Zambri Vinoth so called religious leader speaking bad about Hindus and Hindu religion

Downright insulting! DAP MP censures Dr M over 'orang asing' remark

Malaysiakini

Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks on how the Malays were forced to accept orang asing (foreigners) during British rule in exchange for independence is downright insulting and unbecoming of a prime minister who represents all Malaysians, said DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh.

Ramkarpal was referring to the prime minister's speech at yesterday's Malay Dignity Congress, where Mahathir said: “.. Orang asing berasa selesa dengan negara kita dan mereka ingin tinggal di sini. Nak tak nak pun, kita terpaksa terima, kalau tidak kita tidak akan mencapai kemerdekaan (The foreigners felt comfortable in this country and wanted to stay. Like it or not, we were forced to accept or we would not have achieved independence).”

Describing the statement as uncalled for, Ramkarpal said Mahathir should have known better.

“The PM should know that such remarks are highly sensitive and threaten racial harmony in the country and can lead to a divided nation along racial lines, which must be avoided at all costs,” he added.

The Bukit Gelugor MP also noted how Mahathir claimed he did not hear the organiser of the congress Zainal Kling's statement that “Malaysia belonged to the Malays” when opening the congress.

He said the prime minister should have corrected the academician and if it is true that he did not hear the remark, then he should set the record straight now.

Ramkarpal reminded Mahathir that he won the last general election largely because of the support of non-Malays.

“That support was to see reforms for the betterment of this country and to move it forward, not to see the country becoming divided along racial lines.

“I call on the PM to take the lead in narrowing the gaps among the races in the country and dispelling the false notion that the Malays are under threat.

“Reprimanding Zainal for his insensitive remarks would be a good start and I urge the PM to do so forthwith,” Ramkarpal added in a statement this afternoon.

Hate speech under Mahathir's pseudo rule of law

Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar (photo) also censured Mahathir over the “orang asing” remark, saying the prime minister appeared to be giving the green light to others to make similar statements.

Uthayakumar pointed out that despite Mahathir claiming the congress was not racist, Tamil dailies had reported that among the resolutions presented were the closure of vernacular schools and that top government positions be reserved for Malays.

“But the said speaker (who raised this issues) would not be jailed under the Sedition Act as Umno jailed me... nor will Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador arrest anyone under Section 504 of the Penal Code and the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia (MCMC) Act for hate speech under Mahathir's pseudo rule of law,” he added in a statement.

Report lodged against Zainal Kling for allegedly inciting racial discord

Malaysiakini

A police report has been lodged against the Malay Dignity Congress chief executive secretary Zainal Kling for allegedly uttering remarks to incite racial tension.

When contacted, Yoganathan Loganathan, who is a member of the Penang Society for Tamil Advancement, confirmed that he lodged the report at the Seberang Perai Tengah police headquarters today.

Yoganathan said he was alerted to the report regarding Zainal's (above) contentious remarks in Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insight at about 9pm last night.

"Zainal's remarks can incite a fight between the different races in our communities, who are peaceful and harmonious," Yoganathan said.

"Among other things, Zainal spoke about the citizenship of non-Malays, saying they were ungrateful and often blamed the Malays for their woes," Yoganathan said in his police report.

Zainal kicked off the congress held in Kuala Lumpur yesterday with several "hardline" remarks which touched on issues related to the Federal Constitution, royalties and special position of Malays.

He also spoke at length about how non-Malays have taken advantage of the citizenship status given to them, adding that Malaysia belonged to the Malays.

The congress was attended by about 5,000 people, including Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and several Umno, PAS and Pakatan Harapan leaders.

It was organised by Universiti Malaya’s Malay excellence studies centre, in collaboration with UiTM, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Sultan Idris Education University.

Many critics have described the event as political interference in academia.

Yoganathan said Zainal remarked - without proof - that the Malays, royalties and Islam have been insulted by certain quarters.

He added that if Zainal felt this to be true, the latter should lodge a police report.

"Instead, Zainal's words can create enmity between Malays and non-Malays.

"His remarks are punishable under the 1948 Sedition Act and Section 505 of the Penal Code, which deals with inciting words," he added.

Yoganathan urged the police to probe Zainal's statement thoroughly and act against him as soon as possible for disturbing racial harmony in the country.

Lawyer Balwant Singh Sidhu speaks his mind on Mahathir

Balwant Singh Sidhu commented on Mahathir's statement

I am disgusted by this constant racism and feel obliged to speak up. I take it as a personal insult that I was 'allowed' to become a lawyer. On the contrary, I ...saved my own money and went to England. I did not get a scholarship or a study loan. I was not even allowed to use the UITM library, as I was told it was only for Malays. But I did not get offended. I took it as a challenge, as my religion forbids me to beg.

I can safely say that most of the Sikh lawyers in this country of my generation are children of soldiers and policemen. Nobody 'allowed' us anything. We worked hard and owe nothing to anyone. Our parents left rich farmlands in the Punjab in search of adventure. They agreed to accept Malayan citizenship because they honestly believed they would be treated as equal citizens and their contributions to nation building recognized.

So, Mahathir, speak for yourself. If some Malays are poor today, it is because of corruption, cronyism and nepotism. If some non Malays are professional, it because of hard work.

Mahathir should stop his stupid and insensitive remarks and contribute to peace and harmony in the country in his twilight years. I am deeply offended that after my father and his younger brother served so many years in the police force and another uncle fought the communists in the jungles, I have to put up with such insensitive and callous remarks, as if suggesting I should be grateful.

If at all, people like Mahathir should be grateful that despite not being of Malay stock, they have benefitted immensely from being pseudo Malays. Please don't use us as political fodder. We are a proud race and have never expected or received any handouts. Yet one third of the names on the national monument are Sikhs.

If you have nothing to contribute to promote racial and religious harmony, please spend your last days in prayer.

Successful racial integration is a hallmark of great leadership

We will soon celebrate our 59th Merdeka Day. Every one of us we must surely beam in pride witnessing the socio-economic progress which we have made together as a nation since gaining independence from the British in 1957.

Influenced by diverse colonial rule, Malaysia is probably the most multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation amongst its Asean neighbours, if not the wider Asian community. Guided by the profound principles of the Rukunegara, we have demonstrated to the world that people of diverse backgrounds can indeed live in harmony, work together and build a great nation.

Ever since we gained independence, we have never looked back. We have continued to enjoy political stability and worked relentlessly, together, transforming our beloved country into an economic powerhouse. We have enjoyed an economic growth rate of up to 8 percent for much of the past 25 years. The fruits of our own labour can now be seen everywhere. Today, we enjoy a quality of life parallel to that of in developed nations.

What has facilitated this success story is our willingness to coexist in peace and harmony, except for the ugly chapter of the May 13 racial riots, which unfortunately sticks out like a sore thumb. The May 13 chapter perhaps reinforces a powerful message that intolerance can shatter years of collective hard work within an instant.

Unfortunately, this unity and harmony, which we have always celebrated, is slowly but surely disintegrating. Ethnic relationships are continuing to deteriorate especially post the 12th general election. An obvious tell-tale sign is the fact that the authorities are now forced to compel citizens to fly the national flag in the run up to Merdeka Day. This is indeed a sad reality which should ring alarm bells.

Racial slurs are becoming a norm these days where vested groups selfishly pawn the well-being of the nation by organising racially-charged demonstrations. Unfortunately all these happenings appear or seemingly appear to be condoned by politicians. We crave for a rebuke from our national leaders, but the culprits continue repeating such lowly acts.

While it is the responsibility of every individual, national unity is eventually shaped by political will. Politicians have to decide if they want a divided or united Malaysia. The peace and stability which we enjoy today can only be sustained if the politicians chose preserve it.

Differences in political ideologies and varying viewpoints are bound to exist in any diverse country, but we must continue to respect each other’s existence. There are bound to be challenges but all that we have achieved thus far must never be traded in ransom.

Agreed that racial polarisation is probably the biggest hindrance in achieving a unified Malaysia, but we have entrusted political leaders and administrative institutions to effectively deal with it. As such, people who walk the corridors of power must react decisively to current realities before we reach a point of no return.

Commendable leadership in a country like ours cannot be judged merely on mega infrastructure development, but it must be grounded on how successfully racial integration is realised.

Selamat Hari Merdeka!

DARSHAN SINGH DHILLON is president, Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM).

You can be the start of the change this nation needs, Ambiga tells UTM VC

Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan today shared her thoughts on the erroneous information contained in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s teaching modules regarding Hindus and Sikhism.

In an open letter to UTM vice-chancellor Wahid Omar, she outlined the root causes of such incidents, and suggested solutions.

Below is her letter in full:

Open Letter to the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Prof Ir Dr Wahid Omar

Dear Vice-Chancellor,

Your apology and expression of remorse together with your commitment to investigate the Titas slides is most welcome.

Let me, however, offer you a perspective which I hope you will consider.

What happened at your institution is, in my view, merely a symptom of a much larger problem that the country is facing. Years of brainwashing, racist supremacist statements by our leaders, and a system that condones and encourages racial polarisation have brought us today, to those infamous slides. As an educator, I am sure you are equally alarmed at where we are, given that this is the 21st century we are talking about and we are no longer a young nation.

The systematic creation of a narrow and bigoted thought process may help in a political agenda, but does nothing for the recipients of such tutelage. We can only rewrite history and social science so much. I hope that you share my view that those who have manipulated our young minds into becoming so closed have done the community a great disservice. They have also done a great disservice to those who are made to feel they are lesser mortals. Indeed, what they have done is to stunt the potential of our youth, both in heart and mind, making it difficult for them to compete in the global village.

Thus I see your latest problem as an inevitable result of a system that has been in place for years and which is sanctioned by those in power. You know the system I am talking about. You said this is an isolated incident. I don’t believe it will be the last of such incidents to surface in our education system. The only reason we know about the slides is because they went viral. But how many other such incidents are undetected? It may even be happening discreetly and may manifest in so many different ways.

Do you not think it is time to change, sir?

As an educator you must know that this brainwashing and feeding of young minds with false information must stop. Not all fall prey to this abuse, mind you. Many students, due to their parents’ and other teachers’ positive influences, do not succumb. I also know there are many good and dedicated teachers and these teachers are not the ones I am speaking of.

Having somewhat identified the source of the problem, I think I should be constructive. But before that, I believe you should ignore those who have suggested that you should not offer an apology. They are the ones who would encourage the system of “them and us”. They do not want Malaysians to live in harmony. They love the polarisation. They do not believe that human beings are all equal. They certainly do not believe in our diversity, as you do. They fail to understand that your tendering an apology is a sign of strength and courage, not weakness and that it is an acknowledgement that human beings are not infallible but that we can become better.

Now the solutions. You have stated that you are conducting investigations and that due action will be taken as necessary. I have some other suggestions.

May I suggest that you take your inquiry much further than just this incident. I suggest that you delve deeper and identify the root causes of the thought process of the educators who were responsible for the slides. It appears that they too are a product of the system I spoke of. I suggest you also engage all your lecturers of all races and ask them what they truly feel about each community in the country. Do they feel superior, or do they feel like second-class citizens? Investigate where your educators are from. Their schools, their influences and the reasons for their mindsets.

Engage your students in the same way. Ask if they stick to groups of one race or do they engage harmoniously with one another. I believe the polarisation is stark in most institutions and this has been the case for many years.

After all that, tabulate the findings and then move on to your second phase. The difficult one. Changing the mindsets of both the lecturers and students.

Teach them to value each others’ cultures. Show them how rich each culture is. Let them learn how much a diverse Malaysia can teach them. That we are all humans with the same aspirations. That they must open up their minds and embrace all the knowledge that they can acquire and can share. And most importantly that they must have an inquiring mind, free of prejudices and bigotry. In fact, why not have them all learn about the different religions? Did you know that when I want to give speeches, I can go to any religious text and I will have no problems finding beautiful passages on peace, justice, compassion and integrity.

What do you think, sir? Are you willing to carry out this experiment for the sake of the nation? There are many people who will gladly help you. Take it not only as a challenge but as a necessary step to reverse our intellectual decline.

Were you aware, sir, that there is a wonderful article in the latest The Economist about how to make a good teacher? It is worth a read. And it is worth asking your teachers to read it too. It is clearly time to invest in our teachers.

It is also time we aimed for a system of education with integrity and intellectual excellence. We need to encourage true scholarship. I am not an education professional but I believe we have to keep politicians out of deciding education policy and leave it to educators instead. In other words, let’s take the politics out of education.

You can be the start of the change that this nation needs. I hope that as an educator you will set an example and consider what I have said with an open mind. It is time. Our children deserve much better.

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,
Ambiga Sreenevasan

Subramaniam: Trend of distorting facts in text books on the rise

PETALING JAYA: There has recently been an increasing trend of people distorting facts to fit into the disordered and disturbed perception of individuals, says MIC president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (pic).

In a statement on Tuesday, Dr Subramaniam said such individuals have led to the release of educational contents where facts have been dangerously mutilated by their disordered perception.

"Distorted historical facts are in school text books, in examination questions and now in university slides," he said.

He was speaking about a teaching module belonging to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) which was derogatory to the Hindu and Sikh communities in Malaysia.

The matter recently became viral on Facebook and deputy education minister Datuk P.Kamalanathan had met the vice-chancellor of the university on the matter on Monday.

The vice-chancellor had apparently claimed the module to be a 'mistake' and agreed to have it taken down.

Speaking on this matter, Dr Subramaniam said the “so-called mistakes" in the lecture slides of UTM have triggered a serious concern on the level of knowledge and depth of understanding of the various cultures and religions in Malaysia.

"This current case reflects that this desire to be ignorant had permeated to the dons of the ivory tower and the supposed pedestal of knowledge has become a pool of ignorance.

"We have seen this in schools before and now we realize it is also evident in universities," he said.

He then questioned the lack of intellectual honesty and added that there has to be a sincere desire by those in the educational system to be historically and factually true.

"Attempts to compare cultures and religions are always dangerous. It is dangerous even in the most liberated intellectual environment, what more in a multicultural and multi religious Malaysia?.

"Any attempt to do so has to be treated with careful steps," he said.

On Monday, Kamalanathan had posted a screen grab of the teaching module which had made claims that Hindus preferred to be 'dirty' and that Islam had taught Hindu followers "manners in life".

It stated that "some Hindu followers believed that dirt on the body is a form of ritual which could lead to attainment of Nirvana"

Another slide claimed that Sikhism is a combination of Hindu and Islam, but the founder of the religion had a shallow understanding of Islam.

Take stern action over offensive teaching module, Kamalanathan urges UTM

PETALING JAYA: Datuk P. Kamalanathan (pic) has called on the authorities of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to investigate and take stern action against individuals responsible for the teaching module which was derogatory to the Hindu and Sikh communities.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Deputy Education Minister wrote that he was really disappointed by the incident.

"Not as a politician or a deputy minister but as a Malaysian I was really disappointed about the UTM Islamic and Asian Civilisation Studies (Titas) misrepresentation of certain religions.

"I can't help but feel only someone who willfully and purposefully filled with ill intent would produce such a document," he wrote.

The Hulu Selangor MP also called for the Higher Education ministry to ensure that the Titas syllabus of all public universities be first verified by experts in the religion before being included in the syllabus.

"This will ensure such painful experiences are not repeated," he said.

Kamalanathan however added that the incident did not represent the views of the ministry or the leadership of the university.

"Being a former deputy minister in the Higher Education Ministry I am aware this incident is not at all representative of the values imbibed and demonstrated by the Ministry nor the Universities topmost leadership," he said.

On Monday, Kamalanthan had posted a screen grab of the teaching module which had made claims that Hindus preferred to be 'dirty' and that Islam had taught Hindu followers "manners in life".

It stated that "some Hindu followers believed that dirt on the body is a form of ritual which could lead to attainment of Nirvana".

Another slide claimed that Sikhism is a combination of Hindu and Islam, but the founder of the religion had a shallow understanding of Islam.

Kamalanathan said that he had spoken of the matter to the vice-chancellor of the university who acknowledged the mistake.

Hold inquiry on UTM slides insulting Hindus, Sikhs

Hindraf Chair P Waythamoorthy says the skewed teaching at a government university was deliberately meant to denigrate the beliefs of Hindu and Sikh students.

KUALA LUMPUR: Hindraf Makkal Sakthi wants the Education Minister to hold an inquiry on a slide presentation at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) which deliberately insulted Hindus and Sikhs.

The Education Minister should immediately suspend the relevant lecturers involved in creating “disharmony” among the student population in UTM, demanded Hindraf Chair P Waythamoorthy in a statement. “Such irresponsible and unconscionable behaviour should not be allowed.”

“Any inaction would go to show the government’s tacit support to promote hate and bigotry in educational institutions.”

The offending slides, said the Hindraf chief, claimed that Islam was introduced courtesy to Hindus in India, and taught them the importance of personal hygiene and a healthy lifestyle. The slides alleged,
he added, that personal hygiene was against the beliefs of Hindus.

“The slides preached that assuming and maintaining dirt and an unhygienic lifestyle was part of slaving oneself to achieve nirvana (state of eternal bliss).”

Having insulted and misled the students, fumed Waytha, UTM does not have the decency and courtesy to apologise to Hindus and Sikhs. Instead, he lamented, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan has been trotting out lame excuses on the university’s behalf.

The Hindraf statement stressed that the human rights movement was furious with the UTM module for humiliating members of the Hindu and Sikh faiths.

The skewed teaching at a government university, driven by an inferiority complex, was deliberately meant to denigrate the beliefs of Hindu and Sikh students,” charged Waytha. “This is typical of lecturers, in public universities, who have been trained under the racist and religious supremacist Biro Tata Negara (BTN), a body fully funded by the government.”

The mini Napoleons within the bureaucracy are disintegrating the community through the BTN content which reeks of racism and bigotry, continued the Hindraf Chief who was briefly in the Federal Cabinet and the Senate after the 2013 General Election.

The Ministry of Higher Education introduced Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia (TITAS) – Islamic and Asian Civilization – in 1999 in government-run universities.

Apparently, the objective of the syllabus was to inculcate an appreciation of philosophy, values and history, and broaden knowledge, according to the Malaysian way, to create national harmony, unity and integration within the context of a multicultural nation.

There’s a basic module, published by Universiti Malaya in 1999 under the direction of the Ministry of Higher Education, to be used as the reference book with additional supporting materials.

Unfortunate some Muslims are 'loose cannons', MCA raps UTM modules

The controversial Tamadun Islam and Tamadun Asia (Titas) modules which contained erroneous claims about Hindus and Sikhs have incurred the wrath of an MCA leader.

Ti Lian Ker said such episodes are not only demeaning to other faiths, but also cast Muslims in a negative light.

“It is rather unfortunate that Muslims, on the one hand, demand high reverence for their religion but at the same time some are loose cannons when it comes to understanding and respecting the religious practices of others,” he added in a media statement.

The MCA central committee leader was commenting on the slides used by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) for the subject.

The vice-chancellor had agreed to fix the errors expeditiously, but this did not silence demands for action to be taken against those responsible.

Ti, who heads the MCA religious harmony bureau, pointed out that Islam taught its followers to respect, honour and never insult another religion.

“But the said lecturer or head of department had failed to be a better Muslim... It is a weakness of the human ego to belittle the practice of other religions.

“It is even worse if there is a direct reference of one's own religion as superior or above another's,” he said.

Therefore, Ti wanted the authorities to take immediate action on this issue to serve as an example and reminder to others on the need to be more sensitive in future.

“The recent trend of one-upmanship of one religion over another is a sign of inadequacy or immaturity of such individuals.

“What they are doing is in fact giving their religion a bad name and ought to be reprimanded,” he said.

The UTM modules stated that Islam taught Hindus manners and cleanliness, as some of them believed dirt on the body is part of a ritual to attain nirvana.

Another Titas slide circulated online said the founder of Sikhism borrowed elements from Islam, but had poor understanding of the religion.

Sikhs want author of erroneous UTM module sacked

The Malaysian National Sikhs Movement (Geraksikh) today urged Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to sack the person responsible for the "erroneous" slides used to teach students about Sikhism and Hinduism.

Urging for a public apology, Geraksikh also lodged a police report at the Ipoh police headquarters over "factual errors" on Sikhism, published in UTM's module.

A slide bearing UTM's logo circulating online showed that students were taught that Sikhism's founder had borrowed elements from Islam, but he had a shallow understanding of the religion.

"The Malaysian Sikhs are upset with the move by UTM seen trying to change the history or dilute the facts on the foundation of Sikhism, especially to students in this country.

"This is utterly wrong," Geraksikh secretary-general Amarjit Singh Gill said in a statement.

He said any future modules on religion should be vetted by historical experts, including those who practise the religion in question, he said.

UTM yesterday promised Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan it would rectify the slides.

The slides were for the Tamadun Islam and Tamadun Asia (Titas) subject, compulsory for all undergraduates in public universities.

Earlier, Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram also lodged a report against UTM over its teaching module.

UTM conducting probe on erroneous slides on Hinduism, Sikhism

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) is currently conducting an investigation into the matter of erroneous claims on Hinduism and Sikhism being taught to their students, said the university's vice-chancellor.

"We are currently conducting a thorough investigation on this incident, and due action will be taken... We are truly sorry for what has happened," UTM vice-chancellor Wahid Omar said in a posting on the university's Facebook account.

UTM yesterday said it would fix its Tamadun Islam and Tamadun Asia (Titas) modules which state that Islam taught Hindus manners and cleanliness, as some of them believed dirt on the body is part of a ritual to attain nirvana.

Another UTM Titas slide circulated online also said the founder of Sikhism borrowed elements from Islam, but had poor understanding of the religion.

Wahid said that the language used in the slides did not reflect the true content of the subject matter in question and that the slides were not the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) slides endorsed by the Higher Education Ministry for the Titas subject.

"What was written on the slides does not reflect the true content and has been presented out of the full context," he said.

As a "direct result" of this incident and to prevent such recurrence, he said that UTM would ensure that their lecturers only use slides for Titas which have been endorsed by the Higher Education Ministry, as well as engage experts on Asian civilisation to provide input when needed.

"At the same time, we will continuously remind our academics to be more vigilant in future and be more aware of the language and presentation of content on their teaching slides and modules so as not to touch on sensitivities of others," he said.

He added that this was an isolated incident and did not reflect the true values of UTM.

Wahid said the university promoted understanding in celebrating diversity and it has testimony of the vibrant and dynamic activities on its campus.

UTM has its code of ethics as a guide to all academic staff, which stresses on the need to uphold true values and nobility of character in order to instil the right mindset and principles among staff and students.

The code also encourages respect for one another and inculcate understanding among diverse cultures, creeds and religions, he said.

"The university subscribes to these important values and every member of the university community should adhere to and strive to achieve this," he said.

UTM has been receiving brickbats from the Hindu and Sikh community since the slides bearing UTM's logo went viral on social media.

Several police reports have also been lodged on this matter, with MIC treasurer-general S Vell Paari calling for this matter to be investigated under the Sedition Act.

Police report lodged against UTM on 'dirty Hindu' module

Malaysia Hindu Dharma Mamandram has lodged a police report against Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) over its teaching module, which included erroneous claims about Hinduism and Sikhism.

The report was made by the chairperson of the association's Sungai Petani branch, according to Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general S Barathidasan.

Barathidasan said more police reports would be lodged against the university soon over the "demeaning" modules, which allegedly labelled Hindus as a “dirty” community that regards physical uncleanliness as part of their religious practice.

“Since when did UTM authorities become experts in Hinduism?” he asked.

“UTM should conduct a more thorough research (on Hinduism), and collaborate with Hindu religious organisations, NGOs and expert academicians who specialise in the Hinduism field.

“UTM should make sure its facts are correct and accurate by checking with them (Hindu organisations and academicians) before releasing any university learning modules,” he added.

He said the university should immediately remove the learning modules and issue an apology to all Hindu Malaysians.
Yesterday, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said UTM's vice-chancellor had admitted there were mistakes and the module would be "corrected expeditiously".

MIC: Probe UTM under sedition law for erroneous 'dirty' Hindus claims

MIC treasurer-general S Vell Paari has called for the police to investigate the matter of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) teaching module under the Sedition Act.

"Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar has often warned that those who trample upon the religious and racial sensitivities would not be tolerated.

"This is a blatant example of how the sensitivities of Hindus and Sikhs have been trampled upon.

"What makes it worse is that the perpetrators are those responsible for shaping the future generations of Malaysians," he said in a statement today.

Vell Paari said that the vice-chancellor of UTM should not describe their module as having "mistakes" as they were utterly disrespectful, arrogant and bigoted.

He also questioned whether the module was vetted by the academic staff of the university before being used for teaching or was that another oversight.

It is disheartening, he said, that non-Muslims are often at the receiving end of such ugly episodes, and saddening that their children are shown such disrespect in an education institution.

"When there are perceived insults to Islam, there is an uproar and police investigations, even threats of racial violence.

"But when it involves the non-Muslims, it is simply dismissed as mistakes or oversights," Vell Paari (photo) lamented.

Issue an apology and explain

UTM landed in hot water after screenshots of module slides bearing UTM's logo went viral on social media.

The slides showed that UTM students were taught that Hindus preferred to be "dirty", and that the presence of Islam taught former Hindu followers "manners in life".

It stated that "some Hindu followers believe dirt on the body is a form of ritual which could lead to the attainment of nirvana".

Another slide claimed that Sikhism is a combination of Hindu and Islam, but its founder had a shallow understanding of Islam.

The vice-chancellor had later admitted there were mistakes and the module would be "corrected expeditiously".

Vell Paari said he would also be urging MIC president S Subramaniam to raise this UTM issue during the next cabinet meeting, as well as with Higher Education Minister Idris Jusoh.

However, he still wants the vice-chancellor to issue an apology and explain how the module received the green light in the first place.

Those responsible for the module should be sacked, he added.

"I find this disgusting, and if the issue is swept under the carpet, with a mere 'admission' and promise to 'rectify the mistakes', then the future of our nation appears bleak," he said.

UTM to fix erroneous claims on 'dirty' Hindus

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia will amend a teaching module which includes erroneous claims about Hinduism and Sikhism, said Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanthan.

He said the vice-chancellor admitted there were mistakes and the module would be "corrected expeditiously".

"I also asked him to please ensure that such errors are not repeated as they can cause confusion and hurt in some segments of students besides not being factual.

"He has totally agreed to my suggestion," Kamalanthan said in a statement on his Facebook page.

This comes after screenshots of the module slides bearing UTM's logo went viral on social media.

The slides showed that UTM students were taught that Hindus preferred to be "dirty", and that the presence of Islam taught former Hindu followers "manners in life".

It stated that "some Hindu followers believe dirt on the body is a form of ritual which could lead to the attainment of nirvana".

Another slide claimed that Sikhism is a combination of Hindu and Islam, but its founder had a shallow understanding of Islam.

While it is not stated on the slide, it is believed that this is part of the Tamadun Islam and Tamadun Asia (Islamic and Asian Civilisation) module compulsory for all undergraduates at public universities.

Malay group: Profiteering is not a racial issue

Razak’s NEP both a success and a failure, says ex-aide Abdullah Ahmad

A close confidante of Malaysia's second prime minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, has rated the country's controversial affirmative action-based economic policy created by his boss as both a "great success and great failure", 45 years after it was first implemented.

Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad, who was Razak's political secretary, said the New Economic Policy (NEP) had done well to lift the Malays out of poverty and increase the number of Malay professionals in all sectors.

But it has failed in its other objective of eradicating poverty regardless of race, Abdullah, better known as Dollah Kok Lanas, told The Malaysian Insider in an interview as part of a series to commemorate the 39th death anniversary of Razak who died on January 14, 1976.

Abdullah also noted what economists have been telling Putrajaya in recent times, that wealth inequality is no longer between races, but within each race, and in the case of the Malays, concentrated within an elite class.

"Some might argue that the enlarged national economy is indeed being shared across the three main races of the Malaysian society, but (this is) among the 1% or less. I have sympathy with this view.

"Economic policies must be implemented fairly for all, regardless of race or political affiliation, he said.

Abdullah, now 78, was a journalist when Razak took note of him and at age 26, he was appointed Razak's political secretary. It was the first time such a position had been created in Malaysia.

Abdullah later became the Member of Parliament for Kok Lanas, a seat in Kelantan, and deputy minister. Seen as powerful and ambitious, he was said to be the envy of many for having Razak's ear. After Razak died, Abdullah was detained under the Internal Security Act for allegedly being a communist.

In this interview, Abdullah shares his memories of working with his late boss, and puts Razak's pro-Bumiputera economic policies in perspective amid today's challenges.

TMI: What kind of person was Tun Razak to you as a leader, a friend and a colleague?

Abdullah: I worked for Razak for 14 consecutive years, uninterrupted from 1962 to 1976.

My designation changed once, from political secretary to deputy minister.

The job description remained the same, the addition being my ministerial duties.

My main role was to be Razak's eyes and ears, and to say the things he could not; to shield him from foes and to ensure his policies and political directives were carried out.

My opponents loved to say I was his enthusiastic enforcer and the executioner of his words.

I worked with him and not so much for him. I was a colleague; maybe a junior colleague, but I was also a politician and perceived as one. Razak told me to always remember that I was an important member of his administration, but that I was not a member of the civil service.

Razak was a good leader and excellent administrator. He was not a talker but a doer. In modern parlance, he walked the talk. He shared and delegated power.

Results were important to him. The speedier, the better; persuasion, not coercion.

As a colleague, he was dependable, loyal and generous, though rewards came slowly for his close advisers and aide. We would be the last to be thanked and shake his hand.

TMI: Please share some of the memorable things he said, or personal experiences you had with him.

Abdullah: We were once in a helicopter on the way to inspect some rural projects in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, in the '60s when we encountered some difficulties during the flight and almost crashed.

However, the Malaysian pilots, the first batch that had taken over from the foreign ones, skillfully brought the helicopter under control to land us safely.

Razak (then deputy prime minister) remained unperturbed throughout, in the tradition of the stiff upper lip, and calmly congratulated the pilots on a job well done.

There was another close shave in Bentong, Pahang, also in the '60s, when a timber lorry missed our car by inches.

We were not being escorted by a procession of outriders which, even for the deputy prime minister, was unheard of in those days.

Razak's response to the incident was again typical – he merely asked me to trace the timber company concerned and to enquire with them how such a near-miss could have happened.

TMI: What can you recall of him from the time he replaced Tunku Abdul Rahman as prime minister following the May 13, 1969 riots? Did you agree with the pressure against Tunku?

Abdullah: The Tunku was openly told by some young Umno turks, the likes of Dr Mahathir (Mohamad), Musa Hitam and some others that he should leave office and give the job to Razak.

Senior leaders were more circumspect about saying this, so what happened was no surprise to insiders.

The Tunku and his supporters had fought back but gave up when they realised he would lose out in an open fight with the emerging younger group. I was not opposed to what you call "the pressure" because I was part of the group.

TMI: Razak set up the Barisan Nasional to replace the Alliance. Do you think this formula of one-race parties sharing power in an alliance is still relevant today, or should Malaysia move towards more inclusive, multiracial political parties?

Abdullah: Yes, it is still relevant though I wish it wasn't because there is still no genuine multiracial party in Malaysia. The DAP is largely still Chinese-based and led; PKR is mainly Malay-based and led, and PAS says it is based on Islam.

It will be a long time before a genuinely multiracial party exists. On the contrary, the demographic trend is moving in the opposite (direction) to a multiracial society. Race-based parties will become stronger.

TMI: How do you evaluate Razak's economic and social integration policies, particularly through the National Economic Policy (1970-1990), in the light of the last few decades – has the policy succeeded? What went wrong? What needs to change?

Abdullah: The NEP was a great success and great failure. It succeeded in enlarging the Malay middle class and the number of professional and incipient professionals in its ranks.

However, many of the NEP's objectives remain unattained, especially the eradication of poverty regardless of race.

Its great failure is that it was not scrupulously implemented. Occupation is still identified with race in Malaysia – the Malays with the government service, including a burgeoning religious bureaucracy, and the non-Malays with the private sector.

Some might argue that the enlarged national economy is indeed being shared across the three main races of the Malaysian society, but (this is) among the 1% or less. I have sympathy with this view.

Economic policies must be implemented fairly for all, regardless of race or political affiliation.

TMI: What is Razak's legacy to Malaysia today?

Abdullah: Razak restored stability and then harmony to the country after 1969. He then reinstated parliamentary democracy when he could have ruled by fiat as head of the National Operations Council.

This is in contrast to the trend of concentration of power by those who now hold office in order to make themselves less, not more accountable to the people. Or the current trend to make populist decisions for short-term personal gain rather than correct, objective ones in the long-term public interest.

Razak was much maligned but he was a public-spirited and strategic leader.

He also initiated Malaysia's diplomatic relationship with China, the first Asean nation to do so in 1974. – January 15, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/razaks-nep-both-a-success-and-a-failure-says-ex-aide-abdullah-ahmad#sthash.4WAsmwXX.dpuf

Paulsen freed on police bail

Lawyers for Liberty will issue a statement after Paulsen has had discussions with colleagues on his arrest and remand for two days.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen was freed on police bail on Wednesday at 4.30 pm after being held under remand for two days. He had no complaints against the police on the manner in which he was treated by them while in custody.

“I cannot say anything more since the case is under police investigation. I don’t want to be seen as hampering their probe,” said Paulsen who appeared before the waiting media in a white shirt and blue jeans. He was accompanied by his lawyers Michelle Yesudas and Radzlan Jalaluddin.

“However, I will be issuing a statement after discussions with my colleagues.”

If there’s anything good that has come out from this experience, he added that it was the realization that he had to choose his words better the next time when commenting in the social media. “All citizens have the right to express their opinions in line with the Federal Constitution.”

Paulsen said his computer and mobile phone were seized by the police and are still with them.

About 20 police detained Paulsen at about 9 pm on January 12 in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, apparently in connection with his tweet that Jakim was preaching extremism through its Friday sermons distributed to mosques.

The long road to Wasatiyyah

For misfits in the modern world, bullets and bombs are more empowering than ballots.

FMT

Exactly on cue, the Paris incident has opened the door to all kinds of questions about what has gone wrong with society. We hear the condemnations and justifications. We hear of new fears and the predictable reprisals. We hear arrogant threats. But we have not heard the solutions. Are we addressing the real root of the problem? The answer surely cannot be more force or fire.

We are in total agreement with the Defence Minister that such acts of terrorism could happen on our own soil. We must be vigilant not only of the sleeper cells and their support network, but also of the less tangible internal forces that are radicalising the impressionable minds of our people.

It is not enough to say that our security concerns are well taken care of. There must be sterner conviction to divert these wayward minds from this seductive movement of hatred and violence. Taking care of security concerns would be just the symptomatic treatment of a disease without eradicating the organism that causes it.

The tweet by Eric Paulsen that earned him the ire of the religious authorities and the political right-wing may just have a grain of truth to it if taken with a pinch of salt. In his tongue in cheek manner, he was urging the authorities to re-look at the way messages are conveyed to the flock.

One supposes that Paulsen could have worded the tweet to be more pleasing to sensitive eyes and ears. But the message is clear. Just as Paulsen must take responsibility for his own words and actions, the authorities too should seek to balance any brimstone and fire from the pulpit with temperate words of inclusiveness, tolerance, harmony, cooperation, love and respect for thy neighbour.

Is this not after all the long road to Wasatiyyah, the middle path?

By their own admission, the stewards of the official religion say that sermons are inspirational and motivational, all positive stuff. Encouragement to strive and struggle in the way of the religion in loose terminology is to “berjihad”.

Against the backdrop of the ever present polemic by neo-fascistical groups – that the official religion is under attack by infidel values, other religions and ethnic outsiders – we should be mindful that the conveyed messages may be subverted by irresponsible parties to stoke militancy. It does not take much goading to see disgruntled individuals transformed into a destructive vigilante force by fiery instigators, as is usually the case. What harm is there to take caution in such a matter?

A remark by a high official that the sermons “also conveys the national policies” is baffling, to say the least. As spiritual shepherds of the masses who are supposed to help individuals enhance their connection to the Creator, why are they disseminating government policies? The government of Malaysia is not a theocracy.

The global radical movement has charted its course close to the mighty river of a compassionate religion. And the raised voices of its intolerance, bigotry and hatred will taint the water for all that would drink from the Creator’s pure bounty.

Its quest for power and dominion over territory has seen this aberration of the true faith fuse politics with religion to appeal to a global congregation. They know full well that faith has surer traction than politics among believers. So for those who feel like misfits, victimised or disenfranchised in the modern world, bullets and bombs are more empowering than ballots.

To the poor and downtrodden, God speaks louder than politics.