True democracy cannot mature with ISA around

From Ashvin Raj (Malaysiakini)

I read with much scepticism of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Zaid Ibrahim’s recent statement that he finds the Internal Security Act (ISA) and Official Secrets Act (OSA) unacceptable. He was quoted as saying that he is against any unjust and harsh laws which and this includes the ISA and OSA.

MCPX

However, this was contradicted by the Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar who said that such laws will not be abolished, as they are needed for the purpose of maintaining public order. In such a scenario between two conflicting statements, what would be the public stand of the prime minister?

Would he seek to abolish such oppressive laws in the newly-convened Parliament in agreement with his own minister in his department? Or would he seek not to, in the interest of the home minister’s recent remarks?

I would certainly not be surprised if Pak Lah remains defiant in not wanting to abolish the ISA and OSA, as it has served to protect BN’s interests for the past 51 years after Merdeka. After all, he was the one who authorised the detention of the Hindraf activists and accused them on baseless grounds of being a threat to national security.

The opposition and the vast majority of the general public have long seen the ISA to be a notoriously oppressive law. In the name of national security, the ISA has been used as a convenient political tool that allows for indefinite detention without trial. The ISA is an obnoxious piece of legislation that has no place in a democracy.

Former detainees have published horrifying accounts of their detention under the ISA when they have been subjected to solitary confinement without access to family members, lawyers and friends. Police interrogators have routinely subjected ISA detainees to physical and mental torture in order to ‘turn them over’.

All this amounts to human rights abuse and a barbaric treatment of individuals who have never been tried, let alone convicted, in an open court. These acts of injustices are an obscene affront to human dignity and a mockery of democracy. They violate the teachings of all religions in our nation, because it has demeaned human life.

The ISA is an unjust law, where its so-called legal practices represent a crime against humanity. As always, the ‘threat to national security’ has been a flimsy catch-all excuse for not charging and trying so-called suspects in open courts.

How do you expect the continued existence of the ISA to foster a reformed democratic society when this oppressive law looms as an ever-present threat over the lives and liberty of ordinary Malaysian citizens? True democracy cannot mature when people are being threatened with detention without trial.

The basic principle of natural justice is that the accused must be given the right to be heard must be unconditionally upheld. I therefore sincerely hope that Zaid Ibrahim and Pakatan Rakyat will pressure the federal government in Parliament to immediately charge and try all ISA detainees in an open court or release all ISA detainees still incarcerated.

Otherwise, there will not be any true judicial reform as pledged by the prime minister - through the appointment of Zaid Ibrahim to be in charge of legal affairs - and it will only remain a mere rhetoric.

Stop the Arbitrary Arrests!

Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA) strongly condemned the detention of 7 individuals by the Penang Police. They were detained during anti-Internal Security Act demonstration in Penang on 11/5/2008 without any valid reasons.

Yesterday gathering ( 11/5/2008 ) is part of a nationwide protest that is being held in Penang, Butterworth, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Ipoh and Seremban. The purpose of the gathering is to urge the government to release all the ISA detainees and also provide proper medical treatment to Hindraf legal adviser P. Uthayakumar who is a diabetic.

DEMA reaffirm that the freedom of peaceful assembly is stated in Malaysia Constitution under Article 10 (1) (a) and (b) which guarantee the fundamental human rights where every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression and right to assemble peaceably. We are concerned with the arrests by the police as unprofessional and power abuse since the organizers of the gathering have agreed to cooperate with the police, furthermore no untoward incidents were reported. The jobs of the police are to maintain the public order during the gathering; however it has become a tool by the authority to oppress the people rights to voice up their expressions and peaceful gathering.

DEMA strongly urge the police to release all the 7 individuals without any conditions and immediately drop all the charges against them. DEMA demand the government to uphold the Federal Constitution and Universal Declaration of Human Rights and stop any further assault on freedom of assembly. We further urge the government to respect and protect human rights as Malaysia is one of the members in United Nations Human Rights Council.

DEMA Secretary of Administration,

Simon Ooi

[Mkini]Nazri sokong mansuh Auku

Menteri di jabatan perdana menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz berkata, Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti (Auku) sudah tidak sesuai untuk digunakan di kalangan pelajar negara ini.

“Ini tahun 2008…akta ini sudah ketinggalan dan saya menyokong Auku dimansuhkan.

“Tetapi untuk memansuhkan Auku ia perlu mendapat keputusan ahli Majlis Tertinggi (MT) Umno dan kabinet,” katanya ketika ditemui di lobi Parlimen hari ini.

Nazri berkata, beliau sedia membawa isu ini ke MT dan kabinet untuk dibincangkan jika ada pihak yang mahu berbuat demikian.

Bagaimanapun, katanya sehingga ini belum ada pihak yang mahu beliau berbuat demikian.

Ketika ditanya mengenai janji menteri pengajian tinggi untuk memansuhkan akta tersebut, Nazri berkata, menteri itu akan mengkajinya sebelum dibawa ke peringkat lebih tinggi.

Nazri berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas gerakan mahasiswa mansuhkan Auku (GMMA) yang berkempen di Parlimen hari ini supaya akta tersebut dimansuhkan.

到国会发派废大专法徽章,大专组织促议员传达讯息

【本刊曾薛霏撰述】由九个大专生组织组成的“大专生废除大专法令联盟”（Gerakan Mahasiswa Mansuhkan AUKU，GMMA）今早抵达国会走廊，分派备忘录和徽章给朝野国会议员，以唤起国会议员对此事的关注，在国会中提出废除《1971年大专法令》。

废除大专生法令联盟秘书处成员莫哈末礼祖安（Mohd Ridzuan，左图右一）表示，此行是到国会派发备忘录和徽章给国会议员，希望他们能把废除大专法令的讯息带入国会辩论。该联盟希望可以得到国会议员的支持，并表示没有特别针对哪一个国阵或民联的议员。

其他出席记者会的代表包括马来西亚回教学生俱乐部（KARISMA）的莫哈末阿米鲁（Mohd Amirul）、全国回教学生联盟（Gabungan Mahasiswa Islam，简称GAMIS）的沙兹尼慕尼（Shazni Munir）、学运的黄勇进以及马来西亚全国回教学生协会（Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia，简称PKPM）的莫哈末慕祖丁（Mohamad Mu’izzuddin）。

五名联盟秘书处成员在记者会上轮流读出备忘录内容，并要求废除《1974年大专（修定）法令》。他们认为，《大专法令》的制定是为了遏制大专生的学生运动，而该法令的条款违反了人权、含有残酷、歧视和不人道的元素。

鲁斯旦沙尼因心脏病骤逝 周六新书推介或改追思会

http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=6569

【本刊林宏祥撰述】前任人民公正党宣传主任、前国民大学政治系副教授鲁斯旦沙尼（Rustam Sani）于今晨在雪兰莪州鹅唛（Gombak）的住家，因心脏病逝世，享年64岁。原订本周六的新书推介礼将如期举行，但可能改为追思会。

在人民党与国民公正党合并之前，鲁斯旦沙尼曾任人民党副主席。这名评论人原订于本周六（4月26日）在莎亚南公共图书馆推介本身新书《失败的国族？马来西亚民族主义者之关怀》（Failed Nation? Concerns of a Malaysian Nationalist）及《马来左翼之社会起源》（Social Roots of the Malay Left），并邀请了人民公正党首领安华依布拉欣主持推介礼。

策略研究中心负责人张永新告诉《独立新闻在线》，上述活动将如期举行，且不排除会改为追思会。

鲁斯旦沙尼（右图）是人民党创党人阿末波士达曼（Ahmad Boestaman）的儿子，并在巫统青年团团长希山慕丁（Hishammuddin Hussein）连续两年在巫统大会上“拔剑出鞘”后，撰文重提先父举剑事故，对照两个不同时代的政治斗争。【点击：著名左翼领袖五十年前也托剑 鲁斯旦：他举剑异于希山慕丁】

Rustam Sani pulang ke rahmatullah

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/81789

kemaskini 5:55pm Penulis kolum terkenal, cendekiawan Melayu dan juga bekas pemimpin politik kanan Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) Rustam A Sani meninggal dunia di rumahnya di Gombak awal pagi ini.

Allahyarham, anak kepada pengasas parti itu dan bekas ahli parlimen Ahmad Boestaman, meninggalkan isteri Rohani Zainal Abidin dan dua anak, Azrani dan Ariani, di usia 64 tahun.

Rustam, yang memblog di Suara Rakyat dan Karya Semasa, pernah bertugas sebagai pensyarah di Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia dan Institut Kajian Strategik dan Antarabangsa (ISIS), kumpulan pemikir terkenal negara ini.

Selain menghasilkan buku dan membentangkan fikirannya di pelbagai pertemuan akademik dan bukan ilmiah, beliau giat menulis rencana dan kolum dalam bahasa Inggeris dan Melayu di akhbar-akhbar harian tempatan.

Kolumnya di Utusan Malaysia sebelum krisis politik 10 tahun lalu - peristiwa pemecatan dan pemenjaraan bekas timbalan perdana menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim - dikumpulkan dalam buku Menjelang Reformasi (2004).

穿越朝野火线，走出自己的路

http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/81560

郭史光庆

半岛5州的人民联盟政府上台后所宣布的许多政策，直接向国阵政府迎面刮了响亮的一掌，许多国阵当权50年来悬而未解的课题，落到人民联盟手上就像变魔术一般，毫不费劲就搞掂了。

民主行动党主导的槟城州政府，落实了公开招标与轮流分配政府合约的两项新政策，若能持续有效执行，势将能消除过去每项合约所附带的“台底费”，让州政府能够以相对低廉的成本购得素质更高的服务与产品，杜绝“干捞”弊端与豆腐工程。

雪兰莪政府虽然一上台就受到紧密监督，由网络媒体所挑起的“零木屋区”政策延续与否，让州务大臣卡立被迫多次辩解，不过雪州政府指示巴生市议会撤销巴板木屋区搬迁令的举动，却是前朝政府不曾做过的创举，印证了雪州政府尊重城市拓荒者土地权利的承诺。

Sambutan Mei 1 2008!

Dear DEMA members and friends,

What is your planning during 1/5 May Day holiday?

Come on JOIN US! It will be a meaningful day for you.

May Day gethering has been perticipated by a lot of organisations who take care of labour rights and thousands of labours coming from everywhere since 90’s.

DEMA has been participated in this program for many years.

You will know things you never knew before…

You will know people coming from everywhere.. .

You will know how is labour rights being violated!

Kindly contact:

Siao Hui 0123879264

Wei Xin 0162802251

Salam Perjuangan!

Tinggal 11 hari lagi untuk Hari Pekerja Sedunia.

Tahun ini Sambutan Mei 1 akan berlangsung di Kuala Lumpur. Tema tahun ini ialah:

PEKERJA KUASA PERUBAHAN

LAKSANAKAN JANJI PILIHANRAYA

Perarakan pekerja akan bermula di Dataran Merdeka dan berakhir di SMJK Confucian.

Jawatankuasa Penganjur Mei 1 akan menjemput semua ADUN dan Ahli Parlimen dari Pakatan Rakyat ke Majlis Sambutan ini. Program utama merupakan penyerahan tuntutan pekerja/rakyat kepada wakil-wakil yang dipilih pada PRU-12 yang baru lepas ini.

Oleh itu, sertailah Sambutan Mei 2008. Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa akan diadakan setiap Hari Khamis, jam 8.30 malam di Pejabat Parti Sosialis Malaysia di Brickfields, Kuala lumpur.

Untuk maklumat lanjut sila hubungi Saudari Sivaranjani -019-6693412

AUKU: Jangan tipu siswa, rakyat

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/81384

Sekumpulan pelajar merayu kepada menteri pengajian tinggi agar meminda Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti (AUKU) dengan telus dan “tidak lagi menipu siswa dan rakyat.”

Gerakan Demokratik Belia dan Pelajar Malaysia (Dema) berkata menterinya Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin “bercadang membentangkan pindaan pada hujung tahun ini.”

DEMA Appeal That New Minister of High Education Do Not Cheat Students and People Again

Minister of High Education, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that he plans to table the amendments in parliament by the end of this year. Malaysia Youth and Student Democratic Movement (DEMA) appeals that new Minister of High Education don’t cheat student and people again.

If Minister of High Education sincerely would like to amend UUCA, Ministry of Higher Education should be more transparent in making and announcing any decision about the amendments, so that the public can access to the information, and let public involve in giving ideas and participating in the amendment of UUCA.

高教部计划呈大专法令修正案, 党团促集思广益参考学生意见

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/81386

随着高等教育部长莫哈末卡立宣布计划年底提呈大专法令修正法案，党团纷纷表态希望高教部能够集思广益，尤其是收集与参考大专领袖的意见。

民政党青年团长马袖强今日发表文告说，该团将成立特别工作队，以便收集大专学府领袖的意见，以便向高教部提出建议。

“由于有关法令将影响我们年轻一代，因此我们将在近期内会见大专学生领袖，以便收集他们的意见。”

高教部长别再欺骗学生

http://www.merdekareview.com/news.php?n=6498

【党团文告／马来西亚青年与学生民主运动】高等教育部长莫哈末卡立表示，高教部将将于今年杪修订《1971年 大专法令》及修改会影响高教政策的法律，马来西亚青年与学生民主运动（学运）呼吁莫哈末卡立别再欺骗学生及社会人士，因为如果他有诚意修改《大专法令》， 就应公开让公众及学生参与辩论，实现真正的集思广益及体现参与式民主的精神，并明确列出整个大蓝图，让公众及人民监督高教部的效率。

历史告诉我们，每位新上任的教育部／高教部长都扬言修改《大专法令》，包括马哈迪、阿都拉巴达威及安华依布拉欣。