Carolyn Khor's blog

The arrest of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is totally shocking as well as heartbreaking to those who have been supporting his administration for the past 8 years. This political persecution is a big blow to the opposition leaders but is even far more damaging to the overall morale of opposition supporters. The rude manner in which the Chief Minister was treated during arrest is not justified, even with the accusations brought against him. Firstly, he was not armed, did not resist arrest and had been cooperative with the MACC all along. Secondly, the Chief Minister should not be treated like a criminal before a guilty conviction has been passed. He faces two counts under Section 23 of the MACC Act and Section 165 of the Penal Code. Nonetheless, the MACC seem to be at the call and beckon of the UMNO chief. While RM2.6 billion transactions may be brushed off as a donation, the accusations against the Chief Minister pale in comparison to what seems to be an obvious play to ‘sav...

The Child Act 2001 is inadequate to protect children’s rights – this was the opinion and outcome of a roundtable discussion hosted by the Penang Women’s Development Corporation under YB Chong Eng, the state executive councilor for Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development. Members of Parliament from Pakatan Harapan such as YB Zuraida Kamaruddin, YB Sim Chee Keong and YB Teo Nie Ching received feedback from notable NGOs such as the Women’s Centre for Change (WCC), Service Civil International; and women advocates like YB Lim Siew Khim, DAP councillors Syerleena Rashid and Chris Lee, Aida Yusof Rawa from Parti Amanah, Lim Kah Cheng, and Priscilla Ho. The objective of this meeting, held last weekend, was to work together towards eliminating sexual crimes against children. Lim Kah Cheng aptly pointed out that although the number of police cases have drastically reduced through the years, the number of cases admitted to hospitals remained the same. She also mentioned that...

Letter by Carolyn Khor, Assistant to YB Teh Yee Cheu and Communications Chief for Wanita Keadilan dated 4 April 2016 The Speaker of the State Assembly wields great powers bestowed upon him through the state constitution which governs the house. The approval or rejection of a motion lies, ultimately, in the hands of the Speaker, who decides whether or not the matter reaches the State Assembly for debate during sittings. Last week, YB Teh Yee Cheu, the state assemblyman for Tanjong Bunga submitted a motion to the Speaker’s office and the State Secretariat’s office to limit the Chief Minister’s tenure to two terms, each being not more than 5 years. He reiterated that he was submitting the motion due to public interest and is ready to face consequences from his party, if any. He also cited Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago as having practise two-term limits. Although the Westminster parliamentary system, which the Malaysian parliament is modeled after, has no fixed-term limit, unlike the...

Press Statement by Carolyn Khor, Ketua Komunikasi Wanita Keadilan dated 22 December 2015 RM50 million slash for Chinese schools nationwide is discriminatory MCA should be ashamed of themselves for supporting the RM50 million slash for Chinese schools nationwide ever since the 2013 general election. Heng Seai Kie should know that the allocation comes from the taxpayers not BN, and there is no excuse to penalise Chinese voter’s children just because the electorate wanted a clean and fair government. If slashing 50 percent funding to Chinese schools is realistic like she said, then how realistic can it be when only BN voters pay taxes? It is simply low to suggest that it is realistic for Chinese children to suffer just because of incompetent politicians like herself and MCA who support the BN government’s decision to do so. As a BN component party, MCA should have protested against the RM50 million cut. With dwindling support for MCA in the Dewan Rakyat, it is clearly a sig...

If I were Bunya Jalong... by Carolyn Khor I was acquitted. Thanks to Augustine Liom and the honorable judges. I did not think it would be that easy actually. Besides, the law is on my side and I have nothing to fear. Having fathered a son at 60 years old, I must say that I am rather proud of myself. After all, how many men my age is still as virile? Admittedly, I must say that the DNA tests are actually favourable to me. Since it is proven that I am the father, I believe th at I have rights over my son. Let me see, that includes access and visitation rights, rights to decide on his upbringing and future, rights to decide his religion and education, etc,…How about joint custody? Of course, they will be asking for child maintenance, but hey, how much can you get out of a father who has none or not much to spare? Even if I have any money, I will again, seek Augustine Liom's help. I have also planned out my visitation hours where I will spend time getting acquainted with m...

Link to MSN A 25 year old Muslim convert and primary school teacher lodged a police report against the school board’s director who had requested her to remove her headscarf if she wanted to continue teaching at SJK (C) Nan Ya in Kota Tinggi. Did she feel victimised and was therefore seeking help? And was it necessary for her to make the police report? Choi Yi Shan, a 25 year old Muslim convert and primary school teacher, turned the tables on her colleagues over a remark that was made over her choice of dressing. She lodged a police report against the school board’s director, Phang Ah Ngang, 72, who had requested her to remove her headscarf if she wanted to continue teaching at SJK (C) Nan Ya in Kota Tinggi. Consequently, the news drew flaks amongst the Muslim groups that demanded action to be taken upon the school board’s director remarks. The headscarf remarks uttered by the school board director were neither criminal nor seditious. Today, Choi received a public apology from ...

Link to MSN Bukit Relau receives due ‘medical attention’ after ‘Botak Protest’ by Teh Yee Cheu. Pressure by the Tanjong Bunga State Assemblyman resulted in new consultants being engaged by the land owner to restore the illegally cleared hill land. Pakatan Rakyat Penang is exemplary in its execution of democracy in that elected representatives of the people can speak out without fear or favour with regards to the State Government’s actions or inaction. In all aspect, this professionalism to separate party issues and governance is highly beneficial to all. A yes-man would no sooner prove to be detrimental to both the coalition and the public. Teh Yee Cheu recently shaved his head bald as a protest against the developers of Bukit Relau to restore the barren hill to its previous condition. Six months earlier, General Accomplishment Sdn. Bhd. was fined RM30,000 under Section 70A (1) of the Street, Drainage and Building Act for carrying out illegal earthworks at the site. Eve...

Link to MSN Malaysia News Jahara must be deaf to request a second apology from Lim Guan Eng. BAZUKI MUHAMMAD\Newscom\RTR Far from being satisfied with Penang Chief Minister’s prompt apology for calling Jahara Hamid a grandmother, she is now threatening legal action within a week if Lim Guan Eng did not apologise for a second time. The Telok Ayer Tawar State Assemblyman and Penang Opposition Leader must indeed be hard of hearing to demand a second apology. Jahara had earlier drawn comparison between two different locations in Penang to support her argument that illegal Malay hawkers were being unfairly treated by the State Government. This would have resulted in instigating racial tension if the matter was not refuted immediately, to which the Chief Minister called Jahara a ‘racist grandmother’. Telok Ayer Tawar Pakatan Rakyat coordinator, Norhayati Jaafar confirmed that the Malay stalls operating without licenses in Jahara’s constituency especially at Pantai Bers...

Link to MSN Malaysia A grandmother by any other name is still a grandmother. Reuters Picture Stream The commotion over the ‘racist grandmother’ remark hurled by the Chief Minister of Penang, Lim Guan Eng during the Penang State Assembly towards the State Opposition Leader, Jahara Hamid drew ire from many people even though an apology was issued soon after. Gender accusation is highly inappropriate considering many people would have misconstrued Lim’s remark although his timely apology was commendable. The Chief Minister fell for the oldest trick in the book – succumbing to provocation and unfair accusation from the opposition. On hindsight, if Lim had not been so quick with his tongue and instead retorted in a calm manner, Jahara would have just remained as that, a grandmother. In all hilarity, the term ‘grandmother’ has never been a derogatory one until now. The word conjures an affectionate portrayal of a woman with wisdom. As such, it would be an oxy...

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