RM 2 million Compensation

MalaysiaInsider.com/

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 - A Malay rights group is demanding MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek pay RM2 million in compensation for allegedly questioning the special position of the Malays.

Mohd Apis Johar from the Young Malay Graduates Movement (GGMM) said he was disturbed by remarks made by Dr Chua late last month, in which he said he accepted Malay leadership but not Malay supremacy.

"Before Merdeka, with a stroke of a pen, two million non-Malays were granted citizenship," the group's lawyer Khairul Azam Aziz told reporters.

He added that the money would be donated to any organisation interested in the advancement of the Malay community.

In its notice of demand addressed to Dr Chua, the lawyer who acted on behalf of Mohd Apis, also urged the former Labis MP to retract his statement an issue a public apology.

"The statement of apology must be approved by us on behalf of our client before it is uploaded to your blog," said Khairul Azam in the notice.

He added that they would proceed with legal action if Dr Chua fails to comply with his demands.

GGMM also wants everyone to stop questioning Malay supremacy. Its spokesperson Nik Rizman Sapian said the group is not linked to any political party but merely interested in defending Malay rights.

"For those who question Malay rights as stated in the constitution, we will not hesitate to take action," said Nik Rizman.

Earlier, the small group, who were outnumbered by members of the media, marched from the Ampang Park LRT station to Wisma MCA to hand over the notice.

The notice was received by MCA official Yap Chin Chin, who said that she would forward it to the party's leadership.

Dr Chua's remarks on Malay supremacy has drawn criticism from Malay leaders including Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein who reportedly said that it would be better for BN component parties to join the opposition if they continue harping on the issue.

MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has distanced himself from his deputy by saying the remark is not the party's stand.

letter of demand from lawyer. Click on image for full text...

UMNO and PAS 'Muzakarah'/ 巫统与回教党密商

There’s a lot of talk and speculation about top UMNO leaders meeting PAS leaders on Malay and Muslim unity. Leaders from both political divide can meet from time to time so that there is a better understanding of each other’s position. As a non-Malay and non-Muslim, I am more concerned about how the outcome of such engagement has on the rest of the rakyat who are non Muslim and non Malay and in fact, we have the right to know. The Prime Minister for that matter and PAS national leaders must remember that as national leaders, they must be leaders for all irrespective of race and religion.

I’ve always said that it is difficult in the political arena in Malaysia to work without considering race and religion although there are leaders who claim to be multiracial. As long as Islam is the official religion, Malays enjoy special rights as enshrined in constitution and the Chief of state except Penang must be a Muslim as stipulated in the state constitution, it is difficult for any political party be it Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat to move away from ethnic-based politics. Of course it is popular to be multiracial while on stage but the political reality is otherwise.

Ideally, in the long term, politics should be issue-centered rather than ethno-centric. This will take some time to develop. Although a lot of people may not agree with me, but I’m just stating the political reality in Malaysia that while we slowly move towards issue-centered politics, race and religion will always be the major consideration either from Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat. The only difference is that some politicians are good at packaging themselves as very multiracial outlook while others are not so good in doing so.

一直盛传巫统高层领袖和回教党领袖秘密会面，商谈马来人和回教徒的团结。其实两个联盟的领袖可不时会面，以便更了解各自的立场。身为一位非马来人和非回教徒，我比较关注的是这个会面所带给非回教徒和非马来社会的影响。其实，我们有权知道。首相和回教党中央领袖必须牢记，身为国家领导人物，不管人民是来自那一个种族或宗教，他们是全民的领袖。

我常说，虽然有些领袖自称属于多元种族领袖，但在马来西亚政局行事时是很难於不顾虑到种族和宗教因素。只要回教是我国的官方宗教，马来人在宪法里享有特权，以及除了槟州之外，州首长都必须是马来人，那就很难有任何政党可远离以种族为基的政治。当然，在台上以多元化标榜立场较受欢迎及普遍，但政治现实却不是如此。

当然，长期来说，最理想的政治是以课题为中心点，而非着重于种族性质。这需要时间去发展。当我们慢步朝向以课题为基的政治时，民盟或国阵还是优先顾虑种族及宗教因素。虽然很多人不赞同我的看法，但我要指出的是马来西亚政治现实的一面。不同之处，只是有些政治人物很会把自己包装成多元化，而有些在这方面却做得不那么好。

我看马哈迪退党/ Impact of Mahathir leaving UMNO

前首相敦马哈迪医生退出巫统！

这项决定无不让马来西亚人民震惊。已退休的敦马绝对不是一名普通的巫统党员，他领导这个国家和巫统长达22年，任期间为国家社稷贡献良多，虽然今天已卸下一切，但他在人民及党员心中年高德劭，为人敬重。

尽管如此，马哈迪其实也是个普通人，和一般人一样会有许多惹人非议的弱点。退党可谓是敦马使尽全力的最后一击来迫使阿都拉辞职，这项决定让巫统党员晴天霹雳，不过我相信他无法如愿，阿都拉不会因此辞职。

相反的，敦马这么做只会削弱巫统和国阵的力量，加剧阿都拉和党内亲敦马派系的裂痕，使原本应集中力量检讨308大选和整顿党的巫统，却把精力都放在修补内讧导致的破墙。

巫统过去在国阵及大马政治体系的主导和强势角色已走到关键路口，目前，巫统继308大选后遭受的非议声浪已越来越高。敦马退党效应若使巫统大受影响、扰乱政局，肯定在国阵牵一发动全身，殃及其他成员党。

我个人不太相信会有很多巫统党员步敦马的后尘，这是因为党员们觉得胆怯、有背叛感，而这种观念已根深蒂固。不过，不排除有许多党员会是如前副首相慕沙希旦形容的“肉中刺”，在内部继续暗中角力，上演永无止休的内部权力斗争。

国阵向来主张不干预各党的内政事务，因此其他成员党只能不断祷告，期望巫统结束这场互相指责的游戏，检讨并早日重振巫统。

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Mahathir leaving UMNO has come as a shock to most Malaysians. Mahathir is no ordinary UMNO member. He led this country and was president of UMNO for 22 years as well as being the Prime Minister of Malaysia. While he has done a lot for the country, Mahathir, like all human beings, has also many weaknesses of which we can be critical of. Leaving UMNO is the last straw to force the Prime Minister to resign, but I do not think Pak Lah will resign.

Mahathir’s action only serves to weaken UMNO and BN within UMNO. The divide between Abdullah and the pro Mahathir forces will be aggravated and the UMNO leadership will have to spend time mending fences and doing damage control rather then moving forward and addressing important and pressing issues in the post electoral aftermath.

Since UMNO is affected and destabilized, it will definitely affect other component parties in BN. UMNO’s dominance in BN and national politics has reached the crossroads and more and more people are critically re-evaluating the role of UMNO since the elections.

I sincerely doubt that large numbers of UMNO members will follow what Mahathir has done since the feeling of fear and patronage is still deeply embedded in UMNO.

Since BN practices the concept of non-interference in the internal politics of component parties, component parties of BN can only hope that UMNO re-evaluates and re-organizes itself, instead of being entangled in the blame game.