A week is a long time in politics

Read the papers lately? The news I've been reading reaffirms the fact that watching Malaysian politics in action is much like having ring-side seats to a circus.

The one with the really ugly clowns.

In the midst of the political back-stabbing, random policy changes and wrangling over Menteri Besar posts, one article caught my eye; apparently the highest echelons of PAS leadership is "confident that it can soon set up an Islamic Federal Government".

Huh.

Their win in Selangor emboldened their leadership to create comparisons between Selangor and Kelantan, which sounds distinctly dangerous to me. Have you been to Kelantan? Damansara is not Tumpat, nor is Kota Bharu anything like Petaling Jaya. Don't get me wrong, my mother is Kelantanese, which makes me nominally Kelate, and as much as I love that state, I don't think I can survive there for very long.

It's just too . . . different. Too, well, green, if you know what I'm saying.

People who know me well know that I have never believed in religion in politics. God is not welcome in Parliament, because the concerns of the afterlife do not mesh with Parliamentary debate on budgetary issues, or matters of foreign policy. Do not take this to mean that I do not believe in religion; I do, but I believe it to be a private matter between a man and his God (or Gods, or benevelont ancestor deity).

Politicizing religion always turns out for the worst; religion in a place of power breeds extremism, which breeds intolerance. And I don't think I want that for my kids (when I get around to having some).

Yes, I want a change in the political landscape. But no, I do not want to live in the 1960's (or the 11th century) thank you very much. Which could happen when a religion runs a country.

So, yeah. We've exercised our democratic right to usher in new faces for the Government. But have we, in the process, created a monster we can't control?

Not much else to say

Police should not restrict media's duty to report crime

by CIJ , 26 June 2007
Source : CIJ

The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) is concerned that police in the district of Sibu, of the state Sarawak is barring crime reporters access to crime stories by reportedly introducing several restrictions and threatening to arrest them under the Official Secret Act (OSA) if they breached the restrictions. More seriously, the police directive means reporters are put in a difficult position to produce fair and balanced reports to serve the public interest.

On June 22, the Borneo Post daily (Sarawak Edition) reported that police told crime reporters they had to get police permission to write and publish a crime story. Journalists were told they could only write stories based on information given by the police and that they were not allowed to gather information from other sources or visit the crime scene. Anyone failing to observe the restrictions could be arrested under the OSA, threatened Supt Zamani Tan Sri Hamdan, who reportedly spoke on behalf of the Sibu police chief ACP Nicholas Sebastian. On top of that, reporters were prohibited from entering the compound of the Sibu police station.

Online news site Malaysiakini.com, on June 23 reported ACP Nicholas as saying that the directive came from the police headquarter Bukit Aman, at the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Federal CID Director Christopher Wan Soo Kee declined to comment when contacted by CIJ while the Federal Public Relations chief Supt. Rasdi Ramli, Supt Zamani Tan Sri Hamdan and ACP Nicholas Sebastian could not be reached despite several attempts.

As a public body, the police force has, with the restrictions, effectively prevented the media from carrying out its duties to report on matters of public interest. The restrictions paralyze a reporters' duty to report in a fair and balanced manner. When reporters are made to wait for the police to feed them stories, their situation is not much different from that of a lap-dog journalist, albeit unwillingly. The police seems intent on imposing their version of crime stories by preventing reporters from doing their investigation. The move breeds suspicion that it has something to hide in the midst of the recent controversy about the alleged link between politicians and public figures with secret societies. The public is also prevented from assessing the performance of the police when stories are only told from the police's point.

We urge the police not to hinder a reporter's duty to report in a fair, balanced and objective manner. We also urge the Prime Minister (PM) Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who heads the Internal Security Ministry that is responsible for the police force, to take note of the police's restriction as it is against the PM's pledge for transparency and integrity.

The Centre for Independent Journalism, Malaysia (CIJ) is a media organization that aims to improve current Malaysian journalism practice and independence through advocacy, research and analysis, training and practical work. Started in 2001, CIJ has initiated various projects in developing grassroots communications skills through training, infrastructural support and direct action.

Ends

Issued by

Gayathry Venkiteswaran
Executive Director

Guilty as sin

Read the paper today, was very unsurprised at the headlines; apparently the remaining family members of the deceased in the Altantuya murder case are being threatened by Razak Baginda. Something about this not being their country, and they should just go die or something.

Huh.

Admission of guilt, and I don't even need a court to prove it. Razak Baginda's so guilty that it's actually become farcical. Prima facie, the case is so ironclad that the judges should only be given 5 minutes of deliberation before hauling Baginda's ass (and those two cops, but that's not the issue here) on a minimum, manslaughter charge. Conspiracy to commit murder at the least.

But of course it won't turn out that way in court; the counsel for the defence will rally around the identification issue, and then they will drag it out into a slugfest by citing nationalistic interest, which will, of course, move our stupid, Malaysian hearts enough to give that murderer a reduced sentence. Because we're stupid, and we see a Malaysian face on that stand, of course we're not going to punish him. It HAS to be that foreigners fault, right? She seduced him, seriously, look at the guy, his wife and family, all weeping and stuff. That foreign bitch.

Not helping is the counsel of judges for this case, a more narrow minded bunch of OLD PEOPLE I have not seen since Anwar. Of course they're going to go with the national issue, swayed by public opinion. It's not totally their fault though, with the threat of death over them due to being in such proximity with that old warmonger Najib (who I hope will fall down some stairs and die, hopefully before I have any children. Actually, almost every known Malaysian political figure should burn in righteous flames. Fresh new start and all that.), they have to follow the Government stance in this issue.

Who cares about the Law anyway?

Welcome to Malaysia, Mr Foreigner. Leave your Human Rights at the door. Oh, and morality and civil liberties are not welcome here, so better leave that at home too. Have a good trip, hope you're not charged with anything while here. Because you will hang.