

Lee Lan has over the past year been the main spokesperson for Beng Hock’s family.

Family worried inquest will be inconclusive

Lee Lan’s speech was punctuated with sombre applause at every major junction, while tears flowed for some among the audience.

“The inquest will soon come to an end and we are worried that the finding would be inconclusive. That is why we hope you will support us.

“We don’t know how long this will take, but we promise that we will pursue (the truth) till the end and I hope you will all stand by us,” said Lee Lan, who at one point apologised for not being a good orator.

After Lee Lan’s short speech, a short tribute video clip was screened depicting Beng Hock’s happier moments.

The video clip featured Beng Hock’s photographs and his last known video recording, albeit only his voice could be heard as he was behind the camera.

Earlier, Beng Hock’s family, along with DAP leaders and their Pakatan Rakyat comrades, took to the stage in a solemn ceremony to place red palm prints on a massive banner.

Rosmah dragged in too

Following this, Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng spoke in a lengthy speech casting doubts at the authorities’ attempt to paint Beng Hock’s death as a suicide.

Guan Eng, as he had done many times before, reasoned to the crowd that there was no way Beng Hock would have committed suicide as he was due to register his marriage to his pregnant 
sweetheart, Soh Cher Wei, the day after he was grilled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“I want to ask Najib: Would you commit suicide if you’re going to marry Rosmah tomorrow?” asked Guan Eng.

While most of the crowd shouted “No”, a significant portion shouted “Yes! Yes!” breaking the mood of the otherwise sombre memorial event.

Realising that his attempt to trigger an uniform response was not very successful, Guan Eng quickly added, “No! Because he loves Rosmah!”, forcing most of his audience to laugh.

Thus, according to Guan Eng, to argue that Beng Hock commit suicide was illogical.

“No one believes this. Only the wicked, and those who want to insult Beng Hock’s family, would say so,” he said.

One year is too long

Guan Eng also lambasted the authorities for failing to provide answers to Beng Hock’s family although a year had passed.

Comparing investigations on Beng Hock’s death to that of pop superstar Michael Jackson, Guan Eng said the the probe into the latter’s death was swift.

“Michael Jackson died on June 25. It has been one year and the person responsible (for his death) is already being punished.

“Beng Hock died a year ago and we are still as far from the truth as we were a year ago,” he said.

Guan Eng then jokingly suggested that the authorities should employ the services of the investigation team into Jackson’s death to expedite the probe into Beng Hock’s death.

Guan Eng was among a long list of speakers during the memorial, which included DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Selangor legislative assembly speaker Teng Chang Khim and Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.

MACC chief flayed

In her speech, Nurul Izzah said Beng Hock’s mysterious death and her father Anwar Ibrahim’s arsenic poisoning incident were reasons for the people’s struggle for reforms.

“A student once told me that while the arsenic incident did not cause anyone to die, now a person being investigated by MACC can result in death,” she said.

In view of this, Nurul Izzah said that the people must not give up hope that the system can be reformed in order for justice to prevail.

Meanwhile, Kit Siang lambasted MACC chief Abu Kassim Mohamed for issuing a statement of condolence a year after Teoh’s death, but also for initially issuing the statement only in Mandarin.

“It is only after public outcry did an English and Bahasa statement appear on their website,” he said.

He added that this has put a large question mark on Abu Kassim’s sincerity and integrity.

Photo credit: Andrew Ong

MON, 21 JUN 2010 15:27

By Ken Vin Lek

KUALA LUMPUR: Nurul Izzah Anwar, the PKR’s MP for Lembah Pantai, has called for the reform of the Election Commission to improve and streamline its voter registration system.

“It is time we put an end to its archaic system when it comes to voter registration,” said Nurul at a forum organised organised by online news portal The Nut Graph last night.

“In 1999, as many as 600,000 were denied their right to vote simply because they could not be registered in time for the general election.

“As it is, it takes 11 months from the date of registration for an individual to be qualified as a voter. This needs to be improved with a better system put in place,” she added.

“Many MPs in Pakatan Rakyat have launched voter registration drives in the past months in an effort to ensure that those eligible can exercise their right to vote in the next general election.

“The challenge now is for all political parties to win over the youth and get them a chance to register as voters ahead of the next general election.

“I would like to ask Khairy (Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin) to join forces to help in the effort to reform the voter registration system,” said Nurul.

Khairy, the MP for Rembau, was also present at the event. He said voters should be allowed to vote without having to register, as it is a fundamental right of all citizens.

“Voting is a right of all citizens of Malaysia and we should not even ask them to register. They should’ve already been registered automatically in the first place.

“I will take it a step further by asking that the federal constitution be amended so that people can vote without the hassle of having to register,” said Khairy.

(more…)

Partikeadilansabah.blogspot.com

Oleh Halik Zaman

Kota Kinabalu, Sabtu, Suatu majlis makan malam bersama dua orang Ahli Yang Berhormat, YB Puan Nurul Izzah Anwar, Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai, Wilayah Persekutuan dan YB Nik Nazmi Ahmad, ADUN Seri Setia, Selangor. Majlis makan malam di anjurkan dengan jayanya oleh PKR Cabang Putatan. Setinggi tahniah di ucapkan kepada Ketua Cabang PKR Putatan Ahmad Sah Datuk Sahari dan jawatankuasa cabangnya.

Free Malaysia Today

SAT, 05 JUN 2010 11:04

By Charlie Rudai

KOTA KINABALU: Pakatan Rakyat will treat Sabah as an equal partner unlike the Barisan Nasional which is taking the state for granted as a mere fixed deposit.

Two young guns of PKR — Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar and Seri Setia Assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad — also assured that despite coming from Peninsular Malaysia, the Pakatan leaders are not here “to order Sabahans around”.

Nurul Izzah said Pakatan has so much to learn from the people of Sabah for their ability to live in harmony together although they are of different races and religions.

“We remain in admiration of Sabah’s racial integration and we have a lot to learn from Sabah and Sarawak. I think this is something that should not be underestimated.

“People in Sabah are Sabahans first and I think this is something that Malaysians as a whole should emulate,” said Nurul Izzah after a dinner gathering with Sabah PKR leaders organised by its Putatan division here last night.

According to Nurul Izzah, she and Nik Nazmi came to Sabah to lend support to PKR Sabah, as they represent the voice of the new generation of PKR leaders who would do their best to ensure the opposition wins in the next general election.

She said they would also be having small-scale meetings with young professionals in Sabah during their stay here.

Also known as Puteri Reformasi (reformation princess), Nurul Izzah said among the issues that PKR would be struggling for the people in Sabah was to ensure the state’s own natural resources are used to improve the quality of their life.

“The beauty and richness of the country cannot be plundered by a few robber barons… everyone must join in the fight to save Sabah and ensure the people here take what is rightly theirs,” she said.

“This is my first trip to Sabah and it is a learning process for me… I have heard a lot of good things about how Sabah residents could live in harmony much better than we do in the peninsula,” said

(more…)

Apr 30, 10 8:14pm

Beberapa wakil rakyat Pakatan Rakyat telah memberi tempoh sebulan kepada Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan supaya meletak jawatan atau berdepan dengan demonstrasi di seluruh negara.

Kata dua itu diberikan sebagai respons kepada laporan yang menyebut Musaberkata beliau bersedia mengarahkan anggotanya tidak lagi mengawal sekiranya itu kehendak rakyat, ekoran kecaman terhadap insiden seorang remaja Aminulrasyid Amzah mati ditembak polis di Shah Alam awal pagi Isnin lalu.

Ahli parlimen DAP Segambut, Lim Lip Eng, serta ahli parlimen PKR Lembah Pantai, Nurul Izzah Anwar dan ADUN Seri Setia, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, hari ini menghantar memorandum kepada pengarah lembaga disiplin polis, Datuk Abdul Razak Bokhari, menuntut Musa meletak jawatan.

Komander Kem Bukit Aman, Supt Ali Ahmad menerima memorandum tersebut.

Lim mendakwa kenyataan kontroversi Musa itu ‘hanya akan menjejaskan keselamatan negara’.

Beliau juga menggesa Abdul Razak supaya menubuhkan sebuah jawatankuasa untuk menyiasat Musa dan sama ada menasihatkan beliau bersara atau memecatnya dalam tempoh sebulan, dan jika gagal berbuat demikian, mereka akan menganjurkan protes di Bukit Aman dan di seluruh negara untuk menuntut Musa meletak jawatan.

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.