No chance to invest in ASW

IN the recent distribution of ASW 2020 unit trusts, at the bank I went to I observed that there were investors who need not queue up to do their purchase of unit trusts. These investors who are regular clients of the bank are given priority service over first-time and small-time investors.

After 19 transactions, the sale of the unit trusts came to a halt at the counter but there was no announcement so I waited. It was only 10am then.

At 11am, when no further queue numbers were called, I enquired at the counter about the delay, only to be told the counter was closed.

It is hoped that ASNB can come up with a distribution process that can cater to a wider section of investors.

For the next issue of unit trusts, put a cap of RM5,000 per transaction to be sold to those who were unsuccessful earlier. Hopefully, more first-timers and small-time investors will have a finger in the pie.

EAGER INVESTOR,
Bukit Mertajam.
The Star 1/5/09

UMNO Di ambang Kejatuhan, Sekat Kebebasan Akhbar

Sebelum Perang Dunia Kedua, di bawah jajahan Inggeris, akhbar tidak juga bebas. Namun begitu, ia masih ada ruang besar untuk membicarakan banyak isu, khususnya mengenai Islam dan hal ehwal agama Islam serta juga soal kemerdekaan. Sememangnya pihak berkuasa penjajah mengambil perhatian terhadap apa yang dinyatakan oleh akhbar-akhbar, termasuk akhbar Melayu.

Secara umum, penjajah akan mengambil berat jika sesebuah akhbar itu menghasut dengan mengajak orang ramai bangkit menentang penjajah dengan menggunakan senjata. Tetapi kalau sekadar memperjuangkan nasib bangsa dan menentang ketidakadilan, bagi penjajah Inggeris itu tidak menjadi masalah. Secara umumnya,akhbar dalam zaman penjajah Inggeris adalah lebih bebas daripada masa sekarang. Untuk mengukur secara tepat, maka wajar dibuat penyelidikan sejarah.

Kongkongan British

Bagaimanapun kongkongan yang dikenakan oleh pihak berkuasa Inggeris adalah juga tidak patut. Mengapakah Britain yang mengamalkan demokrasi dan kebebasan akhbar di negara sendiri telah menafikan hak yang sama di tanah-tanah jajahan? Walau bagaimanapun, layanannya terhadap akhbar Melayu, Inggeris dan Cina adalah juga berbeza-beza.

Kajian sejarah akan membolehkan seseorang membuat penilaian akhbar mana di antara ketiga-tiga itu yang paling dikongkong. Tetapi akhbar bahasa Inggeris yang diterbitkan oleh orang Inggeris sendiri seperti The Straits Times, The Straits Echo dan The Malay Mail turut dikongkong. Andai kata mereka mengkritik dasar-dasar pihak berkuasa penjajah, maka pasti mereka ditegur.

Hakikatnya ialah dasar mengawal kebebasan akhbar adalah sebahagian daripada fahaman imperialisme yang bercanggah dengan demokrasi dan hak asasi manusia. Di Tanah Melayu pada zaman penjajah, kongkongan di negeri-negeri Melayu adalah lebih ketat daripada di negeri-negeri Selat.

Di negeri-negeri Melayu termasuk Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu (FMS) dan Negeri-negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu (UFMS), sebarang komen mengenai Melayu lebih-lebih lagi kaitannya dengan Raja-raja Melayu, adat istiadat Melayu dan apatah lagi mengenai agama Islam amat dikongkong.

Walaupun di bawah penjajahan Inggeris tetapi pihak berkuasa Inggeris mengiktiraf kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu dan penguasaannya terhadap agama Islam. Maka jika terdapat penerbitan Melayu yang kritikal terhadap soal bangsa dan agama, maka mereka pasti dikenakan tindakan. Soal politik pastinya dipandang dengan penuh curiga.

Justeru, penerbit-penerbit berasa bebas untuk menerbitkan akhbar-akhbar di negeri-negeri Selat khususnya Singapura dan Pulau Pinang. Maka tidak hairanlah Utusan Melayu yang mula diterbitkan pada tahun 1930-an memilih Singapura sebagai tempatnya. Tetapi bukan saja aktiviti penerbitan yang lebih bebas di negeri-negeri Selat, aktiviti lain seperti penubuhan persatuan lebih bebas di Singapura. Maka tidak hairanlah persatuan Melayu pertama yang ditubuhkan ialah di Singapura iaitu Persatuan Melayu Singapura.

Kawalan tambah ketat

Semasa pemerintahan Jepun, pengawalan akhbar bertambah ketat dan teruk tetapi wartawan Melayu tetap bekerja di bawah Jepun itu. Mereka cuba berusaha mengambil ruang-ruang yang ada untuk memperjuangkan kepentingan bangsa, agama dan negara. Kisah ini jelas dipaparkan oleh Samad Ismail dalam novelnya Patah Sayap Terbang Jua.

Selepas Jepun menyerah, akhbar mengecapi lebih kebebasan, pada awalnya lebih luas lagi kerana pihak berkuasa penjajah belum masuk mengawal. Pada masa ini Pentadbiran Tentera British (BMA) belum benar-benar menunjukkan taringnya. Maka sesiapapun boleh menerbitkan akhbar sendiri.

Kisah ini dipaparkan oleh Ahmad Boestamam dalam bukunya Merintis Jalan Ke Puncak yang menceritakan bagaimana beliau menerbitkan akhbar Suara Rakyat dan Voice of the People di Taiping dengan mengkritik pihak penjajah secara bebas. Hanya kemudian BMA meminta akhbar itu memohon maaf setiap hari tetapi tidak menganggu tulisan yang tersiar.

Namun begitu, kawalan yang ada oleh pihak penjajah tidaklah seketat berbanding zaman merdeka. Itu ironinya. Akhbar lebih merdeka sebelum merdeka daripada selepas merdeka. Utusan Melayu bebas melaporkan apa saja. Selain itu terdapat juga akhbar Melayu lain yang bebas iaitu Warta Malaya.

Keadaan berubah selepas merdeka. Utusan Melayu dibeli oleh Umno dan bermulalah kawalan terhadap akhbar itu. Walaupun keberatan, Yusof Ishak, pemiliknya terpaksa tunduk kepada kehendak penguasa politik ketika itu iaitu Tunku Abdul Rahman. Wartawannya membantah dipimpin oleh pengarangnya Said Zahari. Tetapi mereka tidak berkuasa dan sejak itu Utusan Melayu dikawal oleh Umno.

Kongkongan terhadap Utusan Melayu berlaku selepas ia berhijrah ke Kuala Lumpur. Maknanya di Singapura, ia lebih bebas. Tetapi kemudian walaupun Yusof Ishak menjadi Presiden Singapura, akhbar Utusan Melayu diharamkan masuk ke Singapura. Ini ekoran laporannya yang dikatakan sebagai menghasut rusuhan kaum di Singapura. Maka zaman penjajah lebih memberi kebebasan daripada era Tunku Abdul Rahman dan Lee Kuan Yew.

Akhbar mulanya lebih bebas

Bagaimanapun ketika pilihan raya tahun 1964, terdapat tiga akhbar Melayu yang utama iaitu Utusan Melayu, Berita Harian dan Warta Negara. Keadaan masa itu, walaupun berdepan dengan konfrontasi dari Indonesia, suasana akhbar adalah lebih bebas daripada hari ini.

Sememangnya Utusan Melayu dan Berita Harian cenderung menyokong Perikatan yang memerintah. Tetapi Warta Negara yang teredar luas di bahagian utara Semenanjung memberi liputan yang saksama kepada PAS. Selepas pilihan raya, Warta Negara dibeli oleh Utusan Melayu.

Bertambah maju negara ini, bertambah terkongkong akhbarnya. Elit politik negara pimpinan Umno tidak menghormati atau menghargai kepentingan kebebasan akhbar. Akhirnya polisi ini memakan tuan.

Setelah generasi bergenerasi, rakyat hilang keyakinan terhadap akhbar arus perdana. Pada asalnya kongkongan akhbar bertujuan untuk mengukuhkan kuasa, tetapi akhirnya apabila kekuasaan itu tidak berasaskan pada kejujuran, maka keyakinan seseorang kepada penguasa terjejas, sekali dengan akhbar kongkongannya.

Kebenaran sendiri tidak boleh dikongkong. Kalau di zaman Kersatuan Soviet dahulu, ada dua akhbar utama yang dikongkong iaitu Pravda yang bermakna kebenaran dan Izvestia bermaksud berita, maka di Malaysia ada Utusan Malaysia dan ada Berita Harian. Hakikatnya tidak ada kebenaran dalam Pravda, dan juga tidak ada berita dalam Izvestia. Orang lebih mempercayai Samizdat, lembaran gelap pada zaman Soviet.

Di Malaysia orang lebih percaya surat layang pada tahun 70-an. Ini diikuti dengan kaset pada tahun 80-an, dan kemudian laman web pada tahun 90-an dan blog pada tahun 2000-an. Kebenaran akan mencari jalan sendiri dan akhirya Parti Komunis Kesatuan Soviet tumbang dengan Kesatuan Soviet juga tamat tempohnya. Kini akhbar bebas di sana.

Begitu juga di Indonesia. Akhirnya rejim Suharto tumbang dan kini akhbar bebas di sana. Lihatlah dalam sejarah. Penjajah Inggeris yang menguasai akhbar akhirnya tumbang. Begitu juga dengan penjajah Jepun. Begitu juga dengan parti komunis Soviet. Begitu juga dengan Suharto.

Siapa mengawal akhbar akhirnya akan tumbang. Ini adalah satu ingatan kepada Parti Komunis China dan kerajaan PAP di Singapura. Terhadap Malaysia, fikirlah sendiri. Ingatan ini bukan saja ditujukan kepada kerajaan Barisan Nasional tetapi juga Pakatan Rakyat

Investors upbeat on recovery, markets up

KUALA LUMPUR: Asian markets were up at midday following reports that showed Japan’s industrial production rose for the first time in six months and first-quarter consumer spending grew in the US.

At 12.30pm, the KLCI rose 1.77% to 984.61 while Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 1.84% to 1,883.63.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 climbed 3.72% to 8,809.87 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index advanced 2.29% to 15,298.76.

Shanghai’s A share index added 0.83% to 2,488.69 and Seoul’s Kospi Index was 2.54% higher at 1,372.39.

At Bursa Malaysia, gainers led losers by nearly four to one.

There were 427 gainers, 115 losers while 206 counters were traded unchanged with 860.56 million shares done at RM690.42 million.

Among bank stocks, BCHB advanced 25 sen to RM8.15, Maybank was 4 sen higher at RM4.32 and Hong Leong added 15 sen to RM5.75.

Plantation stocks were higher as palm oil exports rose 2.5% in April compared to March.

Sime rose 20 sen to RM6.60, IOI gained 18 sen to 4.28, KL Kepong added 20 sen to RM11.50 and PPB was 20 sen higher at RM10.50.

Resorts added 4 sen to RM2.37 while Genting climbed 24 sen to RM4.62.

TNB gained 20 sen to RM7.30 and Axiata was 4 sen higher at RM2.06.

Crude palm oil rose RM64 to RM2,544 per tonne.

Nymex crude oil in electronic trade added 43 cents to US$51.41 per barrel.

The ringgit was quoted at 3.567 to the US dollar.

Malaysia to allow 7 new foreign banks

PUTRAJAYA: In a major move to open up the financial services sector, Malaysia will allow as many as seven new foreign banks -- including two mega-Islamic ones -- to operate here by 2012.

It has also eased foreign ownership rules, allowing foreigners to have controlling stakes in non-commercial banks.

"These liberalisation measures are in line with the government's initiative to promote structural change within the economy and diversify sources of growth to further drive economic expansion," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also the finance minister, at a press briefing here yesterday.

The financial services sector is an important component of the economy, contributing 11 per cent to gross domestic product last year compared with 9.2 per cent in 2000.

The measures, aimed at making Malaysia more competitive amid the economic downturn, come just a week after parts of the services sector were also liberalised.

Najib said foreign investors could now own up to 70 per cent of local Islamic and investment banks, as well as insurers. Previously, their ownership was capped at 49 per cent.

The foreign ownership limit for local commercial banks, however, remains at 30 per cent. Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz said there were no plans to change this for now.

"Our liberalisation is sequenced and it is a gradual, managed process," Zeti, who was also at the briefing, remarked.

She said the reforms were consistent with the Financial Sector Master Plan's objectives of developing a resilient, diversified and efficient sector.

The new meaures will be implemented between this year and 2012.

This year, Bank Negara will issue up to two new licences to foreign "mega-Islamic" banks to undertake international business, reinforcing the country's position as an international Islamic financial hub. It will also issue two new commercial banking licences to foreign players that bring in specialised expertise. These can be banks with a niche in agriculture or infrastructure financing, for example, Zeti said.

In 2011, it will open up the market further by giving licences to three new "world-class" commercial banks that can offer "significant value proposiitions".

Zeti said interested parties could be 100 per cent foreign owned, or a consortium with a local partner.

"The reforms are more 'generous' than we expected. It will definitely bring about stiffer comptition in the industry," Fiona Leong, a banking analyst at AmBank Research, commented.

Consumers would, however, be the ultimate beneficiary as heightened competition would likely bring about better deals at potentially lower costs, she added.

Malaysia currently has 13 financial institutions which are fully foreign owned, with a combined market share of 25 per cent

Fears of a pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR: The world woke up to shocking news of a potential pandemic caused by a new strain of swine flu emerging from Mexico. According to Mexican health officials, 103 people in Mexico have died from the swine flu, with a total of 1,600 suspected cases.

The virus, colloquially known as “swine flu” or “Mexican flu” carries swine, avian and human DNA and has been designated H1N1. It has gone beyond Mexican borders, with reports of confirmed and suspected cases in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Israel.

In New Zealand, Health Minister Tony Ryall said that it is "highly likely" that 10 students have contracted swine flu though most are recovering, while in Israel online newspaper Haaretz reports that authorities there are investigating a man who had just returned from Mexico and checked himself into a hospital with flu-like symptoms.

There are currently no reports of the swine flu in Asia, but governments are taking precautions to prevent the flu from spreading. The South Korean health, agriculture and foreign ministry held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue, while the Chinese health ministry said it was "paying close attention" to the situation.

Not pandemic... yet

Earlier, Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the WHO, said the outbreak involves "an animal strain of the H1N1 virus and it has pandemic potential," though it's too early to announce a full pandemic alert.

A pandemic is understood as the spread of an infectious disease through populations across a large area, which includes continents. A well-known pandemic of the past was the H5N1 avian flu in 2004.

This possible pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern, currently ranked 3 on a scale of 1 to 6, with 6 denoting a sustained human-to-human spread internationally of a new and serious virus.

According to Alan Hay, director of WHO's flu laboratory National Institute for Medical Research in north London, genetic tests have shown that the swine virus is similar to the strain that is endemic in North American pigs, but contains two genes from a strain found in European and Asian pigs.

"This virus has emerged very suddenly and right now, the ability to detect people who are carrying the infection is a very high priority," says Hay, adding that scientists at the laboratory are expected to have diagnostic kits that can detect the strain within the next few days. Containment of the virus is too late now, Hay added.

According to the WHO, swine flu is transmitted to humans from infected pigs, while human-to-human transmission is limited to “close contacts and closed groups of people.” The report added that the virus cannot be transmissible to humans from eating properly prepared and cooked pork. The virus is killed by cooking temperatures of 160°F/70°C.

The symptoms exhibited by a person infected with the strain are similar to seasonal influenza, which broadly ranges from from asymptomatic infection to severe pneumonia that results in death.

Malaysians are prepared

On the local front, Malaysia has announced that it will follow the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to keep this lethal strain of influenza out.

Among these steps include the monitoring of Malaysians or visitors from Mexico, California and Texas after 17 April for symptoms of the flu at all entry points to the country and the activation of an operations room under the Department for Disease Control to monitor the situation in cooperation with WHO.

The Health Ministry has also issued a travel advisory warning against Malaysians visiting Mexico, Canada and selected US states, including New York, Kansas and Ohio where reports of swine flu infection have been confirmed.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that although the WHO has not called for any travel or trade sanctions, Malaysians are still advised against visiting these places for the time being. Liow added that that the ministry was contemplating obtaining vaccinations against the strain for pig farmers and other frontline agencies like the police and those in the medical line.

The minister also said that thermal scanners would be placed at international airports to expedite the screening of travellers, adding that the country is on high alert and that the Health Ministry is ready to take on the outbreak.

In Penang, authorities have been placed on round-the-clock high alert to prevent the spread of the deadly flu while in Johor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the procedures used during the bird flu pandemic five years ago would be used again and tightened to prevent any outbreaks

World markets struck by swine flu fears

LONDON (AP)270409 - World stock markets fell Monday as investors worried that a possible deadly outbreak of swine flu, which has already killed more than 100 people in Mexico alone, could go global and derail any global economic recovery.




Airlines took the brunt of the selling amid concerns passengers could hold back from flying for fear of catching the virus, which has already reportedly spread as far as New Zealand.

"News over the weekend of a deadly flu outbreak is rocking financial markets," said Matt Buckland, a dealer at CMC Markets.

By mid-morning London time, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 48.53 points, or 1.2 percent, at 4,107.46, while Germany's DAX fell 81.11 points, or 1.7 percent, to 4,593.21. The CAC-40 in France was 44.15 points, or 1.4 percent, lower at 3,058.70.

Earlier, most of Asia's markets were hit by the pandemic fears, with Hong Kong — one of the main focal points of the SARS virus concerns just six years ago — closing down 418.43 points, or 2.7 percent, to 14,840.42. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average managed a gain of 18.35, or 0.2 percent, to close at 8,726.34 in back-and-forth trade.

In Europe, Deutsche Lufthansa AG fell 10 percent, while British Airways PLC was down more than 7 percent. Earlier, Australia's Qantas Airways fell 4 percent while Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways slid 8 percent.

Travel and hotel companies were also heavily sold off, with British cruise line firm Carnival PLC down more than 7 percent and French hotel group Accor SA down more than 6 percent.

While airlines tanked, pharmaceutical companies enjoyed a modest rally in falling markets amid expectations that demand for anti-viral drugs would rise. Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG — the maker of Tamiflu — was up 4 percent, while GlaxoSmithkline PLC, which manufactures the Relenza drug, rose 3 percent.

Worries about the epidemic's spread will likely remain at the forefront of investors' mind over the coming days and overshadowed any hopes generated over the weekend by the announcement from the Group of Seven finance ministers that the worst of the world recession may be over and that recovery may emerge by the end of the year.

"It's really going to be a case of watching how this Mexican flu issue develops before deciding if these already bruised markets have another big fall coming up," said CMC's Buckland.

Hopes that a recovery of sorts is on its way has helped world stock markets rally off multiyear lows in early March. Despite some range trading over the last couple of weeks, stocks began to rally strongly again at the end of last week, with the Dow Jones industrial average, for example, advancing 1.5 percent to 8,076.29 on Friday.

Selling is expected to be the name of the game when Wall Street opens, with Dow futures down 124 points, or 1.5 percent, at 7,932 and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 futures 15 points, or 1.7 percent, lower at 851.50.

"At the moment we are expecting the Dow to open down around 90 points lower from Friday's close — again on swine flu concerns," said David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index.

Elsewhere in Asia, Australia's stock measure gained 0.5 percent while Shanghai's fell 1.8 percent. Markets in Singapore, Taiwan and India retreated.

Oil prices dropped sharply as investors mulled comments from OPEC suggesting the price was too low for companies to justify new investments in crude production. Benchmark crude for June delivery fell $2.78 to $48.77. The contract jumped $1.93 to settle at $51.55 last week.

In currencies, the dollar weakened to 96.55 yen from 97.17 yen. The euro traded lower at $1.3141 from $1.3161.

Futures dive on flu outbreak

Stocks set to tumble at open as investors worldwide worry about economic fallout of swine flu outbreak.

LONDON (CNNMoney.com) -- U.S. stock futures sank Monday as investors worried about the economic impact of a global swine flu outbreak.





At 4:58 a.m. ET, Dow Jones industrial average, Standard & Poor's 500 and Nadaq 100 futures were sharply lower.

Futures measure current index values against perceived future performance and offer an indication of how markets may open when trading begins in New York.

Swine flu outbreak: The World Health Organization has called the outbreak of swine flu a "public health emergency of international concern."

Mexico seems to be the center of the outbreak, although cases have spread to countries around the world.

As many as 103 deaths in Mexico are thought to have been caused by swine flu, CNN reported. In the United States, the largest number of cases has been reported in New York City.

World markets: Concerns about the economic fallout of the outbreak pressured airline and hotel stocks in overseas trading.

Most Asian shares tumbled, although Japan's Nikkei finished the session with slight gains. Major European markets were all lower in morning trading.

Autos: Chrysler reached a tentative labor agreement with the United Auto Workers -- a key step in final efforts to help the automaker avoid bankruptcy. The UAW announced the deal Sunday.

Meanwhile, General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) is due to provide an update on the company's turnaround plan. CEO Fritz Henderson is set to announce changes at 9 a.m. ET.

Oil and money: Oil prices tumbled, with U.S. light crude for June delivery falling $2.11 to $49.44 a barrel in electronic trading.

The dollar edged higher against the euro and was down slightly versus the yen.

Lagi Mangsa Keganasan Polis

Polis pukul anak saya, dakwa ibu Adi
11/4/09 Malaysiakini

Ibu Adi Anwar Mansor, 23, telah membuat aduan terhadap polis yang didakwanya memukul anaknya sewaktu dalam tahanan.


Jiknah Harun, 49, mendakwa anaknya telah ditendang di bahagian belakang, dipukul di belakang kepala, dan dibelasan dengan getah air sehingga dia tidak mampu lagi menahan kesakitannya.


Jiknah, seorang surirumah, membuat dakwaan tersebut dalam aduan yang dibuatnya di ibupejabat polis Klang pagi tadi.

Dalam aduan tersebut, Jiknah juga mempertikaikan dakwaan OCPD Klang, Mohamad Mat Yusof bahawa Adi Anwar mengalami kecederaan ketika bergelut sewaktu dia ditangkap.

Menurut Jiknah, jika betulnya anak itu cedera, mengapa dia tidak terus dibawa ke hospital.

Beliau diiringi oleh peguam N Surendran ketika datang membuat aduan polis pagi tadi.

Dalam aduannya, Jiknah juga menggesa supaya ditubuhkan sebuah badan bebas untuk menyiasat kes tersebut, tanpa campurtangan polis Klang kerana anggotanya didakwa memukul Adi Anwar.

Jiknah juga berkata beliau mahu mendapat keadilan untuk anaknya dan tindakan tegas diambil terhadap anggota polis yang didapati bersalah mencederakan anaknya itu.

Bercakap kepada pemberita kemudiannya, Jiknah berkata beliau berharap pihak polis akan membebaskan Adi Anwar secepat mungkin supaya dia dapat bertemu dengan anaknya perempuannya yang baru berusia tiga bulan.

Adi Anwar ditahan di Jalan Kebun kerana didakwa melakukan kesalahan berkaitan dengan dadah pada 7 April, tetapi dimasukkan ke Unit Rawatan Rapi (ICU) selepas didakwa meminum bahan pelarut dan terus tidak sedarkan diri.

Adakah Malaysia Sebuah Negara Polis?

Maksud 'negara polis'
Apakah yang dimaksudkan dengan ‘negara polis’? Secara mudahnya negara polis dapat diertikan sebagai sebuah negara yang terlalu menitikberatkan persoalan keselamatan dalam perjalanan pentadbirannya. Konsep keselamatan yang difahami oleh negara adalah terlalu menyeluruh dan inklusif; ianya terlalu menyeluruh sehinggakan keselamatan negara tidak dapat dipisahkan dari kestabilan politik. Lebih teruk keselamatan dikaitkan secara langsung dengan kelangsungan politik parti yang memerintah dan dalam kes Malaysia kelangsungan atau survival politik UMNO/BN.

Kelangsungan parti pemerintah dipastikan dengan terlantiknya pegawai Cawangan Khas (SB) yang begitu ramai dalam perkhidmatan polis. Mengikut Saudara Saari Sungip yang banyak menulis tentang SB menganggarkan terdapat sekitar 20,000 hingga 30,000 SB di Malaysia dan angka ini merupa 1/3 dari jawatan dalam perkhidmatan polis. SB-SB ini bergerak secara rahsia, terdiri dari pelbagai jantina dan kepakaran, memantau pergerakan individu dan kumpulan yang dianggap boleh membawa masalah keselamatan.

Pemantauan mereka begitu terperinci: tempat yang selalu dikunjungi oleh individu/kumpulan yang dimaksudkan, bahan bacaan yang dibaca, program televisyen yang diminati, laman web yang dilawati, surat-menyurat juga dipantau, perbualan telefon termasuk telefon bimbit dirakam, e-mail dan SMS dipantau. Malah secara umumnya tingkah-laku, cara hidup dan cara berfikir individu dipantau. Kadang-kadang saya terfikir, apa yang dibuat oleh individu berkenaan dalam tandas pun dipantau!

Menceroboh 'privacy'
Lebih malang di Malaysia tiada Akta-akta yang menghalang mana-mana individu, kumpulan, malah pihak kerajaan pun dari menceroboh 'privacy' atau kerahsiaan hidup individu lain. Lebih malang lagi perlantikan SB-SB ini tidak begitu terikat dengan peraturan perkhidmatan biasa yang dikenakan oleh Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA). Mereka mempunyai autonomi yang tersendiri yang agak luas.

Kita tidak musykil sekira pemantauan yang dibuat adalah secara khususnya mengenai keselamatan negara seperti dalam kes pergerakan al-Maunah. Perlu dibeza antara keselamatan negara dengan keselamatan parti politik yang memerintah. Kalau pun nak sokong parti politik yang memerintah, pastikan kepimpinan yang terbaik yang memerintah negara, bukan yang bersedia untuk menjual maruah negara misalnya.

Betapa dominannya aspek keselamatan dalam negara diburukkan lagi dengan wujudnya pelbagai Akta yang mengikat kebebasan asasi warganegara. Hak untuk bersuara, hak untuk berpersatuan, hak untuk berdemonstrasi secara aman. Hak untuk bersuara di kalangan ahli akademik dan pelajar di pusat-pusat pengajian tinggi misalnya telah begitu terhakis dengan wujudnya AUKU dan Akujanji. Maka tidak wujud pemikiran yang kritis dan kreatif di kalangan pensyarah dan pelajar.

Idea objektif lwn budaya bodek
Pengalaman saya mengajar di salah satu IPTA selama 31 tahun membenarkan hakikat ini. Idea yang objektif yang dikemukakan oleh ahli akademik ditafsirkan oleh pihak pemerintah sebagai ‘anti-kerajaan’, maka ramailah para pensyarah mengambil pendekatan membodek kerajaan untuk tujuan kenaikan pangkat dan pelbagai kemudahan lain. Dasar-dasar kerajaan tidak boleh dikritik, seolah-olah dasar-dasar kerajaan tersebut bersifat sakral (sacred) atau kudus!

Ini adalah sesuatu yang mustahil kerana dasar-dasar ini digubal oleh manusia yang mempunyai kelemahan-kelemahan yang tersendiri kerana hanya Allah yang Maha Mengetahui dan Maha Sempurna. Ini bermakna dalam konteks kebebasan bersuara, kerajaan BN masih tidak membenarkan pandangan yang berbeza dan hak untuk tidak bersetuju (Right of Dissent). Adalah sesuatu yang biasa dalam kehidupan manusia untuk berbeza pendapat tentang pelbagai perkara. Peribahasa Melayu mengatakan ‘rambut sama hitam, hati lain-lain’. Rasullullah (saw) pernah bersabda ‘perbezaan yang wujud di kalangan ummatku adalah merupakan satu rahmat’. Bersetuju untuk tidak bersetuju perlu dilihat sebagai sesuatu yang natural.

Sekiranya kerajaan yakin bahawa ia berada di pihak yang benar maka pertahankanlah kebenaran ini dengan fakta dan hujah yang menyakinkan, secara terbuka dan secara berlapang dada. Bukankah budaya Melayu bersandarkan kepada prinsip ‘berani kerana benar dan takut kerana salah’? Besar kemungkinan inilah saja yang dipohonkan oleh Dr. Mahathir, sungguhpun satu ketika dahulu beliau juga tidak dapat elak, sebagai manusia biasa dan bukan Allah, melakukan beberapa kesilapan.

Wujudnya prinsip ‘bersetuju untuk tidak bersetuju’ atau Right of Dissent adalah merupakan satu kayu pengukur terpenting matangnya sesebuah sistem demokrasi yang diamalkan oleh sesebuah negara.

Mata dan telinga kerajaan
Betapa dominannya aspek keselamatan dalam politik Malaysia dapat dilihat dari hakikat terdapat agensi dan institusi lain selain SB yang menjadi ‘mata dan telinga’ kerajaan. Kementerian Penerangan dengan Pegawai Penerangan Khas (biasanya lantikan politik), Pegawai Kemajuan Masyarakat (KEMAS), Unit Risikan dalam tentera atau dikenali sebagai MIOs (Military Intelligent Officers), Bahagian Keselamatan, Jabatan Perdana Menteri dan lain-lain.

Dari segi pentadbiran biasa terdapat di peringkat Pusat beberapa jawatankuasa mengenai keselamatan negara yang biasanya dipengerusikan oleh Perdana Menteri. Struktur ini seterusnya turun ke negeri-negeri dipengerusikan oleh Menteri-menteri Besar, ke daerah dipengerusikan oleh Pegawai Daerah dan akhir turun ke kampung-kampung dalam bentuk Jawatankuasa Keselamatan dan Kemajuan Kampung (JKKK).

Kesediaan kerajaan untuk mengekalkan perkataan ‘keselamatan’ dalam struktur JKKK sungguhpun ancaman keselamatan terbesar negara seperti pergerakan Komunis telahpun tiada menunjukkan betapa aspek keselamatan adalah menjadi sebahagian yang tidak terpisah dari dasar pentadbiran negara.

Mempolitikkan pentadbiran
Akibat dari terlalu menekankan aspek keselamatan dalam sistem politik dan pentadbiran negara ia sekaligus terdedah kepada mempolitikkan pentadbiran (politicization of administration). Pengawai tadbir yang memegang jawatan penting dipastikan orang yang pro-UMNO atau pro-BN. Pegawai yang berkecuali (sekaligus ditafsir sebagai propembangkang) dinafikan pelbagai kemudahan seperti tidak dinaikkan pangkat sungguhpun ia layak.

Mempolitikkan pentadbiran ini dijalankan bagi menjamin kelangsungan hayat UMNO/BN. Kesan negatif dari pendekatan ini adalah kaburnya sempadan yang memisah ‘parti’ dan ‘kerajaan’ dalam erti kata pada pandangan parti yang memerintah adalah sinonim dengan kerajaan yang memerintah. Ianya boleh diterima dari sudut ilmu sains politik sekiranya dikatakan parti yang memerintah adalah sinonim dengan kabinet yang memerintah.

Kabinet yang mentadbir negara terdiri dari parti-parti komponen BN tetapi kerajaan yang memerintah atau dalam bahasa yang berbeza tetapi maknanya sama - parlimen, terdiri dari bukan sahaja parti-parti BN tetapi juga pembangkang. Ini adalah ilmu sains politik yang paling asas yang diajar kepada pelajar-pelajar tahun pertama di universiti yang mengambil kursus pengantar sains politik. Nampaknya wakil-wakil rakyat BN lebih teruk dari pelajar tahun pertama universiti.

Kekeliruan yang timbul menyebabkan projek-projek pembangunan dilabel sebagai ‘Ini satu lagi projek Barisan Nasional’! Seolah-olah cukai negara dipungut dari penyokong-penyokong BN sahaja dan penyokong-penyokong pembangkang terlepas dari membayarnya.

Disebabkan UMNO/BN begitu lama memerintah negara dan sistem politik dan pentadbiran negara telah dilenturkan mengikut acuan dan selera UMNO/BN dengan memanipulasi sistem yang ada (dalam kes pilihan raya melalui SPR),maka sistem parti politik dan seterusnya sistem politik Malaysia dikenali dengan sistem parti dominan (dominant party system) yang melahirkan sistem politik yang juga dominan.

Sistem parti dominan
Secara bandingannya sistem parti dominan adalah berada satu tangga lebih baik dari sistem Komunis yang bersifat satu parti (one-party sistem) dan dari segi ukuran demokrasi sistem satu parti adalah yang paling tercorot. Sebagaimana yang dimaklumi, di negara Komunis, parti adalah sinonim dengan kerajaan. Disini terdapat persamaan dengan apa yang berlaku di Malaysia iaitu adanya kecenderungan untuk melihat parti adalah sinonim dengan kerajaan.

Kecenderungan ini adalah sesuatu yang amat merbahaya kepada sistem demokrasi kerana sekiranya tidak dihalang ia akan menggelongsor kearah sistem politik yang bersifat totalitarianisme yang dicirikan oleh penguasaan yang total, memesong pemikiran rakyat (brainwashing) dan pemujaan terhadap negara dan pemimpin secara berlebihan.

Bolehlah dihujahkan bahawa sistem politik yang bersifat totalitarianisme sebagaimana yang terdapat di negara Komunis yang dikuasai oleh seorang diktator, boleh dilabelkan sebagai sebuah negara polis yang total.

Secara rumusannya dan berdasarkan perbincangan ringkas di atas, dapatlah dikatakan bahawa Malaysia layak dikategorikan sebagai sebuah negara polis dimana pertimbangan keselamatan begitu dominan sehingga ia melanggar asas-asas yang rasional.

Pemerintah Malaysia berkecenderungan untuk tidak membezakan antara parti dan kerajaan sebagaimana yang berlaku di negara Komunis. Sekiranya kecenderungan ini berterusan dan tidak dihalang oleh satu gerakan masyarakat sivil yang berkesan, maka dibimbangi ia akan bergerak ke arah mewujudkan satu sistem politik totalitarianisme yang pada waktu ini wujudlah satu negara polis yang juga total.

--------
Wan Abdul Rahman ialah bekas pensyarah sains politik, UKM

Ireland: Saved by the euro

LONDON, April 26 — When 20 government ministers resign en masse, it usually denotes a political crisis or a pre-electoral technicality. When they do so because you can’t afford to pay all of them, you know you are in serious financial trouble.

Ireland is so broke that it is cutting back on government.

It was a rare stunt last week that saw 20 junior ministers all step down at midnight on Tuesday so that the prime minister, Brian Cowen, could decide how many could affordably be retained. (The answer: 15).

The savings are, of course, a drop in the ocean of debt and deficit currently washing across the island. If anything, this was a gesture of solidarity to a public that has seen boom turn to spectacular bust in the space of a few short months.

“Whatever savings are made is very small beer compared to the whole of public finances,” notes Bank of Ireland economist Michael Crowley. “The government is trying to send out a signal that the ministers are doing their bit.”

Is Ireland another Iceland? Certainly the government has, in recent weeks, been furiously trying to demonstrate that it is not as financially ruined as its North Atlantic counterpart, that although the two countries have a lot of letters in common, the similarities stop there.

The problem is that the similarities don’t stop there. Ireland, like Iceland, was far too cavalier in the boom years. Cheap money fostered a culture of debt. Reckless lending nourished a housing boom, such that the banking sector and its great sack of debt perched precariously on the real economy like a bloated clown on a tiny unicycle.

When the credit crunch swept the world, loans turned sour and the banking system all but imploded. As in Britain and the United States — and Iceland, for that matter — the state had to step in to prevent an outright collapse.

But Ireland does differ from Iceland in crucial ways, chief among them is its currency. Ironically, the country that has twice confounded its European partners with rejectionist “no” votes can now thank the European Union for the currency that has sheltered it from the storm.

When Iceland’s economy imploded last autumn, the currency collapsed, compounding the crisis and sending even the brave and foolhardy running for the exits. Ireland’s decline has been different.

“Membership (of the euro) helped rather than hindered,” says Crowley. “If we had been outside the euro during the crisis, we would have had a number of difficulties. We would have had a very sharp fall in currency.”

Peter Schaffrik, a fixed-income expert at Dresdner Kleinwort in London, adds: “It actually benefited them a great deal”. Without the euro in Ireland, “people would have pulled their money out because currencies are way more volatile than bond prices. On bonds, you would have lost about 10 per cent, whereas on currency, you would have lost a multiple of that”.

Nonetheless, the prognosis for Ireland is sobering. Gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to fall by seven per cent this year. The budget deficit is set to soar to more than 12 per cent of GDP.

Unemployment hit 11 per cent last month — the highest level since 1996 — and is forecast to soar to as high as 15 per cent next year. No wonder the government feels the need to make a gesture.

Unlike bigger countries which can essay fiscal stimulus packages confident that they will not be punished by investors, Ireland had few choices earlier this month but to tighten the belt in a way not seen for decades.

An austerity package — which followed two previous attempts to cut costs and restore equilibrium to public finances — cut benefits and imposed new taxes in an effort to save €3.5 billion (RM16.37 billion).

Will it work? Or will Ireland become the first euro-zone country to go bust? The answer will depend on three principal factors: The debt market, the euro space and the global economy.

The most obvious signal of a state going bust is when it can’t refinance its debts. Downgraded by credit rating agencies, Ireland already has to pay a premium over other more robust euro-zone countries like Germany and France when it borrows. The state will have to borrow, moreover, as tax revenues shrink in the recession.

But there are several buts. Ireland’s debt level was relatively low coming into this crisis (debt interest repayments were less than one per cent of GDP last year, at €1.5 billion).

It has already managed to raise substantial funds on debt markets. There are no major refinancing dates looming. And the government has already shown it is willing to take painful measures to prevail.

“There are reasonable people who think there is a risk of default, but I am more optimistic,” says Professor Karl Whelan of University College, Dublin. He says the cost of bailing out banks has been large. “But three (fiscal) packages in eight months show they haven’t been scared to address fiscal problems.”

Secondly, the euro space is something of a double-edged sword. The currency that gave Ireland backbone throughout the credit crunch is now something of a straitjacket: Britain, for example, is starting to benefit mildly from a sharp decrease in the value of the pound, making its exports more competitive.

Ireland is shackled to one of the strongest global currencies, the euro. Competitive devaluation is not on the cards. But the euro zone remains a strength too: As a defaulting country would shake the currency like never before, the authorities in the 16-nation zone have made it clear that there will be some kind of support mechanism to help a teetering member state.

So, Ireland looks like it will muddle through. But whether and when the Celtic Tiger will roar again is a different question. The International Monetary Fund said last week the recession would be “particularly severe”

in Ireland. Economists say much will depend on the global economy — Ireland won’t resurrect itself on its own.

“The prospects for recovery in 2010 at the earliest are the best hope,” says Whelan. — Straits Times

Kisah Tiga Lelaki Pakistan

Tiga lelaki India dan tiga lelaki Pakistan melakukan perjalanan ke pertandingan Kriket Dunia di England
dengan menggunakan keretapi. Di stesen keretapi lelaki-lelaki Pakistan telah membeli satu tiket setiap
seorang, tetapi tiga lelaki India hanya membeli 1 tiket sahaja untuk mereka bertiga.


"Macam mana kamu bertiga nak naik keretapi sedangkan kamu beli hanya satu tiket?" tanya salah
seorang lelaki Pakistan.

"Lihat dan belajar", kata salah seorang lelaki India.


Mereka semua pun menaiki keretapi. Lelaki Pakistan duduk di kerusi yang telah di tetapkan sedangkan
ketiga-tiga lelaki India tersebut bersesak masuk ke dalam sebuah tandas dan menutup pintu
tandas tersebut.


Seketika selepas keretapi bertolak, konduktor keretapi pun datang untuk memungut tiket.
Dia mengetuk pintu tandas dan berkata "Tolong bagi tiket".

Pintu tandas di buka sedikit sahaja, kelihatan sebelah tangan menghulurkan tiket kepada kunduktor. Konduktor mengambil tiket tersebut dan berlalu. Ketiga-tiga lelaki Pakistan melihat perlakuan tersebut dan bersetuju bahawa idea lelaki-lelaki India itu memang bijak.

Jadi selepas perlawanan, mereka bercadang untuk meniru idea lelaki-lelaki India tersebut dan dapat
menjimatkan wang. Bila mereka tiba di stesen keretapi mereka hanya membeli 1 tiket sahaja, tetapi yang memeranjatkan mereka lelaki-lelaki India langsung tidak membeli tiket!!!


"Macam mana kamu nak meneruskan perjalanan dengan keretapi jika kamu tidak membeli tiket?"
tanya salah seorang lelaki Pakistan.


"Lihat dan belajar", jawap lelaki India. Bila mereka menaiki keretapi ketiga-tiga lelaki Pakistan bersesak
di dalam sebuah tandas kemudian lelaki-lelaki India pula mengambil giliran bersesak di dalam sebuah
tandas lain yang berhampiran. Keretapi pun bergerak memulakan perjalanan.


Seketika kemudian seorang dari lelaki India keluar dari tandas dan berjalan menuju ke tandas dimana lelaki Pakistan sedang bersembunyi.

Lelaki India tersebut mengetuk pintu tandas dan berkata "Tolong bagi tiket".


Pintu tandas dibuka sedikit, kelihatan sebelah tangan menghulurkan tiket. Lelaki India tanpa berlengah
mengambil tiket tersebut dan terus pergi ke tandas tempat di mana kawan-kawannya sedang menunggu

$1 tln at risk in German banks: report

BERLIN (AFP) - - Germany's banking system is exposed to over one trillion dollars' worth of "toxic" or risky assets, news media in Europe's largest economy said Saturday citing a confidential financial watchdog report.

Within the 816-billion-euro headline sum (1,080 billion dollars), 355 billion euros are held in the network of Germany's regional state banks, according to the document revealed by the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper and the online edition of Der Spiegel magazine.

Another 268 billion euros is attributed to the troubled Hypo Real Estate bank, which on Friday moved a step closer to becoming Germany's first full nationalisation since 1949.

Berlin has so far provided more than 100 billion euros' worth of state guarantees in an effort to keep Hypo Real Estate afloat and recently passed an emergency bank nationalisation law giving it the power to seize investors' shares by force if necessary.

Private banks get off relatively lightly in the report, with 139 billion at risk at the merged Commerzbank/Dresdner Bank, which has received combined state bailout aid amounting to over 18 billion euros to-date.

The publication of the report was condemned by the Bafin watchdog, which said it is filing a formal complaint and warned against any "erroneous interpretation" as the German government ponders action to prop up its troubled economy ahead of September general elections.

Senior government ministers have held talks on a plan to help lenders clean up their balance sheets, possibly by allowing them to park difficult loans in their own individual mini "bad banks." A bill is due to be presented to lawmakers by mid-May.

Berlin's bid to rid its banks of these bad holdings follows similar plans in other countries, notably the United States, Britain and Ireland.

However, politicians are torn between the urgent economic need to revive the banking sector and the political desire not to saddle taxpaying voters with a huge bailout bill.

On Saturday, Bundesbank chief Axel Weber warned that the figures published "do not reflect the complexity of the problem."

German junior finance minister Jorg Asmussen said "this latest list can hide all sort of very different assets."

Bafin said that not all were "toxic," saying that according to the banks, some assets "no longer correspond to their present commercial strategy and... should therefore be externalised."

A spokesman for Commerzbank told Suddeutsche Zeitung that the bank didn't know who compiled the figures.

Hypo Real Estate, for its part, refused all commentary.

Der Spiegel added that a meeting on the future of the struggling regional Landesbanken will be chaired Monday by Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck.

Steinbrueck said last week that Germany's economy could contract by as much as five percent in 2009, echoing even worse predictions by the International Monetary Fund.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been criticised at home and abroad for acting too slowly to stem the crisis. Data has shown that her government's two stimulus packages worth a total 80 billion euros have had little effect so far.

The economic gloom is certain to provide a major battleground as Merkel bids for a second term on September 27.

Public debt will rise by over a third to at least 50 billion euros in 2009, Steinbrueck is quoted as saying in an interview to appear in Sunday's Die Welt newspaper.

What is Credit Crunch?

A credit crunch (also known as a credit squeeze or credit crisis) is a reduction in the general availability of loans (or credit) or a sudden tightening of the conditions required to obtain a loan from the banks. A credit crunch generally involves a reduction in the availability of credit independent of a rise in official interest rates. In such situations, the relationship between credit availability and interest rates has implicitly changed, such that either credit becomes less available at any given official interest rate, or there ceases to be a clear relationship between interest rates and credit availability (i.e. credit rationing occurs). Many times, a credit crunch is accompanied by a flight to quality by lenders and investors, as they seek less risky investments (often at the expense of small to medium size enterprises).[1]

Background and causes
There are a number of reasons why banks may suddenly stop or slow lending activity. This may be due to an anticipated decline in the value of the collateral used by the banks to secure the loans; an exogenous change in monetary conditions (for example, where the central bank suddenly and unexpectedly raises reserve requirements or imposes new regulatory constraints on lending); the central government imposing direct credit controls on the banking system; or even an increased perception of risk regarding the solvency of other banks within the banking system.[1][2][3]

A credit crunch is often caused by a sustained period of careless and inappropriate lending which results in losses for lending institutions and investors in debt when the loans turn sour and the full extent of bad debts becomes known.[4][5] These institutions may then reduce the availability of credit, and increase the cost of accessing credit by raising interest rates. In some cases lenders may be unable to lend further, even if they wish, as a result of earlier losses.

The crunch is generally caused by a reduction in the market prices of previously "overinflated" assets and refers to the financial crisis that results from the price collapse.[6] This can result in widespread foreclosure or bankruptcy for those investors and entrepeneurs who came in late to the market, as the prices of previously inflated assets generally drop precipitously. In contrast, a liquidity crisis is triggered when an otherwise sound business finds itself temporarily incapable of accessing the bridge finance it needs to expand its business or smooth its cash flow payments. In this case, accessing additional credit lines and "trading through" the crisis can allow the business to navigate its way through the problem and ensure its continued solvency and viability. It is often difficult to know, in the midst of a crisis, whether distressed businesses are experiencing a crisis of solvency or a temporary liquidity crisis.

In the case of a credit crunch, it may be preferable to "mark to market" - and if necessary, sell or go into liquidation if the capital of the business affected is insufficient to survive the post-boom phase of the credit cycle. In the case of a liquidity crisis on the other hand, it may be preferable to attempt to access additional lines of credit, as opportunities for growth may exist once the liquidity crisis is overcome.

A prolonged credit crunch is the opposite of cheap, easy and plentiful lending practices (sometimes referred to as "easy money" or "loose credit"). During the upward phase in the credit cycle, asset prices may experience bouts of frenzied competitive, leveraged bidding, inducing inflation in a particular asset market. This can then cause a speculative price "bubble" to develop. As this upswing in new debt creation also increases the money supply and stimulates economic activity, this also tends to temporarily raise economic growth and employment.[7][8]

Often it is only in retrospect that participants in an economic bubble realize that the point of collapse was obvious. In this respect, economic bubbles can have dynamic characteristics not unlike Ponzi schemes or Pyramid schemes.[9]

As John Maynard Keynes observed in 1931 during the Great Depression: "A sound banker, alas, is not one who foresees danger and avoids it, but one who, when he is ruined, is ruined in a conventional way along with his fellows, so that no one can really blame him."[

Burmese Refugees "Treated Like a Commodity"

MALAYSIA: Burmese Refugees "Treated Like a Commodity"
By Marina Litvinsky

WASHINGTON, Apr 23 (IPS) - The mistreatment of Burmese migrants, asylum
seekers and refugees in Malaysia is the focus of a report released Thursday
by the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

After receiving disturbing reports of trafficking in 2007, committee staff
conducted a year-long review of the allegations. The report, "Trafficking
and Extortion of Burmese Migrants in Malaysia and Southern Thailand," is
based on first person accounts of extortion and trafficking in Malaysia and
along the Malaysia-Thailand border. Committee information comes from
experiences of Burmese refugees resettled in the United States and other
countries.

Many Burmese migrants, escaping extensive human rights abuses perpetrated by
the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and the Burmese military
junta, travel to Malaysia to register with the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for resettlement to a third country,
according to the report.

Once in Malaysia, Burmese migrants are often arrested by Malaysian
authorities, whether or not they have registered with the UNHCR and have
identification papers. Burmese migrants are reportedly taken by Malaysian
government personnel from detention facilities to the Malaysia-Thailand
border for deportation.

Upon arrival at the Malaysia-Thailand border, human traffickers reportedly
take possession of the migrants and issue ransom demands on an individual
basis. Migrants state that freedom is possible only once money demands are
met. Specific payment procedures are outlined, which reportedly include bank
accounts in Kuala Lumpur to which money should be transferred.

It has become commonplace for the authorities to use the vigilante RELA
force to periodically arrest and "deport" Rohingyas, a Muslim minority, but
since Burma does not recognise them as citizens, the practise is to take
them to the Bukit Kayu Hitam area on the Thai-Malaysia border and force them
to cross over into Thailand.

Migrants state that those unable to pay are turned over to human peddlers in
Thailand, representing a variety of business interests from fishing boats to
brothels.

Human rights activists have long charged that immigration, police and other
enforcement officials, have been "trading" Rohingyas to human traffickers in
Thailand who then pass them on to deep sea fishing trawler operators in the
South China Sea.

"People seeking refuge from oppression in Burma are being abused by
Malaysian government officials and human traffickers," said Elaine Pearson,
deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The committee has received numerous reports of sexual assaults against
Burmese women by human traffickers along the border. One non-profit
organisation official states that "Most young women deported to the Thai
border are sexually abused, even in front of their husbands, by the
syndicates, since no one dares to intervene as they would be shot or stabbed
to death in the jungle." Women are generally sold into the sex industry.

"(The Burmese refugees) are treated as a commodity and frequently bought and
sold and we have been condemning this practise for a long time," Irene
Fernandez, executive director of Tenaganita, a non-profit group that
protects migrant workers, told IPS in January. "Our demands have always
fallen on deaf ears despite the accumulating evidence of the involvement of
uniformed officials in the trade."

The report, the first of three, states that Malaysia does not officially
recognise refugees, due in part to concern by the government that official
recognition of refugees would encourage more people to enter Malaysia,
primarily for economic reasons. Also, Malaysian officials view migrants as a
threat to Malaysia's national security.

"Malaysia does not recognise key international agreements on the protection
of refugees and foreign nationals. Nor does it apply to foreign migrants the
same rights and legal protections given to Malaysian citizens," Fernandez
said.

Foreign labor is an integral building block of Malaysia's upward economic
mobility. While Malaysia's total workforce is 11.3 million, there are
approximately 2.1 million legal foreign workers and an additional one
million illegal workers, though no accurate information is available.

While Malaysia accepts the presence of Burmese and others from outside of
the country for the purpose of contributing to the work force, persons
identified as refugees and asylum seekers on their way to a third country
are viewed as threats to national security.

In an interview with The New York Times, RELA's director-general, Zaidon
Asmuni, said, "We have no more Communists at the moment, but we are now
facing illegal immigrants. As you know, in Malaysia, illegal immigrants are
enemy No. 2."

Many of the approximately 40,000 Burmese refugees who have resettled in the
United States since 1995 have come via Malaysia.

In August 2008, committee staff met separately with officials in Malaysia's
immigration department and the prime minister's office, to convey the
committee's concern regarding the extortion and trafficking allegations.
Immigration Director-General Datuk Mahmood Bin Adam and long-time
immigration enforcement official Datuk Ishak Haji Mohammed denied the
allegations of mistreatment against Burmese migrants at the hands of
immigration and other Malaysian officials.

As reported recently in the Malaysia Star, "Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed
Hamid Albar also denied claims that thousands of illegal foreigners held at
detention centres were 'being sold off' to human trafficking syndicates. 'I
take offence with the allegation because neither the Malaysian Government
nor its officials make money by selling people.'"

However, according to the report, on Apr. 1, 2009, Inspector-General of
Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan stated that an investigation has been launched.

The flow of refugees from Burma to Thailand, Malaysia and other countries
has cost Burma's neighbours millions of dollars in food and humanitarian
assistance. The committee calls on officials of impacted ASEAN countries to
measure the financial cost of hosting refugees displaced from Burma, and to
request financial compensation from Burma's military junta for costs
incurred in caring for the refugees.

It asks the government of Malaysia to address the trafficking, selling and
slavery of Burmese and other migrants within Malaysia and across its border
with Thailand. As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW), Malaysia is urged to consider alternatives to detention for
refugees and asylum seekers, especially for women and children.

"Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak should act on this U.S. Senate report
to protect the rights of refugees and victims of human trafficking," said
HRW's Pearson.

The report advises the U.S., in coordination with other donor countries, to
continue providing funds to facilitate sharing of information on human
trafficking among authorities of Thailand and Malaysia; and to provide
technical and other assistance to the governments of Malaysia and Thailand
so that the trafficking of Burmese and other migrants may be more actively
pursued and prosecuted.

The report is based on first person accounts of extortion and trafficking in
Malaysia and along the Malaysia-Thailand border. Committee information comes
from experiences of Burmese refugees resettled in the United States and
other countries.

The report highlights the plight of Burmese migrants who crossed Thailand
into Malaysia in the hope of registering with the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and then being resettled in a third
country.

According to the investigation, Malaysian officials have transported
migrants - including some who had registered with UNHCR - from detention
centres to the Thai border for deportation. At the border, however, migrants
are handed to traffickers unless they can pay a ransom.

"Migrants state that those unable to pay are turned over to human peddlers
in Thailand, representing a variety of business interests ranging from
fishing boats to brothels," said the report.

The Senate investigators also received multiple reports of Burmese women
being sexually abused by traffickers, including some in front of their
husbands because, as one NGO employee cited in the report put it, "no one
dares to intervene as they would be shot or stabbed to death in the jungle''
.

"[Burmese women] are sold at a brothel if they look good," recounted one
refugee. "If they are not beautiful, they [the traffickers] might sell them
at a restaurant or house-keeping job."

The committee launched the investigation in 2007 after hearing allegations
about the trafficking of Burmese migrants "with the knowledge, if not
participation" of Malaysian officials.

"The prospect that Burmese migrants, having fled the heavy hand of the
Burmese junta, only to find themselves in harms' way in Malaysia seemed
beyond belief," said the report.

While raising concerns about the role of "government officials" - which the
report defines as immigration and police officials, and the semi-official
People's Volunteer Corps [Rela] - Lugar welcomed the Malaysian police's
recent decision to investigate the allegations.

The report estimated that a few thousand Burmese have been brought to the
border with Thailand in recent years, and in particular to the Sungai Golok
in Thailand and Padang Besar in Malaysia.

It said Burmese refugees now residing in the US had provided names and bank
account details for people involved in the trafficking, which have now been
forwarded to Malaysian law enforcement officials.

The Malaysian Parliamentary Caucus on Myanmar will convene a meeting on the
Lugar Report and will seek a meeting with the Prime Minister and the new
Foreign Minister, Datuk Anifah Aman as the Lugar Report is not only most
damaging to Malaysia's international image but raises grave questions about
Malaysia's human rights commitment in ASEAN

Twitter killed the personal blog — Sean Dwyer

Twitter killed the personal blog — Sean Dwyer
APRIL 24 — I’m just here to confirm what most of you have probably already realised: Twitter killed my personal blog. Hey, it was bound to happen eventually… this site was seriously lacking a direction in the first place. I just wanted somewhere to share some quick thoughts and random links, and now Twitter has filled that void, for better or worse. Most of my posts here had already been whittled down to single sentences anyway.

It seems like a lot of other people are experiencing the same problem. It’s pretty hard to resist sending out a quick 140-character message instead of putting in the extra time to write up a full post about something. For all I know, Twitter may kill blogging entirely (followed by every other form of intelligent communication on the planet Earth). It’s just so quick and easy, and allows for more immediate feedback. Besides, would it really be such a bad thing if there were a few million less blogs out there?

So for now this site will probably just remain a shell for my Twitter account and a central hub for any other projects I’ve got going on. I may throw up the occasional longer post, but I don’t think the “Media Bytes” sub-heading will really apply anymore. I’d like to redesign it all if I can get up the motivation, but until then, what you see is what you get.

I should mention that I’m currently trying to revive my dying music blog by shifting towards music videos instead of MP3s. I’m not sure if it will stick, but my main concern right now is keeping it easy to update. I’ve also had ideas for a couple of other blogs on the back burner for a while now, but I think the only way they’ll ever see the light of day is if Film Junk outlives its usefulness (which is something I’m starting to feel almost every other day).

In conclusion, if you want to be where the action is, make sure you follow @filmjunk on Twitter, subscribe to the RSS feed, or simply bookmark my Twitter page.

Sean Dwyer is a compulsive blogger and self-proclaimed media critic who works as a video game programmer in his hometown of St Catharines, Ontario, Canada. He is also the editor of FilmJunk.com

Lagi Gambar2 Trip ke Indonesia 2009

Raja Petra Turns Fugitive

PETALING JAYA, 23 April 2009: Influential blogger Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin has turned fugitive after a warrant for his arrest was issued today when he failed to appear in court for his sedition trial.


In his Malaysia Today website, he said he opted not to appear in court because he believed he would be rearrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

He also believed that he would be charged for treason, and decided to go into self-imposed exile as punishment after a fall-out with the Selangor palace over the Perak constitutional crisis.

Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayub today issued a warrant of arrest for Raja Petra after he failed to appear in court this morning.

His counsel J Chandra told the court today that his client had explained his absence in a blog posting on his Malaysia Today website, titled Why I am absent in court today.

Raja Petra outlined two main reasons. One was that he faced rearrest under the ISA as he claimed a new detention order had been signed for him.

He said his friends were being asked by the police to reveal his whereabouts so that he could be rearrested.

"If I were to turn up in court today I would never be allowed to leave. The police would immediately detain me and send me to Kamunting," he said.

"After two ISA detentions, I do not plan to allow them to get me so easily the third time around. I also refuse to face treason charges that will result in me being sent to the gallows. I love my life and wish to remain alive a few years longer if possible," he said.

Different stand

Interestingly, in an earlier blog posting on 16 February, Raja Petra vowed continued resistance against the government even if it meant being behind bars in Kamunting.

In Probably My Last Message To Malaysians, he said he refused advice to seek political asylum in another country, even at the cost of his freedom.

He also said he would refuse medical treatment, and the food provided by the Kamunting authorities. He said he was prepared to be dead by the end of seven to eight days after refusing food and water.

"I lay down my life for this nation of ours called Malaysia. I will sacrifice myself for the sake of the struggle," he wrote.

Royal fallout

In today's blog posting, Raja Petra said he also believed he would eventually be charged for treason for his 2 March open letter to Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, in which he expressed views that went against the Perak sultan.

He said the letter had angered his family, and the Selangor royalty, of which he is a member. He said his family wanted him to issue a public apology to the Perak sultan.

He refused to do so, and also refused to attend a family meeting to discuss the situation. He was then given an ultimatum to either make a public apology or be publicly disowned by his family.

Raja Petra said his response to that was to go into exile outside Selangor. "As a matter of fact, I even missed two recent family funerals, as I could not and would not step foot in Selangor ever again."

He said exile was the normal punishment for any member of the kerabat or royal family who had displeased the palace.

Raja Petra said he would attend his court hearing "when the situation permits", that is when he is satisfied that he would not be charged for treason, when the government withdraws its appeal against his ISA release, and when he feels that there is no new detention order for his rearrest.

Raja Petra said in his blog he did not believe he would get a fair trial either in the government's appeal against his release, or in his on-going sedition and criminal defamation cases.

His sedition trial is over an article, Let's Send the Altantuya Murderers to Hell, posted on his website on 25 April 2008.

Raja Petra was detained a second time under the ISA on 12 Sept and was ordered to the Kamunting Detention Centre for two years on 23 Sept by the home minister. But the Shah Alam High Court released him from ISA detention on 7 Nov. The government is appealing.

His first ISA detention was in April 2001 for his involvement in the reformasi movement.

Kes Ahmad Hafizal - PLKN

Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi dari Kampung Titi Serong, Jalan Kuala Perlis, Perlis merupakan pemuda pertama yang didapati bersalah kerana gagal menghadiri Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) pada usia 18 tahun, pada 11 May 2005. Beliau didakwa dengan sengaja mengingkari notis bertarikh 9 Julai 2004 yang memintanya melaporkan diri di Kem Dusun Resort, Kuala Nerang, Kedah, pada 25 Julai 2004.
Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi yang merupakan seorang daripada empat beradik kepada seorang ibu tunggal, telah berhenti persekolahan selepas tamat pelajaran tingkatan dua SMK Syed Alwi di Kayang. Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi yang bekerja mengambil upah membuat bendang secara harian untuk menanggung ibu dan dua adiknya, memilih untuk menjalani hukuman penjara. Abangnya pula (21 tahun) dilaporkan berada di Melaka bagi mencari pekerjaan, dan dua orang adiknya berusia 16 dan 15 tahun. Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi dilaporkan oleh akhbar The Star sebagai meminjam RM7 daripada ibunya untuk menghadiri kesnya di mahkamah.

Ahmad Harizal, yang tidak diwakili peguam dan tanpa ditemani keluarga, dituduh mengikut Seksyen 18(1) Akta Khidmat Negara 2003 yang jika sabit kesalahan boleh dihukum denda sehingga RM3,000 atau penjara selama enam bulan atau kedua-duanya sekali.

Majistret Wan Norzanuar Wan Ahmad menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 14 hari atau RM600 ke atas Ahmad Harizal selepas dia gagal membayar denda berjumlah RM600. Ahmad Harizal yang kesempitan wang telah memilih untuk hukuman penjara 14 hari.

Kangar OCPD Supt Yusof Mohd Diah mengesahkan bahawa Ahmad Harizal ditempatkan dipenjara polis daerah Kangar sebelum dipindahkan ke penjara Sungai Petani. Pemuda UMNO Perlis telah berusaha membayar wang jaminan bagi Ahmad Harizal tetapi gagal kerana melebihi waktu pejabat berjanji akan kembali semula keesokan harinya.

Selepas dipenjara satu hari, Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi telah dibebaskan dari lokap Ibu Pejabat Polis (IPD) Kangar pada jam 8.45 pagi, setelah denda itu dibayar kira-kira jam 8.15 pagi, oleh Pegawai Khas Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Yusof Othman. Denda itu dikurangkan kepada RM557.15 selepas mengambil kira Ahmad Harizal sudah menjalani hukuman penjara selama sehari. Selepas denda dibayar, Yusof bersama beberapa pegawai khas lain terus ke IPD Kangar membawa resit pembayaran untuk membebaskan Ahmad Harizal.

Remaja itu, yang memakai T-shirt biru, jeans dan berselipar, pakaian yang sama ketika dijatuhkan hukuman kelmarin, kemudian dibawa menaiki Proton Perdana ke Hotel Putra Palace.

Kes-kes lain
Menurut laporan, dianggarkan seramai 8,599 remaja yang terpilih untuk PLKN dan masih gagal mendaftarkan diri sehingga semalam, dan berhadapan dengan kemungkinan waran tangkap akan dikeluarkan dan mereka akan diheretkan ke mahkamah.

Pihak DAP telah menyeru kerajaan agar kegagalan remaja untuk menghadiri program ini selepas mereka dipilih tidak seharusnya dipandang satu kesalahan yang serius, lebih-lebih lagi, di dalam satu situasi di mana perlaksanaan Program ini dari awalnya tidak dapat memberi keyakinan kepada orang ramai serta penyebaran maklumat berkenaannya tidak menyeluruh. Tambahan lagi objektif Program ini adalah bertujuan untuk membentuk displin, perpaduan dan patrioisme.

DAP mendakwa Akta bagi Program ini telah diluluskan di dalam Dewan Rakyat secara tergesa-gesa pada bulan Jun tahun lalu dan ini telah menimbulkan pelbagai masalah di dalam perlaksanaan seperti, infrastruktur yang tidak lengkap, kelayakan jurulatih yang kurang memuaskan, kejadian rogol, pergaduhan, penyalahgunaan dadah, kecurian, gangguan seksual termasuk dua kejadian mati lemas pelatih. [1]

Ruang Awang Selamat dalam Utusan Malaysia mencadangkan agar hukuman kerja sosial diperkenalkan memandangkan kesalahan tersebut tidak setimpal dengan hukuman penjara yang menempatkannya bersama-sama perompak, perogol dan lain-lain penjenayah.

Ulasan pihak rasmi
Sementara itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yakin polis, pendakwa dan Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara (JLKN) akan bersimpati sekiranya Ahmad Harizal memberi alasan jelas.

“Sebaliknya, Ahmad Harizal tidak memohon penangguhan dan alasannya diragui.

Kerajaan tidak terbabit dalam kes pendakwaan, ini semua (tugas) polis dan pendakwa. Kita tidak dimaklumkan siapa yang hendak didakwa.

“Ini budi bicara mereka, yang kita tentukan cuma di segi undang-undang dan mereka yang dipilih wajib menghadiri PLKN,” katanya sambil berharap semua pihak menghormati keputusan mahkamah.

Pihak pendakwaraya, Abdul Gani berkata, beliau berpuas hati dengan siasatan polis terhadap kes Ahmad Hafizal dan remaja itu turut mengakui tahu mengenai program itu serta menerima sendiri surat memintanya melapor diri.

“Kita bukan tidak berhati perut dan sebab itu kita sudah beri arahan untuk memohon semakan,” katanya lagi.

Dalam kesemua ulasan tersebut, tidak satupun mengambil kira taraf pendidikan yang diterima oleh Ahmad Hafizal, yang tidak memungkinkannya tahu dengan jelas prosedure dan kesan tindakannya.

Pemuda UMNO Perlis tampil untuk membantu membayar denda yang dikenakan ke atas beliau. Ketua Pemudanya, Rozabil Abd Rahman berkata bantuan tersebut adalah disebabkan keperihatian pergerakan itu terhadap keluarga adik Ahmad Hafizal yang mengalami kesempitan hidup. "Kita sesekali tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan beliau yang gagal menghadiri PLKN. Sungguh pun beliau datang dari keluarga miskin dan mengalami kesempitan hidup, program terbabit sesuatu yang harus diikuti demi masa depan beliau dan negara", katanya kepada laman webPemuda di sini, hari ini.

Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi, 18, menjadi remaja pertama di negara ini yang dihukum oleh mahkamah kerana gagal menghadiri PLKN pada Julai tahun lalu. Beliau, yang tinggal di Kampung Titi Serong, Jalan Kuala Perlis, dijatuhi hukuman denda RM600 atau 14 hari penjara oleh Mahkamah Majistret, di sini semalam. Bagaimanapun, disebabkan kesempitan hidup, Ahmad Hafizal yang mengambil upah membuat bendang untuk menanggung ibu dan dua adiknya, memilih untuk menjalani hukuman penjara. Ahmad Harizal, yang tidak diwakili peguam dan tanpa ditemani keluarga, dituduh mengikut Seksyen 18(1) Akta Khidmat Negara 2003 yang jika sabit kesalahan boleh dihukum denda sehingga RM3,000 atau penjara selama enam bulan atau kedua-duanya sekali. Dia didakwa dengan sengaja mengingkari notis bertarikh 9 Julai 2004 yang memintanya melaporkan diri di Kem Dusun Resort, Kuala Nerang, Kedah, pada 25 Julai 2004. Kata Rozabil lagi hukuman yang dikenakan ke atas adik Ahmad Hafizal sewajarnya menjadi pengajaran kepada peserta yang akan datang agar bertanggungjawab terhadap PLKN. "Kejadian ini perlu menjadi teladan kepada semua pihak agar mengambil perhatian serius terhadap program berkenaan", ujarnya.

Oleh Haris Razali Kangar -- Simpati dengan nasib keluarga adik Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi, 18, yang didapati bersalah dan dijatuhi hukuman denda RM600 atau penjara 14 hari kerana gagal menghadiri Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN), Pemuda UMNO Perlis tampil untuk membantu membayar denda yang dikenakan ke atas beliau. Ketua Pemudanya, Rozabil Abd Rahman berkata bantuan tersebut adalah disebabkan keperihatian pergerakan itu terhadap keluarga adik Ahmad Hafizal yang mengalami kesempitan hidup. "Kita sesekali tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan beliau yang gagal menghadiri PLKN. Sungguh pun beliau datang dari keluarga miskin dan mengalami kesempitan hidup, program terbabit sesuatu yang harus diikuti demi masa depan beliau dan negara", katanya kepada laman webPemuda di sini, hari ini. Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi, 18, menjadi remaja pertama di negara ini yang dihukum oleh mahkamah kerana gagal menghadiri PLKN pada Julai tahun lalu. Beliau, yang tinggal di Kampung Titi Serong, Jalan Kuala Perlis, dijatuhi hukuman denda RM600 atau 14 hari penjara oleh Mahkamah Majistret, di sini semalam. Bagaimanapun, disebabkan kesempitan hidup, Ahmad Hafizal yang mengambil upah membuat bendang untuk menanggung ibu dan dua adiknya, memilih untuk menjalani hukuman penjara. Ahmad Hafizal, yang tidak diwakili peguam dan tanpa ditemani keluarga, dituduh mengikut Seksyen 18(1) Akta Khidmat Negara 2003 yang jika sabit kesalahan boleh dihukum denda sehingga RM3,000 atau penjara selama enam bulan atau kedua-duanya sekali. Dia didakwa dengan sengaja mengingkari notis bertarikh 9 Julai 2004 yang memintanya melaporkan diri di Kem Dusun Resort, Kuala Nerang, Kedah, pada 25 Julai 2004. Kata Rozabil lagi hukuman yang dikenakan ke atas adik Ahmad Hafizal sewajarnya menjadi pengajaran kepada peserta yang akan datang agar bertanggungjawab terhadap PLKN. "Kejadian ini perlu menjadi teladan kepada semua pihak agar mengambil perhatian serius terhadap program berkenaan", ujarnya.

PUTRAJAYA: Pejabat Peguam Negara akan memohon semakan semula di Mahkamah Tinggi bagi mengurangkan hukuman denda RM600 atau 14 hari penjara ke atas Ahmad Harizal Ahmad Fauzie, 18 kerana gagal menghadiri Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) pada Julai tahun lalu.

Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, berkata semakan itu bertujuan menilai secara betul kes Ahmad Hafizal, 18, remaja pertama yang dihukum kerana kesalahan itu, dengan mengambil kira latar belakang keluarganya dalam usaha menegakkan keadilan.

“Saya sudah mengarahkan untuk memohon semakan itu kerana tidak mahu keluarganya berhadapan masalah yang tidak perlu. Anak itu mungkin salah, tetapi kita tidak mahu emaknya menderita.

“Kita akan hanya meminta semakan terhadap hukuman, (tetapi) sabitan kekal. Undang-undang tidak membezakan di antara yang kaya dan miskin. Dalam kes ini, kita tidak mahu ahli keluarga dijadikan ‘kambing hitam’ untuk apa yang telah dilakukan,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang media di pejabatnya di sini semalam, khusus bagi menjelaskan isu itu yang menarik perhatian seluruh negara.

Ahmad Harizal, dari Kampung Titi Serong, Jalan Kuala Perlis, yang dijatuhi hukuman denda RM600 atau 14 hari penjara oleh Mahkamah Majistret di Kangar kelmarin, terpaksa memilih menjalani hukuman penjara kerana kesempitan hidup.

Bagaimanapun, beliau yang mengambil upah mengerjakan sawah untuk menanggung ibu dan dua adiknya, dibebaskan dari lokap Ibu Pejabat Polis (IPD) Kangar pada jam 8.45 pagi semalam setelah denda itu dibayar.

Pegawai Khas Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Yusof Othman, membayar denda itu di Mahkamah Majistret, kira-kira jam 8.15 pagi. Denda itu dikurangkan kepada RM557.15 selepas mengambil kira Ahmad Harizal sudah menjalani hukuman penjara selama sehari.

Selepas denda dibayar, Yusof bersama beberapa pegawai khas lain terus ke IPD Kangar membawa resit pembayaran untuk membebaskan Ahmad Harizal.

Remaja itu, yang memakai T-shirt biru, jeans dan berselipar, pakaian yang sama ketika dijatuhkan hukuman kelmarin, kemudian dibawa menaiki Proton Perdana ke Hotel Putra Palace di sini.

Abdul Gani menjelaskan, pendakwaan terhadap Ahmad Harizal tidak seharusnya berlaku jika remaja itu berterus terang sejak awal lagi.

“Ketika disiasat polis, Ahmad Harizal cuma menjawab dia malas untuk menyertai program itu. Kalau dia kata 'saya tidak boleh pergi sebab nak cari pendapatan untuk keluarga', kita boleh periksa keluarga itu dan kita pertimbangkan.

“Kita banyak kes seperti budak sakit, kena cari nafkah, ibu bapa sakit, orang buta huruf, cacat, nak ambil peperiksaan... kita lepaskan. Saya tidak mahu ini dijadikan kebiasaan. Semuanya bergantung kepada fakta setiap kes dan tidak boleh dibuat secara menyeluruh,” katanya.

Abdul Gani berkata, beliau berpuas hati dengan siasatan polis terhadap kes Ahmad Hafizal dan remaja itu turut mengakui tahu mengenai program itu serta menerima sendiri surat memintanya melapor diri.

“Kita bukan tidak berhati perut dan sebab itu kita sudah beri arahan untuk memohon semakan,” katanya.

Ditanya pandangannya terhadap hukuman yang dijatuhkan Majistret Wan Norzainuar Wan Ahmad, beliau berkata:

“Hakikatnya mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman denda kerana tidak mahu seseorang pergi ke penjara. Ada hukuman lain seperti seseorang itu dibenar membayar denda secara ansuran dan ketiga mengenakan seseorang berkelakuan baik iaitu perlu melapor kepada polis dalam tempoh tertentu.”

Abdul Gani berkata, mahkamah harus diberi kebebasan dalam membuat keputusan termasuk berhubung permohonan semakan kes itu.

Sementara itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yakin polis, pendakwa dan Jabatan Latihan Khidmat Negara (JLKN) akan bersimpati sekiranya Ahmad Harizal memberi alasan jelas.

“Sebaliknya, Ahmad Hafizal tidak memohon penangguhan dan alasannya diragui.

Kerajaan tidak terbabit dalam kes pendakwaan, ini semua (tugas) polis dan pendakwa. Kita tidak dimaklumkan siapa yang hendak didakwa.

“Ini budi bicara mereka, yang kita tentukan cuma di segi undang-undang dan mereka yang dipilih wajib menghadiri PLKN,” katanya sambil berharap semua pihak menghormati keputusan mahkamah.

Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas sambutan ulang tahun ke-59 Umno di sini petang semalam, beliau berkata kerajaan tidak campur tangan dan terserah kepada Peguam Negara untuk memohon semakan hukuman.

“Saya percaya semua orang kalau baca ini (kes Ahmad Hafizal) akan lebih insaf bahawa ini adalah tanggungjawab mereka dan kalau ingkar, mereka boleh didakwa.

“Kita mesti sandarkan kepada undang-undang. Kalau tidak, program kita tidak akan disokong dan mendapat penyertaan menyeluruh,” katanya turut berterima kasih kepada pihak yang membantu Ahmad Harizal dan menggalakkan sesiapa yang mahu membantu keluarganya.

Hukuman kerja sosial -- Pelbagai pihak berpendapat ia wajar untuk kesalahan ringan Oleh KAMIL MASLIH dan HISYAMUDDIN AYUB

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Mei - Hukuman kerja sosial wajar dipraktikkan untuk kesalahan-kesalahan ringan termasuk kepada remaja-remaja yang gagal menghadiri Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN). Pelbagai pihak berpendapat, hukuman itu adalah yang terbaik untuk kesalahan seperti itu kerana tidak wajar untuk menempatkan mereka terutama remaja dalam penjara bersama penjenayah-penjenayah tegar lain. Presiden Majlis Peguam, Yeo Yong Poh berpendapat, kerja sosial lebih efektif kerana ia berbentuk pendidikan dan dapat membentuk keinsafan kepada pesalah. ``Hukuman kerja sosial juga dapat memperdekatkan lagi pesalah dengan masyarakat melalui kerja-kerja sosial yang dijalankan, katanya. Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas cadangan Awang Selamat dalam Utusan Malaysia hari ini agar hukuman kerja sosial diperkenalkan memandangkan kesalahan tersebut tidak setimpal dengan hukuman penjara yang menempatkannya bersama-sama perompak, perogol dan lain-lain penjenayah. Remaja terbabit, Ahmad Harizal Ahmad Fauzie, 19, mengaku bersalah Mahkamah Majistret Kangar semalam kerana gagal mengikuti PLKN di Kuala Nerang, Kedah, Julai tahun lalu. Majistret Wan Norzanuar Wan Ahmad menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 14 hari ke atas Ahmad Harizal selepas dia gagal membayar denda berjumlah RM600. Dia sempat menjalani hukuman penjara semalaman dan dibebaskan pagi ini setelah seorang yang bersimpati dengan keadaannya yang miskin membayar denda. Hukuman kerja sosial banyak dilaksanakan di negara-negara maju bagi kesalahan-kesalahan kecil, seperti kesalahan trafik. Hukuman itu biasanya membabitkan pesalah melakukan kerja-kerja kebajikan di rumah-rumah amal, memotong rumput, mengecat dan menyapu sampah. Presiden Persatuan Peguam-Peguam Muslim Malaysia, Zaiton Othman berkata, cadangan pelaksanaan hukuman kerja sosial bukan sahaja dapat memberi manfaat kepada pesalah terbabit malah juga kepada masyarakat. ``Menerusi hukuman tersebut, pesalah-pesalah terbabit dapat dibentuk menjadi insan yang berguna menerusi pengalaman-pengalaman baru melakukan kerja-kerja kebajikan. ``Di waktu yang sama, masyarakat juga akan memperoleh kebaikan daripada kerja-kerja yang dilakukan oleh para pesalah, katanya. Beliau menambah, hukuman kerja sosial juga tidak akan menimbulkan tekanan jiwa kepada para pesalah malah ia mendekatkan lagi mereka kepada masyarakat. Pengamal undang-undang, Salleh Buang berkata, kerajaan sewajarnya menyegerakan pelaksanaan hukuman kerja sosial sebagai hukuman alternatif terhadap kesalahan-kesalahan ringan di masa akan datang. ``Banyak kesalahan-kesalahan ringan yang lain juga boleh dipindahkan kepada hukuman kerja kemasyarakatan bagi menimbulkan rasa bertanggungjawab di kalangan pesalah, katanya. Pesalah-pesalah yang dijatuhkan hukuman kerja sosial tidak akan merasa tertekan akibat tersisih daripada masyarakat sebaliknya memberi perspektif baru kepada mereka terhadap masyarakat. Presiden Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman berkata, hukuman kerja sosial yang melibatkan kerja-kerja kebajikan merupakan penyelesaian terbaik bagi memberi pengajaran kepada pesalah-pesalah yang melakukan kesalahan ringan. ``Kadang-kala, hukuman penjara adalah terlalu berat bagi kesalahan-kesalahan tersebut, justeru itu, hukuman kerja sosial adalah pilihan terbaik bagi meninggalkan kesan positif kepada pesalah terbabit, katanya. Sementara itu, orang ramai yang ditemui Utusan Malaysia turut bersetuju hukuman kerja sosial dikenakan kepada mereka yang didapati bersalah melakukan kesalahan-kesalahan ringan. Seorang pengurus syarikat swasta, Hamedi Zakariah, 40, berkata, pelaksanaan hukuman kerja sosial adalah lebih sesuai memandangkan ia dapat membentuk sahsiah diri yang lebih baik kepada para pesalah. ``Hukuman-hukuman yang dijatuhkan sewajarnya turut berdasarkan latar belakang pesalah dan faktor kesalahan tersebut dilakukan agar hukuman yang lebih sesuai dapat diputuskan, katanya. Kakitangan swasta, Datuk Bujang Ulis, 56 berkata, selain daripada dikenakan hukuman kerja sosial, pihak yang melakukan kesalahan ringan perlu juga diberikan perkhidmatan kaunseling. ``Khidmat kaunseling adalah langkah terbaik untuk mengetahui permasalahan yang menyebabkan mereka melakukan kesalahan-kesalahan tersebut dan pada masa yang sama memberi khidmat pemulihan, katanya. Profesor di universiti swasta, Datuk Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid berkata, adalah menjadi hak untuk negara menghukum kepada mereka yang ingkar. ``Walau bagaimana pun, hukuman kerja sosial yang dicadangkan tersebut lebih efektif bagi mewujudkan satu masyarakat yang bersahsiah tinggi dan menanam semangat patriotik, katanya.

Undang-undang tetap undang-undang…itulah hakikat yang terpaksa dihadapi oleh Ahmad Hafizal Ahmad Fauzi, 18, yang dijatuhi hukuman denda RM600 atau 14 hari penjara oleh Mahkamah Majistret Kangar Selasa kerana gagal menghadiri Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN).Namun begitu kisah buruh dari Kampung Titi Serong, Jalan Kuala Perlis begitu menyentuh perasaan ramai orang sehingga ada yang sanggup untuk membayar denda untuknya.Ini merupakan kes pertama melibatkan 4,269 peserta PLKN yang gagal melaporkan diri pada siri pertama latihan itu tahun lalu yang dihadapkan ke mahkamah.Anak kedua daripada empat adik beradik itu mengaku tidak menyedari bahawa kegagalan menghadiri latihan PLKN sebagai satu kesala(Ipoh, Khamis): DAP menyeru Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menangguhkan sebarang tindakan mahkamah terhadap 8,599 remaja yang terpilih untuk PLKN tetapi gagal mendaftarkan diri sehingga perbincangan oleh Jawatankuasa Unit Perpaduan Kebangsaan di Parlimen. Menurut laporan, seramai 8,599 remaja yang terpilih untuk PLKN dan gagal mendaftarkan diri sehingga semalam, waran tangkap akan dikeluarkan dan mereka akan diheretkan ke mahkamah. Memandangkan Datuk Seri Najib telah mengumumkan persetujuan Kabinet terhadap cadangan penubuhan Jawatankuasa Unit Perpaduan Kebangsaan yang terdiri daripada ahli-ahli Parlimen dari Barisan Nasional dan Parti Pembangkang, di mana perkembangan PLKN, termasuk samada Program ini patut diteruskan atau dibatalkan, oleh itu, adalah wajar dan berpatutan tindakan terhadap 8,599 remaja ini ditangguhkan sehingga Jawatankuasa ini ditubuhkan dan membincangkannya secara terperinci. DAP ingin mengingatkan pihak Kementerian berkenaan implikasi negatif yang akan timbul samada terhadap imej Kerajaan atau individu yang terlibat, jika 8,599 remaja ini ditangkap dan diheretkan ke mahkamah. Objektif Program ini adalah bertujuan untuk membentuk displin, perpaduan dan patrioisme. Oleh itu, kegagalan remaja ini menghadiri program ini selepas mereka dipilih tidak seharusnya dipandang satu kesalahan yang serius, lebih-lebih lagi, di dalam satu situasi di mana perlaksanaan Program ini dari awalnya tidak dapat memberi keyakinan kepada orangramai serta penyebaran maklumat berkenaannya tidak menyeluruh. Akta bagi Program ini yang telah diluluskan di dalam Dewan Rakyat secara tergesa-gesa pada bulan Jun tahun lalu dan ini telah menimbulkan pelbagai masalah di dalam perlaksanaan seperti, infrastruktur yang tidak lengkap, kelayakan jurulatih yang kurang memuaskan, kejadian rogol, pergaduhan, penyalahgunaan dadah, kecurian, gangguan seksual termasuk dua kejadian mati lemas pelatih. Oleh itu, adalah patut dan wajar Parlimen memikul tanggungjawab ini dan tidak pula menghukum 8,599 remaja yang gagal tampil ke hadapan . Ia hanya munasabah dan logik bagi pihak Kementerian mencari faktor-faktor mereka enggan menyertai program ini. Tambahan, jika 8,599 orang remaja ini dihukum denda atu penjara, ia akan meninggalkan rekod jenayah ke atas nama mereka, yang secara tidak langsung akan menjejaskan masa depan mereka. Akta Latihan Khidmat Negara memperuntukkan denda maksimum RM 3,000 atau penjara maksimum 6 bulan atau kedua-duanya ke atas mereka yang gagal menghadiri Program ini jika terpilih. Oleh itu, DAP menyeru Datuk Seri Najib menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Unit Perpaduan Kebangsaan dengan segera bagi membolehkan ahli-ahli Parlimen membincangkan terperinci Program ini termasuk isu berkenaan 8,599 orang remaja yang gagal melaporkan diri. (24/6/2004) han dan merayu hukuman ringan kerana beliau perlu membantu menyara keluarganya yang miskin