Nazri blames BN’s chauvinism for low support

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 – Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz blamed his Barisan Nasional comrades today for driving away support with their chauvinistic ways, warning them that they could not ride on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s popularity to win the general election.

The vocal Umno supreme council member told The Malaysian Insider this afternoon that he blamed the “communal leadership” of certain BN politicians for the public’s declining confidence in the ruling coalition.

“I blame the leaders. Some have become ministers but still look at themselves as communal leaders instead of national leaders.

“But this makes little sense for once you are a minister, you represent all... not just your party or your race,” he said.

Nazri (picture) was responding to the results of a Merdeka Center survey that showed 45 per cent of Malays were dissatisfied with Umno while only 44 per cent were satisfied.

Umno performed even worse with the Chinese community, with only 12 per cent saying they were satisfied while 55 per cent were dissatisfied. A total of 34 per cent had evaded response, suggesting the possibility that a larger number than the 55 per cent could be dissatisfied with Umno.

The poll results, which involved a sample size of more than 1,000 registered voters in the peninsula, contrasted significantly with Najib’s approval rating of 72 per cent in a separate poll conducted in May.

Nazri however, claimed that Najib’s popularity alone would not be enough to help the BN win the next general election.

“The prime minister being popular on his own is not enough. The BN should be popular. A popular PM cannot carry the BN through to a victory and this was proven in the Sibu by-election.

“If this 72 per cent indeed says something, then we should have won in Sibu but we lost, so what good is a popular prime minister if he cannot carry the BN?” he said.

Nazri bleakly pointed out that if the BN leadership failed to buck up, the coalition would only go further downhill and eventually lose in the coming general election.

“BN really has to do a lot of image building... otherwise, we will face trouble in the 13th general election. I can see that Umno members, MCA members.... none have learnt their lessons,” he said.

Nazri claimed that BN leaders, in their attempt to regain lost support from the people, had resorted to making harsh statements.

“They make harsh statements to win support from their own communities. Meaning, they would rather win in the newspapers than in the hearts of the people.

“The MCA, by showing they are chauvinistic Chinese, think they can get the support of the Chinese community. But then, the Chinese already have the DAP, so what is MCA trying to do?” he said.

He noted that by practicing chauvinism and extremism, the MCA had only caused itself to lose the support of the moderate Chinese community and that of the Malay community.

“The MCA has their own niche in the BN structure.. they consist of the moderate Chinese-thinking people so when they put forward extremist views, they lose support from the Chinese and the Malays,” he said.

Nazri claimed that similarly, Umno politicians were attempting to match up to their foes in Islamist party PAS.

“Umno leaders are trying to show they are more Islamic than PAS. However, PAS supporters are PAS supporters and they will support PAS whatever comes their way.

“So, in doing that, Umno will not get all the support of the Malays... they will lose support and at the same time, they will lose the support of the non-Malays, because of their extremist stand,” he said.

Nazri noted that the same notion could be applied to the Indian community and the MIC.

“This is the scenario and it shows that we have never learned our lessons. How is it that Umno only speaks for the Malays and the MCA for the Chinese and yet we want to sell ourselves to the people by saying we are multiracial?

“This is not the rakyat of the 1960s or the 1970s,” he said.

Nazri said that the people “see a glimmer of hope in the PR because they have tried the BN for so many years. So, even though PR parties do not share similar ideologies... they have the support.

“A drowning man will hold on to a straw,” he said.

Nazri however reminded the public that the PR structure was no better than the BN’s, claiming that it was “racial consideration” that had caused the parties to choose Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as their de facto leader.

“They chose him because he is a Malay. They would have truly achieved their multiracialism if they had chosen someone else to be leader... like Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng or Karpal Singh,” he said.

Nazri also said that the best medicine for the BN at this point was to allow direct membership.

“We will be discussing this during our BN convention at year end. I am in full support of this because sometimes, a person may be supportive of the BN but not of the Umno, MCA, MIC or the other parties,” he said.

He claimed that this would promote true multiracialism in the BN and was a step forward towards creating a true Malaysian party.

“Eventually, we can move towards abolishing this racial party system. It is never easy but at least a process must be in place,” he said.

Rapper faces sedition charge over YouTube clip

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian rapper Namewee is being investigated for sedition, police said Monday, after posting a YouTube video which drew allegations he was stirring up ethnic tensions in the multicultural nation.
Wee Meng Chee, 27, better known as Namewee to his fans, made national headlines three years ago over another YouTube clip mocking the national anthem which authorities also said was seditious.

He apologised for that incident, but is in fresh trouble for posting a three-minute rap titled "Nah" criticising a Muslim Malay headmistress accused of making racial slurs against her ethnic Chinese and Indian students.

"We are investigating him under the Sedition Act," Bakri Zinin, the Federal Criminal Investigation chief, told AFP, adding that Wee will soon be called to give a statement.

Wee faces up to three years in prison if he is charged and convicted.

The rapper removed the video from YouTube on Sunday, after prompting criticism from various parties including Prime Minister Najib Razak who reportedly urged action against those who try to stoke racial tensions.

"We don't care whether he has removed the video or not, the harm has already been done, we will continue with the investigation," said Bakri.

In the video, which is still available on other websites, Wee used obscene language and rapped in a mixture of English and the national language Malay.

The headmistress allegedly told ethnic Chinese students to return to China and compared Hindu prayer strings to dog leashes.

The government has ordered a probe into the case which caused anger among Malaysia's minorities who complain that their rights are being eroded as the country becomes increasingly "Islamised".

"I am a Malaysian who grew up harmoniously with friends from all walks of life and different races," Wee said on his blog Sunday.

"My main objective for uploading the new video 'Nah' was to condemn such acts and to stand up against racism," he said. The title is a slang word for "no".

"I have also taken out the said video from my YouTube account since I have already highlighted my stand over the issue, which is to stop racism in this country," added the rapper.

Wee has developed a cult following among young Malaysians after his controversial six-minute rap video in 2007 that mocked the national anthem. He is reportedly preparing to launch an album next month.

- AFP

At the stroke of midnight...

To safeguard democracy, the people must have a keen sense of independence... Mohandas Gandhi
By Phlip Rodrigues
COMMENT At the stroke of midnight, the story changed. Once, it was all about the white master who held sway over this broad land. Now, the brown man is in charge and holds the destiny of the country in his hand. Once, the orang putih took much of the wealth back to the motherland. Now, the newly empowered natives control the purse string. Once, all the races did not notice their ethnic origins. Now, all live in distinct compartments. Once, there were no special places for anyone. Now, life revolves around percentages.
At the stroke of midnight, the plot changed. Then, the tuan was a commanding presence. Now, a different breed of titled players evoke dread – and hate – with their special status. Then, there was a sense of security even if you did not belong to the majority class. Now, ethnic minorities become the target of harassment and ridicule. Then, all could make light of each other's cultural peculiarities. Now, intolerance and bigotry take root. Then, farmers tilled the land, fishermen made their living off their catch, migrant workers mined the land and tapped the rubber trees – all in peace and amity. Now, gluttonous wheeler-dealers, instant moguls, corrupt officialdom straddle across the toiling, ill-paid masses.

At the stroke of midnight, the economy changed course. Before, agriculture was the main stay, and the country prospered to a certain extent. Today, big industry and big business are the rage but the people are left out in the cold. Before, the forests were left unmolested and the indigenous people could hunt undisturbed. Today, the trees are felled to enrich the few, but the true sons of the soil have nowhere to go. Before, there was no oil to fuel the country and make it richer. Today, black gold gushes out but billions of ringgit had disappeared into the black hole. Before, our natural resources were not fully tapped. Today, they are exploited to the hilt but all the wealth did not erase poverty.

At the stroke of midnight, education wore a new uniform. In yesteryears, discipline, quality, and merit were the order of the day. Nowadays, the spark of dedication is sorely missing and no one is proud of a school system gone haywire. In yesteryears, institutions of higher learning were hallowed ground that produced graduates of calibre. These days, they are a byword for rot and decay. In yesteryears, there was camaraderie all around. Nowadays, the atmosphere in the classes and on campuses is charged with hostility and enmity. Those years, outstanding results were highly appreciated. Nowadays, they are ignored and a pool of talent goes to waste.

At the stroke of midnight, our founding fathers swelled with pride: life would change for the better because we have become masters in our own house. We did not fire a single shot. The white rajahs took their flag down and left our shores in quiet dignity. We hoisted ours and left our past behind while we looked ahead. There were steady hands on the wheels.

But long past midnight, the course of history took a different path. It was not a route intended by the fighters for independence. The freedom we got was soon exchanged for another form of subservience. The homegrown tuans took control of all spheres of life. By degrees, they grew more powerful, antagonistic, spiteful, malicious. In politics, they control the government, and through the barrel of political power, they entrench themselves. It is a new ball game played on an uneven field.

From the stroke of midnight in 1957, the same party had been enjoying uninterruppted power for more than half a century. Logically, with each passing year, every step of the way should lead to better days. By now, the country should be standing taller and stronger than its peers. The script did not turn out that way. Drunk with power, blinded by greed, stricken with hubris, neck-deep in corruption, the ship of state that started out with so much promise and hope long years ago is limping to port. The only political totem pole we knew all these decades has become a detested sight.

At the stroke of midnight 53 years ago, we became free. The baton passed to our hands. We carried the torch aloft. The sun set on the British empire. A new dawn rose. We basked, we sang, we cheered, we cried for joy. Now the mood is muted. Dark clouds are gathering on the horizon. Troubled times are ahead. We wait for change, for democracy, for independence – yet again. If it comes at the stroke of midnight, it will eclipse the Merdeka story.

Phlip Rodrigues is FreeMalaysiaToday managing editor.

Time to heed Tunku’s call for courage to change

By Stanley Koh - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT In the 1950s, there was no Google or Yahoo. There were no DVDs. There were not even video tapes. In Malaysia, TV had not arrived. People flocked to the cinemas to watch movies. Comic books like Beano and Dandy were read as books and not on digital devices. They had to fell trees to make the paper on which those comics were printed.

The global scene was also different.

The US economy was on the upswing. And the Cold War was at its frostiest.

Anti-communism dominated the US Congress’ political agenda. Africa began to become decolonised. The Korean War was raging and the Vietnam War was beginning. In the Middle East, the Suez Crisis War was being fought in Egyptian territory.

The technology we take for granted today would have blown the mind of the typical 50s guy. Yes, Dick Tracy did have a mobile phone in his wristwatch. But then, he was not real; he was a cartoon. But even he did not have a laptop computer.

The world was indeed a different place in the 50s. And so was Malaysia —or Malaya, British North Borneo and Sarawak.

The Malayan Emergency lasted from June 1948 to July 1960. Many innocent people, including women and children, died at the hands of communist guerrillas. On Feb 23, 1950, communists attacked and burnt down a police station at Kampung Kepong in a siege that lasted three hours.

Anti-communist military operations, shooting practices, roadblocks and curfews were the order of daily life in the 50s.

It was the “hearts and minds” campaign of the early Malayan government which won the war against the communists. With Malaya’s independence in 1957, the communists were completely isolated and became increasingly irrelevant. In due course, the Malayan Communist Party finally collapsed.

A 176-word proclamation repealing the 12-year-old Emergency Regulations Ordinance signed by Tunku Abdul Rahman and a 10-minute ceremony witnessed by the entire Cabinet, Police and the Press in the Cabinet Room of the Parliament House formally signalled the defeat of the Communists.

On Aug 31, 1957, the Federation of Malaya ceased to be a British protectorate and Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra became the nation’s first prime minister.

It has been 53 years since that night when the Tunku proclaimed “Merdeka” three times and the Union Jack was lowered and the Jalur Gemilang raised, signalling the birth of a new independent and sovereign nation, Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.

Malaysians hailed the Tunku as the “father of independence” as the new nation shed its colonial past. “Wave upon wave of cheers dinned about him,” reported the Straits Times in 1957.

Same questions asked

That initial euphoria is gone now. Today, Malaysians are still asking the same questions they have been asking for the last few decades: “Has Malaysia progressed politically, socially and spiritually?”

Have the words the Tunku spoke during the independence proclamation guided our leaders in governance? Have they showed them the way towards progress?

“In the course of human history, no nation, in order to salvage itself, will ever remain static for a long time,” he said.

“It will be compelled to decide on one of two directions, to go forward or backward.

“This depends on the ability and adaptability of that nation in facing changes and developments.”

The Tunku also warned the nation, saying, “But since human history is the history of changes and developments of making things better and more perfect, this type of self-satisfied nation will be left further and further behind and eventually disappear and remain only to be revealed by future historians.”

Today, the nation is still divided by race-based ideologies and communal differences exploited by extremists and rightists, and between the rich and the poor, the governed and the governing, the demands of a more liberal society and the totalitarianism of draconian laws.

Has the Malaysian political culture become a culture of threats and the promotion of fear against civil society?

Are Malaysians facing more challenges against inefficiency, more corruption and more authoritarianism?

Are we prepared to dismantle decades-old anti-democratic and unfair laws that are becoming obsolete while the mindsets of societies keep evolving rapidly--socially, culturally, spiritually?

Meaningless celebration

Race supremacy, overbearing and abuse of executive powers over the legislative and judiciary arms of government, infringement of human rights and liberties are some examples of bad governance going against the grain of the democratic substance in a modern and progressive society.

Political maturity, considerable discipline and a prevailing civic-mindedness are prerequisites of a progressive nation and this has been evidently proven in many modern societies.

In Malaysia, however, there are signs showing a dire need for a Malaysian transformation. But do we have the political will to bring about that transformation?

The celebration of Merdeka is meaningless unless we love this country by showing the fortitude and courage to change the government with a better one, all for a better tomorrow.

“When the people are in a state of complete complacency with their present status they tend to fear anything that may produce changes,” the Tunku said 53 years ago.

“They will suspect any move or anybody who comes out with new ideas or inventions.”

It is time we heeded his call.

Stanley Koh is the former head of research at MCA.

Re-diagnosing Malaysia’s cancer

By K Pragalath - Free Malaysia Today

MERDEKA FEATURE Fifty-three years since independence, Malaysia is fighting a losing battle against the R-cancer. It is also not responding to the cancer radiation programme known as 1Malaysia. Instead this rehabilitation programme has worsened the cancer. R refers to racism that has been permeating into the society through various levels.

What makes it more malignant than the rest is that it is being led by people who are along the corridors of power, entrusted to lead and raise a new generation.

This cancer is worsening as the physicians (read politicians) do not treat Malaysia of its cancer. Instead the physicians are turning up as catalyst to spread racism.

When physicians turn cancer catalysts
An example of this is the meeting between Home Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein with the cow-head protesters. Yet as home minister he still has the tenacity to tell Malaysians not to incite racism.

In recent times, there are several cases already that have debunked Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s half-past six suggestion for a task force to investigate the case involving school principals.

Muhyiddin’s call for a task force is definitely a half-past-six measure as police reports have been lodged against the principal. By calling for the formation of a task force, he simply is dismissing police investigations.

These incidents cannot be “isolated” as said by Koh Tsu Koon if the culprits are school principals and teachers.

In identifying this cancer, many symptoms have been misdiagnosed.

The education system has, by and large, been overlooked as the contents are lop-sided. The minority race groups can understand the sensitivities of the majority but not vice-versa.

Education over-emphasises on the majority without paying due attention to the minority races. For instance, freedom fighter Sybil Karthigesu is a misnomer. Secondary schoolchildren are unaware of this freedom fighter’s contribution in Perak.

Religion and cultural aspects of Malaysian minorities are taught like a footnote from a chapter.

There are also certain individuals and media who make racial allegations but are let loose by the authorities.

They act as catalyst through their own mediums. A national Malay daily continuously ensures that the cancer blooms at various body parts of Malaysia.

Despite being “Malaysia’s Messenger”, it gives prominence to certain colourful characters that openly endorse racial supremacy and contradicts the 1Malaysia treatment programme and belittles the minorities of a multiracial Malaysia.

To add salt to injury, racial groups have sprouted up like laryngeal cancer to further worsen Malaysia’s health.

In the spirit of Merdeka, the above-mentioned catalysts must be stopped. Various other cancer eradication programmes, apart from 1Malaysia radiation programe, by all levels of society are also needed.

Cop-out for BBC's HARDtalk

Since when was the BBC afraid of legal threats? Is this not a massive hint that there is a big story lurking somewhere? Isn’t the BBC eager to be the first, with the expose? Is it not eager to get to the bottom of the truth?

Mariam Mokhtar, Malaysian Mirror

The “HARDtalk” news programme, broadcast on BBC World News and the BBC News channel, is a half-hour interview when world renowned personalities are asked difficult questions, to discover their true stories and challenges.

Malaysia’s Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) was scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, 1st September 2010. According to the MalaysiaToday site, Bridget Osborne from the BBC called to inform him that his interview had been cancelled.

HARDtalk appears to have failed its loyal viewers but it has failed to uphold the freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

According to Ms. Osborne, the BBC’s lawyers advised them not to proceed with the program as this would “upset the Malaysian government and may even expose the BBC to legal action”.

She explained that the questions they would pose to Raja Petra, “would be very sensitive in nature and critical of the government, would run foul of the Malaysian government”.

Another reason she offered was that “the program would be accessible in Malaysia”, and “makes this a problem for the BBC.”

Naturally, Malaysians the world over, are disappointed.

Raja Petra may be pleased to learn that the BBC rarely drops a program. However, the BBC’s about-turn means he is considered a liability. This gives him “street cred”.

Raja Petra would have been a viewer-catching asset and boosted viewer/listener numbers. But it appears that he is now a political liability.

But what exactly are the real reasons why the BBC dropped out? It beggars belief that an established and world renowned organisation such as the ‘Beeb’, can be held to ransom by the Malaysia government.

Such irony! Raja Petra was probably going to mention the lack of freedom of expression in Malaysia.

Who would have thought that the stranglehold of the Malaysian government could reach thousands of miles away and silence Raja Petra?

This is indeed a sad day for civil liberties and freedom of speech. The fact that the BBC allowed itself to be manipulated means that it has failed itself, and its viewers. It has compromised its principles and integrity.

But who or what ordered this climbdown?

Most people are aware that Raja Petra is fond of running rings round the Malaysian government.

In a Malaysia which is beset by draconian laws and where is freedom of expression is lacking, Raja Petra’s site brings many Malaysians light relief.

He is both entertaining and a bit like a “cyber vigilante”. He is not unlike the Super-hero in cyberspace who exposes evil deeds.

Thus, if Raja Petra was expected to be critical of the Malaysian government, then would it not be judicious to have a representative of the Malaysian government present, to counter Raja Petra’s views and offer the Malaysian government’s official take, to the viewers?

That way a balanced and fair opinion is given, by both sides of the political divide.

Since when was the BBC afraid of legal threats? Is this not a massive hint that there is a big story lurking somewhere? Isn’t the BBC eager to be the first, with the expose? Is it not eager to get to the bottom of the truth?

The United Kingdom government is aware that its arms industry is riddled with corruption. Previous governments are alleged to have concealed, and continues to conceal this, from both the parliament and the public.

It is possible that the reasons for the climbdown are not political but are purely economic.

Maybe the pressure was not from the Malaysian government but from the British government.

Perhaps, any excuse to not ruffle Malaysian government feathers, means the British government can have a smooth ride to support its arms sales. And don't we all know how lucrative these are.

Deal? Or no deal?

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Actually, Umno was not the only one who fought for independence. And they were not the first. But we are told that Umno was the only one as if there were no others or no others before Umno. And they even say that Umno was forced to take up the fight for independence because the Rulers had sold out the country to the British.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I wrote an article called Sedition and the first 'Royal ISA detainee' on 11 May 2008 to commemorate Umno’s 62nd Anniversary. What I want to bring to your attention is the part that I wrote as follows:

In 1938, ten years before the introduction of the Sedition Act 1948, Tengku Musa Ghiathuddin was bypassed in favour of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah, the Sixth Sultan of Selangor, on the insistence of the British. Tengku Musa was opposed to British intervention in Selangor and his struggle for ‘Merdeka’, many years before Umno was formed, saw His Highness ‘evicted’ from the Selangor throne.

You can read the rest of the article below.

What has history got to say about Musa Ghiathuddin Riayat Shah of Selangor? Well, Wikipedia has this to say:

The independent-thinking of Tengku Musa galled the British resident T.S. Adams, who recommended the dismissal of Tengku Musa as Crown Prince. Despite the pleas of his father Sultan Sulaiman, Tengku Musa was disinherited as Raja Muda in 1933. The reason given was allegedly "personal misbehaviour". His full brother, Tengku Badar Shah, born in 1895, was also passed over by the British authorities, who appointed a half-brother Tengku Alam Shah, as Raja Muda instead (later Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah).

You can read the full write-up here: Musa Ghiathuddin Riayat Shah of Selangor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musa_Ghiatuddin_Riayat_Shah_of_Selangor).

Tomorrow we shall be celebrating Merdeka Day and we are going to be reminded about Umno’s ‘struggles’ and ‘sacrifices’. But no mention will be made about people like Tengku Musa who opposed the British and also struggled for Merdeka and thereby lost his throne plus was exiled to an island in the Indian Ocean until a few months before he died. In fact, he was allowed home only because he was dying.

Tengku Musa is my ‘role model’. He opposed the British and sacrificed his throne and freedom in his opposition to colonial rule. But he is never mentioned. He is not even remembered. What is usually mentioned is that Umno fought for independence although Umno came many years later.

Actually, Umno was not the only one who fought for independence. And they were not the first. But we are told that Umno was the only one as if there were no others or no others before Umno. And they even say that Umno was forced to take up the fight for independence because the Rulers had sold out the country to the British.

Yes, there were Rulers who did compromise with the British. But this is only because the British put these people on the throne and those who opposed the British were denied the throne. Would not Rulers who owe their throne to the British not compromise with their ‘masters’?

Umno has its version of history. I have mine. And I relate my version of history according to what really happened, not according to how Umno would like us believe happened.

******************************************

Sedition and the first 'Royal ISA detainee'

In honour of Umno’s 62nd Anniversary today, allow me to educate you a bit on some of our forgotten history and the unsung heroes of the fight for Malaya’s independence from Britain. Ironically, the Sedition Act 1948 was a British instrument to stifle this struggle for Merdeka and to silence critics to British rule.

“I recall the statement made by the First Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Abdul Rahman, when requested by a foreign emissary to sack me from the office of the Prime Minister of Malaya,” said the First Prime Minister and Bapa Merdeka, Tunku Abdul Rahman, on 23 January 1978.

“’Oh, I cannot, for he is appointed by the people and not by me,” replied His Majesty, “On the other hand, he can sack me.’”

“If this system were to change and the Rulers were given the sovereign right and prerogative to rule by the DIVINE RIGHT of kings,” added the Tunku, “then I fear it would be only a question of time before the whole institution was scrapped.”

During the Constitutional Crisis about a decade later, the then Deputy Prime Minister, Ghafar Baba, said that it is not unlawful to criticise the Rulers. That does not tantamount to sedition. You may not, however, propose that the Monarchy be abolished and for Malaysia to be turned into a Republic, as that would constitute a crime under the Sedition Act.

There was a time, though, when criticising a Ruler was definitely a crime. That was of course 500 years or so ago in England. But that was the time when Kings were considered ‘personally’ appointed by God and to criticise the Monarch is the same as criticising God. And if you criticise God then you will be burned alive at the stake.

In 1946, the Malays rose up to oppose the British-mooted Malayan Union. With that saw the birth of Umno the same year. As the Umno leaders crisscrossed the length and breadth of Malaya to rally for support, the British decided to introduce the centuries-old Sedition Act that would make it a crime to oppose or criticise the British Colonial Government.

Royalty was not immune from the wrath of the British. In 1938, ten years before the introduction of the Sedition Act 1948, Tengku Musa Ghiathuddin was bypassed in favour of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah, the Sixth Sultan of Selangor, on the insistence of the British. Tengku Musa was opposed to British intervention in Selangor and his struggle for ‘Merdeka’, many years before Umno was formed, saw His Highness ‘evicted’ from the Selangor throne.

When the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1942, my grandfather, Raja Sir Tun Uda, smuggled Sultan Hisamuddin to safety and hid His Highness in the jungle. My grandfather, who was both cousin and brother-in-law to His Highness, then came out from the jungle to negotiate for safe passage for the Sultan. After extracting a guarantee from the Japanese that the Sultan would not be harmed, my grandfather brought His Highness out of hiding.

The Japanese, however, would not allow Sultan Hisamuddin, who they regarded as a British lackey and not the rightful heir to the throne, to take back the throne. Instead, the Japanese installed Sultan Musa Ghiathuddin Riayat Shah as the new (Seventh) Sultan according to proper protocol and tradition (which means Sultan Musa would now be the legal and rightful Sultan of Selangor).

My grandfather was then arrested and brought to the Japanese headquarters (what today is known as Carcosa Sri Negara) where he was to be executed by pancung kepala (beheading). Sultan Musa rushed to the Japanese headquarters to ‘witness’ the execution and just as the Japanese soldier raised the Samurai sword, and before it could separate my grandfather’s head from his shoulders, Sultan Musa dropped to his knees and begged that they spare my grandfather’s life.

The Japanese were taken aback. A Ruler is ‘God’ in the Japanese tradition and for ‘God’ to go down on his knees and beg was a sort of ‘culture shock’, to put it mildly. My grandfather’s life was invariably spared and he spent the war years assisting the Sultan in ensuring that the people of Selangor at least had enough food to eat. Sultan Musa, of course, had to ‘collaborate’ with the Japanese and ‘abuse’ his ‘God’ status in ensuring that the people of Selangor were spared the ravages of war.

When the British came back in 1945, they sacked Sultan Musa and reinstalled Sultan Hisamuddin onto the throne of Selangor. For ‘collaborating’ with the Japanese, Sultan Musa was sent into exile to the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. That was in the days before the introduction of the Internal Security Act and the Kamunting Detention Center. In that sense, my grandfather, Sultan Musa, was the first ‘Royal ISA detainee’ back in 1945 (so I was NOT the first Royal ISA detainee).

Ten years later, Sultan Musa was brought back to Kelang so that he could die at home. His Highness died soon after that and now lies buried in the Royal Mausoleum in Kelang alongside my father, grandmother, grandfather and scores of grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins. Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah died in 1960 and was succeeded by Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, the late Agong.

Yes, I still do not trust Anwar

By Haris Ibrahim,

To my ‘Lest we, including Anwar, ever forget’ post, Bro Habib Rak sent in a comment to ask : “Bro Harris, the point of this historical clip being?”
Fair question, Bro.
The point of that historical clip is this.
If Mahathir retired in 2003 heralded by many as the architect of modern Malaysia, today his legacy lies in tatters.
Increasingly, many see his 22 year reign as a dark period when our critical institutions of governance, our system of education, our economic management and civil rights were all severely compromised.
What we must not lose sight of is that Mahathir could not have managed the rape and plunder of this nation on his own.
Bro Habib, the object of that historical clip was to remind all of us that Anwar, who now promises to lead the people of this nation to the promised land, come the 13th GE, was, from 1982, part of the Mahathir administration and, from 1993, his deputy prime minister.
In 2007, in two posts, I had said that I hoped Anwar would give me reason enough to trust him.
You can read those posts HERE and HERE.
Then on 18th August, 2008, 8 days before the Permatang Pauh by-election, in my ‘Dear Anwar’ post, I said I was going to take a chance with Anwar.
This is how I presented my position :
“…let me first say that whilst I have the highest regard for YB Lim Kit Siang and YB Lim Guan Eng, yet in the matter of the politics and governance of this nation, I do not trust them implicitly and without question, because they are politicians and 50 years of BN politics has delivered a hard and painful lesson to many of us.
Don’t trust politicians completely.
Many times last year, I wrote in this blog that I wished you would give me a reason to trust you.
Whilst I have to be frank and tell you that I still do not trust you, three things have persuaded me to ‘take a chance’.
First, and this is the only rational factor of the three, this nation needs to be rid of the racist, divide and rule politics of BN. UMNO will not change, and the other component parties have shown themselves to be helplessly subservient to UMNO.
You and your party leaders, together with the leaders of DAP, have been taking policy positions or making policy statements that, by far and large, seem to be in line with the aspirations of the people.
I say ‘seem’ because much still remains to be seen” .
That post elicited 173 comments. Many said that I had articulated how they felt.
Yes, many still do not trust Anwar, but are prepared to give him a chance.
This is not to say that Anwar is not a changed man from his days during the Mahathir administration.
The burning question for me, is, has he changed?
Is he ready to be the prime minister for all, or is he still the Malay nationalist that Mahathir enticed into UMNO?
Will he lead us to the promised land, or from the frying pan into the fire?
Many, myself included, hope that he is indeed reformed from his UMNO days.
We can only be guided by his actions to make conclusions about whether he is a changed man, and conclusions that we must make soon given that a general election will very soon be upon us.
What we must not do with Anwar, or any other politician for that matter, is to accord them blind, unquestioning faith.
Many have sent in comments to say I should now let this matter rest given that the Supreme Council has made a decision which Jeffret has accepted.
Sorry, I will not.
I still have concerns based on Anwar’s actions.
I will share with you in my next post Anwar’s actions that got me concerned.
For now, let me just say, relying on Joe Fernandez’s report in Malaysiakini today about the proceedings during the PKR Supreme Council meeting yesterday, that there is hope yet for PKR.
There are still good men in their ranks in the likes of Chua Jui Meng and Tian Chua who understand the value of honouring a promise.

Now PKR suspends all twelve?

By Haris Ibrahim,

My source in PKR just sent me a copy of a press statement of even date released by the party HQ. I reproduce the same verbatim below. ____________________________________________________
KENYATAAN MEDIA
30 Ogos 2010

Jawatankuasa Disiplin Keadilan telah membentangkan laporan berhubung kes penubuhan Parti Cinta Sabah dan mendapati bahawa kesemua 12 orang yang terlibat adalah bersalah dalam membuat pendaftaran parti baru kepada ROS walaupun kemudiannya telah menarik balik pemohonan tersebut.
Kes ini telah dikemukakan sebagai aduan baru pada bulan Jun 2010 apabila pengadu mendapat pengesahan daripada pihak Jabatan Pendaftaran Pertubuhan Malaysia.
Setelah diteliti dan dibincang laporan tersebut, Majlis Pimpinan Pusat Keadilan yang bersidang pada 29 Ogos 2010 telah bersetuju mengesahkan keputusan Jawatankuasa Disiplin Keadilan untuk menggantung 12 anggota Keadilan berikutan aduan penubuhan Parti Cinta Sabah.
Penggantungan tersebut berkuatkuasa dari 4 Januari 2010 hingga 3 Januari 2011.
Namun demikian, Fasal 27.4 Perlembagaan Parti memperuntukkan bahawa kesemua 12 anggota tersebut boleh membuat rayuan kepada Majlis Pimpinan Pusat bermula hari ini dan pihak Majlis Pimpinan Pusat bersedia menyegerakan rayuan untuk dipertimbangkan kerana untuk tidak memprejudiskan penglibatan mereka dalam Pemilihan Parti 2010.


SAIFUDDIN NASUTION ISMAIL
Setiausaha Agung
Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Dihantarkan kepada anda melalui / Delivered to you by:
BIRO KOMUNIKASI
PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT
A-1-09, Merchant Square
No. 1, Jalan Tropicana Selatan 1
47410 Petaling Jaya
Tel: +603 7885 0530
Fax: +603 7885 0531
E-mail: komunikasi@keadilanrakyat.org
Web: www.keadilanrakyat.org

Seditious Malaysia

By Ding Jo-Ann | The Nut Graph

 

What is sedition?

“A ‘seditious tendency’ is a tendency:

to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government (in Malaysia);

…

to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Malaysia or in any State;

to raise discontent amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia;

to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of Part III of the Federal Constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the Federal Constitution.”

(Source: Section 3[1] of the Sedition Act 1948)
Allegedly seditious acts:
1) Talking about race-based vs needs-based affirmative action

“In [Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek's] speech, he questioned the quota on equity given to bumiputeras. He claimed that this system, which has been long practised in Malaysia, should be gradually replaced with meritocracy and need.”
“This is an irresponsible statement that aims to destroy the harmony between races.”
“It is clear that this is against the law, as provided under the Sedition Act. Therefore the authorities should take action against Chua.”

Perkasa secretary-general Syed Hassan Syed Ali, when lodging a report against Chua for the MCA president’s opening speech at the recent Chinese Economic Congress. Chua had called for preferential treatment to be given according to needs, rather than race.
Syed Hassan said Chua’s statement would cause unrest among Malay Malaysians because the Federal Constitution clearly provided that nobody could question their special position. (Source: Perkasa lodges report against Soi Lek, Malaysiakini, 18 Aug 2010)
2) Praying for the chief minister

“So far, we have called 15 people to help in the investigation.”
“Statements recorded from several witnesses confirmed that the incidents took place, and we are going ahead with the investigation.”

Penang police chief Datuk Ayub Yaakob, saying police had set up a special team to investigate the alleged replacement of the Yang-di-Pertuan Agong’s name with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s during Friday prayers at a mosque. He said investigations were being conducted under the Sedition Act.
Initial investigations have reportedly revealed there was no such name replacement, but that there had been separate prayers for guidance for the chief minister to embrace Islam. (Source: Penang police form special team to probe sermon “doa” issue, The Malay Mail, 22 Aug 2010)
3) Selling Zunar’s comic books

“When I asked the officers about the change, they told me that they were merely following orders.”
“Of course, I questioned them because I found it to be very strange.”

Book vendor Hawee Othman, on her charge under the Sedition Act for selling copies of monthly magazine Isu Dalam Kartun by Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, more popularly known as Zunar. Hawee had initially been investigated under the Printing Presses and Publications Act. However, later she found out the charge had been changed to one under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act. (Source: Cops put Zunar comic vendor in a fix, Malaysiakini, 21 Aug 2010)
4) Questioning vernacular schools

“Chinese and Tamil primary schools do not impede national unity. Bigots and racialist groups which do not exclude Majlis Perundangan Melayu are the main culprits undermining national unity.”

MCA central committee member Loh Seng Kok, urging authorities to probe the Malay Consultative Council (MPM) under the Sedition Act after it called for vernacular schools to be abolished. (Source:Under siege MCA claims MPM flouting sedition laws, Malaysiakini, 23 Aug 2010)
5) Staging a Christian play in Shah Alam during Ramadan

“We want the church and pastor to be investigated for sedition and for insulting the Sultan.”

Petaling Perkasa chairperson Zainal Abidin Ahmad, calling for a Shah Alam church and its pastor to be investigated for planning to stage a Christian play at the Shah Alam Convention Centre during Ramadan. He said a Ramadan bazaar was held around the convention centre and buka puasa buffets were held in the area. (Source: Perkasa complains about Shah Alam Christian play during Ramadan, The Malaysian Insider, 17 Aug 2010)
6) Blogging about the royal institution

“We detained him for about two hours and he was very cooperative. We just wanted to record a statement from him about a posting in his blog which touched on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the royal institution.
“The action followed a police report that was lodged about the posting.”

Negeri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, referring to the detention of Parti Keadilan Rakyat supreme council member Badrul Hisham Shaharin. Badrul Hisham, also known as Chegubard, was detained under the Sedition Act in relation to a posting on his blog about the Yang-di-Pertuan Agong and the royal institution. (Source: Police: Chegubard detained to record statement, theSun, 10 July 2010)
7) Reporting about foreign workers working on the new palace not getting paid

“[Therefore], their reports are anti-Malay and anti-Istana. The reports [portrayed] the palace as if it was being built upon the tears of the people.”

Senator Ezam Mohd Nor, calling on the Home Ministry to probe The Star and Malaysiakini for publishing reports on the woes of foreign workers working on the site of the new palace. The Star reported that many of the 1,000 foreign workers had not received their salary for three months. (Source: Ezam wants gov’t to probe Malaysiakini, Star, Malaysiakini, 3 Jul 2010)

The Mahathir prediction

My.sinchew.com

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has predicted that racial tension would escalate if the New Economic Policy (NEP) type of policies is removed in favour of open policies which disregard the disparities between races in the interest of equity and merit.

The former prime minister has also warned that the time is not right for changes to be made to the existing pro-Bumiputera affirmative policies.

He said that the violent Communist revolution in Europe was caused by the disparity between rich and poor, and hinted that such a scenario could happen in Malaysia if the so-called economic gap between the Bumiputeras and the other races is not narrowed.

Hence, he suggested that the affirmative policies and programmes be continued infinitum, arguing that such a protection for the Bumiputera is still necessary and that a 20-year timeline is not enough for them to become economically on par with other races.

The NEP was launched in 1971 and technically ended in 1990, but most of its programmes are being continued.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has announced that he would remove subsidies and many of the pro-Bumiputera quotas under his meritocracy-based economic reforms, but many Malay leaders, including Mahathir, want to retain the status quo.

Mahathir has become the leading voice of dissidence against the New Economic Model (NEM) initiated by Najib, insisting that the affirmative scheme must continue, or else the Bumiputeras would lose out.

Mahathir’s doomsday prediction that the country would plunge into a violent revolutionary situation like that of the 18th and 19th Century Europe if the affirmative economic policies and programmes are scaled is certainly alarmist and scaremongering, to say the least, and a witticism of the highest illusionary degree.

Mahathir talks as if all non-Bumiputras are rich and only Bumiputeras are in dire economic suffering. Granted that there are many Bumiputras in the rural who are really poor and deserving of government financial aid, but there are also many non-Bumiputras who are in similar appalling economic condition.

I am not saying that there should not be any affirmative policies and programmes to help those who are poor and underprivileged, but they should be based on needs, not on race. There are more poor Bumiputras simply because they constitute a larger portion of the population, and they deserve all the assistance to live a better life and lifestyle. So, do the poor of other races. The government affirmative policies and programmes should focus on thord e need of the poor of all races, not on any particular race irrespective of their economic status. MP Tony Pua’s suggestion that those who can afford luxury houses costing more than half a million ringgit should not be given discount under the affirmative programme is not without merit. The discount money should rightly be channelled to help those who cannot afford a simple decent home.

If we are to take an honest look at the May 13 incident in 1969, which, incidentally, was the raison d’etat for the formulation and implementation of the NEP, we should realize that basically race was just the whipping boy for what I believe to be the explosion of intensive frustration of the economic hardship suffered by the poor of all races – Malay, Chinese and Indians.

The May 13 riot was not racial per se. It was sparked off by the poor Malays being told by Malay politicians that the rich Chinese caused them the economic suffering, and the poor Chinese being told by Chinese politicians that the powerful Malays in the government caused them their hardship.

The riot was triggered off by the then massive suffering of many poor Malays and poor Chinese, both having reached the extreme intolerable level of economic and financial hardship. The intense manipulative racial stroking by irresponsible politicians of the already tense environment during the campaign for the May 10 general election detonated the already ticking economic time bomb, masquerading as packs of racial grenades all over the country..

The economic hardship was not confined to any particular race, and was fundamentally caused by an irresponsible corrupt government of the day. It was the demonic racist politicians who exploited the suffering poor and turn what was basically an economic deprivation problem into a racial bloodbath.

When I was doing a research paper on revolution for a course on history at the Flinders University in South Australia, I did a comparative study on the causes of revolutions in France (1789–1799), Russia (1917) and China (1911 and 1949). I found that there were five common factors that gave rise to the revolutions in these countries.

The first factor is that there was massive economic hardship among the general populace of the country. Many people were facing difficulties in even putting food on the table. Jobs were scarce. Children go to bed hungry. In such a situation, many became desperate, and couldn’t care less about any consequence, even if they were to resort to violent means to survive. These people become fertile ground for the seed of revolution to take root and grow.

Secondly, while the majority of the population was suffering hardship, an elite class of economically powerful and corrupt officials and business people nonchalantly exploited the people. The people were heavily taxed, pieces of essentials keep rising, bribes were demanded for getting things done at government offices, the cops were trigger-happy, and many innocent people were persecuted and prosecuted on the most unsubstantial and flimsiest charges.

Such a scenario gave rise to a massive resentment and revulsion among the people. The circumstance was certainly appropriate for mass action to get rid of the immoral and corrupt political parasites.

Thirdly, the major influence and impact of the increasingly powerful mass media, particularly the newspapers, contributed to educate the general populace of their fundamental human and civil rights.

The people began to realize that they have absolute rights to a decent life and lifestyle, and that they are the actual bosses of those in the government and its administration. They began to demand for justice, fairness, economic equality, political freedom, liberty in organizing and operating their own well-being, and the rights to freedom of expression, worship, jobs and education.

In other words, the people have got up from their innocent slumber and became enlightened to the fact they have fundamental birth rights which they should protect, preserve and prevent from exploitation by the abusive and dictatorial authorities.

Fourthly, the rise of some well-educated idealistic charismatic leaders led to the mobilization and organization of the people into collective powerful pressure groups which took the lead to fight against the establishment. A massive people movement began to make the clarion call to the masses to stand up and be court for the nation. The charismatic people rousers became the powerful attractive socio-political magnets attracting the masses to march for change.

Finally, like Mao Zedong said, a mere spark will cause fire to a whole plain. In the case of 18th century France, Emperor Louis XIV and his successor Emperor Louis XVI mismanaged the nation’s finances that by 1789, the government was bankrupt. Louis XVI resorted to impose heavy taxes on the people. The people, who suffered from bad harvest, exploded in anger and attacked the Bastille (prison for political prisoners). The Fall of Bastille started the French Revolution. It spread out to other parts of France.

The explosive pressure cooker blew its cover and all hell broke lose as the people took to the street to demand for accountability and change.

Nearer our time, we have seen how the dictator Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines was ousted by the People Power Revolution in 1986. The massive protest was brewing since 1983, after the assassination of opposition politician Ninoy Aquino, followed by the deteriorating economy, with the government plunging deeper into debt. By the end of 1983, the country was bankrupt, and the economy had contracted by 6.8%. The pressure started to build up until 1986 when the time bomb exploded.

From my studies on revolutions, we can observe that what gave rise to the massive visible, vocal and even violent demonstration demanding for reformation and transformation is basically the mass dissatisfaction, disenchantment and disillusion with the governing establishment, sparked off by just an unjust act.

There will not be any violent revolution in Malaysia, if there is a competent, accountable, and transparent government in Malaysia, which promotes and practices truth, righteousness, justice, equality, fairness, and caring concern.

Happy Medeka. May God bless our nation real good!

I am Chinese but I want to be known as MALAYSIAN!

by Philip Yong

So, the day has arrived. The day we’ve all been patiently waiting for. Yes it is finally here!

This was the day all Malaysians regardless of race stood up together to shout ‘MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA!’ from the bottom of their hearts. Even just by imagining the atmosphere at that moment, I can feel the joy. But today, I no longer have that feeling.

Tomorrow (31st August 2010) is our country’s 53rd National Day. Wow, we’ve got our independence for 53 years already, how amazing can that be? But you know what? I don’t feel a thing. I don’t feel proud to be a Malaysian at all. Well, if you’ve been catching up with the tabloids lately, you would know what I mean. 53 years is not very long but still a substantial number. Why are we the citizens of Malaysia not united? Our National Day is tomorrow but there are still people out there fighting and screaming ridiculously accusing others of demeaning their race. Why after 53 years we still can’t be united? Why do we have to fill in forms asking for our race? Why isn’t there an option for ‘Malaysian’ in those forms? Yes I am Chinese but I want to be known as a Malaysian, is that wrong?

Independence? Even now I am writing this in fear of being caught by the officials for inciting hate or perhaps sedition. I’ve read about so many people being caught for speaking against the government. Well, is that wrong? Don’t we the rakyat, have the right to speak? I believe we are supposed to be a democratic country. But it seems to me that I don’t get to decide what I want for myself and my country. It seems like we’re being dictated. Well, I think I better not go on further as I do not want to celebrate our National Day in the cell.
I want change. I do not care who or which party is in charge of the government. All I want is change. I am sick and tired of everything negative going on. I think if today I meet a foreigner, I will be reluctant to address myself as a Malaysian because of all the bad press that have been going on for quite some time. And I do not blame the foreigners for having such a negative image of our country. It is our leaders fault or so to speak. But as a Malaysian, I will not sit here quiet awaiting for a better tomorrow. I will stand up along with many other Malaysians who share my thoughts. Which I believe is in the thousands if not millions. We will fight for a better tomorrow, through over powerful voices. We’ve stayed quiet for far too long. 53 years, like I said is a substantial number.

I love Malaysia. I really do. That is why I am speaking up. I remember a couple of months ago, I attended the Badminton Thomas Cup quarter finals between Malaysia and Denmark. Everybody in the stadium was shouting and screaming in support of the Malaysian team. That is the real 1Malaysia we should advocate. It was one of the very few moments I felt so proud to be a Malaysian. Till today I still remember how everyone regardless of their race was so united and I honestly miss that moment.

So in simple word, my wish for this year’s Merdeka is for the nation to be united as one. I am sure we can and we will achieve that. Whichever coalition whether it is the Barisan National or Pakatan Rakyat, as long as they advocate that then you have my support as well as many other Malaysians support. Remember it is the rakyat that build the country and not the other way around.

HAPPY MERDEKA!

Malacca tales

By Anil Netto,


A two-day trip to Malacca proves to be an eye-opener. And a cruise along the Malacca River after dark reveals more than just the gaudy lights of the illuminated river banks.

When I arrived in Malacca last weekend for a two-day stay, residents there told me quite a bit about the city and its questionable spending on various projects. Mostly they centred on and around various modes of transport:
My first impression of Malacca is that of the impressive Melaka Sentral express bus and taxi terminal and bazaar in Peringgit. This looks much bigger and more futuristic than the Penang express bus terminal. In fact, its circular terminal reminds me of an airport terminal, buses parked all around it like spokes sticking out of from the central hub of a wheel. That initial positive impression evaporates when a friend informs me of roof leakages at the wet and dry market in the RM28 million complex, as reported in The Star. Not only that, leaking and clogged pipes and irregular lift and escalator operations plague the market area. Last June, the Council spent RM4 million on structural repairs.
Then, I heard rumblings about the new Malacca “International” Airport in Batu Berendam, some 150km from KL, which was officially opened earlier this year. Back in 2007, the new terminal opened but a host of problems still needed fixing: the extended 1,800m (formerly 1,362m) runway – under a RM135 mil refurbishment project launched in 2007 – could not be fully used because several obstructing trees had to be removed, as mentioned in a report on the skyscrapercity.com website. It was also found that a nearby hypermarket warehouse reportedly exceeded the height limit.
An additional RM60mil had to be borrowed from the federal government to extend the runaway to 2,135m to allow Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 to land at the airport, according to the firefly website. The RM190 million airport was officially opened in May 2010 – but the problems haven’t ended.
There’s the problem of refuelling. At present, refuelling facilities at this “international” airport only caters for smaller aircraft such as Fokkers. Now they are building fuel depot facilities in the hope of attracting larger aircraft. How much are they going to spend for all this, how many airlines are actually using the airport; how many passengers per day pass through the terminal?
The real question is, does Malacca really need an expanded airport, with KLIA and Changi not far away? Discussion forums have labelled the airport as an “ego trip”. If that’s not enough of an ego trip, in March there was talk of Malacca setting up its own airlines! Apparently, the airport faces difficulty in attracting budget airlines, as reported in Kosmo. Expand the airport and then look for airlines?
To get away from it all, my friends in Malacca decide to show me the latest attraction in Malacca, which they have laughingly labelled “Paris by night”. The night boat cruise along the Malacca River is actually a good idea and, at RM10 per head, affordable to most visitors. The first thing you notice as you step into the wide boat at the jetty is the newest ‘toy’ in Malacca, the 24-seat monorail train at the Taman Rempah Station nearby. The 1.6km monorail track runs parallel along the banks of the river for a while and then twirls out of sight, heading to Kampung Bunga Raya Pantai in the heart of the city. The RM16 million monorail project was supposed to have been launched on 29 August but already, it has been delayed twice. The project is being carried out by the council, state subsidiary Kumpulan Melaka Berhad and Agibs Engineering & Construction Sdn Bhd.
The commentary over the speakers in the boat is in both Malay and English interspersed with Kenny G music. The smooth male voices point out the illuminated kampung houses along the river bank, the former Cathay building and the shophouses with their river-side back-doors that have been converted to ‘front doors’. Then we pass by another ‘toy’, an amusement park where a ferris wheel spins and a ‘pirate ship’ rocks from back-and-forth like a rocking horse. This, we are proudly told, costs RM3.3 million. I gaze at the ferris wheel and something doesn’t seem quite right. It is spinning all right, but there’s no one inside the glass-topped capsules! My friends tell me no one was inside either the last time they took the cruise a month earlier.
Then we approach the historic St Francis Xavier Church, clearly visible along the banks, and my friends tell me to listen carefully. The recorded commentary falls eerily silent. Instead, the lilting strains of Kenny G on his sax waft through the boat. There’s nothing to tell passengers on the boat that they are passing by a historical landmark – one of the oldest churches in the country – and most of them appear oblivious to it.
Similarly, no mention of Christ Church further down or even the red-walled Dutch-constructed Stadthuys, built in 1650, the most famous structure in Malacca, next to the ruins of A Famosa. These merit just a passing mention as the “kawasan menara jam”. So much for enlightening visitors about Malacca’s history.
Along the way and back, my friends cite other instances of questionable, even reckless, spending in Malacca. I get the picture – and it’s not pretty.
One big disappointment is that the sprawling green esplanade near St John’s Hill along the sea has disappeared. Instead, we now see two large malls facing each other near the miniature Dataran Pahlawan. Open green space, it would seem, is hard to come by in this heritage city.

A scholarly approach to the mosque issue

For all our goofs, we sometimes get some things right.
I thought this a very measured, and above all, extremely learned piece, which analyses the mosque entering controversy from a scholarly perspective.
Take away the hype, and the hate scented hyperbole, and this is what the facts and religious scholarship suggests.
I’ve met Dr. Manuty, and he seemed to me a very kindly gentleman – a man who knew his subject material very well.
On this issue, I remember fondly my time in Aceh, where there I was made very welcome in mosques and suraus.
Pleasant memories….
(In the off chance anyone was wondering, I believe the mosque pictured in the background of this blog is in Terengganu. Isn’t it a gorgeous photo?)

*

Isu Bukan Islam Masuk Masjid
Bagaikan menahan lukah di pergentingan, UMNO dan para kuncunya tidak habis-habis menerkam apa jua kesempatan dan isu sebagai modal mempertahan survival politik perkauman mereka. Seperti biasanya, bagaikan jerat sudah mengena, UMNO dan para pendokongnya mengambil kesempatan ke atas tindakan beberapa pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat bukan Islam yang telah memasuki masjid dan surau baru-baru ini. Peristiwa Dr. Xavier Jayakumar berucap di dewan utama sebuah masjid di Taman Sri Andalas, Klang pada Ogos 2009 yang lalu, telahpun hampir dilupakan. Kini tindakan YB Teo Nie Ching (Ahli Parlimen DAP Serdang) masuk ke Surau Al-Huda, Kajang dan YB William Leong (Bendahari PKR, Ahli Parlimen PKR Selayang) masuk ke dalam Masjid At-Taqwa, Selayang Baru pula dijadikan isu besar.
Untuk menjelaskan pendirian kami mengenai isu ini, kami ingin membawa perhatian semua pihak kedudukan perkara ini dari perspektif fiqh (hokum Hakam Islam). Sekurang-kurangnya ada empat pandangan mengenai masalah ini. Pertamanya: Mazhab Hanafi yang membenarkan bukan Islam memasuki semua masjid. Keduanya: Mazhab Syafie yang membenarkan masuk kesemua masjid melainkan masjid Haram dan kawasan tanah haram Makkah. Ketiganya: Mazhab Hanbali yang membenarkan untuk memasuki masjidil haram dan lainnya setelah mendapat kebenaran dari umat Islam atas tujuan-tujuan yang munasabah. Akhirnya, Mazhab Maliki yang tidak membenarkan memasuki semua masjid melainkan kerana darurat kerja.
Beberapa peristiwa di zaman Rasulullah juga boleh dijadikan panduan. Baginda pernah membenarkan ramai orang-orang bukan Islam masuk dan tinggal lama di masjid. Rasulullah juga diriwayatkan pernah menerima tetamu Kristian dari Najran di dalam masjid Madinah, malah diizinkan oleh Nabi s.a.w untuk menunaikan sembahyang mereka di dalam masjid dan nabi menyebut kepada sahabat: “Biarkan mereka (untuk melunaskan sembahyang mereka)”
Kepelbagaian pandangan ini menggambarkan keluasan hukum Islam dalam persoalan yang digembar-gemburkan sebagai isu besar ini. Hakikatnya, majoriti ulama silam dan kontemporari jelas mengharuskan bukan Islam memasuki masjid-masjid biasa dengan syarat-syarat tertentu seperti keperluan mendapat keizinan umat Islam atau badan berkuasa Islam, mempunyai sebab yang munasabah dan menjaga adab-adab yang telah ditetapkan.
Oleh yang demikian, kami berpendirian bahawa adalah tidak wajar bagi siapa jua untuk menyempitkan sesuatu yang tidak jelas dari sudut nas-nasnya dan dalil-dalilnya. Apatah lagi jika kita sememangnya berpegang dengan mazhab al-Syafie sebagai mazhab rasmi umat Islam di Negara ini. Lebih jauh lagi, sikap menghalang bukan Islam memasuki masjid ini adalah bertentangan dengan semangat yang diputuskan oleh Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia Kali Ke-90 yang bersidang pada 1 Mac 2010 telah memutuskan bahawa pelancong bukan Islam diharuskan memasuki masjid dan ruang solat dengan syarat-syarat yang telah ditentukan.
Amalan menerima bukan Islam memasuki masjid atas tujuan yang murni juga telah diamalkan di beberapa negara lain. Ia terbukti memberi nilai positif kepada keberkesanan pemahaman mereka kepada agama Islam, mengelakkan salah faham dan menjana interaksi yang harmoni dalam perhubungan di antara umat Islam dan bukan Islam.
Sewajarnya, para wakil rakyat PR demikian perlulah diberikan pujian kerana kesungguhannya dalam menjalankan tugasnya dengan baik kepada masyarakat majmuk di negara ini. Apatah lagi ia memang telahpun mendapat kebenaran pihak pengurusan masjid dan dilakukan pula atas tanggungjawab mereka sebagai wakil Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.
Kekecohan yang digembar-gemborkan hakikatnya akan memakan tuan. Inilah gambaran kegagalan UMNO selama ini dalam mendidik rakyat mengenai hakikat Islam. Sikap seperti ini akan menyuburkan pendirian fanatik melulu di kalangan orang Islam yang kurang berilmu. Lebih menghinakan apabila berita mengenainya ditokok tambah dengan pelbagai fitnah baru demi mencapai matlamat politik sempit yang diperjuangkan. Kita sentiasa mengingatkan bahawa umat Islam tidak boleh merelakan diri mereka terus dibelenggu dalam kerangka pemikiran sempit politik perkauman dan agama ala UMNO ini. Ini akan menjadikan kita semakin lesu dan masyarakat bukan Islam pula semakin menjauh dari kita. Yakinlah bahawa, kerja mereka ini akan menjadi sia-sia seperti mencari umbut di dalam batu.
Hakikatnya, tanpa mereka jangka, krisis yang mereka wujudkan ini akan menjadikan orang Melayu dan masyarakat Islam lebih memahami agamanya secara total dan lebih berkeyakinan bahawa Islam dan masyarakat Melayu akan lebih terjamin di bawah Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat pada masa depan. Inilah keyakinan kita kerana Islam itu tinggi dan merupakan agama yang membawa rahmat untuk seluruh alam.
DR MUHD NUR MANUTY
Pengerusi
Biro Pemahaman & Pemantapan Agama
Parti KeADILan Rakyat
28 Ogos 2010

Kelantan sues Petronas over oil royalty

Adun PAS ziarah kuil Hindu

 

(Harakahdaily) - Kunjungan dan ucapan anggota Parlimen Serdang, Teo Nie Ching telah menyebabkan Umno dan penguasa agama di Selangor melenting tetapi bagaimana reaksi mereka kalau melihat Adun PAS pergi melawat kuil Hindu dan berucap di sana.
Baru-baru ini, Adun PAS dari Meru, Dr Rani Othman telah melawat Kuil Hindu Bukit Rajah dan bercakap kepada para penganut agama itu yang sedang membuat ibadat.

Melalui blognya, Dr Rani menulis, beliau mengunjungi kuil di Bukit Rajah dan mengambil kesempatan untuk memberikan gambaran sebenar tentang tasawwur dan keadilan Islam kepada masyarakat India yang berada di situ.

"Sejarah membuktikan walaupun 12 kurun Islam menguasai negara Palestin contohnya, tetapi tidak ada seorang pun dari penganut agama Kristian dan Yahudi yang di paksa untuk menganut agama Islam sepanjang pemerintahan itu melainkan ramai dari mereka yang menganut agama Islam adalah dari kerelaan hati mereka sendiri apabila mereka dapat melihat sendiri keadilan dan akhlaq yang tinggi dikalangan orang-orang Islam," tulis beliau dalam blog Khidmat Meru itu.

Dr M warns NEP removal could lead to revolution

Mahathir: Everyone is thinking about his own race. If I am included it is because I think it is dangerous for the rich to take away what little the poor have.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad predicted today that there would be an escalation in racial tension and division should NEP-style policies be removed, likening the situation to the Communist revolution in Europe.

He stressed that the time was not right to introduce any policy which would “disregard the disparities between races in the interest of equity and merit.”

“Take away the minor protection afforded by the NEP and the bumis will lose whatever that they may have. Then racial division will be deepened by wealth division. I don’t think this would be good for the country. Remember it was the disparity between rich and poor in Europe which led to the violence of the Communist revolution.

“I may be labelled a racist but fear of the label will not stop me from working for what I think is the good of the country. Nothing will be gained by dividing the people of Malaysia into poor Bumis and rich non-Bumis. The time is not right for disregarding the disparities between the races in the interest of equity and merit,” said Dr Mahathir in a posting on his blog today.

The former PM continued his stout defence of the pro-Bumiputera New Economic Policy (NEP) style policies in his blog post, by suggesting an indefinite continuation of affirmative action programmes.

The former prime minister admitted today that he was “not proud” of the NEP which accorded protection to the Bumiputeras, but stressed that such protection was still necessary and that a 20 year-timeline was not enough for Malays to be economically on par with other races.

Malaysia’s NEP, put in place in 1971, officially ended in 1990, but many of its programmes are still being continued. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said he plans to remove subsidies and many of the pro-Bumiputera quotas under economic reforms. But Dr Mahathir and many Malay groups are opposed to the removal of quotas and equity targets, despite evidence suggesting Malaysia is being handicapped economically and is less competitive globally as a result of such policies.

“I am not proud of the protection afforded the Bumiputeras. It implies weakness. I don’t think Malays and other Bumiputeras like to think that they are inferior in any way.

“But the reality is that in Malaysia the Bumiputeras need new skills and a new culture even. These cannot be had by them in a mere 20 years. The original planners of the NEP were too optimistic,” said Dr Mahathir in a blog posting today although he did not provide or suggest a time frame in which the NEP would no longer be needed.

Using education as an example, Dr Mahathir lashed out at critics who have attacked the government for maintaining a 60 per cent quota for Bumiputeras in local universities.

The former PM said that if the current Bumiputera quota in public universities was reduced, more Bumiputeras should be then allowed to enter private universities which he claimed only consisted of 10 per cent Bumiputeras.

“Even the 10 per cent Bumis are there because of scholarships by MARA. Take the scholarships away and there would be practically none.

“Why is it that the focus is only on what is done by the government? If the Bumis in government universities should be reduced, then the Bumis in the private universities should be increased. Or else meritocracy would reduce the number of Bumiputeras getting university education. Or is it the intention to deny Bumis higher education? They are not the best but they are qualified,” said Dr Mahathir.

The outspoken politician claimed that there were more non-Bumiputeras in foreign universities than local universities because Bumiputeras still could not afford to pay for private tertiary education, and cautioned that this would inevitably result in the Bumiputeras lagging behind in education.

“Because they can afford it there are more non-Bumis than Bumis in foreign universities. This must increase the disparities in higher education between different races,” he said.

Dr Mahathir has been increasingly vocal in speaking out against the New Economic Model (NEM) introduced by Najib, saying that affirmative action must still be carried out, signaling fears that Malays and Bumiputeras would stand lose out the most if the administration were to implement a hundred percent meritocracy-based system.

The former prime minister revealed last week that he had written to the prime minister to offer his advice and let him know what he thought of the New Economic Model (NEM).

However, Dr Mahathir said he did not expect Najib to consider his recommendations.

Citing another case, the veteran politician alleged that even with the existing Bumiputera quotas in government contracts, there was still no guarantee that the contracts would actually be awarded to Bumiputeras.

“As for contracts even with the 5 per cent advantage given to Bumi contractors, many of the Government contracts do not go to them because of their lack of capacity. Even if they do get, non-Bumi contractors get most of the sub-contracts etc.

“Actually construction by the private sector is bigger than the public sector. In the private sector the Bumi contractors get next to nothing. I suppose this is because the private contracts are given based on merit. Or maybe it is not. I don’t know,” said the former Prime Minister.

In justifying his arguments, Dr Mahathir said that during his tenure as Prime Minister and under the implementation of the NEP, Malaysia enjoyed stability and good economic growth.

He noted that despite increased talks about “meritocracy,” the races in the country are more divided today than ever before.

“For 46 years this country enjoyed relative stability and consequently good growth. But today the races are more divided than ever. Everyone has become racist, talks about meritocracy notwithstanding. Everyone is thinking about his own race. If I am included it is because I think it is dangerous for the rich to take away what little the poor has,” added Dr Mahathir.

Dr Mahathir has appeared to be highly critical of Najib and Umno in recent remarks, suggesting recently that the ruling party was weak and mismanaged.

The feisty ex-premier had also mocked proponents of meritocracy last week, calling them racist and decried Malays who supported meritocracy as having misplaced pride.

His comments come after recent remarks by top Malaysian banker Datuk Seri Nazir Razak — the CIMB group chief executive and the brother of the PM — who said that the NEP had been “bastardised.”

Nazir has been pushing for reforms while Dr Mahathir has been putting his weight behind right wing Malay groups such as Perkasa, who believe Bumiputera quotas were a “right” of the Malays.

Dr Mahathir has also denied that the NEP had been an obstacle to the country’s development.

He has also mocked proponents of meritocracy, calling them “meritocrats” who are pushing for dominance by one race in all aspects of the country.

Illogical to ban non-Muslims from mosque, says Asri

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Former Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin advised Muslims today not to use the non-Muslims in mosques issue to win political points.

Asri said such an action would only tarnish Islam’s image.

“The issue was started by politicians. But in their attempt to attack their opponents, do not misinterpret Islamic teachings,” said Asri in his latest blog entry.

“If we want to refuse them entry, that is another matter,” he added.

However Asri said declaring a total ban on non-Muslims to enter mosque would cause misunderstandings.

“The Prophet had received (non-Muslims) representatives in a mosque, how can they be banned from entering the mosque today,” he added.

Asri admitted that Muslim scholars did not have a consensus on non-Muslims visiting mosques but the majority believed that it was encouraged.

“Majority of Islamic jurists including those who belong to the Shafie school of thought were of the opinion that non-Muslims are allowed to enter mosques if there is a need for it,” he said.

“In a multireligious country like ours, the view was not only strong but it also helps in Islamic missionary work,” added Asri.

Citing Prophet Mohamad’s practice and a decree by the Saudi Arabia government, Asri said mosques’ functions should be expanded to become information centres for non-Muslims.

“The mosque should disseminate information on Islam to everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims,” said Asri.

Asri said the move to ban non-Muslims from entering mosques would further distance the community from Islam.

“There are already too many Taliban-like fatwas in the country that have made Muslims to turn against non-Muslims and now the space to introduce them Islam has been closed,” said Asri.

“The mosque is portrayed as hostile and they are not allowed to come close. But at the same time non-Muslims are inviting Muslims to their places of worship,” he added.

“In the end we only perpetuate the animosity and would fail to put a stop to suspicions against this beautiful religion. Which direction are we taking Islam to?” asked Asri.

Asri said that he was worried that the political competition would result in misinterpretation of Islamic teachings.

“Political consideration and assessment in Islam based on knowledge methodology are two different things,” he said.

“Truth in Islam is colour blind and non-partisan. It does not matter where it comes from and in whose favour,” added Asri.

Malay rights group Perkasa has demanded that syariah laws be created to ban non-Muslims from entering mosques and suraus.

The group’s call comes in the wake of controversy surrounding Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, following reports that she had entered the Surau Al-Huda in her Kajang constituency, during a visit there to deliver aid to the surau.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders including PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had defended Teo over her mosque visit.

Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali also accused Nik Aziz of failure to defend Islamic principles by backing Teo.

Another PR lawmaker William Leong has also come under fire from Umno-owned newspaper Utusan Malaysia for visiting a mosque in his parliamentary constituency, Selayang. - The Malaysian Insider

HRP petition to palace on women converts 'thwarted'

(Malaysiakini) The Human Rights Party Malaysia's (HRP) bid to submit a memorandum to the Perak Sultan over the two Perak women involved in conversion cases was foiled today after a run-in with the police, resulting in one party member arrested.

The party had collected 5,000 signatures supporting the memorandum to Sultan Azlan Shah, highlighting the plight of S Banggarma from Tanjong Piandang and M Indira Gandhi from Ipoh - both involved in highly-publicised conversion cases - and appealing for royal intervention.

Officials at the Istana Kinta, Ipoh had instructed the police to only allow four representatives from the group to enter the palace to summit the two-paged memorandum.

However, HRP leaders party pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar, party national information chief S Jayathas and state party chief P Ramesh insisted on seven representatives.

When negotiations with the police came to a stalemate, the group requested palace officials to come out and receive the document.

As a last resort, HRP leaders urged the police to hand over the document to palace officials on their behalf. This too failed.

The unhappy HRP members decided to leave the file containing the documents on the bonnet of a police car parked outside the gates.

HRP member arrested

At this juncture, a police officer pushed the document off the car and onto the road, angering the HRP leaders.

They demanded acting Ipoh districts police chief Ibrahim Abu Bakar who was present to arrest and prosecute the officer for allegedly insulting the Sultan, but no action was taken.

Along the way HRP member K Balakrishnan, 53, was also arrested for allegedly verbally abusing the police.

The party then lodged a police report against the said officer at the Ipoh headquarters.

Ibrahim later told the media that he had received orders from the palace to only allow four representatives into the grounds.

He also defended his refusal to take action against the officer who had pushed the file off the vehicle saying he did not witness the act.

The acting chief clarified that Balakrishnan (right) was arrested for using vulgarities against police personnel.

Balakrishnan's wife V Shanti, who was with him at the time of the incident, has denied the allegation and has also lodged a police report at the Ipoh headquarters against the allegedly unlawful arrest of her husband.

Cat and mouse game

Banggarma was present at the scene, along with two other women whom HRP have been trying to assist, Rani (Jamillah Abdul Kadir) from Malacca and Regina Mohd Zaini from Johor, while Indira was absent.

Earlier in the morning, it was a cat and mouse game between HRP members and the police as they tried to start a convoy of cars from the party's newly opened Buntong office at First Garden, Ipoh to the Istana to hand over the memorandum.

A heavy show of force from the police, with at least twelve patrol cars and two truck ferrying riot police descending on the headquarter's vicinity, forced the party to relocate their convoy.

The HRP members relocated to Hotel Impiana nearer to the palace, with the police hot on their heels.

The four women are seeking royal intervention in their respective cases for freedom of religion.

In particular, Banggarma had her application to nullify her conversion to Islam turned down on Aug 4 at the Penang High Court.

Resolved to continue her Hindu practice regardless, she participated in the annual fire walking ceremony at the Sri Muthu Mariamman Kovil temple in Parit Buntar two weeks ago.

GAS now turns the heat on Taib

By G Vinod - Free Malaysia Today

FMT ALERT KUALA LUMPUR:The Gerakan Anti-Samy Vellu (GAS) appears to be on a mission to rid the nation of all leaders who overstay in office.
After turning the heat down on S Samy Vellu, GAS is now turning the heat up on Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Likening him to the MIC president, GAS coordinator V Mugilan said like Samy Vellu, Taib had held on to the post for too long.

“It's not that I want to interfere in Sarawak politics, but times are changing and leadership change is inevitable,” he said, adding that Sarawakians themselves are calling for change.

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