| Why MyKad change at the Immigration? Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:45 AM PST 
(Daily Express) - "But it is being done at the Immigration Department, which is only handling passport and work pass. Since when did the Immigration Department also handle the job of the National Registration Department?" he asked. DAP Tanjung Aru has queried the reason for the changing of new MyKad being done at the Immigration Department in the Federal Administrative Complex here instead of the National Registration Department. Its Chief, Dato David Chong Ket Sui, said he had received a report that the process to change to the new MyKad and address could be done up to two hours only. "But it is being done at the Immigration Department, which is only handling passport and work pass. Since when did the Immigration Department also handle the job of the National Registration Department?" he asked. In a statement Wednesday, Chong said he received information that most of those who were changing their MyKad and address were from Pulau Gaya, Telipok, Menggatal and Karambunai. "Most of these people are from the Bajau Filipino community who are changing their address to Kota Kinabalu and Sembulan," he said, adding the move was allegedly facilitated by "agents" offering money ranging from RM100 to RM200 for them to change their address in their MyKad and in the process moved their voting constituency. He said all they had to do was to select areas such as Karamunsing, Kampung Air and Sinsuran as their new address even though they were not residing in these places. Chong believed the move had something to do with the fact that the Barisan Nasional (BN) had found out that it would be difficult for them to win Chinese majority constituencies such as Kota Kinabalu, which has about 90 per cent Chinese voters. "Therefore, the BN is moving voters from other constituencies to the Chinese majority constituency to change the demography and give them a chance to win in the coming election," he claimed. According to him, the BN needed at least 4,000 voters to offset the Chinese votes in Kota Kinabalu, which in the last general election had voted in a candidate from DAP. Meanwhile, Chong said since the process to change the address and in the MyKad now was so easy and quick, he urged those who had to take a long journey back to cast their vote to change their address in their Identity Card so that their polling centre could be nearer. "Those who always complained about the trouble for them to go back to far away constituencies like Kudat or Sandakan should take the opportunity to change their address in their MyKad, which only takes up to two hours now," he said. Chong presumed that the change of voting constituency in the electoral roll is being done together with the change of address in the MyKad at the Immigration Department. It had been reported that BN leaders from Sepanggar parliamentary constituency had also complained about the "exercise" to move voters from the constituency to neighbouring Kota Kinabalu parliamentary constituency. |
| The smartphone rebate just got stupider Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:40 AM PST 
Why offer such a rebate to only youths, a key electoral demographic that the Barisan Nasional is struggling to win over, and not also to older Malaysians who are just as economically-disadvantaged? A. Asohan, Digital News Asia - Only eligible for pre-approved devices costing under RM500; other qualifying criteria just as bad
- Smartphone rebate still stinks of an election ploy, with possible 'crony play' now added in as well
ONE of the most flabbergasting initiatives unveiled by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic), Malaysia's Prime Minister and Finance Minister, in his proposed national budget, was a rebate of RM200 (US$65) for youths to purchase a 3G smartphone. As my colleague Karamjit Singh noted in his commentary, Budget 2013 smartphone rebate: A stupid thing to do, the RM300 million (US$98 million) could have been put to better use on other initiatives to develop the ICT ecosystem in the country. It's all about smartphones these days admittedly, with the device fast becoming the first point of access to the Internet and entry to the Digital Economy for an increasingly large segment of society. Research firm Gartner recently reported that global sales of mobile phones to end-users in the second quarter of 2012 saw a 2.3% decline from the corresponding period the previous year; while smartphone sales accounted for 36.7% of total mobile phone sales and grew 42.7% in the same period. Our own telcos are finding that smartphones are becoming increasingly important to their own customers as well. Maxis said that in an internal survey it found that 31% of its subscribers were smartphone users. Meanwhile, an analyst report earlier this year estimated that about 20% of DiGi Telecommunications Bhd customers are smartphone users. This can only increase over the coming years as prices come down and telcos hopefully come out with even more attractive data packages. So with market forces on our side, why do we – or our youths at least – need a rebate? Well, putting on my rarely-used 'Mr Nice Guy' hat, I could argue that even with prices coming down, the rebate can help bridge the divide between the haves and the have-nots. It's not just about a device, it's about ensuring that every Malaysian can participate and be a player in the Digital Economy.  I could argue that, but I won't, if only because details have just come in about the smartphone rebate proposed under the nation's Budget 2013, the so-called Youth Communications Package. Malay-language technology portal site Amanz.my broke the news that the rebate is only eligible for pre-approved devices that will cost under RM500.
The criteria for which a Malaysian youth can qualify for the smartphone rebate is listed in the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) website in a PDF file here or click the accompanying picture on the left. The MCMC said the the list of approved devices and authorized dealers will be made available on its website starting Jan 1, although Amanz.my has already revealed that Senheng and SenQ will be part of that list. It's on a 'first-come, first-served' basis too. The rebate is open until Dec 31, 2013, or until the RM300 million allocated under Budget 2013 runs out, whichever comes first. Also, as LowYat.net noted in a quick follow-up, one has to be "an existing subscriber or register for a new broadband plan with any of the telco that participated in the program" such as Maxis, Celcom Axiata, DiGi, U Mobile, YTL and Tune Talk. The criteria to qualify doesn't seem well thought out either – any youth earning RM3,000 or less per month is eligible. That's individual income, according to the language in the MCMC document, not monthly household income – "Berpendapatan bulanan RM 3,000 ke bawah" or "monthly income of RM3,000 or less". I am hoping that this is a mistake, because as it stands now, if you're between 21 and 30 years old, and you just got a job that pays you that much – and your parents are well-heeled executives earning 10 times your salary – not to worry, you poor thing. You too qualify. And since that RM500 is just pocket money to you, you can beat out that poor guy whose entire family earns less than RM3,000 per month – if only because by the time he saves up the money to buy the device and subscribe to a data plan, it will be 2014. Or that RM300 million allocation would have run out. Way to bridge the digital divide. Read more at: http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/39365/ |
| Islamic banking practices a scam Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:32 AM PST 
There must be something terribly wrong with the Islamic banking policy adopted by Malaysia where it turns borrowers into deep debtors. Awang Abdillah, Free Malaysia Today Poverty has a negative multiplier effect on the economic, racial, religious and social fabric of a nation, and Malaysia is no exception. Hence it must be addressed by the incumbent government as a priority issue. Since 1981 until today, poverty has never been a priority issue for the federal government and the Sarawak state regime. Instead the nation's wealth and that of Sarawak has been misused to enrich the Umno political elite through the implementation of mega economic projects at inflated prices. The federal projects have been monopolised by Umno cronies while in Sarawak it is used to expand the business empire of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. In Semenanjung Malaysia the Indians and rural Malays form the core of the poverty group while in Sabah and Sarawak it is the rural natives and Malays. Poverty can be defined as the deprivation of the necessary needs of a good quality of life of the people. The standard needs are sufficient personal earnings, decent homes, access to good public infrastructure and modern transport and communications system, creation of sufficient employment opportunities for job seekers of all categories, quality education especially at the tertiary level, quality medical and health facilities, a strong currency and cheaper cost of imports. Hence the ability of the people to improve their personal economic well-being and the role of the government as a provider must complement one another in efforts to eradicate poverty. To this end, a banking system can play a major role in enabling the people to acquire socio-economic stabilities.
Islamic banking
The concept of modern banking is primarily the lending of money as a profit-making business. Borrowers have to pay interest for the loans which is profit to the lender. And though the banking system does provide financial assistance, it does not offer it cheap. Growing interest charges eventually makes this financial assistance a liability. Many companies and even nations go bust because of this accruing interests. Hence very often such banking system benefits the lender and the borrowers are on the losing end. On the other hand the Islamic principle of financial assistance is to provide loans without making a profit from it. The Islamic lending concept has two objectives – provide financial assistance to those in need and maintain a low-cost of acquiring these goods and services. Under the true Islamic banking system, lending in any form is not classified under the business category because the lender is merely giving financial assistance and not involved in any business transactions with the borrower. Trade or business involves activities such as purchases and sales, export-import, construction, manufacturing, property development, renting and services. Therefore the earnings from lending which is defined as riba (interest) is not a business profit and hence is haram (prohibited ) under the syariah law. The responsibility of the borrower is to return the principal sum to the lender plus minimum services charges, which then enables the lender to re-lend it to those in need.
Wrong interpretation of Islamic banking
The Quran is correct in defining that lending is NOT a business. It is stated in Surah Al Baqarah verse 275, where among others God permits trade/business but prohibits 'riba', i.e profit/interest from a loan. This means that lending activities just like zakat (alms to the poor ) is not a business but an obligation to help those in need. The current Islamic banking system that is operating in Malaysia and the Islamic world for that matter tries to do away with the Western concept of banking. However due to their wrong interpretation of the Islamic lending principle or hypocrisy they rebrand the Western lending concept and presented it as Islamic. Take for example the housing loan under the murabahah concept and the western banking system. Under the latter, if the price of a house is RM100K, the bank will charge another RM100k interest for 20 years for a 100% housing loan. The total cost of the house is now RM200k. The banks will make a 100% profit over the 20-year period. Now under the current Islamic bank system, the housebuyer will still pay RM200k. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/12/27/islamic-banking-practices-a-scam/ |
| Dr M sees Najib as errand boy Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:30 AM PST 
And Mahathir's declaration that Rosmah has the right to stay 'high profile' is actually a death sentence. Mohd Ariff Sabri Aziz, Free Malaysia Today Why was Najib Tun Razak profusely complimenting Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the recent Umno general assembly while blithely ignoring his immediate predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi? The reason is because Najib didn't have the presence of mind to do what is honorable. Abdullah who must also have been sitting somewhere in front was cavalierly, not cleverly, brushed aside by Najib. Didn't Abdullah achieve anything during his short stint as prime minister? Truth is Najib never had an iota of appreciation or respect for the colourless Abdullah. Abdullah has been and still is the object of Mahathir's invectives. The Sun newspaper reported that in the run-up to the 2008 elections, Mahathir had openly criticised Abdullah's administration despite the latter being the man Mahathir had handpicked to take over the top job after he decided to step down. Najib's enthusiastic outpouring was because he did not want his number two Muhyiddin Yassin to outshine him. When Muhyidin spoke and mentioned Mahathir, he got thunderous applause on each occasion. So, Najib added those ritualistic outpouring of love for the "man who can walk on water". He knows Mahathir remains a powerful force behind the scenes.
Najib cares less for Umno
Listening to both Muhyiddin and Najib, everyone in the hall and outside knew that Mahathir still called the shots in Umno. Najib is not PM material and Mahathir knows this. To him Najib is just an errand boy who will soon outlive his usefulness. So what can Najib do? Well, he will have to ensure his men are chosen to be candidates in the next election. His winnable candidates criteria means loyalty to him above all else. Umno, as far as Najib is concerned can go to the dogs. Was Mahathir impressed by Najib's low class histrionics and dramatisation? Definetly not. Also notable is that Najib knows that Mahathir can't stand the sight of his wife, Rosmah Mansor. Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2012/12/27/dr-m-sees-najib-as-errand-boy/ |
| Nik Aziz needs to withdraw 'Apostate' ruling on Umno Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:27 AM PST 
(Bernama) - Apart from PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's decree 35 years ago which should be withdrawn as it causes disunity among Muslims, the opposition party's spiritual advisor should also withdraw several of his own religious rulings (fatwas). Umno Information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said this was because several religious rulings made by Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat as Kelantan Menteri Besar especially that Umno was apostate and whoever supported Umno was evil, had bad implications on Malays and Muslims in the country. "Nik Aziz needs to withdraw his religious rulings which could break up the Malays and Muslims, not only Abdul Hadi should do so (withdraw his decree)," he told reporters after visiting 157 flood victims at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Mulong here last night. Ahmad said this was in line with the address of the Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V on Tuesday who wanted Muslims to mutually respect each other and avoid prolonged problems. In his speeh at the 100th anniversary of the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK), the Sultan said that he hoped all parties were aware of the high hopes of Muslims towards peace and harmony as well as his disappointment when the energy and strength of Muslims were sapped because of internal struggles. The text of his speech was read out by the Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fa-iz Petra. |
| January rally to go on even without permit, says activist Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:25 AM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (People's Uprising Rally) mass event next January 12 will go on at Stadium Merdeka even without the authorities' permit to use the iconic venue, The Malaysian Insider understands. According to social activist Hishammuddin Rais, event organisers are still waiting for a response from the KL City Hall on their application for Stadium Merdeka, which was sent some time last week. But he noted that even without permit, rally-goers could gather peacefully in the areas surrounding the stadium. "I am just paraphrasing Md Sabu... if there is no stadium permit, we gather around it," he said, referring to PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu, who is chairman of the event. "I don't think there will be any chaos, unless the cops are going to come running again. But I think the time is not conducive for this... but we shall cross the river when we get there," Hishammuddin told The Malaysian Insider. Should the event proceed without permission, the streets of the capital will again become the focus of international attention as major civil society movements nationwide, along with PR parties and other anti-government proponents, gather to demand a string of key issues ahead of national polls. Hishammuddin said that the People's Uprising Rally is a culmination of sorts for all movements against purportedly unfair government policies and decisions, as well as pro-change, pro-democracy and pro-opposition groups, and a massive show of force to frighten the ruling administration away from cheating during the coming polls. At a press conference to announce the rally last week, Mohamad had invited all those with grouses against the government to participate in the mammoth event. "We are not hiding the fact that this date was selected specifically because it is near the elections. And yes, there will be those who say this is purely political. "It is clearly an event to mount pressure on the government of the day so they will not do mass cheating during the polls, so that it will not be a stolen election," Hishammuddin said. But the activist, who is also a Bersih 2.0 steering committee member, reminded that regardless of the political nature of the rally, the involvement of civil society movements meant that the groups want their demands delivered ― from the scrapping of the Lynas plant in Kuantan, to the promise of fair royalty payments to oil-producing states, free education and a fair polls process. "These groups have been voicing their demands... and this is not just for the present government but for the incoming government as well. "These demands are still valid so whoever rules next, must remember this," Hishammuddin said, before adding that the demand for free and fair elections will lead as the key message of the event. As such, protestors, numbering to a targeted one million, will colour the iconic Stadium Merdeka this January 12 in splashes of anti-Lynas's fluorescent green, Bersih 2.0's eye-catching yellow, the anti-FGVH movement's orange and the striking red of pro-oil royalty groups. Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/january-rally-to-go-on-even-without-permit-says-activist/ |
| “Dragging” Its Feet? The EC Has Had to Be “Dragged” Kicking and Screaming by Bersih 2. ... Posted: 26 Dec 2012 11:19 AM PST 
As we come to the closing days of 2012, we have to note that unless the amendments to the 2003 Postal Voting Regulations are made soon, there is no way that 1 million overseas Malaysians will be able to register to vote by post in time for the next general election. MyOverseasVote MyOverseasVote reads with interest EC Deputy Chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar's denial yesterday of Bersih 2.0 Co-Chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan's allegation that the EC has been "dragging its feet" on election reform. In his rebuttal, Wan Ahmad cited, as an example of the EC's "unprecedented" reforms, the extension of postal voting to all Malaysians overseas (Malaysiakini, 20 December 2012). MyOverseasVote believes that to state that the EC has been "dragging its feet" is to endue the EC with more activity and cooperativeness than it actually deserves. It would be more apt to say that the EC has had to be dragged kicking and screaming by civil society, Bersih 2.0 and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform (PSC) in order to come up with any reforms at all. We believe that the EC's inaction on this issue alone speaks for itself: - On 11 February 2011, nearly two years ago, Wan Ahmad told the press that the EC "was now looking at extending the ballot to other Malaysians at large who were working in international organisations or running businesses overseas" (The Malaysian Insider).
- On 25 August 2011, shortly after the historic Bersih 2.0 rally in July 2011, EC Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof announced that the EC "was in the midst of amending regulations to extend postal voting rights to Malaysians working overseas" (The Star).
- On 1 December 2011, the PSC recommended in its interim report that all Malaysians living overseas should be entitled to vote by post. This was accepted by the Dewan Rakyat, but the EC insisted on a requirement that overseas Malaysians could not vote unless they returned to Malaysia every five years.
- On 3 April 2012, the PSC confirmed its recommendation in its final report and gave the EC a three-month deadline (3 July 2012) to make the necessary arrangements with Government departments to implement its recommendation. This was also accepted by the Dewan Rakyat.
- On 11 July 2012, having missed the PSC's deadline, Abdul Aziz told Malaysians that "the system [of overseas postal voting] can be implemented by September if we have to amend the law, but it could be earlier than that (if legal amendments are not needed)" (Malaysian Insider).
- On 14 September 2012, two weeks before the start of the last Dewan Rakyat sitting before the next general election, Abdul Aziz said that the Attorney-General's Chambers was "still studying whether an amendment to the Election Act was needed" before overseas postal voting for Malaysians could be implemented" (Bernama/Malaysiakini).
- On 19 October 2012, Wan Ahmad said that: "Very soon, maybe next month[November], we will upload the form that can be accessed by Malaysians all over the world who are already registered voters, to request to receive their ballot papers by post" (The Star).
- On 3 December 2012, having missed the end of the final Dewan Rakyat of this Parliament, EC Secretary Datuk Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria said that: "The EC is finalising the policy, planning logistics, labour and financial provisions to implement this system effectively. After that, the EC will amend the Election (Postal Voting) Regulations 2003″ (The Sun).
Again, MyOverseasVote would point out that the EC, as the body entrusted by the Federal Constitution with the preparation and revision of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections, has its own legal staff and a RM700 million budget and is given wide rule-making powers both by Article 113(5) of the Federal Constitution and by the Elections Act 1958. As we come to the closing days of 2012, we have to note that unless the amendments to the 2003 Postal Voting Regulations are made soon, there is no way that 1 million overseas Malaysians will be able to register to vote by post in time for the next general election. After two years of deceit and inaction, MyOverseasVote has little confidence that the EC will deliver on overseas voting by the 13th General Election, though we would be very happy to be proven wrong. |
| DAP, PAS send mixed messages on ‘Allah’ issue Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:57 AM PST 
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider In a fresh debate over the word "Allah", PAS says that Christians should not use it to describe their god in the Bible, while its political ally DAP insists that Christians in East Malaysia should be allowed to use the Arabic word. PAS information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said today the use of the word "Allah" in the Alkitab, the Malay-language translation of the Bible, would not reflect the original text's meaning. "PAS' stand is that the Bahasa Melayu Bible should replace the 'God' term with 'Tuhan' and not 'Allah' to mirror the actual meaning of the original text," he said in a press statement. Tuan Ibrahim said both Christians and Muslims could be confused when the word "Allah" is used in the Alkitab. "Since the Bahasa Melayu Bible is a translation from the original English text, the term 'God' does not mean 'Allah', because the accurate translation is 'Tuhan'. It should be translated according to original meaning. Translating 'God' to 'Allah' will confuse Christians and create unease among the Muslims and can confuse Muslims," he said. He said "Allah" was a sacred name for the Muslims and should be used appropriately. "In relation to that, (the) request to use Allah's name in the Bahasa Melayu translation of the Bible is not wajar (suitable), even the society in the West, they don't use Allah's name to refer to God whether in speech, writing of films. The word that is often used is 'Lord'," said Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Pahang PAS commissioner. On Monday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had raised the controversial "Allah" issue in his Christmas message. "For this reason, DAP urges the BN Federal government to allow the use of the word 'Allah' on the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible as has been allowed in Sabah and Sarawak for the last 50 years and practised in the Middle East for more than a thousand years," Lim wrote in a statement on December 24 in English and Mandarin. Zairil Khir Johari, DAP's assistant publicity secretary, said today that Lim's words have been "twisted", saying that the Penang chief minister had only asked Putrajaya not to deny the rights of Christians in East Malaysia to use the word "Allah". According to Zairil, several news reports had falsely accused Lim of urging the federal government to allow Christians in Peninsula Malaysia to use the word "Allah" in the Alkitab. "He (Lim) only asked that it be allowed in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible that is used by Christians in Sabah and Sarawak." "Furthermore, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible can only be found in Sabah and Sarawak and not in Peninsula Malaysia. "Therefore, the issue of usage of the word "Allah" in Peninsula Malaysia does not arise at all," Zairil said. Zairil pointed out that the word "Allah" was commonly used by Christians in neighbouring Indonesia and has been used for decades by the Bumiputera Christians in East Malaysia that converse in the Malay language. Christians form 9.2 per cent of Malaysia's 28.3 million-strong population, with many of them in east Malaysia using the Malay language and the word "Allah" to refer to their God. In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word "Allah", with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word "Allah" denotes the Muslim god. A legal tussle over the use of the word "Allah" remains unresolved, with the Catholic Church still barred from publishing the word in its weekly newspaper, despite winning a High Court decision on December 31, 2009. This is due to the Home Ministry filing an appeal in 2010 against the High Court's decision, which have since stagnated in the courts as no date has been set for its hearing. Last year, shipments of the Alkitab, the Malay-language Bible catering to the Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Bumiputera Christians, were blocked or confiscated at ports, before the government finally bowed to pressure and released them. |
| Nallakaruppan and Utusan retain most of their defence in Anwar’s defamation suit Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:53 AM PST 
(The Star) - Malaysian United Indian Party president Senator Datuk S. Nallakaruppan and two others were allowed to retain most of their statements of defence in a RM100mil suit filed by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim against them. Nallakaruppan, Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd and its Editor-in-Chief Datuk Abdul Aziz Ishak had pleaded the defence of justification, qualified privilege and fair comment which were part of the opinion in the majority judgment of Anwar's 1998 sodomy case in the Federal Court. High Court Judicial Commissioner Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera Wednesday granted only a part of Anwar's application to strike out a portion of the defence statements by Nallakarupan, Utusan Melayu and Abdul Aziz. The only part, which was allowed to be struck out by the Judicial Commissioner, was the plea of justification. However, Vazeer allowed the defences of qualified privilege, fair comment and mitigation of damages to be retained. On March 26, the Opposition leader had filed the suit alleging Nallakaruppan had uttered defamatory words against him which were then published on the front page of the Utusan Malaysia daily on March 20. In his statement of claim, Anwar said the defamatory words included in the article were false, baseless, was published with ill intention and had tarnished his good name. Anwar is seeking RM100mil in general, aggravated and exemplary damages, cost and other relief deemed fit by the court. The High Court has set January 18, 2013 for case management. |
| 351 peneroka saman Felda, tuntut RM200 juta Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:48 AM PST 
Felda Palm Industries didakwa berniat jahat dan sengaja menurunkan KPG sehingga enam peratus bertentangan dengan kadar sepatutnya. Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT Seramai 351 peneroka Felda Mempaga 1, 2, dan 3 serta Felda Bukit Damar, Pahang hari ini memfailkan saman menuntut ganti rugi keseluruhan kira-kira RM200 juta terhadap Felda kerana menipu kadar perahan gred (KPG) sawit. Saman difailkan melalui Tetuan Daim dan Gamany di Mahkamah Tinggi Temerloh, Pahang pagi tadi menamakan Lembaga Kemajuan Tanah Persekutuan (Felda) sebagai defendan pertama dan Felda Palm Industries Sdn Bhd sebagai defendan kedua. Plaintif dalam writ saman antara lain mendakwa, Felda Palm Industries berniat jahat dan sengaja menurunkan KPG sehingga enam peratus bertentangan dengan kadar sepatutnya dengan tujuan untuk menurunkan harga setiap tan buah sawit. Peneroka terbabit turut mendakwa wujud konspirasi antara defendan pertama dan kedua menyalahgunakan kaedah penggredan untuk memastikan KPG diturunkan, selain menjual buah sawit dibawah KPG yang sepatutnya tanpa pengetahuan plaintif. Disebabkan itu, plaintif mendakwa setiap mereka mengalami kerugian sebanyak RM30,912 pada tahun 2008. Manakala bagi buah yang ditahan tapi tak dilupuskan, setiap peneroka telah kehilangan pendapatan sebanyak RM1345.63 (RM560.08 setan). "Kerugian kesemua plaintif untuk tahun 2008 lebih kurang RM11.322 juta," writ saman itu menyebut. Ganti rugi Sehubungan itu, plaintif memohon mahkamah untuk mendapatkan printah supaya Felda dan Felda Palm Industries membayar ganti rugi khas kepada plaintif berdasarkan jumlah keluaran dan harga sawit untuk setiap tahun bermula tahun 1995. Selain itu, peneroka terbabit turut meminta ganti rugi am dan teladan untuk penipuan dan pecah amanah, kadar faedah empat peratus setahun dikenakan keatas jumlah ganti rugi khas bemula dari tahun 1995 serta empat peratus jumlah ganti rugi am dari tarikh pemfailan writ sehingga kes selesai sepenuhny dan lain-lain kos. Saman difailkan wakil peneroka Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab sebagai plaintif pertama dan Din Mohd Arif (plaintif ke-331). Mereka diwakili Ketua Biro Guaman PKR Latheefa Koya dan Timbalan Pengerusi Biro Peneroka Felda dan Orang Asal PKR T Kumar. Turut hadir Pengerusi Biro Peneroka Felda dan Orang Asal PKR Suhaimi Said serta timbalannya Bob Manolan. |
| Reveal the figures, MIC told Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:44 AM PST 
Miba wants MIC to disclose the figures and documents pertaining to the funds allocated for Indian entrepreneurs. G Lavendran, FMT An Indian business group leader has urged MIC to reveal the proper figures with regard to the funds allocated by the government for Indian entrepreneurs. Speaking to FMT, Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar said this was the only way for confidence in MIC to grow. "Out of the RM180 million that was allocated, only RM30 million is justifiable through Tekun. Perhaps another RM20 million can be justified through the Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation Malaysia (SME). But what about the other RM130 million?" he asked. Furthermore, he said the RM130 million was dispersed to financial institutions to be given out as business related loans via the Islamic concept. "It is not easy for Indians to apply for loans via this concept, the document requirements are not flexible. So how is the Indian community going to benefit from this? "This shows how little the system has opened up for equality and fairplay," he added. Sivakumar commended the MIC secretary-general S Murugesan on his comments pertaining to the same issue but stressed that it should be supported with proper documentation. "Every Malaysian deserves to know the truth. We need more people from MIC to clear the haze by giving statements, this time around with figures and proper supporting documents to get the message across clearly to the people," he said. Sivakumar said he welcomed the idea of new policies and programmes being implemented by MIC but felt that the government must participate in this together. "Stand up and be accounted for, MIC," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| PKR cries foul over mock voting for BN Posted: 26 Dec 2012 12:41 AM PST 
But EC says the exercise among Orang Asli in Tapah, even if true, would be legitimate. Anisah Shukry, FMT Barisan Nasional rewarded indigenous people in Tapah with 5kg of rice each in return for casting mock ballots in favour of its candidates, PKR claimed today. "Several weeks ago, the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) and Chenderiang assemblyman Mah Hang Soon ran a series of programmes in Orang Asli villages in Tapah," Perak PKR treasurer Yap Yit Thong told FMT today. "In the programme, the Orang Asli were given two homemade ballot papers similar to the ballot paper used in elections, and were forced to tick Barisan Nasional in full view of the Jakoa officers and Dr Mah. "Those who ticked BN in both ballot papers were then given 5kg of rice as a reward." Yap said the Orang Asli had to return the marked ballot papers immediately to the officials, apparently so that no evidence of the exercise remained. But some of the marked ballot papers wound up in Yap's hands when several Orang Asli approached him to complain about the issue. 
"We don't know what BN's purpose is," Yap told FMT. "Maybe when it's time for general election, BN will tell the Orang Asli, 'You already voted for us' or 'We gave you the rice and you promised you would vote for us; so you must do so.'" Yap said the mock election, if it did take place, was in violation of the Election Offenses Act and could be investigated as a crime. The act states that any person who "without due authority prints any ballot paper or what purports to be or is capable of being used as a ballot paper at an election" could be imprisoned for up to two years or fined up to RM5,000 or suffer both penalties. A person who "prints any advertisement, handbill, placard or poster which refers to an election and contains a reproduction of a ballot paper, or of what purports to be a ballot paper, to be used or likely to be used at such election" may face similar punishment. Yap said he had yet to approach Jakoa or Mah over the issue, but was demanding that they give an explanation. He also called on the Election Commission to question Jakoa and Mah. "Dr Mah must resign as Chenderiang state assemblyman and executive council member of Perak for abusing his power," he said. 'Completely fine'
However, EC deputy director Wan Ahmad Wan Omar told FMT the alleged incident appeared to be a voter education programme rather than an attempt at vote buying or blackmail. 
"This is the first time this issue has been raised with me, but from what you explained, it sounds perfectly acceptable and normal," he said. "A lot of political parties are doing mock elections. This is a form of voter education, by which they are educating people on how to vote. "That is completely fine. The EC is in fact encouraging political parties, NGOs and concerned citizens to educate one another on how to vote." He said that the EC had been promoting voter education programmes for a while now, especially in light of the high percentage of spoilt votes in the 2008 general election. As for allegations that the Orang Asli participants had to vote for BN's candidates in the mock ballot, Wan Ahmad said that that was perfectly natural and to be expected. "That is campaigning," he said. "Any political party, whether from the government or the opposition, would do the same if they were teaching the public to vote. It doesn't matter at all. "To me, it just sounds like BN is conducting a voter education programme while campaigning at the same time." READ MORE HERE |
| Kalimah Allah: Guan Eng timbul ‘Kristianofobia’ Posted: 25 Dec 2012 04:27 PM PST 
Fathul Bari Mat Jahaya mendakwa kenyataan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang itu hanya menimbulkan perasaan takut umat Islam terhadap agama Kristian sekaligus mengugat keharmonian beragama di negara ini Fazy Sahir, FMT Tindakan Setiausaha Agung DAP, Lim Guan Eng mendesak kerajaan membenarkan penganut Kristian di Semenanjung menggunakan kalimah Alalh dalam Bible versi Bahasa Melayu hanya mahu menimbulkan perasaan 'Kristianofobia'. Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kerja Sekretariat Ulama Muda Umno (Ilmu), Fathul Bari Mat Jahaya mendakwa kenyataan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang itu hanya menimbulkan perasaan takut umat Islam terhadap agama Kristian sekaligus mengugat keharmonian beragama di negara ini. Fathul turut mempersoalkan kredibiliti Guan Eng yang dilihat tampil ke depan untuk menyatakan pendiriannya mengenai hal tersebut. "Kenyataan Guan Eng hanya menimbulkan Kristianofobia. Beliau perlu tahu 61 peratus rakyat di negara ini beragama Islam. Islam agama majoriti. "Sedangkan di Vatican City juga tidak pernah menggunakan kalimah Allah. Maka saya tanya Guan Eng berapa kali beliau (Guan Eng) sebut kalimah Allah? "Jika beliau tidak jadikan ia sebagai sebutan (Allah) sebagai kebiasaan,mengapa beliau harus ke depan?," oal beliau dalam satu sidang media di Ibu Pejabat Umno Selangor hari ini. Fathul Bari mendakwa isu kalimah Allah ini juga sekadar strategi politik pihak pembangkang untuk meraih undi 9.2 peratus warga Kristian di negara ini pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-13 akan datang. Muzakarah amanat Hadi Sementara itu, Fathul Bari turut mencadangkan agar pihak Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) menjemput Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang bermuzakarah untuk membentangkan kewajaran sama ada amanat beliau itu diteruskan atau ditarik balik. "Amanat Hadi ini memberi implikasi besar dan ianya negatif sehingga membawa kepada perpecahan umat Islam. "Hasil dan kesan amanat ini menonjolkan sikap kafir mengkafir. Sebagai contoh wujud situasi di mana pernikahan dengan orang Umno tidak sah. Ziarah jenazah orang Umno tidak sah. Malah pimpinan PAS tahu hal ni," katanya. Amanat itu didakwa dibuat oleh Abdul Hadi dalam satu ceramah di Kuala Terengganu pada tahun 1981. READ MORE HERE |
| Winds of change blowing towards BN Posted: 25 Dec 2012 03:08 PM PST 
Associate Professor Dr Rohana Yusof from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) said a recent survey showed that 70 per cent of 10,800 respondents in Kedah had no confidence in Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership. S. Kisho Kumari, Bernama Choosing the tagline of 'Fulfilling Promises' as the foremost important agenda, the Barisan Nasional (BN) has touched the hearts of many Malaysians regardless of age, gender, religion and living standards with continuous efforts for the betterment of all. Placing importance on welfare, none of the people had been left behind including students, women, senior citizens, entrepreneurs, civil servants and youths under the BN government. Looking back in the early part of 2012, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the BN chairman, had felt the hardship faced by fishermen, and had distributed aid ranging from RM5,000 to RM10,000 to them throughout the country to repair their homes, on Jan 21. The aid was part of the RM300 million Special Fund for Fishermen's Housing, which was announced in the 2012 Budget last year. To further reduce the burden of the people, the government had continuously assisted the rakyat through programmes such as the Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA), Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia (KR1M), Kedai Kain Rakyat 1Malaysia, Kedai Buku 1Malaysia, Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), Skim Amanah Rakyat 1Malaysia (SARA 1Malaysia), Transformasi Kedai Runcit (TUKAR) and Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia (MR1M). As a result of the BN's sincere move to improve the well-being of the people, the wind of change began to appear within the BN, including in the states ruled by the opposition pact. A very recent report showed that about 400 hardcore PAS members in the Semerak state constituency in Kelantan had joined Umno, saying they had been duped by the so-called "Amanat Haji Hadi" (Haji Hadi Message), which branded Umno members and supporters as infidels. Even the majority of over 30,000 teachers in the state were now BN supporters, a good sign that BN is capable of wresting Kelantan from the opposition. Kelantan Umno liaison deputy chief, Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin said they were also willing to work hard to ensure that BN would be back in power after the general election since the current federal government had taken their (teachers) interest into consideration and fulfilled all promises made. In Penang, hundreds of hardcore supporters of the opposition party showed interest in joining the BN after losing their hope in the DAP leadership. This had become a reality when almost 350 former Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) members from Bayan Baru, Bukit Gelugor and Jelutong submitted their application letters to rejoin Umno to Najib on Dec 8. Describing Penang as a Gerakan stronghold for 40 years before losing to DAP in the 2008 general election, Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the party was determined to do more and better for the people in Penang and asked voters to give the party a chance in the 13th general election to serve them. Close to their hearts and minds, Gerakan members and Malaysians were saddened by the demise of its former president Tun Dr Lim Keng Yaik, 73, one of the political giants and longest serving Chinese minister in Malaysia, last Saturday. Back on track, a positive sign was also seen in Kedah and Selangor through surveys done by several academicians in the middle of the year. Associate Professor Dr Rohana Yusof from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) said a recent survey showed that 70 per cent of 10,800 respondents in Kedah had no confidence in Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership. According to the survey, the respondents felt that it was pointless for the current PAS government in Kedah to continue ruling the state and therefore, the BN government would be the best choice for the development of Kedah and the country in general. In Selangor, a simulation study done based on the previous 11th and 12th general election and with the latest registered voters' profile, showed that BN could win 40 state seats during the coming general election. Taking all these scenarios into consideration, the coming 13th general election could be shaky for the opposition pact of PKR-DAP-PAS to retain the states currently under their rule especially in Selangor where the outcome is said to be a 50-50 chance. Evaluating support given by all the ethnic groups, the Indians were the biggest swingers in the last general election but they appeared to be withdrawing their support for the Pakatan due to the frustration of being cheated with empty promises. A noticeable trend swept through the 2008 polls when almost 85 per cent of the Indian votes went to the opposition pact, as a result of issues played up by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). Thereafter, the Indian community's support for the BN had risen to over 70 per cent following government aid amounting to RM415 million being given to improve their living standard. The aid was distributed via Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia or AIM (RM100 million), Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usahawan Malaysia or Tekun (RM65 million) and a RM250 million allocation to entrepreneurs. During the 66th MIC Annual General Assembly held on Dec 9, party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the support was stronger for the ruling coalition after receiving considerable benefits, particularly in education, public service development programme, economy and social programmes initiated by Najib. Meanwhile, MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai also expressed his confidence that MCA, which took a severe beating in 2008, would rise again in the next general election. With plenty of aid given through 1MCA Medical Foundation, allocations for education and entrepreneurs, the Chinese community saw the winds of change blowing in the level of support towards the government compared to 2008. In Sabah, its chief minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman believed that the state had grown as a progressive, prosperous, peaceful and stable state under the initiatives taken by BN. The establishment of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the issuance of citizenship to illegal immigrants, appointing locals to helm Federal departments in the state and the recognition of Sept 16 as Malaysia Day proved that BN always listened, cared and worked to fulfil every request made by the people. |
| Stop PR stunts, get real with Christians Posted: 25 Dec 2012 02:58 PM PST 
An NGO says this Christmas is the time for Najib to ponder and really hear the Christians on the issue of fairness and justice. Luke Rintod, FMT Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been asked to stop his "public relations stunts" and instead deal with the biased treatment his federal administration has meted out to Christians in Sabah and Sarawak. Demanding that Najib "walk his talk", a local NGO, Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo), said the PM's "nice words" in his Christmas message yesterday, rang "hollow as far as sincerity and truth is concerned" when compared to the "real situation" in Malaysia affecting Christians. The foundation's president Daniel John Jambun said that in Sabah especially, the "Christian community continued to be increasingly marginalised and victimised by loads of actions from Najib's ruling party Umno." "This Christmas time is for Najib to ponder and really hear the Christians on the issue of fairness and justice. "In Sabah especially, we are constantly being marginalised. Christians face difficulty in building their own churches, mission schools are in a sorry state, there's marginalisation in scholarships and government jobs and promotions. "What justice does he speak of if mosques, suraus and even madrasahs and all their officials like imam, bilal, missionaries are being salaried from taxes the government collected from us the rakyat while our churches and officials are being left out only for the faithfuls to support? "And on top of that, there seem to be various open concerted efforts from the government agencies to frustrate the development of Christianity in worship, education, literature, arts, even cultures. We cannot even put up crosses," said Jambun. Christians marginalised Jambun, who is also a deputy chairman of the Sabah chapter of opposition State Reform Party (STAR), also raised the issue of the Alkitab and Bibles which are subjected to unnecessary scrutiny. READ MORE HERE |
| Church leaders happy with Najib’s pledge, but wary it won’t trickle down Posted: 25 Dec 2012 02:55 PM PST 
Najib had reassured the Christian community in Malaysia on Christmas Day yesterday that the government recognised them the as an essential part of the nation. – Picture by Saw Siow Feng Zurairi AR, The Malaysian Insider Church leaders are happy with Datuk Seri Najib Razak's pledge to the Christian community, but expressed concern that the prime minister's message will not filter down to conservatives and extremist elements in his party and government. Najib had reassured the Christian community in Malaysia on Christmas Day yesterday that the government recognised them the as an essential part of the nation. Christians form about nine per cent of the country's 28 million population. "I hope that was not only from him alone, but it (also) has to be from the other part of the government," Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Datuk Ng Moon Hing told The Malaysian Insider yesterday. CFM, the umbrella body of all Christian denominations in the country, organised its annual Christmas Day party attended by all political leaders. Ng's view was mirrored by the Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, who said the prime minister needs courage, determination and consistent effort to accomplish his promises. "Hopefully he can get his whole team to (work at it)," Pakiam said. The church leaders agreed that Najib's attendance in the Christmas event was a nice gesture towards the Christian community, but would be for naught if he failed to confront extremists elements in his party and the government. "What's troubling to Christians is that the government has not spoken up to the extremists what its views are," said Hermen Shastri, the general secretary from the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM). The CCM is an ecumenical fellowship of churches and Christian organisations that are part of the larger Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) representing 90 per cent of the country's 2.8 million Christians. Last year, Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia published a report entitled Kristian Agama Rasmi? ("Christianity the official religion?"), where it was alleged that DAP leaders and Christian clergymen were conspiring to take over Putrajaya, abolish Islam as the religion of the federation and install a Christian prime minister. In the aftermath of the report, Malay supremacist group Perkasa and its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali threatened Christians nationwide with a holy war against any move to usurp Islam with a Christian state. Najib then meet church leaders to clear the air but the Home Ministry had only slapped the daily with a warning letter for publishing the unsubstantiated report. Shastri warned that by not taking any action on extremists, it will undo and make difficult the plans that the PM wants to accomplish. "(This will happen) as long as some groups keep on saying that Christians are a threat," Shastri said. The church leaders have listed several issues affecting the Christian community that has yet to be addressed by the government, with the issue of insufficient land for religious sites chief among them. "What we felt previously is that there are certain issues that the government could be more upfront (with) when dealing with them," confessed Philip Kok, a bishop with the Lutheran Church of Malaysia. "I think a lot of time, (we are facing) a struggle against bureaucracy. Some difficulties looked like it was (a problem with policy), but then the policy is interpreted in a different light," Ng explained. READ MORE HERE |
| Psychedelic psychic power? Posted: 25 Dec 2012 02:41 PM PST 
KTemoc Konsiders FMT - DAP leadership must share power
Sweetie Selena Tay is an amazing reporter (or journalist) for Free Malaysia Today. In one of her previous article Pakatan's 'shadow cabinet' list she claimed she could even speak with a non-existent Pakatan 'shadow minister', so shadowy that he seemed like a miasmatic mist of ........, wakakaka, okay lah ... mystery then, wakakaka. I had then commented her Pakatan shadow cabinet was a Kafkaesque joke – and if you don't know the meaning of this word, ask Mr Manmanlai, wakakaka - with the potential for Pakatan to outdo BN in the numbers department. 15 ministries including shared deputy prime minister-ships were listed, with each having at least 3 if not more names, making a total of no less than 45 and probably exceeding 60. WTF! Sweetie Selena admitted that her list has been compiled from a combination of: (a) discussions with a Pakatan MP who wished to remain anonymous ... ... but who wakakaka, I suspect, was probably from PKR. As usual, by suggesting some key nominees in the secret list, he was pre-empting PKR's supposed allies from choice ministries wakakaka, (b) observations from the performances and statements of Pakatan MPs ....., ... and undoubtedly, the most mysterious of all, wakakaka ........ (c) personal conversations with the shadow ministers, their friends or their acquaintances, where in the first place, shadow ministers, other than the PM-designate, don't exist ........ I was very cruel to her when I wrote: No, I won't hold much store by the list that Sweetie has written, perhaps more to mitigate against the BN sting that Pakatan is still incapable of coming up with a shadow cabinet than it be a genuine secret Pakatan plan. Of course I have my opinion as to why, but the far more important point was my amazement at Sweetie's claim of talking with non-existent shadow ministers ..... unless of course she had the conversation with the self-appointed wet-dreaming shadow Home Minister wakakaka. I hope she as a DAP member (so she claimed in her recent article) didn't/doesn't take my criticisms too badly as I had also excoriated another DAP sweetie, Hannah Yeoh, for being mathematically challenged in her support for Anwar Ibrahim's 916 (Hannah took law, not maths so it's okay, wakakaka), as follows: 
| I love but don't blindly idolize her, wakakaka | The saddest consequence of Anwar's 916 debacle was a DAP sweetie like Hannah Yeoh being swept into that mesmerizing manmanlai miasmatic mist of malarkey Рsee my February 2009 post DAP should stop defending Anwar Ibrahim where Hannah stupidly wrote (yes, I support DAP but that doesn't mean I am like some people, blind as a bat wakakaka): "Those who argue that the political crisis in Perak now is a taste of Pakatan Rakyat's own medicine Рa reference to Sept 16 Рfail to see the key differences between the two." "When Anwar claimed to have the numbers to form the federal government, he wrote to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, requesting him to convene an emergency sitting of Parliament. This was rejected by the prime minister." "The next constitutional option was to press for the dissolution of Parliament to make way for fresh elections. This too was not entertained." "Anwar exhausted every constitutional means available to him. If Pakatan were to act unconstitutionally and lure defections, then we will be having a new government today. So, you can't say that Najib's coup in Perak and the Pakatan plan РSept 16 Рwere one and the same." Leaving aside the different issue of Najib's coup d'̩tat in Perak which involved someone high up who should have stayed out of direct politics, Hannah Yeoh was stupid (and I hope the sweetie isn't now) to claim that Anwar had the right to demand AAB convene an emergency sitting of Parliament or to press for the dissolution of Parliament to make way for fresh elections. WTF for, just after an election where AAB's BN trounced Pakatan by 140 seats to 82? Was she mathematically challenged? Now, would you believe it, the mystery of the phantom (wakakaka) shadow ministers has just become even more mysterious because on re-checking her shadow cabinet article I found the words 'shadow ministers' mysteriously missing like Jim Thompson, wakakaka. Oh, the mystery of it! 
| Jim Thompson disappeared in Cameron Highlands on 26 March 1967 Joining the Malaysian PFF in the biggest man hunt in Malaysian history were a Sarawak border scout, bomohs, aborigine pawang and European psychics To this day, the mystery of his disappearance remains | Surely this calls for the use of that wonderful Indonesian word anéh as in anéh bin ajaib (extremely strange, wonder of wonders) wakakaka. Hey, maybe sweetie didn't write it and I was, no not psychic, but psychedelically hallucinating, wakakaka. Hmmm, I wonder whether she read my post, wakakaka. Never mind, but incidentally, just where is Hartalmsm when you need them? Busy attacking politicians like Lim GE, I suppose? Wakakaka. Oh incidentally, on 30 June this year, sweetie wrote another article titled The doctor decides …? which states: Three days ago, a reporter friend (sweetie Selena has always been very discreet, never mentioning her sources, wakakaka) forwarded a text message to this columnist which says that the doctor has taken over Umno and right now the grassroots reports are being forwarded to him. But the big news is that the doctor is planning to have the polls held in September. This is because it seems that the doctor has got tired of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's feet-dragging and lack of confidence … […] Wakakkaa, I had then posted my take on her headline-grabbing coup d'état by Dr M as: We may yet again take it that Sweetie's latest article of Dr Mahathir mounting a silent coup d'état to launch a September poll was sourced from PKR, especially in the light of UMNO information that Dr Mahathir has affirmed Najib should be complimented for not calling for early election (or if you like, ordering Najib to hang on for as late/long as possible). Anyway, back to her latest article DAP leadership must share power in FMT. Just a few extracts I wish to comment on as follows: READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Can we trust Sabah BN leaders, anymore?’ Posted: 25 Dec 2012 02:30 PM PST 
The only reason Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is desperately wooing Sabah is because Umno can no longer rule Peninsular Malaysia without Sabah and Sarawak. Luke Rintod, FMT PENAMPANG: A veteran political activist who was once with Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) said many among the Barisan Nasional leaders in Sabah had at many times told crowds that BN stands for "Barisan Nah Sial". Fredoline Edwin Lojingki, 71, who is now with opposition State Reform Party (STAR) said he could name these hypocrite leaders who are now heaping praises after praises on BN and its corrupt leaders. "These leaders once referred to BN as Barisan Nah Sial but they are singing a different tune now because they are now ministers, they got projects and all the trappings of power," he said in a statement here today in response to PBS Johnny Mositun's statement yesterday. Lojingki said the PBS information chief has forgotten what had Umno done with its two-thirds majority. "He forgot that it is because of BN losing its two thirds majority in parliament that it is now wooing Sabah and Sarawak votes," he opined. "Has Mositun forgotten that at one time Dr Mahathir Mohamad proudly announced on television that without Sabah and Sarawak, Umno could still rule the federal government? "Is Mositun aware of the importance of a check and balance in parliament?" he asked. Lojinki further reminded Sabahans and leaders to think before they speak. He said the questions they must first ask of themselves is: "Is a two-third majority, or worse, a complete control of parliament by BN good or bad for Sabah." "We leaders have a duty to explain what we believe is good for the country. Let us not mislead the people just because we curry powder with the power that be. "Lets not forget how difficult it is for lagging Sabah and Sarawak to be heard by a powerful central power," he said, adding that it is only the people who could decide if they want BN, or any other party, to have a two-thirds majority in the 222-seat parliament. READ MORE HERE |
| Istilah ‘God’ dalam Bible BM perlu diganti dengan Tuhan, bukan Allah Posted: 25 Dec 2012 02:27 PM PST 
PAS melihat isu penggunaan nama Allah di dalam terjemahan Bible dalam BM tidak mencerminkan maksud sebenar dari teks asal. (FMT) - PAS berpendapat menggunakan nama Allah dalam terjemahan Bible Bahasa Melayu tidak wajar dan parti itu berpendirian istilah 'God' digantikan dengan Tuhan dan bukannya Allah untuk mencerminkan maksud sebenar daripada teks asal. Dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini, Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, memandangkan Bible Bahasa Melayu adalah terjemahan dari teks asal bahasa Inggeris, maka sewajarnya istilah God tidak bermaksud Allah, kerana terjemahan tepat ialah Tuhan. Bahkan di kalangan masyarakat Barat pun mereka tidak menggunakan nama Allah bagi merujuk kepada God sama ada dalam pertuturan, penulisan atau filem. Perkataan yang sering digunakan ialah 'Lord'. PAS juga melihat isu penggunaan nama Allah di dalam terjemahan Bible dalam Bahasa Malaysia tidak mencerminkan maksud sebenar dari teks asal serta mengelirukan pelbagai pihak. Menurut Tuan Ibrahim lagi, cadangan tersebut juga telah mengundang pelbagai reaksi di kalangan orang Islam dan penganut Kristian. Katanya, menterjemahkan God dengan Allah akan mengelirukan penganut Kristian dan menimbulkan rasa kurang senang di kalangan umat Islam serta boleh mengelirukan orang Islam. "Walaupun penggunaannya tidak bertentangan dengan tradisi ilmu dan budaya di kalangan ahli kitab (Yahudi dan Nasara), tetapi keluar dari khilaf atau mengelak berlakunya kekeliruan dan polemik adalah jalan terbaik," katanya lagi. Tuan Ibrahim berkata, bagi umat Islam, nama Allah merupakan nama yang khusus yang mesti dipelihara kesuciannya. Katanya, a tidak boleh dibuang merata tempat atau digunakan nama tersebut pada tempat yang tidak layak baginya seperti menyamakan dengan makhluk, bersifat dengan sifat makhluk, seperti menganggap ia ada anak, isteri, makan, tidur dan berjalan sebagaimana makhluk. Beliau berkata, ada perkataan yang sensitif bagi sesetengah agama, seperti kalimah Dua Shahadah dan Allah, tidak boleh disebut secara sewenang-wenangnya dalam konteks yang tidak tepat kerana ia boleh menimbulkan kemarahan dan ketidaksenangan yang tidak perlu dalam masyarakat majmuk di negara kita dan situasi negara masa kini. |
| The problem with Opposition supporters – Ooi Kok Hin Posted: 25 Dec 2012 01:49 PM PST 
Look at the "Comments" section in Malaysiakini, Malaysia Today and Malaysian Insider. They have total disdain for the establishment and everything associated with the establishment is wrong. They have this utopian idea that by changing the government and leave it to the politicians, things will be better. The highest form of patriotism is dissent. This quote is often used to describe the situation in which we protest against something we love, even at the risks of harming ourselves, when it goes in the wrong direction. Opposition supporters attribute their dissent to their love for the country, which is a good thing. However, many of them see things differently when this quote is applied to them. Opposition enthusiasts don't appreciate it when you protest their wrongdoings. They'd call you "pengkhianat, katak, turncoat, UMNO dogs etc." They see their leaders as saints and the other side as devils. For them, political contest is as simplistic as the choice between good and evil. Like it or not, your favorite politicians are not saints. They make mistakes and take risks; most evidently give their words on too many populist promises.
Two Wrongs Don't Make One Right
Take the Malay members' defeat during DAP's Central Executive Committee (CEC) election. When criticism poured in, DAP's hardcore supporters brushed aside those criticism and pointed at UMNO's mono-ethnic composition. They merely attack their critic's characters and not the argument; this is known as ad hominem. That is not a justification for DAP delegates' racial preferences. We already know that none of UMNO, MCA and MIC is an inclusive Malaysian party. Their racial foundation is a contradiction to their mission; this is an omen to their failures to unite Malaysians. Perhaps, race-based parties were needed in the early 20th century, but for far too long since then, they are impediments to unity. DAP's membership is open to all but its delegates are still more comfortable in trusting people of their own race. Unless DAP wants to continue that pathway, DAP leaders and members need to look at themselves in the mirror instead of keeping a blind eye to their own racial preferences. I am not saying that the Malay candidates should win due to their race, but as a nationwide party, the DAP should have enough Malays who are as capable as the others. If this is not true, then the DAP's goal of an inclusive Malaysian society is far-fetch, since the party itself is unable to be multiracial 47 years after its formation. And if this goes on, Pakatan Rakyat's politics is just like Barisan Nasional; DAP will take care of non-Malays and PAS will go to the Malay areas. Take politicians who jump ships. Opposition supporters welcome those who jump to their side. They are treated like heroes. "He realizes the truth at last! He's enlightened and joined our struggle!" Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his men are trying hard to recruit more of such heroes in Sabah and Sarawak. But when their own men jumped to the other side, all hell breaks loose. "She's a piece of crap! He betrayed the people's trust! He has been bought!" It's amusing to see people's hypocrisy in action. As I see it, people elect their YB to represent their interests which are in line with the YB's party. If the YB decides to jump ship, (it's your freedom to associate), he or she can do but must resign and stand as a new candidate. It doesn't matter which direction he or she jumps to. I recall that Karpal Singh was the only one who spoke out when the infamous Trojan horse jumped to Pakatan. It took the fall of a state government to make the others pick up the principles they abandoned when the tide favors them. Check your facts before you shoot A recent video and an article caught my attention. Both have been widely misinterpreted by opposition supporters who trumpeted that Malaysia is the worst-ranked country in corruption. Read more and watch the video at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/the-problem-with-opposition-supporters-ooi-kok-hin/ |
| Stay the course or abandon ship? Posted: 25 Dec 2012 01:44 PM PST 
To Hu, PAS' struggle is based "on true Islamic principle" and the party is fair to all – Muslims and non-Muslims which is "guaranteed" by the party constitution. Hence his support as long as the constitution remains as it is. Mohsin Abdullah, fz.com Following the recent public "spat" between Hu Pang Chau, the National PAS Supporters Congress chairman, and Kelantan state exco member Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan over "actions" against non-Muslims, a logical question to ask now is: Should the supporters (who are all non-Muslims) continue supporting PAS? After all Takiyuddin has accused Hu of having "bad intentions" for bringing to the media cases of non-Muslims being "penalised" by the Kota Baru Municipal Council for alleged indecent behaviour. Then there was the unisex salon issue, also in Kota Baru, involving the enforcement of gender segregation rules. Hu's response then was he acted "in the interest of non-Muslims" and was "defending" their rights. So back to the earlier question: should the congress and Hu in particular stay the course? "My relationship with Takiyuddin is not affected by the issues. We are like crew members of a same ship, holding on to the belief of the PAS constitution and the same struggle. The only difference perhaps is on the approach taken," said Hu in an email response to fz.com. Meaning he and the congress will continue to stick with PAS. To his critics that is expected. Hu has always been accused of being a "PAS apologist". Hu nevertheless is unfazed by such accusation. "As long as the PAS constitution remains unchanged, I will continue to support the party," said Hu, adding: "I dare say I understand the objective and PAS struggle better than many party members or leaders". To Hu, PAS' struggle is based "on true Islamic principle" and the party is fair to all – Muslims and non-Muslims which is "guaranteed" by the party constitution. Hence his support as long as the constitution remains as it is. And he is confident the congress is playing the role of taking care of non-Muslims interests. "We have representatives in the elections and political bureaus or lajnah. Two most important lajnahin PAS," he said. Still, are the representatives truly "functional"? "If our views and proposals are not accepted why should PAS include us in the bureaus?" was Hu's reply. PAS has always worked towards reaching out to non-Muslims, especially the Chinese community. In the 1980s, the party established what was known as the Chinese Consultative Council. In 2004, the PAS Supporters Club was set up. And in 2010, the club was upgraded to become the current congress as PAS sought to get more non-Muslims to play a bigger role in the party. The congress is placed on par with the other wings in PAS, namely Dewan Ulama, Dewan Pemuda, Dewan Muslimah – hence its official name Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS. And it boasts some 30,000 members nationwide, comprising Indians, Chinese, Iban and Malaysians of Thai descent. But is the congress effective in "helping" PAS? "Years ago even the sight of a PAS member wearing the kopiah will frighten away non-Muslims, especially the Chinese. Now we have non-Muslims campaigning for PAS carrying the party flags, wearing PAS T-shirts. It's like a miracle. Yes, the congress has been effective. But to what extent I can't say as I do not have a barometer," said a PAS activist. Hu, understandably, has good words for his outfit. "In the early days, when I went to Chinese areas not even a single Chinese turned up for PAS ceramah. Not even for tea party. Now we get big crowds of non-Muslims at PAS ceramah, not only in the peninsula but also Sabah and Sarawak," he said. That PAS sees the congress as priceless is given. Said PAS director of election Dr Hatta Ramli: "The formation and inception of the congress is a significant milestone for PAS. For non-Muslims to support PAS so dearly is something unthinkable just a decade ago. "The congress is an asset for our struggle. It can further soften our image, increase our tolerance and implement a diversity of approaches." For the 13th GE, PAS will field members of the Supporters Congress. "The congress will likely be entrusted to attract support of non-Muslims not just as election strategists and workers but also as candidates both for the DUN (state legislative assembly) and parliament levels. "It will take PAS a long way into a new era of inclusive politics. I foresee this as a breakthrough for PAS in national and mainstream politics," said Hatta. Hu confirmed that PAS will field the congress members in Sarawak and Johor with "Kedah, Perak, Melaka as possibility". |
| Sarawak Rela ordered to give ‘undivided support’ to BN Posted: 25 Dec 2012 01:41 PM PST 
(Free Malaysia Today) - Sarawak PKR has described calls to Rela members to help Barisan Nasional win in the state as 'immoral'. The neutrality of paramilitary volunteer corp, Rela, in Sarawak has come under question following a recent "immoral" order by a top ranking officer urging its members to support Barisan Nasional. Sarawak has 300,000 Rela members stationed in 32 districts.Nationwide, there are 3.2 million members. At a function in Julau district, Rela officer Lieutenant Colonel (Rela) Moses Sipan reportedly told Rela members that the government had allocated some RM400 million in the 2013 budget for the corp. "This huge sum shows the government's confidence in Rela. "Therefore as a show of our appreciation we must give our undivided support to BN in the coming general election," he said. Julau has about 8,000 Rela members. The constituency is currently held by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president Joseph Salang, who is also a deputy minister in the federal cabinet. Sipan's call to Rela members in Julau is also seen as an 'order' to all Rela members in Sarawak. The directive has irked the opposition in Julau constituency and the state. Slamming Sipan, state PKR chief Baru Bian said: "This is wrong. It is immoral and politically wrong for them to do that. "Rela is not a political party. It is a voluntary organisation and funded by the rakyat's money. "You don't use this kind of voluntary organisation to strengthen your political influence." Read more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/12/26/sarawak-rela-ordered-to-give-undivided-support-to-bn/ |
| Sabah’s economy on ‘Death Row’ Posted: 25 Dec 2012 08:00 AM PST 
Sabah is slipping down on living standards as families continue to feel the pinch of high inflation and low economic revival. Vidal Yudin Well, FMT By the time this article is published, the Mayan calendar phenomenon is probably way behind us and like any other hoaxes of the last century, there was no apocalypse or Armageddon. Let us go for something more real and imminent: Upon this coming Chinese Lunar New Year in 2013, the zodiac snake will once again dawn the world. With so many political and fiscal uncertainties staring Sabah in the face, will she ever survive the python squeeze or will asphyxia be her final fate? Or will the worst be reserved instead for the ruling coalition which has hogged the nation's seat of power for more than half a century of dividing the people and rule, when the celestial serpent finally devour the entire Barisan Nasional in an election tipped to be held in or around February? Will Malaysians in the country and the diaspora around the world watch and scream their lungs out with roaring ecstasy of colossal joy when past corrupt and vicious leaders and all their greedy cohorts are hunted down like fallen tyrants in the likes of Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, Chen Shui Bian, Joseph Estrada, or Gloria Arroyo and put behind bars for crimes committed against citizens and looting the nation when Anwar Ibrahim does become the new Prime Minister of Malaysia? The Jewish people believe that the world will end when every Jew scattered around the globe return to their homeland in Israel. I personally believe that our motherland will eventually become a paradise when all her people can finally live together without hate, segregation, and persecution. Many people in Sabah including Malaysians from Peninsular and Sarawak who have settled down here know very well why the BN federal government is issuing MyKads to immigrants and allowing them to flood Sabah. These newly baked Malaysians are not only competing with genuine citizens in every aspect of life but also jeopardising the security and fabric of society with their thieving and violent cultures thereby destroying the sub-stratum of our formation of this country. It was an open secret that in the 1994 Sabah elections, in an assault led by former DPM Anwar Ibrahim on Parti Bersatu Sabah, huge numbers of alleged immigrants were supposedly given citizenships and voting rights. Yet, the Barisan Nasional still lost by a simple majority of seats. Will the Royal Commission of Inquiry set up to look into this long standing conundrum eventually pinpoint the architects and engineers of this fraud? But what will be fait accompli this election is that Sabah must be won at all costs. But a united Sabah population, particularly the lower and middle grounds, has now swung over to the local opposition parties, a repeat of 1994. This explains the high frequency of Najib Tun Razak's visits to Sabah. Can the state BN government be more foolish? Rhetoric and slogans alone can no longer win elections because the present generation of voters is well-informed. While the people in Sabah are tightening their waist-belts during every meal at home, they often wonder why are their state ministers clueless as to what is actually happening or what should be done to arrest the decline and spur a rebound? Are 99% of the misfortunes suffered by the people in Sabah these days directly inflicted by an experienced but incompetent state government? This sounded very oxymoronic, indeed. If a government is competent, even with no experience, it can still produce the desired result albeit at a lower level of satisfaction, which is nevertheless better than nothing. How is the state government to explain the dwindling quality of life and spiraling costs of essentials that is burdening the people? How can there be growth when every successive administrations of the Barisan Nasional are incapable of coming up with prudent and wise policies that can work in tandem with and for the people to sustain themselves? It is absolutely preposterous to be the other way around! Sabah's economy is purportedly supported, among others, by three main sectors: (a) oil and gas, (b) palm oil, and (c) tourism. To be frank, (save for a handful of local Sabah lads who worked at the rigs, Petronas, oil exploration companies, and federal and state governments) how much of Sabah's oil and gas wealth actually benefitted the people? Just check out the price citizens are paying for fuel and cooking gas now compared to 10 or 15 years ago and the answers are all out there. And the worst thing is this: we are still producing and exporting petroleum products today! To give a closest analogy of the kind of sick joke we are living in: if you are a poultry farmer, do you sell your 1st class fowls, buy back 4th class birds, and sell it to your employees at 2nd class prices? If I were to own the farm, I will sell my 1st class produce to my employees at 3rd class prices for their own consumption. Sabah's worrying decline in the economy came under more pressure a week ago after a tumble of crude palm oil prices put it on serious negative watch. It will prove very embarrassing for the state government if the condition worsens in the next couple of weeks. As for the decomposing tourism sector, our hotspots are stale and expensive; a 4 Days 3 Nights package (which include airfare, resort hotel accommodation with food and beverages, transfers, and day trip tours) to Phuket Island in Thailand from Hong Kong costs an average of RM400 per person; a one night stay at a 5-star hotel in Kota Kinabalu alone will cost more than RM400! Quality tourists are flocking to our neighbours in the region instead of us. Many tour operators including the established players have already closed down with many more on the way. Non-existent reforms Sabah is slipping down on living standards as families continue to feel the pinch of high inflation and low economic revival. With rising food bills eating into spending power, every citizen is as shock as they are furious to know that everyone of their elected representatives in government is living a luxurious lifestyle funded by hard pressed taxes. Many of these state ministers even find it fit to travel overseas together with their families purportedly for government business where no bilateral reimbursements beneficial to the people were ever brought back. Not only is their performance appallingly bad, none of them lives by the sacred mantra that "we are all in this hardship together". READ MORE HERE |
| DAP leadership must share power Posted: 25 Dec 2012 07:57 AM PST 
What the DAP leadership should do is to set up a Malay Matters Bureau and an Indian Issues Bureau Selena Tay, FMT The results at the recent DAP party polls held in Penang on Dec 15 wherein 20 Central Executive Committee (CEC) members were elected was a great shock and disappointment for this columnist who had thought that at least one or two Malay candidates would be voted in. It is obvious that the delegates did not know how to apply what is to be termed as 'cunning voting'. This is how it works. This columnist was a delegate who had voted at the DAP Women's Congress held in KL on Dec 9. There were 27 candidates contesting for 15 posts in the DAP National Women's Committee. Out of the 27, five were Indians and the rest were Chinese. This columnist voted for all the five Indians. This is only logical math. Glad to say that out of the five Indians, two of them were voted in to the 15-member committee. They are Mary Josephine Prittam Singh who is now the deputy chairperson and Kamache A/P Doray Rajoo who has been chosen as the assistant secretary. This columnist did not attend the DAP party polls in Penang. And sad to say the delegates in Penang were not politically savvy. In fact, this columnist would like to label the situation in Penang as 'delegates malfunction'. The mindset of the delegates who had voted in Penang can be attributed to the fact that the Malay candidates were not well-known on the ceramah circuit. Be that as it may, they should have just been voted in to the 20-member CEC even if no one knows them from Adam. Anyway that is all in the past. No use crying over spilt milk. DAP must now look ahead and find ways and means to improve the situation. Do more for non-Chinese What the DAP leadership should do is to set up a Malay Matters Bureau and an Indian Issues Bureau. These said bureaus are to be affiliated to the CEC. The Malay and Indian leaders of these bureaus are to look into ways of helping their respective communities by going on the ground and meeting the people. Although the setting-up of these bureaus look like race-based politics, this is the current reality. With the existence of these bureaus, the Malay and Indian public can bring up the relevant issues to their respective leaders. The existence of these bureaus should then be widely publicised. With the setting up of the Malay and Indian Bureaus, DAP will be more inclusive. DAP leaders must share power evenly with all the other races. Only then can it truly shed its 'Chinese chauvinist' label given by the evil media and the enemy camp. There is no way DAP can seem inclusive if the Malays remain at the fringe. Meanwhile, the Malays in DAP must also strive to project themselves by being active on the ceramah circuit. It is useless to just sit down and keep quiet. They must make the rounds and not just sit in the office. In addition to the above, it is good if one Malay and one Indian is given a prestigious parliament seat to contest. DAP cannot continue to talk about a 'Malaysian Malaysia' if the Malays and Indians feel left out. Everyone including the Orang Asal must have a sense of belonging in the party. The Orang Asal too must be given a popular parliament or state seat to contest. DAP leaders must break the race barrier and the best time to do this is none other than at the coming 13th general election. READ MORE HERE |
| HOLIDAY MUSINGS and PROPOSITIONS on THE GENEALOGY of RELIGION Posted: 25 Dec 2012 07:52 AM PST 
All ideas of "god" are rooted in language and concepts in materialism and the dialecticness of it; different names of different gods signify the attempt by Man to name the Unknown and the Infinite and the Non-Being via words framed culturally, so that Man can worship the name and appease the construction of personal and social reality. A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman As we close the year 2012 and enter a new age of the Mayan calendar, I invite my learned readers to discuss the propositions below as a way to cleanse our minds of the flux and cloudiness of matters concerning the belief system we are all in. I suppose Malaysians especially are now ready to engage in dialogue sessions that require an open mind and rationality in order for us to evolve more into an Athenian rather than a Spartan society still trapped in the glory of Oriental Despotism. 1] all religious celebrations are more cultural than religious; for the roots of religion and spirituality lie in human anthropology framed by the agricultural society, and the need to engage in rites and rituals to structure the inner and outer patterns in understanding the unknown and that elusive concept called "divinity"; 2] all ideas of "god" are rooted in language and concepts in materialism and the dialecticness of it; different names of different gods signify the attempt by Man to name the Unknown and the Infinite and the Non-Being via words framed culturally, so that Man can worship the name and appease the construction of personal and social reality; 3] all forms of worship --- the prayers, the puja, the sembah Hyang, the solat -- are a form of cultural-language-play rooted in the origins of names and the process of constructing language out of the need to "connect"; the purpose of all form of prayer is psychological, i.e. to numb the self so that its conscious state of "being-in-this-word" can be "destroyed" and the self can experience "death and living" all in one, in a different realm of consciousness now directed to the Unknown imagined as the "Divine" or the "Theos and the Logos" worshipped all in one; 4] all worshippers in religion worhip objects and do not worship objects all at once -- the Hindus worship/do not worship the multitude of gods from the pantheon gods, the Christians worship/do not worship the symbolic representation of a man crucified, the Muslim worship/do not worship the cube/kaabah that house the black stone from Paradise, and those of other cultural beliefs worsh...ip/do not worship the forces of Nature ... in essence worshippers are a creature of semiotics (of signs, symbols, significations, representations) that do not have the power NOT to imagine ... it is impossible NOT to imagine anything while worshipping ... as Man is an invention imbued with the power to read and recite and redefine the world he/she lives in; 5] when one prays, where will the words/mantras/puja/doa/surahs/prayers be directed to ... ? do one know who the receiver of the offerings and words of sacrifice shall be ... ? ; 6] since the beginning of it, the greatest beneficiary of religion has been the rulers of men and the priest class that help provide the divine-ly sanctioned legitimacy; those who owns the means to produce Official Knowledge and those who rule by myth and the architecture of power derived from such myths ... hence Kings, Emperors, Sultans, and Rajahs are all capitalists of "spiritual knowledge" .. their glory tied to the need for religion to be "spread" in the name of "empires of faith" ... the story of these rulers have not only been the story of plunderes and coversions to this or that religion, but how they plunder in style with the pomp and pageantry and nobility divinely-inspired thieves can be; 7] the pen is said to be mightier than the sword .. if it belongs to the priest class and the sword wielded by kings ... but it is the invention of the writing systen that has given might to both the pen and the sword ... whoever owns the means to tell the story of others own the mind of the future of the genrations they wish to colonize in a world of epic-poems and storytelling of heroes and villains and masters and slaves; 8] in a world of the haves an have-nots of spiritual/religious knowledge the more the rulers and the guardians of religion emphasize the mundane but over-glorified ritualistic aspoects of religion so that the masses can weep and cry while praying and take Fate as a life of suffering divinely-orchestrated, the more the ruling priestly class can administer more control using more sophisticated and ceremonial signs and symbol of alleviating suffering ... so that behnd the scene the national treasures can be robbed clean; 9] if it is said that "the body is the temple of the soul," why is there a need for any house of worship and to imagine that god "lives" there?; 10] what actually is the origin of Man? .. and for what purpose did he invent the idea of "god". ********************************** OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
While the opinion in the article/writing is mine,
the comments are strictly, respectfully, and responsibly yours;
present them rationally, clearly, politely, and ethically. https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/ |
| Pekida akan terus pertahankan kedaulatan bangsa Melayu dan agama Islam Posted: 24 Dec 2012 06:07 PM PST 
(Bernama) - Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Pekida) akan terus mempertahankan kedaulatan bangsa Melayu, agama Islam dan tanah air daripada dirosakkan oleh mana-mana pihak, kata Presidennya Jamaludin Yusof. Beliau berkata sebagai sebuah pertubuhan yang diwujudkan atas dasar Melayu dan Islam, sudah pasti kedua-dua dasar berkenaan menjadi pegangan utama dan akan diperjuangkan sampai bila-bila. "Pekida mempunyai misi dan visi tersendiri iaitu menegakkan Islam dan memastikan bangsa Melayu terus menjadi tunjang negara. Kita akan terus mempertahankan agama, bangsa dan negara walaupun terpaksa berjuang hingga ke titisan terakhir. "Justeru kita sebagai anggota (Pekida), kita mempunyai tugas yang berat untuk pastikan kestabilan politik negara dikekalkan supaya negara akan terus aman dan damai," katanya semasa berucap pada Mesyuarat Agung Pekida Malaysia ke-18 yang dirasmikan Ketua Menteri Melaka Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, di sini hari ini. Jamaludin berkata sehingga kini keanggotaan Pekida sudah menjangkau kira-kira 300,000 orang dan jumlah itu sangat penting dalam menguatkan pertubuhan itu dalam memperjuangkan matlamat penubuhannya. "Pekida mempunyai anggota yang ramai dan kita sedang mencari formula bagaimana untuk menyatukan kesemua anggota supaya perjuangan kita mencapai matlamatnya. "Kita tidak mahu satu hari nanti kita terpaksa menangis di belakang pintu disebabkan oleh kegagalan kita untuk mempertahankan bangsa, agama dan negara kita sendiri," katanya. Jamaludin turut menyeru semua anggota pertubuhan itu agar terus menyokong kerajaan sedia ada yang sudah terbukti banyak membantu membangunkan syiar Islam selain mempertahankan keistimewaan orang Melayu sejak negara merdeka hingga kini. "Hanya kerajaan yang ada sekarang ini akan terus memberikan kemakmuran, kesejahteraan dan kebajikan kepada rakyat. Jadi, saya minta semua anggota Pekida agar terus menyokong kerajaan pimpinan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sekarang ini agar semua yang diperoleh sekarang ini berterusan untuk anak cucu kita," katanya. |
| Malaysian Psephology: Kapar 2008 Posted: 24 Dec 2012 03:54 PM PST 
Prashun Dutt, The Sun Daily FROM 1995 to 2008, the number of registered voters (electorate) had grown by over 66% from 67,555 to 112,224. This indicates a substantial increase of 44,669 voters over this 13-year period, making Kapar among the largest Parliamentary constituencies in Malaysia. In terms of ethnic breakdown, as of March 2008, Malays constituted 49.3% of the Kapar electorate, while Chinese made up 37.6%, Indians 12.6% and the rest less than 0.5%. Despite the sizeable growth of the electorate, the percentage of voting has remained consistently high throughout these 13 years (from 73% to 78%). Ballot papers issued had increased by nearly 77% from 49,595 (1995) to 87,644 (2008), confirming that the increasing number of registered voters in Kapar remained similarly committed towards casting their votes. Despite growth in electoral size, the percentage voting support for Barisan Nasional (represented by MIC) has been declining or inconsistent since the resounding 67.1% support garnered by MIC's G. Leelavathi in 1995. Prominent MIC leader Datin Komala Devi received 49.6% of the votes in 1999, overcoming the challenge by PAS and avoiding a closer contest due to a split in opposition ranks. She retained the seat in 2004, this time brushing off a PKR challenge, with 57.9% support and a convincing margin of 14,588 votes. In 2008, however, she lost the seat by a similarly convincing margin of 12,297 votes to PKR's Manikavasagam Sundaram. PKR wrested the seat with 55.3% of the votes versus 41.2% polled by BN-MIC. While the gap in votes polled by the two candidates was around 15%, this seat witnessed one of the most noticeable "swing factors" of 2008. From losing the seat by 14,588 votes in 2004, PKR worked the ground and connected adequately with at least an additional 1/3 of the electorate, including the new entrants in the constituency, besides retaining most of their own support base. Considering all the relevant contributing factors – the 8,039 growth in size of electorate (from 2004 to 2008), the number of additional 11,000 plus ballots in the box (in 2008 compared to 2004), and the difference in voting support – the swing factor was over 24% in the final touchdown. The constituency has a mix of well-settled urbanites, new townships and some rural areas. With ethnic block-voting trends declining in Malaysia, large electorate constituencies having different socio-economic clusters will require sincere constructive groundwork by all candidates. However, at the time of print, theSun was yet to obtain comments from both parties regarding their specific plans for this constituency. |
| PR mulls Media Freedom Act Posted: 24 Dec 2012 03:50 PM PST 
(The Sun Daily) - A Media Freedom Act, which would include barring political parties from owning media companies, is being bandied by federal opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as a means to ensure continued press freedom in the country. Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the tripartite PR alliance is planning to table the bill for passage in Parliament if PR assumes federal power in the 13th general election. He said such a law would prohibit political parties from having a direct stake in media companies, be it newspapers, television or radio stations and online media. "This means that political parties cannot have direct or effective control of media companies," he told theSun in an interview recently. The issue of media ownership in Malaysia is a thorny one with politicians on both sides pointing the finger at each other for abusing and stunting media freedom. The federal opposition has been quick to point out unfair coverage on issues raised by them while their political opponents have fingered the online media as a factor for perceived eroding support. Nonetheless, it was reported that Malaysia's rank in the annual Press Freedom Index moved up 19 places to 122 out of 178 countries in 2011 compared to 141 the previous year. However, Reporters Without Borders, the organisation which compiles the index, noted that the upward trend was "in fact due more to the sharp decline in the situation in a number of other countries," in an open letter written by its director-general Olivier Basille. On the proposed Act, Lim conceded to theSun that it would not be enough to stop indirect ownership of media companies or ownership by proxy. "But they won't be able to exercise effective and total control then," he noted,. He urged those running websites to identify themselves properly to enable them to be held responsible for the content. |
| MIC is finished, says ex-leader Posted: 24 Dec 2012 03:39 PM PST 
Muthu Palaniappan predicts a worse outing than in 2008 and says the party will drag down BN with it. Zafry Dahalan, FMT MIC will do worse in the coming election than it did in 2008, according to a former leader of the party. M Muthu Palaniappan, a defector to PKR who claims to be familiar with grassroots feelings, made this prediction in an interview with FMT. He said a majority of Indian voters had grown tired of MIC's "empty promises" and would make their feelings known at the ballot box. Muthu's main power base is Negeri Sembilan, but he was one of the few state MIC leaders who rose to national prominence in the 80s and 90s. He was MIC Youth chief from 1979 to 1984 and vice president of the party from 1997 to 2000. He holds the record as the longest serving Negeri Sembilan state assemblyman from MIC, having won the Si Rusa (now Port Dickson) seat in 1982 and the Rantau seat in 1986 and 1990. He was a member of the state exco for 13 years until 1995. He was the Negeri Sembilan MIC chief from 1979 to 1995. He was often in the news in the late 80s and early 90s for his bold criticism of party president S Samy Vellu. Muthu studied law at Lincoln's Inn and was once the chairman of the London Union of Malaysian and Singapore Students. FMT: Why did you leave MIC after being with the party for 40 years? MIC is not on the right track. Gone are the days of MIC leaders working for the people. Nowadays they work only to enrich themselves. They are not bothered about the Indian community. Just look at the civil service and how the Indians are left out. The state of Indians in the public sector is very sad. What has MIC has done? Nothing. MIC leaders at the national level have not kept their promises. That's why I left and joined PKR. How do you think MIC will fare in the 13th general election? It will lose badly, worse than in 2008. The people—Malays, Chinese and Indians—have already made up their mind to vote for changes. The expectations of the Indians are high. They want government jobs, but the intake of Indians into government service leaves much to be desired. And even among those lucky enough to have jobs in the civil service, they have low expectations of being promoted. The situation is similar with intake into public universities. Not enough places are offered to Indian students although many of them are deserving. MIC does nothing about all this. The only thing MIC does is make empty promises, millions of empty promises. Let's talk about Negeri Sembilan. Indians make up quite a sizeable number of voters in the state. Surely some will vote for MIC. MIC will lose everything in Negeri Sembilan. The remaining MIC seat in Negeri Sembilan is the Jeram Padang state seat. This seat will go to Pakatan Rakyat. MIC has been talking about winning back the Port Dickson state seat and the Teluk Kemang parliament seat. It must be joking. Negeri Sembilan MIC is very ineffective. It has done nothing for the Indians in the past 10 years. Other Barisan Nasional component parties also will face the same fate as MIC because the Indians are the balancing power in Negeri Sembilan. This fact is known to Umno as well. No point giving hampers at the last minute. There is awakening among the Indians in the state. Negeri Sembilan MIC is divided into factions, but they pretend to be united. There are many MIC branch leaders pretending to be loyal to the party. But they are only eyeing the material benefits that will come during the election campaign period. Politically, they have felt cheated for a long time. They are disappointed. Just watch out; these leaders will throw their support behind Pakatan during the general election. What are your feelings about MIC chief G Palanivel? 
He is the weakest president in MIC's history. He can't gather any support. He has no grassroots support. Palanivel has a strange political style. He has chosen a few people to be with him in a small circle. He doesn't know that these people are actually there only for material benefits, not out of loyalty to MIC and BN. What do you think of the idea of bringing back Samy Vellu to help MIC retake Sungai Siput? BN will lose at least an extra 10% of votes not only in Sungai Siput, but also throughout the country. Samy's presence will tremendously help Pakatan. It will send a signal to the voters that Palanivel is a weak president. READ MORE HERE |
| Checks find ex-top cop not owner of Miharja flats Posted: 24 Dec 2012 03:28 PM PST 
Adila Razak, Malaysiakini Checks with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) have found that four low-cost flats in Miharja are not owned by any notable former high-ranking police officer, as claimed by PKR. Malaysiakini's assessment rate searches with DBKL on the four properties last week following a press conference by the opposition party on the matter showed that they are owned by nondescript individuals.
However, PKR consumer rights bureau chief Yahya Sahri, when contacted, insisted that the flat had until "a few years ago" belonged to a "high ranking ex-police officer" and his wife.
Not dismissing the possiblity that the flats may have changed hands, Yahya also insisted that the ex-officer and his wife had purchased the units.
 Yahya (left in photo) last week exposed this information at a press conference but withheld the identity of the former police officer, claiming that it will be revealed at later press conferences.
He had then also claimed that the former police officer "still owns" the properties, which he should not have been qualified to purchase.
Yahya also provided media with copies of DBKL assessment rate searches the party had done on 10 properties, including the four flats, allegedly belonging to the former officer and his wife.
The names of the owners were blanked out by PKR, but the owner's address for one of the flats was listed as "Ibu Pejabat Polis, Bukit Aman".
Malaysiakini's search for property ownership history at the Federal Land Office only returned the history for the master title, and not the strata title for the individuals flat units. The agency said it cannot conduct a strata title search on the individual units as it cannot locate the units ownership numbers (nombor hakmilik). It claims that the 'nombor hakmilik' can only be provided by the developer. |
| BN mampu menang dua pertiga kerusi PRU-13 Posted: 24 Dec 2012 03:03 PM PST 
(Berita Harian) - Melaka Tengah: Barisan Nasional (BN) mampu menang dua pertiga kerusi pada Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU-13), kata Ketua Penerangan UMNO, Datuk Ahmad Maslan. Beliau berkata, kemenangan itu mampu dicapai sekiranya semua ahli parti tidak bersikap terlalu yakin, tidak sabotaj parti dan perlu menggandakan usaha bagi memastikan kejayaan itu. Saya berpendapat BN boleh melakukannya (menang dua pertiga majoriti) sekiranya mengekalkan 140 kerusi Parlimen yang dikuasai sekarang dan merampas masing-masing lima kerusi daripada PAS dan DAP, manakala 10 lagi daripada PKR. Rampas 20 kerusi
Ini pendapat peribadi saya...semuanya logik kerana tujuh daripada 10 kerusi PKR kini bermasalah iaitu enam keluar parti dan menjadi wakil rakyat bebas, manakala satu lagi kalah pada pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Hulu Selangor. Jadi, saya rasa kita mampu merampas 20 kerusi Parlimen yang dimenangi pembangkang pada PRU-13, katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian selepas merasmikan Program Pemukiman Pemantapan Profesionalisme Kelab Kebajikan dan Rekreasi Penerangan di Hotel Seri Costa di sini, semalam.
Hadir sama, Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.
Ditanya faktor keyakinan BN mampu merampas kerusi selain disebabkan masalah yang dihadapi parti pembangkang, Ahmad yang juga Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri meminta semua pihak melihat pemerintahan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak sejak mengambilalih pada 2009.
Di bawah teraju Perdana Menteri selama tiga tahun lapan bulan, kita tidak pernah dengar sebegitu banyak program dilaksanakan.
20 jenama 1Malaysia
Melaluinya (pemerintahan Najib) kita ada 20 jenama produk 1Malaysia, lima jenis transformasi serta pembaharuan yang dilakukan termasuk program tinjauan mesra, turun padang, janji ditepati dan pemberian terus subsidi kepada rakyat. Semua ini tidak pernah dilakukan sebelum ini, katanya.
Ahmad berkata, dengan ketegasan Perdana Menteri yang mahukan calon boleh menang, beliau yakin BN boleh mencapai kemenangan majoriti dua pertiga.
Jika kita berfikiran positif, maka tindak tanduk kita positif, tak kan kita tak boleh tawan, apa yang saya sebut ini adalah logik, katanya. |
| PAS bidas Guan Eng Posted: 24 Dec 2012 02:59 PM PST 
(Berita Harian) - PAS dan ulama membidas tindakan Lim Guan Eng membangkitkan semula isu menuntut Kerajaan Pusat membenarkan kalimah Allah digunakan dalam Bible versi bahasa Melayu. Tindakan itu kata mereka bukan saja akan mengelirukan umat Islam malah menunjukkan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang itu tidak menghormati keputusan yang sudah diperkenankan Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Guan Eng dalam perutusan khas sempena Krismas di laman blognya, semalam menggesa Kerajaan Pusat diterajui Barisan Nasional (BN) membenarkan penganut Kristian di Semenanjung menggunakan kalimah Allah dalam Bible versi bahasa Melayu. Ahli Majlis Syura Ulama PAS yang juga Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS Kelantan, Datuk Mohamed Daud Iraqi, berkata tindakan Setiausaha Agung DAP itu mengelirukan umat Islam di negara ini. "PAS mengambil pendirian seperti diputuskan Majlis Syura parti sebelum ini, tidak bersetuju dengan desakan mana-mana pihak berhubung isu berkenaan. "Kita tidak boleh lawan Majlis Syura yang sudah putus perkara ini sebelum ini, kalau lawan.... jadi benda lain. Kita tidak akan ikut, pakai dia (Guan Eng), sebab dia keliru banyak, nak guna benda karut. "Tapi terpulang kepada kerajaan (Persekutuan), kalau nak buat. Bagi PAS, kita bantah, tidak boleh guna perkataan itu," katanya kepada BH. Ketua Dewan Pemuda PAS, Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi mahu Guan Eng berhenti daripada membangkitkan isu itu kerana boleh mencetuskan kekeliruan umat Islam. "Tindakan Guan Eng itu boleh mencetuskan semula polemik yang sudah lama reda. Isu ini tidak perlu ditimbulkan lagi dan sepatutnya beliau merujuk kepada ulama sebelum mengeluarkan kenyataan seperti itu secara terbuka. "Isu kalimah Allah ini bukan boleh dijadikan polemik kerana ia sangat sensitif dan boleh menimbulkan ketegangan agama jika tidak ditangani dengan baik," katanya. Nasrudin berkata, jika masyarakat agama lain masih tidak memahami isu itu sewajarnya ia dibincangkan secara tertutup bersama ulama bagi mengelakkan ketegangan agama. Ditanya sama ada PAS akan bertemu dengan Guan Eng berhubung isu terbabit, Nasrudin berkata, perkara itu diserahkan kepada pucuk pimpinan parti. Sebelum ini, Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Malaysia Kali Ke-82 yang bersidang pada 5-7 Mei 2008 sudah membincangkan Isu Tuntutan Penganut Kristian Terhadap Penggunaan Kalimah Allah. Muzakarah memutuskan bahawa lafaz Allah adalah kalimah suci yang khusus bagi agama dan umat Islam serta tidak boleh digunakan atau disamakan dengan agama lain. Sementara itu, Mufti Pulau Pinang, Datuk Hassan Ahmad berkata, negeri itu mewartakan kalimah Allah sebagai antara 40 perkataan yang tidak boleh digunakan bukan Islam. Beliau berkata peraturan itu dikuatkuasakan pada zaman pakatan pembangkang memerintah dan dipersetujui Guan Eng sebagai pemimpin tertinggi. "Jabatan Mufti Pulau Pinang sudah putuskan perkataan seperti Allah, haji, masjid contohnya hanya boleh digunakan mereka yang beragama Islam. "Dia (Guan Eng) pun tahu perkara ini, kita sudah maklum dan peraturan ini sudah diwartakan, pelik juga beliau cakap macam tu," katanya. Mufti Kelantan, Datuk Mohd Shukri Muhamad berkata, keputusan tidak membenarkan penggunaan kalimah Allah dalam Bible perlu dihormati semua kaum. |
| Former CID chief: I’ve never regretted joining PAS Posted: 24 Dec 2012 02:43 PM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Retired senior policeman Datuk Fauzi Shaari has refuted rumours that he had regretted joining PAS and reiterated his commitment to the Islamist party. "Why should I regret being with PAS? I have made the right choice," the former Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director was quoted by Sinar Harian today. "I think my decision to join PAS had made some quarters uneasy. That's why they deliberately concocted this issue." "I am happy and grateful for what I have faced and enjoyed since I joined PAS," he added. Fauzi's response came after a text message was circulated, claiming that he had been rethinking his position in the party. "If I knew that PAS is like this, I swear I would've never joined it. Joining PAS is like joining DAP," said the text message allegedly attributed to him. The former crimebuster had been widely tipped to contest the Larut parliamentary seat for PAS in the next polls. PAS' last candidate for Larut, Dr Mohd Dhari Othman, lost the 2008 election to Umno's Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin with a majority of 1,911. Fauzi joined PAS in May, the first big name to sign up with the Islamist party which has embarked on a campaign to recruit key establishment figures to help shore up voter support ahead of looming polls. Besides Fauzi, former religious department director for Malacca and Selangor, Datuk Mohd Nahwari Hashim, joined PAS in November during its annual conference in Kota Bharu. Three former public servants have joined PAS before this, including former diplomatic officer and ex-Deputy Head of Secretary for Ministry of Home Affairs, Datuk Ismail Hamzah and former Senior Director of Farmer's Organisation Authority (LPP), Abd Rahman Taib. Another of the three was Yusuf Hassan, former Human Resource Director for Jakim and Deputy Secretary for Penang. In June this year, former Board of Inspectors chief for the Ministry of Education, Ahmad Zabidi Shamsuddin, joined the party by submitting a registration form to PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat during the Himpunan Hijau rally in Perak. He had served the public for 33 years, with 10 years under his belt in the Ministry of Education as the Education Director for Terengganu and as principal in a number of schools. Last month, Chief Secretary for the Ministry of Land and Cooperative Development, Prof Datuk Dr Nik Zain Nik Yusof also joined the Islamist party. |
| Outrage over 'fatwa' forces mosque to pull down website post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 02:37 PM PST 
(The Age) - AUSTRALIA'S biggest mosque has backed away from its fatwa against Christmas after harsh criticism from the Muslim community and a tirade of racial abuse. The Lakemba Mosque posted the religious ruling on its Facebook site on Saturday morning, warning followers it was a ''sin'' even to wish people a Merry Christmas. It followed a lecture during Friday prayers in which the head imam, Sheikh Yahya Safi, told the congregation they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas or New Year's Eve. Samier Dandan, the head of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque, said the fatwa was unsanctioned and did not reflect the views of the association or the mosque. It is understood the association's youth co-ordinator, Bilal el-Hayek, copied the text from another site and posted it after receiving messages from members asking for guidance on celebrating Christmas. Mr Dandan said it was removed two hours later when an employee noticed it. ''It was an innocent mistake,'' he said. Other posts were removed on Sunday after they were flooded with racist abuse and a message reading ''Merry Xmas'' appeared in the sky above the mosque. |
| ON THE “HARAM-NESS” of CHRISTMAS GREETINGS and other RELATED FATWAS Posted: 24 Dec 2012 02:34 PM PST
It is fine for Muslims to greet others with "Assalamualikum" the more often the better for it simply means "peace be with you ..." it is a good cultural experience to exchange greetings in different languages .. Salaam, Shaloom, Namaste, Neehow Ma, Wassup dude, Peace out my man, etc. A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman Reading the global controversy surrounding the wishing of "Merry Christmas" by Muslims, I have decided to construct my own understanding of what the fatwa should be, touching on related matters that perhaps have been on the mind of those wishing to grasp a newer and fresher understanding of religious perspectives in opposition. I have therefore decided to issue my own philosophical fatwas grounded in phenomenology and pragmatism true to the nature of a hyper-modernizing and globalizing world we live in. I invite a good and rational discussion on the edits produced. FATWA #1: noting wrong but everything is right in wishing others a "Merry Christmas and a Ho Ho Ho New Year" ...makes it merrier and hearts warmer in a world of jihadis and crusaders trying to burn each others' house of worship down in the name of each other's god ... ... AGAIN ... MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS ... DON'T LET RUDOLPH'S NOSE GROW REDDER and LONGER FATWA #2: true jihad in a multcultural multireligious world is to alleviate poverty, racism, ignorance, and violence regardless of race, religion, creed ... the Muslims in this country have been living a selfish world in which there is a truncated believe that sedekah jariah and zakat should only be given to the poor of the Islamic faith .. leaving the abject poor of other races poorer and poorer ... how much of the zakat money in this country has gone elsewhere but to help the poor ? wake up to a newer and better fatwa on social justice. FATWA #3: in a multicultural country such as Malaysia, it is not mandated nor is it necessary to have a Malay-Muslim as a prime minister ...a good man or woman with good ethics, good stewardship and management skills with a good heart transcending barriers will do ... the country has not seen a good Muslim leader running the country anyway ... it has seen ruins. FATWA #4: ... the salutation "Salam 1Malaysia" now popularly used in public gatherings and public spheres should be forbidden/made haram not because it sounds cocky and cheeky but because it symbolizes hypocrisy of a political practice ... untrue to the much needed sense of muticultural sincerity. FATWA #5: ... it is perfectly fine for the word "Al-lah" to be used by Christians in Malaysia .. it simply means "the god" and has been used by Christians even before the emergence of Muhammad and the institutionalization of the religion called "Islam" .. what actually is the controversy? don't the Muslims, Christians, and the Jews share the same "Allah'" anyway?. FATWA #6: ... it is perfectly fine for Muslim women to wear or not to wear the hijab/head covering because virtue and personal ethics does not lie in identity politics and religious semiotics and that the idea of covering one's head is still a matter of interpretation up to this day ... one can wear or not wear based on one's readiness to wear or not ... no one can be judged of the degree of his/her piousness based on how skillful one is in perception management ... if it is tempting for men that women should cover, then men should walk around covering their eyes ... -- would all of you agree?. FATWA #7: it is an excruciatingly ethical obligation of the highest order for people of any religious faith to vote out/remove their leaders known to abuse power, rob the poor, live a life of conspicuous consumption, lie through their army general or sultanic headgear, or siphon money out of the country, or talk about nationalism while engaging in treason ... those who still vote for these crooks will experience eternal damnation in hellfire while wearing Tommy Hillfiger, Prada sneakers, and Burberry headgears. FATWA #8: it is perfectly fine for men not to grow long beard especially if they are genetically unable to . the length of one's beard is not a measure of piety nor a necessary symbol of religiosity .. it is merely a fashionable look and a need to look Arabic. FATWA #9: it is fine for Muslims to greet others with "Assalamualikum" the more often the better for it simply means "peace be with you ..." it is a good cultural experience to exchange greetings in different languages .. Salaam, Shaloom, Namaste, Neehow Ma, Wassup dude, Peace out my man, etc. FATWA #10: because truth is contingent upon cultural construction and context, and because it is phenomenological, no one can say that the belief of this or that person is false ... to each his own and must be respected ... there is therefore no need for any work on proselytizing/dakwah when truth is all encompassing and universal .. the wok of this sort .. spreading this or that message ... has led to crusades and religious wars and they should be stopped if more harm than good is going to be done. ********************************** OUR USUAL REMINDER, FOLKS:
While the opinion in the article/writing is mine,
the comments are strictly, respectfully, and responsibly yours;
present them rationally, clearly, politely, and ethically. https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/ |
| The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 18) Posted: 23 Dec 2012 05:02 PM PST 
If Syed Hamid had accepted the court's decision and had left me alone then my move to the UK would have been delayed, at least by more than a year or even two years. But because he wanted me back in Kamunting he left me no choice but to leave the country earlier than planned. And because of that Marina's cancer had been detected probably two years earlier than it would have. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin We would like to believe that we are masters of our own destiny. Sure, there is such a thing called fate. But we would like to believe that we decide our own fate. Man proposes but God disposes is seldom a concept that we think about until after the event. And even then we always look at external events that influenced these changes to blame for that failure. Are there such things called silver linings in dark clouds? I suppose those who believe in blessings would categorise it as a blessing in disguise. But why must blessings come in disguise? Why can't blessings come dressed in labels so that we can recognise them when they arrive rather than much later down the road long after the event? We all have dreams. Those who no longer dream are those who have died, said the late Tun Abdul Ghafar Baba, one time Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. As long as we breathe we will still dream, explained the Tun. Hence to dream is what spurs us. The day we stop dreaming is the day we stop living, figure of speech, of course. My dream was to ride my motorcycle from Malaysia to the UK. That never happened. I plotted and I planned, but God is the greatest plotter of all, as the Qur'an says. Hence whatever we say must always be tempered with the phrase Insha Allah (God willing or if God wills it) lest we tempt fate. Don't the English always say 'touch wood' to avoid the mischief by the devil of the trees that humankind worshipped in the days before 'Holy Books and 'Abrahamic Faiths'? My father died, I had to seek employment to support myself, I got married, my first child Raja Suraya arrived, all within a space of two years to make that bike ride from Kuala Lumpur to London a dream that would never come true. Maybe I would still do it one day. Maybe I will still live my dream. But that would have to wait. It would now no longer be what I do before I begin my life. It would have to be something I do before I end my life. It would be what I do once I retire. And so my wife, Marina, and I planned that retirement. But how would I interpret 'retirement'? I suppose retirement would be something that I stop doing. It would be a change of lifestyle of sorts. I would no longer do what I am doing now. I would stop doing what I am doing and do nothing. And then I would fill that empty space with something new. But when should I retire and what do I do to fill in that time of retirement? Marina and I discussed it many times and for quite some time. This was during the height of the Reformasi days. Retirement would be when I reached 60. And that would, therefore, be after 2010. And when I retire we would move to England, buy a second hand Mini Cooper, and then tour Europe. Okay, this is not quite riding my motorcycle from Malaysia to the UK. But that was my dream when I was still just 20. At 60, dreams have to be modified slightly. It was no longer just about me but would include Marina as well. And at 60 my bones were no longer what they used to be when I was 20. Hence driving my Mini Cooper all over Europe may be less taxing on my body than riding a motorcycle from Kuala Lumpur to London. And I doubt sitting on the back seat of a motorcycle for almost 10,000 miles would have been Marina's idea of fun. The groundwork for our eventual move to the UK was laid in December 2001 soon after my first ISA detention that same year when we relocated two of our sons to Manchester. Three years later, in November 2004, soon after Malaysia Today was launched, Marina and I made a trip to Manchester together with our youngest, Raja Sara, to see how the boys were getting on. Were they happy in the UK? Would they like to stay on or would they like to return to Malaysia? Could our youngest join them later to continue her education in the UK? It was decided that the move to the UK was viable after all. The children were okay with living in the UK and we found that life in Manchester was tolerable enough as a life of retirement. Another three years later, in 2007, we bought a family home in Manchester. There was no turning back now. Come 2010, when I reach 60, we would pack our bags and build a new life for ourselves in Manchester. The following year, in 2008, I was detained under the ISA a second time. My sons wanted to return to Malaysia but Marina told them to stay on. The detention will not be forever. Probably in two years time, by 2010, I would be released. We would then join the family in Manchester. I was, however, released earlier. After only two months the court declared my detention illegal and ordered my release. The Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, an old friend of 30 years, was outraged. They tried appealing my release and when that appeared to go awry Syed Hamid signed a new Detention Order and wanted to detain me a third time. This time I was not going to get off so easily. Syed Hamid realised his mistake and he was not going to make that same mistake again. He was going to make sure that the new Detention Order was airtight so that no court would find any loopholes to order my release. And that was when Marina decided that enough is enough and demanded that I leave the country. It was a week of confrontation and negotiation. Marina finally gave me an ultimatum. Either I leave the country or else she was going to leave me. She had had enough of driving up to Kamunting every Saturday to visit me. She was going to leave Malaysia with or without me. Finally I relented. We were going to leave in or soon after 2010 anyway. 2009 was only a year or two earlier than planned. What difference does one year make? We left on a Saturday night and by Sunday we were across the border. On Monday, the police arrived at my house to detain me. We had made it with just 24 hours to spare. Our information was spot on and we got out in the nick of time. It took a month to sort out our papers so that we could travel to the UK. Finally, in March 2009, we arrived in Manchester. It was now time to settle down into a British way of life. We registered with the NI and NHS and also registered as a voter. We needed an identity, as we were still a non-entity. The NHS sent us letters to go in for a medical examination. For women of a certain age they also offer to do a test for breast cancer. Marina ignored the first letter she received, as she did the second letter. By the third letter I persuaded her to go in for the test since it is free anyway. If not they might keep sending her letters until she responded. We drove to the place and they did the test. They then sent Marina another letter asking her to go in for a more thorough test. They suspected she might have breast cancer after all. My blood ran cold. I knew what breast cancer can do to a woman. I have lost enough friends and family members to that scourge to know. Further tests proved that Marina did, in fact, have breast cancer. But it was still within stage one-stage two. Hence the chance for recovery was good. They would need to remove the cancer through surgery and thereafter put her under radiotherapy treatment. She would also require five years of medication, which would cost a bomb in Malaysia but was free in the UK. We met the surgeon who told us that it was lucky that they had detected the cancer early. Hence Marina's chances of recovery were greatly enhanced. It was still stage one-stage two. If it had gone to stage three, or worse, then the chances of recovery reduces drastically. If Syed Hamid had accepted the court's decision and had left me alone then my move to the UK would have been delayed, at least by more than a year or even two years. But because he wanted me back in Kamunting he left me no choice but to leave the country earlier than planned. And because of that Marina's cancer had been detected probably two years earlier than it would have. Cancer is about early detection. If you must get cancer then better you know early because it increases your chances of survival. As fate would have it, Marina's cancer was detected early because we were forced to bring forward our plan to retire more than a year or two years earlier than planned. Yes, man proposes but God disposes. We can dream but not always do our dreams come true. My first dream to ride my motorcycle from Malaysia to the UK never came true. My second dream to retire in or soon after 2010 and then move to the UK once I am 60 also did not come true. Instead, it happened earlier, soon after I turned 58. But it was not one of choice. It was what I was forced to do. On hindsight, Syed Hamid did me a favour. If he had left me alone I would have done nothing. But if I had done nothing would that have meant by the time they detected Marina's cancer two years later it would have been too late? I suppose that is what fate is all about. You never know. You can only talk about blessings in disguise. You can only talk about silver linings in dark clouds. As they say: the Lord moves in mysterious ways. TO BE CONTINUED The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 1) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 2) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 3) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 4) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 5) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 6) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 7) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 8) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 9) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 10) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 11) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 12) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 13) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 14) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 15) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 16) The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 17) |
| Muslims And Catholics Come Together For Christmas Donations In London, Ontario Posted: 23 Dec 2012 03:41 PM PST 
(Huff Post) - Catholics and Muslims were able to put their religious differences aside for the sake of Canada's poor this week. According to the London Free Press, members of the London, Ontario, Muslim mosque helped the Society of St. Vincent du Paul, a Catholic organization, gather enough food to feed more than 100 families during the Christmas season. "I feel extremely pleased and grateful, looking around this room," Moe Lacerte, the volunteer president of the St. Vincent de Paul conference, told the London Free Press as he looked over the overwhelming donations collected by the mosque. "We've never had so much to give. We will have extra; we'll be able to replenish our food bank here," he added. Lacerte told the Inquisitr that this was the first year he had reached out to the mosque when asking for annual donations. "We all want the same things: peace and respect, and I see this as a beginning of working together," he said of the collaboration. Ali D. Chahbar, who helped organize the drive at the mosque, told the London Free Press, "To us, the spirit of Christmas is the spirit of brotherly love, and why wouldn't we want to be a part of it?" "We are not Christians and don't celebrate Christmas but we are engulfed by the spiritand ... any time there's a jubilant harmonious feeling, whatever creed it is under, we thrive on it," he added. Chahbar told the Inquisitr that the mosque was able to collect 30 boxes of goods, most of them collected by students at the Islamic School. "It was fantastic, amazing," he told the news source. "Within the blink of an eye, they had boxes and boxes." Members of the Western University's Muslim Student Association also helped out with donations. "We filled a pickup truck, and my van is filled to the gunnels," Lacerte said of all the donations. "It was unbelievable." This isn't the first time different religions have worked together for greater good. In 2007, Asia News reported that Christians and Muslims came together in the Philippines to spread peace in the region of Mindanao. Members of both religions volunteered their services during the holy days of each respective religion. |
| No merriness here: mosque puts fatwa on Christmas Posted: 23 Dec 2012 03:38 PM PST
(Sydney Morning Herald) - THE Lakemba Mosque has issued a fatwa against Christmas, warning followers it is a ''sin'' to even wish people a Merry Christmas. The religious ruling, which followed a similar lecture during Friday prayers at Australia's biggest mosque, was posted on its Facebook site on Saturday morning. The head imam at Lakemba, Sheikh Yahya Safi, had told the congregation during prayers that they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas. Samir Dandan, the president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque, could not be reached for comment on Saturday. The fatwa, which has sparked widespread community debate and condemnation, warns that the "disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight path". It also says that Christmas Day and associated celebrations are among the "falsehoods that a Muslim should avoid ... and therefore, a Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to congratulate them". The posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem. "Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly," he said. "There is difference between showing respect for someone's belief and sharing those beliefs," Dr Ibrahim said. Dr Ibrahim said the views did not represent the majority of Muslims in Australia. "We are required to have good relations with all people, and to congratulate them on their joyous events is very important." The fatwa quotes the teacher Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim as saying that congratulating disbelievers for their rituals is forbidden, and if a "Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he at least commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allaah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery". A community leader, Dr Jamal Rifi, said he did not agree with the school of thought behind the fatwa. "We can share the festivities with friends and families and neighbours – I don't think there is any civil, religious or ethical reason not to," he said. Dr Rifi and Sheikh Youssef Nabha, the imam of the Kingsgrove Mosque, are travelling to Nauru on Sunday night with priests from the Maronite and Melkite churches in Sydney to attend Christmas celebrations with the asylum seekers held there. Dr Rifi said he and Sheikh Youssef would be distributing Christmas cards during the visit. A community advocate and Muslim convert, Rebecca Kay, told Fairfax Media: "It's sad to see the Lebanese Muslim Association, which considers itself the peak body representing Australian Muslims, with comments like these. It goes to show how far they are from representing the community. "The notion that Muslims wishing other people a merry Christmas will take them out of their faith is outright ridiculous, laughable and borders on the extreme." Keysar Trad, a former official with the Lebanese Muslim Association, said in his time with the organisation they used to regularly greet people with merry Christmas. "I don't know what has changed," he said. "But now as a representative of Australia's peak Muslim body, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, I would like to wish all your readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year." The posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem. "Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly," he said. "There is difference between showing respect for someone's belief and sharing those beliefs," Dr Ibrahim said. Dr Ibrahim said the views did not represent the majority of Muslims in Australia. "We are required to have good relations with all people, and to congratulate them on their joyous events is very important." The fatwa quotes the teacher Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim as saying that congratulating disbelievers for their rituals is forbidden, and if a "Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he at least commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allaah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery". A community leader, Dr Jamal Rifi, said he did not agree with the school of thought behind the fatwa. "We can share the festivities with friends and families and neighbours – I don't think there is any civil, religious or ethical reason not to," he said. Dr Rifi and Sheikh Youssef Nabha, the imam of the Kingsgrove Mosque, are travelling to Nauru on Sunday night with priests from the Maronite and Melkite churches in Sydney to attend Christmas celebrations with the asylum seekers held there. Dr Rifi said he and Sheikh Youssef would be distributing Christmas cards during the visit. A community advocate and Muslim convert, Rebecca Kay, told Fairfax Media: "It's sad to see the Lebanese Muslim Association, which considers itself the peak body representing Australian Muslims, with comments like these. It goes to show how far they are from representing the community. "The notion that Muslims wishing other people a merry Christmas will take them out of their faith is outright ridiculous, laughable and borders on the extreme." The posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem. "Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly," he said. "There is difference between showing respect for someone's belief and sharing those beliefs," Dr Ibrahim said. Dr Ibrahim said the views did not represent the majority of Muslims in Australia. "We are required to have good relations with all people, and to congratulate them on their joyous events is very important." The fatwa quotes the teacher Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim as saying that congratulating disbelievers for their rituals is forbidden, and if a "Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he at least commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allaah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery". A community leader, Dr Jamal Rifi, said he did not agree with the school of thought behind the fatwa. "We can share the festivities with friends and families and neighbours – I don't think there is any civil, religious or ethical reason not to," he said. Dr Rifi and Sheikh Youssef Nabha, the imam of the Kingsgrove Mosque, are travelling to Nauru on Sunday night with priests from the Maronite and Melkite churches in Sydney to attend Christmas celebrations with the asylum seekers held there. Dr Rifi said he and Sheikh Youssef would be distributing Christmas cards during the visit. A community advocate and Muslim convert, Rebecca Kay, told Fairfax Media: "It's sad to see the Lebanese Muslim Association, which considers itself the peak body representing Australian Muslims, with comments like these. It goes to show how far they are from representing the community. "The notion that Muslims wishing other people a merry Christmas will take them out of their faith is outright ridiculous, laughable and borders on the extreme." |
| Royals spearhead fight for oil royalties Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:32 PM PST 
Sean Augustin, fz.com The sharing of oil royalties between the federal government and oil-producing states, an issue heavily championed by the opposition, is now evolving into a rallying cry for Barisan Nasional politicians to demand a bigger slice of revenue for the states. One platform for this cause is Amanah Terengganu, a non-partisan NGO that will embark on a roadshow next year to increase awareness about the people's right to development. Amanah Terengganu chairman Datuk Raja Kamarul Bahrin Raja Ahmad believes that the issue could even determine the next state government after the general election. The NGO is a branch of Angkatan Amanah Negara, headed by Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Other leaders in the national group include former MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing, who is aligned to Pakatan Rakyat. The issue of oil royalties is a thorny one for the federal government in Terengganu, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak, especially since oil revenue is the biggest contributor the national budget. While the East Malaysian states have been receiving 5% of oil royalties, Kelantan has been fighting for its share, and Terengganu has had a chequered history of payments after PAS took control of the state from 1999 to 2004. Terengganu's oil royalty was replaced with gratuity money or "wang ehsan", which was paid at the discretion of the federal government. Raja Bahrin feels that because the people of Terengganu are not well-informed about their stake in the issue, they may not press the government to recognise their rights, which in turn could see Terengganu lose out in the long run. "About 90% of the state's budget comes from oil and gas. However, the state is supposed to receive 5% in royalties," he told fz.com. "Wang ehsan can be zero and there is no time frame or set percentages," he said. Raja Bahrin stressed that the state cannot be developed on gratuity money alone. Terengganu, he said, should take Aceh as an example when it comes to the importance of oil royalties. The province in Indonesia was granted autonomy in 2002 and was awarded a 70% share of royalties from the sale of natural resources, including oil and natural gas. As a result, Raja Bahrin said, the province is booming. "We are not asking for autonomy, just 5%. Sabah and Sarawak have their share, although they are now demanding 20%," he said. In 2000, the then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had ordered the national petroleum company, Petronas, to rescind oil royalty payment on the grounds the federal government had no confidence in PAS to manage the funds. The PAS-led state government filed a suit against the federal government in 2001, insisting that the latter's decree was illegal as its share of the 5% was an agreement made between Petronas and the state government. The case had been stuck in court and in 2009, the federal government reinstated oil royalties, although disagreements remained particularly around 'wang ehsan' or gratuity money. In 2008, the federal government claimed that Terengganu had been paid RM7.364 billion from March 2004 to March 2007. However, current Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said told the state legislative assembly that it had received RM6.218 billion between 2000 and 2008, while on another occasion claimed that the state only received RM4.3 billion, out of the RM7.364 billion, had been received. PAS has said that it only received RM432 million of the 'wang ehsan' payment when it ruled the state from 1999 to 2004. This year, the BN-led state government voluntarily dropped its 11-year-old suit against Petronas, without any settlement. "The rakyat must know on what grounds the suit was withdrawn. |
| Ngeh: Kelantan land-for-Perak MB claim a blatant lie Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:25 PM PST 
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider Perak DAP Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham today insisted that allegations that he and another Perak DAP leader were given land worth RM30 million in PAS-ruled Kelantan in exchange for PAS taking the Perak Menteri Besar post is a "blatant lie". Perak BN state lawmakers had recently made the accusations against Ngeh and his cousin Nga Kor Ming, who is DAP's MP for Taiping.
"Clearly, the allegation that we were given the land in exchange for our agreement to appoint Dato' Seri Nizar Bin Jamaluddin in 2008 is a blatant lie," Ngeh said in a statement today. He said that the Kelantan government led by PAS did not give him or Nga any land in the state, stressing that the Perak DAP duo had instead bought over the company tasked with developing the land. "I would like to reiterate that neither YB Nga Kor Ming nor I was given any land by the Kelantan Government. The acquisition of Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd together with other investors in April this year (2012) was a commercial transaction purchased in the open market." He said that the duo and the new shareholders of Upaya were "taking a business risk like any other investors". "Therefore, the acquisition of Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd was not done in a secretive manner. I must repeat that it was a commercial transaction purchased in the open market," the Beruas MP said.
Ngeh claimed BN raised the allegations against him and Nga to "divert the public's attention" from the land "scandals" which the duo had brought up in the Perak state assembly.
The two state lawmakers had claimed inside the state assembly that the Perak government led by BN was allegedly involved in what they describe as multi-million ringgit scandals. Ngeh further said that he had pledged to not engage in corrupt practices from the days of his youth. "As my personal integrity is being questioned, I would like to state that never in my whole life have I given a single sen of bribe and neither have I taken a single sen of bribe.
Yesterday, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh had asked Ngeh to clear the air over the controversy. READ MORE HERE |
| CEC consented to my Datukship, says Ngeh Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:18 PM PST (The Star) - Perak DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham stressed that the party's central executive committee had consented to the Datukship that was conferred upon him. He said he had discussed the matter with the CEC then and that there had been differing views. "Karpal Singh objected during the meeting. However, most of the CEC felt I should concentrate on my job rather than get sidetracked by the issue, so they gave their approval." "I can accept Karpal's views because as social democrats, the party is against class creation through titles but I believe he should also respect the views of the majority," said Ngeh who was awarded the Darjah Datuk Paduka Mahkota Perak, which carries the title of Datuk, in 2008. He said he had never sought the Datukship. "I have never asked for the Datuk title. "Even when my name was suggested, I told Datuk Seri Muhammad Nizar Jamaluddin (the then Mentri Besar) not to send it in," he said. Ngeh said his lifestyle had not changed despite getting a Datukship. "I still eat chap fan (mixed rice) with the people. "I think the party can accept the title as it was awarded in appreciation of the service done for the people," he said. He declined to comment further when asked about Karpal's comment that the party would take action against members who accept such titles in future. Meanwhile, Selangor State Assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim chided Karpal for "harping on matters which were of no significance to DAP's political and social agenda. "Karpal should demonstrate political maturity required of a senior political leader by talking more about public policies than harping on matters of his personal opinion which will not help the party to build a truly multi-racial party in the pursuit to win Putrajaya," said Teng when contacted in Guangzhou. He said DAP did not have any policy restraining its members from accepting Datukships and asked the party chairman to show him central executive committee minutes which stated so. Teng said in his case he had not applied for his Datukship that was conferred in 2010. When the Sultan (Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah) conferred the award and title, it was only proper to accept it respectfully, he added. |
| Bersih 2.0 gagal mengetengahkan isu sebenar pilihan raya, kata bekas pengerusi SPR Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:11 PM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) gagal mengetengahkan isu yang sebenar pilihan raya di Malaysia walaupun mereka tahu apa yang mereka mahu kata bekas pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman. "Sebab mereka tidak kemukakan apa yang mereka mahu. Mereka hendak undi pos dikaji, ini semua kecil. "Bagi saya, ia tidak membantu untuk memperkuatkan amalan demokrasi. Ia hanya merubah sedikit tatacara atau pun prosedur," katanya beliau dipetik dari Sinar Harian Online. Menurut Abdul Rashid lagi, tuntutan Bersih 2.0 hanya bersifat "quick fix" dan tidak menyentuh perubahan struktur. "Tetapi Bersih (2.0) ini khusus untuk kita buat perubahan pada sistem pilihan raya dan mereka tidak berapa mengerti agaknya, tuntutan-tuntutan itu nampaknya tidak menyeluruh. "Saya kaji juga tuntutan-tuntutan ini dan mereka tidak mendesak dilakukan suatu perubahan yang menyentuh struktur. "Maknanya seluruh undang-undang itu dikaji. Bukan satu dua tempat. Ini macam kita tukar bateri, tukar 'spark plug', tukar minyak hitam, 'quick fix' ini (sebenarnya) boleh mendatangkan masalah yang lebih besar. Yang dasarnya tidak berubah." Beliau bersara sebagai pengerusi SPR selepas pilihan raya umum (PRU) 2008 yang menyaksikan berlakunya tsunami politik apabila buat pertama kalinya Barisan Nasional (BN) kehilangan majoriti tradisi dua pertiga di Parlimen. Abdul Rashid juga melahirkan rasa terkejutnya selepas meneliti tuntutan Bersih 2.0 walaupun menurutnya, pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) tersebut terdiri daripada orang hebat dan peguam ternama. "Tuntutan-tuntutan itu nampaknya ... apabila anda buat tuntutan itu, kerajaan respon, itulah yang dibuat menerusi PSC, itu yang dibuat. Jadi tuntutan mereka telah dipenuhi. "Tapi kita tahu, Bersih hendak lebih daripada itu. Mereka tidak mahu PSC. Mereka mahu suruhanjaya yang betul-betul bebas dan adil," katanya. |
| Pakatan may cut Petronas’ yearly RM30b dividend to Putrajaya Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:07 PM PST 
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will push Petronas to cut its annual RM30 billion dividend to Putrajaya if the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) that he leads win in the coming general elections, business newswire Bloomberg.com reported today. PR will instead set Petronas' dividends to the country at a fixed percentage of the firm's profits, allowing the state oil firm to spend more on investments overseas that will give better profits, PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli said. "Petronas should be left to run on a purely commercial basis," he told Bloomberg when explaining Anwar's plans. According to Bloomberg, a PR administration is likely set up a parliamentary committee in Malaysia's Dewan Negara to improve transparency over Petronas, which currently reports to the prime minister. Petronas is widely-regarded as the country's piggy bank, with Reuters reporting this July that it is Malaysia's largest taxpayer and biggest revenue source, funding 45 per cent of the government's budget even as the country's continues its run of huge budget debts. Petronas chief executive officer Shamsul Azhar Abbas had, in September, said the firm should change its current model of paying RM30 billion annually to Putrajaya and pay 30 per cent of its profit instead, Bloomberg reported. Another key policy change by PR to boost the country's oil reserves and revenue will be to get Petronas to buy more oil blocks overseas and cut down on exploring small local oil sites. PR reportedly said that this overseas investment approach could be a better way to gain more from the RM300 billion that Petronas will be spending over the next five years. "There's a higher probability you'll strike bigger reserves should those resources be deployed to discover oil blocks overseas. "We'll lose out in the long-term from opportunity lost, especially when the Chinese are particularly agressive in acquiring blocks around the world," Rafizi said in an interview with Bloomberg last Tuesday. READ MORE HERE |
| Councillors deny corruption allegations aimed at them in a blog Posted: 23 Dec 2012 02:03 PM PST 
Ong with lawyer Jagdeep talking to reporters after filing a police report against the news blog in George Town December 24, 2012. – Picture by K.E. Ooi Opalyn Mok, The Malaysian Insider Three councillors have denied corruption allegations against them that was published in a Chinese-language news blog recently. The three – Ong Ah Teong, Tahir Jalaluddin Hussain and Prem Anand – have denied accepting bribes from traders as inducement not to take action against them as alleged in the news blog. The three, accompanied by Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo, also lodged police reports against the blog today for criminal defamation and fraudulent use of network facilities. Last Friday, the news blog iMAGnews.com.my published a post alleging that Penang Island Municipal councillors are accepting bribes from traders as inducement not to take action against the traders. The site also alleged that one of the councillors had received RM25,000 from a single mother at a cafe. Jagdeep said the site did not mention names but had included a photo of the three councillors with the post. The trio lodged the police report at around 11.30am today. "We will also find out the details of the blog owner and consider taking legal action against the owner as corruption allegations is a very serious matter," Jagdeep told a press conference outside the police headquarters here. This is not the first time the site had targeted councillors in its posts, according to Ong. He claimed that on Dec 15 the site had published a post alleging him of abuse of power. "I would like to ask the blog writer to lodge a police report or a report with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if they have proof that any of the councillors have accepted bribes," Ong said. Jagdeep said the state government has always maintained a clean governance so allegations like this could smear the council and the state government's reputation. |
| Anwar, beware of the desperate men Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:57 PM PST 
The Malaysia that we all aspire to has no place for gutter politics. We have no place for PI Bala, Deepak or Musa Hassan. CT Ali, FMT All the usual suspects РAnwar Ibrahim, Subang MP R Sivarasa, PKR vice-president N Surendan and key PKR players Рwhen will they ever learn? "So he [Anwar] said I give you the place, whatever you want to do I help you, but you have to help me lah, of course it is understood lah," said the man in the video. Is this not deja vu again? Have we not heard all this before during the PI Bala inquisition? An inquisition that was supposed to cause "porak peranda" (create chaos and disorder) within Umno by making Najib Tun Razak a liar? And yet on the very next day private investigator P Balasubramaniam made an about-turn to hit Anwar and the usual suspects full in their faces as he retracted his first statutory declaration (SD). And now Deepak Jaikishan and Musa Hassan. It has all the hallmarks of a situation that Anwar and his usual suspects would rub their hands in glee at the prospect of using for their political advantage Рdurian runtuh, says the Malays. These are desperate men who have outlived their usefulness to the powers-that-be but still with a story to tell about intrigues, money politics and corruption in which they themselves were embroiled. These are people that Anwar and his usual suspects can have use of. Desperate and with nowhere to turn, these men will clutch at any straw and go to the ends of the earth to have someone champion their pathetic cause. And that someone is invariably Anwar. You scratch my back, I scratch your back. Shades of corruption, money politics and what happened in Sibu with the Najib "You help me, I help you" rejoinder that our prime minister extended to the people of Sibu. The people of Sibu, to their credit, threw it back to this prime minister of ours with interests. And to try and enhance his non-existing credibility, Deepak brings Nurul Izzah Anwar into this sordid affair, knowing full well that she is about the only credible thing left within PKR, hoping against hope that if he can somehow link Nurul to the mess, some of her credibility will rub onto to his sorry situation. Of course, Anwar denies any involvement in this re-emergence of Deepak. "The allegation [that Pakatan is behind this expos̩] is baseless. Look at the facts," Anwar had said. He had explained that Deepak's expos̩ was clearly linked to a court trial, and that he had no control over court dates. "What has that got to do with us? He wanted to adduce evidence, saying that money was transferred to the PM or his wife. What has that got to do with me?" he had said. Buck stops with Anwar Anwar, what if the emerging facts point to your collusion in using Deepak and this sordid gutter politics of his "untuk mecemar" Najib and Rosmah? What then? What then of your aspirations to be prime minister of Malaysia? What then of Pakatan Rakyat's chances to win the 13th general election? Someone needs to tell Anwar that the bucks stop with him. I will be that person. READ MORE HERE |
| KITA mahu Kelantan jelaskan tanah diberi kepada DAP Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:50 PM PST 
Ketua KITA, Masrum Dayat bertanya adakah syarikat Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd merupakan penender yang tertinggi. Muda Mohd Noor, FMT Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (KITA) mahu kerajaan negeri Kelantan memberi penjelasan mengenai pemberian pajakan tanah Yayasan Islam Kelantan (YIK) kepada syarikat pimpinan DAP Perak yang menjadi perbualan umum sekarang. Tanah seluas 10, 526 ekar di Gua Musang itu dikatakan telah diberikan kepada Syarikat Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd. Ketua KITA, Masrum Dayat bertanya adakah syarikat Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd merupakan penender yang tertinggi. Walaupun transaksi tersebut merupakan transaksi perniagaan persendirian, tetapi ia membabitkan sebuah badan berkanun negeri Kelantan. Katanya, terdapat dua laporan berbeza yang yang memerlukan penjelasan lebih khusus. "Satu laporan menyebut bahawa syarikat Upayapadu Plantation telah memeterai perjanjian dengan YIK untuk membeli tanah bernilai lebih RM30 juta itu pada tahun 2006. "Satu lagi laporan yang memetik kenyataan exco kerajaan negeri, Dr Mohd Fadzli Hassan bahawa ia merupakan usahasama projek melalui konsep pajakan dan perjanjian selama 50 tahun dengan diberikan pajakan dan bukannya hak milik," kata Masrum dalam satu kenyataan media hari ini. Menteri Besar, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat menafikan dakwaan kononnya beliau memberikan tanah bernilai lebih RM30 juta kepada pemimpin DAP sebagai habuan memastikan Datuk Seri Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin dilantik Menteri Besar Perak pada 2008. Pengerusi DAP Perak Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham tutut menafikan beliau memberi laluan kepada PAS untuk jawatan Menteri Besar negeri itu kepada parti Islam tersebut sebagai pertukaran dengan kontrak pembalakan di Kelantan, walaupun menjadi pengarah dalam syarikat pembalakan di kawasan tersebut. Ngeh dan seorang lagi Adun DAP Perak , Datuk Nga Kor Ming berkata, mereka melabur dalam syarikat tersebut, tetapi menegaskan tidak ada perjanjian dalam perkara tersebut. Isu pemberian tanah ini telah dibangkitkan dalam sidang dewan undangan negeri Perak, minggu lalu. READ MORE HERE |
| Konvoi Oren NS: 2 cedera, cermin kereta pecah Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:47 PM PST 
Insiden berlaku berhampiran simpang masuk ke Felda Bukit Rokan Utara, Gemencheh, Tampin apabila kira-kira 100 orang penduduk tempatan yang membawa bendera BN menghalang peserta konvoi seramai 200 orang meneruskan perjalanan. Zefry Dahalan, FMT TAMPIN: Konvoi Oren "Selamatkan Felda" peringkat Negeri Sembilan semalam tercemar apabila dua peserta konvoi cedera dan cermin sebuah kereta pacuan empat roda milik peserta turut pecah. Insiden berlaku berhampiran simpang masuk ke Felda Bukit Rokan Utara, Gemencheh, Tampin apabila kira-kira 100 orang penduduk tempatan yang membawa bendera BN menghalang peserta konvoi seramai 200 orang meneruskan perjalanan. Menurut Pengarah Program Konvoi Oren Negeri Sembilan, Abdul Rahman Ramli; ketika peserta konvoi baru sahaja sampai di lokasi, sekumpulan lelaki yang bersenjatakan kayu dan batu meluru kepada sebuah kereta pacuan empat roda yang berada di paling hadapan. "Mereka memecahkan cermin kereta di hadapan dan kedua-dua cermin tingkap sebelah kiri kereta dengan kayu. "Sebenarnya tindakan lelaki-lelaki yang membawa bendera BN dan Umno ini adalah satu tindakan yang salah. "Menyedari bantahan daripada mereka, kami tidak masuk ke Felda Bukit Rokan Utara, sebaliknya hanya berunding untuk menggunakan jalan besar tersebut untuk ke Felda Jelai. "Sebaliknya mereka mencederakan dua orang lelaki. "Seorang cedera di kepala dan seorang lagi di kening. Saya juga kecewa dengan pihak polis yang hanya melihat insiden itu berlaku dan tidak menghalang lelaki-lelaki yang mencetuskan provokasi dari awal lagi," kata Abdul Rahman yang juga merupakan Yang DiPertua PAS Jempol.. Noraza Muda cedera di kepala sementara Razali Rashad di kening. Kedua-dua mereka dipukul dengan kayu oleh dua lelaki yang tidak dikenali di jalan utama berhampiran simpang masuk Felda Bukit Rokan Utara. Konvoi Oren NS dibatalkan 
Berikutan kejadian itu Noraza, Razali dan kepimpinan PAS dan PKR yang menyertai konvoi itu membuat laporan polis di Ibu Pejabat Daerah (IPD) Polis Jempol di Bandar Seri Jempol. Presiden Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (Anak), Mazlan Aliman ketika mengadakan sidang akhbar tergempar di hadapan IPD Jempol, berkata peserta konvoi berkereta itu hanya berhasrat memasuki kawasan Felda untuk seketika, memberikan sedikit ucapan ringkas dan mengedar risalah. "Saya kecewa dengan pihak polis yang hanya memerhatikan sahaja kejadian peserta konvoi kami diserang. "Saya mendapat maklumat, bahawa di lokasi seterusnya iaitu di Felda Jelai, mereka menunggu kami dengan besi, kayu dan batu. "Mengambil kira keselamatan peserta dan saya tidak mahu lebih ramai tercedera, saya mengambil keputusan untuk membatalkan konvoi ini'" ujar Mazlan. Halangan di Felda Kepis dan Felda Bukit Rokan Barat Sebelum itu, konvoi Oren dihalang masuk di Felda Kepis oleh lebih 100 penduduk tempatan dan tidak dibenarkan masuk oleh hampir 80 penduduk Felda Bukit Rokan Barat. Kepimpinan PAS dan PKR hanya memberi ucapan ringkas dari atas sebuah kenderaan pacuan empat roda di tepi jalan utama dan beredar ke Felda Bukit Rokan Utara sebelum insiden buruk itu berlaku. Jika tidak kerana insiden peserta Konvoi Oren diserang dan tercedera, sepatutnya peserta dengan 80 kenderaan meneruskan konvoi ke Felda Jelai, Felda Palong 4, 5 & 6, Felda Lui Selatan dan Felda Serting Hilir. Ini merupakan insiden ketiga membabitkan kekecohan terhadap peserta Konvoi Oren. Sebelum ini kekecohan terhadap Konvoi Oren turut berlaku di Felda Lawin Selatan, Gerik Perak pada 03 November lepas dan di Felda Jengka 11 pada Ahad lalu. Dalam kedua-dua kejadian itu penduduk Felda terbabit bertindak menghalang peserta konvoi daripada memasuki kawasan Felda tersebut. READ MORE HERE |
| Should Indians even trust Najib? Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:44 PM PST 
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's conditional 'if' over the condo project on Batu Caves temple grounds is typical of arrogant BN and spineless MIC. Toffee Rozario, FMT Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently lined up the present and past MIC top brass to convince the Indians that the condominium project in sacred Batu Caves would be halted "if" Barisan Nasional wrested Selangor. The same BN government, which approved the condominium project with the full knowledge of its MIC members who sat at the various meetings, is pointing the finger at Pakatan Rakyat (current Selangor government). Frankly, there is no real motivation for the MIC to ask Najib to put a stop to the destruction of this temple, first, on the grounds that it is sacred to the Hindus, and secondly and more importantly, on the grounds that it is a national monument. But all that is not important to the MIC and the BN now. What is important to them are their seats in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly. And that is the sole reason MIC supports Najib's "if". As prime minister Najib has the power to intervene and protect a "national monument", there is no need for the "if." "If" is found only in the dictionary of fools; are all Indians to be made fools of? Is Najib really sincere? Why wait till the election is over and set it as a condition on a minority community to win the state for him? Where is the sincerity if it is conditional? Do the Indians make the majority of the voting population in Selangor? How can the Indians and in particular the Hindus (as there are Muslims, Christians and Sikhs among the Indians) ensure a BN victory? Even if BN wins the state, will Najib say that it was not won on Indian vote alone and let the condominium project continue? Would Najib also turn around and claim BN lost because the Indians voted against him? You can do anything with a minority, and the Indians are a minority this BN government never treated well at all. Quarries paid BN millions Let's talk history. History has proven the Selangor BN government to be callous and arrogant. Dolomite Industries has been blasting the site since way back in the 1970s. It was given the approval to build the condominium by the previous BN government. The quarrying approval was known to MIC councillors and Public Works Department authorities who had allowed other quarries to also blast away rocks in the area. Now let's talk money. In the 1970s, the Selangor BN government was reportedly paid some 300,000 sterling pounds (British currency) a year for quarrying rights by the quarrying companies. The BN government then was not bothered about the Hindus and their interests because the quarries brought in more money. In the mid 70s Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) initiated a "Save Batu Caves Campaign" which was almost immediately supported by the Malaysian Nature Society, The Environmental Protection Society and the Batu Caves Protection Society. In 1978, at the eleventh hour the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment submitted an urgent report to the Selangor government warning that serious damage would befall the caves if immediate action was not taken as cracks had began to appear in the caves. Two years after that report was sent to the Selangor BN government, the blasting was ordered to halt in June, albeit prolonged delays. By then more cracks had appeared on the caves and stalagmites had begun falling. But the companies appealed and despite knowing the extent of damage, the Selangor BN government gave them an additional six-month extension. There was no concern about the temple or the fact that hundreds of thousands of Hindus considered the caves sacred. The quarries brought in money and that was what mattered. READ MORE HERE |
| Year end visits to Sabah by Najib, Anwar Posted: 23 Dec 2012 01:40 PM PST 
It is learned that both have scheduled their final visits to the politically volatile state on Dec 28 and Dec 29 respectively. Luke Rintod, FMT KOTA KINABALU: Come year-end, the country's top two 'rivals' in Malaysian politics – Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and opposition supremo Anwar Ibrahim – will once again slog it out in Sabah. It is reliably learned that both have scheduled their final visits to the politically volatile state on Dec 28 and Dec 29 respectively. Besides wooing potential voters here, the duo will be also be fighting for the spaces in the local newspapers. Media editors here have spoken of the "interesting" heat emanating from the political slugging and its reach to voters across the vast state of Sabah. Sabah is equivalent to the combined size of nine smaller states in the Malayan Peninsular. The state is frankly a logistical nightmare and poor communication in Sabah has made it favourable to politicians to get maximum coverage in local newspapers. Anwar, it is learned, would fly in from Jakarta and will visit Kuala Penyu and possibly another area during his visit. Najib meanwhile is expected to officiate the annual congress of a tiny Barisan Nasional (BN) component, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), which faces annihilation in rural town of Pensiangan in the 13th general election. According to those in the know, Najib is also scheduled to appear in Papar. This would be Najib's seventh visit to Sabah this year. It is a record unsurpassed by all the previous five premiers and telling of the political situation in the peninsular. At stake in Sabah are 26 parliamentary seats, including the sole seat in Labuan, and 60 state seats, of which the Umno/PBS-led Sabah BN controls 23 and 57 seats respectively. Pre-Christmas visit The last time Najib was in town was about a week ago where he went to Sandakan to officiate the annual congress of another BN minor partner, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). In Sandakan, he feted the Christian community to lunch in a bid to stop the decreasing support for BN from that community. The community has been under extreme pressure from the Najib's administration. The "Alkitab" or Bible issue is still hanging, while Najib's own Muslim groups of supporters had been pressuring him not to retract a certain edict or fatwa in as many as 10 states that bars Christians from using many Malayanised Arabic-rooted words that include Allah, bait Allah, solat, kiblat, rasul, firman Allah, kaabah and even iman. READ MORE HERE |
| Queen's chaplain says Church of England has racism problem Posted: 22 Dec 2012 04:13 PM PST 
AFP - Queen Elizabeth II's chaplain Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, tipped to become one of Britain's first women bishops, said Saturday that the Church of England is struggling with "institutional racism". Jamaican-born Hudson-Wilkin, a chaplain to the monarch and also to parliament's lower House of Commons, told The Times newspaper that she had been a victim of racism in her ministry. The church's second-highest cleric, John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, is of Ugandan origin. But Hudson-Wilkin asked why there were not more people of minority ethnic backgrounds in leadership roles within England's state church. "There's still an element of racism running through people's veins," the 51-year-old said of Britain. "I've had people who did not want me to do a funeral. I can smile because it's their sheer ignorance, I feel sorry for them. I know that it's not about me, it's about them." She is worried about a sense of prejudice in the Church of England hierarchy. Only 15 of the 467 members of the General Synod, the Church's governing body, are from black or South Asian backgrounds. "We need to ask why there are not more people of minority ethnic backgrounds in leadership within the Church," said the mother of three. "We have been encouraging people to stand and people have been putting themselves forward and have not been elected. I think there is a level of racism around that." Hudson-Wilkin, also a vicar in Hackney, east London, put herself forward for the Synod a few years ago but was not elected. "It did not occur to them to ensure that one of the priests elected should be from an ethnic minority -- even the ones who stand up Sunday after Sunday in front of a predominantly black congregation," she said. "I'm not one of these people who lifts up a stone to look for racism. "But that shook me because I thought, 'My God, it's as if we don't exist'. "That told me very clearly that they don't give a damn about the congregations that they serve. "The Church, although it has made a lot of steps forward, is still struggling with institutional racism." The General Synod failed to pass legislation last month that would have permitted women bishops. Hudson-Wilkin, who came to Britain in 1985, was tipped to become one of the first. "The whole women bishops thing is crazy," she said. "I'd like to see the church going with the courage of its conviction and say, 'We're having women bishops, full stop'." |
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