Samy Vellu: MIC took Indian voters for granted

MIC president S Samy Vellu has urged party leaders to “reconnect” with the Indian masses who had been the “vote bank” of the Barisan Nasional since the party's formation in…

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MIC president S Samy Vellu has urged party leaders to “reconnect” with the Indian masses who had been the “vote bank” of the Barisan Nasional since the party's formation in 1946.

He said this was because in the March 2008 general election, they had taken for granted the support from the Indian masses who had been traditionally voting for the BN and ensuring a huge victory for the ruling coalition.

“Our task has been to win them back. This has been our priority. We have made a lot of progress over the last 18 months or so, and we must keep moving and not look back,” he said when opening a workshop on 'Reinventing and Reconnecting' for MIC leaders.

He stressed that it was the duty of every party leader, “right from the president to the branch chairmen”, to maintain a close and cordial relationship with the Indian masses without compromising on their effectiveness to deliver.

“The Indian community has placed their hope on us to deliver and we must work hard to regain their trust,” he said.

Samy Vellu said the party could not afford to have “complacent leaders” who did not take seriously their role and responsibilities to the party and community.

“I have noticed that there is now a political reawakening among many party (MIC) leaders. They feel the need to reshape their mind and responsibilities to better serve the community,” he said.

Samy Vellu attributed this to the series of workshops and rejuvenation efforts undertaken by the party and the “hard stance” taken on many issues involving the Indian community.

The four colours of Indian voters

Later, speaking to reporters, he said that during the next 12 months, the MIC would update its voter data bank.

He also said that the Indian voters would be classified under four colours, namely green (which would group the BN's “fixed deposit” Indian voters), yellow (for those who would likely abandon the BN if poorly managed), red (for party members and people whom the MIC has lost and has to win back) and white (which would group potential members and voters).

“Through this classification, we will be able to plan our strategies and focus on each group in a bid to win them over for the BN,” he added.

- Bernama

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Islam

Adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book:
Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat

Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form,…

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Adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book:
Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat

Islam is not a religion, nor is it a cult. In its fullest form, it is a complete, total, 100% system of life.

Islam has religious, legal, political, economic, social, and military components. The religious component is a beard for all of the other components.
Islamisation begins when there are sufficient Muslims in a country to agitate for their religious privileges.

When politically correct, tolerant, and culturally diverse societies agree to Muslim demands for their religious privileges, some of the other components tend to creep in as well.

Here's how it works:

As long as the Muslim population remains around or under 2% in any given country, they will be, for the most part, be regarded as a peace-loving minority, and not as a threat to other citizens. This is the case in:

United States -- Muslim 0.6%
Australia -- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -- Muslim 1.9%
China -- Muslim 1.8%
Italy -- Muslim 1.5%
Norway -- Muslim 1.8%

At 2% to 5%, they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups, often with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs. This is happening in:

Denmark -- Muslim 2%
Germany -- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7%
Spain -- Muslim 4%
Thailand -- Muslim 4..6%

From 5% on, they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. For example, they will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature halal on their shelves -- along with threats
for failure to comply.. This is occurring in:

France -- Muslim 8%
Philippines -- Muslim 5%
Sweden -- Muslim 5%
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago -- Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves (within their ghettos) under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islamists is to establish Sharia law over the entire world.!

When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris , we are already seeing car-burnings. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam , with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. Such tensions are seen daily, particularly in Muslim sections, in:

Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India -- Muslim 13.4%
Israel -- Muslim 16%
Kenya -- Muslim 10%
Russia -- Muslim 15%

After reaching 20% , nations can expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings, and the burnings of Christian churches and Jewish synagogues, such as in:

Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40% , nations experience widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks, and ongoing militia warfare, such as in:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40%
Chad -- Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

From 60% , nations experience unfettered persecution of non-believers of all other religions (including non-conforming Muslims), sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon, and Jizya, the tax
placed on infidels, such as in:

Albania -- Muslim 70%
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4%
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5%
Sudan -- Muslim 70%

After 80% , expect daily intimidation and violent jihad, some State-run ethnic cleansing, and even some genocide, as these nations drive out the infidels, and move toward 100% Muslim, such as has been experienced and in some ways is on-going in:

Bangladesh -- Muslim 83%
Egypt -- Muslim 90%
Gaza -- Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia -- Muslim 86.1%
Iran -- Muslim 98%
Iraq -- Muslim 97%
Jordan -- Muslim 92%
Morocco -- Muslim 98.7%
Pakistan -- Muslim 97%
Palestine -- Muslim 99%
Syria -- Muslim 90%
Tajikistan -- Muslim 90%
Turkey -- Muslim 99.8%
United Arab Emirates -- Muslim 96%

100% will usher in the peace of 'Dar-es-Salaam' -- the Islamic House of Peace. Here there's supposed to be peace, because everybody is a Muslim, the Madrasses are the only schools, and the Koran is the only word, such as in:

Afghanistan -- Muslim 100 %
Saudi Arabia -- Muslim 100%
Somalia -- Muslim 100%
Yemen -- Muslim 100%

Unfortunately, peace is never achieved, as in these 100% states the most radical Muslims intimidate and spew hatred, and satisfy their blood lust by killing less radical Muslims, for a variety of reasons.

'Before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; the tribe against the world, and all of us against the infidel. -- Leon Uris, 'The Haj'

It is important to understand that in some countries, with well under 100% Muslim populations, such as France, the minority Muslim populations live in ghettos, within which they are 100% Muslim, and within which they live by Sharia Law. The national police do not even enter these ghettos. There are no national courts, nor schools, nor non-Muslim religious facilities. In such situations, Muslims do not integrate into the community at large. The children attend madrasses. They learn only the Koran. To even associate with an infidel is a crime punishable with death. Therefore, in some areas of certain nations, Muslim Imams and extremists exercise more power than the national average would indicate.

Today's 1.5 billion Muslims make up 22% of the world's population. But their birth rates dwarf the birth rates of Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, and all other believers. Muslims will exceed 50% of the world's population by the end of this century at their current rate of reproduction.

This is scary. Here is some serious reading for serious thinkers.

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Security ramped up at airports in U.S., UK, Amsterdam

(CNN) -- Passengers flying into the United States from abroad should expect additional security measures at U.S. and international airports a day after a passenger detonated a device a…

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(CNN) -- Passengers flying into the United States from abroad should expect additional security measures at U.S. and international airports a day after a passenger detonated a device aboard a flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Detroit, Michigan, the Transportation Security Administration said Saturday.

Measures will include increased pat-downs and gate screening, as well as having to stow carry-ons and personal items, including pillows.

"We ask that passengers follow the instructions of international security and flight crews," the TSA said.

Security has also been ramped up at U.K. airports and at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, where the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, went through "normal security procedures" before boarding the flight, according to security officials.

Abdulmutallab, 23, was charged in a federal criminal complaint Saturday with attempting to destroy the plane Friday on its final approach to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, and placing a destructive device on the aircraft, the Department of Justice said.

At Schiphol, secondary screenings were boosted Saturday with body searches and bag checks, officials said.

As part of the increased security, passengers on a flight Saturday from Brussels, Belgium, to Dulles Airport in Virginia were not allowed to leave their seats for the last hour of the flight, a traveler told CNN.

Niki Yazzie said the flight crew told the passengers that they had to remain in their seats with their seatbelts fastened and couldn't have any items, such as pillows or blankets, covering their laps; everything was stowed away.

Passenger Johnny McDonald, who was on a U.S. domestic flight, told CNN he saw officials X-ray milk parents had brought for infants and saw many people patted down.

"They X-rayed the milk I don't know how many times," McDonald said. "And then they took the milk out and sampled each and every bottle of the milk. I've never seen that before."

Secondary searches are also being introduced much more widely at airports around the world, CNN's Richard Quest reported.

An official with the TSA told CNN that along with increased security at airports, screening likely will take longer. No details were provided on all the steps being taken.

The official advised travelers to allow for extra time before their flights. There will be no changes in screening requirements and no change in the number of carry-on bags allowed.

A note was released earlier this week by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis that said FBI officials "currently have no specific, credible intelligence indicating plans by al Qaeda or other terrorist groups to conduct attacks in the United States during the 2009 holiday season."

CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Kate Bolduan contributed to this report.

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Dr M wrong on choice between Indian and Muslim - Malaysiakii

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's advice to Malaysia's Indian Muslims to choose between their Muslim and their Indian identities puts one in mind of a resonant episode in the immediate…

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Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's advice to Malaysia's Indian Muslims to choose between their Muslim and their Indian identities puts one in mind of a resonant episode in the immediate prelude to the partition of India in mid-1947.

A delegation of Indian Muslims, contemplating abandoning their homes in India for the new entity called Pakistan, went to see Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the highest ranked Muslim in the Congress Party and a strong foe of partition.

Islamic scholar Azad, who was born in Mecca, was renowned for the battles he had waged for communal unity in India, for its freedom from Britain, and for secularism.

His visitors were in no doubt about where Azad stood on the matter of partition: he was unalterably opposed and an arch critic of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, head of the Muslim League and fervent proponent of separation.

The delegation just wanted to see for themselves if Azad would waver from his resolute anti-partition stance at a perilous time.

June 1947 comprised an exaggerated moment in Indian history. It is just such moments of extremity that best reveal the essence of things. And Azad demonstrated the seer-like qualities of his stature as a leader when he posed this question to the delegation: “Where will you go should you discover that Pakistan is not your home?”

Of course, none of his visitors could countenance the notion that their anticipated new abode could turn out to be forbidding.

Many of those who went to see Azad settled in the Sind region of newly-formed Pakistan, of which Karachi is the metropolis.

Fast forward 40 years to the late 1980s: The city becomes a maelstrom of communal violence between the muhajirs (Indian Muslims from India who moved to Sind and west Punjab after partition) and the indigenes.

The bursts of violence were frequent, horrific and sustained, and were caused by muhajir resentment at being marginalised by the indigenes of Sind.

Two decades before the muhajir-inspired convulsions in the Sind of the late 1980s and after, the world had already witnessed the animosity between Muslim Bengalis and the Punjabi Muslim-dominated Pakistan army that led to the war of secession in East Pakistan, which then became Bangladesh.

A notable feature of this war in 1971 was that here the muhajirs (Bihar Muslims who had immigrated at the time of partition to East Bengal/East Pakistan) backed the elitist Punjabi soldiers of the Pakistani army in the battle against indigenous Bengali Muslims.

From not only these facets of subcontinent history but from several others the world over in the last century, particularly if you take the flux and flow of sectarian allegiances in Lebanon, it is not hard to conclude that parochially-constituted identities provide no lasting solder by which to glue a national identity.

One can be both Indian and Muslim

Mahathir's positing of a dichotomy – either you are Indian or you are Muslim (and therefore Malay) – to Muslim Indians in Malaysia has been proven by recent history to be a delusive conceit.

Maulana Azad espoused a composite view of national identity to partition-leaning Muslims of the Indian subcontinent six decades ago: He held you could be Indian and Muslim at the same time, in contradistinction to the great Indian poet Mohamed Iqbal, who in a famous disquisition in 1930 argued that the Muslim identity would fade in an independent India. Hence a separate homeland for Muslim Indians was imperative.

Admittedly, it is a long way from Maulana Azad to Gerald Manley Hopkins, a 19th century English poet, of special resonance in these ecologically fraught times.

Hopkins loved nature in which he saw a “dappled” and “pied” quality of contrasting elements forming the same pattern which he tried to reproduce in his poems.

“Glory to God for dappled things,” he rhapsodised in one of his best poems, a cosmic plea for seeing things as nature would have us - as “both/and” and not as “either/or”.

Muslim Indians in Malaysia can be Malaysian, Muslim and Indian at the same time, a triple and sustainable (nice ecologically friendly word that!) identity that betters Azad, and tributes Hopkins.

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Wayang kulit RM 7.93 Million & peanuts Tekun loans for Indians

As opposed to the RM 191.5 Billion 2010 national budget and the millions and billions dished out to the malay muslims under UMNOs’ racist, religious extremist and supremacist policies. (refer UM 15/12/09 at page 6)

P.Uthayakumar

HRP Secretary General

UMNO excluded Indians from 90% of businesses.

UMNO excluded Indians from 90% of businesses. So the Indians end up largely in the restaurant and saree shop business (refer UM 15/12/09 at page 6). UMNO has rejected…

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UMNO excluded Indians from 90% of businesses. So the Indians end up largely in the restaurant and saree shop business (refer UM 15/12/09 at page 6). UMNO has rejected business licenses and loans to hundreds of thousands of Indians in pursuit of their racist, religious extremist and supremacist policies.

S.JAYATHAS

HRP Information Chief

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Five Indians shot dead by police in one day, Taser powered police?

One Billion budget in 2010 for the police to gun down up to one Indian a day for six days in a row in early November 2009. And now the…

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One Billion budget in 2010 for the police to gun down up to one Indian a day for six days in a row in early November 2009. And now the police are asking for 30, 000 units of the (non fatal) taser guns but would not use it. They would rather shoot to kill the Indians and use up the RM 1 Billion allocation “else where”. (Refer The Malay Mail 15/12/2009 at page 4)

www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

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PAS to zip lips before they sink ships

By Mohd Zuharman - The Malaysian Insider

Nasharudin announced new controls on party leaders making statements to the press. — file pic

KOTA BARU, Dec 27 – PAS will soon…

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By Mohd Zuharman - The Malaysian Insider

Nasharudin announced new controls on party leaders making statements to the press. — file pic

KOTA BARU, Dec 27 – PAS will soon institute new controls to limit the freedom of party leaders in making public statements, seen as a move by the Islamist party to mitigate the effects of negative coverage following a recent spate of internal disputes made public in both Selangor and Kelantan.

Under the new system, only selected party leaders will be allowed to issue press statements.

The matter was announced by PAS vice president Nasharudin Mat Isa during a press conference after a Munaqasyah keynote address at Pengkalan Chepa yesterday.

Nasharudin, however, failed to provide details on the identity of these “selected leaders.”

“PAS gave the issue serious consideration. We have already discussed the matter at the Syura council meetings nearly two weeks ago,” he said.

He also did not point out the “offending” press releases that he was referring to.

The Malaysian Insider understands the issue stems from a series of party controversies in Selangor and Kelantan of late.

The Bachok member of parliament appeared to apportion some blame to the press, claiming the situation arose from media’s tendency to interpret and translate press releases according to their own preferences.

“They (the media) fail to deliver the true essence to the statements they are given.

“Many statements are reported completely differently [from what was intended]. They pick only portions of the statement and do with it as they please,” said Nasharudin.

He said this after being asked about the conflicting media statements that appear to have been making their rounds recently, which were confusing the public over party’s current affairs.

According to him, the PAS central committee yesterday had also decided to hold a “media benefits” seminar for the party’s own good.

Last Sunday, PAS had held a convention for bloggers.

Commenting on the widespread use of blogs by the various PAS leaders, Nasharudin pointed out that he was not denying that modern technology was beneficial to society as a whole.

“But let’s be rational. Have facts and evidence when you’re expressing yourself or making a statement through blogs,” he said.

The Munaqasyah keynote address programme is an annual activity that the party holds at the federal, state, and district levels.

The policy speech entitled “Islam leads change” was delivered by party president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang at the 55th Annual Muktamar some six months ago.

Also present was Kelantan PAS deputy commissioner III, Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, who is also the chief of PAS Pengkalan Chepa.

Mohd Amar, touching on current political challenges, said PAS’ strength and success in facing these difficulties stemmed from its adherence to the principles of faith and brotherhood.

“PAS inherited these two principles from the ulamas of before and has practised them since its founding in 1951,” he said

According to him, the failure to live up to this philosophy in the party’s struggles is because the nation’s political culture is easily tainted by negative elements.

“This is the source of many of the instances of breach of trust, bribery, abuse of power, and more. Even jet engines can go missing, something which makes no sense at all and humiliates the country on the world stage.

“Mosques collapse, stadiums collapse, bridges collapse; all these collapses have become so commonplace,” he added.

As such, Mohd Amar urged PAS members at all levels to always strengthen their adherence to the party’s founding principles, especially on the eve of the coming 13th general elections.

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MIC quest for Indian hearts begins with lowly branch chairmen

An MIC branch leader (left) makes his point during a recent “rebranding” meeting.—Picture by Baradan Kuppusamy

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — The MIC…

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An MIC branch leader (left) makes his point during a recent “rebranding” meeting.—Picture by Baradan Kuppusamy

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — The MIC branch chairman, that archetypal man always waiting on the sidelines to garland the chief but who is often “rewarded” with abuses and unfairly blamed for the party’s failures, is finally coming into his own as the party struggles to re-invent itself after suffering massive losses in Elections 2008.

Previously, the party’s 150 division chiefs were treated as kingmakers and feted as key agents of change but that mantle has now moved to the lowly branch chairmen.

The reason is that despite numerous “rebranding and reinventing” forums at posh hotels acoss the country, the division chairmen have not, in the words of one senior MIC leader, “moved one inch” to reconnect with the Tamil masses, the majority of whom voted for Pakatan Rakyat in the 2008 general election.

After a year of “re-branding” with division chairmen, the MIC inner circle has decided it was a waste of time “rebranding” them to ensure they reconnect with the Tamil masses.

The MIC division chairmen suffer from the same disease as the Umno or MCA division chairmen — they are on the prowl for titles, patronage, contracts, other business opportunities, directorship in GLCs and the like.

The key word for the BN parties that suffered huge losses is “re-connect”, with the masses that once dutifully lined up to cast their votes for BN but don’t anymore.

“Despite numerous the rebranding forums there is little reconnect with the Tamil masses. The key word is reconnect and how to re-connect with the Tamil masses,” one MIC leader said.

“In the new thinking, the branch chairman is gaining prominence. He has the members and he is the one face-to-face with the masses,” the leader said.

“It is through him that we can re-connect… he is the key,” the leader said, adding the MIC leadership itself is undergoing a re-thinking on how to reconnect and “the way we should do it is through the youths in the branches.”

The party is telling branch chairmen to get acquainted with the new weapons of political mobilisation — emails, Twitter and Facebook — in a move to win over those upwardly mobile, IT-savvy voters, not just among Indians but among all Malaysians.

“Everyone is a voter and we need everyone’s votes to win. We need to reach every group of voters, from the high-tech voter to the low-tech voter,” said MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel.

“We only need a five per cent swing among voters to win back the seats we lost,” he told a group of 30 MIC branch chairmen from Subang constituency at a meeting last week.

The newly re-elected Palanivel is touring the party’s divisions to push the MIC grassroots to re-invent and become effective grassroots political leaders.

The party is trying to answer key questions like, “Who are really MIC members?”; “How many of them are voters?”; “ Where do they vote?”; Why they did not vote in 2008?”; “Are they still on the MIC membership roll?”; and “How will they vote in the next general election?”

These are key questions that not just the MIC but all Barisan Nasional political parties want answered adequately and accurately.

Umno wants its allies to give honest answers because BN’s seat allocation for the next general election will depend on the answers.

“If we can’t show we have the support of grassroots Indians, then we are not going to get the seats to contest,” Palanivel told the gathering.

“We need to know the answers for ourselves also, to gauge our strength and plan re-building strategies,” he said.

Palanivel, who has been criticised for inaction since his Oct 10 election as deputy president for a second three-year term, is touring the country and meeting branch chairmen to infuse new thinking and give them confidence to take up the battle with Pakatan Rakyat.

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is fond of making membership claims ranging from 600,000 to 800,000 members.

Likewise the PPP and others, including the seventh-month old Malaysia Makkal Sakthi Party, all claim membership strength ranging into the hundreds of thousands.

If so many Indians are MIC members, how is it that the party lost so massively? It can only mean many of the members “exist” only in the form of names provided by branch chairmen to beef up their numbers.

“We must be prepared to write off 25 per cent of our membership. Their names are on our rolls but their hearts are somewhere else,” said another senior MIC leader on condition of anonymity.

A major clean up of the MIC membership is also under way as part of the rectification campaign.

While other political parties like the DAP and Umno are rushing to recruit new members, the MIC has just started to clean up its membership.

“Getting new members is not yet a priority, not yet,” the MIC leader said adding, “We have to clean up our house first.”

The problems the party faces in winning back the Tamil masses is massive and could be seen in the faces of the 35 MIC branch chairmen gathered at the meeting.

They were in a grumpy mood — the BN’s trouncing in Selangor had taken away whatever little prestige and patronage they had enjoyed before under BN rule.

They had also lost status and face in their kampungs and settlements where, as MIC branch chairmen, they had once enjoyed clout as agents of the ruling party.

“We have become nothing… how do we reconnect with the masses?” asked one branch chairman at the meeting. “Everything (patronage) is grabbed by the division chairmen and his people… we get nothing!”

“Rebranding has to start at the top of the party not at the bottom,” he said.

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Don pushes racial line in 1 Malaysia

Tee claim’s Najib’s 1 Malaysia is being hampered by selfish interests.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Mingguan Malaysia columnist Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah today pushed the powder-keg issues of…

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Tee claim’s Najib’s 1 Malaysia is being hampered by selfish interests.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Mingguan Malaysia columnist Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah today pushed the powder-keg issues of race and religion further, by arguing that the Malay-Muslim’s majority meant they had more rights and accused the other races of putting their interests above national needs.

Without mentioning the DAP by name but calling it an “ultra-kiasu party”, the National Defence University senior lecturer accused it of working with what he called racist parties within the Barisan Nasional (BN) for their own benefit and political mileage by supporting the 1 Malaysia concept espoused by prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Kiasu is a Hokkien word that literally means “fear of losing”.

Tee also put forward a formula based on the racial and religious breakdown of the country’s 27 million population, to apportion the share of what is due to each community in terms of rights, festivities and celebrations, adding no one should question the “social contract” from the founding of the nation 52 years ago.

“Remember, Islam is the religion of the majority community of this country. Islam has a very special position in the constitution. If there is any ‘advantage’ in Islam, it is not discrimination because as the majority Malay-Muslims, they have the rights, let alone it had been agreed upon through the social contract,” he wrote in his column carried by the Mingguan Malaysia today.

The column — “Beza antara penjahat dan jahat” — was also posted on his personal weblogs at ridhuantee.blogspot.com for Bahasa Malaysia and ertee.blogspot.com for the English translation.

Tee also noted there should no further question of unfairness, including the use government funds to expand Islam although the matter was never formulated by law as “each race or party interpreted according to their interests respectively, basing on the racial and religious background”.

He introduced his formula, based on the statistical breakdown of races and religions in the Year 2000 census, where the percentages of Malaysians by religions were “60 per cent Islam, 40 per cent non-Malay (22 per cent Buddhist-Taoism-Confucius, nine per cent Christian, six per cent Hindu, three per cent others).

Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah. — ridhuantee.blogspot.com pic

“This formula can be applied in the context of the nationalisation, including justification on the rights of religious festivals and celebrations of all races. This formula fulfils part of the meaning to justification in Islam, which means to put things in its place although not completely.

“On the basis of tolerance, this formula was not applied completely, either in politic, economic or even social fields. For example, the number of non-Muslim places of worship exceeded overwhelmingly, their festival celebrations actually drowned the Muslims celebrations even though they are less in numbers.

“Just look at the shopping malls, although Christians are only nine per cent, the Christmas and New Year 2010 celebrations are incomparable to the Hari Raya and the Islamic New Year. If you do not believe, visit the states ruled by the ultra kiasu and its allies, and the shopping malls of their allies throughout the country,” Tee said, alluding to Penang and Selangor which are the main states of commerce and industry.

He wrote further to compare the difference between Muslims and non-Muslims in the country, which has for years carried the tourism tagline “Malaysia. Truly Asia”.

“I think the Muslims in this country are very tolerant and soft. Their religious festivals and funerals are well mannered and simple. Roads are not congested. Their graves are very small. Compared to other religions, which the number is already smaller, at times the roads are congested the whole day on certain festivals. The graves are so wide and large.

“How long will this practice be continued, whereas the population is growing but land is limited? So far, the Muslims are not that noisy compared to others, although their graves are narrowing and protests from the non-Muslims are increasingly bolder when there is an increase in Islamic cemeteries.

“My formula should be used as a guideline. Is it fair if the numbers of non-Muslims are not many, but their graves actually sink the Muslims graves? Have we asked the views of the Muslims and their sensitivity? Those with money build the tombs so high and so wide and beautify them with statues as far as the eyes can see.

Give the perfect gift this holiday season, Inspiron™ 14

“Meanwhile, the Muslims graves, irrespective of their positions, are simple because Islam does not believe in the designing of the tomb. Having no graves is also not a problem. What is important is faith and piety, which are brought into the intermediate state or barzakh. Have the Muslims ever claimed equal rights and equal opportunities? No, because they are not ultra kiasu,” said Tee, who is also secretary-general of the Malaysian Islamic Chamber of Commerce.

He also questioned calls for religious rights in Malaysia to be based on equal rights and opportunities, in the light of complaints about the difficulty in building temples and churches. A DAP leader had recently questioned the large government allocation for mosques and the comparatively tiny sum set aside for houses of worship for other faiths.

“Are the number of churches and the pile of houses of worship to the extent of sinking the number mosques and suraus not considered as rights? Have we ever prevented them from going to church every Sunday? Do not compare with the Muslims because we worship differently. We have different needs. Similarly goes the requirements for jamaah prayers.

“Hence, the concept of equal rights and the equal opportunities should be based on the formula that has been outlined in the constitution and by proportion of races (religions),” Tee said when dismissing calls for equality.

He also waded into the controversy over the word “Allah” which has been banned from use by Christians to describe their God,

“All this while they have never use the word Allah in our country, so why the sudden need for the word of Allah to be used? It is definitely their strategy to confuse the Muslims into following their religion. My advice to all parents is to take care of your children and not to be deceived by their evil strategies and evil intentions.

Only nine per cent Christians, so Christmas celebrations are too much, claims Tee. — file pic

“Unfortunately, these will and has occurred in Selangor and Penang, if we continue to allow this ultra kiasu to rule and to be mighty. Look at Penang today, as if it is no longer a Malay island. It is full of Santa Claus and New Year greetings, while they consist of only nine per cent,” Tee added.

He took up the line taken by politicians who have described Malaysia as the land of Malays and others as immigrants.

“Therefore, let us make the changes before it is too late. Do not end later with our religion going nowhere in our own land. By then, it will be too late. You cannot allow the creepers to grow higher. When they have gone up, they will remain there, and it will be difficult for them to come down,” Tee said.

The academic also defended the Utusan Malaysia from charges of promoting hate sentiments and disturbing harmony among races, levied by opposition parties and even Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

“The extremist labelled the newspaper as criminals. If the newspaper is considered as criminal then it also meant that the journalist, newspaper columnist and author are also criminals. My question is, whether the ultra kiasu party news tabloid and the other racist political parties and those concocted with them are they also not evil?

“The ultra kiasu party and its group are not only evil, but it is already clearly a fact that they have an evil intention by not accepting the social contract and rejecting the federal constitution and also challenging sensitive matters that have long been agreed upon,” he added.

While admitting that the Umno-owned daily could make mistakes, Tee hit out at its critics and told them not to go overboard with their views and reflect on their own mistakes.

“Is staying together without marriage considered good moral? Retaining executive council (exco) known for their evil deeds is not actually evil? At least Utusan Malaysia is frank, meaning not too bad instead of [condoning the] camouflage [of] doing evil, like being sweet in front of people but, when behind [them], actually are not. Those are their actions to obscure the eyes of the public,” he said, obliquely referring to DAP’s outrage over the paper’s racial tone.

“If we spy their movement, I am confident we will see their true colours, including the one exco that brought Santa Claus to meet their state leader. To this leader, if you enjoy celebrating with Santa Claus, please do not over do it. As Muslims, we are taught to respect other religions, but do not go overboard.

“They are very cunning at planning. Many Malays have sidetracked because of being too close to Santa Claus,” he wrote.

Tee also accused the DAP of raising sensitive issues that could lead to chaos similar to the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

“The sensitive issues were raised to demand equal rights and opportunities for the ultra kiasu group. They know these things cannot be raised openly as they can be held under the Sedition Act. They deliberately want to test Umno, which currently is at its most crucial situation because of not getting two-thirds majority [in Parliament] and [is] also facing the painful disunity of the Malay-Muslims,” he said.

An ethnic Chinese, Tee also reserved some vitriol for Umno’s BN ally, the Chinese-majority Gerakan, which had been outraged over an Umno proposal to take over the chairmanship of the Penang BN in an effort to recapture the state from the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Stoking racial tensions risk another May 13, Tee wrote. — file pic

“My question is that, if Umno can sacrifice the Grik parliamentary seat, why can’t Gerakan? Who is more tolerant and having the nature of giving? The political parties on this island are so ultra kiasu. Because of that, they do not care who ruled the island, as long it is their own people. There are not many strategies made to win back the island. That’s why I can feel that Umno is not comfortable with this situation,” said Tee, referring to Umno providing Gerakan the Malay-majority Grik seat in the last general elections.

“The Malay majority had to vote the non-Malay (Gerakan) even with resentment. This is the noble nature of the Malay-Muslims. Is this tolerance being appreciated? It is like a dog biting its own master.

“Can we still remember that this member of parliament of Grik from Gerakan issued a statement stating that the Malays were also immigrants? This member of parliament was also appointed as a deputy minister. Have we ever heard Umno contend that since the Grik parliamentary seat had been held by them for a long time, why should they give it to Gerakan, as what [was] spoken by the Penang BN chairman?” he asked.

Tee contended that Gerakan’s opposition to the idea was based on the fear of losing the Penang chief minister’s post to Umno if the Malay party led the BN in the state.

“The root to all of these is power, power, power and the ultra kiasu attitude. All [are] putting the race interests ahead rather than the national interests. If this is how it is done, I think, we are far from achieving the 1 Malaysia concept.

“It will be taken advantage [of] by those with the attitudes of foxes in sheep skins, and scissors in the fold. To them, their race strength must be defended even with whatever reasons and challenges given. Who are the real criminals and more evil?” Tee concluded. - The Malaysian Insider

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WORKING AFTER WORKING HOURS

1. Like the Bar Council I am disappointed that the Appeal Court had overturned the High Court's decision to stop the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission from questioning suspects after working hours…

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1. Like the Bar Council I am disappointed that the Appeal Court had overturned the High Court's decision to stop the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission from questioning suspects after working hours.

2. We must respect working hours. Criminals should not commit crimes after working hours. Of course police should not investigate crimes after working hours. Firemen should wait until office opens before putting out fires.

3. The same should apply for weekends and public holidays. No questioning, no investigations and no putting out fires during non-working days.

4. What about politics and politicians? Well no politicking outside office hours also.

5. If we have more holidays then the crime rate would go down as crimes should only be committed during working hours.

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Ferry Sinks Off Philippines, 4 Dead, 21 Missing

Survivors from a ferry that sank after it collided with a fishing vessel off the waters of Cavite, south of Manila, wait to be transferred at the…

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Survivors from a ferry that sank after it collided with a fishing vessel off the waters of Cavite, south of Manila, wait to be transferred at the Philippine Coast Guard office in Manila December 24, 2009. REUTERS/Philippine Coastguard/HandoutBy Manny Mogato

MANILA, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Rescue teams searched the waters off the central Philippines on Sunday for at least 21 people still missing from a ferry that sank, the second such accident in less than a week, officials said.

Four people were confirmed dead.

Three ships passing through the area picked up most of the 63 crew and passengers who survived, Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo told reporters, as coast guard planes and helicopters joined in the search and rescue operations in waters off Verde island.

"Our rescue teams found today four bodies, including two children, near the area where the ferry went down," Balilo said. "We continue to scour the waters for possible survivors."

He said the Transportation Department has suspended the operations of the shipping company involved in the accident and ordered the inspection of all domestic ferries to avoid future accidents.

The roll-on, roll-off ferry was carrying at least 88 people and nine cargo trucks when it set off from Calapan on the central island of Mindoro for a two-hour trip to Batangas port on the main Luzon island late on Saturday, the coast guard reported.

About 30 minutes later, the ferry began listing after taking in water from its bow, Balilo said, adding it sank minutes later at about 1.6 nautical miles off Verde island.

"It happened very fast, I was sleeping on a bench but soon found myself clinging on a floater (life ring)," passenger Eric Musngi told a radio interview after a rescue ship brought some of the survivors to Batangas port.

"There were dozens of people on the water crying for help and calling out the names of their family members and relatives. I don't know what happened to my mother and elder sister."

Some of the missing passengers may have gone down with the ship because there was very little time to alert everyone before it sank, Senator Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine National Red Cross, told reporters.

"Based on my interviews with the rescued crew and passengers, the ship even failed to send out distress signals and to inform all those onboard about the ship's conditions," said Gordon. "Many jumped into the water without life jackets."

On Thursday, at least three people died when a wooden-hulled ferry bound for the central island of Lubang collided with a fishing boat near the mouth of Manila Bay on clear weather.

About 24 are still missing and coast guard officials said they would investigate the accident.

Ferries are an important mode of transport in the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, because they are affordable for the country's poor who comprise a third of the 92 million population. But accidents are common because of overcrowding, poor maintenance, and tropical storms.

© REUTERS 2009

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Corruption, the country's top enemy

Corruption in the country has turn worse. It has permeated all fields and levels, it has also shaken the country's foundation and threaten the national security.

Corruption benefits those who…

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Corruption in the country has turn worse. It has permeated all fields and levels, it has also shaken the country's foundation and threaten the national security.

Corruption benefits those who are incapable and allows the greedy ones to steal the country's resources. Sooner or later, the treasury will be emptied and the country's competitiveness will plummet. Therefore, corruption has replaced drugs as the country's top enemy and threat.

I am not trying to scare you. From the various fraud revealed by the Auditor-General's Report to the missing aircraft engine and equipment, all cases involve corruption.

Isn't the collapse of government buildings related to corruption? Is it really simply human negligence that caused the evidence kept in the police station to be missing?

There are a few factors that cause the country's corruption to deteriorate into a cancer: political factor – in order to cultivate Bumiputera entrepreneurs and contractors, political parties issued contracts and projects without considering their ability and experience. Over the pass three decades, contracts and projects have been issued directly to entrepreneurs with political background or grassroot members of political parties. It has evolved into a complicated political and business collusion, that is, the “Malaysian revolving door”.

There were many large-scale projects and privatisation programs during the era of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Also during his times, the country had the lowest transparency.

Procedural factor – as executive officers act according to political instructions, together with lax management, fund allocation procedures exist only in name. No matter whether the contractors have completed the constructions according to the scheduled progress, they issue funds without any inspection. As a result, the contractors disappear after taking the money.

The aircraft engine was stolen because they did not follow the procedures strictly. No one checked the inventory, allowing those with bad intention to take advantage of it.

Today, many state governments have direct interviews to choose contractors. It offers a corruption opportunity for those who are responsible to distribute projects. It is a pity that the people may become the victims of these substandard and shoddy works in the states.

Low discipline in the government – civil servants who are found to have wasted public funds, involved in corruption and fraud will usually be transferred to another department or sacked. Very rarely, they will be charged in court. Such an over-protective practice has caused more and more blatant corruption. Didn't the air force personnel who have stolen the aircraft engine know that they might be discovered one day or perhaps, they were having a fluky mentality?

It would be like encouraging them if the government continues to be lenient to them.

Morality factor – as it is politically correct to allow those with background to “share government resources”, more and more people no longer have the sense of shame for corruption. As a result, everyone just does it.

Weaknesses in law enforcement – the efficiency of civil servants is low and enforcement actions are based on political demands. Therefore, corruption efforts do not last for long. Even if the cases are brought to court, they lose most of the cases. The progression is indeed very slow.

Therefore, the corruption problem in Malaysia is closely related to politics. If no political reform is carried out and the above mentioned problems are not solved, it will not help to eradicate corruption no matter how many KPIs, NKRAs and slogans they have. (By LIM SUE GOAN/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)

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PPP says Murugiah is 'illegal'

Malaysian Mirror (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR - The People's Progressive Party (PPP) has accused sacked T Murugiah of being an illegal deputy minister.

This is because the former PPP…

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Malaysian Mirror (Used by permission)

KUALA LUMPUR - The People's Progressive Party (PPP) has accused sacked T Murugiah of being an illegal deputy minister.

This is because the former PPP Youth chief and challenger to party president M Kayveas has refused to give up his post in the administration of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Kayveas told reporters at a PPP Christmas ‘open house’ at the PWTC here on Friday that Murugiah, a senator, was an ungrateful person in that he did not champion the party’s interest.

Instead, alleged Kayveas, Murigiah had pursued his own political ambitions to become the president of PPP and in doing so tried to "stir trouble" in the party.

Sacked and 'elected'

Murugiah was sacked in June and then called for an extraordinary general meeting that ‘elected’ him as the party’s president.

In early August, the Registrar of Societies affirmed Kayveas as PPP president as well as confirmed the sacking of Murugiah. The ROS also ruled that the EGM was invalid.

Kayveas then said he was prepared to re-admit those who had left – or had been sacked from - the party except Murugiah, who was labeled a rebel leader who broke away from the leadership to lay claim to the presidency.

Murigiah, however, continues to be a Deputy Minister in the PM’s Department; in charge of public complaints.

Name proposed to replace Murugiah

Kayveas said he was leaving it to Najib to determine Murugiah's position, as the senator had refused to give up his position voluntarily despite the appointment coming under the PPP's quota for ministerial posts.

He also said he has proposed to the PM the name of the person to replace Murugiah.

People’s Progressive Party president Datuk M Kayveas said he had proposed the name of the person to replace Senator Datuk T Murugiah as Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister to the Prime Minister.

“The Prime Minister has asked for a name (to replace Murugiah). I have given him the name,” he said.

Asked whether he was confident that Murugiah would be replaced, he said : ”That’s the Prime Minister’s prerogative. It’s not important to me at all. I’m not concerned. I just want to save the party from this troublemaker.”

Kayveas claimed Najib was aware of the problems in the PPP and probably needs an appropriate time to make the necessary change.

“For 15 years, the party had never had as much trouble as we are facing now,” he added, denying that he was trying to influence the PM as he was seen at most of Najib’s functions. - Malaysian Mirror

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Report: RPK may be using foreign passport

The Star (Used by permission)
By SHAUN HO

PETALING JAYA: Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin is suspected to have exited Malaysia using a foreign passport.

Utusan Malaysia, in a report…

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The Star (Used by permission)
By SHAUN HO

PETALING JAYA: Fugitive blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin is suspected to have exited Malaysia using a foreign passport.

Utusan Malaysia, in a report yesterday, raised the possibility that Raja Petra, known as RPK, could have used a passport from a neighbouring country to flee to Britain.

News reports have said he is currently holed up at the posh Trinity Court Apartments in Gloucester Terrace, Bayswater, in London.

According to the Utusan report, the circumstances remained a “mystery” and that the Immigration Department was puzzled.

The report said the department still considered Raja Petra to be in Malaysia as there was no record of him leaving the country.

Immigration director-general Abdul Rahman Othman said checks had been conducted at all land and air exit points.

“I can only confirm that there is no record of Raja Petra passing through our immigration checkpoint,” said Abdul Rahman.

A source told Utusan that RPK could have slipped out of the country at any time if he was using a foreign passport.

“The passport might contain Raja Petra’s new identity and can be used as it is not a fake,” said the source.

It was earlier reported that the police had managed to trace Raja Petra’s movements. He had fled to Thailand illegally before flying off to Australia.

Two arrest warrants were issued against Raja Petra after he failed to turn up in court on April 23 and May 23 for his sedition trial over an article on his website www.malaysiatoday.net allegedly defaming the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

He is also accused of defaming Rosmah and two others in a statutory declaration made at the Jalan Duta Court complex on June 18 last year.

The Sessions Court later granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Nov 11 and 13, as the police had yet to serve the warrant of arrest on him

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Suspect charged with trying to destroy Northwest flight

CNN obtained this exclusive photo of the suspect being taken into custody on board the plane.

Romulus, Michigan (CNN) -- A Nigerian man was charged in a federal criminal complaint…

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CNN obtained this exclusive photo of the suspect being taken into custody on board the plane.

Romulus, Michigan (CNN) -- A Nigerian man was charged in a federal criminal complaint Saturday with attempting to destroy a Northwest Airlines aircraft on its final approach to Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Christmas Day, and with placing a destructive device on the aircraft, the Department of Justice said.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, will make his initial court appearance later today, the Justice Department said.

Abdulmutallab is the son of Alhaji Umar Mutallaba, who recently stepped down as chairman of First Bank PLC in Nigeria, a family source told CNN.

Abdulmutallab suffered burns when he ignited a small explosive device aboard the plane; he was hospitalized in Michigan for his burns. His plans were foiled by crew members and passengers.

The family source told CNN that Abdulmutallab received a college degree in London, England, where he lived for three years.

A spokesman at the University College of London told CNN on Saturday that a student by the name of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was enrolled in the department of mechanical engineering from September 2005 to June 2008.

The last time Abdulmutallab's family heard from him was two months ago, when they received a text message, the family source said. Abdulmutallab told the family earlier that he had gone to Yemen.

Abdulmutallab went through "normal security procedures" in Amsterdam, and those were "well-performed," the Netherlands' national coordinator for counterterrorism told CNN.

Witnesses said they heard a loud pop or bang and saw something burning in Abdulmutallab's lap.

Passenger Jasper Schuringa told CNN that with the aid of the Northwest flight's cabin crew, he helped subdue and isolate Abdulmutallab. Crew members and passengers extinguished the small fire.

Schuringa said he saw that Abdulmutallab was holding a burning object between his legs.

"I pulled the object from him and tried to extinguish the fire with my hands and threw it away," said Schuringa, who suffered minor burns on his hands.

Abdulmutallab, who is from Nigeria, was taken into custody and hospitalized with second- and third-degree burns on his thighs, according to federal law enforcement and airline security sources. The suspect was "talking a lot" to the FBI, said a senior U.S. official.

Another person was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, about 25 miles away, hospital spokeswoman Tracy Justice said.

The remains of the device were sent to an FBI explosives lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis, security sources said.

No other suspicious materials were found on the plane or in luggage, the law enforcement and airline security sources said. The suspect had only carry-on luggage.

The plane, an Airbus 330 with Delta Air Lines markings, landed shortly before noon. It was carrying 278 passengers. Delta is the parent company of Northwest.

The sources told CNN that the suspect flew into Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on a KLM flight from Lagos, Nigeria, and is not believed to be on any "no fly" list, although his name does appear in a U.S. database of people with suspect connections. He did not undergo secondary security screening in Amsterdam, an administration official said.

The initial impression is that the suspect was acting alone and did not have any formal connections to organized terrorist groups, including al Qaeda, said an official who is familiar with the investigation.

Abdulmutallab, however, claimed to have extremist ties and said the explosive device "was acquired in Yemen along with instructions as to when it should be used," a federal security bulletin obtained by CNN said.

President Obama, who is spending the holidays in Hawaii, was briefed on the incident and directed "that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel," said White House spokesman Bill Burton. Obama made no changes to his schedule, Burton said.

An official with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration told CNN there will be increased security at airports, and screening likely will take longer. No details were provided on all the steps being taken.

The official advised travelers to allow for extra time before their flights. There will be no changes in screening requirements, and no change in the number of carry-on bags allowed.

A note was released earlier this week by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis that said FBI officials "currently have no specific, credible intelligence indicating plans by al Qaeda or other terrorist groups to conduct attacks in the United States during the 2009 holiday season."

In London, counterterrorism police officers were searching buildings and making inquiries Saturday at the request of U.S. authorities, a Metropolitan Police spokeswoman told CNN.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said he is following developments closely and has assured the public that police in Britain are working closely with U.S. investigators "to uncover the full background to the incident."

In Nigeria, the government on Saturday said it "received with dismay the news of attempted terrorist attack on a U.S. airline" and has ordered its security agencies to investigate the incident.

"While steps are being taken to verify the identity of the alleged suspect and his motives, our security agencies will cooperate fully with the American authorities in the on-going investigations," said Professor Dora Akunyili, Nigeria's minister of information and communications.

"We state very clearly that as a nation, we abhor all forms of terrorism."

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Raids follow US plane bombing bid

The Delta Airbus 330 landed safely in the US city of Detroit after the incident [REUTERS] British police have raided several addresses in London and aviation authorities have tightened security…

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The Delta Airbus 330 landed safely in the US city of Detroit after the incident [REUTERS] British police have raided several addresses in London and aviation authorities have tightened security on US-bound flights across the globe following a failed attack on a US airliner. The security measures on Saturday came after passengers and crew of the Delta Airlines flight overpowered a Nigerian man and prevented him from igniting a device strapped to his leg a day earlier. US officials described the incident as an "attempted act of terrorism". The Delta Airlines Airbus, with 289 people on board, was on final approach to the midwestern US city of Detroit from Amsterdam when passengers say they saw a puff of smoke and heard a sound like firecrackers. The Nigerian, identified as 23-year-old Umar Abdulmutallab, was badly burned in the attempt, but the jet landed safely in Detroit. Richelle Keepman, a passenger aboard the plane, said she first noticed a disturbance in the cabin when she heard screams. "We were in the back of the plane and we heard some screams and some flight attendants ran up and down the aisles," she said. "I think we knew at the point when we saw the fear in the flight attendants' eyes and they grabbed the fire extinguishers." 'Al-Qaeda links' Al Jazeera's John Terrett, reporting from Washington, said Abdulmutallab has been taken into US custody. in depth Attack on transatlantic flight Recent airline attack plots "[He] says he has links to al-Qaeda and he says that he got the equipment that he allegedly used as the flight was approaching Detroit from contacts in Yemen," Terrett said. US media, citing anonymous officials, reported that Abdulmutallab had admitted to having explosive powder taped to his leg that he sought to ignite by using a syringe filled with chemicals. In Nigeria, the government confirmed the suspect was one of their own and said Nigerian authorities had launched an investigation. British police were also searching a number of buildings in London as part of the investigation following unconfirmed reports that Abdulmutallab was a student at the University College London. "We are in liaison with the US authorities and searches in London are being conducted as part of ongoing enquiries," the Reuters news agency quoted a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police as saying. "The searches are being carried out at more than one address," she said, declining to give further details. Enhanced screening In the US, homeland security offcials said enhanced security measures had been put into effect after the failed attack. "Passengers may notice additional screening measures put into place to ensure the safety of the travelling public on domestic and international flights," it said in a statement. Barack Obama, the US president who is currently on holiday in Hawaii, was "actively monitoring" the situation, a White House spokesman said. "The president was notified of the incident this morning between 9am (07:00 GMT) and 9.30am Hawaii time by the president's military aide," Bill Burton said in a statement. After Obama was informed of the incident he held a secure conference call with John Brennan, his homeland security and counterterrorism adviser, and Denis McDonough, the National Security Council chief of staff . "[Obama] asked to arrange a subsequent secure call and... instructed that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel," the White House said.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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Hindraf leaders squabble over accounts - Malaysiakini

Another crisis has erupted in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) as the two main factions charge each other of cheating over the movement's funds.

On one side are Hindraf…

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Another crisis has erupted in the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) as the two main factions charge each other of cheating over the movement's funds.

On one side are Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy (right) and legal advisor P Uthayakumar, who have appointed a firm to audit the accounts of Hindraf Enterprise, a private company intended as a shell to collect funds for Hindraf in late 2007.

On the other are former Hindraf treasurer K Vasanthakumar and V Ganabatirao, who accuse Waythamoorthy of misappropriating funds collected for families of the five Hindraf leaders detained under the Internal Security Act.

Uthayakumar, Vasanthakumar and Ganabatirao were among the three ISA detainees, but since their detention they have had a falling out. Waythamoorthy is self-exiled in London.

On Thursday, at a press conference Vasanthakumar claimed that he is the sole proprietor of Hindraf Enterprise and Waythamoorthy had no business trying to pry into his accounts.

Instead, he demanded that Waythamoorthy reveal what happened to the tens of thousands collected after the five were arrested on Dec 13, 2007.

Vasan 'exonerates' Waytha

In a statement today, Waythamoorthy said funds collected in the name on Hindraf, but not banked into Hindraf Enterprise's accounts, were in the hands of independent auditors.

Turning to Vasanthakumar, Waythamoorthy explained that they were introduced on Oct 2007 and the former was made treasurer as he claimed to be a bank officer.

"It later came as a shock to me that he had instead opened an account for a stationery business under the name of Hindraf Enterprise and appointed himself director," said Waythamoorthy.

He said a lot of money was banked into Hindraf Enterprise by well wishers of the Hindraf movement and this should be accounted for.

He said Vasanthakumar (below) should not use this funds for personal use or the stationary business and make the accounts public..

"I am glad finally for the first time Vasanthakumar has admitted to opening an account under the name of Hindraf Enterprise, which exonerates me of any fund collection," he said.

Waythamoorthy added that it was strange since the very people who were accusing him of embezzlement, are refusing to openly declare Hindraf Enterprise's accounts to independent auditors.

COMMENTS:-

by iilidetector - 6 hours ago

Everyone is accusing each other of taking money, but the deafening silence is from Waytha. He has not uttered a single word for past 2 years on how he can stay in an expensive city like London. Who is paying for his food and board. I understand he underwent heart treatment in London as well, was it from a private Specialist ? Who gave him funds to fly to Singapore to see Datuk Zaid in a hotel ?

by matahari - 7 hours ago

This crook vasanthakumar has got into his own trap. Initially he blamed the Hindraf brothers. Now after admitting he is the holder of Hindraf Ent he is caught in a catch 22 situation. Crooks always get caught in their own trap.Vasanthakumar rao is a disgrace to Hindraf and Indian community. Their task is to destroy Hindraf but looks like they are destroying themselves.

by Thanabalan - 7 hours ago

Whatever, we are among the contributors, we want this topic to be halted now. If one wants to fight for the community, be a gentlemen. We dont mind how the money spend, but with our contrubutions yet they cant get back what they lost and kept losing. They deserve for what they sacrifice. Common, splitting the community in facts as a human we should catergorise as the lowest cast, this aplicable.

by DC - 8 hours ago Delete

iiliedetector you are talking rubbish. U got your facts mixed up or u are pretending to be ignorant. Vasantha admits he is the Director of Hindraf enterprise. The money was collected into this account. The person responsible is vasantha and not Waytha. Why is vasantha being a chicken now. We know Vasantha has been instigating the public and those accused for illegal assembly and we know how the Tamil papers manipulate the story. After all the accusations it is not clear vasantha rao and raidu have to account for the funds. Why are they shy to cooperate with the public accountants. What Waytha is doing is right-get the accounts verified by independent professionals. Soon i believe vasantha is going to say the accountants have swindled the money.

by iilidetector - 9 hours ago

The timing of the allegations is very fishy. Waytha disappeared on Nov 07 and Vasanta was under ISA in March 08. Why bring up these allegations after 2 long years? The answer is very simple-Hindraf has lost it's influence because there are many Indian leaders to choose from.Money has been collected and money has to be accounted for. Who were the people authorized by Hindraf to collect money. In a report, in the Star paper, a few months ago, 18 ppl now being charged for the Hindraf demo went to Uthaya's office and asked for the accounts for the money collected. He told them he could not give an updated account because the person had left his job! He then proceeded to give them RM 50. There is no need to talk so much. Ask Waytha to tell us what funds he is using to 1) Finance his board and lodging in UK 2) How he managed to pay for his heart treatment in London 3) How he managed to fly to Singapore to meet Datuk Zaid in a hotel. Like I said, why bring up these allegations after so long?

by Zamani - 10 hours ago

In my opinion none of the hindraf guys are interested in abusing the money. Waytha, Kumar, Vasantha, Ganabathi rao, Genga or Mano - all of them have immensely contributed. Fighting over these accounts is a complete misdirection. Stop all these rubbish and get on with your work. The more you guys argue and talk the worst you become. You have earned yourself a place in the community, time to live up to that image. If there is diagreement in directions amongst you, let it be so. Public are not fools, they will judge whom to trust!

by Bozuka - 10 hours ago

Did the Hindraf Brothers organize road shows to collect any money for the detainees’ families????? Waythamoorthy was in self exile while Uthayakumar was in Kamunting Camp. Then who organize the road show??? The Indian mandor from DAP especially people like Sivanesan and Prof.Ramasamy together with Ganabatirao’s brother Raidu were doing the collection. So now WHO should show the accounts??? DSP. Vasanthakumar of Special Branch for Hindraf account. And as for the detainees’’ family account it should be Sivanesan, Pro. Ramasamy and Raidu. Why are these jokers going after Waythamoorthy?

y

by Rohan Tan - 13 hours ago

Waytha has been under attack for a long time. They keep blaming him for fund collections which ended up in millions. The truth is he was out of the country all these while. Now the truth is revealed-Vasanthakumar has openly declared that he is the owner of Hindraf enterprise. So the onus is on him to reveal the monies that was collected. There is only 1 account and Vasantha is the Director of that account. Obviously the Special branch has a hand in this. They are penetrating well into Hindraf. My advise to Indians ignore this plants and moles and move on. The community needs reputable leaders. People like Vasantha and Rao are cheap characters.

by matahari - 13 hours ago

It is obvious Vasanthakumar is splitting the movement. I have noticed from the day he was released. He and his honcos only speak about money right from the time they were in detention. They never took part in any of the Hindraf activities nor have they thanked Hindraf and its thousands of supporters that organised campaigns to get them released. truly ungrateful. The SB is doing his part well. Finally he admitted he opened an account but used Hindraf name to open up a stationery business. Innocent people banked into that account. So who is the crook now? The truth will come out slowly albeit surely. I personally donated to Rao's family for the benefit of the 5 but he denies now.

by Mydin Kutty - 13 hours ago

Hindraf became a giant overnite and the UMNo could never take nor accept that they challenged the might of UMNO. The Police is assigned to destroy Hindraf and that is exactly what they are doing. The special branch plant and Rao are doing ecactly that. From the time of being released they speak only money and have forgotten the cause. Its a pity they have become slaves of money and UMNo instead of fighting the true cause raised by waytha and uthaya.

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PKR racist: Glenmarie Tamil school falling apart and risking 130 childrens’ lives.

PKR racist: Glenmarie Tamil school falling apart and risking 130 childrens’ lives. This school is infested with termites. New school building remains a dream. The PKR Selangor government refuses to…

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PKR racist: Glenmarie Tamil school falling apart and risking 130 childrens’ lives. This school is infested with termites. New school building remains a dream. The PKR Selangor government refuses to grant this school and all 98 Tamil schools in Selangor state government land and so the UMNO Federal government refuses to grant fully financial aided status for these schools. Thus the dilapidated state of almost all of the Tamil schools in Malaysia. (Berita Harian 16/12/2009 at page 1 (Sentral)

Editor

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ASB : RM 4.95 Billion plus RM 537.65 Million bonus payout to 6.78 million (malay muslims), says the Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Bhd

ASB : RM 4.95 Billion plus RM 537.65 Million bonus payout to 6.78 million (malay muslims), says the Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) Tun Ahmad Sarji. But why is…

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ASB : RM 4.95 Billion plus RM 537.65 Million bonus payout to 6.78 million (malay muslims), says the Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) Tun Ahmad Sarji. But why is this part of the country’s wealth not shared with the poor and working class Indians. Why are the Indians yet again being excluded from the national mainstream development of Malaysia.

The UMNO Amanah Saham 1 Malaysia ASB, PNB or any other such shares gives out lucrative dividends and bonuses of 7.3% and upwards even up to 12%.

IF only UMNO and PNB arranges for Maybank, CIMB etc loans for these poor and working class Indians as they have done for the malay muslims, these Indians would have also benefited at least from the 7.3% minus 4% bank interest ie 3.3% net profit per annum returns. Just by lending and or giving their names and their Identity Cards and without taking out a single cent to Maybank, CIMB etc these poor and working class Indians would be guaranteed a minimum of a couple of thousand ringgit of this PNB bonuses and dividends every year. It is in effect free money by the UMNO government but the poor Indians are excluded.

This UMNO government’s scheme of redistributing the wealth of the country to the poor must also reach out to the poor and working class Indians as it reaches out the Malay muslims.

P. Uthayakumar.

HRP Secretary General

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Indian poverty: Wife left with four kids after hubby goes missing (Refer The Star 16/12/2009 at page N61)

Penang demands more funds from Putrajaya

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (picture) said today he would be demanding a fairer deal from Putrajaya, after it was revealed that the state…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (picture) said today he would be demanding a fairer deal from Putrajaya, after it was revealed that the state contributed RM25.6 billion to federal coffers between 2001 and 2008, but received only RM794 million in federal grants during the period.

In his Christmas message to the state, Lim said the Finance Minister had revealed recently in Parliament in a written reply to him that Penang contributed RM25.670 billion in the form of taxes and customs duties between 2001 and 2008.

"In other words, Penang received back only a shocking three per cent of what it contributed during the 8 years from 2001-2008.

"Even if we were to include federal projects of around RM10 billion during this period, the total amount spent in Penang would amount to at most 40 per cent," he said.

Penang appears to have joined its fellow Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state Kelantan in demanding better treatment from the federal government.

The Kelantan government had recently demanded the federal government pay it oil royalties, but Putrajaya, controlled by Barisan Nasional (BN), has refused.

Instead the BN federal government says it will offer Kota Baru what it terms compassionate payments, because it claims Kelantan is not entitled to oil royalties.

Penang, one of the country's industrial powerhouse states, has found access to funds difficult because its relatively small size means the state government's revenues from property taxes remain low.

Lim said today that the discrepancy between what the state contributes to the federal government and what it gets in return had resulted in the state being left out of the development mainstream.

"Even Singapore’s Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew made the observation that Penang was developing slower compared to other towns such as Ipoh or Seremban," he said in reference to remarks made by Lee when the Singapore leader visited the state earlier this year.

Penang, he said would now be seeking a fairer deal from the federal government to allow all Penangites equal opportunity for success and prosperity regardless of race, religion, gender or background.

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Police: Driver of crashed bus admits he fell asleep

Rescue workers removing the dead from the express bus. - Bernama pic

IPOH, Dec 26 — The driver of an express bus that crashed at Km272.8 of the North-South Expressway…

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Rescue workers removing the dead from the express bus. - Bernama pic

IPOH, Dec 26 — The driver of an express bus that crashed at Km272.8 of the North-South Expressway early today and left 10 passengers killed and two injured has admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.

“He fell asleep at the wheel but breathalyser and drug tests conducted on him proved negative,” Ipoh traffic police chief DSP Mohd Rodzi Rejab told reporters here today.

The double-decker Sani Express bus skidded and hit the road divider as it was heading north, about 8km after the Ipoh Selatan toll plaza at 1am.

The victims had been seated on the lower tier of the bus. The two drivers and the 36 other passengers were unhurt.

It is understood that the driver had taken over the wheel after the bus had stopped at the Simpang Pulai lay-by just before Ipoh.

Mohd Rodzi said the driver was supposed to take over the wheel at the Sungai Perak Rest and Service Area, Kuala Kangsar further ahead.

He declined to comment on whether the driver had any previous records, but said the express bus records were clean.

The police have remanded the driver until Wednesday to facilitate investigations under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir has urged the federal government to ban express buses from travelling at night.

“The measure could help reduce accidents involving express buses. The lives of passengers are more important,” he told reporters after presenting personal donations to families of the victims at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here today. — Bernama

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Hasan Ali denies ditching Pakatan

By G Manimaran - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Facing possible party censure for misconduct, Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali (picture) has denied he will…

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By G Manimaran - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Facing possible party censure for misconduct, Selangor PAS commissioner Datuk Dr Hasan Ali (picture) has denied he will leave the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government to be an independent lawmaker.

The conservative executive councillor reiterated today that he and PAS will remain in Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim's administration following widespread speculation over his future moves.

"Its not true... That's malicious news to smear my name. I have no such intentions," Hasan told The Malaysian Insider in response to the speculation.

The PAS disciplinary committee is now investigating Hasan, and his more liberal former deputy Khalid Samad, in a raging controversy over statements that disparaged the state government made up of PAS and its allies DAP and PKR.

Party disciplinary chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had said there was a strong case to censure both for misconduct. Hasan, who was formerly with Umno, has been linked to a party faction keen to have an alliance with their political rivals.

But the Gombak Setia assemblyman stressed he would remain in PR which he said needed quality lawmakers who "will not jump to other parties".

Hasan said the PR government should take note of the PAS government in Kelantan that remained in power despite just having a one-seat majority in the state assembly.

"This is the principle of quality that we must also have here. In the past one and a half years running Selangor, we have proven to be a clean government and we must keep it that way," added the state councillor for Islamic affairs.

Rumours of Hasan walking out of the state government came a day after the PAS panel met last Wednesday to probe allegations against him and Khalid, who is Shah Alam MP.

The panel decided to call up both men to explain further but rumours flew that Hasan had been suspended from all party posts for two terms.

Responding to the rumours, Hasan also denied a gathering will be held at the Selangor PAS office in Shah Alam tomorrow for a memorandum to rekindle cooperation with the state Umno.

"There is no such event tomorrow. As the state commissioner, I would know if it happens. No such event," he stressed.

The party organ website Harakah Daily had quoted text messages that the event was to be held and Hasan would receive the memorandum.

"Datanglah beramai-ramai demi kepentingan Melayu... (Please come for the sake of Malay interests...)," Harakah Daily quoted the text message as saying.

The website accused Umno of trying to take advantage of the party's internal problems in Selangor to split its members.

Hasan also reiterated he will cooperate with the disciplinary panel which is setting a date to question him further.

"I am ready to give my full cooperation and testimony to the disciplinary committee. But until now, I haven't received anything from them. I haven't heard anything at all," he said.

The panel has fixed Jan 7 and 9 to question Khalid but said it will arrange another date for Hasan.

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