PAS maintains Islam Malaysia’s official religion

KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 — PAS has maintained Islam is Malaysia’s official religion, in a brewing debate that began about constitutional guarantees to ensure the country’s prime minister is a Muslim.

The country’s dominant Malay-Muslim majority have always led the government under Umno since independence in 1957, but Bar Council constitutional law committee chief Syahredzan Johan told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the Federal Constitution has never described Islam as the country’s “official religion”, fuelling the debate.

PAS vice president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man told The Malaysian Insider that as Islam is the religion of the Federation, it becomes the country’s official religion by default.

“Federation means the states that form the federation, and when Islam is the religion of the Federation then it means that Islam is the official religion for the states that form the Federation.

“In other words, since Islam is the religion of the Federation then automatically it becomes the country’s official religion including Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

Opinion is divided on Syahredzan’s comments where he said, “In terms of the Federal Constitution, there’s only one religion for the federation, no official or unofficial. The Constitution is clear on this. Islam is not the official religion.”

Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution does not position Islam as the “official” religion of the country.

Instead, it states that “Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.”

The Federal Constitution also does not expressly specify race or religious requirements for the position of prime minister.

Article 43(2)(a) of the constitution states only that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall appoint as PM a member of Parliament who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the Dewan Rakyat.

Tuan Man stressed, however, that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has guaranteed Islam’s position as the official religion in its common policy framework.

“Pakatan Rakyat has already resolved this during our first convention in which we accepted Islam as the official religion, Bahasa Melayu as the official language and Malay special privileges,” he said.

He also dismissed the debate over Islam as a ploy by Barisan Nasional (BN) to gain more Malay votes in preparation for the 13th general election.

“This issue does not reflect the realities on the ground but was only concocted to benefit Umno and BN,” he said.

The Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia carried a front-page article on Saturday claiming the DAP was conspiring with Christian leaders to take over Putrajaya and abolish Islam as the country’s official religion.

The report, based entirely on unsubstantiated blog postings by several pro-Umno bloggers, charged the DAP with sedition for allegedly trying to change the country’s laws to allow a Christian prime minister, pointing to a grainy photograph showing what they described as a secret pact between the opposition party and pastors at a hotel in Penang on Wednesday.

‘Pandikutti’ rujuk kepada politik jijik BN

Naib Presiden PKR N Surendran menafikan Anwar melontar perkataan itu kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak di satu majlis di Klang pada 7 Mei lalu.

PETALING JAYA: Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menggunakan perkataan “pandikutty” bagi merujuk kepada politik kotor dan jijik yang di amalkan oleh Barisan Nasional (BN).

Naib Presiden PKR N Surendran menafikan Anwar melontar perkataan itu kepada Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak di satu majlis di Klang pada 7 Mei lalu sepertimana yang dilaporkan Bernama dan akhbar Utusan Malaysia.

Beliau berkata, saya berada dalam majlis tersebut dan Anwar tidak melontar perkataan itu kepada Najib tetapi sebaliknya merujuk kepada politik kotor dan jijik yang menjadi amalan BN.

“Sekali lagi, suatu tuduhan yang palsu sama sekali telah dibawa terhadap Ketua Pembangkang oleh parti BN dan media massanya,” jelas beliau melalui satu kenyataan media semalam.

Menurut beliau, Perdana Menteri sendiri telah mengulangi tuduhan palsu ini dalam komennya semalam dan menyerang Anwar atas isu ini.

Ujar beliau, “adalah juga ironik untuk mendengar rungutan remeh seperti ini daripada parti BN yang telah melemparkan berbagai-bagai fitnah melampau dan jahat ke atas Ketua Pembangkang sejak tahun 1998.

“BN juga tidak pernah teragak-agak untuk memperalatkan badan kehakiman dan polis untuk membawa tuduhan jenayah palsu terhadap Anwar dan pemimpin pembangkang lain.”

Surendran berkata, adalah jelas bahawa BN menganjurkan kontroversi palsu dan kosong seperti ini untuk cuba mengalih perhatian rakyat daripada kelemahan pemerintahan BN dan kenaikan harga petrol dan barangan yang tidak wajar.

Semalam Najib menempelak Anwar dengan menuduh kononnya Anwar bmenggunakan perkataan “pandikutty” untuk menyerangnya secara peribadi.

Temple mulls suit against HEB over Batu Kawan cemetery

The tussle over a cemetery in Penang is expected to take a legal twist, with the temple committee thinking about filing a suit.

BATU KAWAN: A local Hindu temple management committee plans to take legal action against the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (HEB) for attempting to take over a cemetery near the state stadium here.

Chairman of the Ladang Batu Kawan Hindu temple, A Nallakumar, claimed that HEB had no right to claim the temple-owned cemetery land.

He said the management committee was now discussing the matter with its lawyer to file a suit soon with the High Court.

Besides HEB, the Pakatan Rakyat state government and Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy, who is also Batu Kawan MP and Prai assemblyman, were expected to be named as defendants in the suit.

“We will not compromise with anyone on this issue. The land is ours and we will resist till the end against any attempts by anyone to steal it,” vowed Nallakumar.

Last week, Ramasamy announced that HEB, which he heads, had planned to take over the cemetery.

The nearly 200-year-old Hindu cemetery had some 1,800 burial grounds.

The six-acre cemetery had existed since 1817 under the Gangai Malai estate established by the British colonial masters. Gangai Malai estate was later renamed Ladang Batu Kawan.

Ramasamy claimed that the cemetery was abandoned by the temple management since the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) acquired the area to build a new township during the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.

New graveyard

However, Nallakumar dismissed Ramasamy’s claim as “lies”.

“We were using the cemetery until 2006 when the authorities stopped us. We were then told to use the new graveyard land given to us,” he told FMT.

During BN’s rule, he recalled that PDC had taken over half of the cemetery land without any consent from the temple committee during the construction of the stadium.

However, he said strong resistance from local residents stalled PCD’s attempt to take over the remaining cemetery land.

PDC, he said, later compensated the temple with a new four-acre graveyard land, some two kilometres away, for the old cemetery land, part of which now lies beneath the stadium complex.

Nallakumar produced documented evidence to show that the BN state government then had promised that it would not touch the remaining cemetery land.

He said the BN government was having negotiations with the local residents to officially retain the remaining land under the temple ownership when a change of government took place in the 2008 general election.

Plan hijacked

He said the temple committee then explained and sought Ramasamy’s help to expedite the handing over.

He said the temple committee also sought state funds from Ramasamy to carry out a beautification and landscaping project in the cemetery.

“However, instead of handing over the land and giving us funds, Ramasamy suddenly plans to take over it. We will never allow this.

“The cemetery does not only belong to the temple and local residents, but to all Penang Hindus. HEB has no right over our land,” said Nallakumar.

Demonstrations by the residents and a rival pro-Ramasamy group had taken place this month over the cemetery ownership dispute.

On Sunday, things nearly turned into a free-for-all when rival groups began a shouting match against each other during a pro-Ramasamy group’s demonstration near the cemetery.

Ramasamy’s cemetery plan was also criticised by the Human Rights Party (HRP).

Citing Section 94 of the Local Government Act 1976, HRP pointed out that it was incumbent on the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), and not the HEB, to gazette, manage and maintain the burial ground.

‘Who is running the country?’

A retired colonel from Malaysian Armed Forces is upset that a government policy regarding children of mixed mariages in Sarawak has not been implemented.

KUCHING: A storm is brewing over the non-implementation of a government directive regarding the “Bumiputera” status of children from mixed marriages in Sarawak.

An irate father, Suhirtharatnam Kularatnam, a former retired colonel in the Malaysian Armed Forces, is demanding to know “who is running the country” when government policies are not carried out.

“Why is the government directive acknowledging the children of mixed marriages in Sarawak as Bumiputeras not being implemented? Who is running this country? Is it the prime minister or is there someone else?” he asked.

Suhirtharatnam’s daughter, Teresa Clare, who scored 10As in last year’s Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, was not given a seat in the matriculation programme because she was not considered a “Bumiputera”.

Teresa’s mother Pauline is an Iban and the daughter of former Land and Mineral Resources Minister Francis Umpau.

Said Suhirtharatnam: “We were unaware of the constitutional issues involved until last year when the case of Marina Undau, whose father is Iban and mother Chinese, was publicised.

“Marina scored 9As (and 1B in her 2008 SPM examination), but like my daughter, she was not able to do matriculation because of her mixed parentage.”

Following Marina’s case which was widely reported here in October 2009, the government came out with an executive directive for Sarawak.

According to the directive, if one parent is a Bumiputera then the children automatically become Bumiputeras.

However, the implementation of the directive appeared to have been thwarted.

“This situation with my daughter should not arise. In fact, three other students are also in the same predicament,” said Suhirtharatnam, who retired after 34 years of serving in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.

‘I’m not asking for perks’

According to Suhirtharatnam, federal Natural Resources Deputy Minister Douglas Unggah has offered to take the matter up to the Cabinet.

“Unggah spoke to me on Saturday. He said he would take the matter up to the Cabinet. I don’t want to play this up. I am not asking for anything more than what my daughter deserves,” he said.

“She has done well and I have served this country as a responsible citizen.

“Teresa is the youngest of my four children. Since the government has agreed that the children of mixed marriages are Bumiputeras, the policy must be implemented correctly,” he said.

Suhirtharatnam said Teresa had applied to join the May 23 intake for the matriculation programme but her application was rejected.

The reason cited was that she was not a Bumiputera.

Following this, Suhirtharatnam went to the Education Ministry’s Matriculation Department in Putrajaya on May 4 to make an appeal.

But he was told that his daughter would be considered for the next intake on June 25.

Suhirtharatnam, however, is less irked about his daughter’s intake.

What bothers him more is the failure to implement government policies at ground level.

“I am not asking for perks and privileges. I just want to know what the government machinery has done to implement directives,” he said.

‘Stop segregation’

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Parents Consultative Grouping’s (Mapim) Sarawak chairman, Wan Zain Syed Mohdzar, has called for an end to Bumiputera classification for admissions into matriculation programmes and universities.

Wan Zain said that the segregation of the people into Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera should be stopped as it has “spoilt the concept of 1Malysia”.

He urged the education ministry to review the classification system and instead admit students strictly based on merit.

“Rejecting the application of students (into matriculation programmes) based on race is uncalled for,” he said.

Wan Zain, who is also a social activist, said that in Sarawak inter-marriages involving Bumiputera were common and children from such marriages were always considered Bumiputera.

“Inter-marriages in Sarawak are common since colonial days. Locals here have married Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese and Europeans. Their children are regarded as Bumiputera and enjoy the facilities provided by the government.

“Some have even held high posts in the government, including those elected as assemblymen and MPs,” he said.

Hisham: Those who make false allegations will be punished

By Wong Pek Mei and M Kumar, The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Action will be taken against anyone, including the media and bloggers, if they break the law with regard to allegations that certain parties intended to make Christianity the official religion.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said, however, that it was still premature to say if action would be taken since police investigations were still ongoing.
“The public should not speculate. Give us enough time to look into this sensitive issue,” he said at a press conference at Bukit Aman yesterday.
He said police had already begun looking into all aspects of a purported meeting in Penang and were speaking to those who attended it.
“We are only interested in the truth. This has no connection to the colour of the skin or political background (of individuals).
“Whatever decision that is made against anybody must be done fairly,” he said.
He added that the authorities did not want it to be blown out of proportion and escalate to a point of no return like in the Middle East.
Hishammuddin said police must be given the space to investigate the matter professionally without any undue pressure.
He said the ministry had issued and given warnings to the media and bloggers to refrain from playing up sensitive racial issues that could create tension, unrest and chaos.
He said the Government would not permit such things from happening in a multi-racial and multi-cultural nation.
Utusan Malaysia had a front-page story on Saturday quoting two blogs — bigdogdotcom.wordpress.com and marahku.blogspot.com — that claimed a meeting attended by Christian and DAP leaders had taken place in Penang.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng later dismissed the report as a fabrication.
The organisers of the meeting, who also denied the claims, said the seminar was organised to discuss and address the issue of bribery and corruption and had nothing to do with political succession.
The blogger at marahku.blogspot.com has deleted all his postings.
Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said stern action must be taken against perpetrators who fan religious sentiments.
“I believe everyone, be it Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and every Malaysian of any religious believe, has one thing in mind, which is peace and harmony,” she said yesterday after announcing plans for this month’s Citrawarna Colours of 1Malaysia event.

Hisham's motto: Shoot first, ask questions later

'Dear Hisham, why would you believe the blogger's statement without checking the facts first? Shame on you!'

PAS will not bar non-Muslim becoming PM

1Rakyat Malaysia: As a Muslim, I am not bothered whether the PM is a Muslim or not. The constitution protects Islam as the official religion of the country and the monarchy as guardian of Islam in Malaysia.

If a non-Muslim can be proven capable to lead the country, why not? Look at many countries around the world where capable leaders are not from the majority race but instead from minority race.

It is Umno which is going all out to protect the Umnoputras to maintain political stronghold over the country to enrich its cronies. Other Malays not of the Umnoputras do not benefit or even if they do, are given the remnants that trickle down to them.

All these talks about Umno protecting Malay rights or Islam is a bunch of crap. I am apolitical but I trust PAS more than Umno to look after the interest of the Malays and Islam. Umno is more interested in enriching their cronies and stirring up racial and religious issues to maintain their power.

Ruben: We have a lame duck prime minister who does not have the political will nor the interest of all Malaysians at heart to make a firm decision on Utusan Malaysia's continuous seditious reports which inflame racial and religious tensions.

So ludicrous are the claims of making Malaysia a Christian state that you don't need Prime Minister Najib Razak and Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein to order the police to get to the bottom of it.

Loyal Malaysian: Thank you, PAS for standing up for what is right and true, Hisham is a disgrace, he's not fit to be the home minister. In a more enlightened society, both the deputy IGP Khalid Abu Bakar and Information Minister Rais Yatim will have to apologise to the rakyat for their parts in fermenting the religous bigotry.

Terus: Malaysia, our beloved country and home, has an official religion - that is Islam and that will never changed. The Malays who are Muslims are the predominant race and that too will not changed. The special position of the Malay rulers and the rights of the Malays are enshrined in our constitution and these will not changed.

The vast majority of our members of parliament (more than 2/3rds), Armed Forces (more than 7/8), Police (more than 7/8) and Rela (more than 3/4) are Malays and these are facts. More than 7/8 of our government servants (Public Service Department) are Malays.

How can anybody changed anything without Malays approval? How can anybody be so stupid as to think that anybody can changed the official religion Islam in our beloved country?

AyerTawar: In other countries, the people are divided and fight in the name of religion and race. Their governments have to control and moderate the situation. In Malaysia, our leaders are instead the troublemakers, but the rakyat are ones to pacify the situation. What a shame.

Mohd Zaini Husin: PAS seems to be more intelligent in articulating national policies. The rakyat are slowly convinced that they are now a viable alternative to the current untrustworthy, oppressive and racist regime of Umno. Wasalam.

Avatar1: It looks like PAS is now playing politics with this issue. I wonder if this is the same PAS which complained about the lack of Malay-Muslims representatives in Parliament if September 16 takeover were to have happened. Now these same PAS leaders are saying they are not bothered if the PM is a non-Muslim.

I wonder if this statement is to garner support from non-Malays or it is meant to give more bullets to Umno to capitalise on the issue and stir more discomfort among the Malays. All in all, Malaysian politics is not about serving the people but about serving the politicians.

Not Convinced: Avatar1, why would PAS want to give more bullets to Umno?

J Yeoh: I hope our Malay brethens will vote for PAS because they are the ones that can really save our beloved homeland now. My church members and I all respect PAS leaders because they took the trouble to come to our church to dialogue with us to make us understand the principles of real Islam. Well done, PAS!

Singa Pura Pura: Any Malaysian man or woman with an iota of grey matter will know and understand that Christian Malaysians have never pursued the agenda of a Malaysian 'Christian-state' - and never will.

The Christian world has long abandoned the ancient device of a theocratic state. I have been an ardent churchgoer, both Protestant and Catholic, for close to five decades. Yes, I have heard my erstwhile 'learned friend and colleague' OC Lim hammer home his homily on the ISA and on 'Allah'. But never have I discerned the faintest whiff of a Christian state in the making in Malaysia in any church I have stepped into and out of. No one I know has.

The impugned Utusan Malaysia report is indeed a 'perutusan' of lies in its purest and most unadulterated form. It amounts to subversion. The partial home minister must resign to salvage what is left of his cousin's 1Malaysia. It is also time for Gerakan and Bernard Dompok's Upko to leave Umno once and for all. Be not afraid.

Docs: Last year, Utusan was used to spread religious hatred on the 'Herald/Allah' issue. That lead to protestors getting out of hand, resulting in church burning, international condemnation for Umno and lost investor confidence in Malaysia. PAS supported the Herald and 'Allah' usage among the Christians, and the Malay voters exodus to Umno did not happen.

Round two: The stamping of the Malay Bible issue was again brought up by Utusan to spread religious discontent and to unite the Malays under Umno. Unfortunately, this lead to the awakening of the Sarawak people resulting in a poor showing by BN in the recent state election. Again PAS supported the distribution of the Malay Bible.

Round three: Both the Christian state and Christian PM issues are brought up by, yes, Utusan again to spread religious discontent and unite the Malays under Umno. PAS says it is not wrong for a non-Muslim to become PM if the individual is worthy. Still no exodus of Malays to Umno.

I think we can rest assure that either the Umno leadership is either dumb or they just can't learn from their mistakes.

Moontime: Dear Hisham, why would you believe the blogger's statement without checking the facts first? Is it because it came from a pro-Umno blog and you take their words as gospel? Shame on you!

One other thing, you're a disgrace to your alma mater. Didn't you learn a thing or two about tolerance, esprit de corps and getting along nicely with other races while in St John's Institution? Or most probably you stuck with your own group/race while in school and never interacted with the Chinese and Indians. What a pity.

The same thing goes for your cousin, the prime minister. One word summarises the future of this country if you ever had the chance to be PM - doomed.

M'sia1st: Muhyiddin Yassin can never be our PM since he is much older than Najib. Certainly his cousin, Hisham, may replace Muhyiddin in due course, and become DPM/PM designate, if the political puzzle fit in place correctly. Zahid Hamidi will be the DPM to Hisham.

They may be seen united, but in actual fact they are enemies, fighting for their political survival in the lead-up to GE13. There is no issue of a non-Malay being the PM as in practice and reality it would never happen. And that is not an important issue.

The main and critical issues are fairness, welfare of rakyat, justice, transparency, corruption and independence of judiciary. Any PM, so long as he is a Malaysian, being fair and lead the nation wisely shall get the full support of the rakyat. That is the rule.

Islam shall remain the official religion while others can freely practise their own beliefs without fear or disturbance.

Blogsmith: Based on the reaction and statements of Hishammuddin to various issues, I think one can safely say that of all the cabinet ministers, Hishammuddin has the least of grey matters. If meritocracy is to be a criteria, I think he definitely would not qualify to be a minister, with or without portfolio.

Anonymous_40a7: Here is tomorrow's headlines in Utusan Malaysia: 'PAS supports Christian conspiracy - police must act'.

Kenaikan harga gula, kemana pergi subsidi yang dijimat ?

Harga gula sekali lagi dinaikkan semalam. Regim penguasa cuba mengelirukan rakyat dengan tidak menggunakan perkataan naik harga sebaliknya penyelarasan.

Harga gula akan naik 20 sen kepada RM2.30 sekilogram berkuatkuasa esok (10 Mei). Kenaikan harga gula kali ini kerana regim sudah tidak mampu mengeluarkan RM116.6juta sebagai tanggungjawab memberikan subsidi kepada rakyat. Langkah sedikit - demi sedikit ini adalah untuk melalikan rakyat agar sehingga satu tahap nanti rakyat akan terbiasa dengan harga pasaran terbuka. Rakyat akan hanyut dalam pasaran terbuka dunia kerana regim sudah tidak mampu melindungi rakyat.

Ini diakui oleh Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna Mohd Zain Mohd Dom, yang mengatakan dalam kenyataan pengumuman kenaikan harga gula dengan mengatakan langkah ini adalah selari dengan strategi jangka panjang kerajaan untuk merasionalisasikan subsidi secara berperingkat-peringkat.

Seperti biasa teknik yang sama 'membodohkan rakyat' ialah dengan membandingkan dengan negara jiran. Walaupun perubahan harga runcit dibuat, ia adalah lebih rendah berbanding negara serantau, termasuk Indonesia, Singapura, Thailand dan Filipina. Beliau malah menyebut harga gula di negara-negara berkenaan sebagai perbandingan. Kali terakhir harga gula naik pada 4 Disember lalu, sejajar dengan kenaikan Harga petrol RON95, diesel, Petroleum Gas Cecair (LPG). Kenaikan yang dikenali sebagai "4-dalam-1" itu menimbulkan kemarahan banyak pihak, termasuk mewujudkan beberapa siri bantahan, terutamanya sekitar Kuala Lumpur. Pada masa itu, harga gula turut meningkat 20sen, menjadikan harganya RM2.10 sekilogram. Sebelum itu, berlaku juga kenaikan pada 15 Julai tahun lalu dalam kenaikan "5-dalam-1. Selain gula, turut mengalami kenaikan dua gred petrol, diesel, gula dan gas pada masa itu.

Dalam satu lagi kenyataan berasingan, Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK) mengingatkan peniaga supaya tidak mengambil kesempatan daripada kenaikan harga gula hari ini untuk menaikkan harga makanan. Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha kementerian itu Mahani Tan Abdullah berkata kenaikan harga gula tidak boleh dijadikan alasan untuk menaikkan harga makanan memandangkan kenaikan harga gula sebanyak 20 sen sekilogram adalah minimum. "Kenaikan ini tidak seharusnya membebankan pengguna dan mereka seharusnya melihat dari sudut positif bahawa pengurangan penggunaan gula dapat mencegah dari penyakit seperti kencing manis," katanya kepada pemberita dan dilaporkan oleh beberapa agensi pemberitaan tempatan.

Selepas ini juga pasti akan ada Kutbah Jumaat yang bertajuk "kurangkan gula dalam minuman tambahkan manis dalam senyuman"

Persoalan

Industri gula ini telah menjadi industri yang dimonopoli oleh kelompok kroni tertentu yang rapat dengan regim. SAMM mendesak agar industri gula ini dibuka dari dimonopoli kelompok tertentu sahaja yang walau apa pun berlaku mereka tetap kaya dan untung.

Persoalan penting kini ialah regim boleh mengumumkan kenaikan tetapi peniaga kecil pasti akan terhimpit dengan kenaikan dan jika menaikkan harga terpaksa berdepan tindakan termasuk saman dari pihak regim yang akhirnya menguntungkan regim lagi dengan berjaya mengutip duit saman. Ini memberi makna regim melindungi kelompok peniaga korporat besar tetapi yang kecil marhaenis akan menjadi kambing hitam untuk disalahkan kerana menaikkan harga dan terus ditindas.

Kedua subsidi untuk mengawal harga sememangnya hak rakyat negara ini. Semangat ini terbina lama kerana ia sebahagian semangat apabila regim menggali dan mengaut keuntungan negara seperti petrolium dan rakyat dipulangkan hak mereka dalam negara yang dianugerah hasil bumi tuhan ini dalam bentuk subsidi. Namun mutaakhir ini oleh kerana pengurusan negara yang lemah serta membazir, rasuah yang berleluasa dan ketirisan yang melampau maka negara kekurangan wang sebagai tindak balas regim melihat subsidi rakyat sebagai cara paling mudah untuk menampung kelemahan urustadbir mereka.

Bagi kenaikan kali ini, regim hanya boleh menjimatkan RM 116.6 juta sahaja. Apalah nilai ini jika dibandingkan dengan kes - kes ketirisan, rasuah dan wang negara hilang yang dilaporkan (itu belum masuk yang belum terbongkar). Sebenarnya sedikit sahaja wang boleh diselamatkan tidak berbaloi dengan nilai pertambahan kesukaran hidup rakyat. Persoalan ke tiga ke mana wang penjimatan subsidi ini disalurkan.

Masih terngiang lagi ditelinga ketika Abdullah menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia negara dilanda kenaikan harga minyak yang antara tertinggi dalam sejarah atas alasan kononya untuk memperbaiki taraf pengangkutan awam. Yang pasti harga minyak naik, wang subsidi kerajaan 'selamatkan' juga telah habis tetapi pengangkutan awam meningkatkah tarafnya.... siapa biasa menggunakan komuter pasti paham derita ketika masa kemuncak bersesak dengan warga perbagai negara dengan perbagai bau serta aroma.

Isu kenaikan ini isu besar, regim cuba mengalihkan kegagalan pengurusan ekonomi kepada rakyat. Jika rakyat terus tergula dan akhirnya lali dengan kenaikan ini maka rakyat akan diserahkan terus terdedah ke pasaran harga terbuka. Ketika itu peranan regim kutip cukai dan sebagainya tetapi rakyat tak dilindungi untuk disembelih oleh sistem kapitalis dunia yang kejam.


SAMM menggesa seluruh rakyat supaya bangkit segera sebelum terlambat !

Malaysia Offers Service To Protect World's Cultural Heritage

From Leslean Arshad 

PARIS, May 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, with various credentials in cultural heritage under its belt, is keen to offer its service towards the protection and preservation of the world's cultural heritage.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, when addressing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) executive board meeting on Tuesday, said that Malaysia wished to play a more important role as a member of the World Heritage Committee, if elected this year.

Applauding Unesco's commitment to the preservation of world heritage, Muhyiddin shared the forum's view that joint responsibility would be required to ensure the heritage sites were protected and sustained as a symbol of peace, dialogue and reconciliation.

"Malaysia is therefore keen to offer her services towards the protection and preservation of the World's cultural heritage for the betterment of our future generation," he said.

He said Malaysia had many trained experts in the field of archeological, natural and cultural heritage protection and management where their expertise could be tapped to enhance the protection of the world's cultural heritage.

He told the forum that Malaysia too had been actively promoting and preserving its natural and cultural heritage as mandated by its National Heritage Act, modelled after several Heritage Acts including the convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972.

Apart from that, Malaysia had also earned the Unesco Memory of the World recognition, World Heritage Site inscriptions and is on the register of the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention, 2003.

In his address which also touched on Education for All (EFA), Muhyiddin had reiterated Malaysia's strong support for Unesco's efforts at widening access to quality education by improving the global coordination of EFA and strengthening international partnership.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, told the conference that the Malaysian government was currently implementing comprehensive measures to improve educational outcomes by making widening access to quality education a key element in its Government Transformation Programme.

He shared with the forum Malaysia's National Key Result Areas (NKRA) for education in relation to efforts towards widening access to early education by increasing the pre-school enrolment rate, enhancing student literacy and numeric skills, creating high performance schools and providing incentives for excellent school leaders and teachers to improve the quality of teachers.

Muhyiddin said that both the private and public sectors in Malaysia were now involved in a concerted effort to expand access to early education.

"Working closely with the private sector, the Malaysian government will open more pre-school classes to provide all Malaysian children with opportunities for quality early education, not forgetting the need to make provision subsequently to help children who are handicapped and who need continuing education during periods of long confinement in hospitals and other centres," he said.

In the address which also touched on promoting the culture of peace, Muhyiddin urged Unesco to give assistance to the Palestinian Authority in the full development of education and cultural institutions in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in East Jerusalem as a continuous support in promoting peace and stability in a region, which can truly claim to be the ancestral home to three of the world's great religion.

Malaysia has been a member of Unesco since June 1958 and is a member of its executive board which comprises 58 countries.

Bargining over Osama's wives

Anwar’s driver claims murder attempt on boss

File photo of a Mercedes S350. Abdullah Sani claimed that the brakes of a similar model of the car had been tampered with.

PETALING JAYA, May 10 — PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s driver today alleged a sinister murder attempt on his boss after discovering that the brakes of the Mercedes Benz he was driving had been tampered with last month.

Abdullah Sani Said, the 51-year-old driver who has worked with Anwar for 28 years since the latter was still the deputy prime minister, lodged a police report on the incident at the Tropicana police station outside the party’s national headquarters here this evening.

Abdullah Sani said he made the discovery on April 19 following an incident on his journey back to Kuala Lumpur from Perak in the Mercedes Benz S350 with the number plate KCD 77 which, he said, was on loan to Anwar from a close friend.

At the time, said Abdullah Sani, he and another aide, Mohd Nurol Sayah, had just ferried Anwar’s wife Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Faekah Husin, the political secretary to the Selangor mentri besar, to a PKR programme in Chemor, just outside Ipoh.

“On our journey back to KL via the North-South Expressway at about 1pm, before the exit to Sungkai near the 353km, a lorry suddenly cut into the right lane and forced me to jam on my brakes,” he said in the report.

He said the moment he applied the brakes, the Mercedes S350 began to vibrate violently.

“I heard the sound of something shattering at the back.

“Suddenly, the back tyres of the car felt like they were locked. This forced me to try my best to navigate the car towards the road shoulder,” he said.

He said he saw swerve marks and broken pieces of the car’s brake disc on the road.

He said he called for a tow truck and the vehicle was taken to the RCY Benz workshop in Glenmarie, Shah Alam for inspection.

At the workshop, Abdullah Sani said he was told by the mechanic that the back brake disc of the car was missing a “pin bolt” that is used to support the “brake caliper”.

“I was also told that it was impossible for the bolt to be detached without being tampered with,” he said.

He said that based on the mechanic’s explanation, it was clear that “certain parties” had deliberately tampered with Anwar’s car with the intention to “hurt or murder” the opposition leader or his family members.

“And on advice from the mechanic, this shows that there were elements of sabotage here, seeing as this vehicle is often used by Anwar,” he said.

He said he feared for his safety and that of his boss, adding that he hoped the police would initiate investigations immediately.

Abdullah Sani’s report was also accompanied by a signed diagnosis of the incident by Azman Hassan, the mechanic from the workshop.

In his declaration, Azman confirmed that it was “impossible” for the “pin bolt” to detach on its own without being tampered with.

“I found that the source of the incident was because of the one missing pin bolt which attaches the brake caliper.

“For your information, there should be two pin bolts. It was because of this missing one that caused the entire back right braking system of the car to be destroyed.

“In my experience as a mechanic for the past 10 years and specialising in repairs on Mercedes Benzes for the past seven years, it is impossible for the pin bolt to detach on its own,” he said.

Outside the police station later, lawyer Murni Hidayah Anuar, who accompanied Abdullah Sani, told reporters that the report was lodged nearly one month after the incident as they were awaiting the result of the mechanic’s investigation.

Abdullah Sani also said he last checked the car’s brakes last October and had not discovered any faults with the vehicle.

He noted that during the function in Chemor, Anwar’s car had been surrounded by many people but doubted if they could have so quickly tampered with the brakes.

‘Umno’s Christian plot to bag Muslim votes’

In an interview with the Vatican Radio, the Herald's editor Father Lawrence Andrew says the government is stirring up a controversy to revive Muslim support.

KUALA LUMPUR: The allegation of a Christian coup being planned is an attempt by the Umno-led government to stir up controversy to revive Muslim support, said the editor of the local Catholic weekly, Herald.

Speaking to the Vatican Radio, Father Lawrence Andrew claimed that the government felt that it was losing the popularity it once commanded.

“Because they are losing popularity, they will enjoy some uneasiness that will create confusion – that will create fear – in the people,” he said.

He said the allegation was absurd, pointing out that Christians made up less than 10% of the population.

Andrew had also criticised Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for the latter’s remarks regarding the issue.

The minister, he said, was not being “prudent” in describing the allegation as serious, and stating that the government would take action.

“If I were to have said that (a similar allegation about other faiths), I would have been arrested immediately, and I would have been brought to the police station.

“But (since) it is being done by the Muslims, none of them have been arrested till today,” he said.

Last Saturday, the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia published a front-page report claiming that Christian leaders were conspiring with DAP to make Christianity the official religion in Malaysia instead of Islam.

Hard truth

The report, based on unsubstantiated claims by pro-Umno bloggers, also accused the groups of praying for a Christian prime minister.

Both DAP and Christian leaders had denied the allegation, and lambasted Utusan for spreading dangerous lies.

In his interview with the Vatican Radio, Andrew said he agreed with Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng that Utusan was “setting fire to the land”.

Since the 2008 general election, Barisan Nasional had failed to win back support from the Chinese community, illustrated again in the recent Sarawak polls.

Whether or not the Utusan article was a plot, a political observer said that BN and Umno realise that as far as Chinese votes were concerned, the writing on the wall was clear.

“BN can no longer depend on Chinese voters, that is the hard truth.

“The prime minister’s 1Malaysia concept and other inclusive policies have failed to make an impact on them. So BN and Umno must rely heavily on the Malay vote-bank.

“Malay voters are split three ways between Umno, PAS and PKR. So striking fear in their hearts about a Christian plot involving DAP will definitely erode support for PKR and PAS, since the two are DAP’s allies,” added the observer.

Kita: Give PM post to East M’sian

A Kita leader says the time has come for Umno to stop monopolising the PM post.

KLANG: Umno must allow a bumiputera from East Malaysia to become prime minister, said Kita leader KS Kottapan.

According to him, the time had come for Umno to relinquish its hold on the top post.

Kottapan was responding to Perkasa women’s chief Zaira Jafaar who argued that Malaysia’s prime minister must be a Malay-Muslim.

The issue arose after the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia published a report alleging that opposition party DAP and Christian leaders were conspiring to make Christianity the official religion of Malaysia and to install a Christian prime minister. Both DAP and the Christian leaders had denied this.

Meanwhile, Kottapan said since the Federal Constitution did not specify that the prime minister must be a Malay, East Malaysians had all the rights to assume the post.

“Umno which monopolised the prime minister’s post for the last 54 years, has failed to develop the country,” he told FMT.

“Umno hijacked the wealth of Sabah and Sarawak but refuses to assist in the economic development of the two states,” he added.

Kottapan said with an East Malaysian as prime minister, both Sabah and Sarawak, which were among the poorest states despite being rich in natural resources, would benefit.

Implement rotation system as well

Furthermore, he added, Umno must acknowledge that it was the voters in Sabah and Sarawak who rescued Barisan Nasional in the last general election.

During the 2008 polls, BN only won 83 out of the 163 parliamentary seats contested in peninsular Malaysia.

“In Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, BN won 57 of the 59 parliamentary seats, and it was this which allowed them to remain in power with a simple majority,” said Kottapan.

He said Umno, which had agreed to rotating the Sabah chief minister post, should also introduce a similar formula for the prime minister’s post.

The Kita leader also dismissed the notion that Malay rights would erode if a non-Malay became prime minister.

“This is stupid. To my knowledge, since independence, the health minister has been a Chinese, does this mean those from the other communities will fall sick for not getting the post,” he said.

Kottapan said Malaysia had a Sultanate system and this would ensure that the interests of the Malays were safeguarded.

Kita is helmed by former PKR man Zaid Ibrahim. Zaid, who was also formerly from Umno and an-cabinet member, had left PKR after falling out with its leaders.

Najib and Tamil school make history

His visit to the Simpang Lima Tamil School in Klang on May 29 will be the first in recent times by a Prime Minister

KLANG: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s proposed visit to the Simpang Lima Tamil School in Klang on May 29 would be a historic one as he would the first PM to visit a Tamil school.

The visit would also demonstrate Najib’s seriousness in tackling the woes of the predominantly Tamil-speaking Malaysian Indian community.

Political observers say it is certain to boost Najib’s image among the nearly two million Indians, a large number of whom deserted the BN at the 2008 general election.

They were partly blamed for the crushing defeat suffered by the BN, which lost four states – Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor, and denied BN its two-thirds majority in Parliament Perak is back in the hands of the ruling coalition after three opposition state assemblymen declared that they were turning Independents in favour of the BN.

Although Najib’s visit had been planned some time ago, political pundits say it underlines importance of winning back the Indian votes, especially in recapturing Selangor.

“Only last week (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) came to Klang to meet with Indian leaders. Now its Najib’s turn.

“This only goes to show that the Indian votes are pivotal for any party harbouring hopes of  capturing Selangor…this is a fact,” said an observer who declined to be named.

The May 29 function is organised by the Selangor Tamil School Headmasters council.

‘Goodies’ on the cards?
Najib is slated to present gold medals to 668 Indian students in Selangor who scored straight As in the UPSR exams over the last three years.

Klang based philanthropist and businessman P Thiagarajan is the key player in bringing Najib to the school, touted to be the largest Tamil school in the country with 2,300 students.

Thiagarajan, also known as OMS Thiagarajan, is the single largest individual supporter of Tamil schools in  Selangor. He is underwriting the cost of the function on May 29.

“Over the decade, Thiagarajan has forked out close to RM3mil of his own cash for education-related projects.

“He donated RM800,000 for the construction of the new wing of the four-storey building. The total cost was RM1.3 million,” said a source.

The function was to be originally held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur Thiagarajan persuaded Najib to have the event at the school instead, a source told FMT.

It is learnt that 15,000 Indians from Selangor would attend the event.

There is also speculation that the prime minister would announce some “goodies”  for the school.

The  Simpang Lima is also the first Tamil school picked as a cluster school among the 30 schools appointed under the education ministry’s cluster of excellent schools programme.

‘Problems facing Indians can’t be solved overnight’

Klang MP Charles Santiago believes that the problems plaguing the Indian community are deep-rooted.

PETALING JAYA: The problems of the Indian community are so deep-rooted that they cannot be fixed overnight, Klang MP Charles Santiago said today.

For example, he said that the Indian share of equity had remained stagnant although the Indians have been in the country for almost 150 years.

“In 2000, the Indian share of equity was 1.6% and in 2010 it was still 1.6%,” he said.

He was commenting on a FMT article which said that PKR was taking initiatives to win back dwindling Indian support to the opposition.

He said that the Selangor government has been taking measures to address the community’s plight.

“For example, the state government has been spending money on Tamil schools not only to help the weak students but also their parents,” he said, adding that other measures included assisting single mothers, building houses for the poor and conducting kindergarten classes.

However, he claimed that the state government has limited budget, adding that the federal government should also chip in to help the community.

“The state had budgeted RM1.3 billion for this year. Half of it goes to payment of wages… the remainder is for development works… So what the state government can do is very limited.”

PR stunts

Santiago also took a swipe at Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for his outings to the Indian communities to mark their new year celebrations, saying that “30% to 40% of the community is involved in gangsterism, faces unemployment… these are the issue that need to be settled, and not wishing the community a happy new year”.

He dismissed Najib’s forays to win over Indian support as mere public relations stunts.

“Offering billions in short meetings with the Indians will not solve the community’s problems,” Santiago said.

Najib is scheduled to visit the Simpang Lima Tamil school in Klang on May 29 in what many political observers believe is an attempt to win back Indian support.

But Santiago issued a challenge to Najib to open a new Tamil school at a piece of land allocated by the state government nearby. The Simpang Lima Tamil school, with 2,300 students, is said to be overcrowded.

He also disagreed that the swing in Indian votes had caused Pakatan Rakyat to lose by-elections held in Hulu Selangor (Selangor), Bagan Pinang (Negri Sembilan), Tenang (Johor) and Merlimau.

The FMT article also quoted a PKR source as saying the party lost in the by-elections because it was not serious in tackling problems of the community.

However, Santiago said that the performance of the Selangor government in helping the Indian community cannot be judged by the outcome of the by-elections.