Monday, September 01, 2008

Ahmad "Penumpang" Ismail

UMNO Bukit Bendera Division Chief, Datuk Ahmad Ismail has once again demonstrated the party's true colours and they obviously will never learn or change their bigoted ways.

This time round, even their badly discredited political partners, MCA and Gerakan came out strongly to denounce his statements made during the recent Permatang Pauh elections that the Malaysian Chinese were "penumpang" (squatters) and cannot be trusted to whip up racial support for UMNO. And he did it in front of Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, without any reprimand from the latter.

Will it however be a complete show, signature campaigns and all, and Datuk Ahmad Ismail gets away scot free? Well, it certainly looks like it.

There is no other term to describe the Prime Minister and UMNO president, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's response to the controversy except to call him totally spineless. His only comment to the press to date:
"I will tell him not to do it again. You know in a campaign all sorts of things can come up. I don’t think he meant it. I’ll make sure to tell him not to use it again."
The response is almost laughable. I believe it isn't necessary for DAP to do much to ensure the continued political demise of MCA, MIC and Gerakan. UMNO, including the Prime Minister himself, will do it for us. All these controversies are happening as Malaysia celebrate its 51st Merdeka anniversary, packed with the rhetoric of national unity and harmony.

DAP has filed police reports throughout the country in every state today to symbolically voice our utmost disgust and disappointment with Datuk Ahmad Ismail for his racist remarks. It is our solemn protest to ask UMNO to uphold the spirit of Merdeka.

Many have pointed out the fact that Datuk Ahmad Ismail's remarks have created feelings of discontent and hurt among the various races in the country, which is deemed illegal under the Sedition Act Clause 3(1)(e) which states that it is seditious:
to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of population of Malaysia
While, the criticism of Sedition Act is its lack of clarity and subjectivity of what is deemed to promote "feelings of ill-will", Datuk Ahmad Ismail has clearly and conclusively breached another clause under Sedition Act, 3(1)(f) which deems seditious any act:
to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protect by the provisions of Part III of the Federal Constitution...
Now, Part III of the Federal Constitution is on Citizenship where it guarantees citizenship under Article 14
  1. Subject to the provisions of this Part, the following persons are citizens by operation of law, that is to say:
(a) every person born before Malaysia Day who is a citizen of the Federation by virtue of the provisions contained in Part 1 of the Second Schedule; and

(b) every person born on or after Malaysia Day, and having any of the qualifications specified in Part 11 of the Second Schedule.

Hence, under Malaysian laws, one cannot question the citizenship of Malaysians regardless of race or religion.

I've read the relevant clauses a few times, and I can see it no other way than to say that Datuk Ahmad Ismail is in breach of Malaysia's laws and the Attorney-General must initiate actions against him. The offence is punishable by being sentenced to 3 years jail or RM5,000 fine or both.

Will Pak Lah act to uphold Malaysian constitution and laws? Or will he finally pick up political courage to do the necessary? Will MCA and Gerakan accept no punitive or concrete actions against Datuk Ahmad Ismail? Or will UMNO and Barisan Nasional component parties continue with its rhetoric of national unity, which can no longer mask its "cakap tak serupa bikin" culture.

40 comments:

solidleong said...

No, No, no... he won't be reprimanded. He will go scot free. In fact later on he will be justly rewarded to some posts with the GLCs. Just wait and see.

Anonymous said...

If Ahmad is not charged under Sedition Act, then UMNO will prove to the world that Malaysia's Sedition Act is meant for non Malays only.

bclee said...

after 51 years of merdeka we still have this type of leader. wolamat shame...
pendatang paid almost 90% of malaysia taxation to BN govement.
i think we must think twist b4 pay our income tax.

Anonymous said...

They are going to sweep this under the proverbial carpet and call the Chinese racists for continually pushing for action against this UMNO goon.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said…

In 2004 GE11, the Malaysian Voters have had given the PeeM AAB 90% of the seats in Parliament with a Mandate of almost full support but what had he done to Malaysia, with his arrogance, he tried to oppress & betray the Rakyats and mismanage the Government and suppressed the MSM News and spun lies and deceits. What could PeeM AAB ever do anything to Ahmad Ismail??? As he himself professes & shares like-minded with Ahmad Ismail the same common seditious thoughts.

Light-up the Candles now and but justice for all ISA detainees come the new dawn of Malaysia soon.

Where is the justice & freedom of expression because all our MSM News are suppressed or spun, where have the Truth and Merdeka gone to, perhaps the goons under BN Government, ok??? Malaysia is going backwards after 51 years instead of going forward under the Racist UMNO, calling the “Chinese Squatters” to leave and “Babi Cabinet” if Anwar wins Permantang Pauh and if he forms the Pakatan Rakyats’ Federal Government. What independence is there when there is none but a Police State in the making and where is the Justice for Altantuya and those in the ISA detention without trial or rights of appeal to seek natural justice???
The UMNO Government is afraid that more cans of worms will be spilled by RPK and therefore they banned his blogsite which is a futile attempt to block information in this IT age, of course this is because of this Present Moronic Government is corrupt and dirty therefore on the pretext of helping the Rakyats, they could extract, swindle and plunder more money from the Budget Deficit and with most of the Deficit Money coming from Petronas. Look for example at the Crystal Mosque’s and Mariner Club’s Fiasco in Terengganu’s Billions in Wang Ehsan, Billions had been lost as white elephants. The cancellation of the Johore Scenic Bridge, Penang Second Bridge and LRT Projects at the whims and fancies of the Flip Flop, Incompetent and Sleeping PeeM at the last minutes is wasting Multi Millions Ringgits in Public Funds had shown proof of the PeeM’s mismanagement of the Government and wastage of the Public Financial Resources and all these wasted funds could not be salvaged to aid and assist the Malaysian Poor Citizens of all races. If Malaysia still keep him in power it will further damage and erode the Wealth of our Nation and our National Wealth could be decimated in no time.
The same could happen to all the empty promises of aid and help to the Rakyats these could all be lip service only unless it is monitored by reputable NGOs. On the irreversible Food Prices inflation, the unnecessary Moronic previous price hike on Petrol & Diesel had caused great permanent damage to the Food Price Structure and even if the price cut to Petrol and Diesel revert to their original prices prior to their hike, it will not revert the Food prices back to their original state and only the PeeM is to be solely blamed for his unwarranted Fuel Price Hike. His 2009 budget did not help the Rakyats’ quelled their immediate hardship suffered nor did that help them solve their Transport Problems immediately with multiple schemes but none available immediately with all the empty rhetorics but nothing concrete that could solve their immediate problems after years of neglect from this incompetent sleeping PeeM. As it is he is still sleeping and still unaware of what the 27 Million Rakyats wanted, needed and aspired to have coming soon??? Come Sept 16, 2008 send him home to sleep forever he is no longer needed.

CP Waterman said...

Why Badawi did not chastise Ahmad Ismail?
Badawi needs every vote to survive the next UMNO internal election, that's why he is covering for Ahmad ismail instead of punish him.

He said in a campaign all sorts of things can come up and used that to cover for Ahmad Ismail. He didn't realize he could have said the same and covered for our Hindraf brothers now locked up in Kamunting. By this Badawi is showing the 27 million Malaysians what type of a person he really is - a much bigger 'racist' than Ahmad Ismail. Shame on him!

Anonymous said...

Sir -

Racism is abbhorent. It is quite frankly startling that in a world where the next US president may be a black man we have the kind of endemic and institutionalized racism that exists in Malaysia.

Anyway, the tide of history will sweep it away. I take much comfort from the fact that 60% of people in this country are under the age of 30. This is the internet generation and they will not be so easily fooled by the mass media and the incumbent government.

Anonymous said...

Why is a boy from Muar singing about certain race being inefficient in Governmental agencies such a big hoo-haa (to the extent of risking his citizenship); yet calling non-Malays as 'pendatang' is just another "excusable" careless mistake? Ahhh, certain race is 'awarded' with immunity against racism! Happy 51st Merdeka Day!

Anonymous said...

cp waterman is correct to say that badawi will not take any action against that scumbag bcos bawadi needs all the potential votes he can come december during umno elections.

our pm puts self/party interests over that of the rakyat/country's.

he and his ilk do NOT deserve to be a leader, let alone to be the pm.

carmanio.

Anonymous said...

A 5k fine is laughable!!! Such individuals should not be fit to be leaders in the first place. The law could punish them, but I feel that any government with the right frame of mind should remove such misrepresentation of leaders of our community. Righteous individuals would step down in the first instance, but in Malaysia, we see individuals who just clings on with everything they have got! Thick face has gotten a whole brand new meaning ...

BlueMoon said...

Indeed everybody regardles of race and creeds are "Penumpang" on this earth - at least this I'd like to believe. Chinese in China are Penumpang; Indians in India are Penumpang and of course Malays in Malaysia are Penumpang. We're all squatters.

Anonymous said...

I agree that he should be "punished" in a strong way, perhaps strip him of his posts. A racist should not hold any public office as he cannot represent all Malaysians.

However, I completely disagree with the use of the Sedition Act. This law should be repealed, it goes against the freedom of expression. I hope you can rethink your stand vis a vis charging him for sedition.

Anonymous said...

Tony,

Waving 'kris' also an offence under Sedition Act right?

Nostradamus said...

The Courage to Build a New Malaysia.
(Keberanian Membina sebuah Malaysia Baru.)

(Versi Bahasa Melayu dibawah)

The year is 2008. This is the year most Malaysians finally woke up from a deep slumber. Most Malaysians were just too busy earning their living and building up their lives to take notice that times have changed and the idealism spouted by our founding Fathers have still not been accomplished for this country even today.

It was not so long ago in 1957 and then for our fellow East Malaysians in 1963 when the ideals and dreams preached by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj (Bapa Kemerdekaan and Bapa Malaysia) for Malaysia were first announced and was greeted with joy in the hearts and minds of all Malaysians. The late Tunku Abdul Rahman had a dream and ideals, just like Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and many others including the prophets over the history of mankind.

Many a times such dreams were hijacked and led astray under the guise of nationalistic, racist and religious idealism by so called politicians and self declared and appointed righteous and religious persons (Little Napoleons). Individuals who have risen to continue some of such idealisms are gagged, isolated, bankcrupted, blasphemied, rehabilitated or worst jailed, for it is deemed not in consonance with the dreams and idealism of the elected parties agendas.

cont'd at http://patek1472.wordpress.com

Unknown said...

About his past dealings

1. Ahmad Ismail and his involvement in PORR, read more at
http://chow.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/dont-award-porr-to-umno-bankrupt-councillor/ and http://porr.penang.gov.my/50reason_cat3.htm

From the web of ownership structure and list of directors, it has confirmed DAP’s allegation that the PORR project is a classic example of Umno’s crony capitalism

2.He is an ex director of Syarikat Popular Profile Sdn Bhd and how this company get away ......more here at the last Penang state assembly sitting
http://adun.penang.gov.my/QA/ViewQA.asp?QAID=3747
http://adun.penang.gov.my/QA/ViewQA.asp?QAID=7254

3.is he a bankrupt or not ???
Like a warlord, when he was drop from being a MPPP councillor , he was very angry and issued harsh statements against the then CM of Penang..

http://www.gerakan.org.my/may06/onews-250506.htm

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=16451

Anonymous said...

Have you guys noticed that our PM didn't even say he disagree with this racist Ahmad Ismail's statement? He merely mentioned that Ahmad doesn't meant it and will ask him not to repeat again. Hmm... it is giving me this impression that our PM agrees with what he says but only that he shouldn't say it again.

Fernando said...

Ahmad Ismail = katak di bawah tempurung, joker of year 2008 !!

Older generation politician pls make way for younger visionary leaders !!! in order to be cemerlang, gemilang, terbilang ...

ben831 said...

Ahmad Ismail is just one of the many racist politicians hiding behind the UMNO which has been survived on sucking non Malays bloods and energies for the past 51 year. He won't be punished by weak and shaking UMNO's Government unless "Reformasi" or totally "New Government" takes place.

Anonymous said...

Haha... DSAA.Badawi how can you protect a person such as this, if DAIsmail really not mean that, ask him to explain to all the Malaysian, what he mean!!!

I think others non-Chinese, including Indian, Malay, Kadazan, Iban and etc would also interested to know what DAIsmail mean.

Who ever will also said wrong, but if wrong just admit and apologise. We Malaysian are so kind, we can forgive you.

If a person who wrong and not willing to admit, Government should teach that fellow a lesson. Police please investigate it, if there is evidence send to AG. AG please don't zzZzzz there... Work it out...

Maybe government can use ISA also, this is the law to charge those who kickup the society.

Once again, I would like DAIsmail personally explain what he mean!!! Don't use your boss as scapegot and escape everything. Wrong admit la...

Anonymous said...

Tony,

I am afraid nothing will happen to this racist Ahmad. How many times have we seen this happened before to the Malaysian Rakyat. Whenever a non Muslim were to deem utter anything they -UMNO Muslims/Malay plus various others PR's MPS, came down like a ton of bricks. There is no way things will change unles a miracle happens.

I have been following the events unfolding in our beloved Malaysia since the HINDRAF protest and I am both happy and saddened by the vary many evenst that had taken place.

In short, until and unless there is chane in the mindset and hopefully the government, it will get worst. Called a pessimist if you want for I am a realist.

Anonymous said...

This is nothing. Watch the shouting match that will come out next i.e., the usual 'don't push the Malays too far' crap..

Its time we take this whole thing to a new level. I happen to disagree with the current rhetoric line that has actually been repeated among non-bumis for a long time already.

I rather talk about claim of property by longer residency.

In real estate property law, if a landlord is absent and does not lay claim to a property, long time squaters can lay a larger claim over the land and that claim is larger if the squaters invested and worked the land.

As RPK pointed out, my and your granfathers spilled more blood against the Japanese than the Malays did. In terms of contribution to this land, immigrants in this country can lay claim to have been larger, much larger than so called 'original resident'.

In fact, all of us are squarters because when the Europeans colonized this country, the Sultans became absentee title holders and lost claims. The lost in claim is ever so more when the Japanese showed up and the Sultans did not fight them. So on independence all claims by residency became equal. If we measure then by contribution to the land, the new pendatangs have an EVEN bigger claim..

So even if don't subcribe to the so-called 'liberal equality idea' that Ahmad Ismail is so against, his lay of claim is technically wrong by legal practise now, was and will always be...

Anonymous said...

The day has come for the grassroots of MCA & Gerakan to migrate en-masse to the other side of the fence.

I do not welcome the leaders, the leaders of MCA and Gerakan can sink together hand-in-hand with the UMNO Titanic.

l藍海 said...

哎呀!现在的人真是没公德心!养狗却乱放狗出来癫吠和拉屎:(活脱脱得没教养!难怪古人都说物似主人形,现在有个好例子让大家开眼界了。

N. Kiru said...

Rather than posturing as statesman, its high time Abdullah Badawi recommends in the national interest that the AG exercise his prosecutorial discretion (duty) to charge Ahmad Ismail .
At a time of great economic turbulence and political uncertainty in Malaysia when underlying racial tensions will be exacerbated and exploited for nefarious purposes, the Prime Minister needs to act decisively to prevent the Mother of all May 13th from resurfacing.

Anonymous said...

Any statement or stand by PKR's Anwar Ibrahim, Tian Chua, Sivarasa, Elizabeth Wong on this issue?

What about PAS?

PKR, multi-racial?


Silence? Yes, No?

Anonymous said...

I want to thank Ahmad "Penumpang" Ismail.

Sdr Ahmad, terima kasih banyak-banyak kerana meluahkan kata kata berunsur hasutan yang sedemikian.

Terima kasih kerana memberikan ahli-ahli Parliment Komponen BN seperti MCA dan Gerakan alasan yang sangat baik untuk meningalkan kapal yang bakal tengelam dikenali sebagai bahtera UMNO/BN-Titanic.

Sekian terima kasih banyak banyak.

Emily Pratt

amoker said...

Bah, what a waste of time on Ahmad.

Anonymous said...

I am in total agreement with your analysis of the law, Tony. Our constitution affords all citizens equal protection - there is no mention of Malay Malaysians, Chinese Malaysians or Indian Malaysians. We are just plain old "Malaysians". The spirit behind the Sedition Act should be respected - all efforts to create division and disharmony should be punished. Someone who i)shows the sophistication of a primate and ii)irresponsibly incites racial hatred is abusing the notion of free speech. Ahmad Ismail is a shameful disgrace as a politician and above all, as a Malaysian. It is my fervent hope that I do not have to explain to my children in the future why bigots like that are allowed to remain in the country's leadership.

David Bock said...

Datuk Ahmad has definitely breached the mentioned sedition act. I'm worried though that we might be leaning too much on a crippled written law. This would be no different from our extremist malays' dependence on the "law" to justify Malay supremacy.

Since no law in the world is perfect and applicable across all situations, I think we should all guard against rigid legalism, legalism that precludes simple rational and common sense. We always hear that NO ONE is above the law; I don't think this is true. To take an analogy, we created computers - computers that are fast, smart and at the face of it, seem more intelligent than us. But that's not true (at least not yet), all the logic that lies behind computing originated from us. Computers help us do work that would take us ages to do, but we should never let them be the master.

bclee said...

read this artical why action never taken against ahmad ismail:

http://margeemar.blogspot.com/2008/09/real-reason-why-pm-badawi-doesnt-want.html

money politic again.

hafiz said...

racist sucks! ahli politik seperti dia kita hantar saja ke pulau jerejak!
Tak habis-habis perasan….em alahai…em aduhai…

UMNO sekarang, selain ditugaskan mempropagandakan sumpah yang tak menjadi itu, mereka juga mempropagandakan sentiment rasis. Mereka ingat ini Negara Melayu sorang saja yang punya. Sudah banyak kali aku menyebut… “ itu Cina tokey judi genting dan tokey babi juga membayar cukai. Kasi wang sama ini kerajaan. Mau bayar itu gaji Abu Shah, mau bayar itu gaji dolah dan najibulrazok! Tara faham lagi kah!? Itu perlembagaan kami tak mau kacau. Kami Cuma mau lebih hak sebagai manusia, sebagai insan dan sebagai pemegang IC Malaysia” kata Chong Ah Bee kepada Hj Sudin sambil makan nasi lemak kukus Mak Janda Kiah Berhias. Riwayat BeEnd kian tamat…ayoh rayakan kehidupan!

Anonymous said...

Honorable Tony Pua,

I am a Malay of origin and I feel embarrassed with such uncalled statement. What comes to my mind, perhaps this such person is still living under the colonial mentality. Perhaps, his 'jiwa' is still not 'merdeka'.

Anonymous said...

He will probably be praised and promoted, as was the case of the racist malay History teacher who is now working in a better school.

Anonymous said...

tun tan cheng lock, tun vt sambanthan, tunku abd rahman.... they have an agreement... do u know abt it? does any chinese an indians of younger generations know about this???

chinese & indians are 'pendatang' and by saying 'pendatang', if u look back at how your great great grandparents came in tanah melayu as saudagar niaga... it shows that the word 'pendatang' is not wrong at all..

what abt the chinese justifying ketuanan melayu and the abolishing of NEP in penang?

how did the malay get the special rights in the first place? u need to go back to vt tun sambanthan, tun tan cheng lock and tunku abd rahman.... they can tell u whats right n whats wrong...

the fanatic malays are preparing....

Anonymous said...

Dear Aminah Kosai, Your resolve not to use the Sedition Act on the likes of Ahmad Ismail, who probably promotes the use of the legislation on others, even though it could give them a taste of their own medicine, is indeed commendable. But may I remind you that if you enemy is unscrupulous, your scruples is another weapon in his hand. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

What a shame a datukship fella who talks this way, pathatic enough!

Anonymous said...

Many of us do find the statements by the Umno leaders insulting and offensive. But I will not go so far as to call for the use of the Sedition Act. Look how many people have been arrested and charged under this flawed, out of date act. We should demand for the law to be repealed, and for the electorate to use issues like this to get rid of irresponsible leaders. Tony, I don't support calling for the use of the Sedition Act, if we want a more democratic society, we need a better way of approaching this.

Anonymous said...

perpaduan teras kejayaan..
macam mana ni??
paklah kena ambil tindakan ke atas ahmad ismail..
saya nk harmoni malaysia..

Anonymous said...

i believe everyone has freedom of speech. this is just a very 'unfortunate' incident that the choices of words wasn't sensitive enough...

we know deep inside our heart how some citizens are treated in the country...

Anonymous said...

The whole politics of UMNO and BN are based on racist lines. It has been done before, our dear Tun has done it before, and so has rest of the cronies in UMNO Youth.