Monday 1 September 2014
Gaza Strip: ISIS Intent on Palestine and Murder of Jews
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is the organization that has quickly gained control of vast areas of Syria and Iraq using no-holds-barred tactics such as beheadings, kidnappings, and bombings, has now declared that one of its goals is “to fight the barbaric Jews and kill those of them hiding behind the gharqad trees, the trees of the jews.” Ghargad is a small bush the grows on desert sand dunes. In order to commit such murder, ISIS said it will first “do everything within its means to continue striking down every apostate who stands as an obstacle on its path towards Palestine.” This area is composed of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, as well as other places.
The intent of the group to take control of Palestine is shored up by media reports that ISIS cells are forming inside the Gaza Strip. Moreover, its intent to murder Jews was advertised last month when hooded ISIS members chanted “Death to Jews” at a protest in The Netherlands.
Inflammatory statements appeared in ISIS’ new, slick English language publication, Dabiq, which is geared toward young Muslims in Western states. The New Republic said the magazine “looks like a New York glossy with pictures of mutilated bodies.” Unlike other militant recruiting publications (i.e. Al Qaeda’s Inspire), Dabiq avoids religious text and relies on calls-to-action that sound contemporary, and therefore, digestible for young recruits hoping for a chance to die for their cause. It also prominently displays front-and-center writings about a coming apocalypse.
The magazine declares ISIS’ “commitment to making the religion of Allah triumphant over all other religions” and that ISIS’ fighters will continue “until we die trying to make the religion triumphant.” With major victories on either side of the Euphrates River, ISIS has claimed vast swaths of territory for the Islamic State it wishes to create in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere.
ISIS became very present in the Western consciousness when it recently published a video of James Foley, an American journalist, being executed. Estimates are that up to one-half of the people in ISIS’ ranks are from the West. The top suspect in Foley’s death–the man believed to have beheaded him–is a British rapper nicknamed “Jihadi John” by his ISIS colleagues.
Dabiq does not publish Arab poetry, as previous jihadist publications have. It is written, instead, in simple English, a language that young Muslims in the United States or Europe can relate to. Its latest (second) issue implores readers to perform hijrah, or to travel “from the state of the infidel to the state of Islam.”
Dabiq shows branding sophistication in its obvious desire to appeal to its target audience via using a slick format and many graphic illustrations. High quality photographs show ghastly executions and jihadists on battlefields. The terrorist acts that are described are rationalized in the magazine by ISIS’ overall goal of creating a caliphate, or a country ruled over by a strict and horrifying interpretation of Islamic Law, or Sharia. Intent as it is on Palestine, Dabiq offers the promise of the murder of Jews as a recruiting enticement.
The leader, or caliph, of ISIS is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who has been criticized for not helping Palestinian civilians from being killed in the recent hostilities with Israel in the Gaza Strip. His new magazine states that, unlike the empty words of Arab nations who say much and act little, theirs should not be taken lightly.
In addition to its giant presence in war-torn Syria, the Sunni-dominated ISIS also stormed across Iraq recently, conquering Sunni cities and, according to the United Nations, driving over one million people from their homes and committing murder upon an untold number of Jews, as well as other ethnicities. In an episode reminiscent to the homes of Jews being marked in 1930s Germany, ISIS showed its intent by marking the homes of Christians in Mosul with a “N” for Nazarene. ISIS then forcibly removed all Christians from their homes and destroyed all of the local Christian institutions. For ISIS, it is Palestine or bust, apparently.
Opinion By Gregory Baskin
Rotherham child sex scandal resulted in 100 babies as abuse victim reveals she fell pregnant TWICE
 |
| Young: Jane with her baby in hospital |
Teenage girls raped in the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal gave birth to more than 100 babies.
Scores more children as young as 13 miscarried or were forced to have abortions after attacks by Asian gangs on 1,400 girls.
One victim, who got pregnant TWICE to the same attacker, said: “I was groomed and abused, but the police took no action.”
The vulnerable youngster had an abortion at just 14 when her abuser threatened to have her killed if she gave birth to his baby.
Then he made her pregnant again just six months later – and allowed her to keep her child, but only if she became a Muslim.
Now a mother in her 30s, she told the Sunday Mirror how she was also TWICE failed by police who refused to investigate the attacks on her.
The woman, who we are calling Jane to protect her identity, said: “I know now I was groomed and abused, but back then, I was confused. Now I want to tell my story to help other girls like me. There are so many of us suffering in silence.”
Jane is just one of more than 100 victims who gave birth to their rapists’ babies as 1,400 girls were groomed, abused and raped in the South Yorkshire town from 1997 to 2013.
Some babies were kept by their young mothers while many were forcibly adopted and are now themselves in the care system.
The heartbreaking legacy of the scandal that has left a new generation of children’s lives blighted for ever is revealed deep in the shock independent report into Rotherham published last week.
Read More: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rotherham-child-sex-scandal-resulted-4137542
A meaningful Merdeka Day for me!
I am so happy today. It is a real Merdekal Day
for me. My first book in the beautiful Bahasa Malaysia and my fifth on
Malaysian Cultural Studies will be out soon, entitled 'Kalimah Allah
Milik Siapa?: Renungan dan Nukilan Tentang Malaysia di Era Pancaroba',
due to be out in the Malaysian bookstores by Merdeka Day. I am elated.
A
few months ago, when I was working on it, I wrote these, I am sharing
with you wonderful and supportive readers since eight year ago when I
first started writing for Malaysiakini. Here it goes:
My greatest moment of joy, in my years of writing, will be for my ideas to be translated into the Malay Language. I have often told myself that I will one day find that moment to celebrate - I think this will be the moment.
To me, there is a sense of awe, mystery, magic and humility in this beautiful language I find enchanting as an effort to convey my ideas to Malay-speaking readers. I grew up in this language and my social and inner reality was constructed out of the tools and materials, artifacts and consciousness, offered by it.
This language will always be the beautiful bridge that connects me to the person I loved most in my life: my mother. She passed on a few years ago. My only regret is she did not get the chance to understand what I have been writing all these years.
Language constructs reality, alters it, shapes, it deconstructs it, or even destroys it to have it evolve into a karmic cycle. Throughout my life, my worldviews have vacillated and oscillated between these two worlds. I think in both languages and direct my consciousness to act in the worldviews of both.
There is a challenge, however. I write better in the English Language having been schooled in it since the day I set foot in an English-medium school in Johor Baru: Sekolah Temenggong Abdul Rahman 1.
The
challenge is to express my thoughts to others in the Malay Language and
to convey the meaning as accurately as I can by using metaphors,
similes, examples, extrapolations, and clarifications in the Malay
Language. The biggest challenge is to convey anthropological,
philosophical, philological, and technological ideas to a speaker of the
Malay Language.
In the case of my writings on the 'Allah Controversy', how, for example would the English language be able to fully convey the ideas of the nature and attributes of God when words such as 'ujud, qidam, baqa', muha-lafatuhu lil hawadis, walqiamuhu binafsih wahdaniat, kudrat, iradat, ilm, hayat, sama' basar, qalam...' of 'ruh, jasad, zat, sifat', of the concepts addressing complexity of the 'ilmu kalam', and so on and so forth are to be translated or transliterated into the English Language?
What about words such as 'nafs ammarah lawammah, suriyah, mutmainnah' to be understood as the evolutionary and vacillationary stages of anger? This is the complexity and the daunting-ness of the works in translations.
My thoughts are essentially Western-centric
This is the dilemma. My thoughts are essentially 'Western-centric' and my hopes are to get the ideas to the world of those who are 'Eastern-centric', with the goal of coming to an agreement of the universality of the ideas on politics, education, semiotics, cybernetics, and spirituality.
I have never given up on this hope, although I have found it daunting to think how Malaysian readers well-versed in the beautiful and aesthetically pleasing Malay Language can grasp the meaning of my ideas presented in the functional and technologically-inspired English Language. I know that it is not merely a 'translation', whether direct, or in 'spirit'; it is a complex cognitive process of 'shifting, vacillating and oscillating' world views.
Countless times I have been asked to have my writings translated, so that "the Malays can benefit from my calls for change" as it is often said, and my commitment to share what I believe a beautiful country such as Malaysia ought to evolve into, given ideas of ethics, creativity and futurism drawn essentially from a 'Western-centric' point of view.
I know I will one day honour that request. I know that what I have been sharing will reach the minds of the Malay-speaking readers. That moment has arrived - with my first book in the Malay Language. I could not have done this with the excellent work done by Pauline Fan, who I believe is one of the best translators to be able to read my vacillating-oscillating thoughts well, having also been the editor of two of my previous books.
I know that my mother will be proud of what I have been doing and from where she is now, looking at me in the eyes with the look of the profundity of love, she too will read the artifacts of my mind, with ease.
Given
a good translator, my dream of not being lost in translation will
became a reality. The moment has arrived - with my first book in the
Malay Language. I could not have done this with the excellent work done
by Pauline, a fellow columnist Bahasa Malaysia section and a cultural
activist.
Our work is collaborative with the support from my excellent and most efficient publisher Gerakbudaya, which has faith in my writings and have published the two previous works, 'The Allah Controversy', and 'Dark Spring'. Needless to say my gratitude to Malaysiakini for letting me share my views, for social improvement, for the last eight years,
I hope I have honoured the request of many of my readers who have given me the encouragement to write, and whose words of praise have humbled me.
Till then, here is poem I wrote for my mother:
Mother's Day
Mother
I am at a loss for words
I could just write “Words cannot describe my love for you.
Thank you for everything …”
Like everybody said
In those cards, those poems, those moments of well-wishing
I could just say that
And wait for another year.
Another celebration.
At each and every breath I take
As each and every thought of every veins in my body that makes me stay awake
Each and every cell I bathe with mantras to
Each and every corner of your womb my eyes glanced through
I want to say “thank you …”
But that would be ordinary
As others too have wished.
Maybe I could send you a card
A prayer to your soul
And remind you of a memory of me when I was a child
And tell you where I have been as I walk on this world they called “maya”
I could tell you now what you meant by the path of righteousness
The path I took
The road not taken
That may have made a difference
But mother, on this day of yours
Those would be ordinary.
I am at a loss for words
Unless my thoughts and my words are in the Jawi you know
I could write about the days when I was a child
Fighting demons
Strange creatures in my mind
Out to destroy our kampong
I fought them alone
None will ever know
On those trees
In the rivers
In the room I locked myself in
No one knew . Not even you.
I could write all those on Mother’s Day
But those would be ordinary stories.
Mother, on this day I must confess
That I was an existentialist as early as when I started to:
Climb that tree
Sneaked out of that wooden back door
Jumped out of those old Javanese looking windows
Roamed the city alone in my Japanese slippers
Walked along the huge huge water pipes that lead to Singapore city.
I was an existentialist, mother.
I cared about the Universe
But did the Universe care about me?
I wanted to tell you all these
On Mother’s Day back in the day
But my story would be ordinary.
Plain ordinary.
You combed my hair daily
Laced it with Brylcreem
Masked me with Cuticura talcum powder
Tucked my shirt well into my neatly pressed pants,
You held my hand everywhere I go
Afraid that the world would take me away
You held my hand tight as we crossed roads
Afraid that I would come to multiple crossroads
I wanted to tell you all these Mother.
On the following Mother’s Day.
Back in the day.
Ordinary story to me.
Mother you are sweet
You said I had beautiful eyes
Those eyelashes too
Eyes that came from the depth of the night
Somewhere you and I may know
I saw you smile
When many came to look at my eyes
But what have those eyes seen now?
I don’t know how to say “Happy Mother’s Day”
That would be too ordinary to you and me.
I can only feel everyday is your day .
Though for many years I was sent away.
Like an anarkin.
DR AZLY RAHMAN, born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York City) doctorate in International Education Development and Masters degrees in four areas: Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 350 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience in Malaysia and the United States spans over a wide range of subjects, from elementary to graduate education. He has edited and authored four books; Multiethnic Malaysia: Past, Present, Future (2009), Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State (2012), The Allah Controversy and Other Essays on Malaysian Hypermodernity (2013), and the latest Dark Spring: Ideological Roots of Malaysia's GE-13 (2013). He currently resides in the United States. Twitter, blog.
A
few months ago, when I was working on it, I wrote these, I am sharing
with you wonderful and supportive readers since eight year ago when I
first started writing for Malaysiakini. Here it goes:My greatest moment of joy, in my years of writing, will be for my ideas to be translated into the Malay Language. I have often told myself that I will one day find that moment to celebrate - I think this will be the moment.
To me, there is a sense of awe, mystery, magic and humility in this beautiful language I find enchanting as an effort to convey my ideas to Malay-speaking readers. I grew up in this language and my social and inner reality was constructed out of the tools and materials, artifacts and consciousness, offered by it.
This language will always be the beautiful bridge that connects me to the person I loved most in my life: my mother. She passed on a few years ago. My only regret is she did not get the chance to understand what I have been writing all these years.
Language constructs reality, alters it, shapes, it deconstructs it, or even destroys it to have it evolve into a karmic cycle. Throughout my life, my worldviews have vacillated and oscillated between these two worlds. I think in both languages and direct my consciousness to act in the worldviews of both.
There is a challenge, however. I write better in the English Language having been schooled in it since the day I set foot in an English-medium school in Johor Baru: Sekolah Temenggong Abdul Rahman 1.
The
challenge is to express my thoughts to others in the Malay Language and
to convey the meaning as accurately as I can by using metaphors,
similes, examples, extrapolations, and clarifications in the Malay
Language. The biggest challenge is to convey anthropological,
philosophical, philological, and technological ideas to a speaker of the
Malay Language.In the case of my writings on the 'Allah Controversy', how, for example would the English language be able to fully convey the ideas of the nature and attributes of God when words such as 'ujud, qidam, baqa', muha-lafatuhu lil hawadis, walqiamuhu binafsih wahdaniat, kudrat, iradat, ilm, hayat, sama' basar, qalam...' of 'ruh, jasad, zat, sifat', of the concepts addressing complexity of the 'ilmu kalam', and so on and so forth are to be translated or transliterated into the English Language?
What about words such as 'nafs ammarah lawammah, suriyah, mutmainnah' to be understood as the evolutionary and vacillationary stages of anger? This is the complexity and the daunting-ness of the works in translations.
My thoughts are essentially Western-centric
This is the dilemma. My thoughts are essentially 'Western-centric' and my hopes are to get the ideas to the world of those who are 'Eastern-centric', with the goal of coming to an agreement of the universality of the ideas on politics, education, semiotics, cybernetics, and spirituality.
I have never given up on this hope, although I have found it daunting to think how Malaysian readers well-versed in the beautiful and aesthetically pleasing Malay Language can grasp the meaning of my ideas presented in the functional and technologically-inspired English Language. I know that it is not merely a 'translation', whether direct, or in 'spirit'; it is a complex cognitive process of 'shifting, vacillating and oscillating' world views.
Countless times I have been asked to have my writings translated, so that "the Malays can benefit from my calls for change" as it is often said, and my commitment to share what I believe a beautiful country such as Malaysia ought to evolve into, given ideas of ethics, creativity and futurism drawn essentially from a 'Western-centric' point of view.
I know I will one day honour that request. I know that what I have been sharing will reach the minds of the Malay-speaking readers. That moment has arrived - with my first book in the Malay Language. I could not have done this with the excellent work done by Pauline Fan, who I believe is one of the best translators to be able to read my vacillating-oscillating thoughts well, having also been the editor of two of my previous books.
I know that my mother will be proud of what I have been doing and from where she is now, looking at me in the eyes with the look of the profundity of love, she too will read the artifacts of my mind, with ease.
Given
a good translator, my dream of not being lost in translation will
became a reality. The moment has arrived - with my first book in the
Malay Language. I could not have done this with the excellent work done
by Pauline, a fellow columnist Bahasa Malaysia section and a cultural
activist. Our work is collaborative with the support from my excellent and most efficient publisher Gerakbudaya, which has faith in my writings and have published the two previous works, 'The Allah Controversy', and 'Dark Spring'. Needless to say my gratitude to Malaysiakini for letting me share my views, for social improvement, for the last eight years,
I hope I have honoured the request of many of my readers who have given me the encouragement to write, and whose words of praise have humbled me.
Till then, here is poem I wrote for my mother:
Mother's Day
Mother
I am at a loss for words
I could just write “Words cannot describe my love for you.
Thank you for everything …”
Like everybody said
In those cards, those poems, those moments of well-wishing
I could just say that
And wait for another year.
Another celebration.
At each and every breath I take
As each and every thought of every veins in my body that makes me stay awake
Each and every cell I bathe with mantras to
Each and every corner of your womb my eyes glanced through
I want to say “thank you …”
But that would be ordinary
As others too have wished.
Maybe I could send you a card
A prayer to your soul
And remind you of a memory of me when I was a child
And tell you where I have been as I walk on this world they called “maya”
I could tell you now what you meant by the path of righteousness
The path I took
The road not taken
That may have made a difference
But mother, on this day of yours
Those would be ordinary.
I am at a loss for words
Unless my thoughts and my words are in the Jawi you know
I could write about the days when I was a child
Fighting demons
Strange creatures in my mind
Out to destroy our kampong
I fought them alone
None will ever know
On those trees
In the rivers
In the room I locked myself in
No one knew . Not even you.
I could write all those on Mother’s Day
But those would be ordinary stories.
Mother, on this day I must confess
That I was an existentialist as early as when I started to:
Climb that tree
Sneaked out of that wooden back door
Jumped out of those old Javanese looking windows
Roamed the city alone in my Japanese slippers
Walked along the huge huge water pipes that lead to Singapore city.
I was an existentialist, mother.
I cared about the Universe
But did the Universe care about me?
I wanted to tell you all these
On Mother’s Day back in the day
But my story would be ordinary.
Plain ordinary.
You combed my hair daily
Laced it with Brylcreem
Masked me with Cuticura talcum powder
Tucked my shirt well into my neatly pressed pants,
You held my hand everywhere I go
Afraid that the world would take me away
You held my hand tight as we crossed roads
Afraid that I would come to multiple crossroads
I wanted to tell you all these Mother.
On the following Mother’s Day.
Back in the day.
Ordinary story to me.
Mother you are sweet
You said I had beautiful eyes
Those eyelashes too
Eyes that came from the depth of the night
Somewhere you and I may know
I saw you smile
When many came to look at my eyes
But what have those eyes seen now?
I don’t know how to say “Happy Mother’s Day”
That would be too ordinary to you and me.
I can only feel everyday is your day .
Though for many years I was sent away.
Like an anarkin.
DR AZLY RAHMAN, born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York City) doctorate in International Education Development and Masters degrees in four areas: Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 350 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience in Malaysia and the United States spans over a wide range of subjects, from elementary to graduate education. He has edited and authored four books; Multiethnic Malaysia: Past, Present, Future (2009), Thesis on Cyberjaya: Hegemony and Utopianism in a Southeast Asian State (2012), The Allah Controversy and Other Essays on Malaysian Hypermodernity (2013), and the latest Dark Spring: Ideological Roots of Malaysia's GE-13 (2013). He currently resides in the United States. Twitter, blog.
Police chief wants probe on tweets insulting him - Malaysiakini
Khalid posted screenshots in his own Twitter account of two individuals who tagged Khalid with insulting messages directed at the police chief.
Although
the reason for their outburst is unclear but it could be related to the
police's action against the Penang Voluntary Unit (PPS) earlier today.In both Twitter postings, Khalid mentioned PCIRC and requested that action be taken against them.
In one posting, a man tagged Khalid and called him "anjing BN" (BN dog), while another posted, "Thanks to ruthless (Khalid), Henrich Himmler of Malaysia."
Khalid said the first individual he mentioned was being "insolent" against the IGP and subsequently requested action against the other Twitter user.
Cyber response team starts probe
In a statement posted on its Facebook, the PCIRC said that it would investigate the two individuals, though it did not specify under what sections.
"The
Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre will take action and conduct
investigations on individuals who issue statements that insult PDRM
through social media.”It also posted the screenshots of the two Twitter postings to help identify the individuals behind it.
Khalid had earlier today ordered the police to take action against PPS, and currently 154 of them have been detained by Penang police, despite the state government's insistence that PPS is a legal state agency.
The police chief had argued that PPS is not registered under the Societies Act and thus it is an illegal organisation.
Selagi sejarah Merdeka ditipu, Malaysia tidak akan ke depan
Hari ini, genaplah 57 tahun rakyat Malaysia ditipu Malaya merdeka tanpa darah.
Selama 57 tahun juga kita diberitahu hanya Umno, MCA dan MIC sahaja yang membebaskan Malaya daripada penjajahan British.
Sedangkan, kemerdekaan Malaya pada 31 Ogos, 1957 mempunyai kisah dan cerita yang lebih besar daripada itu.
Penjajah British tidak akan memulakan rundingan kemerdekaan dengan Tunku Abdul Rahman jika tiada perjuangan mengangkat senjata melawan mereka di Malaya.
Terlalu banyak darah yang sudah ditumpahkan dan nyawa yang melayang sebelum bendera Union Jack diturunkan di Dataran Merdeka 57 tahun lalu.
Kita perlu jelas perjuangan mengangkat senjata rakyat Malaya yang bermula pada tahun 1948 itu berlaku selepas British mengisytiharkan darurat dan mengharamkan pertubuhan-pertubuhan politik kiri seperti Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API), Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS), Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) dan banyak lagi.
Mengapa pertubuhan-pertubuhan ini diharamkan?
Kerana mereka mahu kemerdekaan 100% bagi Malaya.
Mereka mahu British keluar dan tidak lagi mengaut kekayaan ekonomi tanah ini.
Mereka juga mahu Malaya diperintah orang-orang dari tanah ini tanpa mengikut telunjuk British. Ini di antara sebab British memerangi mereka habis-habisan.
Kita perlu tahu parti politik pertama orang-orang Melayu adalah PKMM dan bukannya United Malay National Organisation (Umno).
PKMM yang ditubuhkan pada 17 Oktober 1945 juga merupakan parti Melayu pertama dan melaungkan slogan merdeka lebih awal daripada Umno.
10 tahun sebelum merdeka, sudah wujud sebuah pertubuhan politik berbilang kaum dan progresif Putera-AMCJA yang jika berjaya memerintah negara pada ketika itu, akan memusnahkan politik perkauman ciptaan British.
Perlu diingat, pada ketika itu konsep Melayu masih lagi diperdebatkan dan Putera-AMCJA mencadangkan agar semua warganegara Malaya merupakan orang-orang Melayu.
British amat takut dengan kesatuan berbilang kaum dalam Putera-AMCJA dan menghancurkannya. Selain propaganda media, British menangkap pimpinan-pimpinan pertubuhan progresif ini semasa darurat 1948.
Melayu, Cina dan India perlu dipisah-pisahkan supaya mudah bagi British untuk mentadbir. Sehingga hari ini formula sama masih digunakan kerajaan untuk memerintah negara.
Penulis tidak berniat untuk memberi syarahan sejarah, fakta-fakta di atas dikeluarkan agar pembaca boleh mengkaji sendiri dan menilai apa yang sebenarnya berlaku dan peristiwa-peristiwa mendorong tercapainya merdeka.
Walaupun akhirnya kita tidak boleh menafikan, Tunku bersama Umno, MCA dan MIC yang berjaya mendapatkan kemerdekaan Malaya daripada British, latar belakang dan sejarah sebenar yang berlaku perlu diketahui dan diberitahu agar jati diri kita menjadi lebih kuat.
Ia juga bertujuan untuk menghargai peranan semua pihak yang berjuang memerdekakan negara termasuk PKM yang dijadikan “momok” sehingga kini.
Jika sejarah sebenar diberitahu, sambutan kemerdekaan pada tanggal 31 Ogos setiap tahun akan menjadi lebih bermakna kepada semua pihak.
Jika tidak, sambutan hari kemerdekaan Malaya yang kemudiannya menjadi Malaysia pada 16 September 1963 hanya akan dihargai penyokong Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) dan tidak melibatkan seluruh negara.
Malaysia harus bergerak ke hadapan. Namun tanpa mengetahui sejarah sebenar, masalah-masalah pokok negara seperti perkauman tidak akan dapat diselesaikan.
Selamat menyambut hari kemerdekaan Malaya yang ke 57. – 31 Ogos, 2014.
* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/amin-iskandar/article/selagi-sejarah-merdeka-ditipu-malaysia-tidak-akan-ke-depan#sthash.79vwppyP.dpuf
Selama 57 tahun juga kita diberitahu hanya Umno, MCA dan MIC sahaja yang membebaskan Malaya daripada penjajahan British.
Sedangkan, kemerdekaan Malaya pada 31 Ogos, 1957 mempunyai kisah dan cerita yang lebih besar daripada itu.
Penjajah British tidak akan memulakan rundingan kemerdekaan dengan Tunku Abdul Rahman jika tiada perjuangan mengangkat senjata melawan mereka di Malaya.
Terlalu banyak darah yang sudah ditumpahkan dan nyawa yang melayang sebelum bendera Union Jack diturunkan di Dataran Merdeka 57 tahun lalu.
Kita perlu jelas perjuangan mengangkat senjata rakyat Malaya yang bermula pada tahun 1948 itu berlaku selepas British mengisytiharkan darurat dan mengharamkan pertubuhan-pertubuhan politik kiri seperti Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API), Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS), Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) dan banyak lagi.
Mengapa pertubuhan-pertubuhan ini diharamkan?
Kerana mereka mahu kemerdekaan 100% bagi Malaya.
Mereka mahu British keluar dan tidak lagi mengaut kekayaan ekonomi tanah ini.
Mereka juga mahu Malaya diperintah orang-orang dari tanah ini tanpa mengikut telunjuk British. Ini di antara sebab British memerangi mereka habis-habisan.
Kita perlu tahu parti politik pertama orang-orang Melayu adalah PKMM dan bukannya United Malay National Organisation (Umno).
PKMM yang ditubuhkan pada 17 Oktober 1945 juga merupakan parti Melayu pertama dan melaungkan slogan merdeka lebih awal daripada Umno.
10 tahun sebelum merdeka, sudah wujud sebuah pertubuhan politik berbilang kaum dan progresif Putera-AMCJA yang jika berjaya memerintah negara pada ketika itu, akan memusnahkan politik perkauman ciptaan British.
Perlu diingat, pada ketika itu konsep Melayu masih lagi diperdebatkan dan Putera-AMCJA mencadangkan agar semua warganegara Malaya merupakan orang-orang Melayu.
British amat takut dengan kesatuan berbilang kaum dalam Putera-AMCJA dan menghancurkannya. Selain propaganda media, British menangkap pimpinan-pimpinan pertubuhan progresif ini semasa darurat 1948.
Melayu, Cina dan India perlu dipisah-pisahkan supaya mudah bagi British untuk mentadbir. Sehingga hari ini formula sama masih digunakan kerajaan untuk memerintah negara.
Penulis tidak berniat untuk memberi syarahan sejarah, fakta-fakta di atas dikeluarkan agar pembaca boleh mengkaji sendiri dan menilai apa yang sebenarnya berlaku dan peristiwa-peristiwa mendorong tercapainya merdeka.
Walaupun akhirnya kita tidak boleh menafikan, Tunku bersama Umno, MCA dan MIC yang berjaya mendapatkan kemerdekaan Malaya daripada British, latar belakang dan sejarah sebenar yang berlaku perlu diketahui dan diberitahu agar jati diri kita menjadi lebih kuat.
Ia juga bertujuan untuk menghargai peranan semua pihak yang berjuang memerdekakan negara termasuk PKM yang dijadikan “momok” sehingga kini.
Jika sejarah sebenar diberitahu, sambutan kemerdekaan pada tanggal 31 Ogos setiap tahun akan menjadi lebih bermakna kepada semua pihak.
Jika tidak, sambutan hari kemerdekaan Malaya yang kemudiannya menjadi Malaysia pada 16 September 1963 hanya akan dihargai penyokong Umno dan Barisan Nasional (BN) dan tidak melibatkan seluruh negara.
Malaysia harus bergerak ke hadapan. Namun tanpa mengetahui sejarah sebenar, masalah-masalah pokok negara seperti perkauman tidak akan dapat diselesaikan.
Selamat menyambut hari kemerdekaan Malaya yang ke 57. – 31 Ogos, 2014.
* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/amin-iskandar/article/selagi-sejarah-merdeka-ditipu-malaysia-tidak-akan-ke-depan#sthash.79vwppyP.dpuf
Dewan Ulama PAS Selangor lulus usul kecam Adun sokong Wan Azizah
Dua Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) PAS Selangor hari ini dikecam Dewan Ulama negeri susulan keputusan mereka menyokong Presiden PKR, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail sebagai calon menteri besar (MB).Perkara tersebut diputuskan selepas usul dibuat dalam Muktamar Tahunan Ulama PAS negeri Selangor kali ke-26 yang berlangsung hari di Klang, hari ini.
"Muktamar sebulat suara meluluskan usul mengutuk dan mengecam tindakan Saari Sungib dan Hasnul Baharuddin yang bertindak menandatangani Akuan Bersumpah (SD) menyokong Dr Wan Azizah sebagai calon Menteri Besar Selangor tanpa pengetahuan dan persetujuan parti," menurut kenyataan dalam akaun Facebook Dewan Ulama hari ini.
Selain keputusan mengecam Adun Hulu Kelang dan Morib tersebut, Dewan Ulama negeri juga mendesak tindakan diambil ke atas mereka.
"Dewan juga menyerahkan kepada Jawatankuasa Tatatertib PAS Pusat mengambil tindakan ke atas Adun berkenaan berdasarkan Fasal 82, Perlembagaan PAS (Pindaan) 2011," kata kenyataan itu.
Muktamar tersebut dirasmikan pemangku Timbalan Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat, Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamad.
Ketika kemelut di Selangor berada dalam keadaan tegang menanti PAS membuat keputusan rasmi dua minggu lepas, Saari dan Hasnul mengambil langkah menyokong Dr Wan Azizah secara terbuka.
Ia menyebabkan mereka menerima kritikan dan kecaman daripada parti sendiri.
Bagaimanapun, mereka menyatakan kesediaan berdepan sebarang tindakan disiplin.
PAS Pusat pada 17 Ogos memutuskan mencalonkan Dr Wan Azizah dan Timbalan Presiden PKR, Mohamed Azmin Ali menggantikan Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, walaupun PKR bertegas menamakan Dr Wan Azizah sebagai calon tunggal.
Setiausaha Agung PAS Datuk Mustafa Ali mengesahkan hanya dua daripada 15 Adun PAS di Selangor menandatangani SD menyokong Dr Wan Azizah.
Sebelum ini, Mahfodz yang juga Ahli Majlis Syura Ulama PAS mendesak pemecatan kedua-dua Adun tersebut. – 31 Ogos, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/muktamar-ulama-pas-selangor-kecam-dua-adun-sokong-wan-azizah#sthash.j98c7nxq.dpuf
Musa Hitam blames Putrajaya for Malay dilemma - TMI
The Malays are suffering from inferiority complex because of Putrajaya’s preaching that the community is backward and always in need of assistance, said former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam."Putrajaya has mentioned several times that it has a target of increasing the Bumiputera equity ownership in the national economic pie to 30% by 2020.
"But, the government does not take government-linked companies into account when they point out that the present Bumiputera equity ownership is 24%.
"We are deluding ourselves by continuously pointing a finger at the Chinese. There is no such thing as perfection," Musa told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive at the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) office in Hampshire Place, Kuala Lumpur.
Musa, who is the WIEF chairman, said the race issue had been played upon numerous times and has had a negative effect on Malaysia.
"Only bankrupt politicians continually use race and religion to win support.
"Do not get me wrong, I am Umno through and through, even if I am may not talk like a mainstream party member.
"We cannot adopt the attitude of 50 years ago. We have to keep progressing and updating ourselves."
Musa said the New Economic Policy introduced by former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein was to improve the livelihood of Malays.
"The NEP was to lift the Malay community in Malaysia and to remove their inferiority complex."
He said that there were many Malays who had performed well and now made up the middle class of Malaysia, and that they could rationalise for themselves.
But, he regretted that there was a gap between the current generation and certain leaders in Putrajaya as they appeared to be on different wavelengths.
"Some leaders do not appear to be in sync with the very people whom they have trained."
He recalled an incident with a group of youths over a meal while travelling to Johor for a holiday:
"A group of 30 to 40 Malay youths stopped by the eatery where my wife and I were eating."
"Some of them recognised me and approached us. After exchanging pleasantries, one of the boys asked whether they could share something with me.
"I said go ahead, by all means. The youths told me in a rather apologetic manner that they were anti-government."
He said he told the youths the fact that they disagreed with Putrajaya was born out of the previous administrations, which reflected democracy.
"Many quarters take it for granted that Malay leadership is the most important factor. But, there are many other challenges to that due to the open society we live in.
"I am also saddened and disappointed by some of the comments and remarks made by the present leaders.
"They do not appear to have done their homework and research before saying something.
"More often than not, many of the present leaders talk first and then realise they have made an error later when it is too late to retract their statement."
Musa said the current leadership had shown that they were unable to deal with sensitive issues like religion.
"The Malays seem to be confused about religion. The non-Malays are appalled at what is happening among the leadership in Putrajaya. "
He said politicians want to be seen as belonging, "so nobody speaks about the subject, for fear that they will be viewed as being anti-Islam".
On Christians using “Allah”, he said: "Whatever the arguments which have been raised, the simple fact of the matter is that it was decided that only Muslims in the peninsula have ownership of the word 'Allah'."
Musa was amazed and astounded that the issue had been blown all out of proportion.
"If you are confident about your religion, there is no need to worry about Malays getting confused if the word 'Allah' is used by non-Malays."
During his stint as education minister between 1978 and 1981, Musa said Christian representatives approached him.
"At that time, the government was encouraging the use of Bahasa Malaysia by all races, including Christians.
"There were no Malay-language Bibles at that time and the Christians discovered that Indonesia printed such books.
"They sought permission to import the Malay-language Bibles to Malaysia and I approved it with certain conditions.
"The conditions included importing the Bibles for their own use, to be kept in the church and no open selling or distribution of the Bibles outside of churches."
Musa stood by his decision, saying it was right and a correct compromise as the issue had been quietly settled and rationalised.
"If you want everyone to use the national language, then you should not put roadblocks and obstacles."
On Malaysia today, the 80-year-old said he felt quite depressed and down.
"Malaysia is facing the possibility of becoming a failed state as it does not know how to handle success and the intricacies of politics.
"Sure, there are positives… foreigners are impressed with Malaysia and its infrastructure. Perhaps they get the impression that Malaysians are happy and friendly.
"But there are so many wrongs which have become a right, so many extraordinary things which have become ordinary.
"We pride ourselves on being democratic and embracing the Westminster-style of politics.
"Malaysia must learn how to embrace democracy and be prepared to lose," Musa said, referring to the two-thirds majority which Barisan Nasional used to enjoy.
In the 2008 and 2013 general elections, BN watched as DAP, PKR and PAS began to make inroads into its traditional strongholds.
"Democracy also means understanding the role of criticism and being able to accept it."
Musa said the present leaders adopted the attitude of accepting a single compliment and overlooking the criticism which accompanied it.
"Digital democracy has arrived in this world. It is unpredictable, open, kind and can also be cruel."
On the hudud fracas, Musa was disappointed at how Putrajaya handled it.
"I am reasonably confident that across board, the Malay community is disagreeable to the concept of hudud.
"The image portrayed by hudud of body dismemberment is quite scary and horrifying.
"While PAS has attempted to rationalise the issue, nobody else dares to say openly that he is against it.
"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announces Malaysia is not ready for hudud, Umno Youth says who said it is against it?"
Musa cited a solution by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the issue:
" Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave a very simplistic yet logical summary of hudud."
"He said if a Malay was caught stealing, his hands would be cut off. But if a non-Malay was caught for the same offence, he would only spend a couple of years in jail.
"This is the way to resolve issues, to do research and rationalise, to give explanations. Nowadays, everyone simply jumps on the bandwagon.
"Nobody dares to disagree."
But, he also admired PAS for standing up to what they believed in.
"Unfortunately, nobody listens to PAS and their explanations." – August 31, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/musa-hitam-blames-putrajaya-for-malay-dilemma#sthash.DBlMbS0y.dpuf
Police haul up PPS personnel
250 squad members arrested after Merdeka march
GEORGE TOWN: Police hauled up some 250 personnel of the allegedly illegal Voluntary Patrol Squad (PPS) immediately after their march past in the Penang Merdeka celebrations at the Esplanade here this morning.
The PPS members were taken to the Northeast District police headquarters in Jalan Patani.
Northeast police chief Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said the PPS was being investigated under Section 41 of the Societies Act over an allegation that it is an unregistered organisation.
The Registrar of Societies (ROS), the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar have all declared PPS an illegal outfit.
Penang police received instructions from Bukit Aman to arrest all PPS members today.
But Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at a PPS event in Komtar has remained defiant, declaring the squad as a legal state body and announcing that his government would provide legal assistance to arrested PPS members.
Last night a Molokov cocktail was thrown into the compound of Lim’s residence in Jalan Pinhorn.
No one was injured and no property was damaged in the attack.
Police are investigating whether the attack was linked to their probe on PPS.
Some 16 police reports have been lodged against PPS nationwide after some squad members allegedly assaulted a social activist in Air Itam on Aug 17.
Established four years ago, PPS has 10,000-members, 59.6% of whom are Chinese, 32% Malays, 9.7% Indians and 0.4% others.
The PPS members were taken to the Northeast District police headquarters in Jalan Patani.
Northeast police chief Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said the PPS was being investigated under Section 41 of the Societies Act over an allegation that it is an unregistered organisation.
The Registrar of Societies (ROS), the Inspector General of Police and Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar have all declared PPS an illegal outfit.
Penang police received instructions from Bukit Aman to arrest all PPS members today.
But Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng at a PPS event in Komtar has remained defiant, declaring the squad as a legal state body and announcing that his government would provide legal assistance to arrested PPS members.
Last night a Molokov cocktail was thrown into the compound of Lim’s residence in Jalan Pinhorn.
No one was injured and no property was damaged in the attack.
Police are investigating whether the attack was linked to their probe on PPS.
Some 16 police reports have been lodged against PPS nationwide after some squad members allegedly assaulted a social activist in Air Itam on Aug 17.
Established four years ago, PPS has 10,000-members, 59.6% of whom are Chinese, 32% Malays, 9.7% Indians and 0.4% others.
Malaysia not a functional democracy yet
Empower is saddened Malaysia is still gender biased and prefers to use repressive laws like the Sedition Act.
PETALING JAYA: Non-governmental organisation Empower said in a Merdeka Day statement today that Malaysia is far from being “a truly functional democracy that respects the rights of its citizens.”
The NGO said this in relation to two issues dominating the political scene in Malaysia – that of gender bias and the use of the Sedition Act to silence opposing political views.
On the issue of gender bias, Empower said they were sorely “disappointed” at the mounting reluctance to accept a woman as the Menteri Besar of Selangor despite the law itself being “gender-neutral”.
“Presently, the only current Menteri Besar candidate who commands majority support from the Selangor State Assembly is Wan Azizah,” the statement read.
They also said “double standards” were widespread as women were “held accountable to higher standards” and “frequently face demands to prove themselves over and above the norm.”
“On the other hand, male counterparts with similar levels of experience go unquestioned and their qualifications are assumed,” the statement read.
The NGO was also disturbed by the increasing use of the Sedition Act to silence political criticism, saying the authorities were “overstepping their limits” despite a pledge by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to repeal the Sedition Act.
“SUARAM’s statistics show that the number of investigations and charges under the Sedition Act actually rose dramatically in 2013: 15 cases compared to 7 in 2012,” the NGO said.
They said this form of bad governance was leaving the people “powerless” to fight injustice while “stifling” their right to express themselves freely, engage with one another constructively or make informed choices.
Empower’s statement was endorsed by the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Perak Women for Women (PWW) and Sisters in Islam (SIS).
The NGO said this in relation to two issues dominating the political scene in Malaysia – that of gender bias and the use of the Sedition Act to silence opposing political views.
On the issue of gender bias, Empower said they were sorely “disappointed” at the mounting reluctance to accept a woman as the Menteri Besar of Selangor despite the law itself being “gender-neutral”.
“Presently, the only current Menteri Besar candidate who commands majority support from the Selangor State Assembly is Wan Azizah,” the statement read.
They also said “double standards” were widespread as women were “held accountable to higher standards” and “frequently face demands to prove themselves over and above the norm.”
“On the other hand, male counterparts with similar levels of experience go unquestioned and their qualifications are assumed,” the statement read.
The NGO was also disturbed by the increasing use of the Sedition Act to silence political criticism, saying the authorities were “overstepping their limits” despite a pledge by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to repeal the Sedition Act.
“SUARAM’s statistics show that the number of investigations and charges under the Sedition Act actually rose dramatically in 2013: 15 cases compared to 7 in 2012,” the NGO said.
They said this form of bad governance was leaving the people “powerless” to fight injustice while “stifling” their right to express themselves freely, engage with one another constructively or make informed choices.
Empower’s statement was endorsed by the All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Perak Women for Women (PWW) and Sisters in Islam (SIS).
Is Najib administration the most shambolic premiership in Malaysian history – with right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing?
By Lim Kit Siang,Is the Najib administration not only on auto-pilot but the most shambolic premiership in Malaysian history, with the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing?
Malaysians are entitled to ask this question following the anonymous statement from the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday, insisting that the slew of sedition charges against Pakatan Rakyat leaders was a court matter and the government has nothing to do with it.
The anonymous Prime Minister’s Office statement said:
“Any charges under the Sedition Act are a matter for the courts. Malaysia’s judiciary is independent, as the verdicts of many cases prove.”
The PMO statement however insisted that despite the sedition charging spree, the colonial era Sedition Act will still be replaced by the National Harmony Bill.
It said: “The government welcomes feedback from all sections of society, and hopes to present the draft Bill to Parliament by the end of next year.
“Until new legislation is in place, existing cases must be tried under existing laws.”
The PMO said the drafting of the replacement Bill was taking time as it is being carried out in consultation with civil society and the public.
Acknowledging that the recommendations of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) for the Bill has been subjected to fierce criticism from extremist right wing groups, the PMO statement said: “Like other countries, we are working to find the right balance between freedom of speech and national harmony in the age of the online media”.
Thinking Malaysians find this anonymous PMO statement even more disturbing than re-assuring about what is happening in the country, in particular the Najib premiership.
Firstly, who issued the PMO statement? Why is it anonymous? Hiding the identity of the person who issued the statement is nothing more than an admission or confession that the authority for making such a statement is questionable and debatable and would not stand up to scrutiny or challenge.
Secondly, the statement not only showed the shambolic state of the Najib premiership, where the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing, but even worse, those in authority do not know what they are doing!
The PMO statement was utterly wrong when it claimed that the promise to repeal the Sedition Act would not be affected by the slew of recent sedition charges, as “Any charges under the Sedition Act are a matter for the courts” and that Malaysia’s judiciary is independent.
It is shocking that those responsible for the PMO statement do not seem to understand that in the dock of criticism for the slew of sedition charges is the Attorney-General and not the judiciary, and that although thd Attorney-General is vested with the discretionary powers under the Constitution to initiate any charges for any offence, he owes a duty of public accountability in a parliamentary democracy to explain that he is not guilty of selective and malicious prosecution against Pakatan Rakyat leaders in the recent slew of arrests and prosecutions.
Thirdly, the Attorney-General is the chief prosecutor of the Najib premiership and must reflect the policies pledged by the Prime Minister.
Najib has promised to make Malaysia the “best democracy of the world” but the slew of prosecutions against Pakatan Rakyat leaders for sedition offences as well as new-fangled criminal charges not done or unheard of even in the worst era of the 22-year “Dark Age” of the Mahathir premiership is a blatant and flagrant violation of Najib’s “best democracy” pledge.
No credible Prime Minister would on the one hand promise to make Malaysia the “best democracy in the world” and yet allow his Attorney-General to launch a prosecution dragnet against opposition leaders and dissent which only happens in the “worst democracies” in the world!
Or is anyone seriously suggesting that the Attorney-General, Tan Sri Gani Patail is empowered to go against the policies and pledges of the Prime Minister without having to resign or be sacked from office?
I understand that there will be another sedition prosecution in the next few days.
Clearly, those responsible for the PMO statement yesterday know they are fighting a losing battle, as those in government who believe in the promise of “the best democracy of the world” are being elbowed out and replaced by forces in government who are set on Malaysia joining the ranks of the “worst democracies” in the world.
Hence the advent of the New Despotism in the Najib Premiership 2.0.
(Speech at the annual ritual ceremony for Batu Sumpah Keningau in Keningau on Sunday, August 31, 2014 at 8.30 am)
Malaysians Celebrate 57th Merdeka Day In High Spirit
KUALA
LUMPUR, Aug 31 (Bernama) -- Malaysians from all walks of life on
Sunday celebrated the 57th anniversary of the country's independence in
high spirit to face future challenges and bounce back after the MH17
tragedy.The public were seen to have flocked various venues, either at the national or state levels, since early morning to join the celebration with the theme of 'Malaysia: Here, Where Love Begins'.
In Dataran Merdeka, over 14,000 participants from 23 contingents from government agencies, private sector, telecommunication companies and government-linked companies, took part in the Merdeka Day parade.
The Merdeka parade began promptly at 8.05am, after the arrival of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Haminah.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman as well as cabinet members and heads of foreign missions were also present to watch the parade and two hours of exhilarating performances.
It is estimated that 400,000 people flocked the Dataran Merdeka and its surrounding areas to join the national-level celebration and watch the Merdeka Day parade.
The event was also broadcast live by Radio Televisyen Malaysia on TV1.
In PERAK, the state-level Merdeka celebration took place in front of the Dewan Bandaran in Ipoh.
It was celebrated on a moderate-scale as the state was still mourning the death of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, who passed away on May 28.
The celebration was graced by the new Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah and Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim.
Also present was Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
A total of 101 contingent from public and private agencies, institution of higher learning, uniformed bodies and non-governmental organisations participated in the Merdeka parade.
In MELAKA, the Merdeka celebration was held in front of the Independence Declaration Memorial in Banda Hilir, where the country's Father of Independence Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Alhaj first announced the date to declare Malaysia's independence.
A total of 9,468 participants, including students, from 196 contingents took part in the four-kilometre parade.
Also present were Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron and state executive council members.
In his speech, Idris also called on the multi-racial people in the state and in the country to stay united to maintain peace and harmony which had been among the beautiful essence of Malaysia over the past 57 years.
In SARAWAK, Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, members of the state cabinet and other dignitaries and their wives joined some 5,000 people, including 2,000 participants, in the colourful Merdeka Day celebration at Kapit Open Sports Stadium.
In his speech, Adenan said it cannot be denied that the state had benefitted tremendously from the decision made 50 years ago by its (pre-Merdeka) pioneer leaders and people in agreeing for the state to join forces to form Malaysia.
In NEGERI SEMBILAN, the state-level Merdeka Day celebration and parade were held at the Seremban Municipal Council's field.
A total of 9,600 participants from 112 contingents comprising government agencies, private sector, non-governmental organisations, as well as students, took part in the 1.2km-long parade around the state capital.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr. Awaludin Said, State Secretary Datuk Mat Ali Hassan, state executive council members and senior state officials attended the event.
In his speech, Mohamad said all quarters should try to understand the phrase 'Malaysia: Here, Where Love Begin' which was selected as the theme for the national day celebration this year.
He said they should also take it as a slogan and a guide to ensure that this beloved country would continue to be protected, with peace and harmony be preserved for the wellbeing of the people.
In KELANTAN, over 2,000 spectators watched the state-level Merdeka Parade at the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Regiment of the Territorial Army's Sungai Durian Camp in Kuala Krai.
Fifty-three contingents from various government agencies took part in the parade.
Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, State Police chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim and Kelantan Federal Development Department director Datuk Makhtar Mustapha.
In JOHOR, the state-level Merdeka celebration was held in Kulaijaya and was attended by over 10,000 people from all walks of life.
The colourful parade began in Jalan Persiaran Sri Putra Utama at 8 am and ended at the Kulaijaya Mini Stadium.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin also participated in the parade by cycling along with state executive council (Exco) members, while State Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohamad Aziz and several other state Exco also participated by riding a golf cart.
In KEDAH, the state-level Merdeka parade in front of Pekan Rabu in Alor Setar kicked off at 7.30 am and was participated by over 4,000 people from 101 contingents from various public and private agencies.
Kedah Council Of Regency Chairman Tan Sri Tunku Sallehhuddin Sultan Badlishah, Kedah Council Of Regency member Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Sultan Abdul Halim, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir and state Exco were among the 5,000 people who watched the parade.
In PAHANG, approximately 20,000 people started flocking Jalan Mahkota and Kuantan Municipal Council's field from as early as 7 am to join the state-level Merdeka celebration.
The celebration began with the arrival of Tengku Mahkota of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Tengku Puan Pahang Tengku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. They were met on arrival by Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.
All participants and spectators also observed a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the victims of the MH17 tragedy.
Ninety-seven contingents with 52 decorated vehicles took part in the parade.
In SABAH, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Special Taskforce Unit members, who were deployed to secure control during the state-level Merdeka Day celebration at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, became the public's centre of attention as they appeared in uniformed, fully armed and masked.
The Merdeka Day, which was celebrated on a moderate scale as a respect for the MH17 tragedy victims, was also attended by Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
In PERLIS, the state-level Merdeka parade took place at the Dataran Merdeka, Kangar, with the participation of 50 contingents representing the various state government agencies, non-governmental organisations, security forces.
The celebration was graced by the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail.
Also present were Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid, Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail dan Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Hajjah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man and State Assembly Speaker Hamdan Bahari.
In PENANG, the Merdeka celebration and parade were also held on a moderate scale at the Penang Esplanade in George Town.
Approximately 5,000 spectators watched the parade which was graced by Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas and his wife Toh Puan Majimor Shariff.
Also present were Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state Exco members.
The celebration, which began at 9 am saw the participation of 96 contingents.
In TERENGGANU, a total of 117 contingents from various public and private agencies and institutions took part in the state-level Merdeka parade, which began at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium and ended at the Dataran Pantai Batu Buruk.
Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman and his wife Toh Puan Halina Zakaria.
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