Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email I’ll try to catch the interview tomorrow. He said that the Rose for PM event had many police involved since they were worried that the Indians may throw stones at the police!
ELECTION 2008: Aljazeera interview with Datuk Seri Najib Razak
By :
source
KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:
In the Aljazeera Channel East 101 interview with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the Q&A touched on various election issues – press and campaigning freedom, sedition, balloting transparency, Hindraf and the Government’s liberal stance. The Aljazeera media team had travelled nationwide to gauge the election campaign.
Transcribed by Nisha Sabanayagam
Q. On the conduct of the electoral process. The group BERSIH has provided with us some details on what they way are anomalies in the process. Do you think the registration and the voting practices are completely clean?
A. Yes, its very transparent. It is very fair. We have lost the elections before. In fact, the entire state of Kelantan is controlled by PAS. And the present state government has survived for a number of years on the basis of having one seat more than Barisan Nasional. And that one seat which they won, they won by a majority of two. If BERSIH claims that the process is not fair and is not transparent and that we have the means of exploiting the elections results, don’t tell me we cannot find three more votes to change the situation.
Q. I have a list here of at least 100 people over the age of 100 registered as voters.
A. It is possible that the names of people who have died in the past, their names are still on the list. But they will not appear as voters. The opposition parties also have polling agents. They can verify those names.
Q. There have been instances where dead people have turned up to vote.
A. Let us find out and let them bring it up to the Elections Commission.
Q. The DAP recently called this the most important election in Malaysia’s history because they perceive a very strong move towards greater Islamisation of what is the historically a secular state and they worry about issues which marginalise those who are not Muslims. Do they have a reason to be concerned?
A. No. We have not changed the fundamental policies. But the irony is that they have some sort of political understanding with PAS, which has a much more Islamic agenda, which is they want to turn Malaysia into a theocratic Islamic state. That is an agenda we do not have. They are political partners.
Q. Does that suggest they are desperate?
A. Yes, absolutely. It is just a political ploy on the part of DAP. How can you present an electorate when you cannot even agree on a common policy let alone a common symbol? They don’t even have a common symbol. So they are not really an alternative to the present Barison Nasional.
Q. On the issue of freedom of speech. There have been a number of attempted rallies in Kuala Lumpur in the past few months which have been denied permission to take place and there have been a bit unpleasantness. Why is it that the government is so cautious about public rallies?
A. Because most of the demonstrations that have been organised are street demonstrations [perhaps theey should organise stadium demonstrations, dumpsite demonstration, beach demonstration, cemetery demonstrations etc]. When there are street demonstrations, there is very little control about what’s likely to happen. As you know some of the demonstrations that have been organized have resulted in some physical clashes and there is the risk (not withstanding the risk of businesses being affected) that could spark off retaliatory demonstrations by others who are opposed to some of the issues carried by these groups.
Q. On the HINDRAF rally recently. What you say demonstration they would call it a rally, with the point of trying to present a petition to the Prime Minister at Parliament. They were a rather modest crowd of 700 people and yet the force of police that turned out against them was much higher and rather immediate. Where was the threat?
A. The threat can come first of all (from) the people who are involved in this who may resort to throwing stones. That actually happened in the Batu Caves area, organised by HINDRAF [because they were locked in the compound and not allowed to go out]. Secondly there is also the danger that other groups for example the Malays in Kampung Baru, who can get quite agitated and they may organize their demonstrations and this could lead to something very serious in terms of a multiracial society. [who controls the Malays in Kampung Baru?]
Q. What about the different approach to facilitate the demonstration and allow it to disperse as soon as possible?
A. We leave it to the police to manage this. It is very much a police matter. We don’t actually give explicit instructions to the police [just implicit ones?]. They will decide what is the best way to control the situation.
Q. The police obviously have control of the actual event on site. The government has control over issuance of permits and acceptance for those demonstrations.
A. Well, actually I have to correct you. The issuance of permits is actually decided by the police. For your in formation, in the state of Terengganu for example, in the last year, there were about 200 public rallies organized by the opposition and another 200, without permits. So there are many instances in which the police have allowed rallies to be continued despite the fact the organizers have not obtained the necessary permits from the police.
Q. The former deputy prime minister Datuk Anwar Ibrahim has complained that genuine political gathering for the purpose of disseminating information are denied permits?
A. I give the example of the state of Terengganu. There were more rallies organized by the opposition and rallies that do not get police permits were actually allowed by the police and not disrupted. So in fact, there is a deal of latitude given in our society. In fact, the opposition parties have started their political rallies or campaigns ever since the last elections happened. Over a period of four years, they have been going down to the ground.
Q. Let me ask you your view of the local media. Many complaints have been made, not just against the media, but within the media itself, that they are not allowed to report on and often do not report on issues of certain significance. Do you think there is free speech in the media?
A. I think it is quite open. For example, the alternative media is very open in this country [because there’s no way of controlling it at the moment]. [He evaded question on the local mainstream medias nicely]
Q. And often quite oppressed, it is not?
A. No, it is not. You go through the internet, there are websites and blogs and a lot of the material there is actually very, very critical of the government. And this has been allowed. There are also papers owned by the opposition parties, for example PAS, Keadilan and DAP all have their own newspapers.
Q. So, it the government’s position they are free to write what they want?
A. Of course. Except if you break the laws of the country. If what you write can be construed as seditious, then its different. There is a lot of latitude given. I tell you, the kind of things that is written on the internet, it is mind-boggling [but not seditous, because it may be true].
Q. Some of the HINDRAF leaders have been arrested with charges of sedition. Is there any intent to bring charges against these people? Do they deserve to be held?
A. The general reaction of the people have been quite positive in terms of using of the ISA because this has led to quite a de-escalation in terms of all the activities going on this country such as the street demonstrations. With some of the street demonstrations in the country, people feel that the government has been too liberal perhaps and people want the stability in this country to be upheld. [but he did not answer if there will be any charges against Hindraf leaders nor if they deserve to be held under ISA]
Q. A lot people say that the government has not been liberal enough?
A. On the contrary, we have been very liberal in this country.
Note: A repeat of this interview will be aired tomorrow (Saturday) at 3.30pm.
According to Najib 200 rallies with police permits and another 200 rallies without permits were held in Terengganu last year. How is that such a large number of police permits were issued in Terengganu where as no permits were issued to the Opposition in other parts of Peninsular Malaysia especially in Kuala Lumpur?
What criteria do the police use in issueing permits for rallies? Is it alright if the predominant race organizes the rallies? Are police permits reserved only for the UMNO and other BN componant parties?
Is the BN scared of political rallies that have toppled governments in other parts of the world? Do they fear the same fate if the Opposition is given permits for rallies and coverage during the runup to the General Election through government controlled media?
When the government controls all the media especially the newspapers and other print media through issuance of yearly permits, why then is it obsessed with curbing all news about the Opposition and revoking the permits of not pro-government papers?
If any medium airs or prints seditious or defamatory news, they can be made answerable to the courts of the land. Is it because the government has lost the respect of the judiciary or feels the judiciary is becoming corrupted and uncontrollable?
Freedom of speech and freedom of all the media without government interference is one of the prerequisites in a democracy.
When the EC is not transparent and impartial, how can he say that the election machinery is transparent? For example, why are the members of the same household with the same address given different constituencies to cast their votes? Isn’t it another way of vote splitting? Is it also part of gerrymandering?
Please do not think all voters are deceived by your propaganda. As a responsible voter my vote goes to the candidate whom I think will speak up for my rights as a citizen. I do not vote blindly for party symbols!
hello mauriya, please read history before you comments. Also the EC has given so many interviews and explanantion on the accusations by the Opposition. These are simple enough reasons and there are no conspiracies as claimed by the Opposition. Why same household having different address ? There can be dozens of reasons, perhaps the voter need to ask her/himself first. Also why asking this question only now ?
Dear dear Killer, what history are you asking us to read? The History of The Blind and Fools perhaps? Simple enough reasons? Let me paint several scenarios to your simple minded brain.
1)The EC stated that there were 8,666 people in the electoral roll who were above the age 100. Among these, hundreds were aged 120 years and above. In its defense the EC Secretary, stated that as far as they are concerned all these people are still alive! For your reference the oldest people in the world barely reached 120 years old and yet in the roll, there were several dozen people aged 120 years and above. How can they be still alive? If they were as the EC Secretary stated, then Malaysia can claim a world record of sorts, which the ego loving BN would have love to have.
What does this have to do with pengundi hantu? Well, simply put the opposition does not have enough manpower to monitor all electoral stations throughout the whole of Malaysia. What’s to stop BN from sending in these 100 year old pengundi hantus to stations with no opposition monitors?
Logically, it can be deduced that the NRD did not inform SPR that these 100 year olds are dead. What about polling stations with opposition monitors then? Well, if our great civil service can fail to clear the roll of 8,666 100 year old deceased persons, what’s not to stop them from not cleaning it of deceased people who are very much younger? This deceased ID’s could be plausibly used by pengundi hantus to slip by because the age of the stolen identity more closely correlates to that of the hantu that is sent. Until the SPR cleans the roll beyond reasonable doubt, in a open transparent manner to the whole world, there will always be doubts. Surely you can understand doubts, even though you don’t doubt the BN?
2)How about the famous postal votes of tentera and polis? Well, they can vote twice of course! How you ask? One by postal ballot and again in person at a polling station. Here, just check this out for yourself:
IC Number : T715511
Name: AMRAN B ZAINUDDIN
Birth Year: 1967
Gender: L
Locality: 042 / 06 / 06 / 635 – TUDM B’WORTH
Polling District: 042 / 06 / 06 – JALAN MESJID
State Assemblies: 042 / 06 – TELOK AYER TAWAR
Parliamentary: 042 – TASEK GELUGOR
State: PULAU PINANG
Polling Centre: POS
Polling Stream: 0
Voting Time: –
Serial No: 363
IC Number : 670104075529 / A0624038
Name: AMRAN B ZAINUDDIN
Birth Year: 1967
Gender: L
Locality: 089 / 35 / 04 / 005 – JLN TOK MUDA HJ MOHAMAD
Polling District: 089 / 35 / 04 – PEKAN KARAK
State Assemblies: 089 / 35 – SABAI
Parliamentary: 089 – BENTONG
State: PAHANG
Polling Centre: SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEBANGSAAN KARAK
Polling Stream: 2
Voting Time: 08.00 PAGI – 05.00 PETANG
Serial No: 864
Now, what is to stop the BN from doing precisely that, since the person is registered TWICE in the electoral roll?
3)There have been reports made by normal citizens, like you and me, that when they checked their names with SPR, there were 30 to 40 people who were also registered to vote whose address was the same as them, even thought they were a family of four! Simple cock up by our great civil service or something more sinister?
4)There are many cases of people who voted in previous general elections and who have never moved house, found out that this election, they were transferred to vote in another area. This is despite their spouses who live in the same house have not been transferred. How do you account for that?
5)Similar to point number 4, there have been people who were unregistered from the roll, even though they have voted in previous elections.
6)And the kicker of all…they are people who have never lost their IC, wanting to register for the first time to vote, found out that they already were registered in a different state which they have never been to in their entire lives. Who registered their identities? Is the SPR interested to investigate the case further. Nope. Apa alasan? Tak ada alasan.
So, simple-minded Killer, care to provide some answers to each point above? Then maybe you can prove that you are not so simple-minded after all!
MP: edited.
Another thing Killer, you asked why they ask this only now? Duh, because its the election period, (edited). Before that people don’t even know when election going to be held so they didn’t bother to check. Not helped by the bumbling Imam Hadhari – “no, no parliament will not be dissolved on February 13th” crap. Anyway the SPR was not even ready yet with the full roll before Chinese New Year Eve.
Simple enough reasons? Why if its so simple can you please tell us stupid and fanatic Hindraf supporters, o brilliant Killer?
Voter need to ask him/herself. What a typical BN government response. You should be asking SPR, but good luck getting non-evasive answers from EC “my term was extended by a year by amending the constitution” Chairman.
Killer, Killer what would we do without BN goons like you?
mr.killer…
did you EC abolished the duti setem last minute because one of BN candidate in kelantan failed to do that…
is this called fairness?
killer do you have answer for this..
Check this out for electoral fraud:
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/3703/1/