Digest on Malaysian News

RELA need not be disbanded but stopped them from carrying out raids if they are not trained for such jobs.

In regards to raid for illegal immigrants, such raids should have been conducted by the Immigration and the Police in the first place.

The RELA members still can be make used for crime prevention such as patrolling streets and neighborhoods and also for crowding control during functions.

From TheStar

Bar Council wants Rela disbanded

KUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Coun­cil has called for Rela to be disbanded following numerous re­­ports alleging “members abuse of their powers during enforcement raids.”

Bar Council Law Reform and Special Areas chairman Datuk M. Ramachelvam said Rela members were not trained for such jobs and would perpetuate human rights abuses if allowed to carry out raids.

He said that the Government should instead employ more Im­­migration officers to carry out the job.

“How can they become law enforcers when they undergo only two weeks of training? That is okay if their role is confined to directing traffic but not conducting raids as they are doing now.

“Rela is not equipped to determine the authenticity of the documents carried by migrants,” he said at a press conference after chairing a round table discussion on the “Arrest and Detention of Migrants”, here on Friday.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the relevant government agencies and non-governmental organisations.

The Bar Council also called on the Government to set up special sessions courts and to engage more legal aides to expedite immigration cases involving migrants. — Bernama

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Rais Yatim, Malaysia new Foreign Minister need to get his eyesight check. He is not looking at the actual problems.

There were cases where young Malaysian women are being used to trafficking drug to overseas. He has proposed to the Cabinet to get women traveling alone to get consent from their guardian. Not only his proposal does not make sense and not practical, it also violate women's rights.

The real issues would be asking ourselves, why the drug syndicates are targeting the young women as drug carriers. Why the government is not creating any awareness programme or campaign about the menace of drugs and the consequences of carrying luggages for strangers.

And why the Polis Diraja Malaysia is not investigating how the drugs landed on Malaysian soils before it is trafficked elsewhere.

So when you look deeper at the problem, it has nothing to do with Foreign Ministry if the root of the problem are tackled from the beginning. That would be more on social and education level.

Updated:
* May 06, 2008: Badawai said "Better to issue travel advisory"




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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/5/nation/21151621&sec=nation (May 05, 2008)

Travel consent plan slammed

PETALING JAYA: The proposal by the Foreign Ministry for women planning to travel overseas alone to get the consent of their family is an infringement of women’s rights, Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said.

The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said the proposal was not the right thing to do.

“The ministry does not agree to this. I understand that Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim meant well and wanted only to protect Malaysian women in light of the sudden rise of women used as drug mules by international syndicates,” Dr Ng said.

“But I do not agree to this,” she said.

She added that issues such as identifying the syndicate, understanding why women were being lured into drug trafficking and checking their backgrounds were vitally important.

“We need to look at the core of the problem,” Dr Ng said, adding that she will be discussing the matter further with Dr Rais.

Dr Ng said she would be having a meeting with women’s groups and this issue would be a top priority.

It was reported yesterday that Dr Rais had submitted the proposal to the Cabinet following the revelation that there were 119 cases of Malaysian women imprisoned in various parts of the world for drug-related offences.

It is learnt that the vast majority of the women were aged between 21 and 27, and believed to have been conned or forced into being drug mules for syndicates.

Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said the proposal made women look weak and incompetent in making decisions.

She said the proposal would violate women’s equal rights as guaranteed by Article 8 of the Federal Constitution and the United Nation's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women treaty ratified by Malaysia in 1995.

“At a logistical level, it will be a nightmare. Imagine Immigration authorities reviewing letters of consent at bus stations, train stations, airports and borders,” she said.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong said he understood Dr Rais’ intention but thought the proposal was inappropriate.

“There should be more studies and feedback on the matter,” he said.

Sisters In Islam programme manager Masjaliza Hamzah called it a patronising way to protect women.

“Why are women being targeted? If the Government wants to raise awareness, teach the youth and educate everybody – don’t target just women,” she said.


Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/6/nation/21158307&sec=nation (May 06, 2008)

Better to issue travel advisory

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal for women travelling out of the country alone to show a consent letter from their employer or family cannot be implemented, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday.

He said it was impossible to introduce such a regulation because thousands of Malaysian women travelled overseas annually on official duty or otherwise.

“The proposal to obtain the consent will only create great difficulty, particularly for the Immigration authorities and also the women concerned,” he said.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim had proposed on Saturday that all women travelling out of the country alone be required to show a letter from their employer or family in a move to stop Malaysian women from being duped into becoming drug couriers.

More than 100 Malaysian women have been detained in several countries on suspicion of drug trafficking.

Abdullah said the people would be reminded to be wary of drug trafficking tactics in a move to overcome the problem of syndicates using Malaysian women as drug couriers.

“I will ask Wisma Putra and the Home Ministry to issue a travel advisory asking all Malaysian citizens to be cautious when travelling out of the country,” he said.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said it was not practical to require women wanting to travel out of the country alone to get permission to leave.

He said such a move would restrict their freedom and, as adults, they had every right to travel overseas without restriction if they were eligible to get a passport.

“I think if it’s for children, it’s all right. But they are adults, above 18, and you can’t stop them if they want to go out of the country,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here.

Asked whether the Cabinet had discussed the proposal, Syed Hamid said it had discussed the fact that many young women had fallen victim to drug syndicates and the action taken to monitor those syndicates.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the ministry would request the authorities, including Wisma Putra, to furnish details of the women who had been arrested.

“The ministry also urges parents and elders to constantly remind young adults to be extremely careful when travelling,” said Dr Ng.

---

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (a Federal minister with the ruling Barisan Nasional) is making state government of Selangor life difficult.

Is there any benefits for rakyat and for the nation for her to terminate all tourism memorandum of understanding with the Selangor Government just because Selangor is now ruled by the opposition parties ? Is this a vendetta ? Her decision must be political motivated. On the other hand, it make her look like a fool.

Why can't Azalina be busy with master plan to boost the tourism industry in Selangor and other parts of Malaysia in general ? Terminating tourism MOU with Selangor clearly shows that the federal government is no longer keen to support Selangor in their tourism industry. Bear in mind that, tourism contribute a substantial revenue to Malaysia earning and just because Selangor is now governed by the opposition, doesn't mean you ignore Selangor. How about other states like Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Kedah (all rules by the opposition parties).

Tourism industry is the first one to be reported. I'm sure there will be avalanches of other MOU with other states ruled by opposition parties to be terminated by the federal government.

This clearly shows that the Barisan Nasional not only politicized issues on religion and race but now also other aspects.

Extracted from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/3/nation/20080403165809&sec=nation (Apr 03, 2008)

Selangor govt says move by Tourism Minister foolhardy

By EDWARD RAJENDRA

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Government strongly feels that Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said’s decision to terminate all tourism memorandum of understanding with Opposition-ruled states as foolhardy.

Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment state chairman Elizabeth Wong said such a decision is reckless for the Federal Government especially to sideline Selangor, which is the gateway into the country and a premier destination.

On Wednesday, Azalina had said that the decision was due to the change in leadership in the state governments that was in line with the termination of the Tourism Action Council in the states.

Wong said Selangor is one of the top destinations in the nation’s first stop for most international tourist and to sideline other states like Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Kedah is not wise.

“Initially, we had been looking forward to working with the Tourism Ministry for the betterment of the industry and the country. Selangor accounts for some 30% of the national Gross Domestic Product and this callous move might have adverse impact on our national economy as well as the industry,” she said.

She added that one should not cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face.

“For us in Selangor we will persevere in supporting the tourism industry and this in fact gives us a better opportunity to work even more closely with the private sector. We are committed to improve and to develop the tourism sector in the state in several new initiatives in eco-tourism and heritage tourism,” she said.

Wong also called upon Selangorians to visit the state’s historical attractions and push forward the industry with a greater zeal in the light of this development.