Perumaa’l temple consecrated in Myanmar

Tamils in Myanmar impressively consecrated a renovated Perumaa’l temple in Yangoon on Wednesday morning. Several thousands of Tamils participated in the ceremonies. A 13th century Tamil inscription in Myanmar records…

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Tamils in Myanmar impressively consecrated a renovated Perumaa’l temple in Yangoon on Wednesday morning. Several thousands of Tamils participated in the ceremonies. A 13th century Tamil inscription in Myanmar records that a Perumaa’l temple patronized by Tamils existed at the earlier capital at Pagan.

Consecration of the entrance tower [Photo courtesy: Solai Thiyagarajan from Myanmar]

The temple for Kalyaa’na Vengkadeasap Perumaa’l (Thirumaal or Vishnu in his form found at Thiruppathi), accompanied by Alarmeal Mangkai (the lady on the flower: Thirumaka’l or Lakshmi), is situated 10 km from Yangoon at a place called Thirukkampai, which is known as ‘Little Tamil Nadu.’

Seven Paddaachchaariyaars, who came from Tamil Nadu performed the ceremonies, according to Solai Thiyagarajan, who sent news and images of the consecration to media.

Thousands participated the consecration of Perumaa'l temple at Thirukkampai in Yangon, Myanmar [Photo courtesy: Solai Thiyagarajan from Myanmar]

A view of the interior [Photo courtesy: Solai Thiyagarajan from Myanmar]

A Tamil folkdance as part of the procession [Photo courtesy: Solai Thiyagarajan from Myanmar]

The practice of ceremonial 'temple dance' in front of the deity still surviving in Burma is of cultural anthropological significance. [Photo courtesy: Solai Thiyagarajan from Myanmar]

Paddaachchaariyaars are authorities in performing consecration of Vaishnava temples of the Dravidian style in the Agamic way of South India (it is Sivaachchaariyaars in the case of Saiva temples).

Venkatasamy Nayakkar, an industrialist from Tamil Nadu, originally built the temple in 1904.

The interaction between Myanmar and Tamils go back to the times of the advent of maritime activities in the Bay of Bengal, as trade winds and currents were particularly conducive for swift and direct communication between Myanmar which was known in Sanskrit as Swarna Bhumi (the land of gold) and the ancient Tamil country.

The presence of Tamil traders or artisans of gold in the region, during the early centuries of the Common Era, is attested to by a Tamil Brahmi inscription found in neighbouring Thailand. The legend in Tamil, ‘Perum Paththan Kal’ (the stone of the great goldsmith), seen on a whetstone, happens to be the earliest writing found in Thailand.

The Burmese alphabet of today, which is a continuity of the script of the Mon, an early ethnicity of Myanmar, is considered to have come from South Indian writing system, especially the Tamil-Grantha writing.

A 13th century inscription, found at Myinpagan, in Pagan in Myanmar, beginning with Sanskrit invocation and then records the subject matter in Tamil, tells us the existence of a Perumaa’l temple, belonging to the Tamil trade-guild of ‘Naanaatheasi’, at Pagan. (E. Hultzsch, Epigraphia Indica 7, 1902-1903, pp197-98)

The inscription names the temple as Naanaatheasi Vi’n’nkar Aazhvaar at Pukkam (Pagan), alias Arivaththanapuram (ceremonial ancient name of the capital), and says that a person Eeraayiran seeriyaan alias Kulaseakara Nampi coming from Makoathayar Paddanam (a town of the Cheras; Maak-koathai is a title of the Cheras), of Malai Ma’ndalam (Malaiyaa’lam: Kerala), made a gift of a hall, a sacred door and a fixed lamp to perpetually light the hall in the temple.

British colonial conquest of Burma in the 19th century witnessed a new spurt of migration of traders, contractors and workers from the Tamil region of British India.

It is said that the massive teakwood used in the construction of the palace of the Chettiyars of Kaanaadukaaththaan and other such palatial households in the Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu were floated at the delta of Irawathy River in Burma and were received in the country of Chettiyars near the Paampan Channel, just carried by the currents of the Bay of Bengal.

Burma became separated from British India in 1936.

Anti-Indian sentiments after the independence of Burma in 1948 and diplomatic failure of Nehru’s India saw a large number of Tamils coming to Tamil Nadu as Burma refugees, when General Newin became the military dictator in the early 1960s.

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Stageless Sgor govt a sensation at Thaipusam

Scenes of Thaipusam

Photos: 29/1/2010 Eve of Thaipusam Batu Caves

UMNO’s FRU at peaceful Thaipusam. Paranoid of Najib not welcome at Batu Caves website postings?

Special Branch was taking our photo and we took his photo he turn away

HINDRAF Activist

Muhyiddin claims on-going talks to settle ‘Allah’ dispute

By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Tan Sri Muyhiddin Yassin (picture) has revealed that closed-door talks are already taking place between Muslims and Christian…

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By Neville Spykerman - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Tan Sri Muyhiddin Yassin (picture) has revealed that closed-door talks are already taking place between Muslims and Christian leaders to solve the dispute over using the term ‘Allah’ to describe the Christian God.

“It is unofficial, behind close doors process of engagement to get consensus on how the dispute can be solved,” he told reporters here today, indicating for the first time about out-of-court dialogue to settle the divisive issue.

The deputy prime minister said he did not want to elaborate as the talks were taking place behind closed doors and due to the sensitive nature of the dispute.

“Many parties can make all sorts of interpretations if the issue is discussed out in the open, but behind closed doors it can be solved with respect and courtesy,” he said.

A High Court decision last New Year’s eve reinstated the constitutional right of the Catholic weekly Herald to use the word ‘Allah’ to describe the Christian God in its Bahasa Malaysia section. The ruling riled Muslims and led to a series of attacks using fire, stones and paint against churches, mosques, suraus, a Sikh gurdwara and one convent school.

Wild boar heads wrapped in plastic bags were also thrown at two mosques in Kuala Lumpur last week and is believed to be linked to the ruling.

The government has appealed against Justice Datuk Lau Bee Lan’s landmark decision and has also won a stay of execution. The Roman Catholic Church agreed to the stay due to “national interests”.

Muhyiddin described the ongoing engagement process with groups representing various faiths as a better way to obtaining consensus on how the sensitive issue can be resolved.

At the same time, he said the government position is that there was no need for an Interfaith Commission to be set up in Malaysia as demanded by opposition parties and non-governmental organisations.

“At the moment we feel it’s not necessary but continued dialogue was useful,” the deputy Umno president said.

He pointed out there had been no major issue until the current dispute over the use of ‘Allah’, adding however it was good for all parties to sit down and resolve the issue.

Indonesia had recently set up a similar commission but Muhyiddin said the social-cultural backgrounds of both countries cannot be compared.

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Khalid slams shoddy Thaipusam treatment

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian insider

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By Syed Jaymal Zahiid - The Malaysian insider

Selangor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim (centre) and other Parti Rakyat put on a smile for the cameras despite being given 'second class treatment' at the Thaipusam celebrations in Batu Caves last night. - Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim blew his top over receiving what he described as a “second class treatment” last night when he was forced to launch the Thaipusam celebrations outside Batu Caves.

He and top state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders had to settle with addressing part of the million congregants at a small stage underneath the MRR2 bridge after local authorities declared the temple compound as private property.

But Khalid believed the “unsavoury” treatment was due to the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who was also there to officiate the Hindu religious festival.

“We don’t have any problems with them coming but Batu Caves is in Selangor so we (PR government) are the hosts and they are the guests,” said the mentri besar, adding that he was baffled by the treatment he and other PR leaders received.

To add insult to injury, the lack of stairs to the stage prompted the Selayang City Council to use an elevator attached to a truck to lift Khalid and others onto the platform.

Pakatan Rakyat supporters also argued with the police to leave the stage there when Khalid and his entourage had already waited for almost an hour after having scheduled to give his speech at 10pm.

The stage was relocated a day earlier after police said it occupied space for their units on duty at one of Malaysia’s most biggest and colourful festivals.

The Sri Subramaniamy temple in Batu Caves is led by people linked to Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, president of MIC which is the third biggest party in Barisan Nasional (BN).

BN lost Selangor to PR in Election 2008 and is seen as trying various strategies to recapture the country’s richest state by any means ahead of the next general elections.

Khalid said he will speak to the state’s Land Office to determine if the Batu Caves temple is a private property. PR leaders believed the land should be open to the public.

Meanwhile, the Selangor government gave out RM1 million worth of donations to several Tamil schools and temples as part of what Khalid described as his administration effort to help the state’s poor.

The Thaipusam celebration there had also been transformed into a “fiesta” as part of his government’s tourism initiative to attract foreign tourists here.

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Penang DAP warns Zahrain against breaking up Pakatan

PENANG, Jan 30 — The Penang DAP today warned PKR’s Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim (picture) from allowing his political frustrations and angst towards Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over…

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PENANG, Jan 30 — The Penang DAP today warned PKR’s Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim (picture) from allowing his political frustrations and angst towards Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng over a business deal to break up the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.

State DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow chastised Zahrain for labelling Lim as “a dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded”, saying the Bayan Baru Mp sounded no different from political rivals Umno.

“Zahrain should not try to provoke sentiments and attempt to break up Pakatan Rakyat in Penang by claiming that PKR has no say in the administration of the PR state government,” the Tanjung MP said in a statement issued after speaking to reporters here.

Chow stressed that the state DAP and its lawmakers are fully behind the leadership of Lim, who is also party secretary-general, “against the irresponsible and vicious personal attacks by PKR MP for Bayan Baru Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim”.

Zahrain has had a simmering feud with Lim (picture) since the latter’s appointment as chief minister following the pact’s shock victory in Penang in toppling the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government in Election 2008.

Chow noted that even Umno and the ruling BN federal government had never labelled Lim as a communist when the latter was detained without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1987.

“How can Lim be a chauvinist when he went to jail and lost his parliamentary seat to defend a Malay girl who was detained even though she was a rape victim?” he asked, pointing out that Lim had initiated a hard-core poverty eradication programme in Penang, where 90 per cent came from one community, by ensuring that all families received at least RM 500 a month.

He also disputed Zahrain’s claims that Lim was a dictator for not accepting criticisms, noting that the former PKR Penang chairman had never criticised Lim in any PR joint meetings with the Penang state government.

“Decisions in the Pakatan Rakyat are made collectively in exco meetings,” Chow said.

He also rapped Zahrain for questioning why a third of Lim’s speech during the first Pakatan Rakyat National convention last Dec 19 was in Mandarin.

“Clearly Zahrain was absent as Lim had spoken 85 per cent in Bahasa Malaysia with the remainder 15 per cent in English and Mandarin.

“But even if one third of Lim’s speech had been in Mandarin, is it a crime to speak in one own’s mother tongue? This extremist approach befits a typical Penang Umno leader and not a PKR or Pakatan Rakyat leader,” Chow added, saying Zahrain appeared politically frustrated over his removal as Penang PKR chairman.

“Further, Lim had informed me of Zahrain frustrations with Lim for refusing to endorse Zahrain’s decision last year as Chairman of Island Golf Properties in awarding a tender for the privatised management of the Bukit Jambul Golf Club to a RM2 company.

“As Chairman of PDC, Lim had recommended that the Board of Directors over-rule the award of tender and called for a fresh retender.” Chow disclosed.

“The Board of Directors of PDC had accepted Lim’s recommendation that to give the tender of running the only golf club in Penang worth tens of millions of ringgit to a RM2 company would not comply with Penang’s CAT governance of Competency, Accountability and Transparency.

“Giving contracts to a RM 2 company would make a mockery of change that Penangnites voted for in the 2008 elections and make Penang Pakatan Rakyat no different from BN,” he added.

Chow said by holding firm to CAT, the Penang state government has been able to turn a projected deficit of RM35 million in 2008 budget to a record surplus of RM 88million.

“Penang is proud to be the first state to hold public open tenders of government projects and procurement contracts and also conducting it through the internet (e-tender).

“By sticking to CAT principles, Penang is the first state or federal government in Malaysia to gain praise from Transparency International,” he said.

Chow told off Zahrain, saying he may want to personally burn his bridges with DAP but the PKR man should not allow his political frustrations and Lim’s refusal to endorse his award of tender to a RM2 company to attempt to break up Pakatan Rakyat in Penang.

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DAP guns for Zahrain over Guan Eng slur

PENANG, Jan 30 — The Penang DAP is baying for PKR Penang leader Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim’s blood and will reveal that personal issues are behind the Bayan Baru…

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PENANG, Jan 30 — The Penang DAP is baying for PKR Penang leader Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim’s blood and will reveal that personal issues are behind the Bayan Baru MP calling Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng a “dictator, a chauvinist and communist-minded”.

Several top DAP leaders are today expected to detail the reasons behind Zahrain ratcheting his simmering feud with Lim, whose aides say has preferred to keep silent to preserve unity and stability within the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government.

Among the reasons are Lim’s (picture) decision last year for an open tender for the maintenance of the state-owned Bukit Jambul Golf and Country Club of which Zahrain is the president. It is learnt that the chief minister asked for an open tender after a RM2 company linked to Zahrain had sought the contract.

“Zahrain has provoked the DAP without just cause and some leaders will make public his motivations,” a senior DAP leader told The Malaysian Insider.

It is understood that Tanjong MP Chow Kon Yeow will call a press conference today over Zahrain’s outburst against Lim that was carried by The Star daily.

In the report, Zahrain (picture) who is the former state PKR chairman, said PR should not compromise with the leader who is from Malacca as Lim had failed to deliver its general election promises.

Zahrain said among the election promises that were not kept were the introduction of local council election and an open tender system.

“Lim may be reluctant to push for local council election because it will diminish his power if Penangites use that as an avenue to pass verdict on the state’s performance.

“He also promised an open tender system, but he has made the process worse by personally chairing the tender board,” he said, adding that there was better check and balance during Barisan Nasional’s rule.

Zahrain, who was once in Umno, also said when he criticised Lim for his dictatorial ways of managing the state, he was accused of being an Umno agent.

“I am certainly not an Umno agent. I just do not want to see PR going against its promises,” he said. “It is a shame for PR and its principles when projects are awarded based on who knows who.”

Lim has continued to remain silent on Zahrain’s attack, leaving Deputy Chief Minister and state PKR chief Dr Mansor Othman to comment on the matter yesterday.

“The words were uncalled for and I regret his statement. That is certainly not the way to address our fellow partners in PR,” he said and declined to elaborate further.

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Amnesty wants charges against Anwar dropped

By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 - International human rights group Amnesty International today urged the government to withdraw what it called are politically motivated…

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By Adib Zalkapli - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 - International human rights group Amnesty International today urged the government to withdraw what it called are politically motivated sodomy charges against Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The Malaysian authorities have resorted to the same old dirty tricks in an attempt to remove the opposition leader from politics,” said Sam Zarifi, the Asia-Pacific director of Amnesty International in a statement.

“Malaysia’s judiciary should throw out these charges," he added.

Anwar was first charged and convicted for the same offence in 1999 but the verdict was overturned by the Federal Court in 2004.

Upon his conviction then, Anwar was declared as prisoner of conscience by Amnesty. In June 2008 Anwar was arrested for allegedly sodomising his former aide Saiful Azlan Bukhari at a condominium in Damansara Heights.

"The criminal charge of sodomy against Anwar, under Section 377B of the Penal Code, is at odds with international human rights standards," added Zarifi.

The group also raised its concern over the prosecution's refusal to hand over key evidence to Anwar ahead of the trial next week.

"Anwar’s case has rightly raised doubts among the international community and investors about Malaysia’s commitment to justice and the rule of law,” said Zarifi.

“The court’s decision to allow the prosecution to withhold key evidence sets a dangerous precedent for criminal cases in Malaysia,” he added referring to the Federal Court ruling on Jan 29.

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To Malaysian Indians, Najib is just another actor

Prime Minister Najib Razak can try all he wants to win over the Indian community but it is not going to work because they can sense that to him and…

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Prime Minister Najib Razak can try all he wants to win over the Indian community but it is not going to work because they can sense that to him and his Umno party, Malaysian Indians are just swing voters and not really the equal-status citizens of the country that they are entitled to be, community leaders said.

By Wong Choon Mei (Harakah)

“To the Indians, Najib is just another actor in a long line of actors and actresses from the Umno-BN,” N Gobalakrishnan, a prominent Indian activist and the Padang Serai MP, told Harakahdaily.

“What’s the point of going to Chennai and Batu Caves when all you need to do to convince the Malaysian Indians is to act on the grouses that they have brought up time and again?”

Indeed Najib does appear to be the edge of desperation to win over the community. Snubbed by the Chinese for orchestrating an unpopular power grab in Perak, he is now chasing the Indian vote to bolster his party's traditional 50 percent share of the Malay votes to win at the next general election, due latest in March 2013.

In fact, many political watchers expect him to call for elections by the middle of next year and are unsurprised at his unabashed overtures to the community. Indians form about 8 percent of Malaysia’s 27 million-odd population. Malays predominate at 60 percent, Chinese 26 percent, whilst indigenous and other races form about 6 percent.

In front of God Murugan

At Batu Caves on Friday night, the eve of Thaipusam, the PM resorted to using the full force of his federal machinery to grab center stage. His police force unceremoniously pushed the more popular Pakatan Rakyat politicians, who were also there, to a far-off and inconvenient spot so that they would not steal his thunder.

Nevertheless, it did not stop the Pakatan team led by Selangor Mentri Besar Khalid Ibrahim from winning the greater applause and empathy from the million-odd devotees who thronged the grounds of the sacred temple of the God Murugan.

“The lights you see among the crowd, the railings were all contributions by the government,” Najib had boasted to the crowd. “Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi told me he believes Indians are fairly treated in Malaysia.”

He was referring to his recent trip to Chennai, made in the midst of a spate of attacks against places of worship in the country. Amid criticism that he was not at hand when his own nation was in need of leadership, his controlled media has been painting Karunanidhi as an ultimate icon revered almost like a saint by Tamils throughout the world.

And their purpose: to justify his absence at a time of crisis and to impress upon the Indian community here of how important and beneficial his trip was to them.

“He must think the Tamils in Malaysia are all uneducated fools. Karunanidhi is a well-respected politician but there are so many well-respected politicians in India. It is a vast country with a huge history and culture,” a prominent analyst at a government think-thank told Harakahdaily on the condition of anonymity.

“Why go to Chennai and then a week later, appear at Batu Caves in front of God Murugan with whole Umno-BN gang? Do they not think that the Indians here are capable of putting together such a simplistic jigsaw puzzle? It is insulting.

“The Indians know full well he is only after their votes because the Chinese will no longer bother with him. But the Indian community is not dumb. They won’t vote for Umno-BN until they can feel tangible improvement or until they can see their grouses being genuinely addressed.

“After all Mahathir was in power for 22 years and Badawi for 4 years but the Indians sank even further into poverty. Now Najib comes along with all this fancy public relations and expects us believe that change has finally arrived. Sad to say, I think he probably has a bigger budget for his public relations team than for the community’s development.

What do Indians want

Most of the Indians who emigrated and grew roots in Malaysia came from Southern India during the colonial days to work in the rubber estates. Initially, they settled mostly in Selangor but have since fanned out into other states such as Penang, Perak and Negri Sembilan.

According to statistics compiled by the community, Malaysian Indians lag by far behind the other ethnic groups. Apart from not having received their due share of the economic pie, they believe they have been marginalized in terms of education and job opportunities.

“There are many things that the Indians here have asked from the federal government that directly relates to their living conditions and lifestyle. But there are other issues on social justice and good governance that are also important to us," said Gobalakrishnan.

“We are not kampung folk who cannot see further than our own village interest. There are also a lot of savvy Malaysian Indians who want to live in a modern and civil society, where there is fair play not just among the races but also among the political groups.

“We also care about democracy. What’s the point of getting a bit of subsidy here and there but Malaysia is turned into a police state where all citizens including the Indians cannot live in dignity and peace. What is the point when Indian youths cannot get jobs because of discrimination and end up getting beaten to death in police jails because of corruption in all the government institutions?

Among the core issues that Malaysian Indians have been fighting for is an increase to 3 percent from 1 percent of the country’s economic equity, raising the usage of the Tamil language, greater education and job opportunities.

“A good example is the grants given for building schools. A typical national-type school would cost the Umno-BN government between RM15 to 20 million. But they are only willing to allocate RM2 to 3 million for a Tamil-type vernacular school,” said Gobalakrishnan.

“This is how we end up with dirty, lousy facilities. Parents are not keen to send their children to such poor quality places, even teachers are not keen to work there. This is how they are indirectly phasing out our vernacular schools.

“So don’t come to Thaipusam and talk hot gas. Walk the talk and show the way. Then no one can say you are just another big ‘tin kosong’ (empty vessel).”

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Mainstreaming Dilemmas: Muddling Towards the Middle

Mainstreaming in Malaysia has the salutary effect of reining in the ethnic and religious extremists. But there is also a cost.

By Cikgu Evara

“There's nothing in the middle of…

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Mainstreaming in Malaysia has the salutary effect of reining in the ethnic and religious extremists. But there is also a cost.

By Cikgu Evara

“There's nothing in the middle of the road but yellow stripes and dead armadillos”
Jim Hightower, columnist, populist, and former Texas agricultural commissioner

In PAS, the push for mainstreaming (a prerequisite for Pakatan Rakyat's aspirations for federal power) threatens to sideline the "traditionalist ulama" tendency gathered around Hadi Awang and Nasaruddin Mat Isa, even as it elevates the "liberal modernist Erdogan" faction. By playing the "unity government" card (a bargaining chip for leverage in factional infighting and intra-party struggles?), the "traditionalist" faction in effect is saying to the "Erdogan" faction: there is more than one path to Putrajaya. They are well aware that a substantial segment of the Malay ground remains fluid and uneasy with the post-March 2008 status quo, an undercurrent they can tap into.

UMNO for its part is cultivating the same ground, even as it tries to mainstream, with Muhyiddin Yassin playing the Malay supremacist "bad cop" in a duet with 1Malaysia's "good cop" Najib Abdul Razak. This has been an impossible balancing act, so transparently ludicrous that they seem to have outsourced the supremacist ranting to Ibrahim Ali and his Perkasa brown-shirts (made up mostly of UMNO's fascistic elements). Perkasa is now occupying the void left by the Khairy Jamaluddin-led Pemuda UMNO, i.e. as UMNO's storm troopers. Freed of any official ties to UMNO, we can expect Perkasa to be even more rabid than Pemuda UMNO at its worst. But let’s not be fooled – Perkasa is UMNO, a convenient stalking horse and threatening reminder that things could get worse, better stay with us…

Mainstreaming in Malaysia has the salutary effect of reining in the ethnic and religious extremists. But there is also a cost. The golden mean notwithstanding, Richard Lewontin, the renowned population geneticist, has remarked that the mean or average, as a population attribute, is a statistical reification, i.e. an abstraction that doesn’t really exist. What’s real in population biology are inter-individual differences and variability. Rather than be too fixated on population means, the proper object of study in population biology is variation and variability. Likewise in electoral politics, a middle-of-the-road fixation can give rise to a tyranny of an imagined majority. It’s perhaps time that we moved towards a system of electoral representation which is proportionate to the popular vote obtained (a truer reflection of the spectrum and variability of political preference among the electorate), rather than our existing first-past-the-post system with its bias for middle-of-the-road party politics.

Malay supremacist politics is losing its middle-of-the-road status in our evolving political landscape. Question is, what brand (or flavours) of populism might replace ethno-populism? Islamic social democracy? Islamic Third Way (with its market machismo)? A blend of greens (Islam and environmentalism), with a dash of feminism?

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What Does It All Mean – 1M and MM?

BN has its 1Malaysia campaign. PAS and PKR have not made their campaign thrusts known yet if they indeed have one each, but DAP has announced its Middle Malaysia campaign.…

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BN has its 1Malaysia campaign. PAS and PKR have not made their campaign thrusts known yet if they indeed have one each, but DAP has announced its Middle Malaysia campaign.

By batsman

For my analysis of what all these mean, the DAP’s MM campaign suits me fine as a foil against the BN’s 1M campaign.

The DAP’s thinking assumes that Malaysia is not split into 2, but 3 sections. On the one side, we have the PR Malays, Chinese and Indians. On the other side, we have the BN Malays, Chinese and Indians. Right in the middle, we have Middle Malaysia – undecided and wavering.

To make my analysis, it is necessary to make assumptions of the percentages of each sub-section. PR Malays form 40%; BN Malays form another 40% while undecided Malays form 20%. PR Chinese form 50%; BN Chinese form 30% while undecided Chinese form 20%. PR Indians form 30%; BN Indians form 30% and undecided Indians form 40%.

Of course these percentages ebb and flow and cannot be fixed for certain, but again I need to make the assumption that undecided Malays comprise a much higher number of voters than undecided Chinese and Indians added together.

The BN’s 1M campaign is a false retreat on one front and a real attack on another. A new general has been holding the reins for about a year and his new consultants and new team have come up with a credible campaign compared to the confusion in the ranks of the BN after the 12th GE.

The real attack assumes the character of most Chinese and Indians not as patriots, but as unhappy citizens deprived of their share of the cake. The attack takes the form of seduction and appeasement of Chinese and Indians in the hope that Chinese and Indian voters will flock to its banners once again.

The false retreat is in toning down aggressive talk and threats against others on Malay rights. All UMNO Malays know that this is a false retreat, therefore they have no problems with it, the exception being TDM who even now seems to pretend he is not able to influence the decision makers of UMNO and promotes Perkasa as the defender of Malay rights, knowing full well that Perkasa can switch under the banner of its paymaster UMNO in the flick of an eye.

Of course the false retreat and real attack are just political campaigns. To back it up, the police, judges, civil service, NGOs, other motley institutions and GLCs still need to be on BN’s side and must be prepared (and HAVE taken) violent suppression or dirty tricks on its behalf.

All these dirty tricks and violent suppression BN has found necessary to shore up its rule have exposed it as a non-democratic, corrupt and even murderous regime. The 13th GE represents the last vestige of decency BN needs to cover up its naked obscenities. They are desperate to win this last skimpy vestige of decency to cover up their huge obscenities.

The DAP’s Middle Malaysia campaign unfortunately does not seem to have any tactics except to say that middle class Malaysians need to be won over. Given the fact that most middle class Malaysians are Chinese, they are targeting the wrong group of voters. Their tactics will make the DAP even more Chinese oriented than ever.

I submit that the undecided Malays must be won over. For this to happen, a very risky assumption has to be made. It has to be assumed that most Chinese and Indian Malaysians are patriots and not just unhappy citizens deprived of goodies and their share of the cake. This means that Chinese and Indian Malaysians must have the political will power and wisdom to forego all talk of benefits and goodies and allow Malays to go all out to contest UMNO without any worries that they will become puppets of the Chinese.

Foregoing all talk of benefits and competition for goodies will neutralize BN’s real attack of seduction and appeasement. Allowing Malays to go all out to contend with UMNO will neutralize BN’s false retreat and force it to expose itself as a racist government.

This means the DAP must forge a unity with PKR and PAS that is sincere and real. It means sincerely, voluntarily and willingly allowing Malays to be the real leaders in the opposition and foregoing competition for positions or benefits. Unfortunately accusations that DAP has a dictatorial style does not bode well.

If in future, 1M or MM does nothing except maintain the racial divide and ALLOWING this racial divide to maintain a massive army or corps of corrupt cronies, policemen, judges, civil servants, etc, etc, etc because each racial group cannot make compromises and need corrupt and violent policemen and judges to maintain their rule, then Malaysia loses out. Patriots lose out.

What patriots want more than anything else is to see and end to corruption, incompetence and sin as a way of life in Malaysia. For this to happen, effective checks and balances are needed. And for effective checks and balances to have a chance, it is necessary to have a healthy 2 party system of rotating governments.

The DAP’s MM campaign, if it is to be truly meaningful, must be able to pave the way for PR to become the next government of Malaysia, whatever sacrifice it takes or is this too idealistic to hope for?

Of course this does not mean PAS and PKR sit back and do nothing. For one, rein back mavericks who cause fear and confusion and for another, please express more dynamic and better leadership, or are this also too idealistic to hope for?

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The Lone Voice of Genuine Reform.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Member of PAS Central Working Committee.

To paraphrase Warren Bennis, leadership is like beauty, it’s hard to define but you know when you face one. I’ve little…

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Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Member of PAS Central Working Committee.

To paraphrase Warren Bennis, leadership is like beauty, it’s hard to define but you know when you face one. I’ve little qualm to admit that the kelantan prince, Tengku Razaleigh or widely known as Ku Li, has it and is certainly one.

I have always thought that my few but close encounters, particularly of late, in the parliament with him allow me to say this with some degree of accuracy. Admittedly, being mortals all of us have our ups and downs, our idiosyncrasies, our shortcomings, whatever, but I still thought of him as being special in more ways than one.

Today, I stand vindicated. Given the dearth of leaders in Umno/BN, nay the entire nation, Ku Li really stood tall and made a huge mockery of the empty rhetoric of the 1- Malaysia of his party’s President. Ku Li once said ‘Empty rhetoric breeds contempt and distrust’. I couldn’t agree more?

Incidentally both PAS and PKR (and as well DAP) must equally take heed of this reminder as their dispensing of justice of late, in their own backyard are a far cry from the rhetoric of ‘Justice for All’. It surely leaves a very bad aftertaste to say of the least. I’m unable to amplify for the time being, but Khalid’s case seems quite unpalatable to many a well-wisher of Justice. That I must have the courage to say it squarely to all, without fear or favour again.

At a time when the nation faces seemingly unending crises, there’s a lone voice from the backwoods of the rotten-to-the-core-Umno/BN government, who now stood for everything against the whims and fancies of his party. Perhaps like many humiliated and distressed souls of the nation, (this writer included), he now deems it ‘Enuf is Enuf”.

Lest you think that I’m copious with my accolades for him just because he stands for the oil royalty of the PAS-led Kelantan state government and the Kelantanese people, you are wrong again. It wouldn’t have meant much, nothing spectacular, as that’s almost plain vanilla.

But he now stands to not only fight for the right of kelantan. He now stands to correct the abuses by the federal government in the way they allocate money and grants to the different states, including Sabah and Sarawak. And should I say the entire federation. The practise of federalism by the Umno/BN is a complete sham and in fact its exact anti-thesis. It is authoritarian democracy at its best. The Umno/BN’s government is about to destroy any semblance of a functional federalism. That is extremely dreadful and heinous.

He depicts and betrays his true statesmanship by confirming the offer to lead the parliamentary caucus on oil right. But best of it all, he now said that the oil caucus is not just about oil. It is to re-examine the relationship between the states and the federal government. “Let us re-examine the agreement in 1948” he quipped.

Are we seeing a star in the gloomy night sky of Malaysia? As the saying goes, only when it is dark, do you see the star.

The deepening of the various racial and religious fault-lines of the Malaysian political landscape is scary to say of the least. The systemic rot of critical institutions of the state seems unabated. The economy is not out of the wood as yet, while corruption is as malignant as before.

Given these bleak political backdrop, the reform voice of Ku Li is surely most welcomed by the fraternity of the Pakatan Rakyat and most assuring and consoling to the citizenry as a whole.

He may now be the target of retribution and hatred from his own party. The entire wrath of his party’s may descend on him. Najib is now weighing his options. This will be truly the test for Ku Li as a leader ie to walk the extra mile. We believe Ku Li has it – to be the lone voice of genuine reform from a party that has gone way past 6.30 pm!

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Khalid to consider appeal when he returns from Saudi

By Wong Choon Mei, Harakah

PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad said he will consider whether or not to appeal the six months suspension slapped on him by the…

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By Wong Choon Mei, Harakah

PAS MP for Shah Alam Khalid Samad said he will consider whether or not to appeal the six months suspension slapped on him by the party's disciplinary board when he returns from Saudi Arabia on February 12.

“I will think about the appeal when I get back. What is important is that Datuk Hasan was also found to be in the wrong and as such he should no longer raise problems for the Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor,” Khalid told Harakahdaily in a text message.

The popular 53-year old leader, well-respected for his principled and multiracial stance, was found guilty of having breached party rules by calling on Selangor PAS commissioner Hasan Ali to resign and for divulging to the media what had transpired at a state liaison meeting last year.

Hasan wrong to air grouses that can hurt Pakatan

The PAS disciplinary board headed by Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man also issued a warning letter to Hasan.

Hasan was found guilty of discrediting the Pakatan state government by issuing public statements without going through internal channels, mainly over the recent Selcat inquiry into how state allocations were being run down by Umno-BN assemblymen. Selcat is a Selangor parliamentary watchdog committee.

Both men were found guilty under Section 75 of the PAS constitution. They have also been prohibited from making statements that can harm the party’s image.

“The suspension on Khalid extends to all position he holds in the party including as Shah Alam chief and also as committee member of the political bureau,” Tuan Ibrahim told a press conference.

“As for Hasan, even though he is not part of Selcat and Selcat is independent from the exco, we decided that Selcat was established by the state government and approved by the exco. Therefore as an exco member, he should bring any matters related to Selcat during the exco meeting and not outside,” Tuan Man also said.

Khalid likely to heed supporters' call to appeal

Both men have 30 days to appeal. Hasan has blamed the media for sensationalizing the events that led to his being brought before the disciplinary panel. It is unclear if he will appeal the warning given to him.

Meanwhile, Khalid’s close aides expect him to give in to the calls that have rung in non-stop for him not to give up.

“It is as though the whole of Malaysia has been calling to ask YB to appeal and not to be upset. But YB is now in Saudi and what is there to be upset about anyway. He is a very calm man and from what we know, he won’t let his supporters down,” an aide told Harakahdaily.

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Walk your talk. End racial profiling. Say “No more”.

By Haris Ibrahim

I received an e-mail from a lady teacher. She attached the two-paged document that I have reproduced below.

This is what she said in her mail :…

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By Haris Ibrahim

I received an e-mail from a lady teacher. She attached the two-paged document that I have reproduced below.

This is what she said in her mail :

“After all the talk of 1Malaysia, we are still asked to mark ourselves as Malay or non-Malay, bumi or non-bumi, Muslim or non-Muslim.

Does my race or religion have any relevance whether I am a good teacher?

Are we not all Malaysians?

I hate this, Haris.

Can I just ignore those irritating questions?

What should I do?”

I replied her :

“Take a red pen and a ruler. Draw a line right through ‘Status Bumiputra’, ‘Bangsa’, ‘Etnik’ and ‘Agama’ and then write over that line you have just drawn, “TIDAK RELEVAN. SAYA ANAK BANGSA MALAYSIA”.

If you do not agree with this sort of profiling, condemn it by refusing to go along with it.

The reason this sort of profiling still goes on is because even as we recognise how wrong it is, we take the easy way out and comply.

In reality, it is we who give life to this profiling.

If we collectively refuse to legitimise thiss policy of profiling by refusing to comply, it will one day surely go away.”

__________________________

I’m going to reproduce below parts of an earlier posting.

___________________________

RPK, almost tongue-in-cheek, offered a simple definition of ‘civil disobedience’ in a POST at MT sometime back :

“It’s actually quite simple. You defy the powers-that-be, but you do it in a passive, not active, manner. You do not resist. You just do nothing. And is this not what Malaysians are good at, doing nothing?”

Of late, notwithstanding the PM’s talk about 1Malaysia, we still see a lot of racist, divide-and-rule crap coming out from Utusan, which is an UMNO mouthpiece, from the DPM, from other ministers and a whole array of NGOs which, if you bothered to check, again lead back to UMNO.

UMNO continues to play the race card because this is the only politics they understand.

The other BN component parties, most times, don’t have the courage to stand up to UMNO and say ‘Cut out this race crap. We are all Malaysians, so stop this divide-and-rule game’.

In response to UMNO’s ketuanan Melayu, Pakatan Rakyat has been heard to espouse ketuanan rakyat but, sadly, sometimes even the PR politicians appear afraid to walk the full distance needed to truly see this nation on the way to being that of a single people.

For some time now, I’ve believed that if we are to see the aspiration of ‘One People, One Nation’ become a reality, it has to be people-driven.

What say we start a little civil disobedience now to send out our own little message, in our own little way, to the government , that we are no longer going to countenance their divide-and-rule tactics?

We could simply call this initiative Project Irrelevant.

Project Irrelevant is not new.

It was launched at the first Bangsa Malaysia Merdeka forum and get-together on 25th August, 2007 at the then Blog House. You can read about that HERE.

I’ve also written about Project Irrelevant HERE.

Let me just reproduce my closing lines in the Project Irrelevant post :

“If you are one of those who has written with comments to this blog supportive of the many initiatives to one day see this as a nation of one people, I ask you to now support this initiative.

Please walk your talk.

If you proclaim yourself as anak Bangsa Malaysia in cyberspace, have the courage and conviction to do the same on paper.

SEX : IRRELEVANT

RELIGION : IRRELEVANT

RACE : BANGSA MALAYSIA”

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Umno-BN Diselubungi Ketakutan Melampau

Iklim ketakutan atau climate of fear makin menyelubungi negara. Umno-BN, yang sudah lama memerintah, memperkuatkan lagi cengkamannya agar nafas Demokrasi, Kebebasan dan Karamah Insan di negara ini mulai sesak. Minggu…

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Iklim ketakutan atau climate of fear makin menyelubungi negara. Umno-BN, yang sudah lama memerintah, memperkuatkan lagi cengkamannya agar nafas Demokrasi, Kebebasan dan Karamah Insan di negara ini mulai sesak. Minggu kebelakangan ini keresahan memuncak apabila adanya percubaan untuk merekayasa ketegangan antara kaum dan agama. Siri serangan ke atas rumah ibadat mengejutkan rakyat Malaysia kerana ada di antara kita demi kelansungan politik segelintir, sanggup menggadai keamanan dan keharmonian negara ini.

Kita dikejutkan lagi dengan berita bahawa adanya tangkapan secara beramai-ramai minggu lalu menggunakan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri(ISA), kononnya untuk memerangi pengganas. Sekiranya tidak didedahkan oleh Gerakan Mansuh ISA, pastinya kerajaan akan mendiamkan perkara ini agar tidak diketahui umum. Persoalannya jika ada bukti kukuh, mengapa menggunakan ISA? Saya menggesa agar kerajaan segera membawa mereka ke muka pengadilan dan diadili secara bebas tanpa menurut telunjuk sesiapapun.

Manakala tohmahan diperhebat terhadap Pakatan Rakyat, dibantu pula oleh ”lidah rasminya,” yang mengabaikan segala prinsip serta integriti kewartawanan, keadaan ternyata semakin memburuk. Dipaparkan kononnya pimpinan umno-bn sedang berusaha memulihkan negara dari kemurungan ekonomi dan sedang cuba membawa perubahan, walhal pada masa yang sama, mereka yang bangkit menyatakan perbezaan, dibantai serta cuba dialahkan menggunakan taktik keji.
Lihat sahaja apabila kerajaan sanggup membiarkan anak-anak mahasiswa kita diberkas dan diugut. Apa erti slogan perubahan jika suara mahasiswa dibungkam dan mereka ditakut-takutkan. Lebih menyedihkan kemurnian kawasan universiti dicemar apabila pihak keselamatan menceroboh lalu angkuh mempamirkan kekuatan. Tidak sedarkah kamu wahai pemerintah! Yang cuba ditakut-takutkan ini adalah penzahiran dari damir perjuangan bangsa! Mahasiswa dan anak muda adalah generasi pemberani yang tidak gentar walau hanya berbekal genggaman tapak tangan apabila berhadapan kekuatan pemerintah.

Jelas kelihatan kepada kita, iklim ketakutan dimunculkan demi mengalih pendangan rakyat dari isu sebenar. Apatah lagi kerana kemurungan ekonomi yang belum berlalu, kebobrokan rasuah yang semakin memualkan, kehakiman yang tidak bebas serta peningkatan ketidakyakinan rakyat terhadap kepimpinan Umno.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

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Pakatan Rakyat – what next

By Lim Kit Siang,

Pakatan Rakyat won a renewal of public confidence and trust with the successful holding of the Pakatan Rakyat national convention in Shah Alam on Dec. 19…

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By Lim Kit Siang,

Pakatan Rakyat won a renewal of public confidence and trust with the successful holding of the Pakatan Rakyat national convention in Shah Alam on Dec. 19 last year and the demonstration of greater responsibility and maturity as compared to Umno and Barisan Nasional in the response to the “Allah” controversy which had further marred the image and reputation of Malaysia, both locally and internationally, since the new year.

But in a matter of days, these hard-won gains for the Pakatan Rakyat were largely undone not by the acts of our political adversaries but by the deeds of Pakatan Rakyat standard-bearers.

As a result, there is now a new round of public questioning as to whether Pakatan Rakyat can be trusted with the great responsibility of federal power in the next general elections.

This internal haemorrhaging, at a time when the Umno-led Barisan Nasional is intensifying its political offensive with a new round of abuses of the national institutions and instruments, must end.

This will be the challenge of the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council when it meets tomorrow.

Since the last quarter of the year, the subject of a Pakatan Rakyat disciplinary committee had been on the agenda of the Pakatan Rakyat leadership council.

The PR disciplinary committee, with two members from each party, must meet to restore public confidence in the discipline, commitment, cohesion and unity of Pakatan Rakyat.

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Thaipusam: One Million Devotees Throng Batu Caves

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Some one million Hindu devotees and tourists thronged the Sri Subramaniyar Swami Temple in Batu Caves here in conjunction with the…

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Some one million Hindu devotees and tourists thronged the Sri Subramaniyar Swami Temple in Batu Caves here in conjunction with the Thaipusam festival to commemorate the birth of Lord Murugan.

Despite the hot and humid weather since morning, Batu Caves was filled with merriment, with some 10,000 devotees carrying kavadis and palkudams (milk pots), breaking coconuts and shaving their heads.

The temple's committee member V. Krishnamoorthi said the festival this year was merrier with 10,000 devotees fulfilling their vows, while tourists were also able to see changes around the temple.

"There are indeed many changes in the festival this time around... buildings and halls are now with a new coat of paint, there is also a new pedestrian walkway while a small hall has also been built for the devotees to fulfil their vows by shaving their heads," he said.

Unlike last year when there was traffic congestion, the traffic was well-organised this time around.

Several tourists described the festival as amazing and something very different from their own cultures.

"This is a very exciting celebration, and I'm impressed," Australian tourist James Tucker, 45, said.

Thaipusam is one of the festivals celebrated by Malaysian Hindus during the full moon in the month of "Thai" in the Tamil Calendar, which usually falls between January and early February.

Legend has it that Thaipusam began when the goddess Parvathi, Murugan's mother, gave him a bow and arrow to destroy an evil force known as Soorapadman.

Murugan's success in restoring prosperity and the well-being of the people, had become an occasion for Hindus to celebrate and observe Thaipusam.

In IPOH, some 10,000 Hindu devotees thronged the Arul Subramaniar Temple located near the Gunung Cheroh limestone here since yesterday evening.

The temple compound was a burst of colours with various activities and rituals being carried out including a chariot procession from Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Sungai Pari.

Several roads in the city were chocked with cars as roads leading to Subramaniar Temple were closed since yesterday evening until midnight tonight.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was scheduled to meet the devotees at the temple at about 6.30pm today.

In PENANG, more than 90,000 Hindu devotees converged at Hindu temples in Jalan Kebun Bunga to fulfil their vows during the annual Thaipusam festival.

Penang Hindu Endowments Board vice chairman R.S.N Rayer said more than 200 Hindu devotees carried the kavadis and the palkudams and took part in the coconut breaking ritual.

"This year's Thaipusam falls on a weekend, thus making the festival even more merrier as more people are able to visit the temple," he said.

He said there were 137 "Thannir Panthal" (stalls serving free food and drinks) set up along the road heading to Jalan Kebun Bunga.

A tourist from Ireland, known only as Keith, 31, said this was his first Thaipusam experience although he had visited Penang several times.

"I was amazed to see how Thaipusam is celebrated here with huge kavadis decorated with flowers and peacock feathers," he told Bernama.

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Keputusan Pemangku Raja Kelantan tidak boleh diadili - Hakim

Utusan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR 29 Jan. - Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra hari ini gagal dalam cubaannya mendapatkan kebenaran Mahkamah Tinggi bagi mencabar keputusan kekandanya Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra yang memecat…

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Utusan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR 29 Jan. - Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra hari ini gagal dalam cubaannya mendapatkan kebenaran Mahkamah Tinggi bagi mencabar keputusan kekandanya Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra yang memecat beliau daripada senarai bakal pewaris takhta.

Ini kerana Hakim Mohamad Ariff Md. Yusof terlebih dahulu memutuskan bahawa keputusan Tengku Muhammad Faris yang memecat Tengku Temenggong Kelantan itu pada 16 September tahun lalu, tidak boleh diadili.

''Mahkamah ini tidak sesuai dijadikan forum untuk memutuskan isu-isu berkaitan kuasa prerogatif yang telah diputuskan oleh Pemangku Raja. Jika berlaku sebarang pertelingkahan mengenainya, ia perlu diselesaikan sendiri oleh Raja Kelantan.

''Perkara 62 Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Kelantan telah menzahirkan maksud yang sama bahawa prosiding di mahkamah tidak akan menjejaskan hak, kuasa diraja, bidang kuasa Sultan serta kedaulatannya,'' jelas beliau.

Oleh kerana isu tersebut secara dasarnya menyentuh hak keistimewaan diraja, maka pada hemat Hakim Mohamad Ariff, ia tidak sesuai untuk disemak semula menerusi permohonan di mahkamah.

Selain itu, hakim berkenaan menyatakan, Perkara 5 undang-undang yang sama telah menjelaskan peranan Pemangku Raja untuk menjalankan kuasa-kuasa yang perlu tanpa sebarang had sepanjang Raja tidak berada di dalam negeri.

Majlis Perajaan Negeri Kelantan, menurut beliau, bertanggungjawab menentukan adakah berlaku kekosongan takhta ekoran ketiadaan Raja Kelantan bagi tempoh melebihi satu tahun.

Selaras dengan keputusan itu, Hakim Mohamad Ariff memerintahkan supaya Tengku Muhammad Fakhry selaku pemohon membayar kos kepada kekandanya yang dinamakan sebagai responden.

Pemohon dijangka memfailkan rayuan berhubung keputusan tersebut.

Pada 16 September tahun lalu, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra selaku Pemangku Raja telah melucutkan keanggotaan Tengku Muhammad Fakhry daripada senarai bakal pewaris takhta.

Putera ketiga Raja Kelantan, Sultan Ismail Petra Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra itu telah memfailkan permohonan pada 1 Disember tahun lalu bagi mendapatkan kebenaran untuk mencabar keputusan kekandanya menerusi prosiding semakan kehakiman.

Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, 31, yang juga suami kepada Manohara Odelia Pinot memohon perisytiharan bahawa keputusan Tengku Muhammad Faris yang melucutkan keanggotaannya daripada Majlis Perajaan adalah bercanggah dengan Perkara 7 Perlembagaan Kelantan.

Selain Tengku Muhammad Faris, pemohon turut menamakan lima responden lain iaitu Datuk Hashim Yusoff; Datuk Tengku Salwah Sultan Yahya Petra; peguam Datuk Sukri Mohamed; Datuk Che Mohd. Rahim Jusoh dan Kolonel Dr. Mohammad Razin Kamarulzaman.

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Kugan's samples returned in untenable condition: lawyers

The Sun

PETALING JAYA (Jan 29, 2010): Lawyers for the family of V. Kugan, the man who died in police custody, today took the police to task for returning samples…

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The Sun

PETALING JAYA (Jan 29, 2010): Lawyers for the family of V. Kugan, the man who died in police custody, today took the police to task for returning samples taken from his body to the hospital in an incomplete and untenable condition.

The samples of blood and fluid specimens taken by Dr Prashant Samberkar of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in a privately-commissioned post-mortem were to be flown out to Australia for a second stage of a post-mortem when they were seized by police in April last year.

On Oct 9 that year, the magistrate's court in Petaling Jaya ordered the police to return them to UMMC. Police complied a few days later.

N. Surendran, one of the lawyers representing Kugan's family, told a press conference today: "In particular, an entire bottle of specimen was never returned."

Of the rest of the samples, he said: "I was told by Dr Prashant that they were unlikely to be of any use, as they were no longer in a frozen state."

Another lawyer, Teluk Intan MP M. Manogaran, accusing the police of being in contempt of a court order, said they were also worried the samples may have been tampered with by the police, in which case the toxicology tests would not bear any fruit.

Kugan, 23, was detained on suspicion of stealing luxury cars, but died in a police lock-up at 11am on Jan 20 last year. His family suspected foul play, and commissioned a second post-mortem at UMMC after the first at the Serdang Hospital yielded a report that they were unhappy with.

Prashant had made a provisional report stating Kugan had died of kidney failure due to severe beatings. The first post-mortem stated Kugan died due to fluid accumulation in the lungs.

The samples taken by Prashant were ready to be flown out for a second stage of the post mortem when they were seized by police on the instruction of the attorney-general.

Surendran said they believed the police were well aware of their intention to carry out a toxicology test, as they had copies of the post mortem report and their own experts. "We intended to send the samples to a lab in Australia for toxicological tests as University Hospital could not do it."

Surendran had sent a letter to director of the Criminal Investigations Department Datuk Bakri Zinin on Oct 28 asking for the full set of samples to be returned but there has been no reply.

"This is a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth," said Surendran.

Manogaran, who is also representing the family, said they were ready to proceed with contempt of court charges if Kugan’s mother agreed to it.

Surendran said they suspected Kugan may have been poisoned or something may have been administered to him whilst he was under detention.

Pointing to a picture taken during Kugan’s second post-mortem, Surendran said: "You can see amongst the fatty tissue on his wrist, there is a red circular dot, the experts we have consulted believe this is the mark of a syringe entering the body."

Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam said they would submit a memorandum to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan regarding Kugan's and another case next Wednesday. - theSun

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Umno teliti 'tindakan' pada Ku Li

Christians have 'ulterior motive', says PKR's Zulkifli

Six-month suspension for Khalid, warning for Hasan

Federal Court rules no extra evidence for Anwar

Insulting late Johor sultan - blogger in the dock - Malaysiakini

A blogger, who was investigated for allegedly insulting the late Sultan of Johor, was charged at the Seremban Sessions Court today.

Khairul Nizam Abd Ghani, 29 (right in pix…

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A blogger, who was investigated for allegedly insulting the late Sultan of Johor, was charged at the Seremban Sessions Court today.

Khairul Nizam Abd Ghani, 29 (right in pix), from Pancor near Seremban and who is also known by his pen name 'Aduka Taruna', pleaded not guilty to making a seditious posting with the intention of defaming the Johor sultanate and its people.

He allegedly made the posting sometime between 7.25pm, and 9.05pm on January 22.

Khairul Nizam, 29, who was married less than a month, had earlier been remanded for four days after he surrendered to the Kota Bharu police on Monday. His newly-wed wife accompanied him during proceedings.

The blogger was charged under Section 233 (1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or one year's jail or both upon conviction.

DPP Masri Mohd Daud had proposed bail at RM10,000 with one surety.

However, his lawyer Mohd Razlan Jalaludin, pleaded for the amount to be reduced as he was scheduled to hold his wedding reception tomorrow.

Sessions judge Zamri Bakar agreed to reduce bail to RM5,000 with one surety.

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Thaipusam day Kedah PAS MB demolish hindu cemetary.

Media Statement (29/01/2010)

This morning Mr.Manigan Raj, the Chairmain of the Ladang Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, Kedah Hindu Cemetary telephoned and informed us that the Kedah Menteri Besar Dato Seri…

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Media Statement (29/01/2010)

This morning Mr.Manigan Raj, the Chairmain of the Ladang Batu Pekaka, Kuala Ketil, Kedah Hindu Cemetary telephoned and informed us that the Kedah Menteri Besar Dato Seri Azizan has ordered that the rest of the said Ladang Batu Pekaka hindu cemetery be destroyed today ie on the eve of the Thaipusam day or on Thaipusam day tomorrow.

This Kedah PAS MB has “franchised” this job to an Indian mandore. Mr.Raj and his family in particular are standing put and have refused to remove his ancestor’s remains.

They stand by their constitutional right to freedom of religion which is enshrined in and guaranteed for by Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. Why doesn’t this Kedah PAS MB try demolishing a Chinese Christian or Muslim graveyard. He would not dare. The Indians are the soft targets as they have no or very little political or economic power.

Mr Raj will be making his 13^th police report today. But then even after twelve (12) previous police reports, thus far the tripitrade UMNO, PAS and Malay-sian police axis still insist in committing the crime of defiling a place of burial in violation of Section 297 of the Penal Code and read with Article 11 of the Federal Constitution. This is PAS, UMNO and the Malay-sian police crime with impunity. This kind of atrocities are just the tip of the iceberg.

Just last week the PKR Selangor Menteri Besar demolished a hindu cemetery in Rawang so much so that the human bones were indiscriminately strewn around the area.

But then who cares as the graves and bones are that of merely the poor and underprivileged Indians anyway. (Refer to the newsreport in Sinar posted here previously). UMNO has similarly had had a free hand in also committing this atrocity over the last 52 years.

This kind of atrocities does not happen to any minority community in any other part of the world except in UMNO Prime Minister Najib Razak’s One- Malaysia.

Thank You.

Your Faithfully,

________________________

P.Uthayakumar.

Secretary General (pro-tem)

HUMAN RIGHTS PARTY MALAYSIA

Cc:

Dato’ Seri Uztaz Haji Azizan bin Abdul Razak

Menteri Besar Kedah

Pejabat Menteri Besar,
Aras 3, Blok A Wisma Darul Aman,

05503 Alor Setar, Fax: 04-7339088 Kedah Darul Aman. E-Mail: pmb@kedah.gov.my

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1, 410 Thaipusam stalls. Indians scrambling to do business but excluded outside Batu Caves.

Each time the Indian community complains that they have been denied business opportunities, UMNO and their MIC mandores are quick to give excuses that the Indians are not in…

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Each time the Indian community complains that they have been denied business opportunities, UMNO and their MIC mandores are quick to give excuses that the Indians are not interested in doing business.

Just see for yourself the Indian business enthusiasm especially in Batu Caves, Ipoh and Penang on this Thaipusam festival.

But where do these thousands of Indian petty traders go to do business.

UMNO would rather these Indian petty traders rot after Thaipusam than they actually actively contributing to the nation’s economy. This is how racist, religious extremist and supremacist UMNO can be.

P. Uthayakumar

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Grant all hindu temples state land, 2) Build overhead railway bridge to preserve historical walk path to Batu Caves.

NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Your Reference :

In Reply : HRP/ Jan/ 10

Date : 29/01/2010…

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NO.6, Jalan Abdullah, Off Jalan Bangsar, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Tel: 03-2282 5241 Fax: 03-2282 5245 Website: www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com

Your Reference :

In Reply : HRP/ Jan/ 10

Date : 29/01/2010

YAB. Dato Seri Najib Razak

Prime Minister of Malaysia

Blok Utama Bangunan Perdana Putra,

Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Fax: 03-88883444

62502 Putrajaya E-Mail: najib@pmo.gov.my.

Thaipusam wish:- 1) Grant all hindu temples state land,

2) Build overhead railway bridge to preserve historical walk path to Batu Caves.

In conjunction with your goodselves maiden visit to Batu Caves on the occasion of Thaipusam this evening, we call upon your goodeself to announce, make public, distribute and post on the Prime Minister’s website the government’s written policy decision in an official circular on the letterhead of the Prime Minister’s office that :-

1) All hindu temples in Malaysia are forthwith granted government land in situ that is where the said hindu temples are situated presently.

2) Also that from this year’s Thaipusam (2010) onwards your goodselves direct that there shall be no more hindu temple demolishments in Malaysia.

With the above, the government would be seen to be abiding by Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and not committing any further and future offence of defiling a place of worship in contravention of Section 295 of the Penal Code which offence is in any event punishable with two years jail but which the UMNO Attorney General consciously does not prosecute and so the offence continuing with impunity.

We have received numerous complaints this year about the congestion, inconvenience and in fact obstruction to Freedom of Religion in contravention of Article 11 of the Federal Constitution arising out of the new railway line works which has blocked off the original and historical Thaipusam walkway to Batu Caves. “New rail tracks pose a problem for devotees” (Star Metro 29/01/2010 at page M3).

The government knows of the pre existing especially the annual week long Thaipusam celebrations with some two (2) Million people congregating at Batu Caves an Thaipusam day, Batu Caves being the leading tourist attraction site in Malaysia and a potential World Heritage Site.

Your goodself should not be seen to be coming to Batu Caves empty handed to merely fish for the crucial and critical Indian votes!.

We hereby call upon your goodself at this evening’s Thaipusam visit to also announce the building of an Elevated Railway Bridge to the Batu Caves Railway Station and thereby preserving the original and historical walk path to the Batu Caves hindu temple as has been the tradition in over the last 200 years.

We could off hand remember at least two recent precedents of this being done ie the elevated overhead highway next to the Ar Rahim Mosque in Pantai and the elevated highway next to the Rasah Railway gate to preserve the local Rasah Mosque.

Mr Prime Minister, the same can certainly be done for Batu Caves what more when it is soon anticipated to be recognized as a United Nations World Heritage Site.

Thank You.

Your Faithfully,

________________________

P.Uthayakumar.

Secretary General (pro-tem)

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