Mangsa cabul rayu hakim ringankan hukuman bapa saudara

Mangsa yang kini berusia 15 tahun mengakui dirinya turut bersalah dan dia sudah memaafkan lelaki itu, justeru dia meminta hakim memberi hukuman ringan kepada tertuduh.

FMT

PETALING JAYA: Seorang mangsa yang dicabul bapa saudaranya bertindak menulis surat kepada hakim merayu tertuduh dijatuhkan hukuman ringan.

Dalam surat itu, mangsa yang kini berusia 15 tahun mengakui dirinya turut bersalah dan dia sudah memaafkan lelaki itu, justeru dia meminta hakim memberi hukuman ringan kepada tertuduh.

China Press melaporkan, tertuduh yang kini berusia 22 tahun itu mengaku bersalah terhadap tiga pertuduhan, termasuk melakukan serangan seksual terhadap anak saudaranya mulai 2011 hingga Januari 2015.

Menurut fakta kes, tertuduh yang berkongsi bilik dengan anak saudara lelaki dan perempuan serta kakaknya pada 2011, bertindak mengambil kesempatan ketika anak saudaranya sedang tidur nyenyak dengan menyentuh bahagian sulit mangsa sebelum mencabulnya.

Mangsa yang ketika itu berusia 10 tahun bagaimanapun tidak menolak mahupun mendedahkan perbuatan bapa saudaranya dan tertuduh kembali mencabul mangsa sebanyak dua kali lagi pada Januari 2015.

Perkara itu hanya terdedah ketika gadis itu mendapatkan khidmat nasihat kaunselor mengenai masalah cinta.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya memohon mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 21 hingga 24 tahun kerana tertuduh menyalahgunakan kepercayaan yang diberikan kakaknya, selain dia turut mempunyai teman wanita ketika itu dan aktif dalam seks.

Hakim menetapkan 22 Jun ini sebagai tarikh untuk menjatuhkan hukuman.

Nabbed IS supporter a safety expert on Malaysian VIP flights, says security official

PETALING JAYA: One of the 15 suspected Islamic State (IS) supporters arrested in Malaysia has been revealed as a senior aviation technician for a firm that serviced aircraft used by the nation’s corporate and political leaders.

The suspect, aged 49, is a former flight engineer for the Royal Malaysian Air Force, a regional security source told the South China Morning Post.

“The suspect is a senior technician whose responsibility was to check that an aircraft is safe for use. He is the person who gives the green light whether an aircraft is safe to take off or not,” said the security official.

The aircraft maintenance company services chartered aircrafts for domestic flights for so-called “VVIPs”, a term often used to describe passengers who are corporate and political leaders. The suspect worked there for 13 years, according to the official.

He was arrested in late March along with 14 other suspects in an operation covering six states as well as the capital Kuala Lumpur.

The other 14 suspects have all been charged in court, but investigations into the aviation engineer are continuing.

“He has conducted religious classes where he propagated ISIS ideology,” said the official.

“He is known to actively support IS via his Facebook account. He has shown IS videos on his mobile phone to his friends with the aim of promoting IS.”

An Airbus A321 operated by Russia’s Metrojet crashed in the Sinai in 31 October 2015, killing all 224 people on board. Russia and Western governments have said the plane was likely brought down by a bomb, and the IS militant group said it had smuggled an explosive on board.

Reuters reported in January that an EgyptAir mechanic, whose cousin joined Islamic State in Syria, is suspected of planting the bomb, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The official said the Malaysian technician’s links to ISIS “was very worrying.” “He could easily sabotage an aircraft. He could also put bombs or smuggle weapons onto a plane,” said the official.

Counter-terrorism experts described the technician as a potential “insider threat”.

“This is a matter for concern because this is precisely what I and others have referred to as the ‘insider threat’ of transnational terrorism,” said Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Singapore.

The “insider threat” is dangerous as it enables IS to attack targets from within the system, by recruiting already self-radicalised individuals in sensitive jobs, said Prof Kumar.

“Such a person would have the ability, at least in theory, to sabotage an aircraft with VVIPs on board either through by deliberately tampering with onboard systems, causing them to fail in mid-flight, or by placing an improvised explosive device onboard, assuming that he can gain access to one, or has the ability make one himself,” said Prof Kumar.

Such an insider also had the potential to directly assassinate a target, “because the person presumably would have the necessary security clearance already and would hence be less likely to attract attention. This is why enhanced and more regular security screenings are required in certain sensitive sectors,” he said.

The engineer is the second suspect in the aviation industry to have been arrested by Malaysian police over their alleged support for IS.

Last year, an armed auxiliary police officer who handled the screening of explosives and dangerous goods at the KL International Airport was arrested.

He is alleged to have helped facilitate his brother-in-law’s departure to Syria to fight for IS by escorting him to immigration, where the officer’s presence helped ensure there would be less scrutiny paid to the passenger’s final destination.

To date, Malaysian police have arrested more than 160 IS suspects. At least 19 Malaysians are known to have died in Iraq and Syria fighting for IS, some of them as suicide bombers.

Comango: Malaysia regressing in some human rights

PETALING JAYA, May 20 — Malaysian NGOs accused Putrajaya today of not doing enough to improve human rights in the country as pledged with the United Nations Human Rights Council.

According to the Coalition of Malaysian Non-Governmental Organisations (Comango), of the 150 human rights recommendations accepted by Malaysia in 2014, 60 of them were measurable and the situation was regressing in 57 per cent of these.

“We are seeing increasing violations of human rights and trend of growing impunity.

“For instance, instead of repealing the Sedition Act, we see an increasing trend of use of this Act for political motives since 2014,” Comango representative Sevan Doraisamy, who is also Suaram executive director, told a press conference on the coalition’s mid-term report on Malaysia’s progress in implementing its human rights pledges.

Sevan also said instead of taking steps to promote the rights of journalists and bloggers to freely exercise their rights to freedom of expression, Malaysia was strengthening laws to silence the media.

“The proposed amendments to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 will likely aim at controlling or even stifling political content online rather than facilitating freedom of expression and information,” he said.

Another Comango representative, Jerald Joseph, from human rights group Pusat KOMAS, said the country also showed little or no improvement in terms of national unity and social cohesion.

“When there was a racial riot in the Low Yat incident, we saw a raced-based IT mall built and this also does not gel well with the 1Malaysia concept that the government is championing,” he said.

Mohd Rizal Rozhan, of Selangor Civic Community Association (Empower), said Malaysia has five years to fulfill its recommendations that are aimed at improving the human rights situation on the ground together with some 193 members of the United Nation.

He said the recommendations comprise eight sectors—international obligation; civil rights; economic, social and cultural rights; marginalised groups; national mechanisms on human rights; trafficking in persons; national unity and human rights education.

Asked if it was fair to penalise the government given that it still have another two years to fulfil these, Jerald said it was up to Putrajaya to explain.

“We hope and wish for the government to call us in to work on these recommendations together but to date, we have not received any such invitation,” he said.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/comango-malaysia-regressing-in-some-human-rights#sthash.SpRaJL0h.dpuf

Kho Jabing hanged

SINGAPORE, May 20 — A Malaysian murder convict was hanged in Singapore today, police said, hours after the city-state’s highest court rejected a final bid for him to escape the gallows.

“A 32-year-old male Malaysian national, Jabing Kho had his death sentence carried out on 20 May 2016 at Changi Prison Complex,” the Singapore Police Force said in a statement.

Kho, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for the murder of a Chinese construction worker, had been due to hang in Changi Prison at dawn today, but was granted a brief last-minute reprieve after his lawyer filed a challenge.

The Court of Appeal heard the latest plea this morning but said it raised no new arguments about the 2008 robbery gone wrong, clearing the way for the execution.

“This case has been about many things but today, it’s about the abuse of the process of the court,” said Court of Appeal Judge Chao Hick Tin.

Allowing Kho to continue with legal challenges would throw the judicial system “into disrepute,” he added.

Executions in Singapore are normally carried out by hanging at dawn on Fridays.

After Kho was sentenced to death in 2010, Singapore amended its mandatory death penalty for murder, giving judges the discretion to impose life imprisonment under certain circumstances.

Kho’s case was reviewed and he was re-sentenced to a life term in 2013. But state prosecutors appealed that ruling and his death sentence was reinstated in January 2015.

He was scheduled for execution on November 6 last year but another last-minute appeal saved him.

Kho’s accomplice in the crime had his conviction for murder overturned and got more than 18 years in prison and 19 strokes of the cane.

Singapore, which has rejected calls by rights groups to abolish the death penalty, executed four people in 2015, one for murder and three for drug offences, according to prison statistics.

Malaysia also uses capital punishment, executing murderers and drug traffickers by hanging, a system which, like that in Singapore, dates back to British colonial rule. — AFP

Dr M wants one-to-one contest but cautious about PAS candidacy

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said PAS' insistence on contesting in the Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar by-elections leaves the people with no choice but to back the Islamic party if they want to see BN under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak defeated.

However, he raised concerns that PAS' insistence for a one-on-one battle against BN may just be a ploy for the Islamic party to withdraw at the eleventh hour and allow a walkover victory for BN.

"PAS may be pretending to nominate a candidate and when the rakyat do not put up their candidate, PAS will then pull out so that BN can win uncontested," he said in a blog posting today.

Mahathir had emphasised on the importance of a one-on-one contest in the by-elections to ensure BN is defeated.

The former premier, who had been accused of colluding with the opposition, was careful to refer to Pakatan Harapan as the "rakyat".

"The rakyat should only put up a single candidate. Unfortunately, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang wants to put a PAS candidate and BN will benefit if the rakyat put up another candidate.

"In order to avoid a split among the rakyat, if PAS puts up a candidate, the rakyat will need to give full support to PAS so that PAS can win big and BN will lose big," he said.

Mahathir said that even if PAS won, it would not be able to form the government and would remain a "slave" to BN which has superior numbers.

Pull out at the eleventh hour

However, Mahathir's reservation that PAS may pull out at the eleventh hour remained.

"We will not be surprised if PAS does this. (PAS president) Abdul Hadi Awang appears to have accepted 'cash is king' Najib even though the world perceives Najib as corrupt.

"That is Hadi's choice and his right. That was why PAS has split," he said.

Mahathir noted that Najib had tried to take credit for BN's thumping win in the Sarawak election even though he claimed it was due to the state's popular Chief Minister Adenan Satem.

A such, he said, BN's defeat in the by-elections was necessary to ensure that Najib cannot claim he has the people's backing.

Mahathir also emphasised that the bid to remove Najib is a people's movement and not merely an opposition's movement as the prime minister is trying to paint it.

"Only after Najib is no longer prime minister can democracy be restored and all the demands of parties be championed for.

"After democracy is restored, the rakyat can make any demands they want and on who will lead the country," he said.

Video: Slim River Tamil school parents and activist disappointments

Slim River Tamil school parents fear for their children’s safety

Parents of SRJK (T) Slim River school students are incredibly dissapointed by authorities lack of urgency to fix the schools termite problem that had been reported in 2011.

The Malaysia Times (TMT) today spoke to some of the concern parents outside the school, where they voiced their concern over their children’s safety.

Jayshree, 40, said that it has been five years since a complaint was made and four years since the Public Works Department (JKR) has reported that the building is not safe to be used.

“My son is now nine years old and still in danger, how long do they expect us to sit and wait,” Jayshree told TMT.

Meanwhile, Pooveneswary, 33, vented: “Are they waiting for something bad to happen to one of the children before they start doing their job.”

She said that even though the kindergarten children have been moved to the library, everyone still has to use the canteen, so they are all still in danger.

Arulmany, 38, said that the school had made the reports initially but after a couple of years had become less aggressive to get the building rebuilt.

S. Jeevaratnam said that he has personally funded the school as well to fix their minor things, but said that as this is a government building it can’t be demolished and rebuilt by just anyone.

“It’s worrying when things are out of your hands and your child’s safety is corn , it is very worrying,” he said.

“I have a cousin whom studied in the school almost 16 years ago and she said that the canteen is the same since she started studying,” said Arulmany.

The kindergarten and canteen building in the school has been labeled as unfit as it is infested by termites by the Public Works Department (JKR) in 2012,and that the building should be demolished.

200 student and 35 kindergarten students and several other teachers and staff currently accommodate the school.

Chinese make up 90% of those who gave up citizenship

ALMOST 90% of the 56,576 Malaysians who renounced their citi­zenship over the past decade were Chinese.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi revealed that 49,864 Malaysian Chinese gave up their citizenship from 2006 to April this year.

In a written reply to Ramkarpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor), Dr Ahmad Zahid also said in that pe­­riod, 834 Malays, 1,833 Indians and 4,044 others had done the same.

On a separate question by Kasthu­riraani Patto (DAP-Batu Kawan), Dr Ahmad Zahid said 43,453 foreigners were granted citizenship since 2006.

“The largest numbers were from Indonesia, India and Thailand,” he said.

Court: Hindu mum ‘can question validity of children’s conversion’

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has allowed Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi to question if her children’s unilateral conversion to Islam is valid.

Panel chairman Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin granted leave for appeal, allowing three questions to be posed by Indira Gandhi’s lawyers.

Her counsel K. Shanmuga had originally posed eight questions, while Senior Federal Counsel (SFC) Shamsul Bolhassan agreed with two of those questions.

The two questions were whether the Civil court has jurisdiction to review the Registrar of Muallafs’ actions; and whether a minor must recite the affirmation of faith in order to have their conversion registered.

The third question allowed was whether both parents of a child must consent before a certificate of conversion can be issued.

The three-man panel, which also included Justices Abu Samah Nordin and Aziah Ali, refunded the deposit though they did not set a date for the full hearing.

Indira Gandhi was supported by a team of lawyers which included Shanmuga, M. Kula Segaran, Aston Paiva and Fahri Azzat, while SFC Shamsul acted for the Federal Government and lawyer Hatim Musa acted for Indira’s ex-husband Muhammad Riduan Abdullah.

On Dec 30, 2015, the Court of Appeal reversed the quashing of Indira Gandhi’s children Prasana and Karan Dinesh’s conversion certificates but made no ruling as to Tevi Darshiny, as she was now above 18 years of age.

In a 2-1 majority decision, the panel ruled that the children’s conversion was under the jurisdiction of Syariah Court.

On July 25, 2013, the Ipoh High Court quashed the three children’s certificates of conversion, declaring it null and void.

The legal saga began in April 2009, when Riduan took their youngest child, Prasana, then 11 months old, and converted the three children to Islam.

The two older children – Tevi, then 12, and Karan, then 11 – remained with their mother.

On Oct 29 the same year, Riduan obtained a Syariah Court order that awarded him custody of the children.

In a custody battle that ensued, the Ipoh High Court granted Indira Gandhi full custody of all three children and on March 11, 2010, the father was ordered to return Prasana to Indira.

On April 29 this year, a different Federal Court panel affirmed that Riduan should be arrested for not returning Prasana, though the police were not obliged to recover the child.

Dharmendran’s family sues IGP, government over custodial death

The wife of N. Dharmendran today filed a civil suit against the Malaysian government, the Inspector-General of Police and several police officers over the “unlawful death” of her husband who was purportedly beaten to death by several police officers. 

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/dharmendrans-family-sues-igp-government-over-custodial-death#sthash.C4U0yjHD.dpuf

Widow sues police, govt for husband’s death

The Court of Appeal has ordered four cops implicated in the murder of N. Dharmendran to face charges in the High Court.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Widow Marry Mariay Susay, whose husband N. Dharmendran died in police custody in 2013, sued the police and government on Friday over his death.

Housewife Marry, 29, is suing for damages over assault, battery, breach of duty, negligence, false imprisonment and conspiracies.

She is also seeking a declaration that the police and government had acted recklessly, unlawfully and in bad faith and were in breach of Dharmendran’s fundamental rights.

The suit was filed at the High Court.

Marry’s lawyer N. Surendran expressed the hope that the lawsuit will send a message to the authorities that changes need to be made.

“After the EAIC (Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission) report last month found that Dharmendran died because of acts of violence, there was not even a statement promising action by the government and police,” he said.

Surendran, who is also Padang Serai MP, said he had asked for statistics on the number of deaths in custody in this Parliament session.
“I hope to get it next week,” he said.

Marry, who was present with her son Santosh and family members, hope “for the best” outcome from the civil suit.

“I am happy the EAIC report confirmed my husband did not die because of any disease. The Commission proved police beat him up,” she said.

On February 26, four policemen who were freed of the murder of Dharmendran, were ordered by the Court of Appeal to enter their defence.

The appeals court set aside the High Court’s decision in acquitting Inspector S. Hare Krishnan, Sargent Jaffri Jaafar, Coporals Mohd Nahar Abd Rahman, and Haswadi Zamri Shaari, on charges of allegedly murdering Dharmendran.

The panel ordered Hare and three others to be remanded till the disposal of the case in the High Court.

On December 12 last year, the High Court freed Hare, Jaffri, Nahar, and Haswadi for the death of Dharmendran in custody at the end of the prosecution case. It ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the motive in the case.

The four cops were charged with murdering Dharmendran at the Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters interrogation room on May 21, 2013.

Leave King out of Zakir Naik controversy

The Teluk Bahang assemblyman who is demanding P Ramasamy apologise to the King for calling Zakir Naik "satan" is only engaging in a cheap publicity stunt to gain political mileage for himself.

I write in response to a news article titled “Apologise to King over Zakir Naik insult, Ramasamy told” published on May 18 by FMT.

It was reported that Teluk Bahang assemblyman, Shah Headan bin Ayoob Hussain Shah, in his motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, had demanded Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang, P Ramasamy, to apologise to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for calling Dr Zakir Naik “satan.”
Shah Headen was of the view that insulting a person who has received an award from the King is tantamount to insulting the King himself.

First of all, let there be no confusion that Ramasamy used the word “satan” as a figure of speech. Certainly, he was not testifying that Zakir is Satan.

The controversies surrounding Zakir are not unknown to the public. According to a news article published on Dec 10, 2012 by Hindustan Times, the globally renowned Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband in India, slammed the religious views of Zakir in a fatwa and at the same time urged Muslims there to ignore his teachings.

The same fatwa also states that Zakir is a “ghair muqallidin”, a term used to describe those whose teachings are not directly based on any one of the four accepted schools of Sunni Islamic thought.

Last year, Mangalore City Police issued a prohibitory order banning Zakir from entering the city in Karnataka, India due to his radical thoughts and disparaging remarks on other religions.

The president of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, MB Puranik, argued: ‘Dr. Naik has been making derogatory speeches by mocking Hindu gods. He has been speaking against Hindu religious practices including idol worship. Moreover, he has shown disrespect to an Indian patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram’ and called upon the Muslims in India not to sing it.”

If a person is ignored and not welcomed by the religious and legal authorities of his own country, then there is certainly no reason for that person to be invited into ours. It is for this very purpose that Ramasamy opposed Zakir’s public talks in Malaysia.

Now, whether or not Ramasamy has any right to insult Zakir is beside the point. The point is, however, by no stretch of the imagination can we conclude that calling Zakir “satan” is equal to having gone, in the words of Shah Headen, “against the spirit of the Federal Constitution and affected the credibility of the King.”

If the above is a possibility, then what about the shameless incident of doing butt-exercises in front of Ambiga Sreenevasan’s house? Is not that also an insult to the Perak royalty since Ambiga was conferred a datukship by the Sultan of Perak?

Ramasamy categorically said in his press release dated April 12 that his Facebook posting was not against Islam or Muslims in general but against Zakir specifically.

Before making frivolous demands and wild accusations, Shah Headen should have taken note of the facts that Ramasamy fought for the Muslims in the troubled Aceh in the early 2000s and further acted as an adviser during the signing of the Helsinki MoU between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement.

Consequently, Aceh was bestowed with a special territory status while Ramasamy’s contract as a professor of political science at UKM was sadly not renewed. He paid the price for advocating a noble cause.

Therefore, I see no reason for Ramasamy, with all due respect, to apologise to the King for what he said about Zakir.

On the contrary, I call upon Shah Headen to apologise to all Malaysians for using the King’s name to earn political mileage for himself through the use of cheap publicity stunts, like the one mentioned here.

Shamsher Singh Thind is legal adviser to P Ramasamy and publicity secretary to DAP Chai Leng Park Branch.

With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.

A confused Muslim, yet again

A heated debate on the alleged extremism Islam promotes, gets Fa wondering if being a self-professed moderate but willing to tolerate "nonsense" makes her just as bad as an extremist.

I found myself sucked into a debate while having breakfast at a mamak restaurant recently. It all started with a friendly chat about the call by Penang Opposition Leader, Jahara Hamid to remove a Taoist shrine from Armenian Park in Georgetown.

“You are a Muslim. Tell me why Muslims do this?” asked an uncle who joined me for my morning nasi lemak.

“Apparently they are confused,” I replied with a chuckle.

“I don’t think so. This is something they are doing on purpose. You should know – you are a Muslim.”

Getting somewhat defensive, I blurted, “Not all Muslims are the same.”

“So you don’t practice your religion?” the uncle shot back.

Realising the conversation had taken a serious turn, I tried explaining: “I do practice my religion to the best of my ability. But that is not what we are talking about here.”

“It is precisely what we are talking about. The lady who wanted the shrine to be removed; the man who wanted ‘No Pork’ signs to be banned, the group who wanted the cross taken down – you all have the same faith. You all read the same Holy Book…”

“I disagree. You can’t judge everyone based on the conduct of a small group of Muslims. I do not go around persecuting people. I do not go around telling people how to live their lives. I support freedom and human rights. I am no extremist. Most Muslims are not extremists.” I was clearly upset by now.

“Girl, you follow your Holy Book and so does the confused Muslims and the extreme Muslims. If all Muslims accept the one and only Holy Book and live by it, they are no different from one another. They are all extremists – including you.”

“I disagree. I do not condone discrimination, violence and terrorism. Islam is not a religion of violence. Islam is a religion of peace,” I argued, as the uncle had gotten on my nerves with his blanket judgements.

“Your Holy Book promotes violence. There is even a verse saying: ‘Go and kill.’ Now how can a religion which promotes killings be a peaceful religion?”

“There are more than six thousand verses in our Holy Book – why emphasise on the negatives? Why aren’t you talking about the messages of kindness, love and compassion in most of the verses?” I countered, not realising that I had raised my voice in the process.

The uncle laughed, “Girl, religion is not like a plate of mee goreng you order at a mamak shop. You don’t get to tambah pedas or kurang pedas; tambah taugeh or takdak taugeh; tambah telur or tambah ayam. You can’t be selective of which content suits you and drop those you disagree with.”

The uncle got me thinking. If a good Muslim accepts every single verse in the Holy Book without any argument, does that make me, a cherry-picking liberal Muslim and a moderate, a bad Muslim?

I went home that day, quite confused.

There are approximately 30 million people in Malaysia, 60% of whom are Muslims. If a mere 1% of Malaysia’s 18 million Muslims are extremists, why is it that we haven’t witnessed violence or crime perpetrated by some 180,000 extremists?

Clearly, that could mean only one thing – extreme Malaysian Muslims don’t even make up 1% of our Muslim population. That makes me wonder – why then did the uncle get so worked up over a tiny number of people?

More importantly, if 99% of Malaysian Muslims are non-extremists, why haven’t we seen even 1% of the 17,820,000 non-extremists fighting against extremism in our country?

Maybe that’s what makes us – the non-extreme, moderate ones – bad Muslims. We do not fight injustice and cruelty. We are after all, moderates – in thinking and behaviour. We can talk for hours about Arabisation, Islamaphobia, Zakir Naik, Zionist and Shariah law.

But when it comes to fighting extremism and terrorism, we hide behind our moderate robe. That’s the problem with being a moderate Muslim. We tolerate nonsense.

Perhaps that is also why we moderates like to insist that Islam is a peaceful religion – it allows us to justify our laid back attitude. In response to any extreme movement, we, the moderates peacefully make a peaceful statement, clarifying how peaceful Islam is, so we can get back to our peaceful lives, sipping kopi O at Kedai Kopi Ahmad.

In conclusion, although I do not agree with the uncle on most counts, I believe he got one thing right – we are not good Muslims. As long as we tolerate nonsense, the moderates are equally as bad as the extremists.

Lankan Tamils commemorate death anniversary of civil war victims

Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated Northern province on Wednesday commemorated the civilians who died during the civil war between the LTTE and the army. The ceremony was held on the 7th anniversary of the end of the three-decade long brutal conflict, with chief minister CV Wigneswaran asserting that "not everyone who died during the war was a terrorist."

Addressing a ceremony held at Vellamullivaikkal, in the northeastern Mullaitivu district, Wigneswaran said, "We are here to commemorate the civilians. It is necessary to seek out what happened to these people, since a lot of civilians lost their lives due to the war."

Wigneswaran said that those in the South of the country interpreted the commemoration ceremony as a "tribute to the terrorists", who were killed during the conflict.

A five-minute silence was observed in memory of the victims as well as religious observances.

A similar commemoration was also held at Jaffna University.

The government has banned the commemoration of the fallen LTTE cadres in the conflict and it remains a banned terrorist organisation in Sri Lanka.

Government forces killed the Tamil Tiger rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on 18 May 2009, after a brutal military crackdown, and put an end to the 37-year conflict, which claimed at least 1,00,000 lives.

President Maithripala Sirisena took power in January 2015 promising reconciliation and a reduction in the military's involvement in public life and pledging that those guilty of war crimes would be held accountable.

The new government has abandoned a controversial military "victory" parade and has instead gone in for a more sombre remembrance ceremony to mark the day.

Earlier, parades celebrated the victory of the Sinhalese military over the minority Tamils, who were banned from remembering their dead as commemoration of fallen rebels was thought anti-state.

EgyptAir jet missing after mid-air plunge, Greeks find life vests

Greek rescue workers found lifevests and bits of plastic floating in the Mediterranean after an EgyptAir jet carrying 66 passengers and crew from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar in what Egypt said could have been a terrorist attack.

The Egyptian civil aviation ministry said Greek authorities had found "floating material" and life jackets likely to be from the plane. Greek defense sources told Reuters they had found pieces of plastic and two lifevests in the sea 230 miles (370 km) south of the island of Crete.

"All I will say is that our embassy in Athens told us that it was contacted by Greek authorities, who signaled that they found white and blue debris corresponding to EgyptAir's colors," Egyptian ambassador to France Ehab Badawy told France's BFM television. However, Greek sources told Reuters the material they had found so far was not blue and white.

If confirmed as material from the plane, the discovery could help provide clues to its fate. Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said it was too early to rule out any explanation for the crash, including an attack like the one blamed for bringing down a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula last year.

The country's aviation minister said a terrorist attack was more likely than a technical failure.

Greece had deployed aircraft and a frigate to search for the missing Airbus. Egypt said it would lead the investigation and France would participate. Paris said three investigators would arrive in Egypt on Thursday evening.

In Washington, President Barack Obama received a briefing on the disappearance from his adviser for homeland security and counter-terrorism, the White House said. A White House spokesman said it was too early to know the cause of the crash and offered condolences to the victims.

Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos said the Airbus swerved 90 degrees to the left, spun through 360 degrees to the right and plunged from 37,000 feet to 15,000 before vanishing from Greek radar screens.

According to Greece's civil aviation chief, calls from Greek air traffic controllers to flight MS804 went unanswered just before it left Greek airspace, and it disappeared from radar screens soon afterwards.

There was no official indication of a possible cause, whether technical failure, human error or sabotage. Ultra-hardline Islamists have targeted airports, airliners and tourist sites in Europe, Egypt, Tunisia and other Middle Eastern countries over the past few years.

The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers - with one child and two infants among them - and 10 crew, EgyptAir said. They included 30 Egyptian and 15 French nationals, along with citizens of 10 other countries.

Asked if he could rule terrorist involvement, Prime Minister Ismail told reporters: "We cannot exclude anything at this time or confirm anything. All the search operations must be concluded so we can know the cause."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-egyptair-airplane-idUSKCN0YA08W

Fewer child marriage cases now, says ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: There were 9,061 child marriages recorded over the last five years, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry said.

However, its deputy minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said the trend has been going down over the last three years.

She said 6,286 Muslim youths - below 18 for males and 16 for females - tied the knot between 2010 and 2015 following approval by the syariah courts.

"A total of 2,775 underage non-Muslim marriages were recorded by the National Registration Department in the same period," she said when replying to a question by Datuk Sapawi Ahmad Wasali (BN-Sipitang) in the Dewan Rakyat Thursday.

Although the legal age of marriage for non-Muslims is 18, those below 16 can still get married with the approval of the chief ministers or under customary laws of Sabah and Sarawak.

Based on syariah court records, she said there had been an increase in Muslim child marriages between 2010 and 2012 - from 891 cases in 2010 to 1,045 in 2011 and 1,095 cases in 2012.

"However, the number decreased to 1,090 in 2013, 1,032 in 2014 and 1,025 last year," she said.

Azizah said the same trend was noted for non-Muslim child marriages in the same period.

Although amendments to the Child Act were made last year, Azizah said there are no provisions on child marriages because the matter is governed under family law.

However, she said the ministry is taking measures to address the issue through reproductive health education, awareness programmes and counselling.

Indira’s lawyer to ask IGP for progress on manhunt for fugitive ex-husband

PUTRAJAYA, May 19 — M. Indira Gandhi’s lawyer today said he will request the Inspector-General of Police to provide updates on the outstanding arrest warrant for her ex-husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah.

Lawyer M. Kulasegaran reminded Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar of the Federal Court’s decision last month that said the Ipoh High Court will monitor the progress of the police’s execution of the arrest warrant.

“So we will now write to the IGP, ask him what are the actions he has taken… If not, we will go to courts and enforce against him,” he told reporters here, without giving a timeframe to do so.

Kulasegaran said Muhammad Riduan’s lawyer, Hatim Musa, had received instructions from the latter’s client for a court matter today, but declined to say if he had asked Hatim of Muhammad Riduan’s whereabouts.

Indira, an Ipoh-based kindergarten teacher, said she hoped the IGP was also taking action to find her youngest child Prasana Diksa, who was snatched away by Muhammad Riduan seven years ago.

The Ipoh High Court granted custody of all three children to Indira and ordered Muhammad Riduan in 2014 to return the youngest child, but he did not comply.

The Ipoh High Court then ordered Muhammad Riduan’s arrest for contempt of court, later issuing a mandamus order the same year to compel the police to arrest him and return Prasana Diksa to Indira.

On April 29, the Federal Court said the Ipoh High Court should not have asked the police to recover the youngest child due to conflicting child custody orders from both the civil courts and Shariah courts.

Indira Gandhi wins leave to challenge children’s unilateral conversion

PUPUTRAJAYA, May 19 — The Federal Court today allowed Hindu mother M. Indira Gandhi to go ahead with her challenge against the validity of the unilateral conversion of her three children by her Muslim convert ex-husband.

The Federal Court gave its order after senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan said the federal government was not objecting to two of the eight questions of law previously posed by Indira.

“Application is allowed in terms of question one, five and the additional question submitted,” Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said.

The two other judges on today’s panel are Tan Sri Abu Samah Nordin and Datuk Aziah Ali.

Today’s decision means the Federal Court will consider three questions of law in its hearing of Indira’s appeal.

They are:

― Whether the civil High Court has exclusive jurisdiction to review the actions of the Registrar of Muallafs (converts) or his delegates as public authorities exercising statutory powers vested by the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Perak) Enactment 2004;

― Whether a child of a civil marriage that has yet to turn 18 must comply with both Sections 96(1) and 106(b) of the Perak Enactment or similar provisions under other state laws before the Registrar of Muallafs may register the child’s conversion to Islam;

― Whether the mother and the father (if both are still surviving) of a child of a civil marriage must consent before a certificate of conversion to Islam can be issued in respect of that child.

The last was submitted today by Indira’s lawyer K. Shanmuga as an alternative to two earlier questions.

Shanmuga had also asked the Federal Court to consider an initial eighth question of law: whether the Malaysian government’s ratification of international conventions on children and women gave rise to a legitimate expectation that the Perak state government would act according to these conventions.

But Zulkefli said Indira’s appeal bid has “nothing to do with international conventions”.

Perak state legal adviser Datuk Rohana Abd Malek and Hatim Musa represented the state government and Indira’s ex-husband respectively.

Lawyers Andrew Khoo and Goh Siu Lin held watching briefs for the Bar Council and 10 women groups respectively.

Outside the courtroom, Indira’s lawyer M. Kulasegaran later said he hopes that a “full Bench” will hear his client’s appeal instead of the typical five-man panel at the Federal Court.

“The only thing we are hoping is for early trial and a full Bench to sit on this matter because it is fundamentally important,” he said, noting that there could be as many as nine judges on a full panel.

Indira had applied for leave to appeal the Court of Appeal’s 2-1 ruling last December, where it said only the Shariah courts have the jurisdiction to decide on the validity of a person’s conversion.

The Court of Appeal had set aside the Ipoh High Court’s 2013 judgement, which found that the three children had not been validly converted to Islam and declared their conversion certificates null and void.

In her legal challenge against the children’s unilateral conversion, Indira had named the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk) director, the Registrar of Muallaf, the Perak state government, the Education Ministry, the government of Malaysia and Indira’s ex-husband K. Pathmanathan as respondents.

After converting to Islam on March 11, 2009, Pathmanathan — now Muhammad Riduan Abdullah — left the house almost three weeks later with their youngest child.

On April 2, 2009, he then converted all three children to Islam without their knowledge and presence, and without Indira’s consent, before going to the Shariah courts several days later to obtain custody over them.

Indira’s eldest daughter Tevi Darsiny is now an adult at 19 while her brother Karan Dinish turns 18 in October; both will be old enough to decide their own faiths. Eight-year-old Prasana Diksa’s location remains unknown after being snatched by Muhammad Riduan seven years ago.

I never treated Umno as private property, Mahathir returns fire

Indulging in crude potshots, Dr Mahathir Mohamad accused Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of turning Umno into his private property.

On two occasions, the former premier referred to how Umno has been turned into "Najis (filth)".

He was responding to the prime minister who accused him of biting the hand that fed him, claiming that Mahathir and his family reaped enormous benefits from Umno and BN.

This was after the former premier urged the opposition to be united to defeat BN in the upcoming by-elections.

"He also gained a lot from Umno,” said Mahathir. "But I never treated it (the party) as my private property."

"He's now changed Umno to 'Najis (filth), I mean Najib," he told reporters in Subang Jaya.

He had uttered the same crude remark during a question and answer session earlier.

"In my heart I am still an Umno man. But now Umno is a 'parti Najis' (filthy party)... Najib," he had said, to roaring laughter from the crowd.

Mahathir is spearheading a campaign to oust Najib, dubbed the Citizens' Declaration, which has allegedly amassed more than one million signatures.

The former premier accuses the prime minister of corruption and putting the country at great financial risk over the 1MDB scandal.

He has even called on voters to ensure that BN loses in the upcoming twin by-elections in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar to teach Najib a lesson.

Najib has denied all accusations against him.

Dr M yet to get audience with Agong, claims 'house arrest'

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has revealed that he is unable to secure an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to submit the more than one million signatures collected for the Citizens' Declaration.

Following this, the former prime minister made a startling remark that he believes the rulers are under house arrest.

"We have got 1.4 million signatures, and we've been trying to show them to the Agong.

"But as of now I've not been able to meet the Agong because it's likely that he's under house arrest.

"The rulers may be confined to their palaces," Mahathir said at an event in Subang Jaya.

He said this while lamenting that critics of the government would be barred from leaving the country.

"So I'm going to Japan and Korea, and I'm going to praise Najib's character.

"He can be higher than the sky, even as high as Mars.

"This is a great leader. We are free to say what we like about what is good about him," he quipped.

It has been revealed that the Immigration Department was blacklisting those who make disparaging remarks about the government.

'If Taib's wife can be citizen, M'sian-born stateless kids can, too'

The government must give citizenship to stateless children if it can easily do the same for Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud's wife in six years, DAP's Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching said.

She said between 2008 and 2015, a total of 47,232 foreigners married to Malaysians were granted citizenship.

This includes those from Indonesia (19,935), India (5,228) and Cambodia (2,387).

However, between 2011 and April 2016, a total of 131,810 children in Malaysia were recorded as 'non-citizens'.

Most could not be registered as Malaysians because their Malaysian fathers did not register their marriage to a foreign spouse before the children were born, she said.

This despite the children being born in Malaysia, she said.

The federal constitution states anyone born in the federation, whose parents at the time of the birth were citizens or permanent residents of the federation, are citizens of Malaysia.

She said the federal constitution did not require the children's parents to register their marriage prior to the birth, for the children to be registered as Malaysians.

However, because of the administrative ruling, the children are considered non-citizens and have to pay full fees at public hospitals, nor are they entitled to free textbooks in school or enrol in public primary and secondary schools.

Neither will they enjoy subsidised fees at public universities, apply for student loans through the National Higher Education Loan Scheme (PTPTN) or obtain a passport.

"With all these challenges, the children will have great difficulties to excel in life and they will also have a problem to get a job," she said in a statement.

"Children should not be made victims due to their parents' carelessness.

"If we can give citizenship to foreigners, including those from Indonesia, India and Cambodia, why can't we grant citizenship to the children of our own Malaysian citizens based on humanitarian grounds?" she asked.

Yesterday, DAP's Batu Kawan MP Kashturi Patto questioned how Ragad Taib can obtain a citizenship in a relatively short six years after marrying the governor.

Malaysia Corruption Allegations

As Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was feted at a prestigious investment conference in the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK broadcaster Channel 4 ran a story questioning the merits of hosting a leader that has been linked to at least seven international investigations related to corruption.

Najib was the keynote speaker at the Malaysia-UK Investor Showcase Agenda jointly organised by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

Channel 4's news segment, whose reporter was recently barred from covering Najib during the Sarawak election after he asked him a question about 1MDB, ran a report repeating the allegations of corruption against Najib and asking if it was appropriate that the Malaysian prime minister should be hosted at the Commonwealth building.

Malaysian PM (had $1bn in bank) speaks @commonwealthsec hq just days after anti-corruption conference. Awkward: https://t.co/xWMKF8hDqT

— Jonathan Rugman (@jrug) May 16, 2016

According to the news segment, the broadcaster was also not allowed into the investment conference despite repeated request to the organisers.

Early in May, a Channel 4 reporter and cameraperson were barred from covering Najib after the Sarawak polls when they tried to ask Najib about the millions in his personal accounts.

But UK officials who spoke to the Channel 4 journalist seemed unfazed by the allegations against Najib, saying that legitimate business with Malaysia was something that must be kept going.

They pointed out that the corruption probes into 1MDB and the monies in the prime minister's personal accounts have not been shown to be linked to an offence.

Channel 4's attempts to ask Najib further questions also failed as the prime minister kept mum when the broadcaster met him outside his hotel.

In any case, the report noted that Malaysia is the second largest investor in London’s commercial property market after the United States, with the redevelopment of the Battersea power plant being the crowning jewel with over US$11 billion in total costs.

The irony here, said the Channel 4 journalist in the news segment, was that Najib was being hosted in the same building that just a week ago was the site of an anti-corruption conference.

Najib has denied all allegations of wrongdoing in the issues related to the debt-ridden 1MDB and the millions that went to his personal accounts. He was also cleared of wrongdoings by Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali.

There have also been accusations that some foreign media are part of the conspiracy supposedly started by certain parties to allegedly smear Najib and topple him from power.

Why hasn't Najib returned SRC's RM69m to gov't?

Tony Pua

Investigations by Singapore authorities have revealed that Ministry of Finance subsidiary SRC International managing director Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil approved the transfer of US$11.95 million (RM48 million) of the company's funds to Jho Low's associate Tan Kim Loong.

Tan, according to The Wall Street Journal, is the original beneficiary of British Virgin Islands-based Tanore Finance, which had sent US$681 million to prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts.

Singapore’s Business Times reported that the latest charge against former BSI banker Yeo Jia Wei was for facilitating, through fraudulent means, the transfer of US$11.95 million from SRC International to Affinity Equity International Partners Ltd, a company owned by Tan.

As international investigations begin to provide a clearer and more detailed picture of the scale of alleged embezzlement via duplicitous transactions by 1MDB and SRC International, investigations in Malaysia on the other hand, have effectively ground to a halt.

While the focus of the international press and local critics have been aimed at the debt-ridden 1MDB, its former subsidiary SRC International has been kept relatively under the radar. However, if 1MDB was found by the parliamentary public accounts committee (PAC) to have suffered from gross mismanagement, then stranger and more suspicious transactions have taken place in SRC International.

First of all, given all the shenanigans which took place in SRC International including the latest disclosure in Singapore, and the known fact that Nik Faisal has disappeared off the face of Malaysia for nearly a year, why is Nik Faisal still a director and the managing director of the company?

Secondly, his fellow director, Suboh Mohd Yassin has also similarly disappeared from the country. Why have they not been replaced by Ministry of Finance officials? With a federal government guaranteed RM4 billion loan from the Malaysian Pension Fund (KWAP), who exactly is running the company today? Or is the company being run via remote control by fugitives?

Thirdly, the attorney-general has confirmed that RM27 million originating from SRC International found its way into Najib Razak’s personal account in July 2014. The Wall Street Journal has further alleged that another RM42 million from SRC International was transferred via intermediaries into the prime minister’s account between December 2014 and March 2015.

Najib should return SRC money

The AG said no charges will be filed against the prime minister for criminal breach of trust on the amazing excuse that the prime minister did not know that the tens of millions deposited into his account came from SRC International. However, in that case, why haven’t those involved in SRC International been investigated and charged for siphoning funds to the Najib personal account?

Fourthly, the Sarawak Report has earlier exposed that Nik Faisal was given a power of attorney to manage Najib’s personal account – a damning allegation that has not been denied by the prime minister. Would this be a reason why Nik Faisal is given special protection by the powers that be?

Finally, while it is no longer denied that Najib received at least RM69 million from SRC International, even if it was unwittingly received, why haven’t the funds been returned to SRC International?

If the prime minister really did not realise then that the RM69 million deposited into his personal bank account came from SRC International, shouldn't he return the money immediately?

If Najib could be so honest as to return some US$620 million of unutilised donation to his mysterious alleged Arab donor, why could he return the paltry RM69 million?

Najib, who is also the finance minister, must answer these crucial questions pertaining to SRC International during two-week Parliamentary sitting commencing tomorrow.

TONY PUA is DAP national publicity secretary and Petaling Jaya Utara MP

Dr M urges one-to-one fights to beat BN at by-elections

Shakira Buang

Former premier and ex-Umno veteran Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged the opposition to stand as one to defeat BN at the upcoming twin by-elections in Selangor and Perak.

“This fasting month we will face two by-elections, and I hope we all can defeat BN this time.

“It doesn’t matter who leads the fight, we must have only one party to fight BN because we know if there are two or three (opposition) candidates like what had happened in Sarawak, the votes will be split and BN will win.

“If we have only one to one fights we are sure to defeat BN by giving all our collective votes to the candidate contesting against BN,” Mahathir said at a Save Malaysia gathering at Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam last night.

The Sarawak election on May 7 was a disaster for the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan as well as PAS, who fought one another for the seats and ended up handing a landslide victory to BN.

The Election Commission (EC) has fixed June 18 for the Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.

The two seats became vacant after Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon and Wan Muhammad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad died in a helicopter crash on May 5 in Sarawak, while campaigning at the state polls.

‘Harapan and PAS should unite’

The gathering last night held together with Pakatan Harapan saw a poorer turnout of roughly 300 as compared to previous events, possibly due to the FA Cup finals last night.

Commenting on PAS’ determination to run in both seats, Mahathir said the opposition should unite and not let seat grabbing hand a win to BN.

He said PAS not being part of Harapan should not stop the two uniting against the ruling coalition.

“We don’t care who the candidate is, even if it’s from PAS and PAS is not with us, the prime objective however is to defeat BN to show Najib the rakyat no longer supports him.

“This is why we have to work hard to defeat BN in these by-elections,” he said.

“(BN’s loss) would prove that the win in Sarawak wasn’t Najib’s win, although so much money was thrown there,” he said.

He added Sarawakians were concerned about the well-being of the state during the elections, not showing support for the prime minister.

Dr M’s change of heart

Meanwhile, at the event PKR deputy president Azmin Ali welcomed the long-running former premier’s change of heart.

“This is a new direction revealed by Mahathir, and this has inspired our spirit to learn from our mistakes in Sarawak.

“All parties must therefore return to the negotiating table to ensure the aspirations of the rakyat can be fulfilled,” said the Selangor menteri besar.

He said Harapan has yet to decide on which party will contest in the two seats.

“What is important is the principle that we uphold and which Mahathir has also shown support for tonight, that the by-elections should be a one to one contest and we must take down BN in Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar.”



https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/341545

The woman who became pregnant from anal sex: Doctor describes incredible case of patient whose womb was connected to her rectum

• Dr Brian Steixner is a urologist at the Jersey Urology Group, Atlantic City
• Encountered woman who conceived from anal sex while at medical school
• She was born with a rare defect meaning her rectum, urethra and vagina failed to separate into different tubes and so she only had one opening
• Had surgery to correct the defect but the operation went wrong
• Her womb was now attached to her rectum she could conceive via anal sex

There's no doubt that sex education seeks to bust myths like ‘you can’t get pregnant standing up’ or ‘you can’t get pregnant on your period’.

But until now, the playground cry of ‘you can’t get pregnant through anal sex’ was assumed to be a biological truth.

Now, however, a doctor has made the astonishing claim that he treated a woman who conceived through anal sex.

Dr Brian Steixner, a urologist at the Jersey Urology Group in Atlantic City, said he saw the unthinkable phenomenon when he was a medical student, Men's Health reports.

At the time, he was part of a team caring for a woman born with a rare medical condition called ‘cloacal malformation'.

This occurs when, very early in pregnancy, the rectum, urethra and vagina fail to separate into different tubes.

This means urine and faeces drain into a common channel which opens in the perineum – where the anus is normally located - according to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

It only occurs in one in 50,000 births - and is normally treated by surgery to create three separate channels as well as two openings - an anus a vagina.

When she was younger, the woman had such an operation, but the procedure went wrong.

Either through a mistake by surgeons - or perhaps because of the way her body reacted to the trauma of the surgery - a fistula formed.

This is an abnormal connection between organs – and in her case it meant her womb became connected to her rectum.

Every month, during menstruation she bled from her anus – but her vagina was a dead-end.

Dr Steixner told Men’s Health the woman reported she only had anal sex before getting pregnant - presumably because it was not possible to be penetrated in the vagina.

‘After doing a whole bunch of X-rays, we determined that she got pregnant from having anal sex,' he told Men's Health journalists.

And in a later interview with its sister magazine Women’s Health, he added: ‘It blew my mind.’
Doctors decided any form of natural childbirth would be unsafe and therefore opted to perform a C-section on the patient.

Despite never seeing the patient again, Dr Steixner maintains the anecdote his ‘greatest story ever’.
‘They totally lied to us in 9th grade health class,’ he said.

Nagarajan N Marie is new sec-gen, replacing Sundaran

PUTRAJAYA: Nagarajan N Marie @ Marie Chett has been appointed as the secretary-general of the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry effective May 16, Chief Secretary to the government Dr Ali Hamsa announced Friday.

Nagarajan, 58, succeeds the late Dr Sundaran Annamalai, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Sarawak on May 5.

He was previously the deputy secretary-general (Plantations and Commodities) of the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry.

At the same ministry, he was previously Divisional Secretary of the International Relations Division and Divisional Secretary of the Oil, Fats and Sago Division.

“He has vast experience in the fields of planning, research and policy, international relations, commodity industries and economy through his service career,” Ali said in a statement.

Nagarajan has served in the civil service for more than 32 years since joining the service as Administrative and Diplomatic Officer on Jan 9, 1984.

He had also served in the International Trade and Industry Ministry as Principal Assistant Secretary, Asean Economic Cooperation Division and Assistant Secretary, Industrial Policy Division.

Ali said he believed Nagarajan’s qualification, knowledge, experience and credibility could continue the mission of the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry to ensure Malaysia’s competitiveness at the international level in commodity-based industries and contribution towards national development.

– BERNAMA

Dr M: Citizens' Declaration has more than one million signatures

More than one million signatures have been collected for the Citizens’ Declaration, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad revealed today.

"It is now two months (since the Citizen's Declaration was first announced).

"Within the two months, we have collected more than one million (signatures)," Mahathir told a press conference in Putrajaya this afternoon.

The total number of signatures collected so far is 1.27 million.

Out of that number, 1.07 million signatures were gathered online while another 200,000 were collected through forms distributed so far.

The declaration seeks the removal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak from office.

Also, another 50,000 signatures have been collected at an alternative site, Change.org.

Mahathir added that the 200,000 physical copies of the signed declaration make up an early count, as there are still more copies scattered all over the country and the process of collecting them is still going on.

"We don't accept just anything. We check every name, signature and identification card number.

"(There are) some forms online, where they did not fill in properly. We suspect they are not genuine.

"We have rejected 253,000 of these forms, which we think are not genuine.

"When I mentioned just now that we have 1.27 million signatures, they are those that have been checked and they are here," the country’s longest-serving prime minister said, referring to the stacks of papers on the table.

He explained that this was to prevent anyone casting doubts on the Citizens’ Declaration campaign and added that anybody could check whatever the team has gathered.

To personally deliver signatures to Agong

Mahathir said he would personally deliver the 1.27 million signatures to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.

Though he has yet to seek an audience with the Agong, he said he would do so as soon as possible.

There are also plans to seek an audience with the Conference of Rulers.

The original goal was to gather one million signatures by the end of the year and though the goal has been achieved, Mahathir said the collection of signatures for the petition will continue.

Asked what their next step would be, should they fail in their aim with the Citizens’ Declaration petition, the nonagenarian coyly said they have plans that they could not reveal just yet.

Mahathir, along with former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin, opposition and NGO figures inked the declaration on March 4.

The declaration calls for the removal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak from office and for the institution of reforms in the country.

Mahathir: BR1M revocation threat used to thwart declaration

Dr Mahathir Mohamad has claimed that those living in rural areas were threatened with the revocation of BR1M aide payment if they signed the Citizens’ Declaration.

Apart from this, the former premier said civil servants were also apprehensive in backing the declaration which seeks the removal of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

“Some of them however were brave enough to step forward and support as well as sign the declaration,” he told reporters in Putrajaya.

Mahathir also alleged that Najib’s camp employed various propaganda and other methods, including racism, to influence the people not to support the declaration.

However, he said these tactics failed and most people know that the declaration is not motivated by politics or personal agendas, but represented them regardless of race, religion and political leanings.

“Attempts to portray this effort as an attempt to topple a democratically elected government also failed because the objective (of the declaration) is to demand Najib’s resignation,” he added.

Mahathir revealed that 1.27 million signatures have been collected, surpassing the initial target of one million.

The former premier said he would personally deliver the signatures to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Najib’s press aide Tengku Shariffuddin Tengku Ahmad previously accused Mahathir of spearheading a campaign against Najib in order to clear the path for his son Mukhiz to become prime minister.

Mukhriz has since sued Tengku Sharifuddin for defamation.

The Citizens’ Declaration had witnessed Mahathir sharing the same stage as his former political foes and civil society leaders who were once critical of his leadership.

Ugly secret of beauty clinic

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A health and aesthetic beauty clinic in Icon City here has been temporarily closed down by the state Health Department.

An enforcement team led by health inspector Dr Koo Jian Wei sealed off the premises after finding that it was not a registered clinic in a two-hour raid yesterday.

The clinic had displayed on its front glass panel that it provided medical services such as health screening, vaccinations, immunisation, pregnancy tests, wellness treatments, alternative medicine and even minor surgery.

The closure was done under Section 4(1) of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998, which specifies that no one can run a private medical clinic unless it is registered with the Health Ministry.

The team also seized equipment and medical supplies from the clinic.

When contacted, Penang Health director Datuk Dr Zailan Adnan said the raid was conducted following complaints and tip-offs from the public.

Under Section 91 of the same act, the seal will be removed if the licence or certificate of registration of the clinic can be produced within 21 days.

A vision of peace that’s laudable

Malaysia needs an extensive communications channel committed to explaining concepts which remind us of the value of multiculturalism, diversity and understanding.

THE launch of the book Visions for Peace by the Permaisuri of Johor, Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah, who is also patron of the Association of Voices of Peace, Conscience and Reason (PCORE), at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club on April 23 was memorable for many reasons.

The main attraction for me was Raja Zarith’s speech, which was short but full of courage and hope. “I have often lamented on the erosion of values and principles which stand in the way of our hopes and dreams for a better Malaysia,” she said.

It was especially poignant when she asked, “Why should we not uphold these noble values? Why should we not have lofty principles to guide us in life? Why should we not be guided by the tenets which our faiths and religions teach us?”

This was a brave and timely call, especially when many are already asking if it is not already too late.

The continued struggle by the people for Malaysia’s heart and soul, between the religious and secular, is the source of our difficulties. While some are comfortable with democracy, and want to accept the reality of multiculturalism, believing that we can find true peace and unity only by harnessing the strength of our diversity, others are totally opposed to this idea. They prefer the “unity” of one racial or religious group over all others and seek to maintain control on the basis of identity.

Some believe in the value of fairness and human rights, as evident in our religious obligations to treat all of God’s creations with fairness and justice, but others see this as inimical to their beliefs and even as a threat to their culture and morality; even posing a threat to their positions as “political masters” of the land.

Many believe that democratic rights and common values should be the foundation of society and are willing to trust political leaders elected by the people to manage the affairs of the country.

Many others, however, are making equally strong demands for a religious country where theologians are the true leaders of the land and where democracy is desirable only if politics can be won by the new class of leaders whose claim to fame lies in their “divinely inspired” knowledge.

As a result, the narratives of the past – the Rukun Negara, democracy, human rights, religious freedom and fundamental liberties – are spoken about today without conviction and only in terms of their “limited” application.

Religious morality has become the new tool of social differentiation, which makes it impossible to integrate the various communities in our country.

It’s indeed laudable and gratifying that Raja Zarith and her team of dedicated reformists have initiated a movement to bring back the values of the “old school” into the lifeblood of the country, as a modern and civilised democracy where people are guided by reason and conscience and want to live in peace and harmony.

At the book launch, it was evident that PCORE was made up of well-educated Malaysians who could provide a fresh outlook to help the country move forward.

I did observe, however, that many who attended the launch (including myself) were in their 50s and 60s – many were ardent voices of reason and moderation, perhaps because they were educated under the “old school system”, have an open mind and live in middle class suburbs.

I just hope the young and those living elsewhere in the country share the same mindset.

It is a blessing that we have as leaders of the moderate movement those privileged elites who are willing to engage with political leaders on major issues and make the case of reform in key areas such as education and politics.

At the same time, the message articulated in the book and other PCORE seminars needs to penetrate the far reaches of the country so every Malaysian regardless of background has the opportunity to listen to these views.

The effectiveness of PCORE as a group will be more widespread if they have the ability to influence and lobby policymakers effectively. Politicians will take notice of public initiatives only if they sense that support for such initiatives is strong and that the lobbyists are influential individuals themselves.

Towards this end, I suggest that Visions for Peace and other works be translated into Bahasa Malaysia (if not already done) and that the chapters on various topics such as unity, multiculturalism, harmony, balance of the environment and social cohesion be read and explained over a special radio service.

Malaysia needs an extensive communications channel committed to explaining concepts such as those articulated in Visions for Peace to remind us of the value of multiculturalism, diversity and understanding.

These broadcasts should be made on a regular basis and I call on the Government to allow the establishment of a dedicated national radio station, which I think could be managed admirably by PCORE.

The significance of radio is two-fold: if the Government truly believes that fresh ideas on national unity, diversity and democracy are important, then it must be willing to be a partner in disseminating these ideas. The Government should not fear a fresh view of these concepts if it is useful for national development.

For PCORE, radio can be a useful tool to spread the message of moderation, conscience and reason while discussions and debates on air about some of the key issues will help enlighten people who are otherwise subjected only to a fixed line of thinking.

Unless PCORE has the tools and is allowed by the Government to have access to these tools to do its work in spreading new ideas, its ability to change values and mind-sets, and its efforts to help give voice to those seeking to find the light at the end of the tunnel, will be limited and this would be most unfortunate.

• Former de facto Law Minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim (carbofree@gmail.com) is now a legal consultant. The views expressed here are entirely his own.

Sri Lankan, two Russians with terror links nabbed

KUALA LUMPUR: Three foreigners, including two Russians, were detained for suspected terror links to various groups, including the Islamic State (IS).

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the suspects, who also include a Sri Lankan national, were detained in special operations on March 28 and April 22 in Selangor by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division.

“The Russians, aged 23 and 25, were of Chechen descent. They were once arrested by Turkish authorities in February for suspected involvement with terror groups in Syria.

“They were deported and entered Malaysia in March,” he said in a statement Friday.

The duo were deported to Russia on Friday, added the IGP.

The third suspect – a 42-year-old Sri Lankan national – was detained in the Klang Valley for issuing death threats to the Sri Lankan president and prime minister via Facebook.

Hostel warden pleads guilty to assaulting students

SHAH ALAM: A school hostel warden pleaded guilty in the magistrate's court Friday to two charges of assaulting two Form Four students.

Mahbut Yaacob, 53, pleaded guilty to charges under Section 323 of the Penal Code of beating up and kicking the boys at the SMK Vokasional Sungai Buloh hostel on May 3.

Magistrate Raja Noor Adilla Raja Mahyaldin compounded Mahbut RM3,000 and ordered the victims to receive RM1,500 each from the amount under provisions stipulated in Section 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The decision was made after the boys' parents agreed to the terms and voiced their intention for an amicable solution.

The incident went viral in cyberspace after another student witnessing the assault recorded it and uploaded it on Facebook.

Mahbut was unrepresented while DPP Rustam Sarip prosecuted.

Zahid: Herald’s ‘Allah’ ban extends to East Malaysia too

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 28 — The Catholic Church weekly, the Herald, cannot refer to God as “Allah” even in Sabah and Sarawak, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today, despite the prime minister’s assurance that East Malaysians were free to use the Arabic word.

By Boo Su-Lyn

Zahid said this was based on the recent Court of Appeal ruling that the Home Ministry’s decision to ban the use of the word “Allah” in the Herald was justified, but he stressed that the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia translation of the Christian bible, is allowed to describe God as “Allah” as it is not technically a “publication”.

“It can be used in the Al-Kitab, but not in the Herald,” Zahid told reporters at his office here today, after meeting a Cambodian government minister.

“The Al-Kitab is not a publication; it’s a bible,” he added.

The Home Ministry seized copies of the Herald at the Kota Kinabalu airport last week for inspection, but cleared the newsletter for distribution yesterday after finding that the word “Allah” was not used in the weekly.

When asked if the ban of the word “Allah” was restricted to the Herald, Zahid said: “Refer to the court verdict”.

“I don’t want to go beyond what has been decided by the Court of Appeal,” he added.

According to Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew, around 2,000 copies of the weekly publication were seized at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Thursday, apparently on order of the Home Ministry.

The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM), an umbrella body of Protestant churches, decried the confiscation as a violation of the Catholic Church’s right to distribute the newsletter to its own members.

The distribution ban is the latest incident to hit the controversial tussle between the Catholic Church and the government over the use of the word “Allah”.

Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Home Ministry’s decision to ban the use of the word in the Herald was justified, as the use of the word “Allah” was not integral to the practice of the Christian faith.

The ruling — which overturned an earlier High Court decision that the ban was unconstitutional — has since sparked confusion over the use of the Middle Eastern word by Christians in their worship, especially with conflicting opinions within the government itself on how far the ruling would affect practising Christians.

Churches in Sabah and Sarawak, however, have said that they will continue their age-old practice of referring to God as “Allah” in their worship and in their holy scriptures.

Several ministers also said recently that the 10-point solution issued by Putrajaya in 2011 — which allows the printing, importation and distribution of the Al-Kitab, the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Christian bible, containing the word “Allah” — should stand, despite the appellate court ruling.

The Najib administration issued the 10-point solution shortly before the Sarawak state election in 2011 to end a Home Ministry blockade of shipments of Christian holy scriptures in the Malay language containing the word “Allah”.

The Cabinet, through Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jala, had stated in the resolution that the large Bumiputera Christian population in Sabah and Sarawak could use their holy books in the Malay, Indonesian, and indigenous languages.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said previously that the ruling would not affect Sabah and Sarawak, while separately, another Cabinet minister claimed that Christians from the Borneo states could refer to God as “Allah” in peninsular Malaysia.

According to a 2010 census, Muslims are Malaysia’s largest religious group, followed by Buddhists. Christians are the third-largest at 2.6 million, which comes up to about 10 per cent of the Malaysian population.

Bumiputera Christians, who form about 64 per cent or close to two-thirds of the Christian community in Malaysia, have been addressing God as “Allah” when praying and speaking in the national language and in their native tongues for centuries.