Press Release: Gombak Hospital returned to the Orang Asli

The Gombak Orang Asli Hospital was established by the British in 1957 as a dedicated hospital for the Orang Asli.  It is, to date, the only facility of its kind in the country, which is able to offer lodging to Orang Asli who accompany their ailing family members for treatment.  In its early days, Orang Asli were also employed to bridge the gap between the Orang Asli patients and the doctors.  After the departure of the British, the management of the hospital went into the hands of the Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (“JAKOA”).

The hospital has recently been plagued with controversy.  There have been numerous complaints by the Orang Asli, their representatives and Dr Selva Pillai, a former doctor at the hospital, over the deteriorating standards of medical care and facilities at the hospital under the administration of JAKOA.  These complaints included serious allegations of negligence, mismanagement and the failure to follow the Ministry of Health’s guidelines on treating childhood malnutrition.  The complaints were subsequently brought to the attention of Bar Council and SUHAKAM.  Representations were made to the Director General of Health to intervene in the matter and deal with the plight of the Orang Asli.  

It was recently reported that the Ministry of Health has agreed to take over the administration of the Gombak Orang Asli Hospital from JAKOA.

The Malaysian Bar welcomes this decision of the Ministry of Health.  The government’s intervention to assume responsibility for the medical services in the hospital is timely and apposite.  It accords well with the notion of a caring and responsible government, which responds to the needs of the underprivileged minorities in society.  Thus, it is hoped that under the new hospital management, the current and pressing health issues of the Orang Asli will be speedily addressed, and the well-being of the Orang Asli community will remain at the forefront of the consideration of the hospital authorities. 

The Malaysian Bar also hopes that the hospital will be a place of employment and a training ground for the Orang Asli, so that it can one day be completely staffed and managed by the Orang Asli.  Perhaps the day will soon come when the medical personnel of the hospital will all be members of the Orang Asli community.   Then, the hospital will truly be an Orang Asli Hospital, for the Orang Asli, by the Orang Asli.

 

Lim Chee Wee

President

Malaysian Bar

Not looking for any apology

I saw this report about the Spice convention centre, and I want to clarify that I am not looking for any apology.
This is not about me. I was only interested in finding out more about the deal as a matter of public interest. I remember clearly during the dialogue session with the CM and the MPPP president that it was mentioned that S P Setia would be allowed to build with increased density in their other existing projects on the island. And I asked for clarification on this point a few times. After the session, I did a blog entry about the quid pro quo in the deal.
I just hope that the state/MPPP can now clarify the following:

• Is there a water-table underground that would make it difficult to construct the convention centre?
• Will the MPPP still have to cough up RM50m (less the sale of the leasehold land for the hotel) for the project?
• The low-cost housing component: more details and clarification needed
• Is the traffic consultant conducting the study going to be independent?
• Is there a  business plan for the convention centre and will it be made public?

Malaysiakini
‘Secret sweeteners hidden in sPICE deal’
Susan Loone
Sep 12, 11
4:02pm
Gerakan has demanded an apology from Komtar assemblyperson Ng Wei Aik for misleading the public on a certain clause in the controversial RM250 million subterranean Penang International Convention and Exhibition Center (sPICE) project.
“When we claimed that its developer would be allowed to build 1,500 houses under various projects it is undertaking in Penang, he (Ng) rubbished it,” said Gerakan state local government bureau chief Teh Leong Meng (left), referring to a newspaper report on May 6.
“Ng said he had checked with the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) and there was no such clause included by developer Eco Meridian Sdn Bhd in its proposal,” added Teh in a press conference at the lobby of the MPPP’s legal office at Komtar’s 17th floor today.
Teh asked Ng. who is Penang CM Lim Guan Eng’s political secretary, to apologise to blogger Anil Netto who had highlighted the matter in his blog after attending a closed door meeting between NGOs, MPPP and Lim.
He added that Ng’s denial had placed Netto’s integrity on the line, which is why the former owes him a “sincere” apology now that it is revealed that the clause does indeed exist in the contract.
Teh indicated that Ng was probably trying to protect somebody, although he declined to specify who it was.
The project was priced initially at RM300 million, but had been slashed to RM250 million, which Teh said was due to “a lot of pressure from the Opposition”.
NONETeh, Gerakan state human rights and legal bureau chief, Baljit Singh and information chief Thor Teong Ghee (right)and representatives from MCA and MIC were at the venue to view the concession agreement for the project.
The contract was signed on Aug 19 by MPPP and developer Eco Meridian, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SP Setia. The project is expected to be completed by 2014.
It is located at Relau and when completed, will see Penang boasting of the country’s first underground exhibition centre.
The deal includes a 2.8ha public park, refurbishing, repairing and upgrading the Penang International Sports Arena and the Aquatic Centre as well as construction of a new hotel, retail outlets and a carpark.
Shocked at another clause
Meanwhile, Teh expressed shock at another clause within the agreement, related to the construction of 450 low and medium cost homes by the developer.
He said the developer was required to build the units at 650 sq ft per unit, which should not cost less than RM72,500.
According to the agreement, the state government will provide the land to the developer to build the said homes and the offer is valid for 20 years.
However, if the state fails to provide the ‘free’ land to the developer, this part of the deal is waived.
“This is (an) unusual (deal), and the developer is going to benefit from this clause, where the state provides the land and profits go to the developer,” said Teh.
Baljit described the deal as “daylight robbery”, saying that Penangites would have to pay one way or another for the mega-million deal.
“There are many restrictions placed on those who want to view the agreement, the public is not even allowed to photocopy it for their perusal despite the state government’s talk of having a Freedom of Information Act,” he lamented.
Half-way through the press conference, the Gerakan-led team was asked by an MPPP representative to stop their briefing and hold it outside the lobby.
Baljit was escorted out of the lobby before the party ended their event, saying they would hold another meeting with the press after finding out more details about the deal.
Unaware of clause
When contacted, Ng said he was unaware about the clause which allows the developer to built 1,500 units of residential houses in Penang.
NONE”I am not a party to the deal. At that time, I didn’t know about the clause, so I told the reporter that there was no such deal,” he told Malaysiakini.
“I have checked with MPPP and also state executive member in charge of local government Chow Kon Yeow, who told me that the clause did not exist at that time,” he added.
But Ng (right) said, now that the clause is in the agreement, and is available for public viewing and feedback, which indicates that the state government is “transparent and has nothing to hide”.
He added that Gerakan need not go about trying to prove something as all the details were available for public scrutiny.

A decade after 9/11: Enduring lessons for the Arab world - By Fareed Zakaria

Let me tell you about the most influential book to be published since 9/11, at least according to me. It's actually not a book but a report - a United Nations report written by a committee. I'm talking about the Arab Development Report published in 2002.

After 9/11, in the midst of the discussion of what was happening in the Arab world, why it was the source of this terrorism, the UN Development Program's head, Mark Malloch Brown, commissioned a study of the Arab world looking at political, economic and social issues. But he insisted it be researched and written by Arabs so there was no accusation of an outsider's bias or neocolonialism. The result was a brutally frank document that was a sensation. It was downloaded off the internet 1 million times.

The report documented the stunning decay of the Arab world. If you want to explore the conditions that produced al Qaeda, read this report. Take a look at some of the most damning statistics. When the nonprofit Freedom House rated world regions on a broad range of political and civil rights, Arab countries came last. Look at the economy - the UNDP report highlighted that the entire Arab League put together - that is 22 countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt - had a smaller GDP than Spain. Fifteen percent of Arabs were unemployed compared to a global average of 6 percent at the time.

Then there's education: In 2002, 65 million adults, one of every four Arabs, were illiterate. One of out of every two Arab women couldn't read or write. And for the few Arab readers, there wasn't much choice. The entire region was translating just 330 books a year - one fifth the amount that Greece translates every year. All these statistics showed how the Arab world was worse off than everywhere except Sub-Saharan Africa.

Now, what caught my attention this week, almost a decade later, is that much of the data in that report is unchanged or barely changed. On jobs, the region now suffers some of the highest unemployment rates in the world. And the raw number of Arabs who can't read or write has actually increased. Other indicators have worsened, too. Somalia is now suffering from a deadly famine. And the last decade, Sudan's Darfur region becomes the mass crimes against humanity - one could go on.

In case you've been keeping track, the only real indicator of the Arab world's health that has actually improved since the UNDP report was published is its GDP. The Arab League's combined gross domestic product has quadrupled.

But here's the revealing statistic: The price of oil almost rose at the same rate. And that kind of oil-produced growth doesn't trickle down and it certainly doesn't help the tens of millions of Arabs in the region's most populous countries like Egypt and Syria that have little oil. According to World Bank data, it has taken three decades for the average Arab person's income to double since 1980. Meanwhile, inflation helped market prices double in just the first seven of those 30 years.

And so, now, we have the Arab Spring - from Tunisia to Egypt to Libya, repressive dictators are being toppled by people power. There's no doubt that this is great news. But remember, all other Arab regimes have managed to remain in power through a mix of repression and bribery. From Jordan to Oman to Saudi Arabia and Syria, increasing subsidies might delay popular resentment but it won't change the facts on the ground. And the crucial point is that even democracy will only succeed if these underlying social statistics on literacy and jobs and women's rights improves.

Ten years on from 9/11, the Arab world remains in denial. A recent Pew study shows the majorities in all Muslim states think that Arabs were not responsible for the attacks of September the 11th. Three out of four Egyptians hold that belief, for example. Now, that is simply nonsense. Instead of bizarre conspiracy theories, the Arab world needs to focus on the dire statistics the UNDP highlighted almost a decade ago.

The Arab spring is a first step for those countries that it has touched, but it needs to be a springboard for 300 million Arabs to look deep within and address the fundamentals that their leaders have neglected for decades - education, women's rights, economic reforms, jobs and real freedom.

100 protesters burn American flag outside U.S. embassy in London during minute's silence for 9/11

Protesters set fire to the U.S. flag outside the American embassy in London yesterday during a minute's silence to mark the moment the first hijacked airliner hit the World Trade Centre.

A group of 100 Muslim radicals, including members of Muslims Against Crusades, shouted 'USA  terrorists' and brandished anti-American placards.

One protester in Grosvenor Square said: 'You will always face suffering, you will always face humiliation, unless you withdraw your troops from Muslim lands.' 

Anger: Members of the group Muslims Against Crusades burn the American flag during a protest outside the U.S. embassy in London

Detained: A masked member of Muslims Against Crusades is led away after the group's protest

A small group of Muslims staged a counter-demonstration nearby, holding up placards reading 'Muslims Against Extremism' and 'If You Want Sharia, Move To Saudi'.

Abdul Sallam, 41, who was waving a sign that read 'Keep The Silence', travelled down to London from his home in Glasgow to show the strength of his feelings.

He said: 'I'm a Muslim. What they're doing is bringing shame on all Muslims.This is not part of the teachings of Islam.

'Islam is all about peace, but what they want to do is hate other people.

Destructive: Protesters take pictures of the burning American flag during the demonstration

Sitting it out: Police prevent English Defence League supporters from confronting the Muslims Against Crusades protest outside the embassy

'Islam teaches you that when you see anything bad or evil, you should speak out against it.
'If the moderate Muslims all came out and spoke out, that would defeat them.

'I am proud to be British. I love my country. All these people are doing is breaking Britain apart.'
Earlier, a group of English Defence League protesters were ordered to move on to accommodate the anti-American demonstration.

The 60-strong group briefly scuffled with police as they were forced away from their original location to a different part of Grosvenor Square.

Twenty people were arrested for breach of the peace as the group was dispersed towards Oxford Street.
And at least four more arrests were made as police escorted the Muslim group back towards the Central London Mosque in Regents Park.

Contempt: A fanatical protester spits at photographers as he is being arrested

Counter-protest: EDL members protest against the Islamist demonstration

One of the guests at the Grosvenor Square memorial service said the protesters should be stopped from standing just across the road from the embassy and using a loud megaphone.

The man, whose cousin died in the terror attacks, added: 'They shouldn't be allowed to do it. It's very disrespectful. It's too loud.'

He added: 'They can say what they want but not with the loudspeaker. They shouldn't obstruct the service.'

Indian vote swing may cost S'gor MB, Nurul Izzah

(Malaysiakini) Some Pakatan big names may lose their seats if Indian votes were to swing back to the BN in the upcoming general election, said political analyst Ong Kian Ming.

The political casualties of such a swing in the Indian votes may include MPs Nurul Izzah Anwar of Lembah Pantai and Dzulkefly Ahmad of Kuala Selangor, as well as state reps Khalid Ibrahim (Ijok) and PKR information director Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Seri Setia).

"BN can win as many as nine parliament seats with a 30 percent (Indian vote) swing to the ruling coalition," said Ong at a forum in Petaling Jaya today.

He said this may also cause 14 state seats revert to the BN.

Ong said he had identified nine parliamentary and 14 state seats where Indians form the tipping point that can decide the winning vote, including the Pakatan seats mentioned earlier.

He further explained that his study of voting pattern data has shown that Indian support peaked at 80 percent in 2004 with the feel good effect when former PM Abdullah Badawi first took office.

However the support level dropped to 50 percent in 2008, following the political tsunami.

This, he said, was mainly caused by dissatisfaction with the way the government is handling Indian issues.

Ong (left) was addressing a forum organised by the Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba), aimed at gathering politicians across the divide, academia, civil society and businesspersons to give their views on 'the battle to win the hearts and minds for the Indian vote'.

BN wooing Indians

Ong said the 30 percent swing in Indian votes mentioned is based on BN possibly restoring its pre-2008 80 percent support from the minority community.

This, he said, could be the end result of concerted efforts that the federal government has been mounting to match Pakatan's efforts, and an increased focus on addressing Indian issues.

Ong said the results of the by-election in Hulu Selangor last year supports his hypothesis, where a marked increase of nine percent in Indian votes helped BN regain the seat.

He said such a scenario may replicate in the next GE and cause Pakatan to lose in the critical seats he had mentioned.

The Indian community that numbers nearly 2 million is a minority in Malaysia's 27 million population.

As explained, they have a potential to be crucial kingmakers in mixed seats as well as a majority in some seats.

As such the battle to win the hearts and minds of the Indians is crucial for both BN and Pakatan in their battle for Putrajaya, which has been the subject of political campaigns, policy decisions, allocation hand-outs as well as forums such as these.

Civilians in peril; Gaddafi son flees to Niger

Saadi Gaddafi (right), son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, arrives for the movie premiere of “Brooklyn's Finest” at the Palazzo del Cinema during the 66th Venice Film Festival September 8, 2009. — Reuters pic

TRIPOLI, Sept 12 — Libya’s new rulers said yesterday their fighters were holding back an assault on one of the last bastions loyal to Muammar Gaddafi after fighting their way into the town and finding civilians in peril.

Southern neighbour Niger said one of the fugitive former leader’s sons, Saadi Gaddafi, had turned up there after crossing the remote Sahara desert frontier.

The National Transitional Council, which is trying to exert its control over the entire country three weeks after its fighters stormed Tripoli, said it plans to unveil a new, more inclusive government for the country in 7-10 days.

It also said it had begun producing oil, Libya’s economic lifeblood, production of which had been all but halted throughout six months of civil war. In Tripoli, NTC fighters revealed they had captured Gaddafi’s foreign spy chief.

The NTC says it will not declare Libya “liberated” until it has taken control of towns still in the hands of Gaddafi loyalists. It had given holdout towns a deadline of Saturday to surrender, and its fighters have been battling since Friday inside the town of Bani Walid.

They said yesterday they were meeting stiff resistance in the town 95 miles southeast of the capital and were also edging toward the ousted ruler’s birthplace Sirte.

“We are inside Bani Walid, we control big chunks of the city. There are still pockets of resistance,” one fighter named Sabhil Warfalli said as he drove away from the front line in the town 95 miles southeast of Tripoli.

But the advance into the town seems to have stalled after heavy fighting. NTC spokesman Ahmed Bani told reporters the plan for Bani Walid for now was to wait.

“When our forces entered Bani Walid they found the brigades of Gaddafi using citizens as shields,” he told reporters. He said Gaddafi fighters had put missile launchers on the roofs of houses with civilian families inside, making it impossible for NTC forces or their allied NATO war planes to strike.

Fighters said they were meeting fiercer resistance than expected in the town. Ambulances were rushing between the front and field hospitals. Civilians were fleeing.

A man who lived in the town centre was driving out in a car packed with his wife, some small children and assorted family members. “There is no food. People are trying to bring us food and medicine but Gaddafi gangs turn them away,” he said.

SON FLEES

The NTC has made a priority of hunting down Gaddafi and his seven sons. Mustafa Abdel Jalil, the NTC chairman, said Gaddafi is still a threat as long as he is at large.

“Gaddafi still has money and gold,” he said. “These are the fundamental things that will allow him to find men.”

The justice minister of Niger said Gaddafi’s son Saadi had been intercepted in a convoy after crossing the frontier, heading in the direction of the oasis town of Agadez. Two of Gaddafi’s other sons, Mohamed and Hannibal, and his only daughter Aisha have already obtained shelter in Algeria.

Three sons remain at large — Mutassim and Khamis who both run elite military units, and Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi’s one-time heir apparent who like his father is wanted for war crimes by the international court in the Hague. One son, Saif al-Arab, was reported killed during the war.

Asked what Saadi Gaddafi’s status in the country was, Niger Justice Minister Marou Adamou said only that Niger would fulfil its humanitarian obligations. Washington and others have put pressure on neighbouring states not to shelter Gaddafi or officials who are wanted for crimes.

The NTC, based for months in the eastern city of Benghazi, faces the difficult task of winning the support of all Libyans, including fighters from towns and cities in the west who did the bulk of the fighting in the rapid advance on Tripoli.

The interim government also has to deliver on promises to quickly restart an economy frozen by international sanctions, the halt in oil production and an exodus of foreign worker.

Interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril announced the NTC would form a more inclusive interim government within 10 days. He said it had started to produce some oil on Saturday, but gave no details of where or how much.

Inside the capital, Reuters reporters saw Bouzaid Dorda, a former prime minister who ran Gaddafi’s external spy service, held by a group of about 20 fighters under guard in a house in the capital’s Zenata district. A fighter said he would be handed over to the interim authorities later yesterday.

A tall, lanky figure in safari jacket and slip-on shoes, Dorda was sitting on a sofa and was not physically restrained but an armed guard sat beside him. He declined a request for an interview, but in response to an assertion by a fighter that he had killed people, he replied: “Prove it.”

“I am innocent until proven guilty. I am willing to be referred to the Libyan prosecutor general,” he said. Visibly agitated, he added: “You have to remember it was a regime already in existence.”

“RATS AND ARMED GANGS”

Bani Walid resident Khalifa Telisi, who had telephoned a family inside the town, said fighting was concentrated around the central market area, where Gaddafi forces were based.

“There is still resistance from the central market. All other parts of Bani Walid have been liberated,” Telisi said.

Inside the town, a pro-Gaddafi local radio station appealed for the city’s 100,000 people to fight to the death.

“We urge the people of Bani Walid to defend the city against the rats and armed gangs. Don’t back down. Fight to the death. We are waiting for you. You are just a bunch of gangsters. God is on our side,” an announcer said. The language echoed turns of phrase used by Gaddafi in recent broadcasts.

Gaddafi’s loyalists also control Sirte, which sits on the main east-west coastal highway, effectively cutting Libya in two. Advancing NTC troops said the front line was now about 90 km east of the city.

Fighters were firing tanks and howitzers amid the sound of heavy machinegun fire and the roar of Nato warplanes overhead.

“There were clashes this morning and Gaddafi forces were firing Grad rockets, but we managed to advance a little bit and we will enter Sirte very soon,” fighter Salah al-Shaery said.

The United Nations says it is worried about the fate of civilians trapped inside the besieged pro-Gaddafi bastions.

“Our big concern right now is Sirte, where we are receiving reports that there’s no water and no electricity,” UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos told Reuters in an interview.

She said the world body was also worried about the fate of sub-Saharan African migrants, who face revenge attacks as suspected mercenaries even though most are ordinary labourers. — Reuters

‘Not going to be easy for Najib’

Analysts say Najib is caught in a bind and will have to tread extremely carefully to avoid being seen as favouring Muslims or the non-Muslims in his efforts to mediate.

ANALYSIS

KUALA LUMPUR: A raid on a church by Muslim authorities has raised religious tension in Malaysia and could cost Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak votes in an election set for 2013 but which many expect to come much earlier.

The raid has sparked an angry verbal battle between Christians and the majority Muslims, forcing Najib to seek what may be an elusive peace between the ethnic Malays and minorities, both of which believe the government isn’t doing enough to safeguard their rights.

Conservative Muslims want the government to crack down on what they say is growing boldness by Christians to try to convert Muslims, which is an offence in Malaysia, while ethnic minorities worry their rights are being eroded.

Analysts say Najib is caught in a bind and will have to tread extremely carefully to avoid being seen as favouring either side in his efforts to mediate.

“Najib is caught between wanting to secure a conservative Malay-Muslim electorate and a political reality where he is losing ground among minorities who are more mobilised and politically aware,” said Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia specialist at Singapore Management University.

The next general election is not due until 2013 but there is increasing speculation that it could take place by early 2012.

Analysts see little chance of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition losing the next general election but caution that Najib needs to win a convincing two-thirds majority if he wants to avoid a revolt within his Umno party, long accustomed to majorities by that margin.

Race and religion have always been touchy subjects in a country split between ethnic Malays, Chinese and Indians but analysts say the latest quarrel is coming at a delicate time for Najib, whose popularity has been sliding since May 2010.

“The religious discord will cause the ruling coalition to lose some Chinese majority seats while concerns over inflation may allow the opposition to hang on to the rest of their urban and suburban seats,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the independent opinion polling outfit Merdeka Center.

“All this will be on the back of a much strengthened and better-resourced opposition. So in short, it’s not going to be easy for Najib.”

Islamic enforcement officers raided a Methodist church near the capital last month on suspicion that a meeting was being held to evangelise Muslims. The meeting’s organisers, a non-governmental organisation, denied the allegations and said the gathering was a charity affair. The authorities are still investigating the matter.

Christians singled out

Traditionally, Malaysian leaders have trod a careful line in dealing with religious issues after violent race riots in 1969 redefined the Southeast Asian country’s ethnic and economic landscape.

Still, race and religion are often the strongest tools for politicians to win support on pledges to distribute economic opportunities along ethnic lines.

Ethnic Malays, who are by birth Muslims in Malaysia, make up about 60 percent of the population of 28 million. Ethnic Chinese and Indians, many of whom are Buddhist, Christian and Hindu, account for most of the rest.

Last month’s church raid is the latest in a series of rows between the Malays and the minority Chinese and Indians.

In recent years, a spate of church bombings, the government’s seizure of a shipment of bibles, a legal battle by Catholics to use the word “Allah” and complaints of marginalisation by Indians have cast a cloud over the government’s attempts to build racial harmony.

Racial unity is a cornerstone of Najib’s plans but many Malaysians have derided his efforts to create a “1Malaysia” that is not drawn along racial lines. Recently, Najib also extended an olive branch to unhappy Christians by establishing official ties with the Vatican but the gesture has been largely dismissed as no more than a symbolic measure.

“In recent times, we have witnessed an increase in incidents where Christians have been singled out and targeted with unjustified accusations and prejudice,” the Christian Federation of Malaysia, which represents 90 percent of churches in the country, said in a statement.

A survey last month by the Merdeka Centre polling outfit found the percentage of respondents agreeing that Malaysians of differing ethnic groups were growing closer to each other had fallen by nearly half to 36 percent compared to 64 percent in 2006.

- Reuters

Taib Probe Opens In Germany – Breaking News!

SARAWAK REPORT
The Federal Republic of Germany has become the latest country to announce that it is mounting corruption and money laundering investigations into Sarawak’s Chief Minister, Abdul Taib Mahmud.
The development places serious further international pressure on BN to deal with their corrupted State Minister, who was forced to promise he would soon resign during the recent elections, but now shows no sign of doing so.
We can reveal that the decision was confirmed to the Swiss NGO, the Bruno Manser Foundation at the end of last week and that the investigations are already under way.
The move follows similar action in May by the Swiss Federation, which in turn finally prompted Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to initiate its own on-going enquiries into Taib, who has blatantly abused his political power in Sarawak to enrich himself over the past 30 years.

Who Hijacked Islam?

By Anwar Ibrahim,

"Let not your hatred of others cause you to act unjustly against them."
The Koran
 
Never in Islam's history have the actions of so few of its followers caused the religion and its community of believers to be such an abomination in the eyes of others. Millions of Muslims who fled to North America and Europe to escape poverty and persecution at home have become the objects of hatred and are now profiled as potential terrorists. The nascent democratic movements in Muslim countries will regress for a few decades as ruling autocrats use their participation in the global war against terrorism to terrorize their critics and dissenters.

This is what Mohamed Atta and his fellow terrorists and sponsors have done to Islam and its community worldwide by their murder of innocents at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The attacks must be condemned, and the condemnation must be without reservation. The foremost religious authorities are outraged and have issued statements denouncing the monstrous murders. All efforts to punish the perpetrators must be supported.

One is therefore perturbed by the confusion among Muslims who responded to the attack with a misplaced diatribe against the U.S. In Malaysia, the government-controlled media have been deployed to stir up anti-American sentiments, while members of the political Elite use a different language for international diplomacy. Certainly there are legitimate grievances against the U.S. and good reason for despondency over the fate of the Palestinians, who now face an even more arrogant Israel. But this is not the time for sermonizing or moralizing over U.S. foreign policy. Had we Malaysians been the victims of such a tragedy, we would find such hectoring tasteless and repulsive.

One wonders how, in the 21st century, the Muslim world could have produced an Osama bin Laden. In the centuries when Islam forged civilizations, men of wealth created pious foundations supporting universities and hospitals, and princes competed with one another to patronize scientists, philosophers and men of letters. The greatest of scientists and philosophers of the medieval age, ibn Sina, was a product of that system. But bin Laden uses his personal fortune to sponsor terror and murder, not learning or creativity, and to wreak destruction rather than promote creation.

Bin Laden and his protgs are the children of desperation; they come from countries where political struggle through peaceful means is futile. In many Muslim countries, political dissent is simply illegal. Yet, year by year, the size of the educated class and the number of young professionals continue to increase. These people need space to express their political and social concerns. But state control is total, leaving no room for civil society to grow.

The need for Muslim societies to address their internal social and political development has become more urgent than ever. Economic development alone is clearly insufficient: it creates its own tensions in the social and political spheres, which must be addressed. A proper orientation must be developed for Muslim engagement with the world at large. Participation in the global processes must not be the monopoly of the government.

It is the sense of alienation and the perception that the world is against them that nurture bitterness among those who resort to terrorism. Confusion and anger against the global order and its only superpower have been brought about by the failure of the Muslim world to address two crucial issues: Afghanistan's descent into chaos and anarchy as a result of the Soviet invasion and the subsequent rise of the Taliban, and the suffering inflicted on the Muslim masses in Iraq by its dictator as well as by sanctions imposed on that long-suffering nation.

For ethical reasons, Muslims will support the global initiative against terrorism. But there is a growing perception that autocrats of all types will seize the opportunity to prop up their regimes and deal a severe blow to democratic movements. Russian President Vladimir Putin will use it to defend atrocities in Chechnya, Israel to defend its intransigence and Malaysia its detentions without trial.

Necessity will prompt the U.S. to seek the collaboration of the governments of Muslim countries. This is understandable. But they do not hold all the answers to terrorism. The growth of democracy, political participation and civil society is the final answer. By softening its endorsement of the struggle for democracy and the protection of human rights, the U.S. will inadvertently strengthen dictatorial regimes, thus replicating past associations with Marcos, Suharto and the Shah of Iran.

For more than 100 years, the Muslim world has had to grapple with the problem of modernity. Of greatest urgency is the effort to inculcate an intellectual and political orientation that promotes democracy and openness. Intellectuals and politicians must have the courage to condemn fanaticism in all its forms. But they must, in the same breath, equally condemn the tyrants and oppressive regimes that dash every hope of peaceful change.

According to Anwar Ibrahim's lawyer, this essay will be part of a lawsuit that Anwar, the jailed former Deputy Prime Minister, plans to file this week against the Malaysian government for alleged defamation resulting from a state-owned TV broadcast that he says characterized him as an Islamic extremist and a threat to national security.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,178470,00.html#ixzz1XhhjMzbm

Najib mulls scrapping the ISA for polls momentum

The Malaysian Insider (Used by permission)
by Jahabar Sadiq

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak could dismantle the Internal Security Act (ISA) as early as this week as he seeks to get some new momentum ahead of a general election expected within a year.

Najib came to power in April 2009 with the promise of reviewing the security law but the prime minister, whose reform credentials are seriously in question after flip flops, is considering going all the way and abolish the law that allows detention without trial.

The Malaysian Insider understands there has been some push back from the Home Ministry and right-wing elements within Umno but given that Najib needs to win back middle Malaysia, his advisers think that he needs to make a drastic move.

“His choice is limited and the ISA is a low-hanging fruit to harvest,” a government source told The Malaysian Insider.

“There is resistance to the idea but the PM is convinced that the law is unnecessary as there are other laws to deal with security,” he said, referring to the Emergency Ordinance (EO) usedrecently to detain six Bersih 2.0 activists seeking free and fair elections.

The six have been released but face other charges in court related to the Bersih rally that was held on July 9. The Najib administration’s handling of the rally has been widely criticised although the police have been singled out as being at fault.

“Najib wants to reclaim the centre after taking over the right fringe,” another source said.

The prime minister has been accused of pandering to the right but he has taken great pains to display his image as a reformer especially in economic matters under the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN). But the ISA review has also been a cornerstone of his return to power.

Najib has used the EO more to detain people for various offences although the ISA was last used against militants last month when three Indian nationals who were members of the Babbar Khalsa International were arrested and deported.

The ISA was used extensively during the 1987 Operation Lalang in which opposition members were silenced, including opposition leaders. Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was arrested first under the ISA in the 1970s and the second time when he was held for sodomy and power abuse charges.

The ISA took effect on August 1, 1960 with the solemn promise that it would only be used “solely against communists”, an issue that has been revived these past two weeks in the verbal sparring between Umno and PAS.

“My Cabinet colleagues and I gave a solemn promise to Parliament and the nation that the immense powers given to the government under the ISA would never be used to stifle legitimate opposition and silence lawful dissent,” former Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman had said when the law was tabled.

His deputy, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who had tabled the Bill, had also assured the House during heated debates that the law was for two purposes — to counter subversion and to enable measures to be taken to counter terrorism.

Despite their promises, the Alliance government and its successor BN have over the years been accused of using the oppressive act for political reasons — to silence dissenting voices that criticised the government and to prevent the people from exercising their right to free speech.

According to reports over the years, some individuals were detained for offences that did not threaten national security and were punishable under other criminal laws, including criminal acts like counterfeiting coins, falsifying documents, human trafficking and hacking.

Since the ISA was enacted in 1960, some 10,670 people, including young students, rubber tappers and technicians aside from politicians, have experienced what it is like to be imprisoned on mere suspicion, without given the right to a trial.

The Home Ministry announced last year that it was in the final stages of revising provisions in the Act, with amendments revolving around five areas — the length of detention, rights and treatment of detainees and their families, the powers of the home minister, the use of the ISA for political reasons and detention without trial.

The government has also met with key stakeholders such as ministry officials, the Attorney-General, the Bar Council, the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club, the National Council for Women’s Organisation and the National Civics Bureau to discuss the amendments.

Hukuman pesalah syariah ringan?

Utusan Malaysia
Oleh NORAZLITA MOHD. SIES

SESEBUAH akta yang menjadi tulang belakang undang-undang tertentu bukannya suatu perkara yang statik dan ia perlu bersedia digubal dan dipinda mengikut kesesuaian masa agar tidak kelihatan terlalu 'antik'.

Perubahan akta merupakan sesuatu yang perlu dilakukan supaya ia selaras dengan perkembangan zaman dan situasi semasa serta kecenderungan masyarakat.

Baru-baru ini, media melaporkan bahawa kadar denda RM200 di bawah Akta Binatang 1953 (Semakan 2006) bagi kesalahan mendera haiwan bakal dinaikkan kepada satu jumlah yang lebih setimpal dengan penganiayaan yang dilakukan.

Selaras dengan perkembangan itu, harapan yang sama turut diimpikan oleh Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Peguam Syarie Malaysia (PGSM), Musa Awang terhadap jumlah denda dalam undang-undang jenayah syariah.

Menurut beliau, mengikut Akta Mahkamah Syariah, Bidang Kuasa Jenayah Syariah 1965 (Pindaan 1984), Mahkamah Syariah boleh menjatuhkan hukuman denda maksimum RM5,000, penjara maksimum tiga tahun atau sebatan syariah sebanyak enam kali atau gabungan antara hukuman-hukuman itu.

"Jumlah itu terlalu rendah. Jika hukuman bagi pendera binatang pun ada inisiatif untuk dinaikkan kepada RM50,000 jadi mengapa tidak pendekatan sama diambil untuk meningkatkan jumlah hukuman bagi kesalahan jenayah syariah supaya sekurang-kurangnya hukuman denda jenayah syariah ini sama dengan hukuman yang dicadangkan bagi kesalahan mendera binatang," katanya.

Lebih-lebih lagi dalam konteks semasa, Mahkamah Syariah kini kata Musa, telah mengalami banyak perubahan dari segi pentadbiran, infrastruktur dan sebagainya, maka adalah wajar hukuman bagi kesalahan jenayah syariah yang dilakukan turut dinaikkan.

Ini kerana, menurut Musa, salah satu prinsip pemakaian undang-undang yang penting adalah berkenaan dengan pengiktirafan masyarakat. Apabila masyarakat merasakan boleh memberikan kepercayaan kepada mahkamah untuk menyelesaikan masalah, maka secara tidak langsung akan mewujudkan pengiktirafan di kalangan masyarakat.

"Saya tidak nampak dengan denda yang rendah sekadar RM5,000 dapat membantu mengurangkan kadar jenayah syariah dan seterusnya menyelesaikan masalah masyarakat.

"Misalnya khalwat, kesalahan zina, bersekedudukkan, musahaqah (lesbian), liwat, murtad, perbuatan membuang bayi, hamil luar nikah dan masalah tukar agama merupakan gejala sosial masa kini yang perlu ditangani secara tuntas,'' katanya.

Salah satu cara untuk mengekang gejala-gejala sosial ini daripada berleluasa, ujar Musa, adalah menerusi mekanisme undang-undang.

Peguam itu mempersoalkan, dengan undang-undang dan hukuman yang begitu ringan bagaimanakah ia mampu membangkitkan rasa serik serta meninggalkan perasaan insaf dalam kalangan tertuduh.

Beliau berkata, pindaan Akta Mahkamah Syariah 1965 yang terakhir dilakukan pada tahun 1984 iaitu 27 tahun lalu dan dari segi prinsip pemakaian undang-undang ia sudah tidak relevan lagi. Maka itu, katanya, sudah sampai masanya ia dikaji semula dan dipertingkatkan.

Katanya, sebagai pengamal undang-undang, beliau tertunggu-tunggu adanya pengumuman daripada Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom untuk akta itu dipinda dan hukumannya dipertingkatkan.

"Apabila seseorang dihukum di bawah salah satu hukuman seperti yang dinyatakan, saya rasa terkilan kerana hukumannya tidak lebih RM5,000 yang boleh dilunaskan dan pesalah boleh pulang pada hari yang sama.

"Ia nampak seolah-olah kesalahan yang telah dibuat adalah kesalahan yang kecil dan boleh diulang semula. Ia juga tidak mampu membangkitkan rasa gerun dalam kalangan pesalah," kata peguam syarie itu.

Menurut beliau, jika Akta Binatang 1953 diluluskan, bererti pesalah yang melakukan kesalahan khalwat atau bersekedudukkan menampakkan kesalahan itu seolah-olah lebih ringan berbanding kesalahan melakukan kekejaman terhadap binatang.

Dari perspektif masyarakat pula seolah-olah, binatang lebih mulia berbanding hukum syarak.

Bagi Musa, sesuatu perlu dilakukan kerana dalam keadaan masyarakat sudah mengiktiraf Mahkamah Syariah, orang ramai pada masa ini boleh mengharapkan institusi itu memberi keadilan kepada mereka.

Orang ramai kata Musa, menaruh harapan agar Mahkamah Syariah boleh menghukum mana-mana pihak yang melanggar hukum syarak atau mana-mana pihak yang mengabaikan tanggungjawab mereka.

Sehubungan itu, pihaknya amat berharap agar hukuman bagi pesalah syariah dapat dikaji semula bagi memastikan ia sejajar dengan perkembangan semasa dan imej institusi tersebut dipandang tinggi serta dihormati.

Zahid Urges Malays To Unite And Support BN In Next Election

IPOH, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Umno vice- president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on the Malays to unite to support Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the next general election, particularly those from Umno, to ensure their interests are taken care of.

He added that although the position of the Malays and the Malay rulers were enshrined in the constitution, this could change if the opposition won the election.

"We should therefore take steps to unite the Malays under the umbrella of Umno and BN; let's not harp on trivial issues which could undermine the unity which we have built all this while," he said, here.

As an Umno leader, he said, he and other party leaders were ready to render assistance to Umno and BN at the state level in retaining existing seats and in winning back the seats won by the opposition in the last general election.

Putrajaya responsible for police handling of Bersih, says law expert

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 — A constitutional expert has criticised the government for blaming the police for the way the Bersih rally was handled, saying today Putrajaya should be held responsible for the public fallout over the matter as police officers had acted strictly under government orders.
 
Professor Abdul Aziz Bari said that Malaysia practised a Westminister model of democracy, whereby Article 43 (3) of the Federal Constitution dictates that the police force answers to no one but the government of the day.

“The government cannot blame the police in the Bersih issue. The police force is part of the public service and this, in turn, is under the care of the executive, namely the government of the day.

Constitutional expert Professor Abdul Aziz Bari said today that “the buck stops with the government” over the police's response to the July 9 Bersih rally. — file pic

“Like in other Westminster democracies, the government is responsible for the public servants, including the police force. As they are not elected, it is the elected Cabinet who must be made accountable. That is the essence of responsible
government as laid down under Article 43 (3) of the Federal Constitution,” he told The Malaysian Insider today via email.


Aziz was responding to remarks made earlier today by Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Koh had said that the police’s handling of the July 9 Bersih rally was the cause of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s recent approval rating decline.

The Gerakan president agreed with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s view that the rally had affected the government’s image, but stressed that Putrajaya had never meant to “stifle” anyone’s freedom of speech or right to express themselves.

Koh, a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said measures taken by the police during the rally had given the public the “impression” that the government was “too restrictive”, and that this was not true.
“The buck stops with the government; it cannot point the finger at the public servants ... In the Bersih affair, the police were acting under the instructions of the government,” Aziz explained further.

He said that the Najib administration’s move to pin the blame on the police was not a new occurrence, and that a similar tactic was employed by Dr Mahathir during the infamous Operasi Lalang incident.
“Serve the police right. They have become a guinea pig again,” Aziz added.

Dr Mahathir, in an Astro Awani interview aired yesterday, said that Najib’s recent approval rating decline was due to his administration’s handling of the Bersih rally.

He had agreed with the findings of Merdeka Center’s latest survey, which saw Najib’s approval rating slide to its lowest point of 59 per cent since last May’s high of 79 per cent. He said that the government’s image was badly affected due to the strict measures taken by the authorities to maintain public order on July 9.

The former prime minister pointed out that Putrajaya had acted wrongly by banning people from wearing yellow garments.

A Merdeka Center survey had concluded that the rating drop was fuelled by rising concerns over the surge in living costs and Putrajaya’s handling of Bersih 2.0.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have basked in the aftermath of the survey results, claiming it indicated a clear voter swing towards the federal opposition, while Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders have chosen to stay indignant, saying the poll may not be an accurate reflection of voter sentiment.

The survey involved respondents aged 21 and above across the peninsula who were selected through a random stratified sampling along the lines of ethnicity, gender, age and state of residency. Of the 1,027 polled, 59 per cent were Malays, 32 per cent Chinese and nine per cent Indians.

Three brothers file report over police brutality

Handcuffed, assaulted and asked to pay a bribe of RM150 for a traffic violation

KUALA LUMPUR:  Three brothers lodged separate police reports against police after they were allegedly beaten up while hancuffed and asked to pay a bribe to settle a traffic offence.

M Gunasegaran, 22, M Thenes, 20 and M Magendran 15 lodged their reports at the Tanjung Malim Police station in Perak after the incident.

Gunasegaran, a wireman, said that on Sept 4, he was on his way to buy groceries at a shop not far from his home when he was stopped by a police officer for not wearing a helmet.

“I was not carrying the necessary documents when I was stopped and offered to show it to  the officer if he allowed me retrive them from my home.

“He then took me to my house and having found that I did not have a valid driving license, he began using abusive language on me and called for back up,” said Gunasegaran.

Four  plainclothes officers arrived soon after and arrested Gunasegaran, his youngest brother Magendran and a relative, Surish Kumar, who was visiting his family.

“They beat me and my brother, a student, and arrested all of us, including my relative who was at home during the incident,” he said.

At the police station, Gunasegaran alleged that police officers  taped their eyes shut and started punching and kicking them. They also choked them with a rubber hose.

Thenes, the younger brother of Gunasegaran said he rushed to the station after learning of his brothers’ arrest.

“An officer in uniform told me that my brother had broken the law and said that he would have to pay RM2,500 if they hauled him to court,” said Thenes.
“The officer then offered to release all of them if I paid RM150. I had no choice but to pay up the money demanded by him,” he added.

Gunasegaran said he made a police report at the station over the incident and is planning to take legal action.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Tamil Students Progressive Association president MS Arjunan described the police action as disgusting.

“Cruelty by law enforcement officers must not be condoned. They are entrusted to keep  peace and security,” he said.

He said that he will file a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affair and the Inspector general of police over the matter.

Pakistani Christian killed during pilgrimage to the town of Mary

Sunil Masih, 25, left the group travelling to Mariamabad and never returned. The corpse showed signs of injury. Police deny possibility of his being run over by a truck. Identity of the perpetrators of the murder still unknown. The pain of the family, who lost their only son.

Mariamabad (AsiaNews) - Sunil Masih, a 25 year old Pakistani Christian, was kidnapped and killed as he walked on a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Mariamabad, the "city of Mary," in the province of Punjab. The Pakistan Christian Post (PCP) reports that during the journey the young man left the group for a few minutes, heading for the fields for physiological needs, and his body was found shortly after, with visible signs of injuries (see photo). The boy was run over by a truck, to make it appear an accident. However, police investigating the body and the dynamics of episode, strongly denyi the possibility of it being an accident.

Sunil Masih was an only child and sole source of income for the family, because his father suffers from serious kidney problems. At the news of the death of the young man, the mother fainted from the pain. Human rights activists and Pakistani Christians denounce repeated deaths, thefts and robberies perpetrated against the religious minority. They demand greater protection from police and government authorities.

For 60 years now, September 4 marks the beginning of the traditional pilgrimage to the Grotto of Our Lady, Daman E Mariam, located in one of the oldest Christian places of Pakistan, about 115 km from Lahore. The culmination of the festival coincides with September 8, the day the Church celebrates the Nativity of Mary, Mother of Jesus.

The faithful from around the country are travelling on country roads on foot or by bicycle. Some groups are moving by train, those who have them, by car. All embellish their means of transport with streamers or banners to signal that they are travelling to the village of Mary. Catholics are moving along with Christians of other confessions, but also Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs. Our Lady of Marialabad has many devotees and over the years has called to her a growing number of pilgrims.

The construction of the grotto dates back to 1927, built by a missionary, Fr Ostar. Years later, in 1949, Fr. Emmanuel Asi promoted the first pilgrimage over three days, starting then as now on September 4th, the faithful throughout the country make their journey to pay homage to the Virgin and ask for her intercession.

Chegu Bard mahu Utusan Malaysia sedar diri

“Minggu lepas saya telah menghantar email kepada Utusan Malaysia bagi menjelaskan semua ini tetapi sehingga hari ini tiada sebarang respon dari mereka."

SEREMBAN: Kecewa dengan pemberitaan akhbar Utusan Malaysia yang didakwa menipu orang Melayu, Pengerusi Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM), Badrul Hisham Shaharin  bersama ahli SAMM mengambil tindakan menampal tiga keping poster bermesej di hadapan pejabat akhbar tersebut di Seremban.

Chegu Bard bersama penyokongnya menampal poster tersebut bagi menjelaskan dan menafikan tuduhan laporan akhbar tersebut pada 30 Ogos lalu yang mencabarnya untuk membuat laporan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) terhadap pendedahan isu cincin berlian RM24.45 juta yang dikaitkan dengan isteri Perdana Menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

“Utusan Malaysia merupakan media pekak bagi Umno yang mengamalkan strategi “pembohongan besar”.Akhbar tersebut mencabar saya membuat laporan SPRM pada 30 September sedangkan laporan SPRM telah pun saya buat pada 13 Julai di SPRM Pulau Pinang dan wartawan Utusan Malaysia juga berada dalam sidang akhbar tersebut.

Tiada respon

“Minggu lepas saya telah menghantar email kepada Utusan Malaysia bagi menjelaskan semua ini tetapi sehingga hari ini tiada sebarang respon dari mereka.

“Maka sebagai langkah terakhir saya datang sendiri ke pejabat Utusan Malaysia dan menampal segala penjelasan saya berhubung pendedahan isu cincin berlian RM24.5 juta yang dikaitkan dengan Rosmah dan penafian tuduhan Utusan Malaysia terhadap saya yang disiarkan oleh akhbar tersebut pada 30 September lalu.

“Utusan Malaysia melaporkan isu tersebut ikut suka hati mereka dan tindakan saya pada hari ini ialah untuk bagi mereka sedar diri dengan sikap tidak bertanggungjawab mereka” kata Chegu Bard  yang juga merupakan Ketua Cabang PKR Rembau.

Kedah, not Malacca, the oldest kingdom

Latest archaeological findings by a USM archaeological team places the Kedah sultanate as possibly the oldest in the world.

KUALA LUMPUR: Local history books may have to be re-written to accommodate a Universiti Sains Malaysia(USM) archaeological team’s discovery that the Kedah sultanate pre-dates Malacca as the oldest in the Malay peninsula.

The team from USM’s Centre for Global Archaeological Research (PPAG) has unearthed evidence of ancient artifacts and an iron smelting site in Kedah dating back to 110 AD.

Among the discoveries were a complete and intact foundation of a stone building constructed with detailed geometrical precision, revealing the unification of the concept of squares and circles.

The excavation, which began in February 2009, is expected to provide answers to various questions regarding the history of the excavation site at Sungai Batu, Bujang Valley.

Associate Prof Dr Mokhtar Saidin, the director of PPAG, said that these latest crucial discoveries must be acknowledged by the government, and concedes that Kedah pre-dates Malacca as the starting point of local history.

S Gobikrishnan, an independent researcher, added: “It (the government) must accept the hard evidence and set the record straight about the early history of Bujang Valley, and Malaysia’s history should start with Kedah and not Malacca.”

Gobikrishnan, the head of the Lembah Bujang Independent Research Group for the past seven years, said the federal government deliberately concealed the facts about the history of Kedah and in the process played out the Sultanate of Kedah by giving prominence to Malacca.

According to him, Merong Mahawangsa, the founder of the Kedah kingdom, was originally a prince by the name of Maaran Mahavamsan from Persia and not Macedonia.

Wrong assumptions
He said most historians have made wrong assumptions about Merong Mahawangsa.

“Mahavamsan”, means “from a great generation” and Maaran Mahavamsan comes from the lineage of Alexander the Great.

“After Alexander won the Battle of Gaugamela in Persia, he married a local princess by the name of Shaher Ul Beriah. And Maaran Mahavamsan was a 11th generation decendent of Shaher Ul Beriah,” said Gobikrishnan.

Although Maaran Mahavamsan was born in Persia, his name clearly suggests he was of Hindu stock, said Gobikrishnan, who added that for trading purposes, he travelled to a port city called Nagapattinam which still exists today in South India.

From there he sailed to Kedah and formed the Kingdom of Kedah. Athough there are many theories for Maaran’s arrival in Kedah, trade seemed to be his main purpose. Moreover, Kedah was considered part of “greater India” from West India to Cambodia.

Gobikrishnan also said that under Maaran’s administration, Kedah become a famous entreport and a second century inscription found at the Puhar Port (in Chola Kingdom, India) clearly acknowledges the existence of Kedah.

The inscription states that Kedah was famous among traders for trading in “luxuries” (spices). A recent discovery also showed that Kedah had an old port constructed of wood in Merbok.

“So, all the earliest sites like the iron smelting foundary, port and stone structures showed that Kedah played an important role as an industrial and trading centre.

“Starting with Maaran Mahavamsan until Maharaja Durbar Raja who was also known as Sultan Muzaffar Shah (1136-1179), Kedah had eight Hindu kings before Durbar Raja converted to Islam,” said Gobikrishnan.

Parameswara originated from Kedah?
He added that the Kedah sultanate was unique and one of the oldest in the world.

“The current Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah is the 35th generation of Merong Mahawangsa. The federal government deliberately refused to accept these facts.

“Why is the federal government acknowledging Malacca as the first Malay sultanate when the facts show that Kedah deserved that honour? asked Gobikrishnan.

He also pointed out that Ganga Negara, the Thailand kingdom, and even Parameswara, the founder of Malacca, all originated from the Kedah kingdom.

Gobikrishnan appreciated the federal government’s initiative to set up a place for taking care of the things found in Bujang Valley.

“But, it is not enough. The government should re-write the history and honoured Kedah and the Sultan.”
He added that sidelining Kedah from history is a big embarrassment to the Kedah sultanate which was the earliest in the Malay Peninsula.

Gobikrishnan also urged the Kedah state government to take the initiative to ensure Kedah takes its rightful place in Malaysia’s history.

Fatwa needed on 'Abdullah' rule change

The New Straits Times
By Baharom Bakar

KUALA BERANG: The state government's proposal for Muslim children born less than six months after their parents' marriage to carry their fathers' name may come into effect much sooner as no amendment to the National Registration Act 1960 is needed.

A state National Registration Department (NRD) spokesperson said there was no need to amend Section 13 of the act as this could be implemented if the National Fatwa Council were to give its green light.

Hulu Terengganu member of parliament Mohd Nor Othman said he supported the state government initiative and had contacted the NRD and the Home Ministry about the possibility of implementing it.

Information gathered showed that the council approval was needed before it could be implemented.

"The approval is needed as the father's name in the identity card will also affect other procedures like inheritance and marriage under Islamic laws," he said.

Nor was commenting on the state government's proposal to the NRD that would enable Muslim children born less than six months after their parents' marriage to carry their fathers' name in their identity card, with an additional "Section 13" note as reported in the New Straits Times yesterday.

Currently, the NRD will state "Abdullah" as their father's in their identity card.

The proposal was formulated during a special meeting between the Terengganu Islamic Affairs Department (JHEAT), the state NRD, the state Mufti Department and the Terengganu Syariah Judiciary Department last Monday.

State religion and information committee chairman Khazan Che Mat, who chaired the meeting, said it was to prevent such children from facing an emotional trauma due to the social stigma of not having their father's name on their identity cards.

Nor said he would bring up the matter during the next parliamentary session next month.

"I am all for the proposal as it is understood that there are more than 300,000 children in the country facing such a predicament," he said.

New York cracks down after "credible" 9/11 threat

(Reuters) - New York police amassed a display of force on Friday including checkpoints that snarled traffic in response to intelligence about a car or truck bomb plot linked to the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Officers armed with automatic weapons were stationed at city landmarks including Wall Street, Times Square and the September 11 memorial site where the Twin Towers once stood.

U.S. officials called the threat "credible but unconfirmed" and timed to the anniversary of the hijacked plane attacks that killed 2,995 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

There was reason to believe threat may be linked to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

New Yorkers who have grown accustomed to bag searches at subway stations and random displays of police presence encountered increased vigilance after the threat, which prompted President Barack Obama to order a redoubling of U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

A manhunt was under way for two or three suspects, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity. One said there could be a link to Zawahri, who took the reins of al Qaeda after Osama bin Laden was killed in May in a U.S. raid in Pakistan.

Near the site known as Ground Zero, where a new World Trade Center is under reconstruction and Obama will attend Sunday's commemoration, police established a checkpoint behind the historic Trinity Church, stopping vehicles, opening the cargo bays of trucks and checking drivers' licenses.

Similar checkpoints went up at Times Square, Columbus Circle on the southern edge of Central Park and outside the Macy's department store in midtown, creating traffic jams all over Manhattan.

"I think for our safety it is good," Eva Kurzawska, 57, said as she watched irritated drivers a checkpoint in midtown.

"The commute on the train this morning was horrible but it was worth it because we are being protected," said Mario Vigorigo, 42, a wireless manager from Brooklyn.

Sam Ginzburg, a senior trader at First New York Securities, said warnings of a potential attack was one factor unnerving traders before the weekend. "There is an extreme amount of negativity," he said as U.S. stocks fell on Friday.

A senior law enforcement official told Reuters police patrols and security will be stepped up beginning at 3 p.m. EDT to coincide with the evening rush hour. The operation will involve a "big show of force" which will include teams of officers armed with heavy weapons.

While the rush-hour operation had been planned some time ago, the forces and tactics deployed were increased after authorities received the intelligence threat this week.

'TERRORISM IS THEATER'

The intelligence included possible threats of attacks targeting subways or commuter trains or possible car bomb attacks in New York or Washington, U.S. officials said.

"We have to be concerned. Terrorism is theater and this is a stage, right now probably the world's biggest stage," New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly told CNN.

"We have the opening of the 9/11 memorial, the president and two former presidents here, obviously a lot of high profile public officials will be here, so we have to be concerned," Kelly said.

In addition to the vehicle checkpoints, police would assign additional officers to cover bridges and tunnels, increase bag searches in the subway system, deploy radiation detectors and employ bomb-sniffing dogs, Kelly told NY1 television.

Vice President Joseph Biden said on ABC's "Good Morning America" program on Friday morning, "We don't have the smoking gun but we do have talk about using a car bomb."

A counterterrorism official said the threat information came from Pakistan's tribal areas.

Documents discovered in Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, after he was killed in a raid in May by Navy SEALs, highlighted his persistent interest in attacking the United States around the anniversary of the 2001 attacks. But it is unclear if the plans ever evolved beyond aspiration.

(Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington; Michelle Nichols, Edward Krudy, Brian Snynder and Jennifer Marostica in New York; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Hindu Americans react to terror strikes at New Delhi's High Court

Washington, D.C. (September 9, 2011) - Leaders at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) were stunned after the deadly bombing yesterday that killed twelve and injured dozens outside the Delhi High Court in India's capital. The attack using a briefcase bomb was strategically planned to maximize casualties as Wednesdays see large crowds at the High Court.

 

"We offer our condolences to the families of those who perished and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” said Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF Director. “It is our sincere hope that the state brings the perpetrators to justice. Citizens of the world’s largest democracy should never fear visiting their government institutions, or any public space.”

 

Yesterday's bombing was the first major attack in New Delhi in over three years, though India’s financial capital, Mumbai, saw blasts that killed over 20 in crowded market places this past July. South Asian-based terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), listed by the U.S. State Department as having links to al-Qaeda, and the indigenous Indian Mujahideen, which also has international terrorist links, have both made conflicting claims of responsibility for the violence.

 

HuJI and other groups have conducted similar bombings in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and in other parts of India, and this has been documented in HAF’s annual human rights report. Police forces have detained five people in connection with Wednesday’s blasts, but believe it is too early to name any one particular group as responsible.

 

"It is imperative that the Indian government provides adequate security in places where large crowds gather, especially in and near government buildings,” said Jay Kansara, HAF’s Associate Director. “Many of the perpetrators of the horrific attacks on India’s Parliament in 2003 and in Mumbai on November 2008 and July 2011 are yet to be brought to justice. In the meantime, these groups with clear ties to Pakistan’s military and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency continue to use terror to carry out a proxy war on India. We urge the U.S. to curb funding to countries who use terror as an instrument of state policy.”

Dr M pins Najib’s ratings slide on Bersih rally handling

Dr Mahathir said the move by authorities to ban yellow T-shirts had reflected badly on Najib and his administration. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s recent approval ratings decline was due to his administration’s handling of the July 9 Bersih rally, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed has said.
 
The former prime minister agreed with the findings of Merdeka Center’s latest survey, which saw Najib’s approval rating slide to its lowest point of 59 per cent since last May’s high of 79 per cent.

Merdeka Center had then concluded that the ratings drop was fuelled by rising concerns over the surge in living costs and Putrajaya’s handling of Bersih 2.0.

Dr Mahathir told Astro Awani in an interview aired today that the government’s image was badly affected due to the strict measures taken by authorities in maintaining public order on July 9.

He pointed out that Putrajaya had acted wrongly by banning people from wearing yellow shirts.
“This has been blamed on (Prime Minister) Datuk Seri Najib but I do not know what Datuk Seri (Najib) did by ordering that people could not wear yellow shirts.

“I do not think he would tell the police not to allow yellow shirts. But the fact is that those who wore yellow shirts were seen as enemies. This is a move by the Malaysian government and that gave a bad image to the government,” the country’s longest-serving prime minister said.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers have basked in the aftermath of the survey results, claiming it indicated a clear voter swing towards the federal opposition, while Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders chose to stay indignant, saying the poll may not have been an accurate reflection of voter sentiment

The survey involved respondents aged 21 and above across the peninsula who were selected through random stratified sampling along the lines of ethnicity, gender, age and state of residency. Of the 1,027 polled, 59 per cent were Malays, 32 per cent Chinese and nine per cent Indians.

Dr Mahathir said that as a result of the rally, the Bersih 2.0 organisers had succeeded in what he called their objective of attacking the government’s image and Najib’s leadership.

“I feel that Bersih succeeded in achieving its mission to discredit the government’s image. They knew that if they did a demonstration, the government would place teams to prevent it. Because of this, the government’s image is affected because of its actions such as banning people from wearing yellow shirts and so on,” Dr Mahathir added.

When asked to comment on his own daughter’s (Datuk Seri Marina Mahathir) involvement in the rally, the former PM said that he respected her freedom to do what she wanted.

“I did not say my daughter had to follow me. They can think for themselves. Alhamdulillah, she joined but she was unharmed,” he added.

More unhappiness over vacant MIC senator post

The president has indicated that the vacant slot will go to the national treasurer but the youth wing feels it deserves the post.

KUALA LUMPUR: There is a minor revolt in MIC over the party president’s pick to fill a vacant senator’s post.

A party source said that MIC president G Palanivel has indicated that he will select national treasurer Jaspal Singh to fill the senator’s post which will be vacant as Daljit Singh Dalliwal’s term ends today.

The source said the youth wing is not happy with the president’s suggestion as Palanivel has gone on record as saying the youth wing deserves a senator’s post.

“The proposal was truly unfair as the president promised a senatorship for the youth wing at a Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting,” the source said.

The MIC youth desperately need a senator’s post to convince Indian youths who have no faith in MIC.
“We need the post to voice out our problems affecting Indian youths ,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a senior branch chairman said that Palanivel’s move will not go down well with party members.

The branch chairman from Kedah said most of the Kedah members are upset after the president decided to give two senatorship to the same division.

Last month, Petaling Jaya Selatan MIC chief V Subramaniam and division Wanita head A Sivabagiam were appointed senators.

“It looks like the party central committee is sidelining state leaders,” he said.

He added that Palanivel should be aware that when it comes to general election the state leadership is more important than the central committee.

He also said that MIC has a total of six senatorships. Besides Penang chief PK Subbayah and Tapah division chief S Malasingham, the rest are all Selangor leaders.

Youth chief T Mohan refused to comment on the speculation.

“It is just a rumour. Why should I comment on that?” he told FMT. “Actually, the youth wing is now focused on the upcoming general election.”

He added that the youth wing is working closely with the party president to win back all the MIC seats. He said the youth wing has decided to ask the same number of seats as in the last election.

In the 12th general election, former president S Samy Vellu gave two parliament and three state seats to the youth wing.

Except for M Asojan who won the Gambir seat and R Vidyananthan who retained the Kahang state assembly seat, the rest were defeated.

Residents livid over second eviction notice

Despite instruction from the state government, the Petaling land office issued a second eviction notice to the residents in Kampung Muniandy.

PETALING JAYA: Eight buyers of the stalled Block E low cost flat project in PJS 1 received a second eviction notice from the Petaling land office on Wednesday.

The notices were sent despite assurance by the Petaling Jaya City Hall (MBPJ) that the buyers would not be evicted until the state government found suitable temporary housing for them in a nearby area.

The latest notice, signed by assistant district officer Abdul Shariz Izwan Abd Shukor, said that officers could come anytime to evict them as the deadline given in the first notice had expired.

On July 21, the land office issued the residents from the Kampung Muniandy squatter settlement eviction notices under Section 425 of the National Land Code.

It said that the residents were squatting on government land and were given 14 days to vacate the area. The deadline expired on Aug 4.

The residents highlighted the matter to the state government and MBPJ in a meeting on July 29.
Present at the meeting were Taman Medan state assemblyperson Haniza Talha, Petaling Jaya Selatan MP Hee Loy Sean and state exco Iskandar Abdul Samad’s's aide, Mahyuddin Ismail.

MBPJ then sent a letter to the land office on Aug 4 urging it not to evict the residents till temporary housing was provided.

‘Build our flats’
Block E buyers residents association committee chairman M Sugumaran said he was upset with the new developments as he thought the matter was resolved in August.

In his correspondence with MBPJ’s deputy director of development Zain Azly Abdul Rahman, Sugumaran was informed that Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim had instructed the land office not to vacate the residents.

Zain had said that he would arrange another meeting for the residents with Khalid to resolve the matter.
“We just want the problem to be solved. If the government plans to move them to the longhouses, at least repair the houses first as many are in bad condition,” said Sugumaran.

One resident, wheelchair-bound A Selvarajah, 47, said he was frustrated that the government was trying to evict him without building the low cost flat he purchased about eight years ago.

“We keep getting notices but no one offered us alternative housing,” said the father of eight who has lived in the squatter settlement for the past 10 years.

However, Selvarajah admitted that MBPJ did offer him a place to stay at the Lembah Subang low cost flat unit but he rejected it.

“I have eight children who study here. My wife works as a helper at a nearby kindergarten. Lembah Subang is too far and moving there will increase our living expenses,” he said.

Selvarajah added that he hoped the government would also provide an assurance letter that it would build his flat as promised in June.

Another resident, R Karupayee, 69, said she hoped the flat she purchased would be ready for her grandchildren, who are in their 20s.

“My husband died before seeing our new flat and I don’t need it for long as I am too old. I just hope my grandchildren get the flat,” she said.

What happened to the Indian Cultural Centre?

A consumer group wants previous and current Selangor state administrations to account for the hefty allocation set aside for the project.

KLANG: The Malaysian Consumer Advisory Association (MCAA) wants the previous administration and the current Selangor state government to account for a sizeable allocation that was set aside for the construction of an Indian Cultural Centre prior to the 12th general election.

Association president G Varatharajoo, who forwarded a Jan 20, 2008 news report on the matter to FMT, said the the BN state government had allocated a hefty sum for the Indian cultural centre to be built in Selangor.

According to the report, former menteri besar Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo acknowledged that the state had awarded funds for the centre and had commissioned several Indian-based NGOs, headed by MIC’s Kamala Ganapathy, a former state executive councillor, to come up with a blueprint for it.

The news article stated that the BN state government had also approved RM2 million for the betterment of Tamil vernacular schools in Selangor.

However, both these allocations have not been accounted for after BN was defeated in the 2008 general election.

“We want to know what happened to these allocations,” Varatharajoo told FMT.

“The Pakatan Rakyat government should follow up on the idea for an Indian cultural centre. It cannot sidelined the project simply because it was BN’s brainchild.”

Contacted later, Kamala claimed that the fund for the cultural centre is with the current state government.

“The project was delayed after we could not find suitable land to build the centre. And after BN lost in Selangor, the fund was transferred to Pakatan state government,” she said.

When asked about the RM2 million allocation for Tamil schools, Kamala claimed the money had already been disbursed to several schools although she could not recall how many schools had benefited from the allocation.

FMT could not reach Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, the current state executive council member in charge of Indian Affairs, for further clarification on both the issues.