By Laura

She’s only 28. And she’s already borne nine children - the last one just six months ago. While I believe that children are gifts, I also believe that gifts come with responsibility. I feel that to leave the conception and bearing of children to chance or fate when you can intervene, to a degree of course, is inexcusable and this when they can ill afford to have another baby. As it is, they have to depend on charity.

I ask her if she's taken steps to stop further pregnancies and she says no. My feelings are mixed. I want to cry because she doesn’t know better. I want to cry because she’s so poor, legacy of an oppressive system and a vicious cycle of learned helplessness. At the same time, I am also angry because I feel she should know better. From my position, I feel that every woman should know instinctively to give the best protection, education, care and love to their offspring, and that if they can’t, they should seriously not consider bringing another kid into the world. Surely she can see what her many children are lacking. The filthy squalor they live in alone is reason enough not to have more children and I haven’t even started on education which is every child’s right.

Her toddlers lie on the cold, sticky and slimy floor of the bare flat - half naked, sharing a dirty bottle which contains what looks more like “kopi susu” than “susu”. The older ones sit with dirty faces and hair staring vacantly, flashing their white teeth in wide grins when I smile at them. I feel pity for them. And her. But I also feel a little angry that she brought them into the world, to a life of abject poverty - without their permission. They did not ask to be born and to be subjected to such a life.

RCI Must Establish Cause of Teoh’s Death and Have Credible Members to show Najib’s sincerity

We, the undersigned civil society organisations (CSOs) say “NO” to the “lame duck” Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on the late Teoh Beng Hock which Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak intends to set up.

We demand that the RCI to be given specific and comprehensive Terms of Reference [TOR] to clear all doubts pertaining to Beng Hock’s mysterious and torturous death.

We fully support the position of the Malaysians for Beng Hock Movement that the TOR of the proposed RCI must include the following:

a. Investigating thoroughly and identifying the cause of Beng Hock’s death, especially identifying the cause of bruise which appeared on his neck.

b. Reviewing and reforming the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation protocols to be in line with human rights standards and international best practices.

c. Identifying the political, administrative and criminal responsibility of all individuals or institutions whose decisions and acts had directly or indirectly led to the death of Teoh Beng Hock and recommending specific actions to charge or penalize these individuals;

d. Investigating into other allegations of torture, illegal detention and other misconducts by MACC if and when necessary and proposing reforms in the formal procedures of and actual practices in MACC investigation and interrogation.

In upholding the cardinal principle of transparency, we demand that the Report of the RCI and all related documents be made available to the public, without conditions.

Transparent Appointment of RCI Members

In order to show his sincerity in seeking the truth and justice, the Prime Minister has to ensure transparency and independence in the selection and appointment of RCI members.

The selection panel must include representatives of the Teoh family, Bar Council, Selangor State Government and human rights community to ensure full consultation and credibility.