Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Pakatan makes 10-point demand
- Just say NO to party party Malaya
- Nooh Gadut: Murtad jika benar Bible guna kalimah ALLAH
- Jackie Chan calls US 'most corrupt' country in the world
- Why are we here today?
- Perhimpunan Pakatan-NGO ketengahkan isu PRU 2013 untuk kemenangan
- BN needs to milk Najib’s popularity harder, say analysts
- Pakatan expects large crowd in rally against BN rule
- Explain reports of new timber deal, Musa
- Umno’s spiritual corruption
- Kapar MP gets show-cause letter
- Fear of agent provocateurs
| Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:54 PM PST Ensuring free and fair elections tops the list. G Vinod, FMT The opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, made up of PAS, PKR and DAP, has made a 10-point demand to the government and topping the list is for the government to ensure free and fair elections. Pakatan made its demands known at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat, attended by some 100,000 opposition supporters, at the historic Stadium Merdeka here today. The list of demands was announced by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution at the rally. "If we come to power we would change the course of the government, away from corruption and race-based policies and politics. No Malaysian would be pushed aside. We will also move in tandem with each other for a better life," he said when presenting the demands. Apart from wanting free and fair elections, Pakatan also wants the administration of Felda to be reviewed. "We also demand that all Malaysians including those from Sabah and Sarawak be given equal treatment. We demand that all oil-producing states are given 20% of the oil royalty. "We also want all government servants to be professional in the administration of the country," he added. Pakatan also wants the government to provide a healthy living environment to all Malaysians. "The government should preserve Bahasa Malaysia while the usage of English should be upgraded. The government should also provide free education for all Malaysians," said Saifuddin. Pakatan also wants all political prisoners freed. "We also want the government to preserve our tradition, culture and heritage. We demand a better life for all Malaysians," he said.
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| Just say NO to party party Malaya Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:48 PM PST
Wilfred Gaban, Wikisabah We Sabahans must stop acting like little kids. Stop worrying how big daddy will cut off your allowance, or change his will and not give you any property such as land or house. We must step up to the plate and declare that we are self-reliant. We have to take responsibility for our actions and our future. Inevitably, we are on our own and we ought to learn to stand on our own two feet without relying on mommy and daddy to bail us out. Many among us have become naive in mind and spirit. Allowing fear to create a philosophy of no can do. Where others see opportunity, we see hardship. When push to a corner we capitulate and succumbed to appeasement. When confronted, we find excuses for timidity. When described as cowards we justify our behaviour as preserving life and use God to justify our weakness. Such traits have gotten us a raw deal with Malaya. However, such traits are good if appreciated. The problem was, we were never appreciated in a respectable manner. Instead, we were marked for marginalization. Being innocent in worldly affairs, our people always wears a pleasant smile because our natural world is beautiful and naturally peaceful. Indeed, living in a "Land below the wind" does have its advantages.People tend to expect a longer life expectancy, build a larger family, and take a laid back attitude for there is no rush to undertake or overtake anything. The land is rich with eatable wild plants, healing herbs, one of a kind creature, and filled with valuable sources of energy such as oil and gas. Life is great, so it seems! In our slumber, we become complacent. When other societies around the world had to learn and adapt to their harsh environment, they also learnt to improve their human condition and ingenuity. Thus, they became more sophisticated and advanced than those that seldom went through catastrophic trials in life. In short, Sabahans had to be content with the status quo for a long time because we were programmed to feel contented within our narrow sphere of existence. That explains how little have changed in our society and our communities over 20 years. We were never progressive because we were excluded from the executive planning committee. We were controlled by a political bundestag that spouts supremacy of race and religion, while foolishly ignoring nature's common sense. The ultimate puzzle lies with us. We are a people who have become reliant on government to feed us. Not that we wanted to be fed by government, but because we are living in poverty, therefore, we have no choice but to rely on government. Hand outs are common place in our society. Hand outs are a welcome gesture, but a hand out is also a tool of the devil that may be. Living in poverty makes us an easy target for hand outs. If use by the dark forces for unscrupulous intent then we are doomed. The trick is to not put ourselves within the confines of poverty. This is the challenge of a leader. A leader who cares for the people must find a solution that would elevate the standard of living of the people. A good leader will guarantee that the people are well cared for. Too many of our past leaders did not meet these standards of leadership. Being of poor disposition, a position of leadership put them in a frenzy to enrich themselves instead of finding a solution that is good for everyone. These are the quality of leaderships we have had for so many years. The cycle of bad leadership could not be broken because the yoke of poverty continues to elude us. People vote for the same leadership repeatedly because they have been program by the poverty mind-set to expect better things for so little. It is not uncommon to meet a person in the kampong who tells you that he or she is satisfied with what they have. That, although, life was hard, he or she is thankful that they have something to eat. That if there were no foods at the pantry they can always rely on the jungle to provide food (makes me wonder what will they do if the jungle is gone.). So whenever a wealthy personality comes along and give hard cash they see it a treasure worthy of their votes. This ignorant programming is bolstered by a government whose agenda are bias and bigoted for a selfish ambition. Therefore, here comes the story of the good versus the evil. For those of us who understand the matrix involved and wishes to change for the better, we will stand and struggle for the good side. Those that served a selfish and bigoted agenda stand on the evil side. Evil somehow tends to be stronger because they have no qualms in using whatever means to achieve their agenda. So the good had to struggle to the brink of exhaustion just to get even. The evil side always have the upper hand, whiles the good side has to rely on the people's sense of justice and integrity to build a strong foundation. For the good, it is a hazardous journey, but for the evil it is a game of chance and slight of hand. The good does not gamble, whilst the evil is a gambler with a gun.
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| Nooh Gadut: Murtad jika benar Bible guna kalimah ALLAH Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:12 PM PST
(Bernama) - Penasihat Majlis Agama Islam Johor, Datuk Nooh Gadut berkata, mereka yang membenarkan penyelewengan penggunaan kalimah ALLAH boleh jadi murtad dan perlu bertaubat dengan segera. Menurutnya, kalimah ALLAH adalah hak mutlak agama Islam serta mereka yang mengucap dua kalimah syahadah iaitu kalimah penyaksian, sumpah setia dan akujanji terhadap keEsaan ALLAH S.W.T. "Apabila sesuatu hukum telah tercatat di dalam al-Quran dan Hadis, selain ijmak ulama, maka ia tiada kompromi. "Daripada segi hukum kalau seseorang itu melanggarnya, dia boleh jadi murtad dan kafir sekiranya perbuatan itu dilakukannya dengan keadaan sengaja dan waras," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Seminar Wakaf dan Perancangan Harta Pusaka Islam, di sini hari ini. Katanya, di dalam al-Quran jelas menerangkan kalimah ALLAH merupakan kalimah eksklusif untuk orang Islam sepertimana dalam Surah Thaha ayat 14 maksudnya, "Sesungguhnya Akulah ALLAH; tiada Tuhan melainkan Aku; oleh itu, sembahlah akan Aku dan dirikanlah sembahyang untuk mengingati Aku". "Jadi jelas barang siapa yang mengatakan agama semua sama, hukumnya murtad. "Kerana itu apabila bercerita tentang akidah dan hukum, ia tidak boleh ditafsirkan mengikut politik sama ada politik pembangkang atau politik kerajaan," katanya. Nooh berkata, jika penggunaan kalimah ALLAH dibenarkan dalam Bible versi bahasa Melayu ia akan menimbulkan kekeliruan kerana menurutnya di dalam agama Kristian itu sendiri terdapat tiga nama tuhan. Beliau turut menegur sikap pihak tertentu yang seolah-olah sengaja menguji keharmonian negara dengan menganggu kontrak sosial yang selama ini menjadi tunggak kepada keamanan negara. "Jika permasalahan ini tidak diselesaikan dengan segera ia boleh menyebabkan huru hara dan kepada mereka yang berkenaan, jangan melampau kerana saya bimbang akan sampai ketika umat Islam tidak akan dapat menahan sabar demi mempertahankan akidah, nanti 'yang menang jadi arang yang kalah jadi abu'. "Nasihat saya kepada yang Islam itu, betulkanlah segera akidah mereka dan yang bukan Islam, berjaga-jaga, jangan sampai umat Islam hilang sabar," katanya.
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| Jackie Chan calls US 'most corrupt' country in the world Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:04 PM PST
(AFP) - Hong Kong action hero Jackie Chan has once again provoked criticism, this time from an American blogger, after suggesting on Chinese television that the US is the "most corrupt" country in the world. "When you talk about corruption — the whole world, is there corruption in the United States? The most corrupt in the world!" the Rush Hour star, who has made headlines recently for his controversial views, told Phoenix TV last month. Chan reaffirmed his view after the show's host questioned him — "Of course! Where did the great breakdown come from? The world, the United States started it," Chan said, referring to the financial crisis and gesticulating as he spoke. His comments were rebuked Thursday by Max Fisher, a foreign affairs blogger for the Washington Post, who called them "anti-American" rhetoric that was rooted in China's insecurity. "To the degree that Chan's comments were anti-American, they likewise reflect a common Chinese view of the United States, one that is rooted not just in attitudes toward America but in China's proud but sometimes insecure view of itself," Fisher said. Jackie Chan also said China is a relatively young country, where in the first half of its history it was "bullied by so many people", and that it only achieved "real success" in the past decade. "Our country's leaders admit they are corrupted, etcetera. We are improving — I can see our country is constantly improving and learning," he said, adding that everyone is making an issue out of China because it is "powerful" now. Chan, who is known for his martial arts skills and daring stunt work, sparked criticism in Hong Kong, which was returned to China in 1997, after he reportedly told a Chinese magazine last December that protest in the city should be restricted. In the same interview, he said that he was bullied by Hong Kong triads and had to hide in the United States. He also said he needed to carry a gun everyday to protect himself, leading to a police investigation.
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| Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST
Yet I have unhappy news ― by all accounts, GE 13 will be far from clean and fair. I will not go into the details, many of you know them. The recent fiasco with the overseas voters is yet another example. The suggested process is not clean, not transparent and the conditions that have been imposed on overseas voters are not, in my view, constitutional. Ambiga Sreenevasan My friends, why are we here today? Why have we chosen to give up our Saturday to gather here? Together. Again. The answer is, we love our country. We care about Malaysia. We care about Malaysians. Our children, our parents, their future, our future. And more importantly we are here because we have hope. We think that a better Malaysia is within our grasp. We know it is. I know it is. And it is all because of you ― a rakyat that cares enough to do something about achieving a bright future for our country. As far as Bersih 2.0 is concerned, we just want clean and fair elections. If there is to be change in the leadership, we want to do it through the ballot box. Our objectives are clear and clean and fair. Our message to all the political parties is: Respect our rights as citizens, honour our vote, and, give us clean and fair elections! Yet I have unhappy news ― by all accounts, GE 13 will be far from clean and fair. I will not go into the details, many of you know them. The recent fiasco with the overseas voters is yet another example. The suggested process is not clean, not transparent and the conditions that have been imposed on overseas voters are not, in my view, constitutional. So why am I so sure the election will not be clean and fair? Well, one of the easiest demands to fulfil is to give free and fair access to the media to all parties. It takes just a phone call. Yet we see no move towards that and the mainstream media continues with its skewed and often dishonest reports. It shows a complete lack of political will to even the playing field between the parties. Does that mean, however, that we throw in the towel? That we walk away in despair? On the contrary, Bersih has two important projects that we have launched which we believe will make a difference in the next elections. The first is our project called PEMANTAU, a citizens' observer mission. This is not a new concept as it has been carried out in numerous countries. Studies have found that citizen observer missions can reduce political violence and fraud. We are excited about this project and we are looking out for approximately 10,000 volunteers to help us cover 30-40 per cent of the total number of constituencies. The second project is to bring out the vote. (Keluar mengundi, lawan penipuan). Although our voter turnout is high, a higher turnout will help to mitigate fraud to some extent. Both these projects need your help and your input. Both are projects of the people, for the people and by the people. So there is much work to be done. And we can all be involved to ensure as far as possible, that fraud and discrepancies can be minimised in the 13th GE. Knowing the rakyat I know you will rise to the occasion as the nation calls to you to take part in its future. As that famous song goes, my fellow Malaysians, "This is it"!! * Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is the co-chair of Bersih, the movement for clean and fair elections.
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| Perhimpunan Pakatan-NGO ketengahkan isu PRU 2013 untuk kemenangan Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:21 PM PST  Peserta berkumpul di Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, Kampung Baru, 11 Jan 2013 menjelang Perhimpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat di Kuala Lumpur hari ini. – Gambar Choo Choy May Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider Sekali lagi Malaysia menjadi tumpuan dunia apabila ribuan aktivis politik dan aktivis lain membanjiri ibukota bagi mencabar kekuasaan Barisan Nasional (BN) semenjak Merdeka. HImpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat yang popular dengan singkatan "KL112" atau "perhimpunan pelangi", adalah perhimpunan simbolik bagi gabungan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) dan pergerakan masyarakat sivil negara dalam acara raksasa strategik kerana hanya beberapa bulan sebelum pilihan raya umum (PRU) yang mesti diadakan menjelang Jun tahun ini. Bagi kedua-dua belah pihak, hubungan simbiotik, atau bahkan perlu memastikan matlamat masing-masing tercapai, sama ada untuk memansuhkan projek nadir bumi Lynas di Kuantan, memberikan pendidikan tinggi percuma, reformasi pilihan raya atau untuk menggantikan BN sebagai kerajaan.  Wanita di kalangan peserta di Kelab Sultan Sulaiman. "Jika semuanya berjalan dengan aman, PR boleh bergantung kepada acara yang menjana tenaga ahli dan penyokong, selepas melihat gelombang besar menyokong. "Kesannya akan menjadi positif dan mungkin secara psikologi bagi orang-orang yang hadir, akan merasa ditarik balik dan digalakkan untuk bekerja bagi parti dan punca masing-masing," kata pengarah Merdeka Centre Ibrahim Suffian. Sekiranya perhimpunan mencapai sasaran satu juta atau bahkan mendapat separuh dari jumlah peserta disasarkan, "perhimpunan pelangi" KL112 berkemungkinan akan digunakan sebagai kayu pengukur untuk mengukur prestasi PR dalam PRU ke-13. Bagi Ibrahim, jumlah orang ramai akan menjadi "penanda visual" bagi mereka yang mempunyai banyak rungutan terhadap kerajaan dan petunjuk apa yang boleh berlaku apabila pilihan raya diadakan dan tempoh kempen bermula.  Penganjur perhimpunan berucap di Kelab Sultan Sulaiman. "Jika kehadiran adalah besar, sudah tentu kesan adalah baik untuk PR. Tetapi yang paling penting adalah apa ia mampu lakukan kepada golongan atas pagar," katanya. Tetapi ahli akademik itu menambah tidak boleh menolak kemungkinan bahawa perhimpunan raksasa hari ini juga boleh memberi kesan baik kepada BN. Beliau menegaskan keterbukaan kerajaan dalam membenarkan acara diadakan dan kesediaan pasukan polis untuk mengawal acara, akan menarik perhatian pengundi dengan baik. "Mungkin mereka akan melihat ini sebagai sebuah kerajaan yang akhirnya matang, serius mengenai dasar-dasar transformasi yang mereka bercakap mengenainya. "Oleh itu, bagi orang-orang yang mungkin terpengaruh kepada pembangkang, mereka mungkin kembali ke pangkuan BN," katanya. Bersetuju dengan pendapat ini, Ibrahim mengatakan perhimpunan KL112 juga boleh membuktikan untuk menjadi pedang "bermata dua" untuk PR, terutamanya jika perhimpunan tidak mengakibatkan pertempuran antara penunjuk perasaan dan polis. "Sekurang-kurangnya bagi yang di tengah, mereka akan melihat BN sebagai lebih matang, sebagai akhirnya menghargai demokrasi dan tidak takut dengan bantahan dalam format ini," katanya. Menjelang acara petang ini, penganjur perhimpunan berjaya menjana media untuk menjadikan pusat bandar Kuala Lumpur sebagai tumpuan dunia. Malahan di garis susur masa laman Twitter "Twitterjaya", perbahasan tidak berkesudahan sehingga akhir malam tadi oleh kerana peserta teruja membincangkan rancangan untuk acara tersebut. Kepada penganjur, ini adalah satu tanda "kebangkitan rakyat" yang merupakan tujuan utama acara tersebut. "Perhimpunan ini untuk mengingatkan kerajaan hari ini, dan mereka yang mungkin memegang kuasa kemudian, ini adalah rungutan rakyat Malaysia yang mesti diingati dan diselesaikan. Rakyat adalah yang paling penting," kata aktivis Hishammuddin Rais kepada The Malaysian Insider malam tadi.
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| BN needs to milk Najib’s popularity harder, say analysts Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:12 PM PST
Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider The Barisan Nasional (BN) must do more to cash in on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's popularity as issues of the day could threaten their hold on Putrajaya, say analysts commenting on the latest Merdeka Center survey. The analysts also noted the BN government's approval remains low despite cash handouts and a raft of economic and legal reforms that Najib has introduced since taking power in 2009. "On the whole, although there are those who say they are satisfied, they may not vote for BN because there are other issues at play during an election ― the political party, the individual candidate, the influence of the local ministers in the area and so on. "Therefore, the good popularity rating could merely reflect the public's agreement with Najib and his policies," said Ibrahim Suffian from Merdeka Center, the independent pollster that conducted the latest survey released yesterday. The Merdeka Center found that Najib's ratings, while still relatively high, dipped slightly by two points to 63 per cent in the poll conducted late last month, from 65 per cent in November. The survey found that while satisfaction among Malay and Indian voters remained strong at 77 per cent and 76 per cent respectively, the sentiment among Chinese voters had dropped to 34 per cent. The survey also found that voters' response towards the government remained lukewarm, with only 45 per cent of the respondents saying they were "happy with the government". Ibrahim also suggested the possibility of "cultural bias" among the different racial communities that were interviewed for the poll, saying the Malays and Indians were more conservative when it comes to speaking negatively about their nation's leaders, while the Chinese are generally more outspoken. "So I am pretty certain that just because the poll says that Najib has 77 per cent support of the Malays, it does not mean he will get 77 per cent of the Malay vote. "The Indians, the Malay respondents... traditionally they tend not to be so openly negative about the ruling party leaders so there is a cultural bias there," he said. Universiti Teknologi Mara's Prof Madya Shaharudin Badaruddin echoed Ibrahim's views, saying the prime minister's good standing among the Malay and Indian communities may not translate to votes in the coming polls. He agreed that the rating of a person's popularity is an individualistic matter and would not reflect the total voting trend of the election. "You may vote for Najib, but it does not mean you want Umno," he said. Universiti Malaya (UM) political analyst Prof Datuk Mohamad Abu Bakar said the same, adding that the performance of an individual does not reflect the performance of the party this person represents. He pointed out that the survey results may not be consistent until polling as issues that may crop up between now and then could affect the prime minister and BN's popularity. "So, depending on whether these new issues make him popular or not, one cannot say for sure whether his popularity at this moment in time will be constant through and through until election day," he said. Shaharuddin added that the quality of candidates would also play an important role in determining the true support for BN among the country's various ethnic communities. He noted that Merdeka Center's survey methodology of collecting public opinions through phone calls could have also been a major factor in Najib's high popularity rating. "When it is face to face, direct contact, the behaviour and replies from a respondent could be different," he said.
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| Pakatan expects large crowd in rally against BN rule Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:08 PM PST
Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident of getting one million people in its "Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat" today, with its leaders saying last night the "historic" mega-rally will show the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition that its 54-year rule is nearing the end. Some 6,000 people attended a gathering at the Sultan Sulaiman Club here last night, where more than 70 opposition leaders and activists fired up the crowd with speeches of change and the imminent fall of BN. Among the speakers were PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu who called the rally at the historic Stadium Merdeka where Independence was declared, the start of the final battle for Putrajaya. "Tomorrow's rally will be the last before we take over the government," shouted Mohamad, better known as Mat Sabu, a favourite among the Islamist party and opposition faithful. The crowd, mostly Malays, appeared upbeat as PR leaders went over the opposition's election chances. A sense of camaraderie was also prevalent as the crowd of strangers, mostly donning yellow or green tees with "BN will fall" written on them, shouted in sync slogans of "people power" and "the end of BN". Playing up this sentiment was PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang, who said this spirited display of people power would send chills down rivals' spines. "This is not just about changing the government. It is about how the people will rise and rewrite history. That they will no longer tolerate a cruel regime," he said.
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| Explain reports of new timber deal, Musa Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST Why has Yayasan Sabah, headed by Chief Minister Musa Aman, awarded 80,937 hectares of land to Pemaju Holdings Sdn Bhd? Queville To, FMT KOTA KINABALU: The State Reform Party (STAR) Sabah chapter wants Chief Minister Musa Aman to respond to the Business Times report on the purported timber deal involving 80,937 hectares (199,995 acres) to be awarded to Permaju Holdings Sdn Bhd by Yayasan Sabah. Party chairman Jeffrey Kitingan contended that as the chairman of Yayasan Sabah, Musa should clarify the issue, instead of getting the Director of Forestry Department to deny it. "The director of forestry is being used as a mouthpiece to deflect the issue and avoid the real facts. His mere denial is out of context as the deal was reported to be with Yayasan Sabah. "It is the chief minister having direct control of Yayasan Sabah, not the of director of forestry, who is the appropriate person to answer on the timber deal. "Many answers need to be given so that allegations of timber kickbacks like the RM40 million 'donation' to Sabah Umno will not arise," he said. A former chairman of Yayasan Sabah himself, Jeffrey also questioned why the foundation awarded a huge area of concession to such a company at this time and who stands to benefit. "Why are outsiders given priority in awarding of concessions and land instead of Sabahans? "If there is no truth to the alleged timber deal, why is the report so detailed? If the report is not true, the government should consider suing the parties involved and lodging reports with the police, MACC and other bodies. "If the report is true, which will not be surprising, the state government is selling the future of Yayasan Sabah, the state and Sabahans and the Umno-BN state government should be voted out in the coming general election," he said. He said that the Business Times report clearly re-affirms Sabah STAR's stand that the "future of Sabah lies in the hands of Sabahans, not outsiders or Sabahans under the control of outsiders".
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| Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:55 PM PST How long more does Umno intend to use religious issues to incite hatred among people of different faiths, using Pakatan as the scapegoat? Jeswan Kaur, FMT In 2011 "statesman" Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the country belongs to the Malays and the non-Malays should feel indebted for being allowed to call Malaysia home. And in between many other events had transpired that echoed the racist sentiments of Barisan Nasional's dominant partner Umno. Now, barely a week after the new year of 2013 was heralded, the issue of "Allah only for Muslims" has cropped up once again. And like previously, this time too warnings have been issued to the non-Malays to stay out of "Malay affairs", with Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah further widening the gulf between the non-Malays and Malays of this country. The Sultan on Jan 8 reiterated that non-Muslims are forbidden from using the word "Allah", a decree he first made on Feb 18, 2010, the justification being that "Allah" is a sacred word for Muslims. Bewildering as it may be, the decree is not sitting well with the rakyat. Is Sultan Sharafuddin not aware that the word "Allah" has been used by the Sikhs and Christians for a long, long time or for that matter Arab Christians have been using the term "Allah" for over 600 years before the Muslims began doing so? The word "Allah" is used 12 times in the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, by Sheikh Farid, Guru Nanak and Guru Arjan Dev while Sant Kabeer has uttered the word 18 times. And still Umno continues to live by its fallacy that only Muslims have the right to use the word "Allah" despite the fact that the term has been used by the Sikhs and the Arabic-speaking Christians of Syria and the rest of the Middle East. On what grounds has the ruler played both judge and jury, issuing a decree that is nothing but a wedge when it comes to fostering harmony between Malaysians of different faiths. The decree also makes the country a laughing stock among the more tolerant and accepting nations. The "Allah exclusive for Muslims" controversy is a confirmed recipe for disaster, no thanks to unenlightened minds and the racist flames being stoked by unscrupulous Umno politicians. It is frightening to see the shallow mindsets occupying positions of authority in Putrajaya. One of them is senator Mashitah Ibrahim, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. Not only is Mashitah all for the decree by the Sultan of Selangor, she is also wondering why non-Muslims are so adamant in wanting to use the word "Allah". Mashitah's historical understanding of the original use of the word "Allah" speaks volumes; that explains why she made the most ridiculous of suggestion that non-Muslims who are only too eager to use the word Allah best convert to Islam. Time to get rid of deadwood in BN The manner in which BN has handled the "Allah and Muslims" issue reflects its conceit in not wanting to recognise the rights of the non-Malays. To belittle and lambast the non-Malays over the "Allah" issue has put paid to all speculations that BN has post-2008 eaten the humble pie or that it has turned over a new leaf. Otherwise, how dare the BN MPs claim monopoly over the word "Allah", crying instead that the entire issue has been politicised and blown out of proportion by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition. For Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar Radin, those who use the word "Allah" to mean God were out to instigate the rakyat and were violating the Federal Constitution. Looks like, he too, needs a lesson or two on understanding the historical perspective of the word "Allah". The truth is neither Mashitah nor Bung Mokhtar, or any other leader for that matter has absolute control over the use of the word "Allah" by the non-Malays. Little surprise that the "on then off then on again" fiasco surrounding the use of the word "Allah" has left a senior clergyman unhappy. Bishop Paul Tan, head of the Johor and Malacca diocese, said the Sultan of Selangor's role was to protect Islam and not to make rules for people of other faiths. "We non-Muslims have our own heads. Besides, our country is a constitutional or parliamentary democracy, not a theocratic state, that is, Islamic state. Our Federal Constitution protects the rights of all our people, not only Muslims," Bishop Paul told FMT.
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| Kapar MP gets show-cause letter Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST PKR issued the letter to S Manickavasagam for uttering derogatory words against another party leader. S Nantha Kumar, FMT Kapar Member of Parliament S Manickavasagam has been issued a show-cause letter by PKR for uttering derogatory words against another party leader. PKR sources confirmed that the show-cause letter was issued to Manickavasagam by the party's disciplinary committee a few days ago. "I do not know the contents of the letter as this is handled by the top leadership. It involves an MP but I can confirm a show-cause letter has been issued to Manickavasagam," said a source. PKR disciplinary committee chairman Dr Tan Kee Kwong, when contacted, refused to comment. "Why you want write about this?" he told FMT. Despite numerous attempts, Manikavasagam could not be reached for comment as his handphhone has been switched off since yesterday. Meanwhile, MIC Youth criticised PKR over the party's action to issue the show-cause letter to Manickavasagam for a verbal tirade against Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar. In a press statement, the Youth wing chief T Mohan claimed that the actions of the Sepang Municipal Council officers, who demolished a Hindu shrine at a house against the orders of the state government, were more hurting than the words uttered by Manickavasagam against the two state leaders. "The state government is practising double standard as it had failed to initiate action against the officers who barged into the house to demolish the Hindu altar. Rightfully, the officers should be suspended while an investigation is pending against them," he said. Mohan said the failure to act against the officers made it look like the state government was giving its green light for local authority officials to take the law into their own hands. "We [MIC Youth] want the people to judge for themselves the actions of the state government in discriminating against Indians and decide who committed an offence," he added. 'Manikavasagam's right to criticise' On Nov 20, 30 enforcement officers from the Sepang Municipal Council trespassed into the home of one S Gobi Kumar and demolished the Hindu shrine located within the compound of the residence. A week later, Jayakumar defended the council's action, prompting the MIC Youth to demand a public apology from him. However, Jayakumar later claimed that the action was done unilaterally by certain Sepang Municipal Council officers and that he suspected sabotage. Following the incident, two separate video clips had emerged showing Manikavasagam urging Khalid to resign over the demolition of the shrine.
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| Posted: 11 Jan 2013 01:48 PM PST Police trucks were seen dropping off plainclothes policemen around the city, alleges a PKR leader. Leven Woon, FMT Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) fears that agent provocateurs have been planted by the police to instigate trouble at the Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat Rally, scheduled for 2pm at Stadium Merdeka today. SAMM chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin alleged that early this morning, police trucks were spotted dropping off individuals "who we think are policemen in plainclothes." "We fear these people will become agent provocateurs and cause trouble. Then the police will blame us for starting trouble," he told reporters at the Kampung Baru mosque, where a group of opposition supporters had gathered before marching to Stadium Merdeka. Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat has eight meeting points and one of them is the Kampung Baru mosque. Badrul Hisham said the group will march through Lebuh Ampang, Jalan HS Lee, and Jalan Petaling before heading towards Stadium Merdeka. Badrul Hisyam, who is also a PKR leader, also asked opposition supporters not to carry any weapons with them during the rally. Meanwhile, opposition supporters have started marching towards the historic Merdeka Stadium from their respective meeting points. For now, no trouble has been reported. However, several roads have been closed to facilitate the march, bringing traffic to a snail's pace on major roads leading to the city centre. Meanwhile, according to The Oriental Daily and China Press, police have received reports on suspected explosive materials in front of KLCC and the Bar Council this morning. After dismissing the crowd at KLCC, police detonated the explosive materials. However, the reported discovery of such materials at the Bar Council building turned out to be not true
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