Eng Kiat’s arrest at the Penang vigil
This was the peaceful candlelight vigil in Penang on 7 May.
When brute force ruled the day – but at what cost to BN?
A phyrric victory for the BN – but at what cost to its credibility?
This is a piece I wrote for Asia Times:
The battle of Malaysia’s ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to regain control of the second-largest state on the Malaysian Peninsula may have come at a heavy price to its long-term credibility and raises questions about new Prime Minister Razak Najib’s emerging brand of leadership.
When the Deputy Speaker ruled over the Speaker
What is Hee doing here? Speaker Sivakumar alleges that Deputy Speaker Hee Yit Foong used pepper spray to attack Aulong assembly member Yew Tian Hoe. But Hee maintains the device she was holding in her hand was a key chain from her hotel and a pen drive. “I would not give him (Yew) free publicity by pepper spraying him in the House,” she was quoted in theSun as saying.
The Perak State Assembly’s mysterious “officers”
A roll call of “officers” in the Dewan car-park at the end of the day
Who were all those mysterious personnel wearing “pegawai” (officer) tags at the Perak State Assembly on that infamous 7 May?
Several photos made available to me show them during a roll-call in the Dewan’s car park at the end of the day, just before 5.00pm.
A couple of hours earlier, men in neck-ties and long-sleeves shirts, some of them donning black jackets and songkoks, sporting the same blue-and-yellow “pegawai” tags, were seen alongside a couple of uniformed police personnel, inside the Dewan proper.
Vigils: 14 arrests in KL, 10 in Kuching, one in Penang
Police moved in on the vigil in Penang – Photo by Romerz
Fourteen people were arrested in Brickfields tonight at a vigil to express solidarity with activist Wong Chin Huat.
Of the 14, seven of them were from the students’ movement Dema and two from the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall youth section. They are now at a car-park at the Brickfields police stations, though their statements have not yet been recorded. The arrests today come on the heels of 14 arrests last night (though that batch were later released).
Over in Penang, USM masters student Ng Eng Kiat was detained after a “Democracy First” vigil in Penang attended by between 50 and a hundred people outside the Dewan Sri Pinang tonight. He was the emcee of the event.
Black day: Democracy bruised, lawlessness reigns
Siva’s defenders: Simpang Pulai Adun Chan Ming Kai (left) and Teja Adun Chang Lih Kang were among the Speaker’s most forthright “guardians” in the Assembly today – Photo by Anil Netto
It was a dark day for democracy. If the BN thought that its actions in the Perak State Assembly would legitimise its power grab in Perak, it was sadly mistaken. Instead, it has revealed the naked truth to so many Malaysians about how far it would go to strengthen its grip on power, even if it means undermining the very institutions it should defend.
Aliran’s P Ramakrishnan has issued a statement that, among other things, sharply criticises the refusal of the Dewan’s sergeant-at-arms to carry out Speaker Sivakumar’s orders. He also raises the issue of police conduct in helping Umno to install its Speaker:
Speaker Sivakumar: “I was held in a changing room”
A relaxed Speaker Sivakumar safe and sound after a tumultuous day – Photo by Anil Netto
Blow to democracy: Police enter the Perak State Assembly this afternoon
I ran into Sivakumar a couple of hours after he was literally dragged out from the Speaker’s chair in the Perak State Assembly by police and other officers. He looked relaxed after what must have been the most difficult day of his life.
19 arrests; those at vigil being gradually released
2316: The dragnet widens with 19 arrests since last night.
But two of the 14 at the candlelight vigil for Chin Huat tonight have been released and it appears as if the remaining 12 will be also gradually released tonight after police record their particulars. It doesn’t appear as if their statements are being recorded.
1) Wong Chin Huat in KL last night.
Altantuya birthday cake incident in Putrajaya today
Three activists from Solidariti Anak Muda
2) Sani Md Shah
3) Saufi Mihat
4) Yasir Sheikh Abdul Rahman
PRM shortlists candidates for Penanti by-election
Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) aims to put up a candidate for the Penanti by-election in Penang on 31 May. It has already shortlisted a few candidates, believed to be locals.
These were among the issues discussed at a PRM committee meeting this afternoon at its office in Selayang.
The committee is expected to hold another meeting on 22 May, a day before Nomination Day, when it would confirm PRM’s candidacy and candidate for the by-election.
Bakun undersea cables on again; new dam in Pahang?
The on-off project to lay undersea cables to transmit electricity from the jinxed RM7 billion Bakun Dam to the peninsula is now on again.
This time we are told the undersea cables will cost RM9 billion and that the cables will transmit electricity to the peninsula as well as Sabah. Brunei is reportedly also interested.
MRCB has been mentioned in a Star news analysis as a leading contender for the land-based transmission network. The same Star report also notes:
Maybank Investment Bank also observed that among the states, Sarawak had the largest allocation under the second fiscal stimulus. Political analysts noted that Sabah and Sarawak had become politically important states. The rollout of projects in these two states will provide opportunities for home-grown contractors such as Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, Naim Holdings Bhd and Hock Seng Lee Bhd. They have an advantage in being more familiar with the local landscape and people.
Chin Huat’s arrest: Tell me why…
There are many things in life we cannot understand. So many difficult questions, the answers for which me may never discover in our life-time. Why, for instance, is there so much injustice and suffering in this world?
The recession is biting; how are you coping?
The recession has reached our shores, with the IMF forecasting that the Malaysian economy will shrink by 3.5 per cent this year.
Is it affecting you? Is your job secure or have you been laid off? How are you coping? Have you stopped eating out?
Why the crowd restrictions and pondok panas ban?
Tense situation?: Drummers thump rhythmically as others jive to the beat during Nomination Day for the Permatang Pauh by-election last year – Photo by Anil Netto
Here’s another ‘bright’ idea: The Election Commission and the police want to restrict the number of supporters who turn up on nomination day to 5,000 (for each party?). This follows their attempt to ban the “pondok panas” (voter assistance booths) set up by political parties outside the polling centres.
In the first place, how do they plan to ensure that the crowd does not exceed 5,000? What if 5,001 people turn up? Are they going to put up turnstiles outside the nomination centre and issue tickets?
MCA spin on the ISA
MCA Wanita Chief Chew Mei Fun is trying to spin what the public really feels about the ISA. “Everybody is actually looking forward to a review of the ISA,” she says.
Really? Everybody? Most people I know want the ISA repealed not “reviewed”.
Chew seems to be against detention without trial, which is good. So why can’t she come out and demand the outright abolition of the ISA? Okay, she wants the ISA to be renamed Anti-Terrorism Act. But does she think this will stop abuse of power? Remember 2001, when 10 reformasi activists were detained for suspected terror activities – only to be released much later? Remember the Hindraf Five? Remember all those languishing in Kamunting?
Out with this obnoxious law!
[poll id=”36″]
Speaker writes to Sultan requesting Assembly deferral
Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has written to the Perak Sultan to request a postponement of the State Assembly proceedings scheduled for 7 May.
The letter was sent to the Istana Kinta office at 11.00am.
Stop work order imposed, but…
A crane pierces the hill-slope… while residents below live in fear
These look like Class IV slopes – Photos by Tanjung Bunga residents
Residents of Tanjung Bunga are claiming that the developer of a controversial project is defying a stop work order to cease land development work on three plots which they say are not supported by a geotechnical report.
They have taken photos to show that work is continuing on these plots. From these photos, it appears obvious that work is being carried out on Class IV slopes.
Zambry now says some bloggers can report on 7 May
Zambry has distanced himself from the Perak Information Department’s notice restricting the media coverage of the 7 May State Assembly proceedings to 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations. Remarkably, he said the restriction was to ensure the comfort of journalists due to the limited space in the Dewan.
In a blog posting at 5.42pm, Zambry now says that “sesetengah media baru (new media) termasuk rakan-rakan blogger” would be allowed in. What does “sesetengah” mean? Who decides?
Walaupun arahan ini bukan datangnya daripada saya ataupun pejabat saya, adalah menjadi tugas saya untuk menjelaskan mengapa cadangan berkenaan dibuat oleh pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan negeri.
Media may apply to Perak Speaker to cover 7 May
Perak Speaker V Sivakumar has given the green light to all media to write to him for permission to cover the state assembly proceedings on 7 May. His decision is based on Standing Order 84 of the Perak State Legislative Assembly.
Under the Standing Order, cited on Sivakumar’s blog, the Speaker “may grant a general permission to the representative of any journal to attend the sittings of the Assembly under such rules as he may from time to time make for that purpose. If such rules are contravened, such permission may be revoked.”
The Perak State Information Department had earlier issued a written notice saying only journalists from 13 pro-BN mainstream media organisations would be allowed in.