PERKASA gerakan ahlinya pertahankan Akta Hasutan

ISIS's 'emir of suicide bombers' raised $2million for 'military operations' from mystery Qatari donor, say US officials

• Tariq bin al-Tahar al-Harzi, 32, is 'one of ISIS's most senior commanders'
• He raised $2million from mystery Qatari donor, according to U.S. Treasury
• Unnamed donor told him cash must be used for 'military operations' only
• Revelations have sparked calls for the Gulf to prevent its citizens from aiding the flow of funds to Syria-based terror groups, such as the Islamic State
• Despite criticism, Qatar 'working together' with America against militants
• Al-Harzi among number of jihadis named as 'global terrorists' by Treasury

The Islamic State's 'emir of suicide bombers' raised a staggering $2million for 'military operations' from a mystery Qatari donor, U.S. officials have said.

Tunisian-born Tariq bin al-Tahar al-Harzi, 32, one of the terror group's most senior commanders, allegedly arranged to receive the funds from a Gulf-based 'financial facilitator'.

The unnamed donor told him the cash must be used for 'military operations' and also enlisted the terrorist's help with 'fundraising efforts in Qatar', according to the U.S. Treasury.

The revelations have sparked calls for the Gulf state, the richest per capita in the world, to prevent its citizens from aiding the flow of funds to Syria-based terror groups, such as ISIS.

But despite increasing criticism, Qatar, which has an extensive London property portfolio including luxury department store Harrods, is now 'working together' with the U.S. against ISIS.

The Gulf has contributed two Mirage jet fighters to President Barack Obama's air campaign against militants, which are being controlled from a headquarters outside Qatar’s capital, Doha.

Al-Harzi, who is believed to be one of ISIS's first ever terrorists, is among a number of jihadists to be recently added to the Treasury's list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

Other named jihadists include a middleman between al-Qaeda’s leadership in Pakistan and Gulf financiers and another ISIS senior commander who is believed to oversee a prison where foreign hostages are held.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2771571/ISIS-s-emir-suicide-bombers-raised-2million-military-operations-mystery-Qatari-donor-say-US-officials.html

OK Beheader’s Imam Defended Muslim Terrorism, Called for Jailing Pamela Geller

by Daniel Greenfield

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam. He is completing a book on the international challenges America faces in the 21st century.

Imam Imad Enchassi, a Lebanese immigrant who claims to be a Palestinian Arab, was the Imam of the Oklahoma beheader’s mosque. While he is running the usual routine about peace and love, a story relayed to Robert Spencer by a former congregant shows a different side of him.

The Imam was Imad Enchassi the last I heard. He was a friend of mine. He is a Lebanese-born Sunni who hates Israel. He once gave a sermon that the Israelis were trying to collapse al-Aqsa mosque by digging tunnels underneath it. They have no issue with Palestinian suicide bombings because, as it was explained to me, that is the only weapon the Palestinians have.

That’s not a surprise, as Imam Imad Enchassi denounced Israel on social media and claimed to have family in Gaza who were killed during conflicts with Israel. Considering that Israel targets Hamas terrorists, that certainly raises some questions.

He also appears to be an officer in the state chapter of CAIR, a front group for the Muslim Brotherhood, and has numerous photos showcasing his involvement with Islamic Relief, an organization whose international chapters have had alleged ties to Hamas.

When terrorist supporter George Galloway was beaten up, Imam Imad Enchassi urged “prayers” for him. And he’s not too fond of critics of Islam in the US.

In response to a story on Pamela Geller’s ad campaign critical of Islamic terrorism, he posted that, “Hate speech and ads that crosses freedom of speech and encouraged violence ought to be illegal.”

Walk the talk, social media users tell Najib over his UN speech

Barely hours after Datuk Seri Najib Razak condemned the Islamic State militants (Isis) and religious extremism at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, social media users were quick to remind the prime minister to practise what he preached at home.

Twitter user Nash, using the handle @nash_71, did not mince his words when he posted: "@NajibRazak such a pity your words and deeds dont (sic) match where it matters most... at HOME... Malaysia... cld hv (could have) been known a great statesman."

Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen also hit out at the PM's remarks at the UN assembly, by tweeting: "@NajibRazak says the right thing at UN but fails miserably back in Msia – Umno, Isma, Perkasa, Utusan, Jakim, Jais extremism for all to see."

He further posted: "At UN @NajibRazak calls for peace & moderation but no such consideration in Msia – everything is dealt with by the Sedition Act."

This prompted a response from a follower, Peoples Power, using the handle @peoplespowerr, who posted: "He is jaguh dunia BUT not jaguh kampung."

Another Twitter user, Hafiz Noor Shams, using the handle @__earth, appeared to issue a reminder to the PM's earlier presumed admiration for the terror group: "Najib at the UN: WE'RE ANTI ISIS. Najib in an UMNO pow-wow: We should emulate ISIS's courage."

Najib had in June at a dinner to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Cheras Umno branch, called on party members to emulate the exploits of the group, which was then known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil), as its members were able to defeat an Iraqi force despite being outnumbered.

Many criticised him and questioned him for voicing his support for a militant group.

However, the prime minister's office later claimed that his words had been taken out of context and, instead, said that the militants' actions ran counter to the Islamic faith and culture and humanity.

Human rights lawyer Latheefa Koya also took to Twitter today to say: "Najib urges global community to defeat violent extremism & religious intolerance – hello? ada kenal Isma & perkasa? (heard of Isma and Perkasa?)", in reference to the two Muslim and Malay rights groups in Malaysia.

Former BN de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim also tweeted using the handle @zaidibrahim: "PM snazzy dresser; spoke well about dangerous ideas permeating Islamic world in New York. When back home will he repeat them in Pekan?"

Najib had earlier told the UN General Assembly that Isis militants had destroyed lives and communities and destabilised fragile nations and threatened regional security.

“We reject this so-called Islamic State. We reject this state defined by extremism. And we condemn the violence being committed in the name of Islam.

“We know that the threat to world peace and security is not Islam, but extremism: intolerant, violent and militant extremism. The actions of these militants are beyond conscience and belief. They violate the teachings of Islam, the example set by the Prophet Muhammad, and the principles of Islamic law.”

Najib also said in his speech that there were key things that the world must do to defeat violent extremism and religious intolerance in Iraq and Syria.

“First, security and statehood must be returned to the people of Syria and Iraq.

“Secondly, we must pursue a different kind of politics... We must break the cycle where one group gains power only to wield it against the other... So we should commit to more inclusive politics."

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/practise-what-you-preached-at-un-on-religious-extremism-netizens-tell-najib#sthash.q4rt5DHF.dpuf

Malaysians flay sex blogger Alvin Tan for fleeing to US

Sex blogger Alvin Tan’s decision to seek asylum in the United States has drawn flak from Malaysian social media users, many of whom believe he should face up to his actions rather than flee the country.

Tan and his former partner, Vivian Lee, had been charged under the Sedition Act for uploading a bak kut teh posting during Ramadan last year, but he violated his bail conditions while on a supposed working trip to Singapore.

Tan, 26, had insisted in a recent interview with The Malaysian Insider that leaving Malaysia was “the only rational action” as he was powerless to fight “tyranny and ignorance”.

However, most Facebook users felt otherwise, noting that Tan should have been brave enough to face the consequences of the law after knowingly breaking it.

“The reason he 'tak suka Malaysia' is because he’s being prosecuted for a crime under Malaysian law. In my opinion, he deserves to be punished for his puerile acts in the past,” wrote Facebook user Josh Wu.

“He openly admitted to deceiving the courts by fleeing to the United States after Malaysian courts were kind enough to allow him to go to Singapore for some film-shooting.

“The law shouldn’t protect those who misuse the law. He who seeks equity must do equity.”

Another Facebook user, Eugene Leong, said Tan had started the entire episode with his Ramadan wishes, which he said were uncalled for.

“That was indeed a silly and stupid thing to do. Yes, he was punished by the courts. Yes, he fled Malaysia via some excuses.

“But, what I would really like to know is how he feels now, knowing that he got his mum to lose the bond money of 20k when he ran away, instead of defending himself in court!” wrote Leong.

In his interview with The Malaysian Insider, Tan had defended the post, which carried a photo of a pork dish, as political satire.

He said it had highlighted the danger of using Islam “as a basis to govern other people’s life” by legislating personal morals, without making a distinction between what is immoral and what is illegal.

Tan added that he did not believe he was a coward by seeking refuge in the US, but that he was “smart, pragmatic, calculative and mercenary”.

“When the government and its institutions decide to ruin your life and jail you for years just because you hurt their feelings, you do not sit back and try to fight the overwhelming wave of emotional, irrational force coming down on you,” he had said.

But most Facebook users dismissed this, saying his actions were cowardly and idiotic.

“I think he is humiliating himself becoz of his ego! Nothing so smart, also more like childish!” wrote Vivian V. Kulasingham.

“It’s either he is a coward or he is an idiot!!!” wrote Augustin Anthony.

They also warned Tan that he would be extradited back to Malaysia and still have to face the courts.

“Don’t be confident. Soon he will realise that he will be extradited back to Malaysia. But I really pity the girl because he left her,” wrote Mohd Shafian Noordin, referring to Lee.

Anastasia Pertiwi said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was well known for “covert negotiations” and a single phone call to US President Barack Obama would have Tan on the first flight back to Malaysia.

“How long can he stay there? Unless he possess the green card, else it will be deported back. Know yourself first before the enemy,” wrote Chai KL.

However, a handful of Facebook users defended Tan, with one even hailing him a “hero”.

“He is battling the political system not race and religion. Don’t be confused,” wrote Brian Low.

Clement Leong Ern said that while he did not condone Tan’s past actions, the sex blogger was “speaking sense” now.

“Bravo Alvin Tan!” wrote Rosa Rosa.

Tan and Lee are facing criminal charges under Malaysia's Sedition Act as well as the Film Censorship Act for their controversial online uploads, including a photo deemed insulting to Islam on Facebook.

They were both allowed a total bail of RM30,000 each, with two sureties, by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur in July last year. – September 28, 2014.

Avoid no-confidence vote for Azmin, says Dr M

 

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad threw his full backing behind Azmin Ali as the new Selangor menteri besar, expressing his wish that the majority in the Selangor state assembly support Azmin, and avoid any vote of no-confidence.

Speaking to reporters briefly after unveiling a new Proton car, the Iriz Active at the Proton's Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam today, Mahathir said that a vote of no-confidence should be avoided.

"I hope when the state assembly sits, the majority will support Azmin (right).

"If they don't, there will be a vote of no-confidence and then Selangor will have to find a new MB," he said.

There had been murmurs that Azmin, despite being appointed by Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah although not initially nominated by his party PKR, could face a no-confidence vote when the state assembly convenes in November.

Meanwhile, Mahathir also refused to read too much into Azmin's decision to reduce PAS' exco allocation from four exco posts to three.

"That is the MB's right, whether he want to increase or decrease. He can do what he feels is appropriate. It is not necessary for him to keep four excos just because the previous administration did so," he said.

On a separate note, Mahathir said that he had not read Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's speech at the United Nations general assembly recently, but did agree with the premier that the Islamic State (IS) militants must be rejected.

"About IS, I agree. There is no doubt we are against IS. We have to get rid of them, they are un-Islamic," he said.

Selangor PAS duo gets heroes' welcome by DAP

 

Branded traitors by PAS, Selangor assemblypersons Saari Sungib and Hasnul Baharuddin who defied their party to stand with Pakatan Rakyat in the Selangor crisis received a heroes' welcome from Chinese supporters at a DAP fundraising dinner last night.

The duo, who were seated beside DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang, received a standing ovation from the largely Chinese audience as several DAP leaders described them as "saviours of Pakatan Rakyat".

"Thank you Saari and Hasnul (far right and left respectively in photo), that we still have a Pakatan government. You are not traitors, you are the rakyat's heroes," declared former Selangor exco Ronnie Liu at the 70-table dinner in Petaling Jaya last night.

Meanwhile, Bukit Gasing state assemblyperson R Rajiv said the duo's move to sign statutory declarations with other PKR and DAP representatives in backing PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail as the menteri besar "shattered" any hopes of a PAS-Umno unity government.

"If not for the two of them, we would have seen a unity government between PAS and Umno. But because of their willingness to sacrifice, we have preserved Pakatan in Selangor under our new menteri besar Azmi Ali," he said.

Damansara Utama state assemblyperson Yeo Bee Yin too praised them for their courage, relating what Saari's wife had told her as Saari prepared to declare that he would stand with Pakatan.

"She told me the pressure was like when Saari was about to be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA), but the pressure did not stop them from making this decision," she said.

Lim, who later took the stage likewise heaped praise on the duo before inviting them onto the stage to address the excited audience while he continued to stand beside them as they spoke.

A smiling Saari began his speech by asking, "DAP okay? PKR okay?"

To which he received a loud "okay" from the crowd before asking in a hushed voice, "PAS okay?" to which he also received an equally loud, "Okay".

Saari then related how he had struggled with fellow DAP leaders since the reformasi era, praising their consistency in fighting for democracy.

However, he lamented that the struggle for democracy sometimes faltered among his own party comrades.

'Shed tears over bid with Umno'

"This was proven in 2008 in Selangor when DAP won 13 seats, PKR won 15 seats, PAS won 8 seats and BN won 20 seats.

"DAP and PKR were already holding meetings to plan (the new government), but I lost my own (then colleague) PAS commissioner Hasan Ali.

"We kept trying to find him but we could not. It turned out he was negotiating with Umno (to form the government)," he said as the crowd broke into laughter.

Saari said he was deeply disappointed at that time and had "shed tears" that his leaders thought that he, who had struggled since the reformasi era and detained under the ISA twice, would be willing to ally with arch-enemy Umno.

He added had PAS allied with Umno then, he would have quit the party to become an Independent, to which some in the crowd shouted, "Join DAP." But Saari merely smiled.

Likewise, Saari said in the latest saga he and colleague Hasnul had stood with Pakatan without hesitation.

"Our decision was simple and straightforward, the muktamar had decided that we should stand with Pakatan. But unfortunately 13 of our other colleagues were not prepared to do so.

"Outsiders call us saviours, that it our contribution to save Pakatan in Selangor. But in our own party we are labelled as traitors.

"Are we traitors?" he said as the audience shouted back, "No, heroes!"

As a result of his decision, Saari said he received the highest 'honour' from his party that he described as Double B and Double D - Broker, Barua (lackey), Dicuri (stolen), Dibeli (bought over) - in reference to what PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang labelled the duo during the muktamar.

Saari however stressed he has received no reward for standing with Pakatan and had asked the new menteri besar not to include his name in the shortlist for any exco positions when the government was being formed.

'Like child breaking law'

Meanwhile, Hasnul admitted that he was under tremendous pressure when he decided to side with Pakatan during the MB saga.

"My colleague (Damansara Utama state assemblyperson) Yeo Bee Yin said I looked scared when I entered the room (to declare support for Pakatan), like I had done something wrong to break the law, like how a child breaks the law.

"That was how scared (I felt), but I felt it was a sacrifice I had to do," he said, adding that he hopes the Pakatan coalition will persevere.

Hasnul admitted that his actions means that he is unlikely to be allowed by PAS to contest in the next general election, but joked he could still contest under DAP.

"It's dangerous for me to say like this," he said laughingly. "No, what I meant is I do not care about my position."

"But many of my friends in PAS thought if they did the same (to support Wan Azizah), they would not be nominated to contest in the next election," he said.

Both PAS state assemblypersons when approached by journalists later stressed they will not quit PAS, and will leave their fate up to the party's disciplinary committee.

Saari and Hasnul during the Selangor crisis acted as tie breakers after the duo joined 28 PKR and DAP state assemblypersons to back Wan Azizah.

PAS, which refused to make a decision at the time to back Wan Azizah as MB, had caused a stalemate as the 28 PKR and DAP representatives only made exactly half of the 56-member state assembly.

The crisis was triggered when Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim refused to step down from his position, after the party decided to replace him over increasing difficulty in working with him.

Anwar pertahan tindakan DAP pecat Bendahari PAS dari MPPP

(Suara TV) – PKR tidak akan mempertahankan bendahari PAS Pulau Pinang Iszuree Ibrahim yang digantung dari sebagai menyertai sebarang jawatankuasa kerja Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) kerana mengkritik polisi setinggan kerajaan negeri.

Iszuree yang juga ketua lajnah tanah PAS negeri bagaimanapun dikekalkan sebagai ahli majlis tetapi peruntukkan beliau dibekukan.

Ketua Umum PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata Iszuree sepatutnya menggunakan saluran yang betul untuk meluahkan ketidakpuasan hatinya kerana beliau sebahagian Pakatan Rakyat.

“Kamu boleh kritik dari fakta yang kamu dapati, bukan dari apa yang didapati dari Umno.

“Jika kamu nak guna peruntukan negeri tetapi terus kritik – kamu tidak dapat memberi perkhidmatan dengan baik,” kata beliau ketika ditanya wartawan selepas ceramah anti akta hasutan di Seberang Jaya semalam.

Ketika ditanya adakah tindakan negeri terlalu keras dan seoalah-olah tidak dapat menerimanya sebagai kritikan, Anwar menjawab:

“Sudah tentulah boleh kritik. Tetapi keadaan di sini mungkin berbeza,” tambah beliau.

Go ahead, investigate me

Khalid says he welcomes any party including the MACC to review and investigate all contracts he signed while MB of Selangor.

PETALING JAYA: Khalid Ibrahim said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was more than welcome to investigate any agreement he signed during his tenure as Selangor Menteri Besar.

Among those he said MACC could have a go at, were the Selangor water restructuring deal and the Canal City development agreement.

“I welcome all parties, including the MACC to review and investigate all the agreements signed when I was Menteri Besar of Selangor.

“My lawyer will prepare a full statement on this matter,“ Khalid posted on his Facebook page.

This retort from Khalid came in the heels of a new directive from PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim who has instructed Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to expose every company and individual who benefitted from the water deal signed by Khalid while he was Menteri Besar.

Anwar said, “I do not care if people are profiting from it. I do care that it is the people of Selangor who are having to pay for it.”

He added that someone had to answer to the people for having to bear the burden of others earning billions from dubious deals that could very likely raise water tariffs.

Anwar also accused Khalid of not following procedure as the contracts did not go through a proper tender exercise. He lamented over the lack of transparency and expressed his unhappiness that many of these contracts were signed in a hurry by Khalid just before leaving office.

Hindus upset at Barbie depicted as goddess Kali

Rajan Zed says faith is something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt devotees.

Hindus are upset with an upcoming art show opening in Buenos Aires (Argentina) on October 11 depicting the iconic Barbie doll as their goddess Kali, calling it highly inappropriate.

Titled “Barbie, The Plastic Religion”, this exhibition plans to include 33 dolls of various religious figures produced by two Argentinian artists Marianela Perelli and Pool Paolini.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, urged the artists to not include Barbie-ised Goddess Kali in the exhibition and remove it from their online postings and printed material as it trivialised the highly revered deity of Hinduism.

Zed, who is President of the Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that reimagining Hindu scriptures and deities for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Goddess Kali and other Hindu deities were meant to be worshipped in temples and home shrines and not meant to be reduced to a Barbie character.

Zed pointed out that Hindus were for free speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at belittling it hurt the devotees. Artists should be more sensitive while handling faith related subjects, Zed added.

Zed further said that Hindus welcomed art world to immerse in Hinduism but taking it seriously and respectfully and not for refashioning Hinduism concepts and symbols for personal agendas. Barbie-fication of Kali was simply improper, wrong and out of place.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. No faith, larger or smaller, should be plundered, Zed noted.

Goddess Kali, who personifies Shakti or divine energy and considered the goddess of time and change, is widely worshipped in Hinduism. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.

Besides goddess Kali, this art show also reportedly includes figures from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Argentinian folk religion. Barbie as goddess Kali on Facebook page shows it in a box with the symbol of Om and “Jai Kali Ma” in Hindi printed on it.

This article appeared on Eurasia Review and was sent to FMT by Rajan Zed.

Malaysia To Host Economic Roundtable In Vienna

Datuk Selwyn DasFrom Caroline Jackson

VIENNA, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will host an economic roundtable here on October 9 to promote the country's investment and trade opportunities, says Malaysian Ambassador to Austria Datuk Selwyn Das.

Selwyn, who is also the Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in Vienna, said Malaysia and Austria not only enjoyed excellent diplomatic ties but the country was also considered a good investment destination.

He said the event would be jointly organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation office in Frankfurt and the Malaysian embassy here.

"Since our embassy was established in 1962, we have enjoyed very good relations with Austria and this was evident by Austrian President Heinz Fischer's visit to Malaysia in 2010.

"When I presented my credentials to him last October, he still remembered Malaysia very fondly," he told Bernama.

Given that Vienna was one of the UN's four headquarters cities, including the base for international organisations such as the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said both countries have collaborated on many international issues.

"We follow and monitor issues closely and protect our national interests, for example the resolutions passed at the just-concluded IAEA scientific forum here that can benefit us," he said, adding that the country's focus at present was on trade, tourism and education.

In terms of bilateral trade, Selwyn said last year Malaysia recorded a 4.6 per cent increase in trade with Austria valued at RM1,553.3 million.

Malaysian exports to Austria comprised electric and electronic products, optical and scientific equipment, machinery, metal products, appliances and parts, chemical and chemical products.

Austria imported electrical and electronic products, machinery, appliance and parts, chemical and chemical products, paper and pulp products and scientific equipment from Malaysia, he said.

He said there were many Austrian companies operating in Malaysia such as Vamed, which built the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and other private hospitals, and they were also active in the high-technology and construction industries.

The Malaysian embassy here is also promoting linkages with Austrian and Malaysian universities besides looking at the possibility of collaboration in healthcare and exchange of expertise to improve health care services in Malaysia, he said.

"As for tourism, more Austrians are interested in Asian culture and we received good response from them during our National Day celebration on Sept 9.

"We served Malaysian cuisine like "rendang" and "satay," he said, adding that about 13,000 Austrians visited Malaysia annually.

At present, about 300 Malaysians are residing in Austria, including 100 who are working mostly with international corporations.

Selwyn said Austria had also expressed its support for Malaysia, which was in a good position to secure a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the 2015-2016 term.

A lot of strange things have been going on, must be a sign of the end of an era

THERE is a belief among some people that one of the signs of the end of times is when really strange things start to happen. I was never one of those because often “strange” can be quite subjective. There are some who think women taking leadership positions is one of those strange events.

But of late I have had to revise my view of this, although it may not coincide with the same theories that those people have. It is true, however, that a lot of strange things have been going on that, to me, must surely be a sign of the end of something. Maybe it’s not quite the end of the world, but certainly the end of an era, at least for some people.

For instance, we are now seeing this bizarre phenomenon of the nation’s top cop deciding that if anyone has the temerity to be “biadap” (rude) about his law enforcement agency or even himself, then he’ll use the Sedition Act against us.

Now, I don’t recall that the Act actually says we can’t pass a snide remark or two about the agency. After all we are all familiar with that remark “itu biasa lah” whenever we’ve had the misfortune to have to report a bag-snatching or a petty theft.

Would saying that such a remark is not be­coming of law enforcement officers be consi­dered “biadap”? Would saying that our top cop’s performance in front of the world media during the MH370 press conferences was far short of impressive make us liable to be arrested? If yes, then there are lots of people who would be in handcuffs by now.

Today you can get done in for giving an expert opinion that some governance processes were not legally kosher, or for saying that elections are the time for us to change governments if we wanted. Isn’t that what elections are for?

Undoubtedly some people have been foolish enough to let loose on social media things they would only say privately to friends. But that’s a very Gen Y thing to do, say everything you feel and put it up for all to see. It doesn’t necessarily mean you mean it, nor that you even had much reason to say it. But those get hauled up, too. Will this actually stop more ill-considered opi­nions being aired? I doubt it.

Yet these are the sorts of strange things that one can get charged for these days. Even stranger is the penchant for the same said officer to refuse to obey the laws under which he should operate. In all our 57 years of nationhood, there has never been confusion among our law enforcement officers as to what laws they are supposed to obey.

Suddenly, these days they are easily confused. And when compelled by the courts to do their job, they find the country’s top legal man, whose job is to protect the Federal Constitution, to become their lawyer.

That’s a lot of firepower to fight one poor beleaguered mother who just wants to have her children with her. They must think she’s darn powerful to warrant this type of abuse of the courts.

I even think that the UPSR leaks, as well as the response to it, are also a sign of the end. For one thing, why so much panic over an exam that 12-year-olds sit for? And secondly, although the leakers should be punished, why bother making all 473,175 pupils re-sit it?

Leak or not, the smart ones are still going to get good results. So we might as well wait for the results of the entire exam and see if there are any real anomalies such as those who normally don’t do well suddenly getting all As. Frankly, I doubt it.

So these strange events, as well as some others, are a sign that an era is coming to an end. Perhaps it is the end of doing things the same old way when things are changing rapidly every day. It is the end of a time when people all think and see things the same way. Nor is it any longer a time when people will not voice what they don’t like.

Einstein said that the surest sign of insanity is doing the same things repeatedly while expecting a different result. In our case, we are seeing the same things done more incompetently while expecting love and respect in return.

I’m not sure what to call that.

By Marina Mahathir – The Star

Sultan: Beta adalah lebih daripada sebagai lambang

Oklahoma: Muslim BEHEADS Female Co-Worker At Food-Processing Plant, Starts to Behead Another Before being Shot, Tried to Convert Co-Workers to Islam

The Islamic ritual slaughter of beheading  has moved past Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Philippines and into the streets of London and now the American workplace.

Qur’an 47:4: “When you meet the unbelievers, strike the necks…”

Former co-workers said he tried to convert them to Islam after recently converting himself. The New York Daily News does not mention that salient fact in its coverage here but they will run vicious attacks on our jihad-awareness ads.

Oklahoma Department of Corrections records show the suspect, whom The Associated Press is not naming because he has not been charged, has multiple religious tattoos, including one in Arabic that means “peace be with you.

Read more at: http://pamelageller.com/2014/09/oklahoma-muslim-beheads-female-colleague-at-food-processing-plant.html/#sthash.LWYQgDvi.dpuf

Mujahid: Fight against all forms of extremisms

Broker, barua PAS: Saari tak tolak mahu ke mahkamah

'Honor killing': Galilee Arab girl, 14, murdered for leaving house without chaperone

By Eli Ashkenazi

Fatma Hayb was shot eight times; brother and three cousins indicted.

Four men, including the victim’s brother, were indicted Thursday for murdering 14-year-old Fatma Hayb, allegedly because she had angered them by leaving her house without a chaperone.

Along with the brother, Mustafa Hayb, 24, the defendants are her cousins Majed Hayb, 20; Issa Hayb, 20; and Bashar Hayb, 19. All are residents of the village of Tuba Zangaria in the Upper Galilee.

Fatma was murdered on the night of June 12. According to the indictment filed in the Nazareth District Court, Mustafa and Majed had both threatened to hurt or even kill her several times before, saying she was leaving the house without their permission and wandering around without a chaperone. At some point, they decided to carry out their threat and enlisted Bashar and Issa to help.

At 10:20 P.M. on June 12, the indictment stated, Bashar and Issa came to Fatma’s house with a 9mm pistol by prearrangement with Mustafa and Majed. Fatma was sitting outside in the courtyard. Bashar and Issa shot her at least eight times, hitting her in both the upper and lower body, then fled the scene. Fatma was severely wounded and died soon after arriving at the hospital.

Mustafa is also charged with trying to harm another of his sisters just 11 days before Fatma’s murder. That sister, who is 20, enraged him by staying out one night until 9:30 P.M., the indictment said. When she returned, he grabbed her by the hair, but she managed to escape. He then chased after her with a knife.

All four men are charged with murder, conspiracy to commit a crime and weapons offenses. Mustafa and Majed are also charged with menacing. The prosecution asked that all four be remanded until the end of the trial.

Attorney Said Haddad, the public defender who is representing Mustafa Hayb, said his client denies “that he had any connection to the murder or desired his sister’s death.”

Mustafa did know there was a plan afoot to injure his sister, as a warning to her to mend her behavior, but nothing beyond that, Haddad added.

Moreover, any cooperation between Mustafa and the murderers stemmed from concrete threats that failure to cooperate would lead to him and other members of his family being killed, Haddad said. These threats precluded any possibility of complaining to the police or otherwise acting to prevent the attack on his sister, since “any attempt to change things would have brought his life to an end.”

15 beheaded in Taliban offensive in Afghanistan, official says

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A Taliban offensive in eastern Afghanistan left an estimated 100 civilians dead or wounded in the past week, including some women and children who were beheaded, a provincial deputy governor said Friday.

Hundreds of Taliban insurgents stormed Ghazni province's Ajristan district last week, sparking intense, ongoing battles with Afghan security forces, said Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, Ghazni's deputy governor. The Taliban have taken over a large number of villages in the area, he added.

The insurgents beheaded at least 15 people, including women and children, on Thursday, Ahmadi said.

The exact number of people killed in the last week isn't known, in part because authorities don't have an adequate communications system that could help tally the figures, Ahmadi said.

"We only have local police forces and a small number of Afghan National Army personnel fighting a huge number of well-armed Taliban in the area," he said, adding that the country's government in Kabul promised Friday that air support would be sent to the region.

Misogyny: Man kills wife for giving birth to daughter

KHANEWAL: A man killed his wife and injured his daughter in Chak 88/10-R in the suburbs of Khanewal, police said on Thursday.

A police spokesman said Imran Baloch, a labourer, was unhappy at the birth of his second daughter, 35 days ago.

He said Baloch often quarrelled with Hameeda Bibi, his wife, after the child was born. He said on Thursday, he again quarrelled with her and slit her throat. The spokesman said he also attacked his two-year-old daughter. The woman died on the spot and the child was rushed to DHQ hospital in a serious condition.

The child was later referred to Nishtar Medical Hospital in Multan. The police said Baloch fled from the scene after attacking his wife and daughter.

Khanewal city police have sent the body of the woman to hospital for post mortem and started investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2014.

In zoning poser, a call to fight for Penang’s 200-year-old Siamese village

A Penang legislator has questioned a move under the previous state government to change the zoning for a 200-year-old Siamese village land, which was protected by trust, for commercial development.

Yap Soo Huey, the DAP assemblywoman for Pulau Tikus, today said the land-use of the area, where Kampung Siam was located, showed that it was classified as “cultural and religious” in the 1970s.

But, the Penang Island Municipal Council’s (MPPP) Planning and Development Control Policy that was published in 1996 indicated that it had been zoned as “commercial”.

She said the land had been granted to the Siamese and Burmese communities by the East India Company on behalf of Queen Victoria in 1845. The grant stated that the land is to be used for the benefit of their descendants.

“Why was it re-zoned despite the grant given by the East India Company?”

She said developer, Five Star Heritage Sdn Bhd, submitted an application to the MPPP on April 17 to build a hotel on the 2,681 sqm site.

The land today houses residents and businessmen who are descendants of the Siamese in Penang, she said. Many still speak the Siamese language with a Malaysian dialect.

Yap (pic, left) said the MPPP and Penang government have not given any approval for the project.

“They need to investigate,” she said. “The residents also wish to pursue whether the re-zoning was valid considering the grant given by Queen Victoria.”

The developer, through its lawyer, also sent a notice to quit and deliver vacant possessions to the occupants in April. A writ of summons with a statement of claim was issued this month.

Yap urged residents and the public to lend their support to the unique heritage of the place.

A candlelight vigil will be held at 8pm tomorrow at Kampung Siam, which is located behind the Pulau Tikus police station along Burma Road, for the public to join residents in supporting the village and its community, she said. – September 26, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/poser-over-zoning-change-for-kampung-siam-in-penang#sthash.RU7eyRdD.dpuf

PAS rep calls for ‘all-out war’ against extremism, racism

The rising racism and religious extremism in the country must be opposed by all Malaysians or else it will destroy the nation, a PAS lawmaker told an international law conference today.

Parit Buntar MP Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said this trend was a cause for concern and Malaysians, irrespective of their race and religion, must tackle the issue at its source.

"It does not matter whether the extremist is a Muslim, Christian, Hindu, or Malay, Chinese or Indian. We must wage an all-out war," he said in the talk titled "National Unity and Harmony: Promoting Respect and Strength in Diversity".

Mujahid, who is also a PAS central committee member, was speaking at the International Malaysia Law Conference in Kuala Lumpur organised by the Malaysian Bar.

He said political parties from both sides of the divide must learn to be inclusive, or become history if they refused to adapt to changes.

"They will become irrelevant or worse, a dinosaur. Umno will be referred to as a species by future generations. But I will stop here," said Mujahid as he moved on to his next point.

Mujahid, who is also a member of the National Unity Council, said politicians should aspire to be statesmen to take the country and the people forward.

"Don't think about the next general election, but about the next generation."

He said everyone must care for each other, and transcend race and religion to offer help.

"For example, the Malays must help the Chinese, and the Muslims aid the Christians, and vice versa. Remember, we are one, single human race."

He said there was no such thing as a superior race who lords over others, adding that such an attitude would not promote unity and harmony.

Mujahid conceded that there were a lot of misconceptions about his faith, but said history had proven that Islam could co-exist with races and religions.

"Nothing is wrong with the religion, but the people. In Malaysia, we have to be practical to tackle diversity of race and religion."

He believed dialogue could help people better understand each other, and called on the media to proactively promote unity, instead of sensationalising events to sell their stories.

"The media must be free and responsible, and give space to accommodate the views of different parties."

Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar said the Sedition Act must be repealed as promised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in July 2012.

"It is definitely against free speech and democracy," she said, adding that the law was not legislated by the Malaysian parliament.

She said Malayans enjoyed more freedom between 1945 and 1957, when they were allowed to assemble and express their views.

“Public rallies were held to reject the formation of Malayan Union in 1946,” she added, and questioned if legislation was needed to manage race relations in Malaysia.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia law professor Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi said the Federal Constitution provided adequate safeguards to protect the rights of Malays and non-Malays.

"However, over the years, the signs of a divided and fragmented society have caught up with us."

He said the nation must revert to the spirit of the 1957 and 1963 constitutions, when the Federation of Malaya attained independence, and Malaysia was formed together with Sabah and Sarawak.

"There can be no hopeless state. Only people are hopeless about them."

Saleem also said the entire education system needed a revamp and constitutional literacy had to be improved.

– September 26, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pas-rep-calls-for-all-out-war-against-extremism-racism#sthash.O0agCdKF.dpuf

PKR backs Azmin’s move to review Khalid’s past deals

With the new state exco line-up over and done with, Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali has been asked to start reviewing all past agreements and deals made during the previous administration.

De facto PKR leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in a press conference attended by Azmin and four of the party's exco members today, said attention should be given to two major deals.

The two are: the proposed Kinrara-Puchong Expressway project (Kidex) and the water restructuring agreement, both controversial during Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim's watch.

"PKR fully supports Azmin's statement that the new administrators will review all the approvals granted for Kidex, especially as it appears to benefit Putrajaya’s cronies.

"This also includes the water restructuring deal with Putrajaya," Anwar said.

He said Khalid had failed to brief the party on the water restructuring deal and its approvals.

"The new administration should set the example in being transparent and honest. I give my full and undivided support to the new menteri besar."

The opposition leader also said Azmin's administration should review the pay hike of assembly members that was announced in November last year that were deemed too high.

"We are aware that the last salary increase and allowances were higher than the salary of the prime minister.

"In the last Pakatan Rakyat's council meeting, Khalid had been advised to lower the hike to a more reasonable rate. But, that did not materialised."
Anwar said the party advised Azmin to discuss the matter at the next state assembly.

In November last year, the state legislative assembly had approved the salary hike of all 56 members of the assembly effective January 1, this year, with the deputy speaker receiving the highest increase of 373.3%.

This sparked criticism from various parties, including Azmin and Anwar who denounced the move.

Meanwhile, Azmin told party members that he would ensure that his administration would be manage the state with integrity.

"The de facto leader had earlier mentioned the need to ensure that this new administration will be governed by clear principles of integrity, honesty, trust, good governance and care.

"And, these will be the core values we uphold."

Azmin, who is the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman, promised to ensure that the wealth of the state would be spent wisely and responsibly.

"We strive to ensure the well-being of the people and ensure that the wealth of Selangor will be spent wisely and responsibly."

Azmin was sworn in as the new Selangor menteri besar on Tuesday, ending the long-winded tussle in the state.

His new exco line-up, who sworn in today, include PKR's Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan), Dr Daroyah Alwi (Sementa), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Seri Setia), and Amiruddin Shari (Batu Caves); DAP's Datuk Teng Chang Khim (Sungai Pinang), Ean Yong Hian Wah (Seri Kembangan), and V. Ganabatirau (Kota Alam Shah); and PAS's Iskandar Samad (Cempaka), Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi (Sijangkang) and Zaidy Abdul Talib (Taman Templer). – September 26, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/pkr-backs-azmins-move-to-review-khalids-past-deals#sthash.FvgblYqN.dpuf

Council ill-treated me, says physically-challenged man

 

A physically-challenged trader claimed today he was treated aggressively by about 15 enforcement officers from the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), who also seized 200 items of his goods worth RM4,000.

G Munisvaran said, in a police report he lodged at the Seberang Perai Tengah police headquarters in Bukit Mertajam on Sept 15, that this took place at Solok Sungai Pinang on the island, where he goes once a month to sell garments.

Munisvaran said a group of 15 MPPP officers approached him  atabout 6.30pm on Sept 12 and seized his goods, without prior notice.

"When I told them I am a handicapped person, an officer replied: "OKU (orang yang kurang upaya) ka? Apa, kayu ka, atau apa? Pihak MPPP tak peduli (we do not care)".

"He said it in a harsh manner and appeared as if he wanted to hit me. When I tried to prevent my goods from being seized, they pushed me off, roughly," Munisvaran, 43, lamented at a press conference called by the Penang Hindu Association today.

He said he has not been able to trade for two weeks already and is worried because he supports his family of two sons, aged five and seven years aside from his wife.

"My wife is a foreigner and cannot work to support the family. Please, I beg the council officers, return my goods so that I can trade again," he said.

"I have met with the council and the officers told me to pay RM350 to get my clothes back. When I told them I have no money, they ignored my plea.

"Furthermore, they said, only 108 pieces were seized, when they have taken 200 items. They did not count the pieces before they took them away."

Munisvaran said he has been trading for 10 years, and has also taken a loan of RM7,000 from Tekun to start his business, settling it by a monthly instalment of RM382.

'Have more emoathy and compassion'

Penang Hindu Association deputy president P Murugiah (left) urged the enforcement officers to have more empathy and compassion towards the lower income group and unfortunate people such as Munisvaran.

He said the state and federal governments often encourage the people, especially the physically challenged, to be independent.

"However, when implementing and enforcing the laws, the authorities behave in an irresponsible manner. So, how can people like Munisvaran improve their lives?" he asked.

"The MPPP should have instead advised him on what to do to trade in the area, including applying for the appropriate licence, as well as given him counselling or a verbal or written warning and to vacate the area," Murugiah added.

"Seizing his goods and not counting the items in front of him, and not even even giving him a reference to trace back his goods, have been extremely unprofessional and seem more like gangsterism," he said.

He urged MPPP president Patahiyah Ismail to look into improving the conduct of her officers, especially those in the enforcement section, and to ensure they behaved professionally with the people.

When contacted, MPPP councillor Harvinder Singh said the enforcement officers seized Munisvaran’s goods as he is an illegal trader.

"We have received complaints about the matter since 2012 and notices have been issued to the trader before we acted," Harvinder claimed.

He urged all traders to follow procedures to avoid action been taken while they are trading.

On the alleged aggressiveness of the officers towards a handicapped man, Harvinder acknowledged Munisvaran’s version of the incident.

"But since he has lodged a police report, let the investigations proceed. We do not want to interfere in that," he added.

Custodial death inquest will uncloak police SOP

The inquest into the death of C Sugumar will shed light on the standard operating procedures (SOP) of  the police, which have to date been kept under wrap with the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

This comes after coroner Azahari Abdul Hamid yesterday allowed an application for the Inspector-General of Police's standing order on arrest and use of reasonable force during arrest to be presented at the inquest.

Lawyer Eric Paulsen (right), who is acting on behalf of the Sugumar’s family, said he made the application based on recent judgments on police brutality cases.

“We had used the Kugan judgment, which states that police SOP is for the scrutiny of the court. We also used the recent Noorizan Salleh judgment that states the shooting of her was a breach of the SOP.

“This means that the SOP is under the purview of the court,” Paulsen said when contacted.

He was referring to the civil suit won by family of death-in-custody victim A Kugan and the case of Noorizan, who was awarded RM300,000 in a civil suit against the police after she was shot five times.

OSA not applicable to court

The Human Rights Watch in a report on police brutality earlier this year said the Inspector-General's Standing Order (IGSO) - a document that also governs the use of firearms - is classified as an official secret.

However, Paulsen believes that classifying the document under the OSA does not stop the courts from scrutinising it.

“Admissibility of documents (in court) is based on the Evidence Act and the rule of evidence is much more relaxed in an inquest,” he said.

According to Paulsen, the IGSO on arrests is particularly pertinent to this inquest as the deceased had died while handcuffed in the midst of an arrest.

On Wednesday, eye-witnesses testified that police personnel in full uniform and boots had stepped on Sugumar's neck for about two minutes until he stopped struggling.

The post-mortem report states that Sugumar, who had yellow powder smeared on his face, died of a heart attack.

The inquest continues on Oct 2.

 

IGP gets stay order on arrest of Ridhuan

The Court of Appeal president says that this is an important case and the court will fix an early date to hear and dispose the appeal.

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here has granted Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar an inter parte stay against a High Court order for him to arrest a Muslim-convert father and return his daughter to his Hindu ex-wife.

Court of Appeal president Md Raus Sharif, chairing a three-member panel allowed Khalid’s application for the inter parte stay order.

Md Raus who presided together with Court of Appeal judges Zaharah Ibrahim and Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim set October 30 to hear Khalid’s appeal against the High Court’s decision.

“This is an important issue. We will grant the stay and fix an early date to hear and dispose the appeal,” he said.

On September 12, the Ipoh High Court had allowed a judicial review sought by M.Indira Gandhi for a mandamus order to compel Khalid to arrest her ex-husband, Muhammad Ridhuan Abdullah and return their six-year-old daughter Prasana Diksa to her.

On September 17, Khalid obtained an interim stay order from the Court of Appeal judge Aziah Ali against the High Court pending hearing of yesterday’s application.

The same panel had dismissed Indira’s application to set aside the interim stay order.

Lawyer Aston Paiva, representing Indira agreed to have an early hearing date fixed but objected to the stay application.

In 2009, the Syariah Court in Ipoh had given Ridhuan, who was formerly known as K.Pathmanathan, the custody of the three children, Tevin Darsiny, 17, Karan Dinish, 16, and Prasana after he unilaterally converted them to Islam.

In 2010, the High Court in Ipoh granted Indira full custody of all three children and Ridhuan was ordered to return Prasana to the mother.

On May 30, the High Court cited Ridhuan for contempt and issued a warrant of arrest against him after he repeatedly failed to hand over Prasana.

Indira had also obtained a recovery order from the High Court to compel the police to locate Ridhuan.

Senior federal counsel Noor Hisham Ismail and Suzana Atan appeared for Khalid. - Bernama

Alvin Tan: M’sian leaders are cowards and Nazis

Controversial sex blogger Alvin Tan breaks his silence and challenges Umno to take action against him.

PETALING JAYA: Controversial sex blogger Alvin Tan, currently on the run from the authorities, has posted a slew of insulting remarks about Malaysia’s top leaders.

Among them were Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar and Attorney-General (AG) Abdul Gani Patail.

In his Facebook page he defended his right to express himself freely, Tan said, “I’ll say whatever I damn well please.”

While likening Khalid to the Nazi SS Head Heinrich Himmler, Tan referred to Najib as a coward for allowing the sedition spree to take place “just to cling to the top post”.

He also described Zahid as the “closest thing to true evil”, and the AG as the “biggest conspirator” in all prosecutions.

Along with the insults, Tan posted a challenge to Umno that read, “So what are you going to do now?”

Explaining why he decided to break his silence even before his asylum claim was approved, Tan said keeping silent for his own benefit would have been “deeply unethical”.

He also asked, “But if people like me don’t speak up … who else is going to do it?” adding everyone in Malaysia was living in fear these days.

Reported to be seeking asylum in the United States as a “political refugee”, Tan also said that while prosecuting political opponents for saying things was “just business as usual”, charging them with sedition was like declaring war on them.

He added, “… arresting activists, lawyers, journalists, religious leaders, and even professors and ordinary people for expressing opinions on social media is like declaring an all-out war on everyone and everything that Malaysians stand for.”

The sex blogger also claimed, “It is Umno who decides what is offensive.”

Anwar says re-opening old case strange, upsetting

Anwar Ibrahim says it is nothing more than Putrajaya’s brand of political pressure on him and his party.

PETALING JAYA: PKR’s de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim has claimed that re-opening the sedition investigation against him was Putrajaya’s attempt to exert political pressure on him.

Speaking to reporters at the PKR headquarters, Anwar said, “I find this very strange and upsetting. I have been consistent in my absolute opposition to the use of the Sedition Act to silence the voices of political leaders, academics, students, and society at large.

“I don’t understand why the investigation is being re-opened but from what I’ve been told, the Attorney General received instructions from Putrajaya.”

Adding that the investigation against him was coming on the heels of a sedition charge levelled at his own lawyer N. Surendran recently, Anwar questioned the objective of re-opening the case since it was already investigated three years ago.

Anwar had his statement recorded by officers from the Ampang district police headquarters at 3pm. He was questioned under the Sedition Act 1948 and was accompanied by his counsel Latheefa Koya and N.Surendran, who is also the Padang Serai MP.

The opposition leader was questioned for a statement he made in a speech at an event held in Gombak in 2011 with Azmin Ali.

India Gets to Mars but Can’t Mine Coal

Recalcitrant judiciary wrecks mining plans

By Asia Sentinel

India yesterday became the first country in the world successfully to complete a space mission to Mars on the first attempt, beating China, which does not yet have a craft in orbit around the planet. It also beat Russia and the US which did not succeed first time,and its cost was only us$74 mllion spent over three years compared with the US spending $679m over six years.

Narendra Modi, the prime minister launched his “Make in India” campaign at a televised jamboree in Delhi. This is aimed at persuading both foreign and Indian companies to invest in India and thus boost both its unsuccessful manufacturing industry and its exports. Twenty-five sectors have been identified for social focus.

Abandoning the usual comparison between India as a lumbering elephant and China as a prowling tiger, Modi has chosen a lion (made of engineering cogs) as the logo of the campaign, presumably because his home state of Gujarat is home to India’s only lions.

With these two events, one might think that all is beginning to come right for a country that has lost its way economically in recent years. The timing is good. Modi is about to leave for what promises to be a spectacular five-day visit to the US where he will try to persuade investors and politicians – and world leaders at the United Nations – that India is bring back on track

Sadly it is not so. Just as Mangalyaan, (the Mars-craft in Hindi) was entering the Mars orbit, three judges in India’s supreme court cancelled, with effect from March next year, 214 of the 218 coal mining licenses that have been issued without open tendering between 1993 and 2011. This endangers India’s power generation industry, its steelworks and other industries, as well as adding to foreign investors serious worries about the risks and uncertainty of doing business here.

All these events link up to illustrate why India’s fudge and fix-it approach policy making and governance, known as jugaad, coupled with a belief that everything will work out ok (chalta hai) have whittled away at the country’s institutions and economic performance to such an extent that Modi won a landslide general election victory four months ago because voters believed he could restore India to its rightful place in the world.

Even though it fails in many industrial areas, India is a world leader in space and rocket technology, manufacturing, and delivery, mainly because the US and other countries stopped it being able to import high technology after its nuclear weapon tests in 1974 and 1998. This meant that India was on its own so, capitalizing on work initiated shortly after independence in 1947 by prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, scientists and private sector companies produced a series of successes that culminated in yesterday’s Mars achievement. Two companies that have done pioneering work for decades, the Godrej group and Larsen & Toubro, contributed to the Mars mission.

The development speed and the low cost of the Mars probe illustrates how Indian industry is capable of developing the negative skills of jugaad into frugal engineering where the best is made of limited resources at minimal cost.

Contrast that with India’s defense industry, where there has been no ban on imports and where US and other foreign companies have connived with the defence establishment to such an extent that as much as 70% of India’s defence orders have to be bought from abroad – even night vision goggles, radars and guns as well as helicopters, other aircraft, ships and missiles have not generally been manufactured in India to satisfactory standards.

This bureaucratic throttlehold on the growth of manufacturing industry stretches far beyond the defence industries, and Modi’s hopes of reviving the industry will not succeed unless he stops bureaucrats working with foreign suppliers to boost imports at the cost of local companies.

Governments till now have failed to tackle these and many other failing in the way India works, which has led to an escalation of “judicial activism” that began over 30 years ago, where courts take it on themselves to order governments and other authorities what to do. Initiatives have ranged from protecting bonded labour and enforcing environmental regulations, to ordering Delhi’s buses to be powered by compressed natural gas, and even recently challenging the government’s tardiness in appointing an official leader of the opposition in parliament

This has progressively upset the balance between the executive and the judiciary as the machinery of government has begun to implode, but yesterday’s mining judgment is probably the most damaging and irrational of edicts. It follows a similar but less economically damaging ruling two years ago that cancelled mostly corrupt telecommunications licenses. It stems from a coal scandal during the time of the last government when coal licenses were handed out without proper controls to a wide range of companies in order to speed up coal-fired power generation. But many companies simply sat on the assets and did not start mining, which led to the Supreme Court action.

It would have been understandable if the judges had cancelled licenses where coal mining had not been started, but it has acted retrospectively on 21 years of licenses and is also fining companies Rs 295 per tonne of coal mined. That money will go to the government which now has six months to reorganize the industry and the inefficient Coal India to try to fill the gaps.

The judges no doubt felt they were doing their legal duty, and it is of course the failings of successive governments that have led the supreme court to intervene to such a degree. And it will no doubt continue to do so until the government gets a grip on affairs that it should be running.

John Elliott is Asia Sentinel’s New Delhi correspondent. His blog, Riding the Elephant, appears at the bottom right of Asia Sentinel’s face page

Dyana unfazed by dirty tactics

by Dina Murad

PETALING JAYA: Being a young woman is never an easy thing in politics, as DAP’s Dyana Sofya has quickly learned.

The 27-year-old DAP starlet has turned into quite the media darling with her quick and fiery reactions to current issues. She even drew in a stream of admirers from the public and press alike with her down-to-earth and friendly demeanour.

Although she commands her own legion of supporters, the political secretary for Gelang Patah MP Lim Kit Siang has nevertheless become a favourite target for dirty tactics and sexist remarks - which culminated and peaked during her run for the Teluk Intan seat in May in which she eventually lost to Gerakan veteran Datuk Mah Siew Keong by a slim margin.

In fact, Dyana’s signature barely had time to dry on her party application form when she received her first taste of derision.

“When I first joined DAP - it was announced in early 2012 right before Chinese New Year - I had already faced the backlash. I was called a ‘pengkhianat bangsa’ (traitor of the race), ungrateful… things like that.

When I became (Lim Kit Siang’s) political secretary, it happened again so I knew that when I was fielded as a candidate, the wave would triple or even quadruple so I was prepared.”

The moment Dyana’s named was announced as candidate, a frenzy erupted. Here was a smart, young, beautiful girl that everyone wanted to know more about. Many were curious, many were impressed, but a few opportunists ere out to cripple the budding politician before she could establish herself.

In the days before and during campaigning various attempts to discredit Dyana surfaced on the internet.

The first, a bikini-clad photo emerged, supposedly of Dyana. It was later discovered that image was actually that of a Filipina actress.

In another bad attempt to diminish her growing popularity, Dyana’s photo with her three-legged kitten Calico was photoshopped to show her embracing a puppy.

“The first time I was targeted, a few nights before the announcement of my candidacy, I was alone in Johor. Some person - I don’t know who it was - created a Twitter account offering sexual services and published my number in the advert!” she said.

“After that, I received hundreds of Whatsapp messages and even some photos which I did not want to see. Even at three in the morning - I received messages and calls. But I didn’t cry at all. For the whole two weeks, I just laughed it off,” she said.

A strong support system and a strong presence of mind is what helps her maintain composure in the press of negativity, said Dyana.

“Whenever I got attacked or whenever an issue arose, (Penang Chief Minister) Lim Guan Eng or Lim Kit Siang would call me. They would ask,
“Dyana, are you OK? Do you need anything?” I was just a regular member then, not even a political secretary but they called and emailed me - even (Seputeh MP) Teresa Kok who is our ‘big sister’,” she said.

“They always call and give moral support and encouragement. That’s one of the reasons I know I was in the right party.”

Role Of Sultan Not Limited To Ceremonial And Official Events - Selangor Sultan

KLANG, Sept 26 (Bernama) -- The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, today reminded the people that the role of the Sultan is not only limited to ceremonial and official events, but also to see that the state and its people achieve true peace and prosperity.

He said the Sultan had the very heavy responsibility of ensuring that the people in the state could enjoy a good quality of life, but certain politicians just could not understand the role and power of the monarchy or just refused to understand it because they had a hidden agenda.

"As the people have not been given enough information to be able to understand the actual functions of the Sultan, they think the royal ruler is just a symbol without any role and power under the State Constitution."

Sultan Sharafuddin said this at the swearing-in of the new state executive council line-up and presentation of instruments of appointment to them at the Throne Room of Istana Alam Shah, here.

The Sultan said he had never interfered in the state's administration led by the menteri besar and would only offer his advice should there exist a major problem affecting the people.

As such, he called on the newly-appointed state executive councillors to give undivided support to new Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali by setting aside their differences and focusing on using their expertise, energy and experience to serve the people sincerely.

The Sultan said he did not want to see the people of Selangor to be in a chaotic environment to the extent of living in fear and misery.

Sultan Sharafuddin also regarded the crisis in Selangor Pakatan Rakyat as having started with the "Kajang Move", in the attempt to remove Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim from the post of menteri besar.

The menteri besar crisis, he said, had opened his eyes, heart and mind on the state's political situation.

He also rapped Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) for continuing the insults and condemnation during the holy month of Ramadan in order to force Abdul Khalid to step down.

The Sultan said the appointment of the new state executive council members had to be done after PKR and DAP had no confidence in the leadership of Abdul Khalid, who was appointed as menteri besar after the 13th general election.

"I pray to Allah that with the appointment of the new Selangor menteri besar, the parties which had been given the mandate to administer the state, will be able to work together to govern the state with honesty and sincerity for the benefit and wellbeing of the people.

"The people have high hopes in living in the rich and developed state of Selangor, and of being able to enjoy all the prosperity," he said.

Sultan Sharafuddin also called on the Malays not to be divided and condemn each other as it would only lead to disunity and destruction.

He thanked Abdul Khalid for having successfully discharged his duties as menteri besar and having established good relations with the palace.

Sultan Sharafuddin also expressed his appreciation to the people for their support for him during the menteri besar crisis, and to the mainstream media for publishing all statements from the palace.

Spurned and abused, two transwomen now push for equal rights

They have been assaulted physically and sexually, discriminated against, shamed and humiliated by Malaysian authorities but two transwomen have emerged from their harrowing experience stronger and are now empowering other transgender people in the country.

Sulastri Ariffin and Nisha Ayub both work for an organisation, where they educate transgender women about their rights and create a place for those seeking protection.

They said that transgenders in Malaysia were always under threat, more so if they happened to be Muslims as religious authorities actively conduct raids and arrest those caught cross-dressing.

Recently, 17 transgender women were arrested for cross-dressing after the Negri Sembilan religious authorities raided a Malay wedding in Bahau. They served one week sentences and paid an RM950 fine each.

Human Rights Watch released a damning report yesterday, highlighting the various abuses the community in Malaysia had suffered which included sexual assault by religious officers and prison guards, extortion, daily fear of arrest by the authorities and violations of their privacy rights.

But Sulastri and Nisha, who were born as males, are no different, having been arrested and assaulted while in prison.

Speaking at the launch of the report yesterday, Nisha insisted the community had been the target of abuse just because they were different.

"We are not against Islam. But we are against the law that has been created by the state to discriminate against us,” said Nisha, who is also a member of rights group Justice for Sisters.

Recounting her life as as a transgender, 35-year-old Nisha said it was uneventful although she faced resistance from her strict family.

It was not until she was arrested by religious authorities in her hometown of Malacca when she was 21 that Nisha learnt life could be pretty harsh for people like her.

"By then, I already had my implants and I had long hair and dressed as a woman. I was a woman," she said.

The religious authorities stopped her and her friends on the street and detained her as she was a Muslim who was caught cross-dressing.

"They brought me to the court the next day and I pleaded guilty. I was sentenced to three months in prison and it was at that point my life changed."

Nisha said she was sexually assaulted in prison and forced to perform lewd sexual acts on other inmates just because she was a transgender.

"It was the first time I had sex. And the abuse pushed me to try killing myself a few times in prison."

She quickly realised that in order to protect herself from further abuse from the inmates, she would have to seek protection from a prison warden.

"So in return, I had to do sexual favours for him. It's not something I wanted to do but if I had not, I would have to face threats and abuse from the other inmates.

"The three months in prison felt like three years," she said.

The experience in prison stunned Nisha but it also turned her family around to accept her as a transgender.

"After I came out, that was when my family began to accept me. They realised that this is who I actually am."

By then, however, Nisha had lost her job as a hotel receptionist because of her detention and began working at a nightclub in Malacca to support herself and her mother.

“Indirectly, I was also a sex worker. And although I lived a luxurious life, I was not happy.”

But life in the vice trade, Nisha said, made her stronger and taught her many things, particularly about transgender issues relating to health and other aspects.

"After four years, I moved to Kuala Lumpur where, although I received many job opportunities, I decided to become an advocate for transgender rights."

Sulastri, 53, was also once a sex worker, forced into the trade after leaving her family in Kuching to live her life as a transgender in the capital city.

“I left Kuching because I had no freedom to express myself. Mine was a typical Malay family and I was afraid what people would say about us.

“I had low self-esteem and felt lousy about myself and it was very difficult for us to get jobs at that time, so I thought this was the right job for me. I continued on for six years.”

She was also arrested when living on the streets and charged. She escaped with a light punishment after being fined RM25.

She later realised that she should snap out of her self-loathing and do something more for herself.

"That's when I joined an NGO and became an advocate for transgender rights. At that time, it was not easy to get support.

“I myself only became more familiar with transgender issues after I joined social work.”

She is now the manager of a women's programme and works with those facing issues with their families and job discrimination.

“People in Malaysia keep confusing us with homosexuals. We are not homosexual.”

Both Sulastri and Nisha believe that they are helping the transgender community by empowering them with knowledge of their rights and the law.

"People think we are fighting for special rights but we are not. We are just fighting for equal rights," Nisha said.

"The more I began to advocate, the more I realised that I am not the only one who has gone through sexual abuse and discrimination." – September 26, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/spurned-and-abused-two-transwomen-now-push-for-equal-rights#sthash.Ig5DSBH1.dpuf

NGO kecam Kem Pendidikan gagal laksana gaji minimum

Abu Sayyaf tuntut hentikan serangan IS, ugut bunuh tebusan

Iraqi female activist killed by ISIS

BAGHDAD: Militants with ISIS publicly killed a rights lawyer in the Iraqi city of Mosul after finding her guilty of apostasy in a self-styled Islamic court, the United Nations said Thursday.

Samira Salih al-Nuaimi was seized from her home on Sept. 17 after allegedly posting messages on Facebook that were critical of the militants' destruction of religious sites in Mosul. Her Facebook page appears to have been removed since her death.

According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, Nuaimi was tried in a so-called "Shariah court" for apostasy, after which she was tortured for five days before the militants sentenced her to public execution.

"By torturing and executing a female human rights' lawyer and activist, defending in particular the civil and human rights of her fellow citizens in Mosul, ISIL continues to attest to its infamous nature, combining hatred, nihilism and savagery, as well as its total disregard of human decency," Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N. envoy to Iraq, said in a statement, referring to the group by an alternate acronym.

The militant group captured Iraq's second largest city Mosul during its rapid advance across the country's north and west in June, as Iraqi security forces melted away. The extremists now rule a vast, self-declared caliphate straddling the Syria-Iraq border in which they have imposed a harsh version of Islamic law and beheaded and massacred their opponents.

In the once-diverse city of Mosul the group has forced religious minorities to convert to Islam, pay special taxes or die, causing tens of thousands to flee. The militants have enforced a strict dress code on women, going so far as to veil the faces of female mannequins in store fronts.

In August, the group destroyed a number of historic landmarks in the town, including several mosques and shrines, claiming they promote apostasy.

The Gulf Center for Human Rights said Wednesday that Nuaimi had worked on detainee rights and poverty. The Bahrain-based rights organization said her death "is solely motivated by her peaceful and legitimate human rights work, in particular defending the civil and human rights of her fellow citizens in Mosul."

The militants' rapid advance eventually prompted U.S. airstrikes last month to aid Kurdish forces and protect religious minorities in Iraq. This week a newly formed U.S.-led coalition expanded the aerial campaign into Syria, where ISIS is battling President Bashar Assad's forces as well as Western-backed rebels.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Sep-25/271947-iraqi-female-activist-killed-by-isis.ashx#ixzz3EMpIDQ7U