Religious intolerance in Pakistan : Hindu temple vandalized in Peshawar : 70 Bheel Hindus forcefully converted into Islam in Sindh.
Peshawar | May 21, 2012 :: Unidentified men stormed a at least 160 years Hindu temple of Guru Gorakhnath and Lord Shiva in Peshawar on Sunday evening, police said.
This Gorakhnath temple was just reopened in 2011 after a long legal fight or 60 years as the temple was forcefully closed by the Evacuee Property Trust Board and the Provincial Archaeology Department. As one Phool Wati and her son Kaka Ram own the sacred battle the opening rituals were performed with a great grandeur in last Diwali.
But, the old temple of Nath Tradition has been vandalized with all Islamic impetus and and desecrated by Muslim menace. The Idols of Shiva and Nath Gurus were destroyed, holy books are set on fire, human excreta were thrown and so on. All in the name of Mohammad, Islam and Allah as these vicious entities are always to instill terror into the mind of idol worshiper and to destroy all existence of non Muslims.
Aunt of 13-year-old victim loses twins to miscarriage after beating.
LAHORE, Pakistan, May 21 (CDN) — A band of Muslims this month severely beat a pregnant Christian woman in Punjab’s Narowal district – causing her to lose female twins to miscarriage – in an effort pressure her family into dropping charges of raping her 13-year-old niece, the woman’s husband said.
Asher Masih of Dhamala village told Compass by phone that the men attacked his home on May 8.
“All three male members of our family, including my father, brother and myself, were out for work when Irfan Safdar and his accomplices trespassed into our house and started beating up my mother, sister-in-law and my wife, who was in her fifth month of pregnancy, mercilessly,” he said.
Masih’s elderly mother said she pleaded for the attackers to spare his wife, but they did not listen.
“They murdered our children, they raped our daughter,” she said. “We have nothing left with us.”
In a country where Muslim criminals believe police and courts will give little credence to the complaints of Christians, the family accuses three Muslims of gang-raping the girl at an outhouse on March 29.
“She had gone to a nearby field to use the toilet when she was forcibly taken away by three men later identified as Irfan Safdar and Shahid. Their third accomplice remains unidentified as yet,” Masih said. “At first we thought that she might have stopped at some neighbor’s house, but when she did not return after a long time, we set out to look for her.”
He said a villager informed the family that he had seen Safdar and two others taking the girl to an outhouse. The family rushed to the site, but Safdar and his accomplices fled, Masih said.
“We found [name withheld] inside the outhouse, raped and badly injured,” he said.
Masih said the family tried to register a First Information Report (FIR) with local police, but officers turned a deaf ear, as Safdar is the son of former police inspector Safdar Bajwa.
“They also refused to register [the victim’s] statement under Section 164, which is mandatory in such cases,” he said.
Police refused to file their complaint for more than a week, during which time the suspects repeatedly threatened the family, he said.
“They told us we were poor and weak and could not face them no matter how much we tried,” Masih said. “There are about four or five Christian families in the overwhelmingly Muslim village, but almost everyone is fed up with the Bajwa family because of their criminal activities.”
Safdar Bajwa first denied that his son was involved in the case, but when several Muslim villagers started visiting the police station with the victim’s family, the accused surrendered a servant identified as Shahid to police, saying he had raped the girl, Masih said.
“The police tried to give a clean sheet to Irfan in the initial investigation, because of his father’s influence, but then registered FIR No. 145/12 under Section 376 against three men, including Irfan, when the villagers insisted,” he said, adding that police still did not arrest Safdar. “In April, Irfan and his accomplices illegally grabbed a piece of land owned by us. They did this to pressure us into giving up the case, but we stood our ground. We are poor, but we chose not to compromise on our honor.”
Masih said the Muslim family used various tactics to compel the victim’s family to drop the charges, and when all efforts failed, they attacked their house.
After neighbors informed the men at work of the attack, they took the injured women to a hospital.
“The doctors tried to save the babies, but Nosheen had a miscarriage because of the severe injuries inflicted by the attackers,” he said, adding that his wife was still in a state of shock and grief.
Masih said that the family has registered case No. 184/12 against Irfan Safdar and nine others, but the suspects managed to get pre-arrest bails with the help of police.
“Their interim bails end on May 22, and we know they will be able to influence their way out of this case as well,” he said. ‘There is no justice for the poor and helpless in Pakistan, especially if you belong to a minority community.”
Thus far, he added, they have received no assistance from any government or Christian organization.
“We cannot leave the village, because we don’t have any other place or means to go,” he said. “The villagers are giving moral support to us, but we need help in facing this situation. In villages, it is the police that matter, and in this case, the entire police machinery is working against us.”
Saddar Station House Officer Sohail Tariq was unavailable for comment.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has denied permits to 60 petty traders
to set up stalls on the road in front of the house of Coalition for
Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan on
Thursday and Friday.
However, Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council chairperson Jamal Md Yunus (centre in photo) will go ahead with the protest.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail has urged the traders to use the "appropriate channel" to make their claims.
"If
this goes on, we will never hear the end of it. To gather in a peaceful
assembly in front of her (Ambiga's) house, it's all right...," he said
today after meeting Jamal, who was seeking DBKL's approval.
"But to erect stalls, DBKL will not allow it in accordance with the Streets, Drainage and Buildings Act 1974.
"This
is because Ambiga's house is not the only house there. So my advice is
that if they want to continue, (they) should look for a more suitable
spot, one that is approved."
Ahmad Fuad said the protest would reflect badly on the country internationally and set a precedents for the future generation.
He advised the traders to opt for legal recourse to make up for their losses and not to let the matter drag on.
The trading zones that were painted in yellow would be covered using black paint by City Hall workers.
“Painting
the lots is not allowed. Since they have done it we will re-paint it in
black. And if they continue to do business (on Thursday and Friday), we
will send enforcement there. The law must be respected. We will also
ask for police cooperation,” Ahmad Fuad said.
However, Jamal insisted that the petty traders would trade there because they are performing their duties to earn a living.
“We respect DBKL’s decision. We will do our work and DBKL will do theirs,” he said.
“We will go on (with the market) until someone takes on the responsibility for our losses,” said Jamal.
Prime lot bid went for RM5,000
Jamal
also said the prime trading zones opposite Ambiga’s house went to
highest bidder Ahmad Diah Ali, who bought it for RM5,000 for both the
days.
The lot was put up for bidding by the council in front of the City Hall building today, after a meeting with the mayor.
Ahmad,
who plans to sell drinks and food at the stall, said he does not mind
paying RM5,000 for the lot because he is very unhappy with Ambiga.
“I'm
willing to pay RM5,000 because I’m not satisfied with (what) Ambiga
(has done). Because of her, the business of traders has been disrupted,”
he told reporters.
“I want to express my dissatisfaction by
trading right opposite Ambiga’s house,” said Ahmad, 51, who had paid in
cash for the lot. The other lots were sold at RM100 each.
Jamal
said the petty traders were expecting at least 10,000 people to visit
the 60 stalls to stay open from 3.30pm to 8pm, even though they have
been denied trading permits by City Hall.
A think tank suggests that the PSC be turned into a permanent institution.
PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission (EC) has said it is ready to face the 13th general election, but one of the questions observers are asking is: What about the 32 recommendations of the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform?
“What are the updates on the PSC suggestions? Exactly who is monitoring the implementation of these reforms?” asked K Shan, acting chairman of the National Institute for Democracy and Electoral Integrity (NIEI).
Last February, the government gazetted the use of indelible ink to ensure that no one votes more than once. In late April, the EC announced that it had managed to reduce the number of dubious voters on its roll to 40,803 from the January figure of 42,000.
However, there are many other issues to address before anyone can say that the electoral system has undergone meaningful reform.
Even the clean-up of the electoral has not gone far enough to satisfy critics. There are, for instance, still many cases of multiple voters registered under a single address. The PSC has suggested that Mimos Berhad, a government agency, be assigned to monitor the problem and continue with the clean-up. However, there has been no significant update on this.
PSC, in the report it released in early April, suggested that the EC display the names of dubious voters within 45 days for a quick clean-up of the roll. It has now been seven weeks since that report and the deadline is drawing close. We have yet to hear anything from the EC with regard to this suggestion.
Shan suggested that the PSC be re-appointed to oversee the progress of reforms. While acknowledging that the PSC was not the final voice of authority on electoral matters, he said its familiarity with the issues involved should not be wasted.
He even suggested that the PSC be turned into a permanent body.
“Of course, we are concerned over the short-term reforms, but we are suggesting that the PSC be made permanent to look into long-term reforms as well,” he said.
“Since the nine members of the panel are familiar with the issue, why don’t they just continue to oversee the implementation of the reforms? At least that will be better than the EC itself overseeing the reforms.”
Lack of political will
PSC member Anthony Loke said this was in fact one of the suggestions made in the April report. However, he added, the government lacked the political will to act on the recommendations.
“We suggested for a permanent committee to be established,” he said, “but there is a lack of political will to implement these suggestions. There is no mechanism to push for these reforms and there is no pressure whatsoever for the EC to act.”
Indeed, now that the PSC’s term of service has ended, Parliament is deprived of a means to request progress reports from the EC.
PSC chairman Maximus Ongkili said it was entirely up to the government to take up or reject any of the suggestions in the report.
“The committee that was suggested was to monitor the implementation of PSC’s 32 recommendations, to provide checks and balances,” he said.
Wong Chin Huat of the Bersih 2.0 Steering Committee, however, does not agree with the idea of a permanent PSC.
“Technically, the PSC falls under Parliament,” he said. “So if Parliament is dissolved, the committee also dissolves.
“We have enough institutions at the moment. What we need now is not more institutions but independent parties inside the existing institutions. The people who make up these institutions must have independent powers.”
The way Wong sees it, it is the general public that has the biggest role to play.
The public must demand reforms, he said. “They have to exert pressure on the EC to be more accountable.”
He disclosed that Bersih had embarked on a programme to encourage people to send faxes to express their discontent with the EC and to demand the resignation of its bosses.
“If only 500 people are doing it, that would not be enough,” he said. “If 500,000 people inundate the EC with such faxes, then of course the EC will feel pressured.
“Therefore, the public has to consistently exert such pressure, and not just rely on an institution.”
Packed courtroom was earlier filled with excited murmurs when it was confirmed that former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden has joined the defence team.
VIDEO INSIDE
KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and two other PKR leaders were today charged over their involvement in the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28.
Anwar, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Rembau PKR division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or better known as Chegubard, were charged with breaching the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and taking part in a “street protest”.
They also face a second charge for going against an order by a public servant. All thtree claimed trial to the charges.
The first charge, which was framed for each person individually, said that the three had gone against a court order issued by the magistrate’s court under Section 98 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
This offence was allegedly committed between 2.30pm and 3pm along Jalan Tun Perak on April 28, 2012.
The court order, issued on April 27 by magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir, prohibited any gathering at Dataran Merdeka – including the land bordered by Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Jalan Raja, and Jalan Kelab any time between April 28 and May 1.
The charge falls under Section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, which prohibits organising or taking part in street protests. Anyone convicted under this section could be fined up to RM10,000.
The second charge, which was jointly read out to the three, stated that Anwar, Azmin and Badrul Hisham, together with five other individuals still at large, had abetted with R Tangam, G Rajesh Kumar, Farhan Ibrahim @ Alias to breach the court order and going against an order by a public servant, and had instigated and possibily caused riots and fights in the area.
The second charge falls under Section 188 of the Penal Code, for “disabodience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant” and is read together with Section 109 and Section 34 of the Penal Code for abetting a crime.
Conviction on this charge can land the PKR leaders six months in prison or fined RM2,000 or both.
‘A political charge’
While pleading not guilty to the charges, Anwar said: “A political charge, I seek trial, just a waste of court’s time”, while Chegubard said: “Not guilty, but if we want to go to trial, we can.”
Judge Mahmud Abdullah allowed each of them a RM500 bail with one surety on the first charge. On the second charge, Mahmud freed them after allowing them a personal bond. The case has been fixed for mention on July 2 for all cases.
Anwar’s team consisted of Karpal Singh, his son Ram Karpal, former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden and Sankara Nair. Azmin was represented by R Sivarasa and Gurcharan Singh (appearing for CV Prabhakaran) and Chegubard was represented by Latheefa Koya, N Surendran, and Muhammad Afiq Mohamad Noor.
The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Abdul Wahab Mohamed, DPP Mohd Ishak Yusoff, DPP Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria, DPP Mohd Farizul Hassan and DPP Norhafiza Kamardin.
Later Anwar told reporters that the latest charges were politically motivated.
“Clearly political, no doubt about it. Elections are around the corner. But I will continue my political campaigns and I’m committed to run for elections,” he said.
“Clearly Najib must be very disappointed with the acquittal in the past (of the sodomy case), so he wants to
use every avenue to tie me down to the court process. How many more charges do you want to prefer against me?
“Najib should have the courage to engage me in a debate. He would use every avenue, the media, the courts, to stifle, and intimidate or harrass politically,” said Anwar.
Azmin said: “Umno is so desperate… this is a politically motivated act. I’m determined to fight the cause for free and fair elections. I’ve been in court for the past 14 years and I have 15 or 16 charges against me, among them 12 for illegal assembly. People are just sick of tired of this current system. I have nothing to fear because my conscience is clear.”
A new face to the defence team
The packed courtroom was earlier filled with excited murmurs when it was confirmed that former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof has joined the defence team.
Commenting on the former lead prosecutor of his Sodomy II trial assisting him, Anwar said: “Why are you surprised that Yusof joined my team? Perhaps very soon the AG will join me too. What’s the issue? He understands the law…
“I thank Yusof for his readiness to be part of the defence team. I contacted him after receiving information that he was “ready” to join us. This is a great development and means a lot.
“It shows that those within the government know about the dirtiness that happens and are not prepared to defend all of it. If he really thinks I’m guilty, he would not be with us. He was the second in command in the AG’s chambers, some say he should be the AG, now he chooses to be with us.
Anwar stressed that Yusof was not here just to make up numbers and had “came to make sure I get the justice I deserve”.
Karpal said that Yusof’s switch was “certainly a blow to the government, it is clearly a sign, it has never happened before. I came to know last night and I was quite surprised”.
Yusof, when approached by reporters later, said he was contacted by Anwar and he “had no problems taking the case” as he was “willing” and “able”.
“He (Anwar) called me last night and I had no hesitation. I’m just a counsel, everyone is entitled to one. I have no political affiliations. I’m a working professional… a free agent.”
Asked if he was doing this to go against the Attorney-General, Yusof said he had nothing personal against the latter. “No comments” was his parting shot.
The Kapar MP threatens to reveal details, including names, of monetary offers he has allegedly received from BN.
PETALING JAYA: Kapar MP S Manikavasagam today threatened to reveal names and other details of all the monetary offers he has received from Barisan Nasional leaders over the last four years.
Manikavasagam, popularly known as Mike, said he was warning all Barisan Nasional leaders not to force his hand, not to “challenge” him.
He said he was considering suing former Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Khir Toyo over allegations that he had sought RM10 million from the latter as inducement to leave PKR.
He also said that he would file a police report tomorrow against blogger M Zakrul Adam for posting a “false article” on the allegation on the blog www.sel13.com last Wednesday.
In the article, entitled “MP Kapar minta RM10 juta dari Dr Khir Toyo untuk keluar PKR” (Kapar MP asks for RM10 million from Dr Khir Toyo to leave PKR), Zakrul claimed that Manikavasagam had made this demand of Khir during a meeting in the Grand Blue Wave hotel in Shah Alam.
Manikavasagam issued a denial soon after the article was posted. He said it was Khir who had “jokingly” made the offer. Khir responded by warning Manikavasagam not to “twist the facts”, saying it was the PKR man who made the approach.
At a press conference this morning, Manikavasagam acknowledged that the meeting did take place, but he said it was a chance meeting and not an arranged one as Khir had claimed.
“I had sent my client to the Umno building next to the hotel and had gone to the hotel’s coffee house to wait when Khir walked in,” he explained.
“He came to my table and joked that there was RM5 to 10 million waiting for me if I left PKR for BN. The conversation lasted less than five minutes.”
Manikavasagam said he did not take Khir’s remarks seriously, having been inundated with similar offers before. He said the offers had continued coming, even as late as 24 hours ago.
According to him, the offers came from BN’s top leadership, who sent their “runners and brokers” to wait outside his private residence and office for hours. He also claimed that there was a failed kidnap attempt on his family in a move to force him to leave PKR.
“Even Malaysia’s number one men have tried but failed,” he said. “I have evidence of this, which I will reveal in time if anyone of them challenges me further. But I won’t mention any names for now.
“I am very clear that I am with Pakatan. So don’t waste your time trying to buy me. The people have voted for me and I will not betray them.”
The real version
Manikavasagam questioned why Khir had waited four years to bring up this issue when he could have done so earlier, even a day after the meeting at the hotel.
He ventured that it must be because Khir “couldn’t handle” the “real version” of the story. Manickavasagam has been giving his version at PKR ceramahs.
Manikavasagam also provided an answer to Khir’s sarcastic query as to what the former’s “speciality” was that he would offer him RM10 million.
“It is to get back the Indian votes for BN,” he said. “The top BN men have said they don’t want (former MIC president) Samy Vellu but me in order to save the Indians.”
Manikavasagam’s version of the hotel meeting with Khir was backed by his PKR colleague and Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo-Burne, who said that they had had a “good laugh” over Khir’s offer.
“Manikavasagam told me about it right after the meeting took place and we thought it was funny,” Loh said. “He tells it at all his ceramahs; so it isn’t even a secret.”
Loh added that he, as well as many other Pakatan Rakyat MPs, were used to being approached by their BN and independent counterparts encouraging them to jump ship.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who was at today’s press conference, urged Khir to lodge a police report against Manikavasagam instead of going to the media if he had proof that the Kapar MP offered to switch sides for money.
“Umno and BN’s money politics is common knowledge,” he said. “You never have to ask them for money. They will offer it to you on their own.”
Party secretary-general S Murugesan says there is no need to drag S Ambiga's race and religion into the dispute.
PETALING JAYA: There is no need to drag race or religion into the debate over the Bersih 3.0 rally, said MIC secretary-general S Murugesan.
Expressing his personal view on the matter, he criticised those who resorted to such demeaning actions against Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga to put their points across.
“We don’t have to agree with Ambiga or her method of doing things. However, there is no need to drag her race or religion into the disagreement.
“There is also no need for name calling or to resort to methods that encroach into her personal space,” he told FMT.
Murugesan said it also did not make sense to hold a demonstration to condemn demonstrations as two wrongs do not make a right.
“As Malaysians, we should must aspire for the nobler aspects of politics,” he added.
On the same note, Murugesan said he understood the feelings of the aggrieved stall owners who suffered losses as a result of the April 28 rally.
“But there are better ways of doing things,” he added.
Furthermore, the MIC leader said their actions were being attributed to Barisan Nasional, therefore tainting the image of the ruling coalition.
“This is clearly not the case and is doing more harm to BN then good,” he added.
A group of traders have planned to set up a night market outside S Ambiga’s house in Bukit Damansara on Thursday and Friday to protest the losses incurred during the rally.
Previously, vexed traders staged a burger protest while a group of ex-servicemen held a vulgar aerobic exercise outside her residence, which drew much flak from various quarters.
However, when an Indian-based NGO proposed to set up a thosai stall outside Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar’s house, Ambiga had asked them to reconsider, saying that private spaces must be respected.
The NGO agreed and called off its plan.
All eyes on the mayor
Meanwhile, Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) president P Sivakumar said all eyes were now on Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail.
He said Ambiga’s right to a peaceful living and her constitutional right to equal protection under the law were at threat.
Sivakumar said if the night market took place, then another group might set up a similar thing outside Fuad’s residence.
“I am sure the mayor will not like it,” he told FMT.
Sivakumar also could not understand why the issue had taken a racial twist, just because a civic- minded individual with legal background aspired to do something good for the nation.
He warned BN that such actions would lead to an electoral backlash.
“Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been trying to reach out to Indian voters, but this type of attacks and intimidation against Ambiga will cost the coalition,” he added.
Sivakumar also said Miba failed to understand how these traders could claim to have lost millions due to the rally, especially on a Saturday.
“These are only petty traders. So this lent credence to the suspicion that there is more to this than meets the eye,” he said.
HRW says the government should also drop charges against opposition leaders who were involved in the mammoth rally on April 28.
PETALING JAYA: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the Malaysian government to drop the charges against Bersih 3.0 protesters, including Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim and PKR deputy president and supreme council member, Azmin Ali and Badrul Hisham Shaharin.
In a statement today, HWR Asia’s deputy director Phil Robertson said Anwar merely gave a speech during the rally and was not even an organiser for Bersih 3.0.
“The Malaysian authorities appear to be using what happened at the Bersih demonstration as a pretext to prosecute political opposition leaders.
“These charges and actions by police during the rally doesn’t inspire confidence that the Malaysian government is committed to protecting freedom of expression,” he claimed.
Earlier today, Anwar, Azmin and Badrul were charged in Sessions Court under Section 4(2) (c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, for participating in the Bersih 3.0 rally and violating magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir’s court order dated April 26.
The court order prohibited the gathering at Dataran Merdeka and the area bordering Jalan Sultan Hishammuddin, Jalan Raja and Jalan Kelab.
If convicted, the trio could face a fine up to RM10,000. Elected representatives would automatically lose their posts if fined more than RM2,000 and jailed for more than a year.
Police used excessive force
Robertson said although the police obtained a court order to stop the rally, Bersih only proceeded with a demonstration in the areas surrounding areas of Dataran Merdeka.
“The rally occurred mostly without any incident but the police used excessive force by tear gas and water cannons, while assaulting scores of protesters,” he said.
Robertson also called upon the government to repeal the Peaceful Assembly Act and come up with a new legislation that would conform with international human rights standard.
“The Act bans street protests and contains an overly broad list of areas in which all assemblies are banned. The law makes it virtually impossible for protesters to hold demonstrations in urban areas,” he said.
Merlimau MIC and PPP branches have made police report asking government to withdraw citizenship and the datukship of Ambiga Sreevasan on 18th May 2012. They have said that they oppose the visit of Datuk Ambiga sreenivasan to Merlimau on 20th may 2012. They have further claimed that under BN government the country is peaceful and that Indians are well taken care off.
The gathering on 20th May 2012 supposed host Datuk Ambiga Sreenivasan in Merlimau, Malacca was cancelled in view of the violence from Perkasa and UMNO youth. Fortunately, Datuk Ambiga did not turn up for the gathering as probably advised not to attend in view of the evil UMNO plans. Stones and eggs were thrown at those who attended by UMNO youth and Perkasa gangsters. They want to turn Bersih rallies into a racial issue because UMNO cannot accept the fact that an Indian lady has led the largest gathering in the history of Malaysia. UMNO national leaders tacitly support the harassment and hackling of Datuk Ambiga attending any gathering.
Datuk Ambiga led a group of NGOs asking for fair and free national election. At least 250000 people from all walks of life gathered in kuala Lumpur and many more gathered in 80 other cities throughout the world in support of Bersih 3.0. She is one of the greatest citizens of Malaysia. Datuk Ambiga is an inspiration and role model to women. Yet these Merlimau MIC and PPP branches to please UMNO and Perkasa went ahead and made police report to withdraw her citizenship and Datukship.
MIC and PPP leaders are ignorant and subservient to the racist UMNO. These MIC and PPP idiots and country brutes claim that BN government has taken good care of Indians. MIC and PPP leaders act as runners and dispatch boys of UMNO. With MIC and PPP around Indians don’t need any enemies. MIC and PPP national leaders must openly declare whether they support Datuk Ambiga? Why is it that MIC and PPP national leaders are quite on the reckless and stupid acts of Perkasa and UMNO? Does it mean that MIC and PPP leaders support the bugger stalls and butt exercise in front of Datuk Ambiga’s house?
Can the Indians ever depend on MIC and PPP to ensure their rights and welfare will be safeguarded from the encroachment of UMNO? Will MIC and PPP uplift Indians and make us equal citizens of this country? MIC and PPP leaders and branches have lost all moral rights to represent Indians. In the coming national election the concerned citizens of this country must ensure that PPP and MIC are got rid with and buried for good. They are stumbling blocks and a hindrance to Indians progress. They are only useful to UMNO and a nuisance to Indians.
Anwar
arriving at the courthouse in Kuala Lumpur on May 22, 2012 where he was
charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act with taking part in the April
28 Bersih 3.0 rally. — Picture by Choo Choy May
KUALA LUMPUR,
May 22 — Former Solicitor-General II Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden has
joined Datuk Anwar Ibrahim’s legal team as the opposition leader is
charged with taking part in an illegal street demonstration today.
It was a startling turn of events as Yusof had led the Sodomy II
prosecution against Anwar, which saw the latter being acquitted earlier
this year.
He has since retired from the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“Anwar called me last night and I had no hesitation,” Yusof told reporters when approached in court today.
“He has the right to a counsel of his choice,” he said.
Yusof stressed that he had no political affiliation and was a
“working professional” who was “willing and able” to help Anwar when
asked to “come on board”.
“I am a free agent,” he said.
He also said he would “not say anything against the government” and there was no conflict of interest involved.
Yusof was the Solicitor-General II in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“I am not joining a political party. I am just a counsel,” he said.
The Malaysian Insider understands that Yusof’s ties with
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail have been cool for some time
and he had disagreed with the way some high-profile cases had been
handled.
Asked about his ties with Abdul Ghani now, Yusof merely said “no comment”.
He was earlier spotted mingling with Anwar’s other defence lawyers.
PKR leader and lawyer Sivarasa Rasiah confirmed with The Malaysian Insider in a text message when asked if the former government lawyer was on the PKR de facto head’s legal team.
Sivarasa said Yusof was assisting Anwar’s lead counsel Karpal Singh.
The other lawyers on Team Anwar are Karpal’s son Ram Karpal Singh Deo
and Sankara Nair.
Anwar, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Rembau PKR chief Badrul
Hisham Shaharin were today charged with taking part in the April 28
Bersih 3.0 under section 4(2)(c) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, less than
a month after the new law aimed at allowing public gatherings “in
accordance with international norms” was enforced.
The offence under the Peaceful Assembly Act carries a maximum fine of RM10,000.
All three claimed trial.
Sessions Court judge Mahmud Abdullah set July 2 as the next mention date for the trial.
(Asia Sentinel) Three years after a debilitating civil war, people continue to disappear
Three years after the government of Sri Lanka declared an end to
decades of civil conflict with separatist rebels, thousands of people
are still missing, according to the United Nations and Sri Lankan
activists, and more continue to disappear.
The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights
has recorded 5,671 reported cases of wartime-related disappearance in
Sri Lanka, not counting people who went missing in the final stages of
fighting from 2008 to 2009.
Hostilities between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam rebels, who had been fighting for an independent Tamil state for
nearly 30 years, ended on 18 May 2009.
“It’s been almost three years. My son went missing on 14 May [2009] and I
have not heard from him ever since. He was not a member of the LTTE or
[any] other group. He was just a normal Tamil civilian,” said Aarati*,
56, a mother of three in the northern town of Kilinochchi, in the former
war zone. Another son has been missing since 1993.
Ganeshan Thambiah from the town of Jaffna, also in the north, told IRIN
he has lost hope. “My son has gone missing for three years. It hurts me a
lot but he is probably dead.”
Disappearances occurred on a “massive scale,” especially between 2006
and 2009 during the last phase of the war, said Ruki Fernando from the
Christian Alliance for Social Action, a local NGO. “At the end of the
war, many who surrendered to the army disappeared, including a Catholic
priest and several high-profile LTTE leaders.”
Fernando includes journalists, human rights defenders and humanitarian
workers among the missing, but says the real “tragedy” has been the
reluctance of law enforcement authorities and state institutions to
confront “this horrible crime, even when some leads are available”.
In one alleged disappearance, Fernando said, law enforcement personnel
and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka have been unable to get a
statement from a government advisor six months after he indicated he had
information about a missing journalist.
Successive governments resorted to abductions to deal with political
dissenters, militants, and now criminals. “This indicates a reluctance
to use the criminal justice system and [a] total breakdown of rule of
law,” he commented.
However, a high-ranking military officer who requested anonymity
maintains that the state has not been involved in any alleged
abductions, and that most of these allegations have been politically
motivated. “There is a law in the country and we respect it. The army
and government [are] clearly not behind any abductions, as claimed by
various groups,” he told IRIN.
But, three years on, the numbers of disappeared do not add up, said
Jehan Perera, executive director of the National Peace Council of Sri
Lanka. He points to the discrepancy between the number of people who
once lived in five districts in the north - collectively known as the
Vanni, and most heavily affected by fighting - and the number there
today.
“There needs to be a credible investigation into [these disappearances]
to lay all doubts to rest. There needs to be involvement of independent
groups in ascertaining the facts, or else the doubts will continue as to
the fate of the missing persons,” he said.
The government has faced mounting pressure
to act on the recommendations of a commission appointed by the
president in December 2011, one of which is the criminalization of
enforced or voluntary disappearances.
Yet local activists say the disappearances have not stopped. “They still
occur with sufficient regularity to make people feel that there is no
clear break with the past, so there is still a dark cloud of fear in the
country,” said Perera.
“Many dissenting voices faced ‘white van’ abductions more recently, and
the list is not short by any means,” said Jayasuriya Chrishantha
Weliamuna, a senior human rights lawyer in Colombo, the capital. He
reported that two activists working against abductions, while organizing
Human Rights Day events in Jaffna on 9 December 2011, had also been
abducted.
Twenty-one disappearances have been reported to the government-appointed Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka from the beginning of the year to 18 April.
Perera said that with the state’s “massive security network “and “top
class intelligence system” there should be “no justification for even a
single disappearance today”.
*not her real name
(IRIN delivers humanitarian news and analysis as a service of the
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This report does
not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.)
Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and his party deputy were charged in court Tuesday in connection with a street protest last month in Kuala Lumpur that led to riot police turning tear gas and water cannons on demonstrators, in some of the most chaotic scenes Malaysia's capital has seen in years.
If convicted, Mr. Anwar could lose his seat in Malaysia's Parliament, adding to a long list of legal problems the opposition leader has faced in his political career, including two sodomy charges. He was eventually cleared of the charges in both those cases, which he said were politically motivated.
The deputy leader of Mr. Anwar's People's Justice Party, Azmin Ali, was charged in Kuala Lumpur's Sessions Court along with Mr. Anwar for allegedly urging demonstrators to surge into an area cordoned off by police. A party member, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, was also charged. All three said they were innocent.
By charging Mr. Anwar, 64 years old, state prosecutors risk heightening political divides in a polarized nation, with elections expected to be called in the next few months. The protest at the center of the cases involving Messrs. Anwar and Azmin was one of the biggest in Kuala Lumpur in more than a decade.
"It is clearly a politically-motivated charge. Elections are around the corner," Mr. Anwar told reporters, the Associated Press reported.
On April 28, more than 50,000 people protested in a mostly peaceful show of support for electoral reforms, as Prime Minister Najib Razak and his ruling National Front coalition prepare for national elections that must be called by spring 2013, and which could come sooner.
The protests, dubbed Bersih, the Malay word for "clean," came after a run of political changes that the prime minister introduced in response to calls for reforms to strengthen Malaysia's democracy, and to boost the electoral appeal of the National Front, which has governed Malaysia for decades.
While moves such as ending arrests without warrants and allowing more political dissent have helped improve Mr. Najib's opinion poll ratings, some Malaysians want to see faster and wider changes aimed at helping this resource-rich but authoritarian-minded nation emerge as a full democracy.
The credibility of the Peaceful Assembly Act—a centerpiece of Mr. Najib's changes, enacted after a 2011 prodemocracy protest—could be affected by Mr. Anwar's latest case. The government says the legislation was designed to create more leeway for political protests in the country, but critics and opposition political say it criminalizes protesters who step beyond the bounds of the law.
In a statement, a Malaysian government spokesperson said state prosecutors will pursue charges against anyone involved in inciting or committing acts of violence during the recent Bersih protest.
"To date, charges have been brought against various individuals, including two policemen, for events that took place during the protest," the spokesperson said. "Charges are decided on by the public prosecutor following receipt of police investigation papers."
Political analysts said Mr. Anwar's prosecution reflects a pattern of government officials using legal cases to question the credibility of opposition figures, especially Mr. Anwar.
"There is a fine line between these tactics succeeding, or galvanizing support for the opposition," said Bridget Welsh, a professor at Singapore Management University and a long-time observer of Malaysian politics.
In 1998, government leaders attempted to portray Mr. Anwar as a dangerous radical when he led mass protests after being sacked as deputy prime minister. He was charged with sodomy--a crime in this conservative majority-Muslim nation—later that year. Mr. Anwar denied the charge and was later cleared of it in 2004 after spending six years in jail.
In 2008, Mr. Anwar was charged with sodomizing a young male aid. Mr. Anwar again said he was innocent and called the charges trumped up to destroy his political career. He was acquitted in January, although state prosecutors have appealed that decision.
Mr. Najib has denied orchestrating a conspiracy against Mr. Anwar.
New York-based Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, urged Malaysian authorities not to use aftermath of the latest Bersih demonstrations to sideline opposition leaders.
"The Malaysian authorities appear to be using what happened at the Bersih demonstrations as a pretext to prosecute political opposition leaders," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "These charges, and the actions by police at the Bersih rally, don't inspire confidence that the Malaysian government is committed to protecting basic free expression rights."
—Celine Fernandez in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this article.
(Lim Kit Siang speech at the opening of the new Triang DAP branch building in Triang, Pahang on Tuesday, 22nd May 2012 at 3 pm)
I was in the Kuala Lumpur court complex this morning where the Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR leaders Azmin Ali and Badrul Hisham were charged in connection with the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28 which could result in their five-year disqualification from elective office and disenfranchisement in losing the civic right to stand for elective office whether as MP or State Assembly member if fined over RM2,000.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak will be the biggest loser in the prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul, the first case to be charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA), as it will totally discredit his various transformation programmes, in particular his Political Transformation Programme.
Pakatan Rakyat MPs have warned in Parliament that Najib’s promises to amend or repeal undemocratic and draconian laws and provisions contain the seeds of greater repression as the new laws and replacements provide for even more repressive measures – as in the case of the prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul under the PAA.
The prosecution also sends out a very clear message to Malaysians, and in particular to the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region, class, gender or age who had gathered peacefully in Kuala Lumpur on April 28, armed at most with salt and water bottles to protect themselves from indiscriminate police shooting of tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon, with the unmistakable message to the Najib administration that they want clean elections for a clean Malaysia.
Najib’s message to them is one of utter contempt for their message to want to have clean elections and a clean Malaysia!
Najib should realise that he will have to pay a very heavy political price in the forthcoming general elections with such arrogance of power and contempt for the legitimate and ordinary aspirations of Malaysians transcending race, religion, region, class, gender or age.
Najib should take note that the former Solicitor-General II who headed the prosecution team against Anwar in the Sodomy II trial, Datuk Mohd Yusuf Zainal Abiden, has joined Anwar’s defence team headed by Karpal Singh.
If the Prime Minister cannot read and understand the implications of Yusuf’s joining the Anwar defence team, then he is not as politically astute as he should be.
The prosecution of Anwar, Azmin and Badrul is in fact the latest in the BN demonisation campaign against Bersih 3.0, polarising the ground instead of starting a process of national healing. I would reiterate my call to Najib to end the demonisation campaign of Bersih 3.0 to reagain public confidence and credibility or be prepared to pay a heavy political price in the forthcoming general elections.
KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says the
government has a moral responsibility to help Malaysians who have fallen
upon hard times or who just need a bit of a helping hand.
The prime minister said meeting that responsibility was the mark of a civilised society.
He illustrated this point by highlighting his encounter with jobless
Teoh Yong King whose house was razed to the ground in a fire, during his
visit to Nibong Tebal, Penang, last month.
Najib noted that Teoh had been forced to stay at a temple for the past
three months with her family, and that being jobless, she could not
afford a new place for the family to stay, and sought help.
"Although she received none in the beginning, she did not lose hope,
and continued with her efforts to make her plight known," he said in his
latest entry on his blogsite, www.1Malaysia.com.
Najib said her plight was brought to the attention of his local
political colleagues who went on to build a new house in place of the
old one and help replace household items lost in the fire.
Najib, who described Teoh as a remarkable lady who had stood against
all difficulties and hardship to help her family survive, said he was
touched by her story.
"All of this would not have come about without her unwavering determination," he said.
Najib said this episode was just one local example of the Barisan Nasional government's determination to help those in need.
On a national level, Najib said, the Barisan Nasional government had
already put in place several programmes to help low-income families like
Teoh's.
Addressing the rising cost of living has been made one of the seven
NKRAs (National Key Result Areas) in line with the Government
Transformation Programme (GTP).
"Financial aid packages for low-income households, book vouchers and
aid for students are provided to the public. 1Malaysia clinics,
convenience stores and restaurants are also available as a cheaper
alternative without compromising on quality," he said.
He said the implementation of a minimum wage in the near future will also increase the income of over 400,000 employees.
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.
However, Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council chairperson Jamal Md Yunus (centre in photo) will go ahead with the protest. 
“Painting
the lots is not allowed. Since they have done it we will re-paint it in
black. And if they continue to do business (on Thursday and Friday), we
will send enforcement there. The law must be respected. We will also
ask for police cooperation,” Ahmad Fuad said.
The lot was put up for bidding by the council in front of the City Hall building today, after a meeting with the mayor. 
