Penghinaan terhadap Tuanku Sultan itu adalah penghinaan kepada bangsa Melayu

Aspan Alias

Tuanku Sultan Selangor yang terkenal dengan imej seorang Raja berjiwa rakyat sepatutnya tidak di ingkari oleh DAP dn PKR kerana undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor jelas yang Tuanku Sultan mempunyai kuasa untuk memilih siapa Menteri Besar di negeri dan jajahan takluk Baginda. Tuanku telah begitu bermurah hati untuk meminta nama-nama cadangan dari setiap parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Baginda meminta setiap parti mencadangkan lebih dari dua nama untuk Baginda lantik salah seorang dari nama yang dicadangkan itu sebagai Menteri Besar. Kuasa melantik itu adalah kuasa Tuanku Sultan.

Melantik seorang Menteri Besar itu adalah kuasa Sultan bukannya kuasa parti-parti politik. Politik hanya menghantar wakil-wakil dari rakyat ke Dewan Undangan. Jika Tuanku yang berjiwa rakyat itu bersabar melihat kerenah pemimpin politik tidak ada sebab satu permintaan Baginda diberikan cadangan lebih dari dua nama sebagai calon-calon Menteri Besar itu tidak boleh di tunaikan.

Tetapi DAP dan PKR berdegil dan menderhakai Tuanku seolah-olah mereka ini mahu berdepan dengan Tuanku secara konfrantasi. Kadang-kadang saya bertanya kepada diri saya, siapa yang Raja?..Tuanku Sultan atau Anwar Ibrahim atau Guan Eng? Mohamad Sabu pun nampaknya lebih hebat dari Guan Eng, akan menolak pilihan Tuanku jika jawatan itu di berikan kepada PAS. Baru belajar berkeris selangkah dua sudah menunjuk-nunjuk kehebatannya. Mat Sabu perlu ingat setinggi-tinggi bangau terbang akhirnya akan hinggap kebelakang kerbau juga.

Anwar telah dianggap oleh setengah pihak sekarang ini sebagai rakyat berjiwa Raja. Apa yang disebut dan arahan beliau itu adalah titah. Jika Tuanku Sultan tidak mengikut kehendak nafsunya, itu dianggap sebagai derhaka Tuanku Sultan kepada Ketua Pembangkang yang banyak masalah itu.

Anwar seolah-olah memberitahu Tuanku, ‘take it or leave it’. Bagi Anwar apa yang beliau mahukan wajib dipenuhi dan tidak boleh mana-mana pihak termasuk Tuanku Sultan menyanggahnya. Semua mesti tunduk kepada beliau termasuk Raja.

Sesungguhnya Tuhan telah menyelamatkan kita semua termasuk Raja dari dihina dan diperkosa kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu apabila Anwar gagal untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri selepas pilihanraya yang lalu. Tidak dapat dibayangkan bagaimana PKR dan DAP menjerumuskan Raja-Raja Melayu jika Pakatan Rakyat memenangi pilihanraya yang lalu. Sistem Raja Berpelembagaan ini adalah sistem yang telah kita pegang sejak merdeka dan janganlah ada pihak-pihak yang tidak menghormati sistem ini.

Bagi rakyat yang insaf jangan lagi ‘dipatuk ular dari lubang yang sama dua kali’. Kita perlu menjauhkan diri dari pihak-pihak yang cuba untuk meruntuhkan sistem Raja Berpelembagaan ini dan sekarang kita telah mengetahui siapa dan pertubuhan apa yang sedang berusaha membunuh institusi demokrasi kita Raja-Raja Melayu ini.

DAP pula perlu melakukan pindaan kepada perlembagaan dan nyatakan dengan jelas yang parti itu tidak menghormati institusi Raja-Raja Melayu ini. DAP tidak boleh mengekalkan sifat ‘telunjuk lurus, kelengkeng berkait’. ‘Lain dimulut tetapi lain dihati’. Kita tidak mahu lagi mendengar DAP membuat ucapan terbuka menjunjung perlembagaan negara kerana apa yang dipraktikkan adalah sebaliknya. DAP telah menunjukkan belangnya dengan jelas dan tidak dapat disorokkan lagi.

Sekarang baru kita memahami setelah ISA dimansuhkan, mereka cuba untuk melakukan segala-galanya tanpa halangan dan bebas untuk berkata apa yang mereka mahu katakan secara bebas, lebih bebas dari haiwan di hutan. Jika keadaan ini tidak dihentikan terbit di hati yang akta hasutan atau apa-apa akta yang lebih ketat digubal untuk mengelak dari gejala perpecahan ini berterusan.

Budaya yang sedang cuba disemai oleh PKR ini amat menakutkan banyak pihak kerana politik kepentingan diri mereka sangat mahal harganya kepada negara dan rakyat. Untuk menyokong puak-puak ini kita terpaksa mengorbankan semuanya yang ada kepada kita dan negara.

Bagi saya, kelakuan yang ditunjukkan oleh mereka dalam isu Selangor ini adalah usaha untuk membogelkan maruah dan keunggulan Raja-Raja Melayu dan sistem yang kita pakai sejak merdeka dahulu.

Dulunya saya bersama berjuang untuk menghapuskan budaya dan kepercayaan untuk menghilangkan sempadan di antara kaum-kaum di Negara ini. Tetapi apabila orang Melayu sudah mahu memulakan perjuangan bersama itu, nampaknya keikhlasan setengah orang Melayu untuk bersama memadamkan sempadan di antara kaum itu telah diambil oleh setengah pihak sebagai kelemahan oleh kaum bukan Melayu dan parti yang dikuasai oleh bukan Melayu itu.

Secara halus usaha setengah pihak  sudah jelas untuk melakukan ‘displacement’ terhadap orang Melayu oleh setengah pihak. Jika perkara berlaku secara berterusan akan tiba masanya orang Melayu beragama Islam itu dipecahkan dan kita akan berbalah di antara kita sambil diketawakan oleh mereka yang berjaya memecah-belahkan kita semua ini.

Oleh kerana perkara ini telah jelas, saya ingin bertanya, siapa yang hendak dipersalahkan dengan kewujudan badan-badan dan NGO berhaluan kanan sekarang ini? Jika jawapannya ‘tidak salah’ apakah ‘consequence of events’ selepas ini?

Jika jawapannya adalah ‘salah’ apakah yang akan melindungi orang Melayu dari cengkaman setengah pihak yang jelas berlaku sekarang ini di Selangor? Takkanlah hendak dibiarkan sahaja pihak-pihak yang begitu bebas menghina orang Melayu melalui penghinaan terhadap Raja mereka?

Backer says he’s not guilty of racial slurs

Backer is alleged to have insulted and provoked a journalist from a Tamil daily.

GEORGE TOWN: Former independent candidate for the Bukit Gelugor by-election Abu Backer Sidek Mohamad Zan, 46, has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here today against a charge of insulting and provoking a journalist on May 12.

Abu Backer, a lawyer , pleaded not guilty before Judge Zulhasmi Abdullah, who fixed Oct 16 for case mention.

Represented by counsel Rosli Ismail, Abu Backer was charged under Section 504 for causing intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace.

The charge carries a jail term not exceeding two years, fine or both upon conviction.

Backer was alleged to have uttered the words “India pariah, Melayu bangsat dan Cina… saya pernah dengar perkataan Cina apa tapi sudah lupa” at 10.20am during the Bukit Gelugor by-election nomination day.

He is alleged to have angered a Tamil daily journalist D.Alappah at the porch of the Dewan Sri Pinang.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Razali Che Hassan, the state prosecution unit chief, read out the charge. He was assisted by Siti Fatimah Talib.

Judge Zulhasmi fixed bail at RM2,000 with a surety, which Backer posted.

Abu Backer garnered 225 votes in the four-cornered by-election on May 25.

Electoral debutant Ramkarpal Singh of DAP polled 41,242 votes to become the new Bukit Gelugor MP.

DAP to AG: Drop the excuses, arrest the culprits

Gobind Singh says MACC officers implicated in Teoh Beng Hock’s death must be hauled up immediately.

PETALING JAYA – DAP’s National Legal Bureau Chairman, Gobind Singh Deo had stern words for the Attorney-General saying he must arrest those responsible for Teoh Beng Hock’s death now.

In a statement he said, “…stop giving excuses and direct the arrest of those responsible for Teoh Beng Hock’s death without further delay”.

He expressed his disappointment saying, “They (AG Chambers) should tell us, have there been any action or arrests until now and if not, why not?”

He said a sense of urgency was needed since the case was already over five years old.

Gobind said, “The AG himself of all people should know that delays in any criminal trial would impact the quality of evidence which would be led in court. So he should not delay matters further.”

Gobind, who is also MP for Puchong said the AG’s statement that “suspicion however strong is not enough to support a conviction” was common knowledge and that he should instead let the evidence speak for itself.

Gobind said, “He (AG) should let a court decide whether or not the evidence, in particular the circumstantial evidence in this case is sufficient to support a conviction.”

He added, “With respect, the AG and his chambers should not continue to defend the indefensible in light of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.”

The Court of Appeal ruled last Friday that Teoh Beng Hock’s death was caused by persons unknown, including officers of the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) who were involved in his arrest and investigations.

Ban cheap liquor to quell social ills

Cheap liquor creates social and family problems as drinkers prefer to buy alcohol rather than provide for their families.

GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has called on the government to ban the sale of cheap liquor, commonly known as samsu, as it is a social menace causing fatal health consequences and a propensity for crime while destroying families.

CAP president SM Mohamed Idris said cheap liquor created social and family problems as drinkers often used their income to purchase alcohol rather than provide for their family.

“Drinkers become a nuisance causing family disputes, which leads to other problems like child abuse, marital breakups, domestic violence and suicides.

“At a time when the price of food and other household products keep escalating, this drinking habit exacerbates the situation by trapping drinkers into debt leading to other social ills,” SM Mohamed said.

“Those consuming cheap liquor tend to get involved in criminal activities like snatch theft, robbery, stealing, violence and gangsterism,” said Idris at a press conference in his office here today.

A CAP study revealed that despite numerous campaigns against cheap liquor over the years, various brands were still readily available across the country.

The study found that many liquor retail outlets had sprouted in the country with the full endorsement of the authorities.

Cheap liquor contains 20% to 42% alcohol and is sold in small bottles of 150ml at a minimum of RM2 per bottle. It is easily available in sundry and grocery retail outlets.

Once popular mainly among ethnic Indians, the CAP study found that cheap liquor had become a favourite among other ethnic groups as well, including foreign workers from India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Other findings showed that some retail outlets operate from as early as 6am and stay open for longer to woo more customers.

Idris laments, “Women and children bear the brunt of the alcohol scourge.

“Hence, a ban on the sale of cheap liquor will reduce social ills and alleviate the sufferings of women and children.”

Household income RM5,900 a month? Why it’s a lie…

Malaysian households earn RM5,900 a month? The problem about telling lies is that with time, the liar believes his own.

By Steven Sim

People say politicians often tell lies. But really more often than not, they give us statistics. What is the difference?

I’ll let Mark Twain tell you: “There are three kinds of lies; lies, damned lies and statistics”.

The latest statistics our government proudly brandished at us was the report that household incomes in Malaysia had surpassed RM5,900 a month.

This was presented by Abdul Wahid Omar, the former boss of Maybank roped into the Cabinet as “Economy Minister”.

Intuitively, most Malaysians know it’s a farce. Why?

Because many families we know, maybe including our own, earn much less than RM5,900 a month.

Because even the government proudly claimed that its cash transfer programme BR1M benefited 80% of Malaysian households. The only condition for BR1M is that a recipient household must earn less than RM3,000 a month.

Because as recent as September 2013, the government said that 82.5% of young Malaysians below the age of 30 earned below RM3,000 a month. These constitute more than one-third of workers in Malaysia.

Because according to the 2012 Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey (HIS/BA 2012), the bottom 40% of Malaysian households only earned about RM1,800 per month.

Additionally, while the HIS/BA 2012 already noted that the average Malaysian household earned RM5,000 a month, 50% of Malaysian households actually earned less than RM3,626 monthly.

How did this happen? Statistics, the art of telling official “lies”.

(Caveat: I love statistics because if used responsibly, they provide useful insights into reality.)

The Economy Minister used the latest HIS/BA 2014 which has yet to be published by the Department of Statistics on its website. Hence, I will use the HIS/BA 2012 to illustrate how he has cleverly used statistics to paint a rosy picture of our earnings.

Abdul Wahid used mean household income to demonstrate that we are already earning RM5,900 a month.

In the HIS/BA 2012, as mentioned above, the mean household income was already RM5,000 a month. This was basically arrived at by averaging the total income of all households with the total number of households.

As we all know, arriving at an average works well if the data set is symmetrical, i.e. if everyone has roughly the same salary. Otherwise, one or two greater values in the set will significantly skew the average from the other values.

We may just add a local twist to the famous anecdote: Bill Gates entering a workmen’s bar, immediately turns everyone into a millionaire. Similarly a minister like Abdul Wahid comes in to take an income survey and presents the mean income of the bar patrons.

On the other hand, the HIS/BA 2012 also reported that the median household income in Malaysia was only RM3,626.

Median gives a better picture of an asymmetrical set of data, that is, a set with values which differ greatly from one another. It divides the set equally into two parts above and below the median value.

Thus according to the HIS/BA 2012, 50% of Malaysian households actually earned less than RM3,626 monthly although the average income was RM5,000 a month.

Both are valid statistical outputs, so what is the problem?

If you ask me, the problem with such “dishonesty” is not so much about the government lying to us but rather the government lying to itself.

By patting its own back on the so-called achievements, the government has created a false sense of its own success, thus running the risk of ignoring the real situation and the work still needed to be done.

During my first parliamentary sitting in 2013, the same Economy Minister proudly told the House that because our country’s unemployment rate was below 4%, according to economist John Maynard Keynes, we can be deemed as having full employment.

Since then, I have been pointing out that such self-congratulatory perspectives continue to blind the government towards the real condition of employment in this country, ranging from high unemployment among young Malaysians including graduates to the issue of underemployment, from unfair industrial practices to gender discrimination in the job market, from our over-dependence on low-skilled migrant labour to brain drain.

Similarly, when someone with the stature of the Economy Minister says that we are already earning RM5,900 a month, the government risks overlooking the actual problems of low wages, high cost of living, high debts among Malaysians and income inequality.

Even with all the reports showing economic growth, we have failed in the last 20 years to achieve any significant improvement to close the gap on inequality.

According to Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni, Malaysia’s Gini Coefficient Index, which measures inequality (0 means perfect equality, 1 means perfect inequality), was 0.431 in 2012, one of the highest in the region, compared to countries such as Thailand 0.4 and Indonesia 0.37.

Thus, the problem about telling lies is not that others will be convinced, rather its that the one telling the lies eventually believes it himself.

Steven Sim is the Member of Parliament for Bukit Mertajam

Datuk Seri, please do the right thing

By Azrul Mohd Khalib | MMO

Datuk Seri Najib Razak, I, like many Malaysians around the country, support your call to repeal the Sedition Act of 1948.

There are periods in history when we are at the right place, at the right time and are called upon to act. To do what our conscience tells us as necessary because only we can. Times like these are few and far in between, when we are called to action to make right that which is wrong, heal that which has been hurt and practise that which we speak of. This is one such opportunity.

The 1948 Sedition Act is a piece of colonial era legislation which was born during a time when our penjajah, the English, intended to suppress dissent, maintain power and continue the oppression and subjugation of the people of Malaya.

It was intended to extinguish the flame of democracy which burned brightly amongst those who yearned for freedom and a better future for everyone in this country. It is an instrument born of fear, insecurity, is against democratic principles and aimed to tyrannise the ruled and to see and treat the rakyat as the enemy. It was used on the people who fought for this country’s independence.

It has been 57 years since the cry of “Merdeka!” rang seven times in the ears of all those present at Stadium Merdeka as tears ran down cheeks during that glorious moment.

How ironic is it that we have been independent for decades but continue to keep and utilise the tools of oppression and tyranny left by our colonial masters more than a century ago? Have we become today’s colonial masters who brook no opposition, no contrarian opinions and no check and balance?

Surely, Malaysia and the Malaysian people deserve better?

How can we call ourselves truly independent and democratic when we allow for the continued existence, use and abuse of such an unjust law against our own people?

Datuk Seri, you know as I do, that nobody is arguing for changes which compromise or threaten the security of the country.

Contrary to what the proponents of this law say and often deliberately misrepresent, Malaysia does not need this law to maintain its security and maintain the harmonious and peaceful existence which is our way of life. It does not make us a better people or a better government. Perkasa described the act as a “weapon” to aim at “traitors.” A weapon certainly does not promote national harmony.

What this Act does is to cultivate a culture and climate of fear, impunity, distrust and oppression where dissent and contrarian opinion are not tolerated or accepted, and even criminalised. Only extremists, people with selfish interests and those who jump at shadows and imaginary enemies or “traitors” will argue for its continued existence.

They are the ones who moan and groan of the inconvenience of democracy and prefer the authoritarian approach where might makes right. Where there is only one way. Their way. They are afraid of change, doubt the maturity of the Malaysian people and do not believe in a different and better Malaysia. They doubt your vision for the country, Datuk Seri.

Two years ago, when you announced the government’s intent and your vision to repeal the Internal Security Act of 1960 and the Sedition Act and later acted on the former, we saw hope of change for the better.

The mere act of being in disagreement or in opposition against the policies and actions of the government should never be considered either a crime or seditious. If a person cares about Malaysia, he or she will talk about both her strengths and weaknesses, warts and all. After all, what is democracy if not the right to stand up, speak out and stand for what you believe in without fear or favour. It is how together we build a better country.

But of late in the past year and these few months, many of us have seen with dismay the exponential vigorous use of a law which has resulted in activists, politicians, journalists and even academics being hauled up, accused and charged with sedition.

Far from being seditious and traitorous, many of them are in fact the very moderates which you speak so highly and are supportive of as being the bulwark against extremism and injustice in this country. They speak out in support or opposition because they care about and love this country. The extremists on the other hand seem to have a freehand, are unaccountable and act without fear and with impunity regardless of the damage, tensions and fear they create and cause.

Datuk Seri, we are concerned that even members of your own Cabinet, as recently as last week, have openly questioned or disputed, directly or indirectly, your vision of a better Malaysia without these laws. They have also tried to undermine the mandate given to the NUCC to help draft the National Harmony Bill to replace the Sedition Act.

A great change is at hand, and you are in the right time and the right place to make this happen, peacefully, constructive and of benefit for all.

The right actions are rarely easy or even popular. But it is the right thing to do. Let’s get rid of the Sedition Act of 1948 and be truly independent in deed and spirit.

Transparency pledge on new bill

The New Straits Times
by AZURA ABAS

PUTRAJAYA: THE government will be judicious and transparent in deciding whether to introduce the Harmony Act or retain the Sedition Act.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said sound judgment based on the collective views of all stakeholders would guide any decision to enact changes that affect the people, including on the fate of the Sedition Act.

“Have trust that the process will be done judiciously and transparently, albeit in a controlled environment,” he said at the monthly gathering of the Prime Minister’s Department here yesterday.

“As a result, the country will hopefully emerge more harmonious, formidable, stable and successful.”

Najib said the government would not compromise on the stability, harmony and unity that the country had been founded on.

“Whether we want the Harmony Act or maintain the Sedition Act, it must be done in a rational manner by introducing better laws as their replacement after obtaining the views of all stakeholders.

“As a government, we will not do things that can trigger uneasiness, uncertainty and worry in any community, be it the Malays or other races.”

Najib also called for understanding on why some communities reacted the way they had to certain issues.

“In this situation (referring to the Sedition Act), the Malays are more vocal about issues close to their heart such as Islam, the Malay sultans and Article 153 of the Federal Constitution (on Bumiputera rights).”

Najib said the government would not indulge in any decision that would upset the status quo.

“I want to explain this before things get out of control,” he said, adding that the government’s priority has always been the wellbeing of the people and nation.

On getting ahead amid fierce global competition, Najib said it was crucial for Malaysians to attain a global outlook.

“When the deputy prime minister brought up the move to make it compulsory to secure a pass in the English subject at university level, it is to prepare the people to be more competitive and driven for success.”

Najib said having a global outlook would push Malaysia ahead in the race to develop the nation.

Describing 2014 as a year defined by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and crash of flight MH17, Najib said Malaysians must learn from the tragedies.

“Who can imagine something happening on the other side of the world (Ukraine) can affect us here?

“What can we learn from the two tragedies? They show us that we are in a world that is hyper-connected; multi-directional and interdependent.”

Najib also pointed out on the importance of ensuring Malaysia’s economy continued to stay robust for Malaysians to reap the benefits, including the availability of jobs. The unemployment rate is now 2.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Perdana Putra complex where the prime minister’s office is located has been accorded a platinum rating in the Green Building Index (GBI) for being more energy efficient.

“In 2010, Perdana Putra had a building energy intensity of 138. Today, it has a building energy intensity of just 85,” Najib said at the GBI certificate award ceremony yesterday.

The GBI is Malaysia’s recognised green rating tool for buildings to promote sustainability in the built environment and raise awareness among developers, architects, engineers, planners, designers, contractors and the public about environmental issues and one’s responsibility to future generations.

After Perdana Putra building was retrofitted with green technology, the complex has reduced its energy intensity by 38 per cent; annual water usage by 40 per cent; carbon dioxide emission (33 per cent); and cold water (69 per cent).

“It is my intention that this project will become a catalyst for similar initiatives across Malaysia.

“Beyond Perdana Putra, I would like to see the entire city of Putrajaya transformed into a green, smart and connected city showcasing Malaysia’s economic and technological advancement.”

Present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.

More pressure on Malaysia’s rights record with UN seat

Malay Mail
by SHERIDAN MAHAVERA

There will be greater international pressure on the Najib administration to respect human rights and end its crackdown on dissidents if Malaysia gets elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) next month, rights campaigners say.

However, those being charged under the Sedition Act shouldn’t jump for joy just yet, says one political analyst, because a country’s human rights record does not count for much on the UNSC, whose members also include China and

Russia, both veto-wielding permanent members with worse human rights records than Malaysia’s.

But being on the world stage in such an influential body could mean that whatever Malaysia does back home will be under greater scrutiny as the nation “has to walk the talk”, said Bar Council member Andrew Khoo (pic, right).

“There will be even greater scrutiny of Malaysia’s human rights record than ever before,” said Khoo, who is the Bar Council’s human rights committee co-chair.

“You can’t just sit on the council and rule on international law and human rights transgressions and at the same time have an appalling record back home,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

Malaysia has been lobbying extensively for support in its bid for one of 10 non-permanent Security Council seats, elected for two-year terms by the 193-member UN general assembly.

At the same time, international rights groups have criticised the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak over the recent spate of prosecutions on opposition politicians and activists under the Sedition Act, which the government claims it wants to repeal.

Groups such as Amnesty International have said the arrests have created a “climate of repression” in Malaysia.

The crackdown has fuelled questions as to whether Malaysia’s bid for a seat on the council, which includes the United States, United Kingdom and France, would be affected.

Khoo believes that Malaysia had long ago started its campaign for a Security Council seat and the rash of arrests would not be enough to convince UN members states to rethink their backing for Malaysia.

Monash University political scientist Professor James Chin (pic, left) said Malaysia would likely get elected because of political considerations of UN member countries.

“Asian members want countries who they believe will speak up on their behalf. Also Malaysia is a country with very few enemies. It never takes a strong stand on anything. It only wants to be moderate.”

But Datuk Denison Jayasooria of Proham, a rights group made up of former commissioners of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), believes that developed countries might not support Malaysia’s bid.

“We have presented ourselves globally as modern and tolerant Islamic state.

“Freedom of speech is a fundamental human rights position and what the global community is against is not freedom of speech but violence and hate (speech),” said Jayasooria, who is Proham secretary-general.

“I think once elected into the UNSC, Malaysia will be obligated to meet global expectations and will be much more on the human rights watch list,” said Jayasooria.

“There will be stronger international pressure for what it says and does.”

A “credibility gap” between how the country acts and what is says on the world stage would have a negative impact, said Jayasooria (pic, right).

“(Malaysia) plays a major role in championing the course of Muslim minorities around the world and these kinds of crackdowns contradict the global positions Malaysia takes.”

An example of how amendable Malaysia is to world pressure, said Khoo, was how Najib had to change his stand on the militant group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis).

In June, Najib said Umno members should emulate the group after it defeated the better armed Iraqi army.

Najib has since come out with statements criticising the group, while the home ministry announced that it was actively hunting Malaysians who have joined Isis.

“I think his recent statements are aimed at an international audience and its shows that there has been pressure from the world community”, said Khoo.

Chin agrees that human rights issues do not figure much in how UNSC operates.

“The only time human rights enters into the Security Council is when it wants to censure a country.

“Malaysia’s human rights record will not be used against itself,” Chin said. – September 8, 2014.

'Romeo November Delta, Malaysian One Seven' Final Radio Transmission From MH17

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 (Bernama) -- The transcript of the radio and telephone communications regarding Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 showed 'Romeo November Delta, Malaysian one seven' being the final radio transmission from the cockpit of the jetliner which crashed in July.

Subsequent transmissions indicated air traffic controllers tried to communicate with the plane en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 298 people aboard, to no avail.

That final radio transmission made by the crew was recorded at 13.19:56 hours UTC (coordinated universal time) and ended at 13.19:59 hours, according to the preliminary report on the July 17 crash issued by the Dutch Safety Board today.

"Shortly after 13.20 hours, both Ukraine and Russian Federation (air traffic control surveillance) radar lost contact with the aircraft," it said.

It said prior to the crash, Flight MH17 was under the control of Dnipropetrovs'k air traffic control (ATC) centre (Dnipro Radar).

The report said Dnipro made a radio transmission to Flight MH17 which began at 13.20:00 hours.

"At 13.20:00 hours, Dnipro cleared Flight MH17 to fly direct to waypoint TIKNA...this clearance was not read back," it said.

The document said the crew did not respond to this transmission or subsequent transmissions.

From that time until 13.35:50 hours, Dnipro Radar called Flight MH17 several times but no answer was received.

"No distress message was received from the aircraft at any point in time by the ATC," the report said.

Communications between Dnipro and Rostov air traffic controllers indicated the silence they got after the last transmission from the Malaysian Boeing 777-200.

The report said the crew of another aircraft that was flying in the area was asked if they had Flight MH17 in sight or if it was visible on their instruments.

The crew of that aircraft, it said, answered in the negative.

The transcript showed that an air traffic controller at Dnipro at one point communicated this to his or her counterpart in Rostov: "Yes, it's (MH17 has) disappeared."

The report stated that Flight MH17 was flying in unrestricted airspace.

There were no survivors in the tragedy which included 43 Malaysians.

'Why different practice now in naming Selangor MB?'

 

Constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari has asked why there is a departure in practice in the appointment of the new Selangor menteri besar, compared to past practices involving Umno or BN, when they had the majority support.

Abdul Aziz said the present system is a constitutional monarchy, adopted after the country's independence.

He said prior to 1948, the rulers had absolute discretion when they were not constitutional monarchs.

However, following independence when the country adopted the Reid Commission report, the notion of discretion on the part of the Agong, the rulers and the Yang di Pertua Negeri, must be seen in the light of parliamentary democracy, he asserted.

“When there is a majority (in the assembly) no discretion exists,” said Abdul Aziz.

“The palace has accepted whatever given to them by the majority party, in the days of Umno-BN. The same should apply to Pakatan now,” he emphasised, warning otherwise a challenge on the basis of Article 8 of the federal constitution may arise.

Majority rules

He added the law is clear that majority is the rule, and that convention if there is any, is inferior and subservient to the law.

In any case, the former law lecturer said in Malaysia it is law, and not convention that regulates matters.

“The law is what used to be convention in the United Kingdom but here in Malaysia it has become law by virtue of it being codified in the constitutional provisions,” he said.

“Those days when the sultan could vet and scrutinise the MB's suitability, qualifications and others, are no more. It is now the business of the legislature, namely the Parliament or state legislative assembly,” Abdul Aziz said, adding the law and practice in Malaysia does not approve what was done by the palace today.

Abdul Aziz asserted that even if the sultan does wrong, there is nothing that can be done about it as he cannot be brought to court unlike governors.

“But he will go down into the history books and may not be judged favourably,” he warned.

112 NGO bergabung desak mansuhkan Akta Hasutan

Siswa usung 'jenazah demokrasi' tuntut mansuh Akta Hasutan

Ibrahim Ali: BN may lose my vote if Sedition Act abolished

MALAYSIA LESBIAN COUPLE ARRESTED BY RELIGIOUS OFFICERS IN HOTEL RAID

The two female Malaysian students could face up to three months in jail and six cane strokes after a sex toy was found in their room during a 'hotel raid' by religious officers.

BY DARREN WEE

A lesbian couple was arrested by religious officers yesterday during a raid of a budget hotel in Malaysia.

Nine officers from the Johor Islamic Religious Department raided their room in Johor Bahru at around 12.45am, the Sinar Harian newspaper reported.

One of the women answered the door while the other was naked in the bathroom.

The women, both students aged 20 and 21, were not initially suspected of breaching 'close proximity' laws but officers became wary when the women remained silent as they searched the room.

When a sex toy was found, one of the women admitted they were a lesbian couple. On further questioning, she said they had not yet used the toy, which had just been removed from its packaging after recently being bought online.

The women were arrested for lesbian sex under section 26 of the state’s Shariah law and taken to a police station for booking, then to the religious department's office for further action.

They could face up to three months in jail, six cane strokes and a fine of RM5,000.

Sisters In Islam (SIS) has urged the religious department to conduct a thorough investigation of the women.

SIS legal officer Rashidi Abd Rahim told the Raykat Post that the news report failed to show any criminal element and prosecutors had to prove that a sex act had taken place.

“Otherwise we will open the flood gates with people prosecuted based on an accusation,” he said.

He added that he hoped the women would be given adequate legal representation.

Choose Your Own Jihad: IS Recruits Western Youth by Promising Flexibility

By Siteintelgroup.com

The Islamic State's phenomenal ability to entice young Western Muslims to the battlegrounds of Syria has relentlessly made headlines throughout 2014, with the activities of these fighters raising threat levels around the world. As noted recently by SITE Intelligence Group Director Rita Katz, jihadi groups in Syria go to great lengths to target propaganda at Westerners and to encourage disaffected and idealistic young Western Muslims to leave their home countries for battle.

Complementing the sophisticated media targeting dissatisfied Western youth, online recruiters from the Islamic State (IS), formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), go even further in honing in on that demographic by promising that fighters can tailor their experience in jihad should they join with IS.

An appeal to leave life in the West, the promise of battle-type options to jihadi recruits amplifies the jihadi message that Western fighters partake in a physically and religiously satisfying experience—selling an idealized vision of the jihadi battlefields without the sobering lack of choices within in many organized military units.

The following messages shared by IS recruiters, spanning approximately six months, underscore the promise by IS English-speaking recruiters to the new members for battle choice, flexibility in occupation, and physical requirements.

One alleged IS fighter and recruiter under the name "Abu Dujana Britani" consistently promotes the message of flexibility throughout social media to motivate and facilitate prospective fighters. His activity throughout the year demonstrates that the boasted inclusiveness of the current IS appears to be part of a long-standing recruitment strategy, and one that pre-dates the group's rebranding into the "Islamic State."

For example, on March 27, 2014, Abu Dujana responded to a question pertaining to whether IS recruits must face the other major jihadi faction in an inter-factional conflict. The anonymous questioner asked:

....if a brother disagrees with an operation could he be compelled to do it (like fighting an enemy he disagrees fighting)‬

Abu Dujana reassured his questioner in no uncertain terms that IS recruits could opt-out of any battle that they are not happy with. On the second point, he wrote:

...no one is ever forced to fight, however if youre worried about fighting other muslims, we only fight them in self defence or to take back property which was wrongfully taken which is justified. But yeah you can choose to sit back, do ribat [guard duty] or whatever you prefer.

Several weeks later Abu Dujana again returned to social media to answer a question about whether IS recruits are allowed to "select what we want to do? Lie, a sniper... ribat, technician?" Responding succinctly with "Yes of course," Abu Dujana also strongly implied that individual fighters' preferences are given high priority.

The emphasis on fighter self-determination is not only portrayed by Abu Dujana; alleged IS fighters have also issued public messages claiming that the group accommodates its recruits' preferences. For example, on April 24, 2014 an alleged fighter who writes under the name "Mujahid Al Shami" noted:

In‪ #ISIS we try our best to put people where they are most comfortable in, thats why there are English, French, German, Russian battalions.‬

The message was reinforced throughout the summer of 2014. In a statement shared on July 1, 2014, an alleged IS fighter, under the name "Abu Farris," dismissed a question about whether concern about fighting other Muslims influenced his decision to fight for IS. He responded, in part, by emphasizing that not only did he follow his "brother" to Syria, but that he is able to determine the terms of his engagement:

... I chose where i want to go. The state doesnt force me to kill muslims, we work on murtads and kuffar may allah rectify our affairs

Abu Farris similarly underscored the impression of fighter self-determination in response to a question of what IS fighters do when they are bored. On August 4, he answered a question by providing a wide array of options, ranging from domestic bliss to police work:

if ur married spend time with wife urm you csn go masjid teach kids, u can give dawah [issue summons] to local citizens.. urm do police work, its ur khilafa u can do alootttt alhamdulilah [Allah be praised]

Online IS recruiters go to great lengths to portray their organizations as being inclusive of all backgrounds, experience levels, and even physical limitations. In one late-March 2014 example, Abu Dujana responded to an inquiry asking about the "standards" that the mujahideen have for their fighters, and specifically, whether the group "only let[s] ppl go to the front who they perceive as strong, or anyone who wants to go can go."

Abu Dujana responded expansively, claiming:

we [IS] have no physical standards whatsoever, people think isis fighters are some crazy well trained mercenaries, nothing could be further from the truth, we only have a small core of experienced fighters.

On April 23, 2014, an alleged IS fighter claimed on Twitter that there are many roles for people to play, even if they are not inclined to battle. The fighter, who writes under the name "MuhajirSumalee," stated:

Brothers, if you don't want to fight at least make Hijra feesabilillah. Doula [IS] isnt a militant group we need doctors, engineers, etc.

The recruiter Abu Dujana Britani also continued to urge readers to come on their own terms, even if they are unsure of their suitability for battle. Among the exhortations, on August 11, 2014, he shared a message assuring an alleged IS sympathizer who "is scared of fighting" but feels able to "cook food for the mujahideen" that he should still come to Syria.

The promises of a chose-your-own jihad appear to have limits, though, even for as enthusiastic a booster as Abu Dujana Britani. Asked by a fan if newly minted a foreign fighters can chose to fight alongside online jihadi celebrities, such as Abu Dujana himself, the recruiter demurred. After being asked "when i get to sham... and complete training will the amirs let me join your crew‬" he responded equivocally, writing:

Its a possibility. But also depends on my ameer [leader].

In conclusion, the degree to which IS recruiters in Syria claim that new recruits can determine what they want to participate in is a characteristic of the IS approach to luring young Western fighters to their conflict. This allows the groups to deter anxieties of potential recruits that might keep them from leaving their homes for battle.

The emphasis on recruit choice serves a pragmatic faction as well: it bolsters battle and jihad as being practically equivalent to an immersive summer camp experience to recruits who, though attracted to the promised adventure of engaging in warfare, may be adverse to the discipline and lack of autonomy inherent in joining a traditional military.

This messaging is consistent with the group's online efforts to systematically reduce both the perceptions and reality regarding challenges to joining jihad among IS's target audience of disaffected young, Western, Muslim men.

Al Qaeda Rebels to Try UN Peacekeepers Under 'Divine Law'

UK-based monitoring group reveals Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front rebels say they will put 45
captive Fiji troops on Islamic trial.

The 45 UN peacekeepers from Fiji who were abducted by Al Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front rebel forces on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights last Wednesday are to "stand trial" under sharia (Islamic law), according to a Britain-based monitoring group.

Rami Abdul Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that the commander of Al-Nusra Front has declared that the 45 peacekeepers will be tried under "divine law," according to Asharq Al-Aswat as cited by Yedioth Aharonoth.

It was revealed on Monday that the rebels issued three demands for the release of the peacekeepers: to be taken off the UN terrorist list, delivery of humanitarian aid to parts of the Syrian capital Damascus, and compensation for three of its fighters it says were killed in a shootout with UN officers.

In response, the 15 members of the UN Security Council on Wednesday demanded the "immediate and unconditional release" of the Fijians, denouncing their abduction "in the strongest terms."

The statement added that "there can never be any justification for attacks on or the detention of UN peacekeepers." Fiji has issued a similar statement calling for the release of its soldiers.

In addition to the 45 Fijian troops, 72 Filipino troops were surrounded by the rebel forces; however, the two units of soldiers from the Philippines managed to escaped over the weekend into Israel.

The Fijians and Filipinos are part of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) established in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire between Syria and Israel forces in the Golan, and oversee the implementation of a disengagement agreement.

The Israeli-Syrian border has been growing increasingly tense, as fighting between Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces and rebel forces has occasionally spilled over.

Just on Thursday afternoon the IDF returned fire on a Syrian army position after a mortar shell struck Israeli territory. Several mortar shells have hit Israeli territory in recent weeks, and the IDF shot down a Syrian drone last week after it strayed into Israeli airspace.

Hadi made unilateral decision on MB nominees after Azmin rebuff, says source

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's unilateral decision to nominate three Selangor assemblymen from his party, instead of those agreed to by the party as menteri besar candidates, was done out of disappointment, a source revealed today.

The source said Hadi was disappointed over PKR deputy president Azmin Ali declining PAS’s nomination for the MB position on August 17.

Hadi then took it upon himself to nominate three of his party’s leaders to the Selangor Sultan, the source said.

The source said Hadi wrote to the Selangor palace directly and bypassed the party’s central committee, its second highest decision making body.

“The letters were sent straight to the palace without having to go through the secretary-general’s office,” the source said.

After its central committee meeting on August 17, PAS announced that it was nominating two PKR leaders to take over from Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim – Azmin and PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

However, after a PR presidential council meeting later the same day, Azmin, who is Bukit Antarabangsa assembly person, declined PAS’ nomination.

Today, the party’s deputy president Mohamad Sabu admitted that the list of candidates which had been sent to the Sultan did not include Dr Wan Azizah’s and Azmin’s names.

Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali admitted that the party sent three names other than that of Dr Wan Azizah and Azmin.

Mustafa said PAS had sent the names of two other PKR state lawmakers and one from Selangor PAS. However, he did not reveal who they were.

This latest development could possibly strain ties between Pakatan Rakyat allies PAS, PKR and the DAP as they seek to resolve the prolonged Selangor menteri besar crisis.

PKR and DAP are adamant about wanting Dr Wan Azizah as the new menteri besar.

They have submitted her name to the Selangor palace along with the statutory declarations 30 Selangor law makers supporting her. This means she commands majority support in the 56-member Selangor Legislature.

The two parties did this even after the Sultan of Selangor had instructed the three parties to nominate more than two candidates for the post.

While PKR and DAP has stuck with just Dr Wan Azizah's name, there are reports that PAS has pursued its own course and nominated three names.

Differing reports claim that the Islamist party has submitted the names of its own leaders, while some say they nominated PKR leaders other than Dr Wan Azizah and Azmin.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/hadi-made-unilateral-decision-on-mb-nominees-after-azmin-rebuff-says-source#sthash.MoyPA2Sq.dpuf

Ibrahim Ali says 'no' to BN if Sedition Act ended

 

Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali is considering not to vote for the Barisan Nasional come the next general election if it decides to abolish the Sedition Act.

Although admitting that he was "not that influential", he said there was "no use supporting the BN if it becomes the same as Pakatan Rakyat".

Ibrahim (right) told a press conference this evening: "What's the use of me supporting BN if it wants full freedom and disregards national security?

"If the BN agrees for full freedom, it means that we should move our support to another party."

He pointed out that he had been supporting BN for its decisions that prioritise the national interest, although unpopular at times.

"People support BN not because they like the leaders but because of the policies.

"But if they want to liberalise everything, for so-called transformation, then their agenda will be the same as Pakatan."

As such, Ibrahim said, the  people were free to support anyone and there was "no point hanging on to the present government".

Ibrahim had earlier announced that the National Unity Front (NUF) was launching a campaign in defence of the Sedition Act.

This, he said, was in response to the Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee's #MansuhAktaHasutan campaign.

Ibrahim said that the signature campaign will tentatively be launched on Oct 18 at the field in front of the Sultan Sulaiman Club.

“We hope to invite leaders who have expressed displeasure against the repeal of the Act such as former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as well as former inspectors-general of police (IGPs).

“They know the history on how difficult it is to maintain national security,” he said.

‘It’s not a Malay agenda’

Claiming that the campaign was a matter of national security, he stressed that it was not a “Malay agenda”.

He pointed out how the campaign will also be launched by non-Malay NGOs: Pertubuhan Cina Era Baru Malaysia (Percisma) and the Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Amal India Baru (Perinbam).

He further claimed that they were embarking on the campaign as they were “concerned” that race relations will be affected if the Act is abolished.

Promising that they will conduct the campaign “properly”, he said they will not be like electoral watchdog Bersih.

“Unlike Bersih, we won’t go to the streets.

“This campaign is not about condemning others. It is just to tell the public why the Act should remain,” he said.

Signatures will be collected before being presented to the government. Ibrahim, however, did not give a timeline for the signatures to be collected.

He also rubbished claims made by opposition political leaders who said that the Act had been used “selectively” against them, saying they were just using the issue for political mileage.

“When opposition leaders are charged, they say the government is cruel.

“Well, they have to remember that no one is above the law. Even the royalty are not above the law,” he said.

Former Prisons Department director-general Mohd Zaman Khan (right), who was also at the press conference, said that without the Internal Security Act (ISA), the country would not be developed as it is today.

“How can a country be developed if it is full of chaos?

“We don’t want our country to be destroyed by irresponsible quarters,” he said, defending the Sedition Act.

Jika semua PAS kena setuju dengar PKR…tutup PAS masuk PKR – Subky Latif

(Agenda Daily) – Minggu ini, sudah dua kali, propagandis PAS, Subky Latif menulis dari hatinya
mengenai kemelut dalam pakatan pembangkang.

Kali pertama beliau mengulas mengenai kenyataan ‘penyapu baru’ PAS Tan Sri Muhammad Mohd Taib kononnya jika buat pilihanraya negeri PAS akan kalah teruk.

Pada Jumaat, melalui kolum di Harakah, Subky membidas lagi, kali ini mengenai desakan supaya PAS mengikut keputusan PKR dalam isu MB Selangor.

Dalam tulisan bertajuk ‘Pakatan mesti bersetuju untuk tidak setuju’ itu Subky kata dalam semua muafakat dan kerjasama tidak semua dipersetujui.

“Jika semua yang ada pada PKR dan semua yang dikehendaki PKR dipersetujui PAS, maka tiada perlu lagi PAS wujud. Tutup parti dan semua ahli PAS masuk PKR,” katanya.

Menurut pengasas lidah rasmi PAS, Harakah itu, jika semua yang PAS mahu dipersetujui Anwar tidak dia membentuk partinya sendiri. Masuk saja PAS selepas dipecat UMNO.

“Anwar dan DAP setuju kepada parti berbagai kaum, sama-sama anti rasuah dan penyelewengan, mahu menegakkan keadilan dan kerajaan yang anjal. Patutnya Anwar masuk saja DAP atau DAP dibubarkan supaya semua bersama dalam PKR.

“Tetapi kerana ada yang sama-sama tidak setuju, PKR tidak boleh masuk DAP dan DAP tidak boleh masuk PKR,”jelas beliau menggunakan logik mudah kenapa PAS boleh berbeza pandangan dengan PKR dan DAP.

Jelasnya, apabila PKR tidak setuju Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim terus menjadi menteri besar Selangor, PAS setuju dia terus menjadi menteri besar kerana sebab yang berbeza.

“Apabila PKR, DAP setuju memberi satu nama saja kepada istana sebagai calon MB baharu, PAS setuju memberi lebih dua nama seperti yang dikehendaki istana.

“Ia adalah satu dua contoh bagi Pakatan ada yang tidak disetujui sesama sendiri.” katanya mempertahankan pendirian PAS bahawa urusan untuk menamakan calon MB adalah hak parti itu dan tidak terikat dengan keputusan PKR juga DAP.

“Demikian juga DAP tidak setuju dengan konsep negara Islam dan hudud yang dirangka PAS sebelum kewujudan Pakatan Rakyat maka tiada ia disebut dalam perkara yang disepakati setakat ini,”katanya.

Menggunakan pepatah sedangkan gigi dan lidah lagi tergigit, kata Subky, kita tetap setuju gigi dan lidah tidak terpisah.

“Janganlah kerana takut lidah tergigit kita cabut semua gigi atau kita potong lidah.

“Apabila kita tahu kita ada perbezaan, maka jangan kita fikir kitalah raja, kemahuan kita yang mesti diikut, kemahuan orang tidak diambil kira.

“Sedang sekarang raja pun mendengar rakyat, maka janganlah sesama rakyat hendak jadi macam raja zaman dulu,”tegas beliau.-5/9/2014

Subky merupakan bekas pengarang Utusan Malaysia dan rapat dengan Perdana Menteri kedua Tun Razak sebelum menyertai PAS.

Beliau pernah menjadi calon PAS bertanding melawan Presiden MIC Tan Sri V. Manikavasagam di Klang pada tahun 1979 dan Presiden UMNO Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad di Kubang Pasu pada tahun 1999.

Menjadi AJK PAS Pusat selama 23 tahun iaitu dari Pusat 1982 hingga 2005.

Kini merupakan kolumnis tetap Harakah sejak diasaskan beliau pada tahun 1987.

Khalid Samad warns of PAS faction out to end ties with Pakatan

PAS moderate Khalid Samad (pic) has warned of a faction in the Islamist party which is out to break its alliance with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in order to create a more "exclusive" and "chauvinistic" brand of Islam.

In a hard-hitting blog post today, the PAS central committee member said this group was believed to have emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000, and could comprise “SB” members whom he claimed had infiltrated PAS in the 1980s.

"Even if they are not SB, it is certain that this new group is set to undo all that PAS has built till now,” he said.

He later told The Malaysian Insider that this faction was more chauvinistic than even groups like Isma (Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia).

"They want to make the party more exclusive and they want to exclude the professional group in PAS.”

In his posting, Khalid, who is also the Shah Alam MP, said this group, which he named “Langgar Golongan Professional” (Against the Professionals), has divided PAS internally and provoked a crisis the likes of which the party had never seen.

He said the group had three strategies: one, to promote the leadership of the ulama to the extent that it could not be challenged; two, to attack the leadership from the professional and pro-Pakatan Rakyat faction; and three, to attack and create tension with allies PKR and DAP.

"After calling themselves ulama or defenders of the ulama leadership, this group will then attack the old leadership, especially those from the professional faction that is pro-PR.”

He said the original objective of the Shura Council was to monitor the party's journey to ensure that it did not stray from Islam, but the anti-professional faction had adopted a new understanding more akin to a “Western theocratic” approach, whereby the ulama’s authority was paramount.

“The ulama have to be given positions although they might not be skilled or knowledgeable. This is against inclusiveness and has narrowed the room for participation by all so that cooperation between the ulama and professionals is no longer happening.”

At the same time, this group also seeks to ruin the close relationship between the ulama and professional factions in the party by planting suspicions in the ulama against the professionals, Khalid said.

"By using emotions and sentiments, their hope is that their targeted leaders would be rejected by PAS members," he added.

The group targets leaders by accusing them of being liberal, disloyal to the president and ulama and being more aligned to PR and PKR, Khalid said.

“Their targets are those from the professional faction, who strongly support cooperation through PR."

And by attacking allies PKR and DAP, they are in fact more friendly towards Umno and Barisan Nasional, Khalid said.

He said this group was hiding behind slogans like "Love the president, love the ulama".

Their objective was to make sure that PAS left the PR coalition, Khalid said, but noted that he was unsure if they intended to create an alliance with Umno and BN or not.

"What is clear is that this group wants PAS to leave PR, and with that, Umno/BN will be able to breathe in relief. Their nightmares will be over. This is because the only one that can defeat Umno/BN is PR.

"So that means, whoever wants PR to fail is actually helping Umno/BN."

To overcome this problem in PAS, Khalid called on the professional faction and the ulama supporters to engage in a debate.

"With this debate or forum, we can judge whether their arguments are right or is it only to bring about a break-up for a hidden reason. Are they willing and brave to do this? InsyaAllah I am willing."

Khalid's warning comes even as PAS central committee today said that it had been sidelined by the Shura Council, which is headed by ulama, in naming the party's candidates for the Selangor menteri besar position.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said that the party's central committee members had no knowledge of the latest development reported today whereby the names of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Azmin Ali were left out of the list submitted to the palace, but which included two other PKR assemblymen and one PAS exco member.

Utusan Malaysia today reported PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali as saying that PAS’s top decision-making Shura Council had decided that the Islamist party nominate two party lawmakers and two from PKR for the Selangor menteri besar post.

This was contrary to the decision the Islamist party's central committee had reached at its meeting on August 17 to nominate Dr Wan Azizah, who is PKR president and her deputy, Azmin as Selangor MB.

On Sunday, several PAS members began a campaign to ensure the Islamist party stays in PR, after president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang told a central committee meeting on August 25 that he wished to cooperate with Umno to form the Selangor government.

The Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa) was formed after some 100 PAS members met in Kota Baru with the aim to counter the possibility of PAS leaving the pact in favour of sharing power with Umno.

PAS's role in Pakatan has been debated on numerous occasions, most recently during the Selangor menteri besar saga, with some members asking PAS leaders to review the party’s cooperation with PKR and DAP, saying the Islamist party had been compromised.

Khalid had previously urged PAS members who want the Islamist party to leave PR to instead leave the party.

He had said that if members felt the party was better off without Pakatan, then they should join Umno.

"Once these members leave, only then PAS will be able to become an effective member of Pakatan Rakyat," he said. – September 5, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/khalid-samad-warns-of-pas-faction-out-to-end-ties-with-pakatan#sthash.4acv8YfM.dpuf

Mat Sabu not aware three names submitted

He said the committee, on Aug 17, unanimously agreed to nominate Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Azmin Ali for the position of MB.

PETALING JAYA: PAS Deputy President Mohamed Sabu today denied knowledge of PAS submitting three names to the palace for the Selangor Menteri Besar’s post.

“The committee, on Aug 17, unanimously agreed to nominate Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Azmin Ali for the position. I was not informed of their names being excluded from the list.

“Media reports also mentioned Secretary-General Datuk Mustafa Ali acknowledging the listing of a PAS Exco member as a candidate.

“We, however, are not aware of this as it was not decided in the meetings,” he said in a statement today.

Mat Sabu stressed that in the party’s Executive Committee meeting on Aug 25, everyone agreed that the names decided in the Aug 17 meeting would be submitted to the Selangor Sultan.

Yesterday, Mustafa confirmed that party president Abdul Hadi Awang had submitted the names of three candidates for the MB’s post.

PAS gives three names to palace

PKR and DAP meanwhile are maintaining their decision to go with a sole candidate - Wan Azizah.

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor palace has received the names of three potential candidates for the post of Menteri Besar from PAS, according to a palace source.

The three candidates are reportedly Iskandar Abdul Samad, Sallehen Mukhyi and Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi.

However, all three have denied any knowledge of the matter.

“The correspondence was handled personally by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang,” said the source.

Meanwhile, PKR and DAP are maintaining their decision of wanting only Wan Azizah to be the sole candidate for the post.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu said he was unsure whether the names of Wan Azizah and PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali were not on the list sent to the palace.

“We, the members of the PAS central committee, have no knowledge of the fresh names because that was not decided at the meeting of the committee on Aug 17,” he said in a statement.

On Aug 26, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, had decreed that the three parties making up the Pakatan Rakyat pact – DAP, PKR and PAS – submit more than two names to be considered for the post of MB.

The sultan requested the names after deferring the acceptance of the resignation of Khalid Ibrahim until a new MB was appointed to replace him.

Khalid had initially refused to step down as MB in defiance of a PKR and Pakatan Rakyat decision to do so to pave the way for PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take over the post.

He was sacked from PKR for his persistence in staying on.

Malaysia Government Uses Sedition on the Opposition Press

Malaysiakini reporter arrested over story on Penang arrests of opposition members

By John Berthelsen - Malaysiakini

Malaysia’s sedition campaign, which in recent weeks has resulted in charges against eight opposition politicians, apparently has been extended to the country’s independent press, with the arrest on Thursday of Susan Loone, a Penang-based reporter for Malaysiakini (Our Malaysia), one of Malaysia’s most popular news websites.

Loone was told to report to the police in Penang, where she underwent nine hours of questioning and had her cellphone confiscated over the publication of a story on the arrest Sunday in Penang of Phee Boon Poh, the chairperson of a voluntary patrol unit sanctioned by the Democratic Action Party leadership along with 156 members of the patrol unit. Phee is an executive counselor with the DAP. According to Loone’s story, the country’s inspector-general of police, Abu Bakar last Tuesday declared PPS an illegal organization because it wasn’t registered with the Registrar of Societies, calling the organization’s members “gangsters.”

“In a classic case of shooting the messenger, Loone has been detained by police for reporting what somebody else has said,”: according to a statement by Malaysia’s Center for Independent Journalism. “Loone's arrest is the latest in a spate of investigations that are clearly aimed at curtailing legitimate voices of dissent.

The investigations, the CIJ said, “are taking place after the government's stated intention to repeal the Sedition Act, a hangover from the colonial era. The Act is broadly worded and poses a significant threat to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Further, the history of prosecutions under the Act show that it is almost exclusively used against critics of the government or State institutions.”

The arrest of Loone, along with the crackdown on Phee and the other opposition leaders, is apparently a manifestation of orders by the United Malays National Organization Supreme Council to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to get tough on the opposition after months of drift on the part of the premier. Malaysiakini, with a daily readership of 400,000, is one of the country’s biggest websites or possibly the biggest, publishing editions in Malay and English, and is fiercely critical of the government.

However, Malaysiakini has not been alone. Choon Mei, the editor of Malaysia Chronicle, reportedly has also been hauled in for questioning. Jahabar Sidiq, the editor of Malaysian Insider, said that although his publication has been threatened with lawsuits, that is pretty much where the intimidation has stopped. Raja Petra Kamarudin, the publisher of Malaysia Today, has long been out of the country after being charged with criminal defamation.

Some analysts regard the new crackdown as an indication of internal weakness on the part of UMNO and the Barisan Nasional, which lost the popular vote in the May 2013 general election for the first time since 1969 but retained Parliament through gerrymandering. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who publicly broke with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently, saying he had withdrawn his support of the premier, has accused Najib of being too soft on the opposition.

The party and its components in the ruling Barisan Nasional have not been able to capitalize on growing dissatisfaction with the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition. A source close to the Mahathir wing of the party told Asia Sentinel that despite Pakatan’s disorganization and a months-long squabble over leadership in the state of Selangor, if an election were held today in Selangor, which is held by Anwar Ibrahim’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat, UMNO would probably still lose the state.

“I was told at the last Umno Supreme Council meeting that some of the members said that since the elections in 2013, the country has been floating around aimlessly,” said a political consultant with close ties to the UMNO leadership. “They suggested that Najib needs to show stronger leadership as Malays like leaders who are pahlawan or warriors. They said that unless the UMNO leadership showed it can be tough and firm, the party would continue losing the Malay ground. Since then, all these actions have been initiated against the opposition. I was also told that one of Najib's main advisers on talking and acting tough is Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis, the former Second Finance Minister and Ambassador to Washington.”

Malaysiakini has suffered a long series of attempts by the government force it to pull in its horns, the biggest in 2003 when police raided the website, confiscating four servers and 15 personal computers after members of UMNO Youth complained that it had published a seditious letter to the editor. It has suffered distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks in which it is flooded with millions of simultaneous messages designed to overpower its servers. It was threatened by a lawsuit by Najib himself for defamation in June. The government has refused to issue a license that would allow Malaysiakini to issue a print edition.

The mainstream press – the New Straits Times, The Star and a flock of Malay-language newspapers -- are all owned by the major political parties in the ruling national coalition, as are the electronic media. They can be depended upon to form a noisy claque to defend the government when needed. Lately, After Najib came under attack Mahathir, the mainstream press lined up scores of UMNO members to express their support for Najib, although they never carried anything about Mahathir’s attack.

“Malaysia has embarked on a severe action against numerous activists, opposition politicians, journalists, students and academics. In the past, critics have been arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), but now it is the Sedition Act that is increasingly used against individuals who have expressed their political, religious or other views,” said Margaret John, the coordinator for the Singapore and Malaysia chapter of Amnesty International Canada in an email to Asia Sentinel. “The arrests are a clear violation of international human rights law and have a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Malaysia.”

The two biggest press watchdog organizations, Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters without Borders, have not issued statements of support, possibly because they have been preoccupied with the brutal murders in Syria of US freelance journalists James Foley and Steven Sotlof by the radical fundamentalist organization Islamic State.

John Berthelsen is the editor of Asia Sentinel

112 NGOs band together to fight Sedition Act

BY JENNIFER GOMEZ | TMI

A movement dubbed “Abolish the Sedition Act” (GHAH) was launched today in response to the use of the draconian law as a means of political repression and terror.

A total of 112 civil society organisations are part of this movement, which said it wants to bury the colonial-era law if Malaysia is to be a truly independent nation.

“The Sedition Act is clearly being misused to protect the government and its interests, clamp down on the opposition and dissidents, make certain issues off limits, stifle civil liberties and create a climate of fear reminiscent of the worst days under the iron-fisted Mahathir regime,” said Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen at a press conference today.

He said the movement was concerned with the selective prosecution under the act, adding that the Attorney-General was targeting government critics.
“Over the past month, the act has been indiscriminately used in a new wave of political repression and terror and whose targets have included elected representatives and lawyers who have a public duty to speak on matters of public interest,” Paulsen said.

The movement’s demands include the repeal of the act and for existing sedition charges to be dropped.

Paulsen also said the act was being used to strike fear in the media, as seen from the arrest of Malaysiakini journalist Susan Loone for investigations over an allegedly seditious article.

“They’re trying to create a climate of fear, but don’t worry, carry on with your job and if you get into trouble, Lawyers for Liberty will be behind you.”

When asked if GHAH would organise demonstrations, Paulsen said that it was the right of Malaysians under Article 10 of the Constitution to assemble and march peacefully.

“After the case of Nik Nazmi in the Court of Appeal, no Malaysian should be afraid to demonstrate peacefully.”

(He was referring to Selangor Deputy Speaker Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, who was charged with failure to give a 10-day notice to police for the Black Out Rally last year.)

“So certainly it is part of what we will be doing, but it is something we should not ponder upon because it is within our rights,” he said.

Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng said the movement would support the upcoming protest in Universiti Malaya on September 10 in support of law lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom, who was charged with sedition earlier this week.

Activist Hishamuddin Rais, who was also charged with sedition, said that the political situation was such now that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was using the Sedition Act to counter accusations by former prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad that he was a weak leader.

“This is the background of the situation we are in, Najib is trying to prove to Dr Mahathir that he is not weak and so we are the victims.

“But the bigger issue is that the Sedition Act means that we cannot speak or think,” Hishamuddin said.

Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshni said that the increasing use of the Sedition Act was fostering a climate of repression. The views of opposition politicians and other critical voices, as well as of ordinary individuals simply expressing their opinions, were being suppressed.

In calling for the act to be abolished, she also called on the Malaysian authorities to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to incorporate its provisions in domestic law, policy and practice.

GHAH will be launched on September 15 and will go on a nationwide roadshow.

Malaysian Bar: Sedition Act panders to extremists

Malay Mail
by BOO SU-LYN

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — The Sedition Act 1948 was never intended to create national harmony but it encourages extremism instead, Malaysian Bar president Christopher Leong said last night.

He said the colonial-era law panders to extremists and perpetuates disunity as it is wielded whenever others claim to be insulted or disrespected.

“The Sedition Act is the antithesis of democracy, rule of law and justice,” he said at the official launch of the #MansuhAktaHasutan campaign by the Bar Council’s National Young Lawyers Committee (NYLC) last night to repeal the Sedition Act.

“The use of the Sedition Act serves to perpetuate immaturity, lack of understanding, confusion and ignorance. It exploits insecurities. It was never designed to achieve national harmony; it was intended to suppress dissent and maintain power,” Leong added.

In a statement last night, the Selangor chapter of Malay rights group Perkasa argued to retain the pre-independence law, saying it was needed to preserve national unity, as a “weapon and shield” against “traitors”.

Leong expressed concern with the recent slew of sedition cases, pointing out that the government crackdown contradicted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 2012 pledge to abolish the Sedition Act.

 

“It is indeed ironic that as we now celebrate 57 years of ‘Merdeka’, we see the use of the repugnant and draconian Sedition Act to stifle fundamental freedoms and constrict democratic space in an independent Malaysia,” said the lawyer.

He stressed that the National Harmony Act, which has been proposed as a replacement of the Sedition Act, should only criminalise threats or incitement of violence on the grounds of race and religion, and that the element of intention must be included.

“The intended National Harmony Act should not seek to criminalise thought, speech and expression,” said Leong.

Former Malaysian Bar president Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan urged the 300-strong audience at the forum not to be cowed into silence.

“Many call this Operasi Lalang 2. We are no ‘lalang’ (weed). We’re going to stand up today,” she said, drawing applause from the audience.

Operasi Lalang was the 1987 government crackdown that saw more than 100 opposition politicians and activists being arrested under the Internal Security Act during the 22-year-long Mahathir administration.

Ambiga also criticised the sedition dragnet that has mostly targeted opposition lawmakers from Pakatan Rakyat, calling it an attack on parliamentary democracy.

“Instead of taking on the opposition in Parliament, they choose to decapitate them by using the Sedition Act,” she said.

Global Movement of Moderates chief Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who was invited to speak at the open forum, said the “culture of fear” was growing, amid the sedition crackdown that has claimed not only politicians, but also a law professor and even a teenager.

“What we are seeing today is that the government seems to be cracking down on dissent,” Saifuddin told the forum.

“At the same time, this is also the government that prides itself by calling for more political reform and supposedly appreciating the contestation of ideas,” added the Umno member.

Several members of the audience asked if the #MansuhAktaHasutan campaign would involve a mass protest, to which NYLC chair Syahredzan Johan said there were no plans to do so as yet.

“But when that day comes and the need for a walk arises, I’m sure we will be walking,” said Syahredzan.

The lawyer said the year-long campaign was focused on raising awareness nationwide, especially in rural areas, on the necessity of repealing the Sedition Act.

Selangor MB crisis: No impasse, Sultan merely has to choose, says Bar Council

The Star
by TAN YI LIANG

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no impasse in the Selangor mentri besar crisis and the Sultan's role, as clearly defined by the state constitution, is to appoint the person whom he thinks the majority of state assemblymen have confidence in, said Bar Council president Christopher Leong.

"I do not see an impasse. What I see is a process being undertaken by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah to perform his role under Article 53(2) of the Selangor state constitution," said Leong.

Speaking after participating at the #MansuhAktaHasutan (Abolish the Sedition Act) forum and campaign launch at the Bar Council here Thursday, Leong confirmed the Sultan's legal role now was to decide who most likely has majority support of the state assembly.

"The state constitution does not provide a procedure for the Sultan to make his judgement.

"People should look at this current process as that procedure. Ultimately, the objective is for the Sultan to fulfill his role under Article 53(2)," said Leong.

He added an impasse would only exist if the role of the Sultan under Article 53(2) remained unfulfilled.

Government Won't Retract Freedom Of Speech In Social Media - Najib

JERLUN, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The government will not retract the freedom of speech in the social media but wants the freedom to be exercised with accountability, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister said the government practised an open attitude but it was the responsibility of the people, especially the young generation or 'Gen Y' to understand that there was a limit to freedom.

"I want to issue a warning that the existing law will be imposed on anyone attempting to jeopardise peace. This is certainly in force," he said in his speech when opening the Jerlun UMNO divisional delegates meeting at the Sekolah Menengah Sains Kubang Pasu, in Jerlun, Friday.

Najib said that the Sedition Act would be abolished and would be replaced by the proposed National Harmony Act, but matters pertaining to religion and race would not be neglected.

Prime Minister said the government would not allow freedom that did not adhere to the principles of accountability especially regarding Islamic religion, the other faiths as well as the special privileges of the Malays and the Malay Rulers.

"We must defend...(we are) not saying there is a new legislation and the rest will be put aside...but we will add in more appropriate provisions," he said.

Najib said although there would be freedom and openness, he hoped these would not result in extreme cases cropping up because there must be maturity in thinking in whatever action taken.

"There must be a limit...(because of) this principle of accountability, we must look for a formula where we provide space for the freedom of speech including comments on the leaders but, at the same time, there must be a limit so as not to destroy peace and national harmony," he said.

Also present at the function were Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also the Jerlun UMNO division head, Perlis Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah and Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.