The Neo Min Yuens failed. In all the negativities, prejudice, manipulation and even perpetuated lies against highly acclaimed film maker Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba’s latest project ‘Tanda Putera’ and the attempt to fail her work about the lives of Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman between 4 May 1969 to 16 Jan 1976, someone actually gave it a chance.
I actually thought Tanda Putera was good – and no, I have not been paid to write this – Jason Kay
AUGUST 31, 2013
I felt a little cheeky yesterday. So I thought I would do something particularly stupid. I bought a ticket to see Tanda Putera. I went in ready to laugh at the movie and say I had wasted 2 hours of my life watching a propaganda film. Was I in for a surprise.
The movie started, and I was ready to pounce. iPad in hand, taking notes, I started typing. Sure, it was easy to pick apart stilted acting (almost all the actors were “not good”), bad pacing (extremely evident in the first Act during the scenes depicting May 13 and the introduction of the characters), and laughable CGI (all the explosion scenes were terrible). I soldiered on, enduring a needless beheading scene, a few awkward song scenes, a first Act which over-emphasized the DAP party logo, and a really forced Melayu-Cina-India unity parallel story.
In short, the opening Act attempted to be great, but it really was bad compared to the phenomenal opening of “Saving Private Ryan,” or the sublime and brilliant first 10-minutes of Disney’s “Up”.
But after that had ended and the characters became familiar, something happened. Sure, the acting was still funny, and the “look” of the movie felt like daytime soap opera – yes, the 2 female leads were terribly beautiful (that was a bonus). But I digress.
Somewhere in the middle of the movie, I got swept away. I started to understand. I started to get curious. And so I started to google on the characters and scenes. And I learned about Dr. Ismail, who is the hero of the movie – yes, he dies before the ending. Should I have typed, “Spoiler Alert”?grin
The whole point of the movie is about loving your country enough that you overlook your own small problems, because you can see the bigger ones, and take the necessary steps to do the right thing, even though it is not popular … even though you will be criticized for it. That’s the mark of nobility. That’s the mark of a citizen. And that’s how I interpret why the movie is titled “Tanda Putera” which literally means, “the mark of a prince”; but if one were to be a bit loose with the translation, it could mean “the mark of a son of the soil/true citizen,” or “the mark of nobility” (my personal interpretation).
I was inspired by the movie. No lie. As much as I was by Sarjan Hassan and Bukit Kepong.
No movie can accurately depict historical events. The movie-making process is such that mistakes and blunders make it into the final product. That’s why movie fans love to find continuity problems, easter eggs, and general faults with their favourite movies. The director’s vision may not be shared or appreciated by all. I can call out the faults in the movies, as I have done; but, at the same time, I can also appreciate the vision of Shuhaimi Baba, which I do. And I found it inspiring.
Yes, one can pick parallels between the first act and interpret it as a critique, or propaganda (take your pick), of the months leading up to GE13. But one can also see faults in that analogy (if that had been intended) and understand the differences between the 2 situations. I did. And I’m sure many of you did also.
So yes, I liked the movie “Tanda Putera”. I think it’s a good movie. And I am typing this out in the afternoon of Merdeka Day No. 56 because I think it’s important to state that. Because you may hate a political party, a particular politician, or even politicians generally. You may even hate the government, or the government-in-waiting.
But you cannot hate your country. That’s just… dumb. And that’s the subtext of the movie. – August 31, 2013.
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Jason Kay went to watch the film and it is personal view that ‘Tanda Putera’ is about the promoting and preserving the spirit of patriotism and nationalism amongst Malaysians. So did Dennis Chua. Chua’s analysis is factually precise.
Nazri says it’s fact that Chinese caused May 13, finds Tanda Putera “well-researched”
BY DIYANA IBRAHIM AUGUST 31, 2013
The Chinese did cause the May 13 riots and Tanda Putera is a well-researched movie that depicts that, said Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz today.
“It is a historical fact that the riot was sparked by Chinese,” he said, adding that it’s just like it’s “a fact that Nazis killed thousands of Jews during the Second World War”.
He added, “But only a few individuals were to blame for the violence then. The Chinese community as a whole is not responsible for what happened in 1969, only the individuals. They are the ones who should feel guilty
He said he saw the movie Tanda Putera, found it “well-researched” and wondered why the present generation of Chinese was upset over it.
“This happened then. Why should the present generation of Chinese be troubled by it now?” he asked. Nazri was speaking after launching the National Museum’s 50th anniversary in Kuala Lumpur.
The movie opened to poor ticket sales for the past two days. The film began screening in Penang cinemas today.
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The two Statesmen did the miraculous job in so little time, to restore order and put this nation back on track. This is not withstanding all the challenges and mitigating circumstances that they inherited as the leaders post 10 May 1969 3GE. This include internal security and regional geo-politics issues.
Tun Razak’s inclusive policies and decisive leadership changed the landscape of the nation. A divided nation was mended and all the distrusts and suspicions between the ethnic groups were reduced and greatly minimized.
Tun Razak’s inclusive policies and decisive leadership changed the landscape of the nation. A divided nation was mended and all the distrusts and suspicions between the ethnic groups were reduced and greatly minimi
The internal security threat which include the Neo Min Yuens and communist rebels ‘Second Emergency’ was addressed.
All of these variables have been concocted into the a successful and workable recipe for Malaysia to gain internal peace, political and social stability, spirit of togetherness, understanding and harmony and eventually to gel all the resources and make it work. Socio-economic standing and the rakyat’s education and skill-sets were raised in a miraculous speed.
That laid the basis for the nation to be propelled forward into the regional economic powerhouse it is today.
This is despite the fact that the Chinese chauvinists, radicals, extremists, Neo Min Yuens and those who subscribed the ‘Politics of Hatred’ strategy, in sundry did not heighten their efforts to come into power in the most undemocratic manner.
Tun Razak and Tun Dr. Ismail provided the firm and yet astute leadership that rebuilt this nation from the carnage of the dark storm planned and created by the “Radicals and subversive elements”. ‘Tanda Putera’ is about telling the tale of the dark storm and the sliver lining after the dark cloud.
In the eve of celebration of the 56th Merdeka, the spirit of nationalism and patriotism is unusually sluggish. It is probably due to an enigma of issues, controversies and scandals, entwined in a very delicate and complex .
First, the series of inappropriate appointments into position of Ministers, Deputy Ministers, GLC Chairmanships and some of the Advisers and Special Officers for the Prime Minister and/or Prime Minister’s Office.
Then it was the abuses and irregular practices by persons who are supposed to the aides, Advisers and/or Special Officers to the Prime Minister.
Thirteen years ago when the nation was geared in the recovery of the economic downturn of the Asian Financial Crisis 1997-8 and socio-political recession due to the sacking of the Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on 2 September 1998, a campaign of patriotism was launched. As such, Jalur Gemilang flags of different sizes were made available everywhere.
Even average motorists were proud to fly the Jalur Gemilang on their cars, vans, trucks and some even on their motorcycles.
Everyone, everywhere was signing patriotic songs, such as ‘Jalur Gemilang’. Also was the ‘Keranamu Malaysia’ song. They sing proudly with a lot of zest, especially school children. I remembered attending my daughter’s pre-school concert in 2001 and both songs were items in the program.
Now, both songs are no longer heard anywhere, anymore.
The message in these patriotism campaign was simple and very apt. Needless to say, the unity and patriotism of the people brought the nation together. Coupled with other factors, the nation was put back together and placed on the track of progress in not too long of time, considering the challenges.
Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak should step up and personally ensure that this malaise situation is reversed.
Selamat Menyambut Hari Kemerdekaan ke-56: Malaysiaku Berdaulat, Tanah Tumpahnya Darah.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state did not ban any cinema operator from screening the controversial film.
“Just like any travel advisory issued by the government for the safety of citizens travelling in strife-torn or dangerous countries, this advisory is issued to cinema operators to highlight to the public the dangerous lies in this film that can only threaten and tear the fabric of national and racial unity in the country,” Lim said in a statement issued in George Town today.
He added that both local councils – the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) – will not punish cinema operators in Penang for screening the film.
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The MPPP letter is self explanatory. It is obviously a threat as per para 2 and an instruction as per para 3 to all cinema operators in Pulau Pinang.
In sheer anticipation of the majority knowing the truth by creating more controversies at Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba’s highly acclaimed latest project about two Malaysian Statesmen Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman between 8 May 1969 till 16 January 1976, DAP Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng banned the film from being screened in the state.
Kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang haramkan Tanda Putera
Oleh MOHD.FIRDAUS ISMAIL
PULAU PINANG 29 Ogos – Kerajaan DAP Pulau Pinang mengharamkan tayangan filem Tanda Putera di semua pawagam di negeri ini.
Ketua Menteri, Lim Guan Eng berkata, surat rasmi akan dihantar kepada semua pemilik pawagam yang diberi lesen peniagaan oleh pihak berkuasa tempatan hari ini supaya tidak menayangkan filem berkenaan. – UTUSAN ONLINE
Many lessons glaringly portrayed from this absurd and immature call.
One, Chinese Chauvinist Mini Emperorissimo of Middle Malaysia Lim Guan Eng has yet to watch the film, to determine whether the contents are really part of sowing hatred against the Chinese as he claims or the unsuitability for majority of Malaysians. And yet, he pre-empted very unfairly and with deep prejudice to a work which many felt majority of Malaysians should understand what were circumstances, challenges and decisions made by Tun Razak and Tun Dr Ismail under duress when the nation was in distress.
Third, the film is under the Ministry of Communication and Multimedia policy scheme of ‘Wajib Tayang’ where locally produced films must be slotted for public screening through the cinema circuits. Undermining this policy is like attacking public and industry interest and cinema operators risk losing their operating license.
Fourth, DAP Secretary General and Mini Emperorissimo of Middle Malaysia Lim’s constant statement berating ‘Tanda Putera’ without any basis and his latest reaction is a demonstration that they are very afraid for their own dark and horrible direct involvement in the past, in turning this country into to a destabilized nation. It is undeniably an admission of guilt.
Fifth, DAP Secretary General Lim even in his capacity of Chief Minister of Pulau Pinang neither has the ultra-vires power to stop any public presentation by commercial entities which are licensed and have the necessary permits and approvals.
Ruthless and Racist Dictator
Mini Emperorissimo of Middle Malaysia Lim just demonstrated a behaviour of who they and his band of bandits really are, a ruthless dictator. It is undoubtedly that they are Neo Min Yuens and they are very much keeping alive their modus operandi as “Radicals and subversive elements”, exactly like in May 1969 how and when the racial clashes erupted.
As Neo Min Yuens, they have been consistently and systematically out to create disability via their ‘Politics of Hatred’ strategy and continue to sow and fan racism, Chinese chauvinism and anti-Constitution traits and provocations. They are also out to confuse especially younger Malaysians with their manipulation of half truths and twisting actual events and intepretation of the skewed history.
‘Tanda Putera’ was an opportunity for many Malaysians to be reminded what had happened and transpired before and after the 13 May 1969 racial clashes in the past. For many more younger Malaysians, the film is about telling them there are still “Extremists, radicals and subversive elements” in the society today and they should be rejected.
Lim Guan Eng demonstrating his blatant rudeness by trampling on photos
This blatant act of dictatorship is completely against every principle of entrepreneurism, rights of licensed commercial entities to present their product and earn for their keep and the performing arts industry. This is also complete violation of the principle of democracy and freedom of expression.
Imagine of they have the power as the Federal Government.
In short, ‘Tanda Putera’ is a performing arts project based on historical facts and personal accounts, where many could learn the truth on the sinister agenda of the Chinese Chauvinist DAP leaders and members then and still are, present day.
Pesona Pictures and FINAS should sue Lim and the Pulau Pinang State Government if this ban of ‘Tanda Putera’ in the island state is followed through.
*Updated 2359hrs
Cinemas which refused to screen locally produced films under the FINAS ‘wajib tayang’ scheme may risking their operating license.
28 August 2013| last updated at 04:54PM
‘Film operators have no choice but to screen Tanda Putera’
GEORGE TOWN: Film operators have no choice but to screen the Tanda Putera movie, as it is categorised under the must-screen rule (Syarat Wajib Tayang) by the authorities.
A cinema owner contacted by the New Straits Times said the movie had to be screened for at least a week as per the guidelines set by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).
“All local movies must be played. We cannot take instructions from anyone, which includes the state government, on this matter.
“If we do not comply, we might get our licenses revoked.” said the spokesman of a cinema chain who did not wanted to be named earlier.
He was responding to the Penang state government’s call to all cinemas here to not screen the movie.
State Local Government committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said he would ‘advise’ cinemas to not screen the film, which begins its run in most cinemas here tomorrow.
“It is not an order, just an advice,” he said in a text message.
Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek was reported as saying the cabinet decided not to run the film for a while due to certain controversial aspects at the time.
“I think ‘Tanda Putera‘ is a product of our filmmakers which should be seen from the perspective of art…on the question of how people view perspective, it is based on their interpretation.
“Most importantly, we want more local films screened in this country, and whether they could be marketed outside the country,” Bernama quoted him as saying.
Lim Guan Eng’s immature behaviour towards ‘Tanda Putera’ is raised by the Minister of Communications and Multimedia Dato’ Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek in the condescending tone, befits a proven an anti-Constitution and anti-establishment Neo Min Yuen leader.
Wednesday, 28 August 2013 23:52
Will Penang ban Negaraku next – “consumed by revenge” DAP slammed for film ban
KUALA LUMPUR – The Penang government decision banning the screening of the film ‘Tanda Putera’ shows that the DAP leaders are shallow and starting a culture of banning and cencorship.
Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek described the the DAP government’s action as stupid for making the decision without watching the film.
“Imagine if they rule this country. There is no chance for art to grow because they are consumed by revenge and irrational sentiments. Their action is the true reflection of them,” he told reporters after launching the independence promotion films and playing of ‘Negaraku’ to mark 56th Merdeka Day celebration at GSC Pavilion here, today.
Directed by award winning director Datuk Suhaimi Baba, the film ‘Tanda Putera’ dwells on the May 13 incident and will meet audience nationwide from tomorrow (August 29).
He said although the operation of cinemas is under the jurisdiction of local authorities, the DAP should not abuse power by banning the screening of the film.
“Films are banned by the Home Ministry via the Film Censorship Board if they are unsuitable, violent or send the wrong message.
“There are many aspects that must be scrutinised and debated. Ultimately it is the audience who will determine and evaluate the film.”
Negara-ku next?
Shabery said the move to ban the screening of the film without strong reasons would lead to other things.
“This is something new. The state government may soon make a policy to ban the playing of the national anthem ‘Negaraku’ in Penang.”
He appealed to the audience to stand as mark of respect for the national anthem for one week in conjunction with Merdeka Day celebration.
“Stand up and pay tribute to our security forces personnel who were killed in the Lahad Datu intrusion by terrorists early this year.”
Consistency should be an element of parties staking a claim and in the determination of the right on the dispute. However, this is proven to be otherwise for Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM).
CFM Hari Merdeka ke 56 message, pg 1
CFM Hari Kemerdekaan ke 56 message, pgs 2 & 3
In their Hari Kemerdekaan ke 56 message in Bahasa Melayu, CFM used ‘Tuhan’ for God instead of ‘Allah’.
That is very interesting because they have inadvertently contradicted themselves. They could use ‘Tuhan’ instead of ‘Allah’, to depict God. They could have avoided the controversies arisen for going to the Kuala Lumpur High Court for a claim to the right of using kalimah ‘Allah’ in place of ‘Tuhan’, to depict God.
It is clear these Church leaders have a sinister agenda to explicitly misuse the ’10 point solution for Allah’ as per agreed by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak, which then was meant for the Non Muslim Bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak.
This is what transpired in Court of Appeal five days ago.
Appeal Court rules ‘Allah’ controversies need to be resolved
PUTRAJAYA, Aug 22 (Bernama) — The controversies over the usage of the word, ‘Allah’, in the Catholic weekly publication, The Herald, was a live issue which needed to be resolved, ruled the Court of Appeal here today.
A three-member panel led by Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin ordered the government’s appeal against a High Court ruling to allow The Herald to use the word “Allah,” to proceed on Sept 10.
The panel, also comprising justices Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Datuk Rohana Yusuf, unanimously dismissed the Catholic Church’s application to strike out the government’s appeal.
Abu Samah said former home minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had made an affidavit and explained that the usage of the word, ‘Allah’, was not part of the 10-point solution.
“Hence, it does not apply to this case. The subject matter (the appeal) is not rendered academic as there are still live issues and controversies to be resolved,” he said.
Earlier, Porres Royan, who appeared for the church, submitted that the government’s appeal should be struck out because there was no controversy or dispute on the use of the word, ‘Allah’, in the Catholic publication.
He said this was because the 10-point solution signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and addressed to the Christian Federation of Malaysia chairman Ng Moon Hing had allowed Christians to use the word in their bibles in the language of Bahasa Indonesia/Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous language of Iban, Kadazan-Dusun and Lun Bawang.
“We say the government has changed its position in respect to the use of the word,” he said, adding that it was a collective decision by the Cabinet and that the 10-point solution had addressed on the use of the word, ‘Allah’.
“The effect of it is that the word (Allah) can now be used in the Bahasa Indonesia/Bahasa Malaysia and other indigenous bibles and these bibles can be imported and printed,” he said.
“If the Cabinet has given its approval to allow the use of the word in the bible, it must follow that the word can be used in the publication,” he said.
Senior Federal Counsel Suzana Atan, representing the home ministry and the government, however argued that their appeal should not be struck out as there were live issues to be considered.
“The (striking out) application filed by the applicant (the church) is frivolous and ought to be dismissed,” she said.
She said the issue before the High Court was related to the home minister’s discretion under the Printing, Presses and Publication Act concerning the printing permit of The Herald, while the 10-point solution dealt with bible issues.
Lawyer Mubashir Mansor, representing the Terengganu Islamic Religious Council, submitted that the judicial review at the High Court confined to the administrative decision of the home ministry dated Jan 7, 2009.
Therefore, he said the 10-point solution could not be taken into consideration because the solution came after the High Court handed down its decision on the church’s judicial review application.
Mubashir said, “The April 11, 2011 letter of the prime minister did not touch on the subject matter of the appeal. He did not say that The Herald could use the word, ‘Allah’.”
Lawyer Hanif Khatri Abdulla, representing the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association (MCMA), contended that the Cabinet’s direction was specifically to the import and export of the physical bibles but did not touch on the contents of the bible.
He said Hishammuddin, in his affidavit, had given the explanation as to why the 10-point solution was issued, what was considered and what was not.
Hishammuddin had said in his affidavit in reply to an application by the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur to set aside the government’s appeal, that the Cabinet, in deciding on the 10-point solution, did not make a decision on the use of the word, ‘Allah’.
He (Hishammuddin) said the Cabinet decision on April 11, 2011 was only to find ways to overcome problems relating to the import, printing, distribution and the use of the Bahasa Malaysia bible in the country.
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Obviously CFM is realising the sinister agenda, which include an objective of protelysation of Malay-Muslims. Even if they are unable to protelyse the majority of Malay-Muslims, who constitutes the majority of Malaysian populous, the systematic and structured attempt would just invite more controversies.
All the controversies would simply be one of the opportunities to use their international media network in condemining the Malaysia authorities, in the tone of “Oppressing the minority” and “Denying universally practices human rights”.
This actually could be seen as the strategic move of weakening the Malays.
Article 3.1 & 3.2 of the Federal Constitution
In this Hari Kemerdekaan ke 56 message also CFM requested that there would be equality for professing Christianity. That is also contravening the Federal Constitution as in the definition clause of this nation, Islam is stated as the ‘Religion of the Federation’. That translate that the position of Islam in Malaysia is up and above other beliefs.
If CFM is really sincere for the message of peace and stability, then they should leave things as status quo and adhere to the spirit and practice of the Federal Constitution and acceptable norms and values in the society. The first 50 years of this sovereign nation is free from religious controversies because there were no errand individuals with sinister agenda, of minority trying to overpower and dispose the position and rights of the majority.
The controversy should be resolved soon. This Hari Kemerdekaan ke-56 message is a proof that the Christians need not to use ‘kalimah Allah’ in their literature in Malay. Other Non Muslims should also not‘Pelt around peebles because they live in a glass house’.
Had I not watched ‘Tanda Putera’ in person, then probably I might be convinced that my father has been lying to me since 1977 about the most challenging period of Malaysian history. Considering the overpowering propaganda by pro-Opposition news portal, social media network accounts and constant statements by Opposition leaders, where many Malaysians based their basis of forming an opinion.
This is because what some so-called Malaysians have been upto very serious no good trying to manipulate half truths, twist, confuse and debunk a historical film about the lives, challenges, mitigating circumstances and decisions made by Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein from 4 May 1969 till 16 January 1976 and his closest ally, Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman (till 2 August 1973).
Both of the statesmen were called back by Allah s.w.t. on the respective dates mentioned.
In the tone of the certain group of extremists and probably “radicals and subversive elements” amongst the minority within the Malaysian society of the day, who in desperation have been systematically drumming up trying very hard to confuse and demonise highly acclaimed film maker Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba’s latest project. ‘Tanda Putera’ which is supposed to be a landmark work to promote the spirit of nationalism, has now evolved as something highly controversial.
The National Operation Council report dated 9 October1969
‘Tanda Putera’ is based on the National Operation Council (NOC) report dated 9 October 1969 which was tabled in Parliament as a White Paper and account of individuals who privy to all of the events within the five and a half years depicted in the film. Shuhaimi also recollected how Tun Razak and Tun Dr. Ismail brought the nation back together again in so short of time, considering the challenges that they were facing.
The challenges include the Communist Terrorists, who have gone underground and operation in the urbans. They have resorted to assassinating top security officials, as part of their plan to weaken the administration. IGP Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim was assassinated near Bukit Mahkamah on 7 June 1974 and Perak CPO Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong was gunned down on 13 November 1975.
All of these events were depicted in the 125min film, which will go into public screening through the cinema circuits three days from now.
My father was very much involved in the immediate post-13 May 1969 racial clashes in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. He was then a loyal civil servant of His Majesty’s Government.
The provocative demonstration insulting the Malays scene in ‘Tanda Putera’.
The insults again the Malays by the Non Malays especially the Chinese fanned by hatred by Chinese Chauvinists such as the DAP and “radicals and subversive elements” in the planned series of provocative demonstrations before and after the 3GE in May 1969 were overbearing. The ‘temperature’ was already heated when in Setapak, a few Malay men were clobbered by some Chinese men.
The day the clash erupted in Setapak, Abah was on his way out of Kuala Lumpur heading East Coast for official duty. He managed to get information about “Big clashes in Kuala Lumpur” from the Police at a road block somewhere near Raub and hastily turned back.
As he approach the city limits, the night already set in and there an eirie feeling in the streets, with a deep tinge of chaos. He immediately sought refuge at Sentul Police station.
Later, he tagged behind a convoy of Police land rovers going to the High Street Police Station (now Jalan Bandar). Along the way, he witnessed the first day carnage of racial rioting and clashes in places like Ipoh Road (now Jalan Ipoh), Chow Kit Road and Batu Road (now Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman) and China Town.
He wanted to go High Street because a very close childhood friend from Muar is a Police Inspector on duty at the Police Station. Later, Uncle Din escorted Abah home to Petaling Jaya.
Scene in ‘Tanda Putera’ depicting the NOC presided by Tun Razak as the Director, is in session
A few days later, he was recalled for active duty even though there was a 24 hour curfew enforced as Tun Dr. Ismail declared Malaysia, “A state of Emergency”. He was ‘volunteered’ into active duty, to assist in the food section of then the NOC, which was then the government of the day.
He is now one of the ration officers in the NOC.
Since there was a 24 hour curfew, food storage was critically low because the supply chain was completely disrupted. Many homes were running low on food because no one stocked up before 3GE nor the clashes. The reason is simple; Majority of Malaysians couldn’t imagine the country would come to then the current state of distress. Especially twelve years earlier Merdeka was achieved out of a series consultation and agreements, in the spirit of togetherness, understanding, accommodating and most importantly, compromise.
One of the most distress facility which was short of food was the hospitals. The hospitals needed freshly cooked food and patients were not advised to eat canned food (which was available in the army and police stores).
NOC (Fr. left) Left. Jen. Dato’ Ibrahim Ismail, IGP Tan Sri Salleh Ismail, Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie, Tun V.T. Sambanthan, Tun Dr. Ismail Abd. Rahman & Tun Abdul Razak Hussein (Not in picture Tun Tan Siew Sin, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, Left. Jen. (B) Tunku Osman Jewa, Abdul Kadir Shamsuddin.
Abah is now entrusted to search for raw food, for the patients in then General Hospital Kuala Lumpur. He would go around farms around Selangor and take chickens, eggs and fresh vegetables from the farmers and issue them letters of indent. This is so that the government would pay them later when the administration machinery is back in operation.
A few days later, his duties also include the task of bringing cooked food prepared by the army central kitchen in MINDEF, to enclaves such as new villages in Kepong, Jinjang, Serdang and Cheras, as these Chinese settlements are totally cut off from the supply chain. Even though Chinese sundry shops were owned and operated by them, many chose to hoard food for obvious reasons.
He saw more carnage and how really bad inviduals broke curfew laws and were infact armed for the sinister reasons, to perpetuate the bloody conflict.
Shuhaimi depicted some of the scenes that collaborated my father’s take on the aftermath, in ‘Tanda Putera’. Watching the film is like understanding what Abah have been trying to tell me all these years about what and how it happened.
Moments before Sgt Aman and Corp Kop came to the rescue of Kara and Allen
Shuhaimi depiction of some of the scenes were accurate to the details. Example is the scene where Police Sergeant Aman and Corporal Kop escorted Kara and Allen back to Petaling Jaya in the night of the racial clash, was exactly like when Uncle Din escorted Abah back home in the early hours of 14 May 1969.
The media could also interview persons who are still around and were privy to ground zero of the 13 May 1969 racial clashes such as retired IGP Tun Mohamed Hanif Omar, retired Director of Special Branch Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Rahman and Brigadier (Rtd) Syed Hamzah.
Teddy Roosevelts’s ‘gunboat diplomacy’, tweaked in a twisted way against Malaysia for TPPA
In the reality of things, the Americans who are primary advocates of the laissez faire economy has no qualms about using the upper hand, which include strong diplomatic and international political pressures to twist the arm and bulldoze their way around.
Average Malaysians are standing up and making the call that TPPA must benefit Malaysians first.
ENSURING BENEFITS: Cabinet directive is a reminder to International Trade and Industry Ministry to be sensitive to people’s needs
KUDOS to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for taking pre-emptive measures on the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA).
The cabinet’s decision is a soft reminder to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) to be more sensitive to the aspirations of the people.
Miti is accountable to the cabinet, which in turn is answerable to the people.
The cabinet has set the litmus test for Malaysia joining TPPA: favourable terms for those affected by the treaty.
The ball is now back in Miti’s court, which must make sure TPPA benefits Malaysians.
It would have been a different narrative if, for example, Miti negotiators were to first consult some experts in trade policy and the affected parties before taking on the “big boys” — five of the TPPA members have gross national product per capita above US$40,000 (RM131,820) compared with US$12,000 for Brazil and US$5,000 plus for Malaysia.
One trade expert that Miti should consult is Cambridge-educated and former Universiti Sains Malaysia colleague Martin Khor.
Had Miti held its belated “open house” much earlier and long before former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and others criticised TPPA, Miti would not have gone through this soul searching process. A few of us were among those concerned with Miti’s defensive style, which inevitably dented its credibility.
Members of the public are not privy to the negotiations. While we put our trust in Miti, we also expect it to do rigorous homework. Now, we know that a comprehensive study has not been completed and that no cost-benefit study in two critical areas was conducted.
We can only hope that the results of these studies will be made public as the people have every right to know what is in store for them.
Whether the Miti open house on Aug 1 was an afterthought or otherwise, the session was a welcome opportunity to “exchange” views.
Unfortunately, the forum turned out to be an unusual exercise in public relations. At the session, Miti merely restated its position that everything was above board. Of course, as expected, it promised to bring the expressed concerns for further discussion.
Knowing what we want is half of the picture. Getting what the cabinet has mandated is a challenge our negotiators must live up to.
Will the “big boys” continue to listen to our pleas and woes? Is it not too little too late to renegotiate the terms when the clock has started ticking? What is the fate of millions of Malaysians whose livelihood depends on the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) once the TPPA comes into operation, for example?
Many thousands of poor Malaysians suffering from cancer, AIDS and myeloid leukaemia, who depend on cheaper generic drugs, have reason to smile after the cabinet made a decision that it would not agree to any provision in TPPA that limits access to affordable medicine and healthcare.
Under the TPPA rule on intellectual property rights, only patented drugs are allowed. With regard to this, the Indians are more fortunate following a recent Supreme Court decision that rejected a patent for a cancer drug; the cheaper generic version costs only US$165 and the patented drug US$2,666 a month.
Renegotiating issues like jurisdiction in the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, status of government procurement policies, status of SOEs, policies on financial services, including capital controls, and the impact of intellectual property rights on the cost of medicine and healthcare is, in my view, difficult at this late stage.
The multinationals are using TPPA to rewrite the rules of international trade and financial services. The multinationals are determined to rein in the role of state enterprises and promotion of local small and medium private companies, which they allege have been blocking access to markets in Third World countries.
The role of the state as actor in international relations will likely be eroded under the TPPA trade-imposed regime; the multinational companies have supplanted their role. The fear in some quarters that the state can no longer exercise sovereign immunity over certain trade-related issues is quite justified.
With the multinationals in the driver’s seat, anti-smoking pictures or slogans like “smoking is bad for your lungs”, “second hand smoke kills” or “smoking leads to cancer” will no longer be allowed. Governments can be sued for displaying these slogans!
In the interest of their business community and capitalists, the Americans via the official representatives are not shy to throw their weight around. Then, it was about how they build a series of ‘economic hitmen’ where economic power is used to do ‘subversive operations’, designed to overpower the politics and government.
Now, they are blatant into another phase where they are even willing to ‘bully’ their so-called ‘trade partners’ in the name of achieving their strategic objective. Their dominance via earlier gun-boat diplomacies are merely tweaked, to achieve the same desired results.
The father of modernisation, high technology and heavy industries and Malaysia Inc. policy Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad explained it best. In Malaysia, economy is used as a tool to address social imbalance, which is the most important key to political and social stability and harmony.
“There is a national objective to be met. We have a domestic problem and we have to solve this problem. They don’t care. Anyone who talks about the New Economic Policy (NEP) is labelled racist by our officials. When the currency rogues attacked us the purpose was to gain control over our economy. We resisted that because we were still free then. But after we sign the TPP we will be bound hand and foot. No more capital control. We will be colonised again. President Sukarno was right about neo-colonialism”.
Political and social stability in turn is a very important basis, coupled with careful strategic planning and catalyst created by the Federal Government, where economic activities are churned and propelled the nation forward. This promoted more commercial activities and entrepreneurism. As such, foreign firms started to be based and operate in Malaysia and capitalize in the opportunities created and made available in the rapid economic growth the past 40 years.
The balance of trade between trading partners should be resolved on mutual issues instead of a blanket-economic-policy-that-fit-all. The non trade barriers such as safety, standards and special regulatory guidelines to strike the imbalance of imports. Obviously, there would be differentiation of rights and what is worse, they would be no recourse.
American corporations needed to have the right tool to ensure their economic dominance is maintained in the region. TPPA In not so many words, TPPA is a tool for the Americans to dominate the geo-politics of the region.
The Federal Government via Ministry of Trade and Industry (MITI) says the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) that Malaysia is a party in the series of negotiations, coming to the 18th round, will not be detrimental to the national interests. This supposedly include the strategic interests of Malaysian business community.
In reality, it is not. In fact, it is far from what has transpired so far and the direction that the nation, be it diplomatic, trade, strategic economic economic planning and even tactical issues like business opportunities, is heading.
TPPA is about feeding the greedy
In June, one of the concerned GLCs proactively organised a special briefing and discourse for Bumiputera technology-based entrepreneurs. The objective is to create awareness to the TPPA and how it will affect these Bumiputera businesses. About 80 entrepreneurs or their representatives interested to attend.
A few hours before the program started, an officer with the United States Embassy in Kuala Lumpur called and expressed their intention to attend.
This is the excerpt of the conversation:
“We would like to send our officers to attend”
“Are they Bumiputera?”
“No”.
“Then I am afraid you can’t. This program is only for Bumiputera entrepreneurs”.
“We have a grave concern on the subject (TPPA). We want to be represented if you are talking about the TPPA. It should be a G-to-G matter. We shall report this to the White House and MITI”.
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The glaring point here is that MITI did not make the call. An officer of the economic section (presumably) of the United States Embassy in Jalan Tun Razak did. TPPA is a matter for MITI to engage local stakeholders, not a diplomatic representative of the Department of State.
So there you go. Either the Department of State is still practicing the ‘gunboat diplomacy’ with a twisted tweaked approach and their representatives here do not realise that we are a sovereign nation and Malaysians are not and were never subservient to the Americans in any way.
The latest American geo-political tool
So many already doubted the competency, professionalism and ulterior motives of officials who are forming all the ‘battle-plans’ and executing all the engagement for the TPPA negotiations. That is not withstanding the amount of information that they are addressing, with reference to the context and perspective that they are being raised.
TPPA was never transparent. The Americans expect Malaysians especially the government, to be transparent about all business dealings with the private sector and award of contracts and concessions. However, they never practiced the same. Even in the different rounds of TPPA negotiations. According to Fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, 26 chapters of the TPPA was done in total secrecy.
In the realism of situation and slowly snowballing, TPPA is compounding the digression of support and thinning of confidence towards Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak’s leadership. Even amongst the staunch BN and government supporters.
Needless to say, TPPA is already creating the ‘political pandemonium’ where the Federal Government via MITI has not able to address majority of not all the issues raised. The United States’ paranoia on it, is a definite push factor for Prime Minister Najib’s leadership, on the downside trending.
Home Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi send very strong messages as a reaction to Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department P Wathyamoorthy’s statement of “Shootout or execution” for the Police gunning down of five Indian gang members on Monday. It has been seen as in the tone of the Opposition and berating the professionalism of the Police Force.
Just quit if not happy with police actions, Zahid tells Waytha
BY MOHD FARHAN DARWIS, LEE SHI-IAN AND TRINNA LEONG AUGUST 24, 2013 LATEST UPDATE: AUGUST 24, 2013 03:22 PM
Former Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy should resign from his Cabinet position if he wants to act like a representative of a non-governmental organisation, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).
“In the war against crime, there should be no quarter given to criminals,” Ahmad Zahid said, referring to Waythamoorthy’s criticism over the shootout in Penang.
“If an individual who once led an NGO, issues negative statements which bear the hallmarks of his past, then he should just resign from his position in the Cabinet,” he said.
Waythamoorthy, the deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had criticised the police for the shooting of five suspected Indians in Penang and called for an inquest.
He was sceptical that a shootout had actually happened as police claimed, suggesting that the five Indians had been executed.
An angry Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar later refuted Waythamoorthy’s claims and insisted police would do whatever was necessary to keep the peace.
However, Ahmad Zahid didn’t make any specific reference to Waythamoorthy when issuing his hardline statement today, telling reporters to draw their own conclusions.
Earlier this week, he advised Waythamoorthy not to issue statements which conflicted with government policy.
“He should remember that he is no longer the head of an NGO, he isn’t the Hindraf leader anymore, don’t interfere in police work,” Ahmad Zahid said soon after Waythamoorthy had expressed unhappiness over the shooting.
Yesterday, Waythamoorthy responded by stating that he will not be silent on issues just because he is in the government.
“I cannot just be a disinterested observer on the sidelines just because I am in government.
“In fact, it is to the advantage of the government that I voice out the true sentiments of the people on the ground so that I can contribute positively to the objectives and good governance of the government,” he said in a statement released yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid’s views echoed sentiments expressed by Malay non-governmental organisations.
Right wing Malay NGO, Perkasa, said that the chairman of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) should make private inquiries about the incident rather than doubt the credibility of the police force.
“Our security forces are scrambling to reduce the public’s ire toward the increasing number of armed criminals but Waythamoorthy here is questioning the actions of our forces,” said Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, who is Perkasa’s vice president.
“We do not deny his right to fight for the Indian community but he needs to know his position. If he still wants to have the mentality of an NGO, it is best that he resigns and focus on building the Indian community,” he told the Umno-owned Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia.
Another group known as Tolak Individu Bernama Anwar Ibrahim (TIBAI) also asked the deputy minister to respect the police.
The group’s adviser, Muhammad Zahid Md Arip, said Waythamoorthy is looking at criminal activities from a very narrow scope and as such he should be dropped from the Cabinet.
“This is not a race issue but it is about national and public security. I urge the Prime Minister to remove Waythamoorthy from his position,” he added.
Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) president Azwanddin Hamzah cautioned Waythamoorthy from acting so quickly on his own to defend the Indians.
“Criminals are still criminals and the police know what they are doing. He should have discussed this first instead of impulsively releasing a statement,” Azwanddin was quoted as saying. – August 24, 2013.
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Home Minister Zahid standing up for the Police Force is very encouraging. They are the law enforcement agency empowered with a parliamentary act and often enforcing other relevant acts, entrusted for the national security and combatting crime.
What is more important he is just stating what many Malaysians are reacting to Wathyamoorthy’s outrageous statement against the Police.
Then again, many are baffled if not left appalled on Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak’s decision to bring in former HINDRAF Chairman Wathyamoorthy as a Deputy Minister when he announced his Cabinet on 15 May 2013. HINDRAF in the past demonstrated their extremist, chauvinist and even militant tendencies.
On 25 November 2007, HINDRAF staged a very aggressive demonstration to protest the ‘Colonial policies of Great Britain’ here in Kuala Lumpur, where private properties like parked cars were destroyed and several shops were broken. 31 Indian youths were arrested and later charged for “Attempting to commit homicide against a Policeman on duty”.
Waythamoorthy wanted to sue the British Government and demand to pay £1,000,000 to each Malaysian Indian for the “Pain, suffering, humiliation, discrimination and continuous colonisation”. It is an outrageous political stunt, which is also very humiliating.
Obviously Prime Minister Najib’s policy of ‘inclusivity’ to bring minority personalities like Wathyamoorthy into the Federal Government isn’t of one the better post-13GE decision.
Riong Kali’s newsportal report on the subject matter:
Karpal to call Najib and Musa Safri in Altantuya civil suit
BY RITA JONG AUGUST 23, 2013 LATEST UPDATE: AUGUST 23, 2013 02:39 PM
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his former aide-de-camp DSP Musa Safri will be subpoenaed to testify in the civil suit filed by Altantuya Shaariibuu’s father, Setev.
Counsel Karpal Singh (pic), who is holding a watching brief for Setev, said he will push for the suit to be heard soon.
Setev filed a RM100-million civil suit against Abdul Razak Baginda, Azilah Hadri, Sirul Azhar Umar and the Malaysian government in June 2007.
The suit had been put on hold pending the appeal filed by Azilah and Sirul. Both policemen were acquitted today while Razak, who was charged with abetting the two, was acquitted in October 2008.
“We will now call the prime minister and Musa. Musa could not have acted on his own,” Karpal said in Shah Alam today.
Karpal said despite Azilah’s and Sirul’s acquittal, Setev still has a recourse in the civil suit.
“This will be a chance to establish guilt on the balance of probability,” he said.
“I will now have to activate the suit to have the case fixed for case management.”
However, he said there was still a possibility the case would remain on hold pending an appeal by the Attorney-General’s Chambers following today’s ruling.
When asked if the acquittal would have a bearing in the civil suit, Karpal said, “Yes. But we still have this avenue to hold them liable. Take American footballer OJ Simpson’s case. He was acquitted for murdering his wife, but was later found liable in the civil suit for her death and was ordered to pay damages.
“This (referring to Altantuya’s case) is a serious matter. Someone comes to our country, gets blown up and end of the day, no one is held liable.”
Karpal also took a swipe at the prosecution team handling the case.
“They should be held liable for the defects,” he said referring to several points which were raised by the Court of Appeal bench in their judgment this morning.
“It just shows they are not up to mark.” – August 23, 2013.
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Typically as the Opposition, Karpal Singh would use any opportunity to have a courtroom drama for the political purposes. He plans to subpoena Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak and former Aide-De-Camp ACP Musa Saffri as witnesses to the suit trial.
This is no difference how SUARAM brought to the French court system on trying to cook up the story that the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu with the so-called “Corrpution on the acquisition of the Scorpene submarines from DCNi and Thales in France”.
However, Jasbir Singh Chaal clarified that she was never in the picture at all. “In that period, in all the critical stage of our negotiations with the French, as you are probably aware the French does their business worldwide in English. At no time did we need a translator. Neither did we need a translator, nor for that matter in French. She was never there. There was no such persons”.
Altantuya was never part of Scorpene deal team: Jasbir
Posted on 27 July 2013 – 04:38pm Last updated on 27 July 2013 – 07:10pm
KUALA LUMPUR (July 27, 2013): The propaganda often used by certain quarters relating to the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, and its alleged link to the country’s leadership, has been torpedoed by the architect of the Scorpene submarine deal, who among others, revealed that the Mongolian model was never part of the negotiation team.
Speaking for the first time about the deal, Jasbir Singh Chahl, also swore that the model was never in France when they were trying to close the deal.
“I am willing to swear on my holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, that I did not know this person, that she was never part of the team, had never met her, that she was never in France during the entire time we were there trying to close the deal.
“I only knew about her when I read the papers in 2006, that they had found her body,” he told the New Straits Times in a special report entitled, ‘Scorpene: The Untold Story’, published here today.
Jasbir also pointed out that if Altantuya had acted as a translator for Abdul Razak Baginda, a local former political analyst who had helped him broker the deal, she should have been present during all the meetings from 2000.
On the contrary, in official French documents made available to the NST, the French police have stated categorically, that Altantuya never entered France from 1999 to 2006, the year she died. It was also stated that all the meetings were held in France, with some in Malaysia, and were all in English.
“This is now what I am saying, you understand. This is what the relevant French authorities are saying,” said Jasbir.
Abdul Razak, who was a close associate of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, became prominent in 2006 when he was charged with abetting in the murder of the 28-year-old Altantuya after she allegedly tried to blackmail him for a $500,000 cut from the deal.
He was acquitted on Oct 31, 2008 when the Malaysian High Court judge found no prima facie case against him, although two policemen linked to the murder were found guilty.
According to Abdul Razak’s evidence in court, he had only met Altantuya in late 2004, whilst the Scorpene deal which entered negotiations in 2000, was concluded, two years later.
To a question on the necessity to appoint Altantuya as Abdul Razak’s interpreter, as she was widely referred to, especially through blogs, Jasbir was cynical in his reply: “You ask me why the blogs have gone around calling this girl, Razak’s interpreter. You should direct that question to the blogs”.
The special report raised doubts on the necessity of hiring Altantuya as the interpreter, when the fact was that all negotiations with the Frech company were conducted in English. The French team, in fact, was initially led by an Englishman, Martin Hill, who was also fluent in French, the report stated.
Additionally, in his deposition to the French authorities in 2010, former Direction des Construction Navales Services marketing manager for Malaysia and Singapore at that time, Fredric Faura, told investigators that there was no need for an interpreter since negotiations were in English and Malaysians were fluent in the language, it reported.
Firing another salvo, Jasbir wondered why no one had questioned the credibility of the opposition figure who had readily admitted to doctoring a photograph to show Altantuya with Najib and Abdul Razak, purportedly in a Paris restaurant.
“By his own admission, this whole affair was a personal matter between (Abdul) Razak and Altantuya. His dealing with her had nothing to do with the Scorpene deal.
“It’s unfortunate that it coincided with our timeline (the submarine deal). Razak was the only common denominator in this. He was the only link, and a tenuous one, at best,” he said.
Jasbir was a former staff of Thomson-CSF International (M) Sdn Bhd, the wholly-owned Malaysian subsidiary of France’s Thomson-CSF (now Thales), on the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessels project, the Crotale man-portable Shorad (short range air defence) system, and other projects of interest to Thomson-CSF and its subsidiaries.
His extensive experience in the field has led Thales to request him to analyse, evaluate and develop a proposal to supply submarines to Malaysia, which culminated in the Scorpene purchase, the report said. – Bernama
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Thus, the notion of the Mongolian woman is murdered because of her knowledge and involvement on the project, especially all the so-called corruptions is baseless and a total lie. Therefore the sordid attempt to link the gruesome murder with Prime Minister Najib, then Defense Minister when the project deal was inked in June 2002 and/or when she was murdered in November 2006, is very weak.
The purpose for the RM 100 million suit now is just trying to demonise the law enforcement authorities, be it the Police, Attorney General’s Chambers and military intelligence of the Armed Forces and making a mockery of the judiciary and judicial system.
There is no relevance for Prime Minister Najib and ACP Musa to be subpoena-ed for the trial but for ‘Wayang Politik’. Weighing all available information compiled and aggregated by the Police during the investigation and all mitigating circumstances, AG Tan Sri Ghani Patail explained that there was no necessity during the trial to get ACP Musa to come under oath and testify.
Prosecution not at fault, AG says there was no need for Musa to testify
BY RITA JONG AUGUST 23, 2013 LATEST UPDATE: AUGUST 23, 2013 08:19 PM
Despite the Court of Appeal ruling that the failure of the prosecution to call Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri to the stand had weakened its case, the Attorney-General’s stand is still that Musa was of no relevance to it.
Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail (pic), in disagreeing with the ruling, said there was no need to call Musa, who was the aide-de-camp of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, to unfold the narrative of the prosecution’s case.
“While respecting the Court of Appeal, the Attorney-General’s Chambers is dissatisfied with the decision. Non-direction or misdirection by the trial court is not the fault of the prosecution,” Gani said in a statement today.
“As far as DSP Musa Safri is concerned, we maintain that his testimony had no relevance at all as the whole narrative of the prosecution’s case had been unfolded in the trial below. Hence, an appeal to the Federal Court will be filed.”
The Court of Appeal this morning allowed the appeal of the two former policemen, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, who were convicted of murdering Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
In their judgment, the three-man panel said the failure to call Musa hurt the prosecution’s case.
Lawyer Karpal Singh, who was holding a watching brief for Altantuya’s family, has said he intends to subpoena Musa and Najib as witnesses in a RM100 million civil suit filed by Altantuya’s father, Setev Shaariibuu, against Abdul Razak Baginda, Azilah, Sirul and the government over his daughter’s death.
Abdul Razak was also charged with the murder but was acquitted in 2008 without his defence being called.
The civil suit was put on hold pending today’s appeal and is likely to be further delayed because of the AG’s intention to appeal today’s decision. – August 23, 2013.
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What would happen is that all these prolonged ‘Courtroom Karam‘ is designed specifically to confuse the majority of Malaysians. Its is pure sinister politics. In this confusion, the Opposition would connivingly manipulate the half truths into a material for another round of nationwide make-believe streets demonstration and rally.
The manipulations would be magnified and the lie is perpetuated further. This is so that more and more Malaysians are ‘disturbed’ to the limitless extension what Government Leaders are willing to do in protecting their acts of abuse of power and corruption. This include, murder.
This is typical plot concocted by popular media for best sellers of fictional work. Otherwise, it is a Neo Con Jewish controlled media fallacy to warrant the disposition of any government which does adhere to their agenda of the ‘new world order’.
After all, as the minority the Oppositions’ hope to wrest power from the majority is through violent streams of deception and staged political drama. They do not have a credible agenda for progress and propel this nation further. Hence, the manipulation and perpetuated lies to stir up emotion and capture the vivid wildest imagination of the younger Malaysians.
This is just another attempt to create the ‘Courtroom Karam‘ as an extension to the constatnt demonisation anything of and by the Federal Government and realising the Opposition strategy of ‘Politics of Hatred’.
It is evidently clear the Chinese Chauvinists within DAP are frightened that many younger Malaysians are made aware of their horrid past sins. The public screening of ‘Tanda Putera’ in eight days time would be an eye opener how seditious, anti-Constitution and anti-patriotism they were and very much still are.
MALAYSIA
DAP wants Tanda Putra producer to acknowledge it is a work of fiction
BY YISWAREE PALANSAMY AUGUST 22, 2013 LATEST UPDATE: AUGUST 23, 2013 01:34 AM
“Go ahead and screen the movie, but first acknowledge that it is a work of fiction.”
This was the reaction from DAP National Organising chief Tony Pua (pic) on the announcement that the controversial movie, Tanda Putera, will hit cinemas nationwide on August 29.
Pua said that although a scene, which shows a man urinating at the base of a flag pole at the residence of the Selangor Menteri Besar, has been denied by it’s director as depicting DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang, the film is still “very much inflammatory in nature”.
Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba, the movie’s director had last year, denied reports that the re-telling of the May 13, 1969, riots had depicted DAP’s then secretary-general Lim Kit Siang.
Lim, however, refuted Shuhaimi by claiming that a photo of him being “manhandled” with a caption saying he had urinated at said flagpole “was posted in the album in the ‘Tanda Putera’ Facebook page entitled ‘Peristiwa-peristiwa yang dimuatkan di dalam filem ini’ (events depicted in this movie)”.
Lim also lashed out at Shuhaimi, over her explanation that the creators of the film had received many photographs from netizens which were shared over the Facebook page, including the offending picture, criticising Shuhaimi’s take as “neither credible nor acceptable”.
The director said that the photos were removed after complaints were received about it.
Lim claimed that the “defamatory and baseless allegation was made by Tanda Putera’s official Facebook page itself, and not a ‘shared information’ from netizens”, also adding that this gave a “clear impression” that the photo was taken from the movie.
Shuhaimi yesterday told The Malaysian Insider to give the movie “a chance as it is a portrayal of the country’s history based on true facts”.
She expressed her disappointment at the Film Censorship Board for the way the movie was edited.
Pua, however, said that the movie would still arouse anger among the public as Tanda Putera is supposedly based on history.
“Now that is the problem here, obviously, viewers will watch it thinking that the events shown in the movie are entirely true. And this is wrong,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider today.
“It is alright if it is a work of fiction but when it is said to be made based on true events, we are faced with a bigger issue,” he said.
He said The New Village, another controversial movie which is a love story, had triggered so much uneasiness prompting the Home Ministry to suspend its premiere, which was originally slated for today.
The locally produced Chinese movie was said to glorify communism.
Home Minister Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision was made following a furore created by social media bloggers and non-governmental organisations over the movie’s content.
He said that the ministry had to call for the suspension of the movie’s premiere date pending “another thorough look into the movie’s plot”.
“The issue concerned is the same here…one which revolves around community sensitivities but there seems to be a void of good sense in the government to view this fairly,” Pua said. – August 22, 2013.
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This call by DAP chief strategist Tony Pua is just a typical Opposition ‘wayang politik‘, so that they could go around in a campaign that ‘Tanda Putera’ is just a work of fiction and not the truth.
DAP and Gerakan party members and workers provoked the Malays with the giant broom with insulting slogans such as “Melayu balik kampung, Tanam jagung” and “Sapu Melayu”
The film depicted how DAP party workers killed an UMNO party worker in Penang and later a Policeman, in their effort to sow hatred and fan racism. DAP also misused the Gerakan party procession permit, after the 10 May 1969 3GE. This not withstanding the intolerable rudeness of Chinese Chauvinists, DAP and “Radicals and subversive elements” who were provoking and fanning anti-Malay hatred.
Neo Min Yuen and Former DAP National Publicity Secretary Dr Kua Kia Soong
They also wanted to attest to the progressively compounded lies that these Chinese Chauvinists and Neo Min Yuens concocted about the 13 May 1969 bloody racial riot by personalities like Dr Kua Kia Soong.
The book is designed to make the Chinese as the ‘victim’ where as the actual fact, they were the ‘aggressors’ and raison d’être for 13 May 1969 racial riots. Infact, it has also been viewed as the Chinese mounting a coup d’etat.
NOC report on the 13 May Tragedy dated 9 October 1969
Another fallacy is that “13 May 1969 racial riots are planned by Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein and his friends such as Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman and Dato’ Harun Idris (then MB of Selangor) to cause disability, so that the Malays could rise and topple Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra”. This is proven otherwise from the film, which is based on the NOC report and accounts of living persons such as Former IGP Tun Mohd. Hanif Omar.
The film, which should be shown to all secondary and tertiary students and youth, also depicted the communist terrorists attempt to weaken the government by assassination top internal security officers. IGP Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ismail was assassinated on 7 June 1974 and Perak CPO Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong on 13 Nov 1975.
Chinese Chauvinist DAP leaders such as Secretary General Lim Guan Eng accusing “Tanda Putera’ is ‘Racist” is totally undemocratic and actually perpetuating a lie. He has not even watch it. ‘Tanda Putera’ was never banned for public screening. The fact is that the film obtained LPF PG 13 certification for ‘fit for public screening’ in June 2012. Cabinet decided that the film should be shown in cinema circuits only after the much anticipated 13GE.
“Its a film about nationalism”.
As such, upon being appointed as the Minister of Communication and Multimedia Dato’ Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek instructed that ‘Tanda Putera’ should be screened in the cinemas the moment the opportunity arises. August was the only available slot in the ‘Wajib Tayang’ scheme between FINAS and the cinema operators.
The DAP is also very distressed that the majority of younger Malaysians eventually understand what was the basis for then acting Prime Minister Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein and Home Minister Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman managed to convince the Chinese to come together and support the government right after the racial riot of 13 May 1969 subsided.
MCA and Gerakan, representing the Chinese co-operated with the Malay majority and other ethnic groups in a national consultative mode and the New Economic Policy (NEP) was born in August 1971. Other oppositions such as PAS and DAP were also actively involved in the national consultative council. Two years later, Tun Razak formed Barisan Nasional as an extension to the political co-operation between all the races and next step after the Alliance Party.
Only DAP vehemently refused to participate in any of these processes and consultations and adamantly against the ‘national reconciliation’ affirmative action plan.
The resolve of Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr. Ismail Abdul Rahman to put this nation back on track and do the catch up game, despite both are terminally ill with chronic disease is something really worth to watch and reflect. There are definitely strong messages that are transpired within the 125 mins of the film.
Shuhaimi Baba managed to remind the audience of ‘Tanda Putera’ that being Malaysians is about willing to tolerate, accommodate, work and help each other, togetherness and come as a nation, even when the nation is under distress. It is about achieving the social justice and equality, without compromising the rule of law, ‘Social Contract’ and fundamentals that formed the basis when this nation was born.
The way for this nation to move forward is to isolate those who have been consistent and systematic trying to ascend into power over distability and chaos. The Chinese Chauvinists in the DAP are simply nonchalant about being Malaysians in the true sense.
Former Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy should resign from his Cabinet position if he wants to act like a representative of a non-governmental organisation, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his former aide-de-camp DSP Musa Safri will be subpoenaed to testify in the civil suit filed by Altantuya Shaariibuu’s father, Setev.
Despite the Court of Appeal ruling that the failure of the prosecution to call Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri to the stand had weakened its case, the Attorney-General’s stand is still that Musa was of no relevance to it.
“Go ahead and screen the movie, but first acknowledge that it is a work of fiction.”
The "thirteen million plus Ringgit" guy rambles.... 
A fair chance
The Neo Min Yuens failed. In all the negativities, prejudice, manipulation and even perpetuated lies against highly acclaimed film maker Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba’s latest project ‘Tanda Putera’ and the attempt to fail her work about the lives of Tun Hj Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman between 4 May 1969 to 16 Jan 1976, someone actually gave it a chance.
Jason Kay went to watch the film and it is personal view that ‘Tanda Putera’ is about the promoting and preserving the spirit of patriotism and nationalism amongst Malaysians. So did Dennis Chua. Chua’s analysis is factually precise.
On the other hand, Minister of Culture and Tourism Dato’ Seri Mohd. Nazri Tan Sri Aziz affirmed ‘Tanda Putera’ as illustrating a piece of Malaysian history where there were amongst the minority Chinese who were “Radicals and subversive elements” and their provocations and insults caused the 13 May 1969 racial clashes tragedy.
The two Statesmen did the miraculous job in so little time, to restore order and put this nation back on track. This is not withstanding all the challenges and mitigating circumstances that they inherited as the leaders post 10 May 1969 3GE. This include internal security and regional geo-politics issues.
Tun Razak’s inclusive policies and decisive leadership changed the landscape of the nation. A divided nation was mended and all the distrusts and suspicions between the ethnic groups were reduced and greatly minimized.
Tun Razak’s inclusive policies and decisive leadership changed the landscape of the nation. A divided nation was mended and all the distrusts and suspicions between the ethnic groups were reduced and greatly minimi
The internal security threat which include the Neo Min Yuens and communist rebels ‘Second Emergency’ was addressed.
All of these variables have been concocted into the a successful and workable recipe for Malaysia to gain internal peace, political and social stability, spirit of togetherness, understanding and harmony and eventually to gel all the resources and make it work. Socio-economic standing and the rakyat’s education and skill-sets were raised in a miraculous speed.
That laid the basis for the nation to be propelled forward into the regional economic powerhouse it is today.
This is despite the fact that the Chinese chauvinists, radicals, extremists, Neo Min Yuens and those who subscribed the ‘Politics of Hatred’ strategy, in sundry did not heighten their efforts to come into power in the most undemocratic manner.
It is unwise to manipulate history, as if the DAP, Gerakan and “Radicals and subversive elements” did not cause the nation’s darkest history. Unless so many people who lived through actually lied and manufactured events and stories and/or manipulated half truths about what happened during and after the 13 May 1969 racial clashes tragedy.
Tun Razak and Tun Dr. Ismail provided the firm and yet astute leadership that rebuilt this nation from the carnage of the dark storm planned and created by the “Radicals and subversive elements”. ‘Tanda Putera’ is about telling the tale of the dark storm and the sliver lining after the dark cloud.
*Updated 1 September 0001hrs
- Commentary
on August 31, 2013 at 22:00 Comments (5)