State official forces last-minute change of venue for election talk

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More little Napoleons at work.

Just received the following from Suaram Penang:

A ban has been ordered by the state authority on SUARAM election talks!

SUARAM Penang has received a last-minute call from the Caring Society Complex person-in-charge last night (26/3/08), who claimed that the Penang state Secretariat has ordered a ban on the coming Friday and Saturday’s democracy talks.

The ban has been ordered by the vice state secretary Muhammad Yusoff bin Wazir who commented ‘the talks look and smell political’, thus it contradicts with the ‘caring and harmony’ image of Caring Society Complex. Despite the ban, the talks will remain on Friday and Saturday nights. The venue has been switched to Penang Chinese Town Hall in Jalan Kapitan Keling (or known as Pitt street).

The analysis of general election talk titled “To Where Democratization of Malaysia” has proudly invited speakers like Datuk Dr. Toh Kin Woon, Mr. Wong Chin Huat, Jeff Ooi and Ani Netto. All press is welcomed to do coverage on the two-day event.

Date: 28 March 2008

Time: 8pm

Venue: Penang Chinese Town Hall

Speakers: Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woo, Mr. Wong Chin Huat and Jeff Ooi.

Moderator: Yeo Siew Yean

Language: Mandarin

 

Date: 29 March 2008

Time: 8pm

Venue: Penang Chinese Town Hall

Speakers: Mr. Wong Chin Huat and Anil Netto

Moderator: Ng Eng Kiat

Language: English

Mr. Wong Chin Huat is a journalism lecturer of the School of Arts and Sciences in Arts Discipline, Monash University, Sunway campus (Malaysia).He completed/He obtained his PhD in the University of Essex in electoral system and party politics in West Malaysia, 1982-2004. Before joining the academia, he had been working as a political columnist and lobbyist. He co-initiated the “People Are the Boss” declaration in 1999 and is currently the chairperson of the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)

Mr. Anil Netto, an Exco member of ALIRAN, is a famous blogger (small-time only-lah!) that also writes for Aliran Monthly, Inter Press Service, Asia Times and The Herald

We first saw denying the BN two-thirds majority as an insurmountable task, but have been pleasantly shocked and surprised. This time around, BN has been denied a two-third majority in parliament for the first time.

Apart from discussing why the results were the way they were, it is also important for us to discuss what the next is for people.

For those who interested in better understanding of political develepment in Malaysia, all are welcome to the talk, free admission.

Any inquiry please contacts Lau Shu Shi 012-8756179 or 04-6582285.

Lau Shu Shi

Coordinator of SUARAM Penang branch

012-8756179/04-6582285

The Caring Society Complex is supposed to be for civil society groups. But it looks as if you are not supposed to be “caring” about the political situation.

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Chris Hutcherson
4 Oct 2008 3.45am

What happens in the case of a tied election result ?

MrPotato
MrPotato
28 Mar 2008 6.06pm

Just as Penangites are boycotting the mamak stalls, we should boycott all activities of the “Caring” Society Complex from now on

pathfinder
pathfinder
28 Mar 2008 5.41pm

A ban order by State Authority??.Does he has the Power?? The GOVT needs find ways to sack this guy, man!! We are talking about democracy here. I mean DEMOCRACY. How can he stop DEMOCRACY. We should send him back to the dark ages.

Libra
Libra
28 Mar 2008 4.09pm

May I know if Muhammad acted within his powers?
Did he talk to the organizers on the nature of the talk? Was it a unilateral decision or made by a board?
How is the society funded?
Why do these people fear shadows?
Or is he another little Napolean who thinks like an UMNO underling?

Nigel
Nigel
28 Mar 2008 2.56pm

PS, hope you don’t mind but am going to list you and link a feed over to you as well. Cheers.

Nigel
Nigel
28 Mar 2008 2.55pm

Hope you youtube the whole thing. Or at least the interesting bits. Am sorry that you had the last minute change but you and I know that we’re going to see a LOT more of this sh*t before this is over. And when I say “this” I mean reform. Just 6 little letters. But by God, how big of an idea it is! 😉 Come visit my blog if you have a moment. And congrats and appreciation for speaking up.

lucia
lucia
28 Mar 2008 1.50pm

i blog about this talk 3 days ago and put up the poster too. now the venue change, i want to update my blog but something’s wrong with my blog.

this action of muhammad looks like (again) one of the many actions the ‘previous government’ are doing out of being a sore losers or to ‘punish’ the voters.

i will be there with a few of our ‘bangsa malaysia penang’ members. is the talk going to be 2 hrs?

andrew
andrew
28 Mar 2008 1.30pm

they sure do ‘care’. the question is caring for who ?for the rakyat? or for a minority?

smallworld
smallworld
28 Mar 2008 1.19pm

Please post election talk in video on You Tube-, ok

hamidibrahim
hamidibrahim
29 Mar 2008 6.42am

BAN ON DEMOCRACY TALK.

It is surprising that someone is trying to stop speeches.
We are a democratic nation and there is freedom of speech under the Federal Constitution. These officials must overcome BN attitude – they will in time to come. They
are used to heavyhanded tactics. I hope they learn a lesson. If they have not learnt the lesson, there must
be something wrong with the officials. Let me know
the results. Unfortunate, I am unable to attend this event.

Regards
Hamid Ibrahim

raj raman
raj raman
28 Mar 2008 10.14pm

LAST TIME THE LITTLE NAPOLEON IS ACCUSE BY THE BIG NAPOLEON OF NOT CARRYING ORDER BY THE RULING PARTY.NOW THE BIG NAPOLEON HIDING BEHIND THE SKIRT OF LITTLE NAPOLEON TO SABOTAGE ALL.STILL IN DENIAL MOOD BY THE BIG NAPOLEON.CARRY ON YOUR NOBBLE WORK MR.ANIL.VENUE YOU CAN CHANGE,BUT ITS TAKE SOME GUTS FROM PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO CHANGE THE NAPOLEON.malaysian dont proud of their culture…ALL IN ALL OUR COUNTRY IS BASED ON IMPORTED CULTURE.LIKE THE FRENCH LITTLE NAPOLEON IN MALAYSIA.thanks.raj raman.race.still dreaming 2b malaysian putra.religion.my problem to anwser to god when my time come by.please youtube.

Cheeran
Cheeran
28 Mar 2008 7.28pm

Strange indeed the ways of man. This country has lost her democracy. Though independence granted 50 years ago, in term of true democracy we are lagging far another 50 years behind 1957.