12 TELLING IT AS IT IS theSun | TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3 2009

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IT looks like Transport Minister and received kickbacks.

Only pure intentions

MCA chief Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat
is fair game, with the “best singles
player ever” getting hammered from
all sides. The latest to join the Ong
bashing bandwagon is Sri Gading
MP Mohamad Aziz. But what does
raise one’s eyebrows is Mohamad
attacking KPI Minister Tan Sri Dr
Koh Tsu Khoon, saying “Mr Nice
Guy” should also step down as he
had lost the support of his constitu-
ents, having been defeated in last
year’s general election.
He equated Koh’s political set-
back to Ong losing the support of
delegates as party president at the
recent EGM.
What gets one’s antenna up is
that Ong began facing a backlash
following his push for full disclo-
sure on the Port Klang Free Zone
(PKFZ) scandal.
Likewise, Koh who has man-
aged to stay in the shadows for this
long, suddenly finds the spotlight on
him. Why?
Koh’s Gerakan vice-president
Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said at
the party’s AGM on Sunday that this
may also be linked to PKFZ. “On
Sept 6, our president as the minister
in charge of key performance index,
had only openly stated his support
for a royal commission to probe the
PKFZ scandal,” Teng said.
It may be a shot in the dark,
but it does give rise to some sort of
speculation.
in quit call please
It is good that the prime minister
responded swiftly to this by indi-
rectly telling Sri Gading to shut his
trap, saying it was his prerogative to
appoint Koh.
I don’t want to delve too much
into the politics and I am not going
to endorse anyone for MCA’s leader-
ship. Like all Malaysians – partisan
and non-partisan – all I want to see
is a culmination of the scandal and
those who wasted RM12.5 billion of
taxpayers’ money brought to book.
But I am wondering why has
there been no dearth of people
demanding the heads of those who
had exposed and supported the
opening of the Pandora’s box with
regards to PKFZ.
Whose message was Mohamad
sending when he asked Ong and
Koh to step down? The component
party he represents? His own? Cer-
tain businessmen? The rakyat’s?
Or Back Benchers Club
(BBC) chairman Datuk
Seri Tiong King Sing,
who is in the thick of
the scandal?
If Mohamad is really
pushing for account-
ability, why he is silent
on Tiong’s position
as BBC chairman is
beyond me. Shouldn’t
he ask Tiong to quit as Down2Earth
BBC chairman until his
name is cleared? by Terence Fernandez
After all, how is he to
function as BBC chair-
man with these issues hovering
over his head – issues he as mem-
ber of Parliament and BBC chief is
supposed to question, and not be
embroiled in.
Also if he is sincere, then he
should have asked both Ong and
Tiong to step aside following claims
But it is troubling to learn that
the prime minister had to resist
calls from several sectors within his
own party to remove Ong. Datuk
Seri Mohd Najib Razak, we are
told, stood his ground when several
party members indicated that full
disclosure of PKFZ may hurt their
comrades.
I am not insinuating anything
but I am reminded of the adage that
people in glass houses shouldn’t
cast stones. And as representatives
of the rakyat, politicians should be
that the latter gave the whiter than white with no room for
former RM10 million. speculation as to their background
By opening his and intentions. (Although, many
mouth, Mohamad has would deem it a paradox to equate
also exposed himself, politics with anything as pure as the
with at least one news colour white.)
portal claiming busi- In the meantime, if those run-
ness links. This is yet ning the country and representing
to be proven, but one the rakyat cannot be on the same
is reminded that MCA page over such a grave matter as in
Youth chief Datuk Wee the waste of public funds, all I can
Ka Siong has also been say is “God save Malaysia”.
a recent critic of Ong.
While Wee may be
voicing the feelings of Terence did not play dress up to
the majority, his inten- observe Halloween last week because
tions become questionable if it is there are enough “hantus” masquer-
proven that a company supposedly ading as people’s representatives
linked to him had done work for the and guardians of our interests out
free zone, sub-contracted by Tiong’s there. He is deputy editor (special
company Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd. reports & investigations) and can
It is unfair to accuse Wee of be reached at terence@thesundaily.
anything. As he told me the onus is com and followed on twitter @Ter-
on the accusers to prove that he had encetheSUN

letters
letters@thesundaily.com

Prisoners in their
Stop the war against nature
WITH all the recent focus on war crimes and the
evils of war, there is a much overlooked war, the
people. This is being undertaken despite the state
having no need for additional energy. To add insult to
own land
war against nature. And Malaysia wages this war as injury, the Environmental Impact Assessment for each by Leow Mei Chern in the process. Common
resolutely as any country. of these projects has not been released to the public simplistic assumptions that
At the receiving end are not only some of our or to stakeholders. SOMETIMES, we miss the indigenous groups just do not
indigenous people like the Penans but also our bio- In the nineties, the deforestation rate in Malaysia forest for the trees. Often, want “progress” or that they
logical storehouse of plants and animals that God has averaged 78,000ha a year but in the early years of this we fail to humanise those do not know what’s good for
endowed to our land. decade, this has surged to 140,000ha a year. different from us; something them, are still very much alive.
Logging companies, in their quest for timber, have Most of our lowland forest habitats have already that must be reflected upon Malaysians are no different in
for decades waged war against nature and tribal been ravaged. There are still forests left in Malaysia after watching Prisoners of a this indifference, and we need
people in Sarawak with great success. but this is mainly because they have been naturally White God which was shown all the help we can to awaken
Our plantation companies have joined this on- defended by our inaccessible rugged mountainous at the FreedomFilmFest KL our public consciousness to
slaught against nature. In Sabah, for instance, what terrain in the interior. But our businessmen and politi- 2009. In this documentary, truly understand why some
was once prime lowland forest is now occupied by cians ably supported by engineering consultants have Czech researcher Tomáš
Ryška investigates wrong-
Freespace are “prisoners in their own
land”.
1.3 million hectares of oil palm plantations. This has now begun to encroach into these regions with their
doings against the Akhas Where young views rule This film is also a reminder
driven forest dwellers such as the orangutan, the sun ingenious schemes to wage war for money.
bear and the rhinoceros to the brink of extinction. At the individual level, every polluter who pollutes – a small mountain ethnic of how we ought to be care-
In July, a company announced its intention to our drains and rivers is also waging war against tribe in the Thai and Laotian ful in the charity that we do,
convert 100,000ha of forested land belonging to nature. Every enforcement officer or director general mountains. or with making public or private entities
native people in Sarawak and Sabah to oil palm who accepts a bribe so that an unlawful activity such The film documents the change expe- accountable for what they preach. Plant-
plantations. as the discharge of untreated effluent or the poaching rienced by the Akhas over two years and ing trees, being “green”, and using popular
But Malaysian companies do not stop their war of our wildlife can continue is guilty of the same. their reality with forced relocation, cultural lingo like “sustainability” and “unity” not
against nature at our borders. They are active in many Our war against nature has been led to a large genocide and many other unjust violations only makes good advertising under the
countries from Latin America and Africa to Indonesia extent by a runaway development agenda under- by certain missionaries and developmental guise of corporate social responsibility or
and Papua New Guinea. Recently, a Malaysian com- pinned by cronyism, corruption, crippling of public projects. These were dramatically captured campaigns, but also distract us from the
pany signed a deal to convert 220,000ha of land to oil institutions, removal of checks and balances and the and narrated, giving an insight into the reality of any wrongdoings that may occur;
palm and rubber plantations in Liberia. violation of human rights. realities faced by indigenous people and if a company publicly appropriates an envi-
The chief minister of Sarawak has also been waging Yes, we ought to welcome the call to name and marginalised groups. ronmental cause, are its business practices
his own relentless war against nature. Besides giving shame those of us – individuals and companies – who However, concerns with issues of objec- really green and are they committing or
carte blanche to logging and oil palm companies, he have been responsible in one way or another for an tivity and dramatic techniques used in this allowing human rights violations to occur?
has launched a grand plan to build 12 mega hydro- act of war. film were raised during its post-screening Entities, be it companies, politicians or
electric dams, in a joint venture with state companies discussion, with some misgivings over the governments, that appropriate and ride on
from China. This will destroy and flood vast expanses JC Tansen accuracy of its title. While it is good to be popular causes for cheap publicity, while
of forested lands that are also home to our native Petaling Jaya discerning and critical regarding the reli- performing hypocritical or unjust acts on
ability of certain scenes in the film, perhaps the other hand, are deceitful to the public
the more pertinent issue to be discussed and further restrict our democratic space
was about religious aid, or developmental by usurping and diluting the language used
Show us the figures on old cars projects in relation to the reality faced by for a cause.
people they are supposed to be helping. Prisoners of a White God is a beautiful
IT is surprising that the govern- Mandatory inspections will old vehicle is not roadworthy. Prisoners of a White God is an apt title, documentary to be appreciated for its abil-
ment wants to subject cars older require us to spend at least one Which bank will provide an elderly because it beautifully encompasses the ity to engage and the honesty of its agenda,
than 10 years to an inspection whole day at Puspakom and it also applicant a car loan to buy a new gist of the film by also referring to the which is the well-being of the Akhas, and
for road tax renewals from next means forking out more money. Is car? It can be depressing to the capitalistic and western development that in doing so exposes the dangers of bigotry
year. The reasons do not make any this policy in line with the 1Malay- retiree and his or her family’s the mainstream all aspire to. It is essen- or the perceived infallibility of certain or-
sense to the owners. First, we are sia concept? Before such a move mobility may be compromised. tially about bigotry and how sometimes ganisations. It is also an important reminder
far from being a developed nation was suggested, the authorities And last, what are the inspec- so-called good intentions can cause harm. that perhaps we should all be more critical
that needs regulations that further should have shown the public the tion tests? It will be improper to The relevance of this film giving insight into about our own perceptions of how things
burden the public, especially the statistics as to how many vehicles apply the same standards used for the reality faced by indigenous or marginal- “should be” and the nature of help that we
lower-income groups. more than 10 years old are the new cars. Will this be transparent ised groups is so much more urgent than, support or give others.
Second, have the relevant cause of accidents. so as to ensure that elements of say, whether the way it was filmed was too
agencies done their homework in This policy is not only a burden corruption do not creep in? dramatic or not.
recognising that many owners of to car owners but also brings us It is high time the related It would be unfortunate if this insight The writer believes that police and state
“old” cars have maintained their to the issue of priorities. The au- agencies do a reality check on the were to be understated, as public opinion resources should be used to fight crime
vehicles in tip-top condition. I am a thorities seem to be pushing those ground before making policies. is such that it is so easy to overlook the instead of monitoring film screenings.
proud owner of a 15-year-old Nis- with old cars to buy new models. Retrospective corrections seem rights of indigenous peoples, and how Prisoners of a White God is found online
san Sunny that has served me well Such policies do not reflect well to be the order of the day. convenient it is to accept the justification licensed under a Creative Commons
with minimal maintenance cost. for a caring government. What will of “development” without consideration Licence. Comments: letters@thesundaily.
It is economical and and has not the recourse be for a 60-year-old Narinder Pal Singh of how marginalised groups are harmed com
once broken down. retiree when told that his or her Shah Alam