Lessons from Paracels XX: Najib’s Extended and Multi-tiered Diplomacy

China’s imaginary and unsubstantiated Nine-Dash-Line

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak’s extended and multi-tiered and multi-pronged diplomacy is his administration’s strength to manage the multiple geo-political issues arisen from the multi nations’ claim over the Nine-Dash-Line in South China Sea.

Eurasia Review story:

1, ANALYSIS, BUSINESS, CHINA, MALAYSIA

MORE NUANCED THAN JUST ‘HEDGING’: MALAYSIA AND SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTES – ANALYSIS

JANUARY 16, 2015 RSIS LEAVE A COMMENT
By RSIS

As ASEAN Chairman this year Malaysia has to tackle the South China Seas disputes. Malaysia’s supposed “hedging” stance should be viewed more comprehensively.

By Oh Ei Sun*

2015 sees Malaysia stepping up to the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, just as the ten member states are poised to embrace the much anticipated ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Amidst the continued global economic slowdown, it is perhaps understandable that much attention has been focused on AEC as yet another impetus to spur regional economic growth, and by extension on Malaysia’s hopefully adroit skill in ASEAN’s driver’s seat.

Nevertheless, the disputes over the territorial and maritime sovereignty of a large part of the South China Sea, although apparently quietened down late last year, continued to be a latent challenge for all regional parties concerned. How skillfully Malaysia, both as a claimant party as well as ASEAN chair, handles the South China Sea disputes in relation to its three ASEAN co-claimants as well as China is crucial to regional peace and security.

Priority for economic cooperation

Recently, some researchers characterised Malaysia’s management of its South China Sea dispute with China as a “hedging” one, balancing its national interest of maintaining close economic relations with Beijing with the “regional” interest of ASEAN solidarity vis-a-vis China. While this “hedging” label on Malaysia may be partially accurate, it begs a more comprehensive and nuanced view of Malaysia’s international role as well as a more realistic regional outlook.

Firstly, for hundreds of years, Malaysia (and its preceding constituent states) has been a vibrant regional trading hub. This is especially so when the country undertook rapid industrialisation in the last half century, albeit with the vital assistance of foreign investments. The prevalent Malaysian national psyche, including and especially that of the ruling elite, thus exhibits a strong natural predilection toward economic concerns such as improved trade and investment, as opposed to overly ideological and nationalistic concerns.

Malaysia’s trade volume with China is indeed tremendous, surpassing US$100 billion annually over the last few years, making China its largest overall trading partner, and Malaysia China’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia. These fruitful and escalating bilateral economic ties thus understandably overshadow the intermittent South China Sea disputes, which do not show any immediate or even medium-term resolution.

Malaysia’s non-adoption of the more confrontational approaches of Vietnam and the Philippines in the South China Sea disputes is therefore not surprising. Vietnam unfortunately experienced protracted and traumatic armed conflicts in its road towards nation-building, and its arguably more nationalistic attitude can thus be somewhat understood. The Philippines for obvious domestic reasons was not endowed with the massive economic development (and the resulting preference for trade) seen in the case of Malaysia.

Regional solidarity

But even if the term “hedging” were to describe Malaysia’s handling of the South China Sea disputes, it should at least be construed in a wider context. It is widely known that in addition to maintaining fertile trading relations with China, Malaysia, not unlike its many Southeast Asian neighbours, also welcomes the United States to continue playing a constructive role in regional security matters. Joint exercises (including maritime ones in or near the disputed waters), port calls and anti-terror efforts, to name but a few, continue to be cornerstones of US-Malaysia security cooperation.

Malaysia’s US-friendly stance, at least in security-related aspects, thus does not differ substantially from that exhibited by either Vietnam or the Philippines. It is perhaps also interesting to note that Malaysia and China will reportedly hold their first-ever joint military field exercise later this year.

Indeed, Malaysia certainly did not abandon regional solidarity with its neighbours when it comes to the South China Sea disputes. Malaysia remains committed and is proactively pushing for eventual region-wide solutions to the disputes. Malaysia is also equally comfortable with China’s preference for bilateral dealings over the South China Sea issue.

But whether bilaterally or multilaterally, Malaysia is flexible in terms of the ways and means – direct negotiation, mediation, joint development, arbitration, adjudication or otherwise – for resolving the disputes. Most of these have been successfully employed to conclusively settle its territorial disputes with neighbours such as Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

Malaysia, in this respect, looks favourably toward the region-wide (including both China and Southeast Asian claimant states) adoption of the Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea. Although the COC supposedly does not touch on sovereignty issues, it should provide a pragmatic framework for potentially managing, if not resolving, the South China Sea disputes. As ASEAN chairman Malaysia is likely to accord high priority to the adoption of the COC.

Confrontational benefits elusive

More fundamentally, it could also be argued that the more aggressive approaches preferred by the Philippines and Vietnam in dealing with China on the South China Sea disputes did not quite produce the results that they would have desired. For example, in the aftermath of the Philippines’ 2012 run-in with China over the Scarborough Shoal (which China calls Huangyan Island), Beijing assumes de facto control over access to the territory.

Similarly, despite Vietnam’s repeated skirmishes with China over the Paracel Islands/Xisha, these remain firmly under Chinese administration. As such, other Southeast Asian claimants, Malaysia included, could not elicit positive lessons from such confrontational styles.

Even the Philippines and Vietnam did not always confront China resolutely over the South China Sea disputes. In the midst of the Scarborough Shoal standoff, the Philippines inaugurated a China-funded dam project. Vietnam, which shares similar ideological outlook with China, often sees its South China Sea conflicts with China tone down after high-level party-to-party visits between the two countries.

For all these reasons, and with the benefit of a more comprehensive grasp of regional and international power-play realities, Malaysia may be said to more than just “hedge” its way out of the South China Sea disputes. It hews to a more comprehensive approach towards the eventual peaceful resolution of these disputes.

*Oh Ei Sun is a Senior Fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. A version of this commentary also appeared in Global Times.

 

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Oh’s brief analysis basically sums up Prime Minister Najib’s diplomacy and friendship with world leaders which include President Xi Jinping of China, President Barack H. Obama of United States of America, President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President David Cameron of United Kingdom.

This is not withstanding the extremely close relationship with Brunei Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah, the Philippines President Benigno “Nonoy” Acquino III and Singapore Prime Minister Brig. Gen. (NS) Lee Hsien Loong.

The continuous and pro-active work spearheaded by Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Anifah Aman fortified the foreign policy and extended multi-tiered and multi-pronged diplomacy further, which include the non-permanent membership of UN Security Council, Chairmanship of ASEAN and in the Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.

The ‘consultive approach’ really bore fruit even in the trickiest spot.

However, some statements made through media by Cabinet colleagues such as Defense Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin Hussein is taking all these good work a few steps the other direction.

NST story:

Eastern Sabah hotspot for militant activities: Hishammuddin

BY TASNIM LOKMAN – 23 JANUARY 2015 @ 5:38 PM

LABUAN: Eastern Sabah continues to be a hotspot for militants to spread their skewed ideologies, in line with the Islamic State (IS) belief, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

Speaking to reporters at the Labuan Air Force Base site visit, Hishammuddin said based on intelligence, terror activities were very much active here with existence of Darul Islam elements.

He said it was important that countries in the regions, specifically Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines were on the same page in handling the terror threat, adding that the government will take preventative measures to avoid the situation from getting worse.

“What we are doing here (making Labuan Air Force Base as the front line and working with the Asean community in addressing militancy activities) now is to have preventative measures.

“Terror activities, especially IS, is still under control but if we don’t take immediate action, it can be very serious and worsened,” he said, adding that Syria and Iraq failed to address it earlier, having to bear the cost now.

On making Labuan as the front line and headquarters for the Air Force, Hishammuddin said the decision saw the state as a strategic defence location.

He said the stability and security of the region needs to be holistic, where they will use a more creative approach.

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It is not sure the rational for the Minister in-charge of External Security to share all these information with the general public and how it would benefit them or the nation. Especially when these matters provide little comfort or worse still, reduced confidence for the general Malaysian public and a few notches lower for the international perception towards Malaysia.

However, the media crave politician would capitalise every moment to be relevant in the Malaysian media and hopefully, in the international media even at the expense of the political implication or perception towards the country.

“Bi-lingual, over educated, self centred, professional ball carriers!”

Its 12-4 precedent

The Federal Court unanimously and exhaustively decided landmark decision against for the Catholic Church Herald disobedience to the Home Ministry’s instruction for barring to use the word “Allah” in the weekly publication, for being reviewed.

The pro-Anwaristan news portal story:

End of the road for Catholic Church as court dismisses ‘Allah’ review

BY V. ANBALAGAN AND JENNIFER GOMEZ

Published: 21 January 2015 3:18 PM

Father Lawrence Andrew walks near a window during lunch hour at the Federal Court in Putrajaya today. The Catholic Church lost the appeal to review the ban to use the word Allah in its newsweekly Herald. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufarai, January 21, 2015.
Father Lawrence Andrew walks near a window during lunch hour at the Federal Court in Putrajaya today. The Catholic Church lost the appeal to review the ban to use the word Allah in its newsweekly Herald. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufarai, January 21, 2015.
The Catholic Church’s long battle to use the word Allah in newsweekly Herald came to an end today after the dismissal of its review application.

A five-man bench led by Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong unanimously held that here had been no procedural unfairness in the Federal Court’s earlier decision not to grant leave.

He added that the threshold for the review had not been met. The court did not give any order on costs.

A seven-member panel of federal court judges on June 23, 2014, dismissed the church’s application for leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision to the Herald from using the Arabic word for “God” in its Bahasa content.
Chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria was among the four on the panel who dismissed the church’s application, in a 4-3 “skin of our teeth” judgment, as the church’s lawyers have called it, that saw three other judges dissenting.

The other judges in the majority decision were Tan Sri Raus Shariff, Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin and Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar.

The dissenting judges were Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, Tan Sri Jeffrey Tan Kok Hwa and Datuk Zainun Ali.

Besides Hamid, other judges sitting today were Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop, Tan Sri Hasan Lah, Datuk Ramly Ali and Datuk Azahar Mohamed.

In 2009, the High Court had declared that the decision by the home minister to ban the Herald from using the word “Allah” was illegal, null and void.

The church, led by the then Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, had filed a judicial review application, naming the minister and the government as respondents.

High Court judge Lau Bee Lan had declared it unconstitutional to ban non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” provided it was not used to propagate their religion among Muslims.

On October 14, 2013, the then Court of Appeal judge, Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali, who allowed the government’s appeal against the High Court decision, had said that the reason for the prohibition was to prevent any confusion among the various religions.

He had also said that national security and public order could be threatened if the publisher of the Herald was allowed to use the word “Allah”.

Apandi held that the government had not violated the church’s constitutional rights.

“It is our common finding that the name ‘Allah’ was not an integral part of the Christian faith and practice,” he had said.

He had also said that the minister had sufficient material before him to ban the Herald from using the word.

“Thus, there is no plausible reason for the High Court to interfere with the minister’s decision,” Apandi had said.

The word “Allah” is widely used by the Christians in Sabah and Sarawak and the church has argued that the ban of its use in the Herald is a violation of freedom of religion and expression. – January 21, 2015.

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This precedent for the barring to use the word “Allah” in Malay publication meant for the catholic church is a precedent of gargantuan proportions.

The Apex Court exhaustively provided avenue for the Catholic Church Herald to pursuit the matter further.

What is interesting to note, that this was to add to the 4-3 Apex Court judges decision 23 June 2014. Taking into consideration right when it was presented to the Kuala Lumpur High Court as a challenge to the 2009 Home Ministry intention to revoke Herald’s publication license for disallowing the use of “Allah”, deemed meant intentionally for the Malay readership.

In aggregate, twelve judges are for the Home Ministry’s decision to bar the Catholic Church Herald instead of four against. The ‘For’ are the five Apex Court judges who unanimously voted today, four in the Federal Court last June and the uninamous three in the Court of Appeal on 14 October 2013.

High Court Judge Lau Bee Lan allowed for the Catholic Church Herald to defy Home Ministry’s ban against the use of the word “Allah” on the last day of 2009.

Malaysians should put this matter to rest and not raise, provoke and challenge the system which provided in the Federal Constitution as a prohibition for any intention or attempts to profess Christianity to Muslims, in any direct or indirect form.

The provocation include the statement made by HE Vatican Ambassador to Malaysia Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Joseph Marino a year and a half ago, through a story published by a pro-Anwarista news portal. That added to the tension to the much watch case, still being heard by the Malaysian Courts.

Blogger gone ‘Goblok’?

Datuk Rocky’s post about Zam leaving SOPO blogging

Ex-Chief Editor of a major daily and Information Minister-turned-SOPO blogger  Tan Sri Zainuddin “Zam” Maidin calls it quits after his breakfast with another Ex-Minister and an appointment with an Ex-Prime Minister were highlighted in a not so politically-correct way.

It is ashamed for Tan Sri Zam to be very slighted, when the push comes to shove. After all, he was not a newbie to the political game.

Something from the archive:

Eight years ago, Zam called SOPO bloggers as “Goblok”

One time during the dark ages of PM ‘Flip-Flop’ Abdullah Ahmad Badawi tenure, Zam called bloggers as “Goblok”. That was not really nice since back then those he was referring as “Goblok” were once his peers in journalism including Dato’ A. Kadir Jasin (his fellow breakfast-mate seen in this photo).

Also, he was the member of Cabinet in-charge of journos.

Zam has now complained about him being talked about town as part of Tun Daim’s posse, which itself has a negative connotation to some people. That was not the best of luck since by his own admission, that was his first breakfast engagement with the one-time ‘Maestro of (Capital) Market’.

The fact is that Zam would probably need to check when did many people started talking about this “Breakfast” and viralised the story (including the photo). Perhaps, there was a specific point when the photo was consciously made public via a certain Facebook and Instagram account.

Zam should realise the personalities he would enjoy the company with. Harmless meals could go-blogs.

The 45 years old lie and still strong

The Emperorissimo of Middle Malaysia Lim Kit Siang has proven to be a consistent and habitual liar, especially on the Chinese Chauvinist DAP progressive contribution and involvement in nation building.

The pro-Answarista news portal story:

DAP supported Razak’s NEP, until it became ‘Umno-putra’ agenda, says Kit Siang

BY EILEEN NG

Published: 16 January 2015 9:00 AM
DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang says second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak was committed to democracy and the politics of inclusion. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Mukhriz Hazim, January 16, 2015.
Opposition party, the DAP, has always supported the New Economic Policy (NEP) for its objectives on poverty eradication and to restructure society, its veteran leader Lim Kit Siang said.
The pro-Bumiputera policy, however, only became a problem over the years due to the way it was implemented, until it became an “Umno-putra agenda” rather than one to benefit the non-elite Malays, Lim said of the policy created by Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.

“As a result, it benefits the Umno cronies and warlords resulting in a disparity of haves and have-nots. This has been confirmed by recent studies,” Lim said in an interview for The Malaysian Insider’s series to commemorate Razak’s 39th death anniversary on January 14, 1976.

The NEP was designed to lift Malays and Bumiputeras out of poverty and close the wealth gap with other races, as well as to dismantle the association of race with economic function.
It came about after the trauma of the May 13, 1969, race riots. Razak, the policy’s architect, became prime minister after the riots.

Lim noted that unlike then, there is now less wealth disparity between the races, but more disparity among people of the same race.

“So the whole NEP, which I have said all along, should be based on needs rather than race or quota. It should be replaced by a needs-based approach,” said the long-time MP.

Lim was first elected to parliament by winning the Kota Melaka seat in 1969. Soon after the riots, however, he was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for 17 months.

He was released a month after Razak became prime minister.

Lim, currently the Gelang Patah MP, was detained once again under the ISA in 1987 as part of the government’s Ops Lalang crackdown.

Here, he talks about Razak from the view of the opposition, noting the late leader’s commitment to democracy, to the politics of inclusion and to a secular state – the same ideals the DAP espouses.

TMI: What kind of person was Tun Razak to you?

Lim: He was very hardworking, a patrician. He was very serious about his responsibilities. He was not as open and jolly as the Tunku (Malaysia’s first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman) but he was very serious and committed to his responsibilities.

TMI: Can you share some of the memorable things he said, or personal experiences you had with him?

Lim: The only thing that I can remember was (an episode) at the end of the Parliament sitting at the end of November or beginning December of 1975. Those days, the prime minister would have a party for all MPs. It was an almost annual affair at Seri Perdana (the PM’s official residence), which was located near Parliament in those days.

He had a private office there and he was taking calls. Later, he told me (about a call concerning) his son Najib’s (the current prime minister) graduation and how happy he was.

That was my last meeting with him, and later I heard he passed away in London. No one knew about his critical condition.

TMI: What can you recall of him from the time he replaced Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister following the May 13, 1969, riots?

Lim: I was in jail at that time (under the ISA). He became the prime minister in September 1970.

I was released on October 1 as part of the process of normalisation and restoration of parliamentary democracy.

TMI: Tun Razak set up the Barisan Nasional (BN) to replace the Alliance. Do you think this formula of one-race parties sharing power in an alliance is still relevant today, or should Malaysia move towards multiracial political parties?

Lim: Definitely. Now you have even greater examples of Umno hegemony and very clearly the voices and views of other BN component parties, although increased to 14, have become even more insignificant, whether you are looking at Peninsular politics or even in Sabah.

There is hardly any room for the views of other component parties to be heard seriously.

The last two general election results show greater acceptance of multiracial politics, of politics that is not race-centred.

One of the reasons for (people’s) rejection of the BN model is because it is basically an Umno hegemony, where one party rules the roost and the others are just there for decorative purposes and to comply, (with) no voice of their own.

Whereas in Pakatan Rakyat, there is a genuine relationship of equals.

Now, coming to the sixth decade of nation building, more Malaysians are becoming more Malaysian-centred and oriented rather than solely concerned about race and religion.

That is why I think there’s this concern about a fallback to this emphasis on race and religion in the last few years and hence, the call for moderation and to be against extremism resonates in the country.

TMI: How do you evaluate Tun Razak’s economic and social integration policies, particularly through the NEP, in the light of the last few decades – has the policy succeeded? What went wrong? What needs to change?

Lim: As far as the NEP is concerned, DAP supports the two prongs of the policy whose overall objective is to bring about national unity. And the two objectives are to eliminate poverty regardless of race and to restructure society so that there is no identification of race with economic function.

These two objectives are noble and we fully support it.

The only problem is over the years, the elimination of poverty has been supplanted by the second objective which is to restructure society, and this has been seen as a Malay agenda rather than a Malaysian agenda, and secondly, even worse, it has been seen as an Umno-putra agenda rather than the Bumiputera agenda.

As a result, it benefits the Umno cronies and warlords resulting in a disparity of haves and have-nots.

This has been confirmed by recent studies; that although you might have a lesser interracial disparity, intra-race disparity has been widened and I think it is a matter of grave concern.

So the whole NEP, which I have said all along, should be based on needs rather than race or quota. It should be replaced by a needs-based approach.

Instead of fostering national unity, the NEP has created greater division, disunity and polarisation. A needs-based approach would be able to deal with problems of racial polarisation.

The time has come for a really serious study of the NEP as recommended by economist (Tan Sri) Kamal Salih.

TMI: What is Tun Razak’s legacy to Malaysia today?

Lim: His commitment to democracy, a commitment to a greater politics of inclusion and the basis of the Federal Constitution as a secular state.

I think these are policies that put Malaysia on the middle path.

He was committed to democracy and the restoration of democracy after the May 13 tragedy.

Setting up BN to replace the Alliance was an acknowledgement of a need for a greater politics of inclusion rather than of exclusion, but it had to be followed through with a full acceptance of multiracialism and not be just a front.

Tun Razak was one of the first three prime ministers (during a) most significant period, 1957 to 1982, where the basis of Malaysia as a multiracial, democratic, secular state (with) Islam as the federal religion, was not in question.

TMI: What do you think of Razak’s son Najib as prime minister? Do you think he lives up to his father’s legacy?

Lim: One big difference between Razak and Najib would be that Razak was very hands on. Najib is very hands off.

Razak is famous for his development policy known as the Red Book and he will personally go and check on programmes and projects. He was very hands on whereas you don’t see Najib doing that, he’s hands off, (going) all over the world. – January 16, 2015.

– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dap-supported-razaks-nep-until-it-became-umno-putra-agenda-says-kit-siang#sthash.zLmn9vWq.dpuf

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The pro-communist DAP and Partai Sosialis, who were the primary “subversive elements” in instigating the racial riots which erupted on 13 May 1969, remained to be anti-nation building.

Pro-Communist DAP and Partai Sosialis refused to be part of Tun Razak’s National Consultative Council Jan 1970

The fact is that the Chinese Chauvinist DAP opted out the national consultative council formed in Jan 1970 by then Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein as a solution to the aftermath of the 13 May 1969 racial riots. The economic disparity between races and geography contributed to the ill feeling which was coupled with incitement and instigation, erupted into clashes in Klang Valley.

It is clear, as presented in the book “The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 2, Part 2, From World War II” published by Cambridge University.

It is clear Lim lied about supporting NEP. He and Chinese Chauvinist DAP have been anti-NEP right before it was formed (the refusal for National Consultative Council).

Discipline is a virtue of a Muslim warrior

Major Zaidi Ahmad TUDM

Adhering to discipline and command as long as it does not directly contravene God’s prohibition on a conduct as a warrior, is an Islamic virtue.

Pro-Anwarista online news portal story:

Found guilty, indelible ink whistle-blower says ‘see you in Allah’s court’

BY MUZLIZA MUSTAFA

Published: 12 January 2015

Royal Malaysian Air Force officer Major Zaidi Ahmad was today found guilty of violating protocol in revealing problems with the indelible ink used in the May 2013 general elections. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 12, 2015.
Royal Malaysian Air Force officer Major Zaidi Ahmad was today found guilty of violating protocol in revealing problems with the indelible ink used in the May 2013 general elections. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, January 12, 2015.
Air Force Major Zaidi Ahmad was today found guilty by a military court of two charges of violating protocol in revealing problems with the indelible ink used in the May 2013 general election.

Asked by the court martial to appeal for a lighter sentence, the 45-year-old Royal Malaysian Air Force officer said he would meet his accusers and judges in the afterlife in “Allah’s court”.

After pronouncing Zaidi guilty, the panel allowed him to produce a witness to support his appeal for a lighter sentence and gave him time to address the military panel.

Zaidi charged the panel with having a political agenda, and said they were more concerned with “filling their stomachs” than using their heads.
This caused the court to interrupt his speech. As he continued speaking, he was stopped again and told to respect the court.

This prompted Zaidi to end his speech abruptly, telling the court that he had nothing more to say if he was not allowed the freedom to speak.

“I have nothing more to say. Jumpa nanti di mahkamah Allah (meet again in Allah’s court),” he said.

Earlier today, the panel court ruled that the prosecutors had managed to establish a prima facie case against Major Zaidi in two out of seven charges made against him.

The panel, led by presiding officer Col Saadon Hasnan, said eight witnesses had been called to the stand since the trial began in May 2013.

“The prosecutors have managed to create a prima facie case against the accused for the second and the third charges and therefore, we found him guilty for the two charges,” said Saadon.

He earlier announced that Major Zaidi will be representing himself in court as the defence counsel ‘could not attend the proceeding’.

“The defence counsel could not attend the court, but the court will still resume,” he said before proceeding to announce the verdict.

Zaidi was found guilty for breaching two standing orders – speaking to the media without the consent of the Defence Ministry, and sharing confidential information with the media without the consent of the Armed Forces Council under Section 50 of Armed Forces Act 1972

Saadon in delivering the decision said that the accused had been given the chance to defend himself, but chose to remain silent.

Prosecutor Rose Annuar Aripin asked the court to make Major Zaidi’s case as an exemplary case for the benefit of all, including those in the Armed Forces.

“He is also one of the top officers in charge of his squadron and therefore he should be punished heavily,” said Rose Annuar.

Rose Annuar added as someone with more than 20 years in the service, Zaidi should be aware of what he was doing and should have been more mature in his actions.

The court adjourned for three hours and will resume at 2pm today where the court will decide on the sentence. – January 12, 2015.

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In the case on election day in 3 May 2013, Major Zaidi Ahmad clearly breached the Armed Forces Act prohibiting him from talking and giving a statement to media without proper consent.

It is believed that Major Zaidi as an officer of His Majesty’s Air Force, wanted to make a political statement from the dock when the presiding court martial judge stopped him.

Manipulating the indiscriminate name of God in vain, to portray innocence for breaching a rule that he has sworn to conduct himself by, is definitely not it. Islam is very stern and consistent for a warrior to obey command.

“Moderation is the best solution versus Extremism”

In the wake of recent brutal shooting of journos of Paris-based left wing caricature weekly Charlie Hedbo, many quarters especially were quick to give a blanket blame that Muslims as being intolerant, anti-freedom of expression and resort to extremism.

The fact is that, some people especially in west took the democratic principle of freedom of expression to the extreme end, which include the right to criticise and insult Islam and personalities revered by Muslims aka Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Anifah Aman addressed the United Nations 67th General Assembly more than two years ago, having  to include the current issue at hand and the Muslims were wrongly portrayed for the stance and values, as his theme.

“Why is it when Muslims are stigmatised, it is defended as ‘Fredoom of Speech'”?

The fact this was raised more than two years ago is still very much relevant on present day.

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak’s tweet, condemning the attack on Charles Hedbo editorial office

Foreign Minister Anifah described those who intentionally provoke the 2 billion Muslims with materials and issues such as the one did by Chalrse Hebdo or other work of arts, as  “Extremist”.

“We should represent the people of this country”

Prime Minister Tom Dawkins’s remarkable speech in the House of Commons against the stance of his own colleagues and party, as British Parliamentarians is about to vote for a war against Iran.

It was purportedly for the excuse of Iran’s sinister hidden effort in the ‘assassination’ of the immediate previous Prime Minister in a freak air accident off the coast of Ireland.

It was the reflection of how British Prime Minister Tony Blair lied to the British public about Saddam Hussein’s “Weapons of mass destruction” back in 2003 and warranted the Parliament’s decree for a war to be waged against Iraq. It was in support of then US President George W Bush’s agenda, which had consequence of American oil companies direct interest in the world’s third rich deposit of hydro carbon.

Chris Mullin’s “A Very British Coup”

Of course this video clip is a work of fiction called “Secret State” starring accomplished character actor Gabriel Byrne as Tom Dawkins, based on Chris Mullin’s novel “A Very British Coup”.

What is interesting when Mullin wrote his book, it was in 1988. I was way before the Balkan conflict where the powerful dictator Marshall Josef Tito’s Yugoslavia was dismantled. In “Secret State”, Dawkins served as a Captain in Bosnia and committed a very controversial act, which later the press haunted him for.

Never the less it is a very powerful speech, which placed the paramount for the interest of the majority and various principles that the British values, culture and political beliefs stood for.

It could be a political suicide, for upholding the idealism of politics against the practicality in the complexity of being the government of the people. Needless to say, it is a ballsy speech indeed.

NGO NGO Melayu bangkit untuk semua

Tahun 2015 datang dengan sedikit kelegaaan bagi pengguna pengguna di Malaysia apabila harga runcit petrol RON 95 dan Diesel diturunkan sebanyak 35 sen dan 30 sen, sekaligus memberi kelegaan kepada semua.

Laporan Utusan Malaysia:

RON95 dan RON97 turun 35 sen, 
diesel turun 30 sen

MOHD. ASRON MUSTAPHA | 01 Januari 2015 2:57 AM
203 1 Google +0
KUALA LUMPUR 31 Dis. – Rakyat Malaysia menyambut Tahun Baharu 2015 dengan berita gembira apabila kerajaan mengumumkan harga petrol RON95 diturunkan sebanyak 35 sen menjadikan harga pasaran hanya RM1.91 seliter.

Hasan Malek
Pengumuman yang ditunggu-tunggu seluruh rakyat Malaysia itu disifatkan tepat pada masanya, bagi memberi keceriaan kepada orang ramai memandangkan tahun 2014 diakhiri dengan berita duka akibat bencana banjir.
Langkah itu juga membuktikan pendekatan kaedah apungan terkawal yang diambil kerajaan dalam menentukan harga minyak di peringkat runcit merupakan tindakan yang tepat walaupun pada awalnya dikritik keras pihak pembangkang.
Selain RON95, turut menyaksikan penurunan harga ialah RON97 iaitu juga sebanyak 35 sen, menjadikan harga runcit RM2.11 seliter manakala diesel pula diturunkan 30 sen menjadikan bahan bakar itu cuma RM1.93 seliter.
Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan, Datuk Seri Hasan Malek ketika mengumumkan berita baik itu berkata, harga baharu semua bahan bakar tersebut akan berkuat kuasa mulai 1 Januari 2015.
“Kerajaan akan mengikuti perkembangan kos produk serta kadar tukaran mata wang pada setiap masa untuk menetapkan harga runcit petrol dan diesel pada bulan-bulan berikutnya,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.
Pada 21 November lalu, kerajaan memutuskan untuk melaksanakan kaedah apungan terkawal dalam menetapkan harga runcit bagi petrol RON95 dan diesel berkuat kuasa 1 Disember memandangkan kos produk petroleum lebih rendah.
Dalam pada itu, Hasan memberi ingatan keras kepada semua syarikat dan pengusaha stesen minyak agar mematuhi penetapan harga baharu tersebut atau berdepan tindakan tegas sekiranya didapati melanggar peraturan berkenaan.
– See more at: http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/ron95-dan-ron97-turun-35-sen-8232-diesel-turun-30-sen-1.43256#sthash.tdoCzP6J.dpuf

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Kaedah mekanisma apungan terkawal bagi bahan api utama golongan pengguna runcit Malaysia jelas menunjukkan kesan setelah Kerajaan Persekutuan mengambil keputusan untuk menggunakan cara ini, sebagai penanda aras harga runcit minyak.

Ini merupakan sebahagian dari program penggurangan perbelanjaan Kerajaan Persekutuan keatas subsidi, yang mencecah RM21 billion setahun.

Maka dengan penurunan harga runcit RON95 dan Diesel sebanyak 15%, kesan keatas kos pengeluaran dan peruncitan barangan semestinya akan terjejas secara positif. Sebelum ini pengeluar, pemborong dan peruncit barangan merungut untuk gatal mahu menaikkan harga tawaran produk mereka sebagai alasan setiap kali harga runcit bahan bakar menjalani kenaikan.

Sekarang, sewajarnya ia berlaku sebaliknya. Penurunan kos bahanbakar wajar ditafsirkan secara langsung dengan harga barangan yang lebih murah untuk pengguna.

NGO NGO Melayu seperti Persatuan Pengguna Islam Malaysia, PERKASA, ISMA, MPM dan sebagainya wajar menggunakan peluang ini untuk membuktikan aktivis aktivis mereka sebagai kumpulan tekanan prihatin dengan perkembangan terkini dan bersedia untuk bertindak.

Tindakkan secara berstruktur, sistematik dan konsisten memantau kesan pengumuman penurunan harga runcit RON95 dan Diesel keatas barangan pengguna dan kemudiannya memerikan tekanan agar pihak pengeluar, pemborong dan peruncit mengambil peluang untuk keuntungan berlebihan akan membukti mereka benar wira negara sebagai masyarakat marhaen dan mewakili majoriti.

Kuasa kepenggunaan dalam tangan majoriti orang Melayu itu sebenarnya amat kuat dan mereka tidak perlu untuk malu-alah apabila ada dikalangan minoriti dari golongan majoriti ini dewasa ini cuba bangkit dan menafikan kedudukan dan sentimen sebenar diakar umbi.

Kuasa kepenggunaan merupakan peluang paling baik untuk membuktikan kuasa sebenar pada ‘silent majority’. NGO NGO Melayu kini ada peluang terbaik untuk membuktikannya.