Oh by the way, about ISA...

...I haven't thought about checking the ISA out on Wikipedia. They've got a list detainees since 1974. Check it out here... 

Another point of interest; Singapore, Israel, South Africa and the United States also have their own ISAs.

I guess you can say seize and control is very much alive and kicking in the world today!

ISA : Insanely Shocking Agency

Raja Petra's Deteriorating Health

Malaysia Today

Aliran is seriously concerned over the deteriorating health of Raja Petra. According to his wife, Marina Lee Abdullah, “he does not look good and healthy at all”.

The deteriorating health of Raja Petra is totally due to the callous treatment of him by the police, who have completely ignored the universal norms that a detainee is entitled to.

“He has been denied sleep and is being put through mental torture,” said his wife after visiting Raja Petra. 

By her account, Raja Petra had been harassed psychologically in police custody. This stress under extreme custodial conditions has caused Raja Petra to lose weight and he is feeling weak. This is a cause for concern as he is suffering from a heart ailment.

“He spoke very softly and looked weak, pale and tremendously thin,” Marina told reporters. She attributed this to the fact that Raja Petra was suffering from a lack of sleep because the previous night, he was harassed hourly by officers who recorded statements from him.

Marina has every right to be worried over his health because  “her husband suffers from heart artery blockages and is on medication”. At this point in time nobody can confirm if Raja Petra is taking his medication or whether he  is being monitored by a doctor.

What he is being subjected to is absolutely unacceptable and uncalled for. What makes it worse is the fact that Raja Petra’s human rights are being violated with impunity by a country that sits as a member on the United Nations Human Rights Council that is tasked with protecting and preserving human rights. It makes a mockery of our position on this Council and renders it untenable.

Raja Petra has been arbitrarily arrested, subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and denied a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal in  determining his guilt. He has not been recognised as a person before the law and has been denied his right to freedom of thought and conscience. All these are serious violations which must be thoroughly condemned. This cannot be condoned  especially when the perpetrator is a  member of the Human Rights Council. 

Aliran calls upon the Malaysian government to stop its violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to release Raja Petra  immediately and to live up to its obligations as a member of the United Nations. 

Malaysians no longer believe that the Barisan Nasional has acted honourably, objectively and sincerely in the national interests of Malaysia in detaining Raja Petra, Teresa Kok, the Hindraf Five and all the others under the unjust ISA.

P Ramakrishnan
President
18 September

The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” 

The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 6 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.”  

The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.”

The Malaysian government is guilty of violating Article 10  of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

The Malaysian government is guilty of violating  Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

Round 2

A master stroke in buying time

Analysis, The malaysian insider SEPT 18 - You got to hand it to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Two days after he missed his self-imposed deadline of forcing the collapse of the Abdullah administration through the cross over of Barisan Nasional MPs and seemed in danger of swapping credibility for ridicule, he has managed to put the government on the defensive. And probably buy himself some more time. Today, he challenged Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi to convene an emergency Parliament sitting before Sept 23 so that a motion of no-confidence can be tabled against the Prime Minister.

"We have the numbers. If he wants the details and doesn't believe me, then convene the emergency sitting. The numbers are increasing by the hour. But as of now, it is in excess of 31 MPs. This is not empty talk," Anwar said during a press conference today, adding that Abdullah has no choice but to negotiate with Pakatan Rakyat. This is the first time since Independence that a sitting PM is being asked to convene a special Parliament session to have a motion of no-confidence tabled against him. Anwar knows that Abdullah will not take the bait and will probably tell the Opposition leader to be patient and wait for Oct 13 when the House reconvenes.  This answer will: # GIVE him the time he needs to work the ground and try and persuade some MPs to abandon BN for Pakatan Rakyat. Anwar has been meeting professionals, businessmen, a few former MPs and even members of some prominent Umno families in the past week asking them to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat. He has told a few of them that he has the numbers but was unwilling to share any names of the BN crossovers with them. Some of them have left the meetings - which have taken place at his home in Segambut or at the home of mutual friends - convinced that he does not have 31 BN MPs in his pocket. Others have been willing to give him the benefit of doubt. # ALLOW him to portray the Abdullah administration as cowardly and unwilling to follow democratic practices. He said as much today noting that any delay to the request for an emergency Parliament session would be seen "as nothing short of a further sabotage of the democratic process and abuse of executive power." # KEEP alive the prospect of the mass crossover and collapse of the Barisan Nasional. Sure, some seeds of doubt have taken root in the minds of people since the Sept 16 deadline came and went.' But in a country where hope in the government is a fast fading commodity, the public still want to believe that Anwar - who has fashioned himself as the saviour of the country can deliver on a promise. The Opposition icon knows that failure to deliver 31 MPs and oust Abdullah and BN out of Parliament will hurt him in the court of public opinion. His latest challenge to Abdullah suggests that he needs more time to get the numbers.

An Night Out... Conclusion

I believe in trusting. Trust begets trust. Suspicion is foetid and only stinks. He who trusts has never yet lost in the world -Mahatma Gandhi

Finally I'm calmed down. I met up with my friend from my previous 'An Night Out...' postings. It has been a good meeting. I realized today that hang-overs can really mess up a person's perspective in anything. It also muddles up a person positivity.

Anyway, I've always been rather trusting to others to the point of letting down my guard numerous times. I have always ended up getting the brunt of it and it always hurt like the devil!

Nowadays its difficult for me to trust anyone anymore. At the same time I cannot disregard the fact that there are also many trustworthy people out there as well.

So what do we do?

We just simply trust in our instincts.

Mahatma Gandhi said 'Suspicion is foetid and only stinks.'

Not sure what he meant here but for me, when I get suspicious, my brain hurts!

But when I place my trust in myself... my decisions usually plays out well and the outcome is normally positive and when I suffer from hangovers, I cease my trust in myself and my decision making becomes negative.

Again, whatever choices I make, I make because they feel right and so I go for it.

Coming back to my friend... well, we're all very much flawed human beings and we've many more mysteries in life to unravel.

So I will trust the decision I've made today when I enjoyed a cup of tea with my good friend from an night out...

Apology

Error can claim no exemption even if it can be supported by the scriptures of the world.

-Mahatma Gandhi

Today I made a remarkable breakthrough... I made an apology!

Yeah I know what you're thinking; 'Wah to say sorry also so difficult to do?' I have to be honest and say, 'Yes, it is indeed an uneasy thing to say especially when you know you are in the wrong.'

Especially when you're 30-something... words like sorry is unheard of! In fact people take pains in covering up their mistake in order to prevent losing of face.

Anyway.

I'm currently heading an NGO project that needed to be delayed for another 2 months due to the unpredictable weather, volunteers burn-out and monetary constraints.

When I made the decision to postpone the date, I didn't communicate my decision with the chairperson of the organization because I didn't like her attitude in dealing with issues. Our members put all the blame on her leadership (or mostly her lack of) skills in dealing with the drop of members participation, no monthly board of directors meeting, no membership training and basically no nothing. So with that in mind I feel disgusted that I even had to share the same room with this person.

So I did the next sad thing... I cut her off from the loop! I made that decision with only my core group and took her out of equation. She received the news like the other members did; through SMS through the project secretary.

Naturally she got upset and started complaining to the other members on how terrible my judgement is and if I can't handle the job, well, better let someone else to do it. And she did it behind my back!

I was getting all upset myself but then I realized something.

What I had done was wrong.

Lousy character or whatever, she's still the chairperson of the organization. 

She's still the anointed leader of the organization.

She has the constitutional right to know what's happening in the organization.

Upon this realization, I picked up the phone and started calling her. I explained the reasons behind my decision and I apologized for not informing her personally.

She accepted my apology and we're cool again. And I'm still project head.

Later, upon reflection, I now realize that my time in a voluntary organization will end after I complete this project. I will be moving towards bigger responsibilities in the business world and I cannot behave how I normally do in an NGO there.

At another time and place, I would not be thinking about apologizing at all. I do what I have to do because the company's survival depends on decisions.

She is also an up and coming business person but she has not have the advantages that I possess. 

And we're in the same NGO together. If I would have pushed my weight around in the organization, I would only make matters worse and I'd be seen as a bully. Then there would be no respect for folks from all works of life because the one with the biggest gun wins.

Winner takes all, so to speak.

So that's why I apologized. I didn't want to bully nor to cover-up... it just isn't my style.

But most of all, I did it because I was wrong.

Whether I made the right decision... well I would never know but one thing I can say now is this;

I felt good after making the apology because it felt right.

But is it applicable in the business world?

MalaysiaKini SMS 18/09/08

PM has rejected Anwar Ibrahim's call for an emergency session of Parliament. He also said there will be no further ISA arrests.