Agenda Melayu

Di kala dunia pesat berkembang, isu Melayu masih sama – kemiskinan. Biarpun sudah hampir 60 tahun merdeka, orang Melayu tetap ketinggalan. Dahulu, boleh disalahkan penjajah yang sengaja melemahkan kuasa politik dan ekonomi Melayu bagi mengaut kekayaan negara. Sekarang, alasan yang sama tidak boleh diterima.
Kemiskinan Melayu kini bertambah parah disebabkan kegawatan ekonomi yang melanda negara. Hidup orang Melayu yang sudah sememangnya susah, disusahkan lagi dengan kenaikkan kos sara hidup dan inflasi. Hendak bekerja di negara sendiri pun sukar. Sektor buruh telah didominasi warga asing. Kini, bidang profesional seperti teknologi maklumat, kejeruteraan dan perubatan, mula ditembusi mereka.
Orang Melayu harus kembali sedar akan hakikat kemunduran bangsanya. Pernah satu ketika, iaitu menjelang dan beberapa dekat selepas merdeka, orang Melayu amat peka dengan agenda memajukan bangsa. Tumpuan kepimpinan Melayu ketika itu, di segenap lapisan – politik, perniagaan, ekonomi, pendidikan dan sebagainya – adalah survival dan masa depan bangsa. Kepimpinan Melayu sekarang sudah tidak seperti itu. Mereka mementingkan kesenangan peribadi dan populariti.

Agenda Melayu rasis?

Agenda Melayu bukanlah agenda yang rasis. Aspirasi memajukan bangsa sendiri adalah sifat semulajadi manusia. Setiap bangsa mempunyai agenda masing-masing. Orang Cina ada agenda Cina, orang India ada agenda India, orang kulit hitam di Amerika ada agenda kulit hitam, dan orang Yahudi mempunyai agenda Yahudinya.  Agenda kebangsaan sesuatu kaum bertukar rasis hanya apabila ia menzalimi bangsa lain.
Malangnya, agenda Melayu dikaitkan dengan rasisme. Orang Melayu yang membicarakan tentang nasib dan masa depan bangsanya akan dilabel rasis. Ianya taboo, terlarang, seakan haram. Ini adalah persepsi yang salah.
Punca utama persepsi negatif tersebut adalah organisasi Melayu sendiri, terutamanya UMNO dan sekutunya seperti Perkasa.  Daripada merancang dan berusaha memajukan orang Melayu, mereka menyerang dan menyalahkan bangsa lain. Gelaran seperti ‘pendatang’ dan saranan supaya kaum lain balik ke negara asal – amat biadap. Tingkah laku rasis beginilah yang mencemarkan imej Melayu.

Pencemar imej Melayu

Kaum yang banyak menentang usaha meningkatkan kedudukan sosio-ekonomi bumiputera adalah kaum Cina. Ketidakpuasan hati mereka berpunca dari mentaliti ‘zero-sum’ -  iaitu ‘jika orang Melayu untung, kami rugi’ -  hasil hasutan pemimpin-pemimpin Cina yang chauvinis. Korupsi pemikiran ini menghalang orang Cina bersikap terbuka kepada usaha-usaha menyama-ratakan kedudukan sosio-ekonomi masyarakat.
Hubungan sosio-ekonomi antara kaum dalam masyarakat berbilang bangsa seperti Malaysia, amatlah berkait. Apabila kedudukan sosio-ekonomi masyarakat tidak seimbang, akan timbul ketegangan. Ketakseimbangan sosio-ekonomi antara kaum (tinggalan penjajah) cuba diperbetulkan oleh pentadbiran Tun Razak melalui Dasar Ekonomi Baru – dengan tujuan membasmi kemiskinan dan menyusun semula masyarakat Malaysia. Malangnya, masyarakat kita gagal melihat kebijaksanaan Tun Razak. Pemimpin Melayu selepas beliau menyalah-guna peluang ekonomi yang disediakan sebagai lubuk mengayakan diri, bukannya untuk memajukan bangsa. Orang cina pula, biar pun mengawal sebahagian besar ekonomi negara, tidak mahu berkompromi disebabkan mentaliti ‘zero sum’ yang tebal. Akhirnya, iklim sosio-ekonomi masyarakat kita kekal tidak seimbang, hingga ke hari ini.

Agenda Melayu bertentangan dengan Islam?

Banyak pendapat yang mengatakan bahawa agenda Melayu bertentangan dengan syariah dan haram. ‘Fatwa-fatwa’ sebegini dikeluarkan oleh mereka yang ingin dilihat sebagai ‘Islamis’. Walaupun berpengetahuan agama, golongan ‘Islamis’ sangat ketat dengan pendapat masig-masing. Hujah yang lain selain dari hujah mereka adalah sesat. Pendekatan begitu sebenarnya bertujuan untuk mengukuhkan pengaruh mazhab dan aliran fahaman mereka supaya kelihatan lebih suci dan mulia dari aliran lain.

Hujah yang lain selain dari hujah mereka adalah sesat

Seterusnya, dakyah agenda Melayu tidak Islamik juga terhasil daripada politiking parti PAS. Dalam usaha mempengaruhi orang Melayu, PAS mengambil pendekatan menonjolkan diri sebagai lebih Islamik dari UMNO. Tindakan-tindakan kerajaan BN, terutamanya yang terpesong dari tuntutan syariah akan dikritik habis-habisan. Untuk melemahkan kredibiliti UMNO, agenda Melayu yang menjadi ‘cogan’ UMNO, digembar-gemburkan sebagai tidak Islamik. Propaganda tersebut disokong pula dengan ayat-ayat Al-Quran dan Hadis (tertentu). Pemikiran superfisial meng’haram’kan bulat-bulat agenda kebangsaan menakutkan orang Melayu, lebih-lebih lagi kepada yang beragama. Secara langsung, golongan Islamis termasuk PAS-lah yang menjauhkan orang Melayu daripada usaha memajukan bangsanya.
Pemikiran dogmatik begini membuatkan umat Islam di Malaysia cepat melenting, hilang punca dan mudah diperkotak katikkan. Lihat bagaimana kerajaan BN, (melalui proksi-proksinya) membangkitkan isu-isu agama, seperti isu kafir-mengkafir, kalimah Allah, isu anjing, Syiah, Kassim Ahmad, dan baru-baru ini isu Hudud. Orang Melayu kebanyakkan, hingga ke Mufti menjadi reaktif dan hilang pertimbangan. Semua bertegas dengan ‘fatwa’ masing-masing. Tidak kurang yang menyokong hujah dengan kata-kata kesat. Ini adalah strategi mudah dan pasti berjaya bagi mengaburi perhatian rakyat terhadap kelemahan pentadbiran negara. Maka, tiada siapa yang menyoal mengapa ekonomi negara kian meleset, mengapa rasuah dan salah guna kuasa pemimpin negara tiada akauntibiliti dan mengapa kes jenayah berat menjadi-jadi? Tidak hairanlah bila MH370 hilang, Kassim Ahmad dan isu hudud yang telah lama dilupakan, diketengahkan semula.

Agenda Melayu selari dengan prinsip kebajikan yang disokong Agama

Bagi penulis, agenda Melayu tidak bertentangan dengan syariah. Malah, ia adalah tuntutan syariah. Islam menekankan soal muamalat, iaitu urusan sesama manusia. Selagi agenda Melayu itu adil dan tidak menzalimi kaum lain, konsepnya selari dengan prinsip kebajikan yang disokong oleh agama. Cuma, pelan dan perlaksanaannya perlu reformasi. Dari sudut bantuan kerajaan, peluang-peluang pendidikan dan perniagaan hendaklah diberi dengan saksama – iaitu kepada mereka yang berhak (golongan susah yang berpotensi), bukan kepada kroni-kroni yang sudah pun kaya raya. Kaum-kaum lain juga wajib dibantu. Peluang-peluang ekonomi hendaklah disalurkan kepada mereka yang susah, bukannya kepada tauke-tauke yang bersekongkol menggondol kekayaan negara.

Kegagalan UMNO

Tidak perlu dibicarakan tentang kegagalan UMNO membela Melayu – kerana ianya sahih – ‘terang lagi bersuluh’. Setelah hampir 60 tahun memikul mandat, bangsa Melayu masih ketinggalan. Petunjuk kepada kepincangan UMNO teserlah melalui harta dan gaya hidup pemimpinnya. Di kala orang Melayu kesempitan, pemimpin UMNO bermewah-mewah, membina mahligai di tengah kampung, makan berlebihan dan melancong sana sini.
Polisi dan pelan jangka panjang Tun Razak dikotak-katikkan. Objektif penubuhan syarikat-syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) – yang berorientasikan kepentingan rakyat – kini, sudah tersasar. Petronas sebagai contoh. Sumber perniagaan Petronas adalah minyak – hasil bumi, hak seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Tetapi, keuntungan yang diperoleh (hasil jualan minyak – hak rakyat) dilaburkan kepada projek-projek yang tiada kaitan dengan kebajikan rakyat. Litar lumba Sepang, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Universiti swasta Petronas, hospital swasta Prince-Court dan lain-lain. Kontrak-kontrak pula diberikan saban kali kepada para parasit, yakni ahli keluarga pemimpin UMNO yang sudah pun kaya raya. Bonus untuk eksekutif Petronas berbulan-bulan gaji, sedangkan pemegang kepentingan (stakeholders) sebenar iaitu rakyat, hidup kesusahan.

Dewan Filharmonik Petronas

Keuntungan Petronas sepatutnya dilaburkan bagi memperkasa modal insan dan kebajikan rakyat (yang majoritinya Melayu) – pemberian biasiswa, pembinaan institusi pengajian tinggi awam, pusat-pusat perubatan awam, lebuhraya, pengangkutan awam dan lain-lain projek penambahbaikan kualiti hidup rakyat. Sumbangan kecil Petronas akan dihebohkan berlebih-lebihan. Corporate Social Responsility (CSR) kata mereka. Bagi penulis, tiada terma CSR buat Petronas, atau mana-mana GLC. Ia sememangnya tanggungjawab mereka – noktah.
Keperluan asas rakyat dijadikan sumber mengaut untung para kroni melalui projek penswastaan. Lebuhraya ber-tol, penjanaan elektrik melalui IPP, pengangkutan awam, kolej swasta yang didokong oleh PTPTN, air, sistem kumbahan, penternakan lembu hingga saman jalan raya pun hendak dijadikan lubuk mengaut untung. Senarai penipuan dan hipokrasi pentadbiran kerajaan UMNO/ Barisan Nasional seperti tiada kesudahan.

Air mata buaya

Apabila tektik-tektik penipuan UMNO terbongkar, mereka jadi sayu dan sentimental. Berderai air mata buaya apabila lagu-lagu kemunduran Melayu didendangkan. Dalam kesayuan, masih sempat menyalahkan orang Melayu, ‘Melayu malas’, ‘Melayu mudah lupa’ dan sebagainya. Walhal, merekalah yang mensabotaj pelan-pelan Tun Razak. Mereka jugalah yang menipu dan merompak orang Melayu.

Pakatan Rakyat dan Ketuanan Rakyat

Walaupun kepimpinan tertinggi PAS dan PKR adalah orang Melayu, mereka tidak membawa agenda Melayu dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Ini kerana PAS memperjuangkan Islam, manakala PKR memperjuangkan prinsip-prinsip demokrasi seperti keadilan (justice), kebebasan (liberty), kesamarataan (equality) dan sebagainya. Malah, ketiga-tiga parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat tidak berasaskan bangsa. Maka, tidak cocoklah bagi mereka untuk mengangkat agenda mana-mana bangsa.
Sebenarnya, parti yang benar-benar berbilang bangsa adalah PKR – dari sudut keahlian dan prinsip perjuangan. Memandangkan majoriti umat Islam di Malaysia berbangsa Melayu, PAS secara tidak lansung adalah sebuah parti Melayu. Pendiriannya memantulkan aspirasi orang Melayu. DAP pula, secara efektifnya adalah sebuah parti Cina. Pendirian dan tingkah laku DAP berpaksikan kepentingan kaum Cina. Majoriti ahlinya juga berbangsa Cina. Walaupun DAP secara luaran cuba menonjolkan imej berbilang bangsa, namun ianya gagal kerana imejnya sinonim dengan agenda perkauman Cina. Kemasukkan seorang-dua pemimpin Melayu, tidak membuatkan ia multiracial.
Walau bagaimanapun, sebagai sebuah gagasan, Pakatan Rakyat menawarkan agenda rakyat berbilang bangsa. Pakatan Rakyat mengenengahkan konsep Ketuanan Rakyat yang merentasi sempadan perkauman. Kriteria penerimaan bantuan dan peluang-peluang ekonomi adalah – rakyat termiskin tanpa mengira bangsa. Memandangkan segmen masyarakat miskin majoritinya berbangsa Melayu dan bumiputera, merekalah yang akan mendapat bantuan terbesar. Konsep ini mudah dan straightforward.

Ketuanan Rakyat

Walaupun konsep Ketuanan Rakyat itu jelas, namun perlaksanaannya bakal menghadapi rintangan. Cabaran terbesar adalah kesepakatan parti-parti komponen. Ini berdasarkan kesulitan mencapai kata sepakat pada rundingan-rundingan parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat yang lepas. Contohnya isu Hudud dan Kalimah Allah. Ingatlah, retorik dan perlaksanaan adalah dua unsur yang berbeza.
Kepayahan mencapai persetujuan dalam Pakatan Rakyat berpunca dari sikap tidak mahu berkompromi, terutamanya dari parti DAP dan PAS. Selama ini, PKR banyak berkompromi dalam rundingan. Sebaliknya, DAP dan PAS selalu berkeras kepala, kadang-kalanya kebudak-budakkan. Dasar Ketuanan Rakyat yang bakal menguntungkan orang Melayu (miskin), mungkin sukar diterima DAP. Dengan kelicikan UMNO membakar isu perkauman – ke peringkat perselisihan nasional – ia mampu menjadi punca perbalahan parti komponen Pakatan Rakyat – yang tidak berkesudahan. Justeru, kemampuan perlaksanaan Ketuanan Rakyat itu wajar dicurigai.
Biarpun begitu, penulis berharap satu hari nanti dapat menyaksikan perlaksanaan dasar Ketuanan Rakyat tersebut.

Mentaliti Subsidi

Setelah sekian lama menerima bantuan kerajaan, orang Melayu merasakan bahawa bantuan-bantuan tersebut adalah hak mereka. Biasiswa, geran, skim usahawan, kuota, kontrak, BR1M, dan segala jenis pertolongan kerajaan, tidak mungkin, dan tidak boleh berkekalan selama-lamanya.

BR1M

Pendapatan negara yang statik dan kos penyelenggaraan yang meningkat (tidak termasuk ketirisan dan pembaziran) membuatkan pemberian bantuan kepada orang Melayu sesuatu yang tidak ekonomi. Malah, kerajaan sudah mula menghapuskan dana bantuan kepada orang Melayu dan rakyat umumnya, sedikit demi sedikit. Kini, biasiswa jarang sekali ditawarkan. Sebaliknya, kos pendidikan ditanggung oleh pelajar sendiri melalui pinjaman PTPTN. Subsidi, termasuklah subsidi minyak dan gula ditarik balik. Petunjuk betapa terdesaknya kerajaan dalam meningkatkan pendapatan teserlah melalui keputusan perlaksanaan GST secara terburu- buru, baru-baru ini.
Bukan sahaja ia tidak ekonomik, pemberian bantuan kepada kaum tertentu menyalahi prinsip demokrasi (majoriti memerintah, minoriti mempunyai hak) sesebuah kerajaan. Kerajaan wajib berlaku adil kepada semua kumpulan etnik dalam menunaikan tanggungjawab sosialnya. Dasar Ekonomi Baru turut mengakui soal ini – dengan itu, menetapkan target dan tempoh masa yang spesifik (sudah pun tamat). Namum, target equiti bumiputera masih tidak tercapai, lalu, diteruskan dasar afirmatif tersebut oleh pentadbiran berikutnya. Persoalannya, sampai bila, dan mengapa target ekuiti masih tidak tercapai?
Dasar Ekonomi Baru turut meninggalkan kesan negatif kepada bangsa Melayu. Daripada berusaha memajukan diri, orang Melayu bergantung kepada bantuan kerajaan. Daripada bersaing dalam bidang perniagaan, usahawan Melayu terus menagih kontrak dan tender. Biarpun sudah kaya dan mempunyai kapital yang besar, ahli perniagaan Melayu masih berebut kontrak kerajaan. Sudahlah menuntut kontrak, bantuan lain turut ditagih. Biaya pendidikan anak pun mahu ditanggung kerajaan (melalui biasiswa). Mentaliti subsidi ini, iaitu kebergantungan terhadap kerajaan, sudah membarahi minda dan jati diri orang Melayu keseluruhannya. Beza antara Melayu kebanyakkan dan kroni hanyalah pada jumlah subsidi yang ditagih. Melayu biasa, dana-nya kecil. Kroni, dana-nya berbillion-billion.

Mengembalikan agenda Melayu sebenar

Agenda Melayu sebenar tidak terletak pada bantuan kerajaan, tetapi ianya perihal mental (mental state), iaitu kesedaran dan aspirasi setiap minda Melayu untuk membantu bangsanya maju kehadapan. Dari perihal mental itulah lahir initiatif-initiatif bersama bagi memperkasakan tahap pemikiran, sosial dan ekonomi bangsa.

Pokok kepada agenda Melayu adalah kesedaran

Peredaran masa, perubahan sosio-politik negara, serta pengaruh globalisasi – menuntut transformasi pemikiran Melayu. Nasib dan masa depan Melayu tidak boleh disandarkan lagi kepada kerajaan. Orang Melayu hendaklah (kembali) peka dan berusaha menyesuaikan diri dengan peredaran zaman, perubahan sosio-politik dan perkembangan global, untuk survive.
Pada masa ini, cabaran utama adalah mengembalikan kesedaran orang Melayu. Target utama adalah Melayu kelas atasan, golongan pertengahan dan agamawan. Merekalah yang seharusnya membela nasib saudara sebangsa yang miskin.
Kelebihan Melayu kelas atasan, yakni pemimpin dan ahli-ahli perniagaan, adalah kuasa dan kewangan. Malangnya, golongan ini dilihat lalai dan ‘hilang sentuhan realiti’. Kemewahan mengasyikkan mereka dengan aktiviti-aktiviti yang tidak mendatangkan faedah kepada bangsa, seperti berfoya-foya, membeli-belah, bermain golf dan melancong. Disebabkan corak pergaulan eksklusif, lingkaran sosial mereka kecil. Mereka tidak berinteraksi dan merasai kesusahan orang Melayu. Pendekatan yang halus harus diguna-pakai dalam menghampiri golongan elit. Bukan sahaja sukar ditemui, mereka mempunyai ego yang besar. Kaedahnya adalah dengan mendekati personaliti-personaliti yang terbuka dan bermasyarakat. Cara lain adalah dengan mendampingi orang-orang kanan mereka. Kesedaran sejumlah kecil sudah memadai kerana kuasa dan pengaruh dimiliki mampu memberi impak yang besar.

Aspirasi agenda Melayu adalah membantu bangsanya maju

Biarpun kuasa dan pengaruh tidak sebesar golongan atasan, golongan pertengahan berpotensi menjadi penggerak agenda Melayu yang berkesan. Malangnya, golongan pertengahan Melayu kini sibuk menambah perolehan, dengan cita-cita untuk menyertai kelas elit. Mereka kerja siang-malam dan terpaksa puas dengan kenderaan dan tempat tinggal sederhana, serta percutian sekali-sekala. Aspirasi untuk memajukan bangsa tidak ada dalam pemikiran mereka.
Golongan pertengahan berpotensi menjadi penggerak utama agenda Melayu kerana mereka muda, bertenaga, terpelajar, kreatif dan memiliki kebolehan untuk bergerak secara teratur (organised). Lihat sahaja pergerakkan pemuda parti politik, pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, persatuan dan kelab yang digerakkan mereka – semuanya aktif dan progresif. Penulis percaya, jika golongan pertengahan Melayu sedar dan komited kepada agenda Melayu, idea dan konsep yang tidak pernah terfikir oleh generasi terdahulu mampu dilaksanakan dengan efektif.
Kedudukan golongan agamawan adalah tinggi dimata orang Melayu. Kata-kata dan nasihat mereka ditagih dan dipatuhi. Ini menempatkan mereka pada kedudukan yang ideal untuk merubah pemikiran orang Melayu. Disamping mengajar ilmu agama, para uztaz boleh membuka minda Melayu (yang juga umat Islam) tentang kedudukan dan cabaran masa depan. Seperti yang diperkatakan di awal penulisan, agenda Melayu selari dengan tuntutan agama yang menekankan soal muamalat, iaitu hubungan sesama manusia. Ya, kerendahan akhlak belia Islam disebabkan kurangnya ilmu agama. Tetapi, faktor kesempitan sosio-ekonomi juga memberi impak kepada keruntuhan moral, rempit, pergaulan bebas, perzinaan, buang bayi dan sebagainya. Bukankah kemiskinan (isu sosio-ekonomi) membawa kepada kekufuran? Maka, bagi penulis, golongan agamawan juga bertanggungjawab dalam menyedarkan orang Melayu tetang kewajipan memajukan bangsanya.
Jerih kesusahan mempengaruhi psikologi dan pemikiran golongan miskin. Bagi mereka, fokus utama ialah mengisi perut ahli keluarga yang kelaparan. Tiada apa yang lebih penting dari asas kehidupan itu. Masa depan bangsa, kedudukan politik dan persaingan global bukanlah keutamaan bagi mereka. Sebab itulah kerajaan mengekalkan Melayu dalam kemiskinan, kerana menjelang pilihan raya, undi Melayu mudah diraih melalui pemberian-pemberian picisan. Sekampit beras, payung, topi, t-shirt adalah kemewahan bagi mereka. Inikan pula wang tunai seperti BR1M.  Daripada memberi wang tunai (atau topi dan tshirt), initiatif-initiatif seperti pembiayaan kos pendidikan anak-anak, modal perniagaan, latihan kemahiran, bantuan baja, jaring dan seumpamanya, dapat menjana pendapatan dan lebih bermakna.

Agenda Melayu terhasil dari kesepakatan dan usaha kolektif orang Melayu

Sebagai kesimpulan, agenda Melayu adalah perihal mental yang bertunjangkan kesedaran dan aspirasi setiap minda Melayu untuk memajukan bangsanya. Buat masa ini, cabaran utama adalah menyedarkan orang Melayu yang sedang leka.
Adalah menjadi harapan penulis agar orang Melayu kembali bersatu – membela nasib dan masa depan bangsa – secara berdikari – tanpa bergantung kepada kerajaan – ataupun berlaku zalim kepada kaum-kaum lain.
Wallahu a’lam

Understand aspirations of M’sians, Mr Barack Obama!

An open letter from Dennis Ignatius

Dear Mr President,

It has been widely reported that you won’t be meeting Malaysia’s Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim during your visit to Malaysia that begins tomorrow.

If this is indeed true, it would be an astonishing betrayal by a country that has often portrayed itself as a world champion of democracy and human rights.

It also sends an unmistakable signal to corrupt and abusive governments everywhere that disrespect human rights. The curtailing of democratic governance will be overlooked in exchange for pro-American policies.

Mr President, you should re-read the US Declaration of Independence and remind yourself of American’s guiding principles, particularly the part about being endowed “with certain unalienable Rights… [including] Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The inalienable rights of Malaysians are under threat today, as never before. All democratic nations should therefore be rightly be concerned.

If such rights are only for Americans, America has no right to claim moral leadership in the world, but if they be for all men, as America’s founding fathers clearly intended, you, Mr President, have a moral obligation to passionately affirm and defend them, both in word and deed, wherever you go.

It cannot be that you are unaware of what is going on in Malaysia – the corruption and abuse of power, the tainted elections, the harassment and jailing of opposition leaders, the racial and religious incitement, the intolerance of dissent and the narrowing of our democratic space.

No, one has to reach the unhappy conclusion that you have chosen to remain silent, to close your eyes, to shut your ears to what’s going on in order to maintain good relations with the Najib Abdul Razak Administration, for political and economic gains and strategic advantages.

Moderate Islamic democracy?

To provide yourself with political cover, your administration has taken to referring to Malaysia as a “moderate Islamic democracy”. That is nothing more than a chimera built on Malaysian government propaganda.

In the first place, there is no such thing as an “Islamic” democracy or a “Christian” democracy for that matter; a nation is either democratic or it is not. And increasingly, we, Malaysia, are not.

Of course, the majority of our people are Muslim and proud of it. However, that does not make us an Islamic state. If you care to study our constitution, you will find that we are, constitutionally, a secular state.

Listen to what our founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, had to say when he read Malaysia’s proclamation of independence in 1957 in our name: “We will be forever a sovereign democratic and independent state founded upon the principles of liberty and justice and ever seeking the welfare and happiness of its people…”

Foreign leaders who refer to Malaysia as an Islamic state or an Islamic democracy, therefore, do enormous damage to our secular constitutional foundations.

As for moderation, Thomas Paine once remarked that “moderation in principle is always a vice”.

We don’t need moderation in the pursuit of justice or moderation in the number of people tortured and killed in our prisons ,or moderation in the fight against corruption or moderation in the harassment of racial and religious minorities.

These are not moderation, but vice. They are suffocating our democracy, destroying our freedom, undermining our institutions and looting our national wealth.

A government that exploits everything

All this to say, Mr President, is that the so-called moderate Islamic democracy that you speak of is simply non-existent. What we have is a government that cynically and opportunistically exploits both religion and the trappings of our democracy, which remain, to stay in power.

As for Anwar Ibrahim, whether it is convenient for you or not, he is the leader of the opposition. The multiracial and multi-religious coalition he leads (Pakatan Rakyat) won the majority of the popular votes cast in our last general election.

As your own State Department would no doubt have briefed you, only fraud and gerrymandering kept him from taking his rightful place as prime minister of our nation.

Anwar Ibrahim, therefore, has a greater claim to speak for Malaysia than anyone else. If you want to understand our hopes and aspirations, speak to him. Ignore him and you trample upon our long struggle to build a better and more just nation.

Whatever it is, you cannot come to our country and treat the parliamentary opposition leader in such a callous and contemptuous manner. It is like spitting on our democracy! It is like going to Myanmar and refusing to meet Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

Furthermore, given the persecution, harassment and recent sentencing of Anwar Ibrahim on trumped-up charges of sodomy in a trial that has almost universally been condemned, your refusal to meet him will be seen as an endorsement of the Najib Administration’s manipulation of the justice system to incarcerate a political opponent and stymie hopes for democratic change.

Remember what you once said, Mr President

You might as well be on hand to turn the key to Anwar’s cell and lock him up for what might be the last years of his life.

If you keep silent at this time, if you decline to meet him, you are as guilty of this travesty of justice as Malaysia’s government is.

Martin Luther King Jr., one of your own heroes, said, “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”

And, Mr President, you yourself once said: “When the United States stands up for human rights, by example at home and by effort abroad, we align ourselves with men and women around the world who struggle for the right to speak their minds, to choose their leaders, and to be treated with dignity and respect.

“We also strengthen our security and well being, because the abuse of human rights can feed many of the global dangers that we confront – from armed conflict and humanitarian crises, to corruption and the spread of ideologies that promote hatred and violence.”

During your visit, Mr President Barack Obama, you will have a historic opportunity to align yourself with the struggle for justice and democracy in Malaysia. I hope you will seize this opportunity, and walk your talk.

DENNIS IGNATIUS is a former Malaysian ambassador.

Kit Siang: Let thousands of Karpals rise - Malaysiakini

After his sedition conviction, Karpal Singh had uttered these famous words, "You knock out one Karpal, a hundred Karpal Singhs will rise."

His long-time friend and political colleague Lim Kit Siang recalled this quote during the memorial service held for the late politician, who was killed in an accident on April 17, in Kuala Lumpur last night.

However, Lim had a grander vision.

The DAP supremo wanted to see not a hundred but thousands of Karpals rising up to the fight.

"I promise to continue his fight... Karpal's dream is to uphold the rule of law, justice, good governance as well as a united and harmonious Malaysia... This will be our dream... and to make it a reality in the next general election," he added.

Lim also said millions are still grieving over Karpal's death and this reflected how great a man he was.

Nine years ago, an accident left Karpal paralysed from the waist down and he remained confined to a wheelchair until his death.

While most would break down when dealt such a cruel twist of fate, Ambiga Sreenevasan noted that the incident failed to dampen Karpal's fighting spirit.

On the contrary, the former Bar Council president and Bersih said: "He stood taller when he was in a wheelchair."

Speaking at the memorial attended by some 3,000 people, Ambiga also expressed her gratitude to his widow Gurmit Kaur and the couple's children.

"Thanks, Gurmit and family, for sharing Karpal with us, you don't know how much we depended on him.

"You have lost your Karpal, he was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. We have lost our Karpal, a good representative, friend and supporter," she added.

Anwar: Goodnight, sweet prince

Anwar Ibrahim, on the other hand, recalled his last telephone conversation with Karpal and remembered how the latter had once gently hit him in public which he (Anwar) regarded as an "affectionate slap of an elder brother on a younger sibling on the wrist".

"Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince," the opposition leader said, quoting Horaitio in William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he missed Karpal’s courage and strength.

"His constant reminder was, no matter you win or lose, it is important to fight and bounce back if defeated," he said.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu told the crowd that Karpal was a tame cat when he was with friends and family, but turned into tiger when fighting his cause.

He fondly described Karpal as "the lawyer of lawyers".

"Karpal had his own beliefs and principles, but he would bow to his friends and opponents if they could match his principles and beliefs in debates," he said.

Also present were special adviser of the United Nations representative for Timor Leste and wife of former actng DAP secretary-general the late Fan Yew Teng, Noeleen Heyzer, and national laureate A Samad Said.

The Myth of Malaysia's Moderation

The Wall Street Journal

by Andrew Khoo

 

 

President Obama should note the rise of extremism and repression when he visits this weekend.

When U.S. President 

​​

Barack Obama visits Malaysia this weekend, he will be the first American president to do so since Lyndon Johnson in 1966. Kuala Lumpur will seek to take advantage of the much-anticipated trip to showcase Malaysia as a moderate Muslim-majority democracy, a model of interracial and interreligious diversity heading for developed-nation status by 2020. It will present itself as an ally in combating arms proliferation and transnational crime, and friend of the U.S. in Asia.

President Obama should not accept this fiction or defer to the Malaysian government because of regional security concerns. Instead, he would do well to note the sorry state of its human rights and call for greater respect for civil liberties.

Since the last general election in May 2013, when Prime Minister 

​

Najib Razak's governing coalition was returned to power but lost the popular vote, racial and religious extremism has been on the rise. Pro-government extremist groups have responded to self-perceived slights and insults against the ethnic Malay majority and Islam by declaring that they are prepared to shed blood to defend their honor and sanctity.

These groups have made direct references to May 13, 1969, an infamous date in Malaysian history when race riots between Malays and Chinese led to killings in several cities and towns, and emergency rule. A 1996 fatwa forbidding the practice of Shia Islam has recently received renewed attention, leading to raids on and arrests of Shia adherents. Followers of the Ahmaddiya Islamic sect have also lately been targeted. Their prayer sessions and religious activities have been interrupted by Muslim religious authorities enforcing the state-sanctioned version of Islam.

A Malaysian Court of Appeal held in October 2013 that a Roman Catholic Church newspaper could not use the Arabic word "Allah" to refer to God. According to the court, use of the word was exclusive to Islam and not intrinsic to the practice of Christianity in Malaysia. Language has become a flashpoint in Christian-Islamic tensions. One Muslim group even suggested that using the Malay language to advertise an Easter concert meant that Christians were attempting to convert Muslims, which is an offense. The group openly questioned the very celebration of Easter, calling it un-Islamic.

Freedom of speech is also under threat. In an attempt to improve Malaysia's human rights, a coalition of civil society groups submitted recommendations to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights back in September 2013. In January 2014, the government called these "haram," or sinful, and declared the coalition unlawful.

Additionally, the government has renewed its use of the Sedition Act, a colonial-era law that makes it unlawful to "cause disaffection" against the government or the hereditary rulers. It has been used on everyone from politicians to social media commentators.

Clearly the public wants genuine reform. There was tremendous clamor for clean, free and fair elections in 2012, when hundreds of thousands risked tear gas, water cannons and arrest to participate in the BERSIH 3.0 peaceful protest in Kuala Lumpur. Yet the government has hardly been receptive.

Recent changes in legislation introduced by Prime Minister Najib Razak are the opposite of needed reform. They include outlawing street demonstrations, requiring a 10-day prior notification period for public assemblies, and introducing two-year without-trial detention orders, renewable indefinitely, for those alleged by the government to be involved in serious criminal offenses.

Individuals facing trial for unlawful assembly from the 2012 rally and subsequent protest gatherings have been predominantly political opponents of the Malaysian government. The most notable dissident is former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, recently convicted for sodomy, which many saw as a trumped-up charge.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has promoted Malaysia internationally as a leader in a global movement of moderation. But these actions show the government is anything but moderate. Mainstream newspapers, many of which are owned by political parties within the government, brazenly promote such double-speak. Those who dare to criticize put themselves at risk of vituperative attacks from extremist groups, police investigation and politically motivated prosecution.

President Obama needs to deftly use his public appearances and statements to demonstrate concern about what is happening in Malaysia –and to say what many Malaysians fearfully cannot. The usual mantra of moderation can no longer conceal the escalation of extremism and repression.

Mr. Khoo is co-chair of the Malaysian Bar Council's Human Rights Committee. He writes in his personal capacity.

MH370: Government To Release Preliminary Report Next Week - Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- The preliminary findings on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 are likely to be released next week, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"In the government's commitment to the unrelenting search for MH370, I have also commissioned an internal investigation experts team and the preliminary findings are likely to be released next week," he said in his Facebook account today.

Flight MH370, with 239 people on board, left the KL International Airport at 12.41am on March 8 and disappeared from radar screens about an hour later while over the South China Sea. It was to have arrived in Beijing at 6.30am on the same day.

A multinational search was mounted for the aircraft, first in the South China Sea and then, after it was learned that the plane had veered off course, along two corridors - the northern corridor stretching from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to northern Thailand and the southern corridor, from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean.

Following an unprecedented type of analysis of satellite data, the United Kingdom satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat and the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) concluded that Flight MH370 flew along the southern corridor and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth, Australia.

Najib then announced on March 24 - 17 days after the disappearance of the Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, that Flight MH370 "ended in the southern Indian Ocean". The search continues there.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pledged earlier this month that any data eventually recovered from the aircraft's black box would be publicly released.

On Wednesday, Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said they had sent a preliminary report of the incident to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the United Nations body for global aviation.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with CNN s aviation expert Richard Quest, Najib said there was nothing in the report that was embarrassing to Malaysia.

"I just want this team to go through it, but in the name of transparency, we will release the report next week, we will release it," he said.

Asked on what made him so convinced with the Inmarsat data, Najib said: "When I met the (search and rescue) team and mind you, these are the foremost experts in the aviation industry, they are real experts as you know.

"I asked them are you sure? I asked them again and again, are you sure and the answer was 'we are sure as we can possibly be'," he said.

Najib said the MH370 incident was very different from the Air France and the Silk Air incident.

"This is totally unprecedented. What do we have going for us? What is the evidence? The evidence simply lies with the pings, the handshakes that we have analysed. That's all we have," he said.

Thousands turn up at National Karpal Singh Memorial Service

Afghan security guard shoots dead 3 American doctors at hospital

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan confirmed Thursday that three American doctors -- including a father and son -- were killed by an Afghan security guard who opened fire at a Kabul hospital.

"With great sadness we confirm that three Americans were killed in the attack at CURE Hospital," said a statement posted on the Embassy's Twitter page. "No other information will be released at this time."

The shooting was the latest in a string of deadly attacks on foreign civilians in the Afghan capital this year.

Two of the dead Americans were a father and son, Minister of Health Soraya Dalil said, adding that the third American was a Cure International doctor who had worked for seven years in Kabul.

One of the doctors has been identified as Dr. Jerry Umanos, who practiced pediatric medicine at Lawndale Christian Health Center in Chicago, officials from the center said.

Dalil said an American nurse also was wounded in the attack.

"A child specialist doctor who was working in this hospital for the last seven years for the people of Afghanistan was killed, and also two others who were here to meet him, and they were also American nationals, were killed," Dalil said. "The two visitors were father and son, and a woman who was also in the visiting group was wounded."

The alleged attacker was a member of the Afghan Public Protection Force assigned to guard the hospital, according to District Police Chief Hafiz Khan. He said the man's motive was not yet clear.

"The shooter, who was not an employee of CURE, has been identified as a member of the security detail assigned to the hospital, shot himself after the attack," CURE Hospital said in a statement. "He was initially treated at the CURE Hospital and has now been transferred out of our facility into the custody of the government of Afghanistan."

"Five doctors had entered the compound of the hospital and were walking toward the building when the guard opened fire on them," Torkystani said. "Three foreign doctors were killed."

According to its website, the Cure International Hospital was founded in 2005 by invitation of the Afghan Ministry of Health. It sees 37,000 patients a year, specializing in child and maternity health as well as general surgery. It is affiliated with the Christian charity Cure International, which operates in 29 countries with the motto "curing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God."

The attacker had emerged from surgery in the afternoon and was in recovery at Cure International before being questioned, Dalil added.

The Afghan capital has seen a spate of attacks on foreign civilians in 2014, a worrying new trend as the U.S.-led military coalition prepares to withdraw most troops by the end of the year.

It was unclear whether the Taliban were behind Thursday's shooting, though the insurgents have claimed several major attacks that killed foreign civilians this year, an escalation after years of mostly targeting foreign military personnel and Afghan security forces.

In January, a Taliban attack on a popular Kabul restaurant with suicide bombers and gunmen killed more than a dozen people, while in March gunmen slipped past security at an upscale hotel in the Afghan capital and killed several diners in its restaurant. Two foreign journalists were killed and another wounded in two separate attacks.

The hospital shooting is also the second "insider attack" by a member of Afghan security forces targeting foreign civilians this month.

On April 4, an Afghan police officer shot two Associated Press staff working in the eastern province of Khost, killing photographer Anja Niedringhaus and wounding veteran correspondent Kathy Gannon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Saudi prince hunted endangered birds, Pakistan officials say

Karachi: A Saudi prince is alleged to have poached over 2,100 endangered and internationally protected birds in a 21-day hunting safari in southwest Pakistan's Balochistan province, bringing the focus back on the practice that has been taking place for long.

Last year in January, the hunting of endangered Houbara Bustards by members of Arab royal families in Pakistan had led to friction along the Indo-Pak frontier, with the BSF complaining about the firing.

Any firing near the border is a violation of norms and India's Border Security Force (BSF) had lodged protests with the Pakistan Rangers.

In the latest incident, Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud hunted for 21 days using specially trained falcons ? from January 11, 2014 to January 31 ? and hunted 1,977 birds, while other members of his party hunted an additional 123 birds, bringing the total bustard toll to 2,100.

These finds were part of a report titled 'Visit of Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud regarding hunting of Houbara Bustards' prepared by Jaffar Baloch, divisional forest officer of the Balochistan forest and wildlife department, Chagai at Dalbandin, Dawn News reported.

The hunting of the globally protected bird is banned in Pakistan also, but the federal government issued special permits to Gulf states' royals.

Permits, which are person specific and could not be used by anyone else, allow the holders to hunt up to 100 Houbara Bustards in 10 days in the area allocated, excluding reserved and protected areas.

According to a media report in November last year, the federal government had issued 33 special permits to dignitaries of five countries of the Gulf region to hunt the Houbara Bustard during the hunting season in 2013-14.

In an annual migratory trend, thousands of bustards from cold climates come to the desert areas of Pakistan and South Asia every winter.

The bustards, prized for their meat with purportedly aphrodisiac qualities, are hunted mostly by Arab royals who are traditionally enthusiastic hunters.

During 2012-13, the Pakistan government issued 12 permits for about 815 trained hunting falcons for the royal families of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar. Each permit allows a maximum of 100 birds to be hunted.

PTI

A month after ‘MH370 ended in Indian Ocean’, Najib not ready to declare aircraft, passengers lost

Najib has given his first interview on the disappearance of MAS flight MH370 to CNN's Richard Quest. - The Malaysian Insider pic, April 24, 2014.
 Despite the lack of leads in locating flight MH370 after almost seven weeks, Putrajaya is still not prepared to declare the aircraft and its passengers are lost, Datuk Seri Najib Razak told CNN in an exclusive interview today.

The prime minister told CNN that Malaysia was still not prepared to declare the 239 aboard the aircraft are dead out of respect for the next of kin.

"At some point in time I would be, but right now I think I need to take into account the feelings of family and loved ones of the passengers.

"Some of them have said publicly that they are not willing to accept it until they find hard evidence," Najib told CNN in an exclusive TV interview with CNN aviation correspondent Richard Quest.

"Still, it is hard to imagine otherwise," Najib added.

Almost a month ago, Najib announced that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was believed to have ended its journey somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean.

The conclusion was made after reviewing data from British satellite company Inmarsat and the UK's Air Accidents Investigations Branch.

Najib told CNN that it was a bizarre scenario which was completely unexpected as a Beijing-bound flight, which left Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, ended up halfway towards the Antartica.

He confirmed that on the night when flight MH370 went missing, military radar picked up an aircraft travelling across the peninsula.

"No military aircraft was scrambled because it was not deemed to be hostile," he told CNN, adding the aircraft behaved exactly like a commercial plane.

On another note, the prime minister also told CNN that the preliminary report, which Malaysia had submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), would be made public next week.

On Wednesday, acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told a press conference that the report had been sent to the ICAO.

However, Hishammuddin did not reveal whether the preliminary report would be made public, sparking a furious reaction from relatives of passengers aboard MH370.

Usually, preliminary reports to the ICAO were made public and the secretive manner in which Putrajaya was behaving aroused suspicion.

CNN reported that in most cases, if the report was not a controversial document, it was normally made public.

"It is a statement of facts, what actually happened," CNN reported, adding that any controversial or difficult facts could be redacted.

Najib, however, told CNN today that Putrajaya will release its preliminary report on the plane's disappearance.

"I have directed an internal investigation team of experts to look at the report, and there is a likelihood that next week we could release the report," Najib said.

Later in the interview, he gave a more definitive statement, saying the report will be released next week.

On CNN's International Report programme following the interview, Quest said he had an open and frank discussion with Najib.

"Let me make it absolutely clear that the prime minister's people gave us no instructions whatsoever. CNN were not given any restrictions or guidelines.

"We were told 'ask whatever you want, but just also ask about what he (Najib) thinks about Obama's visit'," Quest told programme host Wolf Blitzer.

The search for MAS flight MH370 enters its 49th day with still no sign of debris nor wreckage of the Boeing 777 aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has also now become the longest search in modern passenger-airline history. The previous record was the 10-day search for a Boeing 737-400 operated by Indonesia’s PT Adam Skyconnection Airlines, which went missing off the coast of that country’s Sulawesi island on January 1, 2007.– April 24, 2014.

Doctors balk at 'surgeon-assisted' hudud plan - Malaysiakini

 

 The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed “shock” over a report that the Kelantan government will order surgeons to conduct amputations of limbs if it succeeds in implementing hudud.

Its president, Dr NKS Tharmaseelan (right), said amputating the limb of any convicted criminal under goes "against medical ethics and practice".

Tharmaseelan said doctors have also been advised by the World Health Organisation not to witness or certify caning or the whipping of criminals, and amputations are “far more serious”.

"I implore upon the Kelantan government to rethink getting surgeons to do the ‘menial’ task of implementing a law that goes against medical ethics and practice.

"Personally, I am totally against any law that requires disfigurement...

"Asking a surgeon to perform amputation is far more serious and definitely is opposed by the MMA," he told Malaysiakini.

'Doctors trained to treat and cure'

Tharmaseelan said that doctors are trained to care, treat and cure, and must obtain consent from patients, even if they are criminals. Failure to do so will be a breach of ethics.

As such, he said, MMA will lodge a report against any doctor who participates in hudud amputation by lodging a report against him or her with the Malaysian Medical Council for breach of ethics.

“This may lead to him or her being expelled from the medical register as a doctor. The MMA will also take action against the doctor, and expel him or her from the association,” Tharmaseelan said.

Bernama yesterday quoted Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah as saying that the state plans to engage the services of surgeons to amputate criminals convicted under hudud, if it is implemented in the state next year.

“Once the punishment is meted out, the convict can return home without having to go through other punishments, such as imprisonment and so on,” Mohd Amar reportedly said.

Will Kelantan penalise doctors who refuse?

Meanwhile, Perak MCA chairperson Dr Mah Hang Soon also expressed outrage the Kelantan place, which he said would be an act against the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors.

A medical doctor, Mah (left) said that under the oath, doctors cannot do anything to willfully jeopardise a person’s health or render an able-bodied person disabled.

He also said that if no qualified doctor was willing to do the job due to risk of being taken off the medical registry, the state of Kelantan could end up engaging “quack doctors” or “imposters”.

Mah also sought clarification if doctors, anaesthetists, nurses and medical aides will be penalised by the Kelantan government for refusing to be involved in hudud amputations.

“Will there be enforcement officers standing inside the operating theatre, thereby increasing the risk of infection or possibility of any errors given the insurmountable pressure heaped on the medical team?

“Should not the operating theatre be prioritised for patients requiring surgeries rather than be wholly occupied to punish people deemed criminals for petty thefts under hudud law?” he asked.

The PAS-led Kelantan government, via PAS parliamentarians, plans to table a private member's Bill in the Dewan Rakyat as early as June to pave the way to implement hudud in Kelantan.

There are opposing views on the matter, but some legal experts argue that a constitutional amendment is required to allow the implementation of hudud at state level.

This is because hudud penalties are beyond what a state is allowed to mete out for criminal offences according to the federal constitution.

Taiping MIC leaders under probe

An Indian based association lodged a police report against three local MIC leaders, one a district councillor, allegedly for being involved in criminal breach of trust.

PETALING JAYA: A local district councillor is among three MIC leaders being investigated by the police on claims of being involved in criminal breach of trust (CBT).

An Indian-based association from Taiping lodged a police report against the MIC leaders on April 16, alleging that the trio had withdrawn RM100,000 from its bank account, without the knowledge of its committee members.

The district councillor mentioned in the report also sits as a committee member in the association.

FMT learnt that the fund was given to the association by the government early this month to conduct welfare and educational programmes for the local Indian community.

When contacted, Taiping district police chief Yusuf Mohd Diah confirmed receiving the report and said the police were in the midst of investigating the matter

“We still in the preliminary process. We will come out with a proper report very soon,” he added.

Jika kerajaan sokong Sri Lanka, kami sokong Israel

Di mana maruah Najib sebagai seorang Islam apabila ada rakyat Sri Lanka beragama Islam turut ditindas di sana?

PETALING JAYA: Masyarakat Tamil Malaysia akan terus membenci kepimpinan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak jika beliau terus menyokong tindak-tanduk kerajaan Sri Lanka, kata Presiden Tamilar Progressive Team, A Kalaimugilan.

Tamilar Progressive Team, sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan isu pendidikan dan hak asasi manusia.

Kalaimugilan bertanya kenapa kepimpinan Najib dan kerajaan Barisan Nasional melihat Liberation of Tamil Tiger Eelam (LTTE) sebagai pengganas, sedangkan kerajaan Sri Lanka menghadapi pelbagai tuduhan pembunuhan etnik Tamil atau jenayah perang.

“Kenapa kerajaan masih menjemput Setiausaha Pertahanan Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa (Adik Presiden Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa) dalam satu majlis yang diadakan di Putrajaya beberapa hari lalu?

“Gotabaya kata LTTE terlibat dalam pengedaran dadah dan pengganas.

“Boleh tak Najib membuktikan dakwaan ini?

“Di Malaysia di kalangan masyarakat India 90 peratus adalah penyokong LTTE , termasuk saya sekali.

“Kami pernah menganjurkan pelbagai program termasuk ”Hari Pahlawan LTTE”.

“Kalau betul LTTE pengganas, kenapa kerajaan tidak mendakwa saya di mahkamah kerana menganjurkan program sedemikian? tanya Kalaimugilan.

Kalaimugilan berkata LTTE adalah pejuang bangsa Tamil dan juga wakil masyarakat Tamil sedunia.

“Najib sebagai pemimpin Islam dan memimpin sebuah negara majoriti Islam tidak ada perasaankah apabila masyarakat Islam di Sri Lanka turut ditindas oleh kerajaan Sri Lanka?

“Di mana maruah Najib sebagai seorang Islam apabila ada rakyat Sri Lanka beragama Islam turut ditindas di sana.

“Kalau kerajaan terus menyokong tindakan kerajaan Sri Lanka, maka kami akan menyokong kerajaan Israel.

“Kami akan menjemput Presiden Israel untuk program-program kami atau kami akan menyertai majlis-majlis dianjurkan oleh kerajaan Israel di luar Malaysia,” kata Kalaimughilan.

Kalaimugilan berkata sokongan masyarakat Tamil di Malaysia kepada LTTE samalah seperti mana sokongan masyarakat Melayu Islam Malaysia kepada pejuang Hamas di Palestin.

Fatwa Council and all things haram

There seems to be no end to its bigotry, from denouncing yoga, valentine's day and now RIP, which is used to express sympathy and sadness.
COMMENT

The country’s administration is in a mess and still, the ruling government continues to rejoice in demonising other faiths and uphold the superiority of Islam, which the Federal Constitution safeguards as the official religion.

From the threats to non-Malays to back off from using the word ‘Allah’ to the seizure of more than 300 bibles in Iban and Malay languages to the uncalled for Jan 2 raid of the Bible Society of Malaysia premises in Damansara Kim to condemning Valentine Day’s as the ‘root of all evil’, the Barisan Nasional government continues to display its pre-occupation with the persecution of the non-Malays.

The latest show of prejudice and discrimination against the non-Malays comes in the wake of the death of DAP’s former national chairman Karpal Singh on April 17. The MP for Bukit Gelugor died in an accident near Gua Tempurung on the North-South Expressway.

Karpal, who would have turned 74 on June 28, was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Penang to attend a court hearing in the morning. The country’s best criminal and constitution lawyer’s demise not only shocked the nation but the grief shown by the rakyat left the BN government red-faced.

Tears that flowed transcended racial boundaries. Devastated that the country had lost an outstanding fighter against injustice, Malaysians used the phrase ‘RIP’ (Rest in Peace) to express their condolences. But this touching farewell to a defender of the truth rankled the National Fatwa Council.

It promptly reminded Muslims that they are not encouraged to use the phrase to a non-Muslim because of its Christian connotations. In a statement on its website, the council said Muslims could express their condolences but it had a bone to pick with ‘RIP’, claiming that it was a form of prayer used by Christians during the 18th century and regularly engraved on tombstones.

“Condolences can be expressed to a non-Muslim families as long as there are no religious implications,” it said.

Justifying its ruling, the council said RIP was an assumption that the non-Muslim person would receive God’s blessings.

“It is similar to the Latin prayer of ‘May his soul and the souls of all the departed faithful by God’s mercy rest in peace’. From an Islamic point of view, a person who has died in blasphemy will not receive God’s forgiveness and blessings,” said the council.

Council’s Malay agenda

The outrageous claim did not end there. The council went on to say that it hinged on the intentions of the individual saying ‘RIP’.

“Wishes such as ‘I sympathise with what has happened to you’ or ‘we express our sadness at the loss in your family’ are allowed. However, a Muslim is definitely not encouraged to wish a non-Muslim person ‘Rest in Peace’,” the council said.

Has the National Fatwa Council stooped to an all-time low, given its hapless agenda of pushing Malay supremacy at the expense of the peace and tranquility Malaysians of different faiths once enjoyed? After all, it was the council which supported the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s raid of BSM.

But then just about everything is haram or prohibited as far as the council goes. In 2008, the National Fatwa Council declared that the ancient Hindu practice of yoga was banned to Muslims. The council’s excuse – yoga involved chanting of mantras and acts of worship.

This move was condemned by Muslim practitioners and instructors of yoga who clarified there was nothing religious about the way yoga was practised. It prompted the council to defer its move to deem yoga haram for Muslims.

In 2012, the council ruled that foreign exchange trading (Forex trading) was forbidden for Muslims, the excuse that it was against Islamic law and created confusion among Muslims. Still, the council never shies away from pushing the envelope when it comes to the Malay agenda, even if it means trampling on the people’s fundamental rights.

Two months ago, the council demanded the government take action against the pro-human rights movement, Coalition of Malaysian Non-governmental Organisations (Comango) which it claimed was trying to destroy Islam in the country. There seems to be no stopping the council and its bigotry – little wonder then why Malaysia and her children continue to suffer from an ‘identity crisis’.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

MMA against surgeons doing hudud amputation

The association's president says the Kelantan proposal goes against medical ethics.

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has declared its opposition to a Kelantan government suggestion that qualified surgeons be appointed to amputate the limbs of convicted thieves under its proposed hudud legislation.

In a press statement released today, MMA president Dr NKS Tharmaseelan said the suggestion went against traditional medical ethics.

He said medical and health professionals had been trained since ancient times to cure and care, and to treat their patients with benevolence even if they happened to be criminals.

He added that MMA would “certainly make an official complaint“ to the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) against any doctor conducting the amputation even if he was forced to do so by the state.

“This may lead to him being expelled from the medical register as a doctor.”

He noted that under World Health Organisation guidelines it is considered unethical for doctors to even witness the whipping of criminals.

The suggestion that surgeons be appointed to execute amputation came yesterday from Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who heads the state’s Hudud Technical Committee.

Perak MCA has also reacted to Mohd Amar’s statement. It chairman, Dr Mah Hang Soon, said in a press release that he was appalled by the suggestion.

He invoked the Hippocratic Oath, by which physicians swear to uphold professional ethical standards.

“They are trained to rescue lives, cure ailments and heal injuries, not the contrary of carrying out any surgeries that will endanger the health or forcibly render a healthy able-bodied person disabled,” he said.

“Should not the operating theatre be prioritised for patients requiring surgery rather than for punishing people deemed criminal under hudud?”

He said the Kelantan proposal was unjust to doctors because they would be penalised by the state if they disobeyed the order to amputate, and by the MMC if they obeyed.

Karpal leaves a ‘tough battleground’

DAP and BN agree that the Bukit Gelugor by-election will not be an easy ride as replacing the late Karpal Singh is tough.

GEORGE TOWN: Both the DAP and Barisan Nasional (BN) have declared that the forthcoming Bukit Gelugor parliamentary by-election in Penang as a “tough battleground”, albeit for different reasons.

Penang BN chief Teng Chang Yeow admitted that the coalition faced an uphill task to wrest Bukit Gelugor parliamentary seat from DAP, the state ruling party, due to high anti-BN sentiments in the state.

He reasoned that local anti-BN sentiments had not watered down even nearly a year after the 13th general election on May 5, 2013.

He said Penangites were still critical against BN on certain pressing national issues, which he did not elaborate.

“The sentiment against BN in Penang has yet to shift since the last election.

“There are some pressing national issues that have yet to produce convincing arguments to be accepted by the people.

“Bukit Gelugor undeniably is going to be an uphill battle,” said Teng, when contacted.

Meanwhile DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s reasoning of a difficult fight was that the party may not be able to repeat the huge majority of 41,778 votes won by the late Karpal Singh against BN’s candidate Teh Beng Yeam of MCA in the 2013 general election.

“After all who can match the irreplaceable Karpal?

“For this reason, nothing should be taken for granted and there must be a concerted effort to bring out

the vote in Bukit Gelugor,” Lim said in a statement.

Candidature poser

DAP’s highest decision-making body, the central executive committee (CEC) would meet on April 28 to discuss the election preparations, including naming the candidate.

The party candidate will be discussed by the CEC and decided by the DAP candidature committee comprising Lim, his father Lim Kit Siang and party acting chairman Tan Kok Wai.

He also requested all party leaders to refrain from speaking to the press on the by-election to avoid distortion by the mainstream media.

Until then, Lim said he and Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow would be party spokespersons for the by-election.

Since it was elevated from a state to a federal seat during an electoral boundary delineation exercise prior to the 2004 general election, Bukit Gelugor has been the DAP’s stronghold.

The seat fell vacant following Karpal’s death on April 17 in an accident near Kampar, Perak.

Karpal won the seat in 2004, 2008 and 2013 general elections with an increased majority each time.

Speculation suggests that Karpal’s third son, Ramkarpal Singh Deo or his only daughter Sangeet Kaur would be picked.

Although candidature of Ramkarpal or Sangeet would give credential to critics’ argument that DAP was fast growing into a family political firm, insiders claimed that the party leadership, the central executive committee (CEC) would not be perturbed by it.

“DAP leaders consider the party is now in an unassailable position due to overwhelming Chinese community support,” argued a former DAP MP.

Under BN electoral formula, MCA will contest Bukit Gelugor.

According to Teng, who is state Gerakan chief, MCA has not finalised its candidate for the by-election.

Polling for the by-election is on May 25 while nomination is on May 12, giving contestants a 14-day campaign period.

In 2013, Bukit Gelugor voters comprised 61,112 or 74.49 percent Chinese voters, 14.48 percent or 11,880 Malays, 8,660 or 10.56 percent Indians and 0.48 per cent or 390 others.

Told to butt out on hudud, DAP MP fires back at PAS

(Malay Mail Online) – DAP will openly fight PAS if the Islamist party insists on trying to remove the constitutional safeguards that prevent it from enforcing hudud, Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo said today.

Criticising his ally for now claiming that it only pledged not to push for Malaysia to be declared an Islamic state, the DAP leader said PAS was disingenuous to say that introducing the Islamic penal code in Kelantan was not part of its commitment to the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact.

“That is a weak excuse to avoid the truth which is the fact that all along hudud was never part of the Pakatan agenda announced in 2011 which applies across the board,” he said in a statement today.

Gobind, whose late father Karpal Singh had been one of the staunchest opponents towards hudud and an Islamic state, also took aim at PAS for saying its allies PKR and PAS have no right to speak out against its renewed push to implement the Islamic law.

Reminding PAS that it made its gains in Election 2008 and 2013 by being a part of the tripartite pact, Gobind said Malaysians gave the party and its allies support as a whole that did not include hudud, rather than as individual entities.

He told PAS to expect “full, firm and open resistance” from DAP towards its attempts to introduce two private members’ bills ostensible aimed at removing clauses in the Federal Constitution that prevent it from enforcing Kelantan’s Syariah Criminal Code Enactment that is passed in 1993.

“The DAP will not be cowed by threats. We will continue to do what is right and speak up against hudud as it is clearly unconstitutional and against the Pakatan Rakyat agenda,” Gobind added.

Yesterday, Deputy Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had told PKR and DAP to stop disputing PAS’s aim of rolling out hudud in Kelantan, saying it only agreed not to push for the Islamic penal law at the federal level.

Today has seen a marked increase in acrimony between the two ideologically-opposed PR partners over their long-standing difference on the Islamic penal law.

Earlier, DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang also told PAS that pushing for hudud has never gained it significant Malay support; rather, he said it would have cost both the party and PR dearly had this been an issue ahead of Election 2013.

In Islamic jurisprudence, hudud covers crimes such as theft, robbery, adultery, rape, sodomy, making unproven accusations of adultery, causing physical hurt, drinking intoxicants, apostasy, and acts contrary to Islamic belief.

PAS announced plans this month to introduce two private members’ bills in Parliament to allow it to enforce hudud in Kelantan.

But in doing so, it again resurrected the on-and-off conflict between DAP and PAS that dates back to the 1990s and which had kept the two from co-operating for decades.

PAS’s attempt to push for hudud is not new. Previous attempts by PAS to table similar bills have been blocked by the BN-dominated Parliament and have never been voted on.

In all previous attempts, PAS had been frustrated by BN tactics to prevent any vote by employing a “talking out” tactic where BN MPs have been allowed to speak for an extended period of time to prevent such private members’ bills from even being debated. The filibuster-style tactic was frequently used when Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was still prime minister.

But Umno in recent times has openly expressed support for PAS’s latest bid, even as the Islamist parties allies outwardly reject or remain non-committal to its professed goals.

Hudud: Umno tolak, Gerakan ugut saman

(Harakah) – Sehari selepas Ahli Parlimen Umno Pulai, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed menyatakan secara terbuka tidak menyokong perlaksanaan hudud di Kelantan, hari ini Gerakan selaku sekutu Umno pula bertindak serupa.

Sekumpulan Pemuda Gerakan hari ini menyerahkan satu notis kepada PAS, mengugut untuk mengambil tindakan undang-undang jika Kelantan meneruskan hasrat melaksanakan Kanun Jenayah Syariah II (1993) melalui Rang Undang-Undang Persendirian di Parlimen.

Notis itu diserahkan ketuanya Tan Keng Liang bersama 12 anggotanya kepada Penolong Setiausaha Dewan Pemuda PAS Malaysia, Yusapiza Yaakob di Pejabat Agung PAS di sini tengah hari ini.

“Dengan ini kami memberi notis kepada PAS. Kami akan mengambil tindakan undang-undang di mahkamah untuk menegakkan perlembagaan persekutuan negara kita sekiranya PAS melaksanakan hukum hudud di Kelantan,” kandungan notis itu dipetik.

Selain penyerahan itu, mereka juga dibenarkan menggunakan ruang sidang tingkat bawah bangunan itu bagi menyatakan pandangan berhubung undang-undang Islam itu.

Semalam, Nur Jazlan berkata beliau secara peribadi tidak menyokong usaha untuk perlaksanaan hudud.

Katanya, usaha PAS mendekati Umno untuk menyokong perlaksanaan hudud adalah sia-sia kerana parti itu pasti telah melaksanakan hukum jenayah Islam itu jika ia menjadi satu keutamaan.

“Jika tidak, nenek moyang kita telah melaksanakannya (hudud) sejak lama dulu. Secara peribadi saya tidak menyokong ini (pelaksanaan hudud),” kata Nur Jazlan kepada The Malay Mail Online.

Walaupun menentang, Nur Jazlan berkata adalah hak Kerajaan Kelantan untuk melaksanakan undang-undang Islam di negeri itu, namun beliau mencadangkan PAS untuk mendapatkan pandangan daripada negeri-negeri lain bagi memastikan konsistensi dalam sistem perundangan negara.

Dalam pada itu, tiga ahli parlimen Umno telah menyatakan sokongan terhadap cadangan Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan untuk melaksanakan hukum jenayah syariah itu.

Mereka adalah Parlimen Ketereh, Tan Sri Annuar Musa dan Ahli Parlimen Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah dan Ahli Parlimen Tanjung Karang, Datuk Seri Noh Omar.

Selain itu, Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom juga telah berjanji bahawa pusat akan membantu Kelantan dalam usaha ke arah perlaksanaan undang-undang Islam itu.

Shakespeare's 450th birthday: Now all the world is his stage

The 450th anniversary of the Bard’s birthday on Wednesday will see an explosion of tributes and performances – how different to 50 years ago. Jonathan Bate explains how the playwright became a global icon

The 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth was marked by a set of Royal Mail stamps, a gala performance by the recently established Royal Shakespeare Company, a new biography by A L Rowse and a rollicking Anthony Burgess novel about his love life. Fifty years on, this seems like a modest commemoration. It was the Beatles and Disney’s Mary Poppins that were making the cultural running in 1964.

This week, by contrast, it is a racing certainty that every major news outlet in the world will have something to say about the Bard of Avon’s 450th birthday, which falls on Wednesday. And this is only prologue to the wall-to-wall programme of celebrations, productions, exhibitions and documentaries being planned for 2016, the quatercentenary of his death. Shakespeare has become a global icon, not merely a local heritage product whose presumed birthday conveniently coincides with St George’s Day.

At the time of his death, he was a much admired dramatist. But Francis Beaumont, who passed away a few weeks before him, was equally admired, on the basis of far fewer plays. The centenary of Shakespeare’s birth fell soon after the theatres reopened with the Restoration of the monarchy, following the period when the Puritans had closed them down for the duration of the Civil War. His plays formed a staple part of the repertoire, but those of Beaumont and John Fletcher were performed more frequently. Shakespeare only pulled ahead of the pack in the Georgian era. It was around his 200th anniversary, under the auspices of the great actor David Garrick, that he took on his status as National Poet and exemplar of artistic genius. He has never fallen out of fashion, but in the past 25 years or so his reputation has become truly stratospheric. In Britain and around the world you can see more Shakespeare than ever before. It may indeed be that his reputation has reached its high-water mark and can only recede.

At the time of the 400th anniversary, which fell in the interim between the closure of the Old Vic and the opening of the new National Theatre, there was only the RSC and regional rep. Now there is the Globe, a plethora of West End productions — Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet and Martin Freeman as Richard III hard on the heels of Jude Law as Henry V and David Tennant as Richard II — and an extraordinary wealth of smaller-scale Shakespeare by Propeller, Cheek by Jowl, The Tobacco Factory, Filter and dozens of other innovative touring companies. In North America, at least two dozen cities have a summer Shakespeare festival. Modern cinema has produced everything from a Samurai Macbeth to several Bollywood Romeo and Juliets.

What was Rumi talking about?

Sufi poetry has been largely misunderstood by modern pop culture.

Rumi's poetry has been understood too literally, says Ghilan [Reuters]

 

Sorry to ruin this, but when you read poetry by Jalal al-Din Rumi or any other Sufi figure's poems, the wine is not literal, and Layla is not actually a woman. It is quite a depressing realisation to witness great Sufis such as Rumi become reduced to drunkards raving about their current love partners or unable to get over losing their past ones. This is precisely what modern pop culture's misappropriation of Sufi poetry about love has done.

The reason we love poetry so much is because it is a venue where we let our imaginations soar. The best poets are ones that most people can identify with in some way. Poems that speak to universal meanings can be flexible in their applications to different contexts, thus becoming a place of solace for the readers. However, this activity becomes disingenuous when the poet and the context in which he or she wrote are manipulated to suit one's own projections. For example, Rumi's poetry can be summarised in one line that was recorded in pre-Islamic poetry: "Verily, everything other than God is a falsehood." But it seems that today, Rumi quotes are cited in the context of, "Verily, everything other than my girlfriend or boyfriend, including God, is a falsehood."

The misuse of Sufi poetry is symptomatic of modern culture's combination of materialism with self-spirituality. The theme that runs through the New Age movement is about experiencing the "Self" because it is the way to experience the "God" or "Goddess" within. As noted by Peter Pels in his 1998 article "Religion, Consumerism and the Modernity of the New Age", the New Age emphasis on self-spirituality is rooted in late 19th or early 20th century occultism.

It is a detraditionalised form of faith that internalises religiosity, turning an individual's reliance to be on "inner voices", and in turn rejecting any outside authority. The Self reigns supreme in place of anything external to it. It is therefore ironic that religious Sufi symbolism, which was used to express annihilation of the Self in the presence of the Divine, is now being used to express the elation of the Self in the presence of another's.

By worshipping the Self, the New Age movement gave rise to a form of neo-paganism, which survives through appropriation and consumption of religious symbolism. Given the individual nature of the consumption process, ultimate meanings intended from religious symbols are exchanged for relative experiences of Self-worship, which ironically render the symbols ultimately meaningless.

Moreover, given the tandem development of the New Age movement in popular culture alongside popular religion, it can be expected that popular misuse of religious symbolism will have an impact upon the religious. As religious symbols are presented outside of contexts they were created to serve within, they begin to lose their significance for the religious in an insidious way that desacralises the Sacred and grants sanctity to the secular.

The misappropriation of Sufi poetry can be seen as resulting of unfamiliarity with how Sufis made their indications. For example, the intoxication of wine refers to the loss of one's sense of rational self in the sea of Divine Love. The tavern is the experience of being overwhelmed from being surrounded by Divine Presence. Layla is an Arabic female name that linguistically refers to the darkest night of the month, and in Sufi poetry refers to the hidden realm that lies behind outward appearances of this world.

A Sufi line of poetry that talks about becoming intoxicated from a single sip of wine served in the tavern before Layla appearing naked, is not talking about getting drunk and losing one's mind out of love for a woman before proceeding to fulfil lustful desires after her.

The abundant use of metaphors and various rhetorical devices in Sufi poetry has polarised Muslim theologians ever since they began. Some of their statements taken literally are in direct contradiction with basic foundational beliefs and practises in Islam. This polarisation was exacerbated with Sufi symbolism that would invariably lead to misinterpretations if one were not familiar with it.

Wine, tavern, and Layla are among the recurring symbols that in popular culture are understood at the literal level first before they are taken as metaphors. However, as many Sufi poets and saints have warned, their poetry begins at the metaphoric level to indicate literal meanings other than what first comes to mind, all of which revolve around the Divine. It is interesting to note that out of fear of misappropriating their symbols, various Sufi figures have warned against reading their works without the guidance of a teacher.

It is not uncommon to find within the Sufi tradition phrases like: "We are a people of metaphors, not of literalism," and "Metaphors for us are what literalism is for others." For this reason Al-Ghazali (c. 1056-1111 AD) said that no one has attempted to explain the essence of what Sufis talk about except that they fall into explicit error. He also said, "Know that the wonders of the heart are outside of sensory experience."

Hence, if one seeks to gain a closer understanding about what Rumi and other Sufi poets were talking about, they must suspend their own material and worldly projections and put such poetry in its proper metaphysical context.

In a culture of materialism and illusory appearances, Rumi and other Sufi poets' works are meant to serve as indications that there is something more than what we experience with our senses. Their poetry was not about escapism through intoxication or loss of self-awareness for the sake of another material being. Rather, their message was to serve as reminders about the Formless Being by which all forms come into existence.

When Rumi speaks about the love of lovers, he refers not only to the love they share between each other, but about the love they both share towards the Being that transcends their beings. In this, the lovers become united as they share a common desire to transcend beyond each other's sense of Self and Self-worship. Unless this is appreciated, the depths of Rumi's words will not be realised, as they should, and we risk the complete loss of their significance.

Mohamed Ghilan is a neuroscience PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, Canada, and a student of Islamic jurisprudence.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.

The night we lost our moral compass

Karpal arguing with the Speaker of the Penang State Legislative Assembly on Dec 22, 1981 following his eviction from the House

AS the tributes poured in for Karpal Singh I detached myself from the out-pouring of grief to become an observer, not a mourner hoping that this will enable me to be more objective when I pen my thoughts.

I also took my time as I did not want to be influenced by the emotions of the moment so I could present an unadulterated perspective of this man’s life and work.

However, I will tell you right now that I am going to fail miserably.

This is because I too as many Malaysians do, feel that we have lost our moral compass. Karpal after all was the only politician who called a spade a spade, unafraid of what it may do to his political career.

Who is going to roar his disapproval when we go down the wrong path? Who is going to rap our knuckles when we step out of line?

He was our conscience. Yes he was a politician but for Karpal politics was merely a tool for the cause.

He does not belong to the DAP. He belongs to all of us who subscribe to his ideals of justice and fairness.

"If you have no principles, you have nothing," the Tiger growled when I last interviewed him at his practice in Jalan Pudu Ulu in August.

"You have to make a stand and stick by it even if it makes you unpopular," he said, in between sips of tea from a cup held by Michael Cornelius – Karpal’s loyal aide who died in the same accident that robbed us of his Boss.

While many politicians had to eat their words, Karpal always put his money where his mouth is, always sticking by his principles even if it meant going after his senior DAP colleagues when they crossed the line.

Asked about his public reprimand of his senior party colleagues and if it was prudent politics to do so, he said what was important was to assure the people that the party sticks to its principles.

Hence when the DAP endorsed party hoppers from Barisan Nasional when the party had made a stand against such practices, he took his comrades to task.

"It is a betrayal of the electorate," said Karpal who had championed a law to penalise party-hopping.

"This is not the way we want to win elections."

Much has been written about his prowess as a lawyer, his crusade against the death penalty, his battles in Parliament, the hostility between him and his arch “nemesis” Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who at the end also conceded that Karpal had contributed to the nation.

However those privileged enough to know him outside the courtroom or the Dewan Rakyat will attest that he reserves his roar only for those who deserve it.

Otherwise, Karpal was a gentle soul who was kind to the Press and ever obliging to his numerous “fans” who would walk up to him for a handshake or selfie.

He generally spoke softly yet convincingly about his concerns for the country we are leaving behind for the next generation.

He was worried about the dearth of younger leaders.

While talking about future leaders, he suddenly stopped mid-way and told this interviewer: "Even you! You should think about it."

I laughed it off as a joke only to have the glare of the Tiger upon me: "I’m serious."

I turned him down, saying meekly that I’d make a lousy politician.

"No one is asking you to be a politician! Just stick to your principles!"

Principled to the end

My sessions at his office were few but each time I met him there he would give more than the one hour I’d request. Hence we would end up talking for hours, where I’d end up helping Michael to close up the office and wheel his boss to a waiting car – usually driven by his son Ramkarpal, who had survived the accident that killed his father.

During our meeting Karpal would pull out his books, letters he wrote to the likes of Mahathir and the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong for clemency for a client on death row.

He would speak regretfully of being unable to save some of his clients – notably Australian Kevin Barlow who was hanged for drug trafficking in 1986.

"He was caught in a bad situation and got fixed. They should have commuted his sentence," said the crusader against the mandatory death penalty who had dedicate his autobiography “Karpal Singh: The Tiger of Jelutong” which was launched last October to “The Executed”.

One of his favourite topics was the judiciary, where he named Supreme Court Judge Tan Sri Wan Sulaiman Pawan The, a victim of the 1988 judicial crisis as “one of the best judges we ever had”.

Ironically Karpal’s last court battle was just two weeks ago when he lost against a move to cite him for sedition and fined RM4,000 which would have seen him lose his Bukit Gelugor seat.

"I did not challenge the Sultan, I was just giving a legal opinion," he would say of the sedition charge he was convicted of for saying the Sultan of Perak’s decision to accept that the Pakatan Rakyat Government did not command the confidence of the State Legislative Assembly, could be challenged.

It may be a crafty way for the wily Karpal to get around a sticky situation, but the powers that be were not convinced, swayed perhaps by his numerous confrontations with royalty – suing the Sultan of Selangor for his refusal to pardon condemned persons; the Yan Di-Pertua Negeri of Negri Sembilan for a contractual matter and the Sultan of Johor in 1987 for assault.

Umno had demanded Karpal apologise to the Johor Sultan. In true form he refused. Six years later it was the BN who moved for legislation to clip the powers of the constitutional monarch.

His opposition to Hudud was consistent – but he was not anti-Islam. A fact that PAS spiritual advisor Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat acknowledged.

"Don’t play with the constitution" was Karpal’s last words in Parliament – a testament of how sacrosanct he believed the constitution to be.

"He opposed BN and Umno when it was unglamorous to do so," PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli opined.

Indeed Karpal took the lead and stepped up when others did not have the guts to do so.

"It was the right thing to do" was the only motivation he needed.

In his 45 years in politics, the only accusations Karpal ever had to fend off were that of being “anti-Islam” and “anti-Monarchy”.

He had been locked up on what some may say are “trumped up” charges. But the longer he spent in jail, the more popular he became.

No one has ever accused Karpal of corruption or conflict of interests. He is one of the few politicians untainted by scandal, also managing to answer to claims that he had backtracked from his 1997 statements on allegations of sexual impropriety against then deputy premier Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – who had since become a close friend.

"I have been consistent. I said these are serious allegations against a man who may become the next prime minister hence he needs to clear his name. What’s wrong with that?"

Fate was unkind to Karpal. For someone who had survived an accident that put him in a wheelchair in the last nine years of his life, and then to die in yet another crash is unfathomable.

His reward should have been a peaceful end surrounded by those he loved, after seeing some of his dreams realised.

The unprecedented scenes at his funeral in Penang are a testament to his service and the huge sense of loss. Everyone aspires to be Karpal Singh but few can live up to him. How many of us are willing to sacrifice family and freedom for a greater good?

His reputation as a person who stuck to his guns and the hero who stood up for the little man made him the icon he was in life and now, immortalised as a legend, where generations to come will speak his name.
It is incumbent upon us who subscribe to Karpal’s ideals to impart to our children the lessons the Tiger of Jelutong had taught us – to keep doing the right thing, even if it is the most difficult thing to do.

Terence is managing editor at Fz.com. He can be reached at terence.fernandez@fz.com and followed on twitter at @TerenceFnandez

Read more: http://www.fz.com/content/night-we-lost-our-moral-compass#ixzz2zpwVJ5HW

Don't Be Bound By Political Sentiments When Giving Advise, 'Pondok' Institution Told

ALOR SETAR, April 24 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak wants the 'pondok' institution (traditional religious schools) to be active as the voice of religious inspired advise without being bound by any partisan political sentiments.

The prime minister said Muslims as the bearers of the administrative leadership's trust always hoped for the opinions, advise and prayers of the ulama in carrying out their duties.

"This kind of situation is difficult to form if the advise that is presented is used for partisan political competition. The ulama must advice and reproach anyone but through a method and culture that is suitable with their authority and high position in Islam," he said when officiating at the closing of the 'Ijtimak Pondok Malaysia 2014' programme here Thursday.

He said it was hoped that pondok students would continue to play a role as the fort to defend the sovereignty and purity of Islam as 'ad-din' based on the National Constitution.

The government rejected any threats against the faith of Muslims and any attempts to break apart the people's unity, he said.

"We must also reject any movement or teachings that are in conflict with the Federal Constitution. In this context, we deeply appreciated the opinions and stance of the ulama and pondok students as well as non-governmental organisations in defending the sanctity of Islam," he said.

Najib said the reality was that there were certain groups with a liberal attitude, who openly and freely voiced out their stance without taking into account the feelings or sensitivities of others.

"Even though we know that Islam is the federal religion that is guaranteed in the Constituition, they continue to challenge and want to change what has been enshrined all this while," he said.

He said the government wanted to see the pondok teaching system to continue to be relevant and the ulama and pondok teachers given the due recognition.

At the function, the prime minister announced that the government would open 100 places for pondok students to pursue their education and training in their chosen fields at local institutions of higher learning, which will be fully sponsored by the goverment.

"Half of the total or 50 places, are reserved for pondok teachers who are qualified to go to Institutes of Teachers' Education, Pendidikan Islam campus in Bangi, Selangor and the remaining 50 students to local universities such as Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia in Nilai," he said.

He said application from qualified candidates could be made and processed through thr Yayasan Pembangunan Pondok Malaysia (YPPM), in cooperation with the ministry and universities involved.

Najib also announced a grant of RM500,000 to YPPM to search, obtain and conserve all old scriptures from within and outside the country.

Also present were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and YPPM Executive Chairman Datuk Dr Mashitah Ibrahim.

The two-day Ijtimak Pondok Malaysia 2014, which began yesterday, is participated by 1,300 participants, including pondok institution representatives from southern Thailand and Indonesia.