Ahad, 18 Ogos 2013

Nurul Izzah Anwar

Nurul Izzah Anwar


The Star: Nurul describes her questioning by police a ‘ridiculous exercise’

Posted: 17 Aug 2013 08:33 PM PDT

Published: Saturday August 17, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Saturday August 17, 2013 MYT 7:44:49 AM

PETALING JAYA: Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, who was called in for questioning at the district police station yesterday in relation of some allegedly seditious remark, said it was "a ridiculous exercise" by the police.

"The police are supposed to focus on ending the spate of shootings," she said, adding that she was unsure whether she was being questioned as a witness or as a suspect in relation to the utterance of allegedly seditious remarks during a Suaram fund-raising event.

Suaram secretariat member Cynthia Gabriel was also called to give a statement on Aug 8, two weeks after the dinner which was held to raise funds for the inquiry in France over the Scorpene submarine purchase by the Malaysian navy.

Meanwhile, lawyer for the late private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, Americk Singh was also questioned regarding his speech at the dinner.

When contacted, Americk said that he was unsure of the reason behind the questioning.

Meanwhile, Suaram had released a press statement condemning the questioning of Nurul Izzah and Americk.

When contacted, Petaling Jaya deputy OCPD Supt Fadil Marsus said the questioning was a normal procedure to support investigations.

"Police are not out to make anyone a suspect," he said.

In the statement, Suaram executive director Nalini Elumalai said since the interview with Cynthia Gabriel more then a week ago, the police had not shown proof of any seditious remarks during the speeches, or at any other point during the dinner.

"Suaram strongly condemns the ongoing harassment against its members, as well as those who attended the dinner.

"We strongly believe that this investigation is politically motivated and is purely a form of harassment and intimidation against Suaram and its members for exposing information related to the ongoing Scorpene case in the French court," she said.

Source:
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/08/17/Nurul-describes-her-questioning-by-police-a-ridiculous-exercise.aspx

Malaysia Must Self Liberalise – Not Dictated Through TPPA’s Forceful Regulations

Posted: 17 Aug 2013 06:23 PM PDT

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17 AUGUST 2013

Malaysia Must Self Liberalise – Not Dictated to by TPPA

The special Cabinet meeting on TPPA held last Friday was timely, albeit belated. The resolution made adhered to several previous key demands that were first highlighted by several NGOs as well as the Pakatan Rakyat.

The cabinet has instructed the Malaysian negotiators to continue with negotiations whilst ensuring Malaysia’s sovereignty is defended; only terms in the TPPA that are favourable to Malaysia are to be agreed upon. Needless to add, the cabinet must be made aware that such negotiations are at a tail end.

The cabinet also agreed that two more cost benefit analyses (CBAs) are to be conducted – focusing primarily on interests of small and medium-scale enterprises and the bumiputera business community, as well as a comprehensive analysis of national interests in all chapters being negotiated.

MITI, being our lead TPPA focal point has also reiterated to the cabinet that engagement with all stakeholders would continue prior to conclusion of the TPPA – much intensified, and more transparently.

It is my view that the TPPA has revealed three fundamental challenges facing us as a nation. These require immediate remedial action.

First, our challenge is to have a more meaningful and inclusive stakeholder participation prior to signing international agreements.

Other major trade agreements

Despite the current ruckus on the TPPA, we cannot forget the other two major trade agreements which are also being negotiated: RCEP – Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (ASEAN + 6 FTA partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea) and Malaysia-EU FTA.

As such, we need a parliamentary oversight and a ratification process to ensure international agreements undergo rigorous scrutiny, in line with the principle of separation of powers.

The executive cannot and must not be the sole determinator of all decisions that can affect, at times adversely, the future of this nation.

The parliamentary caucus on the TPPA should be upgraded to a parliamentary select committee (PSC) -which will provide a more formal arrangement, and allow for greater, more significant engagement, and transparent mechanism in the House. Such a trade based PSC can be utilised to discern the contents for all trade negotiations (TPPA, RCEP, Malaysia-EU FTA).

Such rigour and layers of accountability could prove useful in managing different outcomes than the one we saw in past failed international disputes and agreements – whether it be water, Tanjung Pagar or the Pulau Batu Putih, with Singapore, or even the Blok L and M petroleum territorial rights with Brunei.

Second, our challenge is to be prepared to compete better, globally.

Our ‘competitive capacity’ has not been adequately developed despite the opportunities, protectionism and billions of resources spent, or rather, wasted.

Much of the failures are due to gross economic and educational policy mismanagement.

We have several examples such as Proton’s inability to compete domestically let alone establish itself as a global brand, unlike Kia or Hyundai – despite being overly subsidised by the rakyat since its inception in 1983.

What about Perwaja that was supposed to make us a steel powerhouse with an international steel-dependent shipbuilding and construction industry?

And what has become of our Malaysia Electric Corporation (MEC) that could have been our nation’s answer to Samsung? We could have been a global producer of smartphones, computers and electrical appliances with the right policies and implementation.

TPPA should not be priority

Instead of placing our priority on TPPA, I believe we first urgently need at least a 10 year national competitiveness capacity-building vision and plan that includes political reforms, economic restructuring and an education revolution.

It has to be more far-reaching and more robust than the national transformation agenda with its GTP and ETP. We need to start implementing competition domestically to prepare us for global competition.

Third, our challenge is to protect our finite natural resources for national development.

TPPA has revealed that we need to protect our sources of national wealth first before being subjected to an international free trade agreement that demands equal access and rights not only to our markets but also natural resources.

Our petroleum resources are protected by our Petroleum Development Act through various regulations and production sharing contract mechanisms that allows us to retain ‘sovereignty’ and benefit from the revenue generated.

We now must look at one of the last significant natural resources, which is our rich biodiversity.

Malaysia can be the next ‘global life science hub’ – our biodiversity can be the source of new medicines, further developing bioengineering and biochemical industry.

The government is not allocating resources nor paying enough attention to this industry.

Despite Malaysia being acknowledged as rich in biodiversity, studies have shown that Malaysia spends only about 30 percent of what is spent per hectare on protected areas by developed countries.

A global study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the US lists Malaysia among the “highly unfunded countries for biodiversity conservation”, ranking 7th behind Iraq, Djibouti and Angola.
Disjointed and fragmented
Although there is a policy framework through the national policy on biodiversity developed in 1998, institutional bodies governing biodiversity is disjointed and fragmented.

At the Federal level, there are at least seven departments, three ministries, nine agencies and while all 13 states have rights relating to biodiversity.

Additionally, there is a need to develop and nurture our intellectual property to ensure growth and innovations in biodiversity are sustainable.

To protect our natural treasures and encourage growth in this industry, as a first step, I will submit a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament for a National Biodiversity Genetic Code Patent Licensing Act.

The next parliamentary sitting should provide the opportunity for the prime minister to set up a parliamentary standing committee for trade agreements, and reform existing practice to include a parliamentary ratification requirement for all any trade agreements.

The truth is, such deliberations and uproar on the TPPA should propel us to demand political reforms, economic restructuring and educational revolution in guaranteeing our nation’s global competitiveness future.

We should determine the outcome and the pace of reforms, not any other nation.

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Member of Parliament Lembah Pantai
Vice President of PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT

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KENYATAAN MEDIA
UNTUK SEBARAN SEGERA
17 OGOS 2013

Mulakan Liberalisasi Ekonomi tanpa paksaan TPPA

Persetujuan Sidang Kabinet khas berkenaan TPPA yang berlangsung Jumaat lepas walaupun terlambat, sangat dialu-alukan. Resolusi yang dicapai telah memenuhi beberapa tuntutan utama yang telah diketengahkan oleh beberapa NGO dan Pakatan Rakyat sebelum ini.

Sidang Kabinet mengarahkan para perunding bagi Malaysia supaya terus memastikan kedaulatan Malaysia dipertahan sepanjang rundingan TPPA ini berlaku, dan hanya akan menyetujui TPPA dengan syarat-syarat yang paling berfaedah kepada negara.

Kabinet juga telah bersetuju dengan 2 lagi Analisis Kos Faedah (Cost Benefit Analyses) atau CBA, yang akan menumpukan kepada perusahaan-perusahaan kecil dan sederhana; dan komuniti usahawan Bumiputra, dan juga analisis komprehensif berkenaan kepentingan Negara melibatkan keseluruhan bab-bab yang dirundingkan.

Sebagai kementerian utama TPPA bagi rakyat Malaysia, MITI juga memaklumkan kepada Kabinet bahawa perbincangan dua hala bersama kesemua pihak yang berkepentingan akan dipergiatkan lagi dengan cara yang lebih telus.

Menurut pengamatan saya, TPP juga telah mendedahkan tiga cabaran utama yang sedang dihadapi oleh negara kita. Cabaran-cabaran ini memerlukan tindakan segera sebelum TPPA dipersetujui.

Cabaran pertama ialah memastikan penglibatan bermakna yang merangkumi semua pihak berkepentingan terutama dalam perjanjian-perjanjian antarabangsa.

Perjanjian Perdagangan utama yang lain

Walaupun sedang dalam kemelut kekalutan TPPA, kita tidak boleh melupakan kedua-dua perjanjian perdagangan utama yang lain yang juga sedang dirundingkan: RCEP – Perkongsian Ekonomi Komprehensif Serantau (ASEAN + 6 rakan FTA: Australia, China, India, Jepun, New Zealand dan Korea Selatan) dan Malaysia-EU FTA.

Kita mestilah mempunyai proses pengawasan dan pengesahan atau ratifikasi Parlimen bagi perjanjian antarabangsa supaya tidak mengetepikan demokrasi, khususnya dari segi prinsip pemisahan kuasa. Kabinet tidak boleh menjadi satu-satunya penentu kepada keputusan-keputusan yang boleh memberi kesan besar, kadangkalanya kesan buruk, kepada masa depan negara kita.

Kaukus TPPA Parlimen mestilah dinaiktarafkan menjadi Jawatankuasa Terpilih Khas Parlimen yang akan memberikan mekanisme yang lebih bermakna dalam mewakili kepentingan rakyat dalam perjanjian ini. Malah, Jawatankuasa Terpilih Khas Parlimen ini diperlukan bagi ketiga-tiga rundingan antarabangsa (TPPA, RCEP, Malaysia-EU FTA) yang sedang dijalankan pada masa ini.

Berbilang lapisan pengawasan dan pengesahan sangat berguna dalam menentukan keputusan rundingan-rundingan antarabangsa yang gagal sebelum ini supaya berpihak kepada Malaysia, seperti rundingan Air, Tanjung Pagar dan Pulau Batu Putih dengan Singapura, dan juga rundingan wilayah petroleum Blok L dan M bersama Brunei.

Cabaran yang kedua ialah menyediakan Malaysia untuk bersaing dengan lebih cemerlang di peringkat global.

'Kapasiti Persaingan' negara kita masih lagi belum dibangunkan dengan sempurna walaupun pelbagai peluang, perlindungan dan berbilion ringgit dibelanjakan, atau lebih tepat lagi, dibazirkan. Kebanyakan daripada kegagalan ini adalah kerana kecuaian dalam pengurusan ekonomi dan dasar pendidikan (dalam pembangunan sumber manusia) negara.

Sebagai contoh, Proton masih lagi belum mampu bersaing di pasaran tempatan, apatah lagi melonjakkan nama mereka sebagai sebuah jenama global seperti Kia atau Hyundai, walaupun telah saban tahun disubsidi oleh rakyat Malaysia sejak penubuhan syarikat pada 1983.

Bagaimana pula tentang Perwaja yang sepatutnya menjadikan Malaysia sebagai negara pengeluar keluli tersohor, dengan industri berkaitan keluli seperti perkapalan dan pembinaan yang rancak? Apa yang telah terjadi dengan MEC (Malaysia Electric Corporation) yang dicitakan sebagai pesaing utama bagi Samsung? Dengan pelaksanaan dan penggubalan polisi yang betul, negara kita sepatutnya boleh menjadi pengeluar utama bagi alatan elektronik, telefon pintar, komputer dan peralatan elektrik.

TPPA bukan prioriti

TPPA tidak sepatutnya menjadi keutamaan kita. Saya percaya, kita perlu mempunyai suatu wawasan untuk Pengembangan Kapasiti Daya-Saing Kebangsaan yang perlu dijalankan sekurang-kurangnya selama 10 tahun dari sekarang. Wawasan ini perlu merangkumi aspek-aspek reformasi politik, penstrukturan semula ekonomi dan revolusi pendidikan. Ia perlu dijalankan dengan lebih meluas dan mantap berbanding dengan Agenda Transformasi Kebangsaan yang merangkumi GTP dan ETP. Kita perlu membenarkan persaingan secara sihat berlaku di dalam negeri dahulu untuk menyediakan Malaysia untuk persaingan antarabangsa.

Cabaran kita yang ketiga ialah untuk melindungi sumber alam kita yang terhad untuk pembangunan negara.

TPPA mendedahkan bagaimana kita perlu melindungi sumber-sumber 'Kekayaan Negara' sebelum tertakluk pada sebuah perjanjian antarabangsa yang menuntut kesamarataan bukan sahaja kepada pasaran tempatan bahkan kepada sumber alam kita.

Sumber petroleum kita pada masa ini dilindungi oleh Akta Pembangunan Petroleum melalui pelbagai peraturan dan mekanisma kontrak perkongsian pengeluaran yang membolehkan kita mengekalkan 'kedaulatan' dan mendapat faedah dari keuntungan yang dihasilkan. Satu lagi sumber alam muktamad yang amat penting bagi Malaysia ialah biodiversiti kita yang amat kaya.

Saya membayangkan Malaysia boleh menjadi 'Hab Sains Kehidupan Global' (Global Life Science Hub) yang seterusnya, yang mana hasil flora dan fauna kita dijadikan sebagai sumber ubat-ubatan yang baru, kejuruteraan bio dan juga industri biokimia.

Pihak Kerajaan pada masa ini tidak memperuntukkan dana dan perhatian yang cukup kepada industri ini.

Walaupun Malaysia diperakui kaya dengan kepelbagaian flora dan fauna, kajian yang telah dijalankan menunjukkan yang Malaysia cuma membelanjakan 30 peratus daripada apa yang dibelanjakan oleh Negara maju dalam setiap hektar kawasan yang diwartakan sebagai kawasan yang dilindungi.

Dalam suatu laporan oleh Prosiding Akademi Sains Nasional dari AS, Malaysia merupakan salah satu dari 10 negara yang mempunyai peruntukan penjagaan biodiversiti yang terendah di dunia, menduduki tangga ke tujuh di belakang Iraq, Djibouti dan Angola.

Walaupun telah wujud suatu kerangka polisi melalui Polisi Biodiversiti Kebangsaan yang dibangunkan dalam tahun 1998, institusi-institusi yang mentadbir biodiversiti tiada kesinambungan antara satu sama lain. Di peringkat Persekutuan, telah wujud sekurang-kurangnya tujuh jabatan, tiga kementerian, sembilan agensi dan setiap 13 negeri yang lain mempunyai hak masing-masing berkenaan dengan biodiversiti.

Tambahan pula, terdapat sebuah keperluan untuk pembangunan Harta Intelek kita bagi memastikan pertumbuhan dan inovasi biodiversiti adalah mampan.

Sebagai pemangkin ke arah melindungi sumber alam yang tidak ternilai, serta menggalakkan pertumbuhan yang sihat dalam industri ini, saya akan mengemukakan sebuah rang undang-undang ahli persendirian dalam Parlimen untuk sebuah Akta Pelesenan Paten Kod Biodiversiti Genetik Kebangsaan .

Sidang parlimen yang akan datang sepatutnya memberi peluang kepada Perdana Menteri untuk menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Khas Parlimen bagi kesemua perjanjian perdagangan antarabangsa, serta menukar proses sedia ada untuk melibatkan Pengesahan atau Ratifikasi Parlimen dalam kesemua perjanjian perdagangan di masa hadapan.

Adalah nyata bahawa kekecohan akibat TTPA harus melonjakkan kita untuk menuntut reformasi politik, penstrukturan ekonomi dan revolusi pendidikan, demi menjamin daya-saing Negara untuk masa depan. Kita yang sewajarnya menentukan rentak reformasi dan bukan negara lain.

Nurul Izzah Anwar
Ahli Parlimen Lembah Pantai
Naib Presiden Parti KEADILAN Rakyat

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