Respect the Sovereign Nation of Malaysia

Has our Cabinet ever voiced objections to the decision made by the judiciary of another country?

Has our Prime Minister or any of our sovereign heads or even any citizen ever voiced their dissatisfaction to the rulings passed in the court of law on any of their friends?

The answer to both questions is a firm ‘No’.

It is a different story for the United States.

True to its ‘Big Brother’ persona, the United States government finds it extremely difficult NOT to poke its nose into the affairs of other countries, especially Malaysia.

Following the ruling on Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II case on February 10th 2014, the White House issued a statement expressing its "deep disappointment" with Anwar’s conviction saying  the decision to prosecute Anwar and the conduct of his trial raised serious concerns about the rule of law and the fairness of the judicial system in Malaysia.

Referring to Anwar Ibrahim as a longtime friend of the United States, a petition was started  by an individual named J.M. Alexander in Virginia, who referred to Anwar as a political prisoner. JM alleged the future of democracy in Malaysia is at stake and that securing Anwar's release from prison must be a top priority in US policy towards Malaysia, to be advanced in every way possible.

It defies any logic as to how an ordinary person can speak with such ‘authority’ and demand the release of a man who has been convicted of a crime by the court of law in Malaysia, a sovereign country independent of United States.

Such a move is highly suspect as it indirectly implies there could be in insidious relationship between Anwar and American individuals.

With its inherent inability to tame its own cabinet members as seen in a recent report citing how the U.S. congressional panel investigating the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya wants to interview former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other Obama administration officials, JM Alexander would achieve more political mileage by taking care of things in his/her backyard.

As it stands, it is shocking that people can actually sign such a petition. To counter such moronic activity and to salvage national pride, concerned Malaysians have started a petition to for the Obama Administration to respect the sovereign nation of Malaysia.

All concerned Malaysians and citizens of any other countries are invited to sign the petition asking U.S. to not to interfere with our judiciary and respect our sovereignty that we found, to counter the Anwar's petition to ask for US' interference. Do share it out and sign up to support our country's sovereignty.  We need 100,000 signatories in one month to counter the other one.

Please visit and sign the petition at THIS LINK.

Do share via social media. Thank you

Wan Azizah: A Sacrifice for the Future

Anwar Ibrahim's imprisonment beginning today was a "sacrifice for the future of the country", his wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.

Speaking to reporters after Anwar's conviction by the Federal Court in Putrajaya, Wan Azizah said that the family now hopes to find strength "in the people".

"What Anwar says is to be strong, this is a sacrifice for the future of this country," she stressed.

Anwar's five-year jail sentence would be his second stint in prison after his previous six-year stint between 1999 to 2004.

[More to follow]

Malaysiakini

IGP cracks down as Anwar’s backer vows fight

As Anwar Ibrahim’s supporters vowed to fight a “cruel regime” for jailing the opposition leader, inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar responded that the police will come down on them with the Sedition Act.

In a Twitter posting, Khalid took aim at Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming for his remarks on social media.

Nga had tweeted: “The rakyat’s prayer did not come true. It is time to oppose a cruel regime.”

Khalid, who reproduced Nga’s comment, said the politician was courting trouble.

“This person is deliberately courting action from the police. We will take action under the Sedition Act,” said Khalid.

Nga had made the remark shortly after the Federal Court today upheld Anwar’s guilty verdict for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The Federal Court also maintained his five-year jail sentence.

Anwar was brought to Sungai Buloh prison where he is expected to serve his sentence.

Source: Malaysiakini

UPHELD: Anwar's Five-Year Jail Sentence

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sentence of five years' jail was upheld by the Federal Court today, ending his public office as oppositon leader and Permatang Pauh MP.

The Federal Court dismissed applications by the defence to lessen the five-year jail sentence imposed by the Court of Appeal and also rejected prosecution's appeal to enhance the prison term.

Earlier, before sentence was passed, Anwar attacked the five-man bench which convicted him today accusing them of "bowing to their political masters and becoming partners in crime in the murder of the judiciary".



Anwar told the bench led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria that a full statement was issued by the Prime Minister's Office barely minutes after the judgment was delivered.
"In bowing to political masters they have disgraced themselves and have become partners in crime in the murder of the judiciary," Anwar said, before Arifin asked lead defence counsel Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram to tell Anwar to stop.

But Sri Ram told Arifin that his client had the right to address the court, to which Arifin retorted, "yes, on the appeal but not to condemn the court".

But the opposition leader continued attacking the judiciary, adding "you had the opportunity to right the wrong but you chose to remain on the dark side".

At this juncture, Arifin and the rest of the bench walked out.

Anwar continued to speak and shouted into the microphone: "I will again, for the third time, walk into prison but with my head held high.

"I will not be silent and will fight for freedom and justice and will never surrender," Anwar said.

Lawyers had earlier said Anwar could even be sentenced to just one day in jail or bound over, as provided under the punishment for Section 377B of the Penal Code.

The prosecution led by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was appealing for a longer jail sentence, which can go up to 20 years.

Mitigation and sentencing for Anwar, who will turn 68 this August, had begun with Sri Ram telling the Federal Court bench there was no good reason to enhance Anwar's sentence.

Sri Ram  also said that the court could use its discretion to give the opposition leader a lighter sentence under the law. "He is not an ordinary individual. His contribution when he was with the government to this country is numerous and far reaching.

"Even in the opposition, he has made significant contributions to advancing democratic principles and awakening the conscience of the majority of Malaysians," Sri Ram said in pleading for a lighter sentence.

Get updates here (latest at the top):

* Anwar carries his one-year-old grandson and kisses him. The police take Anwar into custody but allow his family to have lunch with him.

* Anwar's father in law wipes away tears while his brother Idrus said: "This kind of court, no need to comment lah. I dare not hear what Anwar is going to say."

* Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali cries as Anwar hugs him.

* Siren from riot police could be heard as supporters outside shout "reformasi".

* Anwar looks cheerful, so does his daughter Nurul Izzah.

* Shouts of "reformasi" in court.

* When the judges returned, they upheld Anwar's sentence of five years' jail meted out by Court of Appeal.

* Anwar continues to speak from dock as judges leave courtroom, after Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria asked him to stop condemning the judiciary.

* Judges walked out as Anwar attacked judiciary from the dock. "This is a complete fabrication and a political conspiracy to stop my politcal career. A full written statement was available on PM's office website minutes after you delivered the judgment even before the sentencing."

* Anwar stands up to speak from the dock. "I'm shocked with this decision," he said. "I maintain my innocence."

* Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said that a five-year sentence was wrong in principle, adding that the sentence imposed on Anwar cannot be lesser that his six-year sentence for his first sodomy charge. – February 10, 2015.

MORE TO COME

- See more at THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER.

MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT'S STATEMENT ON THE CONVICTION OF ANWAR IBRAHIM

MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT'S STATEMENT ON THE CONVICTION OF ANWAR IBRAHIM

Following today’s conviction of Anwar Ibrahim, a Malaysian Government spokesperson said:

“The judges will have reached their verdict only after considering all the evidence in a balanced and objective manner. Malaysia has an independent judiciary, and there have been many rulings against senior government figures.

“The police report against Anwar Ibrahim was brought by a private individual – Anwar’s employee and personal assistant – not by the government. As the victim of a serious sexual assault, he had every right to have his case heard in court.

“In this case, exhaustive and comprehensive due process has been followed over many years. That process is now complete, and we call on all parties involved to respect the legal process and the judgment.”

ENDS

Anwar Ibrahim Verdict: GUILTY

12.10PM: Defence seeks short adjourment before sentencing.

12.05PM: After reading for two hours, Justice Arifin arrives at the guilty verdict.

The judge says there is overwhelming evidence that Saiful was sodomised by the accused because there is overwhelming scientific and corroborative evidence.

12.00PM: Based on the facts of the case, Justice Arifin holds that Dr Mohd Osman Abdul Hamid from Pusrawi Hospital was not telling the truth when claiming in his medical report that plastic objects were inserted into Saiful's anus.

The judge said the Kuala Lumpur general hospital doctors did not draw similar conclusions.

11.55AM: Justice Arifin says Anwar did not dispute that he was in the condominium and that Saiful was also there.

"We hold there is no merit in the complaint of political conspiracy. A mere denial (from Anwar) does not mean it could be accepted. A political conspiracy allegation remains unsubstantiated," he adds.

11.52AM: Justice Arifin touches on the allegation that Saiful met Najib, who was then deputy prime minister, and the latter’s special officer Khairul Anas.

11.50AM: Justice Arifin focuses on other defence witnesses, including Anwar’s former aide Najwan Halimi’s testimony that he was surprised to see Saiful, known to be a BN sympathiser, working for the opposition leader.

MORE HERE

The Anwar Trial: Main Characters

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court is delivering the much-awaited verdict on opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s final appeal against his conviction and five-year jail sentence for sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Following are the who’s who in the trial:

FIVE-MEMBER PANEL OF JUDGES
Arifin bin Zakaria : Chief Justice of the Federal Court
Appointed as Chief Justice on September 12, 2011, Arifin read law at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom and upon graduation, joined the Judicial and Legal Service of Malaysia in September 1974. In 1979 he pursued the Master of Law course at the University College, London and the Bar Final Course at the Council of Legal Education.

Md Raus Sharif : President, Court of Appeal
Appointed as President of The Court of Appeal on September 12, 2011, Md Raus obtained his Bachelor of Law from the University of Malaya in 1976 and his Master of Law from the London School of Economics in 1987. His career started in the Judicial and Legal Service on July 1, 1976.

Abdull Hamid Embong : Federal Court Judge
He was admitted as a Barrister-at-Law of the Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London in 1976 after completing his secondary school education at the Malay College Kuala Kangsar. On October 14, 2009, Abdull Hamid was appointed as a Judge of the Federal Court, Malaysia. His career in the Judicial and Legal Service began on October 18, 1976 when he was appointed as a temporary Legal Officer in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar : Federal Court Judge
He obtained his Bachelor of Law at the Warwick University and Barrister at Law at the Lincoln’s Inn, London. He began his career in the Judicial and Legal Service at the Kuala Lumpur High Court. In 2006, he was appointed a Judge in the Court of Appeal, Malaysia.

Datuk Ramly Ali : Federal Court Judge
He obtained his LL.B (Hons) at the University of Malaya in 1978. Between 1978 and 1982, he served as a Magistrate in Perak. From 2001 to April 2009, Ramly served as a High Court Judge before being officially appointed a Judge in the Court of Appeal, Malaysia.

DEFENCE TEAM
1. Gopal Sri Ram, was the Federal Court Judge from 2009 until February 16, 2010. He has the distinction of being the first lawyer in private practice to be appointed straight to the Court of Appeal when it was set up in 1994, having never served as a judicial commissioner or a High Court judge before.

2. Gobind Singh Deo, is a prominent Malaysian lawyer and politician and also the Member of Parliament for Puchong, Selangor. He is the second son of DAP politician and lawyer, the late Karpal Singh. Gobind was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 1996, a year after returning from Lincoln’s Inn.

3. Ram Karpal Singh Deo, is a Malaysian lawyer and politician. He is a son of the late Karpal Singh and brother of Gobind Singh Deo. He was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 2000. Currently, he heads his late father’s law firm in Pudu Lama, Kuala Lumpur.

4. N Surendran, 48, served as a lawyer for 20 years since 1994. He is the Member of Parliament for Padang Serai, Kedah from the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

5. R Sivarasa is a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Subang, Selangor from the PKR who has frequently represented Anwar in civil suit cases. He was the co-founder of Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) and a Human Rights activist.

6. Sangeet Deo Kaur
7. J Leela
8. Latheefa Koya
9. Lim Choon Kim
10. Eric Paulsen
11. Michelle Yesudas
12. Sahid Adli Kamaruddin
13. Zaleha Al-Hayat
14. Jeremy Vinesh Anthony
15. Mohamed Aliff Bolkin

PROSECUTION TEAM
1. Muhammad Shafee Muhamad Abdullah is a leading lawyer in Malaysia. He obtained his law degree from the University of Malaya in 1977. Shafee has also pursued further studies at the London School of Economics and holds a Masters in Law in 1984. In July 2013, he was appointed by the Attorney-General to lead the prosecution team in the appeal against Anwar’s acquittal from a sodomy charge.
2. Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria, holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Malaya and is Deputy Head of the Prosecution Division (Operations) of the Attorney-General’s Chambers. He started service as a magistrate in 1985 and has over 20 years of experience as a Deputy Public Prosecutor.

Bernama

Anwar Ibrahim Judgement: Live from Court

CJ reads judgement.

Please CLICK HERE for live reporting on Judgement for Anwar.

‘Marbleless’ Malaysians

With the expansion of democratic space in the Internet, one would think citizens would be more enlightened about social and political issues. Current trends, however, show otherwise. Having enjoyed nationhood for 58 years, Malaysians must realize the importance of peace and harmony via positive and non-confrontational means. A nation is held together not only by the state of political elites, but also by its citizens.

Previously, non-state actors such as ordinary citizens, NGOs, local communities had little influence in shaping political opinion. The advent of the Internet changed the script and we have seen how from a timid populace, citizens have slowly found their voice and roaring down the various channels of communication, especially social media. Along the way, state-civil society relations are now strained.

The proliferation of civil societies and their activities, particularly street protests and demonstrations, do not necessarily constitute social capital that can promote peace and democracy. The angle of news reporting, features or blog posts and the ease by which citizens express themselves in social media or news portals have exacerbated matters. In fact, these could promote communal disharmony.

Malaysians must stop thinking in black and white terms to the exclusion of morals, ethics, ideals, and values. Across the board, messages seem to be BN versus PR contesting one goal – control of Malaysia. Regardless of whichever side one supports, one needs to disaggregate these two sides into smaller groups so we can evaluate issues fairly, not fallaciously.

For example, a recent revelation regarding the failed Penang Water Theme Park Project has had both sides up in arms as can be seen in comments to various articles. Pro DAP supporters object to queries because there are other issues whereby the government has made greater losses. In this respect, citizens have lost their sense of judgement. The issue is NOT BN versus DAP. Rather, it is a question of accountability to citizens who elected them into power. The state government has the moral and political responsibility to respond to queries instead of brushing off objections.

Another point is how citizens willingly allow some parties to re-quote their leaders’ statements of certain demands without thinking beyond those superficial statements. A clear example is the recent UM incident about Anwar’s talk - “40 Years: From University of Malaya to Jail”. Currently, the main focus is on the lockdown and Anwar’s agenda.

Few thought about legitimate concerns such as the fact that university authorities do not allow any political activities on campus and that by going ahead to hold the event despite the locked gates, it amounts to nothing but sheer rebellion – a deliberate act of disobedience. One wonders if anyone checked with the MPPUM (Student Representative Council of Universiti Malaya) about the logistics and legitimacy of the event, if the whole student body endorsed it! What are we teaching the younger generation – that it is perfectly acceptable to rebel against authority?

Yet, so many Malaysians, including Lim Kit Siang Lim, have urged Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yasin to punish those responsible for the “stain and stigma” to the university by locking the campus gates and switching off power supplies, even if they were to include the Vice Chancellor.

Have Malaysians lost their marbles?

In an exclusive interview with a news portal, MPPUM chairman of Residential Colleges and Off Campus, Mohd Faridzuan Karim said, “This talk was never discussed with us. We were completely ignored, as if we did not matter one bit.

“Fahmi used his power as YDP (president) to make a unilateral decision to go ahead with a programmed that was not agreed to by the rest of us.”

In simple terms, “student leader and MPPUM (Student Representative Council of Universiti Malaya) president Fahmi Zainol acted independently without the agreement of any of the 43 other council members.”

He also revealed that most of the students who attended were not even made up of UM students, but those from outside. So, was this a carefully staged event to gain mileage for Anwar’s case?
What is more worrying is the MPPUM chairman of Residential Colleges and Off Campus only waited till after the event to reveal all this when he should have taken pro-active steps as soon as possible.

The way netizens and citizens are demonizing university authorities and glorifying the event points us in one direction – many Malaysians have lost their marbles.

Influenced by propaganda, many go on a crusade for justice as dictated by those with a hidden agenda who have no qualms about destroying the moral fabric of society. Consequently, many Malaysians cannot see clearly, think logically, analyze rationally, and take steps to build this nation in the direction of peace and harmony.

What do we want for our country? Marvelous Malaysians or Marbleless Malaysians?

Freedom and Independence: The sole, exclusive right of America only?

It has been rather a routine for the foreign powers-that-be, namely the Anglo-American superpowers to dictate and decide on foreign policies in the international arena. Top of the most important in their list is of course, freedom, justice and democracy whereby they are so proud of propagating throughout the world, in the pretext of liberalizing “third world countries” from the “clutches of tyranny, oppression and autocracy.”

In this aspect, the Malaysian government is also being targeted for not providing “enough justice support system” to our firebrand Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim. The US Embassy has issued a statement that implies democracy is under threat in Malaysia with the coming verdict of the PKR de facto leader, assumed to be “guilty” even before the courts announce the result of the deliberation of the appeal. Malaysia is painted as being a “black democracy” with court judges being easily bribed and being puppets of the executive, so they say.
However, time and again, the many court decisions which have been upheld, have shown results that are not only favourable to the ruling government but also sided with the opposition leaders. Courts have awarded payments and remunerations to countless opposition leaders who were found to be “victimized”.


Then again, is it fair to accuse the Federal Government of having a hand in manipulating these decisions as well? Meaning to say, if Barisan Nasional leaders win the suit, then the courts are biased. But if Pakatan Rakyat leaders win the suit, can the courts be equally biased too? Or only Pakatan cases are allowed to win in courts and all cases involving Barisan Nasional must lose, only then will there be fairness and justice in the eyes of our Big Brothers, the United States, United Kingdom and their deputy sheriff in Asia, i.e. Australia? The Xenophon intervention is another typical example of “holier than thou” attitude which speaks of arrogance and ignorance of the legal system in Malaysia, which actually is an inherited system of the British colonial rule, including the Sedition Act 1948. Oh by the way, Malaya did not even gain independence yet at that time so how could it be a Malaysian law in the post-independence era? Do these people even know their history?

The Anwar saga is the most glaring case of all. No doubt, Anwar is seen as an “icon” and to a certain extent the “champion of democracy”, some even equating him with Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar and Jose Rizal of the Philippines. But make no mistake, Anwar is no freedom fighter for he once was part of the Mahathir administration in the 90s, the so-called dark, gloomy, oppressive and dictatorial rule of the iron fist doctor during his 22 years of power, of which surprisingly after the “master” sacked the “servant”, it was suddenly evident that there needs to be an uprising in the Malaysian streets to overthrow the legitimate, elected government of the day. All of a sudden, all the foreign media are zoomed in and focused on Kuala Lumpur. The shouts of “Reformasi” was supported by Al-Gore, the former Vice-President of the United States when he came to Malaysia for a summit. Imagine coming to a country upon being invited as a deputy head of state, only to give a speech to encourage the people to rise and overthrow the legally elected government of the day, of which the same “first-past-the-post system” was used by the UK electoral system until this very day.

What a hypocrite!

America should stop poking its nose into other nations’ affairs. Do not be a busy-body, trying to act smart and teach a duck how to swim. Please mind your own business. Kindly respect the International Charter of the United Nations. All nations are granted dignity and sovereignty in managing their own affairs and running of their countries. Surely you do not like other people to interfere in your internal affairs and advise the President of the United States to do this and that.
Needless to say, the foreign media, journalists, editors and propagandists are also responsible for their biased report on Malaysia. Their glorification of Anwar and bad-mouthing of Najib never stops, as if everything Anwar dictates is the whole truth and nothing but the truth while whatever that comes out from Najib’s mouth are nothing but a pack of lies. These bunch of retards will never have any good thing to say about the tremendous progress and growth that Malaysia has achieved for the past few decades. True enough, their mentality is set to ABU: Anything But Umno. They just want to kick out BN/Umno by whatever means possible and replace the current government with their stooge and hopefully can then decide on the foreign policy of this country, to be more pro-America of course.

It is evident and obvious that the citizens of Malaysia must open their eyes and be wary of these insidious, hidden, clandestine plots by foreign agents in disrupting, dismantling and destroying what we have built for the past 57 years. We must not be fooled by these self-serving opportunists who will stop at nothing just to see Malaysia chaotic so as to justify foreign intervention and involvement.

May I remind the American Government regarding the The Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration states that the United States is and has the right to be “free and independent.” The Declaration is based on the right of self-government inherent in the American people, and on their need to form a government that would protect their inalienable rights. In this same regard, what makes Malaysia so different from America?

We too have the right to be “free and independent”.

By Saleehuddin Omar
Concerned Malaysian Citizen
posted to Haden Hoo via email

MUST READ: Who Started the Selangor Crisis?

I have a simple question. If Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Lim Guan Eng were still singing Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s praises today, do you think people would have doubts about the menteri besar’s integrity?

This question makes me think about whether we come to our opinions independently, or whether we form our opinions with a view to justifying the positions of our bosses, heroes or people we just happen to like.

No doubt some will feel I fall into the latter category, and that is eminently their right (https://www.facebook.com/notes/nathaniel-tan/the-selangor-debate-being-the-change/10152682286140879).

My feeling is, however, that Pakatan Rakyat is feeling some serious damage from the Selangor crisis, and instead of accurately admitting the source of the problems, it takes the easier route of deflecting blame towards the man who became the target of a massive mudslinging campaign -- in no small part because he is not the kind of man to hit back.

Serdang MP Ong Kian Ming is an old acquaintance and a good man of obvious intelligence. On Monday, he published an article in The Star asking Khalid: Was it worth it?

I think it was definitely worth it for Khalid to stick to his principles. We shall explore why in the rest of this article.

Ong

The third paragraph of Ong’s article asks a series of angry questions, basically implying that Khalid was at the root of this entire crisis. These questions really boil down to the first of them: Was it really worth almost breaking up Pakatan?

I found this mildly amusing given the fact that I essentially asked the same question of Anwar. In my humble judgement, it is Anwar who was willing to sacrifice Pakatan in order to make his wife menteri besar of Selangor.

Whether or not Anwar was right to pursue this path I suppose pivots on whether you think Khalid is corrupt or not.

As I have written before at length, there are two possibilities. Either Anwar created the campaign to remove Khalid because of controversies surrounding Khalid, or Anwar created controversies surrounding Khalid because he wanted to remove Khalid, and replace him with a pliant menteri besar.

Ong points to two cases in particular: the water agreement, and the Bank Islam case. I have written about each of these and more, and try my best not to repeat myself too often, but in deference to his article, I shall summarise a few points.

Khalid believes that there is a fair price for the takeover of water concessionaires in Selangor. Anwar and Rafizi Ramli seem to sympathise with their long time backer Wan Azmi Wan Hamzah and his view that his water concessionaire, SPLASH, is worth 10 times more what Khalid believes it is worth.

I have said that if Anwar can promise that the new MB of Selangor will not pay one sen above RM250 million to buy over SPLASH, that will go a long way to prove that their motivations for wanting to replace Khalid are sanguine.

Of course, neither Anwar nor any of his supporters have been able to make this promise, or answer any questions surrounding this issue. Everyone conveniently ignores it.

I believe Khalid feels a duty to the people of Selangor. That duty includes preventing cronies from plundering state funds. To lock down a fair buyover price for water concessionaires, Khalid went ahead and signed deals with the federal government.

If anyone can prove conclusively that Khalid somehow accrued unethical personal benefits from this deal, I will be the first to turn my back on Khalid.

The strategy of those accusing Khalid of corruption is akin to someone accusing me by saying: “You have cheated on your girlfriend! Now prove that you haven’t!”

How can I prove that I did not cheat on my girlfriend? Is the burden not on the accuser to prove the allegation? Would I have to provide details on every single movement of every single day in my life in order to prove the allegation untrue?

The same principle applies in the Bank Islam case. Khalid’s detractors ignore the need for solid proof, and rely on the notion that if you throw enough mud, some people will believe that some of it sticks.

Ong writes that he feels this and the water agreements are “cause enough for questioning TSKI’s loyalties”.

Well, certainly we are all free to question one another’s loyalties. Observe, however, the difference between questioning loyalties and condoning PKR’s dismissal of principles of natural justice in favour of playing judge, jury and executioner.

The reasons to remove Khalid kept changing, and often times did not make chronological sense. It does not help Ong’s case or increase confidence in his reading through of the legal documents, that the Bank Islam settlement was only finalised in July 2014, not February 2014.

We all know, however, that the Kajang Move was launched in January 2014, well before the finalisation of the water deal or the settlement of the Bank Islam case.

So again, did Anwar create the campaign to remove Khalid because of controversies surrounding Khalid, or did Anwar and gang create controversies surrounding Khalid because he wanted to remove Khalid?

This saga is hopefully coming to an end, and Khalid is increasingly a non-factor in what comes next. I had naively hoped that Pakatan would thus focus on their roads ahead and their own internal problems, but it seems that it is easier to just make Khalid a scapegoat and whipping boy for all of their crises.

Time will tell who was right. After his tenure as MB ends, we will have plenty of time to make a full accounting of Khalid’s work, both the good and the bad.

In the meantime, until the allegations against him amount to more than weak attempts at guilt by association and manipulation of circumstantial evidence, the Kajang Move is likely to have little to do with Khalid, and everything to do with making Selangor’s funds flow more freely.

Was it worth it for Khalid to take the stand he did? I can only answer for myself, and my answer is yes. It was worth it because one day, Malaysians will be able to point to at least one man and say: there is a statesman who chose what was right, instead of what was easy.


NATHANIEL TAN is delighted that the end is in sight. He tweets @NatAsasi. 

Haden Hoo congratulates Nathaniel Tan for telling it like it is. Well, done, Nat!

Anwar's lawyer to be charged with sedition

PKR vice-president N Surendran is scheduled to be charged with sedition in a Sessions Court tomorrow for for his comments on the party's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II case.

The party's legal bureau chief, Latheefa Koya, said Surendran received a call from a police investigating officer saying that a warrant of arrest had been issued against him.

"The police have not recorded any statement from Surendran yet, but he is scheduled to be charged.

"He has been told to prepare money to be posted for bail and find a bailor," Latheefa told Malaysiakini when contacted this afternoon.

Latheefa described the charge which Surendran is likely to face as outrageous as his statement had yet to be recorded. However, police have proceeded to charge him.

She guessed that the authorities are acting on the police reports lodged against Surendran.

Earlier today, Anwar in a press statement accused Umno of interfering in his appeal against the Sodomy II conviction by harassing Surendran.

PKR also issued a similar statement by its media director, Fahmi Fadzil, saying Surendran will be charged at the Jalan Duta courts.

“This is over him stating that Anwar’s Sodomy II charge is a political conspiracy involving (Prime Minister) Najib Abdul Razak,” said Fahmi.

Lawyers for Liberty also tweeted that Surendran’s statement which he made to the media is based on the defence submission at the Kuala Lumpur High Court trial and hence charging him merely prevents him from discharging his duties as a lawyer.

Surendran, who is also the Padang Serai MP, is expected to be represented by M Puravalen.

Malaysiakini

Top Ten Reasons Why Pakatan Rakyat is a Failure

1. A coalition is a group of people/parties/organizations who share common interest in reaching the same goal and work together harmoniously by regularly meeting and resolving issues/differences. Pakatan Rakyat does not do this. 

Although PAS, DAP and PKR share the same goal of toppling BN, they do not have common interests, philosophy or methodology in reaching that goal.

2. A coalition draws inspiration and direction from citizens/members/regional population. This does not apply for Pakatan Rakayt.

PAS, DAP and PKR each get direction from THREE DIFFERENT party leaders who do not co-exist for the same goal.

3. A coalition works to build a healthy community. Pakatan Rakyat thrives by sowing the seeds of dissent.

PAS, DAP and PKR work for self-interest. Decisions made by leaders are usually for THEIR PERSONAL interests.

A good example is the Kajang by-election and MB issue in Selangor.

4. A coalition draws up guidelines and work towards achieving their goals by following guidelines. This does not apply to Pakatan Rakyat.

Pakatan Rakyat had differences when drafting their Buku Jingga and even when completed, it remains A BUKU - A MERE BOOK for show. All else is forgotten!

5. A coalition must have members which respect member parties/organizations but not Pakatan Rakyat.

Pakatan Rakyat coalition party leaders have no qualms about asking other parties to leave when their ideology or methodology do NOT match.

Malaysiakini reported that Lim Guan Eng said "the biggest issue after Aidilfitri celebrations is whether the two party system can continue in Malaysia. The breaking up of Pakatan Rakyat on the refusal of one component party to respect and hold on to views arrived at together, could not be discounted according to his Hari Raya statement today."

6. A coalition must have member parties/organizations that respect and honour the decisions and opinions of other members. 

Recently, PAS frustrated PKR and DAP when it said that there was no reason to remove Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim from his post. According to Lim Guan Eng, "if the decisions we have achieved together in the Pakatan highest leadership council is dismissed just like that by one party, the survival and credibility of Pakatan will be continue to be undermined."

What future is left for Pakatan Rakyat, what hope is there for its supporters when Lim Guan Eng himself has PUBLICLY acknowledged that the survival and credibility of Pakatan Rakyat is at stake? Zilch.

7. A coalition makes and keeps promises but not Pakatan Rakyat.

Over the years, Pakatan Rakyat has CLAIMED it can govern if it is given the mandate by the rakyat. They promised to show their shadow cabinet which today has been in the shadows, never ever seeing the light of day! Are they capable of governing Malaysia when they cannot even keep a basic promise?

8. A coalition must show and develop its abilities and competence to foster healthy relationships with member parties/organizations to sustain efforts to reach their mission. Sorry, this does not apply to PR.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders almost always issue individual press statements without consulting/considering or acknowledging the views of other leaders of member parties.

Is this effective cooperation or destructive individualism?

9. To succeed, a coalition must show progressive or interim victories because its members work together in unity. Pakatan Rakyat does not have any such consistent record except only in their wishful fantasies.

Since 2008, we have seen PKR, PAS and DAP fighting over seats, limelight and a host of other issues. Self-interest rules, not party cohesion. We see Anwar Ibrahim trapising all over the world to shame the country in international media whereas other leaders HAVE NO COMMENT about such actions.

Who is in charge? Is there unity?

10. A coalition can only succeed if leaders show consideration for the greater good of the country by pooling resources, ensuring proper communication flow to sustain an alliance that unites members to achieve goals and empowers leaders to share power for long-term social and political change. Pakatan Rakyat has never, will never and can never do that.

It is a marriage of convenience that never worked from Day 1. It is a threesome kind of menage a trois whereby three leaders only see themselves and not the other two leaders nor do they see the Trinity kind of leadership depicted by its name. It is never THREE-IN-ONE leadership but each screaming and fighting to be NUMBER ONE.

So there you go....this is the crux of why Pakatan Rakyat has failed and can never serve the rakyat because its leaders are self-serving giants or dinosaurs in the political sphere of Malaysia!

Anwar's Crumbling Credibility

First, he tried to topple Dr Mahathir Mohamed, and failed. Then he tried to topple Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and failed. Finally, he tried to topple Najib Abdul Razak, and failed as well.

Even as Malaysia faces crisis after crisis, Anwar Ibrahim has now decided to set his sights even lower, and focus all his energies on toppling Khalid Ibrahim. Good chance he will fail there too.

Anwar’s credibility is crumbling almost as fast as his integrity is disintegrating.

Anwar’s announcement that Wan Azizah will be the next menteri besar immediately brought to mind Sept 16, 2013.

It seems that once again, Anwar is bluffing. Instead of getting the numbers and then creating hype, he is creating hype in a sad attempt to get numbers. Once again, it is shoot first and ask questions later.

Anwar’s hope for Sept 16 was that if he could make everyone believe he had the numbers to take over the federal government by the crossover of parliamentarians, then more and more parliamentarians would join his cause and make the myth he was selling a reality.

When Sept 16 came, all of Malaysia saw Anwar revealed to be the fraud that he was - that he never had the numbers, and that he was doing nothing more than gambling with the nation’s future.

Tearing Pakatan apart

Instantly after Anwar announced PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the next menteri besar, PAS Selangor denied it had agreed to this move.

This slams home the point that every anti-Khalid effort since the Kajang Move has achieved nothing except to tear Pakatan Rakyat apart.

At a Pakatan meeting that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang (right) chose not to attend, Anwar failed to win the Islamist party’s endorsement for Wan Azizah, and was only able to achieve a joint statement saying “we’ll talk about it”.

PAS is very understandably asking why it should support PKR’s candidate (especially given how divided PKR is at this point), when it could very well push to take on the menteri besar’s position.

PAS appears to have had enough of browbeating and bullying by an ‘ally’ it sees as being all talk and no substance - the same party that PAS always has to support on the ground in elections because of PKR’s persistently hopeless or non-existent party machinery.

What would happen if PAS and PKR continue to be at loggerheads? Or if PAS decides to take the extreme measure of uniting with Umno against PKR and DAP on the question of the menteri besar?

Then, throughout Malaysia, Pakatan dies an early death at the tender age of six years.

All about increasing payout to water firm?

Already, as it is, one of the worst parts of this crisis is having to read sense from people we are so accustomed to spewing nonsense on. It is heart wrenching to see that, for once in their lives, it is the likes of Ibrahim Ali, Hassan Ali, Shamsuddin Lias (Umno opposition leader in Selangor), and even Utusan Malaysia taking the right side.

I’m sure some will be against what they say merely out of habit, but if we look at this objectively, it is painfully obvious that Pakatan leaders are bending over backwards to justify the unjustifiable.

(I have already written no less than six articles addressing all the key issues used to criticise Khalid and ‘justify’ his removal.)

A theory that this coup d’etat has a lot to do with PKR favouring certain players in the water restructuring exercise that I alluded to some time ago is now breaking with even greater detail.

Raja Petra Kamaruddin (right) has been wrong about a great many things, but he has been right on some; and I’m betting he is right on this one as well.

Consistent with this view is Rafizi Ramli’s blatant statement that the valuations of the water deal will change. I will bet significant sums of money that in this change, one water concessionaire will get a higher payout.

Puppet rule

Wan Azizah is a great woman, and has always been personally very nice to me. She is an individual with a kind heart who has never given anyone cause to doubt her compassion or tenderness.

In fairness, she cannot be said to have demonstrated the qualities of a strong leader.

I don’t think anybody harbours any illusion about who really runs PKR. Equally, no one harbours any illusion about who will run Selangor if Wan Azizah is elected menteri besar.

Already there are rumblings that should this change take effect, the ‘kontraktor berwibawa’ crony patronage system from Anwar’s days as finance minister will snake its way into Selangor’s administration. The very thought of it is probably already making Khalid balk.

Enjoying the accountability-free position of ‘de facto leader’, whatever that means, Anwar seems to want to extend his undemocratic portfolio to de facto leader of Selangor.

This system and pairing is not only undemocratic, it has proven thoroughly ineffective.

PKR is easily the worst-run party in Malaysia. For one thing, countries the size of India and Indonesia are able to start nationwide elections after, and finish them before, PKR’s own farce of internal party elections.

Anwar’s influence in the party is equally in shambles. Even with the fielding of his candidate for deputy president Saifuddin Nasution (left) to act as a third corner spoiler, Khalid is still toe-to-toe in the elections with the party’s other feudal boss, Azmin Ali - a clear indication that even the party grassroots want change.

Anwar’s other trusted lieutenant, Rafizi Ramli, has meanwhile fallen considerably behind in the vice-president’s race.

In fact, Anwar’s only candidate that won in the PKR race was the one who won uncontested.

The death of principles

Once again, it’s hard to write these things. When I worked for Anwar, and was arrested one weekend, he came with others to stand vigil outside the Dang Wangi police station, calling for my release. I apologise if writing the following makes me ungracious.

At the same time, I cannot forget another anecdote, that Nurul Izzah Anwar often shares when at events with Khalid. She regales audiences about how when Anwar was sent to prison, no high profile Malaysian dared to come and visit him in Sungai Buloh for fear of sharing his taint. No one except Khalid.

However, it now seems that all bets are off.

When any politician reneges on his promise to relinquish power when he promised to, red flags and alarm bells should be blaring.

Anwar’s excuse for not quitting after GE13, like he said he would, was, “we won the popular vote, so I’m not quitting,” immediately demonstrating that he had been bluffing all along.

How sad to see a man once regarded as intelligent, dynamic and principled make up such flimsy excuses and cling so shamelessly to empty trappings of power.

Should Khalid fail to step down after his second term as he announced, then he will deserve similar derision.

I never criticised Anwar publicly until the Kajang Move. Watching him continue to obsess about whatever little power he can fight over has been a continuing disappointment.

Gone, it seems, are the dreams he sold us of a better Malaysia and a political movement based in firm principles. In its place is naked ambition, petty politicking, and greedy scavenging over whatever money that is up for grabs.

A good friend reminded me: as we all long desperately to remove BN, the question we must ask ourselves is whether we are willing to sacrifice our integrity in order to replace BN. Does our desperation to reach these ends truly justify any and all means?

It remains to be seen whether Anwar will wrest Selangor; but with his abandonment of principle in favour of greed, it is certain that he has lost Malaysia forever.

Malaysiakini

Anwar Ibrahim – The Root of the UMCedel Problem

Anwar Ibrahim – The Root of the UMCedel Problem

by Datuk Huan Cheng Guan

President, Centre for Political Awareness

When news broke out yesterday (http://tinyurl.com/n9pwe38) that Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) director Redzuan Othman has been asked to resign from his position as the survey body's director, how many Malaysians tried to find out for themselves the real reason for this shocking development? Most relied on news and comments gleaned from online portals and went on their merry way condemning the government.

Redzuan and Umcedel became famous when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak dismissed a survey finding just before the 2013 general election. That poll declared that Pakatan Rakyat’s manifesto had greater traction than BN’s manifesto. Many have accused BN of being sour grapes in its reaction to such unfavourable poll results. Can it really be so simple?

The reality is this. Professor Datuk Dr. Mohammad Redzuan bin Othman is not a social science research expert. His field of expertise is in History and Politics of the Middle East, Islamic Thought and Civilisation and Islam in Malaysia. His academic qualifications as seen HERE (http://tinyurl.com/oy3own7) and his publications HERE (http://tinyurl.com/q3uq47z) show the depth of his interest in his field of expertise. That being the case, why was he chosen too head Umcedel?

To understand that, you need to backtrack to the days of Professor Tan Sri Dr. Ghauth Jasmon,  the 10th University of Malaya Vice-Chancellor (2008 to 2013). He and Professor Datuk Dr. Mohammad Redzuan bin Othman are staunch Anwar supporters who have a hidden agenda of making UM staff and students develop anti-government feelings. Redzuan, who was together with Anwar during ABIM days,  is the middle man in relations between Anwar and UM pro-Anwar leaders. In fact, Redzuan is the one disclosed how it was the government who had ordered him to cancel the forum featuring Nurul Izzah together with Dato Saifuddin Abdullan. Then, Redzuan unabashedly declared that he would go ahead with the forum anyway – an outward show of non-compliance.

Early this year, Kajang by-election candidate Zaid Ibrahim claimed (http://tinyurl.com/pxzm7zo) that PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim had a hand in a Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (Umcedel) survey in Kajang which reflected positively on him becoming Menteri Besar of Selangor and the bizarre results showed that the Kajang voters sis not consider the by-election to be a waste of public money.

Yesterday,  Housing, Local Government and Urban Well-being Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan said UMCedel polls are biased and that he doubts Umcedel’s integrity. Citing questionable sampling methods and sampling sizes as  inherent weaknesses, his comments sparked a big twitter debate with many netizens including Liew Chin Tong and Ong Kian Ming.

The truth is this. Far beyond technical weaknesses in the methodology of UMCedel’s polls, those arguments defending Redzuan are flawed because of the links Redzuan and Guath have with Anwar not forgetting their quest to brainwash UM staff and students to rise against the government. Such an insidious agenda surely has deep and dangerous effects on wider society. Besides, to carry out political polls objectively, the researcher/organization must be completely free of any affiliation with any political party.

 On that count, UMCedel should never have allowed Redzuan to carry out the poll because of his dark link with Anwar. Undeniably, UMCedel was being used by an irresponsible chief who had no qualms about biting the hand that fed him and to pave the way for GE 13 via agenda-setting tactics in their poll reports so as to spike a further swing towards PR..  As such, UMCedel shaped public opinion via distorted results to brainwash people into voting for Pakatan Rakyat in 2013.

Clearly, there is a malevolent plot by Anwaristas to destabilize the government via Redzuan and other spun lies by online portals which went on to further spin and ampligy the issues raised by UMCedel polls. What our government has done is to nip the problem at its bud before the cancer of lies spreads further. In fact, the government did practise restraint for they moved slowly to pre-empt any backlash from those who perceived their move negatively.

Considering all these factors and the chronological development of events, it is morally right to ask him to resign especially since his research studies are neither valid or reliable.

For now, do not be led by the nose for what you read may not necessarily be the truth, especially if Anwar is involved. The media, most of which are controlled by his cronies, will not hesitate to go to town and paint the government black.

Always look beyond first impressions of news or articles. Test the accuracy and reliability of evidence before you pass judgement and condemn our government.

Can you now see the Anwar link? Spread the news!

Who do you serve, Anwar Ibrahim?

Click here for the Bahasa Malaysia version of this post.

The Malaysian political scene has long been dominated by political giants who have hogged the scene for decades with no indication that they are willing to pass the baton to younger leaders.

What comes to mind when you look at the political gambit in Malaysia? The course is crystal clear. With leaders who are unwilling to step down and ever willing to cling on to the reins of power for dear life, the journey is likely to be regressive with little progress in the name of development. Decisions are likely to be devoid of democratic substance and followers have been led to the wrong side of the road - heading towards destruction instead of development. The goose may appear to almost cooked but many are mired by pitfalls - the prime example of which would be Anwar Ibrahim.

In the 1970s, Anwar was regarded as some sort of maverick leader - charismatic with the power to sway and the potential to make a positive difference in Malaysia. However, inherent abilities alone is not enough. If one changes course not once but a few times, one would be driving oneself and the party out of political viability.

At the beginning, he seemed somewhat progressive what with his Reformasi speeches and ideas about development. Through the many life-changing events of his life, we can see that he has mastered the art of self-destruction - refusing to admit or to learn from mistakes or even to adapt to the dynamic political ambiance of this nation.

It is not never enough for him. In fact, it is never enough until he realizes his dream to reach Putrajaya. I doubt he can ever get over the 1998 expulsion. Per chance it is the thorn in his side as he exhibits political blindness in his endeavour to pull himself out of the mire he created for himself. Today, even the party he founded is on the same platform - inflicted by the disease of infighting for many are clamouring to reach the top. 

Reviewing his political history is a very painful experience. To be reminded of his potential and some of his achievements is a shortlived moment of pleasure for all is evaporated once we see the many ways he went off track. Then the cruel bolt to reality hits the saner ones who are not like delusional Anwaristas. The truth is this. The reality of what he represents, both in history, the present and future, is politically and socially ugly.

Undoubtedly, his years abroad and in the political arena, locally and internationally, have given his this knack of churning out political verbiage.This when combined with his strong charisma and oratorical skills have enticed many to fall for his rhetoric to lure them to join him on his road to Putrajaya. Yes, this makes good entertainment lined with hopes and sweet dreams. When the sweetness of those words diminish, the bitter truth remains. Even so, few have the guts to admit they have been hoodwinked. 

If you were to review all that he has done in his record of service in UMNO, PKR and Pakatan Rakyat, you can see he engages citizens with impressive proposed policies such as the Shadow Cabinet that never was - but the actual result of his words or proposals have been tragically detrimental to this nation.

The record shows he will not stop in his quest to conquer Putrajaya and he is  busy making accusations and washing dirty linen all over the world.

Yes, people say he is important because he seems to be the only one who holds Pakatan Rakyat together. Stop right there. Think. If everyone subscribed to that belief, no wonder political dinosaurs can thrive in this country. There ARE others if only they were groomed or given a chance.

Bashing BN is his forte but he has forgotten or perhaps CHOSE to forget the many blunders he made when he was in UMNO. Has Anwar ever really looked at Malaysia and Malaysians for what it is, who we are - a nation of people who are diverse and yet in harmony until he went on his rampage to sow the seeds of division and to tell the tales of corruption?

Has he ever brought to pass policies that mirror the hopes of Malaysians?

Or are we being fooled over and over again by his words?

How much can Malaysia grow if citizens continue to fall at his feet and to embrace his sermon of topple BN extremism?

How long can we live in harmony if we allow ourselves to be romanticized by his lullaby of excuses?

How long can we exist in peace if we continue to believe in lies of the Opposition without questioning or testing the authenticity of what they say, especially Anwar Ibrahim? 

Will we continue to allow ourselves to be beguiled and wooed into believing lies and propogating anti-government feelings?

No government is perfect. Not even ours. However, I salute our government for the magnanimous manner in which they react to criticisms and plod on in nation-building. Even when the status quo has accomplished milestones, they still receive brickbats from the Opposition. With much grace, even without national recognition, our leaders have seldom ever uttered nasty words to or about the Opposition, not even Anwar. That is class and style displayed by our government under the leadership of PM Najib.

Look at other opposition leaders. Everyday, it is washing dirty linen. Don't they get tired of it? 

Can't they learn from BN who tirelessly - even in the face of the harshest criticism - plod on - demi negara, demi rakyat?

No, the Opposition will NOT do that because they can't. They only have one agenda - topple BN.

And if they ever succeed, do you think they can rule this nation? Think. Six years have passed since March 8, 2008. Till today, they have not revealed their Shadow Cabinet.

Do you think a coalition that cannot even name a cabinet (which they claim is better than that of the status quo) can rule this nation?

Malaysians, be deceived no more. Bangkit.

Open your eyes to lies, deception and myths.

Ask Anwar why he has done all he has been doing since the 1990's. Ask him why he is on this road to Putrajaya. Demi Negara atau demi sendiri?

Who do you serve, Anwar? Malaysia or yourself? Or is there more that meets the eye?

Love Malaysia. Do the right thing by giving our government your loyal support.

Anwar - Demi Negara atau Demi Diri Sendiri? (edisi BM)

(English version of this article can be accessed AT THIS LINK)

Politik Malaysia telah lama dikuasai pihak politik yang berpengaruh yang telah menguasai politik Malaysia berdekad-dekad tanpa mempunyai hasrat untuk memberi peluang kepada pemimpin generasi baru.

Apakah pendapat anda tentang strategi politik di Malaysia? Jawapannya adalah terang. Kebanyakan pemimpin politik  Malaysia enggan keluar dari adegan politik dan sentiasa memegang kuasa mereka dan ini menyebabkan pembanguan negara semakin terjejas. Perancangan dan keputusan muktamad akan sentiasa menghiraukan prinsip demokratik dan  mengutamakan prinsip kuku besi. Apabila ini berlaku, pandangan pemimpin lain sentiasa diketepikan  kerana keputusan muktamad akan sentiasa dilakukan oleh pemimpin yang kuku besi , sebagai contohnya, Anwar Ibrahim.

Pada 1970-an , Anwar dikenali sebagai pemimpin berkeupayaan dan maverik – seorang yang berkarisma dan mempunyai keupayaan untuk memimpin Malayisa. Walau bagaimanapun, keupayaan beliau adalah tidak memuaskan dan kepimpinan beliau adalah tidak selari untuk pembangunan Malaysia.

Pada mulanya, beliau dilihat progresif dengan idea and pandangan “Reformasi” pembanguan Malaysia. Tetapi, setelah pelbagai harungan dalam hidup,dilihat, beliau seorang yang ego dan tidak mengenali kesilapan dan tanpa rasa kesal . Tindakan beliau telah menyebabkan kemusnahan diri sendirinya dan juga masa hadapan beliau.

Keupayaan beliau telah disalahgunakan kerana beliau seorang yang ego dan gilakan kuasa dan cita-cita. Cita-cita beliau adalah menawan Putrajaya.  Pada pendapat saya, beliau tidak pernah lupa dan masih berdendam tentang isu pelucutan jawatan beliau pada 1998. Setelah pelbagai harungan, beliau masih tidak melepaskan isu tersebut dan insaf atas kesilapan beliau. Sebagaimana yang kita lihat, pada hari ini, parti politik beliau dipenuhi pemimpin yang ego dan gilakan kuasa dan cita-cita seperti pemimpin tunggak mereka – Anwar Ibrahim.

Memang tidak dapat dinafikan, kerjaya politik beliau adalah pengalaman yang tidak positif. Walaupun pada permulaan, beliau pernah memimpin  dengan cermerlang, tetapi kepimpinan cemerlang beliau adalah sementara dan kemudian kepimpinan beliau semakin merosot.  Rakyat semakin melihat pendirian dan cita-cita Anwar Ibrahim yang sebenar kecuali penyokong fanatik beliau – Anwaristas. Natijahnya, pencapaian beliau dalam sejarah  dan kini adalah langsung tidak memuaskan.

Pengaruh beliau dalam politik tanah air dan luar negara adalah kuat. Beliau memang seorang pemimpin berpengaruh dan berpotensi tetapi dengan hasrat dan cita-cita beliau yang tersendiri dan bukan untuk rakyat. Sebagai seorang berpengaruh, beliau mampu mencari sokongan ramai untuk menunaikan hasrat beliau untuk menerajui Putrajaya. Harapan adalah apa yang dijanjikan oleh beliau untuk penyokong-penyokongnya. Apabila  tujuan dan hasrat persendirian  beliau makin terserlah, ramai yang rasa mereka telah tertipu tetapi penyokong tidak dapat mengakui kesilapan mereka sendiri dan berdiam diri

Anwar Ibrahim berpengaruh di Malaysia. Apabila melihat rekod kepimpinan beliau di UMNO, PKR dan Pakatan Rakyat, kita dapat melihat keupayaan beliau untuk mempengaruhi dan mencari sokongan rakyat  sepert dengan memperkenalkan polisi dan cadangan cabinet bayangan beliau yang masih tidak tercapai

Kesemua ini dapat menyimpulkan bahawa beliau masih tidak berputus asa untuk terus menerajui Putrajaya dan segala taktik kotor, fitnah yang digunakan untuk mempengaruhi penyokong.

Ramai yang berpendapat beliau adalah penting dalam politik Malaysia kerana beliau ketua Pakatan Rakyat.  Tetapi, mari kita meluangkan masa untuk berfikir tentang kepimpinan beliau. Strategi kepimpinan beliau telah melahirkan kepimpinan kuku besi yang masih berlaku di Malaysia. Beliau memegang kuasa mutlak yang tidak langsung memberi peluang kepada generasi baru.

Lagipun, kepimpinan beliau hanya fokus kepada menyalahkan kepimpinan kerajaan BN tanpa mengingati pelbagai kesilapan beliau semasa beliau di UMNO. Pernahkan Anwar melihat dan menyemai perpaduan rakyat Malaysia? Apa yang sedang dia lakukan sekarang sedang menjejaskan kepimpinan BN dan juga perpaduan dan keharmonian rakyat Malaysia.

Kita sedang tertipu dengan tindakan beliau. Tujuan utama beliau kini adalah untuk mencemarkan nama kerajaan, menyebarkan khabar angin, fitnah  dan propaganda untuk menggulingkan kerajaan. Adakah tindakan beliau betul? Adakah tindakan beliau disifatkan menjalin perpaduan rakyat dan kesejateraan negara?

Tiada kerajaan yang  sempurna. Tetapi, saya amat berpuas hati dan menyanjungi kerajaan atas tindakan kerajaan untuk menghadapi cabaran dari pihak pembangkang.  Kerajaan tidak mencemarkan nama pihak pembangkan malah memperbaik pentadbiran mereka menerusi kritikan pembangkang. Lagipun , kerajaan berusaha untuk memerangi pencemaran nama yang dilakukan oleh pihak pembangkang. Alangkah baiknya jika pihak pembangkan tidak mencemarkan BN dengan fitnah dan memberi peluang untuk kerajaan member tumpuan melakukan tugas pentadbiran  ?

Seperti apa yang kita lihat, agenda pihak pembankang adalah mencemarkan nama kerajaan dan juga menggulingkan kerajaan. Sehingga kini, kita masih tidak melihat pencapaian dan janji mereka. Apabila mereka mencadangkan  cabinet bayangan pada Mac 8  2008, sehingga kini, 6 tahun kemudian, kita masih tidak melihat apa-apa dari mereka. Adakah mereka boleh dipercayai dan diberi mandat memerintah?

Wahai rakayt Malaysia, marilah kita jangan tertipu lagi.

Bukalah mata sendiri dan fikir dengan baik-baik.

Untuk semua yang inginkan jawapan, marilah tanya Anwar , segala perjuangan beliau sejak 1990-an , perjuangan beliau adalah untuk rakyat ataupun untuk dirinya untuk ke Putrajaya.?

Demi Malaysia atau demi sendiri?

Marilah sayang Malaysia. Berilah sokongan padu kepada kerajaan !

Anwar - The Most Polarising and Controversial Figure in Malaysia

Transcript of the interview with Steve Sackur of BBC HARDTalk

Sackur: Are you utterly sick of the fight that you have had to fight in Malaysia?

Anwar’s answer: Still you have to endure this. You have the commitment, you believe in the reform agenda. You understand the price you have to pay in fighting against authoritarian rule.

ANWAR  DID NOT ANSWER  STEVE SACKUR’S QUESTION

Sackur: Well simply you are fighting against the courts. You stand as convicted of the charge of sodomy and unless you win this last stage of appeal, you are going to go back to prison. Having been there before, you are going back.

Anwar: Ya, but the courts operate under the thumbs of the executive.  We are not talking about independent judiciary. The system is opaque - you know there is no free media. Therefore, it is a system that has been compromised.

Sackur: Well that is a message, if I may say so, that you have delivered to the Malaysian people for many years  now. The Malaysian people don’t really seem to buy it. I mean your opposition coalition ran hard in the 2013 elections but you couldn’t win.

Anwar: We won the popular votes. There was no free media..

Sackur:  You have something like 89 seats but the ruling party coalition had MANY MORE.

Anwar: Yes, we won 52% of the popular votes in the country and Narenda Modi – 38% he became Prime Minister. We won 52% of the popular vote in the absence of a free media and a fraudulent electoral process.  And this is a remarkable feat in any democratic country.

Sackur: I talked about the street protests that greeted your imprisonment all those years ago.  I think it what was it …six years you had in prison where you complained bitterly about the treatment you received in prison.

Anwar: Solitary confinement…

Sackur:  Ya, there is no sign right now is there that the people are going to take back to the streets on your behalf!

Anwar: No …er I ..I don’t ..er...necessarily er suggest that they should go to the streets because the battle is in the courts. Er but I..

ANWAR FALTERS, STUTTERS, STAMMERS BECAUSE STEVE SACKUR HAS REMINDED HIM OF THE WANING SUPPORT FROM THE RAKYAT.

Sackur: Do you suggest they should if you lose this last battle?

Anwar: I don’t believe any authoritarian government should assume that people just would condone any act of atrocities not against me, other members of parliament, other political leaders over the issue of sodomy, or sedition, er ..terrorism  -whatever - and this cannot be tolerated in any modern civil society.

ANWAR EVADED STEVE SACKUR’S QUESTION WHETHER HE WILL SUGGEST TO THE RAKYAT IF THEY SHOULD TAKE TO THE STREETS!! 

WHY??

Sackur: Are you…and we don’t know whether you will end up in prison, but we do know you remain the most sort of polarising and controversial figure in your country.

Are you prepared and are you determined to continue the political battle?

Anwar: Yes, we are but we have to combat against racism, religious bigotry and then there is corruption and abuse of power in the country.

You have seen the MH370 how it was treated. There is no media access. There is no transparency. Clearly, it is incompetent and no one is held accountable.

ANWAR DID NOT CONFRONT STEVE SACKUR’S ACCUSATION THAT HE IS THE MOST POLARARISING AND CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE IN MALAYSIA! DOES THIS MEAN HE IS HAPPY WITH THE LABEL? Instead he detoured by throwing a red herring to Steve Sackur about MH370 and then slammed the government. Why? Fair?

Sackur: Well, interesting. You have steered the conversation to a missing airline – MH370. The government accuses you of playing politics with a case which is obviously deeply upsetting to the families of those who are still missing, also extraordinarily sensitive.

And you just continue to stir up and make mischief with something that is far too serious for politics, isn’t it?

Anwar: Steve, we initially supported all undertaking initiatives by the government but when they decided to erase the records of the radar and when they did not release the cargo manifest.

ANWAR DID NOT ADMIT NOR DID HE DENY STIRRING UP AND MAKING MISCHIEF ABOUT MH 370 BUT CONTINUED TO ACCUSE THE GOVERNMENT.

Sackur: They did release the manifest…

Anwar: They released after three months and it is questionable whether that sort of cargo manifest is the true facts is being questioned.

Sackur: Are you implying a cover-up? What could they be possibly covering up?

Anwar:  Well, I don’t know.  But the fact is that, it is the responsibility of any government to release information. We have the best – most sophisticated radar system and we are not being told what was in the sighting of the radar.

What is Anwar’s agenda? Despite admitting that he has NO knowledge of any cover-up, he still insists there IS a cover up and globetrots to international media to shame the government before his appeal is heard. Why? You be the judge.

Why Malaysians should not go to the streets for Anwar

Whatever the circumstance and even if he ends up in prison again after the Sodomy II appeal, I don't think Malaysians should take to the streets for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

That is no longer the right thing to do for the battle for reforms has grown beyond the opposition leader, though he is still very much a part of it.

The rakyat have done so in the past when the struggle for a greater Malaysian democracy was voiced by Anwar and embodied in his privations and tribulations. But perhaps not now when the battle for reforms has grown bigger than him.

There is much we should thank Anwar for, in making the fight for freedom mainstream when once it was the province of opposition 'pariahs'. Because that was what the government he was part of treated all reformists.

That is until Anwar's fall from grace, and reinvention, from then prime minister and mentor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's favourite son into his worse nightmare.

When his struggle to right the wrongs against him quickly garnered support and demonstrated that other injustices in Malaysia, once thought of as a way of life, can be righted too.

Anwar thus rose to become the central figure in the federal opposition and his rallying cry for reforms resonated quickly with Malaysians disgusted with the BN government.

But perhaps going to the streets for him would not advance the struggle for democracy and reforms in Malaysia now.

Though the wily political player did hint that this is what may happen if he was to be incarcerated again if his appeal against the overturning of his Sodomy II acquittal fails.

While he was careful with his words and phrased his answer slowly, this was what he hinted in an interview with The Diplomat, cheekily mentioning Reformasi 2.0 which PKR chief strategist Rafizi Ramli is espousing.

But I would like to believe that the struggle for democracy in Malaysia has progressed beyond Anwar,

Was he wronged? There is plenty of evidence to support that.

It is clear to all right-thinking men and women that there is something amiss in the way Anwar and other federal opposition leaders are being hounded and persecuted.

But does he require 'avenging'? Should hordes of people take to the streets for him, like they did in 1998?

That is a more difficult question to answer, for the evolution of the Malaysian political landscape has given the matter a new dimension.

The struggle for democracy, rule of law and justice has progressed or should have progressed beyond the former deputy prime minister, by the agency of his persecution, leadership and contribution, along with that of other activists

The struggle for rule of law is perhaps embodied within the late Karpal Singh, the Tiger of Jelutong and the continued defiance of the Malaysian Bar Council against those who seek to misuse the law.

The struggle for equal rights for all, including the stateless and foreign workers embodied in the fight led by the late Irene Fernendez.

The struggle for democratic elections and transparency conjoined in the struggles of pro-electoral reform coalition Bersih 2.0 personified in Datuk S Ambiga, national laureate A Samad Said and their fellow compatriots.

The struggle to strive for human rights borne by the hobbled but dedicated Suhakam commissioners and other NGOs fighting for the rights of Malaysia's disenfranchised like the Orang Asal and LGBTs.

The struggle for advancing moderate Islam as a counter to religious persecution undertaken by progressive Islamists like those in the Islamic Renaissance Front.

What is refreshing with these icons is that their fight supersede themselves. None of these individuals would call for the people to go to the streets for themselves but for the values that they aspire to inculcate and the reforms they are passionate to enact.

Their principles and noble ideals they represent stood above their name and I think as such, the struggle for justice should not be about Anwar.

Malaysians should not take to the streets for Anwar or for any individual. If there is any pressing reason to embark on "street justice", then it must be for a greater cause, one that affects all citizens and their rights to justice and freedom, not for the interests of any individual, be it Anwar or someone else.


The Ant Daily

Anwar: The Menace to Democracy

Former Perkasa deputy president Datuk Zulkifli Noordin today claimed that opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) is a menace to democracy and has to be gotten rid of after being convicted of sodomy.

In his latest blog posting, Zulkifli said there were convicted criminals within the Yang Berhormat (elected representatives) community and questioned how Malaysians could "live in dignity" if a convicted criminal is leading them.

Zulkifli pointed out that in President Barack Obama's state dinner address, he had expressed hope that Malaysians will continue living with dignity and in peace, and Zulkifli believed the remark was made with Anwar in mind.


"This is no ordinary comment, Obama is well aware that Malaysia has an opposition chief who has been convicted of sodomy," Zulkifli said.

"He knows very well that in the West, a sodomy conviction would lead to the voluntary resignation of the culprit from Parliament.

"The only way for Malaysians to fulfil Obama's hope is to get rid of this menace of democracy once and for all."

Zulkifli noted that during the live telecast of the media conference between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Obama, questions were asked about Anwar.

A CBS reporter had asked the US president whether the issue had been raised during the bilateral meeting with Najib.

"Obama's answer was very dignified and statesman-like as he said that he had always been concerned about upholding the rule of law and right to be heard.

"In Anwar's case, Obama hoped that due process of law would be given to the former."

Zulkifli pointed out that Obama had not touched on the subject of Anwar from the human rights or democracy angle, but from the rule of law's point of view.

Zulkifli said the US State Department would have briefed Obama well on Anwar's case and the salient points.

"As far as Putrajaya is concerned, it is not a case between them and Anwar. It is a case between two individuals.

"A report was lodged by one of Anwar's former staff who claimed that he had been sodomised by his own paymaster!"

Zulkifli said it was not only Anwar who needed to be accorded justice and the due process of the law, but the victim was also entitled to justice.

"In Malaysia, the victim has every right to justice, just like the accused," he said.

"Putrajaya cannot be seen applying two different sets of laws, one set of laws for the big man, and another set for the small man.

"It must be equally applied, justice and due process of the law," Zulkifli said, adding such was the firm answer from Najib to the global audience.

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal unanimously found Anwar guilty of sodomising his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

More here.