Akhirnya Najib akui demokrasi negara pincang

Nazri Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 Sept: Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak akhirnya "mengakui demokrasi negara selama ini tidak berfugsi", kata Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad.

Beliau berkata demikian sebagai memberi respon awal terhadap pengumuman yang dibuat Najib dalam Perutusan khas Hari Malaysia yang disiar secara langsung oleh RTM malam ini.

"Selepas 5 desawarsa, Najib akhirnya mengiktiraf demokrasi di negara ini tidak berfugsi," katanya kepada Harakahdaily.

Dalam prutusan khas perdana menteri, Najib turut mengumumkan keputusan kerajaan memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA).

Selain memansuhkan ISA, katanya, kerajaan juga akan memansuhkan Akta Buang Negeri 1959 di samping mengkaji semula beberapa undang-undang lain bagi memastikan ia memenuhi kehendak semasa.

Menurut Najib, kerajaan, di bawah Fasal 3 Perkara 150 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, akan membentangkan kepada kedua-dua Majlis Parlimen usul agar ketiga-tiga proklamasi darurat yang telah diisytihar dulu, supaya ditamatkan kuatkuasanya.

Jangan terlalu selesa

Mengulas lanjut, Dzulkefly yang juga ahli parlimen Kuala Selangor menganggap pengumuman tersebut juga sebagai kejayaan rakyat, NGO, aktivis demokrasi serta parti pembangkang yang selama ini telah lama mendesak perkara itu dimansuhkan.

Malah ujarnya, pengumuman itu hanya sebahagian kecil daripada perubahan yang dituntut rakyat untun menjadikan demokrasi negara benar-benar berfungsi.

Bagaimanapun beliau menasihatkan rakyat agar jangan terlalu selesa dengan pengumuman itu kerana apa yang diumumkan perdana menteri malam ini hanya dalam bentuk "janji lisan".

"Kita yakin ini hanya janji dan slogan saat-saat akhir bagi meraih sokongan rakyat menjelang Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) ke-13.

"Apa yang lebih penting, rakyat mahu melihat dalam praktik dan amalannya," katanya yang juga pengarah eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan PAS Pusat.

Tambahnya lagi, apa yang diumumkan Najib itu juga adalah apa yang telah diumumkan Pakatan Rakyat dalam Buku Jingga iaitu prubahan yang akan dilakukan oleh Pakatan Rakyat dalam masa 100 hari menguasai Putrajaya.

"Ini yang kita maksudkan reformasi politik sebelum datang transformasi ekonomi yang Pakatan Rakyat komited untuk lakukannya.

"Kita tak kisak mereka tiru pendekatan kita dalam Buku Jingga. Janji ianya untuk kebaikan rakyat keseluruhan," katanya.

http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/5438-akhirnya-najib-akui-demokrasi-negara-pincang

Najib akui demokrasi Malaysia pincang?

Posted by admin on September 16th, 2011

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak akhirnya “mengakui demokrasi negara selama ini tidak berfugsi”, kata Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat, Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad.Beliau berkata demikian sebagai memberi respon awal terhadap pengumuman yang dibuat Najib dalam Perutusan khas Hari Malaysia yang disiar secara langsung oleh RTM malam ini.”Selepas 5 desawarsa, Najib akhirnya mengiktiraf demokrasi di negara ini tidak berfugsi,” katanya kepada media.
Dalam prutusan khas perdana menteri, Najib turut mengumumkan keputusan kerajaan memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA).

Selain memansuhkan ISA, katanya, kerajaan juga akan memansuhkan Akta Buang Negeri 1959 di samping mengkaji semula beberapa undang-undang lain bagi memastikan ia memenuhi kehendak semasa.

Menurut Najib, kerajaan, di bawah Fasal 3 Perkara 150 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, akan membentangkan kepada kedua-dua Majlis Parlimen usul agar ketiga-tiga proklamasi darurat yang telah diisytihar dulu, supaya ditamatkan kuatkuasanya.

Mengulas lanjut, Dzulkefly yang juga ahli parlimen Kuala Selangor menganggap pengumuman tersebut juga sebagai kejayaan rakyat, NGO, aktivis demokrasi serta parti pembangkang yang selama ini telah lama mendesak perkara itu dimansuhkan.

Malah ujarnya, pengumuman itu hanya sebahagian kecil daripada perubahan yang dituntut rakyat untun menjadikan demokrasi negara benar-benar berfungsi.

Bagaimanapun beliau menasihatkan rakyat agar jangan terlalu selesa dengan pengumuman itu kerana apa yang diumumkan perdana menteri malam ini hanya dalam bentuk “janji lisan”.

“Kita yakin ini hanya janji dan slogan saat-saat akhir bagi meraih sokongan rakyat menjelang Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) ke-13.

“Apa yang lebih penting, rakyat mahu melihat dalam praktik dan amalannya,” katanya yang juga pengarah eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan PAS Pusat.

Tambahnya lagi, apa yang diumumkan Najib itu juga adalah apa yang telah diumumkan Pakatan Rakyat dalam Buku Jingga iaitu prubahan yang akan dilakukan oleh Pakatan Rakyat dalam masa 100 hari menguasai Putrajaya.

“Ini yang kita maksudkan reformasi politik sebelum datang transformasi ekonomi yang Pakatan Rakyat komited untuk lakukannya.

“Kita tak kisah mereka tiru pendekatan kita dalam Buku Jingga. Janji ianya untuk kebaikan rakyat keseluruhan,” katanya.

Naib Presiden PAS Salahudin Ayub pula mendesak kerajaan memohon maaf secara terbuka kepada rakyat yang pernah ditahan dibawah akta zalim itu.

Salahudin berkata tindakan itu perlu kerana sudah ramai rakyat yang menjadi magsa akta itu sejak dari merdeka lagi.

“Kerajaan mesti minta maaf secara terbuka kepada mereka yang pernah ditahan oleh akta ini semenjak merdeka lagi.

“Sejak dahulu kita menentang kata ini. Sememangnya akta ini tidak relevan lagi,” katanya yang juga ahli parlimen Kubang Kerian.

Dalam pada itu Isteri mangsa bekas tahanan ISA Norlaila Othman dalam reaksinya terhadap pengumuman perdana menteri itu masih meragui “niat baik” kerajaan.

Menurutnya, sukar untuk mempercayai janji kerajaan kerana sudah banyak kali ditipu.

“Kami tidak tahu hendak (kata) alhamdulilah atau bersorak “yahoo” sebab sudah banyak kali kena tipu. Selagi Kem Kamunting tidak ditutup, selagi semua tahanan tidak dibebaskan dan selagi ISA tidak lagi menjadi akta baru kami akan percaya.

“Walaupun ISA dimansuh, dia boleh buat akta baru pada bila-bila masa saja. Kita tidak mahu akhirnya cuma tukar nama sahaja,” katanya dipetik Malaysiakini.

Selain memansuhkan ISA,Najib berjanji bahawa kerajaan juga akan memansuhkan Akta Buang Negeri 1959 di samping mengkaji semula beberapa undang-undang lain bagi memastikan ia memenuhi kehendak semasa.

Menurut Najib, kerajaan, di bawah Fasal 3 Perkara 150 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, akan membentangkan kepada kedua-dua Majlis Parlimen usul agar ketiga-tiga proklamasi darurat yang telah diisytihar dulu, supaya ditamatkan kuatkuasanya.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/najib-akui-demokrasi-malaysia-pincang/

ANWAR- A VOICE OF MALAYSIAN DEMOCRACY

POSTED BY ADMIN ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2011

Hatef Mokhtar

My meeting with Anwar Ibrahim happened on May 2010 at OSLO FREEDOM FORUM in Oslo, Norway (picture). What inspired me about his personality’s view point was he strongly believes in the free and democratic society who wants his country to be a vibrant transparent democracy with clearly defined framework for human rights, freedom, free media, more harmonious secular society with due respect to their lingual and cultural trends. His vision was clear and has been fighting for the Malaysian people who too want to see the light of freedom — a freedom from the arbitrary rule of 50 long years, where the requirement for their nation is to be more civilized in a nature of this 21st century.

Politics have always been a mixture of clamor and nuances where the ideologies who contradict comes at the cross roads of allegations where only the rule of thumb rules in the absence of transparent judiciary. How can a person demands and expect if the trail goes through the phases planned with its due course programmed by those who are the perpetrators of their own kingdom. It said wisely and widely that the person who is visionary and wants change faced the real fist of the challenged authority thus making him the touché in the eyes of his own people who believes in him, supports him. Development is needed and is going from a long time in the Malay Peninsula but the majority still remains in the abject poverty hoping to see the light of prosperity along with the voice of freedom to be given to them as an extra tooth in their jaw line.

The one party rule has never been likening by its indigenous society and those who come there in search of their fortune. Demography’s survives in the lure of those who support the cause which is needed to be bring in the reality the most just like the freedom of speech and its after affects which even to this day exists in this country who promotes as “Truly Asia” but the ground reality is something else or I must say different for those who wants to taste this true Asian experience and lives throughout their lives in near future.

The light of hope lit by Anwar during his tenure and after his dismissal has a future for Malaysia, a future where he sees his people, his society living freely, practicing the full fundamental rights provided by the national parliament and council to the common man, where the media, judiciary functions independently without the control of any public thumb. Where a person is free to speak, to dislike whatever he thinks is wrong but is not put to trail after he is done with his expressive choice. Where human rights are respected and people takes part in a free and fair elections choosing their own representatives by practicing their right to vote and right to choose.

When a revolution needs to take off the protagonist revolutionary faces the challenge of false charges and pays the price with his image, dignity which has always been challenged by the defending opponent. The era of unfair trails started from 1998 with its first accusations on Anwar had lead him to 6 years jail term in 1999 for involving in a homosexual acts with his colleague and another 9 years imprisonment in 2000 for the act of sodomy if proven.

Even though after spending 6 years in jail under constant maltreatment and harassment by the police authorities he did not give up his hope of a ‘One Malaysia’ which he overlooks from the perspectives of the current existing. After being released in 2004 he has been in constant struggle for his Prime Ministerial candidature and have not let free the UMNO’s majority ruling cabinet from his challenge. But seeing the rising popularity of Opposition’s de-facto Leader Anwar Ibrahim the Prime Minister Najib Razak is turning no stone unturned to block Anwar’s progress in the race to Malaysian Democracy. The major roadblock for him came in 2010 when Anwar was charged again for sodomy this time by his another close aide who filed a police complaint against him.

However, Anwar’s reactions and stand against this charge boosted his popularity to the masses further. If proven guilty the nation will lost all hope of the flame which Anwar had lit for his people wanting to see its light in shape of democracy as the maximum jail sentence for this accusation is 20 years which may restrict him to contest his candidature in the upcoming elections of 2013. Nevertheless, there is still hope for his political survival as many controversies has arisen in the false tailor made proofs of DNA samples and Alleged Sex tape which is the latest revelation in this trail series strengthening the roadblocks created by government on the road to democracy. Anwar’s political career loss will be the huge loss for Malay people and the loss for nation at large. His imprisonment under the falsified evidences and the wrong court rulings along with the un-necessary trails to deny him to contest for his candidature in the upcoming elections, would prove a dent in a Malaysian constitutional reform process.

Things might turn in his favor as the submitted proofs full of alteration and this may give hope to the entire Malay nation about this national inspiration to take the ray of the democratic freedom light to its destination. He is a person of vision, an inspiration, and an admiration who sees a future of homeland into a true paradise of equality where he looks no discrimination, no race, no caste, but a society which is free living in peace practicing their fundamental rights in a well designed framework where everyone has a right to speech and freedom after speech.

No matter how huge the problems become, how far the aims seems to be but this new Malacca storm will uprooted all those who come in the way of his noble dreams flashing in his memories for his land while the enemies of rightful free and fair democracy will be crushed under the sound of his roar.

The people wish him to see as the ruling premier of their country taking a lead in a region who is going ahead by adopting the various reformed measures for their territories to fix a place in the growing competencies in this Asian century. The authoritarianism has never given stable smiles on its population’s face wondering with a hope of birthing fundamentals. The independence of Malaysia and the democratic freedom of it must be enhanced at all cost and people should now stand in support of Anwar Ibrahim and against the regime who is trying to crush a free and visionary voice who is not only a great human being but also a great Muslim too, so, how can a person who is so great and pure from heart can commit an act which is against his own morals, whatever this great being Anwar Ibrahim is facing today are just a false evidences of those who want the country to be ruled like it has been ruled since independence where people has no say and no one to whom they can say hence spreading propaganda against the shining star of Malaysian politics that is as pure and clear like his name Anwar Ibrahim.

Reforms are needed in the constitution and in the election process including the judiciary who acts as puppet to the government on most occasions and who has no independent functioning of its own. The nation should stand with this hero who has started a revolution to bring change in the lives of those who still being deprived of their rights to live in peace where their dreams can fulfilled without making them feel of their commonness.

At last I just want to share few lines when I came to knew about Anwar’s great being and these are:

“The ray of freedom has touched the source of fire where now the burns of those are exposed who knew their fate would be coming. A new hero has marched on the path of future where thorns are withering on the petals of rose spreading the fragrance of equality.”

Hatef is the Founder Armed For The Quill which is based in Oslo, Norway

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/09/anwar-a-voice-of-malaysian-democracy/

Activist: Syrian troops snatch, beat up cartoonist

By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY - Associated Press | AP – 58 mins ago

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian security forces attacked a renowned anti-regime cartoonist early Thursday in Damascus and left him bleeding along the side of a road, human rights activists said.

Ali Farzat, who is in his 60s, was hospitalized after passers-by found him "heavily beaten and physically abused," said Omar Idilbi, a spokesman for the Local Coordination Committees, an activist group that helps organize and track the 5-month-old uprising in Syria.

Farzat has said he had great hopes for President Bashar Assad when he became president in 2000, but in recent years he has become a vehement critic of the regime, particularly as the military launches a brutal crackdown on the country's protest movement.

Human rights groups said Assad's forces have killed more than 2,000 people since the uprising against his autocratic rule erupted in mid-March, touched off by the wave of revolutions sweeping the Arab world.

Assad has shrugged off international condemnation and calls for him to step down, insisting that armed gang and thugs are driving the violence, not true reform-seekers.

The crackdown has led to broad international condemnation and sanctions, although French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday ruled out intervening in Syria without international backing.

"As for Syria, the conditions for a military intervention are not in place ... France will not intervene without an international resolution. That's the basis," Sarkozy said during a news conference in Paris with Mahmoud Jibril, the head of Libya's opposition government.

"That doesn't mean that we can let the Syrian people get massacred by a regime that disqualifies itself from one day to the next," he said.

Also Wednesday, the European Union imposed sanctions against an elite unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, saying the Quds Force is providing equipment and other support to help Assad crush the revolt.

The sanctions broadened the international pressure against Syria by directly targeting its key ally Iran, which the U.S. and other nations have accused of aiding the crackdown.

The EU's official journal, which published the statement, said the Quds Force "has provided technical assistance, equipment and support to the Syrian security services to repress civilian protest movements."

Other new targets of the sanctions include several Syrian generals and close associates of Assad's younger brother, Maher, who is believed to be in command of much of the crackdown. Hassan Turkmani, a former defense minister and special envoy for Bashar Assad, also was named.

The EU blacklist on Syria now contains 50 people and nine entities who face asset freezes and travel bans as punishment for one of the deadliest government crackdowns of the Arab Spring. Syria already is under broad sanctions from the U.S. and European countries, but calls for stricter measures have been on the rise.

Despite the harsh words, the Syrian crackdown continued.

Tanks stormed the eastern city of Deir el-Zour and made sweeping arrests there Wednesday, according to Syrian activists. Deir el-Zour is an oil-rich but impoverished region known for its well-armed clans and tribes whose ties extend across eastern Syria and into Iraq.

On Tuesday, European nations and the U.S. circulated a draft U.N. Security Council resolution seeking an arms embargo and other sanctions.

Syria has banned foreign media and restricted local coverage, making it impossible to independently confirm events on the ground. While widespread witness accounts and amateur video footage describe a brutal crackdown by security forces, Syria's state-run news agency says security forces are the real victims of gunmen and extremists.

Assad has exploited fears of chaos in Syria, with the regime portraying him as the only man who can guarantee peace in a country with a potentially volatile mix of religious groups.

The opposition, however, says the protest movement is free of sectarian overtones and is simply demanding freedom and democracy. The opposition took steps toward forming a national council Tuesday, but serious divisions have prevented them from presenting a unified front.

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  http://news.yahoo.com/activist-syrian-troops-snatch-beat-cartoonist-073300862.html

SAIFUDDIN ABDULLAH MELAWAN ARUS?

POSTED BY ADMIN ON JULY 27TH, 2011

Timbalan Menteri Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (gambar) berkata, rakyat perlu diberikan kefahaman tentang demokrasi, termasuk hak berhimpun sepertimana dilakukan Bersih, 9 Julai lalu. Beliau berkata demikian pada sesi penggulungan dalam debat ‘Apa Selepas 9 Julai’ yang dianjurkan Karangkraf di Shah Alam, semalam.

“Kepada mereka yang tidak faham makna demostrasi itu cuba buka Kamus Dewan dan fahami makna demonstrasi. Ia sememangnya adalah sebuah program, bukannya pertubuhan,” kata Saifuddin sambil mendapat tepukan dari orang ramai yang hadir.

Program debat itu menampilkan tiga ahli panel iaitu, Pengerusi Bersih 2.0 Datuk Ambiga Sreevenasan, Timbalan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya
Pilihan Raya, Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar dan pensyarah Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Profesor Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin.

Kira-kira 600 menyaksikan debat berkenaan sehingga bilangan yang hadir melimpah keluar auditorium utama, bangunan kumpulan media itu.

Menurut Saifuddin, Malaysia kini sedang menuju politik baru, justeru pihak yang mempertikaikan tujuan Bersih untuk menuntut reformasi pilihan raya, disifatkan sebagai golongan ketinggalan.

“Rakyat mahu terlibat dalam struktur dan proses membuat keputusan. Saya faham kenapa Pak Samad (Sasterawan Negara Datuk A Samad Said) terlibat dalam Bersih dan saya hormati Pak Samad,” katanya yang terkenal dengan kelantangan mengkritik dasar-dasar kerajaan yang ketinggalan.

Menurut Saifuddin, beliau mengalu-alukan program debat seumpama itu pada masa akan datang yang memberi ruang kepada keterbukaan dan perdebatan bagi mencari penyelesaian terhadap sesuatu isu.

“Sekarang ialah era politik realiti. Media massa bukan hanya sebagai alat komunikasi tetapi sebagai gelangggang beroperasi dan untuk berkongsi.

“Orang muda, pengundi baru, akademia, profesional, mereka yang berpendidikan tinggi dan masyarakat sivil mempunyai peranan.

“(Tarikh) 9 Julai adalah lingkaran kedua dari pusingan politik pertama. Kalau kita tak memandang ini, tak faham apa yang berlaku, memang teruklah,” kata Saifuddin.

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/07/saifuddin-abdullah-melawan-arus/

Demokrasi Malaysia semakin pincang

Posted by admin on July 23rd, 2011

Mohd Syahid Mohd Zaini

Ahli parlimen merupakan wakil yang dipilih oleh rakyat untuk menyampaikan pandangan dan masalah mereka. Konsepnya wakil yang dipilih ini adalah pekerja untuk rakyat dan rakyat adalah tuannya.Seharusnya wakil yang dipilh oleh rakyat ini memainkan peranan penting dalam membawa isu-isu dan masalah-masalah rakyat. Namun ada sesetengah wakil rakyat ini membalas pengharapan rakyat dengan mengkhianati amanah yang diberi.

Mereka membolot harta rakyat sesuka hati mereka demi kepentingan peribadi. Membina mahligai berjuta-juta ringgit di saat ramai rakyat di sekeliling rumah mereka menanti saat rebah ke bumi. Berbelanja kelengkapan peribadi ribuan ringgit di saat ada rakyat menjadi peminta sedekah yang mencari sesuap nasi untuk anak di rumah.

Kos kehidupan yang meningkat dan kenaikan harga barang lebih menghimpit golongan miskin ini. Kajian yang dilakukan mendapati pendapatan isirumah di bawah RM 2000 boleh dikatakan sebagai golongan miskin.

Dalam keghairahan mengejar status negara maju namun Malaysia masih mempunyai jurang pendapatan yang besar.

Ibarat pepatah Melayu menyebut ‘menang sorak kampung tergadai’.

Lebih parah apabila budaya rasuah dan ketirisan wang telah menyebabkan negara rugi berbilion ringgit. Malah rasuah juga berlaku kesan daripada demokrasi yang cacat. Demokrasi Malaysia masih bersifat sempit dan belum matang sepenuhnya.

Menyentuh tentang isu enam orang termasuk seorang ahli parlimen Sungai Siput, Dr D Jeyakumar yang ditahan dibawah Seksyen 3(1) Ordinan Darurat (Ketenteraman Awam dan Pencegahan Jenayah) 1969.

Ordinan Darurat hampir sama dengan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri yang membenarkan polis menahan seseorang suspek sehingga 60 hari tanpa perbicaraan. Sebelum itu, beliau ditahan kerana didakwa melawan Yang di-Pertuan Agong dan mahu menghidupkan fahaman komunisme.

Saya berpandangan kalau benar beliau bersalah sepatutnya beliau dibawa ke mahkamah untuk dibicarakan, Biarkan mahkamah yang menentukan bersalah atau tidak. Adalah tidak adil jika beliau ditahan berhari-hari tanpa belum dibuktikan bersalah lagi. Malah penahanan beliau membantutkan tugas beliau sebagai ahli parlimen.

Keruntuhan demokrasi juga turut menjalar ke Kolej Universiti Insaniah Kedah (KUIN) apabila pentadbiran KUIN telah bertindak menggunakan Akta Universiti dan Kolej Universiti (AUKU) menggantung pengajian lima orang pelajarnya kerana didakwa mengadakan demontrasi berhubung bantahan pembukaan Sekolah Insan Bestari menggunakan bangunan tahfiz.

Di Mesir pula seorang mahasiswa Mohd Firdaus Madzlan telah dibuang daripada universiti adalah disebabkan beliau menganjurkan Bersih 2.0 di Mesir baru-baru ini. Tindakan ini adalah bertentangan dengan perlembagaan negara, iaitu hak setiap warganegara untuk bersuara dan berhimpun secara aman.

Oleh itu, saya mengharapkan supaya pemimpin negara lebih serius dalam menangani rasuah dan mengamalkan kehidupan yang lebih bersederhana.

Selain itu, berdasarkan prinsip keadilan dan hak asasi manusia saya juga berharap pihak yang bertanggungjawab terutamanya Kementerian Dalam Negeri dapat mempertimbangkan semula penahanan mereka selaras dengan status Malaysia sebagai anggota Majlis Hak Asasi Manusia PBB dan mengkaji semula mana-mana akta yang melanggar nilai demokrasi di Malaysia seperti AUKU, Ordinan Darurat dan ISA.

Penulis adalah Pengerusi Gabungan Mahasiswa Bersatu Perak

http://www.kl-today.com/2011/07/demokrasi-malaysia-semakin-pincang/

Bekas menteri: Najib harus henti sekat suara rakyat

Jul 22, 11 5:40pm

Seorang lagi tokoh Umno hari ini tampil mencadangkan supaya kerajaan pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Razak berdialog dengan Gabungan Pilihan Raya bersih dan Adil (BERSIH 2.0) bagi mengatasi kepincangan proses pilihanraya di negara ini.

Bekas Menteri Perlancongan Tan Sri Kadir Sheikh Fadzir memberikan saranan itu selain menekankan perlunya Najib berhenti menyekat kebebasan bersuara dan sebaliknya memperbaiki imej kerajaan supaya dilihat sebagai pemerintah yang bertanggungjawab.

"Kalau kita mula mahu sorok dan sebagainya, maka rakyat akan berasa syak wasangka sebab amanah (sejak) Merdeka (dan) pada zaman Tun Razak (adalah) memberi kebebasan bersuara," kata beliau.

TV Selangor juga memetik tokoh veteran Umno itu yang mahukan kerajaan menilai secara positif sebarang pandangan yang dilontarkan oleh mana-mana pihak.

Kerajaan mengisytiharkan BERSIH 2.0 yang menggabungkan 62 pertubuhan bukan kerajaan sebagai gerakan haram pada awal bulan ini.

Ribuan orang menyertai perhimpuan 9 Julai lalu untuk menuntut pilihan raya bersih dan adil walaupun terpaksa menongkah arus tembakan air berkimia dan gas pemedih mata oleh polis.

Lebih 1,600 orang ditahan manakala Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan pengawal peribadi beliau, Timbalan Presiden PAS Mohamad Sabu dan ahli parlimen Shah Alam Khalid Samad antara yang cedera.

Sebelum ini, bekas Menteri Kewangan dan mantan Naib Presiden Umno Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah menasihati Najib supaya tidak bersifat konfrontasi terhadap BERSIH 2.0 yang hanya menzahirkan tuntutan awam untuk proses pilihan raya yang lebih telus dan adil.

Abdul Kadir yang juga bekas Menteri Penerangan menggesa Najib supaya bergerak seiring dengan ketamadunan masyarakat yang berdaya saing dan intelektual, dan bukan menyekat hak rakyat untuk bersuara.

Beliau menjelaskan sekiranya kerajaan mampu membuktikan ia melaksanakan tanggungjawabnya dengan ikhlas, maka rakyat tidak akan mempunyai alasan untuk bangkit menyuarakan rasa tidak puas hatinya.

Abdul Kadir berkata demikian selepas majlis pelancaran "Angkatan Amanah Merdeka" (Amanah) pagi tadi.

Abdul Kadir berkata tindakan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) baru-baru ini menyaring maklumat berkaitan perhimpunan BERSIH 2.0 dalam majalah antarabangsa The Economist hanya membangkitkan kecurigaan rakyat terhadap keikhlasan kerajaan.

Pendekatan sedemikian ketinggalan zaman dan hanya menimbulkan persepsi bahawa kerajaan cuba melindungi maklumat daripada sampai kepada orang awam, tegas beliau.

http://malaysiakini.com/news/170742

Abdul Aziz, SPR dan amalan demokrasi di Malaysia

Abdul Aziz, SPR dan amalan demokrasi di Malaysia

Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad
Jul 19, 11
9:34am

Saya ingin merujuk terus tulisan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof yang disiarkan oleh Mingguan Malaysia, akhbar Kumpulan Utusan yang mendakwa bawa kepimpinan BERSIH 2.0 adalah “tidak benar-benar ikhlas” dan mendakwa mereka didalangi parti politik.

Beliau turut mendakwa bahawa himpunan aman BERSIH pada 9hb Julai lalu sebagai 'perhimpunan haram' dan “mempunyai maksud lain di sebalik perhimpunan itu.”

Logik yang beliau pakai adalah “Penganjur BERSIH mendakwa mereka berkecuali. Tetapi daripada apa yang dilihat sama ada gambar-gambar dan kenyataan parti-parti politik pembangkang, penganjur BERSIH sudah memihak dengan jelasnya kepada pembangkang.

“Kita semua nampak mereka turun padang bersama-sama pemimpin-pemimpin parti politik seperti Anwar Ibrahim, Haji Hadi Awang dan banyak lagi... Jadi, sekarang sudah jelas BERSIH didalangi atau diperalatkan. Mereka bersekongkol dengan parti politik.”

Bagi saya hujah yang digunapakai oleh Abdul Aziz adalah amat dangkal serta menjelaskan lagi kepada umum bahawa SPR adalah tidak bebas, tidak telus dan memihak. Siapa sebenarnya yang didalangi atau diperalatkan?

Dan siapakah sebenarnya yang telah bersekongkol dengan parti politik? BERSIH atau SPR? Persoalan besar yang sepatutnya dijawab oleh beliau bukannya soal pimpinan BERSIH dilihat bersama pembangkang atau tidak.

Memesongkan fakta

Persoalan besar adalah soal ketelusan dan keadilan dalam prosess pilihan raya dan demokrasi di negara kita!

Dalam hal in beliau tidak menjawab persoalan pokok yang telah dikemukakan oleh BERSIH 2.0 dan seolah-olah cuba memesongkan fakta dengan meletakkan kesalahan kepada parti pembangkang di negara kita.

Isu besar yang seharusnya diperbincangkan secara rasional dan terbuka adalah lapan tuntutan asas BERSIH yang sememangnya telah sejak sekian lama diperjuangkan oleh pimpinan pembangkang di negara kita.

Apakah Abdul Aziz tidak peka dengan keraguan yang kian memuncak dari kalangan banyak pihak terhadap peranan SPR apakan ia benar-benar menjalankan tugas mereka secara 'telus, beramanah serta adil' dalam mengendalikan pilihan raya di negara kita?

Keraguan rakyat umum ini berlaku apabila SPR dilihat gagal menjalankan tugas mengendalikan pilihan raya secara adil, beramanah dan telus. Malahan lebih parah lagi SPR dilihat telah memihak dan menjadi alat serta 'kuda tunggangan' Umno-BN.

Selain daripada lapan tuntutan asas BERSIH, bakyak lagi persoalan besar yang seharusnya di jawab oleh pihak SPR sendiri. Pengalaman pembangkang pasca pilihan raya umum ke-10 pada tahun 1999 apabila Umno mngalami kemerosotan teruk dalam pilihan raya tersebut patut menjadi pengajaran besar kepada ketelusan SPR sendiri.

Tan Sri Abdul Aziz sepatut merujuk semula ratusan muksurat Hansard Parlimen yang membuktikan bagaimana isu persempadanan semula kawasan pilihan raya yang dikemukakan di Parlimen pada waktu itu adalah semata-mata untuk memastikan kemenangan Umno/BN tanpa langsung mengambil kira peruntukan Peraturan dan Undang-undang persempadanan semula kawasan pilihan raya.

Campurtangan Agong

SPR juga dilihat gagal menasihat kerajaan Umno/BN bagi mengemukakan penambahan kerusi Parlimen di negeri-negeri majoriti Melayu yang di anggap sebagai kubu kuat pembangkang seperti di Terengganu, Kelantan dan Kedah sedangkan penambahan kerusi ketara telah dilakukan di negeri Johor, Sarawak dan Sabah bagi menyelamatkan Umno/BN.

Begitu juga dengan isu perlantikan 'pembantu tadbir SPR' yang mana pengerusi SPR sendiri telah mengeluarkan arahan bertulis agar melantik mereka dari kalangan anggota Puteri Umno.

Mujurlah pada saat itu saya sebagai ahli parlimen Kuala Terengganu bersama ahli parlimen Pokok Sena, Datuk Mahfuz Omar telah dibekalkan surat arahan tersebut dan kami telah mendedahkan 'niat jahat' pengerusi SPR pada waktu itu.

Cuba Abdul Aziz rujuk kembali berapa kali kami dari pembangkang telah berdailog dan membuat bantahan kepada SPR? Arahan tersebut hanya ditarik balik oleh SPR apabila kami mengemukakan bantahan akhir melalui Kebawah Duli Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Perancangan kotor ini telah mencemarkan lagi kredibiliti serta kedudukan SPR yang sememangnya layak digelar sebagai 'alat dan kuda tunggangan' Umno-BN.

Cadangan saya kepada Abdul Aziz adalah merujuk kembali empat tuntutan Bersih terutamanya 'penggunaan dakwat kekal' menjelang pilihan raya umum ke-12 yang lalu. Tidakkah Pengerusi SPR pada waktu itu cuba memperbodohkan seluruh rakyat Malaysia dengan menarik balik kewajipan celup jari bagi setiap pengundi dengan mengemukakan alasan 'keselamatan' dan 'ada dakwat palsu' yang telah ditemui.

Alasan ini terlalu dangkal dan tidak masuk akal? Hanya yang bodoh sahaja boleh percaya kepada alasan Pengerusi SPR itu.

Media berat sebelah

Begitu juga dengan persoalan 'akses media yang bebas dan adil'.

Apakah Tan Sri Aziz 'buta mata dan buta hati' apabila melihat saban hari media milik kerajaan seperti RTM dan Bernama tidak langsung memberi liputan positif dan ruang kepada pimpinan pembangkang di negara kita?

Apakah RTM dan Bernama sememangnya menjadi milik Umno/BN sehingga tidak ada langsung liputan yang seimbang dan adil untuk parti pembangkang? Yang nyata media perdana ini telah menjadi alat propaganda Umno/BN dan bukannya untuk mendidik rakyat Malaysia.

Ya, kalau beginilah taraf serta hujah seorang yang bergelar Pengerusi SPR yang sepatutnya di lihat telus, tidak memihak dan adil, maka cadangan saya adalah seeloknya SPR yang ada ini dibubarkan dan Pengerusi serta Timbalan Pengerusi SPR berhenti dan terus sahaja terjun dalam kancah politik partisan di negara kita.

Biarlah rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan keadilan dan ketelusan menjadi hakim kepada kepincangan yang terus menerus berlaku ini. Bak kata pepatah Melayu, bangkai gajah tidak mungkin disorok lagi.

Penulis adalah penolong setiausaha agung, PAS

http://malaysiakini.com/news/170324

Indonesian democracy and its neighbours

Julia Suryakusuma / Jakarta Post

July 13, 2011

A fellow political observer once told me that reform in Indonesia died the day former finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (right) was ousted by her political opponents. Mulyani was much respected for her performance as a minister (for getting Indonesia out of the economic doldrums), and for determinedly tackling corruption, one of the campaign promises of the first Yudhoyono administration (2004-2009).

The sorry state of politics in Indonesia suggests my friend was right. The nation has been transfixed for three months by the saga of Muhammad Nazaruddin, the former treasurer of the Democratic Party, now formally declared a corruption suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). He’s a fugitive, firing off graft accusations at his mates from abroad, and generally threatening to bring the party down.

And the party itself is beset by infighting and corruption allegations, floundering under the weak leadership of its chief patron, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). Could Nazaruddin be the final tug that makes the ball of twine unravel?

The Democratic Party was set up as a vehicle for SBY, successfully winning him landslide victories in the 2004 and 2009 elections (mainly by default, since there were no other viable candidates!), but now it is fast losing ground to the Golkar Party. Once Soeharto’s political machine, Golkar was considered the embodiment of evil for many years after his downfall, but it looks on track to win the popularity polls now. How did that happen?

So, think about the eight elements of democracy — rule of law, human dignity, political equality, political freedom, common good, being informed and getting involved, personal freedom and respect. It looks a lot like reform is grinding to a halt here.

But guess what? We’re still the most democratic nation in Southeast Asia! In fact, compared to our neighbors, Malaysia and Thailand, we’re quite advanced. In 1998, our reform movement confronted the powers-that-be and ushered in a new era. In 1999 we had our first free and fair elections. Thirteen years later, we’re described as a buoyant democracy. Only now is Malaysia going through its “1998”, while Thailand is a bit further ahead, experiencing the results of its “1999”.

You know things are getting really bad when women take action. In Indonesia the Voice of Concerned Mothers (SIP), a group of professional women, activists and housewives, took to the streets in early 1998. On Feb. 23 that year they staged a historic demonstration demanding social, economic and political reforms. It took until May, two-and-a-half months later, before everybody else (including the students) followed suit.

In Malaysia, it’s once again a woman leading efforts to shake her country free of the authoritarian stranglehold. Ambiga Sreenevasan (left), a Malaysian lawyer and the president of the Malaysian Bar Council from 2007 to 2009, chairs Bersih 2.0, a coalition of Malaysian opposition parties and NGOs pushing the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) to ensure free elections. Their eight demands include the use of indelible ink, strengthening public institutions and wiping out corruption.

It’s high time, too. While Malaysia supposedly has a multi-party system, UMNO (United Malays National Organization) has been the ruling party since Malaysia’s establishment in 1963. There wouldn’t have been any manipulation involved, would there, for it to be able to stay in power for 48 years?

On July 9, Bersih 2.0 staged their long-planned “walk for democracy” with a crowd estimated at about 20,000 in attendance. The authorities greeted them with tear gas, chemical laced water and batons, and arrested over 1,600 peaceful protestors, including Ambiga, an opposition leader and former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. Even before the march, the authorities barricaded the city with roadblocks.

An overreaction? Maybe not, if Malaysia’s own “1998” is on its way.

A little further north, Thais are celebrating their first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. Yep, she’s the sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted leader toppled in a coup in 2006 and currently in exile in Dubai fleeing corruption charges.

Thaksin was a controversial figure, to say the least. He was very popular because he defended the interests of the poor, but was hated by the ruling elite because he took on the military and the monarchy. He was also Soehartoesque—authoritarian: ruthless, and not above extrajudicial killings.

In an interview, Yingluck (right) said she was her “brother’s clone”, “but not his puppet,” she quickly added (as if being a clone is better!). Whatever the case, she’s got a hell of a task ahead of her.

So far Yingluck has been quite impressive, especially given that she’s never been a politician before. She’s professional, conciliatory and cool as a cucumber (so much for women being emotional!). But what she needs to do first is simply deliver a procedural democracy to a Thailand that has been stuck in the chaos of “1998” for several years.

Gosh, Indonesia is so far ahead. We can afford to be smug, no?

Hardly. We’ve had procedural democracy for a while, but not substantive democracy.

Here’s a shortlist of the issues we need to tackle before we get there: End the growing influence of intolerant hard-line Islamists; make existing law reforms work properly; enforce human rights uniformly, for rich and poor; reform the many rotten bits of our judiciary; end rampant collusion, corruption and nepotism in the House of Representatives; and — please! — find a fresh crop of new, competent and ethical leaders, fast.

Indonesia’s reform may be stagnating, but my answer to my friend is that while we have democracy, we still have hope.

And, perhaps Sri Mulyani will come back if we ask her nicely!

The writer is the author of State Ibuism.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php/articles/analysis-a-opinion/3128-indonesian-democracy-and-its-neighbours.html