Digging deeper into Hindraf's blueprint

FOCUS There has been much exchange in the last few days in the media about Hindraf's Five-Year Blueprint to bring the Indian poor and marginalised into the mainstream of national development.

However, the one key factor in all this is the fact that most people are vague about this document.

The latest was Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's gaffe about implementing the blueprint within 100 days and the subsequent correction by PKR's R Sivarasa that what Anwar meant applied only to stateless Malaysian Indians.

To help more people understand the content of the blueprint, I present here its main points.

This Hindraf blueprint covers proposals for effective government intervention in six major problem areas of Indians Malaysians and outlines approaches to the realisation of these proposals.

The major problem areas are:

1. Estate workers who have been displaced around the country, numbering about 800,000;
2. Stateless Indian Malaysians, numbering about 350,000;
3. The denial of adequate and equal educational opportunities;
4. Unequal employment and business opportunities;
5. The impunity of the police; and
6. The standards of human rights practices.

Displaced estate workers (DEW)

The displacement of Indian estate workers has been going on for several decades.

According to the Population and Housing Census Reports from 1970 to 2000 issued by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia, the urban Indian population in 1970 was 323,435 while in 2000, it had escalated to 1,338,510.

The workers displaced from the plantations have been force-fitted into the urban community. They now constitute a significant section of the new urban poor and underclass and have become individually indistinguishable in the overall population segment of the Indian poor, although they are the largest part of that segment.

The displaced estate workers (DEW) programme that we propose therefore becomes one of the key development programmes for the poorer sections of the Indian community.

Contract farming programme

Under this proposal, we seek the allocation of up to 10 acres of land for every participating displaced estate worker household to carry out a variety of agricultural activities.

We believe at least 20,000 DEW households can be selected to participate in this programme over five years, which means 200,000 acres of land will be required for this programme, which will be similar to the Felda programme.

DEW housing programme

This proposal is for an affordable housing programme to adequately resettle the displaced estate workers and to rebuild communities that have been destroyed by the massive displacements that have taken place.

Under this programme, we want 100,000 houses to be built for 100,000 households over the next five years and the programme in its design must avoid the creation of new urban slums.

Sociocultural needs such as places of worship, burial grounds, community halls and playgrounds must be provided as part of the infrastructure in each such project, in order to rebuild the social system that is being lost.

Retraining and reskilling the DEW youth

This is a massive new effort and is really a programme to rebuild the Indian youth to draw them into higher value-adding vocations, to draw them away from crime and to give them the wherewithal to get going on more productive life opportunities.

For this, training opportunities in the various skills required for the expanding Malaysian economy must be provided through placements at the 176 Giat Mara centres and the 78 community colleges around the country, with the financial support required provided as well.

A specific programme has to be designed to make this an attractive and practical programme so the objectives of rebuilding the DEW youth are attained.

After retraining, these youths must be provided jobs in government service or in government-linked companies. This will be the fastest way of ensuring that this programme of rebuilding the Indian youth will be successful.

Also, an agency must be set up to provide support to the newly retrained and budding Indian entrepreneurs in this programme, along the lines of the Tekun programme, or the the Tekun programme itself can be extended to them.

Places of worship and burial grounds

Thus far the government has refrained from getting involved in this very serious matter.

Temples are a significant part of Hindu life. In the estates, the managements recognised the need for and role of these temples, which have been destroyed or are facing destruction after the estates were dismantled or cleared for the various other developments.

In order to resolve this permanently, all Hindu places of worship around the country must be identified and the government has to alienate adequate land for each such structure and gazette these as reserve land for Hindu temples.

Where temples have to be relocated, the government should provide appropriate alternative land and adequate funds for rebuilding the temples and similarly, gazette them as Hindu temple reserve land.

Where the existing temple structures are older than 100 years, they are to be identified as heritage sites or heritage buildings and preserved under the National Heritage Act 2005.

The various burial grounds on former estate land also need to be identified and the land on which they sit should be alienated to the DEW and should be gazetted as Hindu burial grounds.

Alternatively, the state should replace the burial grounds taken away with land in acceptable locations and for the former burial grounds to be re-sited, with adequate compensation paid to the kin to relocate the graves.

350,000 stateless Indians

We want the 350,000 Indian Malaysians with red identity cards (ICs) to be issued with citizenship and blue MyKad immediately, unless there is a real and provable case that the individual may be from another country.

All those without blue MyKad and birth certificates should have their MyKad and birth certificates issued, with the simplified requirement of just two other fellow Malaysians making a statutory declaration of their knowledge of the birth and parentage of the individuals concerned.

Birth registration procedures must be simplified to prevent a repeat of this problem.

Denial of adequate educational opportunities

All Tamil primary schools must be made part of national education, provided with pre-school facilities and funded directly by the Education Ministry.

These Tamil primary schools should be provided with land, buildings, amenities and facilities, located and relocated according to concentrations of the catchment population and have trained and graduate teachers on par with the national schools.

These schools must also be single session schools and have programmes for correcting and improving the educational performance of the children, as well as their social activities.

All qualified Indian children must be unconditionally admitted into the Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) secondary schools and other residential secondary schools on the basis of their merit.

Failing this, at least one residential secondary school must be established in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Malacca and Johor, similar to the MRSM and residential schools, to cater to qualified Indian children.

Tertiary education for the qualified

The proposals for this cover admission to pre-university programmes, skills training institutes, community colleges, polytechnics and public universities, as well as loans and bursaries.

We want matriculation and pre-university programmes, skills training institutes, community colleges and polytechnics opened for merit-based admissions or for an equitable quota to be established for admissions.

Public Service Commission scholarships must be awarded transparently; a DEW Scholarship Fund set up to award scholarships to eligible Indian students to study abroad and for PTPTN loans to be made available for all study courses in local and overseas universities.

TOMORROW In Part II, the remaining points of the blueprint will be covered and the budget required for it, as well as well as why a Ministry of Minority Affairs is needed.

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N GANESAN is Hindraf national adviser.

Beli undi: SPRM halalkan tindakan BN

Protests against Geert Wilders show no tolerance

Protesters against Dutch MP Geert Wilders appearance in Melbourne. Picture: Jake Nowakowski Source: Herald Sun

PEOPLE trying to listen to a speech by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders were pushed to the ground outside a venue in Melbourne yesterday.

A group of about 40 protesters blocked the gate leading into the Somerton function centre and stopped people from entering.

A large number of police, including mounted officers, were on patrol but made no initial attempt to move them.

Mr Wilders was due to give a speech last night in the first part of his Australian tour. He will deliver speeches in Sydney and Perth later this month.

At a press conference Mr Wilders said immigration from Islamic countries should stop but asylum seekers, whose lives were at risk, were OK.

He added most Muslims were not extremists but Islamic ideology would never integrate in democratic societies: "Never, ever, no way."

He added that the Koran incited violence.

"Islam and freedom are incompatible," he said.

Dutch politician Geert Wilders says Australia should not be scared of him. Source: AFP

Mr Wilders was due to visit Australia last October but was forced to postpone the trip because the federal government took its time deciding whether to approve his visa.

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu said yesterday Mr Wilders was wrong and that there was clear evidence multiculturalism was a positive.

Man arrested for pouring acid on 16-year-old's face

Victim in serious condition (Photo: Avishag Shaar-Yeshuv)

Nazareth resident, 50, arrested for pouring acid over girl's face because she refused to marry member of his family. Haifa hospital fighting to save her eyesight

A 50-year-old Nazareth resident was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly pouring acid on a 16-year-old girl's face after she refused to be betrothed to a man of his family. He was remanded in custody for five additional days.

The teen was taken to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa fearing eyesight damage. The hospital said she is in very serious condition. Doctors said that he eyesight has been damaged.

A police investigation reveals that at an early morning hour the suspect knocked on the girl's window and poured the acid over her face as she opened it.

The suspect is denying the allegations claiming he was home watching a soccer game at the time. His attorney remarked that the man is related to the victim.

The girl, who was injured in her face and upper torso, was initially taken to a local hospital, but as her condition deteriorated it was decided to rush her to Haifa's Rambam Medical Center.

The hospital reported that some acid reached the girl's mouth, causing her trouble in respiration. She also suffered damage to her eyes, and doctors are currently fighting to save her eyesight.

The hospital's Deputy Director Doctor Miki Halbertal said that "the burns' are pretty severe, she was hurt in the face and neck and is hospitalized in the intensive care unit in the hospital's pediatrics ward."

A police source said that "We suspect the suspect he attacked the girl because she refused to marry a member of his family."

A relative of the girl told Ynet: "This is severe, the police must punish the man who let himself harm the girl and he ought to pay the price for ruining her bright future. The punishment for this should be no less that the punishment for murder."

‘Lahad Datu incident used as diversion’

PKR vice-president Tian Chua finds it bizarre that the Malaysian government is being lenient to the armed intruders in Sabah.
VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: The Barisan Nasional government could be using the Lahad Datu incident to divert people’s attention from the IC-for-votes Royal Commission of Inquiry proceedings and the Manuel Amalilio scandal, claimed PKR.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua said that he found it bizarre that the Malaysian government was being lenient with the armed Filipinos now camped in Lahad Datu, Sabah.

“It’s been one week since they arrived. The BN government has a lot to explain,” Tian Chua said at press conference held at the party headquarters here today.

Also present was Subang MP R Sivarasa.

The armed men, claiming to be loyalists of the Sulu Sultanate, arrived at Lahad Datu last week and insisted that they would stay put as the place was their ancestral home.

The Malaysian security forces moved in to contain any untoward incident from happening, confirming that they were in the midst of having negotiations with the Filipinos.

Tian Chua, who is also Batu MP, said that he found it irrational for the Sulu Sultanate to send armed men to intrude into Sabah just because of a historical claim.

“I do recognise Sulu’s historical link to Sabah but to send 100 armed men to take over the state is not rational,” he said.

Tian Chua also took a swipe at the immigration authorities for failing to stop the intruders from arriving at Lahad Datu.

“As for Australian Senator Nick Xenophon, they detained and deported him within hours but when it comes to the armed intruders, we engage in negotiations with them.

“What are we negotiating? When they are leaving or something else? It all look very dramatic to me,” he said.

Deport Ponzi scheme mastermind

On another matter, he urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to deport Manuel Amalilio to the Philippines as soon as possible.

“Not only Muslim Filipinos were cheated by Amalilio but also some Malaysians. If we don’t cooperate with our neighbour, it may strain our bilateral relationship,” he said.

On Jan 25, the Malaysian authorities blocked Amalilio’s deportation to the Phillippines, who was wanted for allegedly scamming 15,000 Filipinos of RM859 million under a company known as Aman Futures Group.

He was instead sentenced by the Kota Kinabalu magistrate’s court to a two-year imprisonment for holding a fake passport.

It was later revealed that Amalilio is a distant relative of Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman.

Sivarasa said that it was strange that the Malaysian authorities had deemed that Amalilio was holding a fake Filipino passport on their own accord.

“The only person who can decide whether the passport is fake is the institution that issued it. In this case, it’s only the Filipino government that can verify the matter,” he said.

Sivarasa added that based on his check with the Philippines, the passport was genuine and hence it proved that Amalilio held a dual citizenship.

“Article 24 of the Federal Constitution stipulates that if a person conducts in an act to obtain another citizenship, he or she will lose their Malaysian citizenship automatically,” he said.

That horror called Muhyiddin

If Najib Tun Razak fails to secure a two-thirds majority in the coming polls, Muhyiddin Yassin may become the next prime minister. To many, this is an unnerving prospect.
COMMENT

Spring cleaning one’s room is similar to embarking on a treasure hunt, unearthing precious items lurking under the bed or in the dark corners of a closet. During one such recent endeavour, I stumbled upon two books, and sandwiched between them, was the mangled remains of a cockroach.

It is not certain if an unfortunate accident had befallen the cockroach in a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time or if the poor creature was the victim of a cold-blooded murder.

As for the two books enveloped in a blanket of dust, one was Niccolo Machiavelli’s The Prince. It is a political treatise penned centuries ago but still relevant. It speaks of tyrannical statecraft and reminded me of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

The second book was Paolo Coelho’s The Alchemist, which narrates the travails of a shepherd in search of his personal legend. This reminded me of Anwar Ibrahim.

Trapped in the middle, the squished cockroach bore a striking resemblance to Najib Tun Razak.

There are times when I feel a tinge of fleeting sorrow for the prime minister. But such moments are few and far in between. He desired the position. It was not thrust upon him. Therefore he must accept the consequences it entails.

The prime minister appears to be the opposite of King Midas, since all that he touches turns into horse manure whereas his wife, like the Greek mythological ruler, is rumoured to possess an insatiable appetite to turn all that she touches into gold. But like Medusa, she turns them into stone instead.

Najib is gasping for breath under the crushing weight of being the prime minister of a nation, whose electorate is now wiser, being the president of Umno, whose members are refusing to transform and being the husband of Rosmah Mansor, an alleged connoisseur of the dark arts.

Adding a few more pounds to his burden is the civil service, replete with racist Little Napoleons adamant on derailing the prime minister’s transformation freight train. .

The Mahathir curse

Then there is Mahathir, who even Rosmah could not put a spell on.

Some have blamed it on fear, others dementia and a few are convinced that it is pure evil that runs through his veins. But whatever the reason that motivates him, the former premier continues to add to the list of wrongs which the current premier wants to right.

Mahathir has blamed all but himself for the conundrum that Barisan Nasional finds itself in and for the people’s disenchantment with the ruling coalition.

He is the chief architect of the towering discontent. His despotic rule, his castration of important institutions, his muzzling of the media, his enrichment of cronies and his racist mindset were the building blocks.

It is Mahathir who provided the impetus for the Reformasi movement when he unleashed brute force against the protesters. His admonishment, humiliation and incarceration of Anwar as well as having him battered blue and black earned the latter the sympathy and support of the people.

While he never fails to point out how his successor was responsible for Barisan Nasional’s 2008 electoral debacle, he never mentions how Abdullah Ahmad Badawi also secured the ruling coalition’s biggest ever mandate in 2004, a year after Mahathir stepped down.

He should reflect on the reasons for the 2004 election outcome and ask himself if it was a celebration of votes over his departure.

Apart from their own sins, his successors are also forced to bear his as well.

The M&M plot against Najib

So it comes as no surprise that the rumour mills are churning out tales of another conspiracy in the making, with Mahathir engineering the fall of Najib and the rise of Muhyiddin Yassin.

Najib is too liberal, accommodating and lenient. He wants to win the hearts and minds of the people with carrots, and not sticks. Mahathir disapproves of this method. People should be whipped into submission with threats.

And so he sees a glimmer of authoritarian hope in Muhyiddin, who is too old to play second fiddle for another term. Perhaps in return for the top post, the latter would help the former’s son rise up the political ladder.

Muhyiddin too wants to become prime minister but has no charm, charisma or a track record to boast about. He hangs like an albatross around Najib’s neck.

He has earned a reputation of being a racist with his “Malay first, Malaysian second” proclamation and his feet-dragging over the Interlok saga. His coming to power is feared as much as Anwar taking over the reins when the latter served as Mahathir’s second in command.

The grapevine has it that Najib’s camp is striking fear in the hearts of non-Malay voters in rural areas about the horrific prospect of Muhyiddin becoming prime minister.

These voters are being told that if BN fails to secure a two-thirds majority, then Muhyiddin’s faction would push for Najib’s head to roll and the nation would lose a prime minister who has been sensitive to the needs of the Chinese and Indians. This campaign is said to be effective.

Even BN component parties are uncomfortable with the notion of Muhyiddin replacing Najib and have on numerous occasions described the latter as the best prime minister thus far, who is generous with allocations.

This argument is not without basis. Since becoming prime minister in 2009, Najib has gone the extra mile with regard to convincing the Chinese and Indians to return to the BN fold. The sincerity of his actions is debatable but expecting such values in a politician is puerile.

Given a choice between Najib and Muhyiddin, many would pick the former. Perhaps Muhyiddin would fare better if he is pitted against Rosmah, Mahathir or Ibrahim Ali.

The opposition too could launch a similar campaign, telling these voters that BN has no chance of securing a two-thirds majority and therefore Muhyiddin would become prime minister after the polls. And the only way to prevent this from happening is by voting BN out of Putrajaya.

Losing federal power could also be a blessing in disguise for the ruling coalition as it would rid it of the curse of Mahathirism which has plagued BN for decades.

But one wonders if its leaders would still remain with the coalition and function as an opposition or would Mahathir and Co board the next flight to Argentina.

As for Najib, his gravest errors were not to call for the general election sooner before the cows came bolting out of the NFC barn and falling into the two-thirds trap himself.

Stateless man’s children barred from school

Ulu Kinta district education office denies permission for odd-job worker R Ragu to transfer his three children because he does not posses a blue MyKad.

PETALING JAYA: Three school-going children have been barred from attending classes by the Ulu Kinta district education office, all because their father does not possess a blue MyKad.

R Ragu’s children R Nithiya Rubhini (14), R Nithiya Darshini (11) and R Surya (8) have missed school for a week now. They all have valid Malaysian birth ceritificates.

The eldest, Nithiya Rubhini, even has a blue MyKad.

Ragu, 38, an odd job worker, said that his ordeal started when he wanted to transfer his children from Tambun to schools in Bertam, Perak as they were shifting to a new place.

“The Ulu Kinta district education department’s officer, Abdul Rahim Abdul Samad, refused to allow my children to attend school,” he said.

Ragu claimed Rahim told him to get certification from the Welfare Department that he is the legal guardian of the children.

“But why do I need to get approval from Welfare Department when they are my children?” asked Ragu.

“When I tried to explain myself, Rahim rudely told me off. He said I should be one listening to him, not the other way around,” said Ragu.

Ragu said that when he attempted to make a police report at the Ipoh police headquarters, he was also told off ticked off by the officers.

It should not happen, says minister

An upset Ragu said that it was not fair for his children to be targeted just because he is deemed a stateless person.

“This has happened to me too many times. They just keep kicking me around without providing any solution,” he said.

Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong, when contacted, said that he would investigate the matter.

“This cannot be. I’m sure the problem is more complicated than that. We have already issued a circular that even children of non-citizens are allowed to attend public schools,” said Wee.

In 2008, Ragu made headlines when he camped outside the residence of Sultan of Perak, Azlan Shah to get the Ruler’s assistance in granting him a Malaysian citizenship.

Raised in a welfare home since young, Ragu claimed that the authorities had failed to provide him with a birth certificate, putting him in the current predicament.

The Ruler himself subsequently instructed the National Registration Department to resolve Ragu’s predicament but nothing has come forth to date.

In August last year, Ragu and his two eldest children took part in a 900km walk to Seri Perdana to raise public awareness of his plight.

Vishwaroopam gets the green light, finally

The approval is given with the condition that the distributor agrees with additional cuts to the movie, says the National Film Censorship Board.
UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: After a hiatus of three weeks, the National Film Censorship Board (LPF) today finally gave the green light to screen Vishwaroopam with immediate effect.

“Islamic Development Department’s (Jakim) director- general has agreed with the Home Ministry on screening the movie after they were satisfied with the cuts done by LPF.

“The approval is given with the condition that the distributor agrees with additional cuts to the movie.

“The rescind on the suspension of the movie is effective from today,” LPF chairman Raja Azahar Raja Abdul Manap said in a statement today.

Vishwaroopam, a Kamal Haasan spy-thriller, was first screened on Jan 25. However, it was suspended the following day due to opposition from Indian Muslim groups that claimed the movie was insensitive to the feelings of the Muslims.

The Home Ministry suspended the movie after receiving protest memorandums from Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kimma) and Federation of Indian Muslim Organisations (Permim).

The suspension did no go down well with the Indian community. Even members of civil societies such as National Laureate A Samad Said questioned the rationale in suspending the movie.

Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen described Malaysia as a coward nation in her micro-blogging site.

MIC strategy director S Vell Paari even invited Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to watch the movie at a cinema belonging to the local distributor, Lotus Five Star.

MIC organised a meeting with a number of Indian Muslim NGOs that opposed the screening with Lotus Five Star where they agreed to mute 16 sensitive scenes.

In the meantime, Home Ministry formed a special panel made up of the LPF and Jakim that had two meetings to study the movie.

Distributor to decide screening date

In an immediate reaction, Vell Paari asked what was the Home Ministry trying to achieve since pirated copies of Vishwaroopam were sold openly.

“While the ban was imposed on Vishwaroopam by the Home Ministry, what did the ministry do to stop piracy?

“Where was the ministry’s eagerness to stop piracy that was seen when it stopped the screening of the movie?” he asked.

He said the sensitivities of the Muslims were not taken care of due to the proliferation of the uncensored copies of the movie.

He also questioned groups which were unhappy with his stand in support of Vishwaroopam.

“I am also very surprised with some representatives of Indian Muslim NGOs that objected to the initially approved version but were silent on the sale of unedited pirated copies of the movie. It would at least help the local Malay film industry,” he said.

In a related development, Lotus Five Star programming manager P Gopal said that his company is awaiting for LPF’s report before deciding on the screening date.

“We have not received LPF’s report yet. We would decide once we receive it,” he said.

Act on Ridhuan or face music, minister warned

MIC's S Vell Paari wants the home minister to act against the Muslim academic for hurting the feelings of Hindus.

PETALING JAYA: Livid over the insensitive remarks of a Muslim academic, a vocal MIC leader has warned Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to act or face the repercussions.

S Vell Paari said that he would put forth a proposal to MIC’s all-powerful Central Working Committee (CWC) on this issue.

If the proposal is rejected, the MIC strategy director stressed that he is prepared to quit MIC and even call on the Indians to vote for Pakatan Rakyat in the next polls.

“If the CWC disagrees, then I would resign and take it to the members directly. Don’t underestimate my influence in the party,” he added, declining to elaborate on the proposal for now.

Vell Paari was responding to an article penned by Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, who is an associate professor with the National Defence University.

In the article titled “The patience of Muslims has limits” published in Sinar Harian yesterday, the academic criticised MIC for seeking to lift the temporary ban on the Tamil movie Vishwaroopam.

He also made derogatory remarks regarding the Thaipusam festival and complained about the proliferation of Hindu temples and shrines since the 2008 election.

‘A cheap imitation’

Launching a vitriolic salvo on Ridhuan, a Chinese Muslim convert, Vell Paari labelled the former as an imitation product.

“When one wants to get cheap imitation products, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Petaling Street’ and the biggest problem in ethnic relationship in Malaysia now is ‘Petaling Street’ Malays like Ridhuan.

“These are products of a ruling that states if one speaks Malay, embraces Islam and follows the Malay culture, one is considered a Malay. I think this condition must be re-looked,” he told FMT.

Numerous individuals, Vell Paari said, exploited this ruling to become “Petaling Street Bumiputeras” and used the New Economic Policy to enhance themselves while the majority of true Malays remained in the doldrums.

“With more than 30 years of NEP and billions spent to uplift the socio-economic status of the Malays, how many true Malays are in the top 10 richest list in Malaysia.

“Taking into account the number of imitation Malays and the number of legalised illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, I wouldn’t be surprised if the true Malays are now a minority like the Chinese and Indians,” he said.

Vell Paari also recalled how Ridhuan had wept during a television programme several years ago, saying that his mother and siblings were bound for hell for not embracing Islam.

“In my book, any person, no matter what religion he practices, who says that his or her mother would go to hell, would for sure rot and burn in hell instead. I won’t be surprised if he is making these comments with the hope of being an election candidate,” he said.

Stern action need

Training his guns on Hishammuddin, Vell Paari asked the minister what actions he would initiate against Ridhuan.

“You banned a movie deemed fit for viewing by the Censorship Board of Malaysia as it was said to be insensitive to the feelings of Muslim. But not only have Ridhuan’s remarks hurt the feelings of Indians but he has also insulted the Hindus,” he said.

Stressing that a slap on the wrist would not suffice, the MIC leader urged the home minister to take stern action against the academic.

“I know police reports have been made against him. And if the government truly believes in the sprint of 1Malaysia then Ridhuan must be barred from all government-related assignments and all media-related assignments on all government-controlled media that normally invite him to host or to be a guest on their shows,” he said.

Anwar's Last Gamble

Arasaratnam Mahalingam

Anwar Ibrahim has littered his recent political past with promises he cannot possibly keep. And now he has made the mother of all promises. He has promised to champion the race and religious specific cause of Hindraf. This promise could be his undoing.

Anwar was quoted by the social media yesterday as saying that should Pakatan Rakyat assume federal power, Hindraf's five-year blueprint on resolving the Indian community's problems will be implemented within 100 days.

Anwar knows he has bitten off more than he can chew. Why then did he make that promise? Simple. He was blinded by his all-consuming ambition to move into the Prime Minister's residence in Putrajaya.

When asked at the meeting in Shah Alam on Friday night whether he would support Hindraf's six-point demands, he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Since September last year, PKR had been dragging its feet when Hindraf asked it to endorse its blueprint for the Indian community. More recently, Hindraf leaders became impatient at PKR's foot-dragging. They warned that Pakatan's "inordinate delay" in endorsing the blueprint may result in the coalition losing Indian support in the coming election.

So, this time around, if he had not made a firm commitment to Hindraf, his goose would have been cooked. He would have permanently lost Hindraf support. Faced with that prospect, he was forced to respond positively.

Now, Anwar has to face the consequences of his hasty reply. And the repercussions are grave for him, for his political party and for the opposition coalition.

In essence, the Hindraf's six demands in its blueprint are Indian-specific. Therefore, by agreeing to back Hindraf's demands, Anwar has committed himself and unwittingly his Pakatan partners to fight for Indian causes.

If he pursues this line, he will be dumped by the Malays and sabotaged by the Chinese, the Dayaks, Ibans and all the other natives of Sabah and Sarawak because he has not made similar promises to them.

He will also have to face the wrath of his coalition partners who have made no similar concession to any other race-based NGO. Even the Buku Jingga, which the three partners cobbled together, is not race-specific.

So how will Anwar try to extricate himself? Just as he has always tried to do. And that is by trying to be too clever by half.

He tried that trick again at the gathering in Shah Alam. He refused to reduce his commitment to Hindraf in writing. He said he would not sign on the dotted line. Now that is his exit strategy. Or so he thinks. Indians are no more the gullible people Anwar takes them to be.

They are wise to Anwar's double talk. They won't rest till they get the PKR Supremo to give them a written undertaking to support their blueprint. They will not settle for anything less.

Anwar's 2013 commitment to Hindraf also means he agrees to their demand to end 'institutionalised racism', a term which is their label for special privileges benefitting only Bumiputeras. But what has been Anwar's public stand on this issue of Bumiputera special privileges? In 2009, Anwar defended Malays’ special privileges and added that these rights should not be questioned by non-Malays. He has since not changed his stand.

So, Anwar stands for Malay special privileges and also supports Hindraf's call to abolish them? Surely Anwar has dug his own grave. He has made a promise to Hindraf that he can't keep. But maybe he always knew this to be the case and was simply playing for time.

Anwar will also be in hot soup with his coalition partners for not seeking their sanction before making his commitment to Hindraf. Their prior consent is necessary, said PKR Vice-President Tian Chua. Tian Chua was recently quoted as saying that "when it comes to formulating a political programme, we have stressed to Hindraf that PKR will not act unilaterally or without consensus from all 3 “partners” in Pakatan Rakyat. The blueprint proposed by Hindraf must first be presented to the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council for discussion and approval. This process is yet to take place, therefore it is too early to announce the signing of any agreement."

Observers say this promise was another of Anwar's ploys. He has no intention of keeping his promise, and that's why he is refusing to sign the document. He is simply lying to Indians just to get their votes. He will ditch them afterwards.

What has hitherto been his or his coalition partners' record when it comes to championing Indian causes anyway? The answer; a very disappointing and weak record.

Distrusted by many Malays, viewed with suspicion by many Indians, and treated with caution by many Chinese, is Anwar Ibrahim on a roller coaster ride to political oblivion? The answer…

Maid gets 20 years' jail for attempted murder of baby

Yuliana being led out of the court room in Kuantan

KUANTAN: An Indonesian maid was sentenced to a total of 20 years' jail by the Sessions Court here after
she pleaded guilty to attempting to murder and abusing a four-month-old baby boy last Friday.

A closed circuit television recording showed her throwing down the baby nine times.

Judge Mohd Azhar Othman, when handing down the sentence Tuesday on Yuliana (pix), 23, said the offence committed was very serious and had a huge impact not only on the victim's family, but also on society.

"Your action has resulted in society being afraid and not having a peace of mind when leaving their children with their maids.

"The court feels that the sentence is commensurate with the offence committed and be a lesson to you," he added.

Yuliana, from Sukarame in Acheh, had only just started work as a maid with the victim's family when she committed the offences.

Earlier, when a recording of her action was shown in the court, Yuliana, clad in an orange lock-up uniform, did not show any reaction or facial expression.

However, in mitigation, she said, "I'm afraid".

Yuliana, who has two children, was charged with throwing and hurling the baby, Mohamed Hareez Mohamed Zamri, nine times, an act which could cause death, at 7.45am on Feb 15 at 7 Lorong Bukit Setongkol 38, Jalan Bukit Setongkol here.

The charge was made under Section 307 (1) of the Penal Code for attempted murder, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years upon conviction.

She was also charged under Section 31(1) (a) of the Child Act 2001 with abusing the child at the same place and time.

Yuliana was sentenced to 15 years' jail on the first count and five years on the second count.

However, Mohd Azhar ordered the jail sentences to be served concurrently from the date of her arrest.

Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Mohamed.

According to the facts of the case, at 7.45am on the day of the incident, Mohamed Hareez's parents were out having breakfast when they watched their son being thrown and hurled by the maid through a closed circuit camera recording on their handphone.

The boy's mother, Nina Suraya Sulaiman, 24, then called a neighbour for help and rushed home with her husband, who contacted the police.

The maid was arrested at 9.15am the same day. - Bernama

Launch of Institut Rakyat: Towards a New Malaysia

KEADILAN (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), Malaysia’s multi-ethnic reformist party is establishing a party- affiliated think tank, named Institut Rakyat. While affiliated to the party, Institut Rakyat is an independent policy institute – both in finance and in work – to complement and provide a balanced perspective to the party’s administrative wing.

The Institute is to offer independent advice or policy recommendations to the party, in line with a vision of a Malaysia that flourishes under sustainable economic growth and development matched with social, environmental, ethnic, and religious harmony.

It must be noted that the Institute is a culmination of the efforts of many in policy research, position papers and even speech writing done by countless volunteers, interns and party workers over the years. This latest initiative is aimed towards cementing a solid leadership base premised on concrete policies.

We are motivated by the need for policies that are guided by a comprehensive understanding of human development, social justice, fundamental rights and equal opportunity.

We initiated this endeavour in recognition of the necessity to:

Improve public confidence (especially the middle-class, business and diplomatic communities) in policy-making abilities of political parties.

Consolidate a shift in Malaysian politics from fear, threat & personality-cult to a focus on policy competition and debates.

Provide well-researched papers/briefings with options and implications for leaders to make political and policy choices.

Ensure an entity that provides for check and balance in the running of policies.

Malaysia is at a crossroads – facing mounting challenges across the political, social, to the economic spectrum. The lack of institutional independence, a failing justice system, socio economic policy that is lacking in the effort to eliminate hardcore and urban poverty, and a flawed policy direction which is exacerbating the major indices in the country today -press freedom, competitive ranking, to the ever increasing crime rate. Fundamental to addressing these is the need for serious public policy debate and discussion.

As such, we are pleased to announce the launch of a public policy think tank to meet these demands. The launch is themed “Towards a New Malaysia”, as we hope to present public policy alternatives for a better Malaysia, for its future generations to come. Its first policy paper on “Increasing Disposable Incomes” will also be presented.

The launch, slated to take place this Thursday, 21st February 2013, at 3pm at the Empire Hotel, Subang Jaya will feature Keynote Speaker Opposition Leader, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, followed by a special guest speaker.

Institut Rakyat envisions a Malaysia that flourishes under sustainable economic growth and development matched with social, environmental, ethnic and religious harmony. We subscribe to the philosophy that no Malaysian must be left behind on account of their ethnicity, region, political affiliation, gender, and religion.

INSTITUT RAKYAT

'Detention not constitutional'

The New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer, representing canteen assistant Muhammad Hilmi Hasim, yesterday filed an application against the warden of Jinjang Detention Centre and the Inspector-General of Police seeking for his release from detention.

Speaking to reporters after filing the habeas corpus application at the High Court registry, counsel Fadiah Nadwa Fikri said Hilmi's detention under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act was unconstitutional.

He showed reporters a supporting affidavit by Hilmi's adoptive mother, Rahamah Abdul Majid, in which she stated that her son was arrested along with canteen operator, Yazid Sufaat, at the Jalan Duta court complex at 12.30pm on Feb 7. She also said that another person, Halimah Hussein, was arrested on the same day in Kajang.

(Yazid, a former Internal Security Act detainee, was charged on Feb 8 at the Ampang magistrate's court with promoting an ideology intended to incite the people of Syria while Halimah was charged with abetting him.)

In her affidavit, Rahamah said Hilmi, 32, was not told the reason for his arrest and the reluctance by police to charge him meant they did not have any reason to believe that he was involved in any security offence.

Provision Of Islam In Federal Constitution Not In Vain - Former CJ

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution which states that Islam in the religion of the Federation is not a provision in vain, said former Chief Justice Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad.

He said with this provision, Malaysia is known to the world as an Islamic country.

"To the world, Malaysia is not only seen as an Islamic country but an exemplary Islamic country. Malaysia is also regarded as an example of a developed Islamic country of this era," he said.

Abdul Hamid said this when tabling his working paper titled 'Islam and Interpretation of the Constitution by Courts in Malaysia' at a a discourse organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) here today.

He said the Malaysian government had spent millions of ringgit for the development of Islamic banking, Islamic finance and takaful so much so the country was a leaders in these fields.

Abdul Hamid said the people could also carry out Islamic activities such as building universities, colleges, mosques and schools.

"Imagine if Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution is not there, could all this be done?" he said.

On secularism, Abdul Hamid, referring to the judgement of the Supreme Court in the case of Che Omar Che Soh against the Public Prosecutor in 1988, said in the judgement the word secular was mentioned three times.

"The first, secular institutions was mentioned when quoting a book by M.B.Hooker. Two other instances, secular law was used when referring to laws effective on the day of independence," he said.

Abdul Hamid said the word secular was used in the judgement not to describe the country, but to describe the institutions and laws.

"In my opinion, its use is not accurate and the word was used uncessarily. Because of group and political interests, it was quoted out of context to say that Malaysia is a secular country although the Federal Constitution never once used the word," he added.

Also referring to case judgement which was heard by five judges and written by former chief justice Tun Salleh Abas, Abdul Hamid said they also agreed with the judgement that Article 3(1) itself does not make all laws contridicting with the Syariah not valid and void.

He said civil lawyers often did not know that existing laws were compliant and similar to the Syariah, while syariah members did not know that Syariah principles were made into laws.

"I believe that if it was declared that Malaysia will fully implement Islamic law, more than 90 per cent of the existing laws would not change," he said.

During a question and answer session on the delegation of authority between the Civil Court and Syariah Court, Abdul Hamid suggested that should there be a syariah issue in the Civil Court whereby a Syariah Court judge should be present to sit with the Civil Court judge.

He also said the two courts can be combined and placed under the jurisdiction fo the Federal Court.

However, the former chief justice said this would not happen because it required amendments to the Federal Constitution and jurisdiction from the Syariah Court be transferred to the Federal government.

Assoc Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz from the International Islamic University of Malaysia's (IIUM) Islamic Law Department, when tabling her working paper, said there was no proof that Malaysia had been a secular country.

"There are two forms of secularism, rigid or flexible. Both don't exist in this country," she said.

The three-and-a-half hour muzakarah explained the stand, interpretation and actual implication of Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, correcting the misperceptions and misinterpretations of judgement of the Che Omar case.

IKIM director Datuk Faiza Tamby Chik was the moderator of discourse.

-- BERNAMA

Sri Lanka govt denies killing Prabhakaran's son, slams TV channel

A British channel has come out with a documentary featuring the pictures of the alleged cold-blooded killing of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son, which was on Tuesday dismissed by Sri Lanka as "lies, half-truths and numerous forms of speculation".

The Channel 4 documentary titled 'No War Zone? The killing fields of Sri Lanka' is to be aired in Geneva at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in March.


The pictures have once again raised questions over the conduct of Sri Lankan armed forces during the final stages of the operation against Tamil Tiger rebels and is another blow for the government in its attempts to head off a critical resolution at the UN Human Rights Council.

One of the photos shows Balachandran Prabakaran sitting in a bunker, alive and unharmed in the custody of Sri Lankan troops.

Another picture which was taken a few hours later shows the boy's body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets.

Sri Lankan Army dismissed the pictures featured in the documentary as "lies, half truths, rumours and numerous forms of speculation" on Tuesday.

Commenting on the pictures, military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said, "This is not the first time such unsubstantiated allegations are leveled against the Sri Lankan forces. Interestingly, these come up as we near UNHRC meeting and die down thereafter. No substantive evidence have been presented for us to launch an investigation" he said.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the parties who float such baseless allegations never want these to be investigated or solved. They want to keep them as mysteries in order to tarnish the country's good image as and when it suits their agendas."

Wanigasooriya stressed that if the Channel 4 was interested in having these investigated, it should cooperate with credible evidence and the Army will institute a probe.

The documentary aims to test India over its next move in the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka, Channel 4's documentary director Callum Macrae said.

India had voted against Sri Lanka at last year's resolution.

"The new evidence in the film is certain to increase pressure on the Indian government not only to support a resolution on Sri Lanka and accountability, but also to ensure that it is robustly worded, and that it outlines an effective plan for international action to end impunity in Sri Lanka," Macrae said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/SriLanka/Sri-Lanka-govt-denies-killing-Prabhakaran-s-son-slams-TV-channel/Article1-1013842.aspx

180213 Information Dept says hackers behind "Najib resigns" post

Relook Bumi quota, low-cost housing policies, Putrajaya told

Cho likened the blanket discount to the poor subsidising the rich. — File pic

PETALING JAYA, Feb 18 ― Housing developers want the government to review housing quotas and discounts allocated to Bumiputeras and the poor, after complaining today of their abuse.

This follows the build-up of unreleased Bumiputera units, which they said was as high as 56 per cent of unsold homes costing above RM500,000 in prime areas of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang.

“Our request to the administration is for an auto-release mechanism,” said Datuk Seri Micheal KC Yam, president of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (REHDA) here.

“The policy needs a review ... It doesn’t really matter which government wins (the general election).”

The association further suggested that lots reserved for Bumiputeras be made available to the general public if there is no demand after a period of time.

His view was echoed by REHDA deputy secretary-general Datuk Anthony Adam Cho, who said the Bumiputera discount favoured those buying more expensive properties, rather than those who are less affluent.

“The more expensive the unit, the more discount is given ... Why are the poor subsidising the rich?” Cho asked reporters.

Following the implementation of the New Economic Policy (NEP), Bumiputeras are automatically entitled to a seven per cent discount on houses or property, regardless of their financial standing.

Cho, who is a developer in Malacca, complained of the glut of low-cost housing in the state due to the quota imposed by authorities, which he said caused developers to move away to other profitable areas.

“We’re having a dialogue with the government; why don’t you convert the low-cost requirement to low-medium cost requirement?’ Cho suggested.

The developers also complained of the utility connection costs, saying they had to bear the cost of having their property supplied with water, electricity and telephone lines.

“Why are we still paying contributions to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) who is making much more profit than our public-listed companies?” asked Cho.

The Malaysian Insider understands that on top of that, developers are also now required to incur between RM4,000 and 6,000 per unit to install high speed broadband infrastructure in their projects, or risk their development application being rejected by the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

In the Property Industry Survey ran by REHDA for the second half of 2012, 47 per cent of respondents claimed that they have unreleased Bumiputera units, an increase from 39 per cent in the first half of 2012.

Thirty-two per cent of those have unreleased units with a market price between RM500,000 and RM1 million, while 24 per cent have units above RM1 million.

Another 87 per cent of those surveyed reported that their unsold units had some impact on their cash flow.

The real enemies of the state

By deporting Senator Nick Xenophon, the Malaysian authorities have given the impression that there is something to hide.
COMMENT

By S Vell Paari

When I arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Perth two days ago, the first SMS that I received upon switching on my mobile phone was that Australian senator Nick Xenophon had been detained at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) and was awaiting deportation for allegedly being an “enemy of the state”.

The enemy of the state claim, to me, was bewildering.

Setting aside his scheduled meetings with Anwar Ibrahim and certain NGOs, wasn’t he and the delegation representing all the political parties in Australia scheduled to meet with the Election Commission and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz as well?

When a senior federal minister of Malaysia and the Election Commission could see fit to schedule a meeting with Senator Xenophon, where is this security treat?

Let’s be frank, Senator Xenophon is not an independent observer, he is aligned to Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat but have not our leaders like Xenophon been critical of foreign countries and their policies. Were this leaders considered a security threat and deported when they arrived in those countries?

Dr Mahathir Mohamad during his tenure as prime minister made various threats against the US and Australia, was he ever deported during any of his visits there? Even recently he made statements against the US and Hilary Clinton but when he went there to receive an award, he was not deported for being an enemy of the state.

It took three Bersih rallies before we realised that it is best to give an approval in the case of the Himpunan Rakyat, where everything proceeded peacefully and with praise for the police.

Similarly, we should have just allowed Senator Xenophon together with the delegation to carry out their visit, hold their meetings, state their views and return back to Australia, without drama.

By choosing to deport him, we have turned him into a hero. By deporting him, we have given the world an impression that we have something to hide.

Just two weeks ago we had a similar group from Europe who came to look into the government’s control over the mainstream media and their statement was not favorable to the government, which was aired by certain mainstream TV channels and online media.

The real security threat

What about George Soros? He visited Malaysia to launch his book. This man was accused of attempting to destroy the Malaysian economy and to bring Malaysia to its knees to beg IMF’s help. But was he deported as an enemy of state?

It is these sort of double standard approaches that brew disaster for Barisan Nasional.

For example, recently about a 100 rebel fighters from the Philippines landed in Sabah fully armed. And the Home Ministry is still figuring out how to deal with them. Is this not a major security treat? Were they deported?

I think it must have been Xenophon’s V-neck T Shirt which is the cause for the security threat.

The greatest security threat to Malaysia is Ibrahim Ali. All his racial rants are targeted to stir racial tension and violence. But no action has been taken.

Ibrahim fits the tag of being an “enemy of the state.”

We are dealing with a new generation of Malaysians who are well aware of their democratic and constitutional rights and are exercising it. So either we learn to engage Malaysians or be prepared to be disengaged by Malaysians from Putrajaya.

While we preach to the rest of the world about sensitivity, tolerance, freedom and democratic maturity, we must first learn to heed our own advice and show to the world and especially to the true citizen of Malaysia that our country does not only possess first world infrastructure but also first world mentality.

Let us not become our own enemies of the state.

S Vell Paari is MIC’s strategy director.

NGO wants Vell Paari for Teluk Kemang

The NGO believes that Vell Paari is the right man for the job as opposed to S Murugesan or S Sothinathan.

PETALING JAYA: A local Indian-based NGO wants Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to pick S Vell Paari, MIC’s strategy director and son of former president S Samy Vellu, as the Barisan Nasional candidate for the Teluk Kemang parliamentary seat.

Persatuan Belia Pemangkin Bangsa dan Negara Port Dickson chairman K Ravindran said instead of choosing between MIC secretary-general S Murugesan and former vice-president S Sothinathan, Teluk Kemang voters “would prefer” Vell Paari.

“Vell Paari is more vibrant and outspoken. He also has strong influence in getting things done. It is better for him to contest in Teluk Kemang instead of the other two,” he told FMT today.

Sothinathan became the Teluk Kemang MP following a by-election in 2000. He retained the seat in the 2004 general election but lost the constituency in the 2008 polls.

Murugesan on the other hand contested the Subang parliamentary constituency in 2008 and lost.

Ravindran said Vell Paari had a better chance of winning back the seat especially since PKR would contest the seat on the opposition front.

Incumbent PKR man Kamarul Baharin Abbas is expected to contest the seat for the second term at the forthcoming general election.

Sothinathan has been keeping a low profile since his defeat. Sources said he has been quietly serving the constituency.

“Since he lost in the general election he has been missing. But now out of nowhere he appears just before the election. We do not want these kind of people who have lost their respective seats, and also credibility,” he added.

On Murugesan, Ravindran said voters were not keen in having the MIC secretary-general as the Teluk Kemang member of parliament.

“Murugesan and his team, should concentrate in Subang which his original constituency instead of jumping to a safe seat,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vell Paari declined to contest the seat.

“First and foremost I thank those who want me to stand but I have made it clear in early 2011 that I have turned down the offer to run as a MP, for I believe being independent of this position will give me the freedom to voice and effect changes within MIC and BN.

“And to those who keep advising that I should join Pakatan Rakyat, I must say I am a BN member and will always remain as one.

“If there are issues within my house, it’s my duty to fix it and not burn my house down. I believe dissent is not disloyalty,” he said.

Pakatan 'still discussing' Hindraf blueprint

Pakatan Rakyat leaders are still working to translate Hindraf’s blueprint into “implementable policies and amendments to the law”.

PKR vice-president Tian Chua (left) said the coalition has not rejected the document, which it supports “in principle”.

“Whatever is in the blueprint will have to be consistent with our manifesto. Otherwise people will pick it out (the inconsistencies). How do we then show ourselves to be a credible alternative to the government?” Tian Chua said when contacted.

“So it takes time for us to make sure everything is consistent and proper. There is nothing sinister about the discussions taking longer than what Hindraf expects.”
Hindraf yesterday urged the opposition coalition to endorse its blueprint and form an electoral pact with it.

Otherwise, the movement warned, 25 of the coalition’s parliamentary seats would be in jeopardy as a result of Malaysian Indian support withdrawn.
Hindraf's claim not an issue
Asked whether this claim was credible, Tian Chua, who is the MP for Batu, dismissed it as secondary.

He said Pakatan was working with Hindraf not because it could deliver votes, but because Pakatan supported the issues raised in the Hindraf blueprint, such as the issues of stateless Malaysian Indians and the welfare of displaced plantation workers.

“Many other groups would also lay claim that ‘they can deliver this, they can deliver that’. We must first look at whether it is consistent with our principles.

“Some other groups may not contribute at all to any substantial seats, but we will still be working with them because we agree with them in principle.

“That why we have to first understand where Pakatan Rakyat stands in the issues of principles and election strategy. Otherwise, we will end up to be just a populist coalition that goes along with whoever tells us that they have seats to deliver to us," Tian Chua added.
Meanwhile, Hindraf’s national adviser N Ganesan (left) in a statement today called on Pakatan to convene a meeting by Friday to make a final decision on cooperation between the two groups.

“The discussions that Hindraf has been having with Pakatan over the last several months, which have been bogged down by inordinate delays and a lack of understanding, now need a fresh look.

“If Pakatan truly, and not just as a  matter of rhetoric, cares for the Malaysian Indian electorate, it should stop playing around with the issues embodied in the blueprint and start serious contemplation on whether it can support the demands in the document.

“To come clean is what I am saying – stop the manoeuvring,” Ganesan added.

PKR decries Ridhuan Tee's 'racist' article

PKR has lambasted an article by Universiti Pertahanan Nasional lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, which was published in a local daily today, labeling it as “racist” for questioning the Thaipusam festival.

The party’s human rights and legal bureau deputy chief S Jayathas (right) said Ridhuan’s criticism of the festival contravened Article 11 of the federal constitution ensuring religious freedom of all Malaysians.

“The statement portrays a deep racist connotation and can create unrest as well as chaos among followers of the peaceful religion,” Jayathas said in a statement.

“We never question when there is traffic (jam) during Friday (Muslim) prayers, because we respect the rights of religion.”

In the column, Kesabaran umat Islam ada had (There is limit to Muslim patience), which appeared in Sinar Harian, Ridhuan commented on congestion in the areas surrounding Batu Caves before and during the Hindu festival.

“Have we ever complained during Thaipusam celebration? A week before the festival, the entire area surrounding Batu Caves is congested. Vehicles have been parked wherever the owners please.

“A sea of people of a single colour gathers, as though there are no other colours in this country,” the controversial columnist wrote.

‘Islam agenda sacrificed for votes’

Ridhuan (left) also claimed that due to federal and state allocations received after the 2008 general election, “temples and idols” that were once grim-looking are now bigger, taller and more colourful.

“From what I see, we (Malay Muslims) have given up everything to garner sympathy and votes. This country has no identity anymore.

“The Islam and Malay agenda have since gone. I am confident that even if BN were to win in the 13th general election, the present situation will not change.
"We will continue to take care of others rather than ourselves.”

The author said all this when condemning BN component party MIC’s defence of the international Tamil film Vishwapooram, said to contain several elements deemed offensive to Muslims but which have since been edited out.

He went on to claim that Muslims in the country were being taken advantage of, whereas action are always taken against those who insulted the sensitivities of other religions in the country, citing the prosecution of those involved in the cow-head and church-burning incidents as examples of this.

As for the coming election, he further suggested that if an Indian candidate is needed to contest in a Malay-majority seat, then an Indian Muslim candidate should be fielded there.

Anwar disambut lebih meriah di majlis Dong Zong

“Blasphemy” – Morsi’s Egypt court shuts down belly dancing channel.

"Blasphemy" - Morsi's Egypt court shuts down belly dancing channel.(AO).Egyptian administrative court rules in two separate cases on Saturday to cut the broadcast of a channel and a programme amid the recent rise in media-related cases.

In the first case, the court orders that the popular Al-Tet belly dancing channel be taken off air for broadcasting on satellite without a license.

The court ruling also accused the channel of airing "provocative advertisements" for sexual products and for facilitating escort-like services.

In May, the owner of Al-Tet, Baleegh Hamdi was arrested on suspicions of facilitating prostitution through his channel, but was later released. Anyone involved in prostitution could face three years in jail under Egyptian law.

In the other case, the administrative court rejects an appeal on Saturday by Sheikh Abdullah Badr and Atef Abdel-Rashid, the owner Al-Hafez religious channel, against a ruling on 12 January that barred Badr's programme Fi Al-Mizan for 30 days.

Prominent actress Elham Shahin and TV anchor Hala Sarhan filed the original lawsuit, demanding the Al-Hafez channel be shut down for insulting Shahin on his programme."Elham Shahin is cursed and she will never enter heaven," Badr said on air.

Badr was slammed on 17 December with a year in jail and bail set at LE20,000 (roughly $3,000) by a misdemeanour court.Read the full story here.

Kohat warning: Militants rough up transgender guru, spark exodus

File photo of transgendered persons. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE

KOHAT: A senior member of the transgender community was tortured and threatened at the hands of militants in the southern Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday.

A police official said that three unidentified attackers entered a market in the Tirah Adda area of the region and barged inside a balakhana (den), where five transgendered persons along with their ‘guru’ resided.

The attackers grabbed the guru, identified as Arif alias Arifa Jan, and beat him up and threatened to kill him if they failed to vacate the area.

The official added that after the incident all members of the transgender community residing in the area fled to an undisclosed location.

The owner of the market, Syed Jamal, said that since no one in the area was willing to provide shelter to the transgendered persons; therefore, he stepped in and accommodated them in his building.

He recalled that the assailants sent him a letter demanding that his tenants be thrown out within a week. Jamal claimed that the letter was dispatched by the TTP Darra Adam Khel chapter.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17th, 2013.

PKR banks on ex-deputy minister to win back Wangsa Maju

Datuk Tan Tee Kwong on a walkabout in Wangsa Maju. — Pictures by Choo Choo May

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — PKR is banking on a former deputy minister to take back the Wangsa Maju urban constituency needed to seize federal power in Election 2013.

Former Deputy Minister Land and Cooperative Development Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong had started reconnecting with the voters to increase his profile on the ground since incumbent Wangsa Maju representative Wee Choo Keong quit the party in 2010 and turned Independent though pledging support to the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal coalition.

In a recent Sunday walkabout, Dr Tan told The Malaysian Insider that he is now more comfortable and confident after meeting Wangsa Maju residents regularly.

"After two years, the walkabouts and contributions to the needy have started to show positive result," said the former Gerakan MP.

He also confessed that the hardest task is to convince the voters who question his loyalty to PKR, and to assure them that another party-hopping incident will not repeat itself.

"The first time I was here, almost everybody I met asked what assurance can I give them if I win," Dr Tan added.

Two high-ranking PKR leaders have also acknowledged that Dr Tan was given the responsibility to take care of the area's party branch after Wee left.

"(Dr Tan) was given the responsibility to restore the party's image and strengthen the election machinery," said PKR Secretary-General Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

"The possibility of him contesting (in Wangsa Maju) is there."

PKR Communications Director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad also echoed Saifuddin's view of Dr Tan's chances.

"A full decision is yet to be made, but that's it... maybe Tan will contest that seat," the Seri Setia assemblyman said.

Dr Tan's presence was lauded by Mohammad Hamdi Mohd Said, who was part of the election machinery's backbone which contributed to Wee's win back in 2008.

"Almost every week, (Dr Tan) would go to the ground to meet the residents," the Wangsa Maju PKR Youth Chief said.

"After Wee left, it became a bit chaotic, but since Tan took over, situation has changed.

"Tan is a true politician, and he is not shy to go to the ground, unlike Wee who did so rarely.

"His character is so different to the old candidate, because in 2008 we made a big mistake by putting a parachute candidate."

The P116 seat is seen as one of the hot seats in the coming election, after PKR managed to win it from MCA with a slim majority of 150 in 2008.

Former PKR candidate Wee defeated BN's Yew Teong Look with 19,637 votes compared to 19,487.

An urban seat like Wangsa Maju poses a close contest for any party, owing to the technological advances which provide instant information to residents.

Wangsa Maju is a Malay-majority constituency with 35,258 of them (53.28 per cent), followed by Chinese at 24,000 (36.27 per cent) and Indian at 5,741 (8.68 per cent).

Most of the voters (45.68 per cent) are between 30 and 49 years old at 30,230, followed by pensioners between 50 and 69 at 31.66 per cent (20,953).

Majority of the dwellings in the area consists of apartments, low cost flats and condominium units.

MIC man calls on Hindraf to woo BN

Since Pakatan does not appreciate the efforts of Hindra, KP Samy says the movement should turn to BN instead.

PETALING JAYA: Days after Hindraf announced that its courtship with Pakatan Rakyat has soured, a former Hindraf activist wants the movement to woo MIC and Barisan Nasional.

Ex-Hindraf activist KP Samy wanted the movement to reveal Pakatan Rakyat’s shortcomings to the Indian community.

“Hindraf should agree that MIC is the sole Indian representative. They should work with MIC to strengthen the community.

“Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been doing his level best for the past four years,” said the MIC central working committee member.

He also said Hindraf’s efforts to build a working relationship with Pakatan was not appreciated by the federal opposition alliance that helms four state governments.

“Hindraf should go back to the Indian community and reveal Pakatan’s insincerity. A large number of Hindraf supporters have left Pakatan,” he told FMT.

Samy said that Hindraf’s contribution that led to Pakatan’s victory was neither valued nor recognised.

He added that Pakatan should have honoured the five Hindraf leaders held under ISA and provided financial backing for the hundreds of Hindraf supporters who were detained.

Instead, he said Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar only announced financial assistance for Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga when the federal government initiated a suit against Bersih.

Samy also requested Hindraf to consider the Indian equity factor. “Only one race – the Chinese – have maximised their equity in Selangor. The Indians remain the same,” he added.

He added that in terms of positions within the government, Pakatan had only fulfilled its pledge by giving the Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2 post to P Ramasamy but in Selangor that was not the case.

“Jayakumar’s exco post is the eighth in the list. All the important exco positions are held by Chinese representatives from the DAP and PKR,” he said, citing Teresa Kok and Elizabeth Wong as examples.

Meanwhile, Hindraf chairman P Waythamoorthy still hoped that Pakatan would continue courting Hindraf.

“Hindraf has made clear from the outset that it supports Pakatan and wishes to work closely with Pakatan to achieve its objectives of addressing the 56-year marginalisation of the Indian community in this country,” he said in a press statement.

He also emphasised on Hindraf’s vital role in swaying Indian votes for Pakatan.

“Pakatan leaders have to realise that it was Hindraf that broke the 80% ‘fixed deposit’ which MIC boasted it always had and delivered that to the opposition including PAS in the last general election. The climate of the 2008 election was different,” he said.

He admitted that the Najib administration was on the right path to regain the Indian votes.

“The Najib administration has done tremendous work on the ground and if they are successful in gaining 55% of the total Indian voters, Pakatan is likely to face risk in 25 Parliament seats. Kedah would be a sure fall and Selangor would be at great risk.

“We at Hindraf believe we could prevent this,” said Waythamoorthy, who added that Hindraf would be able to sway 50 percent of the undecided Indian voters in favour of Pakatan.

He also said that Pakatan must endorse the Hindraf blueprint which aims to completely resolve the Indian community’s issues.

ABU-Hindraf collaboration over, it would seem

As reported in Malaysiakini today, Hindraf’s Waythamoorthy has taken umbrage and, in my view, rightly so, to the public disclosure of what must surely have been private and confidential discussions between both Hindraf and Pakatan Rakyat leaders on both the matter of the indorsement of the latter’s blue print as well as the possibility of both working together in the coming GE.

I will avoid doing the same here.

I have been desperately trying to meet with Waytha to have a face – to – face discussion on several pressing issues, not least being Hindraf giving due consideration to meeting with Najib, a position patently at odds with the stated stance of ABU that we will not negotiate with robbers and thieves.
Yesterday, admittedly frustrated that no meeting appeared to be in sight and the GE looming, I sent Waytha the following sms :

“Is hindraf still with abu? Will you join us on the ground to deliver killer blows to umno/bn? I really need to know where you stand on this”

I do not propose to make disclosure here of the sms sent in response or the sms’ that were exchanged and leave it to Waytha to decide if he wishes to disclose the same. I have no objections whatsoever if he chooses to do so.

His immediate response to the sms above and my second sms to ask if I should assume that Hindraf regards itself as out of ABU left me with the distinct impression that such was the case.

If I have erred, no doubt Waytha will set me straight.

Until that happens, ABU will carry on the fight to bury UMNO/BN, with or without Hindraf by our side.

Senator Tak Boleh Masuk, Jenayah Curi 900 Juta Di Filipina Bagi Protection Di Sabah

RoS confirms it received DAP’s report; apologises for confusion

The Star

PETALING JAYA: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) confirmed Sunday that it had received the DAP’s Dec 15 Central Executive Committee’s polls report on Feb 8, ahead of the Feb 15 deadline it had set for the party.

“Here I would like to clarify that my previous statement was based on information that was not updated and this has led to confusion,” Registrar Datuk Abdul Rahman Othman said in a statement late Sunday.

“RoS apologises to all parties concerned over this mistake,” he said.

The investigations into DAP’s CEC polls was ongoing and would be finalised as soon as possible, he said.

On Saturday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein was reported as saying that he was told that DAP had failed to submit the report on time and, therefore, RoS would begin its investigations.

'Pakatan may lose 25 MPs without Hindraf's support'

(Malaysiakini) Pakatan Rakyat may risk losing 25 parliamentary seats in the next general election if it does not receive support from Hindraf, the movement's chief P Waythamoorthy says.

This comes in light of the Indian community warming up to the BN under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration.

However, Hindraf can help swing them back in favour of Pakatan if the opposition coalition forms an electoral pact with the movement, Waythamoorthy (left) said in a statement today.

"The Indian community is not at war with the government as we were in 2007-2008.

"Najib's administration has done tremendous work on the ground and if they are successful in gaining 55 percent of the total Indian voters, Pakatan is likely to face risks in 25 Parliament seats," he said.
Furthermore, Waythamoorthy said, Kedah would be "sure to fall" and Selangor would be at great risk of being recaptured by the BN.

"We at Hindraf believe we can prevent this. Our almost 2,000 cadres are prepared to go on the ground - they are unpaid volunteers. They will do the magic."
He said a partnership between Hindraf and Pakatan could ensure that at least half of the undecided Indian votes would go to the opposition coalition.

‘Hindraf bluprint the main priority’

It was reported on Feb 14 that Pakatan's discussions with Hindraf for cooperation had come to a stalemate after Hindraf had demanded to contest in seven parliamentary and 10 state seats.

Waythamoorthy later clarified that Hindraf had proposed to contest in all the MIC-held seats and had no desire for any seat held by an incumbent from Pakatan.

He had said that the main priority for Hindraf was still for Pakatan to endorse its blueprint to help the Indian poor.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has been coy about endorsing the blueprint and has instead stated that the principles of the blueprint were already embodied in Pakatan's Buku Jingga manifesto.

However, Waythamoorthy maintained that Hindraf's blueprint was more specific and the Indian community would not accept the vague promises that have been the norm in previous general elections.

"Hindraf has been questioned by the Indian community at all our road shows on the reason for Pakatan’s reluctance to endorse our blueprint.

"We have no concrete answer that is to their dissatisfaction to give them," he said.

Waythamoorthy urged the Pakatan leaders to gauge the sentiments on the ground instead of relying on hardcore party supporters to feed them with information.

Pakatan denies Ku Li will be its PM candidate

Pakatan Rakyat today denied rumours that Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah will become its candidate for prime minister if it captures federal power in the next general election.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim described the rumours as the work of Umno-owned media.

“I have never heard anything about this. I don’t know if Kit Siang has heard anything about it.

“I think this is the work of Umno newspapers,” he told journalists during the United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia (Dong Zong) Chinese New Year open house today.

Adding on, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang concurred with Anwar, stating: "I think these are all rumours.".

It was reported yesterday that independent Bayan Baru MP Zahrain Hashim had claimed that DAP and PAS had agreed for Tengku Razaleigh, more popularly known as Ku Li, to become its prime minister candidate as he was supposedly a better choice.

Pakatan Rakyat, particularly PKR and DAP, has in the past constantly touted Anwar as its prime minister candidate.

However, voices particularly from the conservative segments of PAS had urged that their president Abdul Hadi Awang be made prime minister if Pakatan Rakyat takes over Putrajaya.

There had also been rumours that PAS favours Ku Li as an alternative to Anwar for prime minister.

Ku Li, an Umno veteran and maverick, was in 2010 rumoured to be among those preparing to defect to Pakatan Rakyat.

Even though Ku Li has been critical of his own party, he had denied the claims of defection, describing it as a “tall tale”.