Umno’s Perkasa dilemma

By Koh Lay Chin | The Nut Graph

Before: Perkasa is not a threat

“At the end of the day, it’s the government that decides on everything. I don’t think Perkasa will win if it contested in the general election… it has even used the PAS ticket to win.”

Perkasa logo

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz uses sarcasm to dismiss Perkasa which is led by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Datuk Ibrahim Ali who won in Pasir Mas on a PAS ticket. Ibrahim has also frequently changed political parties in the past. (Source: Perkasa not a threat, say Umno leaders, Free Malaysia Today, 5 April 2010)

“I never saw Perkasa as a threat at all because Umno has been in existence since 1946 and has struggled for the Malay community. Every community has benefited directly or indirectly from Umno’s leaders who are also the nation’s leaders. So I do not see Perkasa as a threat but what is the threat? I have always been fighting for the country, race and religion. There is no threat at all.”

Ahmad Maslan (source: parlimen.gov.my)

Datuk Ahmad Maslan, Umno information chief and Pontian MP, when asked for his comments on Perkasa earlier this year. Other Umno leaders like supreme council member Datuk Bung Mukhtar Radin, party deputy permanent chairperson Datuk Seri Mohamad Aziz, and Umno Youth deputy chief Datuk Razali Ibrahim, also said they did not believe Perkasa was a threat to Malay Malaysian support for Umno. (Source: Perkasa not a threat, say Umno leaders, Free Malaysia Today, 5 April 2010)

“Perkasa is not so extreme, if you listen to them carefully. They can shout about Malay rights as long as they are not extreme in their views, and you know, to the extent that we can accommodate Perkasa. And we can [also accommodate] the non-Malays [...]”
“They are by and large supportive of Umno and they believe that Umno is the only vehicle that can really not only promote Malay interest but really hold this country together.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in an interview with satellite channel Al Jazeera aired before both the Hulu Selangor and Sibu by-elections. He was explaining the New Economic Model and how the government deals with groups like Perkasa. (Source: Perkasa not so extreme, Al Jazeera interview as reported by Malaysiakini, 3 April 2010)
Now: Some Umno leaders try to distance the party from Perkasa

“The Umno members in Perkasa are rejects from our party and the leaders at all levels of Umno are with the Prime Minister and his 1Malaysia concept; that is why we will never subscribe to Perkasa’s way of fighting for the rights of the Malays.”

Nazri dismissing Perkasa again, but this time adding that the group’s way of championing Malay Malaysian rights will lead to racial discord and perhaps even riots. Just before this, Ibrahim had said that Perkasa was strong enough on its own and did not need Umno’s support. (Source: BN leaders band together in stand over Perkasa, The Star, 10 Sept 2010)

“The struggles of Umno are more holistic than Perkasa’s. Umno fights for the Malays and Malaysians, which Umno had been fighting for since 1946.”

Umno information chief Ahmad, saying Perkasa’s fight was only for the rights of one single race while Umno’s agenda was bigger and wider in scope. (Source: BN leaders band together in stand over Perkasa, The Star, 10 Sept 2010)

“They are not wanted in Umno, they are no more leaders, they are just ordinary members. Umno has nothing to do with Perkasa.
“Why should Umno support him (Ibrahim Ali)? Umno should put a candidate in Pasir Mas. We will contest in Pasir Mas.”

Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (source: parlimen.gov.my)

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, saying Perkasa was eroding Barisan Nasional’s (BN) support among non-Malay Malaysians. He said the party would not back Ibrahim in the next general election. Tengku Adnan also said most Perkasa leaders consisted of those who were defeated in the last Umno elections who were now seeking a political platform to be heard.
Tengku Adnan reminded Perkasa leaders that BN had to address the needs of all racial groups in the country. In response, Ibrahim snapped back, saying that 60% of Perkasa members were Umno members. He is also mulling the possibility of political cooperation with other parties in the next election.(Source: Umno rejects Perkasa, The Star, 9 Sept 2010)

” … In Umno, we defend Malay rights but we believe there is a place for all Malaysians.
We want all groups to understand this part.”

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin calling Perkasa’s views one-sided as it did not take into account other communities. (Source: Umno leaders reject Perkasa’s ‘narrow struggle’, New Straits Times, 11 Sept 2010)

“We should reject ethnocentricity in this country, it should not be encouraged.”

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying Perkasa’s struggle was ethnocentric in nature while Umno also fought for the rights of non-Malays. (Source: Umno leaders reject Perkasa’s ‘narrow struggle’, New Straits Times, 11 Sept 2010)

“They should work just as an NGO and carry out their programmes as one.”

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar describing Perkasa as nothing more than a non-governmental organisation. (Source: Umno leaders reject Perkasa’s ‘narrow struggle’, New Straits Times, 11 Sept 2010)

“Perkasa is hurting us, our chances in gaining non-Malay votes. For Umno, BN to win, we cannot afford to be associated with these people. They are alienating us from a large segment of voters.”

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin, who has been at loggerheads with Ibrahim, saying Umno must disassociate itself from the group. At a Ramadan forum, Khairy also said: “If there is a situation where Umno chooses Perkasa over me, I will leave (the party).” (Source: Khairy wants Umno, BN to move away from Perkasa, The Malaysian Insider, 27 August 2010)
…and here’s how the Umno president and country’s prime minister addresses Perkasa.

“They are not against us. They are talking more about bumiputera rights. But actually we are not taking anything away from the bumiputera, but we are saying that let us do it differently. Let us get better results. Let us achieve a more equitable society. But at the same time, [be] fair to the non-bumiputras as well. Because we want to build a One Malaysia.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on CNBC Asia, when asked why former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Perkasa were getting upset with the current leadership. (Source: Transcript of CNBC Asia’s interview with PM Najib, The New Straits Times, 11 Sept 2010)

“…it troubles me to see a rise in issues rooted in extremism in the nation. This is not limited to racism. Extremists are groups or [individuals] who subscribe to radical views and actions against others. They treat anyone who is different as an enemy and engineer fear in people who don’t conform to their thoughts or ideologies and in some cases in people who simply look different.
“I am strongly opposed to these types of behaviour. It saddens me that despite living in an independent multi-cultural nation for over 50 years, there are still those who cannot tolerate, much less accept the benefits of a [diverse] society. It saddens me because by rejecting our [diverse] way of life, they reject 1Malaysia.”

Najib a few days later, in his official address for Malaysia Day posted on his website. He did not name Perkasa but talked about groups which he said may be “small in number” but whose “presence is amplified through their extreme sentiments and acts.” He said Malaysians should remain calm and rational and that the government would keep a watchful eye on such groups. (Source: Our Fight Against Extremism, www.1Malaysia.com.my, 15 Sept 2010)
But when subsequently pressed by reporters to clarify whether he was referring to Perkasa or not, Najib dodged the question and said he wasn’t talking about any specific group. He added that Umno considered Perkasa to be like any other NGO, and that the government did not want to be in conflict with any NGO. After Najib’s reply to reporters, Tengku Adnan, too, denied ever saying that Umno and BN wanted to distance themselves from Perkasa.

More than Sri Lankan Tamil

By Ding Jo-Ann | The Nut Graph

Meera Samanther (all pics courtesy of Meera Samanther)

WOMEN’S rights activist Meera Samanther left legal practice in 1995, thinking she would have a short break after a difficult pregnancy. “I thought I would volunteer for a while, do some charity work,” she tells The Nut Graph. She started helping at the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO)’s shelter and ended up becoming its president, actively advocating for women’s rights for the last 15 years. WAO, along with other women’s groups, played an instrumental role in bringing about the amendment to Article 8 of the Federal Constitution, prohibiting discrimination based on gender.
Meera says advocacy plays an important role in women’s rights. “I realised when I started volunteering that we couldn’t just do band-aid work,” she says. “We also had to advocate for changing the law and the policies. We couldn’t do one without the other.”
The Nut Graph interviewed Meera at her home in Kuala Lumpur on 28 July 2010.
TNG: Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Meera: I was born in Kuala Lumpur in 1959. I lived in Kajang till I was five, and then we moved to Ampang Hilir, as my dad was working as a civil servant with Jabatan Kerja Raya [Public Works Department].
What are your strongest memories of the place where you grew up?

A young Meera with her family

We went back to Kajang every weekend and holidays to see all my relatives. I remember roaming the streets with my cousins and brothers. There was a railway line behind my grandmother’s house and we used to walk on it. There would be 10 to 15 of us and when the train was approaching, we would come down the tracks. I remember that vividly; till today, we talk about it and how dangerous it was. We’d walk everywhere — sometimes to town, a mile or so away, to eat ice kacang or tauhu bakar.
The other big impact in my life is my school, BBGS (Bukit Bintang Girls School). Until today, my primary and secondary school friends still meet up. For our 50th birthdays last year, we organised a two-day event at a hotel, with activities. Friends from all over the world came, it was lovely.
Can you trace your ancestry? How did your parents/grandparents come to Malaysia?

Maternal grandmother

My paternal and maternal grandparents came from Sri Lanka. In fact, my parents were related. It was not uncommon at that time to marry your relatives. As a result, the link between my dad and mum’s siblings is very strong.
My grandparents came from a village called Tellipillai in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. There was a very strong sentiment, especially from my dad, about our Sri Lankan ethnicity. I was indoctrinated that, “You’re Sri Lankan Tamil. You’re not Indian, you’re Sri Lankan”. There was a kind of snobbish attitude amongst Sri Lankans.
So what was the reaction to your marriage to a Chinese Malaysian?
Oh, good grief. It was blue murder! It was extremely tough. I nearly wanted to pack my bags and leave. My husband was the sane one, he said we’re not getting married under these circumstances, we have to win them over. My dad had passed away so his brother met with my husband to try and “talk sense” into him and dissuade him.

Meera's Hindu wedding ceremony

My uncle told my husband everyone was very unhappy about us wanting to marry. But my family members all seemed to like him after meeting him. So my husband told my uncle a story about an [African] man looking to rent a room in London. Everywhere he went, he was told by white house owners that they would love to rent him a room but someone else would object. “My neighbours,” one said. “My spouse wouldn’t want an African man here,” another told him and the excuses went on. At the end of the story, my husband said to my uncle, “Don’t tell me what other people are saying. If you have a problem with me, tell me so yourself.” He won my uncle over. My uncle rang my mum after that and said, “I think he’s a good guy.”
And then my brothers had a meeting with him and still didn’t succeed in dissuading my husband. So that was it. I told my mother, “I’m getting married on this date”. She started crying but miraculously, the next day, she relented. And since that day, it’s been fine. He won everyone over eventually, especially my brothers.
Are there any stories you hold onto from your family?

Being held by her father

I’ve lost both my parents now. I remember the most fun moments were when we went to Port Dickson. We always went with a huge group of relatives. When we got there, we would open the car boot, and there would always be big tubs of mee hoon, curry and rice. We would eat from paper plates, go swimming, come back, eat some more, go back to swim. Those are wonderful memories. We didn’t have to travel far, we just went to Port Dickson, and we were so happy.
My relatives were in my house all the time. I remember sleeping in the hall with bodies strewn all over. After dinner, my dad would say, “Let’s go buy ice kacang” and we’d all troop out for dessert.
How do you connect to these stories as a Malaysian?
Being Malaysian wasn’t something we thought about much. We didn’t really reflect on what it is to be Malaysian. It was never an issue.

Meera and her husband

I suppose for my parents, there was always an affinity to Sri Lanka. They talked about life there, they brought me there when I was 11 to have a look. As for me now, I definitely don’t see myself as a pendatang, and I totally reject that notion. If that’s the word, everybody’s a pendatang everywhere. This is my land.
But many from my generation keep focusing on what they’re not getting, and instead of fighting for it and claiming it back, they just get into the habit of comparing life elsewhere. People ask me sometimes, “So your child is studying overseas, you wouldn’t mind him living overseas, would you?” I say no, I want him back in this country. I hope he will choose it himself rather than me telling him. This is home. I don’t want them to stay away, not at all.
There’s struggle everywhere and you always think the grass is greener on the other side. […]
Are there any aspects of your identity that you struggle with?
The struggle I had was always having to think I’m Sri Lankan Tamil, in everything I did. I was always told, “When you get married, make sure it’s to a Sri Lankan Tamil.” Most of my relatives married Sri Lankan Tamils — my cousins, brothers. I was the first in my father and mother’s family to marry a non-Sri Lankan, non-Indian. The ball started rolling after that, my cousins said I paved the path for them.
The thing is, I don’t even see my husband as Chinese and me as Sri Lankan Tamil, even though we come from two different cultures. Sometimes, it’s only when we stand side by side in the mirror, then I realise, he’s fairer and he is Chinese.
Describe the kind of Malaysia you would like for yourself and for future generations.

First, I don’t want race-based parties. Can we just go on principle and issues?

Meera with her family and mother-in-law

I would like the national economic policy to be based on needs, not race. And I would like to imagine a day when we see a civil service as I saw it when my father was a civil servant. Where [anyone] can rise to the top, where there are many ethnic groups. That would be a major change.
I want a secular state. I believe and know that Malaysia is a secular state and we should reclaim that. I want the institutions and leaders to claim it and believe it, not just the non-governmental organisations.
On women’s rights — where to begin? We need a sexual harassment and gender equality legislation enacted. I think many still don’t understand what gender equality means and we need that defined in the gender equality legislation. All we have to do is follow the definition in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (Cedaw) but the courts, in the Beatrice Fernandez case, failed to do that.

Congrats Nazri for being the first in Cabinet to declare he is Malaysian first and race second – Ministers who refuse to make such declaration should be dropped from Cabinet

By Lim Kit Siang,

Congrats to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz for being the first in Cabinet to declare that he is Malaysian first Malay second in his open letter in reply to Awang Selamat of Utusan Malaysia (The Malaysian Insider).

Why it has taken more than six months since my challenge to Cabinet Ministers during the debate on the Royal Address in Parliament on March 18, 2010 to declare that they are Malaysian first and race second is really beyond me, as it demonstrates their total lack of support, commitment and political will to make Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia policy work and suceeed.

I had at the time posed three simple tests of 1Malaysia to determine whether all the Cabinet Minsiters were sincerely and seriously committed to Najib’s 1Malaysia, viz:

• Whether he or she agrees to the establishment of an Opposition-headed Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia;

• Is he or she prepared to declare that the basis of 1Malaysia is “ketuanan rakyat Malaysia” and not “ketuanan Melayu”; and

• Is he or she prepared to endorse the objective of 1Malaysia as defined by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap to create a nation where every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion or region second.

This is what I said in Parliament on that day:

“Are Najib, Muhyiddin and all the Umno leaders prepared to stand up and declare that they are Malaysian first and Malay second?

“I declare that I am Malaysian first and Chinese second. Is every Cabinet Minister prepared to make a similar declaration?

“How many Cabinet Ministers, including the DPM, have the 1Malaysia DNA and able to pass these three simple 1Malaysia tests?”

During the debate on the Royal Address in March this year, I had asked whether the Prime Minister has got his entire Cabinet, including the Deputy Prime Minister, with him on the same page on what 1Malaysia means.

This was because the utterances and actions of Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin were most inimical to the realisation of the 1Malaysia slogan and concept, including:

• His defense of the racist “brain washing” and indoctrination on “ketuanan Melayu” by Biro Tata Negara despite criticisms and expose of its racist, divisive and seditious content for the past two decades;

• His attempt to mitigate the Nasir Safar outrage claiming that it could have been “a slip of the tongue” when Najib’s senior political aide labelled Indians and Chinese in Malaysia as “pendatang”, alleging that the Chinese came as beggars and the Chinese women as “prostitutes”; claimed that Umno was solely responsible in drafting the constitution sidelining the contribution of MCA and MIC; and issued the threat to revoke the citizenship of those vocal about the subject cap for SPM examination.

• His conspicuous silence at the JAKIM (Islamic Development Department of the Prime Minister’s Office) forum at the end of January for 800 civil servants tantamount to an insurrection against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept – with government speakers making inflammatory and incendiary speeches, blaming Christians for provoking Muslim anger by challenging the ban on the use of the word “Allah” and Umno/BN politicians for failing to defend Islam, with one speaker suggesting that a repeat of the May 13 riots was possible if the Christians, whom he accused of practising “extremism” did not “back down”, uttering the threat: “Who knows, there might be a Feb. 13?”

• His conspicuous silence when the racialist rantings of Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh at an Umno club function in London earlier this month was exposed; and

• His hamfisted attempt to aid and abet the inflammatory and incendiary campaign by Umno-controlled media like Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, government television and radio stations, playing the race and religious cards to viciously and falsely paint Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Pakatan Rakyat Penang State Government as “anti-Malay” and “anti-Islam”.

During my speech in Parliament I posed two questions point-blank to Muhyiddin: firstly, was he aware that the Najib administration’s sincerity and seriousness about 1Malaysia was under great test in Penang because of the vicious and sustained exploitation of the race and religious card by Umno media and agents in the conspiracy to defame the Penang Chief Minister and Pakatan Rakyat Penang State Government as anti-Malay and anti-Islam?

Secondly, if the people of Penang regarded the 1Malaysia concept as fake and hypocritical, how could he expect the people of Sabah and Sarawak and the rest of Malaysians to have much confidence in the slogan?

I stressed that as Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin should be in the forefront to secure the co-operation of all MPs and political parties outside the Barisan Nasional fold to make a success of the 1Malaysia campaign, on the ground that it is a national issue and not a party agenda unless the 1Malaysia concept was merely an Umno and Barisan Nasional gimmick.

I had also asked why the Najib Cabinet was full of Ministers who were quite skeptical about the 1Malaysia concept treating it as nothing more than political theatre not to be taken seriously?

I had asked: “Who are the Ministers in the Najib Cabinet who have the 1Malaysia DNA? I do not see anyone. No wonder neither Muhyiddin nor the other Cabinet Ministers comport themselves with any conviction that they are the standard-bearers of the 1Malaysia slogan and concept.”

Muhyiddin subsequently proved my criticisms right when on March 31, he responded to my challenge and declared that he is “Malay first” and then only a Malaysian.

He said: “I am Malay first! But being Malay does not mean you are not Malaysian. It is not a race issue.”

Accusing me of trying to drive a wedge between him and Najib, he said:

“The question of 1 Malaysia should not be brought up. When a leader talks about the interest of his own race, it does not mean he doesn’t support 1 Malaysia. 1Malaysia is based on the Constitution.

“How can I say I’m Malaysian first and Malay second? All the Malays will shun me and say that it is not proper.

“There is nothing wrong in leaders fighting for their own race. Don’t tell me Kit Siang does not fight for the Chinese?”

He even challenged me to declare that I was Malaysian first and Chinese second, until he was told by reporters that I had already made such a declaration – in Parliament during the debate on the Royal Address on 18th March.

And for six long months, not a single Cabinet Minister dare to declare publicly that he or she is a Malaysian first and race second, until Nazri today!

Although it has taken more than six months for Nazri to break ranks with Muhyiddin for the former to declare that he is Malaysian first and Malay second, in accordance with the objective of Najib’s 1Malaysia policy, it is better late than never.

With the example set by Nazri, all 1Malaysia-minded Ministers, should declare their stand to demonstrate to Malaysians that the 1Malaysia policy is taken seriously by Ministers themselves.

In fact, MCA, MIC, Gerakan and Sabah and Sarawak Ministers should rush to declare themselves to be Malaysian first and race second or be dropped from the Cabinet.

I would suggest that the last one of the four MCA Ministers and seven Deputy Ministers to make such a 1Malaysia declaration should be sacked from the Cabinet!

Majlis Peguam mahu jumpa KPN

Utusan Malaysia 

KUALA LUMPUR 19 Sept. - Majlis Peguam akan mengadakan pertemuan dengan Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Ismail Omar bagi membincangkan beberapa isu berkenaan pengamal undang-undang yang terlibat dengan kes jenayah dan kesalahan lain.

Presiden Majlis Peguam, Ragunath Kesavan berkata, pertemuan ini dijangka berlangsung dalam tempoh seminggu dua ini bergantung pada jadual Ketua Polis Negara.

"Pertemuan ini akan membincangkan hal mengenai pengamal undang-undang bagi memastikan ahli Majlis Peguam tidak terlibat melanggar undang-undang.

"Jika ada yang menyalahi undang-undang, tindakan tegas harus diambil," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan Malaysia di sini, hari ini.

Ragunath diminta mengulas mengenai langkah yang akan diambil oleh Majlis Peguam untuk memastikan pengamal undang-undang bebas daripada jenayah ekoran pembabitan seorang peguam sebagai suspek utama dalam kes pembunuhan jutawan kosmetik, Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya dan tiga lagi individu, baru-baru ini.

Dalam pada itu, Ragunath membidas pihak tertentu yang menyatakan Majlis Peguam banyak berpolitik dan kelihatan mengambil sikap perkauman dalam pendekatannya.

"Tunjukkan bukti yang menyatakan Majlis Peguam berpendirian seperti itu. Perbuatan suspek adalah kesalahan individu dan tiada kaitan dengan Majlis Peguam,'' katanya.

Ragunath menambah, beliau hairan kenapa jenayah membabitkan individu dalam kelompok profesional lain seperti jurutera atau doktor tidak dikaitkan dengan badan yang menaungi mereka berbanding apa yang dihadapi oleh Majlis Peguam.

Fasting, praying and white skullcaps are no deterrent against bullshit

It is now almost 1,500 hours since P.I. Balasubramaniam’s lawyers went to meet the MACC in Putrajaya to hand over the reply to their questions but no word has been heard about the matter.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

When I signed my statutory declaration in June 2008:

1. Within 24 hours the Attorney-General managed to announce to the world that I had signed a false statutory declaration amidst his heavy schedule of bonking his Head of the International Affairs Division Azailiza Mohd Ahad.

By the way, this is the photo of her (in the black tudung) together with the AG.

2. Within 48 hours the IGP managed to announce to the world that I had signed a false statutory declaration amidst his heavy schedule of meeting the Chinese underworld bosses who are running the prostitution, drugs, loan shark and illegal gambling syndicate.

3. Within 72 hours they managed to conclude that what the AG and IGP announced to the world is true and I was summoned to the police station for my statement to be recorded.

4. Within 96 hours they managed to raid my house to confiscate my computers and various documents to use as evidence against me.

When they lifted the two weeks ban/block on Malaysia Today in September 2008:

1. Within 24 hours they managed to come to my house to detain me under the Internal Security Act.

2. Within 200 hours they managed to complete my interrogation and come to a conclusion that I am a threat to national security and therefore should be detained at least two years in Kamunting.

But it is now almost 1,500 hours since P.I. Balasubramaniam’s lawyers went to meet the MACC in Putrajaya to hand over the reply to their questions but no word has been heard about the matter since then.

And since then:

More than 300 prayer times have come and gone.

More than eight Friday prayer sessions have come and gone.

30 days of fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadhan have come and gone.

Hari Raya has come and gone.

But in spite of all this there is still no word yet from the MACC.

It appears like fasting, praying and wearing white skullcaps are no deterrent against bullshit. It makes you wonder why they even bother to do all that if at the end of the day all this holy crap just results in tons of bullshit.

And they wonder why people look down on Muslims when Muslims who give the external appearance of piety are the most foul and hypocritical people, doing everything that Islam is supposed to be against.

Is the MACC sweeping the P.I. Balasubramanian issue under the carpet? They said they want the truth. They said they want Bala’s statement. But now that it has been given they keep very silent and take no action.

Dutch make 'terror-related' arrest

 
Schiphol has faced criticism in the past year due to security failures [EPA]
 

Dutch police have arrested a British citizen of Somali origin at Schiphol airport. The man, whose identity has not been released yet, is suspected of having links to terror groups, according to police sources.

Authorities arrested the man at the airport in Amsterdam, as he was on a lay-over from Liverpool airport in the UK to Entebbe in Uganda on Sunday morning, Evert Boerstra, the Dutch National Police spokesman, told Al Jazeera.

Dutch authorities allegedly received a tip-off on the suspect's presence by UK police.

The arrest took place on board the flight, which was jointly run by Air France, KLM and Kenya Airways.

The suspect remains in custody at Schiphol airport.

History of arrests

Dutch police have arrested two Yemeni men at Schiphol airport at the end of August, over reports that they were carrying "suspicious items." However, the men were later released without charge.

Security at Schiphol has faced criticism in the past year after a man was allowed to transit through the airport before making a failed bomb attack on a aircraft bound for the US city of Detroit.

Al-Shabab, a group fighting the Somali government and with links to al-Qaeda, have carried out attacks in Uganda in recent months.

Source:Al Jazeera and agencies

Perkasa-BN tango is one big 'sandiwara' -Malaysiakini

The DAP today criticised BN component parties for their hypocrisy in publicly criticising the Malay rights NGO Perkasa, but keeping silent and submissively supporting Umno's pro-Perkasa position in BN policy meetings.

"Umno's submission to Perkasa and Utusan Malaysia's open support shows the Perkasa mentality within BN and that 1Malaysia is an empty slogan to win votes," said the party's secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in a statement to the media.

He was referring to a news portal's report on Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor's reversal of his previous tough stand against Perkasa.

Tengku Adnan was reported as denying that he had said his BN colleagues had agreed to distance the coalition from Perkasa.

"When we had a meeting with BN secretaries-general, we never talked even a little bit that we wanted to distance ourselves from anybody," Tengku Adnan (right) reportedly told the news portal.

Lim contends that Tengku Adnan himself had no choice but to support Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's statement at a seminar on Friday that Umno did not want to stir conflict with any non-government organisation (NGO) such as Perkasa."

"We don't want to be in conflict with any NGO. As far as Umno is concerned, Perkasa is like any other NGO. At times we can agree, at times we can't," said Najib to reporters at the 1Malaysia seminar.

The Penang CM believes that the conflicting statements only prove that Umno has been behind Perkasa all along.

What the Bagan parliamentarian found surprising however, is that this support and the Perkasa mentality is prevalent even amongst all component parties of the BN as revealed by Tengku Adnan in his interview with the news portal.

"Clearly all the BN component parties like MCA are just playing a big sandiwara opposing Perkasa outside, but when inside meetings, they keep silent and submissively support Umno's pro-Perkasa position," said Lim.

Perkasa mentality

This Perkasa mentality in the BN, he said, is dangerous as it has led to public and open denigration of Malaysians from minority groups, while those making the racist remarks from the majority escape unpunished.

Lim (right) recounted how Najib's special officer Nasir Safar and several school principals and teachers who made racist remarks against Indians and Chinese were let off scot free.

"How can you reward good if you do not punish bad? Is the reason because of Perkasa's open support and demonstrations for the right of Nasir and the school principals to make such racist and extremist statements?" asked the chief minister.

Lim said that Malaysians can see for themselves that Perkasa is racist and extremist, when they not only do not condemn but openly support the school principals and Nasir.

More seriously, he believes that Umno and the BN's continuing support of Perkasa despite this is a dangerous precedent, that will have dire consequences if not nipped in the bud.

"BN may feel that this is just a political game to win votes and the next general election. There is but only one short step from dehumanising Malaysians by describing them as beggars, selling their bodies and even dogs to the final militant step practiced by those who preach the language of violence," warned Lim.

Hindraf will rise to the occasion in 2012/2013 General Elections

We refer to the letter “Indians back to square one, pre 2007 – By Rally Optimist.” We note the somewhat “fair comment” but wish to make the following observations.
Hindraf is alive and well. Hindraf, learning from the letdown from the PR coalition after it rallied the Indian votes to PR in the 12^th GE has made a strategic decision to create an Indian vote bank to enable the negotiation of a better deal for the future of Indians in this country, something which has eluded the minority Indians for all of their existence. Of course this vote bank will be led by Hindraf – more specifically its political wing, the Human Rights Party. Hindraf continues to match the situation as the situation develops.
And of course there are plenty of people out there who are affected adversely by this move. Obviously, the UMNO led establishment will not have it .Using their large arsenal, they attempt in all ways to kill off the nascent movement. Using their Police Special Branch, by associating Hindraf with LTTE, by portraying Hindraf as an extreme group in the mainstream media, by bribes of money, perks, and other privileges they give out to opportunistic individuals and organizations, by the illusions of a splintering community, by the creation of new mosquito Indian political parties and by treacherous tactics, they try to kill off Hindraf.
The PR coalition too for their part are also affected by Hindraf’s move to create the Indian vote bank and to lead it. PR responds by attempting to marginalize HRP and HINDRAF by branding them as racists. Unfortunately the Indian Mandores in their fold work with them on this initiative. All, so they can continue to keep the Indian votes they got in the last elections – for cheap and hopefully without too significant an obligation. Examples abound where the PR coalition has reneged on this implied obligation. The latest being their refusal to speak up for even the 13As Indian SPM top students who were denied their rights only because they are Indians. They are denied JPA scholarships, Matriculation and University places – also scholarships in Petronas, Shell, Mara, Khazanah, Tenaga, Telekom, 13 State Yayasan and scores of other public and private corporation Banks and Industries scholarships. PKR, DAP and PAS do not get any political mileage by championing the Indian poor cause, worse they fear losing Malay Muslim votes.
Hindraf pre-25^th November 2007 was not ready to deal with post Nov 25^th, as it was a tiny and almost two man show led by P. Waythamoorthy and P. Uthayakumar who caused that significant eruption after a 16 year struggle. For this reason Hindraf was never in any position to have a plan to deal with the mighty UMNO and the emergent PR post Nov 25^th. All of this creates a situation now where people like the writer of the article conclude that Hindraf is back to square one.
It was the case of a giant (UMNO) versus the then tiny Hindraf from the word go. There is no issue of Hindraf going back to square one returning to pre 2007, where a puny team is fighting “everyone”. If anybody else fought for the Indian poor then we won’t be seen to be fighting “everybody”. Because nobody else is standing up for the Indian poor, they (everybody else) do not like it when we do stand up and ask all these ugly questions to them. So, it looks like we are up against everybody else. But that has always been the case. Nothing new about that. It is just a lot clearer who stands where now. In fact Hindraf and HRP would be out of a job especially with PKR, DAP and PAS multiracialism, if their policies truly were inclusive and encompassing of the Indian issues. Up to date there have been zero takers for the issues of the Indian poor.
Given all of this and given the passage of time since Nov 2007 slowly but surely the lion inside Hindraf is growing from strength to strength day by day as you can see in our website www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com. The illusion of going back to square one is what the detractors of Hindraf would want people to believe. But Hindraf’s cause is a true and necessary and Hindraf will continue to struggle on – square one, two, three ….. whatever it takes, but not to stay at square one. Maybe two steps forward and one step back as often happens in any struggle, but forward always.
BN or PR do not have the answers for the future of the Indian community in this country. Only when they have meaningful answers will Hindraf become irrelevant and under those conditions Hindraf does not mind becoming irrelevant – mission would have been accomplished. Until then Hindraf and HRP will be there for the Indian community in the country and moving on step by step towards that ultimate goal.
One of the current initiatives embarked on by HRP is the gearing up for the 2012/2013 general elections, to realize the Indian minority vote bank via it’s Project 15/38 . Project 15/38 is the creation of Indian majority Parliament and State seats and winning in these 15 Parliamentary and 38 State seats respectively to gain true representation for the minority Indians.
The unharnessed Hindraf energy after 2007 is slowly but surely being reharnessed – this time in an intelligent and organized way This phase of Hindraf is gathering more steam as the “bad boys”, the opportunists in Hindraf have been exposed or have left the struggle for greener pastures elsewhere leaving Hindraf with a passionate and sacrificing group of activists to lead the struggle.

While Hindraf and HRP is committed to end the 53 year old reign of terror by UMNO, we are not prepared to give PKR, DAP, PAS and P.R a blank cheque to Putrajaya either and risk waiting for another 53 years. Via our Project 15/38 we will find our own future, no matter the naysayers. We will be a check and balance on PR when they get to Putrajaya. In short we are not prepared to trust PR like how the Indians had blindly supported UMNO and BN for 50 long years. Nor are we prepared to become the mandores of PKR, DAP, PAS and PR either.

You may be right. Uthaya may have already become a legend had he been a mandore for BN or PR. but he chooses to remain the puny individual fighting “everyone” along with his band of passionate and sacrificing activists. But that fight is real one, one that moves the politics of the country and creates new history.

(MALAYSIAKINI)

Indians back to square one, pre-2007

As far as Hindraf is concerned, consider that Umno neutralised it even before ‘The Game’ started. It was a knockout by default. Holding the Hindraf5 under ISA really did the trick. Today the Hindraf is in tatters. While under ISA, Umno successfully split up the Hindraf detained leaders, turning some Hindraf leaders to Umno’s side. They demonised Hindraf, making it lame, tame and powerless and even managed to get them to go against Pakatan Rakyat causing it to lose the community’s support.

It was even rumoured one of the Hindraf 5 is an undercover Special Branch agent. Umno’s tricks are boundless. Where Umno is concerned, it has achieved what it wanted. MIC’s win in Hulu Selangor gave Umno the credibility it needed.

Hindraf burst into the scene at a time when Indians were frustrated with their lot after 50 years of neglect. This included the Indians in estates (the lower income and the less fortunate), university graduates, middle-class and also many professionals. In the past 30 years, they have had only one Indian leader, S Samy Vellu who is both despised by many but worshiped by some who readily sit at his feet.

During the 1980’s, the Indians woke up because of the many NGOs and social activists. Many of them began to question the sincerity of Barisan Nasional and in particular, Umno. Nevertheless, few dared to even vote against BN hence the successful 2004 results during Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s regime.

From the 1990s, many individuals, groups and network of NGOs have been airing their frustration with regards to the insensitive Muslim conversions, lack of education opportunities (especially the allotment of scholarships), the poverty level, the unjust and forced eviction from estates and lands, the high rate of street crimes within their communities and the manner in which they were thrust into hostile and congested city slums from a quiet, rustic estate environment.

These social ills and economic frustrations were never addressed by MIC, who is their political spokesman. Since the 1990s, MIC has won every single seat it was allotted except during the Lunas by-election, giving it a winning rate of almost 100% for its candidates. However, the grovelling and kissing-up to Umno, its thuggish behaviour and their callous disregard for its people, has made Indians begin to see beyond the veil and smokescreen of the MIC-Umno wayang.

The media has already reporters of a whole Indian village which was without electricity and water for over 50 years.

The advent of Hindraf gave the Indians a venue to vent their pent-up frustration and anger. By sending the memorandum to the British Embassy in a strategic move, Hindraf got Umno’s attention. Umno took immediate action on the 30,000-strong crowd in the street, creating a war-like zone with tear gas canisters, batons and heavily armed FRU and police presence to beat them back into their hovels.

It is my intention to inform your readers that there were ‘hundreds’ if not ‘thousands’ of professionals and businessmen at that Hindraf rally in 2007. You could even spot some ‘millionaires’ among the crowd gathered to hear the speeches that Nov 25. The Indian community solidly supported Hindarf en masse something which never happened previously.

Umno responded quickly. On Dec 13, Umno, fed-up and not wanting to drag Hindraf through a messy court trail, made its move. Abdullah dumped the five into Kamunting instead and the rest is history. Everything happened accordingly to Umno’s plan.

Since then, what has happened to these people? There was a lot of buzz on the ground, vigils, gatherings, prayers, numerous meetings and even campaigns that were initiated. P Uthayakumar probably didn’t anticipate such a success for Hindraf after 2007. Maybe, that’s why there was no plan B to harness this energy that was created. Such energy that was not used, dissipated and thus wasted. With no proper plan B to take over the leadership, it just could not compare with Samy Vellu’s huge, organised political-structure – the MIC.

There was such a huge energy among the people for Hindraf then. ‘Makkal Sakthi’ groups were formed across the nation and many individuals organised themselves with a new sense of awakening following the rally. The ballon of fear was burst open and the people began to come out of their shells, discussions were open and everyone wanted to do something. We did not want to go back to MIC as we had burnt our bridges to it but we were burning with desire to do something for the Indian community.

Among us was not just the labourer class of Indians as the media portrays but also the working class, the professionals, the educated and also the English-speaking. Unlike what has been labelled of us, we, too, had a reason to fight on and stay here, for the love of our country and to help the downtrodden and we did whatever we could in whichever way we wanted.

Can we be blamed if it didn’t turn out exactly as what the activists wanted because we were groping for our way? When Umno realised their mistake, they systematically had an exit planned. Never would they have wanted Indians to support Pakatan.

They wanted the community back for themselves, so we can see the sabotage and traitors who could be bought over as we saw during the following by-elections. The Maklal Sakthi Party is a prime example of sabotage. Will the Indians bite the bait? it seems to have been by the looks of Bagan Pinang and Hulu Selangor..

What went wrong for Hindraf? There were no plans to get appropriate people to work for the community on the social, economic and political levels. The Indians had no other choice but to run into the arms of Pakatan Rakyat. Socially, many individual bodies and networks were created with no links to Hindraf. Economically, many wanted to help but once Umno got Hindraf banned (a smart move), the rich did not want their names into a bad ight..

The ‘third force’ that is coming up is a dream come true for Umno. It is the best way to alienate the Indians and Pakatan. Umno has got two mangoes with one stone. Hindraf has turned the tables against the very people who it used to work with. We can only sit and lament at this conclusion taken by Hindraf.

All we wanted was to be rid the shackles under Umno and to start rebuilding for a progressive community after 50 years but we are back to square one, returning to pre-2007, where a puny team is fighting everyone. Uthaya is a leader who could have been a legend..

Police To Probe If Sarina's Death Connected To Sosilawati's Murder

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Police will investigate whether the death of Aveer Cosmetics founder Sarina Jaafar has any connection with the murder of cosmetics queen Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said.

He said police would look into all aspects of the case given that the two were best friends.

"We will look into all information we have on the case," he told reporters at an Aidilfitri reception at parliament house Sunday.

Sarina was found hanging in her bedroom at Taman Pauh Jaya, Bukit Mertajam, Penang, yesterday morning and was said to have called a relative and told her that she was going to hang herself.

Police have classified the case as a sudden death. Her family members said she had been under stress lately and had frequently told them that she was saddened by what had befallen her friend, Sosilawati.

Sosilawati, 47, CIMB Bank officer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38, driver Kamaruddin Shamsudin, 44, and lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, were reported missing on Aug 30 after leaving for Banting over a land deal.

Police confirmed that they were brutally murdered before their bodies were burnt and the ashes thrown into a river near Ladang Gadong, Tanjung Sepat, near Banting.

Karpal: DAP should adopt one candidate-one seat policy

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP national chairman Karpal Singh wants his party to adopt a “one candidate-one seat” electoral formula in the next general election, with one exception. The exception is to allow the Penang chief minister to contest both the state and parliament seats to safeguard public and state interests.

Karpal said DAP should do away with its 44-year-old practice of fielding certain candidates to contest both federal and state seats in the polls.

This, he said, would allow more capable and qualified party members to join in the national electoral fray.

Since being an officially registered party in 1966, DAP has always fielded candidates to contest both federal and state seats up to the last general election.

Karpal explained that the dearth of talented, capable and qualified candidates was the main reason for DAP to allow candidates to contest both seats in the past.

“But it is no more the case now,” he told a press conference in Taman Tun Sardon during a visit to his Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency.

He said the influx of new members, who were attracted by the party's growing strength and popularity, has given the DAP several choices to pick its candidates for the next general election.

"Currently, the party has members who are qualified, capable and dynamic enough to contest elections," said Karpal, who himself is no stranger to the double-seat party electoral formula.

He was a Jelutong MP and Bukit Gelugor assemblyman between 1978 and 1986.

In subsequent elections, besides continuing to be Jelutong MP, he also contested and lost state seats of Sungai Pinang (1990), Padang Kota (1995) and Datuk Keramat (1999).

A direct voice

Said Karpal: “The time has come for the DAP to stop the practice and adopt the one man-one seat policy.

“The only exception would be to allow the chief minister to contest both seats.”

He added that the exception was necessary to allow a chief minister to represent the people of Penang in parliament.

”A chief minister would be a direct voice for the people of Penang in parliament,” he said.

He will raise the matter at the next party central executive committee meeting to be held probably early next month.

DAP currently has seven MPs doubling up as state representatives.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is the Bagan MP and Air Putih state representative. He is also the party secretary-general.

Besides him, Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy is the Batu Kawan MP and Prai assemblyman while Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow represents Tanjung parliamentary and Padang Kota state constituencies.

Other DAP stalwarts wearing double hats are Beruas MP and Sitiawan assemblyman Ngeh Koo Ham; Taiping MP and Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming, both from Perak; Seputeh MP and Kinrara state representative Teresa Kok Suh Sim from Selangor; and Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen from Sarawak.

Automatic registration
Karpal said he would also prefer other Pakatan Rakyat allies – PKR and PAS – to adopt the same one man-one seat election policy.

Karpal also wants the Election Offences Act 1954 to be amended to allow automatic registration of voters, enforce compulsory voting for all citizens and lower the current voting age limit of 21 to 18.

He will propose these amendments during parliamentary debate on Budget 2011, which is scheduled to be tabled by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Najib Tun Razak on Oct 15.

He wants the federal government to make the amendments before the next general election, which he forecast could be held together with the Sarawak state election after Chinese New Year next year.

Karpal said the automatic registration and compulsory voting would uphold the rights and responsibilities of citizens, while a voting age limit of 18 would standardise the country’s democratic process in line with the Age of Majority Act 1971.

Section Two of the Age of Majority Act states that minority of all males and females shall cease and determine within Malaysia at the age of 18 years and every such male and female attaining that age shall be of the age of majority.

“The compulsory voting shall be enforced with a severe penalty for the offenders,” said Karpal.

On the next general election, he said although Pakatan states need not hold state elections simultaneously with the parliamentary polls, it would be politically logical and realistic to do so.

He said simultaneous state elections in Pakatan-ruled Penang, Kedah, Selangor and Kelantan could neutralise Barisan Nasional election machinery’s focus and emphasis.

“Logically and realistically, it would boost Pakatan’s electoral chances,” he said.

Protesters call for Ronnie's resignation

By Teoh El Sen - Free Malaysia Today,

KLANG: Some 20 people staged a demonstration outside DAP leader Ronnie Liu's Pandaraman service centre here demanding that he quit as the Pandamaran assemblyman.

"Step down Ronnie Liu, step down!" they shouted.

Claiming to be residents and DAP members, the protesters said they were unhappy with Liu's performance in his constituency as well as the support letter controversy.

They also brought placards and banners, which among others, said:"Ronnie Liu, sila letak jawatan, you bawa banyak masalah di Pandamaran (Please resign Ronnie Liu, you bring a lot of trouble to Pandamaran)."

Another placard read: “Letak jawatan: tidak servis penduduk, buat kacau di pandamaran, makan bah kuteh dan durian di pandamaran. (Step down, (you) don't service the residents, create trouble in Pandamaran, and you only eat Bah Kut Teh and durian here).”

"What have you (Liu) done for the rakyat?” asked one of the protesters Yap Ah Sing.

Why the double standards?
Speaking in his capacity as a Klang resident and MCA Youth leader, he demanded an explanation why Liu, who is also a state exco, escaped unscathed from the support letter issue.

"DAP must explain. Why the double standards? Why was Liu not suspended or sacked?" he said.

Another resident, Tew Leong Yew said:" He has not been servicing the people here, not even basic things like clearing and maintaining drains. Even when a tree fell, nothing was done. There has been so many complaints."

Tew, a DAP member for over 10 years, added:" Most of us here supported Liu in the past, but now we see how he changed after he got his position. Why was Tee Boon Hock, who always helped people and did his job, the one who was sacked?"

A Valluvan, a Pasar branch DAP member lamented that they had “become victims” of Liu after the latter got his position.

"There's just so many things that he has not done,” said another DAP member Lee Poh Tiong.

“Look at the Jalan Banting traffic light, it's been spoilt for two weeks and till now unfixed. We are very angry," he added.

Asked if they were aware that action could be taken against them under the DAP constitution for demonstrating, several said they were prepared to be expelled.

Liu: Not DAP members

Before the demonstration started, Liu was attending an event, which included giving out rice to the people, not more than 50 metres away.

When asked to comment, he said:" I don't know who they are. They are Tee Boon Hock's supporters and disgruntled subcontractors and not DAP members."

However, another protester M Sivam scoffed at Liu's comment. "Not DAP members? Ask him to come see me," he said, waving his DAP member card.

Incumbent withdraws, DCM Mansor wins

By Athi Shankar - Free Malaysia Today

PERMATANG PAUH: The clash for the deputy chairman post in the PKR Permatang Pauh division was expected to be a match-up between David and Goliath with a possible upset looming.
However, the much anticipated political battle turned out be an anti-climax when incumbent Che Mat Hashim, 63, withdrew his candidacy at the eleventh hour.

His withdrawal led state PKR chief Mansor Othman, 60, to clinch the post unopposed.

Che Mat had faxed a letter stating his intention to withdraw from the contest to the party headquarters last night.

However, his decision did not go down well among his supporters, who thought he had an equal fighting chance to upset Mansor, the state deputy chief minister and Penanti assemblyman.

"He should not have withdrawn. We have done all the ground work for his victory," said his supporters.

Contacted later, a delighted Mansor confirmed that he had won the post unopposed. Che Mat, however, was unavailable for comment.

It is learnt that he had cited deteriorating health condition as the main reason for his withdrawal.

Pressured by Anwar
However, division insiders denied this.

According to them, Che Mat was pressured by PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim to withdraw from the contest.

The opposition leader is the MP for Permatang Pauh while his wife and party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is the division chairperson. Wan Azizah has been returned unopposed.

Mansor shifted his party membership to Permatang Pauh some three months ago to be closer with his constituents after relinquishing his chairman post in the Balik Pulau division.

Though he was the favourite due to his positions and closeness to Anwar, Mansor found it tough in the semi urban constituency as local sentiments against an “outsider” were strong.

Permatang Pauh division has 6,172 members eligible to vote.

Originally, the deputy chairman contest could have been a three-cornered when division secretary Roselai Muhamad, 53, joined the fray.

However, Roselai withdrew his candidacy within hours after filing the nomination papers following strong persuasion by Anwar.

Che Mat's last minute withdrawal leaves the vice-chairman contest as the only electoral battle in the division principal leadership.

A three-cornered fight is on between incumbent Zainal Abidin Saad, 44, and challengers teacher Alias Said, 46, and Seberang Perai Municipal Councillor Ramli Bulat, 59.

State PKR youth leader Amir Ghazali and Sarina Hashim retained the division youth and women's post uncontested. Sarina replaces retiring Khatijah Yahaya.

Do they have the courage to free the press?

By uppercaise - Free Malaysia Today,


COMMENT The journalists’ union is stirring. Newspaper people are afraid of the growing reach of Internet news, and how it will affect their livelihoods.
They want the government to ease up on press controls and to allow greater press freedom, for fear that otherwise circulation will drop even further as people flock to the Internet for more open discussion.

Well and good. Journalists should always fight to uphold free speech and press freedom, as a matter of principle.

But what if the government thinks like this: why open up the press, why not just tighten up on the Internet instead? It may be cynical to think so, but this is a very divided government, and we shouldn’t count on it being able to do something positive when they can do something negative instead, because it’s easier and expedient.

More open discussion may change perceptions among rural voters, and cost them seats at the election. That’s the biggest fear among Umno-BN politicians. That’s why they always say NGOs and others are “making the people confused”.

What they mean is that rural people are questioning them. And sometimes they don’t have the answer. The substantial rural vote is what props them up. So why should they change?

It takes courage
It takes real courage and real confidence to allow a free press and more open discussion. Mahathir Mohamad, for all his bluster and big talk, never had the courage to do so.

It doesn’t take courage to shout at faraway Jews who won’t shout back. But it takes real courage to have a free press and freedom of speech.

Mahathir chose the safer, cowardly path. He shut up the press but allowed urban voices loose on the Internet where few could hear.

Times have changed. If the press are not allowed greater flexibility and more freedom, there is a real danger that the main Umno-owned newspapers (UM, BH, NST) may just fade away, leaving only Metro and Kosmo.

The masses would read only about sex, crime, Bung Mokhtar and Ibrahim Ali and other UFOs, and amuse themselves that way.

For sure, it will keep their minds closed. But for sure, that’s the cowardly way. Can the government show some courage, for a change?

---

The writer is a veteran journalist who blogs under the pen name uppercaise in his blog under the same name.

BN needs new blood to reclaim Penang

By Hawkeye - Free Malaysia Today

GEORGE TOWN: Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) is calling for an infusion of new blood in Barisan Nasional if the coalition wants to recapture Penang in the next general election.
Its vice-president Huan Cheng Guan said this is an important aspect, which BN must realise before it is too late.

PCM is a small independent Penang-based party but since its inception last year, it has become a BN-friendly entity.

According to Huan, it is important that the old guard in Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC here make way for new blood as the public are generally fed up of old leaders.

"As the saying goes, if one overstays, one has exhausted one's welcome. This is what is happening in Penang. We need leaders who can exit gracefully and not linger around too long."

Huan said it is unfortunate that BN is still stuck with an uncertain direction because its old leaders find it difficult to adapt to the new political challenges, post-2008.

Their indecisive action have derailed the momentum for BN to become a strong opposition voice in Penang, Huan claimed.

He said the voice of the young must also be incorporated into BN's struggle as they represent the future of the coalition.

"I hope BN realises that it is pointless to win in their respective parties but when it comes to the general election, the same parties lose. We must showcase leaders who are accepted by the public and in the party. Not vice-versa."

Huan said the time is ripe for BN to become a credible critic of the Pakatan Rakyat-led government in Penang.

This is because the present state government is error-prone and have yet to make good on many promises they preached when campaigning for the last election, he added.

For example, he cited that DAP promised there would be free parking for ratepayers on weekends.

"Has it happened?. It has become worst actually as the parking rates in some areas were gradually increased," he claimed.

Same situation in Pakatan parties

Huan said the issue of overstaying has also afflicted Pakatan as their alliance also consists of old leaders.

However, voters do not have an alternative choice, so they have decided to support an inexperienced Pakatan, he said.

He also urged BN to play it tough in Penang, saying the federal government should suspend funding for the state, since the Pakatan government had previously declared it was capable of finding its own monetary resources to govern the state.

"If we continue to pamper Penang with funding, the Pakatan government would become complacent and start shifting blame on everything to the federal-side. This is happening now."

Huan challenged Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to reveal the investment figures he has obtained following 11 overseas trips to entice investors from all corners of the globe.

It is not only the role of the federal government to govern, the state government and its local authorities must also aspire to deliver good governance to the people, he said.

He also hopes the traditional critical mindset of Penangites would come to root in the next election.

While they may continue to vote for Pakatan, they should also give more seats to BN, so the coalition can become a better watchdog of the former's administration, he said.

The art of spinning

If you can remember, I mentioned the Unholy Trinity of Shahidan Shafie (the ex-police officer sacked for corruption and now a Mister Fixit wheeler-dealer), the Attorney-General, and MAS scammer Tajuddin Ramli. Well, unlike Satu Hala who just spins, and has been caught lying at that, I would like to show you photographs of these three personalities being seen together.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Do you remember the piece by ‘Satu Hala’ about me getting drunk and collapsing beside the drain? If you have not read it yet then you can read it below.
If you want to spin then you had better first learn the art of spinning. For example, Satu Hala talks about me found lying beside a drain at the Black Prince in Vauxhall, London.
I don’t know where that place is because I have never been there. Furthermore, I do not live in London. Nevertheless, that is my word against Satu Hala’s. But what Satu Hala can’t deny is that there is no drain outside the Black Prince, as the picture below shows. In fact, there are no open drains anywhere in London. London uses sewers, not open drains like Kuala Lumpur. And the picture below shows so.

The second point Satu Hala made was about the hill and that I was too drunk to walk up the slope. Well, the map below shows where that area is and there are no hills in that part of London. That area is flat.

So, as I said, if you want to spin then get your facts right. At least if you want to spin then make sure I am not able to dispute it.
Okay, now I would like to refer to the 13 episodes I wrote recently regarding the MAS financial scandal.
Part 2: Tajudin Ramli will not be enjoying his Hari Raya this year
Part 1: Malaysia Today at the centre of the MAS-Tajudin scuffle
Umno’s hands in every pie
10th episode: Now let’s see how else MAS was plundered
If you can remember, I mentioned the Unholy Trinity of Shahidan Shafie (the ex-police officer sacked for corruption and now a Mister Fixit wheeler-dealer), the Attorney-General, and MAS scammer Tajuddin Ramli. Well, unlike Satu Hala who just spins, and has been caught lying at that, I would like to show you photographs of these three personalities being seen together. Now let us see what Satu Hala has to say about this. At least I can support my ‘spin’ with photographs.

Shahidan Shafie

Shahidan Shafie (his hand slightly covering his face) in conference with the Attorney-General

The Attorney-General (with the double-chin in two-tone shirt) and Tajuddin Ramli (white skullcap and hand on his chin) both arriving at Shahidan Shafie’s home

The Attorney-General and Tajuddin Ramli ‘break away’ when they spot our cameraman about to take a shot of them whispering to each other

****************************************

HARDtalk-Reject Raja Petra Gets Drunk By the Drain in London
By Satu Hala
I didn’t know whether it was true or not when I first heard it.
But knowing Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK), a man that has never prayed and a hardcore drinker, I suppose it wasn’t so surprising.
Only it was a bit embarrassing that RPK, supposedly a great man with royal blood and all got wasted until he was found lying by the drain like an old man.
I got this news from a Macha in his gang...Rakan Pakatan (it is said that the Malaysian drinkers’ group in London City was established with the help of Zaid Ibrahim not long ago).
The guy in this Rakan Pakatan, Parvin Santosh, relayed to me the story about what happened last night via email.
According to Parvin, due to his anger and frustration at not being able to appear on HARDtalk, RPK invited a few friends to go let loose.
“I didn’t follow, but there were a few friends that went for a drink with Pete (RPK) at the Black Prince Bar at Vauxhall in London,” he said.
Parvin said they went for an evening drink and RPK had even settled the bill.
However, he did not go back in a cab even after being cajoled to do so by his friends, who clearly saw that his face was already one kind of red due to excessive alcohol.
“RPK said he was used to it, no problem, and that he wanted to walk for awhile before getting a taxi to go home,” he said.
But he did not go home...and those drinking experts knew what happened.
“The second time I followed my friends there and just as expected, we found our dear friend Pete by a small drain outside the bar. The place was a bit hilly so maybe Pete couldn’t make himself walk up the slope,” he explained.
Parvin said nobody there would care if you’re slumped by the drain especially if you’re a drunken Asian.
Parvin is a long time friend of mine that has been residing for the longest time in London (he doesn’t want to use the word migrate....what la you macha!)  
He said he knew if he told me this story would end up on Malaysian-instinct.com, but he was the one itching to type and tell.
“I know you’re going to dish this one out right?” he said in his email (dey macha, if you already know why tell).
Anyhow....RPK....you’re a big time embarrassment...
I know you’re a boozer, but did you have to get drunk during Ramadan.
Where is your pride you devil (that’s right, devil suits you best!)...and since you’re the devil, I don’t want to talk about faith and believes.
But...what else can we expect from a guy whose son is rotting in jail, wife who enjoys weird sex and RPK himself who brought up his family with money from his work of slandering others.
Frust a bit and there he goes slumping by the drain....cehhhhhh....just accept the fact that people don’t want you because you’re a compulsive liar....and now turning into a compulsive drinker.

Liputan Royalti minyak Kelantan-Al-Jazeera

Anasir Lunturkan Semangat Perjuangan PKR…

Dari Merdeka Review

“Kita terus menerbitkan Suara, walaupun cara ini melanggar undang-undang. Kita terus mengedarkan Suara walaupun banyak pengedar yang diugut. Kita tidak ada pilihan lain. Pihak berkuasa menuduh kita melanggar undang-undang. Akan tetapi, dengan menafikan hak kita untuk bersuara, sebagaimana yang dijanjikan oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan, Kerajaan sebenarnya menggalakkan kita melakukan aktiviti di luar undang-undang. Ini tuntutan masa dan keadaan.” — Dipetik daripada ucapan perasmian Syed Husin Ali, selaku Timbalan Presiden dalam Kongres Nasional Tahunan AMK dan Wanita PKR, pada 1 September 2006.

Suara Keadilan, lidah rasmi PKR selepas penggabungan antara Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) dengan Parti KeADILan Nasional, tidak memperolehi permit sejak terbitan sulungnya pada Jun 2005. Bagaimanapun, terbitan diteruskan biarpun berdepan dengan tekanan dan ugutan dari Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN).

Seandainya diimbas, ia mungkin detik saat yang paling sukar untuk PKR, dengan hanya tinggal seorang ahli parlimen, iaitu Presidennya, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail setelah dibadai “gelombang biru” dalam PRU ke-11. Namun demikian, semangat perjuangan pimpinan dan anggotanya menjadi obor yang menerangkan kesuraman ini.

Ia tidak terhenti setakat pada ucapan Syed Husin Ali, atau seruan Ketua Penerangan ketika itu, Tian Chua semasa sesi penggulungan perbahasan dalam Kongres Nasional Tahunan, untuk berdemonstrasi menuntut hak penerbitan lidah parti. Kata-kata diterjemahkan kepada tindakan, apabila pimpinan dan anggota PKR turun gelanggang untuk berkumpul di bawah pejabat SUHAKAM pada 24 November 2006.

Protes hangat-hangat ayam?

Adegan tersebut tidak kelihatan lagi, biarpun PKR kini ditimpa nasib yang sama – permit Suara Keadilan tidak diperbaharui. Tindakan protes agak hangat sebermulanya, apabila PKR mengambil langkah untuk menerbitkan lidah partinya dalam bentuk edisi tidak berkala, bermula dengan Keadilan (12 Julai 2010), Obor Keadilan (19 Julai 2010), Sinar Keadilan (26 Julai 2010), Utusan Keadilan (2 Ogos 2010), Berita Keadilan (9 Ogos 2010) dan kemudiannya berhenti di Metro Keadilan (16 Ogos 2010).

“Saya rasa ini sedang diperjuangkan…” Syed Husin Ali, Timbalan Presiden PKR cuba mempertahankan partinya, dalam satu wawancara bersama MerdekaReview, yang diadakan di pejabatnya, semalam.

Jawapan beliau ditemukan dengan soalan susulan, “Tetapi mengapa ia diberhentikan?”

“Ada perubahan dalam Suara Keadilan…” Beliau akhirnya mengakur, menceritakan bagaimana organ parti ini diambil alih oleh “golongan yang dianggap profesional”, dari tangan “orang yang bersemangat tetapi dianggap tidak profesional”.

Pengambil-alihan ini berlaku selepas tsunami politik, apabila PKR dilambung dengan harapan tinggi daripada rakyat. Babak ini menyaksikan bagaimana Zunar, Ketua Pengarang dengan kakitangannya dalam Suara Keadilan, terpaksa memberi laluan kepada pasukan editorial baru.

“Test (ujian) yang pertama ialah golongan profesional ini, misalnya kali pertama, dua tahun lalu, (Suara Keadilan) dihentikan, (selepas tsunami), sudah dihentikan. Suara Keadilan tak ada permit, mereka berundur. Yang profesional takut.”

Syed Husin Ali (gambar kiri) menyambung, “Dan saya kata waktu itu, keluarkan (terbitkan), buat atas nama saya. Dan mereka teruskan. Tapi yang meneruskan ialah golongan yang bersemangat dan berani itu. Tetapi, apabila golongan yang profesional ini mengambil alih, walaupun saya katakan nama permit tu nama saya, saya ambil tanggungjawab, tapi mereka kurang berani.”

Profesional tetapi tak berani?

Di sini ia memperlihatkan satu perubahan dalam sikap, yang berlaku di kalangan anggota mahupun pimpinan parti. Syed Husin Ali mengakuinya, “Tapi, itu tak bererti terus mengalah begitu sahaja. Sebab sekarang, salah satu sebab, golongan profesional ini dia memikirkan soal kewangan, untung-rugi, kan? Dan bila tak ada wang, dia tak berani nak keluarkan.”

Apakah fenomena ini membimbangkan Timbalan Presiden, yang bakal berundur? “Ada, ada kemungkinannya nilai-nilai kebendaan dan kewangan mendominasi dalam parti. Kebimbangan itu ada. Ini bukan masalah parti. Ini masalah seluruh masyarakat. Seluruh dunia. Dan sangat susah untuk kita menongkah arus… Orang yang bodoh-bodoh macam saya sahaja…”

Beliau ketawa bersama wartawan, untuk jawapan yang tidak perlu dijelaskan lagi. Tetapi, bukankah ia satu sindiran yang sinis, apabila PKR mampu mengharungi rintangan ini pada zaman yang paling sukar buat partinya, tetapi kini dengan segala syarat atau kelebihan yang ada, misalnya kuasa kerajaan negeri, bilangan wakil rakyat yang bertambah, ia pula senang mengalah?

Syed Husin Ali terpaksa mengakuinya, sambil meluahkan apa yang terpendam, “Ini satu fenomena yang kurang baik, kerana lebih sibuk sekarang ini dengan soal-soal kerajaan, dengan soal jadi wakil rakyat, dengan soal jadi ADUN, daripada memikirkan kerja-kerja dan sumbangan terhadap rakyat.”

Melihat kepada senario ini, mungkin ada yang menganggap teguran ahli politik veteran ini masih diperlukan dalam PKR. Tetapi, secara terus-terang beliau berkata, “Walaupun saya berada di situ, ataupun tak ada di situ, perkara ini akan berlaku…”

Peranan Soh Chee Wen

Jelas, sesuatu yang “tidak kena” berlaku dalam PKR itu sendiri. Kemasukan “golongan yang dianggap profesional, tetapi tidak bersemangat” ke dalam parti selepas tsunami politik pada tahun 2008, harus diteliti. Wartawan seterusnya menyebut nama “Soh Chee Wen”, yang dibangkitkan oleh Zaid Ibrahim secara terbuka baru-baru ini dalam kenyataannya…

Soalannnya berbunyi, “Sejauh manakah peranan Soh Chee Wen (gambar kanan) dalam parti?”

“Sekarang tak ada,” jawab Syed Husin Ali.

“Dulu ada?” tanya wartawan.

“Dulu ada, dari segi kewangan…” Syed Husin Ali jelas teragu-ragu, mungkin dikhuatiri sama ada dirinya membongkar rahsia parti, yang sebenarnya sudah menjadi rahsia terbuka.

“Sekarang tak ada. Sekarang tidak boleh lagi.” Apabila wartawan mendesak, beliau dengan lantas menjawab, “Saya tidak tahu”. Bagaimanapun, akhirnya beliau memberi bayangan, “Baca Free Malaysia Today, kaji siapa di belakangnya… Adakah ia menganggap parti sebagai kawan, atau lawan?”

Namun, jelas Syed Husin Ali terusik dengan kenyataan Zaid Ibrahim, Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan PKR Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, yang mempersoalkan, bukankah Soh Chee Wen sahabat Anwar? ?Siapakah ‘”Musuh Parti” dalam PKR??

“Saya akan kata, satu waktu dulu…” Syed Husin Ali menjelaskan, “Anwar (gambar kanan) pun sahabat baik dengan ramai orang yang telah keluar daripada parti. Sama ada anggota parlimen, ataupun orang yang pernah aktif dalam parti. Tetapi bila mengambil satu sikap yang tertentu, takkan boleh katakan mereka tu bekerjasama ataupun sepandangan.”

“Sudah berubah, sudah berubah…” Demikianlah yang diulangi oleh ahli politik yang berusia 74 tahun ini. Beliau menambah, perhubungan antara orang dengan keadaan sentiasa berubah dalam politik, sehingga orang mengatakan “tiada yang tetap dalam politik”.

“Maka tak usahlah dibangkitkan bahawa hubungan mereka yang baik seketika dahulu, apabila keadaan sudah berubah sekarang,” kata Syed Husin Ali.

Soh Chee Wen dikatakan memainkan peranan yang aktif seketika dahulu di ibu pejabat PKR. Bagaimanapun, beliau kini telah meninggalkan pejabatnya, kebetulan tidak lama selepas bekas Setiausaha Agung, Salehuddin Hashim meletak jawatan.

Soh Chee Wen, bekas pemimpin yang berkecimpung di antara dunia politik dan korporat, terkenal sebagai orang kanan Ling Liong Sik ketika Ling menerajui pimpinan MCA. Namun, hubungan Soh Chee Wen dengan Ling Liong Sik menjadi tegang semasa kemelut ekonomi pada tahun 1997, malah Soh melarikan diri ke luar negara setelah disabit dengan tuduhan jenayah komersial.

“Dana sumbangan” merupakan sesuatu yang lumrah dalam operasi parti politik. Dalam dunia realiti, udang tetap akan bersembunyi di sebalik batu. Dana sumbangan tidak datang secara percuma…

“Ada, ” Syed Husin Ali cuba menafikan, menjelaskan bahawa “ada yang menderma dan tidak begitu demanding (permintaan yang banyak)”. Beliau menambah, tanpa merujuk kepada siapa-siapa, “Dia (penyumbang dana politik) tidak boleh menggunakan wang sebagai leverage (pengaruh) untuk menentukan dasar.”

“Mana-mana parti politik tidak akan keberatan untuk menerima sumbangan yang ikhlas, tetapi bukan dikenakan syarat, misalnya siapa yang hendak diangkat (menjadi pimpinan), rancangan apa yang dijalankan, atau dasar apa yang perlu dilaksanakan…” tegas beliau.

Sementara mengalu-alukan sokongan kebendaan dan moral, Syed Husin Ali berterus-terang, “Sebenarnya parti tidak seharusnya bergantung kepada orang-orang tertentu. Sama ada dari segi kewangan ataupun dari segi organisasi. Ataupun dari segi politik. Tak boleh. Bahkan parti tak boleh bergantung hanya pada Anwar.”

“Parti harus bergantung kepada organisasi, dasar dan sebagainya…” tegas Syed husin Ali. (Bahagian pertama, bersambung)

*Wawancara ini dijalankan oleh Lim Hong Siang dan Wong Shu Qi dari MerdekaReview, di pejabat Timbalan Presiden PKR, Syed Husin Ali pada 16 September 2010.

Call for RCI into why no action had been taken on earlier police reports as far back as 2005 against the lawyer brothers linked to the mass murders of Sosilawati and 3 others

By Lim Kit Siang,

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon said yesterday that “All quarters should work together in making the 1 Malaysia concept and the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) a success instead of creating controversial issues which will not do any good to the country’s development”. (Malaysian Insider)

He said what was more important now was for all quarters to pay attention to improve the country’s economy and offer better service to the people, both in the urban and rural areas.

“If there are views or criticisms, the criticisms should be something constructive and positive and not something that could create disharmony among the parties.

As example he cited: “For example, a crime should not be linked to a racial issue because it will not do any good to anybody.”

The Umno newspaper, Utusan Malaysia has been most guilty of being negative, destructive and even downright irresponsible, mischievous and malicious in its campaign to undermine national unity and harmony in the country.

It is most deplorable that Utusan Malaysia had tried to politicise and racialise the heinous, gruesome and despicable mass murders of Datuk Sosilawai Lawiya and three others in Banting for its ignoble objectives, publishing the defamatory insinuation and double lies on Sept. 16 that DAP was siding with the mass murderers and had been silent on the mass murders either because the “Datuk” killer was DAP member or DAP “fights for the rights of a certain race only”.

In actual fact, DAP had come out with an unreserved condemnation of the mass murders of Datuk Sosilawati and three others when such terrible crimes came to light on Sept. 12, and in my first press conference in Kota Kinabalu on Sept. 15 on my return to Malaysia from the Shanghai World Expo, I had also denounced in the strongest possible terms the heinous, gruesome crimes of the mass murders of Sosilawati and three others.

What is the use of Tsu Koon preaching about 1Malaysia when he dared not denounce the gutter journalism practised by Utusan Malaysia?

I join the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in congratulating the police for their efficiency in solving the mass murders of Datuk Sosilawati and three others.
The Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin is on public record as saying that the police have established a strong case against the two lawyer brothers and six others over the murder of the cosmetic millionaire and her three associates, and expect to submit their report on the murders to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in the coming week.

Malaysians regardless of race, religion or political affiliation demands speedy justice to be meted out to the mass murderers who should not expect any mercy for their horrific crimes.

With the police halting evidence gathering at the farm in Ladang Gadong where the murders allegedly took place and Sungai Panchau where their bodies were believed to have been burnt and dumped, the time has come for the authorities to address the other public concern arising from the mass murders of Sosilawati and the three others.

This is the shocking police inaction over numerous police reports lodged against the two lawyer brothers linked to the Sosilawati mass murders going as far back as 2005, involving fraud, criminal breach of trust, missing persons and murder, and the public concern that Sosilawati and the three other victims would still be alive today if the police had acted efficiently and professionally on these police reports.

In yesterday’s Star, Comm Mohd Bakri was asked whether an internal investigation would be conducted on the lack of action on previous missing person reports before the high-profile murder of Sosilawati emerged, and he replied: “Let us focus on the murders first.”

With the police finalising their reports to the Attorney-General on the Sosilawati mass murders, focus must now return to the question whether Sosilawati and the three others would still be alive today if the police had acted efficiently and professionally on the spate of serious police reports against the two lawyer brothers and why there had been no police action to protect the public since the first police report against the lawyer brothers was lodged five years ago in 2005.

There can be no denial that the efficiency of the police action in solving the Sosilawati mass murders cannot undo the grave damage to the country’s investment climate caused by adverse national and international media reports of how serious and rampant crimes had been allowed to go unchecked – with foreign media reports speculating that up to 20 people both local and foreign could have been killed and their bodies dumped into a river based on 300 bone fragments recovered in Sungai Panchau.

An internal police investigation is completely inadequate, unsatisfactory and unacceptable to restore both public and investor confidence and I call for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry to establish why no action had been taken on earlier police reports dating as far back as 2005 against the lawyer brothers linked to the mass murders of Datuk Sosilawati and three others.

(Media comments after the launching of the DAP Pasir Pinji Service Centre Foodfair at Tou Mou Temple, Ipoh on Sunday, 19th September 2010 at 9 am)

Gerakan Determined To Regain Lost Seats

MELAKA, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Gerakan has the confidence and resoluteness to regain the seats it lost to the opposition in the last general election.

Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the party was working very hard and was mobilising the party machinery to achieve this goal.

"We have decided that we have the confidence and determination to win," he told reporters after opening the Melaka Gerakan general meeting, here.

Dr Koh said this when asked to comment on the suggestion by Penang Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi that Gerakan handed over the seats it contested in the last general election to the other Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties if it was not confident of winning.

Ahmad Zahid was reported to have said that such a move was appropriate because it would be pointless for the party to contest in the general election if it did not make adequate preparation to contest.

Dr Koh said the party would continue to work hard and collaborate with other BN component parties to ensure victory.

PM fully supports inter-faith efforts in Malaysia

The Star 

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants Malaysia to remain a peaceful nation where the spirit of unity is strong and steadfast among the races.

The Prime Minister said the setting up of the Inter-faith Relations Working Committee – aimed at promoting understanding and harmony – was in line with the 1Malaysia concept to enhance further unity among Malaysians.

Committee co-ordinator Datuk Ilani Isahak said this was what the Prime Minister relayed to members of the Inter-faith Relations Working Committee during a meeting at his office on Tuesday.

“The Prime Minister said there should be more meetings like the one we had. He also said the committee is a mechanism that can help resolve related issues and problems,” Ilani said yesterday.

The committee was established in February to promote inter-religious understanding and harmony.

Among those who attended the 45-minute session with the Prime Minister were Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom as well as representatives from the Islamic Development Department, Institute of Islamic Understanding, Allied Co-ordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs (Accin), Malaysian Consultative Council on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST), Interfaith Spiritual Fellowship, and Fatwa Management and Research Institute.

Ilani said Najib would also be hosting a gathering with leaders of religious bodies on Wednesday.

MCCBCHST president Rev Dr Thomas Philips said the meeting was a manifestation of Najib’s commitment to further improve unity among the society based on the 1Malaysia spirit.

Accin representative Zaid Kamarudin said the body supported the positive approach which the committee had embarked on to promote understanding and harmony among Malaysians.

“We must continue such efforts for the good of all and find ways to help strengthen the family institution and tackle social issues. Accin is committed to help ensure all these efforts and objectives are successful,” he said.

School still without a principal?

By Anil Netto,

From what I hear, the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Putra Secondary School in Johor has been without a principal on duty for over a month.

School principal Siti Inshah Mansor has been away since 16 August after she was alleged to have uttered racist remarks to pupils.


The school is now being administered by a senior assistant, according to the parent of one of the pupils at the school. On 23 August, this notice appeared on the Kulai District Education Department’s website.

On 3 September, the Star reported that the Public Services Department was going through a six-inch-thick report (six inches?!) submitted by the Education Ministry. If there was a case, the disciplinary committee would deliberate and a show cause letter issued to the principal, who would be given the opportunity to defend herself.

How slowly things are moving in this case. One way or another, the authorities will have to reveal – and reveal soon – what action they are taking. Malaysians are watching.