Malaysia Goes After a Whistle-blower

Bourdon and Gabriel say they've got the goods

(Asia Sentinel) Companies commission investigators show up at NGO's door
Suaram, the Kuala Lumpur-based human rights NGO at the center of attempts to break open a corruption case over Malaysia’s 2002 purchase of French submarines, has been given seven days by officials of the Companies Commission to hand over an array of documents covering its expenditures from 2008 to 2011.

Cynthia Gabriel, director for the organization, told Asia Sentinel that  Suaram would comply although the NGO is taking advice from lawyers on strategy.

The authorities sought to raid Suaram last week but were turned back, once because their warrant wasn’t signed and a second time because they arrived at the Suaram headquarters after everybody had gone home.

The visits followed several days of stories in ruling party-controlled newspapers demanding to know why Suaram was registered as a company rather than an NGO, and what it had done with earnings it posted since 2009 although that seemed to be a deflection against damning documents.that showed that top government officials had been complicit in bribe charges for two decades.

The visits by the Companies Commission investigators were characterized as “harassment, pure and simple, as a way to distract the public from the ongoing Scorpene probe in France,” Gabriel said. “Further to this, we have nothing to hide. We audit our accounts yearly.”

The visits – the first in Suaram’s 23 years of existence – appear to be a fishing expedition to try to find out where the NGO gets enough money to hire French lawyers to pursue a government scandal, and more particularly whether any of the money is coming from the Pakatan Rakyat coalition headed by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

The Commission’s other priorities?

In the meantime, the Companies Commission investigators have been so busy seeking to investigate Suaram that they have neglected to investigate two other companies – Perimekar Sdn Bhd, which somehow became important enough to win a €114.96 million commission on the sale of the submarines despite the fact that it did no business the year before it won the commission, and Terasasi Hong Kong Ltd, which received another €36 million from the French defense contractor despite the fact it only existed as a name on a wall in a Hong Kong accounting office.

Both companies were headed by Abdul Razak Baginda, then the head of a think tank called Malaysia Strategic Research, which was closely connected to the United Malays National Organization. Razak Baginda was one of then-Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak’s best friends.

Two years ago, Suaram hired a team of Paris-based lawyers headed by William Bourdon to investigate the French defense giant DCN and its subsidiaries on suspicion it was involved a web of corruption. The story has been told in voluminous detail in 133 documents submitted to a French prosecuting court. The documents describe a long tangle of blackmail, bribery, influence peddling, misuse of corporate assets and concealment, among other allegations. The documents, written in French, were described in a story published in Asia Sentinel on June 25 and uploaded onto the Internet here.

Increasing fire from government blogs, papers

Suaram has come under increasing fire since Bourdon and his colleague, Joseph Breham, began to publicize a series of allegations related to the documents in May. Pro-government bloggers have repeatedly accused Suaram of being in Anwar’s employ, have questioned the veracity of the documents and whether they existed and whether French authorities in fact are even going to move the case forward.

Questioned by the opposition in Parliament, Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi took the floor briefly almost at midnight on June 26 to say Suaram was wrong to say there was a trial taking place in France’s Tribunal de Grande Instance over the sale of the subs, although neither Suaram nor Asia Sentinel had said a trial was taking place. There is an investigation taking place, however, and it was those investigators who confiscated hundreds, perhaps thousands of documents from DCN and its subsidiaries in raids on April 7, 2010 to present to the investigating magistrate.

Ahmad Zahid also said that the Defense Ministry had no information on allegations confidential documents of the procurement of the submarines were sold to Thint Asia (Thales International) by Terarasi (Hong Kong) allegedly for €36 million although Asia Sentinel was able to obtain the information from the documents, which are on line, and from the Hong Kong Registry of Companies.

"The ministry also does not have any information on the alleged payment from Thales International Asia to Terasasi (Hong Kong)," he said.

As Asia Sentinel reported, at least one secret diplomatic cable shows that some of the misdeeds appear to have taken place with the knowledge of top French and Malaysian government officials including then-foreign Minister Alain Juppe and with the consent of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The documents were presented to the French Prosecuting Magistrate at the Court de Grand Instance de Paris in May and June of 2011.

Harassment: Not a new tactic

It is not the first time the Malaysian government has sent investigators after those calling attention to massive corruption on the part of the government and its cronies. For example, when Ramli Yusuff, the director of Malaysia's Commercial Crime Investigation Department, sought to bring Tajudin Ramli, a crony of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, to justice for looting Malaysian Airline System (MAS) of tens of millions of dollars, it was Ramli who was pursued by the Malaysian Anti-Crime Commission rather than Tajudin despite abundantly clear evidence of the charges. Ramli and his lawyer came under fire that nearly ruined their careers and almost put them in jail.

Likewise, Lim Guan Eng, now the chief minister of the state of Penang, was arrested in 1994 after pointing out that the former chief minister of Malacca, Rahim Thamby Chik, had been absolved of charges of statutory rape after having had sex with an underaged girl and in fact had had the girl arrested after her parents complained. Lim was ultimately sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for sedition for bringing up the charges, was disallowed from standing for election to public office for five years and he was made ineligible to contest the 2004 Malaysian general election.

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Remembering those who have died in custody

Anwar Sure of Pakatan Win, Warns GE-13 His Final Bid: Let New Generation Take Over

The Malaysian Insider

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim firmed up his retirement plan last night despite his daughter’s plea that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) still needs his leadership, declaring at a rally here that the next general election would be his “final attempt” at federal power.

The 64-year-old politician, whose career in politics has seen him go from the seat of power and into prison before joining the opposition, told to a crowd of thousands here that he would return to teaching upon retirement, and allow the new generation of leaders to take his place.

“This is my final attempt. If we win, we shall proceed. If not, let the new generation take on the struggle.

“Let me retire and return to teaching,” he said, affirming his recent remarks to international business daily Financial Times (FT) in an interviewed published on Wednesday.

“We present our manifesto, our policies and, of course, if I get a mandate, I continue, otherwise I think I’ll go back to teaching,” Anwar had told FT.

The influential paper noted in its article that Anwar seemed tired for a man facing his best shot yet of governing a 28 million multiracial population fed-up with over half a century of Barisan Nasional (BN) rule that appears unable to reform politically, socially and economically.

“Now 65, Mr Anwar admits this is ‘probably’ his last shot at becoming prime minister,” the influential paper said.

We still need Anwar

In an immediate response, Anwar’s daughter, Nurul Izzah, who is PKR vice-president and the Lembah Pantai MP, said in a press conference that PR still needs her father’s leadership.

“He (Anwar) is a leader who has successfully united the opposition parties into a pact and many party members would not want to lose a leader as experienced as him,” she had said, according to Sinar Harian Online.

Long-time nemesis Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was not so sympathetic to the opposition leader’s announcement, however, and instead cast doubt on its sincerity by calling the retirement plan an “election ploy”.

But despite possible political retirement being around the corner, Anwar appeared last night to be teeming with confidence that PR would storm Putrajaya come the 13th general election, which is due soon.

“I am confident Insha’Allah (God willing) that Pakatan will win, we will defend Selangor and head to Putrajaya,” he said.

Still confident of Pakatan win

In previous functions, the former deputy prime minister had even pledged a “comfortable majority” win for PR in the next polls.

Anwar also repeated PR’s promise to drop fuel prices within 24 hours of a polls victory, adding a pledge last night that “we would never forget the people because we have a experienced hardship”.

He continued to poke holes in BN’s administration, which he insisted is corrupt, questioning this time Malaysia Airline’s (MAS) recent signing of a deal with Petron Malaysia Sdn Bhd, formerly Esso Malaysia Bhd, to purchase fuel.

Esso was rebranded as Petron after the Philippines-based Petron Corp, part of the San Miguel Corp conglomerate, became Esso Malaysia’s biggest shareholder with a 73.4 per cent stake.

Anwar had previously demanded the government to explain why it had allowed one of the country’s critical assets to be sold to a foreign entity, pointing out that the sale of ExxonMobil’s stake in oil refiner Esso Malaysia was below market price.

Beer and oil

The opposition leader had also demanded Putrajaya explain the potential conflict in the deal because of the interests of Dr Mahathir’s family.

The former prime minister’s son, Mirzan Mahathir, was previously a board director of San Miguel Corp. The Philippines conglomerate is the biggest food and beverage conglomerate in the Philippines and the owner of San Miguel Brewery Inc.

San Miguel Brewery controls 95 per cent of the Philippines beer market. It has since diversified into infrastructure, public utility and energy requirements in the Philippines.

“Mirzan Mahathir bought the beer company San Miguel, Esso and now MAS signs a contract to buy fuel (from Esso)… that is why Dr Mahathir fears a Pakatan win,” Anwar said last night.

Utusan Malaysia confirmed it is “lies-paper” when it front-paged the lie that DAP would contest 90 parliamentary seats to dominate PR and appoint the Prime Minister in 13GE

Utusan Malaysia today confirmed that it is a “lies-paper” and not a newspaper when it plumbed a new depth of dishonest and unethical journalism by front-paging the lie that DAP would contest 90 parliamentary seats to dominate Pakatan Rakyat and appoint the Prime Minister in the 13th general election.

The Utusan report that DAP would be contesting 90 out of 222 (i.e. 40.5%) parliamentary seats in the next general election, with PAS and PKR contesting in 66 seats each, is the latest in an irresponsible, malicious and anti-national campaign by UMNO propagandists and spinmasters to stoke racial suspicion and distrust that the Malays will lose political power if UMNO is defeated and the Barisan Nasional replaced by Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general election.

Last week, I had debunked former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s scare tactics when he warned that the Chinese voters are the kingmakers for the 13th general election on the ground that the Malays are divided among three “small” parties and that the Chinese voters will decide who forms the government after the general election.

I had pointed out that “the harsh reality is that the electoral arithmetic does not allow the Chinese voters to be the ‘kingmakers’”.

There are only 34 parliamentary seats out of 222 where the Chinese comprise a majority of voters. Even if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wins all of the Chinese votes in these seats, it will only yield 15% of total parliamentary seats.

There are another 55 parliamentary seats where Chinese voters constitute between 30% to 50% of the voters. Even if PR is able to win 80% of Chinese votes in these seats, it would still need between 35% to 40% of support from the other communities in order to win these seats.

In total, this means that there are only 89 parliamentary seats where the Chinese comprise more than 30% of total voters.

Even if PR is to win all these seats (which needs significant support from the other communities in the majority of cases), this would only constitute 40% of total parliamentary seats which is not enough to comprise a majority of parliamentary seats.

Now the UMNO propagandists and spinmaters have come out with a new twist in their campaign of scaremongering to stoke racial suspicion and distrust – that the DAP will be contesting the most number of parliamentary seats, i.e. 90 seats while leaving PAS and PKR with 66 seats each.

This is utterly wild and baseless. Final seat allocations between Pakatan Rakyat parties have still to be fully completed but the DAP is not contemplating contesting in more than 60 parliamentary seats or less than 28 per cent of the total 222 parliamentary seats.

Although the lie that DAP will contest 90 parliamentary seats has been demolished, the edifice of lies to frighten Malay voters, that the DAP will be the dominant party as compared to PAS and PKR even to the extent of deciding who is the Prime Minister, will be reconstructed by the UMNO propagandists and spinmasters using other lies and falsehoods.

Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region are facing the greatest test in the nation’s history whether they could discern the lies and falsehoods passing off as truths and facts appearing in the “lies-papers” like Utusan Malaysia – which is also a critical test whether the Malaysian nation and Malaysian democracy have matured after more than half a century of nationhood.

The true fact of the matter is that it is only with the support of the majority of the Malay and non-Malay voters that Pakatan Rakyat can win in the next general election and replace UMNO/Barisan Nasional as the next federal government of Malaysia.

But what struck me most from the latest lie of the UMNO propagandists and spinmasters is their growing conviction and desperation that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and UMNO/Barisan Nasional could be defeated in the ballot box in the 13th general election.

This is also what is causing Najib to keep postponing the date for the 13th general election.

They are not completely wrong as the signs are for all who have eyes to see that there are increasing indications that Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, class, region, age or gender, are prepared for change in Putrajaya in the next general election despite all the politics of lies, fear, money and corruption of UMNO/BN in the less than 10 months left for the 12th Parliament and the Najib government, when Parliament will be automatically dissolved on April 28 next year to give way for the holding of the 13th general election.

Najib’s legal reforms legacy

The Nut Graph (Used by permission)
Holding Court By Ding Jo-Ann

ON 15 Sept 2011, the eve of Malaysia Day, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a slew of reforms to transform Malaysia into a more open and democratic country. Almost a year later, most of the promised “reforms” have been implemented.

But has anything changed? In just the past two months, the government and its agencies have charged opposition leaders for participating in a street protest, sued Bersih 2.0 leaders for damages, and accused Singaporean embassy officials of inappropriate behaviour for observing the Bersih Bersih 3.0. The government also banned a book by a Muslim woman, refused to release remaining Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees, and attempted to raid human rights organisation Suaram’s office.

Forgive me if I’m stating the obvious. Legal reforms notwithstanding, it’s not been very “open and democratic” around here recently. A quick review of all the new amendments and laws since Najib’s Malaysia Day announcement will demonstrate why.

False reform

Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA)

Najib hailed the PAA as “revolutionary” and its enactment a “giant leap” in improving current laws. “Supposedly, [the Act] chokes freedom to assemble,” Najib said in Parliament, referring to criticisms against the new law. “Is this allegation true?” he asked. “Not true at all,” he replied to his own question.

Barely six months after Najib’s statement, and shortly after the PAA came into force, the law was used to charge Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and two others for participating in the Bersih 3.0 rally. This really is no different from the days when opposition figures were charged under the Police Act for participating in street protests.

And talking about choking the freedom to assemble, the government literally did so when the police fired a total of 967 tear gas canisters at Bersih 3.0 protesters.

How then can this legislation be construed as being revolutionary and a giant improvement?

Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA)

When Najib spoke of amending the PPPA on 31 March, he said the government respected the media’s freedom to act as a check and balance on government.

But on 28 April, police beat up working journalists during the Bersih 3.0 rally even after the media personnel identified themselves. Police were also hostile towards journalists who attempted to record instances of police brutality against protesters. In some cases, the police damaged and confiscated journalists’ equipment.

Curiously, after the attacks on the media, several Umno-owned and government-controlled media were silent or played down reports of the police beating up fellow journalists. So much then for the government respecting the media and the media acting as a check and balance on government.

And that’s not all. Under Najib’s legal reforms, the print media must still obtain permits even if it doesn’t need to renew the permits annually. This means the print media is still subject to show-cause letters from the Home Minister which can result in newspapers losing their permits and journalists or editors being suspended.

Evidence Act

And then there’s the amendment to the Evidence Act which makes hosts of websites responsible for content published on their websites, including anonymous comments by others. Instead of the state prosecution having to identify the author, the website host is now presumed to be the author, unless he or she can prove otherwise. This is alarming because it overturns the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

According to Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong, fears about this act are “misplaced”. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz has also stressed that the amendment to the Evidence Act was needed to combat those who threaten and slander others online under a clock of anonymity.

But Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) director Jac SM Kee has pointed out that a vast majority of cybercrime involves economic fraud and not anonymous posts that threaten and slander. Speaking at a CIJ forum on 12 June in Kuala Lumpur, Kee pointed out that there’s already a comprehensive act called the Computer Crimes Act that deals with online fraud. So, what “online threat” is the amendment to the Evidence Act really combating?

Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma)

And what about SOSMA , which replaced the draconian ISA? Najib said it would usher in a “new era” for Malaysia where the government would no longer limit individuals’ freedom but respect their basic constitutional rights.

The flaws in this new law have already been widely discussed and publicised. And talking about basic constitutional rights, I’m wondering whether the government will respect those of the 45 remaining ISA detainees, several of whom have been on hunger strike. I’m also wondering whether the government will properly investigate the accusations that the ISA detainees’ constitutional rights were violated when the police allegedly tortured them during their first 60 days of detention.

Or whether the government will respect Malaysians’ basic constitutional rights by finally signing international covenants such as the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Hypocrite, inept or inadequate?

After all the hype and grand rhetoric about a new Malaysia, the reality is the same forms of repression and control continue to be exercised.

So, from where I stand, either Najib is a hypocrite for promising something he never intended to do or his administration is hopelessly inept by introducing reforms so far removed from what he apparently intended. Either way, he has failed to deliver.

Whatever Najib’s reasons for making all his promises of a better Malaysia, none of his legal reforms are bringing about the changes Malaysians were told to expect. If he intended genuine reform, it’s surely not happening. If he wanted to give concessions to civil society’s demands, no one is impressed with the cosmetic changes so far. If he wanted to win over voters who are more aware of human rights, the government’s recent antics have destroyed his credibility. If he wanted to impress the world about how progressive and moderate a Muslim country Malaysia is, that’s hardly going to happen when we’re arresting and charging Muslims for selling books that are not yet banned.

I, for one, am tired. Tired of the empty promises and hyperbole. Tired of the antics, the bullying, the fear-mongering, the lies. And really, really tired, of this government. It’s time, perhaps, for some real change. 

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Ding Jo-Ann almost doesn’t dare to read the news some days for fear of finding out what new ridiculousness is being perpetrated.

MIC Youth Confident Of Meeting Over 100,000 Voters Before General Election

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- MIC Youth is confident of meeting more than 100,000 voters before the coming 13th general election through a programme called "Ops Jelas" (Operation Explain).

Its chief T.Mohan said the movement would explain to the Indian community all the misunderstood issues and wild accusations made by the opposition against the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

"MIC Youth will go down to the field and meet with the Indians in small groups to also explain to them the government's contributions and allocations (for the Indian community's development," he told a news conference, here, Sunday.

Mohan said "Ops Jelas" would give the Indian community an opportunity to ask questions on any issue related to the government which they did not understand or could have misunderstood.

"The programme is also to seek out and gather the MIC voters in preparation for the coming general election," he added.

Bersih procession moves through KL

2045: A Bersih procession to mark the anniversary of the Bersih 2.0 rally on 9 July 2011 is moving from Dataran Merdeka passing through Petaling Street and Jalan Hang Jebat towards Stadium Merdeka.

Photograph: Bersih

Walking along Jalan Hang Jebat:

The procession finally reaches Stadium Merdeka just before 9.00pm:

The crowd paused for a moment of silence in memory of Baharuddin Ahmad, who passed away during the procession last year.
Protest organisers, Kill The Bill declares: “We want the Peaceful Assembly Act to be abolished and for the Bersih 8 demands to be realised.”
Then Chin Huat addresses the vigil: “Walaupun merdeka, rakyat Malaysia belum bebas lagi … Pada 9 Julai 2011, rakyat Malaysia tidak kira kaum dan latar belakang bersatu … Kita tdk benci atau menyelebahi mana-mana parti politik, sebaliknya kita inginkan kuasa rakyat memilih pemimpin secara adil.”

Photograph: Latheefa Koya

The crowd finally disperse after the singing of the national anthem.
Supporters are also gathering peacefully today in Sabah, Johor, Malacca and Perak, adds Bersih in a tweet.
Earlier, supporters had gathered at Dataran Merdeka despite the rain.

Among the participants are Bersih 2.0 steering committee members Wong Chin Huat and Maria Chin Abdullah.
Remember the unsung heroes of 9 July 2011:

Return Waytha's passport, Malaysian gov't told

By Susan Loone

(Malaysiakini) Hindu rights pressure group Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) has called on the Malaysian government to return its chairperson P Waythamoorthy’s passport to facilitate his return from exile in the  United Kingdom.

Hindraf’s national advisor, N Ganesan, said Waythamoorthy plans to be on Malaysian soil on Aug 1, “with or without” his passport.

“He would like to return home with dignity and full rights as a citizen of this country and as the chairperson of Hindraf,” Ganesan told Malaysiakini.

“Therefore we demand that the Malaysian High Commission in London immediately issue him a passport,” added Ganesan, who is based in Penang.

Ganesan (right) said it was the previous prime minister and then-home minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who made the decision to withhold his colleague’s travel document.

He then called on current Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to rescind the decision and instruct the competent and relevant Foreign Ministry officials to immediately issue him a new passport.

He added that Waythamoorthy has announced his intention of returning to Malaysia after more than four and a half years in exile in the UK.

This exile was imposed on Waythamoorthy by the Malaysian authorities, he stressed.

‘It will save all the embarrassment’

Ganesan was referring to Waythamoorthy’s passport being withdrawn by the UK Border Agency on April 28, 2008, at Gatwick Airport, UK.

It was withdrawn on instruction from the Malaysian authorities via a letter dated March 17 the same year.
Ganesan reiterated that Waythamoorthy plans to be on Malaysian soil on Aug 1 although he may not be issued his travel documents by then.

“It will save all the embarrassment and problems associated with this to all concerned, if  the Malaysian government will issue him a passport in the amicable manner that we request,” said Ganesan.

“He has since utilised the time in exile to make the necessary preparations for the historic suit against the British government on behalf of all the marginalised and poor Indians in Malaysia,” he added.

“This is for the role the British government played in their current depressed and marginalised state in Malaysia,” he stressed.

Ganesan said that since the case has been registered on July 2, Waythamoorthy is ready to return to Malaysia to continue his human rights work from within the country.

Islam vs. History

The Islamist destruction underway in Timbuktu (including the tomb of Sidi Mahmoudou, d. 955, and the doors of the Sidi Yahya Mosque, ca. 1400) raises a question: What is it about Islam that so often turns its adherents against their own patrimony? Consider some examples:

• The doors of the Sidi Yahya Mosque, built ca. 1400, which were only to open at the end of time, smashed apart today by Islamists.

  The destruction of Hindu temples in medieval India.
• The Mamluks using the Great Sphinx of Egypt as target practice and the Great Pyramid as a quarry.
• The Turkish destruction of churches in northern Cyprus since 1974.
• The Saudi destruction of antiquities in Mecca since the 1990s,
• The Palestinian sacking of the Tomb of Joseph in 2000.
• The Taliban destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha in 2001.
• Al-Qaeda's bombing of Ghriba synagogue in Tunisia in 2002,
• The pillaging of Iraqi museums, libraries, and archives in 2003.
• The destruction of an historic Malaysian Hindu temple in 2006.
• The destruction of L'Institut d'Égypte in 2011.

In addition, some intentions to destroy antiquities (Khomeini contemplated razing Persepolis, a grand mufti of Egypt banned exhibiting statues) might yet be realized. (On the other hand, the story about Muslims burning the ancient Library of Alexandria appears apocryphal.)
Although these examples include both non-Muslim and Muslim artifacts, motives differ in the two cases: eliminating infidel remnants establishes the superiority of Islam, while eliminating Muslim ones establishes the superiority of Islamism. In both cases, the motive is foul and the results are, historically speaking, tragic. (July 2, 2012)

Islamists in the process of destroying a centuries-old Timbuktu shrine.

Malaysia’s “Obedient Wives Club” launches new sex guide

Members of Malaysia’s Obedient Wives Club.

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite having the last sex guide banned by the Malaysia government, the “Obedient Wives Club” has launched a new guide detailing how to “please your husband.”

Titled “The Holy Spirit and Holy Islamic Sex Booklet” the aim for the OWC is promote wives’ indulging in better sex in order to keep their husbands from “straying” in their marriage.

The previous booklet launched by the women’s group, “Holy Islamic Sex” was banned by the government.

The Obedient Wives Club advocate subservience to their husbands and have published a book calling for women to have sex with their husbands whenever they demand.

The previos book, was in Malay, but not available at local stores in the country due to the ban.

Many say it is read by hundreds of members of the club, a small Malaysian sect that also practices and advocates polygamy.

“I am very disturbed by this kind of book, but I don’t think the government should be banning it because that only makes it more popular,” said Tina Rinbala, a Kuala Lumpur-based researcher of women’s issues. She told Bikyamasr.com that the publication is “horrific and tells women they are lesser beings, which we should fight through education, not banning.”

Although the first volume contained no explicit images, it did have descriptions of the 56-year-old author’s opinions and experiences of marriage.

It tells readers how couples should approach sex, claiming that women in marriages only “satisfy” their husbands’ needs 10 percent of the time.

Members of the controversial club argued the book was intended to be a spiritual guide read exclusively by club members to help them comprehend sex better.

Still, Rinbala disagrees and argued it perpetuates stereotypes that are not “part of Islam” and that “people should be advocating equality and certainly this will deliver better sex for couples.”

Oxford sex trafficking case: Two more men in court

(BBC) Two more men have appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged child

prostitution ring in Oxford.

Mohammed Hussain, 24, was charged with four offences, and Assad Hussain, 31, was charged with five.

Both men, who are from the Cowley Road area of Oxford, appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court earlier.

A total of eight men have now been charged as part of Operation Bullfinch, targeting alleged child sex trafficking involving 50 girls.

Thames Valley Police said it expected to make further arrests in the coming months.

Mohammed Hussain has been charged with one count of conspiracy to rape a girl under 14, two counts of rape, and one count of sexual activity with a child.

Assad Hussain has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16, two counts of rape, and one count of sexual activity with a child.

They will return to court on 16 July.

All eight men remain in custody.

Kavyan sedia bantu ‘minoriti tertindas’

Akan hantar surat dan bertemu PM berhubung isu novel Faisal Tehrani mahu diharamkan.
COMMENT

Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan) mengalu-alukan kemasukan Faisal Tehrani sebagai Ahli Kehormat Kavyan seperti diumumkannya secara rasmi pada sidang media di Shah Alam pada 6 Julai 2012, selepas acara “Baca Cerpen Pelbagai Bahasa”. Beliau sekali gus ahli “Bukan Kaum India” pertama sejak keahlian dibuka kepada umum pada November 2011.

Seperti diketahui umum, sejak diasaskan pada 22 Ogos 1999, Kavyan diterajui penulis dan peminat sastera kaum India tetapi ia tidak bersifat perkauman. Semua aktiviti Kavyan terbuka kepada umum (pelbagai kaum). Malah Sasterawan Negara Datuk A. Samad Said (Pak Samad) ialah Penasihat Agung Kavyan. Allahyarham Dr Othman Puteh dan Sasterawan Negara Datuk Dr Anwar Ridhwan juga pernah menjadi Penasihat Kehormat Kavyan.

Kavyan turut terlibat secara langsung dan terbuka sejak Ogos 2011 dalam memperjuangkan hak sekumpulan penulis (kebetulan “kaum Melayu”) yang dinafikan hak mereka terhadap royalti teks Komponen Sastera Dalam Mata Pelajaran Bahasa Malaysia (Komsas). Walaupun dihalang pelbagai pihak dengan pelbagai cara, Kavyan tetap lantang bersuara mewakili kelompok minoriti terbabit yang memerlukan ruang untuk bersuara.

Terdahulu, apabila Kavyan terlibat dalam usaha “memurnikan” novel Interlok Edisi Murid serta saya dilantik oleh Menteri Pelajaran pada Februari 2011 ke dalam Panel Bebas Meminda Interlok, ramai yang melabel saya dan Kavyan sebagai “anti-Melayu” dan “anti-Islam”. Malah, terdapat puak tertentu yang cuba menghasut Pak Samad supaya tidak menjadi Penasihat Agung Kavyan.

Ada juga puak yang “menghasut” penerbit-penerbit supaya tidak menyiarkan karya para ahli Kavyan. Kerja-kerja hasutan itu masih berlaku hingga hari ini. Mujurlah penerbit berwibawa seperti Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) dan Kumpulan Media Karangkraf tidak mungkin tunduk kepada puak penghasut yang tidak beretika itu.

Antara lain fitnah yang disebarkan puak tertentu adalah bahawa tindak-tanduk Kavyan “didalangi pembangkang”. (Siapakah “pembangkang” di Selangor?) Sebenarnya, segala usaha dan perjuangan Kavyan demi penulis dan penulisan (tanpa mengira kaum dan agama) tidak ada apa-apa kaitan dengan mana-mana parti politik atau politikus. Demikian pendirian tegas Kavyan sejak 1999. Kami tidak mahu “bernaung” di bawah sesiapa kerana kami mahu bebas “bersuara” – termasuk mewakili golongan minoriti dan kumpulan yang tertindas.

Dalam isu terkini mengenai kemungkinan novel Faisal, Perempuan Nan Bercinta (2012) diharamkan, Kavyan tidak mahu masuk campur dalam urusan mana-mana jabatan agama. Bagaimanapun, Kavyan berpegang pada “janji” Perdana Menteri pada 3 Julai 2012 – semasa turut melancarkan Perempuan Nan Bercinta – bahawa hak kreatif penulis tidak akan disekat.

Bernama melaporkan Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebagai berkata: “Kita akan sentiasa memberikan ruang yang secukupnya kepada para penulis untuk berkarya. Kita akan membantu golongan penulis terutama generasi muda untuk mengembangkan bakat mereka.”

Kavyan turut berpegang pada kenyataan media bersama yang dilakukan empat Sasterawan Negara pada 8 Mac 2011; di mana petikannya adalah seperti berikut:

“Sastera bukan dokumen rasmi pemerintah, atau maklumat yang dirapikan serta dicantikkan untuk disebarkan. … Kita harus membaca sastera sebagai sastera, dan bukan buku sejarah atau politik. Membaca sastera ialah suatu proses berfikir, merasa dan menghayati bahasa, peristiwa dan gagasan. … Benarkanlah penulis kita melukis kenyataan Malaysia, walau betapa pun tidak manis kenyataan itu. Kerana mereka juga berfikir bagi pihak kita, dengan sudut pandangan mereka sendiri, yang walau pun berlainan, masih diperlukan di negara yang demokratis, yang memberi kebebasan kepada sasterawannya untuk menulis, berfikir dan berpendirian.”

Surat kepada PM



Walaupun kenyataan bersama itu dikeluarkan semasa kontroversi novel Interlok Edisi Murid, tentulah pendirian para Sasterawan Negara terbabit masih sesuai dan boleh diguna pakai. Pandangan dan perkara yang ditegaskan oleh mereka perlu dihormati dalam isu Perempuan Nan Bercinta juga.

Semasa kontroversi Interlok Edisi Murid, beberapa badan penulis pula tampil bersuara lantang dan membuat resolusi mempertahankan hak pengarang. Malah, beberapa badan penulis berjuang atas dasar “demi maruah penulis Melayu”.

Saya percaya bahawa badan-badan penulis terbabit tetap dengan pendirian “demi maruah penulis Melayu” dalam isu novel-novel Faisal mahu diharamkan. Sedangkan pihak tertentu “tidak rela walau sepatah perkataan dipinda”, inikan pula mahu mengharamkan keseluruhan buku! Tentulah mereka akan berhimpun beramai-ramai mempertahankan karya Faisal.

Namun, masing-masing mempunyai hak dan pilihan untuk sama ada tampil menyokong Faisal dalam isu terbaru ini atau – meminjam perkataan diperkenalkan Pak Samad pada Jun 2011 – memikirkan soal “carma” iaitu “cari makan”. Yakni, memilih untuk berdiam diri asalkan “sumber pendapatan” mereka tidak terjejas.

Saya mengenali Pak Samad sejak 1991 dan Faisal sejak 1993. Mereka berdua pula mengenali hati-budi Kavyan sejak 1999.

Sebagai “badan kecil yang bersuara mewakili golongan penulis yang sukar untuk bersuara” maka Kavyan sedia bersuara mewakili Faisal dalam isu novel Perempuan Nan Bercinta. Kavyan bercadang menghantar surat kepada Perdana Menteri untuk mendapatkan pengesahan memandangkan pegawai Jakim pada 6 Julai 2012 mengesahkan bahawa pihaknya sekarang dalam proses tindakan pengharaman novel itu.

Tentulah aneh bahawa tiga hari sahaja selepas sebuah novel dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri, ada pula langkah diambil untuk mengharamkan novel berkenaan. Pasti ada sesuatu yang tidak kena dan perlu dibincangkan secara “hati-ke-hati” bersama-sama Perdana Menteri.

Sebagai pemilik tunggal ‘Perunding Media, Motivasi dan Penerbitan’ serta presiden Kavyan, saya sudah membincangkan perkara ini bersama-sama Faisal. Kami berpendapat bahawa langkah terbaik dalam menyelesaikan kemelut ini adalah dengan mengirim surat serta bertemu Perdana Menteri.

Uthaya Sankar SB adalah penulis bebas dan kolumnis FMT sejak Januari 2011.

'Monopoli' Petron pada MAS dipersoal

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mempersoalkan perjanjian pembekalan minyak untuk pesawat Airbus A380 antara Malaysia Airlines System Bhd (MAS) dan Petron Malaysia (Petron), yang dikaitkannya dengan anggota keluarga Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Katanya, ekoran perjanjian itu syarikat penerbangan negara MAS tidak dibenarkan membeli minyak selain daripada Petron (dahulunya dikenali sebagai Esso Malaysia Bhd) selama enam bulan.

"Saudara, apa punya dasar ekonomi ini. Najib, ini apa? Kamu perdana menteri atau ketua kampung.

"(Najib) ini perdana menteri, dengan Mahathir (dia) takut, dengan PERKASA dia takut, dengan (Barrack) Obama dia takut, balik rumah takut," katanya sambil diiringi ketawa dan sorakan hadirin dalam ceramah di Selayang dekat ibu negara malam tadi.

"Sebab itu, ketelanjuran sudah teruk. Wang kita, kena ingat. MAS ini syarikat penerbangan negara, mana boleh bagi kepada satu syarikat (sahaja)," katanya.

Petron dan MAS menandatangani perjanjian khas pada 29 Jun bagi membekalkan dan membeli bahan api Airbus A380 syarikat penerbangan negara selama enam bulan, bermula 1 Julai lalu.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif MAS Group Ahmad Jauhari Yahya dilapor berkata syarikat penerbangan itu gembira mendapat rakan yang sama komited kepada keperluan mesra alam Airbus A380.

Bagi meraikan hubungan baru itu, Petron menyediakan bahan api percuma bagi penerbangan sulung pesawat A380 MAS, penerbangan MH2 dari Kuala Lumpur ke London pada malam Ahad sebelum ini.

MAS menerima pesawat A380 pertama di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa KL pada Jumaat.

Pada 5 Jun, MAS juga menikmati bekalan bahan api daripada Petron apabila ia membawa kakitangan dan tetamu untuk mencuba penerbangan A380, termasuk Dr Mahathir.

Sementara itu, Anwar juga mengumumkan akan melaksanakan pendidikan percuma dan penghapusan pinjaman Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN), sebaik sahaja gabungan diumumkan membentuk kerajan jika menang dalam pilihan raya umum akan datang.

I do not hate Mahathir at all but like three former Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Hussein, Tun Abdullah and majority of Malaysians in 2012, I am opposed to Mahathirism and its return to Malaysian politics in 13GE

I have just returned from a four-day visit to Myanmar and I am most intrigued by the statement by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad saying he did not know why I hated him so much.

Let me assure Mahathir that I do not hate him at all but like three former Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Hussein and Tun Abdullah and the majority of Malaysians in 2012, I am opposed to Mahathirism and its return to Malaysian politics in 13th general election.

Mahathir cannot be more wrong when he claimed that Abdullah was rejected by voters for “mistreating” him, asserting:

“Last time when Abdullah wasn’t good to me, the people did not support BN. So some people still have some sympathy for me.”

The reason why Abdullah suffered the worst UMNO/BN electoral defeat in the 2008 general election is because he failed to live up to his promise in the landslide 2004 general election victory to begin the serious task to dismantle the Mahathirish legacy of corruption, cronyism and abuses of power.

Recently, Mahathir has resurrected the worst strains of Mahathirism viz rabid racism, to the curses of corruption, cronyism and abuses of power, when he stoked racial fears among the Malays with his warnings that Malays will lose power if Umno loses the next general election, that Najib is a weak Prime Minister and that reforms could spark unrest, that the 13GE will be about race and that the Chinese voters are the kingmakers for the 13GE and will decide who forms the government – exhortations which are not only untrue, most incendiary and highly provocative, but totally against five decades of Malaysian nation-building, his own Vision 2020 of Bangsa Malaysia and Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.

While denying that there is such thing as “Mahathirism”, Mahathir is working very hard to restore and entrench Mahathirism as the official creed of the UMNO/BN after the 13GE, whether led by Najib or somebody else.

Malaysian voters, especially the three million new voters in the 13GE, must unite to prove Mahathir wrong, that the return of Mahathirism is rejected conclusively and decisively to send out the clear message that the 13GE is not about race but about the future of a united, harmonious, just and progressive Malaysia where corruption, cronyism and abuses of power are relegated to the dustbins of history.

Country's Leadership To Do The Best For Young Generation - Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Saturday assured the young generation that the country's leadership would do their best to safeguard their future.

He said that as heirs and a generation who would inherit the country's leadership, they would certainly expect their future to be better than today.

"We can see in the Middle East, Africa, and, in fact, in Europe, the unemployment rate is almost 40 per cent.

"But, in our country, through policies and proper planning, as well as effective implementation, the youths believe in a better future for the country.

"This is our journey and the country's transformation agenda," he said at the 'Ekspresi Remaja Bersama Perdana Menteri' programme at the National Stadium here.



Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is also the President of the Girl Guides Association of Malaysia, was also present at the function.

Najib said that the government regarded the young generation as a valuable asset and treasure.

He said the government would further enhance its engagement with the young generation, regarding it as an investment for the country's future.

Najib also referred to the "2012 Gathering Of A Million Youths" in Putrajaya recently, which he said was a great success.

"There will be another programme next week, an activity on volunteerism which will be enhanced with the participation of the young people and youths," he added.

Ragu: Pendatang di bumi sendiri

If Najib doesn't welcome LGBT, let's vote him out

Najib’s hurtful statements against the lesbians, gays, bisexual and transsexual ('LGBT') community by stating there is no place in Malaysia for LGBTs is like a knife stabbing right through our hearts.

Najib flimsily backs up his argument by mentioning religion. There has also been references to a narrow interpretation of the meaning of gender in the federal constitution and so he concludes that LGBTs do not deserve any protection, thus have no human rights. So much for the 1Malaysia which remains just a slogan.

I am also so sick and tired of hearing people dressed in religious attire proclaiming to be most religious to the extent to be implying of being messengers of god, and in the name of god condemn LGBT community as sinners worthy of fire and brimstone.

It makes me think that these messengers of god playing politics in the pretence of being such holy beings are really just lunatics who hear imaginary voices in their head.

It is time the LGBT community strikes back hard to teach those homophobic people where it hurts them most.

One way is to organise a demonstration and march down the streets demanding equal rights for LGBTs, in which the end result would be facing police brutality.

Or I could take the initiative and proclaim myself to be the second Jesus Christ to make silly statements that I hear messages from the god or gods stating this and that, including that god is in the image of LGBT.

Since I can write, maybe I could author a completely new religious book. This would no doubt get me a permanent residency in a mental institution with the keys thrown away for good.

But maybe there is another workable way. I would call this the 1LGBT way.

You see, the popular statistics state that approximately 10 percent of every society consists of LGBTs. Now assuming that another 10 percent non-LGBT people are sympathisers of the LGBT community, imagine if, working together, members of both 10 percent groups reach out and educate just one other person each to fight for our cause.

This gives just 40 percent of voting power to vote for LGBTs or their sympathisers as members of parliament.

And what better time to do it as the 13th general election is round the corner.

Pushing it a little further, it is not a far-fetched idea if we LGBTs overthrow the current government and any government that has little regard to the LGBT community. The new government then forms parliament consisting of the members of parliament who are LGBTs and LGBT sympathisers. Certainly this would be most colourful.

Although 40 percent voting power when translated to 40 percent of the total members of parliament will be a weak government, it would be a strong message to deliver to those thick skulls who still think that condemning the LGBT community is the holy war that must be waged.

Not forgetting that the 40 percent if achievable will be a credible third force to check rampant discrimination against LGBT society.

Once upon a time, this was just a dream. Now it can be a reality. So in the coming 13th general election, let us, LGBT and LGBT sympathisers, work together to educate and campaign for just one more person to be on our side to form a big third force to force out the current government or any government who does not recognise the LGBT society.

It would also be nice to elect a capable non-corrupt individual as prime minister who is either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual regardless of race. Now that is what I would call 1Malaysia.

He/she would repeal some discriminatory and outdated laws, like doing away with Section 377A on oral sex and 377B of the Penal Code on male anal sex, without any replacement of similar oppressive laws. Then introduce additional laws that make it a crime to discriminate, ridicule and condemn any LGBT.

My oh my, the list of reforms can go on and on with a LGBT prime minister with a LGBT cabinet, but I think the message is clear.

'Isteri tahanan ISA 'diugut', diminta tarik laporan'

CRUSH THE PAK TERROR FORCE IN INDIAN SOIL. PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE MUST HELP DEFENSE FORCE TO COMBAT TERRORISM.

High contingent Pakistani Terrorist force waiting to infiltrate from POK border to spred Terrorism in India.

WHY SHOULD PATRIOTIC PEOPLE NOT TO TAKE ARMS TO CURB AND UPROOT ANTI-INDIAN TERROR FORCE FROM INDIA?

Poonch: 6th July, 2012 | HE Special Coorrespondent :: While the army is doing its best to prevent cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant General KT Parnaik, General Officer Commanding, Northern Command, warned a chance to infiltrate a high numbers of Islamic Terrorists to spread cross-border terrorism in India through POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) borders.

Addressing journalists, General Parnaik disclosed that the Home Ministry has approved all army-related policies in this regard.

He added that though the army was “little disappointed” with the execution of the projects to curb infiltration, though it had considerably reduced in the last few months.



“The policies have been approved by the Home Ministry. Yes, we are a little disappointed with the way it has been done, but infiltration has reduced,” Lieutenant General Parnaik said.

He said that they have received information regarding camping of militants at launch pads, waiting to infiltrate into Kashmir.

“We have received information that all the launching pads house terrorists and they have been trying for the last six months, since the snow has melted, and their attempts have been futile. There have been one or two successful attempts as well, but it is no cause for worry,” he said.

Secret Pak Terror bases in POK

Not to contradict with Lieutenant General KT Parnaik, nor to degenerate the hard liner Defense Ministers of India, we must point out one dangerous move in the Govt policy under a timid softness in the face of internal communal hazards and election politics so pricked by the foreign agencies, for which the cross border subversive elements aspire the immediate support and acceptance of it by their counterparts already settled in India.

Now, it is supported from an intelligence link that thousands of communal agents from Pakistan, POK and Afghanistan have settled in India, not returning in their home land even after the expiry of their visas and doing their entrusted jobs of weakening India through various illegal business of arms, narcotics, fake notes, money-lending, women and children trafficking, assassination as mercenary and vary other anti national activities. These people always play a significant role to provide the safe arrival of the cross border terrorists and the intruders jumped from their launching pad.

Very recently five Pak nationals have been arrested by Indian Police in Titagarh area of West Bengal, which is considered as sleeper zone of choice of the Pak and Chinese terrorist outfits. They were arrested by the CID from Titagarh in North 24-Parganas district for one year overstaying in the country under the Foreigners Act, the police said.

The family entered into India through Amritsar Rly Check Post on a tourist visa that had validity till May 2011. They had come to visit relative Osman Gani, who lives on RK Road in Hooghly’s Serampore. During their stay, one of the members married Gani’s relative and the family did not return to their country, Pakistan. Afterward they all shifted in Titagarh area.

Using a residential certificate given by local Muslim TMC (ruling party in West Bengal) Councillor, they managed to obtain other documents like a PAN card and even opened bank accounts like Indian nationals. Everything in place, they decided to stay back permanently in India. Apart from conspiracy, CID officers have arrested them arrested all five for staying in India even after their visa had expired and forging documents.They were also charged with conspiracy. The officers said they are in the process of interrogation for all the five family members to confirm whether they hold any links with spies or had any plans of sabotage plan in India.

However, all the five Pakistani nationals, all members of a family from Karachi (Rahim Sha Colony, Orangi Town, Sector-11), were arrested on Sunday (1st July2012) for staying well after the expiry of their visa period and were produced in a court on Monday.

This is not a single story. When such thousand Pakistani traders, Moulavi, unknown professionals, Afghan money lenders, Kashmir Shwal sellers from POK and Kashmir (most of them are connected with Hurriyat Conference in Kashmir and marrying Hindu girls here and there in numbers) are spreading their Islamic network, the common patriotic persons can not ignore the matter. Bharatiya (Indian) patriotic people must prepare themselves with full valour and equipment to resist these venomous reptiles everywhere at first chance. These stand point is not excluded in checking the Maoist dragons and Evangelical leviathan also.

But the fault line in the Interior Ministry is alarming. As per opinion of an expert, (Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd) is Director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, a New Delhi-based Think-Tank. 24-01-2012 Rediff News):

“The National Investigation Agency, NIA, needs to be re-modeled on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to give it both preventive and investigative powers. The NIA must be reconstituted as it lacks teeth in its present form.

India’s intelligence coordination and assessment apparatus at the national level remains mired in the days of innocence. While the requirement is for a strong National Counter-terrorism Centre, the approval accorded by the Cabinet Committee for Security is for a watered down version of the form in which the NCTC had been originally conceived by Home Minister P Chidambaram.

The NCTC had been envisaged as an umbrella organisation which would exercise control over agencies like the NIA, the National Technical Research Organisation, the Joint Intelligence Committee, the National Crime Records Bureau and the National Security Guard. It will now be placed under the Intelligence Bureau and the existing Multi-Agency Centre will be subsumed in it.

The NCTC will draw up and coordinate counter-terrorism plans, integrate intelligence gathering and coordinate with all existing investigating and intelligence agencies.

The NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid), which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in June 2011, will provide a data bank of 20 database like travel records, immigration details and income tax records as inputs to the NCTC.

Finally, the government must seriously consider enlarging the scope of its counter-terrorism policy to covertly eliminate the leaders of terrorist organisations abroad who are sponsoring terrorism in India.”

Here also the cooperation between the people and the Govt is not addressed properly. Unless and until the Govt is prepared to make a public preparedness on the basis on compulsory and confident military training or the spontaneous armed combat to the attacking terrorist force by the patriotic people on their own, these PAK, MAO or ANY TERROR FORCE cannot be eliminated.

Rehabilitation of the ex-military personnel in the border areas, creating rural level resistance force of the local people, logistic and equipment supports to the hard core anti Pakistan, anti Mao, anti anti-Indian cultural forces are the other options.

If Pakistan or China attack Bharat or any Vatican Conspiracy wants to make India again as a colony of them directly , is it possible to set aside the matter by a patriotic person. All the majority people will surely take the arms in the names of Chartapati Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Guru Govind Singh, Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhas to save their Mother Land. Who will resist them?

It is a real time of preparation to combat all the Jihadi and anti Indian Forces putting their claws to the body of my mother.

Abu Jindal has no remorse for Mumbai carnage, say investigators

New Delhi: There is no remorse in Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jindal Hamza, the Indian national who has confessed to being in the control room in Karachi during the 2008 terror siege of Mumbai, say investigators, describing him as an intensely devout man who believes he did his "religious duty".

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist from Beed in Maharashtra has confessed to being amongst those directing the 10 Pakistani terrorists who docked in Mumbai on the night of Nov 26, 2008 and unleashed mayhem till Nov 28, sources in the investigation team said.

Jindal, who was arrested at the airport here on June 21 after his deportation from Saudi Arabia, is being interrogated by several investigating teams, including the Intelligence Bureau, Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad team and a special Delhi Police team.

He has shown no regret for the Nov 26-28, 2008, attacks, in which 166 people, including several foreigners, were killed and 238 injured.

"Jindal has no regret for the deaths of 166 people in the 26/11 attack. He explained the deaths, saying that in the way of god people have to sacrifice not only their life but also leave their homes, relatives and family too," an officer in the interrogation team said.

Jindal, who loves to expound on Islam and offers namaz five times a day during which he rubs his forehead against the floor as a true devout, told interrogators that the 2008 Mumbai carnage was "a part of his devotion for his religious duty called jihad".

He told interrogators that the word jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of god (al-jihad fi sabil Allah)".

Asked why he had chosen India for jihad, Jindal is believed to have told interrogators, "It's a religious war with those who are unbelievers in the mission of Muhammad.... especially for the purpose of advancing Islam and repelling evil from Muslims."

He has been forthcoming in his replies regarding the role played by the LeT in the attack, but "tends to mumble" when it comes to the role of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, say investigators.

He has told them that he is only a member of LeT, and his bosses chose the specific targets for jihad. He also said there were other mujahideen - persons engaged in jihad - like him who were selected to execute plans.

The planning for 26/11 was done sometime in 2003, Jindal has said. He had been tasked to recruit Indian Muslims for jihad and those hailing from non-Hindi speaking areas were taught to speak Hindi by him.

During 2006, when investigators unearthed a major arms and explosives consignment in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Jindal, who was part of the team taking the deadly goods to Mumbai, managed to escape, said sleuths. Though police were on his trail, he managed to flee to Bangladesh.

"He crossed into Bangladesh and then travelled onwards to Pakistan, all with the help of Pakistani intelligence operatives," an investigator said.

"As he was well versed with Mumbai due to his native place being Beed in Maharashtra, Jindal was deputed to recruit and train the ten terrorists involved in 26/11 attack," the official said.

An unrepentant Jindal told investigators that if he gets another chance, he will repeat the terror attack as it would help him get a place in jannat (heaven) through jihad.

Investigators are trying join the dots in the entire 26/11 conspiracy and execution by connecting Jindal's activities - from his early days as part of the LeT camp in Nepal, and later when he attended camps in Muridke and Thakot in Pakistan - to his directing the Mumbai attack from the Karachi control room along with LeT chief Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi and some ISI officers.

Anwar’s retirement announcement a ploy, says Dr M

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today Opposition Leader Datuk Seri

Dr M has called Anwar’s statement “rhetoric”. — file pic

Anwar Ibrahim should not waste any more time if he intends to retire from politics as he has said.

“He should retire right now. It is futile ... his desire to become the prime minister,” the former prime minister told reporters after paying a courtesy call to visiting President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus, here.

Anwar had indicated in an interview published recently by the Financial Times that he might consider quitting politics if the opposition fails to wrest federal power in the next general election, due by April next year.

Dr Mahathir said Anwar’s statement was mere rhetoric because, even if the opposition pact were to lose in the next general election, he would continue to dream of becoming the prime minister.

The former prime minister said in jest that probably an honorary prime ministerial post could be established for Anwar for the duration of five days to enable him to fulfil his dream prior to retirement.

Meanwhile, Federal Territory Umno Liaison Committee secretary Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshee said Anwar’s latest statement was yet another ploy to garner sympathy votes in the next general election.

“Anwar should retire from politics now because he himself knows that he cannot win in the next general election. He and the others in the opposition pact realise that they cannot compete against the proven track record of the Barisan Nasional (BN) which has the support of the people,” he told Bernama when contacted.

The Cheras Umno Division chief said he was convinced that Anwar would continue to be active in politics even if the opposition pact were to lose in the next general election because he harbours ambitions of becoming the prime minister.

Syed Ali advised BN leaders to be wary of Anwar’s tactics, saying the Permatang Pauh MP was deft at psychological warfare and propaganda. — Bernama

Asri urges Muslims to shed feudalism, pseudo-salafism

Jul 6: Former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin has chided a section of Muslim scholars who he said had a tendency to remain silent on injustices while defending unjust kings, dictatorship and tyranny based on their ignorance and 'literalist' understanding of Islamic texts.

"These are the people who would churn out fatwas in defence of [former Libyan leader] Muammar Qadafi, [former Egyptian president] Hosni Mubarak and the still surviving regime of Bashar al-Asad.

"They are busy preventing people from voicing out, but they are not busy engaging in forum, debates and seminars to stop those in power from trampling upon people's rights. They claim this is the belief of the salaf [first generation of Muslims], as if the salaf are the bastion of unjust regimes," wrote Asri (pic) in his blog.

Asri reminded that even Muawiyah Abi Sufyan, who opposed the caliphate of Ali Abi Talib and who later went on to controversially set up a hereditary system of caliphate, had provided space for people to voice their dissent.

Reacting to the victory of Islamist leader Mohamed Mursi in Egypt's first free presidential election, Asri said Muslim masses had suffered for far too long and that it was time they shed their feudal thinking.

"It is time to do away with corrupt groups and supporters of feudal thinking from the Muslim community," he added.

Asri pointed out that Western societies were more aware of their rights, citing how the British media would frequently expose wastages and extravagant lifestyles of their royal families.

"The increase in Queen Elizabeth's expenditure is also questioned. This is despite the British queen, like others, also paying taxes. But the principle of justice and democracy allows the public to scrutinise anyone who abuses public funds," he said, citing a recent report by UK's Daily Mail questioning Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton's travel expenses.

Last May, Asri spoke out against a police investigation against former Perak Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin for questioning the half-a-million ringgit purchase of a car number plate by the Sultan of Johor.
"If the behaviour and actions of royalties cannot be questioned, we are only deifying them and subjugating ourselves," Asri said.

Ex-army man: Razor wire should not have been used

The Star 

KUALA LUMPUR: The razor wire used to cordon off several areas surrounding Dataran Merdeka during the Bersih 3.0 rally should not have been used on members of the public, Suhakam’s public inquiry into the rally was told.

Retired army personnel Khairul Annuar Pawanchik, 60, said that some of the wire which had been used during the rally and identified as “razor blade barbed concertina wire”, was usually used in war zones and atop prison walls.

“I think the wire should never have been used. In my experience, it is the most dangerous razor wire,” he said yesterday at the Suhakam public inquiry into allegations during and after the April 28 gathering.

However, he stressed that he was not against the police but was “concerned that it would have injured the public”.

Khairul, who is a Red Crescent Society communication and reserve officer, was the third witness called before the panel yesterday.

He said that a person would need special gloves and sufficient training to remove the razor wire, adding that it would take five to 10 minutes.

While giving his account of the events on that day, he said he saw a group of 15 to 20 traffic police officers with the leading officer holding up his gun while on a motorcycle in between Quality Hotel and Medan Mara.

The inquiry, which began yesterday, is chaired by Suhakam vice-chairman Prof Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee and assisted by fellow commissioners Prof Datuk Dr Mahmood Zuhdi Abdul Majid and Detta Samen.

The two other witnesses, who also testified yesterday, were rally participant Kunabal K. Rajagopal, 58, and Baharudin Hashim, 53, who described himself as a “curious bystander”.

At a press conference later, Dr Khaw said tentatively 22 witnesses excluding police officers would be called during the inquiry.

The inquiry resumes on July 11.

Another woman attacked in car park

Viciously attacked : Nooralida resting on her hospital bed.

KUALA LUMPUR: Another woman has been brutally attacked in broad daylight at a car park near a hypermarket here.

Nooralida M. Noor was getting into her car at a shopping centre at around 2.50pm on Tuesday when a man forcibly entered her car and slashed her left arm and neck.

Although she fought back and tried shouting, the man pinned her down and warned her “not to be stupid”, she said in her Facebook account.

The commotion attracted the attentions of another woman and her son. The attacker then panicked and fled.

Nooralida drove to a police station before seeking treatment at the Gleneagles Hospital. Ampang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Amiruddin Jamaluddin has asked witnesses to call the Selangor police hotline at 03-2052 9999.

Recently, Internet marketeer Chin Xin-Ci posted on Facebook her ordeal of being almost kidnapped by two men at a shopping mall car park on May 27.

Less than 24 hours later, two women were robbed of RM80,000 at the same place while another woman was robbed at the outdoor parking lot near a shopping centre on June 4.

On June 24, a woman nearly had her finger severed by an armed robber as she stopped in front of her friend’s house at Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

Just 32 hours earlier, another woman was robbed and slashed on the head while she was walking towards her car at a shopping mall car park.

Meanwhile, MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong advised the people to be careful of being approached by those who claimed to be policemen.

He said that in the latest case on April 27, 22-year-old student Teng Sheng Hao was robbed at a shopping mall in the city by a bogus policeman.

Teng claimed a man in plainclothes came up to him and accused him of being involved in a credit card theft.
Teng agreed to cooperate after he believed that the man was a policeman although he didn’t show his authority card.

The man then robbed Teng of his car keys, handphone and his wallet. He was also forced to give up his ATM card number.

The victim later found out that about RM10,000 had been withdrawn from his account.

IGP Refutes Claims Of Rising Crime Rates

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar refuted claims by some quarters of rising crime rates in the country based on the crime cases reported by the media including social media.

He said the claims were not true because statistics obtained from the state and district police, as well as international platforms like the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) showed the effectiveness of measures to combat and reduce crime in the country.

"If there are quarters who are still not convinced by what have been done by the Royal Malaysian Police since the implementation of the National Key Result Area (NKRA) initiatives to reduce crime two years ago, they can refer to the reports including that issued by GPI.

"And yesterday, international panellists attending the two-day meeting on Review of Crime Reduction 2012 through the NKRA also agreed with what we have done," he said after the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters' greening programme, here, Friday.

The international meeting was also attended by Hong Kong police director of management, SAC Tang How Kong and former head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch of the New Scotland Yard, Peter Clarke.

‘Constitution was doctored to favour one race’

Hindraf Makkal Sakti claims that Tunku Abdul Rahman and the then British High Commissioner had a hand in it.

GEORGE TOWN: Umno, then led by Tunku Abdul Rahman and the British High Commissioner to Malaya Donald MacGillivary, revised the Federal Constitution to favour one race.

This allegation comes from Hindraf Makkal Sakti’s P Waytha Moorthy.

Waytha Moorthy claims that they formed a “secret working pact”to dilute and amend provisions under Article 8 to institutionalise a super class status for the ethnic Malays under Article 153.

He says that Article 8 of the Federal Constitution that provided “equality for all Malaysian citizens before the law” is a doctored form of the original constitutional draft prepared by the Reid Constitution Commission (RCC).

The secret working pact was never authorised and sanctioned by the London Constitutional Conference (LCC), the British authority that formed and sanctioned the RCC in February 1956 as the only official body to draft the Malayan constitution.

Waytha Moorthy said under the original draft prepared by RCC, Article 8, among others:

All persons shall be equal before the law and shall be entitled to the equal protection of the law; and

No provision of any law shall discriminate against any citizen or class of citizens by reason only of religion, race, descent, or place of birth, provided that nothing in this clause shall invalidate any provision regulating the personal law of any class of citizens.

Waytha Moorthy said the RCC’s original recommendations would have provided a constitutional guarantee for non-Malays against any form of racial and religious discrimination.

However, he said Tunku and his Umno conspired and colluded with MacGillivary to hatch a conspiracy to dilute and amend the whole Article 8 to usurp fundamental rights of non-Malays or any individual to equality in rights and dignity.

He said the secret pact’s amalgamated Article 8 (2) and (3) now reads as:

“Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.”

Waytha Moorthy noted that the inserted clause “Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution …” was key to the formation of Article 153, which invented and upheld the special super class position of Malays.

“This paved the way for Umno’s racial and religious discriminative policies to marginalise non-Malays since independence until today,” he told FMT.

Fresh suit filed

The London-based lawyer said he discovered this while scrutinising more than 400,000 documents of Malayan independence talks to facilitate the Hindraf trillion-dollar class action suit against the former colonial British government.

The suit was filed at London Courts on July 2 to seek justice from the British government for abandoning ethnic Indians at the mercy of perceived racist Umno regime when Malaya gained independence in 1957.

Waytha Moorthy said the Tunku-led Umno leadership was given all the time and ample opportunities to table their oral representations before the RCC.

But, he said when some Umno proposals were rejected out-right by the commission, Tunku and MacGillivray formed the secret pact to illegally review the recommendations made by the independent RCC

He noted that the power to review and amend RCC recommendations was, however, never granted to any other party by the LCC.

But, he said with the help of MacGillivray, Tunku and his Umno leaders somehow managed to unlawfully amend and insert their own constitutional proposals into the original draft of Malayan Constitution without the knowledge or sanction of LCC and RCC.

He said the conspirators submitted their own unlawful racially amended constitutional draft directly to the British Cabinet, by passing LCC and RCC.

Shockingly though, he said the British Cabinet merely rubber-stamped the Umno-drafted Constitution and tabled it in British Parliament where it was duly passed in July 1957.

“Thus the doctored and flawed racist Malayan Constitution was born,” he said.

Gomateshwara Bahubali Statue at Shravanabelagola: A Wonder

There is a unique statue of Gomateshwar, also known as Bahubali (Armstrong), in southern state of

Gomateshwara Statue at Shravanabelagola

Karnataka in India. The uniqueness of this statue is that this is the world's highest monolithic statue without external support. The statue is 17.6 Meters (58.8 feet) high, situated on a hill called Indragiri (also known as Vindhyagiri) at Shravanabelagola town.

This statue is historical one, carved in a single granite stone in 983 C.E. The statue is in standing pose, naked, attractive and very proportional. It was carved by Chaavundaraay, a General of king Marsinha of Gang dynasty.

Shravanabelagola is a pilgrimage center for Jains, the followers of Jainism from ancient time. This is the place where Chandragupt Maurya, the first emperor of Mauryan dynasty spent his last days as a Jain ascetic. His Guru Acharya Bhadrabahu also spent his last days here.

Historical Importance of Gomateshwar Statue

This statue has historical importance. Important for historians, archaeologists as well as for linguists. The statue is evidence of spread of Jainism in south India, and the royal patronage to it. For archeologists, the statue is important because it is the greatest presentation of Indian sculpture.

For linguists also, the statue is important, as inscriptions in three different languages are written on the base stone near the feet of the statue. The three languages are Tamil, Kannada and Marathi. The Marathi inscription is the oldest inscription in this language. all the three

inscriptions are important for knowing the history and evolution of related languages.

Religious Importance of Gomateshwar Statue

The statue is very important for Jains. Because of this statue, this ancient place got more importance as Jains and others from all over India got attracted to this place. In recent few decades, the statue has become an attraction for worldwide tourists, especially from Europe and America. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people come here to see the wonder.

Every 12th year, there is a big ceremony called Mahamastakabhishek. In that year, about 2 millions of people visit this place.

Why the rush for GE13?

By R Shan

It appears many of the political and non-political organisations are keen to have the election as soon as possible. Why the rush?

Many who rush for it appear to have an agenda, but how are these agendas any good for the public? The public still move around doing their daily routine whether BN or Pakatan Rakyat comes into power.

Much anticipation was there when the Hindraf tsunami created the five opposition states and now the current four in GE12, but to no avail. And talking about BN is like talking to the wall.

Now after four years we see the same politicians taking their turn in their wooing of the public for votes. Many scandals and much rhetoric are thrown about in both the mainstream media and the alternative media to entice the voter but will it succeed, if the thought process of these politicians do not move beyond being summer soldiers and sunshine patriots as opposed to soldiers for the general benefit of the public?

The cycle of politics is a never-ending process no matter who comes into the foray unless and until you have genuine leaders, but then genuine leaders for the community don’t survive in politics as we have both the mainstream media and alternative media that only supports what the party wants, not what is just and fair for the community.

Highlighting to and educating the masses seems very political these days for the Internet-savvy armchair critics who create their arm’s length thoughts without actually acting on their thoughts. The politicians of the current time have mastered this and works through their lapdogs to create a pseudo-belief amongst these all-knowing Malaysians.

Many would agree that the goals of life are the causes of desires and aspirations. Desires arise naturally since our senses still require wealth, love and desire in a material world, yet aspirations like practice of righteousness and liberation for humanity is still a farfetched notion. The latter needs tenacity and determination against the odds.

Our politicians, like us, are still in the desire stage so I guess that kind of sums up why there is a rush for the GE13.

The anchor reason for Malaysians should not be when the election is going to be, but whether we have we gradually changed our attitude in approaching the ground problems such as the truth and reality for the common folks in our own ways, rather than to keep hearing what this or that politician has to say.

Politics will be politics as usual, but I am sure we are more mature and wise when and if we chose to be because of the aspiration rather than the desire.

So why rush GE13, let it take place when it has to take place.