Afghanistan: No Country for Women

Al Jazeera

In war-torn Afghanistan it is not the Taliban that poses the greatest threat to women - it is their own families.

Thirteen years after the fall of the Taliban, women in Afghanistan continue to suffer oppression and abuse.

Research by Global Rights estimates that almost nine out of 10 Afghan women face physical, sexual or psychological violence, or are forced into marriage.

In the majority of cases the abuse is committed by the people they love and trust the most - their families.

While shelters are trying to provide protection and legal help to some, many women return to abusive homes because there is no alternative. Unable to escape their circumstances, some are turning to drastic measures like self-immolation to end their suffering.

Has enough progress been made on women's rights in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban? Share your thoughts with us @AJ101East

By Karishma Vyas

'Mariam' was seven months pregnant the last time her husband almost killed her. She doesn't remember what triggered the attack. What she remembers is being slammed to the floor, and her husband's foot crushing her neck.

"I started bleeding," she said. "All the cushions on the floor were wet with my blood."

Mariam, which is not her real name, has been hiding in a secret women's shelter in Kabul for the past two months. She lives with around 20 women who have travelled here from across Afghanistan, each with their own horrific story of abuse.

Some have left violent husbands. Others have been raped or are fleeing forced marriages arranged by their parents. All of them are terrified that they will be killed by their families.

War-torn Afghanistan is ranked as one of the most dangerous places in the world to be born a woman, according to a survey by the Thompson Reuters Foundation.

Under the Taliban women were banned from going to school and working. They were not allowed to leave their homes without a male relative or be seen in public without a burqa. For defying the regime's repressive laws, women were openly flogged and executed.

But 13 years after the fall of the Taliban, and despite the influx of billions of dollars in development aid, many Afghan women are still living in terror.

A report by Global Rights estimates that almost 90 percent of women experience physical, sexual or psychological abuse or forced marriage. Overwhelmingly, it is their families who are committing these crimes.

"It's a question of control and power," said Sima Samar, a prominent women's rights activist and chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. "You use religion, you use culture, you use tradition, you use gender to keep the power, to keep control."

When Mariam, 25, got married five years ago, she never imagined that she would end up in a shelter.

"When I first saw my husband I thought he was the right man for me," she said, sitting on the floor of the shelter with her head covered in a black scarf.

"I thought I'd have someone to share my pain and my secrets with. I'd have children and live a happy life."

But she says the abuse began almost immediately. Without warning, her husband would erupt into violent rages, at times threatening her with a loaded gun or dragging her by her hair through their home.

When she tried to seek help from the police, they released her husband after a few hours. Even her parents refused to help her, returning her to her in-laws after assurances that she would not be beaten.

Mariam says her husband was diagnosed with a mental illness and prescribed medication. But the torment continued.

"I thought about killing myself but I couldn't go through with it because I was pregnant. I was so tired. Most of the time I didn't even have the energy to defend myself and nobody was there to defend me," she said, showing no emotion.

Mariam and the other women at the shelter are the lucky ones. For now, at least, they are safe. But there are only 14 protection centres across Afghanistan and most are in urban areas. Many women simply cannot reach them.

But even these few shelters are under threat. Foreign governments and donors are cutting back on funding as the international community pulls out of Afghanistan. And the national government is not filling in the gap. There are also powerful leaders within the country who want the shelters to close.

"These so-called 'safe houses' are very bad," said Nazir Ahmad Hanafi, a popular member of Afghanistan's parliament representing the western city of Herat.

"They protect people who are doing wrong things and give them immunity. They open the gates to social problems like AIDS."

Hanafi and other lawmakers have also fought legislation that increases punishment for crimes against women.

The 2009 Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) banned and set new penalties for underage and forced marriage, rape, forced prostitution and other abuses. But it was only passed into law through a presidential decree.

"It's a male conservative, selfish mentality," said Samar. "They believe that they have the superiority of being men and having a long beard. They are not there to think that every human being is equal," she said.

Back at the shelter, Mariam is torn between standing up for her rights and securing a future for her children. Her one-year-old son still lives with her husband and she is now nine months pregnant with her second child.
Her husband admitted to beating her, and tried to justify it by saying the abuse was never serious.

"My wife is so stubborn," he said. "She was always arguing with my father, my mother and sisters. So one day I hit her."

Without an income or a place to live, Mariam's lawyer at the shelter says a court is likely to grant custody of the children to her husband despite his violent history.

Her parents have refused to take her in, and she has no other options. It is a problem that almost all the women at the shelter face. They may have had the courage to leave their abusive families, but where will they go now?

For Mariam, it is a grim realisation that is only now sinking in.

"I have never lived a good life here," she said. "Not as a girl, not as a woman, not even as a mother."

Squash achievements 2016

The national women’s squash players proved that they are not a one-woman (or two-women) team when they won the Asian Team Squash Championships title for a record ninth time without two of the country’s biggest stars – world No. 5 Nicol David and world No. 37 Low Wee Wern.

The Arnold sisters of Delia and Rachel, S. Sivasangari and Teh Min Jie must be delighted to have proven their critics wrong.

In Sunday’s final at the National Taiwan University in Taipei, the 17-year-old Sivasangari and 30-year-old skipper Delia turned on the style to help third-seeded Malaysia beat second-seeded India 2-0.

Good job for bringing home title number nine, girls!

If you want to know, the other eight titles came in 1992, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2014.

Police: Rape suspect cut himself with blade

SEREMBAN: A rape suspect, who was being taken to court in a police vehicle from the Nilai police station to be remanded, had cut himself with a blade, requiring him to receive 50 stitches.

State police chief DCP Datuk Jaafar Mohd Yusof said the incident was witnessed by 14 other suspects who were being transported in the same Black Maria to be remanded for other offences on May 25.

"The suspect is lying that he had no knowledge how he had sustained the life-threatening cuts to his neck and wrists.

"We have ample evidence to show that he had cut himself up with the blade which he hid in a sling bag," he said at a press conference here Sunday, adding that the incident happened about 1km before the Seremban court complex.

The 25-year-old suspect had lodged a report on June 2 claiming that he had been assaulted by several officials from the Home Ministry after being arrested at a store in Bandar Baru Nilai where he was employed at about 3am on May 25.

He alleged that he lost consciousness after he was assaulted by policemen at the Nilai police station.

The suspect claimed that he only regained consciousness at the high dependency ward of the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital on May 26 and realised that he had sustained injuries, which required him to be given 50 stitches.

DCP Jaafar said one of the cops accompanying the suspects had to stop the accused from further injuring himself.

"The policemen, who was seated at the rear end of the Black Maria entered the enclosure where the suspects sat, and stopped the accused from further injuring himself.

"By then, the accused had lost a lot of blood and was straightaway rushed to the hospital," he said, adding that police were unable to obtain a remand order for him to allow him to be treated.

Police detained the suspect after a 13-year-old girl lodged a report alleging that she had been raped by the suspect. "The girl lodged the report of the alleged rape on April 13,” DCP Jaafar said.

He also denied claims by the suspect that the officers who had arrested him were from the Home Ministry.

"They were from the Nilai station and were acting on a report lodged by the girl," he said.

DCP Jaafar said apart from the alleged rape, the police were now investigating the suspect under section 309 of the Penal Code for attempted suicide.

"We will also investigate him for lodging a false report," he said, adding that police were expected to arrest the suspect soon.

The longer the keris, the more nationalist the party, jibes Dr M

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has chided PAS for trying to be more nationalist than Umno.

He said PAS used to criticise Umno for being nationalist, but now the Islamist party is brandishing a longer keris than the Malay nationalist party.

The recently concluded 62nd PAS muktamar in Kota Baru saw the party president Abdul Hadi Awang wielding a giant replica of a keris to cut a cake made up to look like the party flag.

“Before this, they condemned Umno for being nationalist. Now they are more nationalist, because their keris is longer than Umno’s keris.

“See, you measure nationalism according to the length of the keris. If this is longer, then it is more nationalist.

“So they have come back. They have suddenly realised that they are Malays,” Mahathir told reporters at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

PAS vice-president Idris Ahmad had defended the use of the giant mock keris, saying that it makes the event more colourful.

Meanwhile, to a question, Mahathir said PAS and Umno are now in a marriage of convenience.

“PAS has lost its own supporters, and Umno is looking for supporters. So they work together,” he said.

Just prior to the press conference, Mahathir was launching the Malay edition for Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali’s autobiography ‘Perjuangan Tanpa Noktah’, while the former premier’s wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali launched the English edition ‘The Misunderstood Man’.

When the Perkasa chief was asked about the party’s stance on PAS’ ‘Hudud Bill’ at the press conference, Ibrahim said Perkasa would normally support anything related to Islam.

“But we want to make sure that our support must go according to the true teachings of Islam, and the hudud must be fair for everybody - not only the Muslims but also for the non-Muslims,” Ibrahim said.

At this point, Mahathir interjected to explain that in the Quran, there are 43 verses that stress on the importance of being fair in meting out justice.

“If two people - one Malay, one Chinese - goes to steal things, you chop off the hands of the Malay and the Chinese gets two months’ jail.

“You can’t get your hand back any more, but two months’ jail? He’d come out happy.

“Is that justice? If that is not justice, it is not Islam,” he said.

The key to stopping breast cancer returning: Scientists identify 'Achilles heel' of condition in landmark discovery

The 'Achilles heel' of breast cancer cells has been identified, according to scientists.

A study has shed light on why the disease can return years after women appear to be free of it.

Many invasive forms of breast cancer have too much of the protein HER2 on the surface of the cancerous cells, which leads to uncontrolled growth.

HER2 is present in all human cells, but unusually high levels are found in about one in five breast and stomach cancers, known as HER2-positive types.

The cancer drugs Herceptin and Perjeta – the brand names for trastuzumab and pertuzumab, respectively – recognise HER2 but they do not kill off the cancerous cells. Instead, they only render the cells dormant, which means they can become active again at any time.

This means many women can appear to be 'cured', only for their cancer to re-awaken years later.

In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers from Zurich University aimed to find out why these drugs merely slow the growth of tumours, rather than destroy them.

HER2 uses several signalling pathways at the same time to inform a cell that it should grow and divide. Currently available drugs block only one of those signalling pathways, while others remain active.

But now scientists believe they have developed a method to switch off all the signals, using a protein compound that binds to HER2 and changes its structure.

This prevents any growth signals being transmitted to the cell's interior, causing the cancer cell to die.

Crucially, the technique targets only cancer cells, leaving healthy ones unharmed.

Professor Dr Andreas Pluckthun, of Zurich University, said: 'Now that we have identified the Achilles heel of HER2-positive cancer cells, new opportunities are opening up for treating invasive tumour types like breast cancer more effectively in the future.'

Meanwhile, separate research has shown that up to 1,200 patients with one of the deadliest types of cancer could survive for at least five years using a different method of treatment.

It reveals that offering a combination of two chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer is far more effective than one on its own.

Scientists from Liverpool University studied 732 patients who underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy at hospitals in the UK, Germany, Sweden and France.

About half were offered the standard chemotherapy of gemcitabine alone and half were offered a combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine.

The study – which will be presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology cancer conference – shows 29 per cent of patients given the combined drugs lived at least five years, compared with only 16 per cent of patients given just gemcitabine. It suggests about 1,200 patients a year could benefit from the technique.

The findings were so compelling they have prompted experts to change the treatment guidelines for pancreatic cancer. From now on, doctors will be told to offer both chemotherapy drugs.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms and there are 9,400 new cases and 8,800 deaths in the UK each year.

Professor John Neoptolemos of Liverpool University said: 'This important trial shows that this drug combination could give pancreatic patients valuable extra months and even years and so will become the new treatment for patients with this disease.

'The difference in short-term survival may seem modest, but improvement in long-term survival is substantial for this cancer.

'Although pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat, finding drugs that will shrink the tumour enough to make it suitable for surgery will help in the fight against this disease.

'We've learnt a lot about pancreatic cancer from our clinical trials and now this drug combination will become the new standard of care for patients with the disease.
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Cancer Research UK's Professor Peter Johnson said: 'Nearly 10,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in the UK and it remains a very difficult disease to find and treat. Despite this we are making steady progress through trials like this one, where the use of better chemotherapy after surgery was able to increase the number of people surviving the disease.'

Umno to brief BN partners on Hadi’s Bill next week

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Umno will brief Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition component parties on political foe PAS’s controversial Bill to strengthen the Shariah courts’ powers next Wednesday, the Malay nationalist party’s information chief said today.

Datuk Annuar Musa added that Islamic religious experts and constitutional lawyers will be present to explain the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016, The Star Online reported.

“Whoever is in Barisan Nasional, don’t be emotional. We have to sit down and discuss and not come up with hasty statements — that’s not the BN culture.

“Let’s discuss this issue as brothers and sisters. There have been lots of misunderstandings on this issue and we will iron this out during the meeting,” the Keterah MP was quoted saying.

Annuar said the June 8 briefing will be held at the BN headquarters here at 11am.

Several BN party leaders and ministers have objected to the Bill which they see as clearing the way for hudud to be introduced into the country.

The presidents of MCA, Gerakan and MIC have pledged to quit their government positions if hudud kicks in.

The Bill appeared on the Dewan Rakyat’s agenda last week when the government fast-tracked the opposition lawmaker’s proposal, last on the list, through the Order Paper.

Several non-Muslim ministers have claimed surprise, saying they had been kept in the dark that it would be tabled on the last day of the lower House’s meeting this season. Hadi however, has asked for it to be deferred to the next meeting in October.

The Bill seeks to lift the cap for state Shariah courts to punish Muslims convicted of Islamic offence from the current prison term, fine and whipping formula of three: RM5,000: six strokes to unlimited other than the death sentence.

Critics of the Bill assert that the law violates the Federal Constitution and will weaken the powers of the civil justice system.

Caught on video: Woman rails at 'deaf and mute' cleaner at Singapore foodcourt

SINGAPORE: A woman seen railing at a cleaner and his manager at the Jem foodcourt was criticised by netizens after a video of the incident was posted online on Friday (June 3) evening.

The woman was apparently provoked after the cleaner tried to clear away her food before she finished her lunch, said Euphemia Lee, who witnessed the incident and posted the video on Facebook.

The woman shouted at the cleaner and at the manager who came to apologise on behalf of the cleaner.

Most of the unnamed woman's angry words could not be made out in the video lasting almost three minutes but she raised her voice at times, shouting things like: "Go and be a beggar, I don't care, you took my food!"

Lee posted the video at around 7.30pm on Friday, and it was viewed 734,000 times and shared close to 20,000 times by Saturday afternoon.

Lee, a 30-year-old business owner, was having lunch at the Jurong East shopping mall foodcourt when she came across the incident.

She told The Straits Times she turned around when the woman raised her voice at the cleaner.

"I didn't see what happened at first, but probably the uncle was just trying to do his job. People were waiting and he may have been a little too enthusiastic."

On Facebook she wrote: "She abruptly exploded into cursing and violent upper body actions. She then told him that he should go and die and should not be given a coffin."

Lee said the cleaner walked away when the woman shouted at him, and she appeared to calm down and continued eating. But when her husband returned, she insisted that her husband bring the cleaner to their table so he could apologise to her.

The manager then came to apologise on behalf of the employee. The online video shows her scolding the manager, who is in a white t-shirt.

The cleaner, who is not in the video, was an elderly man who looked to be in his 70s and walked with a limp, Lee said.

The manager told the woman that the cleaner was deaf and mute and so could not apologise, but the woman was relentless, Lee said.

Lee, who was disgusted by the woman's behaviour, said no one intervened as the manager seemed to be handling the situation.

But she decided to put the video online as "the things she said were... too much for us to turn a blind eye and forget about it".

The video has been widely shared, and some netizens have suggested that the irate woman is a grassroots leader at Nee Soon GRC, but the Residents' Committee (RC) for Nee Soon Central Zone 1 has denied this.

The RC wrote on its Facebook page: "We note there is a post on facebook going around that the lady in the picture is a member of our committee. We would like to clarify that she is neither a member nor volunteer of our committee."

The Straits Times has reached out to the foodcourt operator Koufu for comments. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network

Mahathir speechless over middle finger-flaunting 'D for diktator' likeness

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was uncharacteristically rendered speechless when he was confronted with an activist's protest artwork depicting his likeness giving the middle finger and labelled dictator.

While launching a new Dubook Press book "Apa Habaq Orang Muda" at the Arts For Grabs event in Publika Mall Kuala Lumpur, the ex-premier was approached by activist cum artist Fahmi Reza who went up to the stage bearing gifts.

He presented the ex-premier with a copy of his #KitaSemuaPenghasut T-shirt depicting the clown likeness of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, which probably reasonated with Mahathir's anti-Najib stance.

But his second gift probably hit too close to home for the ex-PM.

"During the launch of Mahathir's latest book, I went up the stage to give him a copy of my colouring book. This is the Malaysian Politikus ABC Coluring Book, I told him.

"At first he smiled. But when I handed him the book, I opened the page to 'D untuk diktator' which is decorated with the picture of him giving the middle finger.

"He was speechless, but I heard a grunt of disapproval from him," wrote Fahmi in a posting on his Facebook page.

The colouring book, which is available for download online, mocked politicians from all sides including the prime minister with the word "corruptor" and Umno cyber warefare chief Ahmad Maslan in a clown suit with the word "clown".

One of the page also depicted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng giving two middle fingers with the word "hypocrite" while another depicted PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang putting a finger to his lips with the word "god".

It also featured PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail with the word "nepotist".

In the foreword of the book, which was published last year, it said: "This colouring book is specially for youths who are interested in politics but do not like politicians (politikus)".

Fahmi also popularised the image of clown-faced Najib, which he is expected to be charged with next week.

He will be charged under Section 233(1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 for hurting the feelings of other people.

Dr M: Malay hands chopped but Chinese get short jail terms under PAS' hudud

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said PAS' proposed hudud will see Malays losing their hands while the Chinese will only go to jail for a short time for the same crime.

"If a Chinese man and a Malay man steal something together, according to what they (PAS) are proposing now, the Malay's hand will be chopped off, but the Chinese will only go to jail for two months," he told a dialogue during the book launch of " Apa Habaq Orang Muda" in Kuala Lumpur today.

The event was streamed 'live' on Kelab Che Det's Facebook page.

Mahathir used the example in trying to emphasise laws are only truly Islamic if they were just.

"Is that (duality of punishment) justice? I don't think you will say it is justice.

"Justice can only be achieved if the punishment is the same for both.

"In this case, the punishments are different, they are not just, and therefore not Islamic," he said.

Mahathir said just because we are an Islamic state doesn't mean we have to be extreme.

"Claiming a country to be an Islamic state doesn't mean we have to be extreme or not take into account the multi-racial and multi-religious character of our country," he said.

He said the country is governed by both common law and syariah law and in both instances, justice takes precedence.

"There are 42 verses in the Quran that says when you judge, judge with justice.

"That is the principle we hold on to when we use conventional or syariah law," he said.

Zaid Ibrahim backs NGO's call for separation of AG, public prosecutor roles

Former minister Zaid Ibrahim is in agreement with the call from the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs’s (Ideas) for the separation of the attorney-general (AG) and public prosecutor roles.

He was present at a forum organised by Ideas, entitled 'Should the roles of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor be separated?' at the Universiti Malaya Alumni Association club house in Kuala Lumpur today
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“We should follow other developed countries (in separating the roles of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor),” Zaid said during the discussion.

He was referring to nations like the United Kingdom and Australia, where the attorney-general is answerable to the Parliament and not to the executive (the prime minister), while the director of public prosecution is independent in making decisions to prosecute.

Ideas chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan had mentioned in a statement earlier that with one individual holding both the attorney-general and public prosecutor roles, it would create a conflict of interest if a particular case involved the government.

“The attorney-general is the chief legal advisor to the government, while the public prosecutor is expected to make decisions on whether or not to prosecute a case […] it is not fair on the AG to be burdened with this conflict of interest because it could lead to a situation where people question the integrity of even the most honest and dedicated AG,” Wan Saiful said.

Bar Council member Rajpal Singh and Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) president Cynthia Gabriel, who were part of the forum panel, also expressed support for Ideas’ call for the separation of roles.

The forum was organised by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) in conjunction with the launch of their #NyahKorupsi (#EliminateCorruption) campaign.

Besides strengthening the institution of attorney general and public prosecutor, Ideas also urged that three other steps be taken in order to achieve the government’s National Key Recovery Area (NKRA) Fighting Corruption targets.

They consist of:

· Upgrading the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into a constitutionally mandated Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (IACC);

· Amending relevant parts of the MACC Act 2009 to give more investigative powers to the relevant bodies; and

· Amending Acts like the Official Secrets Act, Whistleblower Protection Act, Witness Protection Act, and to introduce laws that enable freedom of information and asset declarations.

Dr M backs Amanah, has started campaigning for them, says Zaid

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has already started campaigning for Parti Amanah Negara in the coming Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections, claims an ex-minister.

Former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim told Malaysiakini this when asked if the long-time former Umno president would support the splinter party that had come from the latter's arch-enemy PAS.

“Oh, he (Mahathir) is backing Amanah. He has already gone down to campaign,” claimed Zaid when met after a forum titled 'Should the Roles of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor be separated?'

The forum at the Universiti Malaya Alumni Association club house, Kuala Lumpur, was organised by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) in conjunction with the launch of their #NyahKorupsi (#EliminateCorruption) campaign.

When asked if he considers the Citizens' Declaration a success seeing it has made little visible impact on Prime Minister Najib Razak's position, Zaid said the by-elections would have some indication.

"Najib’s position is still not settled. He said he’s very strong, but we don’t think so.

"You cannot use the Sarawak (election) as a basis or indicator. We’ll see what happens after the by-elections," he said.

‘Not in position to advise Kit Siang’

When asked if he had spoken with DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang regarding his prior suggestion that DAP should abandon its electoral pact with PKR and focus on its alliance with Amanah, Zaid chuckled.

“I have met him (Lim). We had a friendly chat.

"We were just discussing the political scenario […] He’s a seasoned politician. I am not in a position to advise him on anything.

“But we had a good meeting… on other matters, (it was) not about PKR,” Zaid, who was also a former PKR leader, said.

Prior to the Sarawak election, Zaid commenting on the failed seat negotiations between DAP and PKR said he would invite Lim to dinner after the state polls.

"During the dinner I will suggest the following: forget about electoral pact altogether.

"It did not work in GE13 and has not worked in the Sarawak election. The best hope for a truly believable opposition pact is between DAP and Amanah," he said.

Malaysians, is there life beyond hudud?

Stoning to death. More lashes to the Friday caning. Syaria Law eventually for non-Muslims. Leave Malaysia if you don’t like how things are run. That puzzling and trumpeting Bangsa Johor rhetoric - as if nobody can explain what the concept of ‘nation/natio’ is. Sabah and Sarawak wish to leave the federation.

Criticise the county and you’re not allowed to go for your overseas holidays. Who owns Gold Star and why the deep secret? Syaria-compliant this and that. A possible boxing match with Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in Kuala Kangsar. Humans eating ‘dedak’ or chicken feed. Is Hang Tuah a real person? Is the Taming Sari we have now a fake dagger?

These are some of the topics dominating the discourse of our nation. Can we do better than this? Don’t we care about the intellectual future of our children? Don’t we want them to emulate good ethics from us and the adults they see in power? Don’t we have such moral and critical thinking obligation to them, leaving behind good lessons in their national lives?

That much we owe them, so that they could carry on rejuvenating society without emulating the political and psychological ills of today’s leaders.

I feel that Malaysia’s youth of the next generation is missing out on good and productive discourse plaguing the national debate on things. Malaysians have becoming more global, progressive, intelligent, innovative, and articulate - at least from my analysis of the stories of successes I have been reading.

We might be shamed in the cyberspace and international media with the massive and complex money-laundering scandal implicating our leaders and members of their families, but we are also reading stories of ‘global Malaysians’ - in the arts, business, and sociopreneurship - doing well inside and outside of Malaysia. They are proud calling themselves Malaysians.

But I feel that the discourse dominating the country is one plagued with the filth of retrogressive-ness our youth need not be subjected to.

From the Islamists wishing to push the completeness of the Islamic penal code, the hudud, to the ongoing fights between the members of the opposition and ruling coalitions, to the increasing paranoia over race and religion produced by the political leaders, the daily news of cases of corruption, robbery in broad daylight, the ongoing public arguments between the Johor Royal household with select Umno politicians - showing who can be more arrogant that the other - the malaise in our education system, and a host of other issues plaguing us, I feel that we are not moving in the right direction and taking advantage of the richness and talented-ness of our diverse population.

In other words, we are constantly at war with ourselves and that the goal of each political party is to destroy one another and for each leader to aim for the jugular - to rule the country.

As citizens we are not allowed speak up against evil-doings, such as the massive losses arising from the 1MDB fiasco although it is the right of each citizen to know what can happen to their life savings such as those in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the Haj Fund, and the fund allocated for the servicemen and women (Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera).

Bipolar a nation we have become

We are asked to shut up or else be locked up if we dare speak of the fate of our hard-earned savings. Bipolar a nation we have become, paranoia our leaders are plagued with.

We are not allowed to do all these although as citizens - besides going out to vote - we are accorded the rights to participate in nation-building through making suggestions on how to maintain check and balances in a society supposedly progressive and democratic.

What a pathological state of democracy we are living in. What a shame for a country supposedly a ‘fully-developed industrialised society’ with first-class infrastructure and rhetoric of hypermodernity.

Today the dominant theme is (again) the hudud; of the Hadi-hudud proposal. I am sure by now Malaysians understand what the demands are and how Umno is helping to fast-track the proposal. Although items concerning the Islamic penal code are minimal, they do point to the inching of our country to the illusionary and ‘non-existent’ concept of an Islamic state.

Although punishments such as stoning to death and amputation are left out, they might be tabled again eventually when the Umno-PAS coalition on the ‘survival of the Malays’ and the ‘defence of Islam against its enemies in Malaysia’ becomes louder battle cries, especially for the Islamists wishing to turn Malaysia into a Taliban nation.

Today, the insistence is that the Syaria Law and hudud is only for Muslims, tomorrow it will be for all Malaysians, as political logic would dictate. Analysts on the scenario and the futurism of the implementation of Syaria law and the hudud have written about the complexity of the issue and how it can never be a suitable law in a country that prides itself in the superiority of man-made law as such as the Malaysian constitution.

The thought of stoning to death and amputation itself makes one wonder of the barbarism to be represented as a punishment supposedly ordained by a merciful, loving, and compassionate god -– God of the Religion of Peace. God who forgives more than one who gets angry all the time. Perhaps not many Islamic scholars in Malaysia have even inquired into the ancient cultural origins of such punishments; for example of the Pagan (Greek) and early Judaic origin of stoning which was then borrowed by Islam.

Today, stoning to death can be considered barbaric and inhumane and opposed to the United Nations convention on torture. Why subject a wrongdoer to a slow death? Would that be a philosophical question of today as the Hadi-hudud PAS-Umno proposal progresses?

These developments in Malaysia that are colouring the discourse on hypermodernity continue to take away our consciousness - especially of the youth - of more exciting things to work on: environmental issues, sustainability, newer technologies of peace, green technologies, newer jobs, newer hopes for world peace, appreciation of the arts, humanities and philosophies in school, good labour practices, respect and understanding one another cross-culturally, virtual reality, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and even new ways of crafting Malaysian politics so that the rich will not get richer and filthier and the poor taken care of well and re-humanised.

But we are not there yet. We seem to love letting the discourse on Medieval and Dark Age practices dominate us. We need to move beyond these. How do we do this?

Let us share as many ways. As a people let us not stone ourselves to death. As smart and peace-loving Malaysians, let us not amputate our intelligence; the gift of the intellect to be used for ethical and social purposes. Is not religion, from the Greek ‘religio’ about making peaceful connections and not about amputations or being spiritually empty after being stoned to death metaphorically?

DR AZLY RAHMAN grew up in Johor Baru, Malaysia and holds a Columbia University (New York City) doctorate in International Education Development and Masters degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He will be pursuing his fifth Masters in Fine Arts, specialising in Fiction and Poetry Writing.

Different views on competition

BY BHAG SINGH

Some manufacturers want to fix prices so that merchants will not overcharge, but the law calls this ‘anti-competition’.

COMPETITION, according to the dictionary, means “a situation in which people or organisations compete with each other for something that not everyone can have”.

Today it is also used in a more specific way to prohibit acts or actions that prevent competition in the market place.

At one time, it was thought that unbridled competition, no doubt with exceptions, was thought to be the ideal state of affairs.

Some still believe that it would result in greater efficiency, lower prices, a diversity of choices and, in the end, better products.

It has been said that through perfect competition, both the customers and producers would be in a position where they would benefit more.

A reader has asked whether an attempt by a group of businesses to agree on prices of all or some of their goods they sell or services that they offer would be permissible.

He sees this as a way where prices are fixed on a uniform basis and the purchaser who sees such goods or services would not need to go round, but would be assured that whatever is paid to one merchant would be the same if secured from another.

He thinks that in this way the group could ensure that no single merchant over-charged or charged an exorbitant amount.

However, this is not the way the law looks at it. This, in law, would be price fixing.

The Competition Act makes such conduct unacceptable.

When the Bill was tabled, the explanatory statement said the Bill “seeks to introduce prohibitions on anti-competitive conduct and practices.

The object of the Act is to promote economic development by protecting the process of competition, and thereby protecting the interest of consumers”.

The explanatory statement also went on to say: “The Act makes provision for the introduction of competition law by introducing two main prohibitions. The first is in respect of agreements or concerted practices between enterprises or association of enterprises (together referred to as ‘agreements’) which have the object or effect of significantly preventing, restricting or distorting competition in Malaysia. The second is the prohibition of the abuse by an enterprise or enterprises of a dominant position in Malaysia.”

The various stakeholders who are involved in and affected by the Act have done much to publicise its effect and implications.

The only local book available is Competition Law in Malaysia written by Nasarudin Abdul Rahman and Hanif Ahamat at the International Islamic University Malaysia.

Price fixing would come within the scope of Section 4(1) of the Act which states that “A horizontal or vertical agreement between enterprises is prohibited in so far as the agreement has the object or effect of significantly preventing, restricting or distorting competition in any market for goods or services.”

It goes on to say that in subsection 4(2) that “Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), a horizontal agreement between enterprises which has the object to a) fix, directly or indirectly, purchase or selling price or any other trading conditions, b) share market or sources of supply, c) limit or control i) production, ii) market outlets or market access, iii) technical or technological development and iv) investment and d) perform an act of bid rigging is deemed to have the object of significantly preventing, restricting, or distorting competition in any market for goods or services.”

Thus the situation disclosed earlier would have the effect of price fixing as mentioned in Section 4(2)(a). Such was the case in connection with a complaint lodged again the Sibu Confectionery and Bakery Association (SCBA).

On Nov 17, 2013, the SCBA held its second Annual General Meeting at the Golden Happiness Restaurant in Sibu, Sarawak.

The Minutes of Meeting confirmed that the members who were “charged” attended the AGM.

The minutes of the AGM, submitted by the Chairman of the SCBA, indicated that the attendees, including those who were charged, had engaged in price fixing by agreeing to increase the prices of confectionery and bakery products by 10% to 15% in Sibu.

Excerpts from the minutes of the AGM (English version) showed the following: “This AGM we have to think and discuss carefully to fix a reasonable and acceptable selling price for our products which will be fair to bakers, consumers and society. We all know that the wages of workers, the prices of ingredients, the transportation and the sales tax, etc will rise up in the coming year. Therefore we have to discuss our selling price and make some decision first.”

They proposed that the new price of all the products would be raised 10-15%, the minutes continued: “Mr Chieng Hock Ming proposed, Mr Ko Ting Ing seconded. All the members present at the meeting put up hands to support.

It was passed and adopted.”

The Competition Commission decided that what transpired amounted to price fixing and there had therefore been a contravention of the Act.

However though all had taken part and supported the decision, only those who implemented the price increase agreed to were held to be in contravention of the Act.

In cases such as this, what is looked at is whether there has been an agreement to fix the prices.

Different consequences follow, depending on whether those who agreed implemented the increase or not.

The other aspect is that such an agreement need not be reached at a meeting.

It could be that the decision is made through an exchange of correspondence or a discussion over the telephone.

Any comments or suggestions for points of discussion can be sent to mavico7@yahoo.com. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

Dr M ‘worries all the time’ on police questioning him

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: With the police force under him while he was Prime Minister for 22 years, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says he is “always worried” about being questioned by the officers.

"Yes, they (the police) are coming today.

"This is the third time they are questioning me," he said, after officiating the launch of Perdana Global Peace Foundation's War Disaster Fund.

It has been reported that Bukit Aman police would be questioning Dr Mahathir at Yayasan Albukhary at 3pm.

When asked if he was worried about being questioned, he replied: "I'm worried all the time."

Last week, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said police are investigating Dr Mahathir's statement that the Rulers were “placed under house arrest.”

Noor Rashid said that the police would record Dr Mahathir's statement "when the time is right".

It was reported that Dr Mahathir had claimed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and other rulers had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from receiving the signatures of those who supported the Citizens’ Declaration.

On May 23, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission adviser Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim lodged a report against Dr Mahathir regarding his claims, and said that allegations were “false and mischievous”

How is your Bill Islamic, Dr M asks Hadi

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Private Member’s Bill on Syariah court amendments is "un-Islamic,” Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic) says.

"They are trying to do something that is unjust, cutting off a Muslim's hand when a non-Muslim gets two months jail.

"What they are proposing is un-Islamic," said Dr Mahathir after officiating the launch of Perdana Global Peace Foundation's War Disaster Fund.

Last Thursday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said tabled a motion to expedite the tabling of the Bill in Parliament to amend the Shariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

However, Hadi asked for the Bill to be debated at the next meeting in October.

If the Bill is passed in Parliament, it will pave the way for PAS-led Kelantan to implement Syariah laws in the state.

Marina Mahathir says will leave Malaysia if hudud arrives

KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 ― Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir says she will leave Malaysia if hudud law is implemented in the country.

“I cannot live in a country where people want to cut off hands, I’m sorry, or stone people to death,” Marina told Malay Mail Online in a recent interview here.

“I would never live in Saudi Arabia. I don’t want to live in a country where this is official policy,” the prominent social activist added.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has submitted a private member’s bill to Parliament in a bid to remove the legal obstacles that prevent the implementation of the Islamic penal code in Kelantan.

Hadi said Tuesday that the Kelantan state government run by the Islamist opposition party will meet with the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government to discuss plans to implement hudud in the state. BN has yet to state its official stand on hudud.

Critics of hudud have lambasted the strict Islamic criminal law, which punishes theft with amputation of limbs, as well as apostasy and adultery with death by stoning, as unconstitutional in secular Malaysia.

Marina, who is the eldest child of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, related an incident where she attended the United Nations women’s conference in Beijing in 1995 and Iranian women living in exile in the US had opposed a session about including religion in feminism.

She said the Iranian women, who were middle-class elites living in New York, had sounded bitter and were aggressive about keeping religion out of everything, noting that their counterparts had stayed back in Iran and fought from within, when women’s rights were rolled back after Iran became an Islamic state following the 1979 revolution.

“I look at these women and thought ― I never want to be like that. I never want to be a bitter exile. So I always thought okay lah ― I will stay and fight,” said Marina.

She said, however, that she would emigrate if hudud were to be implemented.

The activist, who speaks out about women’s rights and freedom of speech among other issues, said her strength to continue fighting is instinctive as she was brought up to be honest and considerate of others.

“It's natural to me, if I see something wrong, to say something, or to do something,” said Marina.

“It’s a form of worship. It’s how I act out my life as a Muslim. If you say it’s a way of life, it’s not just about rituals. It’s acted out by trying to do good, to be charitable and to ensure justice,” she added.

‘Joining PAS makes you a better Buddhist, Christian or Hindu’

PAS supporters’ wing representative Balachandran GK wows the crowd at the party’s muktamar with his address, peppered with Islamic terms and even a quote from the Quran.

PENGKALAN CHEPA: PAS is not just for Muslims and can help its Buddhist, Christian and Hindu members to become better adherents of their faith, says PAS Supporters Congress Information Chief Balachandran GK.

In his address at PAS’s 62nd muktamar today, Balachandran explained that the Islamic values inculcated by the PAS leadership enhanced the understanding of one’s own religious values, making non-Muslim members better persons.

Balachandran also hit out at MIC President Dr S Subramaniam over his quit threat in relation to the proposed amendments to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965.

He said it showed Subramaniam was weak and did not understand the issue.

“If he does not understand the issue, he can call us. We can teach Subramaniam about Islam if he does not understand.”

Following the tabling of the bill last month, Subramaniam, together with MCA President Liow Tiong Lai and Gerakan President Mah Siew Kong, said they will quit their Cabinet posts in the event the bill is passed in Parliament.

Balachandran, who wowed delegates with his speech, peppered with Islamic terms and even a quote from the Quran, said PAS’s strength was not the now defunct Pakatan Rakyat, but Islam, and this was why the party could go it alone.

He also said that race should not be the basis for any political party’s struggle and it was important to understand each other’s religions.

“We are with PAS as it is a party based on Islam,” he said, adding that Islam was fair.

“Hidup Melayu (Long Live Malays) does not guarantee safety, Hidup Islam (Long Live Islam) guarantees safety for all,” he said to cheers from the delegates.

This is why, he said, it was important for the PAS leadership to include the supporters’ wing in its activities so that the non-Muslims could see that PAS was meant for all.

He's a failed student, Mahathir shells Najib with DAP's rocket

Since launching his campaign against Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been redrawing the political battlelines, recruiting troops from both sides of the divide.

He has now launched his latest salvo using DAP organ Roketkini.

In an exclusive interview with the online publication, the former premier is asked about his role as a mentor to Najib and whether the latter is employing lessons gleaned from him.

The disappointed master, however, disagreed.

"Many learned from me, not all followed (my teachings). But this one (student) failed. This one (Najib), his intentions are different," he said.

Mahathir also lashed out at Umno and complained about the scourge of corruption plaguing the nation.

The former Umno president, who quit the party in protest against Najib, claimed that division leaders are preventing those with calibre from joining.

"When he (the division leader) dies, who replaces him? Someone dumber than him. Umno (now) has shrunk into a party led by dimwits (orang bodoh) without principles," he said.

On the issue of corruption, Mahathir claimed that government servants are learning from politicians.

"... Because they see leaders taking billions, so how can he (the government servant) just take one or two million," he said.

In the interview, Mahathir also outlined the differences between Najib and him, lamenting how the late author Barry Wain had made him a victim for the sake of sensationalism in order to boost sales in the book 'Malaysian Maverick: Mahathir Mohamad in Turbulent Times'.

"Najib has debts. I don't have debts. I did not allocate government funds for myself. When there was an allocation, it was in the hands of the civil servants. I was not involved in changing the money from here to there

"Najib is the principal in 1MDB. His signature is required for everything. He is the CEO in 1MDB despite calling himself the adviser," he said.

On another matter, Mahathir vowed to campaign in the upcoming Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

However, the 91-year-old former Kubang Pasu lawmaker clarified that he has no intention of contesting.

"I don't want to be the candidate. I am too old. Those who support the Citizens’ Declaration must back whoever is opposed to Najib," he said.

The prime minister has denied abusing public funds, blaming such allegations on Mahathir and those conspiring to topple him from power.

People can choose Anwar or DAP if they want to, says Dr M

The Malaysian political landscape has witnessed numerous bizarre twists of late, and the latest being DAP organ Rocketkini featuring an exclusive interview with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

As expected, the former prime minister rained criticisms on Najib Abdul Razak, reiterated his allegations of corruption against the reigning prime minister, as well as arguments on the need to remove Najib from office.

The article also states that whenever one name was mentioned, Mahathir appeared a little disturbed. He also found it difficult to utter this name.

This was none other than his former heir apparent-turned-nemesis Anwar Ibrahim, who recently penned a scathing letter to PKR leaders on the dangers of working with Mahathir on the Citizens' Declaration.

Mahathir conceded that it was the right of the people to chose whoever they wanted as a leader, including the jailed former opposition leader, but stressed on the importance of ousting the current prime minister first.

"As long as Najib is there (in power), everyone can talk, about Reformasi or anything else. But nothing will happen. Get rid of Najib, return to democracy. The rakyat can make their own choice (after that).

"It doesn't matter if Anwar comes out (from prison). We return to democracy. The rakyat will choose a government they want.

"... If the rakyat wish to vote for Anwar, so pick Anwar. If they choose a government which will free Anwar, that is their right," he said.

In April, Mahathir had once again claimed that Anwar, whom he sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998, lacked the moral fibre to lead the nation.

"The fact is, people complained about his moral behaviour. For me that behaviour is not acceptable as a person who was about to succeed me as a president of the party.

"I had to expel him from the party. The rest is about his immoral behaviour and the people complained against him. The police took action as a result of the complaint and there was a nine-month trial before he was detained during my time," Mahathir told The Australian newspaper.

He also dodged a question on whether he had changed his views on Anwar, saying: "The question of liking or not liking does not arise. We have similar views with regard to Najib."

Anwar, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a sodomy conviction, has always maintained that the charge, similar to the first during Mahathir's reign, was fabricated by his political rivals.

'The people choose their leaders'

Mahathir also conceded that he would be powerless to prevent the people from choosing DAP, a party he once chastised as chauvinistic.

After removing Najib as prime minister, he said, the country could return to the rule of law, the Federal Constitution as well as freedom of expression and assembly, remarks which the Roketkini article itself expressed shock over, given Mahathir's stand on street protests during his era.

"After that we can have a general election without Najib. Up to the people. If they want to support Reformasi, go ahead.

"The people choose their leaders. We have to accept their choice. If they make the wrong choice, we will face problems and continue to revolve (around the same problems).

"If the people pick DAP, I cannot do anything," Mahathir added.

As for the current administration, the former prime minister alluded that the democratic space has shrunk under Najib’s watch.

"Make a police report, (and you) get arrested. Want to go abroad, they (the authorities) monitor. The mass media, newspapers are controlled," he said.

Ironically, Mahathir's 22-year tenure was also replete with similar accusations, with Mahathir often referred to as a dictator, as opposed to a leader of a democratic nation.

Najib, on the other hand, has accused Mahathir of conspiring to topple him from power and has denied the allegations made against him.

Police to quiz Dr M over 'rulers under house arrest' remark tomorrow

The police are scheduled to record a statement from Dr Mahathir Mohamad tomorrow over his remark that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Malay rulers are under house arrest.

A source told Malaysiakini that officers from the Bukit Aman police headquarters would question the former prime minister at Yayasan Albukhary in Kuala Lumpur at 3pm.

The officers are from a special team that handles high-profile cases.

The case is believed to have been classified as defamation, where Section 500 of the Penal Code states that "whoever defames another shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or with both".

Last week, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) advisory board chairperson Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Ibrahim filed a police report against Mahathir.

Among others, Tunku Aziz claimed the remark on the royalty was reckless and against the honour and integrity of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

"Mahathir claims the house arrests were done to prevent His Majesty and the rulers from receiving the 1.4 million people's signatures he claims to have collected.

"By effectively accusing the government of placing His Majesty under house arrest, Mahathir has gone too far," Tunku Aziz said in his report.

Mahathir had made the startling claim during a dialogue session in Subang Jaya.

Earlier, the former prime minister revealed that he was unable to secure an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to submit the signatures collected for the Citizens' Declaration.

"But as of now I've not been able to meet the Agong because it's likely that he's under house arrest.

"The rulers may be confined to their palaces," Mahathir had said.

Answering Jeyakumar's questions on hudud

S Thayaparan

“It's a universal law - intolerance is the first sign of an inadequate education. An ill-educated person behaves with arrogant impatience, whereas truly profound education breeds humility.”

- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

I have been reading the commentari
es and observing the antics of our elected representatives about the latest provocation by PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang on the manufactured controversy of the tabling of the Hudud Bill.

As expected, the controversy has generated the required outrage among Pakatan partisans and the rhetoric has neatly followed a pre-arranged script that Umno believes would distract from the very real problems that plague this nation.

Hudud, in any form, would just be the cherry on the sundae of the fascist agenda that this regime is executing in terms of its security policies meant to stifle dissent and sustain hegemony.

The fact that the opposition establishment is suffering from self-inflicted political wounds and myopic in its political agenda not only helps the deterioration of this country but also gives the UMNO state breathing room to regroup and advance its agenda.

Therefore, it was a pleasure reading the piece on the hudud controversy by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).

As usual, the good doctor clearly articulated his views on the supposed controversy and with a level-headedness unsuited to the cut-throat take-no-prisoners world of politics, and made suggestions on how to deal with the issue. He did the same with the Lynas controversy, a sane voice in the midst of lunacy and political opportunism but as usual, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The honourable member from Sungai Siput did raise some pertinent questions in his piece that I believe deserve answers or, at the very least, a public answer on behalf of Malaysians who may have the same perspective as me on this issue.

Jeyakumar’s analysis of the political motives of Umno and the opposition are spot on and there really is nothing to discuss. However, the MP raises interesting questions that are fodder for a public debate.

Readers should be aware that PAS grassroots members who have worked with Jeyakumar have told me that the good doctor is someone who truly cares about Malaysians without regard for their race or religion. This particular politician is someone who should be emulated and it is to our detriment that few of our elected representatives are cut from the same cloth.

My answers here are not to be construed as an attack on the good doctor’s article but rather as a launching pad for some of my own beliefs.

Jeyakumar (photo) said, “We should not be afraid to discuss religious issues, but should take extra care to be respectful of the beliefs of others. This implies a certain acceptance of diversity.”

The problem with a statement like this is that the only definition of Islam that matters in this country is how Umno defines it and we get an idea of how this Umno regime defines Islam with this quote from Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs:

“It’s time for the allowances of imams, religious teachers and staff throughout Malaysia to be reviewed for an increase (this year alone, the allocation of allowances for imams and religious teachers amounted close to RM500 million), seeing that their responsibility in safeguarding Islam is even more challenging today with plenty of extremist ideologies that are starting to take root, such as IS, the liberalism ideology and pluralism, including the LGBTs who loosen and degrade religion.”

What does this mean? Well, it means firstly, that this regime does not accept diversity as an acceptable form of compromise in a diverse social, political and religious polity, and secondly, that people who do believe in certain fundamental rights, should not accept intolerant religious views as an example of “diversity”.

Do non-Muslims have a right to object to the way in which Muslims choose to practise their religion?

Herein lays the problem. The question sets up an ‘us versus them’ dialectic, of non-Muslims versus Muslims. Nobody has a right to tell anyone how to practise his or her religion including the state whose religious laws (as Jeyakumar acknowledges) has far-reaching consequences for all the country’s citizens.

When we object to certain practices of the state which we deem immoral or corrupt, we do so as citizens of the country. The same principle applies to certain religious practices. We speak for those who cannot, we support those who have been unfairly targeted and who have no choice as to whether they accept or reject religious dogma as defined by the state.

Across the world, in regimes which actively oppose secularism, the agenda is to separate communities either by religion or race and the means by which they do this is through legislation. If communities cannot come together to oppose injustice or prejudice, merely because such are defined as religious imperatives, there can be no hope for change.

Can we tell Muslims how to practise their religion?

Why not? Muslim regimes have no problem defining the Other’s religion. In this country, there are numerous examples of how Muslims dictate how non-Muslims should practise their religion. The problem here is that freedom of expression and speech is selectively practised. As the good doctor illustrated, there are diverse views on Islam in this country.

Islamic perspectives could change and evolve through interaction with other perspectives. Christianity and Judaism are examples of the Abrahamic faiths which have evolved through interactions with other religious and secular points of views. This is the reason why certain Muslim regimes are deathly afraid that their dogma would be rejected if there is a free exchange of ideas.

But the problem here is not non-Muslims telling Muslims how to practise their religion. It is the state telling Muslims how to practise their religion. It is the state rejecting diversity in the Muslim Malaysian experience and non-Muslims are caught in the crossfire.

Do we not believe that each religious community has the right to practise their religion freely?

I, for one, believe that each community has a right to practise their religion freely without interference from the state. I believe that the state should not impose its religious dogma on any of its citizen even indirectly. I believe that a citizen should define his or her religious beliefs for themselves and as long as it does not impinge on the rights of others, should escape sanction from the state. In fact, I believe that the state should have no say in the religious beliefs of its citizens, much less demand billions of tax ringgit to enforce state-sanctioned dogma.

Don’t we recognise that the entire Islamic world is struggling to define what it means to be true to their faith as Muslims in the 21st century? Do we expect Muslim Malaysians to be unaffected by the ongoing debate/battle?

I recognise (as do many other Malaysians, including Muslims) that Islam in this country is affected by the petrodollars of the Saudi regime, as evidenced by the so-called donation to our current prime minister for defending Islam. I recognise that there is a deliberate effort by the House of Saud and its tributaries to silence the diversity in Islam. I recognise that the religious schisms within Islam affect minority Islamic brethren the world over and that, being true to their faiths, they are being hampered by the stratagems from palaces in Saudi Arabia.

I also believe that forming strategic alliances with Islamic parties does no good for the idea of democracy in any country in the long term. I believe that political grandstanding by certain political parties in this country, in lieu of concrete principles, is why Islam has dominated the discourse in an adverse way.

Lastly, I know many people would not agree with me for various political or pragmatic reasons and while I have rambled on, my stand is exactly the position of PSM. Here is its message on religion on its website:

“PSM berpendirian hak kepercayaan beragama atau tidak adalah hak individu dan mesti dihormati. Ia adalah hubungan peribadi antara manusia dan kepercayaan mereka. Ia tidak boleh dipaksakan melalui undang-undang.”

Malaysian behind syndicate that sabotaged immigration system

A Malaysian has been identified as the mastermind of a syndicate that sabotaged the myIMMs immigration system, deputy inspector-general of police Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today.

Noor Rashid said the police had also identified several other people involved in the sabotage and would make arrests soon.

"These people are from a local syndicate that had carried out the sabotage. They managed to lure one or two immigration officers initially and the number eventually grew," he told a press conference after inaugurating the Sime Darby Property auxiliary police service in Petaling Jaya.

Asked about the statement by Immigration Department director-general Sakib Kusmi yesterday that an international syndicate was involved, Noor Rashid (photo) said the international syndicate was believed to have collaborated with the local syndicate in the crime.

Replying to another question, he said the police would focus on eradicating the local syndicate before seeking Interpol aid to go after the international syndicate.

Sakib had also said that 37 immigration officers had been penalised since February over the sabotage, with 15 of them sacked, 14 suspended and eight having their salary raise frozen.

The first series of the Auditor-General's Report of 2015 had stated that the myIMMs developed to support the major operations of the Immigration Department was less satisfactory and did not meet its objective.

Noor Rashid also praised Sime Darby Property for setting up its auxiliary police unit, saying the company's effort was in line with the National Blue Ocean Strategy that placed great emphasis on safety and security of the people.

"At the core of this collaboration is how the Royal Malaysia Police helps business corporations like Sime Darby Property to enhance their capacity and capability to contribute towards communal safety and public security," he said.

Sime Darby Property managing director Jauhari Hamidi said the unit was part of the company's approach to reinforce security at all levels and future Sime Darby Property townships, with the aim of creating a safer environment for the community.

"The first batch, comprising 32 personnel, will be deployed to selected townships and developments for now and we plan to expand the unit with more trained personnel being deployed across all our townships soon," Jauhari said.

- Bernama

Homeless say rounded up by DBKL, left miles outside city

Around midnight, Mala was rudely awakened by a group of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers, who then bundled him into a lorry packed with other homeless people.

After a long drive and being clueless as to what was happening, he was dropped off along the Karak highway with several others.

“I walked back to Kuala Lumpur in the dark. By the time I reached, it was morning,” he said.

Malaysiakini had contacted Mala through Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Persekitaran Positif Malaysia (Seed) after being alerted of the incident.

Mala and several homeless people claimed that on May 22, DBKL officers had rounded them up and dropped them at various distant locations.

Relating what happened to him, Eddy said he was also put into a lorry with some 30 others. He and three others were later dropped at Rawang.

"They (DBKL) didn't tell us anything, they just gathered us and put us in the lorry," he said.

Eddy said that he and the others spent close to four hours walking back to Kuala Lumpur.

The incident was first highlighted by (Seed) exco member Lalita Abdullah through her post on Facebook.

"On May 22, after having the opportunity to watch the fundraising concert organised by Seed, some members of our homeless community were picked up in a massive DBKL raid in KL.

"They were herded onto a lorry and driven off out of the city...," she said.

A Seed representative later clarified with Malaysiakini that the raid had nothing to do with the concert, but some of those picked up were clients of Seed.

"It was just a round-up of homeless people in Masjid Jamek and places like that. Picking them up and chucking them outside of the city.

“I think they (DBKL) did not expect them to walk back," he said.

Contacted later, Kuala Lumpur mayor Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz said he was not aware of the incident.

Previously, he had launched a homeless shelter in Medan Tuanku in Kuala Lumpur and urged more NGOs to utilise it.

Is Dr M placing a candidate in Kuala Kangsar?

An Umno Youth member, intending to be an independent, claims Dr Mahathir intends to persuade a former Wanita Umno member to contest in the by-election.

FMT

AMPANG: An Umno Youth member has alleged that former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad intends to sponsor a candidate in the Kuala Kangsar by-election.

Taman Chempaka Umno Youth Assistant Secretary Syed Rosli Jamalullail said this was apparently to split the votes for BN.

He said the independent candidate could be a Wanita Umno leader, who was sacked from the party last year.

Syed Rosli is also facing expulsion from the party for his intention to contest as an independent in the by-election as he is unhappy BN has chosen Mastura Yazid, the widow of the former MP Wan Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, as the BN candidate.

PAS Women’s chief Dr Najihatussalehah Ahmad is also contesting.

Yesterday, former Umno member Hamidah Osman, who was sacked last year for disciplinary problems, had announced that she was not ruling out the possibility of contesting in the by-election.

Syed Rosli told FMT today at his residence: “I have received information that a woman will be contesting, sponsored by Tun Mahathir, to break the votes and defeat Umno.

“She is insincere and is contesting only out of revenge against her former party. She will bring up the agenda of Tun Mahathir and the Citizens’ Declaration to defeat BN in Kuala Kangsar.”

Syed Rosli said Umno was seen to have failed in upholding the plight of the Malays, which he said had led to rifts in the community, leading to the formation of Malay NGOs.

“Perkasa, for example. The NGO is Malay and I believe that many of them were previously Umno members.

“They joined Perkasa out of disappointment with Umno, which had failed to help the people from an economic and educational standpoint.

“I also believe that Umno has failed to defend Malay and Muslim rights. The Malay royal institutions have also been disrespected.”

Factories suffer worst dip in over three years

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Manufacturing output declined in the last quarter at a rate not seen since 2013, raising questions about the sector's ability to keep the economy growing at targeted rates.

According to the latest release of Nikkei Malaysia's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), conditions in the already-struggling sector deteriorated further in the current quarter, with sharp declines in both orders and production.

“Production at Malaysian goods producers contracted for the fourteenth successive month in May. In fact, the rate of decline was the sharpest in over three-and-a-half years,” Nikkei Malaysia said.

“Similarly, new orders decreased for the fifteenth month running, with the latest decline the fastest since December last year.”

The PMI remained stagnant at 47.2 last month, extending the five-year low registered in April. Any number greater than 50 in the index represents an improvement in the sector.

Factories have also scaled back their purchases of raw material for 12 consecutive months, prompted by rising prices as well as declining orders.

Nikkei Malaysia said both the weak ringgit and high sales tax made it more expensive for manufacturers to operate.

“Moreover, the rate of inflation was the sharpest since February. As a result, manufacturers raised their charges to the greatest extent since December last year,” it added.

Despite the decline in output and orders, however, factories increased their hiring in May, although Nikkei Malaysia described the improvement as “slight”.

Malaysia is banking on exports to achieve its targeted gross domestic product growth of between 4 and 4.5 per cent this year, as high household debt and rising inflation weigh on consumer spending.

Household debt here has reached 89.1 per cent as a ratio of GDP or over RM1 trillion.

Slowing global demand also negated the export advantages of the weak ringgit, which is currently trading at 4.14 versus the US dollar.

Malaysia's trade balance fell to RM6.8 billion in the last quarter, down from RM11.4 billion in the final three months of 2015.

GST more well-received now, says Najib

PUTRAJAYA, May 31 — Although it was heavily criticised when it was implemented on April 1 last year, more people have now accepted the Goods and Services Tax (GST) after realising that it saved the national economy, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said the implementation of the GST was seen as an unpopular decision by the government and it was used as a political weapon, but economic experts feel that it was the most appropriate step by the government.

With the global economic uncertainty and without the GST, Malaysia would have faced a very serious economic crisis like Greece, he said.

“Generally, we are not a government that runs away from the responsibility of implementing any decision which is thought to be right for the nation and the people.

“However, our good and noble intentions were misunderstood by certain parties and made into a political issue, whereas rationally-speaking, it was something that could not be avoided. The strong national revenue contributed to a resilient economy which ensured the welfare of the people could be continued to be looked after,” he said. — Bernama

‘You can’t change place of birth’

JOHOR BARU: A Johor leader has warned the people against falling victim to bogus agents who claim that they are able help people become Johoreans by helping them change their MyKad middle digits.

State Tourism, Domestic Trade and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said it had come to his attention that these so-called agents asked for fees of between thousands and tens of thousands for such services.

Tee said the agents claimed that they know people who can help to change a person’s MyKad middle digits to 01, which represents those born in Johor.

He said there were some enqui­ries from people outside Johor such as Selangor and Kuala Lumpur asking him whether it was possible for them to change their MyKad number to become a Johorean.

“I urge everyone especially those who are from other states not to believe claims from people who offer this type of services because the middle digits in our MyKad serves to signify our place of birth and there is no way to change it.

“However, it does not stop us from welcoming those who want to settle down or do business in Johor.

“You can just move here without having to make any change to your MyKad, as long as you adhere to the Johor way,” he said yesterday.

Tee added that currently there were many people who were not born in Johor but now call the state home without having to make any change in their identification documents.

He believed the term Bangsa Jo­­hor, used to refer to those born in the state, and the introduction of the Johor Muafakat (Johor United) concept by the state government were what attracted many to become Johoreans.

Furthermore, he said, the state also enjoyed steady development, while people of various races live in harmony and had forged a stable and united relationship with each other.