SABAHGOES TO THE POLLS
Elections will be held in Sabah sixteen months ahead of time. How will the PBS fare ? Or will the !Th-INO-led BN coalition form the next government ? In this article FRANCIS LOH explores the significance of recent events and offers a guide to help understand what will certainly be a keen contest.
e Sabah State Assembly wa'> rapidly worsened after that. In issolved on to January 1994, January 1991 Pairin wa' charged on 16 months belore it-. tenn ex three ~·ounts nf corruptum. In May, pires. Nominations will be on 7 Ius brother Jeffrey Kitingan wa' abo I cbru.tf) ami the elections .,.. ill take detained under the ISA, a<; were place on 1~ and 19 february. Ac o;everal other a..des. Earlier in cording to the Elcctiom. Commission. February, UMNO (United Malays <;OJDe 598.312 registered voters will Natrona! Organi)oation), and later he eligible to cast their votes. MCA (Malaysian Chrnese As~x:ia At stake will be 48 of the 54 -.cats lJOn) a' well. 'ct up branches in the in the Sabah Assembly In the 1990 ~tate Together with several Sabah elections. Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) based parties they waited and won 36 of these -;cats. Twelve others Joseph Peirin Kltlngen in ethnic gear: planned for the PBS' ouster rn the were won by United Sabah National More end more, PBS is forced to next polls. There wa., talk even then Organisation (USNO). (Six other become • Kadlzen-Dusun party. of impending elections M eanwhile, pcr..ons arc nominated) the PBS state government introduced an "anti-hop " law, borrowed from norsening F ederal-Stpte Elections Sarawak, which prevented the USNO assemblymen from crossing the floor to join LIMNO en masse. Only USNO At that point 10 July 1990. the PBS was still a member leac!er, Tun Datu Mustapha did. He challenged the law of th~ Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition Just prior to the as unconstitutional and subsequently won in court elections, sever.~! PRS leaders were detained under the ISA on a charge of promoting Sabah' s secession. During PBS Internal Struggles the campaign Sabah state rifhts emerged as the principal Rumours of impending elections again made the issue. By the end of the year PBS was out of the RN. Its rounds in mid-19')2 followjng PRS party elections in withdrawal on the eve of the October 1990 general elec July At that point. the PBS appeared split right down the r ion~ was cons1dercJ ··a .. tab in the bad." hy the Pnme centre. In om: ~:amp were gathered the so culled ··radi Minister Dr Mahatlur. cals" led by Bernard Dompok. Yong Teck Lee and Laji m Relations bct"'een Kuala Lumpur and Kola Kinab Sabah Goes to the Polls ... 2; Obituary: K Das 1929-1993 ... 6; Irresponsible Public Statements ... 13; Hotel Metropole: Now you see it, now you don't ... 16; Heart to Hpart: Slumming it out ... 19; Thinking Allowed ... 20; letters ... 23; The Condo Tragedy: Between Hysteria and Amnesia ... 30; The Malaysian Parliament: More questions than answers ... 32; Current Concerns ... 34; Evidence Mounting Against Samy? ...40 Aliran Motlllt(v 1994:14 (I) Pagf! 2 Hj Okin, in the other the so-called "moderates" led by Then on 20 January, Datuk Yong Teck Lee, one of Joseph Kurup, Chau Tet Onn and Ahmad Baharom Titin three Sabah deputy chief ministers. :1nd PBS's deputy gan. DatuJ... JoM:ph Pairin Kitingan, the party chief and president representmg the Chinese, resigned from the Chief t.finister assumed a neutral position. The radtcals party. Apparently he had not been cono,ufted on the final won. Apparently, they pressured Pairin to reshuffle the line up of candidates and prote~ted ag:un-,t ' Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 3 cise. Going to the polls, he stated, would "allow the that the propo'ied new boundaries would be ready for people to express their concerns, views and opinions tabling in parhament in April 1994. Anticipating that through the ballot box on the proposed changes to the most of their objections would not be heeded, the PBS existing state and parliamentary boundaries in Sabah". had thus called for early elections so as to benefit from The Elections Commission's proposals (\\hich s1mply the existing electoral boundanes, as well as to make an needs to be passed in parliament since it does not involve electoral issue of the proposed ones. the creation of new constituencies) would have made it Other issues the PBS might highlight are state rights, extremly difficult for the PBS to win any future elections. domination by Kuala Lumpur via UMNO, the politically For, according to the1r calculations, the exerci'>e would motivated charges against PBS leaders, sluggish growth result in the creation of 28 Muslim bumiputera majority due to a shortage of federal funds being channelled to the seats, 12 non-Muslim bumiputera majority seats, 7 state government and its disbursement via the Federal Chinese majority seat~;, and one other "mixed" wherein Development Office instead, Kadazan-Dusun unity, etc. no etl}nic group would have a majority. For the 1985 and 1986 elections, the constituencies The Issues: Development via the BN were understood The BN parties are likely to make development their to be divided into major issue. It is obvious that Sabah's economic perfor 17 Muslim mance ha" been -.luggish. Whereas the rest of the country bumiputera has been experiencing an average of 8-9 percent growth majority seats, 17 over the past four years, Sabah has averaged some 4 non-Mu'>lim percent only. Forestry earnings have fallen sharply from bumiputcra RM884 million m 1992 to RM620 million in 1993 and majorit) seats. 7 projected to ri!'>e only slightly to an e!.llmated RM685 Chinese maJOrity million in 1994. The large drop between 1992 and 1993 ~cat-. and 7 others, was due to a drop in timber prices internationally and the "mixed" Due to ban of log exports following differences between Kuala population move Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. ment and m In tabling the budget for 1994, Sabah's Finance Min e r e a s e d ister projected a further drop in export<,, total revnue rt!gistrat1on. some mcrcasing only because of a surplus of RM545 million of the "mixed" from the loan revolving fund due to the expected seule Jeffrey Kitingan: Released constituencies ment of state loans with the privatisation of Sabah Forest unconditionally in a surprise move had become Mus Industries. This relative lag in development has been lim bumiputera keenly felt by Sabahans who are aware of the buoyant majority seats by state of the economy in the peninsula as well as in the time of the 1990 elections. This trend has contmued. Sarawak. According to one calculation, there now exist S Chinese The point has been made, and will continue to be majority, 14 non-Muslim bumiputera majority. two to made that it is only with a BN state government that three "mixed" and 23 to 24 Muslim bumiputera majority Sabah will be able to prosper This line of argument will seat". be prc..cnted to the Chinese voters in particular. Indeed, The Elections Commission's first redelincation many within PBS itself support rejoining BN in order to proposal was displayed from 23 July to 23 August 1993. facilitate development. Apparently, PBS supporters are There were objections from 41 groups of at lea~t 100 campaigning that they will be returning to the BN after voters each. The PBS state government too vo1ced its the elections. There arc rumours too that some form of objection and submitted counter proposals. They had arrangement is being worked out currently although this noted that "the new delineations had no underlying ad is denied by both BN and PBS leaders. ministrative and socio-economic ba~is". If the proposed Among the Muslim bumiputcra, it can be expected changes were to proceed. they alleged, "irreparable that UMNO \\Ould highlight how they have been damage to the socio-political. cultural and religious neglected and discriminated against by the PBS govern landscape of the state" would be caused. ment. It would remind them of the various projects the Despite these objections. however, the Commi ... sion 's BN federal government have implemented since 1991 via second proposal wa<; presented with only slight changes the Federal De\elopment Office in Kota Kinabalu. and to the names of the constituencies and the propmcd with the ccx>peration of local UMNO Sabah leaders: boundaries. When its di~play ended on 22 December low-cost housmg. mosques and community halls, clinics 1993, objections had been submitted by the PBS state and mads, agricultural extension services, etc. Muslims government a-; well as by 22 other groups of more than would also be encouraged to unite and those working 100 voters each. In January. the Commi-;-;ion announced with PBS would be \erbally abused. • A/iran MonJhly 1994:14 (J) Pagt 4 Other issues that might be emphasised by the BN of seats. While they desire development which will be include the highhandedness of Pairin's rule, corruption enhanced by voting in a BN government, they want to including Pairin's recent conviction, the PBS' narrow ensure that they are also backing the VIctorious side. parochialism, etc. For all these reac;ons, th1s will be a keenly contested It will also be expected that SAPP, MCA and LDP elections. Should the PBS-Plus win, its VICtory will more will be calling for Chinese unity within the BN closely resemble the 1985 outcome when it won by the framework. This will be touted a~ the best way to slimmest of margins, rather than the I 986 or 1990 out safeguard Chinese cultural mterests and promote Chinese comes when it won comfortably. economic interests. The Demise ofthe Multi-ethnic Party ? A Fourth Term for PBS? Whichever party is the winner, and whatever the The PBS-Plus was confident that it would be returned margin of victory. there has already been one loser: the to power when it dissolved the Assembly. It still com multi-ethnic party, and the non-corrununal approach to mands the overwhelming support of Kadazan-Dusuns politics associated with it, that is more prevalent in Sabah and can be expected to win all the non-Muslim than in anywhere else in Malaysia today. bumiputera majority seats. As in the previous election, This approach was fil">t brought to the forefront of Parti Akar is not expected to win any seat. Sabah politics by Parti Berjaya when it won the state Even w1thout Mu.~tapha's resignation from UMNO, elections in 1976. It continues today in the PBS. Opposi the PBS-Plus leaders were quietly confident of winning tion parties like Akar and Parti Rakyat Sabah which a fair share of the Muslim bumiputera majority scats. contested in the 1990 polls were similarly constituted as Mustapha · s restgnation from UMNO and the entry oftwo multi-ethnic parties and advocated non-ethnic politics. of his other sons into PBS-Plus enhances the incumbent's Some of the Sarawak parties are also so constituted chances. In the case of the PBS, it is undeniable that it is a Contrary to the claims of UMNO Sabah leader, Kadazan-Dusun dominated party. But it is also undeni Sakaran Dandai, UMNO Sabah will not win 27 seats. able that it is the most multi-ethnic of all the parties of Despite the fact that it possesses tremendous funds and a significance in Malaysia at this potnt. It~ leadership and well-oiled party machinery which will partilly be run by membership comprise not only Kadazan-Dusuns but sig volunters from the peninsula, and has control of the nificant numbers of Musltm burniputeras and non national medta and access to federal government bumiputeras. Such participation and representation by facilities, nonethelcs~. the fact remains that UMNO is the various ethnic groups have been institutionalised into new to Sabah. Moreover. iL'> Sabah membership which the very structure of the party itself thereby ensuring a originates from different parties (sometimes hostile to greater degree of consultation, cooperation and under one another) arc still not united. Will they support their standing. Thus playing the ethmc card harms the party'~ erstwhile enemies if the} fail to be nominated to run ? interests and undermines the very basis of it~ existence. This is why there have been repeated calls by federal By contrast, UMNO, MCA. MTC are mono-ethnic VMNO leader~ to disregard who the particular candidate parties. Although they come together as a multi-ethnic is, and to emphasise the victory of the party instead. coalition under the auspices of the Baris..'\n Nasional, It has been noted by many observers that capturing nonethless, ethmc politics ts their sine qua non, the very the Chinese votes is cruc1al if one is to emerge victorious. basis of their existence and electoral success. This is This is true to a certain extent. When the Assembly was particularly so since the Bansan Nasional as a party is dissolved, the PBS was confident that it would win a virtually non-existent. majority, if not all of the Chinese majority seats. Despite The peninsula style of ethruc politiCS has begun to media reports, the LDP and the MCA are not expected to undermine the more multt-ethnic parties in Sabah, and win any scat. Wtnntng all of the non-Muslim their non-communal approach to politics everytime elec bumiputera, almost all of the Chine~e. and a fair share of tions are held. The entry of UMNO and the MCA into the Mushm bumiputcra seats would allow PBS-Plus to Sabah has further institutioaalised pohtics in Sabah along win the elections. ethnic lines. More and more, PBS is forced to become a With the unexpected resignation of Yong Teck Lee Kadazan-Dusun party. and the formation of SAPP. however, PBS can no longer The Sabah voters have returned the PBS into office be confident of its chances in Chinese majority seats, nor three times. Thus far, it seem'\ that the Saba hans sti II have tn the elections as a whole. Realising this, the BN has a preference for the multi-ethnic party and their local quickly reached out to SAPP despite Yong's previous version of politics. But Sabahans have never come up credentials. against such formidable mono-ethnic parties like UMNO How will the Chinese vote ? They will probably and the MCA before. Which way will they vote ? hedge their bets until they make up their minds which of Malaysians eagerly await the verdict on I 9 February • the two, UMNO or PBS-Plus, will gam the larger number Aliran MonJhly 1994:14 (I) Page 5 OBITUARY THE MAN ... Fearless, Peerless Writer Malaysia's most courageous writer enriched the lives of h1s fellowmen "He only, in a general honest thought And common good to all, made one of them. His life was gentle; and the elements So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up And say to all the world 'This was a man!' Julius Caesar Act V: Scene 5 K Das 1929·1993 I twas h1s fa-yourite quote from Shakespeare. But days thattollowctl Malaysia· s im.lcpcntlence from Britain it might eas1ly have applied to him. in 1957. Bis ten-year career at Rrll.hO Malaysia, and. later K Das, the Far Eastern Economic Review's distin -TV Malaysia- was interrupted in 1958- 1961 when he guished and beloved chief of the Malaysian hw·eau be entered the University of Melboume and graduated with tween 1977- 1984 passed away in Kuala Lumpur on 19 honours in English literature and political science on a December after a sudden illness. Long-considered one of coveted overseas scholarship. the most talented \\Titers and reporters ever to gr:tce the Das also served stints as a foreign service officer in pages of the magazine. "D'.IS" as friends affectionately Hongkong and Canberra between l %9-1974 - rising to called him, was instrumental in boosting the Rev1cw's the rank of first secretary - before JOining the Review as coverage in Malaysia during the critical 1970s and early a stringer in 1975, and later as bureau chief in January 1980s. 1977. His public fame as a journalist grew quickly there K Das • his pen name - was born Kukathas. son of after. Veerasingam- on 4 September 1929 in the ethnic Indian Not content to be one of Malaysia's most respected Brickfie1ds enclave of Kuala Lumpur. when.: he came post-war joumalists. Das was also a brilliant polymath from a family of famous ci\ il:;crv:Uits. with imerests sp:uming literature. religion. drama and the physical sciences. He spoke English w1th the assunty of A BRIU IANT WRITER an Oxford don ~Uld often quoted from Shakes-peare and A tall, patrici~m-like man of Jaffna Tamil descent. he the English metaphysical poets. He spoke Tamil, Malay was a brilliant writer with a nowing. lyrical expository :u1tl smallerings of Jap:u1ese - Jcamed as a schoolboy style which defied imitation. This considerable ability during the Jap:u1csc Occupation. when he was beaten by only l>urfaccd later in life. but it always had the effect of secret pohcc for allegedly stealing an oflicer's pistol. humbling LhO!ie of lesser talent whom he met. Outside his stories for the Review. one of his least Das began life as a programmer and commentator for known achievements was a h1ghly-persona.l Enghsh government radio and television stations in the hl.!ady tr:mslation of the Indian epic, The Ranu1yana. which was A/iron .'1.1 onthly 199-1:14 (I) Page 6 well-received by scholars and fans of Hindu culture. years with the Review. A prolific poet, playwright, book reviewer and One of his mos1 harrowing incidents involved being freelance writer, he also had t11rce unfinished novels on accosted in a stairwell by a gang of armed thugs shortly computer disks when he died. D was also a pioneer on after "'riling an article about Harun ldris, a controversial the Malaysian theatre scene during the 1960s. where he fonner chief minister of Selangor state. He later called acted and was a founder of the ground-breaking Harun at home. The chief minister disavowed the inci Malaysian Arts Theatre Group. He also authored a stage dent. but the harrassments mysteriously ceased. adaptation of the trailitional Malay story, "Lela Mayang" His knack for trouble also earned the enmity of in 1968. powerful political circles in Malaysia. But Das always shrugged off such slings of fate with char.lctcristic aplomb, though the trouble it caused harried him throughout his personal and profes sional life. "He was above all. a man who did what he believed-regardless of the consequences," says a close friend. HE GAVE OF HIMSELF But one of Das' saving graces was that his friends were often more noteworthy lh:m his foes. Among the closest of these was Malaysia's firSt. The young Oas: A brilliant polymath who spoke with the assurity of an prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rah Oxford don man. Das was also a confidant of opposition leader Tunku Razalcigh COURAGEOUS POLITICAL COVERAGE Hamzah and Tan Sri C C Too. Malaysia· s ch icf of psychological warfare against the In Malaysia, Das tS be!>1 known for his coverage of communists during the 1948-1960 Emergency. He was Mt.laysian politics for the Review during the successive also a close friend of the l:lte Sabah Chief Minister Tun premierships of Tun Ru.ak. Tun Hussein Onn and Datuk F!htd Stephens. Seri MlhatJ1ir Moharnad. He scored his biggest scoop These friends served him in good stead as a journalist when he sleuthed his way through the loc:.tl medical Das was one of a handful to be picked for an official community to uncover the fact that Tun R:u.ak lay dying interview by the reclusive Hussein Onn during his tenn of cancer and had been warded secretly in a British as prime mimster. The audience tasted eight hours. Das hospital. was also hard at work on the only personally-approved Other as.">ignmcnts for the Far 8tstem Economic biography of tltc late Tunku Abdul Rahman, based on Review involved physical courJge. Das once braved a unpublished interviews :md imimate snippets, when he tropical stonn in a small boat in a successful bid to reach was swept sudtknly from our midst. one of t11e flrst batches of Vietnan1ese boat people on a In his final years. D.ts also turned increasingly to tiny island off the C A/iran Molllhly 1994:14 (I) Poge 7 ... AND IllS BOOKS HOW FREE ARE WE? reedom is a wonderful thing, but we must never forget, that Fmore than anything else, freedom means a life free of lies. What is subjugation but acceptance of the great lie that one person or group is entitled to dominate another without question? Loyalty? In exchange for any and all the nonsense concocted by the "leaders?" Is that not simply a lie? And arc we any the less subjugated because the domination is more subtle than Big Brother's, because the lies are more sophisticated? Flags and anthems and marching uniforms, let us face it, will not make us free. No Fighter-Bomber squadron or naval patrol fleet. no policeman on the beat or his secret Special Branch operation leading innocent men to Room I01 in Police Remand Centres and Kamunting, contrary to the Attomey-Geneml's querulous submission about peace-keeping, is enough to preserve our freedoms. No, not even regular "democr.ttic" General Elec tions and Parli~unentary sessions, oath taking ceremonies and all, c~m guar.t.ntee it. The Constitu tion itself, and all the laws born of that Constitution, cannot make us free. And most certainly not orchestrated propaganda ditties drooled day and night in saccharine voices. As the old saying goes, only the truth can make us free, because all t11ose institutions and their fine trappings c~m be, and often are, grossly abused and distorted. I have shown in this book how horribly they were mvishcd in Malaysia in 1988. Unless the truth is known at every tum, all those fine things can become mere Executive weapons for its own preservation and survival - not the armour to protect and preserve the freedom of the citizen which they are supposed to be. And the few institutions which can prevent such abuse and distortions are open courts of law with independent judges. So there is no choice. We have no option but to demand justice, for what is justice but the act of revealing the truth? What does a court of law do but dmw the curtains and throw light into dark places so that the world might see and know the trutl1'! We have to ask ourselves if we arc free when we are continuously told disgraceful lies, and arc forced to accept the lies and live with them? How can we call ourselves free when we have no choice but to accept lies as the rust condition for merely being left in peace'! How free can we be if we are told that the Government was legitimately behind the massive celebration ofa political party's "Unbirthday" party and mn the risk ofcausing widespread terror, and possible bloodshed in the city? And we accepted the lie ~md lived with it! Was it because we were free or only because we were too terrified to act or even say, "No?" How free c~m we be if we are told that even social reformers and educationists like Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Dr Kua Kia Soong, Dr Moh:.uned Nasir Hashim and Mr Lim Fong Seng are security threats and are locked up without trial? These men were primarily noted for speaking out the truth without fear. And we accepted the disgracerul official lie :.u1d lived quietly with it as these brave men languished in jail! Were we then free citizens or just a cowering mass of frightened people? How free were we when duly elected opposition Members of Parli:.unent - the formal and lawful voices of public dissent- were deprived of their freedom without rhyme or reason? Instead we were told dreadful lies aboutthese gentlemen. We put up with these lies. Were we free people? How free are we when we are told that newspapers were shut down because they were security risks? How c:.ul any popular, mass circulation, open publication. witll an annually A/iran M()nthly 1994:14 (1) Page 8 renewable licence, be a security risk? And we quietly accepted that massive lie, prefening to live without news than clamour for the truth? Free people? What kind of free people are we? How free arc we, really, when we are told that judges must be curbed, must not be independent, and must act "according to our [Executive) wish," because they might grab power! And we accepted that disgraceful lie, too, and lived with it! Are we rcully free as a people? Let us face it. We can claim no freedom worth talking about when our mere existence is dependent upon accepting bare-faced lies day after day. No, we have no option. If freedom means anything, we have to demand very openly, very loudly and very persistently, whatever the illusionists who wish to manipulate our lives might say: Let us have the facts. Let us have the truth: All the truth. Extracted from MAY DAY FOR JUSTICE, a brillwnt account ofthe dramatic events surrounding the unjust dismissal in 1988 of the then Lord President Salleh Abas. This was K Das' most outstmuling book. THEY'RE 'SERVANTS,' THE NOT 'LEADERS' MUSA he govemment, it must be observed, is only an instrument or T"servant" of the King. and as loyal citizens, we were respon DILEMMA Sible for assisting His ~UJesty to select these servants during the Refiec;tlooa 00 the do!e10100 oJ Datu~ general election. His Majesty in his wisdom, gmciously approved ~ lhtam to qy.t 1M~"*'' .-DeN~< SefiD< _ ..... - our choice . We may easily make mistakes in our choice of servants some times. and that is our privilege. TI1e King accepts that and does not question us. let alone interfere with our ch01ce, because he himself represents our ultimate will. So any misjudgements on our part give the servants no excuse. let alone the right to become rude or arrogant. Indeed the time has come to make rules to sack such K.DAS servants without too much ceremony. And another thing: the secrets the servant keeps from us, he keeps with our explicit pcnnission. Where did he get the idea th:.~t they are his? They are the unpleasant facts we do not want to know day after day as masters of the house. But if we do want to know them for any ~lSon, he cannot deny them to us. That is why we invented Royal Commissions, to make sure the serv~mts do not steal our treasures. or get into fights with our neighbours and friends without sound reasons. Servants who are allowed to keep house secrets to themselves without being unaccountable at all can help themselves to anything in the house. Obviously then the servants are only useful if they are properly account:tble to the masters. The accountability of the servant begins the day he walks in through the kitchen door. If he makes a mess of the soup. obv1ously he has to explain. It is not enough for him to tell the Agung, or us, t11 at he can produce the hst of soup ingredtcnts he bought at the market. He cannot telltl1e King that beef cost seventy-five dollars a kati or kilo because somebody robbed the national cattle farm and ran away with 2,500 cows. He has to admit he was in charge of the cattle fann, too. He must then name ll1at "somebody" and prove the allegation, or quit his job in shame. And then he must still explain why the soup looks dreadful and tastes ghastly. He certainly must not be allowed to shout and insult and give "warnings" to the people who picked him out of a motley crowd in the first place as a likely useful fellow. Because they owe hun nothing. Because he owes them everything. Like many really bad servants, governments slowly tend to :L-;sume that the house they serve in belongs to t11cm. Remember Ferdinand Marcos? And Baby Doc Duvalier? We don't need one of those here. And they even become very rude to house guests, on the extr.10rdinary assumption that because they were living in tJ1e house before tJ1e guests c.une, they have more nghts! Remember A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (I) Page 9 Idi Amin and the Uganda Indians? That is is why it is important to renew the contracts of such labourers with severe chastisements for past tr.msgressions. Otherwise the servants will move into the master redroom and expect the employers- and their guests- to serve them. Of course, it is wise to give a servant the best tools for his job. He must eat well, exercise well and sleep well, so as to perform his job well. He must also be rewarded well. But I think the time has come to tell the servant that he is only a servant and must behave as such, even if in our hearts we think our lowest servant must be treated with courtesy and kindness. So, we must stop calling these fellows "leaders". We are not a nation of sheep. These servants are not supposed to lead us anywhere. They are supposed to smooth the way to the places we want to go to, laying out red carpets if we are inclined. But if we let these temporary servants lead, each new lot will blunder off in different directions and they will most ceruinly lead us into the wilderness ... Extracted/rom THE MUSA DILEMMA. a book of intriguing reflections on the dilemma facing Malaysians in the aftermath of the startling resignation ofDeputy Prime Minister Musa /litam in 1986. MOST DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT f there was a breach of convention at all, it was this: Tun Salleh Ispoke up for the judiciary when there was most need for a clear voice, and wrote a letter to his King. It was only a breach because such a thing has never hJppened in the country's history. not because it was intrins1cally unthink able or wrong, as the Prime Minister pretended. To say that Tun Sallch Ab:.lS could have made an appointment to sec His Majesty to complain about the Prime Minister's behaviour is utter rubbish because the effect would have been exactly the same if he had. The King's rejection of the Rulers' consensus on the matler more than proved that. Yes, Tun Salleh did the untllinbble in this country. He wrote a letter to the King because of the parlous st:Jte of the Judiciary, and justice itself was in. Then a capricious Executive went into a state of shock for other reasons, and ran amok. Tun Suffian, in an interview with the Singapore Law Review late in 1989 put it this way: Tun Salleh Abas has been fired not because he's corrupt or bec:ause he has committed a criminal offence or has been unethnical but sim ply because be is a man or absolute integrity and the Prime Minister only wants judges in whom he has confidence. The Prime Min1stcr and some of his Ministers who went berserk with anger at that interview, criticised Tun Suflian for saying that some Malaysian politicjjns were a primitive lot, but not one of them, at any time afterwards said a word about his long. devast:Jting criticism of the sacking of Tun Salleh Abas. If he has said that they were political primitives. the clear charactew;ation was that they were moral and intellectual pygmies when it came to the judiciary. But not one of them touched the subjec t. They had sacled the Lord President because they were terrified of his honour and integrity. Tite Government tried to destroy a good man, :md then the system brought forth an unknown man with highly questionable credentials to justify its own most disgraceful conduct. And elaborately disgraced itself all over again. Tun Salleh's honour and dignity remains unscathed. Extracted from QUESTIONABLE CONDUCT. a rebullal tv an earlier bvvk wrilltn by a go,·emment approwdfvreigner. Peter Williams Q C ofNew Zealand who had auempted to justify the sacking of Sal/eh Abas. A/iron Mtmlhly 1994:14 (I) Page 10 When I contem.plate Death When I contemplrue Denlh, On his great stillmotmt, Son of the Morning, And see the rolled mass of You don't figure at all, My new sloughed accoutrement. There is only v ama: Palty, empty, now tear-stained. SliD Bb:k musl:lehioed, I ask, what was the tumult and uproar, Muscular. shoulders wide as Son of the Morning? (Satan? he makes no reply), The arches of Time, What was the frenzy And smile glistening of stars, Varna. Father of Life, Riding bare-chested. bare-back What was the passion all about? On the Blue-Black Mount of His Buffalo. Coming v:una smiles: lsn 't it odd? To lake me home again. The Morning· s twnult and toiliO be fed, The relentless passion for the rod Before the ride, I must shed my dress. And crown, then the earnest, emnest And he gently peels off Celebration for the dead? What dead? 1be now mgged ganm:ut ll is only Earth, it is only dress. Which Earth fll"Sl wmppcd me in. The Great Buffalo grunts With a silver needle he untailors me: And tW1ls to go, he has no ring in IUs nose He casts the line, I lake the hook. Or rein to guide him. but he goes, Engage the scams. :md tt.en they fall apart As Varna laughs and joy descends, As I am dmwn out of the threadlxlre gear And then climbs the air, Of all my chic and hip and vein Not a-trot but strolling. on the rood he lrnows. And mO A/iran Monlhly 1994:14 (I) Page 11 WID I C0111e1111J1* Deadl When I contempble Dcalh. 'l1llre il Y~ma. bbck IRUSiaChiocd (Satan. you are so very liulc. Ma:ular.lhouJders wide as Quite irrelevant. and alien) ne lcapina arches of Tune. There is Yama.. block mustachioed And smile &listening of stu's. Muscular. shoulders wide as Wbo wiD lake me riding home. a1 last The leaping arches of Time. How &ood to JO home allasL And smile glistening of stu'S. Come Fllhcr.let me clasp you! Riding bare-chcslcd on His Blue-Bbck Mount. Bull hiM you not! Coming. to redress me And yet I tee you 10 well. Of this SC3SOI1 of dislraction To take me home again. Oaildll am the dagger So come. Father Yama.. E~ in lhe air. I am the breath, Give me your silver needle. Your needless despQir. I am the peace And let me clasp you. For which you care and do not care. I want to go home. lsn •• it odd? Child. Child of the Morning. But you see me not. You have not done your passions, You may contemplate me, but, Your frenzy, your uproar and tumulL I cootemplate you not. yet; There is time still, exult. And therefore you only dream, You only dream you contemplate me. It is odd. and yet, You will see me not until. When l contemplate Death You have done your Morning's tumult There }OU are: Yama. black mustachioed. And uproar, your passion and frenzy Muscukar, shoulders w1dc as And so do not clutch at me. The lc:~ping :arches of Time, No you can not clutch me. And smile glistening of stlfS It is I who will come clutching. Who will take me riding Peace. Home, nt 1:1.\1. TI1us, F:~ther of Life. I conten•plate Death. But I do see you. mighty Y:una. Muscul.1r, shoulders wide as lsn 't it odd, isn't it odd'! The leaping arches of Time, They call me kind, and God! And smile glistening of stars. I see you. Father of Life. The Son of the Morning is dead But the Son of the Morning is fading. Gone out of my East like a buffoon, Sink.ing in the West whence he came. And buried in the West whence he rose. Isn't it odd'! I contemplate Death, And await the Blue-Black Buffalo, ••• The smile glistening of stars For the ride home :lt last And the fete at Yama's. my fate. KDAS Alira11 Monthlyl994:14 (I) Page 12 INVESTMENT Irresponsible Public Statetnents "If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything" obody will believe that the rumours, which has of course in any Tun Daim's advice to the "Tun Daim Article" in The case been relayed to the public time investing public on NStar, on ll January 1994, and time again. For someone who January 10 and the was not instrumental in the heavy frequently "plays for pocket money" selling on the KLSE on the same A/iran MonJhly 1994:14 (1) PDge 13 opinions publicly even if they are his It is extremely dis:lppoint QUOTES FROM DAIM personal views. Also, after many ing that the government's "weekends", I am sure that he has very own economic adviser Oa speculatlnc and not tnvesttq iD the stock market: come to know of the market's sen should express disbelief When you play with fire, and it sitivity to information whether pub rather than confidence in a gets out of control, especially for lished or otherwise. Since he himself healtJay capital market. TI1e the inexperienced, you are going is aware that the market reacts government itself has indi to get burnt. strongly to rumOlus then how did he cated that Malaysia is On bla own penoaal iDvestmeats: (and The Star, of course) seriously developing at a pace envied I just play for pocket money. I need some money for the weekend expect the investing public to react by other countries. It is there spend.inc, but people say that I am to glaring he3dlines? fore not surprising that lucra a big player. tive contracts and projects OD wllea the big correctioa Disclose Ingredients would be abundant thereby in the market will come: Tun Daim should leave it to the increasing the earnings poten The big question now is when. relevant authorities such as the tial of companies. Some say it will be just before Chi nese New Year; some say just be KLSE and the Securities Commis Other reasons such as the fore Hari Raya. sion to ensure that the market does award of a timber concession, Oa tbe new super-rich: not go "out of control". Even so, the gaming licence or an im He said a few paper millionaires authorities themselves cannot make minent takeover could easily were being created on the stock negligent statements. Instead, he ap cause share prices to increase market each day, and some even pears to have taken it upon himself significantly especially for a became billionaires amidst the strong bull run. to ensure that share prices do not company whose eamings Oa why DO one is listening: reach or remain at "dizzying were relatively low in the fu-st VVe have reached a dangerous heights". The public would greatly place. A company's ean1ings stage. Almost everybody is get appreciate Tun Daim disclosing the can quite conceivably in ting into the market. Everybody is "ingredients" of an imminent crash crease ten fold if it is awarded busy on the phone. Nobody seems to be working. Everyone talks only so that in future we will consider the a large business contract and about shares. This will affect pro status of our investments based on it follows that - given tJae ductivity, and lower productivity these ingredients rather than being comp~my's earnings mult1ple will affect our economy. caught unawares with a directive. (or price-ean1ing ratio) - tJ1e Oa the crash to come: Ifthere is going to be a correction share price may mcrease by Once the slide comes, no one can then so be it, but let it not be prema just as many times. st~ it, and many will get hurt. This time around the government ture and, even more critically, This is not cr..IZy. This is will not bail out anybody. amplified by an irresponsible public fundamental. What iscr..IZy is Oa advice given; statement such as "cash in the pocket the stock market crashing to At this stage, it appears that no is better than shares pledged to an artificially and ridiculously body wants to listen to good ad banks". This is as good as saying low level as a direct result of vice It has fallen on deaf ears. "Don't buy any shares because they the uninvited "advice" of one Greed rules the day. Advice and warnings have come from the will depreciate." 1 would have man and a 70 sen newspaper. very top. Once you ignore them, thought that the holder of those you will have to face the conse shares pledged to the bank would Rich Getting Richer quences. have acquired those shares for the No doubt the market will On choosing between long term which follows that the in recover but mere would have cash and shares: been irreversible damage To me, under the present mar vestment was based on fundamen ket conditions, cash m the pocket tals. Now, in contradiction, Tun done particularly to the small is better than shares pledged to Daim seems to also be discouraging investor whose holding banks. long term investments. power cannot match the "big THE STAR: January 11, 1994 Whether or not an increase in the players". There will be many price of a counter from RM 1.70 to permanent exits of individual inves cal case of the rich getting richer. RM 17.00 is "crazy" may be a maller tors from the stock market, not least As far as invcsung on the basis of opinion. Commenting adversely because their trading accounts of rumours is concemed, there is no without justification on share price would have been suspended as a necessity to drive me point home too movements can be unneces~uily result of heavy trading losses, and it often. Incidentally. more often than damaging as it may imply that no would be of no surprise if there was not, the rumours tum out to be true. counter should ever increase by such a shift in wealth disLribution in Meaning. the rumours were essen a large amount. favour of the b1gger players: a typi- tially leakage of confidential infor- Aliran Mu11Jhly 1994:14 (1) Page 14 mation. The problem therefore is choice of portfolio mix lxlsed on the Pathetic Attempt ma.intaming confidentiality of sensi perceived investment risk of the It is baffling that Tun Daim con tiveinformatJOn ·so much so that the v:uious counters. siders that "we have reached a will public announcement of a contract Tun Da.im appreciate that dangerous stage" in reference to the awarded becomes old news by the different investors will have dif large number of people "getting into time it is published. ferent degrees of risk aversity the market". A stock exchange is Of course if the rumour is even analogous to a consumer's indif seen as part of the private enterprise tually found to be untrue, the share ference curve in economics. Tun system, of a property owning price will return to its "appropriate" Daim may perhaps, if at all, be al· democracy. level. No doubt some investors will lowed tosuggest(with the support of As economic adviser, Tun Daim get hurt but it would not lead to a loss facts and figures) what he perceives should welcome the large public par of confidence in the market. The loss to be an appropriate return for a cer· ticipation, and if there is at all any of confidence would only be in their lain level of risk but he should not cause for concern with regard to this, sources of information. attempt to alter the risk profile of it should be where the number of Investors are aware of the risks investors: this is the job of a licenced private shareholders are dropping. involved when it comes to making investment adviser who is Surely Tun Daim is aware that investment decisions based on infor remunerated to provide such profes· having a large number of investors mation obtained verbally (which siona.l advice to clienL'>. Tun Daim's contributes towards market efficien may very well include "rumours"). free "advice" has unfortunately easi cy. To suggest that it could lead to The degree of reliability of such in ly taken precedence over the views lower productivity seems like a formation will depend on the source, :md opinions of qualtlied investment pathetic attempt to support his "ad· and investors will decide on their analysts. vice". If Tun Daim has anything to voice out, he should only give en couraging words such as "Do invest in the st Alira11 Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page IS HERITAGE Hotel Metropole: NOWYOUSEEIT, NOW YOU DON'T! Another heritage building in Penang bites the dust Malaysians were shocked to discover that Hotel Metropole, a heritage building in Penang, was demolished on Christmas Day. The culprit: a suspicious $2 company. ANIL NETTO has the story. The Metropole: Heritage building ... ll that is left of the heritage building at 46 JaJan Sultnn A Ahmad Shah (fonnerly Nor tham Road) is a forlorn, weather beaten signboard which reads 'Hotel Metropole. Nite Club. Fitness Cen tre'. A peck tlu·ough the gates - the whole perimeter has been boarded up with metal sheets-reveals that the historical hotel building, once ... now rubble and ashes. known as Nova Scotia.. is well and truly gone. Even the rubble seems to developers, business-minded federal level, and the MIC. Several have vanished into thin air. But a few politicians. an apathetic council 3Jld GerJkan leaders were directors in stray planks and other odds and ends a complacent stale government. the company which sold the hotel to lying on the site where the building Dolphin Square Sdn Bhd, the $2 once proudly stood testify to the ef Political Furore 'shell' company responsible for ficient under-cover demolition job At the centre of this controversy demolishing the building. which took place on Christm~L-. day. is Tan Gim Hwa, president of the It is not surprising then that Par A bare-chested worker. Penang Csty Council, and a fonncr liamentary and Penang Stale Op presumably a watchman. hurries up director and shareholder of Hotel position Leader Lim Kit Siang has to the gate. He eyes us suspiciously Mctropole. Tan is also the chainnan been in the forefront of stinging for a few moments and then checks of Penang Gerakan. a component criticism against Tan and the stale the lock to make sure it is securely party of the Barisan Nasional coali government over the demolition. His fastened. But we have seen enough tion whsch rules the Penang state party, the DAP, which has 13 seats to convince us that heritage build government together with two other compared to the Barisan's 20 in the ings in Pcn3Jlg are an cnd3Jlgered component parties - UMNO Baru, Penang State Assembly is preparing species at the hands of greedy the domin3Jlt component party at the to mount a strong challenge to lake A/iron Mu11thly 1994:14 (1) Page 16 over the state government in the next decision is to be meaningful, tl1e ad shared the same Macalister Cowt. general election which is widely ex visory council should have strong Penang address as Tan. Collectively, pected to be held some time in the reprc~ntation by public interest the three Tans owned 19 per cent of middle of this year. groups who are concerned with con the shares in the hotel. In 1992, Tan Ger.lkan, in turn, has accused servation and are sympathetic to Gim Hwa stepped down as director Lim of lying. Complains Tan bitter heritage." although he remained a shareholder. ly, "Ot) is nothing but a dirty and "The Committee should be By June 1993, Cempaka Sdn low-level attempt to try ~md dis responsible for drawing up the list of Bhd had taken over the ownership of credit the state government and buildings and sites to be conserved," Hotel Metropole Sdn Bhd. The Gerakan leader;." Sensitive to the adds Ahmad. "All buildings and directors of Cempaka were Senator likely political fallout over the issue, planning applications affecting Dato Soong Siew Hoong ofPetaling his party recently launched an ag buildings and areas of potential Jaya, Tan Sri Datuk Chan Choong gresive poster campaign throughout heritage interest should be referred Tat of Seremban and Lim Kheng George Town proclaiming "DAP to the Heritage Advisory Commit Guan of Kuala Lumpur. Both Soong lies." tee." and Chan are prominent Gernkan personalities while Lim Kheng No Open Government The Gerakan Connection Guan is the brother of Gerakan Other groups, however, have Were Tan and Gerakan aware leader Dr Lim Kheng Yaik, the Min come out equally stridently against that Hotel Metropolc was about to ister of Primary Industries. the destruction of the hotel which suffer an ignominous fate? A look at All of a sudden, things began to was built around the turn of the cen the sequence ofevents leading to the move at a quicker pace. tury. Le.'lding the pack is the Penang demolition indicates that several On 28 October 1993, the City Heritage Trust (PHn which feels prominent Gerakan politicians' were Council decided to classify heritage that the maximum $50.000. fine for involved in the eventual sale of the buildings into two categories demolishing a heritage building is property to Dolphin Square. "Dol without consulting the relevant not a sufficient deterrent to un phin Square appears to be a front public intere~t groups. Category 1 scrupulous property developers who company for the developer. Leader was for buildings which could not be stand to make millions of ringgit in Universal Cable," says Kit Siang. demolished, altered or extended ex profit from such "development" This scandal had its origins back cept for maintenance and restora projects. in 1989 when the City Council came tion. Category 2, however, was more It also slammed the City Council up with a proposal for the conserva flexible. allowing for buildings to be for "not acting with tr.lnsparcncy, tion of Jalan Sultan Ahm:1d Shah altered and extended with permis and ... not practicising the open which has many colonial-style man sion provided the facade was government that the swte govern sions with spacious grounds. It in retained. ment promised us." vited the affected landowners and Of the 20 buildings from the groups like the PHT, 1989 list. three were mysteriously the Consumers As dropped leaving only seventeecn. SOCiation of Pcnang, Twelve of these were placed in Pertubuhan Akitek Category I while the remaining five Malaysia and the Rate went into the second category. Hotel p:lyers Association to Metropole, which was of Moorish present their views. design, was placed in Category 2 This led to a conserva because. according to Tan, "the tion list of 20 build building had lost its originality as it ings. includmg Hotel had beef) subjected to extensive Metropole, far short of renovations, alterations and exten what tl1e various sions over the ye!lrs." groups had wanted. Tan Gim Hwa: At the Um Kit Siang: Stinging According to the Just over a month after the centre of the controversy criticism returns for 1991 filed at categoris.'ltion exercise, on 4 The PHT, however. welcomed the Registr..IT of Com December 1993, Cempaka. the the Clly Council's decision to estab panJes. Tan. then one of six directors Ger..tkan-dominated company, sold lish an advisory council which of Hotel Metropole Sdn Bhd. held a the hotel for $9.5 million to Dolphin would advise the Council on 6percent stake in the company. Two Square. heritage mallers. Says PHT Acting other share holders, Tan Kean Wah TI1ree weeks later, Hotel Secretary Ahmad Chik,"lf this and Tan Seong Hwa, however. Metropole was flattened. Aliran Mo111hly 1994:14 (I) Page 17 Development restrictions on development. Many observers feel that Assurance? Hotel Mctropole would never The selling price of $9.5 have been demolished h:ld the million for the 71,000 sq ft City Council been more ac property in itself is revealing. countable and sensitive to the Asserts opposition leader Lim wishes of the people. Since Kit Siang, "A similar heribgc councillors are now appointed building, without any oppor by the ruling party, perhaps tunity for substantial develop they do not realise that they are ment. would only fetch around ultimately responsible to S3 million." ratepayers and the public, not to Indeed, this leads to the their political masters. crucial_question: why would This situation would not anybody pay $9.5 million for have arisen in a multi-tiered such a property if he had not democratic system where resi received some kind of as dents elect their own council surance that subst:Ultial The Metropole was put to the torch with unholy lors in local council polls. Such development would be al haste. elected councillors would sure lowed? ly realise that they have to be Was such an assumnce g1ven'? Similarly,theLinRadiobuilding fully accounbble to the voters who Land Office records show tllat along Burmall Road was anot11cr elected them. Ban Hin Lee Bank provided the re victim of the "now you see it, now The destruction of Hotel quired financing to Dolphin Squ.U"C. you don't" syndrome. The penalty Metropole occurred because there Now, no bank in its right mind would this time - S40. A/iron Mo111hly 1994:14 (1) Page 18 HEART TO HEART ~t rom9S from the lips reaches the ear, what comes from the heart reaches the heart -Arab provero Slumming It Out he light from kerosene lamps It is near dawn now. The weary A group of men, taking their morn and torches plays eerily on water-seekers go home to prepare ing "teh-tarik" at a rundown shed - T the figures Lining up ncar a for worlc and the few children who their "clubhouse" with a mobile pipe. It is already well past midnight go to school clean up. Little Daman "tch-tarik" cum coffee cart nearby - but for the residents of a squaucr is a child of the slums - bleary-eyed. merely smile. They don't care who kampong in the Klang Valley there swollen tummy and cheeky smile is talking campaign talk or to what will be .no sleep as they queue for showing stumps of teeth. He plays group, party or race he belongs. Eth water. The host pipe situated some with his "gasing" no longer seeing nicity no longer matters. 1lleir kam distance from the kampong is the the mud and dirt or bothered by the pong in the city had existed i.nl its only source for this precious com stench. splendid squalor for well over 15 rno A/iron Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 19 indcpth news forthcoming in lhc m~ media. Besides, one can hardly blame the ordinary man-in-the-sareet for taking the ~1' way to wealth through the KLSE rood and for relying on rumours. The new Deputy Prime ~ter said such people "we.e greedy and want to be millionaires within three months". And why shouldn't they when !hose with the means are suspected of pushing up certain shares to their own benefit and in the process, becoming millionaires many times over. What is h:lppening in the stock market is but a reflection of what seems to have penncated almost every layer of Malaysian life. The desire for marerial wealth and to make it big but without having to do Poor Little Rich Man much work. One wonders whether it is one of the consequences Poor Daim. Malaysia's most fabulously rich man was of the subsidy mentality for which the government is the bull's eye of thousands of angry shares speculators much to blame or arc we merely taking a cue from the whose siOcks avalanched after an ominous warning from way our political leaders behave? Tile way some him.~· in an interview that appeared aimed primarily politici:ms have managed to stay in power despite a at denymg that he was behind lhc sizzling heights scaled seeming lack of intellect or capacity for service may have !>Y' some counters on the KLSE recently, had warned led others to think: If he can make it with nothing, why mvesun to get out before the martel crashed. can'tl? Although nobody believed a word of what he s:ud And talking of pocket money for weekend spending, about playing the stocks for •pocket money", they we are wondering what on e:u1h it is that Daim docs on apparently took his •get out" advice very seriously. The weekends. day after his interview was published, the KLSE Composite index plunged in a way last seen during bb:k October. It was also evident tha1 the country's shares specubtors did not believe his claim that he was only a small player in this big money g:une bec:luse part of the I'C3SlOil for their wild nL'!11 out of the KLSE seems 10 be based on their reading of his get our order. They thought that since the Mr Ringgit had~ out, they'd better do so as weD. 'l'1'looe who got burnt OOd were those who had bought on contra. ever hopcful for quick and c:asy bucks. They among others were the ones whom Daim had criticised as playing the stork market based on rumour. Is that any surprise really? We have become a nation that seems to thrive on Dalm: Mr Ringgit cashed out, and cauMd a stampede. rumours because there is so linle an;llytical or A/iran Monlhly /994:/4 (1) Page 20 UMNO general assembly abandoned S S Ghafar (S S stands for sinking ship) . • The rewards usually range from cold cash to new outboard motors or building materials for new homes. The Safe Method Votes in Sabah are really not very different from market commodities. They can be bought at the right price and To borrow that terrible media cliche, it may soon be many expect a bonanza this time arotmd for the stakes "that time of the year again". Everybody's talking about seem greater than ever. an early genernl election. In fact, talk that the stock The election, you see, is no longer BN vs PBS, but market will go on another bull run in the second quarter Anwar Ibrahim versus Joseph Pairin. Mahathir is said to of the year is widely linked to expectations that the have delegated to Golden Boy Anwar the task of general election will take place shortly after that. It seems iruooding into PBS territory. This could be said to be the stock market, and not for the fJISt time either, is to be Anwar's fJISt major assignment as DPM and he is the sowce of funds for some personalities and parties to natwnJJy anxious to do well and impress not only the PM ftmd their campaign. but the rest of the country. This should be a good year for the ruling party. The As such some Sabahans are expecting to find that economy's sailing in a stiff breeze and genernl morole is proverbial pot of gold at the end of the political rainbow high thanks to Visit Malaysia Year. The only dark cloud this time around. And why not when it is a battle between in this bright horizon is perhaps the new set of two Golden Boys, though one appears slightly tarnished constituencies whose freshly rcdelincated boundaries arc by all that recent publicity in court to be laundered through the motions of Parliament. Already, the allegations of gerrymandering are beginning to be heard, of "unsafe" constituencies being made "safe" by redrJwn bound~uies. Much as the • Election Commission may deny any hanky-panky in this area, one only has to hear the way some politicians talk Collapsed Profile to know that gerrymandering seems to be the narne of the game. Although the dust may have settled over the Highland Those who lost in the last general election tell of Towers collapse, the rumours swrounding it have yet to winning this time around because the "unsafe" seats they die down. Apart from the way certain Ministers were lost in previously will be made "safe" due to a change in connected to that particular block, is the talk that a certain the ethnic composition. Malay-majority seats in most high-flyer may have his flight cut short due to the way he states are by far and large considered safe, for Maby handled tJ1e rescue operations. voters are still staunchly loyal to the party that delivers The chap, who was abruptly taken off the operations, the goods- UMNO. is said to be cooling his heels at the moment and may Candidates of ruling parties less able to deliver are even be transferred from his present high-proftle position thus. fighting to jump on the bandwagon. So safe seats to to something of a more confining nature. Actually if he be all about being in Malay-majority scats. All this doesn'tlike things as they are now, he should consider a remains to be seen though. career in the electronic media or even the movies for he does have a high sense of melodmma and a huge appetite for publicity . • Pot of Gold • Sabahans may be among the biggest earners this year, World's Best they say. The reason is the Sabah state election and the Finance Minister Quits fact that Sabah politics has always been about money - no money, no vote, as they say right from Harris Sallch 's India's finance minister, Manmohan Singh, only time. recently voted the world's best ftnance minister aherul of It is unlikely that this association of the vote with Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim by Britain's Euromoney payment has changed dmstically since. ln fact, money mag:~zine, announced that he had submitted his politics was the reason why the Sabah delegates to the resignation {which was subsequently rejected). A/iran Monlhly 1994:14 (/) Page 21 Manmohan Singh, 61, the architect of India's free decidedly unfriendly again. After an, Penangites have marlcet refonns faced severe criticism for failing to check got a well-deserved reputation of being pretty tight-fiSted a massive shares scandal. with their cash and won't take too ~ndly to a sudden He was faulted by a parl.iamenlru)' committee for slump in their personal fortunes. failing to supervise the Bombay Stock Exchange while banks were illegally siphoning more than US$1 billion (RM2.5 billion) into the market for speculation. The parliamentary report said that the Finance • Ministry failed to anticipate the swindle, react to it pwposefully when it was uncovered, nor did it move to Were They Still Alive? punish the guilty or swiftly take corrective measures. The committee concluded that Manmohan must be held On 22 December, a team of local forensic experts accountable to Parliament involved in examining the bodies of the victims of the It is heartening to note that the concept of public Highland Towers tmgedy concluded that all the deaths accountability is held in such high regard in the world's occurred on 11 December, the day of the disaster. largest democracy. Even the world's best finance Pardon me while I shake my head in utter disbelief. minister was not spared, despite the wide respect he Despite this startling "revelation," almost everyone I commanded inside and outside the government. Ability know feels that not all the victims perished on the first without accountability is apparently worthless. day of the tmgedy. Circumstantial evidence and credible Well, what about us in Malaysia? Bank Negara witnesses seem to support this view. For instance: suffered a staggering RM9 billion foreign exchange loss probably the result of speculation in the foreign cLUTency * Could the highly trained tr:lCker dogs have been market. How was this possible? Were there any wrong when they seemed to detect signs of life a investigations? Who is ultimately accountable for this couple of days after the tr.tgedy? record-breaking loss? * Was Major Serge Ganigues. leader of the French And who is the world's best finance minister, now'? Civil Security team, talking through his helmet when he said his team last made contact with a victim when they heard a knocking on 16 December, five days • after the dic;aster? "We heard the knocking two metres from where we Bullish Penangites were. But it was impossible to reach him," he said. (The Star, 23 December 1993) After a recent visit to Penang, Dr Ma11athir expressed "When we (the French team) arrived we knew confidence that the people of Penang were having "a immediately that someone was alive." he added. change of heart" towards the Barisari Nasional government. * Could the sophisticated sound detection equipment "Everywhere along the route, people were waving at have been wrong, when it indicated signs of life days me and smiling ac; though they want to maintain the after the dic;a.<;ter? present Barisan Nasional state government," he *Could TV commentators and journalists have been observed. He said this was different from his earlier visits wrong when they kept r.llsing our hopes, a few days when he felt he was not welcomed by the people. later, by saying that survivors would be reached "at What is the cause of this euphoria? Personally, I don't any time now"? think it is Mahathir's own popularity which is making everyone smile uncontrollably. Basically, many have These are the questions running through the minds of made a small fortune from the stock market before the Malaysians who believe that seveml victims were still recent cmsh. Mahathir himself realised this when he alive days after the tmgedy occurred. added, "I think generally, we are doing well and Penang Could they all have been wrong? has prospered. I suspect a lot of them are making money from the stock exchange and therefore they are feeling NNP/ANN very comfortable with the government." IfMahathir is smart, he will stay well clear ofPenang, following the major correction on the stock market. SofTie people who lost their pants in the stock market might get A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 22 their lives and resources; develop ment for women has meant mar LETTERS ginalization and subordination to male culture, male institutions, male knowledge, male science, male religion; development for the indigenous people has meant the exploitation and destruction of their land. their resources. their cultures and so on. Development seems to be a global project to con quer and exploit humanity and na tw-e. The sky. forests, animals, oceans, rivers and land are all being threatened. Isn't there something wrong with our concept of "develop It's Bahasa Melayu Nagasaki. Likewise, living in a so ment", "progress" and "modern called "highly-developed" world, ization"? I refer to the letter from G we are still facing countless social The Earth Summit drew sub Hood of Johor Baru, "Bahasa In problems, where the quality of life stantial world allcntion to this donesia Not Malay" which ap has actually not improved much. issue. Politicians, especially non peared in Aliran Monthly Each nation in this world is im governmental organizations, used 1993:13(9). plementing its own policies under this opportunity to stale their For Hood's information, lin the name of development. How respective poin!s of views and guistically there is no such thing ever, for the past 20 years the stands. However, the Earth Sum as Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa developed nations have realised mit proved to be a fiasco, mainly Malaysia. Both are political names that what they have gained so far due to the lack of sincerity on the given to Bahasa Melayu. When we is actually based on what they part of the participants in reaching talk about Bahasa Mclayu it have lost. In fact, many problems a consensus to resolve the global should be understood to mean remain unresolved and in the issue. Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa meantime, new problems arise. Further, many issues were in Malaysia as well as Bahasa Brunei. Scientists, sociologists, biologists, sufficiently addressed or ignored Has anyone come across environmentalists etc from the in the UNCED negotiations, for in English referred to as the West have begun to re-exan1ine stance, militarism, Third World Austr.tlian language in Australia, the concept of "environment and debts, mullinntional companies, the Canadian language in Canada? development". free trade. the outdated and en For that matter, is the Spanish lan The concept of "environment" vironmentally unsound technology guage known as the Argentinian has been given different interpreta in Third World countries, and language or the Chilean language? tions and perceptions. For in needless to mention the life-styles stance. it could mean nnture, the of citizens of the North (which M Hashim living conditions, lifestyle of reminds me of the famous state Kuala Lumpur people, the entire system which ments made by former US Presi we are living in -political, cul dent George Bush that the US tural, economic, social etc. life-style was not up for negotia On the other hand, mnny defini tions!) A Crisis of tions have been suggested for the The current development Environment And term "development". Generally, it model which is based on the Development is believed that it would benefit all destruction of natural resources of humanity. However, such a and on social injustice should be Life is full of conflict. Men dis belief has been "overruled" as substituted by an alternative covered atomic energy and 1ts many destructive consequences development model which in great potential for good, but the emerged. cludes food self-sufficiency for all military use of such power calls to Development for the poor has countries, environmental educa mind the horror of Hiroshima and meant less and less control over tion as part of the fom1al cur- A/iran Moruhly 1994:14 (I) Page 23 consumer values. The develop ment of new technologies should also take into consideration local ecological systems and the cul tures of the people. If the environment is to be preserved for future generations, the citizens of the world must unite to condemn environmental destruction of any kind and work hand in hand for a better tomor row! Fmnd ofNaturt Kuala Lumpur In the hearUIIIld of Sarawak: The implications of 'development' are questionable. UN Under Threat riculum, appropriate shelter for all, tions structure must be reviewed, incentives for industrial recycling, with equal participation of mem I feel that the esteem with and a healthy environment as a ber countnes in the decision which the United Nations is held human right making process. AlJ UN agencies, has dipped. There are differences People have now realised the particularly the World Bank, Inter of opinion in carrying out united importance of linking the two national Monetary Fund and efforts. The enthusiasm which the terms: "environment" and GATT should be made democrati people of the world once had has "development" for the purpose of cally accountable to the people of faded. The respect shown to finding out the most practical and the world. Besides, the World leaders going over to trouble spots effective solution to these Court should be empowered to en is poor. problems. There is a need for the force intemation:lllaw through the The great and powerful nations nation (Malaysia) to work out the use of sanctions, in agreement who command and expect much appropriate philosophy of science with the principles of sovereignty, do not pay their dues for the run in relation to technology and independence and self-determina ning of the organization; instead development tion of people everywhere. they try to impose their will on In fact, the recent statement On the other hand, since the others in the organization. Is this made by Dr Mahathir that logging over consumption in the North has fair? The League of Nations died a is essential for this country as caused great environmental silent death. The UN may share Malaysia needs financial support damage and has forced the South the same fate. Is it going the way to develop, is questionable. Per to cater to the markets of the which was predicted by Beardsley haps, we should question oursel North, countries of the North Rum! in 1945 when he wrote:- ves: Is such excessive forest should reduce their consumption At the end offive years you destruction necessary and essen rate to a level comp.'lrable to that ~ill think the UN is the greatest tial? What is the purpose of having of the South and change their vision ever realised by man. At the such activities? Who actually development model to a more end of 10 years you will find benefits from the logging ac ecological and Jess exploitive one. doubts within yourself and all tivities? The over-exploitation of resources through the world. Atlhe end of 15 Again, the sufferings of the na by Transnational Corporation years you will believe the UN can tives have been ignored by the (TNC) in Third World countries not succeed. You will be certam local mass media. The loggers, and unfair, unequal policies in in that a lithe odds are against its ul politicans and traders are actually temation:ll trade and political timate life and success. It will only those people who have substantial decision-making should be put to be when the UN is 20 years old ly benefited from logging ac an end. that we will know the UN is the tivities. In order to redress the im only alternative to demolition of In relation to the question of balance in the use of resources by the world. equal participation at the interna the North and the South, there is a Today, newly independent na tional level, the current United Na- need to review present Western tions can see the so-calJed mighty, Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 24 . giving orders but not paying for the hasty, nay, rash implementa unwittingly opened by them: UN activities as required. The tion of the SSB. grave is being dug by the leaders Perhaps. it is not too late for THE SIBERIAN CREED of these mighty nations. him to invite lower rung public sector employees to write to him In Siberia, you need to change Kael Singh 'Hans' your attitude. JohorBaru under confidential cover to expose the blatant abuses of the AnnuaJ Besides silence and patience, have some fortitude. Work Performance Appraisal Sys You may be down and out, but tem and the other less salient despair not. SSB: Rash aspects of the SSB. Ahead are still many battles to Apart from what has already be fought. Implementation appeared in the complaints letters published by the press, there are You need all the energy and A big "thank you" to the more subtle maJpractices. These in true grit Finance Minister for a wonderful clude the following: to clean up your predecessor's 1994 Budget which will further en • restructuring the hierarchy in shit whining and complaining will hance the performance of the the Department to ensure that cer share market presently on a bull get you nowhere. tain staff cannot have immediate Smile even when the boss has run. superiors for more than six months been less than fair. Anwar Ibrahim has wisely thus delaying the completion of sought the views of a wide cross the Work Appraisal thereby, defer Under your superior's extreme section of the rakyat within and ring salary increments; ridicule, outside the Klang Valley before • providing computers and Put up a poker-face or act the formulating his proposals. other of!ice machines but not fool. Your slightest whimper fills his I am especially grateful be trained supporting staff to man sick mind with joy. cause recent gains on the bullish them thus further, hindering the share market have made it affor Beware the intention of his progress of cet1ain officers in at sadistic ploy. dable for me to opt for an earlier taining their set target of work; retirement from Government ser * awarding charge allowance If you're a God-fearing man, vice. for the carrying out of extra duties say a little prayer. In addition, the half-month by certain already overburdened Ask Lady Luck for blessing if bonus declared by Anwar together officers, thereby forcing them you punt and swoor. with the gratuity that I am entitled towards a nervous breakdown; And when you strike it big, all to is slightly more Lltan enough to this will come to pass. * transferring certain staff to Then sack the boss and tell pay off the balance of the housing divisions which are quite impos loan I took from the Treasury. him to lick your ass. sible to work in because of exist CHL Luckily also, all my children ing backlogs and/or shortage of Penang are now gainfully employed. in the personnel; and private sector, of course. * giving, in verbal form, orders However, I sympathise with that smack of irregularities or some of my younger colleagues ·would invite audit queries, accom who, like me, are being victimised panied with thinly-veiled threats, It's UMNO Baru by our Department Head's abuse of course. not UMNO of the New Remuneration Scheme Needless to say. those who arc (SSB). victimised must have antagonised In his response to Terence Not only do they have little their superiors during or after of Gomez's article in AM' money to take advantage of the fice hours in some way. real or im 1993: 13(ll}, Anwar's Press gutsy rally in share prices. they agined. Secretary. Khalid Ja3far wrote: have also taken car and/or housing For those who have been sent On a lighter vein, one cannot loans and are burdened with to "Siberia" and are too young or but notice Gomez's consistent use uni versity/school-going children. cannot afford to ret.irc earlier, I of the name "UMNO Baru". To all I wish that the Chief Secretary dedicate the ensuing verses until UMNO members and according to to the Government had done a lit such time that the top brass of the the law, there is only one UMNO tle bit more homework like the Public Services Department finds that is the United Malays National Finance Minister by obtaining the an antidote to the Pandora's Box Organization (Baru) or in short views of those who are affected by A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (I) Poge 25 UMNO. Only one group consis sebagai Melayu Baru, mesti .... "In Malaysian, regardless of his or her tently mentions the present UMNO Bahasa Malaysia, the word kit a ethnic origin. cultw-e, belief, Ian- - as UMNO Baru, that is the Seman means 'you and me'. He was' as· guage, age and gender has the gat46! suming that his audience like him, right to declare that. Therefore, Let me refresh Khalid Jaafar's was Melayu Baru. Or at least why can't a so-called national memory. UMNO was declared il Malay. I wondered what was on leader regard himself as a national legal in 1988. UMNO ceased to his mind. Did he subconsciously leader frrst before identifying him exist from that point. Its assets take all Malaysians out there to be self as a leader of a particular eth were transferred to the Official As Malays/New Malays? Or, even nic group? signee. A new-party with a new worse, did he intend to broadcast The British introduced the constitution was formed- United to Malays/Ncw Malays only? Did 'Divide and Rule • policy. Our Malays National Organization he stop to think that his audience founding Fathers condemned it. (Baru) or UMNO Baru for short also included non-Malays'! But it is still applied until today, (not UMNO). Not all UMNO I don't intend to put more only in another form. It will members joined the new party. In blame on him. He may not have in probably be applied in the future an attempt to pass off the new tended to hurt others as he did. It until those in power become real party as identical to the old one, might have just been a careless Malaysians. party leaders and supporters mistake. What I would like to How will this help to realize graduaily dropped the word 'Baru' point out is this: What if there are our dream of building a respected from the party name. This was more people like him in positions Malaysian nation by 2020? Please done on the quiet • very discreetly of influence? give us a concrete and convincing to make it appear as if the new It is interesting to note that the argument, Wawasan leader. party and the old party were one person who repeated and An Angry Young Malaysian and the same. In reality, however, popularized this slogan recenlly Perak they were not. Their membership claimed himself to be in the was different, their leadership was Wawasan Team. TI1e first chal different and, most importantly, lenge listed in the Great Wawasm1 their constitutions were different. is to build a united and integrated Deepavali Moreover, as Khalid Jaafar nation named Malaysia with himself disclosed, the word 'Baru' shared aspir.ttions. What kind of a Celebrations: is still there in the unabbreviated New Malaysian Nation would we Insensitive Dept name of the party. · have by the year 2020 when there Stores Therefore. Aliran and others are New Malays, New Chinese, ... are fully justified in using the tech and perhaps New Indians, New It's appalling to note that many nically legally correct name, Dayaks, New Kadazans. New of our department stores have little UMNO Baru. I fully support the Dusuns, New Orang Asli, New or no respect for the festivals of use of this terminology. Eurasians and whatever New .... certain minority groups. We would UMNO and UMNO Baru are but unfonunately, no New like to point out to you that, for two different entities. UMNO was Malaysians who identify themsel some years now, certain depart formed in 1946 and was declared ves as such before their ethnic and ment stores have been promoting illegal in 1988 while UMNO Baru cultural identities? only some festivals, or highlight was a new party registered in We heard people claiming that ing some and down playing others 1988. These are established facts. the New Malays are going to be or totally ignoring them. How can anyone, including Khalid the basis of a new Malaysian na For example. Metrojaya began Jaafar, argue otherwise? tion. But why, after so many years. promoting Christmas and putting UMNO (Lama) Supporter do we still want to distinguish up Christmas trees and decorations AlorSetar Malaysians through their eth even before Deepavali! As Chris nicity? Why can't we simply ac tians, we find this attitude totally cept a Malaysian as siinply a insensitive towards the feelings Malaysian? After all, who a person and the presence of our fellow "Kita Melayu Baru .... " is may have nothing to do at all Hindu Malaysians. with where his grandfather or Is it because these stores view I was awfully astonished to great-grandfather came from: Di the Hindu festival as not worthy of hear a DJ on the radio motivating mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit being celebrated or is it because In his audience: "Kita dikategorikan dijunjung!" Every loyal dian Malaysians lack purchasing Aliran Monlhly 1994:14 (1) Page 26 power? distance not exceeding 12 kms. To the Maika-Telecoms shares matter We would also like to point out add s:Jlt to injury the person con as a matter of principle, as the the gross injustice done to some of cerned was again forced to cough media had portrayed, then that our religious celebrations by out a further RM150.00 being would have been a magnanimous making it out to be only a shop storage charges for a period of stand. But, if Anwar is blind to the pers fun-fair. Why can't we also only 14 days. many millions of "corporate flirta promote religious understanding It is indeed sad to note that tions" that are going on among and values that are inherent in several tow-truck operators abuse UMNO Baru leaders at various these festivals? Surely, it will go a the laws due to alleged links with levels and other businessmen, and long way towards building inter the tr.Ufic police department and if Samy Vcllu has been singled out ethnic racial and inter-religious its men. Any complaints of because the MlC represents a vul unity in our nation! astronomical rates being levied by nerable minority, then to that ex Conscious Mawysians unscrupulous operators should be tent the whole Maika-Telecoms Kuala Lumpur investigated immediately. The mauer is a rumsy political plot relevant authorities must be very played by some self-centred firm in its enforcement politicians. The ln!.-pector General of According to available facts at Investigate Police should immediately see to the time when the shares were or it that victims of accidents should ginally given to Sarny VeUu, the Unscrupulous never be further subjected to im representative of the Indian com Tow-Truck Operators proper towing/storage charges by munity in the Cabinet. Anwar was these unscrupulous tow-truck not in the picture at all, even An article appeared in a The operators. though the controversy surfaced at STAR on October 1993 that read S P Jolwr the time when he was officially "By-laws soon to regulate tow }ohorBaru the new Finance Minister who had truck operators". taken over from Daim Zainuddin. If this were to materialise, the No doubt, Anwar as the incum consumers will gain immensely. bent Finance Minister, is at liberty The article reports that the bill Maika Scandal: and "authorised" to speak on be seelcs to empower the transport half of the fonner Finance Mini minister to regulate and control Aliran's Analysis ster on all matters that are believed tow-truck operators. It has to be Disappointing to be within the purview of the seen that these operators be Ministry. prosecuted very severely should I have been reading A/iran Also, as Chairman of the they breach the guidelines set by Monthly for many years, since the Cabinet Committee on Corruption, the authorities concerned. inaugural issue was published. Anwar has a media image as some Under the proposed by-l:lws, it Your cover story on the Maika kind of lone crusader against cor is understood that car-owners can Telccoms shares investigation and ruption and abuse of power in high count on paying fixed charges as also the other comments by places. follows: readers on the same matter caught Nevertheless. at the time when my eye. the Telecoms shares were handed TOWING CHARGES I was particularly impressed over to Sarny Vellu, the "quantum RM30.00 for the first 10 kms with the views of one Dr Mohd of discretion" in the hands of the RM 1.00 for every subsequent Nasir Hashim (Human Rights Ac Finance Minister ap~ to have /em tivist and Academician) who been used to decide how and when among other things had gone on to the shares were to be given to the STORAGE CHARGES say that Finance Minister Anwar MIC ieader. This was long before RM5.00 per day for sheltered Ibrahim would not like to be impli Anwar took over the finance storage cated in the controversy as it portfolio. The benefit of the doubt RM1.00 per day for unshel would make him look "bad" espe therefore should be given to Daim tered storage cially since he was going for himself who alone is in a position UMNO Baru's No.2 post at that to confmn or deny whether the Evidence at hand proves that a time (see A/iran Monthly shares were given to the MIC or to motqrist was forced to pay 1993:13[10]. Maika Holdings. RM350.00 in towing charges for a If Anwar had taken a stand on Following the conclusion after Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 27 seventeen months of investigation the 66,000 share holders of Maika ministrative system of the country by the ACA, the Attorney-General Holdings Bhd. particularly on matters related to • and the ACA Director (who him Furthermore, since the Mai.ka the "quantum of discretion" that is self is vested with the powers of Telecoms shares controversy vested in the hands of Ministers DPP) publicly stated that the ACA began one and a half years ago, and senior civil servants. had to flJ'St and foremost ascertain some groups in UMNO Baru have At the height of the Official whether the shares were originally "soft paddled" the Maika issue to Secrets Acts controversy a few given to the MIC or to Maika. their advantage, by appearing to years ago, the opposition leader In other words, both the law of be promoting the MIC Deputy made some "noise" along these ficers were not prepared toques President particularly during the lines (as reported in A/iran Month tion or dispute the quantum of run-up to the recently concluded ly) but this fizzled out The fact discretion that was vested in the UMNO Baru elections. remains that throughout his politi hands of a Finance Minister, who Most Indian Malaysians know cal career, Lim has been more in made the allocation of the shares very well that Subramaniam is ap volved in racist Chinese to the MIC fust and left the discre parently perceived as not only a (chauvinistic) orientated politics tion to its leader as to how the "non-performer" but that reported than reforming the system. shares should be "distributed". ly both UMNO Baru and the DAP Readers may recall the fateful The central working committee stand to gain because a "naive" day when the late Bapa Malaysia of the MIC and the party's Deputy and "docile" leader in the form of Tunku Abdul Rahman's simple ap President S Subramaniam have the MIC Deputy President is plication to form a new political never challenged the party leader's patiently waiting to become the party in the aftermath of the de "wisdom" over the way part of the next Indian Malaysian leader and registration of the "old UMNO" shares were given to MIC backed representative of the community in was arbitr..lfily rejected by an ordi organizations-such as Tafe Col the Cabinet. nary Division Two government ser-· lege, the MIED, Maika Holdings The greatest irony of it all is vant i.e. the Registrar of Societies and other non-MIC sponsored that, since the Maikn controversy (ROS) without giving any reasons private companies respectively. began until now, the Indian com whatsoever to the applicant The MIC, the original munity has gone through a lot of (whose stature is no less than any receipient of the shares in its change, which AlirJn, the social Prime Minister- past and present). capacity as the sole representative reformist movement set up with This ultimately led to the birth of of the Indian community in high ideals, has failed to be sensi the present UMNO Baru. Malaysia, had accepted the way tive enough to observe. A new AI iran has failed to note that if the shares were "used and chan phenomenon has crystallised the quantum of discretion that is in nelled". That is the ugly fact of among Indian Malaysians - the the hands of an ordinary govern "race-based" politicking in emergence of a "minority ment sefV'.mt (in this instance, the Malaysia that has spread its ten syndrome" which is a potent but ROS) is so much and so absolute, tacles into business and the unhealthy force in our society. than can you imagine the colossal economy. It is unthinknble and dishear nature of the quantum of discre Lim Kit Siang, the leader of tening to note that Aliran, the or tion that vests in the hands of thre. the Opposition, who appears to be ganization that had stood in the Cabinet Ministers i.e. the former getting unprecedented publicity in forefront of advocating social Finance Minister, the incumbent A/iran Monthly, once lamented reform and political enlighten Finance Minister and the Minister that the Chinese community ment, has failed to note this new of Telecoms, Post and Energy wh1 should also have obtained trend. happens to be the sole repre Telecom shares. He even went to Another salient point which sentative of the Indian communit! the extent of ridiculing MCA AI iran had failed to observe since by virtue of party politics in leaders as a laughing stock by sug it started to report the Telecoms Malaysia? gesting that they had less in maika shares matter is the total This is the legal and ad fluence and ability than the MIC lack of reform of the administra ministrative background to not since the MCA was not given any tive system and administrative only the Maika Holdings shares by the Finance Minister. laws of the country since Merdeka. Telecoms shares matter. but to But now, the DAP Secretary Lim. the opposition leader who other privatization projects. General is championing the Maika has been in politics for more than So why does Lim and Aliran shares matter on the lofty grounds two decades, has also failed to call particular point the finger at Sam of legality, faiiplay and justice for for genuine reform of the ad- Vellu alone? Or has Aliran becor Aliran Mo11thly 1994:14 (I) Page 28 a "tabloid paper" that represents has increased significantly over nineties, the challenge which lies opposition views alone? the years. ahead is not the wealth disparities Your lack of insight into what is going on within minorHy ethnic . Total no. of pages in Space allocated to Percentage groups and the emotional way the Aliran Monthly Lim (pages) coverage Maika controversy was reported, 1986 336 5.5 1.6% with prominent coverage to Lim 1987 304 5 1.6% has undermined the standing and 1992 480 1.7% intellectual credibility of your 1993 480 l :s 0.9% magazine, which was formed to be As you can see, we have not in between ethnic g·roups. Instead, a "sober voice" in Malay-;ian creased our coverage on Lim sig the real challenge is how we politics nificantly. In fact, far from giving should address tile ever-widening Instead. you have allowed your the opposition leader "unprece income gap between the rich and magazine to become a "tabloid op dented publicity", space allocated the poor of all ethnic groups, and position paper" readily available to Lim in 1993 actually fell to 0.9 minimise regional and sectoral dis for use by the opposition. per cent of the total number of parities which are becoming in It must be borne in mind that, pages (compared to 1.7 per cent creastngly evident. smce its inception, Aliran has the previous year). We resent Daniel went on to further remained the small but alternative Daniel's attempt to link us to op criticise AI iran for failing to ob voice to the dominant voice of the position parties in this manner. serve "the total lad.. of reform of establishment-centred mass media Of course, we do not fix the the administrative system and ad in the country. number of pages we should allo mini~trati ve Jaws of the country There is also a world of dif cate to the views of opposition since Merdeka." If he has been ference between dissent ala social leaders. That decision would reading the Ali ran Monthly from reform and merely duplicating op depend on a number of facto!'!) in the maugural issue, he must surely position political views in your cluding: be aware that we have on magazine. * the nature of the ISSue being numerous occasions criticised the It is sad to note that all the discussed. administrative system of the years ofhardwork and the per *the coverage given by the country. while calling for greater sonal and professional sacrifice mainstream mass media to al public accountabihty and made by Dr Chandra to build ternative views including those democratic reforms. Aliran into a creditable and sober from opposition parties and, In our reporting of the Maika voice to comment on Malaysian * this follows from the pre issue, Daniel remarked that our political and '>Ocial issues vis-a-vis viou-. pomt, the nght of the courage seemed rather emotional. the establishment and the opposi Malaysian public to have ac If DameI is really concerned about tion has been badly ruined by the cess to alternative view points, the poor, he will realise that many way A/iran Momhly handled the (which may not nccessaril} be lndtan Malaysian!> ~old everything Maika-Telecoms shares controver the same as AI iran's). they owned to buy shares in sy. We are puzzled over Daniel's Maika. These people would un GPDan~l statement that Aliran Monthly doubtedly have been a lot more Kuala Lumpur reported on Lim's "noise"· again')t emotional than Aliran Monthly the Official Secrets Act. We car when they discovered the scandal ,. Editor's note ried many articles on thts un which had taken place. Daniel democratiC Act at the height of the will, however, be pleased to note GP Daniel has made several un controversy hut none of them was that we did question the "quantum substantiated allegations against by Lim. of discretion" at the hands of the Aliran Monthly which, we feel, Daniel also accused Aliran of Finance Minister in our article deserve some clarification. failing to recognise the emergence "Who Benefits From Special He contends that Opposition of a "minority syndrome" amongst Share Allocations?" in Ali ran leader Lim Kit Siang has been get the Indian Malaysian communit}'. Monthly 1992:12(6). ting "unprecedented publicity in Aliran has always championed the In the light of all these, we sm Ali ran Monthly". A simple cause of socio-economtc justice ir cerely hope that Daniel will re analysis of AI iran Monthly in the respective of ethnicity We recog evaluate his views to see whether 1986/87 period compared to the nise that there are many poor he has been fair in his rather harsh 1992193 period will show whether Indians in the country but, in the criticism of Aliran. • space allocated for Lim's views Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (I) Page 29 DEVELOPMENT The Condo Tragedy: Between Hysteria and Amnesia collapse. ately after the collapse. and now with Long before the Highland However, we must remember the stopping of work on highrise Towers tragedy, there had that it does not mean that after one building construction on hillsides. been repeated warnings by highrise building has collapsed, no For that it ought to be commended. other higluise building could col environmentalalist NGOs However. public confidence lapse. with regard to public safety - on all of the impending disasters Were we hysterical? Are we now aspects and areas of public safety in Malaysia. All these still plfanoid about highrise build :md not merely on the safety of high were, unfortunately, ings? More importanUy, even if we rise buildings on hillsides - can only dismissed or ignored. were somewhat hysterical in the im be fully restored if and when the mediate aftennath of the Highland altitudes of the Federal, State and Towers tragedy and are now local authorities as well as that of the Why should the rich and paranoid, have such feelings and public change for the better. the powerful listen to some reactions of ours been entirely irra intrusive do-gooders, asks tional and unjustified"? Warnings and Amnesia FAN YEWTENG. Had Block A of the Highland Long before the Highland Towers been brought down by a Towers tmgedy, there h:ld been bomb or an earthqu:lke, then pcrllaps repeated warnings by environmen we could be justifiably accused of talist NGOs like Sa.habat Alarn he Highland Towers tragedy allowing ourselves to indulge in Malaysia, the Environmental in Ulu Klang shocked all mass hysteria and paranoid. Espe Protection Society of Malaysia. the TMalaysians. It numbed us, cially if it had been caused by an Consumers' Association of Penang. more so because of our collective earthqualce, it could then have been some university academicians and helplessness. We mourned as it con argued that it was something that individual social activists that en centrated our minds and gnawed our was hard to prevent. vironmental neglect or abuse could hearts. It was the anguish of a whole But then, neither a bomb nor an endanger public safety. nation in pain and despair. carthqualce was the cause of the col For instance, shortly after the We cried out for action, more lapse. The consensus of expert collapse of the Hotel New World in checks. more regulations and better opinions is that the collapse was the Singapore which killed 33 people, enforcement. We called for reas result of serious and massive soil Utusan Konsumer, the fortnightly surances even as we admired the erosion. This means a serious ·paper of the consumers' Association tenacity of the foreign :md local neglect m soil and building manage of Pcnang, carried a front-page ar search and rescue teams at Ulu ment; it also means the criminal dis ticle with the banner headline ques Klang. Understandably many regard of environmental regulations. tion: "Could It Happen Here?", with people have developed a phobia The loss of public confidence in the waming that Kuala Lumpur and againSt highrise concrete blocks, public safety should be viewed not Ipoh were being built on weak soil. especially those built on hillsides. merely through the isolated per..-pec CAP said that what happened in Sin In the midst of our mouming and tivcofthe Highland Towers tragedy, gapore could happen in Malaysia- if our agonising, some people in the but from the whole recent history of proper care was not taken. construction industry cautioned that public disasters. Viewed from that CAP's president, S M Mohd we should not develop a collective larger perspective, the public has the Idris, even called for the setting up hysteria against all highrise build right to feel disturbed and worried. of a Royal Commission oflnquiry to ings. That sounds fairly reasonable: True, the Federal Govemment investigate the safety of all highrise just because one highrise building acted promplly after the Highland buildings in Malaysia All this way has collapsed it does not mean that Towers tragedy in respect of Ll1e back in April1986. all highrise buildings wiiJ inevitably search and rescue opcmtion irnmedi- Most unfortunately, CAP's A/lrtJn MonJhly 1994:/4 (1) Page 30 warning and suggestion fell on deaf granted." proven maxim that "Prevention is W'S. lllere could well have been Of course, not many people lis better than cure·. based on respect some people who considered that tened. They were merely the ravings for and harmony with the environ CAP was being alarmist - frighten of yet another mad man, some ment, and backed up by adequate ing the public unnecessarily - and people could have comforted them ENFORCEMENT. therefore irresponsible. We now selves. Why should the rich and the So long as we continue with eco know better but too late lip-service and ec~ who were the ones who hypocrisy, there will were being too smug and be preventable dis irresponsible. asters. In fact. we must Shortly after the come up with new con Bright Sparklers factory cepts of development. disaster in Sungei This eco-development Buloh, Selangor, on must be buttressed by May 7, 1991, I wrote an an ceo-philosophy, an article on that and other eco-technology and an disasters in the country eco-ed~tion. (published in Aliran We must reject the Monthly 1991:11(9)). I received wisdom, concluded by saying, decreed some cen "Our forests arc cut and turies ago, that Nature our hills arc levelled to was always in the such an extent that Na Highland Towers: Grim reminder of the lolly of ignoring Nature's background, always ture is no.v having its laws. obedient to the law of revenge upon us. The human beings, never Malacca water shorwge powcrfullisten to some intrusive do treated as an actor by crisis and the recent flooding in goodcrs? itself, only the recipient of the actors many states are evidence of this. In And so, the dog-god ofprofit and upon its stage. this 'Caring Society' of ours, even the bitch-goddess of material suc For too long have we arrogantly children's playgrounds arc not cess once ag~un rode triumphant. entertained the notion that Nature, spared; they are turned into golf with the help of local authorities with its bounty and its beauty, was to courses or sites for condominiUms. without accountability. aided and be manipulated, to be controlled, to Look at the playgrounds in Scntul, abcued by 'advisers' whom they ap be domin:ttcd by the greedy and Taman Tun Dr Ismail. the green belt pointed precisely for their quality of capricious interests of humans. at Bulcit Gasing in PetaJing Jaya. not daring to offer honest and upset TI1e truism must surely dawn Pcnang Hill and Langkawi. And ting advice, and cheered on by some upon us now, if it hasn't yet, that now look at Pulau Redang." residents' associations whach had Nature is a reactive being, not mere I also said, "We h:lve known for developed curiously comfortable ly a passive being. Nature has a life a long time by now that most of our and even incestuous rcl:ltionships and dynamism of its own. streets are littered with garb:lge and with so-called 'developers'. As I had argued, at a forum on that most public toilet'> throughtout 'The Environment and the country stink. Who :unong the Fatal Lip-Service Development' for Malaysian and in authorities arc 'very concerned'? tern:~tional youth and student leaders Can we expect yet more plallludes What is urgently needed in at the University of Malaya on without action, yet more laws Malaysia is not more lip-service August 29, 1992, "Economics, tech without enforcement? In our' Caring about public safety me~L-;urcs after nology, social development, ethics Society', who cares about a mere each disaster. TI1at way we are mere and politics can only function mean concern which kills? Or arc we wait ly running after disasters. What we ingfully in the context of an ap ing for another big tr.lgcdy to show need is a whole culture of public propriate environmental ethos. Such how caring we are'?" safety which pervades the homes, an ethos will have to acknowledge My final par..1graph emphasised: the schools, the factories, the work that human beings are only par "Finally, we should perhaps remind sites, our land, water and air ticipants in the natural world: they ourselves th:tt accident'> do not just tr.lnsportation system and other are not the masters and rulers of this happen: they are caused by areas of life. natural world." negligence, by folly, by greed, by It should be a culture of safety We ignore these basic values and corruptaon, by taking things for rooted fumly on the good, old and principles at our peril. • Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (l) Page 11 GOVERNMENT The Malaysian Parliainent: More Questions Than Answers only ten questions or so will m~e it after the two Airport Fire Disasters In this article, DR KUA during Question Time, which is the and me Port Klang Disaster. KIA SOONG illustrates ftrSt hour of the parliamentary meet In Britain, me Prime Minister how our Cabinet Ministers ing. MPs whose questions are or himself comes to Parliament to and MPs pay very little dered after that do not get the answer questions each Tuesday and opportunity to pursue further with a Thursday that Parliament is in ses attention to our Supplementary Que1.1ion. They sion. But in Malaysia, the Prime parliamentary sessions and only receive a written reply. Minister not only mrely appears but how, very often, the OSA In Britain, MPs enter a ballot to even schedules his overseas trips to and other Standing Orders detem1ine the ordering of questions coincide wim Parliamentary sittings. but in this country, it is left to the TI1is all goes to show the are used to stifle certain discretion of the Parliamentary cynicism and low priority that our questions from being Secretary. And whenever any ques Ministers place on Malaysia's Par raised during tion from the Opposition appears limnentary Democmcy. The vast parliamentary sittings. wit11in the first ten questions, it is like proportion of ministerial replies a windfall. during Question Time are read out In Britain too, Ministers come to by Oleir deputies or parliamentary he role of Parliament in a Parliament to reply on major policy sccrctmies. issues. In Malaysia, the Ministers' democr.1tic system is not only Questions Under Standing Tto make laws. It is also meant Gallery is usually empty except for Orders to be the institution where matters of the days when the Government public interest and constituent')' needs its two-thirds majority for a In me first place, me value of grievances are r.llsed and thereby the Constitutional Amendment or when Question Time is very much limited executive is made to be accountable Parli:.unent gets televised on Budget by the length of time set aside for oral to the people. Day and me Royal Address. questions :.u1d the inability of MPs to That is why 'Question Time' is A rare exception was when the compel Ministers to be more an integral part of parliamentary Finance Minister Datuk Anwar t(mhcoming in meir answers than business daily when parli:.unent is in Ibrahim came personally to reply to they wish to be. For a start, as already session. Debates and questions take the recent questioning of Bank mentioned. the Ministers themselves up more time than any other ac Negara's loss of more than RMlO do not come to answer and their tivities. Through parlian1entary billion. Even so, he failed to provide deputies and parliamentary questions, the Govemment can be the infonnation demanded by the secretaries merely give glib replies. brought under scrutiny :.u1d the civil House regarding details of the loss There is practically no opportunity service kept on its toes. According to but chose to score political poinL-. for MPs to protest against evasive or Erskine May, parliamentary ques against the Opposition Wl(J claiming unsatisfactory answers or pursue an tions have two main objectives: that this was privileged infonnation issue as the Speaker invariably pas "to obtain information and to of the Central Bank. ses on the next supplementary ques press for action." The Energy Minister Datuk tion to some other MP. In the Malaysian Parliament, Samy Vellu was noticeably absent But even before one's questions MPs are allowed twenty questions when MPs wallled to question him reach the Order Paper, mey would for oml answers and five questions on the September 1992 Blackout and have been screened ftrSt by the Par for written answers during each ses me subsequent energy crisis. But 01e liament Secretary. Many questions sion. With 180 MPs in the House, Minister who is consistentJy absent are disqualified for various reasons this can add up to more th:m 50 from P:.u·liamcnt most of the time is under the Standing Orders of the questions on the Order Paper for tlle Transport Minister Datuk Ling Dewan Rakyat. These are best iJ. each day. So in reality an average of Liong Sik, who failed to come even lus!J~tted by some actual examples Alirau Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 32 from my own experience: vious Malaysia Plans will know that University Towers condominium in On 15 Jul¥ 1993. I asked for any some statistics with ethnic break Petaling Jaya were approved. proof or evidence in the hands of the down were provided. Now it would Considering the fact that none of Government regarding the "plot to seem that such statistics which are the municipal councils are elected take Sabah out of Malaysia". This vital for social and economic councils, it means that it is very dif was rejected under Standing Orders restructuring have suddenly been ficult for the public to probe these 23(1 )(0 regarding "secret informa scandals when the political appoin tion". The same reason was given to tees within each council jealously deny my query regarding the names, guard their privilege. age, gender and place of detention of ISA detainees as weU as my request ACCESS TO for a list of defence purchases in the INFORMATION last five years. On 21 August 1991,1 wanted to In May 1985,the British Parlia know what proportion of scholar ment passed the Local Government ships. loans for certificates. diploma (Access to Information) Bill with all and degree courses given to p.'lrty support. This law forces local Bumiputras have been given to authorities to increase public access children from poor households. This to full Council and committee meet was rejected under S.0.23(2) be ings, to open up sub-committees to cause apparently it was likely to Ling Uong Sik: Failed to turn up to public scrutiny anden~"UCe that docu "promote feelings of ill-will or hos •nswer questions even on the ments ace available to those who tility between different communities Airport Fire •nd Port Klang want to see them. Those familiar in the Federation or infringe a disasters with the way local govcrnrnent is run provision of the Constitution or in this country will know the urgent Sedition Act." need for such legislation. Another question on 4 May 1991 deemed by the Powers-that-be as The need to replace the widely asking for the numbers and propor "likely to promote feelings of ill-will criticised Official Secrets' Act (OSA) tion of Malay, Chinese, and Indian or hostility between the different with a Freedom of Information Act waged labour and their respective communities". including a requ~t has been constantly voiced by con earningson4Mty 1991 wasrejected for figures on student enrolment into cerned Malaysians ever since the based on the same stipulation of the institutes of higher learning accord campaign against the OSA in 1986. Standing Orders. ing to ethnicity, as happened on 30 With all these deficiencies in Colin Nicholas in his analysis of Aprill993. Malaysian institutions with regard to official statistics on the Omng Asli For that matter. another quest•on access to information, one can only (Orang Asli Official Speak, Aliran I asked on 6 May 1992 regarding marvel at the recent speech by the Monthly 1992:12(9)) has shown in why the hard-core non-Bumiputra Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar formation given in reply to the ques poor were not entitled to ll1e RM500 Ibrahim at the Conference on 'Com tions of Members of Parli:~ments million assistance was disqualified munication, Technology and over time do not add up to the truth. again under Standing Orders 23(2) Development, Alternatives for Asia' Furthermore, my question on the even though the Government has when he said, among other things: breakdown of the indigenous declared that poverty eradication is "We believe that the growing minorities according to the different irrespective of race. maturity. openness and sense of con ethnic (tribal) groupings on 4 May Many questions regarding scan fidence among Asian societies will 1992 was likewise disqualified dals in various development projects enable us to forge viable alternatives under Standing Orders 23(2)! are disqualified with the glib reason to the present order .... How such information regarding that these arc "affairs of the State "Asian nations must work col the actual population of the various Government" and thus out of the lectively not to suppress information tribal groupings of Orang Asli in this province of the various ministries. but to ensure that their values, country is "likely to promote feel Some of my questions disqualified opinions, cultures and history be ings of ill-will or h~1ility between included the building of a con come integrated into the com the different communities" bafOes dominium in Taiping's 100-yeac-old munication media ... me! parlc and golf course; querying the "The search is not and must not But this is the way information number of states which had ex become a means to perpetuate the and official statistics are perverted in ceeded their timber quotas; asking tyranny of a ruling minority upon the Malaysia. Those familiar with pre- how the Downtown Project and ignorant masses." • Alira11 Mo11Jhty 1994:14 (I) Page 33 detention without trial - as re quired by the ISA • is a direct violation of its legal philosophy that celebrates the individual right to fair trial. Whoever is CURRE~t~r charged with some misdeed must, this philosophy emphasizes, be given the opportunity to defend CONCERNS herself. Islamic history tells us of an incident whereby the Prophet Muhammad, in his earnest desire to protect and maintain justice and fairness, had ordered the release of a person who had al· legedly committed a crime be· cause the open court concerned could not provide evidence that could prove his guilt. The fact that the ISA can be, and has been, abused like a blank cheque should hasten the authorities to repeal this draconian law because this would go a long way towards injecting Islamic and universal values into the administration. Muslilfa K Anuar ExcoMember 17 December 1993 ISLAM AND THE /SA: maintain stability and harmony for the sake of the nation's multi ISLAM DOES NOT religious and multi-ethnic society. We are convinced that most DR JEFFREY CONFER RELIGIOUS Malaysians share Ong's concern KITINGAN:A LEGITIMACY TO /SA over the general welfare and unity of our multi-ethnic country. How PRISONER DESPITE Aliran is disturbed by the ever, his attempt to give religious RELEASE claim made by Home Ministry legitimacy to this undemocratic Parliamentary Secretary, Ong Ka piece of legislation - on behalf of Aliran welcomes the release of Ting, in the Dewan Rakyat recent the government and in the name Dr Jeffrey Kitingan after having ly that the Internal Security Act is of national unity and socio been detained since 13 May 1991 consistent with the teachings of economic progress- is farcical and for allegedly plotting to pull Sabah Islam. mischievous to say the least. out of Malaysia. Ong argued that this was be For it is clear in Islam that His release is meaningless cause the aim of the ISA was to since he will continue to be a prisoner because of the nature of his release. He has been put under restricted residence in Seremban for two years. His civil and political rights are severely restricted for under the restriction order, Kitingan "will not be allowed to write or help to write any article that is political in nature, hold gather ings in his house or compound or ------in any building under his control J.sl amic ? or make press statements". It is both wrong and unfair to treat him thus. He was detained A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 34 under the !SA for a treasonable ants within a month. It should be buildings. It is obvious that the offence. It is a serious accusation. emphasised that these inde present fines up to $50,000 are And in spite of being told by the pendent consultants must be held insufficient to deter unscrupulous Home Ministry Parliamentary accountable for ensuring that developers whose only goal is the Secretary Ong Kah Ting that the high-rise buildings meet stringent maximisation of profits. Such government had concrete safety standards. developers couldn't care less evidence, Kitingan has not been It is heartening to note that about history and heritage; a charged in an open court. the cabinet committee will inves $50,000 fine to them is nothing. Natural justice demands that tigate the Highland Towers To serve as a deterent to other an accused person must be g~ven tragedy, but some doubts linger. developers who may have similar every opportunity to vindicate Will the cabinet committee be able ideas, the Penang City Council himself. Otherwise the often to act impartiallyifit is discovered should not approve any develop rept!at&d claim of Malaysia prac that certain government depart ment for the next 15 to 20 years on tising the concept of rule of law ments have acted improperly? those properties where heritage becomes a mockery. An independent commission of buildings have been demolished Kitingan should be put on inquiry may move at a slower pace in the last couple of years. trial. Only then can the govern but it would be truly independent A proper Heritage Conserva ment establish its credibility. and open to public scrutiny. tion Act should be drafted imme Without a fair and open trial For the sake of the families diately before any further damage thinking Malaysians will continue and friends of the victims of the is done. Such an Act, besides to harbour doubts about the real Highland Towers tragedy we hope stipulating the penalties for the motives of the government in that the cabinet committee's con demolition ofheritage properties, detaining him. clusions and recommendations should also provide for compensa The people may get the Im will be thorough and comprehen- tion to property owners whose pression that it is because the sive. buildings have been classified as government does not want the Can Kong Hwee 'heritage'. This is only fair since pt!Ople to know the whole truth, it ExcoMember the market value of these proper is not prepared to risk an open and ties would plummet because ofthe fair trial. It is incumbent on the 24 December 1993 restriction on further develop government to prove to the whole ment. world that it has nothing to hide We should act now to protect as far as Kitingan's alleged plot is our heritage buildings before they concerned. ACT NOW TO are gobbled up by greedy property P Ramala-Uiman PROTECT developers. President We hope the state government HERITAGE will also set up an independent 24 December 1993 BUILDINGS panel ofinquirytoinvestigate how a heritage building like Hotel Aliran views with concern the Metropole could be demolished in recent demolition of another broad daylight. ALIRAN WELCOMES heritage building in Penang, the A nil NttJo FREEZE ON century-old Hotel Metropole along ExcoMtmber Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah. HIGH-RISE This unfortunate incident 25 January 1994 PROJECTS shows us the importance ofhaving stringent legislation coupled with Aliran welcomes the recent stiff penalties to protect heritage cabinet decision to freeze new projects and review existing legis lations to minimise the risk of another disaster. In addition we feel that there should be a long term moratonum on hillside projects in particular, to give time for a thorough study of the en vironmental impacts due to con struction activities in such places. We are pleased that the cabinet has decided that all high rise building projects under con struction must be verified by Heritage building in Penang: A proper Heritage Conservation Act should be accredited independent consult- drafted immediately. A/iran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page JS ------AURA.\' MO,\TIILY SUBSCRIYT/ON FOR.\1 .. I enclose money order I postal order I cheque no ...... A/Iran Monthly dated ...... lor the sum of AM ...... as payment lor my subscription lor 0 1 year I 0 2 years and a further sum of AM ...... as donation to Ali ran A GIFT Mr!Mrs/Miss of one publication Address of your choice If you subscribe NOW (Tick one) ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES 0 Songs of Humanity COUNTRY AIR SEA 0Thean Teik· The Other Side of Development MALAYSIA RM15.50 . . 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I enclose moneyorderfpostal order/cheque no...... dated...... for the sum AM ...... • Plesse include 50 sen for bank commission for outstation cheques. • For local orders, prices quoted sre inclusive of postage. S.nd thl• form •nd p•yment to ALIRAN DISTRIBUTION BUREAU P 0 BOX 1049 10830 PENANg, MALAYSIA L-•••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••• • • • •••••••• • • • • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••-' A/iran Monthly 1993:14 (1) Page 36 MIC officials give evidence against Samy Vellu EVIDENCE MOUNTS AGAINST SAMY? IC ofticials have confessed. Samy Vellu who was then in the CASH RECEIPTS The MIC accounts were United States. Sarny had heard that Samy had to make it appear that Mfabricated to protect the the offices of two of the companies all the RM9 million profits were ul skin ofDato Seri Samy Vellu. that were allocated the shares had timately channelled to MIED. To Three companies, ~upposcdly been raided by the ACA. He wanted support his story, he produced two representing the interests of the In Subramaniarn, his PR mnn, to defuse cash receipt<; supposedly from dian community, were allocated the situation. MIED for a total of RM2.4 million. nine million Telekom shares during Samy Vellu realised ho\.\ poten Why would MIED issue cash its flotation in October 1980. The tially explosive the Jssue was. Nine receipts for such a hefty amount? companies were to sell the sh..tres million Telekom shares v.lueh ini Who in tus right mind would transfer and channel the protits to the MIC tially had been eannarked for the R.\42.4 million in cash? Unless these education arm, !\-flED MIC in\estment agency, Maika, rece1pb were ISSued only to make it In all, these companic~ made were eventuall} allocated to three impossible for Investigators to trace RM9m in profits from the Tclekom unknown companies he selected if a cheque for the amount had in shares. The accounts were fabricated which had no record in investments. deed been banked in and when. to indicate that most of the profits Three million of these \hares had Apart from the "cash receipts" of went to MIED. In fact, nothing did been sold in November 1990, a RM2.4 million by the MlED and the until alter the affair came into the month after Telekorn was listed on purchase of Renong shares at a cost open. the stock exchange Another 5.5m of RM2 million, there is a further The truth was made public on 20 shares were sold within the next 2 Rl\14.8 m1lhon to be accounted for. November 1993 when the Chairman months. The profit~ from these dis S..tmy nO\" claims that this was used of the l\11C Public Relatione; Com posals came to Rl\14.4 million. of to part-finance the purchase by MIC mittee, V Subramamam. called a which RM2 m11lion was used imme of 3 million Tenaga shares which Pres<; Conference to clear h1s name. diately, not as a payment to the MlC were listed on the stock exchange in "Due to circumstances beyond my education arm, but for rem vestment April 1992. But are there minutes of control I was used as a pawn in a in Renong share~. MIC meetings where these transac game of deceit against the Indian There was a further half a million tions were noted? Were MIC offi community," said Subramaninm. Tclekom shares held by the com cials mformed al the time that panies nominated b} Sarny. 420,000 Tenaga "hares were being pur ACA INVESTIGATION were sold in March 1992 for a profit chased? These arc issues that are still The ACA had declared closed of RM4.75 million The remaining unresolved. the investigation into the allocation HO.OOO Telekom shares and the in of Tclckom shares in August. Sub vestment m Renong were sold only FILE REOPENED ~quently, new evidence is o;aid to in May 1993 well after the Maika ha\e turned up. In September, the Telekom issue became public, and Why i-. the ACA reinvestigating ACA re-interviewed certain key wit on Iy the<;e funds appear to have been this matter? Did the agency not clear nesses. including Suhramaninrn. Ry channelled to Mll:lD. Samy Vellu's name only four then, various witncssess had alrendy Telekom shares thnt were sup months back in August? Possibly, at intimated the true picture to the posed to have gone to Maika never that time. the ACA did not have ACA. Realising the cover was did. Profits that were supposed to go enough evidence to convict the blown, Subramaniam appears to to Mll:.D hadn't )Ct gone there at the "Honourable" Minister. To convict have given assistance in the imcs time Samy called Subramaniam. would requ1re that there be no tigation The person re~pon-,lble was none reasonable doubt. But there were the At his Press Conference, Sub other than the leader of the MIC who receipts \.\hieh at the time could not mmaniam said he received a was frantically calling from the US. be proved to be forgeries. The ACA telephone call in May 1992 from His future was on the line. might have been able to show only A/iran Mo11thly 1994:14 ( 1) Page 37 that MIC people had some rather Give an AURAN IIONTHL Y odd. Mafia-lil..e, way of transferring huge sums of money, viz in cash. But that may not have been sufficient to GIFT SUBSCRIPTION prove crnninal wrong-doing by a Cabinet Minister. to your friends •nd loved ones Pos'>ibly, the ACA declared the case shut to give a false seno;e of A special offer for ...ccurity to tho~ behind the Mail..a ALIRAN MONTHLY subscribers Telekom issue. MIC leader<; are not known to be averse to bragglllg Maybe one of those involved might This festive season, instead of giving presents like chocolates and <,lip out something. The strategy cakes which are of no lasting value, why not give an unusual present o;eerns to have worl..ed Wtthin a that will last the whole year through? A gift subscription of AU RAN month of declanng the case closed, MONTHLY to your loved ones and friends. the ACA were rc-intcrvrewing key This offer is only open to AU RAN MONTHLY subscribers who Will MIC ofticials. now be able to make gift subscriptions at a special discount to non subscribers. The normal annual subscription rate is RM15.00 but for EXTORTION? gift subscriptions the rate is RM13.00 only. Samy Vellu has since tried to If you are currently a subscriber and would like to make a gift sub dtscredit hts PR man who has gone scription to a friend, please fill in the gift subscription voucher below public. He dairm Submmaniarn had and RETURN IT TO in Augu-.t demanded R.M 1.1 rntllion from him to pay off oflicials of the ALIRAN MONTHLY police and the Chemrstry Depart Distribution Bureau ment. Curiously, Samy drd not make POBox 1049 any allegation against Subramaniam Penang until three months later in November when the latter hnd made public the together with a cheque I postal order for RM13.00 (RM13.50 for out fabrication ofMIC accounts. If there station cheques) had been an extortion attempt, should not a re-;ponsible Mrrustcr promptly lodge a police report? This i'> the que-.tion Subramaniam puts in his own police report v~ Alirarz Monthly 1994:14 (1) Pag~ 38 1992? Was there to ensure the best returns for Maika, again a special al hijacked certain profits from nine location for the million Tclekom shares leaving Indian com Maika with just one million. Further munity?Ifsowhy investments, presumably profitable, • was this not c.han in Tenaga were also made outside nelled to Maika? the ambit of Maika. lf there was no special allocation lARGER QUESTIONS to Indi an~ for The larger que~tion is how the Tenaga's flota shares from flotation of compnnic~ tion, at what price are allocated. Always. at lea.'> t thirty were the Tenaga Maika shareholders: Anger at being shortchanged. percent are nllocated to Bumiputras shares pur- and someurncs for other com chased? munities a!. well Who actually If the shares choice but to collaborate. Poss1bl} receives these shares ts never made had been purchased from the mar~et , they feared for the physical ...afety public. If the Minister of Finance there was no certainty of pro1it. not just of them~elvcs but also o1 could agree to shares being all Aliran Monthly 1994:14 (1) Page 39