Biometric voting: ‘No way EC is ready’

How will the Election Commission deal with the dissatisfaction likely to arise from the implementation of the biometric voting system?

PETALING JAYA: The Election Commission (EC) is unlikely to be ready to introduce the biometric voter system if the general election is held in November this year.

This is the view of Port Dickson assemblyman M Ravi.
Speaking to FMT, he said: “I can say the biometric system won’t come into effect if Parliament dissolved in November.

“Yesterday, it was reported that EC deputy chairman Wan Ahmad Wan Omar said the EC will explain biometric system to all parties concerned before implementing it. The EC expects to do this by year-end.
“But I believe by the time the EC completes the explanation, the 13th general election will be over.”

He urged the Pakatan Rakyat leadership to “pressure” the EC on this issue.

“Pakatan must not buy the sweet words of EC just like before the 12th general election when the EC told the party it was ready to use indelible ink.

“But eventually the plan was scrapped at the last minute,” said Ravi.

Ravi, who is Telok Kemang division PKR chief, was also doubtful that EC would be able to deal with the numerous questions that would arise if it manages to hold a briefing next month.

Too many questions

“What if there are large numbers of complaints among the parties contesting?” he asked.
“What if there are dubious elements in the system? How long does the EC need to rectify the problems and put the system in place?

“Can the EC guarantee that the system will be in place before Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak dissolves Parliament?”

Ravi added: “I’m sure the EC will say that it doesn’t have the authority to stop Najib from dissolving Parliament.

“The only way to detect the multiple voting is by using indelible ink.

“I hope Pakatan and Bersih 2.0 continue to pressure EC to implement the indelible ink system.
“Even if the biometric system is implemented, I doubt there will be transparency in the system.”

In an interview with FMT on July 27, Ravi dismissed the EC’s proposal to use the biometric voter identification system as a “trick” to buy time to avoid dealing with Bersih 2.0′s eight-point demand.

Ambiga as EC chairman

Ravi also urged Pakatan to consider appointing Bersih 2.0 chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan as the new EC chairman if it wins the 13th general election.

“I think she suits the position and I don’t have to elaborate on her credentials as everybody knows what she did recently in her campaign for clean and fair elections.

“For the deputy chairman’s post, the best person is Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh who is the chairman of the Malaysian For Free and Fair Election (an NGO).

“He has vast experience, locally and overseas, in assessing the way an election is conducted, whether it is free and fair.

“Even now if the EC is really sincere in reforming the election system, I challenge the commission to take Ambiga and Syed Ibrahim on board the EC.

“It will at least proove that the EC is serious in making the election system in Malaysia clean and fair,” Ravi said.

Isu murtad: Bukti ditemui dalam tong sampah

FMT turut menerima tentatif program serta kertas soalan sebagai bukti dakwaan mengaitkan kegiatan penyebaran agama bukan Islam kepada penganut agama Islam.

EXCLUSIVE - FMT

PETALING JAYA: Di sebalik kontroversi yang membabitkan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) kerana menyerbu Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama (DUMC) di Petaling Jaya minggu lalu, kini terdapat bukti yang menjelaskan keadaan sebenar pada majlis makan malam tersebut.

FMT turut menerima tentatif program serta kertas soalan bersifat ‘menguji pengetahuan’ dalam bahasa Malaysia dan Inggeris – sebagai bukti dakwaan mengaitkan kegiatan penyebaran agama bukan Islam kepada penganut agama Islam.

Soalan yang tertera adalah menjurus kepada fahaman agama Islam secara keseluruhannya seperti membabitkan; Nabi Muhammad, Al- Quran, rukun Islam, kitab, solat dan lain-lain.

Kertas dua halaman yang mengandungi 12 soalan itu didakwa diberikan kepada para peserta yang menyertai majlis makan malam tersebut yang turut disertai oleh penganut agama Islam.

Kertas tersebut dibahagi kepada empat corak soalan iaitu isi tempat kosong, beri jawapan ya/tidak, padanan jawapan dan pilihan jawapan.

Antara soalan itu adalah ‘Apakah maksud perkataan Islam, Muslim, Quran? Apakah enam perkara iman seseorang Muslim, solat lima waktu dalam Islam, malaikat manakah yang dipercayai menurunkan wahyu kepada Nabi Muhammad dan tahun bilakah Nabi Muhammad dilahirkan.

Berapa banyak Surah dalam Al-Quran? Berapa kali nama Isa disebut di dalam Al-Quran dan kenapa orang Islam bersalam menggunakan sarung tangan?

Pendedahan itu dibuat oleh Pengerusi Sahabat Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) Dr Dzulkhaini Husain yang mendakwa kepingan-kepingan kertas soalan itu ditemui dalam sebuah tong sampah.

Sambil mempertahankan tindakan Jais yang memeriksa gereja terbabit  Dzulkhaini berkata turut menjadi tanda tanya apabila kertas soalan seperti itu diagihkan dalam majlis makan malam yang dikatakan  untuk membantu golongan tidak bernasib baik dan memerlukan.

“Ketika kejadian itu terdapat kira-kira 100 orang dengan nisbah kehadiran satu perlima daripadanya adalah penganut Islam; 12 orang dewasa (tiga lelaki, sembilan wanita) dan lapan kanak-kanak,” katanya.

Beliau memberitahu apabila Jais masuk ke dalam, kertas soal jawab ini dah berkecai-kecai dan dimasukkan ke dalam tong sampah.

“Kalau niat baik kenapa nak masuk tong sampah? Apabila masuk tong sampah, Jais sita untuk dijadikan maklumat (bukti) di mahkamah.

“Malah bila mereka ini keluar seorang demi seorang, Jais meminta kad pengenalan (IC) untuk dilihat. Jais tidak ambil kad pengenalan daripada kanak-kanak memandangkan mereka tidak ada IC. Tindakan Jais ini benar.

“Tidak berlaku mereka (Jais) pecah pintu, hal itu berlaku diluar gereja, dengan sasaran (orang). Namun masih ada yang melemparkan fitnah mengatakan Jais pecah pintu dan berlaku kekasaran,” jelasnya.

Nyanyian “Alhamdulillah”, “Allahuakhbar ”

Sementara itu, didapati tentatif program makan malam tersebut turut diselit nyanyian berupa lagu – Alhamdulillah dan Allahuakhbar.

Melalui penelitian FMT, program bermula jam 6.30 petang, Rabu lalu dan sepatutnya berakhir jam 9.55 malam seperti yang tersedia dalam tentatif program itu.

Turut diselitkan dalam tentatif program berkenaan ialah ucapan aluan daripada Paderi Kanan DUMC Daniel Ho serta beberapa pembentangan kertas kerja projek oleh beberapa peserta.

Kemudian bermulalah nyanyian ‘Alhamdulillah dan Allahuakhbar’ dan sesi sembahyang yang diakhiri dengan nyanyian lagu ‘Sejahtera Malaysia’.

“Adakah ini ada sangkut-paut dengan ‘thanksgiving’ dan ‘methodist’? Mengapa ayat-ayat yang diharamkan digunakan oleh orang bukan Islam dalam enakmen agama bukan Islam (kawalan perkembangan agama lain dikalangan orang Islam 1988).

Sesudah itu, pada pukul 9 15malam, berlaku satu upacara sembahyang ‘intercession’ iaitu gaya sembahyang orang Kristian di mana meminta Nabi Isa untuk memohon kerestuan Tuhan mereka.

Ingat pada masa itu ada 20 penganut agama (Islam) kita termasuk kanak-kanak ada di tempat itu, terpesong atau tidak, akidah mereka? Terpesongkan?

“Perkara ini dikeruhkan lagi, ada soal jawab tentang apa dia agama islam, mengapa orang Kristian methodist perlu melakukan perkara ini?,” soal Dzulkhaini.

Pada Rabu lalu media melaporkan Paderi Kanan DUMC Daniel Ho menjelaskan bahawa majlis makan malam di gereja terbabit adalah dianjurkan atas semangat 1Malaysia oleh Harapan Komuniti, sebuah NGO yang menawarkan bantuan kepada golongan yang tidak bernasib baik dan memerlukan.

EC registers voter named 'Kg Baru'

(Malaysiakini) The Election Commission (EC) has been found to have registered a voter named 'Kg Baru'.

At the same time, a new search has turned up more names in the electoral roll without a record in the National Registration Department (NRD) online database.

According to the EC online verification system, 'Kg Baru' (Mykad: 830527115422) is a voter registered in the state constituency of Hulu Besut and parliamentary constituency of Besut, Terengganu.

However, a check with NRD online system revealed that the Mykad number is assigned to one Noraini binti Abdullah (left).

"The question is, how can the EC make such a shameful mistake? How did it happen?” asked Johor PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat, who discovered the flaw.

“Does (EC deputy chairperson) Wan Ahmad Wan Omar still think this is an issue that should only be answered by the EC clerk?"

Suhaizan also said he had detected a 'phantom voter' with no record in the NRD online database.

During a verification check this morning, the EC online system showed (right) that Farhana binti Abdul Rashid (Mykad: 840505715012) is a voter registered in the state constituency of Wakap Mempelam and parliamentary constituency of Kuala Terengganu.

However, the same identification number returned no result in the NRD online database which stated 'no application/the number entered is not valid'.

"How can the EC register phantom voters when its registration system is linked with the NRD database through the Agency Link-Up System (Alis)?" queried Suhaizan in a statement.

This is not the first case of voters without a NRD record. This was also the case with two eligible voters, who appeared on the EC online verification system as being registered in the Hulu Langat parliamentary constituency.

Suhaizan (left) said such mistakes could have been due to human negligence, but that this shows the EC's voter verification system had failed to detect errors when the details were keyed in.

For this reason, he urged the EC to abolish the RM10 fee levied on each objection raised by the public, as well as the RM200 penalty for every objection that is rejected.

"One way to detect human negligence is through objections... But when the fee is too high, it burdens those who want to raise objections, when the purpose of objections is to clean up the electoral rolls," said Suhaizan.

"The objection fee is one of many weird matters in Malaysia. In fact, the EC should pay those who make objections as a token of appreciation, rather than charge them," he added.

Objection period 'too short'

Suhaizan also complained that the five-day objection period (July 29 - Aug 2), including a weekend, for the second quarter supplementary electoral roll draft was too short and unreasonable.

"The charges and short period make it seem that the EC has hidden agenda to make it difficult for people to raise objections."

Under election laws, the EC updates the electoral rolls every three months with a quarterly supplementary electoral roll draft.

The names of all newly-registered voters, voters who have changed their residing addresses and voters who have been removed from the electoral roll, are compiled in the supplementary electoral roll draft.

The roll is then displayed usually for one week, for public scrutiny, before it is gazetted and used in the next election.

During the display period, members of the public can raise objections to the names listed in the supplementary electoral roll, but must pay the related fees.

‘Tenacious rakyat kept us going’

The campaign for the release of the PSM6 would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the public, say three volunteers.

PETALING JAYA: While the six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members were undergoing a harrowing ordeal in detention, a core group of volunteers were tirelessly campaigning for their release.

About 10 to 15 people from PSM, Jarigan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) and Suaram sacrifice their time and effort working around the clock to secure their release.

They held numerous campaigns to pressure the government including handing over memorandums to the home ministry or Inspector-General of Police and holding candle light vigils daily.

M Sivaranjani, a volunteer from Jerit, said that the 28 days the six were detained under the Emergency Ordinance were one of the most intense and challenging periods of her life.

The 30-year-old was involved in PSM’s “Udahlah tu…Bersaralah” (Enough already – retire now) campaign, calling for justice and educating people about the pitfalls of voting for the Barisan National government in the next general election.

She took two months off from work when the six were detained under the EO on July 2 to help secure their release.

“I had many accumulated days off. We had anticipated their detention to last for 60 days, so I took a two-month break from my full-time job with an international organisation ,” she said.

She said that there were about 30 members who helped coordinate campaign efforts by sending out e-mails and SMS alerts and organising activities nationwide.

Her daily routine during the campaign period involved coming up with plans to draw attention to their cause and pressure the authorities to free the six activists.

“Every night after the vigil, the core group of 15 people will have a meeting which often times lasts till 1am to 2am to plan the next day’s strategy,” she said.

She said that work will begin at about 6am to prepare for updates for press releases and the PSM website.
“Work was so intense that there would be at least 10 updates in a day, either alerts of new activities or updates on the detainees,” said Sivaranjani.

Sivaranjani, who stays in Kajang, sometimes slept over at the party’s branch headquarters to get work done early.

“It was easier and it saved time. There were fax machines, a number of laptops in the headquarters and you could get a headstart and begin work immediately,” she said.

However, the modest Sivaranjani said that it was the public who made the EO6 campaign a success.
“We had 100 or 200 people during the vigils… And those who came didn’t even know the detainees personally… they made it a success,” she said.

She said that the campaign coordinators had five hours of sleep each night and one of them, D Letchimi Devi, suffered severe gastric pains due to irregular meals.

Overwhelmed by public support

Letchimi, however, was quick to brush it aside. “It happened only on the final day when the six were released. It is nothing, lah. I feel it is just a minor thing,” she said.


The 40-year-old Letchimi, a PSM member, said that the highlight of the campaign for her was the “overwhelming” support from the public.

“I have known the six for the past 15 years. They are my friends and when they were detained unfairly, something didn’t feel right. I had to do my bit to help.

“The public only read about the six, and yet they still came out and supported us. I was in awe of that. It showed that they wanted justice and truth to prevail,” she said.

Letchimi, who also holds a full-time job, sacrified her time and effort after office hours and over the weekends, but played down her contributions.

“I haven’t done much. We outside (of jail) were surrounded by good people who kept us going. But those inside were surrounded by horrible cops and they suffered a lot,” she said.

Suaram coordinator E Nalini said she was overwhelmed by the public support, especially seeing the many new faces during the candle light vigils.

“You can see the change in people’s attitudes. They stood firm when police asked them to disperse. They are not afraid of the government or the police anymore,” she said.

Nalini was hopeful the campaign would continue to keep the momentum going to get the EO abolished, which she has been trying to highlight for some years now.

“I have been trying to get a committee together to highlight the EO since 2008, but the cause was not really that visible. But now, after the EO6 campaign, the response has been good,” she said.

“But we still have a long way to go and we must keep the momentum going,” added Nalini, who is also Suram’s coordinator for detention without trial laws.

One step forwards, two steps back

Why can’t the Umno people see this? They need the non-Malays to retain the government. Maybe if they can get 70% of the Malays on their side then they don’t need the non-Malays. But they can’t get 70% of the Malays to support them. At best maybe 55%, that is all. So they need the non-Malays. But what they are doing merely pushes the non-Malays farther and farther away.
NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Remember, yesterday, I wrote an article called ‘You need brains to do it’? Well, again, Umno has proven me correct. Their people just don’t have enough brains. They are like the Keystone Cops, shooting themselves in their feet and bumbling every step of the way.

Take the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) matter as an example. PERKASA and the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association (MMLA) have now also joined the fray. So it looks like every man and his dog has jumped onto the bandwagon.

Good!
Now, if I were Umno, I would instruct all our people to stay out of this fiasco of major proportions. This is going to be a very explosive issue. So let DAP and PAS fight it out. Chances are Hasan Ali would help do more damage by defending his actions, by defending JAIS, by defending Islam, and by offering to resign for the sake of defending Islam.

Hasan Ali will become a hero for standing up for his principles while sacrificing himself and his political career. Hasan Ali will be a martyr. And this will become a problem for Pakatan Rakyat.

This is a sure recipe for a split between DAP and PAS. This will be just like the Terengganu ISD of ten years ago, which saw DAP leaving Barisan Alternatif and which resulted in the opposition getting slaughtered in the 2004 general election. 

JAIS made the allegation that DUMC is converting Muslims to Christianity. So the accuser must prove the allegation. DUMC need do nothing. The onus is on JAIS to prove what they allege.


If JAIS or JAKIM brings out statistics to prove that 100,000 or 500,000 Malays have now become Christians (as what the Perak Mufti alleged) then this will backfire on Umno. Umno will lose face -- and, in Asia, face is everything and is very important.

Politics is all about face. Never underestimate the power of face. It is very important to me and I will defend my face even if I have to go back to Malaysia and serve some time in jail to ‘save face’.

(Unfortunately, my lawyers, friends, family, and even the Malaysian government, profusely refuse to agree to this even though I have communicated this wish to Bukit Aman). 

If JAIS or JAKIM can’t reveal the ‘alarming’ statistics, then the government will also lose face. So, keep quiet you are damned and bring out the statistics you are also damned. Either way, damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Umno has painted itself into a corner on this one and with so many others, in particular PERKASA, taking up this issue they will be hard-pressed in getting out of this dicey situation.

Umno should have maintained an elegant silence. Let the opposition fight it out amongst themselves. Now that Umno, PERKASA, et al, are involved, this will force DAP and PAS to close ranks.

Yes, that’s right, DAP and PAS will now unite in the face of the onslaught by Umno and its minions. Now it is Pakatan versus Barisan. And Pakatan will have to speak as one voice on this DUMC issue.

Of course, this exercise may help swing back some Malay support for Umno. Certainly some Malays would get upset with what they see as the opposition’s compromise on the matter. So these Malays would abandon the opposition and go back to Barisan.

But how many Malays are we talking about? For every Malay that swings back to Barisan, five would swing over to the opposition.

We must not forget the law of diminishing returns. The Malays are already split 50:50. Ask Umno. They know this. So how many Malays can you get back? Less than 5%.

Even if you can get 5% of the Malays to swing back it will not be worth it because you will lose more than 5% non-Malays to the opposition. That is one step forwards and two steps back.

The non-Malays are very angry. And they are getting angrier and angrier by the day. Everything that Umno does just adds to this anger.

Why can’t the Umno people see this? They need the non-Malays to retain the government. Maybe if they can get 70% of the Malays on their side then they don’t need the non-Malays. But they can’t get 70% of the Malays to support them. At best maybe 55%, that is all. So they need the non-Malays. But what they are doing merely pushes the non-Malays farther and farther away.

Big mistake!

Who the hell are these political strategists in Umno? Are they that dumb or are they intentionally doing all this to weaken Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak? 

Hmm…that’s a thought. Maybe they are not as dumb as we think after all. Maybe this is meant to hurt Najib. Maybe that is why Najib has remained silent. Maybe he knows if he opens his mouth then he is going to walk into a well-laid trap.

Maybe, maybe, maybe…..

MENGHANCURKAN UMNO

1. Usaha sedang dibuat untuk melemahkan lagi UMNO supaya ia dapat dikalahkan dalam Pilihanraya Umum ke-13, bahkan jika boleh untuk menghancurkan UMNO sekarang ini juga.

 

2. Laporan dalam portal berita, oleh Muda Mohd Noor, mencerita berkenaan Penawar, sebuah badan bukan Kerajaan yang disertai oleh beberapa bekas ahli Parlimen UMNO yang kononnya tidak puas hati dengan Dato Seri Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri.

3. Kononnya saya dibelakang gerakan untuk menaikkan Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin mengganti Najib.

4. Kesan dari laporan ini tentulah kecurigaan Najib terhadap timbalannya. Apabila Najib mempunyai sangkaan buruk terhadap Muhyiddin maka ahli-ahli UMNO pun akan berpecah dan memihak kepada Presiden atau Timbalan Presiden.

5. Pergolakan akan berlaku secara serius dalam UMNO dan ia akan menjadi lebih lemah untuk menghadapi Pilihanraya Umum ke-13.

6. Terdahulu dari ini seorang pemberita semasa sidang akhbar telah bertanya kepada Najib samada dia lebih Melayu atau lebih Malaysian.

7. Soalan ini sengaja dibuat kerana Muhyiddin biasa mendakwa yang dianya lebih Melayu daripada Malaysian.

8. Sebenarnya soalan ini patut ditujukan kepada semua rakyat Malaysia, termasuk pemberita yang bertanya. Apakah rakyat Malaysia pelbagai keturunan lebih utama kaumnya atau lebih utamakan kerakyatan Malaysianya?

9. Ditujukan soalan ini kepada Najib ialah supaya dia menghadapi dilema. Jika dia menjawab dia lebih Melayu maka dia akan dituduh racist seperti tuduhan yang dilemparkan kepada Muhyiddin dan juga saya.

10. Sebaliknya kalau dia menjawab dia lebih Malaysian supaya tidak dituduh racist maka akan ternampak yang dia tidak secocok dengan timbalannya.

11. Jawapan Najib kepada soalan ini ialah dia tidak ingin dilihat tidak sependapat dengan timbalannya.

12. Secara tidak langsung ini bermakna dia lebih Malaysian, tidak seperti timbalannya yang menyatakan dia lebih Melayu. Sudah tentu ini akan menjadikan hubungan antara dua pemimpin UMNO lebih renggang.

13. Susulan daripada ini terdengar banyaklah berita angin berkenaan dengan renggangnya hubungan antara Najib dan Muhyiddin yang pasti akan memecahbelahkan UMNO lagi.

14. Hari ini terdapat banyak NGO Melayu ditubuh kerana ramai orang Melayu khuatir berkenaan dengan masa depan mereka. Pihak tertentu yang ingin mengurangkan sokongan Melayu kepada UMNO ingin menentukan NGO Melayu ini tidak berupaya mempengaruhi kepimpinan UMNO supaya terus mendapat sokongan orang Melayu.

15. Strategi pihak tertentu ini ialah dengan membuat tuduhan bahawa perjumpaan NGO ini sebenarnya bertujuan untuk menjatuhkan Najib, dan saya dan Muhyiddin adalah dalang yang bertanggungjawab, tentulah Najib akan mempunyai syak wasangka terhadap kami berdua dan NGO berkenaan.

16. Sekaligus laporan ini menakutkan Penawar dan NGO lain bahawa mesyuarat mereka akan disyaki oleh Najib bertujuan menjatuhkannya. Mereka juga akan terdedah kepada tuduhan yang mereka adalah orang Mahathir dan Mahathir ingin menjatuhkan Najib.

17. Dengan tuduhan-tuduhan dan laporan seperti ini maka orang Melayu akan takut berpolitik. Mereka akan terdedah kepada dakyah parti lawan yang memang pun ingin melihat mereka berpecah dan menjadi lebih lemah serta tidak dapat mempertahankan kepentingan orang Melayu sama sekali.

18. Saya ucap tahniah kepada mereka yang begitu cekap mengguna psikologi untuk menghancurkan UMNO dengan menimbulkan keraguan dan syak wasangka antara pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO dan ahli-ahlinya terhadap masing-masing dan terhadap kepimpinan UMNO sekarang.

19. Sebaliknya jika kita ingin tahu berkenaan siapa lebih Malaysian atau lebih utamakan kaumnya, kita patut tanya semua pemimpin-pemimpin semua parti politik dan NGO yag aktif dalam politik baik dari parti pemerintah ataupun parti lawan.

20. Mereka juga patut jelas apakah maknanya lebih Malaysian atau lebih utamakan kaum sendiri.

21. Saya sedar jawapan kepada soalan saya ialah saya racist (perkauman). Ini membuktikan ketandusan hujah yang boleh dikemukakan oleh mereka.

22. Saya pernah dilabel Malay ultra tetapi sepanjang saya menjadi Perdana Menteri apakah Melayu sahaja yang diberi layanan dan mendapat nikmat.

23. Apakah pembangunan Malaysia dihasilkan oleh orang Melayu semata-mata dan mereka sahaja yang meraih kekayaan.

24. Untuk tidak berat sebelah kita perlu mengumpul fakta yang benar berkenaan nikmat yang diperolehi rakyat Malaysia dan pembangunan Negara.

Group of men try to enforce 'shariat' on women shopping alone

Bhopal: A group of Muslim youths made an unsuccessful bid to enforce "Shariat" on women shopping alone in the markets of Bhopal, leading to a brawl with shopkeepers on Sunday.

The youth were trying to put into practice the preachings of the City Qazi, who had advised women against shopping alone or without purdah (veil).

Inspired by the sermon, some youth went on a rampage, asking women to go home. When the women refused to accept their firman, the youth attacked shop keepers with scissors and looted their shops.

The incident took place at Chowk Bazzar here on Sunday. The police, however, registered a case of loot against 12 unidentified persons in Kotwali police station based on a complaint lodged by a shop keeper.

The frenzied action from the youths, according to community members, was the outcome of a 'misunderstanding.'

Earlier, in his sermon the Shahar Qazi Mufti Syed Fazil Qasmi appealed to the community members to avoid sending females alone in the market for Ramzan shopping. - Source: DNA

He also encouraged Muslim women to go for shopping accompanied by a male member from the family and also advised them to use veil.

Reacting to the incident, the cleric said the youths misread his sermon.

"I had delivered the sermon in the light of Hadith and never asked anyone to stop a woman from shopping alone," he said.

Senior superintendent of police Adarsh Katiyar said: "We registered case of loot against 12 unidentified persons. So far, no one has been arrested."

 

Xavier: Build temples only if necessary

Muslim lawyers warn Jais against sharing probe info

Jais and police raided the DUMC last Wednesday on suspicion of Muslim proselytisation. — File pic

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 8 — The Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association (MMLA) today backed the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s (Jais) “legal” church raid last week and cautioned the agency against revealing details of its investigation in public.
 
The association said there was no need for Jais to curry favour with any political party, saying the agency was merely carrying out its lawful duties when it acted on a complaint that Christians were proselytising to Muslims at the church last Wednesday.

MMLA secretary-general Abdul Hamin Bahari also warned all politicians today against issuing reckless statements on the issue, saying that Jais should be allowed to carry out its duties without revealing the facts of its case as it could jeopardise its investigation.

“However, should there be any charges made later, Jais will have to bear the burden of proof in court. So MMLA urges all politicians to stop politicising this matter, whether it is to release open statements on the investigation or to use the issue as an opportunity to garner support,” he said.

Jais raided the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) at the Dream Centre in Petaling Jaya last Wednesday during a dinner function that saw the attendance of 12 Muslims.

The agency was purportedly acting on a complaint that Muslims were spotted among those at the dinner, and was said to have found proof later that Christians were attempting to convert them during the function.

The raid had caused uproar among religious communities, and the Selangor government under Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has since demanded a report from Jais to explain the raid.

But MMLA insisted today that Jais had acted lawfully and expressed disappointment at the “ignorance” of those who thought otherwise.

“Jais had acted within the provisions of the Constitution and state enactments. The check (on DUMC) was clearly based on a complaint that Jais must investigate, as an agency tasked to take such action.

“Clearly, all these statements made (against Jais) were not based on facts, were irresponsible and were aimed at belittling the status of Islam in the country,” Abdul Hamin said.

He pointed to Section 10 of the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995, which Selangor state executive councillor Datuk Hassan Ali had also highlighted last week, saying the complaint had been based on the suspicion that Islam was being insulted.

Section 9 of the Syariah Criminal Procedure Enactment (Selangor) 2003 also stipulates that any individual who knows of an act or intention of any persons to commit any offence must immediately provide such information to the religious authorities or the police, he added.

“Hence, what Jais did was within their powers. MMLA would like to again stress that in matters involving the administration of Islam, no one should interfere, especially in issuing statements that could confuse and insult Islam and Islamic institutions,” he said.

The Malaysian Insider reported over the weekend that Jais had likely acted lawfully during the raid as a controversial enactment passed by a Barisan Nasional (BN) government in 1988 allows the agency to act against non-Muslims.

Selangor’s Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment, which outlines offences deemed as acts of proselytisation by non-Muslims towards Muslims, grants the religious authorities powers to launch investigations and arrest individuals without producing a warrant.

Betulkah pemastautin diberi hak mengundi?

8 OGOS — Isu besar yang hangat diperkatakan hari ini ialah isu pendatang asing yang menjadi pemastautin telah diberikan kerakyatan dan terus diberikan hak mengundi.

Ahli-ahli Parlimen pembangkang telah menghantar surat hari ini untuk mendesak persidangan Parlimen tergempar dipanggil untuk membincangkan isu seramai 1,600 orang pemastautin tetap yang dikatakan diberikan kerakyatan penuh untuk memudahkan mereka menjadi pengundi semasa pilihan raya umum yang akan datang.

Jika isu ini benar ia merupakan isu yang sangat besar dan merbahayakan negara serta Sistem Raja Berpelembagaan Negara kita. Kita sedang menghadapi masalah besar di Sabah tentang isu ini dan kita masih lagi tidak mahu belajar dari kesilapan ini semata-mata kerana ingin mempertahankan kuasa yang kita anggap sudah sampai ketepian itu.

Isu pendatang asing menjadi pengundi ini memang telah lama kita dengar malahan ada di antara rakan saya sendiri pernah di tahan kerana dituduh mengeluarkan kad pengenalan palsu untuk kegunaan dalam pilihan raya. Jika apa yang dituduh ini benar ianya serupalah seperti memanggil orang luar untuk membantu memerangi bangsa dan rakyat kita sendiri.

Saya tidak pasti kebenaran tuduhan ini tetapi jika benar maka sesiapa yang mempunyai pemikiran seperti ini adalah rakyat yang paling tidak bertanggungjawab dan tidak ada kata-kata untuk diberikan terhadap mereka ini. Tindakan itu adalah satu tindakan yang sehina-hinanya yang tidak ada tolok bandingnya.

Tetapi jika ada ahli-ahli Parlimen meminta supaya dipanggil persidangan tergempar untuk membincangkan isu ini maka ianya merupakan satu perkara dan isu yang sangat besar yang pada jangka masa panjangnya akan merbahayakan keselamatan negara kita ini.

Membincangkan isu ini di Dewan Parlimen merupakan jalan yang terbaik supaya tidak ada pihak-pihak yang akan menuduh kita melakukan tindakan jalanan untuk membuat tuntutan terhadap sesuatu isu itu. Jika boleh kita tuntut juga supaya persidangan itu di adakan secara langsung bagi rakyat melihat dan membuat penilaian terhadap isu ini.

Jika benar perkara ini di lakukan oleh pihak pemerintah sebagai cara untuk mendapatkan undi dalam pilihan raya nanti, maka ianya memberikan lagi bukti yang pemerintah sekarang sendiri tahu yang mereka sedang ditolak oleh rakyat. Mereka terpaksa menggunakan rakyat negara lain untuk memberikan undi kepada mereka bagi meneruskan pemerintahan cara yang sama-sama kita lihat pada hari ini.

Kita berharap tuduhan ini tidak benar kerana jika benar ianya merupakan signal jelas kepada kita yang parti yang menggunakan pendatang asing untuk dijadikan pengundi secara kilat ini adalah parti yang tidak lagi patut mendapat sokongan rakyat tempatan yang asal.

Tindakan ini jika ada kebenarannya walaupun sedikit akan akhirnya menjadikan politik negara ini sebagai medan pertembungan di antara rakyat asal dan rakyat pendatang. Jangan pula nanti pilihan raya nanti akan menjadi pilihan raya di antara pendatang asing yang di sokong oleh Barisan Nasional dan rakyat asal negara yang disokong oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

Walau bagaimana pun elok kita tunggu persidangan tergempar ini berlalu terlebih dahulu. Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz yang telah menerima surat dari ahli-ahli Parlimen pagi tadi menyatakan tidak ada masalah untuk mengadakan persidangan tergempar itu. Surat itu akan di berikan kepada Datuk Seri Najib selepas berbuka puasa petang nanti.

Marilah kita berdoa supaya negara kita tidak akan menghadapi malapetaka seperti yang dihadapi oleh banyak negara kerana pendatang asing ini. — aspanaliasnet.blogspot.com

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication. The Malaysian Insider does not endorse the view unless specified.

Keep Party Politics Out Of UNISEL - Selangor Sultan

KUALA SELANGOR, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor today issued a reminder to keep party politics out of Universiti Selangor (UNISEL).

He said the academic staff at the university should focus fully on their duties and stay away from politicking as this could affect the development of its students.

He also said it would also be a loss for the university if its students spent more time on campus politics than on their studies.

"I do not want politicians or outsiders giving political talks at the university. The university is a place for human capital development not politics," he said when opening UNISEL Bestari Jaya campus' mosque here Monday.

Sultan Sharafuddin said he received many complaints from parents about politicking at UNISEL and that if this were to continue, the university might lose students as they would no longer be keen to send their children there for further studies.

At the function, the Sultan also handed over Aidifitri aid to 193 students of the university who came from needy families. Also present were Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar.

Borosnya PM dan isteri PM kita!

Kami akan tetap paparkan kezaliman, pemborosan, penipuan Perdana Menteri Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan bininya Datin Seri Puan Rosmah Mansor dari apa sumber maklumat demi keadilan dan tuntutan BERSIH 2.0.

Pemborosan pasangan Najib dan Rosmah

1- LAWATAN RASMI NAJIB DAN ROSMAH - RM17 JUTA
2- KOS SELENGGARA KEDIAMAN RASMI PM/TPM - RM49 JUTA SETAHUN
3- BIL LETRIK DAN AIR PM/TPM - RM10 JUTA SETAHUN
3- PERUNTUKAN PERMATA NEGARA (ROSMAH) 2011 - RM111 JUTA
5- ROSMAH TIDOR HETOL ATLANTIS DUBAI - RM140,000 SATU MALAM
6- BEG TANGAN ROSMAH JENAMA HERMEZZ MATTE - RM361,259.99
7- CINCIN BERLIAN - RM24 JUTA
8- ROSMAH ANJUR WANITA PERTAMA DUNIA (14 WANITA ). - RM4.5 JUTA
9- GELANG TANGAN ROSMAH - RM1.65 JUTA
10- JAM TANGAN ROSMAH (ANGGARAN) - RM1 JUTA.

Keperluan rakyat yang ditarik balik oleh kerajaan Umno-BN pimpinan Najib

1- PETROL DINAIKKAN 4 KALI SEHINGGA MEI 2011
2- MELUPUSKAN SUBSIDI GULA - RM116.6 JUTA
3- KENAIKAN GAS PETROLEUM CECAIR (LPG) MEI 2011
4- KENAIKAN KADAR PURATA TARIF LETRIK JUN 2011