Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Stop manipulating religious text: PUM
- PPP submits names for four parliament, 12 state seats
- Promise to cancel Batu Caves project is political bribery, says Pakatan
- Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor
- Salang: BN will still rule after GE
| Stop manipulating religious text: PUM Posted: 12 Nov 2012 11:48 PM PST (Bernama) - The Ulama Association of Malaysia (PUM) has urged Sisters In Islam (SIS) and secularist groups to stop manipulating religious texts to suit their secular perspective, including the issue of religious freedom. PUM secretary-general Dr Mohd Roslan Mohd Noor described their action as defamation of religions and part of the manifestation of 'religionfobia'. "It has been considered a crime at national and international level. PUM supports action in terms of legislation, education, media and the like to ensure that the religion is not denied its right in the name of human rights," he said in a statement tonight. A pro-opposition news portal report recently quoted SIS as saying that religious freedom must include the freedom to change religion. "How can Muslims demand this notion of religious freedom for those wishing to convert to Islam and at the same time argue the denial of this freedom to leave Islam for those who no longer believe," SIS said in the statement. A pro-opposition news portal, in a report on Nov 3, quoted Nurul Izzah Anwar as saying that people should not be compelled to adopt a particular religion, and that this should also apply to the Malays. "When you ask me, there is no compulsion in religion ... how can anyone say sorry, this (religious freedom) only applies to non-Malays, it has to apply equally," she was quoted as saying when speaking at a forum on "Islamic State: Which version; Who's responsibility?" in Subang Jaya.
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| PPP submits names for four parliament, 12 state seats Posted: 12 Nov 2012 10:11 PM PST
(Bernama) - The People's Progressive Party (PPP) has submitted the names of candidates for four parliamentary and 12 state seats in the upcoming general election. PPP senior vice-president Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz said the candidates comprised mostly of new faces, except for PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas, and this reflected the transformation made by the party. He said it would be up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to decide on the candidates. "We have submitted our list. We believe our candidates are highly qualified and have the credibility to ensure victory for BN (Barisan Nasional) in the general election," he told reporters after attending the Deepavali open house organised by the Federal Territories PPP here. Asked whether his name was included, Maglin said he would not be contesting to make way for new faces. He said if the party's candidates were not selected, it would not stop PPP from working closely with BN for their mutual benefit. In the 2008 general election, PPP was allocated only two seats, namely Taiping parliamentary seat and Pasir Bedamar state seat. In Taiping, Kayveas lost to DAP's Nga Kor Ming by 11,298-vote majority, while in Pasir Bedamar, PPP's Lee Heng lost to DAP's Seah Leong Peng by 7,914-vote majority.
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| Promise to cancel Batu Caves project is political bribery, says Pakatan Posted: 12 Nov 2012 02:58 PM PST
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers said today it was "political bribery" for Datuk Seri Najib Razak's to promise cancelling the controversial Batu Caves condominium project if Barisan Nasional (BN) recaptures Selangor, and accused the prime minister of abusing an emotive issue to woo Indian support. "It is bribery... very unbecoming of the Prime Minister, I think," Selangor state executive councillor Xavier Jayakumar told The Malaysian Insider. At the MIC's national Deepavali open house at Batu Caves this morning, Najib promised to cancel the controversial luxury condominium being built near the venue but provided that the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition wins back Selangor from PR. Jayakumar pointed out that despite holding state power, the Selangor PR government had not seen it fit to turn the issue into a political one, and chose instead to resolve it via consultation and discussion with the relevant parties. He said it was unfair issue such ultimatums on voters, particularly since the issue was clearly a sensitive one to the Indian community. "We in the Selangor government do not say ― if the Indians vote for us, we will definitely cancel the project. "What we have done is, we have issued a stop work order and our task force is now workin on looking at different angles to solve this. In the end, we will ensure that it is resolved amicably," Jayakumar said. DAP's Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo agreed with his party colleague and accused Najib of threatening the Selangor Indian community with his promise. He said Najib's words were similar to his "you help me, I help you" promise to Sibu voters during the 2010 by-election, which had earned the prime minister widespread criticism. "Najib should make an effort to resolve the issue, not issue a conditional promise," he told The Malaysian Insider. Selangor has ordered a temporary halt to the construction of the 29-storey condominium near Batu Caves pending the findings of an independent state-level task force to be set up soon, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said on Octber 30. He, however, offered the state's assurance that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible, admitting that the stop-work order would cost the developers financial losses. The 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project has turned into a political crisis as Batu Caves is the religious focal point of Hindu Indians, who form the majority of the 1.7 million Indians and are a key voting group in many urban seats in Selangor. About 300 Hindu and non-governmental activists joined a "Save Batu Caves" rally in the Batu Caves temple complex to protest against the condominium construction on October 26, saying it was an environmental risk that would jeopardise the temple grounds but did not furnish proof to substantiate their allegations. The project was given the nod by state authorities in 2007, but MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) have in recent weeks pressured the current Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration into calling a halt to the project amid a battle for Indian votes.
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| Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor Posted: 12 Nov 2012 02:49 PM PST
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised today to cancel a controversial luxury condominium being built near Batu Caves that was approved by a Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in 2007, if the BN coalition wins back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat (PR), stepping up the game in the battle for votes ahead of the coming general elections. "I want to give an assurance that if BN is successful in taking over Selangor...the 29-storey project will be cancelled," Najib, who is also the BN chairman, told the crowd at the MIC's Deepavali open house here. Noting that the Batu Caves temple complex is "very close to the hearts of Indians who are Hindus", Najib said that the complex must be defended from any threats to its position. Selangor has ordered a temporary halt to the construction of the 29-storey condominium near Batu Caves pending the findings of an independent state-level task force to be set up soon, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said on Octber 30. Khalid, however, offered the state's assurance that the matter would be resolved as soon as possible, admitting that the stop-work order would cost the developers financial losses. The 29-storey Dolomite Park Avenue condominium project has turned into a political crisis as Batu Caves is the religious focal point of Hindu Indians, who form the majority of the 1.7 million Indians and are a key voting group in many urban seats in Selangor. About 300 Hindu and non-governmental activists joined a "Save Batu Caves" rally in the Batu Caves temple complex to protest against the condominium construction on October 26, saying it was an environmental risk that would jeopardise the temple grounds but did not furnish proof to substantiate their allegations. The project was given the nod by state authorities in 2007, but MIC and Barisan Nasional (BN) have in recent weeks pressured the current Pakatan Rakyat (PR) administration into calling a halt to the project amid a battle for Indian votes. Najib today said the BN government would apply to make Batu Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site, as a second step in defending the complex. "We decided that through the Culture, Information and Communications Department, that this Batu Caves can be considered as a World Heritage site by UNESCO," Najib said today. But he said that an application could only be made after Malaysia's term as a member of the World Heritage Commission ends in 2015, saying that this was to avoid a possible "conflict of interest". Najib also announced that Deepavali will now also be a public holiday in the Labuan, the federal territory off the coast of Sabah.
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| Salang: BN will still rule after GE Posted: 12 Nov 2012 11:56 AM PST
(TMI) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) will still rule the country after the upcoming 13th General Election (GE), said Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang.
He said for this and many other very good reasons, rural folks in the state should not waste their votes in supporting the opposition. "In Sarawak we even have an opposition party, the Sarawak Workers' Party (SWP), which claims that it is actually pro-BN. "This goes to show that it admires the BN and has great confidence in its leaders ability to administer the nation and serve the people," he said at a Natural Disaster Awareness Programme held at longhouse Rh.Kelukot in Nanga Telesa, Sungai Mujok in the interior here last evening. The BN, he said, despite its shortcomings, had as a matter of fact, accomplished much more in terms of bringing unprecendented progress, stability and prosperity to the nation which also benefitted the people. "It has still a lot more that it is going to implement to improve on these accomplishments. "The people, especially those in rural areas must remain with it in order to allow these to continue so that they can benefit even more,"he said. Meanwhile, Salang expressed the hope that all candidates, especially from the opposition parties, would not resort to personal attacks to win the people's support during the campaigning period (for the GE). He said this was because the people themselves could tell whether the accusations and allegations made were true or otherwise and this could backfire on those responsible. On the programme jointly organised by the Julau District Office, the Julau Police and the Bintangor Fire and Rescue Department, he said it was a step in the right direction as there had been recent cases of longhouse fires and next month, the Julau and Pakan Districts were expected to face the seasonal flood. — Bernama |
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