Monday 19 January 2015
Christian nurse, 37, says she was sacked for 'harassment and bullying' after PRAYING for a Muslim colleague
- Christian nurse Victoria Wasteney, 37, prayed with her ill Muslim co-worker
- She offered Enya Nawaz, 25, a shoulder to cry on when she was unwell
- She also gave Miss Nawaz book about a Muslim who becomes a Christian
- But Miss Nawaz complained her colleague had tried to convert her
- Miss Wasteney was suspended for nine months and warned about her faith
- Now she is taking the hospital to a tribunal over religious discrimination
A Christian nurse claims she was sacked for 'harassment and bullying' after she prayed for a troubled Muslim colleague.
Victoria Wasteney, 37, a senior occupational health therapist at a mental hospital in east London, offered support to a fellow nurse when she was unwell.
Miss Wasteney says she put her hand on young colleague Enya Nawaz's knee and asked if she could pray for her, saying: 'God, I trust You will bring peace and You will bring healing.'
The pair had been on friendly terms for months, so Miss Wasteney, who describes herself as a 'born-again Christian', was furious when she was suspended from work for 'harassing' Miss Nawaz.
East London NHS Foundation Trust suspended her for nine months on full pay, gave her a written warning and told her not to discuss her faith with co-workers.
But the nurse, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex, will on Tuesday begin a legal challenge against the trust for discriminating against her for her religion.
Miss Wasteney, who worked at the John Howard Centre - a mental hospital in Homerton, east London - told the Sunday Telegraph: 'I'm not a hard-line evangelical. I'm not anti-Muslim. I believe in freedom of speech, but I've always believed we should be sensitive to one another's beliefs and feelings.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2915253/Christian-nurse-37-says-sacked-harassment-bullying-praying-Muslim-colleague.html
Anti-terror chief tells police not to go out on the streets alone amid rising fears of a plot to murder an officer - as Met deploy hundreds more armed officers
- Advice issued by nation's counter-terrorism chief Mark Rowley
- Fears of an attack raised after events in France that left 17 dead
- Among the dead in the atrocities in Paris were three police officers
- Last week Belgian police killed jihadists wanting to behead a policeman
- Mr Rowley advised force chiefs to abandon lone patrols where possible
Police were last night urged to patrol in pairs for their own safety amid rising fears of a terrorist plot to murder an officer on UK streets.
The advice was issued by the nation's counter-terrorism chief as it was revealed that hundreds of extra firearms officers will be deployed across London.
Fears of an attack in Britain were raised after the atrocities in France that left 17 dead, among them three police officers.
And they intensified last week when Belgian commandos killed Islamic State (IS) fanatics who wanted to behead a policeman or judge in a plot echoing the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the national police lead for counter-terrorism, has now advised force chiefs in England and Wales to 'review the safety and security of staff' urgently – and to abandon lone patrols where necessary.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2914986/Anti-terror-chief-tells-police-not-streets-amid-rising-fears-plot-murder-officer.html
Subramaniam says party boss refused to meet him over MIC crisis – Bernama
MIC deputy president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam has reiterated that he did not meet party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel to discuss the party’s present crisis in detail.He said many of his attempts to meet Palanivel had failed, "except for our cursory meetings in Cabinet".
"(Nevertheless) There have been reports in the press about some imaginary conversation between the (party) president and me, written by some highly imaginative journalist," he said in a statement today.
Dr Subramaniam said on January 7, he had requested to meet Palanivel, to which the party president agreed after the Cabinet meeting.
However, the meeting did not materialise.
"Subsequently, we happened to meet in Cabinet where we exchanged a few statements and once again, I reiterated the need to find a holistic solution to the proble and my willingness to work together to solve the problem, in line with the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) decisions."
At the Cabinet meeting, he said Palanivel only raised his concern on the need to hold two elections, one in 2015 and another in 2016, but did not share his views on how he intended to solve the problem.
On December 5, RoS, among others, directed MIC to conduct re-elections for 23 central working committee and three vice-presidential seats in 90 days because there were claims of irregularities and violations of the party constitution and Societies Act.
RoS also told MIC to hold again elections for eight divisions in 60 days, namely for Bayan Baru, Bukit Gelugor, Subang, Bandar Baru Kulim, Taiping, Tambun, Sepang and Jasin.
It also directed the party to conduct elections again for Batu Kawan (deputy chairman), Kota Raja (division chairman), Tanjung Malim (division chairman) and Taman Koperasi Polis (branch chairman) in 30 days.
The party was also advised not to hold an annual general meeting as long as the matters remained unresolved. – Bernama, January 18, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/subramaniam-says-party-boss-refused-to-meet-him-over-mic-crisis-bernama#sthash.bv0b57bV.dpuf
Anwar willing to assist anti-graft body if it investigates Daim
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is willing to cooperate with the Malaysian anti-graft body if it investigates former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin's banking business abroad.However, he cautioned that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must carry out its duties professionally.
"If they ask me, I will give my cooperation, no problem. It is my responsibility to help facilitate investigations. But they have to be professional," he said after a dialogue with Selangor youth in Petaling Jaya today.
He said he had "proof" of Daim's alleged abuse of powers but it was shelved. However, he did not elaborate on the statement, although he said MACC should not focus its investigations solely on Daim's banking business.
Opposition politicians had previously urged anti-graft authorities to investigate Daim, with PKR's Youth chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin in November last year highlighting the lack of police action against the former finance minister despite a police report lodged in 1999.
Anwar had lodged that report 15 years ago, accusing Daim of amassing billions of ringgit in African and Eastern Europe banks through proxies.
Three days ago, Daim had expressed his willingness to cooperate with MACC, but stressed that pressure groups should not interfere.
In a statement to state news agency Bernama, Daim had said he was confident the MACC would be able to carry out the probe.
"I stand ready to support and cooperate with MACC in its investigation," he said in the statement.
It was reported previously that Daim had confirmed owning a bank in Tanzania, but denied any abuse of power.
Daim was quoted by the news report as saying that he had been investigated on the matter twice in 1999, and they found nothing.
Pro-Umno bloggers recently reported that Daim had been attacked by cybertroopers aligned to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for criticising Putrajaya's handling of the economy.
Daim, along with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, have emerged as strong critics of Najib's administration over his handling of the economy and national politics.
In what is seen as a psychological war, Najib's supporters in the press and online portals have been attacking Daim with critical articles.
But veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin warned a few days ago that the Umno-controlled media group, Media Prima Bhd, should stop sniping at Daim as it could backfire on Najib.
Najib was more vulnerable to personal attacks than Daim and other critics, Kadir, the retired editor of the New Straits Times Press group, said in his blog.
"The cheap shots about Mohd Najib's critics might smear their image but these people are not the PM and they don't have political positions," said Kadir, referring to the PM by his full name.
"But the juicier stories about Mohd Najib, if there is, can topple him," Kadir said.
Besides opposition lawmakers, Daim and Dr Mahathir, even pro-Umno bloggers who had supported Najib to be prime minister were now becoming critical of him.
Najib took over from former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in April 2008 after the loss of Barisan Nasional's two-thirds majority in the March general election that year.
Among others, Najib has been criticised for his cash aid programme, the 1Malaysia People’s Aid or BR1M, which Dr Mahathir said failed to attract voters back to BN, in addition to being unsustainable.
Najib's brainchild, the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) strategic development fund, also came under scrutiny for its massive debts and opaque operations.
Malaysia's mainstream media, which must have a government permit, have not highlighted the criticism against Najib but instead have cast aspersions on the complaints about his rule.
"So they try to weaken Daim's credibility and at the same time, force a clash between Mohd Najib and Daim," Kadir said. – January 18, 2015.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-willing-to-assist-anti-graft-body-if-it-investigates-daim#sthash.lsE7R9xW.dpuf
DAP MP hails Ku Nan as role model for ministers
Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan
Tengku Mansor, who rarely earns praise from the opposition, has been
hailed by a DAP MP as a role model for other cabinet ministers.
This comes after Tengku Adnan slammed right-wing group Perkasa for questioning the construction of the Sri Lalithambikai Alayam Hindu temple in Putrajaya.
"Tengku Adnan’s whacking of Perkasa is most timely and welcomed and deserves commendation and support from Malaysians.
"It is hoped that more Muslim ministers can come out to rebuke Perkasa so as to send a strong and clear message that religious bigotry has no place in this multiracial and multireligious nation," said DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran.
Perkasa Youth chief Irwan Fahmi had questioned the need for a Hindu temple in Putrajaya as the overwhelming majority of population there are Muslims.
He had also asked for the temple to face away from Putrajaya, towards Banting, as more Hindus live there.
Tengku Adnan, who is also Putrajaya MP, yesterday said he didn't know why Perkasa was "making noise" and a Hindu temple wouldn't turn the entire Putrajaya population into Hindus.
Kulasegaran (left) said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who has often asked the silent majority to speak up against extremism, should also speak up himself on this matter.
"If Perkasa does not back down from opposing the temple construction, I propose to the federal government and the prime minister to make the temple construction an issue of the battle between the moderates and the extremists," he said.
Kulasegaran also slammed Perkasa's Fahmi for being a "religious bigot".
"His insensitive, irresponsible and ignorant remarks have enraged the Hindu community and strengthened Perkasa’s right wing and extremist image," said Kulasegaran.
This comes after Tengku Adnan slammed right-wing group Perkasa for questioning the construction of the Sri Lalithambikai Alayam Hindu temple in Putrajaya.
"Tengku Adnan’s whacking of Perkasa is most timely and welcomed and deserves commendation and support from Malaysians.
"It is hoped that more Muslim ministers can come out to rebuke Perkasa so as to send a strong and clear message that religious bigotry has no place in this multiracial and multireligious nation," said DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran.
Perkasa Youth chief Irwan Fahmi had questioned the need for a Hindu temple in Putrajaya as the overwhelming majority of population there are Muslims.
He had also asked for the temple to face away from Putrajaya, towards Banting, as more Hindus live there.
Tengku Adnan, who is also Putrajaya MP, yesterday said he didn't know why Perkasa was "making noise" and a Hindu temple wouldn't turn the entire Putrajaya population into Hindus.Kulasegaran (left) said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who has often asked the silent majority to speak up against extremism, should also speak up himself on this matter.
"If Perkasa does not back down from opposing the temple construction, I propose to the federal government and the prime minister to make the temple construction an issue of the battle between the moderates and the extremists," he said.
Kulasegaran also slammed Perkasa's Fahmi for being a "religious bigot".
"His insensitive, irresponsible and ignorant remarks have enraged the Hindu community and strengthened Perkasa’s right wing and extremist image," said Kulasegaran.
‘Abolish death penalty to bring back Sirul’
Human rights campaigner's way to bring justice to Altantuya and learn the full truth about 'beastly affair'.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should now abolish the death penalty, so that a convicted killer of Altantuya Shaariibuu may be brought back from Australia; and the truth about her killing uncovered, a human rights campaigner said today.
Kua Kia Soong, adviser to human rights organisation Suaram, said full justice had not been delivered in the Altantuya case because the motive for her murder had never been established in the courts.
Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, a model and translater, was shot and her body blown up in the jungles near Subang, Selangor, in a case involving commissions for the Navy’s purchase of two submarines.
Last week the Federal Court reinstated the death penalty on two policemen, Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, members of an elite VIP bodyguard unit, for her murder. A third accused, defence analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, had been acquitted without his defence being called.
Sirul is now reported to be in Australia but a Malaysian request for his extradition is complicated by Australian policy not to repatriate anyone facing the death penalty, which has been abolished there.
Dr Kua said if the death penalty was abolished, Sirul might be brought back and he raised the possibility of a fresh trial to uncover the whole truth.
However if the death penalty was carried out, “we will never know the full story of why they murdered the woman, whether she was connected with the purchase of the RM7 billion Scorpene submarines, or if they were induced by people in power to murder her”.
He pointed to “too many inconsistencies” in the case, such as:
Dr Kua speculated about the possibility of a fresh trial being ordered and said if the death penalty was abolished, it might be possible to induce the two convicted men to “spill the beans over the whole beastly affair” in exchange for a shorter sentence.
He said doing away with capital punishment would help avoid irrevocable miscarriages of justice, which usually take time to surface, pointing to the film Hurricane about a US boxer who spent 20 years in jail for a murder he did not commit.
Capital punishment has been abolished in about a quarter of the world’s countries, including most of Europe and Australia.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should now abolish the death penalty, so that a convicted killer of Altantuya Shaariibuu may be brought back from Australia; and the truth about her killing uncovered, a human rights campaigner said today.
Kua Kia Soong, adviser to human rights organisation Suaram, said full justice had not been delivered in the Altantuya case because the motive for her murder had never been established in the courts.
Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, a model and translater, was shot and her body blown up in the jungles near Subang, Selangor, in a case involving commissions for the Navy’s purchase of two submarines.
Last week the Federal Court reinstated the death penalty on two policemen, Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, members of an elite VIP bodyguard unit, for her murder. A third accused, defence analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, had been acquitted without his defence being called.
Sirul is now reported to be in Australia but a Malaysian request for his extradition is complicated by Australian policy not to repatriate anyone facing the death penalty, which has been abolished there.
Dr Kua said if the death penalty was abolished, Sirul might be brought back and he raised the possibility of a fresh trial to uncover the whole truth.
However if the death penalty was carried out, “we will never know the full story of why they murdered the woman, whether she was connected with the purchase of the RM7 billion Scorpene submarines, or if they were induced by people in power to murder her”.
He pointed to “too many inconsistencies” in the case, such as:
- the assertion that all records of Altantuya’s entry and presence in Malaysia were erased from the computers of the Immigration Department;
- the sudden removal of the presiding judge before the trial started and the changing of the head of the prosecution team at the eleventh hour;
- the fact that defence lawyers for the accused kept changing, with one walking out on the first day while charging that “third parties” were interfering in his work;
- that defence lawyers and prosecutors both stopping Altantuya’s cousin from testifying further when she revealed that the victim had shown her a photograph of herself, Razak Baginda (an associate of Najib Razak, then defence minister), Najib and “others” having lunch in a Paris restaurant; and
- the possibility of plea bargaining
Dr Kua speculated about the possibility of a fresh trial being ordered and said if the death penalty was abolished, it might be possible to induce the two convicted men to “spill the beans over the whole beastly affair” in exchange for a shorter sentence.
He said doing away with capital punishment would help avoid irrevocable miscarriages of justice, which usually take time to surface, pointing to the film Hurricane about a US boxer who spent 20 years in jail for a murder he did not commit.
Capital punishment has been abolished in about a quarter of the world’s countries, including most of Europe and Australia.
Kedah Sultan speaks out against jihadists
Days after NYT video of jihadist from Kedah madrassah, Sultan speaks out against militant violence.
FMT
ALOR STAR: The Sultan of Kedah, on his official birthday today, spoke out against religious extremism which has resulted in Muslims being lured into joining jihadist movements in foreign countries.
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, who turned 87, said it was a sin for Muslims to murder fellow Muslims, totally contradicting true Islamic teachings that propagate peace.
His speech came days after the New York Times published a video about religious teacher Mohd Lotfi Ariffinat who left for Syria, to join jihadists fighting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The New York Times said Mohd Lotfi, 46, was one of a few dozen Malaysians who have joined militant rebel groups in Syria, including the Islamic State.
It quoted Malaysia’s counter-terrorism official Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay as saying: “It’s easy and it’s more organised there. You can join any group that you want there.”
A New York Times video follows the path taken by Lotfi, as documented on his Facebook postings, from Kuala Ketil to Syria, where he sought martyrdom. The Facebook pages have since been taken down.
Malaysian security officials have also reported that some Malaysians had taken personal loans or sold off their property in order to join the militant Islamic groups.
The Sultan, in his speech at an investiture ceremony, condemned the action of Malaysian Muslims in going to war.
“These so called jihadists’ action in killing fellow Muslims is a sin, as pointed out in the Al Quran. Repent and return to the true Islamic teachings which embrace peace,” he said at Istana Anak Bukit, quoted by the New Straits Times.
He urged parents to closely monitor their children to prevent them from being influenced by “ideologies which contradict true Islamic teachings”. The Sultan’s speech was read by Kedah Regency Council chairman Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, as the Sultan is currently serving his second term as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The Sultan also spoke about inter-racial and religious harmony being compromised by those abusing the freedom of speech, and said “it is obvious that the Federal Constitution was formulated to prevent conflict among the rakyat. If the rakyat loves peace and stability like I do, use the freedom wisely,” he said.
His remarks about free speech come a week after civil liberties lawyer Eric Paulsen was arrested under the Sedition Act for criticising Jakim, the Islamic affairs department. Jakim and the police said Paulsen had “insulted Islam” by criticising the department.
In other remarks in the royal speech, which is usually drafted by the state government, the Sultan also hoped that the federal government would approve the Kedah government’s proposal for an international airport in Kulim. The airport project, initiated by menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, has been opposed by the Penang state government, which sees it as a threat to the state’s progress.
SEE ALSO: The Jihadist in Our Family – New York Times
ALOR STAR: The Sultan of Kedah, on his official birthday today, spoke out against religious extremism which has resulted in Muslims being lured into joining jihadist movements in foreign countries.
Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, who turned 87, said it was a sin for Muslims to murder fellow Muslims, totally contradicting true Islamic teachings that propagate peace.
His speech came days after the New York Times published a video about religious teacher Mohd Lotfi Ariffinat who left for Syria, to join jihadists fighting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The New York Times said Mohd Lotfi, 46, was one of a few dozen Malaysians who have joined militant rebel groups in Syria, including the Islamic State.
It quoted Malaysia’s counter-terrorism official Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay as saying: “It’s easy and it’s more organised there. You can join any group that you want there.”
A New York Times video follows the path taken by Lotfi, as documented on his Facebook postings, from Kuala Ketil to Syria, where he sought martyrdom. The Facebook pages have since been taken down.
Malaysian security officials have also reported that some Malaysians had taken personal loans or sold off their property in order to join the militant Islamic groups.
The Sultan, in his speech at an investiture ceremony, condemned the action of Malaysian Muslims in going to war.
“These so called jihadists’ action in killing fellow Muslims is a sin, as pointed out in the Al Quran. Repent and return to the true Islamic teachings which embrace peace,” he said at Istana Anak Bukit, quoted by the New Straits Times.
He urged parents to closely monitor their children to prevent them from being influenced by “ideologies which contradict true Islamic teachings”. The Sultan’s speech was read by Kedah Regency Council chairman Tunku Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, as the Sultan is currently serving his second term as Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
The Sultan also spoke about inter-racial and religious harmony being compromised by those abusing the freedom of speech, and said “it is obvious that the Federal Constitution was formulated to prevent conflict among the rakyat. If the rakyat loves peace and stability like I do, use the freedom wisely,” he said.
His remarks about free speech come a week after civil liberties lawyer Eric Paulsen was arrested under the Sedition Act for criticising Jakim, the Islamic affairs department. Jakim and the police said Paulsen had “insulted Islam” by criticising the department.
In other remarks in the royal speech, which is usually drafted by the state government, the Sultan also hoped that the federal government would approve the Kedah government’s proposal for an international airport in Kulim. The airport project, initiated by menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir, has been opposed by the Penang state government, which sees it as a threat to the state’s progress.
SEE ALSO: The Jihadist in Our Family – New York Times
Malaysian admits sex with 31 boys in Singapore
Court told Ipoh-born man made friends on Facebook, had sex with boys in public places.
FMT
SINGAPORE: An Ipoh-born quality assurance engineer has admitted having sex with 31 boys aged between 11 and 15 after befriending them on Facebook under different names.
Yap Weng Wah pleaded guilty on Friday to 12 charges of sex with boys, with 64 other charges to be taken into account for his sentencing.
Prosecutors told the court that he and 30 of the boys engaged in sexual acts at his rented flat, toilets of shopping centres and swimming complexes, hotel rooms and a public park.
He recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone, storing them in his laptop computer, in folders indicating each boy’s name, age and year they met, the Straits Times reported.
He also asked a 12-year-old to send a video of the boy performing a lewd act, the Straits Times reported.
Police found more than 2,000 video clips in his computer when they raided his home after one of the boys made a report.
On Friday, Yap pleaded guilty in court to 12 charges, while 63 other charges of sexual penetration of a minor and one for procuring a child to commit an indecent act will be taken into consideration at sentencing.
The prosecutor seeks a penalty of at least 30 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the rotan.
Yap was reported to have come to Singapore in 2009. His two younger siblings and mother live in Ipoh. His father moved to New Zealand when he was eight years old, the report said.
SINGAPORE: An Ipoh-born quality assurance engineer has admitted having sex with 31 boys aged between 11 and 15 after befriending them on Facebook under different names.
Yap Weng Wah pleaded guilty on Friday to 12 charges of sex with boys, with 64 other charges to be taken into account for his sentencing.
Prosecutors told the court that he and 30 of the boys engaged in sexual acts at his rented flat, toilets of shopping centres and swimming complexes, hotel rooms and a public park.
He recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone, storing them in his laptop computer, in folders indicating each boy’s name, age and year they met, the Straits Times reported.
He also asked a 12-year-old to send a video of the boy performing a lewd act, the Straits Times reported.
Police found more than 2,000 video clips in his computer when they raided his home after one of the boys made a report.
On Friday, Yap pleaded guilty in court to 12 charges, while 63 other charges of sexual penetration of a minor and one for procuring a child to commit an indecent act will be taken into consideration at sentencing.
The prosecutor seeks a penalty of at least 30 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the rotan.
Yap was reported to have come to Singapore in 2009. His two younger siblings and mother live in Ipoh. His father moved to New Zealand when he was eight years old, the report said.
Ponggal makes its mark in Sarawak
State minister urges more to join in for bigger celebrations next year.
FMT
KUCHING: The Tamil harvest festival, Ponggal, marked by the Malaysian Indian community at a special function at the Kuching Waterfront today received government encouragement for celebrations to be held every year.
State welfare, women and family development minister Fatimah Abdullah encouraged the organisers to come up with a bigger event next year, adding the state government was ready to encourage more non-governmental organisations to join in.
Fatimah lauded the event as this enabled social interaction to foster understanding among the various communities and pave the way for respect and harmony in a multi-racial country.
More than 108 people took part, most of whom gathered under the canopy to cook a sweet dish made of rice and milk.
Other activities at the celebration, held by the Sarawak chapter of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, included cultural dance performances, a Kolam drawing demonstration and kabbadi games.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Mohan Shan said he was happy to see a large multi-racial turnout, despite the drizzling rain.
He said that among the functions of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam was the preservation of the culture and traditions of the Hindus and added that today’s event was a great achievement for the Indian community in Malaysia.
- BERNAMA
KUCHING: The Tamil harvest festival, Ponggal, marked by the Malaysian Indian community at a special function at the Kuching Waterfront today received government encouragement for celebrations to be held every year.
State welfare, women and family development minister Fatimah Abdullah encouraged the organisers to come up with a bigger event next year, adding the state government was ready to encourage more non-governmental organisations to join in.
Fatimah lauded the event as this enabled social interaction to foster understanding among the various communities and pave the way for respect and harmony in a multi-racial country.
More than 108 people took part, most of whom gathered under the canopy to cook a sweet dish made of rice and milk.
Other activities at the celebration, held by the Sarawak chapter of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, included cultural dance performances, a Kolam drawing demonstration and kabbadi games.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Mohan Shan said he was happy to see a large multi-racial turnout, despite the drizzling rain.
He said that among the functions of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam was the preservation of the culture and traditions of the Hindus and added that today’s event was a great achievement for the Indian community in Malaysia.
- BERNAMA
Move temple entrance for easy drive: Perkasa
After temple criticism, Malay rights group says it's to avoid a detour through Putrajaya.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malay rights group Perkasa, criticised for its remarks on a new Hindu temple in Putrajaya, has said it suggested the entrance be moved for the convenience of Hindu devotees.
It was so “they don’t have to take a detour through Putrajaya”, he said, quoted by the Malaysian Insider.
Irwan Fahmi, head of Perkasa Youth had suggested that the temple entrance face Banting (on the Selangor coast) instead of Putrajaya.
He said there were only 600-700 Hindus in Putrajaya but the temple was big enough for 10,000 people. “It’s already 85% complete, so I’m asking for something realistic, that an entrance from Banting be built,” he said, according to the Insider.
Irwan said Perkasa respected freedom of religion and the sensitivity of other faiths, but it would be more realistic for the temple’s entrance not to be in Putrajaya.
He then reminded Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who had told Perkasa to stop playing up the issue, that Tengku Adnan had won the parliamentary seat due to Malay support.
He questioned if Ku Nan would approve a Chinese temple in Putrajaya. “We do not oppose it, but the location is not suitable,” Irwan said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malay rights group Perkasa, criticised for its remarks on a new Hindu temple in Putrajaya, has said it suggested the entrance be moved for the convenience of Hindu devotees.
It was so “they don’t have to take a detour through Putrajaya”, he said, quoted by the Malaysian Insider.
Irwan Fahmi, head of Perkasa Youth had suggested that the temple entrance face Banting (on the Selangor coast) instead of Putrajaya.
He said there were only 600-700 Hindus in Putrajaya but the temple was big enough for 10,000 people. “It’s already 85% complete, so I’m asking for something realistic, that an entrance from Banting be built,” he said, according to the Insider.
Irwan said Perkasa respected freedom of religion and the sensitivity of other faiths, but it would be more realistic for the temple’s entrance not to be in Putrajaya.
He then reminded Putrajaya MP Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who had told Perkasa to stop playing up the issue, that Tengku Adnan had won the parliamentary seat due to Malay support.
He questioned if Ku Nan would approve a Chinese temple in Putrajaya. “We do not oppose it, but the location is not suitable,” Irwan said.
Cabinet on Wednesday should uphold the principles of good governance and accountability and declassify information on the “national security projects” involving alleged gambling kingpin Paul Phua which the police knew nothing about
Lim Kit Siang BlogZahid Hamidi will become the standing joke in the world for a bumbling and bungling Home Minister so long as he does not come clean and admit that his infamous letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) vouching for the character of an alleged gambling kingpin, Paul Phua, standing trial in Las Vegas, Nevada for illegal gambling, was an egregious error of judgment.
Zahid, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the entire Cabinet should not delude themselves into thinking that the Zahid-Phua-Shafee-Khalid quadrilateral tangle would just disappear into thin air if the Home Minister invokes the Official Secrets Act followed by a blanket of silence on the issue from official quarters.
Zahid is supposed to be one of the smartest political leaders in the UMNO pantheon but he could not have been more foolish and self-destructive in his outrageous “defence” of his infamous letter to the FBI, going against not only the Police, the Foreign Ministry and the national interests but simple common sense!
If Zahid is not prepared to come clean and honest and publicly admit and apologise for his infamous letter to the FBI vouching for the character of an alleged gambling kingpin, the Cabinet at its meeting on Wednedsay must revisit the issue and take a stand which is in accord with national interests.
The Malaysian public are entitled to know whether the Cabinet had approved and endorsed Zahid’s infamous letter to the FBI after Zahid’s explanation, and the invocation of the Official Secrets Act to hide the nature of the “national security projects” involving Phua which even the Police knew nothing about!
The Cabinet should let Malaysians know whether there had been such “national security projects” involving Phua in the past, how many of them and why the Police knew nothing about it.
The Cabinet should in fact decide on Wednesday whether in the interests of upholding the principles of good governance, accountability and transparency, and in keeping with the much-vaunted Government Transformation Programme, information on the so-called “national security projects” involving Phua which even the police knew nothing about, should be declassified and its details made known to the public.
Malaysians are eager to know what could be these “national security projects” involving Phua which even the Police knew nothing about – whether all these “national security projects” happened during Zahid’s 19-month tenure as Home Minister from May 2013 or whether Zahid had inherited the “national security projects” involving Phua from the previous Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
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