Muhyiddin lied, say Indian groups

(Malaysiakini) The Federation of Indian NGO Associations has tagged Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin a liar and a traitor for suggesting that the ministry has reached consensus with the Indian community on the use of the Malay literature textbook 'Interlok'.

Instead, the federation's information chief AP Raja Retinam said, some Indian representatives who attended Tuesday's meeting had called for a total withdrawal of the book.

"Muhyiddin is a liar and a traitor for saying the ministry has reached a consensus, with making some amendments, as well as adding a glossary and teaching guidelines, as possible solutions.

"We, along with the representatives who attended the meeting, had called for the complete withdrawal of the book, not such solutions," Raja Retinam (left) said, adding that those who mislead the public would go to hell.

The federation, that had protested the Form Five textbook, had also earlier said it would put up a candidate in Tenang, but had not proceeded. 

Raja Retinam instead called on the Indian voters there to give their backing to PAS.

He has also called on the MIC, which sent its representatives to the meeting in Putrajaya last Tuesday, to hold a central working committee meeting to discuss Muhyiddin's statement and for the party to state its honest position.

Muhyiddin said yesterday the meeting, chaired by deputy minister Puad Zarkashi, had arrived at a consensus with possible solutions to end the 'Interlok' row, such as inserting additional footnotes, a glossary and teaching guidelines into the textbook.

Muhyiddin said the novel discussed national unity and integration among races, which were in line with the 1Malaysia concept.

The minister added that it was just that there were worries in the MIC and certain groups from the Indian community over a few words used in the novel.

Mass police reports

Raja Retinam called on the Indian community to join the move tomorrow to file police reports 'en mass' to put on record the Indian community's dissatisfaction with 'Interlok' and the ministry's insistence on using the book in schools.

"Go all out, in groups or as families, to every police station. Make sure everybody makes a report against 'Interlok'," he said.

Malaysiakini on Tuesday quoted a source who attended the Putrajaya meeting as telling the panel that 'pariah' and other words once used on low-caste people have been declared unlawful in India.

Therefore, teaching Malaysian students aged 16 and 17 years such things now would not be suitable. It could rekindle what was no longer prevalent today, and even create more tension amongst students, the source said.

Some 120,000 copies of 'Interlok' have been distributed in Selangor, Putrajaya, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and Negri Sembilan, and there is worry about potential repercussions, the source said.

During Thaipusam at Batu Caves on Thursday, the Hindu Rights Action Force and members of the Human Rights Party protested against 'Interlok' just as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak arrived at the venue, with the police making nine arrests.

Muhyiddin'missing the point'

Meanwhile, DAP national vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran (left) in a statement said his party would continue to pursue the Interlok issue throughout the Tenang by-election and after until the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of the Indian community.

"No one should be surprised if this issue prolongs even to the (next) general elections. It will snowball to become the central issue of anger of the Indian community against BN," said the Ipoh Barat parliamentarian.

Muhyiddin, Kulasegaran said further, had missed the point if he thought grievances over the matter could be resolved with his statement that a consensus had allegedly been reached by Indian NGOs that the author of 'Interlok' had no intention of disparaging the Indian community.

"Such clarification or argument is actually missing the real point as no one is questioning the intentions of the author," he said.

"One would think that the meeting would have reached a consensus that the book has hurt the Indian community and that the controversy must be immediately resolved.

"The controversy has dragged on long enough and the federal government should focus on the real questions," Kulasegaran said further.

Among them, he added, were:

- Can such a controversial book be used as a school text book?

- Can it truly promote better racial understanding and forge unity?

- Why can't we just have a textbook that is non-controversial and acceptable to all?

- Why is it so difficult for the education ministry to right an obvious wrong?

Those who argue that the book must be read "in the right context or as a whole" do not understand why the Indian community is angry with and hurt by the inaccuracies and demeaning words found in the book, said Kulasegaran.

"It is disappointing that the federal government cannot even understand the sentiment of the Indian community.

"If the cabinet leaders do understand the sentiment of the Indian community, then they definitely lack the political will and wisdom to resolve the issue." he added.

Najib :Kita an example of thriving democracy.MMSP approved in 2 weeks But HRPs’ application not approved and waiting for 12 years.

Dear YB,

RE: Najib :Kita an example of thriving democracy.MMSP approved in 2 weeks But HRPs’ application not approved and waiting for 12 years.

We refer to the above matter and to the newsreport in The Star 22/1/11 at page N3 reporting “The emergence of a new political party is a clear indication that democracy in Malaysia is active and vibrant. The prime Minister said it showed anyone could form a political party.

But why has the Human Rights Party’s (HRP) application to be registered as a political party not had been approved despite having waited for twelve (12) long years.

The predecessor of HRP i.e. PRIM’s application for registration way back in 1999 was rejected, some 12 years ago.

HRP’s application was first submitted on 18/6/2009 and the full submission done on 25/11/2010 and duly acknowledged receipt by the Registrar of Societies.

But up to date HRP’s application to be registered as a political party is refused to be approved but “ Kita is a shining example of thriving democracy”.

Another UMNO/BN created political party MMSP had its application approved within two weeks. But why is HRP’s application not been approved despite pending over the last twelve (12) years.

After all Article 8 of the Federal Constitution provides for Equality before the law and Article 12 provides for freedom of association (for HRP to form a political party.)

Kindly therefore approve HRP’s application forthwith and in any event within two weeks from the date hereof.

“Rights not Mercy”

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

……………………………….

P.Uthayakumar

Secretary General(Pro tem)

MIC rep wants Interlok dropped, denies consensus

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — An MIC representative denied today there was consensus that the Interlok novel did not disparage the Indian community, and insisted that it should be dropped from the education syllabus,

Former Hindu Sangam Malaysia president Dr A. Nagappan refuted Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that a discussion last Tuesday had reached a consensus that the controversial novel did not intend to disparage the Indian community.

“We had agreed that this novel should be withdrawn. There was no other suggestion other than to ask that it not be used in school,” Nagappan told The Malaysian Insider.

“So, Tan Sri Muhyiddin’s statement (that the novel should be used) is not true,” added the former lecturer who represented MIC at the talks.

The Indian-based MIC is part of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) federal coalition.

Nagappan stressed that all six MIC representatives had agreed that the novel should not be used as the Form Five literature text as it was not conducive in fostering the 1 Malaysia spirit and racial unity.

Yesterday, Muhyiddin (picture) suggested several solutions to the Interlok controversy, such as creating additional footnotes, glossaries and teaching guidelines.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said more discussions with MIC leaders would be held before deciding if the novel would be removed from the school syllabus.

He added that he had informed the Cabinet on Wednesday about the results of the discussion, which he said was conducted in a professional and friendly manner.

The education minister further claimed that Interlok encouraged racial unity and was in line with the 1 Malaysia concept.

“There were only concerns from MIC and some quarters in the Indian community towards certain words. This writer (national laureate Datuk Abdullah Hussain), when read in its entirety, has no intention of humiliating or disparaging any race in that novel,” Muhyiddin had said.

Abdullah’s novel, which was written 50 years ago, has come under fire from the MIC and several Indian groups who claim that its contents on the Indian caste system are offensive.

Besides Nagappan, the other five MIC representatives who attended the Tuesday meeting were Hindu Sangam Malaysia president R. S. Mohan Shah, Universiti Malaya Indian Studies Department head Professor Madya Dr S. Kumaran, MIC Education Bureau chairman Tan Sri Dr T. Marimuthu, former Education Ministry official G. Krishnabagwan and Tamil Bell Club president S. V. Lingam.

Nagappan also said the MIC representatives had met a few NGOs yesterday and agreed to urge the MIC central working committee (CWC) to take a stand that is in line with the conclusion at the Tuesday discussion.

“As long as the MIC CWC does not make a stand, we will not attend further meetings with the Education Ministry,” said Nagappan.

“It is pointless for us to talk to the Education Ministry if MIC does not accept our stand,” he added.

The discussion this week was chaired by Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi and attended by 22 representatives, including NGOs and academicians.

The meeting lasted for four hours and Education Ministry officials had explained the rationale in choosing Interlok as the Form Five Bahasa Malaysia literature text.

Last week, MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel said the controversy surrounding the word “pariah” in the novel should be ended.

He had said it was a sensitive matter to Indians in the country although it was not a political issue.

Normala ready to give a good fight

LABIS: Normala Sudirman, PAS standard-bearer, carries the “underdog” label as she enters the Tenang arena, but she is burning with determination and hope.

She today said that she was ready to give a good fight and was even hoping to pull off a “surprise” win.

“On Jan 30, hopefully there would be a surprise here and I can be the voice of the rakyat in Tenang,” the 38-year-old woman said at a press conference after she was announced as the only candidate going up against Barisan Nasional’s (BN) Mohd Azahar Ibrahim, 39.

“This is an acknowledgement of women and educationists. I hope the rakyat will vote for change. I believe they would make the best choice as they are smart voters,” said the former secondary school teacher who resigned her position to contest the by-election.

“I am optimistic,” said Normala, who is also popularly called Cikgu Mala here.

Meanwhile, her opponent Azahar was more reserved with his comments, leaving most of the talking to Deputy Prime Minister and Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin.

“I thank the BN leaders for supporting me. Hopefully, with the combined strength, we’ll strive to win over the Chinese, Malays and Indians,” he said.

Asked about the fact that he was going against a woman candidate, Azahar said: “Each will have to prove his or her own capability; men have their advantages and women, too.”

He then declined to speak further, pleading hounding reporters to “give me some time to rest”.
It was announced earlier that the Tenang state by-election will be seeing a straight fight between Barisan Nasional and PAS.

The nation’s 14th by-election was triggered by the death of incumbent assemblyman, BN’s Sulaiman Tahar, 59, on Dec 17 last year from high blood pressure and diabetes.

Sulaiman beat PAS candidate Mohd Saim Siran by a majority of 2,492 votes in the 2008 general election.

Tenang has 14,753 registered voters comprising 7,014 Malays (47.5%), 5,766 Chinese (39%), 1,780 Indians (12%) and other races (1.5%). There are 18 postal voters.

Bi-Anne’s case: Technical hitches, so video-conference aborted

PUTRAJAYA: Mediation via video-conferencing, scheduled to take place today between the parents of a 11-year-old girl caught in a custody battle, failed to take place due to technical problems.

Mediation judge Low Hop Bing subsequently fixed Jan 28 for another attempt at mediation by video-conferencing between real estate negotiator Low Swee Siong and his ex-wife Tan Siew Siew who is a London-based restaurant manager.

It is believed that the court staff were unabled to reach Tan on two e-mail addresses given by her.

The parties had earlier agreed to mediate via video-conferencing after the court was informed that Tan could not be present in court because she had exhausted her leave.

Bi-Anne has refused to be with her mother in London, who in 2008 had succeeded in getting custody of her, and has insisted to be with her father.

The couple married in 1999 and divorced in 2006 with custody of Bi-Anne given to the father.

Two years later, Tan, 37, applied for and won custody of Bi-Anne while her ex-husband was given reasonable access to their only child.

n today’s proceedings, the judge suggested to Tan’s lawyer K Bowanes to persuade Tan to facilitate a conducive mediation process in the interest of her daughter by requesting the lawyer to e-mail to the latter a philosophical piece which reads ” family peace produces boundless fortune. People in harmony personify nobility”.

The judge also requested Bi-Anne to e-mail to her mother the same but the girl told the judge in Mandarin that she did not want to do so and besides, she also did not have her mother’s e-mail address anymore.

Bi-Anne, whom the judge described as a girl with exceptional and commendable intelligence, was in tears as she pleaded to the court to waive the RM400 fine per day imposed on her 40-year old father by the High Court for delay in handing over the child to Tan.

Hop Bing said as mediation judge he could not grant a stay on the RM400 fine as requested by Swee Siong without hearing submissions from parties in the matter.

Siew Siong’s counsel Sulaiman Abdullah then suggested that Tan give her connsent to stay the fine, but Bowanes told the court that she did not have any instruction on that matter from her client.

The judge then asked Bowanes if she could get some instruction from her client from today until next Friday to which the counsel gave here assurance that she would do so.

When asked by the judge on whether Tan would be returning to Malaysia before or after the Chinese New Year celebration next month, Bowanes said Tan could not confirm due to work.

The judge had granted a one-day interim stay on Jan 28 on the RM400 fine imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Sept 13 2010 on Swee Siong for disobeying a court order that he hand over Bi-Anne to his ex-wife.

The 40-year old real estate negotiator was fined RM20,000 for contempt of court and a fine of RM400 for each day of delay in handing over the girl to Tan.

- Bernama

Guru Yoga didakwa rogol pejalar 15 tahun

SHAH ALAM: Seorang guru yoga dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini atas dua pertuduhan merogol pelajarnya yang berusia 15 tahun pada Februari dan November tahun lepas.

Abdul Malik Abdullah, 55, dari Batu Caves dekat sini, mengaku tidak bersalah selepas kedua-dua pertuduhan dibacakan terhadapnya di hadapan Hakim Latifah Mohd Tahar.

Tertuduh didakwa merogol mangsa di Kampung Dato’ Harun, Serendah, Hulu Selangor dekat sini, kira-kira 8 malam pada Februari tahun lepas.

Abdul Malik yang ditahan pada 2 Jan lepas, juga didakwa merogol mangsa yang sama di Kuala Kubu Bharu, Hulu Selangor, antara 5 petang dan 6 petang pada November tahun lepas.

Kedua-dua pertuduhan dibuat mengikut Seksyen 376 Kanun Keseksaan yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara maksimum 20 tahun dan sebatan, jika sabit kesalahan.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Salwa Asmary Abdul Rahim membantah sebarang jaminan diberi kepada tertuduh dengan alasan kesalahan yang dilakukannya serius kerana membabitkan mangsa di bawah umur.

Beliau berkata hubungan antara tertuduh yang merupakan guru yoga kepada mangsa juga memungkinkan tertuduh menganggu mangsa, lebih-lebih lagi mereka tinggal berdekatan.

Abdul Malik yang tidak diwakili peguam memohon mahkamah membenarkan dia diikat jamin dengan alasan kesihatannya tidak berapa baik dan perlu menanggung enam anak angkat.

Latifah kemudian membenarkan permohonan pihak pendakwaan untuk tidak membenarkan tertuduh diikat jamin dan menetapkan 23 Feb depan untuk sebutan melantik peguam.

Terdahulu, Abdul Malik dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Majistret Kuala Kubu Bharu atas tuduhan memiliki dadah jenis syabu seberat 2.70 gram.

Tertuduh yang mengaku tidak bersalah dibenarkan diikat jamin RM3,000 dengan seorang penjamin dan mahkamah menetapkan 22 Feb depan untuk sebutan semula kes.

-Bernama

About gloved hands and chopped hands

Muhyiddin may now be challenged to state his stand on Islam. He has passed a remark that appears to be a challenge to Islam. Muhyiddin may have to categorically declare whether he accepts or rejects Islam and the laws that come with it.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The level of campaigning in the Tenang by-election has been reduced somewhat. It is now about the wearing of gloves and the chopping of hands.

The MCA President, Chua Soi Lek, ridicules the opposition candidate because she shakes hands while wearing gloves. The Queen (of England, that is) also does the same. In fact, the Queen Mother was once criticised for taking off her gloves before she shook hands. It is considered most unlady-like to do that. And the late Lady Diana too wore gloves. There is also an archive of her glove collection, which you can see here:

http://www.operagloves.com/Royals/Diana/diana.html

So, yes, the ladies of English Royalty would not be caught dead without their gloves. And there is a healthy debate amongst the English public as to whether the ladies of English society should or should not wear gloves when shaking hands (just Google it and you will be taken to these debate sites). And most are of the opinion that if they are ladies then they should wear gloves.

But the MCA President would probably not understand this because he does not consort with ladies. And ‘ladies of the night’ are not quite what I mean when I say ladies. ‘Ladies of the night’ are…well, you know what I mean if you were to watch his action-packed videos. I really do not need to elaborate on this matter.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, in turn, ridicules the opposition on the cutting of hands. He is actually not criticising PAS, the party from which the opposition candidate comes from, as much as he is criticising Islam.

This quip may come back to haunt him as it did Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who made a remark about the Prophet Muhammad’s beard. Until today this remark by Dr Mahathir refuses to go away and even Umno admits that this was probably one of the gravest mistakes he ever made -- making fun of the Prophet’s appearance.

The Deputy Prime Minister will of course be asked to explain his statement. And if I were PAS I would not allow this statement to pass unchallenged.

What did Muhyiddin mean when he said that if PAS were to come to power they would chop of your hands? Is he saying that all Malaysians are thieves and robbers and there is not an honest soul left in Malaysia?

First of all, is this proper and correct Islamic law? Is Muhyiddin saying that the chopping of hands does not exist in Islamic law? Or is he saying that it does exist but he does not accept it and rejects Islamic law?

This, he needs to explain. He needs to tell us whether he disputes the existence of the law or he accepts the existence of the law but rejects its implementation.

It is one thing to make fun of PAS. It is another to make fun of Islam. Malays are extremely sensitive about their race and religion, sometimes to an extreme. Muhyiddin may be seen as making fun of Islam rather than making fun of PAS. He is walking on very thin ice here.

Muhyiddin may now be challenged to state his stand on Islam. He has passed a remark that appears to be a challenge to Islam. Muhyiddin may have to categorically declare whether he accepts or rejects Islam and the laws that come with it.

Of course, there is always one way out for Muhyiddin, so all is not lost. He can declare that the chopping of hands does not exist in Islam and that is why he spoke out against it and made fun of it. He can state that the Hudud laws never came from God and was merely a creation of man. He can quote verses from the Quran that argue against the Hadith. Muhyiddin can declare that all Hadith are false and were fabricated by enemies of Islam who wanted to corrupt Islam and mislead the people.

If Muhyiddin were to argue this then he could probably counter whatever PAS may say about him. Declare all Hadith as false and opposed to real Islamic teachings. Declare that the Quran never laid down the cutting of hands and those who propagate this are spreading false teachings of Islam. Declare that the Islamic law of Hudud was a law that was fabricated hundreds of years after the Prophet and were not what the Prophet taught Muslims.

Then maybe Muhyiddin will be able to counter any criticism to his remarks.

And I can only conclude by saying good luck.

Sabah and Sarawak are still colonies

What is the real meaning of Merdeka. Sabah and Sarawak are supposed to be Merdeka but are they or did they actually exchange one colonial master of white skins for anther colonial master of brown skins?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin

 

DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE FILE. To play the recording, go to the link above and click the play button (RIGHT ARROW BUTTON) on the player icon (see sample below).

Concurrent Election Will Favour Sarawak BN, Confuse Voters - DAP

KUCHING, Jan 22 (Bernama) -- The possibility of a concurrent state and parliamentary election will give the Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) an edge over the opposition during the campaign period.

Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng said the concurrent election would affect opposition parties in Sarawak as the move would limit resources available for the opposing political parties.

"It's a ploy to ensure Pakatan Rakyat resources from Peninsula Malaysia will not come to Sarawak," he told Bernama on Saturday.

Wong, who is also Bukit Assek assemblyman and Sibu member of parliament (MP) claimed that if the prime minister and chief minister decided to proceed with such an idea, it would lead to confusion among Sarawak voters.

The last time Sarawak held concurrent election was in 1974, and went ahead holding its own state election in 1979, and the general election was held a year earlier.

Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief See Chee How said PR would be ready to face any eventuality while state PKR women chief Nurhanim Mokshen, while echoing similar sentiments, said it would have minimal impact on opposition parties.

Chief Minister and Sarawak BN chairman Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was quoted as saying he would discuss with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the possibility of concurrent polling.

In an immediate reaction yesterday, Najib said the possibility of a state and parliamentary election was not being ruled out.

The leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, has called for the withdrawal of French troops from Muslim lands in exchange for the release of hostages, in an audio message.

Referring to French hostages being held in Niger, the speaker on the tape, who sounded like Bin Laden, says their release depended on moves by their own government.

He says France will pay dearly for its policy in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"President Nicolas Sarkozy's refusal to remove his forces from Afghanistan is nothing but a green light for killing the French hostages," Bin Laden says in the recording, broadcast on Al Jazeera on Friday.

"We repeat the same message to you: The release of your prisoners in the hands of our brothers is linked to the withdrawal of your soldiers from our country."

This is the second tape that Bin Laden, believed to be hiding in the mountainous border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, has released an audio recording attacking French policy and linking the French presence in Afghanistan to the kidnapping of its nationals in Niger.

Seven foreigners, including five French nationals, were kidnapped in Niger in September, with the group's north African wing Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claiming responsibility.

AQIM also claimed responsibility for two Frenchmen found dead last week after a failed rescue attempt in Niger, but the group did not say how the men died.

Following the kidnappings last year, an AQIM spokesman, Salah Abi Mohammed, said in an audio message: "We inform the French government that the mujahedeen will later transmit their legitimate demands."

The September kidnapping was an escalation of hostilities between AQIM and France.

AQIM killed 78-year-old Frenchman Michel Germaneu last July after French commandos took part in a failed raid to free him.

France has eight hostages held across the world, five held by AQIM in Niger, two in Afghanistan held by the Taliban, and one in Somalia.

Bin Laden's last audiotaped message to France, released on Al Jazeera in October, attacked France's planned ban on full-face Islamic veils, a subject also latched on to in reported demands made by the AQIM kidnappers for its repeal.

In August 2009, al-Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahri, criticised France over what he called its hatred for Muslims and issued a list of historical grudges he said Muslims should feel for France's colonial actions in the Middle East and Africa.
Source:
Agencies

Second post-mortem on custodial death victim

P. M Najib instructs Malay muslim police to attack and arrest Hindus at Batu Caves Hindu temple @ Thaipusam to assert malay muslim supremacy.

A Press conference on degrading the Malaysian Indians as Pariahs in the UMNO Interlok book was scheduled at 10.00 a.m on 20/1/11.

The Hindraf and HRP activists only went to the Batu Caves temple main entrance after Prime Minister Najib Razak had gone inside the temple.

The Malay-sian Polis Raja Di Malaysia started attacking ,beating up and stomping on the spot the Hindraf activists as soon as S. Jayathas and Hindraf activists peacefully distributed their media statement and started addressing the media.

Raja (Taxi) was injured on the head, C.F Mani on the leg and S. Jayathas and others on the body. All in broad daylight, before the eyes of thousands of helpless and defencless Hindus and with impunity.

P.M Najib had ordered the Malay-sian police to take the opportunity and beat these Hindraf activists up and stomping on them with police boots while arresting them. The police used force to block the media from filming these beatings.

HRP supporter Nathan had recorded some of the beatings but the racist Malay muslim policemen confiscated his camera, deleted all his recordings and returned his camera to him.

UMNO’s One Malay-sia!

(see Utusan Malaysia 21/1/11 at page 16)

Karunai Nithi @ Compassionate Justice

Second post-mortem on custodial death victim

(Malaysiakini) The body of the wireman who was found dead in the Bukit Jalil police station on Jan 7 was officially sent in for its second post-mortem at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC)at 12.09pm, after it was re-identified by a younger brother, M Panirselvam, 32.

The hospital's Pathology Unit head Dr K Mathiharen was then given the green light to proceed with the post-mortem on M Krishnan, 37, with the POL61 Form from the police force.

Mathiharen said the process would take six to seven hours.

"We will wait for the outcome of this second post-mortem. But no matter what, we still have an eye-witness to the assaults, and of Krishnan not getting medical treatment while he was still alive and in pain," the family's lawyer N Surendren said.

"I also suggest the home minister himself smells out death-in-custody bodies himself, to see what the police force has done... you won't know the hurt until it hits your family."

He wants the home minister to explain the tortures inflicted on and the deaths of detainees in police custody.

Surendren also said if the on-going post-mortem showed police brutality as the cause of Krishnan's death, he would demand immediate action from the attorney-general.

"If (this is) proven, the family will sue the government of Malaysia and the PDRM. The AG must take immediate action against those involved," he added.

Kapar MP S Manikavasagam, who also turned up at the hospital, said Krishnan's body would be taken to the Bukit Jalil police station for prayers on Sunday, before proceeding to the Cheras Crematorium in Kuala Lumpur.

"I warn the police force... do not intimidate or create any problems on Sunday, especially when the family wants to perform prayers for Krishnan at the site inside the Bukit Jalil police station where he was found dead.

"I am warning them not to intimidate anyone or cause problems, such as in Kugan's case before. I believe a lot of people will turn up to give their support for Krishnan. Their job is to just watch the traffic," he said.

Meanwhile, widow P Revathi said she was glad that the second post-mortem was finally taking place.

Post-mortem ends at 3pm

The second post-mortem done on Krishnan ended at approximately 3pm at UMMC today.

Surendren had informed Malaysiakini at 7.30pm that there are several test pending pertaining the post-mortem and Dr Mathiharen will be meeting Revathi on Monday.

“There are several things the doctor wants to discuss with us on Monday at UMMC... So we will have to wait until then,” he said.

Krishnan's body will be claimed by the family members tomorrow as scheduled and all preparations for his cremation are going on as planned.

“On Sunday, as planned, we will bring Krishnan's body to Bukit Jalil police station for prayers and then to the Cheras crematorium in Kuala Lumpur. There are no changes in that,” Surendran added.

Both the police and the attorney-general two days ago allowed the family's request for the second post-mortem, in a settlement recorded before High Court judge Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah.

The first post-mortem, conducted at HUKM, concluded that complications related to a stomach ulcer was the cause of Krishnan's death.

The family, on the other hand, claims that Krishnan's body was covered with bruises, and also had an open cut on the right abdomen and contusion on the right eye.

Najib praises Zaid’s Kita

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak welcomed today the formation of Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita) and said that the new political party showed that democracy in the country remains vibrant.

Kita was launched on Wednesday by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim who promised the party would bring political transformation to Malaysia and revive the spirit of Merdeka as envisioned by the nation’s founding father, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Zaid (picture), a former Cabinet member, had left Umno to join PKR and was touted by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as a reformist.

But political differences led to Zaid quitting PKR recently to form his own party. He is now seen by PR as a potential spoiler in its rivalry with Barisan Nasional (BN).

Najib said today that he had no problems with Kita contesting the next general election.

“If there is a new political party, then it shows that democracy in this country is active and fresh.

“Anybody can form a new political party as long as it is in accordance with the law, then they stand during elections. There is no problem,” he told reporters at a press conference here.

He said it was not a problem for PPP president Datuk M. Kayveas to have attended Kita’s launching.

“It’s okay, we don’t fight with everybody. Sometimes we can be civil with one another,” he said.

Zaid, whose political career saw him leapfrog from Umno to PKR and now Kita, a rebranding of Kelantan-based Akim, pledged to use his new platform to restore national unity while leaving his political equivalents in BN and PR to their own machinations.

The maverick politician claimed that Kita would stay on the middle ground in politics and only pay attention to pertinent issues that plague the community, instead of engaging in heated political debates with its foes.

Zaid had also said that Najib was the best person in Umno to lead the nation but was being held back by extremists within his own ranks.

‘Interlok’ protesters lodge police report

KUALA LUMPUR: HRP infromation chief S Jayathas, who was arrested for demonstrating against the controversial use of the “Interlok” novel as a school text, has lodged a report against the police for abuse.

Jayathas along with seven others were arrested at Batu Caves for carrying “Say No to Interlok” and “People Don’t Want BN” placards during Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s visit to the Thaipusam celebrations yesterday.

They collectively lodged the report against the police at the Selayang station.

“We have lodged a police report against the police and federal government for misconduct. We lodged the report at 5.45pm, while we were still in custody.

“We were in Batu Caves not to provoke the crowd but to show our disatisfaction against the book and Umno,” said Jayathas when contacted by FMT.

Explaining his police report, Jayathas said the police had publically whacked them on temple grounds eventhough it was a peaceful demonstration.

Makkal Sakthi

He also said another Malay individual who was among the crowd of protesters was also arrested but declined to lodged a joint police report.

“I think maybe he is from the Special Branch,” Jayathas said, adding that they chose Batu Caves to protest because HRP “wanted to show the Indian community the real face of Umno”.

Describing his ordeal in the police station, Jayathas said all eight of them were ordered to take off their shirts and hand them to the officers.

“The police tried to seize the T-shirts that we were wearing. It had the words Makkal Sakthi (people’s power) printed on it.

“When we asked the police what we were being charged with, one of officers said ‘no charge’. They wanted all of us to take off our T-shirts and give it to them.

“They said the shirts were banned in Malaysia because it belonged to Hindraf. But we told them there was no ‘Hindraf’ word on the shirts.

“They kept insisting we take it off, but we refused. They finally relented and allowed us to wear it,” he said, adding that they were released at 11.40pm the same night without charges being filed.

WikiLeaks: Samy to blame for BN’s 2008 debacle

PETALING JAYA: Former MIC president S Samy Vellu cost Barisan Nasional its victory in the 2008 general election, according to Internet whistleblower WikiLeaks.

In a meeting with former US ambassador to Singapore Patricia Herbold on March 12, 2008, Singaporean Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Peter Ho Hak Ean said that Samy Vellu’s neglect of the Indian community led to BN’s losses in the election.

“The MIC’s Samy Vellu bears a large share of the responsibility for the BN’s poor showing in the election,” the WikiLeaks cable said.

“The Indian community’s unhappiness, which helped create the current political dynamic in Malaysia, reflects the fact that Samy Vellu neglected the interests of the Indian community, even when its temples were being destroyed, focusing instead on his business activities in India,” it said.

This statement is in contrast with Samy Vellu’s defence of BN in 2008, where he said that all political parties in the ruling coalition were to blame.

Samy Vellu also tried to shift much of the blame on former Selangor menteri besar Dr Khir Toyo for destroying Hindu temples in Selangor.

The WikiLeaks cables were made available through online Hong Kong-based news portal Asia Sentinel. However, Asia Sentinel did not reveal how it came by these cables.

Meanwhile, the cable also said that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin would find himself in political trouble, because of his ties with former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

“The political knives will be out for Abdullah’s son-in-law, Umno politician Khairy Jamaluddin, whom nobody likes because he got where he is through family ties,” the cable said.

“Abdullah is probably done for politically, despite having been sworn in again as PM on March 10. Former PM Mahathir Mohamad will keep throwing stones at Abdullah,” it continued.

This coincided with the rise of current Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, whom the cable described as an “opportunist”. It added: “Although he has not been critical of Singapore, he will not hesitate to go in that direction if it is expedient for him to do so.”

Investigate Robert Phang, deputy minister tells MACC

(Malay Mail) - Calls have been made for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate Tan Sri Robert Phang Miow Sin, a member of its Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel, who is alleged to have tried to bribe a government official last year.

Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong urged MACC to initiate an investigation.

"It’s the obligation of MACC to check on allegations involving an important personality within the MACC circle. It has to investigate the allegations even though it’s from a blog post since it involves the commission panel member.

"They cannot depend on receiving formal complaints alone before they initiate a probe,” Liew told The Malay Mail in a telephone interview yesterday.

Adding that MACC had in the past initiated investigations based on claims from other unofficial sources, he said: “The commission should treat this case the same way they would ‘poison-pen’ letters. This kind of allegation can only be substantiated after an investigation.”

Liew's opinion was shared by MACC anti-corruption advisory board member Tan Sri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas, who said any allegation concerning corruption should be investigated by the MACC.

“We cannot allow the MACC’s credibility to be undermined, especially if it involves an advisory panel member. So, I think it should be investigated by the commission,” said Megat Najmuddin when contacted yesterday.

The allegation against Phang first surfaced in the blog ‘A Voice’ last Monday. The blog at http://anotherbrickinwall.blogspot.com named Phang and even posted his picture when alleging that he tried to bribe with money hidden in a T-shirt before Hari Raya at the office of a ministry’s secretary-general to induce the award of RM900 million worth of contracts by the ministry.

In an exclusive interview with The Paper That Cares yesterday, Phang had described the allegation as “utter rubbish, misleading and amusing”.

Phang had said the allegation was to intimidate him from speaking out on issues of public importance. He had said the bloggers were “cowards” for hiding their true identities.

On whether he would allow himself to be investigated by MACC, Phang said he welcomed such a probe. “If at all there is any investigation by MACC, not only do I welcome it but I will extend my fullest cooperation.”

Saying he would walk the talk, Phang was willing to relinquish his post as MACC advisor if an investigation was carried out.

“Likewise, I believe others should do the same.”

Phang believed he had come under personal attack because he recently voiced concern about several high-profile cases, naming issues related to Malaysia Airlines loss scandal; the Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail’s relationship with former MAS chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli’s proxy Shahidan Shafie; perceived selective prosecution; and the disclosure of a confidential MACC meeting by panel chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, who announced the A-G had been cleared of any wrongdoing without any investigation.

Meanwhile, Navaratnam, when contacted with regards to the same issue, said one should not take the allegations by the bloggers seriously without proper evidence.

“We have to be fair and leave it up to MACC to handle this matter. Our role is purely advisory and we have no basis to urge for a probe by the commission. It’s not our role.”

Special Committee on Corruption panel member Dr Tan Seng Giaw said allegations from a blog post was not realistic enough to be worth consideration.

“This kind of allegation is difficult to prove without evidence. I respect the people’s view but any allegation on the Internet is always questionable.”

Malay history: What’s missing from the textbooks (2)

By Joe Doe,

Also interesting to note is the following:

In Late Yuan Dynasty, China became chaotic, people who lived along the coastal area of Fujian, under the leadership of Ong Sum Ping's siblings, escaped to eastern Kalimantan — they landed at the river mouth. When they were exhausted, facing a shipping crisis, someone lost their arms. After that, the Kadazans named it as Sungai Kinabatangan — the place where the Chinese lost their arms.

Ong Sum Ping and his sister, and the Chinese people developed the area of Sungai Kinabatangan, and they increased their influence there. With the increase of his prosperity, the natives named him Raja, or King. The Chinese named him as ‘Chung Ping’ — meaning the General. We can clearly see that Ong Sum Ping controlled Eastern Kalimantan.

This is Ong Sum Ping Road in Brunei.

“Located the north-western part was the Sultanate Brunei; its southern area was controlled by local Malays (from Palembang) and they were in a state of decline. In the eastern part, they suffered from the invasion of the Muslim Sultan of Sulu. When the new (first) ruler — Sultan Muhammad Shah — ascended to the throne, he asked for the help of Ong Sum Ping. Sultan Muhammad Shah married his daughter to Ong Sum Ping, and titled him as Maharaja Lela. Muhammad Shah also asked his brother to marry the sister of Ong Sum Ping, and titled her as Puteri Kinabatangan. Via these marriages, these two regional powers built a close relationship. Under the cooperation of Ong Sum Ping and the Chinese armies, they fought against the Sulu Muslim invasion, and Brunei was saved from utter collapse...”

Without Chinese help, Brunei and Sabah would have collapsed and fallen to the Muslim pirate Suluks. And the year is the early 1400s. And for the record, ‘Kina’ (kee-na) is used by Kadazan Dusun which similar to ‘Cina’ (chee-na) used by Malay which refer the Chinese. So, the correct way to say it in today’s context, is to call it CheenaBatangan, and Mount CheenaBalu, or Mount CheenaBaru (had they mispronounced it), and Kota CheenaBalu (to replace the British given name of Jesselton).

This is all in line with how the Kadazan pronounces Kina, to mean Cheena. Ask your Kadazans friends, if you want to find out more. (‘Sino’-anything, means Chinese)

Mt Kinabalu, is known a Mt CheenaBalu in the Kadazan Language

This is the first clear record of the ‘Social Contract’. Both pendatangs would fight side by side to ward off other vicious attackers. Both pendatangs would help each other in times of need. And both pendatangs would intermarry, regardless of religion.

The second is that Maharaja Lela is a Chinese, and his name is General Ong Sum Ping. Now I ask you this: What is the significance of the title ‘Maharaja’? It contains the word ‘Maha’ followed by ‘Raja’. It is a title to mean ‘Most High King’. A title befitting a God and put together, it means “The God King, Lela”. The king of Thailand (Rama V, aka Chulalongkorn) also changed his name, from Dharma Raja to Dewa Raja)

Using one’s brains, one would easily deduce the following:

Firstly, the Sultan of Brunei was extremely so grateful that he elevated his Chinese brother-in-law to ‘God’ status.

Secondly, no Muslim is going to do that. ‘Maha’ anything is reserved for Allah. And to title his Chinese brother-in-law in this manner, whether Ong Sum Ping was a Muslim or not, is simply unthinkable had the Sultan really been a Muslim. Which again reinforces that Sultan Muhammad Shah was no Muslim.

Thirdly, Malaysia still has the title ‘Duli Yang Maha Mulia’ so I could be wrong about Muslims being able to call a human ‘Maha-something’ instead of the word reserved only for the divine.

And the best of course, is reserved for last:

“In fact according to Chinese records of the Liang Dynasty, Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty, Brunei had been sending her envoys to China and had also been receiving envoys from China. The earliest records stated that in the years 517AD, 521AD and 631AD, Brunei had sent her envoys to China. In 977AD, China sent her envoys to Brunei.” (see The Brunei Times)

The above sends a clear message that someone else was already King in Brunei circa 876 years before Sultan Muhammad Shah declared himself as Sultan. It is also very clear that the Chinese were already in Brunei 53 years before the Prophet Muhammad was born.

Also important to note, that the Chinese arrived at least 876 years before Parameswara reached Malacca. Could the Chinese have been the original royal lineage of Brunei? Remember that by the Year 53-Before-Prophet Muhammad, Chinese had already been living in Borneo. And never forget that the earliest Arabic maps label Malaya as ‘Barr Chin’ to mean Land of the Chinese.

And even earlier is this:

Second half of the 5^th century: The Buddhist monk Hui-Shen and his Afghan companions travelled from China to Fu-Sang. Yes, the Afghans were Buddhists and carved the Bamiyan Buddhas that were destroyed by the Taliban.

Hui Sen visits Holotan (Java), on his way back to China. And the King of Java then sends seven missions to China begging them to recognize his kingdom, because no one else recognized them. This brings up strange questions. The Javanese kings did it, the Sultan of Brunei did it, and even Parameswars did it. Why were all these kings sucking up to the Chinese over the centuries? Is this what Ketuanan really means? Sucking up to China? All the Austronesians have certainly done it for the past 1,600 years, or more...

Final parting thoughts… Why are the oldest mosques in Malacca shaped all like Pagodas (in Trengkera)?

Why is there no ‘local’-shaped mosque architecture in Malacca? Why is there Bukit Cheena in Malacca, but no Bukit Melayu or more importantly, no Bukit Sultan? Why is there zero trace of any grave belonging to the Sultan of Malacca? Before anyone gives his lame excuse, there are at least 15 royal graves here in Brunei. All intact, all complete, and no missing links.

There are all records ranging from the Chinese (the later ones were Muslims) being in Borneo right from the fifth century right up till the 15th century. So the next time someone tells you that the Chinese only arrived in the 19th century …

Postscript: If I wrote a book on collective Southeast Asian History (complete with actual location photographs), I wonder how many of you people will buy it?

Related:  Malay history: What’s missing from the textbooks (1)

Bibligraphy

Kenneth Hall, Maritime trade and state development in early Southeast Asia, citing Wang Gungwu, 'The Nanhai trade: a study of the early history of Chinese trade in the South China Sea', JMBRAS 31, 2 (1958): 33,  citing Paul Wheatley, The Golden Khersonese, studies in the historical geography of the Malay peninsula before 1500, Kuala Lumpur, 1961, and other secondary sources;

Yoshiaki Ishizawa, 'Chinese chronicles of C1st-5th century AD Funan', 

Yoshiaki Ishizawa, 'Chinese chronicles of C1st-5th century AD Funan', citing Wan Zhen, Nanzhou yuwuzhi.

Louise Levathes, When China Ruled the seas, citing the Liang Shu (History of the Liang dynasty) and (i) Paul Shao, Asiatic Influence in Precolumbian art, Ames, Iowa State Univ 1976,  and (ii) David H.Kelley, 'Nine lords of the night', Studies in the Archaeology of Mexico and Guatemala, 16, Berkeley, Univ of California Dept of Anthropology, Oct 1972 & 'Calendar animals and deities', Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 16, Albuqerque, Univ of New Mexico, 1960.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (Eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Ongkili, James P. "Ancient Chinese Trading Links." East Malaysia and Brunei. Ed. Wendy Hutton. Tuttle Publishing, 2001.
Saunders, Graham. A History of Brunei. London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2002.
Wright, Leigh. "Brunei: An Historical Relic." Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol. 17 (1977).
"Background Note: Brunei Darussalam". U.S. State Department. Retrieved 2008-12-16.

http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/m/v/mvp111/karin.htm, citing vol.231 of The Great Chinese Encyclopedia, compiled by court historians of the Wang emperors from 502 to 556 AD (other refs give the editor's name as Ma Tuan-Lin);

Prof V.G.Nair, Buddhist mission visits America before Columbus, 

http://www.saigon.com/~hoasen/mission.htm; 

http://www.1s.com/hkmission/history/chinese.htm, citing hearsay of an 1100 page diary in the Chinese imperial archives of which only 75 pages of partial excerpts seen; 

http://users.wi.net/~maracon/;http://www.ventanawild.org/news/se01/fusang.html;

Kenneth L. Feder, Frauds, Myths and Mysteries: Science and Pseudoscience in Archaeology, p113-4, citing Frost, F, 1982, 

The Palos Verdes Chinese anchor mystery, Archaeology, Jan/Feb 23-27, 

quoted onwww.kenspy.com/Menzies/Ships.html regarding irrelevance of these anchors.

J.V.G.Mills, introduction, to Ma Huan, Ying-yai Sheng Lan; John Carswell, Blue & White, p.87; Louise Levathes, When China ruled the seas; Ma Huan, Ying-yai Sheng Lan. Inscription in Galle

Najib’s mega presence at Thaipusam

Prime Minister Najib Razak is going all out to cultivate Hindu votes, as can be seen from his larger-than-life appearance at Batu Caves.


After the Christmas tea-party hoo-ha, Najib has gone out of the way to make his presence felt at Batu Caves with a bang.

(I wonder what his special officer Hardev Kaur, who had advised the church to remove all religious symbols from the rostrum where Najib was supposed to speak at the Christmas tea-party, would make of this…)
See full story in Aliran here. 

PAS put on the spot over Thaipusam promise

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP vice-president M Kulasegaran’s call for Thaipusam to be declared a national holiday may have unwittingly put PAS on the spot.

In a post on his blog yesterday, the Ipoh Barat MP urged the federal government to immediately resolve this “very pressing matter of the community”.

“Thaipusam is the most important day after Deepavali. All Hindus without fail will make it a point to visit temples and offer prayers. It should therefore be declared a national holiday in Malaysia,” he
wrote.

However, Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang turned the tables on Kulasegaran when he questioned why PAS has yet to declare the festival a public holiday in Kedah.

He reminded him of Pakatan Rakyat’s 2008 election pledge that Thaipusam would be gazetted a public holiday, including in the PAS-governed state of Kedah.

“Unfortunately even after almost three years, Pakatan Rakyat has refused to declare Thaipusam a public holiday for the states it rules like Kedah and Kelantan,” he said.

“Previously it was the BN government that declared it a public holiday in Selangor and Penang.”

“Even if Kedah and Kelantan are predominantly ruled by PAS, there’s no excuse to for Pakatan to renege on their promise. Pakatan cannot continue to issue rhetorical statements. It has to implement those policies in their states.”

Tan expressed his full support for Thaipusam being a national holiday as it is widely celebrated by all Malaysians.

He also shared his observations in Sungai Petani where Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak joined in the celebrations with more than 10,000 people of all races and religions.

“So if DAP is sincere about this issue, I hope it will push the the Pakatan coalition to deliver on its promise and declare Thaipusam a public holiday in all the states under its belt.”