Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
ISA
So many a time I read and listen about ISA, but never really bothered to get into the nitty gritty of this Act until now. I do know roughly what ISA does, but after reading for a few hours this starts to make me realise that we are not that “free” after all.
NOTE: Do let me know if I get my facts wrong.
ISA gives the government to arrest a person without a warrant. Under the ISA, a police officer can arrest you as long as the police officer believes that you’re committing/about to commit acts which would cause harm or damage to:
a) Security of Malaysia; or
b) Maintenance of essential services; or
c) Economic life
That can make you stay in prison/lockup for 60 days. If they want to keep you a little longer, the Home Minister can issue an order of detention for another 2 years, as long he/she is satisfied that detention is necessary to prevent you from committing the acts mentioned above.
Article 5 mentioned that any person who is arrested must be informed of their offence and must have access to lawyers. Article 10 grants us the freedom of speech, the right to assemble peacefully and the right to form associations to every Malaysian citizen, but Parliament can impose restriction of these rights.
The exclusion clause of our Constitution: Article 149. This allows Parliament to cease one’s fundamental rights under the Constitution under the interest of national security or public order. This is where ISA can go around our fundamental rights ‘enshrined’ under the Constitution.
ISA gives a lot of power to the Executive since they can arrest anyone they think should be arrested. According to Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak (from Wiki), basically the ISA was created in order to be ‘used solely against the communists’. Now I don’t know, since the threat of the Insurgency is long gone.
The wording of the ISA is very vague indeed and it gives the government loads of discretion. Even if we think the person’s actions are not within the ISA, the police officer or minister may think otherwise. A peaceful demonstration albeit an illegal one may not be considered as threatening to me, but in their eyes they may think it is so.
Do you think it is fair to give them such enormous powers?
NOTE: Do let me know if I get my facts wrong.
ISA gives the government to arrest a person without a warrant. Under the ISA, a police officer can arrest you as long as the police officer believes that you’re committing/about to commit acts which would cause harm or damage to:
a) Security of Malaysia; or
b) Maintenance of essential services; or
c) Economic life
That can make you stay in prison/lockup for 60 days. If they want to keep you a little longer, the Home Minister can issue an order of detention for another 2 years, as long he/she is satisfied that detention is necessary to prevent you from committing the acts mentioned above.
Article 5 mentioned that any person who is arrested must be informed of their offence and must have access to lawyers. Article 10 grants us the freedom of speech, the right to assemble peacefully and the right to form associations to every Malaysian citizen, but Parliament can impose restriction of these rights.
The exclusion clause of our Constitution: Article 149. This allows Parliament to cease one’s fundamental rights under the Constitution under the interest of national security or public order. This is where ISA can go around our fundamental rights ‘enshrined’ under the Constitution.
ISA gives a lot of power to the Executive since they can arrest anyone they think should be arrested. According to Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak (from Wiki), basically the ISA was created in order to be ‘used solely against the communists’. Now I don’t know, since the threat of the Insurgency is long gone.
The wording of the ISA is very vague indeed and it gives the government loads of discretion. Even if we think the person’s actions are not within the ISA, the police officer or minister may think otherwise. A peaceful demonstration albeit an illegal one may not be considered as threatening to me, but in their eyes they may think it is so.
Do you think it is fair to give them such enormous powers?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Home sweet home, is it?
Interestingly I have nothing much to think about these days, except for the change back to BM in science and maths. It's just a populist measure for the sake of those who are afraid to lose their mother tongue.
When I first got back, I realised that the internet was too slow and the weather too warm, plus my sleeping patterns were screwed up. Now everything seems to get into place now, with my tolerence with heat is back to my pre-UK days. Eating very well, and the food here is 100 times better than the ones in the UK. No more fish and chips and kebabs for a few months. Just plain Malaysian food.
There are some things that will never change - the motorcyclists in Penang are still the same - Kings of the Road. Of course until they get hit by a lorry because they think they're invisible and still wanna *gaduh* with them.
Thinking back, the whole year away really changed me - either for the better or worse. When people go abroad for studies, it is either soak up some of the values they preach, or totally shun it and decide to be a really conservative person, or the other way around, take up the worst of their values to bring it back home. It is like either you embrace it or shut the door away from it.
Another amazing thing is, people still cling on to their roots even though they are now considered another country's citizen, while embracing their new country's values too. It just reminded me of the Malay proverb, 'Melayu tak akan hilang di dunia' - and I think it rings true not just for Malays, but also of all other races.
We might now be following every single thing we used to do, but we'll definately retain most or at least some of our values. So why so much fear of losing one's Malay-ness or Chinese-ness back home?
When I first got back, I realised that the internet was too slow and the weather too warm, plus my sleeping patterns were screwed up. Now everything seems to get into place now, with my tolerence with heat is back to my pre-UK days. Eating very well, and the food here is 100 times better than the ones in the UK. No more fish and chips and kebabs for a few months. Just plain Malaysian food.
There are some things that will never change - the motorcyclists in Penang are still the same - Kings of the Road. Of course until they get hit by a lorry because they think they're invisible and still wanna *gaduh* with them.
Thinking back, the whole year away really changed me - either for the better or worse. When people go abroad for studies, it is either soak up some of the values they preach, or totally shun it and decide to be a really conservative person, or the other way around, take up the worst of their values to bring it back home. It is like either you embrace it or shut the door away from it.
Another amazing thing is, people still cling on to their roots even though they are now considered another country's citizen, while embracing their new country's values too. It just reminded me of the Malay proverb, 'Melayu tak akan hilang di dunia' - and I think it rings true not just for Malays, but also of all other races.
We might now be following every single thing we used to do, but we'll definately retain most or at least some of our values. So why so much fear of losing one's Malay-ness or Chinese-ness back home?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Out and Alive!!
Ahh, results just came out and thank God I passed. Phew. Now just aiming in getting back home and enjoy for the next three months. Lol.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Summer Break
Just got back from my mini Euro-trip. Was really tired but I did enjoyed myself then. Now cracking my head on which law firms in Malaysia should I go for my attachments and thinking twice on whether I could survive the 3rd year with heavy subjects.
For now, I'm just toying around with the 3rd year subjects (I know, I can't believe that I actually bothered to read up even before 3rd year even started because I'm usually very very lazy!!). In addition to that, I’m having my daily dosage of CS courtesy of Dinesh plus shows on the internet.
In the next few days I have to look around for a storage place to dump all my stuff here so I can only bring less than 15 kilos of junk back home, so I could have more space to bring foodstuff back into the UK. Anyone who knows a cheap place to dump things let me know, lol.
For now, I'm just toying around with the 3rd year subjects (I know, I can't believe that I actually bothered to read up even before 3rd year even started because I'm usually very very lazy!!). In addition to that, I’m having my daily dosage of CS courtesy of Dinesh plus shows on the internet.
In the next few days I have to look around for a storage place to dump all my stuff here so I can only bring less than 15 kilos of junk back home, so I could have more space to bring foodstuff back into the UK. Anyone who knows a cheap place to dump things let me know, lol.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A is for Annoying
I know this is not something I should grumble upon, but I find it really annoying to find terms in the media stating, 'Islamist regime' or 'Islamist terrorists' or anything along that line. Yes, some (or most) of you may argue that the reason these groups are defined that way because religion, plays a part or a big influence in that organisation/country.
However, there are a lot of anomalies. The media don't define LRA (Lord's Resistence Army) in Uganda as 'Christian militias' - though they claim to rule the country according to the Ten Commandments. Or Tamil Tigers as 'Tamil seperatists' - since their aim is create an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
It is either a plain term telling them they are 'terrorists', 'rebels' or 'regime' than putting terms like 'Islamists', 'Christians' or other faiths. It is just fucking annoying and misleading, giving the impression to people who don't read or bother to know that what they read is true. Plus, in my opinion, putting religion beside the word 'terrorists' is repulsive to me, whatever religion it might be.
However, there are a lot of anomalies. The media don't define LRA (Lord's Resistence Army) in Uganda as 'Christian militias' - though they claim to rule the country according to the Ten Commandments. Or Tamil Tigers as 'Tamil seperatists' - since their aim is create an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
It is either a plain term telling them they are 'terrorists', 'rebels' or 'regime' than putting terms like 'Islamists', 'Christians' or other faiths. It is just fucking annoying and misleading, giving the impression to people who don't read or bother to know that what they read is true. Plus, in my opinion, putting religion beside the word 'terrorists' is repulsive to me, whatever religion it might be.
Friday, February 27, 2009
I can feel spring is coming!!! :D:D:D
It was really warm when I walked to uni today. I'm just hoping for the tulips and all those spring time flowers to bloom. Hehehehe. It's so fun and nice. The sun shines, and I feel happy. Lol.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Reflections
It has been a while since I've posted any materials on this blog, all thanks to the very tight schedule I'm having for the past few weeks.
It seems to me now that I've questioned myself over a lot of matters, especially over matters back home and here. The mentality and perception of the peoples I've seen are different, the way things are done are different and they also have differing priorities. They have social ills, but differnent - they have knife crimes, we have rempits. Politics are different too - they have cash for questions/make new laws, we have corruption/money politics.
But there are things they do we would never do it back home without a night in jail back home, and vice versa.
It is weird to see that people here can march the streets and the police don't seem to mind, as long as you protest peacefully. When the same thing happens back home, the protesters will be greeted with water cannons and tear gas.
People here can express their outrage towards their governments openly and without fear as long its not slander with proper avenues for them to do so, and there will always be academics to critically assess the law or the conduct of politicians. Back home, those who criticise the government too loudly would likely to be locked up in Kamunting under the ISA.
The people here expects the MP/minister/government to be answerable to the people, the mandate. I don't think the situation applies back home, except when it concerns subsidies. The people here could criticise their governments so bluntly that its may reach to the point that the government never had any merits. Back home, its all about the good things our government does, and never had any bad press. Brown always get the boot, while Badawi always gets roses in the press.
Their Opposition parties are given the chance to ask questions and do tyr to hold the ruling government into account, while back home anything raised by the Opposition will be rejected by the Speaker on the grounds that it is not important and urgent.
The law here too have laws which seem arbitrary, like their Anti-Terrorism Act, but that is for suspected terrorists. Even that, the Act had a lot of opposition. Back home, ISA is used mostly against political figures, with the slightest of suspision, if not none. *Note though, due to the stronger majority in Dewan Rakyat, the controversial DNA Identification Bill had recieved a lot of opposition. No idea whether the Bill was passed or not.
The country I'm currently studying at has no written constitution with the name, 'the Constitution'. With only 'constitutional' statutes and conventions, it surprises me is that the country never got itself into anarchy. Back home, we have the Federal Constitution which have been amended over 700 times in the past 50 years, and I don't know what the amendments are. The American Constitution has only been amended a few times over their 250 year history. Why is that so?
As much as many things I admire about them, there were also things made by their politicians that remind me of the situation back home. The UK was hit by a change-in-law-just-pay-us-with-money scandal in the House of Lords, and a few here and there scandals.
We are at crossroads: to take a better path to success or the path to oblivion?
I know people will tell me, 'Hey, you can't compare our country with another country. Our's different. We have different histories and backgrounds. Plus, why are you looking up at other countries?'
My answer is this: I'm not saying the other country is better, because they have their bad share of things too. However, there are certain things they are good at, and I think it's good to have a look and learn from it. I'm not comparing and say that just because they did a better job we're have to blindly follow them. I'm just saying that we have room for improvement. They're not perfect too. Buang yang keruh, ambil yang jernih.
I was told by someone that we'll never progress because of the mentality of our people - they will never change due to our history, how our nation was born. I beg to differ. I think we can, according to someone I had a lively discussion, the road may be long and winding, but we can do it.
It seems to me now that I've questioned myself over a lot of matters, especially over matters back home and here. The mentality and perception of the peoples I've seen are different, the way things are done are different and they also have differing priorities. They have social ills, but differnent - they have knife crimes, we have rempits. Politics are different too - they have cash for questions/make new laws, we have corruption/money politics.
But there are things they do we would never do it back home without a night in jail back home, and vice versa.
It is weird to see that people here can march the streets and the police don't seem to mind, as long as you protest peacefully. When the same thing happens back home, the protesters will be greeted with water cannons and tear gas.
People here can express their outrage towards their governments openly and without fear as long its not slander with proper avenues for them to do so, and there will always be academics to critically assess the law or the conduct of politicians. Back home, those who criticise the government too loudly would likely to be locked up in Kamunting under the ISA.
The people here expects the MP/minister/government to be answerable to the people, the mandate. I don't think the situation applies back home, except when it concerns subsidies. The people here could criticise their governments so bluntly that its may reach to the point that the government never had any merits. Back home, its all about the good things our government does, and never had any bad press. Brown always get the boot, while Badawi always gets roses in the press.
Their Opposition parties are given the chance to ask questions and do tyr to hold the ruling government into account, while back home anything raised by the Opposition will be rejected by the Speaker on the grounds that it is not important and urgent.
The law here too have laws which seem arbitrary, like their Anti-Terrorism Act, but that is for suspected terrorists. Even that, the Act had a lot of opposition. Back home, ISA is used mostly against political figures, with the slightest of suspision, if not none. *Note though, due to the stronger majority in Dewan Rakyat, the controversial DNA Identification Bill had recieved a lot of opposition. No idea whether the Bill was passed or not.
The country I'm currently studying at has no written constitution with the name, 'the Constitution'. With only 'constitutional' statutes and conventions, it surprises me is that the country never got itself into anarchy. Back home, we have the Federal Constitution which have been amended over 700 times in the past 50 years, and I don't know what the amendments are. The American Constitution has only been amended a few times over their 250 year history. Why is that so?
As much as many things I admire about them, there were also things made by their politicians that remind me of the situation back home. The UK was hit by a change-in-law-just-pay-us-with-money scandal in the House of Lords, and a few here and there scandals.
We are at crossroads: to take a better path to success or the path to oblivion?
I know people will tell me, 'Hey, you can't compare our country with another country. Our's different. We have different histories and backgrounds. Plus, why are you looking up at other countries?'
My answer is this: I'm not saying the other country is better, because they have their bad share of things too. However, there are certain things they are good at, and I think it's good to have a look and learn from it. I'm not comparing and say that just because they did a better job we're have to blindly follow them. I'm just saying that we have room for improvement. They're not perfect too. Buang yang keruh, ambil yang jernih.
I was told by someone that we'll never progress because of the mentality of our people - they will never change due to our history, how our nation was born. I beg to differ. I think we can, according to someone I had a lively discussion, the road may be long and winding, but we can do it.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Spring... Term
After a month resting, exploring and playing around, its back to lectures and tutorials. Damn, I wish the holidays were a bit more longer.
What I did during the Christmas holidays were mostly exploring. Went to Newcastle, Cardiff, Bath and most of all Land's End (southern most part of England). Finally, my childhood dreams came true, and I dare say the 6 hour drive was worth it. Good view from there too.
Read BBC online, and I've just found out that 1000 people have lost their lives in the Gaza conflict. Out of the 1000, almost 400 of them were children and women. So far 13 Israelis lost their lives, with 3 civilians killed.
Its kind of disheartening to see lives lost in the Middle East. It does not matter whose side you're on - either Palestinians or Israelis. When I read the newspapers or watch the telly about people protesting against the conflict, there are two sides: either you are a pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli. Both sides will never ever condemn the side they are supposting. For example, watch the video from this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7822656.stm
That was from a pro-Israeli point of view. They say that Hamas should stop sending rockets, but they never say that the Israeli Government to allow the Gaza border to open up so humnitarian aid could be given to needy Palestinians. They never say that the Israeli settlers to stop occupying Palestinian land illegally. They never say that their government should respect all UN resolutions. They never say that their government should go back to the 1967 border.
I haven't gotten a pro-Palestinian, or I should say pro-Hamas video which I could show you, but generally they will never ever mention the lines 'Hamas should stop fighting and start sitting down and talk about getting into good terms with the Isrealis for the sake of Palestinians.'
I am sick of hearing the same old story, with the sound of modern weapons and suicide bombers. If we read about how an average Palestinian lives in Gaza, you can understand why they resort to such unethical and extreme measures to have themselves to be heard. Food and water are scarce. If there are food, probably you have to que in a very long line. If you want to go anywhere, you have to spend hours and hours going through Israeli army controlled checkpoints. That if you are lucky. They could just not allow you to pass through. And it doesn't look nice, with all the barbwire and armed soldiers. Sometimes they will be bullied by the Isreali army, and some may have their relatives or friends being shot dead. Or you are in a UN shelter seeking refuge from Israeli bombs, but the place you seek refuge in was bombed by the Israeli Air Force. You die. Funny thing is, the Israeli Defence Ministry will come out with this statement: "It is regrettable that this incident happened. We will conduct an investigation." But nothing will be heard ever since.
I rarely get to read about how an odinary Israeli living within the radius of Hamas-fired rockets, but surely it is scary for them. Imagine having a walk and soon "BANG!!", a rocket just landed and exploded in front of you. That if you're lucky. What happens if it lands on you? Another point is that the Israelis have been enduring rocket attacks from Hamas for a few years. I suppose they're quite pissed after being bombarded by rockets. One of the reasons why Olmert's government wanted to wage war with Hamas in Gaza was to stop Hamas launching rockets. However, was the attack proportionate to the justification saught? Massive military attack with schools, UN buildings, hospitals bombed? Continous air raids? Give only a three hour window for humanitarian aid?
Additionally, Gaza is now practically a prison: Israel and Egypt closed their borders with Gaza. The Israeli Navy blocks all sea traffic into and out of Gaza. How can a small patch of land sustain large ammounts of people? That is why Palestinians need humanitarian aid: people simply have nothing, nothing, nothing.
I am trying to be a neutral person when it comes to this crisis - I do not want to be emotionally driven. But it is hard for me not to put the bulk of the blame to the Israeli Government for being inconsiderate, careless killing of innocent civilians and not confroming to international standards of conduct in armed conflict. The same goes with Hamas's launching of rockets into Israel.
Why Palestinians support Hamas? How could the Palestinians not support them when Fatah is corrupted and more or less a toothless tiger? With all the circumstances around them, you may think that they have come to the point of desperation. Try looking the situation with a cat or a dog pushed into a corner, when it feels threatened they will bite. They're there. They're living for the sake of living.
Quoting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, "The effect of war is more dangerous than war. It is sowing seeds of extremism around the region." Taking the words from him may make people think I'm a leftist or an extremist considering Syria is one of the few countries under Bush's 'Axis of Evil', lol. But hey, I think he's true for once. Suicide bombers in response to killing children; intifada's in response to air raids. This is what I can summarise why Palestinians and Israelis never stop fighting for 60 years.
I can safely say that Israel fights to prove that its strong for a tiny nation, while Palestine fights for its survival.
I think if i were to make a proper post about this, probably it would be the length of a thesis.
There are links for you to read more about this crisis: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2001/israel_and_the_palestinians/default.stm. This will lead you to more opinions, news and stories.
What I did during the Christmas holidays were mostly exploring. Went to Newcastle, Cardiff, Bath and most of all Land's End (southern most part of England). Finally, my childhood dreams came true, and I dare say the 6 hour drive was worth it. Good view from there too.
Read BBC online, and I've just found out that 1000 people have lost their lives in the Gaza conflict. Out of the 1000, almost 400 of them were children and women. So far 13 Israelis lost their lives, with 3 civilians killed.
Its kind of disheartening to see lives lost in the Middle East. It does not matter whose side you're on - either Palestinians or Israelis. When I read the newspapers or watch the telly about people protesting against the conflict, there are two sides: either you are a pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli. Both sides will never ever condemn the side they are supposting. For example, watch the video from this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7822656.stm
That was from a pro-Israeli point of view. They say that Hamas should stop sending rockets, but they never say that the Israeli Government to allow the Gaza border to open up so humnitarian aid could be given to needy Palestinians. They never say that the Israeli settlers to stop occupying Palestinian land illegally. They never say that their government should respect all UN resolutions. They never say that their government should go back to the 1967 border.
I haven't gotten a pro-Palestinian, or I should say pro-Hamas video which I could show you, but generally they will never ever mention the lines 'Hamas should stop fighting and start sitting down and talk about getting into good terms with the Isrealis for the sake of Palestinians.'
I am sick of hearing the same old story, with the sound of modern weapons and suicide bombers. If we read about how an average Palestinian lives in Gaza, you can understand why they resort to such unethical and extreme measures to have themselves to be heard. Food and water are scarce. If there are food, probably you have to que in a very long line. If you want to go anywhere, you have to spend hours and hours going through Israeli army controlled checkpoints. That if you are lucky. They could just not allow you to pass through. And it doesn't look nice, with all the barbwire and armed soldiers. Sometimes they will be bullied by the Isreali army, and some may have their relatives or friends being shot dead. Or you are in a UN shelter seeking refuge from Israeli bombs, but the place you seek refuge in was bombed by the Israeli Air Force. You die. Funny thing is, the Israeli Defence Ministry will come out with this statement: "It is regrettable that this incident happened. We will conduct an investigation." But nothing will be heard ever since.
I rarely get to read about how an odinary Israeli living within the radius of Hamas-fired rockets, but surely it is scary for them. Imagine having a walk and soon "BANG!!", a rocket just landed and exploded in front of you. That if you're lucky. What happens if it lands on you? Another point is that the Israelis have been enduring rocket attacks from Hamas for a few years. I suppose they're quite pissed after being bombarded by rockets. One of the reasons why Olmert's government wanted to wage war with Hamas in Gaza was to stop Hamas launching rockets. However, was the attack proportionate to the justification saught? Massive military attack with schools, UN buildings, hospitals bombed? Continous air raids? Give only a three hour window for humanitarian aid?
Additionally, Gaza is now practically a prison: Israel and Egypt closed their borders with Gaza. The Israeli Navy blocks all sea traffic into and out of Gaza. How can a small patch of land sustain large ammounts of people? That is why Palestinians need humanitarian aid: people simply have nothing, nothing, nothing.
I am trying to be a neutral person when it comes to this crisis - I do not want to be emotionally driven. But it is hard for me not to put the bulk of the blame to the Israeli Government for being inconsiderate, careless killing of innocent civilians and not confroming to international standards of conduct in armed conflict. The same goes with Hamas's launching of rockets into Israel.
Why Palestinians support Hamas? How could the Palestinians not support them when Fatah is corrupted and more or less a toothless tiger? With all the circumstances around them, you may think that they have come to the point of desperation. Try looking the situation with a cat or a dog pushed into a corner, when it feels threatened they will bite. They're there. They're living for the sake of living.
Quoting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, "The effect of war is more dangerous than war. It is sowing seeds of extremism around the region." Taking the words from him may make people think I'm a leftist or an extremist considering Syria is one of the few countries under Bush's 'Axis of Evil', lol. But hey, I think he's true for once. Suicide bombers in response to killing children; intifada's in response to air raids. This is what I can summarise why Palestinians and Israelis never stop fighting for 60 years.
I can safely say that Israel fights to prove that its strong for a tiny nation, while Palestine fights for its survival.
I think if i were to make a proper post about this, probably it would be the length of a thesis.
There are links for you to read more about this crisis: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2001/israel_and_the_palestinians/default.stm. This will lead you to more opinions, news and stories.
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