ps- a word of appreciation to sdr/i Muslimin dan Muslimat who have been posting up Surah Al-An’am : 108 on Facebook. Dengan kawan sebegini, selamatlah Malaysia.
I won’t write long on this now, but I’m inclined to agree with those who counsel caution and restraint in our indignance at this matter - clearly there is the stink of a trap in this whole matter.
Someone commented: they tried to instigate the Chinese and failed, now trying the Indians.
Who’s they? Oh I don’t know, maybe those who have an interest in keeping Malaysia racially segregated? Maybe those interested in creating chaos in Selangor.
And indeed this mob had the look of an incited one. One that had the time and money to plan and spend on banners and the like.
I am inclined to either suspect engineering from higher sources, or dismiss as truly fringe elements.
I have perfect faith in the fact that the last thing any good Muslim would do after Friday prayers in the holiest of months is to behead a cow, drag it from the mosque, and then defile it in an expression of hate and intolerance.
All this for a *proposed* temple? I think men of good faith would sit and negotiate. Men who are doing the work of other hateful people though………
Anyway. I have long, long stressed that in when a Malay is wronged, it is best for non-Malays to champion the cause. The converse is true here. Let us not vent anger, but seek solutions, and work to uncover evil.
PENANG, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Penang MCA has denied that 11 of its 13 divisions have supported a call for an extraordinary general meeting in a bid to reinstate former deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.
Penang MCA deputy chairman Eng Hiap Boon said only four divisions - Bukit Mertajam, Bukit Gelugor, Tanjung and Balik Pulau - had supported the move.
He said the four divisions had misled the media into believing that seven other divisions had also supported the call.
"It is up to the four divisions to make their stand but the state MCA support the Presidential Council's decision to sack Dr Chua over his DVD sex scandal (two years ago)," he told reporters here Friday.
The MCA presidential council yesterday accepted the disciplinary board's decision to expel Chua.
Eng called on Penang MCA member to calm down and remain united and to abide by the party's constitution in resolving disputes in the party.
Present were state MCA Wanita chief Tan Cheng Liang and several divisional chairmen including that of the Batu Kawan, Bukit Bendera, Jelutong, Nibong Tebal and Bagan divisions.
In a statement picked up by Malaysian Insider, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism & Taoism (MCCBCHST) called for calm to enable the authorities find a “peaceable agreement and understanding”.
“Nothing can be gained by provocative action on the part of any side. MCCBCHST regrets that a severed cow’s head was brought along in the demonstration,” said president Reverend Dr Thomas Philips, noting the cow is sacred to the Hindu religion.
Some 50 residents enraged with the proposed relocation of a Hindu temple to their area staged a noisy protest with a severed cow's head this afternoon.
The residents - from Section 23 in Shah Alam - who gathered after the Friday prayers, placed the head outside the gates of the state secretariat building for a short period before removing it.
"Where is Xavier? This head is for him," shouted one of the protesters in reference to Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar.
Jeyakumar is one of those in charge of non-Muslim affairs in the state.
Earlier, the protesters had marched some 300m from the state mosque to the state secretariat building.
The protesters also condemned Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, exco member Rodziah Ismail (as the area falls under her state constituency) and Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad.
Before dispersing, several protesters spat and stomped on the cow's head. The cow is considered sacred among Hindus.
Addressing the crowd, Section 23 action committee deputy chair Ibrahim Sabri said: "If there is blood, you (the state government) will be responsible if you are adamant about building the temple."
"This is a warning. Relocate the temple to Section 22. This cow is a present to the state government. This is a gift from us," he added.
The protesters also carried several banners which among others read 'Take Beer' (mocking PAS' rallying cry of 'Takbir') and 'Illegal temples are very small, but once relocated, they are as big as Putrajaya'.
The crowd gathered for about 15 minutes at the main entrance of the state secretariat building under the watch of more than a dozen police personnel.
'We'll not budge an inch'
Speaking to reporters later, Action Committee chair Mahyuddin Manaf warned that the state government must give in or the residents would retaliate.
"We will not budge one inch, even if lives are lost or blood is made to flow. We will still defend Section 23 from having a temple built there," he said.
He added that a protest memorandum was forwarded to the state government two months ago but there has been no response.
On Aug 11, the state government announced that the relocation of the temple from Section 19 to Section 23 was final and will be situated 200m from the nearest house and 400m from a surau.
The temple will face an industrial lot and will be separated from the houses by a playground and a multi-purpose hall.
However, some residents felt that it was not appropriate to build a temple in a Muslim-majority area.
The Pakatan Rakyat state government accused rivals Umno of instigating the crowd to protest the relocation.
Jeyakumar to lodge police report
In an immediate reaction, a furious Jeyakumar described the protest as "unwarranted, unacceptable and without sensitivity towards other religions."
He also said that he will lodge a police report on the matter soon.
"These people should have ethics. They are inciting racial and religious hatred. I am going to lodge a police report against these people," he told Malaysiakini.
He also expressed disappointment towards the police personnel at the scene for not taking any action against the protesters.
"The police didn't stop anybody. The police should have arrested them and charged them for inciting hatred," he said, adding that he could tolerate with "ethical" demonstrations.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is outraged over this afternoon's 'cow head' protest in Shah Alam, said Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam.
The MIC secretary-general told Malaysiakini that Najib had conveyed his disappointment when he telephoned him regarding the incident.
"The prime minister was very upset. He promised to look into the problem and nip it in the bud," he said.
"Some 15 minutes later, the prime minister called back and said that he had spoken to Inspector-General of Police (Musa Hassan) and instructed him to take immediate action," he added.
In a statement earlier, Subramaniam said incidents such as these hinder the 1 Malaysia concept being promoted by the premier and serve to only 'turn back the clock'.
After performing their Friday prayers, some 50 angry residents from Section 23 in Shah Alam marched with the cow's head to protest against the relocation of a Hindu temple to their area.
The protesters had marched from the state mosque to the state secretariat building.
"The group took their protest to the extreme by bringing a severed cow's head which clearly is a sign of disrespect to the Hindu community," Subramaniam said.
"It has emotionally angered the Hindus and if it is not controlled from the beginning, it may create unnecessary racial tension," he warned.
Samy Vellu: This is intolerable
Meanwhile, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy called the protest a "disgraceful" act.
"It was very uncivilised and brutish...and the group had just come after attending their (Friday) prayers," the DAP leader said.
Also seeing red over the incident was MIC president S Samy Vellu, who called it an "intolerable" act carried out by an "extremist group."
"The cow is a sacred animal of the Hindus, and for this group to resort to such action, is intolerable and tantamount to challenging the freedom of religion as enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution.
"It is the right of Malaysians of any faith, including Hindus to build temples and other places of worships. I am very sad that this group had paraded the cow's head on their way to the state secretariat building," he said in a statement.
"We must not allow anyone to challenge or ridicule any religion in this country. I am worried that this action may lead to retaliation from the Hindu community. However, I wish to urge the Hindus especially to be calm and let the authorities deal with it," he added.
Samy Vellu called on the government and the police to take action against the organisers of this protest.
They must be punished according to the law for endangering racial harmony in this country, he added.
'Charge them in court'
MIC Youth was also appalled and expressed shock over the protest.
"It is a very shameful and disgraceful act and they do not seem to have any feelings for the sentiments of the Hindu community," said the wing's chief T Mohan.
"We strongly condemn their actions and call on the authorities to take immediate action. There are proper channels to express one's views but ridiculing the Hindu religion reflects the shallow minds of the protesters," he added.
Human Rights Party leader P Uthayakumar was disappointed that the police did not arrest those involved in the protest.
He said the Attorney-General's Chambers should initiate criminal proceedings and charge them under Sections 298 and 298 (A) of the Penal Code read together with Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
Section 298 concerns the offence of uttering words etc with the deliberate intent to wound religious feelings while Section 298 (A) is related to the offence of causing disharmony.
Makkal Sakthi Party president S Thanendran also condemned the protest as a "barbaric" act.
He urged the Selangor government as well as the police not to tolerate this sort of behaviour and to take stern action against the protesters.
"How can a temple disturb the peace of these people?
"Things can become really ugly if we start raising other questions," he said.
Jaycee Dugard was 11-years-old when she was abducted as she walked to a bus stop near her home
(Al Jazeera)A girl from California who was abducted 18 years ago at the age of 11 has been found alive, US police have said.
Jaycee Dugard had been missing since she was abducted in 1991 near her home in South Lake Tahoe, east of the city of San Francisco, by two people in a grey sedan.
According to police during her years in captivity her kidnapper had fathered two children with her and kept all three living in tents and sheds behind his house.
"It's a pretty spectacular story just to find someone like that. Someone we assumed was dead," said Bill Clark, the chief assistant district attorney for El Dorado County, east of the state capital of Sacramento.
Dugard's alleged kidnapper - Phillip Craig Garrido - a registered sex offender in California who had previously been jailed for rape and kidnapping, and Nancy Garrido, were both in custody after being arrested on Wednesday, police said.
Suspicions raised
Detectives said suspicions were first raised after Garrido tried to enter a nearby university campus to pass out leaflets with his two daughters.
"Just total shock you know, after 18 years"
Carl Probyn, stepfather
His interaction with the two young girls - aged 11 and 15 - raised suspicion and police looked into his background.
The next day, during a visit to his parole officer, Garrido brought his wife, the two girls and another woman named Allissa - who later proved to be Dugard.
Fred Kollar, the El Dorado County Undersheriff told Reuters news agency that Dugard was healthy, but said that "living in a backyard the last 18 years must take its toll".
"None of the children had ever been to school, none had been to a doctor, they were kept in complete isolation in this compound, if you will, at the house."
'Total shock'
Dugard was walking to a bus stop near her home when she was kidnapped.
Carl Probyn, the girl's stepfather, told local television that "we both cried for about 10 minutes" after he and her mother were informed by the authorities that she had been found alive.
"Just total shock you know, after 18 years. When my wife called me and basically said 'are you sitting down?' I said 'yeah' and she goes 'they found Jaycee'. And she paused for 10 seconds, and she goes 'she's alive'."
Amid the continuing investigation, Dugard has been reunited with her mother at a secret location near San Francisco.
On April 10, 2009, HINDRAF as a gesture of goodwill took a stance to provide a 100 days performance benckmark for the new administration under Najib Abdul Razak to address and redress the issues facing the Malaysian Indians.
The 100 days is up and HINDRAF on August 27, 2009 at 2.00pm will be submitting a memorandum in his office similar to what we did under Ahmad Badawi’s administration two years ago.
HINDRAF, in good faith wishes that that the Najib administration will not shun us away as what had been done by the previous administration but rather embrace and grant us an opportunity whereby we will be able to raise our 18 point demand to seek amicable and workable solutions for the systematically marginalized and discriminated Malaysian Indians.
We hope that the Najib administration that have been highlighting the One Malaysia concept will live up to it and listen to the grievances brought forward by HINDRAF on the discrimination and marginalization Malaysian Indians through uneven and discriminative policies to participate for the betterment of the nation.
PUTRAJAYA, A 12 member group led by Hindraf national coordinator, S. Jayathas, submitted a memorandum at the prime minister’s office.
The memorandum asked for a meeting with the prime minister in two weeks time in order to discuss on Hindraf’s 18 point demands.
The Hindu activist group handed in their first memorandum to the former prime minister Tun Abdullah Badawi two years ago but did not receive any response.
In a press statement, Hindaf Chairman P. Waythamoorthy said that he hopes that Datuk Seri Najib Razak would not ignore them like the previous administration.
“Hindraf, in good faith, wishes that the Najib administration will grant us an opportunity whereby we will be able to raise our 18 point demands to seek amicable and workable solutions for the systematically marginalized and discriminated Malaysian Indians,” he said.
Waythamoorthy hopes that Najib will fulfill the 1 Malaysia promise and listen to the “grievances brought forward by Hindraf.”
Jayathas also pointed out that 1 Malaysia was about equality for all races.
“Until now there is no implementation of the 18 point demand. The Prime Minister says 1 Malaysia and we believe that if it is truly 1 Malaysia, then everybody will be treated equally. One Malaysia is equal rights but what is happening now is just lip service and hearsay.
“We are not asking for more than the rights of other people but what we are asking is for equal rights,” Jayathas told The Malaysian Insider.
Dr Oh Ei Sun, political secretary to the prime minister, was present to receive the memorandum and told Jayathas that he would convey the message to Najib.
“In this month of Ramadan, Islam says that everybody is equal. I hope the prime minister will practice this in the beautiful month of Ramadan,” Jayathas said.
Hindraf’s 18 point demands include the call for all 523 Tamil schools in Malaysia to be fully aided by the government and an end to “racism, Islamic extremism and Malay privileges.”
The coroner court had postponed it’s judgement on Inquest of TV Drama Actress cum Secreatry to Maika Holdings CEO Sujatha Krishnan . Initially , Jalan Duta Magistrate court was expected to deliver it’s judgement on Aug 26. The coroner now have set Sept 10 as new date of judgement.
High Court Judge Dato T S Nathan allowed with cost Kapar MP’s application for interrogatories on Aug 17, 2009. The court ordered former Sentul OCPD ACP K Kumaran to answer series of questions that Manikavasagam demanded.
It could be better of Coroner could postpone his judgement until it evaluate K Kumaran’s reply.
(The Star) MIRI: The food shortage problem in central Sarawak has been worsened after a timber company dismantled an iron bridge that links up to 3,000 people living inside the remote areas.
Efforts to send food aid to the Penans have now been seriously hampered.
Yesterday, more than 1,600 packets of rice weighing 16,000kg were despatched by donors through the Catholic Church.
However, the food supply is stuck at the Sungai Asap settlement, about 50km from the Bakun Dam, as timber lorries used to deliver the food cannot cross the Sungai Linau after the dismantling of the bridge.
The timber concession area was earmarked for flooding this October to create a reservoir for the dam.
Reverend Father Sylvester Ding, aid collection co-ordinator, said it would take a long time to carry food aid across the river by boat.
“We are in a dilemma as to how to send the food to Lusong Laku settlement and SRK Lusong Laku where the food shortage is most acute.
“We have no choice but to seek help from the locals to transport the food across the river.
“We will also try to reach five other settlements near the Indonesian border by other routes. We hope the weather will be favourable, as it has been a few weeks since supply reached those in need,” he said.
The Star journalist who joined the food aid mission saw a truck laden with food items stranded at the Sungai Asap settlement.
On Aug 7, the timber company clarified that the iron bridge was only built in March, and that the Penans in the area had been able to travel to Bintulu or Kapit before the bridge was built.
The company spokesman also said it was untrue the natives in the interior would be cut off without the bridge, adding that the company had helped the local communities in various ways, such as helping them build longhouses or provide jobs.
The spokesman was responding to an earlier story in Sunday Star sayingthat the timber company planned to dismantle the bridge as it was pulling out of the area after completing its logging activities.
The decision was reported to have caused an uproar among the natives.
Sejak saya mula “blogging” dua bulan dahulu, komen yang paling banyak dan hangat saya terima ialah mengenai tulisan saya yang paling mutakhir sekali. Saya mengutarakan pendapat dalam tiga hal. Pertama, mengenai arahan Exco Kerajaan Negeri Selangor Hassan Ali dari PAS mengenai usaha menangkap mereka yang minum arak dan sesiapa sahaja yang terlibat dengan penjualan arak di Selangor itu sebagai satu tindakan yang tidak wajar. Kedua, pendapat saya supaya Pemuda PAS tak perlu melarang atau mendesak pembatalan konsert Michael Learns To Rock di Genting. Ketiga dan akhir sekali, mengenai hukuman rotan terhadap Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno kerana minum beer. Saya tidak bercadang mengulangi pendirian saya yang ditulis sebelum ini selain dari menjawab beberapa komen yang pedas dan hangat tetapi sayangnya tidak berasas dan menyeleweng dari isu sebenar.
Menegenai cadangan Hassan Ali itu, saya mengatakan arahannya sukar dilaksanakan kerana melibatkan banyak isu, termasuklah kuasa Raja dan polis. Juga ianya tidak sepatut dibuat pada hari orang mengundi di Permatang Pasir kerana hal-hal kontroversi boleh merugikan Pakatan Rakyat dan PAS. Saya lebih memikirkan masa depan PAS kerana sekarang ini sudah mula diterima oleh orang Islam dan bukan Islam. Jadi dalam soal mentadbir kita mesti teliti, berhati-hati dan berhemah. Jangan menampakkan diri kita ini ekstrem. Itulah cara kita menjaga hati rakyat; terutama yang lain kepercayaan dari kita. Tetapi kalau cadangan Hassan Ali ini dipersetujui oleh pihak-pihak yang bertanggung jawab, dan juga memberi keuntungan kapada PAS, buat sajalah. Adalah tidak adil bagi sesetengah pembaca membuat tuduhan yang menghina saya secara peribadi dalam soal ini. Soal tunduk kepada tekanan orang bukan Islam tidak timbul sama sekali.
Mengenai konsert itu, saya cuma mencadangkan kepada Pemuda PAS supaya berikhtiar memikirkan masalah negara yang jauh lebih serius seperti rasuah, penyalahgunaan kuasa dan sebagainya. Ini semua punca keruntuhan masyarakat dan tamadun. Pemuda PAS boleh berusaha secara proaktif membela nasib orang miskin dan kurang upaya. Mereka sepatutnya memberi tumpuan kepada isu pengangguran orang muda yang sekian hari makin bertambah. Soal kesan muzik Barat kepada anak muda kita, carilah pendekatan yang lain yang tidak perlu sampai melarang orang lain yang nak tonton. Disiplin diri kan lebih baik kalau diajar dan dilatih terlebih dahulu. Manusia mana pun tak suka dipaksa. Lagi pun lagu-lagu pop boleh dibeli atau diperolehi dimana-mana, dan Michael Learns To Rock ialah kugiran tahun 90-an yang sesuai kepada orang yang lebih dewasa yang sudah pasti lebih tahu menjaga moral dan nilai hidup mereka.
Dalam soal rotan wanita yang minum beer itu, banyak komen saya terima. Kesemuanya penuh emosi tetapi jelas banyak yang tidak memahami isu sebenar. Sebagai contoh, pertubuhan NGO yang menggelar diri mereka Pembela Islam telah dengan bongkaknya memberi amaran kepada Peguam Negara dan Kerajaan Pusat supaya tidak masuk campur dalam soal Mahkamah Syariah. Mereka juga marah-marah kepada pihak yang tidak setuju dengan hukuman itu dengan menuduh orang yang berbeza pandangan dengan mereka sebagai orang yang tidak menghormati Islam. Pada masa yang sama, mereka konon nya merujuk kepada undang-undang dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan sebagai asas hujah mereka itu. Jadi saya terpaksa memperjelaskan isu ini sekali lagi. Ingat ya, saya menyentuh mengenai undang-undang yang ada di negara kita.
Undang-undang Syariah adalah undang-undang negeri, iaitu digubal oleh Dewan Undangan Negeri. Mengikut Perkara 75 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, undang-undang negeri, termasuk enakmen agama Islam, mestilah tidak bercanggah dengan undang undang Persekutuan dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Kalau bercanggah, maka ia tidak sah. Jadi bila kita katakan hukuman rotan Mahkamah Syariah Negeri Pahang itu tidak sah, ia adalah kerana undang-undang Persekutuan atau “Federal law” di Malaysia melarang wanita dirotan. Jadi hukuman rotan itu dalam kes khusus itu tidak sah. Ini bukan bererti kita menolak Islam atau undang-undang Islam. Undang-undang Syariah Negeri Pahang mestilah tak lari dan bercanggah dengan Muslim Court (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 dan juga Criminal Procedure Code (rujuk Seksyen 289). Oleh kerana ianya bercanggah, maka hukuman rotan terhadap wanita itu tidak sah. Saya harap Pembela dan penyokong mereka, terutamanya peguam-peguam di kalangan mereka, selalu membaca dan terus membaca supaya dapat mengeluarkan pandangan yang jujur, benar dan tepat.
Tidak semua tokoh Islam sependapat dalam semua perkara. Ini sememangnya hikmah dalam kebebasan bersuara dalam Islam sejak zaman-berzaman lagi; malah di kalangan imam-iman besar dahulu pun ada perbezaan pendapat. Dalam kes yang kita bincangkan ini, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf dan beberapa intelek serta ulama Islam juga berpendapat hukuman rotan tidak wajar untuk kesalahan minum arak. Kata mereka arak itu lebih banyak buruk dari baik nya. Jadi jauhkanlah diri dari arak. Ini bukan saya kata, ini kata mereka.
Malah, pada bulan Mei yang lalu, Mahkamah Persekutuan Syariah Pakistan yang terdiri daripada Ketua Hakim Besar Haziqul Khairi, Hakim Sallahudin Mirza dan Hakim Fida Mohamad telah membuat keputusan sebulat suara – setelah mendengar hujah dan pandangan ahli fikir dan ulama Islam – bahawa Al-Quran tidak menetapkan hukuman rotan kerana minum arak. Ketiga-tiga hakim itu memerintahkan kerajaan Pakistan supaya meminda undang-undang Syariah yang sedia ada. Untuk pengetahuan umum, undang-undang Syariah di Pakistan lebih keras dan tegas daripada undang-undang Syariah di negeri Pahang. Terpulanglah kepada ulama dan ahli fikir Islam di Malaysia untuk menilai dan menimbang perkara ini.
Apa pun hujah dan pandangan kita janganlah mudah menuduh orang yang berfikiran lain dari kita itu sebagai musuh Islam. Kita tahu Islam itu bermahzab dan banyak pula para imamnya. Jika Islam dijadikan seperti satu pasukan bolasepak yang kita sokong, termasuk membenci dan mencaci pasukan lawan, maka akan hancurlah Islam itu sendiri. Tak mungkin orang Melayu/Islam akan maju kalau pemikiran sempit dan jumud menjadi petunjuk. Islam menggalakkan kita mencari ilmu. Kalau kita sendiri menutup pintu ilmu dan merasakan diri sudah pandai, sukar untuk kita kembali ke zaman gemilang Islam seperti dahulu.
Kalau kita mahu nilai dan hukum Islam berjaya dilaksanakan, maka kita perlu kepada pemikir dan ulama Islam yang jujur, pintar dan berhemah, yang juga tahu bagaimana untuk menggubal undang-undang yang tidak bercanggah dengan undang undang Persekutuan. Ini bukan soal tunduk kepada sesiapa atau apa-apa; ia juga bukan soal nak tunjuk megah dan bongkak serta tak mahu bertolak ansur. Ia adalah soal hikmah untuk memastikan undang-undang Islam itu sah dipakai dan tidak dipertikaikan orang. Masa saya kecil-kecil dahulu pun, orang di kampung saya sudah diajar awal-awal lagi tentang sejarah dakwah Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. setelah mendapat wahyu di Makkah. Tiada paksaan sama sekali melainkan menyampaikan dakwah dengan cara yang sopan, mulia dan terhormat walaupun berada di tengah-tengah masyarakat Jahiliah.
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today warned MCA leaders not to let their internal crisis cause Barisan Nasional to lose its support.
"I have said that I have to uphold BN's principle that disciplinary matters are the discretion of the component party leaders," Najib told a press conference, saying that BN's position must be taken into consideration by the parties involved.
He said he would have to wait until the bickering parties in MCA are willing to accept a mediator to resolve the internal problems.
"Now both sides are adamant and refuse to budge," he said.
"But do not let it affect support for MCA and BN," said Najib.
MCA's crisis worsened on Tuesday when the party's disciplinary committee sacked deputy president Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek for tarnishing the party's image. He was involved in a sex video which was circulated in late 2007.
Dr Chua resigned from all party and government posts soon after the video surfaced.
The decision to sack the former health minister was seen as an attempt by president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat to strengthen his position in the party.
In retaliation to the sacking, another faction in MCA is now trying to call for an EGM to oust Ong.
Kartika’s controversial case has put the country in the spotlight. — Reuters pic
By Farish A. Noor
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 — Malaysia has long tried to cultivate the image of being a moderate Muslim state that can serve as a model for others. Particularly in the wake of the attacks on the United States in September 2001, successive prime ministers have worked hard to ensure that Malaysia would remain on the list of moderate Muslim states that could serve as the bridge between the Western and Muslim worlds.
Today, that image stands to take a significant pounding, thanks to a relatively isolated incident that has managed to grab headlines worldwide: A Malay-Muslim woman by the name of Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno is set to be caned for the offence of drinking alcohol in public. Kartika's case has bedevilled lawmakers of Malaysia for the simple reason that nobody seems to know what to do about it.
Kartika was found guilty of drinking beer in Pahang. The religious authorities in the state found her guilty of committing a syariah offence, and she was fined and sentenced to six strokes of the cane. Kartika herself pleaded guilty to the charges. But what baffles many observers is that the former model said she was prepared to be caned, and what is more, to be caned in public.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has asked if Malaysia would celebrate its independence day (on Aug 31) with the caning of a Muslim woman. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has himself asked Kartika to appeal against her sentence. Needless to say, the case has brought Malaysia to the world's attention for all the wrong reasons.
The problem that this case poses for Malaysia is complex. For a start, Kartika's case was handled by the Syariah Court of Pahang, raising the question of whether the federal government can intervene to save her.
Adding to the confusion is the problematic and complicated relationship between religion and politics in the country. The borderline between Islam and politics has grown increasingly blurred after three decades of state-driven Islamisation. The enfeebled ruling Umno is now trying its best to defend its own Islamic credentials in the face of the opposition PAS. At the same time, Umno would not like to gain the same reputation as the Taliban of Afghanistan.
PAS in turn is likewise split in its conscience, between moderates who wish to push the democratisation agenda and conservatives who want more Islamisation. Already in Selangor, where PAS came into power as part of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition, moral policing has been introduced by the conservative PAS leader Datuk Hasan Ali, who has called for religious functionaries to arrest Muslims who go against Islamic law.
PAS conservatives may feel that their electoral gains have given them the green light to further Islamise the country. They have thus called for a ban on the sale of alcohol and music concerts. But in the wider context of international politics, Malaysia is looking more and more like a parochial state where books are banned and people are whipped for doing things that would be regarded as perfectly normal elsewhere.
Malaysia's conservative Islamists, their religious convictions notwithstanding, do not seem to understand why the international community is upset with the idea of a woman being caned for drinking a pint. Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria, for instance, has wondered why a fuss should be made over a woman receiving six lashes when, in his opinion, she should be receiving 80 lashes.
It is this sense of disconnect that adds a surreal air to the goings-on in Malaysia today. The government is concerned that failure to enact Islamic law will compromise its standing in the eyes of conservative Muslims in the country. But to have Kartika caned would jeopardise the country's image internationally. Like it or not, Malaysia still depends on trade with the developed Western world, not Afghanistan.
This, then, is the dilemma that Malaysia faces at the moment, and there seems little consensus on how to proceed. Kartika's caning has been postponed for now. One thing, however, is certain: The costs of caning Kartika are simply too high. Should Malaysia cane her, it would have jumped one rung up the Islamisation ladder. After that, there may be no turning back. — Straits Times
Spoke to Selangor Exco member, X, about the Malaysiakini report yesterday of the press conference by Hassan Ali where he talked about the possibility in the future of action being taken against Muslims working in breweries in Selangor, suggesting that this would be implemented in three stages – awareness, education and enforcement.
I asked if this was indeed a policy that the Exco was going along with.
“Are you mad? Do you think we are all mad?”, X retorted.
“Hassan is doing his own thing.
He’s got it in his head that this is a sure way to please the 53% Muslim population in Selangor”, X explained.
I replied that given his move to get mosque officials to go out and nab Muslims drinking alcohol in the state, thus acknowledging that not all Muslims in the state necessarily see eye to eye with him on the issue of alcohol, surely he must realise that not all Muslims in the state would approve of what he is doing.
“Huh, even Hadi told him that he should not try and import the ways of Terengganu and Kelantan into Selangor as the Muslims in Selangor are not quite the same, but Hassan is not bothered”, came the response.
I ask ed if this latest move was no more than Hassan off on a frolic of his own, why were the other Exco members not speaking up to shout him down.
“Look, if the non-Muslim Exco members come out in opposition, they’re branded anti-Islam by Hassan’s goons out there. If the Muslim Exco members speak up, even worse. They’ll be condemned as sesat or murtad,”, X lamented.
Can’t Khalid do anything, I asked.
“Tricky situation, lah”, was the reply.
Can’t the top Pakatan leadership get him to toe the line, I shot back.
Silence.
Is Hassan trying to destabilise the Selangor government, I probed.
“Looks that way. Seems like he’s working with UMNO again. We’ve suspected this for some time now”, X confessed.
And the Pakatan top leadership cannot do a thing about this, I asked.
The state government and the people are all being dictated to by this bozo, I suggested. Looked like Hassan was MB after all.
Silence.
More was said. I’ll share the rest on another occasion.
After I left this meeting, I sent out the following sms to every Pakatan MP and ADUN in my phone directory.
“If pakatan do not rein in hassan ali, there will be a price to pay.”
I REALLY do not want 1Malaysia. The idea scares me. And I certainly do not want unity as suggested by the powers-that-be.
In fact, "unity" is really an extremely dated, superficial and abstract concept — a "nice" word that means nothing in real terms. "Unity in Diversity", "mutual trust and respect" — these are all terms that are being tossed around by a government that has thrived on sloganistic garbage for too long.
As a people, we are getting pretty smart. And we are surely smart enough to know that the slogans have never been translated into concrete action. And therefore one really wonders at why such words and terms are tossed around at all.
A few years ago there was a "Courtesy Campaign" — all over there were slogans, banners, ads. And since then we have, in fact, become a rude, surly people. We are not nice, we do not smile, we do not say thank you. Every time I let a car cut in in front of me in a traffic jam or something, I wait and look for some acknowledgement, but it very rarely comes.
No. I am not interested in 1Malaysia. I am tired of slogans. I just want simple truths. I want real hard work. I want some rigorous thinking. I want honesty and integrity. I want excellence in place of the mediocrity we thrive on.
I want to know why Teoh Beng Hock was called in for questioning at 5pm and questioned through the night for more than 10 hours. When did we become this insane? Why is this happening here in Malaysia? Is this part of a new strategy for "mutual trust and respect" to "renew Malaysia" for this great journey ahead? "People First. Performance Now"? Really? And I really want to know why Teoh Beng Hock was found dead. I also want to know what really happened to A Kugan?
Sudden Death, an improvisational performance held at the Annexe, Central Market, on 6 Aug in memory of Teoh Beng Hock (Pic by Grey Yeoh)
And in this new 1Malaysia of mutual trust and respect, I want to know why we still have detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA). I want to know why my friend who was arrested in the ISA rally on 1 Aug 2009 was kept in the lockup two days after his arrest. The law says that once arrested, you must be either released or charged within 24 hours. But there was no charge, no release, no hearing during his first 24 hours of detention. This is against the law.
And I want to be able to explain to my very angry students why, even with their finest results, they could not get a place in local universities.
Why just 1?
I am not interested in 1Malaysia. I am instead interested in Many Malaysias. I am interested in the idea that it is our diversity that is our strength. Not even unity in diversity. Just diversity and inclusiveness. The idea that we are many stories, many ideas, many possibilities, many bodies, many interpretations, multiplicity — all converging and diverging as well. I am interested in the alternative possibilities, the alternative stories, the alternative histories.
But right now, even this is meaningless. Even this is mere rhetoric. Right now, I really just want to know what really happened to Teoh Beng Hock. The truth.
KUALA LUMPUR - Act effectively to stamp out corruption.
This was the forceful message to over 100 countries that are signatories to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the most comprehensive global legal instrument to prevent and fight corruption.
The push for 136 governments to adopt a transparent, accountable and effective system to monitor progress in achieving anti-corruption commitments was made by 239 non-governmental organisations from 73 countries.
In a statement, the NGOs have issued under the umbrella UNCAC Coalition - a network of civil society organisations supporting the UN Convention - they listed specific ways to monitor the way the convention is carried out as they urged countries to do more than pay lip service. The statement was submitted on Aug 25 to governments meeting at the United Nations in Vienna for a last round of negotiations prior to the UNCAC’s Third Conference of States Parties to be held in November.
Monitoring system
It calls for a monitoring system that is supported by a well-resourced secretariat; assisted by a group of independent experts; based on tested review methods, including peer review and country visits; participatory, involving civil society organisations and other stakeholders; transparent, resulting in published country reports with recommendations; carried out in coordination with regional review mechanisms; and funded from the regular UN budget or assessed contributions, supplemented as needed by voluntary contributions.
Though the governments involved have agreed on the review mechanism in 2006, its adoption has been hobbled by a small group of countries who opposed guarantees on transparency and civil society participation.
“Blocking the progress of monitoring is unacceptable if countries truly do want to implement standards and requirements to prevent, detect, investigate and sanction acts of corruption“, said Transparency International Conventions programme manager Gillian Dell.
Transparency International is among various groups that have signed the statement, including the International Federation of Journalists, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam International and Amnesty International.
pre-script: I’m having problems with my phone, so apologies to anyone trying to SMS or call :(
I’m not one to jump to premature conclusions, but it sure looks like a police station simply ain’t a particularly safe place for a Malaysian to be. What was this woman doing at the police quarters anyway? Well, like I said, no premature conclusions…
KUALA KANGSAR, Aug 27 (Bernama) — A 20-year-old woman, believed to have fallen from a three-storey police quarters at the Kuala Kangsar police headquarters, was found dead here Thursday.
Kuala Kangsar Police Chief Supt Abdul Ghafar Mohamad said the victim, Kwek Lee May from Taman Chandan Puteri, was found dead with serious injuries on her head and body at 8am Thursday.
Abdul Ghafar said her body was sent to the Kuala Kangsar Hospital for post-mortem.
He added that before the incident, the woman was seen lingering at the District office nearby and could have entered the police quarters later but nobody saw her entering the quarters until a number of residents saw her lying in a pool of blood.
Police have classified the case as suicide but investigations would go on to find the motive, he said.
The casket of U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy is carried from the family complex by members of a United States military honor guard in Hyannisport, Massachusetts August 27, 2009. REUTERS/Mike SegarBy Svea Herbst-Bayliss and Donna Smith
BOSTON/WASHINGTON, 28 Aug (Reuters) -- Democrats scrambled on Thursday to quickly fill the seat of Senator Edward Kennedy, to shore up President Barack Obama's faltering effort to rally Congress behind an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system.
Members of America's most storied political dynasty said a private farewell to the Kennedy patriarch at a Mass in their Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, compound before accompanying his body to Boston for public tributes on Friday at the John F. Kennedy presidential library and for the funeral on Saturday.
Apart from depriving Congress of its most effective champion of healthcare reform, Kennedy's death on Tuesday cost his Democratic party its essential 60th vote in the Senate, the number needed to beat Republican tactical blocking maneuvers.
Massachusetts law would leave the seat open for five months at which time a special election could be held. But, as he was dying, Kennedy asked state lawmakers to allow Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick to name a temporary replacement.
Following Kennedy's death, Patrick and Senator John Kerry called on state legislators to act quickly on that request.
"It's a particularly timely request at a time when there are such profoundly important proposals pending in the Congress right now," Patrick told reporters.
Without Kennedy's vote and leadership, Democrats face the choice of trying to push through his vision of overhauling the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system or finding a compromise that will appeal to Republicans and conservative Democrats.
FRACTIOUS PUBLIC DEBATE
Kennedy had said providing health insurance to all Americans was "the cause of my life" and his absence as he battled brain cancer may have contributed to the fractious nature of public debate on healthcare in August.
Republican Senator Orrin Hatch has often expressed regret about Kennedy's absence, saying he would have been able to hammer out a bipartisan healthcare deal.
Congress will return in September to work on a healthcare overhaul plan criticized by many for being too costly, for cutting Medicare for the elderly, and for what some see as pushing the U.S. into government-run healthcare.
"I think there is going to be a real rallying among Democrats 'to do this one for Teddy.' This was his life work," said Jim Kessler, vice president for policy at the Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank, on health care reform.
"At the same time there is nobody in the caucus who would have been better at solving our internal disagreements."
John Rother of AARP, an influential group representing older Americans, said: "It probably will result in the Democrats being rededicated, but who knows what the impact will be on the public and Republicans."
The drive to name an interim senator faces criticism from state Republicans, who note that Democrats in 2004 changed the law to head off a chance for then-Governor Mitt Romney to name a Republican to succeed Kerry, who was running for president.
FAMILY GATHERS IN BOSTON
At the seaside family compound in Hyannis Port, the senator's wife Victoria, grandchildren and Kennedy cousins including Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver watched as a military honor guard wheeled out the flag-draped casket and placed it in a black hearse.
Crowds lined the route of a motorcade carrying 85 family members as it looped through Boston on its way to the John F. Kennedy Library, where the body now lies in repose.
Members of the Kennedy family greeted some of the thousands of people waiting in line outside the library to pay their respects. "The whole family is touched by this demonstration," said Robert Kennedy, son of Bobby Kennedy.
Many were in tears as they passed the casket. "I just hope the healthcare legislation passes soon because that will be the Senator's living legacy," said Toby Cohen Kaminkow, who helped work on Kennedy campaigns, as she blinked back tears.
Attorney Maria Krokidas, 60, recalled being an intern in Kennedy's office as a college student in 1969. "He's the guy who has always been there for every client and individual, no matter how small," she said.
Obama will give a eulogy at the funeral at a basilica in Boston on Saturday. Three of the four living ex-U.S. presidents -- Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush -- were expected to attend, but a spokesman for George H.W. Bush, 85, said he would not be going. Because of his age it was "a little tough" for him to travel, although he had spoken by telephone with Kennedy's widow, spokesman Jim Appleby said.
Kennedy will be buried later that day at Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington near his brothers President John Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy.
(Additional reporting by Ed Stoddard in Dallas, Ross Kerber in Boston)
It's a mouthful of alphabet soup. But tell me, what's the Key Performance Indicator for all these?
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is to lose its CEO and managing director Idris Jala as he has been appointed a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department. Academically, he will be sworn-in as Senator later.
Idris will be a minister without a portfolio in the PM’s Department.
Idris will complement, support and report to Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of National Unity and Performance Management.
Now, will that invalidate what backdoor Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon was slated for, as the original KPI minister? Another round of alphabet soup:
Tsu Koon will be the chairman of the board of Pemandu (Performance Management and Delivery Unit), which includes the Chief Secretary to the Government and other senior officers. Pemandu is the organisation that oversees the implementation of the Key Performance Index initiatives.
Tsu Koon will continue with his task of formulating and executing the overall policy and strategy on performance management and organisational transformation with special focus on National Key Results Area (N-KRA).
So, what will Tsu Koon and Idris be doing -- one and together, alphabet soup or otherwise?
Idris will report to Tsu Koon on matters relating to KPIs and directly to the Prime Minister on other duties assigned to him as a minister.
Idris will also assume the deputy chairmanship of the Pemandu Board, to be responsible for specific N-KRAs and National KPIs (N-KPIs) and advise on Ministerial-KRAs (M-KRAs) and M-KPIs.
Idris will be the CEO of Pemandu.
In another words, Idris is the driver at Pemandu.
If BN bureaucracy sets in, and it's sure to set in with or without Najib, it's going to be KPIs driven by Management by Bureaucratic Lethargy.
SANA'A, Yemen (CNN) -- It is midday and girls are flooding out of school, but Nujood Ali is not among them.
Nujood Ali today is angry and skips school but is still relieved her defiance paid off.
We find her at the family's two-room house in an impoverished suburb of the city where Nujood is angry, combative and yelling. Tension surrounds the home like a noose.
After much arguing with family members, Nujood finally grabs her veil and agrees to sit down with CNN. Her presence is grudging, although CNN had got permission in advance to see how the girl who rocked a nation by demanding a divorce was shaping up.
Nujood is very different from the girl we first met nearly two years ago. Then, there was no doubt the 10-year-old was every inch a child. She was the very portrait of innocence: A shy smile, a playful nature and a whimsical giggle.
That picture was very much at odds with the brutal story of abuse she endured as a child bride who fought for a divorce and is now still fighting. Watch as Nujood remains defiant »
Nujood says she remains relieved and gratified that her act of defiance -- which led to appearances at awards shows and on TV -- had paid off.
The story was supposed to end with the divorce and an innocent but determined girl allowed to fully embrace the childhood she fought so hard to keep.
Instead, there has been no fairytale ending for Nujood.
There was, though, a stunning transformation. Nujood went from being a victim and child bride to a portrait of courage and triumph. Her inspirational story was told and re-told around the world, but at home all was not well.
In the fall of 2008 Nujood was recognized as Glamour Magazine's Woman of the Year, alongside some of the world's most impressive women. She even attended the ceremony in New York and was applauded by women from Hillary Clinton to Nicole Kidman.
There is a tell-all book which is to be published in more than 20 languages, and the author says Nujood will receive a good portion of the royalties.
Nujood's strength was celebrated by complete strangers. But what did all the fame do for the one person it was meant to transform?
"There is no change at all since going on television. I hoped there was someone to help us, but we didn't find anyone to help us. It hasn't changed a thing. They said they were going to help me and no one has helped me. I wish I had never spoken to the media," Nujood says bitterly.
There was never going to be a fortune. Generous people have donated thousands so Nujood could go to a private school, but she refuses to attend, according to Shada Nasser, the human rights lawyer who took on the child's divorce case.
"I know Nujood was absent from the school. I spoke with her father and her family. And I ask them to control her and ask her to go every day to school. But they said, 'You know we don't have the money for the transportation. Don't have the money for the food,' " says Nasser.
She believes Nujood is being victimized by her own family because they believe Nujood's fame should bring them fortune.
Nujood's parents say they've received nothing, and in the meantime Nujood stews wondering out loud how everything turned out this way.
"I was happy I got divorced but I'm sad about the way it turned out after I went on television," she said adding that she feels like an outcast even among her family and friends.
Nujood was pulled out of school in early 2008 and married off by her own parents to a man she says was old and ugly. And yet, as a wife, Nujood was spared nothing.
"I didn't want to sleep with him but he forced me to, he hit me, insulted me" said Nujood. She said being married and living as a wife at such a young age was sheer torture.
Nujood described how she was beaten and raped and how, after just a few weeks of marriage, she turned to her family to try to escape the arrangement. But her parents told her they could not protect her, that she belonged to her husband now and had to accept her fate.
CNN tried to obtain comment from Nujood's husband and his family but they declined.
Nujood's parents, like many others in Yemen, struck a social bargain. More than half of all young Yemeni girls are married off before the age of 18, many times to older men, some with more than one wife.
It means the girls are no longer a financial or moral burden to their parents. But Nujood's parents say they did not expect Nujood's new husband to demand sex from his child bride.
To escape, Nujood hailed a taxi -- for the first time in her life -- to get across town to the central courthouse where she sat on a bench and demanded to see a judge.
After several hours, a judge finally went to see her. "And he asked me, 'what do you want' and I said 'I want a divorce' and he said 'you're married?' And I said 'yes.'" says Nujood.
Nujood's father and husband were arrested until the divorce hearing, and Nujood was put in the care of Nasser.
Indeed, it seems the judge had heard enough of the abuse to agree with Nujood that she should get her divorce.
But based on the principles of Shariah law, her husband was compensated, not prosecuted. Nujood was ordered to pay him more than $200 -- a huge amount in a country where the United Nations Development Programme says 15.7 percent of the population lives on less than $1 a day.
Khadije Al Salame is working to help Nujood get her life back. Now a Yemeni diplomat, 30 years ago she too was a child bride. But when she left her husband, she did not have to endure the publicity that now haunts Nujood.
She said: "It's good to talk about Nujood and to have her story come out, but the problem is it's too much pressure on her.
"She doesn't understand what's going on. She's a little girl and we have to understand as a media people that we should leave her alone now. If we really love Nujood then we should just let her go to school and continue with her life, because education is the most important thing for her."
To get her divorce, Nujood showed a character and strength not easily expressed by women in Yemen, let alone a 10-year-old child bride. But she will need to muster all that strength and more if she's to finally reclaim her life.
Nujood told us she thought the divorce would be the end of her struggle and she's still angry that it turned out to be just the beginning.
The Villagers are still going up and down to seek for help, What other options do they have? it is clear from the offer letter that they are being cheated by the Developer and washed hand by the state government, who the hell said that these people are squatters? Dont you understand that they are the righful occupants here! Have you guys seen all the documents posted in this Blog? Have you take the time to go through one by one before saying anything negative outside? Rayer is Busy commenting on Tamaraj and the rest of the committee members but did he know the current situation and the sufferings villagers going through? Every one is under pressure and no one is willing to live in the streets or in a rented apartments, where do we rare 100 over cows? 50 over goats and 50 over chickens for living? Whatever they do, how hard they are trying to save the village, all that they get is bad names. Sugumaran, the committee chairman has been labelled as traitor by some irresponsible people. There are many commented badly about the whole thing, including the involvement of Hindraf and few others, to all of them, come down to the village and judge it for yourself! No options given to the Villagers, they have No Say, the state government is not there to listen to their problems, they are only worried about the development project. Some blame that the villagers should not have consulted UMNO regarding this matter, those who think that is a wrong option, please come over here and solve this issues for us! Or else just comment on the new tamil movies in cinema or go n fly kite near selayang park! The villagers are swimming in all directions, they are yet to see the shore, they can't stop, or they will drown! Those who are confident that they will be given a 2 storey house, please come over here and get the confirmation from the State Government, or else you and the State Government Shut Up! Dont bother the Villagers, this is their land and the land of their grandfather which has been given to them for their sweat and hardwork to build this state as early as 1930's by the Brown Family! Hindraf is not poisoning the mind of the Villagers, and the villagers are not chicken to eat any feed thrown to them by the State Government, you stole their land and you throw potatos to them? Maybe some chickens outside there who do not have the bravery to fight for their rights will say things like" Take whatever that has been given to you" but the fact is, Nothing is given and will be given! Read more on the Untold History Of Buah Pala.
Since the day the problem started in Kg.Buah Pala, the villagers met various authorities, Political Party ,Agencies, Ministers, and name it, anything and anyone.Everyone turn them down, they are the victim of political agenda, and they are the victim of all the possible games in the money game, they begged to the their assemblyman who promised to save them but turned them down, they went to the Deputy Chief Minister2, they promised as long as he is in the Position, he will make sure Kg.Buah Pala is Preserved as an Indian Heritage Village and exist forever, according to the Assemblyman from Pakatan Rakyat, they will try to get annual allocation from the State Government for the cultural functions in the village, after venturing in all the sources and seeking on everyone's favor and begging from politicians to the officers, to the businessman without going to UMNO, the villagers lost leads, they are helpless and they reached a dead end! Now, the only source they have not ventured is UMNO! with the pressure and without assuarance, there is only one path left, at the last moment, the villagers turn to them as a last resort. They have no way out, just imagine if you have fallen into a pit in the dark, you will try to grab anything that you can feel in your hands and try to come out from there, even if it is a snake, you will grab it thinking it is a rope. A sickness without remedy, you will visit the first doctor, if still not cured, you will go to the second one, then still no remedy, you go to all the medical centres and will meet all the best specialist in the world to cure your sickness until you recover or until you run dry financially. That's what happened in the case of Buah Pala, people outside there, some does not even know where Kg.Buah Pala is, commenting on this issue and blaming the villagers for meeting the UMNO leaders. Who else will help them? Those who are complaining and blaming the villagers from seeking the assistance from UMNO please come forward, I will pay your expenses for travelling, come here to the village and solve the problem, most of you dont even know the details about the contracts and agreement and still arguing that it is a valid one. Even if Buah Pala falls, no one has the right to complaint about the villagers, Hindraf, Good people who dont comment but were here in the field for the people or anyone for that matter! You have no rights! You words and comments cant reach here to help this villagers, you are lazy to be here to observe the real situation in the Village, you are in a comfort zones, with heavy food and scared of Rain and Shine, you are pretending to care about the people and find it interesting to comment on issues. Kg.Buah Pala residents are smart and they know what they are doing,so, ill wishers, get the hell out of this topic. We dont need instigators like you and we are working hard to save the village and the people... genuinely!
Mr.Thiraviyam(84), came to Malaya when he was 8 years old, Born in the year 1925 he was brought here by his father who came earlier (around 1910) to work for the british traders. In 1933 his father came back to India for a 6months holiday and brought him here. Kg.Buah Pala and the surrounding area was filled with thick jungle with no road facilities.Coconut and fruits are the two main commodities at that time, there were about 60-70 Indian labourers working as toddy collectors for the englishmen who owns the estate here. The labourers were working and staying in these estate and were given permission from Mr.Brown to build their huts in the place where Kg.Buah Pala is situated now. I got to know a british man and his wife by the name of Mr.Brown and Mrs.Brown who was the owner of these estates. Mr.Brown had told Mr.Thirayiyam who is well verse in english that he is a rich man from British and had helped funding the government during wars and this land is given to him complementary from the British Government for his contribution to the Empire. Mr.Brown came here as an English trader before becoming the estate owner adn involving into agriculture and plantation. Gelugor was a jungle and the natives here was a very shy people and wears only a mat kind of clothing made from the beetle nut palm, and will hide behind trees when they see strangers and outsiders,especially the women who are semi-naked all the time. Mr.Brown's estate is huge and the workers work from 7am upto 3pm only, they will continue with their own activities, such as farming and raring goats and cattle. Mr.Thiraviyam built the house that he is staying currently on his own, which was only a small hut and he expand it gradually. He built the house that existed now. Brown gave me this land, they (Mr.&Mrs.Brown) use to come and visit me, and "Brown can speak in Tamil abit" added Mr.Thiraviyam. Mr.Brown informed me that he is leaving to his country and mentioned that Malaya is on its own and independent now. Present USM Campus was a Military Camp consist of British and Indian Army together with some small Arm Force Groups. The land was given to the Army by Mr.Brown too. Mr.Thiraviyam recalled a bomb blast right in from the current USM campus on 8th Dec 1941. He went and saw the damages made from the blast and said, there was a hole as deep as his height. He was about 17 years at that time which is the era of Japanese invasion. The first aeroplane arrived on that day and one after another the following days. Soon after the bomb blast a van belongs to the British Army warn the public on not to be panick and the japanese only fighting with the British Army and not against the civilians, they advised the people to gather in a group and wave a white cloth to the Japanese aeroplanes to show that they are civilians, the japanese planes did not attacked them, while saying this, he laughed mildly while saying that they were all wearing a white vesti(Indian Traditional Costume) and they have no choice to wave it. The current Panang airport is the Military airfield and USM was the Military Camp fro British and Indian Army.
During the war they did not fear and was not under pressure as what he is going through now with the invasion by Nusmetro and the demolition threats! He is 84 years old and had helped in solving many village issues which was not published or said. He believe in helping people without expecting anything in return, as a Christian, he saved a small Hindu temple about 10 years ago, another person who present during our conversation, Mr.Siva quoted, he went all the way to Komtar by bicycle and discussed the matter to a Lady officer who had cancelled the demolotion process. This is one part of a wonderful life story that I heard from Mr.Thiraviyam and he said, he is fighting for the happiness and peace that he had enjoyed in this village for his grandchildren. Will they enjoy the same life anymore?
It's in the hand of LimGuan Eng to put a tiny signature in the development project now.
The MACC said it tak layan (will not entertain) 'poison pen' letters. It will only investigate signed letters. Well, below is a signed letter plus a detail report implicating the IGP and AG in a crime. They helped a Chinese underworld syndicate boss escape the long arm of the law. Even the Deputy Home Minister said the IGP and AG are involved in this conspiracy. And this is the Deputy Minister's letter to the Prime Minister. Is this enough for you to now launch an investigation, MACC?
THE CORRIDORS OF POWER
Raja Petra Kamarudin
P.S. TOMORROW, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MOTHER OF ALL EXPOSES ON THE IGP'S LINKS WITH THE CHINESE UNDERWORLD. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE NAIL IN THE IGP'S COFFIN WHEN WE REVEAL THAT THE CHINESE UNDERWORLD IS RUNNING THE PDRM.
So, there we have it. RM5,000 fine or imprisonment of 3 years and 6 lashes for consuming alcohol. And RM4,000 fine or imprisonment of 2 years and 6 lashes for forcing one's wife to be a prostitute!
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Shariah lawyers to critics: Don't mess with court decisions
Malaysian Mirror
Do not harass or put pressure on those who are trying to enforce Islamic laws, the Malaysian Syariah Lawyers’ Association (PGSM) advised critics.
In a statement jointly issued with Pembela, an umbrella body of several Muslim NGOs, the association said everyone should adhere to and respect the decisions made by the syariah courts.
I don’t know what these Shariah lawyers are so upset about. Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno has agreed to be caned. In fact, she said she wants to be caned because she is ashamed of her actions and regrets what she did.
The police then came to her house to arrest her and took her off to prison. Half an hour later they sent her home.
This upset Katika who then went to the police station to make a police report. She said she wants to cover herself in case she is accused of trying to evade the caning sentence.
Kartika was arrested in Pahang, the home state of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak. The Pahang state government is under Umno and Barisan Nasional, not under PAS or Pakatan Rakyat.
Najib, however, has asked Kartika to appeal the caning sentence. But Kartika refuses. She wants to be caned.
The 14 days grace period for Kartika to appeal her caning sentence has now expired. This means she can no longer appeal the sentence and, therefore, it should be carried out immediately. But the government does not want to cane her. They said they would only do it after the month of Ramadhan is over.
Why after Ramadhan? Why not now? There is no Islamic law and no verse in the Quran that says no sentence should be carried out during the month of Ramadhan.
Will the government now drop the caning sentence? And will they cite the ‘pressure’ as the excuse for dropping the caning sentence?
I, for one, would like to see the sentence carried out. This will open the floodgates for an eventual full clampdown on liquor.
Islam says you must not drink, sell, serve, keep, profit from, etc., liquor -- including working in any place that sells liquor, own shares in the company, hold directorships, and much more. It is not only forbidden to drink the stuff. It is also forbidden to associate with the stuff in any way whatsoever.
Once Kartika has been caned then the government can go after the workers, owners, shareholders, directors, government officers who approved the licences, etc. Tens of thousands of people will be hauled in and caned.
Genting, which is also in Pahang, Najib’s home state, would have to sack all their Muslim workers. So would Club Med and all those other hotels in Pahang. They would have to sack all their Muslim workers or else the managers and owners of these establishments would get arrested and caned.
Oh, and my favourite, MAS. MAS will have to discontinue serving beer and liquor onboard its flights or else it would have to sack all the Muslim staff and employ non-Muslims. The Muslim workers in the KLIA tax-free shops would also have to be replaced with non-Muslims. KLIA itself would have to sack all its Muslim workers or else the tax-free shops in KLIA would have to stop selling liquor, cigarettes, tobacco and whatnot.
I am all for it. Let’s see where we go from here. And please, Shariah lawyers, don’t mess with us.
Anyway, before I sign off, read what a Muslim lawyer wrote in his Blog:
If that is not shocking enough, consider section 177 of the Enakmen Pentadbiran Ugama Islam dan Adat Resam Melayu Pahang 1982 (the enactment under which Kartika is sentenced). Under this section, a person who forces or allows his wife to prostitute herself with the intention of earning an income from such prostitution is liable to be fined RM4,000 or imprisonment for 2 years or both and caning of not more than 6 lashes.
So, there we have it. RM5,000 fine or imprisonment of 3 years and 6 lashes for consuming alcohol. And RM4,000 fine or imprisonment of 2 years and 6 lashes for forcing one's wife to be a prostitute! Is there any wonder why Islam is viewed with ridicule and contempt?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani - The Malaysian Insider
PUTRAJAYA, August 27 - Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein refused to elaborate on the status of Tan Sri Musa Hassan’s contract renewal as Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Musa reached his retirement age in 2007, but has continued to serve for another two years with his extension scheduled to expire in September.
It is understood that the Police Commission has recommended another extension for him.
Hishammuddin asked why Malaysians are only focusing on one individual.
“We have made a lot of decisions on many positions, so why focus on only one? You can take it on record that sort of thing is not a question of one individual. Why focus on that position? I extend and we appoint everyday, but we work as a team,” he said.
A parliamentary roundtable was held last month and resolved with the unanimous support of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers and NGO representatives who attended that Malaysia needs a new police chief for a safer Malaysia.
The roundtable also demanded that Musa should not be given a second renewal of his term of service as IGP in September after a previous two-year extension in 2007.
Hishammuddin stressed that he wants to concentrate on the bigger picture and not on individuals.
“I do not want to be caught up in the polemic of issues and individuals when we are moving as one family and one ministry looking at the bigger picture because if not we will get sidetracked. When the time comes, you will know,” he told reporters at the Home Ministry.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) bias and prejudice towards DAP and Pakatan rakyat must be deplored in the strongest possible terms.
The most recent evidence of such bias and prejudice was evident from the testimony of MACC investigator DSP Mohd Anuar Ismail at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest yesterday.
Although the coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas had ordered Anuar’s unfair and prejudicial testimony yesterday to be expunged, the damage had been done.
Yes, the details of Anuar’s allegations have been alleged but the allegation proper remains, viz: Teoh was corrupt and guilty of “kickbacks”!
In alleging that Beng Hock was “on the take” and had received “kickbacks” MACC had not only defamed the dead but posthumously elevated Teoh’s role from being a witness to a suspect or even a person accused of corruption!
And what is the amount of this corruption money which Teoh is alleged to have received as kickback? An incredible and ridiculous sum of RM112!
MACC is not interested in the RM24 million Istana Khir Toyo or RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandals, but for an alleged RM112 “kickback”, MACC officers are prepared to work through the night and go without sleep.
No wonder public confidence in the efficiency, independence, integrity and professionalism of the MACC is plumbing new depths!
Has the MACC any incontrovertible evidence that Beng Hock was corrupt, being “on the take” and had received RM112 “kickback”?
If so, I challenge MACC to produce them, and if not, MACC should withdraw the RM112 allegation and publicly apologise for defaming the dead, and Anuar should be suspended from office immediately.
Anuar is not interested in helping to find out the truth about the causes and circumstances of Teoh’s mysterious death at the MACC headquarters on July 16 but to add one smear after another defamation on Teoh and Pakatan Rakyat in the MACC war against Pakatan Rakyat, betraying MACC’s statutory objective which was to declare war on corruption!
This is why Malaysians want a Royal Commission of Inquiry as they have so little confidence in an inquest to uncover the actual causes and circumstances of Teoh’s mysterious death at the MACC headquarters.
It is also clear from Anuar’s expunged testimony that the materials he depended upon are very similar to those which appeared on the black blog, http://t4tbh.blogspot.com/, which carried postings of lies and falsehoods about MACC investigations and Teoh’s death, all with one purpose to accuse someone from DAP as having murdered Teoh.
I call on the MACC Chief Commissioner, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan to clarify whether MACC has ventured into the blogosphere in its war against Pakatan Rakyat and state categorically whether MACC has anything to do with this black blog of lies and falsehoods, whether!
If he does not know, has he caused a full investigation to be conducted whether MACC officers are implicated in this black blog?
Last Thursday, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz was very quick in making the insinuation that someone from DAP was implicated in the Molotov cocktail attack, saying that it gave some basis to the allegation by Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong that some DAP representatives had links to the underworld.
With the statement by Selangor CPO, Nazri should withdraw and apologise for his uncalled-for insinuation against the DAP for being implicated in the Molotov attack on the MACC vehicle in Klang.
Whichever way you look at it, Idris Jala’s appointment as “KPI” minister must be bad news for the other “KPI” minister, Koh Tsu Koon. A friend sent me a text message, with a pointed observation: “looks like ktk is surplus to requirements”, never mind that Idris is supposed to “report” to Tsu Koon on “KPI” issues.
The news comes as the Kg Buah Pala villagers stand on the brink of losing their village. No thanks to Mr KPI for allowing the land to be sold under his watch – and then remaining largely silent about what actually transpired back then while the villagers agonise ahead of demolition day.
So now we have two “KPI” ministers as the Cabinet bloats up again. “Performance now”, huh?
Perhaps one of the first “KPIs” Idris should look at is the 30 per cent target. (No, I’m not referring to the NEP.) To find out which 30 per cent I mean, read this piece I wrote after the Permatang Pasir by-election. Perhaps our country wouldn’t be in such a mess if this particular group achieves parity.
PENANG, Malaysia, Aug 26 (IPS) – Yet another by-election is over in Malaysia.
Tuesday night, a candidate from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance or PR) defeated a candidate from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition in a semi-rural constituency on mainland Penang. That brought the by-election tally to 7-1 in favour of the PR since the last general election in March 2008.
These by-elections are important barometres of public opinion. The opposition Alliance is hoping the by-election momentum will catapult it to victory in the next general election after it deprived the BN, which has ruled the country for 52 years, of its coveted two-thirds majority in Parliament last year.
But there is one glaring statistic… Full article here.
They are not doing this with East- timor delegates but it is just piece of low class mentality that they want to show other. This country will appear as Pakistan , Sudan and Somalia one day.
