Mei-13 Fun

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY CONCERNED MALAYSIANS ON 22 JANUARY 2008:

Say No to the Spectre of May 13
Chew Mei Fun MP must retract her fear-mongering statement and apologize

We, the undersigned civil society groups and concerned citizens of diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, stress that all Malaysians have the right to choose their representatives and the government in a free, fair and clean election. No individual politician or political party should resort to threats or intimidation to influence the voter’s decision.

We lament that Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, MCA MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, as reported in the China Press on January 21 (Monday), has conveyed this fear-mongering message to the public: “If there is insufficient Chinese representation in the Barisan Nasional, it is not a good thing, the Chinese community cannot afford another May 13 incident.”

The May 13 ethnic riot in 1969 was a dark chapter in Malaysia’s political history where political violence and manipulation overshadowed the democratic process as well as the voice of the people. Invoking the bitter memories of this tragic incident for political gain is a huge insult to those who died, the surviving victims and their families. This veiled threat to voters not to support the opposition parties is shameless and unbecoming of a responsible political leader.

If Chew is aware of certain quarters planning to use violence in response to a certain electoral outcome, she who has been speaking tirelessly on public safety should lodge a police report immediately and assist in the police investigation.

If she is merely speculating, we are truly disappointed that she has stooped so low in fishing for support. Politicians should not behave like gangsters. They should not use the threat of violence to solicit vote, as gangsters do to extort money.

By making this statement, Chew has in fact violated Section 9 (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954:

Undue influence

9. (1) Every person who, before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence, or restraint, or inflicts or threatens to inflict, by himself or by any other person, any temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm, or loss upon or against any person in order to induce or compel such person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting, at any election, or who by abduction, duress, or any fraudulent device or contrivance impedes or prevents the free exercise of the franchise of any elector or voter, or thereby compels, induces, or prevails upon any elector or voter either to give or refrain from giving his vote at any election, or who directly or indirectly interferes or attempts to interfere with the free exercise by any person of any electoral right shall be guilty of the offence of undue influence.

While waiting for the Election Commission to investigate and lodge a police report, we call upon Chew to do the honorable thing. She should retract her statement and apologize unreservedly for her fear-mongering act. She must condemn unreservedly the use of political violence in Malaysia.

Voters must be assured of their right to vote for any candidate or party of their choice in an environment that is free from fear and intimidation.

We also call upon the Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Badawi to disassociate his administration and party from Chew’s fear-mongering statement and condemn unreservedly the use of threats and intimidation on voters.

We must not let Malaysia become a failed state where political violence political violence by state and non-state actors rule. We must not allow any party to ‘play with fire’. We categorically reject anyone who uses the spectre of May 13 as a bogeyman to threaten Malaysians.

All civil society organisations in support of democracy may endorse this statement by displaying a copy of this statement on their premises, vehicles or the front page of their blogs or websites, until Chew retract the statement and apologizes.

1. Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC)
2. SOS Penang
3. Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)
4. Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT)
5. Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
6. Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (DEMA)
7. Labour Resource Centre
8. Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
9. Civil Rights Committee, KL-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (CRC-SCAH)
10. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
11. Unit Pemikiran Politik, Institut Kajian Dasar (UPP-IKD)
12. Malaysian Voters Union (MALVU)
13. Research for Social Advancement (REFSA)
14. Citizen Think Tank
15. Artisproactiv(APA)
16. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
17. Youth For Change (Y4C)

Well, well, lookie here...

So Mahathir testified to the Royal Commission that he only got to know VK Lingam 'recently'. Recent in this case is when he appointed Lingam to handle the Anwar Ibrahim legal suit. And only after that did the doctor invite Lingam over to the house. Before that, the only knowledge the M man had of His Correctness is via the papers. So he says lah.

Snigger.

Ganesh Sahathevan, who runs the blog Malaysia's Judiciary, has a scoop for you. He pulls up press clippings as far back as 1999 which report that the two M sons - Mirzan and Mokhzani - have both employed VK Lingam in different capacities and cases.

Of course, just because both the sons knew the Man who Looks like Himself, and Sounds Like Himself doesn't mean daddy actually knew him, yes?

But you never know. The little Jwo Burnes of this country are slowly crawling out of the woodwork, intentionally or not. You'll never know what's coming up next.

'It is my prerogative. I don't have to explain why'

So said Mahathir at the VK Lingam Tape Royal Commission of Inquiry when asked about reasons for certain decisions that he made. Malaysiakini reports it here.

That one statement captures the attitude of not only the past, but existing leaders of this country. It is a very dangerous arrogance. Simply put, our nation has eroded to a point where leaders see no more need for check-and-balance. They hold carte blanche on all things - and i really mean all - without any public scrutiny.

Federal money, law enforcement agencies, EPF, state development and even your damn longkang - they make the decisions, you hedge your bets that it benefits you somewhat. If you haven't been kissing some YB's ass, that's just too bad. Three separate arms of government? Yeah, maybe back in '57.

We allowed this, you know.

We allowed this in the unfolding of decades past, where piece by piece - because of the overwhelming support BN gets at each general election - our pillars were dismantled to vest more power on men such as Mahathir.

But it ain't just DrM. It's about power and who gets to wield it. i'm willing to bet Anwar would've been the same had he been in prime position; i'll bet Lim Kit Siang would've been the same had it been DAP that was in overwhelming power. Ditto Nik Aziz. Really, nothing personal but the simple truth is that Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

We must now disallow it. We, the citizens, have to take away the powers vested onto these slugs and ensure the pillars are reerected with titanium resolve.

This blogs fully endorses The People's Parliament, a citizen movement initiated by Haris Ibrahim calling on all folks to step up and take back the country. Already a number of citizen groups have been initiated - PJ Selatan, PJ Utara, Segambut, Serdang, Selayang, Subang among them. i have stepped forward. Won't you?

Let's together make them realise that they are first and foremost servants; that they do have to explain. And no, Mahathir, it is not your prerogative. Not on matters such as this. And certainly not when you are serving 24 million Malaysians.

And tell that to your dumb successor too. Second thoughts, never mind. We'll tell him this coming GE. We, the citizens.

Where was P. Waytha Moorthy?

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas or Indian Diaspora Day just concluded its meeting in New Delhi. Samy Vellu led a 70-person team there and spent considerable effort 'correcting' the issues of marginalisation of Indian Malaysians here.

It seemed he oversold. Malaysiakini reports that fellow participants who were there in their own capacity claimed Samy made light of the issues raised by Hindraf here, which had culminated in a 30,000 show of defiance on Nov25.

Whatever. Did you really expect anything honest from SV, who's the proxy tongue of the BN govt?

i thought the media missed asking one key question:

Where was P. Waytha Moorthy?

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas would've been the perfect platform to disemminate information and garner support. There were people of Indian Origin from just about every nook and corner in the world and from all sectors from politics to welfare. The Hindraf leader-in-exile could have done so much for the group's cause.

Plus what better way to knock down Samy Vellu's posturings than by attending his plenary session live in person?

But just where was P. Waytha Moorthy? Surely he must've known, must realised the value of attending the conference. Yet he was missing. And our media never even questioned; not even Malaysiakini.

Why?

This year...

...i am taking back my country.