Monday, March 31, 2008

ISSUE OF POLITICAL MORALITY ON BN GOVERNMENT’S OCCUPATION OF MILLAH’S LAND


行动党巴都林当区州议员温利山律师今日针对甫结束的大选,掀起争论的圣玛汀学校被关闭事,在一项记者招待会上发表一篇冗长文告作出交代,以下为文告全文。

国阵政府占用米拉土地

圣玛汀学校现年73岁的单身失业女地主是她已故父亲手中继承12依甲土地,由於她年迈与毫无收入,经过20年向国阵政府索赔不果后,她前来寻求我的协助。女地主米拉和她的侄儿过去已寻求很多显要包括国阵人联党代议士协助,但都无法把土地收回,她也无法向国阵政府就向命名为圣玛汀国民学校(Sekolah St. Martin)建在该土地上索赔。她的叔叔兼前任人联党助理部长兰沙希旦(Datuk Ramsay Jitam)也不能协助她。反之米拉及其侄儿所求助的显要,多数还劝告他们把土地交回政府,因为一间政府学校已建在该土地。由於没有任何收入,所以米拉只得依靠其侄儿和一些亲戚救济过活。由於没有能力缴付律师费,米拉过去也无法通过法庭保护其权益。

米拉要求收回其土地是她发现她父亲允许建在该土地上的一间教堂(ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL)已经被拆除,这对她已造成伤害。是谁在何时以什么理由拆除这件教堂没人知道,也没有人包括当局能向米拉提供任何情报。所以米拉的已故父亲传教心愿已经被摧毁。

米拉在其侄儿带领下前来找我,作为一名代议士,我认为协助她是我的政治责任,因为财产拥有权和宗教自由是获联邦宪法保障的,作为一名代议士,我必须对宣誓就职负责,那就是保护和维护联邦与州宪法。

我与有关当局和政府官员进行系列协商,都无法为米拉讨回土地或索取一些赔偿,因她丞需要用到钱充作医疗费。最后在米拉的指使下,就入禀法庭,然而在法庭未下判之前,政府就把有关学生安排到附近一间距离米拉土地3公里的摩拉端路政府学校上课。我获通知这间学校拥有较好的设备包括电脑,这是圣玛汀小学没有的。

被通知不要参选

无论如何,在大选期间,行动党在诗巫召开的一项砂州联委会会议后发表一篇文告说,假设党中央允许我出战,那么我需单独面对敌党就圣玛丁学校事件所展开的攻击。我毅意准备承担这个风险。当然这类行动违背了我曾担任警察所接受的训练,那就是在受到敌人攻击时,任何人不可抛弃任何人!在政坛上,我认为也应用这种方式处理事项,以让其他人不会受伤害。

行动党一些资深领袖也建议,我因受圣玛丁小学课题困扰,应放弃出来竞选。当时我感到混淆,因为有很多党支持者与党员要我下站实旦宾国席,因为他们知道我已经在这个选区努力工作很多年了。当我被要求弃选,但我不能违背为我工作的所有支持者与同志。除非他们和党都不要我。

我被劝告作为一名政治人物,我不应该接办这种案件,因为这样做在道德上是不对的,导致学校被关闭。党内资深领袖也认为我导致该校被关闭,而不是国政政府。但我要问,我有权力去关闭这间学校?我希望人民明白,只有政府和法庭有权力关闭一间学校。有关案件尚未或法庭判决,法庭也没有发出庭令关闭该校。为什么政府采取行动把学生安顿在另一间学校及把该校关闭?对我来说,这是国阵政府的政治策略要把我从政坛上铲除掉,让我将后无法协助人民纠正国阵不当政策。这是这些国阵政府人物包括来自一些人联党领袖的邪恶政策阴谋。

我看不出圣玛丁小学与古晋中华小学第二校学生面对的问题有任何不同。古晋中华小学第二校是获人联党领袖支持下关闭,并将把学校转到正在兴建的学校。人联党领袖择关闭二小是不道德的。另外还有很多华校在人联党领袖同意或默不作声下,被国阵政府关闭。

现在我关注的是,一旦二小校舍被拆除后,谁将会获得这块土地?该土地将作何用途?我肯定的是,已经有人对这块土地虎视眈眈,假如一间五星级旅店将建在该土地上,那么华社将再次被当成傻瓜。


公正党人联党领袖没政治道德

一些身为反对党的公正党领袖不但没有跟我合作,反而协助人联党领袖对我人身攻击,指责我做了一件不道德的事,导致圣玛丁小学被关闭。对我来说,攻击我的公正党与人联党领袖,没有支持我为米拉的土地被占用和该区基督教徒传教权力和他们供祈祷用的教堂被拆除所展开斗争,在道德上已犯下错误。这些政治领袖没有履行他们的职责和维护宪法精神和就职时所作的宣誓,他们已欺骗了人民和犯下不道德行为。

他们和我一样宣誓就职成为人民代议士,但他们没有负起保护人民财物权益和宗教信仰自由,他们已欺骗人民。

他们无法顶天立地,维护人民在宪法所赋予的权利,他们是完全没有政治道德的人。与此同时,宪法规定当局必须拨出供教用途的经费,所以身为代议士向公众筹款建校是不道德的,因为在联邦选法并没有规定为学校筹款。

当政府占用人民土地及没有赔偿的情况下,是否不道德的?所以支持政府占用民地的公正党与人联党领袖是完全没有政治道德的,因为他们无法分辨在选法精神下,什么是对的,什么是错的。作为政治人物,他们应该回顾历史,那就是很多国家倒台或发生浴血事件政治系统混乱,是因为他们的代议士没有维护他们国家选法。

国阵政府和人联党领袖没有解决圣玛丁学校课题,也是违反政治道德的。政府对这个课题悬而未决太久了,其实要解决此事是轻而易举的,如付租金予地主或以赔偿方式征用该土地。但政府却滥用人民的血汗钱,如推行不需要的白象计划和花费数以千万计的金钱送一名没有宇航学位的医生上太空,在返回地球后毫无用处!

回教国

国阵政府在前任首相马哈迪医生的领导下,宣布马来西亚是一个回教国,并获得现任副首相纳吉德重申。我们现任首相阿都拉也已经说过马来西亚是一个回教国。作为国阵成员的人联党不曾反对这项宣布。他们不能反对,否则会被提出国阵政府。公正党和人联党领袖是否明白,虽然回教是我们的国教,但联邦宪法没有说马来西亚是一个回教国?假如马来西亚是一个回教国,圣马丁学校是否是一间回教国政府学校?砂州现在的基督学校面对什么遭遇?古晋的名校如圣多玛学校,圣约瑟学校,圣德丽莎学校和圣玛莉学校又怎样了?他们已经早被改革为国民学校,在他们的原校名前被冠上“国民学校”(Sekolah Kebangsaan), 教会媒介语是马来语。它们是否还是基督学校?它们是不是回教国的政府学校?假如他们仍然是基督学校,它们是不是回教国学校?为什么人联党与公正党静若寒蝉?是不是人联党与公正党宣传马来西亚是一个回教国?


律师政治人物道德

张健仁同志也在报章上发言有关我接办圣玛丁小学案件的道德问题。行动党认同在法律范围内自由发言权。对他来说,我应该避免接办这宗案件。无论如何,针对此事我必须表明立场。米拉是一个贫苦老妪,高官显要已拒绝协助她,她前往求助的律师也拒绝接办此案。她是文盲,贫苦和失业者的,我基于可怜她而同意协助她争取,因为我相信应该协助那些权益被侵蚀的弱势人士和当他们的宗教信仰受到威胁时。

我在这里要澄清,我不是一名会协助商业银行发出搬迁令和拍卖民宅的律师政治人物,然而有很多律师政治人物就有这样做,导致许多屋子被查封收回,屋主妻儿须搬离安乐窝的悲剧。假如有人说,身为一名反对党律师政治人物的我不可接办米拉案件,那么其他反对党律师政治人物也不可以协助银行谕令那么无法按期还屋款的屋主搬迁。我在律师业这么多年来,我不曾协助银行,理由很简单,因为这些银行财雄势大,而且很多银行是国阵政府的支持者或属于国阵政治人物或朋党的。所以对我来说,为了政治道德理由,反对党律师政治人物不应该接办这类案件,因协助我们的政敌,是一种不适当的政治行为。

同样的,当我们在谈论政治道德时,就会怀疑律师政治人物如卡巴星为涉及危害社会治安,犯罪率增加,丧失很多的人命与家庭破裂的毒贩辩护,是否违反政治道德?

据我所知,有一些律师政治人物为涉嫌赌业包括里万案件辩护,众所周知,赌业会衍生很多社会问题包括大耳窿有生意做,沉迷赌博忽略照顾家庭,导致家庭破裂,很多妇女和少女被迫当妓女,协助挣钱养活家人。那么接办这类案件的律师政治人物是否没有政治道德?

辩护权力

我要说的是,被控上法庭的被告拥辩护权力,同样的一个人的财物被侵犯时拥有保护财物的权力。这是一种普通法则,也是取自圣经,在圣经里记载,当上帝告诉阿当与夏娃不要偷吃禁果,上帝是为保护上帝财物才这样说。

当阿当与夏娃被发现偷吃禁果时,上帝并没有直接处罚他们,反而给予他们权力辩护和解释他们的行动。所以不管是否有参加政治的律师,协助求助者辩护在道德来说是对的。参政的律师维护人民财产权益是正确的,就像上帝命令阿当与夏娃不要偷吃禁果,因这类财物权益是获得法律保障的,所以这种权益必须或保护。假如律师政治人物不给予协助才是没有道德,特别是像受到国阵政府揽权迫害的贫者如米拉老地主。

假如说我接办米拉案件是没有道德,那么我也可以说黄锦河与施志豪下次为占用政府地的非法木屋居民辩护也是违反政治道德。这是因为作为政治人物,他们不应该支持或协助触犯法律者。同样的,来自人联党的律师政治人物如叶金来与郑仪也应考虑关掉他们的律师管,假如他们的律师业务涉及到为银行向购屋者追债,因为替银行办此类案件,将会影响到购屋者及家人,导致他们无家可归,日晒雨淋,生命受威胁。为银行收回民宅和进行拍卖,不但剥夺屋主家小的居所,这类行动也会衍生很多社会问题例如借高利贷和雇用里帮为银行做见不得光的工作。众所周知,当律师协助银行把屋主家小赶出屋外后有很多人自杀。


米拉案件最后结果

一些政党领袖甚至说米拉案件是我自掘坟墓和我在政坛上可能会被活埋。但我不曾从选民接到这类警告。其实很多地主,基督教徒和其他宗教人士来见我和致电我讨论这个课题,所以公众知道关闭圣马丁小学的罪魁祸首是国阵政府,以及公正党和人联党一些政治人物支持政府这项没有道德的行为。这些政治人物是否支持该教堂被拆除?国阵政府也必须回答为什么,何时和是谁拆除这个教堂。

我相信基督教徒在发现他们祈祈的教堂被拆除会感到生气,其他宗教人士也有同样感受,我认为米拉案件协助我争取到很多选票,尽管敌对雇用黑帮威胁我的助选人员与选民。我的得票比起2004年增加近50%,而杨昆贤得票只增加约3%,假如米拉案件没有帮助,施志豪就不会失去按柜金。

与此同时,很多人也不高兴看到公正党与人联党一些领袖像专业乞丐,向人民筹募办学经费。因为政府应该拨出足够款项充作教育与保养学校用途。人民不明白为什么这些领袖要人民自掏腰包,特别是多数家庭深感通货膨胀压力之际。人民告诉我说,如果他们不应酬这些政治人物的乞求而感到左右为难,所以在毫无选择之下只得捐款。

在竞选期间,人民也关注公正党和人联党很多领袖为华校筹款作业不透明。人民要知道他们是从哪里筹得这些款项,这应该公诸於世,因为他们担心在保障公布的款额,并不能反映确实筹款的款项。

最近公正党已为古晋华校筹获逾30万令吉款项,公众要知道公正党从那里筹获这笔钜款。他们向我这笔钱是否来自人联党或来自政府拔款及通过公正党移交予华校。由于这些都是公众道德课题,公正党应该回答公众的询问。

Monday, March 24, 2008

温利山以您同欢共乐慰劳晚宴 Voon Lee Shan Dinner with Party Workers After Parliamentary Election



我们YB的笑容永远是那么的慈祥好看!!

我敬大家一杯,谢谢你们的合作!!

Thank you for all of you helping me during the parliamentary election.

干杯。。干杯。。。今夜不醉不归!哈哈哈
Yam Seng! Yam Seng!!! Everyone must enjoy yourself tonight.
Happy nya kita punya YB, senyum lebar ya...
Supporter nya pun banyak la...

谢谢!真的谢谢你们在大选期间帮忙我!!!

Thank you... Thank you for helping me during the parliamentary election.

我们的YB不但高歌一曲还跳起舞来呢,今晚真是高兴!!!

看清楚咯我们的YB喝醉了没??

Wow... our YB dance "JOGET" ohh!!!

Boleh Tahan la... Tengok betul betul, Kita punya YB sudah Mabuk kah belum ni??

今晚的YB开心到见牙不见眼啦!!!

真难得呀!

Hohoho... our YB look so Happy tonight!!!

Biasanya YB kita muka serious, sekarang senyum sampai nampak gigi tak nampak mata laa...

ISSUE OF POLITICAL MORALITY ON BN GOVERNMENT’S OCCUPATION OF MILLAH’S LAND

Figure 1: Guard House at St. Martin



Figure 2: Administrative Block of St. Martin


Figure 3: St. Martin - The condition of Block Pentadbiran



Figure 4: St. Martin - Another Block Pentadbiran


Figure 5: St. Martin - A Classroom Block


Figure 6: Block Pentadbiran



Figure 7: St. Martin - Staff Carpark

Figure 8: St. Martin - Toilets



Figure 9: Gate of SK Jalan Muara Tuang



Figure 10: SK Jalan Muara Tuang - Guard House


Figure 11: School Block of SK Jalan Muara Tuang


Figure 12 SK Jalan Muara Tuang - Staff Quarters



See the difference between the two schools, SK St. Martin and SK Jalan Muara Tuang?Why the BN government didn't take care of SK. St. Martin where most students were Dayaks. The "ALL SAINTS' CHAPEL", which was said existed at Millah's land was gone. There was no explanation of the missing of the chapel. This definitely was not the work of David Copperfield!!!




73 years old Millah anak Kitat, who was unmarried and unemployed with no source of income and property except for a piece of 12-acre land which she inherited from her late father came to seek my help to assist her to reclaim her land from the BN government after her effort for the past over twenty years failed. Millah and her nephew had sought the assistance and advice of many influential people including YBs of the ruling BN including those from the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) failed to have the land returned to her. Millah also could not get compensation paid to her for the use of the land by the BN government where a government school, Sekolah Kebangsaan St.Martin, had been built on the land. Her uncle, Datuk Ramsay Jitam, who was a former State Assistant Minister from the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party also could not assist her. Most of those whom Millah or her nephew approached advised them to surrender the land back to the government as a national school had been built on the land. With no income, Millah was therefore living on the generosity of her nephew and some close relatives. Millah also could not have her rights determined by the courts as Millah could not afford their fees.

Millah wanted the land back because it also hurt her when she discovered that a chapel, “ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL” which her late father allowed to be built had been demolished. Who, when and why the chapel was demolished was not known and nobody including the authorities could give Millah any information at all. The will of Millah’s late father to spread the Christian faith had been destroyed!

Millah came to see me through her nephew and as YB, I see it as a political responsibility for me to help her. It is a political responsibility as right to property and freedom of religion are protected by the Federal Constitution. As a YB I had to hold true to my oath of office, that is, to protect and to uphold both the Federal and State Constitutions when I took oath in the Dewan Undangan Negeri.

My series of negotiations with the relevant authorities and government officers also failed to have the land returned to Millah or that Millah be allowed some compensation as she also badly needed money to upkeep her health. Upon Millah’s instruction, suits were filed in court and before the matter could be arbitrated by the court, the government moved the students to a nearby school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Muara Tuang, which was about three kilometers from Millah’s land. The school I was told had better facilities equipped with computers in which Sekolah Kebangsaan St. Martin did not.


TOLD NOT TO CONTEST
However, during the election campaign, the DAP after the State Committee meeting in Sibu issued a statement that I have to face the matter alone if attacked by political opponents on St.Martin issue in the event the national leadership allows me to go down to contest. I had no choice, but, was prepared to swim on my own in this dangerous water! Of course such a course of action was contrary to my training I had in the Police Force in which it was not for any one to abandon each other when under attack by the enemies! In politics, I think, this was the way things should be handled so that others not get hurt!

Some senior leaders of my Party also suggested that I give up from contesting due to this St. Martin issue. I was confused and so the many party supporters and party members who wanted me to contest the Stampin Parliamentary Seat as they knew that I had been working hard in the constituency in the past many years. To them, St. Martin was a non- issue that could negative impact on the voters. I was asked to give up contesting the seat, but, I could not betray my supporters and comrades who worked for me unless they wanted to dump me and the Party wanted to dump me too!

Things became very confused in my “Stampin Camp” just before Nomination Day when news went around to say that Stampin had been given up to PKR because of the St. Martin issue. The issues were first, could PKR deliver? Second, would St. Martin continue to haunt DAP during the election if DAP gives up Stampin to PKR? Third, the true reasons why Stampin should be given away to PKR? Fourth, in both camps, who were the negotiators and the terms reached. These answers were necessary to calm down the supporters so that proper explanation could be given to satisfy them and to prevent them from losing confidence in supporting DAP.


I was advised that as politician I should not have taken up the case and was told it was morally wrong to do so as I was the cause to close down the school! Senior leaders in the Party also was of the opinion that I caused the school to close down, not the BN government! What authority I had to close down the school? I pray that people need understand that only the government and the court have the authority to close down a school. The matter had yet been settled by the court and there was no order from the court to close down the school yet, why the government took the step to remove the students away from the school and caused it to close down? To me, it was a political strategy of the BN government of which SUPP is a component party to kill me off politically so that I no more able to help the people who wanted me to address their political plights. It was a vicious political strategy of these BN politicians including some those in SUPP!

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF CLOSING DOWN OF CHUNG HUA PRIMARY SCHOOL NO. 2 WITH ST. MARTIN?
I could not see any difference at all the issue of students in St. Martin and Chung Hua Primary School No. 2 in which the school was supported by SUPP leaders to be closed down and students be moved to a new school that will be built later. It was politically immoral for SUPP leaders chose to close down Chung Hua Primary School No. 2. There were also many Chinese schools closed down by the BN government in which leaders of SUPP kept quiet or agreed to.

School children from Chung Hua Primary School No. 2 will also have to travel very far away from their homes when they move to a new school and their parents will also incur extra expenses.

What I am concerned here again is this, that is, who will later on take over the land of this Chung Hua Primary School No.2 once it be demolished? What will also happen to the land? I am sure there are people already setting their eyes on the land and the Chinese community will again be made a fool if a five-star hotel will then rule the skyline on the land!


POLITICAL IMMORALITY OF PKR AND SUPP LEADERS
Some PKR leaders as opposition instead of working with me also helped SUPP leaders to attack my character to say that I had done an immoral thing to cause St. Martin to close down. To me, those in the SUPP and in PKR who attacked me on the issue were all morally wrong not to support me in the fight for the right of Millah who had been deprived the use of her land. It was also morally wrong for them not wanting to fight for the right of the Christians in the area to propagate their religion. Their prayer house, ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL had also been demolished and these PKR and SUPP leaders just kept quiet! They were a bunch of immorals because they had cheated the people by not holding to their oath of office to protect and to uphold the Constitutions which they swore when they took their oath of office. The oath taken by them as YBs were the same as mine and they had cheated the people by not protecting people’s right to property when right to property and freedom of religion which should be protected by the Federal Constitution were not protected by them.

They had no political morality at all when they could not hold their heads high to protect these rights enshrined in the Constitution. Again, the Constitution provides that funds should come from the authorities for the purpose of maintaining education and it is politically immoral for YBs to beg funds from members of the public to build school as begging money for schools are not provided for in the Federal Constitution!

Is it not against political morality when government took or used people’s land without compensation? Therefore, to those in PKR and SUPP who supported this, they were all political immorals. They could not see the protection of rights as enshrined in the Constitution. As politicians, they should also look back into history that many countries collapsed or the political systems in their countries were in chaos with bloodsheds when their elected representatives failed to uphold their countries’ Constitutions!

It was also against political morality when the BN government and SUPP leaders failed to solve the problem of St. Martin. The government had sat on the issue for too long and could easily have settled it by acquiring Millah’s land by way of rentals or payment of compensation. The government instead, had mismanaged people’s money by spending people’s money on unnecessary mega projects and by spending millions of ringgits in sending a medical doctor who had no space science degree to space and who also served no purpose after coming back to earth!

In the past more than thirty years since occupying Millah’s land, BN government could have easily build at least 20-30 St.Matin schools if the BN government had wanted to do so to solve the problem, but, the BN government did not want to do so. SUPP just pretend not to know about the matter, not until this matter was taken up by me.


ISLAMIC STATE
BN government led by Dr. Mahathir had declared Malaysia as an Islamic State and this was repeated by DPM Najib. Our present Prime Minster, Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had also said that Malaysia is an Islamic country. SUPP being a component party in BN never opposed this. They could not oppose, otherwise, they could have been kicked out from the BN government. Are not PKR and SUPP leaders aware that while Islam is our official religion, the Federal Constitution did not say that Malaysia is an Islamic State? If Malaysia is an Islamic State, is not St. Martin School an Islamic state government school? What happened to Christian schools in Sarawak now? What happened to schools like St. Thomas, St. Joseph, St. Teresa and St. Mary in Kuching now? They all became national schools by taking before them additional name, “Sekolah Kebangsaan” where the medium of instructions are in the malay language. Are they still Christians schools? Are they not government schools in an Islamic State? If they are still Christian schools, are they not schools in an Islamic State? Why SUPP and PKR had kept quiet?

Are not SUPP and PKR propagating Malaysia as an Islamic State?


MORALITY OF LAWYER-POLITICIANS
Comrade Chong Chieng Jen, also voiced the issue of morality in me taking the St. Martin case in the press. DAP believes in the freedom of expression within the perimeters of the law. To him, I should have refrained from taking the case. However, to this I need to make a stand. Millah was a poor old lady who was refused help by influential people and lawyers whom Millah approached. She was illiterate, poor and unemployed and I took pity and offered help to fight as I believed in helping the small and downtrodden people when their rights were transgressed and when their religion had been threatened.

I am to clarify here that I am not a lawyer-politician who believe in helping commercial banks to issue eviction order and to auction the houses of people like many lawyer- politicians did which resulted in miseries to families of these people and their children who had to leave their homes when banks took possession of their houses. If one says that as an opposition lawyer-politician I should not take Millah’s case, then, there is also no difference with other opposition lawyer-politicians who helped the banks to evict people from their homes when mortgages not paid! Their doings caused many to go bankrupt and families quarreled among each other.

In the years of my practice, I never helped the banks on the simple reason that these banks were powerful institutions as they have money and money is power and that most of these banks were supporters of BN government or belonged to BN politicians or their cronies! So to me, opposition lawyer-politician should for purpose of political morality not touch such cases at all! It is an improper political conduct to help our opponent.

Likewise, when one talks about political morality then one would wonder whether it was against political morality for lawyer-politicians like Karpal Singh to defend cases like dangerous drugs trafficking cases given the fact that dangerous drugs traffickers caused the increase of crimes, the loss of many lives and broken homes of many families?

As far as I know there are lawyer-politicians defending suspects caught for gaming including illegal lotteries. It was a known fact that gaming caused many social ills where loan sharks do good business and people cheat to win and families not properly fed and taken care of and broken homes were common with many wives and young girls being forced to become prostitutes to help feed their families. Is this not a political morality an issue here for a lawyer-politicians taking up such cases?

RIGHT TO BE DEFENDED
I would say a person has a right to be defended when charged in court and a person also has a right to protect his property when his property has been transgressed. This is a universal rule and this was also derived from the Bible! It was stated in the Bible that when God told Adam and Eve not to pluck and eat the forbidden fruits in the Garden of Eden, God was protecting God’s own property by saying so. What God commanded Adam and Eve was law by itself that Adam and Eve should not steal God’s property, otherwise, punishment will follow.

When Adam and Eve was found to have plucked and eaten the forbidden fruits, God never straightaway punished them, but, allowed them to defend themselves by giving them the right to defend themselves and explain their action! Therefore, lawyers, be they politicians or not, it therefore to me, morally correct to defend and help people who sought their help. This is because like what was allowed by God to Adam and Eve, they have a right to be defended although they could have committed the crime. To me, what Karpal Singh did was perfectly correct because God allows people to protect and to defend their own right and property.

It is also morally right for lawyer-politicians to protect the property rights of people as like what God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat the forbidden fruits as Law, such property rights were as protected in our Law and therefore, this right must be protected. It is morally wrong if help was not given by lawyer-politicians, especially, to poor persons in the position of Millah who had suffered so much under the BN government abuse of authority. The BN government is a mighty body against a weak person, and being a weak person, it was much more desirable that Millah’s right should be protected.

So if what I did was morally wrong in Millah’s case, then, I would also say that it would be also against political morality for Dominique Ng and Chee See How next time to defend squatter cases in government land. This is because as politicians they should not be seen given support or help to those who committed crime. Likewise, lawyer-politicians from SUPP, Alfred Yap and Chen Yee should also think of closing their legal firms if their legal business involve in recovering debts for banks from house buyers as by taking such cases for the banks, house buyers and their families may be affected by their action as they may be left in the cold winds to fend themselves where their lives may be in danger. By repossessing or auctioning their homes for the banks, they not only deprived them of a shelter, but, such action could also cause many social ills such as inviting loan sharking and gangsters to do dirty job for the banks. We also know many committed suicide when chased by the banks with the help of lawyers!


END RESULT OF MILLAH’S CASE
Some Party leaders even said that Millah’s case was a grave I dug myself and I could be buried alive politically, but, I never received such a warning from the voters. In fact, many landholders, Christians and people of other faiths met and phoned me to speak up the issue so that the public could know the evils done by this BN government and also the doings by some politicians in PKR and SUPP in supporting a morally wrong act by the government. Are these politicians also supported the church to be demolished? The government must also answer questions as why, when and by whom ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL had been demolished.

I humbly believe that the Christian community was angry when they discovered that their prayer house had been demolished. People of other faiths also expressed the same and I think Millah’s case helped me to obtain many votes despite gangsters were used by the opponents to threaten my party workers and voters. My votes increased to nearly 50% from the last time I contested against the incumbent in 2004. The incumbent only got an increment of about 3% votes and if Millah’s case, did not help then, Chee See How, would not have lost his deposit.

At the same time, many people were also not happy that some leaders of PKR and SUPP were like professional beggars begging for people’s money for the purpose of education, when funds for education and maintenance of schools should come from the government. They could not understand why these leaders have to dig people’s pocket, especially at this time when most families already felt the pinch of inflation although soliciting funds from public for the purpose of education and schools should be a good deed. People told me that they felt bad if they did not oblige to the begging of these politicians and so they had no choice, but, to cough out some money from their pocket for this purpose.

During the campaign period, people also voiced concern the lack of transparency of money collected from members of the public for Chinese schools by many leaders of PKR and SUPP. They wanted to know from whom the money were collected and this must be made public as they were afraid that the amount publicized in the press may not reflect the true amount collected.

Recently, PKR had collected more than RM300,000-00 for Chinese schools in Kuching, and the public wanted to know from where and whom PKR could collect such a huge amount of money. They asked me whether this money could have come from SUPP of from government grants channeled through PKR to Chinese schools. Since these are all issue of public morality, PKR and SUPP must answer these queries to the public.





Monday, March 10, 2008

SUPP NEVER WANTED TO HELP MILLAH OVER HER RIGHTS

Although DAP had lost in Stampin, supporters kept on ringing my phone expressing their shock and sadness over the result. To me the lost was in fact a victory because I was told that the St. Martin School issue was a grave that I dug to bury myself alive! The result showed otherwise. Some comrades for reasons known to themselves even advised me not to speak on the St. Martin issue, but, I had to take it as a personal political challenge. On the issue, I received many phone calls from supporters that gave me encouragement and advice on how to handle the issue. Many also phoned to me, to seek information about this St. Martin issue and I got much encouragement and strength from the Christian community many who decided to vote for me over the issue. The relevant authorities could not explain the reason why the chapel “ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL” was demolished and why and when it was demolished. The land where the Sekolah Kebangsaan St. Martin was built belonged to an old 73 years old spinster, Millah anak Kitat, and when it was built was also not known as it was without the consent of Millah. How the name St. Martin came into being was also not known. Now there are no more Christian activities on the land after ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL had been demolished! BN-SUPP must explain this! Many Christians were angry over the loss of a chapel! Freedom of religion is enshrined in Article 3 of the Federal Constitution and the Christians have the right to practise their religion.

ALL SAINTS’ CHAPEL was built with the consent of the late father of Millah, who himself was a Preacher.

After Millah discovered that a school had been built by the authorities on the land, Millah approached many BN YBs including her uncle, Datuk Ramsay Jitam, who at that moment was an Assistant Minister from the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) but, according to Millah, they were all a bunch of helpless people. Many of them persuaded Millah to surrender the land back to the government, but, Millah could not do this as it was her only property. No lawyers also wanted to take her case to be arbitrated by the Court as Millah, being unemployed had no money. Being a YB I had to hold true to my oath as a YB, that is to uphold the Federal Constitution as property rights are protected under the Federal Constitution.
Millah had given too long a time to the BN government to solve this matter, but, the BN government through its leaders including those from SUPP had chose to ignore her. When election was around the corner and when the matter was taken up by me, only then SUPP leaders wanted to help the people.

If the BN government was sincere, it was not difficult to solve the matter. The BN government instead of solving the matter chose to spend our money to send a medical doctor who knew nothing about space science to outer space, but, ignored the plight of Millah and St. Martin School.

Upon Millah’s instruction, I filed a suit in Court, after negotiation by with the relevant authorities also failed, but, before the matter could be settled by Court, the BN government took the decision to vacate the students to a nearby school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Muara Tuang. This later school has better facilities, equipped with computer.

One would imagine what would happen if one occupy a government land without permit or consent. I am sure the BN government would come with parangs, machine guns and policemen to demolish one’s hut and personal belongings! See what had happened in Ulu Niah some years ago and also Rh. Nyawin just months ago! The BN government came with parangs and trucks of policemen who were armed to the teeth to destroy their houses. Millah never wished to do what the BN government could do, but, preferred the matter to be settled by Court.

There was no reason why SUPP leaders had failed to come to an open debate on the matter when challenged by me, but, instead attacked by personal character. Likewise was also PKR, who instead of pointing their machineries on BN-SUPP during the campaign, took to attack me personally with the aim to destroy me politically assassinate me with the issue.

During the election campaign period, I was told some SUPP leaders had promised to find land to rebuild St. Martin School. Let them do it! At least the issue on St. Martin had forced SUPP to build a school for the community. If they want to do it, let not force money out from the pocket of the people in the community as in the Federal Constitution, schools should be maintained from public funds.

I also heard PKR will do the same. So let us see. I hope there will be two new schools for the community, that is, one to be built by SUPP while the other one by PKR! So please fulfill this promise, not mere talk.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

THUGS INVOLVED TO STOP CERAMAHS

It is regretted that thugs were used to threaten my party workers, sound system suppliers and owners of premises in Kota Padawan in the Stampin Constituency with bodily injuries and damage to their property if they were to allow their premises and equipment to be used for me to hold ceramahs. I approached not less than 10 premises’ owners in Kota Padawan since a month ago to allow me to hold ceramahs in their premises, but, only five had allowed me to use their premises. However, it was sad that all the five in Kota Padawan were forced to revoke their consent for me use and my party comrades to hold ceramah at their premises due to threats by gangsters.


Conversation and explanation with the representative from SPR.

Press conference at the scene to explain the details of the cancellation of ceramah.

As usual, we expected a huge crowd to attend our ceramah, but, this ceramah could not proceed as the supplier of the sound system was also being threatened with bodily harm. These thugs, which came in six cars also threatened to destroy the stage and sound system equipment if used for ceramah conducted by me.

Explaining to the crowds of what happened with apology on the cancellation of the ceramah.

The crowd grew impatient and not less than 20 policemen were mobilized to the place where I was supposed to hold my ceramah.

Sdr. Chong giving short speech to the audience who attended the ceramah.

Sdr. Chong Chieng Jen and his team from Bandar Kuching also came and despite being persuaded to leave, the crowd refused to disperse until late into the night. I was told some came as far as from Batu Kawa and Landeh just to hear the ceramah.

The large crowd witnessing the lodging of police report.

After I left the place, I received information that thugs from Kota Padawan were used to stop the ceramah and a Datuk was involved!

A large group of dissapointed audiences who attended the ceramah.

Owners of premises in 7th Mile Bazaar, Batu Kawa and MJC whom I had approached for ceramahs to be held had similarly been threatened.

A police report had been lodged for police investigation.

The next ceramah will be held on the 2nd of March, 7pm at these two respective places:

i) Batu Kawah
ii) Sungai Apong

I urge members of the public and supporters to turn up for the ceramah at these two places.