Enter the True Neutrals!

For so long I have been naive, indifferent and insensitive to what is actually going on. I have always thought that Malaysians are politically aligned, and that the 'fence sitters' are minimal in number or insensitive to political issues. I was under the impression that all they want is to live in Malaysia in peace. I was wrong, at least for now.

The number of political 'neutrals', who are sensitive to political issues, who are unafraid to voice their opposition to bad political decisions, who are logical in their thinking, are multiplying at an alarming rate.

Whether we like it or not (and we are deemed as having political allegiances), we have to bow and accept the fact that we are not safe from their criticism. With the advent of Malaysian 'New-Politics' brokered by Anwar Ibrahim who have encouraged Malaysians to be critical in their thinking. These people were awakened by the Reformasi movement, who had high expectations, and were heartbroken when their aspirations for a total systemic change of Malaysia failed.

The dashed hopes gave rise to this new species. A form that is aware of the evils brought upon the country by the decadent UMNO and BN, but is still unimpressed with the performance of Pakatan Rakyat.

I should have put up the face of RPK as the de-facto leader of this new species, but this man have opened my vision to an extent somewhat that I credit him with my new found realisation.

As a propounder of change in Malaysia, I accept the views and articulations by these 'True Malaysians'. These are exactly the type of people that Malaysia needs. Our country, bleeding with corruption and rampant use of power, is in urgent need of people who are strong and principle based. We cannot pin the hopes of the nation on those who thinks the 'Dacing' is everything, and yet we must be bold enough to show and direct Pakatan Rakyat and how to actually 'change'.

To these True Malaysians, I salute you. May you all be the catalyst for improvement in our country and stop the nonsense that everything is already in good perfect order.

Kenapa saya berubah? oleh Ezam Mohd. Noor

(Ihsan SongkokPutih daripada TranungKite)

PAGI 28 Mei dalam diari Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor bermula begini –dalam catatan saya yang tiba ke rumahnya kira-kira jam 11.00 pagi di Seksyen 7 Shah Alam. Ada deretan kereta diletakkan di tepi pagar rumah banglo dua tingkat itu. Sebaik melangkah masuk dan memberi salam, nampak kelibat ayah Ezam, Pak Cik Mohd Nor, dan ibu Ezam, bonda Aisyah tersenyum.

Selepas bersalaman dan beramah tamah, saya dijemput masuk ke rumah, di ruang tamu itu, sudah siap menunggu, rakan-rakan karib Ezam ketika menerajui Angkatan Muda PKR, Abdul Ghani Harun, S D Johari, saudara Nazmi, Syed, dan Azwandin Hamzah.

Ezam, tidak kelihatan, kata isterinya, Bahirah, beliau masih di bilik menghabiskan bacaan Al Quran -rutin pagi yang diamalkan beliau sejak di penjara Kajang lagi.

Jam 11.30 pagi, Ezam keluar, dengan baju lengan panjang berwarna biru air, seluar slack berjalur halus berwarna kelabu kehitaman, dan kot.

“Dah minum?” katanya ramah, sambil bersalaman. Tenang, memang gaya Ezam dari dulu lagi. Biarpun hari ini, beberapa jam lagi beliau akan berdepan dengan orang yang pernah diserangnya bertahun-tahun.

“Kenapa abang berubah?”

Beliau dalam kiraan jam, akan mengumumkan sokongannya yang tidak berbelah bagi, kepada parti dan orang yang pernah menjadi musuhnya dahulu. Dan saya mencuri kesempatan untuk bertanya, “Kenapa abang berubah?”

“Kenapa saya berubah? Saya tidak berubah, saya menyokong dasar, bukan parti atau individu, dasar UMNO kini berubah, jadi saya kembali menyokong UMNO dan sudah tentulah menyokong kepimpinan yang berani mengubah dasar tersebut,” kata Ezam.

“Saya yakin agenda perubahan yang diumumkan Perdana Menteri sekarang ini, termasuk soal memperkasa BPR, memulihkan institusi kehakiman dan banyak lagi merupakan agenda perubahan yang besar dan wajar disokong,” katanya.

Sambil berbual ringan, Ezam melihat jam di tangan yang waktu itu sudah menunjukkan jam 11.55 pagi.

“Kita pergi dua kereta, empat orang satu kereta, dari sini kita singgah di Bandar Sunway, ada restoran Bakso, jumpa Hamdan, saya hendak isi borang di situ, dari situ kita bergerak ke KL Sentral, Datuk Wan Farid tunggu dan dia akan bawa kita masuk ke Parlimen,” kata Ezam pada semua yang hadir.
Arahannya jelas dan tegas. Itulah ciri Ezam yang menarik minat saya sejak dulu. Dan ramai lagi, satu ketika dalam Angkatan Muda PKR, gaya Ezam berceramah menjadi ikutan pemimpin pemuda lainnya. Termasuklah gaya sebutan khasnya bila berkata “Kerana apa?...” yang intonasinya ditekan, sedalam-dalamnya, berhenti senafas dan disambung semula.

Doa keluarga iringi langkah Ezam

Selepas berdoa, dan Ezam mengucup pipi kedua ibu bapanya memohon restu, bersalaman dengan isteri dan adiknya, Illa. Kami bertolak tepat jam 12.10 tengahhari. Mengikut arahan yang jelas tadi. Di dalam kereta, Ezam yang duduk di kerusi penumpang sebelah depan, sibuk melayan sms dan panggilan telefon.Saya kira berita beliau akan bertemu Perdana Menteri sudah heboh. Bermacam-macam orang yang telefon, kebanyakkannya wartawan, Ezam melayan satu persatu panggilan tersebut.

Bila sampai di Restoran Bakso itu, Hamdan Taha, rakan karib Ezam bersama seorang lagi sudah menunggu. Sudah ada beberapa helai borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup.

Satu yang kosong diserahkan. Ezam ambil dan membacanya, “Ada Pen?” katanya, pen di ambil, dan tanpa rasa gementar, beliau mengisinya, satu persatu. Dan menandatangani borang tersebut.

Selesai bab borang, kami bergegas ke KL Sentral, sepanjang perjalanan, Ezam kembali melayan panggilan telefon.

Kami sampai di KL Sentral jam 2.15 petang, sambil menunggu Datuk Wan Farid, Timbalan Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, yang akan membawa Ezam ke Parlimen.

Sebaik Wan Farid muncul dengan kereta Perdananya, Ezam berpindah kenderaan. Beliau bersama Wan Farid, dan kami mengikuti dari belakang.

Terus ke Parlimen, dan terus ke pintu VIP, di sana setiausaha politik Pak Lah, Datuk Reezal Marican, sudah menunggu. Kebetulan ada juga Bendahari Umno, Datuk Azim Zabidi, dan Ketua Pemuda Umno Datuk Hishamuddin Hussein.

Wartawan rasmi Parlimen

Ezam bersalaman dengan semua, bergurau dengan Hishamuddin, yang beberapa hari sebelum itu memberitahu wartawan beliau ada tiga soalan kepada Ezam sebelum masuk Umno. Ezam bersalaman, dan berjalan beriringan dengan Hishamuddin. Gaya orang politik.

Dari situ kami menaiki lif ke tingkat dua. Bilik menunggu Perdana Menteri di Parlimen. Di sajikan air teh o kosong, sambil Ezam, Wan Farid, Reezal Marican dan seorang lagi setiausaha politik Abdullah yang baru dilantik, Datuk Alwi berbual.

Tidak ada wartawan dibenarkan masuk, kecuali dari Agendadaily.com, Hanafiah Man dan Lukman Abdullah yang sudah boleh dianggap wartawan rasmi Parlimen. Saya sempat menghantar beberapa sms kepada Jeff, dan Epul rakan yang bertugas mengemaskini KLpos.com.

Kira-kira jam 3.40 petang, Ezam bertemu Abdullah. Entah apa yang mereka bualkan. Saya tidak masuk. Cuma menunggu bersama-sama lebih 50 wartawan di bilik sidang media yang bakal diadakan. Bersebelahan dengan bilik menunggu.

Sambil berbual-bual dengan penganalisis politik terkenal Mohd Sayuti Omar dan Zubaidah Abu Bakar yang hadir untuk merakam detik bersejarah itu.

“Bismillah...”

Selepas 40 minit. Abdullah dan Ezam keluar. Sidang akhbar diadakan. Abdullah seperti biasa menjawab semua soalan. Dan pada soalan, apa peranan yang akan dimainkan oleh Ezam di dalam Umno, beliau dengan selamba berkata, “Itu biar Ezam yang jawab”.

Ezam sendiri, memilih untuk mengadakan sidang akhbar sehari selepas pengumuman rasmi tersebut. Hari ini. Ezam bersama penyokongnya akan mengadakan sidang akhbar di sebuah hotel di Petaling Jaya kira-kira jam 11.00 pagi.

Ada detik yang penting. Yang saya sempat catatkan. Tatkala Ezam menyerahkan borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup kepada Abdullah.

Ezam bersalaman, sambil berkata, “Bismillah...,” Abdullah yang sebelum itu senyum, bertukar serius. Diambilnya borang Ezam itu, dengan kata-kata yang sama, “Bismillah...” Tangan Ezam digengam erat. Abdullah kembali tersenyum. Lebih manis dari biasa. Kilauan cahaya kemera tidak henti-henti merakamkan satu lagi saat bersejarah kepada bangsa dan negara.

Semalam. 28 Mei. Abdullah, menerima seorang hulubalang baru dalam perjuangannya untuk perubahan.

Dan seperti kata Ezam, “Saya tidak berubah, dasar UMNO yang berubah, jadi saya kembali menyokong UMNO dan sudah tentulah menyokong kepimpinan yang berani mengubah dasar tersebut,”.

Sidang media Abdullah di ParlimenDatuk Wan Farid yang banyak memainkan peranan disebalik kembalinya Ezam ke dalam Umno


Reezal Marican (Kanan) menyambut kedatangan Ezam Mengisi borang Umno di restoran Bakso...Turut kelihatan Hamdan Taha.







Inilah borang keahlian Umno seumur hidup Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor

UMNO Masih Persoal Niat Ezam

Temubual Ezam Mohd Noor di TV3 petang tadi (28 mei 2008) telah menambahkan lagi keresahan UMNO sama ada benar atau tidak mantan Ketua Angkatan Muda KeADILan itu merupakan senjata sulit Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk memporak-porandakan UMNO sebelum pemilihan UMNO pada Disember 2008.

Temubual TV3 bersama Dato' Seri Hishamuddin Hussein telah jelas menunjukkan adegan kurang senang Menteri Pelajaran tersebut apabila menjawab soalan-soalan wartawan berkenaan kemasukan Ezam.

Ramai ahli UMNO dikatakan kurang senang dengan tindakan Perdana Menteri membenarkan Ezam memasuki semula UMNO tanpa syarat dan mempertikaikan mengapa tiada seorangpun bekas ahli KeADILan yang menyertai UMNO pada 2004 seperti Roslan Kassim dan Lokman Noor Adam sudi menemani beliau.

Didalam temuramah bersama TV3 Ezam ternyata jelas menyatakan hasratnya untuk meneruskan Agenda Reformasi Anwar Ibrahim di dalam UMNO dan cita-citanya adalah untuk membanteras rasuah di dalam UMNO.

Ahli-ahli Pakatan Rakyat akan terus memerhatikan berapa jauhkah dan setinggi manakah Ezam dibenarkan menyusup didalam UMNO untuk melaksanakan Agenda Perubahan yang diulang Ezam di dalam temubual tersebut berkali-kali. Harus diingat ungkapan 'Agenda Perubahan' adalah 'Manifesto Anwar Ibrahim' yang menjadi teras persefahaman Pakatan Rakyat.

Sekiranya percaturan bijak pimpinan tertinggi Pakatan Rakyat ini berjaya, berkemungkinan besar Ezam akan memainkan peranannya untuk melakukan 'Agenda Perubahan' ini serta-merta dan kesannya akan dilihat pada keputusan pemilihan UMNO nanti. Sama ada kesan ini positif atau negatif kepada Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi atau lawan-lawannya - kita tungguuuuu!

Amir Hamzah Amha
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com/

When will Johor apologise to the Rakyat?

Maybe it was too much work to administer Pulau Batu Puteh or the Horsburgh Lighthouse, maybe it was because there was no obvious substantiation to the rock formation, which has no room for agriculture, meaningful buildings and infrastructure, but the fact remains that Johor regards the outcrop as useless enough when its State Secretary decided to send a letter of disclaimer to the island in 1953.

Although I am a Johorean, I echo the sentiments of the Rector of Kolej Yayasan Melaka, Dr. Ramlah Adam that this was a weakness of the then Johor administration. Research was not properly done and the result was that key letter that doomed Malaysia to reluctantly accept a 'new Singapore' by adding potentially one hundred square kilometres of new territory of which Singapore would now gratefully convert from being underwater to a spanking reclaimed land.

Singapore already has an utter disregard for Malaysian interest especially in Malaysia's efforts to lead the region in exploring the oil and gas industry which would soon rival their own. The Johor Strait, already a loser in the 'crooked bridge' issue is now under further jeopardy with this development - any new reclamation there will further shallow the passage of ships entering the already hardly navigable strait heading towards the Pasir Gudang Port and the surrounding facilities.

I sincerely think that the Johor Government, though it was done before Merdeka, should apologise for this loss and find out how can we mitigate this loss.

Amir Hamzah Amha
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

The Cheekiness of Ahmad Shabery Cheek

No, the last 'Cheek' is not referring to his facial tissue, and the first Cheek does not refer to his father. But as the topic reads, this fella has to learn a few things in his inaugural stint as the Informations Minister. Things such as sincerity and accountability.

Acting like a senior statesman, his threat to call-off the televised live feed of the proceedings in Dewan Negara due to opposition antics smacks of an insincere gesture to reform. As with all BN promises, this one too will soon bite the dust.

Can he elucidate to me on which godforsaken Parliament has no similar actions? questions as to rules, verbals blasts and sometimes irrelevant questions? are the Pakatan Rakyat MPs solely responsible for dressing the Dewan Rakyat with courtesy?

One question sir, Are not the BN MPs happy with the increasing democratisation and transparency of the proceedings with the televised events? Don't they feel that it is a small step for the betterment of Malaysia?

Ever since I knew this whippersnapper I have always thought that this bloke is nothing but hot air. He is intelligent though, intelligent enough to bait Malaysians over this 'reform' gesture to air proceedings and then his next (but always premeditated) move to censor it and linking the basis to Pakatan Rakyat.

You think you are smart bro. We are smarter. And we will always see through your gestures, no matter how enticing they may be. Remember, the real losers who refuses to reform will be yourselves.

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

A Salafi in Malaysia

I am perplexed with the current situation in my country, where many questions are being discussed regarding Islam and its application to mu'amalah or daily transactions as well as the Syari'ah or Islamic Law.

However, in a country that does not regard the Qur'an and Sunnah of Muhammad (SAW) as being the utmost in authority, I cannot even begin to imagine the disaster waiting to happen when decisions are passed out. In Malaysia, customs ('Urf) and the Syari'ah are intertwined to such an extent that there are state bodies governing the two together. This mix usually results in the Syari'ah being subservient and secondary to the requirements of customs or in Malay it is called 'adat'.

It is an unusually common understanding here that Syari'ah must always give way to local customs. Whilst it is trite that nothing ever shall overide the Syari'ah.

When inappropriate tools are used to fix a specific problem you would expect to find the fault being unfixed. It may even get worse! Therefore I submit that in order to fix something relating to Islam, the appropriate tools must be used which in this case is the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

AMIR HAMZAH BIN AMHA
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

BN Pengkhianat Rakyat, ludah pada Perlembagaan Persekutuan

Pakatan Rakyat telah menggunakan sepenuhnya peluang mentadbir negeri-negeri mereka untuk 'mengajar' BN bagaimana untuk berkhidmat kepada Rakyat. Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Sdr. Lim Guan Eng telah menonjolkan contoh yang baik apabila melantik Dato' Lee Kah Choon sebagai Ketua syarikat dibawah kelolaan kerajaan negeri itu.

Pujian juga harus diberi kepada Dato' LKC kerana dapat melihat disebalik politik kepartian dan lebih melihat kepada memberi khidmat kepada rakyat di negeri tersebut.

Sebenarnya perlantikan wakil pembangkang kepada jawatan kerajaan bukannya perkara yang terlalu asing bagi suatu negara yang mengamalkan demokrasi. Beberapa tahun lepas dapat kita lihat kerajaan Jepun yang memerintah melantik seorang Speaker Dewan daripada kalangan pembangkang, tujuannya adalah untuk memastikan tiada elemen ketidakseimbangan berlaku.

Kesedaran dan perasaan ketidakseimbangan antara 'politik kepartian' dan 'kerajaan' inilah yang gagal dilihat pada kerajaan BN kini. Sebagai contoh, projek-projek kelolaan JKR perlu dilabel 'Projek Barisan Nasional' walhal JKR adalah sebuah jabatan awam di bawah kerajaan pusat, dan dana pembinaan tersebut diambil daripada kutipan cukai rakyat yang separuh daripadanya bukan daripada penyokong BN!

Jawapan Mentri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim berkenaan perbezaan jawatan politik beliau dan jawatan beliau sebagai Mentri Besar untuk semua (termasuk rakyat yang menyokong BN) menunjukkan kematangan beliau dalam berpolitik. Beliau dan Sdr. Lim Guan Eng sama-sama meletakkan kepentingan rakyat melebihi kepentingan parti mereka.

Seimbas sahaja dapat kita lihat betapa jahilnya politik BN apabila Azalina Said (yang kita tidak tahu sama ada dia 'Wanita' atau tidak - Rafidah Aziz) membatalkan MOU antara kerajaan pusat dengan kerajaan negeri di bawah naungan Pakatan Rakyat; di samping itu kita dapat lihat penubuhan jawatankuasa kerajaan pusat di peringkat negeri untuk menafikan dana yang diperuntukkan kepada kerajaan negeri. Apakah BN sahaja yang layak, berkebolehan dan cukup integriti untuk memerintah? Bak kata Nabil Raja Lawak - LU PIKIR SENDIRILAH!

Sebenarnya kerajaan-kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat sengaja mahu menunjuk-ajar BN bagaimanakah caranya untuk mentadbir dengan adil dan beramanah. Justeru sejurus selepas PRU berakhir, tugas mereka untuk rakyat dan walaupun berbeda fahaman, keutamaan khidmat kepada rakyat dititikberatkan. Itulah sebabnya pekerja kerajaan dinamakan 'Civil Servants' dan bukannya 'Government Servants'!

Sebelum ini tiada seorangpun wakil daripada Pakatan Rakyat yang dijemput menganggotai mana-mana portfolio hatta daripada AJK daerah sehingga jawatan penting kerajaan. Malah peranan 'check and balance' tiada langsung sehingga mereka merasa bongkak dan over-confident. Pakatan Rakyat cuma mahu rakyat sedar bahawa kebajikan mereka melebihi segalanya - termasuk politik kepartian. Ini adalah kerana sekiranya politik kepartian diambil sebagai kayu-ukurnya, alamat politik balas dendam akan berleluasa dan rakyat secara langsung akan sengsara.

Saya mengesyorkan agar Pakatan Rakyat (termasuk Menteri Besar Terengganu Dato' Ahmad Said?) memfailkan satu tindakan undang-undang terhadap kerajaan pusat untuk mendapatkan deklarasi di Mahkamah Persekutuan yang menyatakan bahawa tindakan kerajaan pusat menubuhkan JK pusat di negeri Pakatan Rakyat sesuatu yang salah dari segi Perlembagaan Malaysia dan segala dana dikembalikan dengan segera.

Amir Hamzah bin Amha
http://puterabatu.blogspot.com

Salute to the REFORMIS!

They have been literally stepped on, shot by tear gas, showered by chemicals, pressured whether at home or work, detested and treated like waste by the police and DBKL, assaulted, detained and defamed. Once a female Reformis dubbed Nora made national headlines after being forced to strip naked in front of the police! these and more, but like Energizer batteries, they just keep on going!

These are only some of the experiences of Malaysia's 'Reformis'; the spearhead made-up of mostly PKR supporters from the Bukit Bintang Division of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory. Their names are numerous but from the heart and their antics, they define the meaning of 'struggle' and pure unadulterated REFORMASI!

Yes, these are the people PKR and the opposition rely on in the midst of any demonstrations. and these are the same people who rush to protect the Pakatan leaders in times of need. Whether from the unintended Kesas rally where one was shot to the head with a gas cannister, to the Bersih Rally where many were water-cannoned in the Masjid Jamek compound, they are at the forefront of the people.

Fond and sour memories could still be recollected from their lives. I personally remember when Allahyarham Tan were still around, amusing us with his jokes in the usual loghat utara. My friend, you will always have a place in our hearts and how I wish you can see us bashing BN and capturing 5 states bro. U the man!

I would like to express my utmost salutations and respect to the Reformis. May Allah SWT guide you and may the light of struggle never fade in your hearts.

REFORMASI!

RMP Have Lost the Plot!

It seems strange for Enforcers of the Law to fail miserably in understanding the intent of the establishment of the RMP themselves. In MalaysiaToday (http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/6285/1/) The Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) stressed that 'speeches made in public without a police permit is against the law'. Which brings me to the question 'what is a police permit?' and 'What purposes does a permit serve?'

During the busy days of campaigning for Tian Chua about two months ago the RMP were still enforcing a ban on public speeches and rallies; albeit then a permit would be given with the condition that it is applied for within 48 hours. For this special commendation should be given to IPD Sentul specifically to a certain ASP Nyana Segeren of the Special Branch having to forego celebrating his newborn daughter in order to assist political parties to obtain permits.

Anyway, a cover letter is required from the event's organisers with an attachment called form ‘A’ KPN (PR) 19/26 to be filled and signed off with a duplicate attached. The applicant is then required to undergo an interview and 48 hours after that, a permit shall be given.

Why all this explanation? The reason for the above is to illustrate that extensive (albeit unnecessary) explanation was done in order to hold a rally. What would a permit guarantee anyway? safety? traffic orderliness? no! the permit was a mere notification of goings on indicating where, what and when the event happens. It does not impart any additional duty on the police nor does it state anywhere that the police shall undertake to provide any safety or traffic assistance!

If a police permit is just a notification of an event so that RMP may just enter the same into their diary, would not then the meeting held days before the event, where Tan Sri Khalid, Azmin and others have briefed the RMP of the programme tentative, suffice?

If the objective of a permit is to enable the RMP to enforce orderliness, why does not the permit state as such? why are the words silent to that effect?

On the other hand, if the primary duty of the RMP is to facilitate orderliness and to enforce crowd control. In the Black 14 event, all parties (including the RMP) testified that there were no untoward elements of roughness, arbitrary mischief nor vandalism occuring. Why then, pray tell, must you stop the event? What objective are you looking for? because if it is orderliness then it is proven as the event unfolded! If the reason for the cease order was due to a mere technicality - where a permit must be applied so that orderliness is maintained or else it is illegal - then the police must use their god given ability to think logically that - with a disciplined lot such as in Black 14, and as the events unfolded smoothly and witnessed as such without any mischief - a permit is not necessary.