72 hours ago, The Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) objected the setting up of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), by publishing ten reasons why IPCMC is not needed. Since then, the threat had been removed from the website yesterday (30 May), at 11pm.

Today, Inspector-General of Police Bakri Omar has said the posting of the views of the three police associations on the setting up of the IPCMC on the police website was inadvertent.

The public’s perception is that the police force has defied the Prime Minister’s call for the setting up of the IPCMC. What is your comment? 

We are solidly behind the Government and the Government knows it. We are public officers bound by rules and regulations. How can we go against the Government when we are bound by disciplinary rules?

So we say, YES SIR!

Then he continued to say …

Why does the police force feel so strongly against the setting up of the IPCMC? 

We have in place adequate measures to tackle corruption and other abuses by our men. We already have the Police Force Commission and we have the Anti-Corruption Agency as well as the Tatatertib (disciplinary board) in Bukit Aman. These are effective bodies that look after the force and they have been doing it for years.

Something is damn not right here, but still, we say, YES SIR!

Then he continued to say …

As far as I am concerned, there is nothing much that I can do now. I am so sorry for what has happened. I am personally most grateful to the Prime Minister for his caring attitude towards the force. He has done much and has provided us with much-needed logistics, housing and infrastructure, as well as for the welfare of our men. I really feel very sorry for what has happened.

But SIR, sometimes sorry also must exprain why, you know?

Via The Star:

IPOH: Water tariffs in Perak will go up by 15% from July 1, Mentri Besar Tajol Rosli Ghazali said. 

The move would affect 340,000 households and 20,141 commercial businesses that each consumes more than 20 cubic metres of water a month.

Perak residents must be well to do enough to embrace fuel, electricity tariff increment and now the latest — water tariff will follow suit.

One among the many options: Change your lifestyle.

It’s definitely not fun to read this.

Fly by wire? More like hanging by a thread.

I’ve always found flying fun, but now, I’m not so sure.

There was once when my balls squeezed tremendously, thanks God engines resuscitate the next moment.

I curse the motherfxxxing turbulence zone, and the lousy sensing technology too?

Ahemm..

I reckon, this was supposed to be another "peaceful demonstration", given that I’ve witnessed previous demonstration to protest the fuel price increment.

But heck, not this time around. It was a bloody Sunday.

(SOURCE: Malaysiakini, 28 May 2006)

(SOURCE: Hosted at YouTube, 28 May 2005)

Dang Wangi OCPD ACP Kamal Pasha told reporters after the police wrapped up their operations at about 11.30am, that 18 individuals were arrested, including two women. Asked by malaysiakini if the use of force, especially the repeated kicking by his men, were justifiable, Kamal told reporters that his men had acted in self-defence.

"They (the protestors) resisted arrest. They started kicking first. (Retaliation) for us is self-defence. Minimum force was used," insisted Kamal.

A few leaders condemned the brutality, where the police are given an earful for resorting to force.

AI Malaysia executive director Josef Roy Benedict
The right to freedom of assembly and peaceful protest is an intrinsic part of the right to freedom of expression. This right is guaranteed in Article 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. [...]

It also shows the lack of political will by the government to ensure that operational methods and practices by the police are in line with international standards as recommended by Suhakam and the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng
Yesterday’s violence by the police in beating up peaceful demonstrators highlighted the need to quickly establish an IPCMC (Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission) to stop abuses of human rights by the police.

Bar Council chairperson Yeo Yang Poh
This is another strong, powerful reason why the IPCMC is essential. …In situations such as this, it would be totally unconvincing if the ensuing investigations is conducted internally, because we already hear the official stand of the police (that they were merely acting in self-defence).

PKR information chief Tian Chua
I think there’s a lack of clear guidance from the political leaders to instruct the police to uphold civil behaviour and that’s very obvious. There was so much talk before that we should respect freedom of assembly, (Human Rights Commission) Suhakam had already made recommendations that the police should allow free expression.

Immediate past president of (human rights group) Hakam Ramdas Tikamdas
The shocking display of police aggression and repression to a constitutional exercise of peaceful assembly by lawful citizens of this country is reminiscent of the dark and brutal days of the reformasi period that most Malaysians want to forget. The police misconduct is also a reminder that the IPCMC is a prerequisite for police reform.

PAS deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa
There was no reason why the police should have acted as such. The assembly was a very peaceful one, they knew one after another speaker was going to speak, and we intended to stay there no more than two hours. But after they started to shoot the water at us, and the beating started, it was as if we were criminals. [...]

I was there at the hospital to look at those who had been beaten, some were hit on the head and their lips were bleeding. Even after they started bleeding, they were handcuffed. One had to have stitches, and was discharged only today. They beat people like animals.

One thing for sure, they are singing the same tune of asking for the establishment of Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), something which was strongly objected by the Police Diraja Malaysia (PDRM).

Dr Hatta Ramli, the chief organiser of yesterday’s protest, said they will lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) against the FRU’s violence. He vowed that the protestors would not be cowed by the police violence against them.

"We are considering another protest."

Fortunately, most Malaysians are gracious enough to contain lots and lots of anger and intimidation to come.

But always remember, when people have had enough, those sitting atop must feel scare, real-scare.

27 May 2006, a disastrous day in the history of South East Asia.

Indonesia:

A powerful earthquake struck around Indonesia’s royal city of Yogyakarta on Saturday, killing more than 3,000 people as houses and buildings collapsed near ancient heritage sites. [...]

Especially hard-hit was Bantul town and the surrounding area, about 25 km from Yogyakarta city. One official said the Bantul region accounted for more than 2,000 of the dead.

Myanmar:

Myanmar’s military junta imposed another year of house arrest on opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday despite stiff international pressure for her release, a government source said.

Suu Kyi has spent more than 10 of the past 16 years behind bars or under house arrest. Her latest stretch of detention started "for her own safety" on May 30, 2003, after clashes between her supporters and pro-junta demonstrators.

Thailand:

The number of people confirmed killed in northern floods rose to 73, the Interior Ministry announced Saturday.

Anucha Mokkhawes, director-general of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said 63 people were found dead in Uttaradit, six in Sukhothai and four in Phrae.

He said 41 people were still missing - 39 in Uttaradit, one in Sukhothai and one in Prae.

He said the floods had affected 156,236 people from 41,960 families, and damaged 311 roads and 46 bridges.

In the June 5 issue of Forbes Asia, ‘Sugar King’ Robert Kuok heads "The Malaysia’s 40 Richest" with an estimated US$5.6 billion, followed by Tatparanandam Ananda Krishnan with a net worth of US$4.6 billion and Teh Hong Piow at US$2.1 billion.

This is the first Malaysia-specific Rich List compiled by Forbes Asia. Previously, Malaysia’s rich were included in Forbes’ overall South-east Asia Rich List.

Kuok, 83, made his fortune from trading in sugar, rice and wheat flour. Today, he heads the multinational Kuok Group. His Pacific Carriers Ltd is a leading dry-bulk shipper in the Pacific basin while his Transmile Group transports freight by air and has landing rights in China and India. He also owns 10 Coca-Cola bottling plants in China.

Ananda Krishnan is the man behind Maxis Communications, Tanjong, racetrack betting and lottery systems while Teh is the man behind Malaysia second-largest lender Public Bank.

One of the youngest on the list is Vinod Sekhar, 37, of the Petra Group, who already has an estimated US$200 million, while Anthony Fernandes, 42, founder of AirAsia, has US$205 million.
 
In contrast, there are 12 people worth less than US$100 million, the 40th Kasi KL Palaniappan has a net worth of US$65 million, a mere 1 per cent of Kuok’s fortune.

Read the rest of this entry »

The fact is, the fuel price increment, together with the latest electricity tariff hike left most Malaysians in hot spot mood.

While some complained, some voiced their anger through new channel of communications and some remain hiatus mood, a few of us took dissatisfaction to the road, what’s more when it’s going to be done under the shadow of Petronas Twin Towers (PTT)?

Via Malaysiakini:

"The hike of the electricity tariff is very much related to the petrol hike," said Dr Hatta Ramli, spokesperson for the organiser ‘Protes’- a loose alliance to protest the fuel hike comprising opposition parties and NGOs.

“The increase in electricity tariff was attributed to the fuel hike and it has since been the main reason for Tenaga Nasional Berhad to justify the power tariff hike direct or indirectly." [...]

Hatta noted that the coming Sunday, May 28, is picked because it is the third-month anniversary of the government’s announcement of the fuel hike on February 28.

"This Sunday’s protest will be the peak after the series of protests and it will also be the last. After that, we will take different approach to continue educating the people on the two issues," he added.

Are we to embrace another massive protest, again?

Via Malaysiakini:

How would you like Malaysians to remember you?

I think they should forget me.

Too disappointed?

Via Sin Chew Daily:

(SOURCE: Sin Chew Daily, 22 May 2006)

Lon understand Mandarin ah? Never mind, lon worry, limpeh show you the england version, veli powderful.

Minister in the Prime Minister Department Nazri Aziz has pointed out that, Malaysia is the cleanest (uncorrupted) country within the South East Asia, as Malaysia has the lowest ranking in the corruption index of South East Asia

He said, Malaysia’s place in the international corruption perception index is merely behind Japan, Hong Kong, Singapoe and Taiwan (Japan being the least corrupted country), however, if viewed from the point of South East Asian countries, however, if viewed from the point of South East Asian countries, Malaysia seems to be the least corrupt of all.

"Singapore has a relatively small area, and small population, hence if calculated as a country, I think that Malaysia is the least corrupt among all countries of South East Asia. Despite the fact, we cannot be satisfied with our current achievements, we will carry out anti-corruption or cleaning exercises under any circumstances"

Not powderful enough eh?

Thanks reader jwk for the headup and translation.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in his usual frank-speaking style, but this time to Malaysiakini, after six years of waiting.

Via Malaysiakini:

But with Proton and the half-bridge … were you disappointed by the fact that there have been major changes to the basic policies that you conceived?

Yeah, I think that downgrading Proton … is something I did not expect [...]

Are you disappointed in Abdullah Ahmad Badawi?

I am disappointed in what happened to Proton. And also to the half-bridge. [...] In order to get Singapore to agree to a straight bridge, Malaysia agreed to supply Singapore with sand to the amount of one billion square metres…

[...]

Malaysia offered?

Malaysia offered, at 50 million square metres a year for 20 years. That will make Singapore one-and-a-half times its present size. It will be suitable for a population of, maybe, 10 million.

Who offered, actually?

The offer comes from Malaysia, as far as I can make out. You see, there are many people from Malaysia’s side - I think about 50 people - attended that meeting where the offer was made. From the Singapore side, also, about 50 people. This is public knowledge, actually. Lots of people who attended that meeting knew that the offer was made.

This was after 2003?

This was after the bridge was stopped in 2004. This is quite recent. Quite recent. The other offer was, of course, the air space, to be allowed.

So, it wasn’t Singapore that demanded this … it was offered (by Malaysia)?

Well, from the records, I think, from the people who talked about this thing - I’m quite sure they talked from proper records - this is Malaysia’s offer to persuade Singapore to build a straight bridge. Singapore doesn’t want to build a straight bridge. They agreed.

You have strong words about this particular leader, who you said was selling out the interests of Malaysia regarding this offer to sell sand. Who were you referring to?

Generally.

No one in particular?

No one. You have the right to do things in your own territory and the so-called crooked bridge is in Malaysia and Singapore has not made any objection. [...]

Was this offer to sell massive amounts of sand based on commercial interests?

[...] I’m not interested in that aspect. What I’m interested in is that we should not build Singapore into a huge country and already it’s not a very friendly country with us.

But you know, Disneyland is coming soon and Malaysians are a bunch of loving and forgiving people.

Idiots? Void.