Today I raised a RM10 allocation cut on RELA. In most ministries, the motion that we normally bring up is RM10 pay cut on minister or deputy minister or any head of the government agencies. However, when I checked budget book 2008, I found that there is no “emolument” in the allocation under RELA, so out of no choice, I have to move RM10 pay cut on RELA.
There have been so many complaints on RELA all this while, however, when I asked the question about criminal cases committed by RELA in September this year, the reply was there was none. I was most annoyed to receive such a reply that clearly misled the Dewan Rakyat.
After I read out my speech, I was “bashed” by the UMNO MPs left, right, centre, because they are “koronel” of RELA in their respective constituency. The most rediculous thing is they accused me of being disloyal. The MP for Bera said my track record as MP on the ‘nude squad’ case, where I have misled the former Minister of Home Affairs, Azmi Khalid to apologise to China, where the victim involved in the case was actually a Malay girl.
The UMNO guys then questioned my loyalty towards the country. They asked whether I am the MP for Malaysian or foreigners. I was shocked with the statement made by the Santubong MP, a senior MP who likes to behave like a statesman. He questioned my motive of raising the subject and my loyalty to the country. I protested strongly as it was ridiculous to accuse me for being disloyal just because I raised the series of abuse of power by RELA members.
Whey the Parliamentary Secretary Abdul Rahman replied me, he pointed out two mistakes in my speech, i.e. on case no: 1 that I raised, the guys involved in the rape case in Taman Tasek, M Suresh and Norirwanshah Mat Nor, he also said that the Indonesian Karate assault case involved police officers but not RELA members.
I accepted the mistake on the Indon Karate case, but I stand by all other cases raised by me in my speech because they are taken from the local newspapers. I said the Ministry should investigate all these complaints and should not have given me a rubbish reply when I asked the question earlier.
Below is my speech of RM10 allocation cut on RELA:
Ucapan YB Teresa Kok, Ahli Parlimen Seputeh Dalam Perbahasan Peringkat Jawatankuasa Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri Pada 10 Disember 2007
Datuk Pengerusi, saya berdiri di sini untuk membentangkan usul untuk memotong aset RELA sebanyak RM10 mengikut peraturan mesyuarat 66(9).
Pertama sekali, saya ingin menyuarakan ketidakpuasan saya terhadap jawapan yang diberi oleh Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri kepada saya pada 10 September tahun ini.
Soalan lisan saya ialah untuk meminta Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri untuk menyatakan bilangan aduan yang diterima berkenaan dengan anggota RELA yang melakukan kesalahan semasa menjalankan operasi pengusiran Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin. Berapakah di antara mereka telah pun didakwa di mahkamah dan berapakah dijatuhkan hukuman oleh Mahkamah.
Hairannya, saya terima jawapan yang berbunyi di bawah:
“Untuk makluman Ahli yang Berhormat, setakat ini tidak ada aduan rasmi yang diterima berkenaan dengan anggota RELA yang melakukan kesalahan semasa menjalankan operasi. Walaubagaimanapun aduan-aduan yang diterima hanyalah dibuat secara umum melalui akhbar-akhbar yang mendakwa bahawa anggota-anggota RELA bertindak secara kasar, mengambil harta milek Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin (PATI) dan sebagainya semasa operasi.
Setakat ini tiada seorang pun anggota RELA yang didakwa di mahkamah atas kes-kes kesalahan semasa menjalankan operasi.”
Jelas sekali, jawapan ini memang satu jawapan bohong yang memesongkan dewan. Kita telah puas membaca siri kes jenayah yang dilakukan oleh anggota RELA. Keganasan RELA terhadap pendatang asing tanpa izin dan pekerja asing telah luas disiarkan dalam media tempatan dan media di Indonesia, siri laporan akhbar yang negatif terhadap RELA malah telah memburukkan hubungan dua hala di antara Malaysia dengan Indonesia, dan mencemar imej dan namabaik Malaysia di rantau ASEAN.
Datuk Pengerusi, demi jawapan yang memesongkan dewan ini, saya kemudian merujuk Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri ke Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan Parlimen dengan memetik fasal 36(12) Peraturan Mesyuarat yang berbunyi: “Mana-mana ahli yang mengeluarkan kenyataan yang mengelirukan Dewan adalah disifatkan menghina Majlis dan ahli itu boleh dirujuk kepada Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan bagi kesalahan itu.” Tetapi dengan kesalnya, permohonan usul saya ini ditolak oleh Speaker Dewan Rakyat.
Datuk Pengerusi, saya amat tidak setuju tentang penolakan usul saya oleh Speaker. Di sini saya ingin membaca kes-kes jenayah yang telah disiarkan dalam akhbar untuk menjawab penafian Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri:
1. Pada 30 Disember 2006, anggota RELA M Suresh dan Norirwanshah Mat Nor merogol seorang gadis berusia 14 tahun di tandas awam di Taman Tasik, seksen 14, Shah Alam. Kedua-dua anggota RELA ini didakwa di Mahkamah Seksyen Shah Alam pada 28 Feb, 2007. (Utusan Malaysia, Feb 28, 2007)
2. Pada 17 April 2007, 10 anggota RELA yang berpakaian seragam telah pecah masuk ke rumah asrama pekerja asing di Taman Botani dan Taman Soon Choon. Mereka telah merompak barangan bernilai RM 1,800 dengan senjata api. Ketua Polis Daerah Ipoh, ACP Jalaluddin Ibrahim kemudian mendakwa anggota RELA ke Mahkamah di bawah Kanun Keseksaan 395 atas kesalahan samun berkumpulan.
Polis juga mendapati dua daripada 10 anggota RELA berkenaan mempunyai kes jenayah dan pernah didakwa di bawah Kanun Keseksaan 379 (kecurian) sebelum ini. (Utusan Malaysia, April 17, 2007)
3. Pada 4 April 2007, jam 10:30 pagi, 80 anggota RELA telah menyerbu pasar pagi Pudu. Mereka telah menangkap 200 pekerja asing, termasuk mereka yang mempunyai permit kerja 18 pemegang dokumen UNHCR. ( China Press, April 4 , 2007)
4. Pada 10 April 2007, 8 orang anggota RELA mengambil makanan dan minuman tanpa membayar di Restoran Golden Seafood di Tampoi, Gemas, Negeri Sembilan. Salah seorang daripada mereka malah mencabuli penghormatan seorang pelayan perempuan. Anggota RELA tersebut telah menahan 3 orang pekerja asing yang mempunyai permit kerja. Majikan restoran tersebut kemudian menghubungi balai polis dan imigresen Seremban tetapi tidak dapat mengesan pekerja asing mereka tersebut. (Oriental Daily, 10 April, 2007)
5. Pada April 2007, seorang anggota RELA melarikan seorang pembantu rumah wanita Indonesia. Beliau kemudian merogolnya sehingga dia berhamil. Tangan dan kaki wanita itu diikat selama satu bulan di sebuah rumah kosong. Mangsa rogol ini masih di bawah perlindungan di Kedutaan Indonesia.(Malaysiakini, 7 September 2007)
6. Pada 16 Feb 2007, 20 anggota RELA membuat serbuan di Medan Selera Cahaya dan menahan pekerja perempuan Indonesia. Majikan mereka terpaksa membayar wang rasuah RM2,000 untuk membebaskan pekerja mereka. Kes ini juga ditegur oleh YB Dato Tan Chai Hoe, Timbalan Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri. ( The Star, 29 Mei 2007)
7. Pada 24 Ogos 2007, jam 2 pagi, pelatih Karate Indonesia yang bernama Donald Pieter Luther Kolopita yang diundang untuk menjadi pengadil Asia Karate Championship telah dipukul oleh 4 anggota RELA sehingga beliau cedera parah. Isu ini mencetuskan kemarahan orang Indonesia terhadap Malaysia.
8. Pada 11 Oktober 2007, rumah Ketua Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia di UKM, Muhammad Yunus Lubis dan isterinya, Wella Alrisa Putri Loka di Kajang telah dipecah pintu dan diselongkar oleh anggota RELA.
9. Pada 3 Disember 2007, beberapa anggota RELA merosakkan sebuah kereta dan menumbuk pemandu kereta di Butterworth kerana pemandu kereta itu terlanggar seorang anggota RELA yang mengarah laluan trafik selepas jamuan perkahwinan. (Sin Chew Jit Poh, 4 Disember 2007).
Mengikut NGO Migrant Care, dalam April tahun ini, seorang pekerja Indonesia wanita yang bernama Suryani dan berumur 21 dirogol oleh seorang anggota RELA dengan tangan bergari di Kajang, beliau telahpun melahirkan seorang bayi perempuan yang dinamakan Puteri Mangsa Rela.
Selain itu, seorang suri rumahtangga Indonesia ES telahpun diheret oleh anggota RELA keluar dari rumahnya di Petaling Jaya by RELA, beliau kemudian dirogol berkumpulan dan dihantar ke Muar dan dikatakan dirogol lagi oleh pegawai polis.
Mengikutnya, dari Januari ke 1 haribulan Ogos, 2007, RELA telah melancarkan 3,925 operasi dan telah menangkap 45,502 pekerja yang tidak mempunyai dokumen yang sah. Setiap operasi RELA yang melibatkan RM 25,000 dan hanya dapat menangkap 12 pekerja yang tidak mempunyai dokumen sah.
Migrant Care pernah menjalankan wawancara dengan 523 pekerja asing yang ditangkap oleh RELA, samada mereka yang dihantar balik dan dibebaskan, mereka mengesahkan bahawa RELA meminta ganjaran RM200 seorang daripada mereka yang tidak mempunyai dokumen sah, dan RM100 seorang daripada mereka yang mempunyai dokumen perlancongan yang ditahan oleh majikan. Permintaan hubungan seks untuk menukar kebebasan juga selalu dilakukan oleh anggota RELA. Selain itu, NGO tersebut juga menerima aduan bahawa terdapat anggota RELA yang merosakkan passport pekerja asing untuk menunjukkan bahawa pekerja asing ini masuk ke negara kita secara tidak haram.
Kes-kes tersebut merupakan sebahagian kecil daripada jenayah dan salahlaku anggota RELA yang telah disiarkan dalam media. Kesemua kes ini menunjukkan siri penyalahgunaan kuasa yang telah dilakukan oleh anggota RELA, dan kesemua kes ini menunjukkan jawapan yang diberi oleh Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri ini memang telah memesongkan dewan dan patut dirujuk kepada Jawatankuasa Hak dan Kebebasan.
RELA Tidak Harus Diberi Tanggungjawab Untuk Mengambil Alih Pengawasan Pusat Penahanan Pendatang Asing Tanpa Izin
Ramai orang amat hairan untuk membaca tentang pengumuman Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri bahawa kerajaan akan meletakkan anggota RELA di pusat penahanan pendatang asing tanpa izin sebagai langkah untuk meringankan beban mereka. Soalan saya ialah, kerajaan sudah tahu begitu penyelewengan telahpun dilakukan oleh anggota RELA, kenapakah kementerian masih memberi kuasa yang begitu besar dan berat kepada anggota RELA? Apakah justifikasi kerajaan untuk memberi kuasa yang begitu besar kepada RELA?
Pada beberapa hari yang lepas, beberapa NGO telah datang ke Parlimen dan membentangkan memorandum mereka kepada Menteri dan ketua parti politik yang mendesak kerajaan untuk membubarkan RELA dan membantah rang undang-undang RELA yang dikatakan akan dibentangkan di Dewan Rakyat.
Dalam memorandum para NGO ini, mereka berpendapat bahawa kuasa menangkap, menyemak dan menahan hanya boleh diberi kepada pegawai penguatkuasaan yang dilatih secara sepenuh masa yang mempunyai kuasa dan akauntabiliti seperti pegawai imigresen dan pegawai polis, dan kuasa ini tidak harus diberi kepada anggota daripada badan sukarelawan yang tidak pernah menjalani latihan.
Apa yang berlaku sekarang ialah, anggota RELA selalunya tidak dapat mengenalpasti dokumen rasmi. Anggota RELA selalu menangkap pendatang asing yang mempunyai dokumen imigresen dan permit kerja yang sah, dan selalunya anggota RELA menjalankan tugas secara kasar semasa mereka melakukan serbuan, dan ramai mengadu bahawa anggota RELA mencuri barangan mangsa serbuan mereka.
Tibalah masanya bagi Kementerian Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri untuk menghantar laporan tentang serbuan, penangkapan dan penahanan terhadap pendatang tanpa dokumen sah kepada Parlimen untuk pemantauan dan perbahasan orang ramai.
Selain itu, memandangkan aduan tentang pendatang asing tanpa izin ini dipukul, dirogol dan dianiayai semasa operasi RELA muncul dari masa ke semasa, tibalah masanya bagi kerajaan untuk menubuhkan satu Jawatankuasa Menerima Aduan Penyelewengan RELA Khas ataupun “appellant committee” untuk mengumpul aduan dan memberi pampasan kepada mangsa. Pihak NGO tersebut juga menyeru kerajaan untuk meminda Akta Imigresen untuk memberi peluang kepada pendatang tanpa dokumen sah untuk membentangkan aduan mereka kepada Jawatankuasa Khas ini dan juga menebus maruah dan keadilan melalui saluran undang-undang.
Selain itu, kerajaan juga diminta untuk memeterai United Nation Convention 1951 berkanaan dengan status pelarian, dan protokol 1967 dan United Nation Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members on Their Families 1990.
Berdasarkan siri jenayah, penyelewengan dan salah-laku anggota RELA yang telah mencabuli hak asasi manusia bukan sahaja pendatang asing, tetapi juga rakyat tempatan, dan juga telah merosakkan hubungan dua hala di antara Malaysia dengan Indonesia, di sini saya ingin minta para ahli berhormat di dewan ini menyokong saranan para NGO untuk membubarkan RELA, dan juga menyokong usul saya untuk memotong peruntukan RM10 daripada RELA untuk diluluskan di Dewan yang mulia ini.
Teresa Kok
Well give them back what they gave you. If they question your loyalty, question theirs too. It cuts both ways.
Viewing the video, there are too many monkeys in this Parliament. So much time is wasted on these antics and hardly any debate on substantive issues. No wonder you have all to sit till late to go through the agenda.
And another thing, the Speakers are weak, not in control.
If they have the temerity to question your loyalty, question their own loyalty as well as their stupidity!
Perhaps they, as well as the BN, feel that they have now reached a position where they are invincible and can get away with talking cock!
I think that the least that the DAP can do is to wean them of this feeling of “invincibility” at the next GE.
Make them feel vulnerable and they’ll implode!
Questioning the present administration to seek justice or redress of injustice do not amount to disloyalty, in fact, bravely confronting mismanagement or abuse of power, with a view to address such issues is actually an act of patriotism and well within the ambit of responsibility of a wakil rakyat.
The notion set forth by the DPM that BN MPs cannot vote with their conscience and have to tow the party line defeat the very basic responsibility of a MP, which is to voice the opinion of the voters & population.
Those gentlmen confused themselves. Government do not equal to country. In Korat now, whenever a Malaysian athelete win something, the national anthem is played, not the BN or UMNO anthem (if there is one)
The present gomen officials seems to have a feudal orientation about them…which is inconsistent with the democratic process.
When you win an election and enter the Parliament under the name of a party, you have to vote according to the party line unless the whip is lifted. This is the same everywhere, even in Singapore.
If you want to always vote according to your conscience, run for election as an independent.
Anyway, I believe monkey business like these happen only once in awhile in Parliament. It is unfortunate that only ‘interesting’ debates are posted on youtube, thus our distorted impression that MPs waste their time in Parliament. But then again, MPs from both ruling and opposition parties should refrain from using emotional tactics. Viewers can tell.
“When you win an election and enter the Parliament under the name of a party, you have to vote according to the party line unless the whip is lifted. This is the same everywhere, even in Singapore.” CA
True.
But in Singapore, you don’t see such stupidity going on most of the time.
You don’t have people talking cock and bull, name calling, passing laws that benefit one particular community, squandering money on hopeless and useless projects (while spending on things like health care is at the barest minimum), changing the constitution like nobody’s business.
All in all you need completely conscienceless, obedient, mindless creatures to remain in such a party.
Perhaps they are well rewarded with their obedience!
“When you win an election and enter the Parliament under the name of a party, you have to vote according to the party line unless the whip is lifted. This is the same everywhere, even in Singapore.” CA
— recently, Republicans also distanced themselves from George W when they disagree with his policy in Iraq.
yesterday i met minister of home affairs Radzi at the lobby of Parliament. He hardly came to Parliament. The reason he came in was because of constitution amendment yesterday. When he saw me, he then shook his head and said “huh! This girl look nice before you but she will attack you behind you.” I smiled cos I know he was referring to my RM10 pay cut on RELA allocation. He was the one that suggested RELA to be put to look after the depots of immigration, I criticised this suggestion in my speech and the behaviour of RELA. That’s why he was not happy with me.
Well, I need to remind them what is actually happening on the ground, I need to help those poor illegal migrants to voice out their grievances, although I got bashed by BN MPs because of this.
I have done my part and played my role as “watch dog”.
teresa
“huh! This girl look nice before you but she will attack you behind you.”
typical low class, low caste, dustbin level way of talking by our minister….shame compared to overseas MPs
None of the BN MPs, including the PM will ever be considered as MP material in Singapore!
Singapore is a world class country, run by top brains with a no nonsense attitude!
Those we have here are of the lowest of the low class!
At best they may be considered for jobs like sweeping the streets of Singapore.
And nothing else!
On another issue, what is DAP agenda for the next election. Is it going to be objective one or as in the past an attempt by DAP old men to take Penang again? This objective again will play into UMNO hands and again they will bring up the racial card. Again the Penang community will vote BN.
I hope DAP and other opposition parties could come up with a realistic agenda that addressess the many issues that AAB government could not resolved.Among these are,the escalating costs of living, the employment opportunities vis-a-vis the indecisive stand on the medium of instruction to be used in education (pathetic after 50 years of independence)
And in today star news, the high % of chinese students dropping out of secondary schools even though we have embraced chinese medium of instruction for so long should be an eye opener for Malaysian Chinese that mandarin education extremists are committing the younger generation of chinese malaysian to stay in new villages or in malaysia foreever or alternatively to low menial jobs. At least with (a good command of ) English education this would allowed them to migrate to white collar job in Singapore or elsewhere as we know that the AAB government has their own problems of how to accomodate a generation of the unemployed malay (and recently on how to address the lot of economically deprived Indian displaced in estates)graduates who can’t read or write english since may 1969 due basically to their leaders stupidity and Rahman Yaaccob placating to the demands of The Malay Teacher Asso. to turn their backs on English education. The MCA has failed in their stance as they have to bow to the demands of the Dong zhong. We minorities should learn from the stupidity of the Razak till TDM governments not to let our generation of chinese deprived of a better living standards and wider opportunities.
Finally, the opposition should actively, instead of criticising AAB government bad policies, suggest alternative for instance be pro active on what the opposition would do to fine tune the NEP so as it would benefit people who really deserve to be helped. This would make the party(DAP) more acceptable to other malaysians. Or else the daily paliament session, as it is, would be a circus of monkeys and lacking intelligent debate.
Permit me to pray with you 😉
Dear Lord,
As I walk through this valley of darkness, cast your light on me and spare me from stumbling amidst the rocks and holes that were left by fellow politicians. For they know not what they do and is trapped protecting their turf with the little knowledge that they possess. Grant the strenght and patience to deal with them. Help me to choose my words so that I can be of a decent representative of your grace. Give the perseverance and fortitude to stand up for the people who needs me there. Let me bold and yet have the compassion to deal with those who have not seen your grace. Let me be like Apostle Paul, praying and preaching to his prisoners. Remind me that I am not here just to win an election and to win hearts so that I can make a difference!
Amen 🙂
I can’t agree with the views of alenac59.
I can read and write in 3 languages. I was a student of Chinese independent school, i.e. Chung Hua High School in Seremban. I thanked my parents for sending me to Chinese schools and have strongly encouraged me and my siblings to learn English and Malay while we studied in Chinese primary school. My ability to master in 3 languages made me more competent than others to survive in the Malaysian society.
When ever I met Chinese people who can’t read and write in Chinese, nor good in English but can only speak and write in Malay language only, I pity them. I sympathise them most when they don’t do well in their studies, or drop out of secondary school, because they even much more handicapped than those Chinese-ed who drop out of secondary school, because the Chinese-ed drop-outs can at least understand and partially understand English, Malay and Chinese.
There is no perfect education system in this world. What important is the choice of type of education we want to pursue,and the choice of the people have to be respected by the government as we are all tax-payers and we are the bosses of this country.
Teresa, you are lucky that your parent send you to independent schools.How many of the people can pay to study in independent schools. The statistic shows that a very large numbers of chinese students did not finished their PMR. For those whose parents are in business, they will eventually join the business world. But for those whose parents are not, you can see them in the streets selling illegal DVDs and VCDs or hanging around in video arcades and probably later becoming a statistic of crime. How long can this last. Look at Singpore, they have embraced English and they never looked back. I have spoken to many Singaporean, there is never regrets because they can still learnt mandarin. The emphasis is to master English. The lesson to learnt is not to repeat the mistake of the BN government. If DAP is not prepared to champion the long term benefits because they need to curry support of DZ, then your party is sacrificing the future of the chinese for short term political benefits. DAP is then akin to MCA.Raising the issues but not offering long term solution to it.
Look at Chong Wei, our badminton champion, how pathetic is his English, while he can speak mandarin but his english is much to be desired. In fact some chinese from mainland china speak better english. Do you want malaysian chinese to end up in this position?