Rabu, 15 Januari 2014

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


Net censorship: BBC story on #kangkung fiasco blocked?

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 06:59 PM PST

Digital News Asia

  • Netizens report difficulty accessing BBC article on PM Najib's kangkung calamity
  • Fears raised over violation of MSC Malaysia's no-censorship of Internet guarantee

NETIZENS in Malaysia are having difficulty accessing a BBC story on Prime Minister Najib Razak (pic) being derided online for a comment on rising prices, raising fears that the Internet was being censored in the country.

This goes against the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC Malaysia) charter, in which the Malaysian Government guarantees the Internet would not be censored, barring special circumstances.

The BBC article, entitled #BBCtrending: Be careful what you say about spinach, chronicles the recent uproar over a statement made by Najib that the price of kangkung (or Chinese water spinach) has gone down. In a video that has gone viral, he lamented the fact that the Government has not been praised for this, but is being criticised for the rising cost of living.

His statement has been attacked by Opposition leaders and civil advocates for being insensitive to the plight of average Malaysians, who this year face a slew of price hikes and subsidy reductions.

Internet users in Malaysia reported difficulty accessing the specific BBC post beginning late last night (Jan 15), with timeouts occurring after a long wait for the page to load, while the rest of the BBC site remained accessible.

Consumer technology website Lowyat.NET also reported difficulty accessing the page, "even after changing the DNS setup from TM's to Google DNS," with 'TM' referring to Telekom Malaysia, which owns TMnet, the country's largest Internet service provider (ISP).

As reported by The Malaysian Insider, the kangkung statement sparked much derision by the Malaysian public, with many netizens airing their frustrations and displeasure on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Responding to queries by Digital News Asia (DNA), security expert and freelance IT solutions provider @sniiffit said that in a nutshell, what was being done is that all packets requesting the specific page were being dropped at the ISP level.

"This effectively doesn’t allow the page to load at all," he said.

Asked whether it could be a case of Malaysian ISPs being hacked or compromised, or whether it was a case of traffic overload on BBC's servers, @sniiffit said it was neither.

"BBC or any large portal uses a CDN (content delivery network) which handles page requests to its servers – if the servers are being overloaded, the main site bbc.co.uk would have been inaccessible.

"If it was hacked, the whole domain would have been inaccessible. This blocking of a specific URL would have only been possible by filtering the packets and manipulating the network traffic," he said.

This block will mostly affect those who are tied to the TMnet service or Telekom Malaysia's network, and users accessing the page via their mobile may or may not be affected, @sniiffit added.

According to Khairil Yusof, cofounder of Sinar Project, a non-profit organisation which uses open source technology and ideas to track and measure corruption, this is a similar filtering technique with the one deployed during Malaysia's 13th General Election (GE13) in May last year.

"According to our tests, it's the same type of filtering as done during GE13. It is not new and this confirms the Government still has these filters in place and is willing to use it," he said in response to queries made by DNA via Twitter.

The censorship test conducted by Sinar Project yielded the following:

## Test 1: Check DNS, and IP block: Testing Same IP, different Virtual Host
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
## Test 2: Emulating a real web browser: Testing Same IP, actual Virtual Host, single packet
Timeout — waited 5 seconds
## Test 3: Attempting to fragment: Testing Same IP, actual Virtual Host, fragmented packet
HTTP/1.1 200 OK

This filtering would be a violation of the Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia Bill of Guarantees, which specifically states that the Government would "ensure no Internet censorship."

In the case of the BBC article, lawyer and DNA columnist Foong Cheng Leong raised a question regarding the legal grounds for blocking the BBC article.

"Section 263(2) of The Communications and Multimedia Act CMA 1998 only allows blocking of a site if it is reasonably necessary in preventing the commission or attempted commission of an offence," he noted on Twitter.

The BBC article, while written in a slightly cheeky vein, only recounted facts however, and could not be construed as having committed any offence under Malaysian laws.

This is not the first time that attempts to restrict access to certain content online has been recorded and reported.

During the GE13, DNA reported that there was mounting evidence that certain ISPs may be throttling access to both alternative news portals and Opposition content on the Internet.

In a post published on Google Plus in May 2013, Sinar Project reported strong suspicions that some sort of basic content filtering to censor online media in Malaysia was taking place.

"Many people have reported difficulties with viewing the following video interviews linked from (independent news portal) Malaysiakini’s interview article" conducted with the widow of private investigator Balasubramaniam, popularly known as 'PI Bala.'

PI Bala was a crown witness in a trial over the controversial 2006 murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu. He himself died of a heart attack in March 2013, at the age of 53.

The Altantuya trial saw two special forces police officers being found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, although they were both acquitted by the Court of Appeal in August, 2013.

In the original trial, a third accused, Abdul Razak Baginda, a close family friend of Najib, then Deputy Prime Minister, was acquitted without his defence being called.

Sinar Project had conducted its investigation into possible Internet filtering on multiple networks based on the ID/URL of these videos served from Google’s +YouTube cached servers located in on TMnet's network.

"We strongly condemn the actions of TMnet and parties involved in censoring access to free media in Malaysia," its report said.

When asked for his opinion on the incident, @sniiffit said "trying to censor the Internet is a really bad idea," in addition to the fact that the United Nations also condemns the filtering of content as "it is a human rights violation and against international law."

Readers who want to read the BBC article in question can do so at the blog of Opposition politician Lim Kit Siang, who has reposted it in its entirety here.

Ex-cop Jude Pereira not allowed to practise law

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:54 AM PST

Yahoo News

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has allowed the Bar Council’s objection against admitting former police officer Jude Blacious Pereira as an advocate and solicitor.

He was the main police investigator in the Sodomy II trial against Anwar Ibrahim, who was later acquitted.

Pereira had applied to practise in Ipoh where he had completed his chambering after retiring from the police force with the rank of superintendent.

Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar ( left ) and Pavendeep Singh said the Bar Council objected to his petition because he was found “not to be a credible witness” during a human rights hearing in a case involving the arrest of five lawyers in Kuala Lumpur who were assisting those arrested during a candlelight vigil.

The Suhakam inquiry that found Pereira not a credible witness was chaired by then commissioner Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

The human rights case involved the Brickfields police arresting the five lawyers – Puspawati Rosman, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Murnie Hidayah Anuar, Ravinder Singh Dhalliwal and Syuhaini Safwan ? for allegedly failing to disperse following a directive issued by then district police chief Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid.

The Suhakam inquiry found that the police had acted mala fide and that Wan Bari and Pereira clearly violated human rights.

Justice Zaleha Yusof agreed with the Bar Council that Pereira is “not a fit and proper person to be admitted as a lawyer to practice in the High Court of Malaya”.

“The court also makes consequential order for Pereira’s petition (for admission) to be struck out,” she said.

Pereira or his lawyer were not present to listen to the judgment as the order was made before Justice Zaleha in chambers.

Bar has right to object

Commenting on the matter, Malik said the Bar Council has the right and is duty-bound to object to anyone from gaining admission to practice as lawyers.

“The court’s duty in situations like these is to ensure that the admission of the petitioner’s concern would not have an adverse impact on the profession and community.

“The Suhakam inquiry panel concluded that Pereira was not a credible witness.

“Any court in Malaysia, Australia or New Zealand hold that a lawyer must have high standards of honesty and integrity,” he added.

Pereira had filed his petition for admission on July 23, 2012 and was short-called under Sections 36(2) (a) and (b) of the Legal Profession Act 1976.

However, he failed in the Ethics and Professional Standards course examination organised by the Bar Council on March 13 and 14 last year.

The Bar Council informed Pereira that it would be objecting his admission as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya on the ground that he was not fit for admission to the Bar.

Under Section 11 (1) of the LPA, a qualified person must be of good character but the Bar Council said Pereira being the second highest ranking police officer on duty at Brickfields was involved in the arrest of the five and cited the Suhakam inquiry report.

“We find the evidence of Pereira totally unsatisfactory. He was either consciously not telling the truth or suffered from a serious bout of loss of memory,” the inquiry stated in its
finding.

The Bar Council had held an extraordinary general meeting to condemn the arrest of the five lawyers in May 2009.

Appeals Court upholds defamation ruling against Utusan

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:44 AM PST

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court decision which had ruled earlier that two articles published by Utusan Malaysia (M) Sdn Bhd were defamatory and related to opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's interview with BBC on homosexual laws, two years ago.

A three-member panel headed by justice Zaharah Ibrahim ruled that there was no merit in the appellant's appeal after perusing the ground of judgement and note of the proceedings of the High Court.
The panel ordered cost of RM25,000 to be paid to the respondent.

The court also dismissed the application by UMNO to intervene in the appeal. However, no cost was ordered.

The other two panel members were justice Mah Weng Kwai and K. Anantham.

Later, counsel Abu Bakar As-Sidek told reporters that UMNO made the application over the issue whether the party had influence over editorial policy of the daily.

The High Court last year ruled that the defendants Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd and its chief editor, Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak, failed to establish all the statutory defenses, namely justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.

On Jan 10 2012, Anwar filed a defamation suit seeking RM50mil in damages alleging the defendants had published the two articles in the Utusan Malaysia newspaper, on Jan 17, 2012, in relation to his BBC interview.

He had contended that the words implied he was unfit to hold public office and a Muslim leader who held views inconsistent with the teachings of Islam.

During today's appeal, Anwar was represented by lawyer R. Sivarasa, while Firuz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin appeared for Utusan.

- Bernama

PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT NEGERI SEMBILAN

PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT NEGERI SEMBILAN


Selangor jamin air 20m3 tetap percuma

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:26 AM PST

dipetik daripada Malaysiakini

Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkata penggunaan Akta Industri Perkhidmatan Air (WSIA) 2006 oleh kerajaan persekutuan untuk mengambil alih syarikat konsesi air memberi kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri.

Beliau berkata kerajaan negeri sebagai pemilik aset air negeri dan pelantikan dua pegawainya sebagai pentadbir konsesi air memberi kuasa penuh kepada pihaknya untuk memastikan perjalanan baik serta implementasi skim pemberian 20 meter padu air percuma mereka.

"Akta 655 (WSIA) mengatakan ia mesti diserahkan balik kepada kerajaan negeri.

"Seksyen 115 WSIA mengatakan akan menyerahkan kepada orang yang memiliki aset, harta-harta air di Selangor dimiliki kerajaan negeri," kata beliau dalam sidang media.

Kementerian melalui surat bertarikh 9 September 2013 telah menyatakan hasrat untuk mengambil alih hal ehwal dan pengurusan air mengguna pakai Seksyen 114 WSIA - setelah tiada penyelesaian pada 31 Disember 2013.

Khalid telah dikritik oleh ahli parti beliau sendiri yang berkata keputusan itu menimbulkan kebimbangan kuasa kerajaan negeri akan hilang.

Bekas exco Selangor Javier Jeyakumar 11 Januari lalu berkata seksyen tersebut memberi kuasa kepada Menteri Tenaga, Air dan Teknoloji Hijau untuk 'merampas' hak kawalan, pengurusan, harta dan aset serta lesen perniagaan pemegang lesen air demi kepentingan negara.

"Selepas 'dirampas' atau terma yang lebih sopan disebut 'diambil alih', kerajaan Pusat akan menyerahkannya untuk diurus selia oleh Suruhanjaya Pengurusan Air Negara (SPAN).

"Disebutkan juga oleh seksyen tersebut bahawa pemegang lesen tadi akan dibayar pampasan ekoran pengambilalihan tersebut dan jumlahnya (kuantum) ditetapkan oleh kerajaan Pusat," kata Xavier dalam kenyataannya

Ambil alih industri air: Pusat jangan mangsakan rakyat Selangor!

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:23 AM PST

KEADILAN memberi amaran kepada Kerajaan Pusat supaya tidak menyalahguna kuasa terhadap pengambilalihan industri air di Selangor melalui Akta Perkhidmatan Air 2006 mengikut Fasal 114.
Pengarah Strategi KEADILAN, Rafizi Ramli berkata, Fasal 114 membolehkan Kerajaan Persekutuan melalui Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) mengambil alih sepenuhnya harta, perniagaan dan perjalanan harian sesuatu pemegang konsesi atas
kepentingan negara.

Beliau bimbang jika pengambilalihan ini diteruskan oleh Kerajaan Selangor akan menyebabkan monopoli melampau syarikat kroni Umno BN, iaitu Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) dan Puncak Niaga.
Rafizi
"Fasal 114 memberi kuasa penuh kepada menteri dan SPAN untuk menguruskan hal ehwal air, termasuklah soal memilih badan atau syarikat yang dipertanggungjawabkan menguasai keseluruhan aset air di Lembah Klang.

"Saya khuatir jika tidak berhati-hati, Kerajaan Persekutuan akan memilih Puncak Niaga dan Syabas yang diberi kuasa untuk mengambil alih semua pemegang konsesi lain dan menjadikannya monopoli air terbesar di Malaysia," katanya pada sidang media di ibu pejabat parti, hari ini.
Tambah Ahli Parlimen Pandan itu, jika perkara ini diteruskan, rakyat Selangor bakal menjadi mangsa kenaikan harga air kerana menurutnya Fasal 114 menunjukkan Kerajaan Pusat berkuasa penuh atas sebarang perjanjian, kenaikan tarif dan sebagainya.
"Melalui Fasal 114, Kerajaan Persekutuan berkuasa penuh memeterai kembali apa-apa perjanjian dan kadar baru tarif air di Selangor dan Lembah Kelang. Saya khuatir keadaan ini dimanipulasi untuk menghukum rakyat dengan kenaikan tarif air, yang selama ini ditolak Kerajaan Selangor," katanya.
Tegas Rafizi, pengambilalihan secara paksaan ini jelas bertentangan dengan suara majoriti rakyat Selangor yang memilih Pakatan Rakyat di negeri itu pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13.
"Dari segi undang-undang, memang kerajaan boleh mengambil alih pengurusan air ini mengikut Fasal 114. Tetapi kerajaan jangan sekali-kali menyalahgunakan bidang kuasa ini.
"Saya bersama Ahli Parlimen KEADILAN dan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor akan mengikuti setiap perkembangan dengan teliti dan tidak teragak-agak mengambil tindakan politik atau mahkamah jika berlaku salah guna kuasa kerajaan," tegasnya.
Jelas Rafizi, jika pengambilalihan pengurusan air itu diteruskan, Kerajaan Pusat perlu memberi komitmen yang ditandatangani secara rasmi dengan kerajaan negeri untuk memastikan hal ehwal kebajikan rakyat Selangor dipertahankan.
"Pengurusan air hendaklah kekal di bawah pentadbiran Selangor melalui anak syarikat yang dipilih oleh Selangor. Fasal 114 beri kuasa penuh kepada menteri dan SPAN untuk uruskan termasuk memilih syarikat untuk kuasai keseluruhan aset air di Lembah Klang.
Menyentuh isu Projek Langat 2, Rafizi berkata, kontrak dan kos pelaksanaannya mestilah telus dan adil kepada rakyat Selangor.
"Pastikan projek ini telus dan adil. Kos pelaksanaan Projek Langat 2 akan menjadi kos tambahan kepada pembekalan air di Selangor dan Lembah Klang.
"Saya khuatir harganya akan melambung kerana kuasa melaksana adalah sepenuhnya di tangan Kerajaan Pusat dan sudah tentu ia memberi kesan kepada tarif air Selangor kelak," katanya.
Sebelum ini, Kerajaan Pusat menghantar surat kepada Menteri Besar Selangor pada 9 September 2013 berhubung hasrat untuk menggunakan kuasa di bawah Fasal 114, dan jika ini diteruskan, maka seluruh kuasa dan keputusan mengenai pembekalan air di Selangor dan Lembah Kelang kini dikuasai sepenuhnya oleh Kerajaan Pusat.
Short URL: http://www.keadilandaily.com/?p=58271

Selesaikan tiga kriteria sebelum SPR cadang persempadanan semula

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:18 AM PST

15 JAN: Tiga kriteria utama perlu ditekankan Suruhanjya Pilihan Raya (SPR) berhubung persempadanan semula kawasan pilihan raya, kata ahli parlimen Kelana Jaya, Wong Chen.
"Pertama, bagi semenanjung Malaysia yang perlu diberi penekanan ialah jurang perbezaan pengundi antara parlimen. Ia perlu dikurangkan sebanyak 15 peratus.
"Sebagai contoh, parlimen Kapar mempunyai 150,000 pengundi, manakala Alor Setar 70,000 pengundi. Perbezaan ini melebihi 50 peratus," kata Wong kepada Keadilandaily.
Tambahnya, jumlah kerusi di Sabah dan Sarawak perlu dikekalkan sekurang-kurangnya 26 peratus daripada keseluruhan jumlah kerusi parlimen.
"Bagi Sabah dan Sarawak, kita tekankan kerusi parlimen dikekalkan 26 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan kerusi 222 kerusi Parlimen.
"Bermakna sekurang-kurangnya 57 kerusi Parlimen (di Sabah dan Sarawak) harus dikekalkan," kata Wong Chen.
Dalam pada itu, Wong, satu-satu kawasan parlimen tidak sepatutnya melebihi tiga Majlis Perbandaran.
"Lebih daripada dua majlis perbandaran akan menyusahkan. Wakil rakyat berkomunikasi dan berunding dengan terlalu banyak PBT.
"Selain itu ia akan menimbulkan kekeliruan perbandaran mana yang bertanggungjawab," ujarnya.
KEADILAN pada 17 Julai 2013 menubuhkan pasukan khas bagi mengkaji segala maklumat dan sistem berkaitan persempadanan semula kawasan pilihan raya.
Selain Wong Chen, antara yang terlibat ialah Datuk Mansor Othman, pengerusi KEADILAN Pulau Pinang dan Pengarah Strategi KEADILAN, Rafizi Ramli.
Short URL: http://www.keadilandaily.com/?p=58296

Mahkamah Rayuan kekal keputusan artikel Utusan bersifat fitnah

Posted: 15 Jan 2014 01:15 AM PST


boikot_utusan_badge
KUALA LUMPUR 15 JAN: Mahkamah Rayuan Putrajaya hari ini mengekalkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi memutuskan bahawa dua artikel diterbitkan Utusan Malaysia bersifat berhubung temubual Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dengan BBC, mengenai undang-undang homoseksual dua tahun lepas.

Panel tiga hakim diketuai Hakim Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim memerintahkan bahawa tiada merit dalam rayuan perayu selepas meneliti asas penghakiman dan nota prosiding Mahkamah Tinggi.
Panel hakim memerintahkan kos sebanyak RM25,000 dibayar kepada responden, dan mahkamah turut menolak permohonan Umno untuk mencelah dalam rayuan itu,
Dua panel lagi ialah Hakim Datuk Mah Weng Kwai dan Datuk K Anantham.
Mahkamah Tinggi tahun lepas memutuskan bahawa defendan Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd dan Ketua Pengarangnya Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak gagal mempertahankan semua pembelaan statutori merangkumi justifikasi, komen yang adil dan keistimewaan bersyarat.
Pada 10 Januari 2012, Anwar memfailkan saman fitnah dengan menuntut RM50 juta gantirugi atas dakwaan defendan telah menerbitkan dua artikel dalam akhbar Utusan Malaysia pada 17 Jan 2012, berhubung temubualnya dengan BBC.
Beliau menegaskan bahawa kata-kata yang digunakan memberi gambaran beliau tidak layak memegang jawatan dan sebagai pemimpin Islam mempunyai pendapat yang berbeza dengan ajaran Islam.
Dalam rayuan hari ini Anwar diwakili peguam R Sivarasa, sementara Utusan diwakili Datuk Firuz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin.
Short URL: http://www.keadilandaily.com/?p=58298

Anak Muda Kampung Nak Senang

Anak Muda Kampung Nak Senang


Muzium di N.Sembilan lesu sempena Tahun Melawat Malaysia 2014

Posted: 14 Jan 2014 03:41 PM PST


15 Jan 2014 - BARU-BARU ini, saya bersama-sama keluarga telah mengunjungi Muzium Lukut, berhampiran Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

Apabila hampir sampai ke muzium itu, saya melihat tiada promosi atau tanda arah menunjukkan arah muzium tersebut.

Hanya pada jarak 100 meter atau kurang baru ada menunjukkan lokasinya. Itupun masih tanda arah lama dahulu. Setelah sampai, saya melihat lokasi dan pemandangan yang sama di dalam kawasan muzium.

Saya melihat landskap pemandangan muzium dicacatkan dengan padang permainan yang rosak dan membahayakan pengguna terutamanya kanak-kanak.

Selepas itu, saya memasuki bangunan melihat sejarah Lukut dan sejarah Raja Jumaat yang sedikit sebanyak menyumbang sejarah di situ.

Saya dapati masih sama susun atur dan tidak banyak berubah. Terdapat kesan air akibat hujan kerana bumbung muzium bocor.

Entah apa sudah jadi dengan muzium ini. Saya malu dengan pelancong luar yang mengunjungi muzium tersebut.

Ada yang merungut pameran yang sama, keadaan selengaraan muzium yang tidak baik, tiada tarikan yang istimewa dan yang pasti pihak Jabatan Muzium seperti melupakan muzium ini.

RIFF HUSSAIN
Wangsa Maju