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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Truly serious strategy to train & mentor women for higher posts

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Central Government to formulate genuinely serious strategy to train and mentor women for higher posts including corporate board members. they should be given more opportunities.

As women do much better at schools and universities, it is only a matter of time before they catch up. This is happening in many fields.

On 26.7.2011, Dr Tan comments on the point made by the Deputy Prime MInister Tan Sri Muhyiddin to empower women.

The Deputy Prime Minister wants serious training and mentoring strategy to push women towards higher posts such as corporate board membership. Lets hope it is really serous.

Women are trying to achieve greater heights.

Education is essential. At schools and universities, there are more female than male students. They excel. The majority of nearly 400,000 teachers in the country are women. They dominate. Some courses in universities have more than 60% women. At times, it is difficult to get qualified male students to fill vacancies. The Higher Education Minister says that starting from 2012, his ministry would like to enrol more male students. If there are no qualified male students, the vacancies must be filled by female students.

According to Women Minister Datuk Seri Sharizat, women occupy more than 32% of the premier grade civil posts, compared with 19% in 2004. We hope the Government will publish the details.

The Government must ensure that women get there by merits without racial and religious discrimination. It is only time before women get to the top of most fields. They will overcome obstacles. Lets help them along.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Monday, July 25, 2011

MACC must be truly independent

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw reiterates that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission must be truly independent to improve its image.

After the two deaths at MACC's premises, Teoh Beng Hock and Sarbaini, it has had a terrible beating.

On 25.7.2011, Dr Tan comments on the Executive Transformation Committee headed by the Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim to review existing standard operating procedure of the commission.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the death of Teoh Beng Hock on 16.7.2009 points out the aggressive, oppressive, unscrupulous and continuous interrogation of three MACC officers contribuing to the death of Beng Hock.

Hitherto, the three officers have been suspended. Now, Executive Transformation Committee is to review operating procedure. This is scarcely enough to improve the image of MACC.

The two deaths have caused so much furore that it will take a long time for the commission to recover. It must show that it has integrity in all aspects.

An important factor to improve the image and the effectiveness of MACC is to make sure that it is genuinely independent. If the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib means what he says about the anti-corruption role of MACC, he must consider this aspect very seriously and take meaningful step to realize it.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Make public the allocation to the Election Commission to install the biometric system

DAP Natonal Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib to announce the total allocation for the Election Commission to implement the biometric system, the electoral reform and the system's effectiveness in preventing voting irregularities.

On 24.7.2011, Dr Tan comments on the statement by Najib on the previous day that the Government had given an allocation to the Election Commission to install the biometric system to verify a voter's identity. He said that if the installation was in time,it could be used in the next general election.

Since Merdeka 54 years ago, there have been controversies regarding electoral irregularities in the 12 general elections in Malaysia. In the last few years, Bersih has tried to convince the Election Commission to change for the better,culminating in the Bersih 2.0 rally on 9.7.2011.

We do not know how Najib decides to use the biometric system at the Election Commssion. Recently, the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin introduced the system to fingerprint illegal immigrants. He suspended it for a while before resuming the system. He has not give the reasons for the suspension.

All concerned must have integrity, without which any system including biometric gives rise to concern.

As Najib has admitted, no country has used the biometric system in election. We do not understand its weaknesses. How are voters selected to give fingerprints? Who are picked and who are not?

We have yet to know whether the system is reliable for election purpose. Najib would have to answer this.

Before the system is used in general elections, the Election Commission must explain it in detalis including its effectiveness in preventing phantom votes and other irregularities.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw

Friday, July 15, 2011

Teoh Beng Hock case: MACC must be transparent & accountable

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw insists that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must be transparent and accountable. It is important that the Federal Government make public the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the death of Teoh Beng Hock (TBH). Lets know the cause of death.

In the evening of 14.7.2011, Dr Tan spoke at the memorial on the second anniversary of the death of Teoh Beng Hock at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

Tonight, all who are gathered here have something in common: the sad feeling for the death of TBH and the eagerness to know what actually happened to him on 16.7.2009. All are interested in the reason for taking so long to come out with the answer.

In the last two years, TBH's death has given rise to a series of events. For example, there have been two royal commissions, one on the technical aspect and the other on the cause of death. This is unusual. It has broken the world record, It can go into the Guiness Book of Record.

MACC aims to eradicate corruption. It must be transparent and accountable. There are sequences of events, on some of which the prosecution and the Bar Council differ. For instance, can a witness, not a suspect, be subjected to 24-hour interrogation and detention? Is it not necessary to let the witness rest between 6.30 pm and 6.30 am? Was the early morning treatment of TBH according to normal practice?

On 27.5.2011, MACC submitted a 344-page report on TBH to the RCI. On 22.6.2011, RCI presented the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with its 124-page report. The Agong would take a short time to read it. It is now three weeks. The report should be made public.

Tan Seng Giaw