jelas.info

Update: There will be a vigil to support the two tonight, 13th July, 8pm – the group will gather at the mamak restaurant in front of the UM KL entrance.

Last night, two individuals - Ong Jing Cheng and Yap Heng Lung - were arrested for “trespassing” in Universiti Malaya. Their “crime?”

Being non-Malay in a “Malays only” area :|

And what area is this that is “Malays only?” – The Academy of Islamic Studies.

Last I checked, it is the duty of Muslims to spread their faith, to encourage an understanding of the religion to non-believers.

So is this “Malays only” (at the pain of police arrest) policy something from Islam? Or something from racist, segregationist UM policies and blur cops?

Are parts of UM – a public university – off limits to people of certain ethnicities or religions?

Is it now illegal to have friends in university of different faiths?

What on earth is going on here?!

Ong and Yap are both deeply motivated activists who work to Malaysia a better place. Their efforts cross racial lines, and for their trouble, they landed a night in jail.

Another ridiculous aspect of this case is how having a draft memorandum aimed at helping crime-fighting efforts was interpreted as subversive when a) it’s in the interests of citizens plagued by crime and b) has absolutely nothing to do with the university.

Bodohnya!

I will be following the case closely and will post up any updates I get on this post. The following is the full statement from DEMA which narrates the incident.

ps- thanks to help from John Lee: Section 447 of the Penal Code is criminal tresspassing, which is defined in Section 441 as “Whoever enters into or upon property in the possession of another with intent to commit an offence or to intimidate, insult or annoy any person in possession of such property; or having lawfully entered into or upon such property, unlawfully remains there with intent thereby to intimidate, insult or annoy any such person, or with intent to commit an offence, is said to commit
“criminal trespass”.” Right. I’m sure that’s exactly what those two intended to do :|

Continue reading »

Just a late thank you to friends and relatives who have been great in updating the original post on Father OC with all the latest information – there’s a tremendous amount of delightful detail and support there :) Pls see and (continue adding to) all their comments there for the most up to date information :)

Just wanted to highlight the plight of a young man from a poor background who needs funds for back surgery.

His name is Thiruspatirao, and he will be sitting for his SPM this year. His dad is a factory worker and his mom a kindergarden teacher, and the family has two more younger children to support.

They can’t afford the RM 20,000 surgery, so their ADUN, Nik Nazmi is making a public appeal for support, reproduced below.

Direct bank-in details:

Name: Sri Ramuloo a/p Muthaloo (Mother)
Bank: BSN Giro
Account Number: 10113-29-85153611-7
Tel number: 012-6657078 – Veloo (Father).

Hope you can contribute a little!

Baru-baru ini sebuah keluarga yang tinggal di Desa Mentari datang bertemu saya di Klinik Khidmat Rakyat saya bagi mengadu masalah mereka. Anak kedua mereka, Thiruspatirao yang merupakan calon SPM 2009 di SM Subang Jaya menghidapi masalah tulang belakang bengkok dan memerlukan pembedahan bagi membetulkannya.

Kos yang diberikan oleh Pusat Perubatan UM adalah sebanyak RM20,000 untuk pembedahan sahaja, tidak termasuk kos-kos sampingan lain. Bapanya seorang buruh kilang manakala ibunya pula guru Taska. Keluarga mereka masih menyara dua orang lagi adik beradiknya yang masih belajar. Maka mereka tidak mampu membayar kos pembedahan tersebut.

Saya sudah cuba menghubungi beberapa agensi kerajaan bagi mendapatkan bantuan tetapi prosesnya memakan masa dan belum tentu lagi mereka mendapat bantuan tersebut. Saya juga memberikan sumbangan daripada peruntukan saya, tetapi banyak lagi yang diperlukan. Oleh itu semalam saya mengadakan sidang media bagi meminta orang awam yang ingin membantu untuk menghubungi pejabat DUN saya sama ada 03-78063660 (Saifullah) ataupun e-mel kepada saya sendiri niknazmi@niknazmi.com.

Saya pasti sumbangan anda bakal membantu pelajar lincah ini untuk menghadapi peperiksaan dan menjalankan kehidupan biasa.

Gambar sidang media boleh dilihat di sini.

Egad. I think policy wise, these guys couldn’t find their butt with both hands if it weren’t for how Pakatan led the way.

“Liberalisation” of economic policies, 1Malaysia, scholarships, and now this, switching back to BM for Science & Maths – it’s like they’re making PKR BN’s biggest think tank.

What a bunch of copycats.

Well. They’re not strategically inept though, I’ll admit. I’m sure Pakatan will take credit for the idea, but they have to remember that they will have to work and prove themselves as better administrators in the states that they run.

Hmm. I also wonder – is Najib moving towards elections? Hmm…….

pre-script: Do note that there will be a mass anti-ISA march organised for the 1st of August. I’ll update with details.

Yup, looks like the ISA is alive and well, and still being used to terrorise citizens.

When we think of detention without trial, it’s often prominent political figures that come to mind – but many ordinary Malaysians suffer, not only under ISA, but also under the Emergency Ordinance and so on.

Below is the full GMI (Anti-ISA Movement) statement on recent arrests, astoundingly made on the same day that Kerishamuddin announced ISA ‘reforms.’

Let’s take a look at said reforms, from an old article:

The Government is looking into a proposal to reduce the detention period under the Internal Security Act from 60 to 28 days, said Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

This is both stupid and misleading.

The ISA allows for detention without trial INFINITELY.

The process is this: the police can detain a suspect without trial under the ISA at their complete discretion. They can do this for a maximum of 60 days (what Kerishamuddin is talking about changing to 28).

After these 60 days, the Home Minister needs to sign a detention order, which means that the suspect can be held in Kamunting for up to two years.

Now here’s the clincher: the Home Minister can renew this detention order INDEFINITELY. There has be NO talk of reviewing this particular, pivotal position.

So what dumb difference does it make if you hold him for 32 days less under police custody, if a suspect can still spend his entire life in Kamunting (as some ISA detainees appear to be doing) ???!!?!!

I think we can therefore rubbish all this talk of ‘reviewing the ISA.’

And once again, we see indications that the ISA is still being used abundantly, albeit quietly, with little or no media exposure:

GERAKAN MANSUHKAN ISA
PRESS STATEMENT: 3rd July 2009

Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI) is astonished to learn of the latest arrest under the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA) in the midst of Government’s talks about reviewing the Act. According to the information received, Sulaiman Bin Bukhari, Latif Bin Omar and Samsudin (full name was not able to be obtained) were arrested under the ISA on 25th June 2009 at Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru. They were alleged to be members of Jemaah Islamiyaah (JI). GMI calls on the government to verify this latest arrest.

If the information received by GMI is true then we completely condemn the arrest and demand for the detainees to be put on trial or released immediately. If the information is true, it is ashamed that the government is again practising double standards and double talks in issues related to ISA. On one hand, review of ISA and releases of detainees were announced in April and May but on the other hand, new detention were carried out and mind you, discretely at that as no announcements were made.

GMI finds it astonishing that the arrests were made on the same day (25th June) the Home Minister mentioned in Parliament of the government’s “plans” to review the draconian ISA. He also mentioned that there were 12 people serving detention orders under ISA. The secrecy and unscrupulous practice that surrounds the use of ISA goes against the principles of justice, truth and transparency. It again exhibited the true colour of the ISA, which is extremely arbitrary and has nothing to do with national security. It has further confirmed that the ISA is only a political tool to silence dissidents and critics of the government. We demand the government to release them immediately or charge them in open court.

GMI urges the people of Malaysia to demand for the release of all ISA detainees and abolish the ISA once and for all. We would like to invite all the concerned citizens of all races, religion and culture to come and join us in the Abolish ISA Rally on the 1st of August 2009 in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with 49th year’s existence of ISA. Lets us fight for our rights and for a better Malaysia without the ISA which allows detention without trial.

Abolish the ISA!!!
Release all ISA detainees!!!
Close KEMTA!!!

Released by,
Nalini.E
Secretariat GMI