Malaysia: Backsliding on Rights

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s promised reforms did not significantly improve legal protections for basic liberties in Malaysia, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2013. Press restrictions, the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, and intimidation of rights groups exposed the limits of government adherence to internationally recognized human rights.  

In its 665-page report, Human Rights Watch assessed progress on human rights during the past year in more than 90 countries, including an analysis of the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

In Malaysia, Human Rights Watch said, government respect for basic rights and liberties is likely to be tested in the run-up to national parliamentary elections, which must be held no later than June 2013. 

“The Malaysian government’s promised human rights agenda fell far short in practice in 2012,” saidPhil Robertson, Asia deputy director at Human Rights Watch. “As elections approach, the government will need to demonstrate its willingness to uphold the rights of all citizens, whatever their political views.”

On April 28, 2012, tens of thousands of peaceful protesters were met by water cannon, teargas, beatings, and arrests during a march and sit-in led by Bersih, a coalition of civil rights organizations, to demand clean and fair elections. A government committee set up to investigate the incident has done little to shed light on the actions of the authorities on that day. Negotiations between the police and a coalition of opposition political parties and activist groups resulted in a peaceful gathering of the “People’s Uprising Rally” in Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on January 12, 2013.

Revisions to longstanding abusive laws had less of an impact on the ground than was hoped, Human Rights Watch said. The replacement of section 27 of the Police Act by the Peaceful Assembly Act did not rescind the absolute power of the police to grant permits for demonstrations. Instead the new law allows police to effectively outlaw marches by prohibiting “moving assemblies” by declaring innumerable sites off limits, and by giving the police the power to set time, date, and place conditions. The People’s Uprising Rally organizers agreed to 27 conditions – including on appropriate slogans – before their rally got approval, and the government is currently investigating compliance with three of the conditions.

In another legal reform that fell short of international standards, the Malaysian government repealed the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA), and substituted the Security Offenses (Special Measures) 2012 Act (SOSMA). SOSMA reduced arbitrary detention to 28 days instead of the indeterminate period permitted under the ISA but added new infringements of rights. The law’s definition of a security defense is overbroad. Police, rather than judges, have the power to authorize communication intercepts, and prosecutors can utilize information as evidence without disclosing sources. Moreover, should a suspect be acquitted and the state appeal that decision, the acquitted suspect may be detained in prison or tethered to a monitoring device until the appeal is settled, a process that could take years. 

Government harassment of human rights defenders continued in 2012, Human Rights Watch said. In response to spurious allegations by Jaringan Melayu Malaysia, an organization with close ties to Malaysia’s leaders, the government pursued a politically motivated investigation of Suaram, a leading Malaysian human rights organization in operation since 1989. At least six government agencies are seeking to find Suaram’s registration and operations illegal. Investigators have harassed staff and supporters, and threatened them with arrest while government politicians and government-controlled media outlets have publicly attacked the organization. On September 3, a week before investigations had begun, a government minister accused Suaram of keeping “highly suspicious” accounts and said that “99.4 percent” of its activities were “money collecting.”

Groups supporting the rights of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender (LGBT) people fared even worse, Human Rights Watch said. In two speeches in 2012, Prime Minister Najib condoned discrimination by singling out the LGBT community as a threatening “deviant culture” that “would not have a place in the country.” Not only was the annual Seksualiti Merdeka (Sexual Diversity, in English) festival canceled in 2012 amidst ongoing intimidation of the LGBT community, but a court refused a judicial review of the police ban on the 2011 festival, a decision that festival organizers say leaves future festivals in legal limbo.

“The Malaysian authorities should respect the fundamental rights of non-discrimination and equality, and stop demonizing people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Boris Dittrich, advocacy director for the LGBT program at Human Rights Watch.

Reforms to freedom of the press also proved to be less than anticipated, Human Rights Watch said. The Printing Presses and Publications Act was amended, dropping the requirement for annual licensing of publications and ending the Home Affairs Minister’s power to award or rescind publishing licenses without court review. However, the revised law still requires that new publications obtain initial approval, and licenses still may be arbitrarily revoked.

The government appealed a 2011 Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling that a “license to publish is a right, not a privilege,” therefore requiring review of the government’s “improper and irrational” unwillingness to issue a license to the largest on-line newspaper, Malaysiakini, to publish a daily print edition. 

An amendment to the Evidence Act provides that computer owners and operators of computer networks are publishers and thus responsible for the content displayed on their screens unless they could prove they had nothing to do with the content. This raises concerns about the presumption of innocence as well as free expression.

Malaysian police appear to routinely violate the rights of persons in custody, Human Rights Watch said. Police personnel have employed unnecessary or excessive force during demonstrations, while carrying out arrests, and in police lockups. Deaths in custody, routinely attributed to disease, go uninvestigated, suspects are beaten to coerce confessions, and criminal suspects die in suspicious circumstances during apprehension by police. Alleged police abuses go uninvestigated.

Malaysian immigration law still does not recognize refugees and asylum seekers, and prohibits them from working and their children from going to school. Unauthorized migrants face arrest and detention in unsanitary and overcrowded immigration detention centers, and caning for violating the immigration law. Anti-trafficking efforts conflate human trafficking with people smuggling, and punishes rather than protects trafficking victims by holding them in inadequate, locked shelters that resemble detention centers rather than care facilities. The government continues to do little to protect migrant domestic workers from beatings and sexual abuse by their employers.

“Numerous sectors of Malaysia’s economy depend on migrant workers, yet Malaysia continues to treat them as disposable people who can be used and abused,” said Robertson. “The government should fully respect migrant workers’ rights and stop re-victimizing those who have been trafficked to Malaysia.”

A Father's silent cry,Chandirasekharan Subramaniyam

I am missing my daughter Shamani, her love, care & her vibration that surrounds me. After all this years I am finding it so difficult in missing her closeness. Having sleepless nights with tears all nostalgic events of her life with me and my family. You can call whatever. Part & parcel of life, natural when a daughter get married, the next step in a fathers life, you are not the only one every father have to go thru this. All this consolidations & advises is only for others when it comes to me any amount of reasons does not console my feeling for my daughter’s love. Ever since I took hold of my baby’s hand to teach her to take her first step to walk. I think I did not release my hold on her hand & she too was holding on until her wedding day ceremony, when my hand was placed over hers and below her hand her husband’s with that ritual I handed over my hold on her, my responsibility ,care & love to her husband. At that moment my eyes were filled with beaming tears, I don’t know for what, is it because of the sorrowfulness that I going to miss her or happiness for her new chapter in her life. I have to accept the fact that she is in good hands, the happiness she wanted all her life, a wonderful loving husband and in-law family. Her happiness is also my happiness. I did not want to share all this, wanted to keep it to myself but there is a saying it is better to get it out of chest to share with friends it’s a kind of relief. Yes I got all this out of my chest but I will never ever get all this from my heart as long as the beats go on. I who always love Shamani as my loving daughter and share my love with her husband Sangaran and off course his family. Sangaran over to you take care of Shamani. Thank you. Thank you. Thank You. Take care with father’s love!!!!!!!!

Ganesan Ramiah Life must go on,the fact will always remain that Shamini was your daughter first and for-most before she evolved into a wife of Sangaran.No one can take that away from you.The love you both share will carry you through this difficult period.I'm sure she too is going through the same turmoil. Shamini may have outgrown your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart.Just like a girl's first love is her dad,Shamini's first love will always be you,after all she is in good hands,Take heart.

Chandirasekharan Subramaniyam TQ,The comman word" after all we are humans" the feeling are always buried deep inside us. When we bring out that is what emotion is all about.Mind can take an understanding but heart does not it swells will feelings.your comment has consolidated my mind. My heart still refuse to act on it. Well! there is still somthing called time. which is the healing factor. My only hope is to buy time. Thank you TC

Sangaran Selvaraja Mama i hope you are doing good. Im really touched and such words/post will only strengthen your relationship with Shamani and she loves you more than anything else. Over the years i have been with her, she never stopped talking about all the sacrifices and relentless hardwork you had done for her and especially for the family. As you say mama, only time will be the healing factor and everything will be fine. Sham even had brought your favourite purple "kaili" and sleeps with it because it remind your presence with her. Take care mama we love you always 


Shamani Chandirasekharan Appa only tears on my eyes. Appa i just miss u so much.No matter what happen you always first for me...always n ever.Appa i cant leave the house and came .. i think god knows that i cant leave you and came thats the reason god gave me such a good hearted and wonderful in laws family and husband.i knw you are not worried about that. The only pain that i still have is the separation from you. I want to take care of you appa,always be near you, make sure you always take your medicine, a cup of water while you are eating and just watch the moment you are eating from far.Sometimes i just think why girls need to go trought this but this the life cycle of women. you are always my world and soul appa. Im always inside your heart. You are my idol appa and im following as wat u had taught me over the time.Im proud to be your daugther appa..thanks to god. im sure i will make you proud and always be the same as you taught appa. take care appa.Luv u..Ummmaaaahhhh....luvvvvv u appa...luv u...

We are all ‘pendatang,’ Dr M

Sometimes, I think the nation would be better served if Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s vocal chords took a trip to Siberia.

After all, few things have been as powerful and as destructive as his voice.

With that voice, he suggested Operasi Lalang. With his words, he brought low two institutions: the royalty and the judiciary.

But to silence him forever is to play by the rules he set. Kill dissent, smother criticism, strangle freedom of expression.

We may not like to listen to Dr Mahathir, but we have to give him the same rights we long for and deserve.

As he enters his twilight years he continues digging his own grave, this time by insisting we scrutinise the citizenships granted to the non-Malays during Malaya’s independence.

That he equates Sabah’s illegal immigrants with the Chinese and Indians is insulting. But hardly surprising.

Dr Mahathir believes that to elevate the Malays, it is necessary to trample on the other races. In his heart, Malaysia has always been “Malay-sia.” Land of the Malays, for the Malays, by the Malays.

What a lie.

And it is a lie perpetuated by the fools in Perkasa and the more right-wing elements in Umno.

This country would be nothing without the “pendatang.” Dr Mahathir also forgets that many so-called Malays have ancestors who were also in their days “pendatang.” The Bugis. The Minang. The Javanese.

Go to Kelantan and you will see Malays who have Thai ancestry. Go to Johor and you will find Malays who can name Chinese among their forebears.

USM professor Zilfalil Alwi, wrote a paper “Asal Usul Melayu Berdasarkan Fakta Genetik” (Tracing the Origins of the Malays by Analysing Genetic Data) where he theorised that early Malays could also have been Indian priests who had arrived at the Malay peninsula to propagate the Hindu faith.

That would make sense, seeing the predominantly Hindu Malay population in Bali. Who eat pork unreservedly, to the horror of our Malays when they visit the island.

Dr Mahathir says “Melayu mudah lupa” but himself forgets that non-Malays have worked for the country, fought for the country, died for the country. If tomorrow, should all the non-Malays leave en masse, the country would be crippled.

Non-Malays have served in government, in the armed forces, as well as in the police. Can Sabah’s illegal immigrants say the same? Can we say that Sabah’s “instant citizens” fought off the communists or, in the Confrontation, say they fought off Indonesia’s armed push to put an end to Malaysia?

Unlike Sabah’s illegal immigrants, the Chinese and Indians did not come from countries who still privately believe that Sabah and Sarawak should belong to them.

If one day Sabah’s illegal immigrant population dwarfs the natives, would it be surprising if either Indonesia or the Philippines attempts to again “claim” the Borneo states as many of its citizens are there anyway?

While Sabah’s illegal immigrants have contributed to the economy, the natives do not embrace them as kin. They cannot claim a shared history, they cannot pretend to have become part of the process that led to Malaysia’s birth.

They did not win the right to citizenship. They do not deserve to be citizens merely because they are willing to vote for Barisan Nasional.

Dr Mahathir also forgets the Orang Asli, who, among all the peoples of Malaysia, most deserve to be called “sons of the soil”. But they have benefited the least and suffered the most from Malaysia’s creation. We take their land, send missionaries to “save their souls” when we can’t even save them from poverty.

To the Orang Asli, we are perhaps the real pendatang who have taken everything and given them little in return.

They are barely even recognised in our history books or schools. How many Malaysians, for instance, can name the many Orang Asli tribes? Instead of recognising the Sakai and Jakun as the “real” bumiputera, “sakai” and “jakun” are now Malay derogatory terms.

If you insist on semantics, Dr Mahathir, then technically we are all pendatang.

Not this time, Mahathir

Mahathir is well-known, when he is on the defensive, to adopt the strategy of distracting people from the real issues at hand and hoping no one will notice.

Recently when evidence was adduced that there was extensive gerrymandering in the electoral rolls in Sabah by having, amongst others, Filipino and Indonesian migrants registered as voters, Mahathir’s response was reported as:

“One should also look back and remember that Tunku Abdul Rahman was worse than me, he gave one million to citizenships to people who are not qualified and not even tested”.

“Why is it when he does it, it is not wrong, and when I do it, it’s wrong?”

He is reported to have also said that everything was above board. He said:

“Malaysia accepts foreigners to become citizens provided that they meet certain conditions. 

“Many of them in Sabah were not there for a day or two, but 20 or 30 years and can speak Malay. They have the right to be citizens.”

It is reported that when someone pointed out that the operation took place just two weeks before the 1994 state election, Mahathir said:

“Whether that is coincidental or deliberate, I wouldn’t know, but it is within the law.

”That it happened just before the election does not mean it is against the law.”

Now what was the evidence adduced during the Royal Commission of Inquiry? Let us re-visit what was reported.

Malaysiakini on 16^th January, 2013 reported:

 “Former Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) chief Ramli Kamarudin is reported to admit that his agency was involved in making it possible for Indonesians and Filipinos to vote in the 1994 Sabah state election, but denied that they were made citizens. This, he explained, was because the immigrants were not issued identity card receipts in their name, but instead were issued receipts using the names and identity card numbers from people already in the electoral roll who never voted before, or are dead.
The receipts are temporary identity card slips, issued prior to the granting of a proper identity card. This document is sufficient to allow for voting.

”But because the receipts are not in their name, they cannot go to the NRD and later convert them to a blue identity card.

”Furthermore, the slips also have an expiry date of three months,” he told the royal commission on inquiry (RCI) of the immigrants in Sabah.

He added that after the state election, measures were also taken to gather all the receipts and destroy them.

”During election day, we gathered them in one place and then used buses to send them to vote.”

Non-citizens voting in our elections is above board, Mahathir?

Did Tunku Abdul Rahman carry out such a scam, Mahathir?

It is within the law, you say?

What else was adduced as evidence?

On the same day Malaysiakini reports that Mohd Nasir Sugip a former Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) officer testified that his department had once taken instructions from the state Election Commission (EC) to provide unqualified immigrants with identity card numbers so that they could vote in the election.

Do you notice the words “unqualified immigrants” used, Mahathir?

Mohd Nasir Sugip is reported to have said that “the operation involved providing the immigrants with new identity card numbers based on the date of birth, photographs and names provided by the EC.”

Also that “the names were changed, IC numbers were changed, date of birth was changed… and their pictures,”.

Based on date of birth, photographs and names provided by the EC?

They had immigrants posing as persons who were already on the electoral rolls?

They had imposters voting as registered voters.

Above board and legal you say, Mahathir?

And your right-hand men, Megat Junid and Aziz Shamsuddin were involved in the exercise, Mahathir?

Would they dare act independently of you in such an exercise?

You have much to answer for Mahathir.

Do not imagine you can get away with what you have done by dishonorably trying to equate what has been done with the granting of citizenship at Independence.

There was no citizenship granted to persons using the names of dead citizens, for one.

There was no citizenship granted using the dates of birth, photographs and names of others.

What was done in Sabah as recounted was illegal.

What was done was high treason.

And please, do not try to justify what was done to a Muslim audience by stating that all this was done to defeat the PBS Government so as to have a government that would be in favour to the Islam religion in Sabah.

Allah swt and the Prophet (pbuh) would never have condoned that.

That is not their way.

Islam does not condone cheating.

Surah An-Nisa, Verse 135 of the Holy Qur’an reads:

 “O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest ye swerve and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

The Prophet’s way would have been to spread the teachings of Islam in the hope that they would convert and then leave the rest to the Almighty. What was done is a disservice to Islam and insults Islam and Muslims.

And please too do not try to offer the excuse that these witnesses were once under the ISA and therefore untrustworthy witnesses.

I suspect that they were detained under the ISA to keep them quiet.

Sure, they committed illegal acts, but then they should have been charged in Court and not detained under the ISA.

And if by detention under the ISA one’s credibility is destroyed, then what the hell are you doing with the likes of Katak Ali?

No Mahathir, you have to answer to the evidence adduced not by trying to equate it with the granting of citizenship during Independence.

Wishful thinking on my part, but maybe, just maybe, if Pakatan wins the elections, a special RCI can be held to determine whether Mahathir’s ancestors merited citizenship and then perhaps we can ship him off to Kerala.

No, Mahathir, you do not get away so cheaply this time. What is involved here is high treason and you have to answer. Remember too that “verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.”

The Plight of Indians in Malaysia.

LABOUR CLASS - 80% of ethnic Malaysian-Indians are laborers, Industrial Manual Group workers, office boys, security guards, public toilet cleaners, general workers, road sweepers, beggars, squatters, criminals, gangsters.

ETHNIC MALAYSIAN INDIAN POOR - Indians form 60% of urban squatters and 41% of beggars. About 80% this community is in the poor or very poor bracket.

LOWEST PER CAPITA - Studies have revealed that Indians have the lowest per capita income at 1000.00RM per month. The national per capita income is estimated at 14,954RM in the 2004 budget. Therefore, Indians are about 95% below the national average. In reality, many Indian families earn a meagre RM450.00 per month.

ABUSE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN - Everyday Indian women and children are victims of abuse. For instance, during an interrogation at Rawang police station, an Indian lady was ordered to perform oral sex on another detainee. Her husband and daughter were stripped naked before her. She was told that her 18year old daughter would be raped. Another 14year old boy was arrested from his house, and while in police custody, ordered to do 150 push ups. When he stopped after 20 he was kicked by police and his leg was broken.

NO EFFECTIVE LEGAL AID - Of those detained, almost 95% of them plead guilty when they may not necessarity be guilty. Most of the crimes they commit are poverty related. They cannot afford legal fees and there is no effective legal aid system.

VICTIMISATION BY POLICE - Studies have revealed that Indians form about 60% of innocent people shot dead by the police, 60 % of innocent people dying in police custody, and 60% of detainees in police lockups and detention centres.

NO BUSINESS LICENCES / OPPORTUNITIES - Few or no business or commerical licences are given to Malaysian-Indians, and as a result only 1% of Indians participate in the country’s economic wealth. Moreover, rumours indicate that this 1% is largely the result of the contributions of one state sponsored Indian millionaire.

MAJORITARIAN RULE THROUGH CIVIL SERVICE - Discrimination against Malaysian-Indians in employment in the civil service sectors is evident. Figures indicate that Indian participation in the civil service has reduced from about 40% in 1957 to about 2% in 2003. Of this 2%, the majority work in the clerical and industrial manual group. There is no equal opportunity for promotions.

HINDU TEMPLE DEMOLITION - In Malaysia, a temple is unlawfully demolished by the authorities every three weeks There have been reported cases of policemen torching, throwing molotov cocktails or simply bulldozing temples.

POVERTY AMONG ESTATE WORKERS / LABOURERS - 54% of Malaysian-Indians work as plantation or urban underpaid laborers.

POOR STUDENTS - 200million RM was allocated to assist poor students to continue with their education but it is estimated that hardly 1% of Indians actually benefit.

PATHETIC MONTHLY WAGES - The state has placed a cap of 325.00RM per month on the monthly salaries of plantation workers and of 350.00RM per month for rubber tappers.

SQUATTERS - The rapid development of large plantations has resulted in the displacement of plantation workers, who are then forced to become squatters. The squats are then in turn demolished to make way for more developments.

EMERGENCE OF A NEW ETHNIC MALAYSIAN INDIAN CRIMINAL CLASS - Poverty and lack of opportunity leads to high Indian involvement in crime. There is a high incidence of slashings and killings among the Indian community.

ORPHANS / OLD FOLKS - The majority of orphanages and old folks homes are filled Indians - a clear indicator of poverty they suffer.

SKILLS TRAINING - Access to even the lowest-level skills training institutions are withheld from Indians, which leads to the majority remaining as unemployed or unskilled workers. Even at the NTS Arumugam Pillai Institute, which was built with the help of the South Indian Labour Fund, not one Malaysian-Indian student was admitted in the first round offers.

LEAST ATTENTION BY THE, OPPOSITION PARTIES NGOS’ AND CIVIL SOCIETY - As the Indian community is politically, economically and internationally insignificant even the opposition parties, NGOs and civil society groups generally give them little attention.

NO INDEPENDENT MEDIA - The print and electronic media gives little attention to the discrimination, victimisation and violations of human rights suffered by the Indian community. The media too plays to the majority and prefers to highlight “majoritarian issues”.

UNCARING INDIAN PROFESSIONALS / BUSINESSMEN - Indian professionals and businessmen do not care or ignore the real problems befalling on their community, perhaps in an attempt to appear as “multi-racial” or “non racist”.

UNDOCUMENTED ETHINC MINORITY MALAYSIAN INDIANS - Despite 48 years of Independence, there are still thousands of Malaysian-Indians who remain undocumented without birth certificates, identity cards, marriage certificates. This in effect precludes and excludes them from even the official primary school structure, sectors of the formal job market and business community.

THE MALAYSIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION AND THE ROYAL POLICE COMMISSION REFUSE TO REPORT THE TRUTH - The Malaysian Human Rights Commission and the Royal Police Commission have continuously refused to report even the most serious violations of human rights by the state against this community. For example, the Kg.Medan genocide, of the killings of suspects death in police custody and the holding at gunpoint of a human rights lawyer.

INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY GENERAL - The attorney general has shown bias in many instances including, prosecuting lawyers for defending the rights of the Indian community, failing to initiate inquests into custodial deaths and avoiding prosecuting authorities.

GOVERNMENT BODIES / INSTITUTIONS NOT INDEPENDENT - Almost all government institutions and services are biased in favour of the government and have been known to have engaged in “cover ups” against the people.

INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY - The majority of cases against the state which relate to violations against the Malaysian-Indians are dismissed without a hearing.

FEAR FACTOR - This community as a result of years of oppression and suppression is riddled with fear. They are fearful to stand up for even the worst form of violations, victimisation, discrimination and human rights abuses perpetrated against them.

HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE - Indians have the highest suicide and divorce rates in the country.

NO FUNDING FOR NON PRO-GOVERNMENT NGOs - No funding is granted to NGOs which are not pro-government.

'Don't equate Merdeka with Sabah IC project'

The national consensus on citizenship brokered before Malaya's independence cannot be equated with the controversial move to grant citizenship to foreigners in Sabah, policy thinkers say.

This view is being aired as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has sought to justify his administration's "Project IC" in Sabah by comparing it to first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra's push for Chinese and Indians in Malaya to receive citizenship.

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, director of think tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), said the comparison was wrong as the two citizenship exercises were carried out for different reasons.

"This is not a fair comparison. One was for independence whereas the other was for votes. The motive for granting them citizenship (in Sabah) was to fish for votes and purely political. Citizenship was one of the negotiation points for Merdeka.

"The British would not have given independence so easily if the non-Malays were denied citizenship. They had been there for many generations and had toiled to develop the country," Navaratnam told fz.com in a phone interview.

Malaysia should stop harping on the citizenship agreement made during the struggle for independence and focus on the road ahead, Navaratnam added.

"There are so many challenges that we as a nation face today like corruption, cronyism, declining competitiveness and poor education policies. Mahathir's remarks are contrary to the 1Malaysia concept," said Navaratnam, who had served the government for three decades.

Mahathir had on Thursday admitted to granting citizenship to foreigners in Sabah but maintained it was done lawfully.

But Mahathir sought to justify his administration's move by alleging that Tunku Abdul Rahman dished out citizenship to one million people who were "not qualified and not even tested".

Although Mahathir did not specify who these one million people were, his remarks were seen as a reference to the many Malayans of Chinese and Indian descent who were given citizenship when independence was being negotiated with the British powers.

Pre-independence, the proposal to give citizenship to non-Malays was a contentious and arduous process that took several years of multi-party negotiations.

Malaya in 1957 had a population of 5.2 million people comprising 2.2 million Malays and indigenous people and, three million non-Malays, according to a book entitled Malaysia: The Making of A Nation by Cheah Boon Kheng.

In similar vein, Centre for Policy Initiatives director Dr Lim Teck Ghee said Mahathir had no basis to compare the two historical situations.

"What Tunku Abdul Rahman did was open, transparent and with the support of key stakeholders when he agreed to the citizenship clause.

"What Mahathir did was opaque, hidden, known only to a few plotters and basically unjustifiable at the time, today and in the future," Lim said in an e-mailed response.

Lim added that Mahathir's remarks was typical of the latter's "diversion strategy" aimed at shoring up Malay support by stoking racial sentiments.

Sabah's large influx of foreign nationals has been a contentious issue for many years as locals fear an altering of local demographics.

Foreign nationals make up over 27% or 889,000 of Sabah's 3.2 million population, according to witness evidence during the current royal commission of inquiry to investigate the issue of undocumented immigrants in the state.

Aside from altering the state's demographics, Project IC in Sabah was also alleged to be an exercise to give foreign nationals, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia, citizenship in exchange for votes.

Previous speculation of Project IC as a political manoeuvre was confirmed by former director of Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) Ramli Kamarudin who described how he was instructed to issue foreigners with NRD receipts which matched details of registered voters.

Ramli, who appeared before the royal commission, alleged that the foreign nationals were also given RM20 and taught to vote in the 1994 Sabah election under the instruction of the then deputy home minister Tan Sri Megat Junid Megat Ayub.

Responding to those allegations, Mahathir admitted that citizenship was granted to foreigners in Sabah but he denied knowledge of any political considerations.

The 1994 Sabah elections was a hotly contested one as the Barisan Nasional (BN) sought to win back the state from Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS).

PBS formed the state government in 1985 and joined the BN coalition the next year. However, it left the BN in 1990 and went on to win the state election for a third term.

PBS won the 1994 Sabah elections by a narrow margin but eventually lost control of the state to BN after several PBS representatives defected.

The Ugly 1Malaysian Muslim Woman

Umno women, like Sharifah, Norhayati Saiddin, Raja Ropiah Raja Abdullah, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Rosmah Mansor, are poor role models for Malaysian women.

Umno seems to have a lot of people who open their mouths and put their feet straight into them. That is why few will sympathise with Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, the president of Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) who has gone into hiding and is attempting to restore her reputation after she delivered a knockout blow to Umno.

Perhaps, she deserves a tinge of sympathy for having an out-of-body experience; the moment she opened her mouth, all credibility left her body.

Incidentally, from where does SW1M get its funding? Is it the taxpayer or does the money come from abroad?

Incredibly, the other members of her little known organisation are just as blind, and do not think Sharifah’s behavior was appalling. Can anything be clearer?

It is Sharifah’s snobbery and aggression which the rakyat identifies with Umno. Her lack of humility prevented her from apologising for her poor conduct. She is too arrogant to admit that she was wrong and her decision to go into hiding because she says she is being “blackmailed”, shows her cowardice and guilt. Her decision to prolong the issue and not deal decisively and immediately with it, has made her look even more conceited.

Sharifah’s tirade against KS Bawani the law student couldn’t have come at a worse time. The day before, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had tried to take the credit for the incident-free People’s Uprising rally dubbed KL112, but Sharifah’s outburst, has again focused our minds on Umno’s arrogance. Najib was again eclipsed by an arrogant woman.

Umno women, like Sharifah, Norhayati Saiddin, Raja Ropiah Raja Abdullah, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Rosmah Mansor, are poor role models for Malaysian women.

The video clip of the incident was around 24 minutes long, but in that short episode, we witnessed a snapshot of Malaysia as it really is. In real life, we have Umno, the bully party. In the university hall, Umno is personified by Sharifah.

Sharifah talks down to us and tells the students that she has respect for Bawani, despite giving her a public tongue-lashing. Her behaviour is just like Umno which tells us that the reforms are working, that there are low levels of crime in the country, that our education in the best in the world, but at the same time steals from us.

After several hours of listening to the panel members, only two questions were allowed from the floor. Even then, one wonders if the questions had been selected before the talk and did not come from the students themselves.

Drug dealer’s pitbull

Concerned that the students were unable to provide feedback on the talk, Bawani felt compelled to ask some questions. She quoted the High Court ruling on Bersih and corrected SW1M’s assertion that S Ambiga was an anarchist. She then asked for the panel’s opinion on the provision of free education for Malaysian students.

Sharifah, like a drug dealer’s pitbull, was ready to sink her fangs into Bawani, to prevent the other students from “thinking” about greater issues. Perhaps, the only difference between Sharifah and a pitbull is that eventually a pitbull will let go.

Sharifah, in typical Umno fashion, sidestepped Bawani’s questions and prattled on about animals and other unrelated matters – an Umno trick which has been honed to perfection in parliament.

Another similarity with Umno is the way Sharifah held the galaxy lucky draw after the talk. This is just like Umno offering bags of rice and Milo after canvassing.

The fact that the video-clip took one month to surface showed that the university was afraid of the backlash. When only one student appeared to show support for Bawani, the quality of our students, at least in that hall, is questioned. The panel members who failed to stop Sharifah from making a fool of herself, are themselves weak. What is Sharifah to them?

Most of us, despite our racial origins, have been brought up to respect others, but the school of respect Sharifah attended does things differently.

She sees nothing wrong in verbally abusing others in public. She claims she is being respectful, by virtue of shaking their hands first.

When Sharifah talked about respecting elders, did she want us to have respect for leaders who steal from us and take away our dignity?

Perhaps, this is another symptom of an education system gone wrong. Muslim children are given religious education at school and are barred from Moral Studies, when they should be learning alongside their non-Muslim peers, about manners, courtesy and consideration to others.

Sharifah’s SW1M cannot claim to speak for Malaysian women; she certainly does not speak for me.

For all her intellectual snobbery, the mangled English on Sharifah’s SW1M website brought howls of laughter, thus attracting more ridicule on the president, who had sought to browbeat Bawani with boasts about her degree.

Divisive doctrines

Are animals in an animal testing laboratory, which have been conditioned by scientists cleverer than animals in the wild? Sharifah should realise that the attainment of a degree is not as important as the use to which one puts it. A degree is not a badge of honour with which to belittle others.

We are all products of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s divisive doctrines. Whilst many of us try to overturn his racism and look forward to a country with can be proud of its varied population, people like Sharifah feel it convenient to prolong Mahathir’s legacy.

At this crucial time before GE-13, other BN groups have distanced themselves from Sharifah.

Is Sharifah a Malaysian or someone who was put on the fastrack to citizenship?

The Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (KIMMA) has denounced Sharifah for being difficult. Perhaps, her overbearing nature hides insecurities about her origins. Is this a trait which she shares with another Indian who calls himself a Malay?

In the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) sessions, students are told that all Muslims are considered Malays whatever their racial origins. Thus, any Chinese or Indians who embrace Islam become Malay.

When Sharifah locked eyes with Bawani, in the university hall, did she realise that the only difference between them was religion? These two women could have been twins who were separated at birth, but by virtue of being brought up a Muslim, Sharifah was entitled to all the perks of the bumiputera.

Did she feel morally, intellectually and spiritually superior to Bawani and decide to bully her? Was it fear that made Sharifah lash out? In Bavani, Sharifah saw herself as she might have been, if she or her family had not converted.

If a Malay had posed Bawani’s questions, would Sharifah’s tongue-lashing have been as severe and would she have suggested the questioner go to another country?

Mariam Mokhtar is a FMT columnist.

Hindus are the First Immigrants to Malaysia - The Lost City of Kota Gelanggi

The Lost City of Kota Gelanggi Archeological Find
(The First Immigrants to Malaysia)

For those who read about it, you will recall that in 2005,
the Malaysian Govt. was excited about accidentally finding an ancient
civilization in Johor . This was reported in the various newspapers.
There was talk about excavating the huge site to rediscover this
civilization. And then.....silence! After that, no news at all about
this discovery.

A number of times I have discussed with friends that there was
definitely a cover-up because the authorities did not like what was
discovered - something that is contradicting what the Govt. is trying
to claim. And so many years passed and now I received this email
revealing what I suspected to be true! Read on.......

Good to know who are the real Pendatang... The Indians
and Chinese were here way before the Malays ... You have to start
learning the correct history.

A small piece of History for our future generation.. Why Kota
Gelanggi (lost city) touted as earliest civilization in Malay
Peninsula news were banned as they were Buddhist.

The Johor find of 2005 which was quietly dropped was none
other than Kota Gelanggi lost city reflecting Srivijaya and its
Buddhist splendour. But they deliberately disregarded it because that
would have sidelined Malacca Empire and Islam which was smaller and
came some 500 years later. I met Dr Lee Kam Hing, a former History
prof at MU in Singapore recently at a seminar. Dr Lee, who is now Star
research director, told me he was trying his best to highlight Kota
Gelanggi, but that the govt killed it off. This is clearly another
case to cover up the real history of Malaya and fool the younger
generations into believing that our history only began from Malacca
1400.. Not only that, they try to show Parameswara as Malay and
Muslim, but actually he was Hindu! If one were to condemn these UMNO
scumbags on how they distort history, it will never end......the
condemnations will more than cover 10 PhD thesis!

A small piece of History for our future generation. Hitler's
public relations manager, Goebbels, once said, 'If you repeat a lie
often enough, it becomes the truth.'

Once again our government wiped out any references to a famous
Melaka prince as being Hindu and belonging to the powerful Hindu
empire Sri Vijaya. So all of a sudden our museums, school text-books
etc. all refer to Parameswara as a Malay prince.

What race ruled or did not rule is besides the point. What is
important is not butchering history to create your own truths. You
cannot change your race even if you convert - Parameswara could have
been responsible for Umno's proud heritage of ' Ketuanan Melayu '.

If this is what it is based on, there is no ' Ketuanan Melayu'.
The lineage of Melaka Sultans are Indians, not Malays.
It is no secret that Parameswara was an Indian and a Hindu prince.

It is clear from records that Parameswara never converted to
Islam. He was an Indian Hindu who fled Palembang in Sumatra to
eventually found Melaka circa 1400 AD. It was Sri Maharaja who
converted himself and the court of Melaka to Islam, and as a result
took on the name of Sultan Muhammad Shah sometime after 1435...

The most famous of Indian Hindu Kings were Raja Chola and his
son Rajendra Chola who invaded Southern Thailand, Kedah, Perak, Johor
and Sumatra about 1000 AD. This is Raja-raja Chola - the Indian/Hindu
kings and not Raja Chulan - a Malay king. But what is really sad is
that our children are taught as though Malaysian history suddenly
began in 1400 with an Islamic Melaka.

We are led to believe that the Indians and Chinese first
arrived on the shores of Malaysia in about 1850 as desperate
indentured labourers, farmers and miners . Nothing could be further
from the truth.

The cultural influences of India in particular, and China, in
South East Asia span over 2,000 years, starting with the arrival from
India of the Brahmanical prince/scholar - Aji Saka in Java in AD78,
through to Vietnam, Cambodia (Indo China), Thailand, Burma, Indonesia,
Bali, Borneo, Brunei and beyond.

The findings at Bujang Valley speak of an ancient Indian/Hindu
presence in Kedah. There were Chinese settlements in Pahang and
Kelantan around the 13th-14th century and in 12th century in
Singapore .

The early Brunei Sultanate had a Chinese Queen. One need not
ponder at length the implications of Angkor Wat and Borobudur or that
40%-50% of Bahasa Malaysia comprises Sanskrit/Tamil words. To
illustrate, some of these words are :

bumi = boomi singgasana = singgasanam
putra = putran perdana = pirathamar
raja = rajah menteri = manthiri
desa = thesa kapal = kappal
syakti = sakthi samudra = samuthiram
kolam = kulam sepatu = sappattu
bahaya = abahya jaya = jeya
maha = maha aneka = aneha
nadi = naadi kedai = kadai
mahligai = maaligai mantra = manthrum
tandas = sandas (This list can go on)

An extremely important archeological find that pointed to one
of the greatest empires in history - the Raja Chola empire that ruled
from the Maldives through India , Sri Lanka and right down to South
East Asia found deep in the jungles of Johor a few years ago and made
headlines in the mainstream newspapers in 2005, suddenly disappeared
from the news...

The time has arrived for us to record our history as the facts
tell us and not as we would like to wish it.

The truth will never hurt anyone. Lies, always will .

Regards,
LEE Ong Kim (Dr)
Associate Professor and Head
Policy and Leadership Studies
National Institute of Education
NIE2-03-54, 1 Nanyang Walk,
Singapore 637616