Anwar: Berapa cukai 20 orang hartawan M'sia bayar?

The Muslim nation where ISIS is free to recruit

CBSnews

CIANJUR, Indonesia -- A businessman who proclaims himself leader of the Indonesian chapter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group says he has personally overseen the departure of scores of fighters from this Southeast Asian nation to Syria and Iraq. Police detained him for a night recently, but were unable to charge him with a crime.

Chep Hernawan reflects both the success ISIS has had in attracting support in the region, and the challenges Indonesia faces in responding.

The government, home to most of the up to 200 Southeast Asians believed to be fighting in Syria and Iraq, has forcefully spoken out against ISIS, as have mainstream Muslim organizations in the country. But translating that into stronger legal tools that could stop suspected militants from traveling abroad, for example, will be a challenge given the fractious nature of the next parliament and other legislative priorities, according to a recent report into the evolution of ISIS by the Institute of Policy Analysis for Conflict.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said his force could only monitor ISIS supporters.

"If they have no record of terrorism activities then they can't be charged under our criminal law," he said.

For the first time since the 1990s and the Afghan jihad, Indonesians, Malaysians and other extremists in Southeast Asia are traveling abroad in an organized fashion to join a global militant movement, picking up battlefield skills and militant contacts.

Security officials fear they could take part in terrorism on their return to Southeast Asia, as those trained in Afghanistan did in attacks such as the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people. Radicals at home also could heed ISIS's exhortations to carry out revenge attacks on Western targets.

In response to the threat posed by foreign fighters, the United Nations Security Council last month adopted a resolution demanding member states prevent the recruitment and travel of people to join militant groups like ISIS, which is also known as ISIL, and which calls itself simply the "Islamic State."

Hernawan's brush with the law has not stopped him from campaigning on behalf of the group or defending its actions, including the beheading of journalists and opposition forces.

"I'm convinced that these are religious acts based on Islamic teachings (permitting acts) that strike fear in the hearts of enemies of Islam," he told The Associated Press recently in an interview in his plush home.

Hernawan, 63, a longtime public supporter of radical Islam, said he was appointed the head of ISIS in Indonesia at a meeting of radicals on March 16. While he is a well-known for speaking on ISIS' behalf in the country, two experts on militancy in Indonesia said it was unclear or even unlikely whether he had any structural links to the group's leadership in Syria.

Like some other radicals in Indonesia, he says violent jihad within Indonesia is not justified because the country doesn't meet the conditions required under Islamic law. Not so elsewhere.

"In countries where there are wars such as Iraq, Syria and Palestine, you either kill or get killed," Hernawan said.

Earlier this year he addressed a gathering of ISIS supporters in the heart of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

On the stage with him was a man called Bahrumsyah, who in July later appeared in an ISIS propaganda video with other Indonesians in Syria.

ISIS has quickly achieved popularity among a section of extremists in Southeast Asia because it has a territory that welcomes those willing to fight, a slick social media campaign and a reputation for battlefield success.

The danger posed to Indonesia from ISIS was brought into focus last month when police arrested four ethnic Uighurs they allege were being taken to meet the country's most wanted militant to discuss recruitment for ISIS. The militant, Abu Wardah Santoso, has taken responsibility for the killings of several Indonesian police officers and has pledged allegiance to ISIS.

In Malaysia, authorities have revoked the passports of 30 suspected militants who had previously been arrested under the country's new defunct national security act, said Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.

In late September, police detained three suspected jihadists at Kuala Lumpur International Airport as they were about to board a flight to Turkey. Ayob Khan said at least 22 Malaysians were known to have left for the war in Syria.

Sri Yunanto, an expert on militancy at Indonesia's anti-terrorism agency, said many jihadi groups within Indonesia are trying to use the war in Syria to create a pool of combat-trained and indoctrinated recruits.

"Their goal is to send young people to Syria to provide them with expertise and experience," Yunanto said. "When the time comes for terrorism, they will have skilled operatives."

At least four Indonesians are known to have been killed in Syria and Iraq. The first was Wildan Mukhollad, who blew himself up in a restaurant in Baghdad earlier this year. He grew up in the same village as two notorious militants convicted and later executed for their role in the Bali bombings, and attended a school founded by them.

Ali Fauzi, his teacher at Al Islam boarding school, remembers Mukhollad watching the funerals of the two militants in the village.

"He was a good boy, a smart boy," Fauzi said. "I knew that it was his dream, he had reached what he dreamed of as a kid: to be martyred and go to heaven."

© 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Indian jihadist group calls for attacks on non Muslims

By Rupam Jain Nair

(Reuters) - A group of Indian Islamic militants, operating out of Pakistan, has called for attacks on non Muslims in the region in retaliation for U.S.-led air strikes on fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The head of the little-known Ansar al-Tawhid fi’Bilad al-Hind urged Muslims to kill foreigners and other infidels in mainly Hindu India where Muslims have largely stayed away from global jihad.

"If you are in the fortunate position to kill an American or European, whether French or Australian or Canadian, or other unbelievers who have declared war on the Islamic State, then do so," said Maulana Abdul Rehman al-Nadwi al-Hindi in a 30-minute video posted online last week.

Indian security analysts said that Maulana Abdul Rehman is a pseudonym for fugitive jihadist Sultan Abdul Kadir Armar, a former resident of southern India who attended an Islamist seminary before going to Pakistan.

"Kill the idol worshippers wherever you find them ... shoot them if you can, stab them, throw stones at their heads, poison them, run them over, burn their fields - and if you are unable ... spit in their faces," al-Hindi said, referring to Hindus.

The emergence of a Islamic State-aligned militant group in India comes weeks after al Qaeda announced the formation of an Indian branch, aiming to rouse the world's third largest Muslim population into action.

"There is no doubt that the radicalisation process has begun in different parts of the country. Islamic fundamentalists are seeking to indoctrinate Indian Muslims," said Ajay Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi which monitors militant groups across South Asia.

The rapid rise of the Islamic State has evoked admiration among some groups in India and the flags of the insurgent group have appeared at rallies in Indian Kashmir, the country's only Muslim-majority state and the site of a nearly 25-year armed revolt.

The push for new jihadi recruits comes at a time of increased tension between Muslims and Hindus in India following the election of Narendra Modi as prime minister in May. Some of Modi's Hindu nationalist followers have been stirring up communal differences.

India has long believed that its democracy provided a platform for Muslims and other minority groups to address grievances and that they didn't have to turn to violent jihad to pursue their aims.

Modi said last month that al Qaeda would struggle to recruit members from India's 175-million strong Muslim community and praised Muslims for their commitment to fight for the country.

Two suspected al Qaeda supporters were killed when a bomb they were making exploded in a house in the state of West Bengal on Oct. 2, police told Reuters. Police said they found documents linked to al Qaeda and Chechen rebels.

(Additional reporting by Sujoy Dhar in KOLKATA; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Jeremy Laurence)

RM2,500 salary enough for those who manage their finances well – Bernama

A starting salary of RM2,500 for graduates who have just entered the employment world will suffice as long as they manage their finances well and live within their means.

Economist and financial management experts say this average starting salary can be considered reasonable especially when looking at the fact that these greenhorns have no skills or experience and that the employer has to take the risk of employing them.

The head of the education division of the Credit Counseling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK), Mohd Adnan Anan Abdullah says on how much graduates should start off is up to the individual but for the spendthrift even a bit fat pay cheque will not suffice.

"Whether what one earns is enough of otherwise is all dependent on the individual's profile. Say in Kuala Lumpur, if one eats out every day it could cost up RM30 per day, and the spending will be greater if one has habits like smoking".

Apart from that, those who have just started work should not rush into buying luxuries, like a car. They should stabilise their financial position beforehand.

Newcomers are certainly disappointed

"Owning a car at a very young age is definitely 'cool' but one should not forget of the additional ownership costs involved – fuel, toll, parking charges, maintenance and insurance coverage when lumped up could prove to be hefty", he said.

A study on job seekers going through the job portal Jobstreet found degree holders felt that the average RM2,500 being insufficient with 77% of the 2,062 respondents could hardly save after spending on the basic necessities.

About 60% of the respondents expected a starting salary of RM3,500, while 30% of them asked for RM6,500. On the employers side, 66 of them said they were ready to pay between RM2,500 and RM2,800 depending on the qualification.

However, Mohd Adnan refuted claims that a salary of RM2,500 is insufficient to keep aside some amount for savings and saving 10% of one's monthly income is part of good financial management.

"Saving is important, but calls for tough financial discipline and perseverance, and can be done through unit trusts or separate bank accounts. As long as there is balance in the bank account one will be tempted to spend, thus savings must be something that one is forced to do", he says.

Graduates have to see the bigger picture

The Executive Director of the Federation of Malaysian Employers, Shamsuddin Bardan points out the aforementioned starting salary could be considered as reasonable for graduates who have no experience and the fact that employers have to spend to teach them on the trade.

"They have to realise that the employment openings are limited and if they are too demanding on the salary they may end up being unemployed.

"So take a positive view and see your first job as the opportunity to seek knowledge, and after having garnered some experience they could 'test the market' at other places. There is no obligation for one to remain loyal to an employer".

Shamsuddin adds that if they excel, along with additional qualities like good communication skills, don't be surprised the employers themselves give a pay rise within a short time.

Employers are well aware that they could easily lose good employees if they are not rewarded accordingly.

Take it as a practical training

An economic lecturer with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) Professor Dr Shazali Abu Mansor shared similar views with Shamsuddin.

Prof Shazali says graduates should consider themselves as still undergoing practical training while at their first job.

"The key here is patience. If during your practical training you could take a bus, why not do the same now? Don't think that as soon as you start work you could just forget how you lived as a student.

"To help them tide over the tight financial situation, those who have provided them with study loans like the PTPTN should defer the repayment of the loans to two years after starting work as by then salary increments would have taken place," Shazali said.

The committee member for the economic and management cluster of the National Professor Council, Professor Dr Samsinar Md Sidin says the younger employees, especially those who reside in towns, should spend wisely.

"At times it is better to rent a room near the workplace, though it may be expensive it is better than traveling from far away, as this also helps to avoid the waste of time and energy", he says.

The lecturer at the economic and management faculty of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) added that parents could help them financially at the initial stage.

"Some of those who had just graduated also do part time work, including through online means, however they have to ensure their main occupation is not affected. Don't waste any opportunity", he says. – Bernama, October 7, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/rm2500-salary-enough-for-those-who-manage-their-finances-well-bernama#sthash.m9xsNzLe.dpuf

Isma says Jewish, Christian interests will lead ‘new government’ if Sedition Act goes

Repealing laws like the Sedition Act "in a package" will give rise to liberalism and expose the nation to foreign intervention, allowing Jewish and Christian capitalists to determine and shape the country's policies, said Islamic non-governmental organisation Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).

Its president Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman (pic) said the repeal of certain laws could also lead to the downfall of the government and be replaced by a government that supports these capitalists.

He said the Sedition Act was a man-made law, which was not based on Islam, so it could be reviewed from time to time, changed or even abolished.

"For the context of this discussion, is it good to abolish or keep it?" he said in a statement on Isma's website today.

Abdullah Zaik said the repeal would allow certain quarters to debate core issues that cannot be challenged such as the position of Islam, the sovereignty of the Malay rulers, the privileges of the Malays and Bumiputeras, and matters concerning the Malay language.

"Everything will become debatable and abolishable ... it will have huge implications on the social contract and the structure of the nation's future," he said.

Repealing the Sedition Act, he said, has to be seen in the form of a 'package' since it came off the heels of the repeal of the Internal Security Act and Emergency Ordinance, calls to abolish the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, as well as calls for Press freedom.

"If these laws are repealed as a package, we will see a wide limitless liberalisation and a rise in problems like allowing people to question the Federal Constitution, and invite foreign intervention by Jewish and Christian capitalists.

"They will determine and influence our national policies according to what they want, bring down the government and install one that listens to them," Abdullah Zaik said.

He warned that harmony would be threatened without these laws, and expose the country to larger problems.

"What more if we look at the demography, racial polarisation and others that are already so critical in our society now. It will bring more dangerous clashes between parties of interest," he said.

Abdullah Zaik said the real issue here was the misuse of the laws, the abuse of power by parties with political interests or what was often called 'selective prosecution' of late.

He said in the issue of power abuse, enforcement has to be controlled, instead of repealing laws to solve the problem.

"A good law in the hands of a bad person can become something bad. A bad law in the hands of a good person can bring about good.

"The issue whether a law is good or not, depends on whether the person enforcing the law is pious or not," he said.

Abdullah Zaik said Isma agreed with some quarters that suggested the Act be improved with provisions to uphold the sovereignty and position of Islam in the Federal Constitution.

"Any effort to amend the Act should be towards preventing power abuse, selective prosecution, actions that are against Islam and the violation of the law itself.

"That is what we think should be done," he said.

Calls to repeal the Sedition Act has intensified over the last few months after numerous Pakatan Rakyat leaders like Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and DAP vice chairman Teresa Kok, and activists were investigated and charged one by one under the Act.

Abdullah Zaik himself is also facing a sedition charge for allegedly calling the Chinese community "trespassers brought in by the British government" on May 6 this year.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/isma-says-jewish-christian-interests-will-lead-new-government-if-sedition-a#sthash.Rxa5vZdH.dpuf

Armed police patrol at Heathrow Airport as Kurds protest against Isis

Alexandra Rucki

A terminal at Heathrow Airport has been occupied by Kurdish and Turkish anti-Islamic State protesters.

The campaigners have blocked ticket barriers in terminal two of the airport and have been occupying the airport since 12pm today.

A group of about 50 demonstrators are holding banners reading ‘Stop facist attacks in Kurdistan’ and ‘Kobane’, following news the Islamic State flag was seen on the border of Turkey and Syria.

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard said: "We were called at 11.55am to reports of a demonstration at Heathrow Airport.

"Officers are at the scene and an appropriate policing plan is in place."

A spokeswoman for Heathrow Airport said: “There is currently a peaceful protest taking place in Terminal 2 in the departures area. Heathrow supports the right for peaceful protest. There is no impact on operations and passengers can travel as normal through the airport.”

Passenger Adam Tuckwell said: "The protesters are in good voice but all seems peaceful."

The same group of pro-Kurdish campaigners blockaded Oxford Circus tube station yesterday afternoon.

Transport for London were forced to evacuate the station for an hour as the demonstration blocked passengers passing ticket barriers.

Umno leader: Vernacular schools obstacle to unity

 

Stirring the hornets' nest, Cheras Umno chief Syed Ali Alhabshee urged the government to look into setting up a single-stream school system.

In a blog posting today, Syed Ali said the time has perhaps come to abolish vernacular schools, which are considered a platform to fan racial sentiments.

"Vernacular schools are no longer practical in this country seeing how it had sprung from the British colonial administration, which wanted to divide the races," he added.

However, Syed Ali (right) stressed that the move is not to "kill" mother-tongue languages of other races, which could be taught in the single-stream school.

Being in line with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysia concept, he called on BN component party leaders to view single stream schools as tools to shape a Malaysian identity, irrespective of race.

He also noted that the suggestion to debate the matter at next month’s Umno general assembly did not mean that the party wanted to be a "hero" but that it prioritised racial unity.

Syed Ali said that since its inception in 1946, the basis of Umno’s struggle is to do whatever is necessary to ensure that all races live in peace.

"Under the stewardship of Umno, no race has been sidelined by BN, which is sensitive to the interests of all races in this country," he added.

Syed Ali also explained that his defence of a single stream school is not to shortchange or oppress the other races.

On the contrary, he said, Umno believes that national unity could only be shaped by the education system.

The Umno leader recalled how the issue was raised by the late educationist Aminuddin Baki half a century ago due to his foresight that racial problems would arise as a result of the different streams.

An environment for interaction

On the same note, Syed Ali did not discount the possibility that a handful of teachers, regardless of races, would fan racial sentiments among the students.

"To stop this from becoming widespread, a single stream school system is the best medium to take steps in inculcating clear and genuine interracial ties

"Such schools will also provide an environment for students of all races to interact and understand the sensitivities of others, apart from ensuring political, economical and social stability," he added.

Syed Ali was also disappointed with certain quarters, including MCA leaders, who were against the single stream system due to concerns that their racial identity and language would erode.

He said MCA leaders could offer their views but should utilise the proper channels in order to avoid their statements being misinterpreted by those with political agendas.

Citing Singapore as an example, Syed Ali said there are no Chinese-medium schools in the republic, whose citizens are predominantly of Chinese origin.

Similarly, he added, Thailand and Indonesia have done the same as well.

Muslim groups want Selangor MB to can Oktoberfest, don claims festival unconstitutional

(Malay Mail Online) – Muslims in Selangor are demanding that Mentri Besar Azmin Ali cancel the Oktoberfest beer festival in the state for being offensive and insulting to the community, local Malay dailies reported today.

Targeting one such event at the One Utama shopping centre in Petaling Jaya, one Muslim group said approval for a billboard publicizing the festival appeared consent to invite Muslims in the area to join the beer festival.

The billboard in question at Jalan Subang in Section U2, which was approved by the Shah Alam Municipal Council (MBSA).

“What is upsetting and can be assumed rude is that the beer festival is being organised in the month of Zulhijah, in which Muslims observe the Hajj and Qurban.

“We do not have a problem with the programme (Oktoberfest) but it should be done by observing the culture and sensitivities of the Muslim-majority,” Kosmo quoted the president of Ikatan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Selangor, Rosdi Long, as saying.

Rosdi was also reported saying that the commitment of the new Selangor administration to defend the sanctity of Islam, is also under test with the organising of Oktoberfest.

The tabloid and Utusan Malaysia also quoted Selangor Umno chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar as urging Azmin to remove the billboard immediately.

“When Barisan Nasional (BN) was in power, the state government never allowed alcohol advertisements to be put up freely.

“Is the Selangor government now doing otherwise by permitting and encouraging such advertisements to be publicised on billboards belonging to local authorities?” Noh was quoted as saying..

Berita Harian quoted Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) law professor Datin Noor Aziah Mohd Awal as saying that the celebration violates the Federal Constitution.

According to Noor Aziah, alcohol festivals cannot be organised in open spaces and such events are only confined to licensed alcohol selling outlets.

“The organiser has to seek for a permit as stipulated under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, if they want to proceed with the event in an open area.

“However, in this case permits would not be issued at it (Oktoberfest) violates the Federal Constitution,” she was quoted saying by the daily.

Muslim groups including controversial Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) have taken aim at Oktoberfest this month, claiming the event will tarnish Malaysia’s image as an “Islamic country” and “bring ruin” to the nation.

Although the event is promoted to non-Muslims, several Muslim groups have urged their supporters to rally against the event and venues that serve alcohol as part of the festival.

Oktoberfest is held annually in Malaysia with the two biggest breweries GAB and Carlsberg holding several drinking parties in major towns nationwide.

Oktoberfest was originally celebrated in Munich, Germany to accompany horse races, but has grown into “the world’s largest funfair”, attracting millions of visitors every year.

Revisiting the Theory of the Lazy Malays!

Ahmad Mustapha Hassan, The Ant Daily

This piece is an offshoot of the old colonial theory of the lazy natives. But this theory was debunked by the late Professor Syed Hussein Al-Attas in his book “The Myth of the Lazy Native”. It took him seven years to produce this very authoritative book after having done a very exhaustive research on the matter.

The colonial writers during the period of the expansion of imperialism had painted a very poor and degrading picture of the natives in the places that the imperial powers had colonised. This was particularly so concerning the Javanese, the Filipinos and the Malays.

One colonial writer from Germany insinuated that the Filipinos chose to construct their rafts from bamboos so that they could lie down and relax. By this, he implied that these natives just wanted to relax and not do any work. What a silly conclusion!

The natives in these countries were already toiling the land to produce food and amenities for their own communities. The sea had also been their source of food and so were the many rivers in their area. They were already independent economic activists. They needed nothing from the colonialists.

It was the colonialists who needed their services to produce the goods that their home countries needed. They wanted tin and other minerals. And they needed a labour force to produce these raw materials.

The indigenous people were simply not interested in helping the colonialists in their ventures. They would not pawn their freedom and they would not compromise their sovereignty in being independent workers in their own right. They were tied to the land as farmers and they were grateful that the seas and rivers provided them with plentiful fish and other products.

Their attitude was simply a setback to the aims and goals of the colonialists. The only way out for the colonialists was to bring in people from their other colonial territories which had an abundance of unemployed labour force.

In the Southeast Asian countries that they had colonised, there was no unemployment and the people were fully engaged in productive activities. There was no starvation that would compel them to leave the land for some other economic activities.

Royal Professor Ungku Aziz had expounded this elaborately in his writings on rural economics. His students were made to understand the economic activities in the rural areas. The work carried out by the rural folks was back breaking and they were subjected to all types of unkind weather situations. No lazy individual could face up to such a situation.

The environment that they were in and faced did not warrant them to venture into other economic spheres. But the end of colonial power had changed the whole economic scenario in these areas.

Suddenly the new governments especially in Malaya wanted to change this situation and had wanted the Malays to advance like all other ethnic communities in the country.

Thus, the lazy Malays theory had taken a twist.

The main cause was the affirmative action agenda. This agenda was the short cut to get Malays to be wealthy.

Thus in the Federation of Malaya, the Umno government wanted to leapfrog the Malays into a modern setting, creating a new class to be involved in business and commerce. Agencies were set up to provide the necessary help towards creating this new economic class. But the effort failed.

A new approach was made by granting some Umno warlords contracts to undertake government projects. Not having the expertise and the relevant attitude to undertake these contracts, they sub-contracted these projects to those non-Malays who had the experience and know-how.

A new Malay business class came into being through procuring commissions on the projects that had been given. That was not the desired goal of the scheme.

Thus the government itself set up enterprises and employed civil service bureaucrats to run and manage these government established business entities. Public money had to be used to establish them.

Not many of these enterprises met with great success. Many lost money. Thus the Malays had two types of bureaucrats, either they belonged to the civil service or were engaged in manning these government linked companies.

Another phenomenon was to award projects to those one or two so-called Malay capitalists so as to ensure that these projects will not fail. Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar represents this kind of strategy.

All in all, it can be said that the modern lazy Malays had been created by Umno and the Umno Baru government.

I am not an apologist but this is to correct the misconception on the matter.

Ahmad Mustapha Hassan is a former press secretary to second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and the writer of the book, “The Unmaking of Malaysia”.

Bung and Lateefah: Cat fight on Twitter

The two take to Twitter to launch attacks against each other.

KUALA LUMPUR: True to form, Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin caused quite a stir when he picked a fight with Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Latheefa Koya for her blatant remark that he be gotten rid of.

Giving her an ultimatum of either apologising within 24 hours or facing the wrath of the police, Bung tweeted, “You have 24 hours to offer an explanation or apologise. If not, I will lodge a police report.”

The tweet in question from Latifah was, “Rather than get rid of the Sedition Act, it’s better to get rid of the Kinabatangan MP instead.”

Bung defended himself against detractors online, saying that (sic) “If somebody sms u to eliminate ur family… What would you do?”, adding that “I just need explanation from her… Nowadays, everybody is capable to kill anybody.”

Bung, who clearly interpreted the comment as a ‘death threat’, drew return fire from Latheefa, who told the MP that the “PDRM are not your private bodyguards” and warned him “Don’t try to threaten anti-Sedition activists! Rampaging with a draconian act.”

In an apparent tit for tat, Lateefa gave Bung 24 hours to retract his statement that the Sedition Act be used against those calling for its repeal.

Eric Paulsen of Lawyers for Liberty weighed in on the situation, saying, “(Bung) is a symbol of all that is wrong with UMNO’s culture of entitlement – they can say the most offensive things but others can’t.”

Is Najib Razak the Prime Minister of a two-headed government – whose PM wants Malaysia to be the world “best democracy” but whose AG’s sedition spree aims to make Malaysia the world’s “worst democracy”?

Lim Kit Siang Blog

Is Datuk Seri Najib Razak the Prime Minister of a two-headed government – whose Prime Minister wants Malaysia to be the world’s “best democracy” but whose Attorney-General’s recent sedition spree of selective and malicious prosecutions aims to make Malaysia the world’s “worst democracy”.

This question automatically arises from the parliamentary answer today on the recent sedition blitz by the Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who asked the Prime Minister whether the government’s use of the law against Pakatan Rakyat leaders, activists and intellectuals was in line with the prime minister’s commitment to make Malaysia more democratic.

Answering during Parliament’s Question Time, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri defended the spate of sedition prosecutions, claiming that the Malaysian government practises and upholds the doctrine of the separation of powers and as such the government does not interfere in the Attorney-General’s Chambers affairs.

Nancy is very mixed-up as she has made a fatal error about the doctrine of separation of powers, as the Attorney-General is part of the executive and not the judiciary in the doctrine of separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
The doctrine of separation of powers is totally irrelevant and does not apply in the blitzkrieg of sedition prosecutions – which is an executive action and not an action of the judiciary.

Although Article 145(3) of the Malaysian Constitution vests in the Attorney-General the sole discretionary power “to institute, continue or discontinue any proceedings for any offence”, the AG’s prosecution decisions are actions of the Executive and not of the Judiciary, which means the Prime Minister must assume full responsibilities for the AG’s decision and cannot disclaim responsibility on the ground of the doctrine of separation of powers.

It is completely unthinkable in any parliamentary democracy that the Attorney-General could give the country a bad international reputation by launching a dragnet of selective and malicious prosecutions under a repressive colonial law like the Sedition Act, and the Prime Minister can fold his arms to disclaim responsibility on the ground that he is not responsible for the actions of the AG on the ground that this is a judicial and not an executive exercise of power.

A responsible Prime Minister would have reined in the Attorney-General and end the spate of sedition prosecutions, especially when they are completely at odds with his mandate to make Malaysia the world’s “best democracy” and are selective and malicious as being aimed at opposition leaders, critics and activists, or alternatively, sack the incumbent and appoint a new Attorney-General.

Why is Najib allowing the Attorney-General to make mince-meat of his pledge to make Malaysia the world’s best democracy with his spate of sedition prosecutions – unless the Prime Minister has given secret authorisation to the AG but dare not openly admit responsibility?

In her reply, Nancy also claimed that the government does not practise favouritism in taking action against anyone found guilty of committing sedition.

There is not only a long list of cases to prove Nancy wrong, and substantiate the sad state of affairs where the administration of justice in Malaysia has gone very awry not only with the selective and malicious prosecution under the Sedition Act but also selective and malicious investigation by the Police under the same Act.

The latest instance happened only today.

Last Sunday, the UMNO mouthpiece, Mingguan Malaysia front-paged and headlined the proposal by a junior Umno leader that the UMNO general assembly next month should debate whether the Chinese vernacular schools should be abolished on the baseless and spurious ground that it had been used by the opposition to breed racial and anti-government sentiments.

Junior MCA, Gerakan and SUPP leaders reacted by calling for the junior UMNO leader to be charged for sedition, but the police today said that they will not investigate the junior UMNO leader for sedition over his suggestion that the Chinese vernacular system be abolished.

Although MCA Youth had even lodged a police report, the Malay Mail Online quoted the Sepang police chief Supt Mohd Yusoff Awang as saying that the case has been categorised as a civil matter after police investigations.

Isn’t this the latest example that the police had been guilty of selective and malicious investigation (or lack of investigation) on sedition cases, apart from the selective and malicious prosecution by the Attorney-General’s Chamber?

Dare the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers protest at such double standards by the police and the Attorney-General’s chambers in their administration of justice in the next Cabinet meeting and to demand for a halt of the sedition dragnet, with the dropping of all sedition charges?

China Reaffirms Good Relationship With Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Malaysia-China cooperation including in dealing with the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and major joint ventures, were among the subjects discussed by a high-ranking Chinese politician with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, here Tuesday.

The visiting State Councillor Yang Jie Chi called on Najib, who is also the Finance Minister, at the Finance Ministry here.

Also present were the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China, Tan Sri Ong Ka Ting, China's Ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Liu Zhenmin.

Ong said during the 40-minute meeting, Najib and Yang exchanged views on the ongoing major joint-venture projects including the China-Malaysia Qingzhou Industrial Park in Qingzhou, China and its sister park Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park in Gebeng, Pahang and Xiamen University's Malaysia Campus in Sepang.

"The discussions went very well. The Chinese government views seriously on proposals and suggestions by the Malaysian government and all the cooperations both countries are undertaking in terms of economic, trade cooperation, regional cooperation and also education," he told Bernama after the meeting.

Ong said Yang, who is on a two-day visit to Malaysia starting today, also conveyed messages from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chinese premier Le Keqiang to Najib to reaffirm the good relationship with Malaysia.

Ong also said that China reaffirmed that Malaysia continued to be a good neighbour, close friends and would do everything possible to deepen the good relationship further.

"They appreciate our prime minister's visionary and the good (bilateral) relationship which was established 40 years ago," he said.

During the meeting, Najib and Yang also discussed the preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Meeting 2014 which will be held in Beijing this November, he said.

On the missing MAS flight MH370, Ong said both Najib and Yang reaffirmed the cooperation and good understanding under the trying times to overcome challenges.

"We will continue to work together and implement everything possible in the search and also in dealing with the unfortunate incident," he said.

The Beijing-bound Boeing 777-200 aircraft, with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board, disappeared about an hour after leaving the KL International Airport at 12.41 am on March 8.

The fate of those on board flight MH370 is unknown as the multi-national search for the aircraft whose flight path was believed to have ended in the southern Indian Ocean, has drawn a blank, thus far.

Zaid: Forget IS, look at violence in us

Amid the ongoing sedition dragnet, former minister Zaid Ibrahim continues to push the envelope, claiming that the "Islamic state of Malaysia" may perhaps be more violent than the Islamic state (IS) itself.

He called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim to look at the violence being committed in their own backyard.

Zaid was commenting on their condemnation of the violence perpetuated by the Islamic State (IS) movement.

"Cutting someone's head off may be unacceptable but isn't it fair to ask how Malaysia is any different?

"IS leaders say those who don't accept their decisions violate religious tenets and commit the offence of insulting the religion, which means their position is no different from religious leaders in Malaysia," he wrote in his blog today.

Zaid noted that IS could argue that God's laws are perfect and therefore there is no need to incorporate and embrace other world experiences, morality or value systems in determining the application of divine laws.

"They would be as 'correct' in their stance as (Malaysian Islamic bodies) Jakim and Jawi," he added.

In Malaysia, Zaid noted, if an abandoned child is found and remains unclaimed after several weeks, the fatwa is that the baby is deemed to be a Muslim.

"This means the baby is automatically disqualified from being adopted by a non-Muslim family. To make things more difficult, some Muslims are reluctant to adopt babies born out of wedlock.

"So where does this unfortunate newborn go? It looks to me that the Islamic state of Malaysia is just as violent, if not more so than IS if it’s not even willing to defend a child’s integrity and safety," he added.

Looking for plentiful signs of compassion

To distinguish the "Islamic state of Malaysia" from IS, the former minister said, he is desperately looking for signs that compassion and justice, which Islam promotes, are plentiful here.

"But I do not see enough of them," he lamented.

"My remarks will anger some Muslims. They will say that I am a bad Muslim, with the audacity of trying to change God's laws.

"But I am not changing anything. I am merely questioning the understanding of these laws. If we cannot question them, then our clerics are no different from IS clerics, who just need to declare that God’s laws are perfect and kill all their opponents," he added.

So before Najib and Anwar continue condemning IS, Zaid hoped the two would take a good, long and hard look around the country and the misery that Muslims suffer.

"If they truly want to showcase the true and peaceful Islam, they need to engage local Muslims on substantive issues regarding their faith.

"These two leaders must be prepared to talk about things that matter to the country, even if it means losing some votes in the process," he added.

Airstrikes target ISIS near Kobani: 'Finally, they are hitting the right places'

By Holly Yan, Josh Levs, and Mohammed Tawfeeq,

(CNN) -- Airstrikes targeting ISIS struck near the crucial Syrian city of Kobani overnight.

Five airstrikes near that city targeted groups of ISIS fighters, U.S. Central Command said. There were another four strikes elsewhere in Syria and four in Iraq.

"Finally, they are hitting the right places," one local fighter against ISIS said after the airstrikes near Kobani, which is close to the Turkish border and key to ISIS' effort to extend its terrain.

Were Kobani to fall, ISIS would control a complete swath of land between its self-declared capital of Raqqa, Syria, and Turkey -- a stretch of more than 100 kilometers (62 miles).
Iraqi troops fight ISIS outside Baghdad
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Outnumbered and outgunned by ISIS, local fighters trying to defend the Kurdish-dominated city have tried to flee into Turkey.

Airstrikes against the radical Islamist group in Kobani can be challenging because many targets there are too close to the Turkish border or Kurdish forces to strike, a senior U.S. military official said.

Violent protests in Turkey

People upset over what they consider Turkey's failure to respond adequately to the ISIS threat launched protests in Turkey, some of which turned violent.

There were clashes overnight in Istanbul, and a group of about 50 to 60 protesters blocked a road, CNN affiliate CNN Turk reported.

Some demonstrators set fire to a bus and garbage truck and smashed windows and cars.

A 23-year-old man was killed in the midst of a protest, according to Sabite Ekinci, mayor of the town of Varto. The man was shot, Ekinci said.

Two other people were injured, she said.

In Belgium, meanwhile, Kurdish protesters stormed the European Parliament building. CNN affiliate RTL Belgium said about 50 protesters stormed into the building. Police then cordoned it off.

Some European nations have joined the fight against ISIS, but the Kurdish protesters want tougher action.

Belgium participated in overnight airstrikes in Iraq, U.S. Central Command said.

Dutch join in

Dutch forces participated for the first time in airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq as well, dropping three bombs on ISIS vehicles that were shooting at Kurdish Peshmerga forces, the Dutch Defense Ministry said in a statement. The vehicles were destroyed, and ISIS fighters may have been killed, the ministry said.

In Syria, according to U.S. Central Command, the airstrikes against ISIS included:


• 1 south of Kobani destroyed three ISIS armed vehicles and damaged another

• 1 southeast of Kobani destroyed an ISIS armed vehicle carrying anti-aircraft artillery

• 2 southwest of Kobani damaged an ISIS tank

• 1 south of Kobani destroyed an ISIS unit

Elsewhere in Syria, two strikes west of al-Hasakah hit multiple ISIS buildings, one near Deir Ezzor struck an ISIS staging area and IED production facility, and one southwest of Rabiyah struck a small group of ISIS fighters.

The United States, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE all participated in the strikes, Central Command said.

Death toll in fight for Kobani

More than 400 people have been killed in the fight for Kobani since mid-September, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday.

The group said it has documented the deaths of 219 ISIS jihadists, 163 members of the Kurdish militia, and 20 civilians.

A northern Iraqi hospital has received the bodies of at least 29 suspected ISIS militants, the head of the Tal Afar hospital said Tuesday.

Danial Qassim said most were killed in U.S.-led coalition airstrikes overnight.

Tal Afar is about 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of Mosul -- Iraq's second-largest city. Mosul has also been overtaken by ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State.

U.S. military airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria have cost more than $62 million so far, according to data provided by the U.S. Defense Department.

The data, apparently sent out inadvertently to the Pentagon's press contacts on Monday, listed the total number of airstrikes by U.S. Central Command in Iraq and Syria. It also detailed locations of targets and specified the costs of munitions used.