Stop West Bengal Officials from Promoting Illegal Cow Slaughter, violating Court Judgements & hurting Hindu sentiments.
To,
1. Sri Pranab Mukherjee,
His Excellency, President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi.
…………………….
2. Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Honourable Prime Minister of India,
Pradhan Mantri Niwas, New Delhi.
……………………………..
3. Sm. Mamata Banerjee,
Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal,
Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata, WB.
…………………..
REF:Petition in CHANGE ORG.
Honourable Sir / Madam,
……………………………………
This is an urgent petition, through the Highest seats of this State of ancient heritage and culture within the real democratic texture and humane tolerance, requesting the Government of West Bengal (Paschim Banga), India to take strong action against the errant Officers-in-Charge of Usthi Police Station, Joynagar Police Station and Falta Police Station (all in South 24 Parganas district), who are Promoting Cow Slaughter (to pander to extremist elements) and are thereby openly violating the Honourable Calcutta High Court’s Judgement (dated 2 Nov 2011 and 13 Oct 2011) and Honourable Indian Supreme Court’s Judgement.The embarrassments are piling up from the news of inaction of Administration and the Police from different districts not to check illegal and rampant cow slaughter to hurt the Hindu sentiments in their prime festive sessions. It is heard that the WB Police is arranging sufficient “BLACK PLASTIC TARPAULIN” to cover up all the illegal cow-slaughters in the respective PS areas.We urge the Honourable Home Secretary Mr. Basudeb Banerjee (IAS) to investigate the atrocities being committed by the aforementioned police officers on those tens of thousands of villagers who refuse to kowtow to their dictatorial, unlawful demands that they support and make arrangements for slaughtering of cows on Bakr Eid (which falls on October 27, 2012 – during Durga Puja festival).We urge the Honourable Home Secretary to ensure 100% enforcement of anti-cow slaughter Judgements of the Honourable Calcutta HC and Supreme Court of India.We also urge the West Bengal Administration to stop the official repression of the state’s ancient and vibrant Durga Puja by revoking the ban on the Divine Mother’s immersion on October 26 and 27, 2012.We would like to respectfully remind the administration that banning the centuries’ old indigenous Bengali tradition of Durga Puja immersion (in order to appease a violent, alien, Arabian creed of Bakr Id) is tantamount to turning Bengal (or what is left of it) into another East Pakistan.The whole issue about “cow slaughter” has two negative social implications, aside from its blatantly provocative communal agenda that seeks to create religious tension in society :
……………………..
1. The economic impact of cow slaughter falls directly and only on Hindus below or around poverty line:
…………………..
Almost all of the cow-slaughter in West Bengal and Bangladesh is inflicted on stolen cows from West Bengal. These cows form the livelihood of poor rural Hindus and are often quite economically productive.
………………………….
2. Psychological impact on society:
………………………………………………..
Cow slaughter is NOT a original Muslim religious practice. In fact, the Arabian Peninsula hardly has any cows. So, slaughtering cows is NOT a religious obligation in Islam. The only reason Muslims slaughter cows in the Indian subcontinent, is because it creates psychological domination over the Hindus. Islam is a hunter-grabber ideology and cow-slaughter has a important social message. It essentially tells a Hindu villager that he is powerless to protect anyone, whether the cow or his mother or sister.So, in its landmark judgement (dated 2 Nov 2011 and 13 Oct 2011), the Honorable Calcutta High Court banned cow slaughter during Eid.The Calcutta High Court’s division bench of Chief Justice JN Patel and Justice Asim Ray termed the practice of killing cows and their progeny for religious purposes as unlawful. This judgment came after Mr. Enamul Haque, Mr.Abhijit Das and others had filed a Public Interest Litigation, (vide Case No. AST-725 of 2010) in the High Court on 11 October 2010 – with Advocates M.M.Qureshi and Joydip Roy representing the petitioners.
*****************
***********
*****
We request the Honorable Government of West Bengal to investigate this issue thoroughly and take stringent action against such errant public servants, who break the very law they are supposed to enforce.We also urge the West Bengal Administration to stop the official repression of the state’s ancient and vibrant Durga Puja by revoking the ban on the Divine Mother’s immersion on October 26 and 27, 2012.We would like to respectfully remind the administration that banning the centuries’ old indigenous Bengali tradition of Durga Puja immersion (in order to appease a violent, alien, Arabic creed of Bakr Id) is tantamount to turning Bengal (or what is left of it) into another East Pakistan.The apathy and indifference of the officials makes us wonder if West Bengal is a part of India (where Indian law is upheld) or a part of East Pakistan (where Shariah is upheld).We sincerely hope that you will act immediately in upholding the judgements of the Hon. Supreme Court and Kolkata High Court and especially in the interests of keeping West Bengal within India, and not letting our motherland become another East Pakistan.
…………………………
Regards.
…………………………
1. Upananda Brahmachari (AKHIL BHARAT GO RAKSHA MISSION).
2. Acharya Yogesh Shastri (ARYA VEER DAL, BENGAL).
3. Satyasheel Gupta (ARYA SAMAJ, BENGAL). Read the full petition here.
A
bomb connected to a cell phone charger and a watch was found in
Lantojaya, Poso, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday. A schoolboy found the
device, which was later detonated by a bomb squad. Nobody was injured in
the incident. (Antara/Zainuddin MN)
The Central Sulawesi Police bomb squad detonated a homemade bomb on Tuesday found by a junior high school student in Tonipa hamlet, Poso Pesisir district in Poso as the situation in the Christian-majority regency remained under control.
Police detonated the bomb after identifying the suspicious object, found at around 6:30 a.m. local time, was a homemade bomb placed in a 1 kilogram paint can.
The bomb was found by a ninth grader at the SMP 4 state junior high school in Poso as he was waiting for a public minivan to go to school. The student stumbled upon the white can strapped with black tape and immediately reported it to the Tonipa hamlet head who later reported the matter to the police.
At around 7 a.m., personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police arrived at the location where the bomb was found, followed by members from the bomb squad who arrived an hour later and detonated the bomb at the site.
Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Eko Santoso confirmed the discovery of the bomb, which was likely intended to be detonated through a cell phone. He said the current situation around the location was secure and residents had carried out their daily activities as usual.
He expected that residents would remain calm and not be provoked by the terror perpetrated by particular groups in Poso recently.
He also urged residents not to be provoked by rumors involving tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal groups (SARA) issues, which were intentionally spread to disrupt the peace in Poso regency.
Earlier on Monday, a homemade bomb exploded at a traffic police post in Kasintuvu subdistrict in Poso, wounding a police officer and a bank security guard.
With regard to the burning of a Pantekosta church early on Monday in Madale village, Poso, Eko said that his subordinates were investigating the matter. An unidentified witness of the church’s congregation had been questioned, but little information was obtained.
Eko believed the perpetrators were members of a group involved in the recent murder of two police officers. “They set the church ablaze on purpose to provoke anger from Christians so that there would be retaliation. However, both Muslims and Christians worked hand in hand to put out the church fire,” he said.
As of now, police and TNI personnel are stepping up security in Poso by conducting operations in border areas.
The Central Sulawesi chapter of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has urged the authorities to investigate the matter and arrest the mastermind behind the cases of violence in Poso over the past two months.
Central Sulawesi Komnas HAM head Dedi Askary said authorities should also catch perpetrators operating in the field.
The terror attacks taking place in Poso over the past two months include the shooting of civilians, murders of police officers and bombing.
According to Dedi, the series of terror attacks would disrupt economic development and the administration in Poso, which was so far running steadily.
Poso, with a population of around 215,000, was the site of bloody clashes between Christian and Muslim communities between 1997 and 2001 that claimed around 1,000 lives and displaced 25,000.
But after a government-brokered peace pact in 2001, local extremists, many of them linked to and directed by terrorist group Jamaah Islamiyah (JI), mounted attacks on Christians and local officials in the hope of reviving the conflict.
The Taliban are using the pop singer’s striptease to attack the schoolgirl they tried to murder. Sami Yousafzai reports on the backlash.
There’s no doubt that Madonna was trying to be helpful a few days ago when she performed a striptease
for an audience in Los Angeles. The question is how carefully the pop
entertainer considered the consequences before she shucked off her
costume to reveal the name Malala emblazoned in big letters across her
back, between her bra strap and her thong. The crowd at the Staples
Center applauded and cheered, of course. But the response has been
decidedly mixed in Pakistan, where 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai
(no relation) attended school until Oct. 9, when a Taliban gunman shot
her in the head for her outspoken public advocacy of women’s education.
The
extremists pounced on the video as soon as it was posted. The
schoolgirl’s shooting had provoked an unprecedentedly fierce backlash
against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Now Madonna’s performance
allowed the militants to recast Malala as a symbol of Western immodesty
and immorality. Hospitalized in Britain, with a tracheotomy tube down
her throat, she was in no position to protest. Kakar Khan, a former
senior official in the Afghan Taliban’s Information Ministry, sent me a
long email saying, “If you have any doubts about Malala’s game, you must
watch Madonna strip sing.” He urges readers of his Facebook page to
view the video—but not if family members are present: “Do not try to
open it,” he warns. “Total strip and vulgar.”
Many
Taliban say Malala’s Western supporters only prove she was a bad
person. “If Malala were a good Muslim, such terrible people would not
raise their voices for her—people like Obama, [Angelina] Jolie,
Madonna, [Afghan President Hamid] Karzai, and [Pakistani President Asif
Ali] Zardari, says Ghazi Wazir, a TTP member living in Karachi.
“Whoever shot Malala would not be happy for hurting the girl, but they
would be happy for any pain they could inflict on Obama, Zardari,
Karzai, and the rest of the world’s top enemies of islam.” He says he
has seen photos of Madonna on the night of her pro-Malala performance.
Even
people from far outside the Taliban’s ranks are denouncing the singer’s
performance. “I condemned the attack on Malala,” says Omar Mansoor
Ansari, who worked as the media director for Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s
campaign during Afghanistan’s 2009 presidential race. “At the same
time, I also condemn Madonna’s song for Malala. Those who targeted
Malala created a hugely negative message about Muslims, but Madonna has
spread the anti-Islam and anti-Pashtun propaganda even wider by her
song.”
Not
satisfied with using Madonna in efforts to discredit Malala, some
Pakistani Taliban are weaving bizarre conspiracy theories around the
case. One TTP commander, currently living underground in Karachi and
asking not to be named, claims that the Malala shooting was all a big
hoax. “It was just play-acting,” he says. “If she was wounded in the
head as it was said in the media, the doctors would have been forced to
shave her head, but in photos her hair is perfect. She was never wounded.”
Zaman
Taraki, a relatively moderate TTP sympathizer living in London,
concedes that the shooting was genuine, but he insists that the attack
was a plot by Punjabi members of Inter-Services Intelligence, the
Pakistan government’s spy directorate, to rally worldwide support for military action
in the TTP’s tribal-areas strongholds. But it’s no use, he says. U.S.
support for action against the TTP “would only help the religious
fanatics,” he says. “The Pakistani Army would never go after the Taliban
in the tribal areas.”
Not satisfied with using Madonna in efforts to discredit Malala,
some TTP members are weaving bizarre conspiracy theories around the
case.
The
backlash against Malala actually began even before Madonna’s appearance
in Los Angeles. I visited a madrassa in Mardan, a 90-minute drive from
Malala’s Swat Valley hometown of Mingora. “There is no doubt that Islam
never allows the killing of anyone under age,” says Maulana Ali Haqqani,
45, as his class of 15 students listened intently. “The question isn’t
whether what happened to Malala was right or wrong. The question is why
this incident is fueling anti-Islam feelings. The attack on Malala
earned deep and rapid condemnation worldwide. So why does no one speak
out against the killing of innocent kids in the tribal areas,
Afghanistan, and Palestine?”
Haqqani
blames practically everyone he can think of: not only the U.S. and
Israeli armed forces, but Malala’s father for encouraging her to speak
her mind, the late U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke for agreeing to meet
with her and thus helping to make her a target of the TTP’s rage, the
entire world for supposedly ignoring atrocities that are committed
against Muslims. “Thousands of Muslim kids were burned alive in Burma,”
he says, referring to violence that killed an undetermined number of men, women, and children
last June. “Where were the people who are now at the front lines of the
U.S.-led media war against Pakistan’s religious elements?” He takes off
his glasses and looks proudly to his students. “I agree there is more
sympathy for Malala than we thought, but it is Western media using her
case and keeping it alive.”
In
the end, there’s always a way to deflect the burden of responsibility
to the West. “The Malala incident helped the West by successfully
diverting attention from anti-Islam movies,” says Kakar Khan, evidently
referring to the idiotic YouTube trailer for Innocence of Muslims, which set off furious protests
across the Muslim world in September. “Malala was a poor and innocent
girl, unwittingly forced to play her part in this satanic drama. Now her
role is at an end, and the play will go on, costing lots of Muslim
blood.” The tragedy will continue. That much seems beyond dispute.
Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and
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long.
Sami Yousafzai is Newsweek's correspondent in
Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he has covered militancy, al Qaeda, and
the Taliban for the magazine since 9/11. He was born in Afghanistan but
moved to Pakistan with his family after the Russian invasion in 1979. He
began his career as a sports journalist but switched to war reporting
in 1997.
Oct 24 — Malays are now beggars in their own country and need to support Umno despite all its flaws or their pleas will be ignored, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
“We are beggars in our own country and need help from others to get even a little bit,” said Dr Mahathir at the Malay Economic Congress today.
He said that the position of Malays has deteriorated due to their split in political support and they needed to unite behind Umno despite all its flaws in order to became the kingmakers and gain attention from the country’s leadership.
“Even though they are defective (cacat), if they win because of our support and our unity, our memorandums will be effective as their dependence will be on us,” he said. “Now if they read the memo, they will say no. If we become kingmakers, they will heed us.”
He also said that the Malay economy depends on politics.
“Strengthening our politics is our way to achieve economic success,” he said.
“I am not confident resolutions from this congress will get heeded as they (Umno) are not powerful,” he said. “We need to give them power so we get respect.”
Mahathir also said that as Malays have become weaker, the other races were “denying” the Malays their rights.
He said, however, that he was not a racist.
“I just want to divide the country’s wealth in a way that is fair,” he said. “We are 60 per cent of the population. We are just asking 30 per cent. Take the rest.”
Toward the end of his speech, however, Mahathir changed tack and told Malays to look within themselves for solutions to their problems.
He said that he also felt proud that there were now many Malay millionaires and billionaires, some of whom were able to compete outside the country without government help.
“We have to ask ourselves, did we fail because others obstructed us? That the government did not support us? Or that we didn’t make use of our chances?” he said.
Jika tidak, satu memorandum akan dihantar kepada Yang DiPertuan Agong.
KUALA LUMPUR: Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek diberi amaran keras untuk mengemukakan permohonan maaf secara terbuka kepada umat Islam kerana lantang mengkritik hukum hudud.
Setiausaha Dewan Pemuda PAS Malaysia Khairul Faizi Ahmad Kamil berkata disebabkan keceluparan Chua yang tidak mempedulikan sensitiviti umat Islam, tempoh seminggu diberikan kepadanya.
“Pemuda PAS mendesak Datuk Seri (Chua) memohon maaf secara terbuka kepada umat Islam atas keceluparan kenyataan Datuk Seri.
“Jika tidak, kami akan menghantar memorandum kepada Yang DiPertuan Agong selaku Ketua Agama Islam di negara ini untuk mengadukan perkara ini supaya tindakan tegas diambil terhadap Datuk Seri serta MCA,” katanya dalam memorandum.
Pemuda PAS sebelum itu membuat satu perhimpunan aman diperkarangan Wisma MCA di Jalan Ampang di sini pukul 3 petang tadi.
Selain Pemuda PAS, turut serta Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK), NGO Jingga 13, Setiausaha Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat, Ahli Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat Idris Ahmad, serta beberapa pemimpin PAS lain.
Perhimpunan aman yang disertai kira-kira 200 penyokong itu melaungkan takbir sambil membawa sepanduk “Soi Lek wajib minta maaf” dan “Jangan hina Islam”.
Memorandum itu kemudiannya diserahkan kepada Pegawai Pemuda MCA Leonnad Tan Soon Huat di lobi Wisma MCA.
Selain menghina hudud, desakan maaf daripada Chua itu juga dituntut kerana menghina peribadi Mursyidul Am PAS Tuan Guru Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat yang dianggap seorang ulama yang disegani dan dijadikan rujukan.
Khairul Faizi berkata, kecaman dan penghinaan terhadap Nik Aziz adalah satu penghinaan terhadap rakyat Kelantan sekaligus terhadap Perlembagaan Malaysia yang menyatakan agama Islam sebagai agama Persekutuan.
“Chua sebagai pemimpin parti kompenna BN sepatutnya menunjukkan contoh yang baik kepada rakyat dengan menghormati amalan agama dan kepelbagaian bangsa dan kaum di negara ini.
“Namun dalam hal ini beliau tidak boleh diteladani dan dihormati kerana keceluparannya mengeluarkan kenyataan.
“MCA juga dianggap sebagai parti yang wajar ditolak oleh rakyat dalam PRU13 kerana mengamalkan sikap perkauman yang melampau,” katanya.
Selain Pemuda PAS, Jingga 13 turut menghantar memorandum mendesak perkara yang sama, malah mendesak Chua mohon maaf kepada Yang diPertuan Agong diatas sikapnya yang menderhaka memandangkan Seri Paduka merupakan Ketua Agama Islam Persekutuan
Mahathir ajar Chua biadap
Sementara itu Ketua AMK Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin dalam ucapannya berkata, kebiadapan Chua ‘diwarisi’ daripada mantan Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“Perkara ini (penghinaan hudud) sudah lama berada di dalam Umno.
“Mahathir semasa menjadi Presiden Umno dan Perdana Menteri menyatakan perkara mengenai janggut Rasulullah s.a.w.yang tidak dicukur kerana pada waktu itu tiada pisau cukur berjenama Gillette.
“Sekarang giliran Chua Soi Lek,” tegasnya.
Perhimpunan selesai kira-kira sejam kemudian dan orang ramai dilihat meninggalkan perkarangan Wisma MCA dengan aman tanpa sebarang gangguan.
The Royal Malaysian Police force needs to be educated on human rights and perspective of the people's struggle, claims Suaram.
KUALA LUMPUR: Human rights NGO, Suaram, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar to warn his men not to interfere in the Penan tribe’s rights struggle in the Murum dam issue in Sarawak.
“In order to bring the credibility to the force, they should be seen as a neutral party and not to take the side of the oppressor.
“People resort to the blockade as an option to stop destruction of their livelihood as the construction of the dam progresses. Is this a criminal offence?” asked Suaram in a statement issued today.
Suaram was commenting on a statement by Sibu police chief DSP Bakar Sebau who warned protesting Penan natives that criminal action will be taken against them if they continued to mount blockades on the accesses road leading to the controversial Murum dam project site.
The Penan community from eight affected villagers have been setting up blockades since Sept 25 stopping lorries and heavy vehicles from entering into the RM3 billion Murum Dam project site. They are demanding that the state government and contractors Sarawak Energy Berhad respect their rights and demands and keep promises given to them four years ago.
Bakar had also warned the natives that they will be charged under Section 143 and 147 of the Penal Code for unlawful assembly and causing riot.
He had reportedly said that police reinforcement from Sibu and Kapit would be despatched to the blockade site.
Condemning the “intimidation” and “provocative tactic” by the police, Suaram said: “This is clearly a bully tactic from the state against the Penan natives.
“The state is now employing the police to forcibly remove the blockade to further its project.
“Suaram reiterates that this is an intimidation and provocation tactic used by the police in order to create tension at the blockade area for the police to take action.”
‘Abuse of law’
Earlier this week Sarawak PKR leader-cum lawyer Baru Bian warned Bakar not to provoke the Penans.
Said Bian: “I am disturbed to read about the recent development in the Murum Dam issue… I sense that this is a buildup to the arrest of the Penans who are manning the blockades.
“I am extremely disappointed by the statement by district police chief DSP Bakar Sebau that action could be taken against them under Section 143 or 147 of the Penal Code for illegal assembly or taking part in a riot. This is an abuse of the process of the law.
“The Penans are a peaceful people and if there is any riot, it would be as a result of provocation by agents of the dam-builders or the authorities.”
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Senator Mejar Jeneral (B), Datuk Sri Jamil Khir Baharom juga menolak cadangan untuk meminda Akta Pencegahan Jenayah 1959.
Sekitar Dewan Rakyat
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan hari ini memberi jaminan bahawa sekiranya undang-undang hudud dilaksanakan maka undang-undang itu tidak akan memberi kesan kepada rakyat bukan Islam.
“Jika undang-undang hudud hendak dilaksanakan di Malaysia, maka undang-undang hudud yang merupakan sebahagian daripada undang-undang Islam berada di bawah kuasa negeri.
“Mahkamah Syariah hanya mempunyai bidang kuasa terhadap orang-orang Islam sahaja seperti termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan,” kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Senator Mejar Jeneral (B), Datuk Sri Jamil Khir Baharom.
Oleh itu katanya, undang-undang hudud tidak akan memberi kesan terhadap rakyat bukan Islam. Beliau berkata demikian dalam jawapan bertulis kepada soalan Ahli Parlimen Bebas Tan Tee Beng.
Tan dalam soalannya bertanya kesan pelaksanaan hudud, sekiranya dilaksanakan, terhadap rakyat bukan Islam. Beliau turut bertanya samada Akta Pencegahan Jenayah 1959 akan dipinda dan diselaraskan mengikut undang-undang hudud di dalam pelaksanaan hukuman.
Menurut Jamil Khir, undang-undang hudud akan tertakluk kepada peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan undang-undang Islam yang terletak di bawah bidang kuasa negeri seperti dalam Fasal (2) Perkara 74 dan butiran 1 Senarai Negeri Jadual Kesembilan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
“Berdasarkan Seksyen 2 Akta Mahkamah Syariah (Bidang Kuasa jenayah) 1965, bidang kuasa mahkamah syariah terhad kepada hukuman penjara tidak melebihi tiga tahun, denda tidak melebihi RM5,000 dan sebatan tidak melebihi enam kali atau apa-apa gabungan hukuman -hukuman tersebut,” kata Jamil Khir.
Beliau turut menolak sebarang perkaitan Akta Pencegahan Jenayah 1959 dengan undang-undang hudud.
“Justeru itu kerajaan tidak merancang untuk meminda akta ini,” katanya.
The Malay Economic Congress passed a resolution today proposing that government tenders worth less than RM100 million be directly negotiated with Malay companies.
The congress also called for GLCs to have a strong Malay agenda and that they be monitored with key performance indicators (KPIs).
“The new economic policy has not achieved its objectives,” said Datuk Syed Ali Alattas, president of the Malay Chambers of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM).
“The gap between Malays who are the majority race and heritage of this country and other races is growing and increasingly worrying.”
He also said that government agencies have “lost their spirit” to help Malay entrepreneurs.
Other resolutions include a stand against corruption, cronyism and abuse of power and a call for the revamp of Teraju, a bumiputera economic development agency.
The congress said that “weak leadership” in Teraju was the main reason for the failure of several Malay agenda initiatives.
These include failures to allocate economic opportunities to Malay entrepreneurs, the failure to allocate funds for business viability studies and lack of clear direction and communication.
The congress said that the head of Teraju needed to be changed to someone who had high aspirations for Malays and ministerial powers.
The congress also wanted special courses for government staff and politicians to educate them on the Malay agenda.
It also called for priority for local companies and bumiputeras in government tenders.
Another resolution proposed the establishment of an audit firm run by Malays to audit GLCs and government agencies.
(The Jakarta Post) - Malaysia has agreed to open 22 schools for the children of Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah, according to a senior Indonesian official.
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday that the agreement was announced by his Malaysian counterpart, Anifah Aman, during the 12th meeting of the joint commission for bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia in Yogyakarta.
“This is the agenda we have been pushing to get approved. It has just now been announced that [Malaysia] has approved the establishment of 22 schools,” Marty told reporters after the meeting.
Although the Foreign Ministry had no information on the number of children of Indonesian migrant workers in Sabah, many are said to lack access to school for a variety of reasons.
Marty said that the schools, which would be set up as community learning centers, would allow the children to get an education. “Some of the schools are even already operating,” the foreign minister said.
Separately, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Michael Tene said that the new learning centers would be operated as an extension of the Indonesian schools currently run by Indonesian officials in Malaysia.
“They [the schools] will be affiliated with Indonesian schools in Malaysia and the teachers will also be from Indonesian schools,” Michael said.
Also discussed during the meeting were efforts to address the South China Sea dispute between China and ASEAN member nations Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to Marty.
Beijing claims almost the entire sea, which is said to hold rich reserves of oil and gas.
Indonesia has prepared and circulated a draft of code of conduct (CoC) for the South China Sea to ASEAN foreign ministers and to China that includes stipulations for conflict prevention and management in the area.
Marty said that the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, discussed the initial draft of the code of conduct.
“Hopefully, ASEAN nations and China will end the dispute through diplomatic settlements,” the foreign minister said.
Marty said that he hoped the ASEAN Summit to be held next month in Cambodia would provide solutions to the dispute, thus avoiding the failure that occurred during the association’s last summit in July.
Delegates at the meeting on Tuesday ratified opportunities for possible cooperation in various fields and discussed holding a head-of-government meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudho-yono and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak in Kuala Lumpur in December, according to Marty.
The foreign minister said that Indonesia and Malaysia had also agreed to use the legal process to resolve incidents involving their citizens who run foul of the law in the neighboring country, such as in drug trafficking or fishing disputes.
“Hopefully everything will be managed better in the future,” Marty said.
Durex the condom maker says they’re doing just fine
As a conservative Islamic society, Malaysia frets over teenage sex
and the spate of unplanned babies left on doorsteps by unwed young
mothers.
But according to a survey by Durex, the condom maker, the nation lags
far behind in the youthful sex stakes. Indeed, the median age of first
sexual experience is at 23 the highest of all 37 countries in the
survey. At 23.7 years the country’s youth are more than three years
behind the lead country in early sex – Brazil at 17.3, Colombia, at 17.4
and New Zealand at 17.5.
So not only are Malaysians slow to get started having sex they, are also
quite cautious about it, with no less than 54 percent using condoms for
their first experience, a higher than average percentage according to
“Face of Global Sex Report 2012”. By contrast among the most carefree
are the New Zealanders, only 32 percent of whom use condoms in their
first sexual experiences.
(Malaysia is also probably the world’s biggest single producer of
condoms, churning out 2 billion condoms a year from a 3.6-hectare site
in Johor, with 1,000 workers operating production lines for a company
named Karex, which makes the protective sheaths for a variety of
different condom companies. Karex has two more production lines, one in
Klang and a second in the Thai border town of Hatyai, producing another
billion or so.)
Indonesia youth rank even lower than New Zealanders, with
first-experience condom use at just 27 percent but with first experience
at 23.6 years. The circumstances of their first experience were
probably very different from those in New Zealand and will have changed
over time. The percentage of those using condoms the last time they had
sex is now 54 percent in Indonesia, close to Malaysia’s 57 percent
though still behind Thailand at 69 percent.
While New Zealanders start early with unprotected sex, the Brazilians
start even earlier but also have the highest rate of first time condom
use. With its long history of female emancipation and high level of
births out of wedlock, New Zealanders clearly believe condoms can take
the fun away.
Malaysians on the other hand have the lowest among Asian countries of
unplanned pregnancies other than Korea. Indeed, the survey clearly shows
that east Asia is a huge user of condoms with very high levels of use
in first time sex in countries such as Taiwan, Japan and Korea and
continuing high rates thereafter – other than in China.
Those with an aversion to condom use should head for the Czech Republic
which at under 40 percent has by far the lowest rate of use in last
sexual experience, and not to Canada which has the highest at almost 80
percent.
Despite the sex tourism to southern Thailand and elsewhere, Malaysia
also reports a relatively low incidence of experience with Sexually
Transmitted Infections – 78 percent have had no such experience. Among
Asian countries only Taiwan, India and Indonesia do better although
surprise surprise, France and the United Kingdom both report lower
instances than Malaysia. Brazil has only slightly more at 76 percent.
Easily bottom of the infections league is Turkey where almost 50 percent
have had some experience with Russia not far behind and China making a
poor showing compared with Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Quite how accurate answers may be to the various questions cannot be
assessed. The 27,000 respondents varied in age between 18 and 64. Not
surprisingly given the spread of HIV awareness and the availability of
condoms, younger age groups were more likely to use them for their first
experience. So, according to the report, men were more likely to use
them than women. This imbalance implies, though the survey is mute on
the topic, that many men’s first experience was with a sexual
professional, not a wife or steady girlfriend. Overall those reporting
they used condoms first time the majority were with a steady partner not
spouse.
The survey covered not between 500 and 2,000 people in the countries
assessed. Results excluded the 14 percent who said they were virgins –
but the published results do not elaborate on the relative prevalence of
virginity across countries and age groups. It did however not a
correlation between income and condom use with the lowest income groups
least likely to have used them.
Previous surveys by Durex have shown wide variations in the frequency
of sex and levels of satisfaction. On one of these measures Malaysia
came out well, with 76 percent reporting sex at least weekly just behind
Brazil at 82 percent and Russia at 80 percent and China at 78 percent
but far ahead of Hong Kong and Singapore at 62 percent and Japan at a
miserable 34 percent.
In terms of enjoyment, 38 percent of Malaysians reported being satisfied
with their sex lives, a moderate level well behind India at 61 percent
but ahead of Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan at just 15 percent. Very
generally the data suggest an inverse relationship between levels of
economic development and frequency and enjoyment of sex – a useful
antidote to GDP fetishism.
KeadilanDaily
Pakatan Rakyat (Pakatan) sekali lagi mengulangi jaminan akan mereformasi sistem pendidikan negara dengan memberi pendidikan percuma serta menghapuskan pinjaman Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) jika membentuk Kerajaan Persekutuan yang baru.
Pengarah Strategi KEADILAN, Rafizi Ramli berkata, Pakatan mempunyai beberapa pendekatan untuk mengurus ekonomi antaranya mereformasi pendidikan, meningkatkan pendapatan rakyat dan mengurus sumber dengan baik tanpa ketirisan.
“Malaysia perlu bertukar daripada ekonomi yang bergantung kepada komoditi kepada negara modal insan yang inovatif dan kreatif. Caranya adalah mereformasi sistem pendidikan, memberi pendidikan percuma dan menghapus PTPTN,” katanya dalam forum “Bagaimana Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat akan membelanjakan wang rakyat” di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina Kuala Lumpur-Selangor (KLSCH), kelmarin.
Rafizi berkata, untuk meningkatkan pendapatan boleh guna rakyat, Pakatan berhasrat melaksanakan gaji minima RM1,100 yang dijangka dapat melepaskan rakyat daripada garis kemiskinan.
Menurutnya, Pakatan juga akan mengurangkan kos sara hidup antaranya penurunan harga minyak, cukai kereta serta penghapusan tol.
“Sebahagian besar pendapatan rakyat dibelanjakan untuk membayar ansuran kereta, membayar tol dan minyak. Jika kita dapat mengurangkan beban ini kita dapat meningkatkan lebihan daripada pendapatan mereka,” katanya.
Mengupas mengenai kebajikan wanita, Ahli Parlimen Kota Raja, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud berkata, Pakatan berhasrat membelanjakan sehingga RM4.5 bilion peruntukan dalam Belanjawan 2013, merangkumi Skim Caruman Wanita Nasional (SCWN) yang menelan kos RM3 bilion dan Skim Elaun Penjagaan Anak (SEPA) melibatkan peruntukan RM940 juta setahun.
Menerusi SCWN, beliau berkata, Pakatan berhasrat memberi caruman sebanyak RM600 setahun kepada suri rumah sebagai persediaan keselamatan sosial termasuk kematian suami, penceraian atau kurang upaya.
Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Klang, Charles Santiago pula menegaskan, kajian Bank Dunia menyatakan gaji minima RM1,100 Pakatan tidak akan memufliskan negara.
Katanya, dasar tersebut mampu mengurangkan penggunaan tenaga kerja warga asing dan meningkatkan kualiti hidup rakyat.
“Satu kajian lain di Indonesia pada 1990 merumuskan perlaksanaan gaji minima bukan mengurang pengangguran malah dapat mewujudkan perniagaan baru, peluang pekerjaan dan merapatkan jurang kekayaan,” katanya.
Yesterday, I publicly said that MCA and UMNO leaders have reached a “Devil’s Compact” for each side to tell the most blatant lies and falsehoods to frighten Chinese and Malay voters respectively in their desperate belief that such politics of hate and duplicity is the only way to stampede Chinese and Malay voters to vote for Barisan Nasional in the 13th General Election.
I had expected MCA and UMNO leaders and their propagandists to embark on prolonged polemics to deny the existence of such an unholy compact and to throw up all sorts of “red herrings” to distract attention from the “Devil’s Compact”.
What I least expected was for my expose of UMNO/MCA’s “Devil’s Compact” to be confirmed within 24 hours in a most authoritative fashion and in a manner completely disarming and stripping the MCA and UMNO leaders and propagandists bare of their wiles and hypocrisies.
There is only one person who could perform such a feat – Tun Dr. Mahathir and this was exactly what he did yesterday.
At a media conference yesterday at the Universiti Malaya symposium “Inter-civilisation dialogue towards peace, harmonious co-existence and sustainability”, Mahathir admitted that MCA’s “hardline stance” against hudud law at last weekend’s MCA General Assembly was merely aimed at “scaring” the Chinese community and was not aimed at the Malays or Muslims.
Mahathir said:
“Their purpose is to frighten the Chinese, not the Malays or Muslims… MCA wants to scare the Chinese so they will shun DAP.
“In the past, MCA never objected when we declared this country to be an Islamic state and that we will practice Islamic values.”
Yesterday, in a written reply in Parliament, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Datuk Sri Jamil Khir Baharom said that if hudud laws are implemented in Malaysia, they will not have any implications on non-Muslims.
The MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek and the four MCA Ministers should explain whether Jamil’s answer represents the stand of MCA in Cabinet and the Barisan Nasional, and if not, what are they going to do about it.
Mahathir’s confirmation that UMNO and MCA have a “Devil’s Compact” where each side can tell the most blatant lies and falsehoods to respectively frighten Malay and Chinese voters and stampede them to vote for Barisan Nasional deserve the serious attention and strongest condemnation of all Malaysians.
In their “Devil’s Compact”, UMNO leaders keep their silence regardless of the lies disseminated by MCA leaders “to scare the Chinese”, including falsehoods which UMNO leaders know are utterly baseless, such as MCA defamation of PAS and Islam for condoning rape of non-Muslims or for trying to set Malaysia back to the “Dark Ages”.
Similarly, MCA leaders keep their silence although they do not believe UMNO lies and falsehoods “to scare the Malays”, that DAP wants to create a Christian Malaysia, abolish the Malay Rulers and set up a Republic!
I am reminded of a general surgeon’s blog yesterday commenting on the 59th MCA General Assembly, who concluded:
“In fact the MCA General Assembly may have struck the final nail to its coffin as to most Malaysians, the MCA has become irrelevant, so is Gerakan, MIC and to some extent Umno. The demise of these race based parties may be a blessing in disguise as we need multi-racial parties to move forwards to survive in a globalized and highly competitive world.”
This is the greatest challenge for all Malaysian voters in the 13GE, whether we are to move forwards as Malaysians with a common vision of hope and optimism that Malaysians united as one people regardless of race, religion, class or territory is the best guarantee for the country to stand tall to compete with the rest of the world or we allow ourselves to wallow in the politics of corruption and greed sowing inter-racial and inter-religious hatred, suspicion and distrust through lies and falsehoods which will only condemn the country to the trajectory of a failed state.
Pakatan Rakyat stands for the former to unite all Malaysians to forge a common destiny while Barisan Nasional stands for the latter, persisting in its “divide-and-rule” tactics among the different racial and religious groups to continue to serve the interests of the Umno-putras and their cronies.
Let the demise of the race-based parties reach its high-water mark in the 13GE.
Pakatan Rakyat stands for the future while Barisan Nasional represents the past!
WE refer
to the article “Lawyers not up to par” (Sunday Star, Oct 21) regarding
the Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee (“NYLC”) Working
Conditions Forum held at the Bar Council on Oct 20.
The
same article appeared in the online version of The Star titled: “Young
ones do not meet benchmark set by employers, says Bar”.
Paragraph
1: “All young Malaysian lawyers do not meet the standard international
quality benchmark set by their employers, according to a Bar Council
survey.”
This
sweeping and untrue statement was not made by any of the speakers at
the forum. Paragraph 1 is also not borne out by the Bar Council’s
Employability Survey and is therefore a grave distortion of it.
While
the Bar Council intends for the proposed Common Bar Course to be
benchmarked against international standards (to ensure that lawyers
entering the profession will have the requisite quality), it is
certainly not our position that all our young lawyers are below par.
The article has made an unfair generalisation that is a stain on the many good young lawyers of the Malaysian Bar.
Paragraph
3: “It found that young lawyers practising for less than seven years do
not have basic attributes like English proficiency, communication and
critical thinking skills ...”
This
paragraph misquotes what was said. In his presentation, the Malaysian
Bar treasurer Steven Thiru emphasised that the survey targeted a
sampling of “new entrants to the legal profession”, and he explained
that this group consisted of law graduates, pupils in chambers, and
lawyers in their first year of practice.
The survey therefore did not cover “young lawyers practising for less than seven years”.
The
treasurer’s statement on the decline in quality was in respect of the
results from the sampling of the new entrants to the legal profession
covered by the survey, and was not directed at all “young lawyers
practising for less than seven years”.
The
confusion could have been due to NYLC being a committee that focuses on
the welfare of, and issues affecting, lawyers of seven years’ standing
and below.
However,
even NYLC’s survey on working conditions was directed at first-year
lawyers and not “young lawyers practising for less than seven years”.
It
is also not the position of the Bar Council that all young lawyers
practising for less than seven years lack the basic attributes and
skills.
Paragraph 14: “Thiru and other senior lawyers, however, said young lawyers did not deserve the raise.”
This
paragraph also misquotes what was said, as Wong Fook Meng and Thiru
repeatedly stressed at the forum that employers (who are able to give
the raise) would be willing to do so for young lawyers of quality, as it
would be in the employers’ interest to do so, to retain talent.
It
was also not the position of any of the speakers that a first-year
lawyer, notwithstanding quality, did not deserve a raise in salary.
In
all, it was emphasised the recommendations contained in the NYLC’s
survey are to serve as a non-binding guide for employer-law firms.
The
report also failed to highlight the call by NYLC chairperson Richard
Wee Thiam Seng that young lawyers must equip themselves with better
knowledge of the law and constantly improve standards.
At the same time, he also said that employers ought not to exploit young lawyers by offering sub-standard salaries.
The
article gave the impression that all young lawyers are incapable, and
that NYLC’s recommendations for better remuneration are baseless.
This was not the position taken by any of the speakers at the forum.
On
the contrary, it was the common view that the forum was the first step
towards reform in the working conditions of young lawyers, in tandem
with the drive to push young lawyers to improve themselves.
RAJEN DEVARAJ
Chief Executive Officer
Bar Council
The full version of the Bar Council's Letter to the Editor follows below
Dear Editor [of The Star],
Article in The Star on 21 Oct 2012 titled “Lawyers not up to par”
We
refer to the article in The Star on 21 Oct 2012 (Nation, page 6) under
the title “Lawyers not up to par” regarding the Bar Council’s National
Young Lawyers Committee (“NYLC”) Working Conditions Forum (“Forum”),
held at the Bar Council on 20 Oct 2012. The same article appeared in
the online version of The Star, titled “Young ones do not meet benchmark
set by employers, says Bar”1.
Paragraph
1: “All young Malaysian lawyers do not meet the standard international
quality benchmark set by their employers, according to a Bar Council
survey.”
This sweeping and untrue
statement was not made by any of the speakers at all at the Forum.
Paragraph 1 is also not borne out by the Bar Council’s Employability
Survey (“Survey”) and is therefore a grave distortion of it.
While
the Bar Council intends for the proposed Common Bar Course to be
benchmarked against international standards (to ensure that lawyers
entering into the profession will have the requisite quality), it is
certainly not our position that all our young lawyers are below par.
The Star has made a very unfair generalisation that is a stain on the
many good young lawyers at the Malaysian Bar.
Paragraph
3: “It found that young lawyers practising for less than seven years do
not have basic attributes like English proficiency, communication and
critical thinking skills . . .”
This
paragraph misquotes what was said. In his presentation, Treasurer of
the Malaysian Bar, Steven Thiru, emphasised that the Survey targeted a
sampling of “new entrants to the legal profession”, and he explained
that this group consisted of law graduates, pupils in chambers, and
lawyers in their first year of practice. The survey therefore did not
cover “young lawyers practising for less than seven years”.
The
Treasurer’s statement on the decline in quality was in respect of the
results from the sampling of the new entrants to the legal profession
covered by the Survey, and was not directed at all “young lawyers
practising for less than seven years”. The confusion on The Star’s part
could have been due to NYLC being a committee that focuses on the
welfare of, and issues affecting, lawyers of seven years’ standing and
below. However, even NYLC’s survey on working conditions was directed
at first-year lawyers and not “young lawyers practising for less than
seven years”.
It is also not the position of
the Bar Council that all young lawyers practising for less than seven
years lack the basic attributes and skills. The Star’s article paints a
skewed and damaging picture of the Malaysian Bar’s young lawyers.
Paragraph 14: “Thiru and other senior lawyers however, said young lawyers did not deserve the raise.”
This
paragraph also misquotes what was said, as Wong Fook Meng and Steven
Thiru repeatedly stressed at the Forum that employers (who are able to
give the raise) would be willing to give the raise for young lawyers of
quality, as it would be in the employers’ interest to do so, to retain
talent. It was also not the position of any of the speakers that a
first-year lawyer, notwithstanding quality, did not deserve a raise in
salary.
In all, it was emphasised the
recommendations contained in the NYLC’s survey are to serve as a
non-binding guide for employer-law firms.
Across
the board, The Star’s article also failed to highlight the call by the
NYLC’s Chairperson, Richard Wee Thiam Seng, that young lawyers must
equip themselves with better knowledge of the law and constantly improve
standards. At the same time, he also said that employers ought not
exploit young lawyers by offering sub-standard salaries.
In
its entirety, the article gave the impression that all young lawyers
are incapable, and that NYLC’s recommendations for better remuneration
are baseless. This was not the position taken by any of the speakers at
the Forum. To the contrary, it was the common view that the Forum was
the first step towards reform in the working conditions of young
lawyers, in tandem with the drive to push young lawyers to improve
themselves.
We trust the above clarifies matters, and ask that The Star print this letter in full as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Rajen Devaraj
Chief Executive Officer
Bar Council
1The online version was subsequently revised and re-titled “All new entrant lawyers do not meet employers' benchmark, says Bar”,
but it is still erroneous and does not take into account all the points
raised in this letter. Furthermore, there is no indication in the
online version that the article has been revised since initial
publication.
The Sun by Karen Arukesamy, Hemananthani Sivanandam and Pauline Wong at the Dewan Rakyat
KUALA
LUMPUR (Oct 23, 2012): Nearly 300 people have been shot dead by the
police since 2007, with a large number of them being Indonesians.
In
a written reply, the Home Ministry said a total of 298 people of
various nationalities were shot dead between 2007 and August this year.
Out of this number, Indonesians accounted for 151 alleged criminals who
were shot dead.
Malaysians
were the second largest group with 134 people, followed by Vietnamese
(five), Myanmarese (three), Thais (two), Nigerian (one), Liberian (one)
and another person of unknown nationality.
"In
2007, a total of 13 people were shot dead, while in 2008 ( 85), 2009
(88), 2010 (45), 2011 (30) and up to August this year (37).
The
ministry was replying to Dr Michael Jeyakumar (PSM-Sungai Siput) who
had asked to state the number of people shot dead by police between 2007
and 2012 according to nationality, age, gender, the type of offences
and the place they were shot.
He also asked if the ministry plans to have an inquest for the cases.
Of
the 298 people shot dead, the age of 116 could not be determined while
179 were between 19 and 60 years old. Only three were between 16 and 18
years old. None were 60 or older. Of the total number shot, only two
were women.
The
ministry also said 53 people were shot in Selangor, followed by in
Kuala Lumpur (16), Johor (14), Penang (14), Perak (11) and Negri
Sembilan (10).
"As for inquests, that is to be determined by the courts."
The
ministry also revealed that the case files of those who were shot dead
by the police were classified as "sudden death reports. The police will
keep and maintain these records.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- The Umno leadership needs to name
their candidates for the 13th general election early to prevent sabotage
within the party.
Umno Veterans Club secretary Datuk Mustapha Yaakub said this way, party
members involved in sabotage could be identified sooner.
"This way too, our action on the saboteurs will be more effective
rather than taking last-minute action after the candidates are
nominated," he told Bernama, here, today.
He said by announcing the candidates earlier, there would be more time
to coax individuals who were not selected to contest in the elections.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also
Umno president, agreed to set up a special committee to monitor and take
immediate action on party members who betray and sabotage Barisan
Nasional candidates in the coming general election.
WHAT is a queen’s court without a jester? What is a village without an idiot? And what is Malaysia without Perkasa?
Our beloved Bumiputera-rights organization is in the limelight yet again, and this time with yet another outrageous claim.
In its latest bid to further affirm the fact that they are an organization that should just be disbanded for violating the simple laws of logic, Perkasa is calling for a blanket boycott of singer Jaclyn Victor. They insist that they do not want an apology from her, but are instead urging Malaysians, particularly Muslims, to boycott the multiple award-winning singer.
The reason? She had “insulted” Islam.
Perkasa secretary-general, Syed Hassan Syed Ali, in a statement yesterday, condemned Jaclyn and her song Harapan Bangsa. The song was uploaded on YouTube on Jan 3,2012 and contains religious references pertaining to Christianity.
According to Perkasa, both Jaclyn and the songwriter have been insensitive and disrespectful to non-Christians in the country. This was based on the lyrics of the song, which was in Bahasa Malaysia. One line reads, “Bapa, engkaulah harapan negara ini”.
Now, Syed Hassan believes that this is a clear insult to Islam as the country’s official religion.
Another line reads, “Yesus engkau lah harapan segala bangsa.” Perkasa questioned why the lyrics were written that way considering Muslims
have never worshipped Jesus.
I have one thing to say to Syed Hassan with regards to that. If Muslims don’t worship Jesus, does that mean we should label those who do as insulting us?
In any case, that is the background story to this latest debacle.
One question comes to mind. Would Perkasa have made a fuss if the song was written in English instead of Bahasa Malaysia? Or what if the lyrics were in Hokkien? Or Tamil? Or Klingon for that matter? Same meaning, same content, but not in Bahasa Malaysia. Would Syed Hassan
have issued a statement saying the song was an insult to Islam? I would like to think if the song was in Klingon, Syed Hassan would come out and say it’s an insult to Spock. But I digress.
Back to the matter at hand, this situation begs yet another question.
Why does Perkasa think the song is an insult to Islam? Putting aside the language factor, why would Perkasa issue such a strong statement calling for a boycott of the singer?
Maybe a breakdown of this matter will be helpful. Jaclyn Victor is a Christian, and probably has been one her entire life. Therefore that is the religion she believes in. Where is Jaclyn from? Malaysia. What is our national language? Bahasa Malaysia.
Now moving on to Christianity. Who do they worship? Jesus Christ.
So let’s put these things together. A Malaysian Christian who speaks Bahasa Malaysia sings a song worshipping the God she believes in, in her national language, Bahasa Malaysia. Does that have the potential to become insulting? Perhaps not to a rational-minded person. But the Perkasa leadership apparently do not fall into the latter category.
Looking at the lyrics, I find it hard to believe that anyone could construe this as an insult to Islam’s standing as the country’s official religion. This is because despite Islam being the official religion, Malaysia practices religious tolerance. My deduction is that religious tolerance is a concept which is alien to Perkasa. That was the reason behind issuing a strong statement against a song that has been on YouTube since the beginning of the year. No one else thought it was insulting. Suddenly Perkasa stumbled upon it, and here we are.
Jaclyn, as a Christian, is free to express her beliefs via any medium, be it song, poetry, doodles, anything, as long as she does not directly insult another person’s religious beliefs. My observation of the lyrics did not find her directly insulting any other religion, because the song was in direct reference to what she and other Christians believe in.
When she says, “Jesus you are the hope of all races”, it only means that’s what she believes in. Considering she is a Christian and that Christians believe in Jesus being the saviour of mankind, this is just an example of a person expressing her belief in her faith.
To Perkasa, things are only insulting when we close our minds and refuse to see the bigger picture. Does the song in any way affect Islam? Islam is so much more than that. Islam teaches us to be tolerant. It does not teach us to boycott people over every perceived slight.
Boycotting the filmmaker who made “Innocence of Muslims” is perhaps logical. But boycotting Jaclyn Victor for singing a Jesus-worshipping song in Bahasa Malaysiais exactly what it looks like, which is idiocy at its best.
The main suspect in the shooting of Malala Yousufzai, the teenage activist who spoke out against the Taliban, has been identified, Pakistani police say.
And a group of men who allegedly facilitated the attack against the schoolgirl have been arrested, police said Wednesday.
Atta Ullah, a 23-year-old from the Swat district where Malala was attacked, was identified as the main suspect. Ullah was studying for a masters in chemistry, police say. The Taliban-heavy Swat Valley is in the northwestern part of Pakistan.
It's unclear whether Ullah was at the scene and tried to shoot Malala or if he was considered the leader behind the plan to kill her.
Malala, who has become a global symbol of courage after being shot in the head by the Taliban for demanding education for girls, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Birmingham, England.
She stood with the aid of nurses Friday for the first time since the October 9 shooting and was "communicating very freely," according to the director of the hospital. Malala can't speak because she has a tracheotomy tube inserted to protect her airway, which was swollen after her gunshot injury, but she is writing coherent sentences, said Dave Rosser, director of University Hospitals Birmingham.
Friday's progress report - more detailed than previous updates - suggests that the 15-year-old could make a good recovery.
The Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the shooting and vowed to kill Malala if she recovers from her injuries.
– CNN's Nasir Habib and journalist Saima Mohsin contributed to this report.
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.
This is an urgent petition, through the Highest seats of this State of ancient heritage and culture within the real democratic texture and humane tolerance, requesting the Government of West Bengal (Paschim Banga), India to take strong action against the errant Officers-in-Charge of Usthi Police Station, Joynagar Police Station and Falta Police Station (all in South 24 Parganas district), who are Promoting Cow Slaughter (to pander to extremist elements) and are thereby openly violating the Honourable Calcutta High Court’s Judgement (dated 2 Nov 2011 and 13 Oct 2011) and Honourable Indian Supreme Court’s Judgement.The embarrassments are piling up from the news of inaction of Administration and the Police from different districts not to check illegal and rampant cow slaughter to hurt the Hindu sentiments in their prime festive sessions. It is heard that the WB Police is arranging sufficient “BLACK PLASTIC TARPAULIN” to cover up all the illegal cow-slaughters in the respective PS areas.We urge the Honourable Home Secretary Mr. Basudeb Banerjee (IAS) to investigate the atrocities being committed by the aforementioned police officers on those tens of thousands of villagers who refuse to kowtow to their dictatorial, unlawful demands that they support and make arrangements for slaughtering of cows on Bakr Eid (which falls on October 27, 2012 – during Durga Puja festival).We urge the Honourable Home Secretary to ensure 100% enforcement of anti-cow slaughter Judgements of the Honourable Calcutta HC and Supreme Court of India.We also urge the West Bengal Administration to stop the official repression of the state’s ancient and vibrant Durga Puja by revoking the ban on the Divine Mother’s immersion on October 26 and 27, 2012.We would like to respectfully remind the administration that banning the centuries’ old indigenous Bengali tradition of Durga Puja immersion (in order to appease a violent, alien, Arabian creed of Bakr Id) is tantamount to turning Bengal (or what is left of it) into another East Pakistan.The whole issue about “cow slaughter” has two negative social implications, aside from its blatantly provocative communal agenda that seeks to create religious tension in society :
Oct 24 — Malays are now beggars in their own country and need to support Umno despite all its flaws or their pleas will be ignored, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.
KUALA LUMPUR: Presiden MCA Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek diberi amaran keras untuk mengemukakan permohonan maaf secara terbuka kepada umat Islam kerana lantang mengkritik hukum hudud.
KUALA LUMPUR: Human rights NGO, Suaram, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ismail Omar to warn his men not to interfere in the Penan tribe’s rights struggle in the Murum dam issue in Sarawak.
Sekitar Dewan Rakyat
WHAT is a queen’s court without a jester? What is a village without an idiot? And what is Malaysia without Perkasa?