Bishop wants ‘iron-clad’ guarantee on hudud

Commenting on the row over hudud, Bishop Paul Tan says 'let the Kelantanese have it'. But he wants a guarantee that non-Muslims will not be affected.

PETALING JAYA: The opposition bloc of diameterically opposed ideologies is grappling with the controversy surrounding the proposal to implement hudud in Kelantan – an issue, which political observers warned, could sever Pakatan Rakyat’s support, especially among non-Muslims.

Admist the raging debate, a Catholic leader argued that it would be hypocritical to oppose the Islamic-based PAS on this issue but demanded an iron-cast assurance from Pakatan supremo Anwar Ibrahim.

Should hudud be implemented in the PAS-governed state, Bishop Paul Tan said the opposition leader must obtain a guarantee that non-Muslims residing in Kelantan would not be subjected to it.

The 72-year-old head of the Malacca and Johor diocese would also prefer if the other parties in Pakatan, namely DAP, work towards securing a similar guarantee as well.

The secularist DAP, which relies on the support of the Chinese electorate, had always been opposed to PAS’ vision of turning Malaysia into an Islamic state.

Tan said while his core stance would be to dissuade the Kelantan state government from implementing hudud, this however was not a realistic position, given that Muslims were obliged to support syariah law which encompassed hudud.

“I stand by my Catholic teaching that every individual must be free to choose his/her religious beliefs. Since we, Catholics, demand this right for ourselves, it would be hypocritical not to give the same human rights to others, here specifically to Muslims,” the bishop told FMT.

“Once you come to terms with the unrealism of the rejectionist stance, you switch to its opposite, which is to give support to the view that Kelantanese Muslims ought to be allowed to see for themselves what living under syariah would be like.

“The rest of Malaysia can stand by and observe. So long as we don’t cede our right to vote, we can use the ballot box, whenever general elections are held, to render our verdict as the evidence unfolds on the success or otherwise of this experience. PAS abides by democratic rules. It would have to submit to the ultimate verdict of the people,” he added.

‘A Kelantanese thing’

Tan pointed out that the issue was a “Kelantanese thing” since the menteri besar of Selangor, another Pakatan-controlled state, clarified that Islamic law would not be implemented there.

He said it was not for nothing that the Kelantanese considered their state – with a predominantly Muslim population – of being “Serambi Mekah” (Corridor to Mecca).

“Since they so dearly want syariah, I say let them have it. The rest of Malaysia can watch and see and decide which systems they prefer as and when elections come around.

“I think the unrealistic position is to tell a fervent Muslim that he cannot acquit himself of his obligation to support syariah,” he added.

Asked if as a Christian leader he considered PAS’ theocratic goals as a threat, Tan responded by citing the situation in other countries.

“Do you see Christians in Pakistan happy with the state of things there since the time General Zia Ul-Haq introduced syariah law in Pakistan in the 1980s?

“Did you see Christians in south Sudan (now independent) happy with the state of things from the time Hassan Turabi convinced Jaafar al-Numieri to introduce Islamic law in the country?

“Do you see Indonesian Christians happy with the state of things since the time militant Muslims, although a minority in that country, began to thrust themselves onto the national stage from the later part of Suharto’s tenure till now?” he asked.

Tan said that he could go on citing examples, but noted that it would not be helpful in the Malaysian context.

“Here, on the one hand, you have imposters using religion to garner support and, on the other, you have earnest Muslims in Kelantan thinking that they can replicate the ‘best of all communities designed for man’, which is what the Quranic scriptures say about the communities in Mecca and Medina during the time when Islam’s Prophet ruled,” he added.

‘Not interested in Umno”

Referring to PAS spritual leader and Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Tan also asked if he was expected to say “No” (oppose the implementation of hudud) to a menteri besar who next month finished 21 years at the helm “with not a speck of corruption hanging to his name”.

“I say it’s better for us to say ‘Go ahead, just give us cast-iron guarantees that it won’t be imposed on non-Muslims’. And then, we sit back and see what happens,” he said.

On whether Umno might be tempted to follow suit in an attempt to win over the support of Malay-Muslim voters, the bishop did not mince his words.

“Actually, I have ceased to care what Umno is up to,” he said.

“They are the ones that are chiefly responsible for this huge deficit in Malaysian – particularly Kelantanese – Muslim belief that good secular governance can be obtained in this country.

“I am more concerned to see what their opponents are up to and determined to keep those opponents true to their professions,” he added.

Perkasa mob’s attack ‘premeditated’

If their intention was to hand over a memorandum as claimed, why fling bottles and stones at crowd, asks Seremban PAS chief

SEREMBAN: The Perkasa mob which disrupted a PAS dinner-cum-ceramah last Saturday had carried out a “well-planned and premeditated” attack, said Seremban PAS chief MK Ibrahim.

“The excuse that they were there just to hand over a memorandum is unacceptable. If they really wanted to do that, why throw stones and bottles at the crowd?

“This was a Hari Raya dinner as well. There were women, children and senior citizens among the crowd. They could have been badly hurt,” said Ibrahim.

“They did not come with the intention of handing over a memorandum but to deliberately disrupt the event to get cheap publicity,” he added.

About 100 Perkasa members created a ruckus when they tried to storm the ceramah attended by PAS deputy president Mat Sabu.

They came with banners that read: “Mat Sabu Pembohong (Liar)”, “Mat Sabu Perosak Bangsa (Corrupter of the race)” and “Mat Sabu Hina Pejuang (Insults freedom fighters)”.

In the ensuing fracas, a PAS supporter was hit in the head with a stone and another, suffered a broken nose while several others were injured.

Negri Sembilan PAS commissioner Mohd Taufek Abdul Ghani said the party is considering seeking compensation from the those whose actions resulted in injuries to its supporters.

“But it will depend on the outcome of the police investigation,” he said.

“We are ready to assist the police,” Taufek added.

He said that the uncivilised behaviour of the Perkasa members showed that the NGO had little respect for the constitution and the laws of the land.

The Hudud issue: FOR and AGAINST

Basically, you have a democratic right to dream about Hudud and to support it. And you also have a democratic right to have nightmares about Hudud and to oppose it. The problem is, both sides do not understand democracy and do not respect the democratic right of someone to support or oppose what they feel they want to support or oppose.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Let us first argue FOR.

We are always shouting and screaming that Barisan Nasional does not respect the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. We accuse Barisan Nasional of violating the Constitution. But is it only Barisan Nasional that is guilty of this or are we also guilty of the same?

What does the Constitution say? It says that religion (meaning Islam) is a state matter and comes under the Ruler of that state. In states that do not have Rulers, then religion comes under the Agong.

That means the states have power over matters involving Islam.

Now, this is what the Constitution stipulates. And if we don’t like that or do not agree with that, tough! Then we shall have to amend the Constitution so that matters concerning religion can be brought under the control of the federal government.

However, to do that, we shall first have to control a majority in Parliament. And that means we will have to ensure that we vote in a new government that is prepared to make these amendments to the Constitution.

And if we can’t find any government that is prepared to make these amendments then we are stuck. That means that particular Article in the Constitution will stay and cannot be amended.

Okay, since religion is a state matter, this means each state decides on all matters concerning the Shariah. For example, one state might ban Muslims from drinking and punish offenders with a fine. Another state might punish offenders with a jail sentence while, yet another, may impose whipping as the punishment. Then we might see a situation where a state does not punish offenders at all and just turns a blind eye to Muslims who drink.

Ultimately, it is entirely up to that state what it wants to do with regards to the Shariah, whether it involves liquor, illicit sex, or whatever. But in situations like prostitution, rape, robbery, murder, etc., where we already have federal laws concerning such crimes, then federal laws and not state Shariah laws would apply. Federal laws override state laws even in matters concerning Islam. Only when the federal laws are ‘silent’ would the state laws apply.

The bottom line is, the state decides what it wants to do in all matters concerning Islam unless there are already federal laws to address certain issues, mostly related to crimes.

So, 20 years ago, Kelantan passed a bill in the State Assembly to enact the Shariah law of Hudud and, ten years ago, Terengganu did the same. So what is wrong with that? Isn’t that the powers of the states? Since it is legal then why are we making an issue out of it?

However, if it involves liquor, illicit sex and whatnot, the state can impose whatever punishment it wants. Only when it involves crimes already covered by federal laws will Parliament have to approve those new state laws first before they can be implemented.

And Parliament did not approve them. Parliament blocked the move by Kelantan and Terengganu and until today the Shariah law of Hudud can’t be implemented in those two states. That is also correct. That is within the powers of Parliament. And, until the majority in Parliament votes otherwise, this state of affairs will continue.

Now, assuming they do a referendum and more than half the citizens of Kelantan and Terengganu (two states where 97% of the population are Muslims) vote in favour of Hudud and, say, Parliament decides (by majority vote) to approve these laws since a referendum has been taken and more than half the citizens of those states voted in favour of these laws, is this not democracy at work?

We say we want democracy. Well, that is democracy. Why then are we still shouting and screaming?
So you see, democracy works both ways. And democracy may not necessarily always be good when we are in the minority. However, whether you like it or not, majority rules. And this is the reality we have to accept. Tough!

Now let us argue AGAINST.

The theists (in this case the Muslims) argue that the Shariah law of Hudud is God’s law. And because of that they want the Hudud laws to be implemented in Malaysia.

That is well and fine if Malaysia were a theological state. But Malaysia is not a theological state. Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy modelled after Britain’s Westminster system of government. In short, Malaysia is a Secular State with partial implementation of the Shariah -- but only in certain matters and certainly not in matters involving crime.

So, again, we have to go through the same process as what we argued above for the FOR. That means you need to get Parliament to approve these new state laws. And, to do that, you will need to control a majority in Parliament. And if that can’t be done, tough! Then nothing is going to happen.

Chances are we shall continue to see different governments at state and federal levels for a long time to come. And that would mean the federal government would continue to move in the opposite direction to the state governments. And that means the Shariah law of Hudud will continue to remain mere talk and an aspiration of certain people who are never going to see it happen.

Yes, Malaysia is a democracy. So you are free to continue talking about it and aspire to see it happen. That is your democratic right. But whether you are ever going to see it happen is another thing altogether. And it is not right for those people who grudge you talking about it and stop you from aspiring to see it happen. You have every democratic right to wish for the Shariah law of Hudud and no one should tell you to shut up.

In this situation both sides are wrong. Those who do not allow those who support Hudud to talk about it are wrong. And those who want to force Hudud down the throats of Malaysians using the argument that this is God’s law are also wrong.

Basically, you have a democratic right to dream about Hudud and to support it. And you also have a democratic right to have nightmares about Hudud and to oppose it. The problem is, both sides do not understand democracy and do not respect the democratic right of someone to support or oppose what they feel they want to support or oppose.

This is the crux to the whole matter and this is why we are seeing so much conflict amongst Malaysians with regards to this very touchy matter called Hudud.

Whilst the nation inches towards financial ruin…

I have to confess that most times that Arthur engages me on the global capital markets, much of what he says is Greek to me.
Still very much a kampung boy, I guess.
Not so kampung boy, though, that I cannot make out from this report in the Malaysianinsider that the attention of the whole world is turned to how Europe and the US deal with their debt crisis that is threatening to wreak havoc in national economies worldwide.
Well, the whole world except, it would seem, in Kelantan.
Maybe even the whole country.
Certainly, though, Kelantan seems oblivious to the impending financial crisis.
Nik Aziz seems determined to see hudud made the paramount law of all Kelantanese who profess Islam as their religion.
And the law applicable to any Muslim passing through the state.
Prof Aziz Bari, as reported in Malaysiakini, seems dead certain that the majority of Kelantanese are all for hudud law being implemented in the state.
Why, he says, the government is even prepared to take a referendum to the people on this issue.
What’s not clear from the report is, firstly, whether by ‘majority of Kelantanese’, Aziz also meant the non-Muslim community, and, secondly, whether the Kelantanese non-Muslim community would also partake in any state-wide referendum on the issue?
What good, though, would such a referendum serve unless those who think it unwise to de-secularise Kelantan are given the widest possible berth to share those concerns with all the Kelantanese?
Will PAS allow for this?
Aziz is quoted as saying that he had the opportunity to listen to the sentiments of the grassroots and thereby discerned their inclination towards the implementation of hudud in the state.
It would have been good if, even as he sought their views on the hudud, Aziz had also elicited from that same grassroot their thoughts and concerns about the economic development or, more accurately, the near absence thereof, in the state.
Kelantan is, after all, ranked 5th amongst all the states in terms of the incidence of poverty.
As PAS pushes to implement hudud, do they also have a plan to uplift the economic lot of the impoverished Kelantanese?
That you do not need hudud law to rejuvenate the economy is exemplified by what the Pakatan state government has achieved in Penang these last 3 years.
Aziz postulates that there is no restriction in the constitution for the introduction and implementation of Islamic law, including the hudud.
His reasoning then, seems to be that as there is no such restriction and as the majority favour it, the will of the majority be done.
Aziz must concede that there is also no prohibition in the constitution for the introduction into law of any Christian precepts.
According to Wikipedia, Sarawak has the largest population of Christians, over 43% of the population being of this faith.
26% are Muslim.
If the Christians in Sarawak could get another 10 % of the population to support them in a referendum, would Aziz go along with the state then justifiably legislating to, say, as an example, make it incumbent upon every Christian in the state to ‘take the Gospel to all, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’?
What’s good for Kelantan must surely be just as good for Sarawak, no?
Respectfully, I think Aziz Bari’s reasoning why hudud could, without any difficulty, be implemented in Kelantan is seriously flawed and, if time permits, I would try to address these various flaws in another posting.
The principal plank in Aziz’s flawed argument, in my view, is his outright dismissal to claims that we were, at the very inception of Malaya and, continuing through to the forming of the nation we now are, intended to be secular.
In taking this position, Aziz disregards the pronouncement by a 5-man bench of the Supreme Court in the case of Che Omar Che Soh that “…it can be seen that during the British colonial period, through their system of indirect rule and establishment of secular institutions, Islamic law was rendered isolated in a narrow confinement of the law of marriage, divorce and inheritance only. In our view, it is in this sense that the framers of the Constitution understood the meaning of the word ‘Islam’ in the context of Article 3. If it had been otherwise, there would have been another provision in the Constitution which would have the effect that any law contrary to the injunction of Islam will be void. Far from making such provision, Article 162, on the other hand, purposely preserves the continuity of secular law prior to the Constitution, unless such law is contrary to the latter…we have to set aside our personal feelings because the law in this country is still what it is today, secular law, where morality not accepted by the law is not enjoying the status of law. Perhaps that argument should be addressed at other forums or at seminars and, perhaps, to politicians and Parliament. Until the law and the system is changed, we have no choice but to proceed as we are doing today.”
Aziz knows well that to this day, Che Omar has never been overruled.
Ignored, perhaps, as Aziz now does, but never overruled.
Perhaps the leadership in Kelantan, and their advisors, would do well to take heed of the words of Salleh Abas, put aside their personal feelings, and look into the more pressing economic needs of the poor in Kelantan.

Beware of false prophets — Jacob Sinnathamby

SEPT 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak certainly talks a good game. It is election season and he needs to win big so everything goes.

Today he talks about how Bumiputera quotas need to go, eventually. No one knows when this eventually will be because as we all know the Umno-hijacked New Economic Policy was extended under pressure from the Umno beneficiaries.

Najib is not the first Umno president to talk about removing quotas or taking away the crutches from Bumiputeras.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Badawi both mentioned this when they wanted to show Malaysians that they were enlightened leaders and when they were fishing for support from non-Malays before elections.

Needless to say all their “good intentions” never materialised. Once they got the votes, they promptly forgot about taking away the quotas and instead fortified the distortions in the system.

Abdullah talked about open tenders but openly allowed Umno men and cronies to carry on negotiating inflated contracts. It is the same with Najib.

There is no such thing as open tenders today. In fact, it business as usual for well-connected businessmen and Umno warlords.

Anyone who reads news portals will know that the beneficiaries of many of the contracts are well-connected to Umno ministers or other leaders.

Heck, wasn’t it only weeks ago that Najib succumbed to Perkasa and gave a chunk of MRT contracts to Malay businessmen.

The problem in our country is that we have too many false prophets. They always come bearing gifts during the election season.

And you know what they say about false prophets and gifts.

* Jacob Sinnathamby reads The Malaysian Insider.

Najib On Bumiputera Quotas

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak said that there was a need to "run away" from quotas for Bumiputeras but they must continue to be supported to grow.

"You must run, go away from quotas. But you must support them (Bumiputeras) in a way that will allow them to grow from small and medium enterprises to get bigger and to become even regional champions," he said at a question and answer session at the Khazanah Megatrends Forum 2011 here Tuesday.

The Prime Minister said that quotas could hamper capable Bumiputera entrepreneurs from developing their abilities.

He feared that "if you give them quotas, they will rest on their laurels and eventually will not gain the expertise to manage businesses."

Najib said that one past criticism he had of the quota system was that the right kind of people was not being promoted. The affirmative action must now be based more on meritocracy.

"So, you must promote the right Bumiputeras. If you promote the right Bumiputeras, not only will they succeed, but the non-Bumiputeras will not begrudge them," he said.

Najib alluded to the Bumiputera Agenda Coordinating Unit in the Prime Minister's Department which had identified more than 1,000 companies that would be assisted to grow.

The Prime Minister also said the cabinet will decide tomorrow on the timeline for the proposed amendments to security and press laws to enhance civil liberties in the country and make Malaysia a more modern and vibrant democracy.

In his Malaysia Day message on Sept 15, Najib said the government would repeal the Internal Security Act 1960 and the Banishment Act 1959 and review other laws, including the Printing Presses and Publications Act.

Stressing that the government was serious about carrying out reforms, he said: "This coming Parliament session, you will see a slew of new legislation or actions."

Moluccas, explosive devices found in a church

by Mathias Hariyadi - www.asianews.it

Ambon police also discover bomb in the local bus station. Hand of Islamic extremists from other parts of the country suspected. The discovery comes after clashes between Christians and Muslims last September 11. Fear of renewed interfaith conflict.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Tensions remain high in Ambon (Maluku) scene of fighting between Christians and Muslims last September 11. Yesterday, police discovered three pipe bombs inside the Maranatha Protestant church and near the local bus station. According to authorities the current tensions are the work of Islamic groups from outside the region.

The strategy of placing bombs in crowded places like markets, religious buildings, bus and train stations is typical of Islamic extremist groups active in the area of Poso (Central Sulawesi). From 1999 to 2001, Poso and Central Sulawesi province were the scene of bloody clashes between Christians and Muslims that claimed more than 2 000 victims.

Yesterday, several Muslim and Christian groups and organizations have asked the authorities to stop all those who come to Ambon without a specific reason. In a statement the youth of Mujammadiyah, a moderate Islamic group, said: "We strongly reject the arrival of people from outside because it could increase tension in the region." Young Muslims appeal to all the people of Ambon, Christians and Muslims, to find a solution to the fighting through local values and traditions.

Meanwhile, after the suicide attack last Sept. 25 against Bethel Christian Church in Kepunton Indonesia (Solo, Central Java), the police have deployed thousands of agents across the country and increased controls to protect churches from further attacks. Moderate Muslim groups like Nahdlatul Ulama have offered their help to protect Christians.

AI: Hudud not ideal in Malaysia

PAS must explain how justice will be dispensed and how it will legally enforce hudud laws.

GEORGE TOWN: Forget about implementing hudud laws. Apply instead laws based on international human rights standards instead, insisted an international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International yesterday.

AI executive director Nora Murat noted that hudud laws were not ideal, inapplicable and irrelevant in today’s rapidly globalising liberal world.

The Malaysian human rights proponent has no doubt that the implementation of hudud law would be a step backward, not forward, for the Malaysian civil society.

She suggested that it was indeed time to reinvent and reform the country laws into international class uniformed legislations accepted by all.

She insisted that one should drop the idea of hudud and focus on implementing laws based on universal concept of human rights values.

She called on Malaysians to move on with the times and to keep abreast with the fast developing globalisation concept emphasising on a more liberal, equal, fair and just civil society.

“The punishment like chopping off legs and hands are degrading and inhumane.

“We surely can’t practice that now,” Nora told FMT.

She was commenting on Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat’s statement last week that his government intended to implement hudud laws in the east-coast state.

Rhetorics slammed

Anwar, the de facto leader of PKR, which forms the backbone of Pakatan, said he believed in the principle that Islamic laws could be implemented in Kelantan.

“Looking at specific areas, there is clear guarantee of an administration of justice and it does not in any way infringe on the rights of non-Muslims,” said the opposition leader.

Anwar then added that it was his personal opinion.

Anwar and PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz came under fire from Pakatan Rakyat ally, DAP and many non-Muslims, especially in the cyber space, for their political stand.

Nora chided political parties which capitalised on religious rhetoric to gain political mileage.

“Religion shall never be politicised.

“It shall never be used as tool to fish votes,” cautioned Nora, a lawyer by profession.

Nora noted that hudud laws have failed to create a ‘just and fair society and system of justice’ in several countries including places such as Nigeria.

Due to the hudud fiasco, she said the Nigerian government was now facing a strong people’s movement determined to free the country from Islamic laws.

PAS must be transparent

However, she welcomed Nik Aziz and Anwar for openly supporting hudud laws now than later, after the general election.

“At least they are open and frank about their intentions.

“They did not hide their agenda to implement it after the election,” she said

She pointed out that PAS should have been more transparent on its Islamic agenda by disclosing publicly the whole system of hudud laws that it planned to implement.

She noted that implementation of hudud laws and its justice system differed among and within Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iran.

As such, she said PAS should explain and reveal its plans for the legal enforcement of such laws.

It should also explain what the court structure would be and how the administration of justice would be like under the hudud laws.

“PAS should disclose on whether it would allow democratic space to question hudud laws and verdicts perceived unfair and unjust, like in civil laws,” Nora insisted.

‘We did not conspire against Anwar’

In his affidavit, the prime minister admits meeting Saiful two days before the alleged sodomy incident for which Anwar Ibrahim is in trial.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak admitted meeting Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan two days prior to the latter being allegedly sodomised by Anwar Ibrahim.

However, Najib said he had no knowledge of the June 26, 2008 (alleged sodomy) incident and therefore could not provide any information or relevant evidence on issues raised by the defence in the ongoing Sodomy II trial.

This was stated by Najib in his affidavit to support his application to set aside the subpeona compelling him to testify in the trial. His application would be heard on Thursday.

He also stated that prior to or after June 24, 2008, he never met the complainant, instructed anyone or conspirated with any individual to incriminate Anwar.

“I categorically deny any notion that my wife and I conspired in “mereka-rekakan ataupun mengada-adakan” anything which were very detrimental to the respondent (Anwar),” he said.

The affidavit, affirmed on Sept 23, also stated that Saiful only informed Najib of alleged sodomy incidents which took place prior to the June 26 incident. The prime miniser said he had advised Saiful to let the police investigate the matter.

Najib urged the court to set aside the subpeona on the ground that he strongly believes that the intention (to get him to testify) of the respondent (Anwar) was not in good faith.

According to the premier, it was just an attempt to abuse the process of the court.

Rosmah: I’m not a relevant witness

Meaawhile, Rosmah in her affidavit stated that she had never met or spoke with the complainant, and like her husband, denied involvement in any conspiracy against Anwar.

“I’m not a relevent witness in this trial, therefore the subpeona against me should be set aside,” read the affidavit.

On Sept 21, Najib and Rosmah filed the application to set aside the subpoenas. The couple is represented by four senior counsels Salehuddin Saidin, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, M Athimulan and Ghazi Ishak.

On Aug 8, trial judge Mohamad Zabidin granted Anwar’s application to interview witnesses offered by the prosecution, including Najib and Rosmah.

During Anwar’s first sodomy trial in 1998, then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was also subpoenaed and he succeded in setting it aside.

Mohamad Zabidin ordered Anwar to enter his defence on May 16 after ruling that Saiful was a truthful and credible witness.

Anwar, 65, claimed trial on Aug 7, 2008 to committing carnal intercourse against the order of nature at the Desa Damansara Condominium in Bukit Damansara between 3.10 pm and 4.30 pm on June 26, 2008.

The sodomy trial is set to continue on Oct 3.

Israeli Doctors Save Gaza Girl’s Life, Raise Funds for Further Treatment

'Apes and Pigs'? Abir Abu Nakira, a 17-year-old Palestinian girl from Rafah with the israeli medical team who have saved her life - and raising fund for further treatment for her 

We’re sure that sometimes, ordinary Arabs must wish the whole of the Middle East was run by the Jews:
The life of a 17-year-old Palestinian girl from Rafah in Gaza was saved by Kaplan Medical Centre doctors after she fell from a malfunctioning ferris wheel near her home and was critically injured.
Three months after the accident, she is out of danger, but her doctors are trying to collect funds to enable her to undergo abroad a small-intestine transplant, which is unavailable here.
“I wish for peace between us and Israel,” Abir Abu-Nakira said. “Kaplan physicians saved me.”
Dr. Yoram Klein, director of the trauma and urgent surgery department in the Rehovot hospital, said Abir was brought to Kaplan after being held for four hours in a Palestinian Authority hospital, but the staff couldn’t save her. She was unconscious with severe abdominal injuries, requiring surgeons to perform several lifesaving operations.
In recent days, her condition stabilised, but she still requires a long period of hospitalisation. Her small intestine was severely damaged from the fall and is fed by a special tube attached to a vein in a technique unavailable in Palestinian Authority hospitals. A TV set was brought to her bedside to keep her occupied.
Klein said the hospital found an Arabic-speaking teacher who will work with her, and soon, teachers from Ramle will come to Kaplan to help Abir progress in her studies. Family members received permits to enter Israel from Gaza, with help from the hospital.

“Dr. Klein is my angel. He is much more than a doctor; he supports and strengthens me Abir Abu-Nakira

This is not a one-off, either. Thousands of ‘Palestinians’ are treated in Israel, usually without cost or fanfare. Their families are regularly allowed into Israel to accompany or visit them.
As Abu Mazen and the PA tries to shoplift statehood from the gullible UN, without the hard work of actually negotiating for peace – and while they the thugs of Hamas squander the billions they get in aid from the impressonable dhimmis that ‘lead’ the West on terrorism and hate propaganda aimed at the Jewish ‘apes and pigs’, Israel is quietly showing ordinary Gazans and those from Judea and Samaria the humanity, hard work, education and accomplishment required to do in order to actually become a real state – not a failed Islamic terrorist kleptocracy.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Mafia comprised of the PA and Hamas use Western money (your money) to pay monthly salaries to those that kill and maim Israelis – and fete these criminals and terrorists as heroes on children’s TV shows.
They call for nothing less than the annihilation of the Jewish State in their constitutions.
Against daily this background of indoctrination, racist hatred and incitement – we feel sure that ordinary people in Gaza such as Abir Abu-Nakira and her grateful family surely cannot help but compare and contrast.
Full story at the Jerusalem Post

Palsu bukti:Gani dicabar saman pihak kaitkan beliau

Lawyer for Sarbaini's kin: Decision hard to believe

Najib: ‘Sin’ money for schools

Some RM100 million from gambling profit will go into the coffers of vernacular and mission schools.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announced today that some RM100 million of gambling profit will be channelled to vernacular and mission schools.

Amid speculation that national polls would be held in the next six months, the announcement is likely to be interpreted as Najib’s effort to regain non-Malay support.

Vernacular schools often complained about lack of funding and support from Putrajaya. The Najib administration knows that education funding is one of the major issues that could draw support particularly from the Chinese electorate.

Najib said the funds would be distributed in close consultation with the government and Barisan Nasional component parties to ensure fair distribution.

The announcement was made at the launching of the “Community Chest” fund run by a consortium of tycoons that paid over RM2 billion for billionaire T Ananda Krishnan’s Pan Malaysian Pools Sdn Bhd (PMP) in July. It would be spearheaded by Lim Kok Tay of gambling giant Genting Bhd.

Others on the board of trustees are Genting deputy chairman Hanif Omar, Quek Leng Chan of the Hong Leong group, Lion Group boss William Cheng and Westport’s G Gnanalingam.

As much as RM26 million have been pumped into 61 vernacular schools as of today while Najib said a minimum of RM100 million would be channelled annually beginning next year.

The fund was modelled after Hong Kong’s Community Chest, a non-profit organisation that bankrolled community projects.

The initiative came amid the Chinese’s continuous snub of national schools in favour of Chinese-language primary schools. They believe the schools provide better quality education despite the lack of support from the government.

The Singapore Straits Times reported last month that financial executives involved in the deal believe it could improve BN’s standing among the Chinese and Indian electorate.

Flagging non-Malay support contributed to the ruling coalition’s dismal performance in the landmark 2008 general election where BN lost its customary two-thirds majority in Parliament and five states.

Meanhwile, Najib said Putrajaya would work on creating a “creative solution” to complement the government’s efforts to ensure access to quality education for all.

“We cannot meet all the needs of the community but it is important that new models are initiated to achieve government targets,” he said at the Confucian Chinese School here.

Nik Aziz: DAP ibarat budak-budak kecil takutkan hantu

Hudud untuk orang Islam dan apa hubungan dia (DAP) dengan orang Islam, kata Menteri Besar Kelantan.

KOTA BARU: Menteri Besar Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata hukum hudud yang mahu dilaksanakan kerajaan Kelantan sama sekali tidak kena mengena dengan masyarakat bukan Islam terutama DAP yang juga tiada sebab membantah undang-undang Islam itu dilaksanakan.

Beliau menyifatkan DAP seperti “budak-budak kecil takutkan hantu”, sedangkan hukum hudud sebenarnya lebih adil dan tidak membabitkan golongan bukan Islam.

“DAP nak keluar (gabungan pembangkang) pasal apa? Hudud untuk orang Islam dan apa hubungan dia (DAP) dengan orang Islam,” katanya kepada pemberita di kediaman Menteri Besar di sini, hari ini.

Semalam, Nik Aziz berkata hukum hudud itu akan dilaksanakan di Mahkamah Syariah di Kelantan walaupun mendapat tentangan daripada DAP.

Baru-baru ini, pemimpin-pemimpin kanan DAP dilaporkan akan meletakkan jawatan beramai-ramai sekiranya terdapat usaha meletakkan matlamat menjadikan negara Islam atau melaksanakan hukum hudud di negara ini.

Kenyataan Mursyidul Am PAS itu bertentangan dengan saranan Setiausaha Agung PAS Datuk Mustafa Ali yang meminta semua pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat tidak membuat sebarang kenyataan mengenai hukum hudud sehingga mesyuarat bulanan mereka, Rabu ini.

Ia adalah persetujuan yang dicapai antara beliau dengan setiausaha agung PKR, Saifudin Nasution Ismail, dan Ketua Pemuda DAP, Anthony Loke, kata Mustafa  kepada pemberita di ibupejabat PAS di Kuala Lumpur.

Mustafa berkata, mesyuarat pada hari tersebut yang sepatutnya membincangkan mengenai Bajet 2012 tetapi akan meletakkan isu sensitif hukum hudud sebagai keutamaan dan satu pendirian bersama akan dibuat.

- Bernama

MIC: DAP threat a ‘sandiwara’

MIC secretary-general S Murugesan urges DAP to resolve the issue once and for all or do the honourable thing.

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP leaders’ threat to resign en masse pertaining to the hudud row is nothing more than a charade, according to MIC secretary-general S Murugesan.

“It’s just a ‘sandiwara’, they will not do it,” he said in a statement today.

Going by the modus operandi of Pakatan Rakyat, Murugesan said, the component parties would offer a joint statement claiming that the matter had been resolved without going into the details.

“Both PAS and DAP are playing to their support bases by chest-beating and trying to shore-up their diminishing support,” he added.

Murugesan was responding to DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng who said that the party’s top leader would resign from the Pakatan council if hudud law or the formation of an Islamic state were included in the Pakatan Rakyat’s Buku Jingga common policy framework.

“If there is any mention that we want to implement hudud law in our common policy framework and the Buku Jingga, the party’s entire central committee will resign,” Lim had said.

DAP had always been a strong opponent of the Islamic state agenda, arguing that the Federal Constitution specified Malaysia as a secular state whereas PAS leaders pointed out that the establishment of an Islamic state was the core of the party’s struggle.

Meanwhile, Murugesan challenged the Chinese-dominated DAP to put an end to this issue or quit the opposition coalition.

“DAP must resolve this once and for all. Failing which they must do the honourable thing and leave Pakatan,” he added.

Murugesan said that DAP and PAS’ stand on this issue were at complete odds and go the root of their respective causes.

“If they can’t resolve this, then it is pointless for them to discuss anything else,” he added.

Bila rogol dikatakan halal

“SEKUMPULAN WANITA BERSKIRT MINI BERHIMPUN DI JAKARTA”,
“PAKAI SKIRT BANTAH GABENOR”

Bila baca tajuk berita sedemikian, imej apa yang terus terbayang di fikiran pembaca? Mungkinkah: “Whoo, perempuan seksi!” Atau: “Teruk betul wanita yang berdemo itu kerana pakai mini skirt.” Mungkin: “Inilah bila wanita kebaratan sangat…!”
Tetapi, berapa ramai agaknya yang merasa mahu tahu isu apakah yang membuatkan wanita-wanita itu berdemonstrasi?
Berita mengenai wanita berdemonstrasi di Jakarta baru-baru ini tersiar di akhbar-akhbar perdana di Malaysia. Mereka memprotes kenyataan gabenor Jakarta yang menyalahkan cara perempuan berpakaian sebagai punca mereka dirogol.
Mangsa yang diperkosa adalah seorang mahasiswi yang masih berpakaian seragam dalam perjalanan pulang dari kampus. Gabenor terus menuduh punca wanita diperkosa di dalam bas pengangkutan awam adalah kerana wanita memakai skirt pendek. Apakah kenyataan itu benar dan patut?
Justeru, para wanita berdemo dengan memakai pelbagai jenis pakaian untuk menunjukkan bahawa pakaian bukanlah menjadi penyebab wanita diperkosa.

Demonstrasi di Jakarta (photo courtesy of Kiki Febriyanti)

Masyarakat memangsakan mangsa
Antara faktor pemerkosaan adalah kerana penjenayah merasa mempunyai kuasa untuk melakukan kekerasan ke atas orang yang lebih lemah dari dirinya.
Hakikatnya, bayi, kanak-kanak kecil, nenek-nenek dan wanita yang bertudung labuh pun ada yang dirogol.
Malaysia masih ingat kes Nurul Huda Abd Ghani, murid Tahun 4 yang dirogol oleh tiga lelaki di pondok pengawal TNB di Johor Bharu. Juga kes Noor Suzaily Mokhtar, jurutera komputer yang dirogol dan dibunuh dengan kejam oleh pemandu bas.  Noor Suzaily tidak memakai skirt pendek semasa beliau menaiki bas tersebut.  Beliau bertudung kepala.
Apa yang sering berlaku, reaksi spontan ramai orang adalah untuk terus menyalahkan si mangsa. “Mesti kerana dia berpakaian yang menjolok mata”, atau “Gaya dia membuatkan lelaki tergoda”.
Jangan terperanjat jika reaksi sebegini turut datang dari orang-orang yang berpendidikan tinggi, termasuk yang dikatakan tinggi ilmu agamanya.
Bila rogol dianggap halal dalam Islam
Seorang pemimpin parti politik bergelar ulama berkata wanita yang tidak menutup aurat memang layak dirogol. Ceramah beliau tersiar di YouTube, ditonton lebih dari satu juta kali.
Baru-baru ini juga seorang pemimpin tertinggi di Acheh Barat juga mengeluarkan kenyataan yang serupa, iaitu wanita yang tidak berpakaian menurut Shariah layak diperkosa.

Fauzi Bowo Canisius, gabenor Jakarta (Wiki commons)

Mesej apakah yang diberi oleh tokoh-tokoh Islam ini? Ajaran Islam apakah yang disampaikan? Apakah pelaksanaan negara Islam mereka lebih kepada untuk menghukum? Adakah menurut kefahaman mereka, merogol wanita yang tidak menutup aurat itu hukumnya halal?
Dalil apa yang mereka pakai? Apakah ada ayat al-Qur’an yang mengatakan hukum perempuan tidak berpakaian sopan adalah dirogol? Apakah Rasulullah pernah mengeluarkan hadith yang sekejam itu?
Bercakap atas nama agama
Ini yang menjadi ironisnya.  Orang Islam marah benar bila orang Barat atau bukan Islam menuduh agama Islam sebagai mengamalkan diskriminasi, keras dan tidak berperikemanusiaan.  Akan tetapi, orang Islam seperti mereka jugalah yang mengatakan perempuan memang layak diperkosa jika pakaiannya tidak sopan.
Mereka bercakap atas nama agama.  Walaupun mereka mempunyai ilmu tentang Islam, namun mereka tetap merupakan manusia yang pemahamannya tentang agama dan kemanusiaan masih terbatas mengikut kadar pemahaman, tafsiran dan pengalaman mereka sendiri. Lantas, ternodalah nama Islam akibat pemikiran sempit dan sikap sadis mereka.
Teramat jarang sekali saya dengar tokoh agama di Malaysia yang kritikal tentang punca masalah keganasan seksual dan menawarkan pemikiran yang membina dalam usaha membanteras jenayah rogol. Usaha penyelesaian memerlukan pemikiran yang berupaya mengharmonikan objektif Shariah dengan konteks masyarakat moden.
Di Indonesia, saya berkesempatan bertemu beberapa tokoh Islam yang menawarkan cara pandang baru untuk masyarakat Islam di Malaysia.
Konsep dan objektif mahram
Ibu Nyai Masriyah Amva adalah seorang ulama wanita yang memimpin sebuah madrasah di Cirebon, Indonesia. Di dalam sebuah buku karangannya, beliau menceritakan pengalaman semasa di tanah suci Mekah dan Madinah.
Bagi wanita yang berasal dari negara yang secara amnya menyediakan ruang kebebasan untuk wanita bergerak ke mana saja, beliau hairan bagaimana wanita seperti beliau yang berada di kota-kota suci Islam malah lebih terdedah pada gangguan lelaki. Betapa kota yang menempatkan rumah Allah sangat tidak ramah pada perempuan.

Ibu Nyai Masriyah Amva (Sumber: kebonjambu.org)

Beliau justeru sedar bahawa perempuan adalah korban dari budaya dan undang-undang yang membunuh kekuatan-kekuatan wanita, yang membuatkan wanita terpaksa bergantung pada lelaki untuk jaminan keselamatan dirinya. Beliau lalu menyeru kerajaan Arab Saudi untuk menyediakan suasana yang aman dan kondusif agar wanita dapat bergerak bebas dan beribadah pada Tuhannya tanpa perlu bimbang dari gangguan lelaki.
Kiyai Husein Muhamad, seorang ulama tradisional di Indonesia yang berkelulusan dari universiti Al-Azhar, Mesir, memahami keadaan sukar yang dialami para wanita termasuk Ibu Nyai Masriyah.
Beliau lalu menjelaskan bahawa pada zaman Nabi yang masyarakatnya mengamalkan hidup nomad serta keadaan tanah Arab yang berpadang pasir, dengan kedudukan bandarnya yang berpuluh-puluh atau beratus-ratus batu jauhnya, memang boleh difahami mengapa wanita perlu ditemani mahram, yang biasanya adalah orang lelaki. Tujuannya agar keselamatan wanita terjaga dari anasir buruk seperti dirompak, diculik, diperkosa atau dibunuh.
Akan tetapi, di dalam sistem negara moden seperti Malaysia dan Indonesia, beliau berpendapat bahawa negaralah yang seharusnya berperanan sebagai mahram dalam memastikan keselamatan semua rakyatnya terjamin.
Ia boleh dilaksanakan dengan menyediakan sistem yang baik dan efisien. Ini termasuklah menyediakan lampu-lampu bagi memastikan jalan terang, sistem pengangkutan yang cekap yang mana kesemua kakitangan dan pemandu bas hendaklah berdaftar dan tiada rekod jenayah.
Negara yang berperanan sebagai mahram juga termasuk pasukan polis yang cekap dan mesra rakyat, dan sistem perundangan yang cekap dan tegas dalam menghukum pelaku jenayah. Penting juga dari segi pendidikan ialah memberi ilmu mempertahankan diri, menerapkan dalam sistem pendidikan agar manusia saling menghormati antara satu sama lain walaupun mereka berbeza dari pelbagai segi, termasuklah  agar lelaki menghormati orang perempuan, dan sebagainya.
Menggunakan akal dalam agama
Ramai ulama mendakwa dalam Islam tidak boleh menggunakan akal fikiran, harus berdasarkan keimanan.  Pada saya, kenyataan sedemikian bertentangan dengan wahyu Allah yang pertama, iaitu “Bacalah”. Tentu saja membaca memerlukan akal fikiran yang tajam bagi memproses informasi yang dibaca dengan menghubungkannya dengan alam dan hidup kita.
Dalam hal ini misalnya, apakah beriman atau meyakini itu adalah dengan meyakini apa yang dikatakan oleh pemimpin-pemimpin Islam yang mengatakan perempuan boleh dirogol? Bukankah pandangan mereka juga hasil dari menggunakan akal fikiran mereka?
Jika kita benar-benar meyakini Islam adalah agama yang baik, adil, penyayang dan mencintai keamanan, maka umat Islam harus mengelak dari mengambil sikap menyalahkan, tetapi menggunakan akal fikiran dalam mencari jalan penyelesaian terbaik terhadap masalah yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat kita di zaman ini.

Mat Zain: Charge Gani Patail, not change A-G’s powers

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Taking away the Attorney-General's power to prosecute will not stop abuses of power, a former senior police officer said today.

Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim said that there was nothing wrong with the functions of the A-G as defined by the Federal Constitution, and charged that it was Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail (picture) who had abused his powers as the current A-G “several times over.”

“We should not blame the Constitution. It’s the honesty of the person holding the post that matters.

“Even if we were to separate the functions of the A-G and the PP, there are no guarantees that either one or both of them will not abuse their powers,” Mat Zain wrote in an open letter to The Malaysian Insider. 

Mat Zain was referring to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz’s recent remarks supporting calls to separate the functions of the A-G.

In Malaysia, the A-G is the principal legal adviser to the government and also serves as the country’s highest-ranking public prosecutor.

The former policeman continued his attacks against Abdul Gani, accusing him of fabricating evidence in an investigation back in 1998.

It is believed he was referring to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s controversial “black eye” incident.

The deputy prime minister-turned-opposition leader is back in the dock on a similar charge of sodomising a former male aide.

Mat Zain reiterated that the criminal allegations against Abdul Gani were made publicly in two previous parliamentary sessions — the first in March 2009 and the other just last December.

Mat Zain said that an independent three-man panel had also investigated the allegations against the A-G and that one of the panellists had concluded the A-G was involved in evidence tampering, which was stated in the form of three expert reports.

“The Cabinet has to explain to the public how they could clear Gani Patail from any wrongdoing when the evidence presented to them is crystal clear. The A-G must be made to account for the three expert reports in question.

“If it is the A-G himself who has committed a crime, so be it. He has to face the music like everybody else,” the former top cop added.

Sarbani inquest rules its “misadventure”

The inquest into senior Customs officer Sarbani’s death at the MACC office has ruled that it was a case of misadventure.
Ho-hum. Right. Sure.
Did you expect anything else after the Beng Hock findings?
We still don’t know how the cctv recordings were deleted.

Girl accused of blasphemy for a spelling error

Eighth-grader expelled from school; mother forced to move from city.

ABBOTTABAD:  It may have been a mere misplaced dot that led to accusations of blasphemy against a Christian eighth-grader, whose miniscule error led to her expulsion from school and uproar amongst local religious leaders.

Faryal Bhatti, a student at the Sir Syed Girls High School in Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) colony Havelian, erroneously misspelt a word in an Urdu exam while answering a question on a poem written in praise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The word in question was ‘laanat’ instead of ‘naat’ – an easy error for a child to make, as the written versions of the words are similar.
According to the school administration and religious leaders who took great exception to the hapless student’s mistake, the error is ‘serious’ enough to fall within the realm of blasphemy, Saturday.
Spelling out her punishment
On Thursday, Faryal’s Urdu teacher was collecting the answer sheets from her students when she noticed the apparently offensive word on her pupil’s sheet. The teacher, Fareeda Bibi, reportedly summoned the Christian girl, scolded her and beat her. Her punishment, however, did not end here. When Faryal’s class fellows learnt of the alleged blasphemy, the teacher brought the principal’s notice to the matter, who further informed the school management.
In the meanwhile, the news spread throughout the colony. The next day, male students of the POF colony school as well as certain religious elements took out a rally, demanding the registration of a criminal case against the eighth-grader and her expulsion from the area.
Prayer leaders within the community also condemned the incident in their Friday sermons, asking the colony’s administration to not only take action against Faryal but her entire family. In the wake of the increasing tensions, Managing Director POF Colony Havelian Asif Siddiki called a meeting of colony-based ulemas and school teachers to discuss the situation. The girl and her mother were asked to appear before the meeting, where they explained that it was a mere error, caused by a resemblance between the two words. The two immediately apologised, adding that Faryal had no malicious intentions.
In a move that was apparently meant to pacify the religious elements clamouring for action against the teenage ‘blasphemer’, the POF administration expelled her from the school on Saturday. Faryal was not the only one who got in trouble for her spelling error, however, as her mother, Sarafeen Bhatti, who was a staff nurse at the POF Hospital Havelian for several years, was immediately transferred to POF Wah Cantonment Hospital.
Decision applauded
While talking to The Express Tribune, Maulana Alla Dita Khateeb of Gol Masjid praised the decision of the POF colony administration, claiming that he had personally seen the answer sheet in question. He further went on to say that he had met the girl himself, who had apologised for the word used in error.  Asked whether the incident still fell within the realm of blasphemy and whether Faryal deserved expulsion when she had misspelt the word unintentionally, Khateeb said that although he was unclear about the intentions of the girl, the word she had used was sacrilegious.
The managing director of POF Colony was not available for comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2011.

DAP leadership to cede office if hudud law part of Pakatan agenda

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 – DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng today threatened the resignation of his party’s entire leadership if the implementation of hudud law is forced into Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) common policy framework.

His statement comes ahead of plans by the PR leadership to address the longstanding issue during a meeting this Wednesday.

According to Star Online, Lim (picture) pointed out that the tripartite PR pact comprising DAP, PAS and PKR was founded on common policies and understanding, particularly on issues like fighting corruption and upholding justice.

Hudud law, he said, was never included in PR’s common policy framework or its Buku Jingga and should therefore never be part of the pact’s agenda.

“If there is any mention that we want to implement hudud law in our common policy framework and Buku Jingga, the party’s entire central committee will resign,” Lim was quoted in Star Online as saying to reporters after officiating DAP’s Federal Territories convention here.

DAP and PAS has been at loggerheads over the Islamist’s party’s support for the controversial law which prescribes stoning, whipping and amputation as punishment for criminal offences.

PAS has refused to back down from its plan, with its spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat reportedly saying recently that DAP could leave the coalition if it refused to offer support.

Hudud is a prickly subject in multicultural Malaysia where race and religion are closely-linked. The country’s 28-million population is also still haunted by the bloody racial riots of May 13, 1969.

The issue is raised cyclically as political fodder as its divisive nature often causes conflicts to occur within otherwise-friendly circles, making it ideal to pit parties with opposing ideologies against one another.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has also backed the introduction of hudud in Kelantan, saying it would not infringe upon non-Muslims’ rights, further escalating the dispute.

The PR de facto leader also rebuked Barisan Nasional (BN) for purportedly exploiting hudud, or Islamic laws, to gain political support as national polls nears.

He accused Umno of provoking greater tension among the different races and faiths by telling Muslims one thing and non-Muslims something else.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak too had yesterday pledged his administration would block any attempt to implement the Islamic penal law, in a bid to curtail further debate on the fractious subject.

Najib is the second PM to take a strong stand against hudud, after fourth prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had blocked Kelantan’s attempts to implement the Islamic laws in the state.

Najib’s Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, however, recently expressed support for hudud earlier this week, upsetting Umno’s Chinese partner MCA.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has threatened pull his party out of the ruling coalition if senior ally, Umno, goes ahead with enforcing hudud. Gerakan has expressed the same threat.

Taking the fight to enemy territory

BN supremo Najib Tun Razak is leading the charge in the political battle but he is not gettting support from his allies.

KUALA LUMPUR: Najib Tun Razak is on the offensive – the prime minister has gone down to the grassroots to make his case and at the same hitting out at the opposition.

For the last two years, he has borne the brunt of the opposition onslaught on him – ranging from his personal life to the policies he had mooted and implemented.

Now he is taking the battle to the enemy territory and his intense “campaigning” has sparked strong speculation that the 13th general election is just around the corner.

Since taking over the helm of the nation in April 2009 from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib had straightened out and strengthened Umno, the backbone of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN).

The party has postponed its election this year to next year, a move aimed at staying united before the next general election. In many past instances, Umno has always been plagued with internal feud immediately after the party elections.

With Umno now united and strong, Najib feels more confident to lead the party in the “political war” against Pakatan Rakyat. Already, he has set his mind on taking back Selangor despite the state Umno being divided into three factions – each wanting its leader to be the next menteri besar if the Barisan Nasional succeeds.

Najib is not about to announce who he would pick to head the state if BN succeeds, as this would create more division and disgruntlement. Although Umno appears to be united, any wrong move by the prime minister could create unnecessary rift.

However, Najib’s main worry is still the Chinese-based parties in the ruling coalition – MCA and Gerakan.

Worries for Najib

MCA under Dr Chua Soi Lek has been making all the appropriate noises in its bid to champion the Chinese cause, at times taking on a racial overtone. But the party has yet to regain the confidence of the Chinese community.

The Chinese abandoned the party in 2008 and until today it has yet to return, which is causing a lot of worries to Najib.

Hence, Najib is going to war in Selangor with only Umno following him while MCA leaders can only show moral support without the backing of the Chinese community.

MCA won only two state seats in Selangor in 2008 and has yet to recover from its devastating show. Najib expects MCA to do its work fast as the momentum for the coming general election picks up.

Najib needs Chinese votes to carry him through his plan to wrest back Selangor but MCA is not making things easier for him.

Gerakan, on the other hand, is a lost cause. The party has yet to pick up the pieces since it lost Penang and all the seats it contested in the 2008 general election.

To help Najib in the “Selangor offensive” is out of the question. Gerakan is currently facing internal turmoil, with members calling on their president Koh Ksu Koon to step down.

The internal feud in Gerakan is not about to end anytime soon or in the near future, thus putting the party out of action in the Selangor offensive.

Core issue

Umno and its BN partners have still not got over the 2008 electoral whacking it received from Pakatan allies – PAS, DAP and PKR – which grabbed Penang, Kedah, Perak and Selangor, and retained Kelantan. It also nearly took Negri Sembilan.

However, BN succeeded in taking back Perak when three Pakatan assemblymen crossed over to become independents. But the defections did not mean the voters have swung back to the BN camp. It is only the assemblymen who came over, and not the voters.

Then Pakatan leaders in the states they ruled began highlighting the weaknesses of the previous BN administrations, forgetting that they were elected to rule the states and develop them.

While the Pakatan-ruled states were busy searching for issues to keep the amber of “hatred towards BN” burning, Najib began introducing policies to bring back confidence to the BN.

He launched the economic transformation plans, followed by political reforms. He amended some of his policies to accommodate the wishes of some dissatisfied quarters.

Najib has succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of the young and new voters through the cyber medium, the vehicle the youths have been using to communicate and exchange views and debate issues with him.

Najib succeeded in directly addressing and debating with them the core issue that matters to them – the future of the nation through education.

He has also succeeded in regaining the trust and confidence of the business community through his economic reforms, which are based on merit rather than on Malay privileges.

Najib is fighting a lone battle and whatever support he can muster – be it from Umno or any other party in the coalition – can be considered a bonus for his efforts.

Is MCA in a better position to face GE?

By Alan Ting

KUALA LUMPUR: Come Oct 2, the MCA will hold its 58th annual general meeting (AGM), an important general assembly to be attended by party members and delegates, before it heads towards the 13th general election (GE).

No doubt, the second largest Barisan Nasional (BN) component is more stable and its leadership more focused on efforts to rebuild the party after two turbulent years, following the party’s worst-ever performance in the last general election in 2008.

However, questions abound as to whether MCA is really in a better position to face the next general election.

Party grassroots leaders such as Selangor MCA Public Complaints Bureau chairman Theng Book believes this is so.

He reasoned that people are generally satisfied that MCA is more stable and accomodating under current party president Dr Chua Soi Lek’s leadership.

“So far, I have not met anyone complain about Chua. They are quite OK, with the people saying he is capable. He has done his part, now it is up to the Chinese community to decide. I personally feel, under the current situation, when the party is facing internal and external threats, he (Chua) is the best person to handle (such situations).

“We are not saying that under Ong Ka Ting, it was not okay. Under the current situation, Chua is the best person to handle (whatever pressing issues) while the immediate past president (Ong Tee Keat ) was acting more like the opposition,” he said.

Ka Ting was MCA president from 2006 until October 2008 while Tee Keat was at the party helm from October 2008 until March last year before he was succeeded by Chua, through a fresh party election to end the leadership crisis.

No logic

Theng said there was no logic to the notion that MCA would be wiped out in the next GE as the fact remained that opposition party DAP could not accept the more Islamisation approach taken by PAS, its partner in the opposition pact.

“If anyone says that MCA is going to close shop in the GE, that person is either a supporter or member of the opposition party. If you look at what they have done, so far, in some states under their control, many people are also frustrated as they were given false hopes,” he said.

Political analyst Dr Chin Yew Sing, who heads the Oriental Strategy Research centre, a think-tank under the Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia (Huazhong), also believed the party was in a better position to face the next GE.

He said MCA had become more agressive and vocal in voicing out issues related to the Chinese community.

“Whether it can be solved or not, is another matter, altogether. People know that issues can’t be resolved overnight. Whether MCA is effective or not, also very much depends on how Barisan Nasional handles the issues. BN lost in 2008, not because of the opposition, but because of themselves,” he said.

However, he said, MCA and BN were now seen to be working together to address some issues such as corruption, crimes and human rights issues, as well as funding for Chinese schools, as the government had introduced transformation plans.

Centre for Strategic Engagement co-founder Rita Sim said MCA appeared to be more stable under its “war-time president” Chua, who had come up with several good initiatives such as 1MCA medical fund and 1MCA scholarship, targeted at ordinary people.

“He works very hard on the ground. Whether it works or not, no one can be sure until the next general election. Certainly, if they (MCA) don’t do anything, it would be even worse. MCA has wasted a lot of time due to the internal fighting,” she said, adding that MCA’s performance also depended on issues the voters faced near the election, as well as the mood of the voters at
the time of the election.

Negative perception

However, Monash University political analyst James Chin does not believe the MCA is in a better position to face the GE as the party still faced internal problems, but concealed the split by presenting a united front in the run-up to the GE.

“Although Chua is seen to be moving on the ground and trying his best to revive the party, the bigger issue is how to select candidates for the general election. The split is still there.

“I believe the split will surface again when many are jockeying and lobbying for seats, closer to the election,” he said.

Besides, he said, MCA was also facing difficulties to win back the tough urban constituencies which were known to be opposition strongholds as the party still suffered negative perception.

Meanwhile, Sim pointed out that the urban seats had always been difficult for MCA, but believed, should BN be able to improve the result even by a small margin, it would favour the coalition in the overall result.

“Even during the best years, the level of support for MCA in these seats was only between 35 and 38 percent. During Pak Lah’s (former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) “feel good” general election in 2004, the support even went below 30 percent. Now, it is only about 20-25 percent.”If they (MCA) can get back between four and five percent, the result will certainly be better as many seats were lost, with the majority of less than 2,000 votes. If you can cut opposition support by between four and five percent in these constituencies, it could tip the balance,” she said.

The focus is not just on the Chinese voters, but also on Indian and Malay voters as a little increase of support from these two groups would contribute to better results for BN.

Another analyst, Khaw Veon Szu, explained there was no political party that could consolidate its members 100 percent.

“If you can get 60-70 percent, it is considered very good as you can do a lot of things.”

Nevertheless, there are some political analysts who believe MCA is not getting the right approach.

A Penang-based political analyst at the Han Chiang College, Chech See Kian, believes that MCA fights for party survival, instead of focusing on the people’s aspirations.

“For example, when they said MCA leaders would not take up Cabinet posts if they lost in the next general election… this is not good. You have to tell the people that you want to do more, not just maintain the status-quo. MCA must change its strategy, to be more sincere and focus on the people. Put the people first, not the party,” he said.

Bernama

The four-letter word called SEX

So the state religious authority can actually be called ‘The Department of Anti-Illicit Sex’. It is not actually a religious department. It is an anti-illicit sex department. Millions of Ringgit of your taxpayers’ money is spent to employ thousands of officers whose job is to make sure that you only bonk your wife, and from the front, and no one else other than that and not from any other position other than the front.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Sex video allegations ‘cruel’, says Customs DG
(The Malaysian Insider) - Customs’ chief said there was no proof its officer was in a sex video recently unveiled by pro-Umno bloggers, adding it’s “cruel” to link it to Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed’s death.
“Although the blog clearly showed sexual acts, until today there has been no further information over who was involved. As such, it cannot be conclusively said that it involved a Customs staff,” Customs director-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Yusuf said in an SMS response to The Malaysian Insider. 
“Linking the sex act to Sarbaini’s case, which I cannot even see the link, is a cruel act and an irresponsible one, if it seeks to humiliate a person who has died,” he added.
If there was proof, then Khalid said the evidence should be passed to the police, not revealed in public.
Earlier this week, Umno-linked blogs released a video in an apparent attempt to tarnish the reputation of Customs officers ahead of Monday’s verdict in the Sarbaini inquest.
The video — which appears to have been secretly recorded — shows a Malay man engaging in sex with a Caucasian woman in what looks like a hotel room.
Umno-linked blog theunspinners.blogspot.com was the first to release the video, claiming the man in the recording was a Customs officer while suggesting the woman was a Russian prostitute.
The man in the video is not named, but the blogger links the recording, which is titled “Pegawai Kastam Yang Terlampau,” to the senior Customs officer’s death while in the custody of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) earlier this year.

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

When all else fails, raise allegations of sexual misconduct. It works every time. When they wanted to bring down Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, they did this. Why not raise allegations of abuse of power or corruption involving contracts, projects, shares, etc? I am sure they can find many instances where friends and even family members of Anwar were recipients of government ‘favours’.
Every Barisan Nasional politician (and/or their friends/family members) benefited from some form of government handout. I know of many instances where those close to both Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar benefited from being close or related to the Prime Minister/Deputy Prime Minister.
It would not be that hard to find at least one instance where Anwar can be said to have abused his position to enrich his friend or family member. I personally know of some, although I will not mention them or else there will be allegations made against me that I have been bought, have turned, am a Trojan Horse, etc. Anwar can do no wrong so I better not say he did if I value my life.
Rahim Thambi Chik, the one-time Chief Minister of Melaka, was absolutely corrupt. There would be scores of instances where he was involved in corruption to the tune of hundreds of millions. But it was the ONE allegation of sexual misconduct and not the 50 cases of corruption that brought him down.
Mat Sabu and Ahmad Sarbaini (the Customs Officer who died at the hands of the MACC) are now being smeared by sexual misconduct allegations as well. Why sexual misconduct and not something else? Because allegations of sexual misconduct works every time and has never failed thus far to bring someone down.
Even if all these people are sexually promiscuous, so what? Even if they are gay or bi-sexual, so what? Even if they do poke their peckers into all and sundry and bonk all over the place, so what? How does it affect me personally? In what way do I suffer? Do I lose anything? Does the country lose anything? Will it bring the country to bankruptcy? Will the country’s economy collapse? Are the taxpayers paying for it?
Yes, what is it that does affect me personally? In what way would I suffer? In what way do I lose? In what way does the country lose? What is it that will bring the country to bankruptcy? In what way will the country’s economy collapse? In what way will the taxpayers pay?
All the above, and more, will happen only when the country is mismanaged and the country’s wealth is plundered by those who walk in the corridors of power. Other than that, neither the country nor I suffer in any way -- even if those who walk in the corridors of power indulge in orgies every weekend.
So, why this fixation on sex rather than on how the country is being mismanaged and on how the country’s wealth is being plundered? Well, because most Malaysians don’t care a damn about important issues. Most Malaysians are kay poh. They only want to know who is bonking whom and whether from the front or from the back.
That’s Malaysians for you.
So they raise allegations of sexual misconduct and use this to bring their adversary down. And that is why the deceased Customs Officer is now being smeared by the Umno Blogs.
Initially, he was said to have been involved in a multi-billion racket. Then it was reduced to a mere few hundreds of millions. Now it is sex with a woman who is not his wife. The last minor allegation -- though of no impact to me, you, or the nation -- is the sure formula for success.
I suppose, to the Chinese, this type of allegation would not matter. In fact, it can even enhance your chances of becoming the party president. If Chua Soi Lek can arrange for 100 more DVDs to be released showing him in various Kamasutra positions, he might even go on to become the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. But to the Malays, this is taboo. This will bring you down if you are Malay.
Why are Malays so fixated with that four-letter word, sex? I am not a sociology or anthropology student but it is not that difficult to analyse the Malay mind. Let me very briefly tell you why (hey, can I get a PhD for this?).
Let’s look at the current controversy raging in Malaysia with regards to the Islamic law of Hudud. Hudud is actually one of many laws under the Shariah and involves what can be considered as serious crimes under Islam. These are crimes such as robbery, rebellion, murder, etc., plus allegations of sexual misconduct.
Yes, that right, the allegation of sexual misconduct is amongst the serious crimes such as robbery, rebellion and murder. In fact, Islam regards false allegations (fitnah) as worse than murder (the taking of a human life).
Amongst the seven serious crimes stipulated under Hudud is the crime of alleging that a woman is immoral. If the allegation is true and can be proven -- or can be supported by the testimony of witnesses (or a video/photograph, which can be taken as evidence) -- then the punishment is very severe. Some say she must be whipped with 100 lashes. Some say she should be whipped with 100 lashes only if she is not married. If she is married then she should be stoned to death. And if the accuser can’t prove the allegation, then the accuser should be whipped with 80 lashes instead.
So you see, allegations of sexual misconduct sit way up there amongst the sevens serious crimes in Islam. Racism, persecution, discrimination, corruption, abuse of power, abuse of public funds, spending tens of millions of the taxpayers’ money for your wife’s shopping sprees, cruelty to animals, and many more are not serious crimes covered by Hudud. Making false allegations of sexual misconduct is.
So Malays, being Muslims, have been brought up with this mindset. There is nothing more serious than allegations of sexual misconduct. Racism, persecution, discrimination, corruption, abuse of power, abuse of public funds, spending tens of millions of the taxpayers’ money for your wife’s shopping sprees, cruelty to animals, etc., are not serious crimes.  An allegation of sexual misconduct is!
This is why you see all these allegations being made. Malays are fixated with sex. Everything is about sex. The Malay mind is submerged in sex.
If you still don’t think so, let us look at the Shariah courts. What do the Shariah courts deal with other than family matters and matters such as eating during the month of Ramadhan when you should be fasting? Why, sex, of course.
The state religious authorities conduct raids to catch people indulging in illicit sex. Do the state religious authorities conduct raids to catch people involved in racism, persecution, discrimination, corruption, abuse of power, abuse of public funds, spending tens of millions of the taxpayers’ money for your wife’s shopping sprees, cruelty to animals, etc? Of course not! They do not care about all that. They only care about those people indulging in illicit sex.
So the state religious authority can actually be called ‘The Department of Anti-Illicit Sex’. It is not actually a religious department. It is an anti-illicit sex department. Millions of Ringgit of your taxpayers’ money is spent to employ thousands of officers whose job is to make sure that you only bonk your wife, and from the front, and no one else other than that and not from any other position other than the front.
Sounds pathetic, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it IS pathetic.
So now do you understand the Malay mind? And this is why all these allegations of sexual misconduct are surfacing. It is because of the way the Malays have been brought up and because of how they have been educated.
The Malay mind can be summarised in just three words -- sex, sex, sex!
Have I upset some Malays? Well, I hope so. I intend to upset them.

'Replace OSA with new law'

The New Straits Times
by Lydia Gomez

KUALA LUMPUR: The Official Secrets Act (OSA) should be reviewed and replaced by a more balanced law to protect government secrets and the people's right to information.

National Union of Journalists general secretary V. Anbalagan said the union was firm in its view that the mandatory jail term in the act should be replaced with only a fine.

He said the OSA was an obsolete law that prevented journalists from performing their duties on matters of public interest.

"This act carries a jail term and journalists are supposed to report on matters of public interest. 

"The definition of an official secret is also vague and subjective." 

Anbalagan said certain classified information about the country and its leaders was already exposed through whistleblower sites like WikiLeaks.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak recently announced that the Internal Security Act would be abolished and two new laws would be introduced to safeguard peace and order. 

He also said the government would repeal the Banishment Act 1959, while a comprehensive study would be carried out on the Restricted Residence Act 1993 and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 where annual renewals would be done away with, and replaced with the issuance of licence until it was revoked.

Former New Straits Times journalist Sabry Sharif, the first local journalist to be convicted under the OSA in 1985 for a news report on alleged irregularities in a defence contract awarded by the Royal Malaysian Air Force, said the use of the OSA would only victimise journalists.

Sabry, 53, who had served the NST between 1981 and 1998, said the law did not recognise the need for journalists to seek the truth.

"I think all journalists should ask for the OSA to be reviewed if the government wants to curb abuse and if they are advocating transparency in government.

"The review of laws should be done in a holistic manner.

"I think editors and journalists should be allowed to do their jobs without fear," he said.

Centre for Independent Journalism programme officer Chuah Siew Eng said the OSA prevented journalists from fulfilling three important journalistic principles: their obligation to tell the truth, their loyalty to citizens in matters of public interest and their role as an independent monitor of the ruling power.

"The wide powers given to the executive in classifying any information as secret, even beyond the reach of judicial scrutiny, makes the law open to abuse. 

"It has no place in the best democracy that the prime minister envisions for Malaysia.

"It should instead be replaced by another law to allow the right to information, which would balance the need to protect government secrets and the people's right to information.

"And by encouraging a culture of transparency and openness in public bodies, it will serve as a first check against corruption and abuse of power," she said.

Old Penang: Weld Quay

As you can see, Penang once had a decent public transport system.

Trolleybus No. 36 passing by the Railway Jetty at Weld Quay - Photograph from Ric Francis, also published in his book Penang Trams, Trolleybuses and Railways

Thanks to Ric for this photo from the 1950s. Click on the photo to view a full-screen version.
Here you can see a trolleybus passing by the Railway Jetty along Weld Quay. The Railway Jetty was located at the site of the present-day Church Street Pier. You can see a newspaper vendor and money-changer at the entrance to the Jetty.
Trolleybuses, ferries and trishaws and not a car in sight. People used to buy a train ticket at the KTM office on the island and then hop on a ferry to the Prai Junction railway station, where they could board the trains. The two ferries shuttling to Prai in the early 1950s were known as ‘Elizabeth II’ and ‘Victoria’, recalled a senior citizen. According to him, the trolley buses and tram cars were a major attraction for visitors to Penang. “It felt as if we were entering a foreign land.”
The present railway station in Butterworth was only opened in 1967.
Unfortunately, the state government is now taking the regressive step of catering for private motor vehicles with all the road infrastructure projects in the pipeline.
If you have any other old photos to share of places and people of interest, do send them to me. (See ‘Submit photos’ link at the top of the page.)

Behold – Najib & Rosmah’s idea of what a ‘do away with protocol’ bus ride is like

Bernama:

For the first time in his nationwide tour, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and entourage boarded a bus plying to attend programmes in Perak.
“It used to be by car but this time we board the bus to meet the people. I want to feel what its like to do away with protocol.
“There must be no barrier to separate leaders and the people,” he said at his first event

Great!! I’m sure there’s a photo out there somewhere showing our beloved PM experiencing what everyday rakyat experience, having to take public transport…..

:|
Sigh. Najib old boy, if you wanted to ‘do away with protocol’ and experience what the rakyat experience, the photo would have been more like this:

Haihz. (And I mention this only because it came up in the google image searches), maybe we should just be thankful he’s not going around on buses doing this: