More cops from Ipoh to patrol Penang churches, mosques

Sweden: Muslims parents arrested for “smacking” son over prayer

by Rachel Banning-Lover - telegraph.co.uk

Thousands of Malaysians are backing a campaign for the release of a Muslim couple after they were arrested in Sweden for allegedly smacking their 12-year-old son’s hand when he refused to pray.

Azizul Raheem Awalludin, who is the Stockholm director of the Malaysian tourist board, has been on remand for over a month with his teacher wife Shalwati Nurshal, and anger back home has erupted over both their detainment without charge, and that their four children were placed with non-Muslim foster parents.

A Facebook page, Bring Shal and Family Home, has amassed more than 14,000 followers in five days as the Malaysian media reports that the oldest child, Aisyah, is uncomfortable about living in a house where non-halal food is served and a dog is kept.

“Although they do not feed us non-halal food, we share the crockery and utensils used for non-halal food,” she said.

“We have to fend for ourselves. Every day we have to take the public transport such as the bus or train in cold weather. We don’t have enough warm clothing.”

The teenager also complained about the Swedish authorities stopping the children from seeing relatives who had flown into look after them.

The detained couple have requested the Swedish Social Services to let their children be temporarily cared for by a Muslim family at the Malaysian embassy in Sweden until their case is resolved, according to Free Malaysia Today newspaper.

Rohani Abdul Karim, Malaysia’s Minister for Families told Malaysian media that the Government was doing all it could to resolve the case through diplomatic channels: “We believe there was no child abuse involved.”

“It was probably a misunderstanding about the parents educating their children religiously and instilling good Muslim values in them from a young age.”

Swedish authorities, who were alerted about the incident by the boy’s school, are continuing to investigate the parents.

Sweden has strict laws banning all physical punishment of children, and many internet users have questioned how the family were ignorant of these protection laws – when it is believed they had lived in the country three years.

Sweden’s laws has surprised many in Malaysia though, where parents smacking their children is widely accepted as normal.

Philip Golingai, a columnist in the Kuala Lumpur newspaper The Star, reminisced about being beaten by the rotan, a cane, during his childhood in the 1980s: “Some of my schoolmates had it worse. Their parents hit them with broomsticks, feather dusters, clothes hangers, belts and irons.”

World Cup: 185 Nepalese died in Qatar last year, official records say

Death toll likely to rise as new cases revealed, sparking fresh wave of concern over treatment of migrants

By Owen Gibson - Gulfnews

London: The extent of the risks faced by migrant construction workers building the infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been laid bare by official documents revealing 185 Nepalese men died last year alone.

The 2013 death toll, which is expected to rise further as new cases come to light, is likely to spark a fresh wave of concern over the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar and increase the pressure on Fifa to force meaningful change.

According to the documents the total number of verified deaths among workers from Nepal, just one of several countries that supply hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to the gas rich state, is now at least 382 in two years alone. At least 36 of those deaths were registered in the weeks following the global outcry that followed the Guardian’s original revelations in September.

The revelations forced Fifa president Sepp Blatter to promise football would not “turn a blind eye” to the issue following a stormy executive committee meeting. The Qatar ministry of labour hired law firm DLA Piper to conduct an urgent review and Hassan Al Thawadi, chief executive of the World Cup organising committee, said the findings would be treated with utmost seriousness, vowing the tournament would not be built “on the blood of innocents”. The DLA Piper report is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

The Nepalese make up around one sixth of Qatar’s 2 million population of migrant workers, with verified figures for the 2013 death rates among those from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and elsewhere yet to emerge.

The Nepalese organisation working with the families of dead workers to repatriate their bodies and campaign for adequate compensation from the companies that employed them under the kafala sponsorship system said on Friday that Fifa should do more.

The overall death toll is expected to rise still further, with the Pravasi Nepali Co-ordination Committee (PNCC), which has cross checked the figures from official sources in Doha against death certificates and passports, still receiving new cases on a regular basis. The Guardian has seen evidence of at least a further eight cases, which would take the 2013 total to 193.

The PNCC called on Fifa’s sponsors to reconsider their relationship with world football’s governing body, which awarded the World Cup to Qatar in December 2010.

“Fifa and the government of Qatar promised the world that they would take action to ensure the safety of workers building the stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup. This horrendous roll-call of the dead gives the lie to those reassurances,” said a spokesman for the PNCC.

“These were young or otherwise able-bodied men, with their futures in front of them, families at home and everything to live for. Many have been literally worked to death. Some have met with even more sinister ends. All have been betrayed by Fifa.”

Change of MB needs Sultan’s accord and Pakatan endorsement

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (pic) appeared to be fighting back today at attempts to remove him, by saying that a change of the state’s leader has to be endorsed by the Selangor Sultan and Pakatan Rakyat parties.

"An MB's appointment must have the consensus of all three parties (in Pakatan Rakyat). The MB candidate must be chosen and agreed upon by the parties.

"They must also inform the sultan and get his consent. There are a lot of procedures," he told reporters after attending the launching of a book on the maps of Malaya and Borneo in Kuala Lumpur today.

Khalid dismissed talk that Kajang assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh’s sudden resignation was part of a plan to remove him

“No such thing," he said, dismissing claims that Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be contesting the Kajang seat in the imminent by-election, to replace him.

"There have been no discussions on this," he said, although adding that he “would not be surprised” if there was an attempted coup against him.

Khalid said any move to remove him must be done with a consensus of the three Pakatan parties – DAP, PAS and PKR.

"It can be done only if all three parties sit together to decide so. There must be a discussion, and right now there has been none as yet," he stressed.

Earlier today, the popular second term MB declared that he was still the state administrator and that he was "not going anywa,y" admidst speculation that he was quitting.

Abdul Khalid also said there had been no discussion with PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the latter replacing him as menteri besar.

He said he had not received any word from the Selangor palace on any change to the menteri besar's post, stressing that the palace had to be informed of a critical change to the state's administration.

"I strongly deny these rumours and I hope that the media is more careful in its speculation. Do your research first. There is a process that has to be done first, if change is to take place.

"I have spoken to him (Anwar), but our discussions were on other matters. This (Abdul Khalid's resignation) did not crop up," the Selangor MB said, while distributing oranges in Klang today.

Abdul Khalid was refuting a report in The Star today that he would be resigning this Wednesday to make way for Anwar.

Quoting party sources, the report said a special by-election would be held in Selangor to enable Anwar, an MP from Penang, to contest for a seat in the state assembly, so that he can hold the post of menteri besar.

The report came on the heels of a vigorous effort by some people in PKR to remove Abdul Khalid, a popular figure in his state, as menteri besar.

Several PKR leaders are pushing to remove Abdul Khalid from the post after state party chief Azmin Ali was dropped from state developer PKNS's board of directors.

Khalid has denied any wrongdoing in that decision, saying it was done by the firm, not the state executive council which decides on appointments.

The second-term Abdul Khalid was the top choice for the post, although his PKR only won 14 state seats, while their Pakatan Rakyat (PR) allies DAP and PAS won 15 seats each in the 56-seat assembly.

Abdul Khalid stressed that there had not been any discussion between him and the Sultan of Selangor regarding his post as menteri besar.

"If I want to do anything, I must first get the advice from the Sultan. I cannot leave out that institution.

"There have been discussions on development in Selangor, but not on this (his resignation)."

He also brushed off moves from certain party members to remove him, saying that their demands were similar to the calls for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign.

"They can make demands, but you have to go through a process first," he said, referring to the need to get the consent of the Sultan of Selangor to replace the menteri besar. - January 27, 2014.

‘Rights, Not Mercy’ Hindraf begging for Umno's mercy

 

(Malaysiakini) On April 18, 2013, the prime minister apologised to the the Indian Malaysian community and a historic memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in front of 1,000 Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia supporters in Kuala Lumpur, while millions of Indian Malaysians were disappointed with the alignment.

For the past 56 years Indian Malaysians were systematically marginalised and kicked out from mainstream programmes by the Umno-led government. The sweet promises of PM Najib Abdul Razak and his team managed to conquer the heart of the Hindraf movement which had shaken up the Umno government in the 12th general election.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, which had stood vigilant and been a loud voice of Indian Malaysians against the atrocities of Umno, became a voice for voiceless and defenceless people. Najib promised to accept a six-point demand, a special ministry under the Prime Minister’s Department, and a figure of RM 4.5 billion yearly had been mentioned.

Today, eight months after the signing of the MOU and after 56 years of waiting and drama of elections, the Indian Malaysian community has been left in the lurch. Not a single point has been implemented.

Before this, PM Najib had asked forgiveness in three different events, two were in front of Indian Malaysian crowds to get their valuable votes. In the MOU with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, a unit was promised to take care of Indian affairs, but till today no unit has been formed.

In the speech of the association’s leader P Waythamoorthy at the events, the crowd was told that Najib promised over 600 government contracts, but none were delivered. Waythamoorthy was appointed as a deputy minister under the Prime Minister’s Office. He was paid approximately RM20,000 a month, with a government car and a driver, but till today what his role is in the PM’s Office is still a question mark for all Malaysians.

‘Janji ditepati’?

There are programmes which PM Najib and Waythamoorthy could have done without any financial involvement. These are to avoid temple and Indian burial ground demolition, to approve birth certificates and identity cards for thousands of stateless Indians, to convert all Tamil schools to fully government-aided schools and stopping the displacement of Indian settlements.

During these eight months, several temples been demolished, including an ancient Bujang Valley temple in Kedah, the problems of stateless Indian Malaysians were not settled (lately an Indian Malaysian student drank poison due to not being allowed to register in a secondary school), Kg Railway in Sentul was demolished, the Bukit Jalil estate is awaiting demolition and a few Indian Malaysian settlements have been demolished by Najib’s government.

The whole MOU with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia was breached and Indian Malaysians regarded it as toilet paper.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia, be honest with the public. Did you table the same demands with Pakatan as you had with Barisan Nasional?

The association intentionally dropped many demands towards Barisan Nasional, whereas they were demanding extra seats from Pakatan in the 13th general election. This shows that the association had a political agenda but then cheated the Indian community by saying Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is an apolitical movement.

PM Najib gave hot capati and Waythamoorthy brought disappointment for the whole Indian Malaysian community. Najib’s hot capati is regarded as ‘hangat hangat tahi ayam’, but Waythamoorthy the self-claimed Indian Malaysian representative sold the community’s dignity to Barisan Nasional.

Today, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia is no longer voicing out for the voiceless Indian Malaysians. They are just depending on the mercy of Umno. Once in a while they give press statements as an eyewash.

I challenge Waythamoorthy to tell the truth to the public and walk out of BN because these eight months you didn’t achieve anything. PM Najib should understand that the signing of the MOU with you will not bring back poor Indians to BN. This is your last chance, our curse will haunt BN and their marginalising laws forever.

MIC man quits pending RM5mil case appeal

 

R Ramanan, who was ordered by the court to return RM5.5 million to psychiatrist Dr M Mahadevan on Thursday, has stepped down as MIC treasurer-general today.

Ramanan (right), who will submit his resignation letter to party president G Palanivel today, said he made the decision for the good of the party.

“I hope the president will accept my resignation as he had been bombarded by the media because of this issue; despite this being a civil case and personal matter which has nothing to do with MIC or Barisan Nasional, the president was made the victim, which is not fair.

“This is my own decision and I had not been forced or asked to resign,” he told a press conference at the MIC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The High Court ordered Ramanan to return to Dr Mahadevan, RM5.5 million which he was alleged to have fraudulently received while ‘assisting’ the specialist to pursue a claim four years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Lee Heng Cheong in his judgment, said he concurred with counsel Lavinia Kumaraendran and Cassandra Lee who were representing Dr Mahadevan, that Ramanan had misled the plaintiff into transferring the money into his personal account on May 19, 2010.

Ramanan said he filed an appeal against the court’s decision this morning.

Asked whether he would withdraw his decision to step down should the court of appeal rule in his favour, Ramanan said: “I leave this matter to the president and MIC members to decide.”

- Bernama

Kisah Datuk Seri Guruji

(FMT) Selain daripada watak Datuk Guluji, nampaknya ada individu lain yang seolah-olah menggunakan modus operandi sama.
COMMENT

Salah satu isu hangat dalam kalangan kaum India sejak sekitar sedekad lalu adalah mengenai ajaran sesat yang disebarkan secara amat terancang dan amat licik oleh individu yang dipercayai menggunakan ilmu pukau.

Saya menulis makalah bertajuk “Kisah Datuk Guluji” (FMT, 2 Disember 2013) dan “Lagi kisah Datuk Guluji” (FMT, 25 Januari 2014) berdasarkan maklumat yang disampaikan sejumlah individu yang pernah menjadi mangsa seorang penipu yang bertopengkan “guruji” iaitu guru agama Hindu.

Susulan daripada itu, surat pembaca turut disiarkan di FMT pada 6, 7, 10 dan 26 Disember 2013. Ramai juga yang menghubungi saya secara peribadi untuk berkongsi pengalaman sedih menjadi mangsa beberapa orang guruji.

Ternyata “Datuk Guluji” yang didedahkan menerusi makalah saya bukan satu-satunya individu yang menggunakan agama sebagai senjata dan alat untuk menipu orang dan mengaut keuntungan.

Pendedahan besar-besaran mengenai seorang individu bernama Balakrishnan Vellasamy atau “Datuk Seri Guruji” dilakukan secara amat berani oleh akhbar Tamil Malar pada pertengahan Disember 2013.

Susulan daripada pendedahan berani itu, pejabat akhbar berkenaan dilaporkan diserang sekumpulan penyokong tegar Balakrishnan. Saya kurang berpeluang mengikuti kisah itu kerana berada di Hat Yai, Thailand bersama-sama Kughan Nadarajah bagi “Kunjungan Kebudayaan Kavyan” (17-20 Disember 2013).

Makalah bertajuk “Kisah mangsa ‘guruji’ dibukukan” (FMT, 28 Disember 2013) pula ditulis berdasarkan pelbagai maklumat tambahan yang diterima serta pengalaman membaca buku yang ditulis seorang bekas mangsa seorang guruji.

Salah satu persoalan yang timbul adalah mengapa Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) tidak kelihatan mengambil sebarang tindakan tegas membendung pelbagai ajaran sesat yang disebarkan beberapa individu dengan memanipulasi nama agama (istilah dalam konteks Bahasa Sanskrit, bukan Bahasa Malaysia).

Sehingga kini, saya masih menerima pelbagai aduan dan maklumat daripada orang ramai berhubung isu ajaran sesat ini. Ramai juga yang mempersoalkan kredibiliti MHS sedangkan ia badan tertinggi dalam soal agama Hindu di negara ini.

Maka, apabila berpelung bertemu bekas presiden MHS, Datuk A Vaithilingam di kediaman beliau di Petaling Jaya, baru-baru ini, saya tidak melepaskan peluang meminta pandangan beliau berhubung isu hangat ini.

Perbualan kami menggunakan Bahasa Tamil dan berikut adalah transkrip yang saya tulis berdasarkan rakaman sebahagian perbualan itu. Sekiranya timbul sebarang kekeliruan, harap maklum bahawa terjemahan saya mungkin sahaja tidak seratus peratus menggambarkan kata-kata sebenar dalam bahasa asal.

Uthaya: MHS sekarang dilihat diam dalam isu penyebaran ajaran sesat oleh pelbagai guruji yang muncul bagaikan cendawan selepas hujan. Apakah semasa Datuk menjadi presiden MHS (Oktober 1996 – Ogos 2009) pernah timbul isu seperti ini?

Vaithilingam: Saya antara individu yang paling awal mengeluarkan kenyataan menentang ajaran yang disebarkan itu.

Sebenarnya, pada sekitar tahun 1997, seorang individu dari Johor datang bertemu saya selaku presiden MHS dan mengadu telah menyerahkan wang sehingga RM3,000 kepada Balakrishnan.

Mangsa itu mengatakan bahawa apa-apa yang dijanjikan oleh Balakrishnan tidak menjadi kenyataan dan dia mahu wang dikembalikan. Guruji itu tidak mahu memulangkan wang dan mangsa membawa kes ke mahkamah.

Ini adalah kisah lama; sebelum Balakrishnan menjadi “Datuk Seri Guruji” yang kaya-raya dan berpengaruh besar seperti sekarang. Pada masa itu, dia masih menunggang basikal dari tempat ke tempat untuk menyebarkan ajarannya di Johor.

Sekitar dua tahun kemudian, saya mendapat tahu bahawa Balakrishnan telah menghubungi mangsa tadi dan merayu kes ditarik balik. Wang RM3,000 dipulangkan dan kes ditutup begitu sahaja.

Saya lalu membiarkan sahaja kes itu kerana dianggap sudah selesai. Akan tetapi, pada sekitar tahun 2002, aduan kembali diterima oleh MHS daripada beberapa orang.

Mangsa membuat laporan kepada kami bahawa mereka perlu membayar RM730 untuk menyertai suatu kursus motivasi keagamaan anjuran guruji itu.

Hasil maklumat yang diterima, kursus besar-besaran nampaknya diadakan di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur dan agen-agen kepada Balakrishnan membawa peserta dari seluruh negara.

Apakah tindakan Datuk dan MHS apabila menerima laporan pada kali ini?


Sebagai individu yang memegang jawatan presiden MHS (1996-2009), saya mengadakan sesi perbincangan khas dengan pakar-pakar dari majlis penasihat kami.

Perbincangan khas juga diadakan di Dewan Soma, Wisma Tun Sambanthan, Kuala Lumpur bagi membuka ruang kepada masyarakat berkongsi maklumat, mengemukakan kemusykilan dan mendapatkan penjelasan.

Balakrishnan pula menghantar sekitar 200 ahli kumpulannya ke majlis itu sebagai peserta. MHS menerima kehadiran mereka dengan tangan terbuka. Kami tidak sangka mereka akan menimbulkan kekecohan.

Sebelum sesi pertemuan, saya ada mengeluarkan kenyataan media menyelar tindakan Balakrishnan mengenakan bayaran RM730 kepada para pengikut. Pada pendirian saya, seorang swami, mahaguru, sittar atau guruji tidak akan menetapkan bayaran seperti itu.

Hasil siasatan dan maklumat yang diterima, Balakrishnan mengendalikan sesi ceramah motivasi selama sehari dengan menggunakan khidmat sekumpulan penceramah dan pakar motivasi.

Balakrishnan sendiri hanya muncul sekitar 15 minit dengan memakai kot dan tali leher. Guruji itu akan membaca mantera tertentu dan para hadirin dilaporkan bagaikan dipukau.

Selepas sesi khas 15 minit itu, Balakrishnan akan berangkat pergi. Baki sesi dikendalikan orang lain. Maka timbul persoalan di mana orang ramai tertanya-tanya apakah itu cara sebenar seorang guruji menyampaikan ilmu kepada para pengikutnya.

Maklumat yang diterima daripada sumber tertentu mendedahkan bahawa Balakrishnan pernah pergi ke Indonesia dan mempelajari ilmu pukau yang sangat berkesan. Tentu sahaja perbuatan seperti ini – jika benar – adalah bertentangan dengan ajaran Hindu.

Khabarnya sebagaimana dalam kes Datuk Guluji, peserta kursus Datuk Seri Guruji juga dikenakan bayaran tanpa resit. Apa komen Datuk?

Satu lagi kelemahan dan masalah etika yang dilihat secara nyata pada Balakrishnan adalah bahawa peserta dan pengikut yang membayar RM730 seorang tidak diberikan apa-apa resit atau pengesahan penerimaan bayaran.

Hasil siasatan juga mendapati bahawa syarikat Rajayoga Power Transcendental (RPT) yang digunakan untuk menjalankan kegiatan itu adalah milik Balakrishnan dan isterinya. Ia sebuah perniagaan yang berdaftar dengan Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM).

Anehnya, tiada resit dikeluarkan bagi bayaran yang diterima oleh syarikat perniagaan itu daripada “pelanggan”. Bayangkan bahawa setiap sesi dihadiri seribu orang. Jumlah wang tunai terkumpul dalam satu sesi adalah RM730,000 tanpa sebarang resit dan bukti bayaran diterima.

Katakanlah kos bersih mengendalikan keseluruhan sesi itu di PWTC adalah RM230,000. Maknanya, Balakrishnan mendapat keuntungan bersih tanpa resit dan tanpa dikenakan cukai sekitar RM500,000 bagi setiap sesi yang dikendalikan!

Pada masa sekarang, dia bukan sahaja mengendalikan sesi yang sama seperti itu di beberapa tempat di Malaysia, tetapi juga di Tamil Nadu, India. Khabarnya sudah ada pejabat di London dan Australia. Apa yang pasti, Balakrishnan yang dahulu menunggang basikal kini sudah menjadi jutawan melalui cara ini.

Berbalik kepada sesi taklimat di Dewan Soma, Datuk ada menyebut tentang kekecohan. …

Semasa sesi penerangan di Dewan Soma pada sekitar tahun 2002, lebih kurang 200 pengikut tegar Balakrishnan memang membuat kecoh dan marah-marah. Saya secara tegas mengatakan bahawa apa yang dilakukan oleh Balakrishnan adalah seratus peratus penipuan terancang.

Setiausaha MHS pada waktu itu juga menjawab pelbagai pertanyaan dengan berani berdasarkan fakta. Pengikut Balakrishnan yang hadir pada sesi itu nyaris-nyaris mahu memukulnya kerana tidak sanggup guruji mereka dikritik oleh sesiapa. Mereka seolah-olah dipukau dan tidak mampu berfikir secara rasional.

Pihak MHS dan beberapa orang kuat Balakrishnan berjaya meredakan keadaan. Kalaulah pada hari itu berlaku kekecohan yang tidak dapat dikawal atau jika setiausaha MHS dibelasah pengikut Balakrishnan, tentu kes telah menjadi besar.

Malah, secara retrospektif, kalaulah sesuatu yang di luar kawalan telah berlaku di Dewan Soma pada hari itu (sekitar 2002), tentu tindakan mengikut undang-undang sudah diambil ke atas Balakrishnan sebelum dia sempat menjadi jutawan yang berkuasa dan berpengaruh besar seperti sekarang.

Mungkin sahaja RPT tidak akan ada pada hari ini dan tidak akan ada mangsa yang menderita. Tentu ramai yang telah terselamat sebelum menjadi umpama kambing yang merelakan dirinya dikorbankan.

Kajang rep quits to pave way for Anwar?

(FMT) The plan to replace Selangor MB with Anwar gains momentum with Kajang rep stepping down.
UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Kajang state rep Lee Chin Cheh has resigned from the post with immediate effect, announced Selangor legislative assembly speaker Hannah Yeoh today.

She said Lee, a first-time state rep, submitted his resignation letter to the state assembly this morning. She added that he had not given reasons for his resignation.

Later in a statement issued through his party HQ, Lee said his decision was for the “common good and to strengthen Pakatan’s abilities to serve the people of Selangor”.

Party sources told FMT that Lee’s resignation will now enable PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the ensuing by-election, and become the new Selangor Menteri Besar if he wins the by-election.

As reported by FMT on Saturday, this could be the party’s plan to solve the long-standing power struggle between incumbent MB Khalid Ibrahim and his nemesis Azmin Ali, who is the state PKR chief.

While no PKR leader had confirmed the plan, the fact that Lee tendered his resignation showed that the plan was well underway.

Sources told FMT that senior leaders in the party have agreed to it. PAS is also said to have approved Anwar as the new MB.

However the question remains if the Sultan of Selangor would approve it. Khalid’s office meanwhile told FMT earlier today that he was not resigning from his post.

Lee, 43, could not be contacted for comment at press time.

Anwar meanwhile will be holding a press conference tomorrow and is expected to touch on the issue.

Other sources are also speculating that either Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli or PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution could be picked by the party to be the candidate for Kajang, and then subsequently to assume the MB’s post.

Why BN’s losing support – by Dr M

(FMT) The former PM blames liberalism, saying it goes against “fair sharing” of power and wealth.

PETALING JAYA: Support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) started going downhill after the 2004 election, when it began bowing to popular demand to adopt a more liberal attitude in politics and economics, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.

“In other words, the idea of fair sharing of political power and economic wealth between the different races was terminated,” he wrote in a blog article.

“But in the 2008 elections it was manifestly clear that the BN had lost popularity instead. It scored less than two-thirds for the first time since 1969, gaining only 140 of the 222 seats.

“The pro-sharing Malays were dismayed but despite changing their leader, they found that the trend towards liberalisation remained.

“The belief of the new leadership was that Chinese support would come back if the sharing policies of the NEP were not implemented. Despite obviously rejecting the sharing principle, support for the BN did not return.”

He said DAP dangled before the Chinese the possibility of having both political and economic dominance and this was deemed possible because the Malays had split into three parties and each one of them needed Chinese support in order to win.

“The Chinese had the deciding vote and were in a position to give victory only to those who believe in throwing out the sharing concept.

“The slogan coined ‘Ini kalilah’ was used to indicate that political power could be wrested from the BN and the opposition would form the next government. This opposition government would discard the sharing principle.

“Many non-Malay supporters of the BN component parties were convinced that by withdrawing their support the BN would lose and so would the idea of sharing political and economic power between the races.”

Dr Mahathir said BN managed to scrape through with a reduced majority principally through the support of Malays and other indigenous peoples.

He said race relations in Malaysia were now “tense as never before” and he blamed liberalisation and a weakened government.

“The people show no respect for the government,” he added.

“Malaysians by and large are not violent people. But for how long can Malaysia remain stable in the face of persistent violation of the good understanding and the sharing of power between the races.

“Malaysian, be they Malays, Chinese, Indians or natives of Sabah and Sarawak, must banish from their minds the idea of racial dominance. This country must be shared and shared fair by all the races.”

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia was multiracial in the true sense of the word with Malaysians retaining their identification with their countries of origin or where their forebears came from.

“In no other country with a large number of citizens of foreign origin do we see this retention of previous identities,” he said.

Khalid: I will resign if coalition’s leadership reaches consensus

(Bernama) - Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said he would resign as the mentri besar if the leadership of the three coalition parties of the state government reached a consensus on this and obtained the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafudin Idris Shah’s approval.

However, he said to date there were no discussions by them on the matter.

“I can concede if the opposition coalition wants to replace me, but there have been no discussions on the matter till now,” he told reporters after attending the launching of the book “Maps of Malaya and Borneo: Discovery, Statehood and Progress” here today.

The book was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He was commenting on rumours that he was resigning as mentri besar to make way for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to replace him, following speculation that Anwar will be contesting in the Kajang state seat.

Kajang state seat incumbent Lee Chin Cheh resigned as state assemblyman today.

Commenting on Lee’s resignation, Abdul Khalid said the matter was no surprise as he had heard of such talk.

“I am not at all surprised with Lee’s action as I have heard of it before,” he said.

The opposition coalition in Selangor is made up of the DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat and PAS,

Anwar, Khalid and Lee are from PKR.

Zaid: If Najib goes, who will be next PM?

(WikiSabah) - Known for his expertise in exterminating political careers, it is rumoured that Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s dagger is now pointed at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Speculation is rife that there is a concerted effort spearheaded by the former premier to oust the current premier.

But former law minister Zaid Ibrahim questioned who would then succeed Najib?

“Those who want Najib to step down do not tell us who they want to succeed him. Some have touted the idea of a Ruling Council, presumably headed by Dr M,” he said in his blog.

“That would be ridiculous! Just because crazy Thai demonstrators are asking for the People’s Council to replace an elected PM, that does not mean we should follow their lead,” he added.

Zaid also shot down the possibility of Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi taking over the leadership reins.

“If Ahmad Zahid were to succeed Najib, do you really think we will be better off? Only if you want half the country to wear military uniforms, patrolling and monitoring the other half with armed weapons.

“It’s not enough for him that we have 300,000 Rela members – now he wants Syariah enforcement militias as well,” he added.

Weak reasons to demand Najib’s head

Zaid, a former Umno member, said Mahathir’s supporters have offered a reasoning that is “weak, even contrived at best” for Najib to step down.

“They say Najib has failed because the prices of goods and services have gone up, but we can expect this to happen when subsidies are cut. And subsidies have to be cut to reduce the deficit in the country’s accounts, which in turn has come from the government spending more than it received in revenue. This is a cumulative effect of many years of unsound economic management, and Najib is not solely to blame for this.

“The former prime minister’s fan club members also point to the more than 50,000 unemployed graduates in Malaysia as proof of Najib’s failure, but we have had this many (or more) unemployed or unemployable graduates since 1995.

“This is thanks to our insistence on wanting more Malays in the universities, regardless of the circumstances. We have given our schoolchildren innumerable As to please parents, but these students had to end up in universities somewhere. Umno likes to build universities all over the country and they can’t be left vacant. This is not Najib’s fault either,” he added.

Zaid also pointed out that Dr M’s supporters also castigate Najib for traveling in private jets.

However, he said this penchant for luxury living has been the lifestyle of all Malaysian prime ministers, except for the first three.

“Since then our PMs have all lived in style, going on holidays in private jets and sailing the high seas in their yachts (which they always claimed to belong to their friends). Najib is just following the trend, even if he has perhaps taken the matter of style a notch or two up. Still, it’s not sufficient grounds to remove him,” he added.

Zaid also dismissed the demand from this group for Najib to change as unrealistic and meaningless.

Zaid also dismissed the demand from this group for Najib to change as unrealistic and meaningless.

“What change can Najib possibly try to implement without upsetting Umno? Would Umno be happy if Najib were to remove the tolls, scrap APs and reduce cars prices? The same people asking for Najib’s removal would cry blue murder, and they would still demand his removal, this time for betraying the Malay race.

"Would they be happy if he woke up one morning and declared that the rule of law will be the order of the day? That the Official Secrets Act will be removed (except for matters of military and police intelligence)? That the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission will have the power to prosecute the corrupt without needing to get the blessing of the attorney-general? These same critics would not be happy," he added.

Zaid also denied that Najib's continued presence at the helm would put BN at risk of losing the next general election.

“This is again a remote possibility. BR1M3 is coming soon and Najib will be sure to have more of that before the next GE. His popularity will be restored.

"The wisdom of the saying ‘Melayu mudah lupa’ (The Malays forget easily) is not lost on our PM. Furthermore, the delineation exercise will somehow protect the present majority in Parliament and Najib will again win at the polls," he added.

Playing with fire to spark riots with Allah banners

 

Churches and Penang Umno have lodged reports over this provocative banner found 

outside several churches in Penang. - Pic courtesy Anil Netto, January 27, 2014.

(TMI) Christians went for Sunday mass in Penang yesterday and found banners which read "Allah is Great, Jesus is the son of Allah" outside several churches, at a time when the mercury is rising over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims.

In short, this was a most clumsy but dangerous attempt to spark riots between the majority Muslims and minority Christians in Malaysia.

Would any church display such banners openly when Islamic enforcement officers have seized Malay-language bibles containing the word Allah?

Yet, some people tried their luck at this in Penang over the weekend. No one knows who did it but it bears resemblance to orchestrated arson attacks on churches and the so-called reprisals against mosques in 2010.

But why are individuals and groups so brazenly lighting the fuse of religious and racial hatred?

Simple. Because they know that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is so weak and indecisive that he will stay silent on the sidelines.

Because they know that the police rarely, if ever, acts against individuals or groups aligned to the ruling coalition.

Remember the slap on the wrist for those arrested over the cow-head incident in Shah Alam in 2009? All they got was a paltry fine and a week in jail.

What do these groups expect to incite with their latest stunt? Angry Muslims and defensive Christians at war with each other over the banners? The Christians have been told not to react and leave it to the police.

Both Christians and Penang Umno have lodged reports, and now the police will have to investigate this stunt which makes all sides harden their stand on the word "Allah".

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng rightly said yesterday that the banners were intended to increase tensions between Muslims and Christians, which spiked after the 2009 High Court ruling that allowed Catholic weekly Herald to use the word Allah in its Bahasa Malaysia section.

What happens now is up to the authorities and community leaders.

They have to take action and stop such people from causing more trouble in a country where people actually live in peace and harmony, if not for some who want Muslims and Christians to go to war for their own reasons.

It will be a sad day in Malaysia if we allow such people to continue committing such malicious and dangerous acts like what happened in Penang yesterday. - January 27, 2014.

Call for an emergency Parliament during Chinese New Year period to address the “kangkung” crisis faced by the Prime Minister and the country, including attempts to incite racial and religious hatred to create another May 13

I call for an emergency meeting of Parliament during the Chinese New Year period to address the “kangkung” crisis faced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the country, including blatant attempts by irresponsible and reckless elements to escalate the incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create the conditions for another May 13 racial riots in the country.

The throwing of two Molotov cocktails into the compound of the Church of the Assumption in Lebuh Farquhar, Penang, early this morning and the putting up of the provocative banner “Jesus is the son of Allah” without the knowledge of church authorities outside three churches in Penang yesterday by irresponsible and reckless elements out to escalate the incitement of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension are the latest evidence of the existence of a treacherous conspiracy by a small group of traitors out to destabilize the country and cause a racial or religious conflagration.

The Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar could resort to the fairy tale that there was a conspiracy to topple the elected government on New Year’s Eve at Dataran Merdeka although there was no basis for such a wild allegation as there was only a peaceful gathering to protest price hikes.

Why is the IGP completely silent about the numerous attempts by reckless and irresponsible elements who are acting no different as traitors in the past few months out systematically to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 in the country?

Is the IGP sleeping on his job? It is time that the IGP wake up and carry out his duty to the nation and the people to protect them from traitors who are prepared to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension to create another May 13 in the country.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad said today that racial tensions are rising under a weak BN.

He is both right and wrong – right that the Barisan Nasional is weak and that is why the “kangkung” hullabaloo could resonate throughout the country and even become international news because of a rudderless, clueless and leaderless administration.

Wrong because a rudderless government is not caused by attempts by the Chinese to establish political and economic dominance over the Malays as repeatedly alleged by Mahathir.

In fact, if there is any single person who is responsible for the present state of affairs in Malaysia, it is Mahathir himself, who started even before the May 5 general elections last year to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tensions by for example alleging that I was contesting in Gelang Patah for the Chinese to confront the Malays and to destroy the power-sharing of Malays and Chinese in Malaysia – which were a sheer pack of lies.

The first step for Malaysia to restore normalcy is for irresponsible elements like Mahathir to stop their irresponsible inciting of racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension through lies and falsehoods.

I call for an emergency Parliament during Chinese New Year period to address the “kangkung” crisis faced by the Prime Minister and the country, including attempts to incite racial and religious hatred to create another May 13.

In 2008, former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah dissolved Parliament to hold the 12th general elections during the Chinese New Year period. If Parliament could be dissolved during the Chinese New Year period for a general elections to be held, there can be reason why an emergency meeting of Parliament cannot be held during the Chinese New Year period when the so many national issues are so imperative, urgent and pressing.

[Lim Kit Siang media Conference Statement after a Chinese New Year visit to Tangkak together with Johore DAP State Assemblymen Ee Chin Lee (Tangkak), Tan Hong Pin (Mengkibol) and Lim Eng Guan (Bekok) in Tangkak on Sunday, 26th January 2014 at 3 pm]

Shariah police conflicts with Constitution, experts warn

The Malaysian Insider 
by MD IZWAN

Putrajaya's proposal for a Shariah police force is in conflict with the Federal Constitution as Islam is a state matter and there would be authority issues with the national police force, say constitutional experts.

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan stressed that religious authorities and the police are two separate enforcement agencies in Malaysia.

"Both these bodies have different tasks and responsibilities. If combined, it is bound to create an issue because of their fields of authority," he told The Malaysian Insider.

 

Syahredzan said religious agencies were under their respective states while the police were answerable to Putrajaya.

"The formation of the Shariah police unit cannot come to be because the Federal Constitution is clear on the division of authority between the state and Federal government."

He said if the Shariah police unit is set up, the government is clearly overstepping their authority and overriding the Federal Constitution.

Syahredzan noted that another potential problem was whether the police officers seconded to the religious authorities would come under the ambit of the state or federal law.

"This is because both the state and federal governments have different sets of rules," Syahredzan said.

He questioned the authority and powers which to be vested in the police's Shariah unit, wondering how the police could have authority in Islamic issues.

On Saturday, Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Datuk Othman Mustafa said the setting up of the police Shariah unit would be finalised soon.

He said the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), the Home Ministry and police would be meeting soon to discuss the matter.

Constitutional expert Dr Abdul Aziz Bari criticised Putrajaya's decision to set up the unit, saying the police were supposed to uphold internal security and public order.

"I do not think that religion falls within the realm of the police. How is the Shariah police unit supposed to be included in the Police Act?"

"The police should just concentrate on upholding public order and enforcing the law," Abdul Aziz told The Malaysian Insider.

He said the proposal to set up such a unit was an attempt to increase the burden and pressure of the police force.

"They have not even properly executed their primary responsibilities and already have a lot of work. Do they need more on their plate?"

Abdul Aziz said there was no need to look for additional tasks when the present chores had not been completed.

Syahredzan meanwhile questioned the legality of setting up the police Shariah unit as it had never been mentioned in Parliament.

"How can the Federal government just make a snap decision without at least discussing the matter in Parliament?"

He expressed concern that this was Putrajaya's snap reaction to tackle the Shia issue and human rights coalition Comango, or Coalition of Malaysian NGOs in the UPR Process

Umno leaders have labeled both as potential threats to the sanctity of Islam in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, legal expert Associate Professor Dr Azmi Sharom said the formation of a police Shariah unit was not certain yet as many issues had yet to be resolved.

"We have to ask ourselves, do we need or want a moral police unit?" he told The Malaysian Insider. - January 27, 2014.

Najib Wants Action Against Provocative Acts Threatening Racial, Religious Harmony

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the authorities to take action to prevent provocative acts like the hanging of offending banners in Penang over the "Allah" issue, which could sour race and religious relations in the country.

The prime minister said the government always prioritised unity and harmony and would do whatever it could to preserve this situation through law enforcement.

However, he reminded that whatever action taken should be based on the rule of law.

"I hope there won't be any undesirable reaction to the (offending banner) incident as it can worsen the situation.

"Let the relevant authorities take further action. In times like this, we should be calm and not act irrationally as this can be detrimental to the country," he said after launching the book, 'Maps of Malaya and Borneo: Discovery, Statehood and Progress', here, Monday.

Najib was commenting on the hanging of provocative banners in front of churches in a number of locations in Penang over the "Allah" issue, which has aroused religious sentiments and caused uneasiness among the state's multiracial community.

Asked whether the authorities had not acted strictly enough, he said: "Let them investigate and take action accordingly, as we don't know who were responsible for the provocative act.

"We can guess but it may be off-target. That is why I hope all quarters will remain calm and not react rashly in this matter."