Paedophiles will overrun Kelantan if hudud introduced, says G25

Paedophiles will overrun Kelantan if it implements hudud as the Islamic law is open to abuse and rejects using scientific evidence to prove crime, says a spokesperson for the group of eminent Malays, or G25.

Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin (pic) said since it would be difficult to prove crimes like adultery, rape of children and adults will abound.

"This is the nature of PAS's hudud," she said.

Farida said Kelantan's hudud rejected the use of scientific methods such as DNA testing and fingerprints, instead requiring the evidence of four witnesses of the alleged crime.

"They are using evidence used in the 12th century to prove adultery, pushing out scientific methods.

"They are asserting that is the only way to prove the crime of adultery, which does not make sense," she said, adding that PAS leaders travelled in cars and planes but did not want to accept scientific evidence.

She added that Prophet Muhammad had also told his people about the importance of acquiring knowledge.

"The Prophet said that we should go in search of knowledge even up to China.

"If hudud is implemented in Kelantan, paedophiles will abound in the state,” she said.

Farida added that the structure of society was not suitable for the implementation of hudud.

She said Islamic scholars were of the view that many conditions needed to be fulfilled before the Islamic law can be introduced.

"We need a just society, a smaller gap between the rich and the poor. But here, even among the Malays, there is a divide.

"The problem is that the ustaz in the villages are spreading the message that hudud is God's law which cannot be questioned," she said at a forum on economic freedom and globalisation today.

The forum was organised by think tank Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs.

PAS's plan to implement hudud in Kelantan has been strongly opposed by its Pakatan Rakyat coalition partner DAP.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday urged PAS to table the proposed amendments to the Shariah Criminal Code Enactment 11 at the Pakatan presidential council meeting tomorrow before taking it to Parliament.

But Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob responded by saying that the Islamic enactment can only be tabled at the state assembly sitting or Parliament as it is under embargo.

"However, we have discussed at the technical committee state, which included legal experts, lecturers and NGOs including parties within Pakatan.

"So this Sunday, we cannot table the enactment, the next stop is Parliament," he said after the Friday sermon in Kota Baru. – February 7, 2015.


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Abim opposes Negri's 'divorce then convert' idea

 

Muslim NGO Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) has opposed Negri Sembilan's plan to enforce a requirement for converts to Islam to first settle their divorce with the non-Muslim spouse.

"Abim oppose the said suggestion and instead repeat our stand that the syariah court should open its doors to non-Muslim couples to be heard and tried.

"The requirement for both parties to be Muslim (before going to shariah court) in the state enactment should be amended first," said Abim secretary general Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz in a statement today.

Citing the lengthy divorce process, he said the suggestion to make it mandatory for converts to first end their marriage with their non-Muslim spouse at the civil courts, would be an "obstacle to the individual to embrace Islam immediately".

Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan said this week the suggestion was made to put an end to post-conversion issues with the non-Muslim partner.

The Negeri Sembilan law is the first attempt to provide solutions for interfaith custody disputes which continue to be a problem in the country.

One example of a couple embroiled in such tussle is S Deepa and Izwan Abdullah (above), who were married according to Hindu rites in 2003.

Izwan embraced Islam‎ in 2011, then converted his two children, including the six-year-old, allegedly without Deepa’s knowledge.

Divorce can be a lengthy process

Muhammad Faisal pointed out that many lengthy divorce processes, apart from alimony and the custody of the children, had many "disputed" cases which can prolong for years.

"So, the would be convert will be 'forced' to disregard his plans for years just to settle the divorce case first."

He added that it will get complicated when the spouse who wish not to convert is against the divorce.

"We are worried that this will be taken into account by the civil court judge on the principle of the civil divorce, whereby a change in religion would not necessarily be grounds for divorce.

"If this happens, will the person who wish to embrace Islam be prevented to convert according to the state law, which, clearly goes against freedom of religion as enshrined in the federal constitution?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Human Rights Society (Hakam) president Ambiga Sreenevasan said the Negri Sembilan ruling is a good beginning and praised the state ruler for agreeing to it.

"It is a fantastic first step and they (Negeri Sembilan) have shown leadership which the federal government should have done," she told journalists in Kuala Lumpur today.

However, Ambiga cautioned that the details of the new rules must be scrutinised first to ensure that it will work as intended.

Change the Constitution too, says Hindraf

Hindu rights movement calls on Malay rulers to follow Negeri example.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: The federal government should amend the Constitution to clear up an ambiguity about the meaning of the word parent, the Hindu-based movement Hindraf said today.

Hindraf chairman P. Waythamoorthy said the ambiguity in Article 12 and Article 121.1.A allowed any parent who converted to Islam to forcefully convert their children also without the consent of the other spouse.

Judges had not been willing to give a logical interpretation to the meaning of “parent”, he said.

Waythamoorthy applauded an initiative of Negeri Sembilan to require would-be Muslim converts to first obtain a divorce before conversion, and urged other Malay Rulers to follow the bold steps of fellow ruler in Negeri Sembilan “who acted in the interest of all his subjects”.

Hindraf Makkal Sakthi began more than 10 years ago as the Hindu Rights Action Force, a coalition of Hindu-based NGOs, to counter the demolition of Hindu temples and shrines across the country, and came to prominence in 2008 with a massive public protest on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Its leaders were accused of terrorism and detained under the Internal Security Act.

Kula: Make NS conversion law for all states

Federal government challenged to follow up 'divorce first' initiative

FMT

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP wants the federal government to compel all states to emulate Negeri Sembilan by enacting its proposed “divorce first, convert later” law.

The federal Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 should be amended, to provide a final and long term solution on the issue of religious conversions within marriages, said DAP national vice-chairman M Kula Segaran.

He urged the federal government to introduce a Bill in parliament for the Federal Territories as well. (Islamic affairs are administered by state governments, and by the federal government in the Federal Territories.)

“The challenge is for other states to implement a law similar to the one proposed by Negeri Sembilan,” he said. He urged the prime minister, Najib Razak, to take the lead and advise the states to enact a similar law to bring certainty to the ongoing endless family fights in the courts on conversion issues,” said Kula.

The Negeri Sembilan government has announced plans to amend the state religious enactment to make it mandatory for any married person wanting to embrace Islam to first divorce his or her spouse if the latter remains a non-Muslim, and for the newly converted person to make a statutory declaration that he or she is now a Muslim.

Kula hailed it as a step in the right direction. He said the federal government had failed to put into effect a 2009 Cabinet decision to ban unilateral conversions of minors to Islam.

“Najib should now do what ought to have been done,” said Kula, also the Ipoh Barat MP, in a statement here today.

He said that although Section 51 of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act allowed the non-converting spouse to file for divorce, this provision had been abused by the converting spouse by converting the children without the consent or knowledge of the other spouse.

Police protecting 04 Gang? Probe into ex-MP’s tweet

Gobalakrishnan to be called up about remark about Indian police in Penang.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Former member of parliament N Gobalakrishnan is to face a police investigation after alleging that Indian members of the Penang police were protecting the 04 Gang in drug activities.

He made the remark over Twitter on Friday evening, Bernama reported.

The Inspector-General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar, responded on Twitter today, saying the comment was a serious allegation against the force, and would be investigated.

Gobalakrishnan, former MP for Padang Serai, would be asked to assist in the investigation, he said.

The former MP confirmed that he had tweeted on the issue from his account @Ngobalakrishnan. He would not comment further.

The 04 Gang is said to be among 46 dangerous secret societies involved in drugs and armed robberies in Kedah, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. It also goes by the names Tiram Sasi in Johor, Sungai Way Sugu (KL), Green Line Samy and Prai Bala (Penang), Langkap Sasi (Perak), Selvam (Batu Gajah), Ragu (Ayer Tawar) and Sudha (Sitiawan).

In August 2013, a Nazi swastika, the numerals 04 and the letters RIP (“rest in peace”) were found spray painted on the walls of a police beat base and the district police headquarters in Banting, Selangor, two days after five people, said to be gang members, were shot dead by police in Penang.

Anwar: 60% win for Pakatan if they jail me

Ahead of crucial court verdict, opposition leader sounds a warning to Barisan Nasional

FMT

GEORGE TOWN: Just days before a crucial court verdict, Anwar Ibrahim fired a warning salvo today with a bold prediction that Pakatan Rakyat would score a 60% victory at the next general election if he was to be jailed by the Federal Court on Tuesday.

Speaking at a pasar malam rally in Sungai Dua here, part of his pre-verdict national road show, Anwar said he would not be cowed by threats of conviction and imprisonment neither would he be lured by money.

“Lawan tetap lawan,” he said. He would stay put without fear and would not flee the country.

“I won’t run away. I will stay and fight for Penangites, Malaysians and the country. No amount of money can buy me out. Don’t threaten me with jail and conviction. I will not compromise and never surrender,” he said.

“If I go to jail again, we win over 60% (votes),” Anwar predicted. (In 1998 he was sentenced to six years’ jail for alleged abuse of power. Two years later he was convicted and sentenced to jail for alleged sodomy with his driver, which was overturned on appeal in 2004.)

Pakatan secured nearly 52% or 5.489 million of the total popular vote, at the 2013 general election. However, the opposition coalition failed to secure a majority of seats in Parliament because of differences in seat distribution.

Barisan Nasional secured 133 of the 222 parliamentary seats, with only 48% of the popular vote or 5.220 million of the total votes cast; Pakatan and its allies clinched 89 seats.

On Tuesday, the Federal Court will deliver its verdict on Anwar’s final appeal to overturn a conviction for sodomy with a young male aide in 2008, for which he has been sentenced to five years’ jail.

Maintaining his innocence against the sodomy charge, Anwar said he should win his appeal and be a free man on Feb 10 if the Federal Court based its judgment on law, facts, truth and evidence. “But I will be found guilty if the law was not observed,” Anwar told the crowd.

He questioned Barisan Nasional whether sending him to jail would resolve issues such as corruption, cronyism, nepotism, poverty, depreciation of currency and an economic meltdown.

Malaysia’s flawed democracy

Syerleena Abdul Rashid - The Malaysian Insider

According to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index, only 12.5% of the world’s population in under governments that practice “full democracy”. The EIU index further identifies that only 24 countries are “ull democracies” whereas 52 countries are regarded as “flawed democracies”. Malaysia, our great nation, is one of these countries.

Flawed democracies are defined as countries that even with the presence of free and fair elections,therein lay considerable drawbacks and limitations that magnifies the inadequacy of present political systems.

Although basic liberties or rights are recognized, they may sometimes only exist in theory and may not be practiced or applied.

A good example would be how Article 10 in our Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, assembly and association: (a) every citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression; (b) all citizens have the right to assemble peaceably and without arms; (c) all citizens have the right to form associations; but reality paints a grim picture of how such freedom have been greatly curtailed under the pretext to preserve peace and order.

The term democracy comprises of two Greek words, demos (people) and kratis (power), which simply denotes the idea of “people power” where citizens are given the authority to create governments, laws and regulations.

Additionally, the very same citizens have the power to see certain governments come to an end.

An ideal and true democratic government provides its people with excellent education, good healthcare, affordable housing and present equal opportunities to all. Under this concept, democracy simply recognises that all women and men are created equal and should live in safe environments – away from conflict, devastation and disorder.

Unfortunately for Malaysians, there are those within the ruling regime and several elected leaders who do not believe in that understanding of democracy.

Who can forget Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan’s suggestion that our country is at “greater risk of greater polarisation of race should local government election is mandated,” or PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, who warned Malaysians that if such elections were to be held, our country could see another May 13.

Most recently, Nik Abduh Nik Aziz shared his skewed view on democracy by affirming that “elections were neither the only way to obtain justice nor guaranteed to eliminate inequality”. He added that Islamic democracy was far superior to modern democracy – the one subscribed and sanctioned by modern society, but fell short in delivering full details on what defines or constitutes as Islamic democracy.

They believe that their brand of democracy works best in our society. The type that limits civil liberties, freedom of expression and speech, restricts social mobility and consents to institutionalised racism or in this case, reinforces Malay supremacy.

They simply fortify conservative philosophies camouflaged as modern democratic practices that are in line with docile Malaysian society, which is already by itself, highly contradicting and confusing to the well-learned Malaysian.

The ruling elite flaunts this brand of democracy which they claim offers protection to all. However, the average Malaysian realises that there is a certain fallacy to such claims.

The gap that exists between theory and practice has produced a divided social structure that favours one ethnicity more than the other(s) – where although all Malaysians are created equal, some are more equal than others.

Our government asserts the supremacy of one religious denomination, while disregarding what is enshrined in our Federal Constitution. This simply, does not provide the best basis for democracy to prosper neither does this encourage the development of public spirit nor does it support the nurturing of a more mature political culture – one that instills a strong sense of responsibility and social empowerment.

For most Malaysians, realising the limitations we, as a society, are made to endure under the guise of democracy is never an easy thing to digest. The average citizen understands democracy as an ideology where people get to vote for who they want or who they feel can best serve them and their community.

In another sense, democracy also stresses on personal freedom, liberty and choice.

It is based on the concept of majority rules; however, that isn’t the case for Malaysia. The result of GE13 was a huge wake up call for the nation which left many of us wondering “Is our country truly democratic at all?”

We know that the ruling regime failed to garner the popular vote and are nothing more than a minority government that simply cannot represent how a majority of Malaysians feel or think; thanks to gerrymandering and our flawed electoral system, the present administrators are not fitted with knowledge, compassion or insight needed to helm a nation and steer it into much needed social progress and economic prosperity.

Life in a democracy simply guarantees the unfettered development of the spirit and the unhampered expression of the mind. It does not thrive on the suppression of wisdom nor thought but encourages free thinking and discussions.

There must not be any Gestapo like rule – no ISA, no Sedition Act, no sudden disappearances in the dead of night, no death in custody and by all means, Malaysians must never be threatened for expressing our opinions on matters that we feel strongly about, such as questioning the competency of present leaders and half-baked policies that only may only be advantageous to our country’s elite.

Given the flawed democracy our country now complies too, as Malaysians, we need to understand and scrutinise these flaws in order to rectify the system, in hopes that, one day, our country too, can join the ranks of nations that profess and practice full democracy.

Whatever, or however, we choose to define democracy, there is without a doubt, that the democratic system simply promotes egalitarianism, social equality and opportunities that do not repress or suppress its citizens.

Democracy, even with all its defects and flaws as observed by local critics, still guarantees a better allocation of opportunities to the common woman and man. – February 6, 2015.

EPF Declares 6.75 Percent Dividend For 2014

Tan Sri Samsudin OsmanKUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 (Bernama) -- The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) with the approval of the Minister of Finance, Saturday announced a dividend rate of 6.75 per cent for the year ended Dec 31, 2014.

The 6.75 per cent dividend amounted to a total payout of RM36.66 billion where RM5.41 billion was required to pay every one per cent of dividend rate for 2014.

This was 10.53 per cent higher compared with RM4.91 billion paid for every one per cent dividend rate for 2013, in tandem with the rise in contributors' savings said EPF Chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman in a statement.

"Despite uncertainties in both the domestic and global markets, our result in 2014 out performed what we had achieved in 2013. It is worth mentioning that our global investments had contributed 33 per cent towards our total income for 2014 despite being only 23 per cent of our total assets.

"No doubt the end of 2014 had been challenging for the EPF due to the slump in the global oil prices.

"The weakening of the Ringgit in the fourth quarter added further uncertainty. However, our prudent diversification approach had given us the edge and resilience to weather the economic conditions, particularly in the global markets," he said.

Samsudin said in order to correspond with the Fund's objectives to preserve and add value to members' savings, the EPF aims to provide at least a return of two (2) per cent above inflation over a three-year rolling period.

The RM39.08 billion gross investment income for financial year ended Dec 31, 2014 was an increase of 11.66 per cent compared with RM35 billion in 2013.

The 2014 gross investment income was mainly driven by Equities in domestic and global markets covering both emerging and developed countries.

The asset class recorded an investment income of RM22.91 billion in 2014, up 17.37 per cent compared with RM19.52 billion in 2013, and contributed 58.63 per cent to the total gross investment income in 2014.

Almost half of the income of the equity investment is derived from EPF's global portfolios.

The majority of the EPF's investment assets were placed in low risk fixed income instruments as this asset class provided a stable stream of income in the long run.

Samsudin said members can view the 2014 dividend announcement via EPF's Facebook page at "Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja", Twitter at KWSPBuzz and on YouTube at KWSP Malaysia.

The EPF account statement for the crediting of the 2014 dividend is available online via i-Akaun at myEPF website (www.kwsp.gov.my). Alternatively, members can obtain their statement via EPF Kiosks or visit any EPF branches starting Sunday(Feb 8).

--BERNAMA

For rakyat’s sake, Ambiga pleads for truce

 

For the sake of the people, NegaraKu patron Ambiga Sreenavasan has made a plea for a ceasefire, calling on all stakeholders to rise above politics.

She said leaders from the government, opposition and civil society should set aside their differences and come together to immediately deal with four urgent issues confronting the country.

They are:

• The devastation floods, indiscriminate deforestation and the reconstruction efforts.
   
• Weakening economy and the search for realistic solutions.
   
• Racial and religious tensions.
   
• The unprecedented dengue menace.

“I will call these our ‘immediate concerns’. There are more but we should start with these,” she said in a speech at a function to honour Tunku Abdul Rahman and national laureate A Samad Said in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon.

Moratorium on Sedition Act

The former Bar Council president also proposed that several compromises be undertaken by the government as an act of good faith, which included a moratorium on strengthening the Sedition Act.

She said the moratorium should also include all charges brought and pending under the same legislation.

Ambiga also suggested that a moratorium be imposed on the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is to take effect on April 1.

The other compromises put forth are to ensure freedom of the press, a moratorium on logging and deforestation, independent inquiry panels be established in one form or the other to determine how the environmental crises have arisen.

“These compromises will immediately inspire the confidence of the rakyat in the proposed solution and will enable parties to work more effectively with each other.

“It will remove the atmosphere of doom and gloom that prevails because people are afraid to speak their mind. We cannot make the people live under this fear anymore. They have enough on their plate as it is. They have a right to live with peace of mind,” Ambiga said.

Stressing that it is a “plea” and not a “demand”, she implored all who are in a position to do so, to consider this suggestion and to implement the proposal by agreement.

“This means setting up four joint task forces to address each of the immediate concerns. I will call this Projek Rakyat,” she added.

Give people hope

Ambiga said if those in the government, opposition and NGOs open their minds to this, they would be demonstrating not leadership, but statesmanship.

“You will be giving people hope. You will lift people out of the melancholy that pervades all conversations about our future.

“This is the moment to act. Let this moment turn into a momentum to rebuild and recapture the soul of this nation. The government cannot be expected to do this alone.

“Let the rakyat help. Let them be empowered by allowing them to participate. Let us work together.  For now, let us give our political differences a rest until the elections. Let us be happy and let our future be secure,” she added.

Ambiga said the country is now facing many challenges, which are a direct result of allowing financial success to override everything else of real value, including basic constitutional rights and the nation’s institutions.

“Once these became vulnerable, whether to abuse of power or corruption, the destructive path was set.

“The economy is cause for concern. Our ringgit continues to slide, oil prices are falling, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) is looking fragile, GST is coming, household debt is rising and people are really worried.

“We additionally have the problem of the fabric of society being ripped apart by the few who seek to divide us.

“The recent floods were the latest in a line of disasters. Look at Cameron Highlands as well.  All this has been caused by the disrespect we have shown to our environment and by uncontrolled corruption,” she added.

Unity forged in calamity

However, Ambiga pointed out that the calamity in the east coast saw Malaysians of all walks of life rushing to help the victims.

She said the race or religion of the victims and volunteers alike did not matter one bit.

“We had transcended all our differences in a humanitarian crisis. I am reminded of a saying ‘It is the hour of trial that makes men great, not the hour of triumph’.

“This was an hour of trial and it brought out the best in Malaysians. We saw the same goodness come forth with the crisis of MH370, and MH17,” she added.

Ambiga also recalled photographs during the recent floods which showed a minister carrying an old lady who was a flood victim, army, police, volunteers and NGOs helping with packing, washing and cleaning, a Sikh squad who dropped supplies in remote areas, especially for the Orang Asli who were neglected and a menteri besar helping to clean the streets.

“These pictures tell us something. They tell us that in a crisis we can rise to the occasion,” she said.

“That we can put aside our differences for the greater good. That in our hour of trial, we can be great.”

Mufti: Najib hadir seakan penganut agama Hindu

Cerai dulu sebelum peluk Islam di Negeri Sembilan

ISIS Took Her Hostage. Now They Say She’s Dead.

The Daily Beast

Kayla Mueller went to Syria to help suffering children. Then she was abducted by monsters.

The U.S. government scrambled Friday to confirm the self-proclaimed Islamic State claim that its last remaining American hostage, a young woman and humanitarian aid worker, was killed by a Jordanian airstrike.

So far, three U.S. government officials told The Daily Beast they have no evidence either that she was killed or remains alive.

In the claim, published by the private intelligence group SITE on Friday, ISIS released the name of the hostage, Kayla Mueller, as well as what it claimed were personal details about her, including her phone number. The group showed no photos of her.

Rather it showed the crumbled building where she was allegedly held, saying it was somewhere near Raqqa, the group’s Syrian capital. U.S. military officials said they were doing battlefield assessments with that photo to determine whether it was destroyed by a coalition strike, and if so, when. They so far do not believe it was a Jordanian strike. Jordan ramped up its efforts since Tuesday when ISIS released a video showing the group gruesome burning to death of Jordanian Lt. Moaz al-Kasesbeh. But Jordan has not struck inside Raqqa since al-Kasesbeh’s death but areas east, U.S. military officials told The Daily Beast.

A Jordanian official denied ISIS’s claims that Mueller was killed in one of the country’s airstrikes. “This is just another PR stunt,” the official told The Daily Beast. “This is just part of their whole media-spinning strategy. They’re trying to throw a wedge in the coalition” to combat ISIS. The official noted that ISIS has manipulated the public before when it comes to the status of hostages, most recently by seeming to claim that the Jordanian pilot was alive when he’d really been killed weeks ago.

“There is no clear indication that she is dead or alive," said a U.S. national-security official familiar with the search for Mueller. “If she is dead, why aren't they showing her corpse? They've done it before with everybody else. Why is the news media not calling them out?”

This official said ISIS's claim changed nothing has changed from the U.S. perspective.

“Just because it is on CNN doesn't mean we're gong to look harder,” the official added. “A U.S. person is being held against their will by an enemy. Every effort that can be made is being made. It is the top priority. It has been a priority since it happened.”

“We are obviously deeply concerned by these reports. We have not at this time seen any evidence that corroborates ISIL’s claim,” said Bernadette Meehan, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, using an alternate acronym for the extremist group.

Mueller, a 26-year-old from Arizona, was taken captive by ISIS on August 4, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria, while leaving a Spanish Doctors without Borders hospital.

The Daily Beast, along with other news organizations, had agreed to withhold Mueller’s name at the request of her family and U.S. officials, who feared that further attention would put her in jeopardy.

If confirmed, Mueller’s death would bring to an end months of speculation about what ISIS, whose brutality seems to know no bounds, had planned for its last American captive. ISIS has killed Muslim women, as well as children. And the group has held other female captives, notably Yazidi women for example. But Western women had, so far, not been touched.

That fact, terrorism analysts had said, may have helped to keep Mueller alive. Even for a group as brutal as ISIS, killing a woman aid worker could potentially be seen as a bridge too far, and risk igniting public opposition to the group, which aims to establish a new caliphate.

But since the U.S-led campaign began Aug. 8, there were increased concerns for her safety. Indeed, Pentagon officials privately fretted that ISIS would claim hostages or civilians had been killed by their strikes. As it turned out, ISIS wants to shift all attention away from the strikes. After nearly 4,000 targets hit, this appears to be the first time ISIS has claimed coalition forces killed a captive.

In response to al-Kasesbeh’s death, the Jordanian government carried out a death sentence against two al Qeada operatives the next day. Among them was a 44-year-old woman named Sajida al-Rishawi, a would be suicide bomber in the 2005 attack on three Jordanian hotels. The death of a jihadist woman heralded by some ISIS supporters as a hero may have led to a tit-for-tat response by ISIS, the death a Western female hostage, by the Jordanians no less.

Mueller had said she felt drawn to humanitarian work to ease the suffering Syrians, particularly children, whose lives were devastated by years of civil war. Working in refugee camps in Turkey with the humanitarian group Support to Life, she used art as therapy, encouraging children to draw pictures of places where they felt safe—invariably they drew their houses, which they’d had to flee or were destroyed.

“When Syrians hear I’m an American, they ask, ‘Where is the world?’ All I can do is cry with them, because I don’t know,” she said during a speech to the Kiwanis Club in Prescott, Arizona, her hometown, in 2013.

“In the chaos of waking up in the middle of the night and being shelled, we’re hearing of more children being separated from their families by accident,” Mueller said. She told the audience she felt she “can’t do enough” to help Syrian refugees and others fighting the dictatorship of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad.

The Daily Courier reported on the speech and recounted how while working in Turkey, Mueller helped to reunite a Syrian man with a young family member after his camp was bombed. Mueller used a video image of the missing boy to track him down at a hospital after he came out of surgery.

In her speech, Mueller evinced a passion for helping the Syrian people and was hopeful that her work would make a difference in their suffering.

“For as long as I live, I will not let this suffering be normal. I will not let this be something we just accept. It’s important to stop and realize what we have, why we have it and how privileged we are. And from that place, start caring and get a lot done.”

Mueller graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2009. From then until 2011, she lived and worked with humanitarian aid groups in northern India, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. She then returned home to Arizona and worked for a year at an HIV/AIDS clinic and volunteered nights at a women's shelter.

In December 2011, Mueller traveled to France to work as an au pair so she could learn French and then working in Africa. But in December 2012, she went to the Turkish and Syrian border and worked with aid groups helping Syrian refugees.

Mueller's kidnappers first made contact with her family in May 2014, providing proof of life evidence that she was alive and demanding a ransom.

Notably, Mueller didn’t appear in any ISIS videos, including at the end of one released in November 2014 documenting the death of Peter Kassig, another aid worker who, at the time, was the only other American the group was holding.

With the Kassig video, ISIS broke with its custom of showing the next hostage it intends to kill. Subsequent ISIS films showed the murder of a group of Syrian pilots, and most recently the beheading of two Japanese men and the burning alive of the Jordanian pilot.

IS Militants Burn Three Iraqis Alive

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq

Officials and eyewitnesses say Islamic State (IS) militants have burned at least three people alive in Iraq's western Anbar Province.

The victims, residents of an area near the town of Hit, some 200 kilometers west of Baghdad, were suspected of informing Iraqi security forces about the militants' movements.

Our correspondent says the militant group also accused the victims of encouraging people to join tribal forces who are fighting against IS.

Anbar officials said in a statement that one of the victims was a former police officer.

Residents of the area were reportedly forced to come to the site of the burning and watch the incident.

The killings, which come shortly after the release of an IS video purporting to show the immolation of captured Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh, is the first known instance of civilians being burned alive in revenge for their opposition to the militant group.

Najib should not don Hindu attire, garlands, says Perlis mufti

Datuk Seri Najib Razak's advisers should be stricter in enforcing the rules set by Islam when the prime minister attends non-Muslim celebrations, the Perlis mufti said.

Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the prime minister's advisers should be firm with the event organisers to protect the sanctity of Islam.

"The prime minister's advisers should also inform the organisers not to present a garland to Najib or request that he wear Hindu attire when celebrating a religious festival," he told Malay-language daily Sinar Harian.

"They should be firm in this matter and inform the organisers of the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves that Najib will attend on the condition that he not take part in any Hindu ritual.

"This is what Islam forbids. Muslim leaders are not prohibited from attending other religious festivals, but there are rules and limits," he said.

He said Najib could attend the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves, as part of his duty as the prime minister, but should not participate in any religious ritual as it was against Islamic teachings.

"Najib can appear there dressed in a suit. There is no harm in that. What matters is that Najib attends the Hindu religious festivals because he is the Malaysian prime minister and he cares for all Malaysians," said Asri.

As an example, Asri said the Muslim police officers on duty in Batu Caves for the Thaipusam festival were not necessarily celebrating it.

"The police are protecting the public and ensuring the celebrations go on peacefully. They are not celebrating the festival, but only carrying out their duty of maintaining public peace and security."

He added that as the prime minister who cared for the interests of all race and religions, Najib should attend the religious celebrations of non-Muslim faiths.

Two years ago, Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria claimed Najib had "sacrificed his faith" by attending the Thaipusam celebration, and said he advised the prime minister each year not to attend such events as it was an "idolatrous act".

But Harussani later back-pedalled on his criticism after Najib spoke to him personally, and said the prime minister had not flouted Islamic doctrine as he was not involved in a religious procession nor did he enter the cave where the main religious activities are conducted. – February 6, 2015

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-should-not-don-hindu-attire-garlands-says-perlis-mufti#sthash.Xt7Ply0B.dpuf

Peguam tak setuju cadangan cerai dulu baru peluk Islam

Pengamal undang-undang mencadangkan supaya kerajaan Negeri Sembilan berbincang dengan para ulama dan badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Islam sebelum menguatkuasakan 2 cadangan peraturan baru berkaitan mualaf dalam Enakmen Pentadbiran Agama Islam (Negeri Sembilan) 2003.

Dua peraturan baru itu ialah seorang bukan Islam perlu membubarkan perkahwinannya yang terdahulu sebelum dibenarkan berdaftar sebagai mualaf di Negeri Sembilan dan mereka juga perlu membuat akuan berkanun yang menyatakan memeluk Islam.

Semalam, Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan berkata peraturan baru itu mendapat perkenan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan dan ia tidak perlu dibentangkan ke Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) tetapi hanya memerlukan kelulusan Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri.

Peguam kanan Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla berkata ini kerana proses seorang bukan Islam untuk membubarkan perkahwinannya di Mahkamah Sivil akan mengambil masa yang agak lama dan melibatkan banyak perkara antaranya harta sepencarian dan hak penjagaan anak.

"Apa hukumnya pihak yang melengah-lengahkan seseorang memeluk agama Islam. Adakah cadangan pindaan itu mendapat pandangan daripada ahli ulama, jika tidak saya syorkan supaya pihak pentadbir (kerajaan Negeri Sembilan) berbincang dan meminta pandangan ahli ulama berhubung cadangan itu," katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama.

Mohamed Haniff yang banyak mengendalikan kes-kes berkaitan perebutan hak penjagaan anak melibatkan mualaf di Mahkamah Sivil berkata beliau kurang bersetuju dengan cadangan itu jika kerajaan negeri tidak mengambil pandangan daripada ulama berserta hukum atau nas-nas yang menyokong cadangan tersebut.

Peguam itu menegaskan prosedur di Mahkamah Sivil berhubung proses perceraian akan mengambil masa yang agak lama dan ada yang berlanjutan sehingga 2 tahun dan jika seseorang itu meninggal dunia dalam proses hendak memeluk agama Islam, siapa yang harus dipertanggungjawabkan dalam perkara itu?

"Perkara ini tidak boleh dibuat secara terburu-buru kerana ia juga melibatkan satu kes mualaf lagi di Mahkamah Persekutuan yang masih belum selesai. Sepatutnya cadangan itu dibuat selepas mahkamah mengeluarkan keputusannya," katanya.

Ia berhubung kes seorang wanita beragama Hindu, S Deepa yang terlibat dalam perebutan hak penjagaan anak dengan bekas suaminya Izwan Abdullah, yang memeluk Islam atau N Viran ketika beragama Hindu.

Katanya kes itu masih belum didengar di Mahkamah Persekutuan.

Presiden Persatuan Peguam Muslim Malaysia Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar juga mempunyai pandangan sama dengan Mohamed Haniff agar kerajaan Negeri Sembilan berbincang cadangan itu dengan pihak yang berkepentingan seperti NGO Islam dan saudara baru sebelum melaksanakan cadangan itu.

"Pada pandangan saya cadangan itu perlu diperhalusi lagi kerana dikhuatiri ia akan memberi kesan kepada orang mualaf. Hak seorang mualaf harus diberikan kepada mereka sebagaimana hak seorang Islam," katanya.

Zainul Rijal berkata perlu juga dilihat ketika ini, individu yang memeluk Islam tidak mempunyai hak di bawah Seksyen 51 Akta Membaharui Undang-Undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976 iaitu undang-undang keluarga bukan Islam.

"Jadi bagaimana mereka boleh menyelesaikan perceraian mereka? Bagaimanakah pula kalau suami isteri memeluk Islam dan tidak mahu bercerai? Saya juga menyarankan agar kerajaan Negeri Sembilan berbincang hal ini dengan pihak yang berkepentingan seperti NGO Islam dan saudara baharu sebelum melaksanakan perkara ini," katanya.

Bagaimanapun Presiden Persatuan Peguam Syarie Malaysia (PGSM) Musa Awang berkata persatuan itu tiada masalah dengan cadangan kerajaan negeri itu kerana niat utamanya untuk menjaga kepentingan Islam.

Musa berkata individu yang mahu memeluk agama Islam, boleh mengucap 2 kalimah syahadah tetapi pendaftaran mereka akan disimpan dahulu sehingga mereka menyelesaikan perkahwinan terdahulu di bawah Akta Memperbaharui Undang-Undang (Perkahwinan dan Perceraian) 1976.

"Selepas itu baru mereka akan diberi kad perakuan masuk Islam dan memperoleh keistimewaan sebagai seorang mualaf," katanya.

Beliau juga meminta supaya masyarakat memberi peluang kepada kerajaan Negeri Sembilan untuk melaksanakan cadangan itu terlebih dahulu.

"Kita lihat keberkesanannya. Jika berkesan, negeri-negeri lain boleh amalkan prosedur yang sama," katanya. – Bernama, 7 Februari, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/peguam-tak-setuju-cadangan-cerai-dulu-baru-peluk-islam#sthash.C3F70Pda.dpuf

Kurta, garlands cultural elements, not religious, say Indian leaders

Traditional attire, such as kurta, and flower garlands are part of Indian culture and have nothing to do with the Hindu religion, Indian leaders said today, refuting the Perlis mufti’s suggestion that by donning such attire at Thaipusam, the prime minister was taking part in the religious ceremony.

Malaysian Hindu Sangam president Datuk R. S. Mohan Shan also said that presenting a garland was, in fact, a sign of respect for honoured guests.

"It has always been the Indian way of respecting others. It is an important aspect of our culture and has nothing to do with religion," he told The Malaysian Insider.

"There is nothing in the Quran that says Muslims cannot be presented with garlands."

Mohan was responding to a statement by Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin that Datuk Seri Najib Razak should not have worn a "Hindu" attire nor should he have been presented with a garland when he attended the Thaipusam celebrations in Batu Caves on Tuesday.

"They (Najib's advisers) should be firm on this matter and inform the organisers of the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves that Najib will attend on the condition that he not take part in any Hindu ritual," said Asri.

"This is what Islam forbids. Muslim leaders are not prohibited from attending other religious festivals, but there are rules and limits."

Batu Caves' Sri Subramaniam Temple chairman Tan Sri R. Nadarajah said that it was a tradition to garland any VIP who attended any function as a sign of respect.

"Many sultans, prime ministers, chief ministers and other dignitaries have attended Thaipusam celebrations at Batu Caves.

"As a mark of respect, we garland them. This is tradition. Datuk Seri Najib attended as our guest and we did the same," he added.

Najib did not enter the temple and was just at Batu Caves to perform his official duty as the prime minister, said MIC vice-president Datuk M. Saravanan.

"Why is this being made into an issue? The mufti has failed to understand that the kurta and the garland are cultural elements for Indians. They are not a Hindu thing," he said, adding that Najib was prime minister for all Malaysians.

Hitting out at the mufti, Mohan said Muslims in countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan wore kurtas and not the baju Melayu, which is a Malay traditional costume.

"We can see how shallow-minded the mufti is. Najib is not only the prime minister for Muslims but for all Malaysians," he said.

"We don't deny that Najib is a Muslim. And we have given him all the respect to him as a Muslim. But Muslims in other countries wear similar clothes as Islam does not impose any dress code as long as one is dressed modestly," he said.

Bringing up such a trivial matter, Mohan said, was yet another attempt to create discord and tension among the different races and religions in Malaysia.

Two years ago, Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria claimed Najib had "sacrificed his faith" by attending the Thaipusam celebrations, and said he advised the prime minister each year not to attend such events as they were an "idolatrous act".

But Harussani later back-pedalled on his criticism after Najib spoke to him personally, and said the prime minister had not flouted Islamic doctrine as he was not involved in a religious procession nor did he enter the cave where the main religious activities are conducted. – February 7, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/kurta-garlands-cultural-elements-not-religious-say-indian-leaders#sthash.pr5cHCHl.dpuf

10 reasons why Indians beat their wives... in chess

I admit, that line was used by a major advertiser earlier (in just about the only ad that an Indian features). You see, we live in a world of stereotypes. When I write my articles, I deliberately make it controversial (much to the trepidations of the editors). After all, if you write and nobody reads, then you can consider it a ‘syiok sendiri’ piece.

Whenever I post my thoughts, I will get a barrage of comments, both in support and sometimes I appear to hit some raw nerves. Ahh... but that's the objective of a good writer, yes? After all, how interesting would an RTM2 news type be to the average reader.
                      
Let's face it, in Malaysia, the Indians occupy a unique position. They are not a majority in any polling districts but if memory serves me right, they can swing the votes from a BN to an opposition victory in at least 28 constituencies. Now the present government has a majority of 44 seats, with almost 27 of the Indian-swinging seats going to BN in GE 2013. Wait, wait... see the last line of this article for the punchline.

Okay, I digress. Back to the “Kalingas”. Now I lumped all Indians into one group but we fellows are a finicky lot. So here's the top 10 reasons why we:

1. Look like an Indian, talk like an Indian but...

Some of the "Indians" will be offended when a Malayalee or Ceylonese, is called an Indian. Even though it's 2015, there remains a time-stuck group that still holds onto ancient customs and prejudices. In that group, the Ceylon Tamils (popularly known as kottes/Ceylonese in Malaysia) and the Malayalees (known as the mallus or "yellows") consider themselves elitist.

This is because in British rule, these two categories of Indians were the most educated (due to their ‘study first’ philosophy) and hence, the Brits placed them as estate managers, clerks and station masters, that is, in any position that a white man need not helm.

It was common till the late 1980s to see institutions like Sime Darby, Guthrie, KTM, Telekoms and LLN to be staffed at the senior level by either kottes or mallus. (Of course, the question of who is superior will make another story).

It must be remembered that while the Brits placed them there based on their qualification, these days "kulitfication" decides who sits there. As a result, you get madmen/racists/bigots helming senior positions. You can decide for yourself which system is better.

2. Consider a little ‘nip’ a welcoming thingy

Truth be said. Born as an Indian man in Malaysia now is really "suey". Unless you are good-looking like the Bangladeshis (and hence the Malay girls fall for them), if lucky, you will get to date an Indian girl from Batang Berjuntai.

Sorry lah, all the city-bred Indian girls will only "layan" the expatriates. If you don't believe me, go to Skybar and observe. Go on, try your luck. I'd always wondered in the 1980s why I, a (reasonably) good-looking professional witty Indian man could not attract the "tangachees" in Beetlenut but an ugly fat plumber from Newcastle was getting all the attention.

Of course, thanks to the Filipinas, all Indian (and most Punjabi) men no longer feel dejected. In fact, we are now the stars with honorary Philippine citizenship. Remember no Ceylonese or Mallu father is going to allow his high-class doctor/engineer/accountant/pengarah daughter to marry a Gaunder Indian gentleman, even if he was a successful but ugly lawyer like Indi Nadarajah or Alan Pereira.

Worse, if you were an ordinary TNB (yes, a few Indians are still there) meter reader. So what else do you do... if you were a professional with money, head to the Royal Selangor Club. If you were a scrap metal tycoon (and don't play play, many own Ferraris and Lambos), you head to Chakravathy.

And for the TNB meter-reader types, you can find us in Armada Hotel and Cobra Club in PJ. But all of us are united by Chivas and Johnny. When we are adequately inebriated, all our troubles seem so far away, like yesterday. So, in the end, given the lack of business opportunities, government positions and luck with women, all Indians find solace in Regal and Walker.

With these two best friends with us losers, now we rule the world better than Obama, sing better than Shah Rukh, fight better than Jet Li and look better than Brosnan. Hence, so we imbibe. Really, can you blame us?

3. Have an inferiority complex

It's true. See the above paragraphs. If you were not given any chances, pretty soon, you will think that there was something wrong with you instead. You see, we Indians have been forgotten when our stupid forefathers drafted the NEP.

Razak craftily looked after the Malays' interest while Sambanthan was probably too busy counting his son's dowry to be bothered about the Indians. He should have yelled and thrown tables and chairs (like done now) and made Razak and Dr Ismail agree to include the Indians in the NEP.

Then, with our Chinese brethren (thanks to Siew Sin who stayed awake and dished out contracts quickly), we too would have had the same opportunity to prosper in society. I am most upset because the Malays are always claimed as the poor when it really are the Indians and the Orang Asli who count as hardcore poor.

Just because Ananda, Gnanalingam, Arumugam, Tony Fernandes and AK Nathan are billionaires (and account for 99.9% of the Indian wealth), the other 1,987,423 Indians are forgotten when it comes to government assistance - unless it's election time or Merdeka Day when we get our 20 seconds of fame on TV.

Imagine, if we were treated equal, we would have gotten: free overseas education, cheap housing, extra classes to pass exams, subsidised loans, government  jobs, free shares, lower entry results to higher education, "park anywhere" on prayer time rights, virtually no speeding tickets and many more.

The least Sambathan could have done was to give an extra shot of Henessy to Tunku, he then may have voiced up for us. Contrast this with a recent comment by Najib that Indians are bumiputera. I better send in my request for some free shares before the extremist NGOs start to show their posteriors.

4. Are related to Michael Jackson

The world needs healing. Obama is half white and he is proud that he is black. But we Indians, are usually dark brown (if I said black, thousands of Nigerians in KL may be offended) and we apply the ‘Fair & Lovely’ cream so that we can become fairer.

Worse, I've actually heard non-Indian Malaysians say that the fair Indians are Ceylonese and Malayalees, and the darker ones are the "estate" type. It's amazing that after almost 60 years of Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka, with all the bulls**t slogans propagated by the politicians, the four major races (the Indonesians now outnumber Indian Malaysians) are no wiser as to each other's culture than we were in 1897.

It was proven when a government educational commission recently sent Thaipusam greetings to Buddhists. Well, you can see where our "world class" education has taken the society to. In Malaysia we excel by lowering the benchmark instead of upgrading our abilities.

Coming back to the colour bar, we Indians are somewhat cowed by our skin colour. Of course, there are some of us who have decided to become (rapper) BAD and now take on names like "Resh" (Suresh), Knife Andy (Kalliandy), Maran Sammy (Munnusamy) and Big Nate (Banganathan). It appears to me, nobody believes that it doesn't matter if you're black or white.

5. Are lawyers

There was a minister who encouraged the Malays to be like the Chinese who went into business and took risks. He also said don't be like the Indians who play safe and become lawyers and professionals.

As a professional in my sane years and then as a businessman in my foolish years (just for the record, I'm now retired with insanity), I've actually been in the full spectrum of "life" in Malaysia. I think I can speak with authority as I was a product of the "Malay" school (yes, from a kampong too), articled in a "Chinaman" firm with an Indian boss, mastered in a "White man's" society, worked in a cut-throat global business and finally retired to an Indian farm - I've been there all.

I think Indians have been gifted with the language skill that Bill himself would have been proud of. Also, we Indians can never tell a story without intrigues and diversions. There must always be a plot, motive (sorry, in Malaysia no need motive lah...) and a hero.

Move aside Barbara, call us the true romantist. Hence, if you want murder, mystery and a hero - alas, law is your calling Mr Watson. Now if they only allowed song as a defence, you could hear the defence in Anwar's case, may I venture, singing Shaggy's "It wasn't me".

And those are the top five reasons. Why only five and not 10 - hey, we Indians always exaggerate lah.

And the cliff-hanger results: If a clever Indian wanted to be deputy prime minister of Malaysia, (how do you think Nick Clegg, leader of the third largest party with 28% of the votes, became the deputy PM in UK?) all he has to do is to make sure, of the 27 king-making polling districts, 23 seats voted the other way.

Voila, Pakatan in power in GE14. No need to beg the Sabahans and Sarawakians. Aiya.

Sirul extradition a long process, admits IGP

 

Malaysian police have admitted that there will be a 'long legal process' to extradite former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar to Malaysia to face the death imposed upon for murder.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said today Sirul's extradition involves the courts and therefore would take time.

"So we have to wait. There are steps that we have to take before we can extradite him," he told reporters after the launch of the special edition of PDRM's die-cast toy car collection today in Kuala Lumpur.

When asked on how long the court process would take, he said: "I'm not sure. I can't say because it's going to be a long, legal process.

"We know Australia has laws which prevent them from cooperating with Malaysia when it comes to capital punishment."

The Federal Court had on Jan 13 restored a High Court decision sentencing Sirul and Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri to death for the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.

Sirul fled to Australia before the decision, where Malaysia is facing obstacles getting him back due to the former's law preventing extradition of persons facing the death sentence.

‘Ready for any possibilities’

Meanwhile, on another matter, Khalid said the police were “ready for any possibilities” for the Federal Court judgement in opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II case on Feb 10.

“We are ready for any possibilities. But I believe nothing untoward will happen.

“I believe the people are matured and can accept whatever the verdict may be,” he said.

Next Tuesday, the Federal Court would deliver its judgement on Anwar’s final appeal against his sodomy conviction and five-year prison sentence.

Khalid, meanwhile, also confirmed that the police have opened investigation papers over threats made against Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“We will investigate under Sections 506-509 of the Penal Code,” he said.

Ismail Sabri had earned the ire of many after he said that the Malays should boycott Chinese traders for refusing to lower the price of goods.

Meanwhile, Khalid also commented on Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan, who had announced that under a new ruling, anyone wanting to convert to Islam but whose spouse refused must first divorce.

When asked whether this would help the police in cases involving child custody battles, he said: “I hope so. I hope so it will help (the police).”

Khalid has been criticised over his role in the child custody battle between S Deepa and her Muslim convert husband Izwan Abdullah after he applied to intervene in the case.

74 arrests on Malaysians who had gone to Syria

On the Islamic State (IS) threats in the country, Khalid confirmed that the police have made 74 arrests on Malaysians who have gone and returned from Syria.

When asked to comment on Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who had said that measures will be taken to increase the security from IS threats in Sabah, Khalid said the police had been increasing security all over the country.

On whether there is, in fact, any IS threats in Sabah, he simply said: “We will be ready if there are any.”

Conversions - can PM live up to Negri's initiative?

 

The Negri Sembilan Islamic Affairs Council (Mains) has earned bi-partisan praise for proposing new rules to resolve conversion tussles but all eyes are now on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to see if he can live up to the state's much-vaunted initiative.

Both DAP, MCA and Gerakan have urged that the ruling - which will require non-Muslims to resolve their civil marriage status first before converting to Islam - to be implemented in all other states.

"It will be ideal if the other states follow this proposal by Mains in order to avoid future controversy," said Gerakan National Deputy Youth chief Andy Yong.

Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan (left), who is Mains chairperson, announced yesterday that under the ruling, anyone wanting to convert to Islam but whose spouse refused must first divorce.

"This means the person who wants to convert to Islam must first sort out all civil mattters including divorce, maintenance and custody," he said.

The new rules also will require any person who converts to Islam to sign a statutory declaration making public their status as a Muslim.

Child custody tussles

"It means you can convert (to Islam) but settle your obligations first as the marriage took place under civil law," DAP's Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran told Malaysiakini when contacted.

Calling the ruling 'long overdue' and 'apt', Kulasegaran said the ruling should not be merely rules but be introduced as law with amendment to the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Negri Sembilan) Enactment 2003.

Kulasegaran (right), a lawyer, is known for handling child custody tussle cases caused by one parent converting to Islam.

There has been several incidents in recent history where a spouse who married under civil law converted to Islam and received custody of the children from the syariah courts while the non-Muslim partner obtained custody from the civil courts. This resulted in a legal and constitutional quagmire.

"The challenge now is whether other states will implement the same kind of rules and this is where the prime minister must take the lead and advise all states to correspondingly implement similar rules," said Kulasegaran.

Toothless committee

He recalled that a committee to look into the conversion issue was formed in Parliament in 2009 and another similar committee under the government was set up last year but Najib failed to effect any changes.

"In 2009, the conversion committee proposed that in the case of conversions, the child will be brought up in the faith before the conversion, but no one bothered to implement this as it was merely an advice and the committee was toothless," he said.

"Now that Negri Sembilan has led the way by taking the right initiative to protect the sanctity of Islam and to prevent similar sufferings by non-Muslim parents from happening to others, the prime minister must not disappoint again. He should now do what ought to have been done," noted Kualsegaran.

However, Vell Paari, son of former MIC president Samy Vellu, said menteri besars and chief ministers should take the initiative to emulate Negri Sembilan without having to wait for the prime minister.

"This is a state matter, so there is no need to wait for the prime minister," he said.

He hailed Mohamad's move as "bold", for pushing with the new rules in spite of possible opposition from conservative forces.

Negri tells converts to dissolve marriage first

 

In the near future, non-Muslim couples in Negri Sembilan must undergo a divorce before either one of them converts to Islam.

Following this, the new convert would have to make a statutory declaration on his or her change of faith, to prevent future legal problems.

Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan said the proposed new law would be introduced into the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Negri Sembilan) Enactment 2003.

"The new regulations are aimed at protecting the sanctity of Islam and at preventing the religion from being insulted and ridiculed just because of a wrongdoing of an individual," he said, according to Bernama.

"If he or she converted to Islam first and then decided to dissolve the marriage, there will be problems, so it is better to dissolve the marriage first before converting to Islam.

"The statutory declaration is also vital to prevent family disputes over the remains of a Muslim convert," the menteri besar said.

This was informed to reporters after a briefing by the Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (MAINS) to Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir in Seremban yesterday.

4 nabbed over Indian national kidnapping

Victim's employer told to prepare ransom of RM100,000.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Serious Crimes Division (D9) of the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent yesterday arrested four local men in connection with the kidnapping of an Indian national in Sentul here last Saturday.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Zainuddin Ahmad said the four suspects were nabbed in three raids in Ipoh, Perak; Sungai Buloh, Selangor; and Jalan Masjid India here.

“In the first raid at 12.30am, two suspects, aged 23 and 24, were picked up in front of a cinema in Ipoh, Perak, while the other two, aged 23 and 25, were nabbed in Sungai Buloh at 5.40am and the premises of a cargo company in Jalan Masjid India here at 1.15pm.

“Initial investigations found that the fourth suspect, who works as a driver, was the mastermind in the case … they kidnapped the victim to ask for ransom from his employer,” Zainuddin said in a statement here yesterday.

On January 31, the 39-year-old victim was kidnapped in front of a religious school in Sentul by three suspects travelling in a Proton Persona car.

“The suspects had intercepted the Nissan van, in which the victim was travelling with five other individuals, and introduced themselves as agents from the Indian CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). They then pulled the victim out of the van and into the car, while at the same time pointing a pistol-like object at him, and sped off,” Zainuddin said.

He said on the same day, the victim’s employer received a call from the suspects demanding RM100,000 in ransom, which was later reduced to RM36,000, to release the victim at a location in Shah Alam, Selangor.

The employer agreed to pay the ransom by leaving the money under a tree in Shah Alam before being told that the victim had been released, Zainuddin said, adding that the three suspects had been remanded until February 9 to facilitate investigation, while the remand order for the fourth suspect would be obtained tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar commended the success of the team in arresting the suspects.

“Congratulations STAFOC (Special Task Force On Organised Crime) and Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for the success in arresting the men involved in kidnapping of Indian national on January 31. Victim is safe,” he tweeted.

– BERNAMA

Big Boss fans try to muscle in on a datukship

Online petition to honour Tamil superstar Rajinikanth.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Move over Datuk Jackie Chan, Datuk Michelle Yeoh and Datuk Shah Rukh Khan. It’s “Big Boss” superstar Rajinikanth’s turn to get a datukship! Or so say his fans, who have started a petition to honour him.

Malaysians will remember that in the run-up to the 2008 General Elections, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim had a huge billboard in Bangsar with him dressed as Rajinikanth’s character, dark glasses and all, in the movie Big Boss.

His daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, who had a starring role on the billboard, went on to thrash Umno Wanita Chief Sharizat Abdul Jalil in the Lembah Pantai seat for Parliament.

Fans of the Kollywood star, a veteran of Tamil and Hindi films, now want Rajinikanth to be honoured like Jackie, Michelle and Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan. They are on a signature campaign to urge the government to honour the Indian actor with a datukship.

Why didn’t they think of asking Anwar who obviously admires Rajinikanth?

According to Malay Mail Online, an online petition has been set up for local fans to plead that “talapathi” (Tamil for ‘leader of leaders’) be given a datukship.

“In recent years, datukship has been given to Shah Rukh Khan and also Jackie Chan. If this is possible, then we request to give datukship to Superstar Rajnikanth too. Thalaiva!!!!” reads the petition started by fan Ravisankar Sellakkannu.

“If Jackie Chan can get, our Rajni deserve more,” a fan from Kulim in Kedah, Visnu Shanmugam, wrote on the petition page.

Another admirer, Padmanaban Ben from Ampang, wrote: “Superstar Rajinikanth has a huge fan following in Malaysia and he deserves to (get) this award.”

Rajinikanth, whose real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, has a global cult-following. His films are generally blockbusters.

IGP Khalid should just call off his twitter directive on Monday to police officers to investigate Ismail Sabri for his racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses now that the Cabinet has massaged it into an inoffensive call to all traders and not directed at any race

By Lim Kit Siang

It would appear that the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has also become victim of the Ismail Sabri virus as to make him say and do weird, outlandish or unacceptable things but putting up a pretence that what he is doing is the most normal, routine or ordinary thing.

Ismail made a rabidly racist call on Malay consumers to boycott Chines business and is trotting round the country basking as a hero as he felt vindicated not only by UMNO leaders lining up behind him with the placard “We Are All Ismail Sabri”, but by the Cabinet as well.

On Wednesday, the entire Cabinet succumbed to the Ismail Sabri virus when the Cabinet decided, as announced in a subsequent Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) statement, that Ismail’s call did not target Chinese traders alone but was aimed at all traders.

The PMO made a gem of a statement, which should framed for all posterity, stating:

“We were informed that his statement was aimed to reprimand traders who refuse to reduce the price of goods even when the price of fuel has reduced.

“The reprimand was aimed at all traders and not at traders of any particular race. He also suggested that consumers use their buying power to force traders to reduce the price of goods.”

The police has not been spared the Ismail Sabri virus attack, as the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar reiterated today that the police will not call off its investigations involving Ismail Sabri but will continue with its probe.

On Monday, after Ismail went overboard with his racist fulminations on Facebook calling on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese business, I had asked the Inspector-General of Police whether his twitter account had broken down or whether Bukit Aman had suffered a breakdown of Internet access, as he had been strangely quiet for several hours on his twitter account on Ismail’s transgression.

One of Khalid’s trademarks as IGP is to immediately take to the twitter to direct his police officers to investigate political or civic society leader for any infringement of the law in their statements or speeches, and I myself was such a victim, when the IGP twittered that the police would investigate me under the Sedition Act for saying on the fifth anniversary of the death of Teoh Beng Hock that his killers have yet to be brought to book as Beng Hock did not commit suicide by jumping off the 14th floor of MACC in Shah Alam on July 16, 2009.

It was a few hours after my tweet that Khalid took to the twitter to say Ismail would be investigated.

However, with the Cabinet exonerating Ismail from any transgression, it is the height of ridicule for the police to continue with the rigmarole claiming that the police will still investigate Ismail’s “innocuous” (according to the Prime Minister and Cabinet) call on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses.

Khalid should just call off his tweet directive on Monday to police officers to investigate Ismail as nobody believes that the police will dare to find the Prime Minister and Cabinet wrong and in violation of the law in massaging Ismail Sabri’s racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businesses into an inoffensive call to all traders and not at those of a certain race.

Why waste police time and resources on an investigation into the Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry when it is obvious even to a child that such police investigation will not be going anywhere?

Radicalism among youth a major threat, says Hishammuddin

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Radicalism among youth is a threat not only to Malaysia but the world, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said the recent lone wolf attacks in Sydney and Paris were serious and disturbing because they were carried out by young people.

“What’s more painful is the fact these young men and women are often educated and from affluent backgrounds,” said Hishammuddin during his keynote address at the third National Aspiration and Leadership Symposium at the Putra World Trade Centre on Saturday.

He added that the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) group has shone the spotlight on the global Islamic community (ummah) again.

Hishammuddin said the Malay community is not exempt from this given how crucial Islam is to their identity.

He noted also that it is a sad but undeniable fact that many young Malaysians have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight for IS.

“We cannot bury our head in the sand to this unfortunate trend. Their actions are a stain on the honour of our faith and our community,” he said.

Hishammuddin said he suspects Malaysians joining IS wanted meaning, direction and purpose.
He added that what’s needed to defeat extremism is a comprehensive effort to ensure society’s most venerable members, especially young men, are given alternatives to radicalism.

Adamant Ismail says boycott call taken ‘out of context’

An adamant Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has again defended his controversial call for a boycott of the Chinese over high prices, this time claiming that his statement was taken out of context.

He repeated to the audience of a forum last night not to prolong the issue as a racial one, but to focus on the intent of his message instead, which he said is to call on consumers to unite against traders who refuse to lower their prices despite falling oil prices.

“The cabinet has already agreed that we don’t need to drag on with this issue, because we should know that if we prolong racial issues, we should ask ourselves what is the ending that we are looking for. We need to ask.

“So it is better we return to the intent (of the message) in the interest of all consumers; use collective power to do something to these traders so that they would reduce prices and its benefits can be felt by all races,” he said.

Ismail (left) said this a forum organised by the Captain Hussein Leadership Academy - a leadership academy founded by Umno Youth - in Kelana Jaya yesterday.

At the forum themed ‘Middlemen profits: Valid or Sabotage’, a member of the audience asked Ismail to explain his controversial statement while another voiced discontent with “racial elements” in the minister’s Facebook statement and urged Ismail not to repeat it, prompting him to respond.

“My statement that day was simple, but (taken) out of context. My statement is simple, the message is clear: Consumers have the power to reduce prices. That is all,” he said.

Not all Chinese, just stubborn ones

Ismail has been in the spotlight since Monday after a screenshot of his comments on Facebook was circulated online, in which he called on Malays to boycott Chinese businesses to compel them to lower prices.

"The majority of consumers are Malays. The Chinese are the minority. If the Malays boycott their businesses, they will have no choice but to reduce prices," he wrote.

In the posting, Ismail also questioned the Old Town White Coffee restaurant chain’s halal credentials and claimed it is owned by the “Ngeh family (of) Perak DAP, which are anti-Islam”, likely referring to DAP's Sitiawan assemblyperson Ngeh Khoo Ham.

Old Town White Coffee has since denied having ties to any politicians or political parties, and vouched for its halal certification, while Ngeh said his lawyers are initiating legal action against Ismail Sabri.

As for Ismail Sabri, he had clarified shortly after the controversy erupted that he was referring to “stubborn Chinese traders” who refuse to lower their prices, and he wasn’t referring to DAP leader Ngeh Khoo Ham.

"Regarding my boycott call to Malays against Chinese traders, I was responding Facebook users who are angry at stubborn Chinese traders who don't want to cut prices," he said in another Facebook posting that Monday.

‘Don’t rely on gov’t’

Meanwhile at the forum last night, Ismail said there are also political considerations as well when he made his original statement, which is that the opposition seems to gain whether fuel prices go up or down.

When fuel prices go up, he said, prices of goods also increase and BN is blamed for the problem to the extent the coalition’s acronym is nicknamed “Barang Naik” (Prices of goods increase).

“When fuel prices go down and prices of goods also come down, the BN government should benefit because we are the one who lowered the prices. But the government didn’t benefit but was condemned instead for failing to reduce prices.

“So that is why I said it is best way for us to use our power (as consumers),” he said, adding that there is now greater public awareness among consumers of their collective bargaining power.

When met with reporters outside the forum later, Ismail was asked whether he condones the actions of a Facebook page to list companies and products supposedly owned by Chinese to boycott, offering a list of supposedly Malay-owned companies as alternatives.

The minister replied he was only telling consumers not to rely on the government and instead use their own power to change prices, and what consumers do with that power are merely details.

When asked whether he would support race-based boycotts however, he said, “No. I already said that for the benefit of all, any errant traders whether Malay, Chinese, or Indian cannot be spared. The focus is on errant traders.”

Asked if the 'Boycott Chinese companies' Facebook page is a positive move, Ismail Sabri curtly replied, “I don’t know.”

The Facebook page is knows as “Boikot Barangan Cina DAP ORI”, and has garnered over 54,000 “Likes” so far.

Apart from calling for the boycotts and urging for support for supposedly Malay-owned business, the page also levels various accusations against DAP leaders and voices support for Ismail’s controversial statement.

Asked to respond to Ngeh’s decision to sue him, Ismail said the Perak DAP leader has the right to do so and he shall see him in court.

‘I helped lower prices’

Earlier at the forum, the minister spoke at length about his efforts since 2013 to lower the prices of agricultural produce by cutting out the middlemen.

He said when he came into office as the agriculture minister, he felt that something was amiss when he learnt that his ministry has a large budget of about RM6 billion, and yet farmers, fishermen and breeders were poor.

He said the ministry’s efforts include founding farmers' or fishermens' associations to connect them directly to buyers instead of relying to middlemen to take their products to the market, and also holding farmers' and fishermens' markets.

He said these associations have succeeded in increasing the income of its members by 10 to 15 percent compared to non-members, although he said his efforts are only partially successful.

Among the challenges include convincing local councils to provide prime land for the markets and breaking the farmers' and fishermens' reliance of middlemen, the latter of which is partially due to culture, and partially due to cycles of debt with the middlemen.

Ismail also accused distributors of being responsible for the high vegetable prices during the floods in December, saying that claims of short supply during the year-end disaster were untrue.

This is because vegetable production areas such as Ulu Yam, Cameron Highlands and much of the West Coast were not hit by flood, he said, whereas the flood-hit East Coast only produces enough vegetables for local consumption and could not even buy vegetables from the West Coast because the markets were closed.

At the time, he said, vegetable prices shot up by 100 to 150 percent.

“I issued a statement that it is not true (that there is a shortage), and I proved it by creating a special farmers' market where prices were 20 to 60 percent lower than the normal markets.

“If the special farmers' market can sell at far lower prices up to 60 percent compared to normal markets, that means there is something is not right with the normal markets,” he said.

Because there is an alternative, he said the prices of vegetables began to come down in less than a month since the farmers' market opened.