UPSI Lecturer Named BN Candidate For Sungai Limau By-Election

YAN, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) senior lecturer Dr Ahmad Sohaimi Lazim has been named as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Sungai Limau by-election on Nov 4.

The announcement was made by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also BN deputy chairman, in Sungai Lentang, Sungai Limau here, today.

Muhyiddin said Ahmad Sohaimi, who is Jerai Umno division committee member, was chosen based on his credentials.

Apart from this, his party and social activities held him in good stead as they were evaluated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, himself and Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, said Muhyiddin.

"I urge voters to give him a chance. If BN were to wrest the seat, the constituency will get more attention from the state and federal governments," he told reporters here after the announcement.

The 52-year-old Ahmad Sohaimi, who is senior lecturer at the UPSI's Department of Social Studies and Citizenship, Faculty of Human Sciences, hailed from Kampung Titi Batu, Guar Chempedak here.

On calls for the BN to field a candidate with religious background to turn the tide against PAS which held the seat for five terms, Muhyiddin said with his credentials, Ahmad Sohaimi could give an exemplary service to the constituents.

On PAS' campaign line that even if the BN were to win Sungai Limau it will not make any difference as it still will not be able to gain a two-thirds majority, he said the victory was important for the BN in its strides to make big changes in the development of the constituency.

"We cannot deny that Sungai Limau is a PAS stronghold. They won five times, but a win for BN this time around is to determine major changes, a new paradigm shift.

"I believe an elected representative from BN can do the task as the federal and state governments come from the same party. If the elected representative is from BN it will be easier (to make changes). This is what we have to offer," he said.

Muhyiddin said the BN would focus on positive values in the by-election as PAS and Umno have much in common.

Earlier in his speech, Muhyiddin said the BN decided to enter the fray due to democratic factor although there were calls for the BN to steer clear from the contest out of respect to incumbent Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak, who was former Kedah menteri besar.

"The democratic process allows us to contest again. There is not much difference between PAS and Umno. Like PAS, Umno also fights for Islam. Umno struggles for ummah, so does PAS," he said.

Muhyiddin said the BN chose to stand in the by-election because Sungai Limau residents wanted their voice heard and to ensure progress in the constituency.

Present were Mukhriz, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, who is also Jerai Umno division chief, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan and Kedah Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah.

The Sungai Limau state seat fell vacant following Azizan's death on Sept 26. The Election Commission has fixed Wednesday for nomination.

Gerakan: Voters regret supporting 'Ini Kalilah'

Mukhriz: I still have a place in Umno

NGO India gesa Najib boikot CHOGM di Sri Lanka

Mereka mendakwa negara itu tidak layak menganjur sidang tersebut kerana telah melanggar hak asasi manusia.

PETALING JAYA: Gabungan NGO-NGO Tamil telah menyerahkan memorandum kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak supaya tidak menghadiri persidangan negara Komanwel (CHOGM) ) di Sri Lanka pada 15 hingga 17 November depan.

Wakil gabungan NGO itu, M.A Kalaimugilan berkata, tujuan memorandum ini adalah untuk menggesa dan menasihati Perdana Menteri supaya tidak menyertai dan menghantar wakil-wakil kerajaan ke sidang tersebut.

Kalaimugilan juga mendakwa , Sri Lanka tidak layak untuk menganjur sidang tersebut kerana telah melanggar hak asasi manusia.

“Untuk menganjurkan chogm dalam sebuah negara mempunyai beberapa kiteria di penuhi oleh penganjur (negara), di mana menghormati hak asasi manusia , hak wanita , kemanusiaan dan kebebasan media tetapi kerajaan Sri Lanka tidak mematuhi kriteria-kriteria di atas,” kata Kalaimugilan yang juga Presiden Tamilar Progressive Team.

Beliau menambah, Fiji masih dikeluarkan daripada menjadi ahli dalam Komanwel kerana didakwa telah membunuh seorang wartawan antarabangsa.

Baru-baru ini , Perdana Menteri Kanada berkata, negaranya memboikot sidang tersebut kerana mendakwa Sri Lanka telah melanggar hak asasi manusia.

“Jadi Datuk Seri Najib juga perlu buat demikian atas menghormati perasaan masyarakat Tamil di Malaysia,” kata Kalaimugilan.
Memorandum telah diterima oleh G.Vikneswaran, Penolong Setiausaha Perdana Menteri.

Project manager’s death: Family demands answers

Cheong Fook Meng died after he was apprehended by the police for attempting to evade a roadblock on July 4, but status of the case is yet unknown

PUCHONG: An opposition MP today urged the police to give an explanation and expedite investigations into the death of project manager Cheong Fook Meng on July 4.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said the deceased’s family want answers from the police as there has been no update on the case’s status.

“We have contacted the investigating officer (IO), however, until now we have not gotten any information,” he said.

Cheong died on July 4 after he tried to evade police checks at Jalan Barat off Jalan Imbi.

Policemen tried to stop him after seeing him driving in a suspicious manner. A short car chase ensued before they managed to stop the 53-year-old.

Police sources said he refused to cooperate when asked for his identity card and started behaving aggressively when one of the policemen managed to hold his hand.

A scuffle ensued and Cheong was detained after he fell on the ground before one of the officers sat on Cheong’s buttock and handcuffed him.

However, Cheong was then found to be in a weakened state. An ambulance was called and he was pronounced dead an hour later at Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL).

Gobind said a letter was sent to the pathologist at HKL to get copies of the post-mortem report.

“However, we were told that the report has not been completed and will take time to be completed,” said Gobind.

‘Are the police serious about this case?’

Gobind said the reason given was due to the delay of obtaining the Chemistry Department’s report.

He questioned whether the police is taking the case seriously.

“Are they not serious in handling the case? Is it because they know that there was something wrong in the way they restrained the deceased?

“I want to ask the police, is that the reason why they are not taking the case seriously?” he asked.

He added that this is not the first time, as many of his constituents have come to complain that after making a police report, there was no communication from the police thereafter.

“So don’t blame the people who question the police’s professionalism,” he said.

Gobind stressed that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) [Khalid Abu Bakar] must give an explanation.

“The police have to take action on this case before we take action against them.

“The family deserves to get answers, we shouldn’t further their burden,” said Gobind, who also said that the matter will be brought to Parliament.

He hoped the Attorney-General’s (AG) Chambers will order an inquest.

“I hope the AG [Abdul Gani Patail] takes a personal interest to call up the file on this case and order inquest,” he said.

He elaborated that the inquest would be beneficial for both sides as the police, too, will be given a chance to explain.

Religious councils can determine child’s faith

Faith of a child, however, cannot be determined by the National Registration Department, says a lawyer.

PETALING JAYA: The National Registration Department had no jurisdiction in determining whether a child should be registered as a Muslim or otherwise.
However, it is up to the respective state religious council to determine a child’s faith, if there is an dispute, and the matter must be decided through the Syariah court.

“I agree that the NRD has no jurisdiction. It is for the state Islamic council to decide, if one of the parent is a Muslim. Just because the parent is not practicing the faith does not make her less Muslim,” prominent lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdullah said.

He was commenting on a case in Kota Kinabalu where the High Court allowed a non Muslim father, Phuong Hiung Woei to state his son’s faith as Buddhist without documentation.

Judge Chew Soo Ho, who presided the case, ruled that the faith of a child under the age of 18 should to be determined by the parent.

Phuong is married to one Zeliha Bt Abd Karim and they have a son Phuong Jian Cheng.

The NRD had issued a birth certificate for Jian Cheng stating the child’s faith as Buddhist. The Department subsequently issued another birth certificate that states Jian Cheng as Muslim.

Commenting on this matter, Haniff said Muslims had a communal responsibility that they cannot shy away from.

“This is why the Syariah courts should open up and resolve disputes,” he said, adding that both parents have rights under Islam, even if one is Muslim and the other is not.

“The Syariah officers should go out and explain to Muslims and non-Muslims alike that Islam also gives equal rights to non-Muslims,” he said.

This, he said was important in settling overlapping claims involving one Muslim and a non-Muslim parent.

Meanwhile when asked on the recent spate of cow slaughtering cases in schools, in conjunction with Hari Raya Haji, Haniff said it would be best to limit the practice to Islamic religious schools.

“Offering an animal to be slaughtered is an integral part of the religion. However it does not need to be limited to beef.

“In the spirit of mutual respect for our Hindu brothers, the slaughtering should be confined to Islamic religious schools,” he said.

He said this in relations to two cases of schools slaughtering cows in conjunction with the Aidiladha celebrations on Tuesday.

One case was reported in Puchong and another in Bangi. The incidents caused unease among Hindu parents and school children.

Cows are considered sacred in the Hindu faith.

It’s the same team for another term, as VP incumbents make the cut in Umno polls

A triumphant Ahmad Zahid enters the Putra World Trade Centre with his wife Hamidah Khamis to join party bigwigs as the party elections comes to a close tonight. The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 19, 2013.
Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Seri Hishamudidn Hussein have retained their Umno vice-president posts for a second term, according to unofficial reports.

Ahmad Zahid has picked up 166 votes, Shafie’s current vote count stands at 152 while Hishamuddin is at 92, four votes short of the simple majority needed to secure a spot in the supreme council as a vice-president.

As at 11.45pm, 167 out of 191 divisions have informally announced their results.

Although they had never said they were running as a pact, they were for long spells campaigning as a team, constantly complimenting each other on how they had worked well together as a team in assisting the Umno leadership.

Hishamuddin’s closest challenger, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has received 77 votes so far.

The first among the three to claim victory was Ahmad Zahid, who proclaimed himself the winner while speaking at the close of the Bagan Datoh division meeting.

He had told the New Straits Times in an SMS reply: ”I am grateful to the grassroots leaders and members for putting their trust in me to continue the work I have been doing for the past five years. I will do my best to aid the party president and deputy president in taking Umno to greater heights.”

The other two challengers, former Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam and Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Samad, received seven and eight votes, respectively.

More than 146,000 members are voting for Umno’s top and division office bearers today.

Party president Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak and his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin retained their posts without a contest.

In the supreme council race, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed is leading the pack with 22 votes, followed by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. - October 19, 2013.

Make syariah Malaysia’s only law, urges ISMA

(MM) - Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA) suggested today for syariah to be the law of the land replacing the country’s existing dual-track legal system.

This comes as ISMA lamented the lack of political will to champion a concept it called “ketuanan syarak” (syariah supremacy), which places Islam above all other considerations.

“Actually, there is no need for civil laws, there should be Islamic laws ... History has shown that our country has practised Islamic laws even since the times of the Malacca empire,” ISMA deputy president Aminuddin Yahya said here.

Aminuddin claimed that it was only during the British rule that Islamic laws were pushed aside to be replaced by secular laws instead.

He cited the landmark High Court case of M. Indira Gandhi in July ruling it unconstitutional to convert a child to Islam without the mother’s consent, as proof of civil law’s weakness.

Aminuddin was speaking to a crowd of about 50 attendees at a seminar held by ISMA titled “Ancaman Liberalisme” (The Threat of Liberalism) here, which criticises an alleged “human rights agenda” by the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (COMANGO).

COMANGO had recently issued its list of recommendations ahead of the October 24 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by United Nations’ (UN) Human Rights Council.

One of the resolutions adopted by the seminar today included a rejection of a “West-interpreted democracy”, to be replaced with “syariah supremacy”, in order to solve “political liberalism”.

“Fairness in Islam does not mean equality. If we say everybody is equal, that is communism. Fairness means Islam must be number one,” Aminuddin said later, explaining the “syariah supremacy” concept.

He also stressed the need for Malay-Muslim lawmakers to adopt and champion the concept, gifting the Muslim community political power which can influence federal policies and amend the Constitution.

As a result of political liberalism, the Malay Muslim community has been “overly tolerant” and “submissive” to the point of jeopardising Islamic fundamentals, by giving in to the whims and fancies of non-Muslims, he said.

Malaysia is expected to face a beating for its human rights record when the government faces its second UPR this October 24.

The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) had said in its weekly sermon yesterday that there is a global liberal conspiracy to challenged the position of Islam in Malaysia and local rights groups were acting as its agents, pointing particularly towards COMANGO.

COMANGO is made of NGOs such as Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM), Sisters in Islam (SIS), the Pusat Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (Empower), Christian Federation Malaysia, Amnesty International Malaysia, KLSCAH Civil Rights Committee, Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) and others.

Malaysia was first came under the UPR review on February 11, 2009, and consequently accepted 62 of the 103 recommendations issued by the UPR working group.

The UPR, according to media reports, is a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council mechanism that was established in 2007 to improve the treatment of human rights in all 193 UN member states.

All the president's men keep Mahathir at bay

ANALYSIS For the second time in a row, Mukhriz Mahathir’s bid for a key position in Umno’s hierarchy has been thwarted and none is likely to feel it more than his father - Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

In the weeks that followed Mukhriz’s announcement of his candidacy for Umno’s vice-presidency, he has been the centre of attention and rightly so.

For one, he is the scion of one of the most famous and influential Malaysians ever. He is also the menteri besar of Kedah.

His campaign platform was a call for change, a rare virtue in Umno, on which he boldly claimed that status quo meant certain defeat for BN in next general election.

It all sounded good on paper, but there was one problem - as admitted by his father, Mukhriz was not the "chosen one". In less ambiguous terms, Mahathir likely meant that his son was not among the president’s men.

Endorsement culture

Immediately after the last week’s election of Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahrizat Abdul Jalil as head of Umno’s Youth and Wanita wings respectively, it did appear as though Umno members with voting rights were out to maintain status quo.

These voters were also aware of the fact that Khairy, and in particular Shahrizat, were deemed to be Umno president Najib Abdul Razak’s endorsees who were given powerful government portfolios before the Umno polls.

But when it came to the six-man vice-presidency race, there were no overt signals from Najib and his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin, who in public advocates an open contest.

However, the outcome of the vote in the Umno divisions that they headed - Pekan and Pagoh - made it clear that retaining the three incumbent vice-presidents - Hishammuddin Hussein, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Mohd Shafie Apdal - was definitely on the agenda.

Afterall, it was this combination which helped Umno improve its performance during the last general election. Why should Umno rock the boat, especially with an untested Mukhriz along with an aging Isa Samad and Mohd Ali Rustam?

Working in teams

To Mukhriz’s credit, he did come close to winning a seat, but not without some damage to his reputation, particularly in how his parents had to come out in public to defend him.

Mahathir was forced to defend allegations by international magazine The Economist which alleged that Mukhriz was gunning for Najib’s position as Umno president.

He even penned a long essay on his blog condemning the magazine.

On the other hand, Mukhriz’s mother, the normally media shy Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, gave a rare interview to Malay daily Sinar Harian where she made it clear that her son’s political career was independent of his father.

But apart from his parents, there were few other cheerleaders for Mukhriz who had chosen to work alone, unlike the three incumbent vice-presidents which packaged themselves as a team.

In Umno, where feudal practices still permeates the party, endorsements from the right people and strategic alliances are a powerful tool which Mukhriz, Isa and Mohd Ali had ignored.

Not long after retaining her position, Shahrizat had openly endorsed the three incumbents and had urged her fellow Wanita Umno members to vote for them. The Wanita vote is estimated to comprise 20 percent of the 146,000 Umno members with voting rights.

Is Hisham the Achilles' heel?

For now, all is not lost for Mukhriz as he finished with a respectable fourth place, trailing Hishammuddin by a narrow margin, but far ahead of Mohd Ali and Isa.

The pressure is now on the more senior and experienced Hishammuddin, as the younger Mukhriz knows he still has another shot in the future and this election result shows that he is still within striking distance.

The fact that Hishammuddin had to run an intense cross-country campaign to lobby for support at the eleventh hour, even though he is among the president’s men, is testament to the fact that his popularity within Umno is on the decline.

This is a serious blow to Hishammuddin, who once helmed the education, home and defence ministries - senior cabinet positions that traditionally form the pathway to premiership.

Zahid’s performance as home minister - flamboyantly bringing back preventive detention and having a seemingly tough stance on organised crime - had won him praise within Umno and by being the vice-president with the most votes, makes him the de facto number three in Umno.

This is in comparison with Hishammuddin’s relatively lacklustre tenure as home minister between April 2009 and May 2013, a period that also saw several police personnel killed during the Lahad Datu incursion.

'Transformation' vs 'Mahathirism'

As the Umno election draw to a close, the power and culture of incumbency within the party is becoming increasingly clear and it will make it more difficult to attract new younger talent.

Moreover, the dynastic nature of Umno politics - as seen in the political success of Hishamuddin, Khairy and Mukhriz who are all either descendents or in-laws of previous prime ministers - still hold sway and does not auger well for BN which will have to face four million new young voters in the next general election.

Mahathir doesn’t seem to have a problem with this and had made it clear a month ago that “smart” and “new” people should be allowed to rise in politics, which many saw as yet another endorsement for Mukhriz.

To Mahathir’s opponents in Umno, this comes too little too late, since he has been blamed for fueling cronyism and nepotism during his 22-year reign as party president.

To his supporters, the man is a nostalgic symbol of an invincible and decisive Umno which the country needs now. Is that the change being sought? To reverse Najib’s “transformation” agenda?

For now, it seems, Umno’s grassroots wants the transformation agenda to continue and remain BN’s main thrust in the next general election.

However, judging from the significant number of popular votes obtained by Mukhriz, a yearning for ‘Mahathirism’ still exist.

'Allah' verdict continues to draw ridicule abroad

Five days after the Court of Appeal ruled on the 'Allah' issue the controversial decision is still drawing ridicule from some Muslims worldwide as, among others, "bizarre" and "grossly wrong".

"Now, as a fellow Muslim, I will be honest to the Malaysians who have given this verdict or those who support it: This is one of the most illogical, insensible and childish decisions I have heard in my life. It is sheer nonsense," wrote a columnist for Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News today.

Mustafa Akyol, who appears to write for several Turkish and international publications, called the verdict - that The Herald cannot use the word 'Allah' as it leads to confusion amongst Muslims and brings the threat of propagation - "grossly wrong", "un-Islamic" and "irrational".

"Why? Well, first of all, the word 'Allah' simply means 'the God' in Arabic, and it certainly is not exclusive to Islam," he wrote, mirroring the much repeated explanation that seems to fall on deaf ears amongst the local Muslims in authority.

He added in his commentary that Islam itself in fact encourages others of the Abrahamic religions to embrace the term.

"...If Malaysian Muslims should have done anything about the word 'Allah', it should have been to call on Christians to use the term freely," he argued quoting from Quranic verses.

Commenting on Muslim "confusion" over the Christians' use of 'Allah, Akyol said, "Well, nobody’s 'confusion', or lack of comprehension, can justify the destruction of other people’s freedom.

"Otherwise, should Christian countries ban the usage of terms such as 'Jesus' or 'Mary', which are prominent in the Quran, by their Muslim minorities?"

The columnist did not mince his words that those who advance such ideas of a "Muslim copyright for 'Allah'" does nothing but "reveal the burning lack of intellectual self-confidence among Muslims".

"Why, otherwise, does the slightest chance of 'the propagation of other religions' provoke so much fear - and so much compulsion?" he concluded.
'Sad behaviour on holy day'
Earlier on Wednesday, an editorial in Pakistan's English paper Daily Times lamented the sad state of Islamic practice while reflecting on the week's holy day Eid Al Adha, citing the 'Allah' ruling as one of the examples.

"The problem with practising Muslims today is that they treat Islam like an insecure entity that needs care, due attention and a special shelter lest it gets smeared and nullified...

"Who has given Muslims the liberty to copyright the name of Allah? It is His name, and He is the God of the universe, as He has said in the scriptures," wrote mufti Abdul Aziz al Sheikh in his commentary that included incidents of violence in Syria and Pakistan.

"There is no religion that does not believe in the existence of god. Why are we trying to deny people owning god in all his attributes? Is this how piety in Islam is preserved or managed?" wrote the mufti.

Calling the move to limit the use of the name "retrogressive", Abdul Aziz asked how Muslims were to attain their spiritual goal.

The highly anticipated ruling on Monday to bar the Catholic publication The Herald from using 'Allah' to refer to god, and the aftermath of consternation as well as confusion both among the public and the government alike, has reverberated across the world in a chorus of criticism.

In the UK a Sudanese Muslim writer said the verdict was merely an attempt by the majority in "subordinating" the minorities and had no basis in theology.

United Arab Emirates's (UAE) newspaper The National was one of the first to react, arguing in an editorial on the same day as the verdict that the word 'Allah' was "not exclusive to Islam".

Meanwhile a senior editor at Indonesian daily Jakarta Post commented, "Can Muslims, who profess belief in one almighty god, seriously claim exclusivity in God?
"Those who claim exclusivity to God undermine their own faith," wrote Endy M Bayuni on Thursday.
Ibrahim Ali: Who cares what you think?
In the face of the onslaught abroad, firebrand and pro-government lobbyist Ibrahim Ali in The Malay Mail Online yesterday slammed critics of the ruling, saying there were also ignorant Muslims in the Arab countries, and that some in Indonesia even "eat pork".

“Why should we be bothered ... Don’t think that every Arab knows or understands Islam. That there is no one ignorant there.

“Those (from the Arab world) that support the US are socialists and Christians...

“The same can be said about Indonesia...it is far worse. Those who don the ‘songkok’ are not necessarily Muslim ...there are those who consume pork. It’s all possible in Indonesia,” the Perkasa chief told the English daily.

Ibrahim, who last year courted controversy for calling on Malay language bibles containing the word 'Allah' to be burned, repeated his stunt on Thursday now calling for such bibles to be banned.

Uthayakumar complains of torture in letter to PM

Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, who is in Kajang Prison, has complained in a letter to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that he continues to be tortured under detention.

"I have been and am being tortured with mala fide (ill intentions) at the most feared and dreaded isolation lockup of Kajang Prison for 27 days, and it is to continue indefinitely," he said in the letter.

The letter was faxed to Najib's office as well as Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday.

"I am locked up under solitary confinement alone, 24 hours a day, not seeing sunlight or fresh air (in a) dimly lit cell," he said.

The incarcerated Hindraf leader added that he is only given one set of prison clothes.

Uthayakumar is serving time for sedition over his allegations of genocide against the Indian community in Malaysia. He is appealing the case.

The social activist was placed in solitary confinement following his earlier complaints of mistreatment when appearing in court on Sept 24.

Uthayakumar said he is now denied basic necessities such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, towel, blanket, pillow or even his old half-inch foam mattress.

‘Put me in hospital wing’

Uthayakumar who suffers from arthritis, diabetes and a prolapsed disc asked Najib that he be placed back in the medical wing of the prison.

"I hereby appeal that I, an ex-Internal Security Act detainee, is forthwith transferred to the hospital wing in view of my illnesses.

"Why the racial injustice when previous Malay and Chinese political leaders like Lim Guan Eng, Mahfuz Omar, Mohamad Sabu, Mathias Chang and ANwar Ibrahim were detained at the safer hospital wing?" he said.

Uthayakumar said his "punishment" for complaining to the courts also include being denied his weekly 15-minute calls to his family.

When contacted, Uthayakumar's wife said she had not heard from her husband for three weeks.

"I don't know what is happening to him," she lamented.

Mahathir said the Malays still need to help themselves oppressed indigenous

ABIM: Tak jadi kesalahan ibadah korban di sekolah

Prominent UK Muslims under police protection after al-Shabaab threats

Islamist terror group singles out specific British Muslims in video that incites people to 'cut the necks of the disbelievers'

A still from the video released on Wednesday by al-Shabaab, which seemingly features a 

British man calling on Muslims to ‘cut the necks of the disbelievers’ Photograph: Guardian

 

A prominent British Muslim commentator is being protected by police following concerns over his safety following the release of a video by Somali-based terror group, al-Shabaab, which singled out several British Muslims for having criticised jihadists in the aftermath of the Woolwich murder.

Mohammed Ansar, a filmmaker and journalist who has spoken out against extremism in Islam and the far right, said police visited his home at midnight on Wednesday, concerned for his safety after Shabaab released an hour-long film, The Woolwich Attack: It's an Eye for an Eye.

Other British Muslims named in the film have also been contacted by police and offered security advice since the video's release, the Guardian has learned.

Narrated by a man with a British accent, wearing a black mask and a camouflage jacket, the Shabaab production praises those behind the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby, describes the Woolwich killings as "a new and terrifying reality" and incites others to carry out attacks in the UK.

In the film, the jihadist group, which has also claimed responsibility for the bloody Kenyan Westgate mall attack, singles out specific British Muslims, including Ansar, who have distanced "themselves from the mujahideen who carried out these attacks" as having "mutilated the teachings of Islam".

Holding an automatic weapon in his hands, the narrator tells people to purchase knives: "Do not waste your time trying to reinvent the wheel. If you can't afford to get hold of one of these then certainly a simple knife from your local B&Q will do the job."

At the end, the narrator encourages others to follow the example of the Woolwich killers and not to let the security services put them off.

Released to coincide with the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, which ended on Tuesday, the film also identifies 11 British "martyrs" who have died fighting for al-Shabaab.

One British man, named as Talha from Tower Hamlets in east London is shown calling on others to follow him: "I call upon you today all the Muslim men in Britain, especially the people of Tower Hamlets who are in the city I was born in … I call upon you to come to jihad, and raise the banner, humiliate the disbelievers, cut the necks of the disbelievers."

The video appears to have been made before the attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya, as there is only one brief mention of the "suffering of Muslims in Kenya."

Ansar, 39, who has four young children living with him at his home said police were now regularly patrolling his residence and were making contact by phone every hour.

The filmmaker, who has made a documentary about the former EDL leader Tommy Robinson that will air later this month on BBC2, became a prominent figure after condemning Rigby's murder the day after his death but says he has never been the subject of an explicit threat before.

Ansar said he was alerted to the video before a plain clothes inspector and a uniformed officer arrived at his home in the small hours. "If they [jihadists] are going to start targeting British Muslims and set fanatical extremists against them then that is a frightening new dimension," he said.

Usama Hasan, a senior researcher with the anti-extremist Quilliam Foundation, was another of those that featured in the video. He said he had seen the film on Wednesday when it was released and was not surprised when police turned up at his home at 9.30pm, warning him he could be in danger. "The video is idiotic but also chilling in many ways. This guy has a British accent and he is using the language of fascism about the deaths of kuffar [non-believers]."

The imam and broadcaster Ajmal Masroor said the authorities had also made contact with him after he was also named in the film. "Extremism in all its forms is nasty and has a self destructive property … the truth is moderation will always prevail," he said.

Scotland Yard said: "We are aware of the video and we are assessing its contents and looking into it."

Yemenite Girl Who Fled Forced Marriage Debates Cleric on TV

10-year old Nada al-Ahdal became famous through an internet video she made fleeing a forced marriage. The video went viral.

Nada al-Ahdal, a 10-year old girl from Yemen who fled a forced marriage, appears on Leabonese TV debating a Muslim cleric.

A 10-year old girl from Yemen who managed to flee to her uncle to avoid a forced marriage with a 26-year old man appeared on Lebanese TV in a debate with a Muslim cleric.

Nada al-Ahdal became famous through an internet video she made as she was fleeing. The video was published in July by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) and has since gone viral with more than eight and a half million views.

On the TV debate, which aired on Al-Jadid, Nada tells of how her parents presented marriage to her as a game, but in reality, she says, “It isn’t. It turns you into a servant and places a burden on you greater than you can bear on your shoulders.”

Nada explains she didn’t just flee because of the prospect of getting marriage, but rather because she wanted to continue her education, an activity impossible after a girl marries in Yemen. (See below a video report about the tragic consequennces of child marriage on girls in Yemen.)

Nada’s uncle, who appeared with her on the show, relates how Nada had been living him for the past two years, even spending vacations with him, so that more time could be devoted to her education. “If she had been living with them [her parents],” he said, “she would have ended up just like her sisters,” 12 and 14 years old, who were married last month.

A Muslim cleric appearing on the show explained, “From the moment a baby girl is born … her guardian, who is her father only – and there is a consensus about this in the Muslim world – is allowed to marry her off. This is an accepted custom.” The cleric said the marriage, which begins as a contract only, could be consummated at soon as the girl “could bear it,” which according to him could be as young as age nine. The cleric declared that if he had a daughter who reached puberty at the age of nine, he would surely marry her off.

Nada directed her final words to the “Arab world,” making a plea to other girls. “I hope that all the girls will do what I did,” she said. However, realistically, she acknowledges that until there is an organization set up to help girls escape such a fate, “there is nobody to help them.”

Hindu masuk Islam

Seorang India masuk lslam meniggal d hospital lpoh. Keluarga bawa ke rumahnya untuk upacara terakhir. Jemaah masjid datang beritahu mendiang telah masuk lslam dan ingin buat tahalil. Kami dibenarkan buat tahalil. Anaknya janji hantar balik hospital besok untuk kebumikan cara lslam. Baru tadi pegawai hospital talipon kata hospital akan uruskn mandi n sembahyang dan kebumikan di Gurap. Semua perbelanjaan telah dibayar anaknya ke hospital. Mari kita ramai-ramai ke perkuburan Gurap bertelkin dan tahlil jam 3 petang esok Rabu.

Wassalam.

Shamsuddin
S/U Masjid Al Ittiahadiah.
Tg Husin Ipoh.


Innalillahi Wainna Ilaihi Roji'un ..
Ada yg lahir islam..matinya kafir.. Ada yg lahirnya belum Islam..matinya Islam...

No blanket ban on ‘Allah’, says lawyer

There is no blanket ban as per the judgment of the Court of Appeal but it must be applied in context when used, says a counsel for the Selangor Islamic Religious Council

PETALING JAYA: Lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla said that the Appeals Court’s judgment does not infringe on the rights of other publications to use the term ‘Allah’. However the usage of ‘Allah’ as done by Catholic weekly, The Herald must be avoided.

“The judgment does not relate to other publications and people. There is no blanket ban on the ‘Allah’ word,” he said when asked whether other publications can use the term Allah.

Haniff who was also a counsel for the Selangor Islamic Religious Council elaborated on the judgment of the Appeals Court that disallowed the Herald from using ‘Allah’ in their Bahasa Malaysia version.

The court ruled that the Home Minister acted within his jurisdiction in prohibiting the Herald from using the word ‘Allah’. The appeal judges said the ruling was done to avoid confusion among Muslims and Christians, and ‘Allah’ was not integral to the faith of the Christians.

“Until a case is brought up to the court there is no blanket prohibition on the use of Allah,” said Haniff today.

He added that there were state enactments which can be used to curb the usage of Allah in the Control and Restriction of the Propagation of Non Islamic Religions 1981 enactment; prohibiting non-Muslims from using ‘Allah’.

The enactment, among others, does not allow non-Muslims from using terms such as ‘Allah’, ‘Baitullah’ and ‘Kaabah’ and about 30 other words.

“In Islam, Allah is for all, so to utter Allah in the context of Islam is fine. In Christianity there is a concept of Trinity, which is against the concept of Oneness of Allah in Islam. This is against the theology of Islam,” he said.

He also called upon the public to look at the problem from a linguistic and translation perspective.

“It is not a battle of the scriptures. Jesus son of Allah is blasphemy for Muslims. In Sabah and Sarawak, they know that Allah is the pronoun for Muslims. It may confuse the Christians there too,” he said.

“Allah is a specific name where-else God is a general term,” he added.

Causing disharmony

He also said that the Bible was originally written in the Aramaic language, not English.

“Is it not disrespectful of the faith when you don’t translate properly? In Aramaic the word was Elohim and Yahweh. Why not use the word Lord and God instead of Allah?” asked Haniff.

He also pointed that the ruling to avoid confusion was not about confusion on matters of the faith.

“Confusion refers to using hatred of one group of people against another. It can create disharmony,” he said, adding that there was a cause for concern over possible confusion arising among the young.

Haniff also said that the authorities can take action against the publications or persons that misuse of the word ‘Allah’ via the Internet; when made accessible here as it would be touching the courts judgment made inland.

“The authorities can act against those who download publications from the Internet and distribute them to the public,” he said, when asked on the possibility of a publication based in a foreign country and owned by a foreigner using the term ‘Allah’.

There has been much debate and to an extent confusion among the public on the use of the word ‘Allah’ as the court’s decision seem to have been interpreted from various angles.

Cabinet allows ‘Allah’ for East Malaysians?

We are supposed to be 1Malaysia but now have two sets of laws governing the same religion for East and West Malaysia, says an opposition MP.

PETALING JAYA: DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua today claimed that the cabinet on Wednesday has decided that the term ‘Allah’ can be used by Christians in Sabah and Sarawak in their worship, including in the Malay-language bible al-Kitab.

In a press statement, the Petaling Jaya Utara MP said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Joseph Kurup had revealed the cabinet’s stance on the issue.

Attempts by FMT to confirm the cabinet’s stand did not bear fruit.

Pua said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s administration had created the most untenable situation in the country where “we are supposed to be 1Malaysia but now have two sets of laws governing the same religion for East and West Malaysia.”

“The prime minister who is supposed to be the champion of moderation has made a complete mockery of Article 3 of the Federal Constitution which enshrines the freedom of religion,” Pua added.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal allowed an appeal from the government to not allow Christian publication The Herald from using the word ‘Allah’.

The court found that there was no infringement of constitutional rights as claimed by the respondents (Herald publishers) and set aside an order of the High Court which had earlier allowed the Herald to use the word ‘Allah’.

Pua said the cabinet’s decision, as revealed by Kurup, meant that Christians in Sabah and Sarawak were allowed to use ‘Allah’ but those in West Malaysia were not, even if their ‘native tongue’ is Bahasa Malayu.

“But what happens when East Malaysians come over the West Malaysia for work or travel, can they pray to “Allah?”

“If the government allows to use ‘Allah’ in East Malaysia it shows an endorsement that the judgment of the Court of Appeal is flawed and misguided,” he added.

Pua said allowing the use of the word ‘Allah’ in Sabah and Sarawak shows that the government was in fact agreeing that ‘Allah’ was an integral part of the Christian community.

He said the leeway given to East Malaysians will only split the country and create widespread confusion.

He said to avoid all the hassle, the Attorney-General (AG) should file for a revision of the Court of Appeal judgment.

MIC man claims discrepancies in Palani’s division

A MIC branch member alleges that there were discrepancies at a divisional election which was previously headed by the party president.

PETALING JAYA: Ladang Serendah MIC branch chairman K Suresh has lodged a report to the party headquarters over alleged irregularities in the Hulu Selangor division election. Party president G Palanivel used to head this division.

Suresh wants the party leadership to order fresh polls for the division as ineligible members had allegedly voted in picking the division leaders on Oct 6.

Although Palanivel stepped down from the division chief post, he is still member of the division.

In a letter to Palanivel, MIC deputy president, vice-presidents and all central working committee members, Suresh alleged that 22 delegates from 17 defunct MIC branches were allowed to vote in the Hulu Selangor division election.

The 17 branches are Taman Sri Asa, Taman Sungai Choh Utara, Ulu Yam Division, Ulu Yam Lama, Air Panas Kerling, Bandar Baru Bukit Sentosa, Belata River, Bukit Beruntong, Kampong Sri Keledang, Kampung Sejantang, Kampung Toh Pinang, Kilang Getah Ulu Bernam, Lima Belas Estate Baru, Sungai Buaya, Taman Bunga Raya, Taman Rasa Jaya and Taman Samudra.

In the letter, Suresh claimed these 17 branches have been defunct for many years and were “fraudulently revived” for the purposes of the division election.

“I have also been made to understand from reliable sources that these 17 branches did not hold their annual general meeting for the last one year. Therefore these branches are not entitled to send delegates to attend the division meeting,” he added.

Suresh, who contested to the division vice chairman’s post in the polls, lost to his opponent C Raja Gopal by 22 votes.

He also questioned the election returning officers’ decision to allow two delegates from the Taman Ehsan Baru branch, which had only 98 members, to vote in the polls.

“According to the party constitution, only a branch with more than 120 members can send two delegates. Why did they allow this branch to have two delegates?,” he queried.

He said a proper investigation must be conducted to unearth irregularities during the election.

Hulu Selangor is one of the largest MIC divisions in the country. Palanivel, who was chairman of the division since 1995, did not seek re-election this time around.

Palanivel is the chairman of Bandar Bukit Beruntung branch since 1990, and the branch comes under the Hulu Selangor division.

School no place for slaughtering cows

The Education Ministry should explain why were cows allowed to be slaughtered in schools in the presence of students, both Muslims and non-Muslims, two days ago.

While we respect the religious customs and beliefs of all people, there must be some level of understanding that some practices such as slaughtering cows are offensive to certain religions and as such should not be allowed to be carried out in public places such as schools.

I have received many complaints from distressed residents in Puchong who have complained that cows were slaughtered in school compounds before students, both Muslims and non-Muslims.

This is totally insensitive to the Indian community especially.

Why is there a need for this to be done in a national school during school hours? Is this part of the syllabus, part of the activities that are today celebrated in our national schools?

I urge the education minister to put a stop to this.

A school is most certainly not a place where such activities should be allowed to take place, more so during school hours and in the presence of students.

---

GOBIND SINGH DEO is member of parliament for Puchong.

Parents fume over cow slaughter in school

A primary school in Kuala Lumpur slaughtered a number of cows in its compound yesterday during school hours, prompting complaints of insensitivity by non-Muslim parents.

One parent, S Dineswary told Malaysiakini that according to her daughter, an adult cow and a calf were ceremonially slaughtered in the morning for a feast later that day in conjunction with Aidiladha celebrations.

She said non-Muslim students were asked to avoid the area whereas Muslim students were invited, but she believed some non-Muslim students might have inadvertently witnessed the slaughtering.

"It is not supposed to (happen) because this is a national school, not a religious school. That is why we were shocked, there are Hindus and Chinese (students) there.

"It is not only about religious issues, but also because there are children around. Some may be distressed by the slaughter," she said when contacted.

She added that she was taken aback by the cow sacrifice because Aidiladha was several days ago and there had been no prior notice.

(Muslims celebrate Aidiladha for four days, including three days of tasyrik.)

When she and her daughter arrived at school yesterday and saw the cows in the compound, they thought they were lost and somehow found their way into the school.

"When the kids saw the cows, initially there were just excited about them, but they had no idea what was going to happen to them," she said.

Malaysiakini is withholding the name of the school pending their response.

Keep religion separate

Another individual, who is a grandparent to a student of the same school, claimed that the slaughter caused some panic amongst the students, while some teachers at the school who were Hindus objected.

"The cows started making noises and there were children there. By right, they shouldn't slaughter cows there - it shows no respect for the Hindus and the Chinese," he said.

He had requested anonymity, fearing that he would be targeted for harassment.

The grandparent stressed he was not seeking to get anyone in trouble, but hoped such incidents would not be repeated.

Meanwhile, a Malaysiakini reader writing under the name ‘Saravanan Forever' said there were many such incidents in schools nationwide during Aidiladha.

"In Malaysia, the sekolah kebangsaan are national schools where multiracial children are studying and we should respect all races and religions...," he said.

Saravanan said school activities should be education-related, which slaughtering cows is not. He called on the Education Ministry to take action against the schools involved, and elected representatives to raise the matter in Parliament.

He also pointed out that slaughtering animals in schools is unhygienic and that cows are venerated by Hindus.

Recurring issue

A similar controversy took place at the Aidiladha celebrations two years ago, when the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taosim (MCCBCHST) urged authorities to put a stop to the slaughtering in at least two schools.

The slaughter was cancelled due to inadequate facilities at the schools, but not before drawing flak from Perlis mufti Juanda Jaya and several Muslim NGOs.

"This is clearly directing the rituals of other religions. It is better not to interfere," said Juanda.

"If there is any unhappiness or disturbance, it is better to resolve it behind closed doors. Malaysians have achieved independence and lived peacefully for so long, so don't make it an issue," he said in a statement in November 2011.

Ritual slaughter normally takes place on mosque grounds, but sometimes is done at other locations due to lack of facilities, such as neighbourhood fields.

Syria: Reported fatwa allows the hungry to eat cats and dogs

(CNN) -- Muslims throughout the world have been marking Eid al-Adha, but in war-torn Syria there is little to celebrate as most people struggle to meet their basic needs: food, water, and shelter.

Their plight has been highlighted by Arabic media reports that cite a fatwa, or religious ruling, by a local imam that allows people who are desperately hungry to eat dogs and cats.

Eating dog, cat or donkey is forbidden under Islamic dietary laws.

The imam in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in the capital, Damascus, reportedly said at a mosque Friday that dog, cat and donkey meat could be eaten "after reaching a desperate need and the stores of food were inadequate to feed the population under the siege."

Yarmouk has been besieged for months by Syrian government forces seeking to flush out rebel fighters.

During the Eid al-Adha holiday, one of Islam's most revered observances, Muslims around the world sacrifice sheep and share the meat with the poor. It corresponds with the height of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that annually draws 2 million Muslims.

A YouTube video purports to show a group of religious leaders outside Damascus issuing a fatwa permitting the eating of cats, kittens, donkeys, and animals killed in shelling.

The man reading the statement appeals to the world, and particularly to Muslims who are completing the Hajj pilgrimage, to think of the Syrian children "dying of hunger" while the viewers' stomachs are full.

"How can't they just stand for us, for our children?" the sheikh asks. "Do they want us to get to the point when we are forced to eat the flesh of our dead martyrs and our beloved just to survive?"

CNN cannot independently confirm the authenticity of the video.

Syria's war: CNN's Nick Paton Walsh reflects on front line reports

'We are living in despair'

At the Atmeh refugee camp in Idlib province in northern Syria, some refugees set up improvised vendor stands for the celebration -- but drew few customers who could afford their goods.

"Before the crisis, during Eid, we used to go to the shops and buy items, we were happy," said Suad Zein. "Eid was a wonderful holiday here. Now these days I can't even buy my boy a pair of trousers, or shoes, or even a loaf of bread.

"I have eight children. I can't support them all. We are living in despair."

Said another: "We have nothing to celebrate. We used to celebrate with food, drink, desserts. We used to make pastries. ... Now there's nothing."

Some refugees in Aleppo, Syria, were more fortunate. A benefactor donated sheep for the traditional animal sacrifice, which were to be slaughtered and distributed among families in need, a man in charge of the slaughter said.

The U.N. food agency, the World Food Programme, warned last month that the violence in Syria was making it hard to get aid to those in need. It estimated that 4 million people in the country were unable to produce or buy enough food.

Eid al-Adha commemorates when God appeared in a dream to Abraham -- known as Ibrahim to Muslims -- and asked him to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience. As Abraham was about to perform the sacrifice, God stopped him and gave him a sheep to kill in place of his son. Versions of the story also appear in the Torah and in the Bible's Old Testament.

The four-day celebration is also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, or Greater Eid. It is the longer of two Eid holidays observed by Muslims. Eid al-Fitr, or Little Eid, follows the holy month of Ramadan.

Asma al-Assad makes rare appearance

A rare interview with Asma al-Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, aired Tuesday on Syrian state TV, showing her as she visited the Daughters of Martyrs' school in Damascus.

The first lady, wearing a gray sweater with the Syrian flag in the center, is shown being greeted with applause from dozens of Syrian girls and planting olive trees with them.

The olive tree is a symbol of giving and peace, she says, as well as "a symbol of life and endurance, those who sacrificed and are sacrificing for this homeland are doing that for us so we can live and prosper in this land."

The interviewer asks Asma al-Assad, who lived in Britain before her marriage to Syria's president, about past rumors that she had left the war-torn country for Russia, Lebanon or Britain.

Smiling, she replies, "I am here, I exist here. My husband and my children are present here in Syria. It is quite rational for me to be here with them. And just like the majority of the Syrians, I was raised to love the homeland and I grew up with that notion that wherever I'd travel or lived before, and no matter how long people stay away, there is nothing more precious than the homeland."

The first lady has also been a star of the recently established Instagram account of the Syrian presidency, where she is seen smiling, showing off her volunteer work and attending social events with her husband.

Activists: Truck carrying civilians hit

Syria's descent into civil war began in March 2011, when Bashar al-Assad's regime cracked down on peaceful anti-government protesters.

That conflict spiraled into an armed uprising and a crisis that the United Nations says has claimed more than 100,000 lives.

On Wednesday, at least 53 people -- including 13 children and four women -- were killed nationwide, the opposition Local Coordination Committees of Syria reported.

Four children and six women were among the fatalities in a blast in Daraa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

At least 21 people died when their truck was hit by an explosive device in southern Syria, opposition activists said.

The truck carrying civilians was hit as it passed through an area controlled by troops loyal to the Syrian government, the group said. Government officials did not immediately respond to the allegation.

Two suicide bombers from the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra rebel group detonated themselves Wednesday afternoon inside the gates of Aleppo Central Prison, killing seven regime forces, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish army has reinforced its positions near a strategic border gate between Turkey and opposition-controlled northern Syria, where ISIS fighters have been active. Last month, ISIS fighters pushed more moderate Syrian rebels out of the nearby Syrian town of Azaz.

Weapons inspectors

As the war rages, international inspectors continue their mission to inventory and eliminate Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.

Experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, supported by the United Nations, have conducted verification activities at 11 sites identified by Syrian authorities, the OPCW said Wednesday.

They have overseen the destruction of "critical equipment" at six sites, as well as the destruction of some unloaded chemical weapons munitions, it said.

On Monday, Syria became bound by the international treaty banning chemical arms, the Chemical Weapons Convention, which is implemented by the OPCW.

A team of OPCW inspectors entered the country on October 1. The joint mission is tasked by a U.N. Security Council resolution with ridding the country of chemical weapons by mid-2014.

Pensioner Guilty Of Raping Trafficked Girl

A pensioner who trafficked a deaf and mute girl into the UK, using her to milk the benefits system, has been found guilty of repeatedly raping her.

Ilyas Ashar, 84, sexually abused his vulnerable victim again and again, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Two female jurors wept as guilty verdicts were delivered on 13 counts of rape.
The girl, from Pakistan, who is profoundly deaf and cannot speak, was beaten and slapped and forced to work for Ashar and his family as a domestic servant.
While Ashar used his victim to satisfy his sexual desires, the girl was also used to steal more than £30,000 in benefits.
The youngster was even taught enough sign language by the family so she could agree to the benefit money being handed over to the Ashars.

Tallat Ashar has been found guilty of trafficking and benefit fraud

She was first brought into the UK in June 2000 when aged around 10, though her exact age is not known.
For almost a decade the girl had to work and sleep in the cellar at the family's substantial home in Cromwell Road in the Eccles area of Salford.
Ashar had been convicted at an earlier trial of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.
His wife, Tallat Ashar, 68, was found guilty of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation and four counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit.
His daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one count of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.
All three were convicted at the earlier trial, where the jury was unable to reach verdicts on the allegations of rape, so Ashar was re-tried.
Reporting on the second trial was banned until the verdicts on the rape charges were in.
Jurors were not told about the guilty verdicts at the earlier trial, where the court heard the girl was made to cook, clean, do the washing and ironing for the Ashars, and clean the houses and cars of their family and friends.
She also spent her days in the cellar packing football shirts, clothes and mobile phone covers.
The girl had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain.
She could not read or write and the only people she knew in Britain were the Ashars, who told her both her parents were dead.
She was, however, taught to write her signature - so her name could be used to claim benefits.
Judge Peter Lakin excused the panel of six men and six women of sitting as jurors again for 10 years and thanked them for their public duty in what he described as a "difficult" case.
Ashar's lawyer asked for bail to be continued, but the judge refused.
He was remanded into custody to be sentenced next week along with his wife and daughter, who sat in the public gallery grim-faced.
Salford divisional commander Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, said: "This was a dreadful case where the girl endured years of domestic exploitation at the hands of the Ashar family.
"They have exploited her disability and made it appear to the authorities that she was responsible for their own fraudulent behaviour. She was essentially kept in domestic servitude.
"What is remarkable - and the most important aspect of this unusual case - is that the victim has emerged a confident, well-adjusted and determined young woman.
"At no stage have the defendants shown any remorse, or admitted to what they did to a girl, who was only as young as 10 years old when this began."

Gripping his Qur'an, jihad terror mastermind Abu Anas al-Libi appears in Manhattan court

He was gripping a Qur'an? But isn't he one of those Muslims who aren't really Muslims at all, and who have twisted and hijacked the Religion of Peace? Why is it that they almost invariably appear to be the most devout and observant of Muslims? No one in the public square dares to ask such a question.
On the travesty of this man appearing in federal court and how it represents more denial of the nature and magnitude of the jihad threat, see here. "Gripping His Koran, Anas al-Liby Has His Day in Court," by Michael Daly for the Guardian, October 16:

In beige socks and black flip-flops, the man accused of bombing two U.S. embassies faced a judge in Manhattan. Michael Daly reports from the arraignment of Anas al-Liby. To have called Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai an enemy combatant and consigned him to Guantanamo Bay would have only glorified him—while demeaning us.
Instead, he was brought into a 24th-floor courtroom in Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday and arraigned just like any other accused killer.
He is tall, with a prominent nose, and generally bears enough resemblance to Osama bin Laden that it makes immediate sense he reportedly served as a decoy during the al Qaeda leader’s pre-9/11 travels.
Al-Ruqai, whose nom de jihad is Anas al-Liby, could also have just been dispatched with a bullet in the way of Zero Dark Thirty. But the U.S. Delta Force soldiers who swooped down on him outside his house in Tripoli, Libya on October 5 instead whisked him off to a Navy warship. He arrived in New York over the weekend and now here he was, shuffling up to the defense table in beige socks and black flip-flops.
He was wearing a black sweatshirt and light grey sweatpants with an elastic waist. One feature that distinguished him from bin Laden was his beard, which had an auburn tint in the lower extreme where grey had not yet encroached.
As would be any accused killer, he was rear cuffed, so he had not been able to bring the Koran that he is permitted to have in lock-up. One of the two public defenders detailed for the arraignment had offered to carry the green covered book and arrived in the courtroom shortly before him. The holy words with which al Qaeda has sought to justify the most unholy deeds were waiting on the table as he was uncuffed and directed to sit. He was presented with a set of earphones through which an Arabic interpreter would translate.
“All rise!” a court clerk called out.
The former decoy did as bid as Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan entered. You almost had to wish that bin Laden himself had survived just so he could face such a moment. He surely would have been helped to his feet if he had refused to obey the command.
“United Sates versus Anas al-Liby,” the clerk announced.
The judge began by asking the public defenders how their client wished to be addressed, and they replied that he preferred his given name. The judge posed his next question directly to al-Ruqai.
“Do you speak and understand English?” the judge asked.
“No, I do not,” al-Ruqai replied in Arabic after waiting for the translation.
If true, that would mean he spent nearly five years living in England—for a time working in a pizzeria—without learning English. He had fled shortly before indictment S (10) 98 CR 1023 of 1998 was unsealed, accusing him and 20 other suspected al Qaeda members of bombing two U.S. embassies in Africa, killing hundreds.
The judge took al-Ruqai at his word about his supposed lack of English and asked his age. Al-Ruqai again waited for the translator and answered in Arabic.
“I’m 49,” he said.
He looked more like a tired and worn 60, perhaps because he is said to be suffering from hepatitis. He also may be suffering the lingering effects of his years of detention in Iran, where he enjoyed none of the rights to legal representation that the judge now spelled out.
“Do you understand what I’ve said?“ the judge asked.
“Naam,” al-Ruqai replied, that being Arabic for yes.
The judge asked if the case carries the death penalty, and the prosecutor said it does not. The proceedings then came to the point where a defendant is asked to enter a plea. Al-Ruqai is specifically charged with surveilling the U.S. embassy in Nairobi in preparation for the attack.
“Not guilty,” one of the public defenders said.
The judge ordered al-Ruqai remanded.
"There are no conditions under which he could be released before trial without endangering the safety of the community," the judge said.
The proceedings done, al-Ruqai was again rear cuffed. That raised the question of what do to with the Koran. One of the public defenders handed it to a marshal, who hesitated for just an instant before taking it. The marshal held the book in one hand as he helped guide al-Ruqai back toward his cell with the other.
Along with the proceeding itself, that seemingly minor deed constituted a small but important defeat for al Qaeda. It made all the more clear that we are not waging a war on a religion, no matter how desperately the bad guys have sought to goad us into doing so....

IGP rules out presence of journalists 'for now'

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar has ruled out the possibility of journalists being present during the confrontation with suspected armed criminals to which PKR vice-president N Surendran has been invited to observe.

Responding to a question on this, the police chief replied: "Not for now."

He stressed that the invitation to Surendran was not to seek publicity but to expose the true facts and reality of such encounters between the police and armed criminals.

Khalid was commenting on a Twitter posting by Lawyers for Liberty asking if journalists could be present during the ‘PDRM/Surendran vs Suspected Criminals great shootout?'

Failing which, LFL asked, "What is the point?"

Meanwhile, Khalid reiterated that he had never challenged Surendran to participate in such police operations but merely extended an "invitation" to the lawmaker, which the latter accepted.

"This invitation is not meant for him to partake in the ops (operation) but as a mere observer for him to get the 'feel' of what we enforcement officers feel in life-threatening situations.

"Even then the CPC (Criminal Procedure Code) allows us to seek assistance from members of the public and I believe I have not broken any law in the invitation.

"However, there are still risks that Surendran has to face and we still need him to sign the indemnity documents so as to absolve us of any prosecution and blame later on," he told Malaysiakini.

Don't jump the gun

Furthermore, Khalid said that he wouldn't know whether the next confrontation with armed criminals would culminate in a shootout.

"That was why I invited Surendran to our operation involving 'armed criminals'. And never did I say anything about inviting him to a 'shootout'," he added.

Khalid also advised detractors not to jump the gun in thinking that "all confrontations ended in a bloodbath."

"This is our last resort, when fired upon, we return fire. And given that our men are trained in the use of firearms and the skills of armed confrontations, the death toll is always higher among criminals. This is the same all over the world," he added.
Khalid's invitation to Surendran (left), a staunch critic of the police force with regard to the use of excessive force, came amid the raging controversy surrounding Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's "shoot first" remark.
The minister's remark suggested that the police carried out summary executions of suspected criminals.

Zahid had since denied calling for extrajudicial killings, while Khalid also refuted allegations of the police being trigger-happy.

Move to name disabled person as senator lauded

We, representatives of the disabled community, are pleased that Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim had revealed recently that a disabled person will be selected as a senator into Parliament soon.

It is high-time that the new senator will be someone who is physically disabled and in a wheelchair compared to the previous senator - Malaysia’s first - who was a blind person.

Malaysians with physical handicaps especially those on wheelchairs are one of the most neglected of disabled persons. The lack of mobility and access to public transport as well as into buildings is one of the biggest barriers towards successful living.

That is why the physically disabled remain one of the least educated and employed persons compared to the deaf and blind in our society.

The first challenge will be to make our Parliament House fully and properly wheelchair-friendly to disabled persons.

We urge that key disabled persons and organisations for the disabled be involved in the selection process of the disabled senator. That would only be right.

We suggest that academic qualifications should never be the qualifications of a suitable candidate.

Rather, an ideal senator should be someone who has truly experienced hardships and sufferings in order to serve the many wheelchair users and those with walking difficulties who have yet to be reached in order to improve their living conditions.

Having said that, the senator should at the same time, have the same passion in reaching out to the many other categories of persons with disabilities too from those living with Multiple Sclerosis to stroke and mental illness.

The senator in a wheelchair should also be given the necessary support systems like personal assistant care, a wheelchair-friendly transport vehicle and other services to help him carry out his duties.      

For further information, please contact: Anthony Siva Balan, The Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive), H/P: 012-220 3146, or G Francis Siva, The Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia), H/P: 019-338 5959.

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G FRANCIS SILVA is president of Ihe Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia (ILTC Malaysia).

Allah issue: Anwar calls for calm

The Pakatan Rakyat supremo calls for reasoned discourse on the subject following the ban on the use of the word in Catholic weekly, The Herald.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat supremo Anwar Ibrahim has called for calm following the Court of Appeal’s decision to ban the term ‘Allah’ from being used in Catholic weekly, The Herald.

The Permatang Pauh MP was responding to worldwide criticisms on the judgment, which law experts said had misplaced its priority by misinterpreting Article 3 and Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

“A lot of people have expressed concern on the matter. Pakatan’s consensus is to call for calm and reasoned discourse on the subject and not condemn those who differ in views,” he said.

“Our collective stand on the issue remains the same as announced last year,” he added, refusing to elaborate further.

It is understood Pakatan stand is that the word ‘Allah’ should not be exclusive to Muslims as Christians and Jews are also allowed to use it, but the name should not be used in a wrong and irresponsible manner that could jeopardise racial and religious harmony.

Asked if Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had met with opposition leaders to discuss the much-debated issue, Anwar said: “He (Najib) is not around.”

“Najib doesn’t seem to be around when it comes to controversial issues. This reflects the state of poor leadership in the country. It (Malaysia) needs a leader. The country is not on autopilot,” he added.

Misplaced priorities

On Monday, the Court of Appeal upheld an appeal from the government to bar The Herald, from referring to God as ‘Allah’ in its Malay edition.

The decision came under fire from various quarters, with the Malaysian Bar declaring the judgment had misplaced its priority by misinterpreting Article 3 and Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.

Its president Christopher Leong pointed out that the judgment only served to raise more confusion instead of upholding fundamental rights.

Earlier today, Umno supreme council member Saifudin Abdullah said that the ban was not a blanket ruling against all non-Muslims but was specific to The Herald.

He added the issue had become confusing with individuals issuing their own statements.

Don’t give us peanuts, Indians tell Najib

The PM must allocate sufficient funds in Budget 2014 to help wean Indian youths from crime and gangsterism, say several leaders

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will be tabling the 2014 Budget on Oct 25. What is in store for the Malaysian Indian community has raised concerns among its leaders.

MIC Youth chief T Mohan hoped that Najib, who is also Finance Minister 1, would make sufficient allocations to fight crime.

“I believe it will be the right time for the premier to allocate funds to curb the escalating crime among Indian youth,” said Mohan.

Statistics from the police indicate that the Indians are leading the chart in crime activities.

Mohan strongly believes that the government has neglected the Indians and this could be one of the reasons why they are getting involved in gangsterism and criminal activities.

“MIC considers the claims by the police that nearly 29,000 Indians were active in secret societies as alarming and something needs to be done.

“Shooting or confining them by implementing new laws will not solve the problems,” said Mohan.

“Instead, the government must work hand in glove with Indian based political parties and NGOs, providing alternatives like creating job opportunities.

Thus, Budget 2014 budget should concentrate on a special allocation to Indians to combat crime.

“There is no point talking about gangsterism and crime among Indians when the government refuses to help them financially,” said Mohan.

Apart from crime prevention, special allocation should also be made for sports in Tamil schools and skills training programmes for less competent Indian students in secondary schools.

Creating job opportunities for unemployed Indians in all sectors within the government also would help the Indians to upgrade their lifestyle in future.

Sufficient loans needed

Meanwhile, a Pakatan Rakyat friendly NGO urged the government to provide micro credit financing for potential Indian entrepreneurs.

S Barathidasan, the secretary of MIPAS, said that the loan amount should at least be RM30,000 to RM50,000. It can facilitate Indians to venture into businesses.

“Giving RM6,000 under Tekun scheme is nothing but peanuts,” he said.

MIPAS also pointed out that Najib must fulfill his promises made in the Hindraf blueprint.

“The upcoming budget is a perfect avenue for the PM to deliver the six-point demand in a the MoU Umno signed with Hindraf before the 13th General Election,” added Mohan.

Sex crime victims under pressure

Victims of sex crime face double jeopardy in their ordeal of seeking justice from the courts. The process of getting a conviction can take toll on them and family.

GEORGE TOWN: Many sex crime cases just fade away when victims voluntarily drop out of the court trial due to intimidation by the accused, difficulty of legal process and lack of support for the victims and family members, disclosed a survey done by Penang-based Women Centre for Change (WCC).

Its chairperson for advocacy sub-committee, lawyer Lalitha Menon said the ordeal of going through the legal process, starting from police investigations, medical examinations to trial in seeking justice, would take its toll on the victims, family members and witnesses.

“It has proven to be too taxing and intimidating on them,” Lalitha told during a press conference in the WCC office here today.

She said frequent postponements of court hearing, for instance, would hinder the victims, family members and witnesses to pursue further with the case.

WCC’s survey revealed that frequent postponements would also affect the wages of the victims and witnesses.

The reputation of family, bad media publicity and threats from suspects have also caused victims and witnesses to “go missing” from trials.

In some cases, the accused has also absconded after securing bail.

All these have compelled the prosecution to often seek a court verdict of a discharge not amounting to acquittal order.

The survey also revealed that only 12 cases or four percent of the 439 sex related crime cases in Penang had resulted in guilty verdicts, while in 137 or 31% of cases the accused had pleaded guilty.

It also found 45% cases ended up with a discharge not amounting to acquittal verdicts.

“This means that if the accused choose not to plead guilty, they stand a 96% chance of being either acquitted or discharged or both,” concluded the WCC survey.

The survey was based on sex related crime court cases that took place in the island-state between 2000 and 2004.

Guidebook for victims

Findings of the survey were disclosed during a launching of WCC guidebook for sexual crime victims entitled: “Surviving Court – A Guide to Understanding the Criminal Court Process,” here today.

Also present were WCC executive director Loh Cheng Kooi, programme consultant Prema Devaraj, advocacy officer Melissa Mohd Akhir and watching brief lawyer Karen Lai.

Although the cases studied in the survey occurred early last decade, Melissa told FMT that the trend was still “more alike same” now.

Family members of two sexual-crime victims were also present to narrate their ordeal to the press. Their details and photographs could not be published due to obvious reasons.

Lalitha said most victims and family members lacked knowledge and experience in the criminal court process, leaving them feeling lost, disempowered and anxious.

She said they also lacked support from relatives, friends and lay public.

She revealed many victims were unfamiliar with court process, room setting, staff, officials, and specialized legal terms.

She said they were ill-prepared for trials and felt intimidated especially when facing their assailant and during cross examination by the defence.

She said it was ironic that the court process, which was to provide justice for victims, had often been a painful experience for victims especially when they had to relive and recount the crime during their testimony.

The guidebook was based on an earlier WCC research book “Justice for Victims of Sexual Crimes”, which highlighted the need for support and advocacy for victims during court process.

The 36-page guidebook is to help victims and other witnesses to better understand the police probe and court process in simple terms.

“Victims will be better prepared and empowered when going to court or seeking justice through the criminal court system,” said Lalitha to newsmen.

MB NS bersetuju jumpa penduduk Kampung Hakka, Mantin

Selepas mengadakan demonstrasi di hadapan pejabat Mohamad pagi semalam, Setiausaha Sulit Menteri Besar bertemu dengan wakil penduduk untuk berbincang.

SEREMBAN: Perjuangan penduduk Kampung Hakka, Mantin di sini memasuki satu lagi perkembangan baru apabila Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan bersetuju mengadakan perjumpaan dengan penduduk Kampung Hakka, Mantin pada hari Isnin 21 Oktober depan.

Selepas mengadakan demonstrasi aman selama dua jam di hadapan pejabat Mohamad pagi semalam, Setiausaha Sulit Menteri Besar, Shahrulfaizal Tahar bertemu dengan wakil penduduk untuk berbincang.

Shahrulfaizal kemudian memaklumkan kepada penduduk bahawa satu pertemuan telah diatur diantara penduduk dengan Menteri Besar pada hari Isnin depan.

Mohamad berada di luar daerah Seremban menghadiri beberapa program rasmi kerajaan ketika penduduk kampung mengadakan demonstrasi aman itu.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Bertindak Kampung Hakka, Chong Tze Yaw, 46, berkata penduduk kampung mahu Menteri Besar menggunakan kuasa ekskutif beliau untuk campurtangan dalam isu kampung tersebut, di mana kediaman penduduk akan dirobohkan oleh pemaju untuk projek komersial.

“Kami cuma mahu pampasan dan minta kerajaan negeri campurtangan dan membantu penduduk menuntut pampasan dari pemaju,” katanya.

Wakil Parti Sosialis Malaysia, R Gandi berkata penduduk mengadakan demonstrasi kerana memorandum yang yang dihantar kepada Menteri Besar pada 01 Oktober lalu masih belum mendapat sebarang maklum balas.

Sementara itu, Mahkamah Tinggi Seremban membenarkan penangguhan kes Kampung Hakka sehingga 21 Oktober (Isnin) nanti.

Peguam yang mewakili penduduk iaitu Siow Kim Leong yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Lobak (DAP), berkata kepada FMT bahawa perintah penggantungan sementara (interim stay order) telah dilanjutkan sehingga 03.30 petang pada 21 Oktober ini.

“Peguam pemaju (plaintif) memfailkan afidavit baru lebih kurang dua puluh perenggan. Justeru itu kami peguam penduduk (defendan) memerlukan masa untuk mengkaji dan menjawab afidavit tersebut.

“Maka Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Seremban, Datuk Siti Mariah Ahmad membenarkan perintah penggantungan sementara sehingga 21 Oktober ini berhubung permohonan pemaju untuk merobohkan kediaman penduduk untuk projek pembangunan,” ujar Siow.

Dua lagi peguam yang mewakili penduduk ialah Ahli Parlimen Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo (DAP) dan ADUN Bukit Kepayang, Cha Kee Chin (DAP).

Sebelum ini pada 25 September, pemaju telah menyerahkan notis untuk merobohkan rumah penduduk.

Pada 30 September, pemaju memulakan kerja meroboh kediaman penduduk dan sempat merobohkan dua buah rumah.

Keadaan menjadi kecoh apabila penduduk kampung bersama ahli PSM dan aktivis NGO Jerit membuat rantai manusia menghalang pemaju daripada merobohkan kediaman mereka.

Ini menyebabkan polis terpaksa menahan 12 individu kerana menghalang kerja penjawat awam.

Campurtangan Ahli Parlimen Seremban, Loke Siew Fook (DAP) bersama beberapa ADUN Pakatan Rakyat akhirnya berjaya menghalang kerja perobohan rumah penduduk diteruskan.

Seterusnya Siow berjaya mendapatkan arahan penangguhan sementara dari Siti Mariah pada hari yang sama.