I want a Malaysia where all are equal and are accorded equal treatment - but alas, both the UMNO-led BN and Pakatan have failed ....

With Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, it was 'ISLAM HADHARI' ...and all just jumped on to the band wagon and started using the 'principles', 'values'... of this "Islamic Hadhari".

Now, we have Najib's 1Malaysia ... and the same thing is happening...Fools are just....

But, what exactly is this "1Malaysia"

Is it one Nation...one People?

Is is reaffirmation of the Equality of Persons as found very clearly in Article 8 of the Federal Constitution...?

Are Malaysians all equal - and are to be treated equally?

No way is Najib being treated equally... or, is he? (Leadership by example... mmmm. I hope he openly ask the police and MACC to treat him as they treat other normal Malaysians...Call him in for questioning, etc... )

The Rich also get preferential treatment in Malaysia...

Members of Parties are treated differently from Non-Members/Supporters - if not a member or supporter, you will not be appointed as local councillors, Senators, etc... It applies also when it come to scholarships, etc....

Government Employees (Public Servants) are treated differently from other workers and people. They get free healthcare at IJN - but others have to pay tens of thousands of ringgit...They get pensions...and from time they (pesara) is also allocated special supplementary benefits...

What is 1Malaysia? Just another 'to feel good' slogan to project a certain impression/feeling - but which is not in the practices/actions that are supposed to be in line with the slogan...

Rais Yatim, now, comes out and tells us that it is different from another slogan that has been thrown around by DAP..., i.e. 'Malaysian Malaysia'. Sadly, he does not elaborate in the difference but goes on to educate us of the origins of the slogan 'Malaysian Malaysia'...It matters not who started using the phrase... There is no need to waste time trying to differentiate terms...which sounds the same, and looks the same..

The “1Malaysia” concept is not the same as the “Malaysian
Malaysia” slogan espoused by the DAP, Information, Communication and Culture
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said.

Historically and politically, he said the “Malaysian
Malaysia” concept originated from former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew
and over the years, the DAP and other political parties that were socialistic in
their approach began to adopt the concept.

“According to the (“Malaysian Malaysia”) concept,
everyone is equal and things have to be done according to the fraternity and
brotherhood system, which at that time, was already not in consonant with the
Federation of Malaya’s Reid report,” he said.

(The Reid Commission was an independent commission
responsible for drafting the Constitution of the Federation of Malaya.)

“The tenets of constitutional provisions were not given
the proper bearing and it is not something that we can simply put forward for
the people to accept and understand because Malaya then and Malaysia now is
continuously governed by the Constitution under which various elements of rights
are given,” he said at the 1Malaysia Seminar yesterday. - Star, 30/7/2009, 1Malaysia
is not ‘Malaysian Malaysia’

[But, then this is Rais Yatim - and what he says depend on where he stands - when he was out of UMNO-BN, he was strongly calling for the repeal of the ISA, and now back in UMNO-BN, he advocates for the continued maintenance of ISA...]

But wait, it is not just Rais - others, when in the UMNO-led BN also did advocate for the continued existence of ISA and other Detention Without Trial Laws - and, now when they are in Opposition, I am sure we will hear a call for its immediate repeal - Anwar Ibrahim, Zaid Ibrahim, Chua Jui Meng???

For me, my aspiration is that all are equal, and are to be treated equally. There should be an end of discrimination based on political party membership/support. There should be an end to all forms of discrimination.

There can and must be preferential treatment for the poor, and other marginalized groups of persons - but it should never be based on race, ethnicity, religion, origins, etc...

by or before 2010....deadline for Local Council Elections. They appoint you councillors, and you no more call for elections...mmmm

In Selangor, 1 year probation period for the Local Councillors is up .... and, now those who 'passed' will be asked to enter a 3-year contract...

"The councillors will all undergo a one-year probation period and if they prove that they are good with what they do, we will extend their contract to three years," said Khalid. - Malaysiakini, 19/6/2008, S'gor local councillors list finally ready

Will the civil society activists who demanded for local council election by or before 2010 accept the contract offered by Selangor and remain Local Councillors for another 3 years?

"all State Governments, especially those of Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan, which have committed to local government elections through their manifestos or the People's Declaration, should declare their road maps for local elections with clear timelines and milestones. Holding local government elections should be prioritized, and carried out by or before 2010. " - extract from the 28/3/2008 Civil Society Memo

I have been perusing the net, and it is not clear at all whether they have accepted the 3-year appointment as local council thereby betraying their very own call for local council elections...by or before 2010.

PKR...DAP....PAS seem to be no longer talking about local council elections, are they now?

Some will argue that Local Council Elections is not possible until Pakatan Rakyat takes over the Federal Government and amend some laws... but, note that there are legal views that state that they can NOW have local council elections.

Even, if a proper elections cannot be held - they can always have a referendum of the people within a particular Local Council Area to determine the people's choice, and thereafter the State can appoint those chosen by the people...

In short, there are ways and means of giving back to the people the right to chose their own local leaders...local councilors...if there is a will.

Eradication of poverty, Free Universal Healthcare, Worker Safety - seem to be not priorities of PM Najib

Malaysia's Najib's 'six National Key Result Areas' - and, I wonder what happen to the other more important areas of concern...

What about the Eradication of poverty, Free Universal Healthcare for all, Education for all, Effective Public Transport System, Safe and Healthy Working Conditions for Workers (Worker Safety is not a BN priority - Occupational Safety and Health is no more important - 90% Transportation Companies...90% Estates..), Toll-free roads,

I have perused this report in Star, which listed out the 6 National Key Result Areas, and its short-term targets(which are in blue), and have made my own comments and observations (which are in red)..

The Government’s promise of an improved delivery system takes flesh with the Prime Minister’s unveiling of the short-term targets for the six National Key Result Areas. - Star, 28/7/2009, Targets set for the six Key Result Areas

Reduction of crime rate

> Reduce street crime, including snatch thefts and unarmed robbery, by 20% by the end of 2010.

Let us not forget the reasons why people resort to such crimes. Is it not poverty and inadequate income to live in Malaysia that has driven many to commit these kind of crimes. That is why the cause - poverty or inadequate income should be addressed, not the effects, petty crimes...

Some say that you would reduce crime rates if we start seeing policemen walking the beat again in Malaysia. If there are policemen walking around on a regular basis, the perpetrators of crime will be less motivated to commit crime. It will also give the normal person a greater sense of safety. Public relations with the police will also improve. Today, to many the Malaysian police has lost credibility.

> Re-train Rela members to help improve public perception on safety.

RELA - we all know that this volunteer-corp need to be abolished. There are too many instance of wrong-doings, by this now 'too-powerful' group of volunteers. What we need is more trained police personel, and other enforcement personel. Not more trained RELA. If you have volunteers, then increase the number of volunteer police personel, civil defence, fire fighters, etc..There really is no need for RELA. I believe that RELA is just a desparate way for UMNO-led BN to try and regain the support of younger Malaysians - and that is why there is that odd desire by our Home Minister to increase the number of RELA volunteers from about 500,000 now to 2.5 million in 3 years...

The People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) is set to increase its membership five-fold to 2.5 million by 2012, with the additional members to come from not only among the Malays but also the Chinese, Indians and others.

Rela director-general Datuk Zaidon Asmuni said the government felt that Rela was a voluntary organisation made up of people of all races, backgrounds, occupations and so on.- Bernama, 5/7/2009, Rela Targets 2.5 Million Members By 2012

On the other hand, the number of police in Malaysia is 93,348 only, and Malaysia has a population of about 27,000,000, and that means about 3.45 per 1,000 people, and that is OK - but the problem in Malaysia is their organisation. There is clearly not enough police investigators...and hence the backlogs. There is too many FRU and other police used for 'illegal' assemblies and dinners... Police training and salaries need to be up-graded.

> Upgrade equipment for enforcement agencies and increase the usage of CCTV.

CCTV - this has been talked about for years, and still even the MACC has not enough CCTVs - and if it had, then we would have a better idea as to who killed Teoh. All rooms in all police, MACC, etc stations/buildings must be first equipped with CCTV with recording capacity. It must be a right for all accused persons to receive copies of all recordings made whilst in custody of police or other enforcement officers. This is already being done in Hong Kong for some time. This would definitely decrease incidences of torture, police abuses and deaths in custody.

> Set up special courts for street crime to speed up the legal process.

Special courts - what we need is more Judges...and more courts."...The Malaysian ratio is 2.4 judges to a million people — a far cry from the ratio in India (10.5 judges), Australia (57.1), Britain (50.1) and Canada (75)..." - 2.4 judges to a million people

Combating corruption

> Updating relevant policies, procedures and enforcement to improve global perception.

> Use open or restricted tender process for all government projects with the exception of those sensitive in nature.

There really is no new suggestions made here. What we need is greater transparency. We need a Freedom of Information Act - that gives citizens the right to access all information. If there is some 'secret' information/document, then we must keep in secret only for a limited period only - say 10 or 15 years, and after that it shall become declassified and available to the public.

We need every meetings and decision making process to be documented (verbatim records) - which will make a review later to curb 'corruption' more effective. We may need an Ombudsman for Malaysia.

Widening access to affordable and quality education

What we need is for an enactment of a guaranteed right to education for all, especially children who shall have the right to free education until the age of majority. This need to be added to in our Federal Constitution. The Right To Education does not exist in Malaysia - and, in fact, Malaysia has made a reservation with regard to this obligation when they ratified the Child Rights Convention(CRC).

Affordable - let us target for FREE Education for all children (until a certain age).

> Make pre-school education part of the national education system.

No big deal - quite easily done. I thought that already it was and that all pre-schools had to teach certain things, as defined by the State. The State should set only what must be covered, and give the liberty to parents/teachers to decide what additional things that they would want for their kids.

> Ensure all normal pupils are able to read, write and count when they enter Year Four before 2012.

"Normal Pupils" - what do they mean by this?

> Reward school principals and headmasters based on the achievements of each school.

Why reward only the principals/headmasters? Why not reward all teachers and even the school itself? Why not reward the Education Ministry Official/s in charge of that school as well? What achievements are you talking about?

> Turn 100 daily smart, cluster, trust and boarding schools into high performing learning centres by 2012.

Raising the living standard of the Poor

Let's talk of erradication of poverty - not the 'raising of living standard of the Poor'

> Pay out all welfare cash aid on the first of each month from January.

Why? Is this not done at the moment? Let us also talk about not just talk about welfare - regular hand-outs to the poor. We need a solution that will make them independent of these handouts. Maybe, the transfer of some shares/unit trusts that will result in regular income...

> Create 4,000 women entrepreneurs under the Sahabat Amanah Ikhtiar programme by 2012.

How many women entrepreneurs are there now? What really is this 'Sahabat Amanah Ikhtiar programme'? The Malaysian government have had many programs to help the poor, and the lower and middle income persons in Malaysia - but alas, what was lacking was information about these programs and opportunities, and Malaysians did not know about it and never reaped its benefits. Inform the people of all that is available - use the TV, the newspapers, etc and educate people of what is available now, and who can apply for it and how...The UMNO-led BN government, many a times, seem to use its own political party members in terms of education and knowledge about such benefits/opportunities - and hence most Malaysians never even knew about it, or reaped its benefits. This has to change...Do for all like what was done with regard to the fuel subsidies...

Improving Infrastructure in rural areas

> Build 1,500km of roads in Sabah and Sarawak by 2012.

Tell us how many km roads are there already - and why only Sabah and Sarawak? Is it because UMNO-led BN is desparate that they continue to win almost all the seats in these 2 States. Roads are also needed in Pahang, Kelantan, Trengganu and the other States in Peninsular Malaysia

> Ensure that no one lives more than 5km from a tarred road in the peninsula by 2012.

Again, we see discrimination. Why not the same aspiration and target for Sabah and Sarawak? Or, is it OK for Sabahans and Sarawakians to live far away from a tarred road?

> Increase clean water supply to cover 90% of Sabah and Sarawak by the end of 2012.

What? Have developed Malaysia under the UMNO-led BN still not achieved the providing of all its people clean water supply? Clean water supply should have been available to at least 98% of the people of Malaysia. Tell us what percentage of people in Malaysia have yet to receive 24 hours clean piped-water supply.

> Increase electricity coverage in Sabah and Sarawak to 95% by end of 2012.

What? Have developed Malaysia under the UMNO-led BN still not achieved the providing of all its people with electricity? Electricity supply should have been available to at least 99% of the people of Malaysia. Tell us what percentage of people in Malaysia have yet to receive 24 hours electricity supply.

> Provide 24-hour electricity supply to 7,000 orang asli families in the peninsula by the end of 2012.

Have we not yet achieved this after 50 plus years under the UMNO-led BN. For the orang asli of peninsular Malaysia, should not we not amend the Federal Constitution to insert them as one of the proffered group for special benefits?

Improving public transport in the Medium term

> Increase the number of public transport users to 25% by end of 2012 from the present 16%.

Good thing to do - but we must have a good public transport system first. We need more busses. Maybe even bring back that very dependable and frequent mini-busses. We need public buses in the smaller towns have routes that go into housing areas.

> Add 35 sets of four-car-trains to operate on the Kelana Jaya LRT track by the end of 2012.

What we need is more LRT lines in the Klang Valley. We could also do with Trams - which could easily be running beside main roads. Motorcycle lanes need to be improved. In fact, we should also have bicycle lanes - and encourage more to start using this kind of transportations, which is definitely environment friendly. Oh yes - every bridge and road, must have clearly separated bicycle and pedestrian lanes. Of late, we see too many bridges which do not have these lanes anymore - and it is so difficult for people to walk across bridges safely..

Royal Commission of Inquiry for 7 workers who were killed in 'unapproved' demolition work of Jaya Supermarket building - Petaling Jaya, Selangor??

In the end of May 2009, in Petaling Jaya, Selangor (a Pakatan Rakyat governed State), 7 people ...workers lost their life, and I wonder whether the will be any Royal Commission of Inquiry...or any Inquiry into the death of the 7.

Remember, the construction company (the employer) started demolition works without the requisite approval from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health(DOSH) - and apparently, with the approval of the local council.

Is there any investigation going on?

The 7 deceased workers - what are their names? Have their family been compensated? Etc..

Oh, you appointed (not-elected) Local Councillors of PJ... MB and government of Selangor -- Minister of Labour (in charge of approvals, employments, SOCSO/Workers Compensation) from the UMNO led-BN Federal government - UPDATE us....

This is Malaysia - and we do have the tendency of not being bothered about the 'small' people - the workers, the peasants, the poor - Sweep it under the carpet - that is the way things are done here. Is the Pakatan Rakyat any different?

The bodies of all seven workers trapped in the rubble of the collapsed Jaya Supermarket building here have been recovered.

The last three were pulled out yesterday, said Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Arjunaidi Mohamed.

On Thursday, the five-storey portion of the supermarket building collapsed right to the basement, where the car park was located, during demolition work. - Star, 31/5/2009, Bodies of all seven trapped workers found

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health did not give approval for the demolition of the Jaya Supermarket in Petaling Jaya, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subrama-niam.

He said the developers had a demolition permit from the local authority and while they had applied for the department’s approval, they did not obtain it when they started the demolition work.

Dr Subramaniam said the department began its investigations on Monday and it would take about two weeks to complete. - Star, 3/6/2009, Jaya Supermarket demolition done without approval

This is a really old story - why bring it up again? Well, we have to because if not 'they' may 'cover-it-up' and the victims will not get justice, and the wrong-doers will get off scot-free. We, who want answers, must persist and repeatedly knock at the doors until finally we will get some answers...

See also earlier posts:-

Jaya Supermarket Collapse: 7 Workers dead - Is there a 'cover-up'?

PJ Local Council's responsibility in the death of 7 Jaya Supermarket incident cannot be ignored...

Jaya Supermarlet Demolition tragedy :- Pictures reveal 'mistakes' that resulted in 7 dead workers

Worker Safety is not a BN priority - Occupational Safety and Health is no more important - 90% Transportation Companies...90% Estates..

746 workers died in industrial accidents in Malaysia in 2008

Same Wage Structure for Domestic Workers irrespective of which country they come from...Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Burma, China ...

In Malaysia, we believe in equality...

And, we are opposed in any form of discrimination...All persons shall be treated equally...All persons shall be paid the same for the same kind of work...

The only permissible justification for paying differently would be seniority (i.e. number of years of experience/service), additional skills,...

Paying someone a different wage for the same work - especially if it is race/ethnicity/nationality based is not at all acceptable...

Hence, the idea of having a different wage structure for domestic workers depending on their sending country is not acceptable...

The payment of workers different wages by reason only that they come from different countries, different races, different ethnicity, different religions, is just another 'method' that will help the 'divide and exploit' strategies of employers... It will definitely prevent worker solidarity..and unity - and hence divided workers will more likely not be able to unite to demand better rights, etc...

Remember also that in Malaysia, there is a specific section in the Employment Act 1955 that is demands equal treatment between local workers and foreign workers...

60L. Director General may inquire into complaint.

(1) The Director General may inquire into any complaint from a local employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a foreign employee, or from a foreign employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a local employee, by his employer in respect of the terms and conditions of his employment; and the Director General may issue to the employer such directives as may be necessary or expedient to resolve the matter.

(2) An employer who fails to comply with any directive of the Director General issued under subsection (1) commits an offence.

Therefore, different wage structure for foreign domestic workers from different source countries is definitely unacceptable...

A separate wage structure will be introduced for foreign domestic maids from the various source countries, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said the move would ensure that a standard wage was stipulated in the contracts between employers and employees.

He explained that under the new move, maids from Indonesia would have one standard wage structure while those from the Philippines would have another.

The ministry, he said, hoped to implement a comprehensive standard contract, which included the standard wage, by year-end.

Dr Subramaniam added that the standard contracts would be drawn based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Malaysia and all source countries.

“There will be contracts (to be signed by employers and employees) and wages will also be standardised.

“By the end of the year, everybody will have a standard agreement and wages (to abide by),” he told reporters at the opening of an Indian youth career development workshop here yesterday.

Late last month, the Philippines embassy said that Filipino maids must be paid the minimum US$400 (RM1,400) monthly salary. The rate had been decided by the country’s labour authorities.

Indonesian maids, meanwhile, were paid a much lower monthly wages.

On whether foreign maids would be sourced from China, Dr Subramaniam said the proposals could not be implemented due to opposition from various quarters.

“Wanita MCA had also informed me that it was not in favour of sourcing maids from China,” he added. - Star, 27/7/2009, Separate maid wage structure

NO to private pension funds - we need Government-Run Pension Funds or Government Guaranteed Pension Funds..

Private pension fund - this is scary, as it has been shown over and over how unreliable and untrustworthy private companies can be. Collect all our monies, and then suddenly go bust - and contributors will not have any remedy at all.

It is better if this pension fund is a government pension fund, just like EPF, with a government guarantee of 2.5% return per year. I think, maybe it should be at 5% return per year guarantee. ASN and ASB does so musch better - and thus it can be done. After all, it is a pension fund.

The much talked about private pension funds will kick off by the middle of next year.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, who announced this, said the new scheme would target the two million self-employed and those who were outside the current pension scheme.

He said the new pension funds could either be operated by new fund management firms to be licensed by the Securities Commission, or by existing firms.

The funds would be regulated by the Securities Commission.

“Several fund managers have already shown keen interest,” he told a press conference after delivering his keynote address at the Forum on Private Pension Industry Retirement Funds here yesterday.

Nor Mohamed said the scheme would target self-employed individuals who currently did not contribute to the Employees Provident Fund or those who wanted to contribute more than the EPF’s statutory requirements.

“We have to ensure it is well managed as it is a pension fund, a fund for individuals in their old-age,” he said.

He said the EPF had a government guarantee of 2.5% return.

“The private pension funds should be able to provide a ‘market return’ at any point of time,” Nor Mohamed said when asked on investment returns.

“The EPF has RM340bil in assets now. These private pension funds have huge potential,” he said, adding that there were currently 5.7 million active EPF members.

Nor Mohamed said the funds were part of the Government’s effort to reform the pension fund industry.

“This is crucial as Malaysia moves towards a developed and high income nation,” he said, adding that such funds would be a boost to the nation’s capital markets.

He said the SC had been tasked to prepare a report containing further details within the next six months.

“The Government at the same time will look at its own pension scheme and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), and head a committee to coordinate all aspects of the pension reform,” he said.

In a survey by the EPF, it was found that around 90% of members have less than RM100,000 in their accounts and more than 70% would have exhausted their money within three years of withdrawing the lump sum upon retirement.

“This underlying trend reflects the sole dependence of retirees on their EPF savings as a safety net and as such, the inadequacy of sustainable levels of income after retirement,” he noted.

He said Malaysia had pension coverage via EPF, the Public Sector Pension Scheme and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan.

“However, there are gaps in the existing pension framework,” he said.

SC chairman Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar said the regulator would make capital preservation and investor protection top priorities when it came to the funds.

“We are gathering input from successful private pension funds models in other countries. We will then try and adopt the best practices to start off on the right footing,” she said.

Areca Capital Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Danny Wong said it “would take some time” to see the impact of the funds on the capital market.

“It all depends how individuals respond,” he told The Star. - Star, 24/7/2009, Private pension go-ahead

2 died in Juru Detention Centre of Leptospirosis - The SUHAKAM response.

Remember the case of the two Burmese migrants who died in the Malaysia’s Juru Immigration Detention Centre from Leptospirosis. Well, 127 organisations/groups have to date endorsed the Joint Statement.(see below)

We send this statement to Malaysia's Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) , and we have just received a reply

2 deaths in custody, and last year, we were told of another 1,300 foreigners who died in detention. Is this all that SUHAKAM will do. Surely, the persons who did not send the 2 Burmese migrants to hospital in time is criminally liable for the deaths...Surely, the Home Minister, who did not heed the advice of SUHAKAM about medicaol care is responsible for the death of these 2 Burmese...What about apology to the families of the deceased? What about compensations?

Will SUHAKAM hold a public inquiry - looks like it won't..

Will there be a Royal Commission? Looks like, the answer is no..they are just some migrants after all.. An inquest - maybe. We shall wait and see.

Last year Suhakam, Malaysia's Human Rights Commission, identified medical care as an overriding reason why 1,300 detainees have died over the past six years....Dato Siva Subramaniam, a Suhakam commissioner, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program denial of health care was a violation of detainees' right to life....He noted that the 1,300 deaths notified to parliament covered not only immigration detention centres but prisons and police lock-ups. Source: ABC News(28/5/2009) Malaysia detention centres 'violating rights'

See also:- SUHAKAM reiterates 1,300 dead in 6 years in detention places - "...medical care overiding reason..."


Joint Statement - 23/5/2009 (Updated-2 /7/2009) – 127 Organisations/Groups)

DEATH OF 2 BURMESE INDICATIVE OF STATE OF DETENTION PLACES IN MALAYSIA

DENIAL OF HEALTHCARE IS A VIOLATION OF RIGHT TO LIFE

We, the undersigned, are alarmed to hear that Sa La Hin, 26, and Thang Hoih Ping, 21, two Burmese migrants, have died in the Malaysia’s Juru Immigration Detention Centre from Leptospirosis. This is disease that is usually caused by exposure to water contaminated with the urine of infected animals, such as rodents, cattle, pigs, horses, dogs and wild animals. The fact, that 2 persons are dead and others have been infected by this disease, again highlights the state of hygiene, cleanliness and healthcare at Malaysian Detention Centres.

We recall that it was reported in the media in December 2008, that "About 1,300 illegal foreigners have died during detention in the past six years, Malaysia Nanban quoted Malaysian Human Rights (Suhakam) commissioner Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam as saying. He said many of them died in immigration detention centres, prisons and police lockups because they were denied medical treatment at the right time.” [Star, 18/12/2008, ‘1,300 foreign detainees died due to neglect’]. Now, Sa La Hin and Thang Hoih Ping may just be the latest additions to that list of detainees that died due to similar reasons.

We also recall the words of SUHAKAM in their response to the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) dated 13/1/2009, that correctly stated that ‘…SUHAKAM views the denial of medical attention to the point of endangering one’s life as a serious violation of that person’s right to life….’

These deaths may have been avoided if medical attention was provided promptly, and we call for an independent public inquiry to determine whether there was such negligence on the part of the Ikatan Relawan Rakyat or better known as RELA (a People's Volunteer Corps), and the Immigration officers, who are currently responsible for Immigration Detention Centres in Malaysia.

We do appreciate the fact that the Director General of Immigration has now decided that ‘cleanliness and hygiene at immigration depots nationwide are to be stepped-up to ensure safety of staff and inmates there against contracting infectious diseases’ (Bernama, 19/5/2009, Cleanliness, Hygiene at Immigration Depot to Be Stepped Up).

We hope that this is not merely a knee-jerk response, which is temporary in nature, but a new and permanent commitment by Malaysia to improve standards and conditions of Detention Centres and other places of detention.

The current once a week visit by a medical officer to the Detention Centres is certainly inadequate. There should be, at the very least, a permanent clinic/dispensary manned by a medical assistant, with a doctor visiting detainees for several hours at least once every two days or more frequently.

New users of the Detention facility should also be determined free from easily transmittable diseases like Tuberculosis and the A(H1N1) flu before being introduced to the general population of detention places.

There should also be regular visits by the Health Officer, who shall monitor the conditions, including of the living and sleeping environment, of the Detention Centre to ensure that it meets the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness.

The foods, and all aspects of food preparation, also need to be monitored by the Health Department especially since there is a possibility that the fault in the recent deaths could be the current caterer of food and drink.

With regard to those who have died, we are of the opinion that their family and/or dependents should be given adequate compensation by the persons responsible, the detaining authority and the Malaysian government.

Officers and persons responsible for the acts or omissions that resulted in death and suffering should be charged and prosecuted for these crimes. They should not be permitted to hide behind safeguards provided to public servants and/or the RELA volunteers, which unfortunately only promotes culture of impunity with no sense of responsibility and respect for human life.

We, the undersigned, call on the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) to immediately commence a public inquiry into these deaths and detention places generally, and come up with concrete recommendations which could be implemented that will improve state of cleanliness, hygiene and healthcare of all detention places in Malaysia.

We are also call upon the Ministry of Health and the government of Malaysia to take necessary steps to ensure that proper steps be taken to ensure that such disregard for life does not happen again.

We reiterate the call for the abolition of RELA, and restate our position that law enforcement, and management of detention places should be done by professionally trained full-time public servants, not volunteers.


Charles Hector
Pranom Somwong


For and on behalf of the 127 organizations/ groups listed below:-

Action for Health Initiatives (ACHIEVE), Inc, Philippines

Action Network for Migrants (ANM), Thailand

All Women's Action Society (AWAM), Malaysia

Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma

Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development (APWLD)

Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), Hong Kong

Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)

Asia Pacific Workers Solidarity Link (APWSL), Korea

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body - Hong Kong (AMCB-HK)

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners ( Burma )-AAPP

Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers (Asosiasi Tenaga Kerja Indonesia )

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Bar Council Human Rights Committee , Malaysia

Bar Council's Legal Aid Centre , Malaysia

BAYAN USA

Building and Wood Workers International, Asia Pacific Regional Office

Burma Campaign Australia

Burma Campaign , Malaysia

Burma Campaign UK

Burma Centre Delhi (BCD)

Burma's Nationalities Association (BNA)- Norway

Burma Partnership

Cambodian Women's Crisis Center , Cambodia

Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB)

CDS (Community Development Services), Sri Lanka

Center for Migrant Advocacy, Philippines

Center for Indonesian Migrant Workers - CIMW – Indonesia

Center for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC), Malaysia

Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), Malaysia

Chin Human Rights Organization

Civil Society Committee of LLG Cultural Development Centre (LLGCSC) Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach ( USA )

Commission For Filipino Migrant Workers (CFMW) - The Netherlands

Committee for Asian Women (CAW)

Coordination of Action Research on AIDS & Mobility (CARAM - Asia )

Clean Clothes Campaign International Secretariat

Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), Burma

Development Action for Women Network (DAWN), Philippines

Empower Foundation, Thailand

Ethnic Nationalities Council

Federation of Trade Unions - Burma

FIDH - International Federation for Human Rights

Filipino Migrant Workers' Union - Hong Kong (FMWU)

Forum for Democracy in Burma

Foundation for Education and Development (Formerly, Grassroots HRE ( Burma )

Free Burma Coalition - Philippines (FBC-Phils)

Free Burma Campaign , South Africa

Friends of Burma , Malaysia

Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)

HAKAM - National Human Rights Society , Malaysia

Health Equity Initiatives, Malaysia

H.O.M.E. (Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics), Singapore

Hope Workers’ Center , Taiwan

HRWG - Indonesia 's NGO Coalition for International Advocacy

Hsinchu Catholic Diocese Migrants and New Immigrants Service Center , Taiwan

Human Rights Foundation of Monland

IMPARSIAL, the Indonesia Human Rights Monitor, Jakarta – Indonesia

INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development)

Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)

Institute for National and Democratic Studies ( INDIES )

International Migrant Foundation-Banglade sh

Kachin Women's Association Thailand

KAFIN Migrant Center, Japan

KAFIN - Saitama , Japan

Kayan National Development Foundation (KNDF)

Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human rights Organisation (KKKHRO), Cambodia

Labornet Korea

Labour Resource Centre , Malaysia

Legal Support for Children and Women (LSCW), Cambodia

LHRLA (Lawyers for Human Rights & Legal Aid), Pakistan

MADPET (Malaysians against Death Penalty and Torture)

Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC)

Mekong Migration Network (MMN)

Migrant CARE, Perhimpunan Indonesia untuk Buruh Migran Berdaulat

Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA)

Migrant Rights International (MRI)

MIGRANTE Europe

MIGRANTE Middle East

MIGRANTE International

MIGRANTE - Nagoya

MIGRANTE - UAE

Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions, Inc. (MMCEAI)

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia (MERHROM)

National Democratic Party for Human Rights(NDPHR) (exile),SEA Regional Office

National League for Democracy [NLD (LA)], Malaysia

National Institute for Electoral Integrity (NIEI), Malaysia

National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, U.S.

Network for Democracy and Development, Thailand

Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia (NAMM)

New Zealand Burma Support Group

NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines

OKUP (Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program), Bangladesh

Osan Migrant Workers Center in South Korea

Overseas Mon Coordinating Committee (OMCC)

Pakistan Rural Workers Social; Welfare Organization

Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF)

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)

Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM)

Peoples Service Organization (PSO), Malaysia

Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangot (EMPOWER)

Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS), Malaysia

Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor


Platform of Filipino Migrant Organisations in Europe - The Netherlands

POURAKHI, Nepal

Pusat KOMAS, Malaysia

Raks Thai Foundation , Thailand

Rohingya Youth Development Forum (RYDF), Malaysia

Shan Refugee Organization Malaysia (SRO)

Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)

Shwe Gas Movement

Solidaritas Perempuan, Indonesia

St. John's Cathedral HIV Education Centre, Hong Kong

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)

Tenaganita, Malaysia

The Foundation for the Health and Knowledge of Ethnic Labour (MAP)

The Justice, Peace & Solidarity in Mission Office, The Good Shepherd Sisters

The Micah Mandate

Transient Workers Count Too, Singapore

United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-MIGRANTE- HK)

U.S. Campaign for Burma

WARBE Development Foundation - Bangladesh

Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Malaysia

Women's League of Burma

Workers Hub for Change (WH4C)

Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association (YCOWA), Thailand

CCM Youth(21/7/2009) :- Death by Detention?

CCM Youth refers to the articles, commentaries, joint statements and various public responses recounting the shocking death of an MACC witness, Teoh Beng Hock, under dubious circumstances. CCM Youth is not only horrified and outraged, but deeply ashamed and bewildered.

This tragedy yet again adds another nauseating leaf to our country’s sheer lack of a credible and transparent value system of integrity against a painful track record of mistreatment of suspects and dubious deaths under detention. What makes this more disturbing is that this is the first case of a witness dying under questioning. The primary concern is the clear lack of oversight, which is a shameful symptom of the nation’s ingrained and persistent lack of political will to revamp clear violations of basic human rights by enforcers of the law and those in authority.

The critical issue is not one of “Who’s next?” but “Who’s before?” Teoh Beng Hock is but the latest of a growing list of deaths under detention or custody or police action – A Kugan, Samiyati Indrayani Zulkarnain Putra, Francis Udayappan, Dr Tai Eng Teck (the police officer was eventually convicted), V Vikines, Tharma Rajan, M Ragupathy, Syed Fadzil Syed Ibrahim, Hasrizal Hamzah, Prakash Moses, Kannan Kanthan, Ahmad Salleh, Ulaganathan Muniandy, Vivashanu Pilai, Ho Kwai See, Ravichandran Ramayah, Veerasamy Gopal, L. Yoges Rao – just to name a few of the more celebrated deaths out of the untold numbers who died under police action, or inaction. Do we still remember these names? Or have they been neatly filed and forgotten?

This is only the tip of the iceberg - what of the deaths of undocumented migrants or detainees in rural police stations that we don’t hear about in the media? According to our previous Deputy Home Minister Wan Fairuz Wan Salleh, he reported in Parliament that a staggering 1,531 died in custody in 4 years from 2003 to 2007. According to Suhakam, 1,300 foreign migrants died in detention centres in the past 6 years. These statistics are damaging, and damning. How many more talented youth do we have to sacrifice before we finally pull the plug on the potential for blatant abuse by enforcers of the law?

We need to move beyond a call for yet another Royal Commission of Inquiry. We are jaded by the setting up of panels and commissions that are unable to bring about meaningful countermeasures. We are saddened that nothing concrete has been done despite countless recommendations by generations of “toothless tigers”.

We need a working public system to track such deaths. Witnesses and detainees should have the right to immediate legal representation. Standard operating procedures for the protection of witnesses should be made available to the public – remove the veil of secrecy. Violations by enforcers of the law, who are to protect, not harm, should be swiftly dealt with. So what if we have CCTVs? The tapes can be easily erased or tampered with unless a system of checks are in place to protect the integrity of evidence. Evidence collection and forensics intervention must be immediate and timely. We must remove any conflict of interest in investigations of public interest.

We are a grieving nation today. We are in pain. The government has failed repeatedly to enact meaningful and honest reform to the enforcement community, that is, the police, RELA and prison system - and the prospects are depressing to say the least.

We thank the public, NGOs and media for keeping such issues alive and urge politicians not to milk Teoh Beng Hock’s death for their own agenda.

We call upon Tan Sri Musa Hassan to ensure that he leaves no stone unturned in these investigations and to honestly reveal the findings, without conspiring to hide the truth from the Rakyat, to whom the Police are accountable.

We call upon our new Home Minister, Dato’ Seri Hishammudin Hussein to take leadership and act swiftly and courageously on this. The government urgently needs to bring the detention system up to basic standards of decency and fairness. We need to lift the veil on interrogation centres, migrant detention centres, police jails, and hold all heads of departments to full accountability for all misdemeanours by their officers. And that includes MACC. We demand automatic inquiries upon death whether by police action, or inaction. We need to implement and re-design an enforceable and just system with the highest standards of accountability and transparency. The Home Minister’s planned review of 33 Acts would not be meaningful to the Rakyat if there is no justice or if we are unable to trust the very authorities who are supposed to enforce them.

We believe that Teoh Beng Hock and the countless others who died before him, did not die in vain. We look to our Home Minister to restore the Rakyat’s faith in the authorities whose duties are to protect them.

In his efforts to bring about unity in his 1Malaysia concept, we call upon our Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak to make this a reality by leading the nation to repentance before the Almighty God for the deaths of our young Malaysians in custody, poor treatment of migrants, lack of honesty in the government system, and the lack of love and care for the vulnerable.

Our Prime Minister must honour God first, and since he is God’s chosen leader for this nation, he should call for a National Day of Prayer. We trust that our Prime Minister’s recent pilgrimage will give him new found strength to raise a God fearing nation that honours the Almighty, and a people not only of knowledge, but of wisdom, integrity and honesty. The first tenet of the Rukunegara – “Belief in God, or Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan” – bears no meaning if we do not come before God in national mourning and repentance. Failure to answer for wrongdoings puts us into condemnation from the Almighty God. The Rakyat is counting on our Prime Minister to ensure that justice will prevail in this nation for all communities. It is our hope and prayer that justice will prevail in this matter; that those who are responsible be identified, convicted and punished.

Our Prime Minister must be seen to exercise an even hand in his fight against corruption – if MACC is so short handed, then priority must be placed on catching the big sharks like political leaders with assets beyond their means or leaders who have misappropriated public funds in the name of welfare for their personal use or entertainment. To try to distract the Rakyat with investigations involving small amounts of a couple of thousand ringgit is insulting the Rakyat’s intelligence.

May our God Almighty deal justly and severely with those who do not fear Him, and on those who are intent on suppressing the truth.

Daniel Chai
Youth Secretary
CCM Youth
Mobile: +6012 237 6102
Email: ccmyouth@gmail.com

21 July 2009

* CCM - Council of Churches Malaysia

About 3,000 deaths in custody in Malaysia in the last 20 years...Deaths in police custody have been on the rise

Death in Police Custody in Malaysia has been increasing...and this is based on the information that we have obtained from the government...[It is really difficult to get information from the government - and the only way is to get an MP to ask questions...]

Relying merely on data provided by the government, it has been disclosed that there have been 150 deaths from 1990 until 2004 (10.7 per year), 108 deaths between 2000 and 2006 (18 per year), and, 85 deaths between 2003 and 2007 (21.25 per year).

In Malaysia "...from 1990 till September last year [2004], a total of 1,583 deaths among prisoners were recorded in 28 prisons nationwide, with the highest number in 2003 when 279 inmates died. During the same period, 150 detainees died in police lock-ups or custody…" - Malaysiakini, 7/2/2005

‘…Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today revealed that 108 deaths occurred during police custody between 2000 and 2006…’ – Malaysiakini, 23/4/2007

‘…There were 85 deaths recorded in police lock-ups during the 2003-2007…’ -Bernama, 8/7/2008.

- Make Malaysia Torture-Free - Ratify Convention on Torture, Set Up the IPCMC (MADPET- 26/6/2009)

How many deaths in custody in Malaysia since independence?

How many deaths in police custody in Malaysia since independence?

How many deaths in custody of other enforcement agencies in Malaysia since independence?

Yearly data is required to determine whether deaths in custody is on the rise, as is the case of death in police custody...

"1,535 Deaths in Custody in Malaysia between 2003 and last year" (Bernama News, 8/7/08) - this was what was revealed at the Dewan Rakyat(Parliment) on Tuesday(8/7/2008). - 1,535 Deaths in Custody in Malaysia between 2003 and last year

We know that from 1990 until September 2004, there were 1,583 + 150 deaths in custody...

Maybe about 3,000 deaths in custody in Malaysia since 1990...

They will heed the call and set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry - but to look at investigation procedures...not the death of Teoh

Why did people called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry? To inquire into how Teoh Beng Hock died....

And Najib is setting up a Royal Commission to look into procedures...

The cabinet today agreed to set up a royal commission to look into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's investigative procedures and to determine if there were any human right violations when Teoh Beng Hock was being interrogated.- Malaysiakini, 22/7/2009, Cabinet approves royal commission

“The Royal Commission will be set up according to specific terms, which is to scrutinise and study the procedures related to interrogations that are used by the MACC. It will also identify if there were any violations of human rights during Teoh’s interrogation.

“The members of the Commission will be announced later ,” he told a press conference here Wednesday.

He said the investigations by the Royal Commission were necessary to ensure there was no repeat of such incidents and the steps being taken mirrored the Government’s commitment to finding out the cause of death so that Teoh’s family and the public can know what really happened.- Star, 22/7/2009,Inquest into Teoh’s death, Royal Commission on MACC's treatment (Updated with Q&A)

What will the Commission investigate?
It will be on the (MACC’s) procedures relating to its investigation, not the investigation on Teoh’s death and the normal investigations conducted by the MACC..- Star, 22/7/2009,Inquest into Teoh’s death, Royal Commission on MACC's treatment (Updated with Q&A)

To find out the cause of death, and whether any person is criminally liable - they are going to have an inquest...

Prime Minister Najib Abul Razak - who chaired the meeting - also revealed that an inquest will be held to determine Teoh's cause of death...."I know the police can wrap up investigations very soon. We are talking about a matter of days but the inquest is up to the magistrate to decide.- Malaysiakini, 22/7/2009, Cabinet approves royal commission

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Cabinet during its meeting Wednesday also decided that the inquest into Teoh’s cause of death would be headed by a magistrate as dictated by law.

It will be up to the courts to decide which magistrate would be in charge of the inquest, he added.

Najib said the courts had already been notified of the Cabinet decision and he expected the inquest to begin sometime next week. - Star, 22/7/2009,Inquest into Teoh’s death, Royal Commission on MACC's treatment (Updated with Q&A)

Maybe, we should just have SUHAKAM, Malaysia's Human Rights Commission doing a public Inquiry...for after all, they are already investigating...

The Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) will carry out a thorough investigation into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

Its commissioner Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam said that the investigation would also cover complaints from individuals of being injured during a demonstration in front of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam where Teoh was found dead on Thursday.

“Suhakam will conduct an independent investigation into the two incidents and whatever decision made, such as on whether there should be a public inquiry, will be known after our meeting next month,” Subramaniam told reporters at the Suhakam office here yesterday after receiving a protest memorandum from several individuals who claimed to have been injured by police during the demonstration.

Subramaniam also urged that the fundamental rights of individuals be respected and protected when any investigation is being carried out by the relevant authorities or agencies.

“According to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, torture involves any act inflicted on a person to obtain from him or a third person information or confession with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity,” Subramaniam said - Star, 22/7/2009, Suhakam to conduct thorough investigation

Royal Commission - another one, and this time, they may not be so committed to come out with detailed reccomendations and draft Bills... for after all, the UMNO led-BN government does not have a history of following these recomendations, even if it comes from a ROYAL Commission... Where is that Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), that was reccomended by 2 Royal Commissions of Inquiry?

When I read Malaysiakini, and the words uttered by Najib, I could not help but smile..."We want to establish the truth and nothing but the truth... it is important for us to ensure that public faith and confidence in important institutions," Najib expressed.

I remember Altantuya's case - and I do not believe that them 'important institutions' did even question Najib to 'establish the truth and nothing but the truth...'. Public faith and confidence in the police and other 'important institutions' has been eroded... The head of the Judiciary, who admitted to 'bribing' (later to deny)...and later to have been revealed to have lied when a tape recording surfaced, and the fact that no action was taken, even further erodes 'public faith and confidence' in the judiciary...

Catholic Lawyers Statement on the 'Al-Islam' article. Should expression be responded with other expressions...or by the State?

Wrong-doings of a few individuals should not be transformed against the whole community of the same faith or ethnicity of the said wrong-doers.

Freedom of expression is a right...a freedom - but it also has its boundaries. The question should be as to how these 'boundaries' are to be set or defined, and who has the task to ensure that these 'boundaries' are not breached. Or maybe, we should just not have boundaries at all. These may be the questions that we must reflect on and decide.





We have all seen what can happen when it is the government of Malaysia that determines these 'boundaries' - and use laws to prevent people crossing these boundaries.

The words that define these 'boundaries' have been words like...

• prejudicial to the security of Malaysia
• prejudicial to the maintenance of essential services therein or to the economic life
• prejudicial to public order
• for the suppression of violence or the prevention of crimes involving violence
  

and at the day, it is the 'Minister' that decides what it means, and detain people using the ISA and other Detention Without Trial Laws..., and, of course, the Minister's reasons or the basis of that reason cannot be questioned by anyone...not even the courts.

Today, the Catholic Lawyers, in their press statement, call on the State to consider charging the alleged perpetrators under the law...and even using that draconian Printing Presses & Publications Act 1984.

See the words, as found in section 298A of the Penal Code, i.e."...act that is likely to cause disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will; or prejudice or attempts to prejudice, or is likely to prejudice, the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion, between persons or groups of persons professing the same or different religions...'. The breadth is unacceptable...and it can even be used against legitimate discourse about religion, even amongst adherents of the same religion. Who decides the meaning? The Judge?

I wonder whether the course that we should be taking is by means of criminal prosecution, or the banning/restriction of the publication permits. Maybe, a civil action. Or better still, by our very own exercise of our freedom of expression in a responsible manner...and that has been done through press statements, blog postings, letters to editors, etc. It would be good if the leaders of nation could also come out and express their outrage...and disagreement with the conduct and actions of Al-Islam (the magazine), its publishers, editors and journalists. It is good to note that there has been almost no Malaysian groups that have come out in support of the actions of Al-Islam (or did I miss that).

Hence, my hope is that Al-Islam, its publishers, its editors, its reporters... repents the wrong that they done to Catholics/Christians. It would be good if they do publish an apology...and we move on...

Catholics are genuinely angry with the actions of these few people...and, maybe the expression of this anger should suffice...and will deter others from repeating such actions...

It would also be good if leaders/persons of other faiths could also express their condemnation of the article that appeared in Al-Islam (one unknown publication...which has suddenly become 'famous'...).

"This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you". Mahabharata, 5:1517 "

"...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?" Samyutta NIkaya v. 353

"And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself." Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version.

"Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence." Mencius VII.A.4

"None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."

do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517

I publish the Catholic Lawyers Society Press Statement, as like many attempts to express themselves never get the required amount of publication by the press/media - and, that soemtime is the reason why people finally have to resort to other means that will get the people's and the media's attention. But alas, these 'other means', be it a peaceful assembly, candle light vigil, a public forum, a 'dinner' talk.... all also get the unwanted attention of the very 'anti-freedom' Malaysian police...

PRESS STATEMENT - 21/7/2009, CLS

Sacrilegious ACT BY JOURNALIST

The Catholic Lawyers’ Society Kuala Lumpur expresses dismay over the recent article appearing in the May issue of Al-Islam entitled ‘Tinjauan Al Islam Dalam Gereja – Mencari Kesahihan remaja Melayu Murtad’.

The article written by Muhd. Ridhwan Abdul Jalil @ Erwanz, displays utmost disrespect to the Catholic community when he admitted consuming Holy Communion and photographing the sacred specie. Although a police report has been lodged, no charges have yet been brought against the writer, the editor or even the publishers of the magazine.

There has been todate no sign of remorse or apology from the writer, editor and/or publishers of the Al Islam for the intrusion, violation and defilement of the most sacred element of the Catholic faith

The writer and editor of the magazine have shown utter contempt to the Catholic community and the Catholic Lawyers’ Society call on the authorities to expedite their investigations and haul up those responsible to Court as a deterrent so that no other religious institution will be subjected to such similar sacrilegious acts by other individuals.

Section 295 of the Penal Code states that it is an offence,

“to defile damage or destroy any object held sacred by any class of persons, with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons, or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage, or defilement as an insult to their religion…”

Section 298A of the Penal Code states that it is an offence,

“to cause or attempt to cause, or do any act that is likely to cause disharmony, disunity, or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will; or prejudice or attempts to prejudice, or is likely to prejudice, the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion, between persons or groups of persons professing the same or different religions….”

The actions of the journalist and the magazine clearly contravene inter alia sections 295 and 298A of the Penal Code.

We also call upon the Ministry of Home Affairs & Internal Security to investigate the magazine and its publishers to ascertain if there has been any violation of the printing and publishing licences and permits issued by the Ministry and if there has been violation of the Printing Presses & Publications Act 1984.

The society expresses concern that in 2007 no criminal charges were levied against those responsible for circulating false information of mass conversions of Muslims in a church at Selibin, Ipoh that saw an unruly crowd disrupting the celebration of first Holy Communion for 90 Catholic children. Now, matters have gone one step further with the violation of the Holy Communion itself. We are concerned that this pattern of interference and violation of that which is sacred to persons of a particular faith and then publishing the same for all to know transgresses any attempt made so far towards harmony and mutual respect.

It is in this light that we call on the Police and the Home Minister to take immediate action against those responsible.

Dated 21^st. July 2009

Mabel Sabastian

President Catholic Lawyers’ Society KL

Tel No: 016-6381276

****

Browsing through the internet, I came across other relevant responses to the article in the Al-Islam magazine...

PRESS RELEASE - 8th July 2009

Muslim Men Spying in Catholic Churches

We are deeply concerned that two Muslim men acting on false information that the Catholic Church was converting Muslims into Christians had recently entered a Catholic Church service for the purpose of gathering information as to whether this was occurring. They were also investigating whether the word 'Allah' was being used in church services. These men participated in the church service and even took part in the rituals that are strictly for Catholics and in doing so violated the sanctity of what Catholics hold very sacred. These men later wrote about their experience in an article entitled "Tinjaun Al Islam Dalam Gereja:Mencari Kesahihan Remaja Murtad" which was published in the May 2009 issue or the Al Islam magazine.

The men had consumed the 'communion' which is a white wafer which is blessed by the Priest in a Catholic ritual that dates back 2000 years. Via this ritual the 'white wafer' is supernaturally transformed into what Catholics believe to be Jesus Christ and when consumed allows Catholics to experience life after death. The 'communion' is held with great reverence and cannot in any way be mishandled or with a lack of respect. Even Catholics are not allowed to take home the 'communion' but are instructed to consume it immediately during the service. Catholics go through an elaborate process of preparing themselves to receive this 'communion' worthily and those who have not done so are advised to refrain from receiving it.

As such we are outraged that these Muslim men consumed it only to spit it out later, have it photographed and have its image published in the Al-Islam magazine. The total disrespect shown to what Catholics hold in closest to their hearts and believe to be most Holy strikes deep into our hearts and invokes much anger. While we are resolved not to allow anger to guide our actions and instead pray that these ignorant will be forgiven by the Allah, we want to know what has become of this most holy 'communion' and demand its immediate return to the church authorities.

We are further outraged that these Muslim men have violated our sense of privacy to freely worship. Would these men tolerate non-Muslims entering the mosque and violating the sanctity and holiness of their worship? We believe that all places of worship and the form of worship practiced in these places must be respected with the greatest sensitivity and reverence be they the church, mosque, temple or gurdwaras. Entering these premises with the intention to spy and worse to violate the sanctity of the worship only serves to incite anger and hatred that could lead to potentially dangerous consequences that would tear this country apart.

As such, as concerned Catholics, we have made a police report at the Patani Road Police station on 8th July 2009 and thereafter held a press conference at the same place. We requested that the police investigate this matter with great urgency and bring to books those responsible for acting to incite hate and resentment among the Catholic Community. We also call on the police to investigate both the Al-Islam magazine and the writers of the article.

Joachim Francis Xavier & Sudhagaran Stanley

***

Press Statement By Christian Federation of Malaysia

CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA
(PERSEKUTUAN KRISTIAN MALAYSIA )
Address: 10, Jalan 11/9, Section 11, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan , Malaysia
Telephone: (03) 7957 1278, (03) 7957 146, Fax: (03) 7957 1457
Email: cfmsia@yahoo.co.uk

PRESS STATEMENT

GOING ABOUT THINGS THE WRONG WAY

The Christian Federation of Malaysia deeply regrets the surreptitious manner in which information was gathered for, and the publication by the magazine Al Islam of, the article entitled “Tinjauan Al Islam Dalam Gereja: Mencari Kesahihan Remaja Murtad” in its May 2009 edition where the “investigators” took it upon themselves to be “undercover spies and policemen”.

Firstly it is not proper or acceptable for adherents of one religion to spy on worshippers of another. Matters of faith and belief are personal, and it should not be the case that citizens of Malaysia should be made to live in fear of professing and practising the religion of their own free choice in public. Regrettably the interpretation/existence of certain laws, customs, practices and teachings in Malaysia has bred a type of religious imperialism, intolerance, intemperance and illegality which is unhealthy and unhelpful in the development of a truly multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society where everyone is able to profess and practice their own faith free from the interference of the authorities, whether civil or religious.

Secondly, no right-thinking publication and editor should have stooped so low so as to condone, let alone permit, this so-called investigative piece of journalism (if the article can even be called that) to be published. The authors of this article clearly failed in their stated aim as described in their chosen title – to seek the truth about Muslim youths who had converted to Christianity. It should have ended there. That it went further, and led to the actual publication of the article and the proud disclosure of acts which can only be described as religious desecration (by the illicit and wrongful participation in the rite of Holy Communion of Christians without understanding its meaning and consequences), only goes to reveal the moral, ethical and journalistic bankruptcy of the editors of this publication. The sacrilegious behaviour of the authors simply breached all standards of common decency. All God-fearing and peace-loving Malaysians, regardless of their faith traditions, should rightly distance themselves from such conduct.

Thirdly, Christianity has nothing to hide. If people indeed seek the truth, if they are curious about what Christianity is all about, what Christians do, what Christians believe, they need only ask. If they sincerely wish to learn, we welcome them with open and loving arms, as we do people of all faiths, or of none, into our churches and seminaries to learn more about Christianity. There is no need to snoop or to spy. Doing so is merely going about things the wrong way.

Finally, we trust that the authorities will do the right thing and take the necessary action to correct the wrong that has been done.

(signed)
The Rt. Revd. Ng Moon Hing
Chairman, Executive Committee Christian Federation of Malaysia

17th July 2009

And guess what, it was UMNO's Khairy that seem to have come out 'first' on this issue. What has happened to good old Anwar, Hadi Awang,...did they come out and condemn the actions of Al-Islam magazine, its journalist and editors?

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin became the first Umno leader to speak out against the two Muslim journalists who went undercover to two Catholic churches, describing their action as “appalling and offensive.”

His latest blog posting blasted the Al Islam journalists for pretending to be Christians and taking part in its rituals — receiving and spitting out the Holy Communion wafer for photographs — saying their action was unacceptable even by a Muslim such as himself.

The pictures of the crushed wafer were published alongside the article in the Al-Islam magazine.

Khairy's posting makes him the first Malaysian-Muslim politician to speak on the issue which has upset many in the Christian community. The two journalists were investigating reports of mass conversions at the two churches.

"I have no reservations whatsoever in condemning this instance of unethical journalism, grounded in both disrespect and ignorance," said Khairy.

"The Islamic virtues of empathy, respect and tolerance were obviously absent in both the journalists and the magazine's editorial team that sanctioned the publishing of the article and the methods employed to gather information," he added.

Khairy, who is also the MP for Rembau, further said those behind the fracas should imagine what they would feel if Christians were to do the same thing, going to a mosque pretending to worship as Muslims and then making a mockery out of their religious practice.

"I suspect Al-Islam failed to consider the fact that the gravity of their own actions were similar to this hypothetical situation where the sanctity of the Muslim place and act of worship are violated," commented Khairy.

This incident plus the recent arrest and overnight detention of nine people who were allegedly on a conversion mission at Universiti Putra Malaysia have made many people doubt the sincerity of the 1 Malaysia concept.

Another case which has left many Christians upset is the swift legal action taken against the Catholic Church for using the word “Allah” in their newspaper. “Allah” in Arabic simply means god but many Malaysian Muslims believe that non-Muslims should not be allowed to use the word. - Malaysian Insider, 16/7/2009, Khairy condemns actions of two Al Islam journalists

Was in MACC's custody for questioning - then body found sprawled on roof of adjacent building...Of course, people are angry with the MACC.. government

Our Malaysian police's reputation is already in the gutter..

Now, the MACC's credibility is also in question - is the MACC involved in the killing of Teo Beng Hock?

Again...there is no CCTV recodings that we can look at and know who is responsible for this man's death...and threw his body so much so it landed on the roof of an adjacent building...

Teo's body was found sprawled on the roof of an adjacent building after he was grilled by Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers into the wee hours of the morning at the commission's Selangor office in Shah Alam.

The 30-year-old former journalist was the political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hean Wah.

Teo was brought in to the MACC office for questioning on Wednesday evening over investigations into alleged misappropriation of funds by his boss - Malaysiakini, 17/7/2009,DPM calls for calm over Teo's death

Many are angry about what has happened ....and all we can wait for is the results of the investigation into the death...which could be classified as murder...

All protestors arrested should be immediately released... The police should not be wasting time harrassing protestors.... Investigate Teo's death now...

Do not cover-up the truth...please..

Will PR allow people to elect their own Local Councillors? Civil Society Deadline for Local Council Elections:- '..by or before 2010..'

What is happening to local council elections??? ...elections...not appointments. Elections is where the people choose their local councillors...mayor...

Civil society groups came out after General Elections in 2008, which saw the opposition (Pakatan Rakyat) becoming government in 5 out of the 13 States in Malaysia, calling for local council elections to be held by or before 2010... [Of course, it made no sense...when it was something that should have been done in 3 months time...or latest by end 2008 - see earlier post: Local Government Elections at all levels by end 2008 (definitely NOT by 2010..)]

"all State Governments, especially those of Penang, Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Kelantan, which have committed to local government elections through their manifestos or the People's Declaration, should declare their road maps for local elections with clear timelines and milestones. Holding local government elections should be prioritized, and carried out by or before 2010. " - extract from the 28/3/2008 Civil Society Memo

Malaysia had Local Council Elections, until UMNO-led coalition government discontinued it in September 1964 - they could no longer trust the people of Malaysia to choose their own local councilors. In fact, the Malaysian government does not even trust Malaysians to choose their own community leaders - the government appoints them for the people. Thus, there is no elections to choose the Ketua Kampung (or the Ketua Taman..or the Ketua Kampung Baru...or Ketua Kawasan Perumahan..or the Ketua Orang Asli Kampungs...) or its committee. The BN government did not trust its people - the BN government chose to be dictatorial - they appointed the community leaders...and these 'community leaders' possibly would have approved all kinds of things with the people even knowing about what they had approved or not.. [ See also earlier posts:Even Thailand have local council (local government) elections. Shame on you, Malaysia.]

When Pakatan Rakyat came into power - many (especially me...) hoped that there will be changes - and the people will be given back the power and the right to choose their own community leaders ...and the local councillors ...the penghulus...and even the Senators for the Pakatan Rakyat-ruled states... Perak was the only state that at least started returning to the people the power to choose their local leaders. All other Pakatan Rakyat states did not do anything to return power to the people ...power to choose their own local leaders...

Is it only PKR? Not really....Penang led by Lim Guan Eng also seem to be the same...Where is that Local Council Elections...

Many NGO and Civil Society personalities also got 'bought' or compromised when they accepted appointments as Local Councillors...

In Selangor, in June 2008 the Menteri Besar announced about the appointment of local councillors - 1 year probation, and then a 3-year contract..... [Note, this means that local councillor are still going to be appointed beyond the 31st December 2009 deadline imposed by civil society....] - and still, many NGO and Civil Society personnel accepted these terms and were appointed local councillors... [See also earlier post:- Will HR activist still call for Local Council elections with the same intensity..??]

"The councillors will all undergo a one-year probation period and if they prove that they are good with what they do, we will extend their contract to three years," said Khalid. - Malaysiakini, 19/6/2008, S'gor local councillors list finally ready

In Selangor, the 1 year probation should have ended in June 2009 - Have the civil society/NGO activist signed 3-year contracts...or any contracts of appointment as local councilors that extends beyond the end 2009 deadline for Local Council Elections?

Have not seen a recent statement issued by civil society groups on the question of Local Council. I know that there was mention again about criteria for appointment....but why talk about this when it is now past mid-2009, and nothing seem to be done with regard to even preparations for local council elections...

There should not be talk of appointments by the Menteri Besar and the state government - it must be elections. It must be the people that choose...

" laud the various measures of economic reform" of Najib - I do not think so.

There are some that " laud the various measures of economic reform announced lately by the Government...." led by Prime Minister, Mohd Najib Razak....

Happy we may be about the removal of that 'bumiputra quota' - we may have to look more closely at what the government did?

Liberalization - what does that mean? Is it good for the Malaysian people...

Free Trade .... Liberalization are good news for the rich in business - but for the small and medium sized businesses, and Malaysians generally it spells 'DANGER'..

What Najib did was really was to stop pretending - he was only openly declaring what Malaysia was already obligated to do after it signed (without any consulation with the Malaysian people) the World Trade Organization(WTO) Agreements, and the other Free Trade agreements. Preferential treatment to the Bumiputra...or even Malaysians was signed away many years ago by our UMNO-led BN government...

Go read about the WTO, the Free Trade Agreements, Liberalization, Free Trade...etc, and its impact on local citizenry...especially the poorer persons and sectors...

Sadly, our local media do not do its job to educate us about the 'other side' arguements about things done and not done. We only seem to get the views that the government wanits us to know...not the full truth...

Bar Press Release: State Intervention Needed for Domestic Workers (8/7/2009)

The Bar Council commends the Ministry of Human Resources for proposing that domestic workers be given a rest day and for suggesting that all domestic workers have a standard employment contract.

Despite adverse reaction from some individuals, we must proceed to do what is right and uphold human dignity regardless of nationality or class of work.

As a matter of policy we should adopt a standard employment contract to cover all domestic workers irrespective of their country of origin.

The Employment Act should be amended to include as much of this standard contract as possible to ensure uniformity and statutory protection for domestic workers.

Although domestic workers are not accorded full protection under the Employment Act, there are still many provisions of the Employment Act, which apply:

* Section 24 – Lawful Deductions (Deductions shall not exceed 50% of the wages earned – 24(8))
* Section 69 – Director General’s power to inquire into complaints (Dispute relating to wages or any other payment in cash due to the employee under the terms of the contract of service or the Employment Act)
* Section 65 – Powers of inspection and inquiry (Director General shall have power to enter without previous notice any place of employment and to make an inquiry)
* Section 79 – Powers of Director General to investigate possible offences under the Act
* Part XVII – Offences and Penalties (Fines not exceeding RM10,000)

We call on the Ministry of Human Resources to carry out more inspections to ensure that employers do not breach the provisions of the Employment Act. Situations in which domestic workers are not paid wages for 3 or 6 months are a violation of the Employment Act.

We would also suggest than an effective mechanism be set up to deal effectively with claims for non–payment of salary and monetary benefits.

It is perhaps important and timely to consider seriously the rights of domestic workers to form their own associations so that they can highlight their rights and concerns.

We propose that the Government incorporate and implement the following terms and conditions in formulating a just and equitable standard employment contract for all domestic workers.


Ragunath Kesavan
President
Malaysian Bar

8 July 2009

---

Appendix 1

Items That Should Be Part of a Standard Contact

Given below is a list of 24 important items that should be part of the standard contract for domestic workers

1. Place of employment (To ensure that the domestic worker is not taken from one place of employment to another)

2. Duration of the contract and the date of commencement

3. Basic Monthly salary

4. Work Hours – The domestic worker is to be provided rest of at least 12 hours a day; Inclusive of continuous period of rest of at least 7 hours

5. Rest Day – At least one (1) rest day per week should be provided; The contract should also specify the rate of payment if work is done on this rest day

6. Paid annual leave – The domestic worker is to receive 8 days of paid annual leave per year when employed for less than 2 years and 12 days per year when she is employed between 2 to 5 years. The domestic worker will only become eligible to take this paid annual leave after her 1st year of employment (This is consistent with the provisions of the Employment Act)

7. Medical treatment and paid sick leave – The Employer is to pay for medical treatment and not require the domestic worker to work when she is sick.

8. Bank Account – The Employer should assist the domestic worker to set up a bank account. The bank account should be in the name of the domestic worker.

9. Wages - Wages should be paid directly into the bank account set up in the name of the Domestic Worker; Wages should be paid not later than the 7th day after the end of the previous wage period

10. Fees and Expense – The contract should provide a list of all fees and expenses that have been incurred in the recruitment and employment of the domestic worker. The contract should clearly stipulate which items have to be paid by the employer and which expenses have to be borne by the domestic worker

11. Advances – The total advance that was paid by the employer should be stipulated in the contract together with an explanation of how much the employer intends to deducted each month to recover these advances (The total deductions in any one month cannot exceed 50% in accordance with Section 24 of the Employment Act).

12. Accommodation – The contact should specify the type of arrangements that have been made. Is the Domestic Workers going to be provided a separate room or is she required to share the room with others? What is the size of this room? Arrangements for accommodation must have regard to adequate space, ventilation, privacy and security for the domestic worker

13. Food – The Domestic Worker should be provided 3 reasonable meals a day

14. Size of household – The number of persons that the domestic worker would be required to serve on a regular basis must be specified. The Contract must specify – The number of adults (above the age of 18), The number of children (between 5 and 18) and the number of children (below the age of 5)

15. List of duties of Domestic Worker – The contract should specify the general range of duties that the Domestic Worker is expected to take on i.e. Household chores, cooking, looking after aged persons, baby-sitting and child minding. Other duties that reasonably come under the job scope of a Domestic Worker can be included but these should be specified in the contract

Contract must stipulate that the Domestic Worker will only work for the Employer and his/her immediate household and not be required to work in another residence or be assigned to any commercial, industrial or agricultural enterprise. The domestic worker is to comply with reasonable instructions of the employer

16. List of duties of employer – The contract should specify the general obligations of the employer towards the domestic worker. These obligations should include treating the domestic worker in a just and humane manner and under no condition resorting to physical violence. The employer must also respect the religious beliefs of the domestic worker and not put the domestic worker in a situation where such beliefs can be compromised

17. Termination of contract – The contract should list out the various conditions under which the contract can be terminated by either the Employer or the Domestic Worker

18. Passage – The transportation cost to bring the domestic worker to Malaysia is to be born by the employer. If the fixed term contract comes to its natural end the employer will also be responsible for paying for the cost of repatriation.

If the contract of the domestic worker is terminated because of misconduct or if the domestic worker unreasonably terminates the contract, the cost of repatriation should be born by the domestic worker. Whether the contract was wrongfully terminated by the employer or unreasonably by the domestic worker will be determined by the Labour Department.

19. Wrongful termination – In the event of wrongful dismissal by the employer, the employer will pay the dismissed domestic worker adequate compensation.

20. Foreign workers compensation scheme – The Employer must take out insurance for the domestic worker. The standard contract should specify the minimum quantum payable in the event of death or permanent disability

21. Passport - The Passport should remain in the possession of the domestic worker.

22. Bank Guarantee – Employer should provide a bank guarantee to the Embassy/High Commission of the sending country

23. Amendments – It should be clearly stated that no provision of the contract can be altered, amended or substituted without the written approval of the Ministry of Human Resources and the Embassy/High Commission of the sending country

24. Copy to Domestic Worker – The domestic worker should be given one copy of the contract in her native language

Will Najib, Anwar, Lim Kit Siang, Hadi, Syed Husin Ali...protest this killing of (about 440) innocents by the US in Pakistan using un-manned drones?

Why are we not seeing reports of the US-unmanned drones killing people in Pakistan? It is also not reported in the Malaysian main-stream papers...

The 'shoot to kill' by Malaysian police personnel was bad - but many were allegedly situations where the people shot (or some of them) had allegedly started firing at the police....but in this cases, US drones are un-manned. There are no 'firing at' happening. Innocents are being killed....and the whole world choses to ignore this - not demanding even an answer from the US under Obama.

Rule of Law - right to defend oneself ...right to a fair trial??

Amnesty International is also silent....why? Are Pakistanis lesser humans - and so we are not at all concerned.

At least six missile attacks from suspected US drones have killed eight people and wounded five others in the Pakistani province of South Waziristan near the Afghan border. - Al-jazeera, 8/7/2009, Deadly missiles strike Pakistan

Reuters...have a report on this, and we note that there only 7 (and that too 'suspected' ) al-Qaeda/Taliban persons have been killed so far, from almost 430 persons killed by reason of these un-manned US drones. How many men? How many women? How many children? What were their names? Is this not murder? But, why is the UN....the EU...the World...the OIC...Malaysia not protesting this ongoing killing of innocents? Pakistan's protest have also been wanting...

Suspected U.S. drones fired six missiles into a Pakistani Taliban training camp near the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing six militants, government and intelligence agency officials said.

The pre-dawn attack was in the South Waziristan region, in a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, they said.

Here are some facts about the U.S. missile attacks, the controversy they have caused, and a list of some of the more prominent militants killed, according to Pakistani officials.

WHY DOES THE UNITED STATES ATTACK?

Many al Qaeda members and Taliban fled to northwestern Pakistan's ungoverned ethnic Pashtun belt after U.S.-led soldiers ousted Afghanistan's Taliban government in 2001. From their sanctuaries there the militants have orchestrated insurgencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The United States and Afghanistan have pressed Pakistan to eliminate the sanctuaries. Apparently frustrated by Pakistan's inability to do so, the United States is hitting the militants itself.

HOW MANY ATTACKS?

The United States has carried out about 46 drone air strikes since the beginning of last year, most since September, killing about 430 people, including many foreign militants, according to a tally of reports from Pakistani intelligence agents, district government officials and residents.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE REPORTED KILLED

January 28, 2008 - A senior al Qaeda member, Abu Laith al-Libi, was killed in a strike in North Waziristan.

July 28 - An al Qaeda chemical and biological weapons expert, Abu Khabab al-Masri, was killed in South Waziristan.

November 22 - Rashid Rauf, a Briton with al Qaeda links and the suspected ringleader of a 2006 plot to blow up airliners over the Atlantic, was killed in an attack in North Waziristan. An Egyptian named as Abu Zubair al-Masri was said to be among the dead in the same attack.

January 1, 2009 - A U.S. drone killed three foreign fighters in South Waziristan, Pakistani agents said. A week later, a U.S. counter-terrorism official said al Qaeda's operational chief Usama al-Kini and an aide had been killed in South Waziristan. The U.S. official declined to say how or when they died.

WHERE ARE THE DRONES LAUNCHED FROM?

A senior U.S. lawmaker, Senator Dianne Feinstein, told a U.S. Senate hearing in February that drones were being operated and flown from an air base inside Pakistan. Pakistan denied that, saying there was no permission for the strikes, nor had there ever been.

U.S. POSITION

The United States has shrugged off Pakistani protests. It says the missile strikes are carried out under an agreement with Islamabad which allows Pakistani leaders to decry the attacks in public.

U.S. officials said last month the United States had given Pakistan data on militants in the Afghan border area gathered by surveillance drones in Pakistani airspace under an agreement with Pakistan.

PAKISTAN'S POSITION

Pakistan says the drone strikes violate its sovereignty and undermine efforts to deal with militancy because they inflame public anger and bolster support for the militants. Pakistan has pressed the United States to provide it with drones to allow it to conduct its own anti-militant operations.

(Compiled by Islamabad Newsroom; Editing by Robert Birsel and Jerry Norton) - Reuters, 8/7/2009, FACTBOX: U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan

Will Najib, Anwar, Lim Kit Siang, Hadi, Syed Husin Ali...protest this killing of innocents by the US in Pakistan? Or will they too turn a blind eye when it comes to US's violations of human rights?

Remember also that all is presumed innocent until proven guilty...

See also earlier posts:-

We must protest US indiscriminate extra-judicial kiiling of at least 440 persons since August 2008..

Obama's un-manned drones kills at least 45 people attending a funeral service in Pakistan...- some reports say 80 were killed during this funeral service bombing

Obama 'murders' another 22 in Pakistan

Rakyat mahukan Demokrasi. Rakyat boleh pilih ketua/pimpinan setempat - tak payah kerajaan melantik ketua/wakil lagi

Rakyat mahukan demokrasi di semua peringkat bermula dengan peringkat kampung/kampung baru/Taman...

Rakyat mahu memilih ketua kampung dan jawatankuasa kampung/kampung baru/taman sendiri..., dan rakyat mempunyai keupayaan berbuat demikian...

Sudah terlalu lama kerajaan memilih Ketua Komuniti - di mana ada masa rakyat sendiri tidak tahu siapakah ketua kampung, dsb...

CARA MENGADAKAN AGM (Mesyuarat Agung) setempat untuk kembalikan demokrasi kepada rakyat...untuk rakyat memilih ketua/pimpinan sendiri...

1) Risalah diedarkan kepada semua rumah dalam kampung (atau kampung baru atau taman) berkenaan menyatakan bahawa satu mesyuarat agung kampung akan diadakan pada tarikh/masa di tempat yang dinyatakan, di mana semua penghuni/penduduk dijemput hadhir mesyuarat ini, di mana Ketua, Naib Ketua, Setiausaha, Bendahari & 3 (atau 5) ahli Jawatankuasa Kampung akan dipilih oleh penduduk sendiri, di mana tempoh perlantikan adalah untuk jangkamasa tidak lebih daripada 1 (atau 2 atau 3) tahun.

2) Deraf Perlembagaan ringkas juga akan diedarkan, di mana isu-isu yang ditimbulkan dalam soalan-soalan berikut akan dijawab:-

Siapakah yang mempunyai hak mengundi?
Semua yang berumur 18 tahun ke atas.

Siapakah yang mempunyai hak bertanding?
Sesiapa yang ada hak mengundi berhak bertanding

Berapa kalikah Ketua dan Jawatankuasa akan bermesyuarat?
Sekurang-kurang sekali setiap bulan

Apakah koram mesyuarat Jawatankuasa?
3 orang

Berapa Mesyuarat Agung akan diadakan?
Sekurang-kurang satu setiap 3 bualan - ini adalah masa rakyat setempat akan berdialog, berbincang dengan pimpinan mereka, dan pimpinan akan memberikan lapuran mereka. Notis mesyurat mesti dihantar kepada semua rumah 2 minggu sebelum mesyuarat.

Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan berbeda daripada Mesyuarat Agung biasa - di mana pada Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan adalah bila lapuran bertulis Ketua/Jawatankuasa akan diberikan, serta Penyata Akaun, juga proses pemilihan pimpinan baru. Notis Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan mesti dihantar 1 bulan sebelum tarikh mesyuarat.

Berapa lamakah seseorang boleh memegang jawatan?
Seseorang tidak dibenarkan memegang jawatan Ketua lebih daripada 2 penggal berterusan.
Seseorang tidak benarkan menjadi ahli jawatankuasa berterusan lebih daripada 6 tahun.
(Kita tidak mahu orang sama memegang kuasa terlalu lama...)

Apakah tempuh perlantikan ketua dan jawatankuasa?
Untuk pilihan pertama, tempuh adalah untuk 1 tahun - tetapi cadangan adalah selepas itu, tempuh ini dipanjangkan kepada 2 atau 3 tahun.

Bolehkah perlembagaan dipinda?
Perlembagaan boleh dipinda bergantung kepada penduduk setempat...

Saya berharap bahawa kerajaan BN dan juga Pakatan Rakyat akan segera kembalikan hak memilih ketua kampung/kepimpinan kampung/taman/kampung baru kepada rakyat. Tak payah kerajaan melantik ketua lagi....rakyat boleh memilih sendiri...

KOS - Ada wakil rakyat Pakatan Rakyat menyatakan bahawa kos beratus ribu...(beberapa juta) diperlukan untuk mengadakan pemilihan supaya penduduk kampung/kampung baru/taman perumahan dapat memilih kepimpinan mereka sendiri... tetapi, saya menyatakan bahawa jika cara yang dinyatakan di atas diikuti kos hanya sedikit. Kos cetakan risalah sahaja...Dewan milik kerajaan boleh digunakan untuk AGM...Air Kotak /Sirap untuk setiap orang tidak begitu banyak....Kos mungkin diperlukan untuk mesyuarat pertama sahaja dan selepas itu rakyat setempat akan boleh menampung perbelanjaan yang lain...

ADUN atau MP setempat boleh mengimplementasi rancangan kembalikan demokrasi kepada rakyat di peringkat ini - jika pun pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat (atau BN) atau parti politik belum mahu mengembalikan demokrasi kepada rakyat...

Both Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers should receive same wages for same work....

Why should a Filipino domestic worker earn more than an Indonesian domestic worker? Should not all workers be treated equally...

In Malaysia before, in the construction sector, it was said that the Malaysian Chinese was p0aid the highest, followed by the Malaysian Indian and lastly the Malaysian Malay (and the Malaysian Indonesian?) - and this was not right if they were doing the same work...

The Malaysian Constitution guarantees Equality, and the Malaysian Employment Act 1955 also stipulates that there should be no discrimination between the local worker and the foreign worker, i.e. section 60L

60L. Director General may inquire into complaint.

(1) The Director General may inquire into any complaint from a local employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a foreign employee, or from a foreign employee that he is being discriminated against in relation to a local employee, by his employer in respect of the terms and conditions of his employment; and the Director General may issue to the employer such directives as may be necessary or expedient to resolve the matter.

(2) An employer who fails to comply with any directive of the Director General issued under subsection (1) commits an offence.

And, it is time to us to remove discrimination based on nationality that exists amongst migrant workers...

In a laundry shop - the Burmese earns higher than the Nepali worker who earns higher than the Indonesian >>> and it is all because of the agreements signed between countries.

In Malaysia, the employers are not complaining - because this will be a factor that prevents workers (yes - these foreign workers) from uniting... it is time for same pay for same work for all nationalities...

Migrant Forum in Asia, a coalition of Asian groups launched a campaign in 2005/6 on this very point - Equal Pay for Equal Work Now ! ! !

At, last Indonesian Government has woken up to the fact that Indonesian workers are the lowest paid amongst migrant workers - for doing the same work...

“The wages should be standard. There should not be discrimination. All nationalities should earn the same.” - Indonesian Manpower and Trans-migration Minister Erman Suparno

Years of experience could be a criteria for different wages. Educational qualification could be a criteria for different wages. Special skills could be a criteria for differen wages. But nationality, ethnicity, religion ...should never be a reason for a worker to receive a different wage for the same work...

Indonesia will resume sending its citizens to work as maids in Malaysia next month.

Indonesian Manpower and Trans-migration Minister Erman Suparno said the resumption would, however, be subject to the settlement of specific issues.

During his meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam yesterday, he raised the following issues:

> Allowing maids to hold their passports instead of the employers doing so;

> Giving maids a weekly day off;

> Requiring employers to bank in monthly pay;

> Giving adequate protection to maids from abusive employers; and

> Curbing maids from being brought into Malaysia illegally.

He said discussions would start on July 15.

“We hope to reach a consensus within two weeks. We hope that the discussions will solve the problem so we can resume sending maids,” he told a press conference at the Indonesian embassy.

Erman said the Indonesians would also discuss minimum wages during the discussions.

“Being trained or untrained is irrelevant. The question is what are the qualifications required by employers for a domestic servant?

“The wages should be standard. There should not be discrimination. All nationalities should earn the same.”

Erman said the two countries would also review the memorandum of understanding on labour, which was signed in May 2006.

“We need to review it because both countries have since passed laws which are not consistent with it.

“On the Indonesian side we have a new human trafficking law which came into force in 2007,” he said.

On his meeting, Erman said he was now “happy and confident”, adding that Dr Subramaniam was responsive to suggestions to improve the situation. - Star, 7/7/2009, Maid tiff set to be resolved

Better care required for those with special needs - Malaysian Bar, with reference to Taman Sinar Harapan

Malaysian Bar Council
____________________________________

No. 13, 15 & 17, Leboh Pasar Besar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-2031 3003 (Hunting Line) Fax: 03-2034 2825, 2026 1313, 2072 5818
E-mail: council@malaysianbar.org.my
Website: http://www.malaysianbar.org.my

---

Press Release

Better care required for those with special needs

Recent media reports regarding Taman Sinar Harapan, a government-run care facility in Kuala Kubu Baru, have highlighted some of the challenges that the Government and members of society alike must face up to where the care of persons with special needs is concerned.

The Government must demonstrate its commitment to the care of the disabled as well as other marginalised groups by allocating more financial and personnel resources to the Welfare Ministry and other relevant agencies. This is a heavy responsibility, but one that the Government must fulfil as part of its obligation to its citizens. It must identify and recognise the specific needs of residents of institutions such as the Taman Sinar Harapan homes and take the necessary measures to ensure that the residents are adequately cared for, including providing sufficient caregivers who are properly trained, equipped and remunerated for the very difficult work that they do.

However, the issue is far more complex. At the root of it is the question of how we, as members of society, deal with the issue of disability and treat persons with disabilities and other needs. What are our values and our priorities, as privileged individuals?

Offensive as it is to acknowledge, there are some families that effectively abandon their members to institutionalised care, and walk away because they cannot (or do not want to) cope with the hardship of providing round-the-clock intensive care. They have passed the buck to the State, and salve their consciences that way, although they may realise that the care their family members will receive is woefully inadequate. The rest of us are content to behave like the proverbial ostrich with its head buried in the sand, until shocking media reports force us to react and to at least point a collective accusing finger at the Government before once more retreating into the comforts of our privileged lives.

The responsibility for caring for less fortunate members of society must lie with the Government, but also with each and every one of us. While we look to the State to discharge its duties to care for its rakyat, we must, individually and collectively, also play a role in ensuring that the welfare, and human rights, of these individuals are not conveniently swept under the carpet until the next media exposé.

Ragunath Kesavan
President
Malaysian Bar
7 July 2009

Domestic Workers - time to end discrimination based on nationality...

When we talk about the domestic worker and the one rest day per week - some wrongly believe that this is a response to the 'maid abuse cases' - it is not...

It is all about worker rights .... for these 'maids' are also workers, and it is really odd that they do not have this right to a rest day per week, which every other worker has. [In fact, in Malaysia, most workers have 2 days off per week - maybe domestic workers should also be getting 2 days off per week - same as all other workers in Malaysia..]

DISCRIMINATION based on nationalities should also end.

Migrant workers doing the same work are many a times paid different wages - and this is unjust - it is discrimination.

Why does this happen? Because wages many a time depend on agreements or Memorandum of Understandings(MOU) signed between the sending country and Malaysia (the receiving country)

For the same work - workers should be paid the same...

Wages could differ by reason of:-
a) Number of years of experience (i.e. a domestic worker with 5 years experience should be paid more than a worker of 1 year experience)
b) Skill & Capabilities - A domestic worker who can cook is paid more than one that cannot cook, etc..[Or a worker with the ability to speak/read 2 languages is paid more than one who can only speak 1 language]
c) Paper/Education qualification - a worker who has a diploma is paid more than one with primary school education only..

BUT, workers should not be paid less than another worker just because of the worker's nationality..

End this discrimination

MAIDS: No problems in Hong Kong with off day (NST)

In Hong Kong, domestic workers get TWO(2) days off plus holiday entitlement to go home... interesting.

And, here we do not want to give even 1-day off per week....shame on you Malaysians...

A letter from NST:-

AS a visitor to Penang, I am shocked to read some of the comments and reactions to the plan to give Indonesian maids a day off each week.

Firstly, how many employers of maids work seven days a week all year round?

If you only work five or six days a week yourself, you should extend the same courtesy to those who work for you.

Secondly, how can you say that if they have a day off, they should be prevented from leaving their employer's home, as suggested by B.T. of Manjung ("Day off is good for them" -- NST, July 3)?

The idea that they will run off or become pregnant only demonstrates the conditions they are being forced to work in.

In Hong Kong, where I live, we have maids from the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

They all get one or two days off a week, plus holiday entitlement to go home.

None of the maids that I or my friends have used has ever run away or become pregnant.

At the end of the day, maids are people, too. If we treat them with some respect, knowing they are part of our household, then the trust will be returned. You may even come to regard them as part of your extended family, just as we do. - New Straits Times, 6/7/2009, MAIDS: No problems in Hong Kong with off day

It is not just a Muslim matter that requires Muslims to discuss 'deeper' - It is a matter of concern for all Malaysians irrespective of religion...

It is not just a matter for Islam ...or Muslims, and as such it is important for all Malaysians of different religions/culture be involved in all consultations with regard to laws that affect all Malaysians.

Is it only a matter for Islam ....and Muslims? Certainly not.

I hope that by other 'other relevant parties, Sultan Sharafuddin was talking about Malaysians from the other religious/cultural groups...

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has ordered that the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and other relevant parties discuss in depth the proposed amendments to three Acts in relation to conversion.

This follows the decision of the Conference of Rulers recently to get the views of the state Islamic religious councils before making a decision on the proposed amendments to state enactments and the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) pertaining to the conversion of minors to Islam.

The three Acts are the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 and the Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993. - Star, 3/7/2009, Selangor Sultan calls for indepth discussion on conversion

Time for Ismail Merican to resign as DG of Health. Healthcare is not a 'business' - it a commitment an obligation to all in Malaysia..

It is time we ask Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, Malaysia's Director General of Health, to resign...

WHY? Because this man is not concerned about healthcare for all in Malaysia - he is a 'businessman' - and he is interested in the 'healthcare business' ...

In line with strategies outlined in the third industrial master plan, the Government has set up the health industry section under the ministry to nurture the development and promotion of healthcare including health tourism.

The ministry will soon launch “Malaysia Healthcare” as part of its branding exercise to promote the country as a choice destination for international medical care.

The ministry, in collaboration with several government agencies undertakes programmes and activities to promote the local health industry overseas via specialised marketing missions for healthcare products in targeted countries in Asean, the Middle East and Europe. - Star, 4/7/2009, Healthcare business on the rise -By TAN SRI DR ISMAIL MERICAN, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE HEALTH MINISTRY

We need a DG of Health that is committed to getting free universal healthcare to all persons in Malaysia...not some person interested in making 'profits' by selling healthcare...

We cannot even cater to the needs of the local population - and here, he is talking about marketting Malaysian healthcare overseas...

Health...healthcare is not a product to be marketted - it is an obligation of the government that the Malaysian government must provide all persons...

We do not have enough doctors and nurses for our government hospitals/clinics - and inadequate healthcare has been the cause of 1,300 deaths amongst undocumented migrants in 6 years [see:- 126 groups:- Death of 2 Burmese Indicative of State of Detention Places in Malaysia - Denial of Healthcare Is a Violation of Right to Life]

What about the number of other persons in Malaysia who died by reason of poor and inadequate healthcare? How many lives have been lost?

Malaysia should be looking at Cuba, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Thailand with regard to free universal healthcare for all...

But alas, the poor is not Malaysia's concern - they are more interested about the money they can extract from the rich...

In line, with that 'capitalistic thinking' there is a move to increase the charges (which is already unaffordable for the poor and/or normal Malaysian) of heart healthcare in Malaysia...BN wants to increase fees for heart healthcare - STOP it, and make it free healthcare for all not just the rich..

I remember also reading that the DG of Health (or Minister of Health) complaining that there was still about RM12 million in unsettled medical bills in government hospitals. The government should just absorb this - for most likely, those who have not been able to pay cannot afford it.

Our hospitals should not be charging people for healthcare. In fact, to assist further, maybe we should also be re-imbursing cost of travel to and from hospitals. Maybe, we should also be having incentives for all to have regular medical check-ups. After all, prevention is better than cure.

People - their health and their well-being must be the priority - not the money that we can make from health/healthcare...

We need a new DG of Health who understands this...

Worker Safety is not a BN priority - Occupational Safety and Health is no more important - 90% Transportation Companies...90% Estates..

Occupational Health and Safety seems to be no longer important...and did the 746 workers who died in industrial accidents in Malaysia in 2008 because occupational safety and heath requirements and standards were not met?

Now, we are told that about 90% of transportation companies in Malaysia are not even bothered about Occupational Health and Safety matters...

A few weeks ago, we were told that 90% estates in Malaysia fails to meet Occupational Safety and Health standards ...

I wonder why the UMNO-led BN Governments just shut down these companies until they comply with the required Occupational Safety and Health standards and requirements.

Remember the 7 workers who died in the Jaya Supermarket Demolition - was also a case of 'illegal' demolition - done without getting the required approval of the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (see also PJ Local Council's responsibility in the death of 7 Jaya Supermarket incident cannot be ignored...)

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health did not give approval for the demolition of the Jaya Supermarket in Petaling Jaya, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam...Dr Subramaniam said the department began its investigations on Monday and it would take about two weeks to complete.

“If there is any element of negligence, the engineers, contractors and the proprietor of the building can be fined RM50,000, jailed up to two years, or both, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act for each offence,” he told a press conference after launching a Small-Medium Enterprises training fair at a hotel yesterday.

On May 28, the five-storey portion of the supermarket building collapsed right to the basement during demolition work.

Seven workers died in the incident. - Star, 3/6/2009, Jaya Supermarket demolition done without approval

- Have the company been charged yet? Have they Directors been charged? - They have also been 'protected' - the names have been kept 'secret' away from the press...

Only 10% of the 267 transportation companies audited by the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) last year paid heed to occupational safety and health issues.

DOSH director-general Datuk Ir Dr Johari Basri described the situation as dismal and viewed as serious the low awareness level among transport operators, especially those running express buses.

“All operators and drivers must bear full responsibility to ensure that their co-drivers, passengers and the public are safe,” he added.

He said this in his speech read by DOSH deputy director-general (policy) Zabidi Datuk Md Adib at the opening of a seminar on enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and Safety, Health and Environment Code for the road transport sector here on Monday.

“The majority either did not have a system or were unaware of the need to develop a safe working culture while managing their companies,” Dr Johari noted.

Companies with more than 40 workers were required to form a safety committee, he added.

Speaking to reporters later, Zabidi said the department had issued notices to companies that had yet to draw up policies or set up safety committees so the management and workers could discuss safety issues.

“They were given a month to do the necessary, and I am happy to note that they have been cooperative,” he added.

Zabidi said 10% of the 23,087 vehicles involved in road accidents in Pahang were public transport vehicles such as stage and express buses, lorries, tankers and taxies.

To a question, Zabidi said although the link between the number of accidents and lack of awareness on safety issues was vague, undesirable things could still happen if workers’ health and vehicle safety were not managed properly. - Star,

We must protest US indiscriminate extra-judicial kiiling of at least 440 persons since August 2008..

The US has done it again - kill people using un-manned drones...this time, 7 were killed..

The last time,Obama's un-manned drones kills at least 45 people attending a funeral service in Pakistan...

See also earlier post:- Obama 'murders' another 22 in Pakistan

In fact, 'since August 2008, at least 44 such strikes have killed more than 440 people.'...

And, why do we not see this news being covered as a big story by the CNN, BBC, Al-Jazeera,...

Why do we see no 'public outrage' at these extra-judicial indiscriminate killing ... In fact, there is also no follow-up news telling us how many confirmed 'terrorists' were killed...and how many innocents were killed... All gets swept under the carpet rather quickly - the rewards of being able to control media organisations, internet, other countries...

Where are the protests against the US?

These incidents are far worse that the Malaysian police's 'shoot to kill' cases - but alas, we keep silent - not protesting...

US says that they believe that these persons are 'terrorists' - then arrest them, and try them in an open court. We remember US using 'weapons of mass destruction' as a justification for the attack of Iraq - and there was none. We remember that US's reason for getting involved in the Vietnam war was also a lie. US has no credibility. All the more, that these attacks, which like 'suicide bombs' , kills many innocent people...

Rule of Law....

"It was a US drone attack. We have checked -- no Pakistani aircraft was involved in this incident," another Pakistani military official said.

The United States military does not, as a rule, confirm drone attacks, but its armed forces and the Central Intelligence Agency operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy drones in the region.

Washington has branded Pakistan's rugged northwest tribal belt as the most dangerous place in the world for Americans, saying Al-Qaeda and Taliban rebels are plotting attacks on Western targets from militant hideouts there.

Pakistan publicly opposes US strikes, saying they violate its territorial sovereignty and deepen resentment among the populace. Since August 2008, at least 44 such strikes have killed more than 440 people. - AFP, 3/7/2009, US drone attack kills at least seven in Pakistan

BN wants to increase fees for heart healthcare - STOP it, and make it free healthcare for all not just the rich..

Free Universal Healthcare - that is what we must be striving for in Malaysia.

Every person should be able to go to government clinics and hospitals and get the necessary healthcare for free (or for a token RM1 or RM5...), and this we could get before for all aspects of healthcare...

Then, the government 'privatized' heart healthcare - and created the National Heart Institutute (Institute Jantung Negara). It started closing down heart healthcare facilities in all other government hospitals..

But wait - to go and get healthcare at the Institute Jantung Negara - we have to PAY - and pay a lot. [And, if you cannot pay - you can go and die....]

Only free for Government workers and their families - Federal,State,Local Government - also the ADUNs and the MPs(as they are also considered Public Servants). Is that why MPs and ADUNs are not fighting for free good universal healthcare for all in Malaysia...

It is about RM35,000 for a by-pass...I heard. Who can afford this?

Go watch 'SICKO'(now showing on ASTRO) - and we certainly do not want to follow US when it comes to healthcare. We must look at UK, France, Cuba, Canada...

Malaysia, at one time wanted to even privatize all hospitals - and then they stopped and started going back to building government hospitals, specialist hospitals, etc...

The primary objective is to be able to provide free (affordable) healthcare to all persons in Malaysia - not to make money (and certainly not to attract and cater for medical tourists...)

Guess what? The government want to increase IJN fees - they are complaining that they spent a lot of money subsidizing IJN - hello, this is people's money, and this subsidy was for public servants (& family) only not the private citizen...

FREE for all persons in Malaysia - citizens, foreign spouses, foreign workers...any person in Malaysia.

STOP Medical Tourism - we still do not have the capacity to cater for the heart healthcare of those in Malaysia.

Stop trying to make money (generate income) through healthcare...it is so inhumane..it is so un-Malaysian..

Patients at the National Heart Institute (IJN) may be paying higher fees soon under a review that comes in the wake of a RM215 million government payout to the centre last year.

The money was used to subsidise treatment for government servants and poor patients.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the government would decide on the new fees for citizens while IJN could do the same for foreigners.

"We may allow IJN to decide on the fee for foreign patients," he said after opening IJN's 24 outpatient clinics and international patient centre at its new wing yesterday.

The last review was in 2000 but was only implemented in 2003 because of the economic downturn.

Liow said the hospital had catered to more than 1.5 million patients since its inception 16 years ago with more than 41,000 heart surgeries and 95,000 interventional procedures performed.

Built in 1992 at a cost of RM151.5 million, the institute has become the country's premier institution for cardiac treatment.

The hospital has undergone a RM230 million expansion programme since 2005 to cater to the increased patient load besides buying more equipment and building a new wing.

Liow said the ministry would open eight regional cardiothoracic centres in collaboration with IJN in Penang, Alor Star, Serdang, Johor Baru, Kuantan, Kota Baru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to cater to the increasing number of heart patients nationwide.

"Some of them will be built under the 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans while some existing centres will be upgraded to be regional cardiothoracic centres where open heart surgeries will be performed."

He advised IJN to help the government to train and produce cardiothoracic surgeons to meet the demand when the centres became fully operational.

Admitting there was an acute shortage of cardiothoracic surgeons in the coun-try, Liow hoped that more could be produced with IJN's help.

He will also look into IJN becoming a centre of excellence for Heart Lung programmes.

Earlier, Liow, who visited the outpatient clinics which can cater to some 600 patients a day, was impressed with the new wing which he described as patient-friendly and equipped to provide the best care to patients.

IJN chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Radzif Mohd Yunus, who briefed Liow on facilities at the six-storey new wing, said it would be opened in stages from this month.

"We will eventually have 438 beds to meet the needs of patients," he said, adding that this would include 54 at the intensive care unit, 40 at the Coronary Care Unit and 26 at the day-care centre.

The centre will also have six catheter laboratories, seven operation theatres, a hybrid Cath-OT, 59 specialist clinics, a rehabilitation centre, special counters for executive screening programmes and an international patient centre. - New Straits Times, 1/7/2009,Govt to review IJN fees

Look at IJN website - If I am not a 'Government Patient' - I fall in that other class. I need to pay RM500-00 deposit. I need to a Guarantee Letter from my boss or my insurer - before they are going to provide me with healthcare. -- It is really impossible for the ordinary Malaysian to get heart healthcare in Malaysia - what more others in Malaysia..

CARING Malaysia - I think not.

GOVERNMENT PATIENT

• Government patients include officers and their dependents (spouse and children) and pensioners of Federal Government departments
• State Government departments
• Local Authority / Statutory Body departments whose treatment charges and hospitalisation bills are borne by the departments.

Criteria

• Must be referred by a specialist / physician from a government hospital
• Present Guarantee Letter / Pension Card during registration

Required Documents

• Identification Card, birth certificate (if below 12 years old)
• Referral letter from referring hospital Latest Chest X-Ray & Cine Film (if any)
• Pension card and its copy Guarantee letter* (GL) from Head of Department (for government officer/Statutory Body/Local Authority/State Government)
• Certification letter* from college/university (if patient is below 21 years old and uses parent’s GL from government office
• Service book for an ex-army who had served more than 10 years
• Certification letter** from Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam/Jabatanarah Rekod dan Pencen/Jabatan Hal Ehwal Veteran ATM/Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri
  

Should you have any inquiry and/or need further information on the above, kindly contact us.

Note :
* All documents must be original. GL should clearly indicate patient’s medical entitlement.

** This document is required if the patient’s name is not stated in the pension card or service book.

PRIVATE PATIENT

Patients who pay their treatment charges and hospital bill or borne by their employers or covered by their insurance policies.

Required Documents

• below 12 years old)
• Referral letter from referring hospital
• Latest Chest X-Ray & Cine Film (if any)
• Insurer's/Company's guarantee letter* (if hospital charges are borne by the company/employer/insurer)
• Deposit for private paying patient RM500.00
• Utility bills copy for certification of current address
• Income Tax J Form / Latest salary slip / EPF Statement

Should you have any inquiry and need further information on the above, kindly contact us.

Note :
*All documents must be original. GL should clearly indicate patient’s medical entitlement. - IJN Website

They advise persons above 35 to do regular screening, and the 'selling price' is - yes, that is exactly the term that is being used by the Malaysian Government National Heart Institute - it should be free. RM1,399 - For many, this means 2 - 3 months salary.

Therefore, now the rakyat will not go for heart screening - and heart ailments that could have been prevented is not - and more Malaysians will die... Najib and the UMNO-led BN is after all more concerned about MONEY that they can make - not the health and life of human beings in Malaysia. [see earlier post:-More will die sooner because of lack FREE government-provided heart healthcare in Malaysia] Remember, Najib was for selling the IJN to Sime Darby...

Selling Price : RM 1399

Optional:

64 slice MSCT calcium scoring - RM 350.00

64 slice MSCT coronary angiogram - RM 2.500.00

Cardiac rehab programme phase II - RM 30.00

Najib is now PM - and sadly, the human concern for healthcare of sick is not his priority..

Najib today said the proposal would have some advantages for IJN as funding would not be a problem for Sime Darby and doctors would also receive better remuneration.

"Given the need for better treatment of heart diseases and the competition from new hospitals coming up, it is possible to pinch doctors from IJN," he said. - Malaysiakini, 18/12/2008 - Gov't gives green light to IJN privatisation

And what about the poor - the DPM wants a pledge..., and it is something so vague...and maybe they will take in a handful of poor, and that would be a fulfilment of that pledge. What about the rest of the poor and middle-class? Do we just die sooner by reason of the government's failure to provide the required healthcare for its people?

Najib said Sime Darby must pledge its commitment that the poor would not be marginalised if IJN is to be transferred to it.

"Whatever the position of IJN, it is important for the social programme to be given high priority," said Najib, who is also the Finance Minister.- Malaysiakini, 18/12/2008 - Gov't gives green light to IJN privatisation

16 Months Later - PR sets up 25 'Cabinet Committees' - Better late than never...

March 2008 - the date of the last General Elections..

July 2009 - 16 Months later, and finally the Pakatan Rakyat has decided to set up Cabinet Committees (not a 'shadow cabinet') - 25 different Pakatan Rakyat(PR) Cabinet Committees.

Better late than never, and I think that this is a good move...

When is the implementation date? Who are the members of the different committee? Maybe, this information should be immediately made available on the Pakatan Rakyat website.

Each of these 'cabinet committees' should also have an e-mail address, which will enable us also to write to them...make proposals, seek clarifications, etc..

It should not just be a 'Respond Committee' - responding to matters brought up by the BN government, but it should also be a committee that formulates also PR proposals for dealing with certain concerns/issues affecting Malaysia and its peoples...Tell the BN how to deal with the issue - and not stop at just opposing BN proposals.

It seems that this PR decision is only with regard to Parliament - what about the State Legislative Assembly..

Pakatan Rakyat today announced the setting up of committees to correspond with the 25 ministries in the federal cabinet.

"There are 25 ministries and each ministry will have a member of parliament from PKR, DAP and PAS.

"And the committees will also have specialists in respective fields to help the Pakatan MPs," said PKR vice-president Azmin Ali at a press conference in Parliament today.

He however stressed that this was not a shadow cabinet.

He added that the committees were established to enhance the quality of debate in the Parliament as the MPs would be better prepared.

"For the time being this is enough," he said.

Azmin said the first task of the respective committees would be to be well-prepared for the budget session in October.

DAP MP Tony Pua who was also at the press conference said Pakatan had not formed a shadow cabinet as it was not recognised by the Parliament as was practiced in other countries.

He said that in other countries the shadow cabinets were recognised and assisted by the Parliament to help with research to provide constructive feedback.

"In our case we will never get such a recognition... committees are more practical," he said. - Malaysiakini, 2/7/2009, Pakatan forms 'cabinet' committees

Re-defining the relationship between the MP/ADUN and the people should be TOP in Pakatan Rakyat's Agenda...

The UMNO-led BN has created a 'culture' of dependence on BN and its component parties, through its MPs and ADUNs, over the 50 plus years they have been in power...

They have also created a 'norm' as to what is and should be the relationship between the 'peoples' representative' and the people in the constitution...
- Want donation or sponsor - go see MP/ADUN
- Want support to get project/Tender of business - go see MP/ADUN
- Want scholarship or student loan, go see MP/ADUN
- Want help, go see MP/ADUN
......


We need to change this - EMPOWER the people to be independent and capable of resolving their own problems.

Do not make the people DEPENDENT on Wakil Rakyats.

More consultations with the people to get their views on various matters of concern - not just meet people to hear their 'problems'.

What is the people's opinion on healthcare - do they want it to be nationalized and made free for all, or do they want it to be privatized - an example of the things that MPs/ADUNs should be discussing with their contituents. BN told the people their decisions - and how they are going to implement these decisions. Pakatan must be different - they must 'consult, discuss, debate ...' with the people before making decisions... Remember - you are 'peoples' representatives'

In the BN days, when the people have a function/activity, then they go see their 'wakil rakyat'(the peoples' representative), who will then hand the people a 'donation' (usually cash) to help out in the activities/function. Now, when they go to Pakatan Rakyat MPs/ADUNs, they find that no such 'donation'/'help' is forthcoming - and there is a disappointment with the 'wakil rakyat'. What many did not know, was the fact that the money /help that these BN reps were dishing out was not from money in their pockets - but was with government money, that was channelled to all BN reps for their usage for their area. (This money that the BN was dishing out was not their personal money at all - now the PR reps, when they give donations many a time are using their own personal money...). I belive every BN MPs had about RM2 million per year for him to spend in his constituency - but non-BN MPs did not get anything [I wonder why the non-BN MPs did not take this matter to court, for I believe that is clearly discrimination and it goes against the constitutional guarantee of equality...]

- Hence, what Pakatan Rakyat needs to do is to educate people about this fact, and also how this practice was unjust - as mainly BN people got the benefit of these monies, and that many of these monies may actually have been 'embezzled' for the benefit of the BN wakil rakyat and/or his family/cronnies.

- The Pakatan Rakyat must 're-educate' people as to the REAL role and functions of the 'wakil rakyat'. They have to re-define the relationship - and this must be done at all levels. Anwar, Kit Siang and Hadi must also talk about this. Education here may involve 'brain-washing' to liberate minds from wrong understandings of the relationship between the people and their reps..

- The Wakil Rakyat is not the source of 'donations' and 'trophies' - He is not the 'big man' who is to be invited to officiate all functions... (The 'wakil rakyat' is the peoples' representative...he is the worker of the people...the people are the boss, and the MP/ADUN are their servants - they are public servants...As such, what is needed is that there be more and more dialogues, for people to be able to vent their OPINIONS and VIEWS about things - not just their grievances.

- "Tell us your problem, and we will take care of it" - is not the kind of relationship that PR must encourage between its people and its reps.

- In fact, when people have problems, wakil rakyats should get the people to solve it themselves. Maybe, guidance as to where they should go, etc -- in short, wakil rakyat should empower people. Only, if there is a 'hitch', i.e. the relevant department is causing problems or creating unnecessary obstacles should the wakil rakyat intervene...

- The wakil rakyat is not and should never be the 'HERO" that solves all problems - but alas some Pakatan Rakyat people's reps are also still doing that. Empower the people to solve their own problems, by going to the relevant public authority/private company and solving it.

- 'Go back, do not worry, I will solve your problem...' is not what a MP/ADUN should be telling the people - but alas, that is what many are doing... they like to make the people dependent on them, and they are doing what the BN has been doing all these years..

In fact, maybe we should be writing a 'dos and and don'ts list for wakil rakyats...'

Only 4,000 - An indication that Anwar has become boring? Pakatan losing support..

4,000 ONLY for a well-publicized gathering of Pakatan Rakyat that was targeting 100,000 is very disturbing...

4,000 ONLY when all the Pakatan Rakyat 'big guns' are there to speak - "...PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, DAP's veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khalid Ibrahim..."

4,000 only in a Stadium in PJ in the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat governed state...

Question:-

Is this an indication that the Pakatan Rakyat is fast losing the support of the people? Maybe.

Is this an indication that the people are getting bored with "...PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, DAP's veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khalid Ibrahim..."? Maybe. This happens when people who go to hear you are forced to hear the same old things over and over. UMNO talks do not find many going because they know exactly the issues and the positions, etc from the newspapers, tv, radio - has it also become the same with Pakatan Rakyat? [Some say people attend these gatherings for its 'entertainment value' - they like to hear government bashing...new stories, etc...]

What are the Pakatan Rakyat talking about these days? Corruption, PKFZ, Unity Talks, Manek Urai, Anwar's case, Perak cases, ...

Corruption here...corruption there - Is it not the same story over and over again? Really, wonder how many people are really interested in that 'Port Klang Free Zone' scandal, and all the minute details. A summary would suffice for the majority. What concerns people today are the real concerns about the impact of the economic crisis on their lives, and their future in Malaysia. There is concern about 'healthcare' and risk of rising costs. There is anger about having to repeatedly make monthly visits to the government clinics to get monthly supply for medication... There is concern about 'toll rates' ...and the fact that they still pay the same in the PR States today...There is concern about Khalid and the fact (or the perception) that he administers the State just like a BN MB...

By-Elections - Manek Urai...These by-elections, really, has become the focus of PR over the past months. After they win, one wonders what that 'good person' everyone was asked to vote for is really doing?

Anwar's cases - mmm

Perak -

UNITY Talks - well, this is new & the suggestion of such talks by PR personalities has really 'pissed' a lot of people off. There is a sense of having been betrayed. Are they any different - BN and PR, and many are concluding that there is no difference, or maybe even that the BN was better.

Pakatan Rakyat must re-evaluate itself - maybe the time has come for new leaders to step forward. Maybe, it is time to be 'revolutionary' in all PR states - get rid of toll & parking charges, declare that State Scholarship and Student Loans will have NO ethnic/religious quatas anymore - but there will still be a preference in favour of the poor, change the Board of all State-owned entities to reflect that it is 'Malaysian' - not just a board of one ethnic group, maybe even appoint a Mayor or 2 who is not a Malay Muslim, Local Council Elections..., Amanah Saham Selangor for all - capped maximum, Clear Pakatan position for the abolition of ISA and ALL Detention Without Trials - and a promise that all will be set free in 1 month after PR takes over Federal Government, Free Healthcare for all in Selangor - state will assist the poor as well [may re-imbursement for travel to and fro for the poor, elderly, unemployed, etc...]

About 4,000 people turned up at the Stadium MPPJ in Kelana Jaya at last night's Pakatan Rakyat 'unity' rally in the bid to project a united front.

The two-hour ceramah, which kicked off at about 9.30pm, attracted a much smaller crowd compared to previous similar rallies despite the appearance of top leaders from the opposition coalition.

All major Pakatan leaders were at the ceramah - aimed at explaining their stand on unity talks with Barisan Nasional which had apparently fractured the loose coalition. Other hot topics included the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and Pakatan's preparations for July 14 Manek Urai by-election.

Among the leaders who spoke were PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, DAP's veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khalid Ibrahim.

Also present were many other key Pakatan leaders such as Syed Husin Ali, Zaid Ibrahim, Azmin Ali and Hatta Ramli.

The leaders took pains to squash rumours of cracks within Pakatan as a result of PAS' flirting with Umno on the unity talks issue.

They also fired potshots at Najib Abdul Razak's 1Malaysia - a motto coined by the newly-minted leader after taking over as prime minister two months ago.

Lim, who was the first speaker to take the podium, did not waste time in tearing apart the 1Malaysia concept.

"1Malaysia is already cracking as there is no unity in Perak," he said in reference to the political chaos in that state following BN's power grab in the state.

Khalid followed suit by charging that Najib's 1Malaysia would not unite but instead segregate Malaysians.

Anwar is the main draw

PAS chief Abdul Hadi, who was in the forefront in mooting the unity talks with Umno until it was shot down by many in his own party and Pakatan, appeared to have turned his back to the proposal.

"Islam encourages unity as all men are equal. PAS is a model of unity. But Umno has failed to unite even its own party," he said to thunderous clapping from the crowd.

The main draw for the night was Anwar and he did not disappoint.

The opposition leader spoke about the weaknesses of the BN government, especially in combating corruption. He also charged that the Umno-led BN was selective in helping the needy and the marginalised.

"PKR however supports affirmative action to help all. And we know that corruption burdens the rakyat," he said.

He also lashed out at Umno and MCA for the PKFZ scandal and its huge financial cost to the government.

"There is no political will among the top leadership in BN. Pakatan leaders differ from BN. We find solutions to all problems," he promised.

He also hoped the federal government would speed up the construction of a second bridge in Penang.

"Otherwise, we will see a repeat of the PKFZ-type scandal in Penang," said the Permatang Pauh MP.

Organisers had billed the event as a gathering of 100,000 people but the size of the crowd was very much lower than what they had expected.

However despite the turnout of only about 4,000, the organisers were happy that the event ended without any incidents as the police maintained a distance to monitor the crowd - Malaysiakini, 1/7/2009, Najib gets bashed at Pakatan 'unity' rally