TUNKU- A TRUE MALAYSIAN May what he stood for always live on * UMNO Baru * America Seeks Elections: Hegemony (with SUCCESSION Dr. M's backing!) RACE WIDE OPEN Demise of Malaysia's Most Illustrious Son... 2; Tun.ku: a nostalgic account by former LP Tun Suffian ... 6; Mother Theresa: The Gift of Love Home ... 7; An Angry Voter... 9; Opposition Has to Prove Itself First... tO; Letters... l3; Free But Not Fair: Election Watch Report Summary... 20; Gulf Crisis: America Seeks Hegemony ...28; Full Text of Dr M's Statement on the UN Security Council Resolution... JO; Aliran's Response ... Jl; Semakin Berbohong, Semakin Menang... 33; Current Concer~ ... 35; UMNO Baru General Assembly: Palace Politics and More Communalism ... 40; UMNO Baru Elections: Succession Race Wide Open... 44 DEMISE OF MALAYSIA'S MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SON
he nation has lost its most illustrious son. T History will record that the Tunku was one of the greatest Malaysians ever born. His greatness lay in his humanity. The Tun.ku was a warm, compassionate human being imbued with a deep sense of fairness. Future generations of Malaysians will long remember the Tonku's three greatest achievements. ONE, he achieved independence for Malaya, and later Malaysia, without bloodshed. TWO, he forged a work.abJe inter~tbnic relationship among diverse communities in one of the most complex mul~i~thnic societies in the world. It was tbe Tunku who helped evolve a political cuJture of tolerance. accommodation and mutual respect in multi~thnic Malaysia. THREE, he laid a finn bas~ for the practice of parliamentary democracy by nurturing the growth of vital democratic institutions in the early years of nationhood. Of course, the Tunku had many other accomplishments to his name. The Tunku played a big role in the creation of the ... the memory of Association of Southeast Asia 1ASA) and later the Association of Southeast Asian Nations the founding father (ASEAN). He was also the firSt Secretary of the Malay•lan General of the Organization of Islamic Countries Nation will be (OIC) and a leading statesman in the Common engraved not In wealth for many years. More than his achievements, the Tunku was marble bat In one of the very few statesmen in modern the heart• of political history who retained the love and men and women affection of such a large segment of society long after he had retired from public office. There was a deep and enduring bond between the Tunku and the Malaysian people. This is why the memory of the founding father of the Malaysian nation will be engraved not in marble but in the hearts of men and women
2 he Tunku is an institution why the Tunku is perceived in '' ...the Tunku has neither Rare are the mdividuals this way. Only an extraordinary public office nor formal who become institutions in leader could have brought together authority ...yet he commands T their own lifetimes. the Malays and other communities so much tove ... ff It is not d1fficult to understand in the 50s in a common quest
3 for a common goal - Merdeka. threatened tn thc1r own land. relations. pobtics and lhe rconom} To '!nderstand the magmtude of The Tunku, however. was wtse took place w1thin the F1ame~ ork this tahl<. llne has to be a\\' are ol enough to understand that 1f of a Parliamentary Dcmoclacy. the fears and apprehensions, the protectton for the mdigcnous com In the first 12 years oi Merdeka, doubts and suspicions that extsted muruties jeopardtsed the legitunatc there was undoubtedly a function between and among the various interests of the natton's new ing Parliament which played a commurutles. For the Malays c:ituens there could be a great central role in the nauon·bUJiding grantmg cttl7enshtp on such liberal deal of soctal dislocation. process. The politital Opposiuon terms to recently-donuctled Chmese Thts, 111 a way. was the essence was more effecttve than it is today, and Indians, was a traumatic or the Tunku's wiSdom manifested just as the labour movement was expenencc. It had relegated them in Ius 13-ye:ar stewardship of the more autonomous than 11 IS toda) from a nation to a community country. He had a knack for There was t:ertatnl} less execut1ve among communities. Among the accommodattng diverse. and some donUJlancc then compared to what pon-Malays. on the other hand, limes divergent, interests. His deep we have now. The Tunku. needless there vwas a penasrve fear that sense of tolerance was parlly to say, wa!> instrumental m giving their economtc. polllical and responsible for thts H1s stncere Parliamentary Dcmocrac} :.ome cultural mterests and asptrallons love for peace and umty among ml!aning in the lust I 0 year:. of would be at the total mercy of a all people was yet another moll· Merdeka. For the Tunku ha:. Mal:ly pohticnl cltte. As a result vaung factor always behevcd that the democrauc of these fears and anxteties there These outstandtng human quali system, in spite of all lis weak was quite a bit of communal ties served the Tunku well as be ne:.ses, remams the one system hystcna in those days. It took approached some of the other that is most capable of protecting the warm, assuring hand of the l'ormtdable challenges confronting and enhancmg human dtgnny. Tunku to assuage the doubts and one of the most comple.ll. new states This explams why even in retire apprehensions on both sides. to 10 post-colon1al Asta and Afnca. ment, the Tunku has often come calm down Malays and non-Malays Withtn SIX years of Merdeka in to the defence of ctvil rights and so that the} would compromise 1Q63, the 1-ederatmn itself ex politkal libertieS whenever lhey and accommodate each other's panded to embrace new commu arc threatened by some law 01 pOStltOn nitieS and new terrllon.:::.. In spite other It is to Tunku's credit that of all the difficulties enwuntered. Advocate of democracy, ch:~m the tcntaltve ttes whtch he esta· the Tullku managed to stnke a p1on of Inter-ethnic harmony. bbshed among the commumtie) balance ut sorts between the devotee of moderauon and before Merdeka have developed mterests or the Centre and those accommodauon tn nat1on-buildmg. 1nto workable inter-ethlllc lmk.s of the new States in the Federation. and ot course crusader for Indepen tn politics. Jt was the Tunku's Ukewisc. 11 has never been art dence and founder of the Malays1an careful nurturtng and nurs1ng ol easy task creating comtitut1onal nauon. the Tunku would have ethntc relations tn the llrst decade rnonarch1es out ol feudal monar· earned his nghtful place in modern of Independence through the chies especially if the ne~ Situation As1an hiStory on the basts of these Alhance Coalttion whiLh, tn a demands the recognition of the at:comphshments alone. But the ~en~. helped to check ethnk soveretgnt}' of the people. The Tunku has done much more animos1t1es to some ex tent. As he Tunku's own poliLJcal acumen had The Tunku was one of the gave encouragement to the develop· a lot to do With the evolution ·founding fathers' of the Associa· ment or Malay liS the nlliiOnal of Con!>tituttonal Sultanates tJOn of Southeast Asian Nauons language. so he pre~rved and derivmg the1r authont} fwrn a ( ASl: A1\) wluch is one of the perpetuated the usc of other democratic citilenry, few viable reg1onal groupmg~ in languages. partiwlarly Lngli~h The Even tn his handling ol the the world today. He helped to Tunku h:td a clear ~.:omrnJLment economy in those year~ when he estabhsh. and became the llrst to the positiOn of hlam a:. the was Prime Mmistcr, the Tunku Secretary-General of the Organj. offtctal. rehg10n. At the same time attached a lot of importance to sation of lslamk Conference. And, he rcahsed the importance ol values :ouch as ·moderation·, it must not be forgotten, that demonstrating to the adherents 'balance· and 'accommodation'. the Tunku played a p1votal role of the other fanhs that the1r This is why while ensunng growth in securing Lhe expulsion of the freedom to practise thc1r religions and expansion he succeeded in apartheid state of South Africa was as:.ured. As Prime Minister, buildmg a fa1rly 1mpress1ve from the Commonwealth. Indeed, the Tunku was deternuned to mfrastru<.ture m education and 11 1:. a mark of the Tunk.u 's tnter protect the special po!>itton or the heallh. It was an attt:mpt lO infuse nauonal fame that even today, '1ala}) aml the other mdigcnous an element of soctal justice long after he had stepped down conm1un11lcs in Malays1a for he mto the que:.t lor econom1c as Prime Mmister, the Tunku's knN that there wuld be massive development. name evokes a response among po htJ .. al upheaval if an econo· What is remarkable is that people abroad. nucall} dept ived people felt the Tunku's management of ethnic The unparallelled achievements of this outstanding human being do not in any way mean that there were no sorrows or setbacks during his stewardship of the land. Like all human beings, the Tunku has had his share of mistakes. It is ohe of the endearing qualities of the Tun.ku that he has always admitted his own shortcomings. This is what makes him a truly great leader. He is humble enough to say he ts wrong. He has never pretended to be what he is not. There is no hypocrisy about him. This is indeed a rare attribute seen in the light of present-day politics. If his lack of hypocrisy makes him somewhat unique, so does his devotion to a humane approach to major social issues. Even when he was active in politics, the Tunku often tried to ensure that com· THE PEOPLE WVED YOU. TUNKU passion and humanity were not reduced to insignificance when it came to resolvmg conllicts and controversies. This is how he approached tssues such as Singa FAREWELL pore's separation, Indonesian Con frontation and May 13th and its aftermath. In the last 12 years BAPA or so, since he began writing his column in the STAR, the Tunku MALA.YSIAI has never failed to counsel Govern ment artd people alike about the importance of compassion and freed om fighter humanity in the quest for solutions Father of the nation to the challenges facing the nation. The Tunku's compassion and F jgure of world renown humanity contain the secret of his success with people. They Friend and hero to aJI. explain his irresistible charm, his , overpowering charisma. II ts a charisma that has nothing LO do Fearless and yet so gent1e with role or status. For the Tunku has neither public oft1ce nor forthright and yet so humble formal authority. And yet he famous and yet so simple commands so much love and affecuon from such a huge scgmen L faithful. till the final can. of our society. How many other former Prime Ministers and Presi dents are showered with such farewell dear Tunku abundant love so many years after they had quit lheir offices Your victorious cry of Merdeka! Merdekaf of state? Surely, it is love that is Echoes on in the fibre of every Malaysian not just embluoned across marble arches; ll ts love that is enshrined forever. .... ~ in the heart of the human being," The people M.J. loved you,.Tunku.
5 TUNKU A prince, a democrat, a gentleman, a statesman
In this nostalgic account, TUN SUFFIAN, the fonner Lord President, traces a friendship that goes way back to 1946 and recalls a period when the Opposition had equal opportunities to be heard, when the independence of the Election Commission and the Judiciary was beyond question. when there was integrity and honesty in public life, when there was public accountability, a sense of security and above aU national unity.
e are gathered here tomght ..------, +fidence of the Rulers he united the to mourn the Joss of Malay ... He did not hesitate to leaders of the three main political W sia's most illustrious son and consult and seek advice ... pan1es to form the Alliance. he honour his memory. won the love of the Malays and the I heard the sad news of his death trust of the non-Ma lays. last Thursday evemng in London many of his fnends were mvited to During the first significant elec· and so was unable to join the thou conviv1al parties for he was a good Lions - to the K. Lumpur munici sands of hls fnends and admirers at host lie was not too happf as a pal election - t11e Alliance carried his funeral. DPP. for both of us being juniors the day and in the fin.t general J had known him since 1946, we were g~ven mostly hopeless election m 1956 to the part fir~t as a fellow student in London. cases to prosecute When our boss, nmninated federal Leg1slauve later as a fellow DPP. then when he· Sir Stafford Foster-Suuon the Council the Alliance won 51 of the was an ordinary c1tuen lmng in Attorney General, became Chief 5:! seats and the Tunku became Johore Bahru, and after 1956 when Jusuce he thought so highly of the Chief Minister. be was Cluef Minister and fi.naJiy Tunku's character he inv1ted him to After mdependence he became since 1957 as Prime Mmister until JOin him on the High Court bench. Prime Mimster and just before the The Tunku fortunately declined. hh retirement from active pohtic~ next sigmficanL general electtons to in 1979 and thereafter dunng the When the call came to him to the wholly·electwe Parlian1ent after sad years of his retirment. become President of UMNO the M~rdeka he resigned and handed Even as a student, he displayed British Government urranged for over the primership to the late the qualities which endeared him to tum to res1gn from gmemment Tun A Razak so that he could so many. He was fnendl}' and serv1c~ on a pension though he had devote all his tin1e and energy to generous to a fault to those of us nut real:hed the age of 50. He went campaignmg on behalf of the who were not well off and there to Uve m Johor Bahru then Alliance - without using govern· wasn't a single student who in those UMNO's Head Office. There where ment tin1e and facilities, Without austerity days had not enjoyed his I had earlier been transferred as total control of the mass media. gemal hospitality. His altitude to us DPP I knew hJJTI as a private c!lucn. Without resort to money politics. was avun.:ular. in fact some of us Despite hi~ meagre pension he an expresss1on then unknown. It who later became Sultans addressed was always cheerful and optimistic was a time when the Opposition led him as Ayah. about the future success of his by Datuk Onn, Tunku's predecessor Later on when we were DPPs campaign for Malaya. There he got b Pres1dent of UMNO, had equal together in the AG's Chambers he to know the late Datuk Sulaiman, opportunities to publicise their showed his quality as a natural his brother the late Tun Dr Ismail, views and policie) - so that the leader. We could not join the three (sons of the late revered Datuk A. public could make an informed lcadmg dubs. and he jomed the Rahman). the late Tun Sardon choice. It was a time when nobody genumely multi-racial K L Flymg Jubir and others who took an adive dared influence the Election Com Club His personality was such that part tn the struggle for Merdeka and missiOn headed by the late Datuk no sooner had he JOined. h~ was who were later to serve indepen Mustapha Albakri whose indepen· elected ih Pres1dent. Though Ius dent MalaySla. dence was never doubted. salary was not rnuch more than Hi~ informal and soothing cha I was to know the Tunku again lhose oi his juniors he and Sharifah ra.:ter enabled him to achieve great when he was Chief MiJUster and RodL1ah kept a good table to whlch <>uccess in politics. He won the con· conti11W!d on pqe 19
6 UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL VALUES Mother Theresa of Calcutta "The gift of love home"
travelled the world to deliver a AM reader, K. SURENDRAN, single message : that Jove and "The came across this article on the caring are the most important biggest winner of the 1979 Nobel things in the wrold. She is now Peace Prize and submitted it known world wide simply as disease to us "to inspire Malaysians to Mother Teresa and her favourite today is live in peace and harmony". motto is "Do small things with Mother Teresa's love, he says, a great Love ." But the ''small not leprosy reaches out beyond the things'' she has done so captivated the world that. besides winning bounds of religion and · or the 1979 Nobel Peace Pri7e. she tuberc· ethnidty. has been showered with honorary degrees. and other awards. Yet ulosis but despne bt:ing almost universally rather the acclaimed. and sought after by destilutes. They are being cared Popes and presidents. her singular feeling of for. with much love. by stx simi· message has always been ihe same. being larly sari-dad religious sisters. "The biggest disease today ,·• ably and lovingly assisted by sv.. Mother Teresa once said, ''IS not unwanted, religious brothers belonging to leprosy or tuberculosis but rather the same order with a host of the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for volunteers and co-workers. uncared for and deserted by every and The former pnmary school, body. The greatest evil is the lack renamed ·'The Gift of Love Home" of Jove and charity, the terrible deserted opened Its doors a few years ago iJ1differencc towards one's neigh· ' by for the many sick and homeless bour who lives at the roadside, destitutes. Since then many have assaulted by exploitatiOn, corrup everybody. died peacefully but many also tion, poverty and disease." have recovered and gone on to Even when she accepted the The other homes. Some of the pioneer Nobel Peace Prize at Oslo, she greatest ing Sisters and Brothers have also did not refW!1 from reminding left fm other corners of the Lord's the world that there are those evil is the Vmeyard. but others have come who feel unwanted, unloved and lack of love to replace them. Volunteers come uncared for throughout society. and go but the sick and destttutes and are never left without love and The Missionaries of Charity ch any"t ... " care. The work of love goes on Although Mother Teresa always in the Home. has a hand m the foundation of her homes for the aged sick and The message of love ucked in the north easterly dcstilutes she always leaves them corner of a bustling cuy, All these would not have been to the care of some of her Sisters, T an old school-home houses possible. had not a similarly sari now known universally as some 30 to 40 sick and homeless clad, tiny and wizened nun "Missionaries of Charity". She
7 gave her permlSSlon to leave the Loretto SISters and follow her new calling under the JUOsdlctton of the Archbishop of Calcutta. After three months of medtcal training under the American Medical Missionary Sisters 10 Patna. lndu, Mother Teresa went mto the slums and streets of Calcutta. Later, volun teers many of whom were her former students, came to join her. ln 1950, the MISSionaries of Charity became a diOcesan religious commumty. and IS years iater, the Vatican recogn.Ued it as a ponufical congregation directly under Vatican JUrisdiction. Mother Theresa at her work of love. Lepers and Aids victims The Missionaries of Charity Mother Teresa herself would invariably return to began canng for leprosy pauents 10 India to be with those she loved Mother Teresa was born Agnes 1957 When Pope Paul VI viSited most - the lonely. the abandoned, Gon>.ha BoJaxhtu to Albanian Bombay, India m 1964, he gave the homeless. the dtsease - ravaged. parents in SkopJe tn what is now Mother Teresa a white ceremomal the dying. the "poorest of the Yugoslavm on 27 August 1910 Lmcoln Continental given to hin1 poor" in the streets of Calcutta. She had a sister Aga and a brother. by the people of the United States It was there that Mother Teresa l..aL.ar. Her father was a grocer. She promptly raffled off the car founded the Missionaries of Charity but the family's background was and raised enough • money to in 1950 and to this day. the order more peasant than merchant. Lazar finance a centre for leprosy victuns has about 1.900 sisters working said their mother's example was 10 West Bengal •n more than 400 houses in 92 a deter111inmg factor ill Agnes' Ln na:em times, Mother Teresa countries. In 1963 she also co vocation. At nine. Agnes was has also begun work with Aids founded the Missionary Brothers plump. round. t1dy and a little too sufferers. She opened shelters in of Charity with an Australian, serious for her age. •·or the three 1\ew York and Washington for Fr Andrew Travers-Ball who left of us, she alone dtd not steal the people with Alds. Last December, the Jesuits to joill m her work jam", recounted Lazar. As a stu after months of heart trouble, a In 1969, Ill response to the growtng dent at a public school in Skopje, pacemaker was implanted m interest of lay persons who wamed she was a member of a Cathoilc Mother Teresa. to be associated w1th her work, solidarity with a special interest m an informally structured, ecumeni foreign missions At an early age, Money and Finance cal International Association of she already felt the urge to help the As she wrote m her letters to Co-Workers of Mother Teresa was poor in the foreign missions. and at BIShops and ArchbiShops, Mother formed with the approval of 18. she fmally left home to joill the Teresa or her nuns accept contri· Pope Paul VI. The several hundred loretto SISters who had missions in butions from indlVtduals. but "we thousand co-workers pay no dues lndta. It was whtle teaching and do not solicit them or allow anyone and do not engage in fund ratsing, serving as a princ1pal at Loretto to sobcit them for us''. Indeed but support the Mtssionaries of House. a fashlonable girls' college Mother Teresa's attltude towards Chanty by their work, in prayer in Calcutta, that she began to feel money has always been "God and sacrifice and by theu service depressed over the destitute and wtll prov1de". to the poor. From a fom1er hostel dying on the city's streets, the attached to a Hindu Temple dedi homeless street urchins. the Symbol of a Christian cated to the goddess Kali donated ostraci1ed sick people lymg prey to When the Pope John XXIU by the c1ty of Calcutta and re rats and other vermins m streets Peace Pnzc was created tn 1971. named Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) and alleys. Pope Paul VI said of her as he Home for Dying Desututes, the ln 1946. she received a "call announced that Mother Teresa was "work of love" begun ill Calcutta within a caJJ" as she herself des to be 1ts first recipient. "\\e hold has since mushroomed throughout cribed it. "The message was clear. I up to the admirauon of all. this the world. It has even penetrated was to leave the convent and help illtrepid messenger of the love of the iron Curtarn, long before the the poor whtle liv1ng among them," God". 0 clamour came from withm to open she said. (Carlwlic Herald. CNS) 1ts doors. Two years later, the Vatican June 10. 1990-5
8 ..... Cllael ...... HEART TO HEART ...... _,...... - n.cllladle ...... - ARAB PROVED AN ANGRY VOTER Taking it out through the ballot box
fNNY (not her real name), IS but even then. I managed to do unh'3ppy. one ol those people who voted la1rly well (she declined to reveal Her morale was not further J lor the opposttJUn m th~ Oct Iter results) But my result~ were improved by the unrnoti\ated work 20/'21 polls She voted DAP But, still considered not good enough atlltude) of her office colleagues. she says, she would have even among those of my ethnic group." Still. she stayeJ on the right side. voted for PAS (a party, she dis She remembers the mixture of She resisted JUmtng her other trusts deeply) if the opposition frustration und resentment that colleagues in thetr questionable candidate had been from that had burned 111 her on learnmg that sJdehnes. party. her Malay fncnds. who d1d more "I ma} be frustrated in my "Wh) shoull.l I vote lor Llte poorly than her were accepted work. but I have been brought Bartsan Nas1onal? I v. ould surely tntO the UntVCr~lties Of their dlOICe. up to be honest and upright in not, vote for Umno, and I feel Some had even been selected to whatever I do." she dedares. that the MC A and Gerakan. who go overseas on Governmen 1 scholar· After five years, she felt she are su ppo~d to repre:.cn t the ~hips, She also learnt that 1t was had had enough and made a brave C'hinP.c;p <'
9 GENERAL ELECTIONS
OPPOSITION HAS TO PROVE ITSELF FIRST
any people think that pre Malaysia is not ready yet for includmg the latest one. since 1974. parations for the recent an opposition government, The recent general electton M general election began says TAN SRI DR TAN CHEE started tamely and peaccfuil)' un when Dr Mahathlr Mohamad began KHOON. But next time II October. 1990. From nonuna. w1th nationwide tours In my around perhaps .... tion day onwards. the BN found opinton, the preparations began as lhat It was lacing a different early as three years ago when the oppositton. In the past. l11e B~ challenge for the leadership of faced a lragmented oppo:>ition UMNO broke out in 1987. Both Pnmc Minister Dr Mahatlur dtd not, which 4-: Uncdled out one another s1dcs began to gnd them:.clvcs for and used all tlte Jactlittes of govern and allowed the ruling party to the b1g battle which must be held ment for party purposes lie held romp home easily. Tlus t1me at the latest by October 1991. rallies and spoke to government around. there were straight fights Both :.1des took part m a scncs of servants and the public to convey in more than 90 per cent oC the b} -elecuons which, generally the BN message countryw1de. One wnstll uenl.jes between the BN and speaking, were won mamly by the must remember that tn Malaysia, the new)) lormed Gag~ Rakyat Barisan Nasional (BN) lu IQ87 . the rallies arc banned by the police. The and APU. Th1s meant that in eve';, Prime Mmister announ~.:ed that he reason was that the communist constltuency. the Bl' had a fight would Mump the country to dra\1. state posed a secunty threat t--ow on thelf hands and Ill most cases support for the BN. He had a prece that the communtl>t no longer an outgomg mmister had to !Jght dent for doing su. posed a threat to the country"s hard for lm polmcal life. In the stxties. the first Prime security. it was postulated that By IS October, it was dear that Mmister. Tunku Abdul Rahman AI rallies would cause rac~al dLStur the mood of the voters lavoured HaJ reSJgned as Prime Mmister so bances. The assumption seems to be the oppostuon. The BN was a very that he could campaign for the that government rallies would be worned party. On that evening the Alliance in the conung election. orderly. if held by the oppo Party Bersatu Sabah (PBS) declared Dr Mahathir did the same th1s sition. they could disturb the its decJston to Withdraw from the time - with one big difference. peace ' Hence rallies have been BN to jmn Gagasan Rakyat. Thts While the Tunku had resigned as banned at all general elccttons. was a big blow at the BN and the Prm1e Minister dedared it a~ "a stab 10 the back". He \\.as visibl) angry and taken aback as shown by his appearance on television that evenmg, hut to Ius credit he dtd not take thmgs lying down but imme diately began hitting back and hard at PBS ami the opposition. He used all weapons at his disposal. whether right or wrong, cthjcal or unetlucal. It did not matter as long as he could win m the short ltme available.
MASS MEDIA The B:l'. launched a b1g campaign
BN outing: Communalism and religious bigotry won the day.
10 on both television. radio and palace were sympathetiC to PAS. All Chmese. Overall. the opposllton through its allies 111 the n~:wspapcrs. the~ add up to the fact Lhat the had won an ovcrwhehmng VJI..Iory Utu~n Malaysia, Bo.:rtta llanan and 8:-.: 's tntm11dat10n dJd not work m Kclantan and increas.!d tts repre the Clunese dailtcs went out of then with the Kelantanesc. sentation in Pcnang and Trengganu. "'a> to dentgrate and demean the Elsewhere. m constituencies Of those \1\ ho voted on ~0 and 21 oppo~Jtton and its leader~. All sorts with more than 70 per cent October. nenlly half of them voted of ltes and dt~tortluns and even filth Chinese. )uth as Penang and Kuala agaUisl the BN. That is not a com was heaped on the oppustlion who Lumpur, tlus fear tat:IH. did not forting thought lor the future. had no means of hittlllg bad. 111 have much effect and the result was some Cll!ies they dtd not know what that DAP swept the board in these OPPOSING FORCES was hll ting them! two places. The twu opposmg lmces Ul the The \\-Capons at the disposal of general eleclton consisted of two the mass medta were ethni~ rana ELECTION EXPENSES cuahuons. The first is the BN. licism. reLigious bigotry. especially Another feature of the recent the ruling coalition which began ugamst Christians. and tears of a election was the enormous expenses life d:O the Alliance before taking on repetition 11f the May 13 tr:Jgedy. mcurrcd by the BN candidates. its present form in 1970. The other That most of these attacks were l-ach Parliamentary candidate is coalit1un tS a combmation of Gaga unlatr and unfoundeJ did not allowed $50,000. but the BN candi san Rakyat and Angkatan Perpa matter A government that is truly dates are given I 0 umes the amount duan Lmmah. This opposllton proud of 1ts record of peace and and 111 one consmuenC). a candi coahuon. forged just before the stah1hty \\ ould have hung its head date was reported to have spent general cleL11on. was fraught with 111 shame the wa} 11 auacled the nearly S 12 mtll!on In one consti numerou!> teethtng problems, opposttlon. Ethnic and religtous tuency 111 Kuala Lumpur. a candi espcctally be tween DAP and PAS attacu have long been favoume date was reported to have !.pent before and even alter nomination weapons of poliuc1ans espec1aUy S2 tll S3 n11lhon. Compare tlus w11h day. during electiOns. To stoke the ftre penUJy ol 'lome urpostuun c:utdi In the (;ase ul the BN. liS donu of cthnk fanaticism and rehgll)US datc, who find dtl ficult> o.:ven nant component. UMNO. has been b1gotry JUSt fur pohucal gains is a nnsmg the $5.000 deposit. fragmenting all the tulle. The first vcr} dangerous pasumc as 11 nughl On the surface or II. the BN has such fissure was when ILS first set alight the whule natiun. won a b1g Vh.fOT), but if unc 1uoks president. Oato Onn Jaffar reSigned A seige mentallly was created at the margm ol "'in 10 tiS 127 over the 1s~ue of upcning the doors withlll da}s amon~st a substantial versus 53 upposttton ~eats , the of UM!\0 to non-Malays. The latest segment of Malay societ). It '"as vit:tury 1s not that sweet. The B~ was when Tenglu Ra1alcigh tlus lear of losmg their political may have rcgamed its two-thirds Hanvah left UMNO Ill form power that Dr Mahathtr cxplu1ted JJI3JOCI!y. but a dus..:r look at the Semangat 46 As for the setond to the full 10 regain lost ground results reveal> that the victory IS largest component, the MCA, it among the Malays The ~w111g llawed laced a lcader)hip struggle 111 1986 among the Maloy~ was drumatic. In the rirst place. they lmt t"-o which saw it~ reprcsentat10n 111 Prior to 15 Ocwber. the BN was m States to the uppo~Hmn. namel> Parliament reduced to 17 and this Jitters. wondering whether they Kclantao and Sabah. This has }Car there \1\JS another leadership could win or not After lb O~toher. happened tw1ce bclore, the lmt struggle whtch saw ItS reprcsen ta they began to regam mu:.l of thc1r 111 1959 when PAS \1\oll Kelantan uon 111 Parliament lnLreas..:d by I to lost ground By polling day the BN and Trengganu. Then aga111 111 1969. 18. As ror the MIC . it is 4uarelhng \\3S qullc confident of rctainmg Its when it agam lost k.elantan to PAS all the tune but ~trangc to say, all (WO·thtrds 11lUJOfit}. and Penang to Geralan. 1ts Parliamentary candid
11 A little boy joins the Opposition mouth water for dtd not recent elcctton was. due Lo the fray: No match for BN's complete spend anything near one tenth of peace and stability that Malaysta control of the media and what some of them dtd as a candi has enjoyed under tts rule. Prudent government organs; date in the 60s and 70s Equally economic management must have Semangat 46 makes a bid for important ts the BN's control of TV persuaded some voters to vote for political power: Poor election and Radio and through prmues, tts the BN. T11e improvement of the machinery contributed to its control of the national dailies. The economy after the recession of the defeat. result was that the oppoSition had early etgllties has also benefited the to fight the recent election blind BN. It has meant more jobs and folded more money 10 the po~kets of In Malaysta, most of the govern workers and this has naturally ment organs are highly pohUc17ed. made the people happy and con This applies to the c1vil service and tented to some extent with the especially the armed forces and the government. police. In the MimstT) of Educa tion, headmasters of schools used OPPOSITION Parent Teachers' Assoctat1ons to ln the case of oppoSition, some canvass for votes. State-owned of its component parties namely mosques and rcugious officials PAS and DAP earned out theu delivered sermons urgmg the fallh an ternecine fight even after nomi ful to support the BN. Then nation day. Thus. 10 a few consti months before the general elcctJOn, tuenctes. the DAP and PAS put up ministers canvassed the wuntry, candidates against each other and makmg on-lhe-spot grants. This IS eroded confidence m the Oppo clearly a vtolallon of the election sition. Both the DAP and PAS Jaws but very little has been done must realise that Malaysia IS a b)- the opposition to bnng the multt-ractal and multt-religtous offenders to ~ourl. Then there are country and they must compose the allegations of large number of their dtfferences before they hope voters bemg transferred from ouc to face the electorate With any constituency to another without hope of success. their knowledge, the repeution of The opposiuon had two maJOr names, voters who had d1ed but goals. They openly stated that whose names still remained in the they could "'an the general election. electoral rolls. Seeing that the country had been In fairness to the BN, much of under the BN SJnce 1957, such the reason for its succes!> m the talk might frighten some of the voters away. It might have been more helpful tf they had set thetr targets lower such as denying the BN its two-thuds majority. Pari passu, wm more State Go,·emments and show Malaysia that it can run a State well and that Malaysians need not fear the opposition. Besides, if the opposition had won, can at ensure that the civiJ service, armed forces and police will co operate and not stage a coup? Finally the elect1on machmery of Semangat 46 was poor and thas contributed largely to ItS defeat outside of Kelantan and Trengganu. To sum up, Malaysia is not ready to accept the opposition as the government. Perhaps the next time, when the OppositiOn has gained Lhe confidence of most Malaystans, the country may well be ready to accept the opposition as its government. 0
12 tive to public opinion.
TLNKU JSlUAIL JEWA Pu/au Pinang LETIERS We ...... froal ...... - Ill ... 1ft£...... _ .....yW. ,_ ...... IMf ... tdhld .....,.. Of ...... ltY. :n. PEACE & DEATH ...... , notlletll-, ... Alnn MonthlY. ··~·~~- tMit •If ..._. ihoutll iMhl• 1lle wrl1ilf'a ,.... ,...... vw-_.,...... _ L.._,. ..._... Letter to Presi(Jent George Bush .,....,....y lie ty,...,lttln with douiiiiiiPICJni; If h8ndowrlttln tbey lltoiitd bel8gible. Dear President Bush, UU.. ._... lie id6 IHI 1 to 1M fdhDr, Alir'• Mon1htY, P.O: Bow 1041, eny Christmas and A Peaceful 10110,...... ,.. New Year 1991. I bope this M holy seuon is a truly meaniJw· rul one tor you and America. Yet. I cannot but sadly note that even as you celebrate this joyous reuon of Christ's birth ... a reuon of love, hope and reconciliation .•., you are con· templating war !!pinst Iraq and Mr Saddam Hussein. A war that will most ASHAMED AT SAMY in· the country. Except for a few aenti· assuredly mean deat.h for thouJands VELLU'S BEHAVIOUR mental ones in the estates, the younger of young men and women who alao generation is looking (or alternatives. hunger for peace as Christ did. Can Samy VeUu provide the type of Why don't you and America just he political turmoil facing the k!adership tbat is capable, sincere resign youraelf to doq business with MIC is very danaerous and and tempered wath humility and Mr Saddam Hussein and Iraq'? After all, T unllerlthy. compassion? nobody doubts tbat America will still Ne-Ver before has the MIC been make a hefty profit from Iraq without vindictive enough to indulge in witch· A CONCERNED CITIZEN Kuw1it. Please don' t let human rights hunting in order to totally destroy Kuala Lumpur violations in Iraq stop you. They never vanquished foes. did when Iraq was at war with the Where is this feud JOin& to lead Ayatollah and Iran. At .that time the Indian Malaysian community? .samy Amecica wu all gur.s·ho bchlnd l.mq, venu forJetl that he only won about human rights violations notwithstanding. 59% of the votes of MIC membeJ:s. Come to think of it, America bas done That too by manipulation includin& this many times before, i.e. doina the closing down of branches opposed LEAVE THE MONARCHY business with outcast regimes like to him. ALONE! Israel, South Africa, Syria and post With the cunent acrimony and bad· Tian·An·Men China. mouthing, younger generations of Indian Pleaae think about this during Malaysians are loathe to join the MIC. he Federal Constitution maJces Chnstmu. God Bless You and America. A good number of them are non·party provision foJ: a constitutional fence siners. The rest are DAP, Gerakan T monvchy in Malaysia and it is 'A C/TJZF.N OF THE SOUTH" and PRM members. indeed surprising that the Jelutong 5 December 1990 Samy's arrogance and actions of and Tanjong UMNO divisions in Penang late tend to make me reflect on a saying, shoukt want it to be debated at the PS You know, people in glass houses "He whom the gods want to destroy, UMNO general asaembly. shoukt not throw stones. Didn't they first make them mad". Has the Penang is not 1 royal state and the America itself militarily destablize, rot ret in on the MIC? His behaviour Malays especiaUy tho~e in the urban invade. or assist in the invasion and attitude of late leaves much to be areas of Jelutong and Tanjong do not of Granada, Panama, Niearll8ua, desired. I am not a politician but I rm have the ame feeling for the Malay Cuba, Vietnam, El Salvador, Chile, ashamed of his behaviour. Rulers like the Malays in other royal Guatemala, the Malvinas (Falkland) I am not denyin& the fret that he states ol Malaysia. The people of Penang Islands just to name a few ••. has contributed towards the develop· before independence considered the ment of the Indian Malaysian commu· British monarch as their protector. nity. But of late, his enerJy and focus Moreover, the JelutOlll! and Tanjo~ bas been dissipated and bluned by his parliamentary constituencies are Malay total obression in eliminating all those minority ueas with only 23.2% and who oppoae him. At a recent gatheriJW, 7.6% Malay constituents respertively. I overheard the remark, "Samy is the Members of Jelutong and Tanjong SO-CALLED LEITERS TO epitome of a.rropnce •.•" Such state UMNO shOukt r.pt for the upliCtment SO-CALLED EDITOR menta were rarely heard in the past. of the dismal tocio-economic conditions We would abo like to enquire IS to of the Malays in their constituencies the whereabouts of the thousands of instead of concentrating ·their efforts ver the last two years, I carried riJUit coUected for Vanto Academy. on an issue which does not concern out an in-depth (and had even Gulands of rinsgits were donated bu1, them directly. 0 written to the Editor, to no to date, we have not aeen the audited The Malay Rulers can 10lve their avail) analysis or the "Letters to the accounts. problem at the Conference of Rulers Editor" column of a leading English It is time for Indian Malaysians IS provided by our country's Constitu· languaae daily and have come to the to take stock of the cunent situation tion and I rm su.re they are not inaensi· conclusion that many or the letters
13 arc written by the Editor himself. There vote"? This would be bnpossible without lnevit.bly, the government which is so much lavish praise and false the complicity of the EC. CommomenJJe controls the mass media·- ~hkh baa reporting which is unprecedented in telb me that if there is couaterfoil (of deceived and confused the roky ot with Malaysian lustory. my votiJW p•per) with my voter number biased and irresponsible reporting - has Obviously, this editor wants to written on it, any interested party will to take the blame. deceive and influence the rakyat on be able to find out how I actually voted current events with his pusonal - with help from the EC. 1/ARBAN SINGH irrespoJUible and bused opinionJ. The What a&SU.tlnce do I get that my Tampm. Negn Sembllan masse• will then not know the reaJ constitutional ri&ht to vote secretly, truth. This is a blatant abuw of power. without fear or favour, will never be It IS an unethical journalistic practice violated" whkh needs to be e'posed. We want to know how secret votillg I would like to make an official is done in, for instance, UK, Canada, and complaint tO the international body Australia. Why are their procedures not of jowna.li.Jts. Could you please give WATCH THE adopted in our own country? me their address! SINGAPOREAN I am very concerned and determined Violations of the principle of a secret ballot as clearly enunc:Oted in the to expo.~e wch unprof~$ional hypocrites EXPERIMENT Constitution, reflect not onJy on the EC who eventually end up receiVing and 1ts huge rnachmery but also on its "O.tukships" and "Tan Sris" for their custodians, namely the Prime Minister sins. Injustice, huh! f Singapore can succeed in amend ins and t11e Encutive. its Constitution to make way for the It is a funny world sometimes. But These are ser10us issues. The entire country's fast elected preSident with how many of us are willing to fight I credibility of the Constitution is at wider powers, then it would not be agam~ mcb abuses and violatiOnJ of stake. The integrity of the EC - indeed human rights? impossible in the near future for ow all institutions in our democratic system own Ki~ to be given powen which are - will be questioned and held in publiC wider than hit pre.:nt ceremonial 100pe liS contempt unless all partieS concerned of duties. Kora 7 mgg1. Johor can explain and give a public guar~tntee The elected preUient in Sinppore Please see page 18 - EDITOR that our elections arc really free and fair. would have veto power~ over: 1 appeal to the Rulers' Council to •key civil service appointments Jntervene, if no one else wiiJ, or can. •the spending of the country's finan· cial a.ueu JAMAL •the U.lle cr the ISA Peto/ing Joya What is lelt to be seen is wheth« IS OUR VOTE SECRET? "two c•ptains can command one ship." If SiJWapore's combimtion of • Prune Minister and an elected president ublic perception of the Election proves to be a succeu. then there m@ht Commission (EC) is very much be pressure in the near future from the same as it is towards the law. P SUPPORT PUBUC Malaysian puliamenwians and politi A famous principle in law is that c:Ons for ow Yang D1 Pertua.n Aaong to "justice must be seen to be done". INTEREST BODIES be given a more pouuve and meaniJJgful Likewise, the public expects the EC role in Malaysian liCe. to function effectively, as clearly laid down in the Constitution. The public ean see clearly bow my n~ws sn'A expects the EC to have unquestionable who are politicians are inheriting Koto Baru integrity. It should be fair to all political l properties and making a fortune parties. It should not be influenced by with ease, much to the envy of others any one of them - particularly the who labour tirelessly every day. government of the day, which can exert Wtule trying not to be phllosophicaJ so much "influence" and "persuasion". I do believe in religion and God. l also ln short, the EC must be seen to act believe that those who do evil, perform CHERAS PROTEST: with courqe and without fear or favour. "crooked" deeds or get nch through Let us examme thas carefuUy in the co1Illpt means have to pay for it even· ABUSE OF lSA Light of recent events. tU.Uy. Nothing is free in this world! We Tite EC itself •dmitted that cerla.in saw what happened to President Marcos electoral rolls had been ser1ously tam· who experienced "heU". he arrest offour people under the pend with. AllegaJions by government I would also like to remind myself ISA during the recent Ch«u toU and opposition parties abounded with and others that d we don't support wch T protests is •nother sad rellection each accusinl the other of manipulation. courageous organizations like Alina, the or the police who prefer to retOrt to a The fact renuins that, on this SOOie CAP and puhapa the opposition parties piece of legWation that does not reque alone, public conitdence - 10 vital for we will probably end up paying more any form of police diplomacy or exper· the effective functioning of aU demo taxes in tJ1e k>n& run ud lead our nation tile when handl.iJ!8 • d1fferent <uadon. cratic institutions - has been visibly "to the dogs". Abuse of power and It is simply iacredible that four toU shaJten. corruptiOn is like ca.ru:er. It grows and proteston could be a "threat to national Besides this, there is open talk that sp:reads unless it 1s exposed and checked. security". But I guess, u Malaysians, we our votes are not secret anymore. A ease These voluntary bodies and parties ue quite used to such incredulous elaima in point. Assume that I was bribed 100 have done a fantastic job and so, it is from the police by now. riJuit to vote for a political party on ironic that they are treated like villains With the IGP beifll a lawyer, one the promise that I will get another 100 and scapegoats. If tl\ey had been in the would have expected a more dynamic ringsit after J have voted "correctly''. West, they would be acclaimed as heroes and creative approach in upholding the The question which comes to mind is: for their sacrif"tce and commitment to law. But what we have il the wild and ho>A does a puty know how I actU.Uy the nation. wnpant use of the ISA, leaving the voted, unles.s it has access to my "secret Where has our IOC:iety gone wrong? irnpress1on that the police are incapable
14 of ll"guing their casea in a court of law. not his consumer needs but his creative Iraq. Time and ~&•in, the government hu needs, which is to find truth. Tlle situ:aoo n is extremely serious. The promised the public that the ISA will In the context of Malaysian 'IOciety, world community must act quldtly to only be used as a "last resort". Time and religious questions ue sensitive issues prevc:nt the crisis from developing into 1 &pin it has contradicted 1tself. Drua but I w:gently feel a new awarenes;s is major war with anous economic and puJbers. robbers, usonists llnd now, toU needed to comprehend the new chal political consequences for the whole protestors have been detained under the lenges of modern 10c1ety. Children and world. ISA (even though there is sufncient the yo~ have to be tllught the sacrilege \\e strongly condemn the US for legislation to prosecute them in an open of killing, the enormous pressures they turnina a localized conflict into a court). It makes us wonder how long the shall face and the need for a clear, weapon of .aggression qainst lnq in police ue goina to hide under the skirts healthy mind. OthCJWise, I am llfraid, particular, llDd the Arab people and of the ISA whenever there u a we shallllll be o~erwhelmed by middle Muslim in aeneral. We call upon the US "thuaderstorm". class Vlllues. the fodder for the politi to withdraw ll1l its troops and forces M for the childWl response of the cians and industrialists. £rom the Gulf immediately and to PM to the toU protest - it does not If political reform is bound for ~Uiously consider the peace settlement due.rve llDY COmf!'ent. fa.illlle, an the anger. the vitriol llnd u contained in the Iraqi proposals. We lnd~gMtion expressed in your magazine support the UN Security Council ri!$OIU· MARTIN JAU.EH would be a WllSte of energy. On the Cion calling for the Withdrawal of lra.qi Pentlll/( other hand, Aliran may offer the olive troops £rom Kuwait. We caJ1 upon our branch of religious humony and multi· government to stand firm in its support ethnic COeAistence. Your magazine for Ole Security Council re~~>lution and cannot be •ccused or f•lsity in thi5 to condemn the US for actina onilateraJ.. respect bec~tuae re!Wion is ll penonaJ ly. We call upon our government not to IS POLITICAL REFORM matter for each one to decide. My qu~ involve MU!ysia in any mil.iJllry action tion is: can Malay, Chinese and Indian undertaken by the ~ed US·led DOOMED TO F AlLURE? MalaysiaN deal with this problem of international force an Saudi Anbia. conuption, greed llod wu without recourse to their Inherited cultures? AASSIMAHMAD ver the yeus I have read your Tru01 has no name, flag or heritl8e. If Chairman publicatiON and, as an observer there is truth in our words and adions, it UMNO &lru Pall(kli/Jm Kota BrDnch O residing in a nei&hbouring coun· comes uesh, or"inal and naked. try, I un concerned about the aJannU. Bear in mind I llffi not v.-rltiog to trends tbat ue o~erwhelmina Mlllaysian e.'l.press my opinion) but to express a 10c1ety. Yow mquine's efforts in powh~ concern of what is taking place f•hting injustice, poverty and comap at the core of 10ciety here. If the core tion deserve encourtgernent at aU levels. has rotted, then our most fundamental But 1 sense a ceruln ntilitancy in your bebeCs llDd values must be qoationed, SCANDALS struggle, 1n word il not in deed, which and if neceuuy, discuded. can often obscure the real issues at hand. We all know the politicians ha~e {();\(, SIII/I ROM£ rom my small head, I ca.n recall created a disastrous society in spite of Sull(Dpore many scandals and •buses perpe the higher economic growth ute and F trated by the Mahathu regime. well·mtentjoned committees for fair The people of the US sent President elections. education, etc. By politicians. Ni.'~>on oome mnply because of one I mean an peuons engtged in the politi Waterpte scandal caJ process, whether from the DAP or The people of Japan 'bungkus'ed other opposition parties. It would be a US INVOLVEMENT their then PM stmply because of one .p-eat service to your rmden to h~hlight Lockhetd M:~J~dal the inadequacy of the political process WORSENING GULF CRJSIS The people of lnd11 sent Rajiv because no legillat ion. constituoon or Gandhi packing simply because of one freely-elected leader can ensure the v.ell· Bofors scandal. beilll of the community. This does not he al5ls 1n West Am is threa And v.hllt about us - the people of mean we should rd'nan from dissent. tening to become the wont fince Malaysia? By an meam. fwht for the qht to T World War Two. Although it was 1hssent and free speech, but be awue tri&gered by the lr•qi occupaoon or J AP.4LASAM>' abo of the mollt Ufl!ent need in humani· Kuw11t, the crisis has been long-standi~ C11merun Highlands ty. which is not to hve superficially in 1n
15 I feel that IUCh a Jtatement is Rlitable the then Prime Minister Harold Wilton was not dasputed by ita other putners, for listeneu in the J 0-IS ~&e group. umounccd in the House of Commons in namely the MCA, Gerakan, the MIC and A national leader 1houldn't use the 1966 that the first bolder or that office the PPP. So then, is it safe to assume word 'jealous' when addressing· Rich would be Sir Edmund Compton. that aU the parties In the Barisan sub.. an issue. Wouldn't it have been better Acoording to tbe bill, the puliamen cribe to the objective of making Malaysia l he had mentioned instead the tary commissioner - popululy referred an hlamic nation? economic woes of the US and elabo to as British Ombudmlan - is to be an If that as the case, many of us fail to rated that these attempts, af success ofiiCer appointed by the Crown to inves.. understand why the government bas fu~ would enhance the US economy? ligate oomplaints (referred to him by coJUistentJy condoned gambling, wbich 2. The PM had aoo expressed doubts Membeis of Parliament) of penonal is strictly apinst Islamic teaching. Many over the neutrality ol the Common injustices suffered by individual citizens Muslims and non-Mumnu ue ahodted wealth observen. Mahathir felt that as a result of the faulty admin.istration by the promotion of pmblifll by the by the central government. their neutnllty had been COillplO government. If we are to follow la.lamic mbed u they had come at the Furthermore, Wilton stated that, teachina, it is high time that all vices request of Election Watch. "the parUamentary commissioner's which ue oonsidered har11m e.g. the sale office should not be a judlcaJ one, but a of liquor, gambling, the charJing or I think this is an insult to the Com chancteristic parliamentary institution .•• interest by financial irulitutions and the monwealth and ats Seaetary-GeneraL the CommiJSioner will be an Officer of payments of dividends, ue immediately this ~ Thinlti~ along Mahatltir's lines, I House, with complaints stopped. The question we are left asking wouldn't be wrong in usuming that transmitted to him by the Hon. Mem is this: Is Malaysia, at present, an Islamic the obsezvera have been biaJed in bers and reporting back to the Hon. nation or not? favour of the government, if they had Members individually, to the House as a come at the government's request, whole, and to whatever Select Commit· K T 0 ,\G would I? tee the House may appoint." Penang As the Prime Minister has now 3. In a recent speech, Mahathir said directed A law to study the Ombudsman Malaysia would not be truly lndepen· system, I strongly recommend the dent as lo~ IS it bad to depend on immediate introduction of an OmbudJ other countries for put of its food man Act. supply. So, we won't be truly independent S SUNDRAI.TNGAM REDUCE EMPHASIS ON IS long IS we buy fOOd from other Tlllping ETBNICITY countrle$. But then. what about ow dependence on GSP priviJtWes? or peace in Malaysia, I "'ould llke AN IMMATURE J7.YJ:."AR·OLD to suggest that: P~nanK F •Mono-ethnk football teams poUtical parties, umy rf3iments, com: IS MALAYSIA AN paniea, IChools, JO~ernment depart· ISLAMIC NATION? ments, r~ious assemblies, hou11ing estates md gatherings should be discouraged. he M<;A, Geukan, the MlC and • Application forms (for jobs, licences, 22 YEARS - AND STILL even UMNO's top leaders have university entrance, permits. etc) NO OMBUDSMAN T constantly wuned the electorate should not ask for details of the agaanst votifll for PAS to prevent the applicant's religion and ethnic onsin. formation of an Islamic state in Malaysia. • Ethnic and religious di.scrimi111tion find it really surprising that MU should be elimiuated. Vic«:hancellor Prof. Syed Hussein Everyone knows that, for PAS to I Alatas has to prepue a paper on the make Malaysia an Wamic state, it muss • Human rights, democracy and the Ombudsman system while he is on leave. first have a two-third majority support in Rukunegara should be upheld. During the Tunku's time in 1968, the ParUament. In previous elections, the former Ombudsman of New Zealand Sir party bad been Ulllble to obtain the Pi:.ACE WIT/J HONO UR Guy Powles was invited to advase the required majority to amend the Consti· SWI/(ai Pt'foni Malaysian government on the applica tution. Hence, ita objective will remain a tion or the Ombudsman 1ystem in dream. In vi~ of the rational statements Malaysia. Wow! It took 22 yeus to made by Sernangat 46 leaders, it is very study it! But I am oonlident that under unlikely that thelr representatives will the leadership of Or M.ahathi.r, it will be lend support to PAS in Parllament to only a matter of months befMe the amend the Constitution bad they oome CPF INTEREST RATES Ombudsmatl system is implemented. If to power. Even when the Pt.IIP was in he can manufacture Proton Sagas over control of Kelantan, it ruled Kelantan TOO LOW night, I do not see why an Independent very liberally despite the freeze in Ombudsman cannot be appointed in the federal allocations. near future. In a democracy, citizens ue governed hank you very much for publish The concept of the Ombudsman, or a acoording to the Constliution. However, ing my letter about the withdra puliamentuy commissioner for iovesti without having to amend the Constitu· T wal of CPF by Malayuans in gataons, which originared from the Scan tion the Chief Minister of Trengganu, Singapore and the low 3~ interest rate dinavian countries is becoming more and Wan' Mokhtar Ahmad was reported {in offered by the CPF in 1988. (Letters, more accepted as a channel for grie· the NST of 29 May, 1990) to bave said AM, Vol 10, No.3). vances m a number of oountnes.. "Malaysia is already an Islamic llltlon A Mr. Emmanuel Daniel of Smppore Various countries such IS Sweden. and the intention of PAS to make it one has unce expresaed deep regret over my Norway, Finland, Oenmatk, Australia does not arise." This statement, made by oompuiJon of the CPF rate with the 8~ and Britain have Ombud1men. In Britain, a high ranking member Of the Barisart. interest rate offered by the EPF In the
16 same yeu. (Letters, AM VollO, No. 7). l suspect tl!at Mr. Daniel, who openJy defended the CPFi"a 3% rate, is not a fellow Malaysian as he claims to be, PERADUAN ESEI but an important official of the CPP in Singapore. His letter was grossly iuaccurate. Mr. Daniel's contention that the ntuk memperingati sumbangan uhJi-alili Alirm ~an$ telah 3% interest rate offered by the CPF Umeninggal dunia, Alltan percadang mcn~dakan satu was pegged to the prime interest rate peraduan,esei bagi mu.nd-mutid sekolah. of the major banks in Singapore is A~alah oihaJapk.an blWawa esei·esei neserttt yang l:iel)ay~ difficult to believe. In 1988, the prime aktlll diterbi\kaJl sanRda d
17 One they pre~n t exceS$JVely one •ided n~\ reports and comments. n..·o. they deLiberately allo"' them· PERADUAN ESEI selves to be used b} Mahathir and hu Borang Penyertaan cronies 10 •dc-srep the real wuc I.e. did we have have a fair electoral process Butir-Butir Pesuto as opposed to a fau elec.:tion day" Our major dailic» and broadcasting networks should be ashamed of them· Kateguri: , . ., ... ' ~ . '" '\ ' ...... ' ... (hhat etas) St"lves because even Pravda of the USSR (a communist country!) presents more Nama: .•.•.••...... •..• , ....•..•..•..• accurate and well-balanced news reports these days. Alamar. • • • • . .• , • • • • . • • • •• THI:. 11 '.4/CH.ltrtS Kuala /,umpur ...... ;...... , ., ...... No. Kad Pengenalan .....•.... Tarikh Lahlr· ...•.....
Nama dan alamllt sekolah· ..••... , ...... • . . • • . ••
Sila lccpllkan gamba; and a bersama karya anda.
Saya men,.aku bahaWa penuhsan esei ini adalah karya uli saya.
• • . . . . . , . . . . • • ....•.. Tarikh: (fandataJl&ln)
Anwar Ibrahim wants to stop politicking in the Education Consulutive Council: Only a ploy. ANWAR POLITICIZlNG RE: SO.CALLED 1:.£1TERS TO OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM SO-CALLED EDITORS
he minister or education, Anwar You can write to. Ibrahim ~IS reported IS sayi113 that the !'ational Education Commi~ to l+or«t Joumt~luts T Act CoJUUltative Council (EACC) was )6 East 42 Street set up to prevent the proposed amend· 31'd Floor mcnt to the Fducat10n Act bemg New Yak, NY JOOJ 7 pohtic.i:led. Among other thmgs he said USA. politician~ ~oukl be barred from sittuJg on the I:.ACC. The members of the Editor Council ~ould comprile academiciaM and non-politiciaru. said An~ar. It is difficult ror [email protected]·lhinking people tO ~waUow that. What does he mean b) 'academiciam' and 'non-politicians"! AI present tea cher~. lecruren. ••ce 18 tion minhtry heeded by the dhector OPPOSmON MUST Malaysia that the Tunku had the geocnl and hia two deputies who are intuition for the right solunons bdlliant ac:ademicianL They are now EXPLAIN THEIR to problems. simply puppetL What Anwar decide• ECONOMIC POLICIES The Tunku would be the last goeL Just imqine Anwar, a lowly qualiCied educatioru.t, dictating terms to fter readiJW the laat few issue. person to claim that he was an the directo~-tenenl, helped by, of of the Aliran Monthly I realized intellectual. But without doubt hls courae, a few ABIM mernbeJ:s who A that the DAP and its UIOciates simplicity, his understanding of the had infiltrated the education ministry. are concentratitW on poverty, cor:ruption aspirations of the ordinary man in Anwar's attempt to atop poUtickiJW and other iaues which ldveuely affect the kampongs and the towns, his in the Education ColliUitatlve Council the ordinuy penon. Althou&h they ia only a ploy to get hil draft education will be able to win a lot of sympathy common touch enabled him to pro act - which is nry communal - and arpport this way, they shou~ duce a prosperous country, a united approved. i.natead concentnte on bow to and contented citizenry. The Rulers strengthen the economy and the fi:nan.. were united, UMNO was united, the ISMAIL HASHIM ciaJ po~ition of the country. They shou~ Alliance was united. No Prime P~nong focus on bow to increue the wealth or the pneral public. I am lUre the Minister could alone do all the overwhelmina ~orlty ot us wo~ things that had to be done. He did Uke to hear the opposition parties' not hesitate to consult and seek views on how to raia Liv~ standards advice. Above all, he had the gift of in the country. ''TAPAK MANIA'' choosing the right men to be in the CHANG KOK KWONG Cabinet and then to let each of P~nong them get on with the job. Adminis· n e¥ery geaen1 election we witneued trators and professionals in the the "Tapat Mania" phenomenon. I Thia is when contnctou, includq publlc service were honoured to be the PWD put up lipbouds indicatin& giVen exacting tasks, for they knew development that had been planned that their contributions were appre but not yet impiemented. This is a ciated and rewarded. They were &immick of the ruJin& party and its PEMIMPIN YANG IDEAL supporters. never derided tn public. It is OK to have IUCh slana but MaJaya, later Malaysia, was a pleaae don't include the date of comple elantan JUdah pun diambiWih success story and the Tunku could tion. More often than not, Qle deadline oleh 11ekumpulan pemimpin with justification boast as he will not be met, e.,a. the liJn outlide K PAS. Pemimpin yang illeal ia.lah looked around him that he was the pemimpin yang berkewibawaan dan the Perww Immention olfice which happ1est Prime Minister in the state. "Tuikb Janab Siap" u 2S betul-betul taqwa. Pemimpin yq illeal December 1989. Until now, they have 11J181UP memberl k.hldmat yq jujur world. yet to move back into the buildirw. dan hidup deQPD lededwlL. Pemimpin Without his unique quality 1n the rural ~feU. just before be(inl akan menolak acp1a bentuk Malaysia, might not have been inde electiona the NEB puts poles and cables ruuah untuk metWbyakan diri tend.iri, pendent until much later. When he alona the road near the kamponas to k.awan.Uwan dan audara mara. Pemim indicate that electricity will 100n be pin beJinj ak.an menenta.• aebarana laid down office as Prime Minister available; but 100n after the elections, penyeleweJW~n Yllll merugi.bn DeBUl. and for several years later, Malaysia the poles and cables dlappear. Bila 11esebualt nepra dlpirnpin oleh was a democracy, the independence I hope that Malaysians will OQt orana Ylllll direstui Allah malta Allah of the judiciary was taken for witness such trickery in future electionL abo berikan rueki kepada nepra itu. granted, there was integrity and Allah ak.an selamatkan necara itu. DULL Allah abo berl panduan kepada rakyat honesty in public life, there was P~TUlng nepra itu. public accountability, there was a sense of security, and above all SARONG PIMPERNEL there was national unity. ln the last Kuolo Lumpur few years of his life the Tunku was a very sad man, as he looked FAKE JEANS OPENLY continu~ from pog~ 6 around him. SOLD IN SHOPS TUNKU ; A PRINCE ... We all mourn his death, for though a prince he was a democrat, Prime Minister. 1 was then back in though a politician he was a gentle hy ue lake jeam, t·lhkts, the Attorney General's Chambers. I man and a statesman~ and history jackets and lbirta allowed to remember the then Attorney will forever record his great contTi W be 10~ in Malaysia? 1n order General, Mr Tom Brodie, saying to victimize the Malaylian coruumer? bution towards his country and At preaent, there we UOilnd sixty that while on the Executive Council people. &hops throupobt Malayaia aWJw fake (before independence), it some May his soul rest in peace. "Edwin" jeans which ue beiJW produced times was obvious that Tunk:u had by a catain company in Penq. Why not read the papers but he had a 71r~ abo~~ tribut~ was deliv~r~d at th~ isn't the Ministry of Trade and Industry broad view of the problems and was MolaysiDn &u Council Forum on Human taltitW action qaiJut the company? Rights Day on Monday, Dec~mber 10. full of astute common sense. I 1990 at the CIVic Centr~ . P.J. TUN SUPER JEANS JUNCTION remember Mr lee Kuan Yew once SUFFIAN was one of 13 spe4kers who AlorS~IOf saying when Singapore was in paid rrtbut~ co the lot~ TUNKU. 19 ELECTION WATCH REPORT E A Summary of the Report of the Eighth General Elections by Election Watch he Election Watch report The Election Watch, on the recent elections comprising Tun Mohamed 6. that all candidates should respect campaign spending limits; T has eight sections. By Suffian Hashim (chairman), summarising and extracting from 7. that election laws should Aziz these Sections we present its Raja Addruse, Datuk be enforced without any major fmdings. Section A is Pa.."'8.111 Cumaraswamy, Tan Sri discrimination." a brief Introduction. Section B Alunad N oordin, Dr Chandra presents the necessary features and Muzaffar and Chooi Mun Sou, The Pre-Election Period requirements of a free and fair released its 46-page report Section C comprises three parts: election. [Ed: an Election Watch on the recent elections on 24 the registration of voters, the · use pamphlet outlining these 'ground November 1990. The report of state machinery and the role rules', so to speak, was distributed will be on sale to the public played by the mass media prior during the election.] The foUowing and available from Aliran. to the issue of notices of elections. two sections constitute the most Below we carry a summary Registration of Voters substantive parts of the report. by FRANCIS LOH KOK WAH, On the basis of the ground rules The report notes that the including ex tracts from the Section C comments on the pre electoral rolls were 'defective'. This election period while Section D report. was probably a result of block does the same for the period of registration conducted by political official campai~n . Two important parties which was allowed until parts of Section D entitled Additionally, "it is a pre.requisite March 1990. Consequently, the "Exploiting Communal Feelings to the making of a free choice number of voters in some areas and Religious Sensitivities" and that voters be not made to feel was inflated. ''Media Coverage During the threatened for supporting a parti There was cause for concern Campaign" is reproduced in cular candidate or party. Equally, because it resuJted in 'phantom full. The next two Sections threats of denial of development voters', cases of double registra· which deal with observations of assistance .. . and resort to acts of tion, cases of IC numbers appear the actual polling and counting intimidation, undue influence, ing more than once, etc. Below of votes, and comments on the treating and bribery are inconsis· are some examples mentioned in role of the Election Commission tent with the objective of [free the report. is discussed briefly. Sections elections) " . " In Sabah, the electoral rolls G which presents the group's " For an election to be fair, for 18 parliamentary constituencies Conclusion, and H which lists there must exist the following showed a more than 10% increase out its Recommendations, are also conditions: in the number of registered voters reproduced in toto_ I . that all political parties should in the ' last one year. Two of these have equitable access to public constituencies showed an increase On Free and Fair Elections facilities; of more than 20% in that year. Section B presents the necessary 2. that all candidates and parties These abnormal increases caused features and outlines of a free should have equitable access to concern, having regard par_ticularly and fair election. the media; to the large number of illegal To ensure a free election "there 3. that no voter be able to vote foreign workers in that State and should be no undue restriction more than once; to the discovery of syndicate~ imposed on parties and individuals 4. that only the ballQt papers of which operated in the State to eligible to participate in an eligible voters should be allowed produce fake identity cards". election". It is also "imperative to be inserted in the ballot boxes; "It was announced at the end of that the electoral rolls . .. be pro· 5. that ballot papers should be September 1990 that there were an perly and scrupulously prepared". properly counted and tallied; estimated 27,100 phantom voters 20 m Kelantan." Newspaper reports of paJgrung prior to the elections, The report also states that particular cases reported in Kelan· leaders of the Barisan Nasional "reports have been received of bow tan are appended to the report. made speeches wluch blurred the officers of the Education Ministry ll is noteworthy that some distinction between the Barisan had been used by the incumbents". 240,000 entries on the rolls had to Nasional as a political organization "The campaigning period also be elimmated just prior to the and the government. The public saw incumbent leaders distributing elections. Nonetheless "there was was exhorted to vote for the to the people gifts fmanced by no assurance given to the public government in the elections". government funds, and giving out by the Election Commission that awards wtuch had earlier the striking out of the 240,000 The Role of the Mass Media been dec1ded on by the names bad left the electoral rolls Referring to the 'main-stream government." These included the free of any further irregular entries media', i.e. the national dailies, Deputy Pnme Minister giving away or that the rolls were cons1dered television and radio, Election Watch bicycles in Kelantan; an incumbent fit for use for the General Elec· concluded that they "carry ver leader giving away lawn-mowers, tions .... Evidence that the electoral batim what government leaders say grass cutters, television sets, chain· roiJs used .... were indeed defective is whenever they appear in public saws and water pumps, and available." Details of the cases of but give the views of the opposition pledging to give $472,000 for Sepang and Sungei Siput parlia· scant attention, if any. The conse· improving various schools in his mentary constituencies are pre quence is lop-sided reporting. constituency; and the distribution sented [Ed.: see Aliran Monthly Government leaders are idolized by of land titles by various incum· 10 {10) 1990]. the media and, if the opposition is bents including members of the "Difficulties which must inevit· focussed at all, it is to demonstrate Cabinet and of the dissolved State ably result from the use of defec their weaknesses." It further noted Legislattve Assemblies. "Malung tive electoral rolls in elections arose the "hostile treatment of Election these distributions during the cam· dunng the two days of polling. Watch in the editonals of the main· paJgn period" the rep,ort stated Many people who had registered as stream newspapers which followed "was an abuse of office; it involved voters tn a constituency and others the attack on this group launched using government resources as a who had previously voted in that by the leaders of the government". means of promoting the image of constituency could not find their the incumbent leaders for the pur names in the electoral rolls for the The Election Period pose of improving their chances of constituency. The problem seemed Section D focuses on the elec· being re-elected". to have been worst in East Malay· tion period proper. After the sia. Voters who had not requested observation that nominations were Intimidation for a change in constituency found carried out smoo\}lly this section Several mcidents of intimidation themselves registered as voters of a zeroes in on the campaign period. are mentioned. In Terengganu the different constJtuency. Many Six ttems are discussed, two of residence of Sernangat 46 candidate people had to go from polling which on the exploiting of comrnu· Tengku Seri Paduka Raja Tengku station to polling station to look nal feelings and religious sensitivi· Ibrahim Ismail was bombed. In the for the electoral rolls which had ties, and the role of the media, same state a PAS worker alleged their names." respectively, are reproduced in full. that a Barisan Nasional candidate The remaining four items are assaulted him. Similarly members Use of State Machinery summarised below. of the IPF alleged that they were "Nation-wide tours were under assaulted in three separate incidents taken by the Prime Mm1ster m the The Caretaker Government in Sunge1 Siput. There were many company of leaders of the various "Goverrunent facilities were more reports of campaign workers component parties within the Bari· freely used for campaigning pur· from all parties being prevented san Nasional... and of the leaders of poses. This ranged from the Execu from meeting the electorate in the Barisan Nasional for the States tive jet used to fly the Deputy Prime various parts of the country. visited. Three such tours were Minister to Sabah on a mission to "A more direct form of intimi· undertaken in the months prior to minimise damage to the incumbents dation came from the leaders of the the elections, using government by the puiJout of the PBS from the Bar1san Nasional. The Prime Minis· Jets, t:acilities and funds. At the Barisan Nasional, to vans of the ter in an interview with newsmen rallies organized on these tours the Jabatan Penerangan ... used by carried over the television warned Barisan Nasional flags and banners UMNO workers in Kampar, Perak. that the lesson from 1969 was that were prominently displayed . The In various areas around Cameron if the government did not have the Prune Minister and the other lea Highlands pictures of the Prime two-thirds control of Parliament, ders who accompanied h1m wore Minister and the Menteri Besar there could be trouble ...The thinly Barisan Nasional caps and used which had been posted had the veiled threat from the Prime Mini· these rallies to critic i z.e the words "Dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan ster was that there could be civil opposition. Penerangan Malaysia" ... printed disorder if the government was not During this pre-election cam· at the bottom right-hand corner." returned with the majority it 21 sought." were conducted that the limits number of votes cast in their favour flxed for election expenses were as announced at the polling Anak angkat Scheme being exceeded." stations. Election Watch was "Under this scheme unemployed infooned that at least an election graduates were recruited by UMNO Polling and the Counting petition was to be llled. It hopes Youths and sent to stay in the of Votes that the petition will be heard at houses of electors identified as Section E discusses the question the earliest possible date. fence-sitters. These 'adopted chfl. of secrecy in polling, discrepancies dren' would offer the families they in results and postal votes. Postal Ballots stayed with more money than these Considering that those casting families could earn for that period, Secrecy in Polling their votes through the postal ostensibly in payment for accom "There appears to be widespread system do so "without any super modation. The Jodgers ...would then concern that the way a person vision from officials of the Election seek to win the votes of the house voted can, in principle, be checked. Commission" it is no surprise that holds they stayed with and at the This is because a person's registra several irregularities were reported same time prevent workers of the tion number on the electoral rolls is to Election Watch. It was dis opposition parties from visiting printed on the counterfoil of the covered that whereas in the past these houses." ballot paper when the ballot paper armed forces personnel sent back is issued to him. Strictly speaking, their ballot papers to the consti False Statements the way a person voted can be tuencies in which they had been Under this item the report checked from his ballot paper by registered, votes were cast for the discusses the case of the indepen reference to his registration number constituencies where their camps or dent candidate for the Kinaba· as noted on the counterfoil. What is depots were conducted this time. tangan parliamentary seat who not commonly known is that all If true, such a change "defeats the the Deputy Prime Minister an ballot papers are sealed in their very purpose of postal voting". anounced had withdrawn from the ballot boxes after completion of Another allegation was that election and had expressed support counting.... Being unaware of this, members of the police force in Kuala for the Barisan Nasional candidate. many civil servants are under the Terengganu were instructed to The announcement was aired over belief that they have to vote for the mark theu choice of candidate and television and carried in newspaper incumbent party if they are not to thereafter return the postal ballot reports. The report was denied by jeopardise their careers." paper to their supenors. "This the candidate concerned but the One case brought to the atten would put subordinates under pres publicity given to the Deputy tion of Election Watch concerned sure to vote according to the wishes Premier's announcement could not how a senior government officer of their commanding officers." be countered sufficiently. [tis signi tried to intimidate his subordinates And in Kuala Lumpur there was ficant that only 40% of the regis. into voting for the Barisan Nasional a complaint that the postal ballot tered voters for the area turned out by warning them that their choices papers were issued with the regis. to cast their ballots. Election Watch could be traced and that those tration numbers of the respective viewed the incident as "serious who voted against the ruling voters on the electoral rolls noted enough to warrant the attention of party would suffer unpleasant on them. "This takes away any the appropriate authority which consequences. guarantee of anonymity and is should make necessary investiga The report also mentions how bound to intimidate voters to vote tions". Making false statements to the new system of counting at in a certain way". · improve the chances of a particular polling stations, at which not more Given these complaints, Election candidate is considered an offence than 700 electors cast their votes, Watch wrote to the Election under the Election Act. "has given rise to concern about the Commission seeking information on lack of secrecy". For areas which how the postal votes had been Campaign Funds voted against the winning party can administered but has yet to receive "Allegations abound of money easily be traced and discriminated a reply. being used to buy voters. The diffi. against. Election Watch reports that culty in verifying reports of vote· in Bukit Mas, Sarawak, worket:s of The Role of the Election buying stems from the fact that the incumbent party apparently Commission those who have accepted bribes in went around threatening the ln reviewing the role of the return for their votes are themselves electors just that. Election Commission in Section F, parties to the commission of an EJection Watch concludes that it is offence." Some reports of vote Discrepancies in Results "unfortunate that certain decisions, buying in Sarawak longhouses and Several candidates have com statements and policies of the Com in Tanah Rata, Pahang, are ment· plained tbat the total number of mission and of the Executive have ioned. The report also states that votes announced at the tallying put to question the Commission's "it seemed evident from the way centre as having been cast for them independence'. These include: the campaign of certain candidates did not tally with the aggregate 1. the Prime Minister's confidence 22 that the elections would be fiXed out having regard to the unsatis mission to respond to the letters for an early date even before the factory state of the electoral of concern sent by Election Election Commission had an rolls; Watch after government Jeaders nounced its decision; 3. the Election Commission's deci made adverse remarks against 2. the deciSIOn of the Election sion not to make public the the group; Co~on to fiX nontination findings on its investigations 5. inaction on the part of the Elec and polling dates so soon after concerning election fraud; tion Commission with respect to Parliament was dissolved with- 4. the refusal of the Election Com- · abuses. Media Coverage During the Campaign The imolvement of the Malay The abtence of limi.lar lldvertise In a !ell cUred manner to campawn dailln In exploitiJW etlmk and ments by the oppoaidon was for the incumbents. On prime reliJioua wntimenta bas been accordiJ18ly molt C:Oillpic:uous. air time videos ol catchy 1011fS mentioned In the ledion entitled Aput from their ordinary news like "Setia", "Barilan Kill" and "ExploiU. Communal FeeliJws propammes, RTM and TV3 c:uried "Quality" would be lhown for and Relilious SensitiYities." their own propammes reportins the purpote of involcina a llflllle The opposition puties were on the eJection camp.. n.. Thae of loyalty and pride both to the se¥erely handicapped ill ae«int propmunes fOCUIIed Juaely on nation and, tbrouJh a 111btle their lllelllp ICIOII to the public the views of laden or the Bulan choice of lyria.. for the Builan tllroUJb the media. The Bulan Nuional There was aome COVef28e National. Nuional e!Voyed bavirw the text of the oppotitlon but it wu almost The various politic:at puties of its manifesto printed in fuU entirely or a ntptive nature. For w•e allocated time for party by the lead"'& EnaJiab daily, the instance. IJI extended interview political broadcasts over the New Strllltt Times, as part of was aired of 1 dlstr ict PAS c:hiel radio. AI a step towards allowins that new.. per '• political covenp. who wu diwnchanted wttb the aU political puties IJI opportu Berita Harilm ran a 10pplement choice of candidaR lUiie by the nity to ~Y ill lfttllll&e to elec:ton, that conlilted 10lely of the Malay State PAS leadenhip for his oonlti thil was a measure to be com venlon ol the Barian manifeno ruenc:y, •experts', c:alled iltto the mended. ' However, the effect of tosether with photopaphs in ruu sl11dio to expreu their opinion, radio bro.dc:asu wu 10m-hat colour. N-• reports of the oppo· took lluna to state that the oppo limited due laqely to the public sidon's manifestoes appeared In sition alliance would not be able not beiftt aw~re u to when and aome of the main·ltream dallia; to fund the polk:ies it lldvoc::atld on what frequencies theae broed· but only one Mtlonal new..-per, In iu l'llanilesto; Tenpa Rauqb'• casts were aired. The oppoaition a CIUnae da.lly, carried in fu U rebuke of a reporter was aired !*tiel had aJtorether a total the manlresto from the oppo repeatedly to allow him as haviJW ol five broaclc:uu allotted to sition putiea. AUempts by the a haaPIY and II1'0pJd allue. them, tJie duration ol eKh broad· oppolition 10 pay the other dallies Whe. tile PBS pulled out from case beifts 13 min•ta. TatlJil .-mal advertbilla rates for thft the Barilan Nuional, TV3 mar iwto account that the oppolition manifestoes to be Cllried In fuU viewed Sabahas for their views on alliance was contestil1f every 1eat were of no lfti1. A couple of llllall it. AU the five peraons interviewed in the General Electio... the time n-epepera and mtpZinel, how expreued the view that it was an allowed them wu not equitable. ner, pve fuU c:onnp to the opportunist move by the PBS In any case, there can be no doubt muif81CO of the Gepan Rakyat leld«ship. Collliderbw that the thlt the more enec:tlve medium coe.lition and PAS. PBS bacl .oup •ppon iB the for inlorminJ the electorate of the The Builu NuioMI, however, State to capture aU the -ts it dllferacea ill the stand ol the bacl no probllln ill pttbw the contested, it was ..-,rilina that variou contestiJw politic:al parties mailuaeam dailies to carry run. the telerilio11 c:hauel ooald not wu mt the radio but the tellwilion; Pile advertillments 011 coNeCUtiYe find even one penon who bed 1 and on tellwilion the oppolldo11 Pilei, ridk:uU. the oppoloition different view on the PBS IDOYe. pades were not allo«ed any time and extoiJbw its own laderahlp. The televiiJon wu abo uled at alL 23 Exploiting Communal Feelings and Religious Sensitivities After it wu announced that of a crou on the head-sear had the Barisan Nasional Tilt! President the PBS wu puDiiiJ out of the nothq to do with rel~us betiels. or the Allocution for members Balian Nasional, the campqn aw A spokesman for the Sabah of the Administrative and Diplo a marked chaflle ol character. Cultural AIIOCiation pointed out matic Servic:«, Dato' Hassan The Prime MinUter declared that that many native group• in Sabah, Ibrahim, joined in the c:al1 for amo.. the requeats or the Sabah who.e forefathers produced the 111pport for the parties iA power, puty whicll he could not accede YUiolll desians uled on aach throwiJW to the wind the principle to wu the .etti.na up of a televiliOn bad-sear, were papns and not that government .ervants should station in Sabah that would be ChriltianJ. stay out or politics. uled to apread Christianity. Thit In fact, ICadazan head-sear or The Prime Minister him.elf prompted candidates of the PBS sigilh often bean motifs symboJi. publicly said that there wu a to file polic:e reports tp.in.lt the zi.na natwe. The 10-called crou on dafller that Muslims would no Prime Miaister. They claimed that the mntrowerlial had-sear, for Jonaer form the blck-bone or the .U.ed reuon for hl¥0. .instanc:e, il a tapioca shoot (pucuk the pemment l the opposition the state televiaion channel wu ubi). Most had-pan of this .m was voted to power. He warned {alae and that the aiJeption was are made by the &.Jau community that at stake in the elec:tioru was made with the intention of creati.na which is Jaraely Muslim. whether Mllllinu would become lU-wW and racial hoatility between The rellsiou• innocuoumeu of a minority group in Malaysia and the peoples or Malayaia. Such the head-sear ia under100red by the would have to bow to other groups. alllptiou could conttaveae 5.3(1) fact that even the Prime Mi.aiater The Finance Minister similarly of the Sedition Ac:t 1948. him.elf had worn aach a had· warned when speakinJ in Air The .U.ed PBS aim or IPJMd· par when be vilited Sabah Hjtam, Kedah, that the position iJW Chriltianity was ~gnVated by 10me yeara back. Pictur• of him of the Malays was threatened. plc:turea appeui.na in the national WeariJW the item wen d.istributed Dato' Ora. Sulaiman Mohamad, dailiel, and repeated over leVer&I in variolll par11 of the country. went funher and accused Tefllku news propammes on televilion, A Barilan Nasional spokeunan RazaJewh or apeein& to remove of Teswtu ~ HamDh, the quoted on the front pqe of the Islam from bei• the officia.l '-'Ia or lhc uppulilioa alliancea, UCUlllfl Mt~ll1ySIII (20 October) bow· telj&IOn or the country. weun. a Kadazan head-sear that e¥er claimed that lbe pictllfe or Meanwhile. UMNO parry sup· bore what teemed to be the I)'Dibol the Prime Minister wearinJ the porter• were known to have di.. of a crou. Thla picture was enllqed head-sear was a 'false' one, addi.na seminated copies of a letter pur· and given prominence over the that the head-par worn by the portedly from the Pope to the front fliP ol the Utuum Mt~llzysitl leader of the Barilan Nuio•l leader or the PBS co,.atulati.IIJ oa 19th Oc:tot.- and repeated did not have a CIOJL him for b.il elforll to spreld by the .-spaper in its editions Various Muslim and Malay O.iltianity and wWU. him weU for the followh• two days, which orpuiutions thea came out with in his attempts to destroy Islam. were polli.na daya. For two con· statements cllimiJW that recent Copies or the Malay dailies with tee~~tive days the newspaper ran development• had threatened the the picture of Tenpu Razaleiah atoriea of how members of the special position of the Malaya wear.. the head-sear with the Mllltim community, includh• and of Islam in the country and aou were abo diatributed free theoJotiua, were earaaed by that the Malays bad to unite ullder in rllfal areas. The Archbilbop Tenab Razaqh's wearu. aa the Buitan Nasional if the political Emerit11s of the CathoLic: Church item that bore the symbol ol dominance of the Malay com Jodaed a police reporl staW. that Chriltiuity. The BuitG Ht~rlllfl mullity was to be afe-parded. The the letter purportedly from the new..,aper allo carried the picture groups - concerned included tbe Vatican was a fake, but thd was on the front pqe on the 19th Mualini Lawyera Aslociation, the not Jiven any space in the main ol Odoba, with the caption Malay Chambers ol Commerce ol dailiea. Neither did the main "Ku U jtulju• ali)" (Te,.tu the Federal Territory and ol dailies report his statement that RazaleWh carriel the crou"). The PeD&JII, a JIOilP callina them•lves the Kadazan head..., had no E,.mh dailies carried the picture "KJaJW Valley intellec:tll&ls not Christian lignific:anc:e. too but pve it -.. lipiflcanc:e. directly involved in politic:•". The evillence IIIOJWiy pointa It was a terlous act of irrelponal various padll&te UIOCiatlons, an to the conclusion that the lea4era bility OR the part ol the Malay Alor Star auociation of intei of UMNO decided 10 counter dailiel not to inform the public Jectll&ls known u "~ld Kllm· the effect ol the PBS puU-out that the tt.d.,_, was a Kadalan. pulan Melayll Bertindak" (Malay of the Badlan Nasio•l by orchestta· and not a Christian, one. Only Group Action Council), and a tiJW a concated campaWD to 10me ol the Sabah _..,.pera Kedah fatwa committee. Seven convince the Malay electorate that interviewed the natives or Sabah Malay/Muslim orpnizations in lpoh thia move had dire implications on the llanilic:ance of the c:rou came tosether to islue a joint tor the dominant position of the on the head-sear. The Sabah statement on how Mulllim iAtereats Malays and their relilion. United Bliau A.->c:iation JKesident, were under siete and could only Moll analylll were apeed that o.tuk SaUeJt Tun Said Kenaat, be protected if Islamic: potitital even after the puUout of PBS, casne ollt to ay that the l)'ftlbol parties in the oppoation joined the Barian Nasional would stiD 24 comfortably have retained 1 JeDSitiyiries to the full In order control over the national leaialltive lllJ!iority in Puliament. The real to swms the vote& or the MIJ.y chamber than with ensurina that threat was the Barian Nasional's majority 10 u to maintain the communal feelings were kept under two-thirds m.,jority. The leaders Builln Nuional's overwhelming control; narrow politic:al interests of UMNO demonstrated in their power in Pulilment. Their strategy wu considered more importlnt campaign that they were willina shows that they were concerned than the fosterif18 or unity among to aploil ethnic: and re.. iou& more with relliniJII abtolure the vuious communities. " I / -k'e.~m- I 13 R\uh. , \ Conclusion "The 1990 General Elections votes at poDina statlona (illllead of the Election Commillion. were by and laiJe fr~. Putiea of at a central counW. centre 4. There were cues of dUec:t which contested had no problem •• previoully done) CI...S intimidation or candidates and in fieldlJ. their CholeR ClndldlteL voters to be juatilllbly appre of campqnerL there wu no Impediment to henaive that the way the voters S. There was •btle Intimidation independent e~ndilbtes coatesttna. of an area voted would be of the electorate who were The vast majority of voten who kaown. Thia neptea the require wmted of tile pollible re wuted to vote were not prevented ment for conf'Jdentiality basic: currence of the inddenta or from doif18 10. to thedemocndc procea. May 1969 If the inc:umbeat But there are 10me important 3. Postal voten from the police parties were not returned with quaUrEations:- and armed ron:ee mpt not a two-thirds ....;o,ity. 1. Many eJi&jble voters could not ..ve felt free to ellercile their Election Watch does IIOC con riJid their names 011 tJie electoral ·freedom of choice. pen their aider the General Elec:tions to ..ve rolll wed at the elections. circumatanc:es and the abiC!IIce been {QU (emphasis lidded). The 2. The new system of coantilw of supervilion by any official coverJie in the rnain-str- print 25 ...... , ...., tile .... lilld lty the ...... Nuioaal. The lllillion hu left much 10 be delind .....,.-anc~t~wE.uaaa ...... freely 111111 ...... and briJ9I into ClllellioD die Com ...... lop ...... n- dailita 18dlldll ..a ...... for a.- lflirliDn'a credldlily. Ha.U. nprd arrild polidcal ...... 11111 ...... aploited eduUI: .... eo the ...,. irnpllridll ill the OIIly ,.... the .....llellt ooalidoa...... I 'p;,idll M ,.C of eiKtoral roll ftiiGrted to il or Till OfiiOiido• ...... ,.... .,...... wllidl II ttlllf openly acbow· allocated a liaUied dale tiD broad ..A PIHelluWte for fair Jec:tiona wted, tlla Colndlrioa llu falld cui Oftl till mcliD, ...... , ICCell .. thai lhe electoral prOCIII llilcMIId to properly ....._. its dudel It al 10 .....-.,. wi*Ja h tile be ...... _... by a ...tral llld ..... in .ire ol the impllritiea, _...... aad .treed¥• i8depeaclat body. Ia IIIia nprd, il ldl ..... thole electoral rolla 81dilun: tellririoa wu -.opo· the conduct of lhe Election Com· in the GeneaJ Elec:tiona." Recommendations Alter aaai)'.UW the 1990 that propamma on electiona any candillate who hu traJu.. CenenJ Ellctioaa. we are ol the am cov..,e to aD parties. p.-ed the UIIUtJ of election view that t!Be il an IIIJellt need 4. Political partiel lhould be expenditure let by the law. for reform in order to enaue aJlowed party politicaJ broad· 8. The Election Coaunllaion CUer elec:tiona. The followint are CUll ova ....,n d.U. lhould CODC&n j(lel( with all 10me of our reconunendatioM:- prime air time. More aDotmentl -.ecta of u elec:tioA. lu 1. Voter ftlietration rllould be of adJo time lhollld aliO be report lhoeld cover not jult nwde compulaory. II aD ddzena pen to all pwtiel. Air time how .._U.tiona and polliJia of electoral • 1re ..ally lhould be fairly dlatribvted. were conducted but aliO the obllaed to rqiater them~elvet 5. AU Qlldilbt" llhould have theiJ nature of the campaiJnina, u voten, it wW be pollible campqa financed by public media cov..,e, the uae of to croa chect by computer funds. Thole who lo~e thcU aovernmat facWtiea for cam· the lilt of elec:ton with the depoait will have to reimbune .-woo.. and other matt&l lilt of citkena prepared by the the aovernment (or their relevant for det&minina R•latration Deputment and election expenditure. Thia whether an election llu been vice ••& Improper r.-.tioa would reduce the obJiptioa fair. of votera would then become that winnina candidate. rome 9. The pnctic:e of .oW. the extremely dimc:ult. lima owe their riiWICial voter's numb& on the eJectoral 2. Without JOiJW into tbe conati. badtaa and, at the ame time, rolll on the counterfoil of tutiona.lity of the law relatb• ameliorate the diaadvantacea of ballot papaa -.ed to him to printina pr- and publi candidate. who have only lhould be abandoaed. Tile dnw· cation&, tbe requir.aent for mocleatmeana. 0. ol I JiM OYW dte laiDe aiUUial r•ppHcation of publilh 6. Umila llhollld be illlpoaad on or every voter ..... wltb a h• and printq pennjts lhould the IIIIOUJd that poHtical OlpJli ballot paper would aulliciently be abolilhed. The media lhould zationa may ~nd to Uliat enable the Elec:tion Commillion not be made to feel that their their candidates In campqJUna. to determine who had voted contiJiued operation depeDila on Thil would reduce the dil aJid how many ballot papera the JOOdwW of thole who advantap autrered by candl had been -.ed ud yec ..Y Coma the perRment. It would datet from parties wltb limited the apprebenaion ol YOter1 u ltiU be pollible to l'e\'Oke the m•,._ It would aliO elimU.te to the ~eaec:y of their \IIOfea. licencea of irreaponaible publi the exiltirw anomaly where the 10. The c:utina of poatal votea cadona, but executive deciliona linlila of apencliture the law lhould be auperv-.1 by off'lda.la to withdraw a pr~ or aJlowa a candidate cu be from the Elec:doa c.._ • ..,._ publiiiWIJ permit lhould be dn:umvated by his party'• Police ud ....S forcea per IUbject to judic:ial review. unlimiled ~ in produc:illa IOuel who are llatioaed. or 3. Radio and televilion lhould be materilll for hil campaip. whole camp or depot ia located, nwde independent and auto 7. A thorouJh audit lbould be ia the coudtueac:y wbse they nomous tbrouah the eatablilh· carrW oat on the election are baled lhollld aoc be alowed IMftt of a broadcalli• c:orpon· expeaaa of randoally ae1ec:tec1 to ... the poatal .,...._ tioa. The corpoatioa lhotlld c:udldata of aD partiel by II. The polla1 ballot ol I police be entrulled with the reaponai independeat ud reputable or -ed forces per10uel bWty of naurU., that theaa accounW. firma. The re111k1 should be ~ent to the consti chaaneb ol commallication of the llldil lhould be widely tuency ill which he II r,.._ed an not monopolized ....,.. publk:ized.. Prompt .... elfec:ti.e u a 90t& to be coulded u a elec:tiou by any party ud action alroald be tabu ...... ,te cut ill that collltihaM:y. 26 THE ELECTION WATCH REPORT Umited c:opies are still a~·ailable at A/iran office. 7, /.in rang Pantai Jerjak, Taman Cennuy, 11700 Penang. 12.Since then~ system of count Election Commislsion to clarify Servtce, but should be a person ing does not guarantee the any doubts. who is appointed by the Com results of clecuons being 14. To ensure that the Flection mission and docs not have known th:lt much earlier, the Commission is not only inde to look to the government Election CommissiOn ~1oukl pendent but also appears to be for further advancement in revert to the previous system so, all the Commission's staff h1> career. - that is, that ballot ~es mcmbcn should be made It is our hope that the Election from the different pollin& •~are that while ~ill8 the Commbsion, and andeed the stations in a constituency Commission their loyalty as government. ~ill grve due consi should be brought to a counting only to the Chairman and the deration to the proposal5 flection centre. where aU the votes membcn of the Commission. Watch has made. The pnma.ry aim cast are counted. This would A condition for tomeone from of these proposals, needle~ to assuage to a b.rge e'\tent the fears the government service llt'rvang say. ~ to improve the electoral of voters that localities ~ hich as a part-tune staff of th.c process. An electiOn which is voted ~.ga~nst the ~inning party Com:mU.Sion soould be that he free and fair in every sen-e of the or parties (which areas ·would be not a member of any politi word remams one of the great be easily Identified) would be cal party. (.ovcrnmcnt and aspiratiOns of a large segment of pemilized by denying them political h~aders who have any· manlund. People are wiUing to d1.:velopmcnt assistance. thlng to ~Y or propose to the make great sacrifices to ensure 13.0Cficials of polling stations Commission should deal onJy that thiS cardinal requU'ement of should be grven a check-list ~ ith the Chairman and his a just democratic tocaety is met. of procedures to follow an fellow Commissioners and not In Malay~ia. a worlulblc electoral order to cope with va.r iou~ go directly to the Secretary procc$5 exiSU. Our chllllcnge is to problems that may arise. They and other staff member$. The ensure that it CACcls so that Malay should also be given a telephone Secretary hamllt'lf should not be sian elections would become number which ~ill enable t11em an officer seconded from the syr10nymous with fairneu and to quickly get through to the Administratave and Diplomatic justice. 27 THE GULF CRISIS AMERICA SEEKS HEGEMONY (with Dr M's Backing!) When it became known that the United States would seek the backing of the United Nations Security Council to use force to evict Iraq from Kuwait, Aliran president Chandra Muzaffar sent a letter to the New Straits Times (NSTI in which he argued that the Malaysian representative on the Security Council should vote against the United States resolution. The NST, which had carried a number of letters from readers on the Gulf Crisis, refused to carry the letter. The reason was obvious: the NST did not want to carry a letter from Aliran or its president. Two days later the letter was sent to the Star which carried it on 30 November 1990. We publish below Or Chandra's letter, the statement made by the Prime Minister. Or Mahathir Mohamad explaining why his government supported the US resolution on force, and Chandra's response to Or Mahathir's statement. bran urges the Mala}sian upon Iraq more than three months masstve deplo> ment of soldters arid delegate to the United ago. weapons 111 the gulf regton. Present A Nauoru Secunty Council to Apan from wanmg for sanctions weather condtttons arc quite vote agamst a proposed United to have the demed effect, the favourable for ,\rnencan and States resolution authorising the UN Sccunty Council should not European troops to engage tn use of force to drive Iraq from ignore the diploma tic moves whtch combat. Besides. the Bush admini Kuwatt. The Umtcd States is continue to be made to achieve stration lea1s that if the cnsis expected to table the resolullon a peaceful solutmn to the gulf drags on for a few more months on :!1.) t>.lovember. crisis. The Arab Summtt. proposed Amencan and European public We believe that UN ::tpproved by King Hassan of Morocco. though Qptnlllll wtll be totally opposed economic sancttons JgaJnst llaq opposed b} ~ome Arab st:Jtes. to war in the gulf. should be given more time to deserves scnous constderation by all In fact. there arc signs to show achieve their full unpact. Even stdes. Within the Secu•ity Council that the opposition to the statton before considering a resolution itself. it was reported a week ago, ing of Amcncan and EuiOpean authorising the use of Ioree. the that Malaysw. Yemen. Colombia troops 111 the gulf. ts gauung Security Council should be given and Cuba were drafting thetr own momentum Even the American the opporturuty to deiJbcratc upon resolution rumeu at persuadmg Iraq Congress - tudgmg by the reserva the effectiveness of cconon11c to Withdraw from Kuwall with a tions expressed b} man} of its sanctions imposed upon Iraq. The guarantee that the terntonal dis members m recent wt!eks - mtght United Nations Secretary-General pute over Kuwait would be the sub dectde to vctl> a war. Also. the should present to the Secunty ject of negollattons and even arbitra Bush adnumstrallon is not sure Council Without any dela}. a tion. These and other peace efforts how lung 11 can hold together the comprehcnstve evaluation uf the should be given ume to succeed. unwtcldy ant1-lraq alliance 11 has efle~.:ts of econonuc sanctions. The But the United States. It is so tried to forge. UN Security Council has yet to obvious. wants to go to war. It Why the Bu:.h administratiun evaluate the effectiveness or the has calculated that 11 cannot wait is ~ keen to gu to \\3r. it is not economic sanctions it u11posed an} longer. It has completed its d1fflcuh to decapher. Almost four 28 dependence on OPEC and the from the Arab populace. Earlier producmg nations of the Persian intelligence reports had suggested Gulf. ln JUSt four years the demand that the migration would trigger for OPEC crude oil has risen by off widespread protests nght some 40 per cent". He then through Lhe Arab world concludes: "ft might now be said Five, the United States. like that whichever great power may Israel, is apprehensive about the come to control Lhe world's oil tap political resurgence of Islam m a in the Gulf region, will to a large number of Arab countries like extent control the world." Jordan, Algena, Tunisia and even And the United States has, Egypt The 1deology of resurgent for a long while, kept a firm gnp Islam will not take kindly to on the oil tap in the gulf region American control and dominance through countries like Kuwait, the of West Asia. The United States. Umted Arab Enurates and Saud1 m order to check the rising tide Arabia. At one time, Iran also of Islam, has chosen to reinforce helped the United States maintam the positiOn of feudal Muslim its grip on the tap. After the monarchies U1 _the gulf regton. overthrow of lhe Shah and the Six, because of its concern emergence of an independent over oil. investments, Israel's leadership in Teheran, Lhe United power, Iraq's military strength and States has been very wary of any Islamic resurgence, the United move which would result in further States appears to be determined loss of control over gulf oil. This to establish a new military and is why it IS determined to ensure security balance in West Asta. that a regime which is amenable Needless to say. Lhe Unued States to Amencan interests - like the would be at the fulcrum of this Em1r's - remams m power lll balance. Egypt, another Amencan Kuwait. An independent. non ally. wouJd have an important aligned government - like the one role to play m this arrangement. m Baghdad - is the last thing Winnmg the Gulf War is a vital in the world Lhat the United pre-requisite for the creation of States wants. this new power balance in the ·Two, Since the Kuwaiti regime regton as a whole. that was overthrown in the Iraqi lt is apparent that the Bush if the crisis drags, public opinion invasion of 2 August 1990. has adminiStration IS driven by narrow. opposed to the war will gain huge mvestments in the American seJiish interests in 1ts eagerness momentum. nnancial system, the Bush admini· to go to war. lt ts prepared to stration IS fully aware of the sacrifice the hves of thousands months after the Iraqi invasion Importance of keeping Lhat regin1c and thousand:. of human beings of Kuwait and the mass mobil•· in power This IS why 1l has to on both side:. of the conllict in zation of Amencan armed might expel lraq from Kuwait at all order to ach1eve its opportunistic to confront Baghdad. 11 is dear costs. goals - goals wh.u .. h have nolhing what the underJymg motives of the Three, the Bush adminJStmtion to do with justice and freedom Bush admin1strauon arc . There are IS afraid that Iraq . a major regiOnal and human dignity. perhaps at least six ultenor mouves nulitary power. would pose a The world should not allow behind the eagerness of the threat to its close ally. Israel. the Bush administration to get 'Amencan eagle' to swoop down wh1ch ha~ a more sophisticated away with mass murder. Uke upon Iraq. arsenal than any other country the thousands or anti-war and One, the Untted States is deter in West Asia. Tlus expl3lllS the oft· pro-peace marchers m North mined to reta1n effective control repeated a1m of the United States America and Western Europe. over Kuwaiti oil. Kuwaiti ou IS military command to destroy Malaysians should also make it a sign1fkant clement m gulf oil. Sad dam Hussem 's armed strength. very dear to the Bush admmlstra The United States is very depen Four, both Israel and the tion that a peaceful solution to t.lent upon oil exports from the United States must be glad that Lhe gulf cris1s is still possible. gulf. As Jan1es Schlestnger, Secre the gulf crisis has presented them lt IS George Bush, more than tary ol Energy under PreSident wuh the opportumty to effect Saddam Hussein, who is beating Carter put it in September 1989. the mass migration of hundreds the war drums - which are, m "Without doubt. the most slgnt of thousands of Soviet Jews into fact. barrels of oil. ficant, mdeed the dommam trend Israel and the occupied Palestmian in energy is Lhe rapidly growing territories without much reststance 27 November 1990 29 FULL TEXT OF DR. MAHATHIR'S STATEMENT ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLtrriON MALAYSIA, as a Non-Aligned Move· to Iraq to adhert> to the approach to the va.rious member of the Security ment, it is Malaysia's ten previous resolutions issues affecting the Council, has aupported duty to support and adopted by the council, Middle East. the adoption of Resolu· uphold the unity and wit.hin a defmite Ume· But we believe the tion 678 at a meeting resolve of the council frame before further fate of Kuwait and its of the Security Council to confront aggression action IS taken. people cannot be sub· yesterday. and restore peace. It lJ now for Iraq jected to the solution The resolut1on autho· Malay.sia 'a stand to make possible a of the Palesune ques· rises member states of against strong nations peaceful solution to the tion. We do not believe the United Nations to invading or armexing Gulf crisis which Iraq's invasion of use aJJ oeceaaary means amall nations is well· started with ito inva· Kuwait can be a means to uphold and imple· known. We car~not sion of Kuwait. to solve the Palestine ment Security Council compromise on this. Malaysia has always question. Re$olution 660, which The Governments of sought to avoid the We reiterate our un condemns Iraq's inva· Kuwait, Sandi Arabia use of force to make equivocal support for aion of Kuwait and and Egypt and other Iraq withdraw from the Palestinians and which demands the OIC countries had Kuwait. A unilateral demand that the Secu· withdrawal of Iraq and appealed for Malaysia's action could have bMn rity Council fully Kuwait before arriving support at the Secur1ty taken by t.he multi· addri.'SS itself urgently at its decision. Council and this appeal national force against to thiS problem in In view of the impor· weighed heavily in our Iraq under Article 51 of accordance with rele tance of the sub)ect, consideration as Kuwait the UN Charter, follow· vant United Nations Fore111n ACfairs Minister is one such small coun· ing Kuwait's request for resolutions. Datuk Ha)i Abu Hassan try which has been collective self defence. We strongly urge Iraq Omar met with US invaded and annexed We have, however, to take heed of and Secretary of State by a powerful neigh· always msisted on the abide by this urgent James Baker 1n Los bour, Iraq. centrality of the United call of the int.ernational Angeles on Nov 24, We have always been Nations' role in the community to with· conveying our views a strong proponent of a maintenance of inter· draw immediately and on the Gulf cris1s and peaceful solution to the national peace and unconditionally from on the general question present cnsiS in the st>cur1ty, and that any Kuwait before Jan 15. of peace in the Middle Gulf and co-sponsored proposed use of forct> It is our fervent hope East. a.nd supported various for that purpose must that the use of force In addition, our per· resolutions towards be brought before the can be avoidl.'d. It is manent repre~;entative t.hat objective. Security Council for its essential that Iraq rea· to the United Nations, Unfortunately, and prior approval . pond posith·ely and Datuk Razali Ismail, much to our regret, We have been less comply with thb rt'lio· bad close coruultatiom Iraq bas not evinced than happy over the lution to avoid war. with other members of any willingnesa to United States' ambiva· ~talaysia ha.. also the Security Council comply with the re.solu· lent stand on the ques· stated that, in thl.' event and the NA.M (Non· tions calling for peace tions of peace in the force is used, it should Ali&ned Movement) ful and unconditional Middle East, particu· be within the scope caucus over the put withdrawal and restora· larly on the question of of the LIN Security several days. Lion of Kuwait to its Palestine and Isrul's Council resolutions, Malaysia is always legitimate government brutal treatment of especially Reso~utions comcious of the res· and people. Palestinians in the occu· 660, 662 and 664. ponsibility entrusted We, therefore, share pied territories. Countries taking such upon 1t u a member the view that Iraq The United Statet> action are not aut.ho· of the UN Security should be reminded of mu.. t now show its rised by the council Council. its obligations to the serious conct>rn for the to I!O beyond the ~ a small nation and United Nations Charter rights or the Palesti· objeCtives of thOlie reso· member of the Organi· and under international niano and its rl.'.:.olve lutions. sation of Itlamic Coun law and that a final to move towards a tries (OIC) and the opportunity be given just and even-handed 30 "What Is particularly A RESPONSE sad about Malaysia's support for the use United States and its allies may to yet another source of constant of force Is that it win the war or they may lose the conflict in West Asia. This is the tantamounts to war. Iraq. as most political com lsraeli-Palestrnian conllict wllich, endorsing the mentators and military analysts in a sense, cannot be separated military adventure of have observed, is not Panama from the Iraqi invasion of Kuwail. a superpower which or Grenada. If the United States is ready to has committed smash Iraq's military power, it is territorial Polarised Nations aggression, on partly because it is determined to Even if the United States and a much more ensure Israel's military superiority its allies win, it is very unlikely extensive scale, than in the region. Ukewise, Saddam that peace wilJ reign in the region. perhaps any other Hussein - whatever Ws initial nation on earth!" For the underlying causes of motives is now using his annexa tension and connict in West Asia tion of Kuwait as a bargaining will remain. As one of the most chip to force Israel to quit the r Mahathir Moharnad's state strategic areas m the world which West Bank and the Gua strip, ment supporting the United is endowed as well with oil the territories which it annexed D States initiated resolution life-line of a modern mdustrial following the 1967 Arab-Israeli in the United Nations Security society - West Asia has often war. This is one of the reasons Council authorising the use of been coveted by various foreign why Saddam has emerged as a force if Iraq does not withdraw powers. hero among the Palestinian and Cram Kuwait before January IS, If we exanlined the politics Arab masses, in the course of the 1991, has been a great d.isappoint of West Asia in the last 40 years gulf <-'Tisis . ment to many of us. or so , the desire of the United DrNen out of their homeland, ll is a p1ty that Ius statement States and other fore1gn powers deprived of nauonhood for 42 misses the crux of the matter. to control the wealth and water years. mainly because of israeli The question is not whether ways of the region. has been a arrogance, abetted by American Malaysia is ''against strong nations major factor in the continuing migJH, the Palestinians had hoped. invading or annexing small upheavals in that part of the following the inrifada (uprising) nations". We are all against invasion world. lt has created a perpetual of December 1987. that the United and annexation. We want effective pro-West, anti-West dichotomy States would pressurile Israel to act:Jon to be taken against those an10ng West Asian states. respond to their pleas for justice. who wvade and annex other Tf a war breaks out. this ln the last three years, the people's territories. lraq, we know, dichotomy will become even more Palestinians Uberation Organiza is not an angel. Saddam Hussein serious Almost aJJ West Asian tion (PLO) had made all sorts is not a paragon of virtue. There states will be polarized on the of concessions to israel, including are obvious elements of territorial basis of their alignment to the recognising her legitimacy as a aggrandiLement in Saddam United States and the West. The nation-stale. And yet, israel and Hussein's foreign poltcy. But do we United States in turn will become even the United States. continue want the world to go to war over even more deeply embroiled in to be intransigient. They refuse Iraq's invasion and annexation of the politics and economics of to recognize the right of the Kuwait'> Do we want to sec tens West Asia. Palestinians to a homeland. of thousands of innocent lives Indeed. if it is victorious in Seen against this backdrop. it sacnftced in order to force Iraq the battlefield, there is a strong is easy to understand why the to vacate Kuwait? Is death and possibility that the United States Palestinians and a lot of Arabs destruction - on a colossal scale - will take immediate measures to see Saddam's linktng of the the price that humanity has to pay consolidate its gains. This will PaJesuruan issue to the Kuwaiti to restore the Emir of Kuwa1t heighten the antagonism of those issue. as perhaps their last hope to his throne'! states which are opposed to a of regaining lost territory. They And what about the impact United States military and feel that the United States has to of a war upon the economies political presence in West Asia. be compelled to concede to their of the world? How would a The stage will then be set for just.legitinlate demand for a home. protracted and prolonged gulf war unending conflict between the Now. if a war breaks out and affect the poor in particular in United States and its West Asian lraq is defeated, many Palestinians countries which are already badly aJJies, on the one hand, and other and other Arabs would lose hope. hit by the gulf crisis? independent, autonomous states They will become desperate for Besides. there is no guarantee in the region. on the other. they are bound to interpret any that a war would result in Iraq's A war in the gulf will add a triumph ·of American military withdrawal from Kuwait. The new and more dangerous dimension power as a victory for Israel. [n 31 thetr desperation, they may eschew not reduce tensions or curb the The United States which IS so non-violent and non-military solu· potential for conflict in the gulf. incensed about the alleged lraq1 tions and pursue the more radtcal Sanctions should be accompanied attempt to destroy the identity and more violent methods which by an active, mtense quest for of Kuwait. has not gone beyond characterized aspects of the peace. We continue to believe gently admomshment of Israel on Palestinian liberation struggle in the that a comprehensive conference the question of Jerusalem. late sixties and in the seventies. on West Asia which will discuss Even in certam other cases, Israel, in tum, will use this as an not only the Iraqi invasion of the United States has adopted a excuse to pursue even more Kuwait but also the Israeli· rather lukewarm attitude towards belligerent, bellicose policies Palestinian conflict offers the best territorial aggresSion, annexation towards the Palestinians and Arabs. hope for a long-term solution. and the destruction of a people's When this happens, how can In thiS connection, it is good that cultural tdenuty. Consider. for anyone hope for an endunng President Bush has decided to mstance, its lack of enthusiasm solution to the Israeli-Palestmian enter mto direct negotlauon.s for the ptight of the Tibetan conflict? with the lraqt government. It people. Or its ambivalence on the would be in the interests of West question of East Timur. Pyrrhic Victory Asia as a whole if these negotia In both these cases - and It is obvious from our analysis, tions lead to the sort of conference expecially in the case of a Tibet that a war in the gulf will only we envisage. - annexation has been followed exacerbate the existing tenstons and We would have liked to see by a concerted, systematic conflicts in West Asia. It will not MalaySia, as a member of the endeavour to erase the distinctive solve anything. It IS almost certain Security Council and as one of the cultural and religious values of that even if the United States leading lights of the Non-Aligned the people. The Lnited States, wins the war, it will be a pyrrhic Movement (NAM) and the Organi· it need not be emphasiSed. cares victory. zation of Islamic Countries (OJC), very little for the Tibetans or lt IS because we are very much play a major role m the quest the Timorese, or for that matter, aware of the implications and for peace. Such a role would be the Palestinians. because it is not consequences of a war, that we in keeping with the positions in its national interest to do so. have argued consistently that the Malaysia has adopted on numerous The quesuon we should now world community must give the international issues in the past. ask is thts: wh}l was the Malaysian economic sanctions imposed by Even in the gulf crisis. Malaysia's government qune willing to serve the United Nations against Iraq views. expressed in a number of Amencan mterests on the use in August tlu.s year. a chance to Security Council debates, were. of force 10 the gulf crisis? Was it succeed. At that time. the UN on the whole, principled and because we dtd not really com· Secunty Council and the UN balanced - until It came to the use prebend the complextty of the Secretary-General were of the view of force. issue? Was it because of trade that it would take at least 6 months ties with the Un.·ed States? Was for the sanctions to have maximum Endorsing a Bully it because of LS mvestments in impact. And yet now, even before What is particularly sad about Malaysia? \Vas ll because of our the fourth month is up. the United Malaysia's support for the use of need for certam t} pes of techno· States has decided that sanctions force is that it tantamounts to logy? Was it because of military won't work and force should be endorsing the military adventure aid - the military aid that the US used. of a superpower which has com wtthdrew quite recently? Equally astonishing. our Prime mitted territorial aggression, on a Or, was 11 because someone Minister. according to a news much more extensive scale, than is keen on beconung the next report, has also argued that perhaps any other nation on earth! Secretary·General of the UN and sanctions are not effective. For Who can forget the recent United knows he would need the full support. he cited the alleged States invasions of Grenada and baclung of the United States? ineffectiveness of sanctions against the Panama? And what about the Was he mgratiating h.unself to South Africa. It is the same Prime United Sates invasions of Haiti the United Sutes leadership in Minister who on countless occa in 1915, the Dominican Republic in the hope that It would endorse 'Sions has pointed out to cntics of 1916. Nicaragua 10 1926. the his candidau.re" After all, it was economic sanctions against South Dominican Republic again in 1965? the Umted States which prevented Africa. that it is preciSely because We have already mentioned US Salim Sahm t. e former Tanzanian sanctions are making an impact complicity 10 Israeli's armexation foreign minister, from becoming that they should be continued. of Palestinian and Arab territory. Secretary-General oi the United When it suits hts convenience, It is more than just armexation. Nauon~ . Dr Mahathir Mohamad has no Israel is changing the very character Someone does not want to be qualms about changmg his political of Palestinian lands. Its attempts a Salim So ne offers hls salams tune! to transform Jerusalem into a to Btg Brother Bush - and in the Of course, sanctions alone will Jewish city is a case in point. process might becomes right. 0 32 POLmK SEMAKIN BERBOHONG, SEMAKIN MENANG Oleh AHMAD SHABERY CHEEK i negara kita, berbohong Kalau tidak, lupakan semua ttu. Maka gol 1tu mestilah dikira dalam politik semalun men Yang penting kita menang, menang kerana kemenangan dalam mana D jadl kcb1asaan. Sekalipun dan menang! !" tambah mereka. mana perlandingan, mestilah dilihat beg1tu, ramai juga rakyat yang Jelas kini, tipu muslihat, mani dan seg1 kemampuan pasukan suka dengan cara pemimpin yang pulas• media massa, politi.k wang, itu rncnggunakan apa sahaja suka berbohong itu. ugut, mengangkut pengundi luar, strategi serta tipu muslihat demi Beberapa nunggu sebelum pili pengundi mati yang turun mcng kemcnangan. hanraya umum dulu, pcmimpm undi semakin lllCOjadi-jadi. "Aaah!! Perbandmgan saudara Gerakan, Lim Kheng Yaik mem lrulah budaya politik yang di tidak logik. Manakan sama per buat heboh kononnya PAS telah bentuk oleh para pemimpin negara maman bola dengan pcrtandingan membuat pakatan dcngan DAP yang kononnya semaktn rancak pohtik'', kata orang UMNO kepada di Jakarta. Bila dicabar, beliau menerapkan Islam. Ertinya semakin saya. tidak marnpu membuktikan kata- kuat "Islam" di negara ini semakin Jawapannya mudah, "bukankah katanya. • banyaklah tipu muslihat digunakan kaedah ynng sama tclah UMNO Begitu juga dengan apa yang untuk mencapai kemenangan. buat kepada Tun Salleh Abas? dikatakan oleh pemimpm UMNO Sekali pun ianya terang-terang Bukankah ketua hakim itu dipccat mengenai kenyataan Tengku memalukan agama, bangsa dan supaya UMNO menang dalam kes Razaleigh Harnzah akan membunuh negara kita. saman UMNO dulu supaya UMNO PAS dan DAP apabila Semangat Soalnya siapa yang bersalah? terus diharamkan dan Dr. Mahathu 46 menang kclak. ltu pun tak Apakah kesalahan ini hanya ter terus berkuasa?" dapat dibuktikan. letak di tangan mercka yang Maiah ketika ltu, pcnyokong Surat-surat khabar tajaan UMNO melakukan kesalahan kerana UMNO, dan rakyat kita, tidak juga turul memainkan peranan melanggar adab pertandingan tadi? ramai yang rnengecam tindakan dalam memperkayakan buuaya Lipu Sudah tentu bukan mereka itu, sebaliknya berkata Mahathir muslihat ini. sah3Ja. Penonton atau rakyat juga pandai bcrpolitik dan klta harus lsu tengkolok yang kononnya harus d1persalahkan. benkan kepujian kepadanya bersalib dipakai oleh Ku Li d1 Dalam permaJOan bola, sekira Persoalan moral, adab uan etika Sabah masih segar dl kepala kita. nya ada pasukan yang menyarung adalah pcrsoalan yang berkallan Walaupun temyata akhirnya itu JCrsi UMNO menerajang pengadil rapat dengan sikap, nilai, budaya satu pembohongan, r3IlUli yang keluar padang, kemudiannya mela dan harapan sesebuah masyarakat. bertepuk tangan tanda kagum kukan berbagai kesalahan sebelum Ada masyarakat yang meletak kepada Or. Mahathu, kerana isu menyumbat bola ke dnlam gol, kan soal etika dan adab itu pada itulah yang paling banyak mem apakah gol itu dikira? tempat yang tingg1. Mereka akan bantu BN mengekalkan majoriti Walaupun perlawanan seperti itu segera menghukum pemimpin dua pertlga mereka di Parlimen. tidak akan berlaku di padang, mereka sekiranya merek:. melihat Kata mereka, ·• ...... Mahath1r namun saya yakin sekiranya ia pemimpin itu berbohong, tidak pandai strategi ... kami kagum den berlaku ramai akan menganggap amanah dan mclanggar nilai yang gao kepmtaran putar belitnya, go) itu sah. Kerana ia dilakukan mereka tentukan tadt. Sekiranya pemimpm seperti inilah yang kita oleh UMNO. ini berlaku, maka sesiapa sahaja mahu ...... !!". Malah, penonton bersorak men yang ingin diterima oleh anggota "Pertandingan politik, sama yokong .tindakan pasukan UMNO masyarakat tadi mestilah mematuhi seperti peperangan. Ia memerlukan -ttu, kerana strategmya bijak. Yakni nom1a h1dup yang ditentukan oleh strategi dan hpu muslihat. Maka sebelum melakukan kesalahan, anggota masyarakat itu. soaJ etika, moral dan tanggung pengadil yang boleh menyusahkan Begitulah scbaliknya, sekiranya jawab sosial hanya perlu sekiranya mereka, mestilah ditendang keluar masyarakat kita lebih mementing ia dapat membantu kita menang. dahulu. kan kepentingan kcbendaan dan 33 menolak pcrsoalan adab dan Iota terhadap masyarakat kita. Di menggunakan umpan kebendaan amanah. maka dengan sendirinya satu pihak kita berbangga menjadi yang tidak seberapa. mereka akan memperolehi sestapa anggota masyarakat Melayu ber Kita lihat sahnJa kempen Perhtm· sahaJ3 yang menjadi pemimpin agama Islam. punan Agung UMNO nanti, sejauh mereka. Sekali pun ia adalah Yang tersemai di dalamnya nilai ma nakah jawatankuasa etika yang seorang yang ttdak bermaruah, nilai ajaran yang sangat mumt pernah dtbentuk dahulu akan ber· pempu dan pengkhianat. asalkan dan bermaruah. Tetapi dalam masa fungsi kali 101 . 0 sahaJa pemimpin itu dapat mem yang sama, masyaralat kitalah yang bekaJknn keperluan kebendaan paling mudah dttipu, d:~ogok. dibeli yang mereka hajati itu. dan di perdayakan oleh pemimpin Dipetik daripada Harakah. lntlah yang menJadi kehajranan pemjmpin mereka dengan sekadar keluaran 19 November 1990. ALIRANAGM Alinn Kesedaran Negara (ALIRAN} hdd its 14th Annual General Meeting at its office in Penang on 2S November 1990. In his address, Aliran President Dr. Chandra Muzaffar emphasised HOPE tbt' importance of flghtioa the communal cancer m Malaysian society. The meeting also caDed for the immediate and unconditional No time to lose releue of one of its members. Benedict Topin who was arrested under A lot needs to be done; the Internal Security Ad (lSA) in May this year. So little time In the annual elections to the Aliran Executive Committee the to watch the flowers grow, following were returned: the children play. Prcsiden t : Dr. Chandn Muuffar " Don't be so hard {unopposed- ~-elected) on younelf, Secretary: Dr. Ariff"m Omar Things take time to change, (unopposed - re-elected) You can't force Assistant Secretary: Sdra. Gan Teik Chee people to change, (unoppO!ed - re-elected) It takes time to build a bridle, Tr~asurer: Dr. S. Subramaniam (unopposed) Or it might just collapse on you I" Members: Sdra P. Ramakrishnan {re-elected) Sdra. Gan Kong Hwee (re-elected) Sdra. Ismail ~him (~lected) We're thirteen yun old Sdra. John Kim (re-elected) What h1ve we accomplished? Sdra. An:il Netto (re-elected) " It's too early to say Sdri. Manjit K.ur (re-elected) At least we're still together; Dr. Mustafa K Anuar (re-elected) We haven't been wiped off Dr. Hamima Dona Mustafa the surl.ce of this earth!" Sdn. Hum Kim Choy So what? Sdri. Joan Shori " Instead we're growing roots Sdra. John Ayavoo Slowly but surely, Hon. Auditor: Sdr:t. V. Malayandy Step by step." Yes, we are growing OlandraMuzaffar also announced that be would go on Dr. People are noticing us, 'sabbatical' around August or September next year in order to do Supporting us, research and write on issues related to communalism and unity. There is - Hope. 27 November 1990 ARIFFIN OM.AR Manjit Kaur Secretary 34 and other states which are m· habited by the Orang Asli to appoint representatives of the Orang Ash to the State Assembly. In fact small minorities who are under represented in politics, like the Orang Asli, Thais and Euruians an the Peninsular and the Penan, Berawan, Lun Bawang, 'has been welcomed by these Bidayub and other bumiputra communities. Indeed, it has been communities should be accorded well-received by the non-Muslim repre:.enlation not only in State community throughout Malaysia. Assemblies but also in Parliament. This is obvious from reports in Moreover, issues such as logging Chinese newspapers. For instance, and the pltght of the Penans have the Sin Chew Jit Poh (9·11·1990), attracted worldwide attention. It a major Clunese daily, reported is desirable that the plight of this matter in ita headlines. minorities like the Penanll be However, the Orang Asli com· voiced by their representatives to munity was not mentioned in the the State Assemblies and the Kelantan Government's plan. It is Dewan Negara m Parliament. Until important that an Orang Asli is now, only the Orang Asli amone also appointed Assemblyman the small minorities have been to represent the community in appointed to the Dewan Negara. Kelantan. Moreover, Kelantan is It is important that the appoint· one of the states, apart from ment of representatives from Pahang and Perak, in which the minority communities is made with majority of Oran& Asli live. the a&reement from the commu· Orang AsJi are a small mmority nities themselves This will reflect indigenous community in Malaysia, the 1incerity ot the government. and they number only about It will al1o mean that those chosen 63,500, just half percent of the as representatives are accepted and total population of Malaysia. Their respected by their respective economic standing is &till unsa.Hs· communities. factory, The Jabatan Hal Ebwal Orang Asli (JHEOA) is entrusted Dr. Tan Chee Be01 with the raponllibility or providing lG November 1990 Exco Member assistance to them. However, the An Orang Asli hunter: How abou t socio-economic development of a (Th~ alXJI'~ stat~m~lll ,...as ongmally "''ritt~n m Bahalill Malaysia} an Assemblyman to represent this minority through the medium of minority community? a single agency has many weak nesses although the JHEOA has achieved success in certain areas. THE APPOINTMENT OF One problem which always STATE ASSEMBLYMEN plagues a small minority like the Orang Asli concerns land. Their FROM MINORITY customary land rights are not UNDEMOCRATIC & COMMUNITIES respected and recognised by others, UNJUSTIFIED including the eovernment. In this respect it is hoped that the ecently the Kelantan State Kelantan Government will set an he Federal Government's Government under the example for other states by fairly diciaton R administration of PAS and sincerely helping the minorities. T •to suspend federal sub· announced that it will amend Land is under the jurisdiction of sidles, including for fe-rtilizers, the Constitution to provide for the the state government. Therefore, to Kelantan, as stated by Youth appointment of State Assemblymen if the state eovernment is sincere and Sports Minister Haji Annuar to represent the non-Muslim com· in protectin& the interests of the Musa, and munities. In a special interview mmority, problems concerning land • to deny district and municipal with Watan of 15th November can certainly be solved. councils in Kelantan "any addi· 1990, the Mentri Besar of Kelantan, An interesting feature in the tiona! aid from the Federal Ha.il Nik Abdul A;tiz Ntk Mal, last election was the sudden Government such as those given also said that the Kelantan Govern· attention given to minority commu· from time to time to other ment intends to appoint Assembly· nities like the Thais and Orang states" under Barisan control, men from minority groups, i.e. Asli by certain politicia.,s. This as stated by Deputy Housing "the Chinese, Indian and Thai includes Prime Minister, Dr. and Local Government Minister communities" Mabathir, who JUSt before the Haji Daud Taha, and This is a good idea. The Chinese, elections endeavoured to meet the Selantor State Government's Indians and Thais are indeed small some Orang Asli groups, including decision minorities in Kelantan, and it is those from Kelantan. This was • to confine allocations between certainly difficult for them to a good move, but we must $500 and $1,000 a month from have their representatives m the remember that the interests of the state budeet to every execu· State Assembly through the Orang Asli must always be sincerely tive councillor and Barisan electoral process. For that reason, protected, It is therefore necessary Nasional assemblyman, (to the the Kelantan Government's plan for the governments or Kelantan excluaion of the opposition ), 35 parties were from different sides". This is an affront to the concept or federalism and shows gross ignorance of democracy. What is wrona with "the present Kelantan Government"? Is it not legitimate? Is it not leaally elected through the democratic process? Does it not enjoy the sanctity of legitimacy, conferred through the electoral process, like any other state in the federation ruled by the Barisan? We are also told that this suspen sion or subsidies is onJy temporary pending a review. But one is tempted to ask why is this only applicable to Kelantan? l! a review is necessary, it should be applicable to all states. In this case, the review is selective and discrimi· natory .. And therefore it is wrong and reprehenaible. Whether it ia subsidy or alloca tion to operate a service centre, as long as the money comes from Haji Annuar Musa revuls the taxpayen, it should be made suspension of federal subsidies to available to all elected representa Kelantan: Punishing the people. tives, irrespective of party affiiation and to all citizens, irrespective of their political leanings. to enable them to establish The Barisan Government should aervice centres in their reapective realise that the money raised comes Royal escort: Government seeks constituency to serve the people, from both its supporters and those legislation to criticise the Rulers. reveal the Barisan's utter lack of opposing it. And therefore it has underatanding or democracy in a no right whatsoever to deny any federal set-up and ita total dia part or it Lo citi.tellll who had AMENDING TH£ SEDITION re(ard for the dignity of the voter chosen to vote for the opposition. ACT under a parliamentary democracy. If the Barisan wants to be Though Haji Annuar Musa is on discriminatory, then it shoud record as having said, "We will collect taxes only from its llran notes with concern not punish the people Cor any supporters or the money should that the Government is reuon", but the actions ol the come (rom its party coffers. Only A considenng making amend· Barlsan seem to suggest something then it can act as Big Brother - menta 1.0 the Sedition Act so as elae not otherwise. to allow public criticism of the It Is ridiculous Cor the Finance Let the Barisan collect taxes Rulers in this country. The process Minister Datuk Paduka Daim from the 52% of voters who of legislating such arnendment.s Zainuddin to say, "we do not supported it and then dole out will be very controversial and also want the party in power to use its favours as and how it chooses quite unnecessary as Section money to help ita 11Upportera only", to. Let the opposition, likewise, 3(2Xa) or the Sedition Act already when it is the Barilan that is raise its funds from the 46% of allows open d1acuaion for the grouly guilty of doing exactly voters who supported it - only purpose of showing that any this. then the Barisan has a right to Ruler has been misled or mistaken. It is very clear that these deci· mock the opposition, "Fulfill your The varaoua matters that have aions are taken to punish the pledges." recently been brought up by UMNO votera who bad exercised their In the meantime, the Barisan members in respect of the conduct democratic right to vote Cor the should ponder over certain realities. oC 10me Rulers are nothing new opposition. The Barisan Govern By denying iUbsidies, by being and do not require public debate. ment is very clearly demonstrating discriminatory, the Barisan is not In fact it is Barisan politicians that taxpayers' money will only punishing opposition members, it is who have openly been abusing be channelled to areas where its punishing Malaysians. If we are their position by involvement in candidates had been returned in the not prepared to accept electoral huge contracta with the Govern· recently concluded general election. verdicts and honour the democratic ment and by widespread nepotism The injustice of this diacrimi· rights of citizens, then general in official appointments. nation is condemned by the various elections will remain farcical. H amendment& are to be made religious traditions. It is morally And as long as this is practised, to the Sedition Act they should wrong and can never be justified the Barisan Government will include repeal of the prohibition under any circUID.Stance. But the forever remain condemned by against exciting disaffection Barisan Government does not seem history and posterity as a soul-less towards the Government which is to care for juatice or morality. government without compassion in a relic of colonial rule. We are told that "the Federal its heart. Government could not uae the channels provided by the present P Ramakriahnan Gan Teik Chee Kelantan Government u the two 21 November 1990 Exco Member 6 December 1990 Asst. Secretary 36 ARE YOU AWARE OF THE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR FUTURE? Do you want to Jmow wh.at Is reaUy h.appening? JOIN US IN THE STRUGGLE FOR Get 1 gnsp of the Issues and events th.at affect us u JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND MaJaysians whatever our ethnic or religious SOLIDARITY! background. Aluan does not get any foreign financial help. We READ ALIRAN MONTHLY depend entirely on Malaysians for support. The We have tackled all sorts of national and global Aliran Monthly whose editorial team works on 1 subjects. 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Send this order and payment to ALIRAN DISTRIBUTION BUREAU P 0 BOX 1049 10830 PENANG, MALAYSIA 37 • Aspiring to make every Malaysian an iliformed., thinking. effective strand • REFLECTIONS ON THE MALAYSIAN e LIMA PERSOALAN - $3.70 0 CONSTITUTION- $12.20 0 Apekah Alia Ten!IIJIIra Selamat? Mengapa Terdapat - A compilation of papers presented at a Confenmc:. on K1miskinan Dalam Masyarakat Kita? Apakah Oil Kebuda "Refl.ctions on the Malaysian Con~titution : 30 Years After yaan Nasional7 Mengape Adanya Kekurangan Rumah? Merdeka," The topic. addr-.ed include the Historical Mengape Wujudnya Polari-i Kaum7 Dapatkan jawapennya Background, the Role of the Monarc:hy, the Role of the dal1m buku ini. Judic:iary, the Role of the Parliament, the Role of the Exec:utive, State and Federal Relations, the Rule of uw, e I.S.A. DAN KESELAMATAN NEGARA- $5.20 0 Fundlnnental Liberti•, the Ethnic: Dimension and lalam in Buku ini membic:erakan undang-undang ISA. 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TheM laat five y•rs have been tumultoUI on• for Malaysia Addr-: ··············-··················-··············· ..···-·········" in many re~pec:u. In many apher• of national ltfe, the country appeal'1 to be lllipping. This is manifested in the -kening of democ:ratic: foundations and the rise of authoritarianiam in government, corruption and financ:ial I endose money otder/poltal order/c:heque no ...... acandala, lac:k of ac:c:ountability and an abMnc:e of integrity ...... dated ...... for the sum of among people at the helm of the nation'• 1ffai1'1, violation of human rightS, 1 dac:lining ec:onomy and inc:reaaing unemployment. In the midat of all thi1, Alir~n continues to • Pie_. inc:lude 50 sen for bank c:ommi&ion for demand a saner political and ec:onomic: ryltem. outstation c:hequw. • For local otdel'1, pric:aa quoted are inciUiive of poltage. • For ove.-- ordera, pric:w quoted in US$. Add 20% of total order for surface mail and.,'OO% of 38 total order for airmail. I name you For the caged bud, For the per~ecutcd idea, for the fi£h un the hook, for the blows received. for the friend~ who arc unprisoned for the oqe who does not resist. because they say what they believe for those who do not hide. For the uprooted flowers For the fear they have of you, tlle trampled grass, for tbe way they watch )OU for the pruned trees for the way they attack you. for the tortured bodies for the sons and daughters I name you, Freedom. that kill you, I name you, Freedom. For the clenched teeth., the anger held back, For the invaded lands. for the knot in the throat, for the conquered villages, the mouths that do not SlOg. for the subrruss!Ve ones, for the exploited people. For the clandestine kiss, the censored poem, For the dead m the bonfire. for the thousands of exiles, for the mnocent that are executed, the names that cannot be $poken, for the aSiassinated hero, 1 name you, Freedom. for the extinguished fires, I name you. Freedom. l name you m the name of everyone, . your true name, - By Violet. Parra I menuon you when it grows dark, when no one sees me I wnte your name on the walls of my City, your true name. your name lUlU other names that l do not name. tor fear. I- AN APPEAL TO OUR READERS: SUBSCRIBE AI you might wall know our writers and members of our editoroal bo.rd ..rv• on a voluntary buos and receive no payment whauoavar. The costs involved in the production of the Allrsn Monthly are -entially a r•ult of type-uning, filming and plata·maki{'9. printing, ponaga and transport charv•. Wh41n the eommiulon to our distributors is added to th- coats, (35 ..n for every copy sold), we hardly make a •n from ow street sal•. It is only tlvough subaaiptions that some ' profit' is derived whicto in tum is used for other Ali ran activities. However, with tha rising costs of production, evan this small amount of profit it threatened. One way to ra10lva our predicament is to raise the cost of the Aftr6n Monthly which, incidentally has stood at $1 per copy or $10 for 11 year's subscription aince 1981. But WI are reluctant to do this. Thus this appeal: • BECOME A SUBSCRIBER • GET YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE • GIVE YOUR FRIENDS A NEW YEAR GIFT. GET THEM A SUBSCRIPTION Wa hope1h1t this campaign to increase our subscriptions will be suc~ful and thlt we will not n11d to raise our priCII for soma time, Thank you. I 39 POLmcs UMNO Baru General Assembly PALACE POLITICS AND MORE COMMUNALISM by ANIL NETTO he recent Umno Baru where Unmo Baru had performed general assembly attracted mE PALACE DEBATE disastrously in the recent general T a lot of attention even The other main focus of interest election. from outside party Circles. This this time was the resolution tabled By Citing palace interference m was hardly surpnsmg as 1t was by two divisions from Penang the arena of politics, the party generally felt that the elections proposing that the palace should was clearly 10 desperate need for key party posts would fmally not get involved in politics. Even of. a scapegoat for its comprehen settle the whole issue of succession the choice of divisions to propose SIVe beating at the polls in that not only to the party leadership this resolution appeared to have state. One good thing to emerge but ultimately, the national leader been planned as Penang is one of from this debate, however, was ship as well. the few states without a monarch. the subsequent suggesuon to review In the event. the results of As it turned out, the debate the Sed1t1on Act. the election for the posts of VIce on the palace's alleged involvement president clearly showed the in politics was unfortunately lop SECT ARIANISM success1on issue was far from sided. It was obviously directed There was also a proposal to settled (see article on back page). at the ruler of a partlcular state ban the use of the words 'Islam' and 'Muslun' in the names of political parties on the grounds that these words might confuse certain Muslims - a move obviously directed at PAS. If Umno Baru lS really serious in fighting sectarianism then it should not stop there - it should go all the way. It should also prohibit the use of words which identify ethnicity like 'Malay', 'Chinese', 'Indian' and 'Dayak' in the names of political parties. This is because these parties do not necessanly espouse the views of all segments of the community which they purpon to represent. The same applies to the use of words in the names of political part1es which identify regional or geographical locations like ·Sabah' and 'Sarawak'. It IS clear that any move to ban the use of certain words in the Cheering Ghat.r Babe at the Assembly: A proposal to fight names of political parties is going sectarianism that wouldn't go all the way! to be a highly controversial and 40 emotional one. We have to be and antagonistic tone was injected (What he omitted to mention practtcal and accept the political into the proceedings of the was the lughly unethtcal manner realities we are faced with, much assembly. This time the displeasure in which newspapers like Utusan as we dislike any form of was over the eros10n of support for Malaysia and Berita Hanan manipu sectariarusm. But then, the fight the Barisan in the recent general lated communal and religious against sectariarusm need not be election. The blame was imphcitly senuments by dtstortmg the fought merely at the level of thrust upon the other ethnic Kadazan headgear issue and the words. It is more a battle against communities. request for a separate TV station mgramed attitudes and the kind Thus, it came as no surprise in Sabah.) of values we are exposed to in the when Dr Mahathlr hit out at the Of course, this is nothmg new. envuonment we hve m. Chinese language press for fannmg Communal issues had surfaced in "racial sentiments", championing previous Umno general assemblies COMMUNAL UNDERTONES the cause of the opposttion and like clockwork. During the 1986 Al Limes. a blatantly communal espousing a two-party system. assembly, the uproar over the The 1990 General Elections FACTS AND FIGURES STATE BAR I SAN OPPOSITION % PER LIS 65 35"' KEOAH 62 38 KELANTAN 33 67 TERENGGANU 54 46 PENANG 51 49 PERAK 56 44 PAHANG 63 37 SELANGOR 58 42 FEDERAL TERRITORY 43 57 NEGERI SEMBI LAN 60 40 MALACCA 62 38 JOHOR 61 39 LABUAN 60 40 SABAH 32 68 SARAWAK 58 42 STATE CAPITAL KAf".IGAR 69 31 ALOR SETAR 56 44 KOTA BARU 31 69 KUALA TERENGGANU 47 53 GEORGETOWN 30 70 IPOH 42 58 KUANTAN 57 43 SHAH ALAM 62 38 SEREMBAN 50 50 MALACCA 36 64 JOHOR BARU 58 42 KOTA KINABALU 47 53 KUCHING 43 57 41 BMf- scandal was interpreted as · The extensive TV coverage given a chaUengc to Malay political to the general assembly was proof leadership. At the 1987 assembly. (if proof was needed) of the near The UMNO General Assembly comments on the results of the total control wh.J.ch the party prev1ous year's general election. exerts on this media - 1t is a is an occasion when selected people which saw a b1g swing to the control which the party will not opposition amongst the urban hesitate to exploit for its own crown the unelected middle-class electorate. were again advantage. climb the political ladder laden with communal undertones. COMMUNAL DRUMS cow the dissenters IMPORTANT ISSUES There b no denying that the convert the "misguided" IGNORED party has succeeded in raising Most of the other issues raised living standards among ~,;ertain castigate the critics at the assembly were very super sections of the community over confuse the issues ficial . Matters of fundamental the years Mahutlur has also national Importance were mostly managed to secure majonty support crack silly jokes ignored. For example, the resolu within the Malay community for tion on the economy was passed Umno Baru m less than three caress with poetry without debate. There were also years; a remarkable achievement condemn their foes no discussions on the policy of indeed. pnvatilation (Come to think of it. But it is sad that Umno Baru, conjure new threau our minister of privatization has like most of the other ethnic clear the corrupt also been keepmg a low profile based parties tn the country. sllll lately ever since he declared that ftnds 1t expedient to beat the cover up the scars his "Nodi dan jiwa" were with communal drum to shore up Umno Baru!) The conversion of the support for the party every time and ASN scheme to Amanah Saharn it appears to be on the wane cannonise themselves. Bumiputra should also have been This does acJueve short-term debated to assess the implications political gains as every Malaystan of the move. With the aboltuon politician is aware. but in the long of the soc1al welfare lottery, it run it results in mcalculable damage M.J. is strange that nobody thought to the cause of umty among it fit to question why other forms Malaysians. 0 of gambling operations are still allowed in the private sector. ls it because the owners of these operations are close associates of certain m1msters? Another matter which should have been dtscusseu to greater depth is the whole area of federal state relations in a political system of government like ours. It is not enough to say that Umno Baru will go all out to recapture Sabah and Kelantan in the next elect1ons. Ne1ther can the two states be 1gnored. We have to live with the realiues for the next five years and so, some analysis on how to deal fairly with states under oppo Sition rule would have been useful. As usual. there was hardly any mention or emphasis on demo cracy. human rights, ethnic rela- Democratic victory can only come to a party which can sail . tions, the elimination of poverty through electoral reverses because of its patience and faith in and corrupuon, and envlfonmental the ultimate intelligence of the people. protecuon. Our v1s1o n of national uruty must be broad enough - Dr Rammanohar Lohia to encompass all these areas if it is to be really worthwhile. 42 minister Wan Mokhtar Ahmad supreme council. Musa's influence contuJUed from back page into third spot with a margin of UMNO BARU ELECTIONS in the party, it appears, has all 15 votes. Wan Mokhtar, who had but evaporated. secured the highest number of divisions are respected. But, in A glance at the Jist of newly votes in the election for the vice reality, a nomination from a elected supreme council members presidency of the old Umno in division is often merely a form of will also reveal that those elected 1987, failed this time probably wayang leu/it (shadow play) which are mainly those who are in high because delegates were acutely conceals the actual preferences of positions in either the federal aware that they were electing its delegates in order to avoid or state governments. They are possible successors for the leader offending the party leadership. the ones who are in a position to Hence, this novel system of award ship of the country. Wan Mokhtar dispense patronage when required. was seen as lacking in national ing I 0 bonus votes per division's stature with limited scope for nomination for the top party ANWAR'S RISE CHECKED advancement. His 'Islamic' tag was posts virtually seals victory for Another interesting observation the party's leaders well before the no longer seen as an asset in the sense that he could still perform is that although Anwar's popularity elections proper. It is an effective cannot be denied, delegates were device for ensuring victory for that role without having to be a vice-president. reluctant to let him have things the top incumbents in the event his way. Badawi's election appears of a challenge. Sanusi's success and Wan Mokhtar's failure are also widely to reflect a desire among delegates attributed to the failure among to see some kind of check and BADAWI'S SURPRISE the various chief ministers to agree balance in the leadership of the If the elections for the party's on a single candidate to represent party and to perhaps slow down top two posts were a foregone them. (There are some who add, the education minister's meteoric conclusion, the results of the a little unkindly perhaps, that rise to the top. From the results, contest for the three posts of Sanusi's victory was due in part it is obvious that at least 500 vice-president certainly resulted in to his strenuous and high-profiled delegates must have voted for quite a few raised eye-brows. campaign to promote cocoa drinks both Anwar and Badawi in spite As expected, Anwar Ibrahim, a during the assembly!) lndeed, the of the almost open rivalry between Mahathir protege, secured 1,067 chief ministers of Terengganu (Wan the two. One wonders whetl1er votes. the highest among the Mokhtar with 735 vote:;), Juhor the rivalry between these two field of six candidates. Evidently, (Muhyiddin Yassin with 582 party stalwarts from Penang will the smear campaign against him votes) and Malacca (Rahim Tamby spill-over to the state government had not affected his performance. Chi.k with 452 votes) were all where Urnno Baru has 12 s.eats. But even he would have been unsuccessful. Muhyiddin, who is seen as taken aback with the startling Anwar's ally, was also thwart«! performance of Abdullah Badawi MUSA•s INFLUENCE in his own bid for a vice-president's who fmished a strong second with FADES post. despite being an early 953 votes. What was all the more favourite, probably because dele remarkable about Badawi's victory One striking feature about the gates did not want to strengthen was that he had achieved it without elections this tin1e was that dele Anwar's position too much. This the benefit of political patronage gates seemed no longer concerned was a repeat of 1987 when Perak and active campaigning. Reputed about regionalism. All three vice· chief minister Ramli Ngah Talib to be aligned to Ghafar. he had presidents are from the northern lost although he was closely been languishing in the politicaJ region. This is something which linked to Anwar. wilderness ever since his sacking woukl have been unthinkable in the from the cabinet following his past. Although personalities rather RACE WIDE OPEN flirtation with the Razaleigh faction than issues were the main criteria, the absence of regional sentiments It was initially thought that in 1987. From a 'no-hoper' with is a positive development which the results of the Umno Baru only 25 divisional nominations must be commended. party elections for the vice (proof of the existence of wayang Having said that, the failure presidents' posts would provide leu/it politics), he has emerged of. candidates from J ohor, which an indicator of the front-runner once again to renew his long was once a strong power-base in the succession race. But the standing rivalry with Anwar in of the old Umno, reflects the results have shown that the race the hotly contested succession race. decline in Johor's prominence is still wide open with all three within Umno Baru. Candidates who of them having an even chance. CHIEF MINISTERS FAIL were linked to Musa Hi tam like In the months ahead, Malaysians Trailing behind the two front Shahrir Abdul Samad fared poorly. can expect more intense lobbying runn.ers with 750 votes was cabinet ln fact, only two of the seven and jostling for the nation's top minister, Sanusi J unid who pipped candidates fro m Johor managed job. the unfortunate Terengganu chief to fmd places on the 25-seat The race has only just begun. 0 43 POLmcs UMNO Baru Elections SUCCESSION RACE WIDE OPEN by ANIL NETTO Anw11r Ibrahim; Ahmad Bawi: At ct.y's end Anw•n's meaoric rise wu checked. mno Barn's recent elections dent (Ghafar Baba) were returned were significant in more unopposed. With aU the Umno ways than one. It was the Baru divisions nominating them, first time elections were being held they dtdn 't even have to faH back after the registration of the new on the ..bonus" or extra 10 votes party, following the court judge· that they would have secured with ment declaring the 'old' Umno each nomination. Such bonus votes illegal in 1988. Many were watching would have wiped out any credible the elections closely . as it was challenger which might have widely regarded as a process of emerged from the nominations for selecting the nation's second the top posts. echelon of leaders. It is claimed by the party leadership that bonus votes NO CONTEST attached to each nonunation would As expected, both the president ensure that the views of the (Dr. Mahathir) and deputy presi· continued on fH18e 41