Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Teens escape the clutches of tyranny
S Pathmawathy Jan 7, 10 11:53am
Nineteen-year-old R Priya, given a new lease on life after being a slave for 14 years, is still apprehensive about her future.
MCPXPriya and her younger brother Guna, 16, who were entrusted to their guardians by their single parent, were put to hard labour when they were five and three respectively.Their now deceased mother, unable to care for them, had little choice but to given them away at a tender age.In an exclusive interview with Malaysiakini, the siblings related the story of their "escape" from the clutches of their guardians in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.They were rescued by DAP member D Kamache from a friend's home in Karak, Pahang where they had been taking refuge."Fourteen years ago my mother had left me with the couple and my nightmare had not ended since that day," said Priya, when asked to describe her life with her guardians. Priya (right) was given daily household chores and when she became more capable was put to work at a small-scale glove factory owned by her guardians.
"In the mornings we had to finish work at the factory and in the evenings, I had to finish the chores at home. Only then was I allowed to eat anything.
"From young I was forced to do housework all day long and beaten up if I refused to do as I was told," she said, adding that both of them were not paid.Priya and her brother Guna are illiterate and only able to converse in Tamil."My brother and I did not go school and although I asked them, I was not allowed to attend school," said Priya.Unable to hold back her tears, Priya blurted out that all she ever wanted was care and love from her caretakers.Neighbours would sometimes reprimand her caretakers for beating and using abusive language on them, but that's as far as they would go as Priya claimed that her guardians were ‘influential' people."Last year, when I attempted to run away, I was caught. Once we got back to the house I was tied up in the bathroom and beaten with rattan cane," she said.She suffered a bloody head injury on that occasion, and instead of taking her to the hospital for treatment, her guardian placed coffee powder on the wound.Priya said that she was never let out of their sight after the incident and kept confined to the home ever since.Took rat-poison to escape torture "I could not take it any more and I attempted suicide by consuming rat-poison to escape their torture," she said tearfully.However, Priya said she was forbidden to relate the incident to the doctors who had treated her and was forced to say that she had accidently consumed the lethal chemical.Her brother Guna (left) was more fortunate. He escaped on Dec 11 with the help of a friend by hitch-hiking on a lorry travelling from Bahau to Bentong.Guna, then with some help from some locals found his way to Kamache and recounted the torture both the siblings had undergone.Kamache immediately lodged a police report in Bahau and Priya was brought to the police station with their guardians on Dec 28."When she came in and the cops were questioning her (Priya), she said everything was all right and their were well cared for by their guardians but it didn't look like she was telling the truth," said Kamache."I insisted that the police interrogate her in another room and assured her that she did not have to fear them and that she will not be sent back with them if she told the truth," she said.Only then did Priya relate her 14-year misery to the cops, according to Kamache. The guardian was then remanded for alleged child abuse and for not paying their wages.A check with the police station in Bahau, revealed that the guardian had been released on police bail pending investigations.According to the investigating officer, the police are still taking statements from Priya and Guna, as well as their custodians and neighbours.Both teenagers are currently in the custody of Kamache as they have refused to be placed in the Welfare Department.
Priya, is now employed by a furniture outlet and is under the care of a family in Karak.Meanwhile, Kamache (right) has identified a foster home for Guna and is awaiting clearance from the Welfare Department."I want what is best for them... after the cruelty they have undergone, I just want to ensure that they are given a good life from now on," said Kamache.She also urged that the police complete their investigation soon as possible as there are other children under the custody of the same people.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
OnE MoRe AcHiEvEmEnT
I have sent kalpana (Slavery victim) to a well known family in karak. she is going to baby sit their children and will be paid RM 400 per month for the beginning. She cried and said "aunty pls keep me with you" but that won't bring any good for her because she has to earn money. so i consoled and left her thare. may god bless her
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Slaves been Rescued
A Snap after fighting all day long at bahau polis station.....our work paid off whwn another gurld named priya was succecfully freed from her nightmare life......
Saturday, December 19, 2009
'M'sia is Zimbabwe by another name'
Without mincing his words, political analyst Abdul Aziz Bari likened those who hold the reins of power in Malaysia to a bunch of 'thugs'.
MCPXAccording to him, these individuals do as they please without proper regard for the law of the land and the percepts laid down in the federal constitution.
"We are like Zimbabwe, just with another name!" stressed the law expert.Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe has earned international infamy over it's questionable policies and use of the legal system and laws to prop up the government.Elaborating, Abdul Aziz said: "I don't know how else to call them, sometimes we need to call a spade, a spade. What we have is a state of lawlessness, it's like the law of the jungle."He pointed to the recent overturning of the high court decision regarding the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency's (MACC) right to interrogate beyond office hours as a glaring example."It is painful to hear the court of appeal decision. They are using the provision to overrule the high court, saying it is silent on the matter," he told Malaysiakini. 'Judiciary takes its cue from government'According to the UIA law professor, the court of appeal's recent decision "is a lame decision and in itself a failure to carry out the court's role, namely to fill the gap left by parliament in the statute."Abdul Aziz is adamant that "the high court decision is to be preferred as it is closer to justice and the spirit of the constitution.""It is for the court to fill the gap by making a decision that is closer to fairness and justice," he added, though he bemoaned that in Malaysia, "the judiciary takes its cue from the government.""When you have a judiciary like what we have, what can we do? In normal circumstances you go to court to compel the parties who refuse to do its legal duty to do it. But not in our case," he said.What is worse, according to Abdul Aziz, Barisan Nasional is "undermining or simply could not care less about the constitution.""BN has demonstrated complete disregard for the rule of law and supremacy of the constitution, either the letter or the spirit of it," he said.Abdul Aziz contends that the Reid Commission's original intent was to propagate federalism, this he said permeates through the entirety of the constitution with the express delineation of powers to the state and the federal government.On a micro scale, he added, this framework of federalism included the issue of the petroleum royalties and funding for states.Umno warlords stumbling block to changeAbdul Aziz believes that the BN government is clearly going against the constitution when it set up the JPP (Federal Development Department) which is ultra vires of the defined rights of the states. He explained that the state has rights to certain grants and funding the federal government sans such 'intermediaries'.The use of the Emergency Ordinance to define territorial waters in the Kelantan oil royalty issue, he said, is another example of the BN government’s disregard for the law. "Why not refer to the Petroleum Act or the Law of The Sea?" he asked.In a similar vein, he also criticised the federal government's 'play acting' in making much ado when giving assistance and aid during natural disasters to opposition held states, "Why the furore, it is their duty anyway, as described in the constitution," he said.According to Abdul Aziz, this rot of lawlessness goes right down to BN’s core which is Umno. He is of the opinion that the Umno warlords cannot be reformed and as long as they exists, Umno cannot be reformed."They simply don't want to do it," he said.
Without mincing his words, political analyst Abdul Aziz Bari likened those who hold the reins of power in Malaysia to a bunch of 'thugs'.
MCPXAccording to him, these individuals do as they please without proper regard for the law of the land and the percepts laid down in the federal constitution.
"We are like Zimbabwe, just with another name!" stressed the law expert.Zimbabwe under President Robert Mugabe has earned international infamy over it's questionable policies and use of the legal system and laws to prop up the government.Elaborating, Abdul Aziz said: "I don't know how else to call them, sometimes we need to call a spade, a spade. What we have is a state of lawlessness, it's like the law of the jungle."He pointed to the recent overturning of the high court decision regarding the Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency's (MACC) right to interrogate beyond office hours as a glaring example."It is painful to hear the court of appeal decision. They are using the provision to overrule the high court, saying it is silent on the matter," he told Malaysiakini. 'Judiciary takes its cue from government'According to the UIA law professor, the court of appeal's recent decision "is a lame decision and in itself a failure to carry out the court's role, namely to fill the gap left by parliament in the statute."Abdul Aziz is adamant that "the high court decision is to be preferred as it is closer to justice and the spirit of the constitution.""It is for the court to fill the gap by making a decision that is closer to fairness and justice," he added, though he bemoaned that in Malaysia, "the judiciary takes its cue from the government.""When you have a judiciary like what we have, what can we do? In normal circumstances you go to court to compel the parties who refuse to do its legal duty to do it. But not in our case," he said.What is worse, according to Abdul Aziz, Barisan Nasional is "undermining or simply could not care less about the constitution.""BN has demonstrated complete disregard for the rule of law and supremacy of the constitution, either the letter or the spirit of it," he said.Abdul Aziz contends that the Reid Commission's original intent was to propagate federalism, this he said permeates through the entirety of the constitution with the express delineation of powers to the state and the federal government.On a micro scale, he added, this framework of federalism included the issue of the petroleum royalties and funding for states.Umno warlords stumbling block to changeAbdul Aziz believes that the BN government is clearly going against the constitution when it set up the JPP (Federal Development Department) which is ultra vires of the defined rights of the states. He explained that the state has rights to certain grants and funding the federal government sans such 'intermediaries'.The use of the Emergency Ordinance to define territorial waters in the Kelantan oil royalty issue, he said, is another example of the BN government’s disregard for the law. "Why not refer to the Petroleum Act or the Law of The Sea?" he asked.In a similar vein, he also criticised the federal government's 'play acting' in making much ado when giving assistance and aid during natural disasters to opposition held states, "Why the furore, it is their duty anyway, as described in the constitution," he said.According to Abdul Aziz, this rot of lawlessness goes right down to BN’s core which is Umno. He is of the opinion that the Umno warlords cannot be reformed and as long as they exists, Umno cannot be reformed."They simply don't want to do it," he said.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Pengalaman Pertama Saya Di Mesyuarat Penuh MBI
Saya telah pun dipelawa oleh YB Kulasegaran untuk menghadiri Mesyuarat Penuh MBI. Saya telah sampai ke MBI pada tepat pukul 9.50 pagi. Pada tepat pukul 10 pagi datuk bandar telah tiba di dewan. Selepas baca Doa Selamat mesyuarat telah dimulakan dengan ucapan Datuk Bandar. Datuk Bandar menyatakan mengenai perkembangan semasa khususnya sektor kewangan iaitu jumalah kutipan wang taksiran MBI dan juga perkara-perkara semasa.
Selepas ucapan itu, mesyuarat disambung dengan pengesahan minit mesyuarat jawatankuasa kecil. Selepas itu, Datuk Bandar membuka ruang kepada ahli ahli majlis untuk berhujah. Falam sesi hujah ini ahli parlimen Ipoh Barat selaku ahli majlis menanya juga menberi pandangan dalam beberapa perkara khususnya masalah masalah tempatan yang mempunyai sangkuk pauk
dengan kerajaan tempatan. Kira kira pada pukul 12 tengahari Datuk Bandar memutuskan supaya mesyuarat ini ditangguhkan.
Selepas ucapan itu, mesyuarat disambung dengan pengesahan minit mesyuarat jawatankuasa kecil. Selepas itu, Datuk Bandar membuka ruang kepada ahli ahli majlis untuk berhujah. Falam sesi hujah ini ahli parlimen Ipoh Barat selaku ahli majlis menanya juga menberi pandangan dalam beberapa perkara khususnya masalah masalah tempatan yang mempunyai sangkuk pauk
dengan kerajaan tempatan. Kira kira pada pukul 12 tengahari Datuk Bandar memutuskan supaya mesyuarat ini ditangguhkan.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I am now a blogger
Dear people of Sabai,
I've started my blog now. It gives me a great pleasure to pen down my ideas and dreams for a better Sabai. Please feel free and do not hesitate to view my blog which i'm going to update on daily basis. I will post more local current issues and please feel free to comment.
thank you
ME FOR SABAI..........
எங்கள் வாழ்வும் எங்கள் வளமும் மங்காத தமிழ் என்று சங்கே முழங்கு
அனைத்து சபை வாழ் மக்களுக்கு எனது தமிழ் வணக்கத்தை தெரிவித்துகொள்கிறேன்.
இன்று முதல் நான் எனது எழுத்துக்களை மின் வடிவம் மூலம் தெரிவிக்க முயன்றுள்ளேன். ஆகவே, உங்களுக்கு ஏதேனும் கருத்துக்கள் இருந்தால், இத்தலத்தை நன்கு பயன்படுத்தி கொள்ளவும்.
உங்களுடை அனைத்து கருத்துக்களும் இந்த இணைய பக்கத்தில் கண்டிப்பாக இடம் பெற, நான் முயற்சிப்பேன்.
அன்புடன்
காமாட்சி துரை ராஜூ
"வாழ்க மக்கள் சக்தி"
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