elizabeth wong

I spoke to Petra briefly on Monday night, just before boarding the plane, to express my solidarity and to apologise for not being able to be in court on Tuesday. He did not indicate at anytime that he would forgo bail and sit it out until his trial.

So imagine the stir at the Dubai travel fair when some Malaysians received SMS about this. After the political tsunami of 8 March, one imagines the Government has learnt its lesson. Guess not .”Perjuangan belum selesai“.

The Sedition Act should have been abolished decades ago. I recall having written, in some of SUARAM’s past annual human rights reports, that it is kept to stifle oppositional and dissident views. So long as it remains, our relative and limited freedoms are illusory.

Justice for Altantuya.
Free Petra. Free Malaysia.

M. Manoharan, the State Assemblyman of Kota Alam Shah will be sworn in on 8th May, 9 am at the Kamunting Detention Camp in the presence of Selangor Speaker, Teng Cheng Khim.

With our MPs and more importantly, the public, applying constant pressure in Parliament for the release of the HINDRAF-5, we hope Mano will be joining us soon.

GMI (Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA) is running a postcard campaign to free them and all others who remain in detention without trial. For sale are little anti-ISA button badges which Pakatan Rakyat legislators will be wearing too. Please contact Nalini (email: suaram@suaram.net) if you wish to help with the signature campaign and to obtain the button badges.

After the Malaysian polls, parties must embrace new competition in policy-making

April 26, 2008, Dr. Ooi Kee Beng

THE remarkable results of the Malaysian general elections of March 8 almost certainly mean that the country’s politics has changed forever. Five states are in opposition hands and the government has lost its two-third majority in Parliament. At the individual level, a sense of empowerment is widely felt in the northern states that fell to opposition parties.

Even supporters of Barisan Nasional (BN) parties such as Gerakan, which governed the state of Penang for 38 years, are pleasantly surprised by the sense of relief felt in coffee shops and on the streets.

With this change in political climate comes a mindset shift. Suddenly, a concept of “new politics” has appeared in contrast to “old politics” and to the discourses that emanated from the race-based system of the BN.

Public enthusiasm has entered the political arena in a way not seen in decades. This is evidenced by the sharp increase in membership that opposition parties have experienced over the last month, as well as by the sudden rise in popularity of all the newspapers in the country.

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Like many, I too tuned into the first live broadcast of Parliament. My greatest disappointment was not the vitriolic exchanges, but that it was too short!

For those who are regulars there, Wednesday morning was considered a tame affair - now that the tag-team of the ‘3 stooges’ - Sri Gading, Jasin and Kinabatangan - has been broken up. Incumbent MPs together with cabinet ministers who had feigned ’shock-horror’ only demonstrated how removed they were from regular proceedings i.e. they weren’t regular attendees.

So on Wednesday, the one who shone was Azmin Ali (PKR - Gombak), whose tone was measured and calm. No monkey business there. The rest who were yelling (the worst of them being the frog who can change colours, for asking a wheelchair-bound man to stand up!?) - well, that shouldn’t surprise anyone.

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“The RM9.9mil in the Balkis bank account transferred to the Association of Wives of Ministers and Deputy Ministers (Bakti), was done in accordance with the organisation’s constitution and accounted for, as the auditor had finalised the 2007 accounts.”
- Former Selangor MB Khir Toyo in The Star, 28 April 2008.

On Monday, a press statement was faxed by the Auditors of Balkis:-
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The stars of the new Parliament session
To think - many years ago, I was tempted to pull Izzah’s ears, because the (then) kiddo wanted me to buy her apple juice … minutes before we were about to board the plane.

Super-cool newly minted Opposition Leader Dr. Wan Azizah with her anti-ISA badge next to Izzah. Also worn by other Members of Parliament from People’s Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) including Dr. Jayakumar), the dragon-slayer of Sungai Siput.

(pics from The Sun)

Tomorrow, 28 April 2008, will be the start of the most exciting Parliamentary session in decades.

My former boss, Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, will be the first woman Opposition leader in our history.
We have the most number of ‘Government-in-waiting’ MPs ever in history. Even my neighbour, Yusmadi will be sitting in the august hall.
My fabulous Suaram mates - R. Sivarasa, Tian Chua - will take their rightful place in the legislature.

Take no prisoners. Make us proud, comrades!

MALAYSIAN ELECTIONS BRING ACTIVISTS, BLOGGERS, AND ‘RABBLE-ROUSERS’ INTO PARLIAMENT

(AP) - Four months ago Tian Chua was arrested trying to enter the Parliament building to protest a Constitutional amendment that activists say would curtail civil rights.

But when Parliament reopens Monday, he will walk in with pride and dignity to take a seat for the next five years.

Chua is one of several unlikely opposition candidates, ranging from human rights activists to bloggers, who won the March 8 general elections that changed the face of Malaysian politics almost overnight.

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Fable has it that Balqis, Queen of Sheba was known for her wisdom and even once outwitted King Solomon of Israel.

Balkis (possibly inspired by these legends), the charity organisation of wives of assemblymen and MPs in Selangor, is headed by the wife of the Menteri Besar.

But just after BN’s humiliating defeat, Balkis, which technically should not have been helmed by Mrs Khir Toyo as soon as the Parliament and the state assemblies were dissolved, decided to cut their losses, in the truest meaning of the word - ‘loss’.
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The acerbic wit of Selangor CM in display while commenting on Selangor BN fellas finally taking an interest in work.

Apparently, there’s now a ’shadow(y) exco’ formed.
I’ve got two Datuk-chaps shadowing me.
Gimme info, Little Birds!

Three thumbs down.

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