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news without borders
BN convention to chart future course: PM
by Tim Leonard
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday the
Barisan Nasional (BN) convention to be held
in February will chart the direction of the rul-
ing coalition in years to come by taking into
consideration the views of the BN component
parties and the people.
At a press conference after charing a
three-hour BN supreme council meeting
at the Umno headquarters, he said the BN
sceretariat will make the preparations for
the convention.
“The BN convention is on,” Abdullah
said.
“We will identify the steps to be taken, es-
pecially after the results of the March general
election. We are listening (to the people) and
responding in many ways.”
He said the date and duration of the
convention will be decided by the supreme
council later.
Abdullah said the convention will take into
account the different opinions, views and re-
quests of the different groups in the country,
including non-governmental organisations.
He said several sensitive issues were
raised by the component parties during the
meeting yesterday.
“Yes, we discussed several sensitive is-
sues but I don’t want to elaborate on them
... but we are open and understand (each
another),” Abdullah said.
He also said the BN will not stop the
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) from pulling
out of the coalition as the government has
no intention to abolish the Internal Security
Act (ISA).
PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas issued
the BN an ultimatum recently to abolish the
ISA before the next general election or else
the party will pull out of the coalition
“It’s their choice ... if they want to (pull
out), it’s their choice. What can we do?”
Abdullah said.
Kayveas was not present at the meeting
theSun
and did not respond to phone calls or
text messages from theSun.
Abdullah also said the BN is con-
fident of winning the Kuala Tereng-
ganu by-election. It will decide soon
on the best candidate to contest
the seat, left vacant following the
death of Datuk Razali Ismail from a
heart attack on Nov 28.
“We are confident (of retaining
the seat),”Abullah said.
In 2004, Razali defeated PAS
candidate Syed Azman Syed Ahmad
by 1,933 votes and in the March 8
general election, he won by a slim 628-
vote majority by defeating Mohammad
Sabu of PAS.
He also said the government
is considering gazetting all
hillside areas as forest
reserves to prevent
incidents like the
one in Bukit
Antarabangsa.
’Ride for Change’
campaigners arrested
by Karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: Six people, com-
prisinging Sungai Siput MP Dr D.
Jeyakumar, four coordinators of the
Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) coa-
lition and a bus driver, were arrested
near Kuala Kangsar during their
“Ride for Change” cycling campaign
yesterday.
The coordinators – Rani Rasiah,
53, M. Sukumaran, 47, P. Jody, 49,
and M. Karthiges, 27 – were arrested
when they refused to provide the
particulars of the 44 participants
who followed them in a bus.
The team was travelling to Sun-
gai Siput from Kamunting when they
were stopped by police at the Kuala
Kangsar exit along the North-South
Expressway at about 12.30pm.
Jerit national coordinator Y. Kohila
told theSun police stopped the bus
and asked for the details of all the
participants.
Hindraf and Penan get
human rights awards
by S. Tamarai Chelvi
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf and the
Penans of Ulu Baram, Sarawak
received Suaram’s Human Rights
Award yesterday for their courage,
perseverance and achievements in
defending human rights.
The two groups were among
six nominees, which included the
Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections
(Bersih), urban settlers of Kampung
Berembang, the Kampung Chang
Sungai Gepai community of Bidor,
Perak and the Bar Council’s Human
Rights Committee.
The awards were presented at
ceremonies in Kuala Lumpur and
the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Suaram (Suara Rakyat Malaysia)
also launched its “Malaysia Civil
and Political Rights Report 2008” at
the event.
Sahabat Wanita’s Irene Xavier,
who was on the panel of judges,
said Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action
Force) made “a significant change
in the thinking of the community”.
“Within a short period of time,
Hindraf had successfully captivated,
mobilised and empowered vast
numbers of Malaysians of Indian
ethnic origin to struggle against
| WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 10 2008
On the February convention:
We will identify the steps
to be taken, especially
after the results of the March
general election. We are
listening (to the people) and
responding in many ways.”
On PPP’s threat to leave BN if the ISA is
not abolished:
It’s their choice ... if they
want to (pull out), it’s their
choice. What can we do?”
On the Kuala Terengganu by-election:
We are confident (of
retaining the seat).”
When the coordinators asked
why they had been stopped, police
said they were curious as to why the
bus was carrying so many people.
Kohila said the coordinators, who
refused to provide the details of the
participants, gave theirs instead.
She said police demanded that
the bus driver, S. Vasuabbraw, 49,
open the door to allow them to
take down details, and arrested him
when he refused to do so unless
instructed by the coordinators.
The participants in the bus were
taken to a police station for ques-
tioning and released later. The six
who were arrested were released
on police bail in the evening.
Kohila said a team member was
manhandled by police. She alleged
that they punched her in the face
and sexually assaulted her outside
the police station.
She said the incident was wit-
nessed by two others in the team.
The woman has lodged a report.
very powerful interests and forces,”
she said.
“There is also no denying that
Hindraf had a big impact on the
Malaysian political scene in 2008
and its rise has in fact surprised and
captured the imagination of many
Malaysians, and has also inspired
others.”
On the Penan people, Xavier
said Suaram recognised their long,
difficult struggle as an isolated com-
munity.
“They have been defending their
traditional lands from encroach-
ment, especially by loggers, since
the early 1980s.”
The Penan issue is the non-rec-
ognition of their native customary
right over their traditional land.
Representing Hindraf were its
national coordinator R.S. Thanen-
thiran and national event coordina-
tor R. Kannan, and the Penan, Tuai
Kampung Tirong Lawing, 60, and Nik
Kelesau, 43.
Thanenthiran said the award
“goes to all who came to the street
to prove that the oppressed and
marginalised can’t be stopped”. Nik
thanked all those who contributed
to efforts to defend Penan land.
The recipients each also received
RM1,000.