We have read recent reports of bulldozers waiting to bulldoze the Indian settlements in Kg. Railway, Kg. Pandan, Kg. Lindungan, etc. The Indians here may have lived for two or even three generations but have never been granted state land for the poor and titles issued, as some for the Malay villages, Orang Asli and native customary land in Sabah and Sarawak and the hundreds of Chinese villages. To the contrary there is no such thing as an Indian village and even if there is one, it does not have land titles and is waiting to be bulldozed in a matter of time.
But for the 100% Malay PKNS flats in Kg. Kerinchi, the residents get a briefing and also get to vote on the contractor for the job (Starmetro 5/3/2010 at page M6). The Malays in Kampong Baru will get RM 4 Million each in the Kg. Baru redevelopment.
Church : No action and no apology (refer The Star Nation 5/3/2010 at page N 25)
Church unhappy A-G dropped “Al-Islam” case (refer NST 5/3/2010 at page 9).
Article 11 of the Federal Constitution guarantees Freedom of Religion. We support the church that the holy communion ritual should not be desecrated and the Attorney General’s inaction on Al Islam.
The mainstream UMNO and P.R. linked media rightly highlighted this.
But even as late as one month ago on 8/2/2010 the 60 year old OM Sri Maha Kaliaman Hindu temple at Air Panas, Setapak was demolished which is a hundred times more serious than the aforesaid Christian ritual (our letter to the Prime Minister, Wilayah Minister and K.L Mayor dated 8/2/2010 & posted in this website refers) .
But this Hindu temple got zero coverage from the mainstream New Straits Times, The Star and even the opposition linked underdog newsportal Malaysiakini.com. The bottom line is because the Indians have zero Indian majority seats but there are about 20 Christian majority seats in Sabah and Sarawak.
In the March 8th 2008 General Elections we had given the one over million voters the political directions to vote for the Opposition. But now even their 79 PKR, DAP and Pas MPs’ including their 11 “multi racial” Indian MPs’ would not speak up let alone championing this Hindu temple or the other critical Indian issues.
We have not heard the voices of Kula, Gobala or Sivarasa, or even the other ‘multiracial’ MPs like Tian Chua or Jeff Ooi. None of them spoke up for Indian issues. and we are told to believe in multiracialism!
The writing on the wall is very clear. We have to take care of our own baby. The way forward is in Indian Political Empowerment Strategy
The Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Murphy Pakiam today demanded an explanation from the authorities over their decision not to take action against two Al-Islam journalists alleged to have desecrated a sacred Catholic ritual.
“I appeal to the attorney-general to explain the decision not to take further action on the Al-Islam journalists’ case,” said Pakiam during a press conference at his office in Kuala Lumpur.
“The (decision not to) prosecute appears to legitimise the actions of the Al-Islam journalists.”
However, when asked, Pakiam said that he believed that the Catholic community will be “satisfied” if the journalists and publisher apologise.
“When (Tamil newspaper) Makkal Ossai published a photo depicting the sacred heart in an offending manner, the editor apologised, we accepted it and the matter was closed.
“Forgiveness is the main line in our church. We are always seeking for God’s forgiveness for our wrongdoings and for those who do us wrong,” he said.
Last year, the May edition of the Al-Islam - a monthly magazine published by Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Utusan Melayu Bhd – carried a report by the two authors who narrated their attempts to verify claims that proselytisation of Muslims were taking place in two unnamed churches in Kuala Lumpur.
The two authors wrote that they took part in the holy communion and later spat out the bread given to them.
This act was considered an insult and a police report was lodged against the duo.
Subsequently, the police announced that the duo were investigated under Section 298A (1) of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.
‘Don’t hold demos’
However, the Dang Wangi police district headquarters revealed charges against the duo were dropped.In a Feb 12 letter to the complainant, K Sudhagaran Stanley, they stated that no further action will be taken against the duo.
As a result, and much to Pakiam’s disagreement, Sudhagaran is planning a protest against the decision later this month.
“Street protests on these issues are very precarious and can easily go out of hand… the more tension we have, the more the need to create dialogue,” he said, frowning.
He also said that the church will not pursuit a civil suit, opting instead to “rely on the goodwill” of the authorities.
But when quizzed on why the church is not taking a stronger stance, despite the Home Ministry’s silence on their memorandum sent six months earlier, Pakiam said: “We are hoping for some action… whatever their reasons are, we will continue to bring out our grievances.”
Also present at the press conference was Catholic Lawyers Society president Mabel Sabastian, who said the attorney-general has discretionary rights on whether to press charges on the two journalists.
However, she added, it is possible for the complainant to appeal for the decision to be reviewed.
KJ defends AG decision
The issue, which was brought to attention in July last year, has caught the attention of politicians and legal experts, most of whom condemned the journalists.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who called the act “appalling and offensive” last year has, however, defended the attorney-general’s decision.
This is because, he said, the decision may have been reached to “balance out” the tensions caused by the issue revolving the use of the word ‘Allah’.
But according to Bar Council president K Ragunath, the attorney-general has to be “accountable” and provide an explanation of how the decision was reached.
“It’s important for us to know the reasons. There might be mitigating factors, (so they should explain) so that we don’t prejudge if the case should be brought to court or not,” he told Malaysiakini earlier today.
Disagreeing, MCA NGO liaison bureau chairman Ti Lian Ker, who had strongly condemned the journalists last year, said that “prima facie has been established so the AG should have let the courts decide.”
“If (the authorities) can take a strict stand on other frivolous issues concerning individuals, then they should take an equally strict stand on matters of public interest,” he said when contacted.
AG defends his decision
In a statement faxed to Malaysiakini late this evening, attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail defended his decision not to charge the duo.
“The actions of the two reporters may have hurt the feelings of the people but I was satisfied that they did not intend offend anyone. It was an act of sheer ignorance.
“Therefore, in view of the circumtances at that particular time and in the interest of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press any charges against them.”
He said that the two journalists did not cause any disturbance when they went undercover at the St Anthony Church in Puduraya.
“In fact, no one in the church was aware that they were Malays. In the church, they were given the white bread by the pastor which they subsequently brought back to their office. It was further disclosed that they did not know the significance of the white bread.
“I have previously decided similarly in other cases where circumstances were quite similar involving other religions. Under those circumstances, taking a serious action would not be in the interest of justice at that particular time.”
Even with all the appeals to Prime Minister and Education Minister not to close down the Indian Studies Department in University Malaya, UMNO proceeded to close it down anyway.
Even as late as the NST news report on 21/2/2010 at page 24 there are still 600 temporary and untrained Tamil school teachers in the 523 Tamil schools nationwide. Whereas to the direct contrary UMNOs’ Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) is training graduate teachers to teach in the almost all Malay muslim pupils at the Permata kindergardens and within 2013 UMNO has targeted 100% graduate teachers for all primary schools.
The top of the icing for UMNO is 7,575 (over 75%) out of the 10,000 schools in the country are three to five star rating schools under the Smart School Qualification Standards (SSQS) with another 5% targeted to be increased by year end (The Star 13/2/2010 at page N26).
By this calculation over 80% of the Malay schools will become three to five star Smart Schools but 0% of the Tamil schools are slated to be so let alone one star school.
Now UPSI claims to offer degree course in Tamil studies and a propaganda was done in the three Tamil newspapers after a visit by the MIC Minister Mandore to UPSI (MN 20/2/2010 and The Star 20/2/2010 at page N42).
We have to take UPSI statement as not done until done as per UMNOs’ track record in over the last 53 years since independence.
Now AIMST has to set up degree courses in Tamil studies as UM and UPSI won’t. But MIC in existence for 64 years and a part of the ruling coalition with UMNO in Malaysia for over the last 53 years is powerless to do so because of UMNOs’ racist religious extremist and supremacist policies in Malaysia.
Just in today’s Malaysia Nanban, 5/3/10, at page 16, alone report on four instances of Indians begging for even the basic necessities of life.
PKR and UMNO leaders play “school bag” politics and giving out wheel chairs. (Not that this is not important.) We hardly read about the Chinese and Malay school children being given school bags. But for this Indian minority, children in Malay-sia, this schoolbag donation only reflects their height of poverty.
The government has allocated RM 48 Million for welfare programs including providing assistance and house rental payments (NST 24/10/2009 at page 10). But most of the poor Indians residents of PPR Subang flats had their welfare help rejected at the counter level, given the run around, and at last are given a pittance of RM 95 per month where the poverty line index is RM687.00. (The Star 24/20/2009 at page N6). Or even this pittance of RM95.00 is terminated after just a few months.
These poor people have been burdened with the rental increment from RM124 to RM 250 after Pakatan took over Selangor state. And they are struggling to get back the RM 126 that they are paying extra from earlier rental payment. If they can’t afford, why do these people have to struggle for RM126. And some of them cannot even afford to pay the rental and their house debts has reached over thousand ringgit. So these people are to become homeless at any time.
HRP note: Helping the poor is the duty of the government. Giving out school bags and wheel chairs is the tip of iceberg and should not be highlighted in the newspapers, as if a great deal has been accomplished. They do not deserve congratulations for doing their duty for which they were elected. They can only be congratulated when the minimum is done, that is, land is allocated to the school. PKR and UMNO leaders are doing Wayang Kulit by playing school bag politics.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The High Court today set an April 30 deadline for the Home Ministry to have an out-of-court settlement with the Sidang Injil Borneo over the use of the word “Allah” in Christian books.
If negotiations to settle the three-year dispute are not successful, the High Court will fix a hearing date for the case, said a lawyer for the evangelical church.
Judge Aziah Ali made the call in her chambers this morning. Her ruling came just two months after another High Court ruled that the Catholic weekly Herald had a constitutional right to use the word Allah to describe the Christian god.
Senior federal counsel Azizah Nawawi acted for the ministry while Lim Heng Seng and Bobby Chew represented the SIB.
Pastor Jerry Dusing, who heads the Sabah SIB branch, told The Malaysian Insider the church has always been open to resolving the dispute out of court.
“We have no problem. All we want is for them to declare we can use the word in all our religious materials published in Bahasa,” Dusing said.
He explained that he had resorted to the courts in December 2007 after failing to get the ministry to lift a ban on Christian books imported from Indonesia.
Earlier that year, Royal Customs and Excise Department officers had confiscated at the KLIA low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) eight religious books brought in by the church for its Sunday school classes for children.
The ministry, which controls the department, had claimed the books contained the word Allah which is barred from use by non-Muslims, and seized them to prevent confusing Muslims.
Dusing said the books were teaching references meant only for Christian consumption and would not be used to preach to Muslims, as the ministry appeared to imply.
He suggested to the ministry for the church to stamp the words “For Christian Use Only” or “Christian Publication” on the front cover of all its religious books so that it would be clear to Muslims who may inadvertently land their hands on such books and be confused after reading them.
But the ministry has yet to reply to the church’s idea.
Dusing explained that the church had to import the Malay-language religious books from Indonesia because none were available in Malaysia.
“You think it’s cheap to bring them in?” he pressed.
The pastor related how the church had previously tried to get local printers to produce Christian religious books but failed because of two reasons.
The printers were reluctant because they said they needed a special permit from the ministry and claimed they had been harassed by ministry officials who threatened to withdraw their licences.
Dusing added that the church members, spread throughout Sabah and Sarawak and the peninsula, numbered well over 300,000 and, because of their ethnic diversity, commonly spoke Bahasa Malaysia during worship and religious classes.
He hoped the dispute could be settled amicably.
The SIB was set up in 1928 and has grown into one of the biggest Christian denominations in Malaysia.
In Sabah alone, there are 120,000 members. In Sarawak, the biggest state, there are more than 100,000 though Dusing was unsure of the actual figure, and in the peninsula, there are 30,000 SIB members.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The MCA Wanita and Youth wings announced today the cancellation of their annual general assemblies this weekend in a bid to exert pressure on the party president to hasten party elections.
MCA Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong (picture), an ally to vice-president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai who has been pushing for fresh polls, said through a text message that the decision was reached after the wing’s central committee (CC) meeting this morning.
“We have asked party secretary-general (Datuk Wong Foon Meng) about its decision on the AGM but the delegates have been asking us so we have to decide by 11 am,” he told the media after chairing the meeting.
At the same time, embattled MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat refused to comment on the Youth wing’s decision, saying that it was not his policy to “remark on another person’s decision.”
“It is not my practice to comment on the decision made by others,” he told a press conference at the party headquarters here.
The party’s remaining central CC members are currently meeting to discuss on whether or not the MCA AGM, scheduled for tomorrow and Sunday, will be continued after 21 of its members officially quit yesterday.
Ong, who is desperately clinging to power, was dealt with massive blow yesterday when his ally Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek announced his resignation along with seven others.
Add this to Liow’s and the resignations of 12 others, there are a total of 21 resignations, or two-thirds of the central committee, which are now enough under the MCA constitution to trigger new elections which must be held within a month.
Dr Chua had indirectly demanded for the weekend’s AGM to be postponed in light of the bloc resignations while Liow said it was up to the party leadership to decide.
Wong, speaking to the media prior to the CC meeting, said it will decide if the AGM will be held or not.
He also said that under the constitution, one of the remaining elected 10 CC members will be appointed to conduct the polls.
Ong was vague when asked about the call to postpone the AGM.
“People can speculate about this and that but everyone knows that we have to abide by the party constitution,” he said, smiling.
By Clara Chooi and Neville Spykerman The Malaysian Insider
PETALING JAYA, March 5 — PKR’s Pakatan Rakyat co-ordinator Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (picture) has accused Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of being “two-thirds” crazy, claiming he is behind the recent spate of resignations by opposition MPs.
In what appears to be an attempt to clean up the image of PKR following the recent exodus of its MPs, the former Umno man told a press conference this afternoon that the defections were a result of Najib’s obsession with regaining a two-thirds majority in the Parliament.
“What is this obsession with having ‘two-thirds’? This disease to have two-thirds? Do you think England would have become what it is today because it had a two-third government? Do you think America is number one today because it had two-thirds? No. They became number one because of good governance and they have good governance because they have a strong opposition,” he said.
Zaid appealed to Najib to respect the country’s democratic system and to think about the future stability of the nation.
He noted that the Barisan Nasional government already holds the majority seats in Parliament and could pass any law that it wanted.
“Let politics be about service and about improving policies. He (Najib) is the only man who can do that. He cannot let his operators to run wild with all sorts of offers,” he said.
He said that the results of General Election 2008 was a positive one whereby for the first time, the Malaysian Parliament had a strong and vibrant opposition.
“A strong opposition is nothing to be afraid of. It is not something that we need to kill off. That is why the position of an Opposition Leader exists. Najib should fight us on policies and service and not in this manner,” he said.
Zaid added that there was no use for Barisan to cry over spilt milk and instead of focusing on winning back its majority, it should work to solve the problems plaguing the country.
“We have not settled on our trade agreements with foreign nations, we have not addressed the issue of subsidies, we have not settled on the Petronas oil issue. Today we make one policy and tomorrow, we retract. We speak about the New Economic Model in January, then February and now March. We cannot go on this way — our international status is at stake here. When we say we do something, we should do it. We should stop conducting all these clandestine works,” he said.
Zaid expressed confidence that no matter how many elected representatives that the Barisan successfully buys over, Pakatan would still prevail in the next general election.
“The people are not stupid. They know what is going on. In any case, if they feel they had made a mistake in the last election, they can correct that in the next one,” he said.
Zaid said however that if Najib’s NEM and 1 Malaysia concept was truly geared towards looking after the interests of the people, then the Barisan could very will retain as government.
“But then this should be done in a proper manner and this robbery (of elected representatives) must stop. We cannot go here and there stealing and trying to start a Perak 2,” he said.
On allegations that the three recently defected PKR MPs had been “bought over” by the BN, Zaid said the party had enough proof but could not reveal its sources.
“The problem is this — some people do not want to come out. So we have to respect our sources also. However if they are willing to come out...” he said.
He added that one source had even told him that one of Barisan’s operators had even whipped out a bag of cash to the possible defectors in order to prove that they were serious.
“But we cannot reveal our sources. Of course Barisan would deny this but then it is up to the people to believe,” he said.
He noted that although the PKR had its weaknesses, it was not on the verge of destruction just because of the defections of a few MPs.
“We promise that in the next round, our candidates will be better. The vetting process will be more strict and we will select only those who are truly there for the purpose of upholding justice and protecting the interests of the people — not those who have no interest in their jobs,” he said.
Zaid stressed that in view of Barisan’s underhanded tactics of winning the numbers in Parliament, Pakatan would win in the next elections.
“What they are doing now will only work against us in the short run. It will work against them in the long run. They will lose in the next elections, I guarantee it. If we have fair elections, we will win,” he said.
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 – Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders believe that the spate of resignations of PKR lawmakers since Election 2008 will not influence seat allocation negotiation at the next general election.
Four PKR assemblymen quit the party last year to become Barisan Nasional (BN) supporters while three federal lawmakers turned independent in recent weeks, raising questions about the party’s bargaining power within the opposition coalition that also consists of DAP and PAS. In Election 2008, the parties arranged to have straight fights with BN after intense negotiations for several seats, finally capturing four more states and 82 parliament seats.
“We have move beyond March 8 to a much higher level of cooperation,” Perak DAP chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham told The Malaysian Insider.
“In the next round we will look at the quality of candidates rather than the quantity of candidates of each individual party,” he added.
“Generally it shall be status quo, unless there is a need to swap seats because of candidate issue, but it will be in a friendly manner, as Pakatan in Perak is one,” said Ngeh.
During the campaign for 12th general election, the Perak DAP and PKR only managed to resolve the seat allocation at the last minute due to intense negotiations over several Chinese majority seats in the Kinta Valley.
The PR state government fell in February 2009 after three assemblymen quit to be “friendly with BN” which then formed the new Perak government. The Bagan Serai MP Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri quit on Wednesday, making him one of three PKR men to quit the Perak PR coalition. The fourth person is from DAP.
The former PKR state assemblymen who turned BN-friendly Osman Jailu and Jamaluddin Radzi both represent Malay-majority constituencies of Changkat Jering and Behrang, traditionally contested by PAS. Mohsin’s Bagan Serai is a traditional PAS seat and was last contested by respected ulama Ahmad Awang in Election 1999 and 2004 but losing both times to Barisan Nasional (BN).
Perak PAS election director Asmuni Awi said while party grassroots may demand for more seats due to the defections, it is too early to say whether it will influence seat allocation as the negotiation is usually concluded close to the general election and based on the individual party’s strength in each constituency.
“It is too early to say so, we have not started any talk on seats, but we decide based on ‘winnability’, there is no point in contesting more seats, without winning them,” Asmuni told The Malaysian Insider.
“The basis of our negotiation is to retain the seats that we won while identifying seats that we can potentially grab,” he added.
In Kelantan, the state PAS election director Abdul Fatah Harun the defections will not stop the party from backing PKR to contest in the state.
PKR is now representing the federal seats of Machang, Tanah Merah and Ketereh and controls one Kelantan state, Guchil, despite not having strong presence in the east coast state.
“We have not discussed this, but it is not unusual to swap seats with PKR, for example PKR contested Kota Bahru in 2004 and PAS took Machang, but in 2008, Machang is given to PKR and PAS took Kota Bahru,” said Fatah.
Political scientist Wong Chin Huat believes that PKR’s bargaining power is not affected as those who have defected do not represent opposition’s safe seats.
“My general impression is that these are marginal seats, so I doubt other parties will fight over these seats,” said Wong referring to the Perak seats.
He added that in the case of Perak defectors they do not represent the constituencies that were the subject of long negotiation between DAP and PKR.
(The Star) - Malay rights group Perkasa has been given a publication permit to print Suara Perkasa.
Its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said the publication may turn into a daily if the demand was great.
Thanking the Home Ministry for granting the permit to the non-governmental organisation, Ibrahim said it would kick off as a fortnightly.
“When the readership is higher, we will turn it into a weekly publication.
“When the demand grows greater, we will make it a daily,” he said yesterday.
Ibrahim said the group received the letter of approval on Wednesday.
“We have yet to decide on the launch date for the inaugural issue,” he said.
Ibrahim, who is independent Pasir Mas MP, said readers would be enlightened to facts.
Chiding certain portals for presenting “selective” facts that did not portray the real picture, Ibrahim said Suara Perkasa aimed at highlighting issues in a responsible manner.
“People are fed-up reading twisted facts,” he said.
Ibrahim also said that the NGO had started attracting new members.
“We are receiving membership application forms at a rate of about 200 a day. So far, we have received 50,000 new applications,” he said, adding that they had about 5,000 registered members.
(Harakah Daily) - Keengganan kerajaan Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak menunaikan hak Kelantan untuk mendapat bayaran tunai royalti minyak mungkin akan menyebabkan isu itu dibawa ke jalan raya, kata Naib Presiden PAS, Salahuddin Ayub.
"Saya tidak boleh menolak kemungkinan isu itu akan di bawa ke jalan raya jika kerajaan Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) terus berdegil menafikan hak Kelantan untuk mendapatkan bayaran tunai royalti minyak.
"Rakyat sudah berhimpun di dalam stadium dan majlis-majlis ceramah mengenai isu royalti untuk menyatakan bantahan mereka terhadap keengganan kerajaan pimpinan Perdana Menteri.
"Di Kelantan kini ceramah diadakan setiap malam seolah-olah menghadapi pilihan raya dan kehadiran begitu ramai rakyat membuktikan mereka membantah sikap degil Umno itu," katanya.
Jika bantahan rakyat yang disuarakan melalui kehadiran mereka dalam perhimpunan besar di stadium dan juga siri-siri perhimpunan dalam ceramah umum itu tetap tidak dipedulikan, Ahli Parlimen Kubang Kerian itu tidak dapat menolak kemungkinan mereka akan berhimpun di jalan raya pula.
"Bukan di Kota Bharu, tetapi di Kuala Lumpur. Bukan sahaja anak-anak Kelantan di Kuala Lumpur dan rakyat Kelantan yang datang beramai-ramai dari negeri itu, malah seluruh rakyat yang cintakan keadilan akan berhimpun," kata Salahuddin.
Sebelum ini, bekas Naib Presiden Umno Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah mengingatkan kerajaan Najib supaya jangan menafikan kehendak rakyat dengan menolak royalti minyak kepada Kelantan.
Beliau juga mengingatkan, pertikaian mengenai minyak telah mencetuskan Revolusi Islam Iran pada tahun 1979.
"Ayatullah Khomeini berumur 91 tahun ketika beliau memimpin kebangkitan menentang Shah lebih 30 tahun lalu," Malaysian Insider memetik beliau berkata.
Beliau mengaitkan revolusi itu dengan tindakan Mohammad Reza Pahlavi menyalahgunakan kekayaan minyak Iran.
Bagaimanapun, Razaleigh segera menafikan bahawa beliau mahu memimpin revolusi seperti itu.
Beliau juga menyifatkan kerajaan pusat berlagak seperti 'Godfather' apabila enggan membayar bayaran tunai royalti minyak kepada Kelantan.
"Kerajaan Persekutuan berlagak seperti Godfather walaupun kuasa mereka datang dari 13 negeri," kata Razaleigh sambil menyamakan sikap menindas Putrajaya dengan sikap ketua penjenayah.
Sehingga kini, tidak ada tanda kerajaan pimpinan Najib mahu mematuhi perjanjian antara Petronas dengan kerajaan Negeri Kelantan pada 9 Mei 1975.
(Harakah Daily) - Pejabat Menteri Selangor mengesahkan bekas Setiausaha Agung Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Salehuddin Hashim (Gambar) pernah mengemukakan permohonan untuk mengisi jawatan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Berhad (KPS).
Pejabat Menteri Besar juga mengesahkan KPS telah menerima permohonan beliau itu dan Salehuddin pernah ditemuduga oleh Jawatankuasa Pemilihan.
Bagaimanapun, Jawatankuasa Pemilihan memutuskan supaya calon lain yang lebih layak dan sesuai dipilih bagi menjawat jawatan itu.
Kenyataan ini dikeluarkan bagi menerangkan kedudukan sebenar mengenai Salehuddin apabila nama KPS dikaitkan dengan kontroversi punca peletakan beliau meletak jawatan Setiausaha Agung PKR, kata kenyataan rasmi dari Pejabat MB Selangor.
Kenapa?
Persoalan kenapa Salehudin sebagai bekas Setiausaha Agung PKR sanggup bertindak menikam partinya serta rakan karibnya sendiri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim kini menjadi fokus utama.
Ini berikutan kehadiran Salehudin pada setiap kali anggota Parlimen PKR membuat pengumuman keluar dari parti itu.
Salehudin pula membuat kenyataan, satu pertiga anggota parlimen PKR iaitu kira-kira 10 orang akan berbuat demikian. Jika kesemua 10 orang itu menyokong BN, ia akan membolehkan parti yang memerintah negara sekarang (BN) mendapat kembali kuasa 2/3 nya yang hilang dalam pilihan raya umum ke 12 lalu.
Langkah Salehudin umpama cerita drama dalam filem polis apabila penjahat menahan sekumpulan tebusan dan membuat tuntutan dari pihak tertentu. Penjahat itu akan menembak satu persatu tebusannya sehinggalah tuntutannya dipenuhi.
Sehingga kini, sudah tiga 'tebusan dibunuh' dan akan terus 'membunuh' jika tuntutannya tidak diterima. Tidak diketahui apakah tuntutan Salehudin dan dari siapakah tuntutan itu ditujukan.
Timbalan Presiden PKR, Dr Syed Husin Ali dalam kenyataannya berkata, Salehudin marah apabila permohonannya untuk menjadi CEO Kumpulan Perangsang yang bergaji RM50,000 sebulan ditolak.
Syed Husin juga berkata, Salehudin dibayar gaji sebanyak RM9,000 sebulan sebagai Setiausaha Agung PKR.
Dalam jawapan balasnya, Salehudin berkata, Anwar yang meminta beliau menjadi CEO Kumpulan Perangsang untuk kepentingan perjuangan PKR dan dia telah berkata kepada Anwar akan menjadi CEO dengan syarat dibayar gaji RM1 sebulan.
The Attorney General of Malaysia who turned psychologist and mind-reader has offered all future potential violators of religious harmony and unity the excuses needed to escape from and evade the rule of law. Just appear real stupid and do all the harm you want undercover so that it won’t disturb anybody, and leave the rest to me!
Martin Jalleh
Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail want us to believe that he is committed to ensuring that the rule of law is upheld in Bolehland. In his address to members of the Judiciary and the Bar entitled “Opening of the Legal Year 2010”, on 16 Jan., he declared:
“(I)t cannot be over emphasized that the concept of justice is grounded on the basic principles of equality, fairness, and rule of law. The AGC (AG’s Chambers) is committed to promoting the rule of law and ensuring justice be given to all people whatever their race, religion or class.
“AGC in carrying out its duties is well aware of the maxim ‘justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done’, and hence the explanations issued by AGC from time to time on cases handled by it so that the public would not have misconceptions of biasness.”
Such purported profound and passionate zeal for the rule of law by the AG turns into mere political BN propaganda when one applies it to his pathetic excuses for not pressing charges against the two reporters of the Al-Islam magazine who had committed a most sacrilegious act against the Catholic community.
Gani’s Gall
Under guise of being Catholics they participated in a Mass (church service) at the Church of St. Anthony in Puduraya to “investigate” what was going on in Catholic Churches and to verify reports that “Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in Kuala Lumpur’s churches every Sunday”.
They even partook of the Holy Communion strictly meant only for Catholics, which adherents of the faith treat with utmost reverence. They spat out the remnants, photographed it and published the picture in an article entitled “Tinjaun Al Islam Dalam Gereja: Mencari Kesahihan Remaja Murtad” in the May 2009 issue of the magazine.
Their act shocked not only Christians but also Muslims in the country. Even Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin found their action “appalling” and “offensive”. He added that the “Islamic virtues of empathy, respect and tolerance were obviously absent in both the journalists and the magazine's editorial team".
Catholics K Sudhagaran Stanley and Joachim Xavier had lodged a police report in July last year against the two reporters. On 27 Aug. the Catholic Lawyers Society handed a memorandum to the Home Ministry urging it to take action. There was no response. They must have hoped it would eventually be forgotten.
Finally on 24 Feb. this year, about six months after the police report was made, and due to what the Dang Wangi police district headquarters called “overwhelming pressure from the general public”, the police revealed that charges against the two have been dropped.
They were investigated under Section 298A (1) of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.
Senior investigating officer ASP Ananthan Rajoo in a letter to the complainants stated that the police had received orders from the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) to whom the case was referred to, to take no further action (NFA).
Gani’s Hype and Hypocrisy
The overwhelming public reaction not only from Catholics but from countless of other Malaysians and even Muslims is that the AG has failed to uphold the rule of law and that what he had pronounced, proclaimed and preached so piously about was mere pretense!
The AG is at fault for the public perception that there are two sets of laws in this country. Reputed lawyer/blogger Art Harun articulated well his disgust over the decision and called it what it really was: “The blatant double standard. The plain hypocrisy of it all. The stupidity.”
Alas, it would be very easy to imagine the speed with which the police and the AG would have sprung into action if two non-Muslim reporters were to enter a mosque disguised as Muslims, partook of the rituals and desecrated something which the congregation considered very sacred.
Surely Gani would apply the full force of the law without any doubt, delay or deliberation. The penalty would be severe. The all-too-familiar mob would be braying for their blood. Lock them up, lash them or even lynch them? Non-Muslims would be threatened with a looming May 13 or Feb.13!
The Malaysian Insider (TMI) captured well the contempt for the AG’s decision: “In the eyes of the Catholic church, the desecration of the communion is an act even worse than the recent firebombing of places of worship."
"Never before has the exhibition of double standards been so obvious...The irony is this message of hypocrisy comes at a time when the Najib administration is asking for support from non-Muslims.”
In a press conference yesterday Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Murphy Pakiam asked the AG for the rationale behind his decision: "I appeal to the attorney-general to explain the decision not to take further action on the Al-Islam journalists' case."
Pakiam pointed out his fear that “the decision not to prosecute appears to legitimise the actions of the Al-Islam journalists". He added he believed that the Catholic community will be "satisfied" if the journalists and publisher apologise.
Gani’s Gobbledegook
In a faxed response to the press Gani had the gall to say: “The actions of the two reporters may have hurt the feelings of the people but I was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone. It was an act of sheer ignorance… the two journalists did not cause any disturbance when they went undercover…”
The Attorney General of Malaysia who turned psychologist and mind-reader has offered all future potential violators of religious harmony and unity the excuses needed to escape from and evade the rule of law. Just appear real stupid and do all the harm you want undercover so that it won’t disturb anybody, and leave the rest to me!
(Whatever their intentions, they had violated Section 298A (1) of the Penal Code for causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity, on grounds of religion.)
Gani went on probably hoping that the public would be as gullible as he expects of them: “Therefore, in view of the circumstances at that particular time and in the interest of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press any charges against them.”
Whose "interest"? Whose “justice”? Umno’s brand of justice? How would peace and harmony be disturbed if charges were pressed against the reporters? It appears there is really no rule of law in this country but the mob rules – even in the discerning and decision making process of the Attorney General!
Gani tried very hard to convince himself: “I have previously decided similarly in other cases where the circumstances were quite similar involving other religions, under those circumstances taking serious action would not be in the interest of justice at that particular time.”
TMI again “hit the nail on the AG’s head” when it commented: “Simply put, this man by his statement has shown himself to be incapable of protecting the interest of Christians and non-Muslims in the country.”
“One can only wonder what justice is for the AG, for his actions in the Al-Islam case show he is ‘not in the interest of justice’ in any time or situation.”
TMI also described Gani’s statement as “outrageous at the very least as he was offering protection to a group of people who have not had the decency to apologise for their actions” and that the AG was “condoning vigilantism”.
God is watching, Gani!
Khairy accepted and defended the AG’s decision, for “the decision may have been reached to ‘balance out’ the tensions caused by the issue revolving the use of the word 'Allah'”. Six months ago he had called the act “unacceptable”! The poor Umno Youth leader must be suffering from an unbalanced mind.
Only politicians feel they have to resort to playing the balancing act. The AG is not a politician and he should not play politics. All he should be concerned about is that the scales of justice are balanced and that there should be fairness to all.
The sheer ignorance “plea” concocted by the AG on behalf of the two reporters is really an insult to the intelligence of the public. This is reinforced by the fact that the magazine which they are working for, Al-Islam, is a monthly magazine published by Utusan Karya Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Utusan Group (which is owned by Umno) and which publishes the Utusan Malaysia (UM).
In recent years, the UM has been allowed to go on a spree of spinning falsehood, spouting lies, spewing seditious articles and spreading Umno’s unprecedented racist and religious propaganda with impunity – and immunity granted by the Umno Home Minister. It is very obvious where the reporters of Al-Islam got their audacity from in committing their sacrilegious act!
Khairy was wrong when he said last year that the two journalists failed to consider “the gravity of their own actions”. Gani was wrong when he said they were “sheer “ignorant”. The reporters were right when they knew full well what they were doing and that they could do what they liked, for there would be no consequences – and the AG has confirmed it!
In his maiden speech 1Malaysia, People First Performance Now, the Prime Minister said: “We must reach out to the many who may have been disaffected and left confused by political games, deceit and showmanship”. It is time you stop your games, Gani! God is watching, Gani!
It is wishful thinking (and I hope I will be proven wrong) to expect Al-Islam to apologise, after all, the people behind it come from a superior race, have a religion they believe is superior to all else and are protected by Executive Supremacy! May Allah (oops, I can’t use this word), may God have mercy on our beloved country!
An offense is an offense and serious measures must be taken to protect all places of worship regardless if it's a Church, Mosque or a Temple.
By K. Sudhagaran Stanley
In regards to the latest development on the Al-Islam issue, where 2 Journalist had entered the Catholic Church to spy on our rituals, received the Holy Eucharists, later spat it out to be photographed and published it in the Al-Islam monthly magazine, the AG has decided to take no further action on that matter. In a statement, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said the reporters had acted through "sheer ignorance".
He said the police investigation had revealed that they had gone to St Anthony's Church at Puduraya to verify allegations that Muslims were being converted into Christianity and the use of the word "Allah". Their observations showed that such allegations were not true. He said the reporters were given the Communion "which they subsequently brought back to their office". "It was further disclosed that they did not know the significance of the (Communion)," he said. "No disturbance was caused in the church. In fact, no one in the church was aware that they were Malays. "The actions of the two reporters may have hurt the feelings of the people but I was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone. It was an act of sheer ignorance.
"Therefore, in view of the circumstances at that particular time and in the interest of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press any charges against them."
This is my question to the AG:-
1) Who gave the two journalists authority to check on whether we are using the word Allah in our prayers and that whether we are converting Muslims. Is it the Police, Government?
2) Is there any law in Malaysia which permits people to enter places of worship and spy on their prayers?
3) Can I tomorrow enter a Mosque, Temple or gurdwara to spy on them and later get away with it?
4) Are you trying to justify their act and say it is OK, because they were spying on whether we are using Allah and converting Muslims or not?
5) Since when did you now become the Judge? I thought you were only supposed to check on whether there is an offense created and under which Law or Act they could be charged. It seems now that you are giving a verdict on the case and judging it in your own perception.
Till today, we have not received any apology from Al-Islam on this matter. We support the call by our Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam to an open apology by the Al-Islam Publisher and Journalists. We as Christians will forgive them if they seek for forgiveness. In fact, that's the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ; "Forgiveness". We will forgive and not pursue this matter any longer.
But we have yet to receive any apology. We have called upon the government to take serious action on this matter as the Holy Eucharist is the most Holy and sacred for Catholics. It is the life and soul of our Church. 3 memos to the Police, a letter to the Prime Minister and Home Minister was sent but the Federal Government is not serious about this issue. In regards to this, we will be holding a peaceful gathering to hand over a memorandum to the AG in protest of his decision to take no further action.
The protest is also on the recent statement by UMNO youth Chief Khairy Jamaludin that the decision by the AG is to balance out the racial and religious tension caused by the “Allah” row in a bid to prevent further unease. This statement is totally unacceptable. An offense is an offense and serious measures must be taken to protect all places of worship regardless if it's a Church, Mosque or a Temple. It sends a wrong signal down to Malaysians by not taking further action on this matter, moreover when the Eucharist is believed to be the Body of Jesus by Catholics and the motive they entered our Church for, was wrong. The Peaceful Gathering is as below:-
Date: 25th March 2010 (Thursday)
Time: 2.30pm
Venue: Meeting at Dataran Merdeka (March to AG office in Jalan Tangsi, Bangunan Bank Rakyat, Kuala Lumpur)
This is an invitation to all Malaysians, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and people of all other faiths to take part in this handover of the Memorandum. We are all united as Malaysians and we will not let certain quarters tear us apart as we are all created by God. Malaysians throughout the country are encouraged to apply for a day off, organize transports and come together to join in this Peaceful Gathering. May our voices be heard and may justice be served! This gathering will be canceled if the publisher and Journalists offer a public apology or if the AG decides to charge them in court.
Please pass the message around to all Malaysians. You could also send the SMS below to all your Contacts.
Peaceful Gathering, to hand over memo to AG in protest of his decision to take no further action on the Al-Islam Spy Issue. 23rd March, 2.30pm meet at Dataran Merdeka, and march to AG office in Jln Tangsi, Bank Rakyat Building. All Malaysians are Invited. Let us stand United and serve justice. Pls frd.
Let us together work to making Malaysia a better place to live in. Peace be with all of you and see you all on that day.
KUALA LUMPUR, Mac 5: PAS leaders said demands from the Catholic Church to the Attorney-General for an explanation on why it has chosen not to take action against two Al-Islam journalists as well as an apology from the magazine were justified and should be respected.
“We must understand where the Church is coming from. It believes it is entitled to protection and respect from the government, just as other religions in the country including Islam,” PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad told Harakahdaily.
“It is therefore seeking a form of commitment from the authorities that Christians here can continue to enjoy their rights and will be allowed to practice their religion in safety and without any undue harassment.”
An offshoot of Umno-owned Utusan
In May 2009, the monthly Al-Islam magazine – owned by a subsidiary of Umno media group Utusan Melayu Bhd – carried a report by two journalists who went undercover to investigate alleged proselytizing of Muslims at two churches in Kuala Lumpur.
In their article, the two reporters also revealed that in the process they accepted the Holy Communion but later spat out the bread given to them. To the Christians, such an act is a serious desecration and police complaints were lodged.
However, last week, the police announced that they would not press charges against the two reporters, while the AG said it would not act against the magazine. Their decisions caused unhappiness amongst the Christians.
Indeed, there are also Malaysians who believe that the authorities chose not to act because of Al-Islam's link to Umno, not because it might create further religious tensions as the mainstream press has tried to imply.
“It is only fair for the AG to sit down with the Church and give a proper explanation. I am sure other Malaysians would also be interested to know what is the reason for not taking further action," PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub told Harakahdaily.
"The AG must clear the air because of accusations of double standards since the magazine is owned by Utusan. It must be mindful of the feelings of the Christians as well. This is in line with Quran, which allows for the practice of other religions."
We can forgive, but please say sorry
Meanwhile, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Murphy Pakiam has also demanded an apology from the magazine, saying it would not pursue legal action if a public apology was made.
“Forgiveness is a main part of our club. We strive daily in our prayers for forgiveness,” Murphy told reporters.
"I also appeal to the Attorney-General to explain the decision not to take further action on the Al-Islam journalists' case. The decision not to prosecute appears to legitimize the actions of the Al-Islam journalists."
According to the PAS leaders, the reporters, editors and owners of the magazine should not be ashamed to apologize for trespassing the churches.
"Islam teaches respect for all religions. It tells us to be humble. So in this regard, I don't see any reason why the magazine and the reporters should not apologize," said Salahuddin.
“If the positions were reversed – would we Muslims not be angry? Why the need go undercover, why behave so clandestinely in a place of worship? Who spread the proselytizing rumors, why aren't the police checking up on that?" asked Khalid.
"We must trust each other more and not let politics cloud the practice of Islam and other religions in this country, or to keep inflaming the races against each other.”
I had last reported on these proceedings on 13th January, 2010. That report can be found HERE.
The hearing of the inquest continued on 13, 14th, 19th and 25th January, 2010.
It is due to resume on the 8th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th of this month at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates Court at the Court Complex off Jalan Duta.
The report that follows is of the proceedings on 13th January, 2010.
I will try to post up the reports of the proceedings on the 14th, 19th and 25th January over the weekend.
THE REPORT
Cross-examination of Detective Sergeant Major Rajinder Singh, who led the raiding party that arrested Guna, took up the entire proceeding for the day.
The witness affirmed that he could speak Tamil.
To a question by Visva, the witness said that he was not sure what time he left the police station for the operation at the toddy shop at Sentul. He confirmed that he left the station in a greenish grey, unmarked van with 4 other officers of the narcotics division after receiving a tipoff, but could not provide details of the same.
The witness confirmed that raiding team arrived in Sentul around 5.20pm and took 5-6 minutes to reach the “kawasan operasi”, that is, the toddy shop.
The witness confirmed that after the arrests, 5 suspects were taken by the van driven by Norazman. The witness and and another member of the raiding team, Sapari, were seated in front.
The witness said that he was not sure where Guna was in the van. He confirmed that all the suspects were handcuffed, but could not say if they were individually handcuffed or one to the another.
The witness confirmed that the rading team and the arrestees arrived at the Sentul police station about 5.50pm
He said that Guna appeared tired when put in the van, but Guna was alive.
The witness confirmed that he did not speak to Guna or remove Guna’s shirt to check his body for any injuries.
Visva: How did you determine there was no injury on Guna when you did not examine him?
Rajinder: No injury was visible.
Rajinder then confirmed that he looked at Guna for 2-3 minutes and agreed that he could not determine if there were any injuries. He confirmed that he did not speak to Guna and was not sure to whom Guna was handcuffed or if he was in fact handcuffed to anyone.
The witness said that on arrival at the police station, he went straight to his office whilst the other colleagues brought the suspects in. He said he did not check Guna’s condition, but he was able to walk.
Rajinder said the suspects were kept in the temporary lock-up on the first floor of the narcotics dept.
The witness confirmed that Sarjens Subari & Rohaizan were assigned to do documentation, Norazman to do the arresting report, and Faizal and Zahir were detailed to take finger prints and urine samples.
.The witness was then shown photographs of office/lock-up area.
Rajinder said the suspects were not brought anywhere else but the lock up and out for urine tests.
The witness agreed with Visva’s suggestion that the area in question in the police station was very small and one was very likely to see and hear anything that happened there.
The witness explained that documentation and urine tests could be done together. He also explained that he did not who from amongst the suspects was processed first, but he was sure that Guna went last.
The witness explained that those who were doing the documentation were in the office near the computer. The documentation work entailed the use of two 2 computers handled by 4 personnel.
Rajinder confirmed that whilst 5 persons were arrested, only 4 names were in the arrest report.
The witness explained that a separate report was to be filed for possession of drugs.
Rajinder confirmed that a report was made on 16/7/09 at 6.23pm.
The witness agreed that the report was completed in less than 23 minutes, including documentation and urine screening of the 4 suspects and that there was ample time to make the separate report on Guna.
Visva then referred the witness to the report filed by him at 19.32 which the witness claimed was typed earlier but sent late.
Rajinder said that he was in a room with other colleagues when Subari told him someone had fainted at the back at about 6.45pm.
Visva: Subari was with you in the room. He can’t be in 2 places at the same time. I am putting it to you that you are not telling the truth.
Visva then referred the witness to the Markings on a photograph indicating the position of Guna on the floor.
Viava: My witnesses have instructed that Guna screamed in pain.
Rajinder : I didn’t hear.
Visva: You said Subari heard something. What did he hear?
Rajinder : I don’t know.
The witness said he did not go near the deceased but only saw Guna from the doorway, and did not touch Guna.
He said he saw Zahir sprinkle water on Guna.
Visva: Did you or your men give any first aid.
Rajinder : No
Visva: Why?
Rajinder : (Hesitates) Because Zahir sprinkled water. Besides him, Tuan Azrul sprinkled water and shook his hands.
The witness said nobody gave first aid or called for assistance or ambulance, because suspects usually pretend to be unconscious.
Visva: That is the truth, and so he was assaulted?
Rajinder : Not true
Visva: How long did you witness this sprinkling of water?
Rajinder : About 10 minutes.
Visva: Do you agree that in this context, 10 minutes is a long time?
Rajinder : I don’t know.
Visva : Luckily he did not drown!
The witness said he then asked his men to take Guna to hospital, and at the same time, he went to write a report about Guna collapsing. He was not sure what time he finished the report , but he did not send it in.
Rajinder agreed that it would only take a few seconds to send the report in, but as the stretcher had come to take Guna out, he gave priority to attending to Guna.
Rajinder confirmed that n the report, it did not say that Guna was in possession of drugs.
Visva: You were aware of the assault on Guna?
Rajinder : No
Visva: You even warned the witnesses not to talk about it.
Rajinder : No
Visva: An eye-witness said a Punjabi officer who spoke Tamil warned them.
Rajinder : No.
The witness was shown a sketch plan of the place of arrest.
The witness said that he first saw Guna at the location where the others were gathered (marked G), but did not see any assault.
Visva: Witnesses saw Guna being assaulted at location G and Guna pleading.
Rajinder : No.
Visva: Witnesses also saw the assault at the lock-up & Guna pleading.
Rajinder : No.
The witness was asked to read the eye-witness accounts of 3 suspects who were arrested along with Guna. The witness disagreed with all 3 accounts.
Visva then read a paragraph from the statement of one of the 3 suspects, Ravi, which the witness denied.
Visva: The statement is a very serious allegation, why would the witness make such allegations.
Rajinder : I don’t know.
Visva : Its because it is the truth.
Visva then referred the witness to the statement of the 4th suspect who was released because he tested negative for drugs.
Visva: Do you agree his statement is opposite to the testimony in court today
Rajinder : Agree
Visva: Why does he make such a serious allegation?
Rajinder : I don’t know.
Visva: Its because it is the truth.
The witness continued that when Guna was brought to the Emergency room of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, he was examined by a Malay doctor whose name he did not remember.
The witness said he left the hospital at about 8pm, arrived at the station at about 8.15pm, and continued with his report.
Visva: Then you could not be at the hospital at 8pm.
The witness said he made the report although he was not the arresting officer. He said this is allowed, but could not cite any authority that allows him to do so
Asked by Visva as to what happened to the drugs that the Guna allegedly possessed, the witness said he did not know, and that it probably was with the investigating officer .
Visva pointed out that the original report had been amended twice, at 7.32pm to say the deceased had collapsed, and the drugs were only reported at 8.27pm, that is, well after the deceased had died, “because you know he is not going to come back and deny it”
Visva: You could prepare a report on 4 arrests, after completing documentation, finger-prints & urine tests in under 23 minutes, but cannot make a single report on possession before 7.40pm when the deceased was pronounced dead? You are a compulsive liar.
The witness, who had earlier testified that no first aid was administered, was then referred to a Bernama report which said first aid was administered by one of the officers.
The witness was not sure if there was such an officer.
Visva: the first post-mortem report says “… informed by police victim died at 19.30hrs …”
Rajinder : I did not tell him that.
Visva:Why did you not lodge a report of death in your custody?
Rajinder : Because I had already taken him to hospital and had informed the OCPD, and that was enough.
Visva said this is the first time he came across a death in custody for which there is no report.
CONSIDER this. Despite the available evidence of Al Islam's unethical undercover report in which the magazine's Muslim journalist spat out the holy communion to photograph, no action is going to be taken. The Attorney-General's Chambers decided this despite the police reports and a memorandum lodged by Catholics about the insensitive treatment of a holy sacrament in Christianity.
Then consider this. Because some Muslims perceive that Islam is being challenged by a non-Muslim journalist, English-language daily The Star could potentially lose its publishing permit. At the same time, because some Muslim groups have taken offence at a statement by Sisters in Islam (SIS), the Muslim women's group will likely be investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code for causing disharmony and disunity on grounds of religion.
What exactly do these developments tell us about the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration's idea of justice and fairness? And how can citizens make sense of how our government is responding to these issues?
Muslim "sensitivities" paramount
It's clear that when it comes to defending a particular faith community's sensitivities, Muslim sensitivities trump all others. And because the majority of Muslims in Malaysia are racially categorised as Malay, it would be logical to surmise that the BN government is only interested in defending Malay-Muslim Malaysians' rights.
Other faith communities, mostly comprising the other races, will just have to contend with being second-class citizens who will not be accorded the same protection as the majority.
Al-Islam magazine containing the offensive articleActually, the state shouldn't even be in the business of defending those who have been personally offended by the views or actions of others. Indeed, Al Islam's offence was unethical journalism and acting in ways which were un-Islamic despite its pretext of acting in the ummah's interest. Hardly a crime against an individual or the state. No, the state should not be in the business of penalising offensive actions or words.
But since the state has decided to be the guardian of public sensitivities through various legal provisions, it needs to demonstrate that it will treat all citizens and their complaints fairly and equally.
By not doing so, the BN administration, now under Datuk Seri Najib Razak's leadership, is clearly proving that it is incapable of treating all citizens with equality. And that if you're not a Malay-Muslim in Malaysia, there are no guarantees that the state will do right by you.
How else would we be able to make sense of why the administration will not act on addressing Catholics' hurt feelings, but will immediately snap to action when some Muslims' sensitivities are affected?
Price to pay
There is another lesson to be learnt from what has happened recently. If one speaks up for justice and compassion in Malaysia, there is a strong likelihood that there will be a penalty to pay. More troublingly, it is the state that will ensure a price is exacted against citizens who speak up against injustice.
Marina Mahathir (Courtesy of Marina Mahathir) What exactly was The Star's managing editor P Gunasegaram's crime when he appealed for compassion in the name of religion in his 19 Feb 2010 column titled Persuasion, not compulsion?
Why was The Star made to feel so threatened by the state that it felt compelled to remove Gunasegaram's column from its online version, issue a public apology, and censor long-time columnist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir?
Sure, at least five police reports have been lodged against The Star, including by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS). But what crime was committed that the daily should be given a show-cause letter by the Home Ministry? And why is it a crime for a non-Muslim to reasonably appeal for justice and compassion in the name of Islam? How does doing that denigrate and undermine Islam? How can it even be offensive to Muslim sensibilities when Islam preaches justice, peace, compassion and fairness?
To be sure, the argument used by these complainants — that no non-Muslim should speak up about the administration of Islam in Malaysia — is actually just a red herring. Because SIS, too, hasn't been spared from the wrath of those who have been "offended" by the organisation's statement condemning the clandestine caning of three Muslim women for "illicit sex".
SIS logo And what was SIS's crime? Seems like it was that SIS spoke out against the state's use of Islam to justify the cruel and inhumane punishment of Muslim women for a private sin the state should have no business policing. Its crime was that it was courageous enough to speak up against abuse of power in the interest of justice and compassion.
So what can we conclude? It's not about whether one is Muslim or non-Muslim. Anyone, regardless of faith, who dares to challenge the state's interpretation of Islam will be threatened and punished until they back down.
Really, we shouldn't be too surprised that the BN administration is doing this. After more than 50 years of BN rule, there are more than enough examples of how the government will crack down on those who speak up for truth and justice. From arrests under the Internal Security Act and charges under the Sedition Act to the closure of newspapers including The Star during 1987's Operasi Lalang, the BN is a government that will be neither challenged nor held accountable.
Hence, the use of Islam and the introduction of the notion that Malaysia is an "Islamic state" is really just another way to stifle challenges and attempts at holding state power accountable. After all, God's laws, unlike human-made laws, are sacrosanct and cannot ever be challenged. How convenient, no?
This, then, is what our current government is all about. My question is, do we really want more of the same?
Kuala Lumpur – Kelab Anwar Ibrahim (AIC) melihat kenyataan Ketua Pemuda Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin mengenai kedudukan Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai Ketua Pembangkang adalah satu kenyataan yang lucu dan dangkal.
Khairy berhujah bahawa pengekalan Dato’ Seri Anwar sebagai Ketua Pembangkang akan mengundang lebih banyak masalah bukan sahaja kepada Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) malah kepada Pakatan Rakyat secara keseluruhannya. Kalau Khairy dulunya membantah “campurtangan asing” MP Australia yang mendesak pertuduhan ke atas Dato’ Seri Anwar digugurkan, apa hak Khairy untuk membantah muafakat PR untuk Dato’ Seri Anwar terus kekal mengepalai PR di Dewan Rakyat?
Khairy menyatakan bahawa tindakan PAS dan DAP yang masih memberi kepercayaan kepada Anwar adalah agak luar biasa kerana bilangan anggota Parlimen dari DAP melebihi PKR kini. Khairy mungkin buta sejarah, kerana sejarah Dewan Rakyat pasca merdeka pernah menyaksikan Almarhum Dato’ Onn Jaafar, perwakilan tunggal Parti Negara di Parlimen pada tahun 1959 dilantik menjadi Ketua Pembangkang meskipun pada ketika itu blok pembangkang didominasi oleh Pas dan Socialist Front. Memimpin PR memerlukan karisma dan kualiti kepimpinan yang fleksibel, dan ini jelas terbukti ada pada Dato’ Seri Anwar pada masa kini dan dipersetujui oleh PAS dan DAP khususnya.
Tidak timbul isu,sebagaimana didakwa Khairy, bahawa PR hanya bergantung kepada Dato’ Seri Anwar tanpa sebarang pelan penggantian. Ini kerana PR tidak mengamalkan pelan penggantian individu yang hanya ditentukan oleh pihak-pihak tertentu sebagaimana Umno. Sebaliknya segala keputusan mengenai hala tuju kepimpinan PR akan bergantung kepada Konvensyen setiap parti komponen dan juga Konvensyen PR sendiri di masa akan datang.
Ini berbeza dengan Umno, pengganti Presiden Umno misalnya, diputuskan oleh penyandang Presiden terdahulu tanpa sebarang proses demokrasi, dan perwakilan Umno dalam Pemilihan Umno hanya menjadi rubberstamp untuk mengesahkan ‘pilihan hati’ penyandang meskipun pilihan itu boleh dipertikaikan kredibilitinya.
AIC berpendapat, adalah wajar bagi Khairy untuk memperkemaskan gerak kerja dan kedudukan beliau di dalam Pergerakan Pemuda Umno, daripada terus mengekori jejak yang diambil oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar dan PR umumnya.
Jika Khairy merasakan bahawa Dato’ Seri Anwar mendatangkan masalah, AIC sepenuhnya bersetuju bahawa kepimpinan Dato’ Seri Anwar sememangnya mendatangkan masalah, bukan kepada PR, tetapi kepada sistem korup dan perlaksanaan zalim kerajaan Umno-BN sehingga menyebabkan setiap inci jejak dan langkah yang diambil Dato’ Seri Anwar bisa mendatangkan racau terhadap kepimpinan Umno-BN.
The decision of the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail not to press charges against the two Al-Islam journalists who desecrated a sacred Catholic ritual without extracting a public apology is indefensible and a dangerous precedent inimical to the 1Malaysia concept of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
I can understand the disappointment of Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam over Gani’s decision to drop the case against Al-Islam reporters without any public apology.
Gani said the desecration of the communion wafer by the two Al-Islam reporters at the St. Anthony’s Church in Jalan Robertson near Puduraya, Kuala Lumpur last May was “an act of ignorance, not malice” and that they might have hurt people’s feelings but he was satisfied that they did not intend to offend anyone.
The Attorney-General would not be able to convince the community hurt by the act of desecration with such a lame excuse – what more, without any apology from the perpetrators to show remorse for the religious desecration which must be regarded as an act of heinous insensitivity completely unacceptable in Najib’s 1Malaysia.
Gani said: “In view of the circumstances at that particular time, and in the interests of justice, peace and harmony, I decided not to press charges against them.
He said he had made similar decisions in previous cases involving other religions.
The Attorney-General should realise that he is invoking the name of justice without serving justice or Najib’s 1Malaysia concept at all. Gani is in fact desecrating justice itself.
Malaysians are charitable people and are prepared to forget and even forgive wrongs and offences committed – but there must be proper apology and contrition for a heinous insensitivity like the religious desecration perpetrated by Al-Islam reporters in our plural society.
Or has ignorance become a proper defence for certain categories of heinous criminal offences in Malaysia under Gani?
The Attorney-General should review the case of the two Al-Islam reporters and Al-Islam publication and demand an apology from them for not pressing charges.
If Gani cannot get the two Al-Islam reporters and Al-Islam to tender appropriate public apologies and still refuse to press charges to uphold the law and justice, he should be censured by the Cabinet and Parliament.
Gani should also make public all the other cases where he had also made similar decisions not to prosecute in previous cases involving other religions – to prove that his previous decisions can stand scrutiny and accountability.
PORT DICKSON, March 5 (Bernama) -- Local ace Anuar Manan created history by becoming the first Malaysian rider to win the stage race in Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) since its inception 15 years ago.
Anuar, riding for South Korean Guemsan Ginseng Asia team, won the 111.5km stage 5 race from Muar (Johor) to Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan).
S’gor PKR Indian Exco mandore’s peanuts for River estate Tamil school.
Why not land for all 98 Tamil schools in Selangor all in one go? By granting this land, the Federal UMNO government would be forced to grant full financial aid to all these 98 Tamil schools in Selangor and this River Estate would not need the peanuts grant of RM 24,845.60.
Why yet again this Tamil newspaper kosong wayang kulits paper politics vis a vis political rhetoric?
Why is Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR like UMNO not giving a permanent solution to all 523 Tamil schools in Malaysia which would directly benefit 110,000 Indian students but instead use their Mandores to do the usual wayang kulit.
3 Polytechns to become Varsities. But Indians excluded.
Three Polytechnics – Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Selangor, Politeknik Ungku Omar in Perak and Politeknik Johor Baru will become Universities.
But we hardly hear of Indians in these 27 Polytechnics which has 86,000 full time students, and from which 300,000 students having graduated from, benefited with twinning programmes with local and foreign Universities. 34% of Polytechnic students would be holding Masters and Phds’ (NST headlines 26/2/2010).
Why are the Malaysian Indian students being excluded from Equality and Equal Opportunities to Education which is guaranteed for in Articles 8 (Equality before the law) and 12 (No discrimination in education) of the Federal Constitution.
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 – SJK (Tamil) Jalan Cheras yang merupakan salah satu sekolah tamil terbesar di Malaysia menghadapi masalah bekalan air terputus menyebabkan para pelajar sekolah ini turut menghadapi masalah.
Ketiadaan air di tandas sekolah ini menyebabkan pelajar yang masuk tandas sekolah menghadapi kesukaran. Selepas mendapat aduan dari pihak ibu bapa, wartawan yang bergegas ke sekolah tersebut tidak dibenarkan masuk ke dalam sekolah. Pelajar yang masuk ke tandas terpaksa menggunakan air yang ditakung di dalam baldi yang kotor menurut Manimaran dan juga Letchumanan kepada wartawan Makkal Osai. Walaupun aduan telah dibuat kepada Jabatan Pelajaran namun tiada tindakan yang diambil. (Makkal Osai 24/2/2010 di muka surat 8).
BEYOND HEARTLESS: Prema resting after surgery to remove the bullets lodged in her body. Pic: SALHANI IBRAHIM
KUALA LUMPUR: “I never thought it would end like this. That man was supposed to become my son-in-law and he betrayed me,” lamented A. Ganason, 51, when recounting how his daughter had been shot by her fiance on Tuesday night at their Kampung Kerinchi low-cost flats in Pantai Dalam.
“How could he, a police officer, shoot my daughter and his future wife?”
Ganason said the fiance, 31, had sent an SMS to his daughter, Prema, earlier on Tuesday to tell her he was coming over to the house.
“He arrived at 9pm and sat with my daughter, Prema, 24, in the living room to talk. My wife and I went to the kitchen to give them privacy.”
About 9.45pm, the discussion became heated and Ganason heard the man push Prema into her room and lock the door. “Not long after, I heard three gunshots coming from the room.”
The blasts woke his son, Devandran, 25, who was sleeping in his room. He rushed out and with Ganason, forced Prema’s room door open.
Once inside, they found her covered with blood on her right arm, hands and chest. The fiance then fired a shot into the ceiling. The bullet ricocheted and grazed the top of Devandran’s head.
But the drama was far from over.
While Ganason was torn between whom to attend to first — his bleeding daughter or injured son — the fiance pulled a bottle from his pants pocket.
“Me and my son’s first thoughts about the bottle was that it could be poison. So both of us charged at him,” Ganason said, adding the man went limp after a struggle.
It was later revealed the bottle contained weedkiller. Neighbours, who were alerted by the commotion, had called the police.
The suspect was arrested while Prema and Devandran were rushed to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).
Prema, a medical assistant at a dental clinic in the city, had to undergo immediate surgery to remove the slugs in her body. She is still warded at UMMC.
Her brother was given outpatient treatment.
Ganason said the couple had been seeing each other for four years and that he had come to embrace the suspect as part of the family, especially after their recent engagement.
He said the relationship soured in recent weeks and Ganason suspected jealousy could have been involved but declined to elaborate as police have yet to conclude their investigations.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur police chief, DCP Datuk Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the suspect was a police constable attached with the Dang Wangi district police headquarters.
“He has worked for the force for eight years and was assigned duties as a driver for a Crime Investigation Department officer.”
Asked why the suspect had a revolver with him, Sabtu said he was actually on duty that night. He is now remanded at the Brickfields district police headquarters and being investigated under Sections 307 and 309 of the Penal Code for attempted murder and attempted suicide.
Saifuddin says the PKR disciplinary board will not bend to the will of Zulkifli. - Picture by Jack Ooi
By Clara Chooi - The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — PKR’s disciplinary board will not bend to the will of Kulim-Bandar Bharu MP Zulkifli Noordin’s demand for an all-Muslim panel and is expected to deliberate on his hearing despite today’s walkout, party secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution said today.
Saifuddin told The Malaysian Insider this evening that there was nothing wrong or disrespectful with the decision to maintain the present panel members instead of replacing them with only Muslim members.
Zulkifli had made the request for an all-Muslim panel in view of the fact that he was to answer to disciplinary charges involving his actions in the “Allah” row.
“He has to understand. He is not being tried for his stand on the word “Allah”. He is being tried for his act of lodging a police report against a fellow Pakatan Rakyat MP despite the party’s gag order on the matter,” Saifuddin said.
He added that the decision to reject Zulkifli’s request which was made by the party’s disciplinary committee would remain the same.
“We are trying him on his action of defying a party order, not about his stand. It is very different. That is why there is no need for there to be an all-Muslim panel,” said Saifuddin.
He added that Zulkifli was welcome to his beliefs on the “Allah” matter, whether or not it was in conflict with the party’s view. “But when you disregard a party order and lodge a report against a fellow MP, disciplinary action will have to be taken,” he said.
Zulkifli had lodged a report against Shah Alam PAS MP Khalid Samad over his disagreement in the issue. Saifuddin acknowledged that he had received a fourth letter from Zulkifli today, containing the same eight demands that the latter had made in view of his disciplinary hearing. He noted however that the decision would remain the same.
“The board will make their recommendations (of disciplinary actions) to the party’s supreme council for endorsement. This means that Zulkifli will have to make up his mind whether to concede to the board’s decisions, even though it was made by non-Muslim members, or leave the party.”
The maverick politician today staged a walkout when he was informed that his demands had not been met and the same panel who sat on Monday would be handling his case. Zulkifli had expressed disappointment that the panel comprised of only one Muslim member while the others were two Christian activists and one Hindu.
“I mean no disrespect to the members of the board but I refuse to recognise them for it is inappropriate for them to be passing judgement on a religion that they themselves do not understand.
“On this issue, I will not compromise. Who better to judge me then another fellow Muslim? I were to be punished by another Muslim for my involvement in this matter, I can accept it.
“Justice requires for one to be tried by one’s own peers. Justice must not only be done, it must also be seen to be done,” he said in a press conference after the hearing.
Zulkifli is also facing the board for his open criticism of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. He is expected to leave PKR and join former colleagues Datuk Seri Zahrain Hashim, Tan Tee Beng and Mohsin Fadzli Samsuri, who defected recently citing loss in the party’s leadership.
Zulkifli had told pressmen today that “as of now” he had no plans to quit and wanted to stay on to defend himself.
He noted that the board had a deadline to make a decisiob by next Tuesday on the matter. “Then I will decide,” he said, adding that if his demands were not met, it meant that the party had no respect for the Islamic religion.
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
By Clara Chooi and Neville Spykerman The Malaysian Insider
