tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83450725831855163082024-03-08T03:34:22.584-08:00Malaysia Today Onlineblog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.comBlogger5117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-80827442905445527172013-12-16T21:38:00.001-08:002013-12-16T21:38:02.345-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">The assault on academic freedom</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">BN leaders: Retain consensus system</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Syiah: Tindakan KDN dipersoal pemimpin Pas</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">The myth of the Constitutional Crisis</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Is it necessary to demonize the Shiites?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">Commonwealth Journal Devote Special Issue to Malaysia</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">Requesting support for feature documentary on Stateless Filipinos in Sabah</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">IGP: Cops to question Mat Zain on Shafee report soon</a> </li> <li> <a href="#9">Rafizi to take AG’s misconduct to HK</a> </li> <li> <a href="#10">Get Guan Eng to submit all documents, Karpal told</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60963-the-assault-on-academic-freedom">The assault on academic freedom</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 08:01 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px"><img src="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/2719507925/539f9ad763954f76806231734d0bc638.jpeg" border="0" alt="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/2719507925/539f9ad763954f76806231734d0bc638.jpeg" title="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/2719507925/539f9ad763954f76806231734d0bc638.jpeg" width="130" height="173" /> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px"><strong><font color="#800000">Public universities should not be a place just to obtain good grades. They should be a place where diverse ideas are celebrated, and intellectual independence and autonomy admired. </font></strong></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px"><em>Khoo Ying Hooi </em></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">There is little for academic freedom in Malaysia. Has our academic freedom become such an alien idea that it no longer has a place in our universities?</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">An academic discussion recently featuring Wan Saiful Wan Jan, CEO of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), was forced to have its session in the dark as its authorities sealed off the proposed venue at Latar Siswa situated in the Faculty of Modern Languages.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">Responding to this, UPM's management said it was part of the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) because there was a need to apply for permission prior to the event, which the organisers had failed to do. As reported, the event also saw heavy security presence, disallowing the taking of photographs or video.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">It is ridiculous to disallow a research think-tank like Ideas to have an academic session in the compound of public universities. I also personally do not see any "threat" from its topic, "Liberalisation of economy: the best system for the poor". In fact, such activities should have been organised in a more frequent basis in the universities.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">And the way UPM addressed Ideas's session has, again, attracted attention to the state of academic freedom in Malaysia.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">Calling it "Kelas Pencerahan", or Enlightenment Class, I am glad to know that this informal session was organised by a group of students who are part of the Facebook community page.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">Public universities should not be a place just to obtain good grades. They should be a place where diverse ideas are celebrated, and intellectual independence and autonomy admired.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">One of the key problems is the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) and its regulations that have stifled the intellectual development of local universities. Although university students are now allowed to engage in political activities under an amendment of the UUCA, students who hold positions in political parties are barred from campus elections.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">Last year, University of Malaya's Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) was forced to scrap its second session of a political forum, which featured members of parliaments from both coalitions.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px">This was because of the "instruction" and pressure from the Prime Minister's Office and the Higher Education Ministry as highlighted by its Director, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohamad Redzuan Othman. </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px"><br /><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/khoo-ying-hooi/article/the-assault-on-academic-freedom" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10.5px"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60962-bn-leaders-retain-consensus-system">BN leaders: Retain consensus system</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 07:58 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/qjXgZ1r.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/qjXgZ1r.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/qjXgZ1r.jpg" width="220" height="148" /> </p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none"><strong><font color="#800000">Leaders from MCA and MIC want the existing system to be maintained while one from PPP stresses that the coalition needs to change its system to a workable one. </font></strong></p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none"><em>Alyaa Azhar, FMT </em></p> <p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders gave mixed views over the proposal to change the current system in making decisions from a consensus agreement to a simple majority vote.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">MIC central working committee (CWC) member S Murugesan disagreed with the proposal, saying that even to pass the proposal, it would require a consensus beforehand.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">"The basis of BN is that all parties must agree with a particular decision. Therefore, the current system must be maintained," he said.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">He elaborated, saying that each component party is there for a reason.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">"If we take away the consensus system, the party that represents a certain community would not be able to be represented in certain decisions.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">"If we pass something that's not agreeable to Sabah and Sarawak then won't it be as if others are making the decision for them? This is not the spirit of which BN was formed," he said.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the BN constitution should be amended so that all decisions can be made using a majority vote against the consensus system practiced now.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">He said this in response to a request by Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president M Sambanthan in his speech at the party gathering that BN receive IPF as a component party.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none">BN chairman Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been informed of the matter and the proposal will be submitted at the BN Supreme Council meeting, next year.</p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none"><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/16/bn-should-maintain-consensus-system-in-decision-making/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p style="margin: 12px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px none; outline: medium none"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/beritakomentar/60961-syiah-tindakan-kdn-dipersoal-pemimpin-pas">Syiah: Tindakan KDN dipersoal pemimpin Pas</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 07:56 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/2OfvPE1.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/2OfvPE1.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/2OfvPE1.jpg" width="200" height="150" /> </p><p>(Sinar Harian) - Jika kerajaan serius mengambil tindakan terhadap pengikut Syiah, sewajarnya individu yang mengaku menganut ajaran itu yang perlu ditahan bukannya orang yang tidak mengaku ahli Syiah.</p> <p>Demikian menurut Ahli Jawatankuasa Pas, Idris Ahmad yang menyifatkan tindakan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) yang memaksa Timbalan Presiden Pas, Mohamad Sabu supaya mengemukakan bukti bukan pengikut Syiah merupakan perkara yang tidak munasabah.<br /><br />"Sebelum ini kerajaan sendiri pernah umumkan jumlah pengikut Syiah, dan ada individu yang mengaku sebagai pengikut ajaran Syiah, jadi kenapa mereka pula tidak ditahan?<br /><br />"Tapi yang disibukkan sekarang adalah orang yang tidak mengaku Syiah, ini yang jadi bahan ketawa orang ramai," katanya kepada Sinar Harian.<br /><br />Menurutnya, tindakan KDN yang 'memburu' Mohamad atau lebih dikenali Mat Sabu hanya untuk memberikan imej buruk kepada Pas.<br /><br />"Ini semua 'nasi tambah' kepada isu lain untuk jatuhkan Pas. Sebelum ini isu agama, Melayu, raja dan sebagainya.<br /><br />"Kalau betul KDN ada bukti, tolong dedahkan kerana kita juga mahu tahu bukti yang bagaimana untuk kaitkan Mat Sabu dengan Syiah, tidak perlu untuk beritahu bukti gred A, B atau pun C," ujarnya yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang.<br /><br />Sehubungan itu katanya, KDN perlu bertindak bukan hanya bercakap memandangkan maklumat sudah pun ada untuk menahan pengikut Syiah.<br /><br />"Kalau bukti sudah ada, buat apa suruh orang yang dituduh bertindak untuk menunjukkan bukti beliau tidak terlibat.<br /><br />"Sekarang ini siapa yang mendakwa dan siapa pula yang didakwa. Jadi rasanya tidak perlu orang yang dituduh menampilkan bukti. Dakwa sahaja pihak yang mengikut ajaran Syiah," kata beliau.<br /><br />Kelmarin, Penolong Setiausaha Bahagian Keselamatan dan Ketenteraman Awam KDN, Dr Zamihan Mat Zain Al Ghari berkata, Mat Sabu perlu kemukakan bukti jika dirinya tidak terlibat fahaman Syiah.<br /><br />Kata Zamihan, Mat Sabu perlu berhujah secara ilmiah bagi menafikan 10 bukti KDN yang mengaitkannya dengan fahaman Syiah.<br /><br />Pada 12 Disember lalu, Ketua Setiausaha KDN, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi mendedahkan 10 bukti yang mengaitkan Mat Sabu dengan ajaran Syiah antaranya pernah 'berselawat' sebagaimana penganut Syiah pada satu sesi ceramah Pas, di Arau, Perlis.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/60960-the-myth-of-the-constitutional-crisis">The myth of the Constitutional Crisis</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 07:42 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/corridors/corridors.gif" border="0" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>No, Tun Dr Mahathir did not remove the powers of the Rulers because the Rulers are Constitutional Monarchs and, therefore, have no power. But he did remove one of the powers they did have -- and that power was the power to reject unjust and undemocratic laws, especially if they violate the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.3em">THE CORRIDORS OF POWER</strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span> </p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Many people have heard of Malaysia's Constitutional Crisis of 30 years ago, which took about ten years to resolve. Not many, however, can give me the details of this Crisis.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many people hate ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and at the same time praise him for doing at least one good thing for Malaysia -- he removed the powers of the Rulers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, when I ask these people which of these so-called powers of the Rulers did Tun Dr Mahathir remove, not many can tell me. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The more 'learned' of the lot will say that, because of Tun Dr Mahathir, Parliament no longer needs the signature of His Majesty the Agong to approve the laws passed by Parliament. If His Majesty refuses to sign these laws, they will get automatically approved after 60 days with or without the signature of His Majesty.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And you say this is a good thing and you praise Tun Dr Mahathir for this although you hate the man?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Malaysia used to be one of the more unique countries in the world in terms of power sharing. Most countries have three branches of government -- the Chief Executive (the President or Prime Minister), the Legislature (that makes laws), and the Judiciary (that enforces these laws). Malaysia, however, has a fourth branch of government -- the Monarchy (that signs these laws and which would not become law unless His Majesty signs them).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Tun Dr Mahathir, however, removed the powers of Parliament (we all know that and, in fact, bitterly complain about it). He also removed the powers of the Judiciary (we all know that as well and this was one of the main reasons why many Malaysians began to hate Tun Dr Mahathir). But there was still one remaining check-and-balance -- and that was the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So, with the Monarchy in place, Malaysia was still spared the fate of being turned into a dictatorship. The Prime Minister can control Parliament. He can even control the Judiciary. But he still had to deal with the Monarchy and as long as His Majesty the Agong refuses to sign certain laws then the hands of the Prime Minister would be tied.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence, allowing the Monarchy or His Majesty the Agong certain powers over what does and does not become law was a good thing for Malaysia. It prevented Malaysia from being turned into a dictatorship because the Prime Minister still had to share power with His Majesty the Agong. Only if you remove the powers of His Majesty the Agong can the Prime Minister run Malaysia like a dictatorship.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And that was the one and only power of His Majesty the Agong that Tun Dr Mahathir removed (there were no other powers that were removed). And Malaysians say they hate Tun Dr Mahathir but they still praise him for the good thing that he did in removing the powers of the Monarchy. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Tun Dr Mahathir did not remove the powers of the Monarchy, as many of you believe. He removed only one power of His Majesty the Agong. And that was His Majesty the Agong's power to sign laws before they become laws. Now, the Prime Minister can pass laws whether His Majesty the Agong approves or signs them or not.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this was the beef that Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) had when he opposed Tun Dr Mahathir. Ku Li, in fact, explained this matter about 30 years ago when he went all over Malaysia to campaign against Tun Dr Mahathir. But I take it many of you were not listening to Ku Li at that time. Instead, you praise Tun Dr Mahathir for 'controlling' the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When Tun Dr Mahathir realised that not all Umno members and leaders agreed with the move to remove the power of the Monarchy because this would turn Malaysia into a dictatorship, he arranged for Umno to be deregistered so that he could register a new Umno and exclude all those who were opposed to him from the new party (who were then forced to form their own party in the end -- Semangat 46).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There were actually two Constitutional Crises. During the first Constitutional Crisis of the early 1980s, Tun Dr Mahathir failed to get the support of the people. So he was forced to back down. The people did not hate the Rulers enough to support Tun Dr Mahathir in his fight with the Rulers. So Tun Dr Mahathir first had to get Malaysians to hate the Rulers before he launches his second attack against the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And that was when they launched their hate campaign against the Rulers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The two people who were put in charge of this hate campaign were the late Tun Ghafar Baba and Anwar Ibrahim. Ghafar was from Melaka and Anwar from Penang, both states that had no Rulers. Hence these two people had no love for the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">All sorts of stories were spun and carried by the mainstream media. Some of these stories were true, of course. But many were not. The story regarding the Sultan of Johor (the murder issues), the Yamtuan Besar or Negeri Sembilan (selling of awards and titles), and so on, were true. But many of the other stories were downright lies aimed at making Malaysians hate the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anwar accused His Highness the Sultan of Kelantan of smuggling. Anwar even impounded the Sultan's Lamborghini on the allegation that the tax on the car had not been paid. Anwar said that the Conference of Rulers approves only a certain number of tax-free cars for the Rulers and that the Kelantan Sultan had exceeded his quota.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">That was not true. First of all, it is not the Conference of Rulers but the Umno state government of Kelantan that approves the number of tax-free cars for His Highness the Sultan. Secondly, the Sultan had not exceeded his quota of tax-free cars.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The mainstream media then showed footages of a Chinese towkay's mansion in Penang and said that this was a house built by the Raja Muda of Selangor (now the Sultan) using the taxpayers' money. They showed footages of Kedah House along Northam Road in Penang and said that this was a mansion owned by His Highness the Sultan of Kedah, also built with the taxpayers' money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Actually, the so-called 'mansion' is an old colonial and rundown house owned by the Umno Kedah State Government for the use of Kedah civil servants who visit Penang on business and is not owned by the Sultan at all.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">They then revealed that a person called 'Tengku Wong' in Pahang, who was alleged to be the business partner of His Highness the Sultan of Pahang, was ripping off the state of millions in timberland. The truth is 'Tengku Wong' was the Menteri Besar's business partner (Tun Mohd Khalil bin Yaakob) who was, in fact, a strong supporter of Anwar.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And the list went on and on. 'Misconduct' of the Rulers was revealed one after another until the people could no longer take it and there was much hatred against the Rulers all over the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And that was when Tun Dr Mahathir launched the second Constitutional Crisis and soon after that amended the law whereby Parliament could get laws passed without the need of any approval or signature of His Majesty the Agong. </p><p class="MsoNormal">But that was the only thing that changed. Other than that what else changed? What other powers of the Rulers did Tun Dr Mahathir remove? </p><p class="MsoNormal">Okay, some may argue that Tun Dr Mahathir set up a 'Royal Court' whereby Rulers can be prosecuted for their crimes. When we talk about 'crimes' here we, of course, mean criminal cases. However, when it comes to civil cases (like a certain Ruler may owe you money and did not pay) there has never been any law that forbids you from suing the Ruler.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Even before the creation of this 'Royal Court' you could still sue a Ruler in the event of a civil dispute. And you can still do so until today but in the normal or common law court. You do not need to do this in the 'Royal Court'. The 'Royal Court' is only for criminal cases. </p><p class="MsoNormal">However, over the last 30 years or so, how many Rulers were brought before the 'Royal Court' to be tried for criminal cases? Not a single one! And if they were, and if the court found a certain Ruler guilty of a crime, would he be sent to jail or merely forced to abdicate? Can all of you who hail this 'Royal Court' tell me or do you not know the answer?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do you need a 'Royal Court' to force a certain Ruler to abdicate? Who is it that has the power to force the Ruler to abdicate? Is it the 'Royal Court' or the Royal Council? Do you know?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The appointment and removal of a Ruler is done by the Royal Council (not by the Conference of Rulers or the 'Royal Court') -- which is a state matter and not a federal matter. And in the past Rulers have been removed (such as Sultan Ali of Terengganu in 1945 or Sultan Musa of Selangor also in 1945). There was no 'Royal Court' at that time and, in fact, Malaysia was not even independent yet then and the country was run by the BMA (British Military Administration).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are a lot of myths regarding the Constitutional Crisis of the 1980s. Many talk about 'the good thing' that Tun Dr Mahathir did in removing the powers of the Rulers whereas none of these so-called powers were removed other than the one and only power of preventing the Prime Minister from becoming a dictator. </p><p class="MsoNormal">The British gave Malaya independence in 1957 and left the country a good system of balance of power and power sharing whereby the country had four branches of government.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Prime Minister cannot run the country like a dictatorship because he would have Parliament, the Judiciary and the Monarchy to keep him in check. But that changed in the 1980s. And you all say it is a good thing because Tun Dr Mahathir removed the powers of the Rulers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No, Tun Dr Mahathir did not remove the powers of the Rulers because the Rulers are Constitutional Monarchs and, therefore, have no power. But he did remove one of the powers they did have -- and that power was the power to reject unjust and undemocratic laws, especially if they violate the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. </p><p class="MsoNormal">And that became possible because by the time Tun Dr Mahathir removed this one and only power of the Rulers the people were already very angry and hated the Rulers. And the men who headed the hate campaign against the Rulers were two of the one-time Deputy Prime Ministers of Malaysia -- Tun Ghafar Baba and Anwar Ibrahim.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And today you want Anwar Ibrahim to lead the country when it was he (and the late Tun Ghafar) who made it possible for Tun Dr Mahathir to turn Malaysia into a dictatorship?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Malaysians are so stupid they are beyond help.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60959-is-it-necessary-to-demonize-the-shiites">Is it necessary to demonize the Shiites?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:54 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><div><p><img src="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8974/7utx.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="240" /></p></div><div><p><strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em">I have to admit that I might not have enough knowledge to scholarly conclude whether Shiites are Muslims, pseudo-Muslims or outright</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">kafirs</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">. However, is it necessary to go all out, guns blazing, on Shiites?</span> </strong></p></div><div><p><em>Imran Hakim</em> </p></div> <div><p>What do Shiites and final exams have in common?</p></div><div><p>They are the two most popular topics as I scrolled down my Twitter timeline for the past week. </p></div><div><p>Although I am supposed to be studying for my Environmental and Resources Economics final tomorrow, I can't help but to be bothered by the constant attacks and demonization of the Shiites by some Malaysians. </p></div><div><p>"Syiah Musuh Islam"</p></div><div><p>"Syiah Itu Yahudi"</p></div><div><p>"Syiah Bunuh Sunni"</p></div><div><p>And many other similar rhetorics that somehow managed to appear on my timeline (I guess I need to recheck who I am following on Twitter).</p></div><div><p>I have to admit that I might not have enough knowledge to scholarly conclude whether Shiites are Muslims, pseudo-Muslims or outright kafirs. However, is it necessary to go all out, guns blazing, on Shiites?</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived by the Shiites, into praising Saidina Ali over Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into cursing the Sahabahs of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the zen-like Shiite prayers.</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into hurting themselves during Asyura'.</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into the control of the Jews, through the Shiites.</p></div><div><p>and so on.</p></div><div><p>Aren't the "rightful" Sunnis worried about the extremism that they are portraying and its effect on the Muslim society? How would that translate to non-Muslims? "Don't mind us, we're just cleaning up Islam, the religion of peace - by a massive witch-hunting, filled with hatred, on the Shiites."</p></div><div><p>Even if the Shiites are indeed kafir, why do some people see hatred as the only way out? Shouldn't we, as the real Muslims, be more compassionate? We should at least try to bring the Shiites back to the real path, if they are not on one, through education. If indeed Shiites are wrong, at least guide their followers to the right path. We shouldn't be too quick to judge and punish. If we really want to emulate the Islam that our Prophet Muhammad led, we should follow his lead, and not be too hasty with the sword.</p></div><div><p>I mean, sure, some might disagree and say there is no tolerance in religion and all deviant teachings must be eliminated for the sake of the Muslim unity. But maybe they should sit back and take a look at the bigger picture. If they go on an all-out, state-sponsored war (be it figuratively or literally) on the Shiites, wouldn't it cause more conflict between Sunnis and Shiites? Do you think that some Shiites would just keep quiet and let themselves be trampled upon and demonized? I am sure that some would fight back when pushed too much. Such a conflict would definitely weaken the whole Muslim community, making them vulnerable to the Americans, the Jews, the Israelis, the Zionists, the communists, the liberals, the homosexuals, the Chinese, the Illuminatis, the Freemasons, etc. Maybe they should spread the real Islam, instead of pushing each other towards a societal collapse, or even worse, a civil war.</p></div><div><div><p>I'm afraid all the witch-hunting will make the "rightful" Sunnis worse than the so-called pseudo-Muslims of Shiites. </p></div><div><p>That is just ironic, don't you think?</p></div></div><div><p>Educate, instead of hate.</p><p> </p></div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60958-commonwealth-journal-devote-special-issue-to-malaysia">Commonwealth Journal Devote Special Issue to Malaysia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" title="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" width="110" height="158" /> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><strong>The Round Table, founded in 1910, is Britain's oldest international affairs journal, providing analysis and commentary on all aspects of international affairs. The journal is the major source for coverage of the policy issues concerning the contemporary Commonwealth and its role in international affairs. The publisher, Taylors and Francis, has made some articles free on its website.</strong></span></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 1.3em">SINGAPORE: Far from advancing democratic change, then, GE13 has served to roll democracy back. This was the view of Professor William Case, a Malaysian expert from City University of Hong Kong, writing in the latest issue of The Round Table, the Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Case argued that after the GE, though a few UMNO politicians called for reconciliation, they were eclipsed by many others demanding exclusion and punishment of the Chinese community over the Chinese 'tsunami' and 'betrayal'. Further, after their victory top politicians in UMNO found the polarisation they had instigated to be helpful in their attacks on the opposition DAP and the Chinese.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">UMNO knows that as ethnic Chinese are only a quarter of Malaysia's population today, and thus DAP can be contained. In remarks made at the launch of the journal at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Case said he is not optimistic about reforms in UMNO.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">ISEAS's Professor James Chin, the guest editor of the journal, argued that while the opposition used the right strategy for the 2013 campaign, it lost because it could not overcome the three biggest hurdles for opposition politics in Malaysia: East Malaysia, the rural Malay votes and a biased electoral system. His article examines in detail strategies employed by the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (or National Front), and the opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance).</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Kai Ostwald, from the University of California, writes that it was impossible for the opposition to win any elections in Malaysia given the current electoral structure. Kai provides data to show that by international standards, the distortions in the Malaysian electoral system is extremely high.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Other contributors to the journal are Professor Farish Noor and Ms Choong Pui Yee from Nanyang Technological University. The Round Table, founded in 1910, is Britain's oldest international affairs journal, providing analysis and commentary on all aspects of international affairs. The journal is the major source for coverage of the policy issues concerning the contemporary Commonwealth and its role in international affairs. The publisher, Taylors and Francis, has made some articles free on its website.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Editorial: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E</a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Farish Noor: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857144#.Uq7MOcQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857144#.Uq7MOcQW18E</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">James Chin: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7MZcQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7MZcQW18E</a> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Kai Ostwald: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857146" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857146</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Choong Pui Yee: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143</a><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143#.Uq7Kw8QW18E" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143#.Uq7Kw8QW18E" target="_blank"></a><span style="line-height: 1.3em">William Case: </span><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857147" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857147</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E"></a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60957-requesting-support-for-feature-documentary-on-stateless-filipinos-in-sabah">Requesting support for feature documentary on Stateless Filipinos in Sabah</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" title="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" width="220" height="139" /> </p><p><strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em">This is a fil</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">m that focuses on two stateless families of Philippines descent and tackles the issue of stateless migrants in Sabah. Production was especially hard for us when we were interrogated by the special branch on more than one occasion and faced resistance from members of the public because, lets face it, no one wants trouble.</span></strong></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><em>Vila Somiah</em></span> </p> <p>Dear En. Raja Petra and the Malaysia Today family, </p><div><br /></div><div>Greetings and salutations. I hope this email finds you in the best of health. My name is Vila Somiah, I am an independent filmmaker currently based in Ohio and I am writing to you for in hopes of some assistance.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You see, I am a Sabahan and as a child, I watched undocumented Filipinos/nas through the window of my fathers car flooding the streets of Kota Kinabalu. I may not have been then but much later on in adulthood, I grew very interested in the the lives of this people, especially since it became increasingly sensitive as a subject. For almost two years now, my production partners and I have been working on the film, entitled Di Ambang: Stateless in Sabah. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a film that focuses on two stateless families of Philippines descent and tackles the issue of stateless migrants in Sabah. Production was especially hard for us when we were interrogated by the special branch on more than one occasion and faced resistance from members of the public because, lets face it, no one wants trouble. But persistence got us through it all I suppose.</div><div><br />Throughout production, we followed our subjects through their daily lives, studying the socio-political implications on the life of migrants in Sabah. Production was on going even when the latest Sulu attacks in May occurred. Although many thought it was planned, the team and I had no idea how the skirmish in Lahad datu could impact our film so greatly. In fact, Di Ambang incorporates the skirmish into the plot. <br /><br /></div><div>But now, the film needs exposure and donations for the final push and this is how I hope you can help me sir. To me (including many, many people out there), you are an Icon. People listen to you and they value your opinions, and through you, the film can most definitely reach a larger audience. All I request of you is that you check out our kickstarter page and website (the links are bellow), and if you can believe in the value of this project then please, help us promote it in one of your many channels. In fact, just a few days ago, Ms. Marina Mahathir (and soon Dato' Ambiga) have expressed support and made pledges which you can view online. As of now we have hit 22% of our target. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am striving for a much needed change in Malaysia En. Raja Petra, and the help I am asking of you only requires a few minutes of your time. My partners and I (who are all legit I assure you) have worked so very hard on this film and we want to bring <span style="line-height: 18px">Di Ambang to the Malaysian and international audience but we can only do it with your help. So please help us in any way you can and share our sites with as many people you know. We would appreciate it so much.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Berbanyak-banyak terima kasih,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Vila Somiah</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Kickstarter: <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1118390113/di-ambang-stateless-in-sabah?ref=recently_launched" target="_blank">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1118390113/di-ambang-stateless-in-sabah?ref=recently_launched</a></div><div><br /></div><div>FB page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diambangfilm" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/diambangfilm</a></div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60956-igp-cops-to-question-mat-zain-on-shafee-report-soon">IGP: Cops to question Mat Zain on Shafee report soon</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:02 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/IGP_zps6e60abea.jpg" border="0" width="200" height="133" /> </p><p>(MM) - The police are expected to haul up former senior police officer Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim for questioning today over his report accusing Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah of lying in an affidavit.</p> Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar told a press conference in Cheras this afternoon that the former KL CID chief could be called in as early as today, according to a report by news portal Malaysiakini.<br /><br />"We... will see what the (alleged) offences (are) that are revealed in his statement," Khalid was quoted as saying.<br /><br />The news portal said this was over Mat Zain's police report yesterday against Shafee, who the former said had filed a false affidavit-in-reply to the government's appeal against the sodomy acquittal of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahimm<br /><br />In response, Mat Zain reportedly told Malaysiakini in a text message that he would offer his fullest cooperation to the police.<br /><br />"Okay, good. This is the kind of quick action that should be taken. My thanks to the police.<br /><br />"I am ready to give my fullest cooperation. I have nothing to hide. I am very pleased with their speedy response..." he was quoted as saying.<br /><br />In his December 11 affidavit, Shafee had sought to distance himself from Mat Zain's allegations of misconduct against the Attorney-General in Malaysia's loss of Pulau Batu Puteh and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's 1998 "black eye" incident.<br /><br />In the document, the prominent Umno lawyer rejected remarks attributed to him in Mat Zain's statutory declaration (SD).<br /><br />"I vehemently deny that I have been involved in any particular 'meeting' whatsoever and have commented on any alleged misconduct concerning the current Attorney-General TSGP, in particular, over the Batu Puteh controversy," said Shafee, using Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail's initials.<br /><br />"I have never insinuated nor mentioned about funds in Hong Kong and such like."<br /><br />Shafee also said that Anwar's second attempt to disqualify him from leading the prosecution appeal against the verdict in the opposition leader's second sodomy trial was based on frivolous and vexatious grounds.<br /><br />Anwar had said in recent a statement that the grounds for his application was based on the revelations made by Mat Zain in the latter's statutory declaration (SD) signed on October 7 and publicly revealed on December 2.<br /><br />Citing Mat Zain's latest SD, Anwar had noted that the former senior police officer alleged that Shafee knew of Abdul Gani allegedly suppressing important evidence in the Pulau Batu Puteh hearing at the International Court of Justive (ICJ) in 2007 that caused Malaysia to lose the island to Singapore.<br /><br />"Shafee told Mat Zain that 'you will not believe your eyes if you were to see the amount of cash that was transferred into Gani's account in Hong Kong'," Anwar had written in the statement, citing the SD.<br /><br />Mat Zain was also the investigating officer in the case on Anwar's "black eye" assault in 1998, in which the PKR de facto leader was assaulted by then Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor while in custody.<br /><br />Mat Zain has been lobbying for the case to be re-opened in a series of open letters penned to Bukit Aman and the government, insisting that Gani was complicit in the alleged fabrication of evidence in the case.<br /><br />"Shafee agreed with Mat Zain that Gani had fabricated evidence against myself during the "black eye" investigation.<br /><br />"Shafee agreed it was indeed true that Dr Abdul Rahman bin Yusof, a forensic consultant at Kuala Lumpur Hospital had fabricated evidence in my 'black eye' investigation," Anwar said in his statement.<br /><br />Shafee later expanded on his denial and said only Mat Zain could speak to the contents of his declaration.<br /><br />"Mat Zain was the dominant person who was doing the talking on the 'black eye' matter. I suspect this was due to the fact that Mat Zain was introduced to Tun Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) as the investigator of the 'black eye' incident," said Shafee, referring to a recent gathering at the former prime minister's house.<br /><br />"I was never a witness to the 'black eye' incident, nor to any fabrication about it and I therefore cannot give any firsthand information or opinion on that issues; only Mat Zain can," he added.<p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="9" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60955-rafizi-to-take-ags-misconduct-to-hk">Rafizi to take AG’s misconduct to HK</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 03:59 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/06/04/bn-man-bought-ballots-for-rm100-each/attachment/rafizi-ramli-9/" rel="attachment wp-att-279172"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/rafizi-ramli.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>PKR strategic director to seek Hong Kong government's help to investigate alleged misconduct of Attorney-General</strong></font></p><p><em>Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT </em></p><p>Rafizi Ramli will seek help from the Hong Kong government over former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain's allegations that money changed hands, which led to Malaysia losing its claim on Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore in 2007.</p> <p>The revelation was made in Mat Zain's 31-page statutory declaration (SD) sent to the Prime Minister's Office on Oct 9 which revealed the wrongdoings of Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, who handled the Pulau Batu Puteh case.</p> <p>"Also included was information that a large amount of money changed hands and was credited into (Gani's) bank account in Hong Kong," the SD said.</p> <p>Speaking to reporters today, Rafizi, who is PKR strategic director, announced that he will approach the Hong Kong government in hopes they will commence investigations into Mat Zain's allegations.</p> <p>"What is more pertinent about this SD is that for the first time, there is a serious allegation made involving the territorial integrity of the country. This is bringing corruption to a new level altogether.</p> <p>"The police say they won't take any action against him (Gani), and there is no news from SPRM (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission)," he said.</p> <p>"Therefore, we have no choice but to bring this issue to Hong Kong, as the reputation of their financial institution is of utmost importance to them," added Rafizi.</p> <p><strong><span style="color: #800080">We have leads</span></strong></p> <p>The National Oversight and Whistleblowers Centre (NOW) executive director said all details and entities of the transaction must be submitted to the Hong Kong authorities in order them to start investigation, but acknowledged that it was "not easy" to trace.</p> <p>"We are trying to trace it and it is not easy. Although some of our friends in Hong Kong say that basic information which involves the AG is enough for them to start looking, we hope to give them pointers," he said.</p> <p>Rafizi assured that he had "leads to follow" and has given himself until Wednesday to finalise the information to be submitted to Hong Kong.</p> <p>"If we don't get anything, we will proceed with submitting a formal request to the authorities and continue from there," he said.</p> <p>Asked if he would be disclosing a copy of the information to SPRM, Rafizi said the local anti-corruption authority would simply "bury the lead altogether".</p> <p>"Based on the SPRM Act, once I have submitted information to the commission, I am legally prohibited from ever talking about it," he said.</p> <p>"That is how they (SPRM) sweeps issues under the carpet and bury leads," he said. "Hong Kong is extremely attentive to complaints. I would rather pursue it in Hong Kong and see whether anything can come out of there," he added.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/16/rafizi-to-take-ags-misconduct-to-hk/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="10" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60954-get-guan-eng-to-submit-all-documents-karpal-told">Get Guan Eng to submit all documents, Karpal told</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 03:41 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/jamil_zps36da43ab.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="180" /> </p><p>(NST) - DAP chairman Karpal Singh should order party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng to submit all documents required by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) relating to the party election on Sept 29, said former Kedah Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) chairman Zamil Ibrahim.</p> <p> He said a mere three-page report submitted by the party was evidently too brief for the RoS to conduct investigations into allegations of fraud, distortion and manipulation of the delegates' list during the party election.</p> <p> "Karpal should adhere to the RoS' order instead of engaging in a long-running battle and challenging the decision."</p> <p> RoS is requesting a full list of DAP's 2,576 members, along with their branch affiliation and addresses, a full list of the 1,740 voting members, along with their particulars, and a list of 985 branches with an "A" certification.</p> <p> The DAP central executive committee election last year was marred by a tabulation "glitch", with party members claiming irregularities.</p> <p> The glitch caused party activist Vincent Wu to be moved to the 26th spot from his original sixth position.</p> <p> This gave way to Lim's political secretary, Zairil Khir Johari, who was in the 39th position, to move up to the 20th spot in the CEC elections on Dec 15 last year. </p> <p>The RoS sent a letter to DAP saying that it did not recognise the leadership, which led to the party to hold another election to avoid de-registration.</p><div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none"><br /></div></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-53830894483274084852013-12-16T07:21:00.001-08:002013-12-16T07:21:50.708-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/beritakomentar/60961-syiah-tindakan-kdn-dipersoal-pemimpin-pas">Syiah: Tindakan KDN dipersoal pemimpin Pas</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 07:56 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p>Demikian menurut Ahli Jawatankuasa Pas, Idris Ahmad yang menyifatkan tindakan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) yang memaksa Timbalan Presiden Pas, Mohamad Sabu supaya mengemukakan bukti bukan pengikut Syiah merupakan perkara yang tidak munasabah.<br /><br />"Sebelum ini kerajaan sendiri pernah umumkan jumlah pengikut Syiah, dan ada individu yang mengaku sebagai pengikut ajaran Syiah, jadi kenapa mereka pula tidak ditahan?<br /><br />"Tapi yang disibukkan sekarang adalah orang yang tidak mengaku Syiah, ini yang jadi bahan ketawa orang ramai," katanya kepada Sinar Harian.<br /><br />Menurutnya, tindakan KDN yang 'memburu' Mohamad atau lebih dikenali Mat Sabu hanya untuk memberikan imej buruk kepada Pas.<br /><br />"Ini semua 'nasi tambah' kepada isu lain untuk jatuhkan Pas. Sebelum ini isu agama, Melayu, raja dan sebagainya.<br /><br />"Kalau betul KDN ada bukti, tolong dedahkan kerana kita juga mahu tahu bukti yang bagaimana untuk kaitkan Mat Sabu dengan Syiah, tidak perlu untuk beritahu bukti gred A, B atau pun C," ujarnya yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bukit Gantang.<br /><br />Sehubungan itu katanya, KDN perlu bertindak bukan hanya bercakap memandangkan maklumat sudah pun ada untuk menahan pengikut Syiah.<br /><br />"Kalau bukti sudah ada, buat apa suruh orang yang dituduh bertindak untuk menunjukkan bukti beliau tidak terlibat.<br /><br />"Sekarang ini siapa yang mendakwa dan siapa pula yang didakwa. Jadi rasanya tidak perlu orang yang dituduh menampilkan bukti. Dakwa sahaja pihak yang mengikut ajaran Syiah," kata beliau.<br /><br />Kelmarin, Penolong Setiausaha Bahagian Keselamatan dan Ketenteraman Awam KDN, Dr Zamihan Mat Zain Al Ghari berkata, Mat Sabu perlu kemukakan bukti jika dirinya tidak terlibat fahaman Syiah.<br /><br />Kata Zamihan, Mat Sabu perlu berhujah secara ilmiah bagi menafikan 10 bukti KDN yang mengaitkannya dengan fahaman Syiah.<br /><br />Pada 12 Disember lalu, Ketua Setiausaha KDN, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi mendedahkan 10 bukti yang mengaitkan Mat Sabu dengan ajaran Syiah antaranya pernah 'berselawat' sebagaimana penganut Syiah pada satu sesi ceramah Pas, di Arau, Perlis.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=zKG8tABINt_sUhbpLsf6kQ7DLmQ">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-90929522843125671832013-12-16T07:16:00.001-08:002013-12-16T07:16:34.443-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Is it necessary to demonize the Shiites?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Commonwealth Journal Devote Special Issue to Malaysia</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Requesting support for feature documentary on Stateless Filipinos in Sabah</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60959-is-it-necessary-to-demonize-the-shiites">Is it necessary to demonize the Shiites?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:54 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><div><p><img src="http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/8974/7utx.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="240" /></p></div><div><p><strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em">I have to admit that I might not have enough knowledge to scholarly conclude whether Shiites are Muslims, pseudo-Muslims or outright</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">kafirs</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">. However, is it necessary to go all out, guns blazing, on Shiites?</span> </strong></p></div><div><p><em>Imran Hakim</em> </p></div> <div><p>What do Shiites and final exams have in common?</p></div><div><p>They are the two most popular topics as I scrolled down my Twitter timeline for the past week. </p></div><div><p>Although I am supposed to be studying for my Environmental and Resources Economics final tomorrow, I can't help but to be bothered by the constant attacks and demonization of the Shiites by some Malaysians. </p></div><div><p>"Syiah Musuh Islam"</p></div><div><p>"Syiah Itu Yahudi"</p></div><div><p>"Syiah Bunuh Sunni"</p></div><div><p>And many other similar rhetorics that somehow managed to appear on my timeline (I guess I need to recheck who I am following on Twitter).</p></div><div><p>I have to admit that I might not have enough knowledge to scholarly conclude whether Shiites are Muslims, pseudo-Muslims or outright kafirs. However, is it necessary to go all out, guns blazing, on Shiites?</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived by the Shiites, into praising Saidina Ali over Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into cursing the Sahabahs of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the zen-like Shiite prayers.</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into hurting themselves during Asyura'.</p></div><div><p>The "rightful" Sunnis are worried that Muslims will be deceived into the control of the Jews, through the Shiites.</p></div><div><p>and so on.</p></div><div><p>Aren't the "rightful" Sunnis worried about the extremism that they are portraying and its effect on the Muslim society? How would that translate to non-Muslims? "Don't mind us, we're just cleaning up Islam, the religion of peace - by a massive witch-hunting, filled with hatred, on the Shiites."</p></div><div><p>Even if the Shiites are indeed kafir, why do some people see hatred as the only way out? Shouldn't we, as the real Muslims, be more compassionate? We should at least try to bring the Shiites back to the real path, if they are not on one, through education. If indeed Shiites are wrong, at least guide their followers to the right path. We shouldn't be too quick to judge and punish. If we really want to emulate the Islam that our Prophet Muhammad led, we should follow his lead, and not be too hasty with the sword.</p></div><div><p>I mean, sure, some might disagree and say there is no tolerance in religion and all deviant teachings must be eliminated for the sake of the Muslim unity. But maybe they should sit back and take a look at the bigger picture. If they go on an all-out, state-sponsored war (be it figuratively or literally) on the Shiites, wouldn't it cause more conflict between Sunnis and Shiites? Do you think that some Shiites would just keep quiet and let themselves be trampled upon and demonized? I am sure that some would fight back when pushed too much. Such a conflict would definitely weaken the whole Muslim community, making them vulnerable to the Americans, the Jews, the Israelis, the Zionists, the communists, the liberals, the homosexuals, the Chinese, the Illuminatis, the Freemasons, etc. Maybe they should spread the real Islam, instead of pushing each other towards a societal collapse, or even worse, a civil war.</p></div><div><div><p>I'm afraid all the witch-hunting will make the "rightful" Sunnis worse than the so-called pseudo-Muslims of Shiites. </p></div><div><p>That is just ironic, don't you think?</p></div></div><div><p>Educate, instead of hate.</p><p> </p></div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60958-commonwealth-journal-devote-special-issue-to-malaysia">Commonwealth Journal Devote Special Issue to Malaysia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" title="http://www.tandfonline.com/na101/home/literatum/publisher/tandf/journals/content/ctrt20/2013/ctrt20.v102.i06/ctrt20.v102.i06/20131122-01/ctrt20.v102.i06.cover.jpg" width="110" height="158" /> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><strong>The Round Table, founded in 1910, is Britain's oldest international affairs journal, providing analysis and commentary on all aspects of international affairs. The journal is the major source for coverage of the policy issues concerning the contemporary Commonwealth and its role in international affairs. The publisher, Taylors and Francis, has made some articles free on its website.</strong></span></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 1.3em">SINGAPORE: Far from advancing democratic change, then, GE13 has served to roll democracy back. This was the view of Professor William Case, a Malaysian expert from City University of Hong Kong, writing in the latest issue of The Round Table, the Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Case argued that after the GE, though a few UMNO politicians called for reconciliation, they were eclipsed by many others demanding exclusion and punishment of the Chinese community over the Chinese 'tsunami' and 'betrayal'. Further, after their victory top politicians in UMNO found the polarisation they had instigated to be helpful in their attacks on the opposition DAP and the Chinese.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">UMNO knows that as ethnic Chinese are only a quarter of Malaysia's population today, and thus DAP can be contained. In remarks made at the launch of the journal at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Case said he is not optimistic about reforms in UMNO.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">ISEAS's Professor James Chin, the guest editor of the journal, argued that while the opposition used the right strategy for the 2013 campaign, it lost because it could not overcome the three biggest hurdles for opposition politics in Malaysia: East Malaysia, the rural Malay votes and a biased electoral system. His article examines in detail strategies employed by the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional (or National Front), and the opposition alliance, Pakatan Rakyat (People's Alliance).</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Kai Ostwald, from the University of California, writes that it was impossible for the opposition to win any elections in Malaysia given the current electoral structure. Kai provides data to show that by international standards, the distortions in the Malaysian electoral system is extremely high.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Other contributors to the journal are Professor Farish Noor and Ms Choong Pui Yee from Nanyang Technological University. The Round Table, founded in 1910, is Britain's oldest international affairs journal, providing analysis and commentary on all aspects of international affairs. The journal is the major source for coverage of the policy issues concerning the contemporary Commonwealth and its role in international affairs. The publisher, Taylors and Francis, has made some articles free on its website.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Editorial: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E</a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Farish Noor: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857144#.Uq7MOcQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857144#.Uq7MOcQW18E</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">James Chin: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7MZcQW18E" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7MZcQW18E</a> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Kai Ostwald: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857146" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857146</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal">Choong Pui Yee: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143</a><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143#.Uq7Kw8QW18E" target="_blank"></a></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857143#.Uq7Kw8QW18E" target="_blank"></a><span style="line-height: 1.3em">William Case: </span><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857147" target="_blank">http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857147</a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.0001pt" class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00358533.2013.857170#.Uq7LasQW18E"></a><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/letterssurat/60957-requesting-support-for-feature-documentary-on-stateless-filipinos-in-sabah">Requesting support for feature documentary on Stateless Filipinos in Sabah</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 15 Dec 2013 05:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" title="http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/url25.jpg" width="220" height="139" /> </p><p><strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em">This is a fil</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">m that focuses on two stateless families of Philippines descent and tackles the issue of stateless migrants in Sabah. Production was especially hard for us when we were interrogated by the special branch on more than one occasion and faced resistance from members of the public because, lets face it, no one wants trouble.</span></strong></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><em>Vila Somiah</em></span> </p> <p>Dear En. Raja Petra and the Malaysia Today family, </p><div><br /></div><div>Greetings and salutations. I hope this email finds you in the best of health. My name is Vila Somiah, I am an independent filmmaker currently based in Ohio and I am writing to you for in hopes of some assistance.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You see, I am a Sabahan and as a child, I watched undocumented Filipinos/nas through the window of my fathers car flooding the streets of Kota Kinabalu. I may not have been then but much later on in adulthood, I grew very interested in the the lives of this people, especially since it became increasingly sensitive as a subject. For almost two years now, my production partners and I have been working on the film, entitled Di Ambang: Stateless in Sabah. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a film that focuses on two stateless families of Philippines descent and tackles the issue of stateless migrants in Sabah. Production was especially hard for us when we were interrogated by the special branch on more than one occasion and faced resistance from members of the public because, lets face it, no one wants trouble. But persistence got us through it all I suppose.</div><div><br />Throughout production, we followed our subjects through their daily lives, studying the socio-political implications on the life of migrants in Sabah. Production was on going even when the latest Sulu attacks in May occurred. Although many thought it was planned, the team and I had no idea how the skirmish in Lahad datu could impact our film so greatly. In fact, Di Ambang incorporates the skirmish into the plot. <br /><br /></div><div>But now, the film needs exposure and donations for the final push and this is how I hope you can help me sir. To me (including many, many people out there), you are an Icon. People listen to you and they value your opinions, and through you, the film can most definitely reach a larger audience. All I request of you is that you check out our kickstarter page and website (the links are bellow), and if you can believe in the value of this project then please, help us promote it in one of your many channels. In fact, just a few days ago, Ms. Marina Mahathir (and soon Dato' Ambiga) have expressed support and made pledges which you can view online. As of now we have hit 22% of our target. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am striving for a much needed change in Malaysia En. Raja Petra, and the help I am asking of you only requires a few minutes of your time. My partners and I (who are all legit I assure you) have worked so very hard on this film and we want to bring <span style="line-height: 18px">Di Ambang to the Malaysian and international audience but we can only do it with your help. So please help us in any way you can and share our sites with as many people you know. We would appreciate it so much.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Berbanyak-banyak terima kasih,</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Vila Somiah</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Kickstarter: <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1118390113/di-ambang-stateless-in-sabah?ref=recently_launched" target="_blank">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1118390113/di-ambang-stateless-in-sabah?ref=recently_launched</a></div><div><br /></div><div>FB page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diambangfilm" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/diambangfilm</a></div></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=AAaGq1qIBdQYLUYa4VXOr_lNs4A">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-14797498327309086352013-12-15T21:26:00.001-08:002013-12-15T21:26:51.054-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/60946-where-my-loyalties-lie">Where my loyalties lie</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:25 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/corridors/corridors.gif" border="0" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>If I were asked to choose between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional I have no problems making that choice. If I were asked to choose between a Secular State and an Islamic State I have no problems making that choice as well. But if I were asked to choose between a Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic then you are placing me in a very difficult situation. I will have to choose the Constitutional Monarchy.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.3em">THE CORRIDORS OF POWER</strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span> </p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">I am certainly a Libran -- I was born on 27th September. I would like to believe that I am also a libertarian. And what would one mean when one says he or she is a libertarian?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Libertarianism is a political philosophy that advocates free will and individual rights. The core doctrine of libertarianism begins with the recognition that people have certain natural rights and that deprivation of these rights is immoral.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Libertarianism can be traced back to ancient China of 2,600 years ago where philosopher Lao-tzu (Laozi) advocated the recognition of individual liberties. The modern libertarian theory emerged in the sixteenth century through the writings of Etienne de La Boetie, an eminent French theorist. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the seventeenth century, John Locke and a group of British reformers known as the Levellers fashioned the classical basis for libertarianism with well-received philosophies on human nature and economics. Since the days of Locke, libertarianism has attracted pacifists, utopianists, utilitarianists, anarchists, and fascists. This wide array of support demonstrates the accessibility and elasticity of the libertarian promotion of natural rights.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many Malays, especially those in PAS, consider me a deviant Muslim (they have told me so). They cringe when they read my article regarding Islam, which are certainly non-mainstream and stray from what many would describe as 'fundamental' Islam. Some Malays, in fact, even consider me a heretic, or worse, an apostate because of my unorthodox views on Islam.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I admit it is not easy to 'marry' orthodox Islam and libertarianism. Libertarianism is about free will and individual rights while Islam is about complying with the Sharia. And this is where one faces a clash of ideologies when one tries to be both a Muslim and a libertarian.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have never hidden the fact that I am a libertarian at heart. My views on Islam, which I have espoused often enough, lies testimony to this. I confess that I am walking the very narrow path between being a Muslim and an infidel (<em>kafir</em>), as my stronger critics would say. But that is the path I have chosen for myself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was born a Muslim but for the first 27 years or so of my life I was a Muslim in name only. Even when I went to an all-Malay school, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), I was never a practicing Muslim. I fasted because we were forced to do so but I did not pray because we were not forced to do so. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt I had to go to the mosque every Friday but I went only because it was compulsory. That did not mean I prayed though (you can force the horse to water but you cannot make it drink). I merely chilled out (<em>lepak</em>) at the back of the mosque until it was time to go home.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I said, for the first 27 years of my life I was a Muslim in name only (I have, in fact, written about this many times before). Then I 'rediscovered' my old friend from MCKK, Anwar Ibrahim, when he came to Kuala Terengganu to talk at a PAS <em>ceramah </em>(rally). Anwar was then heading ABIM, the Islamic Youth Movement, and had just been released from ISA detention. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And I fell in love with Anwar (who I initially disliked when I was in MCKK) and at the same time fell in love with Islam. It was then when I decided to become a Muslim or, as I have written many times before, a 'Born Again Muslim'.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Within a few months I mastered the Quran (much to the amazement of my Tok Guru who said it takes years rather than just months to master the Quran). I started praying and fasting and even did the optional fast and prayers (to make up for the 27 years that I had missed as a <em>fasik</em> Muslim). Within a couple of years I did my first pilgrimage to Mekah, the first of about ten trips I made in all.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was in Mekah soon after the Islamic Revolution of Iran when I met up with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. I talked to them and joined their demonstrations while carrying pictures of Imam Khomeini. I was smitten by the Islamic Revolution and imagined the same thing happening in Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was now what many would probably label a Muslim militant or fundamentalist. But I was not a Shia, mind you. I was still a Sunni and held to my Sunni doctrine. But I began to question much of the beliefs and practices of Sunni Islam and considered Khomeini my hero and the Iranian Islamic Revolution my guiding light.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I suppose my exposure to other forms of Islam (where initially I was exposed to only one form of Islam) opened my eyes somewhat. </p><p class="MsoNormal">But my love affair with the Iranian Islamic Revolution soon ended when I saw the brutality and intolerance in Iran. The revolution just replaced one draconian regime for another. Basically, it was the same old wine in a new bottle. The situation in Iran did not improve from the time of the Shah. In fact, it became worse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My love for Anwar Ibrahim also ended at around the same time when he joined Umno. I fell in love with him and 'converted' to Islam because of what he said and did as the ABIM leader. Then I saw that he was never sincere in his struggle and was merely using Islam as a political platform in his ambition to get ahead.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was not until 1998 that I 'returned' to Anwar, mainly because of the 'Black Eye' incident and the 'explosion' of the Reformasi movement. After 20 years I, again, became committed to Anwar's struggle for a reformed Malaysia and a libertarian or civil society. Nevertheless, I was still quite suspicious of Anwar because he has had a history of deviating from the struggle in the interest of his own political agenda.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For ten years until the 2008 general election I worked for Anwar's party at a pittance of RM2,500 a month when I could have earned five or six times that in the corporate world. In fact, at that time I was a Chairman and Director of a foreign-owned company, which I had shares in, and I was paid RM10,000 each time just to attend and chair the meetings. But I gave all that up to serve the party because it was not money but the cause that drove me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The year 2008 was a new milestone for Malaysian politics. The gains made by the opposition in that election convinced me that my sacrifice had not been in vain. The ten years from 1998 to 2008 were the most difficult years for me. I practically lived in poverty and survived from hand to mouth. My 'mentor', Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas, can testify to this because it was he who helped pay my monthly allowance, which just covered my living expenses with nothing more to spare.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">After the 2008 general election, and when Pakatan Rakyat formed the new Selangor government, my good friend, Ronnie Liu from DAP, offered me various positions in the state but I declined all offers. First of all, the ten years I spent working for the opposition was not about being rewarded with positions of power. Secondly, my cousin was the Sultan of Selangor and I did not want to get on his wrong side by working for the Selangor government in the event that there is a crisis between the state government and the palace.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My anxiety was the result of a meeting I had with His Highness the Sultan in 2001 soon after I was released from my first ISA detention. His Highness made it very clear that he was not too happy regarding my involvement with the opposition. It was a two-hour meeting in the palace and His Highness did not hide the fact that he did not like Anwar or trusted him one bit.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anwar is anti-Monarchy, said His Highness, and Anwar was very much with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad in attacking the Monarchy during the 1980s Constitutional Crisis. I knew that because it was widely reported in the mass media at that time. In fact, I have personally heard both Dr Mahathir and Anwar attack the Rulers so I had no doubts in my mind that both Dr Mahathir and Anwar are anti-Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But that was when Anwar was in Umno and when Anwar was Dr Mahathir's blue-eye boy and anointed successor. This is the new Anwar, the voice of reform. I believed, as many others did too, that Anwar had changed since his Umno days.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then, in 2010, I met up with one of Anwar's closest Chinese advisors and financiers and we had a long discussion. This meeting in London was about a year after I had left the country. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We discussed what Anwar had planned for the future in the event Pakatan Rakyat forms the new federal government. And what was revealed is most alarming. It appears that Anwar has not changed his anti-Monarchy stance at all. A future Malaysia with Pakatan Rakyat as the federal government had no place for the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yes, I am a libertarian. I believe in a civil society. But I do not believe in a Republic of Malaysia and the abolishing of the Constitutional Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This was when I decided to part company with Anwar and wash my hands of his cause.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">If I were asked to choose between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional I have no problems making that choice. If I were asked to choose between a Secular State and an Islamic State I have no problems making that choice as well. But if I were asked to choose between a Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic then you are placing me in a very difficult situation. I will have to choose the Constitutional Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was born in the UK, not in Selangor. However, in 1956, just a year or so before Merdeka, our family returned to Malaysia and on 2nd May 1956 my late father was declared a Subject of the Ruler of Selangor. Hence we are not just Malaysians or Selangorians. We are Subjects of the Ruler of Selangor. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Therefore, my loyalty is, first, to His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, second to the State of Selangor, third to Malaysia, fourth to Islam, fifth to the Malays, and finally to Pakatan Rakyat, in that order of priority.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence, also, I can no longer stand with Anwar and his cause when that cause runs contra to the cause of the Monarchy. That is a choice I made in 2010 and is a decision I will not change. And it is a choice I have a right to make under a democracy. After all, libertarianism is about free will and individual rights. So what I have chosen is what libertarianism guarantees.</p> <p> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>CLICK FOR BIGGER VIEW </strong></font></p><p><a href="http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5930/8na6.jpg"><img src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2587/4jm4.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="828" /></a> </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=U8JE72YPTutg7H87BAD5vbzyw0M">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-5130463131537597762013-12-15T21:10:00.001-08:002013-12-15T21:10:06.548-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Ex-DAP member Jenice Lee stopped from attending party convention</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Expelled DAP members in limbo</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Evaporating euphoria</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Ku Li to open Perkasa meeting in the hope of turning right-wing Malay group around</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Where my loyalties lie</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60953-ex-dap-member-jenice-lee-stopped-from-attending-party-convention">Ex-DAP member Jenice Lee stopped from attending party convention</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 05:18 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JenniceLee_zps7f8b0651.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="173" /> </p><p>(The Star) - Former Teratai assemblywoman Jenice Lee, who was sacked as a DAP member, slammed the party for barring her from attending the state convention as an observer.</p> <p> Lee claimed that she had applied to attend the convention as an observer five weeks ago but failed to receive a reply.<br /> <br /> "Thinking that it would not matter, I walked in and I was surprised when the officers stopped me.<br /> <br /> "It is ridiculous to stop me when reporters are allowed to go in," said Lee, who arrived at the convention hall at 9am.<br /> <br /> "I can understand if there is not enough space but the hall looked empty and there were so many empty seats," she added.<br /> <br /> Lee criticised the party for removing her name in the convention attendance lists.<br /> </p><p>"There is clearly some hanky-panky going on or else they would not have removed my name from the attendance list of the previous party conventions," she said.</p><p> State DAP national legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo said officers manning the entrance had exercised their right in not allowing Lee to enter as she had been expelled from the party.<br /> <br /> "Only DAP members, delegates and invited guests can come in as observers," he said.<br /> <br /> "Our simple response is Lee's membership has been dealt with by the disciplinary committee. The CEC has upheld the decision that she is no longer a member of the party," Gobind said.<br /> <br /> He added that Lee had sought an interim injunction to maintain her membership in the party but was denied the order last Wednesday. </p><p> </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60952-expelled-dap-members-in-limbo">Expelled DAP members in limbo</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:50 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JenniceLee_zps7f8b0651.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="173" /> </p><p>(The Star) - DAP members who have been recently sacked are wondering if they can vote at the party's Selangor-level election, as the Registrar Of Societies (ROS) has yet to recognise DAP's top office bearers.</p> <p> L.P. Selvam, who received his expulsion letter signed by secretary-general Lim Guan Eng two weeks ago, asked if his sacking still stands as ROS did not recognise Lim and other DAP top leaders.</p><p> "I was told that the state party election is scheduled for Sunday (today) and I feel this should be an issue that must be explained by the leaders in the convention.</p><p> "Does this mean I am no more a DAP member and free to join another party?" asked Selvam, who stood as an independent candidate in the 13th general election.</p><p> The former aide to ex-Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan said his fellow DAP members who stood as independent candidates faced a similar predicament.</p><p> Another grassroots member, who chose to remain anonymous, said it was immature for DAP leaders to expel members without clear instructions.</p><p> "I just received a letter from the party and nothing else. Nobody called me up to say why the expulsion was made.</p><p> "It becomes further complicated when the ROS says it does not recognise DAP's office bearers," he said.</p><p> The man, who has been in the party for more than 15 years and contested as an independent candidate in the last general election, said he received his expulsion letter several weeks ago.</p><p> Selangor DAP vice-chairman Charles Santiago said the convention was expected to be a "lame one", as many delegates have adopted a carefree attitude towards it.</p><p> "Unlike in the past, not many are looking forward to the convention and party polls as the general election has ended," he said.</p><p> The state party polls, which is held once every two years, will see 35 delegates contesting for 15 positions today in Shah Alam. About 1,200 delegates were expected to be present.</p><p> Former Teratai assemblyman Jenice Lee (pic), who also received an expulsion letter from the party, had reportedly announced her intentions to secure a seat at the Selangor executive committee.</p><p> Lee, who had also stood as an Independent in the last general election, withdrew her lawsuit against the party after receiving a show-cause letter asking why her membership should not be withdrawn.</p><p> By sending her the letter, she claimed that it was an endorsement that the party still considered her a member.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60951-evaporating-euphoria">Evaporating euphoria</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:36 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Joceline-Tan-Insight_zpsc0a14c3e.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="194" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>PAS has been stirred and shaken over the Home Ministry's allegations that its deputy president Mohamad Sabu has Syiah links.</strong></font></p><p><em><strong>On Thursday, the Home Ministry released a 10-point statement outlining their case against Mat Sabu. The allegations ranged from him attending religious classes by two Syiah ustaz in Bukit Merah, Perak, in 2011 to his open admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran which propagates Syiah. </strong></em></p><p><em>Joceline Tan, The Star</em></p> <p>THE year 2013 has been both wonderful and lousy for PAS leader Mohamad Sabu.<br /> <br /> First, the wonderful part. Mat Sabu, as he is known, won a second term as PAS deputy president last month. It was no mean feat because he was essentially up against the pro-ulama group in his party. But he beat the odds and defeated his ulama opponent Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah by 98 votes.<br /> <br /> The narrow margin was an indication of how divided the party was about him, but a win is a win and Mat Sabu was a happy man.<br /> <br /> He needed that booster after failing to hold on to the Pendang seat in the general election. It was a huge psychological blow to PAS because Pendang had been synonymous with its beloved late president Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor.<br /> <br /> Now, for the less wonderful part. The euphoria from his victory has evaporated following the daring accusation against him by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Umno general assembly last week.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu is struggling to fend off allegations about him being a Syiah follower.<br /> <br /> On Thursday, the Home Ministry released a 10-point statement outlining their case against Mat Sabu. The allegations ranged from him attending religious classes by two Syiah ustaz in Bukit Merah, Perak, in 2011 to his open admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran which propagates Syiah.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu has dismissed the allegations as "fitnah" or lies. He said he is not a Syiah follower and is consulting his lawyer about initiating legal action against his accusers.<br /> <br /> The issue has grabbed the attention of Muslims nationwide because the National Fatwa Council had, as early as 1996, decreed the Syiah sect as "sesat" or deviant.<br /> <br /> PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said the party has not met to discuss the matter or received requests for an investigation.<br /> <br /> "The allegations made against Mat Sabu were personal, no need for the party to meet about it. Mat Sabu knows what to do," said Mustafa.<br /> <br /> He said that when similar allegations surfaced during the recent party election, Mat Sabu informed the party he is not a Syiah.<br /> <br /> The Home Ministry's 10-point allegations have been somewhat of an anti-climax. It was not exactly the "evidence" that everyone was expecting.<br /> <br /> But some of the allegations are disturbing enough to have left PAS members confused and looking for answers. The implications are enormous because PAS prides itself as an Islamist party and this concerns no less than its deputy president.<br /> <br /> PAS, as its president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang pointed out, is the only party with a constitution acknowledging the paramount position of the Quran and Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet).<br /> <br /> The party is scrambling to contain the issue. Hadi and Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib have come out to defend the party's espousal of the Sunni creed and reiterate their opposition to Syiah beliefs.<br /> <br /> Mursyidul Am Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat returned fire at Umno, saying that the nationalism and secularism endorsed by the Umno-led government was as bad as Syiah practices.<br /> <br /> He also implied that Umno harboured deviant preachers or, as he put it: "How can the tiger remind the sheep about the dangers of the wolf? The tiger must first cleanse its fangs and claws of human meat."<br /> <br /> Not many in PAS appreciated Nik Aziz equating secularism and nationalism with Syiah belief and, besides, two wrongs do not make a right.<br /> <br /> "Syiah is a threat to our beliefs as Sunni Muslims whereas nationalism and secularism are political ideologies. How can he put it at the same level?" a Kelantan-based Muslim intellectual asked.<br /> <br /> Other PAS leaders have defended Mat Sabu's visits to Iran and his admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini as "nothing wrong" because many Muslim leaders have visited Iran.<br /> <br /> Harakahdaily returned fire, publishing pictures of Umno politicians meeting Iranian leaders, including the famous photograph of a very young Datuk Ibrahim Ali with Khomeini in Paris shortly before the Iranian Revolution erupted.<br /> <br /> But they were less forthcoming on allegations that Mat Sabu visited a Syiah mosque in South Thailand in 2011 or attended Syiah religious classes in Perak. Most of them stopped short of directly clearing Mat Sabu of being Syiah.<br /> <br /> "The rumours have been around for ages. Almost everyone I know has heard about it. Such things are not easy to prosecute but it's not impossible," said Dr Yusri Mohamad, chairman of the Coalition of Islamic NGOs or Pembela.<br /> <br /> For instance, the Sky Kingdom cult in Terengganu was in full bloom and giant teapots and fountains had been erected before the authorities moved in. But the leader, Ayah Pin, was never charged despite reports that he had returned to Terengganu last year to recover from a crippling stroke.<br /> <br /> The widow of the late Ashaari Muhammad, founder of the outlawed Al-Arqam movement, only recently pleaded guilty to deviationist activities in the Syariah court after years of endless reports of her group's activities that emphasised sex and religion.<br /> <br /> Muslims in Malaysia belong to the Sunni sect or Sunnah wal Jamaah which means a righteous Muslim majority who follow the Prophet's teachings. The Sunni and Syiah are divided by fundamental differences on matters of "akidah" or faith.<br /> <br /> The Sunni concern about Syiah is so acute that, as recent as September, an Islamic forum in Kuala Lumpur had condemned Syiah as "a poison" and "a virus". The forum even urged the government to sever ties with Iran, which has the world's biggest Syiah population.<br /> <br /> Another concern is that Syiah is regarded as a potentially divisive force because Sunni-Syiah disputes in some countries have resulted in conflict and bloodshed.<br /> <br /> Action against Syiah groups had been ongoing but took on an urgency after the shooting of the Pahang Islamic Religious Department enforcement chief who had been investigating deviant religious activity. The government wants to step up the momentum and is studying the setting up of a Syariah Police Squad.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu's reputation as a Muslim and PAS leader is at stake. Some of his supporters see the attacks as a political witch hunt and an attempt to undermine the image of PAS. Earlier last week, Mat Sabu wrote in Harakahdaily that Syiah had replaced communism as the new bogeyman and that he was the victim of this trend.<br /> <br /> But there is also a segment within PAS who have doubts about him and who had, as a result, campaigned against his re-election.<br /> <br /> Some of them are high-level party officials and they are of the view that the party must not compromise on deviant beliefs. They say this is crucial for the integrity of the party and the unity of the ummah.<br /> <br /> Some of the young Turks in the pro-ulama group think there should be an internal investigation to set the record straight. They have suggested that the matter should go before the Syariah Audit Committee, a new body recently approved to handle internal issues connected to the syariah and which fall outside the purview of the Disciplinary Committee.<br /> <br /> Others think PAS should appoint senior and respected leaders to help clear the air because they are concerned that the party will be dragged down.<br /> <br /> The more down-to-earth say that Mat Sabu ought to take an oath to denounce Syiah and clear his name once and for all. Otherwise, there will be no closure and the matter will return to haunt the party. Their priority is the party. Leaders come and go but the party must survive.<br /> <br /> Iran, the Iranian Revolution and the Ayatollahs have always been a prickly issue for Muslims here. That revolution led to the birth of the world's first modern Islamic state and was one of those defining moments of the 20th century.<br /> <br /> It inspired Muslims everywhere and Malaysia was no exception, sparking off an irreversible wave of Islamic fervour – the building of mosques, women took to covering their aurat and Islamic banking arrived on our shores.<br /> <br /> PAS' modern form was very much inspired by what happened in Iran. Some examples include its policy of "leadership by the ulama" and its powerful Syura Council of Ulama headed by the Mursyidul Am, the PAS equivalent of the Ayatollah.<br /> <br /> The party's maroon-shirted Unit Amal, a highly respected unit in PAS, is often perceived as a moderate version of the revolutionary guards.<br /> <br /> "Many of us were inspired by the Iranian Revolution but that does not mean we are Syiah. However, Syiah beliefs can destroy our party and we should sieve it out when recruiting members," said a young PAS official.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu, some thought, has been too easygoing about such accusations for too long. During the general election, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in Kedah had openly accused him of being Syiah.<br /> <br /> Pamphlets about him were flying all over. One flyer had the slogan, "Jangan suburkan Syiah di Pendang", urging voters not to sow the seeds of Syiah in the parliamentary seat where Mat Sabu was contesting.<br /> <br /> Similar allegations surfaced in the months running up to the PAS election. This time, the attacks were more dangerous because they were coming from within his own party and, many believed, from the pro-ulama group.<br /> <br /> Again, Mat Sabu turned a blind eye. It was only when he realised that the allegations could derail his re-election that he finally issued a clear-cut denial.<br /> <br /> But he did not help himself when he persisted in quoting examples from Iran or praising Hezbullah, the militant Syiah group, in his speeches. His excuse was that he admires Iran for standing up to American imperialism.<br /> <br /> The Home Ministry's allegations were stunning as much for the content as for the way they were made. On hindsight, Zahid almost stole the show at the closing of the Umno assembly when he launched the attack against Mat Sabu.<br /> <br /> But that is Zahid for you – he rarely does things by halves. He knew very well that a strong action would draw an equally strong reaction and everyone is now bracing for what's next.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu is contemplating clearing his name in a court of law. But, more important, he may also have to clear his name in the court of public opinion. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60950-ku-li-to-open-perkasa-meeting-in-the-hope-of-turning-right-wing-malay-group-around">Ku Li to open Perkasa meeting in the hope of turning right-wing Malay group around</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:27 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/tengkurazaleigh.jpg" border="0" width="180" height="159" /> </p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI</em></p><p>Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's credentials as a statesman and a politician with enlightened views on race are now on the line as he has reportedly accepted Perkasa's invitation to open its fourth annual general meeting next week.</p> <p> While the Gua Musang MP has regularly met Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali as both are from Kelantan, they cannot be more different as chalk and cheese.</p> <p> Tengku Razaleigh is urbane, sophisticated and cosmopolitan while Ibrahim has been known to be crude with a narrow racial view that has seen him jump from one party to another, earning the sobriquet of a "political frog".</p><p> The Malaysian Insider understands that the former finance minister and Umno veteran, popularly known as Ku Li, has confirmed he would attend the meeting at Pusat Islam in Kuala Lumpur on December 22.</p> <p> Those close to the Kelantan prince said he had weighed the pros and cons of associating with the right-wing Malay group before confirming his attendance at the assembly themed "Upholding the Constitution for the wellbeing of all".</p> <p> "He wants to engage the Perkasa leadership and persuade them to be more inclusive. He wants them to look at the bigger picture," a Ku Li confidante told The Malaysian Insider.</p> <p> Tengku Razaleigh, who was tasked with setting up national oil firm Petronas, has been an advocate of market and economic liberalisation in the past decade unlike Ibrahim who believes that the Malays should have a greater control and share of the economy.</p> <p> Ibrahim has articulated his views through Perkasa, which boasts a 500,000 membership mainly from Umno, which he found after 2008 elections when he stood on a PAS ticket.</p> <p> He turned independent to support the ruling Barisan Nasional after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stepped down as prime minister.</p> <p> His relationship with Ku Li goes back to the time when both were in the old Umno and the now defunct Semangat 46, which was once in power with PAS in the Kelantan government.</p> <p> Both only returned to the Umno fold in 1996, where Ibrahim eventually became a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's government.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ku-li-to-open-perkasa-meeting-in-the-hope-of-turning-right-wing-malay-group" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/60946-where-my-loyalties-lie">Where my loyalties lie</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:25 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/corridors/corridors.gif" border="0" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>If I were asked to choose between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional I have no problems making that choice. If I were asked to choose between a Secular State and an Islamic State I have no problems making that choice as well. But if I were asked to choose between a Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic then you are placing me in a very difficult situation. I will have to choose the Constitutional Monarchy.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.3em">THE CORRIDORS OF POWER</strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span> </p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">I am certainly a Libran -- I was born on 27th September. I would like to believe that I am also a libertarian. And what would one mean when one says he or she is a libertarian?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Libertarianism is a political philosophy that advocates free will and individual rights. The core doctrine of libertarianism begins with the recognition that people have certain natural rights and that deprivation of these rights is immoral.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Libertarianism can be traced back to ancient China of 2,600 years ago where philosopher Lao-tzu (Laozi) advocated the recognition of individual liberties. The modern libertarian theory emerged in the sixteenth century through the writings of Etienne de La Boetie, an eminent French theorist. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the seventeenth century, John Locke and a group of British reformers known as the Levellers fashioned the classical basis for libertarianism with well-received philosophies on human nature and economics. Since the days of Locke, libertarianism has attracted pacifists, utopianists, utilitarianists, anarchists, and fascists. This wide array of support demonstrates the accessibility and elasticity of the libertarian promotion of natural rights.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Many Malays, especially those in PAS, consider me a deviant Muslim (they have told me so). They cringe when they read my article regarding Islam, which are certainly non-mainstream and stray from what many would describe as 'fundamental' Islam. Some Malays, in fact, even consider me a heretic, or worse, an apostate because of my unorthodox views on Islam.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I admit it is not easy to 'marry' orthodox Islam and libertarianism. Libertarianism is about free will and individual rights while Islam is about complying with the Sharia. And this is where one faces a clash of ideologies when one tries to be both a Muslim and a libertarian.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have never hidden the fact that I am a libertarian at heart. My views on Islam, which I have espoused often enough, lies testimony to this. I confess that I am walking the very narrow path between being a Muslim and an infidel (<em>kafir</em>), as my stronger critics would say. But that is the path I have chosen for myself.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was born a Muslim but for the first 27 years or so of my life I was a Muslim in name only. Even when I went to an all-Malay school, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), I was never a practicing Muslim. I fasted because we were forced to do so but I did not pray because we were not forced to do so. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt I had to go to the mosque every Friday but I went only because it was compulsory. That did not mean I prayed though (you can force the horse to water but you cannot make it drink). I merely chilled out (<em>lepak</em>) at the back of the mosque until it was time to go home.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As I said, for the first 27 years of my life I was a Muslim in name only (I have, in fact, written about this many times before). Then I 'rediscovered' my old friend from MCKK, Anwar Ibrahim, when he came to Kuala Terengganu to talk at a PAS <em>ceramah </em>(rally). Anwar was then heading ABIM, the Islamic Youth Movement, and had just been released from ISA detention. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And I fell in love with Anwar (who I initially disliked when I was in MCKK) and at the same time fell in love with Islam. It was then when I decided to become a Muslim or, as I have written many times before, a 'Born Again Muslim'.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Within a few months I mastered the Quran (much to the amazement of my Tok Guru who said it takes years rather than just months to master the Quran). I started praying and fasting and even did the optional fast and prayers (to make up for the 27 years that I had missed as a <em>fasik</em> Muslim). Within a couple of years I did my first pilgrimage to Mekah, the first of about ten trips I made in all.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was in Mekah soon after the Islamic Revolution of Iran when I met up with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. I talked to them and joined their demonstrations while carrying pictures of Imam Khomeini. I was smitten by the Islamic Revolution and imagined the same thing happening in Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was now what many would probably label a Muslim militant or fundamentalist. But I was not a Shia, mind you. I was still a Sunni and held to my Sunni doctrine. But I began to question much of the beliefs and practices of Sunni Islam and considered Khomeini my hero and the Iranian Islamic Revolution my guiding light.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I suppose my exposure to other forms of Islam (where initially I was exposed to only one form of Islam) opened my eyes somewhat. </p><p class="MsoNormal">But my love affair with the Iranian Islamic Revolution soon ended when I saw the brutality and intolerance in Iran. The revolution just replaced one draconian regime for another. Basically, it was the same old wine in a new bottle. The situation in Iran did not improve from the time of the Shah. In fact, it became worse.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My love for Anwar Ibrahim also ended at around the same time when he joined Umno. I fell in love with him and 'converted' to Islam because of what he said and did as the ABIM leader. Then I saw that he was never sincere in his struggle and was merely using Islam as a political platform in his ambition to get ahead.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was not until 1998 that I 'returned' to Anwar, mainly because of the 'Black Eye' incident and the 'explosion' of the Reformasi movement. After 20 years I, again, became committed to Anwar's struggle for a reformed Malaysia and a libertarian or civil society. Nevertheless, I was still quite suspicious of Anwar because he has had a history of deviating from the struggle in the interest of his own political agenda.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For ten years until the 2008 general election I worked for Anwar's party at a pittance of RM2,500 a month when I could have earned five or six times that in the corporate world. In fact, at that time I was a Chairman and Director of a foreign-owned company, which I had shares in, and I was paid RM10,000 each time just to attend and chair the meetings. But I gave all that up to serve the party because it was not money but the cause that drove me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The year 2008 was a new milestone for Malaysian politics. The gains made by the opposition in that election convinced me that my sacrifice had not been in vain. The ten years from 1998 to 2008 were the most difficult years for me. I practically lived in poverty and survived from hand to mouth. My 'mentor', Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas, can testify to this because it was he who helped pay my monthly allowance, which just covered my living expenses with nothing more to spare.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">After the 2008 general election, and when Pakatan Rakyat formed the new Selangor government, my good friend, Ronnie Liu from DAP, offered me various positions in the state but I declined all offers. First of all, the ten years I spent working for the opposition was not about being rewarded with positions of power. Secondly, my cousin was the Sultan of Selangor and I did not want to get on his wrong side by working for the Selangor government in the event that there is a crisis between the state government and the palace.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My anxiety was the result of a meeting I had with His Highness the Sultan in 2001 soon after I was released from my first ISA detention. His Highness made it very clear that he was not too happy regarding my involvement with the opposition. It was a two-hour meeting in the palace and His Highness did not hide the fact that he did not like Anwar or trusted him one bit.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anwar is anti-Monarchy, said His Highness, and Anwar was very much with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad in attacking the Monarchy during the 1980s Constitutional Crisis. I knew that because it was widely reported in the mass media at that time. In fact, I have personally heard both Dr Mahathir and Anwar attack the Rulers so I had no doubts in my mind that both Dr Mahathir and Anwar are anti-Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But that was when Anwar was in Umno and when Anwar was Dr Mahathir's blue-eye boy and anointed successor. This is the new Anwar, the voice of reform. I believed, as many others did too, that Anwar had changed since his Umno days.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then, in 2010, I met up with one of Anwar's closest Chinese advisors and financiers and we had a long discussion. This meeting in London was about a year after I had left the country. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We discussed what Anwar had planned for the future in the event Pakatan Rakyat forms the new federal government. And what was revealed is most alarming. It appears that Anwar has not changed his anti-Monarchy stance at all. A future Malaysia with Pakatan Rakyat as the federal government had no place for the Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yes, I am a libertarian. I believe in a civil society. But I do not believe in a Republic of Malaysia and the abolishing of the Constitutional Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">This was when I decided to part company with Anwar and wash my hands of his cause.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">If I were asked to choose between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional I have no problems making that choice. If I were asked to choose between a Secular State and an Islamic State I have no problems making that choice as well. But if I were asked to choose between a Constitutional Monarchy and a Republic then you are placing me in a very difficult situation. I will have to choose the Constitutional Monarchy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I was born in the UK, not in Selangor. However, in 1956, just a year or so before Merdeka, our family returned to Malaysia and on 2nd May 1956 my late father was declared a Subject of the Ruler of Selangor. Hence we are not just Malaysians or Selangorians. We are Subjects of the Ruler of Selangor. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Therefore, my loyalty is, first, to His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, second to the State of Selangor, third to Malaysia, fourth to Islam, fifth to the Malays, and finally to Pakatan Rakyat, in that order of priority.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence, also, I can no longer stand with Anwar and his cause when that cause runs contra to the cause of the Monarchy. That is a choice I made in 2010 and is a decision I will not change. And it is a choice I have a right to make under a democracy. After all, libertarianism is about free will and individual rights. So what I have chosen is what libertarianism guarantees.</p> <p> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>CLICK FOR BIGGER VIEW </strong></font></p><p><a href="http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5930/8na6.jpg"><img src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/2587/4jm4.jpg" border="0" width="600" height="828" /></a> </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-37620681973441762622013-12-15T19:13:00.001-08:002013-12-15T19:13:22.264-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60950-ku-li-to-open-perkasa-meeting-in-the-hope-of-turning-right-wing-malay-group-around">Ku Li to open Perkasa meeting in the hope of turning right-wing Malay group around</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:27 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/tengkurazaleigh.jpg" border="0" width="180" height="159" /> </p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI</em></p><p>Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's credentials as a statesman and a politician with enlightened views on race are now on the line as he has reportedly accepted Perkasa's invitation to open its fourth annual general meeting next week.</p> <p> While the Gua Musang MP has regularly met Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali as both are from Kelantan, they cannot be more different as chalk and cheese.</p> <p> Tengku Razaleigh is urbane, sophisticated and cosmopolitan while Ibrahim has been known to be crude with a narrow racial view that has seen him jump from one party to another, earning the sobriquet of a "political frog".</p><p> The Malaysian Insider understands that the former finance minister and Umno veteran, popularly known as Ku Li, has confirmed he would attend the meeting at Pusat Islam in Kuala Lumpur on December 22.</p> <p> Those close to the Kelantan prince said he had weighed the pros and cons of associating with the right-wing Malay group before confirming his attendance at the assembly themed "Upholding the Constitution for the wellbeing of all".</p> <p> "He wants to engage the Perkasa leadership and persuade them to be more inclusive. He wants them to look at the bigger picture," a Ku Li confidante told The Malaysian Insider.</p> <p> Tengku Razaleigh, who was tasked with setting up national oil firm Petronas, has been an advocate of market and economic liberalisation in the past decade unlike Ibrahim who believes that the Malays should have a greater control and share of the economy.</p> <p> Ibrahim has articulated his views through Perkasa, which boasts a 500,000 membership mainly from Umno, which he found after 2008 elections when he stood on a PAS ticket.</p> <p> He turned independent to support the ruling Barisan Nasional after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stepped down as prime minister.</p> <p> His relationship with Ku Li goes back to the time when both were in the old Umno and the now defunct Semangat 46, which was once in power with PAS in the Kelantan government.</p> <p> Both only returned to the Umno fold in 1996, where Ibrahim eventually became a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's government.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ku-li-to-open-perkasa-meeting-in-the-hope-of-turning-right-wing-malay-group" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7INCaN5XKcD-azcZ8vZQhzpF4pg">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-39215420993558051542013-12-15T15:32:00.001-08:002013-12-15T15:32:08.558-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Ex-DAP member Jenice Lee stopped from attending party convention</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Expelled DAP members in limbo</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Sue RoS, says Selangor DAP</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">All Syiah teachings in Malaysia deviate from true Islamic faith, says Jakim</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">‘Pakatan leaders failed the Indians’</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60953-ex-dap-member-jenice-lee-stopped-from-attending-party-convention">Ex-DAP member Jenice Lee stopped from attending party convention</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 05:18 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JenniceLee_zps7f8b0651.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="173" /> </p><p>(The Star) - Former Teratai assemblywoman Jenice Lee, who was sacked as a DAP member, slammed the party for barring her from attending the state convention as an observer.</p> <p> Lee claimed that she had applied to attend the convention as an observer five weeks ago but failed to receive a reply.<br /> <br /> "Thinking that it would not matter, I walked in and I was surprised when the officers stopped me.<br /> <br /> "It is ridiculous to stop me when reporters are allowed to go in," said Lee, who arrived at the convention hall at 9am.<br /> <br /> "I can understand if there is not enough space but the hall looked empty and there were so many empty seats," she added.<br /> <br /> Lee criticised the party for removing her name in the convention attendance lists.<br /> </p><p>"There is clearly some hanky-panky going on or else they would not have removed my name from the attendance list of the previous party conventions," she said.</p><p> State DAP national legal bureau chief Gobind Singh Deo said officers manning the entrance had exercised their right in not allowing Lee to enter as she had been expelled from the party.<br /> <br /> "Only DAP members, delegates and invited guests can come in as observers," he said.<br /> <br /> "Our simple response is Lee's membership has been dealt with by the disciplinary committee. The CEC has upheld the decision that she is no longer a member of the party," Gobind said.<br /> <br /> He added that Lee had sought an interim injunction to maintain her membership in the party but was denied the order last Wednesday. </p><p> </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60952-expelled-dap-members-in-limbo">Expelled DAP members in limbo</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:50 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JenniceLee_zps7f8b0651.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="173" /> </p><p>(The Star) - DAP members who have been recently sacked are wondering if they can vote at the party's Selangor-level election, as the Registrar Of Societies (ROS) has yet to recognise DAP's top office bearers.</p> <p> L.P. Selvam, who received his expulsion letter signed by secretary-general Lim Guan Eng two weeks ago, asked if his sacking still stands as ROS did not recognise Lim and other DAP top leaders.</p><p> "I was told that the state party election is scheduled for Sunday (today) and I feel this should be an issue that must be explained by the leaders in the convention.</p><p> "Does this mean I am no more a DAP member and free to join another party?" asked Selvam, who stood as an independent candidate in the 13th general election.</p><p> The former aide to ex-Kota Alam Shah assemblyman M. Manoharan said his fellow DAP members who stood as independent candidates faced a similar predicament.</p><p> Another grassroots member, who chose to remain anonymous, said it was immature for DAP leaders to expel members without clear instructions.</p><p> "I just received a letter from the party and nothing else. Nobody called me up to say why the expulsion was made.</p><p> "It becomes further complicated when the ROS says it does not recognise DAP's office bearers," he said.</p><p> The man, who has been in the party for more than 15 years and contested as an independent candidate in the last general election, said he received his expulsion letter several weeks ago.</p><p> Selangor DAP vice-chairman Charles Santiago said the convention was expected to be a "lame one", as many delegates have adopted a carefree attitude towards it.</p><p> "Unlike in the past, not many are looking forward to the convention and party polls as the general election has ended," he said.</p><p> The state party polls, which is held once every two years, will see 35 delegates contesting for 15 positions today in Shah Alam. About 1,200 delegates were expected to be present.</p><p> Former Teratai assemblyman Jenice Lee (pic), who also received an expulsion letter from the party, had reportedly announced her intentions to secure a seat at the Selangor executive committee.</p><p> Lee, who had also stood as an Independent in the last general election, withdrew her lawsuit against the party after receiving a show-cause letter asking why her membership should not be withdrawn.</p><p> By sending her the letter, she claimed that it was an endorsement that the party still considered her a member.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60949-sue-ros-says-selangor-dap">Sue RoS, says Selangor DAP</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:22 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8292/oa9e.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="150" /> </p><p>(MM) - Fed up with being kicked around by the Registrar of Societies (RoS), Selangor DAP urged its central leadership to sue the regulator for attempting to block the party chiefs from making decisions.</p> <p>Selangor DAP chairman, Teresa Kok, lashed out at the RoS for allegedly practising double-standards in barring the re-elected DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decision on behalf of the opposition party, claiming the move was made in bad faith.<br /><br />"It's time for DAP to shout to RoS, 'enough is enough'! We demand RoS to revoke its latest order. Otherwise, we will call upon the Central Executive Committee to take court action against RoS," Kok said in a speech in Selangor DAP's 17th state ordinary convention here.<br /><br />On Thursday, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said the party headquarters received a letter dated December 6 from the RoS on December 11, which stated the agency's refusal to recognise the party leaders that were re-elected in the DAP's special congress on September 29.<br /><br />In the letter revealed to the media, RoS said the DAP CEC could not decide for the party until the agency completes its investigation into "continuous complaints" which it purportedly received from party division leaders and members.<br /><br />Loke said it was "ridiculous" to prohibit the DAP CEC from making party decisions pending an investigation.<br /><br />"We will not rule out taking the RoS to court to challenge this decision... we had the special congress, we gave the annual return, and even then, they're not happy," he said.<br /><br />DAP's leadership is set to discuss and decide next week on whether it will file a lawsuit against RoS.<br /><br />The DAP has engaged in a long-running battle with the RoS stemming from a technical glitch in the tabulation of votes from the December 15, 2012, party elections that saw Zairil Khir Johari, then the political aide of secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, moving up from the 39th position to the 20th — the final spot on the CEC.<br /><br />The RoS subsequently ordered the DAP, which is the second-largest party in Parliament after Umno, to conduct fresh polls after saying it was "dissatisfied" with the party's explanations.<br /><br />The DAP initially refused to comply, but finally acquiesced with the directive and held a special congress on September 29 that saw the same line-up of leaders being re-elected into the CEC. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60948-all-syiah-teachings-in-malaysia-deviate-from-true-islamic-faith-says-jakim">All Syiah teachings in Malaysia deviate from true Islamic faith, says Jakim</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:17 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9066/lvsw.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="338" /> </p><p>(Bernama) - All branches of Syiah teachings deviate from the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah Islamic faith (Sunni Islam) practised in this country, and violate Islamic law, says Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim).</p> <p> Its director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha also categorically refuted claims that there were branches of the Syiah doctrine in this country having similarities with Sunni Islam.<br /> <br /> He said according to studies done by Jakim, the active propagation of the Ithna-'ashariyyah branch of Syiah teachings or The Twelve Imams started in Malaysia after the success of the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran.<br /> <br /> "As such, the Syiah teachings practised by the followers in Malaysia until today is The Twelve Imams stream which deviate from true Islamic teachings," he said.<br /> <br /> Othman said among the deviations of The Twelve Imams Syiah were as follows:<br /> <br /> Believing that the imam is infallable, that is, free from any sin;<br /> <br /> Regarding the companions of Prophet Muhammad as infidels;<br /> <br /> No Friday prayers;<br /> <br /> Allowing the combining of the obligatory daily prayers in all situations without any reason;<br /> <br /> Allowing nikah muta'ah (short-term contract marriage, also called pleasure marriage);<br /> <br /> Rejecting the views of ulamas;<br /> <br /> Over-revering of Ali the caliph to the extent of putting him at par with Prophet Muhammad;<br /> <br /> Adding Saidina Ali's name in the syahadah after the Prophet's name.<br /> <br /> On nikah muta'ah, Othman said it was a Jahiliah (the age of ignorance, before the arrival of Islam) practice that went against Quranic teachings and ulama thinking, and prohibited by the Prophet through his sayings.<br /> <br /> He noted that the National Fatwa Muzakarah Committee had on May 2-3, 1996 met and agreed that Islamic teachings other than the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah were against Islamic law and its propagation prohibited.<br /> <br /> "On July 24 this year, the Home Ministry declared the Pertubuhan Syiah Malaysia (Syiah Association Malaysia) as illegal.<br /> <br /> "Spreading Syiah teachings is not just about violating the fatwa (edict), but the issue of national security is also taken into consideration by the Home Ministry in banning the Syiah movement in this country," he said.<br /> <br /> Othman said The Twelve Imams religious doctrine could have been spread to this country through the availability of reading materials and by individuals who visited Iran or Shiites who came from that country.<br /> <br /> He did not dismiss the possibility of some local university lecturers having played a role in spreading Syiah teachings to the students.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60947-pakatan-leaders-failed-the-indians">‘Pakatan leaders failed the Indians’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/MManoharan_zps9a9ffaf7.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="191" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>Uthayakumar's wife hopes her husband will be released next month and continue his struggle for the Indian community </strong></font></p><p><em>Vignesh Kumar, FMT </em></p><p>Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal advisor M Manoharan (pic) urged Pakatan Rakyat Indian leaders to place community interest first instead of focusing on their self enrichment.</p> <p>Speaking at the book launch of the life story of Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders have to buck up to serve the community.</p> <p>Manoharan said they should not disappoint the people who trusted them and voted for Pakatan in the past election.</p> <p>He said they must emulate Uthayakumar, that has put his self interest aside by fighting for the Indian community.</p> <p>"Please do not use the community name for your personal agenda,"</p> <p>"Stop the dramas ," he urged</p> <p>Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders are not sincere in serving the community likewise Uthayakumar.</p> <p>He said Uthayakumar is a legend and still concerned about the community despite being held in the Kajang Prison.</p> <p>Uthayakumar was arrested over a sedition charge and was placed in the Kajang prison last May.</p> <p>Manoharan is confident that Uthayakumar will win his case during the next court hearing on January 15 and really hopes that the Indian community to be behind him as he sacrificed a lot for them.<br /> He also defended Uthayakumar saying that he had never used the Indian community for his personal agenda as claimed by certain quarters.</p> <p>Meanwhile Uthayakumar's wife S Indra Devi, who was also present in the event, during her speech said that even though she is going through a hard time being without her husband she is still proud of him.</p> <p>She hopes the community will appreciate her husband's sacrifice.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/15/pakatan-leaders-failed-the-indians/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=Ruo8jiRYI48xAZxcUv5FfRukyGk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered 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ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60951-evaporating-euphoria">Evaporating euphoria</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:36 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Joceline-Tan-Insight_zpsc0a14c3e.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="194" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>PAS has been stirred and shaken over the Home Ministry's allegations that its deputy president Mohamad Sabu has Syiah links.</strong></font></p><p><em><strong>On Thursday, the Home Ministry released a 10-point statement outlining their case against Mat Sabu. The allegations ranged from him attending religious classes by two Syiah ustaz in Bukit Merah, Perak, in 2011 to his open admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran which propagates Syiah. </strong></em></p><p><em>Joceline Tan, The Star</em></p> <p>THE year 2013 has been both wonderful and lousy for PAS leader Mohamad Sabu.<br /> <br /> First, the wonderful part. Mat Sabu, as he is known, won a second term as PAS deputy president last month. It was no mean feat because he was essentially up against the pro-ulama group in his party. But he beat the odds and defeated his ulama opponent Datuk Nik Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah by 98 votes.<br /> <br /> The narrow margin was an indication of how divided the party was about him, but a win is a win and Mat Sabu was a happy man.<br /> <br /> He needed that booster after failing to hold on to the Pendang seat in the general election. It was a huge psychological blow to PAS because Pendang had been synonymous with its beloved late president Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor.<br /> <br /> Now, for the less wonderful part. The euphoria from his victory has evaporated following the daring accusation against him by Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Umno general assembly last week.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu is struggling to fend off allegations about him being a Syiah follower.<br /> <br /> On Thursday, the Home Ministry released a 10-point statement outlining their case against Mat Sabu. The allegations ranged from him attending religious classes by two Syiah ustaz in Bukit Merah, Perak, in 2011 to his open admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran which propagates Syiah.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu has dismissed the allegations as "fitnah" or lies. He said he is not a Syiah follower and is consulting his lawyer about initiating legal action against his accusers.<br /> <br /> The issue has grabbed the attention of Muslims nationwide because the National Fatwa Council had, as early as 1996, decreed the Syiah sect as "sesat" or deviant.<br /> <br /> PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said the party has not met to discuss the matter or received requests for an investigation.<br /> <br /> "The allegations made against Mat Sabu were personal, no need for the party to meet about it. Mat Sabu knows what to do," said Mustafa.<br /> <br /> He said that when similar allegations surfaced during the recent party election, Mat Sabu informed the party he is not a Syiah.<br /> <br /> The Home Ministry's 10-point allegations have been somewhat of an anti-climax. It was not exactly the "evidence" that everyone was expecting.<br /> <br /> But some of the allegations are disturbing enough to have left PAS members confused and looking for answers. The implications are enormous because PAS prides itself as an Islamist party and this concerns no less than its deputy president.<br /> <br /> PAS, as its president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang pointed out, is the only party with a constitution acknowledging the paramount position of the Quran and Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet).<br /> <br /> The party is scrambling to contain the issue. Hadi and Dewan Ulama chief Datuk Harun Taib have come out to defend the party's espousal of the Sunni creed and reiterate their opposition to Syiah beliefs.<br /> <br /> Mursyidul Am Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat returned fire at Umno, saying that the nationalism and secularism endorsed by the Umno-led government was as bad as Syiah practices.<br /> <br /> He also implied that Umno harboured deviant preachers or, as he put it: "How can the tiger remind the sheep about the dangers of the wolf? The tiger must first cleanse its fangs and claws of human meat."<br /> <br /> Not many in PAS appreciated Nik Aziz equating secularism and nationalism with Syiah belief and, besides, two wrongs do not make a right.<br /> <br /> "Syiah is a threat to our beliefs as Sunni Muslims whereas nationalism and secularism are political ideologies. How can he put it at the same level?" a Kelantan-based Muslim intellectual asked.<br /> <br /> Other PAS leaders have defended Mat Sabu's visits to Iran and his admiration of the late Ayatollah Khomeini as "nothing wrong" because many Muslim leaders have visited Iran.<br /> <br /> Harakahdaily returned fire, publishing pictures of Umno politicians meeting Iranian leaders, including the famous photograph of a very young Datuk Ibrahim Ali with Khomeini in Paris shortly before the Iranian Revolution erupted.<br /> <br /> But they were less forthcoming on allegations that Mat Sabu visited a Syiah mosque in South Thailand in 2011 or attended Syiah religious classes in Perak. Most of them stopped short of directly clearing Mat Sabu of being Syiah.<br /> <br /> "The rumours have been around for ages. Almost everyone I know has heard about it. Such things are not easy to prosecute but it's not impossible," said Dr Yusri Mohamad, chairman of the Coalition of Islamic NGOs or Pembela.<br /> <br /> For instance, the Sky Kingdom cult in Terengganu was in full bloom and giant teapots and fountains had been erected before the authorities moved in. But the leader, Ayah Pin, was never charged despite reports that he had returned to Terengganu last year to recover from a crippling stroke.<br /> <br /> The widow of the late Ashaari Muhammad, founder of the outlawed Al-Arqam movement, only recently pleaded guilty to deviationist activities in the Syariah court after years of endless reports of her group's activities that emphasised sex and religion.<br /> <br /> Muslims in Malaysia belong to the Sunni sect or Sunnah wal Jamaah which means a righteous Muslim majority who follow the Prophet's teachings. The Sunni and Syiah are divided by fundamental differences on matters of "akidah" or faith.<br /> <br /> The Sunni concern about Syiah is so acute that, as recent as September, an Islamic forum in Kuala Lumpur had condemned Syiah as "a poison" and "a virus". The forum even urged the government to sever ties with Iran, which has the world's biggest Syiah population.<br /> <br /> Another concern is that Syiah is regarded as a potentially divisive force because Sunni-Syiah disputes in some countries have resulted in conflict and bloodshed.<br /> <br /> Action against Syiah groups had been ongoing but took on an urgency after the shooting of the Pahang Islamic Religious Department enforcement chief who had been investigating deviant religious activity. The government wants to step up the momentum and is studying the setting up of a Syariah Police Squad.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu's reputation as a Muslim and PAS leader is at stake. Some of his supporters see the attacks as a political witch hunt and an attempt to undermine the image of PAS. Earlier last week, Mat Sabu wrote in Harakahdaily that Syiah had replaced communism as the new bogeyman and that he was the victim of this trend.<br /> <br /> But there is also a segment within PAS who have doubts about him and who had, as a result, campaigned against his re-election.<br /> <br /> Some of them are high-level party officials and they are of the view that the party must not compromise on deviant beliefs. They say this is crucial for the integrity of the party and the unity of the ummah.<br /> <br /> Some of the young Turks in the pro-ulama group think there should be an internal investigation to set the record straight. They have suggested that the matter should go before the Syariah Audit Committee, a new body recently approved to handle internal issues connected to the syariah and which fall outside the purview of the Disciplinary Committee.<br /> <br /> Others think PAS should appoint senior and respected leaders to help clear the air because they are concerned that the party will be dragged down.<br /> <br /> The more down-to-earth say that Mat Sabu ought to take an oath to denounce Syiah and clear his name once and for all. Otherwise, there will be no closure and the matter will return to haunt the party. Their priority is the party. Leaders come and go but the party must survive.<br /> <br /> Iran, the Iranian Revolution and the Ayatollahs have always been a prickly issue for Muslims here. That revolution led to the birth of the world's first modern Islamic state and was one of those defining moments of the 20th century.<br /> <br /> It inspired Muslims everywhere and Malaysia was no exception, sparking off an irreversible wave of Islamic fervour – the building of mosques, women took to covering their aurat and Islamic banking arrived on our shores.<br /> <br /> PAS' modern form was very much inspired by what happened in Iran. Some examples include its policy of "leadership by the ulama" and its powerful Syura Council of Ulama headed by the Mursyidul Am, the PAS equivalent of the Ayatollah.<br /> <br /> The party's maroon-shirted Unit Amal, a highly respected unit in PAS, is often perceived as a moderate version of the revolutionary guards.<br /> <br /> "Many of us were inspired by the Iranian Revolution but that does not mean we are Syiah. However, Syiah beliefs can destroy our party and we should sieve it out when recruiting members," said a young PAS official.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu, some thought, has been too easygoing about such accusations for too long. During the general election, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir in Kedah had openly accused him of being Syiah.<br /> <br /> Pamphlets about him were flying all over. One flyer had the slogan, "Jangan suburkan Syiah di Pendang", urging voters not to sow the seeds of Syiah in the parliamentary seat where Mat Sabu was contesting.<br /> <br /> Similar allegations surfaced in the months running up to the PAS election. This time, the attacks were more dangerous because they were coming from within his own party and, many believed, from the pro-ulama group.<br /> <br /> Again, Mat Sabu turned a blind eye. It was only when he realised that the allegations could derail his re-election that he finally issued a clear-cut denial.<br /> <br /> But he did not help himself when he persisted in quoting examples from Iran or praising Hezbullah, the militant Syiah group, in his speeches. His excuse was that he admires Iran for standing up to American imperialism.<br /> <br /> The Home Ministry's allegations were stunning as much for the content as for the way they were made. On hindsight, Zahid almost stole the show at the closing of the Umno assembly when he launched the attack against Mat Sabu.<br /> <br /> But that is Zahid for you – he rarely does things by halves. He knew very well that a strong action would draw an equally strong reaction and everyone is now bracing for what's next.<br /> <br /> Mat Sabu is contemplating clearing his name in a court of law. But, more important, he may also have to clear his name in the court of public opinion. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7WrsOkcKrwlNRw5esQwbr38vubs">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-6743501961742075302013-12-14T21:28:00.001-08:002013-12-14T21:28:15.138-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Sue RoS, says Selangor DAP</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">All Syiah teachings in Malaysia deviate from true Islamic faith, says Jakim</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">‘Pakatan leaders failed the Indians’</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">The Islamic race</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">In religious contest, PAS Youth chief sees a win for Malaysians</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60949-sue-ros-says-selangor-dap">Sue RoS, says Selangor DAP</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:22 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8292/oa9e.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="150" /> </p><p>(MM) - Fed up with being kicked around by the Registrar of Societies (RoS), Selangor DAP urged its central leadership to sue the regulator for attempting to block the party chiefs from making decisions.</p> <p>Selangor DAP chairman, Teresa Kok, lashed out at the RoS for allegedly practising double-standards in barring the re-elected DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decision on behalf of the opposition party, claiming the move was made in bad faith.<br /><br />"It's time for DAP to shout to RoS, 'enough is enough'! We demand RoS to revoke its latest order. Otherwise, we will call upon the Central Executive Committee to take court action against RoS," Kok said in a speech in Selangor DAP's 17th state ordinary convention here.<br /><br />On Thursday, DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said the party headquarters received a letter dated December 6 from the RoS on December 11, which stated the agency's refusal to recognise the party leaders that were re-elected in the DAP's special congress on September 29.<br /><br />In the letter revealed to the media, RoS said the DAP CEC could not decide for the party until the agency completes its investigation into "continuous complaints" which it purportedly received from party division leaders and members.<br /><br />Loke said it was "ridiculous" to prohibit the DAP CEC from making party decisions pending an investigation.<br /><br />"We will not rule out taking the RoS to court to challenge this decision... we had the special congress, we gave the annual return, and even then, they're not happy," he said.<br /><br />DAP's leadership is set to discuss and decide next week on whether it will file a lawsuit against RoS.<br /><br />The DAP has engaged in a long-running battle with the RoS stemming from a technical glitch in the tabulation of votes from the December 15, 2012, party elections that saw Zairil Khir Johari, then the political aide of secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, moving up from the 39th position to the 20th — the final spot on the CEC.<br /><br />The RoS subsequently ordered the DAP, which is the second-largest party in Parliament after Umno, to conduct fresh polls after saying it was "dissatisfied" with the party's explanations.<br /><br />The DAP initially refused to comply, but finally acquiesced with the directive and held a special congress on September 29 that saw the same line-up of leaders being re-elected into the CEC. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60948-all-syiah-teachings-in-malaysia-deviate-from-true-islamic-faith-says-jakim">All Syiah teachings in Malaysia deviate from true Islamic faith, says Jakim</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 01:17 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/9066/lvsw.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="338" /> </p><p>(Bernama) - All branches of Syiah teachings deviate from the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah Islamic faith (Sunni Islam) practised in this country, and violate Islamic law, says Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim).</p> <p> Its director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha also categorically refuted claims that there were branches of the Syiah doctrine in this country having similarities with Sunni Islam.<br /> <br /> He said according to studies done by Jakim, the active propagation of the Ithna-'ashariyyah branch of Syiah teachings or The Twelve Imams started in Malaysia after the success of the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran.<br /> <br /> "As such, the Syiah teachings practised by the followers in Malaysia until today is The Twelve Imams stream which deviate from true Islamic teachings," he said.<br /> <br /> Othman said among the deviations of The Twelve Imams Syiah were as follows:<br /> <br /> Believing that the imam is infallable, that is, free from any sin;<br /> <br /> Regarding the companions of Prophet Muhammad as infidels;<br /> <br /> No Friday prayers;<br /> <br /> Allowing the combining of the obligatory daily prayers in all situations without any reason;<br /> <br /> Allowing nikah muta'ah (short-term contract marriage, also called pleasure marriage);<br /> <br /> Rejecting the views of ulamas;<br /> <br /> Over-revering of Ali the caliph to the extent of putting him at par with Prophet Muhammad;<br /> <br /> Adding Saidina Ali's name in the syahadah after the Prophet's name.<br /> <br /> On nikah muta'ah, Othman said it was a Jahiliah (the age of ignorance, before the arrival of Islam) practice that went against Quranic teachings and ulama thinking, and prohibited by the Prophet through his sayings.<br /> <br /> He noted that the National Fatwa Muzakarah Committee had on May 2-3, 1996 met and agreed that Islamic teachings other than the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah were against Islamic law and its propagation prohibited.<br /> <br /> "On July 24 this year, the Home Ministry declared the Pertubuhan Syiah Malaysia (Syiah Association Malaysia) as illegal.<br /> <br /> "Spreading Syiah teachings is not just about violating the fatwa (edict), but the issue of national security is also taken into consideration by the Home Ministry in banning the Syiah movement in this country," he said.<br /> <br /> Othman said The Twelve Imams religious doctrine could have been spread to this country through the availability of reading materials and by individuals who visited Iran or Shiites who came from that country.<br /> <br /> He did not dismiss the possibility of some local university lecturers having played a role in spreading Syiah teachings to the students.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60947-pakatan-leaders-failed-the-indians">‘Pakatan leaders failed the Indians’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 14 Dec 2013 12:45 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/MManoharan_zps9a9ffaf7.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="191" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>Uthayakumar's wife hopes her husband will be released next month and continue his struggle for the Indian community </strong></font></p><p><em>Vignesh Kumar, FMT </em></p><p>Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal advisor M Manoharan (pic) urged Pakatan Rakyat Indian leaders to place community interest first instead of focusing on their self enrichment.</p> <p>Speaking at the book launch of the life story of Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders have to buck up to serve the community.</p> <p>Manoharan said they should not disappoint the people who trusted them and voted for Pakatan in the past election.</p> <p>He said they must emulate Uthayakumar, that has put his self interest aside by fighting for the Indian community.</p> <p>"Please do not use the community name for your personal agenda,"</p> <p>"Stop the dramas ," he urged</p> <p>Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders are not sincere in serving the community likewise Uthayakumar.</p> <p>He said Uthayakumar is a legend and still concerned about the community despite being held in the Kajang Prison.</p> <p>Uthayakumar was arrested over a sedition charge and was placed in the Kajang prison last May.</p> <p>Manoharan is confident that Uthayakumar will win his case during the next court hearing on January 15 and really hopes that the Indian community to be behind him as he sacrificed a lot for them.<br /> He also defended Uthayakumar saying that he had never used the Indian community for his personal agenda as claimed by certain quarters.</p> <p>Meanwhile Uthayakumar's wife S Indra Devi, who was also present in the event, during her speech said that even though she is going through a hard time being without her husband she is still proud of him.</p> <p>She hopes the community will appreciate her husband's sacrifice.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/15/pakatan-leaders-failed-the-indians/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/60945-the-islamic-race">The Islamic race</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 03:23 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/corridors/corridors.gif" border="0" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>And this is what is going to determine the outcome of the next general election. The Malay vote is going to decide the government. And Malay here means Islam, both culturally and constitutionally. Hence to win the hearts and minds of the Malays you will need to do it via Islam. And those who are seen as more Islamic will be the ones to win the hearts and minds of the Malays.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.3em">THE CORRIDORS OF POWER</strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span> </p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin<br /></em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal a:link, span.MsoHyperlink a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">In the past, we would hear a lot of talk about the arms race between the USSR and the US, especially during the Cold War period. Now that the Cold War has ended, the USSR no longer exists, the Berlin Wall has been brought down, and so on, there is no longer much talk about the arms race. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, the arms race still exists. It is just not discussed as often as before, that's all. And it exists in the Muslim world. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Political Islam is viewed as a threat to the western world. Why then do they arm the Muslim countries at an alarming rate? Today, Iraq is seen as a problem, as is Iran. But was it not the west that armed both these countries? And was it not the west that created the Taliban so that Russia can be kept in check during the Cold War?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">All the problems from the Muslim world were western creations. And they knew that one day these monsters they created would come back to haunt them. Why create these monsters in the first place then?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I suppose this is for two reasons. One would be that arms and wars are big money. And the west controls the arms industry so they can make a lot of money selling their arms to countries that have plenty of money. And countries that have deep pockets and can waste billions on arms they may never use in the end would be the oil producing Muslim countries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Secondly would be about a balance of power. If the west arms the Muslim countries and these countries were constantly on war footing then they would not be such a nuisance or a threat to the west. They would be so busy watching each other they would not have any time to disturb the west.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, the west sells arms to only those who are friendly to them. So Muslim countries need to be friends of the west to get approval to buy arms. And if your neighbour is arming itself, then you, too, need to arm yourself. And you can only do this if you are a friend to the country that is supplying the arms.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">One thing I have talked about in the past -- which was not well received -- is that other than the arms race there is also the Islamic race. And the Islamic race exists not only in the Middle East but in Malaysia as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course, when I first raised the issue of the 3Rs it was pooh-poohed by most people. Some even accused me of playing the race card. It is something they would rather not hear about and they resented the fact that I raised it because then it reminded them that the 3R issue does exist, and that it is a problem, and that it is going to become a bigger problem as time goes on.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Over the last week or so we have been swamped with news regarding the Shia issue, especially regarding Mat Sabu of PAS. Now there is talk about creating a Sharia Police that is going to enforce Islamic laws on 'deviants'. Islam appears to have just become the flavour of the day for Malaysia. And it is going to get worse before it becomes better, trust me on this.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Zurairi AR's article in <em>The Malay Mail</em> (<strong><em>In religious contest, PAS Youth chief sees a win for Malaysians</em></strong>), quoting PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat, explains it quite well (<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60944-in-religious-contest-pas-youth-chief-sees-a-win-for-malaysians"><strong>READ HERE</strong></a>). PAS and Umno are involved in an Islamic race to see who can be more Islamic than the other. And PAS sees this as healthy and beneficial to Islam.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have said this many times before and I will say it again. Islam is not just a religion. Islam is a political system, the administration of the <em>ummah</em> or community, in short, a government.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anwar Ibrahim is fond of saying that Islam is an <em>adeen</em> or way of life. And Anwar is right. In fact, the Quran refers to Islam as the way of Abraham and further says that all those who follow the way of Abraham, whether they are Yahudi (people of Judea or Yahuda) or Nasrani (people of Nazareth) -- meaning Jews and Christians -- are the true submitters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We must remember that Judaism and Christianity, at the time of Prophet Muhammad, were political and administrative in nature. Today maybe these two religions are merely ritualistic but back in the year 600 this was not so. When Islam first emerged, Judaism and Christianity were a form of government.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In a way, Judaism and Christianity have deviated from what the founders of these religions had originally intended. Judaism and Christianity are no longer a form of government like how they were when they first emerged. Islam, however, has held true to its course. And this is what non-Muslims cannot seem to comprehend.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is not that Islam has become more militant. It is that Judaism and Christianity have become less militant. And this is not the fault of Islam but the fault of the Jews and Christians who have abandoned their true faith and have allowed their religion to become watered down so to speak.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is no such thing as liberal Islam. That is a concept created by the liberals who would like to see Islam run the same course as Judaism and Christianity -- meaning deviate from what was intended by the founders of these religions. There is only one Islam. And Islam is certainly far from liberal because in Islam there are strict rules you need to follow to qualify calling yourself a Muslim.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have warned you about the Islamic race between PAS and Umno a long time ago. No doubt, at that time, you thought I was hallucinating or was probably on some illegal substance or smoking weed. Today, we can see the truth in what I said back then. PAS and Umno are trying to outdo each other to see who can be more Islamic than the other. </p><p class="MsoNormal">And this is what is going to determine the outcome of the next general election. The Malay vote is going to decide the government. And Malay here means Islam, both culturally and constitutionally. Hence to win the hearts and minds of the Malays you will need to do it via Islam. And those who are seen as more Islamic will be the ones to win the hearts and minds of the Malays.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*************************************************<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Why is Saudi Arabia buying 15,000 U.S. anti-tank missiles for a war it will never fight?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">No one is expecting a tank invasion of Saudi Arabia anytime soon, but the kingdom just put in a huge order for U.S.-made anti-tank missiles that has Saudi-watchers scratching their heads and wondering whether the deal is related to Riyadh's support for the Syrian rebels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The proposed weapons deal, which the Pentagon notified Congress of in early December, would provide Riyadh with more than 15,000 Raytheon anti-tank missiles at a cost of over US$1 billion.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Regardless of how this purchase of anti-tank missiles relates to Syria, it's undoubtedly part of a larger Saudi arms build up that has been going on for nearly a decade. From 2004 to 2011, according to a 2012 report by the Congressional Research Service, Riyadh signed US$75.7 billion worth of arms transfer agreements -- by far the most of any developing nation. The United States was the major benefactor of this Saudi largesse, as the deals bumped up U.S. arms sales to a record US$66 billion in 2011 alone.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">How the Saudis plan to use many of these weapons is a mystery. And it's not just the anti-tank missiles whose purpose remains unclear. Riyadh recently bought advanced fighter jets from the United States for a whopping US$30 billion -- but the Saudis' lack of pilots and ability to maintain them means that it's an open question how long they can keep them airborne, said William Hartung, the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But purchasing the weapons, rather than any intent to use them, may be the point for the Saudis. At a time when they are at odds with Washington over the Obama administration's diplomacy with Iran and non-intervention in Syria, the kingdom's deep pockets can at least make sure their ties to the Pentagon remain as strong as ever.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"There was a [Washington] lobbyist who used to say, 'When you buy U.S. weapons, you're not just buying the weapon -- you're buying a relationship with the United States,'" said Hartung. "I think that's kind of the concept."</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Read more at: </strong><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/12/12/why_is_saudi_arabia_buying_15000_us_anti_tank_missiles_for_a_land_war_it_will_ne#sthash.v7YblEqs.dpbs" target="_blank">http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/12/12/why_is_saudi_arabia_buying_15000_us_anti_tank_missiles_for_a_land_war_it_will_ne#sthash.v7YblEqs.dpbs</a> </p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60944-in-religious-contest-pas-youth-chief-sees-a-win-for-malaysians">In religious contest, PAS Youth chief sees a win for Malaysians</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:42 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/zurairi_zps97725b16.jpg" border="0" width="170" height="89" /> </p><p><em>Zurairi AR, MM </em></p><p>Umno and PAS must remain separate entities in order to deliver healthy competition in protecting the interests of Muslims in Malaysia, PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat said.</p> <p>In an exclusive interview with <em>The Malay Mail Online</em> this week, Suhaizan claimed the rivalry between the two parties on Islamic issues serve to benefit not only Muslims here, but all Malaysians.<br /><br />"This competition is actually good... Umno has its own capabilities because it is in the government, they can make way for Islamic products such as Islamic banking. Meanwhile, PAS is in the opposition, so we can focus more on education," Suhaizan said.<br /><br />"When the two of us compete with each other, for me, it is the public who will benefit from it."<br /><br />According to Suhaizan, Islam can only flourish when there are active debates and discussions around it, and so far the public's comprehension towards the religion is on the rise thanks to public discourse stemming from both parties.<br /><br />The Johor native also rejected calls for Umno and PAS to combine for the sake of Muslims, as suggested by delegates from both parties at their respective annual congresses last month.<br /><br />"In theory, when we unite there will no longer be healthy competition. We will become complacent," Suhaizan suggested.<br /><br />"When we are separate, we will be mutually critical. PAS criticises Umno, Umno criticises PAS. For me that is a good thing."<br /><br />Suhaizan also admitted that both parties will lose out should they combine forces, since they would both break their own coalitions either with Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR).<br /><br />In addition, the move will consequently break the parties themselves, as there will always be members who would not agree with such a move, he said.<br /><br />Islamic issues have dominated Umno's general assembly last month, with the nationalist party trying to capture portions of the Malay heartland alienated by PAS' move to the centre.<br /><br />This comes as the Islamist party has gradually shed its conservative religious image for a more moderate approach to broaden its appeal, in a gradual approach starting from 1999.<br /><br />Suhaizan, 40, who was formerly a Johor PAS wing chief, won the tight race for the top post against Federal Territories chief Kamarulzaman Mohamed and another contender Zulhazmi Sharif, after Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hassan vacated the chair to fight for a central working committee spot.<br /><br />Together with his vice-chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin, 34, the two are seen as bucking the trend of ulama — Islamic clerics — dominating the wing's top posts, unlike in the previous term.<br /><br />Suhaizan suggested that Umno has fallen back on Islamic issues to garner support from Malay voters, after their racial sentiments have failed to capture votes in both the 12th and 13th general elections.<br /><br />The Muar-born politician also refuted that this would be a start towards both parties trying to out-Islamise each other.<br /><br />However, he claimed that since the support of non-Malays have swayed a bit towards PR, Malay votes might be the deciding factor in any elections now and as a result are up for grabs within the two parties.<br /><br />"Any political party sees (Malay support) as essential. Therefore, any segment in Malay interests must be fulfilled... Not just religion, but also culture, education," he said.<br /><br />"We just hope Umno is sincere in bringing religious issues. Anybody who wishes to return to Islam, bringing Islamic agenda, highlighting good Muslim leaders... we welcome it."<br /><br />As for PAS itself, Suhaizan said that the only way forward for the Islamist party to capture more votes is to continue its inclusiveness rather than returning to its insular nature, which had previously fostered suspicions among voters.<br /><br />"In affairs regarding politics we must be inclusive because we want to approach the public... (To be inclusive, PAS must) give good national policy suggestions," he said.<br /><br />"PAS Youth itself is steadying itself in the way to become government-in-waiting. To be the government-in-waiting, we must be ready in our knowledge, experience, expertise in laws, industrial fields, education, culture, and so on."<br /><br />The Islamist party has opened its doors to non-Muslim members, with its PAS Supporters' Congress (DHPP) currently led by Hu Pang Chow, its first non-Muslim candidate to run under the Islamist party's green-and-white banner.<br /><br />In Election 2013, Hu contested against incumbent Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, MCA's Youth chief, for the Ayer Hitam, Johor parliamentary seat but lost by a majority of 7,310 votes.<br /><br />PAS had previously fielded a non-Muslim candidate Kumutha Rahman, also from PAS Supporters' Club, in Election 2008, but she was obliged to run under a PKR ticket then.<br /><br />PAS had since amended its constitution to upgrade its supporters club to a party wing, thus allowing its non-Muslim members to contest directly under the PAS banner. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-82603438460099342632013-12-14T21:26:00.001-08:002013-12-14T21:26:37.472-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/60945-the-islamic-race">The Islamic race</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 03:23 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/corridors/corridors.gif" border="0" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>And this is what is going to determine the outcome of the next general election. The Malay vote is going to decide the government. And Malay here means Islam, both culturally and constitutionally. Hence to win the hearts and minds of the Malays you will need to do it via Islam. And those who are seen as more Islamic will be the ones to win the hearts and minds of the Malays.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.3em">THE CORRIDORS OF POWER</strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em"> </span> </p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin<br /></em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal a:link, span.MsoHyperlink a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">In the past, we would hear a lot of talk about the arms race between the USSR and the US, especially during the Cold War period. Now that the Cold War has ended, the USSR no longer exists, the Berlin Wall has been brought down, and so on, there is no longer much talk about the arms race. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Nevertheless, the arms race still exists. It is just not discussed as often as before, that's all. And it exists in the Muslim world. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Political Islam is viewed as a threat to the western world. Why then do they arm the Muslim countries at an alarming rate? Today, Iraq is seen as a problem, as is Iran. But was it not the west that armed both these countries? And was it not the west that created the Taliban so that Russia can be kept in check during the Cold War?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">All the problems from the Muslim world were western creations. And they knew that one day these monsters they created would come back to haunt them. Why create these monsters in the first place then?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I suppose this is for two reasons. One would be that arms and wars are big money. And the west controls the arms industry so they can make a lot of money selling their arms to countries that have plenty of money. And countries that have deep pockets and can waste billions on arms they may never use in the end would be the oil producing Muslim countries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Secondly would be about a balance of power. If the west arms the Muslim countries and these countries were constantly on war footing then they would not be such a nuisance or a threat to the west. They would be so busy watching each other they would not have any time to disturb the west.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Furthermore, the west sells arms to only those who are friendly to them. So Muslim countries need to be friends of the west to get approval to buy arms. And if your neighbour is arming itself, then you, too, need to arm yourself. And you can only do this if you are a friend to the country that is supplying the arms.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">One thing I have talked about in the past -- which was not well received -- is that other than the arms race there is also the Islamic race. And the Islamic race exists not only in the Middle East but in Malaysia as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course, when I first raised the issue of the 3Rs it was pooh-poohed by most people. Some even accused me of playing the race card. It is something they would rather not hear about and they resented the fact that I raised it because then it reminded them that the 3R issue does exist, and that it is a problem, and that it is going to become a bigger problem as time goes on.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Over the last week or so we have been swamped with news regarding the Shia issue, especially regarding Mat Sabu of PAS. Now there is talk about creating a Sharia Police that is going to enforce Islamic laws on 'deviants'. Islam appears to have just become the flavour of the day for Malaysia. And it is going to get worse before it becomes better, trust me on this.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Zurairi AR's article in <em>The Malay Mail</em> (<strong><em>In religious contest, PAS Youth chief sees a win for Malaysians</em></strong>), quoting PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat, explains it quite well (<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60944-in-religious-contest-pas-youth-chief-sees-a-win-for-malaysians"><strong>READ HERE</strong></a>). PAS and Umno are involved in an Islamic race to see who can be more Islamic than the other. And PAS sees this as healthy and beneficial to Islam.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have said this many times before and I will say it again. Islam is not just a religion. Islam is a political system, the administration of the <em>ummah</em> or community, in short, a government.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anwar Ibrahim is fond of saying that Islam is an <em>adeen</em> or way of life. And Anwar is right. In fact, the Quran refers to Islam as the way of Abraham and further says that all those who follow the way of Abraham, whether they are Yahudi (people of Judea or Yahuda) or Nasrani (people of Nazareth) -- meaning Jews and Christians -- are the true submitters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We must remember that Judaism and Christianity, at the time of Prophet Muhammad, were political and administrative in nature. Today maybe these two religions are merely ritualistic but back in the year 600 this was not so. When Islam first emerged, Judaism and Christianity were a form of government.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In a way, Judaism and Christianity have deviated from what the founders of these religions had originally intended. Judaism and Christianity are no longer a form of government like how they were when they first emerged. Islam, however, has held true to its course. And this is what non-Muslims cannot seem to comprehend.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">It is not that Islam has become more militant. It is that Judaism and Christianity have become less militant. And this is not the fault of Islam but the fault of the Jews and Christians who have abandoned their true faith and have allowed their religion to become watered down so to speak.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is no such thing as liberal Islam. That is a concept created by the liberals who would like to see Islam run the same course as Judaism and Christianity -- meaning deviate from what was intended by the founders of these religions. There is only one Islam. And Islam is certainly far from liberal because in Islam there are strict rules you need to follow to qualify calling yourself a Muslim.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have warned you about the Islamic race between PAS and Umno a long time ago. No doubt, at that time, you thought I was hallucinating or was probably on some illegal substance or smoking weed. Today, we can see the truth in what I said back then. PAS and Umno are trying to outdo each other to see who can be more Islamic than the other. </p><p class="MsoNormal">And this is what is going to determine the outcome of the next general election. The Malay vote is going to decide the government. And Malay here means Islam, both culturally and constitutionally. Hence to win the hearts and minds of the Malays you will need to do it via Islam. And those who are seen as more Islamic will be the ones to win the hearts and minds of the Malays.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*************************************************<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Why is Saudi Arabia buying 15,000 U.S. anti-tank missiles for a war it will never fight?</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">No one is expecting a tank invasion of Saudi Arabia anytime soon, but the kingdom just put in a huge order for U.S.-made anti-tank missiles that has Saudi-watchers scratching their heads and wondering whether the deal is related to Riyadh's support for the Syrian rebels.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The proposed weapons deal, which the Pentagon notified Congress of in early December, would provide Riyadh with more than 15,000 Raytheon anti-tank missiles at a cost of over US$1 billion.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Regardless of how this purchase of anti-tank missiles relates to Syria, it's undoubtedly part of a larger Saudi arms build up that has been going on for nearly a decade. From 2004 to 2011, according to a 2012 report by the Congressional Research Service, Riyadh signed US$75.7 billion worth of arms transfer agreements -- by far the most of any developing nation. The United States was the major benefactor of this Saudi largesse, as the deals bumped up U.S. arms sales to a record US$66 billion in 2011 alone.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">How the Saudis plan to use many of these weapons is a mystery. And it's not just the anti-tank missiles whose purpose remains unclear. Riyadh recently bought advanced fighter jets from the United States for a whopping US$30 billion -- but the Saudis' lack of pilots and ability to maintain them means that it's an open question how long they can keep them airborne, said William Hartung, the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But purchasing the weapons, rather than any intent to use them, may be the point for the Saudis. At a time when they are at odds with Washington over the Obama administration's diplomacy with Iran and non-intervention in Syria, the kingdom's deep pockets can at least make sure their ties to the Pentagon remain as strong as ever.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"There was a [Washington] lobbyist who used to say, 'When you buy U.S. weapons, you're not just buying the weapon -- you're buying a relationship with the United States,'" said Hartung. "I think that's kind of the concept."</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Read more at: </strong><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/12/12/why_is_saudi_arabia_buying_15000_us_anti_tank_missiles_for_a_land_war_it_will_ne#sthash.v7YblEqs.dpbs" target="_blank">http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/12/12/why_is_saudi_arabia_buying_15000_us_anti_tank_missiles_for_a_land_war_it_will_ne#sthash.v7YblEqs.dpbs</a> </p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=U8JE72YPTutg7H87BAD5vbzyw0M">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-4667106564352536282013-12-14T19:22:00.001-08:002013-12-14T19:22:25.227-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60944-in-religious-contest-pas-youth-chief-sees-a-win-for-malaysians">In religious contest, PAS Youth chief sees a win for Malaysians</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:42 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/zurairi_zps97725b16.jpg" border="0" width="170" height="89" /> </p><p><em>Zurairi AR, MM </em></p><p>Umno and PAS must remain separate entities in order to deliver healthy competition in protecting the interests of Muslims in Malaysia, PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat said.</p> <p>In an exclusive interview with <em>The Malay Mail Online</em> this week, Suhaizan claimed the rivalry between the two parties on Islamic issues serve to benefit not only Muslims here, but all Malaysians.<br /><br />"This competition is actually good... Umno has its own capabilities because it is in the government, they can make way for Islamic products such as Islamic banking. Meanwhile, PAS is in the opposition, so we can focus more on education," Suhaizan said.<br /><br />"When the two of us compete with each other, for me, it is the public who will benefit from it."<br /><br />According to Suhaizan, Islam can only flourish when there are active debates and discussions around it, and so far the public's comprehension towards the religion is on the rise thanks to public discourse stemming from both parties.<br /><br />The Johor native also rejected calls for Umno and PAS to combine for the sake of Muslims, as suggested by delegates from both parties at their respective annual congresses last month.<br /><br />"In theory, when we unite there will no longer be healthy competition. We will become complacent," Suhaizan suggested.<br /><br />"When we are separate, we will be mutually critical. PAS criticises Umno, Umno criticises PAS. For me that is a good thing."<br /><br />Suhaizan also admitted that both parties will lose out should they combine forces, since they would both break their own coalitions either with Barisan Nasional (BN) or Pakatan Rakyat (PR).<br /><br />In addition, the move will consequently break the parties themselves, as there will always be members who would not agree with such a move, he said.<br /><br />Islamic issues have dominated Umno's general assembly last month, with the nationalist party trying to capture portions of the Malay heartland alienated by PAS' move to the centre.<br /><br />This comes as the Islamist party has gradually shed its conservative religious image for a more moderate approach to broaden its appeal, in a gradual approach starting from 1999.<br /><br />Suhaizan, 40, who was formerly a Johor PAS wing chief, won the tight race for the top post against Federal Territories chief Kamarulzaman Mohamed and another contender Zulhazmi Sharif, after Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hassan vacated the chair to fight for a central working committee spot.<br /><br />Together with his vice-chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin, 34, the two are seen as bucking the trend of ulama — Islamic clerics — dominating the wing's top posts, unlike in the previous term.<br /><br />Suhaizan suggested that Umno has fallen back on Islamic issues to garner support from Malay voters, after their racial sentiments have failed to capture votes in both the 12th and 13th general elections.<br /><br />The Muar-born politician also refuted that this would be a start towards both parties trying to out-Islamise each other.<br /><br />However, he claimed that since the support of non-Malays have swayed a bit towards PR, Malay votes might be the deciding factor in any elections now and as a result are up for grabs within the two parties.<br /><br />"Any political party sees (Malay support) as essential. Therefore, any segment in Malay interests must be fulfilled... Not just religion, but also culture, education," he said.<br /><br />"We just hope Umno is sincere in bringing religious issues. Anybody who wishes to return to Islam, bringing Islamic agenda, highlighting good Muslim leaders... we welcome it."<br /><br />As for PAS itself, Suhaizan said that the only way forward for the Islamist party to capture more votes is to continue its inclusiveness rather than returning to its insular nature, which had previously fostered suspicions among voters.<br /><br />"In affairs regarding politics we must be inclusive because we want to approach the public... (To be inclusive, PAS must) give good national policy suggestions," he said.<br /><br />"PAS Youth itself is steadying itself in the way to become government-in-waiting. To be the government-in-waiting, we must be ready in our knowledge, experience, expertise in laws, industrial fields, education, culture, and so on."<br /><br />The Islamist party has opened its doors to non-Muslim members, with its PAS Supporters' Congress (DHPP) currently led by Hu Pang Chow, its first non-Muslim candidate to run under the Islamist party's green-and-white banner.<br /><br />In Election 2013, Hu contested against incumbent Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong, MCA's Youth chief, for the Ayer Hitam, Johor parliamentary seat but lost by a majority of 7,310 votes.<br /><br />PAS had previously fielded a non-Muslim candidate Kumutha Rahman, also from PAS Supporters' Club, in Election 2008, but she was obliged to run under a PKR ticket then.<br /><br />PAS had since amended its constitution to upgrade its supporters club to a party wing, thus allowing its non-Muslim members to contest directly under the PAS banner. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7INCaN5XKcD-azcZ8vZQhzpF4pg">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-50022066181855317382013-12-14T15:31:00.001-08:002013-12-14T15:31:48.595-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Perkasa chief not convinced by Putrajaya’s Shia evidence against Mat Sabu</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Shiah row: Zahid Hamidi says ready to meet Mat Sabu in court</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Jamil Khir: States to take charge of ‘syariah cops’, roll out soon</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Home Ministry: Mat Sabu must prove he has no links with Syiah sect</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60943-perkasa-chief-not-convinced-by-putrajayas-shia-evidence-against-mat-sabu">Perkasa chief not convinced by Putrajaya’s Shia evidence against Mat Sabu</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:27 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/ibrahim_ali2.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong><span style="width: 540px" class="caption-box"><span class="img-caption">Ibrahim says Putrajaya can do better than citing Mat Sabu's admiration for Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini. </span></span></strong></font></p><p><em>Hasbullah Awang Chik, TMI </em></p><p>PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu may have an unlikely ally in Datuk Ibrahim Ali, leader of the right wing Malay group Perkasa, who doubted the Home Ministry's recent allegation that the veteran PAS leader is a Shia Muslim.</p> <p> On Thursday, Putrajaya linked Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, to Shia activities, and cited his admiration for the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini.</p> <p> But Ibrahim said admiring Iranian leaders is not proof that one is a Shia Muslim.</p><p> Ibrahim, one of few Malaysians who met Khomeini in person when the latter lived in exile in France, also dismissed suggestions that he too was a Shia follower as a big joke.</p> <p> "If I am accused of being a Shia because I met with the Khomeini, it will be the biggest joke as my meeting with anyone cannot be used to say that I follow or agree with their beliefs.</p> <p> "Admiring Iran's Islamic Revolution has nothing to do with Shia. It was a political fight by the people of Iran against its cruel leader at that time," Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider in Kuala Lumpur, referring to the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Shah Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in the 1979 popular uprising.</p> <p> On whether Mat Sabu is a Shia, Ibrahim said: "I don't know. It has to be answered by him alone and has nothing to do with my meeting with the Khomeini."</p> <p> The Home Ministry convened a press conference on Thursday to reveal what it said were evidences to back its minister's claims that Mat Sabu was involved in Shia activities.</p> <p> Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi first made the claim in his capacity as the Umno vice-president during the party's general assembly recently.</p> <p> Most of the evidences revolved around Mat Sabu's admiration of Khomeini's struggle.</p><p><img src="http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1631/5pbu.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="305" /> </p><p>Following that, a picture of Ibrahim posing with Khomeini (above) made its rounds on social networking sites, with netizens questioning whether Ibrahim too was now a Shia. </p><p> The ministry cited an article by Mat Sabu published in the PAS organ Harakah in July 2008, in which he urged Muslims to emulate Khomeini's leadership.</p> <p> However, Ibrahim felt that the Home Ministry should come out with a stronger evidence to back its claim that Mat Sabu is a Shia.</p> <p> "If meeting with the Khomeini, like I did, is the basis of their accusation, then I wouldn't accuse Mat Sabu of being a Shia follower. But if the ministry has more evidence, I will not interfere with that. They have to show that Mat Sabu has joined in trainings or activities organised by Shia groups," he said.</p> <p> Ibrahim reminded that former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak had met with Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Tze Tung and had started diplomatic ties with China.</p> <p> "I do not think that Tun Razak supported the communist ideology.</p> <p> Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also met with Cuban leader Fidel Castro but that does not mean he is a socialist," he argued.</p> <p> Ibrahim, who was Mat Sabu's college mate at then Institut Teknologi Mara, said he was proud that his meeting with Khomeini was exposed in the social media as many did not believe it took place. </p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/perkasa-chief-not-convinced-by-putrajayas-shia-evidence-against-mat-sabu" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60942-shiah-row-zahid-hamidi-says-ready-to-meet-mat-sabu-in-court">Shiah row: Zahid Hamidi says ready to meet Mat Sabu in court</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:23 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zahid-Hamidi_zps6853b8d0.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="161" /> </p><p>(MM) - Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi appears unruffled for a court face-off with political foe, Mohamad Sabu, whom he has previously claimed to be a clandestine follower of the Shia school of Islam, which Malaysia does not recognise.</p> <p>Mohamad, popular known as Mat Sabu, had threatened to sue Ahmad Zahid and the Home Ministry, for persisting in linking him to Shiaism, Islam's second-largest branch practised by an estimated 15 per cent of the 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide but which Malaysia, which follows the Sunni school, regards as deviant.<br /><br />"I know the truth about this (Shiah) disclosure. Mat Sabu also knows the truth and so do the other PAS leaders. We have proof and I am not the least bit anxious with Mat Sabu's threat to sue me and the Home Ministry. I am ready to meet Mat Sabu in court," the vice-president of Umno, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition's main party, was reported saying today by Utusan Malaysia.<br /><br />"Because of that I hope Mat Sabu is not included among the ranks of those connceal themselves even though that is the attitude of Shiah followers. Islam is only members of the Sunnah Wal Jamaah and if there is anyone out there who is lost return to the right track."<br /><br />He told the Malay broadsheet that he did not mind being the brickbats by critics, especially those from PAS he said were unhappy at his crackdown on the Shiah movement here to protect Malaysia's security and religious interests.<br /><br />He reportedly said that it would be too late if the authorities only acted after Malaysian Muslims were to split into Sunnis and Shiahs and blood were split, such as has happened in Iraq, Pakistan and several other West Asian nations.<br /><br />"Because of that don't see the Shiah issue in a political context. Shiah is a question of faith and security. As Muslims we must follow the true teachings which is Sunnah Wal Jamaah without compromise. And so too in the security aspect because we do not want divisions to happen," Ahmad Zahid was quoted saying.<br /><br />Putrajaya has in recent months stepped up its campaign against Shiah teachings and followers in Malaysia, but this has been accompanied by suspicions that the action was politically motivated.<br /><br />Ahmad Zahid had appeared to reinforce the view during the Umno General Assembly last week, when he ordered local religious authorities to act against "the number two in PAS" for alleged ties to the Shiah movement.<br /><br />While it was widely believed the home minister was referring to PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, this was not confirmed until Thursday, when the Home Ministry presented the "proof" that led the minister to arrive at the conclusion.<br /><br />This ministry listed 10 points it claimed proved Mohamad was a Shi'ite, including the popular PAS speaker's purported admiration for the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and an allegation by one Dr Abdul Aziz Hanafi that the Penang-born had once recited a Shiah prayer.<br /><br />Mohamad has categorised the allegations as "lies" and said he will consult his lawyers over the possible defamation. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60941-jamil-khir-states-to-take-charge-of-syariah-cops-roll-out-soon">Jamil Khir: States to take charge of ‘syariah cops’, roll out soon</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:19 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JamilKhirBaharom_zpsd7168753.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="187" /> </p><p>(MM) - Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed today the set up of a special police unit dubbed "syariah police", which will be managed by the religious departments of the respective states.</p> <p>The minister in charge of Islamic affairs added that he is still in fine-tuning the details with his Cabinet colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but the religious policing unit will be on the road soon.<br /><br />"I am discussing with Zahid for a committee for this syariah thing," Jamil Khir told reporters, referring to the home minister.<br /><br />"We very much welcome it so there will be a group which can focus on actions in syariah, and we try to form it as soon as possible to help out religious departments in carrying out their tasks."<br /><br />Pointing to Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, Jamil Khir said the religious affairs are under the jurisdiction of each state, and that the federal government was only facilitate the programme.<br /><br />"We are only helping to administer it at the federal level... We cannot interfere with the rights and jurisdiction of the states," he said.<br /><br />Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here.<br /><br />Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an "enforcement team", which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60939-home-ministry-mat-sabu-must-prove-he-has-no-links-with-syiah-sect">Home Ministry: Mat Sabu must prove he has no links with Syiah sect</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 12:46 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/mat-sabu_zps3201476c.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="162" /> </p><p><span>(Bernama) - The Home Ministry has urged PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu to come forward and prove that he does not have any links with the Syiah Islamic sect.</span></p> <p><span>Its religious officer Ustaz Dr Zamihan Mat Zain Al Ghari said Mohamad, who is also known as Mat Sabu, must also respond to the 10 pieces of evidence adduced by the ministry against him.</span></p> <p><span>"If the evidence is not solid, then he should come forward and dismiss them. It doesn't matter whether he does it face to face with the ministry or through Youtube or the newspaper," he told Bernama after being interviewed in the programme Ruang Bicara produced by BernamaTV last night.</span></p> <p><span>Zamihan said the ministry was prepared to discuss the truth with Mat Sabu based on the Sunnah Wal Jamaah practised in the country. </span></p> <p><span>"We have solid evidence that Mat Sabu attended Syiah classes together with Syiah religious teachers, met with Syiah leaders, visited Syiah countries, praised Syiah leaders and Syiah countries," he said.</span></p> <p><span>He also said the 10 pieces of evidence on Mat Sabu's involvement with Syiah, that was provided by Home secretary general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi on Thursday was categorised as Grade B.</span></p> <p><span>"The ministry has exclusive Grade A proof which would be exposed to the public if necessary," he said.</span></p> <p><span>Earlier in the programme, he said the ministry had never targeted any individual or party, and only acted in the interest of Muslims in the country.</span></p> <p><span>"This is a question of theology, we do not look at the individual, position or influence but the truth. When there is a deviant doctrine such as this (syiah) we have to act," he said.</span></p> <p><span>On the action that could be taken against Mat Sabu, he said the matter was under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department or state Islamic religious department.</span></p><div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none"> </div></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=Ruo8jiRYI48xAZxcUv5FfRukyGk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-39647582234911894912013-12-14T13:36:00.001-08:002013-12-14T13:36:51.622-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60940-syariah-laws-for-our-nation">Syariah laws for our nation?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6266/jhhj.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="152" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>How can we ask non-Muslims to accept our sacred laws so that they can abuse it to escape capital punishment, asks the writer in his usual satirical nature. </strong></font></p><p><em>Iskandar Dzulkarnain, FMT </em></p><p>Going by the reasoning of PAS politician Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi lately, Malaysians should sigh with relief that Barisan Nasional won the last election. Past actions by PAS have shown clearly that they are neither here nor there.</p> <p>Some PAS leaders think that in order for them to climb the ladder; they have to be seen to be more religious than others, especially now that party elections are around the corner.</p> <p>This is reflected by the Erdogan/Ulamak controversy where certain PAS leaders feel that their pact with the PKR is not producing the desired results.</p> <p>Syariah laws have already been in force in this country for many years. But Nasrudin has suggested that syariah laws should replace the pagan secular laws in this country.</p> <p>Secular laws are inadequate to curb crime, according to him but the Home Ministry has just reported that serious crimes have been on a downward trend since 2008.</p> <p>How can we ask non-Muslims to accept our sacred laws so that they can abuse it to escape capital punishment? Would they have to be instant Muslims by reciting (mengucap) so that they can be tried under Islamic laws?</p> <p>Doesn't he know that non-Muslims do not have the sacred privilege to be judged under syariah laws unless they profess Islam? It would be taboo if non-Muslims were to opt for trial under syariah laws just so that they can escape capital punishment if they were judged under secular laws.</p> <p>Wouldn't losing a limb less heavier than being hanged?</p> <p>And to add to the confusion, Nasrudin says that non-Muslims can have the option to be tried under their own laws if they feel that the punishment under syariah appears heavier. That's really bewildering.</p> <p><span style="color: #993366"><strong>Umno-BN's consistency</strong></span></p> <p>At least Umno and BN had the decency to divide and separate these laws for the respective races.</p> <p>Nasrudin must understand that there will always be reservations and resistance towards syariah laws by non-Muslims as they are simply non-Muslims. Those who have no reservations about syariah laws would have become Muslims by now.</p> <p>He is wrong to say that syariah laws would deter crime. Syariah laws are already in place but crime in this country has not decreased. Is he saying that the increase in the crime rate is perpetrated by non-Muslims in this country?</p> <p>He concurs that secular laws have failed because it lacks spirituality but how are non-Muslims going to achieve spirituality if they don't convert?</p> <p>No doubt, syariah laws have been successfully implemented in many great countries like Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and in first world countries like Brunei, and it would also be wonderful if Malaysia becomes syariah compliant.</p> <p>Overnight, there would be no more sinful businesses like massage parlours, karaoke bars, night clubs, mountain top and floating casinos, Sports Toto, rock concerts and pubs.</p> <p>There will also be no more sexual harassment as all planes, trains, buses, cinemas, swimming pools, supermarkets and concert halls would be gender segregated. There will also be no more dark and dimly-lit parks or coffee houses.</p> <p>While rock concerts and sexily dressed singers would be a thing of the past.</p> <p>The country would experience a new cool and calm atmosphere interlaced with the soothing sound of the azan. But such a Utopic scenario is not going to happen unless everyone becomes Muslims.</p> <p>The downside is that we may see many limbless VIP's who had their hands once too often in the till.</p> <p>But then, the syariah law with hudud punishments is limited to crimes which are related to robberies, murder, rape, adultery and alcohol consumption.</p> <p>What about corruption, graft, treason, sedition and computer fraud? Are we going to revert to British laws then?</p> <p>What happens then to democracy, secularism, human rights, the rule of law and the Federal Constitution if we go ahead to implement such laws?</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/14/syariah-laws-for-our-nation/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7WrsOkcKrwlNRw5esQwbr38vubs">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-13696867903232828922013-12-13T23:13:00.001-08:002013-12-13T23:13:41.099-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60936-paraskavedekatriaphobia">Paraskavedekatriaphobia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 07:06 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>And, once this happens, all Malaysians will know that Anwar Ibrahim pulled off the biggest con in Malaysian history and that there are no 40,000 Bangladeshi voters or power failures/blackouts during the vote counting or missing ballot boxes after all.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th while Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 -- just as Homophobia is the fear of homosexuals and Shiaphobia is the fear of Shias.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today being Friday the 13th I thought I would write about this matter.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No one really knows where Paraskavedekatriaphobia originated from but many believe it comes from the Last Supper where Jesus had supper with 12 of his disciples and this ended up as bad luck for Christ (he was arrested and put to death soon after that).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But why should that be considered bad luck when Jesus' death is considered good since Jesus died to save humankind. Hence 13 should be a good number and 13 at the dinner table should be most welcomed. If Jesus had not died for humankind then we will all go to hell instead of heaven. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, do Christians not consider Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as all part of God's grand design to save humankind? This is what God had planned all along. Hence this is God's will and should not be considered as something bad.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sheesh…these Christians are so inconsistent. On the one hand they say that this is what God had planned all along to save humankind and on the other hand they consider it a bad thing and fear the number 13 or fear Friday the 13th.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Okay, just to digress a bit, why in the first place is humankind born with sin and is destined for hell to the extent we need Jesus to die for us so that we can be absolved of our sins? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Islam says that we are all born absolutely free of sin (like a white cloth, says Islam) and that later in life we sin (the cloth becomes black with the dirt of our sins) and we end up in hell. The Christians say the opposite (we are born as a black cloth and Jesus helps turn it white).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Well, this relates to the incident in Paradise where Eve instigated Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Because of that Adam and Eve are evicted from Paradise and get punished by being sent to earth where we all will eventually die (whereas in Paradise we would not die but would live forever).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence because of the sin of Eve of instigating Adam we are all punished with the fate of death. Hence, also, this means we are being punished for what someone else did and now we have to face the test of life on earth and eventually end up in hell unless we accept Jesus who has died to save all those who believe in him (and all those who do not accept Jesus are punished with hell).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And you call this a fair, compassionate and just God, a God that punishes us for what we did not do but what someone else did?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, back to the issue of Triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some hospitals do not have a room 13 (they have room 12 and room 12A) and some buildings do not have a 13th floor (again, floor 12 and floor 12A). In Paris, you can hire someone to make up the 14th person at the dinner table in the event there are only 13 at the table. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party and a friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend, "they only had food for 12."</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today, Friday the 13th, is also a bad luck day for the 13th general election. Today, Friday the 13th, Barisan Nasional's and Pakatan Rakyat's negotiations for a global settlement broke down.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You see, as I revealed earlier, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat were engaged in secret negotiations for both sides to withdraw their elections petitions. Pakatan Rakyat filed 58 election petitions and Barisan Nasional a few more but not as many as Pakatan Rakyat.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thus far, the court has thrown out many of these election petitions so both sides do not see any need to pursue this matter, as all will eventually be thrown out anyway -- for both sides.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The thing is both sides are not telling us what is the basis for the filing of these election petitions. I mean there must be grounds for filing these election petitions so why not tell us what these grounds are?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For example, we know that Pakatan Rakyat has raised the matter of 40,000 Bangladeshi voters, power failures or blackouts during the counting of the votes, missing ballot boxes, and so on. In fact, Anwar Ibrahim coined the word 'Banglasia' (insinuating that Bangladeshis voted in the 13th general election) and even suggested that a Bangladeshi should be appointed a Cabinet member.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, none of the 58 Pakatan Rakyat election petitions state any of these allegations in their grounds for filing. In fact, Anwar has even denied that he mentioned Bangladeshis or Banglasia although there are numerous videos on YouTube to prove that he did.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And are the rallies not called 'Blackout 505', suggesting that the power failures or blackouts during the counting of the votes is a real issue?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So Friday the 13th may prove a bad luck day for some people after all since the election petitions are not being settled out of court and will face trial in the end. And once it gets argued in court all Malaysians will get to know what the issues in the election petitions are.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And, once this happens, all Malaysians will know that Anwar Ibrahim pulled off the biggest con in Malaysian history and that there are no 40,000 Bangladeshi voters or power failures/blackouts during the vote counting or missing ballot boxes after all.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I fear that Anwar Ibrahim should fear Friday the 13th as this day may prove that Anwar Ibrahim has been conning the whole world and has been doing so for quite some time now.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60934-we-are-all-terrorists">We are all terrorists</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 04:47 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>The IGP says that the Shia movement is a terrorist movement. Actually, all religions are terrorist movements without exception. Religion makes us scared. Religion is the doctrine of fear. We believe in myths and do illogical things and practice stupid rituals because we are scared to not do so.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</strong> (<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60931-syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp">READ HERE</a>)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Putrajaya mulling 'syariah cops' for Shiah crackdown, says minister </strong>(<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60932-putrajaya-mulling-syariah-cops-for-shiah-crackdown-says-minister">READ HERE</a>) <br /> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Mat Sabu to take legal action</strong> (<a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/mat-sabu-to-take-legal-action/" target="_blank">READ HERE</a>) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*********************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terror: </strong>intense, sharp, overmastering fear: to be frantic with terror. An instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety: quality of causing terror: to be a terror to evildoers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terrorist:</strong> a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism: a person who terrorises or frightens others.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terrorism:</strong> the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes: the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorisation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*********************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The IGP said that the Shias are terrorists. Hence anyone who follows Shia teachings or believes in the Shia movement is a terrorist. For those whom English is not their mother tongue maybe I can enlighten you on what all this means.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can read the definition of terror, terrorist and terrorism above. Basically, terror is a higher degree of fear or anxiety, a terrorist is someone who perpetuates this fear in others, while terrorism is the act of terrorising others.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In that sense, therefore, we are all terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">How many times has your mother caught you masturbating and told you that masturbating causes blindness? That is an act of terrorism. Your mother makes you terrified of masturbating with the lie that masturbating causes blindness.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence your mother is a terrorist.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do parents not tell their kids not to talk to strangers who are most likely paedophiles or go out in the dark where there are ghosts and devils waiting to kidnap children? And do kids not fear strangers and the dark and grow up with a phobia of ghosts and evil spirits?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence your parents are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do Christians not tell you that the only way to salvation is to accept Jesus as the Lord and the Son of God? And if you not accept Jesus then you will not be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You are so terrified of not being allowed into Heaven that you become a Christian or, if you are already a Christian, you become a 'better' Christian.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence Christians are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do Hindus not tell you that there is such a thing as the law of karma? If you do bad then bad will befall you. You are so terrorised by this that you never dare do bad and only do good whereas you are actually not a good person and actually enjoy doing bad things. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">So you reluctantly be good whereas in your heart you would rather be bad as being bad is more fun. (Good girls go to heaven whereas bad girls have all the fun, said Marilyn Monroe).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence Hindus are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Has the IGP and Mat Sabu's enemies not terrorised him into denying that he is a follower or believer of Shia Islam? So what if Mat Sabu is a Shia? But he is now so terrified of the allegation that he has denied it and is threatening to sue those who allege that he is a Shia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence the IGP and all those who have terrorised Mat Sabu are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do the Barisan Nasional supporters not terrorise all those who oppose them and do the Pakatan Rakyat supporters also not terrorise all those who oppose them? People are becoming so terrorised that they deny the allegation that they either support Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence all Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat supporters are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And all those who criticise Najib Tun Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, etc., are also terrorised by their supporters until no one dares criticise these political leaders any longer.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence all the supporters of Najib Tun Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, etc., are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the end we are all terrorists. We terrorise others into doing what we want them to do or terrorise them into not doing what we do not want them to do. We put all sorts of fears into them. We tell them things that make them scared. In short, we control them by using the fear factor.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The IGP says that the Shia movement is a terrorist movement. Actually, all religions are terrorist movements without exception. Religion makes us scared. Religion is the doctrine of fear. We believe in myths and do illogical things and practice stupid rituals because we are scared to not do so.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We are scared that if we do not believe in religion then we will be punished both in this world and the next and we will be denied the rewards. So we believe and follow religion out of fear of punishment and out of fear of losing out on the rewards. If there were no punishment and reward system in religion none of us would believe in what can be regarded as utter nonsense.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence we are being terrorised into believing and doing something -- and that would make all religions terrorist movements, not just Shia Islam.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=M6qQdnAUyEygltu-eU7PcmOkKWk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-4888711072183459132013-12-13T21:38:00.001-08:002013-12-13T21:38:14.638-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Perkasa chief not convinced by Putrajaya’s Shia evidence against Mat Sabu</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Shiah row: Zahid Hamidi says ready to meet Mat Sabu in court</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Jamil Khir: States to take charge of ‘syariah cops’, roll out soon</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Syariah laws for our nation?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Home Ministry: Mat Sabu must prove he has no links with Syiah sect</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">All Penang elected reps approve pay rise</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">Karpal Wants ROS To Revoke Directive Or Face Legal Action</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">Paraskavedekatriaphobia</a> </li> <li> <a href="#9">‘We will protest if silence continues’</a> </li> <li> <a href="#10">We are all terrorists</a> </li> <li> <a href="#11">BN and Pakatan fail to settle polls petition, wait for apex court to rule on election law</a> </li> <li> <a href="#12">Putrajaya mulling ‘syariah cops’ for Shiah crackdown, says minister</a> </li> <li> <a href="#13">Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</a> </li> <li> <a href="#14">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60943-perkasa-chief-not-convinced-by-putrajayas-shia-evidence-against-mat-sabu">Perkasa chief not convinced by Putrajaya’s Shia evidence against Mat Sabu</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:27 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/ibrahim_ali2.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong><span style="width: 540px" class="caption-box"><span class="img-caption">Ibrahim says Putrajaya can do better than citing Mat Sabu's admiration for Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini. </span></span></strong></font></p><p><em>Hasbullah Awang Chik, TMI </em></p><p>PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu may have an unlikely ally in Datuk Ibrahim Ali, leader of the right wing Malay group Perkasa, who doubted the Home Ministry's recent allegation that the veteran PAS leader is a Shia Muslim.</p> <p> On Thursday, Putrajaya linked Mohamad, popularly known as Mat Sabu, to Shia activities, and cited his admiration for the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini.</p> <p> But Ibrahim said admiring Iranian leaders is not proof that one is a Shia Muslim.</p><p> Ibrahim, one of few Malaysians who met Khomeini in person when the latter lived in exile in France, also dismissed suggestions that he too was a Shia follower as a big joke.</p> <p> "If I am accused of being a Shia because I met with the Khomeini, it will be the biggest joke as my meeting with anyone cannot be used to say that I follow or agree with their beliefs.</p> <p> "Admiring Iran's Islamic Revolution has nothing to do with Shia. It was a political fight by the people of Iran against its cruel leader at that time," Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider in Kuala Lumpur, referring to the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Shah Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown in the 1979 popular uprising.</p> <p> On whether Mat Sabu is a Shia, Ibrahim said: "I don't know. It has to be answered by him alone and has nothing to do with my meeting with the Khomeini."</p> <p> The Home Ministry convened a press conference on Thursday to reveal what it said were evidences to back its minister's claims that Mat Sabu was involved in Shia activities.</p> <p> Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi first made the claim in his capacity as the Umno vice-president during the party's general assembly recently.</p> <p> Most of the evidences revolved around Mat Sabu's admiration of Khomeini's struggle.</p><p><img src="http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1631/5pbu.jpg" border="0" width="400" height="305" /> </p><p>Following that, a picture of Ibrahim posing with Khomeini (above) made its rounds on social networking sites, with netizens questioning whether Ibrahim too was now a Shia. </p><p> The ministry cited an article by Mat Sabu published in the PAS organ Harakah in July 2008, in which he urged Muslims to emulate Khomeini's leadership.</p> <p> However, Ibrahim felt that the Home Ministry should come out with a stronger evidence to back its claim that Mat Sabu is a Shia.</p> <p> "If meeting with the Khomeini, like I did, is the basis of their accusation, then I wouldn't accuse Mat Sabu of being a Shia follower. But if the ministry has more evidence, I will not interfere with that. They have to show that Mat Sabu has joined in trainings or activities organised by Shia groups," he said.</p> <p> Ibrahim reminded that former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak had met with Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Tze Tung and had started diplomatic ties with China.</p> <p> "I do not think that Tun Razak supported the communist ideology.</p> <p> Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also met with Cuban leader Fidel Castro but that does not mean he is a socialist," he argued.</p> <p> Ibrahim, who was Mat Sabu's college mate at then Institut Teknologi Mara, said he was proud that his meeting with Khomeini was exposed in the social media as many did not believe it took place. </p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/perkasa-chief-not-convinced-by-putrajayas-shia-evidence-against-mat-sabu" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60942-shiah-row-zahid-hamidi-says-ready-to-meet-mat-sabu-in-court">Shiah row: Zahid Hamidi says ready to meet Mat Sabu in court</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:23 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zahid-Hamidi_zps6853b8d0.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="161" /> </p><p>(MM) - Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi appears unruffled for a court face-off with political foe, Mohamad Sabu, whom he has previously claimed to be a clandestine follower of the Shia school of Islam, which Malaysia does not recognise.</p> <p>Mohamad, popular known as Mat Sabu, had threatened to sue Ahmad Zahid and the Home Ministry, for persisting in linking him to Shiaism, Islam's second-largest branch practised by an estimated 15 per cent of the 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide but which Malaysia, which follows the Sunni school, regards as deviant.<br /><br />"I know the truth about this (Shiah) disclosure. Mat Sabu also knows the truth and so do the other PAS leaders. We have proof and I am not the least bit anxious with Mat Sabu's threat to sue me and the Home Ministry. I am ready to meet Mat Sabu in court," the vice-president of Umno, the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition's main party, was reported saying today by Utusan Malaysia.<br /><br />"Because of that I hope Mat Sabu is not included among the ranks of those connceal themselves even though that is the attitude of Shiah followers. Islam is only members of the Sunnah Wal Jamaah and if there is anyone out there who is lost return to the right track."<br /><br />He told the Malay broadsheet that he did not mind being the brickbats by critics, especially those from PAS he said were unhappy at his crackdown on the Shiah movement here to protect Malaysia's security and religious interests.<br /><br />He reportedly said that it would be too late if the authorities only acted after Malaysian Muslims were to split into Sunnis and Shiahs and blood were split, such as has happened in Iraq, Pakistan and several other West Asian nations.<br /><br />"Because of that don't see the Shiah issue in a political context. Shiah is a question of faith and security. As Muslims we must follow the true teachings which is Sunnah Wal Jamaah without compromise. And so too in the security aspect because we do not want divisions to happen," Ahmad Zahid was quoted saying.<br /><br />Putrajaya has in recent months stepped up its campaign against Shiah teachings and followers in Malaysia, but this has been accompanied by suspicions that the action was politically motivated.<br /><br />Ahmad Zahid had appeared to reinforce the view during the Umno General Assembly last week, when he ordered local religious authorities to act against "the number two in PAS" for alleged ties to the Shiah movement.<br /><br />While it was widely believed the home minister was referring to PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, this was not confirmed until Thursday, when the Home Ministry presented the "proof" that led the minister to arrive at the conclusion.<br /><br />This ministry listed 10 points it claimed proved Mohamad was a Shi'ite, including the popular PAS speaker's purported admiration for the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and an allegation by one Dr Abdul Aziz Hanafi that the Penang-born had once recited a Shiah prayer.<br /><br />Mohamad has categorised the allegations as "lies" and said he will consult his lawyers over the possible defamation. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60941-jamil-khir-states-to-take-charge-of-syariah-cops-roll-out-soon">Jamil Khir: States to take charge of ‘syariah cops’, roll out soon</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:19 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/JamilKhirBaharom_zpsd7168753.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="187" /> </p><p>(MM) - Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom confirmed today the set up of a special police unit dubbed "syariah police", which will be managed by the religious departments of the respective states.</p> <p>The minister in charge of Islamic affairs added that he is still in fine-tuning the details with his Cabinet colleague, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, but the religious policing unit will be on the road soon.<br /><br />"I am discussing with Zahid for a committee for this syariah thing," Jamil Khir told reporters, referring to the home minister.<br /><br />"We very much welcome it so there will be a group which can focus on actions in syariah, and we try to form it as soon as possible to help out religious departments in carrying out their tasks."<br /><br />Pointing to Article 9 of the Federal Constitution, Jamil Khir said the religious affairs are under the jurisdiction of each state, and that the federal government was only facilitate the programme.<br /><br />"We are only helping to administer it at the federal level... We cannot interfere with the rights and jurisdiction of the states," he said.<br /><br />Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid said the Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here.<br /><br />Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an "enforcement team", which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60940-syariah-laws-for-our-nation">Syariah laws for our nation?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6266/jhhj.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="152" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>How can we ask non-Muslims to accept our sacred laws so that they can abuse it to escape capital punishment, asks the writer in his usual satirical nature. </strong></font></p><p><em>Iskandar Dzulkarnain, FMT </em></p><p>Going by the reasoning of PAS politician Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi lately, Malaysians should sigh with relief that Barisan Nasional won the last election. Past actions by PAS have shown clearly that they are neither here nor there.</p> <p>Some PAS leaders think that in order for them to climb the ladder; they have to be seen to be more religious than others, especially now that party elections are around the corner.</p> <p>This is reflected by the Erdogan/Ulamak controversy where certain PAS leaders feel that their pact with the PKR is not producing the desired results.</p> <p>Syariah laws have already been in force in this country for many years. But Nasrudin has suggested that syariah laws should replace the pagan secular laws in this country.</p> <p>Secular laws are inadequate to curb crime, according to him but the Home Ministry has just reported that serious crimes have been on a downward trend since 2008.</p> <p>How can we ask non-Muslims to accept our sacred laws so that they can abuse it to escape capital punishment? Would they have to be instant Muslims by reciting (mengucap) so that they can be tried under Islamic laws?</p> <p>Doesn't he know that non-Muslims do not have the sacred privilege to be judged under syariah laws unless they profess Islam? It would be taboo if non-Muslims were to opt for trial under syariah laws just so that they can escape capital punishment if they were judged under secular laws.</p> <p>Wouldn't losing a limb less heavier than being hanged?</p> <p>And to add to the confusion, Nasrudin says that non-Muslims can have the option to be tried under their own laws if they feel that the punishment under syariah appears heavier. That's really bewildering.</p> <p><span style="color: #993366"><strong>Umno-BN's consistency</strong></span></p> <p>At least Umno and BN had the decency to divide and separate these laws for the respective races.</p> <p>Nasrudin must understand that there will always be reservations and resistance towards syariah laws by non-Muslims as they are simply non-Muslims. Those who have no reservations about syariah laws would have become Muslims by now.</p> <p>He is wrong to say that syariah laws would deter crime. Syariah laws are already in place but crime in this country has not decreased. Is he saying that the increase in the crime rate is perpetrated by non-Muslims in this country?</p> <p>He concurs that secular laws have failed because it lacks spirituality but how are non-Muslims going to achieve spirituality if they don't convert?</p> <p>No doubt, syariah laws have been successfully implemented in many great countries like Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and in first world countries like Brunei, and it would also be wonderful if Malaysia becomes syariah compliant.</p> <p>Overnight, there would be no more sinful businesses like massage parlours, karaoke bars, night clubs, mountain top and floating casinos, Sports Toto, rock concerts and pubs.</p> <p>There will also be no more sexual harassment as all planes, trains, buses, cinemas, swimming pools, supermarkets and concert halls would be gender segregated. There will also be no more dark and dimly-lit parks or coffee houses.</p> <p>While rock concerts and sexily dressed singers would be a thing of the past.</p> <p>The country would experience a new cool and calm atmosphere interlaced with the soothing sound of the azan. But such a Utopic scenario is not going to happen unless everyone becomes Muslims.</p> <p>The downside is that we may see many limbless VIP's who had their hands once too often in the till.</p> <p>But then, the syariah law with hudud punishments is limited to crimes which are related to robberies, murder, rape, adultery and alcohol consumption.</p> <p>What about corruption, graft, treason, sedition and computer fraud? Are we going to revert to British laws then?</p> <p>What happens then to democracy, secularism, human rights, the rule of law and the Federal Constitution if we go ahead to implement such laws?</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/14/syariah-laws-for-our-nation/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60939-home-ministry-mat-sabu-must-prove-he-has-no-links-with-syiah-sect">Home Ministry: Mat Sabu must prove he has no links with Syiah sect</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 13 Dec 2013 12:46 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/mat-sabu_zps3201476c.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="162" /> </p><p><span>(Bernama) - The Home Ministry has urged PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu to come forward and prove that he does not have any links with the Syiah Islamic sect.</span></p> <p><span>Its religious officer Ustaz Dr Zamihan Mat Zain Al Ghari said Mohamad, who is also known as Mat Sabu, must also respond to the 10 pieces of evidence adduced by the ministry against him.</span></p> <p><span>"If the evidence is not solid, then he should come forward and dismiss them. It doesn't matter whether he does it face to face with the ministry or through Youtube or the newspaper," he told Bernama after being interviewed in the programme Ruang Bicara produced by BernamaTV last night.</span></p> <p><span>Zamihan said the ministry was prepared to discuss the truth with Mat Sabu based on the Sunnah Wal Jamaah practised in the country. </span></p> <p><span>"We have solid evidence that Mat Sabu attended Syiah classes together with Syiah religious teachers, met with Syiah leaders, visited Syiah countries, praised Syiah leaders and Syiah countries," he said.</span></p> <p><span>He also said the 10 pieces of evidence on Mat Sabu's involvement with Syiah, that was provided by Home secretary general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi on Thursday was categorised as Grade B.</span></p> <p><span>"The ministry has exclusive Grade A proof which would be exposed to the public if necessary," he said.</span></p> <p><span>Earlier in the programme, he said the ministry had never targeted any individual or party, and only acted in the interest of Muslims in the country.</span></p> <p><span>"This is a question of theology, we do not look at the individual, position or influence but the truth. When there is a deviant doctrine such as this (syiah) we have to act," he said.</span></p> <p><span>On the action that could be taken against Mat Sabu, he said the matter was under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department or state Islamic religious department.</span></p><div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none"> </div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60938-all-penang-elected-reps-approve-pay-rise">All Penang elected reps approve pay rise</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 08:26 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4869/wk8i.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="150" /> </p><p>(TMI) - Penang today joined its Selangor counterpart in increasing the salaries of its elected representatives when it announced an 80% increase at the state legislative assembly today.</p> <p> All 40 lawmakers from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional backed the amendments Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980.</p> <p> They will each receive a pay of RM6,000 instead of RM4,112.79, backdated to June this year.</p><p> Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Telok Air Tawar) benefits the most as her allowance as opposition leader was increased by 100% from RM1,000 to RM2,000.</p> <p> The salaries of the assemblymen had not been adjusted since 2004.</p> <p> The amendments also include death and disability benefits for assemblymen, the chief minister, state executive councillors and the speaker of the assembly.</p> <p> The death and disability benefits for assemblymen now amount to RM300,000, instead of RM120,000 and RM240,000 previously.</p> <p> For the chief minister, the benefits at RM750,000 and RM1.5 million have been increased to RM1,875,000.</p> <p> For the speaker, the benefits at RM500,000 and RM1 million have been increased to RM1.25 million.</p> <p> The amendments to the Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980 were unanimously passed after the bill was tabled by state local government exco Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota).</p> <p> The elected representatives will also get higher allowances, from RM2,000 to RM5,500, made up of RM1,500 for special allowance, RM1,500 for fixed allowance for the driver, RM1,000 each for fixed transport and miscellaneous allowances, and RM500 in housing allowance.</p> <p> The revised allowances are to be gazetted at a later date together with the amendments.</p> <p> This means the assemblymen will enjoy a total gross income of RM11,500 a month, which is an 88.13% increase from RM6,112.79.</p> <p> Earlier, during the debate on the amendments, two Barisan Nasional backbenchers supported the pay hike and even proposed that the chief minister and exco members get an extra pay hike that befits their positions.</p> <p> Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the state executive council members should also enjoy a 10% pay rise on top of the increased salary they will receive as assemblymen.</p> <p> "Lim works very hard as chief minister. He does not have time to attend some meetings and has to send representatives," he said.</p> <p> Datuk Mahmud Zakaria (BN-Sungai Acheh) lauded the increase in allowance for Jahara, saying that it was timely due to the challenges she faced as a female opposition leader.</p> <p> "It is timely since we also heard much about gender equality in the august house yesterday.</p> <p> "But the pay hike should also benefit the other side. The chief minister and the excos should get a 15% rise too," he said.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/now-penang-increases-salaries-of-elected-representatives" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60937-karpal-wants-ros-to-revoke-directive-or-face-legal-action">Karpal Wants ROS To Revoke Directive Or Face Legal Action</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 07:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Karpal_zps576a77f2.jpg" border="0" width="180" height="136" /> </p><p>(Bernama) -- DAP chairman Karpal Singh wants the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to revoke its directive that prohibits the party's newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decisions or face legal action.</p> <p> Karpal said there was no such law to prevent the party from making any decision and the directive did not comply with the law under Societies Act 1966.<br /> <br /> He said the party would still continue with its daily routine and should the directive stay, DAP would take the ROS to court.<br /> <br /> "We will not hesitate to sue the ROS if they (ROS) persist on the directive to halt DAP newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decisions," he told reporters, here today.<br /> <br /> It was reported Friday that, the party received a letter on Wednesday (Dec 11) dated Dec 6 from ROS, stating that the DAP sent in an incomplete report on its special congress and re-election which took place on Sept 29.<br /> <br /> The ROS also advised its CEC not to execute any decisions while it carried out further investigations.<br /> <br /> Karpal said under Section 13 of the Societies Act 1966, the registrar was allowed to cancel or suspend a political party but the party concerned should be given a 30-day period to explain.<br /> <br /> "The registrar has acted beyond the power under the act and therefore we will not give in to the directive," he said.<br /> <br /> The Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament also said that DAP would comply with the requirement of ROS to submit additional information on the special congress and re-election.<br /> <br /> The ROS is requesting for a full list of DAP's 2,578 members, along with their branch affiliations and addresses, a full list of 1,740 voting members along with their particulars and a list of 985 branches with an 'A' certification. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60936-paraskavedekatriaphobia">Paraskavedekatriaphobia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 07:06 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>And, once this happens, all Malaysians will know that Anwar Ibrahim pulled off the biggest con in Malaysian history and that there are no 40,000 Bangladeshi voters or power failures/blackouts during the vote counting or missing ballot boxes after all.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th while Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 -- just as Homophobia is the fear of homosexuals and Shiaphobia is the fear of Shias.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today being Friday the 13th I thought I would write about this matter.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No one really knows where Paraskavedekatriaphobia originated from but many believe it comes from the Last Supper where Jesus had supper with 12 of his disciples and this ended up as bad luck for Christ (he was arrested and put to death soon after that).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But why should that be considered bad luck when Jesus' death is considered good since Jesus died to save humankind. Hence 13 should be a good number and 13 at the dinner table should be most welcomed. If Jesus had not died for humankind then we will all go to hell instead of heaven. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, do Christians not consider Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as all part of God's grand design to save humankind? This is what God had planned all along. Hence this is God's will and should not be considered as something bad.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sheesh…these Christians are so inconsistent. On the one hand they say that this is what God had planned all along to save humankind and on the other hand they consider it a bad thing and fear the number 13 or fear Friday the 13th.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Okay, just to digress a bit, why in the first place is humankind born with sin and is destined for hell to the extent we need Jesus to die for us so that we can be absolved of our sins? </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Islam says that we are all born absolutely free of sin (like a white cloth, says Islam) and that later in life we sin (the cloth becomes black with the dirt of our sins) and we end up in hell. The Christians say the opposite (we are born as a black cloth and Jesus helps turn it white).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Well, this relates to the incident in Paradise where Eve instigated Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Because of that Adam and Eve are evicted from Paradise and get punished by being sent to earth where we all will eventually die (whereas in Paradise we would not die but would live forever).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence because of the sin of Eve of instigating Adam we are all punished with the fate of death. Hence, also, this means we are being punished for what someone else did and now we have to face the test of life on earth and eventually end up in hell unless we accept Jesus who has died to save all those who believe in him (and all those who do not accept Jesus are punished with hell).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And you call this a fair, compassionate and just God, a God that punishes us for what we did not do but what someone else did?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, back to the issue of Triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some hospitals do not have a room 13 (they have room 12 and room 12A) and some buildings do not have a 13th floor (again, floor 12 and floor 12A). In Paris, you can hire someone to make up the 14th person at the dinner table in the event there are only 13 at the table. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party and a friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend, "they only had food for 12."</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today, Friday the 13th, is also a bad luck day for the 13th general election. Today, Friday the 13th, Barisan Nasional's and Pakatan Rakyat's negotiations for a global settlement broke down.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You see, as I revealed earlier, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat were engaged in secret negotiations for both sides to withdraw their elections petitions. Pakatan Rakyat filed 58 election petitions and Barisan Nasional a few more but not as many as Pakatan Rakyat.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Thus far, the court has thrown out many of these election petitions so both sides do not see any need to pursue this matter, as all will eventually be thrown out anyway -- for both sides.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The thing is both sides are not telling us what is the basis for the filing of these election petitions. I mean there must be grounds for filing these election petitions so why not tell us what these grounds are?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">For example, we know that Pakatan Rakyat has raised the matter of 40,000 Bangladeshi voters, power failures or blackouts during the counting of the votes, missing ballot boxes, and so on. In fact, Anwar Ibrahim coined the word 'Banglasia' (insinuating that Bangladeshis voted in the 13th general election) and even suggested that a Bangladeshi should be appointed a Cabinet member.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, none of the 58 Pakatan Rakyat election petitions state any of these allegations in their grounds for filing. In fact, Anwar has even denied that he mentioned Bangladeshis or Banglasia although there are numerous videos on YouTube to prove that he did.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And are the rallies not called 'Blackout 505', suggesting that the power failures or blackouts during the counting of the votes is a real issue?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So Friday the 13th may prove a bad luck day for some people after all since the election petitions are not being settled out of court and will face trial in the end. And once it gets argued in court all Malaysians will get to know what the issues in the election petitions are.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And, once this happens, all Malaysians will know that Anwar Ibrahim pulled off the biggest con in Malaysian history and that there are no 40,000 Bangladeshi voters or power failures/blackouts during the vote counting or missing ballot boxes after all.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I fear that Anwar Ibrahim should fear Friday the 13th as this day may prove that Anwar Ibrahim has been conning the whole world and has been doing so for quite some time now.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="9" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60935-we-will-protest-if-silence-continues">‘We will protest if silence continues’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 05:16 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/03/miracle-votes-at-mic-polls/attachment/mic-9/" rel="attachment wp-att-354180"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MIC.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>A group of MIC leaders are planning a "huge" protest outside the party headquarters soon, as the MIC leadership continues its silence over the party's recent election.</strong></font></p><p><em>Vignesh Kumar, FMT </em></p><p>Disgruntled MIC leaders would hold a protest in front of the party headquarters if the party does not respond to allegations of malpractice in the just concluded party polls.</p> <p>A MIC leader, who declined to be named, said a group of party leaders were planning the protest to pressure the MIC leadership to break its deafening silence over the allegations.</p> <p>The MIC polls held on Nov 30 in Malacca, was marred with allegations of fraudulent votes being cast, among others.</p> <p>The polls process came under close scrutiny after candidates found disparity between votes cast and ballots counted.</p> <p>Several quarters have also alleged that the total number of delegates who voted to pick three vice-presidents and 23 central working committee members were not identical.</p> <p>The MIC held its internal elections to pick three vice presidents and 23 members to the party's all powerful central working committee. A total eight candidates contested for the veep positions while a whopping 88 aspirants fought it out for the CWC seats.</p> <p>Todate several leaders have tendered their appeal to the party leadership to declare the polls null and void due to the discrepancies.</p> <p>Party president G Palanivel has yet to make an official stand on the matter. The president has also yet to appoint the party secretary general, treasurer general and the information chief.</p> <p>Palanivel's silence has thrown the party into confusion as leaders and members are unsure if the new leaders picked on Nov 30 are the actual office bearers of the party.</p> <p>"Everyone is in the dark. We just cannot be issuing press statement one after another. The president must wake up and answer all the allegations. Otherwise, we have to wake him up by holding this protest.</p> <p>"We know it is bad for party image. But we do not mind as our agenda is to save the party from sinking to a new low," said the leader who declined to be named.</p> <p>The leader also slammed Palanivel labeling him as "selfish and not fit to lead the party".</p> <p>"The party is in a crisis but Palanivel is enjoying his holidays overseas," he said.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/we-will-protest-if-silence-continues/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="10" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60934-we-are-all-terrorists">We are all terrorists</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 04:47 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>The IGP says that the Shia movement is a terrorist movement. Actually, all religions are terrorist movements without exception. Religion makes us scared. Religion is the doctrine of fear. We believe in myths and do illogical things and practice stupid rituals because we are scared to not do so.</strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</strong> (<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60931-syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp">READ HERE</a>)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Putrajaya mulling 'syariah cops' for Shiah crackdown, says minister </strong>(<a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60932-putrajaya-mulling-syariah-cops-for-shiah-crackdown-says-minister">READ HERE</a>) <br /> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Mat Sabu to take legal action</strong> (<a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/mat-sabu-to-take-legal-action/" target="_blank">READ HERE</a>) </p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*********************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terror: </strong>intense, sharp, overmastering fear: to be frantic with terror. An instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety: quality of causing terror: to be a terror to evildoers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terrorist:</strong> a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism: a person who terrorises or frightens others.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Terrorism:</strong> the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes: the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorisation.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*********************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The IGP said that the Shias are terrorists. Hence anyone who follows Shia teachings or believes in the Shia movement is a terrorist. For those whom English is not their mother tongue maybe I can enlighten you on what all this means.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can read the definition of terror, terrorist and terrorism above. Basically, terror is a higher degree of fear or anxiety, a terrorist is someone who perpetuates this fear in others, while terrorism is the act of terrorising others.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In that sense, therefore, we are all terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">How many times has your mother caught you masturbating and told you that masturbating causes blindness? That is an act of terrorism. Your mother makes you terrified of masturbating with the lie that masturbating causes blindness.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence your mother is a terrorist.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do parents not tell their kids not to talk to strangers who are most likely paedophiles or go out in the dark where there are ghosts and devils waiting to kidnap children? And do kids not fear strangers and the dark and grow up with a phobia of ghosts and evil spirits?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence your parents are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do Christians not tell you that the only way to salvation is to accept Jesus as the Lord and the Son of God? And if you not accept Jesus then you will not be allowed into the Kingdom of Heaven.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You are so terrified of not being allowed into Heaven that you become a Christian or, if you are already a Christian, you become a 'better' Christian.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence Christians are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do Hindus not tell you that there is such a thing as the law of karma? If you do bad then bad will befall you. You are so terrorised by this that you never dare do bad and only do good whereas you are actually not a good person and actually enjoy doing bad things. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">So you reluctantly be good whereas in your heart you would rather be bad as being bad is more fun. (Good girls go to heaven whereas bad girls have all the fun, said Marilyn Monroe).</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence Hindus are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Has the IGP and Mat Sabu's enemies not terrorised him into denying that he is a follower or believer of Shia Islam? So what if Mat Sabu is a Shia? But he is now so terrified of the allegation that he has denied it and is threatening to sue those who allege that he is a Shia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence the IGP and all those who have terrorised Mat Sabu are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do the Barisan Nasional supporters not terrorise all those who oppose them and do the Pakatan Rakyat supporters also not terrorise all those who oppose them? People are becoming so terrorised that they deny the allegation that they either support Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence all Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat supporters are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And all those who criticise Najib Tun Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, etc., are also terrorised by their supporters until no one dares criticise these political leaders any longer.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence all the supporters of Najib Tun Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, Hadi Awang, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Karpal Singh, etc., are terrorists.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In the end we are all terrorists. We terrorise others into doing what we want them to do or terrorise them into not doing what we do not want them to do. We put all sorts of fears into them. We tell them things that make them scared. In short, we control them by using the fear factor.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The IGP says that the Shia movement is a terrorist movement. Actually, all religions are terrorist movements without exception. Religion makes us scared. Religion is the doctrine of fear. We believe in myths and do illogical things and practice stupid rituals because we are scared to not do so.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We are scared that if we do not believe in religion then we will be punished both in this world and the next and we will be denied the rewards. So we believe and follow religion out of fear of punishment and out of fear of losing out on the rewards. If there were no punishment and reward system in religion none of us would believe in what can be regarded as utter nonsense.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hence we are being terrorised into believing and doing something -- and that would make all religions terrorist movements, not just Shia Islam.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="11" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60933-bn-and-pakatan-fail-to-settle-polls-petition-wait-for-apex-court-to-rule-on-election-law">BN and Pakatan fail to settle polls petition, wait for apex court to rule on election law</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 04:03 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4086/vnin.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="167" /> </p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI</em></p><p>A proposed out-of-court settlement between the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to withdraw election petition appeals for the May 5 general election in the Federal Court has fizzled out.</p> <p> Confirming that the "global settlement" on 19 election petition appeals had failed, PR lawyers and politicians said they would now allow the apex court to make a ruling on questionable election laws.</p> <p> (A global settlement refers to an agreement between the parties after they have addressed or compromised on the matter accordingly.)</p><p> It was reported last month that BN and PR lawyers were in talks to resolve the matter amicably.</p> <p> PAS lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (pic) said PR wanted the Federal Court to decide and bring certainty to election laws.</p> <p> "We won't know the legal position of some of the contentious issues if we opted for a global settlement," he told The Malaysian Insider.</p> <p> Hanipa, who is also Sepang MP, said the party may disagree with the court's decision but that was the only channel to seek remedy.</p> <p> "Anyway, we will now know which procedures in the election laws litigants must follow strictly so that petitions will not be knocked out on technical grounds."</p> <p> Parti Keadilan Rakyat lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah, who is said to have headed the PR team in negotiations with the BN legal team, declined to go into the specifics of the negotiations.</p> <p> He said both parties had tried to reach an amicable settlement but that it did not materialise.</p> <p> "The court has started hearing the appeals after we informed the bench that both sides are not withdrawing their cases."</p> <p> Sivarasa, who is Subang MP, said he hoped the costs factor could be settled between BN and PR even after the Federal Court decided on the appeal.</p> <p> On Tuesday, lawyers appearing for BN and PR informed the Federal Court bench that a global settlement could not be reached and pending appeals would proceed.</p> <p> However, BN lawyers had asked for more time to decide on whether to proceed with their appeals for the Lembah Pantai and Batu parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/barisan-and-pakatan-fail-to-settle-polls-petition-wait-for-apex-court-to-ru" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="12" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60932-putrajaya-mulling-syariah-cops-for-shiah-crackdown-says-minister">Putrajaya mulling ‘syariah cops’ for Shiah crackdown, says minister</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 03:47 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/zahid-hamidi_zps47d8eaf2.jpeg" border="0" width="200" height="193" /> </p><p>(MM) - The Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.</p> <p>Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an "enforcement team", which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws.<br /><br />"There was a proposal by a NGO to set up a syariah police, to curb deviant teachings. This will be discussed in details," Ahmad Zahid said in an interview with state news agency Bernama TV last night.<br /><br />"We will also ask for approval from the Malay Rulers Council so that the idea will not be seen as our interference in the handling of religious matters. The aspects that I am emphasising on is security and public safety. To prevent is better than curing". <br />Ahmad Zahid added that the proposal will be discussed with Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom soon.<br /><br />The home minister was also reported to have said that the police already have a religious department, but would require Cabinet approval for a formal co-operation with Jakim.<br /><br />Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid explained that the clampdown against the Shiah sect was meant to prevent the ideological turmoil in the Middle East from spreading to Malaysia.<br /><br />He pointed to how Iraq has been torn apart by religious divisions, noting that this was because it is home to followers of two major Islamic sects - the Sunnis and the Shiahs.<br /><br />"We don't want what is happening in Iraq to happen in Malaysia.<br /><br />"We can have different opinions in politics, but when it comes to faith, we cannot have different opinions," he told reporters after launching the 1 Malaysia Book Expo and National Book Award here at the Putra World Trade Centre.<br /><br />Putrajaya has in recent months stepped up its campaign against Shiah teachings and followers in Malaysia, but this has been accompanied by suspicions that the action was politically motivated.<br /><br />Zahid had appeared to reinforce the view during the Umno General Assembly last week, when he ordered Jamil Khir to act against "the number two in PAS" for alleged ties to the Shiah movement.<br /><br />While it was widely believed Zahid was referring to PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, this was not confirmed until yesterday, when the Home Ministry presented the "proof" that led the minister to arrive at the conclusion.<br /><br />This ministry listed 10 items such as Mohammad Sabu's admiration for late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and an allegation by one Dr Abdul Aziz Hanafi that the PAS man had once recited a Shiah prayer.<br /><br />The PAS deputy president popularly known as Mat Sabu yesterday categorised the allegations as "lies" and said he will consult his lawyers over the possible defamation. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="13" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60931-syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp">Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 03:39 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp/attachment/khalid-abu-bakar-masjid/" rel="attachment wp-att-358446"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/khalid-abu-bakar-masjid.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The IGP labelled the Syiah movement in the country as a group with terrorist elements. </strong></font></p><p>(FMT) - The Syiah movement in the country if not monitored and controlled could lead to militant activities, the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said today.</p> <p>Declaring that he was responsible for the country's safety and maintaining peace and order, Khalid said the police did not want any situation that could disturb the nation's peace and stability.</p> <p>Yesterday, the Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government would go hard on Syiah actvities, which were banned in Malaysia.</p> <p>The Home Ministry also issued a five-page statement outlining "evidence" of PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu being involved in Syiah activities.</p> <p>Mohamad Sabu has since denied the allegation and was threatening legal action against the government.</p> <p>The Syiah community was a movement with terrorist elements, Khalid told reporters at the Selangor police headquarters.</p> <p>He also disclosed that the police were working closely with the respective state religious departments to monitor followers of the Syiah sect.</p> <p>"Some followers who were arrested previously by the counter-terrorism unit were Syiah followers.</p> <p>"We are working with Jakim (the Department of Islamic Development) to monitor their movements closely," he added.</p> <p>He said the government did "not want what happened in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to happen here."</p> <p>Khalid also said the ministry's revelations on the Syiah sect yesterday were to alert the public.</p> <p>He said the movement if not monitored and controlled could lead to militant activities.</p> <p>"When it comes to the country's safety, I am responsible for maintaining peace and order. We do not want any situation that can disturb the peace of our country."</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="14" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60929-can-pakatan-win-ge14">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:29 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" title="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><strong><font color="#800000">Pakatan must realise that Umno is a formidable opponent with deep pockets, large armies and an uncanny ability to go into the elections with all the positives stacked in their favour. </font></strong></p><p><em><strong>Based on this statement made by Lim Kit Siang, it would seem that Pakatan has already won the GE14 and will form the next government come 2018, or thereabouts. </strong></em></p><p><em>CT Ali, FMT </em></p> "Based on present redelineation, Pakatan Rakyat should aim to win 135 parliamentary seats in GE14 to capture Putrajaya, with PKR, PAS and DAP each winning 45 seats and a parliamentary majority of 48.<br /><br />"The performance of the Pakatan parties in the 2008 and 2013 GEs have shown that the three component parties have their basic strengths.<br /><br />"If we are prepared to persevere in a common patriotic cause – to save the country from corruption, cronyism, abuses of power, exploitation of the poor and downtrodden regardless of race, religion or region, extremism and intolerance.<br /><br />"And put in place good governance, public integrity, accountability, respect for democracy, human rights, moderation and tolerance, we have no reason to be pessimistic about the future of the country or the outcome of the GE14." – DAP's Lim Kit Siang.<br /><br />Based on this statement made by Lim Kit Siang, it would seem that Pakatan has already won the GE14 and will form the next government come 2018, or thereabouts.<br /><br />Lim is quite confident even as the Umno-led Barisan Nasional is slowly but surely dismantling whatever "basic strengths" and "common patriotic case" that Pakatan may have to save this country from the corruption, cronyism and abuse of power perpetrated by the BN government.<br /><br />Let's examine the facts.<br /><br />Am I to believe that with all the overwhelming overt evidence of foul play, vote rigging, phantom, pendatang's and illegal voters that number in the thousands (so Pakatan tell us), nothing can be done to present irrefutable evidence to the courts to overturn ANY of the GE13 results?<br /><br />If not the courts, why not present the evidence to the people and let us make up our own minds?<br /><br />To date, nothing worth talking about has been done to substantiate the claims of vote rigging.<br /><br />If Pakatan claims that the Malaysian courts only do the bidding of their political masters, then can someone explain to me why Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of Sodomy Two?<br /><br />The irresponsible actions of Pakatan in convening the Blackout 505 protests very quickly lost its momentum and became a predictable washout once the public realised the futility of it all.<br /><br />Energy could have been better spent if Pakatan had responsibly galvanised the 53 percent electoral support they received at the GE13 and channeled it into an orderly structured mass movement that would eventually make BN understand that Pakatan is a political force to be reckoned with.<br /><br />But this would require a massive, sustained and disciplined effort by Pakatan -something I suspect Pakatan is unable to do.<br /><br /><strong>BN consolidating its hold</strong><br /><br />What has BN been doing since then?<br /><br />Najib Tun Razak is firmly at the helm of Umno and BN. Given that he was unable to take back Selangor nor regain two-thirds majority in parliament, that by itself, is testament that BN is seriously consolidating its hold on power and making necessary adjustments to the realities of politics as it is post GE13.<br /><br />Attacks on the Chinese voters have not abated – a politically astute decision by Umno given that MCA lost the Chinese votes to DAP. <br /><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/13/can-pakatan-win-ge14/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-15579799591586594622013-12-13T15:40:00.001-08:002013-12-13T15:40:20.198-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">All Penang elected reps approve pay rise</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Karpal Wants ROS To Revoke Directive Or Face Legal Action</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">‘We will protest if silence continues’</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">BN and Pakatan fail to settle polls petition, wait for apex court to rule on election law</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Putrajaya mulling ‘syariah cops’ for Shiah crackdown, says minister</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">Umno’s blitzkrieg and olive branch</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">Can a new captain steer MCA out of the storm?</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60938-all-penang-elected-reps-approve-pay-rise">All Penang elected reps approve pay rise</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 08:26 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4869/wk8i.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="150" /> </p><p>(TMI) - Penang today joined its Selangor counterpart in increasing the salaries of its elected representatives when it announced an 80% increase at the state legislative assembly today.</p> <p> All 40 lawmakers from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional backed the amendments Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980.</p> <p> They will each receive a pay of RM6,000 instead of RM4,112.79, backdated to June this year.</p><p> Opposition leader Datuk Jahara Hamid (BN-Telok Air Tawar) benefits the most as her allowance as opposition leader was increased by 100% from RM1,000 to RM2,000.</p> <p> The salaries of the assemblymen had not been adjusted since 2004.</p> <p> The amendments also include death and disability benefits for assemblymen, the chief minister, state executive councillors and the speaker of the assembly.</p> <p> The death and disability benefits for assemblymen now amount to RM300,000, instead of RM120,000 and RM240,000 previously.</p> <p> For the chief minister, the benefits at RM750,000 and RM1.5 million have been increased to RM1,875,000.</p> <p> For the speaker, the benefits at RM500,000 and RM1 million have been increased to RM1.25 million.</p> <p> The amendments to the Members of Administration and Members of the Legislative Assembly (Remuneration) 1980 were unanimously passed after the bill was tabled by state local government exco Chow Kon Yeow (DAP-Padang Kota).</p> <p> The elected representatives will also get higher allowances, from RM2,000 to RM5,500, made up of RM1,500 for special allowance, RM1,500 for fixed allowance for the driver, RM1,000 each for fixed transport and miscellaneous allowances, and RM500 in housing allowance.</p> <p> The revised allowances are to be gazetted at a later date together with the amendments.</p> <p> This means the assemblymen will enjoy a total gross income of RM11,500 a month, which is an 88.13% increase from RM6,112.79.</p> <p> Earlier, during the debate on the amendments, two Barisan Nasional backbenchers supported the pay hike and even proposed that the chief minister and exco members get an extra pay hike that befits their positions.</p> <p> Muhammad Farid Saad (BN-Pulau Betong) said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and the state executive council members should also enjoy a 10% pay rise on top of the increased salary they will receive as assemblymen.</p> <p> "Lim works very hard as chief minister. He does not have time to attend some meetings and has to send representatives," he said.</p> <p> Datuk Mahmud Zakaria (BN-Sungai Acheh) lauded the increase in allowance for Jahara, saying that it was timely due to the challenges she faced as a female opposition leader.</p> <p> "It is timely since we also heard much about gender equality in the august house yesterday.</p> <p> "But the pay hike should also benefit the other side. The chief minister and the excos should get a 15% rise too," he said.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/now-penang-increases-salaries-of-elected-representatives" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60937-karpal-wants-ros-to-revoke-directive-or-face-legal-action">Karpal Wants ROS To Revoke Directive Or Face Legal Action</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 07:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Karpal_zps576a77f2.jpg" border="0" width="180" height="136" /> </p><p>(Bernama) -- DAP chairman Karpal Singh wants the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to revoke its directive that prohibits the party's newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decisions or face legal action.</p> <p> Karpal said there was no such law to prevent the party from making any decision and the directive did not comply with the law under Societies Act 1966.<br /> <br /> He said the party would still continue with its daily routine and should the directive stay, DAP would take the ROS to court.<br /> <br /> "We will not hesitate to sue the ROS if they (ROS) persist on the directive to halt DAP newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) from making any decisions," he told reporters, here today.<br /> <br /> It was reported Friday that, the party received a letter on Wednesday (Dec 11) dated Dec 6 from ROS, stating that the DAP sent in an incomplete report on its special congress and re-election which took place on Sept 29.<br /> <br /> The ROS also advised its CEC not to execute any decisions while it carried out further investigations.<br /> <br /> Karpal said under Section 13 of the Societies Act 1966, the registrar was allowed to cancel or suspend a political party but the party concerned should be given a 30-day period to explain.<br /> <br /> "The registrar has acted beyond the power under the act and therefore we will not give in to the directive," he said.<br /> <br /> The Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament also said that DAP would comply with the requirement of ROS to submit additional information on the special congress and re-election.<br /> <br /> The ROS is requesting for a full list of DAP's 2,578 members, along with their branch affiliations and addresses, a full list of 1,740 voting members along with their particulars and a list of 985 branches with an 'A' certification. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60935-we-will-protest-if-silence-continues">‘We will protest if silence continues’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 05:16 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/03/miracle-votes-at-mic-polls/attachment/mic-9/" rel="attachment wp-att-354180"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/MIC.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>A group of MIC leaders are planning a "huge" protest outside the party headquarters soon, as the MIC leadership continues its silence over the party's recent election.</strong></font></p><p><em>Vignesh Kumar, FMT </em></p><p>Disgruntled MIC leaders would hold a protest in front of the party headquarters if the party does not respond to allegations of malpractice in the just concluded party polls.</p> <p>A MIC leader, who declined to be named, said a group of party leaders were planning the protest to pressure the MIC leadership to break its deafening silence over the allegations.</p> <p>The MIC polls held on Nov 30 in Malacca, was marred with allegations of fraudulent votes being cast, among others.</p> <p>The polls process came under close scrutiny after candidates found disparity between votes cast and ballots counted.</p> <p>Several quarters have also alleged that the total number of delegates who voted to pick three vice-presidents and 23 central working committee members were not identical.</p> <p>The MIC held its internal elections to pick three vice presidents and 23 members to the party's all powerful central working committee. A total eight candidates contested for the veep positions while a whopping 88 aspirants fought it out for the CWC seats.</p> <p>Todate several leaders have tendered their appeal to the party leadership to declare the polls null and void due to the discrepancies.</p> <p>Party president G Palanivel has yet to make an official stand on the matter. The president has also yet to appoint the party secretary general, treasurer general and the information chief.</p> <p>Palanivel's silence has thrown the party into confusion as leaders and members are unsure if the new leaders picked on Nov 30 are the actual office bearers of the party.</p> <p>"Everyone is in the dark. We just cannot be issuing press statement one after another. The president must wake up and answer all the allegations. Otherwise, we have to wake him up by holding this protest.</p> <p>"We know it is bad for party image. But we do not mind as our agenda is to save the party from sinking to a new low," said the leader who declined to be named.</p> <p>The leader also slammed Palanivel labeling him as "selfish and not fit to lead the party".</p> <p>"The party is in a crisis but Palanivel is enjoying his holidays overseas," he said.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/we-will-protest-if-silence-continues/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60933-bn-and-pakatan-fail-to-settle-polls-petition-wait-for-apex-court-to-rule-on-election-law">BN and Pakatan fail to settle polls petition, wait for apex court to rule on election law</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 04:03 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4086/vnin.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="167" /> </p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI</em></p><p>A proposed out-of-court settlement between the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to withdraw election petition appeals for the May 5 general election in the Federal Court has fizzled out.</p> <p> Confirming that the "global settlement" on 19 election petition appeals had failed, PR lawyers and politicians said they would now allow the apex court to make a ruling on questionable election laws.</p> <p> (A global settlement refers to an agreement between the parties after they have addressed or compromised on the matter accordingly.)</p><p> It was reported last month that BN and PR lawyers were in talks to resolve the matter amicably.</p> <p> PAS lawyer Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (pic) said PR wanted the Federal Court to decide and bring certainty to election laws.</p> <p> "We won't know the legal position of some of the contentious issues if we opted for a global settlement," he told The Malaysian Insider.</p> <p> Hanipa, who is also Sepang MP, said the party may disagree with the court's decision but that was the only channel to seek remedy.</p> <p> "Anyway, we will now know which procedures in the election laws litigants must follow strictly so that petitions will not be knocked out on technical grounds."</p> <p> Parti Keadilan Rakyat lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah, who is said to have headed the PR team in negotiations with the BN legal team, declined to go into the specifics of the negotiations.</p> <p> He said both parties had tried to reach an amicable settlement but that it did not materialise.</p> <p> "The court has started hearing the appeals after we informed the bench that both sides are not withdrawing their cases."</p> <p> Sivarasa, who is Subang MP, said he hoped the costs factor could be settled between BN and PR even after the Federal Court decided on the appeal.</p> <p> On Tuesday, lawyers appearing for BN and PR informed the Federal Court bench that a global settlement could not be reached and pending appeals would proceed.</p> <p> However, BN lawyers had asked for more time to decide on whether to proceed with their appeals for the Lembah Pantai and Batu parliamentary seats in Kuala Lumpur.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/barisan-and-pakatan-fail-to-settle-polls-petition-wait-for-apex-court-to-ru" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60932-putrajaya-mulling-syariah-cops-for-shiah-crackdown-says-minister">Putrajaya mulling ‘syariah cops’ for Shiah crackdown, says minister</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 03:47 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/zahid-hamidi_zps47d8eaf2.jpeg" border="0" width="200" height="193" /> </p><p>(MM) - The Home Ministry is weighing proposals to form a special police unit to contain the spread of the banned Shiah school of Islam here, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.</p> <p>Among the proposals will be to embed police officers within the Malaysian Islamic Advancement Affairs Department (Jakim) as part of an "enforcement team", which could allow such squads vastly broadened powers to arrests those deemed in breach of Islamic laws.<br /><br />"There was a proposal by a NGO to set up a syariah police, to curb deviant teachings. This will be discussed in details," Ahmad Zahid said in an interview with state news agency Bernama TV last night.<br /><br />"We will also ask for approval from the Malay Rulers Council so that the idea will not be seen as our interference in the handling of religious matters. The aspects that I am emphasising on is security and public safety. To prevent is better than curing". <br />Ahmad Zahid added that the proposal will be discussed with Islamic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom soon.<br /><br />The home minister was also reported to have said that the police already have a religious department, but would require Cabinet approval for a formal co-operation with Jakim.<br /><br />Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid explained that the clampdown against the Shiah sect was meant to prevent the ideological turmoil in the Middle East from spreading to Malaysia.<br /><br />He pointed to how Iraq has been torn apart by religious divisions, noting that this was because it is home to followers of two major Islamic sects - the Sunnis and the Shiahs.<br /><br />"We don't want what is happening in Iraq to happen in Malaysia.<br /><br />"We can have different opinions in politics, but when it comes to faith, we cannot have different opinions," he told reporters after launching the 1 Malaysia Book Expo and National Book Award here at the Putra World Trade Centre.<br /><br />Putrajaya has in recent months stepped up its campaign against Shiah teachings and followers in Malaysia, but this has been accompanied by suspicions that the action was politically motivated.<br /><br />Zahid had appeared to reinforce the view during the Umno General Assembly last week, when he ordered Jamil Khir to act against "the number two in PAS" for alleged ties to the Shiah movement.<br /><br />While it was widely believed Zahid was referring to PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu, this was not confirmed until yesterday, when the Home Ministry presented the "proof" that led the minister to arrive at the conclusion.<br /><br />This ministry listed 10 items such as Mohammad Sabu's admiration for late Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and an allegation by one Dr Abdul Aziz Hanafi that the PAS man had once recited a Shiah prayer.<br /><br />The PAS deputy president popularly known as Mat Sabu yesterday categorised the allegations as "lies" and said he will consult his lawyers over the possible defamation. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60931-syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp">Syiah sect is a terrorist group, says IGP</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 03:39 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp/attachment/khalid-abu-bakar-masjid/" rel="attachment wp-att-358446"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/khalid-abu-bakar-masjid.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The IGP labelled the Syiah movement in the country as a group with terrorist elements. </strong></font></p><p>(FMT) - The Syiah movement in the country if not monitored and controlled could lead to militant activities, the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said today.</p> <p>Declaring that he was responsible for the country's safety and maintaining peace and order, Khalid said the police did not want any situation that could disturb the nation's peace and stability.</p> <p>Yesterday, the Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government would go hard on Syiah actvities, which were banned in Malaysia.</p> <p>The Home Ministry also issued a five-page statement outlining "evidence" of PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu being involved in Syiah activities.</p> <p>Mohamad Sabu has since denied the allegation and was threatening legal action against the government.</p> <p>The Syiah community was a movement with terrorist elements, Khalid told reporters at the Selangor police headquarters.</p> <p>He also disclosed that the police were working closely with the respective state religious departments to monitor followers of the Syiah sect.</p> <p>"Some followers who were arrested previously by the counter-terrorism unit were Syiah followers.</p> <p>"We are working with Jakim (the Department of Islamic Development) to monitor their movements closely," he added.</p> <p>He said the government did "not want what happened in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to happen here."</p> <p>Khalid also said the ministry's revelations on the Syiah sect yesterday were to alert the public.</p> <p>He said the movement if not monitored and controlled could lead to militant activities.</p> <p>"When it comes to the country's safety, I am responsible for maintaining peace and order. We do not want any situation that can disturb the peace of our country."</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/13/syiah-sect-is-a-terrorist-group-says-igp/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60930-umnos-blitzkrieg-and-olive-branch">Umno’s blitzkrieg and olive branch</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:36 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" title="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>Umno unleashed a two-pronged approach to paralyse PAS way ahead of the GE14.</strong></em></font></p><p>(FMT) - <strong>PAS' organisational structure is also modelled based on the administration of a Syiah majority nation – Iran.<br /></strong></p> The 67th Umno general assembly that ended last Saturday revealed that Umno is hurt due to the PAS-DAP alliance; as they battle to win the hearts and minds of the majority of the electorate – the Malays.<br /><br />To overcome this, Umno has unleashed its two-pronged approach, similar to the carrot and stick strategy to totally paralyse PAS within the next five years before General Election 14 which is due in 2018.<br /><br />Umno is using its carrot and stick approach via a blitzkrieg and an olive branch. It has given PAS two options based on Cold War mentality.<br /><br />(Blitzkrieg refers to German's attacking forces of dense concentration of mechanised infantry formations used during World War I.)<br /><br />Umno's message to PAS is: You are either with us or against us. The nationalist Umno is currently launching its blitzkrieg in its veiled anti-Syiah campaign.<br /><br />PAS spiritual advisor Nik Aziz Nik Mat was spot on when he said that the anti-Syiah campaign the Umno vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced was an all out campaign against the minority Syiah community in PAS.<br /><br />"Don't claim yourselves as defenders of Islam by bashing the Syiah. The society is smart to assess that it is not the Syiah who are under attack but the opposition who are gaining more support," said Nik Aziz in a statement that was put up on Monday.<br /><br />"If one truly wants to eradicate them, just arrest them. The question here is how do you conduct the arrest when there are deviants within your own party," added Nik Aziz, alluding to Umno leaders.<br /><br />The reaction of Nik Aziz is similar to Umno vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's declaration that he would go all out against the Syiah.<br /><br /><strong>Zahid's attack</strong><br /><br />"We are surprised on how PAS can elect a Syiah as their number two leader," said Ahmad Zahid<br /><br />"(Minister in Prime Minister's Department) Jamil Khir (Baharom), I empower you with the Home Ministry to take action," Ahmad Zahid who is also the Home Minister said while delivering his wrap up speech at Umno's 67th annual general.<br /><br />Ahmad Zahid was hinting at PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu without naming him.<br /><br />In a related development, Jamil had said that political leanings would not be a factor in curbing Syiah teachings.<br /><br />While it is true that there are Syiah followers in both the Malay Muslim based parties, PAS would be most affected in the event of a clampdown on the community.<br /><br />Majority of the Syiah community have tendencies to put an 'X' for PAS instead of Umno. They are also predominant in the Malay heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Kedah where PAS is Umno's biggest threat.<br /><br />PAS' organisational structure is also modelled based on the administration of a Syiah majority nation – Iran.<br /><br />The Dewan Ulama within PAS was established during Yusof Rawa's tenure as PAS' president and spiritual adviser from October 1982 to March 1989. Prior to that Yusof was also Malaysia's diplomat to Iran.<br /><br />The blitzkrieg on PAS is vital to BN component parties because while PAS lost about seven percent of the Malay votes in the 13th general election, nevertheless it managed to created a stronghold in mixed constituencies such as Kota Raja, which was previously held by MIC.<br /><br />To paraphrase an idiom, when General Umno sneezes, its BN lieutenants catches cold.<br /><br /><strong>Umno's olive branch</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/13/umnos-blitzkrieg-and-olive-branch/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60926-can-a-new-captain-steer-mca-out-of-the-storm">Can a new captain steer MCA out of the storm?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 10:19 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" title="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><strong><font color="#800000"><em>(L- R) Deputy president Gan Ping Sieu, Vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and former President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. MCA now faces challenges it had never faced before: a landslide support of the Chinese community to the opposition because they are longing for change. </em></font></strong></p><p>(fz.com) -<strong> There is no easy solution to MCA's problems no matter who is elected as the party president in the coming party poll.</strong></p> Former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat may enjoy a reputation as a bold and vocal leader, but he had lost some support for his role in escalating the party infighting in the 2009 – 2010 period.<br /><br />Second line leader Vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has political and governing experience, but he is seen as indecisive and his performance in recent years has not been very inspiring.<br /><br />Deputy president Gan Ping Sieu, the youngest among the three leaders, with less baggage may seem to be able to bring some fresh air into the party but his leadership skills remain untested.<br /><br />The continuous party infighting and the inability of the party to bring about an equal distribution of political, economic and social opportunities for the different communities in the country within the BN power-sharing model are among the reasons for the disastrous defeat of the party in the last general election.<br /><br />Within ten years, MCA's share of seats had dropped drastically from 31 parliamentary seats and 76 state seats in 2004 to seven parliamentary seats and 11 state seats in 2013.<br /><br />It may seem like too little, too late has been done to help the party emerge from its current political turbulence. However, it may not be a totally hopeless case if some drastic measures are put in place.<br /><br />Reform, the main thrust of Liow's manifesto, or going back to the core values of the party, the crux of Gan's manifesto, or Ong's fighting to restore the dignity of the party may be beautiful words, but can the new leadership deliver what they promise, that is, to win back the support of the Chinese community?<br /><br />The Chinese community certainly doubts it, and as a matter of fact, they don't really care anymore. They have ditched the MCA because they were disappointed in the non-performance of the party in forging a nation in which everyone is equal and not called "outsiders" and asked to "go back to China."<br /><br />To put things into perspective, MCA now faces challenges it had never faced before: a landslide support of the Chinese community to the opposition because they are longing for change.<br /><br />The Chinese voters had chosen the agenda offered by the opposition that strives for transparency, good governance and equality, against the services offered by the MCA for the past 64 years.<br /><br />In a paper on the realignment of Chinese politics after GE13, political scientist Phoon Wing Keong said that the Chinese community had clearly shifted their political alignment, and this shifting is a rare occurrence which could lead to a realignment of the party system.<br /><br />He observed that in the previous elections before 2008, the political party identification of the Chinese had always been stable, with the exception of 1969 general election, in which all the Chinese-based parties namely MCA, Gerakan, DAP and SUPP, managed to get their Chinese support base. This has changed in the 2013 GE.<br /><br />Phoon believed that the main reason is that the current political system based on religious and racial differences is no longer working after many new issues concerning policy making and governance have surfaced, in addition to the emergence of a cross-community social movement. Hence, the Islamic state or hudud law issues constantly raised by the MCA could no longer scare the Chinese.<br /><br />Also, he said, the MCA is losing its political function within the government system in order to connect with the voters. Further, it is seen as running away from pressing political issues, and as having lost its ability to put forward independent discourse, thus it lacks legitimacy within the Chinese community.<br /><br />A long time political observer, Phoon has been very critical of the MCA under the leadership of former president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, in which the party had focused on issues unrelated to politics, such as the launch of the Lifelong Learning Campaign.<br /><br />"The Chinese community has clearly stated that they are prepared to bid farewell to MCA in the 2013 GE. In hoping to return to the mainstream of politics, MCA doesn't seem to grapple with this spirit of the times. Instead it has made a wrong judgment and used the 'no-cabinet-post' threat to hold the mainstream popular opinion of the Chinese community to ransom, and as a result, was swallowed by it," Phoon said.<br /><br />He said that the Chinese-based BN component parties must look seriously into the drastic drop of support in the two past consecutive elections and admit that their popular foundation has been severely damaged.<br /><br />Another issue is that one of MCA's biggest problems is its perceived lack of ideology or vision.<br /><br />Ng Nyen Fah, Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies, said that MCA has yet to find a formula that could make the Chinese community feel that they have a place in this country.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fz.com/content/can-new-captain-steer-mca-out-storm" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a><br /><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - 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Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">7 years to 2020: thoughts on achieving the Malaysian dream</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">PR’s ‘liberal’ problem</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60929-can-pakatan-win-ge14">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:29 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" title="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><strong><font color="#800000">Pakatan must realise that Umno is a formidable opponent with deep pockets, large armies and an uncanny ability to go into the elections with all the positives stacked in their favour. </font></strong></p><p><em><strong>Based on this statement made by Lim Kit Siang, it would seem that Pakatan has already won the GE14 and will form the next government come 2018, or thereabouts. </strong></em></p><p><em>CT Ali, FMT </em></p> "Based on present redelineation, Pakatan Rakyat should aim to win 135 parliamentary seats in GE14 to capture Putrajaya, with PKR, PAS and DAP each winning 45 seats and a parliamentary majority of 48.<br /><br />"The performance of the Pakatan parties in the 2008 and 2013 GEs have shown that the three component parties have their basic strengths.<br /><br />"If we are prepared to persevere in a common patriotic cause – to save the country from corruption, cronyism, abuses of power, exploitation of the poor and downtrodden regardless of race, religion or region, extremism and intolerance.<br /><br />"And put in place good governance, public integrity, accountability, respect for democracy, human rights, moderation and tolerance, we have no reason to be pessimistic about the future of the country or the outcome of the GE14." – DAP's Lim Kit Siang.<br /><br />Based on this statement made by Lim Kit Siang, it would seem that Pakatan has already won the GE14 and will form the next government come 2018, or thereabouts.<br /><br />Lim is quite confident even as the Umno-led Barisan Nasional is slowly but surely dismantling whatever "basic strengths" and "common patriotic case" that Pakatan may have to save this country from the corruption, cronyism and abuse of power perpetrated by the BN government.<br /><br />Let's examine the facts.<br /><br />Am I to believe that with all the overwhelming overt evidence of foul play, vote rigging, phantom, pendatang's and illegal voters that number in the thousands (so Pakatan tell us), nothing can be done to present irrefutable evidence to the courts to overturn ANY of the GE13 results?<br /><br />If not the courts, why not present the evidence to the people and let us make up our own minds?<br /><br />To date, nothing worth talking about has been done to substantiate the claims of vote rigging.<br /><br />If Pakatan claims that the Malaysian courts only do the bidding of their political masters, then can someone explain to me why Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of Sodomy Two?<br /><br />The irresponsible actions of Pakatan in convening the Blackout 505 protests very quickly lost its momentum and became a predictable washout once the public realised the futility of it all.<br /><br />Energy could have been better spent if Pakatan had responsibly galvanised the 53 percent electoral support they received at the GE13 and channeled it into an orderly structured mass movement that would eventually make BN understand that Pakatan is a political force to be reckoned with.<br /><br />But this would require a massive, sustained and disciplined effort by Pakatan -something I suspect Pakatan is unable to do.<br /><br /><strong>BN consolidating its hold</strong><br /><br />What has BN been doing since then?<br /><br />Najib Tun Razak is firmly at the helm of Umno and BN. Given that he was unable to take back Selangor nor regain two-thirds majority in parliament, that by itself, is testament that BN is seriously consolidating its hold on power and making necessary adjustments to the realities of politics as it is post GE13.<br /><br />Attacks on the Chinese voters have not abated – a politically astute decision by Umno given that MCA lost the Chinese votes to DAP. <br /><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/13/can-pakatan-win-ge14/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60928-7-years-to-2020-thoughts-on-achieving-the-malaysian-dream">7 years to 2020: thoughts on achieving the Malaysian dream</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:20 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" border="0" alt="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" title="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" width="220" height="129" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>2020 is significant because it is the year in which Malaysia expects to leave the crib of developing nations and enter the world of developed nations.</strong></font></p><p><em>Rama Ramanathan, The Malaysian Insider</em> </p> 10th December was International Human Rights Day. This year, the date marks the 65th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in 1948.<br /><br />This year, the date has been chosen to also mark the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993.<br /><br />The Vienna Declaration defined the vision. The Programme (plan) of Action created the means for making real progress towards that vision.<br /><br />One of the things the UN excels at – and which makes it slow to release any document of significance – is working consultatively and collaboratively. The UN Secretary General's Message for 2013 Human Rights Day noted that preparation of the Vienna vision and programme "involved the participation of more than 800 NGO's, treaty bodies and academics."<br /><br />To observe the date this year, the UN and Suhakam (Malaysia's Human Rights Commission) hosted a discussion in Kuala Lumpur titled "Road to 2020: Human Rights and Development".<br /><br />The title is pregnant with meaning. Consider this: Why 2020? Why "and Development," instead of "Human Rights Development"?<br /><br />In the context of Malaysia, it is important to recognize that we are one of the few nations which publish and implement 5 year National Development Plans. We are on our 10th plan (2011-2015) since independence. Less than a week ago, on 5th December, the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department held the kick-off meeting for developing the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 -2020).<br /><br />2020 is significant because it is the year in which Malaysia expects to leave the crib of developing nations and enter the world of developed nations.<br /><br />In public discourse, the goal of Vision 2020 is measured in average per capita income, with a goal of $15,000 per head of population.<br /><br />The focus on income is not surprising in a country with burgeoning debt (according to the BBC, 60 Malaysians declare bankruptcy daily), and credit markdowns by international ratings agencies (Fitch and S&P).<br /><br />Public discourse needs to reintroduce into the conversation all 9 strategic goals of Vision 2020 – goals which give much consideration to Human Rights. Here's a quick summary of the goals:<br /><br />- A united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny.<br />- A psychologically liberated, secure... society with faith and confidence in itself.<br />- A mature democratic society, practising... consensual, community-oriented... democracy.<br />- A fully moral and ethical society... imbued with the highest of ethical standards.<br />- A matured, liberal and tolerant society... free to practise and profess... religious beliefs.<br />- A scientific and progressive society... innovative and forward-looking.<br />- A fully caring society and a caring culture... strong and resilient family system.<br />- An economically just society... fair and equitable distribution of the wealth.<br />- A prosperous society, with an economy... fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.<br /><br />The discussion was pregnant with meaning. The passion and patriotism of the panellists was crystal clear. Vision 2020 was recognized as the shared national vision and a note of urgency permeated the discussion.<br /><br />The following paragraphs provide consensus assessments of where we are on our journey to 2020, and what we need to do to recover the direction and resume the pace of the journey.<br /><br /><strong>7 years to 2020: assessments and recommendations</strong><br /><br /><strong>1. GTP and MDG.</strong> At the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva in October we convinced our peers that our Government Transformation Program (GTP) is moving us forward in economic development, in particular creating 3.3 million jobs. Malaysia has achieved its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) ahead of time. This should mean good news in terms of right to housing, health and security. We must all be vigilant that public discourse about the GTP doesn't focus on economic prosperity at the expense of Human Rights.<br /><br /><strong>2. UN Treaties.</strong> Vast attention is being given to restrictions on Human Rights in Malaysia due to the awakening of civil society. At the UPR, our peers gave overwhelmingly told us to ratify UN instruments. Yet, we still have not set dates for ratifying 6 of 9 core Human Rights treaties. We have even placed reservations on the treaties we have ratified. We must set targets and implement processes to ratify all the treaties and remove more reservations.<br /><br /><strong>3. 11th Malaysia Plan.</strong> Although Suhakam is established by law, by the Yang di Pertuan Agung, to advise the government on human rights, the government doesn't listen to Suhakam. This is said by Suhakam, vast numbers of NGO's and international observers. We continue to think of Human Rights Plans as auxiliary to Development plans, not integral to them. The government must work with Suhakam and ensure the 11th Malaysia plan is based upon clearly spelt out (using UN language) Human Rights principles.<br /><br /><strong>4. The people are ready, but the government is lethargic.</strong> The issues and concerns raised during the 13th General Elections are clear, thanks to the ease with which the New Media can be monitored. Citizens – who are better educated, urbanized and have moved into the middle class with its associated values – have expressed their hopes and expectations: the rakyat say they are ready for change, yet the government says otherwise. The government must tap the mood and energy of the people by more effectively engaging civil society.<br /><br /><strong>5. The government still behaves like it's superior to NGOs.</strong> National leaders and heads of Government departments continue to view those who criticize current policies, implementation and results, as adversaries. They do not welcome members of civil society to discussion tables as equal partners; rather, they see them as people to be superficially consulted, e.g. by drinking tea together and having a meal together, rather than working together to craft new approaches to solve long-standing problems. The government must set clear measures to assess the outcomes of dialogue sessions – policy changes must be traceable to inputs from civil society.<br /><br /><strong>6. Human rights defenders.</strong> The vilification of Comango by a handful of vocal NGO's and by some members of the government – including one Minister – signals disrespect for Human Rights on the part of the government. It also signals a lack of seriousness in pursuing all that is in Vision 2020. It will not do for the government to invite NGO's to share the burden, and then vilify the NGO's for doing so. National leaders must speak up to protect the UPR process and the participation of NGO's.<br /><br /><strong>7. Political will.</strong> A recurrent theme was the recognition that change cannot happen without political will, i.e. a readiness to take firm positions, even if such decisions mean loss of perceived or actual popular support. It is not possible to please everyone all the time. National leaders must stop encouraging identity-politics and must start dismantling it.<br /><br /><strong>8. A litany of embarrassments.</strong> On the world scene, we are amongst the last to ratify international covenants; we do not debate Suhakam's report in Parliament; we do not have a National Human Rights Action Plan; we pursue development at the cost of Human Rights (especially in the area of land rights); we tolerate the vilification and demonization of Human Rights defenders. <br /><p><strong>The way forward</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/un-day-thoughts-on-achieving-the-malaysian-dream?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tmi%2Fnews%2Fsideviews+%28TMI+-+Side+Views%29#When:02:32:57Z" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60925-prs-liberal-problem">PR’s ‘liberal’ problem</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 10:15 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/RuebanBalasubramaniam_zps76e5ef2a.jpg" border="0" width="170" height="89" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The problem arises for liberals when citizens exercise their autonomy in a way that turns out to be hostile to autonomy itself. These rights permit citizens to develop homophobic, racist, or other views that deny the autonomy of others. But if these citizens try to gain enough support to turn these views into law, the liberal state steps in to prevent them from doing so. It will declare such laws unconstitutional and liberal courts will strike these down.</strong></font></p><p><em>Rueban Balasubramaniam, The Malay Mail</em></p><p> </p> Right-wing defenders of ethno-Islamist rule criticise Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for advancing a "liberal" political programme. They say that under such a programme, society would be too individualistic and subversive of important and traditional values. <br /><br />And this would not only challenge a Malay-Muslim vision of society but other conservative Malaysian values. In gist, PR's political programme would threaten the ethical identity of the state.<br /><br />How should we respond to this critique?<br /><br />Perhaps we might dismiss this critique as grounded in false assumptions about the ethical character of a group. All groups consist of individuals. And since individuals have rational and moral powers of judgement, which they are bound to exercise in ways that lead to disagreement about ethics, morality, religion, and politics, group-life will be marked by disagreements about value or what may be termed the fact of pluralism. Therefore, it is false to suppose that there is anything that can be identified as a group ethic or morality.<br /><br />This objection to the critique is powerful but perhaps too quick. For, like it or not, ethno-Islamists have an actual basis of support in people who worry about the rise of the liberal state in Malaysia. And there are others who have nothing to do with the ethno-Islamist agenda who think the rise of a liberal society may pose dangers to their particular values and beliefs.<br /><br />What exactly is this worry about liberalism?<br /><br />Jurgen Habermas, arguably the world's leading living political philosopher, has identified precisely the kind of problem that I think is buried in the right-wing ethno-Islamist critique of PR, the worry that liberalism turns out to be hostile to those who adhere to values and beliefs that are hostile to liberalism itself.<br /><br />Liberalism's core value is individual autonomy, that is, the individual's rational and moral powers to set, revise, and pursue his or her plan of life. This ideal explains liberalism's emphasis on individual rights and freedoms as necessary for the meaningful exercise of these powers. These rights are central to the individual's powers of autonomous self-realization.<br /><br />It follows that liberals affirm the importance of the fact of pluralism as the mark of a healthy liberal society. If people are given a set of rights so they can attain their autonomy, then they are apt to also disagree about ethics, morality, religion, and politics. It is therefore important for the liberal state to embrace the principle of "toleration" in ensuring ample space for different ethical, moral, religious, and political perspectives as part of a healthy political culture.<br /><br />The problem arises for liberals when citizens exercise their autonomy in a way that turns out to be hostile to autonomy itself. These rights permit citizens to develop homophobic, racist, or other views that deny the autonomy of others. But if these citizens try to gain enough support to turn these views into law, the liberal state steps in to prevent them from doing so. It will declare such laws unconstitutional and liberal courts will strike these down.<br /><br />Hence, as Habermas argues, contemporary liberalism is defined by a serious contradiction: it grants individuals rights to pursue their individual autonomy and encourages the fact of pluralism. But because there is no guarantee that the pluralism that will arise is "reasonable" (disagreement within the boundaries of liberal autonomy) and may instead be "deep" (disagreement beyond the boundaries of liberal autonomy), the liberal state will end up simultaneously encouraging and discouraging the fact of pluralism. In this, the liberal state will seem oppressive to those who are drawn to deeply pluralistic views.<br /><br />In its best iteration, I think the ethno-Islamist critique of PR alludes to this contradiction. Here, I am not suggesting that ethno-Islamists self-consciously make this objection. But their critique does signal a very serious political challenge for PR that goes beyond everyday political swashbuckling, the challenge that PR's political programme is intolerant of deep pluralism.<br /><br />The challenge is serious because it has to do with the prospects of long-term social co-operation in Malaysia. Any plausible political programme for Malaysia must adequately respond to the fact of deep pluralism and must be able to engage perspectives that may turn out to be hostile to the liberal ideal of autonomy. Otherwise, citizens whose perspectives are not engaged are apt to view any proposed political programme as a threat to their values and sense of identity so they will not find it rational and reasonable to support that programme.<br /><br />Currently, PR responds by saying that right-wing ethno-Islamists misunderstand liberalism. But this response does not address the present problem, which requires that PR explain the values that underlie its political programme and show how those values justify the practical aspects of that programme. As well, the explanation must reveal why it is both rational and reasonable for deeply disagreeing citizens to endorse the programme.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there is no evidence that PR has addressed this complex and daunting "liberal" challenge. As a coalition that wishes to construct a meaningful political alternative for Malaysians, it must address this challenge or run the risk of reproducing the evils of oppression and intolerance that increasingly beset Malaysian politics. PR must resist the impression that it may be intolerant of groups that do not endorse the ideal of liberal autonomy if it seeks to achieve its goal of supplying an adequate political alternative to the status quo.<br /><p> </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7WrsOkcKrwlNRw5esQwbr38vubs">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-78017252031600372222013-12-12T23:09:00.001-08:002013-12-12T23:09:15.466-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60923-why-blame-najib">Why blame Najib?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 11:21 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>By equating money being illegally taken out of the country with corruption, the opposition is suggesting that by eliminating corruption this would automatically stop money from leaving Malaysia. This is a gross distortion of what is really happening. </strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Actually, we have discussed this matter some time ago, long before Najib Tun Razak became the Prime Minister. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The opposition wants Najib to stem the tide (to quote what they said). They also say that RM174 billion was siphoned out of the country in 2011 and, according to Rafizi Ramli, this more or less confirms the close association between corruption and money illegally leaving the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The opposition may have a point that money illegally gained (meaning through corruption) would be taken out of the country, as it would be dangerous to leave it in the country (since it is dirty money). </p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, the opposition is oversimplifying things plus is misleading the people as to what is really going on. Not all the money that has left Malaysia is dirty money. A fair bit is clean money as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And, as I said, we have been discussing this matter since far back, long before Najib Tun Razak became Prime Minister. But if you want to blame Najib for it and if you demand that he stop this, you may not quite like what you will see in the end.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I remember saying, years ago, that we have too many foreign workers in Malaysia (both legal as well as illegal workers). Some have put the estimates as high as five million.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">According to friends in the banking industry, every month billions are sent home by these foreign workers. And this has been going on for years. This is not something new.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">If for the last 30 years (which comes to 360 months) billions every month leaves the country, just imagine what the total is by now. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Let us work the simple arithmetic. Say each of the five million foreign workers sends an average of just RM200 per person home. That comes to RM1 billion per month or RM12 billion per year. And the bankers tell me it is more than RM1 billion per month.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And the culprits are the moneychangers. Hence if Malaysia bans and closes down all moneychangers then the foreign workers would have to send their money home through the banks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We then will have to pass a law making it illegal for foreign workers to send money home. They can make their money and spend it in Malaysia. They cannot send the money home.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We will also have to pass a law that a person can carry only RM1,000 when they leave the country. The customs will do a 100% check on all people leaving Malaysia to make sure that they do not smuggle out more than RM1,000 when they leave Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do you really think this is viable? Would tourists visit Malaysia when they have to leave their money in the country and not take out more than RM1,000?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My Chinese friends (some of them who are financial consultants) tell me that the Malaysian Chinese have been moving their money overseas for quite a long time now. I have met people from Tan Cheong who have been investing in China since the 1980s. I have spoken to people from Boon Siew, Genting, etc., who have said the same thing. They have been slowly moving billions out of the country over the last 30 years. And Malaysian Chinese hoteliers have been setting up hotels in China since the 1970s even before Malaysia had diplomatic relations with China. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this is not dirty money. It is clean money. But it is money made in Malaysia and shifted to other countries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Malaysians have been buying property all over the world (in particular in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, etc.) -- Malays, Chinese, Indians and East Malaysians included. And this has been going on for a long time and comes to billions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this, too, is not dirty money but clean money. And a lot of this money is clean money that tax has not been paid. Hence these are tax evaders who send their money overseas because they cannot account for it. And not all these people are Umno or Barisan Nasional people. Many whom I personally know are in fact Pakatan Rakyat supporters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So let us not oversimplify the issue. Not all the money is dirty money. Not all these people are government people or corrupt Malays.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">One way Najib can solve this is to do what Zambia did. Najib can demonitise the Ringgit so that it has no value outside Malaysia. You can only spend the Ringgit in the country and not send it to another country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Next Najib can ban foreign workers and send the ones already in the country home. Then plantations, factories, construction sites, and so on can only employ Malaysians and most likely at double the salaries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt costs would also increase but at least the money will stay in the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Maids will also be banned so Malaysians would no longer have the luxury of maids or domestic workers. Wives would have to stop work and stay home to look after the children, clean the house, wash clothes, cook, and so on.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">With the Ringgit no longer having any value outside Malaysia and no more foreign workers in Malaysia, the problem of the outflow of money could, to some extent, be curtailed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Can Pakatan Rakyat promise Malaysians that if it ever came to power at federal level it would do all this? Foreign workers can no longer send billions home because there would not be any foreign workers in Malaysia and Malaysians cannot invest or buy property overseas because the Ringgit would have zero value outside the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt we would face other problems because of this but we shall have to endure that just to make sure that the Ringgit stays in Malaysia. Oh, and of course no one would invest in Malaysia because they will not be allowed to take their money home again.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">By equating money being illegally taken out of the country with corruption, the opposition is suggesting that by eliminating corruption this would automatically stop money from leaving Malaysia. This is a gross distortion of what is really happening. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can eliminate corruption but this will still not stop people from sending their money to another country because not all the money that left Malaysia is dirty money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And tell me very honestly, are you saying that not a single Pakatan Rakyat supporter has sent his/her money overseas and/or bought property or invested overseas?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color: maroon">People will pay the price for Najib's inaction on billions siphoned out of country</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">(The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have hit out at Putrajaya for its failure to rein in illicit money outflow, with one demanding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak give up his Finance Minister's post for his failure to stem the tide.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">They also said the report by anti-graft watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI), which revealed that RM174 billion was siphoned out of the country in 2011, making Malaysia the fourth largest exporter of illicit capital that year after Russia, China and India, was justified given the country's "exceptional performance as world champion of corruption".</p> <p class="MsoNormal">PKR strategic director and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said the GFI report confirmed their stand that there is close association between graft and illicit funds that flow out of the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He said the GFI report also validated the annual Auditor-General Report, which highlighted and proved that Malaysia has big incidences of graft.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Najib's stubborness in ignoring the findings of the reports will stagnate the country's economy and will put further strain on the people.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"He should quit as Finance Minister because the large amount of illicit outflow is proof of his failure," Rafizi charged.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said sarcastically that there was no doubt that on a per capita basis, Malaysia won hands down as the "world champion of corruption", validating the new title awarded by Transparency International and Wall Street Journal over the last one year.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Bagan MP also hit out at the central bank for being incompetent and criminally negligent in stopping the illicit outflow of funds despite setting up a task force in 2010 to implement measures to stop the outflow of dirty money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Perhaps Malaysia should follow the British model of creating the world's first central public registry of corporate beneficial ownership information to stop dirty money from going out of the country," he suggested.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">His party colleague Tony Pua agreed, adding that despite Bank Negara's meek attempt to impose stricter regulations on moneychangers, including prosecuting some of them, the real culprits behind these illicit flows have not been arrested, charged or jailed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"The most obvious known case would be the RM10 million illegal transfer by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Hassan to London, where Putrajaya has charged the money-changer but acquitted the MB," said Pua, who is DAP national publicity chief.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Petaling Jaya Utara MP added that the Barisan Nasional government has continued to be dismissive of the GFI report, with Najib hardly making a whimper over the scandal.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"These massive outflows are detrimental not only because the money will not be consumed and invested to grow the local economy, but more importantly it highlights the extent of unchecked corruption and illicit activities in Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"There is clearly no political will to contain and eliminate these illicit outflows, and more importantly, to resolve the underlying illicit and illegal activities," he hit out.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As such, Lim called on the BN government to address "this shameful title" by punishing those responsible for huge financial scandals in the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He listed the scandals involving RM52 billion worth of Bumiputera shares, which he alleged that ordinary Malays missed out on as the shares disappeared presumably to BN leaders; the RM14 billion Port Klang Free Trade Zone controversy; and the annual exposes of financial malpractices highlighted in the annual Auditor-General Report, involving some RM6.5 billion in 2012.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=M6qQdnAUyEygltu-eU7PcmOkKWk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-45798789780553897042013-12-12T21:26:00.001-08:002013-12-12T21:26:59.700-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Umno’s blitzkrieg and olive branch</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">7 years to 2020: thoughts on achieving the Malaysian dream</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Cadangan tubuh pasukan “Polis Syariah” diperhalusi, kata Zahid Hamidi</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Can a new captain steer MCA out of the storm?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">PR’s ‘liberal’ problem</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">Why not just arrest Mat Sabu?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">Why blame Najib?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#9">ROS: Validity of DAP's CEC in question until complete report is submitted</a> </li> <li> <a href="#10">DAP to defy ROS directive to temporarily halt CEC decisions</a> </li> <li> <a href="#11">Nelson Mandela’s death politicised in Malaysia</a> </li> <li> <a href="#12">DAP rubbishes ROS’ claim</a> </li> <li> <a href="#13">I do care about Malays</a> </li> <li> <a href="#14">Najib, Abe establish framework for Look East Policy's second wave</a> </li> <li> <a href="#15">‘Mat Sabu is the one’</a> </li> <li> <a href="#16">'DAP has to explain branch approval'</a> </li> <li> <a href="#17">Questions for Umno delegates</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60930-umnos-blitzkrieg-and-olive-branch">Umno’s blitzkrieg and olive branch</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:36 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" title="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UMNO-PAS-Melayu-300x202.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em><strong>Umno unleashed a two-pronged approach to paralyse PAS way ahead of the GE14.</strong></em></font></p><p>(FMT) - <strong>PAS' organisational structure is also modelled based on the administration of a Syiah majority nation – Iran.<br /></strong></p> The 67th Umno general assembly that ended last Saturday revealed that Umno is hurt due to the PAS-DAP alliance; as they battle to win the hearts and minds of the majority of the electorate – the Malays.<br /><br />To overcome this, Umno has unleashed its two-pronged approach, similar to the carrot and stick strategy to totally paralyse PAS within the next five years before General Election 14 which is due in 2018.<br /><br />Umno is using its carrot and stick approach via a blitzkrieg and an olive branch. It has given PAS two options based on Cold War mentality.<br /><br />(Blitzkrieg refers to German's attacking forces of dense concentration of mechanised infantry formations used during World War I.)<br /><br />Umno's message to PAS is: You are either with us or against us. The nationalist Umno is currently launching its blitzkrieg in its veiled anti-Syiah campaign.<br /><br />PAS spiritual advisor Nik Aziz Nik Mat was spot on when he said that the anti-Syiah campaign the Umno vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced was an all out campaign against the minority Syiah community in PAS.<br /><br />"Don't claim yourselves as defenders of Islam by bashing the Syiah. The society is smart to assess that it is not the Syiah who are under attack but the opposition who are gaining more support," said Nik Aziz in a statement that was put up on Monday.<br /><br />"If one truly wants to eradicate them, just arrest them. The question here is how do you conduct the arrest when there are deviants within your own party," added Nik Aziz, alluding to Umno leaders.<br /><br />The reaction of Nik Aziz is similar to Umno vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's declaration that he would go all out against the Syiah.<br /><br /><strong>Zahid's attack</strong><br /><br />"We are surprised on how PAS can elect a Syiah as their number two leader," said Ahmad Zahid<br /><br />"(Minister in Prime Minister's Department) Jamil Khir (Baharom), I empower you with the Home Ministry to take action," Ahmad Zahid who is also the Home Minister said while delivering his wrap up speech at Umno's 67th annual general.<br /><br />Ahmad Zahid was hinting at PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu without naming him.<br /><br />In a related development, Jamil had said that political leanings would not be a factor in curbing Syiah teachings.<br /><br />While it is true that there are Syiah followers in both the Malay Muslim based parties, PAS would be most affected in the event of a clampdown on the community.<br /><br />Majority of the Syiah community have tendencies to put an 'X' for PAS instead of Umno. They are also predominant in the Malay heartland states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Kedah where PAS is Umno's biggest threat.<br /><br />PAS' organisational structure is also modelled based on the administration of a Syiah majority nation – Iran.<br /><br />The Dewan Ulama within PAS was established during Yusof Rawa's tenure as PAS' president and spiritual adviser from October 1982 to March 1989. Prior to that Yusof was also Malaysia's diplomat to Iran.<br /><br />The blitzkrieg on PAS is vital to BN component parties because while PAS lost about seven percent of the Malay votes in the 13th general election, nevertheless it managed to created a stronghold in mixed constituencies such as Kota Raja, which was previously held by MIC.<br /><br />To paraphrase an idiom, when General Umno sneezes, its BN lieutenants catches cold.<br /><br /><strong>Umno's olive branch</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/13/umnos-blitzkrieg-and-olive-branch/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60929-can-pakatan-win-ge14">Can Pakatan win GE14?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:29 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" title="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/pakatan-ge.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><font color="#800000"><em>Pakatan must realise that Umno is a formidable opponent with deep pockets, large armies and an uncanny ability to go into the elections with all the positives stacked in their favour. </em></font></p><p>(FMT) - <strong>As always, in Malaysia, political affiliations and loyalties are broken down to the basics – how much is on offer and damn the electorates, "good governance, public integrity, accountability, respect for democracy and human rights, moderation and tolerance"…all that Lim Kit Siang talked about at the Empire Hotel Ballroom, recently.</strong></p><p> </p> "Based on present redelineation, Pakatan Rakyat should aim to win 135 parliamentary seats in GE14 to capture Putrajaya, with PKR, PAS and DAP each winning 45 seats and a parliamentary majority of 48.<br /><br />"The performance of the Pakatan parties in the 2008 and 2013 GEs have shown that the three component parties have their basic strengths.<br /><br />"If we are prepared to persevere in a common patriotic cause – to save the country from corruption, cronyism, abuses of power, exploitation of the poor and downtrodden regardless of race, religion or region, extremism and intolerance.<br /><br />"And put in place good governance, public integrity, accountability, respect for democracy, human rights, moderation and tolerance, we have no reason to be pessimistic about the future of the country or the outcome of the GE14." – DAP's Lim Kit Siang.<br /><br />Based on this statement made by Lim Kit Siang, it would seem that Pakatan has already won the GE14 and will form the next government come 2018, or thereabouts.<br /><br />Lim is quite confident even as the Umno-led Barisan Nasional is slowly but surely dismantling whatever "basic strengths" and "common patriotic case" that Pakatan may have to save this country from the corruption, cronyism and abuse of power perpetrated by the BN government.<br /><br />Let's examine the facts.<br /><br />Am I to believe that with all the overwhelming overt evidence of foul play, vote rigging, phantom, pendatang's and illegal voters that number in the thousands (so Pakatan tell us), nothing can be done to present irrefutable evidence to the courts to overturn ANY of the GE13 results?<br /><br />If not the courts, why not present the evidence to the people and let us make up our own minds?<br /><br />To date, nothing worth talking about has been done to substantiate the claims of vote rigging.<br /><br />If Pakatan claims that the Malaysian courts only do the bidding of their political masters, then can someone explain to me why Anwar Ibrahim was acquitted of Sodomy Two?<br /><br />The irresponsible actions of Pakatan in convening the Blackout 505 protests very quickly lost its momentum and became a predictable washout once the public realised the futility of it all.<br /><br />Energy could have been better spent if Pakatan had responsibly galvanised the 53 percent electoral support they received at the GE13 and channeled it into an orderly structured mass movement that would eventually make BN understand that Pakatan is a political force to be reckoned with.<br /><br />But this would require a massive, sustained and disciplined effort by Pakatan -something I suspect Pakatan is unable to do.<br /><br /><strong>BN consolidating its hold</strong><br /><br />What has BN been doing since then?<br /><br />Najib Tun Razak is firmly at the helm of Umno and BN. Given that he was unable to take back Selangor nor regain two-thirds majority in parliament, that by itself, is testament that BN is seriously consolidating its hold on power and making necessary adjustments to the realities of politics as it is post GE13.<br /><br />Attacks on the Chinese voters have not abated – a politically astute decision by Umno given that MCA lost the Chinese votes to DAP.<p> </p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2013/12/13/can-pakatan-win-ge14/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60928-7-years-to-2020-thoughts-on-achieving-the-malaysian-dream">7 years to 2020: thoughts on achieving the Malaysian dream</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:20 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" border="0" alt="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" title="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTPpmEoLgiPODM7hu3SEqz1CyVPwQmz7Vb1W03S3kk-cuSDcyxmDQ" width="220" height="129" /> </p><p><strong>2020 is significant because it is the year in which Malaysia expects to leave the crib of developing nations and enter the world of developed nations.</strong></p><p><em>Rama Ramanathan, The Malaysian Insider</em> </p> 10th December was International Human Rights Day. This year, the date marks the 65th anniversary of the adoption by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in 1948.<br /><br />This year, the date has been chosen to also mark the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights in 1993.<br /><br />The Vienna Declaration defined the vision. The Programme (plan) of Action created the means for making real progress towards that vision.<br /><br />One of the things the UN excels at – and which makes it slow to release any document of significance – is working consultatively and collaboratively. The UN Secretary General's Message for 2013 Human Rights Day noted that preparation of the Vienna vision and programme "involved the participation of more than 800 NGO's, treaty bodies and academics."<br /><br />To observe the date this year, the UN and Suhakam (Malaysia's Human Rights Commission) hosted a discussion in Kuala Lumpur titled "Road to 2020: Human Rights and Development".<br /><br />The title is pregnant with meaning. Consider this: Why 2020? Why "and Development," instead of "Human Rights Development"?<br /><br />In the context of Malaysia, it is important to recognize that we are one of the few nations which publish and implement 5 year National Development Plans. We are on our 10th plan (2011-2015) since independence. Less than a week ago, on 5th December, the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department held the kick-off meeting for developing the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 -2020).<br /><br />2020 is significant because it is the year in which Malaysia expects to leave the crib of developing nations and enter the world of developed nations.<br /><br />In public discourse, the goal of Vision 2020 is measured in average per capita income, with a goal of $15,000 per head of population.<br /><br />The focus on income is not surprising in a country with burgeoning debt (according to the BBC, 60 Malaysians declare bankruptcy daily), and credit markdowns by international ratings agencies (Fitch and S&P).<br /><br />Public discourse needs to reintroduce into the conversation all 9 strategic goals of Vision 2020 – goals which give much consideration to Human Rights. Here's a quick summary of the goals:<br /><br />- A united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny.<br />- A psychologically liberated, secure... society with faith and confidence in itself.<br />- A mature democratic society, practising... consensual, community-oriented... democracy.<br />- A fully moral and ethical society... imbued with the highest of ethical standards.<br />- A matured, liberal and tolerant society... free to practise and profess... religious beliefs.<br />- A scientific and progressive society... innovative and forward-looking.<br />- A fully caring society and a caring culture... strong and resilient family system.<br />- An economically just society... fair and equitable distribution of the wealth.<br />- A prosperous society, with an economy... fully competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.<br /><br />The discussion was pregnant with meaning. The passion and patriotism of the panellists was crystal clear. Vision 2020 was recognized as the shared national vision and a note of urgency permeated the discussion.<br /><br />The following paragraphs provide consensus assessments of where we are on our journey to 2020, and what we need to do to recover the direction and resume the pace of the journey.<br /><br /><strong>7 years to 2020: assessments and recommendations</strong><br /><br /><strong>1. GTP and MDG.</strong> At the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva in October we convinced our peers that our Government Transformation Program (GTP) is moving us forward in economic development, in particular creating 3.3 million jobs. Malaysia has achieved its Millennium Development Goals (MDG) ahead of time. This should mean good news in terms of right to housing, health and security. We must all be vigilant that public discourse about the GTP doesn't focus on economic prosperity at the expense of Human Rights.<br /><br /><strong>2. UN Treaties.</strong> Vast attention is being given to restrictions on Human Rights in Malaysia due to the awakening of civil society. At the UPR, our peers gave overwhelmingly told us to ratify UN instruments. Yet, we still have not set dates for ratifying 6 of 9 core Human Rights treaties. We have even placed reservations on the treaties we have ratified. We must set targets and implement processes to ratify all the treaties and remove more reservations.<br /><br /><strong>3. 11th Malaysia Plan.</strong> Although Suhakam is established by law, by the Yang di Pertuan Agung, to advise the government on human rights, the government doesn't listen to Suhakam. This is said by Suhakam, vast numbers of NGO's and international observers. We continue to think of Human Rights Plans as auxiliary to Development plans, not integral to them. The government must work with Suhakam and ensure the 11th Malaysia plan is based upon clearly spelt out (using UN language) Human Rights principles.<br /><br /><strong>4. The people are ready, but the government is lethargic.</strong> The issues and concerns raised during the 13th General Elections are clear, thanks to the ease with which the New Media can be monitored. Citizens – who are better educated, urbanized and have moved into the middle class with its associated values – have expressed their hopes and expectations: the rakyat say they are ready for change, yet the government says otherwise. The government must tap the mood and energy of the people by more effectively engaging civil society.<br /><br /><strong>5. The government still behaves like it's superior to NGOs.</strong> National leaders and heads of Government departments continue to view those who criticize current policies, implementation and results, as adversaries. They do not welcome members of civil society to discussion tables as equal partners; rather, they see them as people to be superficially consulted, e.g. by drinking tea together and having a meal together, rather than working together to craft new approaches to solve long-standing problems. The government must set clear measures to assess the outcomes of dialogue sessions – policy changes must be traceable to inputs from civil society.<br /><br /><strong>6. Human rights defenders.</strong> The vilification of Comango by a handful of vocal NGO's and by some members of the government – including one Minister – signals disrespect for Human Rights on the part of the government. It also signals a lack of seriousness in pursuing all that is in Vision 2020. It will not do for the government to invite NGO's to share the burden, and then vilify the NGO's for doing so. National leaders must speak up to protect the UPR process and the participation of NGO's.<br /><br /><strong>7. Political will.</strong> A recurrent theme was the recognition that change cannot happen without political will, i.e. a readiness to take firm positions, even if such decisions mean loss of perceived or actual popular support. It is not possible to please everyone all the time. National leaders must stop encouraging identity-politics and must start dismantling it.<br /><br /><strong>8. A litany of embarrassments.</strong> On the world scene, we are amongst the last to ratify international covenants; we do not debate Suhakam's report in Parliament; we do not have a National Human Rights Action Plan; we pursue development at the cost of Human Rights (especially in the area of land rights); we tolerate the vilification and demonization of Human Rights defenders. <br /><p><strong>The way forward</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/un-day-thoughts-on-achieving-the-malaysian-dream?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tmi%2Fnews%2Fsideviews+%28TMI+-+Side+Views%29#When:02:32:57Z" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/beritakomentar/60927-cadangan-tubuh-pasukan-polis-syariah-diperhalusi-kata-zahid-hamidi">Cadangan tubuh pasukan “Polis Syariah” diperhalusi, kata Zahid Hamidi</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 11:15 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/resizer/ZAHID_HAMIDI_121213_TMIHASNOOR_02_540_415_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/resizer/ZAHID_HAMIDI_121213_TMIHASNOOR_02_540_415_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/resizer/ZAHID_HAMIDI_121213_TMIHASNOOR_02_540_415_100.jpg" width="220" height="169" /> </p><p>(TMI) - <strong>Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) sedang memperincikan cadangan penubuhan sebuah pasukan polis khas bagi membanteras penyebaran ajaran sesat dan fahaman Syiah di negara ini.<br /></strong></p> Menterinya, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (gambar) berkata cadangan itu antara lain akan membolehkan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) menempatkan pegawai dan anggotanya di Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) sebagai sebahagian daripada pasukan penguatkuasaan.<br /><br />Untuk itu, Ahmad Zahid berkata beliau akan mengadakan perbincangan lanjut bersama Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri yang bertanggungjawab mengenai hal ehwal Islam, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.<br /><br />"Ada cadangan daripada sebuah NGO (badan bukan kerajaan) untuk tubuhkan pasukan polis Syariah, banteras ajaran sesat. Ini akan dibincangkan dengan terperinci. <br /><br />"Kita juga akan mohon perkenan Majlis Raja-raja Melayu supaya tidak disalah anggap cuba campur tangan soal pengendalian isu-isu agama. Aspek yang saya tekankan adalah untuk menjaga keselamatan dan ketenteraman awam. Mencegah lebih baik daripada mengubati," katanya kepada Bernama selepas menjadi tetamu dalam program Ruang Bicara terbitan BernamaTV malam tadi.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/cadangan-tubuh-pasukan-polis-syariah-diperhalusi-kata-zahid-hamidi?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tmi%2Fnews%2Fbahasa+%28TMI+-+Bahasa%29#When:02:01:44Z" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60926-can-a-new-captain-steer-mca-out-of-the-storm">Can a new captain steer MCA out of the storm?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 10:19 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" title="http://www.fz.com/sites/default/files/styles/1_landscape_slider_photo/public/presiden%281%29_1.jpg" width="220" height="148" /></p><p><strong><font color="#800000"><em>(L- R) Deputy president Gan Ping Sieu, Vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and former President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. MCA now faces challenges it had never faced before: a landslide support of the Chinese community to the opposition because they are longing for change. </em></font></strong></p><p>(fz.com) -<strong> There is no easy solution to MCA's problems no matter who is elected as the party president in the coming party poll.</strong></p> Former president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat may enjoy a reputation as a bold and vocal leader, but he had lost some support for his role in escalating the party infighting in the 2009 – 2010 period.<br /><br />Second line leader Vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has political and governing experience, but he is seen as indecisive and his performance in recent years has not been very inspiring.<br /><br />Deputy president Gan Ping Sieu, the youngest among the three leaders, with less baggage may seem to be able to bring some fresh air into the party but his leadership skills remain untested.<br /><br />The continuous party infighting and the inability of the party to bring about an equal distribution of political, economic and social opportunities for the different communities in the country within the BN power-sharing model are among the reasons for the disastrous defeat of the party in the last general election.<br /><br />Within ten years, MCA's share of seats had dropped drastically from 31 parliamentary seats and 76 state seats in 2004 to seven parliamentary seats and 11 state seats in 2013.<br /><br />It may seem like too little, too late has been done to help the party emerge from its current political turbulence. However, it may not be a totally hopeless case if some drastic measures are put in place.<br /><br />Reform, the main thrust of Liow's manifesto, or going back to the core values of the party, the crux of Gan's manifesto, or Ong's fighting to restore the dignity of the party may be beautiful words, but can the new leadership deliver what they promise, that is, to win back the support of the Chinese community?<br /><br />The Chinese community certainly doubts it, and as a matter of fact, they don't really care anymore. They have ditched the MCA because they were disappointed in the non-performance of the party in forging a nation in which everyone is equal and not called "outsiders" and asked to "go back to China."<br /><br />To put things into perspective, MCA now faces challenges it had never faced before: a landslide support of the Chinese community to the opposition because they are longing for change.<br /><br />The Chinese voters had chosen the agenda offered by the opposition that strives for transparency, good governance and equality, against the services offered by the MCA for the past 64 years.<br /><br />In a paper on the realignment of Chinese politics after GE13, political scientist Phoon Wing Keong said that the Chinese community had clearly shifted their political alignment, and this shifting is a rare occurrence which could lead to a realignment of the party system.<br /><br />He observed that in the previous elections before 2008, the political party identification of the Chinese had always been stable, with the exception of 1969 general election, in which all the Chinese-based parties namely MCA, Gerakan, DAP and SUPP, managed to get their Chinese support base. This has changed in the 2013 GE.<br /><br />Phoon believed that the main reason is that the current political system based on religious and racial differences is no longer working after many new issues concerning policy making and governance have surfaced, in addition to the emergence of a cross-community social movement. Hence, the Islamic state or hudud law issues constantly raised by the MCA could no longer scare the Chinese.<br /><br />Also, he said, the MCA is losing its political function within the government system in order to connect with the voters. Further, it is seen as running away from pressing political issues, and as having lost its ability to put forward independent discourse, thus it lacks legitimacy within the Chinese community.<br /><br />A long time political observer, Phoon has been very critical of the MCA under the leadership of former president Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, in which the party had focused on issues unrelated to politics, such as the launch of the Lifelong Learning Campaign.<br /><br />"The Chinese community has clearly stated that they are prepared to bid farewell to MCA in the 2013 GE. In hoping to return to the mainstream of politics, MCA doesn't seem to grapple with this spirit of the times. Instead it has made a wrong judgment and used the 'no-cabinet-post' threat to hold the mainstream popular opinion of the Chinese community to ransom, and as a result, was swallowed by it," Phoon said.<br /><br />He said that the Chinese-based BN component parties must look seriously into the drastic drop of support in the two past consecutive elections and admit that their popular foundation has been severely damaged.<br /><br />Another issue is that one of MCA's biggest problems is its perceived lack of ideology or vision.<br /><br />Ng Nyen Fah, Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies, said that MCA has yet to find a formula that could make the Chinese community feel that they have a place in this country.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fz.com/content/can-new-captain-steer-mca-out-storm" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a><br /><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60925-prs-liberal-problem">PR’s ‘liberal’ problem</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 12 Dec 2013 10:15 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/images/sized/uploads/authors/mmocol-rueban-170x89.png" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/images/sized/uploads/authors/mmocol-rueban-170x89.png" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/images/sized/uploads/authors/mmocol-rueban-170x89.png" width="170" height="89" /> </p><p><strong>The problem arises for liberals when citizens exercise their autonomy in a way that turns out to be hostile to autonomy itself. These rights permit citizens to develop homophobic, racist, or other views that deny the autonomy of others. But if these citizens try to gain enough support to turn these views into law, the liberal state steps in to prevent them from doing so. It will declare such laws unconstitutional and liberal courts will strike these down.</strong></p><p><em>Rueban Balasubramaniam, The Malay Mail</em></p> Right-wing defenders of ethno-Islamist rule criticise Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for advancing a "liberal" political programme. They say that under such a programme, society would be too individualistic and subversive of important and traditional values. <br /><br />And this would not only challenge a Malay-Muslim vision of society but other conservative Malaysian values. In gist, PR's political programme would threaten the ethical identity of the state.<br /><br />How should we respond to this critique?<br /><br />Perhaps we might dismiss this critique as grounded in false assumptions about the ethical character of a group. All groups consist of individuals. And since individuals have rational and moral powers of judgement, which they are bound to exercise in ways that lead to disagreement about ethics, morality, religion, and politics, group-life will be marked by disagreements about value or what may be termed the fact of pluralism. Therefore, it is false to suppose that there is anything that can be identified as a group ethic or morality.<br /><br />This objection to the critique is powerful but perhaps too quick. For, like it or not, ethno-Islamists have an actual basis of support in people who worry about the rise of the liberal state in Malaysia. And there are others who have nothing to do with the ethno-Islamist agenda who think the rise of a liberal society may pose dangers to their particular values and beliefs.<br /><br />What exactly is this worry about liberalism?<br /><br />Jurgen Habermas, arguably the world's leading living political philosopher, has identified precisely the kind of problem that I think is buried in the right-wing ethno-Islamist critique of PR, the worry that liberalism turns out to be hostile to those who adhere to values and beliefs that are hostile to liberalism itself.<br /><br />Liberalism's core value is individual autonomy, that is, the individual's rational and moral powers to set, revise, and pursue his or her plan of life. This ideal explains liberalism's emphasis on individual rights and freedoms as necessary for the meaningful exercise of these powers. These rights are central to the individual's powers of autonomous self-realization.<br /><br />It follows that liberals affirm the importance of the fact of pluralism as the mark of a healthy liberal society. If people are given a set of rights so they can attain their autonomy, then they are apt to also disagree about ethics, morality, religion, and politics. It is therefore important for the liberal state to embrace the principle of "toleration" in ensuring ample space for different ethical, moral, religious, and political perspectives as part of a healthy political culture.<br /><br />The problem arises for liberals when citizens exercise their autonomy in a way that turns out to be hostile to autonomy itself. These rights permit citizens to develop homophobic, racist, or other views that deny the autonomy of others. But if these citizens try to gain enough support to turn these views into law, the liberal state steps in to prevent them from doing so. It will declare such laws unconstitutional and liberal courts will strike these down.<br /><br />Hence, as Habermas argues, contemporary liberalism is defined by a serious contradiction: it grants individuals rights to pursue their individual autonomy and encourages the fact of pluralism. But because there is no guarantee that the pluralism that will arise is "reasonable" (disagreement within the boundaries of liberal autonomy) and may instead be "deep" (disagreement beyond the boundaries of liberal autonomy), the liberal state will end up simultaneously encouraging and discouraging the fact of pluralism. In this, the liberal state will seem oppressive to those who are drawn to deeply pluralistic views.<br /><br />In its best iteration, I think the ethno-Islamist critique of PR alludes to this contradiction. Here, I am not suggesting that ethno-Islamists self-consciously make this objection. But their critique does signal a very serious political challenge for PR that goes beyond everyday political swashbuckling, the challenge that PR's political programme is intolerant of deep pluralism.<br /><br />The challenge is serious because it has to do with the prospects of long-term social co-operation in Malaysia. Any plausible political programme for Malaysia must adequately respond to the fact of deep pluralism and must be able to engage perspectives that may turn out to be hostile to the liberal ideal of autonomy. Otherwise, citizens whose perspectives are not engaged are apt to view any proposed political programme as a threat to their values and sense of identity so they will not find it rational and reasonable to support that programme.<br /><br />Currently, PR responds by saying that right-wing ethno-Islamists misunderstand liberalism. But this response does not address the present problem, which requires that PR explain the values that underlie its political programme and show how those values justify the practical aspects of that programme. As well, the explanation must reveal why it is both rational and reasonable for deeply disagreeing citizens to endorse the programme.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there is no evidence that PR has addressed this complex and daunting "liberal" challenge. As a coalition that wishes to construct a meaningful political alternative for Malaysians, it must address this challenge or run the risk of reproducing the evils of oppression and intolerance that increasingly beset Malaysian politics. PR must resist the impression that it may be intolerant of groups that do not endorse the ideal of liberal autonomy if it seeks to achieve its goal of supplying an adequate political alternative to the status quo.<br /><strong><br />* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.</strong></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60924-why-not-just-arrest-mat-sabu">Why not just arrest Mat Sabu?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 11:38 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/mat_sabu2.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" /> </p><p>(Harakah) - If Home Ministry truly believes in the ten evidences they revealed today to conclude that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu is practising Shia, why not just arrest him?</p> <p>Why Home Ministry needs to take the route of much fanfare, stirring media hype and creating public anticipation only to reveal such weak evidences, quoting blog writers, third party's sources and Mat Sabu's speeches to accuse the latter follows Shia teachings?</p> <p>As PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali aptly puts it – the evidences presented by Home Ministry were too vague and far from being able to use to convict Mat Sabu being involved in Shia.</p> <p>Shia allegation against Mat Sabu is not new, but nothing was as official as today when Home Ministry, in a special press conference, had publicly named Mat Sabu as the person UMNO vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi labelled as "PAS number 2" in his closing speech at UMNO General Assembly last weekend.</p> <p>Instead of Zahid, it was Home Minister secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi who did the dirty job today. Why?</p> <p>The more one looks at the whole drama, the more it looks like Mat Sabu is being used as a decoy, not for Malaysian masses, but for the Malay voters, most probably to divert the attention from the amount of bad news about price hikes being spewed by UMNO-BN government since the Budget 2014 was known.</p> <p>No doubt, the latest move by Home Minister had prompted Mat Sabu to take legal action against Zahid and Rahim.</p> <p>In a statement issued from Langkawi, he said he had asked his lawyers to take further action against the slander levelled against him.</p> <p>"Zahid has always an irresponsible record. He had previously issued a statement in Malacca calling to 'shoot first, investigate later'," said Mat Sabu, adding that the Shia accusation by Zahid as UMNO vice president and also Home Minister had also tarnished the government and country's image.</p> <p>On the surface, it looks like a personal attack on Mat Sabu.</p> <p>Deep down, it is just another UMNO's ploy to prevent PAS for gaining the upper hands in securing Malay votes by creating a public perception that PAS is somehow involved 'forbidden' ties with Shia teachings.</p> <p>Home Ministry under Zahid had made their move. Now, it's time for PAS to strike back, hard.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/no-holds-barred/60923-why-blame-najib">Why blame Najib?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 11:21 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://www.malaysia-today.net/images/stories/barred/blog_item_no_holds.jpg" border="0" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font color="#800000"><em><strong>By equating money being illegally taken out of the country with corruption, the opposition is suggesting that by eliminating corruption this would automatically stop money from leaving Malaysia. This is a gross distortion of what is really happening. </strong></em></font></p><p><strong>NO HOLDS BARRED</strong></p><p><em>Raja Petra Kamarudin</em></p> <p> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal @page Section1 div.Section1 --> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Actually, we have discussed this matter some time ago, long before Najib Tun Razak became the Prime Minister. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The opposition wants Najib to stem the tide (to quote what they said). They also say that RM174 billion was siphoned out of the country in 2011 and, according to Rafizi Ramli, this more or less confirms the close association between corruption and money illegally leaving the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The opposition may have a point that money illegally gained (meaning through corruption) would be taken out of the country, as it would be dangerous to leave it in the country (since it is dirty money). </p> <p class="MsoNormal">However, the opposition is oversimplifying things plus is misleading the people as to what is really going on. Not all the money that has left Malaysia is dirty money. A fair bit is clean money as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And, as I said, we have been discussing this matter since far back, long before Najib Tun Razak became Prime Minister. But if you want to blame Najib for it and if you demand that he stop this, you may not quite like what you will see in the end.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">I remember saying, years ago, that we have too many foreign workers in Malaysia (both legal as well as illegal workers). Some have put the estimates as high as five million.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">According to friends in the banking industry, every month billions are sent home by these foreign workers. And this has been going on for years. This is not something new.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">If for the last 30 years (which comes to 360 months) billions every month leaves the country, just imagine what the total is by now. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Let us work the simple arithmetic. Say each of the five million foreign workers sends an average of just RM200 per person home. That comes to RM1 billion per month or RM12 billion per year. And the bankers tell me it is more than RM1 billion per month.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And the culprits are the moneychangers. Hence if Malaysia bans and closes down all moneychangers then the foreign workers would have to send their money home through the banks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We then will have to pass a law making it illegal for foreign workers to send money home. They can make their money and spend it in Malaysia. They cannot send the money home.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">We will also have to pass a law that a person can carry only RM1,000 when they leave the country. The customs will do a 100% check on all people leaving Malaysia to make sure that they do not smuggle out more than RM1,000 when they leave Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Do you really think this is viable? Would tourists visit Malaysia when they have to leave their money in the country and not take out more than RM1,000?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">My Chinese friends (some of them who are financial consultants) tell me that the Malaysian Chinese have been moving their money overseas for quite a long time now. I have met people from Tan Cheong who have been investing in China since the 1980s. I have spoken to people from Boon Siew, Genting, etc., who have said the same thing. They have been slowly moving billions out of the country over the last 30 years. And Malaysian Chinese hoteliers have been setting up hotels in China since the 1970s even before Malaysia had diplomatic relations with China. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this is not dirty money. It is clean money. But it is money made in Malaysia and shifted to other countries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Malaysians have been buying property all over the world (in particular in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, etc.) -- Malays, Chinese, Indians and East Malaysians included. And this has been going on for a long time and comes to billions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And this, too, is not dirty money but clean money. And a lot of this money is clean money that tax has not been paid. Hence these are tax evaders who send their money overseas because they cannot account for it. And not all these people are Umno or Barisan Nasional people. Many whom I personally know are in fact Pakatan Rakyat supporters.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">So let us not oversimplify the issue. Not all the money is dirty money. Not all these people are government people or corrupt Malays.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">One way Najib can solve this is to do what Zambia did. Najib can demonitise the Ringgit so that it has no value outside Malaysia. You can only spend the Ringgit in the country and not send it to another country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Next Najib can ban foreign workers and send the ones already in the country home. Then plantations, factories, construction sites, and so on can only employ Malaysians and most likely at double the salaries.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt costs would also increase but at least the money will stay in the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Maids will also be banned so Malaysians would no longer have the luxury of maids or domestic workers. Wives would have to stop work and stay home to look after the children, clean the house, wash clothes, cook, and so on.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">With the Ringgit no longer having any value outside Malaysia and no more foreign workers in Malaysia, the problem of the outflow of money could, to some extent, be curtailed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Can Pakatan Rakyat promise Malaysians that if it ever came to power at federal level it would do all this? Foreign workers can no longer send billions home because there would not be any foreign workers in Malaysia and Malaysians cannot invest or buy property overseas because the Ringgit would have zero value outside the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">No doubt we would face other problems because of this but we shall have to endure that just to make sure that the Ringgit stays in Malaysia. Oh, and of course no one would invest in Malaysia because they will not be allowed to take their money home again.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">By equating money being illegally taken out of the country with corruption, the opposition is suggesting that by eliminating corruption this would automatically stop money from leaving Malaysia. This is a gross distortion of what is really happening. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">You can eliminate corruption but this will still not stop people from sending their money to another country because not all the money that left Malaysia is dirty money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And tell me very honestly, are you saying that not a single Pakatan Rakyat supporter has sent his/her money overseas and/or bought property or invested overseas?</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center">*************************************</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color: maroon">People will pay the price for Najib's inaction on billions siphoned out of country</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">(The Malaysian Insider) - Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have hit out at Putrajaya for its failure to rein in illicit money outflow, with one demanding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak give up his Finance Minister's post for his failure to stem the tide.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">They also said the report by anti-graft watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI), which revealed that RM174 billion was siphoned out of the country in 2011, making Malaysia the fourth largest exporter of illicit capital that year after Russia, China and India, was justified given the country's "exceptional performance as world champion of corruption".</p> <p class="MsoNormal">PKR strategic director and Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said the GFI report confirmed their stand that there is close association between graft and illicit funds that flow out of the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He said the GFI report also validated the annual Auditor-General Report, which highlighted and proved that Malaysia has big incidences of graft.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Najib's stubborness in ignoring the findings of the reports will stagnate the country's economy and will put further strain on the people.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"He should quit as Finance Minister because the large amount of illicit outflow is proof of his failure," Rafizi charged.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said sarcastically that there was no doubt that on a per capita basis, Malaysia won hands down as the "world champion of corruption", validating the new title awarded by Transparency International and Wall Street Journal over the last one year.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Bagan MP also hit out at the central bank for being incompetent and criminally negligent in stopping the illicit outflow of funds despite setting up a task force in 2010 to implement measures to stop the outflow of dirty money.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"Perhaps Malaysia should follow the British model of creating the world's first central public registry of corporate beneficial ownership information to stop dirty money from going out of the country," he suggested.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">His party colleague Tony Pua agreed, adding that despite Bank Negara's meek attempt to impose stricter regulations on moneychangers, including prosecuting some of them, the real culprits behind these illicit flows have not been arrested, charged or jailed.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"The most obvious known case would be the RM10 million illegal transfer by Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Hassan to London, where Putrajaya has charged the money-changer but acquitted the MB," said Pua, who is DAP national publicity chief.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Petaling Jaya Utara MP added that the Barisan Nasional government has continued to be dismissive of the GFI report, with Najib hardly making a whimper over the scandal.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"These massive outflows are detrimental not only because the money will not be consumed and invested to grow the local economy, but more importantly it highlights the extent of unchecked corruption and illicit activities in Malaysia.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">"There is clearly no political will to contain and eliminate these illicit outflows, and more importantly, to resolve the underlying illicit and illegal activities," he hit out.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">As such, Lim called on the BN government to address "this shameful title" by punishing those responsible for huge financial scandals in the country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">He listed the scandals involving RM52 billion worth of Bumiputera shares, which he alleged that ordinary Malays missed out on as the shares disappeared presumably to BN leaders; the RM14 billion Port Klang Free Trade Zone controversy; and the annual exposes of financial malpractices highlighted in the annual Auditor-General Report, involving some RM6.5 billion in 2012.</p> <p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="9" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60922-ros-validity-of-daps-cec-in-question-until-complete-report-is-submitted">ROS: Validity of DAP's CEC in question until complete report is submitted</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:51 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DAP-ROS.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /> </p><p>(The Star) - DAP's central executive committee (CEC) will continue to be in a "hung" position until the party sends a complete report on its special congress and fresh re-election.</p> <p> Registrar of Societies (ROS) deputy director-general Alias Mamat said they could not make any decision on the validity of the freshly re-elected CEC because DAP had sent an incomplete report.</p><p> "We have asked DAP to immediately give us a full report complete with the list of participating branches and delegates, among others," he said.</p><p> He added that DAP should not use delaying tactics if it was serious in wanting to resolve the dispute with disgruntled members as soon as possible.</p><p> It is learnt that DAP had only submitted a brief report on its special congress held in September.</p><p> DAP held a fresh re-election following complaints lodged by members to ROS against the leadership's move to amend the party election result in January this year that saw Zairil Khir Johari securing an elected position.</p><p> Alias said ROS also did not recognise the CEC's move to appoint Zairil as the Kedah DAP chairman to replace democratically elected Lee Guan Aik.</p><p> "We have to recognise Lee as the rightful chairman who was elected during the last recognised state party election.</p><p> "We made the decision on the Kedah DAP chairman post because we have yet to get a full report with the necessary information on DAP's CEC fresh election," he said.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="10" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60921-dap-to-defy-ros-directive-to-temporarily-halt-cec-decisions">DAP to defy ROS directive to temporarily halt CEC decisions</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:48 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Anthony-Loke_zps3d2b7287.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="174" /> </p><p>(The Star) - The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has asked DAP to temporarily halt its newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) fromo making any decisions, but the party is refusing to abide by the directive.</p> <p>DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said the party received a letter on Wednesday (Dec 11) dated Dec 6 from ROS, stating that DAP sent in an incomplete report on its special congress and re-election which took place on Sept 29.</p> <p>He said in the letter, the ROS conveyed that the accompanying report was too brief and asked for additional information on DAP members.</p> <p>The ROS also advised its CEC not to execute any decisions while it carried out further investigations.</p> <p>At a press conference on Thursday, Loke, said that DAP would comply with the ROS request for more information, but its CEC would not stop making any decisions.</p> <p>He also said the letter suggested that the ROS did not recognise the re-elected DAP CEC.</p> <p>"We cannot and will not accept the directive which requires all CEC members to halt decisions until the completion of ROS investigations. DAP cannot operate in a vacuum," said Loke.</p> <p>"After the special congress, a new CEC line-up was elected. There is no need for approval from the ROS to make a decisions on behalf of the party. What if the ROS takes months or years to finish their investigations?" he asked.</p> <p>Loke said that the DAP would not rule out taking the ROS to court to challenge the directive.</p> <p>The ROS is requesting for a full list of DAP's 2,578 members, along with their branch affiliations and addresses, a full list of 1,740 voting members along with their particulars and a list of 985 branches with an 'A' certification.</p> <p>In an earlier news report, ROS deputy director-general Alias Mamat was quoted as saying that the DAP employed "delay tactics" in submitting their report.</p> <p>The special congress to re-elect the CEC was conducted by DAP on Sept 29 after the ROS directed the party to hold fresh polls due reports of a technical glitch in its earlier December 2012 election. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="11" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60920-nelson-mandelas-death-politicised-in-malaysia">Nelson Mandela’s death politicised in Malaysia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:45 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" width="300" height="152" /> </p><p><strong>In Malaysia, the passing of South Africa's former president, Nelson Mandela has been politicised. Comments from some political parties comparing their party struggles to the life of Mandela have been perceived by critics as inappropriate attempts to leverage political capital.</strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><em>Melissa Goh, Channel News Asia</em></span></p> <p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><br />In Malaysia, th</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">e passing of South Africa's former president, Nelson Mandela has been politicised.</span></p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Comments from some political parties comparing their party struggles to the life of Mandela have been perceived by critics as inappropriate attempts to leverage political capital.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Such comparisons have been ridiculed and condemned by the public at large.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">As the world honoured and paid tribute to a man who has been called a "giant of history", Malaysian politicians were caught up in their own politicking.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Both the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the opposition People's Justice Party (PKR) have been drawing parallels between their own party's struggle and that of Mandela and his ANC party.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Prime Minister Najib Razak at the closing of UMNO's annual congress on Saturday said his party fought for the same cause as Nelson Mandela.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">UMNO, he said, should emulate South Africa's ANC party in protecting and nurturing a younger generation of leaders to continue its struggle.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Mr Najib said: "We are saddened and appreciative of him as a freedom fighter, a man of peace. We must pay him tribute because UMNO struggles on the same principle."</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's party poured scorn on Mr Najib's remarks saying that they were an insult to Mandela, as UMNO was essentially a race-based party defending Malay supremacy.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">And going even further, PKR claimed it was their leader, Anwar Ibrahim, who more closely embodied Mandela's struggle.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">N Surendren, vice president of PKR, said: "It is Anwar's struggle and Keadilan's (PKR's) struggle that has got parallels to Mandela's struggle, because Anwar is the first major Malay politician of national standing who did away with racial politicking and instead said he'd help the people without bothering about their skin colour according to their need.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/nelson-mandela-s-death/920382.html" target="_blank">READ MORE HERE </a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="12" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60919-dap-rubbishes-ros-claim">DAP rubbishes ROS’ claim</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:33 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/dap-rubbishes-ros-claim/attachment/dap-ros-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-357951"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DAP-ROS.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The DAP leadership has rubbished claims by the Registrar of Societies that it ceases operation pending a ROS probe on the opposition party. </strong></font></p><p><em>Leven Woon, FMT </em></p><p>DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke today rejected the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) latest advice that the party's central executive committee (CEC) ceases operations pending further investigation, calling the advice "ridiculous and unprecedented".</p> <p>Referring to ROS' letter received by the party yesterday, he said ROS had requested additional documents from the party to recognise its CEC re-election, and advised the CEC to cease making decisions during the investigations period.</p> <p>"You are advised to inform your CEC members which has not been recognised not to make any decisions on behalf of the DAP until ROS completes the investigation," the ROS letter said.</p> <p>Loke said the request is as good as asking the party to operate in a vacuum.</p> <p>"What does it mean by we cannot make any decision? So our treasurer also cannot sign our cheques? Our office bearers cannot occupy the headquarters?"</p> <p>"Imagine if ROS makes the investigation for few months and few years, what will happen to the party?" he said, at a media conference at the DAP headquarters here today.</p> <p>The ROS letter came in a month after DAP submitted its re-election results to the authorities, which had ordered the opposition party to hold re-election citing irregularities in its previous polls.</p> <p>Loke said DAP has complied with the ROS directive on holding re-election, hence there is no need for further recognition.</p> <p>"For example Umno, after they hold elections, they will appoint additional members to the supreme council. Do they need ROS to recognise their leadership first before they can do so?" he said.</p> <p>The Seremban MP said DAP would not rule out challenging ROS directive in court if need arises.</p> <p>He also said they would continue to take disciplinary action against errant members, many of whom such as Jenice Lee had previously sought ROS' assistance to nullify their sentences.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/dap-rubbishes-ros-claim/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="13" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60918-i-do-care-about-malays">I do care about Malays</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" title="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" width="150" height="188" /> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><font color="#800000"><strong>I care about Malays and that's why I want an open debate to discuss how to really empower the Malay community in the correct, unbigoted, and non-racialised, way. I see changes in values, educational reforms and cultural progress as critical to the development of the Malays. What doesn't work is the mixture of handouts, chest-thumping and looking for imaginary bogeymen under the bed. </strong></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><em>Zaid Ibrahim </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Of late I've been receiving harsh retorts and brickbats from some Malays. They are upset with my views about UMNO policies, especially my argument that Malays don't need special attention or preferences to empower them or to make them successful. They say I am ungrateful since UMNO made me rich.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">The thrust of my argument is that Malays just need fair policies, right attitudes and a good work ethic. We need a Government that gives us fair and equal opportunities to do well. In fact, I think the present preferential policies are too arbitrary and will make Malays fail at their endeavours—with the exception of a lucky few, of course.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Today, I want to reply to the propaganda that I am rich and ungrateful to UMNO. Such attacks are an easy way for UMNO to whip up emotions without acknowledging—let alone responding to—any of my arguments. They like to "shame" their enemies in the eyes of the public so that real issues are forgotten.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I want to remind Malays that they don't need to be "enslaved" by UMNO . There is no need to feel that our whole existence depends on the party. It's this mental slavery that is keeping Malays downtrodden and impoverished. So here is the truth:</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I was never a high-ranking official in UMNO despite being a member for 25 years. The best I could achieve was Division Head of Kota Bharu, and that was after 10 years of trying. Three years after that, I was suspended. I was not given a chance to contest the Kota Bharu parliamentary seat in the 2008 elections although I was the incumbent and the first UMNO candidate to have won the seat (in 2004) after 15 years of opposition rule.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">As an UMNO Division Head you get to be a Datuk; and yes I got mine from a former Chief Minister of Melaka. So it's true that, if not for UMNO, I would probably be an Encik today.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">It's also true that I was made a director of Tenaga Nasional Berhad for three years, and it's probably true that if I had not been an UMNO MP I would probably not have been given this opportunity. It's also true that I was a Minister for nine months, which would not have happened if not for UMNO. But all these appointments did not make me rich. I have never been rich.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I was never an "UMNO lawyer". Yes, legal work for the North-South Highway concession was handled by my firm, but that was because of the kindness of Tan Sri Halim Saad who wanted to help a poor fellow from Kota Bharu start something useful. I did not get UMNO to pressure Halim to appoint me because I didn't know any of the top leaders. I was a nobody.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Yes, I used the opportunity to build the firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co. but I was not (and have never been) an UMNO lawyer. If you want to know the real UMNO lawyers when all the deals were done, you should talk to Tun Zaki Tun Azmi, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Manaff, Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Tan Sri Cecil Abraham and the other big names.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">During the 2010 Hulu Selangor by-election (which I lost) the same attacks were thrown at me: I was an ungrateful Melayu who bit the hand that fed me. I asked these accusers to present the list of shares that I allegedly received from them, as well as the projects, concessions, APs, licences and monopolies I supposedly enjoyed. They also claimed I owned some listed companies.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">There was no proof because I owned none of these things. So how on earth could I be rich?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">What was I supposed to do with APs, concessions and projects anyway? I'm not a businessman. I'm a lawyer with a penchant for getting into trouble. I'd have had to ask a Chinese businessman to run these projects for me, thus contributing to the Ali Baba syndrome that UMNO leaders were railing against at the time.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Similarly, I wouldn't have been able to bear the guilt of depriving genuine Malay entrepreneurs of the opportunity to grow. I really believed then that UMNO wanted to make Malays economically and educationally as strong as—not "stronger than"—everybody else in the greater Malaysian community. To deprive Malays of that opportunity would be a terrible fraud. I'd be guilty of hypocrisy at best, treachery at worst.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">So that's why I'm not rich. I like to tell myself that I'm happy, at least.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">But the truth is I'm not. The fiction that I'm rich perpetuates the mantra that any Malay who has achieved anything in life owes it all to UMNO. The enslaving of the Malay mind is important for UMNO, so that the whole existence of a Malay is predicated on being subservient to the party.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><a href="http://www.zaid.my/?p=1082" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="14" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60916-najib-abe-establish-framework-for-look-east-policys-second-wave">Najib, Abe establish framework for Look East Policy's second wave</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" width="200" height="146" /> </p><p>(NST) - Malaysia is moving into the second phase of the Look East Policy (LEP) which will emphasise on deepening and strengthening certain areas including institutional relationship.</p> <p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the bilateral relationship would continue to be based on the policy after 30 years of successful collaboration under the first phase of LEP.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said Japan was now the main investor in Malaysia with 1,400 companies operating in the country.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"Their investment in the manufacturing industry alone has reached USD22.2 billion last year," he said in a joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here today.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib and Abe earlier held a bilateral meeting at the prime minister's official residence at Nagata-cho here.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said Japanese investors should also move up the value chain and focus on high technology as Malaysia is now undergoing a transformation process to become a developed nation.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"They should leverage on their strength in the areas of green technology and renewable energy, waste disposal and small and medium enterprises," he said.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said the Japanese companies, which are internationally-recognised in coal-fire and high-speed railway technology, could also participate in future infrastructure development in Malaysia through an open bidding system.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">He also welcomed Abe's intention to increase the number of scholarships for Asean students to study at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) in Kuala Lumpur as it would help turn the institution into the hub for technology education in the region.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"Malaysia also supports Japan's intention to increase training with Malaysian maritime agencies and the use of Asean Defence Ministerial Meeting as a platform to discuss future security matters," he said.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Abe said Japan would continue to assist Malaysia in its effort to become an advanced country by 2020.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">He said the foundation of the bilateral relationship between the two countries were based on "a multi-layer of ties and bonds of friendship" that were developed under the LEP.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"We need to establish a framework for the second wave of LEP that Malaysia is pursuing," he said adding that he had also exchanged views with Najib on regional situation since Malaysia will assume Asean chairmanship in 2015.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="15" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60915-mat-sabu-is-the-one">‘Mat Sabu is the one’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:25 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2011/06/06/pas-needs-to-shed-old-skin-to-broaden-appeal/attachment/mat-sabu-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-34305"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mat-sabu.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="162" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The Home Ministry has come out with a 10-point evidence list to say that PAS deputy president follows Shiite teachings, which is banned in Malaysia. </strong></font></p><p>(FMT) - The Home Ministry today revealed that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, was involved in Syiah activities which was banned in Malaysia.</p> <p>Ministry secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi said the PAS number two leader was the one referred to by Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, at the recent Umno general assembly, of following the banned teachings.</p> <p>"The statement by the minister regarding a top PAS leader being involved with Syiah teachings is Mat Sabu," he told reporters today.</p> <p>He claimed that Mat Sabu was involved in Syiah activities connected to the struggle of Iranian revolutionist Ayatollah Ruhullah Musawi al Khomeini.</p> <p>"Mat Sabu had urged Islamic followers to adopt the Islamic leadership principles based on Imam Khomeini in an article published in Harakah in July 2008.</p> <p>"He had also expressed his admiration at Khomeini's struggle which had influenced his leadership style during a speech in June 2011," he added.</p> <p>He also claimed Mat Sabu made a Shiite invocation during a ceramah in Arau, Perlis, in 2005.</p> <p>Although it was called a press conference to announce evidence of Mat Sabu's involment in Shiism, newsmen were not allowed to ask questions. Abdul Rahim just read a prepared five page statement.</p> <p>He also claimed that Mat Sabu's invocation evidence came from an interview conducted by the Home Ministry with Kedah Fatwa Council member Abdul Aziz Hanafi.</p> <p>"All these facts clearly prove that he (Mat Sabu) has connections with the faith and activities of Shiites," Rahim said.</p> <p>He also quoted the writer of a blog called <strong><a href="http://www.dukeofumno.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">'dukeofumno'</a> </strong>with a certain Abdul Rahim from Pendang, Kedah who had claimed to have personally witnessed Mat Sabu performing his prayers using a small flat stone, a practice synonymous with Shiites.</p> <p>He also said in an interview by the Antara Pos portal, Jati deputy president Aidit Ghazali, claimed Mat Sabu to be a 'Shiite icon'.</p> <p>He alleged that statements obtained from Mat Sabu's friends who were in the same political struggle also showed that he had connections with Shiism.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/mat-sabu-is-the-one/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="16" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60914-dap-has-to-explain-branch-approval">'DAP has to explain branch approval'</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:12 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/SyedAraniriSyedAhmad_zps0050bbb8.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>(NST) - Former Kedah DAP interim committee vice-chairman Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad yesterday demanded an explanation from the party's leadership over the Taman Wira branch approval controversy.</p> <p>He claimed that based on the 35 membership cards sent by the DAP headquarters to the branch secretary last Wednesday, the establishment of the Taman Wira branch had been approved on May 13, making it DAP's 1,792nd branch nationwide.</p> <p> However, he argued that the date of approval was almost a month earlier from the date when the party headquarters had submitted the application forms to set up Taman Wira and several other branches to the Registrar of Societies (RoS).</p> <p> "The application form for the setting up of the Taman Wira branch was sent by the DAP leadership to RoS on June 7. </p> <p>"However, all 35 Taman Wira membership cards received last Wednesday revealed that the branch was approved almost a month before the application was sent.</p> <p> "It does not add up. Considering that RoS had yet to receive the application form in May, the question is, who approved the branch?" he said at the state DAP headquarters in Taman Kristal. </p> <p> Syed Araniri suggested that DAP had little respect for RoS' authority if it was true that the party was behind the "approval". He urged RoS to investigate the matter to avoid abuse of power among party leaders.</p> <p> It was reported that the party leaders had said the branch could not be set up, as it did not meet the 50- member requirement.</p> <p> Following the conflict with the party's leadership, Syed Araniri and 27 Taman Wira branch members decided to quit the party and said they would return their membership cards to the DAP headquarters next week.</p> <p> "I hereby announce my official resignation, together with 27 others from the Taman Wira branch, from the party. </p> <p> "We do not wish to remain in a party that lacks integrity." </p><div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none"><br /></div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="17" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/from-around-the-blogs/60913-questions-for-umno-delegates">Questions for Umno delegates</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:07 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/AzlyRahman_zpse2618e21.jpg" border="0" width="149" height="169" /> </p><p><strong>Azly Rahman </strong></p><p>Malaysia's most exciting political party of the old, United Malays National Organisation (Umno) just had its general assembly. A ritual of the political blood transfusion and the annual health check and administration of medications and treatments of a body politics ageing and grumbling. Too much good food and good life. Too sedentary of a life after its early years of "winning the war of independence" through a victory presented essentially and arguably, on a silver platter.</p> <p><img src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/646/3c8e6287b0cfddc26a5184d1d8a69775.jpg" border="0" alt="azlan" width="330" height="220" align="left" />With the advent of mega-issues such as the most hegemonic and imperialistic US-imposed proposal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), the rise of fascist and hate-mongering groups, the disillusionment about our education system, run amuck and latah behaviors displayed in our Parliament, massive growth of the underclass amongst the overpopulated nation on immigrants shipped en masse to build the country to such giddy heights, a daily rise of cases of mindless crimes, a slackening and weakening school system that is criticised for not preparing the next generation for a competitive economy requiring the cultivation of brainpower, resilience, and a sense of economic republicanism with a heart of social-democraticism, the clamour for a sense of unity reminiscent of the 70s - with all these and more, why are the speeches in this party assembly out of focus?<br /><br />Here are my questions to the Umno delegates:<br /><br />Why can't your speeches be about:<br /> </p><ul><li>Coming up with strategies to create a better understanding between the races, since we've been together for centuries?</li></ul> <ul><li>Designing our education system to be inclusive of all Malaysians with each race treated on equal terms, </li></ul> <ul><li>Helping any group progress, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, since we are all lawful citizens and we are not going back to "where we belong", </li></ul> <ul><li>Stopping this nonsense called '1Malay' as a greeting since 1Malaysia is already enough as a meaningless slogan and even 1Mandela would be better, </li></ul> <ul><li>Dismantling all systems that will perpetuate hatred amongst us and redesign our lives around celebrating our strength in diversity, </li></ul> <ul><li>Find ways to unify all races as one dignified race of Malaysians united against any threats from outside (if there are any real or imagined), </li></ul> <ul><li>Coming together as Malaysians to redesign our education system that will truly enhance children's understanding of concepts, skills, attitude to become good learners, global and transcultural in outlook, and will grow up to see each other as a human race with a common humane destiny, rather than see more divisions and destructions, </li></ul> <ul><li>Collaborating with all races to see how best we can help those who are marginalized regardless of race and religion, and how best we can design an economic system that will promote cooperation, collaboration, and the enculturalisation of conscience and conscientiousness amongst us, rather that perpetually create competitions that lead to hatred and warmongering, </li></ul> <ul><li>Mediating the differences between Muslims of different interpretive practices, schools of thoughts, ways of leading their 'Islamic life' rather than create bogeymen and bogey-women for the purpose of witch-hunting and persecuting each other of the things we cannot fully understand, </li></ul> <ul><li>Stopping the total closing of the Malay mind by constantly instilling fear of themselves since time immemorial, since feudal times, so that the Malays can be spared of being called stupid, weak, lazy, and dependent on Umno as savior - all these a perfect model of a Master-Slave Narrative.</li></ul> We need new speeches, Umno, saner ones.<br /><br />You are a political party more intelligent than this.<br /><br />Umno is a party my beloved grandfather, a good ol' Johorean, was proud of back in the days of its early struggle, back in Johor Baru where it all started. That was one grandfather whom I saw cried profusely in a corner by his old Sanyo radiogram, the day Abdul Razak Hussein died.<br /><br />Behave now like an adult, Umno, you are almost 60!<br /><br />Or - are your days numbered, and better dismantled altogether or reduced to an NGO? <br /><p><a href="http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/questions-for-umno-delegates.html" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-51345628150577665212013-12-12T15:05:00.001-08:002013-12-12T15:05:38.864-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Why not just arrest Mat Sabu?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">ROS: Validity of DAP's CEC in question until complete report is submitted</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">DAP to defy ROS directive to temporarily halt CEC decisions</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Nelson Mandela’s death politicised in Malaysia</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">DAP rubbishes ROS’ claim</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">Najib, Abe establish framework for Look East Policy's second wave</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">‘Mat Sabu is the one’</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">'DAP has to explain branch approval'</a> </li> <li> <a href="#9">Malaysia bled RM174 billion dirty money in 2011, says global anti-graft watchdog</a> </li> <li> <a href="#10">Pakatan to keep funding sources secret until elections reformed</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60924-why-not-just-arrest-mat-sabu">Why not just arrest Mat Sabu?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 11:38 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/mat_sabu2.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="200" /> </p><p>(Harakah) - If Home Ministry truly believes in the ten evidences they revealed today to conclude that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu is practising Shia, why not just arrest him?</p> <p>Why Home Ministry needs to take the route of much fanfare, stirring media hype and creating public anticipation only to reveal such weak evidences, quoting blog writers, third party's sources and Mat Sabu's speeches to accuse the latter follows Shia teachings?</p> <p>As PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali aptly puts it – the evidences presented by Home Ministry were too vague and far from being able to use to convict Mat Sabu being involved in Shia.</p> <p>Shia allegation against Mat Sabu is not new, but nothing was as official as today when Home Ministry, in a special press conference, had publicly named Mat Sabu as the person UMNO vice president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi labelled as "PAS number 2" in his closing speech at UMNO General Assembly last weekend.</p> <p>Instead of Zahid, it was Home Minister secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi who did the dirty job today. Why?</p> <p>The more one looks at the whole drama, the more it looks like Mat Sabu is being used as a decoy, not for Malaysian masses, but for the Malay voters, most probably to divert the attention from the amount of bad news about price hikes being spewed by UMNO-BN government since the Budget 2014 was known.</p> <p>No doubt, the latest move by Home Minister had prompted Mat Sabu to take legal action against Zahid and Rahim.</p> <p>In a statement issued from Langkawi, he said he had asked his lawyers to take further action against the slander levelled against him.</p> <p>"Zahid has always an irresponsible record. He had previously issued a statement in Malacca calling to 'shoot first, investigate later'," said Mat Sabu, adding that the Shia accusation by Zahid as UMNO vice president and also Home Minister had also tarnished the government and country's image.</p> <p>On the surface, it looks like a personal attack on Mat Sabu.</p> <p>Deep down, it is just another UMNO's ploy to prevent PAS for gaining the upper hands in securing Malay votes by creating a public perception that PAS is somehow involved 'forbidden' ties with Shia teachings.</p> <p>Home Ministry under Zahid had made their move. Now, it's time for PAS to strike back, hard.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60922-ros-validity-of-daps-cec-in-question-until-complete-report-is-submitted">ROS: Validity of DAP's CEC in question until complete report is submitted</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:51 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DAP-ROS.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /> </p><p>(The Star) - DAP's central executive committee (CEC) will continue to be in a "hung" position until the party sends a complete report on its special congress and fresh re-election.</p> <p> Registrar of Societies (ROS) deputy director-general Alias Mamat said they could not make any decision on the validity of the freshly re-elected CEC because DAP had sent an incomplete report.</p><p> "We have asked DAP to immediately give us a full report complete with the list of participating branches and delegates, among others," he said.</p><p> He added that DAP should not use delaying tactics if it was serious in wanting to resolve the dispute with disgruntled members as soon as possible.</p><p> It is learnt that DAP had only submitted a brief report on its special congress held in September.</p><p> DAP held a fresh re-election following complaints lodged by members to ROS against the leadership's move to amend the party election result in January this year that saw Zairil Khir Johari securing an elected position.</p><p> Alias said ROS also did not recognise the CEC's move to appoint Zairil as the Kedah DAP chairman to replace democratically elected Lee Guan Aik.</p><p> "We have to recognise Lee as the rightful chairman who was elected during the last recognised state party election.</p><p> "We made the decision on the Kedah DAP chairman post because we have yet to get a full report with the necessary information on DAP's CEC fresh election," he said.</p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60921-dap-to-defy-ros-directive-to-temporarily-halt-cec-decisions">DAP to defy ROS directive to temporarily halt CEC decisions</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:48 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Anthony-Loke_zps3d2b7287.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="174" /> </p><p>(The Star) - The Registrar of Societies (ROS) has asked DAP to temporarily halt its newly-elected Central Executive Committee (CEC) fromo making any decisions, but the party is refusing to abide by the directive.</p> <p>DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said the party received a letter on Wednesday (Dec 11) dated Dec 6 from ROS, stating that DAP sent in an incomplete report on its special congress and re-election which took place on Sept 29.</p> <p>He said in the letter, the ROS conveyed that the accompanying report was too brief and asked for additional information on DAP members.</p> <p>The ROS also advised its CEC not to execute any decisions while it carried out further investigations.</p> <p>At a press conference on Thursday, Loke, said that DAP would comply with the ROS request for more information, but its CEC would not stop making any decisions.</p> <p>He also said the letter suggested that the ROS did not recognise the re-elected DAP CEC.</p> <p>"We cannot and will not accept the directive which requires all CEC members to halt decisions until the completion of ROS investigations. DAP cannot operate in a vacuum," said Loke.</p> <p>"After the special congress, a new CEC line-up was elected. There is no need for approval from the ROS to make a decisions on behalf of the party. What if the ROS takes months or years to finish their investigations?" he asked.</p> <p>Loke said that the DAP would not rule out taking the ROS to court to challenge the directive.</p> <p>The ROS is requesting for a full list of DAP's 2,578 members, along with their branch affiliations and addresses, a full list of 1,740 voting members along with their particulars and a list of 985 branches with an 'A' certification.</p> <p>In an earlier news report, ROS deputy director-general Alias Mamat was quoted as saying that the DAP employed "delay tactics" in submitting their report.</p> <p>The special congress to re-elect the CEC was conducted by DAP on Sept 29 after the ROS directed the party to hold fresh polls due reports of a technical glitch in its earlier December 2012 election. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60920-nelson-mandelas-death-politicised-in-malaysia">Nelson Mandela’s death politicised in Malaysia</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:45 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/U0BCwif.jpg" width="300" height="152" /> </p><p><strong>In Malaysia, the passing of South Africa's former president, Nelson Mandela has been politicised. Comments from some political parties comparing their party struggles to the life of Mandela have been perceived by critics as inappropriate attempts to leverage political capital.</strong></p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><em>Melissa Goh, Channel News Asia</em></span></p> <p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><span style="line-height: 1.3em"><br />In Malaysia, th</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em">e passing of South Africa's former president, Nelson Mandela has been politicised.</span></p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Comments from some political parties comparing their party struggles to the life of Mandela have been perceived by critics as inappropriate attempts to leverage political capital.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Such comparisons have been ridiculed and condemned by the public at large.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">As the world honoured and paid tribute to a man who has been called a "giant of history", Malaysian politicians were caught up in their own politicking.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Both the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) and the opposition People's Justice Party (PKR) have been drawing parallels between their own party's struggle and that of Mandela and his ANC party.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Prime Minister Najib Razak at the closing of UMNO's annual congress on Saturday said his party fought for the same cause as Nelson Mandela.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">UMNO, he said, should emulate South Africa's ANC party in protecting and nurturing a younger generation of leaders to continue its struggle.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Mr Najib said: "We are saddened and appreciative of him as a freedom fighter, a man of peace. We must pay him tribute because UMNO struggles on the same principle."</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's party poured scorn on Mr Najib's remarks saying that they were an insult to Mandela, as UMNO was essentially a race-based party defending Malay supremacy.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">And going even further, PKR claimed it was their leader, Anwar Ibrahim, who more closely embodied Mandela's struggle.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px">N Surendren, vice president of PKR, said: "It is Anwar's struggle and Keadilan's (PKR's) struggle that has got parallels to Mandela's struggle, because Anwar is the first major Malay politician of national standing who did away with racial politicking and instead said he'd help the people without bothering about their skin colour according to their need.</p><p style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 23px"><a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/nelson-mandela-s-death/920382.html" target="_blank">READ MORE HERE </a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60919-dap-rubbishes-ros-claim">DAP rubbishes ROS’ claim</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:33 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/dap-rubbishes-ros-claim/attachment/dap-ros-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-357951"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/DAP-ROS.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="148" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The DAP leadership has rubbished claims by the Registrar of Societies that it ceases operation pending a ROS probe on the opposition party. </strong></font></p><p><em>Leven Woon, FMT </em></p><p>DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke today rejected the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) latest advice that the party's central executive committee (CEC) ceases operations pending further investigation, calling the advice "ridiculous and unprecedented".</p> <p>Referring to ROS' letter received by the party yesterday, he said ROS had requested additional documents from the party to recognise its CEC re-election, and advised the CEC to cease making decisions during the investigations period.</p> <p>"You are advised to inform your CEC members which has not been recognised not to make any decisions on behalf of the DAP until ROS completes the investigation," the ROS letter said.</p> <p>Loke said the request is as good as asking the party to operate in a vacuum.</p> <p>"What does it mean by we cannot make any decision? So our treasurer also cannot sign our cheques? Our office bearers cannot occupy the headquarters?"</p> <p>"Imagine if ROS makes the investigation for few months and few years, what will happen to the party?" he said, at a media conference at the DAP headquarters here today.</p> <p>The ROS letter came in a month after DAP submitted its re-election results to the authorities, which had ordered the opposition party to hold re-election citing irregularities in its previous polls.</p> <p>Loke said DAP has complied with the ROS directive on holding re-election, hence there is no need for further recognition.</p> <p>"For example Umno, after they hold elections, they will appoint additional members to the supreme council. Do they need ROS to recognise their leadership first before they can do so?" he said.</p> <p>The Seremban MP said DAP would not rule out challenging ROS directive in court if need arises.</p> <p>He also said they would continue to take disciplinary action against errant members, many of whom such as Jenice Lee had previously sought ROS' assistance to nullify their sentences.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/dap-rubbishes-ros-claim/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60916-najib-abe-establish-framework-for-look-east-policys-second-wave">Najib, Abe establish framework for Look East Policy's second wave</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/N6dvNcf.jpg" width="200" height="146" /> </p><p>(NST) - Malaysia is moving into the second phase of the Look East Policy (LEP) which will emphasise on deepening and strengthening certain areas including institutional relationship.</p> <p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the bilateral relationship would continue to be based on the policy after 30 years of successful collaboration under the first phase of LEP.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said Japan was now the main investor in Malaysia with 1,400 companies operating in the country.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"Their investment in the manufacturing industry alone has reached USD22.2 billion last year," he said in a joint press conference with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here today.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib and Abe earlier held a bilateral meeting at the prime minister's official residence at Nagata-cho here.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said Japanese investors should also move up the value chain and focus on high technology as Malaysia is now undergoing a transformation process to become a developed nation.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"They should leverage on their strength in the areas of green technology and renewable energy, waste disposal and small and medium enterprises," he said.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Najib said the Japanese companies, which are internationally-recognised in coal-fire and high-speed railway technology, could also participate in future infrastructure development in Malaysia through an open bidding system.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">He also welcomed Abe's intention to increase the number of scholarships for Asean students to study at the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) in Kuala Lumpur as it would help turn the institution into the hub for technology education in the region.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"Malaysia also supports Japan's intention to increase training with Malaysian maritime agencies and the use of Asean Defence Ministerial Meeting as a platform to discuss future security matters," he said.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Abe said Japan would continue to assist Malaysia in its effort to become an advanced country by 2020.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">He said the foundation of the bilateral relationship between the two countries were based on "a multi-layer of ties and bonds of friendship" that were developed under the LEP.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr">"We need to establish a framework for the second wave of LEP that Malaysia is pursuing," he said adding that he had also exchanged views with Najib on regional situation since Malaysia will assume Asean chairmanship in 2015.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; border: 0px none; vertical-align: baseline" dir="ltr"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60915-mat-sabu-is-the-one">‘Mat Sabu is the one’</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:25 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2011/06/06/pas-needs-to-shed-old-skin-to-broaden-appeal/attachment/mat-sabu-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-34305"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mat-sabu.jpg" border="0" width="220" height="162" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The Home Ministry has come out with a 10-point evidence list to say that PAS deputy president follows Shiite teachings, which is banned in Malaysia. </strong></font></p><p>(FMT) - The Home Ministry today revealed that PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, more popularly known as Mat Sabu, was involved in Syiah activities which was banned in Malaysia.</p> <p>Ministry secretary-general Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi said the PAS number two leader was the one referred to by Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, at the recent Umno general assembly, of following the banned teachings.</p> <p>"The statement by the minister regarding a top PAS leader being involved with Syiah teachings is Mat Sabu," he told reporters today.</p> <p>He claimed that Mat Sabu was involved in Syiah activities connected to the struggle of Iranian revolutionist Ayatollah Ruhullah Musawi al Khomeini.</p> <p>"Mat Sabu had urged Islamic followers to adopt the Islamic leadership principles based on Imam Khomeini in an article published in Harakah in July 2008.</p> <p>"He had also expressed his admiration at Khomeini's struggle which had influenced his leadership style during a speech in June 2011," he added.</p> <p>He also claimed Mat Sabu made a Shiite invocation during a ceramah in Arau, Perlis, in 2005.</p> <p>Although it was called a press conference to announce evidence of Mat Sabu's involment in Shiism, newsmen were not allowed to ask questions. Abdul Rahim just read a prepared five page statement.</p> <p>He also claimed that Mat Sabu's invocation evidence came from an interview conducted by the Home Ministry with Kedah Fatwa Council member Abdul Aziz Hanafi.</p> <p>"All these facts clearly prove that he (Mat Sabu) has connections with the faith and activities of Shiites," Rahim said.</p> <p>He also quoted the writer of a blog called <strong><a href="http://www.dukeofumno.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">'dukeofumno'</a> </strong>with a certain Abdul Rahim from Pendang, Kedah who had claimed to have personally witnessed Mat Sabu performing his prayers using a small flat stone, a practice synonymous with Shiites.</p> <p>He also said in an interview by the Antara Pos portal, Jati deputy president Aidit Ghazali, claimed Mat Sabu to be a 'Shiite icon'.</p> <p>He alleged that statements obtained from Mat Sabu's friends who were in the same political struggle also showed that he had connections with Shiism.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/12/mat-sabu-is-the-one/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60914-dap-has-to-explain-branch-approval">'DAP has to explain branch approval'</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:12 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/SyedAraniriSyedAhmad_zps0050bbb8.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>(NST) - Former Kedah DAP interim committee vice-chairman Syed Araniri Syed Ahmad yesterday demanded an explanation from the party's leadership over the Taman Wira branch approval controversy.</p> <p>He claimed that based on the 35 membership cards sent by the DAP headquarters to the branch secretary last Wednesday, the establishment of the Taman Wira branch had been approved on May 13, making it DAP's 1,792nd branch nationwide.</p> <p> However, he argued that the date of approval was almost a month earlier from the date when the party headquarters had submitted the application forms to set up Taman Wira and several other branches to the Registrar of Societies (RoS).</p> <p> "The application form for the setting up of the Taman Wira branch was sent by the DAP leadership to RoS on June 7. </p> <p>"However, all 35 Taman Wira membership cards received last Wednesday revealed that the branch was approved almost a month before the application was sent.</p> <p> "It does not add up. Considering that RoS had yet to receive the application form in May, the question is, who approved the branch?" he said at the state DAP headquarters in Taman Kristal. </p> <p> Syed Araniri suggested that DAP had little respect for RoS' authority if it was true that the party was behind the "approval". He urged RoS to investigate the matter to avoid abuse of power among party leaders.</p> <p> It was reported that the party leaders had said the branch could not be set up, as it did not meet the 50- member requirement.</p> <p> Following the conflict with the party's leadership, Syed Araniri and 27 Taman Wira branch members decided to quit the party and said they would return their membership cards to the DAP headquarters next week.</p> <p> "I hereby announce my official resignation, together with 27 others from the Taman Wira branch, from the party. </p> <p> "We do not wish to remain in a party that lacks integrity." </p><div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none"><br /></div></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="9" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60912-malaysia-bled-rm174-billion-dirty-money-in-2011-says-global-anti-graft-watchdog">Malaysia bled RM174 billion dirty money in 2011, says global anti-graft watchdog</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 12:06 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" border="0" alt="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" title="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" width="220" height="147" /> </p><p>(TMI) - <strong>About RM173.84 billion was illegally siphoned out of Malaysia in 2011, making the country the fourth largest exporter of illicit capital that year after Russia, China and India, said anti-graft watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI).</strong> </p> The Washington-based research and advocacy organisation said crime, corruption, and tax evasion drained $946.7 billion (RM3.05 trillion) from the developing world in 2011, up more than 13.7% from 2010 – when illicit financial outflows totalled $832.4 billion (RM2.64 trillion).<br /><br />"As the world economy sputters along in the wake of the global financial crisis, the illicit underworld is thriving… siphoning more and more money from developing countries each year," said GFI president Raymond Baker when releasing the "Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2002-2011" report.<br /><br />The findings in the study peg cumulative illicit financial outflows from developing countries at $5.9 trillion (RM19 trillion) between 2002 and 2011.<br /><br />"Anonymous shell companies, tax haven secrecy, and trade-based money laundering techniques drained nearly a trillion dollars from the world's poorest in 2011, at a time when rich and poor nations alike are struggling to spur economic growth. <br /><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-bled-rm174-billion-dirty-money-in-2011-says-global-anti-graft-watc?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tmi%2Fnews%2Fmalaysia+%28TMI+-+Malaysia%29#When:01:43:35Z" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="10" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60910-pakatan-to-keep-funding-sources-secret-until-elections-reformed">Pakatan to keep funding sources secret until elections reformed</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:30 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" width="220" height="157" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">Charles Santiago claimed that there is a real risk of prosecution for opposition supporters if their identities are made known.</font></em></strong></p><p>(The Malay Mail) - <strong>Federal opposition lawmakers here are intent on keeping their party funds secret until Putrajaya commits to a level playing field during elections, fearing prosecution of their funders if exposed.</strong> </p> They agreed that before buying in to any proposal to declare their funding sources, not only must their political foes in Barisan Nasional (BN) agree to do the same, a proper mechanism must be put in place to ensure fair play when it comes to spending during any electoral contest, from kick-off to finish.<br /><br />One BN leader openly admitted that most, if not all, candidates tend to overspend when canvassing for votes in a heated election race with bills that run into exorbitant figures, even breaking the spending cap imposed by the Election Commission (EC).<br /><br />But this, he said, is the very reason why all political parties should buy into the proposal to declare political financing as a starting point to even out the competition.<br /><br />"Probably the only regulation we have now is the one administered by the EC... for instance for the state assembly you cannot spend more than RM50,000 and for parliamentary (contests) you cannot spend more than RM100,000 for each candidate," Umno's Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.<br /><br />"I do not believe that every candidate really spends below the ceiling, but I can tell you that all of us, when we submit the report, will claim that we spent below the ceiling.<br /><br />"This is as truthful as I can be... if anyone marah (gets angry), I will ask them, are you sure you spent below the limit?" said the former deputy higher education minister and former Temerloh MP.<br /><br />On Tuesday, officials with the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) against Corruption claimed that political parties have not been forthcoming when asked to declare the sources of their political funding, adding that politicians have not been clear about their reservations over the plan.<br /><br />The agency said that the government is ready and willing to push the proposal forward, having already prepared final drafts to amend the Societies Act 1966 and related regulations to compel political parties to declare their financial sources.<br /><br />Saifuddin admitted that any new law or regulation would typically have loopholes at the start, but stressed that it is only through purposeful regulation that any form of fair play can take root.<br /><br />"I support the idea. It's about time we come out with some kind of regulation. Why it is (sic) important? It's about integrity. It's all about integrity. Integrity of the politician as an individual, of the party as an organisation, and integrity of our political system.<br /><br />"Of course, as I said, whatever regulation, there will always be loopholes. But we have to start somewhere... we cannot go on like this," he said, in an apparent reference to the growing political polarisation in the country, especially after the recent 13th General Election last May when BN retained power despite losing out on the popular vote.<br /><br />Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers, when questioned, appeared warm to the idea of declaring political financing but insisted this could not happen if election contests continue to stay in favour of the ruling BN, which holds the key to Putrajaya.<br /><br />They said it would be a mistake to assume BN and PR are now on equal footing, arguing that there is a huge disparity in terms of the amount of funds available to either coalition.<br /><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" width="220" height="146" /><br /><strong><em><font color="#800000">Saifuddin admitted that any new law or regulation would typically have loopholes at the start, but stressed that it is only through purposeful regulation that any form of fair play can take root.</font></em></strong></p><p>DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago agreed that every political party should, in principle, allow the public unfettered access to their financial accounts, but claimed that there is the real risk of prosecution for opposition supporters if their identities are made known.<br /><br />He suggested that the government, through agencies such as the NKRA against Corruption, come up with clear guidelines such as those used in the United States - where political campaigns are in part publicly funded - to remove any ambiguity in the political process in Malaysia.<br /><br />"First you must clarify the process, and it must be agreed to by all parties. Once the process is clear on how it's going to be done, then you can ask for buy-ins from political parties," he said when contacted.<br /><br />"Political parties are not suicidal. They will consider this very carefully. If the identity of the donors are made public, they get prosecuted and we can kiss goodbye to their support in the next elections.<br /><br />"In the US you have fair play, so you have big companies like (tobacco giant) Philip Morris giving funds to the Democrats and the Republicans. Only when there is a fair play environment, and there is no prosecution of funders, especially for the opposition, then we can do so. If we do it today, it's suicidal," Charles said.<br /><br />PKR vice-president and Padang Serai MP N. Surendran said they are not opposed to the proposal, but claimed that it detracts from the bigger issue of BN's alleged corrupt practices.<br /><br />"There is a lack of understanding of the total picture, and it is ridiculous to equate funding for the opposition to the corrupt funds available to the federal government," he said when contacted.<br /><br />"I don't think that is the main issue now in the country. The main issue is the corruption of the BN in funding themselves. They have the federal government and all sorts of sources, and they are also using government resources.<br /><br />"The opposition is a poor political coalition, which is desperately getting donations from Malaysians who are committed to seeing democracy flourish in the country," he said.<br /><br />PAS supreme council member and Tumpat MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar, however, argued that even without a special mechanism to compel political parties to declare their political finances, the government can already act using existing laws under the Societies Act, which requires political parties to submit an annual financial report.<br /><br />"I've not seen the latest (financial) documents filed by BN or Umno, but if they do (submit their financial report), I'm sure it would reflect very unrealistic spending, what more during an election year," he said, referring to the BN coalition's dominant party.<br /><br />"We should get the RoS (Registrar of Societies) to look very carefully into the party's annual accounts submitted very year... I doubt the culprits are the opposition in this case. I would think it is very likely the BN," he claimed.<br /><br />Political funding is an especially murky area in Malaysia, due to the close ties between political parties and businesses as well as an established system of political patronage that is said to fund huge war chests that come into play during elections.<br /><br />BN component parties such as Umno and MCA own millions of ringgit in both shares and assets, and are among the wealthiest entities in the country.<br /><br />The tight connection between parties and corporations continue to be a source of suspicion in Malaysia, where graft remains a perennial issue and politicians are viewed as the second-most corrupt people, behind only the police force.</p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=Ruo8jiRYI48xAZxcUv5FfRukyGk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-57027474655912993762013-12-12T13:13:00.001-08:002013-12-12T13:13:13.030-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">I do care about Malays</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Learning from Mandela and friends</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Does Islam need Umno?</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60918-i-do-care-about-malays">I do care about Malays</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" title="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/Zaid_IbrahimK_JPG-1.jpg" width="150" height="188" /> </p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><font color="#800000"><strong>I care about Malays and that's why I want an open debate to discuss how to really empower the Malay community in the correct, unbigoted, and non-racialised, way. I see changes in values, educational reforms and cultural progress as critical to the development of the Malays. What doesn't work is the mixture of handouts, chest-thumping and looking for imaginary bogeymen under the bed. </strong></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><em>Zaid Ibrahim </em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Of late I've been receiving harsh retorts and brickbats from some Malays. They are upset with my views about UMNO policies, especially my argument that Malays don't need special attention or preferences to empower them or to make them successful. They say I am ungrateful since UMNO made me rich.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">The thrust of my argument is that Malays just need fair policies, right attitudes and a good work ethic. We need a Government that gives us fair and equal opportunities to do well. In fact, I think the present preferential policies are too arbitrary and will make Malays fail at their endeavours—with the exception of a lucky few, of course.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Today, I want to reply to the propaganda that I am rich and ungrateful to UMNO. Such attacks are an easy way for UMNO to whip up emotions without acknowledging—let alone responding to—any of my arguments. They like to "shame" their enemies in the eyes of the public so that real issues are forgotten.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I want to remind Malays that they don't need to be "enslaved" by UMNO . There is no need to feel that our whole existence depends on the party. It's this mental slavery that is keeping Malays downtrodden and impoverished. So here is the truth:</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I was never a high-ranking official in UMNO despite being a member for 25 years. The best I could achieve was Division Head of Kota Bharu, and that was after 10 years of trying. Three years after that, I was suspended. I was not given a chance to contest the Kota Bharu parliamentary seat in the 2008 elections although I was the incumbent and the first UMNO candidate to have won the seat (in 2004) after 15 years of opposition rule.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">As an UMNO Division Head you get to be a Datuk; and yes I got mine from a former Chief Minister of Melaka. So it's true that, if not for UMNO, I would probably be an Encik today.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">It's also true that I was made a director of Tenaga Nasional Berhad for three years, and it's probably true that if I had not been an UMNO MP I would probably not have been given this opportunity. It's also true that I was a Minister for nine months, which would not have happened if not for UMNO. But all these appointments did not make me rich. I have never been rich.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">I was never an "UMNO lawyer". Yes, legal work for the North-South Highway concession was handled by my firm, but that was because of the kindness of Tan Sri Halim Saad who wanted to help a poor fellow from Kota Bharu start something useful. I did not get UMNO to pressure Halim to appoint me because I didn't know any of the top leaders. I was a nobody.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Yes, I used the opportunity to build the firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co. but I was not (and have never been) an UMNO lawyer. If you want to know the real UMNO lawyers when all the deals were done, you should talk to Tun Zaki Tun Azmi, Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Manaff, Tan Sri Zulhasnan Rafique, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Tan Sri Cecil Abraham and the other big names.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">During the 2010 Hulu Selangor by-election (which I lost) the same attacks were thrown at me: I was an ungrateful Melayu who bit the hand that fed me. I asked these accusers to present the list of shares that I allegedly received from them, as well as the projects, concessions, APs, licences and monopolies I supposedly enjoyed. They also claimed I owned some listed companies.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">There was no proof because I owned none of these things. So how on earth could I be rich?</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">What was I supposed to do with APs, concessions and projects anyway? I'm not a businessman. I'm a lawyer with a penchant for getting into trouble. I'd have had to ask a Chinese businessman to run these projects for me, thus contributing to the Ali Baba syndrome that UMNO leaders were railing against at the time.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">Similarly, I wouldn't have been able to bear the guilt of depriving genuine Malay entrepreneurs of the opportunity to grow. I really believed then that UMNO wanted to make Malays economically and educationally as strong as—not "stronger than"—everybody else in the greater Malaysian community. To deprive Malays of that opportunity would be a terrible fraud. I'd be guilty of hypocrisy at best, treachery at worst.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">So that's why I'm not rich. I like to tell myself that I'm happy, at least.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline">But the truth is I'm not. The fiction that I'm rich perpetuates the mantra that any Malay who has achieved anything in life owes it all to UMNO. The enslaving of the Malay mind is important for UMNO, so that the whole existence of a Malay is predicated on being subservient to the party.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 12px 0px; vertical-align: baseline"><a href="http://www.zaid.my/?p=1082" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60911-learning-from-mandela-and-friends">Learning from Mandela and friends</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:39 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" width="220" height="135" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">An usher holds programs with the image of the late Nelson Mandela on the cover before a memorial service at the Riverside Church in New York December 11, 2013. — Reuters pic</font></em></strong></p><p><strong>Interestingly I got more insight from a job application. A fresh graduate wanted an administrative position at our firm and she had this as her career objective: "To contribute to my religion, race and country."</strong></p><p><em>Praba Ganesan, The Malay Mail</em></p> <p> </p><p>"Even if my country does seem to have forgotten me, I have always thought about it." (José Rizal in Noli Me Tangere)<br /><br />The corridor leading to the Dewan Rakyat's (Parliament's lower house) lounge is strange enough, but it got a bit more awkward when I bounced into my old debate teammate, the infamous teddy-hugging articulator of weird wisdom, Ja. Understandably, I lost my thought processor during our minute exchange, and presently remain uncertain whether I have completely forgiven myself over the incident.<br /><br />"Are you still with your political aspirations, Praba? It appears so, so tell me, what will you champion as an elected representative? You can't get elected if you do not have a value proposition, a platform."<br /><br />Before I managed to say, "Did you enjoy the breakfast spread at the cafeteria?" she had already said "Never mind, bye" and was beyond an earshot of me.<br /><br /><strong>Oh Ja!</strong><br /><br />Did I tell you that she would hold her stuffed toy with one hand while nailing her bed on the wall with the other hand at three in the morning during our days in the National University of Malaysia debate programme? <br /><br />Gobsmacked in the ambush, I went with something unintelligible, what we used to refer in debate parlance as the "goldfish" impression.<br /><br />This was five years ago.<br /><br /><strong>Today</strong><br /><br />I'm not an elected representative in any house of repute or disrepute when it comes to legislating laws as of now, but I do ponder about what would have been a barely adequate response to my old friend.<br /><br /><strong>"Why do I want to serve?"</strong><br /><br />At a gut level I've always been convinced it was never a decision to be made, those who reside in a society must serve, how else can societies grow without participation?<br /><br />However, I can see in a world where what you do matter as much why you do it, it is necessary to provide a preface to my politics before the crowd writes my epitaph.<br /><br />Even more now, since an election year is ending with an amorphous agenda for 2014 and a world comes to terms with the passing of Nelson Mandela.<br /><br />I want to do this, help create a Malaysia where its citizens do not wake up daily to face questions of whether they are truly at home or unsure if they are at ease with others sharing the category "Malaysian."<br /><br />That my countrymen can first enjoy being Malaysians before contending with what being Malaysian constitutes, daily.<br /><br />If you are thinking that after 50 years of formation (or 56 years of independence, contingent on whom you ask) such a basic objective is superfluous — it would appear to non-residents that Malaysia is a haven showcasing moderations — trust me, this is a surprising country.<br /><br /><strong>These episodes</strong><br /><br />Last Friday I met up with my close Umno contact, we try to meet in person every few months just so that we keep each other in check. I say "Umno" because he joked as I sat at the kopitiam (coffee shop) that the owners of the store were overboard with their devotion to Malay rights, parading their Malay credentials at the entrance, that even he chided them for overdoing it.<br /><br />So when I went to counter to order, I asked the manageress what she'd recommend and she adopted a race-centric explanation of what I would like because I was Indian. I looked at her quizzically and asked her if this is the way she'd treat a Penang Mamak (Indian Muslims from the state have somehow become seen as legitimate Malays, and in many occasions as the people most Malay)?<br /><br />She apologised immediately and was most attentive to my needs till I left the restaurant. My friend broke out in laughter, all 100 kilogrammes of him, when I explained to him why this woman came to our table later to apologise again.<br /><br />Interestingly I got more insight from a job application. A fresh graduate wanted an administrative position at our firm and she had this as her career objective: "To contribute to my religion, race and country."<br /><br />I don't think she's actually of the opinion this is what will define her outlook to life, I feel rather for a lack of her own personal development as a thinking and free person in her country she has ceded her judgement to the staple dogma fed to her for a lifetime.<br /><br />That considerations and obligations are carved up by demographics first rather than on the principles those considerations and obligations may potentially lie on her personal moral scale. <br /><br />She is expected to filter her countrymen using these demographics before engaging them.<br /><br />It is not only damaging for a person's development as a Malaysian, it is damaging for any person's assimilation into an increasingly connected planet. <br /><br />After all how many emerging market nations are generally filled with politicians with wide access condemning pluralism and liberalism? And they are not chastised by national leaders like Cabinet members, rather, they are backed and protected by them.<br /><br />Right wing thinking and articulation receives adulation and full access. The harm this appeasement continues to cause will long haunt this country beyond the present administration.<br /><br /><strong>They are not Mandela</strong><br /><br />I guess saying that I want universal celebration at home of our citizenship built by openness and discourse may be a little airy, to some.<br /><br />Let's sound-bite it.<br /><br />I'll leverage on the current global theme and state a binary, those who I oppose here in Malaysia are no friends of Mandela. They are fans of the things and ideas that kept the great man in prison for 27 years.<br /><br />Nelson Mandela left prison with the moral mandate to lead the blacks who are 90 per cent of South Africa. He rejected this opportunity and instead fought for equality for all, irrespective of how unequal some have been under Apartheid. <br /><br />South Africa for him was for all South Africans, colour was just incidental. Errors of the past are not passports for persecutions in the present.<br /><br />By rejecting his racial inheritance, he inspired a multicultural nation superior in principle even if struggling with practicalities.<br /><br />For me Malaysia has natural resources and great people, the future holds no fear for the country as long as those who govern it actively fight hate.<br /><br />It is the proliferation of hate that is the biggest threat for Malaysia. I want to stop it. That's the value proposition Ja, I want to fight hate without reservation or qualification, it is the true scourge of our country.<br /><br />I started this column quoting Rizal from his seminal first novel, and he died in 1896. As he was shot in the morning of December 30 in Manila, it would have been late night 6,700 kilometres away in South Africa's Natal where I am sure Mahatma Gandhi was still up after a day of advocating against the British colony's racism. Mandela found much courage and example from that man from Durban.<br /><br />None of these men despite their single-mindedness condoned or championed hate.<br /><br />I'm ok if my platform is just standing on the shoulders of giants.<br /><br />"We must win when we deserve it, by elevating reason and the dignity of the individual, loving justice and the good and the great, even dying for it." ( José Rizal in El Filibusterismo).<br /><br /><strong>* This is the personal opinion of the columnist. </strong></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60909-does-islam-need-umno">Does Islam need Umno?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:22 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" width="220" height="163" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">Transform, or be irrelevant soon, says the writer on Umno.</font></em></strong></p><p><strong>I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with ideas on how to include that into our birth certificates and ICs. Who is Umno and who is not. They are already debating whether they should give BR1M to non-BN supporters. </strong></p><p><em>Kamal Amzan, The Malay Mail</em></p> So it is official. No more 1 Malaysia. <br /><br />I don't think there is even 1 BN, or 1 Islam for that matter. There is just 1 Umno, and everyone else.<br /><br />I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with ideas on how to include that into our birth certificates and ICs. Who is Umno and who is not. They are already debating whether they should give BR1M to non-BN supporters. <br /><br />Never mind the fact that BR1M is not Umno's to give away.<br /><br />It is frustrating when you hear the top government leaders only able to talk about religion, survival of race, and play heroes battling made-up monsters and boogeymen who seem hell bent on the destruction of Islam and their race, but are oblivious to our real enemies who have time and again breached our borders and shed blood on our soil. <br /><br />Sad, that they are the ones underestimating Islam, a religion that had survived over a thousand years, withstanding even more difficult moments in the past without the protection of Sunni Umno.<br /><br />I pity the rank and file who truly believe they are our appointed saviours, and are constantly told that this is the right way to heaven.<br /><br />Sometimes you have to wonder if our government is purposely suppressing the education standards to create followers, instead of thinkers and leaders.<br /><br />There is no such thing as freedom of religion for Malay Muslims in this country. I apologise, I mean there is no freedom for Malay Muslims in this country. If you are Malay, you must be Muslim. If you are a Muslim, then you must subscribe to the one approved by the state. <br /><br />No, no arguments. There is only the approved, and licensed version of Islam.<br /><br />You must also conform to all the "fatwas" issued by them from time to time if you want to keep your faith, such as abstaining from Poco Poco and yoga. <br /><br />Overseas? Well, you should be fine overseas. You can even pray next to a Shite in Mecca, read Lee Kuan Yew's books in Singapore and mingle with those who frequent night clubs and pubs in London without losing your faith. <br /><br />But I suppose the temptation to abandon Islam is somehow greater in this country. So much so that you have men in skullcaps, holding camera phones spying on you in the name of everything good and holy.<br /><br />Gone are the days when prayers and deeds were made with sincerity. Now, it has become a "show" which must go on whether you like it or not in the guise of piety and faith. Gone are also the days where religion and faiths remained between men and God. Now we have men, Jakim, and God. <br /><br />I'm not sure who appointed them to "protect" Islam, or how they are deemed morally superior to safeguard our morals. <br /><br />If only they look at countries where Islam grew when there are no appointed "guardians." Countries where Muslims are the minorities, where they are free to practise the religion as a personal choice without shackles and spies behind the bushes.<br /><br />Kevin Brice, a researcher at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, calculated that around 5,200 Britons turn to Islam every year, and that the total number of converts is about 100,000. France has seen conversions to the faith double in the past quarter century.<br /><br />The Pew Research Centre estimated that there were around 2.4 million American Muslims in 2007.<br /><br />I'm sure this will come as a shock to the government, but Islam thrived in all these countries. <br /><br />They certainly don't have Umno, PAS, Jakim and people who claim to be protectors and guardians of Islam.<br /><br />So the question is, do we still need Umno and the likes to protect such a great religion? <br /><br />Umno needs to address real issues affecting the community. Poor education standards, poverty, poor command of the English language, corruption and collapses of ceilings all over the country are all available for them to choose from. <br /><br />We do not need them to safeguard our faith, nor Islam which is already perfect.<br /><br />Transform, or be irrelevant soon. <br /><br />* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.<p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=7WrsOkcKrwlNRw5esQwbr38vubs">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-6861309739126056912013-12-12T07:27:00.001-08:002013-12-12T07:27:23.939-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/from-around-the-blogs/60913-questions-for-umno-delegates">Questions for Umno delegates</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 09:07 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/646/3c8e6287b0cfddc26a5184d1d8a69775.jpg" border="0" alt="azlan" width="330" height="220" align="left" />With the advent of mega-issues such as the most hegemonic and imperialistic US-imposed proposal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), the rise of fascist and hate-mongering groups, the disillusionment about our education system, run amuck and latah behaviors displayed in our Parliament, massive growth of the underclass amongst the overpopulated nation on immigrants shipped en masse to build the country to such giddy heights, a daily rise of cases of mindless crimes, a slackening and weakening school system that is criticised for not preparing the next generation for a competitive economy requiring the cultivation of brainpower, resilience, and a sense of economic republicanism with a heart of social-democraticism, the clamour for a sense of unity reminiscent of the 70s - with all these and more, why are the speeches in this party assembly out of focus?<br /><br />Here are my questions to the Umno delegates:<br /><br />Why can't your speeches be about:<br /> </p><ul><li>Coming up with strategies to create a better understanding between the races, since we've been together for centuries?</li></ul> <ul><li>Designing our education system to be inclusive of all Malaysians with each race treated on equal terms, </li></ul> <ul><li>Helping any group progress, regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, since we are all lawful citizens and we are not going back to "where we belong", </li></ul> <ul><li>Stopping this nonsense called '1Malay' as a greeting since 1Malaysia is already enough as a meaningless slogan and even 1Mandela would be better, </li></ul> <ul><li>Dismantling all systems that will perpetuate hatred amongst us and redesign our lives around celebrating our strength in diversity, </li></ul> <ul><li>Find ways to unify all races as one dignified race of Malaysians united against any threats from outside (if there are any real or imagined), </li></ul> <ul><li>Coming together as Malaysians to redesign our education system that will truly enhance children's understanding of concepts, skills, attitude to become good learners, global and transcultural in outlook, and will grow up to see each other as a human race with a common humane destiny, rather than see more divisions and destructions, </li></ul> <ul><li>Collaborating with all races to see how best we can help those who are marginalized regardless of race and religion, and how best we can design an economic system that will promote cooperation, collaboration, and the enculturalisation of conscience and conscientiousness amongst us, rather that perpetually create competitions that lead to hatred and warmongering, </li></ul> <ul><li>Mediating the differences between Muslims of different interpretive practices, schools of thoughts, ways of leading their 'Islamic life' rather than create bogeymen and bogey-women for the purpose of witch-hunting and persecuting each other of the things we cannot fully understand, </li></ul> <ul><li>Stopping the total closing of the Malay mind by constantly instilling fear of themselves since time immemorial, since feudal times, so that the Malays can be spared of being called stupid, weak, lazy, and dependent on Umno as savior - all these a perfect model of a Master-Slave Narrative.</li></ul> We need new speeches, Umno, saner ones.<br /><br />You are a political party more intelligent than this.<br /><br />Umno is a party my beloved grandfather, a good ol' Johorean, was proud of back in the days of its early struggle, back in Johor Baru where it all started. That was one grandfather whom I saw cried profusely in a corner by his old Sanyo radiogram, the day Abdul Razak Hussein died.<br /><br />Behave now like an adult, Umno, you are almost 60!<br /><br />Or - are your days numbered, and better dismantled altogether or reduced to an NGO? <br /><p><a href="http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/questions-for-umno-delegates.html" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=-ABLYiZl5GX_smXBf-JWXC6Gzu4">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-16009338966224852372013-12-11T21:35:00.001-08:002013-12-11T21:35:03.187-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Malaysia bled RM174 billion dirty money in 2011, says global anti-graft watchdog</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Learning from Mandela and friends</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">Pakatan to keep funding sources secret until elections reformed</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Does Islam need Umno?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Malaysians set to tighten purse strings as reality bites, World Bank predicts</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">Malaysia Wants The Conflict In Syria To Be Resolved Politically</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">Pakatan’s Flood Feud</a> </li> <li> <a href="#8">I’ll expose Anwar-Mat Zain relationship next week, says Umno lawyer</a> </li> <li> <a href="#9">Which version of Islam will dominate Malaysia?</a> </li> <li> <a href="#10">Anwar in the US and Karpal in hospital so case delayed</a> </li> <li> <a href="#11">Naza family in tussle over London property</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60912-malaysia-bled-rm174-billion-dirty-money-in-2011-says-global-anti-graft-watchdog">Malaysia bled RM174 billion dirty money in 2011, says global anti-graft watchdog</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 12:06 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" border="0" alt="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" title="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_-EV1attc3krkAbUvg2-xrYhjebPRUYKd0dI35NNm_5aAdLJxhg" width="220" height="147" /> </p><p>(TMI) - <strong>About RM173.84 billion was illegally siphoned out of Malaysia in 2011, making the country the fourth largest exporter of illicit capital that year after Russia, China and India, said anti-graft watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI).</strong> </p> The Washington-based research and advocacy organisation said crime, corruption, and tax evasion drained $946.7 billion (RM3.05 trillion) from the developing world in 2011, up more than 13.7% from 2010 – when illicit financial outflows totalled $832.4 billion (RM2.64 trillion).<br /><br />"As the world economy sputters along in the wake of the global financial crisis, the illicit underworld is thriving… siphoning more and more money from developing countries each year," said GFI president Raymond Baker when releasing the "Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2002-2011" report.<br /><br />The findings in the study peg cumulative illicit financial outflows from developing countries at $5.9 trillion (RM19 trillion) between 2002 and 2011.<br /><br />"Anonymous shell companies, tax haven secrecy, and trade-based money laundering techniques drained nearly a trillion dollars from the world's poorest in 2011, at a time when rich and poor nations alike are struggling to spur economic growth. <br /><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-bled-rm174-billion-dirty-money-in-2011-says-global-anti-graft-watc?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tmi%2Fnews%2Fmalaysia+%28TMI+-+Malaysia%29#When:01:43:35Z" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE </strong></a></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60911-learning-from-mandela-and-friends">Learning from Mandela and friends</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:39 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesmandela_opinion_1212s_600_368_100.JPG" width="220" height="135" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">An usher holds programs with the image of the late Nelson Mandela on the cover before a memorial service at the Riverside Church in New York December 11, 2013. — Reuters pic</font></em></strong></p><p><strong>Interestingly I got more insight from a job application. A fresh graduate wanted an administrative position at our firm and she had this as her career objective: "To contribute to my religion, race and country."</strong></p><p><em>Praba Ganesan, The Malay Mail</em></p> <p> </p><p>"Even if my country does seem to have forgotten me, I have always thought about it." (José Rizal in Noli Me Tangere)<br /><br />The corridor leading to the Dewan Rakyat's (Parliament's lower house) lounge is strange enough, but it got a bit more awkward when I bounced into my old debate teammate, the infamous teddy-hugging articulator of weird wisdom, Ja. Understandably, I lost my thought processor during our minute exchange, and presently remain uncertain whether I have completely forgiven myself over the incident.<br /><br />"Are you still with your political aspirations, Praba? It appears so, so tell me, what will you champion as an elected representative? You can't get elected if you do not have a value proposition, a platform."<br /><br />Before I managed to say, "Did you enjoy the breakfast spread at the cafeteria?" she had already said "Never mind, bye" and was beyond an earshot of me.<br /><br /><strong>Oh Ja!</strong><br /><br />Did I tell you that she would hold her stuffed toy with one hand while nailing her bed on the wall with the other hand at three in the morning during our days in the National University of Malaysia debate programme? <br /><br />Gobsmacked in the ambush, I went with something unintelligible, what we used to refer in debate parlance as the "goldfish" impression.<br /><br />This was five years ago.<br /><br /><strong>Today</strong><br /><br />I'm not an elected representative in any house of repute or disrepute when it comes to legislating laws as of now, but I do ponder about what would have been a barely adequate response to my old friend.<br /><br /><strong>"Why do I want to serve?"</strong><br /><br />At a gut level I've always been convinced it was never a decision to be made, those who reside in a society must serve, how else can societies grow without participation?<br /><br />However, I can see in a world where what you do matter as much why you do it, it is necessary to provide a preface to my politics before the crowd writes my epitaph.<br /><br />Even more now, since an election year is ending with an amorphous agenda for 2014 and a world comes to terms with the passing of Nelson Mandela.<br /><br />I want to do this, help create a Malaysia where its citizens do not wake up daily to face questions of whether they are truly at home or unsure if they are at ease with others sharing the category "Malaysian."<br /><br />That my countrymen can first enjoy being Malaysians before contending with what being Malaysian constitutes, daily.<br /><br />If you are thinking that after 50 years of formation (or 56 years of independence, contingent on whom you ask) such a basic objective is superfluous — it would appear to non-residents that Malaysia is a haven showcasing moderations — trust me, this is a surprising country.<br /><br /><strong>These episodes</strong><br /><br />Last Friday I met up with my close Umno contact, we try to meet in person every few months just so that we keep each other in check. I say "Umno" because he joked as I sat at the kopitiam (coffee shop) that the owners of the store were overboard with their devotion to Malay rights, parading their Malay credentials at the entrance, that even he chided them for overdoing it.<br /><br />So when I went to counter to order, I asked the manageress what she'd recommend and she adopted a race-centric explanation of what I would like because I was Indian. I looked at her quizzically and asked her if this is the way she'd treat a Penang Mamak (Indian Muslims from the state have somehow become seen as legitimate Malays, and in many occasions as the people most Malay)?<br /><br />She apologised immediately and was most attentive to my needs till I left the restaurant. My friend broke out in laughter, all 100 kilogrammes of him, when I explained to him why this woman came to our table later to apologise again.<br /><br />Interestingly I got more insight from a job application. A fresh graduate wanted an administrative position at our firm and she had this as her career objective: "To contribute to my religion, race and country."<br /><br />I don't think she's actually of the opinion this is what will define her outlook to life, I feel rather for a lack of her own personal development as a thinking and free person in her country she has ceded her judgement to the staple dogma fed to her for a lifetime.<br /><br />That considerations and obligations are carved up by demographics first rather than on the principles those considerations and obligations may potentially lie on her personal moral scale. <br /><br />She is expected to filter her countrymen using these demographics before engaging them.<br /><br />It is not only damaging for a person's development as a Malaysian, it is damaging for any person's assimilation into an increasingly connected planet. <br /><br />After all how many emerging market nations are generally filled with politicians with wide access condemning pluralism and liberalism? And they are not chastised by national leaders like Cabinet members, rather, they are backed and protected by them.<br /><br />Right wing thinking and articulation receives adulation and full access. The harm this appeasement continues to cause will long haunt this country beyond the present administration.<br /><br /><strong>They are not Mandela</strong><br /><br />I guess saying that I want universal celebration at home of our citizenship built by openness and discourse may be a little airy, to some.<br /><br />Let's sound-bite it.<br /><br />I'll leverage on the current global theme and state a binary, those who I oppose here in Malaysia are no friends of Mandela. They are fans of the things and ideas that kept the great man in prison for 27 years.<br /><br />Nelson Mandela left prison with the moral mandate to lead the blacks who are 90 per cent of South Africa. He rejected this opportunity and instead fought for equality for all, irrespective of how unequal some have been under Apartheid. <br /><br />South Africa for him was for all South Africans, colour was just incidental. Errors of the past are not passports for persecutions in the present.<br /><br />By rejecting his racial inheritance, he inspired a multicultural nation superior in principle even if struggling with practicalities.<br /><br />For me Malaysia has natural resources and great people, the future holds no fear for the country as long as those who govern it actively fight hate.<br /><br />It is the proliferation of hate that is the biggest threat for Malaysia. I want to stop it. That's the value proposition Ja, I want to fight hate without reservation or qualification, it is the true scourge of our country.<br /><br />I started this column quoting Rizal from his seminal first novel, and he died in 1896. As he was shot in the morning of December 30 in Manila, it would have been late night 6,700 kilometres away in South Africa's Natal where I am sure Mahatma Gandhi was still up after a day of advocating against the British colony's racism. Mandela found much courage and example from that man from Durban.<br /><br />None of these men despite their single-mindedness condoned or championed hate.<br /><br />I'm ok if my platform is just standing on the shoulders of giants.<br /><br />"We must win when we deserve it, by elevating reason and the dignity of the individual, loving justice and the good and the great, even dying for it." ( José Rizal in El Filibusterismo).<br /><br /><strong>* This is the personal opinion of the columnist. </strong></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60910-pakatan-to-keep-funding-sources-secret-until-elections-reformed">Pakatan to keep funding sources secret until elections reformed</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:30 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlescharles_santiago3_600_427_100.jpg" width="220" height="157" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">Charles Santiago claimed that there is a real risk of prosecution for opposition supporters if their identities are made known.</font></em></strong></p><p>(The Malay Mail) - <strong>Federal opposition lawmakers here are intent on keeping their party funds secret until Putrajaya commits to a level playing field during elections, fearing prosecution of their funders if exposed.</strong> </p> They agreed that before buying in to any proposal to declare their funding sources, not only must their political foes in Barisan Nasional (BN) agree to do the same, a proper mechanism must be put in place to ensure fair play when it comes to spending during any electoral contest, from kick-off to finish.<br /><br />One BN leader openly admitted that most, if not all, candidates tend to overspend when canvassing for votes in a heated election race with bills that run into exorbitant figures, even breaking the spending cap imposed by the Election Commission (EC).<br /><br />But this, he said, is the very reason why all political parties should buy into the proposal to declare political financing as a starting point to even out the competition.<br /><br />"Probably the only regulation we have now is the one administered by the EC... for instance for the state assembly you cannot spend more than RM50,000 and for parliamentary (contests) you cannot spend more than RM100,000 for each candidate," Umno's Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah told The Malay Mail Online when contacted.<br /><br />"I do not believe that every candidate really spends below the ceiling, but I can tell you that all of us, when we submit the report, will claim that we spent below the ceiling.<br /><br />"This is as truthful as I can be... if anyone marah (gets angry), I will ask them, are you sure you spent below the limit?" said the former deputy higher education minister and former Temerloh MP.<br /><br />On Tuesday, officials with the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) against Corruption claimed that political parties have not been forthcoming when asked to declare the sources of their political funding, adding that politicians have not been clear about their reservations over the plan.<br /><br />The agency said that the government is ready and willing to push the proposal forward, having already prepared final drafts to amend the Societies Act 1966 and related regulations to compel political parties to declare their financial sources.<br /><br />Saifuddin admitted that any new law or regulation would typically have loopholes at the start, but stressed that it is only through purposeful regulation that any form of fair play can take root.<br /><br />"I support the idea. It's about time we come out with some kind of regulation. Why it is (sic) important? It's about integrity. It's all about integrity. Integrity of the politician as an individual, of the party as an organisation, and integrity of our political system.<br /><br />"Of course, as I said, whatever regulation, there will always be loopholes. But we have to start somewhere... we cannot go on like this," he said, in an apparent reference to the growing political polarisation in the country, especially after the recent 13th General Election last May when BN retained power despite losing out on the popular vote.<br /><br />Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers, when questioned, appeared warm to the idea of declaring political financing but insisted this could not happen if election contests continue to stay in favour of the ruling BN, which holds the key to Putrajaya.<br /><br />They said it would be a mistake to assume BN and PR are now on equal footing, arguing that there is a huge disparity in terms of the amount of funds available to either coalition.<br /><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articlesProham__GMMF14_600_399_100.jpg" width="220" height="146" /><br /><strong><em><font color="#800000">Saifuddin admitted that any new law or regulation would typically have loopholes at the start, but stressed that it is only through purposeful regulation that any form of fair play can take root.</font></em></strong></p><p>DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago agreed that every political party should, in principle, allow the public unfettered access to their financial accounts, but claimed that there is the real risk of prosecution for opposition supporters if their identities are made known.<br /><br />He suggested that the government, through agencies such as the NKRA against Corruption, come up with clear guidelines such as those used in the United States - where political campaigns are in part publicly funded - to remove any ambiguity in the political process in Malaysia.<br /><br />"First you must clarify the process, and it must be agreed to by all parties. Once the process is clear on how it's going to be done, then you can ask for buy-ins from political parties," he said when contacted.<br /><br />"Political parties are not suicidal. They will consider this very carefully. If the identity of the donors are made public, they get prosecuted and we can kiss goodbye to their support in the next elections.<br /><br />"In the US you have fair play, so you have big companies like (tobacco giant) Philip Morris giving funds to the Democrats and the Republicans. Only when there is a fair play environment, and there is no prosecution of funders, especially for the opposition, then we can do so. If we do it today, it's suicidal," Charles said.<br /><br />PKR vice-president and Padang Serai MP N. Surendran said they are not opposed to the proposal, but claimed that it detracts from the bigger issue of BN's alleged corrupt practices.<br /><br />"There is a lack of understanding of the total picture, and it is ridiculous to equate funding for the opposition to the corrupt funds available to the federal government," he said when contacted.<br /><br />"I don't think that is the main issue now in the country. The main issue is the corruption of the BN in funding themselves. They have the federal government and all sorts of sources, and they are also using government resources.<br /><br />"The opposition is a poor political coalition, which is desperately getting donations from Malaysians who are committed to seeing democracy flourish in the country," he said.<br /><br />PAS supreme council member and Tumpat MP Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar, however, argued that even without a special mechanism to compel political parties to declare their political finances, the government can already act using existing laws under the Societies Act, which requires political parties to submit an annual financial report.<br /><br />"I've not seen the latest (financial) documents filed by BN or Umno, but if they do (submit their financial report), I'm sure it would reflect very unrealistic spending, what more during an election year," he said, referring to the BN coalition's dominant party.<br /><br />"We should get the RoS (Registrar of Societies) to look very carefully into the party's annual accounts submitted very year... I doubt the culprits are the opposition in this case. I would think it is very likely the BN," he claimed.<br /><br />Political funding is an especially murky area in Malaysia, due to the close ties between political parties and businesses as well as an established system of political patronage that is said to fund huge war chests that come into play during elections.<br /><br />BN component parties such as Umno and MCA own millions of ringgit in both shares and assets, and are among the wealthiest entities in the country.<br /><br />The tight connection between parties and corporations continue to be a source of suspicion in Malaysia, where graft remains a perennial issue and politicians are viewed as the second-most corrupt people, behind only the police force.</p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60909-does-islam-need-umno">Does Islam need Umno?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 11 Dec 2013 10:22 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" border="0" alt="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" title="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/uploads/articles1206-umno-general-assembly_600_444_100.jpg" width="220" height="163" /></p><p><strong><em><font color="#800000">Transform, or be irrelevant soon, says the writer on Umno.</font></em></strong></p><p><strong>I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with ideas on how to include that into our birth certificates and ICs. Who is Umno and who is not. They are already debating whether they should give BR1M to non-BN supporters. </strong></p><p><em>Kamal Amzan, The Malay Mail</em></p> So it is official. No more 1 Malaysia. <br /><br />I don't think there is even 1 BN, or 1 Islam for that matter. There is just 1 Umno, and everyone else.<br /><br />I wouldn't be surprised if they come up with ideas on how to include that into our birth certificates and ICs. Who is Umno and who is not. They are already debating whether they should give BR1M to non-BN supporters. <br /><br />Never mind the fact that BR1M is not Umno's to give away.<br /><br />It is frustrating when you hear the top government leaders only able to talk about religion, survival of race, and play heroes battling made-up monsters and boogeymen who seem hell bent on the destruction of Islam and their race, but are oblivious to our real enemies who have time and again breached our borders and shed blood on our soil. <br /><br />Sad, that they are the ones underestimating Islam, a religion that had survived over a thousand years, withstanding even more difficult moments in the past without the protection of Sunni Umno.<br /><br />I pity the rank and file who truly believe they are our appointed saviours, and are constantly told that this is the right way to heaven.<br /><br />Sometimes you have to wonder if our government is purposely suppressing the education standards to create followers, instead of thinkers and leaders.<br /><br />There is no such thing as freedom of religion for Malay Muslims in this country. I apologise, I mean there is no freedom for Malay Muslims in this country. If you are Malay, you must be Muslim. If you are a Muslim, then you must subscribe to the one approved by the state. <br /><br />No, no arguments. There is only the approved, and licensed version of Islam.<br /><br />You must also conform to all the "fatwas" issued by them from time to time if you want to keep your faith, such as abstaining from Poco Poco and yoga. <br /><br />Overseas? Well, you should be fine overseas. You can even pray next to a Shite in Mecca, read Lee Kuan Yew's books in Singapore and mingle with those who frequent night clubs and pubs in London without losing your faith. <br /><br />But I suppose the temptation to abandon Islam is somehow greater in this country. So much so that you have men in skullcaps, holding camera phones spying on you in the name of everything good and holy.<br /><br />Gone are the days when prayers and deeds were made with sincerity. Now, it has become a "show" which must go on whether you like it or not in the guise of piety and faith. Gone are also the days where religion and faiths remained between men and God. Now we have men, Jakim, and God. <br /><br />I'm not sure who appointed them to "protect" Islam, or how they are deemed morally superior to safeguard our morals. <br /><br />If only they look at countries where Islam grew when there are no appointed "guardians." Countries where Muslims are the minorities, where they are free to practise the religion as a personal choice without shackles and spies behind the bushes.<br /><br />Kevin Brice, a researcher at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, calculated that around 5,200 Britons turn to Islam every year, and that the total number of converts is about 100,000. France has seen conversions to the faith double in the past quarter century.<br /><br />The Pew Research Centre estimated that there were around 2.4 million American Muslims in 2007.<br /><br />I'm sure this will come as a shock to the government, but Islam thrived in all these countries. <br /><br />They certainly don't have Umno, PAS, Jakim and people who claim to be protectors and guardians of Islam.<br /><br />So the question is, do we still need Umno and the likes to protect such a great religion? <br /><br />Umno needs to address real issues affecting the community. Poor education standards, poverty, poor command of the English language, corruption and collapses of ceilings all over the country are all available for them to choose from. <br /><br />We do not need them to safeguard our faith, nor Islam which is already perfect.<br /><br />Transform, or be irrelevant soon. <br /><br />* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.<p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60907-malaysians-set-to-tighten-purse-strings-as-reality-bites-world-bank-predicts">Malaysians set to tighten purse strings as reality bites, World Bank predicts</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 08:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, San-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" width="250" height="167" /> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, San-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px">(</span>MM) - Domestic households that are the engine of the country's economy are likely to spend at a slower pace as the effects of subsidy cuts, higher energy tariffs and rising debt all hit home, the World Bank said.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">It added that the reduced spending by Putrajaya in its bid to trim its own chronic budget deficit will also likely exacerbate the slower growth in consumer spending as a result of smaller bonuses for the 1.4 million civil servants in its employment.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank also expects Putrajaya to continue down the path of reduced spending next year, adding that fresh subsidy cuts were a possibility.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"[Household] expenditure faces potential headwinds in the form of the government's fiscal consolidation efforts, namely subsidy rationalisation and lower civil service bonuses.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Reduced energy subsidies, not only in terms of additional fuel price hikes but also an adjustment of electricity tariffs, may have a knock-on impact on consumer prices, as may the wider introduction of the minimum wage," it said in its "Malaysia Economic Monitor" report.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">A ratings outlook downgrade by Fitch in September had forced Putrajaya's hand on the subsidy cuts that it had put on hold ahead of Election 2013, prompting the federal government to raise pump prices for RON95 petrol and diesel by 20 sen/l.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The move led analysts to predict an electricity tariff hike, which Putrajaya promptly delivered when it announced a 15 per cent increase beginning January 1 or more than double the previous hike.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">In Budget 2014, price support for sugar was also eliminated.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The rapid-fire subsidy cuts are expected to cause inflation to rise and add to the pressure on Bank Negara Malaysia to raise interest rates that it has steadfastly kept at 3 per cent for nearly three years.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Private consumption may also be negatively affected by possible interest rate hikes and tighter credit markets, with signs of weaker credit expansion already appearing this year," it added.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The combined pressures are expected to moderate growth in household spending to 6.5 per cent in 2014, down from 8.4 per cent for the current year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank added that Malaysian households continued to grapple with already high debt levels, which has continued to grow despite credit restrictions imposed by Bank Negara this year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Despite the moderation in the growth of loans for personal use and credit cards, the overall growth of household loans was stable due to higher growth in loans for the purchase of cars and property."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The household debt in proportion to the GDP was 83 per cent of GDP as at March 2013, compared with 80.9 per cent as of end-2012.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">Reductions to the rate of consumer spending growth will force the country to rely on exports to sustain economic expansion, but the report also noted that this was expected to rise next year on the back of higher energy commodity and petrochemical production.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank forecast a GDP growth of 4.9 per cent for Malaysia in 2014.</p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60906-malaysia-wants-the-conflict-in-syria-to-be-resolved-politically">Malaysia Wants The Conflict In Syria To Be Resolved Politically</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 08:31 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" border="0" alt="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" title="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" width="150" height="152" /> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify">(Bernama) - Malaysia wants the bloody conflict going on in Syria currently to be resolved using a political approach instead of military intervention, said Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.</span></p> <p><span style="text-align: justify">He said this was among the issues that he emphasised upon at the 40th Session of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Conakry, Republic of Guinea which had just concluded.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Speaking to the Malaysian media here Wednesday, Hamzah who arrived directly from the OIC meeting, said Kuala Lumpur wanted everyone and the conflicting groups in the Arab nation from both sides, the government and the opposition, to sit down to find a political solution to the conflict.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">"I notice that the response had been very positive because after delivering my speech, many had asked for the text of my speech and I also received congratulatory messages from numerous countries...so the majority showed that this political approach was well received by the OIC member nations instead of putting pressure for military intervention," he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that he had told the conference that the OIC could intervene by becoming an advisor or mediator at a peace talk that was being worked on involving all parties in Syria, to see that eventually everyone could sit down together and find a solution to the conflict that brought much destruction to property and lives.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that at the meeting, Kuala Lumpur had also asked the OIC to get in touch directly with the governments where there were conflicts between the Muslim minority in that country and the government such as in Myanmar.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">He said Malaysia's experience in helping to achieve peace in the conflicts in Mindanao, southern Philippines and in southern Thailand could be used to tackle the problems of the Muslim minorities who were having conflicts with their governments.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that at the OIC meeting, Malaysia had also given emphasis in terms of Malaysia's position in supporting the Palestinian cause to form a sovereign nation that was acceptable to all nations in the world.</span></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/from-around-the-blogs/60905-pakatans-flood-feud">Pakatan’s Flood Feud</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 06:10 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m6o8OnjabnZNpc46FK0DCmdw9hno3g2COBh3y96u7VFcOLZi_0aKNgXOjNfaCgFRRH12PqWsc_3otQkcG2IQL-p1BCApvkPKWX3I5jU6B60iAEIZPkEDlxEAra09dW1mSonQTVt8vQ/s1600/kemaman1.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m6o8OnjabnZNpc46FK0DCmdw9hno3g2COBh3y96u7VFcOLZi_0aKNgXOjNfaCgFRRH12PqWsc_3otQkcG2IQL-p1BCApvkPKWX3I5jU6B60iAEIZPkEDlxEAra09dW1mSonQTVt8vQ/s320/kemaman1.jpg" border="0" width="320" height="180" /></a></div><p><strong>Another Brick in the Wall </strong></p><p>Few pro-opposition friends alerted us of Nelson Mandela's death. Malaysiakini titled their MySay column today as "<a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/248824" target="_blank">We M'sians needs our own Nelson Mandela</a>".</p> <p> As one, who lent a hand to a fellow South African Malay in Mandela's anti-Apartheid movement in our varsity days in New York in the early 80s, reading their self thumping rhetorics and cheap political propaganda makes us feel like puking.<br /> <br /> How are they to talk of Nelson Mandela when these Pakatan supporters could even immorally politicise the flood in Trengganu and Pahang and working to create public unrest through the slanders of their leaders and cybertroopers?<br /> <br /> <a name="more" title="more"></a>Our Malaysian Chinese friends studying with us then were indifferent to the anti-Apartheid cause because of selfish reason. It does not concern them.<br /> <br /> Even if we are wrong for stereotyping and generalising, so be it. These Malaysiakini's comentators are mostly Chinese and our past experience does not convince us they are true to the cause of humanity. With the exception of the few, it is a matter of time their true self-serving, selective and hypocrit self will kick in.<br /> <br /> They should not try to attempt to ride on the name of Mandela and be associated to him. It only bring disgrace to the great man. <br /> <br /> For instance, DAP never bothered to condemn act of violence, violation of human rights and force evacuation on Palestinians by Israel, Americans, and the west.<br /> <br /> In our days working in the private sector, our Chinese colleague complained whenever Tun Dr Mahathir made any critical comments on the west or Israel. Their psyche is predictably that we mind our business. To them, why bother over our Muslim brothers or injustice on the rest of humanity.<br /> <br /> Obviously, there is self interest at play. They behave differently when it involves overseas Chinese and defend Singapore to the hilt. <br /> <br /> These Pakatan people are full of inconsistencies and self interest that they know no bound in their politicking. By the way, no DAP is seen showing sympathy for flood victims in Terengganu. WHy should they be sympathetic with the 93% Malay state? <br /> <br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklNw3ivs0OcbSp7XP3aY5tM2oNEKwByhZsHvX43gDdPpl_6hd7Xpu3mAfWmfO6iDW-MvnkIpQ8_IC7ycE5zXlbV4UqhKYcejeCenOjkSVPxK3UxflGAqLogOt9EESHjqH8gsJhysaiQ/s1600/IMG-20131205-WA024.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklNw3ivs0OcbSp7XP3aY5tM2oNEKwByhZsHvX43gDdPpl_6hd7Xpu3mAfWmfO6iDW-MvnkIpQ8_IC7ycE5zXlbV4UqhKYcejeCenOjkSVPxK3UxflGAqLogOt9EESHjqH8gsJhysaiQ/s320/IMG-20131205-WA024.jpg" border="0" width="320" height="212" /></a></div><p> <br /> This morning a friend shared with us an SMS he received from a Health Ministry Official and we share it below:</p><p><a href="http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com/2013/12/pakatans-flood-fued.html" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="8" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60904-ill-expose-anwar-mat-zain-relationship-next-week-says-umno-lawyer">I’ll expose Anwar-Mat Zain relationship next week, says Umno lawyer</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 04:36 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/anwar_sodomy_ibrahim_17098_zps28889d52.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="190" /> </p><p>(MD) - Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) today vowed to expose the relationship between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, the former Kuala Lumpur CID chief behind a statutory declaration (SD) alleging wrongdoings of the Attorney General.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Shafee said he would do this next week when the Court of Appeal hears Anwar's second application to disqualify him from leading the prosecution team in Putrajaya's appeal against Anwar's acquittal in the second sodomy charge.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I will make an interesting revelation on a civil suit filed by Mat Zain against Anwar and the subsequent events," said Shafee.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The senior lawyer said he had filed an affidavit on what transpired in his legal firm and at the residence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Shafee said Mat Zain "slanted" what he had said in his October 7 statutory declaration.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"My affidavit is supported by former (Commercial Crime Investigations Department director) Datuk Ramli Yusuff. I do not need to ask Matthias Chang to affirm it, and there is no need to trouble Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad)," Shafee said when asked to respond on the contents of the SD.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The SD by Mat Zain was prepared following a meeting in Dr Mahathir's house on August 10 this year, attended by among others Dr Mahathir's former political secretary Matthias Chang, and Ramli, who briefed the former premier over his run-ins with Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar filed the application last week using Mat Zain's SD as grounds to disqualify Shafee, saying Shafee's appointment to lead the prosecution team would deny him a fair trial.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The PKR de-facto leader among others said that Shafee knew of Gani's illegal actions in the Pulau Batu Puteh territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar said the SD also pointed to Gani and former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's involvement in fabricating evidence in the "black eye" incident of 1998.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The alleged fabrication took place when Gani was said to have brought in pathologist Dr Abdul Rahman Yusoff to accuse Anwar in court of self-inflicted injuries, contradicting medical reports. A Royal Commission of Inquiry set up later ended with an admission by former police chief Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor that he had beaten Anwar hours after his arrest on September 20, 1998.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar had in 2008 filed a police report against Gani and Musa, who was involved in the first sodomy case brought against Anwar.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">A three-member committee, comprising retired judges, formed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), however, later cleared the duo. Shafee reportedly agreed during the meeting in Dr Mahathir's house that the MACC committee was illegal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar's second attempt to disqualify Shafee as the deputy public prosecutor in his trial will be heard on December 19.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">On November 21, the Federal Court dismissed Anwar's appeal, declaring that Gani could give a temporary licence to Shafee to lead the prosecution. Anwar had then filed the application to dismiss Shafee based on the grounds that the appointment was illegal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar, 66, was acquitted by the High Court on January 9 last year on a charge of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara in 2008.</p><p style="text-align: justify"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="9" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/60903-which-version-of-islam-will-dominate-malaysia">Which version of Islam will dominate Malaysia?</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 01:57 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/dinazaman_zps5a9b940c.jpg" border="0" width="170" height="170" /> </p><p><em>Dina Zaman, The Malay Mail </em></p><p>I read <a href="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/zurairi-ar/article/the-next-general-elections-will-be-all-about-islam" target="_blank"><strong>Zurairi AR's piece</strong></a> today and agree with him. While his piece spoke about how the next General Elections will be about the Islamist agenda, the reality is that Malaysian Muslims are becoming more observant, and want Malaysia to practise Shariah law.</p> <p>I base this observation (not fact) on my dealings with friends and the people I have met over the years, and in recent times, Instant Messenger Group Chats. While the calls supporting Shariah law can be rather basic at its best, and crude, it would seem that young Muslims in this country want hudud law.<br /><br />However, before we get our knickers in a twist, we must also ask what is their idea of hudud law and an Islamic state.<br /><br />A good friend who attended the Muktamar PAS, had a revelation. She saw a gathering of not just PAS leaders and politicians, but of men and women who asked questions about the economy, education and public infrastructure. There was little gender segregation, and the women spoke up and made sure everyone heard them. They were not wholly focussed on hudud. They were pragmatic Muslims who wanted change. They were fed up of the religious rhetoric they kept hearing.<br /><br />"And this is the progressive Muslim we need and desire. Muslims who want real life solutions instead of khutbahs."<br /><br />There is little space left for the current power elites who have hogged the headlines for too long, she said. The Islamists are here to stay.<br /><br />Islam in Malaysia is becoming more diversified in its conversations. Some of the voices can be downright frightening – you will not believe the vitriol hurled against Malays who are considered to not have the "knowledge", and this is among Malays themselves (!) – and some can be maddening. Are these voices part of The Middle, or splinter groups that have the propensity to influence The Middle?<br /><br />There are two voices of Islam that appear in our media today, and they belong to a power elite of two extremes.<br /><br />First of all, because of a word limit and that meanings can take on so many forms and shapes, for this column, let us just define broadly what extremes (extremists) are. As a friend pointed out, what is a liberal and what is a conservative? It could be a bit futile to separate conservatism and liberalism where politics and religion intersect "… because most of us are liberal on some issues and conservative on others."<br /><br />So for this essay, perhaps the "Extreme(ists)" are those whose arguments defy each other's, but basically rule media airtime and the public sphere. And in Malaysia, the argument is among Muslims.<br /><br />In an increasingly globalised world where barriers are now falling apart, there seems to be more divisions, but the divisions and debates are among the believers themselves.<br /><br />What concerns me and should worry all of us is the voice of The Middle (for want of a better word). I hesitate to say moderate, for what is a moderate? I see two voices speaking up on Islam's behalf, do these voices speak for my friends and me? Not really.<br /><br />The problem with the Voice of The Middle is that they have other things to worry about, such as bread and butter issues. These issues are not unimportant, and for many Muslim Malaysians, religious debates are thought to be the domain of leaders, politicians and activists. They don't have the time, there's too much to think about and do. Also, there is the danger of fundamentalism leading the way, which limits the ability of The Middle to speak up. There is great fear in speaking out, and it is also possible they only get airtime in the English-speaking media.<br /><br />When they do notice what is going on and want to pipe up, the Voice of The Middle is apprehensive. They feel that they are not equipped with the knowledge and communication tools to articulate their thoughts and feelings, and they fear persecution. Many fear the backlash more.<br /><br />The Voice of The Middle is important, and could be the very Voice of Reason Malaysia needs.<br /><br />But we need these voices to come out and speak up. We cannot let the engagement be the realm of a few concerned citizens only. We need more Malaysians to say, enough is enough. We must remind ourselves that we do not need to be born into greatness to do great things.<br /><br />Muslims in Malaysia want an Islamic state.<br /><br />What version it will be, only God knows. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="10" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60902-anwar-in-the-us-and-karpal-in-hospital-so-case-delayed">Anwar in the US and Karpal in hospital so case delayed</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 01:48 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/5295/umfp.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="176" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>Ram Karpal Singh, a member of Anwar's legal team in the sodomy case, said Anwar was in Washington for a seminar. </strong></font></p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI </em></p><p>Putrajaya has taken objection to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's failure to attend court proceedings today as the Government's appeal to set aside his acquittal for sodomy was scheduled earlier.</p> <p> Deputy public prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) raised this matter in chambers after the opposition leader failed to turn up when the case was called this morning.</p> <p> However, the three-man Court of Appeal bench led by Datuk Aziah Ali did not make any order.</p><p> "We take objection for the respondent's failure to be present. Such a thing should not be tolerated," Shafee told reporters later.</p> <p> The lawyer, who was appointed by Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to head the prosecution, said Anwar had written to the court to seek an adjournment but it was rejected.</p> <p> However, Putrajaya's appeal against the High Court ruling has been adjourned as lead counsel Karpal Singh was hospitalised.</p> <p> Ram Karpal Singh, a member of Anwar's legal team in the sodomy case, said Anwar was in Washington for a seminar.</p> <p> Earlier, lawyer Tommy Thomas, who is representing Anwar to disqualify Shafee for the second time from leading the prosecution team, sought a postponement as he needed time to file an affidavit in reply by Putrajaya.</p> <p> Tommy said he only obtained a copy of the affidavit this morning.</p> <p> Aziah, who sat with Datuk Rohana Yusuf and Datuk Mohd Zawawi Salleh, allowed the adjournment and fixed hearing on December 19.</p> <p> Ram Karpal also informed the court that lead counsel Karpal was in hospital and applied for the sodomy appeal to be adjourned.</p> <p> The court had earlier fixed today and tomorrow to hear the appeal.</p> <p> Aziah said case management would be held on the same day (December 19) to fix Putrajaya's appeal on the sodomy case.<br /><br /> Anwar is using the statutory declaration (SD) made by former Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, as grounds to disqualify Shafee.</p> <p> Anwar, among others, disclosed in his application last Friday that Shafee knew of Gani's actions but the lawyer suppressed important evidence, especially on the Pulau Batu Puteh territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.</p> <p> Further, the SD pointed towards Gani and former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's involvement in fabricating evidence in the infamous "black eye" incident in 1998 following Anwar's sacking as deputy prime minister.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-objects-to-anwar-no-show-in-court" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="11" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60901-naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property">Naza family in tussle over London property</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 01:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/11/naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property/attachment/sm-nasimuddin-sm-amin/" rel="attachment wp-att-357350"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SM-Nasimuddin-SM-Amin-300x202.jpg" border="0" width="250" height="168" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The property in dispute was acquired by late tycoon SM Nasimuddin SM Amin after inking a swap agreement with former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son.</strong></font></p><p><em>Alyaa Azhar, FMT </em></p><p>A delay to cement a swap agreement between late tycoon SM Nasimuddin SM Amin and Kamaluddin Abdullah, son of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has caused Nasimuddin's sister to be evicted from her home in London.</p> <p>With that, Nasimuddin's sister Norashikin SM Amin is now embroiled in a legal battle in the UK with her brother's first wife for a property worth £1.65 million.</p> <p>According to court documents seen by FMT, the fiasco started way back in 2005 when the Malaysian government proposed to sell some of Proton Sdn Bhd's (Proton) shares due to the national carmaker's dismal performance.</p><p>Nasimuddin, who was Naza Group founder, was said to be interested to acquire the stocks and discussed the matter with Kamaluddin, who is said to have knowledge of the plan.</p> <p>And opportunity struck when Malaysia Airlines (MAS) announced that it planned to sell its property in London, known as the 'MAS property' valued at £3.25m. The sale caught the attention of Kamaluddin.</p> <p>Thus, Kamaluddin had asked Nasimuddin to purchase the property on his behalf, as the former's direct involvement would cause political repercussions on his father.</p> <p>In return, Kamaluddin assured Nasimuddin that he would facilitate the tycoon's purchase of Proton's shares.</p> <p>Nasimuddin agreed to the deal and purchased the MAS property through his subsidiary company, ACE Elite Management Inc (ACE).</p> <p>However, Nasimuddin told Kamaluddin to transfer the £1.65m property belonging to the latter, with some cash payment, to reflect the difference of the MAS property.</p> <p>And Kamaluddin agreed to transfer the second property and the cash payment through his company, Feldspar Holdings Limited.</p> <p>Unfortunately, Nasimuddin passed away in May 2008, before the swap agreement could be finalised.</p> <p>Nasimuddin's sister Norashikin, who facilitated the swap agreement, claimed that Nasimuddin had promised to give Kamaluddin's property to her in 2007 once the deal was sealed, in return for her hard work.</p> <p>She was responsible for transactional work which included vetting of documents on behalf of Nasimuddin, liaising with solicitors, advising on the commercial viability of the sale and collecting the keys to the MAS property.</p> <p>Norashikin is also a lawyer and was employed by Nasimuddin as Naza's head of group legal adviser from 2004 to 2006.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/11/naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=vXYDMQ-LLxBJxhX5mf5Am9gD-uI">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8345072583185516308.post-86788309391597018192013-12-11T19:04:00.001-08:002013-12-11T19:04:43.028-08:00Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News<style type="text/css"> h1 a:hover {background-color:#888;color:#fff ! important;} div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div ul { list-style-type:square; padding-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div blockquote { padding-left:6px; border-left: 6px solid #dadada; margin-left:1em; } div#emailbody table#itemcontentlist tr td div li { margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:1em; } table#itemcontentlist tr td a:link, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:visited, table#itemcontentlist tr td a:active, ul#summarylist li a { color:#000099; font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} </style> <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" id="emailbody" style="margin:0 2em;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"> <table style="border:0;padding:0;margin:0;width:100%"> <tr> <td style="vertical-align:top" width="99%"> <h1 style="margin:0;padding-bottom:6px;"> <a style="color:#888;font-size:22px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/" title="(http://www.malaysia-today.net/)">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/60901-naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property">Naza family in tussle over London property</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 01:28 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/11/naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property/attachment/sm-nasimuddin-sm-amin/" rel="attachment wp-att-357350"><img src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SM-Nasimuddin-SM-Amin-300x202.jpg" border="0" width="250" height="168" /></a></p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>The property in dispute was acquired by late tycoon SM Nasimuddin SM Amin after inking a swap agreement with former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's son.</strong></font></p><p><em>Alyaa Azhar, FMT </em></p><p>A delay to cement a swap agreement between late tycoon SM Nasimuddin SM Amin and Kamaluddin Abdullah, son of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, has caused Nasimuddin's sister to be evicted from her home in London.</p> <p>With that, Nasimuddin's sister Norashikin SM Amin is now embroiled in a legal battle in the UK with her brother's first wife for a property worth £1.65 million.</p> <p>According to court documents seen by FMT, the fiasco started way back in 2005 when the Malaysian government proposed to sell some of Proton Sdn Bhd's (Proton) shares due to the national carmaker's dismal performance.</p><p>Nasimuddin, who was Naza Group founder, was said to be interested to acquire the stocks and discussed the matter with Kamaluddin, who is said to have knowledge of the plan.</p> <p>And opportunity struck when Malaysia Airlines (MAS) announced that it planned to sell its property in London, known as the 'MAS property' valued at £3.25m. The sale caught the attention of Kamaluddin.</p> <p>Thus, Kamaluddin had asked Nasimuddin to purchase the property on his behalf, as the former's direct involvement would cause political repercussions on his father.</p> <p>In return, Kamaluddin assured Nasimuddin that he would facilitate the tycoon's purchase of Proton's shares.</p> <p>Nasimuddin agreed to the deal and purchased the MAS property through his subsidiary company, ACE Elite Management Inc (ACE).</p> <p>However, Nasimuddin told Kamaluddin to transfer the £1.65m property belonging to the latter, with some cash payment, to reflect the difference of the MAS property.</p> <p>And Kamaluddin agreed to transfer the second property and the cash payment through his company, Feldspar Holdings Limited.</p> <p>Unfortunately, Nasimuddin passed away in May 2008, before the swap agreement could be finalised.</p> <p>Nasimuddin's sister Norashikin, who facilitated the swap agreement, claimed that Nasimuddin had promised to give Kamaluddin's property to her in 2007 once the deal was sealed, in return for her hard work.</p> <p>She was responsible for transactional work which included vetting of documents on behalf of Nasimuddin, liaising with solicitors, advising on the commercial viability of the sale and collecting the keys to the MAS property.</p> <p>Norashikin is also a lawyer and was employed by Nasimuddin as Naza's head of group legal adviser from 2004 to 2006.</p><p><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/12/11/naza-family-in-tussle-over-london-property/" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - 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Your Source of Independent News</a> </h1> </td> <td width="1%" /> </tr> </table> <hr style="border:1px solid #ccc;padding:0;margin:0" /> <ul style="clear:both;padding:0 0 0 1.2em;width:100%" id="summarylist"> <li> <a href="#1">Malaysians set to tighten purse strings as reality bites, World Bank predicts</a> </li> <li> <a href="#2">Malaysia Wants The Conflict In Syria To Be Resolved Politically</a> </li> <li> <a href="#3">I’ll expose Anwar-Mat Zain relationship next week, says Umno lawyer</a> </li> <li> <a href="#4">Anwar in the US and Karpal in hospital so case delayed</a> </li> <li> <a href="#5">Suhakam needs more legal bite, says civil society</a> </li> <li> <a href="#6">If other Muslim countries can have Shias and Sunnis, why can’t we? asks Suhakam chief</a> </li> <li> <a href="#7">All eyes on Kelantan MB when he names officials</a> </li> </ul> <table id="itemcontentlist"> <tr xmlns=""> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="1" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60907-malaysians-set-to-tighten-purse-strings-as-reality-bites-world-bank-predicts">Malaysians set to tighten purse strings as reality bites, World Bank predicts</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 08:32 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, San-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" border="0" alt="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" title="http://i.imgur.com/nPBONX8.jpg" width="250" height="167" /> </p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px"><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, San-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px">(</span>MM) - Domestic households that are the engine of the country's economy are likely to spend at a slower pace as the effects of subsidy cuts, higher energy tariffs and rising debt all hit home, the World Bank said.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">It added that the reduced spending by Putrajaya in its bid to trim its own chronic budget deficit will also likely exacerbate the slower growth in consumer spending as a result of smaller bonuses for the 1.4 million civil servants in its employment.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank also expects Putrajaya to continue down the path of reduced spending next year, adding that fresh subsidy cuts were a possibility.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"[Household] expenditure faces potential headwinds in the form of the government's fiscal consolidation efforts, namely subsidy rationalisation and lower civil service bonuses.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Reduced energy subsidies, not only in terms of additional fuel price hikes but also an adjustment of electricity tariffs, may have a knock-on impact on consumer prices, as may the wider introduction of the minimum wage," it said in its "Malaysia Economic Monitor" report.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">A ratings outlook downgrade by Fitch in September had forced Putrajaya's hand on the subsidy cuts that it had put on hold ahead of Election 2013, prompting the federal government to raise pump prices for RON95 petrol and diesel by 20 sen/l.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The move led analysts to predict an electricity tariff hike, which Putrajaya promptly delivered when it announced a 15 per cent increase beginning January 1 or more than double the previous hike.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">In Budget 2014, price support for sugar was also eliminated.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The rapid-fire subsidy cuts are expected to cause inflation to rise and add to the pressure on Bank Negara Malaysia to raise interest rates that it has steadfastly kept at 3 per cent for nearly three years.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Private consumption may also be negatively affected by possible interest rate hikes and tighter credit markets, with signs of weaker credit expansion already appearing this year," it added.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The combined pressures are expected to moderate growth in household spending to 6.5 per cent in 2014, down from 8.4 per cent for the current year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank added that Malaysian households continued to grapple with already high debt levels, which has continued to grow despite credit restrictions imposed by Bank Negara this year.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">"Despite the moderation in the growth of loans for personal use and credit cards, the overall growth of household loans was stable due to higher growth in loans for the purchase of cars and property."</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The household debt in proportion to the GDP was 83 per cent of GDP as at March 2013, compared with 80.9 per cent as of end-2012.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">Reductions to the rate of consumer spending growth will force the country to rely on exports to sustain economic expansion, but the report also noted that this was expected to rise next year on the back of higher energy commodity and petrochemical production.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px">The World Bank forecast a GDP growth of 4.9 per cent for Malaysia in 2014.</p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="2" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60906-malaysia-wants-the-conflict-in-syria-to-be-resolved-politically">Malaysia Wants The Conflict In Syria To Be Resolved Politically</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 08:31 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" border="0" alt="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" title="http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/7240/a00578597.jpg" width="150" height="152" /> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify">(Bernama) - Malaysia wants the bloody conflict going on in Syria currently to be resolved using a political approach instead of military intervention, said Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.</span></p> <p><span style="text-align: justify">He said this was among the issues that he emphasised upon at the 40th Session of the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Conakry, Republic of Guinea which had just concluded.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Speaking to the Malaysian media here Wednesday, Hamzah who arrived directly from the OIC meeting, said Kuala Lumpur wanted everyone and the conflicting groups in the Arab nation from both sides, the government and the opposition, to sit down to find a political solution to the conflict.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">"I notice that the response had been very positive because after delivering my speech, many had asked for the text of my speech and I also received congratulatory messages from numerous countries...so the majority showed that this political approach was well received by the OIC member nations instead of putting pressure for military intervention," he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that he had told the conference that the OIC could intervene by becoming an advisor or mediator at a peace talk that was being worked on involving all parties in Syria, to see that eventually everyone could sit down together and find a solution to the conflict that brought much destruction to property and lives.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that at the meeting, Kuala Lumpur had also asked the OIC to get in touch directly with the governments where there were conflicts between the Muslim minority in that country and the government such as in Myanmar.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">He said Malaysia's experience in helping to achieve peace in the conflicts in Mindanao, southern Philippines and in southern Thailand could be used to tackle the problems of the Muslim minorities who were having conflicts with their governments.</span><br /><br /><span style="text-align: justify">Hamzah said that at the OIC meeting, Malaysia had also given emphasis in terms of Malaysia's position in supporting the Palestinian cause to form a sovereign nation that was acceptable to all nations in the world.</span></p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="3" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60904-ill-expose-anwar-mat-zain-relationship-next-week-says-umno-lawyer">I’ll expose Anwar-Mat Zain relationship next week, says Umno lawyer</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 04:36 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/anwar_sodomy_ibrahim_17098_zps28889d52.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="190" /> </p><p>(MD) - Umno lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) today vowed to expose the relationship between Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, the former Kuala Lumpur CID chief behind a statutory declaration (SD) alleging wrongdoings of the Attorney General.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Shafee said he would do this next week when the Court of Appeal hears Anwar's second application to disqualify him from leading the prosecution team in Putrajaya's appeal against Anwar's acquittal in the second sodomy charge.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"I will make an interesting revelation on a civil suit filed by Mat Zain against Anwar and the subsequent events," said Shafee.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The senior lawyer said he had filed an affidavit on what transpired in his legal firm and at the residence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Shafee said Mat Zain "slanted" what he had said in his October 7 statutory declaration.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"My affidavit is supported by former (Commercial Crime Investigations Department director) Datuk Ramli Yusuff. I do not need to ask Matthias Chang to affirm it, and there is no need to trouble Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad)," Shafee said when asked to respond on the contents of the SD.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The SD by Mat Zain was prepared following a meeting in Dr Mahathir's house on August 10 this year, attended by among others Dr Mahathir's former political secretary Matthias Chang, and Ramli, who briefed the former premier over his run-ins with Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar filed the application last week using Mat Zain's SD as grounds to disqualify Shafee, saying Shafee's appointment to lead the prosecution team would deny him a fair trial.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The PKR de-facto leader among others said that Shafee knew of Gani's illegal actions in the Pulau Batu Puteh territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar said the SD also pointed to Gani and former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's involvement in fabricating evidence in the "black eye" incident of 1998.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The alleged fabrication took place when Gani was said to have brought in pathologist Dr Abdul Rahman Yusoff to accuse Anwar in court of self-inflicted injuries, contradicting medical reports. A Royal Commission of Inquiry set up later ended with an admission by former police chief Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor that he had beaten Anwar hours after his arrest on September 20, 1998.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar had in 2008 filed a police report against Gani and Musa, who was involved in the first sodomy case brought against Anwar.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">A three-member committee, comprising retired judges, formed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), however, later cleared the duo. Shafee reportedly agreed during the meeting in Dr Mahathir's house that the MACC committee was illegal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar's second attempt to disqualify Shafee as the deputy public prosecutor in his trial will be heard on December 19.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">On November 21, the Federal Court dismissed Anwar's appeal, declaring that Gani could give a temporary licence to Shafee to lead the prosecution. Anwar had then filed the application to dismiss Shafee based on the grounds that the appointment was illegal.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Anwar, 66, was acquitted by the High Court on January 9 last year on a charge of sodomising his former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan at a Desa Damansara condominium unit in Bukit Damansara in 2008.</p><p style="text-align: justify"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="4" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60902-anwar-in-the-us-and-karpal-in-hospital-so-case-delayed">Anwar in the US and Karpal in hospital so case delayed</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 01:48 PM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/5295/umfp.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="176" /> </p><p><font color="#800000"><strong>Ram Karpal Singh, a member of Anwar's legal team in the sodomy case, said Anwar was in Washington for a seminar. </strong></font></p><p><em>V. Anbalagan, TMI </em></p><p>Putrajaya has taken objection to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's failure to attend court proceedings today as the Government's appeal to set aside his acquittal for sodomy was scheduled earlier.</p> <p> Deputy public prosecutor Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) raised this matter in chambers after the opposition leader failed to turn up when the case was called this morning.</p> <p> However, the three-man Court of Appeal bench led by Datuk Aziah Ali did not make any order.</p><p> "We take objection for the respondent's failure to be present. Such a thing should not be tolerated," Shafee told reporters later.</p> <p> The lawyer, who was appointed by Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to head the prosecution, said Anwar had written to the court to seek an adjournment but it was rejected.</p> <p> However, Putrajaya's appeal against the High Court ruling has been adjourned as lead counsel Karpal Singh was hospitalised.</p> <p> Ram Karpal Singh, a member of Anwar's legal team in the sodomy case, said Anwar was in Washington for a seminar.</p> <p> Earlier, lawyer Tommy Thomas, who is representing Anwar to disqualify Shafee for the second time from leading the prosecution team, sought a postponement as he needed time to file an affidavit in reply by Putrajaya.</p> <p> Tommy said he only obtained a copy of the affidavit this morning.</p> <p> Aziah, who sat with Datuk Rohana Yusuf and Datuk Mohd Zawawi Salleh, allowed the adjournment and fixed hearing on December 19.</p> <p> Ram Karpal also informed the court that lead counsel Karpal was in hospital and applied for the sodomy appeal to be adjourned.</p> <p> The court had earlier fixed today and tomorrow to hear the appeal.</p> <p> Aziah said case management would be held on the same day (December 19) to fix Putrajaya's appeal on the sodomy case.<br /><br /> Anwar is using the statutory declaration (SD) made by former Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim, as grounds to disqualify Shafee.</p> <p> Anwar, among others, disclosed in his application last Friday that Shafee knew of Gani's actions but the lawyer suppressed important evidence, especially on the Pulau Batu Puteh territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore.</p> <p> Further, the SD pointed towards Gani and former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan's involvement in fabricating evidence in the infamous "black eye" incident in 1998 following Anwar's sacking as deputy prime minister.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-objects-to-anwar-no-show-in-court" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="5" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60899-suhakam-needs-more-legal-bite-says-civil-society">Suhakam needs more legal bite, says civil society</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 11:02 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5900/drif.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="180" /> </p><p>(The Star) - The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) needs to be given more bite to address weaknesses in Malaysia, said Human Rights Movement (Proham) secretary-general Datuk Dr Denison Jayasoona. </p> <p style="background-color: white">Denison, who spoke at the Proham-organised discussion entitled "Human rights priorities for Malaysia beyond 2013 UPR to 2018" said the annual Suhakam report should be debated in Parliament and not ignored. </p> <p style="background-color: white">"We cannot run away from that after spending millions of Ringgit in producing the report - you cannot allow Suhakam to be abused politically.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"We should respect it as it has legislation supporting it. Its report has to be debated in Parliament," said Denison.</p> <p style="background-color: white">Denison called for the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act 1999 to be strengthened and for a Parliamentary Select Committee to be set up to monitor human rights issues in Malaysia. </p> <p style="background-color: white">"There should be something that looks at the implementation of human rights decisions and monitors their progress.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"The Government should amend the Suhakam legislation to provide for a Human Rights Court. Such a court is needed for Suhakam to have the bite and penalise people who have violated and abused human rights," said Denison. </p> <p style="background-color: white">He added that a Human Rights Action or Human Rights Transformation Blueprint was needed, saying that Suhakam had proposed such a blueprint in 2001, and had even prepared a draft of it.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"Human rights are good for all people. No-one needs to fear it. Only abusers of human rights need to fear it - these rights are good for all races and communities. And you cannot say that the United Nations Conventions on human rights are against Islam as all the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) countries have ratified them," added Denison.</p> <p style="background-color: white">He called on the government to ratify the Conventions, pointing out that out of the nine conventions, Malaysia had only ratified three Conventions, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"We cannot go on not ratifying these Conventions. We are embarrassingly behind the Asean and OIC countries. Ratification is fundamental, the core instruments of social, cultural and economic rights have to be ratified. We have signed some declarations," said Denison.</p> <p style="background-color: white">Similar views were given by Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) chief executive officer Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, as he also called for Suhakam to be given more bite. </p> <p style="background-color: white">"Suhakam reports have to be debated in Parliament and a Parliamentary Select Committee needs to be set up focused on human rights, the formulation of the National Human Rights Action plan and amendments to the relevant Act have to be made to allow Suhakam to have powers of investigation and enforcement," said Saifuddin.</p> <p style="background-color: white">He also called for the UN Conventions to be ratified by the Malaysian Government.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"Some technical committees have been established to examine the Conventions but we are hoping to see the results before 2018, which is when the third United Nations' Universal Periodic Review is.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"We understand ratifying these Conventions is a symbolic effort by governments but not ratifying it actually puts Malaysia among the bottom ten countries in the United Nations," said Saifuddin. </p> <p style="background-color: white">At the last Universal Periodic Review on Oct 24, Malaysia received 249 recommendations to ratify the Conventions and other Treaties - some of them being the International Convention Against All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Covenant on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, and the UN Convention Against Torture.</p> <p style="background-color: white">Meanwhile, Former UN coordination specialist Dr Lim Mui Kiang pointed out that Malaysia's international standing was poor when it came to ratifying UN human rights Treaties and Conventions.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"Malaysia's standing among the UN member states is quite dismal. In the Asean region, it ranks eighth out of the ten member states, and in the Non-Aligned Movement, Malaysia is ranked 108 out of a total 110 countries, in the OIC sphere it ranks at 55th place out of a total 55 members, and in the Commonwealth it is ranked at 49th place out of 54 countries," she said. </p> <p style="background-color: white">Lim pointed out that in 2010, the then Deputy Foreign Minister, Senator A Kohilan Pillay announced the government had set up a technical committee to look into the ratification of the human rights treaties.</p> <p style="background-color: white">"But until now there has been no progress. In 2012, the legal division of the Prime Minister's Department initiated meetings for the drafting of the Human Rights Action Plan, but that too has not moved," she said. </p><p style="background-color: white"> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="6" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60898-if-other-muslim-countries-can-have-shias-and-sunnis-why-cant-we-asks-suhakam-chief">If other Muslim countries can have Shias and Sunnis, why can’t we? asks Suhakam chief</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 10:50 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/TanSriHasmyAgam_zps6229e02e.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="206" /> </p><p><em>Sheridan Mahavera, TMI</em></p><p>The Malaysian Human Rights Commission, or Suhakam, has called for a dialogue between the country's predominant Sunni Muslims and the tiny number of Shia Muslims.</p> <p> Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, saying the Federal Constitution provided for freedom of different communities to practise their faith, called for such a freedom to be extended to other denominations within Islam.</p> <p> "If other Muslim countries can have Shias and Sunnis living side by side, why can't Malaysia?" asked Hasmy, adding that the sensitive issue could still be solved through dialogue.</p><p> Hasmy said despite followers of two schools involved in violent conflicts elsewhere, both groups should work out their differences through dialogue.</p> <p> Shiism is the second largest denomination of Islam, and according to Washington-based Pew Research Center, its adherents make up 10% to 20% of the global Muslim population, now estimated to be at 1.6 billion.</p> <p> Despite their small number in Malaysia, Shia Muslims have been targeted by local Islamic authorities. The move is ironic, as Malaysia has good relations with Iran, a predominantly Shia Muslim nation.</p> <p> Hasmy's call, which was made during an event to mark Human Rights Day yesterday, followed months of belligerent talk by political parties, Muslim groups and government agencies against local Shia Muslims who they said posed a "threat" to Sunni Islam.</p> <p> Last week, during the Umno general assembly, party leaders took turns in calling for a clampdown on Shia Muslims.</p> <p> Other local Muslim groups have called for the same treatment towards Shias, although they said the denomination should not be recognised as a branch of Islam in Malaysia.</p><p><a href="http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/if-other-muslim-countries-can-have-shias-and-sunnis-why-cant-we-asks-suhaka" target="_blank"><strong>READ MORE HERE</strong></a></p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="margin-bottom:0;line-height:1.4em;"> <p style="margin:1em 0 3px 0;"> <a name="7" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif;font-size:18px;" href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/60897-all-eyes-on-kelantan-mb-when-he-names-officials">All eyes on Kelantan MB when he names officials</a> </p> <p style="font-size:13px;color:#555;margin:9px 0 3px 0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;"> <span>Posted:</span> 10 Dec 2013 10:01 AM PST</p> <div style="margin:0;font-family:Georgia,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;line-height:140%;font-size:13px;color:#000000;"><p><img src="http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae159/Malaysia-Today/Mug%20shots/DatukAhmadYakob_zpseba67aea.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="165" /> </p><p>(The Star) - Following his appointment as the new PAS state commissioner, all eyes will be trained on Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob when he names his officials in the new state party team.</p> <p> Observers said it would test his mettle as a leader as it would have a bearing on GE14.</p><p> Ahmad, 63, has a tough decision to make to maintain unity and balance of power within the outfit, following spats among senior PAS leaders that led to party vice-president Datuk Husam Musa criticising the state government during the state assembly sitting in early October over several administrative issues.</p><p> Husam's feud with the Kelantan government led party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the central committee to intervene and a meeting was held at the Mentri Besar's official residence at JKR 10 here on Oct 22.</p><p> Present were Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, Kota Baru MP Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan, Pulai Chondong assemblyman Zulkifli Mamat and state executive committee members.</p><p> Abdul Hadi said no action would be taken against the Salor assemblyman for his outburst but advised that any criticism should be done within the boundaries of decorum and respect.</p><p> Political analyst Dr Kamarul Zaman Yusoff, who did a PhD thesis on <em>PAS in the era of the ulama leadership, </em>said although it would seem as if the feud between Husam and the state leadership had simmered, Ahmad had a difficult decision to make if he wanted unity within his outfit.</p><p> "It is my opinion that not appointing Husam in the line-up may exacerbate power struggle within the party because Husam is Salor asssemblyman as well as Kubang Kerian PAS commissioner and a party vice-president," he added.</p><p> "Alternatively, it would be appropriate for Ahmad to appoint Mohd Amar as state deputy commissioner I and Husam as deputy commissioner II while other senior PAS leaders, like either Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud, Datuk Mohd Hanifa Ahmad or Pasir Mas MP Nik Abduh Nik Aziz, as deputy commissioner III," said Dr Kamarul. </p><p> </p></div> </td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-top:1px solid #999;padding-top:4px;margin-top:1.5em;width:100%" id="footer"> <tr> <td style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">You are subscribed to email updates from <a href="http://www.malaysia-today.net/">Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News</a> <br />To stop receiving these emails, you may <a href="http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=Ruo8jiRYI48xAZxcUv5FfRukyGk">unsubscribe now</a>.</td> <td style="font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;text-align:right;vertical-align:top">Email delivery powered by Google</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;font-family:Helvetica,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size:11px;margin:0 6px 1.2em 0;color:#333;">Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610</td> </tr> </table> </div> blog2http://www.blogger.com/profile/04250645119730839480noreply@blogger.com0