Stop Cross Over, Respect GE14’s Result!

31 Civil Society Organisations Joint Statement on 31 October 2018

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are deeply troubled by the revelation of UMNO President Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that the Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had allegedly demanded dissolution of UMNO (baru) and crossover of UMNO (baru) MPs to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) in a meeting. PPBM supreme council member Abdul Kadir Jasin also claimed that 40 UMNO (baru) MPs might join PPBM.

We believe that any crossing over of MPs from an opposition party to a ruling party, or vice versa, is an act of subverting the collective democratic decision made by the Malaysian voters in the GE14 to bring about our country’s very first regime change in history.

Malaysian voters sent a clear signal in the GE14 that they rejected UMNO (baru)-led Barisan Nasional (BN) for returning to power and instead elected the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition who promised a series of institutional reforms. Therefore, the purportedly cross-over of 40 opposition MPs to the ruling coalition will be a betrayal of people’s mandate, serve only for the self-interest of PPBM and UMNO (baru).

停止跳槽，尊重第14届大选成绩！

31公民社会团体联署文告，2018年10月31日

我们，以下联署的公民社会团体，对于巫统主席阿末查希哈米地揭露，首相马哈迪要求他解散巫统，以及要该党国会议员跳槽至土著团结党，感到极为不满。土著团结党最高理事阿都卡迪再欣也声称40个巫统国会议员将过档土著团结党。

我们认为，任何反对党国会议员跳槽到执政党，或反其道行之，乃颠覆马来西亚选民在第14届大选中集体民主实现第一次政党轮替之举。

马来西亚选民在第14届大选发出一个清楚的信号，他们拒绝巫统领导的国阵重新掌权，反之选择承诺系列制度改革的希望联盟。因此，若据称的40个反对党国会议员跳槽至执政党之事如实发生，这将是对人民委托的背叛，并且只服役于土著团结党和巫统的利益。

承担责任，停止山地开发，还民第三票！

群议社文告，2018年10月26日

我们依然为着10月19日槟城垄尾米桶山（Bukit Kukus）所发生的土崩悲剧感到哀伤。目前一共寻获9具遗体，1人仍失踪。我们与那些为罹难者——无论他们是否马来西亚人——举行追思会的槟城同胞并肩而立。我们向那些痛失父亲、母亲和至爱的破碎家庭致以最深切的慰问。日子过去，但遗憾地，至今没有任何团体或单位为最近的这起事故负起责任——哪位当政者何曾向那些遭殃的家庭道歉？

就在这场悲剧发生的不过一周之前，同样的地点已有工地意外事故和结构坍塌的报导，且于10月11日收到暂停工程的命令。不幸的是，据报导有关承包商仍然继续进行操作，相信是一直到10月19日为止。低效的执行力明显亦是一大问题。违反命令的承包商必须受到公开指控，并在案件确立后受到最严厉的法律惩处。

这场惨剧让我们想起近一年前发生在丹绒武雅Granito房屋计划建筑工地的土崩。该事件也遭遇类似状况，即有关当局完全没有尽到「监督」和「管理」土壤侵蚀与斜坡完整性的职责。

Take responsibility, stop hillslope development, return our third vote!

Press Statement by Agora Society on 25 Oct 2018

We remained saddened by the latest tragic landslide that happened at Bukit Kukus, Penang Island on19th October. A total of 9 bodies have been recovered and 4 are still missing thus far. We stand together with other fellow Penangites in the vigil for the victims who lost their lives, Malaysian and non-Malaysians alike, unnecessarily. We offer our deepest condolences for the families who are now left devastated without their father, mother or loved ones. Days have passed but, regrettably, not a single party or authority has taken responsibility for what had happened in the latest episode –did anyone in power ever say ‘Sorry’ to the affected families?

This tragic news came barely one week after the news that a worksite ‘mishap’ and structural collapse occurred at the same site, followed by a stop work order issued on 11th Oct. Unfortunately, it was reported that the contractor still went on their operation probably until 19th Oct. Clearly the weak enforcement was also a big issue. The contractor who went against the order must be named and shamed and, should the case be established, be made to face the most severe possible legal punishment.

This tragic incident reminds us of the landslide at the Granito construction worksite at Tanjung Bungah almost a year ago, which shares some similarities in that the authorities had failed utterly in their duty to ‘monitor’ and ‘control’ the soil erosion and slope integrity.

Could the by-election in Port Dickson be model for fair elections in the future?

Joint Press Statement by Malaysian Election Observers Network and Agora Society on 16 Oct 2018

The interests on the by-election in Port Dickson can be about the political, that is, how much mandate could Anwar get from the local electorates to push for his Prime Ministerial ambition. And also, in a longer term, about election conduct or fairness standards for instance irrespective of who win in an election, can it be obtained without abusing government/public facilities? That Anwar the candidate and PM-in-waiting reportedly promised to stay away from abusing government facilities –he actually claim this by-election to be the 1^st election where government facilities will not be abused, focus considerable attention on the challenge!

Now that the by-election has come to an end, did Anwar keep his promise? Regrettably there are well-documented reports from credible observers that there were numerous instances where government facilities were indeed abused to advantage Anwar the candidate! This does not cast doubt on his capacity to pull off a victory otherwise, but simply means that we are still facing a future where our election system, while unreformed, is open to such abuses and its integrity is less than even how a regular football game is refereed!

波德申补选是否可成为未来公正选举的典范？

马来西亚选举观察员网络与群议社联合文告，2018年10月16日

波德申补选的趣味在于安华.伊布拉欣能从当地选民之间获得多大的政治委托，以协助实现他的首相梦。但是长久而言，这是关乎选举行为是否有公正的标准，候选人可否滥用政府公器，无关谁在选举中胜出。报导指出，作为候选人和候任首相的安华承诺避免滥用政府设施 – 他声称这场补选将是第一场政府设施不被滥用的选举，他将关注竞选期间的这个挑战。

现在，补选已经结束，安华是否信守承诺？遗憾地，许多可信的报导和观察员已指出，政府设施在许多场合被滥用，以让候选人安华从中获利。虽然这并不表示，安华没有能力获得选举胜利，但是我们将面对一个选举制度没有改革及公开被滥用的未来。这个制度的仲裁的诚信甚至比一场足球赛的裁判来得低！

Mahathir Mohamad must recuse himself from the MA63 Committee

//Press Statement by Agora Society Malaysia on 12 October 2018//

The Agora Society is shocked at the announcement by Liew Vui Keong, Law Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, that the committee set up to review the 1963 Malaysia Agreement will be headed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

We are of the view that, for over 20 years as prime minister, Mahathir undermined the democratic and electoral processes in Sabah, and connived at the plunder of Sarawak’s wealth and natural resources by corrupt politicians, all at the expense of the Sarawak people. It would therefore not be too far-fetched to say that Mahathir is the root cause of the various problems and the inequality gap between East and West Malaysia today.

Given Mahathir’s lack of moral credentials to assume such an important role, the pledge by the PKR, DAP and Amanah leaderships to promote democracy, integrity and clean politics will ring hollow should the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government give its approval.

马来西亚契约特委会 马哈迪必须自我规避

//群议社文告，2018年10月12日//

群议社对于首相署法律部长刘伟强宣布首相马哈迪即将领导1963年马来西亚契约特别内阁委员会感到震惊。

我们认为，马哈迪任内20多年内破坏沙巴民主选举程序，纵容砂拉越贪腐巨鳄收刮民脂，是当今东马诸多问题及东西马不平等的始作俑者。

鉴于马哈迪缺乏道德凭据担当如此重要的角色，若希盟政府允准此事，也显示公正党、行动党、诚信党领袖多年来倡议的民主、诚信和廉政价值付之阙如。

社長林奕慧說故事

The story of Agora Society, written by the Agora Society Chairperson Lim Yi Hui.

群议社的故事

魏月萍老师的这篇文章提到群议社是「反马派」的代表，在感慨之余，我不禁想要说说群议社的故事。当然，这纯粹是我的个人观点，并不是组织的立场。

在发表「马来西亚拒绝贪腐与独裁领袖」声明之后，我和一群朋友认为，马来西亚的公民社会普遍失去了自主性，因着急切改变政局的渴望而选择拥护马哈迪回归，并且失去了对于政党应有的批判性距离。所以，我们决定成立一个超越政党的独立组织。

要在狂澜中作砥柱，谈何容易。如果不愿被排山倒海的大局论吞噬，就要禁得起寂寞。那一阵子，我们无论在公在私，都受到各种讥讽和挞伐。尽管如此，我们还是以有限的能力去分析政党宣言、发表文告、举办政策改革讨论会等等。明知道群众的激情是抗衡不了的，但我们还是秉持原则，发出理性的诉求。

《對症下藥：改革公共交通》講座-社員分享

以下是社員林志翰博士在10月8日的講座里所作的分享，感謝當今大馬的報道：

希盟政府宣布最迟2020年推出第三国产车，但公共交通倡议者反对第三国产车，不仅与鼓励使用公交及减少使用私家车起矛盾，更不符合时代背景及浪费钱。

群议社社员林志翰昨晚在“对症下药：改革公共交通”论坛上质疑，若第三国产车的销售以本地市场为主，则将与政府推动公交的努力有所冲突。

“第三国产车是要卖出去还是卖本地是关键，若不是卖给国外而是卖给本地人，这代表与推广公共交通是有矛盾。”