French lawyer: No Scorpene trial in France

The lawyer said two 'independent judges' started investigating after a complaint filed by Suaram.

(Bernama) - A prominent French government prosecutor has denied reports circulating among some Malaysian online news portals of an ongoing trial in France, on allegations of corruption by a French company over the purchase of two French-made Scorpene submarines by Malaysia in 2002.

Yves Charpenel said the media in Malaysia should be able to distinguish between rumours and facts, and between investigations and a trial.

“I am aware about all the fuss kicked up by certain media (organisations) in Malaysia over this matter but what I can say is that this is nothing more than a trial by the media,” he told Bernama here today.

Charpenel, who was a former head of prosecution in France and now a state prosecutor and an executive member of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), was here to attend the four-day IAACA conference and general meeting which ended yesterday.

Following a complaint filed in 2009 by Suaram, a Malaysian human rights non-governmental organisation (NGO), that a French company had allegedly paid bribes to a Malaysian firm for the submarine deal, he revealed that two independent “investigating judges” started their investigations earlier this year.

Charpenel said that in France, as in other countries practising the rule of law, all investigations were done in absolute secret.

He said, it was anybody’s right to file a complaint and due to the secret nature of the investigations, some resorted to complaining to the media.

He explained that for specific cases in France, the Justice Ministry would ask an independent judge, called an “investigating judge”, to investigate.

“He is just an investigator. This is an old system that started from the Napolean era. If the investigating judge wants someone to come to Malaysia, he has to ask from your government because we have what is called the Treaty of Mutual Legal Assistance. And the Malaysian government can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It has to be decided by the Malaysian authorities.

“A French investigating judge cannot take his luggage, take a plane and go to Malaysia and ask someone to answer his questions. It is impossible, it is against the French law and it is also against international law,” stressed Charpenel.

In April this year, local opposition politicians here had even called for Malaysian officials to testify in Paris or risk being ostracised in the European Union.

“A trial is a trial with all the rules. Investigation is another thing,” said Charpenel of the misinformation generated by certain news portals over allegations that a trial was already underway.

Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also said over the weekend that the Auditor-General had declared the Scorpene deal was done in accordance with legal procedures.

China, Pakistan, Destabilizing India's Northeast?

(Asia Sentinel) Intelligence officials charge India bankrolls terrorist activities

An upward spiral in terrorist incidents in India’s northeast has become a growing cause of worry for Indian intelligence agencies, who blame India and Pakistan for fomenting the violence. Five blasts have ripped through different northeastern states in the last two months. In Assam, more than 80 people lost their lives in August due to violent clashes between Muslims and tribal Bodo people.

The unrest triggered a panicked exodus of over 400,000 people, mostly of Mongol stock, from their homes all across the country. Hordes boarded trains in alarm, catapulting the region to global headlines.

Rumors were rife that it was the doing of Islamic extremists in Pakistan. However, India’s premier intelligence agency, the Research & Analysis Wing, has charged that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence is at least partly responsible, conspiring with China to foment trouble. Chinese agencies, according to a new report that received widespread notice recently at a conference of the Director Generals of Police in New Delhi, are using the ISI as a surrogate to bankroll Indian terrorist groups.

“In the mid-1970s, the Chinese were directly involved in creating trouble in the northeast,” Ved Marwah, a former police officer who also served as governor of Manipur and Mizoram, told Mail Today, the newspaper which broke the story. “Later the ISI started building a network. Now what we have is a deadly mix of Chinese motivation and ISI hostility that is supporting insurgent groups. The situation is getting from bad to worse and senior politicians in these states are also linked,” he told the newspaper.

Too often, Indian authorities charge both the Chinese and Pakistanis with meddling in violence-prone areas when the real causes are government neglect, corruption and usurpation of tribal lands by vested interests. The report provides no direct evidence of involvement, such as through captured insurgents or document intercepts. However, in this case the allegation gained credibility by the fact that last year Pakistan’s former ISI Chief Assad Durani made an astonishing admission before the Pakistan Supreme Court by stating that the ISI had indeed been “meddling” with India’s North East.

The proximity of the ISI – particularly well-entrenched in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur – to Chinese agencies is hardly surprising, intelligence analysts say, as it serves the agenda of both countries quite well.

“The ISI doesn't have to dip into its own meager resources to destabilize India,” a home ministry source who declined to be named told Asia Sentinel. “Beijing is the moneybags here. And it can simultaneously maintain its non-involvement as there is no direct evidence against it,” said the official.

For decades, India’s northeast, comprising the `seven sisters’ (or the seven states) of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland – has been a hotbed of communal strife, ethnic insurgencies and illegal immigration. Since 1980, the region has also been a fertile ground for a Naxalite-Maoist insurgency, an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups (known as Naxalites or Naxals) and the Indian government described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as "the single biggest internal security challenge ever faced by our country."

According to the BBC, more than 6,000 people have died during the rebels' 20-year fight between 1990 and 2010 in the northeast. Overall, 11,500 people have been victims of insurgency violence since its start in 1980, of which more than half died in the last ten years. The year 2012 has seen 22 civilian deaths so far.

Last year, the Indian police accused the Chinese government of providing sanctuary to leaders of the Naxal movement, and Pakistani ISI of providing financial support. Home Ministry sources acknowledge anonymously that both countries have been leveraging the Naxalites’ disenchantment with the Indian government for not developing the region adequately and failing to provide for its people.

“The insurgents follow a strategy of folk rebellion targeting tribal, police and government workers in what they say is a fight for territorial rights, more employment for neglected agricultural laborers and the poor. Their crusade naturally makes them vulnerable to the nefarious designs of foreign powers,” said a former Maoist rebel.

Security analysts say Pakistan and China are bound by a commonality of interest. They are keen that the North East continue to remain chaotic to thwart Delhi’s ambitions to become a regional heavyweight. “Towards that end, Pakistan’s protracted battle over Kashmir with India, by fomenting terrorist activities through cross-border infiltration, is being bolstered by China,” adds the Maoist.

“As most of the terror strikes in the northeast are carried out by homegrown elements, this serves as a perfect alibi for the ISI,” argued Pradeep Khanna, a Mumbai-based security analyst who is working on a book on the 26/11 attacks. “Infighting is far more deadly and causes more instability than an external attack. Besides, an external attack carries global and diplomatic ramifications.”

Khanna suggests that the Indian government tackle the root of the problem by equipping Indian intelligence agencies, anti-insurgent forces and the troops stationed on the borders with sufficient resources to take on the threat of foreign-backed rebels. “The government must expedite the development of the region which will bring lasting peace and dissuade people from joining or supporting insurgencies in future,” he said.

While China may not be interested in reigniting any large-scale insurgency in India’s northeast, it certainly doesn’t hold back from inciting trouble in an area where it has substantial territorial claims. China continues to occupy 14,600 sq miles of Indian territory annexed during the Sino-Indian War and shows no intention of returning it.

However, China scholars like Dr Rakesh Datta are of the opinion that in the India-Pak-China dynamic, the feasibility of Pakistan being used as a “stooge” by China is far higher. The logic is simple: the possibility of a politically and economically unstable country carrying out operations of such magnitude on a sustained basis with its own meager resources is limited.

“Keeping in view Pakistan’s socio-economic perspective,” Datta wrote in his thesis Beijing, Mind Behind Pak Terrorism, “the country is hard-pressed in terms of economic growth, high inflation, rising debt, increasing poverty, growing unemployment and low literacy. It is, therefore, hard to accept that Pakistan is managing the confrontationist posture against India exclusively, without getting help from outside.”

China and India fought an armed war in 1962. But Beijing has since refrained from launching a frontal attack on its Asian neighbor. However, given India’s geo-strategic primacy and its position as a formidable neighbor and a security threat, Beijing has never failed to maintain a posture as a strategic adversary to its arch rival. Teaming up with Pakistan has further helped it create the synergy to keep India on edge.

STOP THE THEATRICS: M'sia has become CORRUPT TO THE CORE under BN

It was so kind of Prime Minister Najib Razak to contribute RM1 million to the Vienna-based International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA). But to some critics, this move was just to “pull wool over the people’s eyes”.

To the critics, corruption must first be mopped up at home. They feel that some local NGOs deserve the money more when they are making serious efforts to rein in corruption in the country.

There is certainly something wrong when a leader blames everyone else and yet does not observe the corrupt behaviour of his own team.

The people’s perception is that there is a mass-scale corruption at all levels in the country. The people cannot anymore be oblivious to the effects of corruption, as its impacts have become obvious on their everyday life.

Corrupt to the core

People are leaving the Barisan coalition and their reason, among others, is that they just cannot tolerate the level of corruption in the government anymore. Their view seems to be that the government of today is corrupt to the core.

This opinion has hurt Barisan most in the past 30 years – right from the day Mahathir Muhamad took over as prime minister.

Corruption is today seen as corroding the country. The people see the abuse of power by leaders more for their personal advantage. This is disconcerting the minds of voters who depend on the integrity of people in a position of authority.

Looking at the Corruption Perceptions Index of 2011, Malaysia ranked number 60 out of 183 countries with a score of 4.3/10 (hovering at 4 to 5 in the past 10 years).

The country’s one time partner – Singapore that left Malaysia in 1965 – was ranked number 5 with a score of 9.2/10 (hovering at 9 to 9.5 in the past 10 years).

Singapore’s success

Singapore does not make “theology “an overt precept in governance, though. But the administration is based more on the moral foundation of humanity – sturdy principles, integrity, transparency and accountability. This is their recipe for success in bringing down corruption.

The top 10 – the world's least corrupt countries – has remained virtually unchanged for the past 10 years with Finland, Iceland and New Zealand tied for the lead, followed closely by Denmark, Singapore and Sweden.

Malaysia on the other hand seems to be evasive when it comes to taking efforts to appraise the degree of control they have on corruption such as the Transparency Index, the Open Budget Index, Financial Secrecy Index and their Bribe Payers’ Index.

The people are totally blurry on the country’s indexes on Global Competitiveness, Judicial Independence, Human Development, the Rule of Law, Press Freedom, Accountability and the Election Processes.

The government-controlled media and Barisan politicians have failed to sincerely appraise these crucial realms for people’s consumption. What the people merely hear are political rhetoric, dubious statistics given by politicians and all these being spun by the media to sound that “all is well” with the country.

They are leaving Barisan

George Washington said in 1789, “It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favours”.

Those “fearing God” feel that corruption is a plague to the people. Uninhibited corruption which has not abated but increased – in their opinion – is fermenting their hatred for the government. This is one of the many reasons why many former government servants, artistes, academicians, students are today giving their support to PAS and the Opposition.

Even the non-Muslims have no qualms whatsoever about supporting PAS. The simple reason is that they are against corruption. They too have the view that a God-fearing government can help rein in corruption better in the country.

The fervour for religion is becoming more important in the psyche of many Malaysians today. DAP and PKR are not religion-based parties but they are allies to PAS and share the common views that there must be social justice for the people and that corruption is immoral and can destabilise the nation.

When leaders are corrupt the people tend to resort to more religious awareness. The voters are not oblivious to the fact that corruption affects the poorest the most.

“Untouchables”

In fact all elements of society are affected in some way as corruption undermines political development, democracy, economic development, the environment, people’s health, education and so forth.

As in the old sayings, "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it". Being too long in power breeds complacency and corruption. The powerful, wealthy leaders who have been serving long in government could inevitably become corrupt.

Many can be seen living a debauched lifestyle when the poor are getting poorer.

Some have their wealth and interests conveniently stashed overseas and become the “untouchables” in their own country because of their strong political connection.

Corruption is going to cause a decline in morals, affecting both the rich upper classes and the poor, and this is becoming a continuous threat to the country. Corruption is going to cost of defending the country spiral out of control, the economy falling, taxation heavy and inflation high. These will be the symptoms for early bankruptcy for the country.

The majority of the rich are not sharing their “inconceivable” wealth and prosperity with the have-nots in the country and this is widening the gap between the poor and the rich, especially in states like Sarawak and Sabah.

Not perceived as “clean”

Corruption started to rear its ugly head right during Mahathir’s days as prime minister. His infamous description that corruption is “a lubricant that can get things done faster” must have been the wrong dose he prescribed that has made corruption opportunely “acceptable”.

Abdullah Badawi who took over as prime minister from Mahathir in 2003 could not do much in battling corruption just because this immoral habit had already become ingrained in the Malaysian culture. And today Najib is too weak to steer the country out of this baggage.

The present government and its leaders are not perceived as “clean” either when it comes to corruption. It has become an unceasing baggage that has affected almost all those in power.

Thus corruption apparently has become a way of life in the Malaysian society. People are dealing with societies where corruption filters into their everyday life. This culture no doubt is corroding the nation.

A change of government

A change of government may not be the ultimate solution to some voters but many feel that this is the only viable way to stop the menace of corruption from continuing unabated. It’s never too late though to have a new government in the two-party system the country now has.

Corruption is both a major cause and a result of poverty in most countries with unscrupulous leadership. It occurs at all levels of society, from local and national governments, civil society, judiciary functions, businesses, military and other services and so forth.

It is not only in the government that corruption is found. It’s now pervading the society in most countries with poor and ineffective leadership.

Negotiated tenders, for instance, can create conditions whereby corruption can flourish and aggravate the conditions of people. It habitually involves diversion of a percentage of funds from critical projects into the pockets of political parties, politicians, senior government officials or their families.

But the media and haughty politicians would irresponsibly stop effective participation and representation of people in society such as the NGOs from voicing out their displeasures and this has further helped encourage corruption and the collapse of nations.

Corrupt government

Those who are leaving Barisan among them are those who do not believe in the credibility, integrity, professionalism and independence of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

It was mentioned in a recently released report by Swiss-based NGO Bruno Manser Fund, that the Taib (Sarawak Chief Minister) family's total assets to be worth US$21 billion (RM64 billion), with a personal wealth of US$15 billion (RM46 billion), making him Malaysia’s richest man.

The people only want to know the truth but as reported, Najib was trying to be evasive about the whole thing.

The people also want to know the truth about other prominent leaders and those in high positions in the administration who are perceived to be highly corrupted. But unfortunately, the present incumbent government lacks the political will to face the bull by its horns.

Corruption will destroy the nation

It looks like corruption is not getting much better and, indeed, is intensifying – affecting virtually every aspect of life among peoples in the country.

They perceive that corruption is taking on a host of different forms. It involves the police and judicial systems, including disputed enforcement of business contracts and other commercial litigation.

A leader must show his abhorrence of corruption by example not just by telling others to stay away from this evil when the government he leads is amassed with alleged corruption.

A corrupt nation usually has an extremely weak institutional setting and this is due to political parties and their leaders holding on to power for too long causing smugness to set in.

The droves of people leaving Barisan to be with PAS and the Opposition today is clear sign that they want to see a change in government to curb corruption – the thorn in the flesh – that is corroding the nation.

Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Malaysia Chronicle

'Utusan lied about church ticking off Penang CM'

(Malaysiakini) Two Christian leaders quoted by Utusan Malaysia as having criticised the Penang chief minister, have slammed the report as a “complete lie”.

Lutheran Evangelical Church bishop Solomon Rajah and former Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) president Thomas Philips (right) said their words had been taken out of context in the report headlined ‘Church is not a place for politics’.

They have demanded a retraction of the report published in the Sunday edition, Mingguan Malaysia, and a public apology from the Umno-owned Utusan in its next edition.

At a press conference today, at which CCM secretary general Hermen Shastri was present, the two explained that the reporter concerned had only contacted them for their general views on “the church and politics”.

“It was never a reaction or response to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s dialogue with pastors in Penang,” said Solomon.

“Never was I aware that I would be misquoted (or that what I said would be) misconstrued. I never knew that my views would be used to serve Utusan’s own purpose and agenda. This is sad.”

Solomon, who sees himself as an ardent supporter of Lim, stressed that he would not have consented to the interview had he known that Utusan would misquote him.

Among others, the Mingguan report had quoted Solomon as saying "I'm sure (Lim) knows that the church need not be urged to stand up for justice for political purposes.”

‘Reporter should apologise, too’

Philips said the report “is a complete lie” that has jeopardised his reputation, insisting that his actual views had not been reported.

“It is an act of defamation. I am shocked and outraged by the journalist’s lack of competency,” he said.

“What I said was not what was reported, and stands against everything I personally believe in. I would like the reporter herself to apologise for this inaccurate and misleading report.”

However, both said they are not interested in pursuing legal action.

Philips said they just wanted to point out that Utusan “is lying”, explaining that he does not think the church “has time to go into legal action”.

Echoing him, Solomon said it would be enough for the daily to apologise.

“I’m not taking any legal action. I don’t have time for this because I have other things to do,” he added.

Corruption: The more things change… — Qiu Yaofeng

OCT 8 — The deputy prime minister said at the weekend that Malaysia’s gains in the Corruption Barometer (CB) over the previous two years showed Putrajaya’s fight against graft was paying off.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin noted that 49 per cent of Malaysians polled in 2011 by Transparency International (TI) thought that the government’s efforts to stamp out corruption were “effective”, up from 28 per cent in 2009.

But the Umno No. 2 conveniently forgot to mention that the proportion of those who responded positively rose by only one percentage point from 2010 to 2011.

So even if the poll were accepted at face value, this suggests Barisan Nasional’s (BN) anti-graft campaign has hit a brick wall, at least as far as the voting public is concerned.

But what is even more underwhelming is the fact that getting 49 per cent of the respondents to say the government has made the right moves is actually not an improvement at all.

That’s because in 2006 that proportion was almost the same at 45 per cent. The year after that, it was markedly higher — 53 per cent.

Only 2009’s outlier result of 28 per cent makes it seem as though Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration has made great strides in tackling graft. But really, we’ve just been spinning our wheels.

Hardly something for BN to crow about, especially this close to elections.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Court of Appeal dismisses application by transsexual for MyKad change

The Sun Daily
by Tan Yi Liang

As published in The Sun Daily on 5 Oct 2012

PUTRAJAYA (Oct 5, 2012): The Court of Appeal today dismissed without costs an application by Miss C, a 35-year old transsexual to review a High Court decision rejecting her application to have her gender changed from male to female on her MyKad.

In delivering the unanimous decision of the three member bench, quorum chairman Justice Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail said Malaysian medical reports were needed to support the Malaysian application.

"Although the applicant brought medical reports from Hong Kong and Thailand, the application for a sex change is for Malaysia. Therefore, medical reports from a local expert is needed," said Abdul Wahab, who also said the court has the jurisdiction to hear and decide on this matter.

The reports referred to are medical and psychiatric reports.

Abdul Wahab added that certain factors have to be considered, such as the medical and psychiatric evidence, and society's recognition of the person's gender.

The other two members of the bench are Justices Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad and Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim.

Miss C, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in Thailand in Dec 2006 had filed an application with the Taiping High Court in 2010 to have the particulars in her MyKad changed from male to female.

However in January 2011, Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim ruled that the court had no jurisdiction over such matters, adding that the court was of the view that there were no laws empowering it to make decisions on this matter.

At a press conference outside the courtroom today, counsel for Miss C, Canning assemblyman Wong Kah Woh said the decision by the three-man bench that the court has the jurisdiction to hear and decide on Miss C's application made it a landmark case.

"Any lower court will be bound by the decision of this court and will have the jurisdiction to hear such matters," said Wong.

Wong, who is acting pro-bono for Miss C, said his client had filed the application in the Taiping High Court on the recommendation of the National Registration Department (NRD).

"There was a letter from the NRD saying that they do not have the power to change the gender on the MyKad. The NRD said my client had to go to court, and furnish them with a court order," said Wong.

The NRD was represented by Senior Federal Counsel Noor Hisham Ismail.

Banks Urged To Go Easy On CTOS, CCRIS Flagging To Help The Young Buy Houses

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Banking institutions were today urged to be flexible to the young whose names are listed on Credit Tip-Off Sdn Bhd (CTOS) and Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) to enable them to get housing loans.

Datuk Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu) suggested that the CTOS and CCRIS conditions should not be imposed on them.

"They might have made a wrong move in managing their finances at the outset, as a result their names are listed in CTOS and CCRIS and they are facing problems to secure housing loans. So, I propose the Finance Ministry and banks be flexible with them," he said.

Idris, who is also Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad (SPNB) chairman, said in this manner it would not affect the opportunity of the young to invest in a home.

"A house is an immobile property, not mobile property like a car or a motorcycle. It can also be used as collateral. So, if the applicant runs away, the bank can auction the house to recover the amount it lost," he said when debating the 2013 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat.

Furthermore, Idris also suggested that the government introduce a ceiling price to high end housing projects specifically in urban areas to control house prices and prevent speculation on property.

Idris also suggested that the real property gains tax period imposed be raised to 10 years from five to avoid resale of property in a short period of time.

The Dewan sits again Tuesday.

Hindu and Buddhist consolidation have registered their grievance and anxiety in UN Protest Rally in NY.

US Buddhist and Hindu Organisations have successfully organized Protest Rally over Ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh.

 

 Base-reports and Pics received from Sitangshu Guha, NY, dated 06-10-2012 :: Nearly 20 different Hindu-Buddhist-Rights Groups in USA have registered their strong protest over Islamic atrocities upon the Bangladeshi Minorities in front of United Nations Head Quarter in New York on 5th Oct. 2012. The BHBCUC (Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council -USA), NABC (North American Buddhist Community), Bangladesh Hindu Mandir New York, Sarbojanin Puja Udjapon Parishad – INC., Bangladesh Puja Samity – NY, American Jumma Council -NY and other rights group vehemently condemned the recent Islamic plunder in Ramu, Patia and Ukhiya Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples and over peace loving minority Hindu-Buddhist people in Cox’s Bazar and Chattagram areas in Bangladesh. In their long demonstration, the protesters all over USA gathered in the UN HQ to demand the safety and security of the minorities of Bangladesh now under a severe persecution of various Islamist factions as if getting a permission of the reluctant Bangladesh authorities.

Condemning a covered militarization, ethnic cleansing, treating minorities as a second class citizen, state support for Islamization of Bangladesh and humiliation on minority citizens of Bangladesh with all other related issues, the congregation demanded a strong law enforcement for the protection of minority Hindu-Buddhist-Christian-Others in Bangladesh.

The demonstration also demanded a hard punishments to the perpetrators of Ramu-Patia-Ukhiya devastations.

A liar Pakistan wants to wash its dirty linen with an Islamic soap.

Police, Hindu community give contradicting statements over minority persecution.

KARACHI: The police and representatives of the Hindu community gave contradicting statements over the issue of minority persecution in Pakistan during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights held on Friday.

During the meeting presided over by Committee Chairman Riaz Fatyana, the police maintained that minorities in Pakistan get equal rights and there was no Hindu migration from Sindh, while representatives from the Hindu community thought otherwise.

Additional Inspector-General (AIG) Falak Khursheed said, “Pakistan is a country where every citizen reserves the right to live his life the way he wants. Minorities especially Hindus girls are never pressurised to accept Islam or to convert their religion.”

He said that only three families had migrated to India while 200-300 other people had gone for a pilgrimage to their holy places this year.

On the other hand, minority MNA Dr Araish Kumar from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said that the AIG was misguiding the committee by presenting wrong figures. He said that around 12 cases of forced conversions were reported in Tando Allahyar in past one month, while 7,000 Hindus had migrated to India in the past three years.

Mangla Sharma from Pakistan Hindu Council said that over 0.1 million Hindus from Sindh have migrated to India. She reiterated that the government has avoided providing 5% quota of jobs at government departments to minorities.

After a long discussion, the committee recommended that district-level special cells, with representatives from police, home department, civil society and Hindu community, be established to protect minority rights.

The committee further advised the Sindh government to lodge cases under the “Anti Terrorism Act” against

those who attack temples and other worship places for minorities in Pakistan, and directed the home department and the provincial government to set up “safe houses” where kidnapped girls can be kept for around one month before being moved to any court.

The officials of the law department were also directed to prepare a draft on Hindu Personal Law with the input on Hindu community leaders.

Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) MNA Dr Attiya Inayatullah, Chairman Pakistan Sikh Council Sardar Ramesh Singh and officials of law and home departments also expressed their views on the issue during the meeting. [eCourtesy: The Express Tribune, Pakistan].

Afghan cleric offer $300k bounty on Anti-Islam filmmaker

An Afghan religious cleric announced $300,000 bounty to kill the producer of the American film which

insulted prophet Muhammad.

This is the first time Afghan religious clerics jointly announce bounty in a bid to defend insulting the Islamic values.

Anti-Islam film sparked deadly protest across the Muslim countries and the producer of the film was widely criticized for desecrating the Islamic values.

A number of Afghan religious students, clerics and members of the civil society following a demonstration urged to arrest and try the producer of the Anti-Islam film.

Mir Farooq Hussainy a religious cleric in western Herat province of Afghanistan vowed to offer bounty for killing the producer of the Anti-Islam film.

He said the bounty will be collected from the local traders and investors of western Herat province.

Mr. Hussainy also said they are going to pay $100,000 for anyone who is going to kill the cartoonist that insulted prophet Muhammad.

In the meantime several members of the provincial clerics council and tribal elders condemned the making of Anti-Islam film and urged local residents to maintain unity.

Anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” was produced by an American-Jewish film maker which insults Prophet Muhammad.

The protesters blamed US and Israel governments for the making of the film and urged the two nations to take strict actions in order to arrest the maker of the movie.

Meanwhile recent reports suggest the maker of the movie was arrested by the US government however there is no news regarding his fate.

Brothers jailed for 32 years for pimping out young girls to curry house workers

• Mubarek and Ahdel Ali sentenced for grooming teenage girls for sex
• Pimped them out to staff at Shropshire restaurant for £150
• Ahdel Ali handed 18 year prison sentence and brother Mubarek got 14 years jail
• Both denied a total of 24 charges, including controlling child prostitution and trafficking

Two brothers have been jailed for a raft of sexual offences including pimping out young girls to workers at a curry house for £150 sex sessions.

Ahdel Ali, 24, was sentenced to 18 years in prison, while his 29-year-old brother Mubarek was handed a 14-year-term by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Worcester Crown Court.

Sentenced: Mubarek Ali, 29, left, and Ahdel Ali, 24, right, have been jailed for 32 years for pimping out young girls to curry house workers

During the brothers' trial the court heard that the two men systematically groomed young girls for after hour sex sessions at the restaurant.

The Ali brothers, both of Regent Street, Wellington, denied a total of 24 offences, including controlling child prostitution, people trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Ahdel Ali, known as Eddie, was also accused of rape and sexual activity with a child.

The abuse was committed against four girls between March 2008 and December 2009.

Mubarek Ali denied four counts of controlling child prostitution, two of trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation, and one of causing child prostitution between March 2008 and December 2009.

His brother denied three charges of controlling child prostitution, 11 of sexual activity with a child, two of inciting child prostitution, one of meeting a child following sexual grooming, one of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and a count of rape alleged to have been committed between June and September 2008.

'We are satisfied with the sentences handed down at court today and are pleased these two men will now serve significant custodial sentences,' West Mercia Police detective chief inspector Neil Jamieson said.

Ahdel Ali and Mubarek Ali targeted these girls because of their vulnerability and then systematically groomed them in such a way that eventually they could exploit them sexually for their own gain and gratification.'

Sentencing: The pair were sentenced to a combined 32 years in jail at by Judge Patrick Thomas QC at Worcester Crown Court, pictured

Jamieson added that the trial had been an ordeal for the victims who gave evidence.

I would like to pay tribute to the strength and character shown by all of the victims who came and gave evidence,' he said. 'It has been very challenging for these young women to come forward and give their evidence and I hope that these convictions will go some way to help them move on with their future lives.

I would also like to thank my team of dedicated officers and staff who worked very hard to bring these men to justice.'

During the trial, Stafford Crown Court heard the pair groomed two teenage girls for sex before persuading them to work as prostitutes for them four years ago.

One of the victims, now aged 19, told the court she and her friend were driven to the Dhaka Tandoori restaurant in Wellington, Telford, Shropshire, after hours.

The woman, giving evidence behind a screen, told the court: 'Two of the men took my friend into a bedroom. It was after the restaurant was closed and there were three men in rooms upstairs.'

She said she went into one room where she found her friend having sex with one of the men. Another man asked her to have sex, she said, but she refused and instead performed a sex act on him.

She told the court: 'I felt I had to do it. I didn’t want to do it.'

When the girls left the restaurant they found the Ali brothers taking drugs and drinking in their car, the jury heard.

The girl told the court: 'They were just laughing. They thought it was funny because we had to do it and they got money for it.'

Earlier the court heard the girl met the brothers when she was 15. She said that they befriended her but when she turned 16 she was forced to have sex with men up to four times a week.

Scorpene purchase followed legal procedures

All must accept the Auditor-General's official report, says the defence minister.

BAGAN DATOH: Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Auditor-General has already explained that the purchase of Scorpene submarines was made according to legal procedures and his official report must be accepted by all quarters.

In response to the opposition’s plan to bring in a French lawyer, William Bourdon, to brief the Malaysian lawmakers on court proceedings in France on the purchase of the submarines, Ahmad Zahid hoped no quarters would twist the existing facts on the matter.

He was also of the opinion that the lawyer was invited to Malaysia by the opposition merely with political motive and not so much for legal business.

Ahmad Zahid said this to reporters after opening the Sekolah Agama Rakyat Al-Ulum Al Tarbiah’s Sports Day in Kampung Tanah Lalang here today.

The purchase of the submarines should be seen from the aspects of an offset programme, training, and performance assurance for certain period of time, he said, adding that it was really an old issue brought up to create public anger and confusion.

On the request for the government to pay a monthly allowance of RM500 to army veteran who served during the emergency era, Ahmad Zahid said it was up to the prime minister to decide according to the government’s financial ability.

“It is quite difficult for the government to meet the request, but we have to be grateful that during the tabling of Budget 2013 the government had announced the one-off payment of RM1,000 for the army veterans as a token of appreciation for their contribution during the emergency era,” he added.

- Bernama

Polis, jangan masuk campur urusan politik

PSM buat laporan polis terhadap anggota polis yang menyebarkan dakyah.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) membuat laporan polis terhadap seorang pegawai polis Bukit Aman pagi tadi.

Menurut Setiausaha Agung PSM, S Arutchelvan, pegawai berkenaan Karunanithi dan seorang lagi pegawai polis telah menyampaikan satu taklimat kepada ibu bapa dan pelajar di Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan (Tamil) Semenyih.

Tambah beliau, para pegawai berkenaan memfitnah PSM dengan dakwaan bahawa parti itu mempunyai hubungan dengan Parti Komunis Malaysia dan sedang berusaha menyebarkan fahaman komunisme.

Aktiviti PSM didakwa berada dalam kawalan polis.

Gambar enam aktivis PSM yang ditahan di bawah Ordinan Darurat pada tahun lepas didakwa turut digunakan semasa taklimat tersebut.

Dalam laporan polis tersebut Arutchelvan menjelaskan bahawa tuduhan memerangi Yang Di Pertuan Agong terhadap enam aktivis PSM telah digugurkan.

`Perhimpunan Bersih’

Malah keenam-enam aktivis tersebut telah menyaman Ketua Polis Negara dan 80 anggota polis lain kerana penahanan tidak sah.

“Mereka juga menasihatkan para ibu bapa dan pelajar agar tidak menyertai perhimpunan Gabungan Piilihanraya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) kerana aktiviti yang dijalankan tidak berguna dan menyusahkan rakyat,” kata Arutchelvan dalam laporan tersebut.

Berikutan itu, PSM menggesa pihak polis agar menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah.

“Polis tidak boleh melibatkan diri dalam politik. Mereka sepatutnya menumpukan perhatian terhadap usaha pengurangan jenayah

“Sepatutnya mereka bertindak secara profesional dan tidak membenarkan diri mereka dipergunakan untuk propaganda negatif,” kata Arutchelvan setelah membuat laporan polis terhadap anggota polis yang menyebarkan dakyah terhadap partinya.

Assaulted DAP man receives ‘threat’ calls

Taman Murni DAP branch chairman, A Thirumalvalavan received two calls that threaten to injure him.

PETALING JAYA: A DAP member who alleged that he was assaulted by gangsters in a party meet last week has received calls from unknown people who want to assault him.

“I received the first phone call at 10.23pm from an unknown Indian man. The caller wanted to kick, beat and chop me up.

“I also received another threatening call, this time from a private number about 26 minutes later,” said Taman Murni DAP branch chairman, A Thirumalvalavan in his police report.

The police report was lodged a short while later at Sepang district police headquarters in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi.

He claimed that the threatening calls were made as a result of his allegations that DAP has gangsters within the party fold.

“The man threatened me because I spoke to the media on Friday,” said Thirumalvalavan.

On Friday, he and another party member R Selvan alleged that they were assaulted by gangsters when they attempted to give a memorandum that also included allegations of gangsterism within the party.

Both Thirumalvalavan and Selvan along with Pantai Putra Sepang branch secretary Rashid Md Gani also questioned the DAP secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng and Selangor DAP chief, Teresa Kok for ignoring the issue even though both Lim and Kok had witnessed the incident on Monday.

Helping the poor can get you into trouble

PSM’s Jeyakumar was a thorn in BN’s side even before he became an MP.
INTERVIEW

KUALA LUMPUR: Even before he got into mainstream politics, Dr Michael Jeyakumar was such an irritant to the government that it once tried to put him out of circulation by offering him a scholarship to pursue any course of his choice overseas.

That was in 1998, a year before DAP fielded him as an election candidate in Sungai Siput.

He told FMT the scholarship offer was just one of several attempts to get him out of Perak, where he had been relentlessly fighting for social justice for the poor since his undergraduate days in the late 1970s.

He was also offered the job of heading the medical department of a government hospital in Pahang. He turned down that offer too.

But he has paid a heavy price for his activism. The government once stopped paying his salary as a doctor and referred him to a disciplinary committee. That was when he decided to play an active role in politics, eventually joining Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

The soft-spoken MP said he opened his eyes to the plight of the poor in 1977 when, while pursuing his medical degree at Universiti Malaya, he participated in a community service project in a rubber estate in Sungai Siput.

He soon joined an NGO called Alaigal, which worked with estate and urban pioneer communities, and has since continued with his social activism and community service.

“Actually I’m not the kind of person who is very keen on politics,” he said, “but involvement with squatters and estate workers motivated me to do good for people as an elected representative.”

In 1999, he offered himself to DAP as its candidate for the Buntong state seat, but the party preferred to place another candidate there and told him to contest in Sungai Siput instead. He lost to the then formidable S Samy Vellu.

He lost again in 2004, but became the giant killer in March 2008. In both elections, he contested under the PKR ticket. (PSM was registered only in August 2008.)

He has maintained his service centre in Sungai Siput since the 1999 election while continuing to run his private clinic in Ipoh.

The 57-year-old politician acknowledged that he could not allocate enough money for activities in his constituency, but he believes he still has support among voters because they want an honest and dedicated politician to represent them.

Anti-capitalism

He described PSM as “a lightweight party within Pakatan Rakyat” but said it had an important role to play in the alliance by virtue of its anti-capitalist stand.

“Other parties within Pakatan are in favour of capitalism, but PSM has always been firm in our stand that socio-economic problems in the country are mainly due to our market oriented economy.”

Dr Jeyakumar said the main issues in Sungai Siput were unemployment, landlessness and the displacement of estate workers, with youths being forced to seek work as far away as Singapore.

“SMIs operating within the industrial zone in Sungai Siput prefer to employ foreigners,” he said. “They claim that it is cheaper to employ Nepalis and Bangladeshis, besides their being much easier to control than locals.”

He said unemployment forced people to remain as squatters and resulted in various social problems.

Dr Jeyakumar reckons that there are about 700 squatter families in Sungai Siput, 300 of them living on government land and the rest on private land.

“We have managed to stop the forced eviction of these families, but our effort to secure land titles for them is not getting much support from the land office and local council,” he lamented.

He said so far only two squatter settlements had received a positive response to their application for alternative land. “But it will cost each family at least RM50,000 to relocate and build a new house.”

He said even the Orang Asli Department was not supporting land applications for members of the aboriginal community, who make up 7% of Sungai Siput voters.

Dr Jeyakumar’s service centre deals with about 30 cases a week. Most of these, he said without elaborating, were welfare cases.

Speaking about the 13th general election, he said PSM was likely to field candidates in Sungai Siput, the Perak state seat of Jelapang and the Selangor state seats of Semenyih and Kota Damansara, just like in 2008.

Punishing Samy

He attributed his 2008 victory to the determination of Indian voters to see the defeat of BN. He said Sungai Siput voters decided to punish Samy Vellu for what they saw as his arrogant response to Hindraf’s 2007 rally.

For the coming election, he believes that voters will also consider local issues.

“I can’t give much money to support their programmes, but I believe they value my service not only in Sungai Siput but also in Parliament,” he said.

According to his analysis, Indian support for BN prior to 2007 was between 70% and 80%, but in 2008 less than 40% voted for Samy Vellu.

He believes that the various government announcements about projects for the Indian community have helped BN to regain some support. Perhaps up to 50% of Indians would vote for BN this time around, he said.

He added that some Indians were not happy that Pakatan and their representatives had not done enough for the betterment of the community.

He said the Chinese and Malays in his constituency had not complained much about his performance, but he acknowledge that he needed more time to tackle several issues affecting them and other communities, particularly the questions of landlessness and a lack of employment opportunities.

Referring to the Orang Asli voters, he said only 1% supported him when he contested as a DAP candidate.

“It improved to 4% in 2004 and then 10% in 2008, when I contested under PKR.”

Stubborn Umno ‘killing’ race relations

Umno's refusal to adapt to the changing socio-political setting in the country is its own doom.
COMMENT

The Malaysian people have already shown that they no longer accept the Umno solution.

The coming together of various races during Bersih 3.0 earlier this year sent shivers along the spine of the Umno leadership unless of course they misread or simply refused to read the signals sent by the tens and thousands of participants who voluntarily rallied.

Umno’s approach to ‘unity’ is something like the Nazi final solution. It thinks it can achieve national unity by pitting one race against one another.

Today the Chinese, tomorrow the Indians and later all other non-Malay Malaysians.

Eventually, it will apply the same gas-chambering treatment to the Malays who dared challenge and reject Umno.

The Malays who are opposed and reject Umno are classed as either not having sufficient Malayness or apostates. The majority of us reject this fascism.

The socio-political setting in the country has changed but Umno refuses to adapt.

And those who don’t adapt will perish.

As a DAP member, I am also ready to concede that in the long run, DAP will lose its wider relevance if it also refuses to adapt to the new social setting.

The new social setting demands recognition that despite being of different races, heterogeneity does not prevent the sharing of universal and common values.

Different races value the same freedom and economic justice.

Being of different races does not preclude sharing similar ideas about equality or sharing the same idea about a common future.

You think the right thinking Malay is unmoved to see Umno abuse the Malay definition?

The ordinary Malay finds it reprehensible when Umno exploits the Malay name to enrich the elite and selected few among the Malays.

Vilifying the Chinese

Umno commits the fatal mistake of thinking it can justify almost everything by using the Malay name.

Look at the general vilification on Malaysian Chinese who are now more readily associated with DAP.

Let me ask you, who is the closest Malaysian Chinese to the Prime Minister these days?

It’s a Malaysian Chinese who just secured a RM1 billion contract to do the Ampang LRT extension works.

In that sense, the Umno president is selling out the Malays.

It is certain now that Najib had interceded on behalf of George Kent to award the Ampang LRT extension project to a Malaysian Chinese.

The company failed the technical and financial pre-qualification requirements but for Najib’s intercession, got the project anyway.

Mind you, this is the same Malaysian Chinese who was rumoured to have brokered the contract for the double tracking project for China Harbors.

Additionally, this same Malaysian Chinese was rumoured to have asked US$500 million from the Chinese government allegedly for the benefit of Najib.

‘Tanda Putera’

Umno’s direct or indirect support and endorsement to the film Tanda Putera must also be condemned as an attempt by a desperate government to drive a wedge in between the races of Malaysia.

Umno’s ‘black hand’ must be condemned as a highly irresponsible act of a government that claims it’s committed to democracy and a united Malaysia when in reality its interest is to maintain divisons within this country by playing of one anti-Umno/BN group against the other.

Is that how one proves one’s Malayness? That is the way of an imbecile.

Now, isn’t it the Malay leadership that is responsible for havoc visited upon the ordinary Malay?

The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.

A tough battle in Lembah Pantai

SHOWDOWN: Barisan Nasional is going all out to wrest the hottest urban seat in Kuala Lumpur back from the opposition, which it won by a narrow margin in the 2008 general election, writes Carisma Kapoor
LEMBAH Pantai, a constituency in Kuala Lumpur held by Parti Keadilan Rakyat's vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, is considered one of the hot seats in the next  general election. Barisan Nasional will be fighting hard to win it back. In the 2008 general election, Nurul defeated BN's Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, who had held the seat since 1995, by a relatively narrow margin of 2,895 votes.
Nurul, a first-time elected representative, is expected to defend the constituency with some 56,000 voters, and will likely face Lembah Pantai Umno chief and Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.
In a recent report, Raja Nong Chik conveyed his intention to contest the Lembah Pantai seat if he was among the candidates selected by BN.
Asked whether it would be a challenge to face Nurul, he said it would be but only because she was an incumbent member of parliament.
As someone who had grown up in the area, Raja Nong Chik, however, welcomed the challenge.
"I am confident of winning the seat based on my service record and relationships established over the past 25 years in the area, starting from my early days as an Umno Youth member," he said.
His years of involvement in the local politics and issues of Lembah Pantai had helped him to understand better the needs of residents.
"I'm contesting so that I can serve the people, not for other interests. I walk the talk, unlike the opposition which criticises and walks away without offering any solutions," he said, adding that even though he was not selected as a candidate in the 2004 general election, he had continued serving the Lembah Pantai residents.

Raja Nong Chik stressed that he had stated several times that the only seat he would like to contest was Lembah Pantai. This, despite being cautioned by some that the seat was "not safe for a minister".
Raja Nong Chik's game plan would include working hard, turun padang (going to the ground), listening to the people's problems, resolving outstanding problems as well as facilitating better living and working conditions for people within and outside Lembah Pantai.
"More importantly, I will try to assist those in the area who have been left behind in developments," he said, referring to the disabled, single mothers, pensioners, traders, low- and medium-cost flat dwellers, the sick and students.
On Nurul's supporters who had spoken out about their preference that she contest in Permatang Pauh, Raja Nong Chik said the suggestion had come about because Nurul had not served her constituency for some time.
"Nurul has only become active recently because the election is coming."
As for BN Lembah Pantai, he said members would fight any opposition candidate and thereafter join their colleagues to help Federal Territories and the rest of the country.
Raja Nong Chik, however, said it was up to the BN leadership to decide on whether to field him.
Nurul claimed that she was not only confident of retaining the Lembah Pantai seat but was also certain that the opposition would take control of Putrajaya.
She said the Election Commission had yet to implement the suggestions by the opposition and their allies for a free and fair election.
Nonetheless, Nurul said, the opposition would continue to participate in the election, highlight abuses and work towards getting at least 75 per cent voter turnout.
Nurul said "phantom busters" had been trained by the opposition to use cameraphones to take note of suspicious voters for legal action.
"We are advocating for international observers to view our electoral process."
On her efforts to "win over" voters in the area, Nurul said apart from relating to the people, she represented their voices in a "new culture of politics", where issues and not individuals drove legislation.
Responding to supporters who had preferred her to contest in Permatang Pauh, a seat held by her father, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the 32-year-old said she would obey her party even though she had indicated that she would like to remain with her supporters in Lembah Pantai. -- (NST)

Muhyiddin Supporters can't wait for the PM's exit.

Muhyiddin Yassin's supporters have finally come out to stake the claim for their chief as the next PM of Malaysia, and it is not really surprising as so many things have gone weirdly wrong with Najib's running of the country, the party, and most of all the elections campaign, that most of the people in the BN seem to be sure that with Najib at the helm the BN will suffer an agonising and  humiliating defeat when he calls for elections this time around.

To Muhyiddin, and  in fact the majority at UMNO, Najib has and is taking  the party in the wrong direction, he has not asserted his authority sufficiently to maim the opposition, to them he does not have enough, "fire in the belly" to win the elections they way his predecessors did.
Najib's deputy has scarce respect for him,  he has displayed that time and again by deliberately contradicting  so many directives of Najib's, as one observer noticed,  "the other so called "heavyweights" in UMNO - Nazri, Rais Yatim, Khairy,  and even the likes of Sharizat seem to be  leaning towards Muhyiddin almost to say that there is this general feel in UMNO that Najib  has to go." 


Many in UMNO see Najib today as excess baggage and they want him out, he is causing too much discontent amongst the Malays they in Johor claim,  they are worried that the Pakatan Rakyat is fast gaining a foothold in some major parts of Johor and many within the inner circles have conceded that this time around they may lose Negeri Sembilan and Trengganu  too.

Instead of  building on UMNO's  strengths, he has opted to go all out to win back Penang, Selangor and Perak which they managed to snatch back and this is being done to the detriment of Negeri and Johor says the UMNO leadership in both these states. The battle in these states are as good as lost, the UMNO grassroots will tell you this there is no way they are going to take it back especially Selangor,  Penang, Perak Kelantan and kedah and to make matters worse Trengganu has been confirmed as going the other direction this time around.

One UMNO division leader in Johor is openly asking for Najib's ouster as he thinks if they wait till after the elections it may be too late and if the BN loses this elections it will never recover from it in the near future.

He says,  "there is so much to reveal about the inner workings of UMNO that the next generations of Malays will not want to trust them anymore, and when Pakatan wins they will reveal all,   that is how serious the situation is," notice his choice of words,  "when Pakatan wins" is that an accepted fact in Johor?

Go to Parit Sulong in Johor and see what the UMNO people are saying, there is scant regard for both Najib and Mahathir, there they say - " Mahahtir must shut up and get out, and Najib must learn how to keep his house in order,  if he can't how can he be the leader," now that sentiment is seems to be spreading in Muar too, if you have the opportunity talk to the Malays there.


 As one Malay observer in Muar put it, "in those days the Malays never openly took sides, the listened quietly and gave their support, there was hardly a whisper, today they are not quiet anymore they are not even whispering, they are shouting on top of their voices, 'we're  fed up!!!' we have been betrayed for so long and this party has not only betrayed us they have stolen from us and other Malaysians, we'd rather vote the DAP." 

 The Malays led by UMNO  have long not trusted the DAP. UMNO successfully  branded the DAP a Chinese chauvinistic Party, but the DAP went on building it's image, from the Rahim Tamby Chik case, to  it's MP Ahmad Noor, and its exposure of all the UMNO corruption more and more Malays feel they have a better alternatives in the DAP than UMNO and the BN.

The general feeling down south is,  those who still do not trust the DAP there are other alternatives - PKR and the PAS and the Malays are taking it and whilst this BN government is now really worried about this Malay vote many feel that they will lose more with Najib at the helm, whether  this a Muhysiddin strategy or a fact is better known within UMNO as each faction will tell you.

With Sabah in shambles, with Sarawak who delivered during the last elections and on whose strength  the government was formed - only to land up with  a few meager  inconspicuous ministerial positions the dynamics have changed, the East Malaysians want a leader from their midst, all parties this time around have to make that offering they must see one of their people capturing  Putrajaya - becoming the PM of Malaysia and the demand is, " he  is not to be from UMNO."

The Dayaks and the Kadazans will tell you that and this time around they mean business, but  UMNO can't afford to give them that, because that will be political suicide for the UMNO leadership. To Pakatan Rakyat that is easy, it is no problem, and PAS and DAP will point  to the fact that Anwar readily became their choice for a  leader without any infighting.

Right in January this year this blog spoke of the rift and Muhyiddin's behind the scene strategies to wrest power from Najib. "Live by the gun die by the gun," so the saying goes, Mahahthir removed Hussein Onn that way, Najib removed Abdullah and now his deputy is doing the same, it seems to be becoming the UMNO culture,  however,  has Muhyiddin got the clout to do it.

 Muhyiddin has made no secret about his intentions,  for every major strategy that Najib  has put in place he - Muhyiddin has had a spanner in the works,  he is Malay  first and Malaysian next. Remember?

All his acts of public sabotage was to show the whole world that he is not a deputy to Najib, he is deputy to the chair and the chair only, that is the seat of the PM, "Najib is not after all,  an elected PM, he is a PM by default and that counts for nothing," that is what he confided with one of his close aides. Each time he came out defiantly not to toe the line like he did in the 1 Malaysia campaign Najib just stepped aside and did not confront him.

The youth in the Muhyiddin camp boasts of one staunch supporter who they say,  thinks she is Najib's closest and dearest supporter. According to those in the Muhyiddin camp  there is little they have to do, she does all the work and does it magnificently, one supporter even told this blog,  "she goes for her Botox every Thursday, is she has a change her face  ever so often." That is good enough to ruin Najib without ruining UMNO, but Najib they say "lacks strategy, he lacks foresight he is a poor leader and he must give up, cukup lah!!! cukup!!!! thy say and laugh wryly.

Najib has enough enemies within UMNO he does  not really know his friends, what we are told is that Hishamuddin Hussein Onn the Minister of home affairs and his cousin  is the only one he can trust but that too is of little use as this less intelligent minister only puts him into more trouble each time he opens his mouth.

Talking about less intelligent ministers he has Rais too in his camp, Rais the man who was supposed to have "Burnt" his bridges when he joined Semangat 46, so he has to prove now that he is faithful to the cause - but now, which cause? Najib's or Muhyiddin's?


Many in BN including Mahahtir Mohammed feel that the longer Najib waits the worse their chances of winning better, they are confident of winning after all if the elections commission seems to be in your pocket who wouldn't be?

Najb and Rosmah have  the least confidence in themselves, UMNO and the BN as a whole, so the attitude seems to be whilst we've got it we best make the good  use of it, and there is no doubting that.

One close Najib aide says he is doing everything in his power to win, if he does not then it is all God's will and that is what is irking the Muhyiddin camp they feel Najib is giving it up too easily and that with him at the helm that is exactly what will happen.

They the Muhyiddin camp is  willing to go on an all out assault on Najib to do this, they are demanding he does it, expose Najib and the Mahathir cronies within, look like the man who will save the country and throw Najib out before he calls for the next elections. They feel that is his only way out for UMNO and them.

Muhyiddin however feels time is not ripe, "he does not have the courage to" says an UMNO man, "they are all involved neck deep, one can't take on the other, they'll all die. the only way is for some of them to take responsibility and become the fall guys, not one of them but some of them, and that some is not too little, I'll tell you."

The Najib camp has decided to leave it to fate, now the irony of the whole thing is, PAS says,  "God's will is that BN loses."

When however they have not said as it is all "God's will."

Consider this Muhyiddin has the support of Johor UMNO, the Negeri Sembilan divisions are almost completely pro Muhyiddin, then you have the Trengganu, and Kelantan divisions, so why is he not taking on Najib?

Does Nazri want to turn Sabah into a Filindo state?

Daniel John Jambun

The comment by Datuk Nazri Aziz that the immigrants in Sabah are under control and are not a threat to the state is another proof that the Federal Government is not interested to solve this mother of all problem. What is painful about this comment is that we can smell a dirty rat, a mala fide (bad intention) and the underlying reality that the Federal Government is actually supporting the presence of illegal immigrants in Sabah as part of some sinister plan to continue changing the demography of the state.

What he said was outrageous and unacceptable and should have been condemned by everyone and every party, including the leaders and parties of the Barisan Nasional. Unfortunately only PBS, through its Secretary General, Datuk Henrynus Amin was daring enough to protest, saying Nazri “was politically insensitive to grassroots sentiment in Sabah, especially their fears and concern for the future wellbeing posed by the huge presence of illegal immigrants” and that the statement fuelled “speculations in the streets as the genuine commitment of the Barisan Nasional Government to resolve the perennial problem of illegal immigrants in the state.” He demanded that the minister clarify and correct his statement. The response is still total silence.

What is amazing is Nazri’s continuous denial of the problem. How do we get him to behave like a responsible leader? How do we get this stubborn minister to retract his words and change his attitude about the issue? Obviously diplomacy and polite tones like the ones used by the BN component parties do not work. What Nazri needs is outright condemnation in the strongest words to make him realize that the people of Sabah are thirsty and hungry for the defence and protection of the federal government from non-military invasions which continues to this very day. We can’t accept that he is ignorant. He is too educated and too well-informed by the various security branches of the police and army to be ignorant of what are really going on in Sabah. Our only reasonable conclusion is that Nazri is purposefully saying his offensive remarks because he is bullying Sabahans, to let us know that he is boss. We can see that he has been telling us indirectly to shut up about this issue, to let it go, to allow the illegals to grow and increase.

Dear Sabahans, please pay attention to the fact that the illegals (Filipinos and Indonesians) are already the majority group in Sabah (27.79%), compared to KDMs which are now only 21.2%. And they are still increasing through continued arrival, and much more rapid birth rate. And in spite of this the federal leaders, including Tun Mahathir are campaigning for them to be legalised, on top of those hundreds of thousands who already have genuine MyKads! Leaders like Nazri must be gloating and laughing in glee to see that this has happened, to see that the KDMs, “the most stubborn people in Malaysia” (bangsa yang paling degil di Malaysia) have been and are being taught a powerful lesson!

But in case Nazri is actually ignorant, I would like to offer him a free tour of the illegals situation in Sabah, with a package tour including the following: the illegals squatters being allowed by the authorities to spawn and expand in areas KK like Likas, Tebobon, Signal Hill (these are all stealing water and electricity to the tune of millions of ringgits per year); the congested hospital lobbies where a huge proportion of outpatients are illegals; to the Likas Hospital where the maternity wards continues to record that the highest number of births are among Filipino mothers (some of them have three kids within two years!); to the streets of KK where naked children are harassing motorists and pedestrians with begging, and these pests retaliate by hitting cars if not given anything; to the stairways of the Sinsuran and Segama shophouses where foreigners piss and defecate like there is not tomorrow; to the sprawling Filipino handcraft market, the dry and wet fist markets, and open-air restaurants in Sinsuran and Segama in KK, and the smuggled cigarette peddlers in Inanam, and the dirty, dark and smelly tamu in Inanam where Filipinos rule at the blessing of the DBKK and the local YBs; the newspaper reports of crimes committed by illegals (rapes, muggings, thefts, snatching, slashing, drug pushing, murders, etc.); the “free-ports” of the East Coast where illegals can come and in out without much difficulty; to the East Coast towns like Semporna where illegals have outnumbered locals five to one; to even the Interior areas like Keningau, where illegals have gone into the jungle to cut down the trees to start new settlements and plant crops, and so on and so on. But the irony of this offer is that, in case Nazri takes it, he would most likely be smiling and rubbing his hands in glee at the sight of all these because these are what he wants for his grand scheme to turn Sabah into a Filipino and Indonesian state!

Can Nazri deny that this is his real intention for Sabah? Is his intention to turn Sabah into a new Filipino-Indonesian (Filindo) state?

Now to talk about security, and Nazri continued stupid assertion that the illegals pose no security threat, doesn’t he know that all the major cities and towns in Sabah are already surrounded by illegal settlements? Doesn’t he know that in the nearby Sulu islands, the tradition among people of power and influence is to keep a lot of weapons (pistols, M16s) in the house, and these weapons can easily be smuggle into Sabah? If these heavily populated settlements launch an attack for some reasons the consequences will be too horrid to describe. Remember the Corregidor Incidence which almost caused a war to erupt between Malaysia and the Philippines. Remember that during the 1970s and later, Sabah was a channel for transfer of weapons to the southern Mindanao. Remember the Philippines’ claim on Sabah is still in effect. Remember that the Indonesian government is still very much anti-Malaysia. Remember sukarno’s “Ganyang Malaysia,” the Ambalat island conflict, the Sebatik boundary argument, and the new ongoing protests against Malaysia’s stealing of Indonesian dances.

Nazri needs to be sober up and stop treating Sabahans as if we are idiots.

Perolehan Scorpene tidak dikemuka untuk tujuan audit- Azan

(Oleh: Masdar Wahid)

KUALA LUMPUR 7 Oktober: Ahli Parlimen Indera Mahkota, Azan Ismail berkata, perolehan kapal selam Scorpene, pesawat Sukhoi dan kelengkapan ketenteraan lain, tidak dikemuka untuk tujuan audit.

“Tugas Jabatan Audit Negara bukan menyiasat penyelewengan, tetapi menegur sekiranya perolehan tidak mengikut prosedur sepatutnya.

“JAN akan mengaudit secara ‘random’ apa yang dilapor kepada mereka. Dalam isu pembelian Scorpene, cara membuat pembayaran tidak dikemuka dalam penelitian audit. Sepatutnya penelitian ini dibuat SPRM,” ujarnya.

Beliau mengulas kenyataan Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi bahawa pembelian Scorpene mengikut prosedur perundangan seperti yang telah diperjelaskan Ketua Audit Negara.

Azan dalam pada itu mengesyaki laporan audit sengaja lewat dikemuka ke parlimen, sebagai usaha untuk ‘melindungi sesuat’u.

“Saya mengesyaki, oleh kerana tahun ini tahun kedua ia tergendala untuk diserah kepada parlimen, ada antara laporan yang ‘dikeluarkan’ daripada dibentangkan di parlimen,” ujarnya.

Justeru, beliau menggesa Ketua Audit Negara, Tan Sri Ambin Buang, dipanggil ke parlimen untuk memberi penjelasan.

“Setiap kali parlimen bersidang untuk membentangkan belanjawan, Ketua Audit Negara perlu hadir ke parlimen.

“Kita tak mahu jabatan audit dan ketua audit negara dikambinghitam oleh kerajaan atau dipersalahkan atas kelewatan laporan audit,” ujarnya yang menegaskan kelewatan itu juga mencemar reputasi Jabatan Audit Negara.

Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Machang, Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail berkata, isu pokok dalam skandal pembelian Scorpene adalah integriti dan sistem Perolehan Kementerian Pertahanan.

Katanya, hingga kini kerajaan tidak telus menjawab soalan dibangkit Pertubuhan Bukan Kerajaan (NGO) dan Pakatan Rakyat berhubung komisen dalam urusniaga tersebut.

“Rakyat hanya mengetahui isu ini selepas ia didedah NGO Suaram, melibatkan kerugian wang rakyat sebanyak RM7 bilion dan ini satu jumlah yang sangat besar.

“Sebab itu pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib Razak harus menjawabnya dengan jujur dan telus termasuk persoalan melibatkan harga, keupayaan kapal selam dan bayaran komisen luar biasa yang dikait dengan beliau semasa menjadi Menteri Pertahanan,” katanya.

What Islam Says, and Doesn’t Say

The New York Times

Modern nation states utilize political models that were unanticipated in any of our premodern scriptures. It is anachronistic to ask whether “Islam” endorses constitutionalism or democracy. Islam as such does not proscribe any one particular system of government. (Of course “Islam” doesn’t do anything, Muslims do. We human beings are the agents of our religious traditions.)

Rather, there are general ethical principles that have to be guaranteed under any system of government that Muslims adopt, like social justice; protection of life, property, and honor of humanity; accountability of rulers to law; distribution of wealth; and protection of minorities. All systems of government are imperfect, and it is not only good but also healthy to be perpetually vigilant against abuses of any form of government. However, it may also be the case that a genuine and robust democracy is the least imperfect of all imperfect political models today, as others before us have said.

By speaking of a robust democracy, we are not talking about simply copying the American model of democracy, which is in many ways broken — beholden to special interest groups, and perhaps better labeled as an oligarchy or plutocracy. The ideal model that I see for Muslims would be more akin to some of the European models that combine democracy with guaranteed social services like universal health care, widespread education, respect for human rights and minimized military spending. Then again, we see some of those same European models struggling today with their own inherent racism toward Muslims, so we have to be honest enough to admit that the “perfect” system is one that we will have to adapt, rather than adopt wholesale.

The conversation is ultimately about citizenship, not some mythical blending of “Islam” and “democracy.” All of us, Muslim and non-Muslim, are now citizens of pluralistic societies where we live together as neighbors. We have to begin by realizing the holistic nature of justice (and injustice); that what happens to the least of us has a profound political and moral impact on all of us.

If we are going to insist that Muslim Americans are full and complete citizens, not merely tolerated guests (and we do); if we are going to insist that Muslim Indians are full and complete citizens of India, not the tolerated descendants of “foreign invaders” (and we do); and if we are going to insist that Palestinian Muslims (and Palestinian Christians) are not second-class citizens in Israel but fully deserving of the exact same set of rights, responsibilities and privileges that Jewish citizens of Israel receive (and we do) — then moral consistency demands of us that we recognize the exact same set of rights and responsibilities for non-Muslim citizens of Muslim-majority societies. In other words, quite apart from world opinion and public relations, the fundamental commitment of justice demands that our commitment to democracy goes hand in hand with a robust notion of citizenship that encompasses every citizen of a country regardless of race, religion, gender, class and ethnicity.

To sum up, there may not be an “Islamic democracy” any more than there can be a “Christian democracy” in American that privileges Christians over non-Christians or a “Jewish democracy” that privileges Jewish citizens of Israel over Palestinians, but there can be — and today, must be — a democracy of Muslims who live side by side in a commitment to a “greater we” alongside our neighbors.


Omid Safi, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is the author of “Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters” and the editor of “Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism.”

'Malaysian Way' Policy Capable Of Turning Malaysia Into Developed Country - Najib

KUANTAN, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the 'Malaysian Way' policy advocated by previous leaders would be continued in an effort to turn Malaysia into a developed country by 2020.

The prime minister said the Malaysian Way succeeded in enhancing unity among various races and clearly had turned Malaysia into among the best countries in terms of multiracial unity.

"The Malaysia Way is different from other countries, among others, in fostering unity where previous leaders had been successful in retaining the culture, religion and education of all races," he said at the 27th anniversary celebration of the Pahang Federation of Chinese Associations (PFCA) here Sunday night.

Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, and PFCA president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah were present.

Najib said the policy was also capable of turning Malaysia into a developed nation by 2020.

"I will do what I can (the policy) as we want to see the country become developed by 2020," he said.

Najib said through the policy, Malaysia recorded many successes and robust growth without marginalizing any race, including minority group.

He said for example in education, Malaysia was the only country in the world which allowed Chinese education in schools.

Najib said opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had never championed Chinese education when he was the education minister.

Live – Ambiga speaks in Penang

It’s a full house at the Caring Society hall in Penang, with Bersih co-chair Ambiga Sreenevasan the main speaker at a forum on Democracy and Elections, organised by social reform group Aliran.

More than 500 people are in the hall waiting for Ambiga to step up to speak.

Right now, Aliran member Subramaniam Pillay, who is also Bersih steering committee member, is featured on a video giving us the background of the Bersih movement.

Meanwhile, it is pouring outside and the corridor outside the hall on the first floor is flooding a little. Hope the water doesn’t enter the hall!

The immediate past president of Aliran, P Ramakrishnan, takes the stage.

Aliran president Francis Loh welcomes the crowd and now Aliran secretary takes over as emcee. He promises the participants that images of the audience won’t be photo-edited to show a much larger crowd squeezed like sardines! The crowd roars knowingly.

The immediate past president of Aliran, P Ramakrishnan, outlines the corruption and decay in Malaysian society, including education. He also laments eroding national unity and the emergence of racist groups such as Perkasa.

Vidoes are now being shown of Pak Samad reading his Unggun Bersih poem and the Bersih 3.0 rally in Penang on 28 April 2012.

Mustafa now introduces Ambiga as the main speaker.

Ambiga highlights the plight of Suaram, which has been being harassed of late after its consistent exposure of the Scorpene election.

She congratulates the people of Penang on their impressive turnout at the Bersih 3.0 rally at the Esplanade in Penang.

She laments the prevalence of postal votes and expresses dissatisfaction with the integrity of the electoral rolls, which now cannot be challenged in court. Even the media are unfair in their coverage of the elections, she pointed out.

She refers to an International Crisis Group report, which notes the strengthening of civil society. The report notes that the Bersih movement as a “game-changer”.

The government for its part has ignored a serious issue: corruption.

But there is selective prosecution. She recalls that Teoh Beng Hock died following a corruption investigation into just RM2,000.

The next general elections are going to be very contentious, and people are getting more interested and engaged because they realise that the rot has to stop now.

“Dictatorships have elections too but it doesn’t mean they are democracy but if you have clean and fair elections, you will be working your way to a vibrant democracy. If you have clean and fair elections, it makes your MPs more accountable and reduces corruption.” Studies have found that the poor will also be better represented.

Meanwhile, she said it’s nonsense that our politicians are not saying anything about political violence. “It shows to me there is tacit support for it.”

On the other hand, the young woman who stepped on the Prime Minister’s image was handcuffed and publicly condemned.

Is there hope at the end of the day? Yes, there’s a lot of hope, she said, “because there are a lot of good right-thinking Malaysians who want to put things right. They are not going to accept second best or people talking rubbish.”

“Vote for people who will respect our Federal Constitution, who will do something to end corruption, for goodness sake,” she said to loud applause.

Wong Chin Huat describes how ordinary Malaysians cast aside their old fears and came out in their tens of thousands for the Bersih 3.0 rally. “You have more and more Malaysians coming out. You know you are not alone.”

“We need to renew our independence and reclaim our country.”

Focus on clean and fair elections, says Ambiga. “Everything we do from now will help, I promise you.”

Chin Huat, responding to a question from the floor, says election workers are not allowed to write anything on ballot papers before handing them to the voters.

He stressed that he believed Malaysians would not take electoral fraud sitting down. “One of the wonderful things of Bersih 3.0 is that we have seen ordinary Malaysians coming out and Malaysians regardless of their ethno-religious background are standing by one another.”

Ambiga noted that the last three or four court judgments have given her hope e.g. the decision on whether Bersih is unlawful, the damages to the ISA detainees, the decision in the Malaysiakini case and the quashing of the decision to ban a Sisters in Islam book. “I have hope because of this and maybe we are entering a new era. It feels as if many people are now getting more engaged.”

The forum ends with a presentation of Aliran T-shirts to Ambiga and Chin Huat, who receive a standing ovation amidst chants of “Bersih! Bersih!”