Kuala Terengganu by-election: Raja Petra has gone overboard disrespecting Article 11 and Article 10

We are disturbed with the latest article “Does MCA support hudud?” by Raja Petra Kamarudin in Malaysia Today.

We have supported Raja Petra for his fearless opinions as freedom of expression is a right provided for under Article 10 and Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. (Article 10: Freedom of speech, assembly and association. Article 11: Freedom of religion)

However this time, we feel Raja Petra has gone overboard the provision of law as in his article he has trampled on rights of citizens on freedom of association and religion.

The below particular paragraph extract from Raja Petra’s article is particularly alarming,  highly intimidating, intruding and disrepecting the personal sphere of non-Muslim:

MCA, do you or don’t you support Hudud?
Speak up now or forever hold your tongue.
Are you pro-Islam or anti-Islam?
Please tell us now and make it very clear. Tomorrow we are going to Terengganu to campaign for PAS and we want to know what to tell the Kuala Terengganu voters.
And it will either be “MCA is anti-Islam” or “MCA is pro-Hudud”.

As law abiding citizens and voters, we are greatly disturbed and strongly object the method deployed in above article of Raja Petra which trampled on personal rights provided in the Federal Constitution.

Raja Petra’s shameful attempt of crass politicking by issuing above ultimatum to Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) to support hudud is a highly mischievous attempt to bully their non-Muslim community.

Abdullah’s hand-me-down the PMship to Najib unconstitutional?

It is good that bloggers are now asking the right questions.

What we have said in our previous post have now been picked up. We are terribly relieved that bloggers are finally leading thoughts and the rakyat to ask the right questions.

Bravo, Susan Loone… we reproduce below latest posting from her blog for your thoughts (caveat: we reserve the right to not agree with some of her recommendations)

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When Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he and Najib Tun Razak had made a deal about when the latter will take over the leadership of Malaysia, no one asked the right question!

One experience mainstream editor merely said “It’s a done deal” and another ex-editor asked “When?”. As if that is the only thing that matter.

Now you know why the media is in such a pathetic state like it is today. Every news fall into people’s morning tables or lazy laps just like that!

No one asked if it is even legitimate for Abdullah to make such a statement. Had he consulted other UMNO members? Had he even broach the subject with other BN component parties, or are they now non-existent, after the March 8 Tsunami?

Sadly no one ever considered any of these questions.

But in “Are we a democracy or a feudal state?”, lawyer Charles Hector asked in his blog if it is even constitutional for Abdullah and Najib to have come to this decision all on their own.

It looks like the two not-so-gentlemen may have even insulted the Yang Di Pertuan Agong by going against the Federal Constitution:

In Article 43 of the Federal Constitution — and it says that it is the “…Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint as Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister) to preside over the Cabinet a member of the House of Representatives who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House…” – it is the Yang Di-Pertuan Agung that appoints the PM – not the current PM who decides on the next PM…and here Abdullah is reported stating that there was an agreement —
Hector asked: Is this is not an action that demonstrates disrespect to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Is it also not an action (….an agreement) that is in breach of our very own Federal Constitution?

Our highest law of the land, the Federal Constitution, is also clear that the only consideration before appointment by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is that the candidate for PM is “…likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of that House[i.e. the Dewan Rakyat]…”
Do the two individuals think they have the support of the majority or are even liked or respected by Malaysians?

We only know that there are not enough UMNO divisions who are courageous enough to nominate someone who will challenge Abdullah or even his deputy.

I hope Karpal Singh or someone else will make a police report aganst the two power crazy duo!