The much-heralded reforms promised by Najib to bring us into a new era of liberalism has exploded in the face of the rakyat as a sham, a shameful promise.
We were promised that the ISA would be revoked – and the rakyat rejoiced prematurely. The joy was short-lived when it was revealed that two other laws would replace the ISA, retaining the obnoxious detention without trial. The same undemocratic features of the ISA will now come under a new name, gravely disappointing the rakyat.
We were promised easier democratic freedom of assembly without the need for police permit. The rakyat applauded this sensible approach, which seemed to guarantee the right of assembly as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. With the presentation of the Peaceful Assembly Bill, now they realise that they have been deluded once again.
The Barisan Nasional is not capable of respecting the peoples’ human rights or honouring its solemn word. The BN is only used to restricting our rights, denying our freedom, controlling our space, destroying our faith in the electoral process, trampling upon our judiciary and completing ignoring what is fair and just.
Old habits die hard and that is the reason it is unwilling to surrender those rights that are justly due to the rakyat. It may proclaim that it is prepared to revoke restrictive laws but in reality it is incapable of returning these rights to the people. It can only rule forcefully; it cannot govern according to the rule of law.
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We cannot and should not expect the BN to return our rights. It is not a realistic expectation. We have to take possession of our rights. We have to claim our democratic space; we have to defend our freedom.
It is in this spirit that the lawyers have decided to march on Tuesday, 29 November 2011 from the Lake Gardens to the Parliament in protest against the sham Peaceful Assembly Bill, which has made a mockery of our right to assemble peacefully and spontaneously.
This Bill imposes many unjust restrictions and conditions and subjects organisers and all participants to heavy penalties. It is clearly meant to discourage and stop peaceful protests from ever taking place. We cannot tolerate this. We cannot condone this undemocratic Bill.
Aliran urges every freedom-loving Malaysian to be part of the Bar Council march to Parliament – the March for Freedom! Let us gather peacefully and march orderly to parliament to convey how upset and disappointed we are with this Bill that was promulgated without consultation with the public.
This is not a Peaceful Assembly Bill – it is a Bill against the Freedom of Assembly. It completely ignores Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of assembly and association.”
Aliran executive committee
28 November 2011
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
yes- the NEW MRT N EXTENSIONS costing 40 billion?? to be awarded in 2012 will be the citizens biggest RIDE
Najib is a disgrace. If Najib is sheltering the … Sarawak CM, then what more can be said?
Enough info for MACC…
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2011/12/keeping-it-in-the-family-how-taib-the-godfather-corruptly-controls-cms/
“The above information, which is publicly available in company and stock exchange records, is quite enough for the MACC to issue a warrant for the arrest of Taib Mahmud. He and his family have not only done business in Sarawak, they have run Sarawak as a business along the lines of a family mafia, using his political power to extract virtually all the country’s wealth.” …
correct/ who took malaysians for along ride for 30 years from1981 to 2011, see the many many billion dollar scandals as in BMF TO PERWAJA TO PKFZ TO COWGATE, billion were lost, who allowed millions illegals on our shores thus destroying our social fabric??? why is there so much poverty in sabah, sarawak n the east coast states< where r PETRONAS billons?? are we following GREECE to Bankruptcy soon??
I have said this times and times again that this … Umno P.M. is full of … in so far as his empty promises are concerned. All you need to do is to look back at all the promises he has made in the short period since he became P.M.. They were not only empty promises but just as deceitful as all the typical Umno morons do.
That is what they are known for and now Najib is trying to tell the world the deceitful and corrupted Umno morons are transforming. Can the leopards can their spots ? The only sure way to get rid of these morons is to kick them out of Putrajaya once and for all times in the coming GE. Above all make it a win by a big margin and that will ensure they will never return again.