Dr. A. X. Jayakumar

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE —

Press Statement - Royal Commission Report, May 12, 2008

We welcome the submission of the report of the Royal Commission on the Lingam video clip to the Yang  DiPertuan Agong. We call for its full ventilation to the Malaysian public. If Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is serious about judicial reform, then he should take this report to its logical culmination which is the investigation and prosecution of those who the report deems to have deviated the course of justice.

We have to ask what the import of the Royal Commission’s findings are with respect to the unjust prosecutions and convictions in cases that fell within the gravitational field of  the inquiry conducted by this Commission.

It is critical that adequate measures be taken to restore the independence of the judiciary and to ensure the professional and unbiased investigation and prosecution of criminal activity by the Attorney General’s chambers that is free of executive interference.

This would involve serious consideration of the inconsistence and dubious procedures being followed by the authorities right now in the investigation of cases that involve senior government officials and, to mention a few of the more egregious allegations, murder and the massive misappropriation of public fund.

These issues are of deep concern to the Malaysian people and should not be taken lightly by the present administration. A half-hearted attempt at restoration would be as unsatisfactory as no restoration at all.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Kenyataan Media

Kami mengalu-alukan penyerahan Laporan Suruhanjaya Diraja mengenai video klip Lingam kepada Yang Di-Pertuan Agong dan meminta laporan itu segara didedahkan kepada umum.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berhasrat melaksana reformasi badan  kehakiman, seperti mana yang beliau umumkan sebelum ini, maka cadangan suruhanjaya tersebut supaya menyiasat dan mendakwa kalangan yang terlibat dapat dilaksanakan.

Kami juga ingin memohon penjelasan bersabit laporan suruhanjaya yang mengaitkan isu ketidak adilan pendakwaan dan penghukuman kes-kes tertentu dibawah bidang kuasa suruhanjaya tersebut.

Amat mendesak sekali untuk kerajaan mengambil tindakan wajar mengembalikan keyakinan terhadap badan kehakiman serta memastikan agar penyiasatan dan pendakwaan salah laku jenayah oleh Jabatan Peguam Negara yang bebas dari gangguan pemerintah.

Ini pastinya melibatkan beberapa percanggahan dan kaedah yang dipertikai yang sewajarnya dipatuhi oleh pihak berwajib dalam penyiasatan kes yang melibatkan pimpinan kanan kerajaan termasuk kes-kes yang tercela seperti pembunuhan dan yang melibatkan dana yang besar.

Rakyat Malaysia prihatin tentang permasalahan tersebut dan justeru itu tidak harus diremehkan oleh pemerintahan sekarang. Sebarang tindakan yang dianggap tidak bersungguh-sungguh bagi memulihkan kewibawaan badan kehakiman pasti nya tidak akan berhasil.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Malaysia’s Anwar demands prosecution of top figures in judge-fixing scandal, reports the International Herald Tribune…

Anwar, a former deputy prime minister, said the government “should take this report to its logical culmination, which is the investigation and prosecution of those whom the report deems to have deviated the course of justice.”

“A halfhearted attempt at restoration (of judicial integrity) would be as unsatisfactory as no restoration at all,” he told reporters. “This is a major issue affecting Malaysia at large.”

Anwar Ibrahim named in TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World…

During the 1990s, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a group of U.S. Senators organized a forum to exchange views among East Asians and Americans. Asked at one session about the role of Islam in politics, Anwar replied, “I have no use for governments which call themselves Islamic and then deny basic rights to half their population.”

Other prominent Asian leaders recognised by Time include Aung San Suu Kyi from Myanmar, the Dalai Lama, China’s Hu Jintao, India’s Sonia Gandhi and also Australian PM Kevin Rudd.

Anwar Ibrahim interviewed in Foreign Policy magazine…

FP: Do you think that Mahathir inadvertently made you a tougher opponent?

AI: Mahathir probably underestimated me. He always believed that people crack under torture or detention. He used to tell me in those days, when we were on friendlier terms, that what he dreaded most was to be detained without knowing when he would be released. So that is what he did to me. He underestimated me. He thought that I would break…

The Economist writes on Anwar Ibrahim, a government in waiting and the Winds of Change in Malaysia…

The governing coalition, led since then by the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), is panicking after suffering its poorest-ever showing in the general election held in March. The knives are out for Abdullah Badawi, the prime minister. The opposition, newly assertive and, so far, united behind its leader, Anwar Ibrahim, claims that at least 30 MPs from the ruling coalition are preparing to defect, which would be enough for it to take power. A change of government in Malaysia—a fanciful notion until recently—now seems a real possibility…

Anwar Ibrahim returned to Parliament on April 29th for the first time in a decade. Watch his interview here on YouTube…

Saturday April 26, 2008

Story and photos by GEETHA KRISHNAN

Housing displaced estate workers in high-rise flats should be shelved because it can give rise to a different set of social problems, said Selangor Health, Plantation Workers, Poverty and Caring Government Committee chairman Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar.Dr Jayakumar said high-rise living broke the social network of these people who were drawn together owing to poverty.

“Just because they are asked to provide housing, estate owners should not simply build flats,” he said, following visits to the Semenyih Estate in Semenyih and Abaco Estate in Beranang on Thursday.

He also said the state was drawing up by-laws to ensure estate owners build suitable living quarters and care for the welfare of their employees following displacement.

Solemn lot: Dr Jayakumar getting feedback from the rubber tappers at Abaco Estate.

“Estate owners have no right to shirk their responsibility simply because the land is sold or earmarked for development.

“They should not forget that these employees have slogged for them for decades,” said Jayakumar who grew up in an estate.

He was particularly appalled and saddened with the living condition of the rubber tappers in Abaco Estate.

He said the wooden houses were reminiscent of the poor accommodation provided in the 60s.

Dr Jayakumar felt angry after stepping into seventy-year-old widow M. Rajamah’s dilapidated home where the former estate worker lived alone.

Her sole possessions were a bed and some clothes.

“These conditions are simply inhumane and unacceptable in present time.

“How can the estate owner allow his employees to live this way without piped water, electricity and toilets for the past 40 years, forcing the workers to relieve themselves in the jungle?” he asked, adding that the houses fell way below the minimum housing standard.

All the 14 families living and working in the rubber estate earn an average of RM500 and below monthly which puts them in the hardcore poor bracket because the country’s poverty line is RM650.

The workers are paid daily wages where one kilogramme of rubber is bought for 50 sen but they cannot tap rubber if it rains.

One worker said she only earned RM42 last month although the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (Mapa) has set the guaranteed minimum wage at RM420.

The workers who spoke to Dr Jayakumar also said they were threatened not to lodge reports with the authorities by the estate owner.

Social worker S. Arutchelvan, who visits Abaco regularly, said the workers were further enslaved to the estate through micro loans that they could not afford to repay or take decades to settle due to their dismal income.

He said many complaints were filed with the Labour Department but an official who was present claimed there were no reports from Abaco.

He added that an immediate effort to improve life in the estate would be to offer skills training for the youth and to obtain birth certificates and MyKads for those without documents.

Dr Jayakumar, who also visited Semenyih Estate with Hulu Selangor assemblyman Datuk Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad and Kajang assemblyman Lee Kim Sin, found the living conditions better there.

Only foreign contract workers were hired and the company had provided accommodation for the displaced estate workers elsewhere. Only a few families remain at the estate.

Resident M. Uma said they wanted better public amenities like drinking water. The storage tank where the water was stored emitted a foul smell and Zainal Abidin pointed out that worms could be seen at the bottom.

Dr Jayakumar said drainage in the estate would be improved while clean water would be provided.

He also said all estate owners were invited for a high-tea at a hotel in Shah Alam at 4pm on April 29.

Dear readers,

We apologise for the lack of updates, it isn’t that we haven’t been busy, but it is because we have too much to do. People haven’t stopped coming to see us, and we have piles of letters/complaints to reply. So please bare with us as we adapt to the new demands that are upon us.

1. Official swearing in photos

It took the palace a month to get the photos to us.

2. The temple visits.

Over the past month since taking office, Dr Xavier has visited many temples (almost 30 !!), from around Selangor. The photos below were from 3 temple visits on the 13th of April.

3. DUN Sri Andalas thank you dinner : 8,000 crowd !!!

On the 30th of March we had our thank you dinner, in Taman Sentosa. This thank you dinner was a once and for all affair to say thank you to the entire DUN voters. WOW….we had an unexpected 8.,000 strong turn out, and it was madness at the food end. But all our volunteers managed to keep the crowd under control, but none of us were in our right minds to take photographs. Hence, the only pics available are on Klangnews.net.

Majlis Makan Malam Bersama Rakyat

and Klangnews.net photos : HERE

4. Rotary Club of Klang, congratulatory dinner.

Dr Xavier as Past President of the Rotary Club of Klang, was given a thank you dinner by the club, about 2 weeks ago.

(Pic courtesy of Klangnews.net)

Please click HERE or HERE for a personal interview with Dr Xavier

Please click HERE for the pictures from that dinner.

Monday April 21, 2008

By LIM CHIA YING Photos by T.K. LIM

DENGUE fever can spread like wildfire if not controlled and the rainy season has not helped the situation in Selangor either, prompting the state government to declare war against the menace.

State health, estate workers, poverty and caring government committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar asserted that the present graph on the number of dengue cases reported each week was quite stable.

“We have somehow managed to keep it at a certain figure. However, the number of cases is still not at a satisfactory low, especially in densely-populated areas like Gombak, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang and we are working to reduce the number,” Dr Xavier said.

He also said the state government was increasing monitoring at various areas through local authorities and with the help of state health officers.

“We have people going around to check areas and compounds where mosquitoes could breed. Dedicated wards to admit infected patients are also provided at government hospitals.

“The many abandoned projects in the state have also contributed to high incidences of dengue,” he explained.

Dr Xavier said the state and federal health departments worked closely and he was updated on the number of cases each week through the local councils.

Local authorities are also doing their bit to help raise awareness among the public while some residents also play their part by doing their own clean-ups.

On Saturday, the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) went on its second week of anti-dengue operations as part of the 10-minute campaign mooted by Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh.

Yeoh has urged all Subang Jaya and USJ residents to spend 10 minutes a week to check their compounds and discard all bottles, cans, or old tyres. These items will then be collected by MPSJ officers every Saturday afternoon.

MPSJ health director Dr Abdul Rahim Ahmad said cases in Subang Jaya had shown a decline although he could not determine if the reduced statistics were due to increased public awareness or the fogging rounds that the council had been carrying out.

Preventive step: MPSJ’s Hair Nizam placing Abate in a drain during the campaign.

“Being the enforcement agency responsible, we also go house-to-house to carry out surveys and determine the Aedes Index and Bruteau Index.

“Immediate measures like depositing Abate and fogging will be taken if the Aedes Index increases by 2.5% or if the Bruteau Index increases by more than 5%.

“It is important for residents to cooperate with us by opening windows when we are fogging, overturning pots and containers that contain water and not littering,” Dr Abdul Rahim said.

Last year, the council once had 159 reported cases in a week – the highest recorded throughout the state and country. This year, however, the highest number of cases reported a week is only 49.

Dr Abdul Rahim said while the rate was not alarming, there should still be cause for concern and people should take precautions.

Dr Abdul Rahim said the Aedes mosquito lived in clean, stagnant water and in places that were shady.

“We have no frontline defence because mosquitoes are everywhere. It’s total warfare and everyone must play their role,” he said.

“Residents have complained to me that fogging alone is not enough and this is why all must play their part.

“People must also get rid off the ‘it will not happen to me’ mindset, because dengue could affect anyone,” Yeoh added.

USJ Residents Association vice-president Melvin Lee said fighting dengue should be a long-term effort and not just a knee-jerk reaction.

“Dengue is a known problem, therefore new strategies and plans should be devised to educate the people and raise awareness.

“The council, as a responsible authority, should tackle the problem, because lives are at stake. It should try to get everyone involved and to reach out to more people.

“I’m not sure if distributing flyers alone is going to work as people may not even read them,” Lee said.

He also said the council had not put up many banners to publicise the anti-dengue operation.

“Dengue broke out in my USJ 5 neighbourhood some years ago but a few residents took the lead by talking to other residents.

“People responded to us positively and in the end, we won the battle,” Lee added.

Yeoh said she would rope in volunteers soon to go to each apartment unit and show residents the little things they could do to make their homes dengue-free.

Dr Abdul Rahim said in the past, banners had been given to community leaders to be put up in their neighbourhoods but the people tasked with doing so had failed to carry out their duties.

“We actually made announcements to residents in the areas we visited today,” he said, adding that he was also looking at new approaches to reach out to foreigners.

He said the council was not denying its responsibilities and he was not giving up the fight.

“This is our commitment to the people,” he said.

“We also will not hesitate to issue compounds to those found guilty of breeding mosquitoes, “ he said.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

– Throw unused items into the bin or bury them.
– Check and clean roof gutters so that it is not clogged with rubbish and leaves.
– Change the water and clean flowerpots or bathtubs every week.
– Ensure water containers are closed tightly to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
– Placing Abate according to the right measurements into tanks or places that hold water.
– Rear fish that eat larvae in huge tanks, like guppies.
(Courtesy of MPSJ’s dengue leaflet)

DENGUE STATISTICS FOR LOCAL COUNCILS IN SELANGOR

Total: 4389 reported cases from Jan 1, 2008, to date
MBSA: 855 reported cases
MPK: 676 reported cases
MPKj: 595 reported cases
MPSJ: 531 reported cases
MBPJ: 371 reported cases
MPS: 276 reported cases
MPAJ: 181 reported cases
Hulu Selangor District: 180 reported cases
Klang District: 178 reported cases
Gombak: 148 reported cases
Kuala Selangor: 99 reported cases
Sabak Bernam: 84 reported cases
Kuala Langat: 78 reported cases Sepang: 69 reported cases
Hulu Langat: 68 reported cases

Tuesday April 8, 2008

By ELAN PERUMAL

ESTATE workers in Selangor can expect better things with the state government taking a serious look into their working environments and living condition, state estate workers committee chairman Dr Xavier Jayakumar said.

Dr Xavier said his office would be working closely with the Selangor branch of the National Union of Plantation Workers (NUPW) so that the welfare of the estate workers would be taken care of.

He said he had a meeting with the NUPW on Friday and it was a fruitful session and there would be more consultative meetings.

Working together: Dr Xavier having a discussion with Navamukundan.

“NUPW has forwarded a memorandum addressing the issue of basic amenities for the workers which includes water and electricity supplies and the home ownership scheme.

“We have spoken at length on the home ownership scheme and the workers can definitely expect something good to come from the state government soon,” he said after meeting NUPW general secretary Datuk G. Sankaran, executive secretary A. Navamukundan and Selangor secretary V. Tamasegaran.

Dr Xavier said the Pakatan Rakyat Government was aware of the plight of the estate workers and was fully committed towards increasing their standard of living.

While the state had progressed a lot over the last 50 years, he said the question to be answered was how much things had changed for the estate workers who had contributed towards the economic growth of the nation.

“We want the condition in estates to improve and we will be calling about 100 estate owners for a meeting soon.

“We expect to gauge the condition of the estates from the perception of the owners before visiting the estates,” he said.

Sankaran said he was happy with the meeting and hoped the union’s proposals and feedback would be taken seriously by the new state government.

He said NUPW was keen on implementing a workers housing scheme in all estates.

“We hope the new government will make the estate workers housing scheme compulsory for all estate managements to implement,” he said

Dr Xavier, officially entered his office on Tuesday 25th March, 2008. The office, had been stripped bare of everything !!! There is not one shred of paper, no records, no files, no stationary !! Not a thing.

No official chops, no sofa set !! No proper cabinets !! Not even 1 paper clip.

The BN government, is absolutely liable for all the documentation and records that are missing. The BN government, ie. Khir Toyo and his Exco owe to the people to return all the records !!

We have spent so much time this week, just to get the office functioning !! It is such a difficult task when the system in place is so wrecked !!

You ask for 1 dozen staplers and you get 1 (ONE) stapler only !!! You ask for files, they only give you 10 (without treasury tags !!) !!.. . . the list is endless. . .

So in view of the above. We ask that our supporters and anyone with complaints please be patient as we try to get a working office in place.

All written complaints are to be sent to pkrkotaraja@gmail.com.

We apologise for the delay with the pics, but after a tiring week, here are the pics from the angkat sumpah ceremony. We were not ever allowed to take pictures of the official swearing in.

The ceremony took place at the  Balairung Seri, Istana Alam Shah in Klang. The ceremony began at 10am and ended at 12pm, after which we were all invited to a sit down lunch with the King.

Above : Balairung Seri, Istana Alam Shah Klang (Yes its all in GOLD!!)

Before leaving for the palace.
With the SONGKOKs on.

(L-R) : Razak b Ismail (Personal Assistant to YB (P.A.))

Dr Xavier Jayakumar

Syed Putra (Ketua Penerangan -in charge of DUN affairs)

Ravi - Security & escort

We had a small (600 people) thank you lunch for all our PACAs (polling agents), and volunteers, last sunday at Dr Xavier’s house.

YB Ravi from Port Dickson, and Mano from Sri Muda

FRIDAY 14th MARCH 2008

As a result of a mere 2 hour plus downpour, almost half on Taman Sentosa, Klang was flooded, up to 3 feet in some areas. Sentosa in the past 10 years has gone from bad to worse in terms of maintenace and development. It has been ignored by the previous government of Selangor, and its past elected representatives have not cared for the area or the people.

This time around Dr Xavier spent all of Friday wearing boots and standing in knee deep waters till 11 pm at night. Various teams comprising of PKR volunteers went around gathering food to be distributed to the residents. A bread line (making sandwiches) was set up at out bilik gerakan to feed anyone who came there for shelter.

Right beside Taman Sentosa, 2 new housing developments have sprung in the past two years. Namely Bandar Puteri and Bandar Putera.  Both these developments, have water drainage systems that flow into the existing Sentosa main drainage systems. Unfortunately, unchecked development has led to the drains becoming clogged with earth. This is not the sole factor, apart from that, most of the drains in Taman Sentosa are stagnant, clogged with rubbish, and a haven for mosquitoes and other pests. It will take a decent amount of time to solve the drainage and cleanliness issues in taman sentosa, but we are determined to get to the bottom of it.

Surprisingly last Friday when it rained, the MPK and the District Land Office and the Jabatan Parit dan Saliran, all turned up to inspect the situation (many residents were surprised that they had turned up). Pumps were brought in to pump out the water, and residents were provided food and water by Parti Keadilan Rakyat volunteers till almost 3 am. Kebajikan Klang sent food, but their food only arrived at 1 am, by which time most of the residents and gone to bed.

Some of the pics :-

BREAD LINE BY VOLUNTEERS AT THE BILIK GERAKAN

THE FOOD DELIVERY TEAMS AT NIGHT - FROM 10PM - 2AM

*today a mini-cleanup of all the garbage was done with the assistance of MPK and our faithful volunteers. more pics soon.

I am deeply concerned with the flooding in Taman Sentosa,this should not be happening in

a mordern urban setup. We would have to sit down with all the authorities to find a solution

This would involve the whole of Kota Raja as the flooding was in Johan Setia , Jln Kebun,

Bt 8, and Sri Muda.

I ask all the different agenies to give urgent attention to these areas.

I would like to thank the residence for their patients and understanding ,and be rest

assured we will get to the bottom of this .

Dr Xavier Jayakumar

Volunteers, and party members, stayed around Tmn Sentosa till 4.30 am distributing food and ensuring the safety of people. At 4 am the flood waters had begun to recede leaving the entire taman in one of the worst mess of garbage imaginable. 

We will post photos of the Floods asap.