The Lingam Whistle-Blower?

What an unexpected twist in the ongoing Malaysian judiciary hanky panky scandal. Here's the story, without further comments from me, with the extract from Malaysiakini-the online news portal that provides news mainstream media has left out.

Video-clip man worries about his safety
K Kabilan & Steven Gan | Jan 12, 08 11:41pm

Businessman Loh Mui Fah, 58, today claimed that he was worried for his personal safety over his role in the Lingam tape scandal.

In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini today, Loh admitted that his son, Jwo Burne, had recorded lawyer VK Lingam’s telephone conversation with former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim on the night of Dec 20, 2001.

Loh added he and his son had went to Lingam’s house for dinner and to consult him on some legal matters.

Explaining further the harassments he had faced since the grainy 14-minute video clip was made public by opposition party PKR last year, Loh said that officers from the Anti-Corruption Agency had been tailing him day and night.

ACA officers had once intercepted him while he was on his way to Singapore, and also visited his office and home simultaneously where they threatened to ‘take away’ Loh’s youngest son.

“I have also received threatening telephone calls... asking me to watch out and that they will finish me,” said the businessman, who was also coy on his business venture apart from saying that it involved IT and forestry.

Loh said that he had written to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Nov 5, saying that he was willing to assist in the investigations into the Lingam tape should there be an assurance that “his safety would be guaranteed”. [see letter below]

“But nothing happened. I have had no reply from the prime minister,” he lamented.

Loh added that he had also emailed the three-member panel formed by the government to look into the authenticity of the Lingam tape, offering to assist in their probe. Again, he added, he had not heard from them.

Tailed day and night

Last month, the ACA ‘harassment’ and threatening phone calls became so unbearable and that Loh said he lodged at least one police report.

“The intrusion into my private life was bad,” he told Malaysiakini when met at his lawyer’s plush apartment in the heart of the city.

“They hunted me day and night. They came in cars, waited for me with engines running, waiting until midnight. The security guards at my apartment can vouch for this,” he said.

“Once the ACA visited my house and my office at the same time. When they found that I wasn’t there, they harassed my youngest son and threatened to take him away,” he said.

Loh said that once while he was travelling by car to Singapore, he was intercepted in Malacca by two ACA officers.

“They wanted me to immediately return with them to their headquarters in Putrajaya to take a statement from me. I told them I will not follow them and got them to let me talk to their superior,” he said.

“I told them I can cooperate but it must be properly done, and that I am given proper notice,” he added.

According to Loh, he did not know how the ACA knew that he was involved in the matter.

“Maybe Lingam had told them that I and my son were at his house on that day,” he speculated.

Plan to catch him unprepared

Loh suggested that the agency was perhaps badgering him to give a statement as they wanted to catch him unprepared instead of having him come with a prepared statement.

The businessman said that he feared for his life. “That is why I am going public now,” he said.

“I wrote to the PM seeking protection but I didn’t receive any assurance from him. Do I fear for my life? I won’t take anything for granted,” he said.



“Going public is the best option that I have.”

Loh also said that he was willing to appear before the royal commission which will kick off its inquiry on Monday to probe the Lingam tape.

“I will go before them in the interest of the public, but it is up to them to find their own answer,” he added.

The royal commission, formed after the panel tasked to probe the clip’s authenticity ended up empty-handed, is to further investigate the matter.

A Malaysian BIG BANG!

2008 started with a big bang with fireworks almost everywhere. For some Malaysians it was an even bigger bang of a shocking kind when the nation's popular highly competent Health Minister had his secret affair exposed and he confessed to it! What comic relief after a year of grisly murders, human rights violations, fiscal scandals, tragedies, demonstrations, ISA detentions, political harassment, bigotry, racism and religious injustice!

Iran. Sister-in-law. Kama Sutera. Designer Vaginas. Chua Jui Meng. Curse. Chinese Mafia. Lingam. These were like a jumble of words that may seem unassociated to the Health Minister Datuk Sri Dr. Chua Soi Lek's scandalous sex escapade. But they seem connected in some ways and I'll tell you how.

Call it synchronism or whatever you want.

Before the first whiff of the sex scandal and the compact discs hit the Johore streets I was either coming across these words or brandishing these words verbally and electronically.

Iran: I read about the pitiful girl who was stoned to death for merely appearing in an x-rated movie shot secretly in that Islamic nation. The religious police zealously tracked her down after recording the reading of her exposed electricity meter in the movie! Here we have a filmed consensual nefarious act that ended in a rather painfully agonising slow inhuman death by stoning.

My sister-in-law. After not having any desire to speak to this shrewd Johore businesswoman, with a late dad who was a datuk there, we finally were on speaking terms. Yes, Dr. Chua is from Johore.

Kama Sutera: I was referring to this famous ancient sex manual as the book I consider as my favorite to read. I was encouraging others to pick up the book! So the minister was having some adult acrobatic fun as depicted in it...

Designer Vaginas: I came across the Newsweek article about the dangers and risks involved in having surgical procedures performed on the female genitalia on a commercial scale. It wasn't necessary to have it all done, and problems could arise. Surgically done or not-for powerful men to fall into sexual addiction...there's sexual power to all of you ladies as in the minister's case!

Chua Jui Ming: Another Chua who came to Miri recently, proclaimed the good Word and sharing the testimony of how his son was saved from the clutches of evil men when a stranger appeared to help him escape. This is the Chua who was the predecessor of the present scandalous Chua.

Curse: Someone wrote in MMalaysiakini about the curse of the Health Ministership position. All the Chinese who were in that position ended their political lives except Tan Sri Dr. Chong Hon Nyan who ended up in another smaller political post before retiring shortly after that. The position seemed to have a jinx I suppose!

Chinese Mafia: I was also recommending a book about the Chinese mafia... and explaining away the oaths that these secret triads make to protect the Organization. Is there a sinister underworld connection in this scandal? Maybe not-the Truth Is Out There!

Last but not least, the word 'lingam': When the scandal broke about the secret recording of judiciary shenanigans, I was told by an Indian buddy that lingam also means phallus. This was an astonishing revelation and so it seems to me, there's a Cosmic Joker who is showing me this superior being has concocted everything to create one big scandal to titillate Malaysians.

For those who are still curious about the actual hanky panky stuff that mainstream media teasingly hints at, here are the juicy details extracted from Malaysiakini-the news portal with guts!

THE TAPE

According to those who have watched the tape, there were two separate DVDs depicting the alleged sex act purportedly recorded using closed circuit television (CCTV).

The first DVD lasting 56 minutes showed the entire sexual act from four different camera angles showing the bed, main door and living room.

Labelled as ‘(name of politician deleted) rapes and threatens woman’, a man can be seen walking into a room believed to be in a hotel and engages in sex with apparently a woman in her 30s.

Meanwhile, the second disc lasting 44 minutes was labelled ‘(name of politician deleted) sex video’ and featured the same sex act from a sole stationary camera that zoomed into the bed.

The couple can be seen in the video speaking in the Hokkien dialect.

The video clip begins with the politician in the room taking a shower and changing clothes. A woman later knocks on the door and is seen entering the room. The couple appears to know each other.

The video then shows the woman taking out a laptop and placed it on the bed, and then going into the bathroom and emerging later naked.

The woman then performs oral sex on the politician and this is followed by sexual intercourse on bed. The couple appears to be watching something, perhaps pornography, on the laptop during their sexual act.

Here's an added bonus about the star of the scandalous sex escapade as reported in Malaysiakini.

Long political career

Chua, a trained psychologist, began his medical career as a government doctor in 1974 before moving into private practice two years later.

The senior politician, who hailed from Johor, was first elected state assemblyman for Penggaram in his home state in 1986. He held Penggaram for 18 years – winning the state seat in four consecutive general elections.

Chua was a Johor executive councilor - in charge of various profolios - for 14 years from 1990 to 2004.

He moved to federal-level politics in the 2004 general elections when he was picked to run for Labis, a parliamentary constituency near Segamat which was vacated by outgoing MCA chief Dr Ling Liong Sik.

Soon after the general elections, he was also picked by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as health minister, a much-coveted cabinet post.

From there, Chua moved up the party hierarchy at lighting speed – he bagged the second highest number of votes to become one of the four vice-presidents in the 2005 MCA polls.

Here's the additional straight-faced Newsweek article...

The perils of 'designer vaginas'

As more women undergo cosmetic vaginal procedures, experts warn that such surgery may not be safe or effective

By Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert for Newsweek
September 19, 2007

Women are being urged to be careful down there when it comes cosmetic vaginal procedures. We've become a society obsessed with the quest for physical perfection. If you don't like the nose (or ears or lips or breasts) you were born with, there's a solution: find a doctor and get it fixed. Last year Americans underwent nearly 11 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That's an increase of 7 percent from the previous year and more than 400 percent from a decade ago. Clearly, the idea of altering nature's plan for your appearance is now widely accepted. But are there parts of your body that should be off limits?

Some doctors think so. Last week the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Gynecologic Practice issued a statement to its members warning about the dangers of trying to create "designer vaginas" through procedures that purport to trim and slim the vaginal lips, tighten the vagina or add extra bounce to the G-spot with injectable materials like collagen. Over the past few years these procedures have been marketed in magazines and over the Internet largely as boosts to sexual satisfaction, turning labiaplasty (the technical name for surgery that snips the vaginal lips, or labia) into one of the fastest-growing procedures. Labiaplasty is sometimes necessary for medical reasons--if there's a problem with urination, for example. But doctors say those cases are not the reason for the surge. Although there are no firm numbers on how many procedures were performed last year, doctors around the country report more and more requests from patients for purely cosmetic changes. When there's no medical reason for these surgeries, they're not covered by insurance and can cost patients as much as USD $10,000.

Not so long ago, the main clientele for cosmetic vaginal procedures was sex workers and nude entertainers, but with the increasing popularity of bikini waxes, women have become more aware of the appearance of their vaginas, and a growing number seem to feel they don't measure up. Others worry that they don't enjoy sex as much after pushing a baby out the birth canal; they hope that tightening their vaginas will restore the thrill. In many cases women say that they began to question the look of their vaginal area after a comment from a male partner who had been influenced by images in sexually explicit magazines or movies. Doctors say they're seeing women of all ages--even in their 60s and 70s--who want vaginal makeovers.

But the peril may be much greater than prospective patients realize, ACOG warns. "What we're concerned about is that there is no safety or efficacy data for these procedures," says Dr. Cheryl Iglesia, a member of the committee that issued the statement and the director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. "There are no studies in peer-reviewed journals that show long-term outcomes." The vast majority of these procedures are not medically indicated, Iglesia says, and women could end up in worse shape than when they started because of complications like severe pain from scarring by lasers used on the vaginal wall, decreased lubrication or incontinence. In the statement, the ACOG committee warned that "patients who are anxious or insecure about their genital appearance or sexual function may be further traumatized by undergoing an unproven surgical procedure with obvious risks."

ACOG says that women who are contemplating this kind of questionable procedure need to understand that there's a great variety in the appearance of the vaginal area--just as there is in any other part of the body--and most of those differences are well within the normal range, which means they do not require medical intervention. "You can have [vaginal] lips that are a few millimeters to a few centimeters," Iglesia says. "It's all normal. You don't have to look like a Playboy bunny down there." And a tighter vagina is no guarantee of a better time in bed. "There is real potential that you could make your sex life worse," she says. "You can't just say we will tighten it up and it will work better." Female sexual satisfaction is dependent on a wide range of factors. "It's not just the size of the vagina," Iglesia says. "There's a lot more involved, including nerves, blood supply and lubrication" as well as the critical emotional components of sexual satisfaction.

Women considering cosmetic vaginal surgery might also want to read up on the international campaign against female genital mutilation, procedures among some African, Middle Eastern and Asian cultures that often involve cutting or stretching of the labia and inserting corrosive substances into the vagina to make it tighter or narrower. Sound familiar? The World Health Organization and UNICEF, among others, have been actively lobbying for the elimination of genital mutilation, which may be performed on infants, children and teenagers. While this campaign continues to make progress, women in this country are paying doctors for what many think is a high-tech version of the practice. It's something to think about.

Having said and shared all these stuff, let me come back to the present scandal: I admire the good doctor. He has done much for the public with his new policies, cutting a lot of red tape, thus creating a more efficient service to the ordinary Joe.

How tragic it is that a rising star who has fallen between the political cracks will not be given a second Clinton chance. Who knows what this affable statesman could have achieved if he ever holds the reign of Chinese power through the powerful Barisan main partner, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA). Perhaps he could be as famous as Clinton during his presidency of the United States.

One thing is for sure: by admitting his marital indiscretion and resigning from all offices, Dr. Chua has proven himself to be honorable, decisive, courageous and wise after a lapse in judgment. He should not be condemned by anyone else as every person has his or her own vices. We remember our loving Christ as saying to the "holier than thou" hypocritical religious persons who were about to stone to death someone who was accused of adultery in the old days this: "Let he who has no sin cast the first stone". Everyone quickly disappeared!

Who knows, our Cosmic Joker will pull this rare leader out politically as a hat trick in future after entertaining Malaysians with this amazing hilarious joke on the first day of 2008! Oh yes, my memorable Year of the Rat!

Meaning of the Subashini Judgment

The following clear interpretation of the outcome of the Subashini is provided by Malaysiakini-the news portal that exposes everything.

Of the three Muslim Malay judges, one of them dissented.

The landmark judgment in a nutshell
Soon Li Tsin | Dec 27, 07 8:36pm

It took more than an hour for the judgment to be read in court. The majority decision was delivered by Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman - who headed the Federal Court three-member bench - while Abdul Aziz Mohamad delivered the minority decision.

Majority decision - Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman and Azmel Ma'amor

• Subashini’s divorce petition under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act is deem null and void because it was filed before the requisite three months period.

• Saravanan and Subashini’s civil marriage can only be dissolved using civil law. The husband can still dissolve it under syariah law but it will have no effect in the civil courts.

• Saravanan can seek relief in the syariah courts but it cannot compel Subashini to do the same because she is a non-Muslim.

• Saravanan did not abuse the process by converting his child because the consent from one parent is sufficient according to Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution .

Dissenting ruling - Abdul Aziz Mohamad

• The evidence of Saravanan’s conversion must be tried in order to determine whether the conversion date was based on his certificate or on facts made available to Subashini.

• Saravanan had abused the process in seeking the custody of the children in the Syariah Court because the religious court has no jurisdiction over a non-Muslim marriage.

• Saravanan’s conversion of the children is not unilateral and the wife has a right to object to the conversion as well as seek an injunction to stop the procedure.

• The High Court has exclusive jurisdiction in matters of dissolution of marriage, maintenance, custody and other ancillary reliefs because the marriage was solemnised under civil law.

Anwar: Malaysia's JFK

I'm gradually convinced Anwar is going to be a great leader. He speaks out on issues that matter most to Malaysians, reacting at the right time and providing practical solutions.

As a once ago naive die-hard government supporter... I am increasingly seeing the potential Kennedy-Reagan-Clinton leadership style in a prime-ministerial role.

Here is an insightful look at the leader as reported by Malaysiakini-the news portal that rocks.

Anwar tells PM: Negligence is greater threat
Terence Netto | Dec 27, 07 1:25pm

Malaysia is in greater danger from the negligence of those in power than from the rage felt by its recalcitrants, said PKR's de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

"Our society is in greater danger from executive negligence than from the extremism of its recalcitrants,” he said in an immediate response to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's Christmas Day strictures on religious extremism.

On Dec 25, Abdullah had taken the opportunity of his attendance at the Christmas Day tea party, jointly organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia and Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Murphy Packiam, to inveigh against religious extremisn.

The prime minister called on moderates in Malaysia to speak up to pre-empt fanatics from taking centre stage.

This drew an immediate riposte from Anwar, who with his wife Wan Azizah, also attended the tea party at the invitation of Archbishop Packiam.

"On the birth celebration of the Prince of Peace, it is right and fitting to remind every citizen of his or her value as a channel of peace, moderation and tolerance,” said Anwar, who also former deputy prime minister.

"But bear in mind that peace is not just the absence of conflict; it is the presence of justice. Where there is little or no justice, there will be a deficit in peace."

Anwar’s advice to PM

Anwar observed that Christian social teaching held peace and justice to be obverse sides of the same coin.

Of Abdullah's strictures on extremism, Anwar opined: "He is a purveyor of platitudes. He keeps his counsel when he ought to speak up.

“When he does speak up, he mouths pious platitudes which are about as useful as buying an umbrella after it has started to rain."

Anwar offered this piece of advice to the prime minister: “Look to the causes of disorder and not its symptoms, just don't treat the bark when the roots need remedy, reach for the panacea and not be satisfied with the placebo."

A Furious Ex-commissioner's Opinions!

Ex-royal commissioner: 'Mutated' bill a mockery
Syed Jaymal Zahiid | Dec 18, 07 1:24pm

The government’s move to set up the Special Complaints Commission (SCC) amounts to an insult to the rakyat, said ex-Transparency International Malaysia head Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim.

Having served on the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysian Police, he also sees it as an insult to himself and it is not hard to understand why.

The commission had proposed the creation of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to tackle complaints of abuse of power by the police force.

This has, however, mutated into the much diluted SCC to oversee the conduct of all enforcement agencies. The Bill was tabled for the first reading last Thursday and was rushed through for the second reading today, with the Dewan Rakyat scheduled to adjourn tomorrow.

“Their (government) action shows that they have taken the rakyat and us members of the Royal Commission for fools,” noted a disappointed Aziz (photo) in a hard-hitting speech at a forum on the SCC organised by opposition party DAP in Kuala Lumpur last night.

The forum saw some 80 participants engaging in a lively question-and-answer session with the panelists.

Aziz, who was visibly upset, said the efforts of the royal commission in drafting the IPCMC bill - to ensure that Malaysians have an efficient police force - have proved useless now that the “perverted” SCC is to replace the envisaged watchdog.

“This SCC is fraudulent in the sense that it utterly lacks independence and powerless to act as guarantor of a first-class, incorruptible and accountable police force.” he said.

DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang, also a panelist, had earlier confirmed that the explanatory statement in the SCC Bill states that it is the result of the IPCMC proposal.

A force that money cannot buy

Aziz, who did not mince his words at the forum, also took issue with the proposed composition of the SCC.

“How can you have independence when the members are to be appointed by the prime minister and include those who have a vested interest like the (police chief), a person with corruption allegations (hanging over his head)?” he argued.

Section 4 of the SCC Bill states that the commission will comprise a chairperson appointed by the prime minister, the Inspector-General of Police, the Anti-Corruption Agency chief, Public Complaints Bureau head, and three others also appointed by the premier.

Aziz revealed that the 16 members of the police royal commission were unanimous in the need for an IPCMC.

“There was not one dissenting voice to set up an independent police complaints and misconduct commission,” he said of the panel which included eminent legal minds such as former lord president Salleh Abas, former chief justice Dzaiddin Abdullah and ex-Bar Council president Khutubul Zaman Bukhari.

“Yet the government today has seen fit to change all that. It is a mockery. It shows total disdain for fairness, justice and equity. It shows total disrespect for public opinion. This is not the sort of document we want to see as part of our laws in this country.

“In fact, it is an insult to Parliament itself. So to say I’m disappointed is a really an understatement. I think this sense of disappointment, the sense of quiet outrage is shared by all right-thinking people - hoping that at long last this would be a rare opportunity for Malaysia to change the way the police work in this country.

According to Aziz, there is no police force in the world that has been known to be able to police itself.

“That is why you need this independent oversight group or committee. Obviously, if this bill goes through, we can say goodbye to all these high hopes and aspirations that one day we would have the best police force that money cannot buy.”

A 'toothless body'

Panelist Edmund Bon, who chairs the Bar Council Human Rights Committee, said the SCC will be a “toothless body with no real power to ensure police accountability”.

“The SCC should be called the Special ‘Referral’ Commission instead, as it will only have power to refer complaints to existing enforcement agencies which, in turn, have questionable integrity. It will be like a post-box.” he said.

“This commission will be a passive one unlike the proposed IPCMC which (would have had teeth) to act and punish the misconduct of police officers.”

Also on the panel were Param Cumaraswamy, the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

The session concluded with unanimous support for deferring the SCC Bill until wide public consultation can be conducted. Lim said he would try and get the Bill deferred to March next year.

Reality Sets in-Perhaps

It seems that the grouses of the Malaysian Indian minority have finally been aired directly to the Big Boss, the Prime Minister himself in an arranged meeting. A positive sign has been the dropping of charges against the 31 persons who had been accused of the alleged attempted murder of a cop.

Here's Malaysiakini's report on the visit by one of the Indian leaders, P. Sivakummar to present his good, bad and ugly truth in his speech about the plight of the underprivileged Malaysians.

Perhaps there is hope yet that a fair, just and peaceful solution could be found in creating a better nation for the Indians and all races as well before anything gloomy gets out of hand. History has never been kind to those in authority who thump their noses in the air and ignore the many citizens that are in dire needs and have their backs to the wall with nowhere to run or hide...

I told PM the truth
RK Anand | Dec 18, 07 11:29am

As citizens of Malaysia, Indians have the right to enjoy equal opportunities and must not be treated like third-class citizens.

This was the crux of Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar's hard-hitting speech during the special meeting between Indian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last Friday.

"In the past, only the educated and middle-class Indians were unhappy about the difference in treatment. But over the last three years, every Indian in the country is unhappy and angry over the way we are treated," he said.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini yesterday that at the onset of his speech, he sought permission from Abdullah to speak without fear or favour and to tell him the truth.

To this, he said, the premier replied: "Yes, please tell me the truth."

Following this, Sivakumar continued: "As you (Abdullah) are aware, the communities in Malaysia are affluent and very much matured after 50 years of Independence."

"The term bumiputera and non-bumiputera literally means 'son of the soil' and 'not son of the soil' (respectively). That means the Indian community was born where - in the sky?" he said, telling Malaysiakini that Abdullah tittered at this remark.

Sivakumar said in the past, the New Economic Policy (NEP) won the support of all three communities because it was initiated to address the socio-economic position of all races.

"So what is happening?" he asked the premier.

"What (is) 40,000 Indians? You should have given the (police) permit, there would have been more than 300,000 Indians on that day," he added in reference to the Nov 25 rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

The urban poor

Citing the agriculture sector, Sivakumar said there more than 70 percent Indians were involved in this sector.

"When the policies changed, what measures did the government take to address the thousands of Indians chased and driven out of the estates, with nowhere to go, and no housing left," he added.

The Miba president said this led to the emergence of urban poor, resulting in serious social problems like gangsterism.

"Indians killing each other for a living, who is to be blamed?" he asked.

"If only a Felda-type (scheme) had been extended to these Indians, with proper nurturing and with land given to develop small holdings and animal husbandry, they would have contributed well to the economy and even cut down our import bill, especially on dairy products. We need not depend so much on foreign workers," he said.

On the issue of funding, Sivakumar pointed out that MIC recently held seminars by calling Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Muhyiddin Yassin who promised the Indian community help and support.

"But what happened? Let's take Johor for example, I personally followed up with the (state) Agriculture Department after Muhyiddin reminded the director to help the Indians.

"Nothing, not a single ringgit was given to the Indians," said the Johor-based businessman.

"Let's take other funding agencies, like MIDF, SMIDEC and SME. Yes, all (of them) like to hold seminars, (produce) good paper work. But nothing for the Indians," he added.

No help extended

As for privatisation, Sivakumar once again cited the situation in Johor.

He said the state government identified 43 projects. "The community was offered only one project, only to be retracted after two weeks. Why?"

Apart from this, the Miba president also reminded the premier that the latter had pumped RM100 million into a fund to help single mothers embark on business ventures.

"I checked with them (the fund), nothing was extended to Indian single mothers in Johor," he said.

Turning to the construction sector, Sivakumar said: "You (Abdullah) had offered 30,000 jobs, (but) when a group of Indians went to apply for tender, they were told to leave because it was only for bumiputeras.

"They had to leave the place with shame and tears. Is this fair? Aren't they citizens (too)?" he added.

Moving to the civil service, Sivakumar quoted Abdullah as saying that Indians make up five percent of the civil service.

"But our population is nine percent, what about the balance four percent? At least, place Indians where help is needed. For example, EPF in JB (Johor Baru), only one Indian, Socso none, post office none," he said.

The Miba president also highlighted that the scrap metal business, which involves many Indian businessman, is now under threat of licences not being renewed.

"Who will take care of their families and children if they cannot perform?" he asked.

Three-percent equity

On the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), Sivakumar noted that it has been three years since Abdullah announced the three percent equity target for Indians.

"What are the steps and measures that you have initiated, please tell us. Even now, it is not too late, we have initiated an independent co-op for the community without any political group’s control. PM can help by funding this.

"I have even given (MIC president) S Samy Vellu a project paper on where Indians can go into - bio-tech business as a self-help programme. Why not help us because the Indians need the government's help. The Indians need opportunities," he said.

Sivakumar also highlighted the issue of temple demolitions and asked for temples constructed before Merdeka not to be demolished.

On that note, he also urged Abdullah to review the detention of five Hindraf leaders under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and called for them to be charged in court.

He also called for the release of the 31 people charged for the attempted murder of a policeman in connection with the Hindraf rally. Yesterday, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail withdrew the charge.

Sivakumar told Malaysiakini that he wrapped up his speech by apologising to Abdullah if he had offended the latter with his remarks.

According to him, the premier replied: "Not at all, Thank you for telling me the truth."

The special meeting between the NGos and the prime minister was called following widespread debates on the allegation raised by Hindraf that Indians in Malaysia are being marginalised.

Best of the Best for Royal Commission?

The following suggestions made by well-respected prominent human rights lawyer and National Human Rights Society (Hakam) President Malik Imtiaz Sarwar has merits. He calls for truly highly respected persons of high integrity-and objectivity and even possibly of international stature, with all the right stuff-to sit in the upcoming royal commission of inquiry to look into the Lingam tape.

Here is the article in Malaysiakini-the online news portal that provides truthful news that no mainstream news media in Malaysia has the spine to report.

Hakam: Seek international help for royal commission
Dec 3, 07 7:03pm

The National Human Rights Society (Hakam) has urged the cabinet to obtain suitable candidates from the international legal fraternity for the royal commission of inquiry into the Lingam tape, should the need arise.

Australian High Court judge Michael Kirby was one of the figures named by Hakam president Malik Imtiaz Sarwar in a statement today.

According to Malik, the Malaysian judiciary and bar have enjoyed a constructive relationship with Kirby.

Hakam is also in favour of Perak regent Raja Nazrin Shah to chair the royal commission.

The human rights body also called on the cabinet to seek advice from the International Commission of Jurists, a respectable organisation that focuses on the implementation of international law and human rights principles.

This suggestion comes in light of the precedent set by the special tribunal that tried former lord president Salleh Abas in 1988 where judges from Singapore and Sri Lanka sat on the commission.

Malik, a lawyer, said three to five members would suffice for the royal commission and that it was not unrealistic that this number of suitable persons be found.

He added that a small number of commissioners can remain effective with the assistance of proper human resource arrangements.

Ideal requirements

These proposals are a response to former High Court judge Syed Ahmad Idid’s comment on Hakam’s earlier list of suitable commissioners.

Speaking last week at a forum entitled the 'Malaysian Judiciary Today', Syed Ahmad Idid asked rhetorically, “Who else is left?”

Hakam’s criteria excludes the following persons from sitting on the royal commission:

* Any chief justice since Hamid Omar, including Hamid himself

* Retired judges who served under (former chief justices) Eusoff Chin, Mohamed Dzaiddin Abdullah and Ahmad Fairuz

* Any judge currently serving

* Any person closely connected with the current or previous (Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s) government, including the former attorney-generals

* Any person who might be perceived to have grievances against the government or the judicial administration in the period from 1988, including Salleh Abbas and any of the judiciary members penalised in the 1988 attack on the judiciary

Malik defended Hakam’s stringent criteria as “the ideal” requirements for electing commissioners to investigate the issues surrounding revelations of the eight-minute video recording.

The clip showed senior lawyer VK Lingam in a phone conversation allegedly discussing the appoint of “friendly judges”. It is said that former chief justice Ahmad Fairuz was at the other end, but he has denied this.

“It is wholly unnecessary to jettison the ideal in favour of a perceived need for practicality. The matter at hand is one which allows for nothing less than the ideal,” said Malik.

He also said that royal commissioners must not only be capable of fulfilling this heavy obligation, they must also be objective and able to win public confidence in the inquiry.

Something's Brewing Out West...

Dear guests... I drifted by Rocky's Bru blog today (Saturday in the East) and was pretty intrigued and excited to read this first breaking news there:

"The (VK Lingam) video clip is child play compared to what is going to be revealed tomorrow." - Wee Choo Keong

Wee, the vindicated lawyer-politician, has called for a media conference (new and old media) tomorrow to reveal some shocking details with regards to the Lingam-Fairuz saga that has questioned the integrity of the country's judiciary.

Time: 11 am, Sunday, 18 Nov 2007
Place: No 60 2nd Floor
Jalan SS2/67
Petaling Jaya
(it's above Mahagony Music/Coffee Bean)

I really think the sun is shining brighter each day as there is a greater possibility of the leveling of the playing field in certain areas albeit small ones...To paraphrase Neil Armstrong with some modification: one small judicial step for a Malaysian; one giant judicial leap for all Malaysians.

I will always salute this truly great outstanding honorable Malaysian hero and others like Justice George Seah:












Former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas .

Here's an extract taken from Malaysiakini about this courageous hero with a lion heart whose wise advice must be heeded.

In 1988, then premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had Salleh tried by a special tribunal on charges of misconduct, for questioning constitutional amendments that seriously eroded the powers of the judiciary.

Two of five Supreme Court judges - George Seah and the late Wan Sulaiman Pawanteh - who had ruled that the tribunal was convened unconstitutionally were sacked along with Salleh, after being found guilty of misconduct by a tribunal of six judges, including one each from Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Some have described the dismissal of the top judges from the Supreme Court - then the country's highest court, now renamed Federal Court - as Malaysia's darkest hours in its judicial history.

Salleh Abas - who is synonymous with the 1988 judicial crisis - was addressing 1,000 people who packed the hall in a forum entitled 'Judiciary Crisis - How to Stop the Rot?' organised by think-tank Institute for Policy Research (IKD).

Speaking for the very first time on the scandalous VK Lingam tape, Salleh Abas said the government has a duty to re-interfere into the judiciary.

"If the government was prepared to interfere in 1988 judiciary crisis which brought it to the present state of affairs, the government has a duty to re-interfere in order to repair the damage," he said to rousing applause.

As a strong Barisan supporter, I will vote for the Opposition in the next elections unless our Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi can act the true noble Malaysian patriot and restore a judiciary with integrity and fairness to all parties.

Surely, he will go down in history as leader with boldness and filled with patriotism for cleaning up the mess that his predecessor has created. It would be his greatest shinning legacy when he passes the touch of power to his successor.

The rest of the nation would then be able to sigh a big relief that all its institutions are safe and sound and functioning. There will be less fears of despotism and dictatorships; less concerns about rampant corruption throughout the land.

The royal commission must be an honest attempt at judicial house-cleaning and the commissioners must be people who are well-versed in law, full of integrity and without the slightest taint of scandal or corruption. They must be well-respected and known for fairness in judgment.

Personally, I think former Lord President Tun Salleh Abas, besides our former king, would be a great choice if it is possible to be sitting in the royal commission .

The resolution of this judiciary mess is the ultimate litmus test that will decide my future support.

Something's Rotten in the State of Denmark

Just something or more than that with the unusual drama played out in the nation's security force?

It seems former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad was downright correct, correct, correct to paraphrase Shakespeare in his early speech sometime ago.

You, my dear reader, you and I can play the role of those in a cyberspace jury (I wish this system is back for all Malaysians!) in this ongoing Bollywood-style wayang kulit show...The last few words is surely a cliff-hanger a la Alfred Hitchcock signature sign-off. (Ah-at one time I had a sign that read "The Buck Stops Here". I never regretted throwing the cursed piece away eventually...)

Without boring you with further details as many blogs are covering this hot issue... here is what the so-called '27 Million Cop', head of the nation's top Police Commercial Crime Unit, has released to the press and published in Malaysiakini-the courageous online news portal that shares all:


Ramli: There's a disturbance in the force
Oct 30, 07 3:26pm


The following is the full three-page press statement released by Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Ramli Yusuff today.

I have until today remained silent about developments in the police force, in particular, the arrest and prosecution of officers of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) who are alleged to have falsified statements of confidential informants in connection with the banishment of one Goh Cheng Poh @ Tengku.

Sometime last year, a joint committee and a special task force were established at the cabinet level and PDRM (Malay acronym for the Royal Malaysian Police) respectively to combat the worrisome menace of Ah Long (loan sharks) activities and illegal gambling.

In March 2007, the deputy minister of internal security (Mohd Johari Baharum) gave specific directives to the CCID on the activities of certain crime syndicates operating in Johor involving certain Datos and JPs (both are honorific titles).

The investigations by the CCID led to the eventual detention and banishment of the said Goh Cheng Poh @ Tengku to Jeli, Kelantan. The detention and banishment order was made under the hand of the deputy minister of internal security, based on the intelligence gathered by police officers of the CCID.

(The person being banished) Goh is on his own confession a person of questionable background, having been banished previously and who was involved in a shooting incident in which a friend of his was shot and murdered. The merits of his banishment are a matter which is within the subjective purview and prerogative of the deputy minister of internal security and, consequently, I am not at liberty to comment.

Soon after the banishment order was made by the deputy minister of internal security, the press reported that both the ACA (Anti-Corruption Agency) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID – another police department) had already investigated and cleared Goh of any wrongdoing.

This certainly did not include the subject matter of the CCID’s investigations into Goh's affairs as directed by the deputy minister of internal security. In the aftermath of these newspaper reports, Goh applied to the High Court to set aside the banishment order made against him by the deputy minister of internal security.

AG's unprecedented stance

In an unprecedented stance, the legal adviser of the Ministry of Internal Security, an officer of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, declined to advise and direct my officers and I (to) prepare affidavits of the events surrounding the preparation of the investigative papers on Goh for the benefit of the deputy minister of internal security.

Those affidavits were to be filed in the High Court arising from the application by Goh to have his banishment order set aside. Given the constraints of time, we, the officers of the CCID, sought legal advice from a private law practice who advised and assisted in the preparation of the draft affidavits concerned.

I was under advice at the time that the attorney-general (Abdul Gani Patail) was under a duty to advise and assist us in the preparation of the said affidavits under Article 145 of the Federal Constitution and the Government Proceedings Act, 1956.

My officers and I were then directed to deliver up the confidential case files containing the names of the confidential informants to the Attorney-General's Chambers. I have since been aware that officers of the ACA have tracked down these informants and taken statements from them. Subsequently, these informants have made further statements in connection with their seeking (of) protection from the deputy minister of internal security.

During the course of these events, the press began widely reporting the involvement of a Sr. (senior) police officer for the following:

1. Investigation by ACA into the unexplained accumulation of wealth alleged to be RM27 million;

2. Investigation by the ACA of the said senior police officer taking on the role of an "enforcer/godfather” of a company in Sabah and being its shareholder/director without departmental clearance; and

3. Investigation for the abuse of powers by the CCID in the crime preventive action concerning the detention and banishment of the aforesaid Goh.

Although the name of the officer was not disclosed, it is a public knowledge that I was the officer referred to in these widely sensationalised news.

I understand that one Sok One a/l (anak lelaki) Esen, an ACA officer, has sworn and filed an affidavit in the proceedings brought by Goh to have his banishment order set aside. In that affidavit, Sok One confirmed that the ACA was investigating the CCID in connection with Goh’s allegations of CCID officers having abused their powers.

My lawyer arrested

On the eve of Hari Raya, one of my longstanding friends who also acted as my legal adviser was arrested and charged for the alleged failure to comply with a notice served on him at the behest of the ACA.

One of the officers present at the time of his arrest and detention was the said Sok One. He was also one of the lawyers who assisted in the preparation of the affidavits of CCID officers filed in the proceedings in connection with the Goh case.

Within the week, several officers of the CCID were arrested and charged in court for allegedly falsifying evidence concerning the banishment of Goh. In the charge sheets, the names of the confidential informants have been disclosed.

I am gravely concerned by the manner in which the identities of police informants are dealt with in investigations carried out by the ACA. The identities of the informants were obtained through the circumvention of the Inspector General's Standing Orders. Given these events, there exists a clear and present danger as to the intelligence gathering ability of the police force and its ability to protect its informants.

These are disturbing events and will undeniably have a deep impact, not only on the CCID but the police force as a whole. The officers of the CCID have been mistreated by the ACA and are yet to be protected by their own force.

I will be departing for my umrah (minor haj) and in my absence, I hope these issues will be dealt with by the Ministry of Internal Security.

Unkindest Speech Award

The Most Unkindest Speech Award of all time must surely go to Member of Parliament, Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin, the Barisan National Representative of Jerai for claiming God had a punishing hand in a disabled person's condition, in a recent parliamentary sitting debate in Malaysia to a wheelchair bound highly respected Opposition member of parliament, Democratic Action Party's Karpal Singh.

For the unjustified uncalled for cheap shots he made at Karpal, here are some citations:

This is an account from Jeff Ooi of Screenshots:
Earlier, touching on the subject of manners, Karpal irked Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) when he remarked that there was little hope of seeing courtesy and good manners in the house. "The Jerai MP is notorious for using foul language. The Kinabatangan member (Datuk Bung Moktar Radin) is no better," he said, referring to a foul word uttered by Badruddin during a sitting. An angry Badruddin shouted back at Karpal. You are no better. Calling us (BN MPs) animals… you insult people. Now you are sitting in a wheel chair. God has punished you.

This is the citation from Malaysiakini:
On Monday, during the Supply Bill 2008 debate, Karpal said many MPs were not well behaved in Parliament and that would be a problem if they were not penalised for their unruly behaviour.

Citing examples, he referred to Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) who uttered the word bocor to Fong and Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai), who used a foul word in a sitting not so long ago.

An angry Badruddin then rose and said that Karpal has also uttered words like "animal", "cow" and "stupid" in the Dewan Rakyat.

"I used the foul word because I was defending my race and country. You were attacking my race and that's why God has taught you a good lesson by putting you in a wheelchair," said Badruddin.

"How many times have you been suspended? How many times were you told to leave the Dewan? I haven't been suspended even for once and I was never told to leave," he said.

"You are a veteran politician who has got no discipline. Even now, when you're dependent on a wheelchair, you're talking so much."










Badrudin Amiruldin

I Salute You, Sir.

For a long, long time I was a cheer-leading supporter of the government and did things that some could consider as 'patriotic' wherever I was but times have changed and I have seen and heard the pain and suffering of my fellow citizens. Indeed, my half-blinded eyes have now truly opened to the reality of the present situation.

I am not saying I am against the government; on the contrary, I have not given up my support on many other matters.

I do not agree though with the disturbing decisions rendered by the judiciary on certain matters in the past and these decisions affect the lives of not only us in the present but the many generations to come after us. Their future is of paramount importance to me as a responsible , law-abiding citizen and also a God-fearing loving parent.

It is because of this simple concern about justice and fair play for all that I am critical of how the government is attempting to resolve the present possible law-breaking Lingam case and the questionable independence and integrity of the judiciary.

It is therefore, a welcoming breath of fresh air that we hear such good news as that of victory over barbaric inhuman human actions.

The following letter is taken from Malaysiakini-the must read online news portal that is many more times better than all the mainstream papers put together in Malaysia.

I proudly salute this honorable gentleman of steely courage and conviction.

A history-making judge
Kim Quek
Oct 23, 07 12:20pm

For the first time in history, a Malaysian judge heavily punished the government for gross abuse of its draconian law – the first big slap on the face of the Executive, long accustomed to unrestrained and unconstitutional persecution of political dissidents with virtual impunity from compliant attorney general and judiciary.

In a judgment that is bound to illuminate the Malaysian judiciary for a long time to come, High Court Judge Hishamudin Mohd Yunus ruled on Oct 18 that the state has violated the constitution and awarded political detainee Abdul Malek Hussin RM 2.5 million in total compensation.

Malek was arrested by the police under the dreaded Internal Security Act (ISA) in September 1998 in the tumultuous days of Reformasi (reform movement) following the sacking and imprisonment of former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

During the 57 days of detention, Malek was subjected to - in the words of Judge Hishamudin - “vile assault, unspeakable humiliation, prolonged physical and mental ill-treatment”, and completely deprived of legal counsel.

In March 1999, Malek filed a civil suit, citing a police special branch officer Borhan Daud, the then Inspector General of Police Rahim Noor, and the government as correspondents.

In his judgment, Hishamudin found no evidence of Malek posing any threat to national security but every indication that the detention and torture was politically motivated arising from Malek’s support to Anwar Ibrahim and his reform movement.

As such, Malek’s detention was unlawful, and a violation of his constitution right under Article 5(3).

In hard hitting language, the judge described the defendents’ behaviour as “inhuman, cruel and despicable”.

He awarded an exemplary damage of RM 1.0 million “to show the abhorrence of the court of the gross abuse of an awesome power under the Internal Security Act, and to ensure that the extent of abuse is kept to the most minimal, if not eliminated completely.”

In his 41-page judgment, Hishamudin pin-pointed several police officers for breaching the law and concocting evidence.

He also expressed displeasure at the Deputy Public Prosecutor for having implicitly colluded with police officers in thwarting Malek’s complaints.

Courageous judgment

Justice Hishamudin is no stranger to human rights watchers, who have been impressed by his consistent record in delivering independent and impartial judgment - a remarkable feat in a judiciary perceived to often bend to the wishes of the high and mighty, in scant regards to the constitution.

His most notable judgment is perhaps his decision in May 2001 to free two Reformasi activists – N Gobalakrishnan and Abdul Ghani Haroon – arrested under ISA at the height of repression against the Reformasi movement under former autocrat Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In the present judgment, Hishamudin’s courageous and righteous act has undoubtedly brought cheers to a nation long dismayed by unrelenting decline in judicial integrity and most recently shocked by the stunning revelation of the Lingam video clip.

In this latest scandal, lawyer VK Lingam was allegedly conspiring with present Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim in a telephone conversation to “fix” judicial appointments, apparently inspired by their personal loyalty to then premier Mahathir in 2002.

Subsequent events had turned out to tally with the scenario outlined in the Lingam-Fairuz conversation, thus strengthening the credibility of this tape.

Such subjugation of judiciary to political manipulation has in fact been common knowledge, as evident from many cases of glaring perversion of justice whenever the interests of the ruling power so dictate.

The deterioration of our judiciary has however hastened in recent years as seen in the rapid promotion of judges of dubious records in a process shrouded in secrecy.

Some of these promotions are seen as rewards for having “delivered” in the shameful Anwar trials and appeals.

Skewed judicial system

A prominent example of this skewed system of promotion is seen in the contrast of fortunes between Justice Hishamudin and Justice Augustine Paul (of the infamous Anwar trial fame).

While Paul, newly promoted to High Court to handle the Anwar case in 1998, had leapfrogged to the nation’s highest court (Federal Court) by 2005, Hishamudin has remained stagnant as a High Court judge since 1995, despite his illustrious judicial record.

Another example is Court of Appeal judge Gopal Sri Ram, the most senior judge who has made Malaysians proud for his many impartial and courageous judgments, has been by-passed for promotion to the Federal Court 14 times by his juniors since his direct appointment to the Court of Appeal in 1994.

Some of these promoted on the express train had stayed in the Court of Appeal for only one year, notably those who were seen to have “delivered”.

The moral of the story in our judiciary is obvious: fortune only smiles on those who are obedient and submissive, but woe to those who are steadfastly principled.

Under such a system, is there any wonder why our judiciary has been traveling on a downward slippery way?

While our spirit is buoyed by the Hishamudin judgment, we must temper our joy with the realization that the likes of Hishamudin and Sri Ram are rare gems that numerically could not influence the course of our judiciary.

As they say, one swallow does not a summer make. Judicial reform is a long journey, and we haven’t even started yet.

But start we must, as the Hishamudin judgment has already opened our eyes to the immense benefits that a just judiciary can bring to the nation.

Judicial reform a must

Imagine our courts are filled mostly with judges of Hishamudin’s integrity – from High Courts to Court of Appeal to Federal Court – and led by a chief justice of impeccable honesty and competence.

Wouldn’t that be the best deterrent against the rampant breeding of corruption and abuse of power that is raging in every strata and section of our government – the cabinet, judiciary, attorney general’s chambers, police, government departments, anti-corruption agency, election commission, statutory bodies and GLCs (government linked corporations)?

In fact, a competent judiciary can act as a powerful agent to cleanse our political and administrative systems of corruption.

Corollary to that, wouldn’t a revamped judiciary bring about a more level playing field for political contests through restoration of citizens’ constitution rights while suppressing similar infringement by the incumbent power?

Through such restoration of democracy, we will surely see the natural replacement of the corrupt and the incompetent by the bright and the dedicated to lead the nation.

In summary, a cleaner administration in a more vibrant democracy, served by a competent judiciary, is certainly the right recipe to restore investors’ confidence, which has seen steady decline in the last decade.

Judicial reform is therefore a crucial move that will bring about a turning point in our history - arresting the present decline in government quality, rejuvenating the leadership, while serving as a major catalyst to boost our economy.

It is for this reason that we cannot afford to compromise on our quest for a royal commission of enquiry to look into the judicial rot revealed by the Lingam video clip, as a first step towards full reform.

And you can contribute towards making this objective a reality by supporting a petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to set up such a royal commission.

All you need to do is to email your name with IC number to: savethejudiciary@gmail.com. The full text of the petition can be read at: http://harismibrahim.wordpress.com.

The Horror! The Horror!

The following interview is taken from Malaysiakini-the online news portal with guts that provides the news and views of ordinary and extraordinary Malaysians.

The interviewee is former ISA (Internal Security Act) detainee Abdul Malek Hussin, who was tortured while under police detention and recently won a lawsuit for human rights abuse against the Malaysian government.

The government may still appeal the decision to an appeal court.

I say we need Oscar-award winning Morgan Freeman to star in a Hollywood version of this unbelievable shockingly disgraceful episode in a once promising nation like Malaysia.

Malek: My ISA detention horror
Soon Li Tsin
Oct 20, 07 1:47pm

People often forget incidents of the past but for former ISA detainee Abdul Malek Hussin, one horror event will forever be etched in his mind - his 57 days of living hell in detention.

Abdul Malek Hussin, 51, was this week awarded RM2.5 million in damages against the government over his arrest and torture in 1998. This was the result of a civil suit he filed in March 1999, naming special branch officer Borhan Daud, the then Inspector General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor and the government as respondents.

It has been nine years since the chairperson of polls watchdog Malaysians for Free and Fair Elections (Mafrel) was detained under the draconian Internal Security Act and he recollects every moment of it in an interview with Malaysiakini.

Here are some excerpts:

Can you relate to us what happened then - what did they do to you and how you felt?

When (former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim) was expelled by the government on allegations of immoral activities, there was widespread dissent among the people against the injustice of (Anwar’s arrest) and as a private citizen, I undertook to support the cause of justice for Anwar. I was among the many who were unhappy with how the government under Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) used and abused powers to expel Anwar, and I decided to show my support.

I was involved with the reformasi movement from the first day - on Sept 4, 1998. After the arrest of Anwar Ibrahim, I took the initiative to organise another massive gathering to demand the release of Anwar and the resignation of Mahathir and Inspector-General of Police Abdul Rahim Noor then. I led the gathering at Masjid Negara on Sept 25, five days after Anwar was arrested.

(Later that day) I was arrested at my home. It was about 10-11pm and I was staying in Ampang. I returned (home) in a car driven by a friend who dropped me (off) about 200 metres from my house and the police arrested me at the gate. I was handcuffed and forced to open the gate of my house by the arresting party led by ASP Borhan Daud.

First, he forced me to open (my house door) and of course I asked him, “Why are you handcuffing me?” and he said I was being arrested under the ISA. I asked, “Why do you need to handcuff me?” he said “ISA”, and I asked him “What's the reason for my arrest?” (and he said) “ISA”. He mentioned it like some mechanic and robotic answer that everything was (under the) ISA.

He then said he wanted to conduct a search in my house and I asked him where was the warrant. In fact, I asked for the warrant of arrest under the ISA. He said it was not necessary and I asked him why and he said well, ISA, and he said I should know that.

He wanted to search my house and I asked him where was the warrant of search and again, he said it was not necessary, and I asked him why, and he said (again) ISA. I called my kids and my family to open the door and the policemen went in with their shoes straightaway to the ground floor and the first floor of my house.

Then they went to my study room and ransacked and checked all my documents. He entered my master bedroom where my wife and children were sleeping. My wife was shocked and asked me what was happening and I showed her the handcuffs and when she asked me why, I said, “ISA”.

They confiscated some documents and they also recorded the documents. After 40 minutes in my house, they told me to leave with them. I was then asked where was my car. Borhan forced me to show him my car and I said I was driven by a friend and I was dropped about 200 metres away. I showed Borhan exactly the spot where I was dropped.

My friend had just left the scene. (Borhan) became so angry and irritated by my response that he slapped me there and then - the pain I can feel until today. There is this drizzling sound I am still hearing it now, until today. I think I have got more than 40-50 percent hearing loss in my left ear. When this was brought up in the courts, Borhan denied it.

After that, he forced me into the car, it was not a police car, it was an unmarked car. I was told to wear a certain (pair of) spectacles with blurred vision but then I realised that the frame here (on the left) was broken and I told them that it was broken and they told me to (take off) my specs, and one of the officers (took) off his black T-shirt and wrapped my whole head (inside it).

You can imagine the smell from the T-shirt which he must have worn from early morning and it was then midnight. It was so smelly. They forced me down inside the car. I knelt down and told not to look anywhere because they did not want me to know where I would be taken.

They drove, and about a few minutes later the car stopped at a location. I didn't know where. They then carried me up a staircase of a building which later turn out to be the (Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters).

They brought me to a room and I was told to sign a certain (piece of) paper which stated that I was arrested under the ISA prepared by Borhan - so Borhan was the arresting officer.

After that they told me to undress - to take off my shirt and my trousers. I thought that was okay because I knew ISA detainees would be given a special detention uniform - blue in colour - so I thought I would be given a new uniform.

(After) I undressed myself completely, suddenly an officer handcuffed me very tightly from the back and there were about six to eight officers in front of me in a small room on the first floor. I was handcuffed and they blindfolded me with two (pieces of) black cloth and I was completely disoriented. I did not know who they were so I guess they were all the arresting officers led by Borhan.

Then Borhan kicked and punched me, and I can hear his voice right in front of me ... I can recognise his voice. One officer took a hard object and hit me on the right leg, another officer hit me on the left leg and then they started punching my face. Then I was given a flying kick, a side kick...

Soon I fell unconscious for the first time, and they poured water and forced me to stand up again and I fell unconscious again - all a total of five times. And I also counted how many times I was hit by using my fingers - altogether it was 63 hits. After that I could not withstand it and I passed out. That was what I could recall consciously.

In one of those moments, I was hit by a very powerful punch and suddenly my blindfold dropped down and right in front of me was (Abdul) Rahim Noor who was wearing a red (boxing) glove. He was wearing an Indonesian batik (shirt), dark trousers and brown polished shoes. I could remember and I described that in court in detail.

And because the (blindfold) had fallen, I was shocked and he was also shocked because I could recognise him and he just ran away behind the door, and the officers all fled the scene because they did not want to be recognised. Then they turned me to the wall and blindfolded me again and the beating went on until I passed out.

When I regained consciousness, it was still before 4am. They told me to go to another room with the air-cond in full blast. I was still stripped naked and my body was aching from the beatings. The air-cond was right in the middle of the room, and for every couple of minutes they poured cold water on my head... I was shivering. They asked me whether I was cold and I said yes, and they poured more cold water until about 4.30 am. Then they stopped, no questions asked.

During that ordeal, Borhan asked me if I was thirsty after all the beatings and I said “Of course”. Then suddenly one person would be holding me from the back and another opening my mouth wide open with his fingers. They then poured this dirty, rancid tasting liquid into my mouth. It was urine and they told me it was urine. Their urine, not mine. They just peed between them and they forced into my mouth two cans of their urine.

When they asked if I was hungry or not, I said “Of course, I am hungry”. Borhan told his officers to prepare tahi anjing (dog faeces) for me. It was near to my mouth, I could smell the stench.

And he threatened me that he wanted to use the syringe which contains HIV virus to be injected into my body because I told him, “You better kill me. What's the point? What are you trying to prove? What are you doing here? Why are you so cruel?” I asked them. (He said) “Oh you wanna die, oh then we'll kill you slowly, we'll put the HIV virus into you”. Of course, they didn't do that.

After about 5am, they stopped the beatings. I think they were also tired and went home.

On Sept 26, by mid-afternoon I was taken to Bukit Aman and placed in solitary confinement only to see sunshine on the 28th day of my detention. So if you ask what's my feeling about that, (it was) very cruel and inhumane. (The police) are not human. I feel even animals have compassion. Even dogs know their masters and even dogs don't bite any other people. They are worst than dogs. If people say they are anjing kerajaan (government dogs), I think at that time they were worse then dogs.

How were you treated there (in Bukit Aman)?

I wasn't allow to contact anybody. A couple of days later before the 28th day, they asked if I wanted to see my family. Of course before meeting the family they would arrange a special session for me not to mention anything about what happened to me, not to give any hint that I was tortured and to show to the family that everything was okay and to convince my family (not to file) a habeas corpus (a court application challenging the detention) or else (I) will not be released. So the threat was there.

And I told my investigating officers in Bukit Aman that I was tortured in IPK (Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters) and I want to make a police report against Borhan, they said, “No, you don't need to - we have already taken action against Borhan”. Which was, of course, not true.

I was not given any opportunity to lodge any report, not given any opportunity to meet my lawyer, no access to my family and I was only given medical attention a couple of days later in Bukit Aman.

I told the doctor and he checked me and it was confirmed in the medical report about the bruises on the left leg, the right leg, the abdomen... I complained to Dr Vasantha Ponniah about what happened to me and she had testified in court about my condition based on the bruises that I sustained.

(The) Special Branch (police) methodology is (to) give harsh treatment on the first day as a very strong reminder to the detainees that things are going to be worse if we fail to give our cooperation. It's more psychological in nature. And of course in Bukit Aman it is already more institutionalised in terms of how they handle the detainees.

I was under solitary confinement, there was no sunshine, I did not know whether it was the morning, I did not know at all. On the 28th day, on the (day of) family visit when I was taken to IPK from Bukit Aman - I really appreciate the sunlight, it was wow, the beauty of the sunray. I tell you, it was beautiful.

What was interrogation like?

I was subjected to interrogation for 17 days on the third floor of the (Bukit Aman) building. They would ask me questions from the morning, afternoon, until evening and then sometimes, late in the night. Once when they were dissatisfied with what was going on outside where people were still gathering on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (and) in Kampung Baru, they were unhappy so they call me very late in the night for further interrogation until early morning.

During the course of the interrogation by Bukit Aman officers, the questions they asked day in and day out - questions about the reformasi movement, on Anwar Ibrahim, his relationship with this person and that person.

Then Nurul Izzah was meeting (deposed Philippines president Joseph) Estrada in the Philippines and (former US secretary of state) Madeline Albright. I was inside and the activities were outside, and they were asking me what was this Gerak (reformasi coalition) and that was formed, and about political reform, on PAS, on whether ISA should be abolished or not.

They denied me of utensils if they found I was not cooperative enough. (They would) pull out the mattress or take away the pillows. After the family visited, they told me I would only be detained for a month and they would release me. (They said) if I do not get the recommendation to release me, then they would extend it until the end, and it went on until the 57th day.

There were also days when they (did) nothing. They would send the food and at that time, I got food it was like packed rice and fish with maggots. That means it was done on purpose. I mean we were detainees and this food was supposed to be provided by the government ... this means the state had provided me with rotten food.

What happened after your release?

I was released on Nov 21 and subjected to some kind of monitoring ... appointed by the Special Branch to monitor my activities. I have to report to them and they even threatened me that I could even be re-arrested.

I must cooperate with them and the psychology was that they have the power to re-arrest me. So there was that constant fear in me of being re-arrested. It took me quite some time to gather the strength and courage to lodge a police report, and I arrived at that decision in March (1999).

What influenced me much more was when the government decided to form the royal commission on (Anwar’s black eye incident) when we read about the testimony of Dr Vasantha Ponniah. Then I remembered “Well, that's the lady who treated me”. I thought that was some help. I thought that with the formation of the royal commission there will be some space to make a complaint.

From then on (during the trial), when I was cross-examined in the court, they asked me why I took such a long time. Well, this is not a road accident. This is something you have been tortured, subjected to. You need to rebuild that courage back.

Were you scared? Did you ever feel like giving up?

I tried not to look scared although I was very scared. I feel the Special Branch (officers) are almost everywhere. (I felt) intimidated but to regain that, you have to meet people, and you have to talk to people. Slowly, I started to tell people (about) what (had) happened in detention.

They were really surprised. Then friends convinced me - why not I speak out, and in February I spoke in an event organised by (opposition alliance Malaysian People's Movement for Justice) Gerak by (the late former PAS president) Fadzil Noor in Kuala Lumpur's Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in February 1999.

I regained my courage and you have to make the most of the (police) report. And you have the understanding that you (would) be accused of making a false report. I have to prepare a very lengthy police report and very detailed and an affidavit to file for the civil suit.

How does your family feel about all this?

They are used to what I have been doing. They are very supportive of my activities. The fact that my children and wife knew that I’ve already resolved to report (on) activities for the rights of the people, political activities or social activism.

They've been very supportive in the sense that there has been no resentment from my family.