‘Hang Li Po, Hang Tuah did not exist’

Historian Prof Khoo Kay Kim says that the Ming dynasty's records do not mention the princess or the famous warrior. He also points out that early Malaysian history is based on stories.

PETALING JAYA: According to history, Chinese Princess Hang Li Po was the fifth wife of Malaccan Sultan Mansur Shah who reigned from 1456-1477.

During this period, there was also the legend of the Sultan’s five famous warriors, Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu. It is a tale of friendship and loyalty, which every Malaysian had heard.

However, renowned historian Prof Khoo Kay Kim told radio station BFM this morning that Hang Li Po and the five warriors never existed.

Speaking to FMT later, he explained: “The Chinese Ming dynasty of the 16th century does not have records on them. These are very well preserved records.”

The KDU college chancellor also said he had read the writings of two Western historians and another prominent historian Wang Gung Wu on the Ming records which did not mention the characters either.

“History must be based on empirical records. Historians must only accept written records,” he said, adding that empirical records available here were at best “skanky”.

“There is no evidence in the Malaysian records,” he said. “These are stories. Early Malaysian history is based on stories.”

“We have had many stories. Only recently historians have taken the trouble to research the early Malaysian history period. A lot of stories accepted in the past cannot be proven,” he added.

Khoo also told FMT that there are rumours that the Malacca kingdom was founded in 1292 even though there were records to prove that it was formed in the 15th century.

He added that the government had instructed the syllabus committee to go through the school history syllabus to rectify the errors.

The syllabus, said Khoo, would be introduced in the year 2014.

Protest to protect Bangladesh Temple properties from the Jaws of Islamic Land Sharks.

Dhaka Hindu Human Chain against Temple Land Grabbing by Muslims.

Muslim Syndicates forcefully grabbing Hindu Temples, Trusts and Shrines in Bangladesh.

Press Release in Bangla

HE NEWS DESK DHAKA || 15th January, 2012 :: A big protest and a huge human chain were conducted by the minority Bangladshi Hindus today on 15^th January, 2012 on the very day of Makar Sankranti festival in protest of land grabbing over the Hindu occupation, especially from the Hindu religious sites all over BD (Bangladesh) by the Muslims goons and land grabbing syndicates.

Over thousand Hindu protesters today came down to streets before Press Club Dhaka, Bangladesh and blocked the roads for hours with a demand of to arrest of the perpetrators engaged with such nefarious and forceful land grabbing from the minority Hindus in some under the nose of Police and Administration too.

Three prime organizations namely ‘Moth Mandir and Debbottor Sampatti Raksha Committee’ and ‘ISKCON Dhaka’ and ‘Sree Sree Radha kanto Jeo Temple’ committee jointly organized the  Manabbondhan (Human Chain) and Protest rally  demanding the safety and security of  Hindu and Buddhist Temples and immediate arrest and punishment of the land grabbers and responsible criminals without any delay.

From the Press Release it is known that the 200 years old SREE SREE RADHA KANTO JEO TEMPLE at 222 Lal Mohan Saha Street, Sutrapur, Dhaka, Bangladesh was established by one rich Hindu business man named Mathura Sha Banik in his own land for the purpose of the Seva & Puja (daily offering and services to the God deity) of his ancestral deity of SREE SREE RADHA KANTO DEV JEO, but he could not be able to register the landed property in due time in the name of Revered Deity due to his sudden death. Afterwards, his four sons Gobinda, Ananda, Moni Mohan & Nadia Chand duly registered all these 22 Cottha of land to the Deity Divine as Devettor Property on 11/09/1889 through a Deed bearing No. 2735. Form then an un-interrupted Puja has been conducting with full veneration and active participation of all concerned.

But, since 2008, some notorious Islamist groups headed by the land shark and terrorists like Hazi Islam, Sarowar Hossian Alo, Ibrahim Molla, Arif Mallu have jointly been trying to grab many Hindu Shrines and its property in Dhaka (Capital of Bangladesh), old Dhaka area and adjacent places by ransacking the Hindu temples, bombing and looting of Hindu properties time and again. The perpetrators made fake deeds to capture the SREE SREE RADHA KANTO JEO TEMPLE and attacked the temple and its inmates on 11-08-2010 with bomb sword and other lethal weapons. A diary was also made then for the protection of the Temple properties and its inmates. It may be mentioned that the world famous Hindu Organization and prime Vaishnava Order ISKCON is presently looks after the premises of this complex and consequently ISKCON is also being targeted by the Muslim fundamentalist with a deadly design.

In March 2011, the land sharks threatened that Hindu Temples will not be allowed in Islamic Republic Bangladesh, and Hindus cannot be allowed for any religious program publicly henceforth. The resident Hindus and many Hindu organizations retaliated then vehemently and registered a diary for this in Ramna Model Police Station vides GD NO. 1842 dt. 28.03.2011. But the threatening is still going on and the present BD Govt rather is allowing the land shark Muslim Fundamentalists by not arresting them to stop teir designs to capture many heritage and old Hindu Shrines at Goal Ghat, Jolapur, Ranking Street, Woari and Tipu Sultan Road. It is reported that the present “Sanai Community Center” of Hazi Islam at Woari area is built after a force encroachment of Manik Ghosh Trust property. The Sankha Nidhi Temple complex of Tipu Sultan Road or the ISKCON complex at Swamibag Road are also under the scanner of these fundamental Islamic groups who want to drive away all Hindus from Bangladesh under a severe persecution and conspiracy of ethnic cleansing.

But with the protest of today, the Govt. of Bangladesh can take justified steps to protect the religious rights of non Muslim minority if they think fit to do so.

The organizers urged the International Hindu Community to support the cause to protect religious rights of the Hindus including the safety and security of Hindu Math and Mandirs. The interested persons can contact in the address below:

ISKCON Swamibag Ashram
79/1 Swamibag Road, Swamibag, Dhaka.
Dhaka-1100, Bangladesh
Phone: 088-02-7122488, 088-02-7122747
Moth Mandir and Debbottor Sampatti Raksha Committee, Bangladesh.
79, Swamibag Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Phone: 088-02-7122488, Mobile: 088-01730059211, 01716136070, 01911012249.

ndonesian Islamists wreak havoc screaming for a Sharia state

JAKARTA — Hundreds of protestors attacked the offices of Indonesian Home Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday, pressing the government to ban alcohol countrywide and to turn the country into an Islamic state.
 
Indonesian Islamists stormed the Home Ministry complex in Jakarta and wreaked havoc inside
Indonesia is a secular state with no official religion. It is the most populous Muslim nation in terms of population, and most of its citizens are moderates. Radical Muslim groups however, have in recent years formed syndicates to raid bars, nightclubs and the office of Indonesia’s Playboy magazine.
Around 500 angry protesters, including members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islamic People’s Forum (FUI), stormed government office complex in Jakarta to protest a proposal to revoke anti-alcohol rules, damaging a security post, car park and glass panels before threatening to conduct sweeps on bars and beat up customers, Indonesian news agency Kompas reported on Thursday.
Indonesia has bylaws that regulate the sale of alcohol in the country. Under the regulations, alcohol is classified into three categories: A (with an alcohol content of 5% or less), B (above 5% to 20%) and C (above 20% to 55%). The sale of alcohol classified as B and C is limited only to places such as hotels and restaurants, while alcohol classified as A, such as beer, is being sold anywhere.
The new proposal to cancel the bylaw will allow sales of Class B and C alcoholic drinks elsewhere.
 
Indonesian radical group FPI, Osama bin what.
Protesters outside the interior ministry in the city’s main square wore white robes with the word “mujahideen” emblazoned on their shirts. “President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must issue a decree to ban alcohol and to cut alcohol distribution in Indonesia to zero percent,” said FPI field coordinator Awit Mashuri.
“We will defend anti-alcohol bylaws and we will fight anything that is against the interests of Islam in Indonesia to make it a pure Islamic state,” Zulfi Syukur told the cheering crowd, many of whom pumped their fists in the air and shouted “jihad”, or holy war.
 
Indonesia Home Ministry complex – aftermath
FPI wants to transform Indonesia into an Islamic state with Sharia as its legislature. The group has launched a series of violent vigilante attacks since 2000, with targets including the US embassy and nightclubs.
The Indonesia Home Ministry responded angrily to the attack, Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi said the ministry would “evaluate” both the the FPI and the FUI. “If necessary, we will freeze them,” he said. The Constitution may respect the right of these groups to exist, he said, but they need to obey the law. “We have decided to take two courses of action,” Gamawan said.
However, it is questionable whether any action will really be taken against the FPI. The Muslim organization is believed to have the backing of both the National Police and the military. The group’s growing aggressiveness is worrisome to human rights groups, who say that the Islamist organization is nothing more than a collection of nearly uncontrollable thugs.

Critics say President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s attitude was reflected in the Oct. 7, 2010 appointment of Timur Pradopo, who has strong ties to FPI, as national police chief. Based on a Wikileaks report in the leaked US diplomatic cables, it was claimed the FPI receives funding from the police.
The FPI has often resorted to violence, ransacking bars, threatening pork sellers and attacking peaceful demonstrations. It has also tried to prevent Christian churches from being built in communities near Jakarta.
Indonesia’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the country has struggled to deal with a radical fringe of extremists who have carried out numerous attacks including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Transforming Indonesia into an Islamic state however, may prove challenging. Since its inception in 1945, Indonesia has been guided by a nationalist philosophical construct known as the Pancasila rather than a state religion. Any establishment of Shariah-inspired state may risk the secession of almost the entire Eastern Indonesia, most of them Christian-majority, and the famed island of Bali, which is 92% Hindu. Ethnic and religious tensions had resulted in the separation of East Timor into an independent country in 1999, and Indonesia currently has active secessionist movements in both Christian Maluku and West Papua.

Last Ponggal for Kampung Railway Sentul?

MCA believes can oust Guan Eng from Bagan

Lim secured the Bagan seat with a 22,000-vote majority in 2008. — File pic

BUTTERWORTH, Jan 15 — MCA today expressed confidence in edging out Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng from his Bagan seat in the coming polls, despite the trouncing the party took there in 2008.

Bernama Online reported MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Liow Tiong Lai as saying that voters in Bagan were now “open to accept Barisan Nasional (BN)”, adding that his party’s chosen candidate would give the opposition pact a run for its money.

“We already have a candidate for the Bagan constituency, but I cannot reveal who.

“MCA is confident that this person can do well against DAP’s candidate as Bagan wants someone who is hardworking and responsible,” Liow was quoted as telling reporters here tonight.

“We will fight DAP’s candidate to the very end and I’m sure that the people of Bagan are now open to accept BN after they’ve seen what we’ve done for them,” he added.

Lim, who is also DAP’s secretary-general, defeated MCA’s Song Choy Leng for the Bagan parliamentary seat in Election 2008 with a 22,070-vote majority.

The popular leader also led his party’s state chapter to a historic win in Penang, which was one of the first states to fall into opposition hands during the 2008 political tsunami.

After clinching the Air Puteh state assembly seat with a 4,061-vote majority, Lim was appointed to the post of chief minister, unseating Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and effectively ending the latter’s eighteen-year reign.

In November last year, Koh announced that he would refrain from contesting in the coming polls, silencing calls from party members and the opposition for him to take on his arch-nemesis Lim by facing him in Bagan.

Analysts have repeatedly predicted Lim’s tenure would continue after the 13th general election, said to be held soon, due to his prudent management of the state’s finance and persistence in ensuring his principles on competency, accountability and transparency (CAT) are adhered to in all administrative matters.

All sound and fury but no substance

The Pakatan convention made all the right noises but it appears that the alliance is not yet prepared for the coming general election.

ALOR SETAR: The third Pakatan Rakyat convention which ended yesterday saw a resurgent Anwar Ibrahim envisioning a “Malaysian Spring” sweeping through the country, where the politics of conscience, and not self-preservation, will be the order of the day.

Speaking at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium here, he said that Malaysian leaders must follow their conscience and do what is right and not for personal glory.

“I envisioned a Malaysian Spring dawning,” Anwar said in a veiled reference to last year’s Arab Spring movement which saw a few long-serving Middle East regimes falling by the wayside in the face of widespread anger of ordinary Arab citizens.

A “Malaysian Spring” has been his most often used line since his acquittal of a sodomy charge last Monday.

Earlier, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in a typically fiery speech to the delegates, called for the removal of the corrupt Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

His father, DAP doyen Lim Kit Siang also spoke about a Malaysian Spring, saying the time has come to finally dethrone the ruling Barisan Nasional after decades of abuse of power.

PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and spiritual adviser Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat spoke about how Islam can bring about justice and prosperity in Malaysia.

A frail-looking Nik Aziz said tongue in cheek about Umno’s overtures to form a Malay unity government with PAS: “I know who you (Umno) are.”

Same ‘old record’

These are the few words of English that the cleric uttered in public, although those in his inner circle claimed he is quite proficient in the language, as he does read English newspapers in the private comforts of his office and home.

Then there were the second-echelon Pakatan Rakyat leaders, namely Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, DAP Youth head Anthony Loke, Kelantan executive councillor Husam Musa who spoke about what Pakatan would do when in power.

Dzulkefly tocuhed on the practicality and usefulness of the “Orange Book,” which spells out Pakatan’s pledges for the next general election.

About 50,000 people thronged the stadium to hear sound and fury from the speakers. But for some it was like listening to the same “old record”.

However, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail saw the gathering as a chance to woo fence-sitters in preparation for the next national polls.

For some observers and delegates, this one-day convention turned out to be a non-starter, simply because there was nothing of substance to indicate that the Pakatan alliance is ready.

Some delegates expressed the hope that the convention would be the rallying point for Pakatan to galvanise its troops for the “mother of all general elections”.

But they were quite disappointed when they heard the speakers spout only stale topics.

Most of the delegates were seen just going through the paces, with some preferring to walk around and pose for photographs rather than listen to the speeches.

Lacking in substance

Only former Bar Council president S Ambiga caught the attention of the press as she challenged Pakatan to come out with ways on how to deal with corruption effectively.

Later, Ambiga told the press that the Election Commission was not doing enough on electoral reforms.

She proposed that foreign observers be invited to monitor the election’s proceedings.

Pakatan seems to be lacking in substance as it does have any idea on how to take the alliance forward, said part-time blogger Ahmad Noordin, who blogs about social issues.

There is no denying that Pakatan has a strong support base, but still it must reach out to the fence- sitters including the older generation, who have yet to embrace the young leaders, he said.

A DAP Malay leader said the core issue is about turning into reality the well-meaning intentions or policies of Pakatan.

“We fail to implement our great ideas or policies upfront,” he said..

However, he believes that Pakatan can deny the BN its two-thirds majority and may go on to form the next government.

But not everybody has the perseverance like Anwar or DAP chairman Karpal Singh to soldier on, he added.

An observer, Jusof Mohd Hafiz, a teacher, said that he expected to hear new ideas on how to combat the high cost of living but instead, he was presented with a summary of Pakatan’s past achievements.

“We are more interested in the present and the future,” he said.

Another take on border smuggling

These so-called 'smugglers' should be congratulated for helping lower the cost of living for those residing at the border.
COMMENT

Recently the New Straits Times ran a front-page article on brazen smuggling at our borders with Thailand and Indonesia.

In its report, an NST team which joined several Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) covert surveillance operations found that agencies tasked with foiling smuggling attempts were closing an eye to the movement of price-controlled goods by foreigners and Malaysians.

According to the paper’s report, this is costing the government hundreds of millions of ringgit annually. Goods smuggled ranged from diesel, petrol, liquefied petroleum gas to sugar, cooking oil and flour.

The “exposé” was followed by another front-page article the next day with the screaming headline “For RM10, smugglers can breeze in and out” (Jan 3, 2012) and the sub-headline “Corruption is rampant among law enforcers at border checkpoints”.

There has been no response yet from the higher authorities to these sensational reports. But if the NST editors are expecting Malaysians to pat them on the back for being a crusading paper, they are hopelessly wrong.

Let me provide another point of view.

What is NST’s real agenda?

Highly placed officials and politicians have confided to me that the NST is getting out of control by running these articles which are calculated to bring the government agencies and top brass into disrepute.

Their job should be to focus on bringing down Anwar Ibrahim and the Pakatan Rakyat opposition parties, not to invite attention to minor and trivial issues.

I fully agree. In addition, I have to point out that what the NST has described as smuggling is technically correct but a view taken from a biased perspective. A more holistic political economy approach is needed to explain the activity before jumping to rash conclusions.

What we are seeing at the border can be characterised as an adaptation of the long established and traditional people-to-people economic exchange, without the repressive hand of the state to extract duties and taxes.

According to the American social scientist, James Scott – whose acclaimed book, “Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance”, incidentally, was based on work in the Muda area of Kedah – “the Brechtian or Schweikian forms of resistance… are an integral part of the small arsenal of relatively powerless groups”.

The said forms of resistance include such acts as foot-dragging, dissimulations, false compliance, feigned ignorance, desertion, pilfering, smuggling, poaching… and so on. “These techniques, for the most part quite prosaic, are the ordinary means of class struggle. They are the techniques of ‘first resort’ in those common historical circumstances in which open defiance is impossible or entails mortal danger.”

These so-called “smugglers” are in fact taking a big risk of breaking the law to facilitate the exchange. Rather than being condemned, they should be congratulated for helping lower the cost of living for those residing at the border.

As to the damage to the Malaysian economy, let’s have a more enlightened view.

Many of the beneficiaries are our Muslim brothers and sisters living on the other side of colonial borders arbitrarily imposed on us. If the British, French and Dutch had not concocted their nefarious slicing up of the region, we may be living with those now on the other side of the border as one big happy family.

Now that colonialism has come and gone, if we can help our Thai and Indonesian kin have access to cheaper goods, why not? Can we not close one eye, especially as these are poorer folk than us? Why begrudge our Narathiwat and Pattani or north Kalimantan relations especially when they are already feeling the oppression of their own central government?

If we close both eyes to this activity, Malaysians will not only be seen as charitable neighbours but we can also proudly claim to be doing more than our fair share for the common Asean good.

Beating up customs officers

The NST articles also went to great lengths to beat up our Jabatan Kastam Diraja officers. Come on. This is not only unpatriotic but also unfair. These customs officers receive only a few ringgit of duit kopi for standing in the sun the whole day to help facilitate this exchange.

Let’s also not forget that these same officers also facilitate the cheap influx of fragrant beras Siam, fruits and other Thai commodities into our country without having the taxman extract his pound of flesh, and having the Defence Ministry appropriate the revenue to buy Scorpene submarines.

Without them, we will not be enjoying our nasi lemak special at bargain prices. So let’s appreciate these men in brown who have to put in long hours at isolated and faraway border outposts protecting our national security. Let’s not carp about the couple of hundred ringgit extra taken home that comes with their job.

Yet another perspective

According to one friend, I and my highly placed Barisan Nasional and civil servant colleagues have missed the entire point of the NST exercise. This is because the two articles are a smokescreen to distract readers’ attention away from the large-scale bribery and looting of the country’s resources that is taking place.

According to him, enormous sums of money amounting to millions and billions of ringgit – not the paltry sums mentioned in the NST article – exchange hands. These vast sums are not slipped furtively hidden between customs papers in the scorching heat at god-forsaken spots but openly in cool air-conditioned coffee houses and hotels in Kuala Lumpur or outside the country at some luxurious resort.

Mainstream media have never highlighted these scandals and never will. But they are making up for this failure to live up to Clark Kent investigative journalism by going after the ikan bilis and making readers think that the NST is really a “people’s paper”.

The friend who believes I missed the point of NST’s exercise made the final deflating rejoinder that my academic background has led me to over-intellectualise the smuggling activity and to overlook the most important reason for the two articles. On further thought, he may be right.

Lim Teck Ghee is the director of Centre for Policy Initiatives.

Muslim body slams Salman Rushdie's visit, calls him apostate

Expressing displeasure over granting of visa to controversial writer Salman Rushdie by the Indian government, a Jammu and Kashmir-based Muslim body today said the author is an "apostate" and liable to be "killed".

"A meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Personal Law Board was held today to discuss the issuance of visa to Salman Rushdie and extreme displeasure and anger was expressed on the issue because Rushdie has already been found involved in apostasy and Islamic scholars have unanimously passed death edict against him as per Shariah law," JKMPLB said in a statement here.

"Rushdie's entry into India will naturally hurt the sentiments of 22 crore Muslims including those in Jammu and Kashmir," it said.

Accusing the Congress of exploiting Muslims for electoral gains, the organisation said the Centre should have been sensitive to the sentiments of the community but it is being felt that they are more interested in patronising the entry of Salman Rushdie into the country.

Several Islamic religious bodies have demanded cancellation of Rushdie's visa even as the controversial author said he does not need a visa to come here.

The 65-year-old Rushdie had earned the wrath of Muslims worldwide due to the alleged blasphemous content in his novel "The Satanic Verses", published in 1988.

Muslim Man Throws Black Ink at Baba Ramdev

Kamran Siddiqui, who threw black ink at Baba Ramdev, being held in New Delhi Jan. 14. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI

Baba Ramdev was the target of an attack by a man who threw black ink on his face on Saturday, as the yoga guru was briefing reporters on his plans to campaign against black money in the coming assembly elections.

Seated along with Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy at the Constitution Club in the heart of the capital, Ramdev’s left eye was blackened with ink by the man, identified as Kamran Siddiqui, a resident of Delhi who is said to be running an NGO called Real Cause, which is a petitioner in the Batla House encounter case.

Ramdev’s supporters at the conference manhandled the assailant before police took him away. The man, whose shirt was torn and removed, was seen bleeding from his lips.

There was lot of jostling around when police escorted the yoga guru away from the club.

Jaideep, Ramdev’s close aide, claimed that Siddiqui had gained entry into the hall carrying a walkie-talkie, apparently posing as a security guard. He also claimed that a bottle of acid was recovered from Siddiqui.

Ramdev, who immediately ended the press conference, later said he was not deterred by such attacks and would continue his campaign with full force against corruption.

“We talked about black money, we talked about eradicating corruption and in return as a prize this is what I have got. However, by throwing ink on someone, one cannot malign his character,” he said. “One whose life has been devoted to fighting corruption cannot be deterred by black flags and ink.”

Before the incident, Siddiqui had sought Ramdev’s opinion on the 2008 Batla House encounter in which suspects of the Delhi serial blasts were killed. The yoga guru reportedly ignored the question. The attack soon after.

Prison caused husband's death, claims wife

Bringing back the real Malaysia

Umno veteran and Amanah deputy president Kadir Sheikh Fadzir isn't bothered about hiding his allegiance to civil society even if it means being critical of Barisan Nasional.

Kadir Sheikh Fadzir may be an Umno veteran and former Cabinet minister, but he has no qualms about walking the tightrope between political allegiance and civic-consciousness.

“Help the opposition,” he said within seconds of settling down for an interview at his office in Sazean Holdings.

Then, perhaps accustomed to having such requests being laughed off, he reiterated his call: “Help the opposition, they need it. Especially when they are denied coverage in the mainstream media.”

Kadir doesn’t bother hiding his allegiance, which incidentally is to civil society.

Kadir left Parliament’s circle of top echelons seven years ago after holding six ministerial positions and a successful tourism campaign that put Malaysia on the world tourism map.

The former Tourism Minister, with a penchant for bow ties, has however spent the last few years in the quiet folds of Sazean, of which he is the executive chairman.

Last July, an NGO named Angkatan Amanah Merdeka (Amanah) trotted through Sazean’s doors. Kadir is now among a string of Barisan Nasional veteran politicians who make up Amanah’s central council and himself sits in the seat of deputy president.

The NGO is headed by another Umno veteran, Gua Musang MP, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, and aims to return Malaysians to the spirit and roots of togetherness that flourished during the early days of Independence.

Candid Kadir

And to Kadir that means taking a huge step beyond the 1Malaysia concept to create a level political playing field where the power to form a government lies solely in the hands of the people.

“People power” is a looping soundtrack played by Pakatan Rakyat and civil society groups but it is when a prominent figure from the other camp starts singing along that it takes on a whole new beat.

“Times have changed and the world is now in revolt,” Kadir said.

“The point to note in these uprisings is that the world belongs to its inhabitants and each country to its people. Many have forgotten this.”

“Our founding fathers respected the people’s rights and gave them freedom to analyse and debate before choosing their government. In those days the opposition was allowed airtime in the mainstream media, and political parties were given room for dissent and debate.”

“But over time the media fell under the ruling party’s control and only one voice was allowed to speak to the people.

“Their rights were slowly eroded to the point that there are no longer free and fair elections. So the elected government doesn’t represent the people’s true choice.”

It isn’t the first time that Kadir has been candid in his criticism of BN and commiseration for Pakatan.

His recent media statements have revolved around BN’s open secrets including media restrictions on the opposition, the use of government agencies to fish for rural votes and bribery during elections.

Najib’s aware of BN’s shortcomings

When it was pointed out that he too was once a part of this system, he readily acknowledged to having gone along with it in an effort to be a “good team player”.

“At the time it was easy because there was no viable alternative to BN.

“PAS and DAP were seen as extremists so we went along with whatever was available. But it is different today,” he said.

That difference is in the evolution of Malaysian politics into a two-party system where both sides are championing almost identical objectives.

The pertinent questions therefore are which is the better side and how can the people be given a fair system to make that decision.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) was set up for the purpose of answering the latter question and its report is expected to be ready by the end of March.

But Kadir will continue holding his breath until then for fear that talk of a general election being called before that will materialise. If that happens, he warned, it would not bode well for BN.

“The fact that (prime minister) Najib (Tun Razak) has set up the PSC shows he admits to serious shortcomings in the system.

“So if an election is held before the PSC completes its work and if BN wins, it will be a stolen election and all Najib’s efforts to form a PSC will be nothing more than a drama,” he noted.

Right now, however, the PSC has proved it is doing more than just giving lip service by pushing through the use of indelible ink for the upcoming elections.

Amanah isn’t a political entity

Bersih can now strike one demand off its list of eight but, according to Kadir, indelible ink isn’t the most important of the lot.

“What is of greater importance is fair access to the media,” he stated.

“The government should give the opposition at least 10 percent of airtime for the three to six months preceding an election.

“Then the people can give serious consideration to whom to vote for and we will be one step closer to free and fair elections.”

Kadir’s frankness is reflective of Amanah’s strife to be the voice of conscience and neutrality in Malaysian politics. But it has also given rise to various speculations of hidden political manoeuvring.

Talk is that Amanah has political aspirations despite its insistence on remaining an NGO.

Speculations are rife that it is aligned to the opposition and that its BN leadership are politicians who are struggling to remain relevant for the next election.

Kadir, however, brushed aside all three presumptions.

He agreed that a majority of Amanah members were in favour of the party shedding its NGO status, but said that no decision had been made on the matter as yet.

“We are very new and we’re unsure of where we are headed but right now we know that we have to bring the country as far as we can back to our roots,” he said.

“Tengku Razaleigh and I have gone through it all. We know that unless we bring back the people to the true spirit of independence, our country will shrink in its values.

“And we hope that more Umno members will agree to our views so that there will be change within,” he said.

Tunku’s wisdom guides Amanah

For now, Kadir claimed he has the support of many “dear Umno friends” who silently agree that the party’s “endemic” practices of corruption, nepotism and cronyism must come to an end.

Funnily enough, he also claimed to not have received any brickbats from those who are livid at his washing of Umno’s dirty laundry in public.

“If they want to criticise me, then they first have to criticise many of the Umno leaders,” he said.

“Najib and (deputy prime minister) Muhyiddin (Yassin) have themselves been shrieking ‘kita mesti berubah, jika tidak kita akan diubah’.”

“They are saying that the people are aware of Umno’s bad habits which is exactly what Amanah is saying. And if we are seen to be pro-opposition it is only because we support the issues that they raise.”

To further emphasise his point, Kadir launched into his favourite story of a conversation with former premier, Tunku Abdul Rahman, after the latter’s retirement.

At the time Tunku had left Umno to become a member of Semangat 46 of which Tengku Razaleigh also belonged.

Kadir, who was then deputy foreign minister, sought him out to convey a message from Umno members asking him to rejoin the party.

According to him, Tunku replied: “Kadir don’t you think I love Umno? Umno is the party that helped me gain independence for this country and made me prime minister. Surely, I love it. But if Umno has obviously gone astray and cannot perform its functions, then the country and the people should come first. Remember that, Kadir.”

Umno must do the right thing

Those words have undoubtedly burned themselves into Kadir’s memory as he uses them as a guidepost in taking Amanah forward.

He shared that the NGO’s next step is to open state and district branches so as to further spread the spirit of independence.

“In Amanah we are guided by Tunku’s saying that if we are all to live together as one family and under one roof, then we must be sincere to each other.

“The only way that Umno and BN can continue to be in power is to act sincerely and do the right thing,” he stressed.

Tags: Amanah, Kadir Sheikh Fadzir, Najib Tun Razak, Parliamentary Select Committee, BN, Pakatan, Tunku Abdul Rahman

Prisoner dies, Prisons Dept blamed

Mohd Adnan Razali died due to kidney failure and it was alleged that the prison authorities had denied him treatment.

KUALA LUMPUR: A prisoner, suffering from acute kidney problem, at the Kajang prison died after the prison authorities denied him medical assistance, the Human Rights Party (HRP) alleged today.

The party said Mohd Adnan Razali died in June, 2010 due to kidney problems after the Kajang prison authorities denied him medical access despite knowing that the inmate had serious health problems.

The party lodged a police report against Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar and Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail for failing to initiate action against the prison authorities.

HRP central executive member S Thiagarajan lodged the report on behalf of the deceased’s family at the Jalan Travers police station here.

He said Mohd Adnan was initially held at the Sungai Buloh prison in 2008 and went for dialysis three times a week because of kidney problems.

He was shifted to the Kajang prison in March 2010 and the prison administration refused to facilitate his treatment.

He died in June 2010, and his death certificate states that he died due to kidney failure.

Speaking to reporters, Thiagarajan said action must be taken against both the police chief and attorney-general who had refused to investigate and prosecute the Kajang prison authorities, although it had been two years since the incident.

“We will give the police two weeks to take action. Otherwise the family will file a civil suit against the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Prisons Department director,” he said.

Meanwhile, wife of the inmate, Norlailee Hamzah said the family took a long time to file a police report because they could not find a proper channel to air their problem.

Norlailee, from Seremban, said she tried to get help from Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional leaders since June 2010 but to no avail.

“I also paid RM22,000 to a lawyer who promised to help me, but till today not a single action has been taken by him,” she said.

Pakatan akan hapuskan tol jika tawan Putrajaya

Setiausaha Agung DAP Lim Guan Eng berkata tindakan akan diambil terhadap syarikat konsesi tol dan kroni BN yang mengaut keuntungan berlebihan.

PETALING JAYA: Setiausaha Agung DAP Lim Guan Eng menegaskan Pakatan Rakyat akan  menghapuskan tol lebuh raya  yang telah memperolehi keuntungan berlebihan selepas menawan Putrajaya dalam pilihan raya ke 13.

“Kita akan ringankan beban rakyat dengan mengambil tindakan terhadap konsesi tol macam Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan.

“Kos pembinaan PLUS ialah RM6 bilion. Kutipan tol dan ganti rugi dari kerajaan 24.3 bilion. Untung buta 18 bilion,” katanya.

Lim yang juga Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang bagaimanapun berkata tindakan tidak akan diambil terhadap syarikat konsesi yang tidak memperoleh keuntungan.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap dalam Konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat di Alor Setar petang ini.
Beliau menambah Pakatan Rakyat akan turut mengambil tindakan terhadap syarikat kroni Barisan Nasional sebagai salah satu usaha untuk mengurangkan beban ekonomi kepada rakyat.

Lim menambah bahawa tindakan terhadap konsesi yang merupakan kroni BN telah pun dibincangkan bersama Ketua Umum PKR, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan Setiausaha Agung PAS, Datuk Mustafa Ali.

`Jasad dan nyawa’

Sementara itu Ketua Parlimen DAP, Lim Kit Siang mencabar Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak untuk benar – benar menjadi wakil majoriti suara kesederhanaan.

“Jika benar Umno dan BN mewakili suara kesederhanaan, tarik balik kata-kata “walau bercerai jasad dan nyawa, kita akan pertahankan kuasa di Putrajaya.”

Najib dilaporkan berkata demikian dua tahun lalu semasa perhimpunan agung Umno.

“Ini bukan kesederhanaan. Jika sederhana, terimalah keputusan rakyat,” kata tokoh veteran DAP tersebut.
Beliau turut mencabar Najib menjalankan proses transformasi terhadap akhbar Utusan Malaysia.

Anwar answers gay rights question

(Bernama) - Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said that there is a need to review Malaysia's archaic law so as not to be seen as punitive and considered as relevant.

Answering a question about gay rights and whether he was prepared to take "the idea of anti-discrimination as far as gay rights" are concerned, Anwar said in an interview with BBC on Thursday, that "we will have to review some of our archaic laws."

"We Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia generally believe and committed to support the sanctity of marriage between men and women but we should not be seen to be punitive and consider the archaic law as relevant."

The four minutes 39 seconds interview can be viewed at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16531714.

Anwar also called for a free and fair election and for the goverment to take "necessary measures to free the country" from what he called discriminatory policies.

The government has set up the Parliamentary Select Committee on Electoral Reform to address concerns raised over the country's electoral process.

SUING IN COURT

1. Malaysian politics of today is frequently punctuated with court actions. In particular there are now a lot of litigation cases. And the amounts sued for invariably run into millions of Ringgit.

2. Despite the efforts of the learned judges there are still huge backlogs of cases of all kinds, civil and criminal, which probably will never be heard, much less adjudged. This is because the hearings take such a long time that the parties to the cases would have forgotten the facts or they would have died.

3. And, as they say, “justice delayed is justice denied”.

4. The litigations by politicians may be justified. But politicians must accept that as politicians they would be bad-mouthed by their opponents. It is up to them to counter the allegations made. They should not always be suing in court.

5. For Muslims they should be willing to swear properly that there is no truth to the allegations.

6. Often the litigation is intended to shut the mouths of their opponents. In Malaysia when a case is being heard in a court, it becomes sub-judice and comments outside can constitute “contempt of court”. By suing the matter becomes sub-judice and the opponents’ mouths would be shut. Through repeated appeals the case can be prolonged and the defendants’ mouths would remain shut to the advantage of the litigant for years.

7. For the person sued, much money would have to be spent on lawyers. For years he would be assailed with anxiety that he might be found guilty and if he is unable to pay he may be bankrupted.

8. Yet when the defendant wins, the litigant may need to pay cost only, which the court will fix. Often the amount would be a minute fraction of the amount he is sued for.

9. Because the cost to the litigant is so very little, the tendency is to sue for millions. This is grossly unfair to the defendants. If the law is intended to promote justice then the litigant should also suffer from the same anxieties for the length of time of the hearing and if his allegation is baseless he should pay his victim the same amount he sued for.

10. Then there would be justice and frivolous cases would not be brought before the courts. The judges would then have time for their other cases.

11. Incidentally I was sued for 100 million Ringgit. When after almost five years I won, I was awarded cost at 70 thousand Ringgit, which of course go to my lawyers.

Rakyat Mahu Malaysia Tanpa UMNO

Harakah

ALOR SETAR, 14 Jan: Negara sedang berdepan dengan krisis keyakinan terhadap pentadbiran Datuk Seri Najib yang gagal melaksanakan transformasi politik dan ekonomi.

“Justeru itu, rakyat mahu ‘Malaysia Tanpa Umno’,” ujar Timbalan Presiden PKR, Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Sehubungan itu, tegasnya Pakatan Rakyat bersedia untuk menggalas amanah itu melalui Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat dan Buku Jingga.

“Insya Allah rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan kebebasan akan mengusir Umno dan Barisan Nasional dari Putrajaya,” katanya ketika berucap pada Konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat ke-3 di sini, pagi tadi.

Jelasnya, reformasi adalah agenda pembebasan rakyat yang juga agenda memartabatkan ekonomi, pendidikan, kebudayaan dan pemikiran rakyat.

Katanya, agenda reformasi akan memecahkan mitos kononnya hanya Umno sahaja yang boleh memerintah dan memberikan kesejahteraan untuk rakyat.

“Insya Allah, di bawah pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat nanti, kita akan kembali memartabatkan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang disegani oleh negara serantau dan antarabangsa,” jelasnya.

Beliau menambah, Pakatan Rakyat sudah ada Dasar Bersama yang menjadi teras perjuangan, Buku Jingga dan Belanjawan Pakatan Rakyat yang akan menjadi agenda Malaysia baru milik rakyat.

Pakatan Rakyat juga, ujarnya sudah ada kepimpinan yang dinamik, berdaya saing serta teruji kesetiaan dan kebolehannya untuk mentadbir negara serta beramanah seperti Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz, Tuan Guru Hadi Awang dan YAB Datuk Seri Azizan Razak.

“Kita mempunyai pemimpin yang berkaliber seperti Lim Guan Eng dan Lim Kit Siang. Malah, sudah pasti kita mempunyai Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yang mempunyai karisma dan pengalaman serta telah dibersihkan dari fitnah dan konspirasi jahat,” ujarnya yang juga Ahli Parlimen Gombak.

Beliau berkata, Pakatan Rakyat berkonvensyen buat kali ketiga hari ini di saat suara rakyat menuntut reformasi dan perubahan menyeluruh semakin nyaring.

Katanya, konvensyen ini menghimpunkan anggota dan pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat yang komited dan mewakili aspirasi rakyat yang mahu melihat muafakat ini terus dipertahankan dan diperkukuhkan atas prinsip dan Dasar Bersama yang telah disepakati dalam kerangka besar agenda perjuangan Pakatan Rakyat.

“Konvensyen ini membuktikan perpaduan Pakatan Rakyat semakin kukuh dan mantap. Pakatan Rakyat semakin kebal dengan asakan parti ekstrimis Umno yang kini berada di ambang senjakala,” katanya lagi.

Konvensyen ini, katanya adalah pecutan terakhir menjelang Pilihan Raya Umum ke 13. Pakatan Rakyat perlu bersedia untuk menggalas aspirasi rakyat yang menuntut sebuah negara Malaysia yang adil dan sejahtera untuk semua rakyat.

“Justeru itu, kita bertanggungjawab untuk bersihkan Malaysia daripada gutter politics dan amalan kronisme serta amalan membudayakan rasuah yang diterajui oleh Umno,” ujarnya.

Tegasnya, Pakatan Rakyat perlu memimpin rakyat maju ke hadapan dengan persaingan dasar kepedulian rakyat dan mengangkat martabat rakyat Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat, katanya tidak lagi membicara persoalan untuk menafikan majoriti dua pertiga.

“Hari ini kita yakin bahawa Pakatan Rakyat berpotensi untuk membentuk kerajaan pusat yang baru selepas PRU ke 13. Cita-cita ini bukan lagi diluar pencapaian Pakatan Rakyat,” katanya.

Pakatan Rakyat, tambah beliau merupakan parti yang mempunyai substance, punyai kekuatan dan keupayaan untuk mentadbir di Putrajaya.

Rakyat, katanya sudah tidak sabar lagi untuk melihat pemerintahan demokrasi tulen di Putrajaya berteraskan rule of law dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Menurutnya lagi, rakyat mahu Putrajaya diterajui oleh pemimpin yang bersih dan menyayangi rakyat tanpa mengira ras, agama atau warna kulit.

Tambahnya, rakyat mahu Pakatan Rakyat segera membanteras rasuah, menghapuskan keborosan dan ketirisan yang akan memufliskan Malaysia menjelang 2020.

“Hutang negara telah mencecah lebih RM450 billion atau 54% daripada KDNK. Hutang ini akan dibebankan kepada rakyat dan generasi akan datang,” katanya.

Setelah itu, ujarnya rakyat tambah derita dengan kenaikan harga barang dan dasar cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan yang bakal diperkenalkan oleh Umno.

Menurutnya lagi, 40% daripada rakyat Malaysia masih hidup dengan pendapatan isi rumah di bawah RM1,500 sebulan.

Beliau menambah, anak muda memerlukan pekerjaan dan kadar upah yang manusiawi manakala mahasiswa menuntut kualiti pendidikan yang menjamin kebebasan akademik.

Perkhidmatan awam, ujarnya perlu pemerkasaan melalui latihan dan struktur gaji yang setimpal.

“Kita menolak Skim Baru Perkhidmatan Awam yang tidak menjaga kebajikan majoriti penjawat awam,” katanya.

Opposition will devise plan to make country graft free

Himanshu Bhatt - The Sun


ALOR SETAR (Jan 14, 2012): The Pakatan Rakyat will come up with an action plan to combat corruption, should they win the next general elections.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang said leaders of the three member parties – PKR, PAS and DAP – will discuss the matter and come with the plan prior the general elections, which must be held by April 2013.

“We will discuss the matter. And probably before the 13th general elections, we will come out with a proposal,” he at the PR’s 3rd annual convention at the Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim here.

“We want a graft free country,” he added in response to a query by guest speaker Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, who is also Bersih 2.0 chairman,

Also present were Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, DAP vice-president Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim, PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Abdul Hadi Awang and PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

Ambiga, who was invited to address the gathering as an NGO leader, had asked for the opposition’s plan on corruption.

“I want to know if PR is looking at setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission For Corruption,” she said, stressing that such commissions had been set up in countries like South Africa and Hong Kong.

Ambiga also said the country should have a policy to pardon those who had committed minor graft offences, to help facilitate transformation in the government administration.

She noted that Malaysia’s ranking in the world Corruption Perception Index dropped to 60th place (out of 182 countries) in 2011, from 56th in 2009 and 2010.

She also asked what PR plans to do to have assets that have been lost due to corruption to be returned.

She said more than RM1 trillion has been reported to have flowed out of the country. “What are PR’s plans to bring back the money?” she said adding “This is the people’s money.”

Asked by reporters later, Anwar said the PR leaders were open to ideas about formulating an anti-corruption plan.

“I will meet her (Ambiga) and listen for suggestions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hadi expressed hope that the freeing of Anwar through the recent judicial decision pronouncing him not guilty in his sodomy trial, was a turning point for the independence of the judiciary, as well as the separation of powers between the political and executive segments.

PAS vice president Datuk Mahfuz Omar explained that the coalition partners will gather pertinent points and important issues that are also raised in the convention, to formulate a single manifesto dereved from the Orange Book which highlighted the opposition’s plan and aspirations if they take over government.

The PR leaders also agreed to hold the coalition’s next convention in 2013 in Putrajaya.

Family sues Govt, cops for RM100mil

The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: The mother of A. Kugan, the suspected car thief who died in police custody two years ago, is suing the police and the Government for more than RM100mil in damages over his death.

N. Indra, 44, is seeking damages arising from alleged negligence, breach of statutory duties on the part of the defendants, assault and battery, false imprisonment and misfeasance (wrong use) of public office.

She filed the suit through her counsel N. Surendran at the High Court civil registry here yesterday. Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam accompanied them.

Kugan, from Puchong, was arrested on Jan 14, 2009, to help in investigation into a luxury car theft syndicate. He died six days later.

His family has named Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar as the first defendant. He was the Selangor police chief when the incident happened.

The family named constable V. Navindran, who had been charged and acquitted over the case, as second defendant.

The third defendant is the late ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar, who was the former Subang Jaya District Police Chief. The suit is against the third defendant’s estate.

The fourth defendant is Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar while the Government is named fifth defendant.

Surendran told reporters the family was filing the suit as nobody was convicted during the trial of Kugan’s case and neither had the Government apologised to the family although the death happened while in police custody.

Navindran had faced two counts of causing grievous hurt to Kugan at an interrogation room at the Taipan police station in Subang Jaya at 7am on Jan 16, 2009.

However, the constable was discharged and acquitted on Jan 27 last year after the prose­cution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.

Be Fair To All BN Supporters - PRS President

BINTULU, Jan 14 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional elected representatives must be fair to all supporters in their constituencies, even if they are not members of their political parties, advised Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri James Jemut Masing.

He has received complaints from his party members who said they have been treated unfairly, he told reporters after chairing the PRS Supreme Council meeting here.

Masing said such attitudes could be dangerous as these supporters could turn hostile towards BN during the election.

"If you do not marginalise them, they'll be strong supporters of BN and will always be happy to help you," he said.

Meanwhile he felt that BN would face major challenges in infrastructure development in rural areas saying, "I hope all promises made by the government will be delivered and must be delivered."

"The usual Native Customary Right land issue might be played up again by the opposition. But I believe, the perimeter survey initiative by the government has eroded its importance and potency," he said.

In this regard, Masing called on the federal government to honour its promises made to the Orang Ulu affected by the implementation of the RM7billon Bakun Dam.

He said it had promised to bear half of the cost of their new longhouses in the Sungai Asap Resettlement Scheme.

"The state government has done its part to pay the other 50 per cent. I hope the payment can be made before the coming election," he said.

On another issue, Masing said a suitable payment mechanism must be thought of by the government in paying the 1Malaysia People's Aid especially to folks living in the interior.

Saying that cash was a more appropriate form of payment, he said even then folks living in Long Busang, deep in the Belaga interiors, will have to pay RM600 in transport charges alone to collect the aid.

Anwar Ibrahim: After the Trial

As the Malaysian opposition leader gets acquitted of sodomy, will his coalition mount its strongest political challenge?


Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian opposition leader, has been unexpectedly cleared of sodomy charges.

Government critics believe the trial was politically motivated to stem the growing popularity of an opposition alliance which Anwar led to unprecedented success in the 2008 general election.

Many expected a guilty verdict to end the 64-year-old’s political career, as it would have prevented him from contesting in the general election expected to be held this year.

This is the second time Anwar has faced charges for sodomy, a criminal offence in Malaysia. The first time, it was overturned by the country's Federal Court in 2004 after he had served six years in jail for corruption.

With the acquittal boosting the opposition ahead of the polls, 101 East asks what impact will this have on Malaysia’s political landscape?

Anwar addresses crowd in Alor Star

Anwar has spoken at a large gathering last night in Alor Star, where the Pakatan national convention was held.



I wrote a piece for Asia Times on the impact of Anwar’s acquittal and what Pakatan has to do.

What do you think? Is Pakatan ready to face the electorate? Or does it need more

Tukar agama: Saman pemula ke Mahkamah Tinggi

Utusan Malaysia

PUTRAJAYA 12 Jan. - Mahkamah Rayuan hari ini memerintahkan saman pemula seorang wanita keturunan India, Siti Hasnah Vangarama Abdullah bagi mencabar kesahihan proses penukaran agamanya kepada Islam ketika masih kanak-kanak, dikembalikan ke Mahkamah Tinggi agar meritnya didengar dan diputuskan.

Panel tiga hakim diketuai oleh Datuk Seri Abu Samah Nordin yang bersidang bersama Hakim Datuk Sulaiman Daud dan Hakim Datuk Mohd. Hishamudin Mohd. Yunus membenarkan rayuan wanita itu dan memerintahkan ketiga-tiga responden membayar kos berjumlah RM10,000.

Mahkamah sebulat suara berpuas hati agar saman pemula itu dikembalikan ke Mahkamah Tinggi untuk dibicarakan kerana terdapat isu yang wajar dihujahkan berhubung proses pengislaman Siti Hasnah, 29, ketika berusia tujuh tahun.

Isu pokok yang dibangkitkan dalam saman pemula itu adalah sama ada seorang kanak-kanak berusia tujuh tahun mempunyai kapasiti dan tertakluk kepada pihak berkuasa agama untuk menjalani upacara keagamaan termasuk proses penukaran agama.

Wanita tersebut atau nama Hindunya, S. Banggarma merayu terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Pulau Pinang pada 4 Ogos 2010 yang membatalkan saman pemulanya selepas membenarkan bantahan awal responden.

Responden pertama hingga ketiga terdiri daripada Yang Dipertua Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia (Perkim), Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Raimi Abdullah (ketika itu Setiausaha Perkim Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang) dan Majlis Agama Islam Negeri Pulau Pinang (MAIPP).

Mahkamah Tinggi ketika itu berpuas hati dengan hujahan pihak responden bahawa Siti Hasnah seorang Islam dan mahkamah sivil tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa mendengar saman pemula berkenaan.

Wanita tersebut diwakili oleh peguam Gooi Hsiao Leung manakala Matthias Chang bagi pihak Dr. Mahathir, Tuan Zubaidah Tuan Muda bagi pihak Raimi manakala Hairuddin Othman mewakili MAIPP.

Dalam saman pemulanya yang difailkan pada 23 Disember 2009, antara deklarasi yang dimohon oleh Siti Hasnah adalah pihak responden secara salah dan tanpa mengikuti undang-undang telah menyebabkan dia menjalani proses penukaran agama ketika masih kanak-kanak.

Wanita itu mendakwa, proses pengislaman pada 28 Disember 1989 iaitu tiga hari selepas kematian ibunya dilakukan secara salah kerana ketika itu dia tidak memahami kalimah syahadah yang diucapkan serta kandungan Sijil Akuan Masuk Islam yang ditandatanganinya.

Pada 24 November 2009, sebuah portal berita propembangkang melaporkan sijil kelahirannya menyatakan bahawa Siti Hasnah dilahirkan pada 13 Ogos 1982 di Keratong, Pahang dan anak kepada pekerja estet keturunan India, B. Subramaniam dan R. Latchumy.

Bagaimanapun, MAIPP dalam sidang akhbar pada Disember 2009 menyatakan, wanita terlibat merupakan seorang Islam selepas ibu bapanya memeluk agama itu di Pejabat Agama Islam Daerah Rompin, Pahang pada 30 November 1983 dan menukar nama masing-masing kepada Mohd. Yusof Abdullah dan Siti Aisyah Abdullah.

Isu pengislaman Siti Hasnah itu ditimbulkan pada satu sidang akhbar selepas wanita berkenaan mendakwa dia terkejut ketika diberitahu dia seorang Islam semasa ingin mendaftarkan perkahwinannya bersama seorang lelaki beragama Hindu.

Kuwaiti Royal Family Member Reportedly Leaves Islam...

 

IRAN -- A Kuwaiti royal prince has become a believer in Jesus Christ and says that if he is killed because of an audio recording he made about his decision, he believes he will meet Christ face-to-face.

Kuwaiti royal prince (Courtesy Mohabat News).

According to www.Mohabatnews.com , the Iranian Christian News Agency, Al-haqiqa, a Christian Arabic satellite T.V. station, which broadcasts Christian programs, played an audio file which it attributed to a Kuwaiti prince called "Abdollah Al-sabah."
This Kuwaiti prince announced, "First of all, I totally agree with the distribution of this audio file and I now declare that if they kill me because of this audio file, then I'll go into the presence of Jesus Christ and be with him for all eternity."

The T.V. channel claimed that Prince Abdollah Al-sabah comes from a Kuwaiti royal family which currently governs the country. The channel also said that the prince recently denounced his Islamic faith and became a Christian.

The voice in the audio file introduced himself as Abdollah Al-sabah and stated, "First of all, I totally agree with the distribution of this audio file and I now declare that if they kill me because of this audio file, then I'll go into the presence of Jesus Christ and be with him for all eternity."

The prince added: "I'm satisfied with whatever they do to me, because the truth in the Bible has guided me to the right way."

Regarding the Islamic groups who have recently gained power in Egypt, this Kuwaiti prince also stated, "Islamic communities have always wanted to attack in different parts of the world, but God has preserved the world and still protects it. This is why we have recently seen disagreements appearing among Islamic groups who are now fighting with each other. They are about to divide further into different groups.

Mohabat News says this piece of news made headlines briefly on Arabic newswires and also in the Iranian government run news agency. Some independent Shiite websites contradicted this report and quoted another Kuwaiti prince, Azbi Al-sabah as saying, "There is no one in the Kuwaiti royal family by that name."

Kuwait is a Middle Eastern country, neighboring Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Iran across the Persian Gulf. Its capital city is also called Kuwait.

Islam is the official and dominant religion in Kuwait, and almost the entire population is Muslim.

Only 4 percent of the population is Christian, and there is a tiny group of other religions. Article 2 of the Kuwaiti constitution reads, "Islam is the official religion in the country and Sharia is a main source for legislation."

Najib says not yet right time for polls

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 13 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) he is not comfortable calling for elections yet as the government must show his economic reforms are producing real results.
“Essentially, it’s a call you have to make on the basis of a feel-good factor, and that’s when you press the button. But of course at the end of the day it’s a rather intuitive decision,” the WSJ reported him as saying in its interview published today.
Speculation has been rife that Najib (picture) will be pressured to call for a general election soon due to the worsening global economy.
“You can have all the polling numbers but you must have the sense that this is the right time.
“I hope it will be the right time soon enough, but we still have to deliver on our promises and it’s important for people to have the feeling that the reforms we have promised will actually benefit them,” he said.
The PM acknowledged the global economic slump, especially the debt crisis engulfing Europe, could complicate his decision to press the election button.
“But so far we are still quite comfortable because our exposure to the EU in terms of total trade is only about nine per cent, so we are less vulnerable.
“But a euro-zone collapse or some other catastrophe there will affect the whole world,” he said in the interview with the WSJ.
The influential international paper reported today that Najib has been eager to paint himself as a leader of Malaysia’s most sweeping political reforms since independence.
The US-based daily noted that the PM appeared to be betting that the court acquittal of his political foe Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from a sodomy charge on Monday would help rather than hurt him politically.
Turning to the Anwar verdict, Najib said it was unclear whether prosecutors would opt to appeal, saying it was a matter for the Attorney-General.
But he said that the acquittal would likely help to convince critics that the government does not interfere in politically-charged judicial cases.
Anwar has accused Najib’s government of orchestrating the case against him. Najib denies having anything to do with the case.
Najib said in the interview that both the government and opposition camps will step up their race to claim the centre-ground of Malaysian politics in the coming months — but that this will only strengthen the predominantly Muslim country and provide a fresh example that democracy and Islam can co-exist.
The newspaper pointed out that both sides, though, seem to sense that the outcome of the vote depends on whether they can capture mainstream voters who are more interested in the economy than scandals.
Anwar told the Wall Street Journal earlier this week that he is now reconfiguring the opposition alliance to tackle a gamut of issues in the upcoming vote, from ensuring greater economic freedoms to tackling poverty and stamping out corruption.

Parlimen atau Dun, pilih satu kerusi saja

Satu Calon, Satu Kerusi adalah satu langkah bijak DAP.

PETALING JAYA: Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia Negeri Johor (SAMM Johor) menyokong penuh kenyataan Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh bahawa setiap calon DAP hanya akan bertanding untuk satu kerusi sahaja pada pilihan raya umum akan datang.

Penyelaras Negeri, Ahmad Anwar Asyraf Ismail berkata tindakan ini sememangnya satu langkah yang tepat bagi memastikan setiap calon yang memenangi kerusi tersebut dapat memberikan fokus sepenuhnya kepada kawasan konstituen yang telah dimenanginya.

“Malahan, ia turut dapat memastikan setiap wakil rakyat yang telah dipilih itu dapat memberikan tumpuan kepada setiap sesi persidangan Dewan Rakyat atau Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun).

“Tambahan lagi, SAMM Johor turut berpendapat, langkah sebegini berupaya untuk mengelak berulangnya masalah ketidakhadiran wakil- wakil rakyat pada sesi persidangan Dewan seperti apa yang berlaku semasa pembentangan Rang Undang-Undang Pembangunan Kampung Baru tempohari.

Setiap wakil rakyat tidak lagi dapat memberikan alasan sibuk dengan masalah di konstituen masing-masing ekoran terpaksa menggalas dua tanggungjawab menjadi Ahli Parlimen dan Adun dalam tempoh serentak,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan media.

Selain itu katanya, langkah memperkenalkan Satu Calon, Satu Kerusi ini merupakan langkah yang bijak dan tepat pada masanya, ketika Pakatan Rakyat sedang melahirkan harapan menguasai pentadbiran negara.

“Langkah ini berupaya membuktikan betapa Pakatan Rakyat sememangnya mempunyai ramai pemimpin-pemimpin yang berkualiti, mempunyai kredibiliti yang baik dan kompeten dalam melaksana tugas dan amanah yang diberikan oleh rakyat.

“Langkah ini juga menghapuskan persepsi bahawa Pakatan ketandusan pemimpin dan hanya bergantung kepada beberapa kerat nama semata-mata,” terang Ahmad Anwar.

Great Expectations at Pakatan convention

Pakatan Rakyat is on a high after Anwar Ibrahim’s acquittal but can the coalition harness this energy to topple Barisan Nasional?

ALOR SETAR: Pakatan Rakyat delegates for their national convention are on a high. Their leader Anwar Ibrahim has been acquitted of a sodomy charge, feuding leaders are ready to bury the hatchet and niggling differences within the coalition have been ironed out.

There is a sense of great expectations when some 2,000 delegates attend the convention at the Sultan Abdul Halim hall here tomorrow.

Although there is a possibility that the prosecution may appeal the High Court’s decision, there will be a sense of euphoria at the convention.

The coalition is ready to go back to brass tacks. Some delegates are all for the party returning to its original cry of “reformasi”.

They readily admit the party’s original intention was derailed by internal squabbles after the 2008 general election.

Penang PAS deputy commissioner II Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa was among the first to say that the party has gone through growing-up pains as they were new to governance.

Gone are the days of blindly condemning or opposing all policies. Pakatan must be now seen to have an edge over Barisan Nasional (BN).

Pakatan has had some trying times: the acrimonious relationship among PAS, PKR and DAP and finally the expulsion of Selangor PAS leader Hasan Ali .

Hasan ironically is the first PAS leader to be expelled since 1998. The former Selangor PAS commissioner was found guilty of going against the party’s policies and some of its leaders.

Also to be taken into account is that the four states under Pakatan rule have not been a shining example of leadership.

In Kedah, which is playing host to the convention, Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak is dogged with allegations of poor health, and his ability to administer the state has been questioned.

Pakatan in a bind

In Penang, the state DAP Indian faction is unhappy that its grouses are not effectively addressed by the state, triggering off the spat between chairman Karpal Singh and Prof Dr P Ramasamy, who is Deputy Chief Minister II and party’s deputy secretary-general.

In Selangor, the state government is dealing with below-par performances of its local authorities, an overly aggressive Islamic religious enforcement division and a perceived rift between state executive councillors and technocrat Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

While in the country’s oldest opposition held state – Kelantan – there is uncertainty whether its iconic Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat would continue leading as he is now 80.

At tomorrow’s convention, how much of these would the delegates selected to speak bring up?

Singapore-based political observer Jason Wong says Pakatan is in a bind as there is a feeling that it is a semi-government and semi-opposition party.

He pointed out that the people’s verdict on Anwar is not known yet. “The verdict would only be known in the general election. Many things can happen before the votes are cast.”

Pakatan must prove beyond doubt that the alliance is ready, so the momentum captured by the court’s decision, can become a decisive force in its march to Putrajaya.

Victorian man Mansor Almaribe heads home after Saudi lashing ordeal

Mansor Alamribe will arrive home tomorrow morning. Picture: Herald Sun.

A VICTORIAN man is heading home after being spared 425 lashes in Saudi Arabia where he was found guilty of blasphemy. 

Father-of-five Mansor Almaribe has already copped 75 lashes in horrid jail conditions since he was sentenced in November.

His family feared he would die because of his ailing health if the sentence was not waived.
Son Isaam Almaribe, 21, today told of his joy.

"We are feeling so happy - he is finally coming home," he said.

"We are all shocked because we have never been through this feeling before.

Isaam said the entire family would come together for an emotional reunion at the airport.
"We are just going to have a big party there for now," he said.


Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd was in regular contact with Saudi authorities begging for leniency.
Sharman Stone, federal MP for Murray, said community support for his release had been overwhelming.

"At that meeting (with Saudi officials) just before Christmas we presented petitions with hundreds of signatures of local and interstate people pleading for mercy and understanding, and the immediate release of Mr Almaribe,” she said.

Mr Almaribe, a Shi'ite Muslim, was detained while praying in the Sunni-dominated country while making the Hajj pilgrimage to Medina.

Mr Almaribe arrives in Melbourne tomorrow morning.

No Interlok withdrawal order at 80 schools

Karpal to Gani: Don’t get unduly concerned

Judgment by High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin was based on findings of fact and the call by the chief prosecutor to appeal is misplaced, says Anwar's lead counsel.

PETALING JAYA: Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail should not be unduly concerned over calls by the family of Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan to lodge an appeal against the acquittal of Anwar Ibrahim on a sodomy charge, said the opposition leader’s lead counsel Karpal Singh.

Karpal said this in response to calls by Saiful’s father, Azlan Mohd Lazim, who made an impassioned plea, urging the Attorney-General to appeal the High Court’s decision to set Anwar free.

Judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah freed Anwar on Monday due to uncertainty in the integrity of the DNA samples presented as evidence which may have been compromised.

Lead prosecutor, Solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, confirmed news reports that he had recommended that the Attorney-General appeal the judge’s verdict.

He told TV3′s Nightline English News early this morning that a decision to appeal was made after studying all related evidence in this case.

“As I mentioned before, the written judgment is not out. We have 10 days to appeal and that period would lapse before the written judgment is out. Therefore I have recommended that we appeal,” he told FMT when contacted today.

Asked if he would meet Gani in person to make the recommendation, Mohd Yusof said that he had already handed a written report to the head of the Appellate Unit within the Appellate and Trial Division in the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Closure for all parties

Mohd Yusof said the head of the head of Appellate and Trial Division may meet Gani to convey the recommendation.

“The call by Mohd Yusof for the Attorney-General to appeal High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah’s decision is misplaced,” said Karpal.

“While Gani has the discretion under Article 145(3) of the Federal Constitution to appeal against a criminal court’s decision, the three-year trial had taken a toll on Anwar and his family.”

Moreover, said Karpal, the judgment by Mohamad Zabidin was based on findings of fact and that an appellate court is usually slow to overrule in an appeal.

He added that there would be a closure for all parties when Gani decides not to appeal Anwar’s acquittal.

“It is in the interests of all concerned that there be closure to a trial which has been described by Court of Appeal judge, Abdul Malik Ishak, as the mother of all trials in Malaysia.”

M’sians don’t read papers because of bad reporting

Malaysia's poor education system and lazy reporting have led many to stop reading newspapers altogether.

KUALA LUMPUR: Local reporters have no idea of journalism and this has caused many Malaysians to avoid reading newspapers altogether.

A university don says this has led many reporters to be little more than transcribers.

Though restrictive media controls and political ownership of news outlets were at fault, Notthingham University professor Zaharom Nain (picture left) said that many reporters in the country were just lazy.

“Our writers or our reporters are unable to evalutate or analyse (in their news pieces). Yes, they have controls and editors who listen to owners, but a large part of it is due to plain laziness. They are unable to do more than just transcribe the thoughts of others.”

“Many journalists I know just go to press conferences and record what the minister is saying,” the media observer told FMT.

He said that journalists here failed to ask people critical questions, and as a result, could only come up with “superficial” news reports.

Earlier today, Zaharom was speaking at a forum entitled “Truth Matters: The Media and GE (general election) –13″ at UCSI (University College Sedaya International).

Zaharom used the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) scandal, and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil as an example.

“I don’t think very many journalists have asked Shahrizat: ‘You say you are not involved, but how can you as husband and wife not know what is going on?’,” he said.

Editors breathing down reporters’ backs with alleged lists of taboo questions in the newsroom were also a bane to newsmen in the country, Zaharom added.

It was no wonder, he added, that Malaysians were not reading the news. “People don’t believe what they’re reading in the newspapers anymore, because the stories are becoming so stale, and are so supportive of a regime that clearly needs to be criticised,” he added.

During the forum, Zaharom said: “People talk about how bad Utusan Malaysia is, but look at the Star, look at the New Straits Times, look at Berita Harian. I don’t think we’ve got anything to be proud of as a people in terms of what we get out of our newspapers.”

Gospel truth

USM professor Azman Azwan Azmawati (picture below) said that local reporters were also unable to write their stories according to context.

“Everything is located within a context, and you have political, social, economic, religion and so forth. But journalists don’t get to write in a way that communicates other messages to their readers,” she said.

Malaysians seemed to lack “media literacy”, which she explained, was understanding situations and turning them into reports.

However, Azman said that local readers were also to blame. Many Malaysians, she said, appeared to accept everything they read as the gospel truth.

“Readers here don’t think. I’m generalising, but most Malaysians won’t think. They just accept everything at face value. They do not scrutinise, they do not examine when they read.”

“They just believe everything they read and spread the word,” she said, adding that many locals only got their news from one source.

But the root cause of all this, she said, was Malaysia’s poorly-run education system. Students, she said, were raised from young to believe that everything their teachers said were right.

“Our education system has spoiled everyone’s mind to be conformist, accepting the status quo, and as a result, makes them scared to ask questions,” she said.

This habit, she said, was not easy to break, and would often carry on to journalism students, and onto the working world.

Hindraf launches global e-Petition against racism

Hindraf says it is targeting 100,000 people globally to be signatories of the petition to be forwarded to foreign bodies and governments.

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf Makkal Sakti has launched a global cyber e-Petition against Malaysia’s perceived racism.

The London-based Hindraf leader P Waythamoorthy said they are targeting some 100,000 people worldwide to be signatories of the petition, which would be forwarded to relevant international bodies and governments, including the US government and the European Parliament.

“We want to raise awareness and call on all Malaysians to join force with Hindraf to fight and eliminate racism in the country,” he told FMT here today.

The e-Petition’s main demand is for Putrajaya to repeal Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which Waythamoorthy claims was the “mother” of all Malaysian racist policies for the past 54 years.

He alleged that Article 153 has been the catalyst to transform Malaysia into a pervasive and increasingly aggressive racist nation, characterised by the doctrine of “Ketuanan Melayu” or Malay supremacy.
He said Article 153 was a brand of apartheid, which ran foul of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

The petition also calls on the Malaysian government to dismantle all racist policies and provisions, and treat alll Malaysians equally.

It calls on the federal government to take measures to ensure that all contentious matters involving Malaysians of other faiths be adjudicated in civil courts.

The petition also called on Putrajaya to form a royal commission to inquire and report on all racist policies and violations of religious freedom.

The petition wants the United Nations to make representations to Putrajaya on behalf of almost 12.5 million citizens of other faiths to be treated equally with dignity.

The site is available at  https://www.change.org/petitions/the-government-of-malaysia-dismantle-all-racist-policies-and-protect-religious-freedom-in-malaysia