Arutchelvan: Honour Shahrul's sacrifice
In a poignant reflection, PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan posed a burning question: Have the very hands that once ignited the flame of change now extinguished it?
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New Straits Times
19 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Six NGOs reject claim they back Opposition's anti-Anwar rally
KUALA LUMPUR: Six civil society organisations have distanced themselves from tomorrow's planned "Turun Anwar" protest, saying a recent meeting with Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was unrelated to any political rally. In a joint statement today, Bersih, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Projek Sama, Pusat Komas, and Transparency International Malaysia clarified that their meeting with Hamzah on July 1 was solely to discuss institutional reforms. They said the engagement was part of their regular advocacy efforts and should not be interpreted as support for any political movement. "On this basis, we reject any mid-term change of government through the back door, such as the Sheraton Move that threw the country's politics into disarray in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Even if there is a change of government, the new administration may lack clarity or commitment to implement institutional reforms, or may be too fragile to undertake any meaningful change," they said in the joint statement. The organisations issued the statement to clarify concerns over their meeting with the Opposition leader, which was cited during a recent press conference in Parliament as implied support for tomorrow's protest. While affirming their support for the right to peaceful assembly, the groups stressed that calls for reform would be meaningless without improvements to political stability and the broader political system. "We firmly believe the country needs comprehensive, strong, and meaningful institutional reforms for society to move forward with a more just and improved political system." They added that all parties — both in government and in the opposition — must uphold a genuine reform agenda. They also called on the opposition to fulfil its responsibility as a check-and-balance force in Parliament. "The opposition is duty-bound to the rakyat to serve as a check and balance for the betterment of the nation. "Malaysia has so much to offer internationally, and this can only happen if we uphold the values of human rights, good governance, and accountability." They reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing institutional reform and said they would continue engaging with all political parties on the matter. "Our position is crucial as a check-and-balance mechanism for the reform agenda of any political coalition."
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
You can't have proper reform if there is political instability, civil society groups tell Opposition
IPOH: Political instability will kill off any chance of comprehensive institutional reform, say six civil society organisations (CSOs). Commenting on Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin's recent claim that the Himpunan Turun Anwar rally on Saturday (July 26) had the backing of top CSOs, they said their meeting with him on July 1 was not connected to the planned gathering in any way. In a joint statement on Friday (July 25), Bersih, C4 Center, Ideas, Projek Sama, Pusat Komas and Transparency International Malaysia said they met the Larut MP and other parliamentarians to discuss critical matters regarding institutional reform, which they felt should be taken up by Perikatan Nasional as the main Opposition. The CSOs said comprehensive, robust reform can only come about with the support of all parties, whether they are in the government or the Opposition. "This is based on our national political experience and the lessons learned since the change of government in 2018, the Sheraton Move, multiple changes of prime minister, and the memorandum of understanding between (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's administration) and Pakatan Harapan," the statement read. "We want to see more institutional reform beyond what has been achieved so far by the Madani government. "This requires not only the determination of the government, but also effective (action by) the Opposition, including the four states under Perikatan, in terms of ideas and commitment," it added. The CSOs said institutional reform would benefit all parties in the long run, which was why it should be given unanimous support. "On this basis, we reject any mid-term change of government like the Sheraton Move that threw the country's politics into disarray during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Even if there is a change of government, the new administration may lack the clarity or commitment to implement institutional reform, or may be too fragile to undertake any meaningful change. "It is only when all parties are racing towards reform that the movement can be driven and steered effectively," it added. The CSOs believed that institutional reform is a safeguard for the people to hold those in power accountable, preventing the abuse of power and authority for political or personal gain. "Towards this end, we have engaged, discussed and held forums with MPs across political lines to push for the implementation of institutional reform under the Madani government. " We want to see the implementation of institutional reforms that will provide a level playing field for all parties in the 16th General Election," they added. They pointed out that the Opposition is duty-bound to the people to provide checks and balances for the benefit of the country. "Malaysia has so much to offer internationally, and this can only happen if we uphold the values of human rights, good governance and accountability. "We will continue to remain on this path of demanding institutional reform, serving as an important bloc representing the people's demands," they added.
Malaysiakini
an hour ago
- Malaysiakini
Dark truth about returning home after studying overseas
COMMENT | When will Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his peers understand that money is not everything! When will he stop living in denial and wake up to the fact that the three Rs, race, religion, and rasuah (bribery) are destroying this country? Zahid was on a five-day working visit to New Zealand, ostensibly to improve bilateral ties and explore new opportunities between the two countries, when he expressed regret that some people had belittled his working visit. I have no idea what his critics said, but I do know that many Malaysians are sceptical about politicians who make these 'belajar sambil melawat' (learning visit) trips to the capital cities of the world. These trips allegedly coincide with the politicians' children's graduation ceremonies, Boxing Day, or...
