PM-designate ticked off for his silence on reforms

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim today slammed Prime Minister-designate Najib Razak for his apparent silence on reforms of the judiciary, media and the economy.

“He never talked about reforms of the judiciary, free media, and democratic process.

“He hasn’t given a clue on how he can manage the economy. These are all worrying signs for the economy,” Anwar told reporters during a break in his sodomy trial.

“We don’t believe the PM-designate Najib is able to function effectively,” he added.

Yesterday Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi confirmed that he would be stepping down next March, paving way for his deputy Najib to take over.

Abdullah also said that he would not be defending his Umno presidency in the party polls in March.

Under the transition plan agreed between Abdullah and Najib, the latter would assume the party and government post as soon as Abdullah stepped down.

However it remains to be seen if Najib would face a challenge for the Umno post. Umno president automatically becomes the prime minister.

PM under siege

Commenting on this today, Anwar said that he was not surprised by Abdullah’s decision yesterday.

“He has given the indication in the past. He is clearly under siege within Umno,” he said.

“I don’t think it is tenable for him to continue under these circumstances,” he added.

He also said that Abdullah must release all Internal Security Act detainees before stepping down and at the same time maintain an independent judiciary.

Anwar was also critical of Najib as the finance minister, stating that the latter was doing nothing in the face of a global economic crisis.

“We have a major economic crisis brewing and the new finance minister is in a state of denial.

“He still maintains as the only finance minister in the world that believes the fundamental of this country is still strong,” added Anwar, who believes he can become the next prime minister with the aid of enough number of defectors from Barisan Nasional to Pakatan Rakyat.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90945

Najib for No 1, Mat Taib for No 2

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today announced he would be contesting the Umno presidency, a day after Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he would not be defending the post.

MCPX

Separately, Umno information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib offered himself as a candidate for the deputy presidency amid speculation that former Youth chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi might drop out of the crowded race even before it begins.

Another heavyweight, vice-president and International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is widely expected to announce his candidacy tomorrow.

But although seen as frontrunner for the No 2 post, there is also some talk that Muhyiddin might be forced to go for broke and challenge Najib for the top post.

Party watchers believe there was currently too much competition for the deputy post, leaving Muhyiddin with little choice but to consider the top post unless some of the other candidates pulled out.

Meanwhile Muhammad (left) – better known as Mat Taib or even by his nickname of Tyson – promised to help stabilise Umno and pledged loyalty to the next president.

The Umno stalwart is the fourth prominent Umno leader to join the chase after Ahmad Zahid, vice-president and Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam and Pulai division head Nur Jazlan Mohamed. 

A former Selangor chief minister, he has been regarded by insiders to be a staunch loyalist of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah had yesterday announced he would not be defending the Umno presidency, clearing the way for Najib to move up the ladder, and in turn leaving the No 2 post open to contest.

By convention, the Umno president and deputy president respectively become the country’s prime minister and deputy prime minister.

Zahid may drop out

Party election for the top posts in the country’s largest political party are due to be held next March, but division meetings to nominate candidates officially begin today until Nov 9.

Machang and Kimanis are reported to be among the first divisions to hold their delegate conferences tomorrow, followed by Besut on Saturday.

In the meantime, all eyes are on the 61-year-old Muhyiddin, the former Johor chief minister, who has been praised by party members for his courage in calling for reform and for Abdullah to step down in favour of Najib.

The surprise entry of Ahmad Zahid into the fray last week had sparked talk that Muhyiddin’s chances might be dimmed.

Muhyiddin’s supporters were upset as Najib could opt to endorse the 53-year-old minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, who was his former political secretary.

“Muhyiddin might feel he could end up with nothing if Ahmad Zahid doesn’t pull out,” political analyst Khoo Kay Peng told Malaysiakini.

“Najib doesn’t have to publicly endorse Zahid, he just needs to spread the word quietly through the grapevine and Muhyiddin’s chances can be reduced.”

“However, we believe there are already ongoing negotiations and if Zahid can be persuaded to drop out, then Muhyiddin will announce his candidacy for No 2,” Khoo added.

Mat Taib promises stability

Nevertheless, according to Mat Taib, there has been no change as far as he knows.

“I am offering myself for the party because the position is vacant,” he told Malaysiakini in a phone interview.

“I think I can contribute to the stability of the party. I think Umno needs to reinforce its strength and become a stronger party.

“I don’t want to see a leadership tussle and I think I would not create an upheaval situation in the party. I am a party loyalist to all the past presidents and I will be loyal to the future president.”

Born in Kampung Sungai Manggis, in Hulu Selangor, Muhammad is a graduate from Universiti Malaya and a former school teacher.

The Umno veteran, who joined the party in 1964 and was elected as vice-president and Selangor deputy state liaison committee head in 2004.

He resigned as Selangor chief minister in 1997 after being charged in Australia for holding currency worth RM3.8 million. He was found not gulity and appointed a senator in 2006 by Abdullah.

Other Umno leaders that party watchers speculated might join the No 2 bandwagon include vice-president Mohd Isa Abdul Samad and Foreign Minister Rais Yatim.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90948

Court lifts gag order over AG’s role

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has lifted a gag order that prevented the media from publishing details of attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail’s alleged involvement in tampering with evidence in Anwar Ibrahim’s trials 10 years ago.

Sessions judge SM Komathy Suppiah ruled today that the details, which had been read out in court yesterday, are admissable in the ongoing proceedings to hear the validity of a transfer order signed by Abdul Gani.

Anwar had claimed trial on Aug 7 to a charge of sodomising his former personal aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, 23.

The prosecution is attempting to move the case to the High Court, but the defence team is resisting this, allegedly due to fear of political interference in the outcome. 

During submissions yesterday, Anwar’s lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah (right) had made startling revelations on Abdul Gani’s alleged involvement based on a court document by police personnel Mat Zain Ibrahim, who was involved in the investigation of Anwar’s ‘black eye’ incident in 1998.

Mat Zain provided details of serious allegations of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of Abdul Gani in the case.

However, the details were disputed by lead prosecutor Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, who said these should not be reported by the press until the evidence is ruled admissible by the court, or it could tarnish the AG’s name.

The court, which sat this morning, also adjourned the proceedings to Oct 31 to accommodate Anwar’s presence in Parliament when it reconvenes on Monday.

Anwar was elected to the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat in a by-election on Aug 26 and is now the opposition leader.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90952

Taib: Stop the ‘lies’ about Sarawak

Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, usually cool in the face of criticism levelled at his government, has reacted badly to recent media reports about the eviction notice served to some 10,000 Kadayan-Malay villagers in Bekenu, near Miri and the alleged rape of Penan girls by logging company workers in the remote Baram area.

At a Hari Raya function in Miri on Monday, he said the reports were nothing but “lies” and demanded that the newspapers corrected them. The irate chief minister also warned that appropriate action would be taken against those who failed to apologise for the ‘false’ reports.

The Borneo Post, a leading local English daily, quoted the chief minister as saying that he regarded the media reports as acts of sabotage against the state.

“Check your information or you will be suspected by the decent people of Sarawak of trying to sabotage us when we have toiled to develop our state,” Taib said, in an apparent reference to reports published last week in both the Star and New Straits Times on the two issues.

Apart from The Borneo Post, several local Chinese dailies also published similar reports.

Local and national papers reported that a large group of Kadayan-Malay land-owners staged a ‘friendly protest’ after a legal firm, acting for a plantation company, last week issued notices seeking to evict them from their ancestral land which is now part of a provisional land lease issued to the company by the state government.

The company is said to be linked to a prominent Chinese businessman with powerful political connections in the state.

An Orang Ulu lawyer acting for some of the aggrieved native customary rights (NCR) landowners told Malaysiakini today that the case has been filed and will be heard in court soon.

Irate chief minister

Taib’s initial reaction to the reports on the protest by the Kadayan-Malay landowners surprised many as he was quoted by local newspapers as saying then that if the land-owners wanted to play rough with him, he was ready to do the same with them, adding that whether they liked it or not, here in Sarawak “I am the government”.

It was initially reported that the chief minister would hold a dialogue with the landowners but yesterday the chief minister changed his mind and instead dispatched his Assistant Land Minister Naroden Majais to meet representatives of the Kadayan-Malay community, led by Pemanca Abu Bakar Pangis, to find ways to resolve the land dispute.

After the meeting, the assistant minister told reporters that the villagers and the Land and Survey Department would carry out a joint survey to determine the location of the NCR land in relation to the leased land. The land lease covers about 5,000 acres and is prime agricultural land.

At another function in Betong yesterday, Taib again lashed out at the newspaper reports, calling them “acts of sabotage” which Sarawakians should ignore as they were written by journalists who had little or no knowledge of the state.

The Borneo Post today quoted him in a front page report as saying, “I have a heavy responsibility looking after the welfare of the people and will not allow the freedom of some newspapers to disrupt our progress and racial harmony.

‘We need to protect Sarawak from some irresponsible people. To protect our political stability, we must work together,” he was reported as saying.

Shocked by ‘sheer arrogance’

Meanwhile, Sarawak PKR legal advisor See Chee How said Taib’s comments were made out of “sheer arrogance”, adding that he was shocked and disappointed with the response of Sarawak BN leaders to the issues brought up by the media.

“Any reasonable government would appreciate the efforts of journalists and newspapers who have the courage to assist in the exposure of these heinous crimes,” said See when contacted by Malaysiakini today. “But unfortunately, the Sarawak government is in a state of denial by dismissing any truth in the published reports.

See said the Sarawak government should assist and facilitate a national effort to investigate the allegations.

“We are talking about the sexual abuse of teenaged school girls,” he said referring to the alleged sexual abuse of Penan girls by logging company workers operating near Penan settlements.

See opined that one of the reasons why the victims have yet to come forward to lodge police reports could be their distrust of law enforcement agencies in Sarawak.

“I do not blame them, considering the circumstances they are in. Before any investigation was carried out, the Marudi district police chief Jonathan Jalin was already reported to be dismissing the allegations, saying that there was no evidence to support them.

“How can we expect a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter from the force in Sarawak which has already dismissed the allegations before any investigation has taken place?” he asked.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90932

Pak Lah: I hope Najib will be my successor

Below is Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s brief question-and-answer session with journalists after his 90-minute meeting with the Barisan Nasional component party leaders.

The press conference lasted for about 25 minutes. Before answering questions, Abdullah read out a prepared statement in two languages – in Bahasa Malaysia, then English – to announce his decision to step down next March.

What do you feel about stepping down?

I feel alright, I feel alright. The party BN still leads, BN is still the party that forms the government and I believe this government will be able to remain strong until the next general election, whenever that may be and Insyaallah (God willing) we will win.

Will you be stepping down as prime minister?

Well, at some point I have to hand over to my successor.

Who is your successor?

I hope it is Najib. Why do I say hope? Najib has to stand for Umno elections first. Once he wins the elections and becomes party president then we will discuss about it (the power transfer).

What do you feel about being forced out?

You ask them whether or not they forced me out.

But you have been forced out earlier than planned and you have made it clear that…

I know that I did not do well in the last general election and I think it is time that somebody else takes over and there is nothing wrong about it.

Is this your final decision?

Yes.

Do you feel sorry that you have opened up and liberalised a lot (of policies) and that this has come back to haunt you.

I do not regret what I have done. How the people react and respond to them is up to them. What people think about it does not matter, what matters is that it’s done and this reform will take effect effectively.

I have always believed and open to democratic discourse, I have believed it all this while and I made it known in my 2004 general election manifesto.

People always have the idea that the manifesto was meant specifically for the five years I would be in power but the manifesto is something that spells out many things which I believe were different from what (Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad) was doing before.

Some would be the same, some would be different strategies because I was thinking ahead of the year 2020.

I know I would not be around until the year 2020. If I am still around I would more than 80 years old and nobody would want an 80-year-old man hanging around. Surely we would have the younger people ready to lead the party.

What is more important is that we’ve held up with what we do and I happen to believe in Vision 2020, but I have also introduced the National Mission which I think is absolutely necessary.

I am the last of the (former Umno president and prime minister) Abdul Razak generation in the government to lead, after this there is no more. Razak’s son will lead, completely with new people.

Do the other BN component party leaders accept Najib as the new prime minister?

They accept the plan well. I leave it to them, I did not plead (for support), whatever they express are their own views, this is not a campaign event.

If there are those who still want to nominate you (to defend the party post) despite your decision not to defend your post, would you accept it?

What can I do? If people want to do that I can’t stop them but I already informed them earlier on (about my decision).

Will you pick a deputy for Najib?

No, I have no wish to pick a deputy for him.

You have just announced your reform agenda, will you consider abolishing the Internal Security Act and form the Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission before you step down?

There are certain things that I can do right away and there are certain things that requires a lot of time and maybe I don’t have the time to do that.

Regarding your intention to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Agency and the setting up of the special judicial appointment commission, do you think you will face any obstructions?

Insyaallah there will be no obstruction, should there be any difference of opinions, I don’t think it will be an obstruction.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90921

PM not contesting, to quit in March

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has decided not to defend his Umno president’s post and will quit in March next year when the ruling party meets for its annual general assembly.

MCPX

The embattled premier announced this today to a packed press conference after chairing a 90-minute BN special supreme council meeting.

He added that his decision not to contest in the Umno polls was not to create a rift in the party.

“I am announcing I will not seek the presidency of Umno in the upcoming elections. I do not want a divided party and governing coalition, but one that is united and harmonious,” Abdullah, 68, told a packed press conference, referring to the party’s internal leadership vote in March.

Under the power transition plan agreed between Abdullah and his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, 55, the deputy premier will take over as soon as Abdullah steps down.

“At some point I will have to hand over to my successor,” he added.

He said that he hoped the person who will take over from him would be Najib.

“I hope it is Najib. Why do I say hope? Najib has to stand for Umno elections first. Once he wins the elections and becomes party president then we will discuss it (the transition),” he said.

“It is not the time for us to indulge in infighting or engage in narrow politics, it is now time for us to strengthen our unity and cooperate among ourselves and place the interests of the country above all.”

Abdullah also said that he would want to implement his promises in reforming the judiciary and to give more bite to the Anti-Corruption Agency to fight graft before he leaves.

He added that Najib had agreed to back these initiatives.

Najib did not comment on the matter today, saying that he would hold a press conference tomorrow.

Cleaning up the judiciary, police force

In pursuing these reforms, Abdullah said that he will be tabling two key bills in the Parliament before the end of his term – the Judicial Appointments Commission and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The outgoing premier also vowed to push through the controversial Special Complaints Commission, which has been stalled in Parliament.

Abdullah had spoken much about these reforms in the past but to date no concrete action has been taken to get them moving.

“These initiatives are important because they are necessary to move our country forward. These initiatives are needed to regain our country’s competitiveness. They are necessary to enable our nation and our society to face the challenges that the world has in store for us.”

Earlier a component party leader told Malaysiakini that after Abdullah’s announcement, the BN leaders took turns to thank him for his leadership over the past five years.

While Abdullah was briefing BN leaders on the power transfer plan at the meeting, scores of his supporters had gathered outside the PWTC building to urge him to stay on.

Armed with banners, the supporters called on the embattled premier to continue until 2010 amid the now confirmed speculation that he might be forced to step down earlier.

Seen as weak and ineffective

Should Abdullah resign as prime minister in March 2009, he would be one of the most shortest-serving prime ministers – his term lasted five years five months.

The country’s second prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, who died in office in 1976, served for five years four months.

Meanwhile, third prime minister Hussein Onn, who resigned in 1981 to make way for Dr Mahathir Mohamad ostensibly due to health concerns, served for five years six months.

Mahathir went on to serve for 22 years – the country’s longest. Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, on the other hand, was at the helm for 14 years.

Nevertheless, it is possible that Abdullah may continue to serve as premier for a few more months despite no longer being Umno president.

Abdullah, who took power on Oct 31, 2003 from Mahathir, won a landslide victory in the March 2004 general election only to suffer an unprecedented defeat exactly four years later.

He was initially buoyed by a groundswell of support for his promises of reform after two decades of hardline rule under Mahathir – the country’s longest serving leader.

However, he was quickly seen as weak and ineffective after failing to come to grips with endemic corruption, high crime rates and inefficient bureaucracy, issues which he had vowed to address in his 2004 election manifesto.

Ali Rustam: Resignation will unite party

Umno vice-president Mohamad Ali Rustam, a possible contender for the newly vacated deputy premier’s post, said Abdullah’s announcement would revitalise the party which has been in disarray since the elections.

“This will unite Umno and Barisan Nasional so that we can win the next election. I hope all Umno members will support Najib,” he said. “Najib has to regain public confidence for the Barisan Nasional.”

BN’s coalition partners representing ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities were almost wiped out in the elections.

“Barisan Nasional’s challenge is to see how it can concretely carry out reforms. BN needs rebranding. It has to change its attitude and approach,” said Dr Koh Tsu Koon, chief of the predominantly Chinese Gerakan.

“The next general election is not going to be easy unless we really, really reform,” he added.

Political observers said Najib faced a massive task to revitalise the government which is seen as out of touch and riddled with corruption and cronyism.

“He certainly will want to portray himself as a reformer, he will need to do that in order to survive, but voter patience is a lot thinner now than a few years ago,” said Ibrahim Suffian from the Merdeka Centre research firm.

“With the advent of a new leader they might salvage some sort of hope and credibility,” he said.

 

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90898

Umno leader: PM has decided to stay put

Embattled Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has decided to defend his post after a three-hour meeting with his supporters that dragged into the wee hours of the morning.

MCPX

In a posting on his blog, Umno leader Ruhanie Ahmad said the meeting, which started at about 11pm, was held at the prime minister’s official residence in Putrajaya.

Ruhanie, the former Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBC) chairperson, added that some 200 supporters had attended the meeting, including some of the staunch supporters of Umno vice-president Mohd Ali Rustam.

He said that Abdullah is expected to announce his decision to stay on at the BN special supreme council meeting scheduled for 3.30pm this afternoon.

The premier, who took over the reins of the party and nation in 2003, has come under intense pressure to step down since the ruling coalition’s dismal showing in the March 8 polls.

Anwar Wins Round 1 Of Legal Battle

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has won the first round of a legal battle against a transfer of his sodomy trial to the High Court, after a sessions court judge ruled that the lower court had the right to hear the defence’s objections to the transfer.

Anwar is accused of sodomising a 23-year-old former male aide and faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

Without making public his reasons, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail had ordered the case to be transferred to the High Court.

But Tuesday (7 Oct), Judge Komathy Suppiah dealt a blow to the prosecution team when she rejected their argument that the lower court “has no choice” but to allow the transfer. The Sessions Court will continue today to hear arguments from both sides over the transfer.

Anwar has dismissed the sodomy allegation as a political plot by the government, and told reporters yesterday that he still has enough support to topple the government but will need to discuss with opposition leaders as to how his Pakatan Rakyat coalition will carry out his delayed plan to take over.

“They have not reneged on their commitment,” he said, of the government MPs who have allegedly pledged to support the opposition.

He has said in the past that more than 31 lawmakers from Barisan Nasional (BN) are willing to defect to Pakatan Rakyat.

Anwar said leaders of the three parties in the opposition alliance were meeting yesterday to explore their options.

An official from Anwar’s Keadilan Rakyat party said the strategies included seeking an audience with Malaysia’s King to claim a mandate to rule.

Anwar also brushed off an impending transition between Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and his deputy, Najib Razak, saying it would not boost support for the BN nor improve the economy or corruption. “I believe it is going to be worse under Najib.”

Commenting on his sodomy trial, he said he feared the government could fix the trial if it were heard in the High Court. “I am concerned over the issue of fair trial. I find it difficult to understand why the Attorney-General is so desperate, fighting tooth and nail to go to the High Court. That has raised a lot of suspicion,” Anwar told reporters during a break in court proceedings.

Defence lawyers say moving the case to the higher court is unnecessary. They also question the motives of Abdul Gani, who signed the transfer order.

Anwar has already launched a suit against Abdul Gani, alleging that he fabricated evidence in the opposition leader’s previous sodomy trial in 1998.

Defence counsel Sulaiman Abdullah told the court that, “there is a real and reasonable fear that the decision to transfer the case has been motivated by personal vengeance, or even worse, political pressure”.

He argued that PM Abdullah had given a public reassurance that the Attorney-General would not be involved in the latest case. (By HAZLIN HASSAN/ The Straits Times/ ANN)

Sapp’s Yong: PM won’t give up top post

Sabah Progressive Party President Yong Teck Lee does not think that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will relinquish the Umno presidency without a fight – as many political pundits have predicted.

“The reasons being that he has the majority support of Umno members and the people of Malaysia who have voted for BN and he has a comfortable majority in Parliament,” Yong was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Yong also said Sapp would not return to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition even if Abdullah announce an early leadership transition today.

“It is not a personal issue that if Pak Lah were to leave… we (Sapp) will be back in BN. We are looking at issues at large, and not necessarily just the Prime Minister of the day,” the maverick Sabah leader said.

The 68-year old Abdullah is due to chair a BN supreme council meeting at 3.30 pm today. He has promised to let the nation know if he will defend his Umno presidency at party election slated for March next year.

Abdullah is widely expected to endorse his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak, as his successor. By convention, the president of Umno also becomes the country’s premier and chairman of the BN.

According to Yong, Sapp withdrew from the BN on Sept 17 because of its frustration over the delay in getting a sustainable solution to the problems now afflicting Sabahans.

He also said state Deputy Chief Minister Raymond Tan Shu Kiah had still not submitted his resignation letter to Sapp. Tan, the deputy president of Sapp, had declared himself a ‘Barisan independent’ after the party pulled out of the BN.

Source from : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90857

Save the Penan girls from the monsters

Shirina Rashid: In response to the issue of the sexual crimes against young Penan girls which has been in the news of a late, a reader like myself is left not only enraged but also agreeing with those who are calling for the authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Recalling some history lessons at high school on colonialism during the rise of the Western empires of the past where there were true historical accounts of European colonialists who took advantage of the female indigenous natives, I thought this kind of thing would never repeat itself in the future.

Sadly, this disgusting act has recurred and this time it is happening in this century and in our home country. I would like to pose this question, are we going to allow these monsters get away with their crimes which they are likely to repeat it all over again in the future?

Are we going to just stand and pretend that nothing ever happened to the Penan girls? The answer is no! We are not going to let them escape nor will we ignore these victims.

Those Penan girls are like you, me and everyone else. They have feelings, they have their rights to be kept safe from harm and be treated with dignity and respect not as objects. They are no lesser than the anyone else and they are human beings.

This incident is a not just a call for us to stand up and fight against those who harmed those girls but also an opportunity for us to ensure the victims and their families get the justice they are waiting for.

I hope the public, the authorities and the MPs of Sarawak will band together and take action against these monsters who think it is okay to hurt the Penan girls.

As for the perpetrators, you should be ashamed of yourselves and sooner or later the law shall take you down. We do not condone such monsters in our society.

On Perak may ‘seize’ ISA detention camp site

Sitha: Great thinking and yes, you guys rock! We really hope for the success of this proposal and there is no reason for any one to reject it.

The camp seriously needs to be abolished. As a first step, remove it from Kamunting, Taiping.

During my drive back from my hometown last weekend, I passed Taiping and, of course, Kamunting. It is a place which I liked most because of the quietness and the greenery but now, it gives me a sorrowful feeling passing by there.

This because knowing that is a place where people are kept cruelly and unconstitutionally. Well, it definitely does not function as a ‘tourist spot’. So, remove it.

Augustine: Well done I say if the Perak government can seize ISA detention camp site.

It will be of more benefit if the land is use to build schools, hospitals or low-cost housing rather than keeping innocent people locked up.

If the BN government really needs a detention center, then better build in Johor Baru next to Syed Hamid Albar’s house.

As he is the minister in charge of security, that is the right place so that he can make frequent visits.

Pakatan Rakyat has been fighting to abolish the ISA so it is better to move this detention centre to a BN-controlled state.

Allow the BN federal government to first suggest where they want to move this detention camp to since they are so much in favour of it.

Taken from : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/90856