Najib Razak Petitions

Two petitions to the Malaysian King pertaining to Najib Razak are soliciting signatures. 

 

The first is a petition to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah titled “Petisyen kepada KDYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agong: Najib Tidak Wajar Diampunkan”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launched by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), the petition makes a plea to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to deny any appeal for a pardon by Najib as he had brought shame to the country. 

 

“As a nation, we must not tolerate corruption or the corrupt, whoever that person may be”, Bersih said in the petition. It further stated that Najib should serve his 12 years of jail sentence and pay the RM210 million fine to serve as an example to “other leaders who think they can corruptly abuse their position of authority”. 

 

The petition recorded 144,817 signatures as of 09:54 AM today and would be one of the top signed petitions on Change.org if it reaches its target of 150,000. 

 

Meanwhile, another petition launched yesterday by Ariff Lias titled “Bebaskan Najib Razak Melalui Pengampunan Diraja" (Free Najib Razak via a royal pardon), also on Change.org, recorded 9,423 signatures as of 09:55 AM today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The petition appealed to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to grant Najib a royal pardon for the reasons that the trial was unfair and a flawed judicial system. 

 

The petition is claiming that Najib was denied his basic rights to a fair trial and that there was a serious perversion of justice so he should be released immediately.

Bikini-clad Sadiq Khan

Photograph: Nishat Ahmed/AP 

A balloon depicting London Mayor Sadiq Khan in a yellow bikini floats over London, UK on September 01, 2018. AFP pic

Critics of London Mayor Sadiq Khan (right) on Saturday launched a big balloon caricaturing him scowling in a yellow bikini “in retaliation” for the “Baby Trump” blimp he let fly over Westminster on July 13, 2018. 

For photos of the orangey nappy-clad baby, check out my post @

http://helpvictor.blogspot.com/2018/07/tabung-harapan-malaysia-scoots-past_17.html 

The mayoral caper was staged by Yanny Bruere, who claims he is a free speech advocate, and it is funded through nearly £60,000 ($78,000, €67,000) in contributions on a crowdfunding website. 

Organizers chose the yellow bikini because Sadiq ruled in 2016 London’s transport network would not allow adverts which could create body confidence issues following controversy over a protein shake poster featuring a model in a yellow bikini asking “are you beach body ready?” 

For Malaysians, yellow is the color of protest, à la Bersih. 

Still, the mayor sportingly said people were welcome to watch the stunt. 

“If people want to spend their Saturday looking at me in a yellow bikini they’re welcome to do so – I don’t really think yellow’s my colour though”, he quipped to UK’s ITV News.

On Sunday, Steven Gerrard who is managing Rangers was up against his old Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers who’s in charge of Celtic – his first Old Firm derby.

In this Scottish Premiership game, Celtic had the upper hand when they scored in the sixty-second minute and it was a stunning goal from a scintillating counter-attack. 

Tom Rogic won the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and darted forward. He slid in Odsonne Edouard at the edge of the other box and the striker picked out James Forrest, who squared for Olivier Ntcham to slot home. 

Despite Rangers’ 0-1 loss – to me, it was still a major accomplishment for Gerrard because last season, Celtic had pulverised Rangers 4-0 and 5-0.

Bersih 2.0 Can Mobilize Voters in GE14

DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago has highlighted electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0’s importance in the days leading up to GE14. 

Speaking to Free Malaysia Today, Santiago said he believed Bersih 2.0 could persuade voters to come out on polling day and “vote for change”. 

“Over the years, Bersih has successfully mobilised people by the thousands so (they have) a following. If (they) set out to mobilise, people might follow (their) direction and advice”, he said. 

He added that what Bersih 2.0 wanted was in line with what Pakatan Harapan wanted and that’s the reason they are Pakatan-friendly. 

“They want free and fair elections which means an independent Election Commission (EC) and a level playing field between parties. That’s what Pakatan (are) promising”. 

Fortunate Liverpool earned three points when they beat Burnley 2-1 in the EPL match on Monday. 

Sadio Mane produced a superb shot from the edge of the area in the sixty-first minute to give the Reds’ the lead before Johann Gudmundsson equalized twenty-six minutes later. Then Ragnar Klavan gave Liverpool victory when he headed home from almost on the goalline – his first league goal for his team since he joined in July 2016.

Maria Chin Abdullah Released from Lock-up

Lawyer and activist Ambiga Sreenevasan shared this photo with Maria Chin Abdullah, after the latter was released on Monday, on her official Twitter feed. 

Surprise, surprise! Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah was released at about 4.30 PM yesterday – her 11th day in the lock-up and a day before her habeas corpus hearing challenging her detention.

I don’t believe she is out of the woods yet – still, it gives her momentary relief. She is reunited with her family and that is comforting. 

Malaysians too can rejoice – for now at least. 

Supporters hold signs in support of Maria Chin Abdullah during a vigil at Dataran Merdeka, KL on November 28, 2016. Picture by Choo Choy May

On Sunday, in the Scottish League Cup final, Aberdeen were overawed and overrun, almost from the first whistle. And Celtic triumphed 3-0 – thanks to goals from Tom Rogic (16), James Forrest (37) and Moussa Dembele (64, penalty).

This was the sixteenth time the Glasgow team won and it was their 100th major trophy! An amazing feat!

Yesterday, I was at the Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam in Jalan Damansara, KL – and thanks to Nicole Leong and Rush Teh, I had a speaking slot. I presented CC speech #9 Persuade with Power titled “Kill Your Dreams”. I was also voted Best Speaker.

Additionally, I was an evaluator for an Advanced speech from The Professional Speaker manual as well as took up the last-minute role of a General Evaluator.

Christmas came early for Speakers Dream Toastmasters Club and I received this Wild Vines raspberry Zinfandel (Framboise) during the gift exchange – see photo!

Bersih 5.0 – You'll Never Walk Alone

Bersih 5.0 in numbers:

Bersih 5.0 - In the Afternoon/Evening

Bersih 5.0 in the afternoon/evening:

Yellow as far as the eyes can see!

Bersih 5.0 - In the Morning

Bersih 5.0 this morning:

Malaysian Police Give Warning

As Bersih 5.0 looms, the Inspector-General of Police (right) warned that police will not hesitate to use tear gas and water cannons.

 

He said Tuesday: “We don’t care if they are red or yellow or green or blue…we will still take action”.

 

Khalid Abu Bakar had conveniently forgotten that police did just that during Bersih 3.0 – and it had nothing to do with unruly protestors. I know because I was there! They used tear gas and water cannons as the Bersih rally-goers were dispersing. 

 

Already, Bersih 2.0 chairperson Maria Chin had put it: “We are going to be peaceful, we are not here to fight. The issue is the red shirts”.

 

She is right!

 

The Red Shirts head honcho had retorted: “We are prepared to face anything, not only police action…even put our lives on the line”.

 

The two statements above clearly illustrate their respective intent.

 

As The Sun’s columnist Citizen Nades wrote: “People are being waylaid along public roads; women are chased around in shopping malls; journalists are being harassed; and there have even been threats to bring down buildings. Have we descended into a lawless state?” (The Sun, November 16, 2016, p 12).

 

Nadeswaran, of course, was referring to police inaction. And because of that, the emboldened Red Shirts continue to run amok in the country.

 

Therefore, he was correct to ask the question: “Shouldn’t the priority be law and order?”

 

Didn’t I say, nothing in Malaysia is a surprise anymore?

IS Death Threats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Tuesday, Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, Human Rights Society president Ambiga Sreenevasan and Bersih 2.0 secretariat member Mandeep Singh received death threats via the WhatsApp messaging app – and accompanied by doctored Islamic State images.

 

Chin also received additional images of her three sons' MyKad.

 

The profanity-laden warnings had allegedly come from Malaysian Islamic State operatives. 

It is sad that Islam has been besmirched. Tarnished. Sullied.

 

In the evening, I was at Jalan Stesen Sentral 5 in Kuala Lumpur Sentral to attend the MIDA International Toastmasters meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took up two roles – as Speech Evaluator and Grammarian.

 

More importantly, I am making a commitment to support this Toastmasters club. The members really need guidance. Lots of it. After all, this was only their fourth meeting.