Wednesday 8 August 2012
Gunmen kill 16 at Deeper Life Church during service
General Oveseer of Deeper life Church Pastor Kumuyi
Pastor among the dead in Kogi night attack -Four killed in Borno -Explosives fired at Sokoto police station
IT was like a scene from a war film. A crowd of worshippers in a church — perhaps praying, their eyes shut — and suddenly the eerie sounds of guns. Pandemonium. Blood, tears and anguish.
But it was no movie. All was real last night in Okene, Kogi State where unknown gunmen stormed a church and opened fire on worshippers, killing no fewer than 16.
Killed were worshippers of Deeper Life Bible Church opposite the Federal College of Education (FCE). Many were injured.
“We are shocked. It is serious,” a Pastor told The Nation last night.
The gunmen, who were said to be bearing sophisticated weapons, stormed the church during the Bible Study, a Monday programme, at about 7p.m., shooting indiscriminately.
The gunmen reportedly took the worshippers by surprise. They blocked all entrances into the church, preventing people from escaping as they fired indiscriminately at the worshippers.
A source said 15 worshippers died on the spot; one died in the hospital.
“As I am talking to you now, we have just counted 16 bodies. No fewer than nine others have been rushed to the Okene General Hospital Okene,” the source said.
Among the dead was the local government area Pastor, according to a source who spoke in Lagos where news of the incident sent members into a shock.
One of the injured is the Dean of Student Affairs of the FCE.
The attack came two weeks after an account officer with FCE, Okene was abducted from his home and murdered. An attack on the Living Faith Church on Lagos Road in Okene was last month repelled by security operatives who stopped an explosive-laden vehicle parked by road side.
Kogi Police spokesman Simon Ile, who confirmed the incident, said he was yet to get details of the incident.
He declined to speak on the number of casualties. He said the command was awaiting reports from the divisional police officer in charge of the area.
Ile said the police would go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice.
The Commander of Army Headquarters Task Force, Lt Colonel Gabriel Olorunyomi, also confirmed the incident. He said: “Unknown gunmen invaded the Deeper Life Church this night (Monday) during a worship service and opened fire at the worshippers.”
He said 15 people died instantly while the 16th person died in the hospital.
The Military Joint Task Force cordoned off the area.
It could not be immediately ascertained how many worshipers were in the church at the time of the attack.
Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram struck again in Sokoto State yesterday.
They bombed a police station in Shagari Village about 70 kilometres to Sokoto, the state capital.
Shagari is the home town of Second Republic President Shehu Shagari. The police station that was attacked is a few metres away from his home.
A police source said the attackers came on a motorbike and tossed dynamites at the police outpost while firing at the policemen on duty.
Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate, was attacked last week.
Boko Haram, the violent Islamist sect, yesterday claimed responsibility for Sunday’s killing of six soldiers and two civilians in Damturu, the Yobe State capital.
The group said it was responsible for other weekend attacks in the Northeast.
Also on Sunday night, four people were killed in their homes by suspected Boko Haram members in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as the Joint Task Force (JTF) alerted the public to an impending series of suicide bombings in the city.
In an email statement attributed to a Boko Haram (Wester Education is a sin) spokesman and obtained by The Associated Press yesterday, the group said “One of (their) fighters” caused an explosion Sunday in Damaturu.
Police say six soldiers and two civilians were killed in the blast.
The statement also claimed responsibility for two other attacks in two other northeast cities. It was not immediately clear which attacks it was referring to.
The statement comes after an Internet video featuring the sect’s leader was posted on YouTube on Saturday.
Boko Haram is held responsible for more than 660 deaths this year alone according to an AP count.
Apart from Sunday’s attack in Damaturu, the Emir of Fika was attacked on Friday in a suicide bid but he escaped. His orderly died
A former Commissioner for the Environment in Borno State Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaasa, was shot dead in his home in Maiduguri on Sunday.
Two of the victims of Sunday night killings in Maiduguri were residents of Lawan Bukar, where Alhaji Fannami Gubio, the original candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in the governorship election in 2011 was killed.
Another victim was killed in the Railway Quarters, where the headquarters of the sect was located before the 2009 clampdown. It was there that its leader Mohammed Yusuf was killed by security operatives alongside dozens of his followers.
One other person was killed at Gamboru Ward. The killing caused apprehension among residents of the town.
Though there was no official confirmation at press time, a military source who spoke anonymously told reporters that the military had intensified efforts at getting the culprits.
The JTF yesterday alerted the public to the plan of the sect to undertake massive snatching of vehicles in Maiduguri and environs which they will later use for suicide missions.
The vehicles, according to the task force, would be laden with explosives and used to bomb strategic locations and cause breach of the peace in the town. The statement signed by the task force field operations officer, Col. Victor Ebhaleme reads: “The JTF wishes to alert members of the public of the desperate moves by Boko Haram terrorists to steal/ snatch vehicles for suicide bombings.”
He urged those whose vehicles have been stolen to immediately report the theft to the nearest police station or to the JTF. He warned that anyone who failed to report and his vehicle is used as a courier of bombs would be treated as an accomplice of the sect.
Man arrested for forcibly converting, raping girl
Police have arrested a man allegedly involved in forcibly converting and raping a Hindu girl. – File photo/Dawn
HYDERABAD, Aug 6: The Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench on Monday remanded a man in police custody after a Hindu girl rejected his claim that she had converted to Islam and married him. She, instead, accused the man of abducting her and subjecting her to rape for months.
Justice Munib Akhtar passed the order after hearing a criminal miscellaneous application filed by Sarwar Solangi.
Solangi’s counsel, Ghulam Hyder Shah, said that according to Solangi, who was a Hindu of Bagri community prior to his conversion, the 19-year old Hindu girl of Tandojam had accepted Islam on May 20 before Mufti Shafat Rasool Naeemi in Darul Uloom Mujaddidiya, Sahibdad Goth in Malir, Karachi and a certificate to this effect was issued by the institution.
He said the girl signed a sworn affidavit before Justice of Peace on May 25 and her Nikkah was solemnised with him in Ghazi Dawood Brohi union council in Malir Town, Karachi.
Her conversion annoyed her parents, said the applicant, and on June 21 her relatives Jairam, Rajoo, Nadhiya and Chainiya forcibly snatched her away from him when they were going to visit shrine of Baba Pardesi in Hyderabad.
She was kept at an unknown place for 15 days and then shifted to her parents’ home near Chambar road in Tando Allahyar.
The applicant had requested the court to direct police and the girl’s relatives to produce her in court on Aug 6.
On Monday, the girl appeared in the court and rejected the Solangi’s claims. She said she had left her house on May 18 to wash clothes when Sarwar and two unidentified men kidnapped her and took her to Karachi. She was kept locked up in a room where Sarwar repeatedly subjected her to rape, she said.
She said that she was forced to put her thumb impression on blank papers. On July 30, when Sarwar and his friends left the place and went out to buy wine she managed to escape from the place and reached her home.
She said that she wanted to go live with her parents. The judge asked the girl’s father whether he wanted to pursue the matter further and the father replied he only wanted justice in accordance with law.
Pakatan states to use 3 different themes for N-Day
However, the four states will still use a common theme of “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa (One Nation, One Country, One Soul)” which the pact had previously agreed upon, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali (picture) said.
Kedah will use “Terus Berbakti (Continue to Serve)” as its state theme while Kelantan will be adopting “Menerajui Perubahan (Spearheading Change)”.
Only Penang and Selangor will maintain “Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa”.
“This is because the state exco of Kedah and Kelantan decided on their respective themes before we decided on (Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa), and the exco decision is binding,” Mustafa told reporters at a joint news conference with his PR allies at the PKR headquarters here.
Also present were PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar and DAP Youth chief Anthony Loke.
He said the pact will also launch an alternative to the federal government’s theme song and logo for the National Day celebrations on Thursday, after the PR supreme council meeting.
He added that the song is penned by a renowned composer but that he chose to keep his identity under wraps until the launch.
Nurul Izzah said PR’s theme song will be non-partisan, unlike the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s choice.
“Our song gives room for all parties to express their feelings about freedom and not feel ‘hijacked’ or neglected,” she said.
The federal opposition bloc had rejected the 2012 National Day theme song and logo when both were unveiled last month, claiming the lyrics and design smacked of partisan politics in the run-up to the 13th general elections, which could see a regime change for the first time since independence in 1957.
At a separate press conference earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, said BN, as the ruling coalition, holds the right to decide the National Day theme because its three founding members — Umno, MCA and MIC — were responsible for helping the country gain its independence from British colonial rule.
“Without a doubt, it is parties like Umno, MCA and MIC that fought for independence. Let those who fight for independence determine the theme. When did the opposition fight for independence?” he told reporters in Parliament.
Nazri said he felt the “Janji Ditepati” theme was apt as it represents the fact the federal government has kept its promises to the people.
The “Janji Ditepati” theme has been publicly panned on various social networking sites, including by graphics designers and songwriters, who say its seemingly political content is unsuitable for the celebration that stretches from August 31 to September 16, which is Malaysia Day.
The government eschewed the traditional logo designing competition this year, leaving the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture to come up with the logo which comprises words in different fonts, the Jalur Gemilang, the 1 Malaysia logo and the theme “Janji Ditepati”, all depicted in the four colours of the national flag.
MIC confident of bigger win
Although MIC is confident of avoiding another dismal electoral performance, nonetheless the party leadership is aware that it will be a rough ride.
GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat Indian grassroots and its noisy cyber commentators may claim that the next general election will hammer the final nail in MIC’s coffin and send it into political extinction.
However, despite facing an imminent toughest electoral challenge in its history, G Palanivel-led MIC is quietly confident that it could turn the table against and win many seats.
Boosted by growing support among the Malay and Indian electorates, sources said the party’s strategists were increasingly poised of winning six parliamentary and between 11 and 17 state seats in the next polls.
Like in the 12th general election, MIC would contest in nine federal and 19 state constituencies in the 13th election.
Its federal seats are Sungai Siput, Tapah, Cameron Highlands, Hulu Selangor, Subang, Kapar, Kota Raja, Teluk Kemang and Segamat.
In the 2008 general election, MIC won only Cameron Highlands, Tapah and Segamat before regaining Hulu Selangor via a by-election later.
This time it is confident of winning all except Subang, Kapar and Kota Raja.
Its state seats are Lunas and Bukit Selambau (Kedah), Prai and Bagan Dalam (Penang), Pasir Panjang, Behrang, Sungkai and Hutan Melintang (Perak), Batu Caves, Ijok and Sri Andalas (Selangor), Jeram Padang and Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan), Kahang, Permas, Tenggaroh and Gambir (Johor), Malacca’s Asahan and Pahang’s Sabai.
Among these seats, MIC believes it had a fighting chance to clinch Lunas, Bukit Selambau, Bagan Dalam, Prai, Pasir Panjang, Behrang, Sungkai, Hutan Melintang, Batu Caves, Ijok, Jeram Padang, Kahang, Tenggaroh, Gambir, Asahan and Sabai.
The party, however, concededed that Sri Andalas and Port Dickson were difficult seats, while it also feared losing Permas due to the inept performance of incumbent MM Samy.
In the last election, MIC won only the four Johor seats, Asahan, Jeram Padang and Sabai.
Right formula is crucial
Although MIC was confident of avoiding another dismal electoral performance, nonetheless the party leadership was aware that it would be a rough ride towards the finishing line.
Party insiders concurred that MIC must first apply the right formula to win these seats, combining winnable candidates with effective campaign strategies.
They said the right formula would be crucial in seats that MIC lost narrowly in 2008.
The party had submitted a list of 56 names of potential winnable candidates, two for each constituency, to Barisan Nasional national chairman Najib Tun Razak.
The MIC leadership was also contemplating shifting chosen candidates to different constituencies to increase their chances of winning, such as in Prai, Lunas, Bukit Selambau and Batu Caves.
Party insiders said a capable winnable candidate could draw some 1,000 to 2,000 votes on his own.
“In the current political scenario, it’s a huge amount of votes. As BN faces a tough adversary, each vote counts,” said a MIC top leader.
Among main factors boosting MIC’s confidence was the alleged surging shift of support among ethnic Indians and Malays from Pakatan Rakyat towards BN.
Sources claimed that MIC and BN’s own ground studies and intelligence reports revealed that some 60% to 65% of Malays and Indians would back BN in the coming polls.
Chinese support for BN stood between 25% and 30%, said the source.
Sources said MIC would tap on Najib’s rapidly increasing popularity among the Indian community.
“Many working class Indians are impressed with Najib’s direct touch to address and resolve their issues spot on. This can tilt the balance in MIC’s favour in a close fight,” said a party insider.
GEORGE TOWN: Pakatan Rakyat Indian grassroots and its noisy cyber commentators may claim that the next general election will hammer the final nail in MIC’s coffin and send it into political extinction.However, despite facing an imminent toughest electoral challenge in its history, G Palanivel-led MIC is quietly confident that it could turn the table against and win many seats.
Boosted by growing support among the Malay and Indian electorates, sources said the party’s strategists were increasingly poised of winning six parliamentary and between 11 and 17 state seats in the next polls.
Like in the 12th general election, MIC would contest in nine federal and 19 state constituencies in the 13th election.
Its federal seats are Sungai Siput, Tapah, Cameron Highlands, Hulu Selangor, Subang, Kapar, Kota Raja, Teluk Kemang and Segamat.
In the 2008 general election, MIC won only Cameron Highlands, Tapah and Segamat before regaining Hulu Selangor via a by-election later.
This time it is confident of winning all except Subang, Kapar and Kota Raja.
Its state seats are Lunas and Bukit Selambau (Kedah), Prai and Bagan Dalam (Penang), Pasir Panjang, Behrang, Sungkai and Hutan Melintang (Perak), Batu Caves, Ijok and Sri Andalas (Selangor), Jeram Padang and Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan), Kahang, Permas, Tenggaroh and Gambir (Johor), Malacca’s Asahan and Pahang’s Sabai.
Among these seats, MIC believes it had a fighting chance to clinch Lunas, Bukit Selambau, Bagan Dalam, Prai, Pasir Panjang, Behrang, Sungkai, Hutan Melintang, Batu Caves, Ijok, Jeram Padang, Kahang, Tenggaroh, Gambir, Asahan and Sabai.
The party, however, concededed that Sri Andalas and Port Dickson were difficult seats, while it also feared losing Permas due to the inept performance of incumbent MM Samy.
In the last election, MIC won only the four Johor seats, Asahan, Jeram Padang and Sabai.
Right formula is crucial
Although MIC was confident of avoiding another dismal electoral performance, nonetheless the party leadership was aware that it would be a rough ride towards the finishing line.
Party insiders concurred that MIC must first apply the right formula to win these seats, combining winnable candidates with effective campaign strategies.
They said the right formula would be crucial in seats that MIC lost narrowly in 2008.
The party had submitted a list of 56 names of potential winnable candidates, two for each constituency, to Barisan Nasional national chairman Najib Tun Razak.
The MIC leadership was also contemplating shifting chosen candidates to different constituencies to increase their chances of winning, such as in Prai, Lunas, Bukit Selambau and Batu Caves.
Party insiders said a capable winnable candidate could draw some 1,000 to 2,000 votes on his own.
“In the current political scenario, it’s a huge amount of votes. As BN faces a tough adversary, each vote counts,” said a MIC top leader.
Among main factors boosting MIC’s confidence was the alleged surging shift of support among ethnic Indians and Malays from Pakatan Rakyat towards BN.
Sources claimed that MIC and BN’s own ground studies and intelligence reports revealed that some 60% to 65% of Malays and Indians would back BN in the coming polls.
Chinese support for BN stood between 25% and 30%, said the source.
Sources said MIC would tap on Najib’s rapidly increasing popularity among the Indian community.
“Many working class Indians are impressed with Najib’s direct touch to address and resolve their issues spot on. This can tilt the balance in MIC’s favour in a close fight,” said a party insider.
I’m sorry, says Manoharan
The DAP rep apologises for his Twitter posting on national shuttler Lee Chong Wei's defeat.
PETALING JAYA: Kota Alam Shah state rep M Manoharan of DAP who courted the anger of Malaysians over the weekend has apologised on Twitter.
“I deeply regret the comments I made and tender my heartfelt apologies to Lee Chong Wei and his family,” he said.
He issued the statement after meeting with DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.
On Sunday, Manoharan angered Malaysians with his Twitter message when he commented on the Olympics badminton final match that pitted Lee against China’s Lin Dan.
“Malaysia will win its first gold medal after Pakatan [Rakyat] takes over Putrajaya. Lin Dan wins. He played better than Chong AWAY,” he had said.
Lee lost 21-15, 10-21, 19-21 to Lin Dan.
‘Don’t exploit the issue’
In a related development, Karpal called on Barisan Nasional component parties not to exploit the issue since Manoharan had apologised.
“Manoharan has extended an unconditional apology to Lee and his family and the matter should rest there,” he said in a press statement today.
He also admitted that Manoharan’s comments were uncalled for.
“The comments made by Manoharan over Lee Chong Wei’s performance are indefensible and ought not to have been made.
“Lee has taken Malaysia with pride and dignity on a world stage by his courage and grit in having done the best he could despite the ankle injury he suffered recently,” he added.
PETALING JAYA: Kota Alam Shah state rep M Manoharan of DAP who courted the anger of Malaysians over the weekend has apologised on Twitter.“I deeply regret the comments I made and tender my heartfelt apologies to Lee Chong Wei and his family,” he said.
He issued the statement after meeting with DAP national chairman Karpal Singh.
On Sunday, Manoharan angered Malaysians with his Twitter message when he commented on the Olympics badminton final match that pitted Lee against China’s Lin Dan.
“Malaysia will win its first gold medal after Pakatan [Rakyat] takes over Putrajaya. Lin Dan wins. He played better than Chong AWAY,” he had said.
Lee lost 21-15, 10-21, 19-21 to Lin Dan.
‘Don’t exploit the issue’
In a related development, Karpal called on Barisan Nasional component parties not to exploit the issue since Manoharan had apologised.
“Manoharan has extended an unconditional apology to Lee and his family and the matter should rest there,” he said in a press statement today.
He also admitted that Manoharan’s comments were uncalled for.
“The comments made by Manoharan over Lee Chong Wei’s performance are indefensible and ought not to have been made.
“Lee has taken Malaysia with pride and dignity on a world stage by his courage and grit in having done the best he could despite the ankle injury he suffered recently,” he added.
Religious bigots becometh of Malaysians?
Malaysians, after 55 years of claiming to be "independent from the shackles of colonialism", what have you achieved? What would Jesus and Muhammad say to the current regime and the hatemongers ...? Did Islam not borrow heavily from Jewish, Sabean, and Christian sources to construct its doctrine ... ?A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE
Dr Azly Rahman
The question of "proselytizing" is here again .. of "Christians spreading Christianity to Muslims" .. isn't this a political strategy to create fear amongst the people and next, a savior will come to the rescue? The process of "Islamization" is ongoing since time immemorial and so too has "Christian civilizing mission" ... what is there to fight against in a monotheistic context of believe?
Why instill fear of worldviews that are supposed to be similar wherein one complements each other .. unless those fear-mongers target people of lower cognitive-class consciousness and choose to play this dangerous game of religious hatred ...? Have we not seen the consequence of this in the case of church burnings, temple demolition, cow-head dragging? Can't you sober up, Malaysians? Why don't you experts sit down and craft an educational program of awareness of the importance of building bridges of faith and help the next generation understand each other so that they will become "world-wise" and can talk sense about race, religion, creed, class .. and help each other understand what it means to be a "spiritual being framed cross-culturally"?.
Politicians spend too much wasting time neglecting this aspect of nation-building and let religious bigots run around on a rampage to show-off their idiotic-religious pride ... shallow understanding of the evolution of religion, the nature of god and the ways to teach tolerance and understanding. Bigots many have become. Isn't religion about "making connections between the spirit and the divine" and a precondition of it is to understand the universality of the religious experience, of the phenomenology of belief?
Malaysians, after 55 years of claiming to be "independent from the shackles of colonialism", what have you achieved? What would Jesus and Muhammad say to the current regime and the hatemongers ...? Did Islam not borrow heavily from Jewish, Sabean, and Christian sources to construct its doctrine ... ? "read ... Iqra' ... read ... " as Islam tells its followers .. read ... for is not the greatest enemy of knowledge the illusion of wisdom ...?
*************************
DR AZLY RAHMAN, who was born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York) doctorate in International Education Development and Master's degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 300 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience spans Malaysia and the United States, over a wide range of subjects from elementary to graduate education. He currently resides in the United States.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman
http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/
BM-Premium B IP BM-Premium C IP Pakatan siap sedia, jangka PRU13 September
Setiausaha Agung PAS, Datuk Mustafa Ali berkata isu pilihanraya turut dibincangkan pada pada mesyuarat Majlis Setiausaha Pakatan Rakyat hari ini, dan yakin Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib akan menggunakan kesempatan hari Merdeka ini untuk mengumumkannya.
"Saya yakin Umno-Barisan Nasional akan mengambil kesempatan pada hari Kemerdekaan kali ini untuk memulihkan imej mereka," jelasnya pada sidang media di Pejabat PKR hari ini.
"Kita berkeyakinan ia akan diadakan pada September nanti dan paling lewat adalah pada bulan November. Segala perancangan telah kita aturkan sebaik mungkin," sambung beliau lagi.
Sementara itu, Ketua Pemuda DAP, Anthony Loke menyatakan Umno-Barisan Nasional akan terus menggunakan skrip lama dengan memburuk-burukkan DAP dengan tanggapan negetif.
"Skrip lama akan terus digunakan, memburukkan DAP dengan pandangan-pandangan negetif bagi tujuan menakut-nakutkan pengundi Melayu.
"Mereka berharap tindakan tersebut akan memberi kesan undi kepada PAS dan PKR kerana pengundi Melayu akan beralih kepada mereka," jelasnya.
Menurutnya lagi, selain Umno dengan skrip lama, rakan mereka MCA juga akan menakut-nakutkan pengundi Cina dengan isu Hudud akan tidak menyokong Pakatan dan seterusnya memberikan gambaran yang buruk kepada PAS.
"Bagi mengatasi tomahan yang tidak berasas ini, kita diperingkat Pakatan telah merangka strategi untuk menangkis tomahan tersebut.
"Apa yang kita harapkan nanti rakyat akan tertumpu kepada agenda yang kita akan bawakan untuk kebaikan seluruh rakyat negara ini," sambungnya lagi.
Katanya lagi, Pakatan akan terus menfokuskan kepada rakyat tentang agenda besar yang telah dipersetujui bersama di dalam dasar Pakatan Rakyat.
Turut hadir pada sidang media tersebut adalah Ahli Parlimen Kuala Selangor, Dr Dzulkifly Ahmad dan Nurul Izzah Anwar, Ahli Parlimen PKR.
The Malaysian dream — Art Harun
AUG 7 — With an overhead shot from around the baseline landing outside the court, his dream, and with that a Malaysian collective dream, ended. His opponent, dark, muscular and almost brooding, leapt in the air, turned around and ran around the court, with his arm opened wide as if he was going to take off the ground.
Datuk Lee Chong Wei gave his best. The Malaysian spectators at the venue shouted and screamed in unison. But luck wasn’t with Lee.
Nothing much separated the two players, really. It was a gladiatorial match. An epic. The best badminton match I had ever had the pleasure of watching.
There were moments during the match when I saw moves which were almost non-human in nature. Impossible speed, almost Spider-man like agility, the will and power of men possessed with an ultimate dream, an ultimate hope to win the ultimate prize.
At one point of time, I wondered how is it to feel the weight of the hope and wish of 28 million people on one’s tiny shoulder. How does one man deal with that? How does one man carry himself knowing every move of his might disappoint 28 million people? What is in his head every time he raises his racquet to serve, to smash and to return a drop shot?
I have nothing but admiration and pride for Lee and all our Olympians. For all their sacrifices, their hard work, their pains, blood, sweat and tears, dispensed in the name of national glory.
The Olympics, like any other mammoth sporting event, bring out the best and the worst in us. And the comical too.
Right after the opening ceremony, there were rumblings of how the Illuminati were at work to take over the world in Malaysian cyber-space. Clearly some of us have really fertile imaginations. Or perhaps some of us Malaysian Muslims were just showing signs of low blood sugar level during this fasting month. And so we read about the Olympic tree being a tree which, in Muslim traditions, is a tree which is sympathetic to the Jews, for example. I even received a private message on Facebook telling me that a certain prince is the manifestation of the anti-Christ. So I suppose this phenomenon is not restricted to the Muslims only.
Then there are people — politicians, of course — who don’t seem to know that there are moments when humanity takes over and politics doesn’t seem to matter. Astounding as it may be, believe it or not, there was a tweet by an opposition MP saying that Malaysia will win a gold medal in the Olympics after Pakatan Rakyat “takes over Putrajaya.” Good then. Put that in their party manifesto and ask the people to vote for them in the next GE with that promise. And while we are at it, how about telling the people that Malaysia will win the football World Cup too after Pakatan takes over whatever? Just so to complete the absurdity, tell us that the Middle-East conflict will be ended by Pakatan too please.
The positive side of this is the fact that Malaysians will sit together in unison to support the quest of our countrymen regardless of our faith, our race, breed and creed. To my mind, unity manifests itself in two forms, namely, situational unity and transcendental unity. We experience situational unity in every aspect of our daily life. The ultimate task for the government is to foster this situational harmony into a more permanent and cohesive unity.
Malaysians have always loved sports. And as far as I could remember, sports have always been the highlight of Malaysian unity. Never in any other act have Malaysians displayed so much loyalty, faith and unity than sporting events. I am old enough to remember how all of us watched with pride when our national football team played in the 1972 Munich Olympics. How we jumped in rapturous joy when James Wong scored against South Korea to send Malaysia to the 1980 Olympics. How the whole of Malaysia was transfixed when we hosted the 1975 hockey World Cup. And in recent times, Malaysians will of course fill with pride every time Datuk Nicol David or Lee win their respective tournament.
That proves that when faced with one ultimate — and common — aim and purpose, a people of diverse cultures, faiths and interests as well as of different races may set aside whatever differences they may have, whatever misgivings they may harbour against each other and unite.
Our task, in terms of trying to foster unity and harmony, is to create that ONE aim and purpose. I suppose we can begin by eliminating, or trying to eliminate, anything which threatens to divide us.
Or perhaps, we could just start by showing up at the airport to give a rousing homecoming to Lee and our Olympians. — art-harun.blogspot.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
Police Need To Transform Attitude And Work Discipline - Najib
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Members of the Royal Malaysia Police
(PDRM) need to transform their attitude and work discipline by
minimising the need for supervision by superior officers in facing
challenges to fulfill the increasing complex demands of society, said
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said, through steady self-discipline, the perception of society towards policing tasks would change, thus making the force a respected one.
"This is where the challenge is for policemen to carry out a transformation to enable PDRM to face the people who always want their lives to be assured in terms of security in this changing era.
"As such, we have to have a positive attitude in responding to the challenge by updating existing standard operating procedures," he said at a breaking of the fast ceremony with PDRM members at the Police Training Centre, here, Tuesday.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa.
Speaking before 5,000 police personnel of various ranks, Najib said he believed every member of PDRM would respond to the challenge with full commitment and dedication.
The Prime Minister said in whatever situation, PDRM needed to emerge as a team which was always respected by all levels.
"I regard this as a new challenge, not only to PDRM, but also to the government in general, and as for the government, we will endeavour to help boost every aspect of the capability of the team," he said.
He said the government would always assist PDRM to develop its true capability according to its affordability.
"If we want to go to war, we must be equipped with weapons and strength to win.
"The government will help PDRM to increase its capacity," he said.
In the meantime, Najib wanted PDRM to continue to make GTP2 (Government Transformation Progerqamme 2) a success as had been the case with GTP1.
"Don't be disappointed if there is polemics and perception and what not on figures because we can continue our capability to go higher," he said.
At the ceremony, Najib also handed cheques to 18 widows of personnel who were killed while on duty, ex-gratia recipients and 10 privilege card recipients.
Other than breaking the fast, Najib also spent time to perform the Tarawih prayers with PDRM members at the Solehin Mosque there.
He said, through steady self-discipline, the perception of society towards policing tasks would change, thus making the force a respected one.
"This is where the challenge is for policemen to carry out a transformation to enable PDRM to face the people who always want their lives to be assured in terms of security in this changing era.
"As such, we have to have a positive attitude in responding to the challenge by updating existing standard operating procedures," he said at a breaking of the fast ceremony with PDRM members at the Police Training Centre, here, Tuesday.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa.
Speaking before 5,000 police personnel of various ranks, Najib said he believed every member of PDRM would respond to the challenge with full commitment and dedication.
The Prime Minister said in whatever situation, PDRM needed to emerge as a team which was always respected by all levels.
"I regard this as a new challenge, not only to PDRM, but also to the government in general, and as for the government, we will endeavour to help boost every aspect of the capability of the team," he said.
He said the government would always assist PDRM to develop its true capability according to its affordability.
"If we want to go to war, we must be equipped with weapons and strength to win.
"The government will help PDRM to increase its capacity," he said.
In the meantime, Najib wanted PDRM to continue to make GTP2 (Government Transformation Progerqamme 2) a success as had been the case with GTP1.
"Don't be disappointed if there is polemics and perception and what not on figures because we can continue our capability to go higher," he said.
At the ceremony, Najib also handed cheques to 18 widows of personnel who were killed while on duty, ex-gratia recipients and 10 privilege card recipients.
Other than breaking the fast, Najib also spent time to perform the Tarawih prayers with PDRM members at the Solehin Mosque there.
Police brutality ; Indian couple jailed 21 days, head injuries, chilly padi on private part, handcuffed & hanged 15 hours.
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In Reply :
Date : 7/8/2012
Media Event 8/8/2012 (Wednesday @ 11.30 am)
Re: 1) Malaysian Police Brutality on couple A.Segar (26) lock up 21 days in 3 lock up. Beaten with stick on head, handcuffed & hanged 15 hours, blended chili padi & minyak angin rubbed on private part, face & whole body. Injuries still visible.
2) M.Vikneswary (39) Accounts Executive lock up 18 days, hit with rubber hose on leg when refuse to remove clothes in front of 3 male policemen in room with no accompanying police women.
3) Keling, pukimak and vulgarities used
Date : 8/8/2012 (Wednesday)
Time : 11.30 am.
Venue: HINDRAF HQ, Jalan Abdulah, off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
___________
S. Jayathas
Information Chief HINDRAF
Read More : http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/2012/08/07/photos-police-brutality-kepong-police-station-head-injuries-handcuffed-hanged-15-hours-chilly-padi-on-private-part/
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