Monday 1 December 2014
Iranian woman dances on Tehran's metro in protest against laws
A woman has recorded herself dancing in public on the Tehran subway in Iran in protest against laws prohibiting women from doing so.
Mohabat News - The woman can be seen throwing some moves up and down the carriage to British pop group Little Mix's song 'Salute'.
It is against the law in Iran for a woman to dance in public or be seen in public without a veil covering their hair and this woman breaks both laws through her protest.
The woman does not attempt to hide her face during her stunt in an act of defiance.
The video was uploaded to the My Stealthy Freedom Facebook page - where Iranian women upload photos and videos of themselves without the compulsory hijab./ Telgeraph
UK: Teachers “scared to teach about Jesus” for fear of offending Muslims
So what we have here are British teachers readily discarding their own culture and heritage for a watery and content-free multiculturalism that will, in the end, only pave the way for the takeover of Britain by those who still have confidence in their own beliefs, traditions and culture. Those who are proud to be British and interested in exploring what that means are derided as “racists.” Britain, in short, is a spent force, and is doomed to a future of blood and chaos.
“Teachers ‘scared to teach about Jesus’: Fear of offending other faiths prevents children1 [sic] learning true meaning of Christmas, BBC presenter claims,” by Sarah Harris, Daily Mail, November 29, 2014:
Fear of ‘offending’ different faiths means pupils are not being taught the true meaning of Christmas in schools, according to a BBC presenter.And that means that what is most likely to come out of this is more state school teaching about…Islam.
Roger Bolton, of Radio 4’s Feedback programme, said that some secular teachers are also ‘unsympathetic to religious education’.
As a result, many pupils are not learning the crucial fact that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus.
A lack of understanding of Christianity is also preventing youngsters from gaining a proper understanding of religious imagery in literature and drama as well as European art.
This ‘ignorance’ in schools is being compounded by broadcasters’ reluctance to tackle ‘faith issues’ in children’s programmes.
Mr Bolton, who previously presented Sunday, Radio 4’s main programme for religious news and current affairs, condemned the trend in a ‘viewpoint’ piece written for this weeks Radio Times.
He said the Band Aid single, Do They Know It’s Christmas? would be better renamed for school children as ‘Do They Know What Christmas Is?’
He said: ‘Older readers might think this is a redundant question, but I’m afraid it’s not.
‘In some schools in this country, little is taught about the true meaning of Christmas, possibly because secular staff are unsympathetic to religious education or because of the fear of offending those of other faiths.
‘And broadcasters aren’t doing much to remedy this ignorance. It is difficult to find any children’s programmes that regularly deal with faith issues.’
Mr Bolton said there were ‘exceptions’ such as On Angel’s Wings, a BBC1 animation this Christmas, which is based on War Horse author, Michael Morpurgo’ s picture book.
It tells the Christmas story from the point of view of a young shepherd boy.
‘But there is little else in prospect, and the consequences of this lack of coverage are becoming evident,’ he said.
The presenter pointed to a Bible Society survey published earlier this year that claimed a quarter of children had ‘never read, seen or heard of Noah’s Ark’.
A similar proportion was ignorant of the Nativity; 43 per cent had never heard of the Crucifixion, and 53 per cent had ‘never read, seen or heard’ of Joseph and his coat of many colours.
Mr Bolton wrote: ‘Does this matter? I think it does, for both cultural and communal reasons.
‘The United Kingdom cannot be understood without appreciating the role Christian culture has played in its development, from the introduction of the parish system to the replacement of a monarch (James II) because he was a Roman Catholic.
‘In the time of Henry VIII what one believed about the doctrine of ‘transubstantiation’ was literally a matter of life and death.
‘Our 17th-century Civil War was fought in large part over the doctrine of the Divine Right of Kings.
‘Without a knowledge of Christianity, what will our schoolchildren make of much of our finest literature and drama, filled as it is with Christian imagery? Or much of the finest European art?’
He added: ‘It is also vital that children of other faiths learn about Christmas. How can they begin to integrate into our country if they know little of the faith still at its heart?
‘Of course, the reverse applies, too. How can they feel welcome in this country if we make no real effort to understand what is often the most important thing to them and their families – their faiths?’…
Attacks on Hindu temples in Pakistan a worrying trend
ISLAMABAD: In the latest incident of its kind, a Hindu temple was attacked by fanatics in Pakistan, the temple was torched, the stone idol of Lord Hanuman blackened with soot, and some religious books burnt.
This attack Nov 21 on the Hindu temple in the Tando Mohammad Khan area in Sindh - and reported in the Dawn newspaper - is however, not a one-off incident in a country where such attacks are increasingly turning out to be the rule, rather than an exception.
With a population of around seven million, Hindus form the largest religious minority group in Pakistan, which, at 195 million, is the second largest Muslim nation in the world after Indonesia.
This attack Nov 21 on the Hindu temple in the Tando Mohammad Khan area in Sindh - and reported in the Dawn newspaper - is however, not a one-off incident in a country where such attacks are increasingly turning out to be the rule, rather than an exception.
With a population of around seven million, Hindus form the largest religious minority group in Pakistan, which, at 195 million, is the second largest Muslim nation in the world after Indonesia.
Barisan parties’ silence over Umno assembly rhetoric will cost them, says Zaid
The failure of Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties to condemn racially charged speeches by delegates at the recent Umno general assembly will cost them votes from their respective communities, former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.
The ex-Umno man said in his latest blog posting that leaders of the component parties had become "filled with such fear" that they did not dare muster even a mild protest against the speeches.
He accused the parties' leaders of being more concerned about their positions in the Cabinet and their parties.
"They are pathetic, and that’s why I would not be surprised if they fail to win any votes from their own people. Surely they have some iota of shame, enough to react to Umno’s taunting.
"But obviously not – they only have their positions as ministers and party leaders to cling to," he wrote in his blog.
Zaid, who also joined PKR for a stint after leaving Umno, said this year's assembly was "one of the worst in Umno's history".
"I would call the statements made by some of Umno's top leaders 'sick', and would rate them among the worst ever made by political leaders anywhere. They humiliate our own people with impunity...," he wrote.
But he added that such "venom" was "always present in large quantities" at the annual assembly of the BN's lynchpin party.
What was more distressing, Zaid said, was the lack of outcry from the BN component parties which represented the other races in the ruling coalition.
"What is glaring and worrying, however, is how Umno’s partners in the Barisan Nasional have shown a total lack of concern about Umno leaders and their speeches," he said.
"If the other component parties won’t react to this blatant provocation and humiliation, then it means we have descended into fascism. In a fascist environment, there is overriding fear of those in power. The fear is so consuming that it makes you incapable of reacting as a free human being. It makes you numb."
Urging the component parties to have more courage, Zaid said they should learn from the widow who was suing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and several others for damages following her family's exile from Malaysia for five years "because her late husband had said something that had angered the powers that be".
Zaid did not name the woman in his blog, but he was likely referring to A. Santamil Selvi, the widow of the late private detective P. Balasubramaniam, who was a witness in the murder trial of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Better known as P.I. Bala, he had made two statutory declarations (SD) within days of each other in July 2008, the first implicating Najib in Altantuya's murder in 2006, and the second which purportedly cleared the then deputy prime minister of involvement in the case.
He hurriedly left Malaysia after he signed the second SD and was in exile with his family in India for five years. He died in March last year from a heart attack just weeks after returning from India.
Najib, Rosmah and others named in Santamil's suit are now seeking to strike out the legal action on the grounds that the widow lacked the capacity to file the action as she has yet to obtain a letter of administration of her late husband's estate.
"You would have seen a woeful amount of cowardice if you followed the Umno general assembly. If you follow the life of the kindergarten teacher, you will find courage.
"We need a lot more of it if this country is going somewhere," Zaid said in comments directed at the BN component party leaders.
MCA vice-president Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, however, did protest the statement by a Penang Umno delegate who said that Chinese in Penang had gained wealth and power through illegal means, such as gambling, prostitution and entertainment outlets.
Chew said the statement by Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said was inflammatory, offensive to the Chinese community as a whole, and urged Umno to act against him.
Zaid in his blog also named Mohd Zaidi as one of those whose who made incendiary statements at the Umno assembly.
He also ticked of Najib for using footage of the May 13, 1969, race riots in Kuala Lumpur during his speech at the assembly, where the prime minister had also said that Umno was the sole guarantor of peace in the country and that Malays had sacrificed more than anyone else to achieve peace.
"I just want to remind him that if he continues this way he will be remembered as ‘father of hate’ while his late father is deservedly known as 'father of development',” said Zaid. – November 30, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/barisan-parties-silence-over-umno-assembly-rhetoric-will-cost-them-says-zai#sthash.j0zKpN0f.dpuf
The ex-Umno man said in his latest blog posting that leaders of the component parties had become "filled with such fear" that they did not dare muster even a mild protest against the speeches.
He accused the parties' leaders of being more concerned about their positions in the Cabinet and their parties.
"They are pathetic, and that’s why I would not be surprised if they fail to win any votes from their own people. Surely they have some iota of shame, enough to react to Umno’s taunting.
"But obviously not – they only have their positions as ministers and party leaders to cling to," he wrote in his blog.
Zaid, who also joined PKR for a stint after leaving Umno, said this year's assembly was "one of the worst in Umno's history".
"I would call the statements made by some of Umno's top leaders 'sick', and would rate them among the worst ever made by political leaders anywhere. They humiliate our own people with impunity...," he wrote.
But he added that such "venom" was "always present in large quantities" at the annual assembly of the BN's lynchpin party.
What was more distressing, Zaid said, was the lack of outcry from the BN component parties which represented the other races in the ruling coalition.
"What is glaring and worrying, however, is how Umno’s partners in the Barisan Nasional have shown a total lack of concern about Umno leaders and their speeches," he said.
"If the other component parties won’t react to this blatant provocation and humiliation, then it means we have descended into fascism. In a fascist environment, there is overriding fear of those in power. The fear is so consuming that it makes you incapable of reacting as a free human being. It makes you numb."
Urging the component parties to have more courage, Zaid said they should learn from the widow who was suing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and several others for damages following her family's exile from Malaysia for five years "because her late husband had said something that had angered the powers that be".
Zaid did not name the woman in his blog, but he was likely referring to A. Santamil Selvi, the widow of the late private detective P. Balasubramaniam, who was a witness in the murder trial of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Better known as P.I. Bala, he had made two statutory declarations (SD) within days of each other in July 2008, the first implicating Najib in Altantuya's murder in 2006, and the second which purportedly cleared the then deputy prime minister of involvement in the case.
He hurriedly left Malaysia after he signed the second SD and was in exile with his family in India for five years. He died in March last year from a heart attack just weeks after returning from India.
Najib, Rosmah and others named in Santamil's suit are now seeking to strike out the legal action on the grounds that the widow lacked the capacity to file the action as she has yet to obtain a letter of administration of her late husband's estate."You would have seen a woeful amount of cowardice if you followed the Umno general assembly. If you follow the life of the kindergarten teacher, you will find courage.
"We need a lot more of it if this country is going somewhere," Zaid said in comments directed at the BN component party leaders.
MCA vice-president Senator Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, however, did protest the statement by a Penang Umno delegate who said that Chinese in Penang had gained wealth and power through illegal means, such as gambling, prostitution and entertainment outlets.
Chew said the statement by Datuk Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said was inflammatory, offensive to the Chinese community as a whole, and urged Umno to act against him.
Zaid in his blog also named Mohd Zaidi as one of those whose who made incendiary statements at the Umno assembly.
He also ticked of Najib for using footage of the May 13, 1969, race riots in Kuala Lumpur during his speech at the assembly, where the prime minister had also said that Umno was the sole guarantor of peace in the country and that Malays had sacrificed more than anyone else to achieve peace.
"I just want to remind him that if he continues this way he will be remembered as ‘father of hate’ while his late father is deservedly known as 'father of development',” said Zaid. – November 30, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/barisan-parties-silence-over-umno-assembly-rhetoric-will-cost-them-says-zai#sthash.j0zKpN0f.dpuf
Putrajaya claims reduced poverty but UN report shows more poor Malaysians
Whether poverty has declined in Malaysia depends on how it is measured. An example is Putrajaya's reliance on absolute poverty figures, which according to a United Nations report, results in data that does not reflect reality.The Malaysia Human Development Report 2013 commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) instead says poverty is better measured against what households earn in general, rather than by a fixed minimum level.
The report measures relative poverty, which sets the threshold at half the national median income, and finds the number of Malaysians in this category has been rising since 2007, with one in five households considered relatively poor.
Absolute poverty, on the other hand, is a measurement based on the declared poverty line. In Peninsular Malaysia, this is fixed at RM763, RM912 in Sarawak and RM1,048 in Sabah.
But the relative poverty line in 2012 was RM1,813, or half of the household median income of RM3,626.
The report, released last week and prepared by Malaysian researchers, notes that in 2007, 17.4% of Malaysians were in relative poverty, and this increased to 19.3% in 2009 and 20% in 2012.
The figures fly in the face of Putrajaya's claim to have successfully reduced absolute poverty to 1.7% in 2012, from 49.3% in 1970.
While Putrajaya relied on the declining absolute poverty rates, the UNDP report argues that relative poverty is “a better approach to assess inclusiveness”.
“Absolute poverty has decreased but relative poverty has emerged as a growing concern in recent years,” said UNDP while releasing the report last Tuesday.
“Relative poverty, which measures the number of households living with less than half of the median income, is a better approach to assess inclusiveness compared to absolute poverty, which measures the number of households living below the poverty line.”
“If poverty is measured using the relative poverty rate (defined as less than half of the median income) as suggested in the New Economic Model, about 20% of Malaysian households are considered poor,” reads the report.
This is not the first time a higher poverty line has been suggested by Malaysian researchers.
In 2010, Jayanath Appadurai, who has worked for the Centre for Policy Initiatives, told The Malaysian Insider that a poverty line of RM1,886 was more accurate.
The Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government, meanwhile, recently raised the state's poverty income threshold to RM1,500 to reflect the higher cost of living in the state.
This was made in the state's budget for 2015, which sees about 30% of Selangor's five million residents classified as poor.
More inclusive picture of poverty
The Malaysia Human Development Report 2013 analyses the country's current situation to spur policy reforms to ensure inclusive and equitable growth.
Among ethnic groups, the report shows higher relative poverty rate since 1989, the highest among the Malays at 19.1%, followed by the Chinese at 17.9%.
Meanwhile, the relative poverty rate in urban and rural households has remained stagnant since 1989.
“This is in contrast to the normal convention of measuring poverty using the poverty line income, where the official data show the poverty rate decreasing for all ethnic groups, as well as among the urban/rural areas,” the report says.
It argues that broadening the concept of poverty, with more emphasis on relative poverty, is “more fruitful”.
It notes that Malaysia’s lower absolute poverty rate compared to many countries with higher income and lower inequality raised questions on the suitability and plausibility of Malaysia’s poverty line.
“Aligning (poverty) measurement to international norms will certainly raise – possibly steeply – the poverty line and subsequently the poverty rate."
The report further points out another shortcoming in the government's method of measuring poverty: it does not indicate the different poverty rates within an ethnic group.
“For instance, although the (absolute) poverty rate for Bumiputeras in 2009 is 5.3%, the poverty rate for the Kadazan Dusun and Murut in Sabah are four times higher at about 25%.”
Even among states, the disparity in the absolute poverty rates showed “skewed distribution”, the report says.
In Sabah, the absolute poverty rate of 8.1% was significantly higher than the state with the lowest poverty rate, Malacca, at 0.1%.
The UNDP report was written by Tan Sri Datuk Dr Kamal Salih, an adjunct professor of Economics and Development Studies at Universiti Malaya, Dr Lee Hwok Aun, from the UM Department of Development Studies; and Dr Muhammad Khalid of Khazanah Research Institute. – December 1, 2014.
Another protest for Vivekananda ashram
Another protest mounted by supporters of the cause of preserving the Vivekananda Ashram was held in Brickfields today.
The ashram has been the focus of media interest when public protests burgeoned after news broke out that the site on which a shrine to Swami Vivekananda was erected in 1904 is slated for commercial development.
The shrine was build to mark the visit of Swami Vivekananda to Malaya early last century when the Hindu divine was famed for introducing his religion to western audiences and initiating inter-faith encounters with other religions.
Today’s protest was led by the Save Vivekananda Ashram Action Committee, the same one that presented a memorandum to Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz at Parliament house last Thursday.
DAP national vice chair M Kulasegaran (left),
who was present at today’s protest and at the presentation of the
memorandum to Nazri, said the minister had already spoken to Federal
Territory Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to preserve the site as a
heritage one.
A group from the Save Vivekananda committee, comprising Dewi Kunjeeri Sambathan, daughter of the late VT Sambathan (former cabinet minister), Sitpah Selvaratnam (lawyer), and Raja Singham (from Brickfields Law College) and Dr Chris Nicholas (an accountant) had met Nazri in Parliament House to discuss the status of Vivekananda Ashram.
Others present at the meeting included Kulasegaran, DAP MP for Bukit Bintang Fong Kui Lun, DAP MP for Kota Melaka Sim Tong Him, and Heritage Department officials.
The memo presented to Nazri contained legal arguments against plans to commercially develop site where the ashram is located.
After participating in this morning’s protest, Kulasegaran said the tourism minister’s assurances that the site would be preserved were heartening but “we can’t rely on the assurances of the well-intentioned because these days, mercantile considerations are known to override historical and cultural ones.
“We have to rouse public interest and concern so that the wider public is sensitised to the importance of preserving this religious and cultural monument for the generations to come,” said the MP for Ipoh Barat.
The ashram has been the focus of media interest when public protests burgeoned after news broke out that the site on which a shrine to Swami Vivekananda was erected in 1904 is slated for commercial development.
The shrine was build to mark the visit of Swami Vivekananda to Malaya early last century when the Hindu divine was famed for introducing his religion to western audiences and initiating inter-faith encounters with other religions.
Today’s protest was led by the Save Vivekananda Ashram Action Committee, the same one that presented a memorandum to Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz at Parliament house last Thursday.
DAP national vice chair M Kulasegaran (left),
who was present at today’s protest and at the presentation of the
memorandum to Nazri, said the minister had already spoken to Federal
Territory Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor to preserve the site as a
heritage one.A group from the Save Vivekananda committee, comprising Dewi Kunjeeri Sambathan, daughter of the late VT Sambathan (former cabinet minister), Sitpah Selvaratnam (lawyer), and Raja Singham (from Brickfields Law College) and Dr Chris Nicholas (an accountant) had met Nazri in Parliament House to discuss the status of Vivekananda Ashram.
Others present at the meeting included Kulasegaran, DAP MP for Bukit Bintang Fong Kui Lun, DAP MP for Kota Melaka Sim Tong Him, and Heritage Department officials.
The memo presented to Nazri contained legal arguments against plans to commercially develop site where the ashram is located.After participating in this morning’s protest, Kulasegaran said the tourism minister’s assurances that the site would be preserved were heartening but “we can’t rely on the assurances of the well-intentioned because these days, mercantile considerations are known to override historical and cultural ones.
“We have to rouse public interest and concern so that the wider public is sensitised to the importance of preserving this religious and cultural monument for the generations to come,” said the MP for Ipoh Barat.
Sedition Act staying won't ensure GE14 win, says PM
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today said that
his decision to keep the Sedition Act some two years after promising to
repeal it, won't guarantee BN a victory in the 14th general election.
"The protection of BN cannot come from the Sedition Act," he asserted, while officiating the PPP convention at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
"Sedition Act cannot ensure BN will get re-elected in GE14. It is only through the will and support of people," he said.
It has been largely suggested that Najib's U-turn on the act was due to pressure from party grassroots and that the act is being used to keep Umno and BN in a strong position ahead of the next elections.
"The protection of BN cannot come from the Sedition Act," he asserted, while officiating the PPP convention at the Putra World Trade Centre today.
"Sedition Act cannot ensure BN will get re-elected in GE14. It is only through the will and support of people," he said.
It has been largely suggested that Najib's U-turn on the act was due to pressure from party grassroots and that the act is being used to keep Umno and BN in a strong position ahead of the next elections.
Najib claimed that the act staying would be a form of protection for the
social contract and also for non-Muslims and non-Malays.
"The enforcement of it must be seen to be fair as everyone who
transgresses will be dealt with accordingly under the law," he said.
"There will be no acrimonous relations between races, we Malaysians want harmony," he added.
Najib also took swipe at the opposition, saying they are "destroying" the people's confidence.
"The Kajang move and the Selangor fiasco is clear indication that the
opposition cannot work together. Their only common interest is to defeat
BN," he said.
Don’t erase our past, leave our road names alone!
Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M Loga Bala claimed that it was the Ruler’s Council which had requested the renaming of certain roads in Kuala Lumpur.
Is that so? Malaysians are not simpletons. Renaming roads causes a lot of distress and inconvenience but one supposes that those at the top, will never know the suffering of the people. Dropping hints that the sultans had requested the name change precludes discussion and resistance from the public; people will be afraid to object, for fear they may be accused of being seditious.
In 2008, government officials received a public backlash when they suggested the renaming of Jalan Silibin in Ipoh, and the renaming of Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur. Today, the government has said that the road names are a request from the royals. Of course, these minor government officials would say that. Name dropping is another terrible Malaysian trait.
How do we know that this knee jerk reaction, to name roads after monarchs, was genuinely a royal request? How does the rakyat know that it is not an Umno-Baru ploy to appease the sultans, without consulting the rakyat? Is this another of Umno-Baru’s many political manoeuvres?
This is the 21st Century and people are better educated and more courageous. They have the intellect to question an odd request, which is both expensive and unnecessary.
Loga Bala is aware that Umno-Baru has refined the use of the three Rs over the years, so that any mention of the phrase “kehendak Sultan” (royal decree), is just like the phrase “it is written in the Koran and hadith”, ensures compliance. The rakyat is conditioned to obey, without question, for fear of punishment. Umno-Baru may try to stretch the patience of the rakyat but even patience has its limits.
Has Loga Bala decided who will pick up the tab for the name change? Companies will suffer because of the extra cost of changing letterheads, name cards and addresses in the business directory, livelihoods will be affected, maps will have to be altered or reprinted, taxi drivers will have to mentally register this name change and visitors will get confused. The Tourism Malaysia staff can barely remember any places of interest, in Malaysia, so can they be expected to remember other changes?
Loga Bala could pass on the administration costs for the name change, to the Rulers’ Council. The rakyat has enough to worry about, with the increase in price of ordinary goods and services, without this extra hassle.
Is Loga Bala particularly obtuse? He said that “the new changes would not involve any costs for the ministry or the city hall”. Any name change will waste valuable taxpayers’ money. The costs will be passed down to the rakyat. The public will bear the brunt of this idiotic decision.
Loga Bala’s apparent ignorance, of the extra cost to city hall, reflects the growing disconnect between the higher echelons of power and the downtrodden rakyat. The rich get richer, the stupid get denser and the poor get more desperate. The rulers and the Umno-Baruputra elite appear to live on a different planet, from the rakyat.
We may never know who mooted the idea of the road name change but it just shows that the person, or people behind it are conceited. There are major road problems in KL and nationwide, that need immediate attention, because of the effects of flooding, poor drainage, overcrowding, bad illumination, missing signs, faded road markings etc.
Why would anyone want to rename the roads? Many road names of historical significance, of people and places which gave Malaysians their cultural identity, have been obliterated by Umno-Baru. Is this renaming exercise another attempt to erase our history? Is Umno-Baru ashamed of the colonial past? Are they afraid of the comparison with the more efficient past? Is it because the government wants change just for the sake of change? Or is it another sandiwara?
Has Loga Bala tried to remember the long and complex names of the Malaysian sultans, some of whom are a mouthful? Can anyone imagine the voice activated, automated GPS system coping? It will take so long for the GPS to read out the proposed road names, that the driver will miss the next turning. Instead of being pleased, consumers will be furious.
In Ipoh, several arterial roads have been renamed, but most people know the roads by their old names. According to one taxi driver, “The sultan and members of his family have road names given to them, but I cannot remember them at all. Too confusing. Too long. Many people use the old names anyway. Everyone knows Hugh Low Street, Brewster Road, Tambun Road and Tiger Lane”
A KL taxi driver said, “Traffic in KL is bad. Would anyone like to be remembered by a jam-packed, pot-holed, dusty and polluted road?”
Why does Umno-Baru think that road-naming is the only way of honouring the royals?
Why not call a new building, the new wing of a hospital, a scholarship fund, a bursary or some other white elephant, after this exalted person?
A more fitting tribute would be to rename the Petronas Twin Towers or the Genting Casino.
Govt plays dirty, denies PKR leader entry to Sarawak
PKR’s Tan Poh Lai accuses government of abusing their powers to silence the opposition.
FMT
PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Wanita deputy head Tan Poh Lai has accused the Barisan Nasional-led government of misusing their powers and silencing the voices of the opposition when they denied Wanita Keadilan chief and MP for Ampang, Zuraidah Kamaruddin entry into Sarawak.
In a statement, Tan said, “I urge BN to fight fairly and not misuse or abuse their powers to silence the opposition.
“The people have a right to hear from both sides and make informed decisions themselves.”
Saying this was not the first time Zuraida was denied entry without any explanation, Tan added, “As the Sarawak election approaches, I feel that the BN administration is simply too afraid to allow opposition leaders to meet the people there. There is just too much to cover up.”
Condemning the actions of the Sarawak immigration, Tan also asked when the ban will be lifted including why the ban was instituted in the first place for Zuraida and others from Pakatan Rakyat when they had none nothing wrong.
PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Wanita deputy head Tan Poh Lai has accused the Barisan Nasional-led government of misusing their powers and silencing the voices of the opposition when they denied Wanita Keadilan chief and MP for Ampang, Zuraidah Kamaruddin entry into Sarawak.
In a statement, Tan said, “I urge BN to fight fairly and not misuse or abuse their powers to silence the opposition.
“The people have a right to hear from both sides and make informed decisions themselves.”
Saying this was not the first time Zuraida was denied entry without any explanation, Tan added, “As the Sarawak election approaches, I feel that the BN administration is simply too afraid to allow opposition leaders to meet the people there. There is just too much to cover up.”
Condemning the actions of the Sarawak immigration, Tan also asked when the ban will be lifted including why the ban was instituted in the first place for Zuraida and others from Pakatan Rakyat when they had none nothing wrong.
Investigate Zaidi for sedition, says MCA
Tan Chuan Hong says police should investigate Umno leader Mohd Zaid to set an example to others that racist statements won't be tolerated.
FMT
GEORGE TOWN: Penang MCA secretary Tan Chuan Hong has urged police to investigate Umno Permatang Pauh chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said under the Sedition Act 1948 for claiming that “Chinese are getting rich through illegal activities”.
Tan said the police should take stern action against Mohd Zaid to set an exemplary punishment for others.
He pointed out that since independence in 1957, all major races in the country had been committed to maintaining harmony and understanding among each other.
“MCA has also made considerable efforts. If one undermines unity for political purposes or cheap publicity, one should be punished no matter from which political party he or she comes from,” said Tan in a statement here today.
Being an authentic Penangite, Tan argued that he knew of many seniors who relied on their own initiative to become rich, and did not resort to operating or indulging in so-called illegal activities to earn a living.
He cited examples of the late Loh Boon Siew, Khor Teng Tong and Penang Chinese Town Hall chairman Khor Teng Haw who worked hard and went to great lengths to make their fortunes starting from scratch.
He also said if Penang was flooded by illegal activities that enriched the Chinese as claimed by Mohd Zaid, then the Umno leader was also indirectly insulting and obliterating all efforts by the police thus far to crack down on crime.
On the contrary, Tan said that the hard work put in by the police had resulted in Penang becoming one of the safest states in Malaysia.
Tan also said that since UMNO was the main political parties in BN, it should set an example by taking stern disciplinary action against Mohd Zaidi for his uncalled for racist statement.
GEORGE TOWN: Penang MCA secretary Tan Chuan Hong has urged police to investigate Umno Permatang Pauh chief Mohd Zaidi Mohd Said under the Sedition Act 1948 for claiming that “Chinese are getting rich through illegal activities”.
Tan said the police should take stern action against Mohd Zaid to set an exemplary punishment for others.
He pointed out that since independence in 1957, all major races in the country had been committed to maintaining harmony and understanding among each other.
“MCA has also made considerable efforts. If one undermines unity for political purposes or cheap publicity, one should be punished no matter from which political party he or she comes from,” said Tan in a statement here today.
Being an authentic Penangite, Tan argued that he knew of many seniors who relied on their own initiative to become rich, and did not resort to operating or indulging in so-called illegal activities to earn a living.
He cited examples of the late Loh Boon Siew, Khor Teng Tong and Penang Chinese Town Hall chairman Khor Teng Haw who worked hard and went to great lengths to make their fortunes starting from scratch.
He also said if Penang was flooded by illegal activities that enriched the Chinese as claimed by Mohd Zaid, then the Umno leader was also indirectly insulting and obliterating all efforts by the police thus far to crack down on crime.
On the contrary, Tan said that the hard work put in by the police had resulted in Penang becoming one of the safest states in Malaysia.
Tan also said that since UMNO was the main political parties in BN, it should set an example by taking stern disciplinary action against Mohd Zaidi for his uncalled for racist statement.
Sedition Act will protect all M’sians, says PM
Najib Razak says the Sedition Act is a protection of the country’s much cherished social contract that has been embedded in the constitution.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The move to retain the Sedition Act 1948 was made to protect the sensitivities of all Malaysians, said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who noted there was no ulterior motive behind the move.
He said retaining the act was not about protecting the rights of Muslims and Malays only, but also those of the non-Muslim and non-Malay communities.
“I want to explain that the act is a protection for all Malaysians, it is a protection of our much cherished social contract that has been embedded in our constitution.
“We must ensure that the enforcement of the Sedition Act must be seen to be fair,” he said when opening the 61st People’s Progressive Party (PPP) annual general meeting, here, Sunday.
Najib stressed that action would be taken accordingly against those who disrespected other people’s faiths.
Among those present were PPP president M Kayveas, senior vice-president Maglin Dennis D’Cruz and other Barisan Nasional component party leaders.
Najib told his audience that BN’s survival rested with the people of Malaysia.
“This Act cannot ensure Barisan Nasional will be re-elected at the next general election. Only the will and support of the people can ensure that BN remains in power,” he said.
Najib, who is Umno president, announced Thursday at the party’s annual general assembly that the Sedition Act would not only be retained but also strengthened to make it more relevant to current times.
He said at today’s function that it was important to retain the Sedition Act to avoid conflicts and acrimonious relations between the different races and religious groups in the country.
“As you know, even developed countries are not immuned to racial and religious tensions,” he said, alluding to the race riots in London a few years ago and civil disorder over the past few days stemming from the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in the Missouri town of Ferguson.
He cautioned that similar problems could occur in Malaysia and if that happened, what had been built since the country’s independence could be destroyed overnight.
“We cannot afford to let that happen here,” Najib said.
Najib, who is also BN chairman, outlined moderation, balance, excellence and social justice as the four main thrusts in uniting the BN component parties as well as the public at large.
“Being moderate means we must strive for excellence and at the same time we must ensure that our policies are inclusive for all Malaysians,” he said.
Earlier, Kayveas in his policy speech, expressed full support for Najib’s decision to retain the Sedition Act 1948 which he believed could maintain peace and racial unity in Malaysia.
The one-day PPP annual assembly was attended by about 3,000 party delegates and observers from throughout the country.
The delegates will choose from among the candidates vying for the six vice-president posts and 20 party Supreme Council seats, with the results to be announced Sunday evening.
- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR: The move to retain the Sedition Act 1948 was made to protect the sensitivities of all Malaysians, said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who noted there was no ulterior motive behind the move.
He said retaining the act was not about protecting the rights of Muslims and Malays only, but also those of the non-Muslim and non-Malay communities.
“I want to explain that the act is a protection for all Malaysians, it is a protection of our much cherished social contract that has been embedded in our constitution.
“We must ensure that the enforcement of the Sedition Act must be seen to be fair,” he said when opening the 61st People’s Progressive Party (PPP) annual general meeting, here, Sunday.
Najib stressed that action would be taken accordingly against those who disrespected other people’s faiths.
Among those present were PPP president M Kayveas, senior vice-president Maglin Dennis D’Cruz and other Barisan Nasional component party leaders.
Najib told his audience that BN’s survival rested with the people of Malaysia.
“This Act cannot ensure Barisan Nasional will be re-elected at the next general election. Only the will and support of the people can ensure that BN remains in power,” he said.
Najib, who is Umno president, announced Thursday at the party’s annual general assembly that the Sedition Act would not only be retained but also strengthened to make it more relevant to current times.
He said at today’s function that it was important to retain the Sedition Act to avoid conflicts and acrimonious relations between the different races and religious groups in the country.
“As you know, even developed countries are not immuned to racial and religious tensions,” he said, alluding to the race riots in London a few years ago and civil disorder over the past few days stemming from the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in the Missouri town of Ferguson.
He cautioned that similar problems could occur in Malaysia and if that happened, what had been built since the country’s independence could be destroyed overnight.
“We cannot afford to let that happen here,” Najib said.
Najib, who is also BN chairman, outlined moderation, balance, excellence and social justice as the four main thrusts in uniting the BN component parties as well as the public at large.
“Being moderate means we must strive for excellence and at the same time we must ensure that our policies are inclusive for all Malaysians,” he said.
Earlier, Kayveas in his policy speech, expressed full support for Najib’s decision to retain the Sedition Act 1948 which he believed could maintain peace and racial unity in Malaysia.
The one-day PPP annual assembly was attended by about 3,000 party delegates and observers from throughout the country.
The delegates will choose from among the candidates vying for the six vice-president posts and 20 party Supreme Council seats, with the results to be announced Sunday evening.
- BERNAMA
Who is really guilty of insulting the Malays?
Umno Baru sees the Malay mind as fertile ground for sowing the seeds of self-doubt.
Mariam Mokhtar
What else is new? Year in and year out, we have the predictably tense run-up to the Umno Baru General Assembly. And then, when they are gathered at PWTC, the various warlords wave their fists, insult the non-Malays, shout themselves hoarse and behave very much like little boys showing off their assets, telling one another, “Mine is bigger than yours.” After that, it is back to the status quo.
This year shows one small variation. Najib Abdul Razak is aware that his political career is nearing the end. He is attempting to prolong it by appeasing the extremists. His method is to use the Sedition Act.
The sedition clampdown has been sweeping the nation like the haze. It blankets the country and is toxic. It chokes us, reduces visibility and makes the vulnerable seriously ill. People are unable to go to work or enjoy themselves. It incapacitates us.
Since the 70s, the Malay mind has been a fertile ground for Umno Baru to sow the seeds of self-doubt. The ideas have been put into his head that he is weak, that his religion is ineffective, and that the Umno Baru brand of Islam is better. Umno Baru takes a departure from the message that the Father of Independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman, left us. The Tunku wanted Malaysia to be multiracial and secular, free from feudal bondage. Umno Baru is undoing all of his legacy.
The Malay mind is inundated, daily, with the emotional baggage of race, religion and royalty. With this continual pummelling, his confidence will eventually be eroded.
At the just-concluded assembly, Najib insulted the Malays and told them that without Umno Baru, they would be doomed. Where are the voices of the ordinary Malays to challenge him?
Najib is suggesting that Malays are weak and indolent. He knows that if Umno Baru were to cease to exist, the Malays would blossom. Umno Baru is aware that the only Malays who need protecting are themselves – the Umno-Baruputra Malays.
A few months ago, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad called the Malays “stupid and lazy”. There was hardly a word of protest from the Malays, but the few Malays who dared to criticise Mahathir for his politics of divide and rule were branded ungrateful. Mahathir always gets away with insulting the Malays. Why? There are many Malays who are intelligent, hard-working and amiable. Again, they failed to force Mahathir to apologise.
Decades of affirmative action policies led to the problems afflicting our society, although at the same time they created the enormous Malay middle class. These middle-class Malays are silent about the various injustices and abuse of power because they think that to speak out may show disrespect.
No! It is not disrespectful, but keeping quiet may harm more Malays and other Malaysians. Our social fabric is disentangling. Our treasury is running low on funds. We do not need to wait till things get to the point of no return.
Economic pie
The archangel Gabriel brought important messages from God, but Najib’s semi-divine message is that Islam must be protected by Umno Baru. Hundreds of years of the crusades and ethnic conflicts have not wiped Islam off the world map. If Islam in Malaysia needs to protected, it needs to be protected from Umno Baru.
One of the issues which Umno Baru uses to whip up racial distrust is to claim that Malays own a small part of the economic pie, unlike the Chinese. If Najib cared to look around him, he’d find that the top positions in the ministries, civil service, universities and GLCs are held by Malays.
Houses that are worth a million ringgit are subject to discount but low-cost housing is not and the ordinary Malay is no better off than his non-Malay counterpart. Most pieces of agricultural land held by Malays are lying idle because the government has not tried to resolve the issue of inheritance and land ownership. Syariah laws mean that a piece of land may have hundreds of owners, each at loggerheads with one another about the use of the land.
How can a farmer make a profitable and meaningful profession if he faces ruin from relatives demanding a share of the profits without contributing or putting any effort into farming?
Umno Baru killed off the aspirations of many generations of Malaysians. It pushed through affirmative action policies, not to help Malays, but to benefit the Umno-Baruputras. The leaders handsomely reward selected Malays and non-Malays whom they deem worthy of their favours.
The BN coalition might as well be disbanded. The MCA, MIC and Gerakan hardly protect the interests of the minority groups. Their role is insignificant and their presence in the coalition is mere window dressing.
If the ordinary Malay finds life in Malaysia stifling, he should realise that it will get worse. One can’t read certain books, watch certain films, eat off plates which belong to a non-Muslim, consume food prepared by a non-Muslim or drink water which has come from a bottle bearing the image of a Hindu deity.
The problem with Malaysia may be the political class, but the good news is that we are the solution.
Every five years, voters have a chance to bite back. Some of us do, and yet, after every general election, we stare in disbelief when Umno Baru gets voted again to form the government. After 13 general elections, the same racist and bigoted party remains in power.
Don’t just blame the government for the mess we are in; it is also our fault. We did not protest loud enough, we did not badger our MPs more, we did not write letters to newspapers to voice our dissatisfaction. We are happy in our comfort zone and do not consider other people’s problems an issue, until they become our own. Basically, we are selfish. Perhaps our New Year’s resolutions should reflect Malaysia’s needs.
Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.
What else is new? Year in and year out, we have the predictably tense run-up to the Umno Baru General Assembly. And then, when they are gathered at PWTC, the various warlords wave their fists, insult the non-Malays, shout themselves hoarse and behave very much like little boys showing off their assets, telling one another, “Mine is bigger than yours.” After that, it is back to the status quo.
This year shows one small variation. Najib Abdul Razak is aware that his political career is nearing the end. He is attempting to prolong it by appeasing the extremists. His method is to use the Sedition Act.
The sedition clampdown has been sweeping the nation like the haze. It blankets the country and is toxic. It chokes us, reduces visibility and makes the vulnerable seriously ill. People are unable to go to work or enjoy themselves. It incapacitates us.
Since the 70s, the Malay mind has been a fertile ground for Umno Baru to sow the seeds of self-doubt. The ideas have been put into his head that he is weak, that his religion is ineffective, and that the Umno Baru brand of Islam is better. Umno Baru takes a departure from the message that the Father of Independence, Tunku Abdul Rahman, left us. The Tunku wanted Malaysia to be multiracial and secular, free from feudal bondage. Umno Baru is undoing all of his legacy.
The Malay mind is inundated, daily, with the emotional baggage of race, religion and royalty. With this continual pummelling, his confidence will eventually be eroded.
At the just-concluded assembly, Najib insulted the Malays and told them that without Umno Baru, they would be doomed. Where are the voices of the ordinary Malays to challenge him?
Najib is suggesting that Malays are weak and indolent. He knows that if Umno Baru were to cease to exist, the Malays would blossom. Umno Baru is aware that the only Malays who need protecting are themselves – the Umno-Baruputra Malays.
A few months ago, former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad called the Malays “stupid and lazy”. There was hardly a word of protest from the Malays, but the few Malays who dared to criticise Mahathir for his politics of divide and rule were branded ungrateful. Mahathir always gets away with insulting the Malays. Why? There are many Malays who are intelligent, hard-working and amiable. Again, they failed to force Mahathir to apologise.
Decades of affirmative action policies led to the problems afflicting our society, although at the same time they created the enormous Malay middle class. These middle-class Malays are silent about the various injustices and abuse of power because they think that to speak out may show disrespect.
No! It is not disrespectful, but keeping quiet may harm more Malays and other Malaysians. Our social fabric is disentangling. Our treasury is running low on funds. We do not need to wait till things get to the point of no return.
Economic pie
The archangel Gabriel brought important messages from God, but Najib’s semi-divine message is that Islam must be protected by Umno Baru. Hundreds of years of the crusades and ethnic conflicts have not wiped Islam off the world map. If Islam in Malaysia needs to protected, it needs to be protected from Umno Baru.
One of the issues which Umno Baru uses to whip up racial distrust is to claim that Malays own a small part of the economic pie, unlike the Chinese. If Najib cared to look around him, he’d find that the top positions in the ministries, civil service, universities and GLCs are held by Malays.
Houses that are worth a million ringgit are subject to discount but low-cost housing is not and the ordinary Malay is no better off than his non-Malay counterpart. Most pieces of agricultural land held by Malays are lying idle because the government has not tried to resolve the issue of inheritance and land ownership. Syariah laws mean that a piece of land may have hundreds of owners, each at loggerheads with one another about the use of the land.
How can a farmer make a profitable and meaningful profession if he faces ruin from relatives demanding a share of the profits without contributing or putting any effort into farming?
Umno Baru killed off the aspirations of many generations of Malaysians. It pushed through affirmative action policies, not to help Malays, but to benefit the Umno-Baruputras. The leaders handsomely reward selected Malays and non-Malays whom they deem worthy of their favours.
The BN coalition might as well be disbanded. The MCA, MIC and Gerakan hardly protect the interests of the minority groups. Their role is insignificant and their presence in the coalition is mere window dressing.
If the ordinary Malay finds life in Malaysia stifling, he should realise that it will get worse. One can’t read certain books, watch certain films, eat off plates which belong to a non-Muslim, consume food prepared by a non-Muslim or drink water which has come from a bottle bearing the image of a Hindu deity.
The problem with Malaysia may be the political class, but the good news is that we are the solution.
Every five years, voters have a chance to bite back. Some of us do, and yet, after every general election, we stare in disbelief when Umno Baru gets voted again to form the government. After 13 general elections, the same racist and bigoted party remains in power.
Don’t just blame the government for the mess we are in; it is also our fault. We did not protest loud enough, we did not badger our MPs more, we did not write letters to newspapers to voice our dissatisfaction. We are happy in our comfort zone and do not consider other people’s problems an issue, until they become our own. Basically, we are selfish. Perhaps our New Year’s resolutions should reflect Malaysia’s needs.
Mariam Mokhtar is an FMT columnist.
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