Work Hard To Make Malaysia A Developed Nation, Najib Tells Civil Servants

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak Tuesday asked civil servants to work hard to make Malaysia a developed nation that continues to be highly regarded by world leaders.

The prime minister said he was convinced that with the cooperation of the 1.4 million civil servants who support such an aspiration, Malaysia would progress into the desired high-income developed nation.

He said he wanted the world leaders whom he meets, such as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, President Xi Jinping of China and President Barack Obama of the United States, to respect Malaysia as a nation which is gradually progressing into a developed one that Malaysians can be proud of.

Najib said this in his speech when opening the 26th Triennial Convention of CUEPACS, in the capital.

The prime minister said the good relations and cooperation between civil servants and the government should be maintained, with both making the mission a commitment that had to be supported, appreciated and implemented for mutual benefit.

"Hopefully, this cooperation will make us a high-income developed nation. We no longer want people to underestimate us," he said.

Obama, who was scheduled to visit Kuala Lumpur to attend the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit on Oct 11 and 12, had to postpone the trip due to a 16-day US government shutdown.

Najib, when announcing the postponement on Oct 2, said Obama had said that he was committed to visiting Malaysia.

Protest : Denigration of sacred Hindu Deities by Whip In (Kamala Brewing), Texas

 Images of Lord Ganesh and Deity Durga on beer bottles

Namaskar, dear supporter of Hinduism,

We have received several complaints from Hindus about a severe denigration of Hindu deities and practices by Whip In’s Kamala brewing (previously known as Namaste Brewery) in Austin Texas. Whip In has several house made beers named after sacred Hindu deities like Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha.

Attempts have been made by several Hindus to educate the owners into removing the names and images of Hindu deities from their products, but the owners have rejected all such requests to stop the denigration of Hindu deities, and are continuing to denigrate the Hindu deities and practices.

Why is this a denigration ?

Since time immemorial Hindu Deities and Goddesses have been worshipped with much reverence. Every ritual (e.g. Aarti), every festival(e.g. Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dassera), every act in Hindusim starts with divine invocation of a sacred Hindu deity.

During Navratri, on each of the nine days Goddess Durga is worshipped in her various forms by millions of Hindus.

During any puja, Lord Ganesh is first invoked through sacred mantras and shlokas.

To trivialize divinity with items consumed for temporary fun such as beers and ales, is not only being insensitive but extremely hurtful to billions of followers of Hinduism who worship Hindu deities.

We request you all to call and email the owners of Whip In to register your protest and request them to take down this denigration. You can also sign up our protest at the end of this post.

Join protest by participating in the online signature campaign on FHA website
http://forumforhinduawakening.org/dharma/campaigns/2013/12/13/protest-denigration-of-sacred-hindu-deities-by-whip-in-kamala-brewing-austin-texas/

Debunking the Umno Baru myths

Malay apathy is one of the most depressing features of Malaysian life. It is widely known that many Malays are work-shy, addicted to drugs and in long-term unemployment.

Despite the early introduction of religious indoctrination, many Malays are said to be promiscuous and involved in incestuous relationships.

Some Malays are not afraid to say what our politicians are fearful of revealing. Perhaps, it is time to debunk Umno Baru’s lies. You may wish to add to the list below.

1. Only Umno Baru can protect the Malays

Umno Baru only protects the Malays who are beholden to them. The critical Malay does not win tenders for projects. He may find all manner of problems with his business licence. His application for government permits may be delayed or rejected.

A civil servant who dares to openly criticise may be demoted or sacked, and find his income tax being scrutinised, as punishment. Meritocracy, intellect and hard-work count for nothing in the Umno Baru world, only blind allegiance does.

When will the Malays realise that Umno Baru would cease to exist without the Malays?

2. Janji di tepati (Fulfilled promises)

In the run-up to GE13, Mat Sabu of PAS claimed that despite warning the rakyat about a petrol hike if BN were to win, the Malays said that Pakatan leaders were telling lies about BN in order to garner votes.

In the coming weeks, we will be further burdened with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and crippled by increased costs of daily goods, travel and energy. Things that were abolished before GE13 are returning in a recycled version - the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA) will be replaced with the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA). There is no further news about BR1M, version 2, worth RM1,200.

3. Malays benefit from the NEP

Most ordinary Malays cannot afford good cars. The cheapest car may be a Proton, but in the long run, the cost of replacing substandard parts is high. Homes in good locations are overpriced and people spend hours commuting or trapped in traffic jams.

When top Malay civil servants allegedly ask housing developers to make “special arrangements” so they can purchase luxury homes that are designated solely for non-Malays, it is a subtle way of disagreeing with the government’s social engineering methods in housing.

When middle class Malays complain about houses being unaffordable, the government proposes the construction of more low-cost houses. Malays are angered by a government which thinks Malays are only worthy of cheap housing.

Would-be entrepreneurs without political connections lose out because only cronies win tenders for projects. Creative and hardworking people who want to boost the economy and create jobs, emigrate. Many Malays contribute significantly to the brain-drain.

4. Types of immigrant

If not for the millions of immigrants who helped develop the rubber and tin trade in Malaya, the Umno Baru politicians would not be here today, dictating policies to undermine the descendants of this first-wave of immigrants.

We should be grateful to the ‘pendatangs’ who worked in the mines, estates and in commerce, to build English companies like Sime Darby, Guthrie and Harrisons & Crossfields. These corporations have morphed into government-linked companies (GLCs), now controlled by Umno Baru.

The recent crop of immigrants from Muslim countries  do not share much of our history and are made welcome only because they help keep Umno Baru in power.

5. Malays want syariah law

Both young and old Malays are said to be opposed to syariah law, which is a bogey that Umno Baru uses to maximum effect to create fear amongst the Malays to make them vote for Umno Baru, (and not PAS) in elections.

Malays are averse to other areas of their lives being controlled by syariah laws, because they have seen that syariah laws concerning child maintenance and polygamous marriages are not strictly enforced.

6. Malays are stupid and lazy

Policies which benefit the Malays have created distrust and contempt. Non-Malays brand the Malay as lazy, stupid, ignorant and selfish. This is wrong and un-productive. Many decent Malays are disgusted with Umno Baru, but the people who insult the Malays crush any hope of solidarity. Malay bashing will not help get rid of a racist party like Umno Baru.

7. Malay quotas

Despite a lack of formal education, many of our grandparents spoke better English than most fresh Malaysian graduates and diplomatic staff.

Ordinary Malaysians are subject to educational quotas but the children of politicians, cronies and the rich, are allowed to excel and compete with other races and nationalities in elite and international schools in Malaysia, or abroad. Select Malays can hone their competitive skills, in an environment which develops their confidence. Why not other Malaysians? Meritocracy helps; quotas do not.

8. Handouts are good

Handouts are a ploy to make people waste their hard earned savings, to enrich the government and their cronies. The BR1M handout of RM500 may be accompanied by a smartphone discount. All of the RM500 is spent but more of the victim’s savings will be used to buy the smartphone. With an initial outlay of RM500, the government and his crony receives more money from the BR1M recipient.

The same abuse happens with the government book voucher scheme, where students trade them in to participating bookshops, for the value of the voucher, minus RM50 for ‘administrative’ purposes. The crony recoups the cost of the voucher from the government but is richer by RM50.  The student may have received some petty cash but the loser is the taxpayer, who funds these poorly managed schemes.

9. Umno Baru rewards Malays

Umno Baru conned the rakyat into giving money to the government, as if it were doing the rakyat a favour. In exchange, the rakyat’s money was used to fund the lifestyle of the jet-setting ministerial spouses, on their expensive foreign junkets and fashion shows. The ordinary rakyat have to make do with a nasi lemak bungkus and stale curry puffs, when they are ferried in coaches, to attend Umno Baru ceramahs.

10. Urban Malays are pro-opposition

The urban Malays are made up of middle-class Malays who are content in their comfort zones, and the very poor, who are desperately trying to survive. Many urban Malays are mesmerised by the lies perpetuated by Umno Baru. They enjoy the glamour of rubbing shoulders with Umno Baru leaders at government functions.

The urban Malays may have access to the alternative media, but have no time to think about injustice, human rights, good governance and equality. They are happier pursuing material goods.

Umno Baru and the selfish agendas of its leaders, sacrificed the nation’s interest and betrayed generations of Malays. If Malaysia is to progress, we must overcome the two threats posed by Umno Baru and the complacent Malays.

---

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).

Cop who slapped foreigner in YouTube clip reprimanded

Obama Turned Benghazi into Al Qaeda Terrorist Hub

Obama justified his Libyan War to the American people by claiming that people of Benghazi were in danger from Gaddafi. After he succeeded in overthrowing Gaddafi, Benghazi reverted to its radical roots and became a city run by terrorist militias leading to the murder of four Americans.

And now a fifth American.

That shouldn’t be surprising because Benghazi had become a stop on the Jihadi Express.

Every week, about a dozen Syrians arrive at Benghazi’s airport for what’s described as insurgent training. When they fly out, they’re carrying fake Libyan passports, according to three officials familiar with the comings and goings of foreigners at the airport.

The accounts of the officials, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the topic, are more evidence that this city in Libya has become a regional hub for Islamist extremists seeking to hone their combat skills.

It also raises questions about the role of Libya’s homegrown militia, Ansar al Shariah, in the global jihadi movement. Ansar al Shariah has its roots in the anti-Gadhafi uprising and it’s thought to have participated in the attack last year on U.S. facilities in Benghazi that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans. Any effort to train al Qaida-linked fighters here is unlikely to have gone forward without the backing of Ansar al Shariah, experts in the organization say.

Airport authorities can’t stop them because they themselves fear the repercussions of confronting militants. As one employee explained, pointing to an immigration official: “He is with Ansar al Shariah.”

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan conceded in a recent interview with The Washington Post that government investigations have turned up Tunisians, Algerians, Sudanese and Nigerians undergoing training in Benghazi.

Clearly Obama’s plan to overthrow Gaddafi and replace him with the fun-loving LIFG and other Muslim Brotherhood militias with historical ties to Al Qaeda was a good decision that is working out really well.

Bahrain: arrest and torture of children routine, says Amnesty

Children flash the victory sign during an opposition gathering in Bahrain (archive)

(by Alessandra Antonelli) (ANSAmed) - DUBAI - Bahrain routinely arrests and tortures minors, Amnesty International said Monday in its new report on young dissidents in the oil emirate.

Scores of young protesters, some as young as 13, have been blindfolded, beaten, tortured, and threatened with rape while in detention over the past two years, the human rights watchdog alleged. Currently, at least 110 minors are behind bars in Dry Dock adult prison on Muharraq Island. They are either in pretrial detention or awaiting formal charges. Most of them are being detained on suspicion of taking part in ''unauthorized gatherings'' and protests, burning tires or throwing Molotov cocktails at police, Amnesty said.

''By detaining minors, Bahraini authorities are showing an incredible disrespect towards their own commitments to human rights'', commented Amnesty International Deputy Director for MENA Said Aboumedouah. Bahrain is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines a child as anyone under 18, and which explicitly forbids torture and other degrading or inhumane treatment of minors. Bahrain has a majority Shiite population ruled by a minority Sunni monarchy. The frictions between the two exploded on a grand scale during the Arab Spring revolts of February 2011 as Shiites took to the streets to demand more democracy and an end to discrimination. Authorities brutally repressed the protests, leading to the deaths of 40 people, four of them police. The ensuing wave of mass arrests and abuses attracted international scrutiny, resulting in a partial mea culpa by authorities and a dialogue for national reconciliation, which has so far not had concrete results.

''Three years ago security forces used excessive force to quell anti-government protests, and now we are seeing a new wave of repression against children'', Aboumedouah said.

Amnesty International called on Bahrain to put in place alternative sanctions against minors if they are found guilty of offenses that are recognized as such under international standards. (ANSAmed).

Zaid: Will M'sia stop Shiites from entering Mecca?

Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim has challenged Putrajaya to petition the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the United Nations to bar those who profess to the Shiite branch of Islam from entering Mecca.

In a post on his blog today, Zaid said if the Malaysian authorities truly believes that Shiites are not Muslims, they must be consistent at the international level.

"Take on the central stage of the Muslim world if you truly want to be a Sunni warrior. Do not bully local Muslims like Mat Sabu," he wrote.

Zaid was commenting on the ongoing persecution of Shiites in Malaysia and the allegation that Mohamad Sabu, the PAS deputy president, was among them.

Zaid, who once owned the biggest law firm in the country, said the Federal Constitution guarantees religious freedom and thus the state cannot enforce the branch of Islam to be followed.

"It's up to Muslims in this country to decide for themselves what kind of Muslims they want to be. I believe they have that right under the constitution. I am a Muslim and that's all there is to it.

"The state may define Islam as the Sunnah Wal Jumaah variety, but that definition cannot supersede Article 8 in the Constitution on religious freedom.

"The state can advise on what variety is 'pure' but it cannot punish Muslims if they prefer a different variety. Punishment is God's work, not government officials,"  he said, stressing that Malaysia is a secular state.

Preventing religious wars

Zaid warned that continued persecution of Shiites will lead the country into Sunni-Shiite conflicts similar to what has happened to Lebanon and Syria.

He said constitutional provisions for religious freedoms was the only way to prevent religious wars and that the federal government should take cognizance of this if it was serious about peace and stability.

"The prime minister says he is a moderate. If that is true then he should speak out a lot more about the subject in Malaysia.

"He should also have ministers who are moderate and capable of engaging with difficult subjects. He should defend the Federal Constitution, but not as it is interpreted by the Muslim Lawyers Association," said Zaid.

High time for Tamil high school, says Dong Zong

Better late than never, Chinese educationists Dong Zong said today on the issue of setting up the country's first Tamil high school.

The idea was first mooted directly two weeks ago to Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (right) by the Malaysian Makkal Sakti Party (MMSP) but the United Chinese School Committees' Association of Malaysia (UCSCAM or Dong Zong) said in a statement, that it is at least 57 years too late.

They cited that the country already had independent Chinese high schools and Malay high schools shortly after Malaysia received independence from the British.

"However, a Tamil high school is still nowhere in sight. Indian civilisation is one of the four greatest civilisations in the world, and Tamil is undoubtedly an integral part of that civilisation. It is therefore a grave mistake, or even a full-blown tragedy, to ignore it or hinder its rightful progress," Dong Zong said in the press release.

It said that the demand was fully in tandem with the Malaysian spirit and more.

"The country's constitution as well as United Nations human rights mandate and educational rights of minority groups to their mother tongues is stipulated by Unesco."

Backing a Tamil school would be the kind of development that the National Unity Consultative (NUCC) should back, Dong Zong said. It added that that allowing such a school was 'an acid test' to racial unity, harmony and national development.

Muhyiddin was however reported to be non-committal when the idea was raised by MMSP president R Thanenthiran (right) on Dec 1.

He would only reiterate a promise that Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools will exist under the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013-2025) but said nothing more about advancing these schools.

'Urgent overhaul needed to our education system'

An urgent "overhaul" of the country’s education system is needed as it is not producing the skills required by the industries, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said today.

"We need to do a total overhaul. Out there, the people are impatient and we need to do this urgently, or else we won't reach our goals," Mustapa said at a forum to commemorate the third anniversary of the Economic Transformation Programme today.

Echoing a report by the World Bank on Malaysia's poor quality of education, he said unfortunately, the National Education Blueprint, meant to address this, would take a while to produce results.

"But this will take time so there are now programmes through Talent Corp, government-linked companies and Bank Negara Malaysia that have been put in place.

"But we need to bridge the gap (between available skills and industry needs). In the long run, we need to reform education," Mustapha said.

The World Bank in a report last week said that while there is higher enrollment in schools, schooling in Malaysia not translating into learning.

It said that Malaysian students performed worse compared to regional peers in international tests, falling behind the likes of Vietnam.

The poor quality of education, it added, would undermine Malaysia's efforts a become a high income economy - a goal Malaysia is aiming to reach in six years.

Blueprint will bear fruit in 20 years

Commenting on the matter at the forum, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala said that educational reform needs tremendous work and there is no shortcut.

"There are 400,000 teachers we have to upgrade. If anyone who says that they can fix the education system over one or two years, that guy is lying," he said.

Idris (right) said the government is doing a lot to raise the quality of education, including providing evening classes for English Language teachers, 70 percent of whom did not do well on the English Language Cambridge Placement Test last year.

Despite Malaysia's goal to be a high income nation by 2020, he said the National Education Blueprint will only start bearing fruit in 20 years time.

"In 50 years from now, if we don't up our game in education, we will be overtaken by countries who run faster than us. In the long-term, the agenda for poverty eradication, is education," he said.

Meanwhile, Idris, who was appointed senator so he can run the Performance and Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) called on both Pakatan Rakyat and the BN to stop politicising education.

"Wahid and I are not politicians. If there is one thing we...hope for both the BN and Pakatan Rakyat, it is to lay down their swords and not to politicise education. Come together and agree about education," he said.

He was referring to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of economic matters, Abdul Wahid Omar, who was also a panellist at the forum.

Cop who slapped foreigner in YouTube clip reprimanded

A policeman who had allegedly beaten two foreigners in Bayan Baru has been reprimanded by his superiors, said the Penang police headquarters.

State police chief senior deputy commissioner Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the suspect had been transferred to the the Southwest police operations room with immediate effect.

"The police disciplinary department has begun investigation into the case," said Abdul Rahim (left), in a statement today.

The alleged incident first surfaced in a YouTube posting titled "Police tampar orang awam" on Dec 12, in an incident which reportedly took place in the vicinity of Bayan Baru.

In the videoclip, the policeman is seen shouting and slapping one of the men.

Abdul Rahim said the police would not tolerate any misconduct which could tarnish the good name of the force or undermine the department's reputation.

"I have warned all the heads of departments and police chiefs to ensure that the men under their supervision act within the law," he said.

"Don't ever (allow them to) act beyond the limits of the law or in any way tarnish the image of our team," he warned.

Abdul Rahim, however, declined to reveal any further information about the suspect or the victims.

Palanivel unveils MIC’s new line-up

After the long wait, Palanivel broke silence in naming his new line up

PETALING JAYA: MIC President G.Palanivel today named Prakash Rao Applanaidoo as the new Secretary-General of the party and K R Ramanan as the new Treasurer-General, while former Selangor information chief L Sivasubramaniam will be the party’s new Information Chief.

The party president replaced former sec-gen A Sakthivel and treasure general Jaspal Singh.

The press statement is on MIC Online website.

Palanivel also named the other seven appointed Central Working Committee (CWC) members.

They are election committee member K Kumaran , KS Nijhar, Barat Maniam,Tenggaroh state assemblyman K Ravenkumar, K S Balakrishnan, Raub division chief K Tamil Selvam and Teluk Kemang MIC division chief R Balakrishnan.

Palanivel will continue to head Selangor, while former Perak assembly speaker R Ganeson will continue to head Perak.

Vice President S Balakrishnan Sinniah will be the new Johor chief and the other new Vice President S Sothinathan will head Negeri Sembilan.

Meanwhile M Saravanan will continue to head the Wilayah Persekutuan MIC.

Kedah will be headed by S Ganesan while Penang chief will be M Karupannan; both lawyers.

Pahang will be headed by R Goonasekaren, who is the special officer to the Pahang Menteri Besar.

Malacca’s head is MS Mahadevan and Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu and Sabah will be continued to be headed by M Kuppusamy, S Vengadasamy, R Suppiah and V Jothi respectively.

Palanivel also said the appointments of state Wanita, Youth, Puteri and Putera leaders will be done later this month.

Palanivel, who is also the Natural Resources and Environmental Minister, wants all CWC members to get to the ground and work hard and not to be complacent with the wins or their appointments.

“All state liaison chairman should work closely with branches, divisions and grassroots members.”
He also said Ramanan as the new treasurer general should immediately work on the ground to bring in financial contribution to the party.

The new line-up announcement came almost after two weeks of MIC’s polls and AGM which were held in Malacca on Nov 30 and Dec 1.

MIC, the headless chicken

MIC's Palanivel is clueless on his and the party's direction, far more after their recent AGM.
COMMENT

We can safely call MIC as the headless chicken running around town aimlessly to anemic situation. That is in short the best descriptive image one could coin for the helpless and down-rotten political party that the Malaysian Indian community can have in ‘representing’ them.

As I have mentioned in my earlier writings, prior to their party polls, MIC has long lost its relevancy in the political arena in Malaysia.

They have practically not achieved any milestone in uplifting the socio-economic status of the deprived Indians. The Indians have scored distinctions in crime and fighting for all the wrong reasons.

We have a politically void in ideas president helming MIC that goes all the way to the government to demand an extra day of public holiday for Deepavali. Is he kidding himself and attempting to throw recycled baby pacifiers to the Indian community?

Palanivel could not and will never make the cut as a leader; what more as the president of a near defunct party. The recent MIC party polls under the captain-ship of Palanivel unearthed the rot under the carpet.

As aperitif, let us just dissect his policy speech that was made during MIC’s 67th general assembly in Malacca.

Boasting to be a 67-year-old party, both Palanivel and MIC in specific clearly lacked the wisdom in outlining their direction towards uplifting the Indians; not even in their very own eye.

He was practically begging Najib Tun Razak for extra money in order for MIC to carry out more projects. That in it self indicates the fact Najib never ever consulted Palanivel on how much should have been allocated for the Indians prior to formulating the 2014 budget.

So what was Palanivel doing all this while in the cabinet meetings? Looks like he never carried any weight in policy making.

Even his so-called status quo position in MIC today is pittance thrown by Najib to him; so for sure he has no muscle in getting an extra dime from Najib.

So all that whining in the presence of the 1,500 delegates was an act not worth a sen. He just needed to babble something looking mighty but in essence a fly could have ruffled more air in the ears of the Prime Minister.

Undeserving position

Palanivel never stood on his own per se. His current parliamentary seat was obtained due to the illiterate voters in Cameron Highlands, and even that constituency was in spirit snatched ungentlemanly from SK Devamany who was forced out to give way.

Ever since the exit of S Samy Vellu from MIC, Palanivel has never been challenged in the open.

Having been given the acting president’s position on a silver platter by Samy Vellu, Palanivel never had the confidence nor effrontery to confront his opposition camp within MIC itself.

Unblushingly he went further to negotiate his undeserving position with Dr S Subramaniam with Najib playing the middle agent’s role. How shameful for a president indeed.

In will go into the annals of MIC’s history that they harboured a president that was equivalent to a reserve player in a football team who never kicked a ball but claimed captain-ship all along.

The spectators know it, the teammates are furious and the community is disgusted.

What’s more irking is that in his address to the PM and delegates, he was vocal to say that he assured the party polls were transparent and free. Who was he fooling again?

News reports made headlines instantaneously after vote counting claiming that the polls were marred and flawed, and above all some delegates even had a field day collecting cash handouts prior to voting.

Irregularities are being reported on almost daily basis since the polls and yet Palanivel has gone into complete and unwarranted silence.

Though it will not be much of a significance even if he decides to talk, nevertheless it only confirms further the argument that he just does not fit the shoe of a leader, what more as the MIC president.

If he cannot even handle his own political party, then what is there to expect of him as an elected people’s representative in parliament.

MIC is just sheer lucky that their masters in Umno take pity on them and still let them tag along for that few Indian votes. Maybe it’s time the Indians might as well ask for the bumiputera status like the Portugese community did in Malacca.

Since their AGM was in Malacca, they could have learned a lesson or two from that community which is faring far better than many Indians in Malaysia.

Narinder Singh is a FMT team member.

The assault on academic freedom

By Ying Hooi

There is little for academic freedom in Malaysia. Has our academic freedom become such an alien idea that it no longer has a place in our universities?

An academic discussion recently featuring Wan Saiful Wan Jan, CEO of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), was forced to have its session in the dark as its authorities sealed off the proposed venue at Latar Siswa situated in the Faculty of Modern Languages.

Responding to this, UPM’s management said it was part of the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) because there was a need to apply for permission prior to the event, which the organisers had failed to do. As reported, the event also saw heavy security presence, disallowing the taking of photographs or video.

It is ridiculous to disallow a research think-tank like Ideas to have an academic session in the compound of public universities. I also personally do not see any “threat” from its topic, “Liberalisation of economy: the best system for the poor”. In fact, such activities should have been organised in a more frequent basis in the universities.

And the way UPM addressed Ideas’s session has, again, attracted attention to the state of academic freedom in Malaysia.

Calling it “Kelas Pencerahan”, or Enlightenment Class, I am glad to know that this informal session was organised by a group of students who are part of the Facebook community page.

Public universities should not be a place just to obtain good grades. They should be a place where diverse ideas are celebrated, and intellectual independence and autonomy admired.

One of the key problems is the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) and its regulations that have stifled the intellectual development of local universities. Although university students are now allowed to engage in political activities under an amendment of the UUCA, students who hold positions in political parties are barred from campus elections.

Last year, University of Malaya’s Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) was forced to scrap its second session of a political forum, which featured members of parliaments from both coalitions.

This was because of the “instruction” and pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Higher Education Ministry as highlighted by its Director, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohamad Redzuan Othman.

His reason was, I quote: “When I returned from London two weeks ago, I received a text message asking that it be cancelled… I was told this was an instruction from PMO and the Higher Education Ministry... no reason was given”.

According to the Article 27 of the 1997 Unesco Recommendation Concerning the Status of Higher Education Teaching Personnel:

“… Higher-education teaching personnel are entitled to the maintaining of academic freedom, that is to say, the right, without constriction by prescribed doctrine, to freedom of teaching and discussion, freedom in carrying out research and disseminating and publishing the results thereof, freedom to express freely their opinion about the institution or system in bodies. All higher-education teaching personnel should have the right to fulfil their functions without discrimination of any kind and without fear of repression by the state or any other source….”

Sadly the case is different in Malaysia. Academic freedom to some extent is restricted, despite efforts of branding higher learning institutions as research universities.

For example, the suspension of former International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari from his position after he criticised a decree made by the Selangor Sultan, questioning the decision on the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s raid on Damansara Utama Methodist Church. After much pressure from the public, the suspension was lifted.

This goes to show that the quest for a greater academic freedom remains a myth. Much more will be needed before actual academic freedom could be achieved in Malaysia.

After all, the role of an academician is not just restricted to writing research papers and teachings, it is equally important to also contribute insight that is relevant to society. – December 16, 2013.

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

Muhyiddin’s MEB – “Miracle Education Blueprint” – expects Malaysian students to perform three educational miracles in his 13-year Three-Wave Educational Transformation Plan

The 2012 PISA results have been regarded as a “wake-up” call in many countries, provoking national soul-searching about the efficacy and competitiveness of their education systems compared to other countries, including Finland which fell from its pedestal as the top-performing OECD country, scoring 519 points for mathematics, Canada (518), Australia (504), New Zealand (500), United Kingdom (494) and the United States (481).

Although the first four countries are above the OECD average for mathematics, i.e. 494 points while UK’s score is the same as the OECD average, the US score of 481 is below the OECD average.

Malaysia with maths score at 421 is far behind these countries with our 15-year-old students behind their peers in Finland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK and US by 1.6 to 2.6 school years.

Yet the Finnish, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, UK and US political leaders including Education Ministers or their equivalents, education planners and parents are having a major debate over the 2012 PISA results but in Malaysia, led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, there is disgusting complacency and indifference about Malaysia’s poor performance in 2012 PISA.

It is coming to two full weeks but Muhyiddin has yet to say a single word about the 2012 PISA results released on Dec. 3 although the main objective for the quality of our education system in Muhyiddin’s Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2015 (MEB) is to be ranked the top third of countries participating in PISA and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Survey).

Instead of boldly stepping forward to assume responsibility for the poor 2012 PISA results as he was already Education Minister since the previous 2009 PISA, Muhyiddin has “run for cover” avoiding any discussion of the 2012 PISA.

Instead, he got the Education Ministry to come out with a statement a week after the release of the 2012 PISA results which befuddled rather than clarified the educational woes faced by the country.

An unsourced and unquoted Education Ministry statement on Tuesday, 10th December said:

“Although the results of PISA 2012 were not so encouraging, the ministry is confident that Malaysia is capable of getting a better position in PISA 2015 through the implementation of MEB, which was launched on Sept 6″.

According to the statement, as an immediate move, the ministry had set up a special committee to elevate the ranking of the Malaysian students in PISA.

This Committee on Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and PISA would be led by the ministry’s Curriculum Development Division and would identify and monitor the initiatives needed to be implemented for a programme for international student assessments.

Who are these faceless, nameless and headless “miracle people” who will be responsible for the double quantum jump of Malaysian students in the bottom third to the top third of international educational assessments like PISA and TIMSS?

This is in fact a most dishonest and irresponsible statement as a special task force on PISA and TIMSS had been formed not after the 2012 PISA results were released on Dec. 3, 2013 but after 2007 TIMSS and 2009 PISA to ensure that Malaysia can improve on our performances in the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA.

But this TIMSS and PISA Task Force was a dismal failure, as both the 2011 TIMSS and the 2012 PISA results were even worse for Malaysia than their previous counterparts, i.e. 2007 TIMSS and 2009 PISA.

Malaysia participated in TIMSS for the first time in 1999. The country’s scores on both Mathematics and Science (519 and 492 respectively) were above the international average, with a ranking of 16 among 38 countries in Mathematics and 22 in Science.

In 2003 TIMSS, Malaysia’s performance was similar to that of 1999. The Science score actually increased, remaining well-above the international average, while the Mathematics score dropped somewhat but also stayed above the international average and the country’s rank actually improved to 10th place among 45 countries.

The 2007 and 2011 TIMSS showed a significant deterioration in performance for Malaysian students as compared to their peers in other countries.

By 2011, the Mathematics score had dropped to 440 points (26th position among 42 countries), while the Science score benchmarks fell to 426 points (32nd among 42 countries).

In the four TIMSS 1999-2011, Malaysia is the country which suffered the biggest drop in scores among all participating countries for both maths and science: in maths dropping by 79 points from 519 in 1999 to 440 in 2011; in science, dropping by 66 points from 492 in 1999 to 426 points in 2011.

Up to 38 percent of students in Malaysia did not meet the minimum benchmarks in Mathematics and Science in 2011, an approximately twofold increase since 2007, and five times higher than in 1999.

For PISA 2009 and 2012, Malaysia performed in the bottom third for maths, science and reading, well below the international and OECD averages, as well as the level of performance expected given Malaysia’s income level and that of high income economies that Malaysia aspires to join. More than half of Malaysian students do not reach proficiency levels in maths – or in simple terms, they failed.

The Education Ministry TIMSS and PISA Task Force to improve on Malaysia’s performances in the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISS as a prelude to the implementation of MEB was therefore a big flop, and gives no cause for the unwarranted complacency and unfounded over-confidence in the Education Ministry statement of Dec. 10 about Malaysia “capable of getting a better position in PISA 2015 through the implementation of MEB”.

In fact, Muhyiddin owes Malaysians an explanation why the Education Ministry’s TIMSS and PISA Task Force was such a failure in failing to improve on the performances of Malaysian students in the 2011 TIMSS and 2012 PISA.

The Education Ministry is guilty of sophistry when it implies that it would be satisfied if Malaysia improves on its scores in the PISA 2015.
Let us examine what is promised in the MEB. Malaysians have been promised “three waves of reform” in 13 years in the MEB educational transformation – Wave 1 (2013-15), Wave 2 (2016-2020) and Wave 3 (2021-25).

Wave 1 is to “turn around system by supporting teachers and focusing on core skills”; Wave 2 to “accelerate system improvement” and Wave 3 to “Move towards excellence with increased operational flexibility.”

By Wave 2 (2016 – 2020), Malaysia’s performance will be at par with the international average at the next PISA and TIMMS cycle and by Wave 3 (2021-2025), Malaysia performance on PISA and TIMMS will be in the top third of the systems.

What does this mean in practical terms?

If Malaysia is to at par with the PISA international average (500 Points) in Wave 2 (2016-2020), then Malaysia must achieve at least 500 points in the 2018 PISA.

Malaysia is presently stuck in the bottom third of the PISA system for all three subjects, i.e. 421 for maths, 420 for science and 398 for reading or occupying the middle or lower half of the bottom third of PISA scores.

If Malaysia is to attain the PISA international average of 500 points in 2018 PISA, then in the next 2015 PISA, Malaysia must at least elevate from its lowly bottom-third ranking to the middle-third ranking, which means getting at least 450 points for maths, 446 for science and 442 reading so that it could be positioned in Wave 2 to elevate its scores to be at par with the international average of 500 points in the 2018 PISA.

This would mean that in the 2015 PISA, Malaysia would have to achieve a miraculous performance and improvement of at least 29 points for maths, 26 points for science, and 44 points for reading; and another miraculous performance to reach the international average of 500 points and improvement of at least 50 points for maths, 54 points for science and 58 for reading in the 2018 PISA.

Malaysia will have to perform a third educational miracle if we are to achieve Wave 3 objective to reach the “top third” of PISA, as the threshold to get into the top third of PISA will be 532 for maths, 511 for science and 508 for reading.

No country had ever achieved even one such educational miracle in improvement of PISA scores but Muhyiddin expects Malaysian students to perform three educational miracles in the next 13 years!

All these figures are based on the 2012 PISA results, as from the four triennial PISA tests of 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012, the threshold for each third bracket of the assessment rises, for instance, the top performer in maths in 2003 was Hong Kong with a score of 550 while Shanghai topped the 2012 PISA with 613.

What does the Education Ministry mean when it says it is confident that Malaysia can do better in the 2015 PISA?

As Malaysia 2012 PISA score for maths is 421, science 420 and reading 398, would the Education Ministry claim vindication if the 2015 PISA scores are one-point improvement for each subject, i.e. 422 for Maths, 421 for science and 399 for reading.

This will completely ignore the 13-year MEB objective to reach the top third of PISA score in 2021, which would require Malaysia in Wave 1 of MEB and the 2015 PISA to achieve a minimum score of 450 for maths, 446 for science and 442 for reading!

Can Muhyiddin’s MEB achieve three educational miracles for Malaysia in the next 13 years?

On further reflection, the description of Muhyiddin’s MEB as “ Miracle Education Blueprint” is quite appropriate and pertinent.

Actions Against Syiah Practitioners Not Based On Individual, Political Party - Jamil Khir

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- Actions against Syiah practitioners in the country are not taken based on individual or political party, but on the fact that they have violated the ruling made by the National Fatwa Council in 1996, the Dewan Negara was told.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the council's committee meeting in 1996 decided that the Syiah teachings contravened the Al-Sunnah Wal Jamaah or Sunni sect of Islam.

"That is why Islamic scholars decided, in regards of the law, not to allow any teachings that contravene the Sunnah Wal Jamaah to be practiced by Muslims in the country," he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2014 today.

Jamil Khir also did not dismiss the possibility that the presence of Iranian tourists and students in Malaysia had also contributed to the spread of Syiah teachings among Muslims in the country, especially through cultural activity, such as the Karbala Day celebration.

However, not all Iranian tourists and students were involved in spreading Syiah teachings to local residents as some of them were followers of Sunni sect, he said.

"Nevertheless, Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) and Jain (state religious departments) will always monitor their activities," he said.

In another development, Jamil Khir said 98 deviant sects had been identified across the country so far, with five still active.

"The active deviant sects are Syiah; Al-Arqam/Rufaqa'/Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd (GISB); Kerabat Raja Sakti (PKRS) Organisation or formerly known as Azhar Wahab sect or al-Mansur; Tuhan Harun; and Ilmu Makrifat Tok Kenali led by Haji Shaari bin Mohd Yusof," he said.

Based on record, between 2007 and 2012, a total of 442 cases related to deviant sect had been taken to courts nationwide.

The sitting continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA

"Zahid balik kampung"

Hindu minorities are being brutally attacked in Bangladesh after Quader Molla’s hanging.

War Criminal - Butcher of Mirpur, Abdul Quader Molla hanged to death. Gross violence in Bangladesh leading to a civil war. Helpless Hindu minorities are being attacked in many places.  

Upananda Brahmachari | Kolkata | Dec 13, 2013:: Jamaat-Shibir men and its Islamist allies resorted to vandalism, arson and attacks on cops and the opponent groups including Hindu minorities in different places of the country leaving at least seven dead soon after the Supreme Court cleared the way for executing war criminal Abdul Quader Molla who was executed finally on Thursday at dot 10-01 pm BST at Dhaka Central jail.

Abdul Quader Molla was know as Mirpurer Kasai (Butcher of Mirpur). As per source he killed 3 times much Muslim than Hindus at the time of BD Struggle for Independence as reported. Kader was a dangerous Jamatee and Rajakar as well. These people supported Pakistan and opposed BD liberation.

On May 28, last year, the tribunal framed six charges that include: the killing of Mirpur Bangla College student Pallab; the killing of the poet Meherunesa, her mother and two brothers; the killing of journalist Khandker Abu Taleb; a mass killing in Ghatarchar of Keraniganj; the killing of 344 people in Alubdi village in Mirpur; and the killing of Hazrat Ali Laskar, his wife, three daughters and two-year-old son.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 found Molla guilty on five charges and acquitted him on one charge related to the Ghatarchar killing, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. But the Supreme Court found him guilty on all charges and awarded him death for killing Hazrat Laskar and his family members.

Reuters reported that the authority of “Bangladesh executed Islamist opposition leader Abdul Quader Molla on Thursday for war crimes he committed in 1971, in a move likely to spark more violent protests less than a month before elections are due to be held.

Molla was hanged at Dhaka Central Jail after a dramatic week. He won a reprieve on Tuesday hours before he was sent to the gallows.

After two days of  legal argument, the Supreme Court rejected his application for a review of the death penalty.”

War criminal Quader didn’t wince once, neither did his heart skip a beat when he led his men to thrash a two-year-old child to death and slit the throats of a pregnant woman and two minor girls in the whirlwind in 1971.

Around 42 years later, Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla finally had to pay for these acts of cold-blooded savagery, as he walked the gallows at 10:01pm in the first-ever execution in a war crimes case.

The bad news coming from Bangladesh. The execution of Quader Molla triggered the deadly violence in Bangladesh in a very wide range. Dhaka, Satkhira, Coxbazar, Khulna, Comilla, Chittagong, Noakhali are the most affected areas where the peaceful and apolitical minority Hindus are being attacked under the repercussion of hanging of Quader Molla.

As reported in Kalaer Kantha (a Bengali daily newspaper), the Hindu minorities in Khuruskul Hindu village in Coxbazar were attacked after the news of Quader’s execution spread in the air. After 10-30 pm of Thursday, the Jammat activist  attacked the house of some relatives of  Swapan Pal in Palpara. The armed Jammati perpetrators ransacked at 10 houses and shops in Palpara and Timebazar. The attackers looted the shops and set fire in households. Dadul Das, the president of Coxbazar Hindu Festival Committee (Hindu Puja Udjaapan Samity) conveyed the insecurity of the resident minority Hindus under an Islamic threat perception increasing day by day.

In a separate reporting the a reporter of Kalaer Kantha  reported the attack on minority Hindus in Jugipara in Satkhira as an aftermath of Quader Molla’s hanging on Thrusday. The Jamaat activists attacked the Hindu minority citizen and put fire in four Hindu houses. The perpetrators blocked the roads by putting huge trunks of road-side trees to put hurdles to rescue operation by police and RAB (rapid action battalion).

The situations in Bangladesh is rapidly changing in the face of an apprehended civil war in Bangladesh. The Jamaat-e-Islami of Bangladesh announced that it would hold a gayebana janaza for its assistant secretary general, war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, today and enforce a countrywide shutdown on Sunday.

The turmoil in Bangladesh sparks tension in neighbouring West Bengal too.

The Kolkata police have sounded a high alert after the hanging of Jamaat-e-Islami leaser Abdul Quader Molla in Dhaka Central Jail.

The city has witnessed many protest demonstrations in the past few months against the Bangladesh war crimes trials.

Organisations like the West Bengal Minority Youth Federation have spearheaded these protests, even submitting memorandum to the Bangladesh deputy High Commission in city’s Bangabandhu Sarani (previously Circus Avenue) to stop the trials.

Kolkata has a strong population of Urdu-speaking Muslims, many of whom fled Bangladesh after it was born during the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistani forces.

Jamaat enjoys considerable support among them.

Kolkata police commissioner Surojit Kar Purkayastha is said to have asked for heightened security at the Bangladesh deputy high commission.

The deputy high commission in Kolkata  is housed in a historic building where Bengali diplomats revolted against Pakistan and set up the first diplomatic outpost of the provisional government of Bangladesh in exile.

Other areas with high concentration of Urdu-speaking Muslims like Park Circus, Metizbruz, Gardenrich, Tiljala, Taltola and Rajabazar have been identified for intense security, police officials said.

The intensifying political crisis in Bangladesh  with the ensuing elections there is producing  sectarian violence  and the attacks on minorities. Meanwhile, the court cancels the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami which is no more eligible to participate in the vote . Many a Jamaat leaders are awaiting in the  death-row for their conviction in war crimes. The situations will go grim further with the head counts.

The Union Home Ministry  in India apprehends a  sabotage in India  as a retaliation of Jammat for their set back in Bangladesh.  In a very revealing report from Intelligence source, it  is told that the exiled Jammatis are trying a ‘Hindu killing field mission’ by making juvenile suicide squad. Out of  a workable plan,  Bangladesh Jamaat operators will make  inroads in West Bengal using this region as a transit zone.

To prevent the cross border terrorism,  militant infiltration and Muslim influx in  India from Bangladesh, BSF has to tighten surveillance in West Bengal-Bangladesh border. As per report,  Jamaat-e-Islam has a networking among 108 Islamic outfits covering Afghan Council, Council of the Islamic Revolution , the Islamic Jihad Group , Awakening of Muslim People, Indian Mujaheddin, Rohingya Islamic Front. Some of these organizations have their secret organization to make an Islamic state in India.

Some Muslim organisations like Popular Front of India, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen, All India United Democratic Front, Jammat-e-Islami-Hind expressed their softness to the War criminals of Bangladesh as they were all the Sahaba (Lieutenant)  of Islam. Many of these organisations are covertly connected with their Bangladeshi counterparts to accomplish a Jihad in India en route west Bengal.

In this critical juncture of post Quader hanging in Bangladesh, the pro-Hindu organisations in India and the International Hindu Community must raise their voice to stop attack on minority Hindus in Bangladesh and the total restrain of Jehadi activities in India, especially in the  porous International border areas of West Bengal and Bangladesh.

The hanging of Quader Molla is the easiest prey for the supporters of Jamat-BNP fundamentals for attacking minority Hindus in Bangladesh. As per reports of Bangladesh media, Hindus are being attacked ruthlessly in many places. If Bangladesh may enter into a havoc civil war again, the  minority  Hindus will be the gross victim. But, Indian media, particularly Bengali media of Kolkata will be busy with the minority rights in India.

Indeed, it is a hard time for the minority Hindu-Buddhist-Christians in Bangladesh. We have to share their persecution to protect them.

Courtesy: BBC | Reuters | Kaler Kantha.

‘Honour’ crime: Man kills sister on suspicion of illicit relations

FAISALABAD: A woman was killed by her brother in Faisalabad on Friday.

Police said Zafar Ikram suspected his sister, 35, of having illicit relations with a man in the neighbourhood.

The deceased, a mother of two, had moved back to her parents’ house five months ago following a falling out with her husband.

On Saturday, police said Zafar Ikram scolded his sister.

When she spoke in her defence, Ikram attacked her with an iron rod.

The Garh Maharaja station house officer told The Express Tribune that she had injuries to her head, back and legs.

She was taken to a hospital where she succumbed to the injuries.

The Station House Officer said a case had been registered against Ikram on his father Sikandar Jugta’s complaint.

“Police are waiting for a post-mortem report…a team has been constituted to arrest the suspect,” the SHO said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2013.

Sikhs Threatened to Embrace Islam or Leave Kashmir Valley

Sikhs are the largest religious minority in Kashmir

Srinagar, India (CHAKRA) —In the Kashmir Valley, Sikhs have been recently told to pack up and leave if they do not embrace Islam and help to stand up for the local civilians. The minority Sikh community of 60 000 in the area have been sent letters warning them to leave or join the local protests as Muslims.

The All Party Sikhs Coordinate Committee (ASCC), has addressed its concern regarding the anonymous letters being sent to various Sikh members in a number of areas in the Kashmir Valley. At a meeting held by Jagmohan Singh Raina, the coordinator of ASCC, stated that the Sikh community has decided to stay put and fight against the threatening letters instead of fleeing. They will fight to keep their homes.

Raina quoted a letter saying, “When you are enjoying the joys here, why can’t you share the grief and sorrow of Kashmiris as well? We know you are afraid of bullets… Hold protests inside gurdwaras or leave Kashmir.” He also added that some of these letters have asked Sikhs to embrace Islam or leave the city that does not belong to them.

Raina addressed the issue to both factions of the Hurriyat, JKLF, and PoK-based United Jihad Council to take the seriousness of the notes into account and to take measures to avoid a continuation of such notes in the future.

Don’t be used by Putrajaya, Anwar tells Jakim

PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (pic) lashed out at the religious authorities today for allowing Putrajaya to use the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to embarrass political opponents.

Speaking for the first time on the Shia allegation against PAS deputy President Mohamad Sabu, Anwar said the relevant authority should charge Mohamad Sabu if it has compelling evidence against him.

He said Mohamad Sabu should be allowed to explain his admiration for the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini, but not on the Shia accusation against him.

"This is a political remark when he said he is a bit pro-Khomeini, so let him explain. This is not a charge like Jakim insisting he explain his Islamic principles. You have to have clear and compelling evidence before asking him to explain himself," said Anwar after a book launch at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

He advised the Jakim officer who had demanded that Mohamad Sabu defend himself over the Shia allegations, not to be manipulated into embarrassing the opposition leader.

"I would like to ask the Jakim officer, does he follow the instructions of the Umno vice president or Islamic regulations? Because there were cases that I brought to Syariah court, but Jakim did not help. Jakim should first be clear on its stand," said Anwar, referring to Home Minister and Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who last week ordered religious authorities to take action against Mohamad Sabu over his alleged links to the Shia sect, which Putrajaya deems as deviant.

Anwar said the evidence released to the media in support of the accusation against Mohamad Sabu was not clear.

He pointed out that the accusation could not be based on admiration for Khomeini, as in the 1980s most of his generation, including him, supported the Iran revolution.

"I was among them. I was among the first group of people who met Khomeini to show our support for his struggle and fight against the cruel system used by America to oppress the people in Iran, as how we admire Nelson Mandela. Does it mean I'm Shia? I am not," said Anwar.

He said at the time of his visit to Iran, he was still with ABIM (the Islamic youth movement).

"When I returned, the special branch monitored us, but they did not see any harm in it," he added.

Anwar said his admiration for Khomeini at the time was due to his power to unite the Iranians in fighting oppression.

"However, I did not agree with other things that he introduced, including the Iranian constitution," he said.

The Home Ministry on Thursday revealed what it called evidence to back Zahid’s claims that Mohamad Sabu was involved in Shia activities. Most of the evidence revolved around his admiration of Khomeini's struggle.

Earlier today, Zahid said the ministry will present evidence on the allegations to Jakim for further action.

"All evidence, including the Grade A evidence, will be presented to Jakim because we (ministry) are involved in security issues. As for matters concerning faith, we will leave it to the religious authorities," he added. - December 15, 2013.

Mat Zain wants cops to probe Shafee's affidavit

Former Kuala Lumpur CID chief Mat Zain Ibrahim today lodged a police report against senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for allegedly making false statements in a recent affidavit to the Court of Appeal.

The lenghty four-page police report also contained allegations that Shafee had concealed vital evidence regarding Anwar Ibrahim's "black eye" case, which implicates attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail.

Shafee, a senior private lawyer, was appointed the lead prosecutor in the government's appeal against a High Court decision to acquit Anwar of sodomising his former aide Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

The allegedly tainted affidavit was submitted last week in reply to Anwar's second application to disqualify Shafee from prosecuting.

Mat Zain's police report against Shafee is the latest twist, following the former's damning statutory declaration about the Abdul Gani's alleged mishandling of the Batu Puteh dispute with Singapore.

In his police report, Mat Zain reiterated that his statutory declaration dated Oct 7 over the sequence of events following his meeting with Shafee and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was the true version and provided supporting documents including his phone records to back up his claim.

Documents handed to Shafee

Mat Zain said in his report that he had only met Shafee for the first time in his life during the meeting, although Shafee claims to have also met Mat Zain a day before on Aug 9 in his affidavit.

"It is clear that Shafee’s statements (regarding the exact circumstances of the meeting) are a deliberate fabrication based on his own imagination to confuse or mislead any party who are considering his affidavit in totality...

“(This is so) to make an erroneous decision on a critical subject, on the true nature of things, and on my credibility and that of the statutory declaration I made on Oct 7," he said in the police report, before describing his version of the events in detail.

On the "black eye" incident, Mat Zain wrote in his police report that he had delivered bundles of documents regarding the case to Shafee on Sept 24. He said that he had official confirmation of receipt from Shafee's firm.

But since there was no further correspondence from Shafee regarding the matter, Mat Zain said he chose to make a statutory declaration.

"After studying Shafee’s affidavit, I found that he has deliberately conceals from the court that he has received the bundle of documents on Sept 24," he said.

Probe by MACC

Anwar's application had used Mat Zain's statutory declaration was evidence that Shafee was complicit in other cases involving the PKR de facto leader.

In the statutory declaration, Shafee was alleged to have agreed with Mat Zain that Abdul Gani was alleged to have fabricated evidence against Anwar in the "black eye" case.

Since unveiling the statutory declaration, Mat Zain has been investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

However, Shafee has brushed off the latter's allegations.

Pua replaces Kok as S’gor DAP chief

Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament Tony Pua has been appointed Selangor DAP chief taking over from Teresa Kok, the former Kinrara state assembly person.

PETALING JAYA: Petaling Jaya Utara member of parliament (MP) Tony Pua is the new Selangor DAP chief, while Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo will be his deputy.

The appointment follows the win of the two MPs at the Selangor DAP elections held here today. A total 687 delegates to the elections elected 15 leaders to helm the state DAP and the elected leaders made appointments to the posts based on consensus.

Although Pua did not come first among the 15 candidates, he was chosen based on consensus of the newly elected state DAP committee.

“It is a position that I accept with humility, due to the heavy and challenging responsibility. I come in at a time when DAP has won every seat it contested in Selangor, so I have to maintain my predecessor’s record and not tarnish the image,” said Pua, who obtained 422 votes at the polls.

Selangor state assembly speaker Tricia Yeoh and Teng Chang Kim (358 votes) are the two new vice-chairman.

Ean Yong Hian Wah and Ng Suee Lim maintained their positions as secretary and assistant secretary respectively. Newcomer Ng Sze Han, the present Kinrara assemblyman, is now the new treasurer, taking over Yeoh’s previous post.

Lau Weng San kept his post as organisational secretary, while new face Philip Tan, the Teluk Datu state assemblyman, and Ganabatirau are the assistant organisational secretaries.

Ronnie Liu is the new publicity secretary and Lee Kee Hiong is the director of the education and politics bureau.

Yeoh garnered the most votes with 495 followed by Gobind with 491. V Ganabatirau, a former Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader came in third with 451 votes.

All those who were elected last term retained their seats this time around with the only change being Kok and now Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching. Kok maintained her Seputeh seat at the last general election and did not contest the Kinrara state seat in Selangor.

Teo on the other hand was ‘tranferred’ from the Serdang parliamentary constituency to Kulai at the May general election.

Lee Kee Hiong (362 votes) and Ganabatirau were previously appointed to the DAP state committee, but contested and won seats this time around, replacing the two.

The newly elected committee also appointed for additional members in — Ong Kian Ming, Rajiv Rishyakaran, Yeo Bee Yin and Eddie Ng Tian Chee;

1. Charles Santiago
2. Ean Yong Hian Wah
3. V. Ganabatirau
4. Gobind Singh
5. T. Kannan
6. Lau Weng San
7. Lee Ka Hiong
8. Ng Suee Lim
9. Ng Sze Han
10. Philip Tan Choon Swee
11. Ronnie Liu
12. Tiew Way Keng
13. Tony Pua
14. Hannah Yeoh
15. Teng Chang Khim

NUTP:More teacher counsellors needed

In line for the call to conduct mental health checks on students, NUTP hopes more teacher counsellors will be employed

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) welcomes the health ministry’s effort to conduct mental health checks on students, but hopes there will also be an increase in teacher counsellors at schools.

Its president, Hashim Adnan said in line with the health ministry’s move, the education ministry should also meet the need for teacher counsellors in schools to help students cope with problems.

He said the current ratio of one teacher counsellor to 500 students was no longer suitable.

Hence, the ratio should be reduced to one teacher counsellor to 300 or 350 students, he said.

“The smaller ratio will assist the teacher to be more focused in carrying out the task of assisting students cope with mental and emotional stress,” he further stressed.

Hashim was commenting on a statement by Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam that the ministry would conduct mental health tests on secondary students from year one to year four next year.

In a news report yesterday, Dr Subramaniam said as of last December, the Healthy Mind Programme screening conducted on 19,919 students from 357 schools nationwide showed that 7.45 per cent suffered from depression while 7.59 per cent had stress problems.

-Bernama

MIC delegate lodges police report

A disgruntled delegate lodges police report in regards to irregularities during party polls

PETALING JAYA: MIC Kuala Langat delegate S Velayuthan today lodged a police report on the irregularities of the party polls.

The delegate who is also the Kg Sungai Manggis branch leader made the police report at Bandar Puchong Jaya police station today morning.

When FMT contacted him, he stated that the party should have investigated the matter after receiving complaints from several members and delegates.

He also added that till date the party’s top officials have delayed the process and have not looked into the matter, causing a distrust and bad image on the party.

Not only that; he further commented that the party president G Palanivel should have announced his official office bearers’ line-up and get his party people to seriously look into the complaints.

“At the moment everything is in a stalemate and no news from the party leadership and looks like the party is heading without a radar.

“And yet again, we do not know the president’s whereabouts who should be responsible to handle the issue,” said Velayuthan.

The branch leader also wants the party leadership to take up the matter seriously and not further delay the process in probing the irregularities; as it shows in-efficiency in handling complaints made by the members.

Meanwhile, former MIC Youth and veep candidate who lost in the party polls, T Mohan said that the party’s top officials should seriously look into the complaints made by the members.

“They can’t be delaying the party polls investigations as it looks bad on the party and urge either the president or sec-gen to resolve the matter as soon as possible” said Mohan.

MIC confirms five complaints

It is reported in the media today that the party sec-gen A Sakthivel have confirmed five written complaints alleging discrepancy in the party elections were received.

According to the party sec-gen the complaints from members would be directed to the election steering committee but refused to elaborate further as to whether the complaints were related to the contest for the three vice-president’s posts or the 23 positions on the Central Working Committee (CWC).

Sakthivel further pointed out that some quarters have been using this opportunity to smear the good name of the party by giving irresponsible press statements and believes it is not a healthy practise which leaves a bad impression on the party.

The party secretary general also claimed that out of the 96 candidates who contested in the polls only five have lodged official complaints and that it was “not a big issue.”

However, last week a MIC election steering committee member and a party veteran leader have pointed out that the MIC election steering committee was powerless to act on the matter.

A election steering committee member, who did not want to be named, told FMT that the MIC election by-laws specifies that the party CWC must decide if a re-election is warranted or otherwise.

MIC held its internal election to select three vice presidents and 23 CWC members on Nov 30. A total of eight candidates contested for the vice president race while 88 aspirants fought for the 23 CWC seats.

The polls was marred by various irregularities with some candidates going public with their allegations.

Barely 24 hours after the election, Palanivel flew out of the country for a holiday. He is expected to return today.

The MIC president has yet to appoint anyone for the party secretary general, treasurer general and information chief positions.

‘Pakatan leaders failed the Indians’

Uthayakumar's wife hopes her husband will be released next month and continue his struggle for the Indian community

KUALA LUMPUR:Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal advisor M Manoharan urged Pakatan Rakyat Indian leaders to place community interest first instead of focusing on their self enrichment.

Speaking at the book launch of the life story of Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders have to buck up to serve the community.

Manoharan said they should not disappoint the people who trusted them and voted for Pakatan in the past election.

He said they must emulate Uthayakumar, that has put his self interest aside by fighting for the Indian community.

“Please do not use the community name for your personal agenda,”

“Stop the dramas ,” he urged

Manoharan said Pakatan Indian leaders are not sincere in serving the community likewise Uthayakumar.

He said Uthayakumar is a legend and still concerned about the community despite being held in the Kajang Prison.

Uthayakumar was arrested over a sedition charge and was placed in the Kajang prison last May.

Manoharan is confident that Uthayakumar will win his case during the next court hearing on January 15 and really hopes that the Indian community to be behind him as he sacrificed a lot for them.
He also defended Uthayakumar saying that he had never used the Indian community for his personal agenda as claimed by certain quarters.

Meanwhile Uthayakumar’s wife S Indra Devi, who was also present in the event, during her speech said that even though she is going through a hard time being without her husband she is still proud of him.

She hopes the community will appreciate her husband’s sacrifice.

“My husband can choose to mind his own business but he cares for others than himself,”

“He has been ill treated in prison and going through his worst times of his life,”

“Me and my two daughters missed him so much- the house is very quite without him,” she said in tears.

Indra said that she really hopes that her husband will be freed next month and Uthayakumar will not bow down but continue to fight for those who need justice.

The official book launch of ‘Utayakumarin Varuthapadatha Poratta Payanngal’ was held in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly hall yesterday.

The book portrays the struggle of Uthayakumar for fighting for Indians in Malaysia.

Ku Li to open Perkasa meeting in the hope of turning right-wing Malay group around

BY V. ANBALAGAN AND HASBULLAH AWANG CHIK

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah's credentials as a statesman and a politician with enlightened views on
race are now on the line as he has reportedly accepted Perkasa's invitation to open its fourth annual general meeting next week.

While the Gua Musang MP has regularly met Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali as both are from Kelantan, they cannot be more different as chalk and cheese.

Tengku Razaleigh is urbane, sophisticated and cosmopolitan while Ibrahim has been known to be crude with a narrow racial view that has seen him jump from one party to another, earning the sobriquet of a “political frog”.

The Malaysian Insider understands that the former finance minister and Umno veteran, popularly known as Ku Li, has confirmed he would attend the meeting at Pusat Islam in Kuala Lumpur on December 22.

Those close to the Kelantan prince said he had weighed the pros and cons of associating with the right-wing Malay group before confirming his attendance at the assembly themed “Upholding the Constitution for the wellbeing of all”.

"He wants to engage the Perkasa leadership and persuade them to be more inclusive. He wants them to look at the bigger picture," a Ku Li confidante told The Malaysian Insider.

Tengku Razaleigh, who was tasked with setting up national oil firm Petronas, has been an advocate of market and economic liberalisation in the past decade unlike Ibrahim who believes that the Malays should have a greater control and share of the economy.

Ibrahim has articulated his views through Perkasa, which boasts a 500,000 membership mainly from Umno, which he found after 2008 elections when he stood on a PAS ticket.

He turned independent to support the ruling Barisan Nasional after Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stepped down as prime minister.

His relationship with Ku Li goes back to the time when both were in the old Umno and the now defunct Semangat 46, which was once in power with PAS in the Kelantan government.

Both only returned to the Umno fold in 1996, where Ibrahim eventually became a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department in Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's government.

Ku Li, who was also once trade minister, had been Dr Mahathir's political foe when he ran for the Umno presidency in 1987 which he lost by 44 votes. Ironically, Dr Mahathir is the Perkasa patron.

Last month, former Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Rahman announced that he had joined the Malay rights group.

Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider that more well-known personalities would soon join the movement but he declined to name them.

“Perkasa is open to all... There are more people interested in joining Perkasa, including some big names. I will elaborate more on this during the AGM,” he said.

Other prominent members include former inspector-general of police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor.

Perkasa grabbed the headlines on November 24, when Abdul Rashid announced he had joined the group six months ago to help the group achieve its goal of strengthening Malay-Muslim dominance.

He added that the three redelineation exercises undertaken while he was chief were done to keep Umno and in his view, Malay Muslims, in power. – December 15, 2013.

The wrath of a losing ‘winner’

Richard Loh


Malaysians should be very proud of their country, a nation where they are born into, raised and will die and buried here irrespective of what kind of government they have. But sadly many still could not differentiate between the country that they owned (belong to) and an elected government that are supposed to serve. The long serving one party (precisely 56 years) has gone overboard and arrogant to remind the rakyat that they must be grateful and be patriotic to the powers that be.

Most Malaysians are moving forward fast and are adapting well to the various changes that are ongoing together with the outside world but are pulled back or hindered by a restrictive government that are not willing to open up and face the present day reality. The results of the 12th and 13th General Elections have shown that most Malaysians wanted to move along with the rest of the world but post 308 and 505 gave you a more opaque and an intolerance government.

They are still using the old formula of divide and rule, enhancing their racism and religious intolerance including veiled threats which they thought can still work to their advantage and hold on to power. We wish them all the best except not to create chaos and ‘crushed bodies and lives lost’ to fulfill their wish of holding on to power.

Are Malaysians really that blind, dumb and deaf to fall yet again to all these antics? Yes, there are still 47% of the voters that believe in them. What then can we do to make the ruling government listen to us? Guess there is not much we can do individually but to lend support to a greater force that can challenged the ruling government to ensure that they served the rakyat and not the reverse and if possible a total change in GE 14. Presently we have this greater force by the name of Pakatan Rakyat.

Many would not agree that Pakatan Rakyat is the greater force. Let me just ask one question and let you decide if PR is or is not the greater force. Why is the ruling government going all out to kill-off DAP, activating their ‘speculative moles’ inside PKR and enticing PAS in talks? The motive is very clear for all to see, “TO BREAK UP or DESTROYED PAKATAN RAKYAT” before GE 14.

With the reintroduction of ‘detention without trial’, The Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, fuelling anti-Shia sentiments, no intention of removing the sedition act and the daily doses of veiled threats against anything that are challenging their stay in power comes GE 14, Pakatan Rakyat must be at their toes at all times.

The machinery “TO BREAK UP or DESTROYED PAKATAN RAKYAT” before GE 14 has gain momentum each passing day and I would like to provide PR my 2sen worth of suggestion.

Their modus operandi is very simple, to keep PR coalition parties busy fighting the fires which are thrown at them be it lies or slanders ranging from racial, religious issues to just about anything that they can think of to ensure that PR is broken or destroyed by GE 14.

PR must form a council or committee comprising members from all the three parties and on full time basis. The members should be from the younger generation that are trustworthy, with integrity and are presently not elected MPs or Adun. Elected representatives will be busy with their work functions to serve the rakyat and nation on pressing daily issues. The senior leaders can act as advisers. The council job functions are to study all the attacks from the opponent collectively, work out counter solutions and response to the attacks on PR platform. If time permit and if experienced enough, this council should also be on the look out and identify suspected moles.

No doubt there may be such a council in each party where each party will response to the attacks individually. It may work that way but at times there are conflicting responses from each other that gave more bullets to the opponent for further attacks.

The new PR council should be able to identify if the attack is very specific to a certain party but will still study together to provide solution and response. This response will be conveyed to that particular party leader before any statement is issued publicly. Most attacks are interlinked within the three parties, it would be better to study, resolve and make a final PR stand to ward of the attacks. PR must be able to work together, to help each other and resolve matters on a standard platform no matter how hard the attacks are.

Pakatan Rakyat is a coalition of three parties that are supposed to be equal partners but sometimes we still read about party members going after each others throat. Should there be any disagreement, the problems can be forwarded to the new PR council to try and find a solution before any of these go to the press. One thing PR politicians must learn is, try not to talk too much to the press (especially in this country) on personal and party issues should there be any differences among you all, one minute of fame can destroy you if not the party!

Unless there are any hidden agenda within each individual party or lack of credible members, I see no problem in forming a new PR council or committee to work in tandem and proving to Malaysians that PR is the greater force that can bring down a very much disliked present government in GE 14.

This is not the case of ‘too many cooks spoil the soup’ but ‘united we stand, divided we fall’