Heirless’ Taib is afraid to step down

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz | February 23, 2011

Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is desperately in need of a political successor to safeguard his and his family's empire in Sarawak.

I have regular meetings with the someone whom I would like call the “Oracle of Syed Putra.” I first started penning my meetings with the Oracle way back in 2008 in my blog.

The “Oracle” is the alter ego of Tun Daim Zainudin. They grew up together. They knew each other’s siblings. They played together and did things normally done by the young and old alike. They were inseparable.

I already had an appointment with the Oracle, when I saw Daim’s picture in The China Press. I called M, the Oracle’s long-time personal assistant, and asked if he could get the Chinese report translated. There would have been a translated transcript for the Oracle. The Oracle must be a keeper of sorts for Daim. He is a treasure trove.

Anyway I got the translated copy on the day of my meeting with the Oracle.

Knowing that I can be fastidious about the written language, M quickly pointed out “that’s the English translation done by the Press people. That’s not the English of the Oracle or Tun Daim.”

I ran through the translated copy. It contained many things that I had written about in my blog sakmongkolak47 since I began my regular sitdowns with the “Oracle of Syed Putra”.

The Oracle once told me that Daim reads my blog.

Rosmah-link

Anyway, when my time came, I entered into the Oracle’s inner sanctum. I immediately asked about Sarawak.

Question: What is your take about Sarawak, O Oracle?

The Oracle: You know what’s the problem with Toib? (Incidentally, the Oracle has this peculiar way of pronouncing the name. The Oracle comes from Kedah. The way they pronounced Taib is Toib – the “T” is the “tho” of the Arabic alphabet. Hence “Taw-ib”.)

He (Taib Mahmud) wants to stay as long as possible because he hasn’t got a succession plan. He knows he is breeding an uprising in Sarawak. He wants the son to succeed. But the son seems to have lost all interest since the mother passed away.

You remember the Islamic Fashion Show in Monaco? It was bankrolled basically by Taib’s people. The whole soirée was financed by Taib. It was his way of getting into the good books of Rosmah (Mansor).

So he got some Sarawakian fashonista who talked to that Raja Shahreza (organiser) fellow who talked to Rosmah (Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s wife) and who talked to… and they all got to sing along with Prince Albert, the Playboy of Monaco.

And do you remember after that, the PM came back and urged all parties concerned to support Taib. Even though earlier, he thought it was time for the silver-haired one to go.

Now he’s trying to persuade Najib to hold simultaneous parliamentary and state elections. For that he sends his sister to bond up with Rosmah.

Everyone now seems to realise that it’s Rosmah who exerts paramount persuasive powers over the husband. And the husband is the PM of Malaysia.

Self-presevation

Taib’s reasoning is, if elections were to be held at the same time, the opposition’s forces and resources will be thinly spread. That way, he can be more certain Sarawak will prevail.

And by suggesting that the fortunes of the federal government are tied to how Taib performs in the state elections, Najib may just be persuaded.

Everyone knows that Najib has got this phobia. Tell some scare stories and he will wilt.

You know, TDZ (Daim) met up with this Taib feller. He tells the latter, it’s time to go. Mahathir has left. Ling (Liong Sik) has left. You may be overstaying. Taib tells Daim that he needs time to plan for a succession.

Why is the right succession important?

It’s essential for self-preservation. Taib practically owns the whole of Sarawak. If some wrong person were to get into office, can his interests be protected? Can the future of his children be guaranteed?

He needs someone who can guarantee safety over his interests and the future of his family.

Succession plan

I went on to the next question. It’s itching and eating me up.

Question: When do you think he will hold the Sarawak election? Will it be done concurrently?

(The Oracle): Not good. Better to have it done separately. Taib will lose many of the urban seats. The Chinese are not going to vote for the BN. Do you think the Chinese will get intimidated by Taib’s warnings that he won’t be able to help the Chinese? Certainly not.

The Chinese help themselves basically. The lesser you interfere, the better they like it. They can run a parallel economy, you know.

The best strategy for Najib is to carry out a containment policy. If Sarawak were to lose more state seats this time, let that losing trend be contained there. Don’t let them get over here in peninsula.

The biggest problem in Sarawak is Taib himself. He has stayed too long and accumulated too much resentment alongside the fabulous wealth that he has amassed. Sarawak can lose more seats based on the public revulsion of him alone.

It’s like the flow of current. You hold hands with a man about to be electrocuted, you get zapped too.

Najib will be ill advised if he holds the general election together with the Sarawak election.

Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, a former state assemblymen, is a columnist for Free Malaysia Today. He will, from time to time, share the Oracle’s wisdom with readers.

Sarawak: Shocking New Cases Of Violence Against Indigenous Peoples In Sarawak

HSBC-funded oil palm company hires gangsters to intimidate native landowners - Two native landowners critically hurt by timber company officials

BLD Plantation Bhd, a Malaysian oil palm company that counts HSBC Malaysia among its principal bankers, has hired over 100 armed thugs to intimidate native landowners who are opposed to the forceful "development" of their land into an oil palm plantation.

According to the Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia, around 100 armed gangsters had been brought in two buses from Sibu to Rumah Ranggong on 17 February in an attempt to intimidate the longhouse residents. The gangsters had brought along parangs (large knifes) and some explosives. Fearing for their safety, some of the longhouse residents reported the case to the police who arrested the gang leader and sent the rest away. The longhouse people had been defending their lands against an oil palm development by Niamas Istimewa, a BLD subsidiary. BLD plantation is part of the KTS group that is also active in Indonesia, China, Brazil and Australia.

In a separate, even more shocking case, two native landowners, Minggat Nyakin and Juan Minggat, were beaten up on 14 February at a timber log-pond in Sungai Rusa, Sarikei Division. According to Sarawak's indigenous peoples' network, TAHABAS, the two had been complaining against illegal logging on their native lands with the timber company manager. It appears that the illegal loggers are being protected by the police and the Sarawak authorities. The case is symptomatic for the culture of corruption and the lack of law enforcment in the Sarawak timber and plantation sector.

Source: Borneo Resources Institute Malaysia

Related Articles, Videos, Books, Or Other Items

• Sarawak: Politically-Connected Company Sends Thugs To Drive Natives Out Of Their Lands In Ulu Niah - Video Report
• Sarawak: The Black List Of Taib’s Secret Foreign Assets
• Sarawak: BLD Hired Armed Gangsters To Intimidate Rumah Ranggong Residents
• Sarawak: Bruno Manser Fund To Launch International Campaign Against Sarawak Timber Corruption
• Sarawak: Pantu NCR Land Owners Win Court Case Against Encroaching Oil Palm Company After 6 Year Struggle
• Sarawak: Malaysian Government Fears Anti-Taib Protests

Who Are The Aggressors?

22 February, 2011

By Lord Bobo

Arrested Gang Leader | Credit: BRIMAS

On the 18th Feb, 2011, 100 armed thugs camped at Rumah Ranggong, Sarawak with explosives & parangs, over a land dispute with an oil palm company. Now the villagers are being accused as the aggressors by the local press.

MIRI - Residents of Rumah Ranggong are disappointed with the news report from a local daily, the Borneo Post which portrayed them as the aggressors and are out to threaten the company, BLD Resources with the use of force.

On 20 February, the Sunday Post under the headline "Police finally move to diffuse standoff" was reported as saying that the longhouse residents were taking over the estate, illegally harvesting of (oil palm) fruits along the roadside and eventually seizing three tractors in order to harvest more fruits.

The report also stated that the longhouse residents allegedly threatened the workers of the company with bodily harm if the company continue to lodge police reports and because of that the report further state that the estate’s security personnel was inadequate and therefore are sending more men to beef up the security in the area.

Gangsters Camp or Security Personnel? | Credit: BRIMAS

Changgai anak Dali, the Chairman of the village security and development committee (JKKK) said that this report is a blatant lie.

"We never seized any tractors nor threatened the company," said Changgai.

"It is the company that brought along gangsters fully armed with machetes and explosives to intimidate and threatened our longhouse people," he said.

Explosives Found | Credit: BRIMAS

"Why should security personnel bring along with them home made explosives? Who is threatening whom here with force?" asked Changgai.

The report also lied when it said that the longhouse residents, through their trustees had signed an agreement of indemnity with the company for the equity of 30 percent in July 2009 when in actual fact the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between BLD, Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB) and the native landowners of Rumah Ranggong and Rumah Belilie was signed in February 2001.

Two Boxes of Parangs From The Camp Were Seized by Police | Credit: BRIMAS

On 21 February, the Borneo Post under the headline "Police to take action over alleged threat" again spun the story to paint the picture that the residents of Rumah Ranggong are the aggressors by saying that several longhouse folk had allegedly threatened to use force against the company.

"We want to put the story right here," said Changgai.

Deed of Rescission | Credit: BRIMAS

"In October 2008, a Deed of Rescission (see attached) was signed between SLDB and BLD without our knowledge to rescind the JVA because the State Government made a mistake in declaring our land as under native customary right (NCR) and now it is State Land," said Changgai.

"Because of this I was sued by BLD for trespassing in my own land and that triggered our land dispute where we filed a counter suit which is now undergoing trial at the Kuching High Court."

More Explosives Found & Seized | Credit: BRIMAS

"Last year we wrote a letter to BLD to demand our land back and also to settle our long overdue dividends from the project, but we received no response and that is when we decided to erect our blockade in January this year," explained Changgai.

The neighbouring residents of Rumah Belilie also erected a blockade to protest against BLD.

Last Friday, about 100 armed gangsters went to the outskirts of Rumah Ranggong native customary land boundary and made camp there in an attempt to intimidate and threaten the longhouse residents. A gang leader was arrested by police while the rest were told to leave by the police.

Released by:
Mark Bujang
Executive Director

For more information, please read:
1. Malaysia: Trial of Ibans from Rumah Ranggong started at Kuching High Court
2. Sarawak: Ulu Niah Natives Set Up Blockade Against Company For Not Keeping Promise
3. Sarawak: Ulu Niah Natives Erect Another Blockade Against Plantation Company
4. Thugs arrested after threatening longhouse folks [thestar.com.my]
5. Associations: All parties must learn from Niah standoff [thestar.com.my]
6. Near clashes between gangsters and natives [freemalaysiatoday.com]

EXCLUSIVE: Taib's secret foreign assets black list is online

Built with laundered timber corruption money: Taib towers in Ottawa, Canada

BASEL (SWITZERLAND) / KUCHING (MALAYSIA). The Bruno Manser Fund has today released a black list of companies related to the family of Abdul Taib Mahmud, the long-serving Chief Minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The black list contains the names and company numbers of 49 companies in eight countries which are thought to be worth hundreds of millions, if not billions, of US dollars. A considerable number of the companies is active in the real estate and property sector.
The exclusive black list can be accessed under: stop-timber-corruption.org/resources

Taib Mahmud, who has been Chief Minister, Finance Minister and State Planning and Resources Minister of Sarawak since 1981, has an impressive track record of corruption and abuse of public funds. According to the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Taib has failed to account for a staggering 4.8 billion Malaysian ringgits (1.58 billion US dollars) of Sarawak state funds over the past three years alone. In 2007, the Tokyo tax authorities uncovered a massive corruption scheme that involved the payment of kickbacks to the Taib family. In return, nine Japanese shipping companies had received export licences to carry logs to Japan, Sarawak's largest timber export market.

The black list names 13 Malaysian companies, 10 Australian companies, 9 Canadian companies,7 Hong Kong companies, 4 US companies, 3 companies on the British Virgin Islands and 1 company in Jersey. Among the companies listed are Sakto, a significant Ottawa-based property developer, Ridgeford Properties, a London property company active in the high-end market, and Wallysons, the owners of the FBI Northwestern Regional Headquarters building in Seattle. Among the Malaysian companies, Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS), the state's largest private company, and the Ta Ann logging group are most notable.

The black list's intention is to help the listed countries' anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering authorities identify and freeze illicit Taib assets in their countries. The list will be regularly updated.

(21 February 2011)

EXCLUSIVE: The black list of Taib’s secret foreign assets

EXCLUSIVE: The black list of Taib’s secret foreign assets

The following companies are, or have been, closely linked to the family of Abdul Taib Mahmud ("Taib"), who has been Chief Minister of Sarawak, Malaysia, since 1981. Taib's ill-gotten foreign and domestic assets are estimated to be worth hundreds of millions, if not billions, of US dollars.

The Bruno Manser Fund and thousands of supporters around the globe are urging the authorities of the below-mentioned countries to investigate the financial transactions of the black-listed companies under their respective anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering legislations and to freeze all Taib family assets for later restitution to the people of Sarawak.

Australia: Australian Universities International Alumni Convention Pty Ltd (ACN: 081942903); Donmastry Pty Ltd (ACN: 093 907 843); Geneid Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN: 087759751); Golborne Pty Ltd. (ACN: 061844148); Golden Sovereign Development Ltd (ACN 103 925 613); Kesuma Holdings Pty Ltd. (ACN 105540636); Newtop Holdings Pty Ltd (ACN: 066588225); Ostgro Australia Pty Ltd (ACN: 094721070); Sitehost Pty Ltd (ACN: 062312743); Valentine on George Pty Ltd (ACN: 105541562)

British Virgin Islands: Astar Properties Ltd. (201522); CMS Global (BVI) Ltd.; Tess Investments Ltd (203511)

Canada: Adelaide Ottawa Corporation (2028546); City Gate International Corporation (446027-8); Glowell Development Corporation (1545868); Preston Building Holding Corporation (2108122), Sakto Development Corporation Pte. Ltd. (155207-4), Sakto Corporation (340439-1), Sakto Management Services Corporation (655948-4), Tower One Holding Corporation (2028542), Tower Two Holding Corporation (2018543)

Hong Kong: Grand Shine Trading Ltd (0127665); Grand Will Ltd (0133932); Herolite Investment Ltd (129119); Natalite Investment Ltd (129502); Regent Star Company Ltd (0130318); Richfold Investment Ltd (0130308); Whittaker Company Ltd (0161304)

Jersey: Sogo Holdings Ltd (43148)

Malaysia: Achi Jaya Holdings Sdn Bhd; Borsarmulu Resort Sdn Bhd (213014-M); Cahya Mata
Sarawak Sdn Bhd (21076-T); K&N Kenanga Holdings Bhd; Kumpulan Parabena Sdn Bhd; Mesti
Bersatu Sdn Bhd (758849-V); Naim Holdings Berhad (585467-M); Sanyan Group; Sarawak
Aluminium Company (783974-K); Sarawak Energy Bhd.; Ta Ann Group; Titanium Management
Sdn Bhd; UBG Berhad (240931-X) United Kingdom: Ridgeford Consulting Ltd (5572163); Ridgeford Properties Ltd (3268801)

USA: Sakti International Corporation Inc.; Wallysons Inc (the owner of the FBI building in
Seattle!); W.A. Boylston Inc; W.A.Everett Inc.

This list has been established on 21 February 2011 and will be regularly updated.

For more information, please consult our campaign site http://www.stop-timber-corruption.org

People’s Call for Regime Change - Part 2

18 February, 2011

By NH Chan

Photo Credit: Wan Eijas

The People’s Judge continues his call to the young to use the tools of modern communication to effect change in Malaysia, pointing out how we are stuck with a government using 19th century British colonial laws to further repress us. Read Part 1 of this article here.

The Sedition Act as applied in this country

The sedition legislation is the most oppressive law ever devised by a colonial power to subjugate the natives by the colonialists who took over the land they had colonized. In this country the Sedition Act 1948 is typical of such colonialism - this word means ‘the practice of acquiring and controlling another country and occupying it’. If you read on you will know that this is the true picture of how our Sedition Act 1948 migrated from 1870 British India to Peninsular Malaya in 1948 when the country was a British protectorate except for Malacca and Penang which were colonies.

There is an excellent article in the Star, Wednesday, 9 February 2011, titled Sedition law’s overreach by Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi. It says:

Definition: Section 2 and 3(1) of the [Sedition Act 1948] state that any act, speech, words or publication are seditious if they have a tendency towards any of the following:

To bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or government.

Dissaffection does not mean absence of affection but refers to disloyalty, enmity and hostility: PP v Param Cumaraswamy [1986] 1 MLJ 526

Application of the law: In Param Cumaraswamy it was held that intention to incite to violence, tumult or public disorder is not a necessary ingredient of the crime.

As long as the words were intentionally published and they had a tendency to cause ill will, etc, the offence is complete.

The Professor also alluded to the acquittal of Mr Cumaraswamy:

But in PP v Param the defendant’s criticism of the Pardon’s Board for not applying uniform standards in considering applications for mercy was held not to constitute sedition.

I was the judge who tried Mr Param Cumaraswamy. At the conclusion of the trial, I acquitted him.

As pointed out by Professor Faruqi ‘As long as the words were intentionally published and they had a tendency to cause ill will, etc, the offence is’ established. I had to acquit Param Cumaraswamy because I made a finding of fact that the words when uttered by him, who is a mere lawyer without any following, could not possibly have any tendency ‘to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or government’. The Public Prosecutor, who in this case was the Attorney-General - he was Abu Talib - did not appeal.

Source: Malaysiakini

Just think how repressive this law is. You can’t even say that the powers that be were practicing double standards. If Param had been tried before another judge he could have been convicted. For example, in Lim Guan Eng v PP [1998] 3 MLJ 14, HC & CA; [2000] 2 MLJ 577, FC an opposition leader who complained that justice was selectively administered was convicted of the sedition charge. Even members of Parliament can be convicted of sedition for words spoken in Parliament: see Mark Koding v PP [1982] 2 MLJ 120.

Mahathir when he was Prime Minister spoke in Parliament to remove the powers of the rulers yet nothing happened to him. But if anyone were to point out there is selective prosecution he can be charged for sedition and most probably he would be convicted.

At the end of his article, the Professor pointed out that:

The concept of sedition in Malaysia is much broader than in the UK, Ireland, India and Australia.

On ideal democratic standards, the law is open to many criticisms for its breadth and for its far-reaching implications on political life in the country.

For this reason it is ripe for review. Whether the technique for law reform will be legislative or judicial remains to be seen.

We are stuck in the 19th century

Source: Wikipedia | Alexander Bassano

The professor is quite right. The Sedition Act 1948 is an archaic piece of legislation. It migrated from 1870 British India to Peninsular Malaya in 1948 (Sabah in 1964 and Sarawak in 1969). While other countries of the Commonwealth, of which Malaysia is a member, have advanced into the modern age, in this country, time stood still. We are still back in the time of Sir James Stephen in 1870 British India. This was pointed out by Sinha CJ in Kader Nath v State of Bihar [1962] AIR, SC 955. In fact section 124A of the Indian Penal Code was the work of Stephen J.

Sir James Stephen was the judge (he was Mr Justice Stephen in England) whose definition of sedition appeared as Article 93 of the Digest of the Criminal Law. I said this before I called on Mr Cumaraswamy to enter on his defence, "Although it may appear to be in English case law that incitement to violence or inciting others to public disorders is an essential ingredient of sedition, it is not so in a criminal code which has as its model Stephen’s definition."

Article 93 of the Digest was used as the model for the crime of sedition in the Criminal Code of the Gold Coast.

So that when we look at section 124A of the Indian Penal Code or at the Criminal Code of the Gold Coast on Sedition, or our own Sedition Act, we are looking at the definition of sedition as apprehended by Sir James Stephen back in the year 1870. The English common law on sedition has developed separately from Stephen’s 1870 definition. As pointed out by Professor Faruqi other nations like the UK, Ireland, India and Australia have moved on to modern times. The modern law of sedition is no longer repressive in other countries but not so in Malaysia where our sedition law is the same law as applied to the colonies of Great Britain back in the year 1870. For us Malaysians we live in a retrograde - this word means moving backwards to a worse state - country where our clock had stopped in the year 1870.

Using the ability of the internet for change

Now, I trust you will realize that we Malaysians are in dire straits. Don’t you think it is time for us to move on to a better Malaysia. Like the people of Egypt we can use people’s power to change from tyranny to a true democracy. Use the power of your vote to unseat the oppressors.

We have been under their yoke for 53 years.Enough is enough!

Use facebook and twitter. Use your email and if every reader of this article emails it to his friends we will be able to persuade a whole generation of young people to vote out the BN and replace them with a new government.

It doesn’t matter that the new are inexperienced but at least we have a government of the people, by the people and for the people. It took the English peoples 700 years to get rid of their tyrannical kings. The American people took 250 years to get to where they are today.

I don’t think we will take that long because we are resilient and we have the benefit of hindsight. And above all we have our young people whose young minds will be able to meet the challenges ahead.

Read also:

• Sedition under the law of this country
• Sedition held unconstitutional
• LoyarBorak #1: Is Twitter Useless at Social Activism - Part 1 and Part 2

NH Chan, a much respected former Court of Appeal Judge, is a gavel of justice that has no hesitation in pounding on Federal Court judges with wooden desks for heads. Retired from the Judiciary to become the People’s Judge. Wrote the explosive "Judging The Judges", now in its 2nd edition as "How To Judge The Judges". Once famously hinted at a possible "case match" between lawyer and judge by remarking that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (see Ayer Molek Rubber Company Berhad & Ors v Insas Berhad & Anor [1995] 3 CLJ 359). We need more people like NH Chan. That’s why you should buy PASOC and his book.

People’s Call for Regime Change – Part 1

By NH Chan
17 February, 2011

(The People’s Judge reflects on the turmoil in the Middle East – a people’s revolution inspired by the power of the new media on the internet such as Facebook and Twitter – and the lessons for us in Malaysia. He ends with a personal note of his own political awakening, and a call to action for all of us who care for this country.- loyarburok.com)

The uprising in Egypt, the uprising in Tunisia,the uprising in Yemen and even in Jordan there are rumblings in the kingdom. The message is clear. The people do not want their dictators.

And what is the difference between kings, dictators and oligarchs? They are all totalitarian regimes – this means a system of government consisting of only one leader or party and having complete power and control over the people.

But the people do not want that kind of government; they want democracy – this word means a form of government in which the people have a say in who should hold power; they do not want despotism. And this wish of the people could only mean that they want a government of the people, by the people and for the people which is what a true democracy actually is.

In other words, they do not want repressive rule in any shape or form. They want human rights. They do not want draconian and oppressive laws.

In short, they do not want to live under a perennial state of emergency because all emergency laws are only excuses for tyranny. They also want freedom of speech and a free press.

In other words they want a government which is accountable to the people. They want change from authoritarian – this word, which is an adjective, means demanding strict obedience of authority – rule.

And what is the antithesis of totalitarianism? It is democracy, which is what the people really want. In a democracy, the people can choose their own representatives in government. If the people’s choice did not perform up to their expectations they could be replaced by the people.

In a true democracy, there will be no such thing as intervention from an illegitimate source to hijack the people’s choice of representatives in their government.
The foreboding of a dictatorship

What has happened in Egypt and in the Middle East was a people’s call for regime change. The dictators there who have clung to power should have seen the writing on the wall; it was time for them to leave. The people, especially the young people because they are educated and well informed, did not want them. They have overstayed their tenure.

They became corrupted by power; there is a well known adage which says power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Any dictatorship is tyrannical – the word means ‘using power in a cruel and oppressive way’ – as was seen in Egypt under Hosni Mubarak who had clung to power for 30 years. In recent events there, we have seen water cannons and tear gas being used on peaceful protestors by the regime. Mubarak’s Gestapo like police have tortured and killed dissenters: I saw a peaceful protestor exclaim on TV “They have shot me! What am I? The enemy?”

In this country we have been governed by the Barisan Nasional (BN) for some 53 years. This country is supposed to be a democracy. But it is not. Guided democracy is nothing more than an excuse for tyranny. We still have draconian laws. People are still being incarcerated under the ISA which is detention without trial. There is police brutality which seems to be endemic in the force. The people’s fundamental freedoms have been muzzled; they have even used the Sedition Act against the country’s citizens.

Respect cannot be forced. If you are good respect comes naturally. The people do not want their legitimately elected state government to be hijacked by the autocrats. What happened in Perak and in Selangor are the clearest examples of governmental wrongdoings. So that if these autocrats are not careful, the tyrannical happenings in this country could easily turn into a catalyst for change.

But we do not want to follow the trend as played out in the Middle East. It is necessary, therefore, that we earnestly take steps to make the change from the BN regime at the next general elections by replacing it with a democratic one.

We do not want autocrats – the word means ‘rulers or persons with absolute power who expect obedience’ – to tell us with supercilious arrogance what is good for us, for that is another excuse for tyranny.

We want our rulers to be answerable to us, the people. Despots are not needed to run this country because they will always be corrupted by power – that is the reason why the Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet should not be allowed to stay in office for more than two terms. The same should apply to the Menteri Besars and the Excos.

Animal Farm

If you have read Animal Farm -a novel by George Orwell, published in 1945 – you will know what I mean. The book is a satire in fable form. The pigs (whose leader is Napoleon) become corrupted by power and a new tyranny replaces the old. The ultimate slogan runs ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others‘.

The BN has been with us for 53 years and on each succession of the BN government a new tyranny replaces the old. I say this because nothing has changed since the BN came to power. We have the same repressive laws. But there is now a new tyranny. The new evil is the hijacking of a legitimately elected state government in Perak and this, in my estimation, is the last straw for the people of Perak to tolerate. For the rest of the country, remember this, if it can happen in Perak it could happen again elsewhere in this country.

This was mainly the reason that made me change my mind from being apolitical to decide to vote for the underdogs because what the BN had done to Perak was wickedly unfair and unjustifiable.

After reading the book Perak: A State of Crisis I realized that these people do not even know right from wrong. They even gloat in their wrongdoings. We do not want the oligarchy – this word means a country governed by a small group of people – to be more equal than us.

I don’t have to tell you who they are – even in the BN some ‘animals’ are more equal than others. Look at their opulence.

It is a good thing if every member of the Cabinet and every member of the Exco are investigated as to their financial status and assets before they can assume office. And when they leave office they are to be investigated again. They are to be accountable if they are found to be richer than what they could have earned while in office when they leave.

That is why democracy requires the representatives of the people to be accountable to the people. Look at Mr Lim Kit Siang, he has been in politics for as long as I can remember and his son is currently the Chief Minister of Penang. Another was the late Dr Lim Chong Eu. The Perakians and the Penangites know that they are not rich.

One should be in politics to serve the people, not to get rich.

NH Chan, a much respected former Court of Appeal Judge, is a gavel of justice that has no hesitation in pounding on Federal Court judges with wooden desks for heads. Retired from the Judiciary to become the People?s Judge. Wrote the explosive “Judging The Judges”, now in its 2nd edition as “How To Judge The Judges”. Once famously hinted at a possible “case match” between lawyer and judge by remarking that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (see Ayer Molek Rubber Company Berhad & Ors v Insas Berhad & Anor [1995] 3 CLJ 359). We need more people like NH Chan. That?s why you should buy PASOC and his book.