Muslims threatened by liberalism, secularism and LGBT, says Najib – Bernama

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Islam and its followers are now being tested by new threats under the guise of humanism, secularism, liberalism and human rights. He said this mindset appeared to be becoming a new form of religion which was fast expanding locally and abroad. "They call it humanrightism, where the core beliefs are...

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said Islam and its followers are now being tested by new threats under the guise of humanism, secularism, liberalism and human rights.

He said this mindset appeared to be becoming a new form of religion which was fast expanding locally and abroad.

"They call it humanrightism, where the core beliefs are based on humanism and secularism as well as liberalism.

"It's deviationist in that it glorifies the desires of man alone and rejects any value system that encompasses religious norms and eitiquette. They do this on the premise of championing human rights," he said.

Najib (pic) said this when opening the 57th national-level Quran Recital Assembly at the Dewan Jubli Perak Sultan Ahmad Shah yesterday. Also present were his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom.

He said there were efforts to spread the deviant thinking by relating it to the sanctity of Islam and this was the most dangerous threat to the Islamic faith.

"So today, once again, we stress that Islam that is embraced, practised and upheld as the national religion in Malaysia is the Islam which is based on the Sunni sect as propagated by the Prophet Muhammad and his companions.

"We will not tolerate any demands or right to apostasy by Muslims, or deny Muslims their right to be governed by Shariah Courts and neither will we allow Muslims to engage in LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activities," he said.

He said as an Islamic country which upheld the Maqasid Shariah (the higher intentions of the Shariah), Malaysia emphasised the welfare of every individual regardless of race, language or religion.

He said justice, fairness and excellence were features of moderation used in the implementation of human rights in this country.

Christian woman sentenced to death for ‘apostasy’ in Sudan

A Sudanese medical doctor has been convicted of apostasy and sentenced to death by the El Haj Yousif Criminal Court in Khartoum North on Sunday.

Doctor Maryam Yahya Ibrahim was charged with apostasy under Article 126 of the Sudanese Criminal Law concerning conversion from Islam to another religion, and of adultery under Article 146 of the same law.

Judge Abbas Mohamed Khalifa called the Islamic Dawa organisation and the Sudanese Fatwa Council of Fatwa as experts on the matter. The doctor was convicted for adultery as she had conceived without being married under Muslim law. Her husband was acquitted as he had married her under Christian law.

The doctor, who is pregnant, has been held in Omdurman Federal Women’s Prison since 17 February, with her 20-month-old son. She was born in western Sudan to an Ethiopian Christian mother and a Sudanese Muslim father.  Her father disappeared from her life when she was six years old. Witnesses have testified that her mother raised her in the Christian faith.

“The court gave her until Thursday to repent,” a lawyer told Radio Dabanga. “It seems that the court is pressuring her to convert to Islam in exchange for her life,” she noted.

Sarawak leader demands explanation over covert attempts to convert Christian students

Sarawak is uneasy following covert religious conversion attempts of non-Muslim students by a Muslim NGO from the peninsula, said the state's outspoken minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing (pic) .

The students were said to have been placed under an "Anak Angkat" (adoption) programme run by the NGO at a school in Kuching.

Masing today demanded the state Education Department investigate how the NGO could conduct its dubious programme in a school without the knowledge of the school's authorities.

“I want to know what NGO is that. How did they gatecrash into the school?

"Since the school principal was not even aware of the programme in the school, I assume the programme is not sanctioned by the school or the education department,” Masing said after meeting a group of concerned parents of students from SMK Balai Ringin, a school situated about 65km from Kuching.

He said the NGO was never given permission to use the school hall for the “Anak Angkat” programme.

The parents had complained that the programme, attended by mostly non-Muslim students, had all its talks conducted by “ustaz” (religious teachers) who talked about Islamic religious matters to the Christian students.

Masing suspected the programme, held every Saturday since March 8, was a covert attempt to convert the students.

He also demanded the Public Service Commission investigate allegations by the students' parents that two teachers from the school had aided the group in conducting the programme.

The students claimed the two teachers had coaxed them to attend the programme under the guise of it being a “co-curriculum” activity.

“How could religious topics like the difference between 'air zam zam' which Muslims believe in, and the holy water Christians believe in, and questioning the sainthood of Mother Teresa be discussed, if this is a school sanctioned programme?” Masing asked.

Masing, who voiced his concerns by the “aggressive attempts” by Islamic groups from the peninsula to proselytise Christians in the state, said such groups are sowing discord among the state's multi-racial and multi-religious society as they have “no respect for other people's religious belief”.

“They are creating uneasiness in Sarawak,” he added.

Masing said if non-Muslims could not, by law, attempt to convert Muslims to another religion, on the same token Muslims too should not attempt to convert non-Muslims to Islam.

“How can we have two rules in one nation?”

The Land Development Minister, already vocal against covert attempts at proselytising to Christians, vowed to protect Sarawak as “the last bastion of religious harmony” for as long as he lived.

“Do not disturb us,” he warned the religious groups.

Last month, Masing had highlighted how Sarawak Christian students attending Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) scholarship interviews were asked questions about Islam.

He said the students were asked to name the prophets of Islam, the rukun (precepts) of Islamic prayers, and their opinion on the controversial hudud law, among others.

Subsequently, Mara clarified that non-Muslims attending the interview were to be asked questions on moral issues while promising to investigate the officials who had asked the applicants questions on Islam. – May 14, 2014.

Ramkarpal not taking it easy in Bukit Gelugor

Only Ramkarpal seem to be campaigning in the Bukit Gelugor by-election while his opponents take a stealth approach

GEORGE TOWN: While obtaining a landslide victory in the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election may just be a walk-in-the park for DAP candidate Ramkarpal Singh Deo, the son of Karpal Singh is not complacent or resting on his laurels.

He is especially perturbed by the silent tactics of two independent candidates – Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohamed Abdul Sathar, 63, and lawyer Abu Backer Sidik Mohamad Zan, 46.

Ramkarpal suspects the non-existence of any form of campaign by the two so far could be a strategy to make constituents “to forget” the by-election.

He suspects that both independents were planted by Barisan Nasional just that to confuse the DAP and voters.

Feeling uneasy about it despite wide prediction of a guaranteed big by-election win, he hinted that the DAP may have to re-strategise its election campaign to counter the uncertainties created by the two independents.

“We still have to work hard as we really do not know our opponents’ tactics.

“There is risk of voters forgetting the impending by-election.

“Perhaps that is part of BN’s strategy so DAP does have to re-strategise,” Ramkarpal told newsmen after meeting voters in Seri Delima state constituency, one of the three under Bukit Gelugor, today.

Air Itam and Paya Terubong are the other state seats under Bukit Gelugor.

A check showed both independents have not put up any campaign banners, posters or streamers, or even started walkabouts or meet-the-people sessions so far except issuing media statements during Monday’s nomination day.

Favourite Ramkarpal faces the independents and Parti Cinta Malaysia vice-president Huan Cheng Guan in a four-cornered fight for Bukit Gelugor.

Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow who accompanied Ramkarpal said the by-election was unlike previous ones where the DAP would know who and what it was up against.

He admitted that the DAP was in the dark about the independents.

“We don’t even see them campaign and don’t know their tactics,” he said.

Campaign wave to hit Teluk Intan

Ramkarpal however, looks confident in his campaign trail, convinced by large turnouts for DAP rallies and positive feedbacks from grassroots.

He also hopes that the positivity favouring DAP would reach the next by-election in Teluk Intan.

Through Bukit Gelugor, he said the DAP had also kick start its Teluk Intan by-election campaign.

“It can be seen as two in one campaign, ” he said.

The Bukit Gelugor federal seat fell vacant after Ramkarpal’s father and incumbent MP Karpal Singh was killed in a highway accident near Kampar, Perak on April 17.

Karpal’s aide, Micheal also perished in the fatal accident, while Ramkarpal, who was travelling with his father, escaped with minor injuries.

The late Karpal polled 55,839 votes to score a massive majority victory of 41,778 votes against Barisan Nasional candidate Teh Beng Yeam, who could just garner 14,061 votes, in the 2013 general election.

According to Election Commission latest data, Bukit Gelugor has 82,431 voters comprising 61,267 or 74.33% Chinese, 11,913 or 14.46% Malays, 8,848 or 10.73% Indians and 403 or 0.49% others.

Observers had predicted Ramkarpal to romp home with an easy win.

His only challenge is predicted to be to either match or better his father’s stunning majority.

Ravi mahu pemilihan semula di Telok Kemang

Adun Telok Kemang berkata, beberapa perkara ketika proses pemilihan atau pengundian pada minggu lepas menimbulkan keraguan.

TELOK KEMANG: Penyandang Ketua Cabang PKR Telok Kemang, M Ravi mahu Jawatankuasa Pemilihan Parti (JPP) PKR, mengadakan semula proses pemilihan di cabang Telok Kemang.

Alasan Ravi ialah ada beberapa perkara ketika proses pemilihan atau pengundian pada minggu lepas menimbulkan keraguan.

Ravi berkata terdapat jumlah kertas undi yang berbeza, iaitu dari jumlah yang dikeluarkan dengan jumlah yang berada di dalam peti undi semasa undi dikira.

“Contohnya untuk cabang telah bertambah daripada sepatutnya iaitu 310 kertas undi berbanding 312 kertas undi yang dibuka dan berada di dalam kotak.

“Selain itu senarai nama ahli yang diberikan kepada cabang adalah tidak sama dengan senarai nama ahli yang digunapakai oleh pengawas JPP. Ini menyebabkan sebahagian besar pengundi dinafikankan hak untuk mengundi.

“Seramai 93 ahli PKR Telok Kemang gagal mengundi kerana nama mereka tiada dalam senarai JPP, sedangkan dalam senarai ahli yang dikeluarkan oleh ibu pejabat PKR, nama mereka ada sebagai ahli PKR.

“Daripada 93 ahli ini, seramai 21 ahli pernah mengundi pada pemilihan PKR pada tahun 2010,” katanya.

Ravi yang juga merupakan Adun Port Dickson, turut berkata bahawa Pengawas JPP telah membenarkan petugas calon dari pihak bertentangan memakai baju kuning iaitu sama dengan baju dipakai oleh Pengawas JPP ketika berada di dalam bilik pengundian.

`Petugas baju kuning’


“Ini menimbulkan kekeliruan di mana pengundi yang tidak faham akan meminta bantuan dari petugas baju kuning dan ini menimbulkan manipulasi undi kerana senarai kempen diberikan terus kepada para pengundi.

“Bantahan lisan telah dibuat kepada Ketua Pengawas JPP tetapi tidak dilayan.

“Atas sebab ini saya memohon kepada JPP untuk mengadakan proses pemilihan semula dan pada kali ini diharap dapat diawasi oleh pengawas yang dipersetujui bersama oleh kedua-dua pihak,” katanya.

Ravi berkata keputusan Pemilihan PKR cabang Telok Kemang ditangguh sehingga bantahan didengar oleh JPP.

Ravi mengesahkan surat aduan dan bantahan terhadap proses pengundian bagi Pemilihan PKR 2014 di Cabang Telok Kemang sudah dihantar kepada Pengerusi JPP, Datuk Johari Abdul.

Dalam pemilihan Sabtu lepas, Ravi dicabar oleh Adun Chuah, Chai Tong Chai. Manakala penyandang Timbalan Ketua Cabang, Rusli Abdullah pula dicabar oleh Rosman Jonet.

Pemimpin veteran MIC dan bekas Exco Negeri Sembilan, Datuk M Muthupalaniappan, turut turun gelanggang, berentap dengan ahli perniagaan, Ng Yong Sam untuk jawatan Naib Ketua cabang Telok Kemang.

Nuns attacked outside church

One is undergoing surgery and the other is awaiting a brain scan report.

PETALING JAYA: Two nuns were seriously injured in an apparent attack this morning by an unknown assailant or assailants outside the Church of the Visitation in Seremban.

Church caretakers found them in the church compound and sent them to the Seremban General Hospital.

A priest identified one of the nuns as 69 year old Julianna Lim Nyo Nya and the other as 79 year old Mary-Rose Teng.

A hospital official said one was undergoing emergency surgery and the other awaiting a report on her brain scan. He did not identify either.

Both nuns are from the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus.

A priest at the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Gregory Chan, posted the following message on his Facebook this aftenoon:

“My dear friends, please pray for two of our IJ sisters–Srs Julianna & Mary-Rose–who were viciously attacked & seriously injured in our church grounds early this morning before Lauds & Mass had begun.

“The ambulance came for them.

“After masses at Visitation & Mt Carmel, I rushed to the Emergency Ward & saw them bruised, bleeding & in shock. One is critical & on a respirator.

“As I anointed them, tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t help it.

“How wicked it is to do this to our nuns, who have given their whole life to God.

“Nevertheless, let us pray for God’s forgiveness upon them & for their eventual conversion.”

Chan could not be reached for further comment.

Seremban OCPD Zainal Abu said the attack on the nuns was being investigated following a report lodged by a church member.

MCA wants action against hudud supporting ministers

MCA wanita chief wants stern action to be taken against two cabinet minsters who supported the implementation of hudud in Kelantan.

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA wants Cabinet ministers who openly supported PAS’ hudud initiative to be dealt with by the BN top brass.

Wanita MCA chief Heng Seai Kie was referring to Minister in the Prime Minister Department Jamil Khir and the International Trade and Industry minister Mustapa Mohamed who declared their support for hudud in Kelantan.

They have also expressed their willingness to participate in a technical committee to review the implementation of the Islamic law in Kelantan, she added.

“I strongly urge the BN whip to take disciplinary action against cabinet ministers and instruct them to leave the joint technical committee with Kelantan PAS government immediately.

“It is disappointing when two of BN Cabinet ministers had not only expressed their support towards PAS’ Hudud Bill but also announced their participation in the technical committee to review the implementation of hudud law in Kelantan,” Heng said in a press statement.

The national level technical committee was actually proposed by Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin for PAS, federal government agencies and other religious experts to look into the finer details before implementing hudud in Kelantan.

“The committee will look from all angles of hudud and how it could be implemented in Malaysia, especially in Kelantan or whether it could be implemented or otherwise,” Muhyiddin had said.

The MCA Wanita chief described that BN’s philosophy has always been based on justice, equality and unity which have seen Malaysia developed into a modern nation.

Therefore Heng added, the action taken by the two cabinet ministers has gone against BN’s governing policy.

“Neither the BN Supreme Council nor the Cabinet had discussed nor reached a consensus on PAS’ actions.

“Since independence, our philosophy has been based on justice, equality, unity and mutual respect through the principle of power-sharing.

“Therefore, the action of the two BN ministers has gone against our national principles, and has also deviated from BN’s governing policy since independence,” Heng stated.

PAS had indicated that they will table a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to pave the way for hudud implementation in Kelantan.

Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the passage of the bill would enable the establishment of a Syariah Special Court and a Syariah Special Appeals Court.

However, after a public outcry, PAS decided to postpone the matter pending the outcome of the Umno-proposed joint technical committee on the issue.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said that the move gives the technical committee some space to go through the proposal and take further action.

Transgenders take fight to Court of Appeal

Patrick Sennyah, fz.com

Three transgenders from Negri Sembilan are challenging a law at the Putrajaya Court of Appeal on May 22 prohibiting them from expressing their gender identity.

According to a posting on the Human Rights Watch website, the trio are asking the court to strike down a state law that “prohibits any male person who in any public place wears a woman’s attire or poses as a woman,” – this law has allegedly been used repeatedly to arrest transgender women.

All three petitioners, who identify themselves as female but are described as “male” on their national identification cards, have been arrested solely because they dress in attire that state religious officials deem to be “female.”

According to Neela Ghoshal, who is a senior researcher on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights (LGBT) at Human Rights Watch, transgender women in Malaysia faced a daily risk of arrest just for being themselves.

“The government shouldn’t be harassing and punishing transgender people just for peacefully going about their lives,” she said.
Based on a research conducted by the Human Rights Watch this January in four Malaysian states and Kuala Lumpur it was revealed that state religious department officials and police have subjected transgender women to various abuses, including sexual and physical assault, extortion, and violations of privacy rights.

Most of those arrested receive hefty fines and are forced into “counseling” sessions where officials from the state Islamic Religious Department lecture them on “being a man,” while a few have been sent to prison.

The applicants’ lawyer, Aston Paiva told Human Rights Watch that people were being criminalised
because of something they did not choose and cannot change.

“It’s akin to penalising someone for the color of their skin. It’s a civil rights issue. It’s about harming a person’s dignity, and devaluing and degrading them because of who they are,” he said.

The applicants first challenged the constitutionality of the state laws with the Negeri Sembilan High Court in February 2011.
The judge rejected their application in October 2012 on the grounds that the petitioners, as Muslims, were bound by state Sharia law and that constitutional provisions protecting fundamental liberties were therefore irrelevant.

Nisha Ayub of Justice for Sisters, a transgender activist group, said this was a very important case for all transgender women in Malaysia.

“The court has the chance to make clear that we are entitled to the same constitutional rights as other Malaysians.”

Transgender women told Human Rights Watch that police were sometimes directly involved in arrests, in some cases based on a vague provision in the federal criminal code that prohibits “indecent offenses.”

“The authorities’ abuses against transgender women are an assault on human dignity and violate their basic rights.
“It’s horrifying to hear about religious department officials stripping transgender women in front of cameras, poking and prodding at their genitals, and punching them,” said Ghoshal.


An official from the federal Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), who spoke to Human Rights Watch on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that arresting or punishing anyone is not going to change them.

“However, the department has remained silent on the abuses carried out by state religious departments,”.

A Health Ministry report, submitted as part of an affidavit by a non-governmental health organisation in Malaysia, stated that laws prohibiting cross-dressing had a negative impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS by driving underground the transgender community, considered among the most at-risk population for HIV infection.

If the appeal is denied, the applicants could take their case to the Federal Court, the country’s highest appeals court.
“If the Court of Appeal hearing is successful, and the applicants are allowed to be who they are, it will be a triumph for citizens of Malaysia to actually see justice being served,” said Ratna Osman, executive director of Sisters in Islam.

“Such a decision would be in accordance with the Constitution, and also the basic Islamic principles to uphold human dignity.”

An open letter to Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (and those in the hudud committee)

Zaid Ibrahim, The Malaysian Insider

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad is a member of the PAS central working committee. He is an articulate and pleasant man whom PAS uses regularly to show that it is a moderate party.

He wrote an open letter a few days ago addressed to all Malaysians. This letter, which was carried on The Malaysian Insider, addressed the topic of why PAS has not fundamentally changed despite developments related to its Hudud Plan.

PAS conceived the Hudud Plan to overcome restrictions to the implementation of the Kelantan Shariah Criminal Code (II) Enactment 1993 by removing limitations imposed by Federal law – namely, the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 – which limit sentences that Shariah courts can legally impose on offences within its jurisdiction.

The idea is that, with the removal of the limitations, PAS will be free to implement hudud, even including the amputation of limbs.

Dr Dzulkefly has taken pains to reassure Malaysians that PAS has not changed from what he described as a political party full of ideals. He says that the party is still committed to the Islamic ideal of a “Benevolent State” and that PAS is a party for all Malaysians and is committed to justice for all, despite its attempt to implement the Hudud Plan.

The reason he has had to pen such a letter is because he realises that PAS has suffered a great deal in pushing for the Hudud Plan, and by withdrawing the plan he thinks Malaysians will forgive his party.

Dr Dzulkefly is someone I know reasonably well because we use to be in forums together in the days when I was active in politics. I remember him telling an audience in Melbourne that he was convinced PAS was a reformist party and that he – not some extremist group within the party – presented the face of the “real” PAS.

Of course I knew that this was untrue. He was not the face of the real PAS and I did not contradict him then, but I will do so now.

The real PAS wants an Islamic theocracy. It wants to implement Islamic laws and hudud. Indeed, the real PAS has not changed that aspiration since its inception. Dr Dzulkefly and others like him are the veneer of a “moderate” PAS but they are the minority in the party. They do not represent the real PAS.

Dr Dzulkefly and others like him are useful to the party when it comes to attracting urban voters with Islamic aspirations, but when PAS passed a unanimous resolution to implement hudud at its most recent congress, where was Dr Dzulkefly and the other moderates?

Dr Dzulkefly clutches at straws to defend the introduction of the Hudud Bill. He makes reference to the party’s obligation to fulfil its “mandate” to the people of Kelantan. But there was no such mandate given to PAS. PAS did not explicitly make the introduction of hudud a principal platform in its manifesto for the last general election.

So far, PAS has used hudud only as a way to differentiate its position from Umno, to revitalise the party from time to time, and as an outlet for conservative elements to assert themselves. Please do not drag the people of Kelantan into this political game.

Dr Dzulkefly confesses that, because the full force of Islamic punishment like hudud cannot be imposed by the Shariah Court due to Federal legal limitations, he feels deprived. He suggests that Muslims are prevented from practising their faith simply because some aspects of hudud punishment can’t be carried out.

But if what he says is true, then hundreds of millions of Muslims all over the world must all feel similarly deprived because they too are practising their faith without hudud.

I’d have thought that a universal PAS man like Dr Dzulkefly would be gutted to impose Islamic laws in the country when there were also many others (Muslims and non-Muslims) in the country who were satisfied with the man-made laws promulgated during Merdeka and the formation of Malaysia.

Shouldn’t the universal man in him feel he should honour the Merdeka pact with other Malaysians, instead of just worrying about how his faith is somehow impaired without hudud?

Instead, Dr Dzulkefly says that hudud is a legitimate aspiration of PAS and its followers as part of the larger commitment to the Shariah. I have no issue with anyone having aspirations of any kind. However, the one thing that we must have in promoting our aspirations to the people is honesty in the idea itself.

If PAS is sincere in all aspects of implementing Islamic law and hudud, it should have had its technical committee formed 20 years ago when it first passed hudud into law. Despite its zeal, it should have thought about the effects and ramifications of hudud on the people before passing the law, instead of worrying about it now.

Does it make sense to the people of this country that PAS wanted to implement hudud in 1993 and passed a law to that effect – but then decided to form a technical committee with Umno to study its implementation only in 2014?

If PAS is sincere, it will tell Malaysians that the implementation of Islamic law will require fundamental constitutional changes and a complete tearing down of our existing basic law – democracy, our freedoms and way of life as guaranteed by the constitution will no longer be part of the system.

Dr Dzulkefly must tell us what the implications are for non-Muslims living in this Islamic state, and for Muslims too. PAS has to tell us the number of “moral enforcers” (the new police force) that will patrol and monitor our lives in every corner, waiting to arrest us for any possible offence (which will be many, since it will be a society free of all sin).

PAS will have to tell the people of this country that there will be a new legal system and that the civil courts (if they still exist) will be subservient to Islamic law. It must tell Malaysians that the Penal Code will be replaced with a new Islamic Code. It must tell Malaysians that even the judges, and the way we appoint them, will be different.

All judges must be Muslim. In other words, Malaysia will go back in time; from the 21st century to the 7th. We must tell the people the whole truth. It’s not being truthful if we hide the vision of this new country from the people by only using pretty phrases and slogans of justice.

I expect honesty from our leaders in whatever ideas they have. They must not hide their true plans for gaining power just by using sweet slogans. If Malaysians need a new system to replace the current one, whether legal or economic, they must be told in detail what the new system will be.

Do not couch things in vague concepts to sell political products. What is the Islamic concept of the Benevolent State in practical terms? If Islam is for all, as is always trumpeted, then why is hudud to be implemented only in Kelantan and only for Kelantanese Muslims?

Why is there a need for political calculations? Suddenly we have experts saying that even the Rulers are subject to hudud but the 1993 law did not say so. The people must know the details; and if, for whatever reason that I might not comprehend, they want to change and follow PAS in all these reforms, by all means go ahead.

Malay leaders are seldom forthright and candid in their views when dealing with the people. Umno uses race and religion to put fear in the Malays, and in doing so it divides and polarises the country. PAS is no different, except it uses religion.

PAS sells concepts like the Islamic State, “Islam for All” and so forth, under the banner of Islamic justice and yet it conveniently excludes non-Muslims when it discusses the impact of such measures. The party touts ideas like the Benevolent State without even telling us in detail what it means in terms of governance.

Can PAS show how “Islamic governance” or “Islamic economics” (or Islamic law for that matter) in Kelantan is materially different from what was practised in the BN states for the past 23 years? How is the “Islamic version” a source of inspiration? I doubt if PAS has anything to show for this other than slogans and dress codes.

I take this opportunity to appeal to all Malaysians with this open letter. We live peacefully today because of the present system. Our economic development has been unimpeded because we have had the same system since 1957.

Our democracy, although flawed, and the principle of separation between religion and the affairs of state (a principle now under severe attack) forms the constitutional and legal basis of our country. This must be protected at all costs.

The alternative, no matter how sweet the sound and how noble the principle, seems to be a stone’s throw from despotism and authoritarian rule.

The issue is not just a question of implementing a new criminal law. It involves the much wider question of whether we want to replace the current system, under which Muslims and non-Muslims agree by consensus to the laws that govern us all, with a new system where only Muslims decide the laws of this country.

That’s the real issue. – The Zaidgeist, May 14, 2014.

* Datuk Zaid Ibrahim is a lawyer and was also a minister in the former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration.

Some observations about the Terengganu drama

What was supposed to be a quick change of leadership in Terengganu has now blown into a full crisis for Barisan Nasional (BN), which could still lose the oil-rich state to their political foes unless all Umno assemblymen pledge loyalty to the state government.

Here are some observations of the last two days when Datuk Seri Ahmad Said's (pic) resignation letter as menteri besar snowballed into him and two other Umno state lawmakers quitting the party. One is said to have returned to the fold.

1) Najib is weak

Let's be honest. If Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was strong and if he was feared in his own party, Ahmad Said and the other state assemblymen would think many times before holding Umno/BN to ransom.

But as it stands today, he is viewed as weak by everyone, from the motormouths at Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) to royal households throughout the country.

They know that Najib is indecisive, unable to use the powers of incumbency to exert control and seemingly incapable of sparking a feel-good feeling about his administration across Malaysia.

The end result: even a small-time local politician named Ahmad Said can thumb his nose at Najib.

2) Remember the Perak power grab

If the roles were reversed, it would be reasonable to expect that some Umno bigwigs would be beating a path to the palace, claiming that Umno's representative should be installed as the new Menteri Besar and that BN be allowed to take control of the state assembly ala Perak.

You can bet that all legal precedents would have been thrown out as was the case in Perak and that Umno would be in charge by now.

By contrast, PAS and DAP are asking for fresh polls; seeking to go back to the people for a mandate.

3) Prima donna politicians

Is it a case of egos? Was Najib trying to show he has the testicular fortitude to stare down a menteri besar without even considering that Malay customs and social culture dictate some niceties?

And what about Ahmad Said? Was he so embarrassed to what was tantamount to a sacking days before hosting a wedding feast for his daughter that pushed him to bring a government down?

It would appear that Umno politicians believe they are bigger than the party, or the government or the people that they serve. It is all about their interests and agendas.

But between these two alpha males of sorts, who will back down now in the interest of the party? Or can Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin save the day for Umno?

If not, how much would it take to get the independents back to Umno?

4) Umno needs to out-crisis Pakatan?

Just as the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties were trying to paper over cracks caused by the hudud issue, Umno had to implode with the Terengganu crisis.

The pressure was on PR to head off an ideological split similar to the one that broke Barisan Alternatif in 2001 when PAS insisted on pushing for hudud laws despite protest from the DAP.

Just days after PAS relented to shelve the idea, Umno had to spark a crisis by removing Ahmad Said in what would appear to be unholy haste.

Was Umno's timing just bad or the leadership was clueless at Ahmad Said's resolve to keep the top state post? – May 14, 2014.

Terengganu crisis: Situation in similar to Perak in 2009, say law experts

The Star
by TAN YI LIANG

PETALING JAYA: The situation in the Terengganu state assembly – with three assemblymen leaving Umno and declaring themselves independents – is somewhat similar to that which took place in Perak in 2009, according to legal experts.

“This situation is somewhat reminiscent of the Perak crisis in 2009. However, therein arises the issue of whether the new Menteri Besar and the present state government enjoys or continues to enjoy the confidence and support of the majority of the State Assembly,” said Malaysian Bar Council president Christopher Leong.

He added that the current situation would be an issue for the state assembly.

“It is for the state assembly to determine, through a vote of confidence or no confidence. It is only after such a vote that the Sultan would be able to ascertain who enjoys the confidence of the state assembly,” said Leong.

He added that ordinarily, the Sultan would only resort to other means to determine this issue if the State Assembly was unable to take such a vote.

“In such an instance, the state constitution may also provide for a dissolution of the state assembly at the request of the Mentri Besar,” said Leong.

He added that is such a situation, any discretion or decision exercised must reflect the will of the people.

“If to do so requires a dissolution of the State Assembly, then it should be done,” said Leong.

The three Terengganu assemblymen who quit Umno to become independents are former menteri besar and Kijal assemblyman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said and assemblymen Ghazali Taib (Ajil) and Roslee Daud (Bukit Besi).

In the Perak crisis in 2009, three Pakatan Rakyat representatives, Deputy Speaker Hee Yit Foong (DAP-Jelapang), senior state Executive Council member Jamaluddin Mohd. Radzi (PKR-Changkat Jering) and Osman Jailu (PKR-Behrang) quit their respective parties and became Barisan Nasional-friendly independents.

Similar views were shared by constitutional law expert Syahredzan Johan, however he said the Terengganu situation had not become like Perak yet.

“It has not come to a Perak situation yet, but it may come to that. We do not know how the three who left Umno are aligned,” said Syahredzan.

He said that a successful vote of no confidence does not require the independent assemblymen joining a Pakatan Rakyat party.

“They just have to state that they do not support the Mentri Besar,” said Syahredzan

He added that if the vote of no confidence is moved in the State Assembly and the Mentri Besar loses the vote, he only has two choices, one of them being to seek an audience with the Sultan to dissolve the State Assembly and call for fresh state elections.

“The other is to resign his position along with the other state executive councilors. If the second option is chosen, the Sultan has to choose a Menteri Besar who has the support of the majority of the State Assembly,” said Syahredzan.

He said that following the Federal Court decision following the Perak crisis, support for a Mentri Besar can be determined by methods outside the State Assembly, not necessarily a vote of no confidence.

“Also following that decision, if the Mentri Besar and executive council do not resign following the loss of support, their posts are deemed vacant,” said Syahredzan.

When contacted, constitutional lawyer Edmund Bon said that the 15 Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen and the independents now have the opportunity to table a vote of no confidence in the State Assembly to see whether the Mentri Besar commands the majority of support.

“And if the vote of no confidence is passed by the Pakatan assemblymen and the two independents, the Mentri Besar must tender his resignation before the Sultan,” said Bon.

He added that while the Sultan has a free hand, it must be subject to his assessment that the new Menteri Besar commands the confidence of the majority of the State Assembly.

“If the numbers are 15:15 and three, that means the BN government is the minority government. but the discretion to appoint the MB vests absolutely with the Sultan,” said Bon.

On Monday, Ahmad Said quit the party hours after he was replaced by Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman as Terengganu Mentri Besar.

The former Mentri Besar and Kijal assemblyman was soon joined by Ajil assemblyman Ghazali Taib to become independent representatives. On Tuesday morning, Bukit Besi assemblyman Roslee Daud quit Umno.

The latest developments leave Barisan Nasional with 14 state seats, one fewer than Pakatan Rakyat's 15 in the 32-seat assembly.

However, state legal advisor Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid has maintained that the state assembly Speaker was counted as a representative of the ruling state government, giving an equation of 15:15:3.

In the 13th General Election, Barisan won 17 state seats against Pakatan Rakyat's 15, and managed to win half of the eight Parliamentary seats in the state.

Seberang Takir assemblyman Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman was sworn in as the new Mentri Besar before Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at Istana Syarqiyyah in Cendering here at 9.25pm on Monday.

Malaysia Needs To Re-strategise Subsidies For Less Fortunate - Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak believes Malaysia needs to effectively re-strategise subsidies for the less fortunate in the country.

"I agree with the World Bank that Malaysia needs to effectively re-strategise subsidies for the less fortunate," the Prime Minister said in his Twitter Wednesday night.

Najib was commenting on a Bloomberg report entitled 'Fuel Subsidies May Prevent Spending on Poorest, World Bank Says'.

The report said energy subsidies might be preventing governments from Egypt to Malaysia from spending enough on social programmes that would help the poor.

Fuel subsidies were the highest in the Middle East and North Africa, where they account for more than 4 per cent of gross domestic product, the World Bank said in a report released today.

This was against 1 per cent of GDP spent on social safety net programes such as conditional cash transfers, the report said.