Before the general election and on February 7 this year, "BERSIH group" filed a lawsuit against New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad and Farrah Naz Karim, the author of a September 21, 2012 article titled “Plot to destabilise government”.
Brave girl!
Unlike Utusan, one do not hear much lawsuit against NST. One that is still entrench in our memory is their lawsuit under the evil Singaporean spy, Dato Kalimullah Hassan against Dato Rocky Bru.
Utusan Malaysia were sued left, right and centre but yet they could take in stride. There are lawsuits that need to be defended, there are those that can be counter sued, and there are those that a settlement is better. One can see them handling it.
One lawsuit against one of their most provocative writing and a court case would spill out the facts and evidences for the public to view, yet they did not defend their article and reporter to admit defeat and apologise.
Ayam betul ....
Partisan inclined political organisation like BERSIH, SUARAM, CIJ and Merdeka Center usually sue to stop the article for spreading.
Usually they do not go all the way. At most, a judgement and that's it. One can observe from the spree of political lawsuit retractions recently. Even judgement in favour of the plaintiff are not enforce till the defendent go bankrupt like Dato Dr Rais Yatim against blogger Sharpshooter.
If their intention is to stop the article from spreading, we are going to reproduce the article again. There is a lot of truth to the article.
Biaqpila ....it is already out there.
Plot to destabilise governmentOne wonder what is NST good at. If they can't sell their newspaper and make money, at least be brave to write something and defend it.
News Straits Times
September 21, 2012
By Farah Naz KarrimKUALA LUMPUR: Investigators probing into the financial background of several non-governmental organisations have uncovered attempts by foreign hands to destabilise the government.
Sources revealed that from 2005 to last year, almost RM20 million, courtesy of the Washington-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED), had allegedly been channelled to:
- SUARAM (RM1.6 million);
- NATIONAL Democratic Institute for Inter- national Affairs (NDI) (RM4.6 million);
- MKINI Dotcom Sdn Bhd (RM298,000); and,
- OTHERS (RM13.3 million).
The monies were also allegedly channelled to the Southeast Asia Centre for e-Media (Seacem), Southeast Asian Press Alliance and the Centre for Independent Journalism.
From last year, several other setups, namely Bersih, Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, Lawyers for Liberty, Liberal Banter Sdn Bhd as well as the International Republican Institute, began receiving funds from NED, an organisation that had been claimed to have "played a significant role in attempting to destabilise legitimate governments and replace them with client proxies".
Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga was reported recently to have admitted that Bersih had received funds from the NDI as well as New York-based Open Society Institute, the administrator for programmes under the Open Society Institute founded by maverick currency speculator George Soros.
NED, on its website, said "it is a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world".
It also claims to be a unique institution where it could provide "flexibility that makes it possible to work in some of the most difficult circumstances, and to respond quickly when there is an opportunity for political change".
It is believed that organisations with "programmes consistent with its objectives" are awarded grants.
Sources also revealed that Suaram, which is under several investigations, including for allegedly raising funds while operating as an unregistered society as well as for serious violations of at least five sections of the Companies Act, along with Suaram and Suara Inisiatif Sdn Bhd the company that is linked to it, had four known foreign funders.
Aside from NED's estimated RM1.6 million already in its coffers, Suaram is also believed to have received RM774,000 (between 2008 and last year) from New York-based Open Society Institute, the administrator for programmes under the Open Society Institute.
The German embassy, meanwhile in 2010, allegedly gave Suaram RM21,400.
It was reported that the embassy had admitted that it funded Suaram's project that particular year.
Another RM34,000 was also allegedly channelled to Suaram by Seacem.
The links of these establishments are apparent, with Seacem on its website acknowledging that it was supported by OSI.
Seacam, meanwhile, under its fellowship programme, offers its fellows placement in Malaysiakini.
Suaram's accounts and "money trail" are also allegedly being looked into by Bank Negara Malaysia.
Recently, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob called on Bank Negara to probe Suaram under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.
He had also asked the Home Ministry and Registrar of Societies to determine Suaram's status.
Many quarters have questioned the need to have outside influence interfering in the country's political agenda.
They have also called on several key opposition figures including Parti Keadilan Rakyat's Tian Chua, Suaram director Kua Kia Soong and co-founder R. Sivarasa to explain why Suaram was being funded by foreign parties, including by Soros, when he had allegedly masterminded plans to bring the country's economy down.
They had also been asked to clarify whether they had received foreign funding to support their political activities.
Former PKR leader Ng Lum Yong had demanded that the trio publicly explain Suaram's funding as the people wanted to understand its true role as an organisation.
"The people have the right to know about Suaram's true political agenda and its motives," Ng said.
In an interview with BH last night, International Movement for a Just World (JUST) president Professor Dr Chandra Muzaffar said NED had been known to lend substantial financial support to NGOs in particular countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria.
He claimed it had been uncovered that such efforts had been going on aggressively over the past five years in the name of democratic freedom with the objective of making people rise up against leaders who were allegedly deemed to be cruel.
He also claimed they handed out assistance with the objective of stirring up the people, and their contribution was akin to udang disebalik batu.
"We know of their activities in several countries as what has happened in the Arab world, leading to the Arab Spring uprising.
"There is also proof they provided assistance to groups opposing leaders in South and Central America at one time with the excuse that the leaders were tyrants and undemocratic.
"Similarly, they were believed to have assisted rebels to oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin."
Chandra, who is also the chairman of 1Malaysia Foundation, said the credibility of such an organisation which claims to support institutions of freedom and democracy was questionable as it could threaten global security.
He added that those behind the body included Zionist groups which maintain good relations with the Jewish government.
Hmmm ... kalau jual dan tulis suratkhabar pun tak tahu, baik jual ayam.