Malaysian government has no plan to review the ISA, so says Abdullah Badawi

Read the extracts of the BERNAMA report below

Source HERE for full BERNAMA article.

Government Has No Plan To Review ISA At The Moment, so says PM on Saturday afternoon, 18th October 2008.

The Malaysian government has no plan to review the Internal Security Act (ISA), at least for the moment, Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi said today.

He said the law was still being used and there was no discussion pertaining to its status as yet.

He said the ISA was still relevant in today's context, and that even many other countries were also enacting similar laws now for security reasons.

"ISA is not legislation that cannot be applied. Such legislation is also applied by other countries.

"Countries which do not have the ISA now feel that it is proper to have such legislation, countries such as the United States and England," he said.


He said it was important to exercise caution in executing the law. "There has been no element of abuse of power," he said.


On the call from various quarters, including political parties, for the government to release all ISA detainees, Abdullah said the matter was under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry.

"I have no other comments. He (Home Minister, Hamid Albar) understands the situation better, whether to release or continue with their detention," he said.

When asked if it was timely for such a move considering that he was embarking on a reform platform, Abdullah answered:


"So what? Reform is reform, law is law. Detainees are detainees. Reform does not mean we want to reform everything, everything in the law, undoing offences."


The ISA, which allows for indefinite detention without trial, has long been the subject of controversy, this was highlighted recently when several people, including a newspaper reporter, an MP and and blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin were detained under the draconian Act.

Interesting talk, but the PM is being superficial, rather shallow, seems to be insincere and is presenting incomplete arguments.

In reality, the ISA was formulated to combat armed terrorists and insurgents at the time Malaysia was under the period of confrontation from the communist threat; it is undoubtedly now being misused to oppress and to silence political opposition.


Corruptisima re publica plurimae leges



In the most corrupt state are the most laws

ANOTHER ARREST UNDER ISA - UPDATE

UPDATE:

JUSTICE IS DONE

SUARAM (Suara Rakyat Malaysia) member Cheng Lee Whee, 26, was released on Saturday 18th October 2008, after the Magistrate's Court in Kuala Lumpur rejected a police application for her remand.

Cheng had been arrested under the ISA on Friday for posting a statement on the State police web portal which allegedly could cause fear among the public.

SUARAM member has been detained under the wicked ISA over a police report regarding the demolition of a squatter colony.

Once again it appears that the ISA has been used in a minor case which could have been dealt with using laws which are far more appropriate than the draconian ISA!!!!

A lady aged 28 years has reportedly been arrested at 22:00 hours last night under Section 28 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) for allegedly disseminating false information concerning the demolition of a squatter colony in Kampung Baru Plentong Tengah, near Johor Bahru.

Section 28 of the ISA concerns the dissemination of false reports, according to this section,

“Any person who, by word of mouth or in writing or in any newspaper, periodical, book, circular or other printed publication or by any other means spreads false reports or makes false statements likely to cause public alarm, shall be guilty of an offence.”

According to lawyers, section 28 of the ISA does not empower the police to detain a suspect without trial.

The suspect must be brought to a court within 24 hours, either to be charged, or be further remanded to facilitate police investigation.

The police are expected to apply for a remand order today (Saturday 18th October 2008,) to 'facilitate their investigations'.

The woman is alleged to have lodged a false police report regarding the incident on Thursday, 16th October 2008, she also is said to have sent an e-mail, to the Johor police website, which claimed that the police had abused their powers and used water cannon to disperse the crowd who were protesting the demolition.

Initial investigations seemingly revealed that the woman, Cheng Lee Whee, was not present at the scene.

Johor State Chief Police Officer Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mokhtar Mohd Shariff has confirmed the arrest.

Once again, it appears that, the evil and draconian ISA is been utilised as a 'weapon' to try to subdue the people, and make them totally subservient to those who are in power.

In terrorem

As a warning; in order to terrify others

Recession is on the way, better pay attention Malaysia

Does the Malaysian finance minister, none other than DPM Najib Razak, realise that the proverbial shit is about to hit the fan?

Perhaps he is too pre-occupied with other matters to know, or even care?

Malaysia is certainly far from being recession-proof!

According to the government subservient main-stream media in Malaysia, 'everything in the garden in lovely'.

The Star reports Malaysia's second finance minister as saying "Malaysia unlikely to enter recession" see HERE


But what is the situation in the real world?


Click, to read what other think, HERE

EXTRACT:

"Well, if they have been reading reports closely, they would see that palm oil and crude oil prices have plunged also.

Local newspapers have not been reporting the meltdown on a big scale. The coverage is still mainly limited to the business or foreign sections, and tend to present the 'official' side of things.

In today's publication of The Star, the biggest English daily, a story on local banks focused on the positives."

For the Star story about local banks, click HERE

A fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi



A precipice in front, wolves behind

Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy Trial, Latest News

Abdul Gani Patail, who is now Malaysia's Attorney General, is accused of trying to hide facts in the investigations into the shameful Anwar Ibrahim assault, better known as "the black eye incident".

This allegation was contained in the statement of claim filed by the then investigating officer of the case, Mat Zain Ibrahim, (who is now retired) was the Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigations Department chief, and he was responsible for finding out who had assaulted and given Anwar a black eye). and tendered as an exhibit, in the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy case, it was read out by Anwar's lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah last Wednesday.

The statement alleged that Gani, who at that time was a senior deputy public prosecutor, had hidden facts of the investigations (tantamount to tampering with evidence?) from the then Attorney General Mohtar Abdullah.

Mat Zain also alleges that Gani had attempted to delay the investigations, whilst he (Mat Zain) was trying to complete them as soon as possible.

Mat Zain has claimed that Gani was present on the 39^th floor of the Federal police HQ at Bukit Aman. Kuala Lumpur, on 20^th September 1998, when Anwar was badly beaten by the then Inspector-General of Police, Abdul Rahim Noor.

He stated that he had submitted his investigation papers (IP) to Gani on 30^th October 1998, but one week later, the AG had issued a press statement claiming that neither he, nor any of his officers, had received the IP.

However, the AG's chambers confirmed they had received the IP on 20^th November 1998, only after Mat Zain had insisted that Gani confirm this fact.

On 6^th January 1999, the chambers concluded that Mat Zain's investigations were incomplete thus they could not identify who had assaulted Anwar.

Nevertheless, eventually, the then Inspector General of Police, Abdul Rahim Noor, was charged, on 23^rd April 1999 with assaulting Anwar Ibrahim, he subsequently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two months imprisonment and was also fined RM2,000.

Nemo gratis mendax

'No man lies freely'. A person with no reason to lie is telling the truth

Raja Petra Sedition Trial Day 4

The prosecution is apparently in a predicament, the trial appears scuttled since the charge may be held to be defective.

See Malaysia Today HERE

and in other media The Star, has a detailed report under headline 'Raja Petra Sedition trial: "It was not C4"' HERE

'Elements in article "untrue and made up" says cop' are the headlines in The Sun HERE

The trial has been adjourned until Monday 13th October 2008.


Fallaces sunt rerum species


The appearances of things are deceptive

Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy Trial, Gag Order Lifted

Anwar in 1998, after assault

After submissions by the defence lawyers, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has lifted a gag order against publishing details of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail’s alleged involvement in tampering with evidence in Anwar Ibrahim’s trial 10 years ago.

Anwar has filed an affidavit to support his application opposing the prosecution’s bid to transfer his case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

He had questioned the validity of the transfer certificate signed by AG Abdul Gani Patail when under an Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) investigation following a police report lodged against him by Anwar over fabrication of evidence.

Anwar’s lead counsel Sulaiman Abdullah had argued before Judge S.M. Komathy Suppiah that the three exhibits [two statements of claim respectively filed by Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan and the then investigation officer in the 1998 Anwar case Mat Zain Ibrahim and newspaper reports on that incident] had been read out in open court.

“The two statements of claim were filed in the Kuala Lumpur High Court and they become public documents and they could be published. The public has the right to know what had happened in court,” Sulaiman said.

Anwar had suffered a black eye in 1998 after he was allegedly punched in the eye by former Inspector-General of Police Rahim Noor in the police lock-up at the Malaysian National Police Headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur.

Yesterday, Judge Komathy had allowed the prosecution’s application to issue a gag order to restrain the media from reporting about Abdul Gani Patail's alleged involvement as shown in the contents of the exhibits.

LET JUSTICE BE SEEN TO BE DONE

Etiam capillus unus habet umbram

Even one hair has a shadow

RPK SEDITION TRIAL: DAY 3 SOME HIGHLIGHTS

The defence team began robustly in the Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin sedition trial, when they said that the police search conducted at RPK’s house, on 2nd May 2008, had been carried out in a reckless, incorrect and unlawful manner.

On Wednesday 8th October 2008 defense lawyer Gobind Singh Deo questioned police cyber security chief Superintendent Victor Sanjos, regarding why he did not get a search warrant before going to the blogger’s house that day.

Gobind Singh asked Supt. Victor if he was familiar with the provision of the Sedition Act 1948, to which the fourth witness replied that he understood it.

When he was asked by lawyer Gobind Singh if a search warrant was required for the purpose ,unless there was reason to believe or suspect that the evidence would be disposed of, Supt. Victor said he did not need a warrant as the case was investigated under the Sedition Act, he added, “I have the power”.

This resulted in Gobind Singh firing back at the witness saying that Section 8 of the same Act clearly explained the matter.

Supt. Victor, who is attached to Police Commercial Crimes Investigations department at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, however disagreed.

Gobind Singh then suggested that the inspection conducted at Raja Petra’s house, by Supt Victor, was done with complete disregard for the law when it required him to obtain a search warrant for the purpose.

Supt Victor again denied this suggestion.

To another question, he said he did not arrest Raja Petra on the same day as he had no reason to do so.

He agreed that a special task force had been set up for the sedition case as it was “opened” at Bukit Aman with each officer playing their respective role. Supt Victor said he was appointed to take part in the task force on 1st May 2008 by his superior officer, ACP Mohd Kamaruddin Md Din where “all cases were treated with urgency”.

He said he did not feel pressured when he conducted the inspection as “it is routine” in his job.

Supt Victor said the purpose of the visit was to search and seize any evidence in relation to a police report. He said he started to search the house at 09:55 and had asked the blogger about the computer he used to access the Internet.

“He told me that he already knew that the police would be coming by and I told him to just let me do my job,” he went on to say Raja Petra, had showed him the computer located on the first floor of his house.

“I seized the central processing unit and a notebook computer from the same area,” he said, adding that he prepared a search list and gave a copy to the blogger after the accused had signed it.

He said he later lodged a police report regarding the search and the seizure of the items and handed over the personal computer as well as the portable computer to the investigating officer.

Questioned by lawyer J. Chandra, he said that ACP Mohd Kamaruddin had showed him an on-line article entitled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to Hell” before he had gone to Raja Petra's house.

He said he has been instructed to seize any computers and data storage devices.

He stated he had contacted Raja Petra at 15:10 on the same day asking him to come to his office where two senior officers recorded his statement.

The hearing before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob will continue on Thursday 9th October 2008.

Fiat justitia (et ruat caelum)

Let justice be done. (though the heavens fall)

Malaysian PM not contesting, to step down in March 2009

Outgoing PM Abdullah Badawi

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has decided not to defend his post as UMNO president and will quit in March 2009 when UMNO meets at its annual general assembly.

He announced this to leaders of the 13 BN component political parties this afternoon, 8^th October 2008.

Abdullah who has been under intense pressure to resign from both within is own party, and from component parties if the BN coalition, as well as from opposition parties, will step aside in under five months time.

He has been seen as weak, ineffective, indecisive, and something of a lame duck PM during the past months.

Abdullah will have been the shortest lived PM in Malaysia's history.

Now the big question is who will be the next PM, let us hope it is not Najib Razak!!!!

What Malaysia needs now is a new federal government, not the never-ending story of the UMNO / BN circus again!

The BBC news stories HERE

& HERE

Dum excusare credis, accusas

When you believe you are excusing yourself, you are accusing yourself

'Danger Money' to be paid to crews of vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden

It has been reported:-

Crews of vessels transiting the pirate infested Gulf of Aden are now entitled to receive danger money following an agreement between unions and employers signed on 7th October 2008.

This agreement comes into force with immediately.

Seafarers on ships covered by International Bargaining Agreement Forums will receive a bonus equal to 100% of their basic wage whilst the vessel is in transit.

The normal rates of death and disability compensation for seafarers will be doubled.

The accord was reached after a meeting, of the IBF Warlike Operations Areas Committee , held in Singapore, this the first time that the IBF has designated any area as being of high-risk.

Crews serving on vessels which follow the transit corridor, known as the Maritime Security Patrol Area (MPSA), will be expected to cross the Gulf.

However crew members who serve on ships that do not follow the MSPA route will be entitled to refuse to transit the Gulf of Aden and can demand to be repatriated at the shipowner's expense.

This is step in the right direction, but the world's shipping nations need to cooperate, to ensure that the pirate menace is wiped out.

If it is impossible to get agreement on this, then each nation should take whatever means are necessary to ensure that its vessels are not hijacked and held to ransom.

An 'open season' should be declared on Somali pirates, and indeed upon all pirates worldwide.

An old salt said this:

“In days gone by, when the navy would caught a pirate, they would tie his hands and feet and throw him overboard.”

Sounds like a good solution to me, it will certainly be a strong deterrent!!

Abite nummi, ego vos mergam, ne mergar a vobis

Away with you, money, I will sink you that I may not be sunk by you

Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy Trial: The High Court Rejects Prosecution Application

The prosecution team in Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy trial suffered a setback when the High Court rejected its application to review a decision by the Sessions Court to hear the merits of a prosecution application to transfer the case to a higher court.

In gremio legis



In the protection of the law


In the same trial proceedings:

The media have been gagged from reporting about Attorney-General, Abdul Gani's alleged role.

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court issued a gag order , on the 8th October 2008, effectively stopping the media from publishing details of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail's alleged involvement in tampering evidence in Anwar Ibrahim's trial a decade ago.

Commodum ex iniuria sua nemo habere debet


No person ought to have advantage from his own wrong

Raja Petra Sedition Trial Day 2

Some Highlights from various media reports:-

Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin had told a talk show host that he had written about Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu two days before the programme was aired live nationwide on 27th April, the Sessions Court heard, he however stated that Raja Petra did not state the title of his article.

Hasshim Abu Hanifah, who is a host of RTM’s [GOVERNMENT RUN RADIO & TV] Blog TV talk show, said he had interviewed Raja Petra for its second episode broadcast on 27^th April 2008.

“If I am not mistaken, he mentioned that he had written about Altantuya two days before that,” he told Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob in the packed courtroom.

Raja Petra has claimed trial to publishing a seditious article on its website on 25th April 2008.

Questioned by DPP Ishak Mohd Yusof, Hasshim, the second witness testified that Raja Petra had made such a comment when he was interviewing him under the “Keterbukaan” (openness) segment.

Hasshim then continued to testify that Raja Petra hd told him, in the Arabic language, that his (Raja Petra's) contributions as a blogger were to do good and reject bad things.

Asked by lead counsel J.Chandra, Hasshim denied that the talk show was made to “trap” the blogger.

He said he did not give any caution to Raja Petra before the show that anything he said could be used against him.

The hearing continues tomorrow, Wednesday, 8^th October 2008.

LET JUSTICE PREVAIL

Please read this article about RPK, entitled "Sleepless in Malaysia" HERE

Veritas vos liberabit

The truth will set you free

Judge rules that Anwar's sodomy case arguments to be heard in Sessions Court

Sessions Court judge SM Komathy Suppiah ruled against the prosecution's application to transfer Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's second Sodomy trial to the High Court. She will hear arguments regarding the application in the afternoon.

The judge said that the lower court has the jurisdiction to hear the case, regarding the transfer to a higher court, her decision is a significant victory for Anwar's defence team.

Anwar had objected to the application to transfer the case to the High Court because it was made by the Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, who has been accused by Anwar of evidence tampering in an earlier case.

Anwar, a former Malaysian DPM is charged with sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The honourable judge has upheld the cause of justice in Malaysia, this is indeed a spark of hope.

Justice, democracy and human rights, which are sorely lacking under the UMNO / BN federal government, are still being kept alive until the new Pakatan Rakyat (Peoples Alliance) federal government comes to power.

UPDATE

The sessions Court will resume on Wednesday, 8th October 2008, at 11:00 when the defence will continue submissions objecting to the transfer of the sodomy case to the High Court.

In gremio legis

In the protection of the law

Malaysia Today blog website denounces money politics, ethnic polarisation and advocates transparency, accountability and justice

During his testimony on the first day of Raja Petra’s trial under the Sedition Act, Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission’s director for Security, Trust and Governance department Harme Mohamed said that the Malaysia Today blog website denounced money politics, ethnic polarisation and advocated transparency, accountability and justice.

The UMNO / BN Malaysian government seems not to like those who oppose money politics, ethnic polarisation and those who advocate transparency, accountability and justice, as it tries to silence patriots, like RPK, by using the Internal Security Act and the Sedition Act against them.

See news reports in The Star HERE

& in the Sun HERE

Adhuc sub iudice lis est

The case is still before the court

Raja Petra's arrival at PJ Sessions Court, video

Please view the You Tube / Malaysiakini video below.






See BBC news report HERE


See Al-Jazeera English news report HERE

The trial of RPK, on charges brought under the Sedition Act, resumes tomorrow, Tuesday 7th October 2008.

If possible, please attend to give your support to RKP, and to reinforce the efforts to get the ISA and all other draconian and unjust laws repealed.

LET JUSTICE BE DONE.


Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges


In the most corrupt state are the most laws

THE FACE OF A VICTIM THE ISA

A thin and pale RPK in handcuffs
at the courthouse in Petaling Jaya,
today, 6th October 2008

Raja Petra Kamarudin was brought from the ISA detention camp at Kemunting, Perak, at the crack of dawn, and arrived at the Sessions Court in Petaling Jaya at 08:25 for his sedition trial.

Court proceedings began at 09:00 hours, and adjorned at 13:30 for lunch, and restarted at about 14:30 hours.

RKP, who is being detained for two years without trial under the draconian and inhumana Malaysian Internal Security Act 1960, was charged on 6th May 2008 regarding on-line posting on Malaysia Today website, regarding the murder of Mongolian lady, Ms. Altantuya Shaariibuu.

RPK pleaded not guilty, and claimed trial re the publishing an allegedly seditious article on Malaysia Today, thus becoming the first blogger to be charged under the draconian, loosely worded "catch-all" Sedition Act.

He is accused of publishing the article 'Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell' which is alleged to contain nine paragraphs of seditious words.

He alleged to have committed the offence at his house in in Bukit Rahman Putra in Sungai Buloh, on April 25.

If convicted, RPK could be fined a maximum of RM5,000 or jailed up to three years, or both under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act.

A large number of supporters of RPK and those who are campaigning for the abolition of the ISA were at the court to express their solidarity, many wore the Support RPK and abolish ISA t- shirts.

LET JUSTICE PREVAIL.

REPEAL THE INHUMANE ISA AND OTHER ARCHAIC ANS DRACONIAN LAWS IN MALAYSIA.

FREE RPK AND ALL THOSE BEING DETAINED WITHOUT TRIAL IN MALAYSIA, AND AROUND THE WORLD.

Fortiter in re, suaviter in modo

Resolute/non-hesitant in action, gentle in manner

ARRESTING / KILLING PIRATES IS ACCEPTABLE

Don't pay them ransoms, fill 'em with lead.

I fully agree with this sensible view as reported recently:

"Shooting pirates is OK – ex-judge

SHOOTING is an acceptable response to pirates, Thomas Mensah, former presiding judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, has declared.

He was taking part in discussion after an event last night organised by the London Shipping Law Centre and was responding to a question from the floor that proposed only two responses to pirates: “either pay them or shoot them.” Mensah said “paying them is out of the question” and offered a third option: arrest.

If that is not possible, then shooting them should be considered, if it can be done without harming the crew, he added.

It might also be considered even if there is a risk of “collateral damage” to the innocent, he suggested: “If you do it often enough, then the message will get out [to pirates] that you will be shot … and things will get a little better than now.”"

WELL SAID!

MALAYSIAN MERCHANTS OF DEATH - IN SUDAN ARMS RACE

Malaysia supplying arms to Sudan

South Sudan is not alone in seeking fresh weaponry, with the authorities in Khartoum (Northern Sudan) reported to be re-equipping their armed forces from Malaysia, China and North Korea.

Both northern and southern Sudan are reported to be building up their forces ahead of the possible independence of the south in 2011.

See BBC story HERE