Thursday, September 30, 2010

NEM Is Seditious?

The Royal Malaysian Police should spend its precious time investigating criminal cases, especially those involving serious crimes, instead of wasting man-hours on trivial or non-issues

I have been invited to give a statement at the Shah Alam Police Headquarters today at 1pm with regards to one of the suggestions I made during the Selangor Budget 2011 dialogue on 26 July 2010 where I called for a review of the current bumiputra housing discount policy.

I have suggested that discounts for luxury homes valued at RM500,000 and above, and commercial properties valued more than RM2 million be discontinued. Under the current policy, the rich benefit much more than the poor as a house valued at RM2 million will receive RM140,000 discount while a medium cost flat worth RM100,000 will only get RM100,000. I have proposed instead for the discounts to be channelled towards helping the poor, particularly the bumiputra poor.

I was informed that the investigating officer that I'm now being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act.

I understand that the Menteri Besar of Selangor, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim will also have his statement taken as he had commented on the same issue to the press in the subsequent days.

The whole idea of being investigated for Sedition for the policy proposals which I have raised is just completely frivolous and ludicrous.

Firstly, the policy suggestion is completely in line with the Prime Minister's call for reform in the countries' race-based affirmative action policy under the "New Economic Model (NEM)". This reforms include his often quoted remarks that the affirmative action policies will be "market-friendly and merit-based" and focused on the lowest 40% of income earners, the unlike in the past.

My policy suggestion is fully in-line with the Prime Minister's "NEM" where the removal of the discounts will make it more "market-friendly" for property developers and prevent abuses by middlemen who profit from re-selling the discounted properties to non-bumiputras.

In addition, it is also "merit-based" as the poor will receive the necessary assistance through the discount while the already wealthy will no longer be given such disproportionate assistance. Based on my suggestion, the policy will definitely be focused to benefit the bottom 40% of income earners.

How in the world is my suggestion seditious is really beyond me. If my policy suggestion is seditious, then sure the NEM is the same and perhaps the police should also bring in the Prime Minister for investigation on possible sedition in his "market-friendly and merit-based" affirmative action policy statements.

The fact that the event had taken place at the end of July and the investigation is now only taking place 2 months later with the installation of the new Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Ismail Omar shows that the new regime is becoming a bigger cats paw of the Umno and Barisan Nasional to intimidate members of the opposition and to frighten the rakyat into supporting the ruling parties.

I empathize with the officers who are investigating my case as well as the other cases involving my colleagues such as Teo Nie Ching and Ean Yong Hian Wah for they are being forced to carry out the investigations despite the obvious frivolousness of the cases.

I have cooperated fully with the investigating officer but I call upon the the new IGP to stop making a complete mockery of the police force by spending time investigating "non-issues" and start focusing its under-staffed criminal investigation department on the various serious crimes affecting the country today.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm really glad you are soldiering on, when the rest of us are almost giving up on this country.
Wish you luck, perseverance and wind in your sails!
Please tread warily - you can't be too careful in a river full of crocodiles and imbeciles (hey, that even rhymes!).

PJU resident

Donplaypuks® said...

Is the IGP acting of his own accord or is he being pushed by politicians, specifically the PM and Home Ministry?

If so, then it's clear the PM is playing a dangerous game. Either way, it does not reflect well on the independence of the IGP and the police who are perceived to be hounding and trying to intimidate opposition politicians.


dpp
we are all of 1 race, the Human Race

Anonymous said...

I read a lot of events recently, with arrest of Zunar (comic artist), questioning Izzah Anwar, Teo Nie Ching, then you, me, bla bla bla for so called offended the thing called NEP, NEM, Malay rights, Article 153, Islam, some what for UMNO is called seditious. In fact the cronies get first of everything while leave most of the poor citizens behind. The new IGP of PDRM is taking to the new level... to wrest, defeating, threatening, punishing, and silencing the PR MP's, the very able voice out M'sian citizens, journalists and faithful activists. PDRM is getting the highest order from the political masters and it seems, we, the citizens in this very land may also live in fear and insecurities. I also may think "am I continue to stay/work in M'sia for another a year plus before I'm leaving to S'pore?" Why I'm think of dat? You already knew what is happening. I'll keep reading your article.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you should make these suggestions in Parliament.

Anonymous said...

BN & IGP both are mockering the inteligent of the rakyat. we don't see them hauling up ibrahim perkosa.

they are applying rule of previlage.

charleskiwi said...

How come the police is so fast to act when it come to a matter when it involves a non Malay ?
If only they are just as fast with issues involving the Malays Malaysia would at least seen to be a fairer place to live.

Anonymous said...

The government is acting on the advise of PERKASA!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

It is very clear that UMNO plays race game and attacks DAP being Chinese but DAP should point out that there are Indians and other races too. Show to UMNO the membership composite