The Malaysian Insider

Salah satu hakikat yang terserlah dalam PRU ke-13 lalu ialah Umno-BN (UBN) semakin jelas telah menjadi “Parti Kampong”. Penulisan ringkas ini bercadang untuk menguatkan hujjah kepada tesis dan penemuan ini.

Penulisan saya dengan tajuk “Najib semakin seksa selepas menang” ingin dipanjangkan di sini. Sesungguhnya tajuk ini boleh sahaja dijadikan antara buku yang boleh diterbitkan pasca PRU ke-13 ini oleh penulis-penulis tempatan.

Setelak debu peperangan mendap dan euporia “kemenangan” mula pudar, Najib terpaksa berdepan dengan beberapa hakikat yang sangat menggugah dan menyeksa jiwanya.

Persetankan apa jua cemohan rakyat tentang “tusnami Cina” ciptaan Najib sekaligus menampakkan dendam kesumatnya terhadap etnik ini serentak menajamkan lagi garis perkauman. Persetankan gagasan “Blackout 505” yang cuba diketengahkan bagi membangkitkan kesedaran rakyat tentang pilihanraya sarat penipuan.

Persetankan “Tribunal Rakyat” cadangan BERSIH dan masyarakat sivil. Persetankan panggilan “Kerajaan Minoriti” walaupun jelas dengan ukuran “undi popular” di semenanjung dan seluruh negara.

Namun seperkara yang tidak boleh dipersetankan Najib dan pimpinan UBN ialah hakikat bahawa parti dan barisan yang dipimpinnya sedang mengalami hari-hari kepupusannya (demise) dalam persaingan sengit “Politik Baru”. Najib UBN bukan sahaja masih hidup dalam penafian bahkan cuba menongkah arus menentang kemaraan “Politik Baru” ini.

Justeru fakta-fakta keputusan PRUke-13 mula menyelak dan memaparkan hakikat sebenarnya bahawa Najib dan UBN telah menang kerana diselamatkan oleh undi-undi Borneo yang tidak sempat di”jangkiti” “tsunami semenanjung”.

Itu pun tak boleh selesa sangat sebab Sarawak catat peningkatan undi buat pembangkang sebanyak 8.9 peratus, kedua tertinggi selepas negeri Johor. UBN juga mengalami kemorosotan undi di 18 kerusi parlimen dari 31 kerusi parlimen di negeri itu. Dalam 8 kerusi etnik Dayak, BN mengalami 10  peratus kemorosotan undi dan Pakatan hampir merampas 2 kerusi Dayak yakni P205 Saratok and P220 Baram.

Pun begitu halnya di Sabah. BN mengalami kemorosotan undi di 19 dari 26 kerusi parlimen Sabah. Dalam 7 kerusi majoriti bumiputera yang dimenangi BN, kesemua mengalami kemorosotan undi sebanyak 10 peratus. Sangat menyeksa.

Kembali kepada tesis bahawa Umno-BN telah menjadi “parti kampong” atau parti yang hanya kuat di kampong-kampong tradisi Melayu, fakta-fakta berikut adalah sangat memalukan dan mengaibkan Najib.

Pakatan terus mengungguli dominasinya di Wilayah Persekutuan dengan memenangi 9 daripada 13 kerusi yang dipertandingkan. Pertandingan di Lambah Pantai menyerlahkan segala-gala naratif dan pengkisahan tentang percubaan UBN untuk menawan Kuala Lumpur! Kesemua ibu negeri kecuali Kangar dan Johor Bahru, terus dikuasai Pakatan Rakyat. Ini termasuk Alor Star, Kota Bharu,  Kuala Terengganu, Tanjong, Ipoh, Kuantan, Shah Alam, Seremban, Kota Melaka, Kota Kinabalu dan Kuching.

Bagi kerusi Parlimen Selangor, Pakatan Rakyat Berjaya mengekalkan dominasi kawasan Bandar dan pinggir Bandar seperti Petaling Jaya, Ampang, Serdang, Puchong, Kelana Jaya, Gombak, Subang, Shah Alam, Kapar, Klang dan Kota Raja.

BN, sejajar dengan tesis yang dimajukan, hanya mampu menaguasai “anjung utara” yang merupakan “Malay Belt” – Sabak Bernam, Sungai Besar, Tanjung Karang, Hulu Selangor dan kali ini berjaya merampas kembali kerusi Kuala Selangor yang telah berubah demografi pengundi menjadi 65 peratus-35 peratus (Melayu-65 peratus, 23 peratus-India, 12 peratus-Cina) berbanding 60-40 pada 2008 dengan N12 Jeram mencapai 80 peratus20 peratus: Melayu-Bukan Melayu.

Di Negeri Sembilan juga turut menyerlahkan fenomena ini, di mana UB unggul di kawasan luar Bandar seperti Jelebu, Jempol, Kuala Pilah, Rembau dan Tampin sementara Pakatan kekal di kawasan Seremban dan Rasah.

Penulis cenderung untuk meringkaskan dan memudahkan fenomena PRU ke-13 ini sebagai menyerlahkan trend atau pola rakyat-pengundi yang terbelah kepada dua kelompok besar:

i.  pengundi kawasan luar bandar yang tidak dapat capaian internet dan masih tegar dengan keperluan “pembangunan” dan

ii. Pengundi bandar dan pinggir bandar yang sangat terdedah kepada media baru-alternatif berbanding sogokan media UBN dan cenderung untuk menyokong agenda “penambahbaik demokrasi dan kesejahteraan rakyat”.

Menyonsong masa depan dalam laluan pembangunan politik negara, ternyata bahawa Pakatan Rakyat lebih bersedia untuk mengisi harapan pengundi dalam kelompok kedua yakni pengundi yang mahukan penambahbaikan Negara dalam apa yang disebutkan kini sebagai penghayatan dan dinamika “Politik Baru”.

Amat nyata pula, penulis mendapati bahawa UBN amat meminati kelompok pertama golongan luar Bandar dan juga begitu sebaliknya mereka “diminati” golongan luar Bandar ini yang telah di”bela” dengan “sogokan pembangunan” yang sebenar-benarnya “tidak membangunkan minda dan jiwa mereka” bahkan tidak juga bangunkan pendapatan sebenar (real wage) mereka.

Generasi muda yang telah meninggalkan kampong sebenarnya telah meninggalkan legasi Politik Lama yang sarat dengan Politik Menakut-nakutkan Rakyat dan Politik “Patronage” yakni ketua-ketua yang mesti “disantuni” untuk mendapat tandatangan anak-anak kampong untuk mendapat biasiswa kerajaan UBN dsbnya.

Tegasnya Umno-BN akan cuba kekal dominasi luar bandanya sekaligus menjadi “parti kampong” untuk kekal berkuasa sementara Pakatan mesti menorobos kampong dan luarbandar untuk berjaya menawan Putrajaya dalamPRU ke-14.

Peralihan demografi kearah dominasi generasi muda dalam tahun-tahun mendatang akan memberi kelebihan kepada Pakatan Rakyat sementara mendayakan “Politik Baru” dan “Politik Pencerahan” adalah formula kemenangan yang tepat dan wajar.

UBN tampaknya mungkin sahaja mahu kekal “parti kampong” yang meneruskan amalan dan legasi Politik Lama yang sarat dengan amalan politik perkauman, politik agama yang sempit dan konfrantasi, politik “Paronage-Perlindungan”penguasa politik dan orang-orang besar yang berpengaruh bermula dari JKKP sehingga keperingkat tertinggi parti. Malang!

The Malaysian Insider

Thousands attended the “Black 505” rally here last night, where Kedah PAS chief Datuk Mahfuz Omar warned Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders against sparking conflict as the majority was with Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Estimating that a crowd of 50,000 had gathered outside the state PAS headquarters, Mahfuz criticised newly-minted Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Kedah Chief Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir for warning against the rally.

“I would advise Zahid to accept that the majority of the people are with the Pakatan Rakyat and don’t start a war with the people. Be rational,” the PAS vice-president and Pokok Sena MP was quoted as saying in media reports.

“As for Mukhriz, I would ask him to open up a bit as he is still a young man. He should not behave like the Umno leaders of the past who adopted a confrontational approach with the people,” Mahfuz added.

The state PAS commissioner also reminded Mukhriz’s BN government that the previous PAS administration had allowed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak the use of the state stadium for a rally last January.

Mukhriz, the youngest son of Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, had refused PAS permission to hold the “Black 505” rally in the stadium last night.

The mainly Malay crowd turned up from 6.30pm for the PR rally against alleged electoral fraud and irregularities, initiated by opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“This is an extraordinary crowd and it proves people like (MCA president) Chua Soi Lek wrong. Soi Lek says only the Chinese attend the ‘Black 505’ rallies but what we saw tonight were the Malays in full force,” Sungei Petani MP Johari Abdul told reporters after the rally.

He was among the speakers that included Anwar, PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu, PAS vice president Datuk Salahuddin Ayub, PKR vice presidents Chua Tian Chang and N. Surendran

Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia had reported that crowds attending the six earlier “Black 505” rallies were mainly Chinese youths, taking the cue from BN leaders who complained a “Chinese tsunami” cost them votes in Election 2013.

Previous “Black 505” rallies were held in Selangor, Penang, Perak Johor, Negri Sembilan and Pahang, where thousands defied police warnings to pack stadiums and public spaces.

Taking to the stage last night, Anwar accused BN of vote-rigging and cheating as the crowd roared with cheers. He also gave fresh examples of the Election Commission’s (EC) alleged connivance in “making fools of the voters”.

The PKR de facto leader also told EC staff to “stand up” and speak out against the alleged polls fraud in the elections where BN won 133 federal seats against PR’s 89 seats. PR is disputing the results of 29 seats.

In Election 2008, BN won 140 federal seats to lose its two-thirds super-majority while PR took 82 seats.

The Malaysian Insider

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal lawmakers have vowed to make full use of their increased parliamentary numbers to ensure constituencies are fairly redrawn when the Election Commission (EC) kicks off the redelineation exercise this year-end.

PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli reminded that if the exercise involves an increase in seat numbers, a two-thirds majority vote is needed to approve the changes before they are passed by the lower House.

The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) does not have required two-thirds majority in Parliament, with only 133 seats to PR’s 89 seats, and will require votes from opposition lawmakers to approve the exercise.

“But if they (EC) do not add constituencies and the process only includes redrawing boundaries, this could be dangerous as this allows gerrymandering and there is no need for a two-third vote.

“In the past, they (BN) score big in the elections because the redelineation exercise is often in [their] favour … they disperse our support to other seats,” Rafizi told The Malaysian Insider.

But the PKR strategy director said it was likely that, this time, redelineation would include an increase in seat numbers.

He said that in tandem with the DAP’s “one vote, one value” campaign push, PR lawmakers will fight hard to use their parliamentary powers to ensure voters are more fairly distributed unlike the present situation.

The allegedly unfair dispersal of voters in constituencies here has been used as a major argument point by PR lawmakers to back accusations that gerrymandering in favour of BN has helped the ruling pact stay in power.

In a recent article on news portal FZ.com, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan had pointed out that the existing delineation of constituencies defies logic in terms of size and the number of voters.

“Putrajaya has 15,791 voters compared with Kapar, which has 144,159 voters. It doesn’t make sense.”

“And then you have a state seat like Sri Serdang with 72,769 voters which is higher than the Putrajaya parliamentary seat,” he was quoted saying.

This has also earned the attention of the foreign media.

In the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Hong Kong journalist Philip Bowring commented on how PR had lost the election despite winning 51 per cent of the popular vote ? an outcome that opposition lawmakers and civil society groups have blamed on unfair gerrymandering.

“Thanks to an extreme anti-urban bias and the abolition of rules governing the relative size of constituencies, the largest constituency has nine times more voters than the smallest.

“On that basis, and taking account of the number of closely fought seats, the opposition would probably have to win at least 58 per cent of the popular vote to get a majority of seats,” Bowring wrote.

Speaking to The Malaysian Insider, DAP’s publicity secretary Tony Pua said with the polls now over and efforts underway to challenge some of the results through election petitions, the next step for PR would be to focus on the coming redelineation exercise.

The EC recently said that the exercise will be kicked off by year-end after the six-month process to hear election petitions are completed. The petitions must be filed within 21 days after the results of the election are gazetted.

The Federal Constitution prohibits a redelineation exercise from being conducted within eight years of the last. The EC last redrew constituency lines in 2003.

“The focus will be on one man, one vote, one value, apart from pushing other related reforms. What we want is a more level playing field in the next general election.

“And this means that we should not be seeing a coalition winning the popular vote but losing the parliamentary seat count by a mile,” Pua said.

“Given that BN does not have two-thirds majority in Parliament, the exercise must be agreeable to both sides,” he added.

DAP’s Rasah MP Anthony Loke agreed with his party colleague, saying it was important that PR makes full use of its influence in Parliament and put up a fight if they are disagreeable to the EC’s redelineation proposal.

“We have more than one-third of our MPs in Parliament. We are a strong enough force to ensure that redelineation is done properly and professionally.

“The weightage of votes cannot be as ridiculous as it is today,” he said.

PAS’s Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said there must be a more “reasonable” spread of voters across the constituencies to ensure that every vote has the same value across all constituencies.

“In some cases, you have a parliamentary seat with less than 10,000 voters… and elsewhere, you have seats with over 100,000 voters.

“We will be trying to push for fairer representation across the board,” he said.

BN snapped up 133 federal seats to PR’s 89 seats in the May 5 polls but for the first time ince 1969, the ruling pact lost the popular vote, scoring just under 48 per cent of the votes cast to PR’s 51 per cent.

PR leaders immediately cried foul with its de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insisting that his federal opposition pact had won the election.

PART 1: Queue, Goodie Bags & Food At Techduology LIVE
PART 2: Treasure Hunting at Techduology LIVE

After the treasure hunt, we finally started the show by inviting our special guests to join us at the front. Nadia from 8tvNiteLive and ChenelleWen.

After sharing some tech news and silly jokes, it was time for lucky draw!

Crowd filling up Starbucks area and waiting for their numbers to be called.

We called up 2 random numbers and here they are!

We gave them a SONY headphones each. Woot!

Then it was time for Gadget Review!

Ben demonstrating some camera features on the Lumia.

MORE NEXT!

The White House

President Obama called Prime Minister Najib on the evening of May 13 to congratulate him on his victory in parliamentary elections and to reaffirm the strong bonds of friendship between the United States and Malaysia.  The President noted that Malaysians had turned out in record numbers to vote and welcomed the Prime Minister’s efforts to address concerns about election irregularities. The two leaders discussed the importance of continuing to deepen our bilateral cooperation, including on expanding cooperation on trade, regional security, and multilateral cooperation.

[TERJEMAHAN]

The White House

Bagi pihak Presiden dan rakyat Amerika Syarikat, kami mengucapkan tahniah kepada Perdana Menteri Najib atas kemenangan koalisinya dalam pilihanraya Parlimen pada hari Ahad, 5 Mei. Kami juga ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada rakyat Malaysia kerana peratusan keluar mengundi yang tinggi, dan juga kepada parti-parti pembangkang untuk kempen mereka, kerana pembangkang yang teguh adalah batu asas kepada demokrasi. Kami juga sedar bahawa terdapat laporan tentang berlakunya penipuan dalam proses pilihanraya, dan percaya bahawa ianya sangat penting bagi pihak bertanggungjawab menyelesaikan isu-isu yang berbangkit. Kami menanti hasil siasatan mereka. Amerika Syarikat akan meneruskan hubungan yang rapat antara kerajaan dan rakyat Malaysia demi mengukuhkan demokrasi, keamanan dan kemakmuran di rantau ini.

The White House

On behalf of the President and the people of the United States, we congratulate Prime Minister Najib on his coalition’s victory in Malaysia’s parliamentary elections on Sunday May 5.  We also congratulate the people of Malaysia, who turned out in record numbers to cast their votes, as well as the parties of the opposition coalition on their campaigns, as a vibrant opposition is a foundation of democracy.  We note concerns regarding reported irregularities in the conduct of the election, and believe it is important that Malaysian authorities address concerns that have been raised.  We look forward to the outcome of their investigations.  The United States looks forward to continuing its close cooperation with the government and the people of Malaysia to continue to strengthen democracy, peace, and prosperity in the region.

Malaysiakini

Adam Adli Abdul Halim has been subjected to interrogation for two days in a row and was not even given a pillow or a blanket to sleep, said lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, who visited student activist today.

Fadiah who met Adam Adli with his father, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, at the Jinjang police detention centre at 1.30pm today, had to wait a long time before they could see him.

“After waiting for some time, his father and I were allowed to meet Adam. Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, who was also present, was not allowed to see him.

“Halim and I were then led into a room where we met Adam Adli, who was behind a glass panel. We had difficulty communicating with him and for me, being his lawyer, it was difficult to ask for instructions,” Fadiah said.

The lawyer said Adam told her that he was subject to continuous interrogation from 10am to 6pm on Sunday and Monday, with the police asking him the same questions over and over again.

In between the interrogations, Adam said, there were short breaks.

However, Fadiah said Adam chose to remain quiet, stopped answering the repetitive questions and told the interrogating officer to watch the video recording of his speech.

No hint whether remand will end on Thursday

The 24-year-old student, who has been suspended by Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, had been remanded since Saturday under Section 4 of the Sedition Act for his speech at a post election forum organised by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) on May 13.

Fadiah (right) said the meeting lasted less than 30 minutes and that she does not know whether the police will apply to extend Adam Adli’s five-day remand order, which expires on Thursday.

“However, we are glad to see that he is quite well,” the lawyer added.

A candlelight vigil in support of Adam has been held outside the Jinjang police detention centre for the past two nights, and also in front of Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang last night.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak promised last year to repeal the Sedition Act 1948 and replace it with a National Harmony Act.

Despite such promises, the sedition law is still being used against individuals such as Adam Adli. Others also facing sedition charges are DAP chairperson Karpal Singh and Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar.

The Malaysian Insider

Telah berakhir tempoh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan pentadbiran Umno-Barisan Nasional (UBN) untuk “berpantang” menahan nafsu amarah mereka “menggasak” rakyat negara ini.

Lepas dia tibai etnik Cina dengan serangan “tsunami Cina” dan pelbagai kata kesat hulubalangnya yang dihamburkan ke arah rakyat termasuk kenyataan kurang cerdik menteri dalam negeri itu, kini giliran menteri di jabatan perdana menteri pula untuk “mendera” rakyat dengan pengumuman sistem cukai baru.

Setelah memenangi kembali Puterajaya, dengan pilihanraya yang sangat dipertikaikan pelbagai pihak kerana sarat dengan penipuan, Najib sudah tidak segan-silu lagi untuk melakukan apa yang dianggapnya “agenda tertangguhnya”.

Cukai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan (GST) bakal dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan Najib dalam tahun 2013 ini dan telah diwawar oleh Datuk Seri Idris Jala kononnya akan menjana pendapatan RM27 bilion setahun. Apa tidaknya kalau mereka sanggup mencekik rakyat dengan kadar 7 peratus!

Najib dan Idris Jala juga perlu terangkan kepada rakyat yang akan membayar cukai ini adalah rakyat bahkan semua lapisan rakyat termasuk yang kaya dan juga yang miskin atau berpendapatan rendah. Apabila mereka membeli barangan atau menggunakan perkhidmatan tersebut selagi barangan itu bukan dalam kategori “sifar cukai” atau “zero rated”, bermaksud GST tetap dikenakan.

Kadar GST sebanyak 7 peratus adalah sangat tinggi dan ini jelasnya adalah “janji Najib yang tidak ditepati” kerana kadar 4 peratus adalah angka yang disebut-sebut sejak awal GST diperkenalkan. Mungkin Najib telah kemaruk kerana baru sedar hutang kerajaan Pusat dah terlalu membengkak hampir 55 peratus KDNK kerana dirinya sendiri.

Ataukah Najib mahu sahaja “mendera” rakyat yang tidak mengizinkannya untuk mendapat 2/3 majoriti diparlimen dan menawan kembali Selangor, negeri terkaya di Persekutuan Malaysia?

Singapura, yang rakytanya mempunyai pendapatan per kapita hampir dua kali ganda dari kita pun memulakan kadar GST mereka pada kadar 3 peratus. Kerana kos perlaksanaan cukai baru ini adalah sangat tinggi, yang dianggarkan berbilion RM, contohnya Australia A$4 bilion (RM12 bilion) ketika memperkenalkan GST di negara itu, maka tekanan kenaikan harga barang dan perkhidmatan yakni inflasi, adalah tidak dapat dielakkan justeru sebab faktor kos permulaan sistem GST.

Singapura, contohnya mengalami inflasi sebanyak 3 peratus untuk selama 3 tahun akibat dari perlaksanaan GST dan begitu juga dikesemua negara-negara yang melakasanakannya juga turut mengalami tekanan inflasi untuk beberapa tahun.

Pakatan Rakyat secara prinsip tidak menolak sistem cukai penggunaan ini atau “consumption tax” ini tetapi mahukan beberapa syarat penting mesti dilaksanakan oleh kerajaan terlebih dahulu. Pakatan Rakyat mahukan rakyat teramai mempunyai pendapatan yang menasabah bagi mampu menjalani kehidupan yang lebih bermaruah atau “a dignified life”.

Bank Dunia sendiri telah mengisytiharkan bahawa gaji sebenar (real wage) rakyat Malaysia dengan mengambil kira faktor inflasi, hanya naik 2.8 peratus dalam satu dekad yang lalu.

Gaji minima adalah satu kaedah memecah hambatan atau “bottleneck” peningkatan pendapatan rakyat. Sudah terlalu lama perlaksanaan “gaji minima” ditangguhkan Najib. Ini satu pengkhianatan! Najib masih berdolak-dalik seperti dulu juga. Memang Najib tak ada tulang belakang atau “spineless” dalam banyak hal.

Pakatan Rakyat menuntut supaya dengan pembenterasan amalan rasuah, kronisme dan sesetengah jenis monopoli, oligopoli dan kartel, negara akan dapat meningkatkan pendapatan dari sumber penjimatan.

Sekaligus kos saraan hidup rakyat akan dapat dikawal dan diperturunkan serentak mengizinkan rakyat meningkatan pendapatan dan “pendapatan boleh berbelanja” (disposable income).

Pakatan Rakyat bercadang GST hanya dilaksanakan ketika pedapatan rakyat adalah pada paras yang lebih menasabah dan tidak seperti hari ini di mana 60 peratus dari isirumah mempunyai pendapatan kurang dari RM3,000 sebulan. Hari ini hanya 10 peratus sahaja mereka yang dalam pasaran kerja yang dikenakan cukai pendapatan kerana pendapatan yang rendah-sederhana.

Kerajaan Najib UBN juga mestilah mendidik rakyat tentang konsep dan perlaksanaan GST ini kerana sememangnya sistem cukai ini rumit dan tidak mudah difahami. Ada yang menganggap bahawa rakyat atau pengguna akan dikenakan cukai sebanyak 28 peratus kalau kita mula dengan pengenalan 7 peratus kerana cukai yang dibayar pengimpot, pengilang, pemborong dan peruncit akhirnya akan dibebankan kepada pengguna.

Fahaman ini adalah silap kerana GST adalah menggunakan sistem nilai-tambah atau “Value-Added Tax” ( VAT) seperti digunakan di beberapa negara seperti United Kingdom. Rakyat keliru bahkan ada akauntan juga tidak faham. Rakyat perlu difahamkan dengan betul.

Meskipun GST, sebagai sistem cukai baru yang bakal menggantikan Cukai Jualan dan Perkhidmatan (SST) sebanyak 5 peratus itu adalah satu sistem yang lebih efisien dari segi pungutannya serta dapat mengurangkan “pengelakkan cukai” (tax evasion), namun ianya perlu mengambil kira syarat-syarat yang lain termasuk menurunkan cukai pendapatan dan cukai korporat supaya ianya tidak terlalu membebankan rakyat dan lebih menasabah.

Terpaling penting ialah GST ini tidak dilaksanakan selagi sumber-sumber kebocoran dan pembaziran yang menelan berbilion RM setahun tidak ditangani.

Tegasnya, Kerajaan Najib UBN jangan paksa dan dera rakyat dengan GST setelah rakyat ditipu untuk memberikan mereka kelebihan kerusi diparlimen sekali lagi dalam pilihanraya umum ke-13 yang lalu.

PM Najib, kalau anda mahu madunya, jangan jolok sarangnya ya!

Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 21.5 2013

Police Must Act Against Thugs Who Tried To Disrupt The Right Of Malaysians To Hold A Candlelight Vigil Demanding The Release Of Student Adam Adli Abdul Hamid.

Police must act against thugs who tried to disrupt the right of Malaysians to hold a candlelight vigil demanding the release of student Adam Adli Abdul Hamid. A group of pro-BN supporters physically manhandled the candlelight vigil, attended by some 30 people in front of Universiti Sains Malaysia that included two journalists Malaysiakini Low Chia Ming and Nanyang Siang Pau Brian Lai.

The Penang state government condemns the BN supporters for such violent behaviour. Police reports were lodged by the journalists. It is sad that police Special Branch officers were present but they did not take any action against the thugs. I will write to the Chief Police Officer Dato Abdul Rahim bin Haji Hanafi to press for action against these thugs.

Amoral To Allow Rapists Of Underaged Girls To Escape UnPunished Because No One Should Be Off From Rape Charges Merely Because They Married The Rape Victim.

The Penang state government is shocked that the BN Federal government AND Attorney-General appears to condone rapists marrying their underage victim to escape criminal prosecution for statutory rape.

The Sabah statutory rape case yesterday where charges against the rapist may be withdrawn because he married the 13 year old victim, is unacceptable because a crime is a crime and must be punished severely.

Allowing a rapist to get off scot free from raping a victim and getting off scot-free by marrying her is not only morally outrageous but completely amoral. What safeguards and protections are there left for minors and young underaged girls then from rapists?

The reason that there is a criminal provision for statutory rape is to protect young girls below 16 who had consented to sex without knowing the consequences of their actions. If men can escape statutory rape by marrying the young girls, will this escape clause be extended to all rape victims by encouraging rapists to marry their victims?

It is morally repugnant to allow the rape victim to marry the rapist so that the rapist can avoid paying the penalty for his heinous crime. This is punishing the victim not the rapist. Both rapist and rape victim may marry in future as is within their right but no one can use that as an escape clause.

As parents of daughters, we are concerned that young underaged girls and minors are being taken advantage of. What is the use of having rule of law, if laws can not protect them? I hope that the relevant authorities will be shamed into pressing for action against all cases of statutory rape- which is a crime regardless whether the rapist married the victim or not.

Lim Guan Eng

——BM Version —–
Kenyataan Media oleh Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang, Lim Guan Eng di Komtar, George Town pada 21 Mei 2013.

Pihak Polis mesti bertindak ke atas samseng yang cuba mengganggu hak rakyat Malaysia untuk mengadakan perhimpunan nyalaan lilin menuntut pembebasan aktivis mahasiswa Adam Adli Abdul Hamid.

Pihak Polis mesti bertindak ke atas samseng yang cuba mengganggu hak rakyat Malaysia untuk mengadakan perhimpunan nyalaan lilin menuntut pembebasan aktivis mahassiswa Adam Adli Abdul Hamid. Sekumpulan penyokong pro Barisan Nasional telah mengasari peserta perhimpunan yang dihadiri lebih kurang 30 orang di hadapan Universiti Sains Malaysia termasuk dua wartawan Malaysiakini Low Chia Ming dan wartawan Nanyang Siang Pau Bryan Lai.

Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang mengutuk tindakan ganas penyokong-penyokong BN tersebut. Laporan polis telah pun dibuat oleh kedua wartawan terbabit. Amat menyedihkan apabila polis Cawangan Khas yang hadir tidak pun mengambil tindakan terhadap samseng-samseng tersebut. Saya akan menulis surat kepada Ketua Polis Negeri Pulau Pinang, Dato Abdul Rahim Haji Hanafi untuk mendesak supaya tindakan diambil terhadap samseng-samseng ini.

Membenarkan perogol gadis bawah umur bebas tanpa dihukum adalah amat keji. Tiada sesiapa patut terlepas daripada tuduhan merogol hanya kerana mereka mengahwini mangsa.

Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang amat terkejut apabila Kerajaan Persekutuan BN dan Peguam Negara kelihatan merelakan perogol mengahwini mangsa rogol bawah umur bagi mengelak dakwaan jenayah kerana merogol gadis bawah umur.

Kes rogol bawah umur di Sabah semalam di mana pertuduhan terhadap si perogol boleh digugurkan kerana dia mengahwini mangsa berusia 13 tahun itu sangat tidak boleh diterima kerana jenayah tetap jenayah dan mesti dihukum dengan berat.

Membenarkan seorang perogol untuk bebas daripada pertuduhan merogol hanya kerana mengahwini mangsanya bukan sahaja amat keji malah sangat-sangat tidak bermoral. Apa lagi perlindungan yang ada untuk anak bawah umur dan gadis muda daripada perogol?

Tujuan diwujudkan peruntukan undang-undang jenayah untuk kes rogol bawah umur ialah untuk melindungi gadis bawah usia 16 tahun yang telah rela melakukan hubungan seksual tanpa menyedari akibat daripada tindakan mereka. Jika para lelaki boleh bebas daripada tuduhan rogol bawah umur dengan mengahwini anak gadis muda, mungkinkah klausa pengecualian ini dipanjangkan kepada semua kes mangsa rogol dengan menggalakkan perogol mengahwini mangsanya?

Adalah amat meloyakan untuk membenarkan mangsa rogol mengahwini si perogol supaya perogol boleh mengelak daripada menjalani hukuman di atas jenayahnya yang cela. Ini sudah menghukum mangsa dan bukan pelaku. Kedua-dua perogol dan mangsa rogol mungkin boleh berkahwin di masa akan datang kerana itu hak mereka, tetapi tidak boleh dibenarkan sesiapa pun menggunakan alasan itu untuk meboloskan diri daripada dihukum.

Sebagai ibu bapa kepada anak-anak perempuan, kita sentiasa runsing dan takut anak-anak bawah umur kita diambil kesempatan. Apalah gunanya mempunyai kedaulatan undang-undang sekiranya undang-undang tidak boleh melindungi mereka? Saya harap semua pihak berkuasa berkaitan akan berasa malu sehingga mesti mengambil tindakan terhadap semua kes rogol bawah umur – yang merupakan jenayah tidak kira sama ada perogol mengahwini mangsanya atau tidak.

LIM GUAN ENG

—–Mandarin Version —-

槟州首席部长林冠英于2013年5月21日在乔治市光大发表声明：

警方必须采取行动对付那些涉嫌滋扰大马人权，在声援释放学运领袖阿当阿迪和平烛光会上闹事的暴徒。

警方必须采取行动对付那些涉嫌滋扰大马人权，在声援释放学运领袖阿当阿迪和平烛光会上闹事的暴徒。一群亲国阵支持者到理科大学外暴力干扰30人出席的烛光会，《当今大马》记者刘嘉铭和《南洋商报》记者黎添华也被袭击。

槟州政府谴责这批国阵支持者的暴力行为，记者们已向警方报案，可悲的是，在场的政治部警员并没采取任何行动对付暴徒。我将致函槟州总警长拿督阿都拉欣，要求警方采取行动。

允许性侵未成年少女的强奸犯脱罪毫无道德，没有任何强奸犯可以被允许迎娶受害人来脱罪。

槟州政府感到震惊，国阵联邦政府和总检察长似乎纵容强奸未成年少女的犯人，让犯人迎娶受害人来逃脱强奸罪的控状。

昨天的沙巴州法定强奸案，因施暴者愿意与13岁的受害者结婚，控状或许被撤销一事，是不能被接受的，因为犯罪就是犯罪，必需严惩。

允许一名强奸犯在强奸受害人之后逍遥法外，允许强奸犯娶受害者而不受处分，不只是道义上离谱，更完全颠倒道德的是非。这么一来，我们还能用什么来保障和保护未成年人及未成年少女，免于受强奸犯的侵害？

法定强奸案刑事条文的设立，是为了保护那些不知自己性行为所带来的后果的16岁以下的少女。如果男人可以借娶被他强奸的年轻受害人为妻而逃脱法定强奸罪名，那这项例外，会否在往后延伸至鼓励所有的强奸犯，借迎娶受害人过门而逃脱罪名？

允许强奸犯娶受害者，以逃脱他犯下滔天罪行所应受到的惩罚，是道德败坏的。此举是在惩罚受害者而不是施暴者。施暴者及强奸案受害者可以在往后结婚，因为这是他们的权力，但是没有人可以把这当成一个逃脱罪名的条款。

作为一个女儿的父母，我们关心未成年少女及未成年者被人占便宜。如果法律不能保护他们，我们要法治来做什么？我希望有关当局能因蒙羞而施压，采取行动对付所有的法定强奸案件，不管施暴者是否有与受者者结婚，罪案就是罪案。

林冠英

Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng And MP For Bagan In Kuala Lumpur On 21.5 2013

Is Ahmad Zahid Hamidi Willing To Engage In A Public Debate With Either Me, Lim Kit Siang Or PR Leader Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Whether His Extremist And Divisive Remarks Is Democratic And Part Of National Reconciliation After The General Elections?

Will Home Minister Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi prove his courage and willingness to face DAP leader and MP for Geylang Patah Lim Kit Siang’s censure motion by giving a full day parliamentary debate? Lim Kit Siang had announced that he would move a censure motion against Ahmad unless the Home Minister apologises for asking Malaysians not wanting to accept Malaysia’s existing general election system and preferred another system to migrate to another country.

It is meaningless for Ahmad to state that he is willing to face DAP or PR in Parliament if insufficient parliamentary time is given. Ahmad is only arrogant or brave in front of BN media and TV cameras when threatening hapless Malaysiakini journalists. Is he willing to engage in a public debate with either me, Lim Kit Siang or PR leader Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim whether his extremist and divisive remarks is democratic and part of national reconciliation after the general elections.

Malaysians recorded a historic voter turnout of 80% in the 13th General Elections to defy and defeat money politics, fear and lies. Despite PR increasing our popular vote by nearly 4% in winning the popular vote of 51% compared to only 47% for BN, BN won government. The victory margin was even larger in Peninsular Malaysia of 53% for PR against 45% for BN. PR won 55% of the popular vote in Perak yet lost power.

Malaysia has a minority BN government in Putrajaya, a minority BN Prime Minister and minority BN Perak Menteri Besar. The people have a right to ask what type of democracy is there in Malaysia that permits a minority to rule over a majority. Instead of responding to public calls for polls reforms to respect the “one-person, one-vote, one-value” principle, Ahmad Zahid is taking an autocratic and hard-line approach to crack down on dissent.

Instead of getting the police to focus back on their core business of fighting criminals, Ahmad prefers the police to arrest PR leaders who have not stolen or harmed the rakyat. Crime has escalated to a serious crisis until even the homes of sisters of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyidin Yasin in Petaling Jaya and IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar in Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, are victims of crimes experiencing break-ins over the weekend. The time has come for the police to fight crime and not fight BN’s battles against PR.

Utusan Malaysia The Enemy Of Press Freedom And Fundamental Human Rights Of Freedom Of Expression.

BN has still not learnt the lessons of their defeat in the 13th General Elections and has refused to listen to the people preferring to rely on fear, hatred and lies to oppress, repress and suppress the rakyat’s aspirations for freedom, hope and equal opportunity. Using race and religion no longer works as every Malaysian know that this is to cover up massive corruption by BN.

DAP is shocked at the thuggish behavior of Utusan Malaysia journalists at the one-man protest by former Utusan Malaysia senior reporter Hata Wahari yesterday in front of his former employer’s headquarters. Where is press freedom and freedom of expression when Utusan Malaysia journalists can physically harass Hata Wahari not just with boos and racist abuse but also hurled two packets of fried bihun at him ?

Utusan Malaysia should adopt the right of any citizen to disagree and allow Hata to continue with his peaceful protests stated in a large banner with the words, ‘Message to Utusan chief editor: Stop irresponsible reporting. Uphold journalistic ethics. Don’t spoil Utusan’s future for self-interest. Don’t be a racist reporter’.Utusan Malaysia no longer believes in press freedom except the freedom to lie against PR. I have brought many legal defamation suits against Utusan and have won every case against them.

From a paper that once fought for freedom, Utusan Malaysia has now shamefully degenerated into becoming an enemy of press freedom, racial harmony, truth and fundamental human rights of freedom of expression. How can a journalist physically harass another journalist? Only in North Korea can Utusan Malaysia be welcomed in suppressing, oppressing and repressing press freedom.

LIM GUAN ENG

—–BM version —-

Kenyataan Media oleh Setiausaha Agung DAP merangkap Ahli Parlimen Bagan, Lim Guan Eng di Kuala Lumpur pada 21 Mei 2013.

Adakah Zahid Hamidi Berani Untuk Berdebat Secara Terbuka Sama Ada Dengan Saya, Lim Kit Siang Atau Pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim Untuk Menentukan Sama Ada Kenyataan Ekstrimis Dan Memecahbelah Beliau Adalah Demokratik Dan Sebahagian Daripada Rekonsiliasi Nasional Selepas Pilihan Raya Umum?

Adakah Menteri Dalam Negeri, Dato Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi membuktikan keberanian beliau untuk menyahut cabaran usul celaan pemimpin DAP merangkap Ahli Parlimen Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang dengan mengadakan perdebatan parlimen sehari penuh? Lim Kit Siang telah mengumumkan bahawa beliau akan mengemukakan usul celaan terhadap Ahmad Zahid kecuali sekiranya Menteri Dalam Negeri itu meminta maaf kerana meminta rakyat Malaysia yang tidak mahu menerima sistem pilihan raya sedia ada di Malaysia dan mahukan sistem yang lain untuk berhijrah ke negara lain itu.

Tidak ada makna bagi Ahmad Zahid menyatakan bahawa beliau berani berdepan dengan DAP dan Pakatan Rakyat di Parlimen sekiranya masa yang diberi tidak mencukupi. Ahmad Zahid hanyalah bongkak dan berani di depan media BN dan kemera TV apabila mengugut wartawan Malaysiakini. Adakah beliau berani untuk berdebat secara terbuka dengan saya atau Lim Kit Siang atau pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim bagi menunjukkan sama ada kenyataannya yang ekstremis dan memecahbelah itu bersifat demokratik dan sebahagian daripada rekonsiliasi nasional selepas pilihan raya umum.
Rakyat Malaysia mencatatkan jumlah keluar mengundi bersejarah sebanyak 80% dalam PRU ke 13 demi melawan dan mengalahkan politik wang, ketakutan dan pembohongan. Walaupun Pakatan Rakyat berjaya meningkatkan undi popular sebanyak hampir 4% sehingga menang undi popular sebanyak 51% berbanding hanya 47% di pihak BN, BN masih memenangi kerajaan. Margin kemenangan malah lebih besar di Semenanjung Malaysia dengan 53% mengundi Pakatan Rakyat berbanding 45% untuk BN. Pakatan Rakyat menang 55% undi popular di Perak, tetapi tetap tidak memenangi kerajaan.

Malaysia mempunyai kerajaan minoriti BN di Putrajaya, Perdana Menteri minoriti BN dan Menteri Besar minoriti BN di Perak. Rakyat ada hak untuk menyoal demokrasi jenis apa yang ada di Malaysia yang membenarkan kekuasaan minoriti ke atas majoriti. Sebalik memberi jawapan kepada tuntutan umum terhadap reformasi pilihanraya supaya menghormati pinsip ‘satu orang, satu undi, satu nilai’, Ahmad Zahid mengambil pendekatan autokratik dan keras bagi menghukum mereka yang berani bertingkah.

Di sebalik meletakkan fokus pihak polis terhadap kerja asas mereka untuk membasmi jenayah, Ahmad Zahid lebih suka sekiranya pihak polis menangkap pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat yang tidak pernah mencuri ataupun menyakiti rakyat. Jenayah telah meningkat menjadi sebuah krisis yang amat serius hatta rumah saudara mara Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin di Petaling Jaya dan Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar di Mantin, Negeri Sembilan pun telah menjadi mangsa jenayah pecah masuk dalam hujung minggu lalu. Masanya telah tiba untuk pihak polis memerangi jenayah dan bukan mengambil bahagian dalam peperangan BN terhadap Pakatan Rakyat.

Utusan Malaysia Adalah Musuh Kebebasan Akhbar Dan Hak Asasi Manusia Untuk Bebas Bersuara.

BN masih tidak belajar daripada kekalahan mereka dalam PRU ke 13 dan enggan mendengar suara hati nurani rakyat, dan memilih untuk bergantung kepada ketakutan, kebencian dan penipuan untuk terus menindas dan membungkam aspirasi rakyat yang mahukan kebebasan, harapan dan peluang saksama. Menggunakan kaum dan agama sudah tidak lagi berkesan kerana setiap orang Malaysia tahu bahawa itu hanyalah suatu topeng untuk menutup korupsi besar-besaran BN.

DAP sangat terkejut dengan tingkah laku samseng yang diperlihatkan wartawan utusan Malaysia terhadap protes sendirian bekas wartawan senior Utusan Malaysia, Hata Wahari di depan ibu pejabat bekas majikannya semalam. Di mana kebebasan akhbar dan kebebasan bersuara apabila wartawan Utusan Malaysia boleh membuat gangguan fizikal terhadap Hata Wahari, bukan sahaja dengan olokan dan ejekan perkauman malah melontar dua bungkus bihun goreng kepadanya.

Utusan Malaysia patut menerima hak mana-mana individu untuk tidak bersetuju dan membenarkan Hata untuk meneruskan protes aman beliau yang diletakkan dalam ayat-ayat kain rentang beliau, ‘Mesej untuk ketua pengarang Utusan, hentikan kewartawanan tidak bertanggungjawab. Julang etika kewartawanan. Jangan rosakkan masa depan Utusan demi kepentingan sendiri. Jangan jadi wartawan rasis’. Utusan sudah tidak lagi percaya dengan kebebasan akhbar kecuali kebebasan untuk berbohong terhadap Pakatan Rakyat. Saya telah membawa banyak saman fitnah terhadap Utusan dan telah memenangi setiap satu saman tersebut.

Daripada sebuah akhbar yang pernah memperjuangkan kebebasan, Utusan Malaysia telah dengan begitu memalukan mereput menjadi musuh kebebasan akhbar, keharmonian kaum, kebenaran dan hak asasi manusia untuk bebas bersuara. Bagaimana boleh seorang wartawan membuat gangguan fizikal terhadap wartawan lain? Hanya di Korea Utara sahaja Utusan Malaysia mungkin boleh dialu-alukan untuk membungkam, menekan dan menindas kebebasan akhbar.

LIM GUAN ENG

—–Mandarin Version —

民主行动党秘书长及峇眼国会议员林冠英于2013年5月21日在吉隆坡发表的文告。

阿末扎希是否愿意与我或林吉祥还是民联领袖拿督斯里安华来一场公开辩论，以证明他那极端又分裂人民的言论是否真的符合选举后所谓的民主与全民和解？

内政部长拿督斯里阿末扎希是否有勇气愿意面对行动党领袖及振林山国会议员林吉祥所要提出的不信任动议，来一场全天的国会辩论？林吉祥已经宣布要提议针对阿末扎希的不信任动议，除非内政部长能对他自己要求大马人如果不接受马来西亚现行的选举制度就移民他国的言论而道歉。

阿末在没有说出具体招开国会的日期下，称愿意在国会面对行动党及民联是毫无意义的。阿末只有在国阵媒体及电视镜头前的时候才尽显霸道及勇态毕露的威胁倒大霉的《当今大马》新闻从业员。阿末扎希是否愿意与我或林吉祥还是民联领袖拿督斯里安华来一场公开辩论，以证明他那极端又分裂人民的言论是否真的符合选举后所谓的民主与全民和解。

大马人创下历史，高达80%的选民在第13届大选挺身而出拒绝及击败金钱政治、恐惧与谎言。民联虽然在本届大选的总得票率增加了4%，并且以51%赢得了选举的总得票率，但是相对只获得47%的国阵却赢得了执政权。在马来半岛的胜利差距更为显著，民联获票高达53%，国阵则只有45%。在霹雳民联赢得了55%的州总得票率，但仍然失去执政该州的权力。

马来西亚在布城拥有一个少数政府、少数首相及少数霹雳国阵州务大臣。人民有权力质问在马来西亚允许少数统治多数，到底是哪门子的民主。阿末扎希不去听从人民意愿进行选举改革，以尊重“一人、一票、一等值”的民主原则，反倒过来以独裁及强硬的态度对付异议。

阿末不去要求警方回归他们的正业，专注打击罪案，反倒过来选择要警方逮捕不偷不抢的民联领袖。治安问题已经成为危机，即使是副首相丹斯里慕尤丁及全国总警长丹斯里卡立双双的胞妹也分别在八打灵再也及森美兰文丁的住家被入贼行窃。如今，警方是时候打击罪案，而不是帮国阵打战以对付民联。

《前锋报》是新闻自由及言论自由基本人权的敌人。

国阵仍然无法从第13届大选的失败中吸取教训，拒绝聆听人民的声音，反倒过来以恐惧、仇恨及谎言来压迫、镇压及压制人民祈求自由、希望及平等机会的愿望。利用种族及宗教对大马人民来说已经没有效，因为大马人已经知道在这些伎俩都是为了掩饰国阵严重的贪污。

民主行动党对于《前锋报》媒体从业员以流氓行为针对其前资深记者哈达达哈里感到震惊。哈达昨天在其前雇主《前锋报》总部前展开个人示威，竟然不只遭到《前锋报》媒体从业员以嘘声及种族主义奚落及污辱，还被他们丢两包炒米粉攻击他，请问《前锋报》的新闻自由及媒体自由在哪里？

《前锋报》理应允许任何公民的反对权力，让哈达继续以他写着“致《前锋报》总编辑：“请停止不负责任的报导，秉持媒体伦理操守，别为了个人利益毁了《前锋报》未来，别成为一个种族主义的记者”的大布条进行和平抗议。《前锋报》根本已经不再笃信新闻自由，他们只会自由妄为地撒谎对付民联，这可从我多次控告《前锋报》诽谤，全部都胜诉获得证明。

从一家捍卫自由的报章，《前锋报》如今羞耻地沦落到成为新闻自由、种族和谐、真相及言论自由基本人权的敌人。一个媒体从业员怎么可以肢体侵犯另一个媒体从业员呢？看来也只有朝鲜才会欢迎《前锋报》这种压制、压迫及镇压新闻自由的做法。

林冠英

PART 1: Queue, Goodie Bags & Food At Techduology LIVE

Alright.. after everyone queued for their goodie bags and lucky draw numbers and filled stomach with food by Starbucks, it was time to begin the show.

Crowd were all seated and all focused on Ben and I.

We started off by sharing some information about Techduology and showed them some blooper videos.

Right after that, we played a treasure hunt game which got everyone to run around Starbucks looking for hidden objects. First 7 to come back to us will get a prize.

Prizes for this round were sponsored by Starbucks!

Alright! All got your prizes? Now lets get back to your seats and continue with the next agenda.

NEXT!

Here is an example of how we tend to, knowingly or unknowingly, inspire each other by the little things we do everyday so long as we do them well.

Lee Hom sang Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s Getaran Jiwa during his Open Fire concert in Malaysia two months ago. Watch the video below.

So I have been asked by my friends, “Eh, I heard he sang Getaran Jiwa”, and I would reply, “Yah, he did”.

Getaran Jiwa became stuck in my mind recently that way, thanks to Lee Hom. Haha.

I first learned Getaran Jiwa upon joining the SMK Subang Jaya choir in 1999 as a soprano. We performed it on stage in more than one occassion. But the 13-year-old Yvonne didn’t fully understand or pay attention to the lyrics and the song’s meaning. I was more concerned with getting the pitch right, whether my vocals were as good as the next person, or be carried away by the melodious harmonization that we, as a choir, were producing.

After Lee Hom’s recent performance, which I didn’t physically hear, of course – my heart did. It all came back to me – the emotion that this song conjures.

While I was painting Love Canvasses Malaysia last week, Getaran Jiwa was the song that kept playing in my mind while I tried my best to maintain a steady heart – one unaffected by the political dramas that were going on.

Getaran Jiwa is about how songs and music can awaken the soul or heart, how they can enlighten mankind.

I am older and wiser now, so I can understand the song’s meaning from a higher perspective.

It is by no coincidence that the composer coupled this song with a gentle and soothing melody. It reminds me of two things:

1) To enlighten people, we need not use force.

2) Those who are truly enlightened and liberated, are not easily perturbed by chaos. They are steady and calm.

That must be why Getaran Jiwa kept playing in my mind as I painted Love Canvasses Malaysia. My intention for painting Love Canvasses Malaysia is to encourage people to see beyond all the chaos and confusions that are happening currently, and be able to see what is truly important to us as a people.

Thanks, Lee Hom, for embedding Getaran Jiwa in my mind. Bet you didn’t expect your performance to inspire me this far.

A very common misconception about divorce is that a lot of couples think that they would have to be living separately for more than three years before they can file for divorce. The truth is if both parties agree to divorce, then you don’t need to be living separately.

Andy Low from Low & Partners talked about the money matters in divorce cases in Malaysia, during the webinar I hosted with Evanna Phoon. Here is what he said:

I have clients that stay together during the divorce proceedings and still stay together after divorce proceedings just for the sake of the kids. So, that is possible. Separation for two years is only one of the reasons to file for divorce. It doesn’t mean that you have to live separately in order to qualify yourself for a divorce proceeding. This is a very common misconception.

Second misconception is that they thought they will be automatically divorced if they have lived separately for more than 2 years. This is also incorrect because they would still need to file an application before they are divorced. There’s no such thing as “automatically divorced,” you have to apply for it.

Now, another misconception is that application for divorce cannot be made within 2 years of the marriage when, in fact, there are exceptions available. Sometimes parties can opt for annulment if they are qualified or eligible for annulment. There is no “not more than 2 years of marriage” limitation for annulment.

I want to touch a bit on: “The Brief and the General Procedure of the Joint Petition Divorce” before we talk about the monetary part because I want to establish that going for a joint petition divorce it is much easier. When you go for a unilateral divorce, which is a single petition, it will take more time.

Generally, if both parties agree, then you need to engage with a lawyer. We discuss the settlement with your spouse, and then you sign the divorce petition, and you wait for the hearing date, and you attend to the court, and get a certificate. While for unilateral divorce proceedings, you need to consult a lawyer also, and you may need to also apply to the JPN for a tribunal.

The objective of the tribunal is to actually provide a platform for the parties to reconcile. For example, if the husband would like to file for divorce, then the husband needs to actually submit an application to the JPN and attend the tribunal. It is actually the intention of the government to allow a chance to reconcile the parties before they have really decided to go ahead with the divorce proceeding.

In doing the so called tribunal sessions, the government officers, JPN officers will try to understand the reasons behind the break-up of the marriage or will try to ask you questions like why you want to live separately, and in all those things. The ultimate objective will be to reconcile the parties. However, if you insist on filing for a divorce after the JPN session, you can enclose the tribunal’s letter and file the application to the court, which is the third step.

Afterwards, the procedure will be very different depending on the spouse’s subsequent actions. So, we cannot determine the general time involved because we do not know whether or not your case will be contested by your spouse.

Now, what are the usual disputes that arise from a marriage?

For Premium Webinar Members, you can watch the full session here:

Divorce Procedure in Malaysia Law is a post from: KCLau.com