Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj - Beacon of Light Politics-Malaysia: Democratic Space Narrowing Ahead of Elections " (Dr Jeyakumar) Devaraj had championed the cause of squatters seeking affordable housing in Ipoh, much to the chagrin of certain politicians and other vested interests." PENANG, Malaysia, (Oct. 12) IPS - At first glance, all appears to be well in Malaysia as far as freedom of expression is concerned. But a closer look reveals that the space for public participation is fast diminishing, activists say. It is true, they say, that a host of opposition parties have piled on the pressure on the ruling Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, in power for 18 years. Also, the opposition newspaper, Harakah, published by the Islamic Party, continues to sell 250,000 copies per issue, giving mainstream newspapers a run for their money. Opposition rallies still attracts large crowds, activists point out. But silently, almost imperceptibly, they argue, authorities are tightening the screws on public participation in the democratic process. On Sept. 19, more than 10,000 supporters of ousted deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim demonstrated in Kuala Lumpur over allegations he had been subjected to arsenic poisoning. Since then, police have arrested more than 20 Malaysians for illegal assembly. Most of them are from the new National Justice Party (keADILan), set up by Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. KeADILan has been instrumental in forging a united opposition front known as Barisan Alternatif (Alternative Front), which stands in the way of Mahathir winning yet another two thirds parliamentary majority in the coming polls. But as one political analyst said, "the opposition is fighting with one hand tied behind its back". Adding further difficulty to the opposition, a deputy minister in the prime minister's department, Ibrahim Ali, called for practicing lawyers to be barred from politics. He said lawyer-politicians should choose one full-time job to prevent a conflict of interest when two-career professionals take their grievances to Parliament. A few of Malaysia's top lawyers are actively involved in politics or hold key posts in opposition parties. One such lawyer, Karpal Singh, a top official in the opposition Democratic Party, is also a key lawyer for Anwar, who is now facing trial for sodomy. Ibrahim's proposal was quickly criticized. "To bar any practicing lawyer from becoming a politician or being involved in politics in any manner in his personal capacity is wholly unacceptable as it is a restraint on an individual lawyer's democratic right to his freedom of pursuing his political conviction," said R.R. Chelvarajah, the president of the Malaysian Bar, in a press statement. Ibrahim Ali should be "looking into ways how Malaysian citizens can fully participate in the political arena instead of making politics an exclusive club for 'professional politicians'," said Elizabeth Wong, coordinator of the human rights group, Suaram. She also called for the Trade Unions Act to be immediately amended in the coming parliamentary session to allow trade unionists to take part in elections. Wong added Ibrahim should spend his time ensuring that more than 600,000 new voters would get to cast their ballots if a general election was held this year. Some analysts expect the next general election, due in mid-2000, to be held soon, possibly next month. But under the convoluted voter registration process, which takes more than seven months, the 600,000 odd new voters, who signed up during the last registration exercise in April and May this year, would only be eligible to vote next year. Analysts and opposition politicians say the government is afraid of these voters, many of them either young and disillusioned or older Malaysians who had never voted before but were prompted to register this time because they were disturbed by the government's handling of the Anwar saga. They say that elections are likely to be held this year to deny these new voters -- whose registrations are still being processed -- the opportunity to vote. "Our basic right to fully participate in politics must be protected. This right must include our right to vote and our right to be candidates in elections," said Wong. In a fresh blow to the freedom of association, the authorities have rejected an appeal for the Socialist Party of Malaysia to be registered as a political party. Activists working for the group have been working closely with marginal grassroots communities such as squatters and plantation workers and were hoping to be registered in time for the general election. But the rejection of the party's application, though disappointing, was not unexpected. "Since 1994, out of 22 applications to form political parties, only one had been approved," said Wong. Eleven of them were rejected without reasons and another 10 are still waiting for answers, she said. The space to articulate dissent is at times squeezed very subtly. Take Aliran Monthly, an English language magazine providing space for independent voices and critical analyses published by the Penang-based social reform group Aliran. "We are having difficulty in publishing the Monthly," says the group's president, P. Ramakrishnan. Its September issue has not yet been printed. Though Aliran has a publishing permit approved by the Home Ministry, it faces a perennial problem in finding a suitable printing firm willing to take on the job. "Apparently, there seems to be some fear among printing firms in wanting to print the magazine and this fear could not have been self-induced," says Ramakrishnan. Finally, there is the case of a popular public-spirited government doctor in Ipoh city, 170 km south of here. Consultant physician Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, a winner of the Malaysian Medical Association award for exemplary community service, has been served a transfer notice to distant Sarawak state despite having already served in a rural area like most other doctors in government service are obliged to do. Devaraj had championed the cause of squatters seeking affordable housing in Ipoh, much to the chagrin of certain. His transfer has been widely seen as a way of getting him out of Ipoh and separating him from the communities there that have turned to him for help in resolving land and housing disputes. As the undercurrents of dissent and discontent simmer, the government is unlikely to allow wider political space. Indeed, that room is likely to be further reduced.

Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj

Hospital privatisation shelved because of BA Media Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang,  in  Petaling Jaya  on Thursday, 4th  November 1999: Mahathir has inadvertently admitted that the government had wanted to privatise general hospitals which was shelved temporarily as a result of strong Barisan Alternative opposition ====================================== The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has  inadvertently admitted that the government had wanted to privatise general hospitals which was shelved temporarily as a result of strong Barisan Alternative opposition. Speaking at the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) dinner last night, Mahathir said that the people did not realise that the government was sincere in trying to improve the medical service when it announced plans to "privatise" hospitals, but "privatisation of the hospitals is not the solution as the issue will be used by the opposition to bring down the government instead". What is significant in Mahathir’s speech is that this was the first time the Prime Minister had admitted that the government’s earlier plan was the privatisation and not just the corporatisation of general hospitals. Until Mahathir’s speech at the MMA dinner last night, the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Meng had repeatedly maintained that the government had no intention to "privatise" general hospitals, but only to "corporatise" them. Although the government has announced the shelving of the government’s "corporatisation" or actually "privatisation" plan for general hospitals, there is no guarantee that this privatisation plan would not be resurrected after the next general election if the Barisan Nasional is returned with a thumping two-thirds parliamentary majority. In fact, it was because of the prominent role played by to  Dr. Jeyakumar Devaraj, Consultant Chest Physician at Ipoh Hospital and an ExCo member of the Citizens' Health Initiative,  in initiating public consciousness and opposition to the proposed  corporatisation and privatisation of government healthcare that the Health Ministry has decided on Jeyakumar’s punitive  and summary transfer to Sarawak from August 1, 1999, giving him only five days’ notice. Dr. Jeyakumar, who is on medical leave, has appealed against the summary transfer order, which smacks of victimisation and a gross abuse of administrative discretion and power  for his community work but the government has refused to relent and rescind the transfer order.   This is not the first attempt to try to transfer Dr. Jeyakumar, as there had been  two previous attempts to transfer him, to Kuantan and to Alor Setar, although both these orders were subsequently revoked. Yesterday, I had asked in Parliament during   question time  on Dr. Jeyakumar’s arbitrary and punitive transfer to Sarawak. The Health Minister, Datuk Chua Jui Meng defended the government’s action and said: "Pertukaran Dr. Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj ke Sarawak adalah berdasarkan kepada kepentingan perkhidmatan di mana kepakaran beliau dalam bidang perubatan dada sangat-sangat diperlukan di Negeri Sarawak pada ketika ini. Ini adalah selaras dengan hasrat Kerajaan untuk mempertingkatkan tahap kesihatan penduduk secara menyeluruh dari masa ke semasa.  Perkara ini juga bukanlah merupakan perkara baru di dalam mana-mana perkhidmatan Kerajaan di mana pegawai pada kebiasaannya akan ditukarkan dari satu tempat ke satu tempat lain berdasarkan kepada keperluan perkhidmatan yang mendesak pada satu-satu ketika." Chua Jui Meng’s answer is completely unacceptable as it evades the whole issue of Jeyakumar being a victim of gross abuse of administrative discretion and power and the need for  more consultative, accountable and less arbitrary  administrative procedures for staff transfers in the national primary healthcare system.   - Lim Kit Siang (4/11/99)