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• Selangor MCA: Sack Hasan for audio Bible comment
• MCA public forum on hudud on 4 Dec
• Najib: BN continues to be a brand that is accepted
• Dr M says Umno must befriend Perkasa to regain Malay votes
• Dr M says he is still relevant
• Hisham rebuts Dr M, says Umno has improved
• Najib launches social media group to intensify BN's cyber campaign
• NFC scandal: Entire cabinet in the dock
• Najib: 5-6% growth possible for this year
• MCA dares PR states to hold elections with GE-13
• Pro-BN online users our new army, says Najib
• Warnings as sustainable palm oil effort falters
• Peaceful Assembly Act to be tabled this week
• RM250m NFC award without Cabinet approval disturbing, says PKR
• Dr M says Umno weak and damaged

Selangor MCA: Sack Hasan for audio Bible comment Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:41 PM PST (The Star) - Selangor MCA has challenged Pakatan Rakyat to fire state executive councillor Datuk Dr Hasan Ali for his statement implying that Christians are using audio Bibles to spread their religion to Muslims. Such accusations could undermine religious harmony, said Selangor MCA secretary Wong Koon Mun. He added that Dr Hasan should be removed from his post for claiming that solar-powered "hand-held audio Bibles" were being used to convert Muslims. "Such remarks promote religious polarisation," he added. Wong also called on Selangor PAS to refer Dr Hasan to the party's disciplinary committee. "The Pakatan Rakyat government should also reprimand Dr Hasan. Or are PAS and its Pakatan Rakyat allies afraid of acting against Dr Hasan?" Wong also chided Selangor PAS commissioner Dr Abdul Rani Osman for dismissing the issue as a "small matter". Dr Hasan told the state assembly on Thursday that the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) had found a solar-powered "hand-held audio Bible" used to spread Christianity among Muslims in the state.

MCA public forum on hudud on 4 Dec Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:33 PM PST (The Star) - MCA think-tank, the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap), will be organising a half-day forum on the hudud law. Themed "Hudud and Its Implications on Non-Muslims in Malaysia", the forum on Dec 4 will see party president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek presenting the keynote address as well as the closing remarks. "The forum is aimed at exploring in detail the legal, socio-political and economic implications of hudud in a multi-racial society, and discussing the likely impact of a dual criminal law system in Malaysia. The forum, which will be conducted in English in Wisma MCA, is free and open to all. Those interested can register by sending an e-mail to info.insap@gmail.com or fax a name list to 03-2161 3701. For further enquiries, contact Insap at 03-2161 5621/6201.

Najib: BN continues to be a brand that is accepted Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:28 PM PST (Bernama) - Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Barisan Nasional (BN), as a brand, will continue to receive public acceptance as long as its product and services fulfill the people's requirement. The Prime Minister said the success of the Barisan Nasional Youth Job Fair (BNYJF) at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here proved that the BN brand continued to be accepted especially among the young generation.     "This is what is called its input and if anyone has any doubt in the beginning, that the BN may no longer be marketable, their doubts have certainly been uncalled for because the BNYJF received very positive response," he said when closing the three-day programme today.     The branding concept, said Najib who is also the Umno president and BN chairman, could be applied in the general election too especially in producing 'winnable candidates' who could ensure victory in the next general election.     He said this included ensuring that the candidate selected could provide good service to the people and fulfilled the pledges made to the rakyat. "The BN brand will pose a problem if what is provided is different from what has been portrayed. We have to work hard to ensure that the BN brand achieves the level expected by the rakyat," he said.     Also present were BN Youth chairman Khairy Jamaluddin, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong and Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan.     The BNYJF, which was initiated in March, has been held in various states such as Kedah, Perak, Melaka, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur and provides more than 70,000 job opportunities with 24,000 vacancies having been filled.     Najib said the response given to the carnival refuted allegations by the opposition that the BN, which has ruled the country ever since independence, no longer enjoyed public acceptance.     At the function, the BN chairman also launched the BN Youth career portal which provides guidance to the young generation on employment, business and the national agenda which would be fully functional early next year. Meanwhile, Khairy said the job carnival was among the approaches adopted by BN Youth in getting closer to the young generation.     "The carnival is a solution, ownership of the first home was also one of our efforts towards this end. In planning our strategy, we have also emphasised the inclusiveness and relevancy factors, and not merely for our own satisfaction," he said.     "What we do today, is to capture the imagination of the young generation. We already have a winnable PM (Prime Minister) and what we need to do now is (to have a) winnable BN," he said.     He said the carnival was capable of giving employment to one out of seven visitors (1:7 success ratio).

Dr M says Umno must befriend Perkasa to regain Malay votes Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:22 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said Umno cannot afford to make enemies with Malay rights groups such as Perkasa if it is to regain the crucial Malay vote in a general election expected soon. The former prime minister said in an interview published by Utusan Malaysia today that the Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) had suffered landmark losses in Election 2008 because "Malays did not support BN." "If only Chinese support, it will not be enough. In many areas where Chinese are split, Malays will decide who wins," Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying in the newspaper's Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia. The former Umno president, who is still highly influential in Umno, said many Malay non-governmental organisations wanted to support the party but were forced to take up issues that were not championed by the senior partner in the ruling coalition. "Umno cannot afford to view Perkasa as the enemy. We cannot afford to have many enemies at this point," Dr Mahathir, who is also Perkasa's patron, said. He also said Umno had a problem attracting Malays as high-calibre members of the community "are not accepted in Umno, so they join PAS." Umno goes into what is likely to be its last general assembly before a general election expected early next year. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is said to need a marked improvement from the last polls to retain his position and only a return of BN's customary two-thirds majority of Parliament can guarantee he remains in office. BN ceded 82 federal seats and five state governments to the opposition in the landmark March 2008 election.

Dr M says he is still relevant Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:22 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed has insisted his views are still relevant despite having stepped down as prime minister eight years ago. Saying although many people criticised him as such and called him conservative, the policies introduced during his premiership had benefited many people and its positive effects could still be seen today. "In my blog there are Malays who say that I am old and irrelevant. But I know my views are still relevant because those who say such things, would not be where they are without (government) assistance," the country's longest-serving premier said in an interview published by Mingguan Malaysia today. The Umno-owned newspaper quoted him as saying that those who criticised him actually benefited from pro-Bumiputera polices under the New Economic Policy (NEP) introduced in 1970. Dr Mahathir, a staunch proponent of Malay rights, has been heavily criticised by civil rights groups as well as opposition lawmakers, and has even been labelled as racist. Today, he said Malays did not take away all of the rights of the Chinese under the NEP. "Through the policy, we gave half to the Malays and gave some to the Chinese as well. "But Malays don't dare say that now, that we gave to the Chinese in the past," he added. After stepping down as PM eight years ago, Dr Mahathir had been vociferous in his criticism of the government policies of his handpicked successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He has also sporadically spoken out on some of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's policies.

Hisham rebuts Dr M, says Umno has improved Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:20 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dismissed today Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's claim that Umno has not improved since Election 2008 and was unable to garner Malay support. The former Umno president had said in an interview with Utusan Malaysia that Umno was a pale shadow of its former glory, and that it currently lacked good, credible leaders. But Umno vice president Hishammuddin told reporters "this is not something unique to Umno. I do not deny that this will hamper our process... but we are going through a revision and transformation." He said that it was not unusual for Dr Mahathir to throw out challenges and ideas for the party ahead of a general assembly, and that party members would need to rise to the occasion. Hishammuddin said that today's special presidential briefing by Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak showed that the party was getting ready for the upcoming general election. "This will answer a part of Tun's concerns," the home minister added. Dr Mahathir was quoted by Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia today as saying "Umno became badly damaged when Tun Abdullah Badawi took over." "Because he prioritised his family and there were so many corruption allegations. And everyone knew about his son-in-law's involvement," he said, referring to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin. "This damaged Umno has been inherited by Datuk Seri Najib Razak for him to fix. Umno needs time before it can become stronger. "But he (Najib) is busy and does not have enough time," he said. In one of his harshest remarks against his party, Dr Mahathir said the issue of credible leaders affected Umno's divisional level as well as the central leadership. He said that some Umno leaders were only interested in holding on to a particular post within the party, or wanted to contest in the next general election and did not care about strengthening the party.   READ MORE HERE.

Najib launches social media group to intensify BN's cyber campaign Posted: 19 Nov 2011 08:19 PM PST (The Star) - Barisan Nasional is stepping up its cyber campaign with the launch of 1Malaysia Social Media Volunteers (myVO1CE), a loose group of social media practitioners who will voluntarily explain the Government's policies and defend them online. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who launched myVO1CE Sunday, said with the advent of social media, the time had come for Barisan to relook its methods of disseminating information to the public. "Social media will enable us to engage with the public directly. "Last time, getting information across to the people on the ground meant going to an open field and asking the Information Department to set up a stage and microphones," he said at the 1Malaysia Social Media Convention in Putra World Trade Centre here. At the first ever such convention, Najib also gave the pro-Barisan social media users "official recognition", calling them the new army for the party in the virtual world. "So this is your role as cyber warriors. Our social media army can 'turun padang' (get to the ground), but not by rolling up your sleeves and trouser legs. "Bring out your iPads, iPhones, Blackberries and laptops. These are our weapons as the cyber warriors," he said to applause by the some 2,000 participants. Meanwhile, one of the convention's committee members, Hulu Selangor MP P. Kamalanathan, reminded social media users and bloggers on both sides of the political divide to remain ethical.

NFC scandal: Entire cabinet in the dock Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:42 PM PST NFC supremo should appear before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee to put to rest all questions of impropriety, accountability and integrity. (Lim Kit Siang, Free Malaysia Today) - Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said that it was up to the public whether they wanted to accept the explanation given for the National Feedlot Corporation's (NFC) "cattle condo" scandal. Saying that the government "already knows the facts", Muhyiddin had this to say after the NFC executive chairman Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail had broken his three-week silence on the "cattle condo" scandal: "We will leave that to the people to decide whether to accept the NFC's explanation or not because the NFC has explained each issue that has surfaced. "For us, the government, we know the truth. We don't buy stories made up by the Opposition." Muhyiddin cannot be more wrong. Malaysians not only want to hear what the NFC has got to say, but also what the government and in particular the ministers directly involved in the RM300 million NFC scandal have got to say. For instance, Muhyiddin was the  Agriculture Minister who approved the RM300 million NFC project in 2006. Would Muhyiddin have said in 2006 when approving the NFC project then that it was legally, morally and ethically proper for NFC to use 2%-interest RM250 million soft-loan to buy condos? Questions for ministers In fact, that is a question every Cabinet minister must now answer, especially as Muhyiddin claims that the government "knows the truth". They must also answer if they thought this is not criminal breach of trust, and if it is not a gross abuse of powers and public funds. READ MORE HERE

Najib: 5-6% growth possible for this year Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:24 PM PST (Bernama) - KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can achieve an economic growth of between five and six per cent this year via systematic government planning, matured policies and effective implementation, says Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. Najib, who is also Umno President, said the three vital factors have been proven and was instrumental in the country's development todate. "We have proven that we can bring progress to the nation. The achievement has been possible because Barisan Nasional (BN) is a party that has been tried and tested and has proven its capability in developing the nation. "The achievements, thus far, are meaningful as we had undertaken thorough planning. In the third quarter, we attained 5.8 per cent (Gross Domestic Growth)  and (God willing) possibly five to six per cent (growth) for 2011," the prime minister said when closing the BN Youth Job Fair Grand Finale 2011 here today. Najib, who is also BN chairman, said the third quarter growth was evidence enough to counter the opposition. "Some factions says the 5.8 per cent growth is impossible, the opposition says it is not true but we have proven in the third quarter that we have achieved 5.8 per cent growth," he said. The prime minister, who just returned from the Asean Summit in Bali, Indonesia, said Malaysia was lucky that it was still in the developing country category and was capable of creating jobs for its people. This was better than in the United States, which was in the developed nation category, but could not provide employment while Greece and Italy were in the  list of countries experiencing an economic contraction and was facing lots of problems. Najib also said the job fair not only offered employment opportunities for fresh graduates but also for those who wanted to switch jobs and a platform for those looking for financial options to start business. The career carnival, which began in March, offered 85,000 jobs opportunities and 24,000 have been filled, to date.

MCA dares PR states to hold elections with GE-13 Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:19 PM PST By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider MCA dared today Pakatan Rakyat-led states to hold simultaneous elections with the next general elections.  MCA Youth Chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong claimed that Pakatan Rakyat is not ready for concurrent elections. "Your desire not to dissolve the state assembly until after parliamentary general elections indicates that you are either ill-prepared to meet BN or independent candidates or (you are) acknowledging the administration of public policy is in a mess and that you have flunked in fulfilling elections pledges.  "Thus, you know that you cannot contest in simultaneous elections," he said in a statement.  Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had said the state will most likely not participate in the upcoming general elections if it is called before June next year.  He said he did not want to short-change the people as the state had just approved its budget for next year.  Khalid denied that the state government's decision was a sign of "insecurity" in its ability to remain in power.  Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had also said the government would not dissolve its state assembly should the prime minister decide to call for a snap general election.  One reason, Lim said, was the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) has yet to finish its hearings and propose details on how to reform the nation's electoral system.  The DAP secretary-general, said that the government has also yet to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) as promised in September.  Lim also said that Najib's administration should be focused on flood prevention and mitigation towards the end of this year, and not on calling for snap polls.  Wee said if the Penang and Selangor state governments are prepared to face BN and independent candidates for the polls, "they do not have to politicise deferring the state elections as a tactic against their opponents".  The Ayer Itam MP added that it would be wasting taxpayer's funds and making it inconvenient for logistical preparations if there are separate elections.  "To hold a state election separate from the general elections is not only time consuming with logistical preparations for the Election Commission, security personnel and political parties and candidates, but more pressing is that these will cause tax payers' pockets to be lighter when huge public expenses need to be utilised.   READ MORE HERE.

Pro-BN online users our new army, says Najib Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:17 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Datuk Seri Najib Razak today voiced his unconditional support towards pro-Barisan Nasional bloggers and social media users, calling them Barisan Nasional's (BN) "new army."  The BN chief said that the online world is the new battlefront between the opposition and BN and that many people now visited websites, portals and blogs as a means to access information.  "Barisan Nasional recognises you all, social media practitioners. You are our fighters, our new army," Najib said today after launching 1 Malaysia Social Media Convention here.  The prime minister said that BN leaders and members need to be able to adapt to changing times by becoming affluent with social media if it wanted to remain relevant.  Social media has become increasingly important politically with 11.3 million Malaysians on Facebook in the middle of the year, a figure that continues to grow.  Najib told attendees here, mostly pro-BN bloggers that they need to explain to Malaysians online of the government's efforts and successes and also to combat the "lies and half-truths" of the opposition.  "This is the role of the online warrior, who will go to the ground online using their blackberries, laptops, Ipads.  "If we cannot tackle this new wave, we will be swept away," said Najib.  He said that he himself was an active online user and strived to keep abreast with the latest technological innovations.  As an example, Najib said that he recorded a live recording of himself during his recent Haj pilgrimage using his Iphone 4 and it was broadcast to the public on national television.  "If we cannot defend ourselves against the opposition, by default we will lose," added the PM.   READ MORE HERE.

Warnings as sustainable palm oil effort falters Posted: 19 Nov 2011 02:29 PM PST By Romen Bose,AFP via FMT KUALA LUMPUR: Environmentalists have warned that an effort to encourage the sustainable production of palm oil launched several years ago has not kept pace with expanding cultivation driven by rising demand. The edible oil is a key ingredient in soap and everyday foods ranging from peanut butter to sweets but its cultivation is one of the biggest threats to the world's dwindling rainforests. The issue will loom large this week at the annual meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil from Nov 22-24 in key producer Malaysia. "Buyers of sustainable palm oil need to buy more. Retailers, manufacturers must up their purchases. We need to walk the talk and now buy the palm oil we have long demanded," Adam Harrison, agriculture policy specialist with WWF, told AFP. Despite some progress, major users of palm oil are not making enough effort to source and buy sustainably produced oil, while incentives for green production remain inadequate, green groups say. The mixing of global supply chains also hampers efforts to identify sustainably produced oil. Growers produced 5.2 million tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) — accounting for about 10 percent of world supply — last year but only about 56 percent of it was purchased. Palm oil represents about 35 percent of the global vegetable oil market and production is expected to double in the next 40 years due to its versatility, relatively high oil yields compared to alternatives, and economic importance to local communities. Environmentalists say the consequences for rainforests in major producers Malaysia and Indonesia — which account for 85 percent of world production — and other producing nations will be dire unless the situation changes. Virgin forests are typically cleared to make way for palm plantations that stretch to the horizon in many parts of Malaysia and Indonesia. The forest loss contributes to climate change and further imperils threatened species like the orangutan while land disputes between local communities and large palm producers seeking to expand cultivation are rising. The palm oil gathering in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo comes at a "pivotal moment in time" in efforts to make sustainable production the norm," RSPO Secretary General Darrel Webber said in a statement. Launched in 2004, the RSPO brought together producers, manufacturers and other stakeholders to create global standards for sustainable palm oil. But even Webber acknowledged the need for a "significant increase of market commitment towards the uptake of CSPO." The sustainable label is subject to a range of criteria including refraining from clearing virgin forests. Getting big buyers  But higher production costs, a rush to expand output to capitalise on rising prices, and inadequate supply chains for sustainable oil have conspired against the effort. The key lies in getting big buyers of palm oil on board, said RSPO advisor MR Chandran. Consumer products giant Unilever, McDonald's, Burger King and others have pledged to use only sustainable palm oil by 2015. In addition, under a sustainability programme called GreenPalm, growers are awarded certificates for eco-friendly oil. These can then be purchased by big manufacturers or retailers as proof of their green practices.   READ MORE HERE.

Peaceful Assembly Act to be tabled this week Posted: 19 Nov 2011 02:20 PM PST By Rahimy Rahim, The Star The Government will table the Peaceful Assembly Act this week as part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's political reform plans. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the bill was aimed to regulate peaceful public gathering and has assured that the regulations were enacted in accordance with the Federal Constitution. "We studied several templates of other countries' freedom of assembly laws, including from the United Kingdom, France and Belgium, before we decided to implement it. "This shows that we are serious about reforming and protecting the rights of Malaysians," he told The Star, when contacted Sunday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak recently motioned to repeal two of the oldest security laws in the country, the Restricted Residence Act and the Banishment Act in Oct.

RM250m NFC award without Cabinet approval disturbing, says PKR Posted: 19 Nov 2011 02:12 PM PST By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider PKR questioned today how the government could award a RM250 million project like the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project without Cabinet approval.  PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (picture) told reporters today she was "perturbed by the fact that the Cabinet was not involved in making the decision in the first place (as the Agriculture Minister stated)." "That gives a lot of questions as to how a disbursement of RM250 million of public money is done," she said.  Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Datuk Seri Noh Omar denied yesterday that the decision to award the cattle farming project was discussed during Cabinet meetings.  He said the issue was only discussed by the Cabinet's High-Impact Projects Committee.  PKR had demanded that the Najib administration disclose all Cabinet meeting minutes from 2006 onwards to determine if minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil was directly involved in the decision to award the NFC project to her family.  PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli had pointed out Datuk Mohamad Salleh Ismail, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat's husband, had not denied a single allegation and merely offered explanations for the discrepancies in the project.   He said the NFC executive chairman had made three major admissions when addressing the issue on Thursday — that his company had no experience in the cattle farming industry prior to the project award; that the RM250 million government loan had not been accompanied by a repayment schedule; and that the company had purchased "not one, but two" luxury condominium units for a whopping RM13.8 million in total.  The cattle farming project kicked off in 2008.   READ MORE HERE.

Dr M says Umno weak and damaged Posted: 19 Nov 2011 02:08 PM PST By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider Umno has not made any effective improvements since Election 2008 general and is unable to garner support from Malays, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed has said ahead of the party's general assembly at the end of the month.  The party's longest-serving president was quoted by its newspaper Utusan Malaysia today saying Umno currently lacked good, credible leaders and that it was a pale shadow of its former glory.  "Umno became badly damaged when Tun Abdullah Badawi took over. Because he prioritised his family and there were so many corruption allegations. And everyone knew about his son-in-law's involvement," he said, referring to Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.  "This damaged Umno has been inherited by Datuk Seri Najib Razak for him to fix. Umno needs time before it can become stronger.  "But he (Najib) is busy and does not have enough time," he added in an interview published in the Malay daily's Sunday edition Mingguan Malaysia.  In one of his harshest's remarks against his party, Dr Mahathir said the issue of credible leaders affected Umno's divisional level as well as the central leadership.  He said that some Umno leaders were only interested in holding on to a particular post within the party, or wanted to contest in the next general election and did not care about strengthening the party.  "Each person is only looking after his own...what's important should not be the individual but the party. If this goes on Umno will lose, Umno will not rule and all of us will not gain anything."  The former prime minister remained sceptical about Umno's upcoming assembly, saying that he doubted party leaders would actually use it as a platform to resolve outstanding issues.  One of the other problems affecting Umno, he said was its inability to respond to issues and accusations brought by the opposition.  "We won narrowly in the 2008 GE, that makes Umno weak. When someone is weak is it easy for other people to attack.  "If we can respond it is fine but it becomes a problem when we cannot respond," he said, explaining that for example if there were allegations of cronyism within the government, there should be a detailed explanation to alleviate any doubts on the matter.  He said that with a damaged Umno, Malays were already losing power in the country.   READ MORE HERE.

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• Hate language still holds sway
• Voting rights for overseas Malaysians
• Season Of Christian Bashing For Hasan Ali

Hate language still holds sway Posted: 19 Nov 2011 06:17 PM PST Again and again in Malaysia, those who defend the rights of citizens to exercise their fundamental liberties are treated as offenders. Again and again in Malaysia, those who defend the rights of citizens to exercise their fundamental liberties are treated as offenders, while those who incite fear and hatred and inflame racial and religious sentiments are given the upper hand to dictate the agenda through compliance, support or inaction by key state institutions. Zainah Anwar, The Star WHERE should we draw the line between freedom of expression and incitement to hatred? This is a debate that occupies the international human rights system today as governments grapple with the need to fully respect freedom of expression as protected by international human rights law and comply with the prohibition of incitement to hatred. As democracy matures, the public space for debate opens up further. Citizens, educated and aware of their rights, begin to articulate their demands for justice and social change. Diverse voices will compete for public attention and support. Traditionally marginalised groups will assert their right to be treated as citizens with equal rights and dignity. This is all good for democracy, respect for human rights and the well-being of society. However, the problem arises when those identified as "others" are constructed by the dominant community "as people who do not share a community's history, traditions and values" and, as a result, are "all too often perceived as predatory competitors, or at least a threat to the stability of that community's belief system", as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said. And thus they get demonised, threatened, discriminated against and even murdered just because they are different. This is a global problem. In the name of "war on terror", Muslims are vilified, attacked, or discriminated against. A whole community is demonised for the actions of a tiny minority who abuse Islam to justify their violence and terrorism. In the name of ethnic or religious homogeneity, whole communities are physically removed from a territory by driving them out, deported to concentration camps, or murdered. In modern times, the forcible expulsion and murder of Jews in Europe, Muslims in the former Yugoslavia, and Tutsis in Rwanda stand out. In the name of religion and culture, homosexuals are stigmatised, attacked and murdered. It is obvious that human beings are not born to hate those who think, act or look differently. Just look at a playground of toddlers of all colours and backgrounds playing together. All too often, hate, fear and insults are manufactured to serve a political agenda. And it is convenient to manipulate and abuse religion, ethnicity and culture to create fear and anxiety in order to delegitimise the rights and interests of the "others". In modern times, the media have been used as tools to inflame perceived grievances and rouse emotions, escalating tensions and conflict that can result in violence. Much research has been done to show how in Serbia, Serb supremacists used television to stir up ethnic tensions prior to the civil war. In Rwanda, Hutu propagandists used the radio to lay the groundwork for genocide. While such atrocities seem impossible in Malaysia, the fact is in our country today, fear and hatred are manufactured on a daily basis and public opinion inflamed through screaming headlines in some mainstream newspapers and television stations, and in the venomous hate language in the alternative new media. Muslim feminists, human rights defenders, and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) groups and individuals are among those most vilified and demonised. Recent events are cause for much concern. Many feel we are on a slippery slope to potential outbreak of violence. A country that has thrived, celebrated and been enriched by its history of embracing diversity and pluralism is today dominated by extremists who manufacture threats to race and religion supposedly posed by those they disagree with. Thus, we see the demonising and defaming of Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan for her courage and resolve to go ahead with the Bersih rally. The fact that government leaders took the lead in depicting Bersih as a threat to national security opened up the space and gave legitimacy to the even more belligerent voices among non-state actors. Death threats were sent; vile, abusive and hate messages proliferated by SMS and on the Internet, Bersih supporters were labelled "communists", "anti-Islam", or "funded by foreign Christian groups". The attacks against Seksualiti Merdeka are yet another public contestation that swiftly escalated into a shrill and belligerent public discourse. First, a forum to discuss the rights of LGBTs was portrayed by the media as a festival to promote free sex and a threat to security. Ambiga who was due to launch the event was once again demonised, this time labelled the "anti-Christ" by the right-wing group, Perkasa, which demanded that her citizenship be stripped. Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, who defended Ambiga against these unjust attacks, in turn became the target of hate mail. As expected in Malaysia today, close to 200 police reports were lodged all over the country against the organisers and supporters of Seksualiti Merdeka. The police banned the event and many activists were called in for questioning. It is one thing to exercise one's right to differences of opinion, but it is another when stigmatising, demonising, fear and hate-mongering language and accusations are hurled at marginalised and discriminated groups and human rights defenders. Irresponsible newspapers day after day use inflammatory headlines to build up the frenzy. Mobs are hired to intimidate organisers and the police intervene, not to disperse the hooligans but to raid legitimate meetings held indoors to discuss issues of public interest and concern. Again and again in Malaysia, those who defend the rights of citizens to exercise their fundamental liberties are treated as offenders, while those who incite fear and hatred and inflame racial and religious sentiments are given the upper hand to dictate the agenda through compliance, support or inaction by key state institutions. While Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects the right to freedom of expression, Article 20 also requires governments to prohibit the "advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred which constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence". While striking the right balance is no easy task, the clear meaning is that freedom of expression is to be upheld for as long as it does not advocate hatred and incite discrimination, hostility or violence against an individual or group. Any limitations should take place only in the pursuit of justice and democratic principles, not against those who stand for justice and democracy. But all too often, restrictions on freedom of expression are enacted in order to protect the interests of those who benefit most from silencing criticism, dissent and public debate on contentious issues. That a group like Sisters in Islam which upholds equality and justice for Muslim women is demonised as anti-God, anti-Islam, and anti-Syariah, a coalition like Bersih 2.0 which demands for free and fair elections, is portrayed as a threat to national security and public order, or an event like Seksualiti Merdeka to recognise the human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities is deliberately stigmatised as a "free-sex" festival, arguably does not constitute a legitimate exercise of free speech but incitement to discrimination and hostility that could potentially result in conflict and violence. The Prime Minister in his Malaysia Day speech promised the dream of a new Malaysia "that practises a functional and inclusive democracy where public peace and prosperity is preserved in accordance with the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law and respect for basic human rights and individual rights". How do the hate language and the relentless police reports by extremists against those demanding their constitutional right to fundamental liberties, and the continual phone calls to activists to visit Bukit Aman or a police station for yet another round of questioning under one restrictive law or another, create this democratic and inclusive Malaysia? A government that practises democracy must protect and nurture a public space that promotes justice, equality and democratic and human rights principles.

Voting rights for overseas Malaysians Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:57 PM PST If we can't work it out ourselves, then why not look at how other countries do it? After all, Britain and the USA - both countries where people vote according to their localities, like ours - allow non-resident citizens to take part in elections. If these two developed countries can do it, then why can't we, a country aspiring to developed nation status, do it too?  Farah Fahmy, The Malaysian Insider I shouldn't be amazed, but I am.  Here we are in the year 2011, and astonishingly, there are still people out there who hold antiquated views about who should be able to vote.  Datuk Ei Kim Hock has rightly been castigated for suggesting that Malaysians like me who live abroad should not be allowed to vote as we have "lost touch" with our country. I'm not sure which is the more preposterous claim, that someone like me takes no interest in what's happening in the country, or that someone like me should not be allowed to vote because what I read about Malaysia may be "biased" and "wrong."  Now, I will grant you that there are Malaysians out there who don't take an interest in what's going on in the country, but actually, these people live inside Malaysia as well as outside Malaysia, so should disinterested Malaysians living in the country be barred from voting too?  Until 1918, only men with property could vote in Britain, and it wasn't until 1928 that women were accorded the same voting rights as men. Do people like Datuk Ei really want us Malaysians to go back to a time when voting rights were accorded to certain people only?  Let me remind such people of one simple fact: voting, unlike many other things, is a right accorded to every adult Malaysian citizen. As long as I am a Malaysian citizen I should be able to vote, and the government and the Election Commission (EC) should be doing their utmost to ensure that all able Malaysians are able to vote, no matter where they live.  I know there are plenty of people out there who will blithely say, "Well come back then, if you care about it so much." Let me tell you this: whether I come back to Malaysia or not to vote is not the point.  So let me reiterate the point, in case you missed it: as long as I am a Malaysian citizen (and yes, I am a registered voter) I should be able to vote, and the government and the EC should be doing their utmost to ensure that all able Malaysians are able to vote, no matter where they live.  Don't talk to me about logistics, either. If the government and the EC can cater for students, army personnel and diplomatic staff, then obviously they have found a way to accommodate overseas voting.  Besides, if we can develop the latest technological marvel and include it in our passports and MyKad, then it can't be beyond someone's capabilities to overcome these supposed logistical hurdles.  If we can't work it out ourselves, then why not look at how other countries do it? After all, Britain and the USA - both countries where people vote according to their localities, like ours - allow non-resident citizens to take part in elections. If these two developed countries can do it, then why can't we, a country aspiring to developed nation status, do it too?  As far as I'm concerned, too many excuses have been given on why overseas Malaysians aren't allowed to vote. "Logistical nightmare" is merely one excuse. The other one often trotted out is the "difficulty" in locating overseas Malaysians.  Again, let me ask: do the authorities knock on every single door in Malaysia to ask people to register? Of course not. So why should this be an issue when it comes to overseas Malaysians?  As I've mentioned in a previous article, it really isn't difficult to run an information campaign in this day and age. If the EC can't work out how to do it, I'm sure there are plenty of Malaysians who would gladly set up a Facebook page to do this and publicise any registration exercise! READ MORE HERE

Season Of Christian Bashing For Hasan Ali Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:22 PM PST By Mariam Mokhtar In the lead up to Christmas, it appears that the season of goodwill has been replaced by the season of Christian bashing, at least in the state of Selangor. During question time at the Selangor state assembly, the state executive councillor Dr Hasan Ali, who is also the PAS leader, claimed that the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (JAIS) had discovered an audio device which had been used to proselytise Muslims in Selangor. Hasan claimed that the solar-powered "hand-held audio Bible" had been discovered by JAIS during its investigation into the proselytisation of Muslims in Selangor. He said, "The research also revealed several efforts by the Christian community to convert Muslims by setting up welfare groups, giving financial aid and other forms of assistance to single mothers, the poor and the elderly. "The hand-held Bible was also used to preach", he declared and added that the word Allah had also been used in a Bahasa Malaysia version of The Bible. Hasan Ali is no stranger to controversy. Last August, he defended an illegal JAIS raid on a thanksgiving dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) premises, because he claimed JAIS had found "evidence of proselytisation of Muslims." In complete contrast was the Selangor Menteri Besar, Khalid Ibrahim who had expressed regret over the incident and ordered a detailed investigation. But the ensuing result, outraged both Muslims and non-Muslims, and raised more questions than answers, because the Sultan of Selangor, who is defender of the faith in the state, decreed that "no one would be charged over the raid because of insufficient evidence". He then went on to say that Muslims present at the dinner, would have to be counseled. Perhaps, if anyone should take heed, it would be the PAS deputy president, Mat Sabu. At a Bagan Dapsy (Dapsy is the youth wing for DAP) fundraising dinner in Butterworth, in early October, Mat Sabu warned the crowd of BN's propaganda machinations to try to undermine the opposition. His allegations centred on BN's strategy called the 3R program whereby race, religion and royalty would be used to propagate a culture of fear in the people and try to make them vote BN in GE-13. Mat Sabu said, "If these discrepancies were found true after proper verification, Barisan Nasional would recapture Selangor in the next general election. "BN now propagates various malicious lies using the 3R strategy to undermine Pakatan and woo voters using fear tactics." Fresh in his mind was the cow-head demonstration, non-Muslims being banned from using the word "Allah", churches being fire-bombed and Penang Chief minister Lim Guan Eng's comments about Johor which had upset its Sultan. Mat Sabu probably did not realise, last October, that one of the greatest threats would be in the form of his fellow PAS member, the Selangor PAS leader Dr Hasan Ali. Is Hasan Ali a rogue PAS member or is he in league with Umno? Hasan used religion to instill fear and hatred in the Malays by claiming that their religion was under threat. He seems indirectly to be manoeuvering the Sultan of Selangor into an invidious position. Hasan seems to have adopted Umno's strategy of using the 3Rs to undermine the opposition and used all three elements in one fell swoop in the latest "solar-powered talking Bible" case. One does not need the solar-powered hand-held device. Anyone who wishes to see the Indonesian/Malay versions of The Holy Bible can download a copy from the internet. Nevertheless, Hasan Ali is more daft than he looks. He has insulted the intelligence and integrity of Malays and Muslims by his allegations. What makes Hasan think that a Muslim can be converted to Christianity by listening to readings from The Bible? Did he listen to the recordings and think there was something in the readings of The Bible that made him question his own faith? Perhaps his own religious roots are not as strong as most Muslims. The millions of non-Muslims who live near to a surau or mosque and who have no choice but to listen to Koranic tape-recordings blaring-out five times a day, have not become Muslims have they? It appears that both Hasan and JAIS have little knowledge of what makes a person embrace a faith, whether it is one they are born into or one they adopt or discard, in later life. For over a century, several hundreds of thousands of Malayan/Malaysian children have been indoctrinated in Mission Schools, but the non-Christians have remained staunch believers of their own faiths despite having to recite the Lord's prayer at assembly every morning. If Hasan Ali claims Muslims have been converted, how many are there, where are they and why did they convert? The Hasan Ali diatribe appears to have popped up at a critical time, just when the public is angry about the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) scandal involving the Women Family and Community Development Minister, Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. Hasan Ali and his solar-powered talking Bible is a red herring to divert the nation's attention from Shahrizat and her family's abuse of RM250 million of taxpayer's money. The public is furious for many reasons; The project was awarded to her husband and three children and its been disclosed, in the Auditor-General's report, that the project was a mess and failed to meet its targets. No wonder the project failed. We have learned that RM800,000 was allegedly spent by Shahrizat and her family on overseas vacations, two luxury condominiums worth around RM7 million each were purchased and she awarded herself RM26,400 in expenses. The Deputy Prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Shahrizat was not involved even though the money trail leads to her. What were her expenses if she had nothing to do with the project? Never mind talking Bibles because if our faith is strong, no one can dislodge it. However, the endemic corruption in our Cabinet and the lackadaisical, indolent attitude of our ministers must be dealt with urgently.

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• Which do you fear more? Hudud or Islamic State?
• Open letter to Dato Seri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Group Chief Executive Officer, Telecom Malaysia Bhd
• MT Responses

Which do you fear more? Hudud or Islamic State? Posted: 19 Nov 2011 09:31 PM PST MCA supports Barisan Nasional (BN)-Umno's declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic state. Okay. Malaysia is an Islamic state. Doesn't a real 100% Islamic state include hudud, an Islamic criminal law? By Jackson Ng, Retired Journalist I WAS motivated to write this piece by a news portal reader who wrote this comment: "Malaysians. You choose. DAP works with PAS. MCA works with Umno. So, what's the difference? The difference is that the MCA is always selling out the Chinese. MCA supports BN-Umno's declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state. But DAP only harps on Hudud which only affect Muslims, not Malaysia. Anything beyond this are all just fears and speculations. You fear Hudud but don't fear Islamic state? What a load of garbage by BN supporters!" He or she makes a lot of common sense. We can argue all we want until the cows (Oops! Did I say anything wrong?) come home over hudud and Islamic state and will never reach a consensus because Malaysia is a multi-racial country. There is much logic and common sense in what the reader wrote. MCA supports Barisan Nasional (BN)-Umno's declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic state. Okay. Malaysia is an Islamic state. Doesn't a real 100% Islamic state include hudud, an Islamic criminal law? So, there you have it. Are non-Muslims in Malaysia still free from hudud under Umno, the dominant force in BN? And, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has said he is Malay first, Malaysian second and that Malaysia is not yet ready for hudud. This means, Muhyiddin and Umno will implement hudud when the time is right. Malaysians, wise up. There is no difference in hudud whether under the BN or Pakatan. Hudud is hudud. It is a criminal law for Muslims. So, logically it does not affect non-Muslims. To express fear or otherwise is just speculation and will lead Malaysians nowhere. But, Muhyiddin's stand is more dangerous to 1Malaysia than anything else if one is to assess his statement very, very carefully. Ponder and answer the following questions related to Muhyiddin and Umno yourself: - "I am Malay first, Malaysian second" – isn't he a racist? Shouldn't the DPM and PM-in-waiting be a Malaysian instead of a racist? Has PAS ever called others pendatang? PAS champions Islam, not race. Race and religion are two very different matters; - " … Malaysia is not yet ready for hudud" – when is ready? (My reading is that Umno will be ready to implement hudud when it has two-thirds control of Parliament. This also applies to PAS); - Compare DAP in Pakatan Rakyat and MCA in BN; which is more subservient or subdued in the two coalitions? For the past year, many sensitive religious and race issues have been engineered by Umno to split Malaysians so that the Malays will only support Umno. PAS and PKR have publicly come to the defence of non-Muslims and Malaysians in general when an issue spun by Umno got too hot and ridiculous, while all other BN component parties had remained mum. You don't agree? Actions and facts do not lie. Fabrications cannot stand because they don't have backbones to support.

Open letter to Dato Seri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Group Chief Executive Officer, Telecom Malaysia Bhd Posted: 19 Nov 2011 09:21 PM PST How did you manage to obtain approval to construct a huge tower right next to a resevoir? Isn't the vinicity around a sensitive and essential service/utility a secured site strictly off-limit to unauthorised personnel? I will not speculate on how you managed it though I have my own opinion. By Bobby Chiah 2 November 2011 Dato Seri Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa Group Chief Executive Officer Telekom Malaysia Bhd Level 51, North Wing Menara TM Jalan Pantai Baru 50672 Kuala Lumpur.   Dear Dato Seri,   I am writing to you on behalf of 196 families residing in Kipark Selayang Condominum located in Bandar Baru Selayang. Directly opposite our condominum separated only by a narrow road is a hillock with a resevoir located near to its summit. At the beginning of May this year, during the May 1st. extended holidays you rushed through the construction of a huge telecommunication tower right next to the resevoir itself. This tower, despite its great height and situated on elevated ground, is still at eye-level to the top half of our building and, furthermore, is practically sited at our doorstep. If this base station is allowed to be fully operational, it will emanate and blanket our entire building with high and extremely hazardous electromagnetic fields (EMFs) 24/7, day in day out, year in year out. Its insidous reach will penetrate every nook and cranny of the entire building and no residents, especially the children who are more susceptible, can escape from its harmful effects. Fortunately, we have an Ahli Parlimen, Y.B. Tuan  William Leong Jee Kean, whom, on our appeal, promptly issued a stop work order to Majlis Perbandaran Selayang on 18 May 2011. However, today, 2 November 2011, work has resumed on the site and is the reason I am writing this open letter to you. Firstly, how did you manage to obtain approval to construct a huge tower right next to a resevoir? Isn't the vinicity around a sensitive and essential service/utility a secured site strictly off-limit to unauthorised personnel? I will not speculate on how you managed it though I have my own opinion. I also wonder whether Dato Seri really practises Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). Because if you do, how could you knowingly put 196 families, excluding those living in nearby houses, in harm's way? Various studies have shown that EMFs can cause brain tumors, leukemia, birth defects, miscarriages, chronic fatigue, headaches, cataracts, heart problems, stress, nausea, chest pain, forgetfulness, cancer and other health problems. Some experts are convinced that the threat is very real. For instance :-   1. Dr. David Carpenter, Dean of the School of Public Health, State University of New York believes it is likely that up to     30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to EMFs   2. The Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) warns " There is reason for concern and advises prudent avoidance.   3. Martin Halper, the EPA's Director of Analysis and Support says " I have never seen a set of epidemiological studies     that remotely approached the weigh of evidence that we are seeing with EMFs. Clearly there is something there.   4. In November 1989, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that " It has now become generally accepted that     there are, indeed, biological effects due to field exposure."   5. In March 1990, the EPA recommended that EMFs be classified as a Class B carcinogen - a "probable human     carcinogen and joined the ranks of formaldehyde, dioxins and PCBs; and   6. Last but not least, in the 31 May 2011 report by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) it states     " IARC has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B)     based on an increased risk for glioma a malignant type of brain cancer associated with wireless phone use.     (Please refer to The Star report " Cellphones increase brain cancer risk." of 2 June 2011.   And, here, we are not talking about emission from a tiny cellphone but from a huge base station that will be thousands of times stronger and infinitely much much more potent. Furthermore, it is an acknowledged fact that properties in the vicinity of a telecommunication tower, especially a huge one, will see their values plummet. As it is, we are already facing threats from an existing telecommunication tower to the side of the hillock. We definitely are not going to accept further endangerment from your base station; more so when it is situated right at our doorstep. So, unless Dato Seri is willing to subject your own family and neighbours to the same calamity you so intend to force onto us, please stop work immediately and, better still, dismantle the monstrosity ASAP.   Yours sincerely, Bobby Chiah   c.c. YAB Tan Sri Dato' Sri Abdul Khalid bin Ibrahim       Dato Menteri Besar Selangor       By copy of this letter we fervently hope that YAB Tan Sri Dato' Sri, who have been kept abreast of this issue right from the       beginning, will exercise his authority to permanently enforce the stop work order. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------   On 3 June 2011, I attempted to post a similar open letter to Dato Sri Zamzamzairani Isa via "The Star". Disappointingly but NOT unexpectedly they refused to publish it. I did not pursue the matter further because by then, due to the prompt and decisive intervention of our  Member of Parliament, Y.B. Tuan William Leong Jee Keen, who issued a stop work order on 18 May 2011, work had ceased. Before I proceed further, I like to put on record our appreciation and thanks to Y.B. Tuan William Leong. We are indebted to him. The hiatus, unfortunately, did not last long for today, 2 November 2011, work has resumed. Mountings were fixed on the tower in readiness for the installation of multiple transmission discs; in direct violation of the stop work order. You are our last resort and we hope you will let us bring to public's awareness our predicament by posting my letter in your website. We believe that, unless their callous attitude and lack of corporate social responsibilities are exposed to public's odium and shame, they will not willingly abandon the project. To them might is right. I also want to expose the complicity of Majlis Perbandaran Selayang (MPS). They claimed that they gave approval to Telecom to erect the huge tower on that site, despite its close proximity to a high density residential buliding, was because the residents did not object or complain. This is a blatant lie. In reality, we were intentionally kept in the dark and lied to. When work first started, when asked, we were told they were only carrying out repair works on the pipes from the resevoir. We now know they were actually laying the foundation for the tower. They then waited until the extended Labour Day holidays when we have no access to MPS to erect the tower. Work was carried out at superspeed. Despite its great height, it practically sprung up overnight like Jack's beanstalk. By the end of the three days holidays it was almost 100% completed! The reason for the haste is quite obvious.They were banking on the assumption that once completed those affected will lose heart to protest. This strategy may have worked well for them in the past but, for this instance, they did not foresee the tenacity of a 68 year old grandfather, me. Someone once told me that there is no greater love than grandparents' love. To be frank, I used to be a bit sceptical about that. But, after this, I know for a fact that when it comes to protecting my two granddaughters aged 4 and 6, to ensure that they will be able to live a long and healthy life and not to be cut down by a brain tumor or other forms of cancer, I will not hasitate to take on any goliath no matter how powerful or connected. I will fight them with any means fair or foul. In short, I will be relentless.   Regards, Bobby Chiah

MT Responses Posted: 19 Nov 2011 06:52 AM PST Hi Pete, With my comment under your article "Let's get it straight", I was trying to put across a subtle, subliminal message but, judging by the responses, I obviously failed big time to hit the target.  I will be more direct in future! My underlying message was: "All Malaysians must strive to bury religious and racial differences and work at becoming fulltime Malaysians".  After all, peaceful cooperation is a two-way street, and blaming each other for the jams will get everybody nowhere!   Anyway, please allow me to elaborate, based on the way I see things from an interested outsider's perspective: 1. UMNO have deliberately kept the religion/race cards in constant play (and today, even more so), solely to ensure that (i) Malays are always driven to vote for UMNO and (ii) non-Malays will be confused as to the intention of the Malay elements of the opposition parties, so that retaining UMNO will seem a far safer option to non-Malays than voting for the unknown, possibly far worse political scenario.  In this, UMNO is conducting an extremely Machiavellian game, knowing full well what it is doing.   2. As all past visitors to Malaysia will tell you, for so many reasons Malaysia used to be a great place to visit, the principal reasons being (a) the wide variety of cultures and food to be experienced across the length and breadth of the country, (b) the ease of travel and communication, (c) the cleanliness and attention to beautiful landscaping everywhere, and (d) the politeness and respect with which Malaysians used to treat not only each other but foreigners too.  All those attributes within Malaysia combined to create a society possessing an exquisitely unique flavour, which I can only describe as "Malaysianess".  All foreign visitors to Malaysia will know exactly what I mean by that – Malaysia's southern neighbour is nice enough, but Singaporeans just don't seem to generate the spontaneous warmth that at one time existed everywhere in Malaysia, plus Malaysians generally dress so much more colourfully than Singaporeans and aren't, well, boring…….. 3. Having said that, today Malaysia is not as nice, safe or friendly as it once used to be.  The warmth at the Immigration Department coming by road from Singapore has disappeared completely, almost as if visitors from the south are no longer welcome.  Taxi drivers in KL constantly bitch about the GOM in general and about the discrimination shown to non-Muslims and non-Malays in particular, the courtesy level shown to foreigners has dropped considerably, the streets aren't anywhere near as safe to walk along as they once were (in some of the less salubrious areas you can almost feel the resentment in the air against those with money), and some former tourist spots in KL seem to have been deliberately abandoned and left to become run-down (particularly in the predominantly Chinese and Indian areas).        4. In the process of deliberately playing the religion/race cards, UMNO have carefully avoided making "Malaysianess" the desired objective, contrary to what they should have been doing for the past 50+ years.     5. The Malaysian people should not let UMNO get away with having deliberately trashed "Malaysianess".  In fact, it seems as though UMNO specifically concentrated on fomenting strife between (i) Islam and other religions and (ii) Malays and other ethnic groups.  Malaysians themselves must therefore urgently resurrect "Malaysianess" from its half-burial if they are to stand any chance at all of voting UMNO out in the next GE! 6. To achieve the goal of resurrecting "Malaysianess", all Malaysians (including the current opposition politicians) must, regardless of ethnic and religious differences, start to develop trust in each other and work together to openly discuss the framework for the fair and just society that is so much needed in Malaysia.  If ordinary Malaysians in the street (non-politicians) cannot begin to trust those with different religions or cultures to be committed to building a better Malaysia for all, then there will be no political change through the ballot box possible within the next 100 years!  So the concept of "Malaysianess" must be worked at very hard if it is to stand any chance of succeeding – it won't work if it is only a half-hearted attempt! In my view, whole-heartedly adopting "Malaysianess" doesn't mean burying the differences between the various religious and ethnic groups - it means accepting those differences and showing compassion towards (and complete tolerance of) all others who don't follow your religion, customs or whatever, and recognising in word and deed that all Malaysians are equal in every respect. My above comments are driven by the fact that, of all the countries in the world, Malaysia probably still stands the best chance of demonstrating that Islam is perfectly capable of offering all its citizens equal opportunities and equal justice in a well developed country that would be the envy of most others, including those supposedly well developed countries in the west.  However, right now Indonesia is doing its best to show the world what Islam can do, and it is making great headway ("Look At Us Now!").  Malaysia ought to be able to get there far faster, because it has the very useful advantage of the English language at its disposal! Sadly, the main thrust of the responses to my previous comment is that, at best, Malaysian Muslims can't be trusted by the rest of Malaysian society to do the right thing, and that my comment is therefore somehow "theoretical".  However, I consider that there is nothing "theoretical" about building national unity!  It has to be done, or else society will disintegrate!  In particular, if something is not done quickly to redress the negative perception about Malaysian Muslims (or to put the situation right if, indeed, that perception is indicative of the way things really are now going inside Malaysia today), then I fear that Malaysia has some extremely tough times ahead.  This will mean that Indonesia will be allowed to stand far taller than Malaysia, despite Malaysia's magnificent Twin Towers and its very unique but currently eclipsed "Malaysianess".   Nobody but Malaysians can resurrect "Malaysianess" – Malaysians must become re-united through their own efforts!  But, sadly, right now I can't see anybody at all recognising the need to promote "Malaysianess", let alone someone dedicated to driving those unification efforts.  That is a pity, because I am confident that there must be many moderate Malaysian Muslims who are sitting on the fence because they are ashamed of the discrimination they see at play by the GOM, but who are afraid of changing their allegiance because of the anti-Malaysian Muslim rhetoric they see every day, especially in the comments posted in MT.  And just because ordinary Malaysians didn't create the religious and racial problems currently being faced in Malaysia, it doesn't mean that they can afford to sit there and do nothing, as if it isn't their problem.  It bloody well is their problem, because UMNO made sure it is!     Anyway, now perhaps you can see why I tell my Malaysian friends here in Abu Dhabi (regardless of their ethnic background or which religion they follow) that, if they are not willing to close their eyes to religious and racial differences in Malaysia and embrace "Malaysianess" whole-heartedly, they themselves are therefore part of the problem and can't ever expect a solution for the religious and racial divide that they themselves help to perpetuate! Warmest regards to you and Marina, Wally

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• It's Nothing But A Turf War
• Francis Loh takes over as Aliran president as Rama steps down
• Remember Dr M and vote for CHANGE in GE-13
• Dr Mahathir: Umno Belum Giat Berusaha

It's Nothing But A Turf War Posted: 19 Nov 2011 10:25 PM PST A turf war is "a bitter struggle for territory or power or control or rights". We can see turf wars erupting between street gangs for control of a particular area or spot to sell drugs. In the board room, a president could resign following a turf war with the board of directors. Basically, it is a contention for any kind of resource desired by two or more sections resulting in a confrontation. In our own backyard, recent developments indicate it is nothing but a turf war being played out by major players in the game. In our midst is a coalition government of different parties who claim to serve the groups they represent. Realistically speaking,  they cannot really see eye to eye and yet they have to sustain the coalition government. Obviously, any political party controlling the helm of power would enjoy immense power over many areas of our lives, even in religion. Currently, we see a turf war being played out between the evangelists (Christians) and dakwah groups (Muslims) whereby each group has been accused of trying to poach believers/followers from the other side to covert to their side. BOTH Christians and Muslims equally guilty. It is common to hear of reports whereby an organization brags about so and so (normally a VIP, etc) converting to their religion. In many parts of the world, Christians brag about this famous Muslim or that famous Muslim now has become a Christian. And Muslims also brag about that famous Christian or this famous Christian has now become a Muslim (eg. Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, Neil Armstrong, etc.). Many times, it is rumours only (or worse still, could be a lie). But they are proud to announce their list of Who's Who who has left either Islam or Christianity to join the other side. Basically, they feel that if they can impress us with their list of Who's Who then it will attract more converts. If so and so VIP/super-star joined our religion, then we must be correct. Too often, it's a numbers game. They want to show how many converts they attract. And the bigger the name, the better. In many ways, this is much like UMNO announcing PKR or PAS people coming over in droves and the same goes for the other side. That is why when Zaid Ibrahim, Chua Jui Meng, etc. joined the opposition, they may make a lot of noise about it.   READ MORE HERE.

Francis Loh takes over as Aliran president as Rama steps down Posted: 19 Nov 2011 07:42 PM PST Aliran members present unanimously elected scholar-activist Loh, the outgoing honorary secretary, to lead the organisation. Dr Mustafa K Anuar, the outgoing assistant secretary, was elected honorary secretary replacing Loh, while Leena Mohan takes over as assistant secretary. Anil Netto was returned as honorary treasurer. Ramakrishnan will remain in the Aliran leadership as he was elected to the executive committee member. Also elected to the committee were Dr Prema Devaraj, Andrew Wong, Dr Soon Chuan Yean, Dr Andrew Aeria, Sarajun Hoda bin Abdul Hassan, Angeline Loh, Dr Subramaniam Pillay, Dr Lye Tuck-Po, Ch'ng Teng Liang and Henry Loh. In his keynote address, outgoing president Ramakrishnan told members, "Based on the Auditor-General's Report, the BN has forfeited its right to stay on in power. Political change is inevitable; it will come. Let's go for it." READ MORE HERE

Remember Dr M and vote for CHANGE in GE-13 Posted: 19 Nov 2011 06:11 PM PST Although all of us were pendatangs (emigrants) at different stages, we were happy we were born on this land which gave us a sense of belonging and peace. To the outside world we were seen as a truly multiracial country, our propaganda was to be a multiracial, role model in harmony. Once upon a time, it was a dream land Tourists flocked to this country in droves, they were amazed with the different cultures, the varieties of food, and most of all friendly people. Large multinational companies especially from US, Europe and Japan settled their business interests here mainly due to the presence of a large literate workforce, stable policies, secular government with religious freedom. It was a dream land for the MNC's, they got what they wanted good and cheap labour force with competent engineers, managers, supervisors , leaders and administrators. The whole workforce was a mix of Indians, Chinese, Malays, and other races , they were all work oriented, communication was easy and to top it they were achievers. Many MNCs profited in that era, most of the worlds electronic goods were from Malaysia, we were the Silicon Valley of Asia for semiconductors, and the world's largest producer of air conditioning units. We were basking in glory, and it seemed that only a few years before, the people in the west thought that Malaysians lived on trees, and yet today we were on top of the world . From the good times, thousands of Malaysians reaped the good fortune. It was a blessing in disguise for Malaysians from all races who benefited from these MNCs and the employment they offered. It filled the government coffers and Malaysia was progressing. Then came Dr M Sadly good things don't last long. In came Mahathir Mohammed in 1981. He was like a fresh school boy, and his vision was far sighted. He had great dreams for Malaysia. "As Prime Minister, Mahathir was credited with engineering Malaysia's rapid modernisation and economic growth, and initiated a series of bold infrastructure projects. He was a dominant political figure, winning five consecutive general elections and seeing off all of his rivals for the leadership of UMNO. However, his accumulation of power came at the expense of the independence of the judiciary and the traditional powers and privileges of Malaysia's royalty. He also deployed the controversial Internal Security Act to detain activists, non-mainstream religious figures, and political opponents including his sacked deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. Mahathir's record of curbing civil liberties and his antagonism to western diplomatic interests and economic policy made his relationships with the likes of the US, Britain and Australia difficult."  -  Wikipedia Things were well for the first three terms of his office, he was well loved by all races , he was the people's Prime Minister. It looked liked nothing could stop him, everything was good until he wanted to be the Hitler Malaysia never had. That was when his obsession for the Malaysia Boleh fallacy began, along with the mega projects, the continuation of the NEP (1991), cronyism, corruption and Ketuanan Melayu or Malay Supremacy which was the nail in the coffin for racial harmony. This added further fuel to the great divide and rule hegemony that he and Umno perpetuated. Malaysia was doomed. READ MORE HERE

Dr Mahathir: Umno Belum Giat Berusaha Posted: 19 Nov 2011 05:25 PM PST Bukan alang kepalang punya kata. Bukan cakap di kedai kopi atau dalam blog sendiri, tetapi kepada akhbar milik Umno, Mingguan Malaysia. Dalam temu ramah panjang lebar dengan akhbar itu, Dr Mahathir, antara lain berkata: 1. Undi bukan Melayu, khasnya undi Cina, hanyalah undi tambahan. Undi Melayu perlu diperoleh dengan cukup banyak kalau tidak Umno/Barisan Nasional tidak boleh menang; 2. Beliau tidak nampak UMNO sedang giat berusaha untuk mendapat sokongan daripada rakyat. Biasanya, hampir waktu pilihan raya banyak aktiviti diadakan bagi memberi kefahaman mengenai perjuangan Umno. Inilah gambaran yang beliau peroleh; 3. Dahulu Umno kuat. Tidak ada orang yang meninggalkan parti, tetapi sekarang Umno perlu memenangi semula hati mereka yang telah meninggalkan parti; 4. BN/Umno menang PRU lalu dengan kelebihan suara yang kecil. Jadi, kalau ada ahli yang keluar, walaupun 200 atau 300, itu sudah cukup besar. Kalau 100 orang lari, Umno kena cari balik 200 orang. Kalau tidak mendapat dua kali ganda lebih ramai daripada yang telah meninggalkan UMNO, agak susah bagi parti itu untuk dapat kemenangan; 5. Ramai orang Melayu beralih kepada pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) kerana kecewa dengan Umno. Dulu mereka percaya UMNO akan memperjuangkan nasib mereka. Sekarang ini, mereka tidak nampak Umno memperjuangkan nasib orang Melayu. NGO tidak boleh buat apa-apa, tetapi kerana mereka mempunyai ahli dan ahli mereka tidak mengundi UMNO/BN, maka kesan kehadiran mereka kepada politik negara adalah besar; 6. Pemimpin Unmo kena tahu mengapa ramai orang Melayu beralih kepada NGO. Ada NGO Melayu, contohnya Perkasa, yang hendak sokong UMNO, tetapi kerana terdapat isu-isu orang Melayu yang tidak dimainkan UMNO, maka Perkasa terpaksa diambil alih; 7. UMNO harus ambil tahu dan tidak boleh melihat Perkasa sebagai musuh. Umno tidak boleh mempunyai banyak musuh dalam keadaan sekarang. Orang yang hendak menjadi musuh Umno pun patut pertahankan dan ambil tahu apa masalahnya; READ MORE HERE

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