Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Christian groups demand proof of converting Muslims using aid
- US Downgrade Leaves Markets Facing Turmoil
- PAS info chief tells Jais not to smear Islam
- BN can only win Selangor through fraud, says Teresa
- Christian groups on drive to convert Muslims, Malay papers report
- DAP raps MCA for carping about church raid
- Sluggish MCA may weaken BN campaign for Selangor, sources say
- Sarawak’s old ‘warriors’ worth only RM100 a month
- ‘Umno must sack Razaleigh’
- PAS leaders give their take on JAIS's church invasion
- Street Protests: Anwar Ibrahim's Trademark
- Umno claims can win Selangor with big majority
| Christian groups demand proof of converting Muslims using aid Posted: 05 Aug 2011 08:14 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Christian groups are calling for evidence behind two Malay dailies' allegations that they are trying to convert Muslims through welfare aid. Berita Harian and Harian Metro reported today that certain Christian organisations were hiding behind the guise of welfare aid by offering monthly cash allowances of at least RM1,000 to hard-hit Muslims and their families in an attempt to turn them into Christians. The pro-Barisan Nasional newspapers' allegations came after the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and the police raided a multiracial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in Petaling Jaya last Wednesday night, based on a report that the Christian-majority crowd was allegedly proselytising to Muslim guests. "If you're saying that Christians give RM5,000, now you convert, show the proof," Council of Churches of Malaysia general secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri (picture) told The Malaysian Insider today. "By making this statement, they're trying to disrupt the good relations between the religious communities in the country by taking on the Christians," he said. Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia recently accused Christians of plotting to take over the government and claimed that the July 9 Bersih rally was funded by Christian organisations. The controversial Jais raid has increased religious tension in the country, where churches were fire-bombed last year and Christians were barred from referring to their god as "Allah". Shastri pointed out that Muslims also did welfare work. "As a result, some are being converted to Islam because they see the good work of the Muslims," he said. "If a person gives RM10,000 and you convert, that's wrong. But if person is often in a home, then leaves the home, is impressed by Catholic sisters and becomes Catholic, what's wrong with that?" asked the pastor.
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| US Downgrade Leaves Markets Facing Turmoil Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:46 PM PDT |
| PAS info chief tells Jais not to smear Islam Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:22 PM PDT By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — PAS information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has reminded Selangor religious authorities not to create unnecessary controversies that could sully Islam, the state government and its own name. The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) sparked a nationwide uproar after raiding a multi-racial dinner at a church in Petaling Jaya — together with the police — last Wednesday night without a warrant, based on an allegation that the Christian-majority crowd was proselytising to Muslim guests. "Any action must not be seen as meddling in other religion(s)," Tuan Ibrahim (picture) was quoted as saying in PAS newsletter Harakah Daily today. "Jais should also ensure that investigation is carried out in a transparent manner and every action must be according to procedures, even after confirming the reliability of the information it received," added the Pahang PAS commissioner. He pointed out that the tendency to believe in an accusation and the tendency to arouse suspicions could now be seen in the brouhaha over the raid. Hence, Jais should not create unnecessary controversies, although it may want to justify its actions in the name of defending Islam, Harakah Daily quoted Tuan Ibrahim as saying. PAS's Selangor executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali has defended the raid, claiming that Christians had used the words "Quran" and "pray" in front of Muslims, which he noted was a breach of Islamic law. Tuan Ibrahim, however, said the two lessons that could be learned from the controversial raid were that one should not believe slanders without investigations, and that one should not act in a way that attracts undue suspicion. The PAS ulama explained his view using an anecdote from his teaching days at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), where he recalled that he was uncomfortable when he was served juice at a Malay restaurant in a glass with a beer label. He had asked the restaurant owner to replace the glass, telling him that although the juice was halal, "the sight of the glass could invite suspicion and slander among my students about me and your shop".
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| BN can only win Selangor through fraud, says Teresa Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:45 PM PDT
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider PUCHONG, Aug 6 — Barisan Nasional (BN) can only recapture Selangor in the coming polls by resorting to electoral fraud, Selangor state executive councillor Teresa Kok said today. The Selangor DAP chief said she was not surprised with Selangor Umno infomation chief Abdul Shukor Idrus's claim that BN will trounce Pakatan Rakyat (PR) with a 20-seat majority in the country's richest state. "If they claim that, that proves...all the evidence found out by Pakatan Rakyat on electoral fraud is proven correct," Kok (picture) told reporters today. The Seputeh MP pointed out that PAS leaders told her they found 400 permanent residence (PR) holders in Hulu Selangor registered as voters. PR has recently highlighted allegations of election irregularities, such as foreigners and PR holders being included in the electoral roll. Selangor PAS reportedly claimed that more than 1,000 PR holders in Selangor have been registered as voters. In May, PKR also claimed evidence of Umno's attempt to convert over 2,000 permanent residents into full citizens to secure a BN victory in Hulu Selangor. "If this goes on, how not to lose so many seats?" lamented Kok. "I've no doubt that Umno will control Selangor if they continue to use all these dirty tactics," added the Kinrara assemblyman. The Malaysian Insider reported today Abdul Shukor claiming that BN will win in at least 38 of the state's 56 seats, in comparison to the 20 it won in the 2008 election when PR captured the country's most developed state. He attributed BN's pre-empted victories to a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to an estimated 65 per cent, saying it was fuelled by a growing disenchantment with the current PR-led state administration and feverish ground work by Umno leaders humbled by their shocking losses in 2008.
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| Christian groups on drive to convert Muslims, Malay papers report Posted: 05 Aug 2011 02:37 PM PDT By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — Two Malay dailies alleged today that Christian organizations are carrying out covert missions to convert poverty-stricken Muslims by offering them cash, free food and housing in a follow-up to a controversial church raid this week. In its frontpage story titled "Sogok wang gadai akidah" ["Cash bribes faith pawned"], Berita Harian reported that certain organizations were hiding behind the guide of welfare aide and offering all manner of monthly cash allowances of at least RM1,000 to hard-hit Muslims and their families in an attempt to turn them into Christians. The pro-Barisan Nasional newspaper did not name any of the organizations but posted a pixelised photo of a woman on its cover, which it captioned as "Jasmine admits receiving aid from a community church in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya". Last Wednesday, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) partnered the police and burst in on a multiracial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya based on a report that the Christian majority crowd was allegedly proselytizing to Muslim guests, triggering a nationwide uproar. The religious enforcement force, which answers directly to the Sultan of Selangor as head of Islam in the frontline state, has been slammed for purportedly violating the rights of the minority non-Muslim community. Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Hasan Ali broke ranks with the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration when he rose to defend Jais' act, which he said was based on a complaint that the Christians had used the words "Quran" and "pray" in front of Muslims which he noted was a breach of Islamic law. While not referring to any specific church, the national Malay daily said, "Each participant is promised a 'new life' by the organisation's leader who portrayed himself as a 'saviour' if he follows the arranged programme, including changing his religion." It cited interviews with two former participants whom it named only as "Adazhan" and "Jasmine" who "admitted" to having received such aide and taken part in the programmes out of desperation. Adazhan, said to be in his 30s, claimed he had been trained to become a "priest" for 10 years and convert his Muslim family. "Before, I was given RM500 a month. For those with wives, they get an extra RM300 and RM 100 for each child… Now, the amount of financial aid has increased and it is understood some get more than RM1,000 a month," Berita Harian quoted him as saying. "I believe many have been duped after swallowing the persuasion and feel obligated with the aide received. Only, they fear to change their religious status in their MyKad," Adazhana told Berita Harian yesterday. Jasmine, whom the paper said was detained last Wednesday during the Jais church raid, revealed that Muslim participants were "forbidden to believe in Prophet Muhamad [pbuh], but was asked to follow the teachings of 'Nabi Isa' [Prophet Jesus] through talks and songs during the entire function". "They promised to settle all problems before the target is brought to attend the get-to-know you sessions and secretive talks. Usually, interest to join the organization arises after listening to speeches from religious leaders from Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia," reported Berita Harian quoting the woman as saying, adding she joined the church organization two years ago. Bestselling Malay tabloid Harian Metro also highlighted a similar story on its front page today under the title "Kami diberi Bible versi Melayu" [We were given Malay Bibles]. It alleged that Christian evangelists were using the "soft approach" to persuade Malays to convert from Islam to Christianity. |
| DAP raps MCA for carping about church raid Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:47 PM PDT
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider The MCA has no right to denounce the DAP over its purported silence on the state religious Islamic authorities' raid on a church as the Chinese party has been powerless when non-Muslims' rights are threatened, Teresa Kok said today. The Selangor DAP chief pointed out that her party has expressed its "dissatisfaction" with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) Wednesday late-night raid on Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC). "MCA is a party that is least qualified to talk about political courage," Kok told reporters today. "Umno has done so much nonsense against MCA and the non-Malay community, yet MCA still sticks as Umno's partner," added the Seputeh MP. The Star reported today MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek challenging the DAP to show political courage by condemning the raid. Kok said, however, that the MCA banned its members from joining the July 9 Bersih 2.0 rally after the polls watchdog was outlawed, despite knowing that people were unhappy with the "unfair" electoral system. "Whatever Umno announces, they just support and follow all the way," she said. Kok also pointed out that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang has decried the Jais raid and called it "deplorable". Jais enforcement officers swooped in on a dinner function at DUMC late Wednesday night without a warrant based on an unspecified complaint, bringing with them a team of policemen. Between 100 and 120 people, including several Muslims, attended the non-religious event to celebrate NGO Harapan Komuniti's success in helping women, children, HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.
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| Sluggish MCA may weaken BN campaign for Selangor, sources say Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:20 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Umno may be brimming with confidence that it can recapture Selangor in the next elections but there are fears that a lethargic MCA could lose the game for the coalition, local party leaders here have said. Pointing fingers at Selangor MCA chief Datuk Donald Lim's purportedly lacklustre leadership, one party leader even predicted a total wipe-out for MCA in the frontline state, saying the party may not even retain its present two state seats. "We should have learned, but we did not. MCA does not even have an operations centre ready for the polls yet. "Our leaders are not working the ground, meeting the people. Voters do not know their faces and in this day and age, such candidates will have no chance at all at winning," one state MCA leader told The Malaysian Insider on condition of anonymity. The leader said that unlike MCA, Umno members, fuelled by fear of a second political tsunami, hit the ground running since 2008 and have been actively engaging with their electorate to woo support. The leader explained that BN has identified 879 district polling centres (PDM) in Selangor and have appointed a leadership line-up in every one, each tasked to provide service to the identified catchment of voters in every PDM unit. "With this system, the leaders can concentrate on a specific number of voters... say like 100 homes or so and Umno has been working very hard, organising functions and meet-the-people sessions, attending to grouses and giving welfare aid and so on. "But for MCA, we may even struggle to win back our two state seats — Kuala Kubu Baru and Sungai Pelek," said the leader. The veteran politician however said a shift was still possible and listed four seats that MCA could wrest from the opposition in the coming polls — Balakong, Sekinchan, Teluk Datuk and Kajang — all of which were lost with marginal majorities in Election 2008. "But this still banks on the quality of the candidates. We cannot have those who lost previously re-contesting the seats. And we must have local candidates who know the electorate well," said the leader. Another MCA leader also complained of disillusionment among party members and a clear disconnect between potential candidates and voters, grown more apparent by the former group's reluctance to engage with their electorate. A third MCA leader told The Malaysian Insider that MCA candidates who lost in the 2008 polls had even shut down their service centres after their defeat, instead of boosting efforts to regain lost support. The Malaysian Insider understands that Umno strategists have predicted that with a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to nearly 65 per cent, the party will win in at least 25 out of the 35 state seats it will contest in the polls.
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| Sarawak’s old ‘warriors’ worth only RM100 a month Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:13 PM PDT (FMT) - KUCHING: In an age when even a school-going child's pocket money is no less than RM1 a day, Sarawakian veterans who defended the country against communists and terrorists are only worth RM100 a month. That is the appalling situation facing several aging former Sarawak Rangers and Iban Trackers. These men spent most of their entire life away from family and friends defending the country. Briefly the Sarawak rangers were a para-military force founded in 1892. They were highly skilled in jungle warfare, western and native weaponry and were mobilised to defend the state and country during the Japanese Occupation in 1942 and later during the Malayan Emergency and Borneo Frontation. In 1963 the Sarawak Rangers were absorbed into the mainstream and they became part of the Royal Ranger Regimet. But their services received little recognition despite their contribution to the nation's security. The lived in the shadows of their peninsular 'brothers' and eventually the government and the national defence fraternity forgot them. Their worth to the government and nation was priced their worth at RM100 a month, a paltry sum described as a "cost of living allowance" (Cola) too shocking to digest for some. A veteran airforce personnel, who has made Sarawak his home, was stumped when he heard the quantum. "The policymakers are mad … they're living in a bubble…How can any man live on 100 ringgit these days? "Cost of living here in Kuching is now three times costlier than it used to be in the 70s. "Can you imagine the situation in the rural areas, interior?," he asked drawing attention to rampant reports of spiralling prices of consumer good in the rural and interior areas of the state. A few months ago following the withdrawal fo subsidies on fuel and sugar, FMT reported that in rural Sarawak price of a litre of kerosene had shot up to upto RM5.50 a litre and sugar, rice and coooking has also skyrocketed by pver 30%. Unsung heroes Meanwhile the shocking disclosure of the RM100 allowance for Sarawak Rangers and Iban Trackers has spawned several calls to the government for a immediate review of allowances for these unsung 'heroes'. Parliament's Deputy Speaker, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, said the Cola should be reviewed and made on par with the national poverty index. "Its time and I am very supportive of the idea. I feel they should receive RM750 a month which is at par with the poverty line index. "These war veterans deserve a higher allowace as a token of appreciation for the service they rendered to the country," he said recently. Sarawak state Minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing who shared Wan Junaidi's view that a review was necessary has suggested that the widows of those killed during the war, also be included in the upgrading. "Most of the surving veterans and the widows of those killed are old now…An increase in allowance will be a gesture of the government's appreciation for their sacrifices in protecting the country in the early days," he said. Political will needed
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| Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:04 PM PDT
By Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, FMT The most practical thing Umno can do if it thinks Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is plotting some palace coup to overthrow the 'emperor without clothes', is to sack him from Umno. I repeat sack him. Afterall Umno, the party which member of parliament Zahrain Hashim- who 'received' enlightenment and was delivered from the dark side into the loving embrace of Barisan Nasional- supports appears to have ignored the veteran and influential leader. So if Razaleigh forms an organization of like-minded individuals to operate, why should Umno and Zahrain be unduly disturbed? Is he just plain envious that the almost forgotten Umno veteran and the prime minister we never had is now enjoying filial respect and is held in reverence as he should be? Tengku Razaleigh could in fact be the only person who can salvage Malaysia from rapacious business and the political oligarchs. Or perhaps he is already sensing that the embrace of BN is actually the embrace of a female tarantula spider or the death ending embrace of female praying mantis? While the Pakatan Rakyat would certainly welcome Tengku Razaleigh being with them, they are also aware of his fanatical devotion to Umno's founding principles. Razaleigh is unlikely to abandon Umno. So Umno must sack him. Brownie points As for Zahrain's diatribes against Pakatan Rakyat, it should be dismissed. He just wishes to score brownie points and endear himself to the supreme leader. Judging from his (Zahrain's) insecure position for the next general election, he had better worked out or worked up on some issues to gain prominence. That is probably his only incentive behind his virulent attack on and allegations against Pakatan and Tengku Razaleigh. In his latest diatribe he has challenged Nik Aziz to swear that he hasn't met Tengku Razaleigh for the purpose of asking the latter to lead Pakatan. To people like Zahrain, its useless to deny or insist that nothing of that sort took place. The only way to argue with him is to actually say yes, such a meeting or indeed meetings took place. If so then what? Nik Aziz or whoever else is free to meet whomsoever they choose even the Pope himself. Can we make the inference that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was seeking the Pope's blessings when he met up with the head of the Catholic church? Political opportunism It's a puzzle why Zahrain should begrudge the Pakatan even if they make overtures to the influential Razaleigh? Isn't it their aim to unseat the present ruling government and do it through democratic means?
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| PAS leaders give their take on JAIS's church invasion Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:32 AM PDT
(Harakah Daily) - PAS leaders have made their views known over the action by the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) to intrude on a dinner event at a church in Petaling Jaya citing complaints about "proselytization to Muslims". PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man explained his view about the latest incident by giving a personal anecdote which took place during his teaching days at UiTM. "The shop owner too could be accused of selling alcoholic drinks.
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| Street Protests: Anwar Ibrahim's Trademark Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:12 AM PDT By Haider Yutim, Malaysian Digest Anwar the Young Activist |
| Umno claims can win Selangor with big majority Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:51 AM PDT By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider KLUANG, Aug 6 — Umno is confident that Barisan Nasional (BN) will trounce Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in Selangor in the coming polls with a whopping 20-seat majority, allowing the pact to form a strong government in the frontline state. Selangor Umno infomation chief Abdul Shukor Idrus told The Malaysian Insider that this time, BN will win in at least 38 of the state's 56 seats, in comparison to the 20 it won in the 2008 election when PR captured the country's wealthiest state. He attributed BN's pre-empted victories to a significant increase in Malay voter support from about 50 per cent in 2008 to an estimated 65 per cent, saying it was fuelled by a growing disenchantment with the current PR-led state administration and feverish ground work by Umno leaders humbled by their shocking losses in 2008. "So although we cannot say that we are extremely comfortable yet, we are confident that we can win Selangor," he said when met at his service centre here this week before the state Islamic affairs department triggered a controversy by raiding a Petaling Jaya church. The Kuang assemblyman however said the 38 seats only covers the state's rural and suburban areas where he claimed the electorate has less access to the Internet, social media tools and the alternative media. "The big issues and all that are centred in the cities but they have less influence in the rural areas. In the cities, everyone uses the Internet. But outside, a lot just read the papers... they read more Utusan (Malaysia)," he said, smiling. The first-term assemblyman said certain national issues often played up by PR leaders would only affect Selangor's more urban electorate, particularly those living in constituencies within the city areas where PR's influence is deemed the strongest. Abdul Shukor said Umno has identified 18 such seats, categorised as "black areas", which the party admits would be close to impossible to win. Among some of the seats identified are Subang Jaya, Bukit Lanjan, Bukit Tunku, Balakong, seats within the Petaling Jaya Utara and Selatan parliamentary constituencies and seats contested by PR bigwigs like PKR deputy president Azmin Ali. Abdul Shukor said although BN has not given up on these "black areas", it would only focus its efforts in the 38 seats identified as winnable. Of the 38, he said, it is hoped that MCA can contribute between four and seven seats while MIC has expressed confidence in two seats — Batu Caves and Ijok. The remaining seats are to be snapped up by Umno. The Malaysian Insider understands that the ruling party will field candidates in 35 seats and has identified 25 seats as guaranteed wins, up seven seats from the 18 it won in Election 2008. Abdul Shukor said Indian community support for the Najib administration has also seen vast improvement, particularly because of Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu's decision to step down as MIC president late last year and the appointment of two MIC leaders to ministerial posts. He also claimed that Chinese support has increased, albeit marginally, purportedly because of certain grouses among the business community towards the PR government. For the Malay votes, Abdul Shukor said Umno party leaders have been working hard on the ground to campaign for votes through hosting constant community programmes, doling out financial aid to the needy and keeping the electorate constantly engaged. "We go house to house, we give out to aid single mothers, the poor. We even fix roofs and broken drains... even toilet repairs," he said. As an example, Abdul Shukor said that he has made it a point to visit at least 20 homes every Friday since he was elected. He stressed that only local and hardworking candidates who have put in enough time will win Selangor for BN, particularly in the suburban and rural constituencies. "Here, they do not care about the national issues... things going on in KL, for example. They are more concerned about the individuals they are voting for. They want someone who they know, they like and who can look after their needs," he said.
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