Poskod Malaysia

Poskod is a new way to find out about, and participate in, what’s going on near you. We’re a community-specific news and information platform dedicated to providing comprehensive and trusted local coverage for individual towns and communities.

[poskod-blog]

"Parlimen 50 Tahun" Simpang Dari Sejarah Sebenar!

Oleh Faisal Mustaffa

Usaha Parlimen Malaysia menerbitkan Parlimen 50 Tahun, buku yang memperingati ulang tahun Parlimen ke-50 pada 2010, amat disanjungi. Tetapi kandungannya mengelirukan fakta sejarah dan semangat demokrasi berparlimen. Cetakannya juga tidak kemas -- untuk sesuatu yang sepatutnya menjadi dokumen rasmi yang bersejarah.

Buku ini (yang diedarkan kepada senator-senator dan wakil rakyat di Parlimen, serta agensi kerajaan) menghuraikan latar belakang sejarah penubuhan Dewan Rakyat dan Dewan Negara, di samping institusi perundangan (yang wujud lebih awal sebelumnya), sebagai pencapaian yang amat signifikan dalam evolusi sistem demokrasi berparlimen di negara kita -- tetapi fakta-fakta biasa dan tidak rumit tidak dilampirkan.

Berat Sebelah

Buku tersebut mengandungi senarai Ahli Dewan Negara sejak penubuhannya. Tetapi, apabila dikaji, nama anggota Ahli Dewan Negara yang dilantik daripdaa kerajaan negeri yang diperintah oleh bukan Barisan Nasional (sejak tahun 1990 sehingga 2009) tidak terdapat di dalamnya.

Senarai tersebut termasuk DUN Kelantan 1990-2009, DUN Terengganu 2000-2006, DUN Pulau Pinang 2009 dan DUN Kedah 2008-2009. Jumlah senator yang terpinggir dalam senarai tersebut pula berjumlah melebihi 13 orang, yang sebahagian besarnya telah berkhidmat selama dua penggal. Agak tidak masuk akal nama mereka ini tertinggal, sedangkan mereka ini dilantik dan mengangkat sumpah mengikut adat resam Parlimen.

Ini adalah penafian fakta dan butiran sebenar sejarah, kerana menidakkan nama walaupun seorang pun senator dari DUN tadi adalah dengan sendirinya menafikan pengiktirafan terhadap autoriti dan wibawa DUN tersebut secara bertulis.

Penafian tersebut juga sekaligus menafikan jasa dan sumbangan senator tersebut ke Dewan Negara khususnya, dan Parlimen Malaysia amnya; sedangkan setiap patah ucapan dan kehadiran senator ini telah dicatat dan direkod di dalam hansard Parlimen.

Demokrasi membenarkan kehadiran wakil kerajaan negeri yang sah untuk berada di Parlimen, sekali pun mempunyai pegangan politik yang berbeza. Penafian nama mereka untuk dimasukkan di dalam buku tersebut menafikan semangat demokrasi hatta dalam fakta sejarah, rekod dan pelaporan fakta rasmi di dalam Parlimen. Penafian tersebut juga tidak selaras dengan tajuk buku tersebut -- yang kononnya meraikan penubuhan Parlimen 50 tahun dahulu merupakan puncak kejayaan demokrasi di tanah air.

Sepatutnya, buku ini bertujuan untuk rujukan dan simpanan semua pihak termasuk perpustakaan seluruh Negara dan DUN seluruh negara yang merupakan fakta sejarah Parlimen yang sewajarnya benar dan tepat.

Upacara pengebumian Allahyarham Tun Razak pada 16 Januari 1976

Fakta

Di dalam ruangan “Tahu kah Anda?”, ia menerangkan mengenai sejarah Legislative Council yang telah meluluskan Perjanjian Persekutuan 1948.

Parlimen kita telah meluluskan Rang Undang-undang Perlembagaan Persekutuan Tanah Melayu 1959. Parlimen Malaysia, mengikut sejarahnya telah meluluskan Perlembagaan Malaysia 1963 dan di samping itu Parlimen Malaysia telah meluluskan tidak kurang dari 2,212 Rang Undang-undang dalam pelbagai bentuk pindaan serta Rang Undang-undang Induk.

Sepanjang hayat Parlimen Malaysia, 13 orang Diraja Yang Dipertuan Agong telah memainkan peranan dan di dalam setiap peranan itu ditatapkan pula pelbagai perubahan bentuk dan kerusi Dewan Rakyat:

1959 - 1964: 104 kerusi

Mei 1964 - 1969: 104 kerusi juga

Parlimen ketiga yang berakhir pada 1974: 144 kerusi

Parlimen keempat pada November 1974 - 1978: 153 kerusi

1978 - 1982: 155 kerusi

Julai 1982 - Julai 1986: 154 kerusi

Parlimen ketujuh yang berakhir pada 1990: 177 kerusi

Parlimen kelapan: 180

Parlimen kesembilan: 192

Parlimen ke-10: 193

Parlimen ke-11: 219

dan Parlimen tempoh sekarang, yakni ke-12: 222

Lantikan Persekutuan dan Lantikan Negeri

Perlantikan senator dibuat berdasarkan kepada peruntukan Perlembagaan Malaysia di bawah Artikel 45.

Kesilapan dibuat pada mukasurat 280 Parlimen 50 Tahun, dimana seorang lantikan persekutuan (senator No 26, yakni Dato’ Musa bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir) dicatat sebagai lantikan kerajaan Kedah. Mengikut Perlembagaan Persekutuan Artikel 45 (1) (a) memperuntukkan dua orang anggota bagi tiap-tiap negeri, dan mereka ialah Ir Zamri Haji Yusof dan Haji Yusof bin Husin. (Lantikan persekutuan dibuat di bawah Artikel 45 (1) (b) Jadual ketujuh Perlembagaan Malaysia.)

Halaman 236, 237, 279, 280 dan 281 juga melakukan kesilapan yang sama: nama senator lantikan persekutuan dicatat sebagai lantikan Dewan Undangan Negeri. Sebetulnya, negeri tersebut adalah negeri asal senator -- bukan lantikan kerajaan negerinya!

Artikel 45 (b) Perlembagaan Persekutuan juga menyatakan mengenai 40 anggota yang dilantik oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Tetapi mereka-mereka ini dicatatkan di dalam buku sebagai pewakilan negeri.

Sekiranya fakta tersebut tidak diperbetulkan, maka jumlah senator yang dipilih dan dilantik oleh negeri tersebut bertambah dan melebihi dua orang daripada Dewan Undangan Negeri (di bawah Artikel 45 (1) (a) Jadual ketujuh Perlembagaan Malaysia).

Saya kira, penyelidik-penyelidik yang bertanggungjawab mengumpulkan nama-nama senator untuk dimuatkan di dalam buku ini juga tidak begitu memahami Perlembagaan Persekutuan khususnya Artikel 45! Agak keterlaluan sekiranya kita mendakwa mereka memutar-belitkan fakta dengan sengaja -- tetapi perlantikan senator-senator tersebut haruslah dinyatakan dengan betul berdasarkan kesahihan fakta kerana buku ini bakal menjadi rujukan ramai.

Asas perlantikan untuk lantikan negeri berbeza tujuannya dengan lantikan persekutuan yang berasaskan Artikel 45 (2) iaitu atas bidang dan kepakarannya yang tersendiri. Perlantikan negeri bertujuan untuk memberi mandat kepada kerajaan negeri yang memerintah dan membawa kepentingan negeri di Dewan Negara.

Fakta tersebut jelas bertentangan dengan surat perlantikan beberapa Dewan Undangan Negeri dan sebagai wakil negeri ke Dewan Neara dan juga bertentangan serta mencabar watikah yang memberi kuasa dan kedaulatan Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong atas status perlantikan dan perwakilan mereka di Dewan Negara.

Kesemua perlantikan ini mempunyai asas mengikut perlembagaan bagi mengawasi dan mengimbangi serta membawa mandat serta suara negeri dan suara professional bagi mendokong semangat demokrasi yang sihat di dalam hubungan dua hala persekutuan dan negeri-negeri di Malaysia di dalam Parlimen Malaysia.

Kesilapan Ejaan Dan Tatabahasa

Cetakan nama Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat di halaman 317 di bawah “Fakta Menarik”, yang ditulis dalam ejaan huruf kecil, adalah mengecewakan -- memandangkan entitinya sebagai nama yang tidak sepatutnya boleh tersilap dalam proses suntingan! Begitu juga dengan ejaan huruf kecil dan besar untuk nama rasmi ahli Parlimen di halaman 234 dan juga kesilapan ejaan, secara am.

Buku ini diterbitkan pada tahun 2010. Oleh yang demikian, tidak munasabah dokumen rasmi tersebut dibuat secara dalam keadaan tergesa-gesa dan tidak diteliti fakta sedemikian.

Tambahan pula, ianya telah dikendalikan oleh Parlimen Malaysia, dan dibantu oleh orang-orang yang mempunyai tauliah yang bekerja sepenuh masa di Unit Penyelidikan Parlimen yang berpengalaman dalam urusan rekod Parlimen. Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria (Ketua Pentadbir Parlimen Malaysia) bertindak sebagai Ketua Pengarang, dan seluruh kakitangan unit penyelidikan Parlimen Malaysia -- seramai 16 penyelidik -- bertanggungjawab atas penebitan buku ini.

Kos Percetakan Yang Tinggi

Buku peringatan ini diperlihatkan dengan begitu indah serta disajikan dengan ilustrasi foto dan gambar yang berkaitan, serta olahan yang dapat dikatakan mudah dibaca, dan akan menjelma sebagai sumber kepada pelajaran. Pembelajaran kita di tanahair akan tentunya menggesa generasi baru untuk menatapnya.

Buku ini juga dijilid dengan kertas berkualiti tinggi, berkulit tebal. Oleh kerana ia dibuat bersempena dengan perayaan Jubli Emas Parlimen Malaysia, sudah tentu ramai pihak yang berminat untuk menyimpannya sebagai rujukan dan rekod.

Sudah tentu, dengan melihat kepada kualiti penerbitannya sahaja, sudah tentu ianya memakan kos yang tinggi. Namun, bagi menjaga kredibiliti Parlimen Malaysia, buku tersebut -- dengan kesalahan ejaan dan fakta yang begitu banyak -- sepatutnya ditarik balik dan dibekukan pengedarannya, dikeluarkan ralat, dan dicetak semula dengan fakta-fakta yang sahih.

[poskod-blog]

NEWSFEED: 4 Mar 2011

It's the weekend! Woot! But, before we head there, the news:

Dr M rejects the notion that Malays are also immigrants -- saying that people of Arab, Indian, or Indonesian origin become constitutional Malays through assimilation. Hang on. Hasn't he just proved the idea that Malays are a people with a migrant ancestry? (The Malaysian Insider)

Deputy PM Muhyiddin Yassin: "Stop complaining, poor Sabahans! You're not starving!" ("Also, yes, actually the BN government has done a poor job in Sabah.") (Free Malaysia Today)

Interesting twist in the "religious conversion of minors" issue: the Penang Islamic Religious Department has reversed the conversion to Islam of a 17-year-old girl, saying that a guardian's consent was necessary. (The Star)

A national art school in Keningau, Sabah? Sokong! (Daily Express)

Facebook interactions are cited as primary evidence in 1 in 5 divorce cases in the US. It doesn't take much for strained relationships to result in online affairs. (ZDNet)

The satellite photos that sparked the protests in Bahrain, comparing ordinary villages with the massive palaces of rich cronies. More difficult to do this sorta Google Earth comparisons for Malaysia, though. Too much cloud cover + jungle. (Business Insider)

With homebrewing equipment bought out of their own pockets, the Obamas have pulled off another first: they've brewed beer at the White House. Will we see White House brand Honey Ale at liquor stores? (Obama Foodorama)

Baby dolphins are dying off in the Gulf of Mexico. Experts say that the BP oil spill is "a factor that we need to consider". Duh! (National Geographic)

Annals of education: Northwestern University's psychology department helped along its students' understanding of human sexuality with something unusual: a live demonstration of orgasm. (The Daily Beast)

Why the iPad 2, and its Smart Cover protective case, is a game-changer -- not for design, but for aggressive marketing strategy. "It's a plastic cover with a magnet on it, people." (Wired)

We previously heard news about the solar system's new 9th planet, Tyche. But just where in space is it, actually? (Ars Technica)

An illuminating essay on the citizen journalism: its history (from the Rodney King video to the present) and where it's going. (Mediactive)

(Image from Obama Foodorama)

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NEWSFEED: 3 Mar 2011

Hello dear Malaysians (dan lain-lain):

Last year, the top 40 richest people in Malaysia increased their fortunes by 18%, to RM186.3bil. Meanwhile, a third of our households survive with under RM2,000 per month. (The Malaysian Insider)

Has your elected rep died? Awesome! This means there'll be a by-election, and the BN ruling coalition will have many gifts for you! Surprising that people aren't purposely causing their reps "accidents". (Free Malaysia Today)

It's cool to hate on Interlok! There National Interlok Action Team (NIAT) claims that Abdullah Hussain's novel is against Islam -- but doesn't explain how. (Malaysiakini)

The 13 countries on the US priority watch list for copyright piracy doesn't include Malaysia, surprisingly. It does have Indonesia and the Philippines, though. (Slashdot)

Introducing Candy Chang, a public installation artist who engages in "crowd-sourced fantasy urban planning"! (Grist)

The continuing adventures of Benedict XVI, Pope of Rome! In this episode, he writes a book exonerating the "Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ". It's a good thing, really -- might help the fight against anti-Semitism in the Catholic world. (Newser)

Sci-fi writer Peter Watts (Rifters, Blindsight), and his encounter with FLESH-EATING DISEASE! Photos of cute cats, smiling nurses, and gaping wounds. (Rifters)

Meanwhile: oh crap! A Blade Runner sequel/prequel?? (io9)

Vroom vroom! Check out the Valparaiso Cerro Abajo: a motorcross race -- in the middle of the city. Watch out for the dog, wey! (Vimeo)

(Photo from Candy Chang)

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NEWSFEED: 1 Mar 2011

It's a new month!

Former Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy has been charged with cheating in the PKFZ scandal. He's claimed trial. Justice is sooo slllooowwww ... Hopefully, it won't be denied. (The Star)

Opposition to the KL MRT megaproject continues, with Kajang residents saying that it'll make their traffic jams worse. (The Malaysian Insider)

The treatment of the peaceful HINDRAF protest last Sunday, in which the police arrested 108 people, smacks of double standards. What were the authorities doing at the cow-head protest in 2009, for example? Also: MIC defends the cops. (Malaysiakini)

Is boycotting the royal commission of inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock's death an insult to the Agong? Law experts torpedo this ridiculous accusation. (The Malaysian Insider)

You want to believe your own religion is the "one true path"? Fine. Keep it personal. Don't make it public policy. (The Nut Graph)

Gaddafi: "They love me. They will die to protect me, my people." The dying part is, at least, true -- but that's because he's killing them. (ABC News)

The Google giant stumbles: 150,000 Gmail users lost their accounts on Sunday, and the fix has been taking a while. Looks like years of correspondence might have vanished into the cloud. (Engadget)

In the Pacific's Palmyra atoll, coconut trees are evil and murderous. The are destroying that other local flora -- by bombing them to death with coconuts. (io9)

An English cricketeer, Steven Davies, has come out as gay. Is male team sports finally growing up? (The Guardian)

Did life on earth come from outer space? Sounds like a sci-fi/ancient-astronaut concept, but analysis of a meteorite in Antarctica makes this a plausible theory! (BBC News)

What's helping scientists further study into out-of-body experiences? Ketamine. (Wired)

A Russian novel, The Last Ringbearer, retells The Lord of the Rings from the other side. Mordor's Barad-dur is "that amazing city of alchemists and poets, mechanics and astronomers ... heart of the only civilization in Middle Earth to bet on rational knowledge". (Salon)

Let's play a game! Match these famous movie objects to the movies they come from! (Famous Objects From Classic Movies)

The internet as a board game. Introducing Memeopoly! (Urlesque)

(Image from Urlesque)

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Kenapa Kes Tembak Mati Polis Berterusan?

sehingga meragut nyawa. Modus operandinya sama: yakni, “bagi menyelamatkan diri”.

Tetapi, apabila dikaji mengenai satu-satu kes, mangsa yang ditembak mati rupanya remaja belasan tahun -- contohnya, kes Aminulrasyid Amzah. Allahyarham adik Aminulrasyid, seorang remaja berusia 15 tahun, maut ditembak di bahagian kepala pada 26 April 2010 yang lepas.

Adakah logik bagi fikiran waras menerima alasan remaja seperti ini akan bertindak ganas dengan melawan, sehingga perlu ditembak di kepala?

Kes Aminulrasyid

Pihak polis, dalam kenyataan awal, mendakwa Aminulrasyid terlibat dalam kes samun dan jenayah sehingga menyebabkan polis terpaksa melepaskan tembakan untuk mempertahankan diri. Polis juga mendakwa menjumpai sebilah parang dalam kenderaan mangsa.

Mengikut seorang saksi utama kejadian itu, apa yang berlaku ialah saksi dan mangsa telah memotong kenderaan polis dengan laju, yang mana kemudiannya mereka dikejar sebuah kenderaan MPV polis, dan ditembak, mengakibatkan kereta mereka terbabas.

Saksi mendedahkan tembakan telah mengenai kepala mangsa sehingga mangsa terkulai layu. Saksi turut mendakwa bahawa dia telah keluar dari kereta untuk menyerah diri. Akibatnya, salah seorang anggota polis menendangnya dari belakang. Saksi juga, dalam aduannya, mendakwa anggota polis yang lain turut memukul dan memijaknya beramai-ramai.

Kes Lain

Statistik rasmi kerajaan menunjukkan bahawa seramai 183 orang telah mati akibat ditembak polis dari tahun 2007 hingga 2009. Penjelasan yang dikemukakan oleh pihak polis (semasa memberi keterangan di dalam kes fitnah P Uthayakumar pada 29 November 2010) menyatakan bahawa terdapat seramai 82 kes tembakan polis terhadap orang awam pada tahun 2008, dan 88 kes pada tahun 2009. Pada tahun 2001, hanya terdapat lima kes yang dilaporkan.

Selain Aminulrasyid, kes-kes lain yang dikenalpasti ialah Vikines Vesuanathan (ditembak mati pada tahun 2003 di Nilai, Negeri Sembilan); Muhamad Nir Oth (ditembak mati pada tahun 2006 di Kepong, Kuala Lumpur); Mohd Arifudin Mohamad (ditembak mati di Kuantan, Pahang, pada tahun 2008); dan Rames Raman (ditembak mati pada tahun 2008 di Kulim, Kedah).

Kesemua mereka ini berusia 19 tahun.

Pada tahun 2009, Lobanarthan Gobi ditembak mati oleh polis ketika mendiang berumur 17 tahun, bersama-sama Vissvalingam Mookayah Devar (18 tahun) di Klang.

Menurut penjelasan Menteri Dalam Negeri Hishammuddin Hussein melalui jawapan lisan parlimen pada 28 Jun 2010, secara keseluruhannya jumlah penjenayah yang ditembak mati sepanjang tahun 2000 hingga 2009 adalah seramai 279 orang. Kes kematian dalam lokap bagi tempoh yang sama pula adalah seramai 147 orang.

Bagi kes-kes tersebut, pihak polis sering didapati menyebelahi dan memberi perlindungan kepada anggota-anggota polis yang terbabit.

Polis Juga Gugur

Semasa kes Aminulrasyid berlaku, Dewan Negara sedang bersidang. Senator Ramakrishnan membawa usul tergempar mengenai isu ini, tetapi usulnya ditolak -- kerana kononnya ia sedang dibicarakan dan dalam siasatan.

Malah, Senator Tan Sri Jins Shamsuddin pula menyanggah dengan usul sedemikian sepatutnya termasuk anggota-anggota polis yang mati akibat dibunuh penjenayah.

Ya, memang benar ada kes sedemikian berlaku. Menurut perangkaan yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian Dalam Negeri pada 3 November 2010 di Parlimen, seramai 90 orang anggota polis telah terbunuh dan 343 orang cedera semasa bertugas sejak tahun 2000 hingga 2010.

Tidak dinafikan ada anggota polis gugur ditembak penjenayah. Tetapi apa penjelasan pihak polis mengenai kes remaja yang ditembak mati, yang disebutkan di atas?

Prosedur Polis

Berdasarkan penjelasan Hishammuddin Hussein di Dewan Rakyat pada 2 Disember 2010, prosedur menjalankan tangkapan, dalah sepertimana diperuntukkan dalam Seksyen 15 Kanun Tatacara Jenayah, iaitu:

Apabila pegawai polis atau orang lain hendak menangkap orang, ia hendaklah menyentuh atau mengurung jika ia menyerahkan dirinya melalui percakapan ataupun tingkah lakunya.

Jika orang yang hendak ditangkap itu melawan dengan kekerasan atau cuba lari daripada tangkapan itu, maka pegawai itu atau lain itu boleh menggunakan sebarang langkah yang perlu untuk melaksanakan tangkapan itu.

Seksyen ini tidak sekali-kali memberi hak untuk menyebabkan kematian pada seseorang yang tidak dituduh berkenaan dengan kesaahan yang boleh dihukum mati atau penjara seumur hidup.

Menurut peruntukan yang sama, mana-mana pegawai polis boleh, tanpa waran, menangkap mana-mana orang yang terlibat dalam sebarang kesalahan yang dilakukan di mana-mana juga dalam Malaysia -- yang mana ia adalah kesalahan boleh ditangkap di bawah sebarang undang-undang yang berkuatkuasa dalam bahagian Malaysia itu dalam mana ia telah dilakukan.

Tangkapan tanpa waran juga boleh dibuat terhadap sesuatu aduan yang munasabah yang dibuat, atau maklumat yang boleh dipercayai yang telah diterima, atau wujudnya syak yang munasabah di mana orang itu telah terlibat.

Senjata Api: Langkah Terakhir?

Pada 1 November 2010, Menteri Dalam Negeri menjelas bahawa penggunaan senjata api adalah langkah terakhir pihak polis dalam menumpaskan penjenayah. Bagi mengelakkan kejadian yang tidak diingini berlaku kepada anggota polis, mereka dibekalkan dengan jaket kalis peluru.

Merujuk kepada kandungan dalam Kanun Keseksaan, serta Perintah Tetap KPN, bab D 222 (Penggunaan Senjata Api oleh Pegawai Polis): latihan-latihan amali -- yang merangkumi mata pelajaran pengendalian pistol, dan latihan-latihan amali lapang sasar -- sentiasa dilakukan.

Dalam kedua-dua latihan amali ini, anggota turut didedahkan dengan pengetahuan yang bukan sahaja merangkumi tentang pengendalian senjata api, tetapi juga pengetahuan mengenai bila dan masanya untuk melepaskan tembakan. Selain daripada itu, pemeriksaan terhadap senjata yang digunakan juga sentiasa dalam keadaan baik dan tidak rosak.

Ya, peraturan (sebut “standard operating procedure”) sudah lengkap tersedia. Tetapi adakah ianya dipatuhi? Tidakkah setiap anggota ini peka akan SOP yang dikeluarkan ini sebelum memakai pakaian seragam mereka?

Di manakah IPCMC?

Suruhanjaya Bebas Pengaduan dan Salah Laku Polis (IPCMC), yang disarankan oleh Suruhanjaya Diraja pada 2005, mengusulkan 125 cadangan bagi memulihkan imej burk polis, dan memantau sebarang tindakan salahlaku polis. IPCMC ini bertujuan untuk menyiasat kes-kes ini berlaku dan tidak memberi imunisasi kepada pihak polis.

Tetapi, IPCMC telah digantikan dengan SIAP, yang kononnya lebih merangkumi pegawai-pegawai penguatkuasa yang lain. Tetapi adakah ini yang menjadi masalah tentang keganasan polis?

Selepas bekas Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, ditamatkan tempoh perkhidmatannya, beliau mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa terdapat campur tangan pihak ketiga dalam urusan polis. Ini mungkin menjadi buakan ledakan yang terpendam di lubuk hati bekas Ketua Polis Negara selama ini. Tetapi pihak berkuasa masih tidak mengendahkan dakwaan tersebut.

Jadi, sekiranya anda atau saudara-mara anda ditembak polis, kepada siapakah yang boleh kita adukan? Tepuk dada, tanya selera.

[poskod-blog]

NEWSFEED: 24 Feb 2011

Hey folks:

Here's an article with people whining about how the new MRT project isn't going to be seamlessly integrated with the rest of KL's public transport services. Wish it had a town-planner to comment about how the project could be improved; that would actually be helpful. (The Malaysian Insider)

International campur-tangan: the Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak, indie purveyors of truth about Abdul Taib Mahmud's dirty fiefdom, is actually run by Clare Rewcastle Brown, Gordon Brown's sis-in-law! (Malaysiakini)

Ex-estate residents in Batu are being evicted from their land by Mayland Developers Sdn Bhd, a housing developer. DBKL, in cahoots with said developer, have threatened these residents with the Emergency Ordinances. Draconian! (Free Malaysia Today) 

Universiti Malaya campus elections: UM vice-chancellor tried to get 11 victorious pro-Mahasiswa candidates disqualified from the race. Angry protests ensue. Although teh VC's decision was later reversed, the uni has yet to explain why there were grounds for disqualification. (Malaysiakini)

Oil prices pushed past USD100 yesterday, due to concerns about upheaval in Libya. That's not too high a price to pay for revolution in the Middle East, is it? Is it? (MarketWatch)

For those of us who don't speak Arabic: just how do you spell "Qaddafi/Gaddafi/Gadhafi/etc"? (Time)

If you want to support WikiLeaks, buy a T-shirt! The online whistleblowing apparatus is now peddling merchandise to help fund operations. (Mashable)

List of the day: the world 10 least livable cities. Surprisingly, KL doesn't make it. (The Huffington Post)

NASA, via its Messenger spacecraft, has just took a family photo of our solar system: all 8 planets (plus the Moon) in one single pic! (NASA)

A letter from an 18-year-old Tim Burton, accompanying his children's book (The Giant Zlig) to Disney, in hopes they would publish it. Also: Disney's very polite reply. (Letters of Note)

Uh, what? Artists are trying to turn mind-bending writer William S Burroughs' faeces into a new life-form. They're taking his shit, extracting DNA from said shit, and combining that DNA with a mix of "fresh sperm, blood and shit". (io9)

(Image from The Huffington Post)

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NEWSFEED: 22 Feb 2011

Hey everybody!

Kuala Langat South forest reserve and the Selangor State Park are under threat! Can environmentally-concerned Selangorians make preserving these forests an election issue? (The Nut Graph)

Mysterious goings on in the Universiti Malaya campus elections: "pro-Mahasiswa" candidate Masturah Abu Bakar went missing for 30 hours, and was suspected to have been kidnapped. She's now safe, but still in shock. She has no recollection of what happened. (Malaysiakini)

If you are Indian and you defend Interlok, you are a race traitor! (Free Malaysia Today)

Bukit Gasing, three years after the 2008 political tsunami. Verdict: better! Residents realise the importance of keeping a balance of power, instead of wholesale regime change. (The Malaysian Insider)

Revolution in the Middle East: the Libyan government ordered its air force to bomb protestors. Libyan air force pilots choose to defect, rather than fire on their own countrymen. (Al Jazeera)

Bahrain: analysis of the country's music downloads indicate that the national mood is "warlike" and "triumphant". Looks like the Bahraini people are into heavy metal! (Evolver.fm)

Mubarak is rumoured to be one of the richest men in the world, with assets up to USD70 billion! Egypt is now seeking to freeze the assets of its former prez/dictator. (BBC News)

Planet Earth could be "unrecognisable" in 40 years due to more people and consumption, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. We've heard this before, but human behaviour still isn't changing ... (AFP)

Japan excavates a former army medical school to search for evidence of human experimentation during WW2. (AP)

New Zealand euthanises 48 beached pilot whales. There was no way of saving them. (NZ Herald)

A Swiss artist overlays hundreds of tourists photos for popular sightseeing locations to create expressionist, dreamlike images. Chekkit! (My Modern Met)

Want to know what time it is on Mars? This clock is designed to tell time on any number of planets based on their rotation period. (Make)

SERVE THE PUBLIC TRUST! Looks like Detroit might be getting a RoboCop statue! (io9)

(Image from My Modern Met)

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INTERVIEW: Stop Motion Project's Ong Jo-Lene

(By Zedeck Siew)

Awareness campaigns about social issues are usually the result of NGOs, not individual endeavour. (Not to say that NGO types aren't individuals, but you get what I mean.) So here's a nifty thing: a bunch of kekawans who got together and started working on a video campaign, designed to get people talking about violence against women. Introducing the Stop Motion Project! They're making stuff like this:

The above is the first of three stop-motion animation videos, to be released over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, I talk to project member Ong Jo-Lene about what Stop Motion Project is about, how they are being funded, and why they chose stop motion as a medium.

~

Who are you people lah?

Three stooges who, six months ago, decided to take a break from full-time jobs. Temme Lee, Lim Kar Mern and I -- along with our friends Thilaga Sulatireh and Michelle Tam -- stumbled upon Empower’s call for proposals for the Association of Progressive Communications (APC)’s small grants programme for project to help end violence against women using/incorporating ICT.

(Stop Motion Project peeps)

What is the Stop Motion Project? What do you guys want to achieve?

SMP is designed to raise awareness on issues surrounding violence against women, that are grounded on women’s realities today. Things like domestic abuse hiding in our neighbourhoods; gender segregation on public transport; non-physical abuse.

We hope to empower people to be able to identify violence against women, by seeding discussion around one question (our tagline, which appears at the end of our three videos): “When does the violence begin?”

Even before women are faced with a situation where they feel violated, they can identify behaviour and issues that can perpetuate violence -- and raise pertinent questions, and take action. We want to help people to take preventive action to end violence against women, and not just help survivors.

How are the project’s videos going to be disseminated?

Through websites, portals and blogs that already have a following. We encourage people to share the videos on social media networks. We are also hoping to approach higher-learning institutions to show our videos on public screens in campus.

These videos are for everyone; we are open to suggestions and proposals on how people want to share them. For example, Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM) has approached us to show one of the videos at a workshop for teens.

Who do you want to reach with these videos? (Don’t say everyone.)

Fence-sitters. Most people will say that they are against violence against women -- but we feel that not enough are really aware, yet, about the subtle sexism that perpetuates the violence.

Netizens. Because it’s the place where many of our discussions now take place. There isn’t enough focus on women’s issues and violence, not wide enough a pool of people discussing it. Balik-balik the same few.

Why choose stop-motion video as a medium?

We’re creative like that :p We noticed that most public service announcements use live-action video, so we thought that stop-motion animation will catch people’s attention a bit more guar.

We also thought it would be less complicated, and cost less money to produce. From figuring out lighting on a budget (because its impractical to depend on natural light) to the looooong duration it takes to shoot stop-motion frames, to the 1000-odd paper cut-outs we had to make -- we were SO wrong on that last point!

How is Stop Motion Project funded?

We were funded by APC’s “Take Back the Tech!” initiative to end violence against women.

Under that initiative, USD20,000 from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs were distributed in the form of small grants across 12 developing nations. In Malaysia, several NGOs are working together to coordinate and support this effort, namely EMPOWER, CIJ, SIS, and WAO.

Why do things in the “small grant” way? Is access to more funding that difficult?

Access to funding is difficult -- period. Which is why we appreciate what the APC is doing through this project. Anyone can submit proposals. This allows for more grassroots and community-driven efforts. It directly increases ordinary women’s involvement and capacity in using ICT tools.

The SMP team are first-timers at organising a campaign, at producing videos, at stop-motion animation, but that wasn’t a problem for APC. While more funding would have been great, a really big grant may be difficult for individuals and small groups. Other girls and women can see that us “nobodies” can take action -- not just big organisations or governmental institutions.

What’s next for Stop Motion Project? Are you planning more vids?

Yes! We are in talks with APC. We’ll be talking sexxxxxxuality!

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NEWSFEED: 18 Feb 2011

Da weekend!

Everything that is wrong with the proposed KL MRT megaproject. No integration with existing public transport; subpar station placement. (The Malaysian Insider)

Student power! Universiti Malaya (UM)'s "pro-mahasiswa" faction holds protests on campus against the barring of their candidates from upcoming student-body elections. (Malaysiakini)

Dr M claims he tried to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA). Oh, Dr M! He believes Malaysians mudah lupa. (The Star)

Is Malaysian society approaching a catastrophic breakdown because of racial politics? Farish Noor thinks so. (Malaysiakini)

There are rumours that the Bahrain government is locking down Internet access within its borders -- a repeat of the Egyptian web shutdown? (Slashdot)

Americans taking credit? Meet Gene Sharp, an intellectual whose guides to non-violent revolution have reputedly inspired dissidents the world over: in Burma, Bosnia, Tunisia, and Egypt. (New York Times)

Meanwhile: a photo gallery depicting election time in Uganda. (New York Times)

Attacks on humans by tigers and elephants are on the rise in India. The cause: shrinking habitats. (ABC News)

A Mexican brewery produces the world's first "gay beer" -- meaning a beer marketed specifically toward the queer community. (The Telegraph)

Scientists have invented the anti-laser: a devise which absorbs light beams, canceling them out. It's hoped that the new invention will help fight cancer. (Fox News)

A Hampshire museum has a 113-year-old wedding cake from the Victorian era: the world's oldest confection! (Aol News)

Check out this cool trailer for zombie-themed videogame Dead Island! Macam short film liddat. (YouTube)

(Photo from New York Times)

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NEWSFEED: 17 Feb 2011

Hello all:

PM Najib Razak insists that there is democracy in Malaysia. "Sometimes I feel like there is too much democracy in Malaysia," he says. (The Malaysian Insider)

Awesomesauce: the stupid coal plant in Lahad Datu has been scrapped. Congrats, Green SURF! (Free Malaysia Today)

Pubic hair makes its debut at the Sodomy 2 court proceedings. (Malaysiakini)

KL's MRT: the rich don't want it; the less rich need it. (The Malaysian Insider)

KL's MRT: PJ people say: "Not in my back yard!" (The Malaysian Insider)

Pro-democracy protestors in Bahrain were attacked by riot police -- while they were sleeping. (Los Angeles Times)

An ABC News reporter was one of the Bahraini police's victims. His beating was caught on an audio recording. (ABC News) 

Petroleum giant Exxon Mobil admits that oil is getting hard to find: for every 100 barrels the company has produced, it replaces only 95. (Wall Street Journal)

It's Kim Jong Il's 69th birthday! But things are so bad in North Korea that the regime is unable to hand out its customary gift of food rations. Even party officials have been reduced to receiving imitation Rolex watches. (The Telegraph)

Smiling coelocanths! A team of divers take a special dive to photograph these rare living fossils. (National Geographic)

The Japanese whaling fleet has given up the hunt. Yay! (Sydney Morning Herald)

"Seventeen narcoleptic New York Times op-ed columnists and a dozen starry-eyed Somali pirates defy the state police in bed." Introducing the random documentary generator! (False/False Film Fest)

(Image from The Telegraph)

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NEWSFEED: 15 Feb 2011

Happy post-Valentine's Day! Hope your love was free of JAIS intervention:

Unlike these 80 peeps, who were rounded up yesterday as part of a JAIS-led anti-V-Day sting. They'll be appearing before the Syariah courts. Wow, Muslims really are second-class citizens in Malaysia! (Malaysiakini)

The Malaysian Civil Liberties Movement (MCLM)'s 13th general election manifesto, by RPK. (Free Malaysia Today)

Construction of the new Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project will cause massive traffic jams, according to its environmental assessment report. Ironic, no? (Malaysiakini)

New major oil and gas reserves discovered off the coast of Sarawak. (The Star)

The revolution in Egypt: sukses! but now how? (Al Jazeera)

Labour strikes for higher wages and less corruption are now hitting Egypt's new military regime. (BBC News)

New planet? Tyche, a gas giant 4 times the mass of Jupiter, is rumoured to be lurking out in the Oort Cloud. Scientists are verifying the evidence. (The Independent)

Our lucky old sun is acting up. "Sunspot 1158 let loose the strongest solar flare of the current solar cycle, a blast of radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum." (Universe Today) 

Remember Josef Fritzl, the Austrian who built his personal incest dungeon? Teens are using that cellar as a party pad. (The Daily Mail)

List of the day: 26 sci-fi weddings. (Blastr)

The Great Gatsby -- on the Nintendo Entertainment System. (GreatGatsbyGame)

(Image from GreatGatsbyGame)

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“Mereka Pukul Saya Di Balai Polis”

Oleh Faisal Mustaffa

Fahmi, 30, seorang pendatang dari Indonesia, ditahan di satu sekatan jalan raya semasa menunggan motosikal di KL. Selepas beliau memeberitahu bahawa dia tidak membawa passport, Fahmi dibawa ke balai polis dan dipukul.

Menurut Fahmi, kedua-dua tapak kakinya dihentak dengan kayu cota sehingga pergelangan kakinya petah. Dia terpaksa ditempatkan di rumah sakit. Dia juga dipanggil dengan nama “bangsat”, dan dipaksa mengakui motosikalnya tidak berada dalam keadaan sempurna. Wang RM2,000 serta telefon bimbitnya dirampas.

Memang benar, pihak polis telah mengambil kenyataan Fahmi selepas tindakan pegawai polis memukulnya. Di bawah undang-undang dan piawai antarabangsa, tindakan sedemikian sememangnya suatu penyiksaan.

Mahkamah, ketika menerima kenyataan tersebut, menolak pengakuan Fahmi. Mahkamah juga gagal mendakwa anggota polis yang bertanggungjawab menyiksa Fahmi semasa berada di bali polis, dan menafikan sebarang pampasan terhadapnya.

Selain itu, pada awal 2010, Fahmi dikenakan hukuman rotan.

Rotan

Hukuman rotan dikenakan atasa banyak dakwaan dan kesalahan -- di antaranya kesalahan merompak dan memiliki dadah. Tetapi, ia juga dikenakan atas kesalahan yang tidak melibatkan sebarang tindakan keganasan.

Hukuman rotan jauh berbeza dari pengalaman seorang murid sekolah yang dirotan oleh gurunya. Pesalah dibogelkan di khalayak ramai, diikat pada A-frame, dan dipukul dengan rotan besar. Kesakitan yang dialami mengakibatkan mereka tidak boleh duduk berminggu-minggu kerana siatan kulit akibat daripada rotan.

Adakah hukuman ini dapat memberi pengajaran kepada pesalah-pesalah? Adakah hukuman sedemikian terbukti dapat mengurangkan kadar jenayah? Satu lagi soalan: mengapa terdapat ramai mangsa hukuman rotan di kalangan warganegara luar, seperti di dalam kes Fahmi?

Piawaian Antarabangsa

Jumlah mangsa hukuman rotan dari kalangan warganegara luar menunjukkan bahawa bahasa menjadi masalah utama di dalam menerangkan kepada mangsa dakwaan mengenai kesalahan mereka.

Di bawah Artikel 14(3)(a) & (f) Kovenan Antarabangsa Hak Politik dan Sivil (ICCPR), seseorang suspek itu mestilah diberi hak untuk diberitahu dan diberi pemahaman mengenai dakwaannya. Seringkali, mangsa-mangsa -- seperti Khan Kap, seorang pelarian Burma -- dinafikan hak mereka untuk mendapat penterjemah semasa mereka ditahan, dan beberapa sekatan diberikan semasa pendakwaan di mahkamah.

Menurut Khan Kap, pihak polis dan RELA mendatanginya dengan menggunakan kereta dan senjata. Mereka tidak menyatakan alasan Khan Kap ditahan. Ini juga bercanggah dengan ICCPR (secara spesifik, Artikel 9(3)).

Malaysia tidak meratifikasikan ICCPR. Negara ini juga belum meratifikasi Konvensyen Pelarian 1951.

Menahan Pendatang: Lumayan Untuk Polis

Kerana ini, UNHCR (Suruhanjaya Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu bagi Pelarian) menyedari kepentingan mendaftarkan pelarian-pelarian ini.

Akan tetapi, Amnesty International Malaysia melaporkan bahawa badan itu sering menerima aduan daripada pelarian dan pihak yang mendapat perlindungan politik bahawa penahanan yang diadakan seringkali berlaka semasa UNHCR menjalankan aktiviti pendaftaran bergerak mereka.

Sepatutnya pihak-pihak berwajib lebih bertanggungjawab di dalam memberi perlindungan kepada pelarian, bukannya mencari peluang untuk menahan.

Mangsa-mangsa turut mengadu bahawa, semasa penahanan, mereka diperasugut oleh anggota polis dan RELA. Seorang pendatan dari Burma, Lian Ming, memberitahu bahawa pihak polis dan RELA mengambil segala apa yang ada padanya, termasuk RM10 yang did miliki untuk berbelanja.

Bagi polis dan RELA, keupayaan mereka memerasugut tanpa risiko hukuman memberi anggota-anggota badan tersebut suatu insentif kewangan untuk menyerang pendatang dan pelarian.

Tiada Akses Kepada Peguam Bebas

Selain itu, terdapat juga kes-kes yang berlaku di mana mangsa dinafikan akses kepada peguam-peguam bebas. Akses ini penting, di dalam melindungi hak-hak banduan daripada penahanan sewenang-wenangnya (arbitrari), siksaan dan segala bentuk kezaliman mahupun hukuman, Sekali lagi, terdapat arturan yang minima yang dinyatakan oleh PBB bahawa banduan mempunyai hak untuk berjumpa dengan wakil peguam mereka.

Kesemua penyelewengan dalam prosedur penahanan ini bukan hanya menyentuh warganegara luar; orang Malaysia seperti kita juga boleh merasai akibatnya.

Seorang mangsa, Ismail, warganegara Malaysia, dirotan kerana terlibat dalam rompakan pada 1989. Dia memberitahu Amnesty Internatiol bahawa dia dari keluarga miskin, dan tidak mampu untuk mendapat perkhidmatan guaman. Pihak berkuasa polis telah menyediakan peguam bagi pihaknya -- tetapi peguam itu tidak mewakilinya dengan efektif. Malah, Ismail dinasihat untuk mengaku sahaja kesalahan. Akhirnya, Ismail dihukum enam sebatan, dan lapan tahun penjara.

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NEWSFEED: 10 Feb 2011

Hello, dear friends:

Utusan Malaysia argues for the appointment of politicians in GLC leadership, saying that this will ensure that the government-linked companies stay true to their cause: helping Bumis. (The Malaysian Insider)

The UMNO paper defends the Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad's appointment as FELDA chairman. Isa is widely believed to be corrupt. (Utusan Malaysia)

Does Malaysian politics require an alpha-male figure? Do we really need things to be solved by dick-waving contests? (Free Malaysia Today)

Former IGP: Dr M was against 1987's Ops Lalang! Hard to believe. (Malaysiakini)

On average, two Malaysians take their own lives every day. (The Star)

Here are some stats about suicide, worldwide. (ChartsBin)

Robots will be getting RoboEarth an online service that will allow them to "upload date to when they master a task, and ask for help in carrying out new ones". Essentially, robots learning from each other. Tomorrow: self-aware AI, and the machine apocalypse. (BBC News)

A British guy has been banned from having sex by the UK court. The reason: his IQ is too low. He "does not have the capacity to consent". (The Telegraph)

Technological religion: the Vatican bans confession via iPhone app. (AFP)

Yo, peeps: Wolverine, or two Batmen? (BuzzFeed)

In time for Valentine's: yes, humans can fall in love with objects. "Consumers became emotionally attached to possessions as real substitutes in what resembled human relationships." (PhysOrg)

A collection of book trade labels: stickers that booksellers put on books to identify that said volumes had passed through their store. It's a disappearing artifact, of course. (Flickr)

(Image from BuzzFeed)

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NEWSFEED: 8 Feb 2011

Right into the news:

Why Malaysians should pay attention to climate change: "the changing environment in Southeast Asia is responsible for up to a quarter of all deaths in the region." The Meteorological Dept warns that we'll be facing dangerous health risks due to extreme weather conditions. (The Star)

Penang's PR state government makes a laudable move away from partisanship: CM Lim Guan Eng says Muhyiddin Yassin's statements weren't racial in nature. "Even the deputy PM's statement can be twisted ... this is really dangerous". (Malaysiakini)

Residents: public transport in Kota Damansara (a township where one of three Integrated Transportation Terminals (ITTs) is planned) SUCKS! (Free Malaysia Today)

Nurul Izzah asks why a new air-conditioned pedestrian bridge in KLCC costs RM70,422 per metre (!!!). (The Malaysian Insider)

Rosmah tries to take credit for Malaysia's retrieval of students studying in Egypt. (Free Malaysia Today)

Is Hosni Mubarak the world's richest man? His family fortune is worth USD70 billion. That's more than what Bill Gates is worth! A big reason why we shouldn't allow autocrats to rule anywhere. (New York Post)

Will the end come in 2036? There's a 1-in-250,000 chance that the asteroid Apophis (the size of two football fields) will hit Earth. (Christian Science Monitor)

A security firm was hired by the FBI to unmask Anonymous, because of the group's WikiLeaks-related activities. Anonymous hit back, hacking the security firm's internal network. Don't piss off Anonymous, coz they're legion. (Wired)

Meeting your literary hero might be a surreal experience. A writer's account of hanging out with an unhinged JD Salinger. (Paris Review)

Potentially blasphemous: "Evolution Made Us All", a reinterpretation of a well-known Christian hymn. (Vimeo)

(Image from Vimeo)

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NEWSFEED: 7 Feb 2011

Hey, hey hey!

Malaysian nationals return from troubled Egypt. PS: down with Mubarak! (The Star)

Najib threatens Malaysians not to try an "Egypt-style power grab" against his administration. "We will not let it to happen here." Kenapa takut, boss? (The Star)

Meanwhile: we're spending another RM6 billion on navy patrol vessels. Problem is, there's no oversight on such defense spending. Is this money really being used for beefing up national security? Or someone's own bank accounts? (The Malaysian Insider)

Dr M is still trying to exercise his will over the Johor-Singapore crooked bridge issue. "The response was very lukewarm," a Johor UMNO leader said. Why can't our former PM just retire in peace lah? (The Malaysian Insider)

Why it's stupid that the Malaysian government wants to police the Internet. (The Nut Graph)

Meanwhile, a great op-ed about why we shouldn't overstate the role of social media in the current Egyptian revolution. (New York Times)

Our neighbours Thailand and Cambodia are embroiled in a border dispute. (The Guardian)

In Ireland, the unthinkable is happening: pub culture is in steep decline. (Global Post)

Upset woman manipulates Google Images so that embarrassing Photoshopped images of her ex-boyfriend come up whenever anyone searches for his name. No fury like a geek girl scorned, etc. (Search Engine Roundtable)

An awesome investigative article about director Paul Haggis's departure from the Church of Scientology, and shady shit that goes on in L Ron Hubbard's "religion". (New Yorker)

List of the day: 97 things you didn't know about Beat artist-writer-philosopher William S Burroughs. (Flavorwire)

(Image from Search Engine Roundtable)

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Sambutan Hari Wilayah Persekutuan Sebagai Rakyat Kelas Ketiga

Oleh Faisal Mustaffa Setiap tahun tanggal 1 Februari, Wilayah Persekutuan menyambut Hari Wilayah Persekutuan. Bagi negeri yang tidak mempunyai sultan bagi menyambut hari keputeraan, Hari Wilayah Persekutuan menjadi hari yang penting bagi rakyat di Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya dan Labuan. Malangnya, sebagai rakyat Wilah Persekutuan, mereka tidak mempunyai hak untuk memilih wakil rakyat mereka seolah-olah menjadi warganegara kelas ketiga. Wilayah Persekutuan mempunyai 700,000 pengundi berdaftar (kira-kira tujuh peratus daripada senarai pemilih seluruh Negara). Selepas tahun 1965, pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan dibekukan. Di bawah seksyen 15 (1) Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976 (Akta 171), pilihan raya Kerajaan Tempatan dihentikan. Undang-undang Kerajaan Tempatan di Sabah dan Sarawak juga tidak mempunyai peruntukan tentang pilihanraya Kerajaan Tempatan. Warga Wilayah persekutuan juga hilang hak mengundi kedua mereka selepas Kuala Lumpur, Labuan dan Putrajaya menjadi Wilayah Persekutuan pada 1974, 1984 dan 2001. Akta 171(Akta Kerajaan Tempatan 1976) Seksyen 10 memperuntukkan bahawa sesebuah Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) akan mengandungi Datuk Bandar atau Yang Dipertua serta tidak kurang daripada lapan (8) dan tidak lebih daripada 24 orang Ahli Majlis yang dilantik daripada kalangan mereka yang mempunyai pengalaman luas mengenai PBT yang mereka dialami atau mereka yang mempunyai pengalaman luas dalam bidang masing-masing. Akta Pilihan Raya Kerajaan Tempatan 1960 [Akta 473] juga tidak selaras dengan cadangan untuk mengadakan pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan. Kerajaan tidak bercadang untuk mewujudkan semula pilihanraya Kerajaan Temaptan kerana tiada undang-undang yang membolehkan ianya diadakan kecuali undang-undang tersebut dipinda. Menurut Menteri Perumahan Kerajaan Tempatan melalui jawapan lisan Dewan Rakyat pada 12 April 2010, Pilihanraya Kerajaan Tempatan bukanlah faktor yang menentukan kecekapan sistem penyampaian perkhidmatan PBT. “Tiada Cukai Tanpa Perwakilan” Pergerakan Revolusi Amerika 200 tahun yang lampau memperjuangkan hak mereka untuk tidak mahu membayar cukai sekiranya mereka tidak diberi hak untuk memilih. Malah, Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan yang duduk di Kabinet juga seorang senator yang tidak dipilih melalui proses pengundian rakyat. Di dalam prinsip demokrasi, hak untuk diwakili mula wujud apabila diperkenalkan tanggungjawab membayar cukai. Warganegara kelas pertama mestilah diberi hak mengundi di stiap peringkat; persekutuan, negeri dan tempatan. Menteri Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan berkata, kecekapan PBT adalah berdasarkan gabungan pelbagai faktor seperti kepimpinan yang dinamik, tenaga kerja yang mahir dan terlatih, proses dan prosedur kerja yang cepat dan mudah, perancangan bandar yang mapan, keseragaman undang-undang dan peraturan, pengurusan sumber hasil dan kewangan yang cekap, pelaksanaan projek pembangunan yang berkesan dan sebagainya. Kini, Little Napoleon yang wujud melalui Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, Perbadanan Labuan dan Perbadanan Putrajaya telah menjadikan pembayar-pembayar cukai menanggung kerugian besar akibat daripada rasuah, penyalahgunaan kuasa dan tidak mampu bersaing. Kuasa Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Fasal (4) Perkara 113 Perlembagaan Persekutuan memperuntukkan bahawa undang-undang persekutuan atau negeri boleh memberi kuasa kepada Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) untuk menjalankan pilihan raya selain pilihan raya yang disebut dalam Fasal (1) Perkara 113 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Berdasarkan peruntukan Fasal (4) Perkara 113 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, SPR boleh menjalankan pilihan raya selain pilihan raya yang disebut dalam Fasal (1) sekiranya diberi kuasa oleh undang-undang persekutuan atau negeri. Undang-undang persekutuan yag berkaitan dengan pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan ialah Akta Pilihan Raya Kerajaan Tempatan 1960 [Akta473]. Bahagian V akta 473 mempunyai peruntukan mengenai kuasa SPR untuk menyelia pilihan raya bagi melantik Anggota Majlis sesuatu pihak berkuasa tempatan. Walau bagaimanapun, semua peruntukan berhubung dengan pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan dalam Akta 473 telah dimansuhkan dan dihentikan kuat kuasanya atau terhenti mempunyai kesan oleh subseksyen 15(1) Akta kerajaan Tempatan 1976 [Akta 171]. Dengan termansuh dan terhentinya kuat kuasa dan kesan bagi apa-apa peruntukan berhubung dengan pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan di bawah Akta 473, seksyen 10 Akta 171 pula menghendaki keanggotaan sesuatu Majlis Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) dibuat secara pelantikan (by appointment). Menurut Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Dato Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz di Dewan Rakyat pada 11 November 2010,  jika mana-mana kerajaan negeri bercadang untuk mengadakan semula pilihan raya PBT, suatu keputusan dasar hendaklah dibuat terlebih dahulu bagi menentukan sama ada pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan henda diadakan semula atau sebaliknya. Ini kerana perkara yang berkaitan dengan kerajaan tempatan (termasuklah pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan) kecuali bagi Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Labuan dan Putrajaya telah diperuntukkan dalam Butiran 4, Senarai II – Senarai Negeri, Jadual Kesembilan, Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Justeru, apa-apa perkara berhubung dengan kerajaan tempatan termasuklah pilihan raya kerajaan tempatan merupakan perkara di bawah bidang kuasa negeri masing-masing. Walau bagaimana pun, bidang kuasa bagi mana-mana negeri hanya berkenaan adalah tertakluk kepada Majlis Negara bagi Kerajaan Tempatan (MNKT) (National Council for Local Government) yang ditubuhkan mengikut Perkara 96A Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Berdasarkan kepada Perkara 95A Perlembagaan Persekutuan, walaupun kerajaan tempatan terletak di bawah bidang kuasa Negeri masing-masing, apa-apa perkara yang melibatkan perubahan dasar dan perundangan mengenainya adalah tertakluk kepada kelulusan MNKT.

[poskod-blog]

NEWSFEED 31 Jan 2011

Woot! One month into 2011. Poskod Malaysia will take a brief hiatus for CNY; see you folks in a bit!

Local NGOs and political parties march on the Egyptian embassy in solidarity with the popular uprising against Hosni Mubarak. Marchers had "posters depicting the Egyptian leader with a Zionist symbol on his forehead." (Malaysiakini) 

Meanwhile, BN wins the Tenang by-election. Looks like we won't have anti-government, pro-democracy uprisings like in Egypt or Tunisia anytime soon. (The Malaysian Insider)

Heavy rains have caused flooding in Johor: 29,000 relocated so far; 2 dead. (The Star)

PAS MP (and all-round cool dude) Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad admits that there's no way his party will be able to establish an Islamic state in Malaysia. The political demographics just don't allow it. (Free Malaysia Today)

Malaysia receives 7 Somali pirates who were captured in a raid to free a hijacked oil tanker. They are facing prosecution. (Malaysiakini)

After a Malaysian student was drugged and gang-raped in London, the Malaysian High Commission has advised students to be "vigilant and avoid getting caught in compromising situations". (The Malaysian Insider)

Why America is so afraid of the flowering of democracy in Egypt. (Salon)

Amir Muhammad argues that Malaysian society has become more "multi-racist" than it was when Interlok was written. "The novel is innocent. It is we, as Malaysians, who have allowed ourselves to become guilty." (Writing by Amir)

Milton M Levine, the dude who invented the ant farm, has died. (New York Times)

A bunch of artist/jokers tours the National Art Gallery's Bakat Muda Sezaman 2010 exhibition -- by commandeering one of the works for transport. "Looking at art in a piece of moving art -- it doesn't get artier than this." (Arteri Malaysia)

If the week is already stressing you out: a cute flash game of growing flowers. (Bobblebrook)

List of the day: the 50 best blogs about the humanities. (Online Education Database)

Draw A Dinosaur Day was on 30 January -- but it's still not too late! (Draw A Dinosaur Day)

Solar-powered death ray: this homemade reflector array creates a point of light with the intensity of 5,000 suns! This thing can turn mud into lava. (YouTube)

(Image from Draw A Dinosaur Day)