| All In The Name of God Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:36 PM PST 
Human beings either do not or refuse to learn from history. Throughout the passage of time, theology has continued to be used to justify and therefore, validate political acts. The blame lies, on one hand with the politicians and on the other, with the compliant ears of the masses. Art Harun, Articulations Many people do many things all in the name of God. The irony is the very things which they do in the name of God are abhorred by God. Or even prohibited by Him. History will show us that human beings have tortured, maimed and killed each other, all in the name of God. Untold misery and cruelty have been inflicted all in the name of God. Yet, when they speak of God and their religion, they insist that God is most merciful, most compassionate and most forgiving. And their religion is a religion of peace, justice and fairness. In Islam for example, history would show us all that right after the passing of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w., Muslims started arguing on who would be the right candidate to be the Caliph. Then they started killing each other. Until now that is. The Traditionalist was a loose grouping of mainstream conservative schools who called themselves ahli-sunnah-wal-jamaah (the proponents of the Prophet's traditions and consensus). They posit that the Caliph should be elected by the influential members of the community. This was also generally accepted by another group, the Khawarij. The only difference between these two groups was that while the former narrowed the qualification to be a Caliph to just the Quraysh tribe (Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was from the Quraysh tribe), the Khawarij did not have such qualification. The Khawarij in fact believed that a Caliph may even be removed if he breached his mandate. This general agreement between the two groups however ended at the end of the reign of the 3rd Caliph, Uthman. His successor, Caliph Ali was met with opposition from the Khawarij as they did not agree with Caliph Ali's compromise with the Shi'a. The Shi'a further narrowed the qualification for the Caliphate to the family members of the Prophet in particular, the Prophet's son-in-law, Ali and his descendants. The Shi'a argued that the head of Islam, politically and religiously, being the most important position, must not be left to human consensus and determination and thus must be so restricted. The irony of all these is that God has never ordained that only the Quraysh or the members of the Prophet's family could be a leader in Islam. Soon, of course, they started killing each other. After the 4th Caliphs, namely, Caliph Ali (the first 4 Caliphs in Islam are known as the "Rightly Guided Caliphs"), what originated as a deep political schism, imbued by misplaced tribal ego, resulted in vicious hatred when theological justification was used as political validation. Soon after Caliph Ali, the so-called Islamic leadership or state was reduced into a dynasty, starting with the Ummayad. Caliph Mu'awiya started the Ummayad dynasty which lasted nearly a hundred years. The Abbasid dynasty replaced the Ummayad in Damascus. The slaughter of the Ummayad family in their palace during the "dinner of reconciliation" is well documented. An Ummayad prince was saved from the slaughter when he was smuggled out from the palace. He ended in the Andalus and became Caliph in present-day Spain. Islam thus had two ruling dynasty, namely, the Abbasid ruling from Damascus and later, Baghdad and the Ummayad, ruling from Spain. At this time, Islamic theology flourished, seemingly because of the Caliph's thirst for knowledge and enlightenment. It was during this period – the so-called "Golden Age of Islam" that we saw the rise of "Ilm-al-kalam" (the science of debate). What started as a political schism between the Khawarij, the traditionalist and the Shi'a groups over the right to become Caliph and to rule soon degenerated into a theological teasers that later further degenerated into an inquisition. It was at about this time that a the Mu'tazila or the Rationalists appeared. |
| Najib: I hate people who break promises Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:32 PM PST 
(fz.com) - Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today that voters from the country's richest state must punish Pakatan Rakyat (PR) for failing to fulfil its promises in 2008. The prime minister said he was confident that BN will administer Selangor better than the current state government if voted back in the next general election. "Our objective is to recapture Selangor but it not for sake of power only. It is because I am confident and believe that we can provide better service and administer better than the current government led by the federal opposition," he said in a 15-minute radio interview during the launch of Selangor Radio BN at Umno headquarters here. Najib added the the state government has also cheated the people of Selangor through its lies and deception. "If we look back recently there have been so many problems. Firstly, they have not fulfil their promises but instead broken them. I hate people who break promises. I believe the people of Selangor share the same sentiment because we all feel like we have been cheated. I hate people lying to me. "I don't know about others but I feel that all of us believe that people must hold fast to their promises. If BN is given the mandate by the rakyat, we will provide an administration that can really fulfil the people's aspiration," he said. He said the people of Selangor must not allow the state to fall behind in the country's development. "Selangor is too important and strategic to the country. If the state is not line with the federal policy then we have problems like the current water shortage. "If we don't have the same government on both the state and federal levels then it will create many problems and eventually trouble the people and this will not benefit the country," he said. |
| Project IC – Mahathir sullying the name of Tunku to save his own skin Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:22 PM PST 
He continues to insult our intelligence by assuming that the people are unable to differentiate between a shady operation shrouded in secrecy which is criminal and one that was done in accordance with a collective decision during the formative period of our history of independence. Mohamed Azmin Ali, Deputy President, PR The latest statement by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad to clear himself of any wrong doing in the clandestine IC scam under probe by the RCI shows him to be arrogant, unrepentant and an unscrupulous manipulator of history. Dr Mahathir's attempt to drag the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, into the mud is despicable and cowardly. He is trying to pull wool over the eyes of the rakyat by equating the IC scam conducted shadily under his watch as prime minister with the granting of citizenship in peninsula Malaysia during the Tunku's time. He continues to insult our intelligence by assuming that the people are unable to differentiate between a shady operation shrouded in secrecy which is criminal and one that was done in accordance with a collective decision during the formative period of our history of independence. In any event, the latter is not the subject of inquiry whereas the IC project is. So, Dr. Mahathir must stop throwing red herrings in the path just to distract us from the key issue. The clandestine project took place just two weeks before the 1994 state election and Dr Mahathir must stop pretending he cannot see the link between that and the obvious conclusion that it was therefore a citizenship-for-votes scheme. I maintain it is shocking to learn that the perpetrators in the scam stayed at the house of Aziz Shamsuddin and used it as the operations centre to issue the fake ICs. Equally shocking is the testimony that Megat Junid Megat Ayub had instructed NRD senior officers to issue the IC receipts. Aziz Shamsuddin and Megat Junid could not have embarked on a scam of such a magnitude without the clearance of the man they would have to report to at that time and that would be none other than Dr. Mahathir. I maintain my call that Dr Mahathir must be investigated for the act of treason to the people and to the nation for selling out our sovereignty in sanctioning this nefarious scheme just to ensure that UMNO-BN controls Sabah. |
| Secularism in Search of a Nation Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:18 PM PST 
But can a person who is not atheistic truly be "secular" as expected by the Constitution, especially when the two major religions in India are Hinduism and Islam? What happens when the ways of one religion hurt the feelings of the other religion? Are atheistic lawmakers, of whom there were more than a few in the early days of the republic, qualified to decide how religious Indians must view other religious Indians? Manu Joseph, The New York Times In 1976, India made an amendment to its Constitution that inserted the word "secular" to describe the great republic. It was a national aspiration and still is, and is glorified as a national characteristic, which it is not from the evidence in plain sight. By "secular," India did not mean that it was atheistic or agnostic or that it rejected all religious practices. By "secular," the people who framed the amendment meant that in India all faiths are accepted, and that Indians are expected to tolerate all religions. Every Indian has grown up listening to the idea of India as a "secular" republic. It is a ceaseless background hum, like all moral lessons. One cannot escape its persistence. But can a person who is not atheistic truly be "secular" as expected by the Constitution, especially when the two major religions in India are Hinduism and Islam? What happens when the ways of one religion hurt the feelings of the other religion? Are atheistic lawmakers, of whom there were more than a few in the early days of the republic, qualified to decide how religious Indians must view other religious Indians? On this day, Dec. 6, 20 years ago, it did appear that the demand on practicing Hindus and Muslims in India to be "secular" was unnatural and unsustainable. An ancient mosque called Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, was demolished by a Hindu mob protesting the very existence of the monument. They believed that it was built over a Hindu temple and that the site itself was sacred because Lord Rama was said to have been born there. The demonstrators had been allowed on the site after the organizers of the protest had promised the Supreme Court that the mosque would not be harmed. The organizers, some of whom were from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which went on to govern the nation, asserted that the ensuing destruction of the mosque was the spontaneous act of an emotional crowd. In the days that followed, there were riots across India in which more than 2,000 Hindus and Muslims were killed. The mainstream news media in India have always held that Dec. 6, 1992, was a day of shame and that the destruction of the mosque was a mindless act of vandalism. In the months after the riots, newspapers ran features about Hindus and Muslims living in harmony: a temple and a mosque somewhere standing shoulder to shoulder on a single patch of land, a Muslim family that made Hindu idols, Muslims who married Hindus, Hindus who adopted Muslim orphans and so on. That India was "secular" was the respectable point of view among educated Indians. But, as it often is the case, there was a difference between the respectable view and what a majority actually believed and said in private, which was that the demolition of the mosque was a sign that India was changing and that in this new nation Hindus would become increasingly assertive and intimidating enough to protect themselves against other religions, especially Islam. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/world/asia/06iht-letter06.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=1& |
| ON EDUCATION vs. INDOCTRINATION: Close down Biro Tata Negara to see cultural progress Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:01 PM PST 
What price indoctrination? Herein lies the question on the hundreds of million Ringgits spent over 10 years on a civic-consciousness programme that turned out to be a project of instilling fear into the Malays – fear of their own shadow and fear of other races. A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman I wrote this in 2009, still relevant today re: Bawani-Zohra Affair. Let us Malaysians call for the Biro Tata Negara (Bureau of National Civics Consciuosness) to be closed down but read the essay below if you have the time: BTN and the price of indoctrination What price indoctrination? Herein lies the question on the hundreds of million Ringgits spent over 10 years on a civic-consciousness programme that turned out to be a project of instilling fear into the Malays – fear of their own shadow and fear of other races. The Biro Tatanegara (BTN) courses use Russian-styled pseudo-scientific pop psychology, drawn from the work of Bulgarian mind-bending experts in 'suggestopedia' developed by Lozanov and Barzakov with creative visualisation para-psychological techniques, into which the mind is emptied before propaganda is funnelled. When the mind is half-asleep, subconscious wide awake, the body is relaxed, the room darkened, the voice of the propagandist-facilitator reigns supreme, suggesting anything to ensure that the doped, docile, and domesticated mind enters a game of master-slave narrative. The BTN facilitators become the masters, the participants, mesmerised, are now the slaves - so that the idea of Ketuanan Melayu gets chiseled into the right side of the brain and urges the emotions to become reptilian, so that hate and mistrust of other races will be imprinted into the brain cells. The directors and creators of Malaysia's now infamous indoctrination camps must be guilty of not learning enough of what culture and human progress is before promoting a dangerously divisive mental pogrom that is purposely designed to breed hatred amongst all races. The last few months have seen a public outcry over the real intention of the bureau. The public do not want to see their children subjected to a government-sponsored programme of teaching a brand of history that is no longer appealing to a society badly in need of a better way to teach tolerance and meaningful understanding amongst the races. Malaysia is a land for all races; a land of immigrants in which our forefathers toiled in padi fields, tin mines, rubber estates, the deep and high seas, and the jungle - both natural and urban. BTN is a multi-million ringgit propaganda outfit that teaches history which is no longer relevant to the rakyat's need for a more inclusive and cosmopolitan view of what Malaysia is. "Malay cultural revolution" From a cultural perspective, BTN represent the thoughts of an old school - one based on the immutability of culture, and the 'classic norms' whereas culture is not static and ethnicity is fluid and ever-changing. We live in an ever-changing present where the past merely consists of memories collected by those who believed in an imagined community - whether that community is Malay, Javanese, Bugis, Tamil, or Bengali. Globalisation erodes these and, from the point of view, chaos and complexity theory creates new cultures out of them. Ultimately the question is - what is a 'Malay'? Hence my idea of a 'Sawojaya' as a new race to be constructed, so that we Malays migrate to newer fields, after the Malay mind have been damaged by BTN in modern times, and by feudalism and colonialism in times past. The evolution is cultural. It is like the Africans migrating from Mali-an dance to breakdance, and Yoruba tribal drumming to Bronx hip-hop. As long as we do not evolve to become gangsta rappers, we're good. But think of a marriage between a Thai and African-American - a marriage that produced Tiger Woods who recently 'transgressed'. Think of Obama's (left) parents - one Kansas white and one Kenyan. We must search for hybridised cultures that still has ethical foundations and celebrate their evolution. Essentially Malays must leave their cocoon of 'ultra-Malayness' and become more cosmopolitan. This initiative must include a radical restructuring and deconstructing of the very core of 'incapacitating' aspect of the Malay culture. The Hang Tuahs, the Sejarah Melayu, and the glorification of the traditional Malay sultanate and its decadence and despotism and all the myths of superiority - all these must be questioned and deconstructed by the younger generation. Real progress can be made if we redesign our schools based on the principles of education for critical, creative, ethical, and futuristic consciousness. The old school must make way for the new school. The classical norms must give way to the newer voices of the subaltern - voices of radical and liberating multiculturalism. The work of BTN is about making more and more Malays subservient and docile, so that the more powerful amongst them can plunder the wealth of the nation and rob even from the poor. It's all about material gain and who gets the most out of a shrinking economy these days - in a world in which the definition of race and ethnicity is merely an instrument of domination. Malays are now feeling that they are being betrayed by the 10-year reign of BTN. They are angry. They are perceiving BTN as a traitor to the Malays; denying them a better perspective by instilling fear of themselves. Who benefits from all these? This is what the Malays are asking. A new Malaysia requires a shut down of all BTN activities with immediate effect. The damage has been done through the dissemination of truncated history and strategies of a hidden curriculum delivered via under subconscious state of mind. Malaysians have had a 10-year bad dream, locked in a master-slave world. For those tens of million Ringgit a year, they could have seen better integrated schools, less racist teachers trained in multicultural education, and the implementation of a better curriculum that celebrates diversity and teaches us that Malaysia does not belong to this or that race, but to a land of immigrants valued for their talent and their respect for one another. BTN destroyed that vision. It must therefore be put on trial and next, closed down. We will emerge victorious - as peace-loving Malaysians. ********************************** 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/ |
| Universities told to find pupils aged seven years old from deprived backgrounds in plan to ... Posted: 17 Jan 2013 11:48 AM PST 
Top institutions will have to organise campus visits, masterclasses and mentoring sessions
Those who don't could be fined £500,000
They will have to show how they are supporting pupils at primary schools in the poorest neighbourhoods Emma Reynolds, Daily Mail Seven-year-old children from the most deprived backgrounds should be targeted by top universities, the Government said today. Pupils at the lowest achieving primary schools should be offered individual mentoring, campus visits and masterclasses in specific subjects, announced the Office of Fair Access. The watchdog insisted that universities plough money into preparing disadvantaged youngsters for academic success - even taking over the running of some academies or free schools. Every institution planning to charge students more than £6,000 in fees now has to complete an annual agreement setting out how they will support students from the UK's poorest neighbourhoods. This could include fee waivers, or subsidised fees for poorer students and spending money on 'outreach' work to raise aspirations and achievement in schools and encourage more disadvantaged school pupils to apply. Universities that fail to meet their agreed targets on recruitment and retention face the prospect of fines of up to £500,000, and losing the right to charge more than £6,000. OFFA said universities must focus on raising children's aspirations and achievement at an early age to ensure they have a fair chance of going on to higher education. The document, the first to be published by new OFFA director Professor Les Ebdon, says it is vital that universities and colleges do much more to encourage disadvantaged students to study for a degree. Professor Ebdon says that he wants to see a 'step-change', adding: 'Let there be no doubt - sustained, well-targeted outreach such as summer schools, masterclasses and mentoring can be very effective and we want to see more of it.'  Excellence: Universities such as Oxford (pictured) must show how they are preparing youngsters for higher education OFFA says that universities must set out in their agreements the work they are doing with younger children, including those aged seven to 11, who are still at primary school. The document says that OFFA 'strongly encourages' institutions to have strong links with schools and colleges that traditionally send few students to university, or have large proportions of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2263794/Universities-told-pupils-aged-seven-years-old-deprived-backgrounds-plan-boost-higher-education.html#ixzz2IIOdAa6D |
| Education Blueprint 2013-2025: The danger of making a wrong diagnosis Posted: 17 Jan 2013 11:45 AM PST 
But what is alarming, in my view, is that this blueprint and its 'transformation' hype is not addressing the real problems which have distorted foundations and created deep cracks in our education system. It has merely scratched the surface of our predicament. Pumping in millions of ringgit will not make any difference if the analysis is wrong and the bottom line is ignored, and nicely phrased words make no difference if not properly translated into action. Sandra Rajoo The revised education blueprint 2013-2025 will soon be out. Judging by the proposals in the preliminary report I am not optimistic that this new version will adequately address our education woes. Will the eleven strategic 'shifts' reverse the current situation? The people in the education ministry (MoE) seem to think so, yet concerned educationists, this writer included, are not convinced. These so-called new initiatives are not new. Every now and then authorities rehash them to appease critics and justify their role as custodians of education. Attempts made to get feedback from the public were half-hearted, leaving many disappointed and annoyed. Where is the sincerity? But what is alarming, in my view, is that this blueprint and its 'transformation' hype is not addressing the real problems which have distorted foundations and created deep cracks in our education system. It has merely scratched the surface of our predicament. Pumping in millions of ringgit will not make any difference if the analysis is wrong and the bottom line is ignored, and nicely phrased words make no difference if not properly translated into action. The core issues run deeper than authorities care to admit. A look at just a few of the proposals will show that the eleven 'shifts' are nowhere near solving the problem. Shift 1 talks of providing quality education by benchmarking languages to international standards. Higher-order thinking skills are to be tested in "national examinations and school-based assessments", but, an important principle in evaluation is that you cannot test something that is not taught or learnt. Saying that "…students will be trained to think critically…" does not assure us that this will or can be done, judging by what we see at present. Can we pull out the roots of rote learning from our school culture and allow everyone to think? A million dollar question, indeed. Shift 2 emphasises language proficiency. Where English is concerned, 'upskilling' English teachers or giving students "remedial coaching" do sound hollow when the ministry cannot even ensure that the textbooks under its purview are error-free, especially at the lower levels. One of the objectives in Shift 4 is reducing teachers' administrative duties so that they can focus on teaching. Haven't we heard this before? The fact is, every time this statement is made, it is followed by an increase in administrative and clerical work. Ask any teacher. Pumping more money into ICT (shift 7) and providing "internet access and virtual learning environments" sound nice on paper, but how do you ensure that the subject is properly taught? It is not uncommon to hear of students being directed to copy notes during every ICT period! The same goes for essay writing and science experiments, where students copy long texts from reference books into exercise books. Shift 10 is particularly interesting – maximising student outcomes. What are these outcomes – producing more straight-A students? Who is responsible for the pressure exerted on schools to produce students with A upon A, and letting all else that is important fall by the wayside? Many can't seem to get out of this mindset; this kind of thinking is reinforced in the media and by educators themselves. I would like education ministry officials to take cognisance of what is really happening on the ground. Have these officials analysed how national schools are run, how teachers teach, and whether school heads implement sound education practices? What kind of learning environment do you see? Is anything being done about the existing polarisation or the ugly racism that has taken root in schools? Does anybody realise there is a dangerously poor racial mix of both teachers and students? We should view with concern the existence of subtle and open intimidation, demeaning language, politicking, and unreasonable, irrational and unprofessional behaviour, to name a few. We need to ensure that quality communication, interaction and teaching, respect, logic, honesty, sincerity and integrity flourish in schools and, for that matter, all institutions of education. Consider sincerely the basic tenets outlined in our Philosophy of Education which specifically proposes character building and the holistic development of a child. They are not just 'quotable quotes'. One example of a lack of professionalism and sincerity is the way PPSMI (Maths and Science in English) has been kicked about. The MoE's guidelines on PPSMI are either ambiguous or ignored by schools. Even though the advice is for certain batches to continue learning the subjects in English, what is happening presently runs contrary to the recommendation. Schools have made decisions not based on sound reasoning but according to the whims and fancies of the person in charge. If logic and common sense had prevailed, schools would not have reverted to Bahasa Malaysia (BM) midway as doing so will jeopardise the learning process. Allowing different interpretations by heads of schools gives the impression that MoE has washed its hands off the matter. It is no coincidence that results of the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) 2011 show Malaysia in a dismal position. PAGE (Parent Action Group for Education) has got its finger on the pulse in this matter yet the ministry, with its misplaced pride, is reluctant to engage or consult with this professional body which has willingly provided some succinct and plausible suggestions. Students nowadays are 'taught to the test' which only serves to undermine learning and demoralise them, in my opinion. Imagine, there are secondary school students who may have 'passed the test' but are not aware, for instance, that America and Australia are two different countries, and that Singapore is not a state in Malaysia. Then there are those who don't 'pass the test' because they cannot cope with their studies. These students get left behind as they do not get the help they need. Do we want to see more unemployable graduates and social misfits in our society? Students need to be motivated to learn, something which is not happening today. They should be encouraged to read, and not just textbooks. We want to create a reading society but this habit is not inculcated in schools. Do education officials ever check school libraries to see if there is a good stock of proper reading materials? Do principals? The library has become a place that students are sent to when teachers do not enter class for some reason or other. The education blueprint may appear to be 'the solution', but the truth is, the ministry has completely missed the plot, as it has done many times. Many pertinent issues are not examined, while topics discussed are couched in dodgy, ambiguous jargon and rhetoric. Padding a rotten core with money, new curricula, ICT, packages for principals and teachers, certification etc. can only do so much. Sooner or later, the rot will spread outwards again and we will be back to square one. The MoE has a duty and moral obligation to do the right thing, especially for our children whose future is at stake. Keep self-serving officials and politicians in the backroom. Something is wrong with our system, but systems are made up of people, and those manning the system should be accountable. All things, good or bad, stem from education. Let's return to the fundamentals in education and move the focus back to students and their development. Thank you. |
| Bandingkan video ini dengan sikap Sharifah Jabeen Posted: 17 Jan 2013 11:37 AM PST o9lu0Q6JNVo Kadangkala kita dipaksa untuk lakukan perkara yang kita tidak bersetuju tetapi kerana takut diapa-apakan, kita terpaksa merelakan akan penipuan. Tengok lah video ini, dan fikirkan lah dengan waras, apa kah perbezaan sikap Sharifah di UUM ... isu listen listen listen sama dengan 2+2 =5? Adakah ini cara untuk memperbodohkan rakyat atau salah satu projek untuk brainwash supaya menakut-nakutkan sesiapa yang menentang parti pemerintah? Apa kah komen anda?? SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9lu0Q6JNVo |
| Mind your own business, DAP tells NGOs Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:20 PM PST 
They should not dictate terms on who should be the next deputy chief minister, says a DAP local leader. Athi Shankar, FMT BUTTERWORTH: A DAP local leader here today told Indian-based NGOs to mind their own business and lay off their hands from the party's internal affairs. Bagan parliamentary liaison committee publicity chief G Asoghan said the NGOs have no business to tell the party on whether it should hold fresh party polls. He said the NGOs should also not dictate terms on who should be the next deputy chief minister representing the Indian community in Penang if Pakatan Rakyat retained the state government in the coming general election. He noted that under Societies Act and party constitution, the DAP top leadership has the power to make the final decision on party matters. Hence, he said the decision not to hold fresh polls by the central executive committee (CEC) was final. "If anyone wants to challenge the decision, it should be the defeated candidates at last month's CEC election, not NGOs," said Asoghan, who is also DAP's Jalan Bagan Luar branch chief. Recently, the DAP has admitted that there was a glitch in the tabulation of votes at the party's CEC election held on Dec 15 in Penang. An audit showed that appointed CEC member Zairil Khir Johari garnered 803 votes as opposed to the 305 announced earlier, enough for him to become an elected member. Vincent Wu, on the other hand, received 669 votes as opposed to the 1,202 announced at the end of the voting. He had to vacate his seat among elected CEC members and join the ranks of appointed members. DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has announced that the party would not hold fresh polls. Its national chairman Karpal Singh has said that Section 18c of the Societies Act gave the party the power to make a final decision on the matter and that the decision could not be challenged in court. Stay apolitical 
Asoghan reminded the NGOs that they should always remain apolitical as they always claimed to be. They should stay away from politics. "They should refrain from organising demonstrations and forums demanding the DAP to hold fresh election or to choose certain personality as Penang deputy chief minister II. "They should only mind their own business. They should take their hands off from DAP's affairs," said Asoghan. Yesterday, a group of youths led by Malaysia Tamil Security Council president MV Mathialagan held a demonstration demanding that the DAP hold fresh polls for CEC positions. One banner displayed during the demonstration held in an open space in Taman Supreme, Prai, expressed disappointment that Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy had failed to get himself elected to the committee. But the demonstration at noon nearly turned ugly when a group of local DAP members warned the protesters against trespassing into their territory. The DAP members confronted Mathialagan, and told him he needed their consent to use the open space. However, despite fiery exchange of words, there was no physical contact from either side. Previously, certain NGOs have also organised demonstrations and forums across the country to demand that Penang Chief Minister Guan Eng retain Ramasamy as his deputy chief minister II after the general election. Asoghan reminded the NGOs that the position of deputy chief minister II was not a personal property of anyone to claim permanent inheritance. He said it was a position created by the DAP leadership, notably party supremo Karpal, to serve the Indian community. "The party, especially Indian members, under Karpal's guidance will decide on who's the best to fill the position," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| Don’t sell food to Malays, restaurant told Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:11 PM PST 
Restaurant owner P Segar is puzzled by the state religious department's instruction and wants the PM's Department to intervene. B Nantha Kumar, FMT A restaurant owner in Malacca has claimed that the state Islamic Religious Department (JAIM) has instructed him not to sell food to "Malay" customers. P Segar, 52, who operates a restaurant in Jasin, wanted the Prime Minister's Department to look into the matter. Relating his ordeal to FMT, the businessman said on Jan 14, a group of six Jasin Town Council (MPJ) officers accompanied by three JAIM personnel and two Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry officers visited his restaurant. "While MPJ enforcement officers inspected my business licence and checked on the cleanliness of the restaurant, the rest were sitting outside where we had placed chairs and tables. "Soon after the MPJ officers were satisfied that we had fulfilled all the necessary requirements, the JAIM officers came to the cashier's counter and ordered me not to sell food to Malays," he added. The officer, Segar alleged, who refused to introduce himself, had also instructed to him to sell only drinks and sweets to Malay customers in future. "When I asked him why, he just kept mum. Then one of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs officers intervened and told me that the restaurant did not display a proper price list. "I was shocked by the answer. That's the weirdest answer I have ever heard from a civil servant. So if I don't display a proper price list, I can sell my food to Indians and Chinese but not Malays… I can accept it if they say my food is not 'halal' therefore it should not be served to Muslims. "But this is just out of this world. What is the connection between my price list display and selling food to people of a particular race," Segar said. READ MORE HERE |
| It’s over for SNAP Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:04 PM PST 
The Federal Court has upheld a Registrar of Societies decision to deregister Sarawak Nasional Party (SNAP). (Bernama) - The Sarawak National Party (SNAP), formed in 1961 and which gave the state its first Chief Minister in Stephen Kalong Ningkan, has been deregistered. A Federal Court five-member panel today upheld the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) decision in 2002 to cancel SNAP's registration, after the party failed to comply with a notice requiring it to produce evidence that its leadership crisis had been settled. The court allowed ROS' appeal to overturn the Court of Appeal's decision in June 2010 restoring SNAP's registration. Federal Court judge Abdull Hamid Embong, who chaired the panel, held that ROS was empowered under Section 16 (1) of the Societies Act 1966 to direct a party to settle its dispute. The ROS, he said, needed to form an opinion whether there was a dispute as quickly as possible or else the fate of a society would be left in limbo, and all its activities would have to be suspended. "To make inquiries into those meeting as suggested by the respondent, SNAP's then deputy president Justin Jinggut, would delay the whole process," he said in his 25-paged judgment. Justice Abdull Hamid said the decision to de-register SNAP was merely consequential to the failure of SNAP to comply with the ROS' notice, adding that no reason was required under the law. "There is no evidence of any bad faith or bias against SNAP when the ROS acted under section 13 (1) (c) (ix) (of the Societies Act). His (ROS) action is more administrative than quasi judicial, even though the rights of SNAP were affected," he said. The panel, also comprising Federal Court judges Suriyadi Halim Omar, Ahmad Maarop, Zaleha Zahari and Sulong Matjeraie, awarded ROS a sum of RM20,000 in legal costs.
In 2002, the SNAP leadership was split into two factions, one led by its former president, the late James Wong Kim Min and the other by the late Peter Tinggom, the party's former deputy president, who subsequently formed a new political party called the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). On Nov 5, 2002, the ROS deregistered SNAP after the party failed to comply with a notice issued by ROS requiring it to produce evidence that the crisis was settled. SNAP's then deputy president Justin Jinggut filed a judicial review of the ROS ruling, which was dismissed by the High Court on Sept 15, 2006. On June 23 2010, the Court of Appeal restored the party's registration after allowing Jinggut's appeal to set aside the High Court's decision. On Feb 21, 2012, the Federal Court gave ROS the nod to appeal against the Court of Appeal. Set up in 1961, SNAP was once a Barisan Nasional component in Sarawak. Its current president is Stanley Jugol. ROS was represented by Senior Federal Counsel Amarjeet Singh while SNAP was represented by lawyer Khoo Guan Huat. |
| My favourite song, Listen Posted: 16 Jan 2013 05:42 PM PST 
As I have always said, this coming general election is not going to be about who is going to win it. It is about who is not going to lose it. And the group that makes the most mistakes is going to lose the general election mainly because the 'other side' made lesser mistakes than the side that lost. NO HOLDS BARRED Raja Petra Kamarudin They say, as you get older, like me, you start to become too sentimental and emotional. That could be true. However, those who have known me for most of my life tell me that ever since they knew me back in my younger days I have always been a sentimental and emotional person. I suppose that is quite true. I cry when I watch sad movies. When I listen to beautiful songs with even more beautiful lyrics it brings tears to my eyes. And when I saw Melanie Amaro perform 'Listen' in the X Factor I could not stop myself from getting all teary eyed. And an even bigger problem is I still need to wipe my eyes even till today although I have watched and listened to Melanie perform that song countless times. Many accuse me of being too sentimental and emotional in my writings. Some even sent me nasty messages whacking me for my series The journey in life is never a straight line, which has temporarily stopped at episode 20. "We are not interested to read about your stupid life," they tell me. "Stop writing about yourself," they say. "Just write about the coming general election." Listen is the latest 'phenomena' in Malaysia. This is the result of the exchange between Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin and KS Bawani at the UUM event. In the last general election in 2008, the catchphrase was 'correct, correct, correct'. It looks like in the coming general election expected in February-March this year, the catchphrase is going to be 'listen, listen, listen'. As I have always said, this coming general election is not going to be about who is going to win it. It is about who is not going to lose it. And the group that makes the most mistakes is going to lose the general election mainly because the 'other side' made lesser mistakes than the side that lost. The trouble is, both sides are blundering big time, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat. And we do not know how the voters are going to react to these numerous blunders. Nevertheless, voters being voters, and they are the same all over the world, Malaysians are quite prepared to suffer an attack of denial syndrome and allow all these transgressions to be pushed into the background. Many have asked me what my stand is. They say they are not too clear about my stand and they do not know whether I support Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat. They want to know whether I even have a stand in the first place. Yes, I do have a stand. And I decided more than two years ago back in 2010 what my stand was going to be. However, as much as I tried to explain what this stand is, many still do not get it. I am too 'complicated' for most of them to comprehend. They want me to make things simpler for them. They want to know which herd I am joining. Am I joining the Barisan Nasional herd or the Pakatan Rakyat herd? Herds are for cows. I know Sharifah Zohra Jabeen said even cows have problems. But I am not a cow. So I do not need to have any 'cow problems' by joining any specific herd. So, what is the answer then? What is my stand? Which herd am I joining? Well, I will let Melanie Amaro answer that question. These lyrics explain where I am coming from and if you still do not get it then you are not the type of reader that I want for Malaysia Today. Listen to the song here in my heart A melody I start but can't complete Listen to the sound from deep within It's only beginning to find release Oh, the time has come for my dreams to be heard They will not be pushed aside and turned Into your own all 'cause you won't Listen Listen, I am alone at a crossroads I'm not at home in my own home And I've tried and tried to say what's on mind You should have known Oh, now I'm done believing you You don't know what I'm feeling I'm more than what you made of me I followed the voice you gave to me But now I've gotta find my own You should have listened, there is someone here inside Someone I thought had died so long ago Oh, I'm screaming out and my dreams'll be heard They will not be pushed aside on words Into your own all 'cause you won't Listen cfxGKyYyom8 SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfxGKyYyom8 |
| We were wrong, says UMNO blog over land-for-MB allegation Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:08 PM PST 
(Harakah Daily) - A blog whose allegation shaped UMNO mouthpiece Utusan Malaysia's headline stories recently has today retracted the so-called 'lands-for-MB' claim against Perak DAP leaders and the Kelantan Menteri Besar. On January 13, Pisau.net, part of the UMNO bloggers group, said it had been wrong in accusing DAP's Ngeh Koo Ham and Nga Kor Ming as having accepted bribe in the form of lands in Kelantan through Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, in exchange for the duo's acceptance of a PAS man as Perak MB.
Pakatan Rakyat briefly helmed the Perak state government after the 2008 general election, with PAS's Nizar Jamaluddin as MB.
"After reading and having compared facts provided by MediaPerak that Raja Nazrin (crown prince of Perak) had appointed Nizar (as MB) at that time, Pisau would like to correct the facts in that Ngeh Koo Ham, Nga Kor Ming and Nik Aziz were not involved in allocation of free lands, instead the lands were mortgaged through takeover of Upayapadu," wrote Pisau.net. In his response, Ngeh said the explanation cleared names but it was insufficient.
"Besides publishing the article in full in blog, we also want pisau.net to publish a public statement on the denial in five mainstream papers within seven days after receiving our legal notice," said Negh, the Beruas member of parliament, who has initiated a defamation suit against the blogger and several newspapers.
The controversy started when Utusan Malaysia and other UMNO-controlled media used information obtained from Pisau.net. Among others, it had alleged that 10,526 acres of land worth over RM30 million in Gua Musang was given by the Kelantan state government to Upayapadu Plantation Sdn Bhd, a company owned by Ngeh and his cousin Nga.
Nik Aziz's press secretary Ahmad Fadhli Shaari had issued a detailed statement rebutting the claim, showing how Upayapadu leased the lands from the Kelantan Islamic Foundation (YIK).
Fadhli had said that the leasing of Upayapadu was done in 2006 and Nga and Ngeh's ownership in Upayapadu only took effect in May 2012, rendering the allegations false.
This was the second time this month that a UMNO-backed blog had retracted its allegation against Pakatan Rakyat leaders.
Prior to this, UMNO blogger 'Novandri' apologised to Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad after he called the latter a 'bishop'.
The statement of apology was published on his blog and displayed on Harakahdaily as part of the term of settlement. |
| Cubic Listening Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:37 PM PST 
I would like to jump onto the "Listen, Listen, Listen" bandwagon. At first, I thought the whole episode reeked of a local reality show. Then I googled "KS Bawani" and found her Facebook page, i.e. Bawani KS. Interestingly, she only had seven likes in December and as I write now, she has more than 19,700 likes! Bawani became an overnight sensation after her video went viral. Popular Malaysian artistes like Yuri and Namewee even made video parodies of the incident. My take on the whole thing. Sharifah is the epitome of an absolute power corrupting absolutely. Just like BN who was in power for the past 55 years and has become complacent. Bawani is the epitome of the suppression of freedom. Just like the Rakyat who allowed BN to be in power year in year out for the past 55 years. The Rakyat who was supposed to be the boss who voted BN, the servant to serve them, have the tables turned on them. Now, the Rakyat is subjected to draconian laws that restrict freedom of expression and speech (Peaceful Assembly Act, Police Act and Sedition Act) and restrict freedom of information (OSA) so that they can continue to plunder the nation's wealth by dishing out mega contracts to cronies and deplete the nation's natural resources. Sharifah had the audacity to say that she was being respectful towards Bawani. It is so typical BN style to be oblivious of their follies. Asking critics (no matter how constructive) to leave the country if they are not happy is another example BN's arrogant style. Expecting other party to "listen, listen, listen to me" and not allowing the other party to speak is the actual depiction of the relationship among the BN's main component parties of UMNO, MCA and MIC. When UMNO talks, the others just listen and agree. Where do we go from here? Quo vadis? Remember pre-2008 when BN had the two thirds majority and the effects of the 2008 political earthquake that denied them the two thirds majority? Remember the pre-2008, exhibition of Ketuanan Melayu during the UMNO general assembly and the post-2008, incessant attacks on the opposition being the main agendas of UMNO and MCA general assemblies? That showed us that we the Rakyat possess the power to make a difference. The Peoples' Power (Makkal Sakti). We need to remove them from power in order to remove these shackles that are preventing us to move forward to a better future. Make them "listen, listen, listen" to us !!! Nicole Tan Lee Koon Secretary, Seremban branch, DAP NS Tweet handle : @loyarbaik Website : Nicole Tan Lee Koon, Social Politico Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/nicoletanleekoon Facebook Page : http://www.facebook.com/nicoleleekoontan |
| Lesson of 'listen, listen, listen' Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:05 PM PST 
Azly Rahman As a student of Cultural-Philosophical Studies with a passion in radical educational change framed within the context of cybernating-hypermodern societies such as Malaysia, I see the "Bawani-Zohra Affair" as emblematic of a nation gone berserk on the issue of freedom of speech and the culture of dialogue and public discourse. We are in an 'amuck-latah' mood. The nation, at least in cyberspace, is furious (amuck) of what happened, and the protagonist of the propaganda machine fumbled big-time (latah) assuming that the teaching techniques of the "top-down, humiliate-first, no-apologies later" of many a Biro Tata Negara speaker can still be deployed unreservedly onto university students at the time when amateur videos can go viral, when tweets can flow like a tsunami, and when Facebook pages can be created in a fraction of seconds.
That's the mistaken assumption - that the Frankenstein called "social media technology" will also not run amuck helping those silenced to have their poetic justice, and those humiliated to become an honourable being raised to the level of stardom, overnight.
It is said that at times, you do not need to find the revolution - for the revolution will find you. The revolution found both Bawani and Zohra in such an 'absurd' way, such as in many of the plots of French surrealist dramas like Eugene Ionesco's rhinoceros running wild on the city streets, and Kafka's character moving from desolation to awareness in "Metamorphosis".
The timing was perfect, like that storm brewing right after the almost-a-million Malaysian march to take over Putrajaya; after the Deepak drama which was over-played, overdosing even the older folks; after the successes of all those Bersih rallies, and many other watersheds upon watersheds of consciousness-raising events, and ultimately, after the last hurrah circa GE13 - all these ripened the relevance of the fateful "Bawani-Zohra" rendezvous.
Hence, Malaysians saw not only an explosion of anger, but one that fuelled tremendous amounts of creative products, mainly in the realm of multimedia (music videos, Facebook and Internet posters, audio and video materials, and the production of other forms of creative artifacts inspired by the mantra "listen-listen-listen...").
That is my observation, albeit too, as a 'participant-observer' who managed to contribute to the dialogue through my public writings here on Facebook, and in my other column in Malaysia-Today.
I have always found examples of the chaos and complexity theory at work in these kinds of phenomena; the "butterfly effect" of Malaysian public discourse, which must be framed in its most kaleidoscopic and multidimensional way.
Mind-controlling machinery?
In this case, a simple few minutes of verbal exchange in a dialogue on a campus situated way up in the "boonies" as the Appalachians in Ohio would say, can have far-reaching impacts up till now, leading to even the fall of the Barisan Nasional regime that has, for the last 30 years, been using the universities as a place wherein the human mind - of student, staff, and even faculty - would essentially need to "shut up and listen-listen-listen". READ MORE HERE |
| Kronologi Kes Listen Bawani @ UUM Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:55 PM PST 
Oleh : Mahasiswa UUM Daripada seorang sahabat yang ada di tempat kejadian #Listen. sila lihat kronologi di bawah. Saya akan cuba jelaskan apa yang berlaku kerana saya adalah salah seorang yang berada di dalam dewan terbabit dan mengikuti perkembangan forum ini seawal seminggu sebelum forum ini berlangsung, kerana minat sebagai seorang mahasiswa terhadap tajuk forum berkenaan pada awalnya. Saya akan cuba jelaskan dalam bentuk kronologi; [SEBELUM PROGRAM] Seminggu sebelum forum ini berlangsung, saya sudah mendaftarkan diri sebagai peserta sewaktu borang pendaftaran diagihkan di dalam kelas. Kenapa saya begitu cepat untuk mendaftarkan diri? Adakah saya ini peminat Puan Sharifah? Harus untuk kamu semua tahu, bahawasanya sewaktu publisiti program itu digembar-gemburkan beberapa perkara menarik minat diri ini untuk turut serta; [1] TAJUK Tajuk forum pada hari kejadian yang digembar-gemburkan ialah "Seiringkah Mahasiswa Berpolitik?" cukup jelas dan umum. Ini perkara pertama yang membuatkan saya mendaftar sebagai peserta tanpa berfikir panjang. [2] MODERATOR  Moderator pada hari kejadian dikatakan saudara yang saya hormati YDP MPPUUM (gambar) sendiri iaitu Saudara Ku Amirul, dia adalah pimpinan tertinggi di dalam kampus ini, wajar bagi saya menaruh harapan besar untuk mendengar penjelasan beliau tentang "SEIRINGKAH MAHASISWA BERPOLITIK?".
[3] MISTERI PANELIS Panelis jemputan pada hari kejadian di"rahsia"kan, saya ini jiwa ingin tahu, jiwa mencari ilmu, jiwa mencari solusi, apabila panelis di"rahsia"kan, hati saya membuak-buak mencari siapakah mereka? Sememang hati saya berteka-teki mungkinkah tokoh-tokoh ilmuan negara? Ataupun ahli akademik yang berautoriti tinggi akan mengupas tajuk ini. Tiga point di atas menjadikan saya mungkin antara peserta terawal mendaftar, nampak seperti gelojoh, tapi gelojoh saya gelojoh gilakan "ilmu". Adakah persoalan saya "SEIRINGKAH MAHASISWA BERPOLITIK" selama ini akan dijawab pada hari kejadian dengan berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip ilmu dan keterbukaan agama? [SEWAKTU PROGRAM] ~SEJAM AWAL PROGRAM~ Saya berada di sana 9.15 pagi lebih kurang. Sewaktu penulis sampai, makan pagi disediakan, makanan disediakan untuk 2000 peserta, "tingginya peruntukan program ni". Saya masuk dewan, dan saya lihat background pentas tertulis satu tajuk yang berlainan dengan apa yang saya ketahui sebelum ini, adakah tajuk diubah? Menunggu dan menunggu lebih kurang pukul 10 pagi barulah persoalan penulis terjawab dengan ketibaan VIP jemputan dan panelis diumumkan.
Antara 4 panelis :
1. Presiden Pertubuhan Suara Wanita 1Malaysia
2. Peter Yap (salesman)
3. Gulam Muzafar (banker)
4. Mazli Mutazam (Pengetua Kolej Proton, UUM) ~ 2 JAM AWAL PROGRAM~ Saya sedikit kecewa dengan senarai panelis yang ada namun kerana jiwa ini dahagakan penjelasan mengenai isu ini, terus berada di dalam dewan terbabit moga-moga, mereka dapat mengulas tajuk ini dengan baik. Malang kerana apa yang saya hajati tak tercapai dan lebih malang lagi forum telah berubah kepada isu kepimpinan wanita, dan ini senarai isu yang dimainkan
[1] Ambiga pencetus demokrasi.
[2] Kes Nurul Izzah dengan kebebasan beragama.
[3] Bersih.
[4]Mahasiswa berdemonstrasi PTPTN. Dari 10.00 pagi sehingga 12.30 tengah hari, isu ini lah yang diulas, langsung tiada hujah ilmiah dan hanya membawa pandangan sebelah pihak, berulangkali panelis-panelis di atas sana menyatakan bahawa mereka tidak berpolitik kepartian tetapi ingin menunjukkan pimpinan wanita yang bermasalah di negara dan ingin dijadikan iktibar, saya akur! Tapi kenapa pimpinan pembangkang sahaja yang diserang? Maksumkah pimpinan wanita kerajaan? Mana kes menteri Shahrizat Jalil dengan NFC? Kes "First Lady" Rosmah Mansur dengan cincinnya? Satu sahaja ingin saya utarakan, adakah adil kamu menyerang sebelah pihak hanya kerana "mereka" berhaluan kiri? ~SEJAM SEBELUM TAMAT PROGRAM~ Saya melihat di sebelah, seorang peserta sedang menulis di satu helaian borang. Bila saya perhatikan, ada yang tidak kena dengan helaian borang ini, yang menganjurkan adalah NGO tetapi kenapa di bawah helaian kertas ini berisikan biodata diri dan tempat mengundi dun dan parlimen. Bila saya tanya kepada peserta terbabit dari mana datangnya, rupanya borang itu diedarkan awal program lagi, patutlah saya tak dapat kerana agak lewat. Saya ambil gambar borang untuk mencari jawapan kenapa borang ini agak ganjil pada pandangan saya. Kemudian sesi soal jawab dibuka, saya sudah bersedia ingin bertanya, malang terus berpanjangan apabila dua soalan sahaja dibuka. Tidak sempat saya sampai di mikrofon untuk bertanya soalan di tengah-tengah dewan itu sesi soalan telah ditutup. Saya mula rasa "semacam". Saya tahu bukan saya sahaja yang ingin bertanya tetapi tidak berkesampaian, selepas jawapan diberikan oleh Puan Sharifah, tiba-tiba beliau meminta kami berdiri, dan kemudian YDP MPP menjadi ketua membaca ikrar. Saya tidak mengikutnya kerana saya langsung tidak jelas apa yang ingin diikrarkan sebenarnya (mungkin tidak teratur seperti yang sebenar tetapi secara asas beginilah). ~MISS BAWANI MENGHANGATKAN SUASANA~ Selesai sahaja ikrar, sejurus sahaja semua dipersilakan duduk, sedang asyik Puan Sharifah bercakap di hadapan, satu suara minta untuk diberi perhatian kerana ingin melontar pendapat. Ya itu adalah Bawani. Perisitwa inilah yang menjadi bualan sekarang, dan mengegar satu Malaysia, saya mempunyai beberapa pandangan yang berbeza dalam kejadian ini. [1] Menyokong TINDAKAN Bawani.
Saya bersetuju dengan apa yang DIPERSOALKAN oleh Bawani, sahabat-sahabat yang tidak berada di majlis berkenaan perlu tahu kami menghabiskan masa selama 3 jam untuk mendapat ilmu pengetahuan, tetapi hanya provokasi murahan dengan melabel dan mengecam "mereka" yang berhaluan kiri. Tajuk forum telah lama terbabas. Dan pihak penganjur mempersoalkan kenapa tidak bertanya sewaktu sesi soal jawab dibuka, saya rasa penganjur perlu sedar bahawasa penganjur hanya membuka 2 soalan untuk kami bertanya sedangkan TAJUK forum belum lagi terungkai! Hujah Miss Bawani cukup padu dengan fakta numberic dan perbandingan dengan negara-negara luar, syabas untuk Miss Bawani. [2] Tidak Menyokong NADA SUARA Bawani
Saya yang berada di majlis berkenaan kurang bersetuju dengan nada suara yang digunakan oleh Miss Bawani. Nada suara yang digunakan agak terbabas dari kawalan emosi, mungkin sahabat pembaca tidak bersetuju dengan pandangan ini, tapi inilah pandangan saya yang berada disana, dengan nada suara yang agak tinggi, membuatkan peserta kurang jelas apa yang diperkatakan oleh Bawani sendiri, dan jika kamu berada di tempat kejadian, kamu akan berdebar, dan kelihatan seolah satu pergaduhan "tarik rambut" akan berlaku. [3] Sepenuhnya Tidak Bersetuju Dengan Puan Sharifah
Puan Sharifah dikatakan mempunyai pendidikan yang tinggi dan dikhabarkan cukup profesional, tetapi respon terhadap kejadian ini cukup mendukacitakan. Puan Sharifah lebih berpengalaman, Puan Sharifah lebih intelektual, Puan Sharifah lebih matang sepatutnya dalam mengawal suasana seperti ini. Dengan hujah Bawani yang matang, malangnya Puan Sharifah telah mengambil satu keputusan cukup memalukan, dengan beranalogi suatu yang tidak patut, menghina, merendahkan suara mahasiswi. Sememang wajar jika Puan Sharifah MEMOHON MAAF kepada Miss Bawani pada pandangan saya. Selesai selesai sesi "PANAS" ini, forum berlangsung dengan penuh meriahnya bersama "GALAXY NOTE CLONE". [SELEPAS PROGRAM] Selesai forum, 2000 peserta sekali lagi diberi makanan tengah hari percuma. Ramai yang berbicara kejadian panas ini, tetapi hanya berlegar di kalangan pelajar UUM. Ada yang menyokong dan ada yang mengkeji tindakan Bawani. Tetapi sebulan selepas program ini berlangsung barulah isu ini tersebar dan menjadi bualan seluruh Malaysia.
PANDANGAN PERIBADI PENULIS
SAYA MENYOKONG BAWANI SEPENUHNYA CUMA MUNGKIN PERLU DIBAIKI BEBERAPA PERKARA, DAN KEPADA PEMBACA NILAILAH SENDIRI. CUMA YANG MASIH MENJADI PERSOALAN SAYA, PERUNTUKAN YANG CUKUP TINGGI DIPERLUKAN UNTUK PROGRAM SEPERTI INI (2 KALI MAKAN UNTUK 2000 PESERTA, 10 GALAXY NOTE CLONE TIDAK TERMASUK SAGUHATI) DARI MANA DATANGNYA UNTUK PROGRAM YANG SEBEGINI RENDAH KUALITINYA???
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| Azmin: Pakatan firm on ‘Allah’ issue Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:55 PM PST 
The PAS Syura Council's stance that non-Muslims cannot use the word "Allah" in translations of religious text is not applicable to Pakatan, says Azmin Ali. Anisah Shukry, FMT Pakatan is sticking to its decision that non-Muslims are allowed to use the word 'Allah', the party's vice president Azmin Ali said today, despite the PAS Syura Council stating otherwise. "The issue of Allah is resolved and has not changed. Recently, the PAS president reaffirmed the position of PAS in the meeting of the Pakatan presidential council on Jan 8, and it was the same as in 2010… "We are bound by the Pakatan Rakyat policies that were discussed during the meeting. And because we are bound to those policies, we will stick to that decision. The Syura Council is not related to it," Azmin told reporters at a press conference at the PKR headquarters today. On Jan 8, Pakatan announced that it had no qualms about non-Muslims using the word 'Allah' to refer to God as long as it was not misused. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that 'Allah', which is written in the Quran, is special and cannot be translated properly to other languages. "That's why Muslims of all races refer to God as Allah. So non-Muslims can use the holy word although it may not reflect the original meeting," Hadi had said. But the PAS Syura council said on Monday that non-Muslims should prevent the use of the word 'Allah' in translations of their religious text. "Translating the word God or Lord from any non Muslim religious texts to the word Allah cannot be allowed because it is wrong from the aspect of meaning….therefore, it has to be prevented," PAS spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat wrote in a statement. PAS and Pakatan have received brickbrats and criticism over the apparent U-turn, but Azmin stressed today that the opposition pact would stand firm to its earlier decision. READ MORE HERE |
| Welcoming party is over for Zairil Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:44 PM PST 
DAP golden boy Zairil Khir Johari is learning that a famous family name can be a double-edged sword in the game of politics. A well-known family name is great in politics but as Zairil and others before him have learnt, it can also backfire. Google Zairil's name and one will be bombarded by items questioning whether he is a real Malay or the real son of Khir. The Internet gossip about him has almost completely eclipsed his role as the Malay face of DAP. Joceline Tan, The Star 
ZAIRIL Khir Johari is not in a good place right now. He parachuted into DAP on the strength of a famous family name but the very same fame has now put him on the defensive. The last few days have found Zairil having to explain his status as the son of the late Tan Sri Khir Johari. It was weird that he had to defend his status as the son of his father but that sort of thing does happen when one drives on the fast lane of the political highway. A well-known family name is great in politics but as Zairil and others before him have learnt, it can also backfire. Google Zairil's name and one will be bombarded by items questioning whether he is a real Malay or the real son of Khir. The Internet gossip about him has almost completely eclipsed his role as the Malay face of DAP. He told a business publication recently: "People say crazy things about me but at the end of the day, I will prove myself." His defenders have condemned accusations about his lineage as "gutter politics". They say it is petty, irrelevant and vicious. What does his lineage have to do with his politics? they ask. Quite a lot, actually. DAP leaders went to town with the news that Tan Sri Khir Johari's son had joined the party. It was the chance for them to thumb their nose at Umno. Zairil was given the red carpet treatment and a "direct flight ticket" to the 28th floor of Komtar. He joined the party in September 2010 and was appointed political secretary to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng five months later. "We appointed him not because of his race but because of his attributes and qualifications. He is also learned, especially in international relations and diplomacy. He just happens to be a Malay," Lim had said then. However, not everyone was as bowled over as Lim. "He was like the wind blowing in. The grassroots had never heard of him but the top decided he was a political advantage and suddenly he was up there," said a Penang DAP worker. By the end of 2011, Zairil was Special Officer to the Chief Minister. Three months later, he was promoted to CEO of the state think-tank, the Penang Institute, overseeing experts who had decades of experience in their respective fields. Very few people in the party were happy for him because he was only 29 and a rookie politician with little to show in terms of contribution. As one DAP veteran put it: "The best kind of curry puff, you have to make from scratch. But nowadays they buy the ready-made curry puff from the supermarket. You have to defrost it, it looks nice and puffs up when you cook it but the ingredients are not there and it doesn't taste right." Most people would not have given a hoot as to whether Zairil was the biological son or otherwise of Khir, but DAP made such a song and dance about the Khir Johari name that the Umno bloggers hit back with a vengeance. The end result is that truth and fiction have become all mixed up. The botched DAP polls that saw Zairil go from a loser to a winner did him more harm than good. Very few people bought the story that it was a computing glitch and it was seen as yet another attempt to push the Chief Minister's golden boy up the political ladder. The resentment has swelled on news that the party is looking for a safe seat for him in the general election. A few months ago, Zairil had to deny that he was being slated for the Sungai Pinang state seat. His name also popped up as the replacement for Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong who is reportedly hopping over to his home state Johor. But the rumour mill now has him going to Pulau Tikus after assemblyman Koay Teng Hai was slapped with a six-month suspension earlier this week for not attending a crucial State Legislative Assembly sitting. The speculation is that the party is using this as an excuse to ditch Koay and make the seat available for Zairil. Pulau Tikus, populated mainly by middle-class Chinese, is tailor-made for him because party people say that they cannot see Zairil dealing with a working-class populace. Their impression of him is that he mingles only with the big names. Zairil is basically a rather shy and introverted personality. The most successful politicians are those who can strike up a conversation with anyone, friend or stranger, big name or small fry – Zairil has yet to master this. He is not aggressive or pushy and his detractors admit that his fast-track path in the party is because the boss likes him. They used to call him "teacher's pet" behind his back but now they call him "Tokong's boy". During last month's DAP Congress in Penang, he stood out like a sore thumb among the traditional DAP grassroots. He was seen sitting apart from the rest, fiddling with his handphone and iPad. The party's annual gathering was the golden opportunity to meet delegates from all over the country and he could have milked the occasion by moving around and introducing himself to the delegates, to mingle and make small talk. The feel-good factor over Zairil has worn off. The family name opened some very big doors for him but credibility is not ascribed, it has to be earned. Gossip about him will continue and will only dissipate when he is able to show that the family name is secondary to what he can do on his own. |
| I am not the Wan, says EC deputy chairman Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST 
(The Star) - Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar has yet again been dragged into something that he had no part in, no thanks to his very common name. In the latest case of mistaken identity, the second for Wan Ahmad in recent months, he was accused of allegedly ordering the issuance of ICs to 16,000 immigrants about two decades ago. Wan Ahmad said the person involved whose name was also Datuk Wan Ahmad, served in the commission but was based in Sabah. He has long retired. "I just want to clarify that the Wan Ahmad mentioned during the RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry into illegal immigrants) is certainly not me. "I have never served in Sabah and I joined the EC only in 1998, long after the issue cropped up," he said. Wan Ahmad was commenting on a claim made by former Sabah NRD deputy director Mohd Nasir Sungit that Datuk Wan Ahmad had allegedly ordered Indonesian and Filipino immigrants to be registered as voters. Mohd Nasir made the claim during the RCI hearing in Sabah yesterday. Mohd Nasir, who was serving in the state from the 1960 to 1995, had also been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for allegedly issuing identity cards to unqualified immigrants. Wan Ahmad said that in 1994, he was working as an officer at the Prime Minister's Department. Wan Ahmad said this was not the first time he was implicated in issues due to mistaken identity, as he had a very common name. "Some time ago, the Opposition went to town claiming that I was a Kelantan Umno member, but I had the last laugh when it turned out that the Umno member is another person who happened to share the same name. "Now I want to make a pre-emptive strike to shut those who may try to create funny news out of the latest development, because I still want to have the last laugh," he chuckled. |
| Plot to implicate Anwar in Sabah RCI, Azmin claims Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:28 PM PST 
Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider PKR has received information of a scheme to implicate Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the on-going royal inquiry on Sabah's illegal immigrants issue, the party's deputy president Azmin Ali alleged today. He said this when asked to comment on the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), now in its fourth day of hearing, in which former civil servants have testified on allegations involving the granting of citizenships and voting rights to immigrants. "[A]nd I also received information (the) ultimate goal will relate to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also. "All the problems in this country is burdened on the de-facto leader and we also expect (this)," he said today. Azmin also sought to pre-emptively deflect attention towards the ruling administration. "But if we look at the testimonies today, it involves the role of the prime minister's institutions... not the role that is carried by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," Azmin said at a press conference here. Azmin later said the testimonies given before the RCI's panel "confirmed that the institutions and agencies involved are purely under the administration of the Prime Minister's Department." He then listed the Prime Minister's Office, the Home Affairs Ministry, the National Registration Department (NRD), the Immigration Department, saying that "all these agencies were under the leadership of Dr Mahathir". "So Dr Mahathir must be responsible for these operations in Sabah," he said. Azmin was referring to former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who was in power from 1981 to 2003. The country's longest-serving prime minister has been accused of spearheading the so-called "Project IC", in which citizenships were allegedly given to immigrants in exchange for their votes. But former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh, who administered the state from 1976 to 1985, denied on Tuesday the existence of "Project IC". Anwar served as the country's deputy prime minister from 1993 until his sacking in 1998, and was also the finance minister from 1990 until his dismissal. |
| Dog frequent churchgoer since owner died Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:08 PM PST After following his mistress's coffin up to the church on the day of her funeral, Tommy has returned daily. (AFP) - ROME: Since his owner died two months ago, Tommy the dog has not missed a single mass in the small church in southern Italy where his mistress's funeral was held, Italian media said yesterday. When the bells of the Santa Maria Assunta church begin to toll each afternoon in San Donaci near Brindisi, the 12-year-old German Shepherd sets off from the village to get himself a front row seat next to the altar, Il Messaggero newspaper said. His owner, who was known in local dialect as "Maria tu lu campu" — "Maria of the fields" — had lived alone with Tommy and three other rescue dogs, who used to follow her faithfully on her daily rounds and have now been adopted by the village. After following his mistress's coffin up to the church on the day of her funeral, Tommy has returned daily, sitting quietly throughout masses, baptisms and funerals, according to local priest Donato Panna, who now wouldn't do without him. |
| Bumburing’s frontman, PKR leader in punch-up Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:03 PM PST 
Despite Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's assurance that all is well in Sabah PKR, skirmishes between original and 'new' party members indicate otherwise. Calvin Kabaron, FMT KOTA KINABALU: All is not good within Sabah PKR, if a recent punch-up in Kota Belud is any indication. A heated argument over who is the "more rightful" PKR candidate in Sabah led to punches between two local leaders from Kota Belud. The punch-up was between the leaders of "PKR ori (originals)" and PKR photocopy (Wilfred Bumburing's Angkatan Perubahan sabah-APS- members) Mail Balinu, who is with APS, was allegedly flattened with one blow by one Minsin Sompong, from the other faction. Both men, who are from the Kadamaian state constituency under the Kota Belud parliamentary seat, about 70km from here, were apparently engaged in a heated conversation when Sompong lost his head. PKR officials quickly stepped in to prevent any fallout. The one-sided brawl only came to light after a series of squabbles and intimidation between the "PKR ori" and "PKR photocopy" (non-PKR members members of APS and PPS [Pakatan Perubahan Sabah] led by Beaufort MP Lajim Ukin who defected from Umno-BN). Both APS and PPS have been actively working the ground here as support for PKR continues to rise. Bumburing's frontman A local PKR leader from Kota Belud, who requested anonymity, told FMT that the duo were quickly separated by friends and that Balinu managed to stand up after a few seconds. READ MORE HERE |
| Allah issue: ‘PAS entitled to own opinion’ Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST 
Barisan Nasional's decision to appeal the High Court ruling allowing the use of the 'Allah' term among Christians is proof that only Umno runs the government. Joseph Tawie, FMT Legitimate and misbegotten arguments aside, the Allah issue has proved a key distinction between the Barisan Nasional coalition and its nemesis Pakatan Rakyat. In BN, only Umno speaks and there is only one view. But in Pakatan's case it is a coalition of three independent parties with their own respective views, said Sarawak DAP secretary-general Chong Chieng Jen. "If you compare BN and Pakatan Rakyat, you will see that [with the latter] the three partners [DAP, PKR and PAS] have their own say. "But at the end of the day a collective decision carries the day. "What is most important is the collective decision of Pakatan which has agreed that the word 'Allah' can be used by Muslims and non-Muslims. PAS can forward its decision to Pakatan and it will be discussed by the collective leadership," Chong said. Chong, who is also national DAP vice-president, was commenting on the decision of PAS' Syura Council to ban non-Muslims from using the word "Allah". "PAS is entitled to its own opinion. It is entitled to make its own decision, but eventually a consensus will be reached at the coalition level. "But BN's policy in banning the use of the word 'Allah' shows that in BN only Umno's view counts. All the talks by others in BN do not count," he said, adding that Pakatan had agreed to adopt a "liberal and open stand" on religious matters. BN has banned the use of the word despite a High Court ruling in December 2009 to the contrary. The ban, however, is limited to Peninsular Malaysia, a rule that has left the opposition confounded. "BN has banned the use of the word 'Allah' in Peninsular Malaysia but in east Malaysia, BN allows Christians to use the word 'Allah' to mean God. "Why the difference, as if we in East Malaysia have a different 'Allah'. Aren't we, after all, 1Malaysia?" he asked. |
| BN’s denial syndrome not helping Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:56 PM PST 
The show of support at the Saturday rally is yet another clear indication that the rakyat wants a change and that too for the better. Jeswan Kaur, FMT The politicking post-Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat continues for the federal government which is bent on having the last laugh, that too at the expense of its nemesis, the opposition Pakatan Rakyat. Last Saturday's gathering dubbed "the people's uprising" at Stadium Merdeka under the aegis of Pakatan, which saw a turnout of some 100,000 supporters, was all about demanding that the ruling Barisan Nasional government do the "right thing" which included reforming the electoral system, reviewing the Felda administration, equal treatment for Sabahans and Sarawakians and upgrading the use of the English language and preserving Bahasa Malaysia. Yet, none of the above concerns affected the ruling government. With the 13th general election round the corner, BN continues to engage in money politics, working desperately to buy over the rakyat's votes in all ways conceivable. BN has lambasted Pakatan for flouting stipulations under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 which, among others, bars children from participating in rallies and demonstrations. The rally organiser has now come under police scrutiny for breaking three conditions under the Act, that is, no child participation, breaching the maximum 30,000 crowd capacity allowed at Dataran Merdeka and displaying inciting banners. In fact, the BN government has been very sly on this issue, using the Jan 12 rally to its advantage by giving out a false message via its tightly-controlled mainstream media that Pakatan had the police to be thankful for a peaceful gathering. As for the massive show of support, the police obviously under "orders from the higher ups" toned down the 100,000 number to a mere 45,000. BN's denial syndrome not helping Either BN is in denial or the coalition is afraid to contemplate its future in the face of the coming general election. Had the ruling government been trusting and comfortable in its own skin, there would have been no reason for it to downplay the huge turnout nor would there have been the need to give unnecessary credit to the police. The Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat gathering was a peaceful affair. Why? Was it because the police had post-Bersih become "competent"? Or was it because this time around Prime Minister and BN chief Najib Tun Razak had given no orders for the police to act aggressively against last Saturday rally's protesters? The truth is the Jan 12 rally was seen as an excellent opportunity by BN to condemn its nemesis and earn the rakyat's much-needed empathy and support. This time around the ruling government did not think it necessary to instigate the people through chaos and that too at the expense of the opposition because Bersih 2.0 on July 9, 2011 and Bersih 3.0 on April 28, 2012 had done the trick for BN. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Ruthless’ exco incurs wrath of PKR Indians Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:52 PM PST 
Selangor executive councilor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar is allegedly using PKR disciplinary committee chairman Dr Tan Kee Kwong to avenge his rivals within the party. B Nantha Kumar, FMT A movement wanting Selangor executive councilor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar to step down has taken root inside PKR. It is believed that this movement will hold a peaceful gathering soon to show the Indian community's dissatisfaction with him. Branding Jeyakumar as a "little napoleon", Batu PKR division member N Shamugam said the Sri Andalas assemblyman was the "brainchild" behind Kapar MP S Manikavasagam's show-cause letter from the party. Shamugam claimed that Jeyakumar was also behind the suspension of Puchong division member S Murali. Manikavasagam, an outspoken politician, was issued a show-cause letter last week for criticising Jeyakumar. Manikavasagam called Jeyakumar a "bastard" and blamed him for the demolition of several temples in Selangor over the past four years. His criticism was triggered by the recent demolition of a Hindu shrine in Sepang, located within a house compound, by several officers from the Sepang Municipal Council (MPS). Jeyakumar, who had initially defended the officers' action, later claimed that it was an act of sabotage. Earlier, Murali was issued a temporary suspension letter by the party's disciplinary committee for allegedly being involved in a ruckus at a Tamil daily's office. According to Shanmugam, Jeyakumar is close to PKR disciplinary committee chairman Dr Tan Kee Kwong. "Thus, Jeyakumar works with Tan to take revenge against his political rival," he alleged. Jeyakumar eyeing Kapar
Shanmugam said Jeyakumar's influence over Tan was such that despite a receiving a letter from the editor of the Tamil daily absolving Murali
of any involvement in the ruckus, Tan was adamant about not revoking the temporary suspension. "Worse still, it is now believed the discipline bureau during a committee members meeting on Tuesday has recommended to fully suspend both Manikavasagam and Murali," he added. According to Shanmugam, by suspending Manikavagam, Jeyakumar would have a free ride to contest in the Kapar constituency. Murali meanwhile is known for his criticism against Jeyakumar on Tamil school funds awarded by the state government. It is learnt that Jeyakumar, an incumbent in Sri Andalas, is keen to contest in a parliament seat after the party's top leadership decided not to retain him as an exco after the 13th general election. "Jeyakumar is only good to work as a 'despatch boy' to Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dispersing funds to schools and temples. "He has never initiated any programmes for the state's Indians in the last four years," said Shanmugam. Shanmugam also said that Jeyakumar was "arrogant and ruthless" with party members. He also accused the exco of deliberately sabotaging party vice-president N Surendran's programmes. Citing, the "stateless Indian" rally in Putrajaya on Dec 12 last year, Shanmugam said Jeyakumar refused to attend the protest because it was organised by Surendran. READ MORE HERE |
| Umno: It's her ‘personal opinion’ Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:50 PM PST 
Barisan Nasional leaders have distanced themselves from Umno Wanita member, Norhayati Saiddin's attack on law undergraduate KS Bawani. G Vinod, FMT Umno has distanced itself from the racially charged rants of a member of its Wanita wing against law undergraduate KS Bawani. Umno supreme council member Saifuddin Abdullah said that Norhayati Saiddin's post, on her Facebook page yesterday, telling Bawani to study in India if she wanted free education was "personal opinion." Norhayati had also posted that the Indian community were making too many demands, claiming Indians living in estates in the past never knew what a toilet was before Barisan Nasional came along. Said Saifuddin: "This lady's statement is her personal opinion and does not reflect Umno or BN's stand. "Her statement is unbecoming, especially in the context of 1Malaysia." Other BN leaders have also distanced themselves from Norahayati's statement. "It's uncalled for and a very stupid statement," said an angry Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow. Calling it an unnecessary comment, Teng said that Norhayati's statement only reflected the latter's mentality. "She should go read the nation's history before opening her mouth," said Teng, who added that he would take up the matter with Umno leadership. MIC secretary-general S Murugesan concurred with Teng's assessment, saying he did not expect such comments to come from a fellow member of component party. "We have to check whether Norhayati is an Umno member. If she is, we will put our unhappiness on record," he said, adding that he will refer the matter to BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Umno Wanita chief, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Murugesan also said that such racially charged statements by any Malaysian should not be tolerated, especially from a BN component party. "There is no room for such comments in a progressive and united Malaysia," he said. Bawani shot to fame after a video of her being berated by Suara Wanita 1Malaysia chief Sharifah Zohra Jabeen went viral on the Internet. Sharifah was seen patronizing Bawani for asking questions on free education. The former even told the latter to move to other country if she wanted free education. |
| Religious Pluralism: The Key to Overcoming Global Conflict and Achieving Peace Posted: 16 Jan 2013 10:17 AM PST 
Those who assert that their religious faith is the only one that paves the way to God contribute to human suffering and conflict. Ramesh Rao, Patheos Hindu The only way we can reduce human conflict is to understand the human quest for liberation, knowledge, and finding the answers to the fundamental questions that have troubled us—Who are we? Why are we here? Where do we go from here?—is to acknowledge that we can access answers to these questions using a variety of means, under the guidance of a variety of spiritual and religious leaders, and as adherents to any of the world's faith groups. The other facet of this argument is that those who claim God for themselves, or assert that their religious faith is the only one that paves the way to God contribute to human suffering and conflict by denying others the right to follow their own spiritual instincts, their God-given freedom to probe the universe as they wish. They do so by imposing hierarchies that categorize people as infidels or believers, saved or lost, devil worshipers or God-followers, and heathens or religious people. These exclusivist and monopolistic claims to God then pave the way to predatory proselytism, and the denial of agency to others—the "adhikara" (authority or ownership) and "ishta" (desired, liked)—guiding principles that shape the Hindu pursuit of transcending the mundane. This argument is not new. In fact, I wrote a short piece for United Press International's "religion and spirituality forum" in 2006, which I think can describe why religious pluralism is essential to mitigating conflict in the world. Before we get there, we have to clarify what pluralism means. Swami Vivekananda said, "We not only tolerate, but we Hindus accept every religion, praying in the mosque of the Mohammedans, worshipping the fire of the Zoroastrians, and kneeling before the Cross of Christians, knowing that all the religions, from the lowest fetishism to the highest absolutism, mean so many attempts of the human soul to grasp and realize the infinite, each determined by the conditions of its birth and association, and each of them marking a stage of progress" (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, pp. 331-32). Vivekananda was stating something a hundred years before what Professor Diana Eck of Harvard and the Pluralism Project callnecessary conditions for the practice of and belief in pluralism. Pluralism, for her, has to be "the energetic engagement with diversity . . . , the active seeking of understanding across lines of difference . . . , the encounter of commitments . . ." arrived at through dialogue. In 2006 we had a visitor at Longwood University where I teach. He was a holocaust survivor. Jay Ipson, President and Executive Director of the Virginia Holocaust Museum, came to talk to our students about love, hate, and bigotry. He began by asking the luncheon audience what it was that made Germans hate the Jews. One person said that maybe Germans learned it at home; another said that the media played a role; and yet another offered the hypothesis that maybe they learned it at school. I suggested that it was religion that was at the bottom of that hatred. He nodded his head, looked around, and asked us to consider that fact. In the audience were a Presbyterian minister, a Catholic priest, and Christians of other denominations. People uncomfortably shifted in their chairs, and one person said that religions don't teach hate but people misuse religion. Is that true, Ipson asked, and he himself seemed to indicate that it might be so. Some others pointed out that there is much in religious literature that is problematic, if not hateful. Ipson's story of survival in a Lithuanian Jewish ghetto, and of escape with his father and mother from the ghetto, while the rest of his family was sent to the concentration camps and to their deaths, made us all acknowledge the real import of religious discrimination. Ipson still retains a strong German/European accent but has a fine command of American colloquial English. His talk was precise, and he avoided the politically correct clichés that many modern speakers use to soften the horrors of the past, and the vulgarities of the present. The holocaust survivor's story is important not only in the context of continuing anti-Semitism but it can also provide the context for pluralism, the lessons we can learn from Hinduism, and the concerns of Hindus, Native Americans, and others about the effects of predatory proselytism—aggressive and manipulative efforts at converting others through force, fraud, seduction, and lies. At the end of his presentation, Ipson asked the audience what they felt were the answers to reducing conflict and hate. There were the usual suggestions of education, interfaith dialogue, acceptance, and so on. I raised my hand. Once again, there was some uncomfortable shifting in the chairs. I was, after all, the first one in the audience to say that some people learn hate from religion, and Ipson had acknowledged that. He also found that I was the one person in the audience who knew the group, other than the Nazis, who had mandated the wearing of a piece of colored cloth to identify the "other": these were the Taliban, who in Afghanistan had mandated that Hindus wear yellow-colored clothing to identify themselves as Hindus. Read more at: http://www.patheos.com/Hindu/Religious-Pluralism-Ramesh-Rao-01-07-2013?offset=1&max=1 |
| ‘Allah’ & Freud’s Borrowed Kettle Posted: 16 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST 
Alwyn Lau In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Not long after, Man messed it up. Somehow we managed to produce greed, pollution, bad music and value meals. We also started parties like UMNO which gave birth to bigger groups like Barisan Nasional - and now even God is in trouble. What's the name of God if not the name for truth, love and power which over-shadows the pain of the world? What's the on-going controversy over the name of God – 'Allah' - if not a game of shadows? East Malaysian Christians have been calling God 'Allah' since creation; therefore any suggestion that they should now be disallowed to do so is akin to cronies telling the orang asli their forest homes are now up for grabs. Barisan Nasional is getting desperate, so why not churn up some friendly-fire? Why not strike at the heart of Pakatan's "Odd One In", PAS? Of course, many are wondering: Why couldn't PAS' Syura Council wait till May to throw cold water over the Sikhs and Bornean Christians? What a divine mystery. Then again, maybe we shouldn't discredit God. For surely He is pragmatic enough to not fling a spanner into an election that may potentially topple an unjust government, whatever His approved name(s)? Also, the whole fiasco sounds like Freud's story of the borrowed kettle. A man borrowed a kettle from his neighbour. Later when he returned the kettle, the neighbour complained that it's broken and there are cracks. The man vehemently denied it – in three ways. First, by insisting that he didn't borrow that particular kettle at all. Second, by claiming the returned kettle is in perfect condition. Finally, by explaining that the cracks were already there when he borrowed it. Even the pot would conclude that something isn't right. The very contradictories of the replies prove the falsity of the man's denial. Does this not resemble PAS' response? At first, it was no problem : Non-Muslims can use 'Allah' (which, really, is like telling an American it's fine to call his mother Mum). This later evolved to Okay, non-Muslims can use it as long as they don't abuse it (which is like telling a Brit that he has the right to call his PM 'David' as long as he doesn't insult other perspectives of 'David'). Then the u-turn came and suddenly the word is exclusively for Muslims (which is like a theologian disagreeing with Webster Dictionary's definition of the word 'the'). But in the latest twist it became: Okay, non-Muslims can use it as long as they believe in one God (which is like telling A&W they can continue serving Coney Dogs as long as this doesn't violate the 'one sausage' rule). Does the above sound like a 'borrowed kettle' argument to you? Doesn't the form of PAS' responses render suspect their whole argument? Probably the two most confused parties here are the average atheist and God Himself. Finally, fretting over who can or cannot use 'Allah' sounds like the biggest red herring in Malaysia, given our many problems - like too many cars, too little water, and some folks saying 'listen' too many times. On this point, it is interesting to note how nobody grabbed the mike from Sharifah Zohra Jabeen and how, in fact, many in the auditorium applauded her berating of law student, KS Bawani. Why didn't someone stop Sharifah? Doesn't this remind you of the case in the United States where a crime was taking place and, despite many people watching through their windows, nobody helped? Why not? Because they believed someone else would. The parallel between the UUM fiasco and the 'Allah' controversy is how, even right now, no one from within the government dares to 'grab the mike' from the Islamic authorities (including the Sultan) regarding this issue. Why? Because 'Allah' is exclusively for Muslims. Because Islam doesn't restrict the use of 'Allah' to Muslims, but the word shouldn't be abused. Because the Christians believe in three gods and thus shouldn't use 'Allah' in their Bibles. Do we see the broken kettle? Or are we waiting for someone else to point it out? |
| Allah is not the problem, mankind is Posted: 16 Jan 2013 09:59 AM PST 
In each religion, it is only normal for their religion to tell them that theirs is the only and correct religion. Others are not correct. In fact, they are false. This is alright, because the constitution allows freedom of religion. But what a person believes must only be confined to himself or herself. They are not to extend what they believe onto others. If that is done, it will cause war. Lembu Susu I wish to share my thoughts to laypersons and have intentional omitted out Scriptures from both the Quran and the Bible, so as to make it easy reading for both divide.
1. The word 'Allah' is meant only for Muslims and for all who hold the view that there is only one God, according to the PAS Majlis Syura. This view resonates well with the majority of Muslims in Malaysia. The non-Muslims and the Christians must understand that the reason PAS do not allow the word 'Allah' in the Bible translation was because of theological reasons. Christians hold the view that God is a Trinity; that is, the belief in a Triune God (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Though the Christians maintain that they believe in One God, the concept of the Trinity is unacceptable in Islam. Hence, if the Christians were to use the word 'Allah' for their God, then, it will not represent correctly the 'Allah' of the Muslim God. 2. The Christians, on the other hand, has a problem if they use the word 'Allah' without qualification. The problem is that the 'Allah' of the Bible is not the same as the 'Allah' of the Quran. For example, the Christians believe the Bible teaches monogamous marriages, but in the Quran, polygamy is allowed, albeit with certain conditions. Moreover, in the Quran, jihad also involves wiping out infidels, which is not advocated at all in the New Testament of the Bible. Hence, when the Christians use the word 'Allah' for God, they have to clarify, that though the word 'Allah' is the same word being used for 'God' by both the Christians and the Muslims, yet, the 'Allah' revealed in the Bible is different from the 'Allah' in the Quran.
3. The bottom line is this: 'Allah' is just a word to denote 'God'. It is how you fill that word with meaning. This is where the teachings in the Quran and in the Bible gives meaning to the word 'Allah' by each religion.
4. But if we are to look it from another angle, actually, Allah is greater than any human words can express. Allah cannot be confined to a word. Words are only necessary to help man connect to Him, but He is greater than a word. In fact, there is no word that is sufficient to address Him. He is beyond words. He cannot be reduced to just a word, 'Allah'. He is greater than any words mankind can call Him.
5. So, on 'Allah's side, there is no issue for the Muslims and there is no issue for the Christians. He will never be confused by the Christians or by the Muslims.
6. As for Muslims and Christians, there are also no confusion with the word 'Allah', as the years have proven. It is how you fill the meaning of the word 'Allah'. The teachings from the Quran and the Bible will give understanding and meaning to that word, by each one's religion accordingly.
7. Every person will believe his or her religion is the correct and right one. Malaysia has existed in harmony all these years because of the mutual respect shown towards another person's religion and faith.
8. In each religion, it is only normal for their religion to tell them that theirs is the only and correct religion. Others are not correct. In fact, they are false. This is alright, because the constitution allows freedom of religion. But what a person believes must only be confined to himself or herself. They are not to extend what they believe onto others. If that is done, it will cause war.
9. Though Islam is the religion of the Federation, the Constitution allows freedom of religion. Hence, to stretch one's belief and impose it on others infringes on the rights of a citizen.
10. The non-Muslims cannot impose on the Muslims their beliefs, neither can the Muslims' beliefs be imposed onto the non-Muslims. Instead, there must be mutual respect for one another's beliefs.
11. No one can tell another religion what word they can use and what word they cannot use. If this is allowed, it will break down the peace and harmony that was built and cherished all these years. It will be the same as telling them, 'you cannot practice your own religion, because your religion violates my religious beliefs; and we all know that it is common for almost every religion, if adhered fully, will violate another. If this happens, then, there will be provocation and war.
So, in conclusion, may the one in authority not use their authority to impose one's beliefs onto another, just because this is what they believe in. Instead, the call for restraint and respect over one another's faith and belief should be paramount and be upheld. Let the Muslims respect the non-Muslims' faith and beliefs, and vice-versa the non-Muslims respect the Muslims' faith and beliefs. If 'Allah' is consider a sacred word to the Muslims, then, keep it within the context of that religion. Don't impose it on another, who may not share the same beliefs. The Christians have no intention to hurt or to confuse the Muslims. They are only asking for their right to practice their own religion, using a word that has been there and has already being used all these years. |
| Surat dr PM Posted: 16 Jan 2013 09:55 AM PST 
Changing Our Mindset Pengundi di Selangor sudah mula menerima surat ucapan Selamat Tahun Baru 2013 & sekeping kalendar poket versi BN di dalam peti surat mereka. Saya menerimanya semalam dan amat terharu dengan keinsafan yg dinyatakan dan janji-janji untuk perubahan yg diutarakan di dalam surat tersebut. Pastinya ramai Pak Cik- Pak Cik dan Mak Cik- Mak Cik yg menitiskan air mata kesyahduan penuh keinsafan semasa membaca surat tersebut. Tetapi kami yang tinggal di Selangor tahu berita yg disensasikan di akhbar-akhbar dan media massa arus perdana tentang keburukan pentadbiran Kerajaan PR Selangor lebih banyak tohmahan daripada kebenaran. Penduduk luar Selangor mungkin boleh ditipu kerana mereka tak tinggal di Selangor. Bagi kami rakyat Selangor kami tahu MB kami tak ambil jam tangan bernilai lebih RM100,000 sebagai cenderahati daripada PKNS seperti amalan yang lepas, MB kami prihatinkan kebajikan rakyat, kami tak perlu bayar bil air sejak tahun 2008 jika isi rumah kami cuma 3 org dan bermacam2 lagi keindahan yang tak dpt Kerajaan Negeri Selangor di bawah BN berikan sepanjang lebih 50 tahun pemerintahan. Dulu kami nampak ramai pemimpin-pemimpin BN Selangor yang mewah-mewah, yang kaya makin kaya, yang miskin semakin miskin. Read more at: http://ikhlasmalaysia.blogspot.com/2013/01/surat-dr-pm.html |
| Bawani gets MCA, PAS youth wings support Posted: 16 Jan 2013 12:33 AM PST 
(fz.com) - The MCA Youth Education Bureau says it is "astounded" at the "uncouth behaviour" displayed by Suara Wanita 1Malaysia president Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin against UUM law student KS Bawani at a forum held at the university. "As much as Sharifah may have disagreed with Bawani's views, as a moderator, she should have displayed maturity and allowed the student to complete her views and then offer a differing view in a diplomatic and constructive manner," bureau chairman Chong Sin Woon said in a statement today. Sharifah berated Bawani, who is a Parti Sosialis Malaysia member, after the latter disagreed with the forum's pro-government slant, especially with regards to Bersih. Bawani had also questioned why Malaysia is unable to provide free tertiary education. Although the incident took place on Dec 8, it is only making news now after a video clip of the exchange of words between Sharifah and Bawani went viral on YouTube last week. Chong, in his statement, applauded Bawani for urging the public not to make sexual innuendoes against Sharifah, saying it showed the student's magnanimity, maturity and concern for the security of all women. "Sharifah with the degree she proudly extols should be able to learn a thing or two from the undergraduate whose education background she belittled. "Sharifah's behaviour of assuming that public condescension, and getting the audience to support her to shut and obliterate different views belongs to a bygone era," he added. Meanwhile, PAS Youth has congratulated Bawani "for her courage in stating her stand", according to PAS organ Harakahdaily. A PAS Youth delegation, led by executive council member Mohd Hakim Mohd Nor, visited Bawani at her house in Kampar, Perak to express the movement's support for the "plucky" student. Bawani was quoted as saying that she was touched by the support she has been receiving from various people, and that it had strengthened her to keep fighting for students' rights. PAS Youth vice leader Dr Raja Ahmad Iskandar, in a statement, said the incident at UUM showed that students were no longer afraid of stating their stand. "The courage shown by Bawani will serve as an example to be emulated by the youth in rising up to speak the truth wherever they are without being fearful of action against them," he said. Ameerah Malaysia, a youth group which forms part of PAS's Muslimat wing, added to the calls for Sharifah to apologise to Bawani. "We urge Sharifah Zohra to apologise to Bawani publicly, in the same way she had humiliated Bawani (publicly)," the group's chief Fareedah Samad told Harakahdaily. |
| Student bodies rally behind Bawani Posted: 16 Jan 2013 12:31 AM PST Stephanie Sta Maria, fz.com Within a day of a video clip of her public humiliation going viral, K S Bawani has been deluged by messages of support from outraged university student bodies. The University Utara Malaysia (UUM) student became an overnight sensation after the 24-minute clip showed her being berated by a panellist at a UUM forum entitled "Are University Students In Line With Politics?". The panelist, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin, let loose a barrage of insults at Bawani for speaking out against forum organisers for what she believed was their wrongful presentation of Bersih and its leaders. Bawani had also questioned why Malaysia was unable to offer free tertiary education unlike other countries. Sharifah Zohra Jabeen however mocked Bawani's opinions and belittle her intellect before launching into a startling monologue on problems faced by animals. Internet users have had a field day in showcasing their scorn towards Sharifah Zohra through memes, songs, criticism on her Facebook page and a mock Facebook page for animal complaints. In the midst of that however, another Facebook page entitled "We Are All Bawani" was set up and was almost immediately swamped by messages from indignant Malaysians. The page has garnered more than 24,500 "Likes" so far. Many university student body representatives posted official statements on the Facebook page with a good number of them demanding that Sharifah issue a public apology to Bawani. The previously unknown Suara Wanita 1 Malaysia (SW1M), of which Sharifah Zohra Jabeen is president, yesterday said that there was no reason for her to apologise as Bawani should "learn to respect others". But according to forum participant, Faiz Razali, Bawani had not been provocative and had in fact even asked Sharifah Zohra Jabeen for permission to speak beforehand. "It was instead the forum itself that was provocative in raising politically sensitive issues that caused discomfort among some of us," Faiz wrote on Facebook. "I was very disappointed at the forum's content." Vice-president 1 of the Student Representative Council at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) Ahmad Fathi Salleh pointed out that tertiary education is meant to mold students into individuals who uphold the ideas of intellectualism, critical thinking and refined manners. But to their dismay, he said Bawani's opinions were met with a "hostile disposition" that did not portray the culture of tolerance and open-mindedness. "Instead it reflected the shallow judgment of a supposedly respectful figure," Ahmad stated. "We firmly stand with Bawani and it's for the speaker to apologise to university students for degrading our rationale and intellect." Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Student Society vice-president 1 Nur Afifah Abdull Rahim, meanwhile, noted the irony in Bawani being humiliated for voicing an opinion that was in line with the forum's theme. Izham Ismail from Universiti Malaya's (UM) Student Representative Committee called Sharifah's behaviour "unacceptable" and contradictory to what students are championing. "As students, our rights must be defended, our voices must be nurtured and our hearts, dignity and stand must be prioritized," he said. "Sadly, Sharifah doesn't understand that." "If Sharifah wants to open our eyes then she should also learn to open her eyes to respecting us. I believe that if animals could talk, they would ask her to do the same." UM also challenged Sharifah Zohra Jabeen to hold a forum on its campus and invited her to join them if UUM does not stand up for her. UUM's International Affairs Society Committee had already issued a statement condemning Sharifah's Zohra Jabeen behaviour. "Any rebuttal should be delivered professionally and not through an analogy of animals that had no connection whatsoever to the facts that Bawani had put forth," it said. Both the committee and the UUM Student Progressive Front have called on Sharifah Zohra Jabeen to issue a public apology to Bawani. Even political parties leapt at the opportunity to support her with Pas Youth vice-chief Raja Ahmad Al Hiss congratulating Bawani for showing that students are now brave enough to voice their political views. "They are an intellectual group and have the maturity to grasp political issues," he said. "They are not a group to be taken lightly."
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| ‘We gave Muslim foreigners IDs to vote’ Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:16 PM PST 
Sabah NRD director tells the RCI that he was personally instructed by Megat Junid Megat Ayub to recruit new voters. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: A former National Registration Department (NRD) officer told an inquiry here that he took part in a project to give foreigners here identity cards so that they could vote in an election in the 1990s. Mohd Nasir Sugip, who was detained under the now repealed Internal Security Act (ISA), told the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) he was part of a top secret operation dubbed 'Ops Durian Buruk' (Operation Rotten Durian) on the instruction of his bosses in the department. He claimed the operation ran from 1992 to 1995 and said the instruction to furnish the foreigners with identity cards so that they could vote came from the state Election Commission (EC). "At that time, Sabah SPR director Wan Ahmad handed over a list of 16,000 names to be made into 'bumiputera Islam' voters. "My boss, Sabah NRD director Ramli Kamarudin, then verbally told me to execute this project," he said. Mohd Nasir said three other individuals were present when the instruction was issued but their names could not be immediately ascertained. He said he followed the instructions given to him and recruited other officers at the district level for the operation. Based on a list of names provided by the EC, foreigners were issued with new identity card numbers that contained their date of birth, photographs and names and all were mostly from Sandakan, Tawau, Sempoerna and other parts of the state, he said. "The list consisted of Filipinos and Indonesians who were Muslim and aged above 21 years," Mohd Nasir told the inquiry. 'We planted voters' These individuals were then planted as voters in various constituencies around Sabah with the objective of boosting the number of Muslim voters in the state. "An example is in the state assembly seat of Sugut and the parliamentary seat of Kinabatangan. We planted about 800 voters in Sugut and in the next general election. the result was in favour of BN. The candidate won by 79 votes," he said. READ MORE HERE |
| ‘Go to India’, Umno woman tells Bawani Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:11 PM PST 
Norhayati Saiddin claims that Indians are demanding too much even though they did not know the existence of toilets while living in the estates. K Pragalath, FMT The critical comments of a Wanita Umno member regarding law student KS Bawani is causing a stir. In her Facebook posting, Norhayati Saiddin wrote: "Deii Bawani.. kalau mau pendidikan percuma tanggechi pergi ler belajar sana India… you mother land.. sana tanggechi boleh dapat pree… ammakk!!" (Bawani… if you want free education, go and study in India, your motherland. There you can get free…) "Untung lorrr… dulu India banyak duduk estet… itu jamban pun lu orang tarak tau… sekarang India org banyak mahu sebab itu BN ada perintah ini negeri." (It's a privilege.. before Indians mostly lived in estates. They didn't even know toilets. Now Indians have a lot of demands that is why BN rules this country.) 
Norhayati's Facebook also had a photograph of her posing with three other Wanita Umno members at a function. Some people who found her comments offensive took a screen capture of the statement and Facebook and tagged her to the photo. One Facebook user Tajol Ariffin Omar questioned the need for Indians to vote for Umno candidates following such offensive comments. "It is Umno members' mentality. Indian voters do you still want to vote for Umno?" Tajol wrote and posted a photo which read: "Umno then, now and forever racist" The photo was also shared in various Facebook group pages such as "1,000,000 Chinese don't want MCA to represent the Chinese." Bawani had become an overnight sensation went a video of her being reprimanded by a pro-government NGO leader went viral on the Internet. |
| ‘Halal’ lifts to avoid cross-contamination Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:30 PM PST 
The controversial signboards, explains MAH, are there as a preventive measure. Jared Pereira, FMT The controversial signboards at the Crystal Crown Hotel here are not meant to discriminate but were put up to ensure that the guidelines pertaining to "non-halal" food are adhered to, said Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) head Reginald Pereira. He said that the steps were taken to avoid "incidental cross contamination" of food but clarified that no such incidents had happened to date. According to Pereira, it was more of a preventive measure. "This is why Crystal Crown had to put up the signboards…which only serves to make sure that suppliers are in the know," he added, referring to the signboards next to elevators in the hotel which stated that only "halal" goods could be transported in them. Pereira said hotels which still had valid halal certificates and were not up for renewal could still operate based on the Malaysian Islamic Development Department's (Jakim) previous standard operating procedure. However, he said that once these licenses expired, the hotels would have to comply with the strict guidelines set by Jakim in order to renew their licenses. "There is a certain set of regulations and requirements set by the religious authorities based on the Malaysian standard of halal certification," he told FMT. He was referring to the government encouraging hotels to apply for or renew their halal certification, only if they complied with Jakim's guidelines. "This whole application and renewal issue for hotels that serve pork is under review through focus group discussions and hopefully a solution will be met soon," he said. He also explained that MAH and Jakim decided to clarify the current procedures and to rationalise matters that MAH members must practice to attain their "halal" certification. |
| DAP: Koay had better be sorry Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:20 PM PST 
(The Star) - A day after suspended DAP assemblyman Koay Teng Hai's declaration that he would serve his constituents as an independent, the party's powerful disciplinary committee has hit back by accusing him of being unapologetic after he missed a crucial Penang state assembly meeting. The Pulau Tikus assemblyman was also blamed for giving a flimsy excuse of not being formally told of the assembly meeting, in which the state government tabled the constitutional amendment to bar party-hopping. DAP's disciplinary committee chief and party deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said Koay had chosen to ignore the interests of the party for his own personal interests and put the entire Penang Pakatan Rakyat government at risk. "We are very surprised that you are not apologetic at all after committing such a huge mistake," said Tan in the suspension letter dated Jan 14, which was made available to The Star. It was also stated in the letter that Koay's reason for missing the sitting was not because of a personal holiday in the United States as previously reported, but because he was there to attend a programme on an invitation of the US embassy here. Tan said Koay decided to go to the United States even after Penang Chief Minister and party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng rejected his leave application twice. He said the absence of another representative, who had to skip the meeting due to a family emergency, left other Pakatan colleagues with the bare minimum of exactly 27 representatives needed for a two-thirds majority to amend the state constitution. On Monday, Koay who has been suspended for six months, folded the DAP flag at a press conference and said he would remove all party logos from his service centre. While the Penang Pakatan Rakyat backbenchers club chairman called for calm among his supporters, his wife Lee Su Li created a bit of a stir with her posting on his Facebook account implying that he was in trouble because he did not pray to the "tokong" (deity). Some netizens have linked her post to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mansor Othman's alleged claim that the Chief Minister was regarded as a "tokong" by the people in Penang. Meanwhile, Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow said it was wrong for Koay to describe himself as an "independent" assemblyman. "He has to follow rules. It is not that when you are under suspension, you can disregard the party's constitution and rules," he said at a press conference at Wisma DAP in Rangoon Road yesterday. |
| After ‘Listen, listen, listen’ video, speaker loses paid gig Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:17 PM PST 
(The Malaysian Insider) - Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin's tirade on YouTube may have cost the controversial speaker a paid engagement, after organisers of an entrepreneurial seminar scheduled for next week said today they are calling off the event over security concerns. The activist who is seen as pro-Barisan Nasional had sparked a firestorm this week after a varsity video exposing her verbal assault on a student went viral, leading Internet users to dub her the "'Listen, listen, listen' woman" over her repeated use of the word while interrupting a student. "The committee discussed the pros and cons, and decided that it would be best to cancel it," organiser Lina Ahmad was reported saying by The Star Online. The police had advised the organiser to call off the talk following news of a planned public protest against Sharifah Zohra on that day, the news portal reported Lina adding. Sharifah Zohra was set to appear on January 26 at the DoubleTree Hotel, part of the Hilton group, in the national capital for a talk titled, "How to make your first million" with two other speakers, retired diplomat Datuk Pahamin A. Rajab and Zafri Zakaria Merican, that charged participants RM200 per person. A former member of the Indian Muslim Congress of Malaysia (KIMMA), Sharifah Zohra had been blackmailed over the now-viral video showing her bullying a Universiti Utara Malaysia student and has now gone into hiding to ensure her safety and that of her children, a representative of the little-known organisation Suara Wanita 1 Malaysia (SW1M) had told The Malaysian Insider yesterday. The spokesman, who wanted to be known only as Emalee, is also the chief administrator of the SW1M Facebook page. "I ask her to go somewhere safe because she has children. Someone try to blackmail her, this issue has become quite serious," said the SW1M supreme council member, who uses the moniker "Ratu Naga" on the NGO's fanpage. |
| Teach PAS a lesson for behaving like Umno Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:06 PM PST 
YOURSAY 'Unless and until we have a credible alternative coalition, I have no choice but to just spoil my vote for this coming GE.' Malaysiakini
DAP berates Kedah gov't over CNY guidelines
Geronimo: At the rate things are going, I doubt very much that PAS is ever interested in Putrajaya. These self-centred policies are definitely going to kill the support of the non-Muslims and I strongly urge DAP and PKR to review its stand with PAS very seriously. It is no loss if DAP wishes to break rank with PAS and allow PKR to contest in all PAS seats wherever possible.
The GE is just around the corner and it is unthinkable for PAS to be pulling off such a stunt at this crucial time. After the fiasco in Kota Bharu and now Kedah, PAS certainly looks like a bad bet.
Shanandoah: This is not the first time that DAP has been at odds with PAS and it will not be the last. They must break ranks with PAS, which is a religiously-inclined party.
Malaysia is secular. PAS policies will never keep it that way. It's best for DAP to go at it alone, if necessary.
By joining Pakatan Rakyat, PAS wants to ride on the back of non-Muslims to gain control in both state and parliamentary elections. DAP, you have lost my vote if you don't leave. Many will do just that.
Abuminable: Kedah MB Azizan Abdul Razak is stuck in a time warp and totally out of sync with the 21st century. He is a serious liability to Pakatan.
PAS must replace him with somebody far more open-minded and in tune with the changing times or risk a massive voter backlash.
Proarte: PAS is showing itself to be unelectable. They speak with forked tongues and persist is displaying a penchant for 'ketuanan' and duplicity. How is this different to the Umno modus operandi? PAS is just the reverse of the Umno coin.
The 'Allah' issue with their vacillating positions or should I say blatant lies is a pointed reminded of what PAS would be like in government.
When Abdul Hadi Awang and Nik Aziz Nik Mat told Malaysians that non-Muslims have a right to use the word 'Allah' after their meeting with the Pakatan leaders, they then stab Pakatan in the back and have a syura council meeting which contradicts their earlier position adding to further confusion and leaving the matter unresolved.
The rakyat want a government which is honest and clear in direction which respects the constitutional rights of its citizens.
The Chinese New Year 'guidelines' underscore the sex obsession of PAS which is simply disgusting and paradoxically shows their immoral mindset, let alone their duplicity and intellectual bankruptcy.
Anti Umno: PAS really puncture the momentum of Pakatan. If they continue to act this way, I will not be surprised that Pakatan will lose to BN in the coming GE.
Please understand that Islamic law is only applicable to Muslims. Please do not force it onto other races. Indeed, PAS is behaving like Umno.
Myrights: We need to teach PAS a lesson in the upcoming GE13. They are acting like the Taliban. I hate to think what will happen if and when they come into power.
It saddens me that we have to choose between two evils in this country - a racist government versus a Taliban wannabe.
Anon1: I rather have a corrupt MP then a religious zealot who imposes his interpretation of scripts and morals on me.
If religion is so important to any politician, then quit as a politician and go join the church, mosque or temple. They'd be better suited there. Don't confuse the two.
An MP represents constituents, not to preach his individual or religious values. That was not the mandate given. Imagine where the urban votes are going if PAS continues imposing their values on everyone.
So, BN or Taliban? The choice is obvious. I'd prefer if PAS is kicked out of Pakatan and they contest on their own. Even if BN is unable to form a government, a coalition can still be made between Pakatan and PAS later, if need be.
Jiminy Qrikert: If we respect principles of fair play - and PAS being a religious party must therefore subscribe to fairness - then it needs to observe and respect the principle that the Pakatan party that wins the greatest number of Adun (state assembly) seats will form the state government.
In Perak, if Pakatan win, it will therefore be either PKR or DAP and not PAS. With that as a principle, it leaves PAS free to assign former Perak MB Nizar Jamaluddin to battle in Kedah and change PAS leadership style there.
Daseen: If PAS wants the Chinese votes, then it has to accede to the whims and fancies of young virgins running around clad in thin dress on the stage, as this seems to be amorous desire of many commentators here.
PAS logic of 'PAS for All' contradicts PAS demeanour and is an affront to the eventual kingmakers in the evolving Malaysian political landscape.
The current PAS logic is akin to a logic which is like a little tweeting bird, chirping in a meadow or a wreath of pretty flowers which smell bad. Not My Real Name: I am Chinese and I say that those "stage performances" should be banned. These stage performances are no longer traditional Chinese operas. These days, they are just a cheap pop concert with bad singing and terrible performers.
They are all rubbish and they are all too loud. They are all held next to residential homes. And they run until midnight or after. They are a public nuisance.
As a Chinese, I find nothing cultural values about these modern performances. PAS has done well to stop this in Kedah. Penang should do the same.
WangMalaysia: PAS would do well to keep their guidelines and not extend it to anybody else. When would these holy folks know that, you cannot make others holy... you can only be a guide, and given that guidelines are guidelines, they are not enforceable.
It's all about free will, unless PAS would risk losing the votes of non-Muslims not only in Kedah but nationwide. So PAS, keep your holiness to yourself. I will be holy on my own accord and my own way.
Myop101: Time to not vote for PAS wherever they are. I think enough is enough. There is only so much tolerance for their moral policing antics.
While I believe their leaders are somewhat sincere, their low level of tolerance only tells us that they are also incapable of seeing forest for the trees.
It is unthinkable, but unless and until we have a credible alternative coalition, I have no choice but to just spoil my vote for this coming GE.
Louis: PAS has gone too far this time. It thinks that it could come to power in Kedah on its own. Most of the non-Muslim Kedahans are fed up with the way PAS and have resolved to give their votes to BN.
I am a supporter of Pakatan, but as far as Kedah goes, I am telling my family to vote against PAS.
Anonnona: DAP has shown its bravery by slamming PAS. Now let's see whether MCA has the guts to slam Umno for keeping silent on this matter. Shouting against DAP alone does not show MCA is fighting for Chinese rights.
If MCA dares to publicly scold Umno for not condemning PAS, then I will believe that it is really fighting sincerely for the Chinese rather than just trying to score political points.
Come on, MCA, show what you are truly made of, otherwise hide your tail between your legs and just disappear. |
| `Nik Aziz tidak pernah buat `U Turn’ Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:50 PM PST 
Menteri Besar Kelantan itu sebaliknya sejak awal lagi setuju orang bukan Islam boleh menggunakan nama Allah. (FMT) - Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat tidak membuat sebarang `U Turn' (tukar kenyataan) dalam isu penggunaan kalimah Allah kepada orang bukan Islam. Menteri Besar Kelantan itu sebaliknya sejak awal lagi setuju orang bukan Islam boleh menggunakan nama Allah, kata Setiausaha Akhbarnya Ahmad Fadhli Shaari. Beliau membuat kenyataan itu bagi menjawab laporan dua akhbar – New Straits Times dan Utusan Malaysia – yang mendakwa Nik Aziz telah membuat `U Turn' dalam isu tersebut. "Suka untuk diingatkan bahawa tidak ada sebarang pusingan 'U-Turn' khususnya yang melibatkan Tuan Guru al-Mursyidul Am PAS dalam isu kalimah Allah ini. "Ini dapat dilihat di dalam kenyataan awal beliau sebelum mesyuarat Majlis Syura berlangsung bahawa bukan Muslim perlu diberikan ruang untuk menggunakan kalimah Allah. "Cuma (beliau) tidak bersetuju nama Allah menjadi terjemahan kepada perkataan God dalam Bible kerana ia tidak tepat, mengelirukan dan boleh membawa kepada silap faham. "Inilah yang menjadi pegangan YAB Tuan Guru (Nik Aziz) dan beliau konsisten dengan pegangan ini. "Dalam erti kata lain, tidak ada mana-mana pihak yang boleh menutup ruang golongan non (bukan) Muslim untuk menyebut nama Allah SWT dan merujuk nama tersebut sebagai Tuhan Semesta Alam dalam urusan seharian mereka," kata Ahmad Fadhli lagi. Nik Aziz, tambah beliau membuat penegasan awal bahawa ia akan dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat Majlis Syura atas sifatnya sebagai badan tertinggi parti. Mesyuarat malah Ahad lalu memutuskan orang bukan Islam tidak boleh menggunakan kalimah Allah dalam Bible Bahasa Melayu. |
| Listen to Shahrifah Zohra Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:39 PM PST Darren Nah, The Malaysian Insider Malaysians all over the globe are pouring spiteful derision at an unknown, supercilious lady, Shahrifah Zohra, whose bubbling partisan affinities and inability to address the contentious issues posed by a contrarian student, Bawani KS (now an overnight sensation), led her to do what all noisome vixens do: Raise a whole lot of malarkey and hullabaloo about monkeys, cows, goats and, yes, even sharks. Her bestial [pertaining to beasts] diatribe came in an interminable, rapid fire succession. Shahrifah Zohra went from calling Ambiga (a Malaysian public figure fighting for free and fair elections) an anarchist, to asking the student, Bawani, to leave the Malaysia given Bawani's dissatisfaction, and to then doling out Galaxy Notes gratuitously to a body of passive, browbeaten students who was indifferent to the whole Orwellian mis-en-scene, and merely parroted affirmatives and clapped in support of both sides. In Shahrifah Zohra's deluge of half-baked, quasi-educated Malay-English creole verbiage, many might mistake her fulmination to be a truculent message sponsored by the Selangor Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). However, Shahrifah Zohra does artfully credit Ambiga, the "anarchist," with one thing: enlightening Malaysians to human rights, which in this case, it so happens to be the right of free speech. Shahrifah Zohra, of course, in trumping the right of every individual to free speech, does not hesitate to remove her opponent's (Bawani's) microphone, and quickly proceeds to up the volume-ante to an audibly deranging holler. Aside from the (hopefully) non-permanent ear damage that Shahrifah Zohra's twenty-minute harangue has caused, it is very odd that Shahrifah Zohra should undermine her own case by saying that "it is my human right to speak, and you to listen" (paraphrased). Shahrifah Zohra's logic is a non sequitur. If everyone has a human right to speak, it does not follow that every human has a right to not speak when another speaks. In other words, you can't stop me from speaking simply by saying that you have a right to speak. We can both speak at the same time, though no one would be listening. (Bawani by this time has gone back to her seat, probably fatigued by her obtuse opponent. Stupidity can be very tiring!). In fact, Bawani's real contention was with the lack of free education in Malaysia. Or more pointedly, the lack of quality education in Malaysia was her main complaint. Which good citizen does not complain about her own nation, not to bring it down, but to build it better? Again, Shahrifah Zohra's non sequitur logic resurfaces, this time in international fury! She beseeches Bawani to leave Malaysia and go to Cuba, Libya and Argentina. Shahrifah Zohra does not mention the United States, the United Kingdom or Australia, but third-world nations. In her logic, we're meant to compare ourselves with Libya. Right. I'm sure you win a race by running with handicaps. It is very sad (and here comes my plangent tone) that the Malaysians in the video were so indifferent. "All the students in this hall," Shahrifah Zohra vaunts, "are happy with whatever the government does for them." And to a great extent, this is very true. The government does too much, and the people too little, and this is how we're silenced. People like Shahrifah Zohra can speak with such temerity at another co-citizen simply because, she knows (and we know) that the Malaysian government can take away whatever it has given; free education, petrol subsidies, free this and free that. One can even say that Bawani, by asking for free education, indirectly empowers people like Shahrifah Zohra! No one stops to think about the larger picture. No one talks about the appropriate role of government. Everyone talks about democracy, but no one talks about mob rule. Everyone wants things free, but no one sees the hidden charges. READ MORE HERE |
| The Christians are coming! Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:23 PM PST 
Twenty years ago, he said, there were about 5 per cent of Christians in the country. The number has jumped to 9 per cent. We must not forget, too, Christians of other ethnicities. Dina Zaman, The Malaysian Insider Dr Chandra Muzaffar who spoke at the "Pathways Institute Seminar: Leadership Amidst Controversy" recently said, "It will be the Malaysian Christians who will make an impact at the upcoming general elections." There is a political awakening among them, and many feel sidelined and discriminated against, he said. The Allah issue is just but one of the many issues they feel strongly about. Again, a reminder: They are highly educated and earn incomes many envy. Twenty years ago, he said, there were about 5 per cent of Christians in the country. The number has jumped to 9 per cent. We must not forget, too, Christians of other ethnicities. There is also another thing that I would like to add, and had volunteered at the seminar. When we talk about Muslims in Malaysia, the conversation is really about the Malays. We fail to take into account that there are other Malaysian Muslims: the Chinese and Indian Muslims, and the first generation of migrants who have made Malaysia their home. Let's not forget the Arabs! The Chinese and Indian Muslims, and Arabs are some of the economic drivers of the country. Their contributions to the country's GDP cannot be overlooked. Don't forget the Shiites, too! What is my point? It would be that these very communities will not just make an impression at the polling booth, but are big huge billboards that should wake Malay-Muslims up. They want to be heard, and their traditions, culture and mindset accepted, and not just tolerated. Add the numbers up ― they are significant. Many times, I have encountered exchanges between Chinese-Muslims and Indian-Muslims, and the question asked often is why they aren't accepted as Bumiputeras? "I don't get the Constitution. If you are Muslim, you are automatically Malay and vice versa. I'm Muslim, and I'm still ticking off Chinese/Indian on forms. My culture and heritage dictate a long history of Islam, longer than you Malays." "We make more money than you. We drive the economy. Don't you dare say that we are insignificant!' My response is usually silence. They're right. It is obvious that the current politics and policies surrounding ethnicity and religions in Malaysia are outdated. It is also disheartening to hear, in this day and age the ever-oft complaint, that the non-Malays are going to take over. This coming even from the more exposed, educated Malay professionals. Are we really under siege? To some, yes. Even if they are Muslim? I pointed out. READ MORE HERE |
| Can Deepak bring down Umno? Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:53 PM PST 
When Anwar and his Pakatan colleagues are in agreement that Deepak has the goods to topple the BN government, then Deepak can have whatever he wants. CT Ali, FMT The need, greed and obsessison for money, wealth and power at its most corrupt can all be seen in the trials and tribulations that Deepak Jaikishnan, with his supporting cast of Rosmah Mansor, Najib Tun Razak and Anwar Ibrahim, are going through now. In Deepak we see the use of money not for good but for evil. He will have difficulty in finding friend as they see what he is now doing to his 'sister' and to those from whom he now seek help from. Today he is toxic to the two people most able to get him out of the business predicament that he has got himself into. A predicament born out of cronyism and politics so flawed that it requires a political solution only Anwar or Najib can contemplate. Najib and Rosmah have washed their hands off him – encouraged by no small amount, I am sure, by Deepak's threats to reveal Rosmah's and Najib's involvement in Altanatuya's murder. After much circumspect consideration, Najib and Rosmah have decided that what Deepak has to say about their involvement in the retraction of PI Bala's first SD would not harm Najib's chances of winning the 13th general election. So what is Deepak to do now? Deepak traitorously goes to the other man who may be able to help him – Anwar. Anwar knows that Deepak comes to him because Najib and Rosmah has cast him off. If Najib and Rosmah think that Deepak is not worth the money he is asking for, how much then is Deepak worth to Anwar? What Anwar has to decide now is whether what Deepak has on Najib and Rosmah can win Pakatan Rakyat the general election and make him the prime minister. Those are the only criteria that Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat will judge Deepak by. Taking Najib and Rosmah out of the political equation is not enough. There are Muhyiddin Yassin and Dr Mahathir Mohamad eager to step into Najib's shoes. Delivering a mortal blow to Umno Not only must Najib go but also what Deepak reveals of Najib, the Umno president, must deal Umno a mortal blow from which it cannot recover – at least not in time to ready itself to battle Pakatan in the 13th general election. Then, and only then will Anwar and Pakatan be able to consider 'working' with Deepak for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to come out. It is not Deepak who decides. All this talk of telling the truth and getting immunity as a whistleblower is bull dust. READ MORE HERE |
| SAPP: Tell us what’s our worth, Anwar Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:50 PM PST 
The capability of local Sabah party SAPP, which has been in seat negotiations with Pakatan Rakyat Sabah since 2009, has suddenly come under question. (FMT) - KOTA KINABALU: Opposition Sabah Progressive People's Party (SAPP) has thrown the ball back at Pakatan Rakyat over its demand for seats and wants to know what the coalition thinks the party is worth. "If [Opposition Leader] Anwar Ibrahim said SAPP is contesting too many seats, and questions its strength, it is very simple: just tell me how many we should contest in state and or parliament? "If they [Pakatan] think it is not agreeable to them… tell us how many they think we should contest in state and Parliament. "I believe people expect Anwar [to give an answer]," said SAPP president Yong Teck Lee. Considering SAPP, a Chinese majority pary, has been in negotiation with Pakatan since 2009, Anwar's sudden U-turn has irked Yong. With a likelihood of a March general election, it is odd that Anwar should at this late hour wonder as to whether or not SAPP is as "formidable" a party as it professes. Recalling the meeting in June 2009, Yong said current PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, who was then PKR Sabah liaison chief, had met with SAPP's deputy president Eric Majimbun and the perimeters of discussions were set. "They spoke about the principle involved in seat distribution which is autonomy. "Under the principle of autonomy as a state party, it means SAPP will contest in more state seats and Pakatan in more parliamentary seats. "It was on that basis that we used Sandakan as the starting point of discussion. SAPP would defend Tanjung Papat and Elopura while Pakatan took the parliamentary seats including state Karamunting. "We also said SAPP will contest in one other Bumupitera majority seat in Sandakan. This was an acceptable formula accepted by many people and the basis of further discussions," said Yong. Lajim and Bumburing Yong said at no point in the discussions then and subsequently was the issue of party "strength" raised. "If we talk about which party is strong or not, everybody will have a subjective opinion. So the principle we use is autonomy, " he said, adding that Sabah Pakatan at that time only comprised PKR, DAP and PAS. Yong was commenting on Anwar's sudden turn-around over negotiations with SAPP. Anwar told reporters when launching former Umno MP Lajim's Ukin's new Pakatan-friendly platform Pertubuhan Pakatan Perubahan Sabah (PPPS) here last month that it is "difficult" to continue negotiations with SAPP and questioned the party's belief that it was a "formidable" entity in Sabah. "If SAPP refuses to budge from its demand, then it is difficult for us to continue with negotiations that are being done in the spirit of cooperation. "Each party should not demand too much… we have to be realistic as to the strength of each party. If SAPP, for example, wants half of the seats, it has to be a strong formidable party," Anwar said. Anwar's "new found" uncertainty over SAPP is anchored in his faith in new recruits Lajim and Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing. Both have established their respective "independent" platforms. Lajim helms PPPS while Bumburing has set up Angakatan Perubahan Sabah (APS). Each has been assigned to look into the Muslims and KadazanDusunMurut (KDM) seats respectively. Both these former BN leaders are assured of winning their respective parliamentary seats – Beaufort and Tuaran. They have each also rumoured to have pledged to Anwar several state seats. READ MORE HERE |
| PAS anggap Anwar, Guan Eng setuju keputusan Majlis Syura Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:41 PM PST 
Naib Ketua Dewan Ulama, Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed berkata, sehingga sekarang kedua-dua pemimpin itu belum memberi sebarang ulasan mengenai perkara tersebut.
Muda Mohd Noor, FMT Dewan Ulama PAS menganggap Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim serta Lim Guan Eng menerima keputusan majlis itu yang tidak membenarkan orang bukan Islam menggunakan kalimah Allah. Naib Ketua Dewan Ulama, Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed berkata, sehingga sekarang kedua-dua pemimpin itu belum memberi sebarang ulasan mengenai perkara tersebut. "Setakat ini Anwar (Ketua Pembangkang) dan Guan Eng (Setiuasaha Agung DAP) belum menyuarakan bantahan mereka. "Kata orang tua-tua, kalau diam maknanya setuju. Jadi saya anggap mereka setuju," katanya lagi. Bagaimanapun, Mahfodz memberitahu, pihaknya sedia memberi penerangan yang lebih mendalam kepada mana-mana pihak termasuk pemimpin dan ahli PAS yang tidak puas hati dengan keputusan Majlis Syura tersebut. Mahfodz, Pesuruhjaya PAS Johor menegaskan keputusan Majlis Syura tidak membenarkan orang bukan Islam menggunakan kalimah Allah dibuat sebulat suara. Beliau yang juga ahli Majlis Syura berkata, " Dua belas ahli yang menghadiri mesyuarat itu semuanya setuju tidak membenarkan orang bukan Islam menggunakan kalimah Allah. `Hadi sokong' "Malah Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (Presiden PAS) yang hadir dalam mesyuarat itu turut menyokong. "Majlis Syura mempunyai 15 orang tetapi tiga tidak datang. Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat mempengerusikan mesyuarat yang turut dihadiri timbalannya Datuk Haron Din. "Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS, Datuk Harun Taib hadir, begitu juga ahli yang lain," kata Mahfodz. READ MORE HERE |
| Patrick Teoh in hot water over Facebook post Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:34 PM PST 
Actor and famous radio presenter Patrick Teoh lands himself in hot soup after a Facebook posting insensitive to Muslims. Alyaa Azhar, FMT Actor and famous radio presenter Patrick Teoh landed himself in hot water today after a Facebook posting which has infuriated Muslims. Teoh, who is also a blogger known for his crude language, posted the comment while reacting to the PAS-led Kedah state government's statement on Jan 9 that officials and singers for the 1Malaysia Chinese New Year celebration, scheduled in Alor Setar on Feb 15, must be properly attired and were encouraged to perform motivational songs. The state government also said it would shut down the programme if there was "extreme singing and dancing". Below is his Facebook posting posted yesterday: "The 3rd most laughable statement discovered today… The January 9 guidelines to the organisers of the 1 Malaysia Chinese New Year Celebration 2013 (by the PAS Kedah state government)… included, among other things, the appropriate attire for officials and singers. It also stated that performers are encouraged to sing motivational songs and that if extreme singing and dancing activities were to take place, the state government has the right to shut down the programme. Encouraged to sing motivational songs!!! What kind of f**king motivation they want? Give up individuality and be sheep? Pray 5 times a day? Cover up all women? What???!!! And while they are at it, please tell us what the f**k extreme singing and dancing is? Quran-thumping mother f**kers!!!" This comment has raised heckles among Muslims with many posting nasty replies. However, about an hour ago Teoh apologised for the earlier comment. His apology states: 'Whoa!!!… whoa… whoa… I now realise what I did that was wrong and why it generated so much hate-mail. I had thought that the criticism came from my use of the phrase, "Quran-thumping m***** F*****…" I was wrong. It came from my reference to "Give up individuality and be sheep? Pray 5 times a day? Cover up all women?" which was totally out of line. It didn't convey what I was trying to say in the post and came out like a bigoted selfish statement. For that I apologise sincerely to all Muslims. Minta maaf (Sorry). But I do not apologise for calling that person a…well you know what I mean. I hope." READ MORE HERE |
| Mat Sabu: Himpunan untuk ‘gulingkan kerajaan’ Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:27 PM PST 
Tetapi dengan cara baik melalui Pilihan Raya Umum 13 (PRU13) nanti, kata Pengerusi HKR yang juga Timbalan Presiden PAS. Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT Penganjur Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat (HKR) mengakui himpunan yang diadakan di Stadium Merdeka 12 Januari lalu berniat untuk menggulingkan kerajaan tetapi dengan cara baik melalui Pilihan Raya Umum 13 (PRU13) nanti. "Memang kami niat nak gulingkan kerajaan dalam PRU akan datang. Kalau tiada niat itu maknanya kami memang berbohong kepada rakyat. "Kami nak gulingkan kerajaan melalui PRU jadi kepada Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad beliau boleh terus berada di Malaysia atau bercuti di mana-mana," kata Pengerusi HKR Mohammad Sabu yang juga Timbalan Presiden PAS dalam sidang media di Pejabat Agung PAS di sini hari ini. Beliau mengulas kenyataan mantan Perdana Menteri, Dr Mahathir yang mendakwa HKR cuba meniru kebangkitan 'Arab Spring' kerana penganjur merasakan ia tidak boleh menang PRU13 nanti. "Jadi mereka berharap dengan meniru dapat menjatuhkan kerajaan, sedangkan kerajaan negara ini bukan seperti di negara Arab, bukan kerajaan kuku besi, ia adalah kerajaan yang dipilih rakyat. "Apa yang mereka tiru itu bukan cara demokrasi…jika nak adakan perhimpunan atau demonstrasi perlulah ada alasan, tetapi bukanlah demonstrasi mengenai Shamsidar (Taharin). "Jadi seolah-olah bila ada sahaja kes mahkamah, kena adakan demonstrasi," katanya kelmarin. Dakwa langgar tiga syarat Mohamad lebih popular dengan panggilan Mat Sabu berkata, pihaknya setakat ini belum mengadakan pertemuan dengan polis kerana didakwa melanggar tiga syarat himpunan, namun berjanji akan memberi kerjasama sepenuhnya jika dipanggil. READ MORE HERE |
| Kes saman Anwar-KJ selesai di luar mahkamah Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:24 PM PST 
Mahkamah juga tidak mengeluarkan perintah untuk kos (Bernama) - Kes saman fitnah RM100 juta yang difail Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim terhadap Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin pada 7 September 2007 diselesaikan hari ini selepas kedua-dua pihak mencapai persetujuan. Penyelesaian itu direkod Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Datuk Su Geok Yiam semasa kes disebut di hadapan beliau. Peguam Gobind Singh Deo, yang mewakili Anwar memberitahu mahkamah kes itu diselesai memandangkan defendan (Khairy) bersedia untuk mengatakan beliau tidak mengeluarkan perkataan yang menyinggung perasaan. "Tiada perintah untuk kos," katanya. Hakim Su turut berterima kasih kepada kedua-dua pihak kerana menjimatkan masa mahkamah. Perbicaraan kes itu yang bermula semalam sepatutnya disambung hari ini. Anwar dalam samannya mendakwa Khairy, yang ketika itu Timbalan Ketua Pemuda Umno, mengeluarkan kenyataan fitnah terhadapnya pada satu majlis politik di Kuala Kangsar pada Ogos 2007, yang disiar media cetak dan elektronik pada 3 Ogos tahun sama. |
| What Sickened Me ... Now Listen Carefully ... Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:57 AM PST
is the fact that one humiliates those with a lesser "degree" A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE Dr Azly Rahman is the fact that one humiliates those with a lesser "degree"
that arrogance without substance is the key
this fact sickened me
when one does not know the difference between humility and stupidity
there is a malay advice to follow "resmi padi"
translated as to follow the wisdom of the padi
the more you know the more you gained wisdom through humility
but how could that lady be so blind yet graced with arrogance and stupidity
when one's learning is not one's monopoly but to be shared with the less fortunate in society,
and not to use it as a tool to knock one's head with utmost idiocy
one owes one's learning:
to Society
that taught one to be a agent of change in an otherwise capitalist society
to Nature
that taught us to go back to the Origin of Things we borrow from and turn them into Capital and Technology
O' lady how misguided you are in not seeing that all you have is only temporary
that has to be given back to those you borrow from to make you a person of a "higher degree"
i wish you well though
and less angry
in your way to be a better educator who will teach others with more humility
for all that ever exists between us and those "degrees"
we mistake as intellectual profundity,
is that of nothingness ...
to be given back to Humanity
as we act
as the malays say
like the padi
" ikut resmi padi
makin tunduk apabila makin berisi .."
bless us all
in peace and harmony .... -- ar ********************************** 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/ |
| Allah’s Stress: A Poem for Malaysia Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:53 AM PST PAS what's wrong with you?!
First you say can, now say cannot
Even if you REALLY think 'Allah' is for Muslims only
At least win the elections first la, CAN OR NOT?! Alwyn Lau In the beginning God make the heavens and the earth, But too bad Man also made UMNO God has a plan and He loves us, But how can anything good come from Jib-Kor & Co? Christians already use 'Allah' for so long But now they say only Muslim can use Something about God's special name... Which non-Muslims only know how to abuse Everybody memang tahu it's all political 'Allah' or no 'Allah', Malaysia will still be the same (la) Traffic jam, bad manners, good food, bad football, Only politicians can be so lame (la) You know what a red herring is? It's a kind of fish Or a smart-sounding distraction To fulfil some powerful joker's wish Dirty polls, rural poverty, racial problems, injustice Like work not enough for both Barisan and Pakatan But suddenly must buat kecoh over God's name, Even the atheists also pengsan PAS what's wrong with you?! First you say can, now say cannot Even if you REALLY think 'Allah' is for Muslims only At least win the elections first la, CAN OR NOT?! Because UMNO memang tak peduli You know I know they know - even my nasi lemak know They only want to keep 67% of their pants in parliaments Are they defenders of God? Yeah, then Nik Aziz is Justin Bieber's tailo Elections coming near and Jib-Kor getting desperate, "Cepat-cepat! Let's raise some hell la, "Let's target the Odd One In: PAS "Create friendly-fire in Pakatan, we sit back enjoy the sandiwara" So sick of this, almost want to vomit Malaysian politics always like this, everyday talk sh*t, Powerful people wasting the common people's time Rape the country, then say everything is fine, Thankfully Allah is Good, We know He's the best That day I heard Him say we must vote UMNO out, Because if this continues? Allah also stress. |
| Pahang non-Muslims can't use 'Allah' word Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:51 AM PST 
(Bernama) - Non-Muslims in Pahang are prohibited from misusing the word of 'Allah' and 34 other words associated with Islam, said its mufti, Datuk Abdul Rahman Osman. He said this was enshrined under the Administration of Islam and Malay Customs of Pahang Enactment 1989 which carries a fine up to RM5,000 or imprisonment up to two years or both upon conviction. Non-Muslims are barred from using the word in statements, speeches, publications or broadcast for it could mislead and affect the faith of Muslims, he told reporters here today. He was commenting on the hullabaloo over the use of the word 'Allah' which erupted after DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in his Christmas message, urged the federal government to allow Christians to use 'Allah' in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible. Abdul Rahman said the issue should be resolved by enforcing the enactment and abiding by the edict passed by the Muzakarah (Conference) of the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs to avoid disputes, disunity among ummah, and confusion in the society. |
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