Dead? The ghost before me.

I received a complaint last week from one Marimuthu A/L Veerappan. His complaint was that, he couldn't apply for the new Mykad, as the record in Jabatan Pendaftaran Malaysia that his status was 'DEAD'.

I was surprised by his complaint, but without any black and white, i shouldn't have conclude on whose fault is it. Therefore, i directed my PA, Lee to do a name search with the information that the complainant has given to me. The result oif the search strike me with surprise, the status indicated 'Meninggal Dunia'. Oh, gosh, i thought to myself, 'was i talking to a ghost a few days ago?', but reasonable man would tell me, the man standing right before me that day was real with flesh and blood in his vein.

The search result also shown that the last known address was in Kedah while the complainant has cliamed that he never leave Negeri Sembilan in his life time except for the period of 1999-2005 while he was jailed in Kajang Prison.

In trying to solve the problem that he is facing, i will help him to do a Statutory Declaration, write in to JPN Director, check his record with Kajang Prison to ascertain where and when has went wrong. Gosh~still couldn't believe that ghost has spoken to me, and i can actually speak to the friends in another world.

Show consideration and respect to us, pleads Tok Batin (Kg Sebir)

SEREMBAN: Kampung Sebir Orang Asli village head, Tok Batin Uval Bujang, is unhappy with the state government for not gazetting the customary land.

The state government has the authority to gazette the land, he said.

"We are unhappy with the state government because they do not consider that the customary land rightfully belongs to us and they have been disrespectful to the elders on the Customary Board.

"The graves are proof that our community has been living here for ages and they should know that we have been conserving the land rather than destroying it," he said.

He is also angry because the developer did not seek permission from or send any notices to the Kampung Sebir community to inform them about their activities.

He added that the felling activities have destroyed some of the settlement's main sources of income.

Uval said the villagers will submit a memorandum to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan,

"Before the country achieved independence, our ancestors were already living on the customary land, so there are some graves dating back 300 to 400 years in the old site.

"After that, the land was gazetted and we moved to the existing reserve, but many of us still depend on the produce and trees, like timber and rubber in the customary land, for income," he added.

He added that he was irked by a representative of the developer, who brazenly asked for RM500,000, to stop felling the trees in the area.

"How can they ask us for money? Who are they to do so? I told him that he had no right to put a price on the land and we would not give it up," he said.

After the incident, Uval lodged a police report followed by two more when the developer ignored him and continued to fell trees.

"The police have visited us a couple of times and they have also gone to the Land Office to investigate our claims. However, if nothing is done we are considering legal action because we cannot simply ignore the encroachment activities going on," he added.

Bukit Kepayang state assemblyman, Cha Kee Chin, said he hoped the state government would show due compassion and consideration to the community.

"Although it is stated under the National Land Code that the Orang Asli cannot claim ownership of the land they refer to as customary, some consideration should be given to this group," he said.

He explained that the code does not recognise the customary land as belonging to the Orang Asli, and the state government has the authority to revoke the status of the land.

"The Orang Asli should be given due respect for their age-old customs. For them owning a piece of land is more valuable than cash.

"They were not brought up as city-dwellers and as such, land has always been an essential part of their lives. They depend on it for shelter and food," he said.

He urged the state government to stop issuing logging licences to ensure that encroachment activities will not destroy the reserve until the issue is settled.

"It would be unfair to the Orang Asli community if licences continue to be issued. All parties should be patient and wait for the outcome," he added.

==========================
I have submitted a written question for the coming State Assembly regarding the issues in Kampung Sebir on 16 March 2009. Hopefully the question will not be rejected and thus i can get the answer that the villagers want and i can ask further oral questions in the Persidangan end of next month.

森州行動黨聲援哥賓星

（芙蓉17日訊）森美蘭州民主行動黨聲援遭國會禁足1年的蒲種區國會議員哥賓星，並斥責此禁令已違反國家原則第4條之“尊崇法治”原則及基本人權。
　該黨森州秘書謝琪清律師今日在記者會上說，聯邦憲法第63條文之國會議員辯論特權闡明，國會議員在議會內辯論時，只要沒涉及煽動法令，都有免控的特權。
　他指出，哥賓星在國會內的言論，卻沒觸犯所謂煽動法令下的宗教、種族等敏感課題，所以不應受到禁足國會的對付。
　他披露，即使要對哥賓星採取行動，也應通過國會特權委員會開會作出詳細研究后，才作出決定。
　“昨日的禁足令是由一名部長在國會內提出動議，及數名國會議員辯論后即通過，就連哥賓星是當事人也無法為自己辯論，這也違反國家原則第4條之‘尊崇法治’原則及基本人權。”
　他認為，這是國陣用作對付反對黨議員，特別是活躍議員的一種威脅性手段，以警告反對黨議員不能在議會內活躍辯論。
　他說，哥賓星雖然僅有1年的國會議員資歷，但在國會的表現卻非常活躍，結果引來國陣的打壓。
　他指出，森州行動黨將給予哥賓星全力的支持，同時也支持民聯為聲援哥賓星所展開的活動。
　他說，森州主席陸兆福也已委任署理主席P古拿，在州內舉行大型的講座，並安排哥賓星前來演講。
　P古拿說，在議會內反映民聲是每名議員，特別是反對黨議員的責任，然而國會卻採取禁足令，吊銷敢予表達及誠實的人民代議士議員資格。
　他說，為期1年的禁足令太長，他促請國會議長重新考慮此項決定。
　該黨組織秘書吳金財也近幾年國會頻發出的禁足令感到失望。
　
　

仿效雪州 公开森州行政议员收入

（芙蓉14日讯）- 武吉甲巴央区州议员谢琪清律师高度赞赏雪州民联的政府首开先例，公开大臣及州行政议员的收入。

谢氏认为雪州民联政府的这项举动是朝向真正民主的决定，因为周行政议员身为人民公仆，由人民民选出来，有必要让人民知道他们在任期内的收入实况。

也是森州民主行动党秘书的谢琪清认为在民主制度下，透明度的处理事实及让人民监督议员是正确的方式，也符合还政于民的主场。

谢氏挑战森州国阵政府仿效雪州民联政府的方式，立刻让州务大臣及行政议员的收入公开让人民知道，因为这符合了一个公开及有透明度的民选政府。

他认为人民是可以接受议员所有的收入，只要有关议员坦诚的公开他们的个人收入。议员也使人，也需要足够的收入来养活自己及家人，所以只要是合法的收入，人民是可以接受的。

他也表示会在来临的森州议会上，提出要森州大臣及10位行政议员公布他们月收入的提问，让州政府正式向人民交代他们在这课题上的立场。

308一周年

2008年3月8日历史性的一天，我国民主进程向前推进了一大步。308前，应该没多少人会认为国阵会倒下。但是人民的力量，makkal sakti打破了这个谜思。

308前，我是一名律师。过着的是上法庭，回办公室准备文件，见客户，一般律师过着的生活模式。第十二届大选，我有幸被党委任上阵。

308那天，历历在目。最后一分钟的冲刺，等待成绩的宣布。308是激昂，让人振奋的。成绩宣布我中选后，上阵的同志也一个个的中选了。随之而来的，槟州，雪州，吉打，霹雳也落入民联的手中，我为这一天，人民的力量感到兴奋。

308后，我成为武吉加巴央区州议员。心态的转变，从一名律师到州议员，所面对的人事物皆有了180度的转变。间中吃了不少苦头，但是经验是从失败累计回来的，这些苦头让我从中学习了不少。谢谢大家给了机会我。

转眼间，308已经一年了。这一年，可谓是马来西亚历史里最多风多雨的一年。在我心里，我只秉持着一个信念：以民为本。谢谢大家在308给与我的机会和支持，本着这个信念，我希望能够扮演好我的角色，创造一个美好的马来西亚。

行動黨慶308一周年紀念晚宴

冒犯州议会 “霹国阵违宪”

（芙蓉4日讯） 武吉甲巴央区州议员谢琪清严厉谴责霹雳州国阵是“流氓”，他们违反联邦宪法。

他认为，我国联邦宪法第72条清楚列明任何州议会的事项不可被带上法庭。因此，当霹雳州国阵向怡保高庭申请庭令时，此举措已经严重违反联邦宪法，因为联邦宪法是我国最高的法律。

也是森州民主行动党州秘书的谢琪清是于今日发表文告，作出上述表示。

他说，当霹州国阵向高庭申请庭令时，此举措代表着霹州国阵严重冒犯州立法议会及霹州议长。

应解散州议会

他认为，现在霹雳州陷入宪法危机，是国阵一手造成的，因为国阵无法接受在霹雳只获得46%选民的支持，而以最不民主的手段“抢下”"霹雳州政权。

他也认为，要解决现有的困境，最好的方案就是解散霹雳州议会，好让人民重新决定由谁在该州执政。

他说，从法律的观点来看，由议长西华古玛在“大树下”召开的州议会会议是合法及有效的，没有任何一方有资格否定有关会议的合法性及有效性。