Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Islamic State blows away Gulf qualms about joining U.S. military action
(Reuters) - It is more than 23 years since Arab countries last made common cause to join U.S.-led military action, and it has taken the threat of Islamic State to persuade them that any public backlash in an already turbulent region is a price worth paying.
Of the five Arab states named by Washington as supporting U.S.-led strikes against the jihadist group in Syria, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed they had actually flown sorties. Saudi Arabia said it had "participated in military operations", and Qatar was believed to have offered only logistical or political support.
But association with the attacks, after years of U.S.-led wars that have antagonized Muslims around the world, is a risk these states are ready to run to quash a group that promises to refashion the Middle East as an Islamic caliphate.
"We see Islamic State as an existential threat. If we don't put a stop to it, it will expand into our area," said Sami al-Faraj, an adviser to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which groups Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
The air and missile strikes were designed to undermine the military and organizational prowess of a group that controls large parts of northeast Syria and has seized swathes of Iraq since June.
As it sucks in support from other less successful rebel groups, and sophisticated American weaponry from routed Iraqi forces, Islamic State has made clear it seeks nothing less than to place the entire Muslim world under medieval-style theocratic rule - a message abhorrent to the Gulf's dynastic rulers.
Not since a multinational coalition ejected Iraq from Kuwait in 1991 have such a large number of Arab countries aligned themselves publicly with U.S.-led armed action in the Arab world.
"They are no longer active, influential neutrals, and are now fast becoming frontline states in a war that is likely to engulf the whole region," said British academic Christopher Davidson.
NEW CONFIDENCE
Although the Gulf states are heavy purchasers of Western military hardware, and Qatar and UAE lent military support to the Libyan forces that toppled Muammar Gaddafi with Western help in 2011, they are normally seen as reliant on the West for their defense in any emergency, as was the case with Kuwait.
The disclosure of Saudi Arabia's involvement in U.S.-led attacks also breaks with the conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom's traditional aversion to any publicity, let alone on such a sensitive issue.
"The impression is that the Saudis are willing to trumpet their role," said Neil Partrick, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London. "That's a striking development, even though we don't know what their role is."
The kingdom's heir apparent and defense minister, Crown Prince Salman, said in a national day address carried by Saudi media on Tuesday that Riyadh needed to counter militancy more assertively.
"We are concerned because we have not done enough to protect our nation from extremism, and its youths from militancy and radicalism, leading some to adopt violence and replace the doctrine of tolerance with that of takfir (declaring to be an infidel)," local newspapers reported.
GCC adviser Faraj said Gulf Arab action now was "a message to the militants, and to the radicals among our own people, that we mean business about stopping the Islamic State".
The UAE also appears ready not only to take action but also to present a more confident and assertive front.
Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, chairwoman of the Emirates Policy Center in Abu Dhabi, told Reuters the UAE's support was in line with its growing capabilities. "It has become a military, economic and political power to reckon with," she said.
Asked about the risk of inviting attacks on the UAE, Ketbi said "terrorism" was a possibility, whether the UAE took part or not.
"There is nothing without a risk. But you are part of an international alliance and you cannot be inactive in the face of terrorism when you have all these resources," she told Reuters.
"GUARD DOGS FOR THE JEWS"
Islamic State itself has threatened to attack any state that supports the U.S. campaign.
Its spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani on Monday reiterated a threat to Saudi Arabia, and dismissed its rulers as "guard dogs for the Jews, and a stick in the hands of the crusaders to be used against Islam".
Riyadh has two big worries about Islamic State: that it will consolidate its rule in Iraq, creating a de facto haven for militants along the kingdom's northern border; and that it will encourage radicals inside the kingdom to mount their own raids.
Faraj said the level of alertness of security forces in Gulf Arab states had been raised for weeks and "today it is at the highest" because of the U.S.-led attacks.
He said security would be heightened in particular near air bases and at logistics and fuelling facilities.
But security is not the only kind of worry facing the Arab members of the anti-Islamic State alliance.
Maintaining a united front may also be hard, because of disputes between Qatar and some of its Gulf Arab neighbors about the role of Islamists in Arab politics.
Although the Gulf states are all opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Saudi Arabia last year leaned heavily on Qatar to desist from providing money and weaponry to some of Syria's more radical Islamist rebels.
Qatar is therefore likely to have been unhappy about the raids' targeting of the Nusrah Front, a group linked to al Qaeda that it seems to see as an authentic Syrian opposition group, diplomats said.
A source close to the Qatar government told Reuters the overnight attacks would not solve anything. He said it was unfair to target only Islamic State when Assad "has been left to kill his people for years".
(Additional reporting by Sami Aboudi, Noah Browning and Amena Bakr, Editing by Kevin Liffey)
ISIS video: 'We will break your crosses and enslave your women'
A video released today by the Islamic State (IS) urges Muslims to "slaughter" Westerners from those nations which are taking part in an international anti-jihadist coalition.
In a disturbing 42-minute address, spokesman for the terrorist group, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, says: "If you can kill a disbelieving American or European, especially the spiteful and filthy French, or an Australian, or a Canadian ... including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him.
"Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him."
Adnani says both civilians and members of the military are "disbelievers" and therefore "both of their blood and wealth is legal for you to destroy".
Also targeting President Obama, who is leading the fight against IS, Adnani mocks the administration's ruling that America will not enter into a war on the ground in Iraq and Syria.
"No, it will be drawn and dragged. It will come down to the ground and it will be led to its death, grave, and destruction" Adnani says, referring to the president as "the mule of the Jews" and ridiculing the suggestion that the Islamic State is not truly Muslim.
Adnani continues his threat against Westerners, saying : "You will not feel secure even in your bedrooms. You will pay the price when this crusade of yours collapses, and thereafter we will strike you in your homeland, and you will never be able to harm anyone afterwards.
"O America, O allies of America, and O crusaders, know that the matter is more dangerous than you have imagined and greater than you have envisioned," he adds.
"We have warned you that today we are in a new era, an era where the [Islamic] State, its soldiers, and its sons are leaders, not slaves.
"We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women, by the permission of Allah, the Exalted."
The video follows French airstrikes against IS on Friday, which killed dozens of jihadist fighters in northern Iraq.
Other countries have also stepped up their responses to the militant group, with further air strikes expected from the US this week.
According to US Secretary of State John Kerry, more than 50 countries have pledged to join an international coalition against IS, which is thought to have between 20,000 and 31,500 members fighting to create an Islamic caliphate. The group now controls a large stretch of Iraq and Syria.
As part of the effort to eliminate the extremists, President Obama will this week urge the UN to pass a resolution banning would-be jihadists from travelling overseas.
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Man shot dead, two counter-terrorism officers stabbed outside Endeavour Hills police station
The 18-year-old Narre Warren man, who was under surveillance over his threats against Mr Abbott and had been seen with an Islamic State flag at the Dandenong shopping centre, met police outside Endeavour Hills police station in Melbourne’s southeast about 7.45pm.
He greeted the two officers with a handshake before attacking them, police say.
He stabbed the AFP officer a number of times before twice stabbing the Victorian officer in the forearm, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said.
Mr Cornelius said the Victorian officer fired a single shot that killed the man.
“Our members had no inkling that this individual posed a threat to them,” he said.
“It’s absolutely clear to us that our members really had no choice other than to act in the way in which they did.”
The injured officers, both from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team, are in hospital in a stable condition.
Senior intelligence sources confirmed that the terrorism suspect had been among a number of people whose passports were recently cancelled.
Mr Cornelius said police had arranged to meet with the man because of concerns about his behaviour.
But an altercation started after he arrived at the police station, which led the teenager to produce a knife.
The dead man had acted on his own, Mr Cornelius said.
“The individual who has died, was invited and did come of his own free will to the police station,’’ he said.
“Obviously both members are in shock but we are doing everything when can to provide them with support and assistance in what is for any police officer an incredibly difficult and challenging time.”
Read more: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/man-shot-dead-two-counterterrorism-officers-stabbed-outside-endeavour-hills-police-station/story-fni0fee2-1227068293410?nk=1becb4e2afc862037945e79fb746f1e6
Army chief calls on public to be aware of Isis threat – Bernama
The public, especially those in the east coast of Sabah, should develop deeper level of understanding on the threats posed by the terror organisation, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis), in their areas.Chief of Defence Forces (ATM) General Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin (pic) said Isis was a real threat and the authorities should take certain action to prevent it from turning into a major problem.
"Public awareness on Isis should be enhanced so that they can understand the issue. We need the support from the people to monitor militancy activities there so that they can help the ATM and the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM)."
Zulkifeli said this to reporters in response to the threats posed by Isis to Malaysia after opening the Electronic Warfare Training Centre at the Paya Jaras Camp in Sungei Buloh today.
He said there were Malaysians involved in the militant activities in Syria and Iraq, thinking that they were fulfilling their obligations of jihad.
"I'm worried that when they return to Malaysia, they will do something that can threaten the safety of the country, especially after they established a network in neighbouring countries from Syria or Iraq," he said.
On the seminar, Zulkifeli said the ability and capability of defence forces in controlling information and electromagnetic spectrum were the key requirements in electronic warfare to preserve secrecy of information from outside threats.
"Without knowledge and skills in electronic warfare, the ATM will not be able to generate combat power and hence, will probably be exposed to outside threats," he said.
Zulkifeli said under the 11th Malaysia Plan, the ATM would acquire high-tech electronic warfare training system, which was expected to close the gap of electronic warfare skills between ATM and the armed forces in developed countries. – Bernama, September 23, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/army-chief-calls-on-public-to-be-aware-of-isis-threat-bernama#sthash.ZZyyhks5.dpuf
Police crackdown on Indian gangs reignites before Deepavali
Just a month before Deepavali, the spectre of Ops Cantas has resurfaced with a fresh police crackdown on Indian criminal gangs who are allegedly on an intensified prowl before the festive day.Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic) said the peninsula-wide crackdown which was undertaken late last year needs to be re-energised due to a spike in extortion activities by the gangs in various towns and cities leading to Deepavali on October 22.
He added that the ministry has identified 23 gangs, including secret societies involved in illegal gambling and drugs, to be banned, in addition to 49 that are already in its black list.
“This is an extension of Ops Cantas,” he told reporters today.
“Several groups have heightened activities to collect ‘protection money’ leading up to Deepavali.
“The police have come to know about this and are tracing their movements,” he added.
“So we are working to weed out these gangs,” he said, stressing that the criminal activities are being done by predominantly Indian gangs.
He called on the public not to cave in to such extortion demands and immediately report cases to the police.
He said there is a tendency for gangs to increase activities to illegally collect money from communities when major festivals are approaching, and the police are keen to clamp down on this trend.
Ops Cantas was launched on August 23 last year. The ministry had announced that as the crackdown escalated, some 1.1 million people were screened and about 40,000 people were arrested in the process by the end of the year. Some 50% of those arrested were Malays, 30% were Indians and the rest from other races.
Wan Junaidi was speaking after attending the Penang state investiture ceremony at the Dewan Sri Penang in George Town. Also present was Penang Chief Police Officer Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi.
The ceremony, which was officiated by Yang diPertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas, was to honour police veterans who had served during the Emergency (from 1948 to 1960), the Communist Insurgency (from 1968 to 1989 in peninsular Malaysia and from 1962 to 1990 in Sabah and Sarawak).
A total of 185 veterans were awarded the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara today, including nine who were honoured posthumously.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/police-crackdown-on-indian-gangs-reignites-before-deepavali#sthash.FUyPlV1S.dpuf
Cargo worker claims trial to 'mischievous' statement
Syafiq Abdul Wahid is said to have made the statement on the Persatuan Kongsi Gelap Melayu (PKGM) (The Association of Malay Secret Societies ) Facebook page.
He is alleged to have posted: "Amaran kepada pihak berkuasa: Kami dari jemaah Pekida dan beberapa NGO lain termasuk PKGM akan bom tempat yang dimurkai Allah Azzawajalla"
(Warning to the authorities: we from Pekida and several other NGOs including PKGM will bomb several places which have aroused the wrath of Allah.)
He further named those places as the Shah Alam liquor brewery; Pavillion, Kuala Lumpur; Bukit Aman; Batu Caves temple and the National Mosque.
Syafiq allegedly made the posting at a petrol kiosk in Taman Kinrara, in Bandar Kinrara within the Subang Jaya district.
The accused was represented by Mohd Radzlan Jamaluddin.
Sessions judge Yasmin Abdul Razak imposed bail at RM2,000 with one surety and fixed Oct 30 for mention.
It was previously reported that Syafiq was being investigated for sedition for the parody posted on his Facebook page.
The page chronicles the life of a fictional thug who goes by the monicker 'Ayah' (godfather).
If found guilty, Syafiq stands to face a maximum two years’ jail or fine or both.
Anwar latest target of sedition dragnet
The Sedition Act crackdown continues with opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim being the latest to be investigated over remarks uttered three years ago.
According to PKR legal adviser Latheefa Koya, the probe concerns a speech he delivered during a political rally in Gombak.
Newly appointed Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali was also investigated over the same issue.
"Azmin's
statement had already been taken in 2011, but looks like they (the
police and the authorities) are re-opening the case," said Latheefa (right).She said the police are scheduled to record Anwar’s statement on Friday at the PKR headquarters.
PKR's Padang Serai MP N Surendran, who himself is facing two charges under the Sedition Act, would accompany Anwar when his statement is taken.
The case has been classified under Section 4 of the Sedition Act.
Anwar was scheduled to launch the DNA (Datuk Najib Altantuya) campaign at the ceramah held near Taman Melawati on March 25.
Pandemonium erupted when the police light strike force stormed the ceramah some 15 minutes into his speech before an audience numbering around 1,500.
Anwar has already been sentenced to five-years jail by the Court of Appeal, which found him guilty of sodomy and overturned the earlier acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Besides Azmin, the police also recorded statements from Hulu Klang assemblyperson Saari Sungib and Batu Caves assemblyperson Amiruddin Shari.
A smear on moderate Najib's image
Meanwhile PKR Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the sedition charge against Anwar reflected poorly on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's image as a moderate Muslim leader.
"
His
(Najib's) image consultants are busy labelling him as a Muslim leader
who promotes democracy and moderation, even though these labels don't
reflect reality," he said in a statement.Quoting Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan, Nik Nazmi added that Najib and his ministers have a moral responsibility to God and man to ensure the freedom of others.
"To be free is to protect the freedom of others and their dignities," he quoted Tariq as saying.
Ambiga’s NGO calls on Azmin Ali to make reforms
Azmin may have newly assumed his post, but C4 already has recommendations for him.
PETALING JAYA- The Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4), the new NGO headed by former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan, released a series of recommendations for the newly minted Selangor Menteri Besar (MB), Azmin Ali.
Saying that Azmin cannot be afforded a “honeymoon period,” C4 called upon Azmin to espouse “competent, credible and clean administrative policies” in order to regain the confidence of Selangor’s electorate, who had to endure eight months of political impasse between PKR and former MB Khalid Ibrahim.
The C4 called for eight key changes to be made in Azmin’s administration. Firstly, clean, transparent and accountable administration, calling into question Azmin’s past as an UMNO politician and “unflattering reputation”. They also recommended an open government relationship, which involves the government and civil society cooperating for better accountability. Public participation was also highlighted in C4′s statement, bringing up the heavy handed decisions of the previous administration on the Kidex highway and other projects.
Prudent financial administration was also called for, as Selangor had RM3 billion in it’s coffers from Khalid’s administration and must be used prudently and in an accountable manner.
C4 also demanded that the state’s Freedom of Information Act make available access to all important state projects. Local elections and open tenders were also part of C4′s recommendations, claiming local council had “inadequately qualified councillors tasked with making decisions they are incapable of,” and that an open tender system would eliminate cronyism and ultimately allow the public to keep an eye on the public service delivery system.
Finally, the C4 asked that a public service Ombudsman be implemented in the name of good governance. Describing it as an “independent oversight mechanism that is tasked to oversee and manage better public services in the State,” it would prove Selangor to be transparent, which is necessary for a “corrupt free state.”
Saying that Azmin cannot be afforded a “honeymoon period,” C4 called upon Azmin to espouse “competent, credible and clean administrative policies” in order to regain the confidence of Selangor’s electorate, who had to endure eight months of political impasse between PKR and former MB Khalid Ibrahim.
The C4 called for eight key changes to be made in Azmin’s administration. Firstly, clean, transparent and accountable administration, calling into question Azmin’s past as an UMNO politician and “unflattering reputation”. They also recommended an open government relationship, which involves the government and civil society cooperating for better accountability. Public participation was also highlighted in C4′s statement, bringing up the heavy handed decisions of the previous administration on the Kidex highway and other projects.
Prudent financial administration was also called for, as Selangor had RM3 billion in it’s coffers from Khalid’s administration and must be used prudently and in an accountable manner.
C4 also demanded that the state’s Freedom of Information Act make available access to all important state projects. Local elections and open tenders were also part of C4′s recommendations, claiming local council had “inadequately qualified councillors tasked with making decisions they are incapable of,” and that an open tender system would eliminate cronyism and ultimately allow the public to keep an eye on the public service delivery system.
Finally, the C4 asked that a public service Ombudsman be implemented in the name of good governance. Describing it as an “independent oversight mechanism that is tasked to oversee and manage better public services in the State,” it would prove Selangor to be transparent, which is necessary for a “corrupt free state.”
Sultan played his cards skilfully
He is no novice in the game of thrones.When PKR sacked Khalid Ibrahim from the party, the Sultan of Selangor knew that it was game over for the 14th Menteri Besar (MB) of Selangor. It was no longer a question of whether Khalid would have to go. It was a question of when and how plus who should replace him.
The Selangor State Constitution puts certain things beyond the control of a Sultan. However, there are certain things that fall within his powers and prerogatives.
He has very skilfully played his cards, so that his critics were only able to point out what he should “morally” do rather than what he should “legally” do.
And this was what all those senior lawyers and constitutional experts did when they spoke to the press. They constantly reminded the Sultan about what he should morally do in the selection of an MB to replace Khalid.
In terms of seniority, the other eight Malay rulers consider the Sultan of Selangor as second only to the Sultan of Kedah. This is because he became the Raja Muda of Selangor way back in 1960.
That was more than half a century ago. Hence, he is no novice when it comes to playing the game of thrones. He observed what the rulers did as well as the mistakes they made, which were many. And he swore that he would not blunder like they did.
No doubt it was Pakatan Rakyat that nominated Khalid as the Selangor MB in 2008. However, the Sultan made one thing clear to Khalid: the party can only nominate the MB but it is the Sultan who appoints him.
The MB does not pledge loyalty to the party. He pledges loyalty to the Sultan, the state and the rakyat. Once he is an MB, the party is no longer important to him.
And this was exactly how Khalid ran Selangor. He gave his allegiance to the Sultan, the state and the rakyat and practically ignored what Anwar Ibrahim and the party wanted.
And this was why Anwar and the party wanted Khalid out.
The Sultan, however, refused to accept Khalid’s resignation. He wanted to first resolve the issue of the successor. Only when Khalid’s successor had been decided would he agree to Khalid’s resignation.
The reason for this is that he would not accept an Anwar nominee. The new MB must be someone who, like Khalid, is prepared to pledge loyalty and allegiance to the Sultan, the state and the rakyat.
And that was why it took a long time to decide who the new Selangor MB would be.
Azmin knew he was going to get the job (which he had wanted even in 2008) only if he was prepared to agree to the Sultan’s condition that he be the MB of the Sultan and not the MB of Anwar or PKR.
We shall see over the next 100 days what type of MB Azmin is going to be. Is he going to be the Sultan’s MB or Anwar’s MB? And the way Azmin conducts himself will determine whether the MB’s office is going to have a good relationship with the palace or whether we are going to see conflict between the MB’s office and the palace every step of the way.
Can Zahid also swear to God that police will commence investigations using the Sedition Act “within 24 hours” of a complaint against UMNO Ministers and leaders, including himself?
By Lim Kit Siang BlogYesterday, Malaysiakini in its report “Zahid swears to God sedition probes to go on” quoted the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi taking an oath to God that police will commence investigations using the Sedition Act “within 24 hours” of a complaint.
In a speech at an UMNO Lumut event on Sept. 20, Zahid said: “As the minister responsible for the Royal Malaysian Police, wallahi billahi tallahi (I swear to Allah) that if police reports are lodged against any individual who impinged on a sensitive issue, the police will start investigations immediately, if possible within 24 hours.”
Zahid said although he can promise an investigation, the decision on whether or not to prosecute can only be made by the attorney-general.
I want to ask Zahid whether he can also swear to God that police will commence investigations using the Sedition Act “within 24 hours” of a complaint against UMNO Ministers and leaders, including himself?
For instance, former UMNO Minister and Selangor Barisan Nasional/UMNO Chairperson Datuk Noh Omar threatened “an uprising” at a gathering of some 500 people organised by a coalition of NGOs called Gerak Daulat in Shah Alam two days ago.
Will Zahid ensure that police will initiate investigations “within 24 hours” if a police report on sedition is lodged against Noh Omar.
Or even closer home, can Zahid undertake that police will initiate investigations “within 24 hours” if a police report on sedition is lodged against the Home Minister himself?
Zahid’s speech in the Pengakalan Kubor by-election yesterday, as reported by The Malay Mail Online “Zahid Hamidi calls Malays to defend rights, says ‘over our dead bodies’”, about what happened in Perak during the 2009 Constitutional crisis is clearly seditious in trying to incite inter-racial hatred apart from being a tissue of lies and falsehoods.
The Malay Mail Online report said:
“Zahid, who is also home minister, cited incidents surrounding the Perak constitutional crisis to back his claim that divisions among the Malays had given the predominantly Chinese opposition party the DAP space to pit the two races against each other.
“Zahid said the Perak crisis was a good example of how Malays have become so politically divided that it was willing to insult the monarchy, a symbol of Malay sovereignty.
“He suggested some Malays were willingly doing the dirty job for the Chinese by putting their lives on the line.
“’I remember during the Perak crisis, they were protesting (against the Barisan Nasional takeover) at the time, they tried to block the entrance to the state building. You know who were the ones lying down on the streets? All Malays.
“’Where were the DAP people? They were throwing stones at the Raja Muda… they also threw stones at my car. I was there. When they were doing this, those lying down on the road were all Malays,’ he said.”
I am shocked at Zahid’s most irresponsible, inflammatory and seditious speech which were based on lies and falsehoods.
Can Zahid give a public assurance that police investigations will commence against him “within 24 hours” of any police report lodged against him for committing the offence of sedition for such incendiary, inflammatory and seditious speech based on lies and falsehoods?
New Selangor MB Gives Assurance On Good Administration
KLANG,
Sept 23 (Bernama) -- New Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali on
Tuesday gave the assurance that the state government administration he
heads would continue to drive sustainable economic growth and distribute
wealth fairly to the people.The administration would implement a concept of development of the state based on good stewardship, transparency and accountability, he told a press conference at the Istana Alam Shah here.
He pledged to discharge his duties with full responsibility, honesty and integrity to maintain Selangor as a developed, harmonious and united state.
Mohamed Azmin, 50, took his oath of office as the 15th menteri besar of Selangor before the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, at the palace.
The PKR deputy president took over from Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim who had held the post for more than six years from 2008.
Asked whether he would carry on implementing the programmes planned by his predecessor, Mohamed Azmin said it was his responsibility to do so.
He explained that Abdul Khalid had laid a good foundation in the administration of the state and he would ensure that the new governance was implemented in a responsible and clean manner in the interests of the people.
"It becomes my responsibility to continue the people-friendly policies that emphasise fair distribution and a clean administration in the interests of the people," he said.
Mohamed Azmin said he would start work tomorrow at the State Secretariat in Shah Alam.
Later, at a thanksgiving reception at his mother's house in Kuala Lumpur, he said the new administration should focus and move forward.
"The (menteri besar) crisis has been going on for far too long. I feel we have the responsibility to end the crisis immediately and get to work as usual," he said.
Stating that he held no malice against anyone in Selangor, he said: "What's important here is that the rakyat (people) of Selangor will benefit from the development. We want to ensure all the agreements signed must be transparent and implemented."
Meanwhile, Umno Information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan said there was nothing significant in the appointment of Mohamed Azmin as the new menteri besar for the administration would be riding on the success achieved by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government over 15 terms.
Ahmad, who is deputy finance minister, said the BN government had contributed 95 per cent of the development that the state had undergone.
He said the long-drawn 'political drama' in Selangor reflected the discord among the political parties of Pakatan Rakyat that he said began with the so-called 'Kajang Move' to have PKR advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim appointed as the menteri besar.
"Nothing was gained out of the Kajang Move," he said, adding that there was only a waste of time and energy, flight of investors, unmanaged water resources and disorganised waste disposal, among others.
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Terrified of Losing 72 Heavenly Virgins, Islamic State Fighters Reportedly ‘Run Away’ from a Certain Type of Soldier
Radical Islamists who decide to embark on suicidal missions often do so with the expectation they will be rewarded with 72 virgins if they die in battle; however, it turns out there is one major caveat to the scenario, according to a U.S. lawmaker.
That is, if they are killed by a woman, the deal is off.
Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House International Relations Committee, told the New York Post, “These ISIL [Islamic State] soldiers apparently believed that if they were killed in battle, they went to paradise as long as they were killed by a man.”
The issue is of some relevance, especially in Iraq, where female recruits are among the ranks of the Kurdish peshmerga forces, now fighting the Islamic State jihadist group.
“[T]hese female soldiers were communicating their satisfaction with the fact that they had taken the fight to ISIL and had stopped the advance, turned back the advance — slayed a number of these fighters, who would then run away,” Royce said adding that the female fighters have been fighting “very bravely.”
Royce said heard at a meeting with the Kurdish foreign minister that female fighters were “laughing” when they saw Islamic State jihadists flee from them.
“I think [the Islamic State] were more afraid of us than of the men,” a female Kurdish fighter named Tekoshin told AFP, the New York Post noted. “They believe they’ll go to hell if they die at a woman’s hands.”
Al-Monitor, an online publication that covers the Middle East, ran a profile on the female battalions in August. While the battalions were set up in 1996, the female peshmerga fighters are being further motivated by hardline rules being imposed on women by the Sunni radical group including enforced wearing of Afghanistan-style head-to-toe covering of women, marrying women off against their will and female genital mutilation, Al-Monitor reported.
The female peshmerga fighters are now on the front lines against the Islamic State jihadists.
Al-Monitor reported that there are four female battalions, including some recruits who are mothers, while the highest ranking women are colonels.
“We are now on the battlefield, but I’m married and I have a daughter, whom I left with my parents to fight against extremists. I’m happy to perform my national duty to defend Kurdistan,” one fighter told Al-Monitor.
ISIS thugs raping thousands to populate caliphate
Islamic State barbarians are raping thousands of women in Iraq and Syria to mass-produce spawn who’ll follow in their vile footsteps, The Post has learned.
Young militants are running wild to the chagrin of their more sophisticated and p.r.-savvy commanders, an Iraqi official told The Post.
The motivation of the rapists is twofold: They want to make ISIS babies — and they are just plain out for twisted thrills.
“You have these young ISIS fighters carrying machine guns and they . . . want to have sex,” the official said.
But their commanders, who are focused on their savage war, have ordered the young fighters to keep their zippers closed.
“The ISIS commanders take a more official position,” the source said. “They don’t want them to mess around with the women. They only want them to fight.”
The young rebels, however, aren’t listening to their commanders; they claim that they’re answering to a higher calling.
“The fighters say that they’ve been ordered to have sex by a cleric in Saudi Arabia,” the Iraqi official said. “It’s really just an excuse.”
Each rapist’s goal is to impregnate multiple women and breed children within their villages and towns, he said, adding, “They want to intertwine themselves within the communities.
“They want to become part of the fabric of the cities they control so they can live on for generations.”
ISIS, which has taken over large swaths of Iraq and Syria, ultimately wants to become a caliphate, or supreme Islamic state, which would rule Muslim communities around the world.
The official insisted that ISIS is already running the cities it’s seized like a regular government.
“However psychotic and delusional they are, they have put in place their own government that offers services to the residents in these captured territories,” the official said.
“They issue passports to them. They issue license plates to them for their vehicles.
“And they also collect taxes from them, but they are doing that by putting guns to people’s heads. It’s basically extortion.”
ISIS has $2 billion at its disposal, according to the official. Most of the money is coming from the terror group’s takeover of many of Iraq’s rich oil fields.
“ISIS is turning around and selling the oil on the black market,’’ the officials said.
“That’s the primary way that they’re funding their war.”
PKR disappointed by palace’s treatment of Wan Azizah
PKR today said it felt "extreme regret" over the Selangor palace's treatment of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's nomination as Selangor menteri besar (MB).It said the palace's appointment of the new Selangor MB, Mohamed Azmin Ali, had tainted the constitutional monarch system and was not in line with the state constitution and the principle of parliamentary democracy.
"The PKR central leadership council (MPP) expresses extreme regret over the treatment given by the palace to the nomination of Datuk Seri Wan Azizah, which had fulfilled the requirements of the Selangor state laws with the support of the 30 assemblymen.
"MPP also disagrees with the way the palace handled the nomination process of Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who was not summoned for an audience despite having clear majority support," it said in a statement.
MPP said that it had accepted Azmin's appointment because it wished to respect Dr Wan Azizah's decision not to prolong the MB saga.
"MPP has decided to respect Datuk Dr Wan Azizah’s decision to withdraw her candidacy so that this issue can be resolved immediately," it said.
"MPP has also agreed with the proposal by Dr Wan Azizah that Azmin is brought forward as the Selangor MB candidate so that Azmin Ali's nomination is from the party, in accordance with democratic practices."
The party said this was in line with its stance that the constitution and sovereignty of the law be protected at all times.
But it said the process should not be made a precedent, as it had not been done according to the law.
The Selangor palace today appointed Azmin, the PKR deputy president, as the new Selangor MB.
Azmin, who is the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, will take the oath of office before the Sultan of Selangor at Istana Alam Shah, Klang, at 10.30am tomorrow.
He will be the 15th Selangor MB.
Over the last few weeks, PKR had repeatedly said it was sticking to its stand of nominating only Dr Wan Azizah for the MB post, despite reprimands from the Selangor palace over its decision to submit only one name.
DAP and PKR had submitted only Dr Wan Azizah's name for the post, although DAP was open to the idea of Azmin replacing Khalid.
PAS, however, broke ranks with its partners when its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, submitted three names to the palace.
The three are said to be Dr Idris Ahmad (PKR-Ijok), Dr Yakub Sapari (PKR-Kota Anggerik) and Iskandar Samad, the Selangor PAS commissioner, who is also an exco member and Cempaka assemblyman.
It is not known if PKR and DAP submitted more names following the sultan’s reprimand, who had asked each Pakatan Rakyat (PR) party to submit more than two names.
Last week, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah reportedly interviewed and shortlisted three candidates for the job.
Apart from Azmin, he had also interviewed Iskandar and Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, despite the Islamist party stating it would not stake a claim for the position. – September 22, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pkr-disappointed-by-palaces-treatment-of-wan-azizah#sthash.PZbpD3L3.dpuf
Zahid swears to God sedition probes to go on
This despite calls for a moratorium, following the government’s decision to review the Act and the attorney-general's announcement that all cases under the Act will be reviewed.
"As the minister responsible for the Royal Malaysian Police, wallahi billahi tallahi (I swear to Allah) that if police reports are lodged against any individual who impinged on a sensitive issue, the police will start investigations immediately, if possible within 24 hours," he said.
He
said this in a speech at an Umno Lumut event on Sept 20. A 5-minute
video recording of the speech was uploaded onto Youtube by Perak BN
yesterday.In the speech, Zahid (left) said although he can promise an investigation, the decision on whether or not to prosecute can only be made by the attorney-general.
Following that, he stressed, the decision to convict lies with the judiciary and he has no intentions to take those powers away.
"Some of you have asked, 'why did the police arrest them?', 'why didn’t the police take action?' We don’t want to take over the powers vested upon the attorney-general and the court.
"I just want to say that if the court decides a person is guilty, the police will immediately take him to prison. The prisons are under my control," he said, without elaborating on the treatment of prisoners.
An updated version of Sedition Act
The minister also vowed that "elements within the Sedition Act will be maintained in the National Harmony Act", which the government is mulling as a replacement.
"Not only that, (we want) elements that are not in the Sedition Act but are relevant today, especially the social media.
"We
want the act to be strengthened so that action can be taken against
social media users if the touch on sensitive issues," he said in a
speech, a video of which was uploaded by BN Perak on Youtube yesterday.He, however, added that the draft of the National Harmony Act has yet to be tabled to cabinet.
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in 2012 promised to repeal the Sedition Act.
However, the PM earlier this month said the government is still reviewing whether to amend or replace the Act.
A journalist, lawyers, activists, students and a law lecturer are facing action under the Sedition Act.
We’ll accept the decision although it’s wrong
PKR’s Central Leadership Council stresses that Azmin’s appointment is not in accordance with the Selangor state constitution.
PETALING JAYA: PKR’s Central Leadership Council (MPP) today announced that they were sorely disappointed with the process used by the Selangor palace in the appointment of Azmin Ali as Selangor’s new Menteri Besar.
While unanimously giving their deputy president their full endorsement, PKR’s MPP nevertheless felt their president Wan Azizah, who was their sole candidate for the post from the start, was treated unfairly by the Selangor palace.
The MPP was also of the opinion that the appointment of Azmin was not in accordance with the laws as stipulated in the Selangor state constitution but had agreed to put aside their differences with the palace, in the interests of the people of Selangor.
Saying it was their wish that the political crisis in Selangor be resolved quickly and amicably for the sake of the people, the leaders agreed with Wan Azizah that her candidacy be withdrawn despite her enjoying the support of the majority of state assemblypersons.
This being said, the MPP stressed that this process should not be made a precedent for future appointments of the post of MB.
While unanimously giving their deputy president their full endorsement, PKR’s MPP nevertheless felt their president Wan Azizah, who was their sole candidate for the post from the start, was treated unfairly by the Selangor palace.
The MPP was also of the opinion that the appointment of Azmin was not in accordance with the laws as stipulated in the Selangor state constitution but had agreed to put aside their differences with the palace, in the interests of the people of Selangor.
Saying it was their wish that the political crisis in Selangor be resolved quickly and amicably for the sake of the people, the leaders agreed with Wan Azizah that her candidacy be withdrawn despite her enjoying the support of the majority of state assemblypersons.
This being said, the MPP stressed that this process should not be made a precedent for future appointments of the post of MB.
Malaysia Tightens the Sedition Screws Again
Human rights campaigners sound the alarm
By Asia Sentinel,
Malaysia is continuing its drastic crackdown on dissent, sentencing student activist Adam Adli Halim to a year in jail for statements he made in May at a forum in Kuala Lumpur in May accusing the government of voter fraud.
“Adam Adli is the latest victim of this sustained assault against freedom of expression in Malaysia,” according to a statement by Phil Robertson of the Bangkok branch of Human Rights Watch. “By throwing people in prison for political speech, Prime Minister Najib and his government are showing the kind of authoritarian tendencies one usually associates with single-party rule rather than democracy."
The darkening picture is one of a government increasingly concerned that, after 50-odd years in power, it is losing its grip although the opposition is in equal disarray from internal dissention. It is also clear that the law is being used selectively, with inflammatory statements made by the likes of Ibrahim Ali, the firebrand leader of the Malay supremacy NGO Perkasa, and other Malay supremacists almost calling to drive minorities out of the country ignored by the authorities.
So far, 14 people have been arrested for sedition over the past year, at least one for statements made as long as two years ago. Another was arrested over comments earlier this year about a five-year-old political controversy.
The first was the forner Perak State Governor, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, from the opposition Parti Islam se-Malaysia, or PAS, who allegedly defamed Najib in remarks he made in Ipoh in April of 2012 concerning the 2009 Perak political crisis. Widespread critics have accused Najib of bribing three Perak state assembly members to switch from the opposition to independent, allowing the Barisan Nasional to oust the state government won by the opposition in the 2009 election.
The second case involves Dr. Azmi Sharom, a University of Malaya professor, who was charged over comments printed in a column in the Malay Mail over the 2009 events in Perak. Those who read the column have been unable to figure out just what the charge relates to, illustrating the problem with the law, which critics say is so vague that it can be used against almost any form of speech.
Najib promised to do away with the sedition law, the even more draconian Internal Security Act, which allows for unlimited detention without trial, and elements of the Printing Presses Act which limit the establishment of a free press. However, after the Barisan Nasional, the ruling national coalition, and particularly the United Malays National Organization lost the popular vote to the opposition for the first time since 1969 – although retaining a majority in parliament through gerrymandering – Najib came under a blistering campaign from former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his allies, who accused him of weakness in corralling dissent
As a result, while the Internal Security Act was repealed, it was replaced with one almost equally as strict, much of it based on the US Patriot Act pushed through in the hysteria of the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York. The Printing and Presses Act was modified slightly but it has continued to hamstring the independent press. The Sedition Act has remained in place and is being used as a weapon to throttle almost any comment by the opposition. Those found guilty face the possibility of five years in prison and a fine of RM5,000.
“The government of Prime Minister Najib Razak should repeal the Sedition Act, which has repeatedly been used to prosecute people for political purposes in violation of the right to freedom of expression,” Human Rights Watch said in its statement. “The government is increasingly using the Sedition Act to instill fear and silence in political opponents and critics.
Among the 14, four opposition leaders have been charged including Party Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Vice President Tian Chua and Democratic Action Party (DAP) Vice President Teresa Kok, along with PKR Vice President N. Surendran and Khalid Samad of Parti Islam se-Malaysia
Surendran was charged after he attacked an appellate court decision against Opposition Leader Anwar Irbrahim as an “attempt to jail the opposition leader of Malaysia,” saying Prime Minister Najib was responsible, a statement that critics believe holds a good deal of truth. International rights organizations have accused the government of trumping up charges of sodomy against Anwar in an effort to thwart the opposition from coming to power.
A High Court in Kuala Lumpur acquitted Anwar on the basis that physical evidence had been irrevocably tainted, only to have the prosecution appeal the case to the appellate court. The Federal Court, Malaysia’s top tribunal, is expected to rule on Anwar’s appeal in late October. The opposition leader is said to be expecting to be jailed again.
In June, authorities charged Kok with sedition for a satirical Chinese New Year video “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014,” which depicts Kok as host of a talk show program with three volunteers playing characters before a small audience. The video makes no mention of any individual or the government although it is an extremely amateurish attempt to make fun of affirs in Malaysia, with one of the three characters a fat woman who some have suggested was a caricature of Najib’s portly wife, Rosmah Mansor
Others charged include five activists and Tian Chua, also a DAP strategist, with sedition for remarks made more than a year ago, on May 13, 2013, in Kuala Lumpur accusing the government, accusing the government of pervasive vote fraud and suggesting that under current election regulations, the opposition coalition could never win an election.
On Sept.5, Safwan Anang, former chair of Malaysian Students Solidarity, an activist group, received 10 months in prison, although he was released on RM 15,000 ($4,700) bail pending his appeal. Cases are still pending against Tian, the activists Hishamuddin Rais, Haris Ibrahim, and Tamrin bin Abdul Ghafar.
As Asia Sentinel reported earlier this month, Susan Loone, a journalist at Malaysiakini, an online newspaper critical of the government and ruling coalition, was arrested and questioned for nine hours on suspicion of sedition for her article that included statements by Phee Boone Poh, a Penang State executive councilor. Police had earlier detained Phee because of his role as chairman of the Penang People’s Voluntary Patrol, an auxiliary force connected with the state government that the inspector general of police alleges is illegal. Loone’s story reported Phee saying that during four hours of police questioning he was “treated like a criminal.”
The government has also investigated several senior opposition politicians but ultimately charged them with sections of the penal code that severely restrict expression, according to Huan Rights Watch. On August 28, the authorities charged Rafizi Ramli, a senior member of the PKR and member of parliament, with “intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace” after he suggested that UMNO was attempting to undermine and destroy the PKR leadership in Selangor State by using policies emphasizing race and religion.
“The Malaysian government has apparently decided that its vaguely worded Sedition Act is its new catch-all charge against its most vocal critics,” Human Rights Watch’s Robertson said. “Prime Minister Najib should realize that throwing activists and opposition leaders in jail for what they say is a slippery slope to authoritarian rule.”
Malaysia is continuing its drastic crackdown on dissent, sentencing student activist Adam Adli Halim to a year in jail for statements he made in May at a forum in Kuala Lumpur in May accusing the government of voter fraud.
“Adam Adli is the latest victim of this sustained assault against freedom of expression in Malaysia,” according to a statement by Phil Robertson of the Bangkok branch of Human Rights Watch. “By throwing people in prison for political speech, Prime Minister Najib and his government are showing the kind of authoritarian tendencies one usually associates with single-party rule rather than democracy."
The darkening picture is one of a government increasingly concerned that, after 50-odd years in power, it is losing its grip although the opposition is in equal disarray from internal dissention. It is also clear that the law is being used selectively, with inflammatory statements made by the likes of Ibrahim Ali, the firebrand leader of the Malay supremacy NGO Perkasa, and other Malay supremacists almost calling to drive minorities out of the country ignored by the authorities.
So far, 14 people have been arrested for sedition over the past year, at least one for statements made as long as two years ago. Another was arrested over comments earlier this year about a five-year-old political controversy.
The first was the forner Perak State Governor, Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, from the opposition Parti Islam se-Malaysia, or PAS, who allegedly defamed Najib in remarks he made in Ipoh in April of 2012 concerning the 2009 Perak political crisis. Widespread critics have accused Najib of bribing three Perak state assembly members to switch from the opposition to independent, allowing the Barisan Nasional to oust the state government won by the opposition in the 2009 election.
The second case involves Dr. Azmi Sharom, a University of Malaya professor, who was charged over comments printed in a column in the Malay Mail over the 2009 events in Perak. Those who read the column have been unable to figure out just what the charge relates to, illustrating the problem with the law, which critics say is so vague that it can be used against almost any form of speech.
Najib promised to do away with the sedition law, the even more draconian Internal Security Act, which allows for unlimited detention without trial, and elements of the Printing Presses Act which limit the establishment of a free press. However, after the Barisan Nasional, the ruling national coalition, and particularly the United Malays National Organization lost the popular vote to the opposition for the first time since 1969 – although retaining a majority in parliament through gerrymandering – Najib came under a blistering campaign from former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and his allies, who accused him of weakness in corralling dissent
As a result, while the Internal Security Act was repealed, it was replaced with one almost equally as strict, much of it based on the US Patriot Act pushed through in the hysteria of the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York. The Printing and Presses Act was modified slightly but it has continued to hamstring the independent press. The Sedition Act has remained in place and is being used as a weapon to throttle almost any comment by the opposition. Those found guilty face the possibility of five years in prison and a fine of RM5,000.
“The government of Prime Minister Najib Razak should repeal the Sedition Act, which has repeatedly been used to prosecute people for political purposes in violation of the right to freedom of expression,” Human Rights Watch said in its statement. “The government is increasingly using the Sedition Act to instill fear and silence in political opponents and critics.
Among the 14, four opposition leaders have been charged including Party Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Vice President Tian Chua and Democratic Action Party (DAP) Vice President Teresa Kok, along with PKR Vice President N. Surendran and Khalid Samad of Parti Islam se-Malaysia
Surendran was charged after he attacked an appellate court decision against Opposition Leader Anwar Irbrahim as an “attempt to jail the opposition leader of Malaysia,” saying Prime Minister Najib was responsible, a statement that critics believe holds a good deal of truth. International rights organizations have accused the government of trumping up charges of sodomy against Anwar in an effort to thwart the opposition from coming to power.
A High Court in Kuala Lumpur acquitted Anwar on the basis that physical evidence had been irrevocably tainted, only to have the prosecution appeal the case to the appellate court. The Federal Court, Malaysia’s top tribunal, is expected to rule on Anwar’s appeal in late October. The opposition leader is said to be expecting to be jailed again.
In June, authorities charged Kok with sedition for a satirical Chinese New Year video “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014,” which depicts Kok as host of a talk show program with three volunteers playing characters before a small audience. The video makes no mention of any individual or the government although it is an extremely amateurish attempt to make fun of affirs in Malaysia, with one of the three characters a fat woman who some have suggested was a caricature of Najib’s portly wife, Rosmah Mansor
Others charged include five activists and Tian Chua, also a DAP strategist, with sedition for remarks made more than a year ago, on May 13, 2013, in Kuala Lumpur accusing the government, accusing the government of pervasive vote fraud and suggesting that under current election regulations, the opposition coalition could never win an election.
On Sept.5, Safwan Anang, former chair of Malaysian Students Solidarity, an activist group, received 10 months in prison, although he was released on RM 15,000 ($4,700) bail pending his appeal. Cases are still pending against Tian, the activists Hishamuddin Rais, Haris Ibrahim, and Tamrin bin Abdul Ghafar.
As Asia Sentinel reported earlier this month, Susan Loone, a journalist at Malaysiakini, an online newspaper critical of the government and ruling coalition, was arrested and questioned for nine hours on suspicion of sedition for her article that included statements by Phee Boone Poh, a Penang State executive councilor. Police had earlier detained Phee because of his role as chairman of the Penang People’s Voluntary Patrol, an auxiliary force connected with the state government that the inspector general of police alleges is illegal. Loone’s story reported Phee saying that during four hours of police questioning he was “treated like a criminal.”
The government has also investigated several senior opposition politicians but ultimately charged them with sections of the penal code that severely restrict expression, according to Huan Rights Watch. On August 28, the authorities charged Rafizi Ramli, a senior member of the PKR and member of parliament, with “intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace” after he suggested that UMNO was attempting to undermine and destroy the PKR leadership in Selangor State by using policies emphasizing race and religion.
“The Malaysian government has apparently decided that its vaguely worded Sedition Act is its new catch-all charge against its most vocal critics,” Human Rights Watch’s Robertson said. “Prime Minister Najib should realize that throwing activists and opposition leaders in jail for what they say is a slippery slope to authoritarian rule.”
Azmin Ali Is New Selangor Menteri Besar
SHAH ALAM, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyman and PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali has been named as the new Selangor Menteri Besar, replacing Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
The Sultan of Selangor's Private Secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani when contacted by Bernama today confirmed that the letter of appointment had been delivered to him.
"Yes, I confirm that the letter of appointment (as the new Menteri Besar) has been delivered to Mohamed Azmin Ali today. The Selangor Palace will issue a statement as to why Mohamed Azmin was named as the new Menteri Besar of Selangor," he said.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new Menteri Besar is set for tomorrow at Istana Alam Shah, Klang starting 10.30am.
The names of Azmin, Chempaka assemblyman Iskandar Samad and Sijangkang assemblyman Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi were submitted to the Sultan for consideration.
Azmin when met by reporters at the PKR headquarters in Damansara confirmed receiving the letter of appointment in the afternoon and was positive in his reply about accepting the post.
The letter also requested Mohamed Azmin, who celebrated his 50th birthday on Aug 25, to attend the swearing-in ceremony that will be held at the Alam Shah Palace tomorrow.
"I received the letter at about 3pm. It was the letter of appointment from the Sultan of Selangor's Private Secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani. The letter said the Sultan of Selangor had chosen me to be the next Menteri Besar of Selangor, effective Sept 23, 2014," he said after attending an emergency political bureau meeting at the PKR headquarters today.
Azmin said upon receiving the letter he quickly informed PKR's de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the emergency meeting was held at 5pm.
"I wish to thank the PKR party president and all my associates who unanimously nominated me for the post of the Menteri Besar," he said.
The confirmation by Mohamad Munir through the letter dated Sept 22, and Azmin's acceptance of the appointment, ended months of speculation surrounding the embattled Abdul Khalid.
The Sultan's Private Secretary had earlier said that the name of Abdul Khalid's successor would only be revealed tomorrow morning because at that time Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah had not given his consent to make the announcement.
Mohamad Munir when asked about the letter being circulated widely in the social media, said it was beyond their control.
"We certainly wanted to announce the name and the reason for the palace to appoint Mohamed Azmin as the Menteri Besar of Selangor, tomorrow but I cannot prevent the contents of the letter from being released in the social media," he said.
Monday, 22 September 2014
ISIL Sudanese mufti distributes heavenly women among his followers!
Recently, one of the ISIL muftis in Sudan, with distorting the narrations of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), has tried to induce young Sudanese to join terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria.
To encourage his audience he distributed Hoor Al-ayn (heavenly women) among them and said: "Whoever to be killed at the hands of the heretics will receive 72 virgin Hoor Al-ayn in janat (heaven) and they can intercede for 70 members of their families on the Day of Judgment.
He continued: "But, whoever to be killed at the hands of Americans will receive 144 virgin Hoor Al-ayn in janat and they are able to intercede for 140 members of their families.
It was not enough for him, so he falsely added another narrative and said: "Our prophet allowed us to kill children and women of infidels"!
Source : ABNA
Syria crisis: 66,000 flee Islamic State into Turkey
Turkey opened its border on Friday to Syrians fleeing the Kurdish town of Kobane in fear of an IS attack.
The UN refugee agency said it was boosting relief efforts as hundreds of thousands more could cross the border.
IS controls large areas of Syria and Iraq, and has seized dozens of villages around Kobane, also called Ayn al-Arab.
Turkey - which shares a border with Iraq and Syria - has taken in more than 847,000 refugees since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began three years ago.
But the opening of the border has seen a dramatic increase in the past 24 hours.
"As of today, the number of Syrian Kurds who entered Turkey has exceeded 60,000," Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters on Saturday.
He was speaking from the southern Turkish province of Sanliurfa, where many of the refugees have sought shelter.
Separately, a Turkish government official told the BBC's Mark Lowen that the number is as high as 66,000.
Read more http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29294656
Dalai Lama Tells Muslims: ‘Jihad’ Is Meant ‘To Combat Our Inner Destructive Emotions’
But on Saturday the holy man decided it was high-time to speak out against violence perpetrated in the name of religion and God, in this case using the Muslim precedent of “Jihad” or holy war which, he says is being misinterpreted and misused by extremist Islam.
The Dalai Lama, who is also a nobel Peace prize winner, was referring specifically to the current atrocities being carried out by ISIS in Syria and Iraq, in the name of “Allah” and the “religion of peace.’
AFP reported that, speaking at a meeting of India’s religious leaders in Saturday, including a senior Muslim cleric, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Bombay and the head of the Jewish community in Delhi at a two-day conference, the Dalai Lama said, “Killing in the name of faith is unacceptable.”
He raised the issue of “Jihad,” the arabic word or concept for “holy war,” a concept which, like most things is subject to interpretation with the more extreme streams of Islam claiming that it means literally killing and torturing people who are not Muslim.
The Daily Mail reported that at the meeting over the weekend the Dalai Lama said that in his opinion holy war should be a struggle “to combat our inner destructive emotions, it (jihad) does not mean harming other people.”
And while that statement makes a lot of sense to many people in the west, it isn’t really the reality on the ground as an expert on Islam, Professor Rafi Israeli, told reporters that, in his opinion, “cruelty is a part of Islam,” arguing that the religion has a basic disregard for human life.
He noted excerpts from the Koran that call on Muslims globally to spread terror among their enemies without specifying who precisely those enemies are.
The Dalai Lama added that, “if we remain indifferent to what is happening around us, it is wrong. The spiritual people can show the world that it can be a happy family (despite) the different faiths.”
Show proof I was bought, Selangor PAS rep dares Hadi - TMI
One of the two PAS Selangor legislators who were accused by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang of giving in to “brokers and pimps” has challenged the party president to produce evidence that he had been bought to support PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the Selangor mentri besar post.The Star Online reported today that Saari Sungib, who is Hulu Kelang assemblyman, clarified he signed the statutory declaration (SD) supporting Dr Wan Azizah in order to deny the current Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim the chance to cause further damage to the state.
It reported Saari as saying that Khalid claimed he had the majority support, and had started sacking executive council members, without consulting any of the state assemblymen if they supported him.
“The aim was to deny Khalid. However, the lawyers explained that the state assemblymen need to support another candidate in order to legitimise the SD, so we supported Dr Wan Azizah because PKR and DAP had agreed to her nomination,” Saari was quoted as saying by the portal.
He said his only wrongdoing was to help safeguard Pakatan Rakyat’s grip on Selangor, and criticised PAS for allowing its members to revile and insult him without knowing the full story, The Star reported.
Saari took umbrage at the Islamic scholars in PAS allowing a motion to condemn him, which he said constituted punishment before trial.
Even the permanent chairman did not intervene when a delegate prayed for God’s wrath upon him at the PAS Muktamar last week, Saari said in the report.
“This is very shameful to the party,” he was quoted as saying.
Hadi had in his winding-up speech yesterday berated Saari and Hasnul Baharuddin, the PAS assemblyman for Morib, for signing statutory declarations in support of Dr Wan Azizah.
Hadi and the PAS Dewan Ulamak have publicly disagreed with the choice of Dr Wan Azizah to replace Khalid.
With the support of Saari and Hasnul, Dr Wan Azizah has the backing of 30 of the 56 members in the Selangor legislative assembly.
However, the Selangor palace is expected to announce someone else for the appointment of new mentri besar tomorrow, with the swearing-in scheduled for Tuesday. – September 21, 2014.
Police report claims Tamil, Maths papers also leaked
Police today received a report claiming that the
Tamil and Mathematics papers in this year's Primary School Achievement
Test (UPSR) had also been leaked.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Tajuddin Md Isa said an officer from the Malaysian Examination Syndicate (LPM) lodged a report on this at the Precinct 7 police station in, Putrajaya at 11am today.
"We will commence investigations," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Gan Kong Meng, when contacted, said the special police task force set up to investigate the leaks of the UPSR English and Science papers would investigate this latest report.
The candidates had sat for the Tamil and Mathematics papers on Sept 10.
A re-sit on Sept 30 has been ordered for the English 014/1 and 014/2 and Science 018, 028 and 038 papers after it was found they had been leaked.
- Bernama
Kuala Lumpur police chief Tajuddin Md Isa said an officer from the Malaysian Examination Syndicate (LPM) lodged a report on this at the Precinct 7 police station in, Putrajaya at 11am today.
"We will commence investigations," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Gan Kong Meng, when contacted, said the special police task force set up to investigate the leaks of the UPSR English and Science papers would investigate this latest report.
The candidates had sat for the Tamil and Mathematics papers on Sept 10.
A re-sit on Sept 30 has been ordered for the English 014/1 and 014/2 and Science 018, 028 and 038 papers after it was found they had been leaked.
- Bernama
'Parliamentary democracy will collapse'
Its chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah said if an "unelected body" chooses the head of government, the nation's future after the 14th general election will be uncertain.
"Bersih
2.0 calls upon all parties to respect the rules of the game, enshrined
not only in the established Westminster constitutional conventions, but
also explicitly in Selangor state constitution which stipulates that any
assemblyperson must ‘command the confidence of the majority of the
members of the assembly’."We remind all parties that what is at stake in the Selangor menteri besar crisis is not about who is the best candidate for the chief executive office.
"It is about whether our parliamentary democracy – the very basis of our constitutional monarchy - can continue to function, not only now for Selangor but possibly also at the federal level after the next election," she added in a statement.
She said that "extra-constitutional means" may be attractive to all parties in a prolonged power struggle, while forgetting that the whole episode might destabilise the nation.
Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is slated to appoint a new menteri besar on Tuesday, but it is widely expected that the new MB will not be PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is PKR and DAP's choice for the post.
Wan Azizah also has 30 signed statutory declarations by state assemblypersons backing her in the 56-member state assembly.
Speculation is rife that PKR deputy president Azmin Ali may be appointed.
Dr M: PAS’ crisis result of working with Anwar Ibrahim
“This (problem) is the result of their cooperation with Datuk Seri Anwar, anyone who works with him will face problems because he likes to divide,” the former prime minister told reporters here.
Dr Mahathir was commenting on the crisis within the second largest Malay party in the country which was obvious during the 60th PAS assembly in Johor recently.
“He can split his own supporters, you can see he has a history like that. When he joined Umno, he brought problems, he formed Pakatan, he created problems,” he said adding that it should serve as a lesson to PAS.
Earlier, Dr Mahathir presented prizes to winners of the Head of Putrajaya 2014 Rowing and Long Boat Championship at the Water Sports Complex in Putrajaya.
Jeffrey calls for transfer of Batu Sumpah DO
He says the Oath Stone monument should have been opened to the public on Sept 16.
Keningau: Bingkor Assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan has called for the transfer of Keningau District
Officer Yusof Osman for saying that the opposition is not allowed to use government facilities.
“I want to know if the statement is his or was directed by his higher-ups,” he said. “If so, name them or I will take the matter to court.
“Is Batu Sumpah exclusively for the government? Is it not for the people?
“Even though I am the leader of Star, I am also a leader of the people and I have the right to hold the memorial ceremony on the historical day of September 16.”
He pointed out that the Oath Stone memorial was created to symbolise the agreement between the people in the interior and the Federal Government.
The memorial should have been opened on Sept 16 to allow Malaysians and tourists to visit it, he said.
A local newspaper quoted Yusof as saying that government policy does not allow any opposition party to enter the compound of government offices for rallies and special events.
On the Oath Stone, Yusof had said the public could only visit the site during office hours on Mondays to Friday, but all day on public holidays.
Sept 16, Jeffrey pointed out, was a public holiday.
Keningau: Bingkor Assemblyman Jeffrey Kitingan has called for the transfer of Keningau District Officer Yusof Osman for saying that the opposition is not allowed to use government facilities.
“I want to know if the statement is his or was directed by his higher-ups,” he said. “If so, name them or I will take the matter to court.
“Is Batu Sumpah exclusively for the government? Is it not for the people?
“Even though I am the leader of Star, I am also a leader of the people and I have the right to hold the memorial ceremony on the historical day of September 16.”
He pointed out that the Oath Stone memorial was created to symbolise the agreement between the people in the interior and the Federal Government.
The memorial should have been opened on Sept 16 to allow Malaysians and tourists to visit it, he said.
A local newspaper quoted Yusof as saying that government policy does not allow any opposition party to enter the compound of government offices for rallies and special events.
On the Oath Stone, Yusof had said the public could only visit the site during office hours on Mondays to Friday, but all day on public holidays.
Sept 16, Jeffrey pointed out, was a public holiday.
Sisters wake up, stand up for your gender
Women hold up half the sky and Malaysian women have tremendous political power and clout.
By Tota
I am not interested in the political circus being played out in Selangor over the appointment of the Menteri Besar. But I am concerned about the gender issue that has cropped up with regard to the candidacy of Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, the president of PKR, for the post of Menteri Besar of Selangor.
Many forces – defeated, discredited, disgraced and discarded politicians, misogynists, the corrupt, parasites with power and those living in sin – have all had their two-cent worth of say as to why Wan Azizah should not be appointed MB.
Let us examine the reasons advanced for her “disqualification”. The Umno legal adviser said that a woman should not be appointed MB because her menstrual cycle would make her indisposed to accompany the Sultan on official duties. What a stupid reason. Currently, there are more than a dozen women presidents or prime ministers all over the world. These are secular democracies, modern and progressive, which grant equal rights to women, unlike ours which many believe is a failed state.
The claim that Wan Azizah would be a remote-controlled MB is equally stupid. When Mukhriz Mahathir leap-frogged over many senior Umno members and became MB, the question of a remote-controlled MB never became an issue. Well, when Mukhriz became Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry although he came out third in the Umno Youth elections, no one said that that appointment was possible only because Najib was a remote-controlled PM.
The claim that Wan Azizah does not have the capability to become MB and lead the state is despicable. She was the first Malaysian to win a gold medal in obstetrics and gynaecology from the prestigious Dublin College of Surgeons. Then she graduated as an ophthalmologist. Since 2000, when Anwar Ibrahim was imprisoned, she has been PKR president. She led the party successfully in the 12th and 13th general elections. What further proof of her leadership qualities is required?
Those who predict that Wan Azizah would not be a capable leader remind me of the two bomohs, armed with their coconuts and bamboo binoculars, who predicted that MH370 would land at KLIA in a few days. Wasn’t it the Selangor palace that appointed Harun Idris as MB even though his questionable role in the May 13 tragedy was apparent? He later ended up in prison for corruption. Wasn’t it the Selangor palace that appointed Khir Toyo, who is facing corruption charges? Why would Wan Azizah not be far superior to such elements?
We are often told that we practise Westminster-style democracy. Utter nonsense, I say. In the 1956 Suez Crisis, a badly mauled British prime minister, Anthony Eden, Churchill’s son-in-law, resigned as premier. His deputy was Butler, an academician. The next day, the newspapers’ caption was “Butler for PM”.
Queen Elizabeth played her constitutional monarchy’s role well. Her sole criterion for calling on someone from the Conservative party to form the government was whether he commanded majority support in Parliament. After consultation with Conservative leaders, she invited Macmillan to form the government. Queen Elizabeth never commented about the candidate’s ability and talent and never pretended to look into the future and indulge in prophecy.
Evil forces
This is the 21st century, and evil forces that abuse and misuse their powers to deny women their rights and their rightful place in society must be condemned. The Umno-dominated BN has been in power since 1957 and despite pronouncements, promises and platitudes, the target of 30 per cent women in top posts in both the public and private sectors remains unachieved and unachievable.
Unless women wake up and empower themselves and defeat the forces that wilfully hinder their progress and the achievement of their objectives, their position in Malaysian society will remain as it is.
Let us look at the current position of women in the country. Data from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry shows that in 2013 women made up 13.1% cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Only in Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states have a woman speaker and a woman mayor been appointed – something that BN has never permitted.
Dear Malaysian Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, Dayak etc. sisters, you should rightfully feel the outrage at what the male chauvinists are doing to a fine woman leader. More than 50% of the voters are women. You have tremendous political power and clout.
Wanita Umno, MCA and MIC are self-serving. Just look at Rafidah Aziz and Shahrizat Jalil and their families. Their lifestyle – the palaces they live in, the cars they drive, the designer clothes they wear, their children studying overseas and their overseas holidays – speaks of betrayal of the women they are supposed to fight for. The next time they come to your doorsteps to get your vote, just tell them to get lost.
Mao Tse Tung said that women hold up half the sky. The Women’s Lib urged women to stop rocking the cradle and start rocking the boat. Shakespeare said that “whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad” – something we are witnessing in Selangor. Dear women, you can be the agents to destroy the agents of evil.
If Wan Azizah is not appointed MB of Selangor, it would be a terrible injustice to an able and noble woman.
Tota is an FMT reader and a regular contributor to Aliran’s Thinking Allowed online column.
I am not interested in the political circus being played out in Selangor over the appointment of the Menteri Besar. But I am concerned about the gender issue that has cropped up with regard to the candidacy of Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, the president of PKR, for the post of Menteri Besar of Selangor.
Many forces – defeated, discredited, disgraced and discarded politicians, misogynists, the corrupt, parasites with power and those living in sin – have all had their two-cent worth of say as to why Wan Azizah should not be appointed MB.
Let us examine the reasons advanced for her “disqualification”. The Umno legal adviser said that a woman should not be appointed MB because her menstrual cycle would make her indisposed to accompany the Sultan on official duties. What a stupid reason. Currently, there are more than a dozen women presidents or prime ministers all over the world. These are secular democracies, modern and progressive, which grant equal rights to women, unlike ours which many believe is a failed state.
The claim that Wan Azizah would be a remote-controlled MB is equally stupid. When Mukhriz Mahathir leap-frogged over many senior Umno members and became MB, the question of a remote-controlled MB never became an issue. Well, when Mukhriz became Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry although he came out third in the Umno Youth elections, no one said that that appointment was possible only because Najib was a remote-controlled PM.
The claim that Wan Azizah does not have the capability to become MB and lead the state is despicable. She was the first Malaysian to win a gold medal in obstetrics and gynaecology from the prestigious Dublin College of Surgeons. Then she graduated as an ophthalmologist. Since 2000, when Anwar Ibrahim was imprisoned, she has been PKR president. She led the party successfully in the 12th and 13th general elections. What further proof of her leadership qualities is required?
Those who predict that Wan Azizah would not be a capable leader remind me of the two bomohs, armed with their coconuts and bamboo binoculars, who predicted that MH370 would land at KLIA in a few days. Wasn’t it the Selangor palace that appointed Harun Idris as MB even though his questionable role in the May 13 tragedy was apparent? He later ended up in prison for corruption. Wasn’t it the Selangor palace that appointed Khir Toyo, who is facing corruption charges? Why would Wan Azizah not be far superior to such elements?
We are often told that we practise Westminster-style democracy. Utter nonsense, I say. In the 1956 Suez Crisis, a badly mauled British prime minister, Anthony Eden, Churchill’s son-in-law, resigned as premier. His deputy was Butler, an academician. The next day, the newspapers’ caption was “Butler for PM”.
Queen Elizabeth played her constitutional monarchy’s role well. Her sole criterion for calling on someone from the Conservative party to form the government was whether he commanded majority support in Parliament. After consultation with Conservative leaders, she invited Macmillan to form the government. Queen Elizabeth never commented about the candidate’s ability and talent and never pretended to look into the future and indulge in prophecy.
Evil forces
This is the 21st century, and evil forces that abuse and misuse their powers to deny women their rights and their rightful place in society must be condemned. The Umno-dominated BN has been in power since 1957 and despite pronouncements, promises and platitudes, the target of 30 per cent women in top posts in both the public and private sectors remains unachieved and unachievable.
Unless women wake up and empower themselves and defeat the forces that wilfully hinder their progress and the achievement of their objectives, their position in Malaysian society will remain as it is.
Let us look at the current position of women in the country. Data from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry shows that in 2013 women made up 13.1% cabinet ministers and deputy ministers. Only in Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states have a woman speaker and a woman mayor been appointed – something that BN has never permitted.
Dear Malaysian Malay, Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Iban, Dayak etc. sisters, you should rightfully feel the outrage at what the male chauvinists are doing to a fine woman leader. More than 50% of the voters are women. You have tremendous political power and clout.
Wanita Umno, MCA and MIC are self-serving. Just look at Rafidah Aziz and Shahrizat Jalil and their families. Their lifestyle – the palaces they live in, the cars they drive, the designer clothes they wear, their children studying overseas and their overseas holidays – speaks of betrayal of the women they are supposed to fight for. The next time they come to your doorsteps to get your vote, just tell them to get lost.
Mao Tse Tung said that women hold up half the sky. The Women’s Lib urged women to stop rocking the cradle and start rocking the boat. Shakespeare said that “whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad” – something we are witnessing in Selangor. Dear women, you can be the agents to destroy the agents of evil.
If Wan Azizah is not appointed MB of Selangor, it would be a terrible injustice to an able and noble woman.
Tota is an FMT reader and a regular contributor to Aliran’s Thinking Allowed online column.
UPSR: Police Receive Report Tamil, Mathematics Papers Also Leaked
KUALA
LUMPUR, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- Police on Sunday received a report
claiming that the Tamil and Mathematics papers in this year's Primary
School Achievement Test (UPSR) had also been leaked.Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa said an officer from the Malaysian Examination Syndicate (LPM) lodged a report on this at the Precinct 7 police station in, Putrajaya at 11am today.
"We will commence investigations," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur CID chief SAC Gan Kong Meng, when contacted, said the special police task force set up to investigate the leaks of the UPSR English and Science papers would investigate this latest report.
The candidates had sat for the Tamil and Mathematics papers on Sept 10.
A re-sit on Sept 30 has been ordered for the English 014/1 and 014/2 and Science 018, 028 and 038 papers after it was found they had been leaked.
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Sedition law use shows our leaders don’t trust us, Zaid says
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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — By keeping the Sedition Act, Putrajaya is admitting its belief that there is neither trust nor harmony among Malaysia’s different communities and that the best way to deal with dissenters is by instilling fear, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.
He claimed the ongoing debate over whether the colonial-era law should be repealed has revealed the existence of a seemingly large group of Malays and Muslims who still believe in what he described as “old solutions” to the country’s problems.
“They still want to retain the culture of colonisers, where if they doubt the loyalty of the locals or fail to earn their support, they simply instill fear in them. They use harsh laws to drum them into submission,” Zaid said in his latest blog post.
“If the Prime Minister and his supporters say we need the Sedition Act to maintain harmony and to prevent racial strife, then they are admitting that there is neither trust nor harmony among the country’s various communities.
“They are acknowledging that they know of no other way to deal with dissenters (besides throwing 1Malaysia slogans and badges at them),” the former Umno minister said.
But Zaid told the government that this approach is wrong and inconsistent with the ways of modern democracies, which he said utilises education to stop troublemakers from disturbing the peace with “seditious” remarks.
The government should use education to persuade Malaysians to trust and respect them, instead of using a sledgehammer approach to force peace, he said.
“We have been an independent country for many decades now, after all, so surely it’s time we follow the practices of other democracies.
“It’s time we treat our people with the respect they deserve,” he said.
Throwing dissenters behind bars, Zaid said, would only breed more hatred than love.
Sowing fear among citizens is an approach used by militants and terrorists and not the work of “smart people”, he added.
“Smart people,” Zaid continued, “...look at the source of the problem and offer solutions.”
“They don’t get excited about showing how unafraid they are of Chinese and Christians.”
Putrajaya recently embarked on a sedition crackdown, hauling up at least 20 anti-government dissidents and opposition politicians under the colonial-era law in the space of over a month.
The sudden onslaught of charges has led to renewed calls for the repeal of the Sedition Act 1948, with politicians and activist groups mobilising nationwide campaigns in hopes of pressuring Putrajaya into fulfilling its 2012 pledge to do away with the law.
Yesterday, lawyers from the Malaysian Bar resolved during an extraordinary general meeting to take to the streets in a mass peaceful rally against the law.
Critics believe the government is deliberately dithering on the promise due to pressure from strong right wing elements within Umno and its supporters, who want the Act to stay.
Defenders of the Sedition Act, primarily pro-establishment conservatives including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, contend that its removal will open the floodgates of attacks against the Bumiputera, Islam, and the Malay rulers in the absence of the repealed Internal Security Act (ISA).
But Zaid insisted today that repealing the act would be “the way forward” for Malaysia.
For Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, he said the move would also help shine his credentials as a reformist.
“We all need to grow up before we can have a better Malaysia.”
Pro-Bumi privileges the odd one out in equality under constitution, says law professor
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 ― Privileges for Bumiputera communities are the exception in the Federal Constitution that otherwise consistently upholds equality for all Malaysians, Universiti Malaya law professor Dr Azmi Sharom said yesterday.
Azmi also said that race-based preferential treatment may only be carried out if these are expressly mentioned in the country’s highest law, such as university and civil service quotas, native land rights, and Islamic religious positions.
“The rule is Article 8, the exception is Article 153,” he told a forum on Malaysian unity here last night.
The law professor also pointed out that fundamental liberties are listed early on in the Federal Constitution.
In the constitution, Article 8 specifies that “all persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law”. The article further explains that “unless expressly authorized by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent, place of birth or gender in any law,”
Article 153 of the Federal Constitution states that it is the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak, including the aforementioned quotas.
When asked if pro-Bumiputera policies like the reservation of some reported Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) work packages for Bumiputera companies fell under the special measures allowed by the Constitution, Azmi said he was unsure.
But he said it was important that such questions are allowed to be asked.
The law professor who is facing a sedition charge for expressing his legal opinion on the 2009 Perak crisis added that Article 153 should also not be be off-limits for debates, but insisted that he was not calling for its removal or amendment.
“Whatever policies that are based on (Article) 153 must be reasonable and they must be discussed,” he said.
Azmi’s views are consistent with the the National Unity Consultative Council’s proposed bill on discrimination, which would require Putrajaya to justify Bumiputera quotas not specifically mentioned in the constitution.
Azmi also stressed that words Malay “special rights” do not appear in the Federal Constitution, and pointed out that Article 153 only mentions the “special position” of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak.
“When people say 'our rights', what rights? The Federal Constitution doesn't mention 'special rights',” he said.
Malay “special rights” are regularly used by conservative groups from the community to demand the retention of pro-Bumiputera policies despite many of these deriving from the New Economic Policy (NEP) rather than the constitution.
Legal experts have said that the “special position” of the Malays and Bumiputera does not supersede any other provisions in the Federal Constitution and there exist other important elements in the nations law that guarantees the rights of non-Muslim, non-Malay Malaysians, such as guarantee of citizenship and fundamental liberties.
ISIS-branded merchandise sold on Amazon, Facebook
“At Facebook, we have rules that bar direct statements of hate, attacks on private individuals and groups, and the promotion of terrorism,” said Facebook spokesman Israel Hernandez in June. “We have a team of professional investigators both here in the U.S. and abroad who enforce these rules. Where hateful content is posted and reported, Facebook removes it and disables accounts of those responsible.”
The items offered for sale include baseball caps, clothing and jewelry – many bearing the familiar black flag associated with the terrorist group and its slogan, “Baqiyah.”
One of the Facebook pages is run by a jihadi sympathizer based in Toulouse, France. He posts pro-ISIS messages on his “Baqiyah Création” page and advertises “high-quality” products made for “true believers,” according to MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor.
Dave Gaubatz, author of “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America,” contends Facebook and other social media sites have a responsibility to shut down the forums used to market radical Islam and mobilize Islamic youth.
“I am a defender of the U.S. Constitution but the Constitution was not designed for enemies of America,” said Gaubatz, a former U.S. Air Force investigator.
“We must stop jihad online because these groups target our children through social media,” he told Fox News.
Many of the websites selling ISIS merchandise are based in Indonesia, where there is growing support for the extremist group. The gear bears slogans like “Mujahideen Around the World United We Stand,” “Fight for Freedom Till The Last Drop of Blood” and “We Stand for ISIS.”
An Indonesian vendor who runs the “Al-Faruq Islamic Store” sells his products through Facebook and eBay. The store’s Facebook banner advertises: “We sell Islamic Flags, Badges, Headbands and other stuff.”
Another vendor named Zirah Moslem now uses Twitter to sell his products from Indonesia after his Facebook page and website were shut down in June of this year, reports MEMRI.
“ISIS is more than likely not producing shirts but indirectly they are benefiting from it,” Scotty Neil, a former Green Beret who founded Operator, a clothing company geared toward special ops soldiers, told Fox News. “I don’t think that T-shirt company X is sending the Islamic State funds, but people wearing these shirts are making an outward statement and that often starts a dialogue and debate that furthers their message.”
ISIS merchandise has also appeared on Amazon.com through various third-party Indonesian vendors using names such as ISIS Cap or Khilafahstuff. Khilafahstuff offers flags and caps in large quantities and offers shipping to anywhere in the world. “All our products are made with professional materials, the quality of our clothing are either organic or 100% cotton, pure quality Allah be blessed,” boasts the page. The store also sells al-Qaida-related merchandise such as flags and caps.
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