Thursday 24 April 2014
Mali Fighters Say They Killed French Hostage
The MUJAO Islamist group in Mali has said that it has killed a French hostage captured in November 2012, "because France is our enemy." The French government said it could not confirm the claim, but would investigate.
A French foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday night that Gilberto Rodrigues Leal was feared dead after the claim from al Qaeda-linked fighters in Mali.
The MUJAO, a French acryonym which in English means "Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa," group told the French AFP news agency earlier on Tuesday that "he is dead, because France is our enemy."
Gilberto Rodrigues Leal was kidnapped in November 2012 while travelling in Mali and Mauritania. The MUJAO spokesman, Yoro Abdoul Salam, spoke to AFP by phone. When asked for more information like a time or place of death, or evidence such as a photo, AFP reported that Salam said "in the name of Allah, he is dead," before hanging up.
The government in Paris responded cautiously, but admitted to fearing the worst.
"The statement from MUJAO, responsible for his kidnapping, leads us unfortunately to believe today that Mr. Rodrigues Leal is probably dead, even though no material proof can allow us to confirm it," foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said.
President Francois Hollande's office said that the man, who would be 62 now, had probably died several weeks ago owing to the "conditions of his detention." Officials had previously speculated that he might be dead, after a year passing with no sign of life or ransom demands.
"France will do everything to get to the truth ... and will not leave this act unpunished," the president's office said in a statement.
One other Frenchman kidnapped in November 2011 in the north of Mali is still missing and believed to be alive. Serge Lazarevic was seized by Mali's other major Islamist fighters, members of al Qaeda's north African group AQIM. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had said on Sunday that Paris had indications he was still alive.
Both MUJAO and AQIM were heavily active in Mali's civil war, which also involved ethnic Tuareg fighters seeking independence for a region in northern Mali they call Azawad.
As the Tuareg rebels were increasingly sidelined by the Islamist forces in the north, and amid signs that the rebels were preparing to move on the capital Bamako, France agreed to dispatch troops to help the military leaders.
French soldiers helped push Islamist troops out of several northern towns, in a military mission involving around 5,000 troops at its peak. Though gradually withdrawing its forces, Paris plans to keep at least 1,000 troops in the short term, alongside a UN peacekeeping mission.
French forces last week freed five Malian aid workers held hostage by MUJAO since February.
- AFP, AP, Reuters
A French foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday night that Gilberto Rodrigues Leal was feared dead after the claim from al Qaeda-linked fighters in Mali.
The MUJAO, a French acryonym which in English means "Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa," group told the French AFP news agency earlier on Tuesday that "he is dead, because France is our enemy."
Gilberto Rodrigues Leal was kidnapped in November 2012 while travelling in Mali and Mauritania. The MUJAO spokesman, Yoro Abdoul Salam, spoke to AFP by phone. When asked for more information like a time or place of death, or evidence such as a photo, AFP reported that Salam said "in the name of Allah, he is dead," before hanging up.
The government in Paris responded cautiously, but admitted to fearing the worst.
"The statement from MUJAO, responsible for his kidnapping, leads us unfortunately to believe today that Mr. Rodrigues Leal is probably dead, even though no material proof can allow us to confirm it," foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said.
President Francois Hollande's office said that the man, who would be 62 now, had probably died several weeks ago owing to the "conditions of his detention." Officials had previously speculated that he might be dead, after a year passing with no sign of life or ransom demands.
"France will do everything to get to the truth ... and will not leave this act unpunished," the president's office said in a statement.
One other Frenchman kidnapped in November 2011 in the north of Mali is still missing and believed to be alive. Serge Lazarevic was seized by Mali's other major Islamist fighters, members of al Qaeda's north African group AQIM. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius had said on Sunday that Paris had indications he was still alive.
Both MUJAO and AQIM were heavily active in Mali's civil war, which also involved ethnic Tuareg fighters seeking independence for a region in northern Mali they call Azawad.
As the Tuareg rebels were increasingly sidelined by the Islamist forces in the north, and amid signs that the rebels were preparing to move on the capital Bamako, France agreed to dispatch troops to help the military leaders.
French soldiers helped push Islamist troops out of several northern towns, in a military mission involving around 5,000 troops at its peak. Though gradually withdrawing its forces, Paris plans to keep at least 1,000 troops in the short term, alongside a UN peacekeeping mission.
French forces last week freed five Malian aid workers held hostage by MUJAO since February.
- AFP, AP, Reuters
Pasangan penumpang MH370 dakwa terima e-mel pelik daripada pegawai Fox
Sarah
Bajc dan teman lelakinya, Philip Wood yang merupakan seorang daripada
penumpang pesawat MH370 yang hilang sejak 8 Mac lalu. - Gambar Facebook
Sarah Bajc, 22 April, 2014.Pasangan warga Amerika yang menaiki pesawat Malaysia Airlines MH370 berkata pegawai eksekutif Fox yang dipecat daripada tugasnya, menawarkan untuk mengadakan kutipan dana bagi pihaknya.Sarah Bajc, pasangan kepada Philip Wood yang merupakan seorang daripada 239 penumpang pesawat hilang itu, lapor Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) berkata beliau membalas e-mel Darlene Tipton, Naib Presiden Fox yang menawarkan bantuan kutipan dana berjuta dollar untuk membantunya.
Tipton kemudiannya membalas berkata, suaminya percaya 239 penumpang masih hidup dan akan mendedahkan lokasi mereka dan meneruskan kempen kutipan dana bagi keluarga yang terjejas jika Bajc bersetuju untuk pampasan akan datang.
Bajc kemudiannya memaklumkan Fox yang kemudiannya memecat Tipton yang bekerja dengan Fox selama 24 tahun.
Tipton mempertahankan tindakannya dan berkata niatnya ikhlas.
"Saya kehilangan kerja, saya tiada insurans. Apa salahnya membantu orang," katanya yang berusia 61 tahun.
Pemecatannya itu menimbulkan simpati dengan sebahagiannya mengkritik Fox.
SMH turut melaporkan video YouTube empat minit menunjukkan suaminya bercakap dari hospital dengan mengalami kecederaan tulang belakang.
"Saya berhalusinasi berkenaan penumpang pesawat. Saya berhubungan dengan seorang gadis bernama Ree," katanya.
Tipton berkata, beliau akan meneruskan rancangannya melalui laman web kutipan dana, GoFundMe untuk memberikan bantuan kepada keluarga terjejas.
"Kami mahu mengumpul dana bagi keluarga, memberikan kelegaan kepada mereka. Jika tidak mereka mungkin ke mahkamah selamanya," katanya kepada Associated Press.
MH370 hilang sejak 46 hari lalu dipercayai lokasi terakhirnya di selatan Lautan Hindi.
Ia memaksa Bajc mempersoalkan kredibiliti syarikat satelit British Inmarsat, yang menyimpulkan pesawat tamat di Lautan Hindi.
Bajc berkata, bukti saintifik perlu diberikan sama ada melalui serpihak sebelum kerajaan mengisytiharkan pampasan dan sijil kematian. – 22 April, 2014.
Zaid: Post-Karpal, DAP left meek on hudud
In fact, Zaid wrote on his blog, DAP will have to toe the line in Pakatan just as MCA is forced to do so in BN, so as to not rock the boat.
“In the end, DAP will be like MCA and will only raise its occasional voice of disapproval to the hudud plan, as intructed to by the Malay-majority partners. When that happens, we will miss Karpal more than ever,” he said.
Zaid, who once took the Kelantan government to court for its enactment to implement hudud, said Muslims in Pakatan and the DAP will not be able to speak out even if they oppose hudud.
'Malay members won't say anything'
“The party's (DAP's) Malay members will not say anything to suggest that they are opposed to hudud.
“They are like the Malays in Umno and PKR – they need to pretend that they are God-fearing on this issue,” Zaid said.
Although there are many in civil society, including Muslims, brave enough to speak out against the implementation of hudud in Malaysia, he said these voices are absent in politics.
He said that when Karpal spoke against hudud, it was actually because he was “more than just a political leader” but wanted to safeguard the nation's founding principles.
“He spoke with conviction and moral fervour. He was a believer of democratic rights and a relentless defender of the rule of the law, as other Commonwealth countries understand it.
“We will miss his clarity and unequivocal support for a Malaysia that is free from autocrats, oligarchs and the religious clergy,” Zaid said.
Karpal, who was Bukit Gelugor MP, died in a road accident last Thursday.DAP acting chaiperson Tan Kok Wai (right) said this morning that DAP's stand against the hudud is not changed.
"Our position on hudud has remained unchanged, DAP is not changing its stand, and it will not change," Tan told a press conference.
The party's organising secretary, Anthony Loke, added: "Karpal's stance has always been DAP's stance. He has always reiterated that. Thus, there should be no issue."
Palanivel picks three for senator post
Three MIC leaders have been nominated for senatorship to fill the party quota.
PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel has finally nominated three fresh faces to be made senators under the party quota, said a party source.
The party official said the three candidates are MIC vice-president S Sothinathan, party treasurer-general S Murugesan and former deputy Youth chief V Mugilan.
“However, there may be some last-minute changes on the third candidate, Mugilan,” said the source.
When contacted, MIC secretary-general A Prakash Rao said he was not privy to the matter.
“Yes, the appointment is going to take place soon but I’m not sure of the candidates,” he said.
MIC has a quota of six senators, three of which are now being held by central working committee members V Subramaniam, A Sivapakiam and former treasurer-general Jaspal Singh.
Another senatorship was added to the list in return for MIC giving up a state assembly seat in Perak to Umno, in the last general election.
The party official said the three candidates are MIC vice-president S Sothinathan, party treasurer-general S Murugesan and former deputy Youth chief V Mugilan.
“However, there may be some last-minute changes on the third candidate, Mugilan,” said the source.
When contacted, MIC secretary-general A Prakash Rao said he was not privy to the matter.
“Yes, the appointment is going to take place soon but I’m not sure of the candidates,” he said.
MIC has a quota of six senators, three of which are now being held by central working committee members V Subramaniam, A Sivapakiam and former treasurer-general Jaspal Singh.
Another senatorship was added to the list in return for MIC giving up a state assembly seat in Perak to Umno, in the last general election.
‘Jangan dikelilingi pembodek dan pendamba kuasa’
Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata bahawa tindakan itu hanya akan menyebabkan kejatuhan pemimpin berkenaan.
PETALING JAYA: Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad pada hari ini menegaskan bahawa mereka yang berkuasa tidak boleh dikelilingi oleh mereka yang mendambakan kuasa.
“Pembodek di antara penasihat dan orang keliling inilah sebabnya yang berkuasa menyalahguna kuasa sehingga tersingkir,” kata Dr Mahathir dalam laman rangkaian sosial, Facebook.
Beliau turut menyatakan bahawa mereka yang berkuasa perlu menerima teguran terutamanya dari pihak ketiga.
“Saya dapati teguran pihak ketiga, pihak yang tidak punyai kepentingan biasanya lebih ikhlas dan perlu ditimbang secara serius,” katanya.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menamakan sasaran tegurannya.
Mahathir menambah bahawa kumpulan orang di sekeliling orang yang berkuasa akan mempengaruhi dan memperalatkan individu berkenaan untuk kepentingan diri.
Pada masa sama beliau menambah bahawa teguran pihak ketiga perlu diambilkira kerana ia mewakili kepentingan rakyat.
Dr Mahathir turut berkata bahawa orang yang berkuasa tidak boleh menyalahgunakan kuasa.
“Jika hendak berkuasa lama jangan salahguna kuasa yang diberi walaupun ada yang menasihat kita kebal dan segala salahlaku kita tidak akan diketahui dan jika diketahui pun tidak ada yang berani membuat apa-apa,” tambahnya.
“Pembodek di antara penasihat dan orang keliling inilah sebabnya yang berkuasa menyalahguna kuasa sehingga tersingkir,” kata Dr Mahathir dalam laman rangkaian sosial, Facebook.
Beliau turut menyatakan bahawa mereka yang berkuasa perlu menerima teguran terutamanya dari pihak ketiga.
“Saya dapati teguran pihak ketiga, pihak yang tidak punyai kepentingan biasanya lebih ikhlas dan perlu ditimbang secara serius,” katanya.
Beliau bagaimanapun tidak menamakan sasaran tegurannya.
Mahathir menambah bahawa kumpulan orang di sekeliling orang yang berkuasa akan mempengaruhi dan memperalatkan individu berkenaan untuk kepentingan diri.
Pada masa sama beliau menambah bahawa teguran pihak ketiga perlu diambilkira kerana ia mewakili kepentingan rakyat.
Dr Mahathir turut berkata bahawa orang yang berkuasa tidak boleh menyalahgunakan kuasa.
“Jika hendak berkuasa lama jangan salahguna kuasa yang diberi walaupun ada yang menasihat kita kebal dan segala salahlaku kita tidak akan diketahui dan jika diketahui pun tidak ada yang berani membuat apa-apa,” tambahnya.
Hudud and the elusive 39 votes for PAS
It is impossible for PAS to get another 39 votes to pass their private bill on hudud in Parliament.
PETALING JAYA: From a mathematical perspective, it is impossible for PAS to see its private member bill on hudud in Kelantan passed as the party will need 148 votes when the bill is tabled at the Parliament session in June.
Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob announced his plans to implement hudud in the state after Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and Kelantan Umno chief and Ketereh MP, Annuar Musa announced that they would support the move.
There are a total of 222 MP’s in the Parliament and for a two third majority vote the number 148 is critical.
For now, PAS can be assured of 109 ‘ayes’ for hudud – a combination of Umno’s 88 and its own 21 votes. It will however still require another 39 votes for the bill to be passed with a two third majority.
The Sabah based Parti Bebas Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), MCA, Gerakan and the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) – have all rejected hudud.
Sabah and Sarawak have a combined total of 48 seats in the Dewan Rakyat. PBS has four, UPKO three and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) has one, while there is no MP from LDP. Sabah Umno has 14 seats
In Sarawak, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) under Chief Minister Adenan Satem has the largest representation with 14 Parliamentary seats.
Former chief minister Taib Mahmud had previously announced that Sarawak would continue to allow the usage of the word ‘Allah’ by Christians in the state and this has been reinforced by Adenan.
It is therefore safe to assume that PBB will oppose the bill. The other Sarawak parties with MPs are Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) with four, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) one and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) with six.
They are expected to follow PBB’s lead in rejecting hudud. MCA with seven seats, Gerakan’s one and MIC with four MPs are also opposing the bill.
“MIC is totally against it. It is not suitable for the country,” MIC secretary general A Prakash Rao said, when contacted today.
PKR still silent on hudud stand
In the federal opposition front, DAP’s 37 MPs have also voiced that they are against hudud.
The late Karpal Singh who was until recently the party’s national chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP had been the strongest critic of PAS’ hudud plans.
The hudud debate and his untimely death has pushed more DAP leaders to openly oppose the bill.
PKR has not made its stand on the implementation of hudud eventhough the Islamic penal code is not part of what was agreed upon in Pakatan Rakyat’s common policy framework – the Buku Jingga.
According to PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the party is still waiting for PAS to brief them at the Pakatan Rakyat presidential council meeting made up of PAS, PKR and DAP.
PKR has 30 MPs of which 16 are Malay Muslims. In the event the PKR Muslim MPs do vote for hudud, it still would not be enough votes to reach the elusive number, 39.
Based on the calculations, PAS’ dreams to implement hudud may only remain a dream.
Kelantan Menteri Besar Ahmad Yaakob announced his plans to implement hudud in the state after Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom and Kelantan Umno chief and Ketereh MP, Annuar Musa announced that they would support the move.
There are a total of 222 MP’s in the Parliament and for a two third majority vote the number 148 is critical.
For now, PAS can be assured of 109 ‘ayes’ for hudud – a combination of Umno’s 88 and its own 21 votes. It will however still require another 39 votes for the bill to be passed with a two third majority.
The Sabah based Parti Bebas Sabah (PBS), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), MCA, Gerakan and the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) – have all rejected hudud.
Sabah and Sarawak have a combined total of 48 seats in the Dewan Rakyat. PBS has four, UPKO three and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) has one, while there is no MP from LDP. Sabah Umno has 14 seats
In Sarawak, the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) under Chief Minister Adenan Satem has the largest representation with 14 Parliamentary seats.
Former chief minister Taib Mahmud had previously announced that Sarawak would continue to allow the usage of the word ‘Allah’ by Christians in the state and this has been reinforced by Adenan.
It is therefore safe to assume that PBB will oppose the bill. The other Sarawak parties with MPs are Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) with four, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) one and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) with six.
They are expected to follow PBB’s lead in rejecting hudud. MCA with seven seats, Gerakan’s one and MIC with four MPs are also opposing the bill.
“MIC is totally against it. It is not suitable for the country,” MIC secretary general A Prakash Rao said, when contacted today.
PKR still silent on hudud stand
In the federal opposition front, DAP’s 37 MPs have also voiced that they are against hudud.
The late Karpal Singh who was until recently the party’s national chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP had been the strongest critic of PAS’ hudud plans.
The hudud debate and his untimely death has pushed more DAP leaders to openly oppose the bill.
PKR has not made its stand on the implementation of hudud eventhough the Islamic penal code is not part of what was agreed upon in Pakatan Rakyat’s common policy framework – the Buku Jingga.
According to PKR president, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the party is still waiting for PAS to brief them at the Pakatan Rakyat presidential council meeting made up of PAS, PKR and DAP.
PKR has 30 MPs of which 16 are Malay Muslims. In the event the PKR Muslim MPs do vote for hudud, it still would not be enough votes to reach the elusive number, 39.
Based on the calculations, PAS’ dreams to implement hudud may only remain a dream.
MB nasihatkan pegawainya berhenti ugut S Manikavasagam
Cara tersebut tidak betul dan tidak boleh digunakan untuk bertanding
PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim telah menasihatkan dua pegawainya supaya tidak lagi mengugut penyelaras DUN Bukit Melawati, S Manikavasagam yang mencabar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim bagi jawatan ketua cabang PKR Kuala Selangor dalam pemilihan bulan depan.
Dua pegawai berkenaan dikenal pasti sebagai Lim Lai Seng dan Mustapha Mohd Talib yang bertugas sebagai pegawai Khalid.
“Pegawai tersebut dinasihatkan agar tidak lagi berbuat demikian, kerana ini bukan satu cara yang baik untuk mendapatkan undi.
“Cara tersebut tidak betul dan tidak boleh digunakan untuk bertanding,” kata Khalid dalam sidang media hari ini.
Ugutan itu didakwa dibuat susulan keengganan Manikavasagam untuk memberi laluan kepada Khalid mengekalkan jawatan sebagai ketua cabang Kuala Selangor.
Manikavasagam berkata dua pegawai berkenaan mengugut untuk memastikan beliau digugurkan sebagai penyelaras DUN Bukit Melawati.
Beliau berkata, mereka juga mengugut untuk mengenakan tindakan yang sama terhadap semua petugas Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat PKR di kawasan itu.
Manikavasagam yang juga bekas ahli parlimen Kapar, berkata ugutan itu disampaikan menerusi panggilan telefon kepada pegawai beliau pada Isnin lalu.
“Mereka telefon pekerja saya di pejabat ugut jangan ikut saya berceramah kerana menurut mereka dalam masa terdekat saya akan dilucut jawatan sebagai penyelaras DUN,” kata Manikavasagam.
Susulan perkara itu, Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Pusat (JPP) akan menyiasat aduan berkenaan.
Pengerusinya, Datuk Johari Abdul berkata, pihaknya akan meneliti bukti yang dikemukakan Manikavasagam sebelum mengambil apa-apa tindakan.
“Kalau betul ada laporan dari dia ini saya akan siasat, kemudian kalau betul ianya (ugutan itu) datangnya daripada pejabat MB (Menteri Besar) juga kita akan siasat dan kita akan ambil tindakan.
“Kita akan masukkan ke dalam agenda JPP sebab JPP bermesyuarat dua hingga tiga kali dalam seminggu,” jelasnya.
Dua pegawai berkenaan dikenal pasti sebagai Lim Lai Seng dan Mustapha Mohd Talib yang bertugas sebagai pegawai Khalid.
“Pegawai tersebut dinasihatkan agar tidak lagi berbuat demikian, kerana ini bukan satu cara yang baik untuk mendapatkan undi.
“Cara tersebut tidak betul dan tidak boleh digunakan untuk bertanding,” kata Khalid dalam sidang media hari ini.
Ugutan itu didakwa dibuat susulan keengganan Manikavasagam untuk memberi laluan kepada Khalid mengekalkan jawatan sebagai ketua cabang Kuala Selangor.
Manikavasagam berkata dua pegawai berkenaan mengugut untuk memastikan beliau digugurkan sebagai penyelaras DUN Bukit Melawati.
Beliau berkata, mereka juga mengugut untuk mengenakan tindakan yang sama terhadap semua petugas Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat PKR di kawasan itu.
Manikavasagam yang juga bekas ahli parlimen Kapar, berkata ugutan itu disampaikan menerusi panggilan telefon kepada pegawai beliau pada Isnin lalu.
“Mereka telefon pekerja saya di pejabat ugut jangan ikut saya berceramah kerana menurut mereka dalam masa terdekat saya akan dilucut jawatan sebagai penyelaras DUN,” kata Manikavasagam.
Susulan perkara itu, Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Pusat (JPP) akan menyiasat aduan berkenaan.
Pengerusinya, Datuk Johari Abdul berkata, pihaknya akan meneliti bukti yang dikemukakan Manikavasagam sebelum mengambil apa-apa tindakan.
“Kalau betul ada laporan dari dia ini saya akan siasat, kemudian kalau betul ianya (ugutan itu) datangnya daripada pejabat MB (Menteri Besar) juga kita akan siasat dan kita akan ambil tindakan.
“Kita akan masukkan ke dalam agenda JPP sebab JPP bermesyuarat dua hingga tiga kali dalam seminggu,” jelasnya.
Places of worship may be regulated
The Federal Territories Minister says this move is to preserve their places of worship.
PETALING JAYA: The government is looking at laws to regulate non-Muslims’ places of worship in the Federal Territories.
Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor held a meeting with several MPs from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat at the Parliament yesterday to discuss the proposal further.
Speaking to FMT, MCA MP Khoo Soo Sean said that the proposal brought forward by Tengku Adnan was to help non-Muslims to preserve their places of worship.
“Tengku Adnan is quite forward thinking. It is not only to sort out problems involving places of worship squatting on government land but also those established in shop houses,” he said.
Khoo said that according to local government by-laws, people are not allowed to convert shop lots into places of worship and thus the minister was trying to find an amicable solution to the issue.
“Among the ideas proposed in the meeting is to legalise places of worship established in shop lots if there are no objections from the residents at the area,” said the MCA leader.
He added that the meeting was also attended by representatives from various religions.
However, Khoo clarified that the proposal was still at a preliminary stage and nothing has been decided.
“We are still in the midst of getting feedback from people on this. I respect Tengku Adnan’s intention but it is not going to be easy,” he said.
PKR MP G Manivannan, who was present at the meeting yesterday, welcomed Tengku Adnan’s proposal but cautioned that no political agenda must be involved..
“The federal government must be sincere, meaning it must be done to reflect the concerns of non-Muslims,” he said.
Apart from BN MPs, the meeting was also attended by a total of nine MPs from the opposition bloc.
Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor held a meeting with several MPs from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and Pakatan Rakyat at the Parliament yesterday to discuss the proposal further.
Speaking to FMT, MCA MP Khoo Soo Sean said that the proposal brought forward by Tengku Adnan was to help non-Muslims to preserve their places of worship.
“Tengku Adnan is quite forward thinking. It is not only to sort out problems involving places of worship squatting on government land but also those established in shop houses,” he said.
Khoo said that according to local government by-laws, people are not allowed to convert shop lots into places of worship and thus the minister was trying to find an amicable solution to the issue.
“Among the ideas proposed in the meeting is to legalise places of worship established in shop lots if there are no objections from the residents at the area,” said the MCA leader.
He added that the meeting was also attended by representatives from various religions.
However, Khoo clarified that the proposal was still at a preliminary stage and nothing has been decided.
“We are still in the midst of getting feedback from people on this. I respect Tengku Adnan’s intention but it is not going to be easy,” he said.
PKR MP G Manivannan, who was present at the meeting yesterday, welcomed Tengku Adnan’s proposal but cautioned that no political agenda must be involved..
“The federal government must be sincere, meaning it must be done to reflect the concerns of non-Muslims,” he said.
Apart from BN MPs, the meeting was also attended by a total of nine MPs from the opposition bloc.
MH370: Check Kandahar, say family members
Reports that MH370 is in Kandahar prompts family members to request Malaysian government to search for the plane there.
PETALING JAYA:Family members of the missing MH370 flight passengers want the government to investigate claims that the missing flight is in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
There are reports that the plane is in the South Asian country and it quoted Russian intelligence agency as the source.
The request was made by the next of kin in a letter dated April 14 and is addressed to Acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein. A copy was also forwarded to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
“We are aware that Government of Malaysia is currently focusing its search effort in South Indian Ocean based on the data supplied by Inmarsat. However, we are entering the 37th day without success in finding any physical evidence in this area.
“Hence, it is high time that the Government should start thinking out of the box by exploring and re-examining all leads, new and old.
“Based on this spirit, we respectfully request your kind consideration to re-engage the Russian and Afghanistan governments in order to examine and verify the claim that MH370 landed in Afghanistan.
“We are confident that the Malaysian government will find that this path is worth exploring considering the lives of 239 passengers and crew on board MH370,” said the next of kin in the letter that was published on Facebook.
The MAS flight bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport had gone missing from radar on March 8.
Search efforts have been focused in the southern part of the Indian Ocean but to date nothing related to MH370 has been found.
There are reports that the plane is in the South Asian country and it quoted Russian intelligence agency as the source.
The request was made by the next of kin in a letter dated April 14 and is addressed to Acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein. A copy was also forwarded to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
“We are aware that Government of Malaysia is currently focusing its search effort in South Indian Ocean based on the data supplied by Inmarsat. However, we are entering the 37th day without success in finding any physical evidence in this area.
“Hence, it is high time that the Government should start thinking out of the box by exploring and re-examining all leads, new and old.
“Based on this spirit, we respectfully request your kind consideration to re-engage the Russian and Afghanistan governments in order to examine and verify the claim that MH370 landed in Afghanistan.
“We are confident that the Malaysian government will find that this path is worth exploring considering the lives of 239 passengers and crew on board MH370,” said the next of kin in the letter that was published on Facebook.
The MAS flight bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport had gone missing from radar on March 8.
Search efforts have been focused in the southern part of the Indian Ocean but to date nothing related to MH370 has been found.
International team for MH370
The main purpose is to determine the cause of the incident so that similar ones could be avoided in the future, says Hishammuddin Hussein.
KUALA LUMPUR: Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has announced that the Cabinet has approved the appointment of an international investigation team for the missing MH370 plane.
In today’s media briefing, Hishammuddin said the Transport Ministry had been tasked to draft the terms of reference for the investigation team.
The sub-committee led by Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi had been assigned to coordinate the formation of the investigation team.
Hishammuddin said Malaysia would observe and comply with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“The main purpose of the team is to evaluate, investigate and determine the actual cause of the incident so similar incidents can be avoided in the future,” said Hishammuddin
“However, the investigation will not include criminal aspects which are under the purview of the police.”
He said the investigation would be carried out in accordance with the Civil Aviation Regulation 1966 which required each party to investigate air accidents independently.
The Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau which was established since December 2011 under the Transport Ministry will act as the secretariat for this investigation team.
The investigation team will include three groups – airworthiness, operational as well as medical and human factor.
“We are also discussing to appoint experts from other Asean countries in accordance with the Asean MoU on Cooperation Relating to Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation that was signed in 2008.
“We are identifying the members and the accredited representatives and will be recruiting the members for the team in accordance with international standards,” he added.
Hishammuddin said names of members would be announced next week.
The MAS flight bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport went missing from the radar on March 8.
Search efforts have been focused in the southern part of the Indian Ocean but so far nothing related to MH370 has been found.
In today’s media briefing, Hishammuddin said the Transport Ministry had been tasked to draft the terms of reference for the investigation team.
The sub-committee led by Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi had been assigned to coordinate the formation of the investigation team.
Hishammuddin said Malaysia would observe and comply with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“The main purpose of the team is to evaluate, investigate and determine the actual cause of the incident so similar incidents can be avoided in the future,” said Hishammuddin
“However, the investigation will not include criminal aspects which are under the purview of the police.”
He said the investigation would be carried out in accordance with the Civil Aviation Regulation 1966 which required each party to investigate air accidents independently.
The Aviation Accident Investigation Bureau which was established since December 2011 under the Transport Ministry will act as the secretariat for this investigation team.
The investigation team will include three groups – airworthiness, operational as well as medical and human factor.
“We are also discussing to appoint experts from other Asean countries in accordance with the Asean MoU on Cooperation Relating to Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation that was signed in 2008.
“We are identifying the members and the accredited representatives and will be recruiting the members for the team in accordance with international standards,” he added.
Hishammuddin said names of members would be announced next week.
The MAS flight bound for Beijing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport went missing from the radar on March 8.
Search efforts have been focused in the southern part of the Indian Ocean but so far nothing related to MH370 has been found.
Implementing hudud would be unconstitutional
Lawyers for Liberty views with extreme concern PAS’ attempt to table a private member’s bill in Parliament in order to implement the Sharia Criminal Code (II) Enactment 1993, or hudud, in Kelantan.
This is an extremely irresponsible act of political grandstanding, calculated to burnish PAS’ Islamic credentials, to try to out-Islamise or arm-twist UMNO or Muslim parliamentarians into supporting hudud, without considering the best interest of Malaysia and its people.
Harsh punishments like stoning to death (with stones of medium size), crucifixion and amputation of limbs are out of place in this day and age or in any modern and democratic society as they constitute torture, cruel and unusual punishment and would violate the right to life and the prohibition against torture.
Let us be clear, Malaysia is a country founded on parliamentary democracy where the Federal Constitution, which is secular in nature, reigns supreme. Any attempt to introduce hudud would be unconstitutional as the hudud derives its ultimate authority from the Quran and therefore only possible under a theocracy.
In order for hudud to be implemented, the Constitution and its legislature, executive and judiciary, all other structures and institutions that make up Malaysia would need to be reconstituted as being based on Islam and the Quran, and that would not be possible, short of an Islamic revolution as in Iran or Afghanistan. Any attempt at amending the Constitution to introduce hudud would also be unconstitutional as that would violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
The Kelantan hudud enactment was a political stunt in the first place since the Kelantan State Assembly does not have jurisdiction to pass such law as under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, all civil and criminal laws fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. It also violates the Sharia Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 that restricted the jurisdiction to only offences punishable with imprisonment up to three years, fine up to RM5,000 or whipping up to six strokes.
Hudud would also be in serious breach of Article 8 of the Constitution that guarantees equality and non-discrimination as it would only apply to Muslims while non-Muslims would be subjected to the existing criminal law. Further, some offences under hudud are also offences under criminal law thus offending Article 7(2) of the Constitution that prohibits repeated trials or double jeopardy.
Needless to say, hudud is not a magic, cure-all panacea to all the wrongs in society; see for example the implementation of hudud in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and northern Nigeria that has not resolved anything. Various Islamic scholars have also questioned whether implementing hudud in modern times is not only unrealistic but is most likely to produce the opposite result of Islamic justice and fair play.
We call upon PAS to withdraw the private member’s bill and reassess its position on hudud as according to various Islamic scholars, there are realities that must be taken into account before hudud can be considered in modern times: change of environment and temptation; divide between rich and powerful and poor and weak; existence of corruption, abuse of power, incompetence; selective implementation ― i.e. the total absence of the necessary context and conditions for the implementation of hudud, all raises doubt and therefore hudud ought not be implemented.
*Eric Paulsen is Executive Director of Lawyers for Liberty. Follow us on Twitter @lawyers4liberty
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or his organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
Ahmadiyyas: Prophet Muhammad is not the last
Though considered deviants by the religious authorities, the sect only differs in terms of interpretation of Islam.
The Ahmadiyya followers in Kampung Nakhoda, Batu Caves, who will be charged with conducting prayers in a place not considered a mosque, believe that Muhammad is not the last prophet.
The followers believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the sect’s founder, is Imam Mahdi contrary to what Sunni Muslims say that the prophet has yet to arrive.
In Malaysia, Ahmadiyyas are considered deviants because they differ in interpretation of certain concepts of Islam.
Ainul Yaqeen Muhammad Zain, who is the community’s leader in Kampung Nakhoda, said Muhammad was the last prophet who brought Islamic law to mankind but there will be others after him.
According to Muslims, Imam Mahdi is the prophet who would rid the world of evil before the Day of Judgment.
Ahmadiyyas believe the second coming would be someone similar to Christ in spirit whereas Muslims from other sects believe that Jesus would return to assist Imam Mahdi.
Ainul also told FMT that they do not propagate their teachings to other communities.
“People come here to find out on their own. We do not propagate it to others,” he said.
Ahmadiyya was founded in British India near the end of the 19th century.
The Selangor Religious Department (Jais) raided the Ahmadiyya centre after Friday prayers on April 11.
Forty-one people, including Ainul, were arrested. Jais and the police have recorded their personal details.
Jais is charging all 41 of conducting prayers in a place not considered a mosque without the approval of Jais and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais).
If found guilty they face a RM3,000 fine or a two-year jail term, or both. The case against them will be heard in the West Gombak Syariah Court in Kuang, near Rawang, Selangor on Oct 23.
The followers believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the sect’s founder, is Imam Mahdi contrary to what Sunni Muslims say that the prophet has yet to arrive.
In Malaysia, Ahmadiyyas are considered deviants because they differ in interpretation of certain concepts of Islam.
Ainul Yaqeen Muhammad Zain, who is the community’s leader in Kampung Nakhoda, said Muhammad was the last prophet who brought Islamic law to mankind but there will be others after him.
According to Muslims, Imam Mahdi is the prophet who would rid the world of evil before the Day of Judgment.
Ahmadiyyas believe the second coming would be someone similar to Christ in spirit whereas Muslims from other sects believe that Jesus would return to assist Imam Mahdi.
Ainul also told FMT that they do not propagate their teachings to other communities.
“People come here to find out on their own. We do not propagate it to others,” he said.
Ahmadiyya was founded in British India near the end of the 19th century.
The Selangor Religious Department (Jais) raided the Ahmadiyya centre after Friday prayers on April 11.
Forty-one people, including Ainul, were arrested. Jais and the police have recorded their personal details.
Jais is charging all 41 of conducting prayers in a place not considered a mosque without the approval of Jais and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais).
If found guilty they face a RM3,000 fine or a two-year jail term, or both. The case against them will be heard in the West Gombak Syariah Court in Kuang, near Rawang, Selangor on Oct 23.
A tricky rebalancing act
Barack Obama is bound to disappoint on his forthcoming trip to Asia
A STRATEGIC “pivot” or “rebalancing” towards Asia and the Pacific is central to American foreign policy under Barack Obama. So it is more than embarrassing that the president has had to cancel trips to the region at short notice—most recently last October, when the partial shutdown of his administration forced him to pull out of two regional summits. This gives added significance to his tour of Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines from April 22nd. It is the chance to reassert America’s military and economic commitment to three treaty allies, one prospective “strategic partner” (Malaysia) and to the region as a whole, as it struggles with the implications of China’s rapid rise.
That reassurance is needed all the more after America’s failure to intervene in Syria and, especially, its failure to contain Russian expansionism in Ukraine. Both episodes feed into a perception of a declining American appetite for keeping the peace, and of a declining ability to do so. Countries such as Japan and the Philippines, facing an assertive Chinese approach to disputed territory, are naturally concerned. If America will do so little for Ukraine, will it risk lives and treasure for uninhabited rocks in the East or South China Sea? In theory, circumstances are so different that America’s Asian allies should have no cause for concern. Unlike the Syrian opposition and Ukraine, the Japanese and Filipinos have mutual security treaties with America.
Indeed, if America did involve itself militarily in another conflict in the Middle East or in eastern Europe, its Asian allies would fret that the “rebalancing” was deemed, as they had feared, a lower American priority than other parts of the world. It is a battle for regional reassurance that America, it seems, simply cannot win.
Other problems complicate things further. One is the poor state of relations between America’s two most important allies, Japan and South Korea. Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, seems as unpopular in Seoul as he is in Beijing. His decision last December to visit the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, where war criminals are honoured, confirmed South Koreans in their view of him as an unrepentant historical revisionist, in denial about the atrocities Japan inflicted on their country during its colonisation. So, rather than co-operating with Japan in dealing with an immediate threat from North Korea and a potential longer-term one from China, South Korea prefers to make common cause with China to condemn Japan for its failure to confront the past. It took a big effort to persuade Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s president, to join a trilateral meeting with Mr Obama and Mr Abe at a nuclear summit in the Netherlands last month. Coaxing them to work together when he is not in the room will be even harder.
Another difficulty lies in distinguishing strategic support for a country from political support for its current rulers. America finds much to admire in Mr Abe: his determination to drag the Japanese economy out of its deflationary morass; in particular, his promise to take on domestic lobbies by joining American-led regional trade talks, the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); his desire to see Japan play a bigger role in its own defence. But it also deplores the often revisionist attitude to Japan’s history that, for Mr Abe and his supporters, animates these policies.
Similarly it finds Malaysia a model of moderate Islamic democracy and its prime minister, Najib Razak, the friendliest leader it has had in decades. But Malaysian politics is poisonous. Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the opposition, which won the popular vote at last year’s election, is appealing against a sentence handed down last month of five years in jail for sodomy. Many Malaysians believe the prosecution is politically motivated.
Mr Najib has taken Malaysia, too, into the TPP. Another problem facing the “rebalance” is that this, its most important economic dimension, is in trouble. The impetus of Mr Obama’s tour itself may generate a breakthrough in the shape of agreement between the TPP’s two biggest economies, America and Japan. But ratification of the TPP will face domestic political obstacles in a number of countries, not least America itself. Many in Asia have noticed that Mr Obama seems loth to spend much domestic political capital on this or other aspects of American commitment to the region. Mr Obama may have trouble convincing his friends in Asia that America’s rebalance is genuine.
China, for its part, is keen to cast doubt on America’s regional staying power. Yet, oddly, its own government seems convinced by it. It sees the rebalance as an attempt to encircle China and counter its rise. Some of this resentment emerged in testy exchanges when Chuck Hagel, America’s defence secretary, was in Beijing this month. China blames America for encouraging Japan and the Philippines to confront it over disputed rocks. Its leaders worry that America’s decision to deploy two more Aegis-class destroyers to Japan to counter the threat from North Korea is in fact directed against China. It has noticed that America supports the Philippines in its legal challenge to China’s claim to most of the South China Sea, and has just signed an agreement with it allowing more of its troops into the country. And Congress is likely to authorise the sale of four pensioned-off frigates to Taiwan.
Be careful what you wish for
China’s reaction is perhaps the most fundamental of all the factors making the rebalance so tricky. America insists it is not trying to contain China or thwart its rise. But if that is so, how to convince Asian allies of an unshakable military commitment to the defence of islands, reefs and rocks of no obvious relevance to American security? And if America is in fact trying to stand in the way of China’s rise, then its Asian allies would also take fright at a dangerous confrontation between the region’s two big maritime powers. The rebalance, meant to reassure them without alarming China, risks the opposite: alienating China and scotching promising areas of co-operation, yet leaving its neighbours, America’s friends, more nervous than ever.
Economist.com/blogs/banyan
That reassurance is needed all the more after America’s failure to intervene in Syria and, especially, its failure to contain Russian expansionism in Ukraine. Both episodes feed into a perception of a declining American appetite for keeping the peace, and of a declining ability to do so. Countries such as Japan and the Philippines, facing an assertive Chinese approach to disputed territory, are naturally concerned. If America will do so little for Ukraine, will it risk lives and treasure for uninhabited rocks in the East or South China Sea? In theory, circumstances are so different that America’s Asian allies should have no cause for concern. Unlike the Syrian opposition and Ukraine, the Japanese and Filipinos have mutual security treaties with America.
Indeed, if America did involve itself militarily in another conflict in the Middle East or in eastern Europe, its Asian allies would fret that the “rebalancing” was deemed, as they had feared, a lower American priority than other parts of the world. It is a battle for regional reassurance that America, it seems, simply cannot win.
Other problems complicate things further. One is the poor state of relations between America’s two most important allies, Japan and South Korea. Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, seems as unpopular in Seoul as he is in Beijing. His decision last December to visit the Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, where war criminals are honoured, confirmed South Koreans in their view of him as an unrepentant historical revisionist, in denial about the atrocities Japan inflicted on their country during its colonisation. So, rather than co-operating with Japan in dealing with an immediate threat from North Korea and a potential longer-term one from China, South Korea prefers to make common cause with China to condemn Japan for its failure to confront the past. It took a big effort to persuade Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s president, to join a trilateral meeting with Mr Obama and Mr Abe at a nuclear summit in the Netherlands last month. Coaxing them to work together when he is not in the room will be even harder.
Another difficulty lies in distinguishing strategic support for a country from political support for its current rulers. America finds much to admire in Mr Abe: his determination to drag the Japanese economy out of its deflationary morass; in particular, his promise to take on domestic lobbies by joining American-led regional trade talks, the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); his desire to see Japan play a bigger role in its own defence. But it also deplores the often revisionist attitude to Japan’s history that, for Mr Abe and his supporters, animates these policies.
Similarly it finds Malaysia a model of moderate Islamic democracy and its prime minister, Najib Razak, the friendliest leader it has had in decades. But Malaysian politics is poisonous. Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the opposition, which won the popular vote at last year’s election, is appealing against a sentence handed down last month of five years in jail for sodomy. Many Malaysians believe the prosecution is politically motivated.
Mr Najib has taken Malaysia, too, into the TPP. Another problem facing the “rebalance” is that this, its most important economic dimension, is in trouble. The impetus of Mr Obama’s tour itself may generate a breakthrough in the shape of agreement between the TPP’s two biggest economies, America and Japan. But ratification of the TPP will face domestic political obstacles in a number of countries, not least America itself. Many in Asia have noticed that Mr Obama seems loth to spend much domestic political capital on this or other aspects of American commitment to the region. Mr Obama may have trouble convincing his friends in Asia that America’s rebalance is genuine.
China, for its part, is keen to cast doubt on America’s regional staying power. Yet, oddly, its own government seems convinced by it. It sees the rebalance as an attempt to encircle China and counter its rise. Some of this resentment emerged in testy exchanges when Chuck Hagel, America’s defence secretary, was in Beijing this month. China blames America for encouraging Japan and the Philippines to confront it over disputed rocks. Its leaders worry that America’s decision to deploy two more Aegis-class destroyers to Japan to counter the threat from North Korea is in fact directed against China. It has noticed that America supports the Philippines in its legal challenge to China’s claim to most of the South China Sea, and has just signed an agreement with it allowing more of its troops into the country. And Congress is likely to authorise the sale of four pensioned-off frigates to Taiwan.
Be careful what you wish for
China’s reaction is perhaps the most fundamental of all the factors making the rebalance so tricky. America insists it is not trying to contain China or thwart its rise. But if that is so, how to convince Asian allies of an unshakable military commitment to the defence of islands, reefs and rocks of no obvious relevance to American security? And if America is in fact trying to stand in the way of China’s rise, then its Asian allies would also take fright at a dangerous confrontation between the region’s two big maritime powers. The rebalance, meant to reassure them without alarming China, risks the opposite: alienating China and scotching promising areas of co-operation, yet leaving its neighbours, America’s friends, more nervous than ever.
Economist.com/blogs/banyan
Standing invitation to Najib and Muhyiddin to the Karpal Singh Memorial service in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night as it is not a political event but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot
By Lim Kit Siang
I should not be surprised but I still feel sad that pettiness in mind and spirit still rule the roost in important establishments in the Malaysian government, resulting in the Education Ministry countermanding an earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo near Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur for the use of the school hall for a memorial service for eight-term Member of Parliament and former Chairman of Democratic Action Party Sdr. Karpal Singh tomorrow night.
The reason for the Education Department countermanding the earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo for the use of the RM10 million school hall, built by donations by the parents of the students and the public without a single sen of contribution by the government, was that the memorial service for Karpal is a political event.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The nation-wide memorial service for Karpal is neither a DAP nor political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who had dedicated his life to the betterment of his countrymen and women, regardless of race, religion, region, gender or age, as testified by the tens of thousands of Malaysians from all races, religions, regions and classes who paid their last respects to Karpal in Penang during his four-day wake and the funeral on Sunday and the millions who grieved at his passing as a personal loss although the overwhelming majority have not known or met him.
The Education Department’s action is all the more deplorable as the Education Minister who is the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had “on behalf of the Government and UMNO” not only personally conveyed his condolences to Karpal’s family, but acknowledged Karpal’s parliamentary contributions in having “lived up to his role as a member of parliament” and who would always be remembered as “his views are respected and feared by many”.
Was Muhyiddin speaking truthfully and sincerely or was he setting the worse moral example possible of hypocrisy and dishonesty to a whole generation of young Malaysians under his charge as Education Minister?
Let me assure Muhyiddin that the memorial service starting in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night and to be held in other states in Malaysia is not a DAP or political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who have dedicated his life to the causes of justice, the rule of law, democracy and nation-building.
As proof that the Karpal memorial service in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night is netiehgr a DAP nor political event, let me issue a standing invitation to Muyhiddin as Deputy Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister to be guests-of-honour to speak at tomorrow’s memorial service at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur starting at 8 pm.
Both Muhyiddin and Najib can be assured that they would be fully welcomed to the Karpal memorial service tomorrow night, not only be the organisers but also by all the Malaysians at the event.
I hope that Muhyiddin or Najib, or both, will give Malaysians a surprise tomorrow night to demonstrate that the pettiness in mind and spirit which resulted in the Education Department’s countermanding the approval given by SJK© Chung Kwo for the use of the school hall for the Karpal memorial service have not infected the mind, spirit and soul of the top echeleons of the government leadership and that there is still hope in big-spiritedness and big-heartedness of top government leaders to create an united, harmonious and successful multi-racial and multi-religious nation.
I should not be surprised but I still feel sad that pettiness in mind and spirit still rule the roost in important establishments in the Malaysian government, resulting in the Education Ministry countermanding an earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo near Jalan Loke Yew in Kuala Lumpur for the use of the school hall for a memorial service for eight-term Member of Parliament and former Chairman of Democratic Action Party Sdr. Karpal Singh tomorrow night.
The reason for the Education Department countermanding the earlier approval by SJK© Chung Kwo for the use of the RM10 million school hall, built by donations by the parents of the students and the public without a single sen of contribution by the government, was that the memorial service for Karpal is a political event.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The nation-wide memorial service for Karpal is neither a DAP nor political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who had dedicated his life to the betterment of his countrymen and women, regardless of race, religion, region, gender or age, as testified by the tens of thousands of Malaysians from all races, religions, regions and classes who paid their last respects to Karpal in Penang during his four-day wake and the funeral on Sunday and the millions who grieved at his passing as a personal loss although the overwhelming majority have not known or met him.
The Education Department’s action is all the more deplorable as the Education Minister who is the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had “on behalf of the Government and UMNO” not only personally conveyed his condolences to Karpal’s family, but acknowledged Karpal’s parliamentary contributions in having “lived up to his role as a member of parliament” and who would always be remembered as “his views are respected and feared by many”.
Was Muhyiddin speaking truthfully and sincerely or was he setting the worse moral example possible of hypocrisy and dishonesty to a whole generation of young Malaysians under his charge as Education Minister?
Let me assure Muhyiddin that the memorial service starting in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night and to be held in other states in Malaysia is not a DAP or political event, but a national occasion to honour a great Malaysian patriot who have dedicated his life to the causes of justice, the rule of law, democracy and nation-building.
As proof that the Karpal memorial service in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow night is netiehgr a DAP nor political event, let me issue a standing invitation to Muyhiddin as Deputy Prime Minister and Datuk Seri Najib Razak as Prime Minister to be guests-of-honour to speak at tomorrow’s memorial service at the Kuala Lumpur-Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur starting at 8 pm.
Both Muhyiddin and Najib can be assured that they would be fully welcomed to the Karpal memorial service tomorrow night, not only be the organisers but also by all the Malaysians at the event.
I hope that Muhyiddin or Najib, or both, will give Malaysians a surprise tomorrow night to demonstrate that the pettiness in mind and spirit which resulted in the Education Department’s countermanding the approval given by SJK© Chung Kwo for the use of the school hall for the Karpal memorial service have not infected the mind, spirit and soul of the top echeleons of the government leadership and that there is still hope in big-spiritedness and big-heartedness of top government leaders to create an united, harmonious and successful multi-racial and multi-religious nation.
Former Bar Council president joins Anwar’s defence team
The Malaysian Insider
by V. ANBALAGAN
by V. ANBALAGAN
Senior
lawyer Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah has been roped in to replace the late
Karpal Singh in the defence team in preparation of Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim's sodomy appeal in the Federal Court.
Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh (pic) said he was informed today of Sulaiman's inclusion.
"It is Anwar's prerogative. However, others who appeared in the Court of Appeal, including me, will remain," he said.
Sulaiman, a renowned civil lawyer and once a law lecturer, has agreed to the appointment.
Apart from Karpal and his son Ramkarpal, the others in the team were Sangeet Kaur Deo (Karpal's daughter) and Zaleha Al-Hayat.
Sulaiman,
a former Bar Council president, is no stranger to the case, having
appeared for Anwar in the early stages when the opposition leader was
first charged in the Sessions Court in 2008.
He represented Anwar in numerous interlocutory applications which went up to the Federal Court.
Karpal was appointed to conduct the sodomy trial after Sulaiman (pic, right) was ill and hospitalised.
Meanwhile, Ramkarpal sai
Meanwhile, Ramkarpal said he had written to the Federal Court to ask for an extension of time to file the petition of appeal.
"I hope to get a reply by tomorrow on whether the court will allow up to two weeks to file the grounds to appeal," he said.
In any case, he said the defence was preparing the petition to be filed by Friday.
The Court of Appeal had on Wednesday sent the grounds of judgment to Karpal's firm thus giving him a 10-day deadline.
Karpal,
73, died in a car crash on April 17 along with his assistant Michael
Cornelius at KM301.6 of the North-South Expressway near Kampar in Perak.
On
March 7, the Court of Appeal sentenced Anwar to five years jail after
it allowed Putrajaya's appeal to set aside a High Court ruling.
Anwar has always maintained that the charges were trumped up to hurt his political career.
Putrajaya has filed a cross appeal to seek a longer jail sentence for 66-year-old Anwar. – April 22, 2014.
Najib Launches PlaTCOM Ventures To Unleash Innovation Capabilities Among SMEs
PUTRAJAYA, April 23 (Bernama) -- A public-private partnership initiative, PlaTCOM Ventures Sdn Bhd, was launched today to unleash innovation capabilities among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) under one platform.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who launched the programme, said the initiative would take Malaysia to a significant step forward as the programme strived for ever greater innovation for the nation.
He said the PlaTCOM programme was designed to link all existing innovations under one platform and to ensure that it was seamless for SMEs to move from one stage to another in the entire innovation process and link with early stage financing.
"The model addresses the innovation gaps through a holistic and "market-driven" approach in supporting innovation and industrial competitiveness.
It is designed to remove market and financing barriers to innovation," he said.
PlaTCOM Ventures is the national technology commercialisation platform of Malaysia. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Malaysian Innovation Agency (AIM) formed in collaboration with the SME Corporation Malaysia under one of its six High Impact Programmes in the SME Master Plan 2012-2020.
Najib said the programme would provide the necessary support from "concept to commercialisation".
"This will be done through the provision of access to technical assistance, market information, incubation facilities, testing facilities and other relevant services -- all in a single platform," he said.
Najib said PlaTCOM Ventures was a unique model designed by AIM, SME Corp and the World Bank and incorporates best practices from successful models such as Isis Innovation of University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
"Currently, while there are many initiatives to promote innovation, these initiatives are fragmented and not inter-linked and there exists a gap between the different phases of innovation.
"Some of these include gaps in securing funds, accessing facilities, regulatory, certification, as well as in obtaining timely technical assistance and advisory. The SMEs face difficulty in accessing the national innovation ecosystem," he said.
Najib said the PlaTCOM programme would have access to Steinbeis Malaysia, back by German institution, Steinbeis, which specialises in helping businesses by undertaking innovations, to deliver innovative products and solutions for SMEs.
He said the Steinbeis Malaysia model aimed to provide an additional industry-focused platform to stimulate industry and academia collaborations from a "market-driven" perspective and the model does not replace any existing models and is an additional option for industries and academia.
"PlaTCOM takes a new approach -- a public-private partnership -- meaning the platform will be owned by the government but run by a management team from the private sector.
"The model takes a market-driven approach and will focus on replacing public sector funding with private sector funding in the innovation space," said Najib, who is also the finance minister.
Later, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed witnessed the signing of a collaboration agreement between SME Corp, which was represented by its Chief Executive Officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim, and AIM by its Chief Executive Officer, Mark Rozario.
Earlier, PlaTCOM Ventures Executive Director Viraj Perera said the company would actively look into the industry, particularly in the intellectual property segment, to be developed.
"We will choose 10 to 15 companies by next month and take them to a programme, which can facilitate them end-to-end untill we can sell these products in the market," he added.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala and Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.
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