Teresa Kok

Dear friends, what do you think of this?

IGP red-faced and livid:
Bakri denies giving consent
30 May 2006
Farrah Naz Karim, Alang Bendahara and Deborah Loh—————————————-
PUTRAJAYA: The country’s top police officer was left red-faced yesterday when he found out a report meant for internal circulation had been posted on the police website.

The 12-page report contained some strident criticisms by the police against the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

It also revealed the extent of unhappiness among the rank and file over the proposal, which was mooted by the Royal Commission on the Police Force.

It is learnt that Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar had consented to the publication of the report but made clear that the booklet should only be distributed among police personnel.

However, it was uploaded to the police website several days ago and picked up by the online and print media.

“I want to know who put it up,” Bakri told the New Straits Times yesterday.

He denied he had given consent for it to be placed on the website. “What? That is a wild allegation,” he said.

The blunder was later attributed to a “misunderstanding” between federal police public relations officer Superintendent Mohamad Daud, who is also the chief editor for the publication, and the webmaster.

Mohamad said it was a misunderstanding and that the webmaster did not turn up for work yesterday for fear of being reprimanded. He confirmed that the special publication was for internal circulation and not for the public.

“I was under the impression that the webmaster was posting the document as an email to all police personnel.

“But, unfortunately, there was a miscommunication and the document was instead posted on the website. We have never posted any articles in our publication on the website.”

By last night, the posting had been removed from the website.

(more…)

Press Statement By the Publicity Secretary Of DAP and MP for Seputeh YB Teresa Kok On 29th May 2006

The content of the Royal Malaysian Polices website against IPCMC is a challenge to the authority of the Government and the Prime Minister; and shames the professional reputation of PDRM

The way the Royal Malaysian Police Force published a series of articles and statements against the establishment of the Independent Police Complaint and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) on its website www.rmp.gov.my/rmp03/edisi_khas_ipcmc.htm

is tantamount to insubordination to civilian authority and a blatant challenge to the government of the day, particularly to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is concurrently Internal Security Minister with direct supervision authority over the Police. It is a blot of shame to the professional reputation of the Malaysian Police Force as well as disregarding the code of ethics of the police (more…)

Dear friends,

I have been busy in the past few weeks and did not have time for blog and I did not even open my emails that have been sent to me. Thousands apology.

However, when I read about the news report about the bulletin of the police force, Berita Bukit Aman as well as the website of PDRM, I feel strongly to say something. Below is one of the articles in the website concern: http://www.rmp.gov.my/rmp03/edisi_khas_ipcmc.htm

5. IPCMC Yang Tersurat, Yang Tersirat

Wujud ketidakpuasan dikalangan pucuk pimpinan dan persatuan-persatuan PDRM dalam syor ke 12 (Membentuk satu mekanisma penyemakkan yang bebas yang disebut sebagai IPCMC). Antara luahan rasional yang dipersoalkan dalam satu dialog PDRM bersama Perdana Menteri Malaysia adalah:- (more…)

砂州助選記

真沒想到，砂州人民居然會藉5月20日的投票而向國陣發出怒吼，除了讓6枝火箭升空之外，同時還把另外3個在野黨候選人送進州議會，打破砂州的歷史記錄，震驚全國。

筆者在投票日前4天到砂拉越的美里助選，首場在美里演講的人潮，比5年前州選舉相同地點的人數多出4倍。次日到古晉演講，該商業中心的露天演講會場地的人潮有大約3千人聚集，造成當地大塞車，當晚觀眾對演講人的熱情反應令我驚訝。

在投票日前夕，我到靠近詩巫的兩位行動黨女候選人的區 ――馬拉端和泗里街演講，當時泗里街的戰情雖不被看好，但是當晚在市中心演講會的出席人數將近2千人，當我趕到馬拉端選區的較偏僻郊區時，已經是大約晚上9時30分，當地數百名村民從6時30分便開始站在那兒聽演講，還跟我合唱一首歌，到我10時講完后才離開。后來當我抵達詩巫市區演講會的地點時，看到另外約4至5千人在聽行動黨領袖的演講。

詩巫的演講會后，一位身在古晉政治學教授朋友傳了個電話短訊給林冠英說：我從來沒看過古晉出現這么多的人潮，明天肯定有奇跡出現。

這位教授在前兩天還對我們說，古晉的州選區看來沒什么取勝的希望，行動黨在本屆砂州選舉頂多贏3席，因為一如往年，敵對黨的金錢政治太厲害，加上選舉賭局，在野黨取勝的機會不大，但是兩天后，她改口了。

砂拉越行動黨的領導和同志在砂州政壇斗爭數十年，每一屆選舉都面對金錢政治的困擾，經常累戰累敗，因此他們對于選民的熱烈反應都不敢寄予厚望，因為大家輸到怕了。當時我們還在擔憂，萬一行動黨的候選人都敗光而只有馬拉端那位24歲的女候選人取勝，那她單槍匹馬，該怎么辦？

投票日前數天，前來砂州助選的副首相納吉說，國陣要奪砂州全部71個議席，這個壓力令砂州國陣領導更加快馬加鞭的到許多「危險區」助選。許多國陣的高層領導，包括西馬的領導都紛紛到戰情告急的馬拉端區為他們26歲的女候選人助選。另外，砂州國陣高層領導都到處分發地契更新的批準信。

決戰前兩天，砂州的媒體刊登的幾乎都是執政黨的新聞，令人意外的是，古晉兩位國陣的候選人（他們皆為上屆州議員）先后在公眾前掉淚，一位為他被逼更換選區而哭，令一位則為她的宣傳廣告板遭到破壞和為公正黨候選人的宣傳手法氣得哭了；而人聯黨黨魁陳康南則發表告選民文告，闡明人聯黨要取得人民重大委托的重要性，以免削弱該黨在國陣的代表權。

國陣候選人和領導對選民的軟性訴求，令人感到國陣開始感覺到戰情對他們不利了。投票結果顯示，他們從選民身上得到的回饋是正確的，反而我們因為歷屆選舉輸到怕，所以才不敢對該選舉成績過于自信。

投票日當晚，我陪同行動黨柏拉旺區候選人陳則敏前往計票中心等成績。中選的人聯黨候選人吳春祥發表勝利演說時，除了感謝選民讓他取勝之外，他也說了一句中肯的話：「對于沒投票給我的選民，你們已經傳達了你們的訊息。。。。。」

是的，要砂州人民把在野黨從州議會解散前的1個增加到9個是不簡單的事，不過才區區9席，已足以震撼國陣，并讓國陣領導紛紛說要檢討選戰失敗的原因。國陣政府說要檢討，這對人民來說是一大喜訊。

其實砂州選戰一個跨越各族群的重要課題是石油漲價和其帶來的連鎖反應，砂州選舉剛過不到一個星期，政府便宣布電費將在下個月起價，看來他們還沒認真接收到砂州選民的訊息，或許國陣需要更大的震撼吧！

（26－5－2006）

You might be wondering why am I so quiet these days. Well, last week, I was tremendous busy in attending meeting to prepare the final report for the Parliament Select Committee that review Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, and we finally presented the bill and report to the Dewan Rakyat on the last day of Parliament sitting.

Now, I am busy campaigning for the party in Sarawak, I wish to share with you about our proposed amendment to Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code but I just don’t have time, I wish I can tell you more about our bill as well as to tell you about the Sarawak elections.

Please pray for us to win more seats this time. Oh ya, we need campaigning funds too. Please support us if you can. Insya Allah I can talk/write to you again soon. Bye

賽益風波

野新區國會議員賽益對馬六甲關稅局濫用權力的風波，以新海峽時報5月4日以封面標題「只眼開、只眼閉」的報道揭幕，連上演兩個星期，其中累累峰回路轉，高潮迭起。

在國會的層面，這事件導致國陣后坐議員俱樂部主席沙里爾因支持國會反對黨領袖的動議，從自動辭職到被逼辭職，令許多支持沙里爾的國陣后坐議員對國陣議員在下議院發言的狹隘尺度，感到彷徨和迷惑。其實，國陣黨鞭和首相對沙里爾事件的處理方式，其實也是某部長和沙里爾交手的結果，他倆存在已久的矛盾，終于在這事件上白熱化。

在賽益的事件的層面，新海峽時報步步追蹤，揭發賽益要關稅局「只眼開、只眼閉」，讓其入口的尺寸不符規格的樹桐，原來不是他較早時所謂的選民和顧客，原來該公司是他本人獨資的公司。該報甚至把該公司注冊的地址，即他的住家的照片刊登出來，以證實他們的報道無誤，此外還透露說該公司擁有14次的犯案記錄。

新海峽時報接着刊登的最新消息是，賽益的另一家公司在1999年甚至曾非法走私7千片錄影光碟，包括2千片色情光碟到印尼。

有句諺語說：「住在玻璃屋的人不要對人丟石頭」。在賽益涉貪的丑聞被媒體揭發之前，他曾在下議院辯論時大肆批評關稅局總監耍大排，其排場比許多高官顯要還大。不久后，我們便看到賽益濫權的丑聞接二連三的在報章上出爐。其實，如果他當初沒利用下議院的場合來向關稅局丟石頭的話，今天他或許不會得到日前這種「報應」。

如果有關賽益濫權事件的指責屬實，那么賽益在游說關稅局對他的公司入口的木材「只眼開、只眼閉」不逐后，便以其議員的身份在下議院大肆批判關稅局總監，這也是另一種濫用議員職權的做法。

賽益事件突顯的另一個重要問題是，國陣議員在下議院發言的尺度。記得首相阿都拉在數個月前公開的說，國陣控制下議院絕大部分的議席，因此國陣議員可以在國會可自由發言。奇怪的是，當沙里爾支持在野黨領袖的動議的事件發生后，即使在國陣后坐議員宣布他們要挽留沙里爾繼續擔任國陣后坐議員俱樂部的主席位子后，首相還是堅持沙里爾不能繼續當該俱樂部的主席，因為國陣議員不能支持在野黨的任何動議。這種前后矛盾的言論，真令人摸不清首相的立場。

此外，沙里爾在考慮國陣后坐議員們的挽留時對媒體說，他當初支持林吉祥把新海峽時報提交到國會特權委員會以斷定該報資訊來源的動議是錯誤的，因為賽益的涉貪行動不是發生在國會，而是在國會外，因此不應該由國會的特權委員會來審理。但是當媒體揭發賽益原來是為了本身的公司而叫關稅局「只眼開、只眼閉」時，首相卻又說他將召開國陣黨鞭會議，以討論是否對付賽益。
究竟國會特權委員會的權限和調查范圍使到哪兒？為何賽益的問題是由國陣的黨鞭會議來決定，而不是由國會管制議員的紀律組織來判定呢？

整宗事件，其實反映出我們的國家領導其實對于國會的議會常規、國會的定位和運作，以及國會議員的角色問題，概念模糊。這樣下去，怎樣打造第一世界國會？

（12-5-2006）

The Sun says: A missed opportunity to reform Parliament
Wednesday, 10 May 2006, 09:27

A window of opportunity to reform Parliament and to make it a world class legislature closed on Monday with the rejection of a plea by Barisan Nasional MPs that they be allowed to vote according to their conscience on matters unrelated to major policy issues and political programmes.

Other windows may open in the near future and it is hoped that this administration will take the chance to make good what it declared earlier on to reform Parliament and make it truly an institution with integrity.

It must walk the talk and demonstrate its commitment to the ideals of democracy and openness it proclaimed before, during and after the March 2004 general election where it won a massive show of faith in it.

And this is what puzzles us. One would have thought that with the overwhelming majority it won, largely on a promise to reform our national institutions, the BN government would be confident to relax much of the top-down style of administration that we have witnessed in the last two decades.

The plea for the whip to be relaxed and cracked only on policy issues and political programmes including the budget and amendments to the constitution is not unreasonable as it is practiced in other parliaments especially where the parties in power command comfortable majorities.

The reality is we don’t expect BN MPs to start acting like independent operators and go their own way, especially on major policy votes. That would be political suicide. But a small amount of space should be given to them to vote according to their conscience, even on those occasions when it means a meeting of minds with the Opposition.

We will say the same to the leadership of the opposition parties which are making a big deal out of the whole Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad affair. Leader of the Opposition Lim Kit Siang should also walk the talk. Indeed he should lead the way by allowing the DAP MPs to vote according to their conscience and not have its own whip in place all the time.

If both sides of the House practice this, it will be one step forward to restore the integrity and independence of the Dewan Rakyat. More importantly it will be accepted once again as an institution that is relevant to the rakyat – a legislature where their voices, through their representatives, are heard.

Thus, it is unfortunate that Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to end the manoeuvrings within the BN front and backbenches, had to declare that BN MPs must toe the party line at all times and are not free to vote according to their conscience in any motion moved in Parliament.

He may have his reasons for sounding unbending and unduly harsh, almost

uncharacteristic of the man who only 30 months ago unveiled his reform pledge and agenda. Maybe he had to enforce party

discipline before any power play within the benches of the BN gets out of hand. But we do hope that when the window to reform Parliament opens again, perhaps under

better circumstances than what transpired last week, he will rise to the occasion.

As Shakespeare said: “There is a tide in the affairs of man, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.”

Tuesday, May 09, 2006
BN MPs cannot vote according to conscience: Pak Lah

(Bernama)—Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stressed Monday that Barisan Nasional (BN) members of Parliament must toe the party line and are not free to vote according to their conscience in any motion moved in Parliament.

The prime minister said that every party member, including BN MPs, has to observe the discipline and must understand this.

“All party members have rules that they must understand and follow. There’s discipline for each member… no relaxation or freedom is given for them to do as they like. That’s the party rule,” he told reporters here (more…)

Time to let MPs decide, say experts
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz
May 8, 06 7:19pm

Coming from across the political spectrum, members of parliament and law expert today said the resignation of Shahrir Abdul Samad as chairperson of Parliament’s Backbenchers Club signified a crossroads of sort.

Lawmaking can either change to become the ‘grand inquest of the nation’ as it was meant to be, or continue to be an exercise in rubber-stamping bills, they said when commenting on the decision by Shahrir to quit last week when he failed to get other government backbenchers to support a motion tabled by the opposition.

The motion was to refer to the parliamentary privileges committee a news report which claimed that the Malacca BN MP had asked the state authorities to ‘close one eye’ regarding a company importing illegal timber (more…)

Developers homeowners oppose amendment to Act
By Ooi Tee Ching
bt@nstp.com.my

May 9 2006

PROPERTY developers and homeowners have raised objections to the proposed amendment to the Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Act, 1981 (VAEA Act) that would give valuers autonomy to manage properties.

They said if the amendment were to be passed, it would create a monopoly and take away the rights of building owners to decide who should manage their properties.

“If the proposed amendment to the VAEA Act were to be tabled before Parliament and made law, building owners – whether residential, commercial or industrial – will be denied their rights to choose the best manager to manage their properties and at the most competitive price,” said Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Malaysia chairman of the construction and property committee, Datuk Teo Chiang Kok.

“They will be victims of valuers,” he added.

He was speaking at a joint Press conference held by the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association, the Management Corporation/Residents Association, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia and the Malaysian Association for Shopping and Highrise Complex Management yesterday (more…)

國陣后坐議員俱樂部主席沙里爾，日前破天荒的支持國會反對黨領袖林吉祥要把某涉嫌濫權的國陣議員提交到國會特權委員會的動議，后來卻因為此舉不獲其他國陣后坐議員的支持，憤而辭職。

這是本屆國會第二次因着國陣議員支持國會反對黨領袖把國陣議員提交到特權委員會動議，而掀起的軒然大波。上一回是去年兩位巫統的活寶在議會里支持林吉祥把涉及AP風波的貿工部長拉菲達提交到特權委員會，而驚動下議院，逼使內閣針對此事進行討論，最后以國陣的黨鞭納吉以警告他們下不為例收場，而沒對他們采取任何懲罰行動。

沙里爾是以他的立場不獲國陣后坐議員的支持而辭職。他在國會走廊宣布辭職后，對新海峽時報記者發表了可圈可點的談話。他說：「當我被選為根據國會程序領導國會議員的主席時，我是以我所了解的（國會）程序來領導，而不是從政府的政策來發表言論，我着重國會的原則和尊嚴，國會和國會議員應該怎樣扮演我們角色。如果我們要國會受到人民的尊重，那么我們必須顯示給他們看我們堅守這些原則。這就是為何這么久
以來，我是從國會，這國家政治的重要機構這角度來發言，因為這是大選時人民所賦予的委托。」

「國會必須捍衛人民的委托。因此國會必須具有某些原則。這就是為何我提議國會應該在財政、人力資源和其他方面擁有自主權。如果我們不能執行我們的責任，那么我們如何批評其他人呢？我們應該在國會里顯示出這是尊嚴的開始。」

沙里爾也對媒體說，他辭去主席職務的原因有二：第一，他贊同林吉祥的動議，但是卻不被其他國陣議員的支持；第二，他支持反對黨提出的動議，所以他必須自律，那就是辭職。

我很難評論沙里爾是否應該辭職，我覺得感嘆的是，在國陣議員和部長當中，會在國會提倡國會的原則和角色的議員，少得如鳳毛麟角，沙里爾是其中的異數。歷屆的國陣后坐議員俱樂部主席，向來都以攻擊在野黨議員作為他們擔任主席的最大使命，他們也往往也以發表充滿種族和宗教主義的言論，和故意歪曲在野黨議員的言論稱著。

但是，自沙里爾擔任國陣后坐議員俱樂部主席以來，他鮮少在下議院發言，但是每次發言,總是言之有物和充滿批判的意味，令人耳目一新。他算是國陣議員，特別是巫統議員中的清流。

在過去數十年來，國陣的議員，特別是巫統的議員，向來都已習慣「跟着黨的路線走」。即使他們多么不同意政府的某些政策，他們也會只會發表有限度的批評，而不會大肆的反對，除非是得到國陣，特別是巫統某些高層的默許。

個人可看出沙里爾嘗試在后坐議員的角色方面帶動觀念上的改革，他去年甚至因着首相暑部長納茲里要在國會委任「國會局主任」而不惜與他公開對峙，可惜不甚成功。

沙里爾的呈辭，反映出他對國陣后坐議員的極度失望，國陣議員若挽留他不成，最終也是他們的損失。但愿沙里爾的辭職，能讓國陣的后坐議員和領導們認真反思國會的真正功能和角色，和為大馬國會的自主帶來突破。

（5－5－2006）

Thursday May 4, 2:43 PM
<strong>Malaysia warns Myanmar against move on opposition</strong>

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia warned Myanmar’s junta on Thursday that the credibility of its “roadmap to democracy” would be at risk if it banned the opposition party of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’s military rulers have threatened to ban the National League for Democracy (NLD), accusing it of links to “expatriate groups, terrorists and destructive groups” that they blame for attacks on the former Burma.

“Any action they take, like closing down NLD, or not releasing Aung San Suu Kyi, these are all impediments and obstacles to creating visible signs of credibility in terms of the movement towards democracy,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told reporters.

“Even though we do not want to interfere in their affairs, they are not helping us in creating the necessary confidence in the international community,” said Syed Hamid, who visited Myanmar in March as an envoy of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The NLD won elections in 1990 but was denied power by the junta, and Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has spent about 10 of the past 15 years in some form of detention.

ASEAN, a 10-nation group known for its emphasis on consensus, has shown rare displeasure in recent years with foot-dragging on reforms by Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military in various guises for more than 40 years.

At a meeting in Bali last month, ASEAN foreign ministers made their views known to Myanmar about its lack of progress towards democracy.

Syed Hamid reiterated that ASEAN would like to see Myanmar making visible changes although it would not resort to pressure.

“We will keep on prompting them to listen to the views of ASEAN at least,” he added.

Myanmar has proposed a seven-step “roadmap to democracy” and the junta says step one, drafting a new constitution, is under way.

But its ASEAN neighbours think the process has been too slow and sent Syed Hamid to meet the country’s rulers in March. But the Malaysian minister said his fact-finding mission was incomplete because he had been unable to meet Suu Kyi.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said last week he expected to visit Myanmar next month for talks with its leaders and hoped to meet Suu Kyi. Manila takes over the chairmanship of ASEAN from Malaysia in July.

Dear friends, there will be a Parliamentary Round Table on The Water
Bills 2006 this Sunday. Please come out in full force to voice your
opinions to the Members of Parliament.

Date: Sunday, 7th May 2006
Time: 10.00 a.m.
Venue: Parliament House, Committee Room No. 1
Dress Code: Formal

All are invited.

DAP

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/50588

Shahrir quits as BBC chief in a huff
May 4, 06 11:56am

Backbenchers Club (BBC) chairperson Shahrir Abdul Samad announced his
resignation abruptly outside Parliament this morning.

Earlier, Shahrir who is also Johor Bahru MP, had walked out of the House
after his fellow backbenchers did not join him in supporting Opposition
Leader Lim Kit Siang’s motion to refer a member of parliament to the
privileges committee.

The MP concerned, whose identity was not disclosed, was reported to have
allegedly asked the Customs and Excise department to ‘close one eye’ in a
case involving the import of illegal sawn timber in Malacca.

According to a report in New Straits Times today, the MP was said to have
gone to the Malacca Customs Office last month to ask the department showed
leniency for a company which had imported sawn timber in breach of regulations.

The company had tried to bring in sawn timber with a cross-section of more
than 60 inches when only timber below such measurement is allowed into the
country.

The report said that Custom officials had rejected the MP’s request, seized
the consignment of timber and fined the errant company.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/50588