BurmaNet News, June 14, 2007

[Editor]

June 14, 2007 Issue # 3226

INSIDE BURMA
DVB: Legal activist arrested by Burmese intelligence
Irrawaddy: Rangoon schools face investigation over ‘maintenance fund’
DVB via BBC: Burmese generals hold quarterly meeting in new capital
Irrawaddy: Than Shwe grandson’s birthday bash
Mizzima News: Over 4000 acres of farmland seized by Pegu division authorities

BUSINESS / TRADE
Xinhua: Myanmar to export rice to Africa for first time

HEALTH / AIDS
AFP: Myanmar reports fresh outbreak of bird flu
Khonumthung News: Diarrhea spreading in Chin state

DRUGS
SHAN: Drug lord's death denied

INTERNATIONAL
Irrawaddy: Burmese ethnic delegation meets US’s First Lady
Epoch Times: Parliament urges democracy leader's release
AP: U Thant's daughter launches global education program

OPINION / OTHER
The Star Malaysia: A lesson from Myanmar - Azmi sharom

____________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

June 13, Democratic Voice of Burma
Legal activist arrested by Burmese intelligence

U Nyan Win, a member of the dissident Guiding Star legal aid group, was
reportedly detained by Burmese intelligence agents yesterday after being
summoned to the Kyauktaga Peace and Development Council office in Bago
Division.

Saw Lu Man, also a member of Guiding Star, told DVB that U Nyan Win never
returned home after travelling to see the township leaders.

“His family had to go and claim the motorbike he left near the township
PDC office. We were informed that he had been taken to Taung Ngu yesterday
evening. We still don’t know whether or not he has been taken to the
southern divisional military headquarters or the District Peace and
Development Council office,” Saw Lu Man said.

U Nyan Win is well-known among opposition activists for his work to help
farmers report cases of forced labour in Burma’s Bago division. Sources
close to his family said that they believed U Nyan Win had been arrested
because of his involvement in the cases.

“I heard that he was called up and asked to sign something because he has
been helping and advising local people in submitting complaint letters,” a
source close to U Nyan Win’s family said.

____________________________________

June 14, Irrawaddy
Rangoon schools face investigation over ‘maintenance fund’ - Htet Aung

Dozens of basic education schools in Rangoon face investigation by Burma’s
Ministry of Education for demanding additional fees from parents,
according to a ministry official.

“We are now interrogating over 40 schools in townships in Rangoon which
collect money from students,” the official from the No. 3 Basic Education
Department, who requested anonymity, told The Irrawaddy by phone on
Thursday. The department is responsible for overseeing basic education
schools in Rangoon Division.

“All the money found in the interrogation will be confiscated and held in
the bank,” the official added. “Later it will be refunded to the parents
in accordance with the decision of the ministry.”

It has been a common practice in Rangoon’s better-known schools to collect
money from students under the guise of a “school maintenance fund.” This
money is collected in addition to normal school tuition, and the practice
has existed for many years.

The Ministry of Education issued an order that all basic education schools
were prohibited from collecting money from students when they enrolled
this academic year, the ministry official said.

The order has been in force since May 24, but many schools began their
admissions process at the beginning of May and so had already collected
money from parents, the official added. Schools in Burma generally begin
their new academic year o­n June 1.

The ‘maintenance fund’ fees put enormous pressure on families already
facing economic hardships. “If a new student is enrolled in the Teachers
Training College, he or she will pay between 500,000 kyat (US $400) and 1
million kyat ($800) for the school fund, apart from the normal fees,” said
o­ne parent, whose son attends the school.

The TTC, located in Kamayut Township, was founded in 1931 and has been
renamed the Yangon Institute of Education, Practising High School. It is
Rangoon’s top high school and enrolls many children of high-ranking
government officials and business leaders.

“Parents have to spend at least 15,000 kyat ($12) for school enrollment of
their primary child in any of Rangoon’s ordinary schools,” said the
parent. “If parents have three school-age children, they can’t afford the
school fees for all their children at the same time.”

____________________________________

June 14, Democratic Voice of Burma via BBC Monitoring
Burmese generals hold quarterly meeting in new capital

Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) was informed by observers that the Burmese
generals are holding a quarterly meeting at the military regime's new
capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and deliberating on matters to finalize the National
Convention and reshuffle the military.

The meeting being held in the Operations Room of the Ministry of Defence
began on Tuesday (13 June) and is attended by all military commanders,
including Senior General Than Shwe, other top leaders in the military
regime, and military command commanders, according to U Htay Aung,
observer of military affairs based on the border.

U Htay Aung said what is noteworthy about the meeting is that it started
one day after Lt Gen Thein Sein, acting prime minister and secretary-1 [of
the State Peace and Development Council], had returned from China.

[Begin Htay Aung recording] According to regular schedule, the first
quarterly meeting for 2007 should have been held in May 2007. But we have
been hearing reports that the meeting was postponed because of the poor
health condition of a few top generals in the State Peace and Development
Council [SPDC] and also because Lt Gen Thein Sein had to visit China. A
news report was released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry just before Lt
Gen Thein Sein's visit which blamed the Burmese regime for not informing
China beforehand about the capital being moved to Kyetpye Nay Pyi Taw.
Taking that into consideration, I believe Lt Gen Thein Sein visited China
to inform the Chinese leaders about the upcoming changes in the military
and how the National Convention would be finalized. [End recording]

That was military affairs observer U Htay Aung.

Furthermore, he said we may be seeing some changes in the military since
this will be the last quarterly meeting before the final session of the
National Convention is convened.

[Begin Htay Aung recording] We are expecting to see some changes. This is
because, as is generally known, several generals who are assuming the top
leadership positions are already old and some of them are in poor health.
On top of that, they will soon need to approve the constitution by holding
a referendum followed by an election. So, we are assuming that they will
be restructuring the Defence Services. Furthermore, they may also be
working on some sort of restructuring following a change of image for some
of their leaders so that they will be able to run in the election. Hence,
this quarterly meeting may be making several crucial decisions concerning
the implementation of their road map or in the reshuffling of their
structure. [End recording]

That was military affairs observer U Htay Aung.

We tried to contact the offices of the military regime in Nay Pyi Taw
about the news but no one responded.

____________________________________

June 14, Irrawaddy
Than Shwe grandson’s birthday bash - Yeni

Burmese junta boss Gen Than Shwe’s football-loving grandson netted the
country’s top soccer personalities for his 16th birthday party at
Rangoon’s Sedona Hotel. Even the newly-hired Brazilian coach of Burma’s
national football side, Marcos Antonio Falopa, was there, together with
members of his squad and some former top-ranking players.

The party in late May for Nay Shwe Thway Aung was organized by the
chairman of the Myanmar [Burma] Football Federation, Zaw Zaw, who is also
a well-known businessman.

Pictures obtained by The Irrawaddy show the guests, including the wives of
top junta leaders, cheering the birthday boy and singing “Happy Birthday.”
Candles decorated his birthday cake.

Posters put up on the walls for the occasion showed pictures of the World
Cup competition and such stars as Britain’s David Beckham.

Nay Shwe Thway Aung left off his usual Western party gear and turned up in
a silver-colored longyi and a traditional red jacket. His favorite teams,
Manchester United and Liverpool, play in red shirts, and those in the know
said that he had made the color the theme of the evening.

The young man is a familiar figure on Burmese TV and on the football
field, where he sometimes organizes charity football matches.

He scored two goals in a charity match last week at the Youth Training
Center in Rangoon, playing alongside the former Japanese international
player Hidetoshi Nakata. Nakata scored one goal.

"He’s Than Shwe’s grandson, remember, so of course no one dared to
confront him on the field," a Rangoon-based sports commentator told The
Irrawaddy.

____________________________________

June 13, Mizzima News
Over 4000 acres of farmland seized by Pegu division authorities - Ko Dee

In blatant disregard to the rights of farmers over their land in Kangyi
village in Burma's Pegu division, the Divisional Police Commander seized
over 4,000 acres of farmland for unequal distribution among villagers.
There is panic and palpable tension among villagers following the
confiscation and it could lead to clashes in the farming community.

U Aye Ko, a resident of Zeegone township who is close to the villagers
told Mizzima that Myo Swe Win, Pegu division police commander along with
more than 30 armed policemen, on June 7, dropped in on the village and
announced that farmlands of villagers are being seized by the authorities
and will be redistributed at four acres each to villagers in a lucky draw
system.

"This is unfair. Even those who own 20 acres will get only four and for
some who have only one acre or may not even have any will still get the
same. The villagers are in a state of panic," said Aye Ko, who has been
approached by the villagers for advice.
A total of 4,894 acres of farmland has been seized by the authorities and
will be distributed unequally using the lucky draw system to choose which
part of the farms an individual will get, he said.

With the current cost of an acre of farmland standing at about 300,000
Kyats (approximately US$ 230), owners of large farmlands are running into
heavy losses, he added.

The confiscated farmlands were earlier thick forests, which were
considered as wasteland. It came into the possession of villagers after
they cleared the forest and nurtured the land.

The villagers have been living off the land for over 20 years.

"The villagers regularly pay taxes to the government for paddy
cultivation. They have been working the land for a long time and are
totally dependent on it for their livelihood," Aye Ko added.

Aye Ko said that the authorities have decided to redistribute the
farmlands on Thursday by a lucky draw system to decide on which area an
individual will get.

While earlier owners of the farmlands are about 300 villagers, authorities
will redistribute the land to 719 villagers, which include those villagers
who have never worked on the land.

About seven farmers, who are unhappy over the authorities plan, have gone
to Burma's new jungle capital Naypyitaw to appeal.

Aye Ko said there is palpable tension among the farmers and it has gone to
an extent where there could be clashes in the farming community.

"We are worried that they [the farmers] might start fighting and killing
each other," added Aye Ko.

However, the police commander reportedly warned the villagers that those
who disagree over the planned redistribution of farmlands are liable to be
sentenced to seven years in prison for destroying their residence.

____________________________________
BUSINESS / TRADE

June 14, Xinhua General News Service
Myanmar to export rice to Africa for first time

Myanmar will export quality rice to Africa for the first time with 17,000
tons this month, the local Yangon Times reported Thursday.

Set to be exported to Abidjan, capital of Cote d'Ivoire in Africa by the
Myanmar Economic Corporation, the Myanmar rice was produced from the
country's Ayeyawaddy delta region, Yangon and Bago divisions.

The monthly rice export will be the largest so far during this year, the
report said.

Paddy, which produces rice, stands as one of Myanmar's principal crops.
The others are beans and pulses, oil crops, cotton, sugarcane and culinary
crops.

According to official statistics, Myanmar's annual output of paddy was 1.2
billion baskets (about 25 million tons) in the past few years against
merely 650 million baskets ( about 13 million tons) in 1988.

Paddy output for 2005-06 was 24.72 million tons. Myanmar exported 180,000
tons of rice in 2005-06 and 182,000 tons in 2004-05.

Other statistics show that Myanmar exported over 930 million US dollars'
agricultural produces in the fiscal year 2006-07 which ended in March, a
sharp increase of 75.4 percent over 2005-06.

Agriculture sector, the mainstay of Myanmar's economy, contributes 50.1
percent to the national economy and achieved an average annual growth rate
of 9.8 percent.

Out of the total cultivable land of 17.4 million hectares, the net sown
area was 10.8 million hectares or 62 percent, possessing a vast potential
for further development of the sector.

____________________________________
HEALTH / AIDS

June 14, Agence France Presse
Myanmar reports fresh outbreak of bird flu

Military-run Myanmar has detected a fresh outbreak of bird flu among
poultry north of Yangon and has slaughtered some 1,000 chickens, a
livestock official said Thursday.

The deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu was found in 28 chickens at a private
poultry farm in Bago, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Yangon, in
early June, the official said.

The latest outbreak was confirmed on June 7, said Than Hla, an official
from the livestock breeding and veterinary department. It was the first
bird flu outbreak in Myanmar since late March.

Myanmar has not reported any human cases of bird flu, and Than Hla said
there were no reports of human infection.

Following the latest outbreak, authorities killed about 1,000 chickens at
the farm. Than Hla said there were three suspected bird flu cases, but
officials were still waiting for confirmation from test results.

"It's hard to say when we can declare Myanmar as a bird flu free nation.
We are taking preventive measures in the areas hit by bird flu," he said.

Worldwide, the virus has killed 190 people, according to the World Health
Organisation. Experts fear the death toll would rise sharply if the virus
were to mutate and become easily transmitted between humans.

____________________________________

June 14, Khonumthung News
Diarrhea spreading in Chin state

Diarrhea has killed a number of people in Chin state, Myanmar and the
disease is said to be spreading.

In the first week of June, two thee year old children died of diarrhea in
Pasin village, Matupi Township.

With no doctor available in the in the village the villagers have no idea
what disease actually killed the children. Villagers as such are at the
mercy of infectious diseases. They have to go to a doctor 10 miles from
Pathian tlang village. The doctor is very busy treating other patients,
said a local in Pasin village.

Because doctors are not available in the village, when villagers buy
medicines from private shops they have no idea whether they are buying the
right medicine for the disease. So they take a risk when buying the
medicine. Medicines available, are usually pain killers and for malaria.
Diseases break out in the rainy season but this year the situation is more
serious than last year. More people have died this year than last year
said an official of the Community based Health Care Program (CBHCP).

"While it is very sad we don't know how to take tackle the situation. We
cannot enter the state. The Chin Back Pack health team also cannot reach
that area.

Although the CBHCP makes treatment available to villages as much as they
can, they cannot enter the village where diarrhea is rampant because of a
Burma Army base. The army has been a silent spectator to the situation and
they have done nothing for the patients. On the contarary the army comes
in the way of CBHCP entering the village.

Eight people have died in the first week of June. Three villagers in
Sabawngte Matupi Township , two in La Oo in Thantlang Township and three
in Cakhang village near Mizoram state have died.

____________________________________
DRUGS

June 14, Shan Herald Agency for News
Drug lord's death denied

Sources close to the United Wa State Army (UWSA) have rejected rumors
circulating yesterday about the recent death of Wei Hsuehkang (also
spelled Wei Xuegang), key drug fugitive in Burma wanted by both the United
States and Thailand.

A source who is doing business on the Sino-Burma border claims he ran into
Wei, 61, the day before yesterday, 12 June. "He was very much alive then,"
he said." If he's dead, it must have taken place after the meeting. But
everything in Panghsang (the Wa capital opposite China's Menglien) appears
to be normal."

Ai Xiaohseu, former boss of Wei, was also quoted by a veteran border
security officer as having no knowledge of the news that is making the
rounds: "To my knowledge, only one of his relatives died of cancer two
months earlier."

For more details on Wei Hsuehkang, see box, excerpted from SHAN's report
Show Business at http://shanland.org/drugs/2007/drug-lords-death-denied

____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

June 14, Irrawaddy
Burmese ethnic delegation meets US’s First Lady - Saw Yan Naing

A Burmese ethnic delegation met with the US's first lady, Laura Bush, in
the White House in Washington, DC, o­n Tuesday, calling o­n the US to help
protect ethnic minorities and to promote democracy in Burma.

Lian H Sakhong, the general secretary of the Ethnic Nationalities Council,
said he asked the US government to promote the issues of democratic reform
and restoration of federalism in Burma within the international community,
including China, Russia and Asean.

The ENC delegation also met with seven congressmen, including Rep Joseph
Pitts, and five senators, including senators Richard Lugar and Edward M
Kennedy, during the week.

Lian H Sakhong said the first lady expressed her concern for pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for more than 11
of the past 17 years.

Last month, she called for the immediate release of Suu Kyi and asked
members of the US democratic and republican parties to cooperate in
creating an effective Burma policy. The first lady also noted a group of
US female senators who are working to promote human rights in Burma.

Saw David Taw, the joint secretary of ENC, asked the US government to
support tripartite-dialogue as a solution to overcome the country's
political crisis.

Harn Yawnghwe, the director of Euro-Burma Office, said his organization
will continue its work to develop a "friendship with China and Russia" to
try to win their support, according to the Chinland Guardian.

The two permanent members of United Nations, China and Russia, last year
vetoed placing Burma o­n the UN Security Council agenda.

A Burmese delegation is also scheduled to meet with Ibrahim A Gambari, the
United Nations under secretary-general and a special adviser o­n Burma, at
the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The Ethnic Nationalities Council was established in 2001 by exile ethnic
groups, including Chin, Kachin, Karen, Mon, Arakan and Karenni.

____________________________________

June 14, Epoch Times
Parliament urges democracy leader's release
Group wants Burmese diplomats expelled - Cindy Chan

Canadian parliamentarians have voted unanimously in favour of a motion to
call on Burma's military junta to release renowned democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi from a lengthy detention.

If she is not freed, Canadian Friends of Burma (CFOB) are asking the
government to consider expelling Burmese diplomats from Canada.

Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy and a Nobel Peace
Prize laureate, was first placed under house arrest in 1989, and has spent
11 of the past 17 years in detention.

When Suu Kyi's NLD party won a landslide election victory in 1990, the
junta refused to recognize the result and held on to power. Two days
before her last arrest term was due to expire on May 27, the junta
extended her house arrest for another year.

This was despite international demands for her release, including appeals
from the U.N., the U.S., the European Union, fellow Nobel laureates,
former world leaders, and nearly 40 labour unions worldwide.

Tin Maung Htoo, executive director of CFOB, said the group welcomes the
motion but is not optimistic Suu Kyi will be released soon.

He said CFOB's opinion is that there is "no use in maintaining diplomatic
relations with the Burmese military junta. Their continuous presence in
Canada further legitimizes the military government in Burma, nothing more
than that."

Under harsh military rule since 1962, Burma has been plagued by human
rights abuses, forced labour, severe economic decline, and a humanitarian
crisis due to the junta's attacks against ethnic minorities and political
dissidents. Troops killed thousands of demonstrators across the country
during a pro-democracy uprising in 1988. The regime is currently holding
approximately 1,200 political prisoners.

Tin Maung Htoo said there are other indications of deteriorating human
rights, including more oppression against democracy advocates holding
peaceful prayer vigils for Suu Kyi's release. Su Su Nway, a recipient of
Canada's John Humphrey Freedom award in 2006, was arrested on May 15 along
with about 60 other activists.

Her release after 23 days in detention, reportedly on "health grounds," is
a positive step, said Larry Bagnell. Bagnell chairs Parliamentary Friends
of Burma, a 28-member cross-party group of MPs and Senators working to
support democracy in Burma.

This week an article in Burma's military-controlled newspaper used "very
tough, harsh words" to threaten activists. The message was, "if you
continue to do political activities, you will be punished," said Tin Maung
Htoo.

The motion on Suu Kyi is the second Burma resolution passed in the
Canadian Parliament. The first was a comprehensive motion in May 2005,
with three key recommendations.

In implementing the first recommendation, Canada has openly pressed for a
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution on Burma. In 2006, 50
MPs signed a letter to then-UN General Secretary and UNSC members.

The U.S. and Britain subsequently initiated a Burma resolution urging the
junta to stop persecution and release political prisoners. However, it was
blocked by a Russia and China double veto in January this year.


The two other recommendations were to provide monetary support to the
Burmese democratic movement and to impose tougher economic measures
against Burma. Tin Maung Htoo acknowledged, however, that Canada has "very
limited leverage towards Burma in terms of trade and investment."

Bagnell suggested that Canada and other countries lobby China, India, and
Thailand, which border Burma, to take a stronger stand against the
military dictatorship. Burma has more trade with and economic dependence
on these countries, he said, and in particular "China can stop positive
developments related to Burma in the U.N."

Pointing to such serious crises as heroin trafficking and transmission of
HIV/AIDS, Tin Maung Htoo emphasized that "unless Burma has democracy, all
these issues cannot be solved."

Since the current military rulers took power in 1988, Burma's illicit drug
trade has increased dramatically. CFOB notes that "over half of Burma's
domestic economy is tied to the heroin trade," with ample evidence showing
that the military is benefiting from the profits.

Su Su Nway has become known as "Courageous Su Su Nway" to the people of
Burma, says Tin Maung Htoo, adding that Suu Kyi has become role model for
Burmese activists.

"Suu Kyi is like the hope and inspiration for all Burmese people, the true
symbol of democracy." He anticipates continued action in Burma to advance
democracy, as there are many activists who have devoted their life to this
cause, despite threats and imprisonment.

On the occasion of Suu Kyi's 62nd birthday on June 19, he urged the
Canadian government to go beyond making statements and "do something more
tangible" by considering the expulsion of Burmese diplomats.

____________________________________

June 14, Associated Press
U Thant's daughter launches global education program - Lily Hindy

An institute founded by the daughter of former UN Secretary-General U
Thant has launched a program to connect middle school students in the US
with students around the world, an idea the Burmese diplomat envisioned
during his time in office.

The "Friendship Across Cultures Program" is scheduled to begin in
September with a partnership between the United Nations International
School (UNIS) in New York and the Dae-chi Middle School in Seoul, South
Korea.

UNIS and Dae-chi students will, in addition to other activities,
collaborate to raise funds for school supplies in a third school,
Aberahmane Kahouadji, in Algiers, the capital of Algeria.

Daw Aye Aye Thant, founder and president of the U Thant Institute, which
is based in Connecticut, said raising funds for a third school in a
developing country was a key to the program.

"The third school will be a beneficiary school, so that this will not be
o­nly to learn about each other's cultures but to take responsibility for
your global brothers and sisters," said Thant.

She said future beneficiaries will include schools in Tanzania, Liberia
and Egypt.

Students in the US school and the partner school like the o­ne in South
Korea will communicate by e-mail and video, exchanging experiences and
collaborating o­n a final project o­n peace and understanding to be turned
in at the end of the year.

"I know how much my father wanted this," said Thant, telling a story about
a proposal he made to the UN General Assembly in 1969 for an international
university at the launch here attended by more than 150 people including
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's wife, Ban Soon-taek.

"He knew that ignorance of other cultures is what gives you fear, and it
is by learning about each other's cultures that you develop respect,"
Thant said.

U Thant served as secretary-general from 1961-1971. During his time in
office at the UN, he oversaw the entry of dozens of new Asian and African
states and established a number of development and environmental agencies,
including the World Food Program.

The U Thant Institute, founded in 2003, supports projects that focus o­n
conflict prevention, poverty alleviation and public health, in cooperation
with UN agencies.

The "Friendship Across Cultures Program" was launched with the UN
children's agency, UNICEF, and the UN Education, Science and Cultural
Organization, UNESCO.

____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

June 14, The Star Malaysia
A lesson from Myanmar - Azmi sharom

Transparency is one of the key factors of a democracy. It leads to
efficiency, as one can't hide behind secret meetings and the fog of blame
and counter blame. Alien nation: Suu Kyi's supporters protesting in Yangon
last month.

The usual suspects from one side will chime in with their predictions of
doom and gloom. And the usual suspects from the other side will choose to
ignore those calls or claim western bias or some such nonsense.

It is at times like this that I ask myself, who cares? Apart from the
urban middle classes, does anybody care about human rights, democracy and
all those other words liberals like myself get all hot and bothered about?
Frankly, there are times that I doubt it.

Fortunately, I have friends who are kind enough to show me the error of my
ways. Not by lecturing or preaching, but by existing. One such friend, who
shall remain nameless, is a Myanmar political refugee who has been living
here for the past 15 years.

He left Myanmar because he was a supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi's National
League of Democracy, and harsh repercussions by the military junta for
people such as him was a certainty.

When he left he was a second-year law student. Now he makes his living by
being the best-read car polisher in the Klang Valley. My friend wants to
go home, and a few months ago he was hopeful that the Lady would be
released from her house arrest and that it would be safe for him to do so.

Those hopes have since been shattered and he will have to remain, washing
cars and living life with a cheerful optimism I can only admire.

We may seem to be a million miles from Myanmar in terms of democracy and
human rights. But even a million miles can be reached one step at a time.
It is the constant vigilance against those little steps to tyranny that
makes up the struggle. It is the regular guardedness against complacency
that has to be maintained.

But why do it? Especially if it appears that no one really cares? The
answer is because, despite what little despots might say, democracy is
good for our country; and I would contend that at this point in our
history it is absolutely necessary. Yes, even for the Government.

One of the things I have noticed, particularly these last few weeks, is a
lack of confidence in the government machinery. This is especially vivid
in the public reaction to the high-profile murder trial of Razak Baginda.

There appears to be a lack of confidence in the sincerity of the
Attorney-General's Chambers. The last-minute change in the prosecuting
team and the subsequent delaying of the case has led to numerous
conspiracy theories that ultimately question if we the Malaysian public
will ever get to know the truth, and if justice will truly be done.

This cynicism is not good for any government. A government needs the trust
of its people if it is to be able to do its work properly. Without this
trust, even when things are being done with the best possible intentions,
a nagging doubt as to its truth will surely undermine such efforts.

For example, we need to know that when the Ministry of Health says there
is no dengue epidemic that this is so; and that it is not spin-doctoring
to cover up an unpleasant fact that might pose a danger to the tourism
industry.

This sad state of affairs is partly due to the lack of transparency in our
system of governance. And transparency is one of the key factors of a
democracy. Transparency leads to efficiency, as one can't hide behind
secret meetings and the fog of blame and counter blame, like the recent
fiasco regarding our shoddy public buildings.

Democracy and human rights go hand in hand. Any effort to move away from
these two ideals must be challenged. No matter how useless it may seem.
And who better to do it than the urban middle classes?

If the working classes and the rural segments of our society seem
uninterested it is, in a way, perfectly understandable.

It is inconceivable that when one is worried about the next meal, or the
upcoming school fees, matters such as the freedom of a person to choose
who he wants to worship, or that this country seems to be sliding away
from its secular democratic foundations, will be of any great interest.

As I chat with my friend, I am struck by a realisation. I am lucky to live
in Malaysia and not in Myanmar. However, this feeling is bereft of
smugness or arrogance. I do not think about how wonderful we are compared
with our Asean partner up north. Instead I am convinced we have to fight
even harder to make sure we don't turn into them.

Dr Azmi Sharom is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, University
of Malaya.