Truly, this is a sad day for us as a country and as a people. Beyond the shame to our national pride and image in the eyes of the international community, the act is reprehensible and heartbreaking as it resulted in the loss of innocent lives. There is no reason in the world that could be used to justify such brutal act of lawlessness and violence.

However, while we strongly denounce this heinous act of violence against innocent people, we call for sobriety and clarity. Let us not further clutter the issue by joining those that want to use this incident to cause further chaos and confusion or moreover, by those that will immediately benefit from such, as they wash their hands of any culpability and negligence with regards to the hostage incident.

Hence, we call on President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jessie Robredo to immediately call for a swift, comprehensive and impartial investigation of the incident. We call on the Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa to exercise due discretion and judiciousness by putting all police personnel involved in the assault in preventive suspension so as not to interfere in whatever way in the investigation of the case.

Furthermore, we call on the government to comprehensively review the country’s security program with the end view of implementing significant reforms that will fully professionalize our security forces particularly our national police. The recent hostage-taking event and how it was handled together with the recent controversy surrounding the reported cases of torture as practiced by alleged members of the police must be seen as grave consequences of how our police system works, or is not working.

The government can start this process in the immediate, by enhancing police accountability, and in the strategic, by implementing institutional reforms… This must be done in partnership with the local government, the Department of Justice, the Commission on Human Rights and other active stakeholders to achieve concrete changes not only in terms of professionalism, responsiveness and accountability but also of its respect, protection and promotion of human rights to its constituents.

Lastly, we call on the media and the police sector to establish clear and professional guidelines on how to harmonize their functions as they perform their respective roles. We believe, despite clashing institutional goals and values, they are mutually dependent and must cooperate to inform the public and hold government accountable over security policies.

Akbayan
24 August 2010

Welcoming address by Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng at International Integrity Conference 2010 in Eastin Hotel, Penang, Malaysia on Saturday, 7^th August 2010:

Good governance has been described as how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Without good governance, we can forget about realizing our goal of transforming Penang into an international city that is a location of choice for investors, a destination of choice for tourists and a habitat of choice for those who desire sustainable living.

Good governance requires several core ingredients: the rule of law, strengthening of public sector management, transparency and accountability, and appropriate strategies to combat corruption.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission in Asia Pacific states that good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Let me go through some of the characteristics of good governance:-

a) Participation

Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand.

b) Rule of law

Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.

c) Transparency

Transparency means that decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.

d) Responsiveness

Good governance requires that institutions and processes try to serve all stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.

e) Consensus oriented

Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the whole community and how this can be achieved.

f) Equity and inclusiveness

A society’s well being depends on ensuring that all its members feel that they have a stake in it and do not feel excluded from the mainstream of society.

g) Effectiveness and efficiency

Effectiveness means that processes and institutions produce results that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at their disposal. Efficiency covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

h) Accountability

Accountability to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.

To conform with this concept of good governance, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. But we must possess the political will.

The Penang state government has introduced CAT governance based on competency, accountability and transparency or amar maaruf nahi mungkar. As a CAT government, we adopt the principle that it does not matter whether a cat is black or white as long as it catches mice.

By adopting a system of open tender, relentlessly battling corrupt practices and promoting integrity Penang managed to turn a projected budget deficit of RM 35 million in 2008 to a record surplus of RM 88 million. This was repeated in 2009 with a surplus of RM77 million against a projected deficit of RM 40 million. These surpluses allowed us to pay an anti-corruption dividend of cash payouts to senior citizens annually and funeral expenses which were not available previously.

Penangs achievements were praised by Transparency International, the first time for any government in Malaysia. I strongly believed that governance is a set of political goods that leaders and the government needs to deliver to the people that can bring about happiness and prosperity.

There must be popular support which can only be attained by convincing the public of the benefits of good governance. Good governance may be attained through the establishment of a civilization whose point of support is truth,piety in God and which considers life as mutual assistance, not direct confrontation.

As I said there is no need to reinvent the wheel – what we need is political will. The public can only be convinced that the government means business when there is leadership by example with strong and effective leadership centered on integrity and prudent spending.

A paragon of leadership by example and good governance is undeniably the Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz. He had introduced a number of reforms; administrative, fiscal and educational. So inspiring was his honesty and integrity and so far-reaching his reforms during his short two years reign that they resonate down the centuries with few parallels in the history of mankind.

Imagine how honest the person, until he turn off the light of a lamp if he was conducting private matters. We can not be wrong if we follow his legacy in promoting good governance in our administration.

Most profound was Umar Abdul Aziz’s advice to his subordinates on why he refused to approve money spent on building walls of bricks because it is a waste. Instead he said they should be building walls of justice where no opposing force can break.

For this reason, I differ strongly with the comment by MCA President Dr Chua Soi Lek portraying Muslim countries negatively as non-progressive, corrupt, poor and backward. Dr Chua should educate himself in history that the civilization of Islam was filled not just with global empires but also with glory in art, learning, introducing numbers, algebra and astronomy.

Muslim countries are suffering from the same problems suffered by India and China previously. Only when India and China were free, independent and not dominated by imperialistic powers, were they able to realize their potential and take their place in the world stage as an economic power.

I believe that Muslim nations can also recapture their past glories were they allowed to be similarly unshackled like China and India. And if there is good governance just as Islam was a center of learning, justice and excellence under the rule of Umar Abdul Aziz. The choice is whether we follow the Umar Abdul Aziz’s governing model of integrity and good governance or the alternative model of corruption and dictatorship.

As there are many prominent speakers more well-versed on this topic, we should not delay any longer the sharing of their point of views as well as experiences towards promoting good governance.

We would also like to congratulate our Filipino Comrades from Akbayan for their overwhelming success in the recent General Election. Congratulations especially to Akbayan’s Rep. Walden Bello and Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao for their election to the Congress. We are proud of Akbayan’s achievement and reaffirmed our solidarity with the Party as they now set to be an important partner in President Aquino’s government to generate transformation in the Philippines.

Finally, we echo the words of our Comrades in Akbayan that this is indeed a victory of the people, panalo ang mamamayan. Therefore our best wishes are with the people of the Philippines, may you achieve the greatness you aspire under the administration of the new government.

In Solidarity,

Steven Sim
Executive Secretary
Network of Social Democracy In Asia

(Photo source: The Internet)

Source: www.liewchintong.com

If there is a figure in recent South East Asian history who represents the inextinguishable struggle for democracy and human rights, it is Aung San Suu Kyi.

There have been an increasing consciousness for a greater democratisation in South East Asia and this was evidenced by the electoral success achieved by the political oppositions in traditionally hegemonic governments.

A strong democracy will ensure that the interest of the people is protected against the onslaught of self-interested governments and big businesses and a strong democracy will ensure that the resources and wealth of the nation is responsibly managed.

Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned and incarcerated for the last 20 years for advocating for democratisation within her homeland, Myanmar.

Neither she nor her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) has been allowed to fulfil the mandate of the citizens of Myanmar as a democratically elected Government.

The strongest words have been said to and about the current military junta, but nothing is more forceful than the fact that the people of Myanmar continue to live in poverty while their ASEAN neighbours are prospering.

The conscience of the junta is imprisoned where Aung San Suu Kyi is. And it is not too much therefore to say that Myanmar lives in Aung San Suu Kyi, and until she is free, Myanmar will continue to live in the prison of socio-political and economic oppression.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) of Malaysia joins the world to wish a solemn happy birthday to Aung San Suu Kyi. We pray for her earlier release and the democratisation of Myanmar.

(Photo source: The Internet)

by Ivan A Hadar

According to government official data, the Jakarta groundwater condition now is very severe. It is estimated, that in the next 15 years, Jakarta will have a water crisis if there is no breakthrough to handle the issue.

The industrial area in West Jakarta has already entered a very critical point today. It is recommended the central government immediately conserve the ground water areas in Jakarta, West Java, and Banten in order to improve the ground water basin areas of Jakarta. (Tempo.interaktif , Feb. 3, 2010)
This June, on Jakarta’s 483rd anniversary, the clean water issue remains an unsolved problem.

Although it has been privatized by allowing the foreign partner of the Regional Water Company (PDAM Jaya), a clean water supply to residents is often clogged, and sometimes completely freezes.

Ironically, Jakarta is a very rich water resource area. There are many large rivers here. As a low land area, groundwater can be obtained without the need to dig too deep.

Beside, Java’s water reserves, in fact, are not greatly used by residences. However, the rivers are heavily polluted.

Water needed for Jakarta mainly comes from two sources, namely rivers and wells. Although the total population is numbered “fantastic”, from a quantitative aspect, water availability in Jakarta should not be a problem.

But exploitation of ground water by large buildings induced severe consequences with a serious  decline in ground water levels. Additionally, there is a 15 kilometer distance to infiltrate seawater to downtown.

According to some studies, the number of city dwellers who have access to clean water, is only about 6-15 percent.

Unless the city government makes drastic policies, pollution from industrial waste will increase fivefold by 2020. A large amount of pollution is also caused by the wastewater tertiary sector, particularly household waste.

Every day, tons of garbage washed into the river makes it a “paradise” for many kinds of bacteria. The collie bacterial content is a thousand times beyond the level prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Moreover, this content also breaks into ground water and is ready to become a time bomb.

Of all Jakarta residents, only less than 15 percent have access to water taps in their homes.

Meanwhile, a quarter of the people in Jakarta purchase bottled water or from sellers of channel water in residential areas.

The rest obtain it by using artesian well water. Because of weak law enforcement, many factories and industries do not comply with regulations on the use of filters and clarification plants to clean up toxic waste. It is usually dumped into rivers and the sea in the Greater Jakarta area.

Waste water cleaning technology, in fact, has been developed from domestic or foreign countries at a relatively affordable price.

Inevitably, water as a public good, should be provided by the government for the population, including through subsidies for people living in poverty.

Therefore, the tendency to make water a commodity of the free market as applied in Indonesia today, should be scrutinized, because usually only minority will benefit.

The demands of  the People’s Coalition for the Right to Water to allow the government to take control of water management in Jakarta, no longer leaving it to the private sector, is worthy of consideratio (www.kruha.org). Hopefully.

(Source of photo above: The Internet)

The writer is the city planner and executive director of the Indonesian Institute for Democracy in Education, and co-chief editor of the Journal of Social Democracy.

The Israeli forces’ attack on an aid flotilla heading towards the blockaded Gaza is a flagrant violation of human rights, countering any form of internationally recognized norms.
More than 10 pro-Palestinian activists have been killed during the raid by the naval commandos while scores remain missing.

The Al-Jazeera TV reported by telephone from the Turkish ship leading the flotilla that Israeli forces fired at the ship and boarded it, wounding the captain. The broadcast ended with a voice shouting in Hebrew, “Everybody shut up!”

Turkey’s NTV network reported that at least 30 activists were wounded.

This is clearly a massacre.

More than 700 peace activists are on the boats and they include Malaysians, Australian journalists, 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire of Northern Ireland, European legislators and an elderly holocaust survivor.

The six-ship flotilla began the journey from international waters off the coast of Cyprus on Sunday afternoon after two days of delays. It had expected to reach Gaza, about 250 miles away, this afternoon amid threats from the Israeli government which had declared it would not allow the ships to reach Gaza.

The freedom flotilla was carrying 10,000 tons of aid to the besieged people of Gaza. The Gaza strip is smaller than the Isle of Wright but crammed with 1.5 million people who can never leave.

Israel announced that it was blockading Gaza to pressure the entire civilian population to reverse the democratic process, allowing only a small trickle of food, medicine and fuel.

Journalists have reported about hospitals turning away the sick because they were running out of medicine and hungry children scavenging for food on the streets.

Despite the derogatory conditions under which Israel has subjected the people of Gaza by keeping them under siege and through violent military occupation of the West Bank, world leaders have remained either silent or non-committal.

Apart from a wimpy statement from the United Nations stating that poverty in Gaza has reached unprecedented level, we have not seen as forceful action. Neither has the Malaysian government said a word.
It is reported that the fate of the two local journalists who were in the ship attacked by the Israeli army is still unknown. However, Dr Rani Osman, the PAS/PR ADUN for Meru is said to be safe.

The Pakatan leaders, on Tuesday, should make a declaration condemning the violent aggression by the Israeli navy against the peace activists on board the flotilla.

In line with that, I call on Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to lobby the Organisations of Islamic Conference (OIC) and ASEAN to call for a halt to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and lobby for a sustained and unconditional opening of the crossing for the free flow of humanitarian aid, essential goods and persons to and from Gaza.

After years of malign neglect by the US towards the Palestine-Israel peace talks, it would be an image-cleansing exercise for the President, Barack Obama, to abandon the theatrics and make a stand against these attacks.

I urge fellow Malaysian’s to offer special prayer for the safety of all those who have come under attack, including our two journalists.

Twenty five international observers from 11 countries are in the Philippines to witness the country’s first nationwide automated polls on Monday.

The group of observers is composed of members of parliament, political scientists, development and peace advocates and journalists from the US, Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Burma, Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia.

On Friday, the group gathered at a press conference arranged by the Compact for Peaceful and Democratic Elections (Compact) in Quezon City, where each member was introduced to the media.

“We would like to send a message to the people of the Philippines that while the fate of the automation is in your hands, you are not alone in this because this is a global quest,” said Sim Chee Keong of Malaysia.

The foreign observers would be divided into four groups and deployed to Pasig City in Metro Manila, Pampanga in Central Luzon, Maguindanao in southern Philippines and Negros Occidental in central Philippines.

Rosetta Ann Rosales, Compact convener, stressed the importance of having foreign individuals witness the conduct of Philippine elections, as what had been done in previous polls.

“We are already at the home-stretch. So right now, it’s time to press the panic button,” Rosales said during the press conference at the Sulo Hotel.

Faye Laquio, overall coordinator of the international observation mission, said their group specifically assigned foreign observers in Pampanga and Pasig City due to the “interesting electoral races” in those areas.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is vying for a House seat in Pampanga’s second district, where she is favored over her lesser known rivals.

In Pasig City, social movement leader Ricardo Reyes will be attempting to take the mayoral post away from re-electionist Mayor Vicente Eusebio.

“Beyond the violence and the numerous cases of fraud, the foreign observers want to make an appraisal of how we conduct our election and how it helps in deepening our democracy,” Laquio said.