Okay, let’s debate

It looks like, of late, everyone wants to debate. Even Ummi Hafilda Ali has entered the fray. So why should I be left out? Okay, let’s debate. I am prepared to engage anyone who may wish to take me on. And we can do it in the UK or we can do it online via SKYPE. Your call! And these are the 12 issues we will debate.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

1. You say the Social Contract exists. Can we debate as to when it was signed (the date), who spearheaded the initiative, who were the parties to the Contract, and what are the contents or terms of the Contract?

2. Who were the first to go to London to meet the British government to negotiate Merdeka? It is reported that Umno was the first to go to London but they went there only to talk about their opposition to the Malayan Union and not to negotiate Merdeka and although MCA was the second to go to London they talked to the British about Merdeka.

3. When Article 153 regarding the special position of the Malays was written into the Federal Constitution of Malaya it was supposed to have been reviewed 15 years after Merdeka, which means in 1972. But the New Economic Policy was launched in 1970 instead. Was Article 153 ever reviewed and if so what were the findings of this review board or committee?

4. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia says that any laws passed after Merdeka that are inconsistent with the Constitution are null. Would this then not make many laws passed after Merdeka which contradict the Constitution illegal -- considering that they were ‘emergency laws’ passed during the Malayan Emergency and Malaysia is no longer in a state of Emergency even though Emergency has never been undeclared in spite of the Konfrantasi with Indonesia and the War with the Communists both having officially ended with the signing of peace treaties?

5. When Malaysia was mooted and Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore and Brunei were invited to team up with Malaya to form Malaysia was it as equals to the 11 States of Malaya or as equals to the Federation of Malaya?

6. The Petroleum Development Act was passed by Parliament in 1974. This Act basically takes away all rights of the States to their oil and gas exploitation and revenue. Is this not in breach of the Federation Agreement, which states that all natural resources belong the States?

7. The Petroleum Development Act 1974 gives the sole power to information about Petronas to the Prime Minister and even Parliament cannot question Petronas. Since Petronas was established through Act of Parliament and Parliament should be above even the Prime Minister is this not usurping the powers of Parliament?

8. Under the Petroleum Development Act 1974, Petronas was created and all the States were forced to sign Agreements with Petronas giving Petronas sole rights for exploitation of oil and gas in all the States in Malaysia. Since the States were compelled to sign these Agreements with Petronas against their will does this not make the Agreement invalid as Agreements must be based on mutual consent or bilateral agreement on not on unilateral decisions?

9. It is estimated that Petronas earned RM1 trillion or more over the last 36 years since 1974. Why are Malaysians not being told how much Petronas really earned and where all the money is and if it was spent in what way it was spent?

10. It is estimated that the State of Terengganu earned between RM20 billion to RM25 billion as its shares of 5% of the oil and gas revenue exploited from the State. How much did Terengganu really earn and what happened to all this money?

11. It is estimated that Sabah and Sarawak earned double what Terengganu has earned from its 5% share of the oil and gas -- that is RM40 billion to RM50 billion. What is the real figure and what happened to all this money?

12. Why can 14-year-olds get married under Malaysian law but they can’t vote and if they are students, by law, they can’t get involved in politics even if they are more than 21 years old?

Those are the 12 issues we can debate if anyone would like to take me on. And these 12 issues would probably take hours to cover if we go into details like history, White Papers, Cabinet Papers, Parliament Hansards, and whatnot.