Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- The hudud hubbub
- The lazy country
- Because of NFA
- Stupid law, stupid results part II
- Yo, Yo. Check it out. He's Namewee!
- Celebrating Malaya being Conquered
- Hudud held back by lack of consensus
- WIKILEAKS: TRANS-PENINSULA PIPELINE: JUST A PIPEDREAM?
- Police: No sabotage or terrorism link to Empire Gallery blast
- Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas'
- Indians ‘kingmakers’ in 130 state seats
- Namewee calls Utusan ‘trash’
- Sodomy II: Anwar tells PM, wife, to explain meeting with Saiful
- ‘Anwar’s moles digging Najib’s grave?’
- Pakatan leaders likely to close ranks
- Oct 18 hearing for Anwar’s application on tax payable
- Ex-MAS chairman in out-of-court settlement with Malaysian Insider
- Nik Aziz: ‘Saya jamin hudud tidak libatkan bukan Islam’
- Of wet dream, nightmare and Marty McFly
- Can hudud be applied to non-Muslims?
- Najib gets a drubbing over ‘Community Chest’
- Explosion rips through Empire Gallery, four hurt
| Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:39 AM PDT By Kapil Sethi (TMI) Has PAS decided it is better to continue ruling a state or two than take a shot at running the country and maybe lose a state or two? It certainly looks like it when Nik Aziz Nik Mat reiterates his insistence on turning Kelantan into a medieval caliphate, complete with gibbets, stoning and amputations. But why is the issue of implementation of hudud, which is after all a part of wider sharia, such an emotive issue that it has the potential to dramatically affect electoral fortunes? Why are the likes of Mahathir Mohamad, Chua Soi Lek, Nik Aziz, Lim Guan Eng and Karpal Singh so invested in this issue to issue rapid fire statements in this regard? There are significant differences of opinion not only between PR and BN, but internally too between Umno and the MCA, and between the DAP and PAS. Clearly while the image of Malaysian Islam is at stake, the issue goes beyond being an internal Muslim community debate. At its core it is actually a debate between liberals and conservatives, tradition and modernity, regression and progress, and the state versus the individual. While the concept and principles of hudud may be relatively benign, it is the eye-catching nature of the punishments that distort perception. Logically, is there a big difference in hanging people or beheading them, or between flogging people behind bars or in public? The conflict arises because in the Western paradigm of progress, justice must shift broadly from a retributive to a rehabilitative paradigm. Therefore, the increasing anger in the developed world over the execution of convicts. In a broad sense the liberal worldview sees itself as focused on individual liberty and as such humane, reformist and modern, and conservatives as barbaric, retributive and medieval. The conservative worldview equally believes in the primacy of social good and that the modern condition of an absence of shared values is leading to a soulless world plagued by rising crime, greed and anarchy, the solution to which is in a return to original guiding principles that fostered social cohesion in an earlier time. Therefore, the perception of the nature and impact of hudud depends on how well these differing worldviews mirror our own. Conservatives, whether Muslim or otherwise, feel much more comfortable with the status quo than with change. In an era of rapid technological driven change and rising economic uncertainty, they look for reassurance in that which is perceived as timeless such as traditional occupations, traditional social and familial bonds, and traditional spirituality and religion. For this group the answers to the problems of modernity are all around in a past based on a set of unchanging values, whether it is caning our children if they break the rules or in chopping off the hands of those who steal. Liberals on the other hand want to deal with the uncertainties of modernity by advocating even more change. Broadly in Malaysia, this seems to boil down to the advocacy of reform in every sphere. Reform the police to reduce crime, reform the government to save the people and reform children through love. While we are at it why not just a general slogan of Reformasi? But for a lot of everyday people the boundaries are not so clear cut. Especially in urban areas, people are forced to juggle the tightrope of both tradition and modernity. The reaction to the very cosmopolitan demands of urban public life is often a retreat into tradition in our private lives. English at work and the vernacular at home, foreign holidays and balik kampung, respect for other races and faiths in public and looking down on them at home — these contradictions are real and present in what is termed Middle Malaysia. This is why every politician recognises the power of this issue. Are rural voters who are comfortable with tradition more important the urban voters who have given up on the past in the quest for a brighter future? Or is it the large mass of people in between who handle these apparently contradictory philosophies quite easily in their daily lives the most important? Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/the-hudud-hubbub/ |
| Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:35 AM PDT Lazy people should be made to bear the consequences of their own doings. Greece is not the only lazy state on this planet. By Tay Tian Yan (MySinchew) The menace that Greece poses to the world today is comparable to the threats of Alexander the Great to conquer the world 2,000 years ago. Alexander the Great launched his tireless assaults across thousands of miles of terrain, much to the fright of the world. Today, the self-destructive Greeks are taking global finance system for a ride, and vows to trample stock markets worldwide. The trumpets heralding an imminent downturn of global proportions chill the bones of many. Two millennia ago, the Greek troops scourged a vast mass of land stretching all the way to India, but the debt crisis of modern-day Greece has a spillover effect that easily wraps up the entire planet. Just as governments across the world are cracking their heads to seek workable solutions to fix Greece's problems, and entrepreneurs and investors lamed under the mounting pressure thanks to the debt crisis of the Mediterranean state, the Greeks respond by holding one after another street parties. Greece's transport workers, civil servants, teachers, etc. take to the street for massive strikes, which are pretty common in that country, some having their dates scheduled all the way to next month. The objective of the demonstrations and strikes is to protest against the government's decision to trim wages, pensions, benefits and subsidies as well as an intention to perk up taxes. The measures adopted by the Greek government have been made to satisfy the demands of IMF and other creditors. Their rationale is straightforward: Greece needs to fix its own house before it can secure foreign assistance. The Greek economy has headed downhill since its admission into the Eurozone club. Nevertheless, the government has remained lavishly generous and its people addicted to all the benefits and enjoyments befitting the people of a developed state. Everyone wants a comfortable life, and the government has to issue bonds to meet their needs so that they can continue with their extravagant lives and the government continues to get a ticket to rule. As such, the government hires a multitude of civil servants. One in ten employed Greeks draws his salary from the national coffers, complete with all the perks. In addition to easy work, they can advance their retirement benefits after they turn 40. In the event they pass away, their children can inherit the annuities. The private sector is just as lucrative. The government continues to fork out medical subsidies, education, food and accommodation bills. You don't need to worry about the taxes, for the enormous underground economy offers a way out for tax evaders through bribes. Over the decades, Greece has evolved into a Lazy Country, where the people are unproductive, the government incapable and the country uncompetitive. When the mountain of debts begins to fall apart and all the prosperity turns into bubbles, the people remain recalcitrant with their good old life. They would rather take to the street than to soberly accept a more simplistic and thrifty lifestyle. They believe they can go on with the good life by holding on to the Euro Big Brother Germany or holding the world for ransom. But, the world has already got sick of Greece. Many economists feel that Greece should be thrown out of the Eurozone, or allowed to go bankrupt. Only utter destruction could give Greece a ray of hope for regeneration. Lazy people should be made to bear the consequences of their own doings. Greece is not the only lazy state on this planet.
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| Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:11 AM PDT By One Malaysia Towards the end of August, a notification was sent as to alert the respective departments about the syndicate that just hoisted some cash in terms of the Money Changer robbery in KLIA in September 2011. No actions were taken at all from any of the departments that were alerted. The letter was sent to various departments; the immigration, SPRM, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, the Secretary General, Lembaga Getah Malaysia and DAP but none chose to respond to it. If only someone from the above-said departments had taken the initiative to investigate further, this whole episode could have been prevented. The person who MASTERMINDED the whole thing (KUMARAN THANIMALAI I/C NO. ************) is now comfortably settled with his family overseas (Europe) under the dependent pass of his wife (who is attached to Lembaga Getah Malaysia) who is there to further her studies. The ironic part is there was even a mention, with details, on the person who is now being hunted by the police. According to some reliable sources, the said person (Sritharan) is now either in Sarawak or in India. Just to re-establish the fact, Sritharan is the younger brother of Kumaran. And the interesting substance is, Kumaran left the country in the first week of September itself and this robbery happened within 3 weeks. Kumaran and Sritharan share a close relationship with Tamilselvam A/L Sinnaiah IC No. ************ (who is behind bars as of now) and also with Mr. Vijay, MACC, Putrajaya (TEL NO: **********).This is the same Vijay who was caught by the Sepang Police for the investigation with regards to this KLIA robbery investigation. Again, out of my highest concern to our precious Malaysia and her well-being as a loyal citizen, all details can be extracted out from Kumaran Thanimalai as he is the master-planner of this KLIA robbery incident. As he is on a dependent pass, it should be easier to bring him back for full questioning so that not only this robbery case is solved but other matters as said in the earlier letter. Please take this matter seriously as this is the second time it is being sent. If only the first was treated with concern, this whole embarrassing episode could have been prevented. ONE MALAYSIA From: To: zakariah@lgm.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:44:05 +0800 From: To: kpi@imi.gov.my; kaisan@imi.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:43:01 +0800 From: To: shahrir@lgm.gov.my; amzaimah@lgm.gov.my; fauzi@lgm.gov.my; suhawati@lgmn.gov.my Subject: FW: Mdec Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:42:01 +0800 From: To: kpkpm@moe.gov.my; hishammuddin@moha.gov.my Subject: Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:41:23 +0800 Y. A. B. Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan
Approximately 10 years ago, a Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai(herewith referred to as 'the former') bearer of the IC No. ******-**-****, utilized his Malaysian passport for the benefit of 'exporting' an illegal immigrant from India to Europe. This special operation is done smoothly through a network of syndicates specializing in transferring self-printed illegal Malaysian currency. Once the transfer is done, the former then quickly lodged a police report stating that his passport was lost/ stolen. In actual case, the said passport was alighted as having some legal issues in an foreign country. Since then (till 2010), it has been a struggle for the former to obtain a new passport in spite of numerous attempts and struggles, not forgetting other means & methods too. Then, came a time last year, when an officer by the name of Mr, Vijay (MACC Head Office, mobile number **********) to provide 'special assistance' in obtaining a new passport for the former. This was accomplished by Mr. Vijay in using his 'influence' & 'power' and not to mention his ability in misusing the MACC power entrusted to him by our Malaysian government to liaise with the Kementerian Dalam Negeri department officers alongside with two immigration officers. An alliance was formed and after much negotiation, a new passport was processed & released in the name of the former with no hassle at all. The price for this is a special all-paid-for trip to Indonesia. This was arranged by Mr. Vijay and of course was handsomely & gratefully paid for by our Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai. With such a convenient ally, the former started asking more 'legal' favours from Mr.Vijay which of course the latter obliged happily. Even a land scandal investigation that involves Mr.Sritharan (Mr. Kumaran's brother) is terminated& closed by MACC, and of course by our wise Mr. Vijay from MACC Headquarters. And of course, these favours are also extended by other personnel from the Malaysian Government agencies & offices too. Another worth mentioning incident being the significantly pending (for a few months) payment for a Proton Iswara car (WPJ ****) which is used by Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai but the HP loan is registered under his beloved wife, Mdm. K******** (bearer of IC No. ******-**-****) who works in a reputable position in LGM, Jln Ampang. One lump sum payment was settled using the illegal self-printed Malaysian currency which of course by then was already being circulated in the market to be legalized. To spice all these up, Mrs. Kumaran has been offered to pursue her studies in Europe by LGM and this opportunity is taken to the benefit of this couple to migrate to a well-known country in Europe in the pretense on studying abroad for 2 years. They have taken the necessary steps to leave the country as soon as possible (very soon indeed). Another interesting turn of event here is, which adds icing to the cake…..The couple has conspired to use up the MDEC grant of value RM3.0 million which is to be offered to the ever-cunning Mr. Kumaran Thanimalai on his latest 'achievement' in obtaining the MSC status for his partnership company, Perfect Colour Sdn. Bhd. very recently. And of course, this was also achieved through the influence our very dear Mr. Vijay & not forgetting a few personnel from the higher authority in the Government bodies. This MDEC grant is to be utilized for the purpose of research & development in the particular IT field for the enhancement of IT in Malaysia but again, it will be misused. Another loss for the MDEC of Malaysia in terms of releasing grants to an undeserving citizen.
Please take the necessary actions to investigate this matter as all of the above issues involves not only immorally wrong but also involves a large amount of currency exchange which can be channeled for a better cause. This is supposed to be public serving personnel with good & conscious mind and money of the public to be used for the development of our nation.
ONE MALAYSIA
Your Sincerely, Citizen of Malaysia
cc – 1. YAB TAN SRI DATO' HJ MUHYIDDIN HJ. MOHD YASSIN, 2. Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia |
| Stupid law, stupid results part II Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:05 AM PDT If a matter as serious as Perak power grab can be brought to several round of court hearing, then how come a set of electoral roll ladden well proven to be full of issues, is not subject to judicial review? By Lee Wee Tak In the run up to an anticipated snap GE, the prime minister dangled previously unimagined sweet promises. Najib: We value an independent judiciary PUTRAJAYA: The prime minister said that his administration respects and understands the need for an independent judiciary. "My administration is committed to an independent judiciary, which is an essential ingredient in nation-building," Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in his speech during his maiden visit to the Palace of Justice (POJ), here yesterday, which houses the Federal Court and Court of Appeal. http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Najib_ISArepealedtomakeMalaysiabestdemocracy/Article/ Najib: ISA repealed to make Malaysia best democracy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, he got a very easy thing to do to prove how serious he is with regards to those lofty goals and put away the ghost of Perkasa torpedoing his previous flagship called NEM (not to mention a tragic waste of tax payers' money succumbing to subcontractor of some sorts to a political party) Take a look at this section of Election Act, 1958.  Whoever drafted this piece of injustice is basically telling the judiciary to f@#k off if a concerned tax payer notice something amiss with the electoral roll. Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2011/09/stupid-law-stupid-results-part-ii.html#more |
| Yo, Yo. Check it out. He's Namewee! Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:44 AM PDT
People question his controversial lyrics, but few actually try to understand what he wants to say. By Dan Lim
Namewee, does this name do anything for you? Actually, when he created the song 'Negarakuku' many people were pissed as hell. Many called him a traitor because he had apparently insulted the Malaysian anthem. The issue was heavily politicised. Many asked for his citizenship to be revoked. He received death threats. People were camping outside his house in Muar. His father was ridiculed for "not teaching his son enough." Yes, "Negarakuku" was certainly crude. He opened the Pandora's Box by touching on the rather sensitive issues that few Malaysians dare touch. And I believe I need not mention what I mean by those. Actually, fuck all these. He's a hero alright. People question his controversial lyrics, but few actually try to understand what he wants to say. In that particular song, he spoke about social injustice in Malaysia. He spoke about the social problem in Malaysia. What he did was to state the truth, about what has happened in Malaysia. He is not a politician, and certainly does not have any political allegiance. People feign ignorance. They know that there are serious problems with Malaysia. They choose to be quiet as long as they can make money and eat. But not to him; he knew that something must be done to set things straight. He does not need to be polite with what he says to please the people. Only politicians do. When he doesn't like what he sees, he speaks about it. In the end, he is an artist. He chose to speak it in his own way. Let's be realistic. If he chose to convey his message through other means, such as writing an opinion piece to a newspaper or whatnot, will it reach the people this easily? I doubt that it will even be published. Even if it does, the impact will be really insignificant. Mainstream media in Malaysia are freaking mad. Their writings mostly consist of propaganda, who's bonking who and whatnot. Social injustice will never be important to them as they will focus on things like Rosmah visiting an orphanage and what a 'penyayang' she is. That is why we cannot expect them to highlight all these things that matter to us. It is akin to hoping a cat will grow horns, as the Malay proverb goes. (I'm studying journalism, by the way. And I don't know why the fuck I chose this subject in the first place.) I am sure that the average Malaysian does not like to read. They care more about sensational news like gossips or sex scandals of politicians. I bet my RM100 on this. That is why we need people to take the first step. And that is what Namewee did in 2007. Since then, a lot of discussions have been going on about race relations in Malaysia, and it is certainly a nice development. Not all people agree with what he did, but it sure has raised awareness among Malaysians though there are still many close-minded people that hate him. 4 years have passed. And he surprised us with his new film Nasi Lemak 2.0. The development of the film was hampered by lots of problems but nevertheless, he completed it in order to show his idea about the relationships amongst the various races in Malaysia. It has been well received by Malaysians. The film genre such as Nasi Lemak 2.0 has been rare since the last film by the late Yasmin Ahmad. From then till now, I can see that he is maturing. He might well be the next person that plays an important role to change the social landscape of Malaysia in future. Good luck, Namewee. |
| Celebrating Malaya being Conquered Posted: 28 Sep 2011 09:18 AM PDT If Malaya can celebrate being conquered, why not celebrate the day the Japanese took over Malaya on 8th December? And while we are at it, celebrate 14th January as the date which the Dutch took over Malaya. Or how about the day when the Dutch handed over Malaya to the British? Why not celebrate that too? By John Doe I call your attention to this WEBSITE: Here is what happened on that day. The attack was successful and the Portuguese finally succeeded in establishing a bridgehead in the town. There were then several days of siege in which the Portuguese bombarded the city. On 24 August 1511 the Portuguese again attacked only to discover that the Sultan had escaped. With Malacca now in Portuguese hands, they sacked the town. However, following Albuquerque's orders, they respected the property of those who sided with them. B. W. Diffie and G. D. Winius in the book "Foundations of the Portuguese Empire 1415-1580" write: "the capture of Malacca by a mere 900 Portuguese and 200 Indians must rank as an event in the history of European expansion no less stunning than the better known conquest of Tenochtitlan by Hernando Cortés"." So, on 24th October, the Ketuanan Sultan in Malacca died. Is this what the upcoming celebrations are about? On that day, hundreds died by canonball fire, and the city was razed to the ground. Is this what the celebration is about? On that day, Malacca stopped being a state of China, as per requested personally by Bai-li-mi-su-la on the 11th Nov 1405. Is this what the celebration is about? If Malaya can celebrate being conquered, why not celebrate the day the Japanese took over Malaya on 8th December? And while we are at it, celebrate 14th January as the date which the Dutch took over Malaya. Or how about the day when the Dutch handed over Malaya to the British? Why not celebrate that too? Back to Malacca. Not only is the Malaysian Government celebrating the attack which brought about the death and misery of many Malayans, it made the Portuguese into Bumiputras as well!! So, it is timely that I bring up this question. And the question is: "Were those fighting against the Portuguese Troops heroes, or were they villains?" Without waiting for an answer, I'll chime in the next immediate question: "Were those against fighting the British in 1950 heroes or villians?" Back to the Portuguese again. How come the invaders are made Bumiputras? Should all invaders be Bumiputra then? Is this how *Mahathir bin Kutty al Kerala* came to be PM? Back to the earlier statement of mine. The records clearly show that Malacca BEGGED to be part of China. Here is the Translation for those who are unaware: OK UMNO, the ball is back in your Court. How many times have I told you all NEVER to fight against Soldiers of Truth? We will not hesitate to use our keyboards or pens to bash you till you are black and blue. Lastly, I want you to look at the following pictures, and see if you notice anything strange about them: Picture of *Malaccan Portuguese* And now compare the above to pictures shot in Portugal:  and here's a second one also shot in Portugal, thrown in for good measure:  Point is NOT to bash the Portuguese. I have far too many good Portuguese friends whom I love dearly. Point is actually directed at UMNO, with the following pictures. An Indian??:  A Cambodian Buddhist:  Yes, Angelina holds a real Cambodian Passport!! And a Bugis Costume worn by the Prime Minister and her husband:  *Perhaps 31st August was actually a Celebration that Malaya was conquered by UMNO!!* So, last question; those fighting against UMNO, are they Villains or Heroes? |
| Hudud held back by lack of consensus Posted: 28 Sep 2011 08:16 AM PDT
Islamic law cannot take place without DAP's agreement, agreed Pakatan leaders tonight. (Free Malaysia Today) - PAS' hudud dreams in Kelantan remained just that today after Pakatan Rakyat agreed that it has to have a consensus among all three partners – PAS, PKR and DAP – for the Islamic law to be implemented. At the same time, the pact also agreed not to stop PAS from raising the hudud issue again. More importantly, Pakatan noted that any implementation of the Islamic law in Kelantan, or even nationwide when Pakatan comes to power, would need a constitutional amendement first in the parliament. "Pakatan respects the PAS initiatives and aspirations (to implement the hudud in Kelantan), but we have to reach a consensus… DAP is opposed to that and PKR and PAS respect that decision," said Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim after a lengthy Pakatan meeting tonight. He said that Pakatan respected PAS' and PKR's support for the implementation of hudud in Kelantan just as it respected DAP's opposition to it. "However (a change to Islamic law) requires a Pakatan Rakyat consensus and an amendment to the (Federal) Constitution, and DAP's position is that they are not supportive of that particular proposal," he told reporters at the PAS party headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut. The meeting, attended by all Pakatan top leaders, started at about 9pm and ended almost after midnight. Anwar was the only leader who spoke at the press conference. The PKR supremo said that Pakatan's leaders acknowledged the existence of the Second Syariah Kelantan Criminal Enactments 1993 and the Terengganu Syariah Criminal Enactments 2003. "Both enactments are already there, but there is a need to refer to Pakatan Rakyat because it involves federal constitution amendments… As it stands, the matter is a non-issue," he said. Anwar said the need for a Pakatan consensus on the matter does not mean PAS will be stopped from talking about implementing hudud laws. "This is not an Umno-controlled Pakatan Rakyat. We respect the right of people to present their case, ask questions and raise the matter… To deny PAS to articulate their position is not fair," he said. Victory for DAP Kelantan menteri besar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat immediately said that the state was ready for hudud laws, a move which was supported by Anwar in his personal capacity. However DAP was opposed to the idea as it claimed that implementation of Islamic laws was not part of Pakatan's common policy framework.
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| WIKILEAKS: TRANS-PENINSULA PIPELINE: JUST A PIPEDREAM? Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:00 AM PDT
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER Raja Petra Kamarudin
1. (U) Summary: According to recent press reports, the Malaysian Government has approved plans for a US$ 7 billion oil pipeline across northern peninsular Malaysia near the Thai border, with a large storage facility in the middle and a refinery at each end. The pipeline is portrayed as a shorter and more secure alternative to shipment through the Straits of Malacca, through which about 18,000 crude carriers pass annually. The GOM recently granted exclusive rights to develop the pipeline to Trans-Peninsula Petroleum (TPP), a small, little-known Malaysian company operated by two former Petronas executives. At this stage, there appear to have been no serious assessments of the project,s economic viability or its potential environmental impact. Moreover, there are no indications that the necessary financing is in place. The Malaysian firm SKS Ventures has been approved to build the refinery in Yan at the west coast end of the pipeline. (Note: SKS Ventures is the same Malaysian company that reportedly signed an MOU with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to develop the Golshan and Ferdos gas fields in Iran (reftel)). According to press reports, NIOC will help SKS Ventures finance the US$ 2.2 billion refinery, while a Saudi firm has signed a memorandum of agreement with TPP to "help secure oil supplies" for the pipeline. Petronas, Malaysia's national oil company, does not appear to be involved. Domestic politics may be a bigger driver for the project than the potential economic payoff. End summary. Pipeline Partners 2. (U) On May 28, Trans-Peninsula Petroleum Sdn. Bhd. (TPP), which holds exclusive rights from the Malaysian government to develop a trans-peninsular pipeline from Kedah to Kelantan, signed several memoranda of agreement with partners, according to press reports. These included Malaysian company Ranhill Engineers and Constructors and Indonesia's PT Tripatra Engineers and Consultants. In addition, Indonesia's PT Bakrie & Brothers reportedly will supply the steel pipes and Saudi Arabia's Al-Banader International Group will help secure oil supplies. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and Indonesian President Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the margins of the Third World Islamic Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur. Purpose of the Project 3. (U) The proposed pipeline is portrayed as a shorter and more secure alternative route for Middle Eastern crude oil en route to the Asia/Pacific region which would enable some vessels to avoid the congested Straits of Malacca. According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, approximately 43 million barrels of crude oil are transported by ship each day. More than 25 per cent of that volume transits the Straits of Malacca. A trans-peninsular pipeline theoretically could provide an alternative that would reduce risks from piracy and terrorism while easing the expected increase in shipping traffic as the demand for energy grows in the Asia/Pacific region, especially in China. Traffic congestion is aggravated periodically by the reduced visibility caused by a blanket of haze produced during several months of the year by raging brush fires in the region. Plans As Presented to the Press 4. (U) The proposed 193-mile pipeline would run from Yan in the state of Kedah on the west coast to Bachok in the state of Kelantan on the east coast, with a storage facility midway between in Jeli, Kelantan. The storage center would be designed to hold 90 percent of the system's capacity. Construction reportedly would begin in mid-2008, with the first phase completed in 2011, at which time the pipeline would become operational and generate income to help finance phases two and three. The first phase is estimated to cost US$ 2.3 billion and would have a capacity of storing 60 million barrels and transporting 2 million barrels per day (bpd). At completion of the third phase, targeted for 2014, capacity would reach 180 million barrels of storage and 6 million bpd throughput. 5. (U) The project plans offshore mooring facilities at each end of the pipeline, built to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) which require a minimum depth of 25 meters. Many smaller Asia/Pacific ports cannot accommodate such large carriers because of depth requirements; for example, the maximum depth of the Port of Hong Kong is 15.5 meters. Therefore, oil destined for Hong Kong is carried on smaller ships such as the Aframax class, with only a 60-80,000 ton capacity as compared to the 210-250,000 ton capacity of a VLCC. TPP claimed to the media that 60 per cent of the crude carriers passing through the Malacca Straits are smaller vessels, which take on average 21 days to travel from the Middle East to Japan or China. The proposed pipeline would allow VLCCs to transport crude from the Middle East to Yan where it would be pumped into the pipeline. Smaller Aframax carriers would fill up at Bachok and transport the crude to Asia/Pacific ports. TPP predicts the pipeline would divert about 20 per cent of the crude being shipped through the Straits. Pressure on the Environment 6. (U) Malaysia,s Department of Environment has not received an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and does not plan to begin an evaluation until after the companies have submitted financial protocols to the Ministry of Finance, according to press reports. The proposed route traverses the Titiwangsa mountain range, several major rivers, and Lake Temengor in the Belum Forest Preserve. TPP reportedly is working with the state governments of Kedah, Perak, and Kelantan to acquire a 100-meter wide corridor of land across the three states. Opposition MPs have raised concerns in Parliament over the delay and possible avoidance of an EIA and claim the GOM is looking for loopholes to commence the project without concern for environmental impact. 7. (SBU) An Amcit engineer working for a large international oil company told econoff that it would take about 40 hours to empty a VLCC into the pipeline. He was skeptical of claims that much time would be saved, and even more concerned about potential environmental implications, including those involved with building and maintaining the pipeline and the increased risks of spillage and leakage involved with pumping the crude off the ship, across the peninsula, and then back onto another ship at the other end. A similar project was proposed in 2004 for the Isthmus of Kra in Southern Thailand, but never materialized although the distance involved would be shorter and the terrain less challenging. Profit or Politics? 8. (U) How the pipeline will be financed remains unclear. TPP is not listed on the Bursa Malaysia; therefore, little information is available on the company. A press report described TPP as a "small, loss-making company owned by two little-known Malaysian businessmen." Parliamentary sources characterize TPP as a very small entity, registered in the state of Perak and with a listed capital base of RM 150,000 (about US$ 45,000). Press reports attribute self-contradictory statements to both the GOM and TPP with regard to whether this would be a completely private, for-profit venture or a government-led "development initiative." In April, Deputy Prime Minister Najib was quoted as insisting that the proposal was "purely a commercial initiative." However, on May 7 Prime Minister Abdullah was quoted saying that the project was one of the government's major initiatives to develop Malaysia's northern and eastern regions. On May 28, the press quoted TPP Chairman Mohamed Kamil Sulaiman saying, "The savings in using our pipeline to the oil producers, to oil traders, is enough to even pay for one month of storage." However, on May 29 another press article reported that an unnamed TPP source had said the company wanted the GOM to have a "golden share," giving the federal government veto rights over other shareholders, and saying that the project was an essential element of the national economic development plan for the northern and eastern corridors. 9. (SBU) Bachok, the proposed east coast endpoint of the pipeline, is little more than a fishing village just south of Kota Bharu, the state's capital city. However, it happens to be located in the home district of Deputy Finance Minister and UMNO parliamentarian Awang Adek. The State Government of Kelantan is controlled by the opposition Islamic Party of Malaysia, PAS, which holds a mere one-seat majority in the state assembly. In typical rivalry, PAS wants the endpoint of the pipeline in the PAS-controlled parliamentary district of Tumpat, located just north of Kota Bharu nearly on the Thai border, where port facilities already exist. Jeli, the proposed site for the storage facility, is the home district of Minister of Higher Education Mustapa Mohamed. Yan, at the western end, is the home turf for Syed Mokhtar, owner of SKS, one of Malaysia,s richest men and a strong financial supporter of UMNO. Skepticism Among Petroleum Professionals 10. (SBU) An Amcit shipping industry executive told econoff he had mixed views about the project. On the one hand, he was skeptical that the pipeline would be economically viable, given the high costs involved in building it and the minimal time and distance saved. However, he pointed out that economic viability might not be the driving factor. Rather, he saw the project as part of a broader attempt by Malaysia,s leaders to cozy up to the Islamic world, pointing to NIOC's agreement to help finance SKS Ventures' refinery in Yan and Petronas' eagerness to do business with both Iran and Sudan. Moreover, given current oil prices, oil companies around the world are trying to maximize production, he said. The shipbuilding industry can't keep up with demand, and oil companies in the Middle East are absorbing Malaysian human capital, offering people with any experience in the industry three to six times their current salaries. If oil prices remain what they are, he said, congestion in the Straits of Malacca will only worsen, increasing the need for such a pipeline. 11. (SBU) Several Malaysian oil and gas industry experts also expressed mild skepticism in conversations with econoff about the pipeline, but none was prepared to dismiss the idea completely. One Malaysian executive working for a large energy company told econoff he had heard a number of people speculate that TPP was just a front company for someone else -- how could a small, unknown company have the capacity for such a massive, multi-billion dollar project? He also found it strange that Petronas was not involved. Separately, a reporter told poloff that Petronas did not want to have anything to do with the project. Pipeline or Pipedream? 12. (SBU) Comment: The typical order of business for major projects in Malaysia is: someone has vision, companies rush in to acquire "exclusive rights," and only after that are feasibility studies conducted, numbers crunched, and environmental impacts (possibly) assessed. With an expected world-wide shortage of refinery capacity over the next decade, the package might be more attractive for the proposed refineries at each end than the pipeline connecting them. At this stage, deals have been struck on paper, but there appears to have been no solid analysis of the economic viability or the environmental risks of this project. However, these might not be the deciding factors. If Malaysian federal and/or state governments step in to assist, construction contracts and other deliverables to favored parties may become more important than the payoff from the completed project. With elections expected before spring 2008, pipeline development would provide many opportunities to reward UMNO supporters with lucrative contracts regardless of whether or not the project makes long-term sense. The refinery and pipeline in Bachok would be seen as a potential UMNO deliverable and might just tip the balance in a PAS-controlled state shortly before the election. If environmental concerns subsequently stymied the project, it would offer a face-saving way out after the election, even if UMNO carries the state. In any case, until financing is secured this pipeline is probably just a pipedream. LAFLEUR (June 2007)
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| Police: No sabotage or terrorism link to Empire Gallery blast Posted: 27 Sep 2011 09:52 PM PDT
By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider SUBANG JAYA, Sept 28 — The police have ruled out sabotage and terrorism as being behind this morning's explosion that ripped through Empire Gallery here, confirming the blast was caused by a gas leak that could have been due to negligence. Deputy Selangor CPO Datuk A. Thaiveegan told reporters at the scene that the complex, which comprises a 12-storey office suites tower, five-storey shopping mall, a nine-storey SOHO (small office home office) and a 10-storey hotel, will be closed to the public indefinitely. "Many have called to ask if the incident was caused by sabotage or terrorism. From our early investigations, no proof was found to indicate this. "Meaning, there was no sabotage and no link to terrorism. We regard this as an accident, which could have been caused by negligence," he said. Fire and Rescue Department personnel, police, its forensics unit and the Energy Commission (EC), he said, will press on with investigations to discover what caused the leak. "We know it was a gas leak ... but what caused the blast? There must have been a spark," he said. He also confirmed that the police would be stationed at the mall throughout investigations to prevent any looting from the damaged mall outlets. In the 3.30am incident here, a gas explosion ripped through the mall, causing severe damage to at least five floors. Some 170 hotel guests and 10 SOHO tenants had to be evacuated, while four individuals sustained minor injuries. Hundreds of security and safety personnel, government agency officers, engineers and architects were deployed to monitor the chaotic scene, which had calmed considerably by this afternoon. At press time, the authorities were still inspecting the scene and have yet to allow the mall's management and experts to enter the premises.
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| Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas' Posted: 27 Sep 2011 08:58 PM PDT
Historic and culturally important landmarks are being destroyed to make way for luxury hotels and malls, reports Jerome Taylor In the eyes of Wahabis, historical sites and shrines encourage "shirq" – the sin of idolatry or polytheism – and should be destroyed. When the al-Saud tribes swept through Mecca in the 1920s, the first thing they did was lay waste to cemeteries holding many of Islam's important figures. They have been destroying the country's heritage ever since. Of the three sites the Saudis have allowed the UN to designate World Heritage Sites, none are related to Islam. Independent UK Click HERE to download graphic: Mecca For The Rich (430.39kB) Behind closed doors – in places where the religious police cannot listen in – residents of Mecca are beginning to refer to their city as Las Vegas, and the moniker is not a compliment. Over the past 10 years the holiest site in Islam has undergone a huge transformation, one that has divided opinion among Muslims all over the world. Once a dusty desert town struggling to cope with the ever-increasing number of pilgrims arriving for the annual Hajj, the city now soars above its surroundings with a glittering array of skyscrapers, shopping malls and luxury hotels. To the al-Saud monarchy, Mecca is their vision of the future – a steel and concrete metropolis built on the proceeds of enormous oil wealth that showcases their national pride. Yet growing numbers of citizens, particularly those living in the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina, have looked on aghast as the nation's archaeological heritage is trampled under a construction mania backed by hardline clerics who preach against the preservation of their own heritage. Mecca, once a place where the Prophet Mohamed insisted all Muslims would be equal, has become a playground for the rich, critics say, where naked capitalism has usurped spirituality as the city's raison d'être. Few are willing to discuss their fears openly because of the risks associated with criticising official policy in the authoritarian kingdom. And, with the exceptions of Turkey and Iran, fellow Muslim nations have largely held their tongues for fear of of a diplomatic fallout and restrictions on their citizens' pilgrimage visas. Western archaeologists are silent out of fear that the few sites they are allowed access to will be closed to them. But a number of prominent Saudi archaeologists and historians are speaking up in the belief that the opportunity to save Saudi Arabia's remaining historical sites is closing fast. "No one has the balls to stand up and condemn this cultural vandalism," says Dr Irfan al-Alawi who, as executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, has fought in vain to protect his country's historical sites. "We have already lost 400-500 sites. I just hope it's not too late to turn things around." Sami Angawi, a renowned Saudi expert on the region's Islamic architecture, is equally concerned. "This is an absolute contradiction to the nature of Mecca and the sacredness of the house of God," he told the Reuters news agency earlier this year. "Both [Mecca and Medina] are historically almost finished. You do not find anything except skyscrapers." Dr Alawi's most pressing concern is the planned £690m expansion of the Grand Mosque, the most sacred site in Islam which contains the Kaaba – the black stone cube built by Ibrahim (Abraham) that Muslims face when they pray. Construction officially began earlier this month with the country's Justice Minister, Mohammed al-Eissa, exclaiming that the project would respect "the sacredness and glory of the location, which calls for the highest care and attention of the servants or Islam and Muslims". The 400,000 square metre development is being built to accommodate an extra 1.2 million pilgrims each year and will turn the Grand Mosque into the largest religious structure in the world. But the Islamic Heritage Foundation has compiled a list of key historical sites that they believe are now at risk from the ongoing development of Mecca, including the old Ottoman and Abbasi sections of the Grand Mosque, the house where the Prophet Mohamed was born and the house where his paternal uncle Hamza grew up. There is little argument that Mecca and Medina desperately need infrastructure development. Twelve million pilgrims visit the cities every year with the numbers expected to increase to 17 million by 2025. But critics fear that the desire to expand the pilgrimage sites has allowed the authorities to ride roughshod over the area's cultural heritage. The Washington-based Gulf Institute estimates that 95 per cent of Mecca's millennium-old buildings have been demolished in the past two decades alone. The destruction has been aided by Wahabism, the austere interpretation of Islam that has served as the kingdom's official religion ever since the al-Sauds rose to power across the Arabian Peninsula in the 19th century. In the eyes of Wahabis, historical sites and shrines encourage "shirq" – the sin of idolatry or polytheism – and should be destroyed. When the al-Saud tribes swept through Mecca in the 1920s, the first thing they did was lay waste to cemeteries holding many of Islam's important figures. They have been destroying the country's heritage ever since. Of the three sites the Saudis have allowed the UN to designate World Heritage Sites, none are related to Islam. Those circling the Kaaba only need to look skywards to see the latest example of the Saudi monarchy's insatiable appetite for architectural bling. At 1,972ft, the Royal Mecca Clock Tower, opened earlier this year, soars over the surrounding Grand Mosque, part of an enormous development of skyscrapers that will house five-star hotels for the minority of pilgrims rich enough to afford them. To build the skyscraper city, the authorities dynamited an entire mountain and the Ottoman era Ajyad Fortress that lay on top of it. At the other end of the Grand Mosque complex, the house of the Prophet's first wife Khadijah has been turned into a toilet block. The fate of the house he was born in is uncertain. Also planned for demolition are the Grand Mosque's Ottoman columns which dare to contain the names of the Prophet's companions, something hardline Wahabis detest. For ordinary Meccans living in the mainly Ottoman-era town houses that make up much of what remains of the old city, development often means the loss of their family home. Non-Muslims cannot visit Mecca and Medina, but The Independent was able to interview a number of citizens who expressed discontent over the way their town was changing. One young woman whose father recently had his house bulldozed described how her family was still waiting for compensation. "There was very little warning; they just came and told him that the house had to be bulldozed," she said. Another Meccan added: "If a prince of a member of the royal family wants to extend his palace he just does it. No one talks about it in public though. There's such a climate of fear." Dr Alawi hopes the international community will finally begin to wake up to what is happening in the cradle of Islam. "We would never allow someone to destroy the Pyramids, so why are we letting Islam's history disappear?" Under Threat Bayt al-Mawlid When the Wahabis took Mecca in the 1920s they destroyed the dome on top of the house where the Prophet Mohammed was born. It was thenused as a cattle market before being turned into a library after a campaign by Meccans. There are concerns that the expansion of the Grand Mosque will destroy it once more. The site has never been excavated by archaeologists. Ottoman and Abasi columns of the Grand Mosque Slated for demolition as part of the Grand Mosque expansion, these intricately carved columns date back to the 17th century and are the oldest surviving sections of Islam's holiest site. Much to the chagrin of Wahabis, they are inscribed with the names of the Prophet's companions. Ottomon Mecca is now rapidly disappearing Al-Masjid al-Nawabi For many years, hardline Wahabi clerics have had their sites set on the 15th century green dome that rests above the tomb holding the Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar in Medina. The mosque is regarded as the second holiest site in Islam. Wahabis, however, believe marked graves are idolatrous. A pamphlet published in 2007 by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, stated that "the green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet's Masjid". Jabal al-Nour A mountain outside Mecca where Mohammed received his first Koranic revelations. The Prophet used to spend long spells in a cave called Hira. The cave is particularly popular among South Asian pilgrims who have carved steps up to its entrance and adorned the walls with graffiti. Religious hardliners are keen to dissuade pilgrims from congregating there and have mooted the idea of removing the steps and even destroying the mountain altogether.
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| Indians ‘kingmakers’ in 130 state seats Posted: 27 Sep 2011 06:21 PM PDT
A PKR survey revealed that urban and semi-urban Indians are still partial to the Pakatan Rakyat coalition (Free Malaysia Today) - A PKR leader is of the opinion that the Indian community is still very much aligned to Pakatan Rakyat and will be the kingmakers in 130 state assembly seats. Malacca vice-president G Rajendran said that a recent survey by an independent team indicated that 60 percent of Malaysian Indians, who were mostly from the urban and semi-urban areas, were fed up with the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration. He claimed that the team, which included him, had visited 62 parliamentary constituencies where the respective Indian communities had played a major role in deciding the winning candidates in the historic 2008 general election. "We've been doing the survey for the last six months. The feedback is favouring Pakatan," he told FMT. According to him, Indians will play a pivotal role in the coming general election. "The survey revealed that the outcome of 130 state assembly seats in Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Johor, will be determined by Indian votes," he said. (A parliamentary constituency has three to four state assembly seats.) Rajendran said currently the BN leaders are playing a "psychological war" with the Indian community. They are pitting the Indian community against Pakatan leaders by saying the community is unlikely support the opposition party. "These are utter lies… the Indian voters still have faith in Pakatan. "Pakatan has excellent state governments in Kedah, Kelantan, Penang and Selangor respectively," he added. Rajendran pointed out that only 15% of the Indians are now living in estates and rural areas, based on the survey. "This is the group that MIC is focusing on. They (MIC) are hoping that by sorting out this group's simple needs it is enough to win at the ballot box," he said, adding that this group was still true loyalist to BN. Rajendran, however, believes that despite MIC's forays, the rural Indians are unlikely to turn against Pakatan in the 13th general election, even though the community is facing numerous problems to vote. "Many of the voters have no transport to go to the voting centres. "Some do not have identity cards and others are too complacent or are not interested to vote," he said. He added that that there should not be a comparison between a by-election and a general election, where in the former, the BN can give its full attention to the rural areas where Indian reside. He also said the BN would also have trouble convincing the 20% Indians who lived in urban areas to vote for the ruling regime. "BN cannot 'touch' them (urban Indian) at any cost. "Thus, the remaining 65% of the Indians who live in the semi-urban are now seen as the real threat to both sides," he said.
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| Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:59 PM PDT
Rapper and Nasi Lemak 2.0 director comes out with a scathing YouTube video in response to attacks by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia (Free Malaysia Today) - In his usual acerbic style, rapper Wee Meng Chee (better known as Namewee) has come out guns a-blazing against Utusan Malaysia for their attacks on him. Through a YouTube video entitled "Namewee F–k Utusan!!!", the Nasi Lemak 2.0 director slammed the Umno-owned newspaper for claiming that he had offended the Malays. "(The role of the) newspaper is to report, report! You are judging people. You don't write to shiok sendiri (please yourself)." "That kind of newspaper runs down Malaysians, runs down the people… You have a pen, you have a keyboard and you're considered a reporter," he belted out sarcastically in Malay, along with a series of expletives. "Trash newspaper! Scum of society! Trash writer!" he added. Wee was responding to an article entitled "Bukan Nasi Lemak 2.0, soalnya Namewee" (It's not Nasi Lemak 2.0, the question is Namewee) by Utusan feature writer Fauziah Arof. Fauziah stressed that she would not watch Wee's Sept 8-released movie even if she was given free tickets. In several volleys against the rapper, she claimed that he had offended Malaysians, especially the country's "Malays and Muslims". The newspaper said it was strange for Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz to receive Wee without taking action against him. Fauziah also claimed that the rapper was given "too much face" and rubbished Wee's support of the 1Malaysia concept. "Who is this Namewee, and what is so special about him?" she asked, adding that she had no problems with local films, and was willing to spend money to watch "Malay films". In his nearly three-minute-long video, Wee did not appear to be amused with Fauziah's words.
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| Sodomy II: Anwar tells PM, wife, to explain meeting with Saiful Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:47 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's defence team insisted today the prime minister and his wife are relevant witnesses for the opposition leader's ongoing Sodomy II trial. In his affidavit-in-reply to Datuk Seri Najib Razak filed today, Anwar said he needed the PM to come to court not to show he was involved in a "conspiracy, but to get clarification" on the latter's meeting with Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan on June 24, 2008, just two days before the alleged sodomy act took place. Anwar raised similar points in a separate affidavit-in-reply to Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, saying he wanted her to explain because she had given a witness statement to the police officer in charge of the ongoing sodomy case, DSP Jude Pereira. The High Court is set to hear tomorrow, Najib's and Rosmah's twin applications to skip the trial, which resumes on October 3. "Datuk Seri Najib has said, 'subpoena, I'll come'," Anwar told reporters at court this afternoon. He repeated he was disappointed the PM was reneging on his word. "They have said they are not relevant witnesses and their evidence is not material to the case," Anwar's lawyer, Sankara Nair said, referring to the PM's and Rosmah's affidavits. "We are saying it is," Sankara added. Both Najib and Rosmah were subpoenaed last month after they refused to take part in closed-door interviews.
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| ‘Anwar’s moles digging Najib’s grave?’ Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:40 PM PDT
An Utusan Malaysia columnist suggests that the opposition leader's loyalists may have infiltrated strategic government bodies to topple Najib. (Free Malaysia Today) - Utusan Malaysia, the daily which is no stranger to controversies, has now claimed that Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's loyalists may have infiltrated strategic government bodies. And their motive, according to the Umno-owned publication, was to provide the opposition with confidential information to undermine Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. However, columnist Zaini Hassan who wrote the article titled "Musang berbulu ayam dalam badan-badan strategik kerajaan?" (Wolves in sheep's clothing in strategic government bodies?) did not name the agencies involved. He also stated that he was not sure if this was a mere coincidence or a well-crafted plot. But if it was the latter, the writer warned that it was a dangerous situation which could jeopardise the current government. "The information I received shows that it is real and evident," he said. According to Zaini, the information he had obtained revealed that the "enemies within" were feeding the opposition with confidential information pertaining to Najib such as details on the costs of the prime minister's official trips and holidays abroad. The article also suggested that certain strategic bodies now appeared incapable of performing their tasks following the presence of these "elements". Zaini's informant had stated: "I do not wish to provide more examples, but see for yourself how a federal government agency (the name kept confidential) with the important task of defending the policies of the government and to make the public understand (about these policies) so that they would support the prime minister, could absorb and even use the intruments of the opposition working to 'kill' the prime minister." "This is the victory of Anwar Ibrahim, delivered by his strongman in that particular organisation, and (who) is still slowly bringing in (more of) Anwar's people. The applications to bring in new officers are pending with the JPA (Public Service Department) and SPA (Public Service Commission)." On Najib's overseas trips and holidays, the informant had asked how could the opposition obtain such detailed information in an expeditious manner.
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| Pakatan leaders likely to close ranks Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:35 PM PDT
Opposition coalition will most likely reach an accommodating and conciliatory stand to appease Kelantanese and also the larger segments of Malaysians, say analysts. (Free Malaysia Today) - Despite hogging the headlines the last two weeks, the hudud controversy is unlikely to break the opposition coalition but instead will force it to focus on common policies, say political analysts. They were asked to comment on the possible outcome of Pakatan Rakyat's meeting tonight which will be attended by the top brass of the coalition, like PAS president Abul Hadi Awang and DAP chairman Karpal Singh. Political analyst James Chin said that the hudud issue has been lingering since the Islamisation process which former primer Dr Mahathir Mohamad started in the 1980s. "The current controversy is merely a political game which has little impact on the electorate. It's being blown up by the mainstream press in order to break up Pakatan," said Chin. He does not foresee a break-up of Pakatan but rather the controversy will force the coalition to focus on common-ground policies such as the welfare state. Chin said that social justice was part of Islam's message, adding that there would be little compromise on behalf of PAS, the Islamic party in the coalition. The controversy surrounding hudud began when PAS spiritual leader and Kelantan Menteri Besar, Nik Aziz Nik Mat, said that he would want to implement hudud in Kelantan. His call was backed by PKR de facto leader, Anwar Ibrahim, last week. Alarmed, DAP openly criticised PAS over the matter with Karpal vehemently voicing his opposition, saying that Pakatan leaders had agreed to support a secular state. Nik Aziz likened DAP to "a small child who is scared of ghosts", saying that hudud had nothing to do with non-Muslims and thus DAP had no reason to oppose it. This locking-of-horns between two coalition stalwarts, Chin said, was normal as both bigwigs of the coalition were trying to "play to the gallery of their supporters". "Do you expect Karpal to say otherwise? Or do you expect the spiritual leader of an Islamic party to say that he does not support hudud?" asked Chin. When asked if the voters were savvy enough to understand that this was a political game, the Monash University lecturer nodded in the affirmative, saying people knew that matter was an old one and a non-issue. Another political analyst, Abdul Aziz Bari, echoed Chin's sentiments, saying that tonight's meeting will be "conciliatory and accommodating" as there were larger issues to focus on. "Judging by the cordial meetings among the coalition's secretaries-general a few days ago, I think it is going to be conciliatory and accommodating to all. They will appeal to the Kelantanese and to the larger segments of Malaysians," he said.
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| Oct 18 hearing for Anwar’s application on tax payable Posted: 27 Sep 2011 05:26 PM PDT
(The Star) - The High Court has set Oct 18 to hear an application by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to review the taxation imposed in his RM100mil defamation suit against former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Deputy registrar Farah Hana Hashim set the date after meeting Anwar's lawyer S.N. Nair in chambers yesterday. Nair said Dr Mahathir has also filed for a cross review of the taxation amount. "A senior assistant registrar has ordered Anwar to pay RM120,000 to Dr Mahathir (over the suit at the High Court stage). We are disputing the taxation amount," he said. On Jan 27, 2006, Anwar filed the suit against Dr Mahathir for allegedly portraying him as a man with no morals who was dangerous to Malaysian society. The High Court had struck out Anwar's suit with costs on July 4, 2007. On Oct 20, 2009, the Court of Appeal threw out an appeal by Anwar because the memorandum of appeal was not in Bahasa Malaysia. Last year, the Federal Court had dismissed the point of law raised by Anwar's lead counsel Karpal Singh in his leave application to appeal over his RM100mil defamation suit against Dr Mahathir. The point of law raised was whether the grounds of judgments which were written in English, are invalid.
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| Ex-MAS chairman in out-of-court settlement with Malaysian Insider Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:57 PM PDT
(The Star) - Former Malaysia Airlines executive chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli confirmed on Wednesday to record settlement with The Malaysian Insider in his defamation suit against the online news portal. The terms of settlement will be recorded on Friday before the High Court judge Justice Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal. Tajudin had named the proprietor of The Malaysian Insider Sdn Bhd, The Malaysian Insider chief executive officer/editor Jahabar Sadiq and its reporter Shazwan Mustafa Kamal as defendants in the suit filed on Aug 18. In his lawsuit, Tajudin claimed the defendants had published defamatory words about him on their website in an article titled "MACC clears A-G of graft allegations" on May 31. The words in the article meant that MAS lost RM8bil during his tenure as its executive chairman between 1994 and 2001, he said. In his statement of claim, Tajudin contended that the words also implied that complaints had been lodged against him for the loss and that he was dishonest in his dealings with MAS, saying the words suggested he had abused his position for his own pecuniary advantage and acted unprofessionally. Alternatively, he said, the words also meant that he had perpetrated a fraud on MAS by making secret profits in transactions involving MAS and was guilty of improper conduct and should be subjected to investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The defendants, he claimed, had replied in a letter dated June 20 that the words were not defamatory and that they had multiple sources to the words, of which some were in public domain. He had earlier sought general damages of at least RM200mil and other relief deemed fit by the court.
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| Nik Aziz: ‘Saya jamin hudud tidak libatkan bukan Islam’ Posted: 27 Sep 2011 04:38 PM PDT
(The Malaysian Insider) - Dilihat sebagai usaha berterusan mahu meyakinkan bukan Muslim, Menteri Besar Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat hari ini memberi "jaminan" undang-undang hudud jika dilaksanakan tidak akan dikuatkuasakan ke atas bukan Islam. Mursyidul Am PAS ini berkata undang-undang itu yang diusahakan sejak 17 tahun lalu untuk dilaksanakan di Kelantan hanya meliputi masyarakat Islam. "Saya memberi jaminan jika hukum hudud dilaksanakan di Kelantan, ia tidak akan dikuatkuasakan ke atas bukan Islam sebab hanya meliputi umat Islam," kata Nik Aziz dalam mesej menerusi laman sosial Facebook hari ini. Ia merupakan mesej ketiga daripada Nik Aziz sepanjang satu minggu ini, yang dilihat mahu meyakinkan bukan Islam mengenai hukum hudud. Pendirian itu diketengahkan pada hari kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat bersiap sedia untuk mengadakan mesyuarat berhubung isu tersebut selepas DAP dan PAS bertembung dan bertegas dengan pendirian masing-masing. Mesyuarat Pakatan Rakyat akan berlangsung di ibu pejabat PAS di sini, malam ini. Pada 24 September lalu, Nik Aziz meminta bukan Muslim memberi pandangan jujur sama ada mereka akan bersetuju jika undang-undang itu dilaksanakan. "Perbincangan terbuka, kepada rakan-rakan bukan Islam yang dihormati, adakah anda akan bersetuju jika hukumam hudud dilaksanakan? "Sila berikan pandangan anda mengenai perkara ini, tanpa prejudis, sentimen politik dan emosi," kata Menteri Besar Kelantan dalam mesej terdahulu. Kerajaan negeri Kelantan pimpinan PAS berusaha untuk melaksanakan undang-undang ini sejak awal 1990-an tetapi tersekat ekoran amaran kerajaan pusat yang disampaikan pada 1994 ketika pentadbiran Mahathir.
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| Of wet dream, nightmare and Marty McFly Posted: 27 Sep 2011 03:47 PM PDT
ART HARUN I have not seen the Buku Jingga, let alone read it. I wonder what Pakatan Rakyat says about hudud. Or whether Pakatan Rakyat says anything about it at all. Whatever public posturing Pakatan Rakyat puts up in relation to hudud, everybody knows that in hudud resides an issue within Pakatan Rakyat which is potentially explosive and may ultimately be destructive. Everybody knows that. Pakatan Rakyat knows that. And Tun Dr Mahathir, unfortunately to Pakatan Rakyat, also knows that. While the Barisan Nasional, particularly UMNO, was busy trying to out-manoeuvre Mat Sabu in history 101 and the Prime Minister eagerly venturing into a state of "coolness" and "sempoi-neity", Tun Dr Mahathir had other ideas. His was a meister stroke of all political strokes in Malaysia. That's because he knows what hurts the most as well as when and where to execute the hurting blow. So, in an interview one day he threw a seemingly harmless challenge to PAS. PAS has always maintained that he (Tun DrM) was the reason why it could not implement hudud in Kelantan. Tun DrM then asked why hasn't PAS written to Prime Minister Najib to implement hudud as he (Tun DrM) is now no more the PM. Those of you who of my generation will remember the character Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy – to digress, I wonder when Hollywood is going to remake this film – apart from the totally cool and sempoi DeLorean DMC-12 in the movie. Marty boy was a smart kid. Very nice and mild-mannered boy. Quite cool and level headed too. That was until the antagonist started calling him "chicken". Upon being called "chicken", Marty McFly would lose all his good manners and level-headedness. He would turn reckless and completely berserk. He would even do really stupid things. Tun DrM knew all the while that hudud is to PAS and Tuan Guru Nik Aziz what "chicken" was to Marty McFly. Mention the word "hudud" and Tuan Guru Nik Aziz would instantly go ape and all bananas. The whole PAS would grimace in orgasmic pleasure like a 13 year old after his first wet dream. That would in turn be a nightmare for Pakatan Rakyat. In Pakatan Rakyat, DAP's stand on hudud is clear. DAP is against hudud. As for PKR, well, it depends on what day the issue is raised and on which side of the bed Anwar Ibrahim wakes up that day. TDM knows very well that hudud will cause Pakatan Rakyat to lose its "pakatan". His challenge was a calculated move to throw Pakatan Rakyat into shambles. That was exactly what had happened after his challenge. TGNA firstly dismissed as laughable suggestions by TDM that Kelantan can now implement hudud now that TDM has retired. He then challenged the present Prime Minister to withdraw Putrajaya's objection to the implementation of hudud in Kelantan. If TGNA was politically savvy, he would have stopped there. No, he did not. TGNA then continued to meet with Prof Aziz Bari and Dr Dzulkefli Ahmad on 25th September 2011 to discuss the implementation of hudud in Kelantan and gave assurance that hudud will only affect Muslims and will not be imposed on non-Muslims. (the full report is here). DAP, quite expectedly, responded. Karpal went into amok mode. Lim Guan Eng, meanwhile, said that the party's entire Central Executive Committee would resign from their position in the party if hudud was ever included in Pakatan Rakyat's Common Policy Framework or Buku Jingga. The Star newspaper of course saw this as an opportunity. On 25th September it apparently reported what Guan Eng said above. However on 26th September, the Star apparently modified the news to report that Guan Eng had threatened the resignation of the DAP's leadership from Pakatan Rakyat. The water gets even murkier when Anwar Ibrahim, quite recklessly (politically) said that he supports the Kelantan State Government's move to implement hudud (see here for the report). He later clarified his statement saying that all decisions affecting the people will have to be based on consensus within Pakatan Rakyat. He was quoted as saying: "We hold firm to the conviction that any issue which affects the interest of the people must be discussed frankly in a civilized manner with the objective of seeking an amicable resolution." That statement actually does not add or detract to what he had earlier said, namely, that he thinks hudud can be implemented in Kelantan. This was what he said earlier: "For now, in general, in principle, I believe this can be implemented…It is a specific area that affects Muslims and does not impeach rights of non-Muslims. The proceeding makes sure that administration of justice is guaranteed." By then a full storm was brewing within Pakatan Rakyat. PAS was again, showing its true colours.
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| Can hudud be applied to non-Muslims? Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:44 PM PDT
(FMT) - SUNGAI PETANI: The debate on hudud took a new twist with a Kita MP saying it can be applied to non-Muslims. Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng said Kita president Zaid Ibrahim told him recently that non-Muslims can be subjected to the same punishment under the hudud criminal code enactments. Tan said that currently the Syariah (Islamic) laws being practised in Malaysia are on civil and family legislation, which mostly governs individual Muslim family matters. It manages family laws such as marriages, divorce settlements, custody of children, family will, properties disbursement, family disputes – all mainly personal or private legal issues. However, hudud is defined as a set of public punishments to mete out justice to the various types of crimes committed. This falls under the realm of public domain, meaning that everybody, regardless if they are Muslims or non-Muslims, can be subjected to hudud if they are found guilty of committing a crime. The Federal Constitution must be amended to accommodate facets of hudud criminal code in it, Tan said. 'I Was Shocked' For now, he added that the matter is polemic as hudud can only be adopted if the Federal Constitution is amended. It can be passed by certain states, which see a need for it but it cannot be applied unless the Federal Constitution is amended, Tan said. "I was shocked when I was informed that hudud can be applied to non-Muslims. I think Pakatan Rakyat is not telling the whole truth. It has resorted to half-truths."
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| Najib gets a drubbing over ‘Community Chest’ Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:38 PM PDT
By Tarani Palani, FMT PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has received a drubbing for claiming credit for the private sector initiative to provide funds for vernacular and mission schools. DAP leader and Seputeh MP Teresa Kok said: "He has no right to boast because the funds are from the private sector. He should not mislead the public into thinking that it was provided by the government or Barisan Nasional". On Monday, Najib announced that a minimum of RM100 million of gambling profits would be channelled to these schools annually through a fund called 'Community Chest'. It will be funded primarily by the profits of gaming company Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd, returns from its investments and public donations. Kok also took Najib to task over his statement that NGOs and government linked parties will have a say in how the funds will be allocated. "Najib said, 'the funds will be distributed in close consultation with the government… parties like MCA, Gerakan and MIC as well as NGOs… to ensure that it will be distributed fairly'. "The message he seems to be sending is, "if you support MCA, Gerakan, MIC and BN-affiliated NGOs, I will reward your school with education funds" "It is much the same message as his infamous "You help me, I help you," speech during the Sibu by-election," said Kok in a statement. Staying apolitical Vernacular schools have complained about unequal treatment from the government and Kok said Najib's attempts at associating himself with the funds will not deceive the public.
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| Explosion rips through Empire Gallery, four hurt Posted: 27 Sep 2011 02:08 PM PDT
By Debra Chong & Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider SUBANG JAYA, Sept 28 — Four people were hurt in an early morning explosion at the Empire Gallery shopping mall here, which was heard from as far away as Bangsar. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos, with police, ambulances and the fire brigade still on the scene. Police tracker dogs were also present, as were Fire and Rescue Department personnel from stations across Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Damansara and Puchong to investigate the incident. Subang Jaya OCPD ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar told reporters at the scene that the blast was believed to have started in the basement and involved a gas pipeline. "We have yet to determine the cause of the blast but damage is extensive, affecting the parking lot and many outlets on the basement level and even the ground floor," he said. "Our forensics team is still investigating. We have not been able to enter certain parts of the mall . . . the damage is too bad and the areas are sealed off." He confirmed that a distress call was received at 3.45am concerning the explosion at the mall, which is at the entrance of Subang Jaya from the Federal Highway. Zainal Rashid said four people were injured — two Nepalese security guards and a couple. They received minor scrapes and bruises. Rescue workers are still combing the basement in search of more victims. The security guards, who were initially trapped in the basement, have been sent to hospital. The couple, sales executives Daryl Chua, 27, and his girlfriend Hibbie Tan, 23, were taken to hospital in an ambulance but have since been discharged. Nearly the entire stretch of the front portion of the newly-built mall was blown out, damaging a number of cafes, restaurants and clothing stores including Tangs and Starbucks Coffee.Chua told reporters that he was walking with his girlfriend to an parking payment station a few steps from Starbucks when the explosion occurred about 3.30am. "We were at La Bodega earlier for dinner and then we were just hanging out outside my car and talking," he said. "Just as we were heading to the Autopay, there was a loud 'boom', like in the movies. I thought it was a bomb." Chua said he was "literally lifted off the ground" and thrown sideways several metres from the blast, lightly grazing both his arms. The sound of breaking glass, falling debris and metal, and sirens broke the earlier silence, he said, leaving him in a momentary state of confusion and panic. "And then the flames came up. It was all over, the entire front of the mall was razed. I thought I was going to die," he said. When the scene calmed slightly, Chua said he carried Tan, who had sprained her leg, to safety and noticed passers-by and nearby residents rushing to the scene. His car, a black Volkswagen Golf GTI, was severely damaged.
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