View issues with Tan Seng Giaw

Khamis, 29 September 2011

View issues with Tan Seng Giaw

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 12:25 AM PDT

DAP National Deputy Chairman reiterates that the Central Government should have a time-table for the abolition of the Internal Security Act, ISA, and the promulgation of new laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act, the contents of which should be made public.

On 28,9,2011, Dr Tan spoke at the Proham (Association for The Promotion of Human Rights) meeting at a committee room in parliament. The meeting was addressed by YB Datuk Dr HJ Wan Junaidi, the Deputy Speaker, attended by Datuk Abu Zahar Ujang, Speaker of the Senate. The meeting was moderated by Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria.

The Proham Secretary is Datuk Michael Yeoh. Besides two MPs , YB Ngeh Koo Ham, YB Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad & YB Senator Dato PK Suppiah, I was the only MP who participated. The rest were mostly journalists.

It is a good thing to see people interested in human rights. I assume that all are genuine. I hope the discussion would not be much ado about nothing.

I started to speak on himan rights in 1976. Eleven years later, I was one of them sent to the Kamunting University uder ISA, Operation Lalang, which is recorded in the book The First 60 Days.

Internatinally, there are the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Charter, International Court and many Human Rights NGOs. These are good things. All human beings should have human rights. But, these rights should not be abused or misused.

For example, Sadam Hussein of Iraq, Mujahidin of Afghanistan and Gaddafi of Libya imprisoned, tortured and killed many people. But, the United States (US), European Union (EU) and others have used these and the responsibility to protect against Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, destroying the leaders and killing many innocent people. What do the US and the EU get in return?

EU military aircratfs had over 200.000 sorties over Libya with over 7,500 strikes over Gadaffi's targets. What is the actual number?. EU soldiers trained and fought side-by-side anti-Gadaffi forces. How many people have they tortured and killed?

What is powerful for good is also powerful for evil.

Nationally, successive Prime Ministers solomnly promised against the use of ISA on politicians. I met all of them except Tun Razak. The first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman stressed that the object of ISA was to deal with communists and not with politicians. The invocation of ISA to detain people who are opposed to government policies is unjustifiable.

On 3.11.1998, I met Mr H R Hickling at a Human Rights Seminar. He drafted ISA in 1960. I told him I was detained under ISA. "Is that so.?" he asked. " Did they give you the whole works?"

Now, PM Najib has claimed credit for the intention to abolish ISA. Let us have a time-table for its abolition and the promulgation of new laws such as Anti-Terrorism Act. Lets define terrorism, preventive detention, the power of the Home Minister, the Advisory Board or its equivalent. Such a law should not be abused.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw.

General elections After electoral Reform

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 12:45 AM PDT

DAP Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw reiterates that the BN Government must be fair and just in dealing with electoral reform such as setting up the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) with fair representations and holding general elections after PSC has completed fair recommendations.

On 25.9.2011, Dr Tan spoke at the DAP FT KL Convention.

Malaysians are keeping an eye on when the Prime Minister YAB Najib will announce the date of the general elections. Pakatan Rakyat (PR) including DAP must be fully prepared for the coming elections.

Our electoral system is full of irregularities such as phantom voters. Bersih 2.0 calls for clean and fair elections, receiving widespread reactions. BN Government has acted high-handedly on Bersih 2.0 and those who demand clean elections. Now Najib wants to form PSC during the parliamentary session which begins on October 3, 2011. He speaks of electoral reform.

PSC should be based on fairness and justice, starting from representations in the committee and the electoral reform. The Government has indicated that it will take six months to complete its work. General elections should only be announced after PSC has submitted fair recommendations which are accepted by the Election Commission.

DAP KL Federal Territory Chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw believes that there must be political commitment and action to adopt effective economic measures in order to alleviate the effects of the world economic downturn.

Dr Tan Spoke at the DAP KL FT convention on 25.9.2011.

Global economy is entering a dangerous phase, Enrozone is in crisis and the US economy is not good. These have implications on other countries including Malaysia.

YAB Najib says he wants to increase investment and local demand as well as keeping prices of goods down. We need political commitment and action as well as integrity to do these. We hope that with improved investment, more jobs will be created.

For example, recently communications companies intended to ask 13 million users of prepaid hand phones to pay 6% service tax. This will be a factor in the rise of the cost of living. The Government negotiated with communications companies. Hitherto, this is not implemented. What will happen next?

The authorities must have integrity and professionalism in managing huge public funds such as the Employees' Provident Fund with assets of US$98.8 billion ( nearly RM300 bil). Prevent all forms of irregularities.

We must create a culture to nurture and keep talents in the country.

Most governments definitely say that they like to keep talented people and professionals. This is what people expect to hear. What is a talent? What does it mean to nurture and keep talents?

The nurturing and keeping of talents is very complex. This includes the system of education and administration. Selection and promotion of talents are not just based on the examination results, but also on other aspects such as special characteristics, the protection of controversies and young people.

We talk about brain drain in Malaysia. The Prime Minisrer YAB Datuk Seri Najib prattles about keeping talents; he hopes one day Malaysians will win the Nobel Prize. On 22.9.2011, Minister in the PM's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed repeated the statement that there are over 1 million Malaysian professionals overseas, 57% of them remaining in Singapore.

Those countries that manage to atract more inflow than outflow of talents have definite incentives including salaries and low taxes. Nurturing and keeping talents is a culture. Malaysia desperately needs one.

Even in government departments and universities such as the top university in this country, University of Malaya, really good people face difficulties. Cronyism still exists. Clever people tend to have controversies and departmental heads usually avoid controversies to protect themselves. These must be solved rationally.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong

Tan Seng Giaw

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Khamis, 29 September 2011