KUALA LUMPUR: Pemuda Barisan Nasional (BN) hari ini menyerahkan memorandum menyatakan kemarahan rakyat Malaysia terhadap tindakan 50 anggota Parlimen Australia yang jelas ada niat untuk campur tangan dalam hal ehwal sistem kehakiman di negara ini.
Ketua Pemuda BN, Khairy Jamaluddin berkata, memorandum itu menuntut agar Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kecil Hal Ehwal Luar Negeri Parlimen Australia, Michael Danby menarik balik surat yang dihantar oleh 50 anggota parlimen negara itu kepada Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia di Australia serta satu permohonan maaf daripada Danby bagi pihak 50 anggota Parlimen itu.
Khairy yang juga Ketua Pemuda Umno berkata, memorandum itu juga menggesa agar Perdana Menteri Australia, Kevin Rudd menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa pendirian kerajaan Australia tidak sama dengan pendirian 50 anggota Parlimen negara itu.
"Malaysia adalah negara yang berdaulat. Dengan adanya keluhuran perlembagaan dan kedaulatan undang-undang, kita tidak terima langsung apa saja usaha, apa saja tindakan yang kita anggap sebagai campur tangan daripada pihak Australia, luar negara dan asing dalam hal ehwal negara kita," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyerahkan memorandum itu kepada Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Australia, Penny Williams di sini hari ini.
Dalam pertemuan kira-kira 15 minit itu, Khairy berkata, Williams telah memberi jaminan bahawa kerajaan Australia tidak ingin campur tangan dalam sistem kehakiman Malaysia dan tidak mahu membuat satu pengadilan terlebih dahulu tentang perbicaraan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Katanya, Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Australia itu juga memberi jaminan bahawa memorandum Pemuda BN yang mewakili NGO belia yang ada akan disampaikan kepada Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Malaysia di Australia di Canberra.
"Walaupun ini tidak datang dari kerajaan Australia, tapi kita menganggap ini adalah serius sebab 50 anggota Parlimen itu menjadi wakil rakyat kepada Australia.
"Kita tidak mahu isu ini dipolitikkan di Australia sehingga mencetuskan satu keadaan di mana campur tangan itu lebih ketara daripada apa yang kita lihat dua tiga hari lepas," katanya.
Turut sama mengiringi beliau adalah Naib Ketua Pemuda Umno, Datuk Razali Ibrahim, Ketua Pemuda MIC, T.Mohan dan Ketua Penerangan Pemuda BN, Datuk Reezal Merican.
Kira-kira 500 orang terdiri daripada Pemuda Umno, Pemuda MIC dan anggota NGO belia menyertai perarakan aman yang bermula daripada sebuah restoran di Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.
Makkal Sakhti turut menyerahkan memorandum sebagai bantahan terhadap campur tangan itu dengan Presidennya R.S. Thanenthir berkata, akan ada lebih banyak bantahan jika anggota Parlimen Australia itu tidak menghentikan campur tangan dalam sistem kehakiman Malaysia.
"Kami mahu memastikan mereka melakukan ini buat kali terakhir. Kami akan terus bantah jika mereka tidak berhenti di sini. Ini ingatan keras kepada semua Anggota Parlimen Australia," katanya.
Dalam memorandum mereka, Makkal Sakhti menggesa Anggota Parlimen Australia supaya menahan diri mereka daripada terus campur tangan kerana rakyat Malaysia tidak campur tangan dengan urusan undang-undang dan mahkamah Australia.
"Kami sentiasa menghormati dan menghargai hubungan baik dengan negara anda dan kami tidak ingin merosakkan hubungan yang sedia terjalin," katanya.
Sementara itu, Timbalan Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BNBBC), Datuk Bung Muktar Radin berkata, Ahli Parlimen BN bersedia bertemu dengan mana-mana anggota parlimen dari negara luar untuk menjelaskan isu perbicaraan Anwar itu.
Katanya, tuduhan terhadap Anwar dilakukan oleh individu iaitu Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, bukannya dilakukan oleh pihak kerajaan Malaysia.
"Kita meminta dengan sekeras-kerasnya. Mereka tidak ada hak mencampuri negara Malaysia. Mana-mana pihak yang cuba mencampuri, kita akan memberi tentangan yang tidak ada hentinya. Kita adalah negara berdaulat.
"Mana-mana pihak berhak untuk menyuarakan (pendapat), tapi pada kita apa yang dikatakan ialah tempat dan masa yang salah," katanya.
Beliau yang mewakili seramai 140 anggota Parlimen BN tiba di pekarangan pejabat Pesuruhjaya Tinggi Australia kira-kira 11.05 pagi untuk menghantar memorandum bantahan tersebut.
Turut sama kelihatan mengiringi beliau adalah Ahli Parlimen Tangga Batu, Datuk Idris Haron, Parit Sulong, Datuk Noraini Ahmad dan Arau, Datuk Ismail Kassim. - BERNAMA
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Memorandum of Protest to the Australian High Commissioner
The Barisan Nasional Youth this morning led several other Malaysian youth organisations to submit a Memorandum of Protest to the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Her Excellency Penny Williams. The memorandum is a manifestation of the anger and dissatisfaction of the Malaysian people directed at the letter signed by 50 Australian Members of Parliament to the Malaysian High Commissioner to Australia, which urged that the sodomy charges against Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim be dropped - an act perceived as interference in our domestic affairs.
A peaceful congregation of over 500 people, including my Deputy YB Dato' Razali Ibrahim and Leader of MIC Youth, Mohan Thangarasu, marched our way to the High Commission, upon which I was granted entry into the High Commission to hand over the memorandum to Her Excellency Penny Williams herself.
Below is the text of the said Memorandum of Protest:
17 February 2010
H.E. Penny Williams
Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia
Australian High Commission
6, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Your Excellency,
MEMORANDUM OF PROTEST
We, the Barisan Nasional Youth, together with other Malaysian youth organisations, hereby record our protest against the action of Michael Danby MP, chairman of the Australian foreign affairs parliamentary subcommittee, claiming to represent 50 Australian Members of Parliament (“MPs”), in sending a letter, dated 11 February 2010, (“the letter”) to the Malaysian High Commission in Australia regarding the ongoing trial of Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
We are shocked at the impudence of the letter in disregarding the rule of law and trampling upon the sacred principle of sovereignty that governs relations between nation states, by urging the Malaysian Government to drop the charges against Dato’ Seri Anwar. We would like to remind the MPs concerned that, Article 2 of the United Nations Charter spells out the principle of non-intervention in issues which are within the domestic jurisdiction of a state, in accordance with the principle of sovereign equality between all member states.
We would also like to point out that Australia, as a signatory to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, has committed itself to the respecting the sovereignty of other signatory states and for the right of each state to lead its national existence free from external interference.
There can be no dispute that the trial of a Malaysian citizen – in a Malaysian court under Malaysian law – falls completely within the sphere of Malaysia’s domestic jurisdiction.
We note that in the said letter, the Australian MPs recorded their respect for the fact that sodomy is a crime in Malaysia. We demand that they extend the same respect to the Malaysian judicial system, to act in accordance with the rule of law and to adjudicate with justice and equality.
As such, we further condemn, in the strongest manner possible, the insinuation that the charges against Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim were concocted to advance the political goals of the Barisan Nasional Federal Government. In the absence of any evidence whatsoever, this is an unwarranted and extremely reckless charge to level, and sets a dangerous precedent for international relations.
In the spirit of improving relations between our two countries and in the hope of a speedy resolution to this conflict, we hereby urge the following measures:
1. Michael Danby and the other signatories to immediately retract the letter to the Malaysian High Commission in Australia;
2. Michael Danby to issue, on behalf of the Australian foreign affairs parliamentary subcommittee, an unequivocal apology for disrespecting Malaysia’s rule of law and sovereignty, and suggesting that the Malaysian Government is interfering with the judicial process; and
3. The Australian Prime Minister, Hon. Kevin Rudd, to issue a statement reproaching the actions of the Members of Parliament and reaffirming the Australian Government’s respect for Malaysia’s rule of law and sovereignty.
We hope this memorandum has conveyed the severity of the anger that the letter has generated among the Malaysian public who have no quarrel with the Australian people. We have strong economic, educational and social linkages that both countries want to further develop. Nonetheless a blatant act of insensitivity, insult and interference as demonstrated by this letter can only be met with the strongest condemnation and protest from Malaysians.
Thank you.
On behalf of Barisan Nasional Youth and other Malaysian youth organisations present,
Khairy Jamaluddin MP
Chairman of Barisan Nasional Youth