Kepada YB Ahli-Ahli Parimen BN, Pakatan Harapan dan PAS

Harap YB-YB dapat baca dengan minda terbuka..especially YB-YB dari BN..Terima Kasih ye:

Surat terbuka kepada ahli Parlimen, #BantahTPPA – Syahir Sulaiman

Dengan penuh takzim kepada sekalian yang berhormat ahli Parlimen yang bertanggungjawab ke atas kepentingan negara tercinta, saya mengutus surat ini mengenai suatu isu kritikal yang menjadi dilema negara kita sekarang, dan bakal tercatit sebagai noktah penting dalam sejarah negara untuk dikenang generasi akan datang.

TPPA, Perjanjian bebas yang mengikat

Sebagaimana semua sedia maklum, Malaysia bakal menandatangani Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPPA) pada bulan Februari 2016, sekiranya diluluskan Dewan yang serba mulia dalam perbahasan selama 3 hari yang sangat singkat kelak.

 Rundingan TPPA selama 5 tahun tersebut dimuktamadkan pada 5 Oktober 2015, dan akan diikuti tempoh ratifikasi selama 2 tahun untuk kita meminda undang-undang dalam negara -  lebih 27 akta dan beberapa pekeliling dan aturan Kerajaan - bagi mematuhi peraturan yang terkandung dalam TPPA, seterusnya memberi laluan kepada penguatkuasaan TPPA kepada negara anggota selewatnya pada 2018.

Penyertaan Malaysia di dalam TPPA akan meletakkan Malaysia di dalam kelab 12 buah negara di rantau Lautan Pasifik, iaitu Amerika Syarikat, Australia, Brunei, Kanada, Chile, Jepun, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapura, dan Vietnam yang bakal muncul sebagai sebuah blok ekonomi terpenting di dunia, bagi menyaingi kebangkitan gergasi ekonomi dunia yang baharu, iaitu Brazil, Rusia, India dan China (BRIC).

Tiadalah salah untuk Malaysia menjalin hubungan dagang dengan dunia luar, namun apa yang menjadikan TPPA begitu kontroversi adalah kerana skop perjanjiannya yang lebih komprehensif dan meluas, meliputi aspek harta intelek, tender kerajaan, syarikat berkaitan kerajaan, buruh, dan alam sekitar, berbanding skop ekonomi dan pelaburan yang terkandung dalam FTA biasa.

Secara keseluruhan, TPPA merangkumi 30 bab meliputi bidang tradisional dan bidang baharu.

Ia mengandungi 6,350 muka surat - 595 halaman teks perjanjian, 5,755 halaman lampiran (annexes) berkaitan akses pasaran, syarikat milik kerajaan dan peraturan tempat asal, serta 20 surat sampingan (side letters) yang dipersetujui secara 2 hala mengenai isu spesifik.

Hujah dibalas hujah

Saya mengucapkan tahniah sekiranya yang berhormat berkesempatan untuk mentelaah setiap 6,350 halaman perjanjian tersebut, kerana kami rakyat marhaen di luar ini bukan sahaja tidak berkesempatan, malah tidak berkeupayaan untuk memahami setiap terma yang digunakan dalam perjanjian yang serba mengikat ini.

Dalam memperhalusi kesan perjanjian yang serba mengikat ini, kerajaan hanya melantik konsultan untuk menjalankan kajian impak TPPA selepas rundingan dimuktamadkan pada 5 Oktober 2015, dalam keadaan tiada lagi pindaan yang dibenarkan pada teks perjanjian tersebut.

Sewajarnya kerajaan menjalankan kajian sebelum rundingan ditamatkan, tetapi ternyata kita memilih jalan sebaliknya.

Kerajaan melantik sebuah firma audit antarabangsa, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) yang mengambil masa tidak sampai 2 bulan untuk menjalankan kajian kos dan manfaat (Cost & Benefit Analysis) terhadap negara, dan merumuskan bahawa penyertaan Malaysia dalam TPPA akan membawa manfaat kepada ekonomi dengan peningkatan dalam pertumbuhan KDNK, pertambahan pelaburan serta import dan eksport.

Manakala sebuah badan pemikir tempatan, Institut Kajian Strategik dan Antarabangsa (ISIS) mengambil masa sebulan untuk menyiapkan analisa kepentingan negara (National Interest Analysis), dan menyimpulkan TPPA akan memberi kesan positif kepada kepentingan dan kedaulatan negara.

Malah kerajaan turut menangkis segala tohmahan yang menyatakan TPPA akan menggugat agama Islam, perlembagaan, bumiputera, keselamatan makanan, hak cipta, dan ubat-ubatan.

Di pihak kerajaan pula, siri taklimat dan penerangan tentang TPPA giat dijalankan ke seluruh negara.

Rakyat diberikan jaminan TPPA ini serba indah dan Malaysia bakal ditimpa malang sekiranya tidak menandatangani TPPA sekarang, sebagaimana yang terkandung dalam sesi taklimat Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik (TPPA) bersama ahli Parlimen bertarikh 12 Januari dan dokumen jawapan kepada kebimbangan, salah faham dan tuduhan bertarikh 11 Januari.

Tiga hujah yang dikemukakan kerajaan untuk menyokong penyertaan Malaysia ke dalam TPPA, dan wajar dinilai yang berhormat, antaranya:

Peningkatan pelaburan yang menyumbang kepada pewujudan peluang pekerjaan

Menurut simulasi yang dijalankan PWC, kesan TPPA kepada pertumbuhan ekonomi Malaysia tidaklah terlalu besar – hanya menyumbang kenaikan 1.1% KDNK dan kenaikan 0.9% eksport negara pada 2027, satu lonjakan yang sangat rendah dan tidak signifikan kepada ekonomi negara yang berkembang pada kadar 4% - 6% setahun.

Model ekonomi CGE yang digunakan PWC mengunjurkan GDP akan meningkat sebanyak ASD107-211 bilion dalam tempoh 10 tahun sekiranya Malaysia menyertai TPPA, atau hanya ASD10 bilion setahun (RM40 bilion).

Namun, jika andaian model CGE tersebut direndahkan daripada ‘baseline GDP growth’ 5.0% kepada 4.0% sebagaimana negara maju yang lain, peningkatan GDP Malaysia hanyalah pada kadar ASD85-168 bilion, atau hanya ASD8 bilion setahun.

Akses pasaran ke negara ahli TPPA yang Malaysia belum ada FTA, iaitu Amerika Syarikat, Kanada, Mexico dan Peru

Hakikatnya, sebagaimana dilaporkan kajian PWC, jumlah dagangan Malaysia ke Amerika Syarikat mencecah RM116 bilion dan dijangka terus meningkat, walaupun tanpa TPPA, bermakna lonjakan yang bakal diterima Malaysia adalah sangat minima.

Malah, kajian PWC turut mengunjurkan nilai imbangan dagangan yang lebih rendah sekiranya Malaysia menyertai TPPA, pada kadar USD29.7 bilion berbanding USD42.3 bilion sekiranya tidak menyertai TPPA.

Integrasi lebih menyeluruh dalam rantaian bekalan di peringkat serantau dan global bagi perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS)

Selain TPPA, Malaysia sedang dalam proses rundingan 4 FTA yang lebih meluas di peringkat serantau dan global, iaitu Perkongsian Ekonomi Komprehensif Serantau (RCEP) melibatkan semua 10 negara ASEAN dan 6 rakan FTA ASEAN iaitu China, India, Jepun, Korea Selatan, New Zealand dan Australia; Malaysia-EU melibatkan  Malaysia dan Kesatuan Eropah yang terdiri daripada 27 buah negara; Perjanjian Perkongsian Ekonomi Malaysia - EFTA (MEEPA) di antara Malaysia dan European Free Trade Association yang terdiri daripada Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway dan Switzerland; dan ASEAN-Hong Kong melibatkan semua 10 negara ASEAN dan Hong Kong.

Selain itu, 3 hujah dikemukakan kerajaan berkenaan kesan buruk sekiranya Malaysia tidak menyertai TPPA, dan wajar dibahas yang berhormat, antaranya:

Malaysia akan kurang daya tarikan sebagai destinasi pelaburan bagi pelabur yang mengeksport produk dan perkhidmatan ke pasaran TPPA.

Realitinya, faktor utama yang menjadi daya tarikan sesebuah negara untuk menjadi destinasi pilihan pelabur adalah kestabilan politik, iklim pelaburan yang kondusif, dan kualiti modal insan tempatan, di samping karenah birokrasi dan amalan rasuah yang rendah.

Antara indeks antarabangsa yang mengukur tahap daya saing negara adalah “World Competitiveness Ranking (IMD)”, “Ease of Doing Business (World Bank)”, dan “Corruption Index (Transparency International)”.

Syarikat tempatan dan asing yang kini beroperasi di Malaysia mungkin akan mengecilkan skala operasinya.

Kajian PWC mendapati 3 sektor yang bakal mendapat manfaat adalah perniagaan yang berorientasikan eksport seperti tekstil, komponen automotif, dan elektrikal & elektronik (dikuasai firma Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah).

Manakala 3 sektor yang bakal mendapat kesan negatif adalah industri yang menghadapi persaingan yang lebih sengit pasca-TPPA seperti minyak & gas, minyak sawit, dan pembinaan, di mana sektor ini merupakan penyumbang utama kepada ekonomi negara dan dikuasai syarikat tempatan.

Malaysia akan berdepan dengan persaingan lebih sengit dari Vietnam dan Singapura dalam menarik pelaburan asing.

Dan sekiranya Indonesia, Thailand dan Filipina memilih untuk menyertai TPPA kemudian hari, Malaysia akan ketinggalan lebih jauh.

Elemen tariff dan duti hanyalah faktor sampingan yang menjadi pertimbangan pelabur, bukannya faktor penentu sebagaimana faktor kestabilan politik dan transparensi dalam pasaran tempatan. 

Hakikat globalisasi dan penjajahan moden

Menurut Syeikh Prof. Dr.Yusuf al-Qardhawi, pengertian globalisasi (al-‘Awlamah) hampir sama dengan nilai kesejagatan (al-‘Alamiyyah) yang dibawa Islam.

Namun, menurut Syeikh al-Qardhawi, globalisasi dalam gambaran yang sangat ketara pada hari ini bererti membaratkan dunia (Westernisation) atau mengAmerikakan dunia (Americanisation), dengan tujuan untuk menguasai dunia di bawah satu ungkapan yang lunak iaitu globalisasi bagi menjayakan agenda pemaksaan pengaruh Amerika dan Eropah ke seluruh dunia.

Untuk makluman yang berhormat, perbahasan mengenai sikap dan pendirian Islam terhadap globalisasi moden ini dikupas dengan teliti Dato’ Seri Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Hadi Awang (TGHA) di dalam kertas kerja beliau yang yang diterjemahkan daripada Bahasa Arab berjudul "Globalisasi: Pendirian Islam Mengenainya", dibentangkan sempena Kolokium Antarabangsa Penyatuan Umat Sedunia di Tehran (Urusetia Penerangan Negeri Terengganu, 2003).

Di dalam kertas kerja tersebut, beliau menggariskan bentuk dan pendekatan globalisasi di zaman moden ini, seterusnya mengemukakan tindakan dan strategi yang perlu diambil dunia Islam, dengan mengambil pandangan tokoh ilmuan Islam kontemporari, termasuklah Syeikh Prof Dr.Yusuf al-Qardhawi, Prof Dr. Najmuddin Erbakan, Syeikh Dr Fathi Yakan, dan Syeikh Mohammad Hussin Fadlullah.

Antara sikap yang perlu diambil Malaysia dalam menghadapi cabaran globalisasi ala-Barat dan ala-Amerika ini adalah membebaskan diri daripada penjajahan pemikiran sekular agar dapat kembali kepada agama pemahaman dan pelaksanaan Islam yang sempurna, serta mengurangkan pergantungan kepada Amerika dengan meningkatkan kerjasama sesama negara umat Islam dan negara serantau.

Sewajarnya yang berhormat menyarankan agar kepentingan Malaysia dilindungi secara bermasyarakat madani di kalangan negara serantau (ASEAN), negara satu umat dan seagama (OIC) dan juga satu kemanusiaan (NAM) dengan adil dan saksama,  serta membebaskan Malaysia daripada bergantung dengan dolar Amerika kepada dinar atau mata wang Asia, tanpa bermusuh dengan sesiapa dan tidak berpihak kepada sesiapa.

Berdasarkan pertimbangan di atas, jelas menunjukkan tiada keperluan untuk Malaysia terikat dengan perjanjian TPPA yang tidak menjamin kesejahteraan hidup rakyat, dan tidak membawa manfaat yang besar kepada ekonomi negara, berbanding risiko dan kerugian yang tidak dapat dipastikan.

Mungkin yang berhormat fikir saya ini seorang pesimis. Sebenarnya saya sangat optimis dan yakin akan kemampuan kita sendiri, khususnya kebolehan yang ada di kalangan generasi muda, yang akan mewarisi negara tercinta ini dan memimpinnya ke persada antarabangsa. – 21 Januari, 2016.

* Syahir Sulaiman ialah Pengarah Strategi Dewan Pemuda PAS Malaysia (DPPM)

BANTAH TPPA, JANGAN JUAL NEGARA

BANTAH TPPA, JANGAN JUAL NEGARA

Post-TPP 26 state, federal laws will be amended, 

says Mustapa 

Baca ni pula, ditulis oleh Dr. M:
THE TPP
20 Jan 2016 | Economics

1. The International Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister says it will take two years to amend 26 laws to meet TPP requirements.

2. This is a clear admission that the TPP limits Malaysia’s freedom to make laws deemed necessary for the country. These laws have been passed by the Malaysian Parliament apparently because they were considered essential and god for the country. But now they have to be amended because the TPP is apparently more powerful than our elected parliament in determining what laws Malaysia should have.

3. By the same token future laws to be debated in Parliament must be subjected to the requirements or conditions in the TPP. Being right and suitable for Malaysia’s needs is not enough anymore. The needs of TPP will outweigh Malaysia’s needs.

4. Malaysia is not exactly like the other members of the TPP. We have many sensitivities because of our racial mix, our economic disparities, our poverty rates and our low levels of incomes. To correct all the economic, political and social problems certain policies and laws must be put in place. These are meant for overcoming our domestic problems. But these are no longer enough. If they don’t conform to TPP conditions they may not be passed by Parliament. A part of our independent rights will be eroded. The need to amend 26 of our existing laws carries this implication.

5. When those opposed to the TPP claim that the so-called free-trade agreement would undermine our sovereignty, and our freedom to act in our interest, they are dismissed for being emotional. But now it is clear that the TPP will stand in the way of our legislative rights, a fundamental freedom of a sovereign country.

6. Our founding fathers fought hard to gain independence; to be masters of our own affairs and destiny and now we are going sign away our rights and our freedom because of the need to obey the dictates of TPPA.

7. I have no doubt the rubber-stamp parliament will approve the TPP. That in itself is evidence that we are preparing to submit to foreign forces and give up the Merdeka that our former leaders had fought so hard for.

8. Truly cash is king.

VERSI BM

TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

1. Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) berkata ia akan mengambil masa dua tahun untuk meminda 26 undang-undang untuk memenuhi keperluan TPP.

2. Ini adalah satu pengakuan yang jelas bahawa TPP menghadkan kebebasan Malaysia untuk menggubal undang-undang yang dianggap perlu untuk negara. Undang-undang ini telah diluluskan oleh Parlimen Malaysia kononnya kerana ianya dianggap penting dan baik untuk negara. Tetapi sekarang ianya perlu dipinda kerana TPP nampaknya lebih berkuasa daripada Parlimen kita yang dipilih rakyat dalam menentukan apa undang-undang Malaysia yang sepatutnya.

3. Atas sebab yang sama undang-undang masa depan yang akan dibahaskan di Parlimen mesti tertakluk kepada kemahuan atau syarat-syarat dalam TPP. Tepat dan sesuai untuk keperluan Malaysia sahaja tidak lagi mencukupi. Keperluan TPP akan melebihi keperluan Malaysia.

4. Malaysia tidak sama seperti anggota-anggota TPP yang lain. Kita mempunyai banyak sensitiviti kerana kepelbagaian kaum, jurang ekonomi, kadar kemiskinan dan tahap pendapatan yang rendah. Untuk membetulkan semua masalah ekonomi, politik dan sosial, dasar dan undang-undang tertentu perlu diadakan. Ini adalah bertujuan untuk mengatasi masalah dalaman kita. Tetapi ini semua adalah tidak lagi mencukupi. Jika ianya tidak mematuhi syarat-syarat TPP ianya mungkin tidak akan diluluskan oleh Parlimen. Sebahagian daripada hak-hak kebebasan kita akan terhakis. Keperluan untuk meminda 26 undang-undang yang sedia ada membawa implikasi ini.

5. Apabila mereka yang menentang TPP mendakwa bahawa perjanjian yang dikenali sebagai perdagangan bebas ini akan melemahkan kedaulatan negara, dan kebebasan kita untuk bertindak demi kepentingan diri sendiri, mereka dihalang kerana dianggap beremosi. Tetapi kini adalah jelas bahawa TPP menghalang perjalanan hak-hak perundangan kita, kebebasan asasi negara yang berdaulat.

6. Bapa-bapa pengasas negara kita berjuang bersungguh-sungguh untuk mendapatkan kemerdekaan, supaya kita menjadi penguasa hal ehwal dan takdir diri sendiri, dan sekarang kita akan melepaskan hak dan kebebasan kita kerana perlu mematuhi telunjuk TPPA.

7. Saya tidak ragu-ragu bahawa Parlimen Pak Turut akan meluluskan TPP. Itu sendiri adalah bukti bahawa kita sedang membuat persiapan untuk menyerah kepada kuasa-kuasa asing dan mengorbankan Merdeka yang pemimpin-pemimpin kita yang dahulu telah berjuang begitu keras untuk mendapatnya.

8. Sesungguhnya wang adalah raja.

Al-fatihah untuk Almarhum Tun Razak pejuang bangsa dan negara

Al-fatihah untuk Almarhum Tun Razak dan semua ikon-ikon dan pejuang bangsa dan negara yang telah meninggalkan kita.

I had a long chat with Dato' Rahman yesterday, he was reminiscing the days when he was a young PSD officer in London 40 years ago when Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak was receiving medical treatment for cancer which ultimately took his life. 

He remembered vividly how Toh Puan Rahah, PM Najib's mother carried herself in quite dignity throughout that period in her life yang sangat mencuba and wished that any PM's wife would be like Toh Puan Rahah standing firm and behind the scene giving strong moral support while the PM carried out his duty for the nation. 

This great nation of ours is being shaken morally and economically, what we need now is a Leader who is competent and honest who places nation first before family party or anything else, really some one like Tun Razak and his wife Toh Puan Rahah.

On Dato' Abdul Rahman's request and as a way of commemorating 40 years of Tun Razak's leaving us forever, I am reposting my blog post dated 22nd January 2015:

HARI-HARI TERAKHIR TUN RAZAK DI LONDON by Dato' Abdul Rahman Mohd Noor

I received this email from my old friend Dato' Rahman who has kindly shared some lost moments in our Nation's History when he was a young PSD officer newly stationed in London during the passing of Malaysia's second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak. 

Dato' Rahman request that his article be posted as a lasting legacy for his children and a history lesson for all who would find time through their busy schedule to read:

HARI-HARI TERAKHIR TUN RAZAK DI LONDON

Bagi memperingati pulangnya ke rahmatullah Almarhum Tun Abdul Razak 39 tahun dahulu beberapa catatan telah di sertakan oleh beberapa orang tertentu. Saya secara peribadi, ingin juga berkongsi pengalaman semasa di arahkan menjadi pegawai bertugas selama Almarhum Tun menerima rawatan di London.

2.       Tidak ramai yang mengetahui kehadiran Almarhum Tun  di London untuk menjalani rawatan. Kami mula sadar apabila mantan Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia ke London Almarhum Dato Abdullah Ali telah mengarah kami (katakanlah orang kepercayaan Pak Duta) menjadi pegawai bertugas.

3.       Ekoran daripada arahan tersebut maka mulalah saya dan Tuan Syed Kassim (colleague saya di Jabatan Penuntut Malaysia) berkongsi secara bergilir-gilir melaksanakan tugas selama 7/8 jam setiap hari.

4.       Kami telah diingatkan supaya merahsiakan kehadiran Almarhum Tun daripada warga Malaysia di UK terutama sekali oleh penuntut kerana ianya adalah  arahan daripada Timbalan Perdana Menteri sendiri (Almarhum Tun Hussein).

5.       Pada mulanya Almarhum Tun telah tinggal di York House (rumah tetamu Kerajaan Malaysia). Almarhum Tun amat jarang sekali keluar dari kamar tidur dan hanya menerima pelawat yang dekat dan sah sahaja dibenarkan berjumpa beliau.

6.       Saya dimaklumkan bahawa ada juga ketika Almarhum Tun bersama pembantunya akan bersiar-siar di HydePark pada awal pagi (saya kurang pasti kerana hanya mula bekerja pada jam 9 pagi hingga 4/5 petang atau 5 petang hingga 11/12 malam setiap hari).

7.       Apa yang terpahat diingatan saya adalah cara YAM Tun Rahah (isteri Almarhum) membawa dirinya (carryherself) sepanjang masa beliau mendampingi Almarhum Tun. Beliau senantiasa berwajah ‘elegant’ serta murah dengan senyuman dan menerima tetamu dengan penuh kesantunan yang tulen. Hanya Tuhan sahaja yang mengetahui betapa gundah gulananya perasaan beliau melihat suami terbaring (berehat) sambil melayani tetamu.

8.       Saya pernah juga memerhati secara dekat YAM Tun Asmah (isteri Tun Mahathir) semasa mereka berada di London dan semasa saya di arah untuk mengiringi mereka melawat Universiti Oxford; Sussex University di Brighton (tempat Marina menuntut) dan semasa bertemu penuntut-penuntut Malaysia di Caudiff. Perwatakan mereka berdua hampir sama. Saya juga perhatikan Ibu Negara Iriani Jokowi (isteri Presiden Joko Widowo) mempunyai karektor dan  perwatakan yang hampir sama. Ada kemungkinan besar rakyat Indonesia akan memberi penghormatan yang tinggi kepada beliau sama seperti rakyat Malaysia memberikan penghormatan dan menyanjung YAM Tun Rahah dan YAM Tun Asmah.

9.       Setelah beberapa ketika tinggal di York House, Almarhum Tun telah meminta beliau dipindahkan ke Tower Hotel yang lebih berdekatan dengan Hide Park.

10.     Pada hari yang bersejarah itu, saya ditakdirkan bertugas di sebelah pagi. Sebaik sahaja saya sampai ke tingkat 7 (tempat kediaman Almarhum Tun) saya dikejutkan dengan aktiviti yang luar dari biasa. Saya telah dimaklumkan oleh Pembantu Khas Almarhum Tun, arwah Dato Ghazali Khalid bahawa mereka sedang menunggu ambulan untuk membawa Almarhum Tun ke Hospital.

11.     Almarhum Tun dengan memakai gown mandi (bath towel) telah di usung ke lobi Hotel dengan kerusi roda dan diletakkan di dalam ambulan.

12.     Itulah ketikanya saya dapat melihat tubuh Almarhum dengan jelas. Bukan  sahaja keadaannya amat lemah tetapi mukanya amat cengkung dan seluruh badannya amat kurus sekali.

13.     Saya tidak sedari air mata saya mengalir dan rasa sayu serta emosi saya amat tersentuh. Ini adalah kerana saya anak kelahiran Pekan, Pahang dan rasa terhutang budi kepada Almarhum Tun kerana memberi kerja tetap kerajaan kepada arwah ayah saya (Hj. Mohd Noor Bin Osman).

14.     Saya telah mengiringi ambulan dengan kenderaan saya. Sebaik sahaja Almarhum dimasukkan ke dalam Unit Rapi Harley Street Clinic, saya dan Arwah Dato Ghazali terpaksa kembali ke Tower Hotel untuk mengambil barang-barang ‘personal’ Almarhum Tun. Namun sekembalinya kami ke Harley Street Clinic, pakar yang merawat Almarhum Tun telah mengistiharkan pemergian Almarhum Tun.

15.     Tidak ramai yang ada di sisi Almarhum ketika itu. Salah seorang yang membisikkan syahadah ke telinga Almarhum ialah Tn Hj (arwah) Jamaluddin (Warden Malaysia Hall). Beliaulah yang telah mengambil alih semua urusan menyempurnakan jenazah.

16.     Jenazah Almarhum telah dimandi; di kafan dan di sembahyangkan di East London Mosque sebelum di bawa ke Kedutaan Malaysia di Belgrave Square untuk rakyat Malaysia terutama penuntut-penuntut memberikan penghormatan terakhir.

17.     Sungguhpun jangkamasa pengumuman kematian Almarhum Tun sangat singkat, namun ribuan juga yang sempat datang untuk memberikan penghormatan terakhir.

18.     Kami terpaksa juga menerima kritikan yang amat hebat terutamanya daripada Pemimpin Persatuan Pelajar serta beberapa orang pelajar ‘senior’ yang mempersoalkan keperluan merahsiakan kehadiran Almarhum Tun di London kerana mereka dengan lantang mengatakan  bahawa Almarhum Tun adalah Perdana Menteri mereka juga. Sungguhpun kami bersimpati dengan rasa kecewa mereka tetapi kami perlu patuh untuk memastikan maklumat ini tidak sampai kepada rakyat Malaysia di UK.

19.     Pada sebelah petangnya jenazah telah dibawa di Terminal 4 (bahagian kargo) Heathrow Airport. Apa yang saya kesalkan ialah keranda Almarhum Tun yang hanya di selubungi dengan bendera Malaysia telah di tinggalkan bersendirian di atas ‘tarmac’ beberapa jam sebelum keranda di pindahkan ke pesawat Khas. Maklum sahajalah cuaca ketika itu amat sejuk sekali dan semua pegawai Kedutaan serta individu yang mengiringi jenazah terpaksa berlindung dan memasuki dalam kawasan menunggu yang lebih selesa.

20.     Oleh kerana kematian Almarhum Tun adalah tidak diduga, maka banyak persiapan dibuat secara ‘ad hoc’. Alangkah baiknya jika sekiranya kedutaan ketika itu menjemput pelajar-pelajar melayu Islam untuk sama-sama membantu. Sekurang-kurangnya mereka boleh bertahlil dan bersedekah Yassin sementara menunggu jenazah di bawa pulang ke Malaysia.

21.     Tn Hj Jamaluddin telah mengiringi jenazah sampai ke Lapangan Terbang Subang di mana pihak berkuasa di Malaysia telah mengambil alih. Saya mendapat maklum bahawa sepanjang perjalanan ke Malaysia Tn Hj Jamaluddin telah memimpin bacaan tahlil dan Yassin. Jasanya tidak seharusnya dilupakan oleh sesiapa. Bayangkan betapa sulitnya jika beliau tidak mampu memimpin dan menguruskan jenazah Almarhum dari Harley Street Clinic sehinggalah ke Lapangan Terbang Subang.

22.     Semasa bertugas banyaklah episod-episod yang baik dan yang kurang menyenangkan yang boleh saya kongsikan bersama. Namun biarlah kita tumpukan sahaja kepada legasi-legasi positif yang di tinggalkan oleh Almarhum  Tun  agar rakyat sekarang dan pada masa akan datang akan mengingati beliau sebagai salah satunya anak watan yang terulung.

23.     Almarhum Tun meninggalkan kita di dalam usia yang realitifnya muda dan saya percaya banyak lagi usahanya untuk memperkasakan bangsa melayu amnya dan rakyat Malaysia umumnya yang tidak sempat di laksanakan.

24.     Saya percaya orang yang boleh membantu kita dalam hal ini ialah Dato Amir Yaakub (x Boss saya di Kementah). Beliau pernah menjadi Setiausaha kepada MAGERAN dan Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) semasa Almarhum Tun menjadi Pengerusinya. Perhubungannya dengan Almarhum Tun sangat rapat sekali. Selaku Setiausaha beliau berurusan dengan Almarhum Tun hampir setiap hari bagi membincangkan program dan hala tuju Negara.

25.     Dato Amir pernah menceritakan kepada saya perasaan amat terkilannya kerana pelawaan Almarhum Tun secara beria-ia supaya  beliau mengikuti rombongannya ke London untuk rawatan telah tidak di sambut olehnya. Pada pertemuan mereka yang terakhir Almarhum Tun telah membuka rahsia bahawa beliau bertambah uzur sambil menunjukkan kepada Dato Amir keadaan badannya yang amat kurus dengan membuka butang ‘bush jacket’nya.

26.     Dato Amir telah bersara dari perkhidmatan kerajaan dengan penuh rasa kekecewaan. Jasa besarnya harus dikenang dan di ikhtiraf oleh Kerajaan. ‘That is the least the government can do to reward him for his dedication and for being a true nationalist’.

27.     Saya pernah juga terfikir kenapa banyak ikon-ikon bangsa melayu meninggalkan kita di usia yang masih muda dan dalam keadaan penuh ‘misteri’. Mungkin personaliti seperti Maarof Zakaria (Banker); Hanafiah Raslan (Banker) dan Aminuddin Baki (educationist) belum sempat memberi sumbangan yang optima serta amat bermakna sebelum meninggalkan kita. Begitu juga dengan Almarhum Tun. Pemergian beliau amat dirasai sehingga ke hari ini. Marilah kita bersedekah ‘al-fatihah’ semoga semua mereka ini di cucuri rahmat oleh Allah swt dan diletakkan mereka bersama-sama orang yang solehah. Amin.

ARMNOOR

21/01/2015

Thank You.

Additional reading:

No gambling, spending on wife for Tun Razak

Tun Razak would turn in his grave over state of education, 

says Rafidah

Do you often wonder how serious is the wealth gap in Malaysia?

'Our politicians have wasted too much time on their own positions. It is time for them to shift their attention to the underprivileged group in the society and care more about the revitalization of our economy, trimming of government’s operating expenditures and diverting some of our resources to social welfare programs.'

Lim Sue Goan

From the Malay Mail Online:

Widening wealth gap from GST — Lim Sue Goan

JANUARY 13 — How serious is the wealth gap in Malaysia? Perhaps we can get some idea from two recent pieces of news:

1. Some 18,675 undergraduates in the country’s universities do not have enough money to take proper meals.

2. Sale of Mercedes cars jumped by 56 per cent or 3,913 units last year.

We have undergraduates who can only afford to drink plain water instead of rice, or a very modest RM2 plate of rice with a few pieces of vegetables and gravy. 

In the meantime, housing developers in the country are rushing to introduce luxurious residential units that cost several million ringgit each.

The poor will suffer more in the event of an economic recession while the income gap broadens further. To the have-nots, a RM2 plate of rice is a big deal but to the loaded, RM2,000 for golf membership is way too trivial to mention at all.

Hyperinflation and diving ringgit exchange rate will eat into the meager income of the poor. At a time when cash is king, the rich can afford to bag in great bargains when property prices tumble, and have their wealth inflated remarkably when asset prices pick up later.

While the poor are the hardest hit when goods prices soar, the rich hardly feel the pinch.

World Bank estimates that the Gini coefficient of Malaysia stands at 0.462, above the 0.4 warning level, as the richest 15 per cent controls 80 per cent of the entire society’s wealth. After the latest storm, this gap is anticipated to widen further, sowing the seed of social instability.

In a recent survey conducted by Muslim Volunteer Malaysia on students from six local universities, it is found that 24,914 out of 25,632 respondents require a helping hand from the association, of whom 10,439 could only afford instant noodle for their meals while 14,458 could afford not more than RM5 for a whole day’s food.

It is shocking that 97.2 per cent of undergraduates responding to the survey are actually facing severe life pressure mainly due to their impoverished families. Some of these students even send home the unused portions of their PTPTN loans to help their families.

This points to the fact that life is indeed very tough for the bottom-40 (B40) families.

How could an economic downturn make life so unbearable for these families? I thought the government has implemented the minimal wage scheme? Because of this the government needs to up its BR1M handouts.

Goods prices started to climb soon after GST went into effect last April, followed by the removal of subsidies owing to the government’s straitened financial situation (including electricity rebates and steep public transport fares), topped up by ringgit devaluation that sends prices of imported goods skyrocketing.

As if that is not enough, PTPTN has cut the loans for students of public universities by 5 per cent and private colleges by 15 per cent.

While the government can call GST savior of the national economy, the 6 per cent tax really weighs down the poor. Lest we forget, some 40 per cent of Malaysian families earn less than RM3,000 a month. What they earn is barely enough to make ends meet.

The treasury bagged in RM27 billion of tax revenue from GST last year, and if the poor were to bear only 1 per cent of it, the burden is still way too much for them.

the tougher the life of our poor the more it proves the failure of our social restructuring effort. Instead of giving them fish, why not teach them how to fish? The non-elevation of the job competency of B40 has significantly impeded their potential income growth.

Meanwhile, we have been focusing too much on mega projects and the impressive transformation programs but have grossly overlooked the reformation of the poorest in our society. The government has put too much of its resources on GLCs, grooming aspiring entrepreneurs. And when oil prices tumble, social benefits have to be slashed and the poor are the ones to take the brunt.

Higher education minister Idris Jusoh has called on undergraduates who cannot afford their meals to seek assistance from their respective principals and student affairs offices. But with allocations drastically reduced, how much can these public universities help? As a matter of fact, the most effective way of addressing this problem is to bring down their tuition fees.

Our politicians have wasted too much time on their own positions. It is time for them to shift their attention to the underprivileged group in the society and care more about the revitalization of our economy, trimming of government’s operating expenditures and diverting some of our resources to social welfare programs.

What social justice to talk about if even our people cannot be adequately fed?

No to TPPA! (updated 11 January 2016)

Updated today 11 January 2016:

The Malaysian Cabinet should really call up Dr Jomo to give briefing to them on the effects of the TPPA and the obvious problems that it would cause our future generations:

TPPA will lead to greater inequality, job losses, says economist
The contentious Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) will lead to greater inequality and net job losses over a 10-year period among member countries, said former senior United Nations official and renown economist professor Jomo K.S.

Economic gains from the United States-driven supra-trade pact would also be negligible at 3% over the span of 10 years for developing countries in the TPPA while developed countries would only see gains of less than 1% in the same period, he said.

Jomo said these findings were from a yet-to-be released UN study on the impacts of the TPPA which he had led. The full study uses the UN’s own global policy economic model (GPM) to anticipate the TPPA’s impact on its 12-member countries.

Speaking at a forum on the TPPA today, Jomo said the modest economic impact of the TPPA should force Malaysia to reconsider signing on to it, given that the pact could significantly alter the country’s ability to craft national policy.

This is since unlike previous trade pacts, the TPPA introduces new rules for how a country manages, among others, intellectual property rights, labour affairs and the operations of government-linked companies.

It also allows foreign investors to sue governments through the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism for loss of business and potential profits as a result of national policy decisions.

In his presentation, Jomo said these projections are due to how the TPPA would likely change economic activities in member countries.

“First, the production for export will partly replace production for domestic markets with negative consequences. Exports are less labour intensive and use more imported inputs than production for domestic markets.

“Second, businesses in participating countries will strive to become more competitive by cutting labour costs. This will have a negative effect on income distribution and weaken domestic demand,” Jomo said in his paper titled Why Parliament Should Reject the TPPA in the Public’s Interest.

Jomo was one of the speakers at the Malaysian Economic Association’s forum on the TPPA. Others include Bank Muamalat chairman Tan Sri Mohd Munir Majid, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Datuk Seri Saw Choo Boon and University Malaya law professor Prof Gurdial S. Nijar.

In his comments, Gurdial said the deal’s proponents claimed that the ISDS system had safeguards which prevent frivolous suits against governments.

But these safeguards still did not stop companies from suing several governments over policies which they claimed interfered with their ability to turn a profit.

In 2014, there were 608 governments that were sued under the ISDS primarily by US corporations, with 60% of those suits being against governments in developing countries, said Gurdial.

“We are now suspending bauxite mining operations because of public health and environmental hazards. Imagine with ISDS, if a foreign company was involved in mining and we stopped them, we could get sued.”

Gurdial questioned the impartiality of ISDS as it was an open secret that the judges who sit on these international arbitration tribunals are also lawyers who represent corporations suing governments. – January 11, 2016

Original Post:

Latest news:

TPP will be signed in Feb with or without Malaysia: Mustapa


I think better not sign.

I do not understand why this Najib Gomen is so keen to enter into an agreement which would surrender  our sovereignty to the US and the other big economies in the TPPA. Been talking in the coffee shops and warungs... I think majority Malaysian in the know does not see any benefit for Malaysia to enter the TPPA there will be many traps. Listen to what an internationally renowned Malaysian Economist has to say about the TPPA:

Read this also:

Malaysia should ditch Pacific trade pact – it will hurt trade with China, UN economist warns 

A 12-nation Pacific free trade pact pushed by the United States will not benefit Malaysia as it is meant to isolate fast-growing economic giant China, United Nations economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram said last night

Malaysia is currently in talks to ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) but there has been growing opposition to the deal due to its impact on procurement, medicines and business regulations in the country.

“The purpose of the TPP is to isolate China and you don’t want to do that to your main trading partner,” the prominent Malaysian economist said at the launch of his latest book in Kuala Lumpur.

The former University Malaya academic has worked as the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) since 2005.

Jomo said the trade agreement’s main purpose to isolate China became meaningless after the US narrowed its deficit against the Asian giant.

“The US dollar has devalued the last few years so the huge US deficit with China has closed,” he said after launching his book Malaysia@50 in Universiti Malaya.

“So now it’s yesterday’s problem. Why should we get stuck in such a policy and an agreement which was hatched up earlier?” he added.

The trade pact has been viewed as the US’s entry point into market dominance within Asia, which China sees as an attempt by Washington to overstep on the Chinese’ backyard.

The Wall Street Journal had quoted the former World Bank chief for China, Yukon Huang as saying the pact discouraged and complicated shipping of parts to and from Asian countries.

He pointed out the implication would affect China’s role as the final assembly point for electronic items whose parts are usually from other nations.

Jomo believed that instead of getting into trouble, the Malaysian government should be aware of the potential trade agreement between the US and the European Union.

“The bigger problem now is that the US and EU will come up with an economic NATO that’s going to weaken the WTO,” he said, referring to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation defence pact and the World Trade Organisation.

Jomo expressed concern that a trade pact between Western nations would affect Malaysia’s exports, in particular palm oil which competes with other vegetable oils including the popular soya oil in the US.

“That’s why we need to keep multilateral agreements,” the economist said, explaining that such agreements allow Malaysia to have more control over negotiating the terms.

He also reasoned that Malaysia’s trade negotiators are inexperienced to deal with such a complex agreement, placing the country at a losing end at the bargaining table.

At the centre of the protests against the TPPA is concern that it would destroy the local and smaller enterprises. The agreement has appeared more favourable to foreign established firms that would have the technology and skills to receive tenders. While the awarding of contracts appear merit based, many are worried that Malaysia got the worst end of the deal.

“If this was an APEC deal, we have partners that are negotiable,” said Jomo, referring to the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

“But with bilateral agreements, what power does Malaysia have against other countries?” he added.

Apart from the TPPA, Malaysia is also involved in the negotiations for Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, another trade pact that includes China. It is between Southeast Asian nations, China, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. - October 3, 2013

....of course Dr M is dead against the TPPA too:

Read this post too by Prof. Madya Mohammad Agus Yusoff:

TTPA 1

Prof. Mohammad Agus Yusoff jawab

SAYA menerima banyak permintaan dari sahabat supaya menulis tentang Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans-Pasifik atau Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement yang akan ditandatangani pada Oktober nanti. Pada mulanya saya tidak mahu menulis tentang isu ini kerana mahu serahkan kepada pakar ekonomi untuk menulis mengenainya. Tetapi apabila tidak ada ulasan yang saya harapkan, maka saya menulis juga untuk memberi pencerahan kepada kawan-kawan supaya kita semua tahu tentang inti Perjanjian ini dan kesannya kepada kita.

TPPA adalah perjanjian multilateral terikat yang melibatkan negara Asia Pasifik seperti Australia, AS, New Zealand, Kanada, Mexico, Chile, Brunei, Malaysia dan Vietnam. TPPA ini alah tentang liberalisasi pasaran di mana negara ahli bebas berniaga di pasaran negara ahli secara terbuka sesuai dengan konsep globalisasi.

Masalahnya dengan TPPA ini ialah semua perbincangannya dibuat secara rahsia dan semua teks perbincangan adalah rahsia sehinggalah selepas empat tahun perjanjian dimeterai. Ini bermakna perjanjian TPPA ini meletakkan rakyat dalam kegelapan, sesuatu yang cukup pelik dalam sebuah dunia terbuka tanpa sempadan.

Apabila ditanya mengapa dirahsiakan, jawapan kerajaan adalah standard: Perjanjian ini baik untuk negara kerana memudahkan barangan kita untuk memasuki pasaran luar. Persoalannya, jika TPPA begitu bermanfaat, mengapa teks perjanjian yang sedang dirundingkan tidak dibentangkan untuk pengetahuan umum? Mengapa perlu berahsia?

Saya tanyakan hal di atas kerana terdapat beberapa klausa dalam TPPA ini yang akan memberikan kesan yang cukup besar kepada rakyat dan negara dan cukup membimbangkan saya. Untuk maklumat ringkas, di bawah ini saya perturunkan beberapa kesan negatif yang perlu sangat kita ketahui:

i. Hampir 80% harga ubat akan menjadi mahal, sehingga mencecah 1000% dari harga sekarang. Ini kerana ubat generik yang lebih murah tidak boleh dijual lagi kerana Malaysia terikat menggunakan ubat patented (asli) yang dihasilkan syarikat famarkeutikal dari luar negara. Kesannya akan menyukarkan pesakit berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana kerana kos untuk mendapatkan ubatan menjadi sangat tinggi. Bayangkan jika seorang guru menghidap penyakit barah yang memerlukan ubat bernilai RM7000 sebulan, mampukah mereka untuk membayar kos perubatan semahal itu? Apakah nasib ramai rakyat di negara kita nanti?

ii. Syarikat gergasi akan bebas berniaga di negara kita menyebabkan usahawan-usahawan kecil terpaksa bersaing dengan syarikat gergasi dari luar negara. Ini seolah-olah meletakkan kepentingan syarikat asing mengatasi kepentingan rakyat kita. Ini juga seperti memberi kuasa kepada negara maju seperti AS, Singapura dan Australia untuk mencereboh ekonomi negara kita.

iii. Kerajaan boleh disaman oleh pelabur luar di tribunal antarabangsa yang berpangkalan di Washington dan Geneva jika terdapat dasar-dasar kerajaan yang boleh merugikan hak pelabur luar dan menghalang aktiviti perdagangan mereka. Ini tentunya menjejaskan bidang kuasa kerajaan dalam menentukan apa yang terbaik untuk rakyat dan negara.

iv. Petani kita terpaksa bersaing dengan hasil pertanian luar negara. Lebih merisaukan lagi ialah TPPA bakal memberi kesan buruk ke atas industri padi negara apabila beras dari AS yang menerima subsidi yang tinggi dipasarkan di negara ini. Ratusan ribu keluarga petani padi di negara ini akan terjejas jika TPPA dimeterai.

v. TPPA juga menyebabkan bidang pelaburan dan khidmat undang-undang dan pelbagai khidmat profesional tempatan yang lain terpaksa berhadapan dengan persaingan pasaran terbuka. Mampukah industri perkhidmatan kita berhadapan dengan kemasukan syarikat gergasi ini?

vi. TPPA melanjutkan perlindungan hakcipta bahan-bahan rujukan dari 50 tahun selepas kematian penerbit kepada 120 tahun. Ini bermakna segala bahan-bahan rujukan yang kini percuma dan telah didigitalkan akan menjadi terhad kepada pengguna. Ini juga bermakna segala bahan rujukan wajib dibeli atau wajib dibayar sewa, sekaligus menghadkan kemudahan ilmu kepada rakyat yang kurang mampu.

Justeru implikasi TPPA ini besar kepada rakyat dan negara, maka saya merayu supaya kerajaan mengambil tindakan berikut terlebih dahulu sebelum memetarai perjanjian ini. Antaranya:

i. Menangguhkan perundingan TPPA sehingga segala teks mengenainya didedahkan kepada rakyat untuk mendapatkan maklumbalas. Rakyat berhak tahu dan diberi hak memberi pandangan kerana perjanjian ini melibatkan kualiti hidup mereka.

ii. Ahli parlimen perlu diberi pencerahan dan perlu membahaskan baik buruk Perjanjian ini. Semasa membahaskan hal ini, ahli parlimen perlulah melihat Perjanjian ini dari aspek kebaikannya untuk rakyat dan negara, bukannya berterusan terikat kepada kepentingan parti.

iii. Kerajaan mesti menolak status layanan tempatan yang perlu diberikan kepada syarikat gergasi luar.

Saya akui TPPA ini ada baiknya untuk negara kerana kita bergantung kepada kemasukan pelaburan luar untuk memacu ekonomi negara kita. Namun, setelah mengamati kesan perjanjian ini, saya dapati perundingan TPPA ini perlu disemak semula dengan teliti oleh kerajaan kerana ia memberi kesan besar kepada rakyat. Sekiranya kerajaan mendapati keburukannya lebih banyak dari kebaikan, maka masih belum terlewat untuk kita menarik diri daripada Perjanjian ini.

Harapan saya cuma satu dari keputusan muktamad yang bakal diambil oleh kerajaan nanti: Jangan biarkan anak cucu kita tergadai melalui perjanjian yang bersifat globalisasi ini. Jangan biarkan menang sorak kampung tergadai.

Art Harun speaks on the Indira Gandhi children conversion case

Indira Gandhi - Art of the Matter:

read also:

Indira Gandhi case: Irrelevant if conversion certificate obtained incorrectly, court says

Di antara Vape dan Bauxite

“Islam itu akan indah jika ia melepasi batasan kepentingan ‘orang agama’ dan penguasa. Namun ia akan kelihatan tidak indah jika dikendalikan secara tidak seimbang,” 

Dr. Maza

Ada kebenaran dalam apa yg ditegur Dr. Maza Mufti Negeri Perlis itu:

Asri tegur agamawan ‘berat sebelah’ isu bauksit

PETALING JAYA: Mufti Perlis mempersoalkan golongan agamawan termasuk mufti yang ghairah memberi pandangan dalam isu vape namun membisu berhubung masalah bauksit di Pahang.

Datuk Dr Asri Zainul Abidin menerusi status Facebooknya, berkata betapa bersungguhnya Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) membincangkan isu vape sehingga menjemput semua mufti ke sidang khas bagi membincangkan isu tersebut.

“Di media massa pula, tokoh-tokoh agama berbual ‘sakan’ tentang bahaya vape. Alangkah baiknya jika mereka lebih memberi perhatian terhadap isu bauksit, yang jauh lebih bahaya daripada vape?

“Apakah munasabah Islam hanya mengharamkan vape, tapi mendiamkan diri dalam isu yang jauh lebih besar dan bahaya?” soalnya lagi.

Selain fatwa daripada Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan, antara negeri yang telah mengharamkan vape ialah Pulau Pinang, Melaka, Johor, Kedah, Kelantan dan Terengganu,

Bekas pensyarah Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) itu risau sikap ‘berat sebelah’ yang ditunjukkan agamawan boleh menimbulkan salah faham terhadap Islam.

“Apakah pandangan agama hanya untuk rakyat bawahan sahaja, tetapi ‘sunyi’ segala dalil apabila membabitkan urusan atasan? Saya bimbang generasi muslim yang cerdas berfikir dan golongan bukan muslim akan salah faham terhadap Islam disebabkan sikap kita ini.

“Islam itu akan indah jika ia melepasi batasan kepentingan ‘orang agama’ dan penguasa. Namun ia akan kelihatan tidak indah jika dikendalikan secara tidak seimbang,” katanya.

Beliau sebelum ini pernah melahirkan simpati terhadap penduduk Kuantan yang terjejas ekoran perlombongan bauksit dan menggesa kerajaan bertindak segera mengatasi masalah itu.

I hope Dr. Maza will keep on his critiques of the so called ulamak-ulamak in Malaysia.

National Security Council Bill 2015 open letter to Prime Minister — Joint Bar Councils

JANUARY 6 — The Malaysian Bar, the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak and the Sabah Law Association are seriously concerned with the National Security Council Bill 2015 (“the Bill”) that was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on December 1, 2015, and the Dewan Negara on December 22, 2015.

2. It is worrying that this far-reaching piece of legislation has been hastily dealt with by Parliament despite widespread concerns expressed by various parties. The Government’s refusal to engage meaningfully with critics of the Bill and to properly respond to the mounting criticism of it are regrettable.

3. Further, we are disconcerted that the Government has failed to fully explain the reasons for the Bill. There have been some references to the Lahad Datu incident and the creation of Eastern Sabah Security Command. However, these references are questionable because firstly, the Lahad Datu incident took place more than two years ago. Thus, there was no reason for the sudden rush for this Bill in the past month. Secondly, Article 150 of the Federal Constitution provides for the proclamation of an emergency, which would provide sufficient powers to address any future incidents of territorial incursion, like that of Lahad Datu.

4. We wish to briefly highlight some of our serious concerns on the Bill, as follows:

(a) There is an absence of any reference to relevant provisions of the Federal Constitution such as Article 149 (Legislation against subversion, organised violence, and acts and crimes prejudicial to the public) or Article 150 (Emergency Powers) of the Federal Constitution in the preamble to the Bill despite the wide powers on matters concerning national security and, further, the provisions for the exercise of emergency-like powers; 

(b) The Bill creates a new statutory entity called the National Security Council (“NSC”). It is clear that the NSC is markedly different — in its composition, scope of function and responsibilities — from the existing administrative body also known as the National Security Council. There has been no explanation as to why the NSC has been established as a statutory body by the Bill and clothed with the wide powers under the Bill;

(c) The NSC is to be “the Government’s central authority for considering matters concerning national security” (see Clause 3). Thus, this suggests that NSC will have executive power on national security matters and will have the final say on this critical matter; 

(d) The NSC’s scope of authority on matters concerning national security is unduly broad, as “national security” is not defined in the Bill. The NSC would be able to treat almost any matter as one of national security for the purposes of the Bill. There are no checks and balances to this seemingly unbridled executive power in the hands of the NSC;

(e) The functions of the NSC include “to perform any other functions relating to national security for the proper implementation of this Act” (see Clause 4(d)). The NSC will also have the power to “control” and “issue directives” to “any ministry, department, office, agency, authority, commission, committee, board or council of the Federal Government, or of any of the State Governments, established under any written law or otherwise” on operations or matters concerning national security (see Clauses 2 and 5). Thus, a whole host of instrumentalities of the Federal Government or State Governments — which could include Bank Negara Malaysia, Securities Commission and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission — would be made subservient to the NSC. The independence of these entities could be irreversibly compromised or undermined. Further, the authority of State Governments can be overridden;

(f) It is of critical importance to note that the extensive powers of the NSC over instrumentalities of the Federal Government or State Governments (in Clause 5) is exercisable without a declaration of a “security area” (in Clause 18). This appears to be an unprecedented conferment of executive powers on a statutory body by Parliament, and these enormous powers are available to the NSC even where the conditions for the declaration of a security area (as stated in Clause 18) are not met. In short, the NSC’s powers under Clause 5 are akin to emergency powers, but exercisable without a declaration of emergency under Article 150 by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong;  

(g) The Bill enables the NSC to command the armed forces (see Clause 5 and 19), thus violating Article 41 of the Federal Constitution, which states that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is the supreme commander of the armed forces of the Federation. The Bill further infringes Article 137(1) of the Federal Constitution, which states that it is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who shall be responsible for the command, discipline and administration of, and all other matters relating to, the armed forces. In addition, Section 168(3) of the Armed Forces Act 1972 states that no power vested in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may be affected by any written law;

(h) The composition of the NSC is troubling, as all the members are appointed by the Prime Minister, and the NSC will therefore not be an independent body. The Director General of the NSC is also to be appointed by the Prime Minister (see Clause 15). In contrast, the equivalent NSC in France — i.e. the Council of Defense and National Security — includes the head of state (i.e. the President) in its composition, which provides a measure of check and balance;

(i) It is further troubling that the NSC is empowered to demand that all government entities shall transmit national security-related information or intelligence to it immediately, making the NSC the sole intelligence coordinating agency of the country (see Clause 17); 

(j) The NSC is empowered to advise the Prime Minister to declare any area in Malaysia as a “security area” if the NSC is of the view that the security in that area is “seriously disturbed or threatened by any person, matter or thing which causes or is likely to cause serious harm to the people, or serious harm to the territories, economy, national key infrastructure of Malaysia or any other interest in Malaysia, and requires immediate national response” (see Clause 18(1)). This provision gives the NSC a broad discretion, predicated on wide and vague grounds, to advise that an area be declared as a “security area”.  Thus, Clause 18(1) undoubtedly allows for the exercise of emergency powers that only the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may exercise under Article 150, and is therefore a provision that is unconstitutional; 

(k) The declaration by the Prime Minister in Clause 18(1) is for an initial period of six months and “may be renewed by the Prime Minister from time to time for such period, not exceeding six months at a time” (see Clauses 18(3) and 18(4)). Thus, the Prime Minister may extend the period of the declaration for an unlimited number of times, and therefore for an indeterminate duration of years. There is provision for the declaration to be “laid before Parliament” but this is in the nature of notification to Parliament and not for the purposes of debate and ex post facto sanction by Parliament (see Clause 18(6)); 

(l) Upon a declaration of an area as a “security area”, the NSC would have wide-ranging executive powers. It may issue executive orders that would include the deployment of security forces (such as the police and the armed forces) in the security area (see Clause 19(2)), and may appoint a Director of Operations who is answerable only to the NSC (see Clause 20). The Bill does not provide for the qualifications of the Director of Operations, who is to have enormous and unrestricted powers, such as the power to remove any person from the security area, impose curfew, and control movement of persons or vehicles (see Clauses 22(2), 23 and 24);  

(m) As regards the deployed security forces, they “may, without warrant, arrest any person found committing, alleged to have committed or reasonably suspected of having committed any offence under any written laws in the security area”.  The security forces also have powers to stop and search individuals; enter and search any premises; and take possession of any land, building or movable property (such as cars) in a security area (see Clauses 25 to 30). All constitutional guarantees and fundamental rights of citizens in respect of arrest, search and seizure of property can be ignored or suspended for infringing “any written laws in the security area”. This is a grave violation of the Federal Constitution;

(n) The Bill allows for the creation of a security area where the military may be deployed by the NSC for the purpose of an internal security operation other than armed conflict. Here, the Bill places the command of the military under a civil agency, which is unusual. Further, the law of armed conflict dictates that unless the threat is a “real threat” and “not a perceived threat”, and that it is an act of war between nations, the threat falls within the jurisdiction of the police or any other government agencies, and not under the military;

(o) The Bill also appears to violate the Rules of Engagement (Rules of Confirmation) of the military, by allowing for any member of the security forces to use “reasonable and necessary” force (see Clause 34); and  

(p) Finally, there is power to dispense with inquests in respect of members of the security forces and persons killed within the security area, as long as a Magistrate “is satisfied that the person has been killed in the security area as a result of operations undertaken by the [s]ecurity [f]orces for the purpose of enforcing any written laws” (see Clause 35). “Written laws” are not defined, and could well include laws in respect of minor offences. Thus, this provision permits security forces to use disproportionate force that could result in the loss of lives, with impunity;

5. We consider the Bill to be a serious threat to our system of constitutional government. It is apparent that the Bill vests and concentrates enormous executive and emergency powers in the NSC and the Prime Minister. This upsets the delicate separation of powers in the Constitution between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary on the one hand, and the constitutional monarchy on the other hand.  

6. It would appear that the powers are in effect emergency powers, but without the need for a proclamation of an emergency under Article 150. This usurps the powers vested in the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and effectively resurrects the powers granted to the Government under the Emergency Ordinances, which were repealed by Parliament in 2011. 

7. We are aware of the constant refrain that new powers, such as found in the Bill, are necessary to combat the threat of terrorism. However, we would remind the Government that it has more than enough laws giving it powers to address security concerns. The Bill extends those powers even further, allowing the Government to restrict movement, abandon civil liberties, and administer areas centrally and directly, bypassing state and local government. It avoids public scrutiny and proper accountability, and promotes unfettered discretion and an environment of impunity.        

8. The Malaysian Bar, the Advocates’ Association of Sarawak and the Sabah Law Association urge the Government to seriously reconsider the Bill and not bring it into force, and to engage with all concerned parties on the proper role and function of the NSC. There are fundamental concerns and consequences associated with the NSC Bill that require careful discussion by, and input from all stakeholders involved. The Government should take a step back to properly address these concerns for the sake of the nation. 

Thank you.

* The above open letter was signed in the name of Steven Thiru, President, Malaysian Bar; Leonard Shim, President, Advocates’ Association of Sarawak, and Brenndon Soh, President, Sabah Law Association.

Read the letter in Full here.

I have nothing further to comment except that I hope the Bill recalled then discussed with Malaysians to ensure that  the awesome power of the PM is curtailed under the Act.

Power Corrupts, Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The bauxite mining in Kuantan have caused a lot of problems to the people and the environment, act now before its too late

Updated 7 January 2016:

3-month freeze on bauxite mining too short, says Kuantan MP  which I totally agree.

Stop bauxite mining for health reasons, says Subra yup agree as well, and if vaping can be banned as it causes serious health problem then so should bauxite mining and related activities unless there is a proper modern and safe mitigation is put in place.

Original post:

The bauxite mining have caused a lot of anger and discomfort, please do not wait for people to die because of health reasons or road accidents before the government will act:

Stop speculating on bauxite issue until official statement,

urges Wan Junaidi

Its beyond speculation now YB Menteri dan YAB Menteri Besar Pahang, read the NST today:

Kuantan facing severe danger

KUALA LUMPUR: A team of scientists has warned that the damage to the environment from the indiscriminate and poorly regulated mining of bauxite may be so severe that the ecosystem may never recover. 

The adverse health effects on the Kuantan public could be devastating, and could last for generations. 

The group of 17 professionals covering a diverse array of environmental disciplines have called for the Pahang government to issue an immediate stop work order on bauxite mining in the district. 

This marked the first time that a group of independent scientists had arrived at a consensus and issued a dire and comprehensive warning of the consequences of the unrestrained mining of bauxite in the state. 

Calling itself Responsible Citizens of Malaysia and Conscientious Professionals and Scientists, the group cautioned that Kuantan would suffer long-term health and environmental consequences if the authorities ignored the seven conditions it said must be imposed on every bauxite mine and mining operator. 

It stressed that a moratorium on all the activities must be enforced with immediate effect, saying that this was vital to mitigate the damage. 

Among the recommendations that came with the report on the grave situation in Kuantan was the requirement for miners to produce an Erosion Sediment Control Plan (ESCP), which must be a part of an Environmental Monitoring Plan that is closely and diligently monitored. 

The miners, they said, must also come up with a rehabilitation plan once the mining ceases. 

It was reported that the mining of bauxite would go on at least until next year. 

Their comprehensive, 14-page report on the unfolding disaster stemming from poorly regulated open cast mining of bauxite, which was made exclusively available to the New Sunday Times, also touched extensively on how transportation of the resource not only posed a serious public health threat, but is also causing irreversible environmental damage. 

They reported that the export of bauxite to China had more than quadrupled, from 208,770 tonnes in 2013 to 963,000 tonnes in 2014. Last year, it hit a staggering 20 million tonnes. 

In January of last year, the amount of ore exported was just 343,000 tonnes. By September, the number had risen to an astounding 3.7 million tonnes. 

All at the expense of a suffering Kuantan public, forced to choke on the red dust. 

The NST had, in early August, collected water, marine life and dust samples in Kuantan for independent laboratory analyses. 

The results were startling. At least two other agencies which followed up on the NST’s series of reports on the problem came up with equally worrying findings. 

The authorities, which were supposed to keep the problem in check, have so far not yielded any positive results. 

Their only success to date is reflected in the number of summonses issued to bauxite lorry drivers, although the issuing authority admitted that these tickets were largely ignored. A large portion of the blame had been dumped on illegal miners. 

The NST was made to understand that the group of scientists, whose members had stationed themselves in Kuantan for a few weeks to study the problem which had besieged the city for more than a year, was expected to forward their report to the state government soon. 

The report comes with a recommended action plan. “It is our professional duty and responsibility to objectively and scientifically assess the environmental and human conditions related to this bauxite mining issue and present our recommendations for corrective and remedial measures,” the experts said. 

The scientists said their discovery that ore processing outside of the mineral tenement area, including bauxite-washing that was being done close to water sources, was a cause for grave concern. 

The concern, they said, was real as rivers were being barricaded and dammed up to facilitate washing of the ore to concentrate its bauxite content. 

They added that the stability of these structures, if compromised, could result in serious repercussions to the downstream areas when mud and sediment come gushing down. 

“This very real risk is amplified during the rainy season as the volume of water increases.” This, they said, was in addition to the issue of several water intake points being downstream of many bauxite mines. 

They underscored the risk of heavy metals, including arsenic, mercury and aluminium, as well as other pollutants, entering the rivers during rain. 

The effects on aquatic life in Pahang’s rivers, including the more than 400 species of freshwater fishes, five species of terrapins and numerous species of invertebrates and aquatic plants, can only be guessed. 

“While the present situation is disturbing enough, its longer term persistence would mean that there would be no scope for the affected waterways to return to their original state. 

The changes would be so extreme that the fundamental habitat qualities that support our local biodiversity would be lost and we would be left with a degraded ecosystem,” they cautioned. 

The group also revealed that they had, on Dec 26 and 27, monitored the 24-hour PM10 levels in Bukit Goh, Beserah (just outside residents’ homes), and the Gebeng Industrial Estate, adjacent to Kuantan Port. 

The result: the 24-hour PM10 levels recorded outside the houses were at 222.13 g/m3 (Bukit Goh) and 164.05 g/m3 (Beserah). 

The sampling carried out in Gebeng showed a reading of 276.79μg/m3. All three exceeded the standard levels underlined under the 24-hour Malaysian Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM10, which is 150 μg/m3. 

Samples at the house in Beserah, located close to a bauxite mine and along a bauxite transport route, were taken on a day when the transportation of bauxite had ceased. PM10 dust can easily penetrate the human lower respiratory tract and cause or trigger respiratory problems like asthma, lower respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. 

Depending on the chemical content of the PM10 dust, they may also experience other health problems. 

The scientists highlighted the NST’s August reports on the high levels of arsenic in fish caught in Sungai Pengorak. 

The arsenic content of three fish samples ranged from 70.8 to 104.5g/kg, more than a staggering 70,000 times the permissible limit for arsenic in fish and fishery products of 1mg/kg, under the Malaysian Food Regulation 1985. 

“We should be reminded that the lack of evidence of destruction and harm to the environment and humans should not be used as an excuse not to act or to delay action. 

“When there is potential harm to the environment or humans, we should be proactive and not reactive in our approach. 

“This approach of harm avoidance is based on the Precautionary Principle, which states that when human activities may lead to morally unacceptable harm that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that harm.” 

They said the authorities should not dismiss such reports without investigating for themselves. “A recent news report in the NST (Dec 29) showed a disturbing photo of a young man collecting clams (remis) from the bauxite-contaminated Sungai Pengorak and two children playing in the bauxite-contaminated sea waters off Batu Hitam beach. 

“If heavy metals are present in the river water as we strongly suspect, they will be easily concentrated in the clams, which are bivalves and filter feeders. “Wading and swimming in the contaminated waters are also dangerous as heavy metals in the water can penetrate human skin, eyes and mucous linings. Swimmers will also ingest water,” they warned. 

While the state authorities have played down the risks posed by bauxite mining, the state Fisheries Department had, on Dec 31, warned the public against consuming seafood obtained from bauxite-contaminated waters off Pahang. 

Its director, Adnan Hussain Adnan, also advised against fishing, which he said was not suitable in these areas due to the high level of turbidity. It is understood that the group will also forward their report to Putrajaya. 

“It is absolutely imperative that the state government address the issues by controlling every single mining operation at the source. Only then can they be made sustainable in the long run. 

“A populated area cannot be transformed into a huge mining area without serious consequences to the population of 400,000. 

“The state government cannot abdicate its responsibility to look after the well-being and health of these people. 

“Justifying extensive mining in a well-populated area simply because they give income to a small group of people is totally wrong and unheard of in this day and age. 

“In developed countries, this will undoubtedly result in civil suits,” they said.

Read More : http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/01/120276/kuantan-facing-severe-danger

Rafidah Aziz - System broken in parts, need fixing

Kalau the Iron Lady start bercakap, I stand up and listen:

Rafidah: System ‘broken’ in parts, needs fixing

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Wanita Umno Chief Rafidah Aziz warned in a New Year message that the system in Malaysia was broken in parts and needs fixing, not by consultants, but by the people themselves getting together and working with the government, the private sector and civil society. 

“The government should be inclusive and not keep the civil service out. No consultants were appointed in 1997/1998 during the Asian Currency Crisis.”

“It’s no use harping on the ‘feel good’ factor. The government must take the bull by the horns. It’s time to put our noses to the grindstone, work more, talk less. The 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal and the RM2.6 billion political donation controversy will continue be the hot button issues in 2016.”

She recalled, in digressing a little, that a participant stood up at an economic conference in Berne, Switzerland, and berated Malaysia as a “pariah” country and then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad as worse than Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Rafidah recalled that she restrained herself and explained that the Malaysian government did not need anybody’s validation to do what was necessary to save the country facing the contagion effects of the 1997/98 Asian Currency Crisis.

“We undertook what we believed were the most effective measures, although against conventional wisdom, for addressing the issues that Malaysia was facing then,” reminded Rafidah who was dubbed “the Iron Lady” in her day. “Malaysia succeeded in stemming the impact of the regional crisis and the ensuing recession to get back on the positive growth track.”

Rafidah conceded that Malaysia was not in an economic recession at the moment “but we need to be vigilant as things can continue to slide”.

She also cautioned against exploiting the situation for political gain. “No point finger-pointing and mudslinging. Enough of that! Please!”

“Now is the time for serious focus on economic governance and sanity in the political and social spheres.”

The former Wanita Umno Chief, who was also in the Cabinet at one time, cautioned against the government getting involved in business. “The government should be facilitating business and not getting involved in it. 1MDB, for all its billions, had not brought economic growth to the country.”

“The culture of Cash is King must never be allowed to take root in the country. If Cash is King, there would be greed, dishonesty, disregard for the rule of law, bribery and corruption. Money talks would be the motivation and culture.”

Malaysia, continued Rafidah, has faced many crises in the past – in the economic, political and social spheres – and there’s a need to learn from that past in terms of experience and crisis management.

“There’s a lack of coherence now in communicating with the public. There’s no credibility.”

She drew comparisons with 1997/1998 when the public placed their faith and trust in the government in spite of international criticisms. “The people knew the government was working to put the country back on its feet and bring back growth to the country.”

How I wish, the political leaders we elected into office listen to her advise too.