Ant-Bersih Rally Protest – Dr Ayam & Bukit Bintang MCA Gang & 40 NGOs mainly Traders; Another M-C-A Money Controls All inspired initiative

Malaysiakini would not have cover this cheap MCA inspired protest against the Bersih Rally and neither would Al Jazeera waste their time. The latest related Malaysiakin story is on
King: No royal support for Bersih rally (see also Below)
and Malaysiakini.tv spot on It's a bad joke: Lee's counsel
= = == = == =
ABOVE: The historical moment, the crowd that was prevented into the Istana Grounds at about 4pm on Saturday Nov 10 2007.

It is hilarious to know that Dr Ayam ex-MP of Bukit Bintang Dr Lee Chong Meng is leading the Protest against the Bersih Rally claiming that it is “bad business” for traders. Did the Bersih Rally march went through the Bukit Bintang areas that he has reasons to complain? They know protest is illegal and they did not bother to apply for a permit to march around Bukit Bintang to show their displeasure. What and how did they protest? They went to a hotel had the placards and standing behind that MCA man - issued a statement condemning the Bersih Rally initiative - indoor style.
ABOVE & BELOW: Not in Bukit Bintang

Reading at the MCA controlled STAR’s account below & the NST, you can see the exaggerations used adding as usual the “salt & fire” to spice up that story. The reports says 80 NGOs and they rattled off just a few whilst the TV station says 40 NGOs. Some traders complained of the “losses” which were just for a day perhaps or was it just a postponement of business. The sacrifices & “losses” for the over 30,000 who came some from afar is much greater and all for a larger cause than these money moneyed china man which Raja Petra has so aptly and timely put it as:-

“Chinese must think of cari makan first. Chinese must protect their rice bowl. Chinese want to make sure that their business does not suffer so they must become running dogs of the Umno Malays. It’s all about money, money, money. Money comes first. Money calls the shots. M-C-A; Money Controls All.”

Now that a Royal Commison is instituted on the Lingam Video Clip and this Dr Ayam is the result of the “fixing of judgment” mentioned, they should go into his case of being rewarded the “MP of Bukit Bintang”. Retrogressively, his MP status should be taken away and deny the pension that he is enjoying.

ABOVE - Indoor Style Protest - holding the placards and standing behind that MCA man - issued a statement condemning the Bersih Rally initiative

= = == == = ==and the STAR account supporting Dr Ayam
Saturday November 17, 2007; Star
Traders and taxi drivers lament losses due to Nov 10 rally

ABOVE: Dr Lee the ex-MP (who lost to Wee Choo Keong in the Election) but was "fixed" by the retired Chief Justice and awarded the MP post; more popularly known as Dr Ayam, being the advisor to the Poultry Dealers Association and not the "kei lo" advisor to the Chinaman "ayam (kei)" in the notorious BB red light areas.And BELOW - the 40 NGOs and not 80s as in the STAR & NST.

KUALA LUMPUR: On weekends and public holidays, Beh Hock Heng’s dim sum restaurant on Jalan Alor is always packed but last Saturday’s illegal gathering caused him to lose thousands of ringgit as customers stayed away. The 65-year-old owner is furious, saying some customers could not come because of the massive traffic jam while others chose to stay indoors. “Even tourists, who often frequent my restaurant from the nearby hotels, refused to come out as they feared for their safety because of the demonstration,” he said. Beh was among a group of businessmen and representatives from 80 non-governmental organisations who attended a press conference yesterday in protest against the gathering.

The NGOs included the Kuala Lumpur Taxi Drivers Association, Federation of Malaysia Entertainment Associations, Jalan Alor Hawkers Association and Rukun Tetangga Pudu. Holding up placards, written in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese and Tamil, the group complained that their businesses had been affected by the gathering. Taxi operator Leong Aw said taxi drivers lost much business because of the illegal gathering, saying it drove tourists away when they saw thousands of demonstrators in the streets of Kuala Lumpur. “The Government is promoting Visit Malaysia 2007 which will help us make money, especially during this festive season. Such a gathering is not part of the Malaysian culture,” he said. Bukit Bintang MCA division chairman Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng said he was informed by hoteliers that many tour groups, especially from China, had cancelled their visit because of media reports on the protest. “We hope there will be no more protests because in the run-up to Hari Raya Haji, Christmas and Chinese New Year, a lot of activities are being planned in Bukit Bintang. We cannot afford to suffer any more losses,” he said.

= = == and from Raja Petra “15/11/07: MCA: the Malay running dog” emphasizing Dr Ayam’s "moneyed minded" problems.

This is not the first time The Star has distorted the news. One day before the 30 October 2007 Conference of Rulers, The Star reported that the Rulers will be discussing the extension of the Chief Justice’s term of office. One day after the Conference of Rulers, Bernama carried an announcement by the Keeper of the Royal Seal that the Rulers did not even touch on the subject. His Majesty, The Agong, a week before that, had rejected the extension of the Chief Justice’s tenure and that was enough for the Rulers. They supported what The Agong had decided and saw no reason for further raising the matter or to discuss it at the Conference. Anyway, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi refuses to accept defeat. He still wants to get in the last word and show the Rulers who is boss. It appears like Penang may soon get a new Governor in the form of the recently-retired Chief Justice. I did say that the position of Governor is reserved for those who have no other place to go and this assumption will soon be proven beyond any shadow of doubt.
The Star, which is MCA-owned, and therefore can be interpreted as ‘Chinese’ since MCA claims to be the legitimate party representing Chinese interests, has also strengthened something else which I have been saying many times in the past: and that is the Chinese, in particular the MCA Chinese, are Umno’s running dogs. Yes, the Chinese are very upset. They condemn the present government as the ‘Malay’ government. They accuse the ‘Malays’ of screwing up the country. They refer to the government as ‘Islam-Malays’. But from where I am sitting it looks like it is the MCA Chinese and not the Malays who are Umno’s running dogs.

So, the Chinese are very upset. Yeah, sure they are very upset. They are very upset with the Malays. They are very upset because the Malays are running this country. They are very upset because the Malays are screwing up this country. Then why are they the running dogs of the Umno Malays? Yeah, sure, I know. They have no choice but to become the running dogs of the Umno Malays. Chinese are a minority.

Chinese must think of "cari makan" first. Chinese must protect their rice bowl. Chinese want to make sure that their business does not suffer so they must become running dogs of the Umno Malays. It’s all about money, money, money. Money comes first. Money calls the shots. M-C-A; Money Controls All.

No problem then. If money is the overriding factor and if money decides what you must do then do it. Be that Umno Malay running dog if you so wish and if that will guarantee you a good and prosperous future. I have no problem with that. But stop blaming the Malays for the ills of this nation. Stop blaming the Malays when this country goes to the dogs. The reason this country is going to the dogs is because you are the running dog, not because of the Malays.

November 16, 2007 14:12 PM

= == = = and more spin from NST account, running into a Millions, it was just business "postponed" not lost. If they cannot come on Saturday, surely they can come another day.

2007/11/17
Businesses tell Bersih to keep protest indoors

KUALA LUMPUR: After suffering losses in "many millions" of ringgit following last Saturday's illegal demonstration, 80 non-governmental organisations have called on the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) to keep their agitation indoors. These NGOs represent businesses and petty traders in Bukit Bintang. Senator Datuk Lee Chong Meng, who is the adviser to a slew of traders and businesses in the Bukit Bintang area, said last Saturday was a financial disaster for them. "We don't want any more demonstrations. It (last Saturday's demonstration) had cost many millions in business to us in Bukit Bintang," he said.

ABOVE & BELOW: The MCA Man behind the Anti-Bersih initiative

Lee declined to peg a figure to the losses, but said that the impact of the demonstrations was being felt by Bukit Bintang businesses. "Tour operators are getting calls from their counterparts in China, Japan and Hong Kong on the situation in the country, while some have cancelled," he said at a press conference attended by representatives from the 80 organisations. Lee urged the demonstrators to emulate them and demonstrate indoors. "At least you won't cause traffic jams or frighten tourists and cause inconvenience to businesses," he said of their gathering at the restaurant venue. The demonstrations left the city motorists stuck in jams for hours and businesses in the vicinity had to close shop because of this. Steven Yap, who is the adviser to the Entertainment Industry Association of the Federal Territory, said members' businesses took a beating last Saturday. "Many tourists elected to stay in their hotels. "The demonstration may have been confined to a particular area, but its impact was felt everywhere," he said. Jalan Tiong Nam hawker association chairman Yong Chin Seng said members closed shop by 4pm, nine hours earlier than their normal operating hours.

"Many people could not get to Bukit Bintang because of the jams and many more refused to come later as they heard about the jams leading to the area." Yong said the real losers were hawkers like him who had to close shop and go home and lose money as food could not be sold. Tan Hooi Weng, a businessman who runs a wholesale clothes business in Jalan Merlimau, lamented the impact on sales. "We lost about a million in sales on that day as most of our customers come by during the weekend. "I appeal to those behind the demonstrations not to do this again."

= = == == = == and the MB from Pahang that made the wild suggestion of using ISA against Bersih protesters. And believe it or not, he is cluless about the GE date when the EC chairman is aware of it.
November 16, 2007 20:13 PM

Govt Confident ISA Will Not Be Used To Deal With Street Demos

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- The government is confident that Saturday's street protest will not deteriorate into a situation that will require the government to enforce the Internal Security Act (ISA), Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said. "Hopefully not. For as long as the people observe the laws of the nation, we will be able to manage the situation," he told reporters after launching the CIMB Foundation here. Najib who was responding to a question whether the government would resort to using the ISA to curtail street rallies if the situation worsens in the near future, again appealed to Malaysians to observe the law and avoid participating in illegal gatherings.

He also stressed that the government would continue to act in accordance with the law in dealing with such situations, regardless of the criticism that the government was preventing people from voicing their views. "As far as the government is concerned, we and the police will apply the law," he said.

"We have to manage things in a way that people will have continued confidence in the government." Najib said what was important was for the government to protect the interest of the masses and to provide them a sense of security and that everything was under control. "We'll not let people exploit things, because we do not want anything to deteriorate into becoming uncontrollable or racial tension." Asked about the general election, Najib said he was clueless as to when it would be held. "I also would like to know," he added when commenting on today's report which quoted Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman as saying that he knew the date of the upcoming general election but could not divulge. Najib, however, said the statement did not imply it would be imminent. "It can be any day; it doesn't mean that it's imminent."

The CIMB Foundation, with a pledge of RM100 million as an initial fund from the CIMB Group, will focus on three-capacity building areas, namely community development, sports development and education. Its first project is to train and fund deserving Indonesian students at educational institutions in Malaysia under the CIMB Niaga Scholarship Fund.
= == = == = == = and the Agong is under pressure and denied he had any tacit support for the Rally and called on his subjects to be “law abiding citizens”
Tuanku Mizan Regrets Claims He Supports Illegal Rally

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Yang di- Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has expressed regret over claims that he and the Palace approved and suppported Saturday's illegal rally in the city. In a statement issued here today by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja of Istana Negara, Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan, the King also regretted the gathering which was organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and supported by the opposition parties. Tuanku Mizan stressed that he and Istana Negara had at no time approved or given any support, directly or indirectly, to any quarters that organised or was involved in the illegal assembly or any other activities that contravened the law. On Saturday, Bersih, which comprises several non-governmental organisations, as well as some opposition parties had gathered their supporters at various spots in the city, including around Masjid Jamek, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and the National Mosque, before marching to Istana Negara to hand over a memorandum to Tuanku Mizan.

The following Monday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar said Bersih had decided to submit the memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after the ruler himself approved of it, and that the presence of Bersih at Istana Negara was to hand over the memorandum to the King's representative.

In the statement, Tuanku Mizan said as the head of state, he was responsible in ensuring that the country's administration based on the constitutional monarchy system as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, was respected and adhered to by all. He hoped that the people would act in accordance with the law and not be involved in any illegal action or activity. "Every Malaysian citizen is responsible for maintaining public order for continued peace and stability in the country," Tuanku Mizan said. The King also hoped that the people would together work at preserving unity and harmony to ensure that the country would continue to develop, prosper and be respected.

Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Safiain said that Istana Negara, for the first time, summoned the media to publicise the content of the statement as the King viewed the matter seriously. "Normally, Istana Negara would issue a statement via facsimile but this time, we had to call the media here to ensure that the King's message reaches the people," he added.

= = == = = =Watch AL Jazeera Video - 4 min 11 sec (Part III) - Bersih Protest Rally 10 Nov 2007

= = == = == = == = == = = =

== = = = Go H E R E for Links to the following 3 Videos

Part 1 (Forum 9 min 40 s), Part 2(Forum 8min 02s) & Part 3 (Protest Demo Video, 4 in 11s ) Al Jazeera 101 East Forum on Bersih Rally

= = = == == = == == == = == == = =ABOVE Part 1 (Forum 9 min 40 s)

BELOW: Part 2(Forum 8min 02s)

= = == == == = == = == = =BELOW: Part 3 (Protest Demo Video, 4 in 11s )

= = == == Off beat news, Are these two boys flying around in their Daddy’s Company plane?

November 16, 2007 23:12 PM

Malaysian Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Indonesian Beach

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff
JAKARTA, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- A Cessna aircraft, with two Malaysians on-board, made an emergency landing on a beach in Bangka, South Sumatra, Indonesia today. The duo, identified only as Mohamad Rajib, 23, and Mohamed Nuraiman, 25, were safe, said police adviser to the Malaysian Embassy here ACP Mohamed Pilus Ismail. They were being questioned by the Bangka Belitung police, he told Bernama. He said that further details were unclear. According to the police there, the twin seater aircraft had "El Admal" emblazoned on it which they said was the name of a Malaysian company, he said. It was also said to be on a Batam-Pangkal Pinang-Pontianak-Kuching-Bintulu flight before the engine broke down, forcing them to make a crash-landing, Pilus said. Earlier, Antara news agency reported that a Malaysian training plane made an emergency landing on a village at about 1.30pm due to insufficient fuel.

RCI Set Up – PM bows to popular Demands for the Royal Commission.; Bar Council supports fully; DAP suggests Sultan Azlan or Raja Nazrin

Malaysiakini has the lead and breaking story on thie RCI set up under
Lingam tape: PM okays royal commission
= = == = = =

UPDATE: Nov 19 07; November 19, 2007 20:59 PM

Royal Commission Members' List To Be Submitted To Cabinet Wednesday

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- The proposed names of candidates for the royal commission to investigate the "Lingam" video clip will be tabled at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz. The Cabinet meeting will also discuss the royal commission's scope of power. "There is no other information at the moment. Everything will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday," he told Bernama here today.
Nazri was among three ministers appointed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to study the report by a special independent panel
to verify the authenticity of the video clip. The two others were Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad. The video purportedly shows a prominent lawyer on the phone discussing judicial appointments with a senior judge. Abdullah announced on Friday that a royal commission would be set up to investigate the video clip.

= == = == = Original Post below

At last the government of PM Abdullah after much dilly dally with the appointment of a 3-member Panel to investigate first the Clip’s authenticity has bowed to widespread and popular demands for the setting up of a Royal Commission of Inquiry which has wide ranging powers to go to the bottom of the Video Clip whose authenticity has been finally nailed with the release of the second installment of 10 sec by Datuk Anwar Ibrahim.What remain now is the knotty details of the RCI, its terms of references and the choice of members of the RCI. PM Abdullah said no pressure was exerted to make the decision but it will be seen Malaysia is under sever scrutiny from the international community on this judiciary issue and over the Bersih Rally protest as acknowledge by Datuk Nazri in the recent Al Jazeera forum discussion.

= == = == =

November 16, 2007 19:01 PM
Royal Commission To Be Set Up To Probe Controversial Video Clip

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- A royal commission will be set up to investigate a video clip featuring a purported telephone conversation between a prominent lawyer and a senior judge over the appointment of judges. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the establishment of the panel was deemed appropriate based on the report by a three-man panel set up to determine the authenticity of the video clip recently.

"We've agreed to set up the commission. Now we're deciding on the terms of reference, the tasks to be undertaken by the commission," he told reporters after bidding farewell to Uruguayan President Dr Tabare Vasquez and his wife (BELOW, final chat with Abdullah), Maria Auxiliadora Delgado de Vasquez, who ended their two-day visit to Malaysia today.

Abdullah said the three ministers who were tasked by the cabinet to give legal input on the report by the three-man independent panel would give their views and suggestions at the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The prime minister said the members of the royal commission would be determined after its terms of reference were finalised.
Asked whether the government was pressured into establishing the commission by certain groups, Abdullah reiterated that the decision was based on the report submitted by the special panel.

"Before this we said that please wait for the panel to come up with its report. The report is out and based on its contents, it appears that it is appropriate to set up the royal commission, hence our decision," he said. The special panel comprised former Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye and former Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar.

The three ministers asked to give legal input on the panel's report are Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Home Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.

= = ==

"The Bar council welcomed the setting up of the Royal Commission to probe the video clip incident. We are very pleased and we fully support the setting up of the Royal Commission. We hope the terms of reference of the Royal Commission are wide so that they can investigate all incidents and all issues that arose of the video clip fully."

= == = =further info

2007/11/16

Rais: Royal commission a possibility By : V. Vasudevan and Shuhada Eli, NST
T

KUALA LUMPUR: Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said the government was open to the possibility of setting up a royal commission on the "Lingam" video clip. "The tendency towards it is possible but we'll have to wait for the prime minister to make the announcement," he said. Rais is one of the three ministers assigned the task of advising the cabinet next week on the legal aspects of subsequent action after an independent panel submitted its findings on the authenticity of the video clip last Friday. "From my point of view, the government will do its very best to settle the issue," he said after launching a book by the late Usman Awang entitled Turunnya Sebuah Bendera at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage here yesterday. The New Straits Times reported yesterday that the panel had concluded that the recording, which showed lawyer Datuk V.K. Lingam (BELOW, the unmistakable) allegedly discussing judicial appoitments with a senior judge, was genuine and merited further investigation. T

he three-member panel, formed in September, comprised former chief judge of Malaya Tan Sri Haidar Mohd Noor, former Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mahadev Shankar and social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. Rais said he had read the panel's reports but could not reveal the findings. The other members of the ministerial trio are Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad. Nazri said they would be submitting their advice separately to the cabinet, and would not be talking to each other or meeting over it. "Just like the three-man panel, we will provide our own input on the report," he said at the Parliament lobby yesterday. On Wednesday, the cabinet, following a briefing from Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hasan, decided that a copy of the panel's report would be given to all ministers. "Better to have feedback from 32 ministers than just a mere three ministers. This is in case we miss out something," Nazri said. The cabinet is expected to make a decision on the findings next Wednesday. Nazri said he was likely to read and evaluate the report during his visit to Teheran to attend the Asian Parliamentary Union meeting. He leaves on Saturday but said he would be back on Wednesday morning to attend the cabinet meeting.

= == = =from Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang Blog, his recommendations and demands for the RCI
There should be no more further delay in the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Lingam Tape specifically and generally the independence and integrity of the judiciary, and the three issues which the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should be mindful are:
• Full and proper consultation with relevant personalities and organizations on the Royal Commission of Inquiry;
• Full and untrammeled powers for the Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate into every aspect of the Lingam Tape revelations and the restoration of confidence in the independence and integrity of the judiciary; and
• The appointment of suitable and qualified Commissioners.
Abdullah will defeat the whole purpose of a Royal Commission of Inquiry if its establishment is the subject of another debilitating and divisive public controversy, either because of its restricted terms of reference or composition.
On its composition, there are clearly certain controversial personalities who should not be appointed as Commissioners or the whole process will become a farce.In this category I will include three former Chief Justices – Tun Ahmad Fairuz, Tun Eusuffe Chin and Tun Hamid Omar because of their controversial past which should be among the subjects of the inquiry. Another former Chief Justice, however, Tun Dzaiddin will be eminently suitable to be a member of the Commission. Special thought must be given for the Chairman of the Royal Commission to restore confidence in the judiciary.

The Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr. Nazrain Shah will be a very good choice as Chairman of the Royal Commission of Inquiry to restore confidence in the independence and integrity of the judiciary, although the ideal candidate would be Sultan Azlan Shah (ABOVE) especially as he was Lord President during the golden era of the Malaysian judiciary a quarter of a century ago. The Commissioners should come from a representative cross-section including former members of the judiciary, like former Court of Appeal judges Datuk Shaikh Daud and Datuk N. H. Chan and former High Court judge and leading Malaysian jurist Datuk Seri Visu Sinadurai.

= == = = ==Go H E R E next post

Anti-Bersih Protest in Bukit Bintang, KL by MCA Dr Ayam, Advisor to the Pultry Dealers Association & 40 NGOs Traders

= == = == =and H E R E Latest post ON

BERSIH Organizers Power Crazy & Irresponsible; Sultan & MBs Condemn Bersih Action Using Royalty; Princess - Royal institution remains Apolitical

Al Jazeera Bersih Rally Forum – Videos - Nazri, Khairy & Malik Imtiaz – Events; Police Handling & Force, Press Coverage, Grouses Election, Democracy

Malaysiakini lastest report on 'Mystery voters' under EC's spotlight
with another on Hawker: Police broke my leg during rally and
Malaysiakini.tv on 'Mystery voters' under EC's spotlight

Al Jazeera Bersih Rally Forum – Videos - Nazri, Khairy,& Malik Imtiaz – Events; Police Handling& Force, Press Coverage, Grouses Free & Fair Election Democracy

Part I – Forum ( 8 min ) speeded up 10%

= = == = == = == = == = == == = == = == = == = == == = == = == == = = ==
Part 2 – Forum ( 9 min 40s)
== = == = == == =

== == = == == = == == = == == == = == == == = =

Part 3 – Bersih Rally, Dmo, Protsetorum ( 4 min 11s)


= == = == == = == == = =
Part III Go H E R E
= == = == == = == = == = ==

Transcript up ....Go H E R E for Part I & Part 2

This week on 101 East; Malaysia has just seen its biggest protest for almost a decade, with tens of thousands marching to demand electoral reform. Their call was met with tear-gas and water cannon. So is there a need for fundamental change in the south-east Asian country or did the demonstrators get what they deserve?

We talk to leading government figures Minister Dato’ Seri Nazri Abd Aziz ,Khairy Jamaluddin (PM S I L) and one of the nation's top human rights activists Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.

UPDATE (Nov 17 07)= = == = = == =and a brief and slanted account of 101 East Forum fom Malaysia Government controlled News Agency, Bernama

November 16, 2007 00:42 AM

No Need For Institutional Reform To Election System - Nazri

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 15 (Bernama) -- There is no need for institutional reform to the Malaysian election system as it has worked well for the country in the last 50 years, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said. He, however, admitted that there was still room for improvement, but to say that the system was unfair was not a correct description.
Mohamed Nazri was replying to a question posed by Al Jazeera's anchor Teymoor Nabili of the satellite channel's 101 East Programme in which he was one of three panellists invited to discuss last Saturday's illegal assembly in the city. The other panellists were Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Human Rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.
The 30-minute programme touched widely on the issue, including the media's way of handling it. Agreeing to the minister's reply, Khairy said the system just needed some processes to be strengthened. "There is nothing wrong with the system, but some processes need to be strenghtened... but the institution is fine, the system works," he said, pointing out that the Barisan National (BN) had lost Kelantan in the elections.
To Al Jazeera's contention that police had used force to disperse the gathering, Nazri said they did not use excessive force for obvious reasons, especially since they (police) were aware that they were under close scrutiny not only by Malaysians but the whole world. On crowd and traffic control during the gathering, Khairy said the police handled it well. To Imtiaz's allegation that the traffic jams that resulted were caused by police road blocks, Khairy said they were put up because of the demonstration.
He said a similar rally in Terengganu in September had descended into a violent incident. "So, you cannot blame the police for thinking that this (Saturday's gathering) was going to end up the same way," he added. To Nabili's question on the local media's minimum coverage on the gathering, Nazri said he did not think the local media were siding with the government. "The media are free to report anything. In fact, I got all my information (on the gathering) from the (news) papers," he added. Meanwhile, Nazri said changes made by the Election Commission had shown that the government had not turned a deaf ear on issues brought forward by the people.

However, he said, not every issue or grouse voiced (by the people) was necessarily right. "We have a system here... if you have any grouse, channel it to the ballot box. We have an election every five years or less... at the end of the day, we will decide and you must never underestimate the will of the people," added Nazri. Khairy also said that the gathering could not be used as a barometer of the general sentiments of the public.

= == == = == = == =

Selangor EC probes Sekinchan electoral roll

Pauline Puah, theSUN

SHAH ALAM (Nov 15, 2007): The Selangor Election Office today held a public inquiry to investigate complaints that the electoral roll for the Sekinchan state seat contains names of outsiders. Its director Jailani Abdul Majid said this was the second time this year that such an inquiry was being conducted. The first inquiry was held in the first quarter of the year. He said more than half of the five complainants and 49 respondents or people complained against, attended the public hearing from 11am to 5pm in its office here.
“I am satisfied with the turnout today,” he said in a telephone interview at 5pm.

According to Sekinchan state assemblyman Ng Suee Lim from the DAP, the party had discovered the dubious names listed in the July-September electoral roll. “There were 17 names registered under the address of a barber shop in Sekinchan. There were also 19 names registered under one home address in Site C and another 11 people were registered under one same address in Site B,” he said when met in the Election Office earlier. It is unclear if all the voters belong to the same family, as in the electoral list made available to theSun, almost all the names listed under one roof have different family names. According to procedures, upon receiving the complaints, the Election Office would issue a letter to the complainants and respondents, asking them to appear before a public inquiry.

However, attendance is not compulsory. Under the electoral regulation, in order to change to another constituency, a voter must also change his or her address in the Mykad to prove that he or she has a permanent address in that area. Ng said this showed a loophole in the voter registration system, which allowed people to move to any constituencies.

Three complainants - Loo Kim Yong, Dau Kwee Hong and Wong Ah Chia - went to the inquiry with Ng. The other two --Ng Siew Hong and Loo Kee Lin - were unable to attend the hearing. One respondent who declined to be named said he did not see why he could not change his address in order to move to a new constituency. “I should be able to vote wherever I like. I had changed my address in my Mykad. Why can’t we change our address [in order to vote in a new constituency]?” said the man, who hails from Tanjong Karang, about 15 minutes’ drive from Sekinchan. He claimed that the address he registered under in Sekinchan was his brother’s home – the barber’s shop – and that he did not know why there were so many names registered under the same address.

Ng pointed out that the complaints system was not conducive to efforts to weed out dubious voters. He said under the electoral regulation, a complainant had to pay a maximum of RM200 compensation to a respondent should the former fail to prove the legitimacy of the person’s right to be registered in that constituency.

“They actually don’t encourage people to point out if there are any dubious voters in the electoral roll,” he said. Each complainant can only file complaints against a maximum of 10 voters. The complainant has to pay RM10 for each complaint made. However, Jailani defended the regulation and said it was meant to prevent abuse. “The complainants should make full preparations before they file any complaints. Otherwise, anyone can file complaints as you only need to pay RM10 for each complaint,” he said.
Updated: 07:14PM Thu, 15 Nov 2007

= == = == = == = == = == = =

The following are extracted from the Al Jazerra Video Clip (Part III, (4 min 36 Sec) not loaded yet, but inserted into Part I & Part II as Overlays on Top left ) on the Bersih Rally

MORE PICS – RM4.5M “Malays Bolih” Collapsed – Unoccupied Perak State Parks Corp Building into Tasik Banding; – Deficient Design & Construction

UPDATE: 19^th Nov 2007

November 19, 2007 16:10 PM

Don't Point Fingers At Each Other, Says Tajol Rosli

IPOH, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali has urged the government agencies concerned not to blame each other over the collapse of the Perak State Parks Corporation (PTNP) building in Pulau Banding, Gerik, on Nov 13. He urged the officers not to speculate and be patient as a professional panel would be set up to investigate all aspects of the collapse of the RM4.5 million building.
"I don't want government officers to start pointing fingers at each other. Let the investigation proceed. Everyone was happy during the planning stage but when the building collapsed, everyone said it was not their fault. This is where the panel will have to decide. If the collapse was found to be due to irregularities, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) would be brought in, he said at the Perak civil servants monthly gathering here today.

Members of the panel would be appointed after the Public Works Department (JKR) had briefed and advised the state government on what needed to be done, he said. Commenting on a newspaper report that the Freshwater Fish Centre (PPD) Complex at Tasik Banding might collapse, Tajol Rosli said the authorities had been asked to take remedial action. "Don't wait until the situation gets worse. To remedy now may cost a few hundred thousand ringgit but if you wait, the whole building will go. We must act quickly."

He, however, gave an assurance that the PPD building is still safe. Earlier, Perak Drainage and Irrigation Department director Abdul Razak Dahalan said the PPD building was not affected and that there were no cracks. The PPD Complex which began operation last year is a breeding centre for freshwater fish like the kelah, temoleh and lampam.

= == = == == ==
Saturday November 17, 2007; MYT 7:27:08 PM

Fishery centre at Tasik Temengor at risk

By CHAN LI LEEN and CLARA CHOOI; STAR
IPOH: The Banding Landing Fishery Centre, located just opposite the RM4.5mil Perak State Park Corporation administrative building in Tasik Temengor that crumbled, may also be in danger of collapsing. Revealing this, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the land on which the RM6mil fishery centre is built was also giving way. "I have instructed the Fisheries Department to take immediate action. "After seeing what had happened (to the corporation building), I told the department to use some of its allocations to strengthen the ground so that it would not give way. "If it does give way, the entire building will collapse," he said on Saturday after handing out offer letters to relocate 471 squatters from Ulu Kinta.

Tajol Rosli also clarified that the fishery centre was built on cut land while the collapsed building had been built on filled land, adding that cut land was generally more stable than filled land. Speaking to reporters after attending a Kemas convocation ceremony at Sungai Siput yesterday, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said he would instruct state Public Works Department director Datuk Wong Wai Ching to include the fishery centre in the investigation. On Tuesday, the corporation building located at the edge of Tasik Temengor came down like a house of cards. It was to be the first of a two-phase project comprising 14 rooms, an office block, a showroom and a car park.

= == = == = = == = =
GRIK: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the State Park Corporation complex that collapsed on Tuesday had been problematic from the start.

He described the complex as a project that had never been viable. "How can you spend RM4.5 million for a complex that has only 14 rooms? "I am really frustrated (with the whole project). As an accountant, I knew that it would be a problem to manage due to the limited number of rooms. You need at least 50 rooms for such a place to be economically viable." He said there were developers in Ipoh who could build a complex or resort with 100 rooms on a budget of only RM8 million. He cited poor interior design as one of the problems of the complex, which was to be a one-stop centre for tourists. "It was too late for me to stop the project as it was already being constructed then (when he became MB)," he said yesterday after visiting the site where the facility used to stand at Pulau Banding, some 50km from here. It was completed last year.

The complex was the first phase of a project funded by the Tourism Ministry which was to comprise an administrative office, a cafeteria, 14 rooms and an open car park. Two months ago, numerous cracks were detected on the structure and pillars of the complex, which was "leaning". Initially, part of the complex collapsed last Saturday, and this is believed to have further weakened its foundation. Meanwhile, state Drainage and Irrigation Department director Abdul Razak Dahlan said the department would carry out a study on the water level of the Temenggor lake. "There have been two or three cases of landslides and soil erosion in areas surrounding the lake and we want to see whether these were caused by the lake's water level," he explained.

= = === == = =Original Post below

ABOVE: The sign posting to State Park and BELOW: the scenic :Lake Banding, Grik, Perak
Malaysiakini would not have the resources to cover this "out of state" calamity for its readers. The immediate interest is the guessing game for the date of the GE and the story is

EC chief: I know poll date, but I ain't telling

and the latest Malaysiakini.tv On Musa Hitam launches 'The Unmaking of Malaysia'
= == = == == === = =
ABOVE: The completed but unsafe building & BELOW: The final shame after collapse

The collapse of the unoccupied but 2004 completed building waiting to collapse. It was left vacant and idle because it was not given a certificate of worthiness as it was not built “according to specifications” and was too dangerous to occupy. Initial PWD findings indicate it was deficient in “design & construction”. This case is not unsimilar to MMR2 fiasco except that it was beyond repairs. Another good example of “Malays bolih” concept that failed for greed & incompetence?. Awarded the tender free turnkey project worth RM5M, funded by Government through Tourism Ministry, with Malay Consultant & Contractor under one roof - they would want to make RM2million out of the RM5 million contract. So what is left for the sub-cons are perhaps bare minimum. Why was Samy Vellu in a state of shock even though this building was not under his purview? Would he now say obviously, it was “not built by God” and humans are involved and they are not perfect as he said about some MMR2 problems?

ABOVE: An aerial view of the collapsed building rubble and BELOW: the 2nd phase of the project; just look at the tiny structures designed

Isn’t this another example of shoddy work of sub-cons to make some money from the low sub-contract price? Not to specifications can mean so many things - short piling to required depth and insufficient foundation size? Incorrect cement mix - more sand and concrete with insufficient cement? Poor design can have many connotations – reduced cross section sizes to save material & thus the cost. Insufficient design could be lack of geo-technical studies of the hill slopes and soil conditions. It would be another investigation and a waste of taxpayers’ money of was it justified “tourists’ money” and the usual excuses. Why was there no monitoring of this project right from the start? Another one-eye closed?

And now there is this familiar Samy Velu’s reference excuse “Unusual climatic changes –global warming” as now used by the Temenggor State assemblyman who viewed the collapse as “natural calamity.
= == = == == = == = =November 14, 2007 14:10 PM

PWD To Probe Building Collapse At Tasik Banding

ABOVE & BELOW: More closed up views of the concrete rubble for all to see

IPOH, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- The Perak Public Works Department (PWD) has started a probe into the collapse of a nearly completed two-storey building built on a hill slope at Tasik Banding in Gerik, Perak, on Tuesday.
The investigation team is led by its director, Datuk Wong Wai Ching. When contacted, he said the probe would cover various aspects, including a landslide which had apparently occurred behind the building belonging to the Perak State Parks Corporation. It was reported that the structure began to collapse at 8am Tuesday before it was completely destroyed two hours later.

ABOVE: More concrete rubble and BELOW: It went right to the edge of the water in the lake

= = == ==
Thursday November 15, 2007
Samy shocked, wants answers

KUALA LUMPUR: The collapse of a two-storey building on a hillslope at the edge of Tasik Banding in Gerik, Perak, has Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu reeling with disbelief. “I am shocked and I want answers,” said a furious Samy Vellu, who called for action to be taken against the contractor if it was found that structural failure caused the collapse. It was fortunate that no one was hurt “but there must be some action,” he said. On Tuesday, the building began to collapse at 8am and crumbled completely two hours later. Only rubble: All that’s left of the Perak State Park Corporation’s two-storey administrative building near Tasik Banding ( see inset) after it collapsed on Tuesday.

It was completed in 2004 but had yet to be occupied. The collapsed structure – the first of a two-phase project under the Perak State Park Corporation – consisted of 14 rooms, an office block, a showroom to sell orang asli goods, and a car park. Completed in 2004, it was built at a cost of RM4.5mil with an allocation from the Tourism Ministry. The second phase consists of 26 more rooms at the same site; the project costing RM5mil is also funded by the Tourism Ministry. Samy Vellu said the project was not under Public Works Department (PWD) supervision, but since PWD is the technical arm of the Government, he has ordered the Perak PWD to conduct an investigation. Perak PWD director Datuk Wong Wai Ching, who is leading the investigation team, said the probe would cover various aspects, including a landslide, which apparently occurred behind the collapsed building. “I have directed Wong to submit the report to me so that I can brief the Cabinet and the Perak Government,” said Samy Vellu.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli (ABOVE) Ghazali said the Perak State Park Corporation informed the state government about two to three weeks ago that the building was unstable, after which the PWD was called in. The problem happened over time.

BELOW: The muddy running water can be seen running through the debris

The corporation and PWD had tried to stabilise the soil to prevent the building from collapsing. It began to tilt two to three weeks ago,” he said. Declining to reveal the name of the consultant and contractor, Tajol Rosli said the PWD’s initial findings pointed to a deficiency in design and construction. On the authority that was supposed to monitor the project, Tajol Rosli said: “We will study the details of the contract and see who should be monitoring the project.” Tajol Rosli said the state government would appoint a professional body to determine the cause of the collapse. Perak Anti-Corruption Agency director Samsiah Abu Bakar said the ACA would also investigate the matter.
The collapsed building was to provide facilities for researchers going into the Royal Belum State Park for studies as well as for tourists on transit to visit the natural beauty of the park. Established in 2000, the 117,500ha Royal Belum State Park contains the oldest tropical rainforest in the peninsula. It is also home to at least 14 globally-threatened wildlife species, including the blue-striped beetle, the clouded leopard, the forest gecko, the Malayan tiger, the Asiatic elephant, the Malayan tapir, the white-handed gibbon and the Sumatran rhinoceros.

= = ==wirtness account
Thursday November 15, 2007

Boat operator among the first to notice signs of troubleGERIK: On Saturday when boat operator Khairul Izwan (ABOVE) Dahalan was ferrying a group of visitors to their destination, he noticed that the observation tower near the two-storey building on a hill slope at the edge of Tasik Banding had collapsed. “I thought some work was in progress so I did not give it much thought,” he said. Two days before that, the 22-year-old boatman also noticed cracks in the slope fronting the building. On Tuesday, when the building came down at 10am, he was having tea at the public jetty about 1km away. Khairul: Saw cracks in the slope fronting the building several days before the collapse of the building. saw a huge plume of dust rising from the spot, and heard a loud noise,” he said yesterday.

He and his friends checked out the source and found that the two-storey building had crumbled. Temenggor state assemblyman Datuk Hasbullah Osman, who visited the site yesterday, was barred from entering the area by three orang asli on guard duty. He told pressmen that the building was completed in 2004, and “I thank God that the place has yet to be occupied.” Viewing the incident as a natural calamity, he said: “Climatic changes brought about by global warming is also being experienced here.”

= == = === = Hazy day in S'pore

ABOVE:The skies over Toa Payoh were shrouded with haze

Nov 15, 2007

PSI reading hits 83 but NEA says not to worry

HAZY skies returned to Singapore on Thursday, said the National Environment Agency (NEA). The Pollutants Standards Index (PSI) reading at 4pm was 83, in the moderate range. The cause - 'poor dispersion of air pollutants in the air as a result of light wind conditions' during the current monsoon period. The NEA said the air should clear when wind conditions improve. It's not uncommon, it added, to experience reduced visibility from time to time during the monsoon season.
No special precautions are needed, said NEA, but it advises people with respiratory ailments who feel unwell to consult their doctors before undertaking vigorous exercise

= == = == == = Coming next Post Discussion Forum on Bersih Rally

8min 46 S video clip