Tuesday 18 November 2014
Two women murdered for ‘honor’ in northern Faryab province
By Khaama Press At least two women were murdered by their family members in the latest wave of honour killings in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan.
According to local security officials, the two women were murdered by their relatives in Pashtun Kot and Bulcharagh districts late on Sunday night.
The officials further added that the woman in Pashtun Kot district had married with another man by divorcing her first husband, which is believed to be the main reason behind her murder.
The provincial criminal investigation department chief Gen. Sarbuland Hasham said the woman who was believed to be 38-year-old, was shot dead by her relatives.
Sarbul and further added that the second was strangled to death by her husband since she had not given birth to a child despite a year had passed from their marriage.
He said the perpetrators behind the two murders have been arrested by police and are in custody for further investigation.
Malaysian state mulls guillotine as punishment for thieves
KUALA LUMPUR: A minister in Malaysia's Kelantan state has suggested that a 'mini' guillotine could be used to amputate those convicted of stealing in the Muslim state, which is ruled by a fundamentalist party.
The guillotine, similar to that used to behead French King Louis XVI and his queen Marie Antoinette in 1793, is being considered by leaders of the state who are keen to implement Islamic Hudud law which seeks severe punishment for thieves and rapists, which include amputation.
The fundamentalist Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) led state's hudud law technical committee, said to be facing problems finding suitable methods to amputate limbs of those convicted of stealing, is considering this 'mini' form of the guillotine as an option.
The party chairman Amar Abdullah said he would suggest to the panel to use such a contraption which would not need a surgeon to operate.
Kelantan deputy Chief minister Mohd Amar said despite the negative reactions to getting surgeons to amputate the limbs of offenders, the committee was still mulling the idea, Star said today.
"The surgeon must first agree to carry out the procedure but he is likely to face the wrath of the Malaysian Medical Association for violating the Hippocratic Oath," he said.
The guillotine was fast, effective and required only one person to operate, two others to hold down the offender and a doctor to ensure the punished person does not drastically suffer from the punishment, he said adding that the judge who meted out the sentence must also be present.
"I will make extensive studies on the method used during the French Revolution in the 18th century when guillotines were used to sever the heads of those sentenced to death," he was quoted as saying by The Star.
Kelantan intends to table two private member's Bills in Parliament for Hudud laws to be implemented and enforced in the state from next year.
Currently, under Article 76A of the Federal Constitution, crimes such as stealing, robbing, causing hurt, rape and murder come under the Penal Code.
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has sais PAS wanted to implement hudud in Kelantan to win votes.
"PAS is doing this just to gain political mileage, it is not about Islam," online portal Malaysia Insider said.
"There is no justice if hudud is implemented because the hands of a Muslim thief are cut while a non-Muslim spends two months in prison. Is that justice? If it is not justice, then it is not Islamic," Mahathir said.
ISIS kills family refusing to marry off daughter: Iraq
Five members of an Iraqi family who refused to marry off their daughter to a fighter in the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been executed by the militant group in a “horrific crime,” Iraq’s Human Rights Ministry said over the weekend.
In a statement posted on its website Sunday, the ministry said ISIS militants executed the five family members – mother, father and three children – and then kidnapped the 14-year-old girl, taking her to an undisclosed location.
The family, according to the statement, had refused to marry off the girl to the “criminal Jamal Saddam, known as Abu Abdallah.”
The statement did not say where or when the alleged killing took place. The ministry described the incident as a “horrific crime.”
Early this year, ISIS, an Iraqi, Al-Qaeda-rooted group espousing fundamentalist views of Islam, seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria, later announcing a so-called “caliphate.”
Western and Arab states are coordinating military air strikes against ISIS in both Iraq and Syria after the militant group began executing Western hostages in a series of videos posted online.
Malaysia condemns barbaric acts by Islamic State, says Najib
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the actions of Islamic State militants in Syria violated the teachings of Islam and the principles of Islamic law, Bernama reported today.He said this in condemning the barbaric act committed against American aid worker Peter Kassig and the Syrian military personnel by Islamic State, via messages on his Twitter account.
"Malaysia condemns in the strongest terms, the barbarism committed against Mr Kassig and the Syrian military personnel. These abhorrent acts violate the teachings of Islam and the principles of Islamic law," Bernama reported him as saying.
The Islamic State militant group had released an online video clip yesterday, showing the beheading of US Army ranger-turned-aid-worker Kassig, who was captured while delivering relief supplies in Syria last year.
According to Bernama, the Islamic State video also showed the gruesome simultaneous beheadings of at least 18 men described as Syrian military personnel.
Islamic State, which was previously called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis), is a splinter group of al-Qaeda, and it aims to set up an Islamic caliphate encompassing both Iraq and Syria, and possibly the entire Middle East. It has been classified as a terror organisation.
The prime minister's comments today is far removed from a speech he had made at a dinner to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Cheras Umno branch on June 24. At the time, he had called on party members to emulate the exploits of the militant group, saying the bravery shown was a virtue that Umno needed to demonstrate to survive and flourish.
“Whether we agree or not is another matter, the group Isil with the strength of just 1,300 people, can defeat an Iraqi army of 30,000 soldiers, until four, five generals with three, four stars run for their lives, jump out the window at night,” he had said, adding that Isil could defeat a bigger force simply because the latter was afraid of it. – November 17, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-condemnds-barbaric-acts-by-islamic-state-says-najib#sthash.MzryCDfr.dpuf
'Stop talk on forming Syariah Federal Court'
MIC Youth chief Sivarraajh Chandran urged the government to stop any discussion on the matter as it is improper to impose "God’s law" over secular law, because “human beings cannot act in the name of God”.
“It
is manifestly clear in the federal constitution that Islamic law is
limited to state enactments and that they have no federal jurisdiction,”
Sivarraajh (right) said in a statement today.To push through with the legal amendments, Sivarraajh said, at the very least a referendum should be held to see whether people really want a Syariah Federal Court.
Sivarraajh was responding to a Berita Harian report that quoted Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom as saying that a proposal for five-tier Syariah court system is being discussed, including by the Council of Rulers.
This includes a Syariah Appeal Council or a Syariah Federal Court, which would have similar powers with the civil Federal Court.
Yesterday DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang slammed MCA and Gerakan ministers for not objecting to plans that were purportedly discussed during the cabinet meeting last Friday.
Instead of objecting during the cabinet meeting, Lim said, the BN parties would relegate the job to their lower rung leaders to raise at Parliament.
'Syariah has limits'
Sivarraajh pointed out that under the constitution, states have the power to legislate about 20 areas related to Islamic law and personal law, but subject to limitations.
“Although Article 3(1) (of the Federal Constitution) provides that ‘Islam is the religion of the federation’, Article 3(4) says ‘Nothing in this Article derogates from any other provision of this constitution’...
“This means that Article 3(1) does not override any other provision of the constitution, including the many fundamental rights in Article 5 to 13,” Sivarraajh said.
Articles 5 to 13 refer to the constitution’s provisions for, among others, the right to life and liberty, equality before the law, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion.
'Chinese can do business cause 'tuan' tolerant'
Syed Ali Alhabshee said non-Malays must accept the reality that "ketuanan Melayu" (Malay hegemony), the national language and Islam cannot be questioned, threatened or belittled.
Furthermore, he said non-Malays should not be “prejudicial or envious” towards the Malays and Muslims.
He was also disappointed that the Chinese deliberately magnified issues related to the position and interests of Malays, including matters of religion.
“The Chinese must understand that Malays are ‘tuan’ (masters) in this country, they must also understand that it is because the Malays are willing to compromise that they (the Chinese) can carry out all sorts of activities, especially in the business sector,” he added in a blog post.
The Cheras Umno division leader also pointed out that in the last two general elections, Chinese support for BN and Umno candidates had dwindled.
“This clearly shows that the Chinese support the opposition, this attitude must change and Chinese voters should be on the side of the government,” he said.
Syed claimed that Chinese voters had been influenced by the opposition which fanned racial and anti-Malay sentiments.
The Umno leader also said the Malays had been patient and tolerant despite their position often being questioned by other races.
And it was this patience, he added, which served as the foundation for shaping a progressive and harmonious Malaysian society.
“The Malays have been very patient all this while, compromising even when other races openly dispute our position despite it being enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“When other races criticise and question our rights, the Malay hegemony and Islam as the official religion, we remained patient believing that our patience will preserve the stability of the nation and well-being of all races,” he said.
However, Syed warned that their patience had its limit and called on all races to understand the history of the nation.
In view of this, Syed welcomed Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s reminder to the Chinese to be more sensitive towards the Malays when emphasising the need for mutual respect.
The Malays let down their own side
The Malay is an enigma. He claims to know Islam, but when his brethren is threatened, he refuses to speak out. He fears the mob will hound him, even though neither he nor the person he would like to protect, have done anything wrong.
Mariam Mokhtar, The Ant Daily
When a preacher tells him of a shortcut to heaven, he is all ears. His morbid fascination with the afterlife makes him forget his moral obligations and his responsibilities to his fellow man, because he believes that his life on earth is to prepare him for the afterlife; but at what cost?
He would rather not use his brain to think, especially when it concerns moral issues. He would rather some other body does his thinking for him, perhaps, the ulama or the government. The gift which God gave him, his brain, lies idle because he is fixated on the afterlife more than life on earth. His siege mentality is reinforced by the Umno-Baru government, so that he feels helpless without the government to tell him what to do.
The Malay mentality is stuck in a time warp. If only his intellect and compassion could increase at the same rate, as his love for material goods, perhaps, we would not have massive problems in Malaysia, today. The Malay feels and acts like he is superior to people of other faiths and cultures. He is not. His lack of humility fails him, in the eyes of many.
The Malay depends on the government to spoon-feed him and when he does not get his fix, he gets upset. He is like a child who should have been weaned a long time ago. Democracy, human rights and rule of law mean very little to him. He wants to get ahead, and if cheating will give him an advantage, then so be it.
There is one group which is unlike the Malay. They do not want you to sell them anything, nor do they want you to give them a commission. They do not demand that you give them all of your time, they do not want your riches or your belongings. They do not expect you to give them a datukship or to betray others for them. They do not tell you how to behave or make you fearful, by invoking God’s name. All they want is companionship and for that, they will go to the ends of the earth for you. “They” are dogs, another of God’s creatures.
Read more at: http://www.theantdaily.com/Main/The-Malays-let-down-their-own-side
When a preacher tells him of a shortcut to heaven, he is all ears. His morbid fascination with the afterlife makes him forget his moral obligations and his responsibilities to his fellow man, because he believes that his life on earth is to prepare him for the afterlife; but at what cost?
He would rather not use his brain to think, especially when it concerns moral issues. He would rather some other body does his thinking for him, perhaps, the ulama or the government. The gift which God gave him, his brain, lies idle because he is fixated on the afterlife more than life on earth. His siege mentality is reinforced by the Umno-Baru government, so that he feels helpless without the government to tell him what to do.
The Malay mentality is stuck in a time warp. If only his intellect and compassion could increase at the same rate, as his love for material goods, perhaps, we would not have massive problems in Malaysia, today. The Malay feels and acts like he is superior to people of other faiths and cultures. He is not. His lack of humility fails him, in the eyes of many.
The Malay depends on the government to spoon-feed him and when he does not get his fix, he gets upset. He is like a child who should have been weaned a long time ago. Democracy, human rights and rule of law mean very little to him. He wants to get ahead, and if cheating will give him an advantage, then so be it.
There is one group which is unlike the Malay. They do not want you to sell them anything, nor do they want you to give them a commission. They do not demand that you give them all of your time, they do not want your riches or your belongings. They do not expect you to give them a datukship or to betray others for them. They do not tell you how to behave or make you fearful, by invoking God’s name. All they want is companionship and for that, they will go to the ends of the earth for you. “They” are dogs, another of God’s creatures.
Read more at: http://www.theantdaily.com/Main/The-Malays-let-down-their-own-side
Birth certs for stateless kids a right move
MPSS secretary says the initiative will resolve perennial issues related to illegal immigrants in Sabah.
FMT
TAWAU: The government’s decision to issue birth certificates without citizenship status to stateless children in Sabah is appropriate, according to a local leader.
Majlis Permuafakatan Suluk Sabah (MPSS) secretary Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto said it also showed that the government was transparent in handling security concerns.
He said the initiative would resolve perennial issues related to illegal immigrants in Sabah.
“Nevertheless, the government must ensure that the mechanism will not be exploited by irresponsible parties.
“The implementation will not be easy and will take time, because the sovereignty of the country and special rights of Malaysians cannot be compromised,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that the government would provide birth certificates to stateless children, which would only contain their birth records.
FMTTAWAU: The government’s decision to issue birth certificates without citizenship status to stateless children in Sabah is appropriate, according to a local leader.
Majlis Permuafakatan Suluk Sabah (MPSS) secretary Mohd Zaki Harry Susanto said it also showed that the government was transparent in handling security concerns.
He said the initiative would resolve perennial issues related to illegal immigrants in Sabah.
“Nevertheless, the government must ensure that the mechanism will not be exploited by irresponsible parties.
“The implementation will not be easy and will take time, because the sovereignty of the country and special rights of Malaysians cannot be compromised,” he said in a statement.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that the government would provide birth certificates to stateless children, which would only contain their birth records.
Vivekananda Ashram stays, for now
Minister of Tourism and Culture is going all out to gazette the century-old building as a national heritage site.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The wishes of thousands who want the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields declared a national heritage site may very likely come true now that Minister of Tourism and Culture Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has announced plans to save the 110-year-old building from redevelopment.
Saying he plans to make a formal submission to list the site as a national heritage in December, Nazri explained, “And if there are no objections from any party, we will be able to announce the Vivekananda Ashram as a national heritage site by February 2015.”
Nazri however warned that the process must strictly be followed according to the law.
Cautioning that it could be a long, drawn-out battle, Nazri explained, “The process to gazette the site might prolong until October 2015 if objections are raised along the way, but otherwise by March 2015 it will be solved.”
Meanwhile Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran was all praises for Nazri, calling his initiative “brave” and “revolutionary” as the ashram was symbolic of the presence for the Indian community in Malaysia.
Humbly brushing aside all praises, Nazri said, “I am colourblind and to me, this establishment is a Malaysian heritage.”
Nazri also pledged to pursue the matter “with the same amount of tenacity and enthusiasm” that he would any other site that warranted national heritage status regardless of whether the site was important to the Muslims, Hindus or Chinese because “once these sites are gone they’re gone forever”.
On November 6, Nazri visited the Vivekananda Ashram and submitted a notice requesting the site be gazetted a national heritage. Later on November 12, Nazri submitted the same request to the Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
KUALA LUMPUR: The wishes of thousands who want the Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields declared a national heritage site may very likely come true now that Minister of Tourism and Culture Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has announced plans to save the 110-year-old building from redevelopment.
Saying he plans to make a formal submission to list the site as a national heritage in December, Nazri explained, “And if there are no objections from any party, we will be able to announce the Vivekananda Ashram as a national heritage site by February 2015.”
Nazri however warned that the process must strictly be followed according to the law.
Cautioning that it could be a long, drawn-out battle, Nazri explained, “The process to gazette the site might prolong until October 2015 if objections are raised along the way, but otherwise by March 2015 it will be solved.”
Meanwhile Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran was all praises for Nazri, calling his initiative “brave” and “revolutionary” as the ashram was symbolic of the presence for the Indian community in Malaysia.
Humbly brushing aside all praises, Nazri said, “I am colourblind and to me, this establishment is a Malaysian heritage.”
Nazri also pledged to pursue the matter “with the same amount of tenacity and enthusiasm” that he would any other site that warranted national heritage status regardless of whether the site was important to the Muslims, Hindus or Chinese because “once these sites are gone they’re gone forever”.
On November 6, Nazri visited the Vivekananda Ashram and submitted a notice requesting the site be gazetted a national heritage. Later on November 12, Nazri submitted the same request to the Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
Malay rights intact even if Sedition Act repealed
Proham secretary-general says four sensitive aspects of special rights of Malays and Bumiputeras is protected even if act is repealed.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The abolition of the Sedition Act 1948 will not affect the four sensitive aspects concerning the special rights of the Malays and the Bumiputera enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
As such, secretary-general of the Association for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) Denison Jayasooria said the Malays need not worry about the plan to abolish the Act as the four aspects – the special position of the Malays and Bumiputera (Article 153), the special position of Malay Rulers (Article 181), Malay language as the National Language (Article 152) and Citizenship (Part III) would be protected and well preserved.
“In fact, any replacement of the Act, including the proposed National Harmony Act, will not touch on these four aspects,” he told reporters after moderating the Round-Table Discussion on the Sedition Act 1948 at Universiti Malaya, here today.
The discussion was attended by former Bukit Aman CID director Mohamed Zaman Khan Rahim Khan, Proham Chairman Kuthbul Zaman and Malaysian Bar Council’s Young Lawyers Committee chairman Syahredzan Johan.
Commenting on the call by the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) that the abolition or improvement of the Sedition Act be referred to the Council of Rulers, Denison said it was a non-issue because only amendment to certain matters concerning Malay rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution would need the consent of the council.- Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The abolition of the Sedition Act 1948 will not affect the four sensitive aspects concerning the special rights of the Malays and the Bumiputera enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
As such, secretary-general of the Association for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) Denison Jayasooria said the Malays need not worry about the plan to abolish the Act as the four aspects – the special position of the Malays and Bumiputera (Article 153), the special position of Malay Rulers (Article 181), Malay language as the National Language (Article 152) and Citizenship (Part III) would be protected and well preserved.
“In fact, any replacement of the Act, including the proposed National Harmony Act, will not touch on these four aspects,” he told reporters after moderating the Round-Table Discussion on the Sedition Act 1948 at Universiti Malaya, here today.
The discussion was attended by former Bukit Aman CID director Mohamed Zaman Khan Rahim Khan, Proham Chairman Kuthbul Zaman and Malaysian Bar Council’s Young Lawyers Committee chairman Syahredzan Johan.
Commenting on the call by the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) that the abolition or improvement of the Sedition Act be referred to the Council of Rulers, Denison said it was a non-issue because only amendment to certain matters concerning Malay rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution would need the consent of the council.- Bernama
M’sia to work with US to beat IS
Defence Minister says Malaysia will share intelligence with US Marine Forces to combat threat of IS.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will share intelligence with the United States (US) Marine Corps Forces to combat the ‘so-called IS militant group’ threat in this region, says Defence Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said Malaysia and Asean nations could not take such threats for granted.
“The US experience in dealing with the IS in the Middle East is important for us to share information and intelligence,” the minister told the media after meeting with the visiting US Marine Corps Forces Pacific Commander Lt Gen John A. Toolan at the ministry in Kuala Lumpur, Monday.
Toolan said the US Marine Corps would strengthen its collaboration with the Malaysian Armed Forces, such as conducting joint training in the provision of military assistance in the event of disasters.
“We look forward to working in smart partnership in disaster relief or any crisis that may occur, and we want to be able to familiarise ourselves with each other in order to operate together, so that we can resolve any challenge that may pop up,” he said.
Hishammuddin, who will be leaving for Myanmar Tuesday to attend the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) said he and his Asean counterparts would discuss security issues that could affect the region’s stability.
“We will engage and find the necessary mechanisms to combat extreme militancy via intelligence sharing, training and using available technology and assets,” he said.
On the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 which was downed in Ukraine, Hishammuddin said the public should wait until the international body set up to investigate the shooting of the aircraft, had completed its investigations.
The international media recently reported about photographs, said to be taken by a satellite, that appeared to show a fighter jet firing a missile at a passenger plane over eastern Ukraine where MH17 was shot down last July 17, killing all 298 crew and passengers on board.
- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will share intelligence with the United States (US) Marine Corps Forces to combat the ‘so-called IS militant group’ threat in this region, says Defence Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said Malaysia and Asean nations could not take such threats for granted.
“The US experience in dealing with the IS in the Middle East is important for us to share information and intelligence,” the minister told the media after meeting with the visiting US Marine Corps Forces Pacific Commander Lt Gen John A. Toolan at the ministry in Kuala Lumpur, Monday.
Toolan said the US Marine Corps would strengthen its collaboration with the Malaysian Armed Forces, such as conducting joint training in the provision of military assistance in the event of disasters.
“We look forward to working in smart partnership in disaster relief or any crisis that may occur, and we want to be able to familiarise ourselves with each other in order to operate together, so that we can resolve any challenge that may pop up,” he said.
Hishammuddin, who will be leaving for Myanmar Tuesday to attend the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) said he and his Asean counterparts would discuss security issues that could affect the region’s stability.
“We will engage and find the necessary mechanisms to combat extreme militancy via intelligence sharing, training and using available technology and assets,” he said.
On the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 which was downed in Ukraine, Hishammuddin said the public should wait until the international body set up to investigate the shooting of the aircraft, had completed its investigations.
The international media recently reported about photographs, said to be taken by a satellite, that appeared to show a fighter jet firing a missile at a passenger plane over eastern Ukraine where MH17 was shot down last July 17, killing all 298 crew and passengers on board.
- BERNAMA
The dangerous road that PAS travels
The party is throwing away the urban vote in the interest of maintaining its grip on Kelantan while slowly spreading out to the rest of the country.
FMT
Religion can be extremely beneficial to mankind. It has provided us a moral code and encourages altruism, gives hope to the downtrodden, and purpose to the lost. Throughout human history, some of the most remarkable acts of kindness were driven through a devotion to a faith. By and large, religion is a social control mechanism that convinces us to do the best for each other.
But in the wrong hands, that social control mechanism has been used to oppress, repress, and dominate large segments of the public. This manifests often in the form of cults, where a supreme leader assures his flock of salvation, but only through him and his doctrine, and maintains a tight control over the minds of his people through the constant instilling of fear, until the oppressed becomes the oppressor and the cycle begins anew.
The use of religion as the primary control for a society, regardless of the core tenets and teachings of the religion itself, is evident in many theocracies as it is within the interest of the ruler and those associated with him to exert authority in the name of the divine to maintain his position over the masses. In a theocratic structure, dissent is seen as blasphemy and the ruler is absolute, his governance sanctioned by divine will.
It is down this dangerous road that PAS now travels.
Play for power
PAS is becoming a worrying problem for Malaysia. Presented in GE13 as a progressive party with burnished grassroots credentials and a long, vaunted history, PAS now seems content to throw away the urban vote in the interest of maintaining its kingdom in the north while slowly spreading out to the rest of the country. It seems like Abdul Hadi Awang is no longer content to play nice while the so-called Erdogans in his party try to gain influence to stand against the toxic rhetoric coming from extremist groups. He has made a play for power through the faction of the ulamas, who are more than pleased to oblige.
The establishment of hudud laws in Kelantan should not actually be as major an issue as many of us seem to believe. After all, there are many practical suggestions within that law system should it be updated for modern day sensitivities and values. PAS, unfortunately, wants to drag the 20th century kicking and screaming back to the Middle Ages by introducing a guillotine into the legal process to chop the hands off thieves as no medical practitioner will violate the Hippocratic Oath and knowingly disable a person for life.
It seems like PAS is not interested in the fact that a man who has lost his arm will likely feel vengeful for it. Nor will he be able to live life normally ever again. The loss of a limb means that most menial tasks may be out of reach for a long time as the individual attempts to adapt to a new life minus a hand.
There must surely be some other means of recourse acceptable within the framework of hudud other than to remove the limbs of a person. The punishment should be severe, yes, but how do we assign value to the limbs of another human being? There must be an alternative to such a final form of punishment.
Better yet, why not rehabilitate and educate these criminals? In the Nordic countries, the prison system is designed around the idea that these people will one day rejoin society, and if the authorities don’t prepare for that objective, they will fall back to committing the very same crime that landed them in prison in the first place.
Through a comprehensive education system, the inmates can attain vital skills not only for finding a stable job, but also to help them reintegrate with society. This forward thinking considers society as a whole and attempts to better it. Opposed to it is the kind of thinking characterised by a romantic longing for times past, when we rode horses and used sabres in war, read by candlelight, trekked long distances to find a teacher, washed only when we could find running water and dealt with criminals swiftly and neatly.
Religious hegemony
The other primary concern is the effects of PAS’ religious hegemony over the people of Kelantan.
Kelantan has been recognized as the state that proportionally has the most HIV/Aids infections in the nation, which is ironic when you consider the credentials PAS pushes into people’s faces come election time. Pasir Mas MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz has attempted to push some of the blame for this on Kelantan’s proximity to Thailand, which is apparently a land of every vice known to man. That is admittedly somewhat true, but don’t forget that Thailand also has great food, amazing architecture and Muay Thai. It really depends on what you’re looking for. But we digress.
Nik Abduh got his fair share of tongue lashing for attempting to taichi the blame onto Thailand, but what we’re overlooking in the issue is the backlash that occurs when religion is used as an oppressive social control.
Authority, divine or otherwise, is effective only to the extent that people are willing to submit to it. Pushing its limits only invites a backlash. Just because PAS tags “divine” to the rules it expects the people of Kelantan to obey, it doesn’t mean the old maxim “rules are meant to be broken” won’t apply.
You see, we humans are curious creatures. To a certain extent we want to be governed and led, but each individual has his personal limits, which are defined by cultural values and personal beliefs. Some are less docile than others, and when faced with authoritarian control, they may rebel or find alternatives to outright dissension, which is the problem faced by Kelantan now.
The people of Kelantan are told how to live their lives and go about their existences. Certain small vices are denied them, including cinemas, which us KL-ites flock to like flies to food whenever a new blockbuster is in town. Though rarely enforced, men and women line up separately even in grocery stores.
Rigidity may have some benefits, but forcing people into a corner the way PAS is slowly doing in Kelantan is like inviting some of them to dissent.
Avoidable problem
If they can’t indulge in their vices in Kelantan, they can cross the border. And because they are so restrained at home, they indulge even harder due to a lack of control that others may have learned in a more relaxed environment. This, and a lack of education on safely indulging in vices, has led to the uptick in HIV/Aids cases seen in Kelantan, which, in all honesty, is a completely avoidable problem.
PAS needs to relax the clench of its fists before it engineers its own downfall. The hudud push is not likely to be a very welcome one even among avid supporters of the party in Kelantan. After all, everybody falls to his vices every once in a while, and facing the chopping block – literally, this time – is not likely to be a very attractive option. People want and crave freedom as much as they want guidance, and PAS would be wise to recognize this.
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical… It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.” – Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson on Politics and Government.
Religion can be extremely beneficial to mankind. It has provided us a moral code and encourages altruism, gives hope to the downtrodden, and purpose to the lost. Throughout human history, some of the most remarkable acts of kindness were driven through a devotion to a faith. By and large, religion is a social control mechanism that convinces us to do the best for each other.
But in the wrong hands, that social control mechanism has been used to oppress, repress, and dominate large segments of the public. This manifests often in the form of cults, where a supreme leader assures his flock of salvation, but only through him and his doctrine, and maintains a tight control over the minds of his people through the constant instilling of fear, until the oppressed becomes the oppressor and the cycle begins anew.
The use of religion as the primary control for a society, regardless of the core tenets and teachings of the religion itself, is evident in many theocracies as it is within the interest of the ruler and those associated with him to exert authority in the name of the divine to maintain his position over the masses. In a theocratic structure, dissent is seen as blasphemy and the ruler is absolute, his governance sanctioned by divine will.
It is down this dangerous road that PAS now travels.
Play for power
PAS is becoming a worrying problem for Malaysia. Presented in GE13 as a progressive party with burnished grassroots credentials and a long, vaunted history, PAS now seems content to throw away the urban vote in the interest of maintaining its kingdom in the north while slowly spreading out to the rest of the country. It seems like Abdul Hadi Awang is no longer content to play nice while the so-called Erdogans in his party try to gain influence to stand against the toxic rhetoric coming from extremist groups. He has made a play for power through the faction of the ulamas, who are more than pleased to oblige.
The establishment of hudud laws in Kelantan should not actually be as major an issue as many of us seem to believe. After all, there are many practical suggestions within that law system should it be updated for modern day sensitivities and values. PAS, unfortunately, wants to drag the 20th century kicking and screaming back to the Middle Ages by introducing a guillotine into the legal process to chop the hands off thieves as no medical practitioner will violate the Hippocratic Oath and knowingly disable a person for life.
It seems like PAS is not interested in the fact that a man who has lost his arm will likely feel vengeful for it. Nor will he be able to live life normally ever again. The loss of a limb means that most menial tasks may be out of reach for a long time as the individual attempts to adapt to a new life minus a hand.
There must surely be some other means of recourse acceptable within the framework of hudud other than to remove the limbs of a person. The punishment should be severe, yes, but how do we assign value to the limbs of another human being? There must be an alternative to such a final form of punishment.
Better yet, why not rehabilitate and educate these criminals? In the Nordic countries, the prison system is designed around the idea that these people will one day rejoin society, and if the authorities don’t prepare for that objective, they will fall back to committing the very same crime that landed them in prison in the first place.
Through a comprehensive education system, the inmates can attain vital skills not only for finding a stable job, but also to help them reintegrate with society. This forward thinking considers society as a whole and attempts to better it. Opposed to it is the kind of thinking characterised by a romantic longing for times past, when we rode horses and used sabres in war, read by candlelight, trekked long distances to find a teacher, washed only when we could find running water and dealt with criminals swiftly and neatly.
Religious hegemony
The other primary concern is the effects of PAS’ religious hegemony over the people of Kelantan.
Kelantan has been recognized as the state that proportionally has the most HIV/Aids infections in the nation, which is ironic when you consider the credentials PAS pushes into people’s faces come election time. Pasir Mas MP Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz has attempted to push some of the blame for this on Kelantan’s proximity to Thailand, which is apparently a land of every vice known to man. That is admittedly somewhat true, but don’t forget that Thailand also has great food, amazing architecture and Muay Thai. It really depends on what you’re looking for. But we digress.
Nik Abduh got his fair share of tongue lashing for attempting to taichi the blame onto Thailand, but what we’re overlooking in the issue is the backlash that occurs when religion is used as an oppressive social control.
Authority, divine or otherwise, is effective only to the extent that people are willing to submit to it. Pushing its limits only invites a backlash. Just because PAS tags “divine” to the rules it expects the people of Kelantan to obey, it doesn’t mean the old maxim “rules are meant to be broken” won’t apply.
You see, we humans are curious creatures. To a certain extent we want to be governed and led, but each individual has his personal limits, which are defined by cultural values and personal beliefs. Some are less docile than others, and when faced with authoritarian control, they may rebel or find alternatives to outright dissension, which is the problem faced by Kelantan now.
The people of Kelantan are told how to live their lives and go about their existences. Certain small vices are denied them, including cinemas, which us KL-ites flock to like flies to food whenever a new blockbuster is in town. Though rarely enforced, men and women line up separately even in grocery stores.
Rigidity may have some benefits, but forcing people into a corner the way PAS is slowly doing in Kelantan is like inviting some of them to dissent.
Avoidable problem
If they can’t indulge in their vices in Kelantan, they can cross the border. And because they are so restrained at home, they indulge even harder due to a lack of control that others may have learned in a more relaxed environment. This, and a lack of education on safely indulging in vices, has led to the uptick in HIV/Aids cases seen in Kelantan, which, in all honesty, is a completely avoidable problem.
PAS needs to relax the clench of its fists before it engineers its own downfall. The hudud push is not likely to be a very welcome one even among avid supporters of the party in Kelantan. After all, everybody falls to his vices every once in a while, and facing the chopping block – literally, this time – is not likely to be a very attractive option. People want and crave freedom as much as they want guidance, and PAS would be wise to recognize this.
“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical… It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.” – Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson on Politics and Government.
Call for three-day extension of Parliament for a full debate on “Are Malays and Islam under threat?” as this concerns not just Malays and Muslims, but all Malaysians who want a successful Malaysia
With the approach of the UMNO General Assemblies 2014 from Nov. 25 to 29, there is a build-up of the rhetoric and hysteria that “Malays and Islam are under threat”.
National laureate A. Samad Said made a most pertinent point when he pointed out that despite claims of a growing threat against the Malay community, the country’s leadership has remained in the hands of Malays and is still led by a party which claims to represent the Malay community.
I agree with Pak Samad that it is most peculiar that allegations of Malays under threat are constantly being played up, which is why he advised the Malay community not to be too obsessed about claims that Malays are under threat.
Pak Samad had asked the most relevant question:
“How are Malays under threat? How can religion (Islam) and Malays be threatened when those in power have been Malay for over five decades?
“What have they (Malay leaders) been doing for five decades (if Malays can be under threat)?”
What Pak Samad prescribed is most apt, and I don’t think it could be gainsaid by anyone, that if the country’s more than five-decade-old UMNO Malay leadership cannot put the Malay community at ease, then it should surrender power to let other Malays rule.
Why should the country’s race relations be held to ransom every time UMNO hold its annual General Assemblies for UMNO leaders to hype the imaginary spectre of Malays and Islam under siege, when what could be under threat is only the continued political rule and survival of UMNO leaders – like the disgraceful paper by the former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice chancellor, Ibrahim Abu Shah warning that “If Umno loses, Malays may never rule again” with the threat that the future of Malays would be “dark and unfortunate” or the insidious and pernicious racialism of the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, irresponsibly alleging that Malays were not welcomed in Pakatan Rakyat-run Penang.
All the six Prime Ministers from the nation’s independence in 1957 were Malays – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah and currently Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Have they all, or some or one of them, betrayed the Malays as Prime Minister to cause the Malays and Islam to be still under siege 57 years after Merdeka?
Of the six Prime Ministers, Tun Mahathir had been Prime Minister for the longest period – 22 years 3 months, compared to Tunku’s 13 years; Razak’s 5 yrs 4 months; Hussein’s 5 years 6 months ; Abdullah’s 5 years 5 months ; and Najib’s more than 5 years 7 months.
Will Mahathir bear the biggest responsibility for Malays and Islam to be under siege in 2014 because of his longest premiership in the past 57 years?
Will UMNO delegates and the country be provided with a checklist as to how each of the six Malay Prime Ministers in the past 57 years had failed to uplift the Malays and Islam as to cause them to be under threat at present?
If Malays and Islam are under threat, it is not just the concern of Malays and Muslims, but the concern of all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity and faith, because we are all one people who want a successful Malaysia to rise from our diverse races and religions.
Patriotic Malaysians do not want Malays and Islam under threat, just as we do not want non-Malays in Malaysia, whether Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli or Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism to be under threat.
If Malays and Islam are under threat, they should be the concern of all non-Malays and non-Muslims, just as any problem of Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli or Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism under threat in Malaysia should be the concern of all Malays and Muslims in Malaysia!
I would in fact call for three-day extension of Parliament for a full debate on “Are Malays and Islam under threat?” for we must build a Malaysia where the Malays and Islam are not under threat – just as the non-Malays and non-Muslim religions are not under threat.
Otherwise, Malaysia would have failed in our constitutional compact to create a an independent and sovereign democratic State founded upon liberty and justice, where “Islam is the religion of the Federation but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony”, ever seeking to defend and uphold peace and harmony among its people and to perpetuate peace among nations.
Ambiga to challenge ‘ridiculous’ Sabah travel ban
Malay Mail by PATHMA SUBRAMANIAM
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan has vowed to challenge the
latest ban on her entry into Sabah, insisting that the state authorities
have no valid reason to stop her from traveling to the east Malaysian
state.
The
renowned lawyer and human rights activist labelled the travel ban
“ridiculous” and accused the state authorities of being overly paranoid
of her presence in Sabah.
“The
grounds to deny entry are very narrow, it is not to be used at their
whims and fancy, so I will challenge this,” she told Malay Mail Online
when contacted.
“I
don’t know what they are paranoid about... in this day and age, these
types of restrictions are meaningless, when there are other ways to go
about it,” she added.
According
to the former Malaysian Bar president, she was informed of the travel
ban through correspondence with the Sabah Immigration Department last
Friday.
She
explained that she had written to the department on November 11 to
inform the agency of her trip to Sabah on November 25 for an event by
pro-unity group Negara-Ku, of which she is a patron.
The
human rights activist was scheduled to attend the event along with the
group’s co-patron Tan Sri Simon Sipaun and prominent Sabah politician
Datuk Dr Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan.
In
response, Ambiga said the department’s director-general Noor Alam Khan A
Wahid Khad wrote back to say that she would not be permitted into the
east Malaysian state.
No reasons were cited, she added.
“I
was not seeking for permission, I wrote to them informing them of my
visit so that I don’t waste time traveling,” said Ambiga, who was also
the co-chair of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0).
She
said the ban appeared quite out of the blue as prior to Election 2013,
she had similarly written in to the department and was informed then
that there were no restrictions on her entry into Sabah.
“This
is my country and I want to have the freedom to go around... there are
very specific grounds in refusing entry but my objective is for the sole
purpose of engaging in non-partisan community activity,” said Ambiga.
Despite
her travel ban, the activist said Negara-Ku will proceed with its
programme as scheduled and she will participate in the forum via video
conferencing or Skype.
Negara-Ku’s
nationwide roadshow began two weeks ago in Malacca, and will be taking
place in Perak, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Sabah and Kuala Lumpur.
This is not the first time Ambiga has been barred from East Malaysia.
On
April 15, 2011, she was refused entry into Sarawak upon arrival at the
Kuching Airport during the state’s election to partake in a 10-day
election campaign. She was forced to leave on the next available return
flight.
Ambiga
has also been unsuccessful in seeking for a judicial review over
Sarawak government’s decision, as the Federal Court felt that she ought
to have taken up the judicial review at the High Court in Sarawak.
Investment Commitments Worth RM3.57 Bln In The Offing In ECER
KUALA
LUMPUR, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Investment commitments worth RM3.57
billion are in the offing in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in
the fourth quarter of this year.They were pledged by 16 companies, including eight beneficiaries of the government's Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) initiatives, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) announced Monday.
"To date, 29 companies in ECER with an overall investment value of RM646.5 million have benefitted from Teraju's facilitation fund worth RM84.1 million while 65 companies have been identified as high-performing Bumiputera companies (TeraS)," it said in its fourth quarter announcement here Monday.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Maybank chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias and ECERDC chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace John were present.
At the event, Najib, who is also ECERDC chairman, witnessed the exchange of document between Maybank and ECERDC to establish ECER-Maybank Entrepreneur that will provide financial assistance to local entrepreneurs in ECER.
For a start, Maybank and Maybank Islamic will allocate RM100 million for business financing while ECERDC will allocate RM10 million to top up the interest or profit rate charges.
ECERDC said the move is expected to benefit 2,000 micro and small and medium entrepreneurs in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing, Johor by the end of 2015.
It said the collaboration will be continued under the 11th Malaysia Plan, which commences next year, for the benefit 6,000 entrepreneurs in ECER by 2020.
ECERDC said the scheme will be implemented this month, offering four types of financial assistance, namely SME Portfolio Guarantee-i, SME Property Business Financing-i, SME Micro Financing, and Retail Micro Financing.
It said the Retail Micro-Financing Scheme is offered exclusively to women entrepreneurs with a maximum loan amount of RM10,000 while the other there schemes offered financing amount which varies from RM20,000 to RM50,000.
Under the schemes, it said ECERDC will top up the interest/profit rate charges by up to 50 per cent.
ECERDC, together with Maybank, is planning to organise outreach activities to promote the programme to the public starting this month.
Apart from the ECER-Maybank Entrepreneurship Scheme, ECERDC is also collaborating with Agrobank and Sirim Bhd in the Entrepreneur ECER programme which has benefitted 1,365 entrepreneurs in the economic region to date.
Meanwhile, at the event, ECERDC named three anchor companies to operate and manage large-scale commercial agriculture projects in ECER, namely The Holstein Milk Company Sdn Bhd, CSC Integrated Herbal Farm Sdn Bhd, and Genetic Improvement and Farm Technologies Sdn Bhd (GIFT).
ECERDC said The Holstein Milk Company Sdn Bhd will invest RM30 million to operate and manage the Muadzam Shah Cattle Research and Innovation Centre built by ECERDC that will create 100 satellite farmers as part of its support networks.
CSC Integrated Herbal Farm Sdn Bhd will invest RM20 million by 2020 to operate and manage ECER's Herbal Integrated Cluster Development in Chegar Perah, Pahang and cultivate various herbal plants.
"This project is expected to create 36 contract farmers and entrepreneurs among the locals, who have the potential of earning RM5,000 per month," it added.
Another anchor company, GIFT will invest RM10 million to enhance and develop an efficient and sustainable sheep breeding programme through the Kuala Berang Sheep Breeding and Innovation Centre built by ECERDC in Terengganu.
Since 2007, ECERDC has attracted investments worth RM72.26 billion, marking 66 per cent of ECER's investment target of RM110 billion by 2020, and created 73,281 jobs.
Pahang led the way in term of investments with RM35.23 billion, followed by Terengganu (RM24.24 billion), Kelantan (RM11.17 billion), and Mersing (RM1.61 billion).
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