Hari Penamaan Calon Piliharan Raya Ke-12 Kawasan Parlimen P-53 Balik Pulau, Pulau Pinang telah berjalan lancar pada pagi Ahad 24 Februari 2008.
Yusmadi melambaikan tangan kepada penyokong-penyokongnya selepas selesai penamaan calon
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Yusmadi ketika menghadiri mesyuarat di Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) New York semasa mendapat anugerah berprestij sebagai Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow (Undang-Undang & Hak Asasi Manusia) 2006-2007
Global solidarity for Anwar Ibrahim and Aung San Suu Kyi
(The Steering Committee of World Movement for Democracy chaired by the Right Honourable Kim Campbell (former Prime Minister of Canada) during the movement 6th Assembly in Jakarta on 11th April 2010 has initiated the following letter to the Secretary General of ASEAN on behalf of Aung San Suu Kyi and Anwar Ibrahim, and invites you to join in signing the letter. Please e-mail me at yusmadi.yusoff@gmail if you wish to do so. Currently more than 300 top leaders of civil society, scholars, MPs etc have signed)
Dr. Surin Pitsuwan
Secretary General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The ASEAN Secretariat
70A Jl Sisingamaraja
Jakarta 12110, Indonesia
Dear Dr. Surin Pitsuwan:
Justice for Aung San Suu Kyi and Anwar Ibrahim
The ten members of ASEAN agreed, by virtue of signing and ratifying the organization’s charter, to uphold and act in accordance with certain principles. Among these principles are adherence to the rule of law, respect for fundamental freedoms, and the promotion and protection of human rights. However, certain member states have, when politically necessary, blatantly disregarded their responsibilities regarding these principles.
Two champions of democracy and human rights from the region are currently suffering persecution at the hands of ASEAN member state governments. Aung San Suu Kyi and Anwar Ibrahim have long fought for democratic rule in their respective countries. These two individuals have sacrificed themselves in attempts to bring about fair and just democratic rule for the citizens of their countries. At the present moment both are being subjected to unjust prosecution and detention for their outspoken support of principles that all the ASEAN states agreed to uphold.
After spending more than 14 of the last 20 years in detention, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is still being unjustly imprisoned in her Rangoon home. In August 2009 Aung San Suu Kyi was convicted of violating the terms of her house arrest after an uninvited man swam to her home and stayed the night. The circumstances surrounding the man’s visit to Aung San Suu Kyi’s home were highly suspicious given the strict military security surrounding the residence. Additionally, the trial, which was conducted in closed-door proceedings in Rangoon’s Insein Prison, did not conform to internationally accepted standards of justice.
Like Aung San Suu Kyi, Anwar Ibrahim has vigorously fought for the rights of his fellow citizens. He has been subjected to a series of seemingly politically motivated and unjust investigations and trials. In 1999 Anwar was charged and convicted of sodomy, a conviction that was subsequently overturned in 2004, after Ibrahim had already spent six years in solitary confinement in prison. In July 2008, as Anwar was poised to successfully challenge the power of the long-ruling Barisan Nasional party, he was again charged with sodomy. The circumstances of the most recent charges have been questionable since the beginning. From the conduct and motivations of the accuser to the flawed investigation techniques and heavy involvement of persons known to have conspired against Anwar in the previous sodomy investigation and trial, the entire situation is highly disputed and in need of independent investigation.
Because of the disputed nature of the prosecution of Aung San Suu Kyi and Anwar Ibrahim, both of whose fundamental rights seem to have been violated, the cases warrant investigation by an impartial body. We, the undersigned, call on the ASEAN Secretary General and the ASEAN Inter-governmental Human Rights Commission to conduct independent investigations into the trials and, in the case of Aung San Suu Kyi, conviction, of these two leaders. ASEAN is increasingly recognized as a regional organization on the rise. To ensure this growing respect for the organization continues ASEAN must work to ensure that all of its members are upholding the lofty principles enshrined in its Charter.
Sincerely,
Uproar over Apco, so Dewan adjourns earlier (Daily Express)
Published on: Thursday, April 08, 2010
Kuala Lumpur: The issue over international communications consultancy Apco Worldwide continued to dominate proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat, so much so that the House had to be adjourned more than an hour earlier than scheduled, Wednesday.
An uproar ensued when Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau) tabled a motion to refer Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena) to the Rights and Privileges Committee for allegedly misleading the house by repeatedly using the words "Umno-Apco" and "Apco-Umno".
The motion was approved by Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar after a voice vote.
This angered opposition MPs who questioned the decision of the Deputy Speaker in approving the motion without debate or giving Mahfuz the opportunity to explain himself.
Ismail had cited Article 36(12) of the Standing Orders to refer Mahfuz to the committee but Wan Junaidi had used Article 26(1)(p) instead.
Article 26(1)(p) of the Standing Orders enables an MP to table a motion relating to a matter of privilege when it occurs.
"Kuala Krau (Ismail) tabled the motion in accordance with Article 36(12).
I do not understand but the Speaker corrected the motion.
He had not mentioned Article 26(1)(p)," argued Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), who was supported by other opposition Mps.
Wan Junaidi, by way of an explanation, said it did not mean that an individual had committed an offence when he was referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee, as that would depend on the evaluation and decision of the committee.
The situation went out of control when Mohamad Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau) stood up and offered to be referred to the committee, followed by several opposition members standing up and shouting "Umno-Apco" and "Apco-Umno".
Dr Wan Junaidi then decided to adjourn the house for 15 minutes.
When the House resumed sitting, the situation remained unchanged.
Opposition MPs continued to protest against the decision to refer Mahfuz to the committee while Mahfuz himself sought a clarification on the previous motion.
Dr Wan Junaidi stood firm on his decision. "I do not want to comment anymore. I ask Yang Berhormat Pokok Sena (Mahfuz) to explain himself to the committee. You don't have to explain to me. I will not be chairing the committee," he said.
The Rights and Privileges Committee is chaired by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia.
Meanwhile, Datuk Mohamad Abdul Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) found himself trapped when Tian Chua (PKR-Batu) tried to table a motion to refer Mohamad to the committee for having uttered "Umno-Apco" when trying to explain the motion brought by Ismail.
As the situation heated up, Dr Wan Junaidi adjourned the house at 6.15pm, more than an hour before the scheduled time of 7.30pm.
At the Parliament lobby later, Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar described the uproar as "a very sad episode in the history of Parliament".
He said the decision to adjourn the house about an hour earlier than scheduled was due to the "unruly and uncontrollable" situation.
"We could not function and we could not do our work. And that means Parliament is already paralysed by the actions taken by members.
So, I had no choice. The best course of action was to adjourn the Majlis (proceedings)," he told reporters.
Dr Wan Junaidi explained that the decision to refer Mahfuz to the Rights and Privileges Committee was agreed to by the MPs through voting.
Asked if the incident could recur Thursday, he said he would find another way to resolve it.
Fighting for better royalty policy
Parliament: Special Body To Collect Royalty Payments - Ismail Sabri
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- A special body to collect royalty payments will be set up under the auspices of the Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry, the Dewan Rakyat was told Wednesday.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said however, it was still being studied by the ministry and the industry.
"I am aware of the dissatisfaction among artists over royalty payments collected by private limited companies, which had never been appointed to represent them," he said when responding to a question from Mohd Yusmadi Mohd Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau) when winding up debate on the royal address.
Ismail Sabri said the government planned to review royalty payments, which was fixed some 20 years ago, to suit the changing times.
"As we are amending the Copyright Act 1987, we will also review the royalty rate," he added.
He said royalty payments were fixed by the Public Performance Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PPM), the Music Authors Copyright Protection Berhad (MACP) and the Performers and Artistes Rights (M) Sdn Bhd (PRISM) after consulting the music users association.
Ismail Sabri said however, royalty imposed on entertainment centres was based on the size of the outlets and not on the numbers of chairs and tables they have.
"This is to differentiate and facilitate royalty claims between a big and a small entertainment centre.
"Music users, who are not happy with royalty claims, could complain to the copyright tribunal which was set up in 1999.
"However, to date no complaint was made and we will carry out an advocacy programme to create awareness about the role of the tribunal in ironing out disputes," he said, adding that the tribunal would be beefed up with the amendment to the Copyright Act.
-- BERNAMA
Questioning the rationale of The Strategic Trade Bill 2010
Debate On Strategic Trade Bill 2010 Not Hurried
KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 (Bernama) -- Minister in the Prime Minster's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, Monday refuted talk that debate on the The Strategic Trade Bill 2010 in Parliament was being rushed ahead of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's visit to the United States soon.
He told the House today that the bill took five years to be drafted.
Nazri said the bill was also to enable Malaysia to play its role as a member of the United Nations to prevent proliferation of weapons.
"The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 was passed on April 2004. Adoption of this resolution was begun in 2005 when the vacuum in Malaysia's laws regarding exports controls were realised.
"Especially when it was pointed out in Resolution 1540, we started the process to have this bill. If we took five years, it does not mean we were rushing,' Nazri said during the debate on the The Strategic Trade Bill 2010 in the Dewan Rakyat.
Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff (Parti Keadilan Rakyat-Balik Pulau) had asked if the act was being debated in haste given Najib's visit to the United States soon.
Nazri said a long period needed to be required due to the complications of technical matters that had to be understood by all related ministries and agencies.
"The bill is being debated now after all matters had been taken care of," he said.
Nazri said the passing of the bill will also ensure that cases, like of the theft of jet engines, will not happen again.
He said the bill was not meant to provide support for "(George) Bush to invade Iraq" but was rather related to weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
"We are doing this in light of the 9-11 episode. That was a serious event to have us cooperate to fight terrorism," he said.
Nazri also said the choice of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) as the responsible ministry and not the Home Ministry was because it was related to trade.
He said Miti had a proper position to implement research processes about goods and strategic technology and to advise exporters on monitoring aspects.
Earlier, Mohd Yusmadi (PKR-Balik Pulau) questioned why the bill made Miti as the ministry to implement the bill.
Nazri said the Strategic Trade Bill 2010 had a provision on the control of exports, transferring, transiting and brokering of strategic goods, including arms and related materials, and other activities that would or could facilitate the designing, development and production of WMD and its delivery, and other things related to them.
Yusmadi said Miti did not have the capability to negotiate on matters of security.
The House today passed the Strategic Trade Bill 2010.
-- BERNAMA
"on the right side of history"
Saya mendapat maklum balas yang mengelirukan terhadap laporan yang dibuat di dalam Malaysian Insider hari ini apabila saya menjawab saya mahu berada "on the right side of history". Ingin saya jelaskan agar tidak menimbul tafsiran yang saya maksudkan ialah saya mahu bersama Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang akan melakarkan perubahan politik baru di Malaysia. InsyaAllah. Harap penjelasan saya ini tidak akan menimbulkan kekeliruan.
Anwar hints at election comeback in Penang
Terence Netto | Feb 5, 08 4:11pm
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has dropped tantalising hints to voters that he may contest a by-election in Balik Pulau, on Penang island, in May.
TEMURAMAH DI ASTRO AWANI - Sudut Pandang
Lebih kurang jam 9.30 pagi hari Selasa 8 Januari 2008, saya telah dijemput sebagai tetamu bagi membincangkan topik "Kebangkitan Obama di Iowa".
Lebih kurang jam 9.30 pagi hari Selasa 8 Januari 2008, saya telah dijemput sebagai tetamu bagi membincangkan topik "Kebangkitan Obama di Iowa".