Anwar Ibrahim archive at Anwar Ibrahim

Author Archive for Anwar Ibrahim

Feb

SKANDAL NFC: PENGURUSAN NFC MENGUMPUL ASET MEWAH DI SINGAPURA

By Anwar Ibrahim 0 Comments

Categories: Ekonomi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Kewangan, Malaysia, Media and Umno

KENYATAAN MEDIA
8 FEBRUARI 2012

SKANDAL NFC: PENGURUSAN NFC MENGUMPUL ASET MEWAH DI SINGAPURA

Seperti yang didedahkan sebelum ini, pengurusan NFC telah menubuhkan beberapa syarikat di Singapura bagi menjalankan perniagaan peribadi milik keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil tetapi dibiayai melalui pemindahan wang yang berasal dari dana rakyat berjumlah RM250 juta yang diberikan kepada NFC.

Sebelum ini, KEADILAN telah mengemukakan bukti bahawa sejumlah S$530,000 (bersamaan RM1.3 juta) telah dipindahkan dari dana NFC kepada Meatworks (Singapore) Pte Ltd bagi tempoh 3 bulan antara Oktober hingga Disember 2010. Saya percaya banyak lagi pemindahan wang seperti ini berlaku untuk membiayai perniagaan milik keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil di Singapura.

KEADILAN juga mengesyaki perniagaan-perniagaan ini digunakan untuk mengumpul harta peribadi di Singapura, termasuklah mendapatkan pinjaman bagi membeli kondominium-kondominium mewah di Singapura.

Pada 17 Januari 2012, saya menerima satu maklumat bahawa keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil mendapat pembiayaan dari Maybank untuk membeli satu kondominium mewah di Singapura. Berdasarkan maklumat ini, saya turut bekerjasama dengan rakyat Malaysia yang berada di Singapura termasuk menggunakan khidmat penyiasat persendirian untuk mengenalpasti unit-unit yang dibeli.

Hasil siasatan mengesahkan bahawa selain dari satu unit kondominium mewah Orchard Scotts, keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil telah membeli dua lagi unit kondominium mewah di Marina Bay Suites, Singapura.

Butir-butirnya adalah seperti berikut:

Alamat

#08-01

Marina Bay Suites

3 Central Boulevard

Singapore 018965

Hakmilik

Dato’ Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail

Wan Shahinur Izran Mohamad Salleh

(rujuk muka surat 6, Sijil Hakmilik yang dikeluarkan Singapore Land Authority)

Harga

S$7,114,000 bersamaan RM17,205,209

Tarikh dibeli

27 Mei 2010

Pembiaya

United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB)

Alamat

#11-01

Marina Bay Suites

3 Central Boulevard

Singapore 018965

Hakmilik

Dato’ Seri Mohamad Salleh Ismail

Wan Shahinur Izran Mohamad Salleh

(rujuk muka surat 6, Sijil Hakmilik yang dikeluarkan Singapore Land Authority)

Harga

S$7,177,000 bersamaan RM17,357,575

Tarikh dibeli

27 Mei 2010

Pembiaya

Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank)

Kedua-dua unit ini terletak berhampiran dengan sebuah restoran mewah yang dimiliki dan dikendalikan oleh keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil di Singapura, iaitu Brawn Steakhouse.

Kemudahan pembiayaan untuk membeli 2 buah kondominium berjumlah RM34,562,784 dipercayai diluluskan oleh bank-bank terbabit sebagai urusan timbal balik kerana NFC dan syarikat-syarikat berkaitan yang dimiliki oleh keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil mempunyai deposit yang besar di bank-bank tersebut. Deposit tersebut adalah sebahagian dari dana RM250 juta yang diluluskan bagi tujuan operasi Pusat Fidlot Kebangsaan yang gagal mencapai sasaran yang ditetapkan.

Pembelian dua buah kondominium mewah di Singapura ini menjadi satu lagi bukti bagaimana dana RM250 juta telah digunakan bagi tujuan peribadi untuk megumpul harta, sedangkan tujuan asal dana tersebut diberikan tidak dipenuhi.

Persoalan yang lebih besar ialah bagaimanakah keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil mampu menanggung bayaran balik bulanan yang cukup besar. Anggaran saya berdasarkan kadar pinjaman semasa dan tempoh bayaran balik 25 tahun menunjukkan keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil perlu membayar RM173,000 sebulan untuk membiayai pinjaman kedua-dua kondominium tersebut.

Ini menimbulkan risiko besar berlakunya penyelewengan dalam pengurusan dana RM250 juta memandangkan mustahil Dato’ Seri Salleh Ismail dan anak beliau, Wan Shahinur Izran berpendapatan sebegitu tinggi untuk melangsaikan tanggungan hutang bulanan kepada bank-bank terbabit. Ada kemungkinan dana awam berjumlah RM250 juta itu diselewengkan kepada pelbagai syarikat yang dimiliki oleh keluarga Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil di Singapura, sebahagiannya untuk menampung bayaran balik pinjaman kondominium yang dibeli.

Continue reading ‘SKANDAL NFC: PENGURUSAN NFC MENGUMPUL ASET MEWAH DI SINGAPURA’

Feb

Muslim Democrats at Work From Indochina to Tunisia

By Anwar Ibrahim 1 Comment

Categories: Analisis, Antarabangsa, Anwar, Demokrasi, Dunia Arab, Ekonomi, Isu Semasa, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Penerbitan, Pilihanraya and Politik

From nationmultimedia.com

By Imtiyaz Yusuf

Muslim democrats at work from Indochina to Tunisia

Non-separation between religion and politics in Islam is best understood within the frame of religious unity but political diversity in the Muslim world.

The Koran, while offering religious, socio-economic and political principles, does not provide a single model for it. Colonial rulers tried to implement separation between religion and politics in the colonised Muslim world by placing religion under the jurisdiction of the rajas, kings and sultans, or by establishing ministries of religious affairs and the office of the mufti – an official interpreter of Islamic religious law. But they did not succeed in separating religion and politics in Muslim societies. Hence, today we see the diverse roles Islam plays in the politics of different Muslim countries.

The post-colonial era also saw attempts by different Muslim political leaders and parties to democratise political practice during different authoritarian regimes. The political roles and sacrifices made by Nurcholish Madjid and Gus Dur (Indonesia), Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia) and Rachid Ghannouchi (Tunisia) in this endeavour are significant examples.

Nurcholish Madjid (d. 2005) was an Indonesian Muslim modernist whose career as a scholar and activist started with his role in HMI – the Islamic Association of University Students in Indonesia. As a young Muslim activist during the authoritarian rules of Sukarno and Suharto, he realised that not much could be gained through Islamising the political system; rather, it would prove to be an obstacle. Hence, he proposed an “Islam yes, Islamic party no” strategy. For Madjid, Islam was not merely a political campaign but also a civilisational mission that is educational and cultural, embodying religious pluralism and democracy. As a leader of the reformasi movement in 1998, Madjid personally asked Suharto to step down, thus ending his 27 years of dictatorship.

Gus Dur or Abdurrahman Wahid (d. 2009) was a democrat and pluralist who offered an alternative model of Islamist political activity. He modernised the traditional Indonesian Muslim organisation, the Nahdatul Ulama (NU), in the areas of education and political theology. He contributed towards the formation of “Civil Islam” in Indonesia. Wahid was elected as the first president of post-Suharto Indonesia. The most important legacy of Gus Dur today is his commitment to reform, modernisation and democracy.

Wahid held the conviction that Indonesia’s stability should be rooted in the principle of unity in diversity and open politics, leading to the success of democracy in a Muslim majority country. He once remarked, “I am for an Indonesian society, not just an Islamic one.” He believed that what mattered was not the question of whether there is scriptural compatibility between Islam and democracy, but whether Muslims have a political intent, ambition and capacity for democracy. He partnered Nurcholish Madjid in opposing the autocratic regime of Suharto. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called Wahid a “father of multiculturalism and pluralism”.

As president, Gus Dur lifted the ban on the public use of the Chinese language, the practice of Chinese cultural tradition, and made the celebration of the Chinese New Year a national holiday, all of which were barred by Suharto. Wahid guaranteed full citizenship to ethnic Chinese in Indonesia. He also defended the religious freedom of Indonesian Christians. As president of Indonesia, Gus Dur received the Ahmaddiyah leader Mirza Tahir Ahmad, as his guest. Wahid defended the rights of the Ahmaddiyah to exist in Indonesia on the constitutional principle of freedom of religion. For Wahid, pluralism is not only an intellectual concept but a matter of practice. Wahid held that the koranic message of insaniyah – humanity – represents Islam’s universalism and respect for human rights and equality.

Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, twice acquitted on sodomy charges, is another steadfast Muslim democrat. He has been imprisoned several times for upholding justice and equality. As an ardent democrat, he calls for religious and ethnic pluralism in Malaysia. He is a naturally evolved Muslim pluralist inspired by Islamic teaching and its humane values.

As a student leader, Anwar founded the Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) – the Muslim Youth Movement – in 1971. As deputy prime minister, he proposed the philosophy of “Asian Renaissance” in 1996 as a means for the “development and flowering of Asian societies based on a certain vision of perfection; societies imbued with truth and the love of learning, justice and compassion; mutual respect and forbearance; and freedom with responsibility. Faith and religious practice is not confined to the individual; it permeates the life of the community.” Based on the teachings of Islam, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the Asian Renaissance holds that an Asian is essentially a persona religiosus.

Anwar is well read and an eloquent orator, with a creative mind. He is sincere to his faith and loyal to his country. He stands up for human rights and dignity, gender equality, democracy, good governance, acceptance of cultural diversity and sharing of common values. He is a citizen of the world.

Today, Anwar heads the multi-party opposition in Malaysia and calls for the equality of all Malaysians. In the last election, he upset the ruling UMNO’s dominance in the Malaysian parliament, and continues to pose a formidable challenge to it.

Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of the Ennahdah Party in Tunisia, is a democrat within Islamism. Imprisoned twice for calling for political pluralism and economic justice during Ben Ali’s authoritarian Tunisia, he lived in exile for 22 years. As a major party in Tunisia today, Ennahdah has formed a national unity government instead of one dominated by itself. The aim is to move Tunisia towards democracy and development.

As an original Muslim thinker, Ghannouchi stands for the guarantee of personal freedoms and holds that gender equality, democracy and pluralism are compatible with Islam. He opposes religious extremism. He once remarked, “Freedom comes before Islam and is the step leading to Islam.” As a rationalist philosopher, Ghannouchi represent the aqalana – rationalist tradition – in Islamic thought, which upholds harmony between human reason and revelation.

Ghannouchi believes that Tunisia should be a religiously tolerant and pluralist society with gender equality. He is banned from entering Saudi Arabia and Iran because of his moderate views.

Contemporary Muslim democrats have lived under repressive regimes and have been imprisoned, but they remained undaunted by opposition to their convictions. The “Arab Spring” and other such events in the Muslim world are broad democratic and non-violent alliances made up of democrats, workers, youth, women and the subaltern who challenge authoritarian regimes. They seek good governance and not the establishment of theocratic governments.

Dr Imtiyaz Yusuf is professor of Islamics and religion at the Graduate School of Philosophy and Religion, Assumption University, Bangkok.

Jan

Rakaman Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Di Masjid Lapangan Terbang Subang

By Anwar Ibrahim 6 Comments

Categories: Aktiviti, Anwar, Demokrasi, Islam, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen and Program

Jan

Program Sambutan Tahun Baru Cina Bersama Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim Pulau Pinang & Perak

By Anwar Ibrahim 0 Comments

Categories: Aktiviti, Anwar, Demokrasi, Hebahan, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen and Program

Gong Xi Fa Chai !!! Long Ma Jing Shen !!!

28 Januari 2012 (Sabtu)

1)    Pulau Pinang

i)                    3.00 – 6.00 ptg – Sambutan Tahun Baru Cina PKR Pulau Pinang

             Lokasi: Pejabat PKR Pulau Pinang, Bandar Sunway, Seberang Jaya

ii)                  6.00 – 10.00 mlm – Sambutan Tahun Baru Cina Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang

             Lokasi: Dewan Bandaran, Butterworth
—-

2)    Perak

i)                    8.00 – 11.00 mlm – Sambutan Tahun Baru Cina Pakatan Rakyat Perak

                Lokasi: Dewan Tokong Wong Loa Sin See Yeh, Kopisan Baru, Gopeng

                 Jemputan khas:
1)      YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
2)      YB Lim Kit Siang
3)      YBhg Ust Abu Bakar Hussain
4)      YBhg Dr Mohd Nur Manuty
5)      YB Dr Lee Boon Chye
6)      YB Dato Seri Nizar Jamaluddin
7)      YB Dato’ Ngeh Kor Ham

ii)                  9.00 – 12.00 mlm – Ceramah Perdana – Demi Rakyat

Lokasi: Kampong Kota Kiri Lama, Kuala Kangsar

Penceramah:
1)      YB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim
2)      YBhg Dr Mohd Nur Manuty
3)      YB S. Sivakumar
4)      YBhg Ustaz Jamaluddin Ahmad
5)      YBhg Mustafa Kamil Ayub

Jan

Ridiculous For Jekyll-and-Hyde Najib to Call Himself a Moderate: GMM a Waste of Money

By Anwar Ibrahim 5 Comments

Categories: Analisis, Anwar, Demokrasi, Islam, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen and Penerbitan

Malaysia Chronicle

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, taking a leaf from Mahathir Mohamad, has launched the Global Movement of the Moderates (GMM) in Putrajaya on Tuesday this week.

But of what good can it do for Malaysia or the world is a source of national and international puzzlement. What is certain though, the event will cost Malaysian taxpayers a pretty penny indeed – all for the purpose of boosting Najib’s ego and padding his resume or legacy, if you will.

The implication here is that Islamic fundamentalists everywhere are engaged in a Global War of Terrorism against the west and its allies. The so-called moderates, like Najib, want to distance themselves from this militant form of Islam propagated by a tiny minority. In the process, they want to buy “respectability’ and support from the international community for their own self-serving political survival.

Muslim extremism or terrorism

To digress a little, militant Islam worldwide has its roots in the madrasahs in Pakistan, many of which are funded by Saudi Arabian money. These madrasahs don’t impart any form of learning in science and mathematics and secular knowledge. Instead, they preach nothing but unmitigated hatred of non-Muslims among the impoverished and therefore vulnerable bands of Muslim youth everywhere.

The idea is to turn increasingly vulnerable Muslim youth into illiterate suicide bombers who can be relied on as so much cannon fodder and/or to strike terror in public places, and military establishments, and sow a general feeling of government ineptitude and helplessness in the face of insecurity in the non-Muslim world and among the ruling elite in the Muslim world.

The objective: to increase the cost of doing business in the non-Muslim world, the west and India in particular, increase insurance and security costs and depress values in currency, collateral, land, shares, properties and other investments and instruments.

The objective: to drive the non-Muslim world, the west and India in particular towards insolvency and the collapse of secular Muslim regimes.

The objective: to foster the emergence of a worldwide Muslim Empire in the form of the return of the Caliphate, to replace secular Muslim regimes, while destroying the papacy and ensuring the subjugation of the non-Muslim world.

Nearer home, Pakistan sees militant Islam as a unifying force against being re-absorbed by India, its giant secular neighbour which continues to get more powerful by the day and cause jitters among the ruling elite in Islamabad.

Anwar was a moderate long before the word became politically popular

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim in fact assumed, albeit in public, a moderate stance in Islam even long before the advent of militant Islam worldwide. This is the reason why he has ever since then been lionised by the west and invited to join the lecture circuit in academia and other forums elsewhere, open and closed.

The west meanwhile also stands accused of being engaged in endless wars, arms peddling and the like, unlike the so-called moderates like Najib and Malaysia who ostensibly preach a more “moderate”, presumably pacifist, vision in diplomacy, crisis management, conflict resolution and economics. This is a repeat of Mahathir’s attempts to get the world community to criminalise war.

The west would argue that they would have to demonstrate their ability to ensure global security, at least for themselves, in the face of all forms of militancy. The level and degree of maintainance of global security, in turn, would manifest itself in facilitating cost-efficiency in doing business and the like as already outlined.

By latching on to the “moderate” label, Najib is obviously also trying to erase public perceptions of him as an extremist, racist, ultra and perhaps even a fanatic in a way.

But can a leopard change its spots

The question that arises is whether a leopard can change its spots, and if so, it will surely turn Darwinism upside down and be a first in the history of evolution. Evolution decrees that one makes a difference for the better or worse, evolving towards one or the other. But that doesn’t mean one can begin in evil and evolve towards good or vice versa.

Memories of Najib raising the Malay keris or sword at an Umno Youth meet, some time ago in his past, and swearing to bathe it in Chinese blood are still fresh in the public mind. Anyone with access to the internet can Google the despicable incident complete with pictures.

If we are going to give the benefit of the doubt to Najib, and assuming the leopard can indeed change its spots, the question that arises is whether he can go beyond mere rhetoric and rise to the occasion.

Charity begins at home.

Najib cannot wear the moderate hat outside the country and the hat of opposites – extremist, racist, ultra, fanatic – at home.

He has to choose whether he wants to be known and remembered as a moderate, both at home and abroad, or show himself in his true colours.

Not qualified

Patently, Najib the ‘keris’ is not qualified to claim the moderate label unless he can redeem himself from his past.

For the record, Najib presides over a government and system which has institutionalised racism – prejudice and opportunism included — and encourages virtually slavery through statelessness, human trafficking and illegal immigration.

This issue among others, including the observance of key tenets of the Federal Constitution more often than not in the breach, has been flogged to death in the past.

Briefly, Article 153, Article 3, Article 8, Article 10 and the like and the New Economic Policy (NEP), the use of the term Bumiputera for groups not sanctioned by the Federal Constitution, a misreading of the term “Malay” and politicising Malaysian history when not basing it for chunks on the fairy tales in the Sejarah Melayu.

Lying to the country is bad enough, stop lying to the world

Najib has tried to pull the wool over the public eyes by emphasising on government transformation and economic transformation and so far all on paper.

But man does not live by bread alone. Najib cannot impress Malaysians by trotting out figures on Key Performances Indexes, the amount of foreign investment gathered and the like.

He needs to grab the bull by the horns and ensure fundamental political reforms are put in place. No one in the richer states and the urban areas is any longer interested in bread-and-butter issues.

Promising even more development – including in the form of piped water and electricity more than 50 years after the British left – and doling out our money to ourselves in the form of vote-buying bribes under various guises is not the way to go.

One can bluff some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time.

It’s high time that Najib and his ruling Umno stop the politics of distraction and disruption and decide where politics ends and good government begins. Either shape up or ship out. Don’t waste our time!

Jan

Interview With ex-US Envoy John Malott: BN No Longer Relevant, Only Umno Matters

By Anwar Ibrahim 3 Comments

Categories: Analisis, Antarabangsa, Anwar, Demokrasi, Ekonomi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Penerbitan, Pilihanraya, Politik and Sidenotes

Malaysia Chronicle

Chronicle: 1. Firstly, the hottest Question in town still remains, why did Najib pull back from a conviction? Most Malaysians believe in a conspiracy but not an independent judiciary as BN has claimed. The story around town is that the judge had already written a conviction judgment and had to make do with a verbal acquittal that lasted all of 60 seconds. Do you see internal UMNO power play in this, was Najib fearful for his own legacy and how he will be remembered if he were to adopt a ‘hardline’ approach on this issue?

Malott: I don’t have a clue why the judge ruled the way he did. It really was surprising. There are so many well-documented reports of political interference and misuse of the judicial system. For example, not just Anwar but also the case of Ramli Yusoff and the failure to seriously investigate and prosecute the deaths that occurred at MACC. Earlier in the trial, this judge reversed his own decision on whether the DNA taken from the comb and towel that Anwar used in jail was admissible, and it seems clear there was pressure on him to do so. Otherwise, why would he reverse himself? But now he ruled in Anwar’s favor. It was a shock. As I said in my op-ed, the government might have decided that Anwar was a bigger threat to them in jail because he would be a rallying point for the opposition. We can all speculate, but only the judge knows why he did what he did.

Chronicle: 2. Perhaps the answer to (1) will have a bearing on this second Question. Do you think that the Najib administration will push for an appeal? If it does, what will it do to Najib’s and the Malaysian government’s reputation, the country’s image to investors? Will the repercussions be deep and long-lasting given global corporate captains such as Richard Branson have already expressed exasperation and obvious disgust over the Anwar prosecution?

Malott: I think there will be a lot of pressure on Najib to appeal, coming from the hardliners in UMNO, who are afraid of what will happen if the opposition comes to power. Gani Patail and the prosecutors also have lost face, so they might be inclined to want to appeal. Some people might think that they can find a more compliant judge the next time. But the reaction not just from inside Malaysia but also from overseas will be strong if the government appeals and puts Anwar and his family through this again.

Chronicle: 3. Given your familiarity with the Malaysian political scene and its players, after decades of monitoring the situation, what do you personally think Najib will do? Will he push for an appeal and why?

Malott: Personally, I think that Najib does not want to appeal. But Najib has always been a very weak leader. He talks a good game, but as the saying goes, he doesn’t walk the talk. He is under a lot of pressure. So he might just remain silent and let it happen, saying that the decision is up to the prosecution. There have been other times like this, like when he said “it is up to the police” whether a demonstration can go forward. Are you in charge of your own government or not? Continue reading ‘Interview With ex-US Envoy John Malott: BN No Longer Relevant, Only Umno Matters’

Jan

Former Minister: BN ‘Bombed’ Voters With Cash

By Anwar Ibrahim 1 Comment

Categories: Anwar, Demokrasi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Pilihanraya, Politik and Sidenotes

Malaysia Chronicle

Former Cabinet Minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir says that cash was given to voters in previous elections and added the strategy was known as “bomb”.

Kadir, who is from Umno also added that he had himself seen how cash handouts that ranged from RM200 to RM1,000 was used in Barisan Nasional’s election campaigns to bribe voters in return for their support at the polls.

The former Minister of Culture, Arts and Tourism, said that the word used for the strategy was known as “bomb”.

Speaking at a forum, he said “I have been the head of delegation of many campaigns and I have been given lump sums of money to distribute,” said the former Information Minister at the Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference 2012 here. “It was a blatant use of money to buy votes.”

But he was quick to add that he personally didn’t use the money.

James Chin, who heads the School of Social Sciences at Monash University at Sunway, and who spoke at the forum after Abdul Kadir said that “bombing” was a very effective tool in Sabah and Sarawak Continue reading ‘Former Minister: BN ‘Bombed’ Voters With Cash’

Jan

The Economist – Of Believing Much And Knowing Little

By Anwar Ibrahim 0 Comments

Categories: Analisis, Anwar, Demokrasi, Ekonomi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Kewangan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Penerbitan, Pilihanraya, Politik and Sidenotes

Malaysiakini
By Terence Netto

Foreign correspondents and the publications they work for often face a dilemma: How to suggest omniscience in their reports about a country of which they know not much on the basis of a few conversations with the locals and a jigsaw of media headlines?

The omniscient pose is difficult to bring off, especially by weekly news magazines that revel in a format that condenses the news and melds it with comment.

While these first drafts of history – as one founder of the genre (Henry Luce) grandly suggested this journalism was – may have width in terms of its coverage of the world, that strength may be vitiated by a lack of depth.

The international news weeklyThe Economist takes its style from Walter Bagehot, its mid-19th century editor-in-chief, but there are times when the strains of its imitation of Bagehot’s arresting blend of aphoristic statement with enlivening fact do starkly show.

Its coverage of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal earlier this week from what would have been a career-stifling charge of sodomy is an example of too many conclusions floating around unsupported by a substratum of fact.

Most glaringly, The Economistsaid that Anwar, despite the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s acquittal of him after a trial of two years that was lurid in its details, has hadhis reputation tarnished.

PKR still a fledgling party

The ad hominem conclusions in The Economist’s Anwar coverage were rendered the more trivial by a remark that at the age of 64, Anwar “seems a distant and untrustworthy figure to many younger Malaysians.”

The irony here is mordant because Anwar’s supporters contend the reason his eventual accuser so easily inveigled himself into the cohort around Anwar was that young Malaysians, particular Malays, are attracted to the man’s struggles for political change and are drawn by his charisma.

Anwar is a magnet, especially to the more idealistic among the younger Malaysian set, which is why his party is poised – Anwar had recently confirmed this – to field a high proportion of youthful candidates in the impending general election. Continue reading ‘The Economist – Of Believing Much And Knowing Little’

Jan

A Short Walk to Freedom

By Anwar Ibrahim 5 Comments

Categories: Agenda Baru, Analisis, Anwar, Asia Tenggara, Demokrasi, Dunia Arab, Ekonomi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Penerbitan, Pilihanraya, Politik, Program and Umno

From The Hindu.com
By Meena Menon
Former Malaysian deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim who was acquitted of sodomy on January 9 jokes that he may be 64 but looks 46. He says his wife Azizah often retorts “you may look 46 but your back is 84.” After meeting him, you realise that it was his strong sense of humour and conviction that he was never in the wrong that helped him survive six years in solitary confinement. It was during that period that he suffered so much police assault that he was once mistaken for dead. His famous photograph with a black eye became the symbol of his predicament worldwide and the beating has left him with a permanent back injury that requires wearing a fortified brace all the time. While he needs surgery, he plans to postpone it since it would affect his travel and preparation for the next general elections in Malaysia. He heads the Opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat or People’s Justice Party and is confident of winning on a progressive multiethnic platform with emphasis on an independent judiciary and a free media.

The Arab Spring could find an echo in Malaysia which has 55 per cent ethnic Malay Muslims and a large Buddhist, Hindu and Christian population. He was first accused in 1998 of corruption and sodomy and again in 2008 of sodomy which is punishable with 20 years in Malaysia. Despite his serious injury and harsh treatment, he is forgiving. He doesn’t expect an apology from the powers that be and has no plans to sue the government. “Can you sue Hitler?” he asks, adding that he will form the next government. A close aide of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, he took on corruption within the first family leading to his arrest and conviction the first time. He has been described as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International and received widespread support from the world over after he was jailed.

In India at the invitation of Rajmohan Gandhi as part of a pro democratic think thank initiative, Mr Ibrahim is grateful for support from this country and others and this is perhaps what led to his acquittal. He orders “garam paani” (hot water) in Hindi and confesses to being an avid fan of older Bollywood films like Sangam, but is not in touch with current releases. Most Malaysian papers said the acquittal was on technical grounds which is far from the truth, he says.

Excerpts from an interview with Meena Menon.

The verdict of acquittal surprised you..?

Because I gave evidence based on the facts and law to suggest that the decisions in the trial were blatantly biased against me. Key witnesses we wanted to call were disallowed, which is unacceptable. This is a criminal charge based on a complainant, who went to the doctors. So we wanted those notes of examination but this was not given to us. We adduced enough evidence to suggest there was fabrication. It was only after we brought in international experts that we could prove this. No local expert would dare come out and testify under such a regime.

I don’t know if the verdict was due to public pressure or fears that the international community would focus on Malaysia –I don’t know whether the judge decided this based on his conscience. It was not a convenient, normal sort of a verdict. Certainly it came as a surprise, I don’t know why the judge did this.

What would be the political impact of this decision. Polls are expected soon in Malaysia and can this verdict work to your advantage?

Elections will be called very soon, anytime from March to June, I don’t think they will delay for far too long, since the new Prime Minister has not got the mandate. Secondly, the economic projections for this year are not great, but notwithstanding all this I am optimistic that we can wrest control from the government, predicated upon free elections, which we don’t have.

What about your years in prison? How did you survive?

There is no issue of money, land or remunerations. I was also finance minister then and there was no basis for charging me over any irregularity. So they charged me with speaking to the police over some scurrilous attacks on my character. The police came over and I said investigate it. What’s wrong with that? The ministry for home affairs at that time was under Mahathir, he should be questioned not me. I have no authority to go and direct the police, it was under my boss. That’s Malaysia. But still we are better than Zimbabwe(smiles).

I opposed Mahathir who wanted 2 billion ringgit to bail out his son then. Later his family could pay 2.9 b ringgit to buy San Miguel company. How did you raise the money in cash?

But the important thing is to move on – move forward.

How did you keep your morale up in jail?

I spent six years in solitary confinement before I was released in 2004. Earlier for two years I was a political detainee. Eight years — that’s a short walk to freedom compared to Nelson Mandela’s 26 years! The harassment was small compared to Gandhiji’s , I was badly assaulted, and that is a reprieve compared to those who were shot dead okay? So you always look at things positively.

The first six months Mahathir denied me any reading material. But after that they slowly allowed under pressure from international media and I spent a long time reading the Islamic epics, Hindu epics, Chinese epics, western books. Other than Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gita and Gandhi, I read Shri Aurobindo whom I think should be popularized more. I read Shakespeare of course, the entire works four and half times, with copious notes.

Why did government choose sodomy to harass you?

You should ask Mahathir why he chose that. They chose it because they can’t pick one case of corruption- I was minister of finance for eight years, and they said I am traitor to the country and am a Jewish/ Chinese/ Hindu agent but finally sodomy was chosen – because this would enrage the rural conservative Muslim constituency. Secondly it is easier, there is no proof required to convict me, it is a matter of accepting the complainant’s view.

That’s what happened in the first case in (1998), but in the second case, they made a stupid blunder they brought in forensics, DNA and then we brought international experts to demolish those.

At one point you wanted a trial under Islamic Law?

I did that because they use Islam and they say you should swear by the Koran which to me is an insult. I am a practising Muslim and it is an insult to Koran to consider crimes to be resolved only by swearing on the holy book. You rape a girl and you swear by the Koran and you are free? What does this mean? Is this what Islam teaches us? I consulted all religious authorities and they said no, they said the only option is to refer the matter to the religious court. That’s why I decided to go there but they wouldn’t dare bring it up.

The government says the acquittal shows judicial independence?

The huge crowds outside the court is unprecedented, we had Malays, Chinese, Indians. When the verdict was announced people were embracing each other and crying, it was a beautiful scene of multi racial unity. I watched on TV and even police officers were laughing and shaking hands. The government says this is evidence of judicial independence. They exploited the verdict. But that is not at all the reality. One swallow does not a summer make. There was a public outrage, international pressure. Even the Washington Post wrote against my case.

What about the ruling United Malays National Organisation(UMNO) in Malaysia and your challenge to them? Your party already posed a challenge in 2008 winning some major districts. How do you see your future?

Yeah I must be crazy to challenge them (laughs)! In 2008 we won a lot of seats. In the last three years we worked very hard in the districts we have control and secondly made forays into other parts of the rural heartland and people do accept us. UMNO is seen to be by the more educated crowd as a party continuing with its obsolete ways and partly as authoritarian, The zeitgeist has changed, especially among the young. India is a democracy, Indonesia has transformed itself. The Arab Spring has its ramifications elsewhere. My old colleagues they failed to understand me, are they completely oblivious to the changes taking place? You see the same pattern- When Ali (Ben Ali in Tunisia) fell Mubarak said this is Egypt, we are not Tunisia. When Mubarak fell, Gaddafi said its Egypt it’s unique, different, then Syria which has a great culture and civilization was in turmoil and the Prime Minister in Malaysia said “this is Malaysia we are not Arabs.”

How has your earlier conviction and present acquittal changed things? Especially in the eyes of the people in the rural areas, will it have an impact?

Now the acquittal has reinforced our position, Even my last conviction did not affect me much. The acquittal has made it easier for us. While the government has been using my acquittal as an example of an independent judiciary. I say look you have been abusing me everyday for the last 14 years, and now I say you should be in the Opposition.

Is the sodomy charge used to harass people commonly in Malaysia? As a political weapon?

No, I am an exception. It’s a phobia created against me, a sort of xenophobia. You look at the media on prime time TV– I am a threat to security, I am anti Malay, they say I went to India and attacked Malaysia. Once I asked the minister of information “can you give me one week’s leave?” He didn’t understand , he asked me where do you want to go? He kept on asking – I finally said Shut up on Anwar in your TV network. The media is UMNO controlled, there is no freedom. The Hindu has been kind to me. Amnesty and Human Rights Watch played a major role in raising the issue.

UMNO has been speaking of reforms?

Even Mubarak used to talk of reforms to his son Jamal, Qaddafi used to talk of reform to his son Saif ul Islam. The most corrupt will be supporting legislation against corruption. We must measure change from actual reform and actual implementation of the reform, not pronouncements. If I am a rich man, I can pay 22 million US dollars to appoint an international PR consultant appointed by Sani Abacha and others- so naturally they must give him(the Malaysian Prime Minister) good advice- but should you be presumptuous and accept their version? No. You should assess by the performance what have they done- is corruption rooted out, is there a free media, is there an independent judiciary?

What is your focus in your election campaign?

We’ve spelt out efforts to promote growth- strengthen the market economy, a strong dose of affirmative action based on need, not based on race, judicial independence, free media, and no discriminatory practices against ethnic minorities. Islam is the religion of the Federation of Malaysia , yes, but you should not use that either that to compel non Muslims or to denigrate the position of non Muslims.

How does the regime treat any opposition?

Some time ago 300 students opposing the oppressive University College Act which bars students from taking part or giving any comments in political issues were beaten up by the police and we had the rally for fair and free elections which was roughly treated by the police. There are many cases of torture, apart from mine. People are killed or die in police custody or in the custody of the anti corruption commission- of course it is said that they are not killed, did not commit suicide but these are mysterious deaths. In my speeches sometimes I joke these people are not killed –they are looking at the door or the window- and they just walked out, and they fell, only the room happened to be 14 stories above ground. So stupid to expect people to believe these stories.

There is a public outcry on all this. A young Chinese party supporter fell from the 14th floor while in custody and another Hindu boy died in police custody. A Malay Muslim died after falling from the fourth floor while under anti corruption commission custody. When I was called by the police for questioning in this case, I said can we do it on the ground floor. Do you have windows or doors?(laughs)

You say the impact of Arab Spring will be reflected in Malaysia?

The night before this verdict 50,000 people came to hear what I thought was my last speech. On the court verdict day, it was a working day – people took leave and came to cheer me. I was arrested two and a half years ago, and put in a lock up on a cement floor for one night and then released, for no reason- other than abuse –they could have asked me to go to the police station for questioning. But the good thing is I have the humility now – that means your passion for justice becomes strong- if I can be treated that way- I am a known person , the world talks about me. What about the poor guys?

Are you going to sue or take action?

Do dictators ever apologise? The fight against corruption and scurrilous charges is like the battle by Krishna against an evil snake(as in Hindu mythology).

I want to move on and forgive them but this government shouldn’t be allowed to go on with impunity. How can I sue this government, I am planning to take over this government.(laughs) This is Malaysia. You don’t sue Hitler do you?

When I tweeted, I forgive, people said please don’t repeat that statement- people are angry.

Your wife has been supportive all along…

She became politically active only after I was detained but my daughter is in politics. The government prompted people to ask my wife –”why are you still with your husband? why don’t you demand a divorce?” Can it happen anywhere else in the world? That is the state of gutter politics in Malaysia – insulting human dignity and they call it moderate Islam.

I was badly assaulted and in pain but otherwise its okay. I survived reading , meditating, being patient, and the conviction that ultimately you will be victorious. The role my family, my wife Azizah and the children too played was remarkable. People prayed for me- it was amazing the support I had.

Is the current regime jittery after your acquittal? What are your next plans? And any learnings from India?

I will meet people and our party convention of the Opposition will soon announce its manifesto. India is a rare case with its penchant for democracy and unswerving commitment under all times – even in Emergency the judiciary had the courage to decide in favour of the Constitution.

I would like to replicate many things from India –protection of minorities, respect for human rights—am talking of replicating ideals, am not talking of the corruption(laughs). But India has a huge intellectual legacy, whatever you say the judiciary is still strong, the media is free, you have the right to protest, and growth is impressive but an issue I see is that the needs of poor and marginalised must be addressed..

Jan

KEADILAN Tampil Dengan Bukti Salahguna Wang Zakat MAIWP

By Anwar Ibrahim 2 Comments

Categories: Anwar, Demokrasi, Islam, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Kewangan, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Pilihanraya, Politik, Program, Sidenotes and Umno

Saya pada hari ini tampil dengan bukti-bukti dakwaan salahguna wang zakat Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan yang dinafikan oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Jamil Khir Baharum selama ini.

Pertama ialah set dokumen daripada MAIWP sendiri termasuk baucer bayaran bernombor 2010B04112 bertarikh 29 April 2010 sebanyak RM32,150.00. Baucer tersebut secara terang merakamkan kumpulan wang yang digunakan merupakan kumpulan wang zakat.

Kedua merupakan surat daripada Ketua Audit Negara Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Ambrin Buang kepada Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kira-Kira Negara Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid yang mengesahkan bahawa RM63,650 wang zakat (iaitu bayaran pertama sebanyak RM31,500 pada 9 Februari 2010 dan RM32,150 yang tercatat di dalam baucer tersebut) digunakan bagi membayar kos guaman MAIWP. Continue reading ‘KEADILAN Tampil Dengan Bukti Salahguna Wang Zakat MAIWP’

Jan

Malaysian Opposition Leader Acquitted in Sodomy Trial

By Anwar Ibrahim 2 Comments

Categories: Analisis, Antarabangsa, Anwar, Demokrasi, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Mahkamah, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen and Umno

Al Jazeera Interview: Anwar Ibrahim acquitted in sodomy case

From The New York Times

Ending a politically charged two-year trial, Malaysia’s High Court acquitted the country’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, of sodomy charges on Monday.

Judge Zabidin Mohamad Diah told the packed courtroom here in the capital that the DNA evidence offered by the prosecutors was unreliable, and that in sex-offense cases the court was reluctant to convict on uncorroborated testimony alone.

The courtroom erupted in cheers after the verdict, as did thousands of Mr. Anwar’s supporters gathered outside. Mr. Anwar, appearing surprised by the outcome, hugged his family and told reporters, “Thank God justice has prevailed.”

Sodomy, even between consenting adults, remains a crime in Malaysia, where most of the population is Muslim, and Mr. Anwar, 64, could have been sentenced to a term of up to 20 years if convicted. A prison sentence of a year or more would have barred Mr. Anwar from public office for five years after release.

Mr. Anwar has claimed that the case was concocted by Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration to damage the opposition’s political standing. Mr. Najib has denied plotting against Mr. Anwar, who served as deputy prime minister in the 1990s.

He was prosecuted once before on charges of sodomy and abuse of power, convicted and jailed, in a case that was also denounced by his supporters as politically motivated. The High Court threw out that conviction in 2004.

Mr. Anwar then led the opposition to major gains in the 2008 elections, depriving the governing party of a two-thirds majority in Parliament for the first time since independence in 1957; a few months later he was charged again, this time with sodomizing a former political aide. Mr. Anwar has described the allegation as a “blatant and vicious lie.”

Though the case was widely condemned by human rights organizations and prominent voices in the West, including former Vice President Al Gore and Paul D. Wolfowitz, the former deputy secretary of defense, the trial was widely expected to end in a conviction. That would have sidelined Mr. Anwar for the next national elections, which are expected later this year.

“Anwar was acquitted on a charge that should have never been brought in the first place,” said Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch after the trial. “Hopefully this verdict sends a message to the government to put this matter to rest.”

The government seemed inclined to make the best of the court’s decision. The information minister, Rais Yatim, issued a statement saying, “Malaysia has an independent judiciary, and this verdict proves that the government does not hold sway over judges’ decisions.”

Jan

The Anwar Verdict

By Anwar Ibrahim 8 Comments

Categories: Analisis, Antarabangsa, Anwar, Demokrasi, Islam, Isu Semasa, KeADILan, Mahkamah, Malaysia, Media, Pakatan Rakyat, Parlimen, Penerbitan, Pilihanraya, Politik and Umno

Wall Street Journal

A chance for Obama to speak up for the rule of law in a Muslim ally.

We have a stake not just in the stability of nations, but in the self-determination of individuals.” That was President Obama at the State Department last May, rolling out his own version of the freedom agenda for the Muslim world. So why has the Administration been virtually silent when it comes to one of the most notorious and long-running abuses of power taking place in the Muslim world today—this one in our good friend and ally, Malaysia?

The abuses in question concern Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who on Monday faces a verdict—and potentially years of jail time—on dubious sodomy charges. Mr. Anwar first went through this charade as a deputy prime minister in the late 1990s, when he fell out with then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during the Asian financial crisis, was savagely beaten by police and ultimately sentenced to prison on sodomy and corruption charges.

Mr. Anwar spent six years in prison. In 2004 the sodomy charges were overturned by the country’s highest court—a year after Mr. Mahathir had left office. Yet Mr. Anwar was again served with sodomy charges four years later, after the ruling UMNO party had lost its two-thirds majority and the opposition seemed close to assembling a parliamentary majority.

The current case is even flimsier than the last one. It is based mainly on the word of one accuser who, as it so happened, had met with then-deputy prime minister, now Prime Minister, Najib Razak days before the alleged incident. Doctors at two hospitals could find no evidence of rape in the aftermath of the alleged incident. Nonetheless, political observers anticipate a guilty verdict.

This is happening in the context of growing discontent among Malaysians with UMNO’s ruling order, and Mr. Najib’s ambivalent attempts at political reform. But if that’s reminiscent of the unhappiness that presaged the Arab Spring, so too is the don’t-rock-the-boat attitude of the Obama Administration.

Malaysia is supposedly a moderate Muslim country and a useful regional counterweight to China, and the President was full of praise for Mr. Najib’s “great leadership” when they last met in November. As for Mr. Anwar, the State Department has publicly offered no more than boilerplate about his case. Perhaps quiet diplomacy is now at work on Mr. Anwar’s behalf, but that kind of diplomacy is fine only as long as it produces results.

In the meantime, Malaysian democracy could benefit from a sign that the U.S. is not indifferent to Mr. Anwar’s legal ordeal or to the political system that has allowed it to continue. U.S. interests could benefit as well. “Failure to speak to the broader aspirations of ordinary people will only feed the suspicion that has festered for years that the United States pursues our own interests at their expense,” said Mr. Obama in May. Mr. Anwar’s case gives the President a chance to show that he meant what he said.