Aarvidi’s Weblog

Raja Petra to be charged tomorrow

What can bloggers do? Either close down or start praising the government, which is the best. The best is ’semua-nya OK’ or ‘close one eye’. God has given me two eyes, and it will be affront to him when I say I am one-eyed. Secondly semua-nya is not ok. JUSTICE ARE YOU BLIND-FOLDED.

Raja Petra to be charged tomorrow

May 5, 08 10:02pm

breaking news Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the webmaster of the news portal Malaysia Today, will be charged tomorrow for sedition at the Magistrates’ Court in the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta.
“I have been ordered to surrender at the Jalan Duta Magistrates Court at 9.30am tomorrow … to be charged for sedition,” he said late this evening.
Last Friday, Raja Petra was called in by the police to have his statement recorded over an Internet posting two weeks ago pertaining to the murder case of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a Mongolian national.

On April 25, Raja Petra posted an article titled ‘Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell’ on his blog, Malaysia Today. The posting implicated Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor in the high-profile case.

Najib subsequently issued a denial through his press secretary Tengku Sariffuddin Tengku Ahmad, whereas Rosmah has also denied the allegations against her.
The Altantunya murder trial is currently ongoing at the Shah Alam.

Refuses to give statement

A close aide to Najib, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda and two police special operations force personnel have been charged with the murder of the Mongolian national.

Raja Petra had subsequently rejected to give his statement to the police, saying that “I refused to play their political game”.

“My article is political. My blog is political. Najib is political. Altantuya is a political issue,” he told reporters.

The 58-year-old blogger is no stranger to controversy. Last November, he was grilled by the police for eight hours after former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhd Taib filed a police report against him.

Taib, who is now regional and rural development minister, had claimed that Raja Petra published postings and articles that were disrespectful to the King and Islam.

Raja Petra to be charged tomorrow

Speaker told not to be a ‘dictator’

What a childish answer to a good question for automatic voters registration. Countries like New Zealand do it. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to ensure every one who is eligible votes. Not the other way round, where you have to register. Some may say it is the voters duty to get registered. But knowing the way the Election Commission works, it makes it as if registering as a voter is a privilege, and the EC decides what is to be done rather than vice versa. The EC is a servant to the voters, so to speak. Without voters there is no EC.

The complications are just imagination of the Prime Minister. The details are on line and I think every voter is savvy enough to find or ask somebody for help. The voter knows where he has to vote and if he can’t make it, that’s is, that’s all - no voting.

The image business is a laugh. The world knows our inefficiency and short coming in out electoral rolls, there is no comment on this.

Fear of being exposed is the main reason why a royal commission is not agreed to. Rashid and gang will be exposed. Our Prime Minister is a good friend of Rashid, but lately, there is some friction, Rashid did not keep to his bargain to ensure Barisan Nasional won hands down in the last election.

‘No’ to automatic voters registration system

Prime Minister Abdullah also has turned down the suggestion to implement an automatic voters registration system for about four million youths who are yet to register as voters.

In a written reply to Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Bukit Bendera) today, the premier said the system will lead to a few “complications” to the voters themselves, if implemented.

This include the possibility of confusion on where the voters shall cast their votes if they do not update the latest residential address with the national registration department, or resulting in a lower turnout if the voting centre located too far away from their registered residential address.

“In view of that, we are worried that the voting turnout will reduce and affect our country’s image in the eyes of the international community. Based on this, the Election Commission is not ready to implement the automatic registration system,” Abdullah said in the reply.

The premier also indirectly shot down Liew’s suggestion for a royal commission on electoral reform, saying any unsatisfied party with the election process can challenge the process through election petition in court.

Speaker told not to be a ‘dictator’

You don’t shake hands like this. Your action belittles what’s in your heart. Hatred and animosity, makes you touch fingers, good for a picture, but bad for your psychic.

Remember The Platters famous ever lasting, Pretenders, enjoy it.  

Technorati Tags: Mahathir,Badawi

KTemoc Konsiders ……..: Royalties going too far?

This is my personal opinion. When Bersih marched to complain about the Election Commission, mal-practices, there was a lot of expectation that the Royalty will use their influence indirectly to bring about change. But unfortunately a lot of us were disappointed when nothing came out of it. The people at that time re-affirmed their loyalty to the Rulers, and seeing Barisan Nasional was not going to ensure the Election Commission was fair, the Bersih Rally was thought to be a failure, but it was a prelude, Hindraf and the legal fraternity marched, and the tsunami of March 8 resulted.

You can’t have the cake and it it as well. As Kaytee points out, if the Rulers want to participate in politics, there should be done on level playing ground, meaning you become one of the contenders without the Royal protection and if you win you can express yourself in a democratic way.

Another point that comes to my mind is, interference or using pressure is now at its beginning stages and perhaps the people are indifferent, but if this should continue the Royalty will lose the support of the people who voted in the elections.

Royalties going too far?

Those ardent monarchists would by now be fairly pissed off with Karpal Singh for what he had said regarding the Perak Sultan’s humiliation of the State’s MB.
As reported by Malaysiakini, Karpal didn’t spar HRH when he declared that Sultan Perak acted unconstitutionally in ordering the new state government to reinstate Jamry Sury as Perak Religious Department director.
Earlier Perak MB Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had dismissed Jamry Sury from that pos.
Karpal said that it has been within the rights of a state government to transfer Jamry for the reason the latter was a state government servant.
Of late, probably sensing their opportunity to regain their old powers lost under Dr M, because they had deemed a politically wounded AAB as weak, the royalties have been clawing back what they believe to be lost royal prerogatives.
In some cases like in Penang and the current Perak issue, it would seem they interfered for no other reason than to flex their muscles and keep the politicians on the back foot.
The royalties have also been in large part encouraged by the general public’s approval, prior to the general election, of their assuming a greater and more direct role in politics. There is one particular blog which has been promoting them beyond their constitutional role.
I did warned that the royalties aren’t silver bullets for the nation’s political problems. In a number of cases, the royalties themselves have ben the problems.
I have also warned that if the royalties want to get themselves involved in politics, they must be prepared to accept criticisms as if they are politicians (whom indeed they have been acting as if they were/are). Well, Karpal has laid into them, starting ironically with the learned Sultan of Perak. Mind you, Karpal is no slouch when it comes to constitutional law.
But I have no doubt tomorrow some UMNO diehards will exploit the situation by accusing Karpal Singh of lèse majesté.
By interfering with State government’s democratic right to rule as the people’s representative, especially in Terengganu, Perlis, Perak and Penang, these royalties believe they can enjoy immunity yet dabble unconstitutionally with politics (when they haven’t been elected - and they should well remember this fact!).
The days of Sultan Mansur Shah are over so these royalties should remember not to interfere with the nation’s democratic process.
They are of course welcome to participate as politicians but they do so like Tengku Abdul Rahman or Tengku Razaleigh, as ordinary citizens without the privilege of royal immunity from all the laws of the country.

KTemoc Konsiders ……..: Royalties going too far?

I love this part of just throwing ideas; throw ideas into the drain, it won’t respond, into the toilet it will be flushed down, to the people using them as guinea pigs, he gets bashed. Ha..ha the last did happen. Rais has got to learn more.

“In so far as travelling is concerned, we can’t impose any regulations. I think Dr Rais was just throwing ideas,” he said according to the official Bernama news agency.

“To me, if you are an adult, even within the country it is difficult to ask them to inform their family where they are going. So if you are an adult, you have to act on your own,” he said.

Syed Hamid shoots down proposed curbs on ‘fly alone’ women

Pakatan Rakyat solution for fuel prices ’simplistic’

Subsidising food is a new issue. What about the Petronas money earlier, no accounts, and it is just guesswork what is done with it. Will we have new information now, and see where the Petronas money goes. Another doubt, does not lowering fuel prices benefit the lower income groups; the idea comes from the opposition and therefore it is simplistic, we are waiting for Shahrir to tell us how the Petronas dollars is going to be utilised. Exciting days are in store for us. Anil Netto, the blogger, has this.

The opposition’s election pledge to use profits from state-owned oil firm Petronas to keep fuel prices low is a “simplistic solution”, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

“If we have RM10 billion, it is better we use it for (subsidising) food than for oil and diesel because it would at least ensure the lower income groups are benefitted from it,” Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad said.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) during the question session this morning on whether the opposition’s pledge on using Petronas profits to subsidise fuel was a “populist” and “not realistic” approach.

In the run-up to the March 8 polls, the opposition parties have campaigned to prevent the Barisan Nasional from getting a two-thirds majority in Parliament by offering voters fuel cuts through the Petronas profits.

The government has also shot down the suggestion previsouly on the basis that the country’s oil and gas reserves will run out in three years.

In answering the Rembau MP’s original question earlier, Shahrir said the government will among others, introduce a measure to uniform the price of essential goods between the Peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak.

Khairy has asked the ministry whether it will introduce a new measure in tackling the issue of price hike for goods in line with the increase of world’s oil and food price to ensure that aids to the lower income group can be made effectively.

Pakatan Rakyat solution for fuel prices ’simplistic’

It is just beginning. There is a long road ahead to convince the authorities that the word Allah is not exclusive to any religion. Another point of interest is the use of Jawi calligraphy in Johore. Lets face it, the calligraphy must have been there for a long time. What brought about the complaint, and why must the religious authorities be so in-sensitive. Read about it here.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has granted leave to review a government order which disallowed Catholic weekly Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in its Bahasa Malaysia articles.

Justice Lau Bee Lan, from the appellate and special powers division, read her decision aloud in a packed courtroom today.

She also held that senior federal counsel Azizah Haji Nawawi’s argument that the declarations sought for by the Herald should be raised in a civil suit and not through a judicial review which was only limited to orders made by the ministry.

Archbishop Murphy Pakiam on behalf of Herald is seeking from the court:

• leave to apply for the ministry to declare that its decision to prohibit Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in its publication is null and void; and that Herald is entitled to use the word ‘Allah’ in the publication and that the word ‘Allah’ is not exclusive to the religion of Islam.

• leave to quash the ministry’s decision in prohibiting Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in its publication

• an order for Herald to continue using ‘Allah’ in its publication until the court decides on the matter.

Herald’s editor Father Lawrence Andrew who was seen smiling after the judgment was delivered said: “We are waiting for justice. We will wait and see what happens at the next stage.”

On March 19, applicant Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of KL filed for a judicial review against the internal security minister and government over the order that disallowed Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in the Bahasa Malaysia section of the publication.

The ministry at that time led by Johari Baharum initially held back the weekly’s publishing licence last year over this matter but later granted a permit with no conditions attached after a stern outcry from the Catholic community.

Court okays review of ministry order against Herald

What have you to say about this. Is it justified. We are not told why the mother was carrying on the illicit relationship.

MUKTSAR: This is one area that could have done without gender equality. Honour killing, hitherto the domain of angry males, now has in 20-year-old Veer Pal Kaur its first woman trigger.
The girl planned her mother’s murder and hired two contract killers for the job who eliminated Mohinder Kaur (45) in Malout town here on Saturday.
Veer Pal was incensed over her mother’s “illicit relationships” with two men who would frequent the house, with one of them routinely staying back with her overnight.
A source said Veer Pal decided on extreme action when, despite repeated suggestions and warnings, Mohinder continued with her liasions without a thought to the family’s prestige.
During police interrogation, it was revealed that the girl hired two persons and promised to pay them Rs 1 lakh to get her mother killed.

Girl gets mother killed to save honour-India-The Times of India

Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi should think before making this statement. The issue of Jamry Suri is over, he has been re-instated as JAIP Director and the Perak Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin is going to apologise to the Sultan of Perak. The warning by Ngeh Koo Ham was for all other senior officers in the State government. Going by this, there must have been other officers wanting to do a Jamri Suri by not listening or treating the Pakatan Rakyat as not being the real masters. So, the warning has got nothing to do with the Royalty.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) — The statement made by the Perak State Executive Councillor, Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham, who is also Perak DAP chairman, Saturday showed the true colour of the DAP, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said Ngeh’s statement that the state government would take action against any senior state government officers who tried to sabotage the policies of the state government under Pakatan Rakyat implied as though Ngeh was protesting the order of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, which reinstated Datuk Jamry Suri as Director of the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIP).
“It’s as though he is protesting the order of His Royal Highness who reinstated Datuk Jamry as JAIP Director,” he told Bernama Sunday night.
He was commenting on press reports which quoted Ngeh as saying that the Perak state government would issue `show cause’ letters to senior officers of the state government who were alleged to have tried to sabotage the policies of the state government under Pakatan Rakyat.
The media Saturday reported that Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin would seek an audience with the Sultan of Perak to apologise for the sudden transfer of Jamry as the JAIP Director.
Jamry, who assumed the post of JAIP Director since 2004, was ordered transferred to the State Secretariat as a Special Functions Officer by Mohammad Nizar on April 29 as he was alleged to be uncooperative.
However, Sultan Azlan Shah ordered the Menteri Besar to retract the transfer order.
Ahmad Zahid suggested that the Datuk Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP) award conferred on Ngeh by the Sultan of Perak be withdrawn in view of statements.

Perak DAP Chairman Shows True Colour Of DAP, Says Ahmad Zahid :: Bernama.com