Editor's Note - Issue 2003:11
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A real scandal is always hard to keep under wraps. No surprise then that the Maika saga is once again in the news after a controversy ridden AGM on 30 Dec 2003.
In our cover story this month, P Ramakrishnan explores the long-playing Maika saga. It�s a story of betrayal and utter lack of accountability - a scandal that has wiped out the savings of many innocent Indian Malaysians. In a jolt from the past, Ram then goes on to look at exactly what role MIC president Samy Vellu played in the scandal over the allocation of 10 million Telekom shares to Maika and three other firms. Charles Hector contributes two pieces. The first cautions Malaysians that they cannot expect much from new premier Abdullah Badawi as he is the product of an existing, oppressive system - a new face coming from the same old body. His second article highlights the plight of university students who have been suspended and are unable to continue their studies even before the courts have found them guilty of illegal assembly. Former MTUC vice-president and Aliran member K George looks at the role of the all-powerful director general of trade unions. He points out how oppressive labour laws have eroded the workers� right of association in free trade unions. The plight of Acehnese refugees and asylum-seekers continues to receive little attention in the mainstream media. Highlighting the case of one such asylum seeker, Amer Hamzah Arshad goes on to assess to what extent Malaysian laws protect the rights of refugees. We also carry a piece by Riaz Hassan that discusses whether public trust in state and religious institutions is enhanced in an Islamic state. Finally we wish all our readers a Happy New Year. | |||||||||||||||
