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Allah issue: Matter over use of word Allah still alive, says Appeals Court
Allah issue: Disappointed Herald editor says will await appeal
Apex court to decide tomorrow on Lingam’s bid
Crowd outside Putrajaya court awaits ruling on "Allah" issue
Kurup says ‘zero tolerance’ for bigots, but hands are tied
Former UMNO spin doctor turns against Najib's community of advisors
Police challenge gangs to bring it on!
'Do Not Pit Umno Leaders Against Each Other'
Crime wave puts laid-back Malaysia on edge
Christian Church opens doors to Muslims
Make Perkasa pay if rally turns to riots, says Pakatan
Church’s move to strike out government’s appeal lacks merit, says Hishammuddin
Two more Putrajaya men with relatives in the office
Tanda Putera to screen next week with controversial “urinating” scene
Enough of Shahrizat, plead women’s groups

Allah issue: Matter over use of word Allah still alive, says Appeals Court

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 08:29 PM PDT

(The Star) - The issue of whether the word Allah can be used in the Catholic Weekly Herald is "still alive" and the controversy has yet to be resolved, says Court of Appeal judge Justice Abu Samah Nordin.

He said the appellate court was of the view that the subject was not rendered academic as the usage of the word of "Allah" has yet to be decided.

"It is a drastic action to strike out an appeal that has been properly filed before this court and to deny the appellants' right to appeal," said Justice Abu Samah in his ruling which denied the application by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur to strike out the government's appeal against a High Court ruling to allow Herald to use the word "Allah."

He said the subject of the appeal was still a live issue and that the controversy has yet to be resolved.

Justice Abu Samah led a panel consisting of Justices Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Rohana Yusuf.

Hearing for the appeal has been fixed for Sept 10.

Earlier, counsel for the Church, Porries Royan, submitted that in the 10-point solution signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak on April 11, 2011, the Government had allowed the importation and publication of bibles in all languages including Malay with the word Allah without restriction.

He argued that by extension, the Herald which quotes the Bible, too should be allowed to use the word.

Senior Federal Counsel Suzanna Atan, for the Government, replied that the application was frivolous as there were many live and comprehensive issues to be trial.

Lawyer for Terengganu Islamic Religious Council, Mubashir Mansor, submitted that it was premature to strike out the appeal, as the Cabinet's decision to allow the Bible to be distributed in Malay had nothing to do with the government's appeal.

His stand was also adopted by the religious councils from Selangor, Kedah, Johor, Wilayah Persekutuan and Malacca, which were made interveners.

The Roman Catholic Archbishop filed the application to strike out the government's appeal On July 9.

The Home Ministry and the government had appealed against the Dec 31, 2009 High Court decision in allowing the church's judicial review to lift the Ministry's ban on the use of the word Allah in the Herald to refer to the Christian god.

The church, led by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, filed the judicial review on Feb 16, 2009, naming the Home Ministry and the government as respondents.

They sought, among others, a declaration that the decision by the Home Ministry on Jan 7, 2009, prohibiting the use of the word 'Allah' in the Herald was illegal and that the word 'Allah' is not exclusive to the religion of Islam.

The weekly, published in four languages, has been using the word 'Allah' as a translation for 'God' in its Malay-language section, but the government argued that 'Allah' should be used exclusively only by Muslims.

Allah issue: Disappointed Herald editor says will await appeal

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 08:23 PM PDT

(The Star) - Rev Father Lawrence Andrew, the editor of Catholic Weekly Herald, has expressed his disappointment over the Court of Appeals decision over the usage of the word Allah.

He said he felt that the lawyers for the Roman Catholic Church of Kuala Lumpur, which filed an application to strike out the government's appeal against a High Court ruling to allow Herald to use Allah, had argued their case very well.

"We just have to wait for the appeal to be heard and see how it goes," he told The Star Online.

He was commenting on the ruling by a three-member panel on Thursday to allow the Government to proceed with the appeal.

The three-member panel of the Court of Appeal on Thursday denied the application by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur to strike out the government's appeal.

The panel comprised Justices Abu Samah Nordin, Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Rohana Yusuf.

The Chairman and the Executive Committee of the Christian Federation of Malaysia, Rev. Dr Eu Hong Seng, hoped the matter would not be politicised but that the Court of Appeal be allowed to fairly adjudicate over the matter.

"It is our solemn hope that our factual perspective on the issue will prevail in the courts of our land," he said.

Malay rights group, Perkasa, said it is grateful that the Government can not proceed with the appeal, reiterating that the word Allah "is only for Muslims."

It's secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali said that the decision was an important one for Muslims in Malaysia.

"Allah is only for Muslims. It is our right. We will support the issue all the way and we urge all Muslims to follow the issue closely," he said.

Apex court to decide tomorrow on Lingam’s bid

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 08:05 PM PDT

(Bernama) - Tomorrow, lawyer V.K. Lingam (pic) and 24 others will know whether they will face contempt proceedings for alleging plagiarism in a Federal Court written judgment, or succeed in their application to set aside the leave obtained to cite them for contempt.

A five-man Federal Court panel led by Justice Suriyadi Halim Omar set the date to deliver the court's decision after hearing submissions from counsel and senior federal counsel representing the parties in the matter.

The other judges presiding on the panel were Federal Court judges Ahmad Maarop, Hasan Lah, Zaleha Zahari and Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha.

The panel heard submissions on the application brought by Lingam and 24 others to set aside the leave obtained by liquidators of Kian Joo Holdings Sdn Bhd, Ooi Woon Chee and Ng Kim Tuck, to cite them for contempt.

The court proceedings saw retired Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram in action at the Federal Court, but on the other side of the bench, representing and submitting on behalf of his client, Lingam.

Crowd outside Putrajaya court awaits ruling on "Allah" issue

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 03:50 PM PDT

(The Star) - The mood outside the Palace of Justice court complex remained tense as practitioners of the Muslim and Christian faiths awaited the outcome of the "Allah" issue expected to be revealed at about 3pm.

The Court of Appeal Thursday was hearing the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur's application to strike out the government's appeal against a High Court ruling that allowed a Catholic weekly newspaper Herald to use the word "Allah".

To maintain order in proceedings, the court officials handed out entry passes which ran out by 8am.

Spectators, which included media, lawyers, priests and Muslim religious bodies, waited outside in anticipation of the decision. Court officials occasionally had to shush the crowd when it got too rowdy.

Dozens more stayed outside the court complex, and were occasionally heard chanting religious slogans.

The three-person panel lead by Justice Abu Samah Nordin, and including Justices Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Rohana Yusuf, were hearing submissions by the Church, Government and the Islamic religious councils from the states of Terengganu, Selangor, Kedah, Johor, Wilayah Persekutuan and Malacca, which were made interveners in the suit.

The Home Ministry and the government are appealing against the Dec 31, 2009 High Court decision that allowed the church's judicial review to lift the Ministry's ban on the use of the word "Allah" in the "Herald" to refer to the Christian god.

The church, led by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam, filed the judicial review on Feb 16, 2009, naming the Home Ministry and the government as respondents.

They sought, among others, a declaration that the decision by the Home Ministry on Jan 7, 2009, prohibiting the use of the word 'Allah' in the Herald was illegal and that the word 'Allah' is not exclusive to the religion of Islam.

The weekly, published in four languages, has been using the word 'Allah' as a translation for 'God' in its Malay-language section, but the government argued that 'Allah' should be used exclusively only by Muslims.

Kurup says ‘zero tolerance’ for bigots, but hands are tied

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 03:29 PM PDT

(MM) - Tan Sri Joseph Kurup has said there must be "zero tolerance" for racial and religious bigotry, but the minister in charge of national unity also admitted that he has no authority beyond educating wrongdoers.

Against a backdrop of rising intolerance, Kurup said his ministry's focus was constrained to simply helping the public understand what issues may be considered as offensive to others.

"For us, we don't have any power to take action but what we emphasise is to make them aware that certain things hurt other people and also to educate them.

"That's all you can do," he told The Malay Mail Online and Sin Chew Daily in a recent interview.

Insisting that "action will have to be taken" against bigots and stressing that the government must take an unforgiving approach with such individuals, Kurup pointed out that the power to punish offenders instead lies with other government bodies such as the police.

"But you must remember that taking action against them is not under my jurisdiction.

"If what they said already becomes an offence, then the appropriate authorities like the police and so on must take (action)," said Kurup, who holds the national unity and integrity portfolio as a minister in the Prime Minister's Department.

Kurup also said the government would need co-operation from the bigots themselves.

"We need co-operation from them. As I said, the key to this is co-operation, understanding and (a) certain degree of tolerance."

If what they said already becomes an offence, then the appropriate authorities like the police and so on must take (action). — Tan Sri Joseph Kurup

He said one of the challenges he faces was in changing mindsets and creating "mutual respect" among the different communities in the country.

The politician from Sabah cited his experience in the east Malaysian state where he said those of different races and religions mingle freely.

"That means there is a feeling of mutual respect. They know who you are but they respect you," Kurup said, when relating how Muslims and non-Muslims there were comfortable sitting in the same Chinese coffeeshop, with both groups eating what was permitted in their respective religions.

The minister listed down a few ongoing initiatives, including Tabika Perpaduan (unity kindergartens) which number 1,781 in urban and suburban areas, as well as the revamping of neighbourhood watch group Rukun Tetangga which currently exists in 6,000 places.

"So when they interact with each other, that interaction itself will create mutual respect," he said.

"We have to start from the school, we have to start from small, that is why we have to go back to the five principles of Rukun Negara," said the 69-year-old president of Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) who took over the ministerial portfolio from Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon in May.

Leaders from the federal opposition Pakatan Rakyat pact previously questioned Putrajaya over what they viewed as swift action against incidents allegedly offensive to Muslims while other groups said to have stirred up religious angst escaped official sanctions.

Alvin Tan and Vivian Lee had in July posted a photo on Facebook featuring a Ramadan greeting and a pork dish, although the meat is considered haram or forbidden to Muslims. The duo have since been slapped with charges under the Sedition Act and the Penal Code over the controversial greeting.

On July 17, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar had in an interview with The Malay Mail Online pointed out that "nothing happens to Perkasa" when saying that the government should not be selective in taking action.

PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar had on the same day accused the authorities of practising double standards by leaving the Malay supremacist group untouched over its previous threat to burn Malay-language bibles, given the rapid response against Lee and Tan.

In January, Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali had called on Muslims to burn copies of the Bible that contained the word "Allah".

His vice-president, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin, was also shown questioning the purity of the Ganges River in India, considered sacred by Hindus, in a video that resurfaced last March.

Today, leaders of the same controversial Malay right-wing group gathered outside the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, protesting against the Catholic Church's fight for its right to use the word "Allah".

Opposition lawmakers and the church have criticised the protest, even expressing fear that it may invoke religious tension ahead of the court's decision.

Former UMNO spin doctor turns against Najib's community of advisors

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 03:00 PM PDT

(Harakah) - The former editor of UMNO daily New Straits Times Kadir Jasin has trained his gun at prime minister Najib Razak's advisors, accusing them of incompetence and of bleeding public funds by receiving ministerial-level salaries.

Kadir (pic), a staunch loyalist of former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad, compared Najib with his predecessors, saying Najib has more advisors than any of them.

"The many million ringgit question is, who are paying these men and women their minister-level salaries and do they really contribute?" he asked.

With such a big pool of advisors, Kadir said it was not surprising to see "national budget deficits growing bigger" while at the same time the country attracts negative international ratings.

Kadir, a defender of draconian laws, also scolded the advisers saying they had managed to convince Najib to abolish the Internal Security Act (ISA) utilised by the second PM, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Najib's late father.

"I wonder what role the Prime Minister's advisory committee plays these days since preventive detention laws have all been done away with and as Malaysia becomes increasingly unsafe and unhealthy," lamented Kadir, attempting to link abolition of draconian laws with the mysterious spike in violent crime.

Kadir also asked if Najib's advisors were concerned of the looming economic crisis and whether there was a contingency plan prepared.

"Are we not worried? Are we prepared? Do we have a contingency plan?"

Police challenge gangs to bring it on!

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 01:58 PM PDT

(The Star) - Khalid said: "Crime is a living thing and we must adjust to an ever changing situation. The police will recommend whatever is necessary to ensure the safety and security of Malaysians."

The police have sent a clear message to gangsters challenging them – bring it on!

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said they would not tolerate any criminal group or gang trying to intimidate them.

"No criminal will win against the authorities.

"We will not allow any criminal group to intimidate or acah-acah (taunt), us," he told a press conference after presenting certificates of appreciation to 50 good drivers in conjunction with Ops Selamat.

Commenting on acts of vandalism at the Kuala Langat police headquarters, where the words "RIP Gang 04" were sprayed on the outer wall, Khalid said police had identified the culprits.

"We have identified those responsible for the graffiti and we will take action.

"They tried to intimidate us but it will not work," he said.

Khalid said the nationwide Ops Cantas Khas would be stepped up.

More than 5,000 people had been checked, with 783 of them arrested, since the operation started on Saturday night.

Khalid said that serious crimes had since dropped by 8% while the crime index decreased some 3.7%.

"We will improve this operation further by targeting drug traffickers.

"We will use all relevant laws to bring criminals to justice although I wish the Emergency Ordinance and the Internal Security Act were still around. But we are not law makers."

On Tuesday's shootout in Penang, in which five Gang 04 members were gunned down, Khalid said the police had never practised a shoot-to-kill policy.

He added that the families of the dead could take any action they wished, and the police were open to an inquest into the shootout.

Khalid said: "Crime is a living thing and we must adjust to an ever changing situation. The police will recommend whatever is necessary to ensure the safety and security of Malaysians."

Meanwhile, Selangor acting police chief Deputy Comm Datuk A. Thaiveegan said that police would not be intimidated by such acts of vandalism which he described as kurang ajar (insolent).

"I don't think that (the graffiti) was meant to be a threat. It's just done by sampah masyarakat (social discards) with no respect for the law.

"If that was a challenge, that's not the way to do it. Come meet the OCPD, say 'I'm from 04'. If they are brave, marilah (come)," a visibly angry Thaiveegan told a press conference yesterday.

Besides the Kuala Langat police headquarters, the 04 number, religious Swastika symbol and the letters R.I.P. (rest in peace) were found sprayed at 11 locations in Banting, including a police post and a bank.

'Do Not Pit Umno Leaders Against Each Other'

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:54 AM PDT

(Bernama) - Wong was asked to explain the Star's agenda via the article by columnist Joceline Tan entitled "Give up posts, Shahrizat told," published on July 8.

Umno Supreme Council (MT) member Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi reminded all quarters not to give negative coverage about the party as it will affect its image ahead of elections in October.

He said Umno is a strong party as proven in the 13th general election (GE13) and the Kuala Besut by-election in Terengganu recently.

"Efforts to pit Umno leaders against each other can disrupt the stability of the party. As the MT member, I have the right to defend the dignity and credibility of Umno," he told reporters here yesterday.

He also questioned action by The Star group chief editor Wong Chun Wai who threatened him with legal action via a lawyer's letter dated Aug 6.

Wong was asked to explain the Star's agenda via the article by columnist Joceline Tan entitled "Give up posts, Shahrizat told," published on July 8.

Mohd Puad claimed the Star was pitting Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil against Cheras Umno division chief Syed Ali Alhabshee.

Crime wave puts laid-back Malaysia on edge

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:43 AM PDT

A Malaysian policeman checking a motorcyclist's identification papers at a roadblock during an operation called "Op Cantas Khas" in Kuala Lumpur on August 21, 2013. A wave of lethal shootings is rattling normally laid-back Malaysia and raising new doubts about the much-maligned national police force's ability to protect the public.

(Fox News) - Whatever the causes, citizens are forming community patrols and barricading entrances to neighbourhoods while anti-crime websites feature videos of angry mobs beating suspected criminals.

A wave of lethal shootings is rattling normally laid-back Malaysia and raising fresh doubts about the ability of the much-maligned national police force to protect the public.

Malaysians and foreign residents alike have long complained of burglars, bag-snatchers and other petty criminals operating with apparent impunity in the otherwise peaceful multi-ethnic nation.

But near-daily gun violence in recent weeks in a country with tough firearms restrictions has sown fear and confusion, and triggered a weekend police crackdown widely considered long overdue.

"To be honest, I am really scared," said French expatriate Marthe Buffiere, 29, whose hand was nearly severed last month in a mugging by two knife-wielding assailants in an upscale Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood.

"The image of wealth and safety here is totally untrue," said Buffiere.

Dozens of shootings have been reported since April, many fatal, but the causes and the culprits in the sudden upsurge remain unclear.

Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, who oversees the national police force, believes there is a turf war involving 2,600 criminal suspects released since 2011 when the long-serving government was pressured into abolishing a controversial law allowing preventive detention.

"Each has his hardcore followers. If each of the released detainees had 10 right-hand men, this translated to 26,000 who are with them," he said.

But the opposition dismisses that as a smokescreen to hide police ineptitude, while social media hum with darker conspiracy theories of battles between corrupt police factions and their underworld proxies over criminal rackets.

The crisis is fuelling calls for reform of the Royal Malaysia Police, which has long been dogged by accusations of corruption, incompetence and bias toward the regime which has been in power for 56 years.

"There is not a strong enough deterrent. If it seems you can get away with crime, criminals will try, and they are," said Richard Wee, chairman of Safer Malaysia, a grassroots group pressing for improved policing.

"And (police) corruption is the big elephant in the room."

Christian Church opens doors to Muslims

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:35 AM PDT

St John's Episcopal Church has opened its doors to Muslims for Friday prayers

(BBC) - Christians and Muslims do not have to agree with one another. 'But they can learn to respect each other's different beliefs and actually come to get along and even like one another.

On a bitterly cold and snowing afternoon in Aberdeen, the doors of St John's Episcopal Church are open to hundreds of Muslim worshippers, arriving for daily prayers.

The familiar sounds of Christian hymns have been replaced with Islamic prayer in the chapel this Friday lunchtime and the church priest with the imam from the neighbouring mosque.

Muslims from the Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque next door share this church with Christian worshippers up to five times a day.

Church leaders believe this may be the only place in the country where Christian and Muslim worshippers pray side by side.

The rector at St John's has opened his doors to Muslims because there was not enough space for them to pray in their own mosque and many were forced to worship outside on the street.

The Reverend Isaac Poobalan, who grew up in Southern India surrounded by Islam, said he would not have been true to his faith if he did not help his neighbours.

Reverend Isaac Poobalan grew up in Southern India surrounded by Islam

"It was a very cold day, like today, and when I walked past the mosque I saw dozens of male worshippers praying outside, on the streets, right near the church.

''Their hands and feet were bare and you could see their breath in the freezing cold.

''Jesus taught his disciples to love your neighbour as yourself and this is something I cannot just preach to my congregation, I had to put it into practice."

Reverend Poobalan adds: ''I felt very distressed when I saw my neighbours praying out in the cold and I knew I needed to do something to help.''

''I know I cannot solve the world's problems, but when there is a problem I can solve, I will.''

The mosque is next door to the church

Reverend Poobalan asked his congregation for permission to open the church doors to Muslims.

At first, Muslims were reluctant to accept the invite, but they have now settled in well into their new home.

Worshipper Mozhid Sufiyan said: ''We are so grateful to the church for giving us a space for our prayers.

"It was very difficult, especially for the elderly, to pray outside on the floor.

''Father Poobalan has been very kind to us all by inviting us into his church.'

''He has respected all of our beliefs and made us feel comfortable."

Make Perkasa pay if rally turns to riots, says Pakatan

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:32 AM PDT

(MMO) - "I don't know when and how all these [sic] bigotry will end... but Perkasa, more than others, must be held responsible for heightening religious tension"

Perkasa has a right to protest the Catholic Church's court claim to "Allah" but the authorities must clamp down on the hardline Malay-Muslim group for fanning religious flames, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) representatives said.

PAS research centre executive director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad accused Perkasa of being the pack leader in stoking religious sensitivities.

"Religious antagonism has always been a hallmark of Malaysian politics from time immemorial. Of late it has only gotten worse. Politicians from both divides [sic] are all too willing to draw swords at the slightest provocation," he said in a text message to The Malay Mail Online earlier this week.

"I don't know when and how all these [sic] bigotry will end... but Perkasa, more than others, must be held responsible for heightening religious tension," the Islamist party leader said.

The "Allah" issue returns to the legal arena today, with the Court of Appeal set to hear the Catholic Church's application to dismiss the government's appeal against the landmark High Court ruling in 2009 that "Allah" is not exclusive to Muslims.

Dzulkefly, who is also a PAS central working committee member, conceded that it is within Perkasa's democratic right to hold a rally, but pointed out that the matter is already under the purview of the courts and should be left to the courts to come to a decision.

"Surely it is their democratic right to demonstrate. But it is also my democratic right to express my conviction that their presence, much less demonstration is neither necessary nor helpful in out nation's endeavours to have a better Malaysia," he said.

Church’s move to strike out government’s appeal lacks merit, says Hishammuddin

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:30 AM PDT

(TMI) - Putrajaya has taken the position that the Government's 10-point solution in 2011 has nothing to do with its appeal to reverse a High Court ruling which allowed Christians to use the word "Allah" in the church newspaper, the Herald.

It said the Cabinet decision on April 11, 2011 was only to find ways to overcome problems relating to the import, printing, distribution and the use of the Bahasa Malaysia bible in the country.

"The 10-point solution in no way affects the appeal by the government on the usage of the word "Allah," said former Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in an affidavit in reply to an application by the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur to set aside the government's appeal.

The Court of Appeal has fixed tomorrow to hear the Catholic church's application to challenge the government ban on the word "Allah" to describe god in the church newspaper, the Herald.

Malay rights group Perkasa has threatened to hold a rally in Putrajaya tomorrow to support the government ban and called on Muslims to join in.

In his affidavit sighted by The Malaysian Insider, Hishammuddin said based on the 10-point solution, it was clear that the Church's setting aside application was irrelevant, frivolous and lacked merit.

He said the Cabinet, in deciding on the 10-point solution, did not make a decision on the use of the word "Allah".

"When we made the announcement, the government was aware that there was an appeal pending against the Herald," he said.

Two more Putrajaya men with relatives in the office

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 11:27 AM PDT

(TMI) - Relatives of some members of the Najib administration are on government payroll, in direct conflict with Putrajaya's directive that these family members can only work in parliamentary constituencies.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic) has a daughter working in his office while Agriculture and Agro-based Industry deputy minister Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman's son-in-law works for him.

Shahidan declined to comment when asked by The Malaysian Insider.

"Nobody is talking about this and I also don't want to talk about it," he said when met at the Prime Minister's Department's Hari Raya open house in Putrajaya yesterday.

When pressed if his daughter Nur Shafizah was his principal private secretary, a "gazetted position", Shahidan repeatedly said he did not want to talk about it.

"People should stop finding fault with me. I am already having a tough time in Parliament," he said.

Tanda Putera to screen next week with controversial “urinating” scene

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 10:41 AM PDT

(TMI) - The controversial Tanda Putera movie will begin screening in cinemas nationwide on August 29 with several contentious scenes still intact, including one depicting a young Chinese man urinating in front of the Selangor Menteri Besar's official residence.

The controversial Tanda Putera movie will begin screening in cinemas nationwide on August 29 with several contentious scenes still intact, including one depicting a young Chinese man urinating in front of the Selangor Menteri Besar's official residence.

The film, directed by Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba (pic), was supposed to have been screened last year but was postponed three times due to opposition over its depiction of events surrounding the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

Members of the media, including The Malaysian Insider reporters, were invited for a screening of the movie on Tuesday night in Kuala Lumpur.

And despite protests from DAP leaders earlier, the government-funded film still had controversial scenes which some parties claimed incited the May 13 racial riots.

The RM4.8 million movie is the work of Pesona Pictures together with National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC).

In the film, the director seemed to portray the Chinese community as being responsible for the May 13 riots.

And this was the contention of DAP leaders earlier who had said the movie was a Barisan Nasional (BN) propaganda film which can cause racial disharmony.

Posted: 21 Aug 2013 09:40 AM PDT

(MM) - Shahrizat's return to the Cabinet has drawn flak from several women's rights groups who viewed her role as redundant, and voiced apprehension that she may dish out conflicting advice on programmes initiated under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development now helmed by Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — Yet to be announced, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil's appointment as the prime minister's adviser on women affairs has raised questions among gender equality activists who fear the role will undermine the authority of the incumbent minister.

Shahrizat's return to the Cabinet has drawn flak from several women's rights groups who viewed her role as redundant, and voiced apprehension that she may dish out conflicting advice on programmes initiated under the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development now helmed by Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim.

Such conflict, they suggested, could disrupt gender advocacy efforts.

"To be honest, if we have a women's minister, an elected one, I don't see why we need another," Maria Chin Abdullah, executive director of Persatuan Kesedaran Komunity Selangor (Empower), told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.

Carving out a special seat on women's issues just to accommodate Shahrizat was unnecessary, she said, highlighting that the Wanita Umno chief had not given much punch during her three years heading the ministry.

"I think it will not bring that much of a trust, there will be doubt over her performance," Chin said, referring to Shahrizat's link to the RM250 million National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal involving the former minister's husband and children that hit national headlines two years ago and which remains grist for news mills.

"I think she has done some things during her tenure, but I feel she has not done enough, for example, on the issue of Islamic family law, that till now nothing has been done," she added.

Chin said there have been numerous amendments to the current laws that women's groups have been lobbying for, and which appear to have stagnated.

All Women's Action Society (AWAM) president Ho Yock Lin shared similar views, but expressed concern that Shahrizat's return might undermine the power of the incumbent women's minister.

As adviser to the prime minister, Shahrizat will be conferred full ministerial powers.

Picking Shahrizat was a major policy misstep, Ho said, as the prime minister would be signalling his lack of confidence in the existing women's minister to carry out her job.

"At the same time, if there is a conflict of programmes, who shall the government listen to?" the AWAM president asked.

She said Shahrizat may have done some good during her turn in office, but despite her long tenure she had little to show for it.

It would be more suitable if Shahrizat were appointed Rohani's adviser, Ho suggested, saying a new leader may revitalise the government's efforts on women's rights.

"It is time to for [Shahrizat] to go, time for new people to try [to take the lead]," Ho said.

"If she really wants to, maybe she can be an adviser to the ministry, but not the prime minister."

Shahrizat's help, however, may not be welcomed as her successor Rohani has stressed that her predecessor was not appointed to her ministry.

"It's not adviser to my ministry," Rohani told reporters on the sidelines of the Women's Summit 2013 conference on Tuesday.

Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah hoped the news of Shahrizat's appointment was merely a bad rumour.

Shahrizat, the former Lembah Pantai MP, yesterday confirmed with The Malay Mail that she received her appointment letter last Thursday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has maintained a resolute silence in confirming Shahrizat's appointment when asked at a news conference on Monday.

Like Chin and Ho, Josiah said an adviser role was not sensible as it would undermine the status of the women's ministry which has a large enough machinery to lead on policy and implementation on women's issues.

"Furthermore if the rumour is true, it will not look good, as perception wise it will appear to be political patronage," she told The Malay Mail Online in a text message yesterday.

Josiah noted that the appointment in an adviser role would mark Shahrizat's return to political power, over a year after the Wanita Umno chief lost her Cabinet portfolio at the height of a national cattle-farming scandal.

Shahrizat was the women, family and community development minister from April 10, 2009 to April 8, 2012 and dropped from Cabinet after she lost her senatorship due to allegations of impropriety after her family was implicated in a RM250 million federal loan for a failed national cattle-farming project.

This is the second time Shahrizat will be given a political lifeline after having won a similar reprieve in the aftermath of Election 2008, when she was defeated by newcomer Nurul Izzah Anwar in the contest for the Lembah Pantai federal seat.

The embattled leader will be defending her post in Wanita Umno in the coming party polls and is expected to face a challenge from another ex-minister, the younger Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Khamis, 22 Ogos 2013