| Hasan Ali says ready to face axe Posted: 06 Aug 2011 11:02 AM PDT 
By Boo Su-Lyn, The Malaysian Insider KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Datuk Hasan Ali said he was willing to be sacked as a Selangor executive councillor for the sake of defending Islam, before facing the PAS central working committee today to explain his defence of a controversial church raid. Mingguan Malaysia, the Sunday edition of Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia, reported the senior PAS member's remarks on its front page today with the headline, "Saya rela dipecat" (I'm willing to be sacked). "I'm willing to do anything, including accepting the reality of being asked to resign as state executive councillor and whatever other positions I hold, for the sake of fighting for what I believe will help the Muslims, especially in Selangor," Hasan was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "If anyone believes in religious harmony, then the sanctity of Islam cannot be violated at all. This is what I am fighting for. Is that wrong?" asked the Selangor executive councillor in charge of Islamic affairs. Hasan broke ranks with the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact when he backed the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) raid last Wednesday on a multi-racial dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya. He said on Thursday that the words "Quran" and "pray" were used in the presence of Muslims at the dinner function, claiming that this was part of the authorities' evidence of Christians proselytising to Muslims. Selangor's Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment (1988), which outlines offences deemed as acts of proselytisation by non-Muslims towards Muslims, grants the religious authorities powers to launch investigations and arrest individuals without producing a warrant. Hasan's defence of Jais came just after Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim expressed regret over the incident. Widely seen as a religious conservative, Hasan has been at odds with the state government's seemingly liberal policies on several occasions, most notably his push for a beer sale ban in the country's most-developed state earlier this year. Hasan had lost badly in the recent PAS election as the Islamist party moved to embrace leaders like Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who is seen to represent a more progressive and inclusive brand of Islam. Dropped as PAS Selangor chief after the party polls, Hasan's defence has been seen to renew his tendency to mirror rival Malay party Umno's thinking. "Towards the end of the event, the enforcement team and the police had made checks and found attempts to prevent their examination and to get rid of the evidence material," the PAS man has said. He said the authorities had discovered further materials to prove there were attempts to proselytise a religion other than Islam to Muslims, but did not disclose what these were. READ MORE HERE. |
| New Revelations Link FBC Media To BN’s Dirty Tricks Blogging Campaigns Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:51 AM PDT 
By Sarawak Report Sarawak Report has already exposed how BN's leading political figures, including Najib Razak, Abdullah Badawi, Musa Hitam and Taib Mahmud, paid the UK production company FBC Media to illegally gain positive publicity on global TV news shows. We can now reveal an even darker side to this campaign. The same contracts also included a series of negative blogging campaigns targetted against BN's political opponents. All these dirty tricks have, of course, been conducted at the expense of the Malaysian taxpayer! Details of the FBC Media contract Sarawak Report has exclusive details of the contract agreed between FBC Media and Abdul Taib Mahmud, which includes a commitment to mastermind a cyber-war against online critics of the Chief Minister's corrupt government, such as this blog. In a letter to the Chief Minister in January the Chairman of FBC Media, Alan Friedman, pledged to "assist in countering false and negative perceptions that have been spread at home and abroad" and stated that he had "the tools and international experience to make a genuine and visible difference". The tools outlined by Friedman were "television reporting and an interview with yourself plus press tours and online sites and special blogging that should provide a blanket of positive messaging about you and Sarawak to the Western media". The PR/ production company chief explained to the Chief Minister that he would "work both on the positive messages and to counter negative perceptions and falsehoods that have been spread unfairly about environmental matters ranging from the Bakun Dam, timber, mining and palm oil. We would also counter false allegations that have been made about corruption." FBC would then work to "bounce back" into the Sarawak Press "this international recognition, thus bringing positive results for the people of Sarawak to see" . In other words he was proposing to cheat people in Sarawak with his manufactured publicity (funded by taxpayers) into thinking the world was impressed by Taib! In his attached contract proposal, which amounted to a staggering $5 million for the first year alone, Friedman allocated $55,000 (RM165,000) per month just to the blogging operation. For this he was providing "Online digital strategy and blogging, site creation and management, blogging and articles, video reports on line". For another RM 138,000 per month Friedman added "in-bound press and blogger visits, press, foreign visit support, interview placement, writing, disseminating, media training, media analysis, mapping" services! Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Report become top targets for bloggers READ MORE HERE. |
| Let’s fight to keep Malaysia moderate Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:47 AM PDT  By Wong Chun Wai, The Star IT is unprecedented. The operation by the Selangor state religious department (Jais) on the Damansara Utama Methodist Church on Wednesday is shameful and a blot on our history. The church has claimed that they were having a goodwill dinner with a non-governmental organisation while the state exco member in charge of religious affairs, Datuk Hasan Ali, has backed Jais, claiming that they had evidence of proselytisation among Muslims. His statement came just hours after his boss, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, had expressed regret and asked for a report from Jais. Instead of passing the buck and being defensive, Khalid asked for a dialogue and admitted that Jais came under the state government and that they reported to the Selangor Islamic Council headed by PAS' Hasan. The operation was conducted by Jais, with police personnel present, after it purportedly received complaints that Muslims were present at the event. We can expect the church and the Muslims present to maintain that there was no attempt to convert anyone while Jais would stick to its stand to justify its intrusion into the church. Although the manner of the intrusion is not clear, the fact remains that Jais officials entered the premises without a search warrant. Furthermore, any place of worship is holy ground and such lack of respect and sensitivity does not augur well for the nation. It smacks of over-zealousness. The Jais officials could have exercised restraint by waiting for the function to be over and then politely informing the church pastor of the complaint and the need for them to interview the Muslim guests present. No one, I believe, was going to run away. We need to be more open-minded. Many of us attended Catholic missionary schools but never became Christians. Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has openly admitted that he studied Bible Knowledge during his school days, his family donated money to churches and, more recently, he even opened a church. Our Royal Couple attended the church wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in April, as did many other Muslim heads of states and governments, mostly from the Commonwealth. Our Prime Ministers have visited churches, sometimes entering the premises but not going inside the sanctuary, and they showed their respect for Malaysia's pluralism by their presence. A day after the operation, AIDS activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir tweeted that she has given talks about HIV/AIDS in churches and members have had no problem listening to her. There seems to be this suspicion, whether imagined or otherwise, that there is an attempt by churches to convert Muslims. Church leaders are fully aware that while the Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, there is also a clause which clearly states that there should be no attempt to propagate to Muslims. If any church refuses to respect this law, then it should be prepared to face the legal consequences. At the same time, we must strive to be progressive enough to appreciate that it is good to learn the religions of fellow Malaysians. We can argue about the superiority of one's religion but it is good to be religious and God-fearing regardless of one's belief. If Malaysians claim to be so religiously sensitive themselves, upholding and defending their religions so passionately, we wouldn't have to grapple with corruption, racism, hypocrisy and discrimination because no religion tolerates such immoral practices. We also need to be more realistic. I have served in a Christian-run soup kitchen in Kuala Lumpur and seen that those in need include Muslims, many of whom are homeless, destitute, drug addicts and HIV-positive or have full-blown AIDS. They are looking for a place to clean themselves so they can maintain their dignity. And they look forward to a plate of hot curry and rice served by volunteers who welcome them. They enjoy having the volunteers listen to them, never mind that sometimes the helpers can't do much. The soup kitchen is a weekly event that lasts about an hour. Yes, there is a prayer, which Christians do before any meal, but the needy Muslims do not join in. They just wait for the food to be served and to be in good company where they are treated with respect. Going by the logic – or illogic – of Hasan the PAS hardliner, will these poor Muslims have to be turned away by the soup kitchen helpers for fear that they would be accused of proselytisation? Does it mean the St Nicholas Home for the Blind in Penang will have to reject Muslim students because it is Christian-based? I studied Malay literature and Islamic History in Form Six and went on to enrol in the Malay Letters Department of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia where Islamic Civilisation was a compulsory subject. Some non-Muslim students grumbled about this requirement, citing subtle conversion, but I took it in stride and felt proud as I got to understand and appreciate Islam better. I didn't convert. Mosques, temples and churches are an integral part of Malaysia. We proudly promote them in our tourist brochures, so why are some people so fearful of these places of worship? We know many Malaysian Muslims visit Rome and pop over to the Vatican when they do so, but they don't become Christians. Let's fight to keep Malaysia moderate. |
| The trespass that was not a social call Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:44 AM PDT 
(The Star) - WHEN officials of the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) raided a church on Wednesday, they might not have thought much of it. But that was the nub of the problem. No religious official anywhere should be so inflammatory, much less have the temerity to commit such an outrageous act. That goes double for a multi-racial, multi- cultural and multi-religious Malaysia in the 21st century. As it turns out, the Jais operation on Damansara Utama Methodist Church was a grotesque showcase of self-contradictions by the perpetrators. They claimed they had evidence of unlawful proselytising to Muslims, but we know the occasion was a fundraising event for HIV support activities. If such evidence existed, we can reasonably expect it to be tendered or cited by now. But nothing of the kind has happened, apart from vague references to hearsay. Selangor executive councillor Datuk Dr Hasan Ali of PAS, in defending the operation, reportedly said the Jais enforcement team "came at the end of the event" – yet he could know what had transpired "in the early part of the event". In an apparent attempt at mitigation, Hasan even denied there had been a raid. But he also claimed that Jais had found incriminating materials, that some participants had tried to escape by the back door but were stopped, and that 12 Muslim diners had been ordered to appear at the Jais enforcement office for further investigation. He said the 12 could be charged under the Syariah Criminal Enactment 1995. Indicating that denying the operation was futile, another Jais official said it was justified and people would soon learn its motive. All too often, those found doing dishonourable deeds deny them, then try to justify them. After that, they try to shut everyone else up by saying an investigation should be completed before comments may be made. This unwarranted and deplorable raid can be neither accepted nor tolerated by Malaysian society. It is a serious public interest issue for which fair comment is not only expected but obligatory. The Selangor Government has considerable explaining to do, besides expressing regret over the incident. Why is such zealotry upheld by a Pakatan Rakyat state councillor, why is Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim so clueless, and why are his political allies so disunited in condemning the raid? |
| 1988 state law allows Jais to act against non-Muslims Posted: 06 Aug 2011 10:41 AM PDT  By Clara Chooi and Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had likely acted within the law when it raided a church here, as a controversial enactment passed by a Barisan Nasional (BN) state government in 1988 allows action against non-Muslims. Malaysian Bar Council chief Lim Chee Wee pointed out, however, their being empowered also meant the religious authorities can only act within the confines of the Islamic laws, highlighting that the words allegedly said to prove Christians were proselytising to Muslims at the event — "Quran" and "Pray" — did not fall within the religious enforcement's context. "Whilst Jais may have the legal power to enter the premises, it must do so on a proper legal basis that there has been an offence committed. From the presently available facts, there is no basis for its intrusion," he told The Malaysian Insider in an email. Lim said there were four existing state Islamic legislation that give the authorities wide powers to act on religious matters, namely: • Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (Selangor) 1995 ("Enakmen Jenayah"); • Enakmen Ugama Bukan Islam (Kawalan Pengembangan di Kalangan Orang Islam) 1988 ("Enakmen Ugama Bukan Islam"); • Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003; and • Syariah Criminal Procedure (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003. Selangor's Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment, which outlines offences deemed as acts of proselytisation by non-Muslims towards Muslims, grants the religious authorities powers to launch investigations and arrest individuals without producing a warrant. Some offences include the persuasion or incitement of Muslims to convert, to receive instructions or to participate in any activity for the benefit of any non-Islamic religion; if non-Muslims communicate with a Muslim for the purpose of subjecting the latter to any speech on a non-Islamic religion; if a person uses certain prohibited words to describe any belief pertaining to any non-Islamic religion, and others. The Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) was raided by Jais on Wednesday after it received a complaint that Muslims were present at a dinner function there, leading to suspicion that Christians were attempting to proselytise Muslims. Section 11 of the enactment also describes the offences as "seizable offences", which, under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), does not stop the police from raiding private spaces, like DUMC's rented premises here. READ MORE HERE. |
| Is war brewing in central Umno? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:57 PM PDT 
By Daniel John Jambun
We know that the state Umno leadership is not at its most harmonious. There is factionalism as confirmed recently by sharp criticism by one group against another group. Even government policies have been questioned by Umno's own leaders. The Chief Minister himself had advised state leaders to avoid factionalism because it would not be good for the state-level Umno.
Component members of the state BN had on many occasions raised the voices against Umno, including the recent outburst by Sebatik Island PBS leaders who claimed to have been sidelined by Umno on that island. But while this has become a common story at the state level, there are now reports of problems creeping up at the highest level in central Umno. Datuk Khairy Jamaluddin, as the Umno Youth Chief, had been critical of some decisions by his party's decisions, including the arrest of the six leaders of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah too has been out on a safari shooting at all sorts of targets in Umno as if he is no longer in Umno. Clearly, he has been speaking out of sheer conscience, without any fear or favour. He has been playing the game of brinkmanship, prepared to be kicked at anytime, if Umno dares to! His bravado has emboldened the opposition to approach him secretly to seriously think about coming into Pakatan Rakyat to assume leadership of the opposition coalition in the expectation that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will deftinitely be going for another long-term incarceration. Ku Li must know that this is one very golden opportunity to eventually get what he had always wanted – to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia! But there is another leader who has the same ambition. The most serious story in Umno now is the wild rumour that Datuk Seri Najib will be challenged by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for the post of Umno's presidency in Umno's next general assembly, and that the former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, is behind this agenda. This story seems to be credible, knowing that this Mahathir had not been very happy the way the nation had been governed (once calling the government "weak"), despite his previous support for Najib to take over his predecessor. If Muhyi challenges Najib, it will be another historic fight with the same epic proportion of the Tun M vs. Ku Li debacle. No doubt, the event will divide Umno and create national tension. Muhyi will be putting his political life on the line, because it will be a case of a do-or-die mission – he can lose everything. But Muhyi has his supporters who have been prodding him to take the plunge, simply because there is a glaring opportunity for an upset because Najib appears to have been weakened, not just by his own indecisions and being implicated in the ongoing court case in France, but by the antics of his wife which have displeased a lot of Umno senior leaders and members. And herein also lies the big question about the timing of the next general elections. It is now expected to be in November, not just because the number eleven is Najib's favourite number, but because there is the need to avoid his further loss of credibility before a very possible challenge by Muhyi in the next Umno general assembly and a more heated development of the court case in France to which he may be called to testify. While Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi's fall was because of lack of backbone, Najib's possible fall will be because of lack of will to rein in certain people, to control his wife (the FLOM office, the handbags, the ministerial and ambassadorial roles, the jewellery, etc.), and because of having too many controversies. It is all still undercover now, and the stories are creeping out only through the grapevine, and being reported only in online portals. Will it soon be part of the big stories of the printed media? |
| Eligibility for Permanent Residency Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:17 PM PDT By The Grumbler For years now, foreign spouses have been voicing out their grievances about the Immigration Department dragging their feet in giving them PR, many professional spouses were forced to leave the country, to where they can enjoy the right to reside and employment without restrictions. Those of us spouses still in the country had given up hope and could only expect PR posthumously (ie by being buried in this country!!) Only recently under the present Home Minister and thanks to him, the backlog of PR applications have been cleared, many who have lived in the country for decades were finally given PR. As per a media release all PR applications submitted until 2009 have been cleared. However some who have been visiting Immigration Department at Putrajaya on a fairly regular basis, have noticed since 2009, there have been a large number of Indonesian male workers who are in their 40s at the counter for Permit Masuk, to be specific counter 2 & counter 3 receiving submitting their documents. However it is highly unlikely that these men fall under any of the categories for PR as provided by Immigration. The Immigration website, http://www.imi.gov.my/index.php/en/entry-permit clearly indicates the ways in which one can get Permanent Residency Status in Malaysia, as per the Immigration Act and Regulations 1959/63:
1. Individual Investor with minimum USD 2 million Fixed Deposit (FD)
in Malaysia (High Net Worth Individual)
2. Expert (Highly Talented and High Skilled Individual)
3. Professional
4. Spouse to Malaysian Citizen
5. Application for Permanent Resident Through Point Based System
Spouses have to be accompanied by their Malaysian spouses, so one can easily recognise this category of persons submitting documents for PR.
As recent as July 2011, on a particular visit and within a three hour duration at immigration, it was noticed that there were around 5 spouses of various nationalities waiting and at least 20-25 such persons, Indonesian male workers within the age group of 35-45 were present, only 2 of them were over the age of 50 years and looked like they could have been in the country for 5 years and above.
Ask some of the Contractors in the Housing or Building Industry, they will tell you, that many of their Indonesian workers are getting PR, some of them have not resided in the country for more than three years, it known that some of them have the Blue IC.
Oh, just for information, Foreign Spouses with Malaysian Families, are eligible to apply for PR, after they have been on five, one year long term social pass, approximately after about 7 years. Then it depends on who is approving the PR, under the previous Home Minister, some spouses were residing in the country even upto forty years were waiting for their PR.
Then again, Spouses with Malaysian Children who are widowed or in estranged marriages get their PR applications withdrawn. They are required to have a sponsor to secure a visa to live in the country, perpetuating a situation of dependency. This pass does not allow the person to be employed, how then are they supposed to earn a living to support themselves and their families in dignity?
On the other end of the spectrum, if these workers are being given PR, they will have the right to reside and be employed and though PR does not allow voting rights, who knows how citizenship has been fast tracked and these people perhaps even vote for the political masters who have given them PR & Citizenship. An informal chat with some officers revealed that these people come with political recommendations.
Perhaps all this needs verifications and a Parliamentary Committee be immediately called for to conduct an impartial inquiry and an audit as to the number of PR and Citizenships awarded, their gender, nationality and under which category they come under. On what basis are these workers being given PR or Citizenship?
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| MCA to be wiped out in S’gor in GE 13 Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:13 PM PDT 
By Lee Kee Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people). I was amused because it displays the MCA leadership's continuous selfish and arrogant attitude – only "our agenda", irrespective of party interest or the Chinese community. The leadership's sole concern in decision-making has always been to protect the interest of the party warlords, thereby leading to serious infighting. There is no room for those outside their circle. Capability is not a factor, neither the interest of constituents. Like Umno, MCA cannot change for the better to serve the rakyat (people). I was also amused because this will signal the end of Selangor MCA in the next general election. In the 2008 General Election or more popularly referred to as the 2008 political tsunami, both the Ongs (Ong Tee Keat and Ong Ka Chuan) survived. Tee Keat was the only MCA MP (Pandan) left standing in Selangor. With the MCA leadership's continuous refusal to reform and start making decisions in the interest of the party and constituents based on meritocracy, the party is expected to make history for itself in Selangor – that is failing to win a single parliamentary seat in the state. Given MCA and its leadership's current continuous deteriorating performance, especially its porno-president Dr Chua Soi Lek and his bumbling deputy Liow Tiong Lai's defence of the police attack on Tung Shin Hospital in Bersih 2.0, one wonders when the party leaders will realise they have reached rock bottom in political support from the rakyat. To them, it appears to be a bottomless pit, so to speak. It also clearly mocks Barisan Nasional (BN) and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's "only winnable candidates" will be fielded in the next general election.
By that, we expect Najib to field not only winnable candidates, but also capable and respectable candidates who can really serve their constituents. They must be candidates with a reasonable proven track record or someone with professional or academic achievements to command the confidence of the rakyat. We don't need a rocket scientist to tell us who these candidates are because common sense will tell you that the majority (repeat majority) of those who survived the political tsunami are likely to be politicians who command some level of confidence. What more, both Tee Keat and Ka Chuan (Tanjung Malim) have proven track records. Instead, the MCA warlord leadership has ignored the public's cry for quality leaders and chose to nominate 2008 and past rejects. The party leadership is consciously losing touch with the rakyat. The Chinese adage, Bu Jian Guan Cai Bu Luo Lei (Only the sight of a coffin will you know the meaning of death) most aptly describes the current MCA members and leaders. Most unfortunately and foolishly, MCA leaders are prepared to even venture beyond the bottomless pit, as displayed by their current political attitude in Penang, despite a whitewash in 2008.
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| Hasan Ali Is Pakatan's Ibrahim Ali Posted: 05 Aug 2011 09:44 PM PDT  By Masterwordsmith Hasan Ali was relieved from his position as the head of PAS Selangor last June for various reasons. Part of it was his inclination to side with UMNO goons despite his position as the number one man in PAS Selangor. Under his EXCO portfolio, several projects were awarded to UMNO goons, reason were they are much more capable than any of Pakatan's companies. Loads of crap. Malaysia is plagued by the 'Ali Problem'. We have Ali Baba businessmen - Umno Malays who help Chinese cronies to get rich. Then there are followers of Ali, the Shi-ites being arrested for spreading Islam and Ibrahim Ali, Dr Mahathir's spanner-in-the-works to undermine Najib and bring him down. Now, we have Hasan Ali (regarded by many as Umno's Trojan Horse in Pakatan, the man who is rooting for the Umno-PAS 'Malay unity' talk) whose role in the JAIS raid of DUMC could be the undoing of PAS. Upon closer analysis, one wonders of the possibility of it being an Umno conspiracy to get PAS to do something stupid that will hurt Pakatan. A case of history being repeated?
Down Memory Lane
After the 1999 general election, the then Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared that since Malaysia was already an Islamic country, PAS was not needed. He argued that Umno was then the largest Islamic party in the world. PAS, he claimed, was then only a quarter or less the size of Umno in terms of membership. With that, the one-upmanship tussle between PAS and UMNO began.
From thence, Dr Mahathir goaded PAS by saying that the Islamic party promised all sorts of things before the elections, but now that they were running two states, Kelantan and Terengganu, they still had not delivered on their promises. He questioned, "Where is the promise of Islamic laws?"
PAS fell into the trap. Without the consensus of its other three coalition partners in Barisan Alternatif (PKN, DAP and PRM), PAS unilaterally announced that the Terengganu state government was going to introduce Islamic laws in the state. Following that, PAS launched its Islamic State Document (ISD) and introduced Islamic laws in the Terengganu State Assembly and that was the beginning of the end for the opposition coalition.
Subsequently, DAP distanced itself from the ISD by leaving the opposition coalition and embarking on a 'No to Islamic State' campaign. That had a devastating effect on the 2004 General Elections. PAS paid a very high price for that move.
Then, PAS was under pressure. They had been called 'liars' and were accused of cheating the voters by not delivering its election promise. If they had not done what they did then, the rural electorate would have swallowed the Umno propaganda hook, line and sinker and all would have been lost. So it tried to deliver what it had been mandated to do by the voters who voted for it. And PAS did just that. It fulfilled its election promise.
Fortunately for us, since the 2004 general election, when PAS lost Terengganu, almost lost Kelantan, and saw its 27 Parliament seats reduced to just nine, PAS has stopped talking about the ISD. DAP knows this. To PAS, ISD is an embarrassing mistake that is history. Unfortunately, some resurrect this ISD to stigmatize the head of what could be the most successful and powerful opposition party.
Since PAS is gaining ground not just among Malays, but non-Malays as well, a spanner has to be thrown into the works - this time under the guise of the JAIS raid of DUMC. If history is repeated and they naively react to the church in an unfavourable manner, for sure they would suffer backlash from the voters in the next GE.
The Hasan Ali Factor
In September 2009, Hassan Ali plunged the Pakatan Rakyat into controversy with Muslim voters by unilaterally calling for a ban on beer sales.
Then he stepped on the toes of his colleagues in the Selangor state executive council by deliberately taking aim at non-Malay colleagues such as Ronnie Liu and Teng Chang Khim. According to party insiders, he has been intentionally spinning issues he has against them with a Chinese versus Malay-dominance twist. READ MORE HERE |
| 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. READ MORE HERE |
| Dear Cousin Posted: 05 Aug 2011 07:12 PM PDT 
This means Malaysians are easily fooled and would swallow hook, line and sinker any crap thrown in their direction. And this is one reason the government can't allow Christians to talk to Malays. Malays are too stupid to analyse which religion is better -- Islam or Christianity -- and they would easily be tricked into leaving Islam to become Christians. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin Dear Cousin, I thought I should write to you and explain the current controversy raging in Malaysia regarding the recent church raid by the Selangor Religious Department. This follows closely behind the allegation that a meeting was held in Penang recently to plot turning Malaysia into a Christian state. For someone who has once lived and worked in Malaysia I am sure you are quite perturbed by this turn of events because you had delightfully found Malaysians to be a peaceful and friendly community. And you in particular found the Malays, Indonesians and Filipinos a very easygoing people. Therefore, this hysteria about the Christian conspiracy is a far departure from what you understand the Malays to be. I suppose, like me, you have a very different tolerance level towards other religions. Well, when we have Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Atheists and Agnostics in our family, we tend to be more liberal and tolerant when it comes to religion. But then, we are in the minority and the majority of Muslims would probably view us as 'deviants'. Religion has never been tolerant. In England, I know, we do not have a problem of religious conflicts. But then, Cousin, you are looking at the England of today. Was the England of a few hundred years ago any less extreme? Remember the time when Jews had to wear 'The Star of David' on their chest and were forced to live in ghettos? Not enough with that, the Jews were later expelled from England and for a long time were banned from English soil. Then we had a time when Catholics were arrested and burned alive and later, when a Catholic succeeded the throne of England, Protestants were arrested and burned alive. Even Queens suffered this fate. And this is Christian killing Christian, mind you, people who believe in the same God but did so differently (no different from the Sunni-Shiah situation in Islam today). Maybe that was 400 years ago, you may say. Well, 400 years ago is not really that too long ago. And Islam was 'founded' 600 years after Christianity so you can expect Islam to be 600 years behind Christianity in some of its attitudes towards other religion -- just like how Christianity was back in the 1400s and 1500s. Nevertheless, Muslims do not arrest and burn alive those considered 'deviant Muslims' or apostates. Countries like Malaysia just detain them without trial and send them for religious rehabilitation, like what happened to me back in September 2008. You must understand, Cousin, Islam is the official religion of Malaysia. And, according to the Federal Constitution, Malays are automatically Muslims. Furthermore, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc., are by law not allowed to preach to Muslims. That would be a crime in Malaysia. And if you give a Muslim a copy of the Bible to read, especially if the Bible is in the Malay language, that would be a serious offense. Muslims are not allowed to leave Islam and convert to other religions. Those that do, do so secretly. Invariably, they become 'closet' Christians, Hindus or Buddhists. They will not even dare tell their own family that they are no longer Muslims. Many migrate to other countries rather than stay in Malaysia as 'ex-Muslims'. Actually, the Malaysian government will not want to openly admit this, but quite a number of Malays have left Islam. Some have left Islam to become Christians (not so many become Hindus or Buddhists). But we do not know the real figures because very few would openly declare their apostasy for fear of arrest. Then we have many Malays who are Muslims in name only but are not practising Muslims. They sort of 'masquerade' as Muslims but do not really believe in Islam. But they have to pretend they are still Muslims or else they will get ostracised by society and disowned by their families. So you see, Cousin, the Malaysian government needs to protect the Malays. If the Malays are exposed to the teachings of other religions many may actually leave Islam. The government is scared that the Malays are stupid and are easily tricked into turning their backs on Islam. In Malaysia, we have an organisation whose job is to spread Islam and get non-Muslims to become Muslims. It is funded by the government and paid for by the taxpayers. Mosques and other religious activities are also government-taxpayers funded. So it is perfectly legitimate. That, I suppose, is the bone of contention to most non-Muslims. The government propagates Islam and the taxpayers pay for this effort. But the non-Muslims may not propagate their religion to the Muslims even if they pay for this effort from their own pocket. I know, to someone like you, this may sound extremely unfair and one-sided. The government propagates Islam and persuades non-Muslims to convert to Islam but the non-Muslims are not allowed to do the same and if they do they would get arrested. But that is how things are done in Malaysia and for 54 years since Independence or Merdeka, the non-Malays have never complained. For twelve general elections, the non-Muslims have voted in the same government. In fact, the government depends on the votes of the non-Muslims. If solely based on Muslim votes, the present government would have been kicked out a long, long time ago. So why make an issue of this only now? This state of affairs was acceptable for almost 54 years. Now, suddenly, it has become an issue. Why make an issue out of it now when for 53 years the non-Muslims could live with this situation? This is why many Malays have become upset. They are of the opinion that the non-Muslims are beginning to be kurang ajar (insolent). When you thought you had no hope of gaining political power, you supported the party in power and tolerated the discrimination and persecution and did not utter one word of complaint. Now that you think the party in power is at the end of its rule and may soon get kicked out, you start shouting and screaming about religious discrimination and persecution. I suppose England managed to change this sorry situation when they separated the church from the state. In Malaysia, however, church and state is still very much one and the same. And that is why what we see in Malaysia today is what we saw in England 500 years ago (minus the burning at the stake of course but replaced with detention without trial). We must understand one thing, Cousin, and this is a very important point you must note. Malays may have been sent to school for an education but this does not mean you are smart just because you have gone to school and have received an education. You see, Cousin, Malaysia's education system does not teach us how to think. They just teach us how to pass our exams. This is the basis of Malaysia's education system. So you may have gone all the way up to university level but that does not mean you are a thinker or that you have analytical skills (unless you had the advantage of a foreign education from young). This means Malaysians are easily fooled and would swallow hook, line and sinker any crap thrown in their direction. And this is one reason the government can't allow Christians to talk to Malays. Malays are too stupid to analyse which religion is better -- Islam or Christianity -- and they would easily be tricked into leaving Islam to become Christians. But why would this be so? If the Malays are good Muslims and if Islam is a good religion, then surely they would not be easily tricked into leaving Islam to become Christians. Ah, but that is just the problem. Most Malays are not good Muslims. In fact, most Malays do not even understand Islam properly. Like robots, they just blindly follow the rituals they have been taught without really understanding the substance and the foundation of the religion. Even dogs can be taught to do tricks and parrots taught how to speak. This does not mean dogs and parrots understand what they are doing and can analyse their actions. This is the Malay, or rather the Malay-Muslim, dilemma. And because of that, the government needs to insulate and isolate Malays from the teachings of the other religions. If the government allows the Christians to preach Christianity to the Malays, there would be very serious danger that many Malays would become Christians. That is the crux to the whole matter. |
| Pakatan to unveil ‘national budget’ before Najib’s Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:27 PM PDT 
By Tarani Palani, FMT PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is busy preparing a strategic budget for 2012 and is hopeful of revealing its details before Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak reveal's the nation's expenditure plan in October this year. Disclosing this today PAS MP Dzulkifli Ahmad said the Pakatan budget will focuses on specific areas and objectives. This will be the coalition's second strategic budget, the first was done in 2008. "When the Prime Minister announced the budget (last year) it had focused on big projects and big businesses. "That was the take home message but this will drag the nation into a deficit economy if such expenditure is not curbed. "We will take a strategic approach, where all the sectoral parameters are to be addressed. "We will define what our objectives are and move backwards on how to allocate funds to various sectors to avoid the mistakes of the BN in the last budget," said Dzulkifli adding that the strategic budget was themed "Prosperity for All" (Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua). He said with this in mind, the budget will focus on a more "decent and sustainable growth" whereby top consideration was given to "means to increase disposable income", "redistributive justice" and a "sustainable and not reckless' national expenditure. 'We welcome plagiarism' He added that the strategic budget also plans to look into addressing the problems of 60% of households earning less than RM1500 a month. He said that further details and progress of the budget will be announced on consecutive Fridays for the next "five to six" weeks following the working committee's meeting. READ MORE HERE. |
| MAS, AirAsia in share swap to rescue ailing flag carrier Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:22 PM PDT  KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — State-owned Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will swap shares with Asia's largest budget carrier AirAsia this week in a deal that will see Tan Sri Tony Fernandes help stop the ailing flag carrier from plunging any further into red ink, said industry sources. The Malaysian Insider understands that the share swap that could see Fernandes getting a 20 per cent stake in the national carrier, will allow both Malaysian carriers to rationalise their fleet, frequencies and destinations within the country and abroad while ensuring MAS returns to becoming a premier airline. "The deal is on and it should be signed Monday at the earliest," a source told The Malaysian Insider. AirAsia's main shareholders Tune Air Sdn Bhd, owned by Fernandes (picture) and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, is expected to benefit most from the share swap with MAS as it hold 26.28 per cent of the budget carrier as of July 6, 2011. The budget carrier's market capitalisation of RM11 billion yesterday is now two times more than MAS which stands at RM5.3 billion, a decade after Tune Air took over the two-plane operation. AirAsia closed at RM3.95 per share when the stock market closed yesterday while MAS was at RM1.60 per share. "This is a deal that has taken such a long time to get done but the current situation benefits Fernandes as MAS is in a bad shape," another source said, adding that the MAS's main shareholder Khazanah Nasional Berhad and the AirAsia boss have negotiated five separate times previously. It is learnt that while MAS moves to reclaim itself as a premier airline, AirAsia X will continue to ply as a long-haul budget carrier while domestic operations will be rationalised with MAS's Firefly focusing on turbo-prop operations out of the Skypark terminal in Subang. Firefly began operations out of KLIA this January for flights to east Malaysia, competing with both MAS and AirAsia flights. It also launched a coach service this week for passengers looking for alternatives to the Express Rail Link. A MAS source also disclosed that the fate of company managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin remains unclear as Fernandes will likely change the management to pull the airline from the brink after its first quarter losses. It is understood that one of Khazanah's executive director of investments, Mohd Rashdan Mohd Yusof, could be named as chief operating officer after the share swap. Popularly known as Danny, the former investment banker is the Khazanah representative in the MAS board. The flag carrier recorded a first quarter net loss of RM242.3 million against a profit of RM310.6 million in the same period a year ago. Azmil took over the reins of the company on August 28, 2009 after the previous chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala was made a minister in the Najib administration. READ MORE HERE. |
| Time to stop being “dumb and deaf” Posted: 05 Aug 2011 06:13 PM PDT  By Lim Kit Siang The time has come for the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek and the four MCA Ministers to end being "dumb and deaf" and declare whether they agree with the Bar Council that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and MACC officers must be held responsible for Teoh Beng Hock's (TBH) death at the MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009. The Bar Council submission to the TBH Royal Commission of Inquiry made public yesterday had recommended that five MACC officers be investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the death of TBH, viz: former Selangor MACC deputy chief and "mastermind" of the massive and unlawful 33-men MACC operation which resulted in Beng Hock's death, Hishamuddin Hashim; Selangor MACC investigations chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah; investigation officer Mohd Anuar Ismail, interrogation officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus and Klang MACC assistant enforcement officer Zulkerfly Aziz. The five should also be investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing Teoh's death by negligence. The Bar also want the authorities to investigate 10 MACC officers for criminal conspiracy in the cover up of TBH's death under Section 120A of the Penal Code, the five named and the other five being Bulkini Paharuddin, Effezul Azran Abdul Maulop, Arman Alies, Raymond Nion and Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim. These ten should also be investigated for abetment or attempting to abet in Teoh's death and its cover-up. The 10 and other MACC officers should also be investigated for giving false evidence and fabricating evidence under Section 191 and 192 of the Penal Code as well as for destruction of, tampering with, causing the disappearance of evidence, and framing incorrect records or writing with intent to save a person from punishment with respect to the death of TBH, i.e. ss. 201 to 204, 218 and 464 of the Penal Code. In its submission, the Bar Council had called on the Royal Commission of Inquiry to send a strong and clear message to all law enforcement agencies in Malaysia that: · Abuse of power will not be tolerated. · Human dignity of suspects/witnesses must be preserved and respected. · Perjury and/or concealment of facts will be severely punished. · Law enforcement agencies have a duty of care to persons in their custody. · Law enforcement agencies bear the burden to explain death in custody or suspicious death of suspects/witnesses. The James Foong RCI failed miserably in sending out these five messages. What is the MCA President and the four MCA Ministers doing in Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council to remedy the failings of the TBH RCI to ensure that Beng Hock did not die in vain? The next question is what all the Cabinet Ministers, regardless of race, religion or political party, propose to do about the glaring failings of the TBH RCI Report if the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia slogan is really meaningful to Malaysians? |
| US Downgrade Leaves Markets Facing Turmoil Posted: 05 Aug 2011 04:46 PM PDT 
Global financial markets could face further turmoil in the wake of the US credit rating downgrade. Credit ratings agency Standard and Poor's said early on Saturday morning they had downgraded the country from its top AAA rating to AA+. (Sky News) - The loss of the rating could reignite panic on the markets as traders worry that the world's biggest economy may be leading the way back into recession. Markets around the globe suffered huge falls this week, but the US Dow Jones ended higher on Friday after better-than-expected jobs growth figures. In London, the FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares closed the day at 5246.99, down 146 points or 2.71%. More than £148bn has been wiped off the FTSE's value since trading opened on Monday - a plunge of 568.2 points or 10.15% - caused by the eurozone debt crisis and fears the economy is stalling. FTSE 100 1-Week Chart 
In other European markets, Germany's DAX ended Friday down 2.8% and the CAC in France fell 1.2%. Italy was 1.7% lower and Spain dipped by 0.2%. But in the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.54% at the close following volatile trading. The broader S&P 500 dipped 0.06%, while the technology-based Nasdaq Composite fell 0.94%. For the week - the worst for American markets in more than two years - the Dow fell by a total of 5.8%, the S&P 500 was down 7.2% and the Nasdaq was off 8.1%. The Nikkei index on the Tokyo Stock Exchange has slumped by 5.4% since Monday.  Screen at the London Stock Exchange shows share falls There have been worries this week that Italy and Spain may need a bailout. Italy has tried to reassure investors by pledging to work for a constitutional amendment requiring the government to balance its budget in 2013, a year earlier than planned. Spain says its prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have agreed a need for co-ordination from governments to react to global economic fears. Meanwhile, David Cameron has talked to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the phone and they agreed to closely monitor the current instability in worldwide stock markets. And US President Barack Obama has spoken separately to Mr Sarkozy and Ms Merkel on the eurozone crisis. Investors have delivered votes of no confidence in the global economic recovery for five days.  Japanese and American brokers react to the troubled markets on Friday News that 117,000 new jobs were created in the US last month helped bring some comfort to investors at lunchtime - before despair then resumed in markets amid concerns of slower global growth. US analysts said the sell-off was driven by investor fears over the European debt crisis and anxiety about domestic issues like slow growth, high unemployment and falling consumer confidence and spending. IG Index analyst David Jones said: "There is a growing sense that there is real confusion over how to deal with underlying problems. "Namely the slowing pace of recovery, threat of recession and eurozone contagion spreading. "On 7 July, only 29 days ago, the FTSE 100 was etching just north of the 6,000-point mark. This weekend, analysts, investors and traders will all be asking themselves what has happened since early July." Prices of gold, which is traditionally seen as a safe haven in times of economic crisis, held firm as the dollar fell against the euro after the US jobs boost. But Kingsview Financial head trader and strategist Matt Zeman said: "Even gold is susceptible. People are pretty much getting out of everything, except cash and bonds." Investor confidence was hit on Thursday when EU president Jose Manuel Barroso wrote a letter to eurozone members, warning that the debt crisis was spreading. |
| 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". READ MORE HERE. |
| 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. READ MORE HERE. |
| 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.
READ MORE HERE. |
| Anwar Ibrahim: Malaysia can learn from Manila Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:50 PM PDT  By Leila Saraverria, Global Nation Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Friday said his country could learn a thing or two from the Philippines' experience under a dictatorship. Anwar, who traveled to Manila to speak at a forum on national hero Jose Rizal, said he was appealing to Malaysian authorities to respect the rule of law, to stop filing trumped-up charges against protesters, and not to allow the judiciary to work at the behest of the executive. "The entire world, including the most conservative Muslim hotbed in the Middle East, has now transformed and is clamoring for change and reform. Why must Malaysia be lagging so much behind?" Anwar said at a breakfast forum in San Juan organized by the city government and his friend, former President Joseph Estrada, whom he described as having "many admirers" in his country. He lamented that a simple and peaceful demonstration in Malaysia was "treated like al-Qaida," with state forces shooting and arresting people. Over 1,600 were arrested in the aftermath of a mass action in July, he said, adding that the demonstrators were merely seeking clean elections, and not the ouster of current leaders. "This has to change. Learn from the experience of the Philippines. Learn in a positive light what happened after years of dictatorial rule," Anwar said. He was referring to the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolt that ousted the strongman Ferdinand Marcos and that became the model for bloodless revolts all over the world. Honored to speak According to Anwar, he cannot even get a minute of airtime in the Malaysian media, which the government controls. He also cannot enter universities, he said, adding that this was why he was honored when the University of the Philippines invited him to speak at a forum on Rizal later Friday. But he professed optimism about the prospects of democracy in his country, and said he believed that Malaysians were now more aware of their rights. Anwar said there were things worse in Malaysia than in the Philippines. For example, he said, the use of indelible ink during elections was not even possible in his country. He said the controversy here over the Philippine National Police's purchase of two used helicopters at brand-new prices had puzzled Malaysians. A bigger scandal in Malaysia involves two huge submarines, he said. Nevertheless, "we must stop this rot of corruption," he said. Anwar said Malaysia had been lagging behind the Philippines and Indonesia in building credible institutions. He said that while Malaysia's economy was in a better position, it had been falling behind Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in terms of foreign investments, competitiveness and market capitalization. "There is an imperative for reform in Malaysia," he said. Support from Estrada Anwar said he wanted the help of Estrada as his group battled with the ruling party in Malaysia's forthcoming general elections. He said getting Estrada to directly campaign for him would be a sticky matter but that the former Philippine leader's endorsement and support could come in many ways. "Erap is my great friend, family friend," Anwar said, referring to Estrada by his nickname. "And how I wish he could come to Malaysia and help me in the campaign because he still has many admirers there." In a subsequent press conference, Anwar said that under Malaysia's rules, it would be difficult to get a foreign spokesperson to campaign directly for him. But Estrada can speak on issues in other forums, Anwar said. "In the right forum, I'm sure he will be able to be of immense influence in many parts of Malaysia, I can tell you. Do not underestimate the importance of his call and his passion." In response, Estrada said that if Anwar would ask him for support, he did not think there was a reason to refuse. "As I said … I'll be all-out for him because I believe in him," Estrada said, adding that he would be there for Anwar's inauguration when the latter became prime minister. Common vision In a speech, Estrada called on all freedom-living Filipinos to support Anwar. He cited their common vision to have an Asian region with "a democracy that is committed to supporting instead of suppressing the will of the people; a democracy that honors instead of obliterates justice; a democracy that respects religion and race." Estrada lauded Anwar for the latter's impressive knowledge of Rizal, and went on to crack a joke: "As we all know, Jose Rizal was a hero not only of the Filipino people but also of the Malay race because he was a man who died for his convictions. My good friend Anwar and I are also men of conviction. That is why both of us were convicted." He was referring to his being convicted of plunder, and Anwar's being convicted of corruption. Estrada also said he was supporting Anwar because he knew what it was like to be a victim of "unjust and ruthless" politics. He said he was "unconstitutionally" ousted and jailed for six years on "trumped-up" plunder charges, while Anwar was jailed for six years on corruption charges. "But we all know that Anwar was imprisoned not because he committed corruption but because he countered it," Estrada said. Humility In his own speech, Anwar also heaped praise on his friend. He lauded Estrada's humility when the latter told him that he was more knowledgeable about Rizal. He said that this may not necessarily be true, and that it was rare for political leaders to show humility. "Tell me, how many ministers, vice presidents and presidents in the world would tell another friend, 'Thank you, you are more knowledgeable'?" he said. He added that he believed in Estrada's desire to help the poor and the oppressed, noting that the latter spoke with so much passion about the matter. |
| 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. READ MORE HERE. |
| What's the future for Anwar Ibrahim? Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:37 PM PDT  By Carmen N. Pedrosa, Philstar I have met Anwar Ibrahim several times both in Kuala Lumpur and in Manila. The first meeting was at the UP many years ago after Mahathir Mohamad dropped him as his political protege. He came to deliver a lecture on Jose Rizal. I was surprised how well he knew our national hero whom he said he greatly admired. "In a way, Malaysians envy Filipinos because they had a hero and patriot like Jose Rizal. We don't. And since he is called the Great Malay, we can also claim him," he said.
I was in Kuala Lumpur February last year when the defense sought access to certain "prosecutor evidence." His lawyers were optimistic that the evidence would not hold water and so they aggressively wanted it out. After much legal wrangling, the upshot of the court hearing was a mere postponement.
Anwar said the trial was a machination led by Prime Minister Najib and his wife to re-open the case against him. Others said they see the hand of Mahathir Mohamad and this was more of the same.
My daughter, Veronica covering the trial for Al-Jazeera, told me the case has also placed the judiciary on trial. Will he get a fair chance? I later interviewed Mahathir in his office in Putrajaya who said quite candidly that he will get a fair trial. He said he was not a great admirer of Prime Minister Najiv either. "It isn't politically motivated," he said. "I am out of politics."
I asked the former prime minister what brought about the estrangement between him and his protégé. He said "differing policies". While he was abroad, colleagues told him that Anwar was upsetting his government's program and could not be relied upon.
Outside the court were members of the opposition chanting support for Anwar and pushing to get in. There were some minor scuffles with police.
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That was last year. But things have changed in KL since then. More aggressive crowds will be prowling the streets that can very easily turn into a political protest not unlike what is happening in the Middle East.
The recent walk for democracy organized by BERSIH, the 9th of July Malaysian democracy movement drew some 20,000 to 30,000 mostly young students who said they were fighting for freedom and democracy in Malaysia. They were asking for "fair and clean elections, as well democratic rights." A keen watcher of Malaysian politics said some planning went into this show of force with Malaysians abroad in Singapore, Bangkok, London and Melbourne joining in.
More than a thousand protesters were detained, including organizers and opposition parties. The police used tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse the crowds. Curiously, they were also wearing yellow shirts reminiscent of colored "revolutions" in other countries for regime change.
BERSIH is limited to calling for 'fair and clean elections', and says nothing about the social and economic needs of the working class majority as well as the youth, as a consequence of the pro-capitalist policies and agenda of the BN government.
Anwar's visit to Manila would be perfectly timed in case trouble breaks out next week.
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With a growing opposition in the appointment of Domingo Lee as Philippine ambassador to Beijing, newly appointed ambassador to KL, Eduardo Malaya's book on the "Frontlines of Diplomacy" is a good read. It is time that the Philippines thinks carefully about assigning diplomats. Beijing is probably the most sensitive post today, even more important than the US post. Domingo may be a good man and a family friend of the Aquinos but he does not have the experience necessary for the job.
In his book Malaya asked 31 entry-level foreign service officers to interview 37 retired and active ambassadors and three spouses about their careers, the issues and challenges they faced and many other sundry things. It is less on substantive issues that ought to be the subject of another book but about the daily challenges of the life of diplomats and as Malaya said more about human-interest stories for a reading public on just what a diplomat's life is all about. "It is not always a charmed life."
He gives the example of two Filipina envoys — Ambassador and later Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani and Minerva Jean Falcon who teamed up to write the first draft of what we now know as the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and how it almost never made it to the UN floor.
There is a section on Domingo Siazon Jr., the first career officer to become Foreign Secretary, that is full of amusing stories on the ASEAN troika in the Cambodia peace process, democratization process in Myanmar, the South China Sea issue and the Flor Contemplacion execution in Singapore.
"When I took over as secretary of Foreign Affairs, my main concern was Filipinos on the block for hanging. So I talked with Prime Minister Mahathir, who said "Siazon, we are not as efficient as the Singaporeans! … I have been in politics long enough. This is a sensitive issue. No Filipinos will be hanged here." Then I went to Brunei. I got the same message. This is what diplomacy is all about. It is personal. You really have to know each other. Puwedeng pakiusapan." (interview by Priscile Yap-Bahjin)
The book dispels the notion that being a diplomat is all about being in the social circuit. Clemencio Montesa was held hostage by Sandinista rebels in 1996 while awaiting to present his credentials at the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry.
Leonides Caday's limbs were shattered in Jakarta in 2000 when his car was blown up by the Jemaah Islamiyah. "I was vulnerable. I thought I had no enemies," reminisced Caday.
Rounding out these narratives are interviews with three spouses whose contributions to the success of their partners' work are immense. Ada Ledesma-Mabilangan, spouse of the former envoy to the UN, helped in the renovation of the Philippine townhouse in New York and also wrote the informative "Entertaining with Ease: Etiquette and Protocol for the Modern Filipino."
Malaya was in Brussels when my late husband, Alberto Pedrosa was Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union from 1992 to 1995. He says it helped that having lived in exile in London during the martial law years and worked in euro-capital markets, he was familiar with the continent's issues and the ways of the Brussels bureaucracy. This helped when he negotiated the entry of Philippine carrageenan and tapioca to the EU market, among other issues. |
| Out of sight, out of mind in Malaysia Posted: 05 Aug 2011 01:31 PM PDT  By Paul Maley, The Australian THOSE who insist there is no such thing as a queue of asylum-seekers, waiting patiently overseas while others charge ahead by boat to secure one of Australia's precious refugee visas, should pay a visit to Mohammad Isaq. Isaq is one of the 490 recognised Afghan refugees living in Malaysia. He and his friends can be found in the backblocks of Kuala Lumpur, in Ampang, one of the city's older suburbs.
Isaq is one of the army of illegal workers who fuel Malaysia's black economy. Malaysia makes no distinction between people in the country to claim asylum and those who are there to work. To the government, they're all illegal.
It is a wretched status, one that leaves the bearer prone to any number of official predations: arrest, detention, caning.
There are other menaces, too.
Afghans who dodge the police or the feared Rela Corp, the citizens' militia that polices Malaysia's labour market, are subject to regular exploitation in the workforce, often by Iranians, many of whom run local businesses.
"There's nothing we can do about it," says Jeanette Chan, head teacher at the Hilla Community Centre, one of only two community schools catering to Afghan refugees. "They're not supposed to work anyway."
When Focus visited KL last week for the signing of the Gillard government's refugee swap, word of the deal was filtering through Malaysia's 94,000-strong refugee community.
Overwhelmingly, the sentiment was positive, particularly among Burmese, who make up most of Malaysia's refugees. It is the Burmese who can expect to be awarded most of the 4000 protection visas Australia has committed to as its part of the deal, although Isaq and his friends had something to say about that.
"This is what we worry [about]," says Abdullah Ahmadi, who sat with Isaq and his friend Sayed Yousef in their modest apartment in KL. "Whether we have any seats in those 4000. This is what we request from the Australian government."
Asked what the 800 transferees could expect of their new life in KL, Isaq misunderstands the question but offers a revealing answer in return.
"We expect the 800 to get here to wait in order and wait in turn for resettlement," he says of the obligations that, in his mind, will apply to the new arrivals. It is Isaq's use of the word "turn" that strikes. It implies a process that is ordered, sequential and fair.
While some in the refugee lobby regard the idea of a queue as nothing more than fiction, to Isaq and his friends it is an everyday reality, one that must be patiently endured before real life can begin.
"In a way, the Australian government itself is endorsing human trafficking," says Ahmadi Zabi, 22, an urbane Afghan refugee who arrived in Malaysia in 2008. "I've been here for years and I haven't been resettled. But people who take boats, people say, 'Oh, they're real refugees. They risk their lives.' "
For all the hand-wringing that has accompanied Australia's decade-long debate about asylum-seekers, the root of the problem is simple: the Rudd government reconfigured the refugee program to offer greater advantages to people who arrived by boat and imposed huge penalties on those who applied offshore.
Boatpeople are likelier to have their refugee claims upheld, wait months rather than years for permanent visas and have more or less unfettered access to the courts, allowing them to litigate their way into Australia should their claims fail.
By contrast, people who apply offshore - such as Isaq - have access to just two UN High Commissioner for Refugees case officers, one to assess the initial refugee claim and another to review it. Failure means the end of the road. Obtaining refugee status can take years. Once obtained, nothing changes anyway. Refugees must wait many years for resettlement.
Nobody knows this better than Isaq and his friends. They all have stories of friends or relatives who have ventured to Australia by boat and received in a few months what they have waited years for.
This is one of the virtues of the Gillard government's Malaysia Solution: if applied rigorously it will help restore the fairness that was lost to Australia's humanitarian program once refugees began self-selecting in late 2008.
The plight of the world's 10.4 million refugees is not interchangeably dreadful. Some are needier than others. Would anyone really argue with the proposition that Australia's refugee program should prioritise those most at risk?
Asylum-seekers transferred to Malaysia will be returned to the mix. They will be made to wait in the queue and protected from persecution while they do so.
At least that's the theory.
A second advantage is that the Malaysia Solution resolves the problem of what to do with asylum-seekers once they have been removed from Australia.
Although some would say the refugee debate has divided Australia, in fact there is more common ground than before.
Offshore processing of asylum-seekers is now settled policy among the main parties. After 235 boats and 11,325 asylum-seekers, Labor has belatedly discovered that refugee selection should occur as far from Australia's borders as possible. Once asylum-seekers arrive, your options are greatly limited. Not only do the courts become involved but the practical difficulties of returning failed asylum-seekers to the broken and dangerous countries from which they've fled mean most, including the bogus ones, end up staying put.
The refugee lobby may not be willing to accept it yet, but the mainstream debate is now about how to process asylum-seekers offshore, and where.
Labor is quite right when it says most refugees processed on Nauru ended up in Australia. What it fails to mention, of course, is that nobody knew that at the time. Perception matters as much as reality in refugee policy, and the perception during the Howard years was that Nauru was the last station on the line.
So far the opposition has been unable to say what it would do with asylum-seekers processed a second time on Nauru, leaving it open to the charge that some, if not most, would eventually end up in Australia.
That would rob Nauru of its deterrent value, a point not lost on Scott Morrison, the Coalition's immigration spokesman. Indeed, some in government think Nauru is a confidence trick that will not work twice.
So will Malaysia work? Early signs are not encouraging. The implementation of the agreement has been ham-fisted and some of the government's toughest rhetoric has already proved to be hollow. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has backed down on his promise to transfer overseas the 560 asylum-seekers intercepted after the deal was announced but before it became effective.
The mismatch between the message and the reality will not have been lost on the smugglers. Indeed, there is already evidence the market is ready to call the government's bluff. On Tuesday The Australian reported smugglers were exploiting the exemptions Bowen is expected to offer the more vulnerable asylum-seekers. The first boat to arrive since the deal was announced would seem to bear that out. It was packed with 19 people who were, or claimed to be, children.
What does Bowen do? He can deport them all and, in so doing, send a powerful signal to the smugglers that Australia means business. But he is unlikely to do that. No minister could in good conscience deport highly vulnerable asylum-seekers to Malaysia, and Bowen, the father of young children, is a conscionable man.
Besides, the UNHCR probably wouldn't wear it. The government has spent three months verballing the UN, heavily implying it is a partner to the agreement, when in fact it dislikes the idea intensely. As a result, the relationship between the two is testy.
If the UNHCR walks, Bowen loses the political cover needed to allow the Left to publicly support an idea it privately regards as morally odious. So Bowen will offer exemptions.
He will also run out of places. The Malaysia deal allows for a quota of just 800. After that, Bowen's out of options. The government had been hoping to augment its Malaysia plan with a processing centre on Papua New Guinea. But the chaos of PNG politics means that is unlikely to happen any time soon.
Presumably, Bowen will go back to the region, to Solomon Islands, or Tonga, or some other benighted place that sees a refugee centre fully underwritten by the Australian government as a welcome cash cow. Perhaps he will even go back to Nauru.
But in so doing he will be belling the cat on another of his government's falsehoods: that the hodge-podge of agreements and communiques it has cobbled together represents some sort of "regional solution" to Australia's asylum woes.
Bowen repeated this line last week. "One country alone trying to make its regime more punitive, harsher, offshore detention doesn't make the difference that you require," he told Sky News. "I think a regional solution, which is what we said very clearly before the last election, was the sustainable way forward, is what we've delivered on."
This is guff. There is no regional solution. What Bowen has delivered is a bilateral agreement between two states.
There is nothing wrong with that, of course. But to trick it up as something grander, simply to differentiate yourself from your political opponents, is spin. And we've all had enough of that.
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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. READ MORE HERE. |
| 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 READ MORE HERE. |
| ‘Umno must sack Razaleigh’ 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? READ MORE HERE. |
| A morning session with The Oracle of Syed Putera Posted: 05 Aug 2011 11:00 AM PDT Once again, I have the pleasure to share with readers, the current thoughts of the Oracle of Syed Putra. To refresh the minds of readers, the Oracle is the alter ego of Tun Daim Zainudin. You can almost say what the Oracle says is what Tun Daim thinks. It seems now, whatever Tun Daim says is carefully analyzed. And Tun Daim is a dangerous seer. In 2008, he predicted the loss of BN in 5 states. The UMNO generals were up in arms. They vilified him, describing him with all sorts of disrespectful terms. Daim is a pensioner. Daim is out of touch. Daim is irrelevant. When the results came, what Daim predicted was generally true. So how does Daim see the future? According to the Oracle, it's a grim future for UMNO and BN. the country has no leadership. Announcements were made continuously without understanding what were said. The PM reads the budget in parliament but when it comes to Q&A, Nor Yaakob does the answering. Some people prepare the text and PM who has no time to understand the context, will just read it. The Oracle related the many occasions when Tun Daim answered he doesn't understand what the New Economic Model or the various economic initiatives are all about. He only understands basic business models- 2+ 2= 4. Now if a wily business man like Daim doesn't understand Najibnomics, what chance do common folks have? Civil servants complained to Daim about having to implement policies which they have no part in giving inputs. Our economic models are prepared by consultants under the commissar-ship of people like Omar Ong or Idris Jala. The PM's rating says the Oracle has been sliding precipitously since the Bersih Rally. He handled that one badly. The NGO was already declared an illegal one, yet he allowed them to have an audience with the Agong. The man who was instrumental in brokering Ambiga's audience with the Agong was Pak Lah, the former PM. When asked the PM said Pak Lah wanted to help out, but that kind of help hastens his plummeting rating. The Malays have a saying for this- sokong membawa rebah. All is not well with our country. The majority of the Chinese are not going to vote BN. Moving from one Chinese based party (MCA) to another (DAP) presents no mental hurdle for the Chinese. They are businesslike in their decisions. One, the Chinese are aware that Chinese interests are better looked after by a more aggressive political party. Two, stepping out from UMNO's shadow offers some satisfaction for the Chinese because doing so, remits a form of punishment to their cocky big brother. The Chinese have long wanted to teach MCA a lesson. MCA will not be able to stop this rising disenchantment. Most important of all, the general economic independence of the Chinese gives them the luxury of choice. They can choose and UMNO and BN don't appear on their radar screen. |
| A nation divided, a country devastated Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:46 AM PDT By J. D. Lovrenciear Times have changed and are fast changing even in ultra-traditional societies. The lessons we are drawing from even recent episodes as in the likes of Egypt Springs is most edifying for the selfless and wise. The well worn cliché 'a nation divided is a country devastated' has sprung back with profound meaning in this century. It applies very aptly to Malaysia.
Today we are witnessing the nation heading down a slippery slope on all four frontiers of governance, namely the political, social, economic and environmental parameters. Political party survival has taken precedence over all else and it is clearly becoming an 'at all cost, by any means' war cry and battle strategy. Religion is not spared. Race is not spared. Sex is not spared. Institutions are not spared. Ethics is prostituted. Justice is clouded. And how long can the main stream media continue to orchestrate to the whims and fancies of those embroiled in winning at all costs? Meanwhile the world is being swept without warning by financial tides of devastation; weather havocs that predict imminent food crisis; and the rise of civil society to fight the 21st century's worst enemy namely corruption and political tyranny. These, the governments around the world – including even our neighbors like Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia are better braced to combat as they have no political party survival wars to be preoccupied with. Neither do they subscribe to the stone-age 'kill at all cost' mantra. But in our own yard here, just look at the volume of files mounting within the Palace of Justice as thousands of reports are lodged against corruption and misuse of power. Look at the breaking news every day. Listen to the talks at warongs. Scan the online forums. Look at the way politicians from BN are spending money; or how about their families and spouses? Look at the way the government denies brutality inflicted on its own citizens (Bersih 2.0), only to be exposed by the international media. Look at the scandals that keep surfacing one after another – scandals that not only involve Malaysians within its borders but also those that have global implications involving international players. Do not forget the many episodes of custodial deaths and how the cases are being battled and dragged in court. Look at our daily news rations. What do all these tell us? Indeed this nation is being divided left, right and centre in the name and want for power and control. The victims are the knowing and unknowing rakyat of today those who are yet to be born. The leaders are not interested in knowing that a nation divided is a country devastated. Who cares anyway? "If this country crumbles, I have my safe haven on the Gold Coast" seems to be the hidden assurance amongst the powers that be. Take a look at all the social pages of glossy magazines that are spilling over in Malaysia. What do you see? No different. One set of laws for the knowing and unknowing rakyat and another set of freedom for the rich, famous, well heeled and power brokers. Yes, the fact that some lone and brave voices with still some conscience and integrity left behind are stepping forward from behind the curtains of the ruling BN to state the truth about this nation's governance, is a crystal clear indication that this country is in a perilous state of affairs. While the world is collaborating and partnering with all of its political parties within each nation, ours is one that is going after the opposition's throat. While others around the globe are re-focusing on the four crucial parameters of politics, social, economic and environment to be better prepared in protecting its citizens against the ravages of weather, corruption, abuse, power and control, and financial uncertainty, we are saying "everything is okay" while we are dead bent on dividing the nation along race, religion, politics, social, economy. Therein remains the assessment that Malaysia is on the highway of being a devastated country.
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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.
Recalling the story, Tuan Ibrahim said he once ordered a juice at a Malay restaurant, which was served to him in a glass with a beer label.
Feeling uncomfortable, he asked that the glass be replaced, telling the restaurant owner that although the juice was halal, "but the sight of the glass could invite suspicion and slander among my students about me and your shop".
"The lesson learnt here is that humans tend to have negative assumption. Some students seeing me drinking from such a glass would conclude that I was consuming beer, never mind the juice in it was orange in colour and never mind that it was in a Muslim outlet. "The shop owner too could be accused of selling alcoholic drinks.
"The first lesson here is one should not quickly be taken in by slanders without any investigation," said Tuan Ibrahim (right), adding that those who believed that he was drinking beer could not be faulted.
"Because I would have done something which could arouse suspicion on me," he explained.
Another lesson, said Tuan Ibrahim, is that one should not act in a way that attracts undue suspicion from the public.
"In short, we must always have good thoughts of each other and avoid doing something that could attract slander," he said.
Tuan Ibrahim said both these elements can now be seen in the frenzy which followed the JAIS action – the tendency to believe in an accusation and the tendency to do something arousing suspicions.
As such, Tuan Ibrahim said while JAIS may want to justify its actions in the name of defending Islam, it must be mindful not to create unnecessary controversies which could damage the name of the Selangor state government, the Islamic body, as well as that of Islam.
Meddling in other religion
Tuan Ibrahim, who PAS commissioner for Pahang, called on JAIS to always act according to laws and procedures.
"Any action must not be seen as meddling in other religion," he said.
He reminded that the authorities must be able to see through the intention in any complaint received, whether it was true or just made in bad faith against the backdrop of the country's heated political and racial climate.
"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," said Tuan Ibrahim.
He also said that Muslims who were at the church attending the dinner should ponder whether their actions, unconsciously or otherwise, had caused difficulties to the dinner event as well as to the church concerned.
On what JAIS should do if it was proven that its action was wrong, Tuan Ibrahim has this advice to the department:
"Do apologise if you are wrong." READ MORE HERE. |
| Street Protests: Anwar Ibrahim's Trademark Posted: 05 Aug 2011 10:12 AM PDT  By Haider Yutim, Malaysian Digest
The aftershocks of Bersih 2.0 have taken a toll on the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, tottering the pillars of its regime and affecting the general view of Malaysian politics from afar. Street demonstrations/riots have never turned out well for Malaysians. A good number of Malaysians still remember the street riots that cost lots of lives in 1969. The outcome of the recent riot has tarnished Malaysia's reputation especially with the biased reporting by foreign mainstream media. But this is just the beginning Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar the Young Activist
Anwar Ibrahim is the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and is currently the de facto leader of Keadilan, the People's Justice Party. From 1968 to 1971, as a student, Anwar was the president of a Muslim students organization, Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia (PKPIM). Around the same time, he was also the president of Persatuan Bahasa Melayu Universiti Malaya (PBMUM). He was one of the protem committee of Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) or Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia which was founded in 1971. He was also elected President of the Malaysian Youth Council or Majlis Belia Malaysia (MBM).
In 1974, Anwar was arrested during student protests against rural poverty and hunger. This came as a report surfaced stating that a family died from starvation in a village in Baling, in the state of Kedah, despite the fact that it never happened. He was imprisoned under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial, and spent 20 months in the Kamunting Detention Center.
In 2008, a gathering of more than 1,000 supporters greeted Anwar in a rally welcoming his return to politics. Police interrupted Anwar after he had addressed the rally for nearly two hours and called for him to stop the gathering since there was no legal permission for the rally.
Anwar Ibrahim and street riots are a potent and unhealthy mix. He is never a good figure for Malaysia. Catastrophes will follow in everything that he touches. He is the Midas of Catastrophe. Riots in 1998 following the sacking of Anwar as Deputy Prime Minister turned violent, with hundreds arrested.
13 Years Later
No one would honestly suggest that cleaning up politics and holding any given government accountable for their actions is not an honorable, noble cause. It is honorable indeed, however, when such a movement takes to the streets but is funded by a foreign power and led by servants of foreign interests, it becomes obvious it has been hijacked in order to exploit the aspirations of a frustrated public for a self-serving agenda.
The first rally, also organized by Bersih, was held in 2007 and saw some 50,000 people take to the capital's streets. The Bersih marchers/demonstrators eventually dispersed, however, it resulted in chaos when the police deployed teargas and water cannons on the demonstrators. The historic event has been partly credited for Pakatan's record gains in Election 2008, when the opposition pact swept into power in five states and won 82 parliamentary seats.
It's understandable then that the Bersih electoral reform group's plans for an upcoming series of a mass street protests have left citizens and lawmakers nervous. Many are relieved that the group had decided to hold its rally in a stadium, thus minimizing opportunities for violence and property damage, which somehow happens even though the protestors were peaceful. The group, backed by Pakatan had promised to bring tens of thousands onto the streets on the fateful Saturday of July 9 in what could have been Malaysia's biggest protest since 1998 when Anwar's sacking triggered violent demonstrations.
Anwar the Attention-Seeker
Anwar has long been synonymous with street riots. The main reason for him to resort to this method is to gain worldwide attention and he doesn't care what kind of attention he will be getting. To Anwar, street protests are the only avenue available to push for electoral reforms (the main agenda of Bersih 2.0 rally) and so he sees this as a good opportunity to use Bersih's platform for his own cause. He said this was because the opposition had previously exhausted all other available options to no avail.
"That is the whole interest (of Bersih 2.0), to express in this manner because all other avenues have failed. We have sent memos, (held) series of discussions, protest... Everything has been done, submissions with facts and evidence," he was quoted telling reporters.
Malaysian Public Pay the Price
The government had declared Bersih as illegal a few days before the scheduled rally, and has warned that anyone wearing yellow will be detained. More than 200 Bersih supporters and organizers were arrested on charges ranging from the promotion of "illegal assembly" to "waging war against the King". Some were held for an indefinite period without trial.
The rally also prompted authorities to carry out extensive roadblocks which caused standstills in Kuala Lumpur and many businesses had to close. There were also widespread mobile phone and internet disruption.
Meanwhile, thousands of supporters have expressed their views on Facebook and Twitter, with many of them, tweeting directly to the prime minister. However, it could prove difficult to gauge the impact the rally had, in the short term at least, in a country known for its traditionally tame political culture, according to scholar Greg Lopez. Social networks such as Twitter were congested with comments and posts on the rally, including some posters created by those who were initially indifferent to the Bersih 2.0 agenda prior to July 9, but had since decided to support it, rhetorically at least.
Bersih supporters in other parts of the world held similar rallies in Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, the US, Canada and the UK.
According to Ooi Kee Beng, a Malaysian analyst based in Singapore's Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, the demonstration and crackdown might prompt apolitical Malaysians to take a greater interest in public affairs.
READ MORE HERE.
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| 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. READ MORE HERE. |
| Exco terima surat ugutan berisi peluru Posted: 04 Aug 2011 09:44 PM PDT 
(FMT) - KULIM: Anggota Exco Kedah Lim Soo Nee menerima kejutan hari ini apabila menemui sepucuk surat mengandungi nota ugutan dan sebutir peluru di pejabatnya, di Taman Kemuning di sini. Ketua Polis Daerah Kulim Supt Ghuzlan Salleh berkata anggota dewan undangan negeri (Adun) kawasan Kulim itu, menemui surat tersebut di atas tangga menuju ke pejabatnya kira-kira 9.45 pagi tadi. "Lim yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Alam Sekitar, Hal Ehwal Masyarakat Cina dan Pengangkutan ketika itu mahu naik ke pejabatnya di tingkat atas bangunan dua tingkat dan menemui sampul surat yang tertulis 'kepada Adun' di
atas tangga.
Tidak puas hati
"Beliau kemudian mengambil surat itu lalu membawanya ke pejabat sebelum membuka dan menemui nota serta peluru tersebut," katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama, di sini. Selanjutnya di sini. |
| The Illogicality Of It All Posted: 04 Aug 2011 08:38 PM PDT  By Masterwordsmith This would have been a non-issue from the start had mutual respect and tolerance been practised. Despite the delicate situation, a few leaders continued to flex their muscles to intimidate and to fan the flames of fear raging then. Subsequently, an inter-faith dialogue was held but what has that achieved besides the usual pathetic and token attempts to white-wash issues? In 1986, the government ban on the use by non-Muslims of the word "Allah", and three others — "solat", "Kaabah" and "Baitullah". By 2009, the High Court allowed the church to use the word, but an appeal from the Home Ministry has left the decision hanging. Post "Allah" controversy, a few churches and a Catholic school were torched and threatened in January last year.
This would have been a non-issue from the start had mutual respect and tolerance been practised. Despite the delicate situation, a few leaders continued to fan the flames of fear raging then. Subsequently, an inter-faith dialogue was held but the status quo remains. In March '11, the Home Ministry seized 35,100 Malay-language bibles which were released just ahead of the Sarawak state election in April. However, copies in Peninsular Malaysia had to be chopped and marked with a cross and the words "Christian publication". Then in May, Penangites were stunned when a meeting between the Penang Chief Minister and Christian leaders was turned into a flaming controversy with ridiculous claims that the participants discussed making Christianity the official religion. Thereafter, Utusan Malaysia went to town. They front-paged two blogs making such a claim. (Read my blog post Truth Please, NOT Distortions of Reality!) Now the whole issue is in the back burner while another highly illogical controversy broke forth.
Last month, the PM went to the Vatican to establish diplomatic ties. On his return, the PM said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government would work with Christians who wished to uphold world peace and harmony as it was committed to the "global movement of moderates". At Kompleks Bunga Raya, he said, "We wish to tell our friends, the Malaysian Christians . . . if they respect us, we will also respect them," he told some 200 BN supporters here. When you don't practise the 1Malaysia policy, talk is cheap.
A few days earlier, Media Prima Bhd was forced to axe a controversial series of Ramadan commercials on its 8TV channel after scathing public criticism and claims that the advertisements were racist and highly insulting in nature. The advertisements depicted a Chinese girl eating greeding and dressed inappropriately in front of Muslims during Ramadan.
Guess who owns Media Prima, which in turn owns 8TV, and other channels like TV3 and TV9?What did they hope to achieve with those advertisements? Two days ago, during an NGO Harapan Komuniti dinner in appreciation for its volunteers, leaders, supporters and members of the community who have benefited from its work, twenty odd police officers barged into the premises of Dream Centre. They disrupted the dinner and started taking videos and photographs and took down details of the Muslim guests. The dinner was non-religious in nature but held to celebrate the work of non-profit organisation Harapan Komuniti in helping women, children, HIV/AIDS sufferers and victims of natural disasters.
Apparently, the official 'intruders' came without a warrant on a complaint made by somebody but did not explain what it was. No arrest was made but they seized the function's programme sheets and questioned the dinner organisers and guests. The raid was linked to attempts to preach to Malay Muslims about Christianity. Public outrage followed. Politicians then played the blame game while Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) secretary-general Rev Hermen Shastri hit out at Selangor's Islamic religious authorities for "storming" a Petaling Jaya church last night on flimsy grounds.
The raid was linked to attempts to preach to Malay Muslims about Christianity. Apparently, they on the pretext of a complaint made by someone but did not explain what it was.
1. Is it justified for Jais to conduct its investigations without first checking with the church leaders and worse still, to enter the religious places of other communities and conduct their investigations?
2. Where is respect for the activities and premises of those from other faiths?
3. Isn't the month of Ramadhan supposed to be a month of tolerance? In the Qur'an, Muslims are commanded to fast so that they may "learn self-restraint". READ MORE HERE. |
| SUARAM Condemns JAIS Raid Posted: 04 Aug 2011 08:33 PM PDT  By Suaram Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) condemns the raid at a church by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) on the 3rd of August 2011. 30 police officers and religious authorities raided a multi-racial dinner and without presenting a warrant entered the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) over an unspecified complaint. The multi-racial dinner was organized by the non-profit organization Harapan Komuniti to help women, children, HIV/AIDs sufferers and victims of natural disasters. 12 Muslims were present at the dinner. The dinner was held in the compound of the church but JAIS went inside the church and searched the DUMC's premises. The dinner organizers were subjected to questioning and the function's programme sheets were seized by the authorities. SUARAM condemns the raid by JAIS as the guests and organizers who went to the dinner in good faith were intimidated by the authoritarian manner of the raid. Although no arrests were made, the fact that the event was unceremoniously interrupted by JAIS and that guests were subjected to questioning was intimidating for the guests. We also believe that this is an infringement of the freedom to assemble and associate peacefully as enshrined under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. While we welcome the expression of regret over the raid by the Menteri Besar of Selangor, Khalid Ibrahim, we demand a full report and justification from JAIS, which is under the purview of the Selangor State Government. We would like to ascertain the legal basis of the raid from JAIS. We believe that since no warrant was presented to the parties, JAIS acted arbitrarily and without due process. As Selangor exco member in charge of Islamic affairs Hassan Ali has claimed that there was evidence of proselytisation, we would like to see evidence from the JAIS report on this claim. We demand that JAIS discloses the complaint made on the multi-racial dinner to demonstrate that JAIS did not conduct the raid on an arbitrary basis. Although Prime Minister Najib Razak's visit to Vatican City tried to placate interreligious tensions, trends have shown that religious tensions are still high in Malaysia. The severed cow head incident in Selangor, the banning of the usage of the word of "Allah" by Christians by the Home Ministry, the controversial demolishing of Hindu temples, the temporary seizure of Malay-language Bibles by the Home Ministry have all served to contribute to interreligious tensions. SUARAM believes that the recent raid by JAIS at DUMC will only serve to destroy harmonious co-existence among our different peoples. We urge the Selangor State Government to respect the freedom of religion and the rights of religious groups to manage their affairs. |
| Bursa firms shed RM26b amid global markets bloodbath Posted: 04 Aug 2011 08:24 PM PDT  By Lee Wei Lian, The Malaysian Insider Today's global market sell-off wiped an estimated RM26 billion from the KL stock exchange as investors took the cue from the regional meltdown following the rout on Wall Street yesterday. Trader terminals were a sea of red today as losers vastly outnumbered gainers 934 to 60 while the broad-based Emas index shed 1.89 per cent to hit 10,478, a level not seen since May. The benchmark FBMKLCI slipped 1.45 per cent to 1524, also its lowest level since May. "If the Dow has another down day, things won't look too good," said Chris Eng, head of research at OSK Research. One trader told The Malaysian Insider that the US jobs data report that was to be released today and was expected to see the unemployment rate in the world's biggest economy remain unchanged, could send more jitters through the US market. "Luckily we are off for the weekend," he said. The KL market has traditionally been seen as a defensive and "boring" market due to the dominance of government institutional funds, which causes a lack of liquidity. This likely means that government-linked investment funds such as EPF and PNB had a high exposure to today's massive selldown. Eng said that given the outlook for the global markets, any slight rebound from today would be an opportunity to sell. All eyes will now be on August manufacturing data, traditionally a time when production picks up to cater for orders for the year-end holiday season. If the August manufacturing data does not show an improvement over July, fund managers could be spooked into thinking the global economic recovery has stalled. "If that happens, today's tailspin is just the start of a possible bear market after three years of a stock market rally," said the trader. The Dow and the S&P index fell over 4 per cent yesterday due to recession fears in the United States and that Europe's sovereign debt crisis could spread to Italy and Spain. READ MORE HERE. |
| M’sia being left behind, warns Anwar Posted: 04 Aug 2011 08:18 PM PDT 
(AFP) MANILA: Malaysian Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim warned today his country was being left behind as a wave of democratisation sweeps the world. Speaking at a forum during a visit to the Philippines, Anwar warned Kuala Lumpur against tampering with elections and said the "Arab Spring" proved that popular clamour for democracy could not be suppressed. "The entire world, including the most conservative Muslim heartland, the Middle East has now transformed and is clamouring for change and reform. Why must Malaysia be lagging so far behind?" he asked. "We are lagging far behind the Philippines and Indonesia in terms of building credible (democratic) institutions," he said at a forum hosted by his friend, former Philippine president Joseph Estrada. Anwar also fretted that the Malaysian economy was even starting to slip behind Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam in areas like competitiveness. Anwar said that unlike in Arab countries, he did not expect violence in Malaysia, but he said Malaysians now wanted more political freedoms and fair elections. "We are not demanding the toppling of the regime. We want to use the ballot box but the ballot box must be clean," he said. Anwar said he did not want Malaysia's leaders to suffer the same fate as former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, who has been put on trial by the new government, but warned that they could not ignore the people's will. Massive rally He dismissed the high-profile sodomy case against him as "trumped-up charges" and assailed the government for violently cracking down on street protests. On July 9 riot police fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protesters who were demanding electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur. Police also arrested more than 1,600 people, while one demonstrator died. Anwar himself suffered a bruise on his head and a cut leg. |
| No law against Muslims in churches, says Bar Council Posted: 04 Aug 2011 05:27 PM PDT 
(The Malaysian Insider) - The Bar Council said there are no laws stopping Muslims from entering church premises, and accused the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) today of "disrespecting" the right to association by raiding a Petaling Jaya church this week. Its president Lim Chee Wee also pointed out there is no law stating Muslims cannot be part of the audience at a thanksgiving event held in church premises, even if it contained religious elements like prayer and singing. "By conducting such a raid... then taking down the particulars of Muslims found in attendance, treating them as though they had somehow broken the law, Jais has besmirched the good name and sullied the hard-earned reputation of Malaysia and her peoples for multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-faith acceptance," he said in a statement. "Especially in this month of Ramadan, one would have hoped that the Islamic religious authorities in Selangor would have focused their attention on more constructive pursuits rather than the disruption of a community thanksgiving dinner that brought together people of various races and faiths in peace, harmony and unity." Lim said the raid — which followed "insensitive" public service announcements (PSA) by 8TV — did not bode well for racial and religious harmony in Malaysia as their actions suggested that moderation was increasingly giving way to "mindless orthodoxy". "If, after almost 54 years of independence in Peninsular Malaysia, a state Islamic authority and a national television company can still display a form of arrogant authoritarianism and callous condescension in their actions, then we must collectively ask ourselves where we have failed as a nation," he said. He added that he welcomed the statement of regret offered by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and urged that disciplinary action be taken against Jais officers responsible for the raid if they are found to have exceeded their authority. "The civil authorities cannot allow the Islamic department to wantonly disrespect the fundamental rights and liberties of all citizens to gather and associate freely with one another," Lim stressed. READ MORE HERE |
| Serbuan Jais: Kenyataan penuh Datuk Dr Hassan Ali Posted: 04 Aug 2011 05:17 PM PDT 
KENYATAAN AKHBAR DATO' DR HASAN BIN MOHAMED ALI EXCO HAL EHWAL ISLAM, ADAT-ADAT MELAYU, INFRASTRUKTUR DAN KEMUDAHAN AWAM Bahagian Penguatkuasaan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) dan sepasukan anggota Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) telah membuat pemeriksaan ke atas sebuah gereja di Damansara Utama berdasarkan hasil maklumat yang diterima. Maklumat tersebut menyatakan terdapatnya kehadiran orang Islam di dalam majlis berbuka puasa yang diadakan di gereja tersebut.
Anggota Penguatkuasaan JAIS bersama anggota polis telah menjalankan pemeriksaan di premis terbabit walaupun dihalang oleh pihak penganjur. Penganjur utama yang dipercayai beragama Islam telah berunding selama hampir 1 jam bersama ketua operasi agar pemeriksaan ke atas tempat dan individu tidak dilakukan sehingga majlis tersebut selesai.
Di dalam majlis tersebut juga, kelihatan seseorang sedang mengadakan pengucapan awam, di mana ucapannya ada diselitkan dengan perkataan Quran dan 'pray'.
Setelah majlis hampir tamat, pasukan penguatkuasa dan anggota polis telah membuat pemeriksaan meskipun terdapat cubaan menghalang pemeriksaan dan melupuskan bahan bukti.
Pegawai penguatkuasa JAIS dan polis mendapati ada percubaan dikalangan peserta untuk melarikan diri melalui pintu belakang premis tetapi berjaya dihalang oleh penguatkuasa JAIS.
Terdapat seramai 12 orang yang beragama Islam telah menghadiri majlis tersebut. Tiada serbuan dan tiada tangkapan dibuat. Sebaliknya pemeriksaan dilakukan hanya selepas rundingan dengan pihak penganjur diadakan. Mereka telah diarah untuk menghadirkan diri di Bahagian Penguatkuasaan JAIS untuk siasatan lanjut.
Berpandukan kepada siasatan awal mereka yang terlibat boleh didakwa dibawah Seksyen 10 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah 1995. Selain daripada itu terdapat bukti-bukti kegiatan penyebaran agama bukan Islam terhadap penganut agama Islam.
Siasatan lanjut bagi kedua-dua kesalahan ini akan diteruskan.
PEJABAT EXCO HAL EHWAL ISLAM, ADAT-ADAT MELAYU, INFRASTRUKTUR DAN KEMUDAHAN AWAM, TINGKAT 2, BANGUNAN SALAHUDDIN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH |
| FBC Media Scandal – Growing Questions For CNN’s John Defterios Posted: 04 Aug 2011 05:04 PM PDT 
SARAWAK REPORT If CNN had acknowledged concerns about FBC Media's spin operations and agreed to investigate the possible contamination of its programmes, because of its connections with that company's President, John Defterios, criticism might have died down. However, unlike the BBC and CNBC, who have both launched investigations and suspended FBC Media programmes, CNN has leapt to a fairly arrogant and unquestioning defence of its Business Presenter, who for years has combined that role with a senior position and substantial shareholding in the crooked PR/ Production company. The problem is that John Defterios's programme guests were sometimes his own PR clients. They had paid millions of dollars to his company in return for positive publicity and platforms in the global news media. Indeed FBC boasted in its promotional material that it was the only PR firm who could uniquely "guarantee" access to "blue chip", " editorial shows" on stations such as CNN, CNBC and the BBC. Anyone in the business knows that such guarantees could only be illegal. READ MORE HERE |
| What makes PAS what it is Posted: 04 Aug 2011 04:35 PM PDT Another matter concerns Anwar Ibrahim. I know of certain PAS leaders who think that Anwar is guilty of all those allegations of sexual misconduct and they want him ousted as opposition leader. They have in fact said so in closed-door meetings with their supporters. But they don't think someone from Umno should replace Anwar. NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin I have been trying to tell you this for some time. There is not only one PAS. There are many PAS. And this is why we are seeing what we are seeing. There is PAS Kelantan. PAS Terengganu. PAS Kedah. PAS Perak. PAS Selangor. PAS Johor. And so on. Then in PAS Kelantan we have Team A and Team B. The same in Selangor as well -- Team A and Team B -- and this follows all over the country. In a way this goes for PKR and DAP as well -- plus all the other parties within Barisan Nasional. So it is not something we need to worry about too much. This has been going on for a long time and will probably go on forever. Politicians will always engage in turf wars and will try to come out looking like a hero. That is the nature of the beast. The problem is we always look at PAS as one united party. Then, when we hear what we view as 'contradicting statements from the party', we become perturbed. We imagine that PAS is inconsistent and it appears to ding-dong or flip-flop. Actually, it is merely a case of different leaders expressing their view of things. And one leader may have a view totally opposite to another. This is probably the beauty of the party, unlike Umno where only the President's view is valid and all others must shut the fuck up (especially when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was its President). But then, when we can't tell the difference between party policy and the personal view of a certain leader, this creates confusion and we perceive the party as not consistent. Take the issue of 'Malay unity'. There are some PAS leaders who will never touch Umno with a ten-foot pole and others who feel that the future of PAS lies in the party 'working' with Umno. Officially, the party is with Pakatan Rakyat and will never abandon the opposition coalition. But that won't stop some leaders from expressing their opinion that a partnership with 'Islamic' Umno is better than a partnership with 'kafir' DAP. The issue of beer is another thorn in the side of Pakatan Rakyat. Some PAS leaders want beer banned in the states under opposition control while others feel it is not wrong or illegal for establishments like Seven-Eleven to sell beer. Then we have the latest issue of the JAIS (the Selangor Religious Department) raid on the church. There are some PAS leaders who feel it is a crime for Muslims to attend church functions while some PAS leaders themselves visit churches. Another matter concerns Anwar Ibrahim. I know of certain PAS leaders who think that Anwar is guilty of all those allegations of sexual misconduct and they want him ousted as opposition leader. They have in fact said so in closed-door meetings with their supporters. But they don't think someone from Umno should replace Anwar. Then I know of certain PAS leaders who are in contact with Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and have regular meetings with him. These leaders are of the view that Tengku Razaleigh should take over as opposition leader even if he remains in Umno. This would mean a sort of 'unity government' with Umno. Then there are some PAS leaders who believe that Anwar is guilty but he is still the best candidate for opposition leader. So they are prepared to 'close their eyes and ears' and ignore whatever is said about Anwar although they believe there is some element of truth in those allegations. Then, of course, there are some PAS leaders who think that Anwar is absolutely innocent and a victim of fitnah (slander). So we must understand the nature of that beast called PAS. Different people have different views. And we have to respect that and not become too worried about it. Even amongst the readers of Malaysia Today there are many differing views. Some of you think that Anwar is God's gift to Malaysia and others who think he is a slime-ball and scumbag. Aren't you entitled to your views? Well, the same goes for the PAS leaders -- they too are entitled to their views. So don't get overly worried. Whether it is the Islamic State issue, the matter of Malay unity with Umno, the banning of beer, Malays going to church functions, or whether Anwar is guilty and should resign, with one million PAS members we are certainly going to see different people having different views. That is what democracy is all about I suppose -- the freedom to have your own opinion. ************************************** Selangor PAS wants explanation from Hasan Ali (Malaysiakini) - Selangor PAS will demand an explanation from state exco member Hasan Ali over the latter's defence of the controversial Jais raid on Damansara Utara Methodist Church (DUMC) this week. Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad however said that they will only comment on the matter after all the relevant information is in hand. "We hope for all to exercise wisdom over this issue. We reserve comment until we get hold of the Jais report and top state leaders will meet with Hasan Ali to get his explanation," said the Shah Alam MP. "We will see what is the evidence that he claims there is (to justify Jais' raid)," he added. He said with the exception of "one leader", no one amongst them has raised the question of the alleged conversion of Muslims in relation to the DUMC event. Hasan yesterday claimed that Jais had "proof" to back their disruption of the multiracial dinner at the church on Wednesday. This came shortly after after Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had expressed his regret over the incident and given assurances to the community. On Wednesday night, Jais officers raided the church in Petaling Jaya and disrupted a multiracial thanksgiving dinner, over allegations that there were attempts at converting Muslims to Christianity. ********************************* Kit Siang: Hasan Ali breaking ranks with Selangor (The Malaysian Insider) - Lim Kit Siang today accused Selangor executive councillor Datuk Hasan Ali of breaking ranks with the state government, after the latter issued a statement conflicting with Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's over Wednesday's church raid. The DAP party advisor said Hasan's open defence of the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) should be viewed seriously, as it came immediately after Khalid expressed regret over the incident. "What is a matter of concern and must be viewed seriously is the public defence of the Jais action by Hasan, issued shortly after Khalid's statement expressing regret for the raid and asking Jais to submit a full report on the incident — as it is an act of breaking ranks in the Selangor state government," he pointed out in a statement here. Lim added that Khalid's response had been "timely and appropriate" as the raid was "deplorable" and detrimental to efforts to build a more open, tolerant and harmonious plural Malaysia. Jais enforcement officers swooped in on a dinner function at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) late Wednesday night after receiving an unspecified complaint, bringing with them a team of policemen. In an immediate response, Khalid called on Jais to furnish the state government with a full report on the purpose of the raid, and gave his assurance that the state government fully respects freedom of religion and rights of religious groups. But Hasan, a Selangor state executive councillor, then spoke up in defence of Jais, alleging that the words "Quran" and "pray" were used in the presence of the 12 Muslims at the dinner function. He claimed this was evidence that Christians were proselytising Muslims. Hasan's party colleague, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, immediately sought to distance PAS's state leadership from its former chief by saying it was "not Selangor PAS's stance", revealing a deep and continuing rift between the Islamist party's liberal and more hardline factions in the state. PAS's national leadership also stepped in today, telling all parties to refrain from issuing "provocative" statements over raid despite the conflicting views expressed by leaders within its own ranks. The party's National Unity Committee chairman Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa issued a statement here expressing fear that the sensitive issue may be exploited to further endanger interreligious harmony in the country. "I call upon all to restrain from making provocative statements regarding the issue and respect the month of Ramadan in observing sincerity and abstain from spreading falsehood," he said. Mujahid, who is also PAS central working committee member and Parit Buntar MP, added that interpretation of the raid on the DUMC has so far been "gray" as details of the incident have yet to be revealed. Among others, he said it was important to ascertain the basis of the raid; its legality; if a warrant had been issued prior to the raid; and the exact events that transpired on Wednesday. "Jais must explain to the public what actually happened and do not let the gray area be interpreted by ill-minded racist and religious fanatics. Worse is when the media sensationalises the whole issue to the whims and wants of racist political parties," he said. |
| WA Premier slams children being sent to Malaysia Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:34 PM PDT By ABC News West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says sending unaccompanied asylum seeker children to Malaysia is indefensible. Yesterday, a group of 55 asylum seekers reached Christmas Island where they were told they would be the first to be transferred to Malaysia under the Federal Government's swap deal. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says 19 members of the group are children and 14 of them are unaccompanied. Mr Barnett says he does not agree with the Federal Government's decision to send unaccompanied children to Malaysia. "It's a horrendous issue, that no matter how desperate people might be, that they would put children by themselves at risk on an asylum seeker boat crossing a wild and dangerous sea to get to Australia," he said. "My personal view, and [it] won't probably win many friends in the Liberal Party, I think it is absolutely indefensible for Australia, a prosperous country, to send children by themselves to another country. "I think we are failing in humanity in doing that. "I don't feel proud to be an Australian if we are going to send small children to another country unaccompanied." Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned there can be no blanket exemptions for children under the Malaysian swap deal and says their transfer will be filmed and posted on YouTube as a deterrent. UNICEF spokesman Norman Gillespie said earlier today that it was extremely concerning up to 14 unaccompanied children could soon be deported. "We would be extremely concerned if any unaccompanied minor would indeed be deported in such a way," he said. "We note that it will be a case-by-case basis and we absolutely depend upon the minister to make the right decision in these instances." 'Preyed on'Human rights lawyer Andrew Khoo, who is part of the Malaysian Bar's Human Rights Committee, says sending asylum seekers to Malaysia may breach Australia's legal responsibilities. "The Immigration Minister is the legal guardian of refugees who are minors and he has to decide what's in the best interests of the child and under the provisions of the convention of the rights of the child," he said. "A decision that's made, which is questionable where it may or may not be in the best interests of the child, can be challenged," he said. Mr Khoo also says unaccompanied children may be preyed on by criminal gangs. "My concern for them will be for their future," he said. "They are idling their time away and they would make very good targets for people hoping to entice them into some kind of petty crime rackets, and it's not difficult for them to be tempted by some of the things they see around them." |
| 6,000 reports made under Whistleblower Act Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:25 PM PDT By Rashvinjeet S Bedi, The StarMore than 6,000 reports of improper conduct have been received under the Whistleblower Act which came into force in December last year. However, director in charge of the National Key Results Area (NKRA) on corruption D. Ravindran said it would take a while to determine if these reports were genuine or not. He said the respective agencies were being advised on implementation and guidelines of the Act. The agencies included the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC), the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Immigration, among others. He was speaking at a media briefing by Pemandu to provide updates on the six NKRAs in the first half of the year. Ravindran said no one, besides the person making the report and the one receiving it, would know of the contents of the reports. He added that those who divulged details of the reports to others, such as the media or individuals, would not be eligible for protection under the Act. Under Section 11 of the Whistleblower Act, protection may be revoked if the whistleblower discloses the information to another channel. Ravindran also said a recent survey commissioned by them found that 45% of Malaysians believed the overall perception of graft in Malaysia has improved, up from 28% in 2009 to 39% last year. He said he was not surprised by results of the proxy survey to the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer, which was conducted from March to May by research company TNS with 2,000 people. "There is more seriousness in fighting corruption," he said, pointing out that 14 special corruption courts have been operational since February. He also said 1,951 of 2,324, or 84%, of government contracts awarded have been subjected to a Ministry of Finance (MOF) integrity pact and that there were already 237 names in the corruption offender's database, surpassing the 2011 target of 100. |
| No DNA match detected Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:12 PM PDT 
(The Star) - Samples for DNA analysis taken from Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed's socks, back of his shirt, trousers and the back of his palm confirmed the presence of two unknown contributors, the Coroner's Court heard. Chemistry Department forensic scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong said the two unknown DNA did not match samples taken from any of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commis-sion (MACC) officers, but matched that of two individuals that were autopsied before Ahmad Sarbaini in HUKM. Seah, who is also the department's head of DNA crime unit, told the inquest into the death of Ahmad Sarbaini that the contamination was caused by a leftover on the autopsy table. The last witness of the inquest, investigating officer ASP Zuhairi Mohamed told the court he felt that his investigation was 90% up to par. Asked by MACC counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on why was it not 100%, ASP Zuhairi said: "Till today I still do not know why he (Ahmad Sarbaini) wanted to go out of the window". Zuhairi said based on his investigation, he would say it was a case of sudden death and Ahmad Sarbaini had fallen from a high place. "To say he committed suicide, no one saw the incident taking place and from experts' statements, he did not have the criteria nor showed any sign for suicide," he said. Zuhairi said his investigation also ruled out homicide as Ahmad Sarbaini's body had no injuries or scars caused by a struggle. He said the only question that remained was why Ahmad Sarbaini had come out from the window of the pantry. Asked by Muhammad Shafee if Zuhairi had received any statement that supports Raja Petra Kamarudin's blog posting claiming that Ahmad Sarbaini accidentally fell to his death after being forced onto the ledge by a senior MACC investigator, Zuhairi said: "I am the investigating officer and not Raja Petra. I do not know how he got his story. His version and my investigation findings are totally different. Those are his assumptions." Ahmad Sarbaini, 56, who was attached to the Port Klang Customs office, was found dead at the badminton court on the first floor of the MACC building on April 6. |
| Democracy isn’t just about voting Posted: 04 Aug 2011 03:08 PM PDT By Putik Lada, The Star Malaysia can be a true beacon of peace and democracy in action if it truly practises respect for one another as well as animals, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of expression. IT is fascinating to see how the political scene in Malaysia has turned from quality debating and truly focusing on issues that matter to the rakyat to gutter politics that include tarnishing another's image, blackmail, deception and savage-like behaviour. We preach from the pulpit about how democratic Malaysia is and how everyone is to be subservient to the written Constitution. We talk about human rights and protection of animals and precious flora in this blessed land and yet we read, day in and day out, about local authorities' cruel handling of stray dogs and cats and individuals posting, with great pride, the abuse of animals on websites. The abuse of animals, be it in government regulated zoos or in people's home, have taken centrestage in recent weeks. Authorities that are in a position to help and protect these voiceless friends of ours, such as Perhilitan, have failed to enforce the law to its fullest and put a stop to this abuse. Excuses by the authorities that the governing legislation are inadequate cannot be accepted. Should it be inadequate, then it is incumbent upon the authorities to propose changes/amendments to the governing sections. Similarly, we continue to see many of our historical infrastructure falling into disrepute right in front of the eyes of the Heritage Commissioner. Maybe the Heritage Commissioner needs to take a leaf from countries that have long dealt with their local heritage, such as the City of Bath in England and the authorities in Rome and surrounding cities. The tearing down of a significant portion of the Pudu Jail wall in the name of development only goes to show our commitment towards protecting these heritage sites. The historical structures are what tourists, near and far, come to see and talk about. They need not come all the way here to shop. They have shopping centres in their respective countries. We dare portray to the world our stand on human rights and the persecution that takes place in the Middle East and in other parts of the world when we, as a nation, have yet to ratify the convention that protects the fundamental rights of refugees. We preach about freedom of the press and freedom of speech when at the very same time we have draconian statutes such as the Internal Security Act which legitimatises detention without trial and the Printing Presses and Publication Act which keeps the media in check. We refuse to recognise people of different sexual orientations in this country simply because it allegedly does not conform to religious norms and societal values. A truly democratic nation must allow people to express themselves and explore their true purpose in the world. The people must be able to put forth their opinions on the formation of social and economic policies that directly affect them. Being able to cast one's vote in state and general elections and being able to seek legal redress are not the only components of a democratic nation. Take the United States, for instance. This is a globally recognised superpower which has done so much to promote human rights and advance the cause of refugees and people living with HIV and AIDS. The American people are the first to attend to the sufferings of people around the world and to tend to disaster-stricken nations. The rest of the world, including Malaysia, may criticise America for its many questionable decisions but, without doubt, the positive acts of its people have impacted the world on so many levels. Those who constantly criticise the West without recognising its positive deed and all that it stands for must be willing to forgo the same technology and innovations that were born out of their creativity. Forgo the jeans, forgo the iPADs, forgo human rights, forgo democracy! We see democracy being put to practice in countries like America and India, where the torching of the nation's flag by its people is not viewed with disdain and disrespect, but is viewed, interestingly, as a sign of democracy in action. We also see the President of the United States being grilled on foreign and local policies by its local representatives. Malaysia can be a true beacon of peace and democracy in action if its leaders and people hold firmly and put into practice the true tenets of democracy; respect for one another, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and, most importantly, freedom to form and deliver an opinion/criticism without fear or favour. |
| MACC, A-G to monitor MRT integrity pact Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:53 PM PDT By Hemananthani Sivanandam, The Sun KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4, 2011): The Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Auditor-General will oversee the Integrity Pact (IP) used for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project to ensure proper governance practice. National Key Result Area (NKRA) director in charge of reducing corruption D. Ravindran said that the MRT is used as a pilot for the full implementation of the IP and the inclusion of the Auditor-General is as an oversight mechanism. "This is new for us because the Auditor-General is mostly looked as a post factor (measure) but here we are including the Auditor-General up front so he can help ensure proper governance practice is done," said Ravindran at a media briefing on the Government Transformation Programme today. He added that the Auditor-General's office and the MACC are acting as independent monitors of the project to ensure that everything is above board, as part of the integrity pact. Ravindran said that the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) also plans to include outside parties such as independent engineers and non-governmental organisations to help provide advice. "This is the first time it's done in Malaysia," he said adding that Pemandu is in the midst of identifying the relevant parties. In July, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak witnessed the signing of the IP between Land Public Transport Commission and the MRT project partner, MMC-Gamuda. The over RM50 billion MRT project, which is 51km long, and links Sungai Buloh to Kajang, is expected to be completed in 2016. Najib said the IP was an internationally recognised practice that would help ensure transparency in the project implementation. Ravindran also announced that in the latest survey by Pemandu, 45% of Malaysians said their overall perception of corruption in Malaysia has improved. A proxy survey to the Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer carried out by research company TNS from March to May this year showed there was a slight drop from 51% the previous quarter. Meanwhile, NKRA director for urban public transportation Ahmad Suhaili Idrus said that pre-feasibility studies for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high speed rail will be ready on Aug 19. "The pre-feasibility study will allow the government to make decisions about the exact corridor and key stations. More refinement is needed and we hope the feasibility study can start by the end of the year, if (we) get approvals from the Cabinet," he said. |
| Celebrate Freedom, Not Fear Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:49 PM PDT  By Lim Chee Wee, President, Malaysian Bar Council The Malaysian Bar deeply deplores the action by the Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor ("JAIS") who, with the assistance of Polis DiRaja Malaysia, rudely interrupted a thanksgiving dinner hosted by a community-based non-governmental organisation and held at Damansara Utama Methodist Church two days ago. We welcome the statement of regret offered by the Menteri Besar of Selangor over the incident, and his call for JAIS to furnish a detailed report on the incident. We trust that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if JAIS officers are found to have exceeded their authority in this regard. The civil authorities cannot allow the Islamic department to wantonly disrespect the fundamental rights and liberties of all citizens to gather and associate freely with one another. Especially in this month of Ramadhan, one would have hoped that the Islamic religious authorities in Selangor would have focused their attention on more constructive pursuits rather than the disruption of a community thanksgiving dinner that brought together people of various races and faiths in peace, harmony and unity. This is the true spirit of Malaysia which we must value, uphold, protect and defend. We know of no prohibition in law against Muslims entering the premises of a Christian church, nor of being part of the audience in a thanksgiving event held in such a place, even if such an event were to contain certain religious elements such as prayer and singing. By conducting such a raid, video-recording a part of the event, rummaging and removing the contents of garbage bags and then taking down the particulars of Muslims found in attendance, treating them as though they had somehow broken the law, JAIS has besmirched the good name and sullied the hard-earned reputation of Malaysia and her peoples for multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-faith acceptance. This action on the part of JAIS, coming so closely after the insensitive public service announcements released by television station 8TV, does not bode well for the future of inter-racial and inter-faith harmony in our country. If, after almost 54 years of independence in Peninsular Malaysia, a state Islamic authority and a national television company can still display a form of arrogant authoritarianism and callous condescension in their actions, then we must collectively ask ourselves where we have failed as a nation. Moderation has increasingly given way to mindless orthodoxy, and those in authority have parted company with common sense. Let us all recommit ourselves, in this mutual month of Ramadhan and Merdeka, to a practice of faith or belief that will free our lives from fear, and a pursuit of ideals that will free our thoughts from binding shackles, both of which our forefathers struggled so hard to achieve. |
| Bungling Najib making opposition stronger Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:42 PM PDT 
By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT SERI KEMBANGAN: Former minister Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's poor handling of the Bersih 2.0 rally had made the polls watchdog a potent force and strengthened public support for the opposition. Kadir, a former tourism minister during the time of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said Najib could have easily minimised the Bersih threat if he had engaged the NGO instead of resorting to force, which, he added, had boosted the group. "The government had built it up to become a big giant," he told FMT in a recent interview at his office here, agreeing with the opinions of various party leaders who believed it would have been better to engage the polls watchdog in discussions than resorting to repressive measures. "I would have allowed the procession right from the beginning… then there will be no noise at all… Bersih would have had only two days of publicity," said the Umno veteran who described Bersih's demands for electoral reforms as valid. The suppression of the July 9 rally drew widespread condemnation from home and abroad. Nearly 200 people were arrested ahead of the rally, and almost 1,700 more were detained on July 9 when Kuala Lumpur was virtually locked down.
No two-thirds for Najib Despite the efforts to prevent the rally from taking place, tens of thousands converged on the capital city in a march for free and fair elections. READ MORE HERE. |
| CNBC and BBC suspend television programmes over Sarawak whistleblower allegations - Bruno ... Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:38 PM PDT By Bruno Manser Fund Leading global television networks accused of illegally promoting corrupt Malaysian politicians - Sarawak Chief Minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud, had bought himself airtime to spread blatant lies over Borneo rainforest logging. CNBC, the American satellite and cable television news channel, has withdrawn its international business show, "World Business", following allegations that the show's production company, FBC ("Fact Based Communications"), was doubling as a PR firm for corrupt Malaysian politicians. Meanwhile, the British BBC, another FBC customer, has suspended broadcasting all FBC-produced programmes and launched an internal investigation. Last Monday, Sarawak Report, a news website run by Clare Rewcastle, the sister-in-law of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, revealed that the UK-based FBC Group had been paid 5 million US dollars by Abdul Taib Mahmud ("Taib"), Chief Minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, to promote the politician's battered international reputation. Other payments to FBC have apparently been made by the Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak, and by Sime Darby, a palm oil group responsible for clear-cutting large tracts of tropical rainforest in Malaysian Borneo. On 27 March 2011, the CNBC's "World Business" show broadcast an interview with Taib, in which he claimed that 80 per cent of the state's forests were "almost intact" tropical rainforest. The statement was broadcast uncommented despite being in stark contrast to all independent analysis and to Taib's own earlier statements. In April 2001, Taib publicly admitted that 90 percent of the state's harvestable trees had been felled. By broadcasting sponsored news and current affairs programmes, the CNBC and the BBC appear to have breached British and American media regulations.
The Bruno Manser Fund is shocked to learn that leading global television networks are broadcasting shows that are unlawfully sponsored by corrupt Malaysian politicians and by companies responsible for the destruction of Borneos's unique tropical rainforests. We demand that CNBC and the BBC apologize to the public over the broadcasting of sponsored FBC shows that are distorting the facts. In particular, we are asking CNBC to send a team of investigative reporters to Sarawak to accurately report on the extent of the Taib regime's corruption and the rapid destruction of Borneo's natural environment.
– Ends -
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| PAS awaiting feedback on JAIS raid Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:35 PM PDT  By Syed Jeymal Zahiid, FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic party PAS will seek a report and feedback from its Selangor leadership on Hasan Ali's defence of Wednesday night's raid on a church by the state's religious body JAIS. The JAIS raid caused an immediate uproar, resulting in the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government to express regret and ordering a full report from the state agency. Selangor state exco and former PAS state leader Hasan is in charge of Islamic affairs in the state, and he has defended the JAIS raid. "I am still looking into this matter…I will wait for the report or details from Selangor PAS and ask for feedbacks from them," PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali told FMT today Mustafa, however, did not state if the next course of action would mean punishment for Hasan. "It is not anything (penalty or reprimand) on any quarters or Hasan individually. This is a state government matter. I will need to look into this matter first," he said when asked if action should be taken against the Selangor exco. Following his defence of the raid on a dinner held at a church in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday night, several party members have called for Hasan, known for his conservative Islamic views, to be reprimanded. One of them is Wan Saiful Wan Jan, the young PAS intellectual, who on his Twitter posting said the Islamist party risked losing non-Malay support should the Selangor exco member escape punishment. Hasan's defence – that the raid was justified due to allegations of Christian attempts to convert Muslims – came just hours after Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim scurried to contain public uproar over the raid and ordered JAIS to explain its actions. READ MORE HERE. |
| Hackers set Oct 24 for fresh attacks (UPDATED WITH VIDEO) Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:33 PM PDT  By Tarani Palani, FMT PETALING JAYA: "Anonymous", a group of hackers who claimed responsibility for hacking government websites in June, has threatened to launch fresh attacks on Oct 24. Its goal this time – revealed through a 5.25-minute YouTube video clip – is to undermine Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia campaign. "On Oct 24, Anonymous will crash all law enforcement servers, we will spit on your hypocritical ideas and crash any site that supports 1Malaysia," it said in the video. "As long as the prime minister remains, we will not stop with these attacks. This video is your only warning. Welcome to your 'Red October"," added the video posted by a user called 1917comrade. The video showed contrasting clips of tear gas being fired into the protesters during the Bersih 2.0 rally on July 9 and Najib's interview with American news channel, CNN, recently where he said that no undue force was used on the marchers. The clips also featured images of A Kugan who died under police custody, and Teoh Beng Hock who fell to his death while under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). DHrZsmfylog Innocent people There were also images of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, Najib and his then aide Abdul Razak Baginda in one frame. (Razak was acquitted of abetment in the murder of Altantuya, while Najib had denied knowing the Mongolian woman.) "We have heard the lies told by the government. We have seen what they are capable of doing. Their form of democracy has destroyed the lives of innocent people. Who will speak for these people when all voices are gone? Who will rise up and say 'Enough'?" said an audio distorted voice against the background of these images and dramatic music. In June, 51 government websites were hacked, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Of this, 41 were disrupted. READ MORE HERE |
| "The Impact of Bersih 2.0 on Political Development in Malaysia"- New York City Posted: 04 Aug 2011 02:26 PM PDT By Generation 709 Date: August 18, 2011
Time: 8:00-10:00pm
Speaker: Yong Kai Ping (Chinese Editor of Malaysiakini) Topic: "The Impact of Bersih 2.0 on Political Development in Malaysia"
Language: English
Venue: 446 West 36th Street (between 9th and 10th Ave),
New York, NY 10018
Common hall of the Metropolitan Community Church of New York
Contacts: Boon (booner.chin@gmail.com), Ray (ray7usa@yahoo.com).
Background:
On July 9, 2011, thousands of Malaysians around the world rallied to demand electoral reform. What are the impacts of Bersih 2.0 rallies on political development in Malaysia? What is the role of the Internet in mobilizing citizens to join the movement? Yong Kai Ping will share his thoughts with us in New York City on August 18, 2011 at 8PM.
About the Speaker:
Yong Kai Ping is currently the Chinese Editor of Malaysiakini, the most popular online media in Malaysia. Yong is a British Chevening scholar with an MA in International Studies from the University of Birmingham, UK, and a Bachelor of Surveyor in Valuation and Real Estate Management from the University Technology Malaysia. Before furthering his studies in UK, Yong worked at Suaram, a well-known human rights organization, and Spicy View, an independent Chinese political magazine.
Others:
Please wear YELLOW to attend this talk! Please bring your flashflight! Although the six activists (EO6) were released, there will be a flashlight vigil for Teoh Beng Hock. This vigil is a silent protest against the RCI report. Our vigil is also for those who have been detained without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Generation 709 in the United States will have a voter registration table where attendees can register as voters. If you haven't registered as a voter, please bring a photocopy of IC, and fill in the form on site. We will help you to send it back to the Election Commission in Malaysia.
Acknowledgements:
Our acknowledgements go to the Metropolitan Community Church of New York and Pastor Boon for letting us to use the common hall of the church for this talk. |
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