கம்போங் புவா பாலா குறிந்த பத்திரிகை அறிக்கை

இப்பத்திரிகை செய்தி பினாங்கு மாநில முதல் அமைச்சர் லிம் குவான் எங் அவர்களின் அறிக்கை ஆகும்.

Kampung Buah Pala.....who is the culprit?

Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Georgetown On30.6.2009.

Hindraf Must Wake Up And Realise That Kampung Buah Pala Is StillStanding Today Because The Penang Pakatan Rakyat State Government HadSuccessfully Prevented Them From Been Evicted In The Middle Of LastYear.The Penang Pakatan Rakyat state government has never consented nor approved any demolition of Kampung Buah Pala.

Any action taken is bythe private developer via a court order issued by the relevant courts.Up to RM 200,000 per family was offered by the developer to the residents which was accepted by many families but not by those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala.

The state government respected thedecision of those remaining in Kampung Buah Pala to reject any compensation offer and to fight it out in courts. If the state government had not been sympathetic to the plight of the residents, then the developer would have evicted the residents in the middle of last year when a court order was obtained.

Only the determined preventive efforts by Penang DCM2 Professor P Ramasamy and Penang State EXCO Abdul Malek stopped the developer from entering thevillage with bulldozers several times last year. All parties must therefore realise that it is only because of the efforts of the present Pakatan Rakyat state government that the Kampung Buah Pala residents are still living there.

Koh Tsu Koon Owes The Public A Full Explanation Why He Sold TheKampung Buah Pala At A Cheap Price Of Only RM 10 Per Square Feet In2007 And Without consulting the residents.The state government land of Kampung Buah Pala was approved toKoperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang twice by the BN Penang stateEXCO led by Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon on 18.8.2004 and 8.6.2005 with apremium of RM 6.42 million or RM 20 per square feet. I can notunderstand neither the rationale of approving this project without consulting the residents nor selling it at such a low price. Worse Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s EXCO reduced the premium further by50% to RM 3.21 million or only RM 10 per square feet on the recommendation of the UMNO Deputy Chief Minister.

Koh Tsu Koon owes the public a full explanation why he sold Kampung Buah Pala at a cheap price of only RM 10 per square feet in 2007 when the market price in this prime area is many times over and without consulting the residents.The Penang State Government Should Not Be Unfairly Victimised And Targeted By Hindraf For Helping The Kampung Buah Pala Residents.

It is BN, Gerakan, MIC, UMNO & MCA that are the main culprits for causing, abandoning and even selling out Kampung Buah Pala residents.The Penang state government regrets the highly irresponsible and irrational actions of Hindraf in targeting the Penang state government over the actions taken by the developer to evict residents in Kampung Buah Pala.

Hindraf wants the state government to act against the court order obtained by the developer to evict the residents. This the state government can not do as Pakatan Rakyat governs under the rule of law and is compelled to respect any court order issued. On the other hand, there have been suggestions that the Penang state government forcibly acquires the land under for a public purpose underthe Land Acquisition Act.

Doing so would play into the hands into the developer who would be able to reap enormous profits without puttingin a single cent. Much as the Penang state government would wish to do, cancelling the project and forcibly acquiring the land would incur costs beyond the financial capability of the state government. We are NOT talking about millions of ringgit or tens of millions of ringgit here! Clearly Hindraf is unable to distinguish who its friends are by likening such actions to UMNO’s tearing down of Hindu temple.

And yetHindraf does not organise nation-wide protests for the recent tearing down Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. The Penang state government should not be unfairly victimised or targeted by Hindraf when we have assisted the residents and also not involved with the tearing down ofany Hindu temple in Penang. Why is Hindraf not demonstrating against UMNO or Gerakan or MCA oreven MIC who are the main culprits and perpetrators behind KampungBuah Pala? This begs the question whether Hindraf has now been infiltrated by collaborators of MIC and BN when it should be demonstrating against those who demolish temples and not the Penang state government seeking a fair deal for the Kampung Buah Pala villagers.Hindraf should realise what the Penang state government has done forthe Indian community, temples and Tamil primary schools.

Not only was the first Indian Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang appointed but the28 Tamil primary schools were given a yearly allocation of RM 1.5 million along with other Chinese primary, Sekolah Agama Rakyat, missionary schools and Chinese independent secondary schools. Further Penang put up the FIRST Tamil road signs in the country alongside withArabic, Chinese and English bilingual road signs in Georgetown. Even Hindraf never even raised the issue of Tamil road signs.

By going against the Penang state government, Hindraf is indirectly helping UMNO and BN and putting all the achievements made by the Penang state government at risk. There will be no Indian DCM2, no yearly allocation of funds to Tamil primary schools and no more Tamil road signs or bilingual road signs. Hindraf should use reason not emotions of rage or anger and think again who are the real opponents and the real friends of the Indian community.Most important of all, the Penang state government treats all Indians together with Chinese and Malays as Malaysian citizens, where a Chinese leader can look after Malays a Malay leader can look after Chinese and an Indian leader can look after all citizens.

DAP and the Pakatan Rakyat government will not back down or be cowed by BN, UMNOor Hindraf who continues to look at problems from a narrow racialspectrum of Chinese, Indian of Malays. DAP and the Penang Pakatan Rakyat government believes that the issues of Indians are not Indian problems, the issues of Chinese are not Chinese problems nor the issues of Malays not Malay problems but a Malaysian issue.

We should be uniting together as Malaysians around the principles ofjustice, truth, freedom, democracy and welfare of the people to ensure that we fight corruption to both generate growth and prosperity as well as ensure that everyone shares equitably.However despite regretting the unwarranted targeting of the Penang state government, Hindraf leaders have the right to exercise the basic human rights of peaceful assembly by demonstrating no matter how unreasonable they are.

I have instructed my officials to respect their rights and accept any memorandum submitted in line with non-violent principles of Mahatma Gandhi that, “violence begets violence, an eyefor any eye would leave everyone blind.” I also urge the police not totake any action that would lead to untoward actions.

The state government will also not be affected by the actions of the residents in suddenly turning against the state government despite allthe assistance offered. The state government will continue to assist the remaining residents of Kampung Buah Pala, including if the residents so wish, that the developer of Kampung Buah Pala continues with its offer of up to RM 200,000 compensation per registered familyto the residents. The state government has also not given any consentor agreement to the developer to demolish any buildings as thedeveloper is acting on his own under the court order from the HighCourt and Federal Court.

LIM GUAN ENG

Why the 3 bills have not been tabled in Parliament?

For quite some time over the last few years many families had to under go a lot of pain and uncertainty when it is found a bit too late one of the family member is found to have converted to Islam. No one objects to conversion per se. But the problem starts when only upon death the remaining members of the deceased find out about the conversion. By that time, it is too late and resorting to civil courts delivers little or no help at all.

Worse still are, cases involving minor children of families. The most recent is the case of Indira Gandhi 35 a mother of 3 children. The youngest child is only 14 months old and the mother was still breast feeding her child. But when the marriage was breaking up the father of the children embraced Islam and he converted his 3 children too. The father “kidnapped” the 14 months old child and in the process beat up his wife Indria Gandhi.

The Syariah (muslim) court gave custody of the children to the father. The civil court was of little help but recorded an interim consent order as regards the 2 elder children and as regards the youngest the custody lays with the father.

Many non-muslims know that the civil courts take along time to settle matrimonial matters. In the process some for personal reasons find a easier way out to embrace Islam and complicate the whole issue.

On the 16th of May I raised on my adjournment speech that the cabinet direct on “conversion case” is both ineffective and useless. The cabinet direct was supposedly to bring about a permanent settlement in case of conversion.

When this matter was raised, the de facto Minister of Law YB Dato Seri Nazri replied that the government will present 3 bills to Parliament for all the laws on conversion to be consistent so that innocent parties who are not converted will be accorded protection.

We have only 3 more days for Parliament to sit and to date the bills have not been tabled. This delay are unacceptable more so when Nazri acknowledge that the draft was ready way back in 2007.
I will raise this non tabling of the bills at the earliest opportunity in Parliament. Even if the bill are tabled at such a late hour we are all denied from getting inputs from our constituents by reason of constrain of time.
My adjournment speech and reply can be read here :http://www.parlimen.gov.my.my/hindex/pdf/DR-16062009.pdf

Latest Update on H1N1 - Is the Malaysian Govt really serious in prevention method?

Data Source : WHO

Laboratory-confirmed cases of new influenza A(H1N1) as officially reported to WHO by States Parties to the International Health Regulations (2005)

The breakdown of the number of laboratory-confirmed cases is given in the following map.



Data Source :Thestar.com.my

No wonder A (H1N1) cases are on the rise

I WAS made to understand, through media reports, that health screening has been put in place at all entry points into the country. To my disappointment, this is not true!

Last Sunday, my colleagues and I returned from Singapore via the Second Link. At the Tuas checkpoint, we cleared Immigration and Customs. However, there was no health screening on the thousands who entered Malaysia via the checkpoint.

This was in total contrast with what we experienced when we entered Singapore. The authorities there did their parts right.

The Malaysian authorities need to buck up or we will be faced with more people coming down with the A (H1N1) influenza.

MN,
Kuala Lumpur.

Etchnic cleansing of Tamil Language in Najib,s Web

(Click at the image for larger view)

Police should drop all unnecessary investigation

On the 26th of May2009 some 21 people were arrested by the police allegedly for breaking the law. On that day the Pakatan Perak had organized a 3 day “hunger strike” against the unlawful seizing of the Perak state Government by the Barisan National(BN)

Of the 21 persons arrested 8 of us are elected representatives. We were all detained for over 5 hours and kept at the Ipoh Police. After the police statements were taken from us we were released. Initially the condition of release was that we have to provide a surety and then only we would be released from Police bail. We refused this condition and demanded we be either released on police bail of we will stay put at the Police station. Finally the some sense prevailed on the investigation officer and we were released on police bail and we were requested to appear in Ipoh court today.

Late yesterday we were informed by the police that our presence at the Ipoh Court has been dispensed and if the need be we would told of the need to appear in court in due course.

If the police proceed to charge us in court we would defend and rebut the charges. But in the event we are found guilty by the court under the Police Act all the elected representatives could loose their seats!

I would urge the police to drop all investigations on this matter.

Memorandum of the BLACK day of Perak submitted to SUHAKAM

On the 26thMay09 the Pakatan Rakyat organized a 3day “hunger strike” a protest to the seizing of power of the legitimate government of Perak by the Barisan Government.

The Hunger strike commenced at about 9am at the Ipoh DAP HQ. Thereafter at 11am many of the participants had to proceed to attend the filing of a court case at the High Court of Ipoh. As we were leaving the building many ordinary people were on the road side and the presence of the police was over whelming.

Suddenly the police announced us to disperse while we were walking on the road or the five foot way near the HQ DAP Perak. Many of us were heading to the High Court, Ipoh. DSP Glen then announced on his microphone 1,2,3 and ordered his men to arrest us.

As a result of the above incident to all the 9 elected representatives who were arrested prepared a memorandum on the event and submitted to the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) to day. On the 26thMay09 a total of 21 individuals were arrested. The memorandum was accepted by the Commissioners Tan Sri Simon and Dato Siva Subramaniaam on behalf of SUHAKAM.

Tan Sri Simon mentioned that although SUHAKAM has been forwarding its recommending and findings to Parliament to date no action has been taken on them. Infact the yearly report to Parliament has not even found it listed for debate.

I said the call for SUHAKAM to hold a public inquiry on the incident of 26thMay09 should be considered seriously. The arrest of so elected reps in Perak is a black day. The Human Right’s body is like a toothless tiger and the government of the day should arm the body with laws for it to act independently. I also lamented that the Police should be a political and should not take side in the present political crisis in Perak. The overwhelming presence of the police all over near the Perak DAP HQ is just a waste of public funds. In fact the police should concentrate on police work like fighting crime rather then be involved in political matters.

On details of the memorandum and pictures kindly visit http://idhamlim.blogspot.com

Jawapan Dari Menteri Di Pejabat Perdana Menteri

Arahan Jemaah Menteri Harus Dilaksanakan Secara Adil Berhubung Isu Pemelukan Agama - Klik disini untuk membaca ucapan penangguhan

Jawapannya

Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri [Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz]:Tuan Yang di-Pertua, pelaksanaan sesuatu arahan Jemaah Menteri mestilah selaras dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan undang-undang yang sedang berkuat kuasa. Mengenai isu penentuan agama anak yang berumur di bawah 18 tahun, apabila salah seorang ibu atau bapanya memeluk agama lain, Jemaah Menteri telah bersetuju bahawa penentuan agama anakitu mestilah dibuat selaras dengan Fasal (4) Perkara 12 Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

MenurutFasal (4) Perkara 12 itu, agama seseorang anak yang di bawah umur 18 tahun hendaklahditetapkan oleh ibu atau bapanya iaitu perkataan parent dalam bahasa Inggeris ‘parent’ ataupenjaganya.Dalam kes Subashini a/p Rajasingham lawan Saravanan a/l Tangatori 2008 (2) MLJ 147,Mahkamah Persekutuan telah mentafsirkan perkataan parent sebagai mufrad iaitu singular dan bukannya jamak plural. Oleh itu, seseorang ibu atau bapa yang memeluk agama lain mempunyai hak di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk menetapkan agama anaknya yangberumur di bawah 18 tahun.

Kerajaan memang sentiasa memandang serius isu pemelukan agama dan penubuhan suatu jawatankuasa kecil oleh Jemaah Menteri yang terdiri daripada beberapa orang menteri untuk menangani isu berkenaan dengan penukaran agama ialah buktikeseriusan kerajaan dalam menangani isu ini bukan macam Yang Berhormat sebutkan tadi ya.

Sebelum jawatankuasa kecil ditubuhkan oleh Jemaah Menteri untuk menangani isu penukaran agama, draf Rang Undang-undang untuk meminda tiga akta iaitu:

(i) Akta Membaharui Undang-Undang iaitu Perkahwinan dan Penceraian1976;

(ii) Akta Pentadbiran Undang-Undang Islam (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan)1993;

(iii) Akta Undang-Undang Keluarga Islam (Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan)198.

Akta-akta ini telah disediakan pada tahun 2007. Antara pindaan yang dicadangkan menyentuh pembubaran perkahwinan, resolution marriage, dengan izin, hak jagaan anak, nafkahanak-anak dan isteri serta pembahagian aset perkahwinan.

Jawatankuasa kecil ini telah ditaklimatkan tentang cadangan pindaan kepada akta-akta yang berkenaan oleh Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Peguam Negara pada 5 Mei 2009. Jadi pindaan sedang dilakukan kepada ketiga-tiga undang-undang yang berkenaan dankita sasarkan untuk pembentangan di Parlimen pada Mesyuarat Kedua yang berlangsungsekarang.

Saya harap Yang Berhormat dengan geng-geng semua sokonglah ya kalau hendak selesaikan masalah ini. Okey. Tuan Yang di-Pertua, mengenai dakwaan bahawa negara ini adalah negara sekular, Yang Berhormat sebut tadi negara ini negara sekular Perlembagaan Persekutuan secara jelas mengiktirafkan di bawah Fasal (1) Perkara 3 bahawa Islam adalah agama bagi Persekutuan.

Ini berbeza dengan negara sekular yang lain seperti Amerika Syarikat,India dan Turki yang secara jelas memperuntukkan di bawah Perlembagaan mereka bahawa negara itu ialah sebuah negara sekular.Dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan, perkataan sekular ini langsung tidak disebut dimana-mana bahagian Perlembagaan.

Selain itu, kedudukan istimewa agama Islam di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan juga turut disebut di bawah Fasal (4) Perkara 11 iaitu berkenaan dengan penyekatan pengembangan apa-apa doktrin atau kepercayaan agama di kalangan penganut agama Islam oleh undang-undang negeri atau Persekutuan. Fasal (2) Perkara 12 iaitu tentang hak berkenaan dengan pendidikan di mana sah bagi Persekutuan atau satu negerimenubuhkan atau menyenggarakan atau membantu dalam menubuhkan atau menyenggarakan institusi Islam atau mengadakan atau membantu dalam mengadakan ajaran dalam agama Islamdan melakukan apa-apa perbelanjaan yang perlu.

Fasal (1A) Perkara 121 berkenaan dengan bahawa Mahkamah Sivil tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa berkenaan dengan apa-apa perkara bidang kuasa Mahkamah Syariah. Butiran 1senarai negeri Jadual kesembilan Perlembagaan Persekutuan iaitu yang antaranya termasuk hukum syarak dan undang-undang diri dan keluarga bagi orang yang menganut agama Islam dan mengawal pengembangan doktrin dan kepercayaan di kalangan orang-orang yang menganut agama Islam dan juga dalam ikrar Yang di-Pertuan Agong dalam Jadual Keempat,semua peruntukan tersebut jelas memperkukuhkan kedudukan Islam sebagai agama bagipersekutuan.

Di bawah Jadual Keempat, Perlembagaan Persekutuan misalnya Yang di-Pertuan Agong semasa dilantik jawatan itu telah bersumpah untuk memelihara agama Islam di negara ini pada setiap masa dan sumpah itu mestilah diterjemahkan dalam setiap dasar yang dibuat olehkerajaan.Kedudukan Islam sebagai agama yang istimewa di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuanjuga telah diiktiraf oleh mahkamah atasan negara dalam kes Kamariah binti Ali lawan Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan iaitu dalam bahasa Inggerisnya Kamariah Ali dan lain-lain versus Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan dalam tahun [2004] 3 CLJ 409 FC. Dalam kes Lina Joy versus Majlis AgamaIslam Wilayah Persekutuan dan yang lain tahun [2007] 3 CLJ 557 FC.
1740Ini menunjukkan kedudukan Malaysia sebagai Negara Islam.

Kedudukan Islam dalam perlembagaan yang jelas menunjukkan bahawa Islam itu adalah agama Persekutuan. TuanYang di-Pertua, kedudukan Malaysia sebagai Negara Islam juga telah diperjelaskan oleh Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pada tahun 2001 dan 2007, dalam jawapannya di Parlimen pada 27 Ogos 2007, Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi menyatakan Malaysia bukanlah sebuah Negara sekular ataupun negara autokratik. Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam yang ditadbir berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip Islam,dan pada masa yang sama berpegang teguh kepada prinsip-prinsip Demokrasi Berparlimen yangberpandukan kepada undang-undang tertinggi negara iaitu Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan keadaan ini, tidak berubah. Terima kasih.

Myanmar refuges need help

I came back fro Chiang Mai late Sunday night.

On Saturday we proceed to meet with Myanmar refuges along the Chang Rai area (bordering Myanmar). We met with also had discussion with the refugees and the local people.
For the refugees what they want are mosquito nets, simple medical drugs and water treatment items. I now write to readers to give me some suggestion to procure these simple items to assist these refugees.

The members of Parliament who represented Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) at the discussion agreed to assist the refugees in procuring the basic drugs required to help those who need it by the refugees

64th Birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi

I am now in Chiang Mai, Thailand representing Malaysian Parliament for the Asian inter-parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC). 

I was invited to speak on the issue of Myanmar which was held at the Changmai University to day.

Write up by Roshan of AIPMC:

Yet another birthday, yet another unwanted ‘gift’ from ASEAN to Aung San Suu Kyi and her fellow Burma citizens

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) calls on ASEAN leaders to urgently meet to deliver new and effective policies and mechanisms that are desperately needed vis-a-vis Myanmar’s military junta that will enable a tangible and lasting solution to the country’s crisis. 
Members of Parliament from various ASEAN countries, at a forum co-organised and co-hosted by the AIPMC, ‘Friends of Burma’, the Regional Centre for Social Science and Sustainable Development, and the Centre for Ethnic Studies and Development of the Chiang Mai University delivered strong messages to ASEAN leaders calling for change in the dire situation in the military ruled nation. 
“There has been a considerable increase in military offensives and armed fighting in ethnic states especially in the Karen State over the past few weeks. Ethnic communities are fleeing their villages into Thailand while some remain as internally displaced persons in Burma,” said AIPMC President Kraisak Choonhavan. 
“Where is the intervention and assistance by ASEAN’s leaders? Recent reports indicate soldiers in Eastern Burma have recruited up to 200 civilians as slave labourers and more than 4,000 civilians have been forced to abandon their homes while 4,000 more are at risk.”

AIPMC Senior Adviser Loretta Ann P Rosales added that in the Shan State, acts amounting to systematic sexual violence are used by Myanmar’s military as weapons of war. 
“Testimonies and documentation by Shan people, fleeing their homes, indicate that women and children are subjected to rape and torture by soldiers,” said the former Philippines Congresswoman adding that since 2001 till now, there have been 297 rape cases in Shan State alone. 
“This is outrageous and unacceptable. AIPMC condemns such acts by the regime and armed groups. We insist that ASEAN uses its human rights charter to investigate and put a stop to such atrocities,” stressed Loretta at the sidelines of the event marking Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64th birthday.  
Parliamentarians M. Kulasegaran and Charles Chong, from Malaysia and Singapore respectively, reminded ASEAN that its ‘constructive engagement’ with the military regime has failed. 
“It’s all about dollars and cents at the end of the day for governments such as Malaysia whom invest with a military that uses the money to repress and harm its leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi and its citizens and not help them at all,” said Kulasegaran. 
Participants at the event, primarily from Chiang Mai University’s academia, delivered messages of support and solidarity to Aung San Suu Kyi who celebrates her birthday once again in detention.

Teachers: Myth that non-malay don't want those jobs

Letter to NST
By : P. KALIAPPAN, Butterworth
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Thousands, Malays and non-Malays alike, want to be teachers.

I REFER to the statement on teachers by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Aminah Ayob ("Teacher dilemma: Non-Malays and men just not interested" -- NST, June 11).

I disagree with her that many non-Malays do not appear to be interested in teaching. She was quoted as saying that poor remuneration was one of the possible reasons and further stated that the few non-Malays who applied usually did not make the grade.I beg to differ, at least where Indian applicants are concerned, be they male or female. Over the years, I have helped and urged many Indian students, who are more than qualified, to apply for teacher training without much success.

These students had a string of As but were unsuccessful. Of course, they were often told they didn't perform well in the 15-minute interview. It raises questions when these overqualified students keep failing, while we are also told that a lack of applicants is among the main reasons not many non-Malays get to go to teacher training institutes.
I know that good results do not necessarily make good teachers. I am also aware it is most convenient to disqualify a student on the basis of subjective assessments (interviews) rather than on the more objective exam results.

Aminah did not give any data on how many non-Malays applied and how many were disqualified and why. We certainly would like to know whether it was because of poor paper qualifications when applying or poor performance during interviews. It is strange that good students from a particular group are rejected on grounds that they lacked the required soft skills.Finally, I don't think people consider a teacher's remuneration as low. Thousands -- Malays and non-Malays alike -- want to be teachers.

First of all, you are assured of a job if you enter a teacher training institute. Besides, enrolling in the institute comes with an attractive allowance.Nowadays, teacher training institutes do not award teaching certificates or diplomas. It is a straight degree and a job, without any need for a graduate teachers' training qualification or any other diploma in education. If there are too few non-Malays, it is certainly not for want of trying or any misconception about the pay.

MPs to debate conversion amendments

Write up by MalaysiaKini;
Bills to amend three laws in relation to matters of conversion and religion are expected to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat next week, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.The three pieces of legislations are the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, Administration of Islamic Law (Federal Territories) Act 1993 and Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984."

Among the amendments proposed touch on the dissolution of marriage, right to custody of children, maintenance of children and wife and division of matrimonial assets," said Nazri today in response to a adjournment speech made by Ipoh Barat DAP parliamentarian M Kulasegaran.
Nazri told the House that some changes were being made by Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail before the amendments were ready to be tabled next week."The cabinet has agreed that the determinant factor of a child's religion must be in accordance with Article 12(4) of the federal constitution which provides that the religion of children under the age of 18 will be determined by a parent or guardian," said Nazri.Nazri, who is also the Padang Renggas MP, said the cabinet committee which was formed to handle the controversial conversion matters has been briefed on the amendments needed to be made to three laws.

The minister also dismissed Kulasegaran's claims that the government was not serious about resolving the issue. The cabinet had earlier issued a directive in April to stop parents from secretly converting children to calm strained race relations in the country.

The cabinet acted after a furore erupted over the case of an ethnic Indian woman who faced losing custody of her three children after her estranged husband converted them to Islam without her consent.

No clear direction from the governmentKulasegaran was unrelenting in putting across his views that the government was not serious in solving the issues relating to conversions, especially when it involved minors. "The issue has been raised many times but the government does not seem to take it seriously. Although the decision has been made, the implementation is not there," said Kulasegaran."Until now, no changes have taken place even after the decision was made (by the cabinet)... criticisms were shot at the government but the government failed to give explanation and clarity on the directive," he said.

The outspoken DAP MP had also questioned the progress of the committee formed by the cabinet to examine the issues of conversion.The committee includes Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam, Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Koh Tsu Koon (Unity) and Jamil Khir Baharom (Islamic Affairs) and Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.Nazri responded by saying that the decision by the government to form the cabinet committee proved that the government viewed the matter seriously.

Conversion rows, including 'body-snatching' cases where Islamic authorities have battled with relatives over the remains of the dead whose religion is disputed, are common in Malaysia.The tussles have led to allegations that the country was being "Islamised" and that the rights of ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities were being eroded.

We are not a secular state.Nazri also dismissed Kulasegaran's statement that Malaysia was a secular country.He said that the federal constitution clearly stated under Article 3(1) that Islam was the official religion."This differs from other secular countries, such as the United States of America, India and Turkey, where their constitution clearly states that they are secular states."In the federal constitution, the word secular is not mentioned anywhere," he said.

Moreover, Nazri explained that Islam's special rights under the federal constitution were also stated under Article 11(4), which denied the propagation of any doctrines or religious beliefs among the Muslims.He said the status of Malaysia as an Islamic country had also been explained by former premiers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2001 and 2007 respectively."In his reply in Parliament on Aug 2, 2007, Abdullah said: ‘Malaysia is neither a secular nor a theocratic country. Malaysia is an Islamic country which is administered based on the principles of Islam and at the same time holds strong to the principles of parliamentary democracy guided by the highest law of the land - the federal constitution'," added Nazri.

Ucapan Penangguhan pada sidang Parlimen - 16/06/09

ARAHAN JEMAAH MENTERI HARUS DILAKSANAKAN DENGAN PENTADBIRAN SECARA ADIL BERHUBUNG ISU PEMELUKKAN AGAMA.

Keputusan Jemaah Menteri harus dilaksanakan dengan pentadbiran secara adil berhubung isu pemelukkan agama. Isu ini sudah ditimbulkan beberapa kali dan Kerajaan tidak pernah bercadang untuk meneliti keseriusan isu ini. Negara kita adalah sebuah negara sekular dan Kerajaan harus mengambil satu keputusan yang sah dari segi undang-undang untuk mengelakkan ketidakpuashatian segolongan rakyat.

Apakah yang terjadi kepada jawatankuasa yang ditubuhkan oleh kabinet baru-baru ini serta apakah yang dilakukan oleh jawatankuasa tersebut setakay ini?

Arahan Jemaah Menteri pada 23 April 2009 berhubung isu pemelukkan tidak bergigi dari segi undang-undang. Secara umumnya keputusan itu dibuat secara membuta tuli demi kepentingan agenda politik semasa oleh Kerajaan. Pada masa yang sama arahan yang dikeluarkan oleh Jemaah Menteri itu sememangnya memeranjatkan serta tidak sampai pada akikat yang sebenarnya. Sehingga hari ini tidak ada apa-apa perubahan dilakukan selepas arahan itu dikeluarkan. Kritikkan demi kritikkan dikeluarkan tetapi Kerajaan tidak dapat membuat penjelasan dan pendirian terhadap arahan tersebut.

Arahan sudah dikeluarkan tetapi sistem pelaksanaan masih belum diputuskan, inilah selalunya berlaku dinegara ini. Bilakah Kerajaan “kata dikotakan” dapat dilihat? Sehingga hari ini Kerajaan masih belum menubuhkan Jabatan Bukan Islam bagi mengendalikan segala isu-isu yang berkaitan Bukan Islam termasuk isu pemelukkan agama.

Kerajaan sehingga hari ini tidak berhasrat ataupun serius berhubung isu pemelukkan agama. Apakah yang menyebabkan Kerajaan bersikap sambil lewa dalam hal sebegini?

Pada pandangan saya, kewujudan isu sebegini adalah disebabkan oleh kegagalan Kerajaan dalam Penubuhan Jabatan Bukan Islam dan tidak mahu menghormat kehendak rakyat. Sudah berpuluh-puluh tahun Kerajaan BN mentadbir Negara ini dan kenapakah kewujudan Jabatan Bukan Islam menjadi satu soal yang begitu tidak upaya. Adakah Kerajaan tidak berupaya ataupun berniat untuk menjadi Bukan Islam sebagai kurang upaya dinegara ini?

Suara dan tangisan Bukan Islam dalam isu pemelukkan agama setiap kali diketepikan dan untuk berapa lamakah keadaan akan diteruskan dan bilakah perubahan dari perlembagaan akan diadakan?

Sekian.

M.Kulasegaran

Maika shares returned to shareholders without profit

Maika Shares Returned to Shareholders without Profit?

Referring to the outcome of the article “Government urged to rescue Maika Holdings” in NST on 11th June 2009, it was learnt that Maika Holdings are in plan to return the shareholders investment on 1 ringgit to 1 ringgit without any profit.

The question is on what basis Maika Holdings will revive the community’s interests and regains the confidence of shareholders? By right now, Maika shares should have been distributed to the low-income group to increase their investments and the community’s equity share from 1.1% to 3%. On October 2006, DAP Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran had repeatedly reported that many who bought the shares in 1983 had pawned jewellieries sold their dairies, and came from the down trodden and poor Indian community who all invested on the assurance that their investments would bear fruits handsomely.

On 4th October 2007, Kulasegaran said the works minister then had also not managed to raise the community’s corporate equity from one per cent to 10 per cent as he had promised. He said that some RM100 million was raised to achieve this, but time has shown that Maika Holding has been an empty promise, bogged down irregularities, with an uncertain future.

The shareholders would have better off without investing or an old Indian saying is that ‘we would have better off if each of us has invested for 2 cows; at least would have returned of milk’. We are in a nation of society who has greater mind and soul for nation’s development in competing with global. But all of these problems with repeated manipulations by the Maika Holdings has caused a great uncertainty to the shareholders and brought down the public trust on the company’s strength and capability.

It is time that we need immediate action from Maika Holdings with the force of Government to intervene in and bail out the company for the interest of the Indian community. The government shall be involved urgently to help in settling and close the whole issue amicably by returning the people’s money with handsome returns and continue on the steps of addressing the community’s equity growth.

by Kanesh

Parliament Questikons for June sitting

Tarikh : 25 May 2009

Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat
Parlimen Malaysia, Bangunan Parlimen
Jalan Parlimen
50680

Yang Berhormat Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat


PEMBETULAN - MESYUARAT KEDUA, PENGGAL KEDUA, PARLIMEN KEDUA BELAS

Dengan segala hormatnya ingin saya menarik perhatian Puan kepada perkara diatas.

Untuk makluman Puan, saya telahpun menukar soalan no: 3 yang dihantar sebelum ini dengan soalan baru. Segala kesulitan yang timbul amatlah dikesali.

Berikut adalah soalan-soalan bagi kawasan jawapan lisan dan bertulis :
Sila ambil perhatian, saya pohon jasa baik agar tiada soalan pada bila-bila hari Isnin dalam sessi ini.

Jawapan Lisan

1. Minta Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan menyatakan

i) Langkah-langkah yang diambil bagi mencegah kuasa bekal yang berlebihan pada rumah, bangunan komersil dan kondominium.
ii) Kenapakah projek rumah Skim Bina dan Jual masih belum lagi diimplementasikan?

2. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan kenapakah keputusan yang diberikan oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan dalam krisis perlembagaan Negeri Perak tidak mempunyai apa-apa alasan perundangan?

3. Minta Menteri Luar Negeri menyatakan

i) Kenapakah Malaysia berniat untuk memberhentikan percubaan untuk meneliti dan mencela segala rekod Hak Asasi Manusia di Sri Lanka semasa peperangan menentang LTTE?
ii) Jumlah wang dan lain-lain yang disalurkan oleh Malaysia kepada Sri Lanka serta tahap kepastian dimana wang disalurkan sebenarnya dibelanjakan bagi pemulihan pelarian Tamil?

4. Minta Menteri Pelajaran menyatakan adakah kementerian mempunyai apa-apa rancangan untuk membina Sekolah baru Cina, Tamil ataupun Sekolah Kebangsaan di kawasan Bercham, Ipoh? Jika Ya, dimana dan jika tidak, kenapakah tidak?

5. Minta Menteri Sumber Manusia menyatakan kegagalan untuk mendaftar pelajar serta melantik pekerja pentadbir golongan kaum India secara majoritinya di Institut NTS Arumugam Pillai seperti yang dijanjikan semasa pembubaran South Indian Labour Fund pada tahun 1999?

6. Minta Menteri Sumber Manusia menyatakan kenapakah sektor perkhidmatan awam di Malaysia adalah terbesar jika dibandingkan dengan bilangan penduduk dan adakah pengambilan di sektor awam berasaskan kepujian seseorang individu? Jika tidak, mengapakah sedemikian?

7. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan kenapakah pemimpin-pemimpin HINDRAF ditahan bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri serta nyatakan sebab-sebab kukuh atas pembebasan mereka baru-baru ini?

8. Minta Menteri Dalam Negeri menyatakan,

i) kenapakah wujudnya kegagalan dalam penyampaiaan khidmatnya dalam Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam
ii) Jumlah peruntukkan yang diterima daripada Kerajaan dan nyatakan saluran perbelanjaannya?

9. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan ketidak-effektifan, ketidak-berkesanan keputusan Jemaah Menteri berhubung kes memeluk agama baru-baru ini serta bagaimanakah keputusan ini dapat diimplementasikan mengikut peruntukkan undang-undang?

10. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan ;

i) Jumlah bukan islam yang memeluk agama semenjak 10 tahun yang lalu? ;
ii) Dan adakah kanak-kanak yang berumur dibawah 18 tahun boleh ditukar agama oleh salah seorang ibu dan bapa?



Jawapan Bertulis


1. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan, kenapakah Menteri selalunya mengadakan lawatan ke negara-negara yang sudah wujud hubungan perdagangan dan apakah puncanya rakyat umum tidak diberikan peluang untuk menyertai delegasi selain daripada golongan korporat?

2. Minta Menteri Sumber Manusia menyatakan berapakah jumlah pengambilan pekerja baru di sektor perkhidmatan awam dari tahun 2004-2009 (senaraikan maklumat bagi setiap tahun menurut komposisi kaum) serta jumlah pekerja yang sedang berkhidmatnya (senaraikan maklumat menurut komposisi kaum).


3. Minta Menteri Dalam Negeri menyatakan punca kelambatan serta kos pembinaan bangunan baru Ibu Pejabat Kontijen Perak dan Ibu Pejabat Daerah Ipoh serta apakah rancangan yang disediakan untuk Balai Polis Ipoh yang lama?

4. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan

i) Bila dan bagaimana pendapatan per kapita akan ditambahkan? Adakah Kerajaan berpuashati dengan kadar penjimatan rakyat?

5. Minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan setujukah bahawa kegagalan kaum India enggan membeli saham ASW 2020 adalah berpunca daripada ketidakseimbangan dalam pengagihan saham serta pemilikan punca kekayaan antara kaum terjejas dan tidak dapat dicapai?

Sri Lankan Humanitarian Crisis Deepens. What can ordinary Malaysians do?

How much more should the Sri Lankan Tamils suffer before Malaysian government responds decisively, consistent with its previous efforts in condemning the practises of human rights violations such as :-

1. Apartheid discriminating blacks and coloured in South Africa,

2. Genocide of Muslim population in Bosnia,

3. Atrocities against the Palestinians in the Middle East fighting for their homeland.

Almost three decades of civil war coupled with the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami that displaced more than 500,000 people, the Sri Lankan Tamils had suffered unimaginable hardship.

But what awaits the Sri Lankan Tamils and the world in the aftermath of the Armed Forces perceived victory against the LTTE is about to explode into a major international crisis unless sooner averted.

On May 18th 2009 Amnesty International made the following observations;-

“Humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in the country. Amnesty International has called for key steps to be adopted to ensure civilians and captured fighters are protected. There are more than 200,000 displaced people, including approximately 80,000 children, who need relief but also protection from abuses in Sri Lanka”
Barely a month after the above observations, New York Based Human Rights Watch made the following remarks:-
“The Sri Lankan government should end the illegal detention of nearly 300,000 ethnic Tamils displaced by the recently ended conflict in Sri Lanka. Displaced Tamil civilians have the same rights to liberty and freedom of movement as other Sri Lankans.”
"Treating all these men, women, and children as if they were Tamil Tiger fighters is a national disgrace, Displaced Tamil civilians have the same rights to liberty and freedom of movement as other Sri Lankans."
It is shocking that in less than a month there had been a sharp increase in the number of displaced Tamil civilians in detention camps and one could only conclude that the numbers will continue to increase.
One of the major concerns arising out of the detentions of Tamils in these detention camps is the exercise by the Sri Lankan authorities who are expected to screen persons leaving the war zone to identify Tamil Tiger fighters.
Such screening exercises could most likely lead to serious human rights violations such as physical violence, rape and even murder as seen in the aftermath of many civil wars in other parts of the world.
The world must voice its grave anxiety and fear of these possible human rights violations even before the coming of documented reports.
We, peace loving Malaysians can play a major role in this humanitarian crisis.
So please send or post your comments and suggestions on what we can do for the Sri Lankan Tamils, no matter how unimportant you may think it will be, so that collectively we can do our part in preventing a human catastrophe awaiting.
Augustine Anthony

Taman Merdaka flood problem

Tragedy waiting to happen due to neglect from authorities--If a part of a housing area is in danger of erosion the first thing that the authorities should do is to at least help evacuate the people until a permanent solution is found to assist the residents.

However, nearly 200 families in Taman Merdeka, Ipoh have a lot to say about how the authorities have taken them on a roller coaster ride with no solutions in sight.The residents living in the affected area of Taman Merdeka are owners of houses, part of a housing project since the 60s, where the invert level of a nearby river is higher than the platform level of the houses along Jalan Sungai and Jalan Taman Merdeka, thereby floods are common occurrence and can reach to almost 2metres high!The City Council had already confirmed that the affected two row of houses it is a failed housing project. H

owever, intervention to improve the soil and and viable solutions have not been put forward, while the residents have only come to observe protracted service from the authorities.The problems due to of over 40 years of flooding had caused soil erosion, cracks on walls and had weakened the overall strength of building structure. Water has also burst from the floor when flood occurs, where houses have tilted and sunken below land level.Two pumps (to suck in flooded water into the river again) have been erected near the river bank by the effort of Mr. Bala Marathiah, then secretary of the Rukun Tetangga in 2006. However problems still persisted especially when river water rises as the pumps cannot be operated.The residents then set up a coalition called Gabungan Penduduk Anti-Banjir Taman Merdeka (Taman Merdeka’ Anti-Flood Residents Coalition) where the drainage engineer for City Council Mr. Mustafa Al-Basree who firmly said, “buat longkang, tak akan banjir” (make drains and no more floods) which proved to be totally on the reverse .T

here was a flood when the drainage was undertaken and the Coalition invited Mr. Mustafa to the site and he conceded that drainage is not the solution and he stated that the place is highly dangerous for people to live.The Coalition is urging the relevant authorities to find solutions of this 40 year old problem with immediacy as the residents are clearly having sleepless night worrying over their loved ones and their property while being constantly under the threat of termites.

The simple demands are:1. A Task Force be formed to undertake soil test and determine is necessary (already the Council had spent RM660,000 which the residents feel could have been channelled for the right solution)2. If the authorities are unable to decide on a solution, that the residents are urging that they be evacuated to a safe place until permanent solutions are worked out

The above issue has come to my attention for a long time. The above two suggestions to overcome the predicament ought to be implemented by the local authority the soonest possible.
I have raised the flood problem in Parliament a number of times. I hereby set out the question and answers made by the relevant ministry. Subsequently the matter was raised for further action by the Ipoh City Council.

SOALAN NO 8 : PADA PARLIMEN 10/07/08 Tuan M. Kula Segaran [Ipoh Barat] minta Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar menyatakan rancangan jangka pendek dan jangka panjang dalam mengatasi masalah banjir yang kerap berlaku pada musim hujan di sepanjang Sg. Kinta (Ipoh) terutamanya di Taman Merdeka.

Timbalan Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar [Datuk Maznah Mazlan]: Assalamualaikum, selamat pagi. Terima kasih kepada Yang Berhormat Ipoh Barat. Saya ingin memaklumkan bahawa engikut kajian National Register of River Basin 2003, seluas 9% daripada keluasan tanah negara di Malaysia dikenal pasti sebagai kawasan berisiko banjir termasuk kawasan-kawasan sungai di Lembah Kinta. Taman Merdeka, Taman Kok Hock Ann dan Taman Alkaf adalah merupakan kawasan perumahan yang telah lama wujud dan terletak di kawasan rendah di sepanjang Sungai Pari yang sering dilanda banjir setiap kali berlaku hujan. Kementerian melalui Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran telah mengambil langkah sewajarnya dengan menempatkan tiga buah pam yang berkapasiti 40 kaki padu per saat kemampuannya setiap satu bagi mengeluarkan air banjir dari taman-taman ini ke Sungai Pari.

Bagi menangani masalah banjir secara jangka panjang di kawasan ini, Kerajaan Persekutuan telah melaksanakan projek tebatan banjir Sungai Pari dalam ketiga-tiga Rancangan Malaysia yang terakhir. Dalam Rancangan Malaysia Ketujuh, sebanyak RM3 juta dan dalam Rancangan Malaysia Kelapan sejumlah RM5.7 juta dan dalam Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan RM3.5 juta berjumlah kesemuanya RM12.2 juta telah dan sedang dibelanjakan untuk projek ini. Untuk penyelesaian jangka panjang seterusnya, kementerian melalui JPS telah melantik jurutera perunding bagi menjalankan reka bentuk kejuruteraan terperinci untuk komponen kerja-kerja tebatan banjir yang lebih berkesan. Terima kasih.

Timbalan Yang di-Pertua [Datuk Ronald Kiandee]: Yang Berhormat Ipoh Barat.

Tuan M. Kula Segaran [Ipoh Barat]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Tuan Yang di-Pertua, mengenai banjir ini bukan satu perkara yang baru tetapi dalam lingkungan 10 tahun dahulu ini kerap kali apabila ada sedikit hujan pun semua taman ini selalu banjir. Satu di antara faktor adalah di mana sungai-sungai itu terlampau banyak pasir yang tidak dikeluarkan dari sungai tersebut dan saya difahamkan bahawa orang-orang di sana telah memberitahu dan telah ada dialog dengan JPS beberapa kali.

Baru-baru ini dua minggu yang lepas, saya sendiri telah mengadakan dialog dengan JPS di mana mereka mengatakan mereka menunggu tender, mereka menunggu wang Kerajaan Persekutuan. Walaupun kerajaan telah memberi beberapa janji tetapi nampaknya tidak diimplementasikan di sana. Adakah dalam hal ini kerajaan akan memberi pampasan kepada penduduk-penduduk di sana supaya mereka dapat sekurang-kurangnya mitigate the lost yang disebabkan oleh man-made. Ini bukan luar biasa dan mengenai dengan pam yang telah ada disana saya difahamkan bahawa pam-pam itu tidak bekerja, Tuan Yang di-Pertua.

Datuk Maznah Mazlan: Yang Berhormat, Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Terima kasih Yang Berhormat Ipoh Barat dia atas soalan tambahan. Memang benar bahawa masalah sungai ini makin lam makin ketara kerana seperti yang kita tahu bahawa sistem pengairan termasuk sungai, tasik dan seterusnya semakin lama berlaku sedimentation dengan izin iaitu pengumpulan pasir-pasir di dasarannya dan meningkatkan atau yang meninggikan dasarannya dan meningkatkan banjir. Oleh itu, selain daripada jangka pendek yang saya cakapkan tadi kerajaan juga mengenal pasti bahawa jangka panjangnya yang perlu dibuat ialah untu.


menjalankan kerja atau membaik pulih Sungai Pari iaitu punca kepada masalah di taman-taman ini. Terdapat panjangnya Sungai Pari ini lebih kurang 40 kilometer dan setakat ini peruntukan-peruntukan yang telah saya sebut tadi sebahagian besarnya dibelanjakan untuk kerja-kerja mendalamkan dasaran sungai tersebut. Selain daripada itu, meluaskan tebing dan juga membina ban dan menaik taraf strukturstruktur berkenaan dan kerja ini akan dibuat secara berterusan dan oleh kerana sungai ini satu yang aktif bahawa kerja-kerja ini akan dibuat saya rasa secara berterusan sehingga bila-bila. Terima kasih.
______________________
Ucapan Penangguhan Pada 23 June 2008
Sistem Infra Untuk Mengatasi Masalah BanjirTuan M. Kula Segaran [Ipoh Barat]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Perlunya sistem infra untuk mengatasi masalah banjir. Masalah ini adalah berkenaan dengan perlunya sistem infra yang baru untuk mengatasi masalah banjir sehingga terdedahnya manusia kepada bahaya banjir khasnya di kawasan bandar-bandar besar yang mempunyai taburan penduduk yang padat serta kadar binaan yang tinggi telah meningkat dengan begitu pesat dalam tahun tahun kebelakangan ini. Hal ini terbukti oleh kejadian-kejadian banjir yang serius di sekitar bandar Ipoh khususnya di Taman Merdeka, Taman Hock Onn, Taman Alkaf dan di kawasansepanjang Sungai Kinta, Ipoh.

Punca utama banjir di kawasan ini adalah disebabkan aliran permukaan pesat akibat perubahan guna tanah, alur-alur sungai dan longkang yang tersekat yang menyebabkan berkurangan keupayaan sungai melalui pemindahan kelodaknya. Pada masa yang sama pihak kerajaan harus peka dalam menangani masalah banjir di kawasan Ipoh khususnya di Taman Merdeka dan di kawasan sekitarnya. Jika turunnya hujan lebat ataupun hujan tidak berhentihenti maka ia mengambil masa yang begitu singkat sahaja untuk menenggelamkan Taman Merdeka dan kawasan sekitarnya. Dengan adanya sistem perparitan yang tidak sempurna, maka ia menyebabkan begitu ramai mangsa mengalami kerugian yang besar dan kanak-kanak juga menjadi mangsa dengan penyakit.

Rakyat kini lebih berpendidikan dan lebih sedar akan masalah alam sekitar dan juga mendapat maklumat semasa dengan lebih kerap. Mereka lebih yakin bahawa kejadian banjir ini adalah disebabkan kesilapan manusia dan kegagalan pengurusannya boleh dielakkan jika adanya satu perancangan yang awal daripada pihak kerajaan. Maka dengan itu timbulnya beberapa soalan dalam hal di mana apakah tindakan yang telah pun dirancang oleh pihak JPS dalam menangani masalah ini. Apakah sistem perparitan yang sempurna akan dilaksanakanpada kawasan-kawasan yang disebut dan bilakah ianya akan diimplementasikan.

Selain daripada itu, berapakah peruntukan yang telah pun diperuntukkan bagi mengatasi masalah banjir di kawasan-kawasan ini dan sehingga hari ini berapakah yang telah dibelanjakan. Dalam satu perancangan pembangunan bandar raya, masalah banjir sepatutnya dijadikan agenda utama. Perkara ini tidak boleh lagi dipandang ringan, ditolak dan diketepikan. Ia sudah menjadi lumrah di Taman Merdeka, hujan lebat yang turun sekejap pun boleh menenggelamkan taman ini dan juga kawasan yang rendah sehingga boleh menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas. Masalah banjir di kawasan Taman Merdeka dan sekitarnya bukannya satu fenomena yang baru dan adanya bukti-bukti yang kukuh di mana perlunya satu rancangan yang baru untuk membantu penduduk- penduduk kawasan ini.

Pihak JPS dan kerajaan masih tidak mencari satu jalan penyelesaian walaupun sudah lalu 40 tahun. Justeru itu, dengan adanya suasana ekonomi yang baik pada tahun-tahun kebelakangan ini, maka kerajaan tidak boleh menjadikan masalah ini kurang penting jika dibandingkan dengan pembangunan infra yang lain. Terima kasih.

Jawapan daripada Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar.Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar [Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas]: Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua. Tuan Yang di-Pertua dan makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, mengikut kajian National Register of River Basin 2003, seluas 9% daripada keluasan tanah negara di Malaysia di kenal pasti sebagai kawasan berisiko banjir termasuk kawasan-kawasan sungai di Lembah Kinta. Bagi menangani masalah banjir ini, kementerian melalui Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran memberi khidmat kepakaran dalam pengurusan tebatan banjir serta melaksanakan program tebatan banjir untuk melindungi nyawa dan harta benda.

Di bawah Rancangan Tebatan Banjir yang dilaksanakan oleh Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran, dua bentuk langkah yang diambil iaitu langkah struktur dan langkah bukan struktur. Antara langkah-langkah struktur termasuklah pembinaan empangan tebatan banjir, pembinaan kolam takungan banjir, pembinaan lencongan, rumah pam, melebarkan dan mendalamkan sungai dan pembinaan ban benteng di tebing sungai. Sementara langkah-langkah bukan struktur adalah kajian-kajian lembangan sungai dan tebatan banjir, kajian pelan induk saliran, maklumat dan data yang diperlukan untuk kajian, penyediaan garis panduan dan manual saliran mesra alam, kempen kesedaran dan program pendidikan, ramalan dan amaran banjir dan pengurusan kawasan tadahan air. Tuan Yang di-Pertua, untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, di dalam perancangan permohonan bandar raya, kementerian melalui JPS telah memperkenalkan manual saliran mesra alam, MSMA. Manual ini telah pun diedarkan kepada pihak berkuasa tempatan di samping memberi taklimat kepada mereka.

MSMA merupakan garis panduan yang perlu dipatuhi oleh PBT di dalam meluluskan pelan pembangunan supaya isu banjir dapat ditangani.

Tuan Yang di-Pertua, justeru PBT perlu memainkan peranan dengan menangani isu banjir terutama dalam penyelenggaraan dan penaikan taraf kemudahan-kemudahan perparitan. Di samping itu, PBT juga perlu meningkatkan penguatkuasaan agar semua pihak mematuhi peraturan dan undang-undang berkaitan bagi mengurangkan kesan banjir tempatan. Berhubung isu banjir di Taman Merdeka dan taman-taman perumahan di sekitarnya. Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, taman-taman ini terletak di kawasan tanah rendah di sepanjang Sungai Pari, anak Sungai Kinta juga merupakan kawasan yang berisiko banjir.Di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Kelapan, JPS telah membelanjakan RM58.8 juta untuk melaksanakan Rancangan Tebatan Banjir Sungai Pari. Bagi meningkatkan keupayaan Sungai Pari untuk mengalirkan air bagi mengurangkan masalah banjir di sepanjang sungai ini.

Skop kerja yang telah dilaksanakan termasuk meninggikan baris Sungai Pari bagi mengelakkan limpahan air sungai, membina semula konkrit seksyen yang telah rosak akibat hakisan air sungai dan menempatkan pam untuk mengepam air dari kawasan banjir di Taman Merdeka ke Sungai Pari. Tuan Yang di-Pertua, seterusnya di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan, JPS melaksanakan kerja-kerja RTB Sungai Pari. Skop kerja yang telah dilaksanakan sehingga kini meliputi pembinaan rumah pam termasuk pemasangan pagar keselamatan dan CCTV, pembaikan dan pembinaan semula benteng L-shape sepanjang Sungai Pari serta kerja-kerja mendalam anak-anak sungai kepada Sungai Pari.

Tuan Yang di-Pertua, bagi menyelesaikan masalah tersebut dalam jangka masa panjang, JPS telah melantik juru perunding untuk menyediakan reka bentuk kejuruteraan terperinci bagi cadangan kerja-kerja tebatan banjir di Taman Merdeka dan persekitarannya di sepanjang Sungai Pari.

Tuan Yang di-Pertua, kementerian berharap Majlis Bandar Raya Ipoh juga memainkan peranan yang sewajarnya untuk menangani isu banjir di Taman Merdeka, Taman Hock Han dan ‘Taman Har Kaf’ ke kawasan-kawasan sekitar m emandangkan ketiga-tiga taman perumahan ini terletak di bawah kawasan perbandaran MBI. Kerja-kerja penyelenggaraan dan penaik taraf sistem saliran dalaman di kawasan-kawasan tersebut adalah tanggungjawab Majlis Perbandaran Ipoh.

Justeru itu, Ahli Yang Berhormat adalah diminta untuk membangkit isu ini terus kepada Majlis Bandaran Ipoh. Terima kasih.

PERAK POLITICAL PLAGUE & THE 6TH BUSHIDO CODE

I joked candidly that M. Kula, the Ipoh Barat Member of Parliament must have been an Orang Asli in his past life because of his concern and support for my work with the indigenous people of this country. He revved his 4WD on a precariously winding road in the secondary forest that was once ravished and ravaged by the greed of men and narrowly missed the ravine that would have taken all those in the vehicle into the river below.

“You need not be an Orang Asli headman in your past life”, M. Kula was quick with a reply without even looking at me. An instantaneous and poignant response expected of a man who confronts an assortment of rotting issues that emanates unwelcome stench in our midst.

I knew what he was trying to tell me.

The journey beyond that was a humourless exchange of thoughts about the promises and betrayal of Orang Asli for the last 52 years. Though living with physical independence but sadly chained and shackled with a mind of perpetual dependence.

There are no grand tales of the Orang Asli to tell, only the marginalization of this minority group of people. Walk the path of misery and the truth is scattered in all the lonely and desolate journeys into a forgotten world only known to the Orang Asli.

Our destination was a remote village, south of Perak. The inhabitants’ complaints were predictable. Their surrounding ancestral land and all their sources of livelihood are slowly but surely being removed from them, leaving behind a life of agony and uncertainty that promises skinned mother earth and its dust to bite.

A day after my visit to the remote village with M.Kula, I was forced by necessity and urgent appeal to be in another remote Orang Asli village, this time in Ulu Kampar.

One year after promises of road repairs and construction of a safer bridge that would make crossing the river leading to the Orang Asli village safe for children and women, all that remains now is a badly damaged bridge and a road leading to the village that invites danger and possibly death for any of its unlucky users.

The Orang Asli villagers’ complaint was that the loggers had moved in without a care and they now live in danger of land slides and dangerous earth movements which will put unnecessary fear during their foraging activities in the forests.


Why in a nutshell of our visit on the 1st Sunday of June 2009 and a day after? The answer lies 12 months before.

When the Pakatan Rakyat government was formed in 2008, one of the first things on the agenda was the formation of the Orang Asli Taskforce on Land Rights comprising, the majority of its members being the Orang Asli themselves.

Primarily the function and role of this taskforce is to move as quickly as possible to first identify the Orang Asli ancestral land and take all necessary steps to recognize, respect and protect these lands as Orang Asli ancestral land. Any forms of dealings, be it developments or otherwise, in these ancestral land would necessitate a free, prior and informed consent from the inhabitants of the particular parcel of land according to established international standards namely the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People adopted by Malaysia in June 2006.

Ngeh Koo Ham, the then senior executive councillor and chairman of the taskforce went on to inform all the Orang Asli members of the taskforce that they are always welcome and free to use the conference halls at the State Secretariat Building anytime they needed to do so. This warm gesture led to meetings being conducted by the Orang Asli in one of the many conference halls from time to time.

It was a good feeling, watching the Orang Asli conducting meetings after meetings with many proposals and counter proposals on how best their ancestral land ought to be protected and preserved.


It was however a great feeling to silently appreciate an undeniable fact that the Pakatan Rakyat government under Ir. Nizar Jamaluddin was prepared to open up more decision making space for the Orang Asli thus promoting independence of thoughts and actions and giving hope for the Orang Asli to be partners in managing and sharing the riches of the state.

It was a near fairy tale beginning, one thought that would perpetuate into a “happily ever after story” but all that has come to an end by greed and betrayal of trust by some who are obsessed with their personal well being and interest and in the process corrupting their very thoughts and promises of service to the nation.

They conveniently forgot the urgent and apparent needs of those who are voiceless and dispossessed. The plight of the Orang Asli is only one of them.


It is most disheartening to note that since the beginning of the constitutional crisis in Perak, the members of Taskforce established by the Pakatan Rakyat government have not been invited to meet and discuss all the problems plaguing the Orang Asli.

And the irony of it all is the fact that, the Selangor government had formed its taskforce and it may be modelled after the Perak Taskforce.


The non-functioning of the Perak Taskforce had created a questionable confidence in the state government in its effective administration which ought to ensure the needed promotion of the well being of all, especially the minority, marginalized and dispossessed groups that require urgent attention.

The fundamental principle of good governance that requires a duty to consult as its integral and important component is ignored and this has created serious questions as to the present government’s ability to administer the state for the good of all.


The Supreme Court of Canada in the case of Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests), [2004] 3 S.C.R. 511, 2004 SCC 73 explains elaborately and sufficiently when the need for a duty to consult is triggered and why the need for such consultation process ought to happen in the first place.

The government’s duty to consult with Aboriginal peoples and accommodate their interests is grounded in the principle of the honour of the Crown, which must be understood generously. While the asserted but unproven Aboriginal rights and title are insufficiently specific for the honour of the Crown to mandate that the Crown act as a fiduciary, the Crown, acting honourably, cannot cavalierly run roughshod over Aboriginal interests where claims affecting these interests are being seriously pursued in the process of treaty negotiation and proof. The duty to consult and accommodate is part of a process of fair dealing and reconciliation that begins with the assertion of sovereignty and continues beyond formal claims resolution. The foundation of the duty in the Crown’s honour and the goal of reconciliation suggest that the duty arises when the Crown has knowledge, real or constructive, of the potential existence of the Aboriginal right or title and contemplates conduct that might adversely affect it. Consultation and accommodation before final claims resolution preserve the Aboriginal interest and are an essential corollary to the honourable process of reconciliation that s. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, demands.

And why honour?

Perhaps it will not be necessary for all our politicians to embark on the understanding of honour by slurping the succulent pages of the Bushido Code namely the 6th Bushido Code:-

“The sense of honour, a vivid consciousness of personal dignity and worth, characterized the samurai. He was born and bred to value the duties and privileges of his profession. Fear of disgrace hung like a sword over the head of every samurai……..” Nitobe Inazo


A Code of Honour?

Well, that will be too much to ask for from many of our local politicians consumed by pettiness and greed.


Augustine Anthony
11.06.2009

Government urged to rescue Maika Hoildings

THE Government must step in and save the RM160mil asset-based company Maika Holdings.
Malaysia Nanban reported former Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president V.K.K. Teagarajan as saying that such a move would bring fresh hope for Maika’s 66,000 shareholders.
He proposed that the government’s takeover of Maika be conducted via a special purpose vehicle set up by Khazanah Nasional to secure the Indian community’s economic future.
Teagarajan said this could be done because the Government had reportedly set aside RM300mil to assist the community.
Teagarajan, who is also a Maika shareholder, said the company was not a “dead horse” as claimed by many people.
“Maika Holdings has assets worth more than RM160mil, which could be used to revive the community’s interests and regain the confidence of Indian voters,” he said.
He also called for Maika’s revamp and due diligence and prudent management policies to be implemented to increase its investment rate.
“With the injection of new funds from the Government, the poor Indians, who have a RM50mil stake in Maika, can be paid off while at the same time maintaining the rest as share capital,” he said.
Teagarajan said allocating 5% to 10% of government infrastructure projects to Maika would also boost the company.
He added that new Maika shares could then be distributed to the low-income group to increase their investments and the community’s equity share from 1.1% to 3%.

Is this what we call 1 Malaysia?

Dear readers, below is the screen shot of 1Malaysia website...the Tamil column is missing in action...

Predicament of the Orang Asli

Augustine Anthony the well known Orang Asli Advocate invited me to join him to a mission to meet Orang Asli settlers whose land other issues which remains unresolved for decades. These are Orang Asli residing around the fringes of the jungle at Kampong Sungai Balik, Chenderiang.

Interestingly in the 2008 General Elections ,Chendering is the only state constituency which was won by the MCA in Perak and is represented by the assemblyman Dr. Mah. Dato Sarwanan the Deputy Minister of Federal Terrorties is the local MP.

When we reached Chenderiang, a local orang Asli jumped into our 4wheel to show us to the village. Just as we were about 1km we stopped to allow 2 passengers to join us in the trip. They were in their own car following us but decided to join in our car as the road condition just did not permit normal cars to go smoothly. The two were Mr. Ram the Bar Council rep for Orang Asli and a chambering student Grace Wong

On arrival at the village we were very warmly welcomed by the whole village residents numbering not more than 50 of them. We were immediately ushered into a completed brick house called houses for the hard core poor built by the Ministry of Rural Development. It was two room houses with basic necessities provided. Surprisingly the houses had no electricity connected although all the wires are done up nearly more than a year ago.

We were all invited to sit on the floor in the house where the adults and the children alike set around us to discuss their matters. The main matters raised were:

A lady in her 70’s complained that the village has been asked to be relocated more than 3 times in her memory by the land office because of their land has been alienated to others. Apparently lands were given for tin mining, agricultural activities, logging and oil palm cultivation. We were further told much of the oil palm area around the village use to be their ancestor burial ground.

A lot of petai, babi hutan(wild boar) and the like is freely available. But all these is dwindling due to logging. Even clean water is difficult to come by!

passed away last year. Since then a new Tok Batin has not been recognised yet by the Orang Asli Department (JHEOA) appointed. Although the villagers have elected one he has not been officially recognised.

he NGO’s and others present and a 2 hour discussion with the villagers. The Orang Asli’s request are just a fair call asking all not to intrude and destroy their life style. Infact the state should ensure and guarantee their continued right to live and co-habitat with the nature around them.

OnOn the issue of electricity, I saw a number of letters written by Dato Sarwanan to the electricity Department requesting the connection since July2008. I rang Dato Sarwanan and told him of the delay in the connection and he said he will see something is done the soonest possible. Also he will visit the village next week.

64 wasted their time appearing at the Ipoh Police station

Today is the D day for the 64 people who were arrested on 7thMay09. On that day the Perak State Assembly set. The police had obtained an interim order to restrain any one other than assemblyman from being 500meters from the state assembly.

I was prevented from entering the state assembly by the police although I had invitation to attend on that day. The state Assembly is situated in my constituency notwithstanding others like YB Lim Kit Siang and M.Manogahar( Teluk Intan) were also prevented from entering the state assembly.

Our lawyer Karpal would soon file proceedings to set aside the restraining order.

The 64 individual were on police bail and the bail was not extended today. DSP Glean informed us that the investigations are still going on and they are awaiting directions from the Attorney General Chambers as to whether to charge the 64 heroes.

The police should explain as to why the 64 were asked to report to the police station today when they knew yesterday that the bail will not be extended but the 64 can go free pending directions from AG Chambers. Many were displeased with the police the manner in which they had handled the matter today.

Many of the 64 individuals were not only innocent but had come from other states like Penang, Malacca, Selangor and Pahang.

We were also pleased that many lawyers turned up to give support. The blogger’s community were also not spared the arrest as Zorro and others were detained on the 7^th of May. Interestingly Jong the Ipoh blogger somehow was not arrested on the 7^th although she was everywhere and in black too. Why she is so lucky!

Bail Cancelled for 64

By IVAN LOH - Thestar.com.my


IPOH: Police have cancelled the bails of all 64 people, including 10 Opposition MPs and assemblymen who were arrested outside the State Secretariat building during the chaotic May 7 state assembly sitting.

Former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said police have agreed to cancel all their bails pending the Attorney-General Chambers' decision to charge them or not.

"I want to appeal to the A-G Chambers to close the case because they do not have grounds to charge them," Nizar told a press conference here after accompanying the 69 to the Ipoh police station Thursday.

"We urge the A-G Chambers to drop all charges against those who were arrested," he said.

He added that the people had a right to hold peaceful gathering under the Federal Constitution.

Earlier, all who were arrested during the May 7 assembly sitting reported to the police station.

Shortly after their arrival, Ipoh CID chief Deputy Superintendent S. Glenn Anthony informed them about the cancellation of their bails.

Nizar said it was inappropriate for the police to have all 64 people report in at the police station only to have them leave several minutes later.

He pointed out that most of the 64 came from Selangor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan and Penang.

Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, who was also present, said the police could have just called them on the telephone on Wednesday.

Candle Light Vigil

At the last minute we decided to have a candle light vigil and the same time a signature campaign to demand that the State Assembly of Perak be dissolved. Only at about 4pm we decided to have this event at eh women’s branch at Kg.Tawas.

As the event started we had some uninvited guest namely the policemen. Even some senior police officers were present. Apparently at about 6pm the branch Chairman M/S Jennies was visited by the local police warning her that she could be arrested if the candle Vigil was proceeded with.

The local people and members decided to have the candle vigil inside the DAP premises.

I spoke on the reasons to dissolve the state assembly in particular also as to the reluctance of Barisan National to seek a new mandate from the voters of Perak.

It was well attended by the locals.