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CIJ: Stop crushing dissent
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The government’s response
against protesters calling for the abolition of
the teaching of science and mathematics
in English “shows it is silencing public criti-
cism rather than responding to community
concern”, the Centre for Independent Jour-
nalism (CIJ) said yesterday.
In urging the government to stop crush-
ing dissent, CIJ warned that action, such as
the police crackdown on protesters who
attempted to march to Istana Negara to
present a memorandum last Saturday, would
alienate the people from the government.
“Rather than illustrating the government’s
ability to explain its stance, the crackdown
will cause further discontent with the gov-
ernment’s handling of this issue,” it said in
a statement.
CIJ expressed concern over police
actions against the group, known as the
Movement for the Abolition of the Teaching
of Mathematics and Science in English (Ma-
lay acronym GMP) who want the national
language to be used to teach all subjects in
national schools.
“While the police had allowed the sub-
mission of the memorandum to the palace
by national laureate A. Samad Said, the
police action against GMP is uncalled for
and a violation of freedom of speech and
assembly,” it said.
It noted that according to local newspa-
per reports, 124 people were arrested and
police had fired tear gas at the protesters,
numbering between 5,000 and 10,000 as
they started their march to the palace.
Roadblocks were also erected on major
roads leading to the capital as part of police
efforts to stop the protest.
“We call on the police to release those
arrested and the government to engage
in constructive efforts to explain, revise or
abolish, instead of going after those who
raise the criticism against the policy,” CIJ
said.
“ Exercise of freedom of expression
should be treated as a check and balance
mechanism in democracy instead of as
criminal activity,” it said.
Gerakan: Consider
BN-PR coalition
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GERAKAN vice-president
Datuk Mah Siew Keong urged
Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pa-
katan Rakyat (PR) to consider
forming a coalition government
to put an end to all political
controversies and to work to-
gether to improve the country’s
economy.
Mah said this in response to
PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul
Hadi Awang’s recent suggestion
for PAS and Umno to form a
coalition government.
Speaking to Sin Chew Daily
after attending a temple function
in Telok Intan on Sunday, Mah
said it is unacceptable if a coali-
tion is formed only between PAS
and Umno.
But if the proposal is for
a coalition government to be
formed by all component parties
of BN and PR, then it should be
studied and considered, he said.
“Since 308 (March 8 general
MCA dialogue with
27 Chinese groups
MCA Chinese Guilds and As-
sociations Consultative Bureau
chief Datuk Seri Liow Tiong
Lai said the party will hold a
dialogue with 27 Chinese groups
next Monday to seek a consensus
on issues affecting the Chinese
community.
According to a report in
Nanyang Siang Pau yesterday,
he said the Chinese groups
invited to the dialogue, which
will be held at Wisma MCA in
Kuala Lumpur, include Hua
Zong (Federation of Chinese
Associations of Malaysia), As-
sociated Chinese Chambers
of Commerce and Industry of
Malaysia (ACCCIM) and Seven
Major Chinese Clans Associa-
tions of Malaysia.
Disclosing this at a function
in Merlimau, Malacca, on Satur-
day night, Liow described it as
a healthy development and will
help resolve problems affecting
the Chinese. He urged Chinese
groups to work closely with the
party.
“Due to the large number of
Chinese groups, we will hold
interaction sessions with them
600 would-be sailors
cheated of RM150,000
A CONMAN cheated 600 would-
be sailors of a total of RM150,000
in introduction fee with promises
of well-paying jobs on a cargo
ship, China Press reported yes-
terday.
The victims, who are from
different parts of the peninsula,
realised they were cheated when
buses that were supposed to take
them to Singapore to board the
cargo ship did not turn up at pick-
up points in Johor as promised.
Some quit their jobs in order to
join the cargo ship that was sup-
pose to pay as much as S$6,000
(RM14,400) a month.
According to the report, the
conman, identified only 36-year-
old Ah Kwang, spread the word
during Chinese New Year that
a Singapore-registered cargo
ship was looking for general
workers.
Because of the high pay, word
spread very fast and before long
some 600 people from as far as
Penang signed up.
They paid Ah Kwang S$100 or
| TUESDAY MARCH 10 2009
election last year), the people
are deeply concerned about
issues regarding the economy,
crime and politics,” said Mah.
“A 27.8% drop in the country’s
exports for January indicates
the severity of the economic
problem we are facing.”
Mah said Hadi Awang’s
coalition government concept
was rejected by some Umno
leaders.
He said Umno should not be
so quick in rejecting the PAS
leader’s proposal but study and
consider it in the interest of the
people and the country.
in stages, so that all of them will
have a chance to present their
views or submit memoran-
dums,” he said.
He said the bureau will raise
consensus reached at such dia-
logues with the party’s central
leadership or the cabinet via po-
litical channels in order to seek
solutions to problems facing the
Chinese community.
Liow, who is also MCA vice-
president, stressed that racial su-
premacy should not be allowed
to rear its head in Malaysia.
He welcomed the remark by
the Raja of Perlis recently that all
Malaysians are equal.
Said Liow: “Malaysia has
been independent for 51 years;
the country is peaceful which
shows that the people are peace-
loving.”
He hit out at a small group
of people for stoking racial
sentiments for personal political
agenda. “We must be mindful at
all times that it is important for
us to maintain racial harmony,
mutual respect among races and
to uphold the constitution,” he
added.
RM250 each giving him personal
particulars including their bank
account numbers.
They were told to gather at
various pick-up points in Johor
Baru on Sunday morning to be
taken to Singapore where the
ship is berthed.
After waiting for up to six
hours in vain for the buses, they
contacted Johor Jaya assembly-
man Tan Cher Puk to complain
that they were cheated.
Some of the victims told
Tan they had quit their jobs in
Singapore in order to take up the
offer.
An insurance agent identified
only as Yii, who has been acting
as the middleman between Ah
Kwang and some of the victims,
said the last time he saw the con-
man was on Saturday.
“We even had a drink together
last night. I became suspicious
when the buses failed to turn
up. Now Ah Kwang is no longer
contactable,” he said as Tan tried
to pacify the victims.