'Heroic' mission rescues desperate Yazidis from ISIS

(CNN) -- The Iraqi air force and fighters with the Kurdish peshmerga carried out a dramatic rescue mission Monday at Mount Sinjar, taking supplies to desperate Yazidis and bringing some on board the helicopter to make it safely out.

A CNN crew was on the flight that took diapers, milk, water and food to the site where thousands of people have been driven by ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State.

CNN's Ivan Watson, who was on the chopper, described the mission as "heroic."

Teams hurled out bags and boxes of food from as high as 50 feet before approaching the ground.

"We landed on several short occasions, and that's where -- amid this explosion of dust and chaos -- these desperate civilians came racing towards the helicopter, throwing their children on board the aircraft. The crew was just trying to pull up as many people as possible," Watson said.

Soon, some of the trapped families -- including babies and the elderly -- were packed into the flight.

"It was chaotic. It was crazy, but we were able to then lift off with about 20 civilians," Watson said.

Yazidis, among Iraq's smallest minorities, are of Kurdish descent, and their religion is considered a pre-Islamic sect that draws from Christianity, Judaism and Zoroastrianism.

One of the oldest religious communities in the world, they have long suffered persecution, with many Muslims referring to them as devil worshippers.

More than a week ago, they fled into the surrounding mountains when ISIS fighters stormed the town of Sinjar.

It's already too late to save dozens of children who've died of thirst. But for the 20 or so people rescued Monday, the relief was palpable.

The crowd on board the helicopter burst into tears as it took off. Gunners had to open fire at the ground in order to make it away from ISIS.

"They flew in shooting; they flew out shooting," Watson reported.

"There was not a dry eye on the aircraft."

Khalid: Sultan has consented for me to stay on

Islamic Militants Gang Rape Catholic Nurse In Libya After Beheading Construction Worker

A Christian nurse from the Philippines was allegedly abducted and gang raped by up to six men from the militant terrorist group ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, in Libya last Wednesday.

According to a report from Shoebat.com, the woman was abducted outside her home and taken to an undisclosed location where she was brutally raped by the allegedly “religious” gang of men. The Philippines’ Foreign Affairs spokesman, Charles Jose, told reporters that the victim of the rape was released by her abductors after about two hours.

The incident comes just days after a construction worker, also from the Philippines, was abducted and beheaded by ISIS because they deemed him to be a “non-Muslim.”

The International Business Times reported that as a result of the latest incidents, the government of the Philippines have called for the full evacuation of all of its 13,000 citizens living in Libya, which is in the midst of a bloody civil war following the recent entry of ISIS fighters to the country.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said on Thursday to reporters that he was flying to Djerba island in Tunisia to “try to convince our people to leave [Libya] because the situation there is very dangerous.”

President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman Herminio Coloma said in Manila: “We condemn these crimes that have been committed against our people.”

There seems to be no limits to the brutality that ISIS and its followers bring to places they conquer, including the public stoning to death of two women in Syria who were accused of committing adultery, as reported by The Inquisitr.

Sadly, the world media seems distracted with events in Gaza as many accuse Israel of carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people. It seems strange that the outrage just isn’t there when it comes to extremist Muslims killing and torturing everyone in their path, all in the name of Allah.

Hopefully, the world will soon wake up to the real threat that ISIS, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood pose to western democracy, and particularly to Jews and Christians.

So wicked that even Al Qaeda disowned them: Letter found at Bin Laden's hideout warned of Islamic State's extreme brutality

• 21-page letter found at the Pakistan hideout where Bin Laden was killed
• Note said Islamic State of Iraq and Syria could damage Al Qaeda's reputation
• Memo documented acts of barbarism including bombing mosques
• ISIS, now called Islamic State, has control of area larger than Great Britain

Lying among a pile of papers at the hideout in Pakistan where Osama Bin Laden was shot dead was a carefully worded 21-page letter.

It warned of the rise of a new and ruthless group of Islamic extremists capable of such extreme brutality that Al Qaeda should sever all links with them.

In fact, it claimed the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (or ISIS) had such complete disregard for civilian life that it could damage the reputation of Al Qaeda – if such a thing were possible for an organisation that has long traded in murderous terrorism.

Scroll down for video

The document, written by one of Bin Laden’s senior officials in 2011, went on to catalogue some of its acts of barbarism – including the use of chlorine gas as a chemical weapon, bombing mosques and a massacre in a Catholic church in Baghdad.

In essence, the letter said that ISIS was simply too extreme even for the group that killed thousands in the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

Today, ISIS, which now styles itself as simply Islamic State (IS), has become a powerful military force that has control of an area larger than Great Britain.

Living under its ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam are six million people, a population larger than that of Ireland, Denmark or Finland.

Its trademark black jihadi flag has fluttered in the background of chilling ‘promotional’ videos of executions – including crucifixions and beheadings – as the militia seizes vast areas of Iraq and Syria. In short, the ‘caliphate’ – or Islamic state – it claims to have established represents the biggest shift in the political geography of the Middle East since the borders of modern Iraq and Syria were drawn under the Sykes-Picot agreement drafted between Britain and France in 1916.

Living under its ultra-conservative interpretation of Islam are six million people, a population larger than that of Ireland, Denmark or Finland.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2721417/So-wicked-Al-Qaeda-disowned-Letter-Bin-Ladens-hideout-warned-Islamic-States-extreme-brutality.html#ixzz3A7P7kkXq

Name those who support you, Ambiga urges MB

 

Former Bar Council chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan has called on Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to name those who support him.

This is in response to Khalid's announcement that Selangor's Sultan Sharafudin Idris Shah consented to Khalid staying on as MB.

"Tan Sri, in the interests of the people of Selangor, please name those in the (state legislative) assembly whose support you say you have," she said in a tweet to Khalid.

 

"Even with PAS support is it not hung," she asked further, to the extent of asking PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad whether this is true.

Khalid had said in a press conference today that if there was any quarter which did not believe he enjoyed the majority support in the House, it could seek an audience with the Selangor sultan.

"They can report it to the sultan. But for now, the sultan has not received any report that I do not enjoy majority support," the Selangor MB said.

PKR de-facto leader Anwar Ibrahim in his immediate Twitter response quizzed reports saying Khalid has majority support among Selangor assemblypersons.

PKR's Latheefa Koya (right) mocked Khalid for asking that the  exco who do not support him resign, when it was the party that had sacked him.

DAP Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng asked his followers on Twitter what should the Selangor DAP exco do - either to resign now or stay on to monitor Khalid.

PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkifli Ahmad, said: “We will all know when the time of reckoning comes,” in response to the claim that Khalid has sufficient support from the assembly.

Umno information chief Ahmad Maslan said this was an interesting development. “Will PKR and DAP apply to "sembah derhaka" (go against the ruler)?” he asked.

Umno Supreme Council member Abdul Rahman Dahlan said since the majority of Selangor assemblypersons support Khalid, Pakatan cannot claim Khalid does not have legitimacy to be MB.

“It is Pakatan who has no legitimacy to form the government,” he held.

PAS has 15 Selangor assemblypersons while BN has 12.

DAP has 15 seats while PKR, after sacking Khalid, holds 13 seats.

Cops were judge and jury in Kugan’s case

The Court of Appeal said the police force was "on trial" and to allow them to determine what ought to be done was simply asking the wrong-doers to do their own investigation.

PUTRAJAYA: The police took on the roles of judge and jury over a complaint lodged against their behaviour in the case of luxury car theft suspect A. Kugan, who died in police custody about five years ago.

The Court of Appeal in its 51-page written judgment said this conduct missed the point completely and that it was the police force at that point in time which was “on trial”.

“And, to allow the police to determine what ought to be done was simply asking the wrong-doers to do their own investigation and determine the appropriate action.

“Common sense militates against such a course of action,” said Justice David Wong Dak Wah, in the judgment today.

He said the panel was also rather perturbed by the admission of first defendant (Khalid Abu Bakar, former Selangor police chief and current Inspector-General of Police) that he had negotiated with the attorney-general that investigation was to be confined to an offence under Section 330 of the Penal Code.

The section deals with offences of voluntarily causing hurt to extort confessions or to compel restoration of property.

Wong said this was an affront to the concept of fair play and transparency and the police had become judge and jury of a complaint made against their behaviour.

In a unanimous ruling, the panel headed by Justice Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, which also comprised Justice Mah Weng Kwai, held that where there was custodial death, the family of the deceased was entitled to know the truth as to what had happened during the detention.

“That is their intrinsic right to know. This entitlement to know can be easily understood by just asking the simple question: What if it is your 22-year-old son who had died in custody?” asked Wong.

He stressed that custodial death could not and should not happen in this country and that there should be zero tolerance for any custodial death at all remand centres.

Therefore, the panel upheld a High Court decision which found the police force, former police constable V. Navindran and the government liable for Kugan’s death while under police custody in January 2009.

However, the court reduced the amount of damages from RM801,700 to RM701,700 after setting aside RM100,000 for false imprisonment awarded by the High Court last year.

Wong said as for quantum of the exemplary damages, there was no reason to disturb the award granted by the High Court judge as it commensurated with the actions of the defendants.

High Court Judge V. T. Singham, in his decision on June 26 last year, awarded Kugan’s mother, N. Indra, RM851,700 in damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment, misfeasance, pain and suffering after finding that the plaintiff had established her claim against the defendants.

On January 13, 2012, Indra filed a civil suit against then-Selangor police chief Khalid, Navindran, former Subang Jaya police chief ACP Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar (now deceased), the then-Inspector-General of Police and the government.

Kugan, 22, died at the Taipan USJ police station on January 20, 2009.

Last year, Navindran was the only one held responsible for Kugan’s death and sentenced to three years’ jail.

– Bernama

Muhyiddin: BN Selangor will back Khalid

BN will support Khalid "without any conditions".

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional Selangor will back Khalid Ibrahim in the event of a no-confidence motion being tabled in the state assembly.

A Bernama report quotes BN deputy chairperson Muhyiddin Yassin as saying that BN supports Khalid “without any conditions”.

He also said that BN’s Selangor assemblypersons will vote for Khalid if a vote of no confidence is called against the Menteri Besar (MB).

BN has 12 assemblypersons in the Selangor legislative assembly. To command majority support, Khalid will need all 15 PAS assemblypersons to back him.

Meanwhile PKR and DAP are questioning Khalid’s claim that he had the confidence of the majority of the assemblymen.

In a joint statement today, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and DAP Selangor chief Tony Pua said Khalid should call an emergency sitting of the state assembly for a vote of confidence to prove that he indeed had the support of PAS and Umno assemblymen.

Earlier today Khalid said the Sultan of Selangor has consented to him continuing as MB as he still commanded support of the majority of assemblymen.

Anwar, RM 3 Bilion dan 16 September

Anwar hanya memerlukan sekitar 30 orang ahli parlimen daripada Barisan Nasional untuk lompat dan menyertainya.

Edwin Michael

Sudah pelbagai analisis telah dibuat melibatkan krisis politik di negeri Selangor. Namun, persoalan yang masih gagal dijawab oleh sekutu-sekutu rapat Anwar Ibrahim ialah mengapa hanya isterinya sahaja yang layak diangkat menjadi Menteri Besar Selangor?

Tindakan ini juga dilihat membelakangkan Deklarasi Permatang Pauh yang mahukan nepotisme dihancurkan daripada politik negara ini.

Kini setiap tindakan Anwar Ibrahim dilihat terlalu terdesak dan terburu-buru seolah-olah terdapat satu agenda rahsia yang mahu direalisasikannya. Dan jelas kelihatan buat masa ini hanya DAP menyokong penuh setiap langkah Anwar Ibrahim untuk mengapai agenda rahsianya itu.

Percaturan politik Anwar ini memang adakalanya terlalu bijak namun percaturannya kali ini hanya menimbulkan pelbagai teori konspirasi.

Andaikata isterinya, Wan Azizah memegang tampuk pemerintahan kerajaan negeri Selangor, secara langsung Pemerbadanan Menteri Besar (MBI) akan berada dibawah kawalan Wan Azizah atau dalam erti kata lain akan berada dibawah kawalan Anwar Ibrahim.

Apa istimewanya MBI ini? Tentunya keistimewaan MBI ini adalah terletak pada dana yang bernilai ratusan billion ringgit. Jika dana ini dapat dikuasai oleh Anwar Ibrahim maka jalannya untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri semakin luas.

Langkah Kajang merupakan perintis kepada segala kekusutan ini. Sebaik Wan Azizah menjadi Menteri Besar, sekutu-sekutu rapat Anwar Ibrahim akan mula mengatur strategi untuk memujuk dan membeli ahli-ahli parlimen Barisan Nasional. Dalam konteks ini, Anwar hanya memerlukan sekitar 30 orang ahli parlimen daripada Barisan Nasional untuk lompat dan menyertainya.

Andaikata, jika seorang ahli parlimen ditawar sekitar RM50 juta sekali pun, kos keseluruhan hanya mencecah RM1.5 bilion. Dana MBI sememangnya kukuh untuk menanggung kos ini.

Namun, Perdana Menteri dan Barisan Nasional khasnya tidaklah sebodoh itu untuk biarkan semua ini terjadi. Maka, strategi Barisan Nasional pula adalah untuk terus menyokong penuh pentadbiran Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim yang kini dituduh derhaka dan layak ke neraka oleh Parti Keadilan Rakyat itu sendiri. Andaian ini dikukuhkan kerana jelas kelihatan media regim Barisan Nasional turut memberikan sokongan penuh kepada Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. Propaganda ini menimbulkan sentimen simpati pada Menteri Besar dan kebencian pada Anwar Ibrahim.

Permainan sentimen ini pula amat penting buat regim kerana ini bakal menjadi senjata kuat mereka sekiranya DUN dibubarkan dan pilihanraya negeri diadakan. Potensi untuk Barisan Nasional merampas kembali Selangor juga tinggi apabila Najib Razak kini kelihatan lebih berkredibiliti selepas kejayaannya memujuk pemberontak puak pro Rusia untuk menyerahkan kotak hitam MH17 dan pada masa yang sama kredibiliti Anwar Ibrahim yang merudum kerana kegilaannya untuk menjadi raja nepotisme.

Jika Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim mengundur diri dan memberikan ruang kepada Wan Azizah untuk menjadi Menteri Besar, maka keseluruhan masa depan rakyat Selangor dipertaruhkan untuk memastikan langkah Kajang ini dicapai.

Persoalan terakhir mengapa Anwar perlu lakukan semua ini? Ini kerana panggilan penjara Sungai Buloh semakin dekat. Hanya satu cara sahaja untuknya melepaskan diri daripada sabitan kes mahkamahnya iaitu membeli ahli-ahli parlimen Barisan Nasional menggunakan wang rakyat Selangor dan menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia ‘pintu belakang’. Ini seterusnya merealisasikan impian 16 September yang dicetuskan oleh dirinya sendiri. Maka jelas daripada awal lagi mengapa PAS membangkang setiap langkah Anwar Ibrahim ini. Ini soal amanah rakyat. Ini soal integriti.

Apabila Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim enggan bersuhabat dengan Anwar Ibrahim, serangan moral dilancarkan oleh Rafizi Ramli. Realitinya, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim hanyalah kambing hitam kepada keseluruhan wayang kulit Anwar Ibrahim ini.

Penulis ialah pensyarah Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Perak.

Selangor MB crisis: Khalid to remain as Mentri Besar

(The Star) – Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has revealed that the palace wants him to remain as the Selangor Mentri Besar after he assured the Sultan that he commands the majority in the state assembly.

In a highly anticipated and packed press conference at the state secretariat building here, Khalid said that this was decided in an audience he had with Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on Monday morning.

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

KENYATAAN MEDIA

11 OGOS 2014

DYMM TUANKU SULTAN PERKENAN MENTERI BESAR SEDIA ADA TERUS MENJALAN TUGAS

Saya telah manghadap DYMM Sultan Selangor hari ini pada 11 Ogos 2014, 9 pagi untukmemaklumkan kedudukan saya sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor selepas pemecatan saya sebagaiahli Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Dalam pertemuan tersebut, saya telah sambas maklum kepada DYMM Tuanku bahawa sayatelah dipecat daripada PKR pada 9 Ogos 2014 oleh Lembaga Disiplin PKR. Lanjutan daripadapemakluman saya, DYMM Tuanku telah bertanyakan sama ada saya masih memperolehikepercayaan majoriti AHli Dewan Negeri.

Saya telah memperjelaskan bahawa disebalik pemecatan saya sebagai ahli PKR, saya masihmemperolehi kepercayaan majoriti Ahli Dewan Negeri. Justeru itu DYMM Tuanku berpuas hatidengan penjelasam yang telah disembahkan dan selanjutnya DYMM Tuanku telah perkenanuntuk saya terus memegang jawatan sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor.

Sehingga ada perkembangan baharu, saya masih kekad sebaagai menteri Besar Selangor danakan menjalankan tugas seperti biasa.

TAN SRI DATO’ SERI ABDUL KHALID BIN IBRAHIM

DATO’ MENTERI BESAR SELANGOR

With UMNO declaration of support of 12 BN Selangor Assembly representatives for Khalid, urgent and imperative for immediate clarity of stand of all 43 Selangor PR Assembly reps

By Lim Kit Siang,

With the declaration by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin that the 12 Barisan Nasional Selangor Assembly representatives will give its unconditional support to Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to continue as the Selangor Mentri Besar, it is urgent and imperative for immediate clarity of stand of all 43 Pakatan Rakyat Selangor Assembly representatives from PKR, DAP and PAS on the issue.

Time is of the essence following the rapid pace of developments of the political situation in Selangor and the country, and all processes of political decision-making have no choice but to be accelerated if Pakatan Rakyat is not to be seen as incapable of responding to fast and high-speed political changes.

Government To Continue Strengthen Malaysia's Competitiveness - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The government will continue to strengthen Malaysia's global competitiveness through efforts targeted at enhancing its investment environment and promoting policies, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin.

He said the move would increase trade, harness talents to achieve higher productivity growth, intensify efforts to reduce regulatory burden, as well as strengthen the country's technological capabilities.

Since the introduction of Economic Transformation Programme in 2010, Muhyiddin said, the government has put in place many initiatives to ensure that the country was on track, where business-friendly policies were introduced and implemented.

"Businesses are being assisted by bold and ambitious measures to transform our economy, which will in turn ensure that we are a more attractive and favourable investment destination," said Muhyiddin.

He said this in his keynote address at The Edge Billion Ringgit Club Gala Dinner Monday night.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar and The Edge Media Group executive chairman Datuk Tong Kooi Ong.

"Improving our national competitiveness is a very important objective, and that we all have a responsibility to achieve this, individually and collectively," said Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister.

He said the government was investing and promoting new growth industries that would provide significant opportunities for the private sector to participate in developments.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia was currently undergoing a transitional stage that would determine the future of the nation.

"As we move towards developed nation status, we need to urgently transform our economy and society so as to be more competitive globally," he said.

In order to make the private sector the new engine of growth, businesses needed open, transparent and even-handed economic stewardship, he said.

Muhyiddin said the government aimed to create a more competitive environment for the private sector to thrive through greater liberalisation and deregulation.

"Therefore, it is heartening to note that in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2014, Malaysia has been recognised as the 12th most competitive economy among the 60 economies ranked," he said.

The ranking placed Malaysia ahead of developed economies like UK, Australia, Finland and Japan.

"We aim to be among the top 10 most competitive economies in the next few years," he said.

About 178 companies have succeeded in their assessment to be part of The Edge Billion Ringgit Clubb among the 900 companies listed on Bursa Malaysia, a notable increase from 144 companies in the 2013 list.

The market value of the 178 companies stood at RM1.54 trillion as of March 31, 2014, amounting to 91 per cent of the total market capitalisation of Bursa Malaysia.

At the event Muhyiddin presented The Edge Corporate Awards.

Hanya kerana salah jawab soalan

Gunasekaran (kanan) menunjukkan kesan lebam pada tangan kiri Ranjit, manakala Ilangovan menunjukkan laporan polis dibuatnya.

SEREMBAN - Hanya kerana dikatakan salah menjawab soalan latihan matematik, seorang murid darjah enam bengkak dan lebam di tangan kiri selepas dipukul dengan kayu sepanjang 50 sentimeter oleh gurunya.

Kejadian berlaku di sebuah Sekolah Kebangsaan Tamil di Senawang, Rabu lalu, apabila pelajar terbabit, Ranjit Dass, 12, dikenakan denda akibat kesalahan berkenaan, kira-kira 9 pagi.

Menurutnya, guru lelaki berusia lingkungan 30-an yang baru berpindah ke sekolah itu sejak dua bulan lalu bertindak memukulnya selepas salah menjawab latihan matematik yang diberikan.

“Cikgu beri latihan matematik dan saya salah jawab kerana tidak faham. Kemudian secara tiba-tiba cikgu pukul saya dengan kayu yang dibawanya sebanyak lima kali di tangan dan bahu kiri.

“Rakan saya turut dipukul di muka dan belakang badan kerana salah jawab soalan,” katanya.

Menurutnya, kejadian itu merupakan kali pertama berlaku dan guru tersebut tidak pernah memukul murid sebelum ini.

“Saya tidak tahu kenapa cikgu sanggup pukul saya sehingga tangan saya bengkak dan lebam," katanya.

Disebabkan tidak sanggup menanggung kesakitan, Ranjit kemudian mengadu kepada ibunya sebaik pulang ke rumah.

Bapa saudara Ranjit, A Ilangovan, 40, berkata, ibu Ranjit, A Selvi, 30, segera membawa Ranjit ke Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar, di sini selepas melihat tangan anaknya itu kemerahan dan bengkak.

“Ranjit mengeluh sakit dan sekarang sudah masuk hari ketiga, tangannya masih sakit dan lebam masih kelihatan.

“Kami sekeluarga nekad membuat laporan polis selepas melihat kecederaan dan kesakitan terpaksa ditanggung Ranjit,” katanya.

Ilangovan berkata, dia rasa sedih dan kecewa terhadap perbuatan guru yang sanggup memukul anak saudaranya itu sehingga cedera.

“Sekiranya Ranjit bersalah, dia boleh memukul dengan rotan sebagai cara mendidik tetapi kami tidak boleh terima apabila dia pukul dengan kayu. Ini sudah melampau," katanya ketika membuat aduan di pejabat Adun Senawang, P Gunasekaran, di sini, semalam.

Sementara itu, Gunasekaran berkata, kejadian itu tidak sepatutnya berlaku dan guru terbabit perlu dikenakan tindakan.

“Saya mahu berbincang dengan pihak sekolah tentang perkara ini, namun mereka tidak benarkan saya masuk ke kawasan sekolah.

“Saya telah mengadukan perkara ini kepada Jabatan Pendidikan negeri dan meminta mereka menyiasat dan mengenakan tindakan disiplin kepada guru tersebut,” katanya.

Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri, Datuk Kalsom Khalid ketika dihubungi Sinar Harian berkata, pihaknya sudah menerima laporan awal tentang perkara tersebut daripada pihak sekolah.

"Kita akan membuat siasatan terlebih dulu, dan sekiranya guru terbabit benar-benar bersalah, dia tidak akan terlepas daripada tindakan,” katanya.

Bola di kaki Khalid, kalau dia sayang S'gor, kata Saifuddin

PKR pecat Khalid Ibrahim serta merta

Kurds rescue Yazidis from Iraqi mountain - Al Jazeera

Kurdish forces tell Al Jazeera they have opened a road to Sinjar, reaching more than 5,000 Yazidis besieged by IS group.

Iraqi Kurdish security forces have opened a road to Sinjar Mountain in northwestern Iraq, rescuing more than 5,000 Yazidis trapped there after running away from fighters from the Islamic State (IS) group, a Kurdish army spokesman has told Al Jazeera.

"I can confirm that we succeeded in reaching the mountains and opening a road for the refugees," said Halgord Hikmet, a spokesman for the peshmergas the Kurdish security forces.

Hikmet said that recent airstrikes on the IS targets by US warplanes had allowed the peshmergas to open a route to the mountain.

The IS, which has captured large areas of Syria and Iraq, see Shia Muslims and minorities such as Christians and Yazidis, a Kurdish ethno-religious community, as infidels.

The Yazidis, a minority that follow a 4,000-year-old faith, had taken cover in Sinjar Mountain for the past five days in searing heat, and with no supplies, after fleeing advancing IS fighters.

Two Kurdish officials, Ekrem Hasso and Juan Mohammad, told the AP news agency that the Yazidis fled across the border from Iraq to seek refuge with the Kurds of northeastern Syria.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also said thousands of people have fled from Iraq into Syria but had no exact number.

US warplanes have launched several waves of airstrikes against IS group fighters in northern Iraq since Friday.

Aerial drones and F-18 fighter jets have attacked fighter positions close to the Kurdish capital of Erbil.

The airstrikes seek to allow the federal and Kurdish governments to claw back areas lost in two months of conflict.

On Friday and Saturday, the US also dropped food and water for the Yazidis hiding on Sinjar Mountain. The UK is also delivering aid and has announced it is sending medics to northern Iraq.

'US troops will not fight in Iraq'

Barack Obama, the US president, said at a news conference on Saturday that Washington was proud to be acting alongside friends and allies in Iraq during the airstrikes and was in the process of reaching Iraqi civilians trapped on Sinjar Mountain.

Obama repeatedly called on the Iraqis to come together to form a legitimate Iraqi government and overcome a political crisis that has been going on for weeks. 

Check out our complete coverage of the crisis in Iraq

He also said that there was no particular timetable regarding the airstrikes, adding that they would take place as long as it was necessary to protect Iraqi civilians and US citizens, diplomats and military advisers in Iraq.

Separately, in his weekly address earlier on Saturday, he said he would not the US to be dragged into another war in Iraq, making it clear that American combat troops will not return to fight there.

The airstrikes are the first in the embattled country since Obama put an end to the US occupation in 2011 and come after the IS made massive gains on the ground, seizing a major dam and forcing a mass exodus of religious minorities.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

Guns and toys: the children of the Islamic State

 

A three year old boy chews on his finger and shyly looks off camera. "What do you say to the non-believers," a voice off camera asks. "They are going to be butchered," the child replies.

Messages coming from the Islamic State about children are mixed. On the one hand the militant group is keen for Sunni Muslims across the world to think of the caliphate as a safe and fun place for children – so that they will move there.

On the other, videos also exist of children being trained with assault weapons and in hand-to-hand combat. Or of children declaring their hatred for America and vowing jihad.

These two conditions for children are not mutually exclusive in the eyes of Islamic State, argues Raffaello Pantucci, a Middle East expert at the Royal United Services Institute.

Read more: http://www.channel4.com/news/islamic-state-iraq-syria-children-guns-video

ISIS threatens to execute 300 Yazidi families they've surrounded in northern Iraq as the extremists continue to lay siege to mountain where 50,000 of the minority are holed up without food or water

• Jihadist group says it will kill religious minority members in Koja, Hatimiya and Qaboshi unless they convert to Islam
• They are also surrounding Mount Sinjar, near the Turkish border, where Yazidi people fear slaughter at their hands
• Americans and Kurdish forces have made aid drops on the mountain, with British helicopters soon to join in
• Comes after Barack Obama authorised air strikes on Islamic State artillery emplacements and convoys yesterday

The Islamic State has threatened a fresh wave of violence against the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq, saying they will execute 300 families whom they have surrounded in northern Iraq.

It came after the jihadist militant group took hostage hundreds of Yazidi women in their stronghold city of Mosul yesterday, amid warnings that they had 'vicious plans' for their captives.

Fighters for the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as ISIS, continue to lay siege to a mountain near the Turkish border, where as many as 50,000 of the minority - considered apostates and devil-worshippers by IS - have been holed up without food or water.

They today received aid from Kurdish and American forces, who have intervened to protect the embattled minority group after an international outcry.

Desperate masses: Stranded Yazidi men, women and children rush towards a Kurdish helicopter carrying aid today, as IS fighters surround mount Sinjar

Tearful: Some children were carried off to safety, but thousands of the religious minority remains stranded on the mountainside 

Under fire: The film crew, embedded with the Kurdish fighters, also saw a firefight between the helicopter gunner and IS forces with anti-aircraft weapons

Persecuted: Yazidi children (pictured) have taken to sheltering in the holy valley of Lalish, while others trapped in the Sinjar Mountains were flown renewed supplies by the U.S. today. The religious minority is not alone in being threatened by the militants, who also say Christians and Shia Muslims are heretics and should convert

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Masses of desperate, crying Yazidis were filmed today by a crew from Rudaw news perched in a Kurdish helicopter as water and supplies were dropped, while the chopper came under fire from IS troops below. American plans also dropped supplies, and RAF helicopters were today dispatched to do the same.

The latest threat to the three hundred families - who live in the villages of Koja, Hatimiya and Qaboshi - came after the Sunni militant group surrounded them, according to a Yazidi politician.

It came as U.S. President Barack Obama said more air strikes were likely around the Sinjar Mountains where the Yazidis are trapped - and refused to give a timetable for how long the offensive might take.

The U.S. and Iraqi governments have stepped up our military assistance to Kurds as they wage this fight,' he said. 'American aircraft are positioned to strike IS terrorists around the mountain to help forces in Iraq break the seige and rescue those who are trapped there.'

He insisted he was pursuing a 'broader strategy' aimed at 'preventing an act of genocide'. 'Ultimately only Iraqis can ensure the stability and security of Iraq', he said. 'The United States can't do it for them.'

But he added: 'We will protect our American citizens in Iraq whether they're diplomats, civilians or military. If these terrorists threaten our facilities or our personnel we will take action to protect our people.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2720723/ISIS-threatens-execute-300-Yazidi-families-ve-surrounded-northern-Iraq-extremists-continue-lay-siege-mountain-50-000-minority-holed-without-food-water.html#ixzz39w4UNLxn

Khalid’s sacking reminds Wan Azizah of 1998 - TMI

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim’s expulsion from PKR today has brought back painful memories for party president Datuk Sri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who told residents of Shah Alam tonight that she was reminded of her own husband’s sacking in 1998.

“I was asking myself, and I was thinking back to the year 1998, when my husband (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) was sacked after Independence on August 31, which triggered a political situation which I would never have imagined,” said Dr Wan Azizah in a ceramah tonight.

“In September, 1998, I could not sleep. Our house was besieged, surrounded three times. We went through that, and the rakyat rose up to fight the injustice. I came forward to demand justice.”

Anwar was fired as deputy prime minister from the Mahathir government on September 2, 1998 after a fall-out and accusations of abusing power plus a sodomy charge. A day later, the Umno supreme council met and sacked Anwar from the party.

The sacking led to 17 days of Reformasi protests in a cross-country campaign led by Anwar himself.

Anwar was later arrested on September 20, 1998, by a crack police commando squad and charged for abuse of power and sodomy. He was also beaten while briefly detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial.

Dr Wan Azizah urged the public to continue the original fight for justice and stand with PKR, even as the party faces an internal crisis following Khalid’s surprise sacking, which bears a resemblance to Anwar’s own expulsion.

“Let us continue our fight to defend the people. That’s why we are here together. When Anwar was released from prison, we continued. And now we are here, and we must go on,” she told about 500 people tonight at a ceramah in Shah Alam.

PKR announced today it had expelled the Port Klang assemblyman for defying the party’s orders to step down as menteri besar and make way for Dr Wan Azizah to replace him.

His expulsion came weeks after the MB crisis threatened to split Pakatan Rakyat (PR) between PAS, which supports Khalid, and PKR and DAP, which want him removed.

Dr Wan Azizah tonight acknowledged that she had no experience ruling a state, but implored the people to work together to improve Selangor.

“We will maintain the good policies. But let there be unity and let us close ranks as we discuss together the best solution.

“This is not about nepotisme. (People say), ‘has Anwar no shame, appointing his own wife?’ Now, can’t we be in a team, and offer our services to the rakyat together?”

Dr Wan Azizah said she was not seeking the MB post for power, but to continue the battle for good governance.

She reminded the crowd that those who joined the 1998 reformasi movement had not done so for material gains, and added that even up until today, neither she nor her husband had any post in government.

“We have nothing. But we only urge that this fight, this support, will take us to better politics and better governance.

“To me, changing positions is not important. What matters is the responsibility we hold and that we always consult one another and remain a team,” she said.

Khalid was often criticised for his unilateral decision-making as menteri besar, and his refusal to answer to the party’s political bureau.

But PKR said his alleged lack of integrity was the main reason they had initiated the Kajang Move in January.

The party leadership council met at 3pm today to deliberate the issue. Khalid is not a member of the top decision-making body in the party but he had earlier tried to stop any discussion on his position.

His sacking today means both PKR and PR lose a seat each in Selangor legislative assembly and the federal parliament.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/khalids-sacking-reminds-wan-azizah-of-1998#sthash.Op28Xgs2.dpuf

No surprise for DAP, PAS leaders over PKR sacking Khalid - TMI

A few leaders from DAP and PAS say that they accept PKR's decision to expel Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, and are not surprised at the turn of events following PKR's leadership council meeting today.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo (pic) has lauded PKR's shock move today to sack Khalid rom the party, saying that the Selangor Menteri Besar had enough opportunity to defend himself.

PKR expelled the Port Klang assemblyman for defying party orders to make way for party president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the menteri besar of the country's wealthiest state.

"I think it is a step in the right direction. Khalid was given every opportunity to defend himself. There was due process.

"PKR has every right to discipline its members. I think this was a case which certainly, given the circumstances, warranted a sacking," Gobind said today.

Gobind's DAP is part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition which has ruled Selangor under Khalid since the 2008 general elections.

He and several other DAP lawmakers have criticised Khalid for approving the contentious Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) despite the PR pact's opposition to toll highways.

DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke said the party would discuss the expulsion at its central working committee meeting tomorrow.

The meeting had been convened earlier to discuss PKR's proposal to remove Khalid and replace him with Dr Wan Azizah.

"We will issue a statement after the meeting."

PAS central committee member Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said: "The self-destruct mode has now turned into a perfect storm. But I believe that the three parties in Pakatan Rakyat will come out stronger and united after this crisis."

He added that Khalid's sacking was expected but did not expect it to be this soon.

"I am sure it is not easy to make such a decision but the party leaders must be willing to take a risk and they have taken ownership of the decision," said Dzulkefly.

Archbishop lends backing to Sabah bumi Christians - Malaysiakini

Sabah's Catholic Archbishop Rev John Wong today weighs on the fast growing 'mamangkis' revival movement of bumiputera Christians in the state.

Reading from prepared text at the conclusion of the mamangkis gathering in Papar on the west coast south of Kota Kinabalu he said, "We implore upon Putrajaya to do all and everything to return our religious freedom and the peace and harmony."

Wong also asked Putrajaya to honour and respect the Malaysia Agreement and the Federal Constitution.

Only 46 years of age, he is the most senior clergyman in the state to support the native revival movement. Although he is officially the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu, Wong is effectively the Catholic Archbishop of the whole of Sabah. He is also the youngest Catholic bishop in Malaysia.

His support comes in the wake of other Christian denominations in Sabah backing the mamangkis revival movement helmed solely by native leadership alarmed by the increasingly aggressive Islamisation, erosion of native rights and the massive entry of illegal Muslim emigrants particularly from southern Philippines.

Wong said, "Let us pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon this land of ours, especially upon our national leaders in making the right and courageous move of championing the rights of each and every community, irrespective of race, belief or social status. Let us pray that we will once again enjoy the harmony, peace and freedom among the peoples in this land."

In an apparent call to bumiputera Christians to redeem their heritage he said, "May the glory of God in our land to be restored!"

He went on to quote from the Bible, "You shall not remove your neighbour's landmark, which the men of old time have set, in your inheritance which you shall inherit in the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess it."

The eight-month-old mamangkis movement is contextualised from a pagan Kadazandusun war ritual into a clarion call to return to God and for a revival among natives.

The initiative is spearheaded by Perhimpunan Anak Negeri (Pan) Sabah or Native Solidarity of Sabah. The first mamangkis gathering was held in Penampang, the Kadazan heartland and has since moved to several towns.

Judiciary blasted    

Wong also took the judiciary to task over the 'Allah' issue by saying, "It is indeed sad that even the judiciary, to whom all the meek and downtrodden look towards for justice and protection, declined by a majority decision, to do justice."

"On June 23, 2014, the Federal Court rejected the Catholic Church's application for leave to appeal against the Court of Appeal judgment which banned the word 'Allah' in the weekly Herald. "

"We are deeply saddened that the Federal Court failed to recognise that there is serious infringement of the Constitution, and more particularly the blatant attack on the lawful entitlement of the citizens to practise their religion without let or hindrance.

“It saddens us to see that our elected national leaders and the judiciary have deliberately failed to uphold the constitution and above all defend it."

Wong did not spare Putrajaya either: "Despite Putrajaya's assurance that the restriction on the non-Muslims to use the word 'Allah' only applies to (Catholic weekly) The Herald, there have been attempts by certain groups to apply a blanket ban.

“The seizing of bibles by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) from the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia is a typical example. Such action blatantly disregards the Putrajaya's assurance. Till now the seized bibles have yet to be returned."

He said, "The attack now on our rights to practice our faith is a direct attack on the nation's integrity and above all the Constitution."

Wong also said, "Aside from threats to religious freedom, we are aware that many Anak Negeri (native) Christians have Muslim sounding names and some even with "bin" or "binti" in their names.

“Some of these Anak Negeri Christians are wrongly categorised as Muslim in their identity cards. These mistakes may be due to ignorance of the JPN officers but the authorities must address these issues and take every effort to rectify them."

"It is the legitimate right of every citizen and more so the anak negeri of Sabah to have his or her identity card correctly issued by the JPN (registration department). Nobody can take that right away from him or her."

Aggressive Islamisation

On aggressive Islamisation in the state, the archbishop pointed out, "We are also aware that subtle conversions of underage children are taking place in our schools.

“Just over a year ago the Catholic Church in Sabah together with the Sabah Council of Churches had made an official complaint to the Education Ministry of a conversion ploy at Labuan Matriculation College.

"We regret that these young students are constantly subjected to various forms of harassment, ridicule and pressure to change their religion.

“Should incidences like these prevail, we question whether the institutes of higher learning in our country are conducive for studies? We urge that religious freedom as enshrined in the constitution shall be upheld at all cost."

Wong also highlighted security issues. "Threats from external forces invading our borders and threats from the huge presence of illegal immigrants have constantly reminded us of our vulnerability. However, many a time, our fears and cries are not seriously taken heed of by those in authorities."

"Internally, our nation is confronted with unprecedented threat to our Christian faith. Attack on our religious beliefs and practices, even the language we use in our Bible, literatures and worship are under siege."

PKR sacks Khalid over refusal to quit MB's post

 

 The PKR leadership council today sacked Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim from the party for his refusal to step down as the state's chief executive officer.

The move, which is bound to strain relations with coalition ally PAS, came after weeks of teetering as PKR held back from taking decisive action due to reservations expressed by its Islamic partner.

Party's disciplinary board chairperson Tan Kee Kwong (right) announced the decision after almost three hours of deliberation which began at 3pm at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

The closed-door meeting was attended by all members of the party’s leadership council with one notable absentee - Khalid.

Tan speaking at a press conference after the meeting said Khalid's refusal to relinquish his MB post along with several performance factors had led to the decision.

"(Khalid) was found to have defied the party's central committee decision after a meeting on July 21 that unanimously agreed to appoint Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the new Selangor menteri besar," said Tan.

He said Khalid proceeded to issue a statement the next day to state his refusal to relinquish the post "and till this very day he continues to refuse to relinquish the said post".

"On that point alone, the disciplinary committee has found cause to expel him," said Tan.

He added further factors regarding Khalid's conduct that the central leadership has considered that support the decision, namely:

• Khalid defied a decisions by the Pakatan presidential council attended by PAS president Hadi Awang, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to put off the process and discussion of the Langat 2 water treatment plant and put off the controversial increases in allowance for the state’s speaker, menteri besar, exco members, and assemblypersons,


• Failure to comply with the Pakatan presidential council decision that he himself had agreed upon, to involve the Selangor water restructuring committee in the water assets takeover exercise,


• Insistence on proceeding with the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) despite the party's directive to review the matter as it goes against the Pakatan manifesto,


• Failure to explain thoroughly to the presidential council his RM70 million loan settlement with Bank Rakyat.

Tan added that Khalid has 14 days to appeal the decision from the time he is officially notified of his sacking, after which the PKR leadership council would decide whether to form a special committee to hear the appeal.

In the meantime, Khalid would remain as menteri besar until he resigns or is otherwise removed from office, such as through a vote of no confidence.

'Decision strictly on membership'

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution told reporters at the same press conference that today’s meeting dealt only with Khalid’s status as a PKR member, and not his position as menteri besar.

He said any moves to remove Khalid from office would be announced later, but said Khalid should respect the fact that he no longer has majority support and vacate his office to make way for a sucessor.

To a question, Saifuddin denied that Khalid’s dismissal was to pressure PAS not to back the Selangor MB.

Meanwhile, in response to another question, PKR central committee member Sivarasa Rasiah told reporters that a letter sent by Khalid’s lawyers today was irrelevant to today’s decision.

“It is not relevant because it does not address the core issue, which is that Khalid has defied clear orders from the party to resign as menteri besar, following the party’s decision to propose PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as menteri besar.

“We have given him the chance the respond and he responded through two letters, which have been taken into consideration.

“As Saifuddin had mentioned, we find the contents (of the letters) showed open defiance. We asked him nicely to step down and he wouldn’t step down, and that is enough (reason),” he said.

Earlier today, The Malay Mail Online reported that Khalid’s lawyers have sent PKR a letter urging the party to explain Khalid’s questions about the allegations against him.

“Our client in fact notes a litany of breaches of natural justice thus far giving rise to perception of conflict of interest and bias against our client,” the letter reportedly said.

Sivarasa added that there is no need to entertain Khalid’s request to postpone the disciplinary hearing because the grounds for his dismissal are already clear, and Khalid’s letters showed that he has no intention to answer the allegations against him.

“For us, due process has been fulfilled, natural justice has been done, he has been given the chance to answer the party’s allegations.

"And not only he did he refuse, he openly defied (the party),” he said in explaining why there is no benefit to postponing the hearing.

Khalid remains defiant

On Tuesday, the PKR disciplinary committee issued Khalid with a show-cause letter ordering him to explain his defiance of the party’s instructions to quit his post as menteri besar.                                    

Khalid was also called to attend a disciplinary committee hearing yesterday to explain several other issues, such as Selangor’s water restructuring exercise and hikes in business licence fees.

In response, Khalid claimed that the show-cause letter was faulty and said the disciplinary board’s demands were both "unreasonable and suspicious".

“As a party fighting for justice for all, I should also be given a real chance, not just a mirage, to answer to the allegations of my wrongdoing.

“Unfortunately, the actions of YB Datuk (Tan) and the disciplinary board up until now are highly suspect,” he said, pointing to the short notice of the hearing and asked for the meeting to be postponed to Aug 15.

The disciplinary board meeting nevertheless went ahead yesterday without Khalid’s presence.

Khalid perlu berundur demi rakyat Selangor

Surat peguam daripada Khalid telah diterima, namun setelah meneliti surat berkenaan didapati tidak relevan.

PETALING JAYA: Ahli Parlimen Subang, R. Sivarasa berkata Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim perlu meletak jawatan sebagai Menteri Besar Selangor kerana tidak lagi mendapat sokongan majoriti daripada adun-adun di Selangor.

Tambah beliau, Khalid tidak lagi memenuhi syarat untuk menjadi MB Selangor dan beliau patut meletak jawatan serta merta.

“Pemecatan Khalid dari parti tidak akan memberi kesan kepada kedudukan EXCO di Selangor.

“Mereka akan menjalankan tugas seperti biasa dan akan menerima arahan yang seterusnya daripada PR,” katanya dalam satu sidang media di Pejabat PKR.

Tambah beliau, surat peguam daripada Khalid telah diterima namun setelah meneliti surat berkenaan didapati tidak relevan kerana tiada tujuan menjawab pertuduhan.

“Khalid telah melanggar arahan daripada parti kerana jawapan yang diberikan menunjukkan Khalid tetap tidak mahu berundur.

“Kita telah beri banyak peluang untuk beliau menjawab tuduhan daripada parti. Kita tidak ada keperluan untuk menagguhkannya lagi,” ujarnya.

Menurut Setiausaha Agung PKR, Saifuddin Nasution, pemecatan Kalid dari keahlian parti juga adalah kerana sifat ingkarnya untuk menerima arahan daripada parti bagi melepaskan jawatan sebagai MB.

Sebelum ini Majlis Pimpinan Pusat PKR telah memutuskan untuk mencalonkan Presiden PKR, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail sebagai calon MB Selangor yang baharu.

“Satu usul undi tidak percaya untuk MB Selangor berundur masih belum berlaku.

“Khalid juga telah diberi peluang yang banyak kerana parti telah memaklumkan sejak 6 bulan lalu iaitu pada 15 Januari 2014,” katanya.

PR juga akan menjalankan tugas seperti biasa.

“Khalid juga diberi tempoh 14 hari daripada tarikh pemecatannya untuk membuat sebarang rayuan,” katanya lagi.

Apabila ditanya samaada pemecatan Khalid ini akan memberi kesan kepada Selangor, Saifuddin menegaskan Khalid harus setuju untuk berundur supaya proses penukaran MB berjalan dengan lancar.

“Jika Khalid sayang kepada rakyat Selangor, beliau perlu berundur,” katanya.

Khalid akan mengadap Sultan

Saya menerima keputusan parti untuk membatalkan keahlian saya walaupun keputusan tersebut adalah salah dan cacat dari segi undang-undang.

SHAH ALAM: Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim menjelaskan bahawa beliau akan menghadap Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah bagi memaklumkan kepada baginda mengenai perkembangan terbaru terhadap dirinya serta mendapatkan nasihat dari baginda.

Menurutnya, hingga isu ini selesai mengikut prosedur yang betul berpandukan peruntukan undang-undang yang termaktub dalam Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri, beliau akan meneruskan memberi khidmat terbaik kepada rakyat sebagai Menteri Besar mengikut kemampuannya.

“Saya menerima keputusan parti untuk membatalkan keahlian saya walaupun keputusan tersebut adalah salah dan cacat dari segi undang-undang,” ujarnya dalam satu kenyataan.

Khalid juga memaklumkan bahawa di dalam surat jawapannya kepada Lembaga Disiplin beliau telah menyatakan bahawa sesungguhnya beliau keliru dengan butir-butir pertuduhan yang mahu dikenakan terhadapnya.

Malah, Pengerusi Lembaga Disiplin gagal menyatakan secara khusus peruntukan mana di dalam Perlembagaan parti yang telah beliau cabuli.

“Saya juga ingin menyatakan walaupun saya telah memohon penangguhan sesi penjelasan kepada Lembaga Disiplin dengan mencadangkan tarikh 15 Ogos 2014 sebagai tarikh yang sesuai tetapi tiada jawapan balas diberikan.

“Sebaliknya, Lembaga Disiplin tetap meneruskan sesi pendengaran tanpa terlebih dahulu mendengar penjelasan dari pihak saya. Saya tidak diberi peluang atau proses yang adil untuk menjawab semua tuduhan terhadap saya mengikut tatacara yang teratur dan betul. Saya percaya ada tindakan sabotaj dari pihak tertinggi parti,” ujarnya.

Frustrated PKR sacks Khalid from party, Selangor crisis deepens

Ida Lim, Malay Mail Online

PKR, so far unable to unseat MB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim from his job as the Mentri Besar of Selangor, has sacked him from the party.

The decision today by PKR’s disciplinary committee to cut Khalid adrift deepens the crisis over who will lead Malaysia’s richest state without bringing resolution any closer, entrenching concerns that the three-party Pakatan Rakyat coalition which governs Selangor will soon fall apart.

A statement from the committee said the sacking takes effect immediately.

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition which governs Selangor has not been able to reach consensus whether Khalid must step down. PKR wants him replaced by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. DAP agrees but Islamist party PAS continues to back Khalid.

Khalid’s sacking leaves the coalition in a precarious state and will add to worries that snap polls may have to be called to ward off a stalemate.

PKR’s share of the 56 seat Selangor state assembly drops to 13 from 14. Its allies DAP and PAS have 15 seats each while Umno, the opposition in the state, has 12.

It is still not known if Khalid will join any other party or will simply become the lone independent assemblyman.

‘Jilboobs’ Raise Clerical Hackles in Indonesia

Fatwa unlikely to make women throw away their jeans

By Asia Sentinel


Could it be that the “jilboob,” a slangy term used by some to describe Indonesian women who pair their modest Muslim headscarfs with tight jeans and sexy blouses, could be on her way out? If the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI), has its way, that will be the case.

The jilboob, or sometimes “jilbabe,” gets her name because in Indonesia the full-body burka seen in Afghanistan or the abaya in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, is rarely adopted. Rather than using a black tent to hide a woman from society’s prying eyes, observant Indonesian Muslims prefer the jilbab – or hijab in Malaysia. The scarf usually covers the hair and neck but leaves the rest of the wearer’s wardrobe up for grabs.

The devout might combine the jilbab with modest long dresses and blouses, but many women use the “jilbab and jeans” look to maintain their sex appeal while giving in to whatever pressure or devotion motivates them to cover their hair – often family insistence or to please husbands who want a religious spouse.

Some websites in Jakarta call the sexy jilbab look, the “jilboob,” because it often consists of make-up, jeans a tight shirt and high heels. There is a Facebook page devoted to discussing the pros and cons of the jilboob look and plenty of web sites and twitter feeds -- #jilbabseksi is one -- that show off selfies of young women in their jilbabs, some of which leave little to the imagination. Many stores and boutiques cater to making the “Muslim look” sexy. Women are even seen wearing the head covering with a miniskirt on occasion.

The clerics, who have little real power despite nominally being Islam’s ruling body in Indonesia, have had enough. MUI issued a fatwa, or religious ruling, on Thursday and said there will be no more jilbabes and jilboobs henceforth. It is unlikely to be taken seriously; the MUI has previous banned all manner of things, from gyrating dangdut dancers to western movies, only to be blithely ignored.

“The MUI already has a fatwa against pornography. But that means that you should not show the shape of the body by wearing a jilbab with tight clothing,” the MUI vice chairman, Ma’ruf Amin told local media. “The MUI strictly forbids it. We respect those who are already wearing the jilbab. But for those already wearing the jilbab, it should not be vulgar.”

It’s hard to say how much effect the fatwa will have on Indonesia’s Muslim women, many of whom simply ignore Islamic dress altogether. Despite the fact, however, Indonesia, as with many places with large Muslim populations, has grown decidedly more outwardly observant in the last decade or so. Jilbabs used to be rare in Jakarta, for existence; they are now commonplace. It is also paradoxically common to see jilbab-wearing women frequenting nightclubs and sometimes drinking alcohol.

Women often say they are cajoled by their mothers and relatives into wearing the jilbab, but find ways to get around it. Some wear the scarf at work or on weekends when visiting mom and discard it other times.

“I do what I want,” said Azizah, who sports a jilbab and jeans at home to please her mother but takes
it off when she goes out clubbing with friends. “It is up to me to look how I want. Does God really care?”

Such attitudes are a welcome reminder that Indonesia is a secular country not an Islamic republic and that panels like the MUI can issue edicts but they have little power to enforce them.

Bar Council says government defrauded Orang Asal

Free Malaysia Today 
by James Sivalingam

Despite a litany of promises made, both the federal and state governments have failed the Penans and Kenyah in a big way in the name of development.

Penan-tribeKUALA LUMPUR: The Bar Council yesterday, through its Orang Asli Rights and Human Rights Committee slammed the Sarawak state government for leaving the Penans and Kenyah high and dry when they were resettled to make way for the building of the Murum Dam.

During the committee’s study trip to the Metalun and Tegulang Resettlement Areas recently, the post relocation conditions of the Penans and Kenyah left much to be desired.

The study group found that the native communities were living in hazardous, treacherous conditions and in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world.

Committee member Andrew Khoo said, “The resettlement project has failed.” He described the relocated communities as being “defrauded,” “cheated” and “short changed” for “which the Sarawak state government has to be held responsible.”

He said this in regards to the numerous promises made to the Penans and Kenyah that were left unfulfilled by the authorities.

Khoo cited the initial food and provision subsidy of RM600 per household per month that has since dwindled to 5kg of chicken wings, flour, and cooking oil only.

Despite being relocated to make way for a dam, Khoo said the irony was that the people of Metalun and Tegulang themselves enjoyed only 6 – 12 hours electricity per day.

Khoo added, “As they were relocated in order to facilitate the construction of the dam, the state government and Sarawak Energy Berhad has the moral and legal obligation to ensure that their welfare is taken care of.”

The observation on the ground was also found to be in stark contrast to the pledges made by the Malaysian government to the United Nations Human Rights Council in October 2013.

The Bar Council’s vice president, Steven Thiru said the state government defaulted in upholding the recommendations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) that was made during Malaysia’s 2013 Universal Periodic Review.

Thiru also said that indigenous people in Peninsula Malaysia were suffering the same fate as those in Sarawak because the federal government was quick to dismiss litigation of Orang Asli land disputes based on technical and procedural grounds.

“The state and federal governments are not dealing with solving the problem, but merely making the litigation go away for them, and problems remain for the Orang Asli,” Thiru said.

The Bar Council also criticised the lack of effective legislative or executive action to recognise the Orang Asli’s rights to land and resources despite the courts legally recognising it.

Abdul Khalid Sacked From PKR

PETALING JAYA, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- Parti Keadilan Rakyat's (PKR) Central Leadership Council (MPP) on Saturday took the decision to sack Selangor Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim from the party with immediate effect.

PKR's disciplinary board chairman Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong said it was a unanimous decision by the MPP based on Abdul Khalid's refusal to make way for PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to be the new menteri besar of the state.

Tan said besides this, Abdul Khalid had also ignored several decisions made by the Pakatan Rakyat Presidential Council.

"As such, it is announced that Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has been sacked from PKR with immediate effect," he told a press conference at PKR's headquarters here.

Commenting further, Tan said Abdul Khalid was found to have ignored a decision made by the MPP on July 21 which had unanimously picked Dr Wan Azizah as the new candidate for the post of the Menteri Besar of Selangor.

"He (Abdul Khalid) had made a media statement on July 22, 2014 that he would not step down (as menteri besar) and till today has refused to so.

"Solely on this ground, the Disciplinary Board was of the opinion that he should be sacked," said Tan.

Tan, who is also Wangsa Maju member of Parliament, said among the decisions of the MPP that were disregarded by Abdul Khalid were postponing discussions on the Langat 2 water treatment project and also postponing an increase in the allowances for the Speaker, Menteri Besar, state executive councillors and assemblymen.

"He also failed to adhere to the decision of the PR (Pakatan Rakyat) Presidential Council as agreed by him on involving the Selangor Water Restructuring Committee in the restructuring of Selangor water assets.

"He also went ahead with the Kidex highway project even though the party had ordered him to review the project as it was against PR's objectives and manifesto presented during the last general election," said Tan.

In Selangor, Pakatan Rakyat which is made up of PKR, DAP and PAS is in power whereas the Barisan Nasional (BN) is in the opposition. The BN is in power at the federal level and in all the states except for Kelantan, Penang and Selangor.

Selangor is led by the PKR, hence the MB coming from the party while Penang and Kelantan are led by the DAP and PAS respectively.

Tan said Abdul Khalid had 14 days from today to file his appeal if he felt the sacking was not reasonable or he was denied justice.

"If Abdul Khalid appeals, the MPP will set up a separate committee to hear the case," he said.

At the same press conference, PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the sacking was based on the conduct of Abdul Khalid, which he described as open defiance.

Nonetheless, Saifuddin said based on the Selangor constitution, Abdul Khalid still remained as the lawful Menteri Besar but was deemed to have lost majority support because the DAP and PKR had decided to no longer support him.

"You must understand, as per the state constitution, it is very clear he no longer commands majority support in the state assembly, why?

"Because he has been sacked from the party, and PKR and DAP have withdrawn their support to him.

Abdul Khalid no longer commands majority support from Selangor assemblyman and because of this, does not fulfill the conditions to continue holding the MB (Menteri Besar) post," Saifuddin explained.

Following this, he said PKR would move a motion of no confidence against Abdul Khalid in the state assembly to remove him from the post in a lawful manner.

Ambiga: PKR has to solve MB crisis, not me

Anwar: Khalid bukan sekadar ahli PKR, MB tetapi juga rakan

‘Enemies’ using internet to attack Islam, warns Jakim

By Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — Federal Islamic authorities today joined the call for online attacks against Islam to be punished severely, following recent complaints that authorities were not vigorously pursuing non-Muslims for such activities.

Telling Muslims they were duty-bound to defend Islam against threats and insults proliferating on the Internet, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) said these actions were against religion and the law, and urged for a crackdown against such cyber-attacks.

In its weekly Friday sermon, Jakim alleged of numerous cases where social media and communications technology have been used to demean Islam, belittle Malay sensitivities and insult the Malay Rulers.

“The actions of these groups pushes the limits of Muslims’ patience. With all sorts of insults before this, we no longer want any rude and uncivilised statements or actions by any party to pass without stiff action and maximum punishment under existing laws,” read the sermon, posted on Jakim’s website.

“Stiff and prompt action by the authorities is necessary so that this is not repeated and serves as a lesson to all to not play with fire and go overboard,” it added.

The sermon called on all Muslims to take up the role and responsibility of standing up to the challenge posed by Islam’s cyber-enemies, using “whatever reasonable means” including social media to protect the position of Muslims, especially in Malaysia.

It also urged Muslims not to be taken by the provocation they came across online, stressing the need for each and every Muslim to have a deep understanding of Islam while building their spiritual fortitude, knowledge, intellect, political maturity and unity among the faithful.

Jakim’s message comes amid a backdrop of recent complaints against the police, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) over perceived inaction against alleged non-Muslim attacks against Islam.

Detractors such as Umno Youth and the Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia daily have accused the agencies of “selective action”, contrasting the prosecution of a Malay road bully and Muslim preacher against the case of a Facebook user who remains at large despite a derogatory remark aimed at Muslims.

All three agencies have denied the allegations of bias towards non-Muslims, explaining that the complexities involved in each investigation precluded the use of one to benchmark the level of action in another.

Iraq’s Yazidis hide on mountain as ISIS advances

BAGHDAD: After fleeing from Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria militants, thousands of ethnic Yazidis stranded on a mountain were hoping that Iraqi government planes would drop food to save them.

The supplies never came. All they could do was pray for help.

Just a week ago, Yazidis living in their ancient homeland of Sinjar in northern Iraq felt protected by Kurdish peshmerga forces. Followers of an ancient religion derived from Zoroastrianism, the Yazidis are themselves Kurds.

The peshmerga – “those who confront death” – had acquired reputations as fierce warriors who once took on Saddam Hussein’s troops. But they gave way before the Sunni militants, who had seized tanks and armored personnel carriers from the Iraqi military when they swept through the north in June.

Iraq’s U.S.-trained and funded army crumbled, leaving the Kurds and Shiite militias to fight back against Sunni militants, who were gaining momentum after launching a weekend offensive. ISIS said it has now captured Iraq’s biggest dam, a military base and 15 towns.

The Yazidis appear to be paying the heaviest humanitarian price for the ambitions of ISIS, which has declared a caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria and has threatened to march on Baghdad.

“Most of the families were stopped by Islamic State militants while they were leaving and the militants killed men. Some were beheaded,” said Abu Ali, 38, who was hiding with tens of thousands of others on Sinjar Mountain.

“One of the saddest stories was one of our relatives. They beheaded all his 15 family members in front of him and then took him with them.”

Yazidi women were hauled away for forced marriages, or perhaps slavery, as in other towns. “Some were taken to Syria,” Abu Ali said.

Many of Yazidi villages were destroyed years earlier when Saddam Hussein’s troops tried to crush the Kurds. Some were abducted by his security agents. Now they are on the defensive again.

Witnesses reached by telephone said about 100 babies died from thirst in mountains infested by snakes and scorpions. But coming down from the mountains and returning to Sinjar is a risky option.

In other places they have captured, Islamic State militants have imposed their radical view of Islam – women must wear a full-face veil, Shiite mosques must be dynamited, “infidels” eliminated.

Minorities have little chance of surviving unless they conform.

Nareen Shammo, a Yazidi activist, said families who stayed behind in Sinjar were forced to convert to Islam. “Five hundred women were kidnapped. Some of them were sold in an auction at low prices and others were forced to marry militants,” Shammo said.

Amnesty International said panic was gripping northern Iraq.

“Many members of minorities are even fleeing areas where there seems to be no imminent danger of an ISIS attack as they are so traumatized by their recent displacement,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s senior crisis response adviser, who is currently in northern Iraq.

Thousands of Iraqis, predominantly Yazidis, have fled to the Turkish border to escape ISIS fighters, local officials said.

Some of the thousands of people trapped by ISIS militants on Sinjar mountain have been rescued in the past 24 hours, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday.

“We’re just receiving the information right now. We’ve just heard that people over the last 24 hours have been extracted and the U.N. is mobilizing resources to ensure that these people are assisted on arrival,” David Swanson said by phone from Iraq.

“This is a tragedy of immense proportions, impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.”

Another Yazidi, who asked not to be identified, said he and his family spend their time under a tree to escape the punishing sun.

“We heard that there were planes which dropped some help, but we didn’t get anything,” he said.

Unable to return to Sinjar and fearful the rough mountain conditions could soon kill them, Yazidis were clinging to stories of heroics unrelated to realities on the ground.

“We heard that there is a person called Qasin Shasho who was in the mountainous areas, gathered his supporters and started to fight the Islamic State with the coordination of some young men. They forced the Islamic State to return back,” said the Yazidi who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals.


A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on August 08, 2014, on page 8.