Monday, May 28, 2012

《Rock Against Najib》/ 摇滚是反叛的艺术表达自由

“摇滚乐是魔鬼的音乐”这种刻板形象的说法常从保守派的家长,宗教领袖甚至是部长级人物口中传开。大约在六年或更早之前,大马警察积极配合全国伊斯兰教理事会打压所谓的‘黑金属摇滚乐’,并绘声绘影地描述有多少大马年轻人(尤其是穆斯林)误入歧途,说他们崇尚自由性爱,吸毒,喝鲜羊血和信仰撒旦。结果当时他们就到处去检举全国各地的地下摇滚演唱会。问题是,在他们都还分不清什么是‘黑金属摇滚’,一般金属摇滚,和其他类型的摇滚之前,就用莫须有的罪名直接腰斩了一场接一场的地下摇滚演唱会,扣留了在场的百多位观众,并强制性地要出席者验尿验毒来羞辱他们。隔天媒体就煞有其事地报导警方撞破检举‘黑金属摇滚’盛会,事实上观众就只是摇滚音乐迷而已。而伊青团则几乎会在每个公开的海外摇滚乐团演唱会门前报到,举行示威抗议。这都说明了我们大马社会有部分的人普遍上对摇滚乐非常感冒,而且存有极度偏见。

以现今电台重复播放的流行音乐作标准,我个人尤其是对不少商业味很重、似模似样的歌曲感到很厌倦。一般上少不了过度消费年轻人的情情爱爱,编曲懒惰没创意的流行歌曲。坦白地说,能上到主流市场的中文摇滚乐,买少见少。更实在的问题是,到底有多少中文听众懂得欣赏摇滚?

其实,在网络和电子时代之前,摇滚乐的起家本来就不依靠媒体电台的力量捧出来的,也不跟随主流市场的步伐。为什么呢?摇滚乐本来就是为了艺术的自由创作和表达,再加上音乐创作者本身就是表演者,摇滚乐队就能够以自己的概念和实力,现场将歌曲完整演绎出来。摇滚乐队当初就是坚持这种艺术独立的精神和信仰,到处巡回演出直接俘虏观众的心来支持和购买他们的作品。这样就可以突破资本家垄断的媒体和音乐市场,不用委屈迎合他人的口味以期望他们会播放自己的作品。

虽然不同的摇滚曲风往往会体现出不同的文化和价值观,我本身比较推崇庞克摇滚。早期80年代至90年代的庞克摇滚代表着一种思潮一个对当代社会的写实和深刻的批判。庞克歌曲内容多描绘工人阶级和社会低下阶级人士被现实的压迫,以及反映出社会存在的各种不公正不平等现象而直接向政府和当权者呐喊呛声。当时这类型意识大胆的歌曲,又怎可能会登上财团控制的电台电视台和娱乐圈呢?
Greg Graffin

The Offspring, Dexter Holland (vocalist)
 squats
而庞克摇滚乐队里的成员也不尽然是蓝领阶级人士,至少我崇拜的Bad Religion主唱Greg Graffin现在是个在美国加州洛杉矶大学任教的生物进化论学教授。我喜爱的乐队The Offspring的主唱也个是微生物学博士。他们都是知识分子。就是有了一些美国新派庞克摇滚的中坚份子在非主流地底下长期默默耕耘,Green DayThe Offspring到了90年代中期才终于找到了突破,开始受到赏识进驻主流市场,从此就深深地影响了后来许许多多的摇滚乐队。Green Day的反战立场鲜明,在布什政府发动美国第二次的伊拉克战争后,推出了American Idiot这张概念性专辑对准布什总统批判谩骂,获得了空前的好评和成了一时的佳话。在2004年布什寻求连任总统之前,各方的庞克摇滚队更筹集了2张合集共54首歌曲来表达强烈反对的立场,专辑名称为Rock Against Bush

要骂领导人骂政府,是言论自由也是艺术表达的自由。不一定要像黄明志那样的谩骂方式,摇滚音乐也可以很有内涵很有艺术很大声很正派很勇敢的狠狠痛快地骂。听者亦会很认同听得很爽快很享受。然而,我们的首相会很大方地给不认同他的异议音乐人叫作Idiot而淡然一笑吗?在大马会有艺术表达的自由空间让人用音乐和歌声来反政府而不被审查吗?我期待摇滚乐会是解放自由的先锋之一。





本文原刊登在《聯合日報》自由言論版     







後記:
龐克搖滾自從小時候受我大哥影響啓蒙后,就一直成為我的音樂動脈和精神面貌。而第一張我能接受和熱愛的專輯,就是當時風靡全球Green Day的《Dookie》。接著我發掘了The Offspring的《Smash》后就欲罷不能了。

龐克搖滾,沒有浪漫沒有風花雪月沒有矯情造作沒有喧嘩取眾簡單幾個power chord再加上快速的節奏一般上在3分鐘以內把一首歌呈現完畢他們獨立的精神,不理主流市場是否青睞堅持不妥協依然要唱出自己的歌曲心聲,用龐克音樂來直接表達他們對社會的關心。在Green Day The Offspring成名之前,玩龐克搖滾的樂隊並沒有‘錢途’的。也就是說,他們做音樂的堅持絕對不是爲了換取物質的回報沒有被市場和金錢捆綁著,而是要保留和散播一把真誠不願意被收編埋沒、獨立自主的聲音,是一種龐克搖滾精神。

隨著時代的改變龐克音樂也打入主流市場成爲了潮流也多樣化發展了這音樂產生了不少支流除了傳統的new school新派Punk/ skate punk , 還有Pop Punk (比較著重在歌唱部份的動聽旋律的樂隊,一般比較為主流大眾接受), Ska Punk (龐克音樂的骨幹加上了大量的銅管樂,一般上趨向開心party音樂), Hardcore Punk (主要是憤怒的音樂,大量的嘶喊), Emo (情緒搖滾,敏感情緒起伏的音樂,可抒情可激昂,可溫馨可哀傷)。龐克搖滾就充分地表達和包含了我日常生活的各種情緒,也代表了我的精神面貌。

雖然如此,我的音樂世界也是很開放的,能接受和欣賞各種不同的音樂(不只是搖滾而已)。對於我這個沒太多音樂才華的我,能夠把音樂當做藝術欣賞,將音符融入我的生活,我已經很感激了 ^^

中文‘純’龐克搖滾樂隊,我不曉得還有哪一個。早期的花兒樂團(在‘洗刷刷’之前),和新褲子樂隊(都是中國的樂隊)是我可以想到的例子。不過如今很多樂團和藝人的一些歌曲都有龐克搖滾的曲風,比如說五月天的《終結孤單》《阿姆斯壯》《花》(一般上被歸類為Pop Punk, 張震嶽的《愛情你我他》《自由》,蘇打綠的《漂浮》《狂熱》。

龐克支流代表樂隊:
Pop Punk – Blink 182 Green DaySimple Plan
Skate Punk / Street Punk / Punk – Bad Religion, Pennywise, NoFX, Rancid, No Use For A Name
Ska Punk – Reel Big Fish, Less than Jake
Emo – Jimmy Eat World, The Get Up Kids
Hardcore Punk - Thrice, AFI

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Rindu Setengah Mati

 這是一首非常emo,真誠動人容易融化人心的一首印尼語(馬來語)歌曲, D'Masiv 的 Rindu Setengah Mati。西方人並不能明白什麽是‘半死’的概念,所以我不能翻譯去英文。



ku ingin engkau ada disini  (我想要你在這裡)
menemaniku saat sepi          (陪伴我寂寞的每一刻)
menemaniku saat gundah     (陪伴我傷心的每一刻)
berat hidup ini tanpa dirimu  (沒有你,生活很沉重)

ku hanya mencintai kamu     (我只愛你一個)
ku hanya memiliki kamu       (我只擁有你一個)
 
aku rindu setengah mati kepadamu  (我想你想到半死)

sungguh ku ingin kau tahu    (我真的很想讓你知道)
aku rindu setengah mati         (我想到半死)
 
meski telah lama kita tak bertemu   (一定是我們很久沒見面)

ku slalu memimpikan kamu            (我一直夢見你)
ku tak bisa hidup tanpamu              (我的生活不能沒有你)


aku rindu setengah mati kepadamu  (我想你想到半死) 
sungguh ku ingin kau tahu               (我真的很想讓你知道)
ku tak bisa hidup tanpamu               (我的生活不能沒有你)
aku rindu...                                        (我想念)

社會公義

在醫學生物界,一些我能做的,其他人也可以做。

在社會公義上,很多人不願意做的,我願意做也能做,就這樣做出了改變(it does make a difference),一個或許深具意義影響的改變。

我是有感情的人,對人對物對四周對社會。我做不到自私,因為那是令我內心很愧疚對不起自己的想法。

Jangan Menyerah (Don't Give Up)

I find this song from D'Masiv very meaningful and inspiring.  I am not religious, but this is simply very motivating to those who are nearly given up on certain things they believe in. Please hold on and stay true to yourself, and never give up! 
 Tak ada manusia              (There is no Man)
Yang terlahir sempurna    (who is born perfect)
Jangan kau sesali              (Don't you regret)
Segala yang telah terjadi   (over everything which had happened)

Kita pasti pernah              (We must have had)
Dapatkan cobaan yang berat  (..got the severe letdown)
Seakan hidup ini              (As if this life)
Tak ada artinya lagi          (bears no more meaning)

Reff 1:
Syukuri apa yang ada      (Appreciate what you have)
Hidup adalah anugerah   (Life is a reward)
Tetap jalani hidup ini      (Keep walking down the path of this life)
Melakukan yang terbaik  (Do your Best)

Reff 2:
Tuhan pasti kan menunjukkan  (God will sure reveal)
Kebesaran dan kuasanya           (His Mightiness and His Power)
Bagi hambanya yang sabar       (to those humble lifes who are patient)
Dan tak kenal putus asa            (and never give up)

Bridge:
Jangan menyerah (6x)             (Don't give up)

Saturday, May 12, 2012

比例代表制是选区划分不公的解药


428净选盟第三次游行举行之前,有位网友在黄进发博士(净选盟委员之一)的面书墙上质问,为何净选盟没有把“公平和合理地划分选区”列入八大诉求。黄博士当时就回答说,这八大诉求主要是争取在下届选举前落实的改革建议,确保来届全国大选可以在比较公平和干净的情况下进行。他也补充说,有关选区划分不公的问题,净选盟早已向为选举改革而特别设立的国会特选委员会提呈了报告书。但由于宪法规定,划分选区的工作是由选举委员会在每隔八年以内必须进行的,并向国会提呈选区划分图寻求通过。因此,有关改革诉求不可能在下届大选前达成。不过,他也提出个人意见说,真正的公平和合理地划分选区,重点是根据地理位置和社区解构缩小各个选区之间选民人数的差距,最终目的并不是要将每个选区的选民人数一致化。


目前我国存着明显的选区划分偏差。举个例子来说,就选民人数而言,一个民联赢得的加埔(Kapar)国会议席(全国最大的选区)可以换17个国阵赢得的布城国会议席(最小选区)。如果把全国222席位根据选区大小和胜选政党排列成图表来仔细观察,不难发现大部分的大选区皆由民联赢得,而绝大多数的小选区由国阵囊括。再根据选举成绩来计算,国阵只需凭15.4%的全国总选票就可以赢得国会简单多数议席执政了(一般正常的情况,在这种选举体制下,一个政党理应获得至少接近25%方可简单执政)。综合其他的实例个案,目前的选区划分是否存在着刻意的划分偏差和操纵(Gerrymandering),选举委员会的公信力和独立性被深受质疑。
我国的选举制度是参考英国西敏寺的单一选区简单多数获胜(First Past the Post)的选举制度。在现实中,能左右最终的选举成绩,除了民意,选区划分就是关键。虽然如此,选区划分的工作也不可能是完美的,因为在这个选举制度下胜者全拿,败选者的选票就好似‘作废’了,再也无法代表该议席败选政党的民意支持,继续影响全国选举成绩。

笔者认为,若要真正实现一人一票的民主意义和作用,要一劳永逸地杜绝当权者通过选区划分的偏差来操纵选举的最终成绩,我国的选举制度应被建议改成比例代表制。德国的两票制选举,可以作为参考:第一票投单一选区议席,第二票投政党(名单下的成员);全国的议席数目对半分,一半是由单一选区当选议员组成,另一半是由各党扣除各自在单一选区胜选的议席后,根据政党比例代表名额(全国得票比率)来填补其差额。在这种制度下,一个政党的全国民意支持才是关键。即使其中一个大党在多个单一选区议席惨败,仍可由政党比例代表名额的议席来填补,以贴近现实中该党的全国受欢迎度。届时当权者若要靠操纵划分选区或靠买票在特定的几个重点‘灰区’取胜来影响整体成绩,将会失去了作用。而小党则可以有生存和发展的空间,挟持着少数选民的政治诉求对国家政策发挥政治其影响力。在这种重全国民意的制度下,各党派会更积极地开发票源,誓要作全国性的政党。

2009年德国联邦议院选举中,自民党(FDP)虽然在单一选区议席成绩里全挂蛋,但是凭着全国14.6%的支持率,在政党名额议席被分配了93席位,结果就与基民党(CDU)联盟做了执政党!德国绿党,虽然只赢得了唯一的一席单一选区,也被分配了应得的67政党名额议席,结果绿色政治支持者的每一票都没有白费!由于大党需要小党联盟来执政,国家就会往多党制发展,各政党互相制衡避免一党独大。相信这也是不少民众乐于见到的健康政治趋向。

换作是大马选举成绩,如果选举制度采纳类似德国的比例代表制,2004年国阵大胜的成绩将从198(90.4%)对垒民联的区区21(9.6%)(假设经过政党名额分配调整后)被改写成贴近当时全国民意的280(63.9%)对垒民联的158(36.1%)。国阵议席数目比率剧降的幅度是咋舌的26.5%!而目前朝野国会议席的比例是大约二比一对开,则被改写成国阵简单多数执政。

民众三度走上街头要求干净与公平的选举,无非是想要一个以民意为基础,公平竞争且负责任的政府。比例代表制选举或许是其中一个可行的制度改革,将开创大马民主和政党政治的新一页。



本文原刊登于《聯合日報》自由言論版    
后记: 
很抱歉我的结尾写得有点草率,因为我已经超字了,必须要精简地结束这文章。再加上之前的内容已不可删减了,所以才出现了这状况。

比例代表制,长期而言,其实对朝野各政党是有好处的。德国的两票制,一方面保留了FPTP制的选区代议士(当地的选民将可以享有特定的议员照顾当地的利益,服务该地),一方面可以有(从政党名额选出的)对手政党的议员被派来给予良性竞争。一般上,如果能够,一个政党会更渴望赢得单一选区直接名正言顺地代表该选区。若一个政党赢得了一定程度的支持但又落选了,也有国家提供另一个平台和资源继续服务人民,不需要太气馁,更不用做太大动作的‘豪赌’要在一场选举定成败,不是更好吗?如果政党之间竞争健康且公平,来日方长可以再一争长短,又何必用龌龊的政治手段来赢得政权呢?一个好的公平选举制度,要给政党看到是有未来的,让他们可以专心、专业和理性的问政争取更多选民的认同,最后人民才可以真正的成为各政党长期忠心服务争取欢心的老板!

改革选举体制这问题,可大可小,即使选民认同,未必现在的朝野政党会充分认同。虽然可以通过国会修改宪法改变选举制度,我本人认为最好的方式是回归给人民用公投的方式进行表决,就如英国(虽然他们版本的替代选票Alternative Vote选举制度最后被公投否决)。 一般上传统的大政党并不喜欢比例代表制,是不争的事实。但是我国的朝野阵线的各政党都是政治联盟,比例代表制将给各政党有选联盟的自由灵活度。比如说,如果下届国阵战败了,或许面临联盟瓦解,民政党和人民进步党和各东马地方党就可以利用这比例代表制的优势,来日增加政治筹码和延续政治生命。在目前的FPTP制度,况且赢得议席的在野党都已没有太大的政治空间和资源,更何况是没有赢得议席的政党呢?比例代表制也可以改变政治风气,让大多数的政党更趋向中间主流而非极端,趋向妥协共识性政治而非一言堂霸权强势政治。德国有规定任何政党必须要获得至少5%的全国支持率才可以获得政党名额议席,这个可以把极端政党排除在外。中间主流的政党一般上都会选择与接近同样性质和理念的政党联盟组成政府(为了政权,或许也有一定的伸缩性包容性就如行动党和伊斯兰教党),尽量不接受极端政党。如果在这样的制度下,极端的政党仍然还可以获得大多数选票,就证明这国家的‘极端’是普遍的,很有问题了。


請觀賞有關Gerrymandering的簡單講解短片:
(part 1)


 (part2)

Friday, May 04, 2012

出奇的不公

在醫學生物界里,大家都會對未知的事物感到好奇,大家奮而去作研究。
在政治社會體制下,一些人對已知的不公不採取行動,我才感到出奇!

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Bersih message

Bersih campaign is not about to let which party to win elections, but it is to let any party to win it fairly , cleanly and deservedly so.

Why is it so important? Because we want a legitimate democratic government which is duty bound to serve for rakyat's great interest BUT NOT obsessed with self interest and to pursue personal greed.

Clean and Fair elections are always the first and most crucial step towards an accountable, responsible, rakyat-caring democratic good governance. Good or bad policies (or laws), are dependent on such assumption of good governance.

The government which is not BERSIH, is not legitimate when they did so by 'stealing' or cheating in the elections.  Mandate is not even given by rakyat, why do they bother about rakyat after putting themselves to power through back door?

Therefore it is totally up to the rakyat, us, even at overseas, to demand for BERSIH, a complete overhaul reform on electoral system.

If we are weak, we fail; if we stay strong, eventually we could win. People are the boss. It is time to put rakyat back to boss seat!


*********

Without clean and fair election, without legitimate government.
Without legitimate government, without democracy and liberty.


Malaysia is a beautiful country... So make sure it is BERSIH!!!
Please don't ruin it.


Overseas Malaysian, not Malaysian?
If we don't LOVE Malaysia, what for trying so hard just to get the ballots?

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

A Letter seeking for endorsement of our cause for Clean, Free and Fair Election in Malaysia

 ( this is the email letter I drafted and sent to the German Green Party, from top leaders to local branch youth leaders about 1 week before 28th April. But unfortunately no one bothers to reply me, oh well. I wrote most of the text, with also a small help from a template circulated in Bersih Steering committee google email discussion group. I think this is well written, so I put it up here for documentation purpose)


To comrades from Bündnis 90/Die Grünen,

Greetings!

My name is Han, I come from Malaysia and currently I am doing a PhD study in Hannover. I represent the group "Bersih 3.0 Berlin" to seek your support and endorsement for our cause. We are going to hold a protest rally at Siegesäule, Tiergarten on next Satuday (28th April) from 14.00 till 17.00, and we would like to invite your honourable party to join us.

Sorry that I am not able to write well in German, but let me explain further to you in English, about our cause. "Bersih" is a coalition of 84 Non-Governmental Organizations in Malaysia, which is demanding for Clean, Free and Fair Election. “Bersih” means Clean (‘sauber’ in Malay).

[reference: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bersih  (DE), http://bersih.org/?page_id=4109  (official introduction)].

We Malaysians for the past 55 years, have been living under the same government ruling coalition, named Barisan Nasional (or BN), uninterruptedly since the independence day on 31st August 1957. Your party would definitely also fancy about this idea (if you could replicate this achievement in Germany). However the sad truth is, this is done because the past general elections were conducted in a very corrupted and biased manner just to guarantee victory for the ruling parties. Our Election Commission (EC), which is required constitutionally to act independently, and without fear or favour to ensure free and fair elections, but instead it has shown itself as a stooge or an instrument of state that works in great favour to the ruling parties so to make sure they could stay in power forever. This is a sham and is considered cheating.  This works against the principle of democracy (1 person 1 vote, equal value) which your party must strongly uphold.

Hence, Bersih has listed out 8 demand points to the government and EC:
1. Clean the electoral roll
2. Reform postal ballot
3. Use of indelible ink
4. Minimum 21 days campaign period
5. Free and fair access to media
6. Strengthen public institutions
7. Stop corruption
8. Stop dirty politics
(further reading about the details of 8 demands: http://bersih.org/?page_id=4111 , and general facts about irregularities and the flaws in our election system at the footnotes)

The recent development in the Parliament confirms our government’s intention to continue to play dirty in the upcoming general election, which is believed to be held rather soon. (http://bersih.org/?p=4751 )

Therefore, on 28th April this coming Saturday at 2pm, Bersih is calling for massive demonstration (a sit-in protest rally) at a size of 500,000 protesters, right in the heart of the capital city Kuala Lumpur at Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka) for comprehensive reform of the electoral process. Bersih reiterates the 8 points of demand and asks the all EC members to resign (http://news.malaysia.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=6073587 ). Simultaneously, there are 64 worldwide locations spreading across 29 countries will be also staging the same protest for Bersih cause (http://www.globalbersih.org/), Berlin and Köln are two of them in Germany.

On the same day same time, Stop Lynas Save Malaysia (Green) campaign will join force with Bersih (Yellow) movement, advocating for a serious health and environmental issue to stop an Australian mining firm named Lynas Corporation Ltd from operating a rare earth refinery at Gebeng, Malaysia. Stop Lynas Save Malaysia first began as a movement that was initiated in early March 2011 to provide a platform for the Kuantan residents to voice their objection over the Malaysia Pahang state government's approval of a RM700 million rare earth processing plant (will be the world's largest) in Gebeng, Kuantan, by Lynas. The campaign raises a lot of concerns and awareness from ordinary Malaysians about the impending toxic radioactive hazard arisen from the purposely poor and careless design waste management by Lynas. Lynas will use 720 tons of concentrated Hydrochloride Acid (sulphuric acid) per day and leave behind 28,000 tonnes of solid waste per year, enough to fill 126 olympic size swimming pools. A by-product of this waste is radioactive Thorium (Th) which is dangerous to human health. It is widely believed that Lynas wanted to bypass the strict environmental regulations and restrictions imposed on them in homeland Australia. Therefore, they are willing to transport the rare earth materials as far as 1000km by land and 4000km by sea, from the mine in Mt Weld, West Australia to Gebeng, Malaysia, just hoping to dump the huge amount of toxic and radioactive waste in Malaysia soil, which might be prohibited to do so in Australia. Oddly enough, Malaysian government welcomes Lynas investment by designating the company with “pioneer” status, and even offering them 12 years tax exemption. This leads to speculations that certain personals in the government at the top level might have been benefited from the under table trade, despite a strong objection and numerous protests from the people nationwide.


Lynas is expected to throw into the operation soon in 2 months, if they are not stopped in time before the first bag of rare earth arrives. Stop Lynas Save Malaysia movement recognizes the importance of Clean, Free and Fair election, as the first step in establishing and advancing the environmental rights, so they decided to join force with Bersih group on 28th April for the massive demonstration. ( http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anti-lynas-lobby-group-to-join-bersih-rally  )

Hereby I wish your honourable Green Party could help us to voice out about these issues I have just mentioned in order to letting more German people know, and please advocate the cause and stay in solidarity with us, the Green movement and the Bersih movement back in Malaysia. I also wish to invite you to join us at Siegesäule on 28th April. Looking forward to hearing from you regarding this matter.


Yours faithfully,
Chee Han Lim
(Organiser of “Bersih 3.0 Berlin”)

Handy: 017632014363
Bersih 3.0 Berlin Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/266336840122360/  


* Together we can make the earth a better place to live *



Footnotes:
1)  (Bersih 3.0) Wong Chin Huat: How To Clone A Voter In Malaysia
 (the video illustrates the problematic electoral rolls used for Election, and how they can be used to add more votes for the ruling parties)

2) About Bersih movement
BACKGROUND
In 2008 polls, the government's two-thirds majority was broken for the first time in 51 years by an Opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat (PR). That parliamentary majority had allowed BN to rewrite the Constitution at will. The next election, expected before June but legally required by April 2013, is a do-or-die scenario for BN, whose highest offices face allegations of corruption and criminality so devastating as to threaten their hold on power.
 Independent inquiries and analysis of electoral rolls have uncovered these facts:
·                    Over 400,000 dubious voters are on the electoral roll, enough to swing 35 federal seats either way and decide if BN reclaims its two-thirds super-majority in parliament, or the Opposition PR becomes the government
·                    31,294 voters have been transferred out of their 2008 constituencies without their consent
·                    42,000 voters whose status as citizens cannot be verified by the National Registration Department are still on the roll
·                    The electoral rolls carry 65,543 voters who are 85 years of age and older, and 1000 voters aged more than 100 years
·                    15,855 voters on the roll have identification card numbers showing they are of a different gender from that listed by the EC
·                    4,500 voters who are spouses of police officers are registered as postal voters in breach of the law
·                    Up to 1,000,000 (one million) Malaysians living overseas cannot vote in general elections from their residential countries because of laws that contravene the Malaysian Constitution. These Malaysians who are denied their constitutional right to lodge their vote from overseas could make up 10 per cent of the electorate. The same laws that prevent these Malaysians from taking part in elections otherwise afford that basic democratic privilege for up to 240,000 other Malaysian citizens, who may be regarded as financially obliged to their government, such as soldiers, government scholars and civil service members, as well as their spouses. Up to 90 per cent of ballots cast through Malaysia's postal voting system is believed to support the incumbent government.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In the 12th general election of 2008, Opposition coalition PR won the prized state of Selangor and wrested control of an economic and symbolic powerhouse in peninsular Malaysia; since 2008, the Selangor electoral rolls have ballooned by 22 per cent (over 340,000 voters) to more than 1.9 million, compared to a national average of 16.3 per cent.
Malaysia has refused access to international election-watch groups ever since the 1990 general election, when polling was observed by the Commonwealth Observer Mission, but the prime minister of that time, Mahathir Mohamed, suppressed their report.

Bersih 3.0 Berlin REPORT

Here is the report from BERLIN, the first time on Global Bersih map.

Venue: directly under the Siegessäule (Berlin's Victory Column), facing the world famous Brandenburger Tor from afar
Date: 28th April 2012
Time: 2-4pm (duration: 2 hours++)

Turn out: 40 participants, with 1/4 are non Malaysians International Bersih supporters (Many Germans, an Italian, an Indonesian) . Sad to mention, there is not even a Malay Malaysian joining, and far few students (JPA stern warning works?)

"Permit": 2 Police officers came up to me and handed me a letter with the confirmation number for this gathering event I notified them. And then they stationed nearby just dedicated to safeguard our safety until we finished our rally.

What did we do?: We distributed yellow flyers in both german and english language to the public. We told them about the issue and invited them to sign for support. Everyone was involving themselves in helping to set up the rally, for example, writing on placards. The climax of the event was when we kicked start the sit-in protest by gathering everyone sitting together in front of huge yellow banner.  First , a simple welcome speech by organiser (me), then led the protesters into chanting slogans. Then we stood up straight and sang National anthem 'Negaraku'. We took group photos after this.

What were special in Berlin?:
We had Malaysian artists (art students, one in Netherlands, one in Berlin) providing us 12 graffiti Bersih-anti Lynas theme posters to decorate the venue. We had a special Penangite cook providing the participants with homebaked Karipaps. We had the warmest day so far in year 2012. Many of the participants came from other cities in Germany, such as Hamburg, Hannover, Oldenburg, Dresden. A few traveling Malaysians happened to know our event and just joined us for the rally in time.


Best regards, and Salam Bersih!
Chee Han

P/s: Check out the album link here for photos! : http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.788512469755.220086.222401328&type=1