Friends, could you give your Foreign Domestic Worker a day off a week as well?
But why do most employers not give a day off?
1. Would a day off allow the worker to run away?
2. Would they fear the worker gets exposed to negative influence outside the home?
You do not impose such constraints or have similar doubts when you give your child the day off, do you?
Develop a healthy Employer-Worker working relationship; treat her as a worker. Tell her your work expectation as an employer and give a weekly day off just like how you deserve it too.
The family of the late Teoh Beng Hock, who died a mysterious death at the Selangor’s MACC headquarter, calls on all Malaysians to continue support in their quest to seek truth and justice. They say that their quest is beyond the Teoh’s family and it extends to the future generations of Malaysians.
At the recent public forum “Injustice for 1 Year : What Say You Malaysians?” held on Monday August 16, 2010 evening at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, the sister, Teoh Lee Lan said the number of people at events related to Beng Hock has been gradually decreasing since his funeral service last year.
She had said, “We are non-partisan. This is not a political issue, but it is about the country and the kind of system we have.”
A group of NGOs, civil societies and individuals came together and formed a movement to ensure justice is secured for the family and the greater Malaysians. They call themselves “Malaysians for Beng Hock”. It is a movement in support of Beng Hock’s family. It is a movement in search of justice. It is a movement against state-sponsored torture. It is a movement for all of us Malaysians who care.
Citizen Journalist R. Vijay Kumar met several of the Coordinators of “Malaysians for Beng Hock” campaign on Wednesday August 18, 2010 at the Bangunan Mahkamah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam.
The three coordinators, Chong Kok Siong, age 40, Ng Yap Hwa, age 32 and Lim Zhen Hui, age 22 shared some brief information on the campaign.
For further information of the campaign and future activities, kindly view the website, MalaysiansForBengHock
Fund Raising: The movement needs funds to run the “Malaysians for Beng Hock” campaign; organizing various events, print of banners, flyers, stickers, badges, T-shirts, VCD etc. They seek well wishers to heartily make contributions to their fund, a joint bank account:
Maybank current a/c no: 564146533656
Maybank joint a/c : Teoh Lee Lan or Liau Kok Fah
Teoh Lee Lan, Beng Hock’s sister, is the chairperson of this campaign, and Liau Kok Fah is the Chairperson of Civil Rights Committee of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Teoh Beng Hock was the political secretary for Selangor state executive committee member Ean Yong Hian Wah. On July 15, 2009, Beng Hock was taken in for interrogation by MACC’s official on the case of an apparent misuse of fund by Ean Yong. However, Beng Hock was found dead the next day nine floors below the Selangor’s MACC headquarter at Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam. Beng Hock was getting married on that day.
Abdul Razak Musa – Ho Mun Chong encounter after the Teoh Beng Hock inquest
Shah Alam: Bangunan Mahkamah Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecution head, Abdul Razak Musa left lawyers and the public gallery alternately baffled and frustrated as he cross-examined Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensics expert at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest on Wednesday August 18, 2010.
From the very start on asking if she knew the university that she had graduated from is not recognised in Malaysia, to which Dr Pornthip answered, “But it is in the top five in Asia.”, his barrage of provocative and many times silly questions were sought to discredit her.
The Thai pathologist stood her ground despite Razak’s incessant attacks on her expertise, observations and conclusions on the death of the DAP political aide in July 2009.
Once Dr Porntip even retorted, “I’m questioning whether you are a lawyer.” To this Abdul Razak replied, “Maybe I’m younger than you, but I’ve served as a lawyer for 24 years.”
The court’s amusement turned into frustration towards the end of Razak’s line of questioning.
Members of the public sighed loudly when he finally wrapped up – and one even bellowed “Thank you!”
Razak later left the court complex in Shah Alam in a huff, slamming shut his car door when questioned by reporters.
Mocking at Razak, a Beng Hock supporter, Daniel Chong, 53 sarcastically remarked, “Razak clarity and understanding of the English language after 24 years of experience is horrendous.” Chong, who was a former DAP Bukit Gasing Chairman, is one of the activists championing justice for Teoh Beng Hock.
As Razak’s driver moved the car forward, it ‘nudged’ another Beng Hock supporter twice, as the supporter tried to prevent the vehicle from leaving.
However, Ho Mun Chong – a DAP member who has attended every inquest hearing – was not injured.
A policeman was later seen bothering Mun Chong after the incident.
Last Sunday, August 1, 2010, what was intended to be a peaceful candlelight vigil to commemorate the Internal Security Act’s (ISA) 50th anniversary at the Dataran MBPJ became a ‘brutal’ crowd dispersal by Malaysian riot police.
That evening, many activists who had gathered at Dataran MBPJ, Padang Timur in Petaling Jaya, Selangor to mark their protest, in a peaceful manner, of this deemed draconian law had to take cover at the nearby Amcorp shopping mall from the police force.
The policemen were also seen rushing into the shopping mall to pull out people, thus breaking the peace even in the mall.
Those arrested were taken to the nearby Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
Many of those arrested claimed to have been “shoved, beaten, slapped, dragged, choked and verbally abused” while being detained by the police. A total of 29 people were arrested in Petaling Jaya – eight women and 21 men, including the three people who were arrested outside the police headquarters when they came to meet those arrested at Dataran MBPJ and Amcorp.
It was only by 4.30am Monday, Aug 2, 2010 when the last of those arrested were released, one-by-one, under police bail. Those arrested were ordered to attend the PJ Magistrate court at 9.00am on August 16, 2010, and not report back to this district police headquarters.
In an attempt to add insult to injury, several traffic policemen from this district headquarters also summoned the vehicles of people who waited for those arrested. This work-of-summons was being done several times till after 3.30am. Those whose vehicles were summoned included several of the Members of Parliament, Selangor State Assemblypersons and MBPJ councilors.
Sivarasa Rasiah, who is Subang MP, together with Ronnie Liu, a Selangor State EXCO member & Pandamaran State Assemblyperson, both felt this further aggravations and provocations were unnecessary and hold ACP Arjunaidi Mohamed, the Petaling Jaya district police chief responsible for these intimidations.
“BE OUR GUEST” (Selamat Datang. ANDA ADALAH TETAMU KAMI). These words were explicitly displayed at the signboard at the district headquarters.
A sincere question to the Malaysian Police, “Are we really your guests”?
An MBPJ councilor, Chan Chee Kong undertook to verify the permissibility of the inclusion of details of a motor repair company on the signboard at the police headquarters which also administers a traffic police station.
Seramai 60 orang mahasiswa dari pelbagai institut pengajian tinggi awam berkumpul di sekitar Ibu Pejabat Polis Petaling Jaya untuk menaikkan sepanduk Anti ISA.
Kumpulan mahasiswa itu mahu kerajaan supaya memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri bukannya meminda.
Sebelum itu, polis telah bertindak menyurai serta menghalang para aktivis daripada mengadakan upacara memasang lilin di lapan tempat di seluruh negara bagi membantah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) yang kini berusia 50 tahun.
The four UKM students – Muhammad Hilman Idham, Azlin Shafina Mohamad Adzha, Woon King Chai and Muhammad Ismail Aminuddin – on May 13 received their summonses to face a disciplinary hearing for contravening the UCCA.
The case resumed today after the students received an injunction on June 1, 2010 to delay the disciplinary action. Lawyers Malik Imthiaz Sarwar, Haris Ibrahim and Ashok Kandiah appeared for the infamous UKM 4. Meanwhile lawyer Shafie Abdullah appeared for UKM.
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, the lawyer for the UKM students spoke to CJ R. Vijay Kumar after the case.
R. Nadeswaran, or more popularly known as CitizenNades, of theSun daily, had obliged by giving a brief at one of Malaysiakini/CEACeM’s trainings on Citizen Journalism in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Amongst others, CitizenNades talked about our Local Councils. He strongly suggested that nobody should be given ‘discretions rights’ in running the administrative operations of the local councils. One of the resultants in allowing a personnel in a local council to observe and apply his or her ‘discretions rights’ is corruptive practices.
Wow! He also highlighted that there is currently a need to obtain 51, yes that’s right, fifty-one licenses when opening a hotel. Isn’t this sheer unnecessary bureaucracy at work?
Please view the video clip to have some understanding of the topic.
When asked, CitizenNades said, “Yes, I will stand as an Independent only in a local council election”.
Citizen Journalist R. Vijay Kumar is also amongst the many Malaysians whom advocate the calling and resume of local council elections (sometimes also called local government or city/town/municipal council) to help curb some of the many on-going corruption practices in our Malaysian society.
The Segambut MP and his team are having a voters registration exercise at Mont Kiara on Saturday May 29 & Sunday May 30 and another similar event on Saturday June 5 & Sunday June 6 from 10.00am till 6.00pm on all the four days.
If you are not a registered voter as yet, please drop by the venue at the McDonald’s at Mont Kiara and do your dutiful deed. If your home address as per your NRIC is not in the Segambut constituency, you may still come and register and your application and place of voting will be reverted to the appropriate constituency.
The Election Commission or SPRM will do the needful after this exercise.
KELANTAN DARUL NAIM : The other side of the story.
If you are on the west coast or the south of West Malaysia, you have to visit Kelantan Darul Naim, the “Blissful Abode” on the north-east coast at least once to see it for yourself to know and believe the other side of the story.
The government and the people of Kelantan wish you come and explore and experience their hospitality and to also have a clearer understanding of the Kelantanese cultures and livelihood.
The state is almost synonymous with PAS, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Islamic Party of Malaysia). PAS is a component party of Pakatan Rakyat, which currently plays an opposition role in the Federal Parliament of Malaysia.
Kelantan has been under PAS rule for two lengthy periods. The first period of their rule here began two years after the independence and lasted for 19 years (1959 – 1978). For a brief period from 1973 – 1978, the leadership of PAS then had decided to join Barisan Nasional. Through some dubious and ‘democratic’ efforts, PAS had lost control of the state for 12 years. In 1990 General Elections, PAS together with its Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah (APU) alliance returned with an over whelming victory winning all 39 states and 13 parliamentary seats. It had some turbulence phase during and after 2004GE but since 2008GE, PAS and its partners in Pakatan Rakyat are ever so strong and now unshakeable in Kelantan. They are ever ready to replicate this great milieu in the rest of Malaysia.
Why this feeling of confidence and security, more so now?
The answer is PAS Mursyidul Am (Spiritual Advisor) Tok Guru Dato’ Haji Nik Abdul Aziz Bin Nik Mat, the Mentri Besar of Kelantan. He is also revered as ‘The Father of Unity’. His style of administration of the state and his leading a team of leaders is exemplary.
95% of the Kelantanese are ethnic Malay Muslims. The other ethnic groups include the Siamese, Chinese and Indians, both multi-cultural and multi-religious.
The non-Muslim rights are better protected here. There are a number of Buddhist wats and Chinese temples, some deemed the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia. Visit Bachok, Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kuala Krai, Gua Musang and of course the state capital, Kota Bharu to count the number of grandly-built, new and old, places of worship of the non-Muslims. To cater for the close to 1% Hindu and Punjabi/Sikh communities, there are several large Kuils and Gurdwaras. There are several Churches for the Christian congregations. Some denominations conduct their services in shop-lots and in multi-storey buildings too.
It is very interesting to note that while we have some contentions in other states where certain political parties and their affiliated NGOs are attempting to wedge apart racial harmony for their political and selfish reasons, the Kelantan state government and several district councils permit the operation of abattoirs and pork trading in the state. The sale of alcoholic beverages is permitted under licensed, for non-Muslims only. The non-vegetarian Chinese, Siamese and some Indian communities are at bliss.
See to believe. Watch the video, which comes in two parts. Better still, take the next holiday in Kelantan. Of course, a trip to Kelantan will be incomplete without taking the time to enjoy the many cultural performances, visits to the historical buildings and sites, choosing from a wide range of exquisite craft items and indulging in the various eco-adventure expeditions or just lazing on the fine beaches overlooking the South China Sea.
You will take back home fond memories of your experiential adventure.
A few days before Pakatan Rakyat (PR) celebrated its 2nd anniversary of its takeover of the Penang state government in March 2008, its chief minister announced that the state had sent a letter to the Election Commission (EC) asking the commission to conduct elections for two municipal councils in the Penang state.
Soon after, the PR held Selangor state government also committed to local council elections in the state and had informed the EC of the same.
The resurrection of local government elections was a 2008 general elections pledge given by the PR component parties.
It has been over 40 years since the Barisan Nasional (BN) held federal government outlawed local council elections through the Local Government Act 1976. Local polls were suspended following the declaration of emergency on September 3, 1964, which remains in force until to-date.
The Malaysians at large applauded both the Penang and Selangor state governments for their political maturity in responding to the peoples call to restore the mechanism for local democracy.
The citizens also want Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his BN administration to be responsible to take the lead to ensure the EC assists in the administration of the local council elections in both the states Penang and Selangor and ensure a free and fair election process.
Najib Abdul Razak came out strongly against restoring the local council elections deeming the third vote unnecessary. He said it would cause too much politicking. He said that instead of electing the local government representatives, the focus should be on improving services of local authorities and providing the best service to the people.
The EC chief Abdul Aziz Yusof had replied to both the Penang and Selangor state governments that he will respond to them based on ECs interpretation of the law adding that EC will not be bonded by the opinions of either the prime minister or the opposition held state governments.
Without any discussions held with the two state governments, Abdul Aziz came back with a reply saying that EC cannot conduct local polls as it is bound by laws such as Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171) which states that local government polls have effectively been abolished. He asks the two state governments to bring up the matter with the National Council for Local Government.
Prior to the 2008 general elections, all state governments were held by BN, with the exception of Kelantan. Almost all local councils were located in urban areas. The councillors were political appointees by the state governments, recommended by their respective political parties.
There was an increase in citations and complaints on alleged poor administration and weak financial management. The councillors positions, which came with an official small allowance, were deemed to have lots of unaccountable perks. There were rampant reports on how the councils finances were lavishly spent on wasteful projects, projects which were alleged to be mere fronts to make some fast bucks. Some councils spent lavishly on luxurious overseas trips under the guise of study tours, some bringing along their whole family including the domestic workers. There was no need to submit any ROI (return of investment) reports.
The use of agents and the presence of rent-seekers in the middlemen or the orang tengah industry has become synonymous with doing business in Malaysia. Every right-thinking Malaysian is saying enough is enough.
The peoples rage to have the local council elections reinstated is to eliminate these long prevailing menaces. They want to be empowered again. They want to have their say and exercise their democratic rights for representation at the local level.
There are obviously more speculations as to the real reasons why the current BN federal government is adamant in denying the peoples call for their rights to the third vote.
R. Vijay Kumar, a Citizen Journalist, met several local councillors from the state of Selangor to get their thoughts and expert opinions of the issue, and thus this 2-parts video.
In the Part 1 video, several local councilors gave their perspective for local government polls and also why they rather be elected by people than just to be appointed to the position.
In the Part 2 video, Derek John Fernandez, an urban planning lawyer and a councillor with Petaling Jaya City Council shares some methods and avenues as to how to have a people-elected and represented local council.