Datin gets jail, but what about Suyanti?

Mariam Mokhtar | March 31, 2018

Many questions still remain over the court case and the future of the maid.
COMMENT

The initial sentence given to a Datin for abusing her maid caused an uproar in Malaysia, rocking the legal world and prompting an online petition for a stiffer punishment.

However, we should not be too quickly satisfied just because Rozita Mohd Ali was finally handed eight years in jail for abusing her domestic helper, Suyanti Sutrinso.

One of the many questions we should ask is, how on earth Rozita initially received the lighter sentence: a good behaviour bond coupled with the chance to repent. This is no deterrent.

Suyanti, who was only 19 at the time, was beaten within an inch of her life. What message does that send to others? What does that say about our judicial system?

We should also ask why the initial charge of attempted murder was commuted to one of “causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means”.

Why did Suyanti fail to seek compensation? We understand her need to move on after the abuse, but did her legal counsel fail her? Or was the public not made privy to any compensation demanded?

Would the higher courts have increased Rozita’s sentence without the public outrage and online petition?

When Rozita changed her plea and pleaded guilty, Sessions Court judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar handed down a RM20,000 good behaviour bond for a period of five years. The unbelievably light sentence caused fury among the people, especially after her lawyer said she had repented for her actions.

Rozita had pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt to Suyanti using a variety of objects including a knife, a floor mop, an umbrella, an iron rod and a clothes hanger.

Talk is easy. Her repentance could never erase the physical and mental anguish suffered by Suyanti. We don’t even know if the beating was a one-off event or had continued over many months.

In any case, the assault may cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Suyanti.

Someone I know who suffered from PTSD described it as debilitating. She said she feared being in the company of strangers, or even people in general. Those who suffer from PTSD withdraw from society. Sudden noises upset them. Certain objects or scenes may induce panic. They have difficulty eating and sleeping.

If Suyanti, constantly reminded of her ordeal, exhibits these symptoms in the future, she will have difficulty earning a living. How will she help her family if she cannot go out and work? She would suffer crippling financial losses, not just while recovering from her injuries but in the event of future PTSD attacks.

If Suyanti has suffered life-changing injuries, how will she cope? Who will pay her medical bills?

It was alleged that Suyanti was so traumatised by the beating and media attention that she was prepared to drop her police report.

Is there a systematic policy of not telling maids who have been victims of assault to seek financial compensation?

Suyanti must now live with the debilitating effects of the abuse on her physical and mental health. Any victim of bullying can tell you that the effects haunt them for many years.

If Rozita has no financial resources to compensate Suyanti, MPs should demand that a fund be set up so that victims can seek compensation from the state.

Is there a political will to do more to stop the abuse of domestic workers?

* Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.

We are not Germany, say lawyers over Anti-Fake News Bill

March 31, 2018
Soo Wern Jun

PETALING JAYA: A human rights lawyer has dismissed the Anti-Fake News Bill 2018, saying it does not address the problem of fake news beyond imposing a stiffer penalty.

New Sin Yew said apart from increasing the punishment for fake news, the proposed law did not add any value to existing legislation like the Penal Code, the Sedition Act 1948 and the Defamation Act 1957.

“We definitely have enough legislation in place to deal with false reports or information that is being circulated.

“There is too much duplicity in legislation. The anti-fake news bill doesn’t change much in terms of prosecution because it still requires the cases to be referred to the courts.

“The problem with going to court is that it is a slow and costly process. The Defamation Act has this problem, so does the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998,” he said.

There is also the issue of deciding what is true, as courts can only rule based on the evidence available.

“The problem is, no one has a monopoly on the truth,” New said.

“Fake news is a problem, but how the government is dealing with it is too feudal. They are not dealing with the root of the problem. This is just a bad attempt at trying to prevent what is actually a problem.”

When asked how the situation in Malaysia compared to other countries with anti-fake news laws such as Germany, New said the situations were different.

“In Germany, the government imposes an obligation on social media owners to deal with publications which are false. After a certain amount of complaints are received by the social media owner, the company has to deal with it.

“The (German) government also empowers social media sites and communities to deal with fake news, but that is absent here.”

New added that stifling freedom of speech and expression was counterproductive to what the government was trying to achieve by tabling the anti-fake news bill.

Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen told FMT that in Germany, the situation was totally different as the law required social media networks to remove hate speech and illegal materials.

“The context is different. In Germany there was a fake news campaign of hatred against migrants and asylum seekers, accusing them of rape which turned out to be false.

“Further, in Germany, France and the US, there is a sophisticated campaign by state-sponsored entities and by Russia to spread misinformation, thus subverting their democracies.

“None of these situations apply in Malaysia, and if there is any misinformation out there, the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission are fully empowered to act under existing laws.”

Paulsen also drew a comparison to French President Emmanuel Macron, who on Jan 3 announced his plans for a new law to combat fake news and “propaganda” on social media.

Having been a victim of fake news during last year’s election, Macron reportedly said the new law would allow for a new emergency action to be taken against fake news during the election period, which would empower a judge to delete content, close a user’s account or block access to a website.

“The difference is, Macron is a real victim. In Malaysia, the government will use the ill-defined law (anti-fake news bill) to target unfavourable news, accusing them of being fake.

“Authorities are fully empowered to act, arrest, remand, seize mobile phones and computers, and even charge someone in court.

“Then they will say, let the court decide, as though that is a fair thing.”

Prior to Germany’s September 2017 election, the government on June 30 passed the Net Enforcement Act (NetzDG), a law which largely focuses on hate speech and fake news.

The NetzDG is aimed at “unlawful content” relating to offences such as making public falsified information or untrue assertions of facts that may seriously prejudice Germany’s external security or diplomatic relationships.

It requires major social media network platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to have a procedure to remove or block access to obviously unlawful content within 24 hours of a complaint, or within seven days for all unlawful content, subject to certain situations.

Malaysia’s Anti-Fake News Bill 2018 was tabled in Parliament on Monday.

Under the proposed law, it will be an offence to create, offer, publish, distribute, circulate or disseminate fake news.

It is also an offence to directly or indirectly provide financial assistance to facilitate the spread of fake news or to abet the offence.

The bill describes fake news as any news, information, data or report, which is wholly or partly false, whether in the form of features, visuals, audio recordings or any other form, capable of suggesting words or ideas.

Wanita Malaysia antara ditahan pemberontak Kurdish di Syria

Zam Yusa | February 26, 2018
Kebanyakan wanita ditahan bersama anak mereka, kata Pertubuhan Hak Asasi Manusia.

Pejuang YPG Kurdish di Syria. Penganalisis keganasan Asia Tenggara, Pawel Wójcik, berkata masih banyak keluarga ditahan YPG dan Angkatan Demokratik Syria. (Gambar Reuters)

PETALING JAYA: Sekumpulan wanita warga Indonesia dan Malaysia yang dikaitkan dengan IS ditahan tentera Kurdish di Syria, kata pegawai badan hak asasi manusia.

Pegawai itu berkata kebanyakan wanita itu ditahan bersama-sama anak mereka.

Dipercayai terdapat sekurang-kurangnya 15 warga Indonesia dan seorang wanita Malaysia dalam kalangan tahanan itu.

Akhbar Jerman, Die Welt, melaporkan awal bulan ini, lebih kurang 800 wanita warga asing yang menyertai kumpulan militan IS bersama anak-anak mereka ditahan tentera Kurdish yang disokong Amerika Syarikat, di utara Syria.

Akhbar Jerman itu menemu bual Pengarah Program Keganasan dan Counterterrorism Pertubuhan Hak Asasi Manusia, Nadim Houry, yang bercakap dengan ramai wanita semasa melawat beberapa kem tahanan di kawasan pegangan tentera Kurdish di Syria bulan lepas.

“Saya tahu terdapat warga Indonesia, sekurang-kurangnya 15 keluarga,” kata Houry kepada FMT menerusi emel.

“Saya tidak ternampak warga Malaysia, tetapi saya diberitahu terdapat satu keluarga.

“Kebanyakan keluarga mempunyai anak, jadi walaupun saya tidak mengetahui maklumat lanjut tentang keluarga-keluarga ini, saya merasakan mereka juga (keluarga Malaysia) mempunyai anak.”

Houry berkata Indonesia antara beberapa negara yang sudah membawa pulang beberapa keluarga pada 2017.

“Lagi satu negara yang sudah membawa pulang warga mereka adalah Rusia. Tetapi masih ada yang belum dibawa pulang,” katanya.

“Saya tidak berpeluang bercakap lebih lanjut dengan mereka kali ini.

“Tetapi saya sudah bertemu dengan keluarga-keluarga warga Indonesia semasa lawatan sebelum ini pada Julai 2017, walaupun saya diberitahu Indonesia sudah membawa pulang sekumpulan wanita itu.”

Houry tidak berkata jika terdapat wanita dari negara Asia Tenggara lain di kem tersebut dan apa yang berlaku kepada keluarga Malaysia itu.

Akhbar itu turut memetik Houry yang mengatakan 800 wanita dan kanak-kanak itu ditahan di 4 kem.

“Mereka berasal dari lebih kurang 40 negara. Terdapat wanita warga Kanada, Perancis, Britain, Tunisia, Yaman, Turki dan Australia,” katanya sambil menambah, terdapat 15 daripada mereka berasal dari Jerman.

Houry berkata wanita di kem itu diberikan tahap kebebasan tertentu tetapi tidak dibenarkan meninggalkan kem.

Mereka ditahan daripada pejuang IS yang ditangkap, katanya.

Sesetengah wanita ditemubual Houry mengadu, mereka “dipukul dan dimalukan” semasa soal siasat dan dipaksa tinggal dalam keadaan tidak bersih dengan bayi mereka.

“Wanita-wanita ini dalam situasi sangat sukar. Terutamanya bagi anak-anak kecil, keadaan sememangnya tidak baik,” kata Houry sebagaimana dipetik.

Houry berkata wanita-wanita tersebut mahu pulang ke rumah dan sanggup dijatuhkan hukuman jenayah di negara asal mereka.

“Sesetengah wanita mahu sekurang-kurangnya menghantar anak mereka pulang,” katanya sambil menambah, kerajaan Eropah sepatutnya membenarkan anak-anak tersebut pulang.

“Kanak-kanak itu tidak melakukan sebarang jenayah, mereka mangsa perang dan biasanya menjadi mangsa ibu bapa mereka yang radikal,” katanya.

Kemungkinan dihantar balik

Pawel Wójcik, penganalisis keganasan Asia Tenggara laman bahasa Polish yang mengetengahkan isu semasa, mPolska24, berkata terdapat banyak keluarga dari Asia Tenggara masih dalam tahanan Angkatan Demokratik Syria dan YPG (Unit Lindungan militia Kurdish).

“Orang Kurdish terbuka untuk rundingan dengan kerajaan bagi proses menghantar balik warga negara,” katanya kepada FMT.

“Keluarga dalam tahanan Iraq mempunyai pilihan yang lebih sedikit kerana mereka lebih cenderung untuk mendakwa atau menjalankan hukuman mati ke atas mereka.”

Kata pakar itu, ia tertakluk kepada Malaysia untuk memutuskan apa perlu dilakukan dengan rakyatnya di sana.

“Sememangnya terdapat keperluan untuk menyiasat peranan rakyat Malaysia dalam organisasi keganasan IS itu sebelum mereka dicekup oleh orang Kurdistan,” katanya.

“Ini penting kerana dalam sesetengah kes, masih ada peluang untuk menjalankan deradikalisasi dan membantu wanita-wanita itu menyesuaikan diri semula dalam masyarakat.

“Bagaimanapun, dalam kes lain, contohnya wanita Malaysia yang menjadi ahli polis moral atau berkhidmat dalam ketenteraan atau pentadbiran IS, ia lebih sukar untuk kerajaan Malaysia menjalankan proses deradikalisasi atau menyesuaikan mereka semula.”

To defaet Najib and stun Malaysia: Is Mahathir the right man?

AT 92, DOES MAHATHIR HAVE ENOUGH LEFT IN HIM TO DEFEAT NAJIB AND STUN MALAYSIA?
The opposition is hoping the former prime minister can win over rural Malays and pull off an upset in the upcoming election

BY PHAR KIM BENG  -  UPDATED ON 15 JAN 2018

Mahathir Mohamad (centre) after being denied entry to visit jailed former Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Photo: AFP

Malaysia’s opposition coalition is known as Pakatan Harapan, or Pact of Hope.

It’s fitting for a group that has pinned its hopes on a nonagenarian former prime minister to wrest power from the ruling Barisan National (BN) coalition in a general election due by August but expected to be called as early as the end of the first quarter this year.

The naming of Mahathir Mohamad as its prime ministerial candidate, along with Wan Azizah as a deputy prime minister, at last week’s national convention showed how much hope Pakatan Harapan (PH) has invested in the upcoming vote.

The coalition must hope Mahathir, at 92, can endure what is expected to be a gruelling race and that, should he win, he would be magnanimous enough to hand the office to Wan’s husband, Anwar Ibrahim, the former deputy prime minister currently serving a five-year jail term for sodomy. Crucially, the coalition must also hope to secure a wave of support across 119 rural constituencies predominantly populated by Malays.

Tempering that hope is the question of whether the coalition’s electoral machinery is robust enough to generate sufficiently widespread appea​l to secure the the all-critical Malay vote.

In 2008 and 2013, PH performed well, as it leaned on the right-wing Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) to canvass the Malay voters in the rural areas where conservatism runs deep. But PAS abandoned the coalition in 2015 and now PH must work twice as hard to reach voters in the deep interiors of Peninsular Malaysia and in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. ​More critically, it will also have to ​face off against the well-oiled machine of the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition – and its leading party, the United Malay National Organisation (Umno), led by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

What, me worry? Polls show Najib Razak’s corruption scandals are not a priority for voters. Photo: Reuters

Signs of weakness

Najib, prime minister since 2009, has been rocked by a series of corruption scandals – including the debacle over 1MDB, a government fund founded by Najib which faces money-laundering investigations in at least six countries. However, some polls show voters are more concerned about the rising cost of living and the health of the economy.

Still, the ruling coalition looks vulnerable. It dipped from a winning 63.8 per cent of the popular vote in 2004 to 51.9 per cent in 2008, then to 47.4 per cent in 2013, although maintained a majority of seats in parliament.

Think GST is hurting India’s Modi? Look at Malaysia

The decline prompted some analysts to speculate this is the year Umno – and Najib – could fall. Others, however, reject this​prediction as wishful thinking. Political scientist Bridget Welsh argued in her book The End of UMNO? that the resources Umno and BN command can withstand any challenge.

Other factors, such as gerrymandering expected before the poll, could help Najib remain in power. In Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, the district where Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah is a second-term member of parliament, a surge of 7,000 new voters has prompted allegations of electoral manipulation.

Anwar Ibrahim may be handed the reins if the opposition wins. Photo: Reuters

Even if PH manages to win the simple majority of 112 seats in parliament required to form a government that doesn’t necessarily mean it can claim victory. Without any rules to ban party hopping, even if BN or UMNO lose the incumbency by a slim majority, Najib’s influence could persuade various MPs to join him, rather than Mahathir, to form government.

This is the moment of truth for Malaysia’s race-based politics

If such a photo finish ensues, the leverage of Sabah and Sarawak would increase almost instantly, as MPs in those states could offer themselves to the highest bidder.

Zaid Ibrahim, a Malay member of the opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP), and a former law minister under BN, said “Sabah and Sarawak would swing to PH”, especially if greater autonomy is granted to these two states.

Traditional dancers in Sarawak, a potentially crucial swing state for the opposition. Photo: AFP

Is Mahathir the right man?

More than half the rural constituencies form the Malay heartland, so it could take a physical toll on Mahathir to reach all of them. He has started campaigning in his home state of Kedah, attacking the government as “one of the worst kleptocracies in the world”.

How Malays responds to Mahathir, not merely in Kedah but across the whole of Malaysia, will depend on the magic of the former leader’s brand and will require a high turnout of voters, both new and old. Otherwise, the support among Malays may not be strong enough to unseat Najib.

The opposition has employed another tactic to persuade fence-sitters. Along with the announcement of its candidates for prime minister and deputy prime minister, the coalition confirmed the parliamentary seat allocations of Peninsular Malaysia.

The Bersatu party, led by Mahathir, will compete in 52 seats, PKR in 51 seats, DAP in 35 seats and Amanah in 27. Khalid Samad, the MP of Shah Alam, with Amanah, said: “To ensure electoral victory in the upcoming general election, the opposition needs to increase Malay support. To achieve this it is crucial that Mahathir be seen to be at the helm of PH and named as its candidate for prime minister. ”

Mahathir Mohamad and Wan Azizah download election materials. Photo: EPA

Thus, by naming Mahathir as its prime ministerial candidate, the coalition aims to debunk the ruling party’s propaganda line that DAP would dominate any PH government should it win power.

The election seems certain to be a nail-biting affair – provided it is conducted in a free, fair and orderly manner – promising major implications for the future of Malaysia.

The Malaysian economy is turning. Will Najib’s luck?

The fact PH’s seat allocations have been settled well ahead of the election bodes well for the opposition, showing a united front. Come what may, Mahathir knows this is his final electoral hurrah and he must make it count

Diracun 2 kali masih hidup, janda kaya akhirnya dicekik hingga mati

Astro Awani, Agensi |  Diterbitkan pada Januari 20, 2018 10:56 MYT

Suspek ketika lakon semula menunjukkan bagaimana dia menghidangkan bakso dan bubur yang dicampur racun kepada mangsa. -Gambar pewarta-madiun.net

NGAWI: Kejam! Itu saja perkataan yang dapat menggambarkan perlakuan keji dua lelaki di Ngawi, Indonesia yang bertindak meracun seorang wanita yang juga majikan mereka.

Mangsa yang dikenali sebagai Sulasi, 53 tahun, merupakan janda kaya di kawasan itu diracun sebanyak dua kali sebelum suspek nekad mencekik mangsa hingga mati setelah racun diberi tidak mendatangkan kesan kepada mangsa.

Mayat Sulasi kemudian dibuang ke Sungai Balawong di wilayah Magetan.

Suspek yang dikenal pasti sebagai BR dan NI pada awalnya hanya merancang untuk menculik Sulasi. Namun mereka kemudian bersepakat pula untuk membunuh mangsa dengan cara memberi racun.

Suspek BR, yang merupakan pemandu peribadi janda kaya itu, pada percubaan pertama didakwa menghidangkan bakso yang dicampur racun tikus kepada mangsa. Namun, mangsa langsung tidak terkesan.

Berang melihat Sulasi masih hidup, BR dua hari kemudian menyajikan bubur yang dicampur racun jenis tirex kepada mangsa. Namun percubaan kali kedua ini juga gagal.

Putus asa dengan kejadian itu, kedua-dua suspek nekad datang ke rumah Sulasi lalu mencekik mangsa hingga mati.

Mayat mangsa yang dibuang ke dalam sungai ditemukan tidak lama kemudian dan kedua-dua suspek kini ditahan.

Polis Indonesia yang menjalankan proses lakon semula kes pembunuhan pada Jumaat mengesahkan hanya dua suspek terlibat.

Motif kejadian dipercayai akibat dendam membabitkan hutang.

Beberapa fakta menarik di sebalik sidang media pengerusi Felda

Ali Imran · Diterbitkan pada 19 Jan 2018 2:13PM

"SAYA tunjuk dulu semua dokumen ini pada semua, kalau tidak nanti ada yang tak percaya pula."

Begitulah cara Shahrir Samad, pengerusi Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (Felda) memulakan sidang media “Perkembangan Terbaru Berkaitan Tanah Felda di Jalan Semarak” pada 15 Januari lalu.

Berbanding cara konvensional sesebuah sidang media yang dimulakan dengan ucapan, beliau terus “lompat” kepada isi utama hari itu iaitu pemulangan semula tanah milik Felda yang dipindah milik melalui beberapa transaksi meragukan.

Wajahnya yang tersenyum sepanjang majlis berlangsung sudah cukup untuk menggambarkan kepuasan melihat kontroversi terbesar organisasi itu dapat diselesaikan dalam masa satu tahun sembilan hari selepas mengambil alih jawatan pengerusi daripada Isa Samad.

Dalam tempoh sama, beliau turut mengambil beberapa tindakan lain demi mengukuhkan Felda seperti menyusun semula barisan pengurusan, penstrukturan semula aset serta mengukuhkan kedudukan kewangan organisasi itu.

Antara tindakan drastik yang diambil ialah mengarahkan peletakan jawatan semua ahli lembaga pengarah Felda Investment Corporation (FIC) pada Januari serta penjualan aset seperti kereta mewah dan hotel Grand Plaza Service Apartment di London.

Dua aset milik FIC di London dan Kuching juga sedang disiasat SPRM atas dakwaan pembelian pada kadar jauh lebih tinggi daripada kadar pasaran yang mengakibatkan kerugian kepada anak syarikat Felda itu.

Bagi Shahrir, sasaran beliau untuk tahun pertama menjalankan tugas sudah pun berada di landasan yang tepat.

Sidang media yang dianggap paling panas dalam sejarah penubuhan Felda sepanjang penubuhannya 62 tahun lalu dibuat tidak sampai tiga jam selepas pihak Synergy Promenade Sdn. Bhd (SPSB) menandatangani dokumen penyerahan semula tanah Felda di Jalan Semarak.

Dengan gaya beliau yang bersahaja, ahli Parlimen Johor Bahru ini mengemudi sesi yang berlangsung di Menara Felda dihadiri puluhan wartawan mewakili akhbar, portal berita, stesen TV dan radio baik daripada yang pro kerajaan mahupun pro pembangkang.

Shahrir turut menggunakan perkataan "let's start the magic" untuk memulakan sesi tayangan gambar dokumen yang ditandatangani kedua-dua pihak. Penulis melihat ia sebagai satu penggunaan perkataan yang “makan dalam” kerana ia ibarat memberi gambaran keseluruhan kemelut ini.

Jika diamati betul-betul, setiap rentetan melibatkan isu ibarat satu pertunjukan magis. “Persembahan” pertama adalah bagaimana beberapa keping tanah milik negara (melalui Felda) boleh dipindah milik dengan sebegitu mudah.

Shahrir sendiri beberapa kali meluahkan kekecewaan beliau kerana sewaktu Felda berniat mahu meletakkan kaveat persendirian ke atas tanah, ia tidak mendapat kelulusan daripada Jabatan Tanah dan Galian Wilayah Persekutuan sehingga beliau perlu memohon campur tangan Ketua Setiausaha Negara Ali Hamsa barulah ia berjaya dilakukan.

Satu lagi “silap mata” adalah pemberian status wakil penuh (PA) yang dibuat tanpa dilaporkan kepada lembaga pengarah.

Mengikut rekod, PA itu dianugerahkan pada 3 Jun 2014 dan hanya dilaporkan kepada lembaga pengarah pada 2 September tahun yang sama.

Magika yang paling agung adalah bila PA melaksanakan beberapa transaksi jual beli tanah dan melalui transaksi inilah pemindahan hak milik tanah dipindahkan menjadi hak milik SPSB.

Menurut Shahrir, ini hal paling aneh ialah penjual (atas kapasiti sebagai PA) adalah SPSB dan yang membeli juga adalah SPSB. Kerana itulah penulis meletakkan transaksi ini sebagai silap mata terbesar atas semua silap mata yang berlaku.

Maka apa cara terbaik untuk melawan magis? Caranya adalah mendedahkan helah sang ahli silap mata.

Bila orang ramai sudah dapat tahu helah si ahli silap mata, secara automatik dia tidak lagi akan dipanggil ahli silap mata.

Orang ini pasti tidak akan selamanya mahu dikecam masyarakat. Justeru dia pasti mahu membersihkan namanya dengan apa sahaja cara yang terdaya.

Bila hal ini berlaku, persepsi lain pula akan timbul. Sebahagian masyarakat akan percaya ini benar-benar pertarungan menegakkan kebenaran manakala sebahagian lagi akan melihat ia hanyalah sebagai lakonan pentas yang siap dirangka skrip dan jalan ceritanya.

Shahrir sedar hal ini. Kerana itulah bagi beliau, persepsi negatif bukanlah hal yang akan diendah kerana beliau ada tanggung jawab yang lebih besar untuk memastikan hak Felda terpelihara.

Boleh dikatakan sesuatu yang agak pelik dalam sesebuah sidang media apabila inti dokumen yang ditandatangani dipaparkan kepada warga media tanpa sebarang tapisan.

Namun bagi Shahrir ini sesuatu yang amat penting untuk dilakukan. Beliau mahu rakyat percaya bahawa situasi ini satu perkara yang serius dan ia benar-benar berlaku demi kepentingan negara.

Bukan setakat menunjukkan isi dokumen, Shahrir turut menggunakan peluang ini untuk mengulas butiran dokumen itu.

Bahkan beliau turut menunjukkan persetujuan dua ahli lembaga pengarah SPSB lengkap dengan tandatangan mereka yang beliau sifatkan sebagai “sangat penting” untuk memastikan proses pemindahan semula pemilikan tanah berjalan lancar.

"Kalau ikutkan saya nak tunjuk (dokumen) yang ‘original’ tapi kita lepas tanda tangan cepat-cepat hantar ke peguam," jelas beliau.

Bagaimanapun, apabila cuba diperangkap dengan soalan “siapa pemilik SPSB?” pantas beliau menjawab: "Saya tidak tahu siapa pemilik sebenar tetapi ahli lembaga pengarahnya adalah seperti dalam dokumen itu, yang dua orang itu."

Jika ada yang fikir sidang media yang diadakan itu satu bentuk “tutup buku”, sebenarnya kisah ini belum selesai.

Di pihak Felda, laporan polis tidak akan ditarik balik serta audit forensik yang sedang dijalankan akan diteruskan seperti biasa.

Apa yang penting, Felda mahu tangani isu ini dengan telus. Shahrir sendiri tidak mengelak sebarang soalan yang dikemukakan wartawan sepanjang berlangsungnya sidang media.

"I could just issue a press statement and walk away, you know," jawab Shahrir bila ditanyakan sejauh mana Felda telus menangani isu ini.

Sebaliknya dapat dilihat sejak mula isu tanah Jalan Semarak dibangkitkan, pihak Felda dan Shahrir sendiri tidak pernah lokek masa mahupun tenaga menjawab segala persoalan yang dibangkitkan baik melalui sidang-sidang media mahupun soalan secara bertulis.

"Transparency is now...saya jamin integriti di Felda akan jadi budaya Felda. Tidak akan ada isu yang disapu ke bawah meja," ulas Shahrir lagi.

Bagi beliau, Felda kini mahu “balik ke asal”. Beliau mahu muafakat peneroka kembali utuh, dan para peneroka bersama Felda terutamanya dalam aktiviti penghasilan.

“Bersama Felda” diertikan Shahrir sebagai kesudian seseorang peneroka menjual hasil kepada Felda tidak kiralah sama ada penanaman dibuat menggunakan modal sendiri mahupun modal yang dipinjam daripada lembaga.

Dalam pertemuan khusus penulis dengan Shahrir pada Disember lalu, beliau ada menyebut aspirasi beliau menjadikan lebih ramai peneroka yang menanam menggunakan modal sendiri tanpa perlu berhutang dengan Felda untuk mendapatkan modal usaha tanah.

"Kita mahu lahirkan lebih ramai peneroka bebas hutang. Sekarang baru ada dalam 9,000 daripada lebih 100,000 peneroka. Jumlah ini kita perlu tingkatkan,” katanya.

Bagaimanakah aspirasi ini akan dapat direalisasikan? Sama-sama kita nantikan gerak kerja Felda yang seterusnya. – Bernama, 19 Januari, 2018.

* Ali Imran ialah wartawan Bernama.

Pandikar violated MP’s freedom of speech

Pandikar violated MP’s freedom of speech, court told

Ho Kit Yen  | January 8, 2018

Lawyer N Surendran cites Federal Constitution on freedom of speech in Dewan Rakyat in PJ Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian's suit against speaker for rejecting questions.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sian told the High Court that the Dewan Rakyat speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia had breached freedom of speech in Parliament when he rejected questions related to 1MDB.

In the hearing before Justice Kamaluddin Md Said in chambers, Hee’s lawyer N Surendran said that Pandikar had violated Article 63(2) of the Federal Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech in the Dewan Rakyat.

“We said that several Federal Court decisions have stated that courts can inquire into the Dewan Rakyat’s decision when the Speaker had exceeded his jurisdiction.

“Everyone including the house of representatives is subordinate to the Federal Constitution,” he told reporters after the hearing.

Meanwhile, senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan representing Pandikar, argued that courts cannot question any proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Any decision made by the Speaker is an integral part of the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

“Two recent Federal Court decisions had affirmed the legal principles in parliamentary privileges and non-justifiability of its’ proceedings,” Shamsul said, referring to two cases related to former Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim’s decision in the state assembly.

In a recent ruling by the Federal Court on Aug 2017, it was decided that the courts cannot interfere into the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat or state legislative assemblies.

The apex court had previously allowed Teng’s appeal to challenge two lower court decisions that did not rule in his favour.

He had declared the Port Klang state seat as vacant in 2011 after its former assemblyman, Badrul Hisham Abdullah was absent in the state assembly for six months.

Badrul later filed a lawsuit to nullify Teng’s decision.

Justice Kamaluddin had fixed Feb 19 for a decision on whether Hee’s suit should be struck out.

Pandikar had previously applied to strike out Hee’s suit on the grounds the suit had encroached into parliamentary privileges.

Hee took Pandikar and Dewan Rakyat secretary Roosme Hamzah to court last year for rejecting his questions related to 1MDB.

The PKR MP is seeking a court declaration that Pandikar’s decision to reject his questions related to 1MDB dated July 21, 2017 be made null and void.

Hee had requested to ask the government whether it had raised any objection on the United States Department of Justice’s (DoJ) forfeiture suit.

He also wanted to know the whereabouts of businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) as well as the status of Low as a Malaysian citizen as he was alleged to have obtained citizenship in one or more other countries.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said had said Hee’s action had tarnished the good name of the Dewan Rakyat.

“As a lawmaker, the PKR MP must be aware of what the Federal Constitution says about the rights and privileges of parliament.”

Kita akan menang semua, dapat kerusi gred A

Kita akan menang semua, dapat kerusi gred A, kata AMANAH selepas dapat kerusi paling sikit
ARIF ATAN  -  January 7, 2018 9:59 pm

Pemimpin PH dalam konvensyen menjelang PRU 14

Rata-rata pimpinan AMANAH yang ditemui selepas berakhirnya Konvensyen Pakatan Harapan hari ini mengambil sikap berlapang dada selepas menerima keputusan agihan kerusi Parlimen di Semenanjung yang paling sedikit.

Presiden AMANAH, Mohamad Sabu yakin akan memenangi kesemua 27 kerusi Parlimen yang diperuntukkan kepada parti berkenaan pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 (PRU-14) nanti.

“InsyaAllah, kita akan menang semua (kerusi),” jawabnya ringkas sejurus turun dari pentas utama selepas selesai sidang media.

Sementara itu, Pengarah Komunikasi AMANAH, Khalid Samad pula memberitahu parti berusia dua tahun tersebut berjaya memperoleh kerusi Parlimen yang sebelum ini dituntut.

“Kita dapat kebanyakan kerusi (Parlimen) yang kita mahu. Dan kerusi yang AMANAH dapat adalah kerusi yang berpotensi tinggi boleh menang,” katanya.

Ahli Parlimen Shah Alam berkenaan menafikan kononnnya AMANAH terpinggir dalam proses rundingan agihan kerusi dengan tiga sekutunya yang lain.

Sebaliknya, beliau berpendapat keputusan tidak semestinya menyaksikan kerusi yang banyak ditandingi akan mampu dimenangi.

“Daripada jumlah kerusi yang banyak, belum tentu boleh menang. AMANAH dapat kerusi yang terbaik,” tegas Khalid lagi.

Perutusan yang diberi nama ‘Muafakat Pakatan Harapan’ itu menyaksikan Bersatu membolot paling banyak kerusi Parlimen di Semenanjung iaitu 52 daripada 165 kerusi dan diikuti PKR sebanyak 51 kerusi.

Sementara itu, DAP diperuntukkan 35 kerusi manakala AMANAH hanya memperoleh 27 kerusi.

Tawar-menawar 

Ditanya tentang peranan tawar-menawar AMANAH bersama rakan Pakatan Harapan, Ketua Pemuda AMANAH Nasional, Sany Hamzan pula berpendapat partinya tidak hilang kuasa rundingan tersebut.

“Kita tidak hilang kuasa tawar menawar. Soal pembahagian kerusi ini bergantung pada kekuatan parti. Kita tahu PRU-14 ini, undi Melayu adalah undi penentu.

“Jadi, sudah tentu kita memberi peluang yang agak luas kepada Bersatu sebab kita tahu Bersatu ditubuhkan berteraskan Melayu.

“Oleh itu, sudah tentu Bersatu boleh menggantikan tempat Umno-BN untuk menarik sokongan pengundi Melayu khususnya yang tinggal di luar bandar,” jelasnya.

Sany turut menyifatkan rundingan pembahagian kerusi di peringkat Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) dijangka akan memberi lebih ruang kepada AMANAH.

“Ada satu lagi perbincangan kerusi di peringkat Dun. Saya difahamkan di sinilah AMANAH akan memainkan peranan sangat penting berdasarkan kekuatan jentera (pilihan raya) kita di peringkat akar umbi.

“Selama dua tahun ini, AMANAH bekerja kuat dan kekukuhan Pakatan Harapan banyak digerakkan AMANAH. Peranan AMANAH terus di akar umbi sekali gus membantu kemenangan calon Pakatan Harapan di peringkat Parlimen,” jelasnya lagi.

Dr. Mahathir kembangkan hidung Amanah

Yang menjayakan agihan kerusi PH adalah AMANAH, kata Tun M
MALAYSIA DATELINE  -  January 7, 2018 7:16 pm

Pengerusi Pakatan Harapan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata, yang menjayakan agihan kerusi PH hari ini adalah AMANAH.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam ucapan beliau di Konvensyen Pakatan Harapan yang diadakan di IDCC Shah Alam hari ini.

Semalam dalam satu rundingan yang diadakan, pemimpin kanan Pakatan Harapan (PH) telah mencapai kata sepakat berhubung pembahagian kerusi Parlimen untuk ditandingi dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-14 (PRU14) nanti untuk Semenanjung Malaysia.

Persetujuan yang dicapai menetapkan PKR akan bertanding 51 kerusi, Bersatu 52, DAP 35 dan AMANAH 27. Jumlah kerusi Parlimen untuk dipertandingkan di Semenanjung Malaysia ialah 165.

Butiran keputusan kata sepakat berkenaan kemudian telah diumumkan oleh Ketua Sekretariat PH, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah melalui perisytiharan Muafakat Pakatan Harapan pada Konvensyen PH itu hari ini.

Turut diumumkan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad telah dinamakan sebagai calon Perdana Menteri (PM) PH sekiranya PH berjaya mengambil alih Putrajaya dan Presiden PKR Dr Wan Azizah Wan pula diumumkan sebagai Timbalan Perdana Menteri (TPM).

Pakatan confirms Dr Mahathir as PM choice, Anwar to follow

FMT Reporters | January 7, 2018

The decision ends months of speculations about the coalition's choice to head the government.

SF: The decision ends months of speculations about the coalition’s choice to head the government.

SHAH ALAM: Pakatan Harapan (PH) today confirmed Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its prime ministerial candidate should it win the next polls, the coalition chief secretary Saifuddin Abdullah announced today.

Meanwhile, PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be made the deputy prime minister.

The announcement made at the PH convention here ends all specualtion about the coalition choice to head the government.

The coalition also announced it would pursue all legal avenues to free jailed leader Anwar Ibrahim, with the aim of making him the eighth prime minister of Malaysia.

Saifuddin said the decision was reached yesterday by all the top leaders of the four parties making up the coalition.

The leaders also agreed the seats distribution among the four PH parties in Peninsular Malaysia for the next general election as follows:
PPBM: 52 seats
PKR:    51 seats
DAP:    35 seats
Amanah: 27 seats

Saifuddin also read out 13 major reforms the coalition said it would implement immediately once it comes to power.

Among others, PH promises to:

* reform the Parliament to make it into an independent institution
* take immediate steps to restore the economy
* undertake comprehensive institutional reforms including educational and social reforms
* limit the term of the prime minister
* make top public posts such as the chiefs of the police, Election Commission, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as the auditor-general and attorney-general answerable to Parliament, and appointed directly by the Agong.
* Ensure agencies such as Felda, Tabung Haji, Employees Provident Fund and MARA are transparent and efficient
* Close the gap between rural and urban development, and fulfil the rights of Sabah and Sarawak based on the Malaysia Agreement.
* Uphold the constitution, the status of Islam and the Malay language, and guarantee the rights of all religions.

Donald Trump - Some Facts

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Sections of the American mainstream media is on a witch hunt to take down President Donald Trump. Talk show hosts, late night commentators and others are leading the charge as well.

The latest is a book Fire And Fury written by a Michael Wolff (two fs) that says  Trump is insane, mentally unstable, psychologically disturbed, deranged etc to hold the office of the US President.

This book is coming out AFTER an almost year long quite ridiculous effort to prove that Donald Trump is a Russian agent. To be more exact - an agent of Vladimir Putin - who is of course another Darth Invader bad boy of the pro-blood-shedding Western death cults.

Anyway here are some simple Sunday morning facts about Donald Trump that may be useful.

Donald Trump finished high school circa 1964 as a military cadet at the New York Military Academy. 

Here is a picture of Trump at the military academy.  He is 2nd from the left.

After that in 1968 Donald Trump graduated from the super Ivy League Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics. 

Donald graduating from Wharton 1968. Here with his multi-millionaire father

Other people who have graduated from the same Wharton School of Finance include Elon Musk, Mortimer Zuckerman, Additya Mittal, Anil Ambani and one fatty boy char kway teow seller from Penang.  Some say Warren Buffet is also a graduate of the Wharton School.

Elon Musk : Tech genius, entrepreneur extraordinaire and billionaire

Billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman : Owns FIVE MILLION square feet of office buildings,  owns US News and World Report and was a Harvard professor.

Aditya Mittal, son of billionaire Lakshmi Mittal and heir to the Mittal Steel empire, the largest steel producer in the world.

Anil Ambani - Chairman of the Reliance Group, billionaire industrialist

Trump graduated from the Ivy League Wharton School,  the alma mater of some of the greatest industrialists, businessmen and billionaires in the world.  These are facts.

Donald Trump then went ahead to build his business empire.  The less informed identify Trump as a TV personality but that was just Trump's pre-planning to position himself for his run for the presidency. He wanted to become a household name first.

Trump's greatest success is his multi-billion dollar business empire. Trump says he has made over US$8 billion from his business. And he is still making more money. These are facts.  That is indeed a clever businessman. 

In politics, Trump has no experience. Hence his rookie outing as a presidential candidate had to be a cleverly thought and well prepared move. He has won the presidency as the 45th president of the United States, with no previous record in politics, defeating not just 'deep state'candidates but also the mega media machinery that was against him. This is another humongous achievement. These are facts.

Within the first 12 months of being in office, Trump has become the first and most decisive US President yet to cut off US$2.0 billion military aid to Pakistan. These are facts.  

This means US$2 Billion less human blood shed, killing and destruction in Pakistan and elsewhere where Pakistan sends its terrorists.  Trump is now pondering  cutting more aid to Pakistan.

In my view, Trumps greatest achievement thus far is the revamping of the US tax regime, particularly cutting corporate taxes from a whopping 35% down to a more sensible 20%.  

This will free up TRILLIONS of dollars for American companies - to reinvest, to expand production, to employ more workers, to pay dividends to shareholders, to buy yachts, to buy Rolls Royces etc.  Their country is about to take off.  

Since Donald Trump became President less than 12 months ago, the US economy is taking off. Wall Street has gone skyrockets. The Dow Jones has breached 25,000 for the first time. When I lived in the US in the mid 80s, the Dow was at around 1400.

Here is the Dow Jones chart from March 2017 until 5th January, 2018.

When Donald Trump became president, the Dow Jones was around 20,000. Now it has reached 25,295. That is an explosion of over 26 % in under 12 months !!

The NYSE (where the Dow Jones is computed) now has a market capitalisation of almost US$20 TRILLION !!

In 12 months of Trump's presidency the NYSE has added ALMOST US$5 TRILLION to their wealth !!

All these are facts.  

It does not sound very insane or deranged or psychologically disturbed.

Posted by Syed Akbar Ali at 11:31:00 AM