Rights group blasts 'repressive' crackdown in Tunisia, birthplace of Arab Spring

By NBC News staff and wire reports

An international rights group called Monday for Tunisian prosecutors to drop charges against two sculptors for artworks deemed harmful to public order and good morals, a legal action seen as part of a clampdown on free speech in the country where the Arab Spring began.

Human Rights Watch said that the prosecution of artists Nadia Jelassi and Mohamed Ben Salem in Tunisia, the country whose protests against its longtime dictator helped set off similar uprisings across the Arab world, violated the right to freedom of expression because the works did not incite or discriminate.

"Time and again, prosecutors are using criminal legislation to stifle critical or artistic expression," Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

"Bloggers, journalists and now artists are being prosecuted for exercising their right to free speech," he added.

Protests
The works by Jelassi and Ben Salem were exhibited in a show in La Marsa in June, according to Human Rights Watch. The two, whose mixed-media work provoked protests during the exhibition, face up to five years in prison if convicted, the rights group said.

La Marsa is a coastal town north of the capital Tunis.

Jelassi's contribution was a work titled "Celui qui n'a pas …" ("He who hasn't …"). It includes sculptures of veiled women amid a pile of stones. Ben Salem’s work showed ants coming out of a child's schoolbag to spell the word "Allah," or God, according to Human Rights Watch.

Mother of Tunisian fruit vendor who sparked Arab Spring is arrested

In addition to protests outside the center, several works of art in the exhibition reportedly were damaged.

The two artists were informed by the investigative judge of the First Degree Court of Tunis in August that they face charges, Human Rights Watch said.

Veiled female news anchor marks wane of secular Egypt

The article of the penal code under which the two artists were charged make it an offense to "distribute, offer for sale, publicly display, or possess, with the intent to distribute, sell, display for the purpose of propaganda, tracts, bulletins, and fliers, whether of foreign origin or not, that are liable to cause harm to the public order or public morals," according to Human Rights Watch.

"Many Tunisians expected that repressive laws ... would not long outlast the dictator who adopted [them]," Goldstein of Human Rights Watch said.

Good Samaritan dies after stopping snatch theft

SUNGAI PETANI, Sept 4 — A father of three died of head injuries at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here today, two days after he gallantly overpowered one of two snatch thieves near here amid a debate on the country’s crime rate.

Kulim National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) assistant officer Mohd Majdi Abdul Hamid, 33, succumbed to his injuries at about 6am, Bernama reported today.

The victim, who was based at the AADK in Karangan, had fought for his life for two days after the 12.30pm incident in which he leapt at one of two snatch thieves escaping on a motorcycle in Bidong.

Mohd Majdi and one of the thieves then fell on the road, with the former sustaining serious head injuries and being warded at the hospital.

One of the snatch thieves was detained to facilitate investigations while his accomplice escaped.

Relating the tragic incident, Mohd Majdi’s mother-in-law, Che Amah Abdullah, 52, said the victim and his daughter, Nur Asma Nuha, were having lunch at a restaurant when one of the two snatch thieves grabbed a patron’s handbag.

“The thieves tried to make good their escape on a motorcycle but were forced to make a U-turn as their escape route via a train-crossing was closed.

“Mohd Majdi jumped and grabbed one of the duo but he sustained head injuries when they both fell to the ground,” she told reporters at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the victim’s wife, Norbaizura Rohim, 30, said her husband had served with AADK for nine years and that they had three children, Mohd Atib Naufal, six, Nur Asma Nuha, five, and Nahiz Nafiz, two.

“I am still reeling in shock. Nevertheless, I must stay strong to bring up the children on my own.”

Che Amah said she would assist her daughter to take care of the children, and described Mohd Majdi as a good, friendly and helpful son-in-law.

Mohd Majdi was buried at the Kampung Baru Muslim cemetery today.

His death came as opposition lawmakers continue to question crime statistics issued by the police and the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), the government’s efficiency unit, after a spate of incidents that seemed to contradict the image painted by its crime statistics.

The agency, along with the police and Home Ministry, has continued to stand by its claim that the country’s crime rate has dipped considerably since initiatives under the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) were put in place two years ago.

PEMANDU’s crime reduction national key results areas (NKRA) director Eugene Teh had in July released fresh statistics to show that index crime in Malaysia dropped by 10.1 per cent from January to May this year compared with the same period last year.

The agency had earlier released figures to show that index crime had dropped by 11.1 per cent from 2010 to last year while street crime dipped 39.7 per cent in the same period.

‘We’ll rape and torture your kids to death’

This is the threat made against an activist, whose husband made a YouTube video criticising the deputy premier and Negeri Sembilan MB.

PETALING JAYA: A social activist in Negeri Sembilan lodged a police report last week alleging that a man threatened to harm her children if they do not leave Malaysia in a week.

S Jaya, 39, who runs the Negeri Sembilan Community Welfare Association lodged the report with the Seremban police station on Aug 30, the same day her husband received the threat via post.

The NGO leader said the threat was related to her husband S Ravinthran’s three-part video series on YouTube criticising Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Mohamad Hassan.

“My husband highlighted several issues plaguing the people of Negeri Sembilan and Hasan’s mismanagement of the state but this is what we get,” an upset Jaya told FMT.

The letter is signed by one Muzaffir who claimed to be part of Geng Negeri Sembilan and Geng Perdana Menteri.

Muzaffir had threatened to rape and kill Jaya’s three young daughters if Ravinthran failed to apologise to Muhyiddin and Hasan for his criticism.

“Kalau kau tak keluar Malaysia, kami tangkap tiga ekor betina kau. 50 orang rogol setiap anak kau dan seksa anak-anak kau sampai mati [ if you don't leave mlaysia, we will catch your daughters. 50 people will rape each of them and we will torture them to death],” read the letter.

The mysterious sender also told Ravinthran to remove all videos and apologise to Muhyiddin and Hasan..

“Kami bagi kau tujuh hari untuk balik India. Setiap gerak-geri kau 24 jam kami awasi [we give seven days for you to return to India. We are watching your every move 24 hours day],” he added.

Jaya said that she was surprised that Muzaffir knew their house address as they just moved to the new place two weeks ago.

She also said that the sender knew where her three children, ranging from nine to six years old, were studying.

“Tomorrow is the deadline [on the threat] but the police have done nothing yet. What if something happens?” she asked.

Jaya urged Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to suspend Muhyiddin and Hassan pending an inquiry on the matter.

Husband beats, suffocates pregnant wife

CTV footages of a man beating a woman have been uploaded onto YouTube and Facebook, incurring the wrath of thousands of netizens
VIDEO INSIDE

PETALING JAYA: In a desperate bid to stand up for herself, a bruised and battered 19-year-old has turned to Facebook to share CCTV footages of herself being beaten relentlessly by her husband at a boutique in Ipoh.

“I am Amanda Fong Kim Yen, I’m 19 years old & I’m two months+ pregnant with Calvin Chik Foo Keong’s baby & I’m standing up for myself now,” the young woman wrote on her Facebook profile page at http://www.facebook.com/foxyfong.

“I would like to share my experience with all of you out there how abusive my husband is by beating me up terribly & he had been torturing me.”

The first video Fong uploaded on Aug 30 is almost 12 minutes long and depicts a man hitting, wrestling and throwing a girl around a shop for nearly the whole duration of the clip.

The silent footage, which an unknown user had also uploaded yesterday on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYTOYPJ17Yk , shows the petite, slender girl struggling and attempting to fight back.

But she is easily overpowered by the man, who is a head taller than her.

At one point, he can be seen stripping off his shirt, before proceeding to shove her onto a recliner and apparently smothering her with the shirt for several seconds.

“As you can see in this video he wouldn’t let me out from the shop even I went to press the door access,” Fong wrote in her post.

“He has put me under tremendous pressure, hurt, pain and & suffering. I cannot endure it anymore longer. I’m very tired of living this miserable life.

“I have been accused, suffered from humiliation, physically & mentally anguished.”

Relentless beating


According to the time stamp on the video, the scene took place on Aug 23 at 5.08pm. The boutique is owned by the couple.

The next day, Fong uploaded a second video which revealed a scene that took place an hour after the first ended.

Also over 11 minutes long, the clip, which is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYTOYPJ17Yk depicts the same man working alone behind the counter for a minute.

However, once the girl comes into the room, the couple quarrel and the relentless beating continues, only far more brutal.

“This is the second session after I came out from the toilet after vomiting,” Fong explained on her page.

“As you can see in this video again, he wouldn’t allow me to exit my shop & he snatched my phone to prevent me calling my mother and even beat me with the phone.”

But towards the end of the video, a woman Fong identified as her mother is seen entering the shop. The two hug and the older woman whisks the younger away, while the man stands by and watches.

“My mom had really saved my life, if it wasn’t for her…. I wouldn’t be here anymore,” wrote Fong.

‘You are so heartless’

In her most recent post, written at around 4pm today, Fong announced that she is slowly recovering from the wounds and injuries her husband caused.

“But whenever you see me, there will be scars all over my arms. I just hope things are coming into the right place,” she wrote in a post that received 191 likes so far and a slew of supportive comments.

Fong had previously uploaded 24 photos of the bruises and scars on her arms, shoulders, legs and around her collar bone. The photo album “Is this even called love when you are even becoming a dad” has over 2,000 shares.

But despite the fact that Fong appears to be safe now, the drama online has not abated.

Her husband Calvin Chik Foo Keong also has a Facebook profile
(http://www.facebook.com/calvenchik) which is flooded with comments by
furious users calling for his arrest and throwing around labels such as “stupid abuser” and “mad monster”.

“I could not even bear to watch without breaking into tears! How could you do such a thing!??? All I can say is. Heartless, you are so HEARTLESS,” wrote Facebook user Junyen Chong.

“I dunno you too, but watching the video makes me hardly describe how angry I am to a monster like you,” wrote another user by the name Mic Chew.

Despite the onslaught of furious comments, Chik has not defended himself nor denied his actions on his Facebook profile, preferring instead to accuse Fong’s mother of abusing Fong since she was 15.

Meanwhile, commenters on the Facebook page of the couple’s boutique (http://www.facebook.com/AmandaChikCouture) are expressing disgust at both Fong and Chik.

“Amanda… you real sohai disgrace us woman, next time use your eyes to pick a good lou kung instead of sacrifice your [expletive] for a rich [expletive] who beats woman,” Coco Ping wrote.

“Overall I agree with most people you chimpanzees along those social retards are a disgrace to the world,” wrote Timothy Wong.

‘Why don’t you stand, Ambiga?’

Two groups are calling for the Bersih co-chairperson to contest in the next general election, saying she can raise the standard of Parliament.

PETALING JAYA: She is one of the most adored and abhorred personalities, depending on political vantage points. But even her detractors possess a grudging respect for her courage.

In a nation which struggles with the bane of racial polarisation, she had managed to bridge the divide and her appeal transcended colour and creed.

And despite her poor grasp of the Tamil language, she had also become the sweetheart of the Indian community of all classes, causing concern for the lovelorn MIC.

But S Ambiga refuses to enter the political ring.

And after the 13th general election, the mother of two said she would relinquish her post in Bersih as well in order to allow the next echelon to spearhead the electoral watchdog.

The former Bar Council president said she would focus on other issues as well as concentrate on her legal practice.

Politics is a noble pursuit

However, the Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba) was adamant that Ambiga should not fade into oblivion or reduce her role.

According to its president, P Sivakumar, she should contest in the next general election as an independent candidate.

Ambiga, he added, would make an excellent politician and leader as well as serve as an inspiration to others to join in the fight at the frontline.

Commenting on her recent interview with FMT, in which Ambiga had urged voters to reject incompetent candidates, he asked: “Why doesn’t she stand?”

“Instead of telling us ‘don’t vote for this and that candidate’ and stress on the importance of competent candidates, she should stand and Malaysians of all races will vote for her.

“Politics is a noble pursuit but unfortunately it lacks noble people because these people don’t want to get involved. So the door is left open to unscrupulous politicians,” he said.

Sivakumar pointed out that Bersih and other civil society groups comprised numerous respected individuals who could raise the standard of Parliament if elected into the August House.

The current political climate, he said, made it possible to bring in more independent voices to raise the bar in Parliament.

“The civil society should capitalise on this call for change, where the political landscape is gravitating away from the traditional practice of party politics.

“The civil society should look into fielding distinguished Malaysians with a track record of serving the nation, people who are non-partisan,” he added.

He said since these individuals were not members of any political parties, they would receive the support of those who do not subscribe to both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Furthermore, he added, their views would be constructive for good governance.

No need to campaign

Meanwhile, the coalition of NGOs WargaAman concurred with Miba, stressing that it was time for the “Malaysian Iron Lady” to flex her political muscle.

Its secretary-general S Barathidasan said the country needed people like Ambiga in Parliament to usher in effective changes and to voice out for the people.

“She has proven herself many times to be a leader with nerves of steel when she was heading the Malaysian Bar as well as being the co-chairperson of Bersih,” he added.

Barathidasan also pointed out that Ambiga would not even need to hit the campaign trail should she decide to contest.

“Just make the announcement and put up her poster. She will win,” he said.

Telangana youth duped, stranded in Malaysia

NIZAMABAD, Deccan Chronicle

Almost 100 Indians, mostly from north Telangana districts, have been stranded in Malaysia for the last two days after they were duped by agents.
The gullible youth, most of them belonging to Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts went to Malaysia in the hope of employment there, only to discover that they had been cheated.
“I was promised a job in a hotel in Malaysia. The travel agent sent me there, but the experience was a nightmare,” said Sahadev Goud of Gummirial village in Morthad mandal, who returned to his native village from Malaysia on Sunday.
“We landed in Malaysia on a visit visa, but the authorities of Malaysia declared us illegal immigrants and asked us to leave the country,” he said. Others stranded in Malaysia were neither able to stay nor return to India, he explained.
The gullible youth of Telangana are soft targets for conmen posing as employment agents. They have been collecting Rs 80,000 from each person, assuring employment in Malaysia.
Lured by the promises of employment opportunities in hotels and restaurants there, the youth have been paying the demanded amount in the last few months and going to Malaysia.

Najib’s election dilemma — Bridget Welsh

SEPT 4 — When will Malaysia’s 13th general election (GE) be held?

Pundits continue to speculate on the election timing, with views ranging from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak making a surprise announcement to speculation that he will go the full term.

One thing is certain: the polls have to be held before the end of June next year. The person who appears most reluctant to hold the polls is Najib himself. He is now Malaysia’s longest serving prime minister without his own electoral mandate — either from his own party, Umno, that has not held elections since 2008 — or from Malaysians.

The pressure to call the polls and deliver a comfortable majority remains intense. Najib’s predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was forced to resign when he failed to win two-thirds of the parliamentary seats in the 2008 GE.

Based on fieldwork and polling, of the 222 seats up for grabs, 84 per cent of them are “competitive” — and with the Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition having about the same number of “safe seats”.

It is thus not surprising that Najib has repeatedly delayed facing the electorate. Multiple windows for the GE have been by-passed. Instead, Najib has worked diligently to earn popular support with the aim of tying his personal popularity to a victory for his ruling coalition.

DIMINISHING RETURNS

His clock is ticking, as there is less than a year left before the GE will have to be called. The longer Najib waits, the more uncertainty he faces, with the real prospect of diminishing electoral returns.

Part of this is a product of the hype surrounding the earlier windows to hold the election. By failing to call the polls on repeated occasions after the election machinery was ramped up and candidate lists forwarded, Najib fuels a possible perception of weakness, as the delays are read as a lack of confidence on his part.

Najib also opens himself up to further uncertainties. Each time the election has been put off, it has either been in the wake of a scandal revelation — such as the National Feedlot Corporation — or after a mass rally such as those involving the electoral reform movement Bersih.

A pattern has set in — where weaknesses in Najib’s political reform efforts have been showcased, only to lead to further efforts to reconsolidate support.

The question Malaysians are asking is what will come next. Most are saturated with stories of scandal and intrigue, but ultimately the longer the delay, the greater the possibility of further revelations and civil society mobilisation.

This was the pattern in 2007-2008 and it is already repeating itself, as illustrated by the recent protest against the controversial amendments to section 114A of the Evidence Act 1950. The changes presume that a person is guilty for anything written on their websites and social media mediums.

STATE OF THE ECONOMY

The most serious unknowns Najib faces with his delaying tactics involve the economy.

Malaysia has performed well in terms of growth under his watch — an average of 5.8 per cent growth in the three years. Yet the economy is closely tied to global trends.

Slowing growth in China, recession threats in Europe and a lacklustre economic recovery in the United States, cast real shadows on Najib’s political fortunes.

A slowdown is already evident, with third-quarter growth figures dropping to 5.4 per cent.

Najib’s government has also been unable to stave off the impact of global inflation. In the first six months of this year, stealthily but steadily prices for fuel have risen, with a 10-sen rise in the month before Hari Raya Puasa alone.

The attention to the economy calls into question Najib’s main strategy of using financial handouts to win support. Billions of ringgit have been doled out to constituents in a variety of forms, from vouchers to disadvantaged families to salary bonuses. More are expected in the upcoming Budget this month, the second year in a row the Budget will have been used as an apparent election primer.

While the influx of public sector cash in the economy has boosted consumption, little attention has centred on the long-term implications of short-term allocations and deficit spending.

Malaysia’s fiscal deficit has grown exponentially under Najib’s tenure from -5.6 per cent of gross domestic product in 2008 to -10.2 per cent last year.

CLOCK TICKING AWAY

In the midst of the myopic election focus, Najib’s efforts have stirred infighting within his own party, Umno.

Candidate hopefuls have been jockeying intensely, and this has intensified after the lists were forwarded this year. Positioning for candidacy has dominated attention, reinforcing the pressures on Najib to call the polls according to when different actors believe is “best”.

The longer the infighting goes on, the greater the political bruising will be within Umno.

Personally, economically and politically, Najib is caught in a political quagmire.

When he goes to the polls, he will face a fierce contest. And he will face real challenges to his position within Umno.

If he delays, conditions will reinforce a process of diminishing returns. The choice to delay has only served to heighten the pressure to perform.

As the countdown to the GE continues, Najib’s clock is ticking louder than ever. The next window ahead is early November and time will tell whether he will use this window to face the electorate. — Today

* Bridget Welsh is associate professor of political science at Singapore Management University. She spoke on the Malaysian general election on August 14 as part of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) Seminar Series.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

The Istana influence in politics

The Istana influence in politics and elections should not be downplayed or underestimated. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah understood this well when he said that the Rulers are the symbol of kedaulatan Melayu. Hitting out at the Rulers would be as ‘criminal’ as someone stepping on the Malaysian flag. What harm is there in stepping on the Malaysian flag? Has anything been lost?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysia’s 1990 general election was the worst election performance for the ruling party since 1969. Barisan Nasional won only 53.4% of the votes and 70.55% of the seats. The opposition, which won 46.6% of the votes, performed almost as good as it did in 2008 when it garnered 46.76% of the popular votes. The biggest blow to the ruling party, however, was that it got massacred in the state of Kelantan, which fell to the opposition and has remained opposition ever since.

DAP, which for the first time was in a loose coalition with Semangat 46 -- called Gagasan Rakyat -- won 20 Parliament seats. PBS, another Semangat 46 ‘partner’ in Sabah, won 14 seats while the Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah or APU coalition with PAS won 15 Parliament seats plus the Kelantan State Assembly.

Now, what is so special about the 1990 general election?

1990 was the first general election after the (second) Constitutional Crisis of the 1980s (there were two incidences in the 1980s but Umno lost the first one and won the second one). And in that Constitutional Crisis Annuar Musa, the Umno Chief for Kelantan, called the Kelantan Sultan stupid in a speech he delivered in Kelantan while Anwar Ibrahim called His Highness a smuggler (regarding the Lamborghini incident).

This infuriated the Sultan who openly declared war on Umno and which resulted in Umno getting whacked big-time. Even Umno members voted opposition in huge numbers.

Since then both Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Umno have learned their lesson. The Monarchy may be only a Constitutional Monarchy and without executive powers, and some may even view the Monarchy as outdated and no longer relevant, but the Malays still regard the Monarchy as a ‘sacred cow’ that should not be dragged though the mud -- just like how they feel about Islam, the Malay language and kedaulatan Melayu.

No doubt ‘modern’ Malaysians cannot grasp this ‘weird’ sentiment and they just do not understand why those ‘old’ values can still have a bearing on how Malays vote. This is, of course, a very ‘rural’ thing -- hence urban Malaysians would not understand this. But if you have lived in a kampong, like I did for 20 years from 1974-1994, then you will appreciate how the Malay mind works and what makes them tick.

I mean, you may not see the significance of Malay ‘values’ just like how Malays would not understand the significance of the colour red over white when you hand out ang pows during Chinese New Year. Every ethnicity has strange ‘values’ that the others do not understand.

The Istana influence in politics and elections should not be downplayed or underestimated. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah understood this well when he said that the Rulers are the symbol of kedaulatan Melayu. Hitting out at the Rulers would be as ‘criminal’ as someone stepping on the Malaysian flag. What harm is there in stepping on the Malaysian flag? Has anything been lost?

It is not the physical loss that people are concerned about but the significance or symbolism of that act. Stepping on the Malaysian flag means pissing on Malaysia. Hence ‘stepping’ on the Rulers (Raja-Raja Melayu) also means pissing on the Malays.

Strange, don’t you think so? I suppose no stranger than believing that white envelopes bring bad luck while red envelopes will make you rich and prosperous -- or that giving someone money in a white envelope during Chinese New Year equates to pissing on the Chinese. And isn’t the crucifix also about symbolism? If not then why can’t Muslims wear a crucifix? What ‘physical’ harm does it do?

I cautioned my friends in the DAP (YB Ronnie Liu can conform this) that the Selangor State Government has to step very cautiously when dealing with the Rulers. You can’t always say yes, no doubt, I told Ronnie. Sometimes you may need to say no. But you must know the ‘correct’ way of saying no so that 'no' is not taken as a rebuke or a snub.

And that is the most difficult thing whenever protocol is involved. And proper protocol ‘education’ is not something you are born with. It is something you acquire along the way. Even the underworld has certain protocol, which you need to observe. Just walking requires protocol as well because walking side-by-side, walking in front, and walking behind, mean different things and will send different messages (read: Rosmah Mansor).

But observing proper protocol requires putting aside egos. Observing proper protocol is an admission that you are subservient to convention. Walking upright into a room where an elder or senior is seated or walking slightly ‘bent’ means two different things. Gesturing or pointing with your finger and gesturing or pointing with your thumb also means two different things.

Those of you who complain that you were extorted or beaten up by triad members back in your schooldays in the 1960s probably failed to understand the importance of protocol -- the correct and incorrect hand gestures, when to and when not to have eye-to-eye contact, etc.

Yes, even the underworld practices protocol, as does the Istana. And if you need to deal with the Istana you had better learn the proper manners or else limit your dealings as far as possible. Of course, when you are in government this is not always a choice open to you.

I know…I know…many of you are now going to say that you don’t care a damn and that this is so feudalistic and outdated and whatnot. That is well and fine maybe from where you sit. But when the majority of the Malays are still feudalistic and when many of the seats are Malay-majority seats it matters. And let us not discover the hard way like Umno did in 1990 that what they thought does not matter, in fact, does matter and then we pay a heavy price for our arrogance and ignorance.

Oh, and one more thing, Anwar Ibrahim, alongside Dr Mahathir, of course, is viewed as an enemy of the Monarchy. Hence it is even more important for Anwar to not rub the Istana the wrong way. Between Najib Tun Razak -- an ‘orang Istana’ -- and Anwar, the Rulers would rather see Najib as Prime Minister. So be warned.

  THE ANTI-MONARCHISTS OF THE 1980S CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

Jangan jadi orang yang 'perkosa' masjid

KUALA LUMPUR: Usaha menghalang masjid daripada disuburkan dengan risalah-risalah Allah merupakan satu usaha yang zalim dan tidak bertamadun.

Pengerusi Sekretariat Himpunan Ulama Rantau Asia (Shura), Ustaz Abdul Ghani Shamsudin, berkata jika seseorang itu melakukan usaha bagi menghalang dakwah Allah, maka ia akan berdepan dengan tindakan Allah itu sendiri d akhirat kelak.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas kejadian serangan di sebuah masjid, di Alor Setar, ketika Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyampaikan tazkirah Maghrib, baru-baru ini.

"Umat Islam sepatutnya menyedari segala perkara dalam dunia ini berkaitan, orang yang tidak berilmu akan menjadi jahat, dan begitu sebaliknya. Dalam Islam, siapa yang ingin perkasa, perlu dengan Allah, kalau tidak jadi pekasam," tegas beliau kepada Harakahdaily, hari ini.

Tambah beliau, setiap seorang yang ingin memperkasakan diri ia perlu bersama Allah, kerana hanya dengan Allah ia akan jadi perkasa.

Sambil menyatakan kekesalan terhadap insiden berkenaan, Ustaz Ghani yang juga Ahli Majlis Syura Ulama PAS, gangguan terhadap rumah Allah itu satu perbuatan yang biadap, lebih-lebih lagi ketika tazkirah dijalankan.

"Kalau mereka tidak mahu mendengar tazkirah tersebut, keluarlah dengan baik. Ini tidak, setelah membuat bising di dalam dan setelah diminta keluar, berterusan membuat bising. Ini tidak bertamadun," kata beliau yang turut berada di masjid berkenaan.

Sedangkan, tambah beliau ketika itu tazkirah dijalankan oleh seorang yang dikenali dan pernah menjadi pemimpin negara suatu ketika dahulu yang begitu dikenali ramai.

Menurutnya lagi, mengganggu majlis dengan membuat andaian dan tuduhan yang bermacam-macam tanpa sebarang bukti hanya menunjukkan sikap yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

Justeru, beliau menasihatkan mana-mana pihak yang gemar 'memperkosa' majlis agama ini agar menghentikan perbuatan tersebut memandangkan perbuatan tersebut akan berdepan dengan tindakan Allah SWT di akhirat kelak.

"Nasihat saya, jangan jadi orang yang perkosa masjid. Kalau nak jadi perkasa, kena bersama-sama dengan Allah, baru perkasa. Bukan jadi perkosa," tegas beliau.

Police release photos of those involved in brandishing flags

The Sun Daily 
by Charles Ramendran, Alyaa Alhadjri & Hemananthani Sivanandam

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 3, 2012): Police today released photographs of 11 people being sought over incidents at Dataran Merdeka on the eve of National Day, including one where flags were brought allegedly to replace the Jalur Gemilang.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk SAC II Ku Chin Wah said those identified by police will be called up to have their statements recorded.

The photos were released as those involved had not responded to a call by police to assist in their investigations.

He said the photos have also been uploaded on to KL police's Facebook account.

Ku said to date a total of 39 police reports have been lodged nationwide on the "Janji Demokrasi" event attended by several thousand people on Thursday night.

Despite police not getting any response, two bloggers have admitted in their weblogs that they had carried the "Sang Saka Malaya" – a red-and-white flag with a yellow crescent moon and 11-pointed star – on Thursday night.

However, they denied they had called for the Jalur Gemilang to be replaced but claimed the flag was brandished to represent the struggles of early left wing political parties against the British during the pre-Independence era.

They also denied being responsible for the distribution of some pamphlets calling for the Jalur Gemilang to be replaced with the Sang Saka Malaya.

Apart from the flag-waving offence which is being probed under the Sedition Act, police are also investigating two other possible offences in relation to acts of indecency and disrespecting a national leader.

Several individuals were captured on photo mooning and trampling on the photos of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Meanwhile, constitutional law expert Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi voiced the view that any proposal to amend "semi-sacred" national symbols, including the Malaysian flag, could be "acceptable."

"I do not know for sure what took place or whether the group had any intention to disrespect the flag, but a proposal to replace the national flag is not a constitutional issue" he told theSun.

"A change can be proposed provided it is done respectfully and through the proper channels," said Shad Faruqi, who noted that the tempo of the national anthem had also been changed to make it more upbeat.

"There are other non-emotional ways of doing things ... either through the Parliament, through the judiciary or even raising the idea in letters to the editor in newspapers," he added.

One of the bloggers known only as "Singa Selatan" who admitted to being one of the individuals brandishing the Sang Saka Malaya flag about that night claimed the action was to highlight some historical facts.

He said the Sang Saka Malaya, was first used in 1938 by the Kesatuan Melayu Malaya which later evolved into the left-leaning Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) in 1945.

It claimed to be involved in the struggles for independence, but the PKMM along with several other political parties were labelled as communist symphatisers and banned in 1948 when the state of Emergency was declared.

If the Emergency laws were still in place, the waving of the PKMM flag may be an offence, but several laws enacted as part of the Emergency Ordinance have since been repealed.

As such, Bar Council constitutional law committee chairman Syahredzan Johan said the only possible charge would be under the Sedition Act, but even so, it would be "difficult to prove."

"There are no specific provisions under the Act which says proposing to change the (national) flag is seditious, so they would need to look at other areas to prove if there were any seditious tendencies," he added.

Criminal Investigations Director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin had on Sunday said the incident is being probed under the Sedition Act for sowing animosity among the races.

Bakri said Gabungan Janji, a coalition of 47 NGOs as organisers of the Janji Demokrasi rally, was also being investigated for failing to notify the police of the gathering at least 10 days prior to the event.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said if there was any evidence that the youths have committed the offence, they should be charged as such "despicable behaviour" should not be allowed.

"If they have committed an offence and we do not charge them, we will be giving the wrong signal to the public," said Nazri who is also the de facto Law Minister.

"It is not a trivial matter! It is about the symbols of the country.

"If they carried, say a Manchester United flag, it is okay because it is not displacing our national flag, but this Sang Saka flag does not represent the flag of other countries…

"The only reason I can think of is that they intend to replace our national flag," he added.

Hamzah's Demise A Big Loss For Malaysia - Zolkples

From Farhanah Azmi

LONDON, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has lost a sports icon following the death Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, said National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong.

"His passing is a huge loss for Malaysian sports. During his lifetime, Tan Sri Hamzah was an influential figure in the sports world.

"He was also highly respected locally and worldwide. His loss is also very sentimental for the NSC because it was through him that the NSC was created," he told Bernama here.

According to Zolkples, the NSC was the brainchild of Hamzah when the latter held the post of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 1971 till 1973.

Hamzah, a National sports icon and Olympic Council of Malaysia's Honorary Life President, passed away at 3.30pm today at his house in Staffield Country Resort, Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, due to old age.

What they didn’t tell you about Tg Tokong, Jelutong Expressway land deals

Some details of land deals under the BN revealed.
Excerpt of a statement from the CM yesterday:

BN sold 980 acres of prime land In Tanjung Tokong at RM1 per square foot and 325 acres of Jelutong Expressway reclaimed land at RM20psf.
Land sales by open tender is public knowledge as they are advertised publicly. The open tenders of land sales by PR state government in getting the highest price above market value is a direct contrast to land sales by the previous BN government. For instance in the Tanjong Tokong Reclamation, under Agreements dated 1990 & 1999, the developer was given the right to reclaim and develop 980 acres of land off Tanjong Tokong at the price of RM 1 per square foot!
As for the Jelutong Expressway, under Agreements dated 1997, 2002 & 2003, the developer was given the right to reclaim 325 acres of land in exchange for constructing the Jelutong Expressway at an estimated cost of RM300 million and payment of RM25.4 million. In other words, the total cost is RM325.4 million for 325 acres or the cost of reclaimed land at Jelutong Expressway is RM 1 million per acre or over RM 20 per square feet. What’s more the developer can pay RM 25.4 million over 10 years from 2005 up to 2015 – surely a record for length of payment period.

Then there was the sale of 750 acres of prime land in Batu Kawan, to little known but well connected Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd. The site lies right next to the area where the second Penang bridge begins on the mainland,
Who were all the parties involved in these deals? Were proxies used? I think a thorough investigation is needed to get to the bottom of these deals and to find out how much, if at all, the state has lost as a result of all these deals. This is land that could have been used by the state for affordable housing.

Judges block Malaya killings probe

Relatives of unarmed Malaysian rubber plantation workers killed in 1948 have lost their appeal over the decision not to hold an inquiry

Two High Court judges have blocked attempts to force a public inquiry into the killing of 24 Malaysian rubber plantation workers by British troops more than 60 years ago.
Victims' relatives described the shootings at Batang Kali, Malaya, in December 1948 as a "massacre" and judges said allegations against members of the Scots Guards were "as serious as it is possible to make".
But Sir John Thomas - president of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court, who sat with Mr Justice Treacy - said it would be "very difficult at this point in time" to establish whether the shootings were "deliberate executions".
 
Judges said the cost of an inquiry would be "materially greater" than £1 million and said it was "very questionable" whether "much can be learnt".

British soldiers were conducting operations against communist insurgents during the "Malayan Emergency" when the plantation workers were killed, judges heard.

Relatives said there was enough evidence to justify an official investigation and asked judges to overturn a Government decision not to hold an inquiry.

Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Philip Hammond opposed the relatives' application, arguing that the decision not to hold an inquiry was lawful.

Judges on Tuesday ruled in the Government's favour following a hearing in London in May. Relatives said they would appeal.
Sir John, in a written ruling handed down at a hearing in London, said "there are obviously enormous difficulties in conducting an inquiry into a matter that happened over 63 years ago". Sir John said decisions taken by Mr Hague and Mr Hammond not to set up an inquiry were "not unreasonable".
Solicitor John Halford, who represents victims' families, said after today's hearing, that relatives would appeal. Mr Halford, from law firm Bindmans, added: "The survivors and families of the Batang Kali massacre will continue to pursue legal action."

Malay group flays Najib over MRT tender awards

The Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM) has slammed Prime Minister Najib Razak on the issuing of MRT tenders, saying its  members were sidelined and unqualified contractors were awarded jobs.
“Of the (tenders for the) RM36 billion MRT project, we have got absolutely nothing.

“Those who have (received contracts) are instead outsiders.
"They have failed to deliver trains, but are given the MRT project,” chamber president Syed Ali Alattas (left) told a press conference after a roundtable forum in Kuala Lumpur today.

However, Syed Ali did not refer to any specific MRT tender and called on Najib to not repeat such behaviour in future.

“So, with all this, we ask the PM not to always indulge in all this funny business,” he said.

“Otherwise the future generations may get angry with the government,” Syed Ali added.
'Maintain equity in strategic GLCs'
However, Syed Ali's statements differed from the that of the Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju), which said 47 percent of the MRT project was offered to bumiputera contractors and that this was way above the initial target of 43 percent.

The DPMM president also called on Najib to ensure that the government would maintain its majority equity in government-linked firms involved in strategic industries such as public utilities.

Syed Ali  also wants the government to reclaim control of privatised GLCs that exhibit management problems.

"UDA (Urban Development Authority) is now under Khazanh as a corporate entity. It should have been made a government-controlled agency again," he said.

Syed Ali also pressed the government to offer GLCs in which direct public interest was not involved, such as Syarikat Penerbitan Negara (National Printing Company), to be taken over by DPMM entrepreneurs.

An open letter to my non-Malay friends

By Iqbal Abdullah, 
This piece is meant to be read alongside "An open letter to my Malay friends" published on Malaysiakini on August 31st, 2012.

Malaysia is a powerful idea, which is still believed by Malaysians far and wide, no matter how long they have been away from her. This idea will only remain a dream if all of us, as Malaysians, do not work together to make this idea into a reality. This is the reason I am writing this open letter to my Non-Malay friends.

First of all I would like to congratulate all my fellow Malaysians on Tanah Melayu's 55th year of Independence from the British, which finally led to Malaysia's Independence as a whole.

Like most of you, I too believe Malaysia is already at a crossroad. What turn we take next, will depend on you, my dear Non-Malay friends.

You, my dear non-Malay friends, hold a very important key to deciding Malaysia's future, which without, will only condemn our Malaysian idea to only an unfulfilled dream.

No matter what other fellow Malaysians who have left think about non-existent opportunities in Malaysia, Forbes on the other hand tells us that at least in 2006, within the top 40 wealthiest people in Malaysia, only 10 of them are Malay, or bumiputera.
With or without the "Bumiputera special privileges" they talk so much about, the top eight of the wealthiest people in Malaysia are in-fact non-Malays, while the wealthiest of them all is a Chinese.

Our state of Penang chief minister is a non-Malay. Try and go to any of these economically successful persons and ask them if they had any lack of opportunities to succeed. I am pretty sure they will tell you otherwise.

Economically, my non-Malay friends have always been ahead. In 1970, the bumiputera only had 2% of the economy, while the chinese had 33% and the rest were held by foreigners.
After 34 years in 2004, even though the bumiputera makes 60% of the population, economic ownership has only increased to 19%.

Though we see the advances made by our Malay friends, my non-Malay friends have gone further ahead: They successfully increased their ownership of national wealth beyond the 40% mark.

This hold on the economy by my non-Malay friends have directly or indirectly limited opportunities available to our Malay friends.

It is perhaps due to the nature of our non-Malay friends to limit their sphere of influence to their own race. It is the norm to have "Chinese only" or "Mandarin required" open position adverts regardless if the job is only as an IT technician or even a lorry driver.

The fact that the Mandarin or "becoming Chinese" subjects were not compulsory requirements in our education doesn't seem lost. Thus economically, our non-Malay friends have a bigger say to promote changes in Malaysia.

Due to the bigger economic clout my non-Malay friends have, they are able to afford a higher level of education not easily accessible to my Malay friends. It makes sense when we see that 80% of the overseas Malaysians are non-Malays.

For the Malays, having an opportunity for an overseas education will most of the time equal to having some sort of scholarship somewhat, most of the time from the government.

After 55 years of independence, this is somewhat still true. The income disparity between Malays and non-Malays is still apparent.
Chinese households earn an average of twice more than the Malay household in Malaysia.

It is then only natural that we need the collective intellectual input of these high learning non-Malay friends to build our country to further Malaysia's greatness.

Unfortunately at the same time, Cuepecs tells us that due to the lack of interest of our non-Malay friends to help out in the government, in 2012 out of the 1.2 million applications to work for the government, only 2.1% are from our Chinese friends (These are only applications, not the number of accepted applications!).

Their reasons of not joining are because of low pay, and because they want high ranking positions if they enter the civil service.

Nurul Izzah, the current MP for Lembah Pantai said "one Malaysian regardless of race, who has left the country...is a loss to us. They should be here celebrating, to improve the economy. I detest many people trying to singularly find out whether they are Malays, Chinese or Indians."

My sentiments too exactly. Race is a non-issue. Unfortunately, this is not shared by my non-Malay friends. In a 2006 opinion poll by the Asia Foundation found out that a majority of the Chinese correspondents put ethnic first before nationality, while the majority of Malay correspondents put their religion first before nationality.

On the other hand, my ethnically Indian friends, overwhelmingly identify themselves as Malaysian first before their ethnicity.

This might explain why we have all sort of things happening where the identity and pride of the race is more important than the aspirations of the nation itself, such as Dong Zong demands for the SRJK(C) school to have only 100 percent teachers trained in Mandarin for its schools.

There was also a non-Malay friend of mine who questioned why was he unable to register his name officially at the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara in Chinese characters.

He specifically pointed out the fact that he could do it in Japan (where he worked) but not in his home country, and this equals to discrimination and double standards practised in the country.

Another non-Malay friend of mine, who happened to be a staunch supporter of "Bersih", cursed an ethnic Chinese policeman who was doing his job protecting our prime minister from demonstrators, saying that the policeman is a disgrace to his race and demanding that the policeman ask forgiveness from his ancestors.

All and any issue that we have in Malaysia is not caused by one race alone.
One portion of our people are too scared that they will be coolies in their own country due to their lack and inability for more economic control, while another portion of our people are building walls around themselves due to their fear that their deemed as superior identity and so-called 'rights' will be overruned.

Unfortunately, the former has very little room to help out in the economic front because their involvement is too limited, while the latter has little say on how the country is being run because they are uninterested to take part in the system, more so when they deem that doing so is a degrading thing to do.

What saddens me most is that everyone complains and screams of injustice but when you look at it a little bit closer, no one is really making an effort of taking part and working together with their fellow countrymen to build the country.

We then take to the streets calling the fight the "good fight for justice" and making comparisons to Myanmar or even the Arab Spring.

And the brain drain? I am not really worried about this. The world is too small now. AirAsia has made it possible for you to get to the other side of the world without much effort.

You can always contribute back to your motherland wherever you are at, just like how the Leong San Tong Khoo Kongsi in Penang used to send money back to Fujian in China.

Monetarily, you can always send money back to your family in Malaysia, or even start a small business in Malaysia to support your overseas business, and pay corporate tax. More importantly, you can train Malaysians with the knowledge and skills you have gained abroad.

If it means that you would have to forgo your connections and opportunities outside of Malaysia to come back and contribute, it would actually be best that you stay wherever you are, and contribute remotely to your motherland.

When there's a will, there will always be a way.

When the time comes though, we should all be back to put our votes in the ballots, or do that at your nearest Malaysian mission (they plan to pass a law so you can do this).

Our democracy unfortunately does not recognise "voting by feet", no matter how strong you root for Malaysia. Doing that doesn't really change things much. We need to put papers into ballot boxes, in order to make a difference in this democracy.

So my dear non-Malay friends, every Malaysian, regardless of our skin colour, are responsible to make the Malaysian Idea a reality. The time all of us should have realized this has passed. It is not a zero-sum game.
It has never been, and it will never be a "we against them" issue. No matter how hard you try to build walls around yourself, none of us will be going away any time soon. There is only "us" in this land.

Anwar mohon mahkamah ketepi pertuduhan bawah PAA

Strong demonstrations were staged by HJS at Town Hall, Bangalore against the ban on HJS website

Bangalore (Karnataka) : Strong demonstrations were staged by HJS at Town Hall, Bangalore against the ban on HJS website ‘www.Hindujagruti.org’ imposed by the Central Government without giving any prior notice. Samiti’s Bangalore City Co-ordinator Sri. Chandra Moger addressing the Society said, "The Home Minister said that in the name of Assam violence Bangladeshi infiltrators in Assam are sending threatening messages in Mumbai, Lucknow and Kashmir provoking the violence and creating a critical situation in society and mind behind this is Pakistan and its proofs will be shortly given to Pakistan."

Further, Mr. Chandra Moger said "Due to the threatening and warning messages and SMS people from Assam started running back to their native. Government did not do anything to protect them nor did they took any action against the websites (i.e websites like RAZA Academy, Jamat–e-Islami, Popular Front of Inida, etc) which were spreading the rumors and sending violent information thus making the situation critical. Also Government did not take any action on Moulas who were preaching violence to Muslims. Instead the Central Government without giving any prior notice banned the www.Hindujagruti.org which is dedicated to awaken the devotion and respect towards Nation. This shows the Central Government's hatred towards Hindus.

On www.Hindujagruti.org we explored the truth behind the violence created in Mumbai, Lucknow and Kashmir due to showing fake photos created by Infiltrators. By this we helped the Government and Police Department. However Central Government instead of stopping the Bangladeshi infiltrators in Assam and punishing the Muslims who created violence and damaged National property in Mumbai banned the www.hinjugaruti.org website as Government is trying to do some thing on this Situation."
Mr. Chandra Moger on behalf of HJS demanded the central Government should immediately withdraw the ban on Hindu Janajaguti Samiti’s website. Around 80 activists participated in the protest.

Arab men rush in: Syrian beauties left homeless make prize brides

Movie still: The Syrian Bride

It began with rumors of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence in Jordan and has spread across the Arab world. Syrian refugees, particularly those of the young and female variety, are becoming a commodity for Arab men, with many offering to marry those in need.

But don’t be fooled: this is not a purely altruistic gesture. Syrian women are known as the beauties of the region and having run away from the massacres of their own country they are left vulnerable and needy. Men who would otherwise have no chance with these highly sought after ladies have been opportunistically taking their chances.

Now the backlash has begun and Syrian activists have launched a campaign on social media networks calling for the marriage proposals to come to a halt. The campaign, established by Syrian activist Miznah Duraid, under the name ‘Refugee Captives’, aims to educate Syrian parents to stop them marrying off their daughters for the sake of a stable home.

Left in terrible financial circumstances, these refugees are also more likely to agree to a disagreeable marriage in exchange for a ‘bride price’ paid by the groom to the family. Duraid says he is not only blaming the Syrians for the situation and is also trying to educate Arab men about "the pitfalls of marrying a Syrian woman".

The activist said that although these men think they are being ‘helpful’ by marrying a refugee, these shotgun weddings don’t make the basis for a happy family life.

“It is also not guaranteed that the husband won't repeat his "helpfulness" by seeking marriage from another female refugee,” he added.

Others have pointed out that no other refugee crisis in the Arab world has had this effect on the Middle East’s men. Moayad Eskeef is another Syrian campaigner keen to highlight the issue. Tongue-in-cheek he pointed out - if these men are so keen to marry a refugee why aren’t there a deluge of Sudanese-Arab marriages?

Intolerance growing in South Punjab: Report

Report by the Minority Rights Commission states minorities in the region have been living in fear of persecution. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

ISLAMABAD: South Punjab, perhaps the most impoverished region of the province, has little to offer to its religious minorities.

With growing discrimination and a flawed registration system, members of minority communities in the region have been living in fear of persecution, according to a report by the Minority Rights Commission.

Over 0.25 million non-Muslims live in five districts of south Punjab – Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan, Layyah and Khanewal.

As a result of increasing persecution and discrimination, members of the Hindu community in the region are being forced to convert to Islam. Non-Muslim women are also being forced to change their religion and marry Muslim men.

According to the report, this new trend of forced conversions and forced marriages is on the rise in South Punjab, particularly in Rahim Yar Khan and adjacent areas.

School admissions refused

The report further revealed that growing intolerance and flaws in registration processes is shutting the doors to education for minorities in the region.

In Rahim Yar Khan, members of minority communities, particularly Hindus, are unable to register their children in government schools, which have refused admissions due to the absence of birth certificates.

Furthermore, without Computerised National Identity Cards, over 150,000 non-Muslims have been unable to register their children for secondary school examinations since 2001.

Hindus are also unable to get their marriages registered in the absence of formal laws in the country.

Land grabbers

Furthermore, the report claims that in Muzaffargarh district, land grabbers have snatched hundreds of acres of cultivated land from Christian families, who have been tilling the land for the last 35 years. Over 20,000 non-Muslims reside in the district.

Balmiki Hindus, a sect of the religion, are facing their own share of alleged highhandedness by Muslims in Multan, where the community has lost their ancestral graveyard to the land-grab mafia.

Multan has allegedly attracted the binary attention of jihadis and religious fanatics due its significance as the new hub of political power and economic activity.

The Auqaf Department in Multan receives millions of rupees as rent from the commercial properties of Hindus, but the money is spent on Muslim, instead of Hindu, festivals, the report claimed.

The minority community has staged demonstrations against this injustice but authorities concerned have failed to take any action so far.

False accusations

Layyah district, where over 20,000 non Muslims reside, is also witnessing a peculiar trend of false accusations of desecration of the holy Quran and blasphemy against minorities.

A majority of non Muslims in Shantinagar, Khanewal district, have been living in fear since decades. In 1997, 900 houses burnt out in a village in the area after it was alleged that pages of the Holy Quran were burned by local non Muslims.

The quota for non Muslim women in government jobs in the district has also been restricted.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2012.

Wira Perkasa akui halang Anwar berceramah

Kejadian itu tidak akan berlaku jika Ketua Pembangkang itu tidak menggunakan masjid sebagai medan untuk memecahbelahkan perpaduan orang Islam dan Melayu.

PETALING JAYA: Wira Perkasa (Persatuan Peribumi Perkasa Malaysia) mengakui mereka bertanggungjawab dalam menghalang Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim daripada menyampaikan tazkirah Maghrib di sebuah masjid di Seberang Pumpong, Alor Star, Kedah semalam.

Di dalam kejadian tersebut, beberapa ahli Perkasa berhimpun dan memulakan provokasi ketika Anwar hendak menyampaikan tazkirah di mimbar masjid.

Ahli Perkasa itu bertindak samseng dengan memadamkan lampu masjid dan alat pembesar suara berulangkali, memaksa Anwar menggunakan ‘loud hailer’ untuk meneruskan kuliahnya.

Kumpulan terbabit juga turut melontar kasut ke dalam masjid ketika tazkirah disampaikan.

Naib Presiden PAS, Datuk Mahfuz Omar yang berada di masjid itu berkata, beliau turut menjadi sasaran apabila kasut yang dibaling hampir-hampir mengenai beliau.

Ketika dihubungi FMT, Ketua Wira Perkasa Pusat, Irwan Fahmi berkata, kejadian itu tidak akan berlaku jika Anwar tidak menggunakan masjid sebagai medan untuk memecahbelahkan perpaduan orang Islam dan Melayu.

“Kenapa Anwar menggunakan masjid untuk berpolitik? Masjid bukan tempat untuk berceramah politik. Masjid adalah tempat untuk membuat amal ibadat.

Dakyah politik

“Bukankah Kedah diperintah oleh Pakatan Rakyat? Mereka boleh menggunakan stadium atau dewan tanpa sebarang halangan. Tiada sebab untuk mereka menyebarkan dakyah politik di masjid itu.

“Perbuatan Anwar itu lebih dajal daripada dajal. Anwar memaksa kami untuk bertindak. Halangan itu dilakukan oleh Wira Kedah sendiri.

“Ini menunjukkan kesatuan anak negeri itu untuk menghalang Anwar daripada terus memecahbelahkan perpaduan orang Islam dan Melayu. Tiada penglibatan daripada Wira Perkasa Pusat”, katanya.

Apabila ditanya mengenai kejadian baling kasut pada malam itu, Irwan berkata beliau masih tidak pasti dan agak kesal dengan kejadian tersebut serta masih menunggu laporan penuh daripada Ketua Wira Kedah.

Menurutnya lagi, Perkasa telah membuat laporan polis di IPD Dang Wangi semalam, berkenaan dengan isu cubaan untuk menukar bendera Malaysia, Jalur Gemilang dengan Sang Saka Malaya yang direka oleh Timbalan Ketua Penerangan Angkatan Muda Keadilan, Najwan Halimi.

“Perbuatannya sangat melampau. Perkasa menggesa agar kerajaan menarik balik kerakyatannya. Dalam mesyuarat semalam juga kami telah sepakat untuk menggesa pihak yang berwajib agar melucutkan kerakyatannya dan laporan polis telah dibuat semalam”, katanya.

Berkenaan dengan kejadian memijak gambar Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Irwan menjelaskan, mereka mengutuk dan menentang tindakan itu, bukan disebabkan Najib, tetapi kerana Najib adalah Perdana Menteri Malaysia.

Don’t jump the gun, DAP man tells detractors

V Ganabatirao dismisses objections against the possibility of him being fielded in Kota Alam Shah.

PETALING JAYA: Selangor DAP official V Ganabatirao today admonished those calling on the party not to field him for the Kota Alam Shah state seat, saying they were jumping the gun.

Reacting to statements by eight DAP branch leaders in Selangor, he said the objection was premature because the party had yet to announce the names of candidates for the coming election.

“I myself do not know whether I will be fielded to contest in Kota Alam Shah,” he told FMT. “Candidacy is decided by the central executive committee. It is too premature to speculate.”

Yesterday, the leaders of DAP branches in Taman Gembira, Klang, Teluk Pulai, Bayu Tinggi, Taman Chi Liung Indah, Southern Klang, Persiaran Raja Muda Musa and Ehsan said they were against Ganabatirao’s candidacy in Kota Alam Shah because he was not a local man familiar with the grassroots.

They warned the party that it would lose the seat if it were to field him there.

Ganabatirao is Selangor DAP’s legal bureau chief. He is also a director in the state-owned Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd and an aide to Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim.

The Kota Alam Shah seat is currently held by M Manoharan, also from DAP. Both Ganabatirao and Manoharan rose to prominence as among the early leaders of Hindraf and were imprisoned under the Internal Security Act for their part in the massive 2007 demonstration in the streets of Kuala Lumpur against the marginalisation of Indians.

Ganabatirao currently holds the post of advisor to Malaysian Indian Voice, an NGO linked to Pakatan Rakyat.

He rejected his detractors’ claim that members of the eight Selangor branches were against his candidacy in Kota Alam Shah, saying the branch leaders were had their own agenda and were expressing their personal opinions.

“The objections are individual opinions of people with their own agenda,” he said. “The objections are not resolutions from the branches.”

Another DAP official confirmed that the party had not finalised its candidates’ list for Selangor.

Delay polls and risk punishment

The Bersih leader takes the prime minister to task for delaying the general election with no good reason, describing this as disconcerting and irresponsible.

KUALA LUMPUR: In 2009, Najib Tun Razak took over the leadership reins after his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi relinquished the post following Barisan Nasional’s biggest electoral setback to date.

Najib and his retinue of advisers had the unenviable task of reversing the political fortunes of the ruling coalition, which seemed to suffer from an incurable perception malaise.

But during his initial period in office, the prime minister appeared to be pressing the right buttons, his popularity soared and speculations of a snap polls were rife.

However, Malaysians still remained in the dark about the 13th general election, with the latest talk being that the polls would be held in November, on the 11th, which happened to be Najib’s lucky number.

Those close to Najib argue that the premier was being cautious while the grapevine had it that intelligence reports painted a bleak picture for BN.

Describing this as both “disconcerting and irresponsible”, Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga warned Najib that the continued delay could prove to be perilous for him and BN.

She said that it would not come as a surprise if the voters, including the fence-sitters, punished him for this feet-dragging in the next polls.

“I understand it is the Westminster system and it is the prerogative of the prime minister. But a good government should be prepared to take on the election and not be afraid to set a date,” she told FMT.

“We have been in election mode since he [Najib] took over and everyone has been pumped up. He drops hints [about the polls] and that is irresponsible. You don’t toy with people’s feelings.

“People are fed up! They can’t plan things like going on holidays and so forth. Furthermore, it affects investor confidence.

“That’s why I say it is irresponsible. If this is how a government is going to play with the election date, then it would be best to have a fixed date for polling,” she added.

Ambiga said as political leaders in other parts of the world discussed the economic crisis and recession, their Malaysian counterparts were still engrossed in politicking.

“So who is running the country? This is unacceptable,” she stressed.

Is the government afraid?

Ambiga said that Bersih had also called for the election to be postponed in the past with regard to the implementation of electoral reforms.

She added that if the government claimed that the election was being delayed in order to push through the reforms, then it would be justifiable.

“But everyone has forgotten about electoral reforms. So the election is being dragged for no reason.

“It seems the government is concerned about the results [of the election]. Otherwise, they would have called for it,” she added.

Elaborating on electoral reforms, Ambiga said that Election Commission chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof cannot lead the commission as he was a former Umno member.

“He cannot claim that he would discharge his duties without bias. There are enough grounds to believe or to suspect that he would be biased and this makes him unfit for the post,” she added.

Ambiga also dismissed claims that Najib was concerned that if the polls were held before the term expired in April 2013, Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states would not dissolve their respective
assemblies.

“I don’t buy that excuse. He [Najib] kept the nation on election mode. Even the recent Merdeka celebration was an election campaign,” she said.

Commenting on the Merdeka celebrations, Ambiga expressed disappointment that both political blocs could not set aside their differences for one day.

The Bersih leader also pointed out that the government’s Merdeka campaign appeared to be centred around the prime minister.

“It’s a case of adoration for the PM… Where is his team? And I am also saying this with regard to Section 114A of the Evidence Act,” she said.

On Aug 14, Najib had twitted that he was instructing the Cabinet to review the controversial amendment of Section 114A following protests on the social media network.

However, Najib’s announcement was met by contradictory statements by the Cabinet defending the provision.

The new law imposed a presumption of guilt on Internet users and service providers for Internet abuses such as slander, hate speech and seditious comments posted through their network.

Vote out the incompetent

Meanwhile, Ambiga also called on voters to be selective about the candidates fielded by both BN and Pakatan.

She said that candidates who were known to be racist, incompetent and sexist must be rejected.

“A large percentage of parliamentarians don’t deserve to be there, they say inane things and are only there to heckle. These candidates should be voted out,” she added.

Ambiga also warned that BN and Pakatan were underestimating the power of women in terms of voters and candidates in the next polls.

“This comes from a historical patriarchal thought process and this must change. How dare you treat women as if they don’t matter,” she said.

She argued that when political parties comprised of Youth and Women’s wings, it gave the impression that these two were subservient or inferior and therefore this framework must be reviewed.

Weighing in on the attack against a bus used by Pakatan for its nationwide campaign, Ambiga said that political violence had reared its ugly head once again.

“If our leaders do not condemn it, then they are condoning these acts. It is hard to trust a government which does not contain political violence and in fact is seen as encouraging it.

“The credibility of the police force is also questionable as clearly, they are not acting to protect the public,” she added.

Pakatan ready for polls… but will it be fair?’

Pakatan is confident of taking over Putrajaya if polls are held in November, but expresses doubt that the short notice is enough to clean up the 'dirty election roll'.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is ready for a possible November general election, opposition leaders said today, but added that they were not prepared to face a “dirty election roll” which could hamper their win.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had emphasised heavily on his favourite number 11 in a speech in Sandakan – an indication that he may call for a general election as early as November, The Star reported.

“Six times 11 equals 66, five times 11 equals 55 and 2 times 11 equals 22. The 11 factor appears in all, it is unique and good,” Najib was quoted as saying, in reference to Umno’s age, Malaysia’s 55th National Day and Sabah Umno’s age.

PAS vice-president Mahfuz Omar said that Pakatan had been long prepared to take on Barisan Nasional in the general election, but it was unlikely that the Election Commission (EC) would be able to clean the electoral roll by November.

“We have been prepared since the beginning. The only thing we are not prepared for is the dirty electoral roll. We are not ready for that,” he told FMT when asked to comment on the November polls speculation.

“We just want clean and fair management of the elections. Is the EC ready? There are many issues they must handle such as phantom voters, immigrants given citizenship, etc, ” he said.

He was referring to the influx of immigrants in Sabah who are said to be given blue identity MyKad in return for a vote for the ruling government.

Although the government had recently announced it would set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the issue, it has yet to officially appoint the commissioners.

“Is the EC capable of solving all this by November?” Mahfuz said, his voice tinged with scepticism.

FMT has attempted to contact the EC for comments, but was unable to obtain a response.

Multiple hints

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar also confirmed that Pakatan was prepared to take on BN at whatever time, including November, as they were forced to rely on the prime minister to decide on the dates.

“As the opposition in Malaysia, subservient to PM [with regard to] general election dates, we have little choice except to be very ready,” the Lembah Pantai MP said in an e-mail to FMT.

Najib has consistently delayed calls for an election that must be held before BN’s mandate expires in April next year. The November polls “hint” is merely one among many that have been spotted by political analysts and various sources throughout this year.

“We’ve been taking the multiple hints seriously to date. Looking to the escalation of violence and the prime minister’s penchant for using malicious allegations this Merdeka, it seems that a November election might be a real possibility,” Nurul said.

She was referring to Najib’s accusation that Pakatan was masterminding a plan to change the national flag after several individuals were spotted waving flags with altered designs during last Thursday’s Independence Day countdown in Dataran Merdeka.

But despite Najib’s finger-pointing, Nurul said she was very confident in the wisdom of the rakyat “predicated upon free and fair elections, devoid of political violence and scare-mongering tactics”.

Pakatan’s shadow cabinet


When asked whether Pakatan would be revealing its shadow cabinet soon in response to the speculation of looming polls, Nurul was coy.

“We will make sure the work of our shadow committees is presented to the public,” she said.

“Lest we forget, Pakatan’s commitment is towards a lean cabinet – and our prime minister will not simultaneously hold other portfolios – such as finance and women’s ministry – which have hit a snag in recent times,” she said, in an apparent jab towards Najib.

Najib, aside from being the prime minister as well as the finance minister, had taken over the position of Women, Family and Community Minister in April this year after its former minister Shahrizat Jalil had stepped down following the National Feedlot Corporation scandal.

Nurul also said that the public can be prepared for a host of other policy pronouncements from Pakatan prior to the election, adding that Pakatan was currently working towards a joint manifesto.

‘Why is Najib afraid?’

Meanwhile, Mahfuz poured scorn on Najib’s evasiveness in announcing a set date for the polls, pointing out that Pakatan had been prepared “since dawn” to take on BN.

“Najib should be brave enough to announce when the election will be held. If he doesn’t want to announce the exact date, then at least disclose the month and year so that society can prepare for it.

“Why must he be afraid? Why must he play the speculation game? Is he trying to test the market?” Mahfuz asked sarcastically.

“If he has no bravery, then he must learn.”

He said that the opposition pact had grown weary of the waiting game which Najb was apparently keen to play, and that PAS no longer wished to rely on mere speculation.

“We just want Najib to announce when Parliament will be dissolved. There have been so many speculations, yet none of them have amounted to anything,” said Mahfuz.

Prime minister must explain why DBKL refused cultural decorations to mark a sacred and pious event?

Senator S.Ramakrishnan ,

Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) organized a conference to launch temple worship guidelines on 1/9/2012 at the institute latihan DBKL Hall, Cheras. The conference was attended by about 800 delegates from all over the country with PM’s representative honouring the event.

The hall was rented for RM4600 and an additional RM300 paid for DBKL staff manning the hall for the event. One day before the conference the organizers were told that they cannot put up any cultural decorations at the venue. The grand conference was held in DBKL hall without any pomp and fare. All appeals were not entertained by DBKL officials.

It is a grand event to be celebrated to mark the launch of temple worship guidelines and the gathering of guest and speakers. MHS wanted to decorate the hall with kolam which are decorative designs done on the floor with colourful rice flour. Besides they wanted to tie banana trees and decorative coconut leafs.

They also wanted to put up a banner at the entrance to inform the delegates of the venue. But DBKL refused to allow these simple cultural decorations. It’s an insult and disrespectful act of DBKL to refuse such simple decorations to mark a grand event officiated by PM’s representative.

This refusal of DBKL one day before the event has made a mockery of PM’s 1Malaysia concept.

Why is DBKL afraid to allow such simple cultural decorations? DBKL is a public body that serves all Malaysians therefore why did DBKL abstinent the Malaysia Hindu Sangam from putting up this biodegradable and easily disposal cultural decorations.

If it is a rule not to allow any decorations by any user of the hall then that should have been made known at the time of hall booking and not one day before the event?

This act of DBKL shows how they look down on cultural practices of Indian Malaysians. This event was sanctioned by PM who has agreed to send a ministerial representative Datuk Seri Dr S.Subramaniam to represent him.

Yet DBKL has reservations and prejudiced and refused to allow any cultural elements attached to the event. DBKL must explain why they refused to allow cultural decorations. They have short changed the organizers by not being truthful from the beginning.


PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak must investigate why an event officiated by his representative was marred by DBKL’s stupid act which hurts the feeling of delegates. In his speech, Datuk Seri S.Subramaniam agreed to financially support the launch of temple worship guidelines program.

If DBKL can’t even allow simple cultural decorations to mark a grand event, what fore is this financial pledge?

Is it to buy votes? The delegates who were mostly temple committee members from all over the country were hurt and upset by this refusal act of DBKL. Constitutional freedom to worship and practice the cultures were violated by DBKL.

PM Datuk Seri Najib owe explain to all concerned citizens as to why DBKL acted insensitively and with total disregard to the feelings of one group of Malaysians?

Replacing national flag: chasing after fantasy demons?

Two apparently well-meaning youths displayed a flag that looked similar but different from the national flag as a token to commemorate unsung heroes of independence at an independence eve rally, and lo and behold, the entire top leadership of Umno jumped instantly into a frenzy of wild accusations against the opposition without any proof.

By Kim Quek

As tension continues to mount ahead of the imminent general election, almost the entire top heirarchy of the incumbent Barisan Nasional government appears to have gone bonkers.

Two apparently well-meaning youths displayed a flag that looked similar but different from the national flag as a token to commemorate unsung heroes of independence at an independence eve rally, and lo and behold, the entire top leadership of Umno jumped instantly into a frenzy of wild accusations against the opposition without any proof.

Prime Minister Najib Razak accused the opposition of wanting to replace the national flag, and warned of many more undesirable changes including the institution of royalty, should the opposition alliance come to power.

Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed warned of a plot to amend the constitution and to turn the current constitutional monarchy into a republic.

Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Noh Omar said that in wanting to replace the national flag, the opposition has lost direction, and shown signs of power crazy even before they are in power.

Minister of Home Affairs Hishamuddin Hussein said he would act decisively against the “perpetrators of the provocative act”, adding that the police have started investigation, and the attorney general will prosecute upon obtaining sufficient evidence.

Many other Umno ministers also launched similar attacks against the opposition simultaneously, including Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal and Youth and Sports Minister Shabery Cheek.

Meanwhile, the police announced in its face book page that it was launching a man-hunt on the offenders who “tried to change the national flag”, saying that such act “violates the federal constitution and the democratic process”, which is a breach of the Sedition Act.

ACCUSATION DEBUNKED

Amidst this furor, two youths promptly appeared on the scene to debunk the story of changing flag.

Blogger Serigala Selatan, a student, claimed in his blog posting that he and a friend Zairi Shafai were the duo who showed the flag in question, known as Sang Saka Malaya. It was a flag used by pre-independence nationalists during their struggle to gain independence for then Malaya. As the story of their struggles has been erased from the official history, they wanted to remind the country of the existence of these forgotten heroes by displaying the Sang Saka Malaya on this commemorative occasion.

Serigala said they have not the slightest intention to replace the national flag (known as Jalur Gemilang) with Sang Saka Malaya, from which the Jalur Gemilang has evolved.

Meanwhile, top leaders of Pakatan Rakyat instantly and flatly denied that they ever conceived the idea of changing the national flag.

HILARIOUS BUT SERIOUS MISCONDUCT

Judging from the ferocity and intensity with which so many Umno ministers jumpted to the attacks, one would have imagined that the opposition must have been caught red handed in the act of committing the highest treason against the country, but alas, the truth turns out to be simply that these senior Umno leaders have been acting like a bunch of hyper-imaginative kids chasing after some fantasy demons, as there is neither a shred of evidence nor any credibility whatsoever to their accusations.

As DAP leader Lim Kit Siang succinctly put it, “the change of national flag is never a Pakatan Rakyat agenda and has never been discussed or raised in any Pakatan meeting”.

In fact, the entire episode is so bizarre and funny that it would have made a hilarious Hollywood comedy, if not for the serious implications it carries for the nation.

Here we are not talking about some naughty politicians politicking, but the entire top hierarchy of the Malaysian government making unfounded accusations that are grave and obviously far-fetched.

Such weird conduct by the ruling clique suggests that they are either dim-witted or dangerously deceitful, or perhaps both.

Whatever case it is, it means our country is in terribly bad hands.

Needless to say, this is another serious setback for BN along its bumbling road to defend a political power that looks more precarious by the day.

Silver Lining in India's Aviation Cloud

Let's hope this one stays up

(Asia Sentinel) Nonetheless, it's still a cloud 

The business community last week raised its collective eyebrows when Gorur Ramaswamy Gopinath, better known as the pioneer of India’s low-cost carriers, launched his freshly-minted regional airline Deccan Shuttle in India’s western state of Gujarat.

Gopinath’s Deccan Shuttle is one of more than a half dozen regional carriers seeking to cash in on India’s growing tier-2 and tier 3 prosperity, as the country’s economic development spreads away from New Delhi, Mumbai and other cities despite the fact that the economy remains bedeviled by severe economic turbulence.

This optimism is in the face of the combined debt load of India’s six large aviation companies, at US$20 billion. The majors also confront US$2 billion in annual losses, according to the industry think tank the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Furthermore, New Delhi’s plans to allow foreign carriers to invest in domestic airlines, which could resuscitate the ailing sector, have been bottlenecked by regulatory hurdles and a policy gridlock.

Consequently, of India's six domestic airlines only one, IndiGo, is profitable and two, Kingfisher and Air India, face bankruptcy. Other woes bedevil the sector. Aviation fuel in India is among the most taxed in the world, with levies at the national and state level touching 30 percent, accounting for a huge proportion of the airlines’ operating costs. Airports remain choked and under-equipped and the landing fees to pay for the construction are expensive.

Nonetheless, analysts feel the long-term prospects for Asia's third-biggest economy appear bright. Indian airlines will be ordering more than 1,000 new passenger planes, worth $145bn, by 2030 CAPA estimates, while the domestic market will reach a billion-plus passengers by 2040. Meanwhile the scheduled airline fleet will grow from 430 to 1,030 aircraft, and general aviation could see even faster growth from 750 to over 2,000 aircraft.

In Gopinath’s case, the skepticism had as much to do with the launch’s timing as with his previous record as entrepreneur. Both of his earlier ventures – the no-frills airlines Air Deccan and Deccan 360 – ran into capitalization issues. Air Deccan, which promised to change the face of Indian aviation industry with its one-rupee tickets in 2003, and it did to some extent to be fair, had to be sold off to Kingfisher Airlines in 2006 due to non-infusion of funds.

Despite the problems, Gopinath now sees an “enormous opportunity” for his reentry into the sector. “This is an unfinished story, and I see a huge opportunity still there,” he told an online publication recently. “My idea is to open up a new market. I am passionate about providing easy access and connectivity.”

Gopinath’s strategy is to cash in on the vacuum that exists in the country’s interstate connectivity. His logic is that apart from the big cities and towns, which are connected by the Airbuses and the ATRs, India has more than 500 small airstrips that need to be connected. And this, he believes, is where a goldmine awaits him.

Nor is Gopinath alone. Other ambitious players too, are eyeing the new frontiers of growth in India’s aviation space. Despite the country’s notoriously adverse investment climate, airline analysts experts say exponential growth waits in the regional customer base.

“There’s new money here, people have disposable cash and are getting increasingly aspirational. Rich farmers, who draw tax-free agricultural incomes, have specially taken to flying in a big way on leisure and business trips in the northern agri belts of Punjab and around Delhi,” said Prakash Jamval, a Chandigarh-based aviation analyst, formerly with Air India, in an interview.

This is the reason why Air Mantra, a unit of financial services conglomerate Religare Group, started daily flights connecting Amritsar and Chandigarh in Punjab state in July.

The vast Indian diaspora – non-resident Indians estimated to be over a 25 million-strong demographic spread across the globe, is another growth driver. To cater to this traffic traveling between the southern state of Kerala and the Gulf states, for instance, the state is launching its own airline, Air Kerala.

Air Pegasus, promoted by Decor Aviation, an airport ground-handling agency, is similarly looking to become south India’s first regional airline in October. Spirit Air, Karina Airlines, Volk Air, RAir, Air Freedom and Akashganga Airlines are similarly waiting to take to the skies.

Market analyst say there is a successful business case for smaller airlines, either operating independently, serving markets, possibly local, that are too small for large carriers to service. This is the space the ambitious new carriers are fighting for.

Besides, as analysts point out, only 3 percent of India is now traveling by air. In a country of 1.2 billion, the potential of the airline industry is therefore mind-boggling. But though this huge consumer base is attractive for investors, insiders acknowledge that a toxic cocktail of deep structural problems and flawed state policies makes translating this environment into a viable business venture a Herculean endeavor.

Meanwhile, scenting competition from smaller players, the existing majors are upping the ante. Low-cost airline IndiGo has further expanded its international network, launching its third route to Dubai on Aug. 7, complementing the airline’s flights from Delhi and Mumbai. IndiGo is planning to further routes to Dubai from Kochi and Chennai later this month.

However, officials at both companies acknowledge that to turn this opportunity into good business for all stakeholders, state governments must buttress such growth with good infrastructure and policies. The companies, on their part, must be ready with viable business models by way of routes and pricing strategy.

Lack of such vital preparation has resulted in crash landings earlier. Many airlines – like Trans India Aviation, Star Aviation, Air Dravida and Avicore -- appeared on the radar with ambitious plans a couple of years ago but are nowhere to be found today. Gurgaon-based MDLR Airlines’ founder Gopal Kanda is ensnared in a protracted lawsuit for abetting the suicide of a former employee and Jagson Airlines, a helicopter operator, also took off without much success.

Analysts point out that though the aviation sector is extremely challenging, it isn’t impossible to make money. AirAsia and RyanAir have been profitable for the last 15 years. Budget airline Southwest Airlines in the US has made profits without missing a single quarter for the last 38 years.

However, in India there is no tangible progress on developing a comprehensive and robust new civil aviation policy. The pace is likely to slacken further with the ruling Congress-led government getting into election mode for 2014. Aviation requires bold and pragmatic leadership at this time of crisis, say experts, but it is missing at the level of the Government of India. Under the 2007-2011 Five Year Plan, total infrastructure investment of US$500 billion fell short at US$425bn. Then, just months into the 2012-2017 Five Year Plan, the infrastructure budget was whittled down by US$200 billion due to a short-term slowing GDP growth.

But ensuring a bright future also means giving the industry urgent attention now, warns Jamval. "The civil aviation ministry and the government of India must get their act together. Otherwise we’ll be wasting the amazing potential this industry offers and the Indian economy will be much the poorer for it.”

(Neeta Lal, neetalal@hotmail.com, is a New Delhi-based journalist)