Teresa Kok

An open letter to Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad: Not going gentle into that good night09 Jun 2006
By Rehman Rashid

WHY, Tun?
That’s what we — the products, inhabitants, stewards and legatees of the country you designed and built — need to know. Why have you become so harsh a critic of your successor’s administration?

You made them, too. They have cleaved to your vision of what this country needs to be, and they are moving forward — or at least attempting to, as best they can, given the way forward as they see it.

It wasn’t necessarily their way forward; it was yours. No one has argued with the road map you drafted for this country, nor the direction you determined, nor even with the pace you set to get where you wanted us to go.

Nothing of your legacy as prime minister has been dismantled. Such restructuring as is happening in the corporate Malaysia Inc you established — Proton and MAS in particular — is for companies in desperate trouble, needing to be re-engineered to new and more businesslike specifications. Whether this will turn them around remains to be seen, but it needed to be done.

On the fuel price hike, your suggestion that fuel subsidies could have been maintained by allowing the exchange rate to float was, well, radical. Certainly, so was your decision to peg the ringgit to the US dollar during the Asian financial meltdown in 1998. By that time the claws of the crisis had sunk deep, and there was no lack of popular and political support for your soon-to-be famously successful move.

But the present administration, in reducing fuel subsidies, was responding to imperatives of long-term prudence, and that too has been by-and-large accepted and supported by the people. Times have changed, Tun. You should know: You changed them.

In the case of the Tebrau bridge, you seemed beside yourself with irritation. But it was precisely with respect to national sovereignty that the idea was scrapped; it’s hard to understand how you could have implied otherwise.

We know it’s a gamble, but for this term at least, the electorate have fallen behind the present administration with a greater mandate than you received even at the record-breaking height of your popularity.

But that was in 1982. For the ensuing 21 years, you charged forward with stupendous resolve, damning the torpedoes, brooking scant dissent, building this city on rock and roll.

Your successor is more graceful at the waltz, it seems — and so far the people have responded fondly enough to that, too.

How has Malaysia changed in the first half-term of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration? It’s quieter. More circumspect. There’s more introspection at the top; a need, as much as a willingness, to listen, perhaps even more than to speak.

(more…)

Dear friends,

CH Khoo sent me the following letter written by Jacqueline Ann Surin that published in The Sun. Jacqueline is my friend, I’m proud of her for speaking out as a Malaysian citizen and a journalist.

teresa

An open letter to the PM

[the Sun Online Jun 01 2006]

DEAR Prime Minister Abdullah, When you first came into power after the 2004 general election, you promised us that you would be prime minister for all Malaysians.

In fact, I still have the letter you sent out to voters before the elections that promised you would fulfill your duties with sincerity, integrity, efficiency and fairness.

It was a letter that moved people, including staunch Opposition supporters.

There was hope that a new leadership which was more conciliatory, more willing to listen to differing views and more just was in store for the country.

And people invested in that hope by voting the Barisan Nasional back into power with a clear majority.

But recent events, including your administration’s reactions to these events, have been deeply troubling. The most recent has been the disruption of a peaceful and legitimate public forum in Penang organised by a group of non-governmental organisations that wanted to help people reclaim their rights under the Federal Constitution.

It was unfortunate, but really no longer inconceivable, that those who opposed such a civil discussion should frame their opposition in ways that incite hostility, threaten violence and make false accusations in the name of Islam, a religion that in fact promotes peace and justice.

What is actually more troubling is that as prime minister, you have also publicly announced that these issues of Constitutional rights are “sensitive” and the organisers of such events must be careful not to tread on “dangerous ground”, lest the government has to use the Sedition Act against them.

Why would you lend legitimacy to the argument that Malaysians should steer clear of discussing issues which affect us all as citizens, whether Muslim or non-Muslim?

By continuously telling Malaysians these issues are “sensitive” and “dangerous”, isn’t your administration really creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? Aren’t you in fact supporting the argument that these issues should not be discussed?

Additionally, Malaysians have been reminded by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz that it’s not for no reason that the word “amok” comes from the Malay community.
Non-Muslims ¬ and that easily translates to non-Malays in this country ¬ are told we cannot speak out about the way Islam is used to formulate laws and public policies in this country even though they affect all of us.
We are told that not just the Sedition Act can be used, so can the Internal Security Act which allows for detention without trial.

In fact, I found it deeply paradoxical that Nazri could repeat the threat of the ISA at an international meeting of experts on Islam and human rights last month.

How can an unjust law be Islamic? We know it cannot, and yet, it would seem your administration is wielding it as a way to silence citizens in a democracy.

The way I see it, naming something “sensitive” and “dangerous” is just a disingenuous way of saying, “This is not open for dialogue and discussion. We might tolerate your views but only to a certain extent.”
What that extent is, is left to be seen. We hope your election promises will be kept for all Malaysians, but really, many of us are more fearful than reassured.

From a non-Muslim perspective, the events leading up to the need for public discussions such as the Article 11 forum in Penang, have been disconcerting and troubling.

The painful injustice suffered by S. Shamala who found that her estranged husband could unilaterally convert their children to Islam, and the widow of M. Moorthy who discovered she could not bury her husband according to Hindu rights, are real and frightening.

But those instances of injustice are not being framed as “sensitive” by non-Muslims. They are not being used to threaten violence or incite hostility in order to silence discussion of the issues at hand.
Ad d i t i o n a l l y , w h e n yo u upheld the decision for the tudung to be used in police parades, did you consider how it would make non-Muslims feel? How can it still be a surprise then that most non-Malays will not join the police force?

Really, I don’t need to be a Muslim or a Malay to have a stake in this country. But even that might be delegitimised because in more ways than one, I’m a minority.

And I’m constantly reminded that my views and concerns must give way to the privileges and rights of the dominant race, and a specific interpretation of the faith they profess.

But really what I want to ask you is this: Why do I have to constantly feel afraid in my own country? Why am I continuously told I have less rights to discuss important issues affecting my community?

You promised to be prime minister for all Malaysians. We hope you will remember that promise.

A Malaysian citizen. Jacqueline Ann Surin believes that you cannot be neutral on a moving train. She is an assistant news editor at theSun.

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

15-12-2005 03:04:20

KUALA LUMPUR: Tindakan Anggota Parlimen Seputeh Teresa Kok Suh Sim yang mendedahkan rakaman video seorang wanita diarah ketuk ketampi dalam keadaan bogel sewaktu dalam tahanan disifatkan seolaholah mempertikaikan kredibiliti pasukan polis ketika menjalankan tugas.

Senator Datuk Dayang Mahani Tun Panglima Ahmad Raffae berkata, bermula dari insiden itu juga pasukan polis telah menerima ‘hukuman’ lebih awal, walaupun apa yang dilakukan merupakan prosedur biasa terutama bagi kes yang melibatkan penyalahgunaan dadah. (more…)

The case of four Chinese nationals who claimed they were ill-treated by the police, followed by a video-clip of a naked woman asked to perform ear-squats in front of a policewoman in a police station propelled DAP publicity secretary Teresa Kok, 41, into the limelight. It has brought her more publicity than she could ever bargain for from her quiet work with her constituency.

The two-term Seputeh MP told HUSNA YUSOP she did not expect to create such an impact, taking pains to stress that she is not a police basher; just a person who fights for human rights, whoever it may be.

theSun: How have the past two weeks been since you showed the ear-squat video clip to MPs in Parliament on Nov 25? Has it affected your life?

I have become very, very busy. I never expected this to turn into an international issue that even had some impact on China-Malaysia relations. When I helped the women, I thought it was just one of the issues involving lock-ups. I was just trying to help them. I did not know them beforehand. So it was a bit unexpected. (more…)

本期国会辩论国安部的财政预算案时，下议院首次出现在同一个部门里，两个议员提出两个减薪10元动议。首个来自国会反对党领袖林吉祥，另一个来自本人。林吉祥的动议，是针对副国安部长诺奥马上个星期叫不满警方处事方式的外国人滚出大马的荒谬言论，而笔者的动议则针对系列警方滥权和处事不当而削减警察总长象征性10元的薪金。

12月5日当天，为了要如期赶完财政预算案的所有议程，议长宣布下议院当天将开会至半夜12时正。轮到国安部的财政预算案的辩论时，已经是晚上10时30分了。于是，从那时开始，朝野议员针便对林吉祥和笔者的动议吵至半夜12时才结束。

次日当下议院再继续辩论国安部的辩论时，许多巫统的议员纷纷开始反击行动党和笔者本人。他们指行动党炒作中国女郎和手机录影像里的女郎在女警前的裸蹲的事件，打击警方的士气和破坏马中关系，某些议员的言论中也包含了浓厚的种族情绪，使行动党的议员也被逼作出强烈的反击。

看着这些巫统议员的言论，令我回想起10天前，当我在国会把女郎在女警前裸蹲的光碟显示给部长和许多国阵后座议员看时，他们的态度与现在的差别可真大。记得当时在国会议员的休息室里，他们有者连看数遍，每个进来休息室的议员都被他们叫来看该录像，他们边看边骂，边看边叹惜。当时有位巫统的议员提议在下议院针对此事提呈紧急动议，另一位则提议在下议院辩论国安部财政预算案时，向议长要求播放该录影片断给全体议员观看后，才正式辩论。

他们10天以前的反应和今天的反应，真如天地之别。10天前，这扣留所的录影片断还未被媒体大肆报道，也未被中国政府的进一步施压，所以这些议员对国内警察局里如此对待嫌犯的惊讶，是出自于内心非常自然的反应。但是10天以后，当中国再三的针对4位投诉遭到警方无理对待的中国女郎作出反应，再加上巫统的部长要到中国去解释本国状况，以吸引中国游客来马观光时，他们或许感到尊严受损，因此在下议院里发表了与10天前完全不同的言论。

如果我们执政党的议员和政治人物对国内系关人权事件的问题与立场，可以在短短10天内来个180度的转变的话，这就解释了为何国内仍然出现许多人权问题，而国内警界的贪污与滥权，依然毫无改善，因为我们的人民代议士对这些问题毫不关心。

从中国女郎被无理拘留的投诉到手机的录影事件中，除了首相的处理方式可嘉可许之外，首相暑部长纳兹里在这两宗事件里始终如一的立场，也令我好不赞赏。纳兹里不久前对媒体说，我展示女郎裸蹲影像的做法，是执行人民代议士的任务，因此不应该被提控（拥有色情光碟）。首相阿都拉和纳兹里的做法和立场，正展现了政治家应有的处事手腕。

如果我们的人民代议士经常在系关人民权益的课题上，像经常随着周围情况而转变肤色的变色龙那样的话，那么我们将如何带来政治改革呢？

（9－12－05）

Internal Security Ministry has ordered all press not to publish Noh Omar’s blunder yesterday evening. Most local Chinese dailies put his statement as front page headlines.

Well, no matter how the ministry has tried to cover-up, this is a global world, his shocking statement has become a world news now. Look at this:-))

The DAP MPs held press conference to show that the news report of Noh Omar’s statement in last night papers has been taken away from the front page of Chinese dailies this morning

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4483840.stm

Malaysian minister defends police
The Malaysian minister in charge of the police has said that foreigners who do not like the way his officers behave should leave the country.
Jonathan Kent
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur

Noh Omar’s remarks come just days after a video emerged of an ethnic Chinese woman being forced to perform naked squats in a Malaysian police station.

China has protested about the alleged treatment of its citizens.

Far from containing this crisis some politicians and police officers seem determined to make it worse.

“If foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here”
Noh Omar

First Malaysia’s deputy police chief said it was standard procedure for suspects to be forced to strip and squat repeatedly while holding their ears.

Chinese anger
Now the minister in day-to-day charge of the police has hit out at complainants from overseas.

“If foreigners think that Malaysia police are brutal, please go back to their own countries and not to stay here,” Noh Omar told reporters in parliament.

On Monday he told lawmakers that he believed police had followed the rules, seemingly putting him at odds with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, who had announced a full independent inquiry.

The video prompted widespread outrage in Malaysia and the government has distanced itself from Mr Noh’s remarks.

But this is becoming increasingly difficult for Mr Abdullah who is sometimes characterised as too nice for the job.

Calls for the deputy police chief and now the deputy internal security minister to be sacked have so far gone unheeded.

On Tuesday the Chinese government stepped in and asked for abusive police officers to be punished, and for its citizens in Malaysia to be properly protected.

Several Chinese women have complained of being humiliated and robbed by Malaysian police officers, and the video footage has lent weight to their stories.

Minister of PM’s Department Dato’ Mustafa Mohamed replied my criticism on the training of Biro Tatanegara in Dewan Rakyat today. He said the curriculum of the courses of Biro Tatanegara are mainly on social contract, history of independence, loyalty to the country etc. He said more than 10 millions of people have attended the course and 7% of the participants are non-Malays. He said most of the participants of the course are happy with the course.

I replied him that if the courses by Biro Tatanegara is so great, why does the government only focus to the Malays as 93% of the participants are Malays, why doesn’t the government open the courses to all races, like national service? I said if all lecturers are Malays and 93% of the students are Malays, then there will be a tendency that lecturers of the courses will spread racist and religious extremist teaching. I also asked the Minister to allow we MPs to attend the courses by Biro Tatanegara, so that we can ascertain whether the courses by that bureau racist or not.

Mustafa replied that the government will consider the suggestions.

朝野議員站起來

郭素沁
本期國會會議，在數個課題上，出現了難得一見的朝野議員大團結。首先是共同批判貿工部長拉菲達的汽車入口准證(AP)問題，接著是反對掌管國會事務部長納茲裏設立國會局。

在AP這議題上，朝野議員都把槍口瞄準貿工部長和《內閣皇后》拉菲達。在貿工部把曾申請AP的國會議員的名單公佈後，議員們更因這轉移視線之舉而在國會大肆譴責拉菲達。因著國陣的議員的投訴，使內閣下令拉菲達必須到國會回答AP的問題。也因著議員們不滿意鐵娘子拉菲達在國會對AP的答復，使兩位向來敢怒敢言的巫統議員，《情不自禁》的附議反對黨領袖把拉菲達提交到特權委員會的動議，搞到議長一時之間不知如何處理而被逼暫時休會，來解決該突然的發展，令人啼笑皆非。後來我才瞭解，原來一些巫統議員之前曾討論要把拉菲達提交到特權委員會，因此當林吉祥提出該動議時，那兩位活寶才會出來附議。

AP的議題才暫告一段落，最近又發生首相署部長納茲裏因與國會秘書不和，而要設立國會局這建議。由於納茲裏在未和國陣後座議員俱樂部商討的情況下擅自向外作這驚人的宣佈，因此國陣後座議員俱樂部主席沙里爾帶領一群國陣議員向党鞭納吉投訴。在朝野壓力下，納茲裏馬上改變字眼，把他原來所宣佈Jabatan改為jawatan，從大J改至小j，並且獲得內閣的通過。

但是朝野議員還是不滿內閣的這決定，因此在一個系關國會財政獨立的口頭詢問問題，沙里爾起立說政府應該恢復在1992年廢除的國會服務法令，使國會恢復它在行政和財政方面的主權，並呼籲全體議員起立表態。於是全體在場的議員一同起立，下議院出現了歷史上罕見的朝野議員立場一致的壯觀場面。在在野議員的叫陣下，議會廳裏持官職的議員也起立支持，其中起身得最慢的是不久前曾被中止天然資源部副部長資格3個月的索迪納登，他動作緩慢原因可就不言而喻！

筆者認為國陣後座議員這回展現敢怒敢言和講真話的作風，與身為國陣後座議員俱樂部主席沙里爾的領導方式和作風有很大的關係。向來，國陣的後座議員在國會裏都是扮演政府《啦啦隊》的角色，內閣和部長們即使犯上大錯，他們也會在國會拍案附和，此外他們也把攻擊在野黨議員為他們神聖的議會責任。但是在沙里爾這巫統裏的批判型領袖上任領導國陣後座議員後，這些後座議員的作風也跟著改變，因為他們享有更大的發言空間。

沙里爾會在適當的時候以國陣後座議員俱樂部主席的身份發言，例如不久前他指拉菲達不遵守內閣的決定，應該辭職；接著他又帶領國陣後座議員巡視大城堡受隆布大道高架天橋影響的居民，並鼓勵國陣的議員針對此事在下議院聲援這些居民，在納茲裏要設立國會局這課題上，他更為不妥協，並公開呼籲政府恢復國會服務法令。

在一個真正實踐三權分立的民主國家裏，國會不但有其行政上的自主權，同時也扮演監督政府施政的角色，國會甚至可否絕內閣提呈的法令。去年，英國國會以多數票拒絕首相布雷爾提呈的反恐怖主義法令，便是最佳的例子。但是，在我國，國會向來都是內閣的朔膠印，而國陣後座議員則是內閣的應聲蟲。只有最近，我們才看到國陣後座議員在議會廳裏逐漸展現自由和獨立的作風。

筆者向一位巫統後座議員開玩笑道：《現在國陣和行動党的議員在許多課題上“同心同意“。》他則回應說：《是行動黨把我們的課題搶去！》但願，這“同心同意“能展現到國家更多重大的課題，特別是恢復國會的獨立運作和肅貪方面，我們才能期望一個更民主和廉潔的社會。

（14-10-05）

Parliament Speech Part III
Kerugian Bank Islam

Datuk yang diPertua, saya amat prihatin tentang kerugian bersih sebanyak RM456.44 juta oleh Bank Islam bagi tahun kewangan yang berakhir pada 30 Jun 2005 kerana Bank Islam menghadapi Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) yang berjumlah RM2.2 billion, kerugian ini mewakili nisbah bersih (net ratio) 12.5% berbanding dengan purata industri sebanyak 5.1%.

Pada masa kini, Bank Islam mempunyai 4 pemegang saham yang besar, iaitu Permodalan Nasional Berhad (32%), Tabung Haji (30%), KWSP (6%) dan Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (5%), selain itu majlis agama di banyak negeri juga merupakan pemegang saham di bank tersebut. Kerugian Bank Islam ini merupakan tamparan hebat terhadap kerajaan yang melaungkan Islam Hadhari dan juga para umat Islam yang dalam bulan Ramadan bulan suci ini.

(more…)

Parliament Speech Part II
Ucapan YB Teresa Kok di Dewan Rakyat Dalam Perbahasan Bajet Pada 13 Oktober 2005

Ekuiti Bumiputera

Datuk yang diPertua, saya ingin tanya tentang penerusan Dasar Ekonomi Baru yang dilaung-laungkan oleh Pemuda UMNO dalam Perhimpunan UMNO beberapa bulan lepas. Masyarakat bukan Melayu menanya-nanya tentang kenyataan bahawa kaum Bumiputera masih belum mencapai ekuiti 30% yang merupakan matlamat Dasar Ekonomi Baru. Soalan sekarang adalah, kenapakah UMNO selalu berkata ekuiti Bumiputera masih kurang daripada 30% sejak DEB dilaksanakan dalam tahun 1970? Apakah ini kerana masalah kerajaan, ataupun masalah kaum Bumiputera ataupun kerana manipulasi dalam angka statistik?

(more…)

Parliament speech Part I
Ucapan Oleh YB Teresa Kok, Ahli Parlimen Seputeh Dalam Perbahasan Bajet 2006 Pada 13 Oktober 2005

Pembangunan Infrastruktur Mesti Mengambil Kira Social Impact Studies

Datuk yang diPetua, baru-baru ini, Perdana Menteri berkata bahawa kajian kesesuaian (feasibility studies) haruslah dijalankan apabila sesuatu projek pembangunan melibatkan perpindahan penduduk kampong. Saya amat setuju dengan kenyataan Perdana Menteri, dan saya rasa feasibility studies ini juga harus diperluaskan ke projek pembangunan di kawasan bandar. Di sini saya ingin membangkitkan masalah yang dihadapi oleh penduduk di kawasan bandar di mana semakin ramai orang keluar membantah projek lebuhraya bertingkat yang melalui kawasan kediaman mereka. Ini termasuk penduduk di Pulau Pinang yang membantah projek Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR), penduduk di kawasan USJ 3 yang telah keluar bersama dengan ADUN MCA, Lee Hwa Beng untuk membantah lebuhraya bertingkat di kawasan mereka dan juga penduduk di kawasan Taman Rainbow, Jalan Ipoh yang membantah projek lebuh raya bertingkat dari Jalan Duta ke kawasan Ampang. Kesemua bantahan ini dibuat kerana lebuh raya berkenaan melalui kawasan kediaman mereka yang merosakkan keamanan tempat kediaman mereka.

Datuk yang diPertua, di sini saya ingin membangkitkan contoh yang berlaku di kawasan saya, iaitu di Sri Petaling. Projek Lebuh Raya KL – Putrajaya dibina hanya 2.3 meter dari rumah teres yang baru di Jalan 2/149. Perkara ini melibatkan beberapa isu:

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