SARAWAK LIVE: NSC

Did SUPP support NSC Bill in KL, but oppose it in Kuching?

QUICK TAKE: There appears to be conflicting reports on whether Senator Dr Sim Kui Hian opposed or supported the National Security Council (NSC) Bill when it was debated in Parliament last month.

Senator Sim who is Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president said he opposed the Bill during his debate in the Senate on 21 December 2015.

But Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen disputed it, accusing Sim and SUPP of “hypocrisy” because when in Parliament SUPP supported the Bill, but in Kuching they opposed it.

The Bill, said the State DAP chairman, exposed the “hypocrisy” of SUPP and Sim.

SUPP’s only federal minister Richard Riot gave his support when the Bill was first mooted in the Cabinet.

“In Kuching, Dr Sim told Sarawakians he opposed the Bill,” Chong said.

The SUPP leader, according to Chong, was trying to play “hero” in Sarawak, but becoming an obedient servant to his federal masters in Parliament.

Dr Sim’s position was understandable as he did not wish to offend his political bosses, added Chong.

Furious with Chong’s allegation, Sim issued a challenge to the DAP leader to prove that he (Sim) had supported the Bill.

“I opposed the Bill, and I did not support it. So, I hope the people will not be misled by the opposition,” he was quoted as saying in the local media.

He said that it was frustrating that the opposition, particularly the State DAP, was pointing fingers at him in relation to the passing of the NSC Bill.

“In the Dewan Negara, it was only voice voting, with no chance to cast individual votes. Likewise, tell him (Chong) to show me that Pakatan senators say they do not agree.”

Sim added that “it is not fair and not accurate to say that I supported (the NSC Bill) as it was voice voting.”

In accepting the challenge, Chong produced the Parliament hansard to prove that Sim did not oppose the Bill.

In fact, he gave full support to the Bill.

The hansard does not lie, stressed Chong.

According to the hansard, Sim when debating the Bill on 21 December 2015 said in Malay: “Sebagai senator dari Sarawak, saya bagi pihak segala usaha dan langkah yang dibuat oleh Kerejaan Persekutuan dalam memastikan keselamatan Negara Malaysia khususnya di Negeri Sarawak dalam keadaan terjamin.

“Saya menyokong dasar kerejaan yang sentiasa prihatin terhadap keselamatan rakyat dengan mengamalkan sikap proaktif contohnya pelbagai undang-undang baru seperti POTA 2015 dan Security Offences (special Measures) (Amendment) Bill 2015, dengan izin, diperkenalkan bertujuan untuk memastikan kesejahteraan dan keselamatan rakyat terjamin”.

Did he say he opposed the Bill?, asked Chong.

Now, who do you believe? Sim or Chong?

- The Ant Daily

NSC not enforceable in Sarawak – SUPP

MIRI: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) which supported the passing of National Security Council (NSC) Bill 2015 in Parliament said without the consent from Sarawak, the legislation would not be enforceable in the state.

Its secretary-general Dato Sebastian Ting Chew Yew said with or without the amendments, SUPP is of the opinion that the NSC Bill 2015 cannot be enforced in the state because the federal government has not obtained prior consent or any consent from the Sarawak state government.

In a press statement, he said the Federation of Malaysia is based on the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report in 1962 which are international treaties between four governments and registered with the United Nations that cannot be amended by the Malaysian Parliament.

On Dec 8 last year, the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly unanimously resolved to revisit all the key federal laws that contradicted the safeguards and covenants in the IGC and the MA63 provided for Sabah and Sarawak, and to find ways to reconcile these aberrations in our legislation and laws.

He hoped that Peninsular Malaysians would understand that the time has come for Sabah and Sarawak to claim what are rightfully theirs.

“Perhaps the details of the current NSC Bill can be a good test case for Sabah and Sarawak to review the documents in the light of our entrenched safeguards and state rights. We urge the federal government to hold back the Bill till the process of reconciliation with the MA63 and the IGC is done,” he added.

A minister in the Prime Minister’s Department recently commented that the NSC members were selected based on expertise on security and not in the spirit of including state representatives but SUPP suggested to include the chief ministers of Sabah and Sarawak to be among the permanent members of NSC.

“Who would know and understand Sarawak better than the Chief Minister himself? He should be there not for the sake of ‘spirit’ as the minister suggested but it is for Malaya to start recognising the status of Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners to Malaya in the Federation of Malaysia,” Ting pointed out.

He said Sabah and Sarawak must be consulted and have a say on how the funds are to be used as national security required huge financial allocations.

He advised that the NSC Bill 2015 should not be used in subduing movements such as ‘Sarawak for Sarawakians’ and others which mainly ask for the return of the state’s rights as agreed during the formation of Malaysia.

The National Security Council (NSC) was initially established on July 7, 1971 for the purpose of preventing racial riots such as the May 13, 1969 from happening again.

The newly passed Bill was drafted to extend the power of NSC to deal with the national security issues without invoking Article 150 – Emergency Power in the Federal Constitution.

Despite the passing of the Bill by both Houses of Parliament, SUPP called for six substantial amendments to cap the scope of authority:

• Amend Clause 6 of the NSC Bill 2015 for the Chief Minister of Sabah and of Sarawak (or state representative) to be included among the eight permanent members of the proposed National Security Council

• Amend Part IV, Clause 18 of the NSC Bill 2015 so that the Prime Minister’s role will be replaced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in declaring ‘Security Area’, acting on the advice of the NSC

• Amend Clauses 15 and 20 of the NSC Bill 2015 so in the event that a ‘Security Area’ is identified in Sabah or Sarawak, the director general of the National Security and the director of Operations administering the ‘Security Area’ has to be a Sabahan or Sarawakian from the respective states for the whole duration of the specific emergency

• Amend the definition of ‘Government Entities’ in Clause 2 ‘Interpretation’ and Clause 5 of the NSC Bill 2015 so the powers of the NSC do not include any state government’s ministry, department, office, agency, authority, commission, committee, board or council because state matters must continue to remain under the control of Sabah and Sarawak as was agreed during the formation of Malaysia

• Amend the NSC Bill 2015 so that it will not contravene Article 9 ‘Prohibition of banishment and freedom of movement’ and Article 13 ‘Rights to property’ of the Federal Constitution that protects the fundamental liberties of any person, the freedom of movement and rights to property because this case is different from the State of Emergency (Article 150)

• Clause 4 of the NSC Bill 2015 on ‘National Security’ needs to be specifically defined because if otherwise, it has too broad in meaning.

- Borneo Post

Why the deafening silence from S’wak leaders on NSC Act?

COMMENT: Since the passing of the National Security Act, key Sarawak leaders have not commented anything on the Act or on the state’s demand for autonomy in education, taxation and health, devolution of powers and the call for hgher gas royalty from 5% to 20%.

Neither have Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders like Abdul Karim Hamzah and Dr Stephen Rundi said anything about the Act. Usually they are the first ones who would comment on anything that is controversial. But not this time. Why?

Only Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president and Senator Dr Sim Kui Hian and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president and Land Development Minister Dr James Masing did express some concerns about the Act.

Even then their comments came after it was passed in Parliament. But what is the point of making such comments when their MPs supported the Bill? Did they merely want to be heard?

Without the support of the MPs from Sarawak (25 from BN and six from the Opposition), the bill might not have been passed. But there you are, all the 25 BN MPs gave their support.

Did the instruction to support the Bill come from Chief Minister Adenan?

So the general public and the Opposition are asking if this could be the reason why the chief minister is silent over this Bill, which the general public fears, will derail Sarawak’s demand for autonomy in education, taxation and heath as well as higher oil and gas royalty?

Under the Act, Najib’s power to declare any area as “security area” is similar to the power to impose curfew in the days of the communist insurgency.

As Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen put it: “The Act can be used to justify suppression by the federal government against Sarawak, especially on our autonomy movement in Sarawak.

“The prime minister may use the excuse that the 20% royalty to Sarawak will greatly reduce the revenue of the federal government and thereby cause economic instability to the country, and thus suppress all demands for 20% oil and gas royalties,

“The prime minister may also use the excuse that it will undermine the status of Bahasa Malaysia and thereby affect the socio-political stability of the country or even use the excuse of affecting ‘national unity’ to go against the state government’s said decision,” said Chong, the MP for Bandar Kuching and Kota Sentosa assemblyperson.

He said Najib may also use the excuse that it affects the socio-political stability of the country and declare Sarawak as a “security area” whereby the security forces will take over the running of the state government.

On the state’s demands for greater autonomy, Najib’s answer to that will be to use as an excuse under the “territorial integrity” to declare Sarawak as a “security area”.

Chong said the state leaders’ silence on the Act and the support given by the BN MPs to the Act will certainly put a dent in Adenan’s “hero image”.

“He may be the No. 1 hero in Sarawak, having the courage to speak against the Umno, but ultimately when his MPs go to Parliament, they have to toe Umno’s line, to the detriment of Sarawak’s interest,” he said.

As chief minister and lawyer, there is no reason to say that Adenan is unaware of the potential threat of the NSC to Sarawak.

Chong’s colleague, Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei shares similar concerns when he described the Act as tending “to destroy the movement initiated by Sarawakian for Independence and Autonomy”.

Wong said that the NSC Act moved by the Najib’s administration will be used by the Barisan National government to suppress Sarawakians, even to the extent that the prime minister will have absolute power under the Act to declare emergency in Sarawak.

“The NSC Act is an Act that moves the country towards dictatorship. The basic value of democracy will be destroyed.

“The Act is a tool used by the BN government to destroy the people’s voice. Yet, Sarawak MPs and Senators supported the passing of the Act.

“It shows that the Sarawak Barisan National does not wish to see more autonomy for Sarawakians,” Wong added.

He said that the chief minister has to explain why he allowed his MPs and Senators to support the passing of the Act to suppress the voice of Sarawakians for greater autonomy?

Another opposition lawmaker See Chee How said that the state government should examine the consequences of the Act and to protest strongly against it.

It will make the state government subservient to the National Security Council, he said.

“This is a frontal attack on the constitutional federalism that this country is practising, a legislative scheme which was not envisaged nor intended by country’s founding fathers,” he said, urging the state government of Sarawak and Sabah to demand that this piece of federal legislature be referred to the federal court to review its constitutionality.

See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyman and Sarawak PKR vice-chairman, felt that it is an insult that the chief ministers of Sarawak and Sabah are not included as members in the NSC.-The Ant Daily

When I am Dictator of Malaysia, I will ban 35 annoyances

OUTSPOKEN: When I appoint myself the Dictator of Malaysia, no-one should complain. Anyone who does will be housed in Kamunting, and his property seized or destroyed. If you have no qualms about the proposed National Security Council (NSC) Bill, then you will not mind my list of 35 bans.

1 The ulamas, as they are the root of Malaysia's problem. They are party-poopers and have no sense of fun. They are more interested in the after-life, than life on Earth; but what has a woman to expect in heaven, as 72 studs do not exist. A certain popular ustaz, claimed that women, who go to heaven, will be rewarded with an unlimited number of kitchen utensils, Pyrex, and gold bangles. Hell seems preferable, but one will probably be relegated to kitchen duties.

2 Umno Baru politicians for using the ulamas to further their aims. Self explanatory.

3 The same old people who cannot speak English, but are used to dub foreign films into English. Is the pool of English speakers so small, that the same tired voices have to be endured, in almost every dubbed film?

4 Salesgirls who spring up behind you, while you are happily browsing and say, "Yes, anything?" Like leeches, they follow you around the shop, asking the same question.

5 The IGP. He prefers tweets to catching thieves. He should get rid of the numerous medals on his chest, which make him look like General Idi Amin.

6 The Malaysian board of film censors. There is nothing more frustrating than watching a film, where two lovers bounce-off one-another, as if they were made of rubber.

7 Waiters who bring you sweet coffee, even when you asked for "Kopi-Si-Kosong." They cannot believe that anyone would want coffee without sugar.

8 Malaysians who refuse to queue. Why do these people have no problem queuing, when they are overseas?

9 Police and JPJ roadblocks. They cause traffic jams and the Mat Rempits, whom they want to nab, make a U-turn to escape the check. Everyone else is stuck.

10 "Datuks" who get stroppy, and loudly proclaim, "Do you know who I am?", when they do not get what they want, or are asked to wait their turn for service.

11 People who smoke and vape. Have you smelt your hair and clothes after being around smokers? Kissing a smoker is like kissing an ashtray. If the vape vapour drifts onto your eyes, it steams them and is not a pleasant experience, with or without the vanilla flavour.

12 Mamak stalls, especially those which allow unaccompanied children, at 3am in the morning. Filthy stalls should also be banned.

13 Highway surprises. Fruit stalls that spring up beside the highway are a danger, as are works vehicles which reverse onto the highway, not realising that a car travelling at 70 km may not be able to stop in time. People who switch on their indicators, hazard lights and spotlights in heavy rain, thinking that this will make them be more visible.

14 People who do not have driving licences and who fail to insure their vehicles. Some of them use their father's datuk-ship to escape prosecution, when they are stopped.

15 People who have a "member" in any government department. They may be behind you in the queue, but when their "member" spots them, they are whisked to the office and their problem dealt with, immediately.

16 Little Napoleons who abuse everyone.

17 The moral police, because they are officially sanctioned, and taxpayer funded, voyeurs.

18 Children of senior ministers are the most obnoxious species of humanity to roam this earth. They think that being decked-out in their bling, luxury watches, designer clothes, while driving imported sports cars, enables them to lord it over you.

19 People whose table manners are appalling. The cement mixers who eat with their mouth open, the ones whose snot dribbles onto their (and your) food, and those who do not use serving spoons, thus contaminating the food, with their germs.

20 Police outriders, who force you off the road and kick your car, if you are too slow.

21 Policemen who mess you about by making you lodge a report at several police stations.

22 Senior civil servants, and politicians, who are not punctual. The excuse is they are on a course - the golf course!

23 People who wear home-made uniforms, like Abdul Rani Kulup of Martabat Jalinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM), with his red beret, dark glasses and curtain tie-backs, as epaulettes.

24 Malay politicians who claim, in Parliament, to be pious family men, but are seen with various bits of arm candy at night clubs.

25 Polygamous men, who nip to Thailand for a quickie marriage, should have something else nipped-off.

26 People who keep saying, "...it's God's will", when in reality it is their will.

27 Wishy-washy Opposition politicians.

28 People who don't say the three magic words, "Please," and "Thank You".

29 Diplomats who cannot speak English and those who walk around, with their trousers round their ankles.

30 Race and religion based political parties.

31 Politicians who are misogynists.

32 Politicians who pocket RM2.6 billion donations.

33 People who flaunt 24-carat diamond rings.

34 People who have too many handbags.

35 Criminals who are hailed as "God's protégé."

Mariam Mokhtar is “a Malaysian who dares to speak the truth”.-The Ant Daily

SUPP wants Sarawak, Sabah represented in National Security Council

KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) is gravely concerned over the impact of the proposed National Security Council law on Sarawak (and Sabah, being in the same position as Sarawak within the Federation of Malaysia) as there is no representation from Sarawak (and Sabah) in the council.

SUPP secretary-general Dato’ Sebastian Ting noted that the National Security Council Bill was tabled in Parliament for the first reading recently.

The proposed new law seeks to create a council which will have the power, amongst others, to declare certain area a ‘security area’ and the council will have wide ranging powers in particular concerning security.

The members of the proposed council are the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Inspector-General of Police and the Chief Secretary to the Federal Government.

Ting said SUPP had always been supportive of a stable and a strong government. The safety of the people and property should be the upmost concern for any political party and the nation.

At the same time, they were also mindful that the wide powers granted by the proposed law should not be misapplied or abused.

Ting said SUPP was concerned over the impact of the proposed law on Sarawak (and Sabah, being in the same position as Sarawak within the Federation of Malaysia) since there was no representation from Sarawak (and Sabah) in the council.

He said it was very important for Sarawak and Sabah to be represented in the proposed council for nation building.

Malaysia was formed as a federation of three separate entities –Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah (after the separation of Singapore in 1965).

“This new law should reflect this fact by including the views and voices from the other two partners of this nation. SUPP proposes that the council be expanded to include the chief ministers of Sarawak and Sabah as members of the council.

“Furthermore, before any part of Sarawak (or Sabah) is to be declared a security area, the consent of the respective chief ministers must be mandatory.

“We further propose that Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Communications and Multimedia be included in the council because these ministries are relevant.

“SUPP asks for the Bill to be amended to reflect the above requests,” Ting said in the press statement.-Borneo Post

Passing of National Security Council Bill ‘final nail in the coffin for democracy’

KUCHING: Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian has described the passing of the National Security Council (NSC) Bill as ‘the final nail in the coffin for democracy’ in the country.

“As surely as night follows day, the passing of the NSC Bill marks the beginning of a crackdown on dissents, the silencing of the opposition and the death of whatever vestiges that is left of the democracy we have in Malaysia,” he said in a press statement yesterday.

Baru said the Bill usurped the powers of the Agong and gave absolute power to the prime minister to do anything he wished without any accountability in the name of ‘national security’.

“As pointed out by various commentators, we already have the necessary anti-terrorism laws such as Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (SOSMA) in place. This Bill is totally unnecessary.

“The stealthy way in which it was revealed to Parliament giving the opposition and civil society no opportunity to study it in depth and the unholy haste with which it was pushed through within a few hours is telling of a prime minister who lives in fear of losing his power and is desperate to put an end to the damning revelations about his entanglement in corruption and crime.

“It is even more telling that the most authoritarian former prime minister has warned against the Bill, saying it will steer the country into a dictatorship.”

Baru said all Malaysians should be very worried about the wide and vague definition of ‘national security’, adding that Sarawakians should be on high alert, as they have been in the forefront of news in the last few months, for reasons which were not pleasing to the BN government.

“The chief minister’s call for 20 per cent oil royalty, reclaiming our autonomy, the recognition of UEC (and calling Peninsular Malaysian detractors ‘stupid’) and his recent declaration that English is an official language of Sarawak have made the ruling regime extremely uncomfortable.

“They have been used to compliant and pliable Sarawak government under the previous administration and this awakening of Sarawak is not a good thing for those who have taken us for granted in the past.

“They have taken our oil wealth and used our votes to hold on to power. Let us not be so naive to think they are happy that we are now reclaiming our rights and declaring our pride in our separate identity as Sarawakians in the Federation of Malaysia.

“Will the prime minister abuse this law to cower Sarawakians who are fighting for Sarawak’s rights? What if the prime minister decides that what we are asking for is a threat to ‘national security’? That is not beyond the realm of possibility.”

He said this was not what our forefathers signed up for when they agreed to be a partner in the Federation of Malaysia.

“Our people are people of the land who have lived freely for generations. I am sure our ancestors never envisioned being part of this ‘Zimbabweisised’ Malaysia, as described by former Malaysian ambassador Dennis Ignatius.”

Baru said one of the reasons our forefathers agreed to the Federation of Malaysia was the threat of invasion by Indonesia, adding that Sarawakians were now at risk of being subsumed and ruled by Peninsular Malaysia.

“I urge the BN parties in Sarawak to engage in some serious soul-searching. They must ask themselves whether they can in good conscience allow themselves to be associated with a regime led by desperate men who have no regard for the rule of law or the rights and civil liberties of the people. Their support for the BN regime will cost Sarawakians and all Malaysians dearly.”- Borneo Post