Anwar Ibrahim |
- Anwar Trial Looms Over Malaysian Politics
- Israel’s Missed Opportunities
- PM Bangladesh Akui Rakyatnya Dapat Hak Mengundi di Malaysia
- Terus Mara Memastikan Perubahan Terlaksana
- AMK: Najib perlu laksana pemulihan demokrasi menyeluruh
| Anwar Trial Looms Over Malaysian Politics Posted: 16 Sep 2011 03:27 AM PDT Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is carving out a new role for himself as a liberal reformer after pledging to scrap the country’s harsh Internal Security Act, but he still has one big problem in selling his case to the rest of the world—the continuing sodomy trial of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Mr. Anwar, a 64-year-old father of six with a goatee mustache and snappy glasses, denies the charges, saying they are a political plot to destroy any threat to the ruling coalition that has controlled Malaysia for over half a century. Mr. Najib and his government deny setting him up. If Mr. Anwar is convicted, he faces going to prison for the second time after being jailed in 1998 for allegedly sodomizing two other aides before an appeals court overturned his conviction. The outcome could help determine bigger issues in this majority-Muslim, multi-racial nation of 28 million people, which has been struggling to break away from its system of race and religion-based politics that many analysts believe have retarded growth in one of Southeast Asia’s most important economies. Although Mr. Najib is opening up the country’s political system to head off the kinds of stresses that have destabilized parts of the Middle East this year—on Thursday he announced plans to repeal harsh laws that allow for detention without trial and pledged new freedoms for the country’s closely controlled media—he faces a potential push-back from opponents in his ruling United Malays National Organization party. Some analysts view Mr. Anwar’s multi-ethnic opposition alliance as perhaps better placed to pursue a more aggressive liberalization policy—that is if he can stay out of jail and get elected to office. This time around a difference is emerging compared with Mr. Anwar’s last trial, or so Mr. Anwar hopes: The importance of forensic evidence that could be partially attributed to—the widespread following here for fictional television cops such as Horatio Caine of the show CSI: Miami. Political analysts say that in 1998 Mr. Anwar was convicted on witness testimony, but this time the prosecution relies heavily on new technologies such as DNA testing and other forensic-investigation techniques. That, Mr. Anwar told The Wall Street Journal during a recent recess at his trial, gives him fresh hope of being acquitted. “Last time there was no medical report and no medical evidence—nothing but the word of mouth,” Mr. Anwar said during a lengthy discussion about anal swabs, data samples and the survival time of sperm cells. “But now the case is all about the science—and that’s where I have a chance.” A Malaysian government spokesman says it has no comment on Anwar’s remarks, saying it is a matter for the courts. During recent testimony in the marathon trial, Mr. Anwar’s lawyers presented a series of expert witnesses who raised doubts about the credibility of the forensic evidence presented by prosecutors. Australian forensics expert Brian McDonald told the court that the DNA testing and labeling wasn’t up to international standards and was riddled with errors. Dr. McDonald said it was unclear where some samples came from. Some of the testimony could help Mr. Anwar’s case, especially in the court of public opinion, analysts say. “I think it will resonate,” says Bridget Welsh, a professor Singapore Management University and a close observer of Malaysia’s political drama. “People in general don’t trust the system. That feeling is endemic in Malaysia and Mr. Anwar is trying to capitalize on it.” It helps that shows such as the CSI franchises are so popular, especially the Miami-based version famously spoofed by comedian Jim Carrey on the David Letterman show. Malaysians closely follow the adventures of Lt. Caine and his colleagues as they try to bring down criminals using advanced forensic techniques and a spot of fisticuffs when appropriate. “We know about forensics. Nobody can fool us about that. We’ve all seen CSI,” says one keen viewer, Rizal Osman, from Pahang, central Malaysia. Bloggers, among others, often discuss plots from shows such as CSI and Special Victims Unit to discuss what’s going on in Malaysia. One person, Gerard Samuel Vijayan, wrote to the Malaysiakini portal to describe an episode of Special Victims Unit that featured a conspiracy to fabricate DNA. He said Mr. Anwar might be facing a similar problem. “Given the holes in the prosecution’s case, there is sufficient doubt to acquit the accused,” Mr. Vijayan wrote. Either way, as the trial moves toward its conclusion—Mr. Anwar is scheduled to continue making his defense on Monday —Malaysians can expect to hear more about DNA, and in forensic detail, in the weeks and months to come. Claiming he is unable to get a fair trial, Mr. Anwar unleashed a tirade against Malaysia’s judiciary recently, liberally quoting from Nelson Mandela, Shakespeare and the Quran to buttress his allegation that the judiciary and government are conspiring to put him away—something Mr. Najib denies. If Mr. Anwar is ultimately convicted, “I hope the forensic evidence lingers in people’s minds,” he says. “It’s worth the effort and expense of debunking the prosecution’s entire case.” In the meantime, Mr. Anwar’s political party is claiming the credit for forcing Mr. Najib to unlock Malaysia’s political system. Mr. Anwar took to microblogging site Twitter after arriving on an overnight flight from England to say Malaysians must remain vigilant. “We have to be wary whether the freedoms are now guaranteed and what laws will replace” the Internal Security Act. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Posted: 16 Sep 2011 02:06 AM PDT From Aljazeera In the prologue to The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem, the author Josephus tells us that works written earlier by others “were marred by inaccuracies and prejudice” and that he “hopes to comfort the conquered and to deter others from attempting innovations”. Josephus’ classic account is indeed a gripping story evoking powerful emotions and leaves us in no doubt as to where our sympathy lies: As the mighty Romans lord over the powerless Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem perpetuating cruelty and injustice, the story is as old as mankind. The oppression of human beings by fellow human beings is not a tale told by an idiot but by the chronicle of time. And as this history repeats itself, the once oppressed can easily become the oppressor. Where once it was the all-powerful Romans against the downtrodden Jews, today it is the high and mighty regime of Israel against the helpless Palestinians. Adding to this state of oppression is the deadly flotilla attack by Israeli commandos under the Netanyahu government, in which nine people were killed – with at least seven having been handcuffed and shot in the back of the head. Yet the latest United Nations report on the attack has completely gone off the mark by concluding that Israel’s blockade of Gaza was a legitimate act of self-defence. According to the Palmer Commission’s report, the legitimacy purportedly arises from Israel having to take necessary steps to protect its people from violent acts by Palestinian militants in Gaza, such as the firing of illegal rockets into Israel. While no one condones violent acts that threaten the security of the people of Israel, the purported rationale for self-defence in this case flies against the facts, the most telling of which is that a unilateral ceasefire by Hamas had already been in place since early 2009. Bereft of this pretext, the entire edifice for the perpetuation of deadly force by Israel crumbles. But that is cold comfort for the 1.5 million Palestinians being incarcerated in Gaza, who are now at the mercy of Israel’s land and naval blockade, which continues to deny them their right to move freely within and between all countries. Sanctioning such a military siege against a helpless civilian population is to turn the global rule of law on its head. And this is a community that has already been so dispossessed. As Edward Said once said, few national groups have been stripped of their humanity in the eyes of the world more blatantly than ordinary Palestinian men and women. The attack on the humanitarian flotilla can neither be sanctioned nor rationalised. Apart from violating international maritime law, it was an act of ruthless aggression against an innocent party. No sovereign government can allow such a transgression to take place with impunity. When two Israeli soldiers were captured by Hezbollah, Israel invaded Lebanon. Nine Turkish citizens have been brutally killed in international waters, and no one should expect Turkey to sleep over the death of its citizens. One of those killed was also an American citizen, the 19-year-old Furkan Dogan, about whom the Obama administration has kept silent. Turkey is therefore right in unequivocally rejecting the UN report and all attempts to justify the military siege of Gaza as legal. Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel will not apologise to Turkey demonstrates his dereliction of responsibilities and a particular callousness towards a nation that used to be a military ally. He is completely misreading the dynamic of the new Middle East, in which justice, not oppression and authoritarianism, will shape history. More significantly, it has missed a golden opportunity to further the prospects of peace through an enhanced collaboration with democratic Turkey under Prime Minister Erdogan. There is no better time than now, particularly in the wake of the Arab Spring, for all parties to move towards a more enduring peace in the Middle East driven by universal ideals for freedom, democracy and justice. Anwar Ibrahim is currently opposition leader of Malaysia and was formerly the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. |
| PM Bangladesh Akui Rakyatnya Dapat Hak Mengundi di Malaysia Posted: 16 Sep 2011 12:56 AM PDT
Keratan laman web rasmi Pejabat PM Bangladesh Naib Presiden KEADILAN, Fuziah Salleh mendesak siasatan dibuat terhadap pengakuan Perdana Menteri Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed mengenai rakyatnya di Malaysia, mudah memperoleh status penduduk tetap (PR) dan layak mengundi. "Kita desak tubuhkan Suruhanjaya Siasatan Diraja bagi menyiasat kenyataan Perdana Menteri Bangladesh berkenaan perkara ini. "Jika perkara ini berlaku, Najib perlu bertanggungjawab dan berani tampil memberikan penjelasan," katanya kepada Keadilan Daily, hari ini. Beliau berkata demikiana apabila diminta mengulas pengakuan Sheikh Hasina yang dipetik dari www.ngoab.gov.bd – laman rasmi Hal Ehwal badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Jabatan Perdana Menteri negara itu. Mengikut laman itu, Sheikh Hasina berkata pekerja Bangladesh di Malaysia diberi kewarganegaraan dengan mudah asalkan mengundi parti yang mewakili kerajaan pemerintah. Beliau juga mengesahkan sebilangan pekerja Bangladesh dalam beberapa sektor di Malaysia, diberi taraf kewarganegaraan sejak tahun lalu. Katanya, mereka juga diberi hak sebagai pengundi dalam Pilihan Raya Umum (PRU) akan datang. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Terus Mara Memastikan Perubahan Terlaksana Posted: 15 Sep 2011 09:06 PM PDT Saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada semua pejuang kebebasan dan hak asasi manusia kerana kerajaan Umno-Bn akhirnya terpaksa akur dengan kebenaran dan keadilan yang mereka perjuangkan selama berdekad-dekad. Ribuan pejuang ini dipenjara, difitnah dan menderita pelbagai kezaliman demi untuk hak dan kebebasan rakyat yang dinodai oleh Umno-BN sejak merdeka lagi. Tanpa kegigihan perjuangan mereka yang sentiasa memberikan tekanan kepada Datuk Seri Najib Razak, pastinya YAB Perdana Menteri tidak akan membuat kenyataan semalam untuk menamatkan darurat dan menyarankan untuk memansuhkan ISA. Semangat perjuangan rakyat telah menjadi sebahagian dari darah daging perjuangan parti-parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Pakatan Rakyat meneruskan perjuangan ini dengan memasukkannya ke dalam Buku Jingga. Justeru itu apa yang dilakukan oleh Perdana Menteri bukanlah suatu kurnia kepada rakyat sempena Hari Malaysia, sebaliknya ia adalah hasil dari perjuangan getir. Maka tahniah yang sebenar adalah untuk para pejuang kebebasan dan hak asasi baik dari parti-parti politik mahupun dari NGO. Sebagaimana kita tidak memberikan tahniah kepada British kerana memberikan kemerdekaan kepada Persekutuan Tanah Melayu pada 31 Ogos 1957 tetapi tarikh tersebut kita rayakan sebagai kemuncak kejayaan perjuagan menentang penjajahan. Namun kita mengalu-alukan langkah yang diambil Perdana Menteri yang tentunya membuka lembaran baru kepada persekitaran politik Malaysia sekiranya apa yang diumumkan dikotakan dan tidak sebagai satu retorika serta sekadar bersifat kosmetik demi memulihkan imej politik. Oleh kerana itu sejajar dengan pengumuman Datuk Seri Najib semalam yang berhasrat memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri 1960 (ISA) dan menamatkan perintah darurat, kita menuntut agar: 1) Segera membebaskan semua tahanan yang ditahan tanpa bicara atau hadapkan mereka ke mahkamah untuk diadili. Kita juga perihatin dengan pengumuman Datuk Seri Najib untuk menggubal dua akta baru yang dipayungi Perkara 149 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Akta itu menurut Perdana Menteri bakal digunakan untuk memerangi keganasan dan aliran subversif. Kita berpandangan adalah penting bagi Pakatan Rakyat, NGO dan pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib Razak untuk duduk semeja bersama-sama mendapatkan maklum balas dari segenap lapisan masyarakat sebelum rang undang-undang ini dibentangkan di Parlimen kelak. Oleh itu kita menyeru agar diwujudkan Majlis Perundingan Kebangsaan bagi mengkaji serta bersama-sama menggarap dua rang undang-undang mencegah keganasan dan aktiviti subversif yang bakal dibentangkan di Parlimen kelak. Kita tidak mahu undang-undang yang bakal digubal ini masih menerapkan unsur perundangan antaranya yang mirip dengan peruntukan Seksyen 73(1) dan Seksyen 8 Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA). Kedua-dua peruntukan tersebut memberi kuasa kepada Menteri untuk menahan Saya ingin mengingatkan Perdana Menteri bahawa rakyat dapat membedakan antara slogan dengan hakikat dan rakyat akan meneruskan perjuangan mereka sehingga segala hak dan kebebasan mereka dikembalikan sepenuhnya termasuk hak mereka untuk berhimpun secara aman untuk menjayakan demokrasi tulen. Rakyat tidak menerima perubahan yang bersifat tempelan. Selagi pemerintahan Umno-BN tidak menerima perhimpunan Bersih 2.0 sebagai hak dan kebebasan rakyat, rakyat akan beranggapan bahawa tuntutan mereka belum dipenuhi. Demokrasi yang berwibawa dan sistem piliharaya yang adil dan bebas adalah sebahagian dari hak asasi dan kebebasan rakyat. Parti Keadilan Rakyat juga mahu menegaskan bahawa kita tidak akan menerima kenyataan yang dibuat oleh Datuk Seri Najib sebagai bermakna selagi lidah rasmi Keadilan iaitu Suara Keadilan dihalang penerbitan dan pengedarannya oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri. Rakyat akan menerima sekiranya pembaharuan yang dilakukan adalah benar-benar ikhlas, berdasarkan penkhayatan kepada nilai-nilai murni demokrasi dan karamah insaniah dan tidak sebagai gimik politik. Sekiranya Datuk Seri Najib benar-benar menerima nilai-nilai ini beliau sebagai wakil kerajaan harus membuat kenyataan terbuka bahawa kerajaan sebelum ini telah melakukan pelbagai kezaliman di bawah undang-undang kuku besi ISA dan undang-undang drakonian lainnya. Pengakuan ini harus diikuti dengan permohohan maaf kepada mereka yang dizalimi dan kepada mereka yang sudah meninggal, permohonan maaf tersebut disampaikan kepada keluarga mereka. Perlaksanaan kepada janji Perdana Menteri juga bergantung kepada kebebasan dan integriti institusi kehakiman. Selagi institusi kehakiman tidak bebas dari cengkaman politik dan tidak memiliki integriti, institusi tersebut boleh dijadikan alat kepada kezaliman baru dan melakukan "political persecution." Bahkan ini yang sedang dilakukan oleh Datuk Seri Najib kepada Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sekarang. Jenteru itu sementara saya mengajak mengalu-alukan kenyataan positif yang dibuat oleh Perdana Menteri saya juga menyeru rakyat terus istiqamah dalam perjuangan menuntut keadilan dan kebebasan. MOHAMED AZMIN ALI This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| AMK: Najib perlu laksana pemulihan demokrasi menyeluruh Posted: 15 Sep 2011 08:12 PM PDT –KENYATAAN MEDIA UNTUK EDARAN SEGERA– Jangan sekadar pengumuman bernuansa pilihanraya: PM Najib perlu laksanakan pemulihan demokrasi dengan menyeluruh Angkatan Muda Keadilan Malaysia (AMK) terpanggil untuk memberikan respon balas ke atas beberapa keputusan drastik yang diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak di dalam perutusan khas Hari Malaysia beliau. Pertamanya, syabas dan tahniah kepada beliau kerana secara tidak langsung telah mengiktiraf melalui pencurian idea Pakatan Rakyat dan pejuang hak asasi Malaysia khususnya secara ‘bergaya’ melalui pemansuhan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA). Walau bagaimanapun, lebih banyak persoalan timbul berbanding menyelesaikan polemik penafian hak asasi manusia khususnya tahanan-tahanan ISA sebelum ini. Tatkala diumum dua akta baru akan digubal menggantikan ISA, timbul persoalan apakah akta-akta yang akan digubal ini akan turut melibatkan pihak-pihak pejuang hak asasi agar pandangan mereka didengar ? Kedua, mengenai tempoh tahanan oleh polis yang secara substansialnya lebih pendek dan apa-apa tahanan lanjut hanya boleh dibuat dengan perintah mahkamah. AMK melihat, dalam konteks ini, perubahan dan kajian semula ini mungkin tidak bermakna kerana persepsi rakyat kepada kredibiliti sistem kehakiman yang parah. Malah AMK pelik mengapa kajian semula ini dilakukan tanpa melakukan reformasi sistem kehakiman secara total. Kita tidak perlu pergi jauh, prosiding kes mahkamah Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sudah cukup untuk membuktikan bahawa dakwaan ini mempunyai asas yang konkrit. Apa guna mahkamah diberikan kuasa, sekiranya sistem Kehakiman masih dilihat bertindak di bawah pengaruh kuasa Eksekutif? Ketiga, apabila disebut bahawa “kuasa Menteri masih dikekalkan bagi undang-undang berkaitan keganasan”, maka kerajaan harus mengambil satu ketetapan untuk mendefinisikan apakah itu “keganasan”. Ini harus ditekankan kerana di bawah hegemoni Umno-BN, berselisih pandangan politik juga berpotensi ditakrif sebagai satu bentu “keganasan”. Dan dengan menetapkan kuasa Menteri dikekalkan dalam hal ini, maka ianya lebih bersifat ‘wal hasil balik asal’. Keempat, AMK turut mempertikaikan apakah rasional kajian semula Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan 1984 di mana prinsip pembaharuan tahunan akan dihapuskan dan digantikan dengan pengeluaran lesen sehingga dibatalkan? Sekiranya kerajaan percaya kepada kebijaksanaan rakyat, maka seharusnya akta ini dimansuhkan terus dan prinsip pengeluaran lesen juga tidak perlu dilaksanakan. Apa guna menyusun retorik memuji kematangan demokrasi usai 54 tahun kemerdekaan jika kerajaan masih mahu mengekang akses pengamal media kepada khalayak? Kelima, berhubung dengan kajian semula Seksyen 27 Akta Polis 1967 mengenai kebebasan berhimpun. AMK mahukan jaminan jelas daripada Dato’ Sri Najib bahawa kebenaran berhimpun harus dipermudahkan dengan penghapusan permit yang tidak munasabah pelaksanaannya. Dengan beliau sendiri menyebut “kebenaran berhimpun diberi selaras dengan kaedah-kaedah yang akan ditetapkan kelak disamping mengambilkira norma-norma di peringkat antarabangsa”, AMK turut mempersoalkan apakah PDRM khususnya akan menggunapakai standard antarabangsa di mana setiap perhimpunan aman akan dikawal sebaik dan seprofesional mungkin oleh pihak PDRM seperti di negara-negara luar. AMK melihat, usai 54 tahun kemerdekaan negara dan 48 tahun penubuhan Malaysia, sistem demokrasi negara harus dianjak ke satu tahap kematangan yang lebih berani. Isu-isu persoalan sistem pilihanraya yang terpalit dengan penyelewengan yang masih tidak berjawab, isu-isu kelangsungan generasi muda khususnya mahasiswa melalui penguatkuasaan AUKU, dan beberapa hal lain, masih menunjukkan demokrasi Malaysia masih belum punyai keberanian untuk dianjak selagi mana hegemoni Umno-BN masih berkuasa. Isunya bukan soal memberi kelebihan kepada pembangkang mahupun pemerintah. Isunya ialah bagaimana menghidupkan roh demokrasi ini kepada rakyat, ini mauduk utama yang harus difikirkan bersama. Kesimpulannya, AMK mengucapkan tahniah di atas beberapa inisiatif yang diambil oleh Dato’ Sri Najib ini. “Keberanian politik” ini pastinya terhasil rentetan merudumnya populariti beliau mutakhir ini, dan AMK percaya ini juga satu semboyan awal Pilihanraya Umum yang pastinya akan “disempurnakan” melalui Belanjawan 2012 menjelang Oktober depan. SHAMSUL ISKANDAR MD. AKIN This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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