Police Must Take Action On The Slap Offer

I refer to the incident yesterday where a group of NGO offered RM1200 to any person who would slap DAP’s MP YB Teresa Kok and record it in a video.

This is after the controversial video produced by YB Teresa Kok over the Chinese New Year, which had angered many Malaysians.

Gerakan Youth hereby urged the police to take action against the group of NGO who had offered the slap reward. This is clearly an offer to assault a person which is against the law.

Even if any person is angered by the controversial video, no one should take the law into their own hands.

The controversial video is not the culture of Malaysian Chinese community during the Chinese New Year festivities. No person should try to make it a race or religious issue.

We urge all Malaysians to remain calm over the controversial video and let the police take the appropriate action.

TAN KENG LIANG
Gerakan Youth Chief

ELECTION LAWS SHOULD BE REVIEWED TO PREVENT ABUSE OF PROCESS

I refer to the resignation of PKR’s Kajang state assemblyman yesterday which had caused the need for a by-election. In July, 2008, the President of PKR Dato Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also resign her parliamentary seat at Permatang Pauh to allow her husband to contest there. In April 2009, another PKR former Penang deputy chief minister Mohammad Fairus Khairuddin also resign his state seat at Penanti citing the reason to further his studies.

Under the current law, such as the Federal Constitution (Article 48(6)) and the provision of the state constitution (such as Selangor Constitution – Article 64(5)), a person who resigns his membership of the House of Representatives or Legislative Assembly of the State shall, for a period of 5 years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the House of Representatives or Legislative Assembly of the State.

The existing provision for such situation is clearly not comprehensive as:-

(a)          it does not penalize an assemblyperson who does not wish to continue to contest as an assemblyperson in the near future; and

(b)          it does not ensure that the party which the assemblyperson belongs to (save as for independent candidates), being made responsible for such resignation and thus, making the party more prudent in choosing the candidate in future.

As such, the Election Commission should take the appropriate steps to propose amendment to the Election Act 1958 (including other related act and regulations) as follows:-

(i)            that there shall be a monetary penalty of RM100,000 (for State Legislative Assembly) and RM200,000 (for the House of Representatives) to those assemblyperson who resign his/her membership of the House of Representatives or Legislative Assembly of the State, save as by reason of death, illness or other conditions rendering the assemblyperson unfit to discharge his/her duties. However, if the resignation is by-reason of seeking a fresh mandate from the people for the assemblyperson to enter into another party or coalition, the monetary penalty should be halved; and

(ii)           that the party which the assemblyperson belongs to, shall be disqualified from contesting at the constituency of the assemblyperson, for a period of 5 years beginning with the date on which the resignation takes effect. However, such disqualification should not prohibit other party within a coalition which the party belongs to contest at the by-election or that the resignation is by-reason of seeking a fresh mandate from the people for the assemblyperson to enter into another party or coalition

The aforesaid proposals should be considered in view of the series of events which are occurring lately which clearly abuse the democracy process in our country and wasting taxpayers’ money.

Inquest Over N Dharmendran’s Sudden Death

I refer to the death of N Dharmendran after being remanded at Kuala Lumpur police head quarters.

The deceased, 32-year old was remanded after suspected to have been involved in the shooting of two men in Bandar Tun Razak two weeks ago. The deceased had complained of chest pains at about 9pm on Tuesday while being detained at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters lock-up. He was immediately sent to the Kuala Lumpur hospital for treatment but died upon arrival there.

City police chief Deputy Commissior Datuk Mohmad Salleh said yesterday that post-mortem results revealed the victim might have been murdered while in police custody at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters. He also said that the Bukit Aman CID investigators are now investigating the matter.

Notwithstanding the police quick response to investigate the matter, Kedah Gerakan Youth urged that an “inquest” be conducted to investigate the sudden death of the late N Dharmendran.

The proposed “inquest” is of public importance and must be held at the soonest possible to determine the cause of the sudden death of the late N Dharmendran.

Such death after under police custody would certainly tarnished public confidence in the police force.

It is utmost importance that this matter being investigated by an independent body such an “inquest”.

The cause of the sudden death must be known. Any delay would affect public perception towards the Barisan Nasional government.

Royal Commission Inquiry (RCI) on the 13th General Election

I refer to the recently concluded 13^th General Election in our country.

Since the results being announced, leaders from the opposition Pakatan had been making allegation that the 13^th General Election had involved fraud.

This includes allegation more than 40,000 foreigners had been flew into our country to vote. However, to date, none had been discovered except for a case where a Malaysian Indian man with a Chinese name was mistaken as Bangladeshi. The DAP leader who made the false allegation was reported to have apologized on the matter but only after the polls.

Legally in the event of any dispute or fraud, the opposition could file a petition in court to challenge the results of the polls within 21 days after the results being gazetted (expected in this month). Instead of just doing that, the opposition still continues to organize several rallies to oppose the result of the 13^th General Election. Their leaders had been reported to continue making allegation via public speeches as if there’s fraud in the 13^th General Election.

Such allegation had caused a false public perception over the 13^th General Election and tarnished the image of the Election Commission. To make matters worse, these false allegations continue to be on record in blogs, facebook, twitter and other social media that can be easily accessed over the internet. It may be a source of reference in history.

Thus, Kedah Gerakan Youth proposes to the government that a Royal Commission Inquiry (RCI) be established to:-

(1)             investigate any allegation made towards the 13^th General Election and determine truth behind such allegation; and

(2)             determine any procedural flaws that may have occurred during the 13^th General Election and recommend ways to improve our country’s electoral system.

We hope that the opposition leaders in Pakatan will bring forward concrete evidence to substantiate their allegation of fraud in the 13^th General Election.

Truth need to be on record.

REVIEW MOHD NOOR ABDULLAH POSITION IN MACC COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE

I refer to the statement by former Court of Appeal Judge Mohd Noor Abdullah yesterday who warned that the Malaysian Chinese must be prepared for a backlash from the Malay community for their "betrayal" in the recently concluded 13th general election.

Source: Malaysiakini (12 May 2013)

With due respect to him, the general election is a democratic process where any Malaysian can choose whichever party they wish to vote. Their choice is not an act of betrayal towards any political party or community.

No doubt, Barisan Nasional may have lost the support of majority of Malaysian Chinese in the 13^th general election. However, not all Malaysian Chinese voted for the opposition. There are still a large number of Malaysian Chinese who supported the Barisan Nasional government.

Thus, it’s grossly misleading for him to create a false perception as if all Malaysian Chinese had betrayed the Malay community.

In fact, there are also people from the Malay community who supported the opposition.

As a current member of the MACC complaints committee, Mohd Noor Abdullah should refrain from making any statement that would cause uneasiness among Malaysians after the 13^th general election.

Kedah Gerakan Youth is of the opinion that MACC should review the position of Mohd Noor Abdullah in their complaints committee.

Everyone should work together to unite Malaysians after the 13^th general election and not otherwise.

Hypocrisy In Pakatan's Manifesto

I refer to Pakatan Rakyat’s General Election Manifesto which was launched today.

Kedah Gerakan Youth observes that a number of the promises made in Pakatan’s Manifesto were similar to those made during 2008 General Election. However, these promises were never fulfilled in the states governed by Pakatan. For example:-

1.            To Lower Water Charges

In Pakatan’s Manifesto for 2008 General Election, they promised not to increase Water Tariff in Kedah and may even reduce it. However, in year 2010, Kedah’s Water Tariff was increased upto 100%.

Penang’s Water Tariff was also increased under the pretext of Water Conservation Surcharge.

2.      Implementation of Procurement by Open Tender

         Many of the state projects in Pakatan states were never awarded through Open Tender. Examples are Kedah’s Aman Central RM500 million shopping mall, construction of KUIN main campus (RM330 million), Amansuri condominium (RM109 million), Penang WiFi project (phase 2) and the award of Penang housing consultancy contract for Batu Kawan.

3.            Free University & Abolishment of PTPTN

There are currently 2 major universities under the governance of Pakatan states, being KUIN (Insaniah) and UNISEL. Since taking over Selangor & Kedah, Pakatan had never given free higher education to all students in UNISEL & KUIN. Both these universities relied on students using PTPTN loans to pay their fees. In 2011, Kedah Pakatan government had even increased the fees for KUIN despite protest from its students.

4.      150,000 Affordable Housing For All

Since taking over Kedah, Pakatan Rakyat had failed to build any low cost house for Kedahans. In the Auditor General Report 2010, it was stated that not a single low cost house was built by the Pakatan led Penang government.

 

5.      Academic Freedom & Abolishment of UUCA

In 2010, KUIN (under the administration of Kedah Pakatan government) suspended 5 students who protested against a decision of the university’s administration. The suspension was made under the provisions of UUCA. The suspension of the students was never reduced despite public protest.

6.            To reform laws to regulate logging activities

Despite public protest over environmental damage, Kedah Pakatan government still refuse to stop the logging of forest reserves in the state, including Pedu, Gunung Inas and the latest, Bukit Perangin.

7.      Media Freedom And Restoring Trust In Media Practitioners

In 2011, Kedah Pakatan government barred a number of media from covering Kedah State Assembly after these media reported the state’s failure to handle the flood situation. Even in Penang, certain media are not allowed to cover state functions from time to time.

From the examples above, Kedah Gerakan Youth are skeptical on the sincerity of Pakatan Rakyat in implementing all the promises in their latest manifesto.

The actions taken by Pakatan government in Pakatan states didn’t reflect their promises in the past 5 years.

Thus, we hope Pakatan Rakyat would review their Election Manifesto so as not to mislead Malaysians in the upcoming General Election.

Star (February 21) - Tan: Kedah's debt has risen 50% in five years