~penarik beca

Dalam Mesyuarat Agung Umno di Butterworth pada 27 Ogos 1949, Allahyarham Dato' Onn Jaafar yang mempunyai kejantanan (bukan setakat angkat keris, cium keris dan minta maaf) secara terbuka menyelar dan menyifatkan raja-raja Melayu lebih menjaga kepentingan diri daripada orang Melayu. Beliau juga mendedahkan bahawa raja-raja Melayu berkomplot dengan British bagi melemahkan Umno dengan melarang pegawai Melayu berpolitik (Rujukan: Blog Telaah Politik).

Dengan petikan di atas, izinkan saya menyatakan, walaupun saya rasa apa yang dibuat itu tak memadai, saya tetap menyokong Pindaan Perlembagaan 1993 yang mengkudungkan imuniti raja-raja Melayu (harus diingat, setakat kudung sahaja). Saya memang menyokong. Allah Maha Mengetahui saya menyokong penuh semua yang di bawah ini:

See PM: No more extra benefits, Rulers to get only privileges, funds provided for by legislation, New Straits Times Jan. 21, 1993, at 1, 2;

Move to bring Rulers' treatment in line with Federal decision: State privileges to go too, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 1, 6;

Kedah withdraws all perks given to royal household, New Straits Times, Jan. 26, 1993, at 2;

Government sets limit on royal privileges, The Star, Feb. 5, 1993, at 2;

Decisions: No More 'Extra Perks', Asiaweek, 161.

Privilege withdrawn for Sultan's jet, New Straits Times, Jan . 27, 1993, at 2 (free parking in hanger withdrawn for Sultan of Pahang's Boeing 727 jet);

Perak puts all palace projects on hold, New Straits Times, Jan. 27, 1993, at 2;

State to curb Johor Rulers' extravagance, New Straits Times, Jan. 25, 1993, at 2 (state to slash unbudgetted expenditures on palaces);

SAS escorts may be withdrawn, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 4 (no more highly trained special action squad (SAS) motorcade escorts for the Rulers);

No more shares for the Rulers, New Straits Times, Jan. 23, 1993, at 4;

Ministry reviews privileges not under Act, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 2;

Council: Royals must pay tax on properties, The Star, Feb. 1, 1993, at 2 (Johor Baru council to collect tax not exempt and not paid);

No more doctors on future royal tours, The Star, Feb. 3, 1993, at 2.

Saya setuju seratus peratus dengan semua pendedahan di bawah, antaranya kezaliman dan penganiayaan yang tidak berperikemanusiaan!

Customs seize three luxury cars, New Straits Times, Jan. 8, 19 93, at 1. One of the cars was seized from a timber tycoon on suspicion of evading import duty using an "Approved Permit" issued to the Sultan of Pahang.

Union: Review timber permits for royalty, New Straits Times, Dec. 15, 1992 , at 2 (West Malaysia Forest Officers Union claim royalty's involvement in the timber industry has made it difficult for its members to discharge their duties);

Palace had some officers moved out, The Star, Dec. 18, 1992, at 2 (Pahang palace involved in choosing areas for forest concessions and work on access roads begun without approval; uncooperative forestry officers transferred);

Pahang Prince: Amendments good, The Star, Dec. 18, 1993, at 2 (Pahang prince notes that "it has been the practice of the palace to expect certain privileges from the Government but this has never been over-publicized").

Sultan of Kedah gets 160 ha concession a year, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 4 (also listing the Sultan's palaces and noting that the state government paid $M250,000 (about $US 98,000 ) for expenses incurred by the Sultan on an overseas trip for flight tickets, accommodation and pocket money);

No more jobs for 'royal contractor', New Straits Times, Jan. 21, 1993, at 4 (noting that the Selangor government would stop awarding contracts to a royal family contractor who had gotten 3 contracts without going through the normal procedure of calling for tenders);

Illegal to use royal gun permits, The Star, Feb. 2, 19 93, at 2 (alleging that the number of gun permits sought per year by the Negeri Sembilan Ruler matched that of three batallions);

Royalty owe RM 264,000 in assessment arrears, The Star, Feb. 2, 1993, at 2 (Perlis royalty said to owe assessment arrears for houses, shoplots, stalls and a cinema);

Najib: Rulers have abused armed forces personnel, The Star, Feb. 2, 1993, at 2 (in 1984 a Royal Malaysian Navy captain on patrol duty was told by a Ruler to jump from his boat and swim ashore where he was "abused" by the Ruler in front of his subordinates and the public allegedly for disturbing the Ruler's picnic);

Lifestyle won't be affected by withdrawal of extra benefits, New Straits Times, Jan. 23, 19 93, at 1 (noting $M69.32 million (about $US27.3 m illion) spent on renovation of the King' palace in 1989, $M6.8 million (about $US 2.7 million) spent on cutlery, $M 2.5 million (about$US 1 million) spent on bedspreads and $M 300,000 (about $US 120,000) spent on storing the bed spreads);

Rulers Privy Purse 1991, New Straits Times, Jan. 23, 1993, at 4 (listing the substantial allowances the Rulers are legally entitled to);

RM 16 mil needed to maintain nine palaces, New Straits Times, Jan. 23, 199 3, at 2;

Land wrested from land less: Muhyiddin pledges full probe, New Straits Times, Jan. 25, 1993, at 2 (claims that state government withdrew 1600 ha of land given to the landless in 1981 and awarded it to a company controlled by the Johor royal family);

Extremely wealthy but still wanting more business favours, New Straits Times, Jan. 26, 1993, at 2 (noting that the Royal family of Negeri Sembilan owns a large number of businesses ranging from the construction of oil and gas rigs to the Malaysia franchise for 7-Eleven stores);

Kelantan questioned over $1.1 m import duty, New Straits Times, Jan. 23, 1993, at 2 (import duty of $1.15 million (about $US 450,0 00) for the import of a Mercedes 600 car paid for by the state government for a royal family member);

Istana becomes casino for a birthday party, New Straits Times, Jan. 27, 1993, at 2 (unnamed Ruler alleged to have turned palace into a casino for a birthday party contrary to Islamic practice).

Family ties being used for project approvals, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 6 (relatives of the Sultan of Trengganu accused of using pressure to get approval of applications for logging concessions and other projects);

Former RMAF officer ordered to leave state, The Star, Feb. 5, 1993, at 2 (air force lieutenant-colonel forced to leave state after a difference of opinion with a Ruler);

MB to stop pressure from royalty, New Straits Times, Jan. 22, 1993, at 6; Dept heads briefed on palace orders, The Star, Feb. 1, 1993, at 2 (the Menteri Besar of Perlis saying department heads would have to report to the state secretary before having an audience with a Ruler or obeying a Ruler's orders and the state secretary would have to get the Menteri Besar's permission);

Guide on dealing with Rulers, The Star, Feb. 5, 1993, at 1 (the guide required government officials to seek the approval of the Prime Minister, or relevant Minister or Menteri Besar before attending an audience with any of the Rulers, required the reporting of the outcome of the discussion, and gave a list of orders from the Rulers to be ignored such as orders to transfer officials to other departments, taking disciplinary action against an official or a request of an official to reveal particular information).

The influence of the Rulers was also noted in Testament to Selfishness: Interview with Aliran President Dr. Ariffin Omar on legal immunity, 13(1) Aliran Monthly 6 at 8 (1993) in which Dr. Ariffin Omar was quoted as saying, We must not forget that some of the Rulers are building business and financial alliances with certain individuals that are causing some concern to certain political leaders who feel that these alliances may become a threat to their vested interests in the not too distant future.

Pendirian saya adalah sama dengan majoriti orang Melayu (jika betul hasil tinjauan yang dibuat oleh Bernama):

A survey by the national news agency Bernama found that 76% of Malays supported the government's stand with respect to the Rulers (see Showdown with the Royals, Asiaweek, Jan. 27, 1993, at 30-31 ; 76% of Malays in 9 states support changes, New Straits Times, Jan. 14, 1993, at 1, 2 (only Kelantan expressed less than 50% support with the support there being 47%)).

Indeed in speaking to several Malaysians with respect to the Rulers issue the author found no one willing to say they were not in support of the removal of the Rulers' immunity.

However, an UMNO survey in late January found that 60% of the Malay population were not in favour of the way the government handled the issue (see Tit for tat: Mahathir steps up pressure on reluctant rulers, Far Eastern Economic Review, Feb. 4, 1993, at 13). There may have also been more support for the government position in urban areas than in rural areas (see The pride of Johor: UMNO's birthplace split on Sultan's rights, Far Eastern Economic Review, Jan. 21, 1993, pp . 11-12).

Bagaimanapun, saya tetap benci double standard Umno. Saudara mara Umno dari MCA dan Gerakan bukan main lagi menelanjangkan raja-raja pada masa itu. Tak ada pula Melayu Umno menyeru laksa mana Melayu untuk membunuh walaupun akhbar MCA dan menteri Gerakan menjerkah dan menelanjangkan raja-raja Melayu itu sesuka hati. Tak ada pula Melayu Umno berhimpun membela raja-raja Melayu. Tak ada pula budak-budak makan upah RM50 yang menunjuk perasaan. Yang nyata, akhbar milik Umno dan MCA mempunyai imuniti dan boleh kata apa pun kepada raja-raja Melayu. Tidak derhaka. Elok semuanya (See 79 reports of sedition referred to A-G for advice, says Haniff, New Straits Times, Jan. 29, 1993, at 2; and Haniff: Rulers will get what is within the law, The Star, Feb. 13, 1993, at 2 - 190 reports of sedition had been received - sample of two sent to A-G for further action - None of the allegations had been pursued at the time this article was written). Kalau kamu bukan MCA atau Gerakan, jangan cari fasal! Akan diseru laksa mana Melayu menerkam membunuh!

Most of the references on the Gomez incident and its aftermath are drawn from the NEW STRAITS TIMES and THE STAR. These are the major English daily newspapers. However, they are known to be either controlled or influenced by parties in the Barisan National, the governing coalition. The NEW STRAITS TIMES is said to be in the hands of persons supportive of UMNO, the Malay party in the Barisan National, and THE STAR is said to be effectively controlled by the Malaysian Chines e Association, the Chinese party in the Barisan National. Major Malay and Chinese language dailies are also said to be subject to government control or influence.

Indeed commenting on the exposures of excesses of the Rulers, one commentator noted that, What a lot of us tend to forget is that our controlled media only revealed to the public what those at the top wanted us to know, nothing more, nothing less.

And commenting on the cessation of the exposures of the Rulers excesses when the Rulers eventually consented to the constitutional amendments said, So why did the media suddenly shy away from its new found role as champions of the ordinary citizen? Simply because they were obeying instructions.

According to one letter published in the NEW STRAITS TIMES the instruction to withdraw came from "higher authorities" - see Crux of the problem lies with the JHA, NEW STRAITS TIMES, Dec. 7, 1992, p. 13. See also, Tackle the real problem in Johor, NEW STRAITS TIMES, Dec. 8, 1992, at 13.

Hanya akhbar Umno seperti NST sahaja mempunyai imuniti melaporkan senarai jenayah Sultan Johor:

For a report of these allegations made in Parliament see List of criminal acts done by the Johor Sultan, New Straits Times, Jan. 20, 1993, at 4.

Tak ada siapa pun seru laksa mana Melayu membunuh - agaknya masa itu dia dalam ketakutan bila Lim Keng Yaik gambarkan Sultan Pahang bulur balak (yang kemudiannya dinafikan Tengku Abdullah)

It was alleged that between 1988 and July, 1992 they were given 37,223.6 hectares of timber worth $270 million - see Keng Yaik: Pressure from Palace, Pahang royalty demands more timber concessions , says Minister, New Straits Times, Dec. 18, 1992, pp. 1, 2; see also Lim: 93,000 acres given to Sultan, The Star, Dec. 18, 1992, at 2 (noting that the annual timber quota for the state from 1991-1995 is 30,000 acres).

These allegations were challenged by the Pahang Royalty - see Tengku Mohkota denies using pressure, New Straits Times, Dec. 18, at 1; see also Adib explains stand on timber concession issue in Pahang, New Straits Times, Dec. 19, 1992, at 2.

Ketika MCA dan Gerakan turut menjerkah raja-raja Melayu tanpa memohon sembah derhaka (lebih kurang maksudnya, I beg to differ), Umno tak kata apa pun, pecacai Umno tak ada yang menulis ancaman bunuh (suka hati hang la nak bunuh sapa pun, tapi kalau engaja tulis untuk mencetuskan ketegangan kaum, terserahlah kepada Allah mengadilinya) dan para pemimpin Umno pula memainkan peranan menjadi pakar rujuk agama dan akhlak kepada istana:

Qualities worthy of a Ruler in light of Islamic teachings, New Straits Times, Dec. 15, 1992, at 11;

Amendments according to Islam, New Straits Times, Jan. 11, 1993, at 2;

Moktar: Heads of State and Islam must lead by example, New Straits Times, Jan. 26, 1993, at 2;

Zaleha: Action was against Islamic teachings, New Straits Times, Jan. 21, 1993, at 2 (Rulers acted against Islam by rejecting amendments).

Rakyat juga diajar supaya jangan bertolak ansur lagi dengan buruk kelaku dan penyalahgunaan kuasa:

Time to redefine powers of Rulers, New Straits Times, Dec. 8, 1992, at 13;

Unable to tolerate anymore abuse, misconduct by royalty, New Straits Times, Dec. 8, 1992, at 13.

Rujukan: The Malay Rulers' Loss of Immunity (Prof Mark R Gillen) Dan, jika anda kecewa dengan Umno serta mahu melapangkan fikiran sebentar, bacalah petikan karangan dalam blog Faisal Tehrani.