Is Hindraf heading for another split? -Malaysiakini

 

COMMENT It has been more than 15 months now when the poor marginalised Indian Malaysians witnessed an unprecedented historic moment where the prime minister of Malaysia, in full public view, humbly apologised to the Indian Malaysian poor for past lapses and the BN secretary-general signed on the dotted lines on an official memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the BN coalition and the Hindraf leadership to correct the ill-effects of those lapses.

It looked like a new stage had been set for the Indian Malaysian poor. It was a culmination of their most recent struggle that began with the Nov 25, 2007 uprising that brought almost 100,000 Indian Malaysians to the street and made Hindraf a household name.

The MOU document laid out the specific government interventions necessary for the improvement of the socio-economic status of the Indian Malaysian poor over the period of the next five years of the Parliament from 2013 to 2018.

Subsequently, Hindraf had activated its nationwide volunteers machinery to campaign for the BN in the 13th general election (GE13) which saw the ruling coalition eventually retaining power but it could only muster 47 percent of the popular vote.

Many political analysts grudgingly agree that Hindraf’s last-minute endorsement of the BN government did swing a part of the 950,000 registered Indian voters, particularly in key constituencies in the states of Kedah, Perak and Negri Sembilan.

On his part the PM Najib Abdul Razak appointed Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy as a deputy minister, who was sworn in on June 5, 2013, but that was about all of what he did in return. The subsequent eight months was nothing more than empty promises from Najib.

As Waytha had said, “I wish to state that over the last eight months, I had at least 16 meetings with (the PM). In each of these meetings, I kept pushing for the naming of the new unit which he promised I was going to head as well as the necessary budget that was agreed.” However, nothing materialised.

To add salt to injury, every time Waytha raised any current critical Indian Malaysian issue, he was rebutted by key cabinet colleagues asking him to quit the government. In this period, on Aug 29, 2013 the PM himself told him to toe the line.

Since it was quite obvious that the BN government had been dragging its feet in delivering its promises, as well as there appeared to be unending series of delays and dead ends suggesting that the PM and the Barisan Nasional were not going to honour the memorandum, Waythamoorthy resigned from all government positions on Feb 10, 2014, to make Hindraf’s point about the non-delivery of the promises.

It will be interesting to note that the act of Waythamoorthy’s resignation reclaimed his ‘credibility’ in the eyes of many but there was a section among the Hindraf activists who felt let down that there will now no longer be any representation of their rights in the federal government.

Feedback from activists

It is based on the feedback of this section of the activists that Waytha has now been deliberating to resume engaging the BN federal government once again. Several key members within the Hindraf central executive committee (CEC) are dead against it! They feel that Waytha is using twisted logic and toxic reasoning to justify this move. It was a similar move that Waytha had come up with before the last GE with the MOU with BN.

They believe that if the BN government had cheated the Indian Malaysian community and Hindraf in that initiative, what more hope in reengaging with them now. More so Hindraf took a severe hit in its credibility with the majority of the Indians by doing that the first time, all in the honest belief that the Barisan Nasional leadership would fulfill its promises.

Waythamoorthy’s resignation from the deputy minister’s post had restored Hindraf’s credibility to some extent. Hindraf will live to fight another day. Future leaders may rise up to use Hindraf as a platform to address critical Indian Malaysian issues.

However, all it will take to make him and Hindraf a laughing stock of all and sundry in the Indian Malaysian community is another photo shoot of him with Umno leaders. Umno will be eagerly awaiting for such an opportunity to crop up to once and for all destroy Hindraf’s reputation altogether.

It is quite similar of the fate that is befalling PAS today where there have been reports coming out that a section of PAS leaders are attempting to form a united government with Umno. The damage that has been done will undo years of effort PAS had put in to engage the non-Malays to their cause.

Waytha, on the other hand, is unperturbed of such a scenario materialising as he is now hoping that even if he could just help a handful of Indian Malaysians he will give it a try. To some of these key CEC members, that will be a betrayal of the ultimate cause of what Hindraf truly stands for.

Hindraf’s often stated position is to bring permanent and comprehensive improvements into the lives of the Indian poor. What if Umno actually throws some crumbs at Waytha’s efforts to earn a photo shoot with him and subsequently ignores him again?

Is Hindraf to regress to a level that of as a regular NGO, that just helps out a few and compromises its basic objectives? These were the accusations that Hindraf used to throw at MIC as well as the Indian representatives in Pakatan. It is a well known fact that Hindraf prides itself in always raising the bar and targeting the very top in an effort to make systematic changes in government policies, even though it seldom gets credit for its efforts.

Highlighting temple demolitions, Tamil school inadequacies, statelessness problems, government scholarships and extrajudicial killings had brought about some positive impacts on both sides of the political divide. Shake the top so that changes follow through below has always been its aim.

Ethnocentric political system

Aligning with Umno will mean giving further life to the main driver of an ethnocentric political system which further weakens the position of the Indian Malaysian community at the bargaining table, as the Indian population dwindles to lesser percentages of the national population.

For minority communities to survive, the only protection they can hope to have is the rule of law provided by a set of strong governing institutions. This is progressively being eroded by the ruling BN government. Hindraf’s efforts and energy must be in union with forces that fight to preserve the sanctity of the governing institutions.

Aligning with Umno is therefore indisputably anathema for the well-being of the Indian Malaysian minority community in years to come. This is absolutely not what Hindraf rose for.

On Sept 7, the Hindraf CEC members will meet to decide which direction to take. Common sense and far-sightedness must prevail.

---

DR PARAMAN VS is a keen reader of Malaysiakini.

Najib nak tunjuk garang pada Dr M, kata PKR

Islamist Cleric: 'Islam Is A Religion Of Beheading'

According to jihadi-supporting Muslim cleric Hussein bin Mahmoud, the beheading of American journalist James Foley was justified because Foley was a harbi, a non-Muslim whose life was not protected by an agreement of protection. Thus, beheading a harbi infidel is a blessed act for which a Muslim is rewarded.

Hussein bin Ahmoud is a frequent and popular contributor to Islamic extremist internet forums, where he presents theological justifications for various atrocities committed by groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS. In a posting on August 21st, he provided religious justification for beheadings since he believes Islam is a religion of war and fighting.

The following are excerpts from the article as translated by MEMRI:

Chopping off the heads of infidels is an act whose permissibility the [Muslim] ummah agrees on. Beheading a harbi infidel is a blessed act for which a Muslim is rewarded. The [only] matter scholars disagree about is the question of transferring the head from one place to another, traveling with it and carrying it around…

Bin Mahmoud directs his venom toward Jews, Christians, Shi'ites and Alawites, and correctly points out that beheadings are a weapon of terrorism:

As for beheading infidel Jews, Christians and ‘Alawites, as well as apostate Shi’ites, who commit crimes against the Muslims, they must be terrorized, filled with fear and beheaded without any respect. Cutting off heads is part of the tradition of the [Prophet's] Companions. In the Koran Allah ordered to smite the infidels’ necks and encouraged the Muslims to do this. He said [in Koran 47:4], 'When you meet those who disbelieve on the battlefield, smite at their necks until you have killed and wounded many of them…

How many hadiths [relayed by] the Prophet’s Companions have we read in which they demanded that he strike the necks of certain men, and the Prophet did not condemn the striking of necks… Striking necks was a well-known matter that did not elicit any condemnation in the eras of the Prophet, the rightly-guided caliphs and their successors, right until the time of the Christian occupation of the Muslims’ lands in the [20th] century. Those crusaders fought the Islamic legal concepts, distorted the religion, and convinced the Muslims that their religion is a religion of peace, doves, love and harmony, and that there is no blood in it, no killing and no fighting. The Muslims remained in this state until Allah revived the tradition of beheading by means of the mujahid and slaughterer Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi, may Allah have mercy upon him and accept him as a martyr.

Bin Mahmoud cites Muslim scripture to prove that Islam condones beheading as a means of terrorizing the enemy and emphasizes that the essence of Islam is not peace but jihad and martyrdom. His conclusion is "Islam is a religion of beheading":

The truth is that what distorts the image of Islam is not the beheading and terrorizing of infidels, but rather those who want [Islam to follow the path of] Mandela or Ghandi, with no killing, fighting, brutality, bloodshed or the striking of heads or necks. That is not the religion of [the Prophet] Muhammad son of 'Abdallah who was sent [to fight] with the sword [until] Judgment Day. The only Koranic surah that is named after him, Surah Muhammad, is [also] called "The Surah of Fighting"…

Islam is a religion of power, fighting, jihad, beheading and bloodshed, not a religion of turning the left cheek to whoever slapped you on the right cheek. On the contrary, it is a religion of breaking the hand that is stretched out to humiliate the Muslim. [Any Muslim] who fights for his property, blood or honor is a martyr.

In Islam, tourism [means] jihad for the sake of Allah… There is no true life for its believers except through jihad, [and] the goal of its fighters is to die for the sake of their religion…

 http://yidwithlid.blogspot.be/2014/09/islamist-cleric-islam-is-religion-of.html

Forced to watch crucifixions, stonings and beheadings and taught to fire machine guns as big as they are: How Islamic State training camps for children are swelling its ranks with junior jihadis

• Video reportedly shows children at an Islamic State training camp
• Shows a youngster wearing a ski mask, firing an automatic weapon
• Also features boys sitting reading from the holy book and handling weapons
• One boy who escaped says they were forced to watch gruesome videos
• Says the videos featured crucifixions, stonings and beheadings

A video has emerged reportedly showing children at training camps run by the Islamic State firing machine guns that are almost as big as them.

The footage released by the terror group shows small children sitting reading from the holy book before showing a youngster, wearing a ski mask, firing an automatic weapon, which he struggle to control as he fires it.

It then shows another boy assembling a weapon, while other children look on in the background.

The video, one of many made by the group is thought to be an attempt to boast of their young recruits.

It also shows youngsters taking an oath pledging an allegiance to the Islamic State and an even younger boy being asked what he would like to say to infidels.

He replies: 'Infidels.. you are to be killed.'

One boy, who managed to flee from one of the training camps told CNN how he was just 13 when ISIS tried to recruit him.

He says that his father tried to stop him but militias threatened to behead him if he didn't let his son go.

Read more: Dailymail.co.uk

In Malaysiakini sedition probe, leaders and authorities collide

Critics have slammed the use of the draconian Sedition Act against a reporter and an online news portal, saying that news organisations have a right to publish articles that are of public interest.

They said that it was the duty of a journalist to report news and reproducing the quotations of another does not warrant a sedition probe against the writer.

Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi today said Susan Loone, a Malaysiakini reporter, and the portal will be investigated under the Sedition Act for publishing allegedly seditious material.

This comes after Malay rights group Perkasa lodged ten reports against the portal and Loone over a news report related to a police crackdown on Penang's Volunteer Patrol Unit (PPS), which was said to have defamed the police.

Former New Straits Times group editor-in-chief Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said that for a statement to be considered seditious, it must contain a certain element of provocation.

"So it must be made clear what is seditious about the article and whether this is to be investigated under the Sedition Act or not," he told The Malaysian Insider.

"It is a reporter's right and the media's right to report the story based on public interest."

The sedition probe against Malaysiakini, said lawyer and activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, showed that the culture of bullying and oppression has seeped into the country.

"I think it is shocking the level to which we have fallen when we can act so oppressively towards a reporter who was merely doing her job.

"It seems to me that the only way the government knows how to treat their citizens is by use of force, oppression and bullying. Not by engaging the people or talking to them."

Perkasa and 13 other groups that called themselves "The Coalition of Penang Malay Representatives" lodged the reports against the portal and Loone at the Jalan Pantai police station in Penang about 6pm yesterday.

They urged the police to investigate the article headlined "Disoal siasat selama 4 jam, dakwa dilayan seperti penjenayah" published on Monday on Malaysiakini's Bahasa Malaysia site.

The news report is a translation of Loone's article, "Exco man grilled for four hours, treated like a criminal", which was published the same day.

"There was nothing wrong with she had written and clearly the government is now using their non-state actors to do their 'dirty work'," Ambiga said, adding that no action has been taken against Utusan Malaysia for spewing racism.

Lawyer Andrew Khoo (pic, right), who is the Bar Council's Human Rights Committee co-chair, said he could not understand what was seditious about the article.

"To me, if all the reporter is doing is just reproducing words by way of quoting another person, I don't see how that can be viewed as seditious."

He added that journalists have a duty to report news and should be protected by the state and by law when doing their jobs instead of being prosecuted.

Centre for Independent Journalism director Sonia Randhawa called on police to drop its probe against Malaysiakini and Loone, saying that this was a "blatant attempt" to intimidate the news outlet.

"In a classic case of shooting the messenger, Perkasa is attempting to initiate prosecution against Malaysiakini.com for what they have reported," she said in a statement today.

Ambiga, meanwhile, lamented that the prime minister's call to think about the future generation and the legacy being left for them during his Merdeka Day speech, was not being taken seriously.

"The legacy I see so far is one of bullying and oppression. Abusing power shows that they do not understand what it means to hold the responsibility to power

"The powers-that-be better look at history to see what arrogance and abuse of power has done to many leaders and to its country."

The former Bersih co-chair also urged Malaysians not to be intimidated by Putrajaya's continuous oppression tactics following the slew of sedition charges and investigations against opposition politicians, academics and now the media.

"I hope Malaysians will not be cowed but resist oppression. As far as I am concerned, right-thinking Malaysians will stand by Susan." – September 3, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/in-malaysiakini-sedition-charge-leaders-and-authorities-collide#sthash.hfEw9ZL7.dpuf

Let UM’s Azmi Sharom go

Dear honourable Attorney-General (A-G),

Please allow me this unusual mode of addressing you on a matter of urgent public importance.

You have charged my colleague, associate professor Dr Azmi Sharom, for sedition – a heinous crime indeed. It is reserved for those who intend to break up the fabric of society and its institutions.

And not for those who have spent their lifetime teaching students the value of law in society. Which is what Dr Azmi has been absorbed in doing these past few decades.

Mr A-G, you have vast prosecutorial discretion; but you will no doubt agree that this power has to be exercised even-handedly and with regard to wider values to advance the functioning of a democratic ethos.

This countenances animated and, sometimes, even “furious”, debate on issues of current critical concern – which characterises the Selangor MB crisis; and before it, the Perak MB crisis.

And in the midst of this crisis, many constitutional legal experts have been thrust; often, with media invites for their comments.

This is where a law teacher like Azmi is situated. And in this context his comments (which now form the subject of the charge) solicited and gratuitously provided.

Mr A-G, as you know, the mode by which majority support of the state legislative assembly for an MB is determined – has been the subject of active comment by law experts; no less because the Perak MB crisis broke with long-standing legal precedent.

For until then, as you are no doubt aware, our courts held that majority support had to be established by a vote in the legislative assembly.

The “new” Perak precedent approved by the Federal Court in Nizar v Zambry case followed a different mode; and it bears on the exercise of prerogative powers in resolving the Selangor MB crisis.

Mr A-G, surely you can agree that in a democracy, open airing of views is preferable to driving debate to cloistered whispers.

Imagine Mr A-G, the chilling effect your criminal charge of a law professor will have on academia? What impact will it register on students of universities and our quest to engender in them creative, innovative and open discourse? And, ultimately, whither academic freedom?

Are you going to charge all those who present divergent views – even stridently, even in ways others may disagree with – on matters that do not, by any stretch of the imagination, threaten our society?

Who will then be left out of being criminalised, or sedition-alised?

So, Mr AG: let my colleague go! – September 3, 2014.

* Gurdial Singh Nijar is a professor of law at the University of Malaya.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/let-ums-azmi-sharom-go#sthash.UjnwSAtV.dpuf

PKR receives letter from palace - Malaysiakini

 

PKR today received a letter from the Selangor palace, believed to be a reply to its menteri besar nomination.

"Yes, we received a letter today," PKR's communications director Fahmi Fadzil told Malaysiakini when contacted at about 8pm.

PKR's secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution (right) later issued a statement on the letter, but retracted it saying the statement's content is not finalised.

The party is expected to send a revised statement tomorrow.

However, hours before the statement was issued, sources close to PKR leadership told Malaysiakini that the palace had sent a brief letter reiterating its instructions that PKR nominate "more than two" candidates.

The sultan had before this instructed all three Pakatan Rakyat parties submit "more than two" candidates each by today.

PKR and DAP had submitted only PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's name while PAS nominated Wan Azizah (left) and PKR number two Azmin Ali.

When contacted, Selangor DAP chief Tony Pua said he is unaware of any letter from the palace to DAP.

PAS secretary general Mustafa Ali could not be reached.

The call for candidates was made after incumbent Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim informed the palace of his intention to resign.

This was after 30 out of 56 Selangor assemblypersons pledged support for Wan Azizah as menteri besar.

Khalid was sacked from PKR after refusing to make way for Wan Azizah to be MB.

Ambiga: This is not courage, Mr PM - Malaysiakini

 

More than two weeks ago, Dr Mahathir Mohamad had unleashed a scathing criticism of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Among others, the former prime minister said Najib lacked courage and pandered to the demands of the opposition and civil society groups, such as in repealing the Internal Security Act.

The 89-year-old former Mahathir remains influential in Umno and Najib has been cautioned on the perils of disregarding the impact of his criticism.

After all, the doctor-turned-politician has a reputation for amputating political careers.

So, is the current sedition dragnet, which has now enveloped the academia as well, Najib's response to Mahathir and to prove to Umno that he has fortitude?

But when the question was posed to former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan, she dismissed the latest developments as being synonymous with courage.

"Courage, in this context, is not coming down hard on criticism, it is bullying. Facing criticism and engaging the critics is the courage we expect from the leadership," she said.

Without mincing words, Ambiga, who is the patron of NGO NegaraKu and former chairperson of Bersih, described the crackdown as "despicable treatment of your own people".

Noting how Najib did a "marvellous job for a noble cause" in engaging with the Ukrainian separatists over the MH17 incident, she called on the prime minister to do the same at home.

"I am asking the same prime minister to engage with his own people.

"I would urge good sense, and for the prime minister to engage with civil society and critics instead of taking the easy way out," she added.

Setting a bullying example

Ambiga also questioned Najib for turning on his own people shortly after delivering a speech that emphasised on unity.

She expressed disappointed that a prime minister, who promised transformation and greater democratic space, is now setting a "bullying example" that others are following.

Citing the slew of police reports lodged by Perkasa against a Malaysiakini journalist, Ambiga asked: "Are we turning into a society of bullies?"

"But Najib can change all that by withdrawing the (sedition) charges," she added.

In his Merdeka speech, Ambiga said, she was pleased when Najib spoke about the next generation.

"But having said that, is this the legacy you wish to leave behind, a society that is oppressive and repressive, where bullying tactics are legitimised?" she asked.

Ambiga also reminded Najib that times have changed, and that Najib is embroiled in a different ball game compared with his predecessors.

"We are in a different era, it is a different ball game now, you have the social media and people who are well informed.

"The leaders must come out of the framework that belongs in the dark ages and move into the 21st century," she said.

The single race supremacy policies spoiled the mood of Merdeka

By Saravanan


Though Malaysia has reached the milestone of 57 yrs of independence, the plight of the minority poor Indians continues to deteriorate.

From the black day of May 13, 1969 where racial riots took place which many suspect was orchestrated by the corridors of powers within Umno then, the economic equity of the Malays have been unfairly raised at the expense of minority Indian poor primarily.

Using Malay supremacist policies and the NEP, the minority Indian poor have been totally left behind.

The Malays who are peaceful in nature by heart have been poisoned by these vicious policies indoctrinated by umno leaders over the past few decades.

The NEP policy which is nothing but an apartheid policy, was supposedly to have ended in 1990 but is still being carried forward till today under the disguise of various other names.

The Umno led goverment has created a quota system in practically every aspect of our daily lives today, where Malays have a distinct unfair advantage at the expense of other races.

Even though Tunku had clearly said that after 1990 other races will enjoy equal benefit, but in reality it was a hoax as till today the other races in Malaysia are prejudiced against unfair quotas imposes by the Umno government. These 'Apartheid' policies are still being employed till today.

Why is it so even after spending almost a trillion ringgit, have not the Umno govt been able to uplift the Malay community?After injecting racist policies into mainstream government policies, the Umno govt are now forming new ultra Malay extremist groups to rise in Malaysia to inflict fear and intimidation on other races. It is also common now to see Islamic terrorists arising in Malaysia and crossing borders to Syria etc and join other terrorist groups there.

Umno should learn to treat every citizen in this country equally. The Apartheid system and Malay extremist groups are not making Msia progress in any way at all.When President Obama visited Malaysia he stated that Malaysia cannot succeed unless equal opportunities are given to non Muslims.

In Oct 2008 the prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said "if we do not change, the people will change us". "In the not-too-distant future, we will see all the elements of the New Economic Policy being replaced." "It's a huge challenge," "There must be this political will and desire to change within UMNO. I don't think we can expect people to look at us in more favorable terms unless we change, unless we rectify our weaknesses .

In Nov 2007 Malaysian Indian showed their unhappiness to UMNO led government due to their racist policies. Thousands of Indians demonstrate in Kuala Lumpur to demand their rights. Due to Indians unhappiness UMNO led government lost 2/3 majority in the 2008 General election. PM Najib personally promised many plans but he hardly look into minority Indians suffering. In 2013 general election PM Najib personally promised and signed an legal document to upgrade Indian's socio economy but he failed to deliver his promises. Indians are kept poor and marginalized in Malaysia due to apartheid policies which carry forward by UMNO led government for almost 4 decades

Ultimately NEP and other racist policies didn't help the majority Malays but it naturally helped the cronies of UMNO. The majority of Malays should have been richer by now besides making the Malay race richer UMNO have planting many extremist group to protect their false supremacy. Whereas poor needy Indians and the rest of minority groups have to suffer under the oppression and suppression of 57 years of UMNO marginalized policies.

Khalid tunggu arahan istana lepas PAS, PKR, DAP kemuka nama calon MB

Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim meminta semua pihak bersabar sementara menunggu istana memberikan maklum balas cadangan calon menteri besar baharu yang diserahkan PAS, PKR, dan DAP.

Khalid berkata, pihaknya dimaklumkan ketiga-tiga parti selesai menghantar nama calon kepada Sultan Selangor seperti yang ditetapkan istana iaitu selewat-lewatnya hari ini.

"Saya percaya proses seterusnya akan menyusul dan istana akan memberi maklum balas.

"Sehingga proses selesai pentadbiran negeri akan berjalan seperti biasa di bawah Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN).

"Harap semua pihak bersabar dan membenarkan proses dijalankan mengikut Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri," katanya selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat exco di Bangunan Setiausaha Kerajaan (SUK) di Shah Alam, hari ini.

Ditanya sama ada beliau tahu siapa calon terbabit, Khalid berkata beliau tidak tahu menahu dan enggan mengambil tahu calon yang dikemukakan tiga parti Pakatan Rakyat (PR) itu.

"Saya tidak boleh terlibat. Dalam perkara ini saya tidak terlibat kerana ada kepentingan, lebih baik saya hanya diberitahu tentang keputusan," katanya yang menjangkakan maklum balas daripada istana secepat mungkin.

Beliau juga berharap calon penggantinya mempunyai kriteria pemimpin yang berkualiti termasuk menjalankan program, projek pembagunan dan bekerja lebih keras memajukan negeri.

Khalid bagaimanapun enggan mengulas desas-desus kemungkinan berlakunya pilihan raya negeri jika proses pencalonan nama penggantinya masih menemui jalan buntu.

"Terpulang kepada budi bicara Sultan. Saya tidak mahu komen kerana akan timbulkan spekulasi.

"Keutamaan adalah mencari pengganti menteri besar yang ada sekarang," katanya.

Sultan Selangor sebelum ini menetapkan 3 September sebagai tarikh akhir bagi PKR, PAS, dan DAP memberikan nama calon pengganti Khalid.

Walaupun baginda menetapkan sekurang-kurangnya 2 nama, PKR dan DAP menegaskan hanya akan menghantar 1 nama saja iaitu Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail kepada istana.

Sementara itu, mengulas mengenai perjanjian penstrukturan semula industri air antara negeri dengan Putajaya, Khalid berkata perjanjian kini berada di peringat akhir dan akan dimeterai selewat-lewatnya minggu depan.

"Ia termasuk pembelian Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Berhad (Splash) melalui Akta Industri Perkhidmatan Air (WSIA) 2006," katanya.

Timbalan Menteri Tenaga, Teknologi Hijau dan Air Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid pagi tadi mengesahkan Putrajaya akan menandatangani perjanjian jual beli air bagi membolehkan Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB) mengambil alih syarikat konsesi air Selangor.

Mahdzir berkata, beliau berharap krisis menteri besar di Selangor tidak akan mengganggu perjalanan urusan penstrukturan air di negeri itu kerana ia merupakan kepentingan rakyat.

"Apa pun keputusan di Selangor kita hormati, tetapi keutamaan kerajaan negeri adalah rakyat.

"Kita tidak cakap soal PAS, PKR, DAP, kita cakap soal kepentingan rakyat Selangor.

"Berilah ruang kerjasama kerajaan pusat selesaikan isu air di Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, dan Putrajaya,” katanya.

Names of candidates for MB post with Sultan of Selangor

(NST) – The Selangor Sultan has received names of menteri besar candidates from all three Pakatan parties and will respond to the list and make his selection.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said the next process will take place in due time and until the process is finalised, the state government will run as usual.

“The sultan will decide on the right replacement and until then, I will continue my duty,” he said in a press conference, here, today.

Khalid, when asked, said he did not know who were nominated by all three parties adding that he would not be involved in the selection process of his replacement.

“I have asked not to be involved as I have a vested interest,” he said.

Asked whether there could a state polls, Khalid said it would be up to the Sultan to decide and he did not want to comment as it would create speculation.

USM gives 100 poor students a second chance

USM offers 100 places to poor students who appeal for places.

GEORGE TOWN: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is offering 100 places for students from poor families who have made appeals to pursue their studies.

USM Vice-Chancellor Omar Osman said the university was also prepared to find sponsors to finance the undergraduates’ studies.

“We are aware that there are candidates who have been offered places but failed to turn up as they lack the means. They must be given a chance,” he told reporters after the welcoming and oath-taking ceremony by 2,919 new students yesterday.

He said USM had received about 7,000 appeals for application from students who had failed to gain places in public universities.

Nevertheless, the number in student intake has not been decided.

One such student was Nik Muhammad Mustaqim Zahari, 20, who said he had given up on continuing his studies due to family hardship and intended to seek employment with his STPM results.

“My father is a rubber tapper with unstable income while my mother is bed-ridden. I came here with the support and encouragement of my teachers,” said

Nik Muhammad who achieved a CGPA of 3.25 in his STPM and will pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Translation and Interpretation.

Thanking USM for helping the poor, the Kuala Ketil youth, added, “None of my family members had the opportunity to further their studies at tertiary level.”

Of the 21,186 students who applied for places in USM this year, only 4,083 were selected.

The number includes those at the engineering campus in Nibong Tebal and the health campus in Kubang Kerian, Kota Baharu, Kelantan.

- BERNAMA

Where is the seized ivory?

Nature Alert says Perhilitan and the Customs Department are stockpiling and not destroying ivory it confiscated two years ago.

PETALING JAYA: Nature Alert is asking what has become of the 11 separate shipments of highly illegal ivory totalling 24 tonnes that was confiscated at Port Klang in December 2012.

Sean Whyte, CEO of Nature Alert, said the shipment represented more than 1,000 slaughtered elephants.

“No independent audit of the ivory has ever been conducted,” he added. “If rumours are to be believed, some ivory may have been misappropriated while in the possession of Perhilitan and/or the Customs Department.”

Whyte made reference to a National Geographic episode aired on Sept 1 that showed Malaysia’s Port Klang as a transshipment hub for the ivory.

“Exactly how many ivory has been confiscated is unknown because the government keeps this a secret. Why, is anyone’s guess.”

Speculating that the actual number of ivory was probably much higher, Whyte said he was curious as to why there was so much inaction by the authorities.

“Neither Perhilitan nor the customs officials have managed to capture and prosecute a single individual,” he said.

“Is this due to the incompetence of these officials or could the wholesale absence of arrests suggest to you something much more sinister?”

Whyte noted that “Malaysia remains one of the 20 countries singled out by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) for its failure to have and implement an action plan concerning elephant poaching and the ivory trade.”

He asked why CITES had not placed sanctions on Malaysia since Perhilitan had done “so little” to protect the wildlife it was responsible for in Malaysia.

“How many more elephants will be slaughtered before CITES’ Standing Committee members pluck up the guts to use sanctions as a legitimate means of saving elephants and deterring the ivory mafia?”

He likened CITES to being “as toothless as a worm” although even worms had “guts and they perform a very useful function for the environment.”

In a tone of frustration, Whyte said, “There’s more likelihood of finding an elephant on the moon than there is of CITES punishing Malaysia and others.”

He appealed to Perhilitan to come clean about its stocks of ivory and to arrest the perpetrators of the ivory trade.

He also told Perhilitan to explain why it refused to destroy the ivory and why there had been no independent audit of the ivory by expert scientists.

Whyte lamented that other NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund Malaysia and the Malaysian Nature Society had not done enough to stem the trade of ivory either.

In the meantime, Nature Alert is appealing to Perhilitan, Interpol Malaysia, CITES and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to answer the many questions surrounding the stockpiled ivory with complete transparency.

Is Malaysia truly celebrating Merdeka?

From Aliran’s co-editor

Celebrating the country’s independence has always been a joyous occasion, as it is we, the rakyat who have collectively contributed to the growth, advancement and progress of the nation.

But in Penang, the Merdeka celebrations were dampened by a crackdown on the Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) following a parade. The police arrested 156 members and Penang’s Exco Phee Boon Poh.

Aliran released a statement calling for their immediate release. The following day, all of them were released, but lawyer RSN Rayer was arrested and spent the night in the police station.

The success of a country is not determined by whether we have the tallest buildings or the longest bridges but the existence of peace, harmony and goodwill among its citizens.

In many ways, we can claim to have done well but the emergence of groups like ISMA and PERKASA and their often intolerant views contribute to tension that threatens the good ties that exist among the people.

Even more alarming to discover is that there may be Malaysians supporting ISIS.

The Star recently launched a campaign championing moderation called, ‘Brave view, bold ideas’, highlighting several of its columnists – Marina Mahathir, Azmi Sharom (who has been charged with sedition), Zainah Anwar and Shad Faruqi.

While it is a good move, some argue that limiting these views to columns rather than daily news has limited success and might just be a move to increase circulation without a real commitment to reporting on more important issues.

Meanwhile, the National Harmony Bill draft to replace the Sedition Act will only be ready by end 2015. Surely more priority should be given to bring this bill to fruition.

While the proposed bill serves to control extremist views and acts that disrupt unity, it would be better if we ourselves reclaim the atmosphere of true muhibbah – a mutual acceptance and understanding of the different cultural norms, beliefs and practices among the people.

To add to this, the saga of the next Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) is far from over. The Selangor Sultan wants two or more names from each PR party while the PR council only wants to propose one, PKR President Wan Azizah as the next MB.

This brings up many interesting questions. Will PR break up? Are the constitutional experts able to give a clear picture on the doctrine of separation of powers? What is behind PAS’ reluctance to accept Wan Azizah as the MB? Will Selangor give PR another chance if the state assembly were to be dissolved and fresh elections are held?

Through all these, the rakyat has every right to be disappointed and upset with the Selangor MB issue.

But we should not be too disappointed by electoral politics. While we need to work towards an electoral system that offers credible parties or coalitions choices, there are limitations in the electoral system in the quest for real change.

Blogger Anil Netto commented, “The real possibility for hope lies in the empowering of the people, perhaps through participatory democracy at all levels and the empowerment of communities at the local level, to establish and entrench certain noble values in society.”

And what are some of these values and principles?

The right to a clean government, social policies that ensure that the weak and vulnerable are cared for, reverence for the environment, and a commitment to reduce if not wipe out poverty.

And more relevant today, a commitment to ensure the income and wealth of the nation is shared fairly and not concentrated in the hands of the minority.

The bloodlust behind the Islamic State’s beheading of Steven Sotloff

By Washingtonpost,

It began with a knife, an orange tunic and a name. “I am Steven Joel Sotloff,” the bedraggled journalist said. “I’m sure you know exactly who I am by now. And why I’m appearing before you.” Sotloff paused for a long moment, kneeling on the desert floor, and looked directly into the Islamic State’s camera. He neither wept nor begged. There was only resignation. “And now,” he said, “it is time for my message.”

After it was done and Sotloff was dead, the knife-wielding man who has come to be known as “Jihadi John” grabbed another Western hostage. Promising to “strike the necks” of more Americans if the United States continues airstrikes against the Islamic State, he warned, “We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of American against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone.”

The beheading of Sotloff, two weeks after journalist James Foley’s decapitation, is an Islamic State calling card. In the last week alone, militants decapitated a Kurdish man and then days later beheaded a Lebanese soldier in an additional video. The decapitations are brutal and terrifying. But are they politically motivated? Or do they instead betray an unhinged brand of violence that is ultimately self-defeating?

“Beheading an American hostage — and a bound, kneeling one at that — hardly seems likely to keep the United States out of the Middle East,” wrote former New York Times war correspondent Dexter Filkins in the New Yorker. “Indeed, [the Islamic State] leaders couldn’t have made the prospect of American airstrikes more likely if they had sent a video to President Obama begging him to drop more bombs. Which raises a larger question: What could these people possibly hope to gain from such an act?”

Terrorism’s objectives are usually clear. “The purpose of terrorism is to strike fear into the hearts of opponents in order to win political concession,” wrote Timothy R. Furnish in “Beheading in the Name of Islam,” published in the Middle East Quarterly.

Much of the literature on Islamic decapitations, which soared during the Iraq war under al-Qaeda strongman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is coldly analytic. “Jihadists have employed this tactic for a range of reasons, including obtaining ransom payments, hampering foreign investment, discrediting transitional states and recruiting supporters,” according to an article in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. “…Beheadings in Iraq were largely used to recruit future jihadists and to demonstrate jihadists’ strength to the potential support base, the global Muslim community.”


It began with a knife, an orange tunic and a name. “I am Steven Joel Sotloff,” the bedraggled journalist said. “I’m sure you know exactly who I am by now. And why I’m appearing before you.” Sotloff paused for a long moment, kneeling on the desert floor, and looked directly into the Islamic State’s camera. He neither wept nor begged. There was only resignation. “And now,” he said, “it is time for my message.”

After it was done and Sotloff was dead, the knife-wielding man who has come to be known as “Jihadi John” grabbed another Western hostage. Promising to “strike the necks” of more Americans if the United States continues airstrikes against the Islamic State, he warned, “We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of American against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone.”

The beheading of Sotloff, two weeks after journalist James Foley’s decapitation, is an Islamic State calling card. In the last week alone, militants decapitated a Kurdish man and then days later beheaded a Lebanese soldier in an additional video. The decapitations are brutal and terrifying. But are they politically motivated? Or do they instead betray an unhinged brand of violence that is ultimately self-defeating?

“Beheading an American hostage — and a bound, kneeling one at that — hardly seems likely to keep the United States out of the Middle East,” wrote former New York Times war correspondent Dexter Filkins in the New Yorker. “Indeed, [the Islamic State] leaders couldn’t have made the prospect of American airstrikes more likely if they had sent a video to President Obama begging him to drop more bombs. Which raises a larger question: What could these people possibly hope to gain from such an act?”

U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, left; journalist James Foley, right. (Left: The Daily Caller/Handout via Reuters – Right: Steven Senne/AP)

Terrorism’s objectives are usually clear. “The purpose of terrorism is to strike fear into the hearts of opponents in order to win political concession,” wrote Timothy R. Furnish in “Beheading in the Name of Islam,” published in the Middle East Quarterly.

Much of the literature on Islamic decapitations, which soared during the Iraq war under al-Qaeda strongman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is coldly analytic. “Jihadists have employed this tactic for a range of reasons, including obtaining ransom payments, hampering foreign investment, discrediting transitional states and recruiting supporters,” according to an article in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. “…Beheadings in Iraq were largely used to recruit future jihadists and to demonstrate jihadists’ strength to the potential support base, the global Muslim community.”

But such reasoning may not convey the complete picture. The Islamic State’s penchant for decapitation has become so pervasive — so raw — that plain bloodlust must surely be a factor. Indeed, after the release of the Sotloff video, some in Congress were calling for more military intervention in Iraq, not less. Polling by the Pew Research Center suggests a similar reaction is developing more broadly among the public, which otherwise pays little attention to foreign developments.
 

The beheading didn’t elicit political concession, but anger. So what was the point of Sotloff’s decapitation?

“It’s hard to watch the video of Steven Sotloff’s last moments and not to conclude … the ostensible objective of securing an Islamic state is nowhere near as important as killing people,” Filkins wrote. “For the guys who signed up for [the Islamic State] — including, especially, the masked man with the English accent who wielded the knife — killing is the real point of being there.”

The Islamic State’s foreign fighters, who operated on the fringes in their home countries, account for a substantial portion of shocking acts of violence. Some of them were reportedly just criminals found to have psychotic tendencies.

Australian Khaled Sharrouf is one such jihadist. He’s beheaded many, judging by social media. Once, he even handed a severed head to his son, who posed with it for a photograph. Sharrouf is an old hand at violence. He was busted in 2005 by Australian authorities for complicity in a terrorist plot. A subsequent psychological report found: “Mr. Sharrouf has a history of psychotic symptoms over the past few years and has been diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenic illness.”

Peter Neumann, director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization, told The Washington Post’s Griff Witte that foreign fighters are some of the most sadistic. “They are the most ideologically motivated,” he said. “The locals may say, ‘That’s not the kind of thing we do here.’ But the outsiders don’t know that.”

The brutality has come at a cost. Locals as well as other jihadists, according to Buzzfeed’s Mike Giglio, have recoiled at the violence. “They kill people under the name of Islam, but Islam’s not like that,” said one fighter, who at first cheered the foreign fighters but now disdains them. “…Their main victims are rebel fighters and innocent people.”

The Soufan Group, an intelligence consultantcy, reported that because the Islamic State’s grip on territorial gains remains tenuous at best, its commitment to extreme violence makes it vulnerable. Its enemies list keeps growing. “Recent videos showing the massacre of over one hundred Syrian soldiers … and the apparent beheading of a Sunni Lebanese soldier produced more negative reactions than positive,” the group’s report stated.

The consequence of unmitigated violence is a lesson Osama bin Laden himself learned. Before he was killed in 2011, his final months were reportedly filled with delusion and regret. He feared that his Muslim “brothers” had turned too many against al-Qaeda with indiscriminate brutality. He even wanted to change the name of the terrorist group to distance itself from the evils of its past. “Learn from their mistakes,” he wrote in a letter reported by CNN. “…It would lead us to winning several battles while losing the war at the end.”

Wanted lawyer surrenders

The New Straits Times
by ATIQA HAZELLAH

KUALA LUMPUR: SHE evaded arrest for a year. Wanted by the police for several cases of criminal breach of trust involving more than RM1 million, investigators netted her on Thursday.

The 36-year-old lawyer, a divorcee with one child, is being investigated for allegedly swindling money from at least seven people who had gone to her to draw up sale-and-purchase agreements for properties.

It is learnt that she is to be charged today under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, and liable to fine upon conviction.

Seven police reports were lodged against the lawyer for the alleged crimes, which took place in Wangsa Maju (four), Sentul (one), Dengkil (one) and Klang Utara (one).

Police believe the lawyer could be linked to more cases as there may be victims who have yet to lodged a report.

Her allegedly began siphoning thousands of ringgit from her clients two years ago.

But her operation began to uravel in October last year when 10 of her clients barged into her law firm in Jalan Wangsa Delima 5, in Wangsa Maju, claiming that she had been swindling theirmoney.

The disgruntled clients and a partner of her firm then lodged police reports the same day.

“She was the lawyer appointed by the clients to manage legal matters pertaining to the purchase of land and properties.

“Her legal licence has been suspended since June 2012 and her 29-year-old partner in the firm has taken over the practice,” said a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The suspect has been on the run for almost a year until she turned herself in at the Wangsa Maju district police headquarters on Thursday, after being coaxed by her business partner.

“Her movements were fluid and almost always under the radar. We even went to her hometown in Sarawak to track her down, but our efforts were futile.

“Police are also working at confiscating the lawyer’s assets, believed to have been accumulated through her ill-gotten gains.”

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Izany Abdul Ghany said police would compile other reports that could have been lodged against the lawyer nationwide.

“It is serious offence because it involves huge sums of money.”

The New Straits Times went to her former law firm yesterday and found it closed. Efforts to call the office’s general number were unsuccessful.

Bar: Azmi’s remarks not disrespectful

The Star
by FARIK ZOLKEPLI AND HEMANANTHANI SIVANANDAM

PETALING JAYA: Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom’s comments about the Perak constitutional crisis were well within the reasonable exercise of academic freedom and public discourse, said the Malaysian Bar.

“This cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, constitute sedition,” said Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong in a statement yesterday following Azmi’s appearance in court to answer a sedition charge.

“Likewise, we reiterate that questioning the exercise of discretion should not be seen as being disrespectful to those to whom that discretion has been given, but a legitimate examination of the proper exercise of that discretion as permitted by law,” said Leong, who added that the organisation was appalled with the charges brought against the law lecturer.

Leong said although Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had once declared that the days of “government knows best” were over, the prosecution of individuals – over the past few days – who have been perceived to have challenged or questioned authorities “deny the very humility that declaration presupposes”.

The police, however, maintained that they would continue to act against seditious elements, with Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar saying that the police were expected to make more arrests.

“Berani cakap, berani tanggung (Those brave enough to make statements should face the consequences). We will not tolerate those who besmirch others or make seditious statements via social media or other mediums.

“Wait for action by the police,” Khalid warned.

He added that police acted based on facts and in a transparent manner, without taking into account the religion, race or political leanings of those involved.

“It is not a witch hunt,” he said when contacted here yesterday.

The University of Malaya Academic Staff Union (PKAUM) and the Malaysian Academics Movement (MOVE) also expressed their objection to Azmi’s prosecution.

“We are extremely disappointed with the use of the Sedition Act 1948 against Azmi. This is a gross violation of his academic rights, and goes against the true spirit of Article 10 on freedom of speech, assembly and association guaranteed by the Federal Constitution,” said PKAUM and MOVE in a joint statement.

It added that the charges against Azmi was also a serious violation of the 1997 Unesco Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching, which spells out an academician’s rights to freedom of expression and obligations to society.