Frog and snake now political pawns

First, the MIC brought a frog to its annual meeting saying it represents the Perkasa leader. In retaliation, Perkesa burned rubber snakes, saying they represent the Indian community.

PETALING JAYA: The slanging match between Malays rights group Perkesa and other political parties is putting the frog and the snake in a bad light.

The apolitical frog and snake have now being held up as a symbols of hatred by both Perkasa and the MIC.

Bukit Bintang MIC division chief S Ananthan brought a frog to the MIC annual general meeting last month, claiming that it represents Perkasa chief, Ibrahim Ali.

Yesterday, Perkasa members torched several copies of The Star for offending Muslims by including non-halal delicacies in its “Ramadan Delights” column.

And for good measure, they also burned rubber snakes in retaliation against Ananthan’s frog stunt.
“He brought a frog, so we brought snakes to represent the community,” Perkasa Youth chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris said in an online news portal.

But today Ananthan thanked Irwan for relating the snake with the community.

“The Chinese and Indians believe snakes are divine creatures. So thank you, Irwan, for calling us divine,” he said.


Blatantly racist

Ananthan is angry because no action has been taken against Ibrahim for being so blatantly racist and inciting racial tension.

He told FMT that since the authorities are keeping silent, the movement obviously enjoyed immunity from criminal charges.

“With many reports lodged against it, the police are reluctant to clamp down on Perkasa. This shows Umno is behind the movement,” said Ananthan.

He warned the Umno leadership that its indifference towards Perkasa’s tirades would only alienate the Chinese and Indians further from the ruling coalition.

“The Malay votes are already split among Umno, PAS and PKR. You need the Chinese and Indians,” said Ananthan.
DAP Selangor legal bureau chief V Ganabatirao echoed Ananthan’s sentiments, saying that BN would pay a high price in the polls for its tacit support of Perkasa.

‘Uncivilised behaviour’

“While the six PSM members were detained for no reason, the home ministry and the police seem to be powerless against a small group like Perkasa,” said Ganabatirao.

On June 26, the police arrested six Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) members, including Sungai Siput MP Dr Michael D Jeyakumar, under the Emergency Ordinance (EO) for allegedly trying to wage war against the King.

The arrest triggered a massive uproar against the government which subsequently released the detainees on July 29.

On yesterday’s incident, Ganabatirao condemned Perkasa members for behaving in an uncivilised manner.
“I urge the police to use the Sedition Act against them. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s so-called 1Malaysia concept has become a joke due to Perkasa’s charade,” he said.

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president N Surendran said Perkasa’s rubber snake stunt was nothing more that a reflection of the right-wing members’ mentality.

“It doesn’t even merit a response. It’s better to ignore this extremist group,” said Surendran. - FMT

Jakim: Golden Churn Butter is non-halal

The product is declared non-halal after it was found to contain pig DNA.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) today confirmed that the ‘Pure Creamery Butter-Golden Churn’ sold in Malaysia is non-halal.

Its director-general, Othman Mustapha, said the decision was made after finding that the product came from the same factory as that distributed in Sarawak, although there were brought into the country by different importers.

“This was confirmed by the agent of Ballantyne Food, from New Zealand, which manufactures the product.

“Therefore, Muslims should not use the product,” he said in a statement here today.

Last July 19, the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department had declared the product non-halal after it was found to contain pig DNA.

Othman said the company had been informed of the matter and it had agreed to withdraw the product from the shelves.

He said the decision was made after discussing the matter with the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, the Chemistry Department, the Health Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Division, the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the Johor Islamic Religious Department on Aug 8.

With the product being confirmed non-halal, he advised holders and new applicants of the halal certificate who use the product to change it with other type of butter which is certified halal and to keep the purchase receipt of the new product as proof.

They are also required to carry out a ritual cleansing process by using clay soil and water, known as ‘samak’, and it has to be witnessed by the Islamic Religious Department in the respective states, he added.
 ****************************************************************************

‘We won’t be stopped,’ says Hindraf’s UK lawyer

Deportation of lawyer Imran Khan irrational and an attempt by Malaysian authorities to scupper suit against the British.

KLANG: UK lawyer Suresh Grover who’s is in Malaysia to gather evidence for Hindraf’s US$4 trillion civil suit against the British government, condemned the deporation of his fellow colleague Imran Khan last Saturday.

Khan, the legal advisor to Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy, was stopped at the KLIA when he arrived at 1.50pm on Friday and put on plane back to the UK early Saturday morning. Grover who was also on the same flight with Khan, was however, allowed entry.

Khan was deemed a security threat by the Malaysian authorities.

“It is irrational for him to be excluded. The real reason is they (Malaysian government) want the suit to fail. It will not stop us from going about our work and we will challenge his deportation.

“It does not make sense to exclude Khan when I’m here to do the same thing – gather evidence for the suit. They are afraid of you and your tenacity,” Grover told about 1,500 Hindraf supporters and Indians at a gathering in Klang.

Grover said the civil suit was filed against the British government because it failed to guarantee minority rights as recommended by the Reid Commission before independence in 1957.

He also elaborated on the evidence that he was seeking from Malaysia’s Indians.

“We want to speak those denied citizenship, to individuals and groups not allowed their religious freedom, people who are forced to convert (to another faith), businessmen not allowed to be part of the national economy,” said Grover.

“I’m willing to meet the people here if they want to be claimants in the suit,” said Grover who was a victim of racism in UK in the 1960s.

Grover told the eager crowd that Waythamoorthy had already collected thousands of documented evidence from the Public Records Office in London.

On the filing of the suit, he said that it was filed on Aug 30, 2007 and it will have to be heard before Aug 30, 2013.

The suit which named the British Crown and government as defendants, is seeking redress for the victimisation of Indians, whose ancestors were brought to Malaya as indentured labourers.

Possibility of intimidation

During a moderated Q&A session, Grover said that it was impossible to charge the Malaysian government for crimes against humanity.

“It depends on the response from the British government,” said Grover “as it only possible if the Malaysian government is named as the second defendent by the UK.

Grover was also asked about the possibility of intimidation by the Malaysian government if people become claimants.

“There is no compulsion to give names and addresses to court. You can remain anonymous, only giving details to me.”

Hindu Rights Party’s (HRP) pro-tem chairman, N Ganesan, who chaired the session said the exposure on rights violations against Indians would be bring about changes.

“The apartheid system exposed in South Africa led it to be made an outcast nation. If we can do this, we will bring about changes,” said Ganesan.

Waythamoorthy originally filed the class action suit on Aug 31, 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence, in London.

However, the suit was stalled following the Malaysian government’s clampdown on Hindraf and arrest of its lawyers under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Wanted: A CJ who can act without fear or favour

Zaid Ibrahim, a former law minister, says over the last two decades the Chief Justices were found to be wanting and acted as a judicial spokesperson for the government.

PETALING JAYA: The nation needs a Chief Justice who can act without fear or favour and is not a judicial spokesman for the ruling government.

That is the opinion of People’s Welfare Party (Kita) president Zaid Ibrahim, who was also a former law minister. It is time for a good lawyer to be appointed as the nation’s Chief Justice (CJ), Zaid said in his blog.

In the past two decades, Zaid said, there were many instances where those who held the esteemed position acted merely as administrators and judicial spokesmen for the ruling government.

“And it was difficult to understand many case decisions written by judges, who never understood law in the first place. These people brought shame to our judiciary and our nation,” said Zaid.

The current CJ, Zaki Azmi, will retire come Sept 12. It is said that the incumbent Chief Judge of Malaya, Ariffin Zakaria would succeed Zaki as the Court of Appeal President Alauddin Mohd Sheriff retired on Aug 5.

Zaid said a CJ should be someone true to his consience and believe in the rule of law.

“He should also understand the law and is not ashamed to ask questions when in doubt. A CJ should not be afraid to decide on cases in accordance with law, regardless of the consequences to himself,” said Zaid, once the owner of the largest legal firm in the country.

Praising Ariffin, Zaid said he was a good lawyer and is known to be humble enough to understand the importance of dispensing justice.

“I hope Ariffin will bring integrity, decency and independence to the bench once again. High positions can change many of us, but I hope Ariffin will not succumb to it,” he said.

On the retiring CJ, Zaid said Zaki was more suited to work as an Umno lawyer or an executive to a conglomerate linked to the ruling party.

Wasted opportunity

He cited an example involving the husband of S Shamala who arbitrarily decided to covert their children to Islam, leaving Shamala with no choice but to seek legal redress on the matter.

“When the Court of Appeal referred several important constitutional points of law for determination, Zaki denied them the answers. Instead, he told the lawyer that the questions posed to the court were political,” said Zaid.

He added that the Court of Appeal had sought some answers pertaining to the position of several Syariah Court Enactments, whether was it constitutional for Shamala’s husband to convert a minor.

“And the questions are clearly legal in nature which are also of great importance. The ramifications may be political, but it is not the CJ’s job to manage political fallout,” said Zaid.

Shamala and her husband, Dr M Jeyaganesh had been in legal battle since 2002 when Jeyaganesh arbitrarily converted their two children to Islam.

While Shamala had won the custody of her children in 2004, the High Court then had warned her not to feed her children pork and they were considered as Muslims.

In November last year, a five-men bench at the Federal Court, led by Zaki allowed a preliminary objection raised by Jeyaganesh, saying Shamala had fled to Australia after being granted custody of her children.

Zaki’s decision was condemned by many quarters saying the apex court had thrown out a rare opportunity to answer the long-standing issue of unilateral conversion of children by a parent.

Nik Aziz sokong larangan bacaan al-Quran guna pembesar suara

 

KOTA BARU, 14 Ogos — Menteri Besar Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat tidak bersetuju amalan bacaan al-Quran dibuat menggunakan pembesar suara sehingga mengganggu mesyarakat sekitarnya.

Mursyidul Am PAS (gambar) itu berkata perbuatan itu tidak mengambil kira sensitiviti masyarakat setempat sehingga boleh menyusahkan mereka dan seseorang Islam harus menghormati masyarakat sekeliling dengan tidak membuat bising, walaupun dengan membaca al-Quran menggunakan pembesar suara.

Sehubungan itu, dipetik Bernama Online, beliau menyokong tindakan Jawatankuasa Fatwa Negeri Pulau Pinang yang melarang bacaan al-Quran menggunakan pembesar suara pada waktu subuh.

“Kita (umat Islam) hanya dibenarkan melaungkan suara ketika azan untuk mengerjakan solat.

“Oleh itu, saya tidak bersetuju jika masjid menggunakan pembesar suara sehingga menjejaskan orang lain yang sedang tidur atau sakit,” katanyaselepas melancarkan Koperasi Rakyat Kelantan Berhad (KRKB) di sini, hari ini.

Beliau ditanya mengenai tindakan Kerajaan Pulau Pinang melarang penggunaan pembesar suara semasa mengaji al-Quran pada waktu subuh di masjid dan surau di negeri itu.

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya, Nik Abdul Aziz menggesa wanita negeri ini yang suka membeli atau menyimpan barang kemas supaya menjualnya untuk dilaburkan dalam KRKB yang baru dilancarkan itu.

Ini kerana, katanya, ia akan memberi pulangan yang menguntungkan kesan kenaikan harga emas dunia yang menjadi bahan pelaburan urusniaga koperasi menerusi Permodalan Kelantan Berhad (PKB).

Semasa ditanya sama ada kebimbangan sesetengah rakyat Kelantan yang ingin melabur dalam koperasi itu kesan kegagalan Koperasi Kohilal yang kebanyakannya dianggotai PAS, Nik Abdul Aziz berkata kegagalan koperasi itu ekoran kejatuhan saham dan keadaan ekonomi merudum pada 1998.

Can MBPJ shut down DUMC?

Ampersand by KW Mak


THERE’s a rumour making the rounds that the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will close down the Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya (PJ) because the premise was not approved for a church.
For certain, the land that DUMC is located on is not designated for a “religious institution” that would permit the land to be used as a place of worship. However, before the ones who created the rumour rejoice and insist that the city council close down DUMC, let’s review some of the development rules I have previously raised that would be relevant to this case.
Land use
All land titles have what you call “express conditions” which state what the land can be used for. The term is described in detail under Sections 103 to 108 of the National Land Code.
The National Land Code further prescribes that the land cannot be used for anything other than what the express condition permits. Since the land that DUMC is sitting on is designated for industrial use only, it should technically be used as a factory and nothing else.
That said, if the council were to enforce the land code strictly, then the houses in SS2 in PJ that have been converted to bridal shops should also be shut down. The properties there are strictly for “residential use” only.
The same action would also apply to quite a number of commercial buildings that have sprung up in Section 13 in PJ. The colleges that currently occupy these former factory lots – like Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman – would also have to ship out.
If the authorities want to impose the land code effectively, they must do it fairly across the board. But in doing so, they might just facilitate a small-scale economic collapse within PJ.
Development rules
Still, what is the point of having laws and rules if they are not enforced? Now, this is where we have to hold accountable the politicians of yesteryear for not adhering to development rules and regulations when they should have.
I have previously highlighted that the development rules stipulate that 10% of land that has been approved for development must be turned into open space. On top of that, there are also rules that prescribe the need to surrender up to 30% of the development area for public use. That would include land for religious institutions, cemeteries and schools.
Of course, no one bothers with these rules because they argue that the rules are just guidelines and need not be followed to the letter. Everyone can instead maximise profit and not bother with requirements such as surrendering 30% of the total land for public use.
Are we surprised, then, that communities have to resort to using houses, factories and commercial buildings as places of worship or institutions of higher learning?
Correcting the problem
In order to correct this problem, development rules need to be reinstated and applied strictly for new developments. At the same time, the state government must look at legal remedies for existing problems. The only problem is there would be zero development in PJ if these rules were applied, and property developers would certainly object.
Since money speaks louder than a councillor’s advice, one would be right in assuming that the status quo will be in place for a long time yet.

Perkasa beri kata dua kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara

Utusan Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Ogos - Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) hari ini memberi kata dua kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara supaya mendakwa segera Pengerusi Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih), Datuk S. Ambiga, atau bakal berdepan dengan tindakan luar jangkaan daripada pertubuhan itu.

Pada masa sama, presidennya, Datuk Ibrahim Ali juga menuntut Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail supaya mengambil tindakan undang-undang ke atas pelaku video seks yang 99.9 peratus menyerupai Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim serta mendakwa pihak yang mahu menjadikan Kristian sebagai agama rasmi.

Katanya, cubaan kumpulan paderi Kristian dengan pemimpin DAP di Pulau Pinang untuk menjadikan Kristian sebagai agama rasmi baru-baru ini, jelas bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan tetapi beliau pelik, kerana sehingga sekarang tiada seorang pun daripada kumpulan tersebut yang dihadap ke mahkamah.

"Kerajaan jangan cuba hendak bermain politik dalam isu ini. Jangan sampai kami hilang keyakinan terhadap kerajaan kerana lambat bertindak bagi menguatkuasakan undang-undang. Di mana terhalangnya tindakan ke atas ketiga-tiga pihak ini? Siasatan polis yang lambat atau peguam negara sengaja melengah-lengahkannya?

"Kes Ambiga sahaja terdapat 4,000 laporan polis daripada rakyat Malaysia. Apakah Ambiga ini lebih istimewa daripada rakyat Malaysia yang lain? Trio Datuk T juga sudah dihadapkan ke mahkamah dan menerima hukuman tetapi bagaimana dengan pelaku yang disahkan pakar 99.9 peratus ialah Anwar? Kenapa sampai sekarang tiada tindakan?

"Perkasa bagi tempoh kepada kerajaan, kalau tiada juga sebarang tindakan kami akan mengambil satu tindakan yang di luar jangkaan. Sehingga hari ini kami hormati dan patuh kepada undang-undang negara tetapi jangan salahkan kami selepas ini kalau Perkasa bertindak," katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Dalam perkembangan berasingan, Perkasa bertindak membakar The Star sebagai bantahan terhadap kebiadapan akhbar berbahasa Inggeris itu menyiarkan iklan sajian 'babi panggang' untuk menu Ramadan baru-baru ini.

Menurut Ibrahim, tindakan itu diambil selepas pihaknya tidak berpuas hati dengan permohonan maaf akhbar tersebut yang disifatkan seperti 'melepas batuk di tangga' selain tidak sensitif dengan kemuliaan Ramadan.

"The Star tidak perlu memperbodohkan kami. Saya percaya iklan itu sengaja disiar bagi menguji perasaan umat Islam di negara ini dan sebagai Presiden Perkasa, saya merestui tindakan membakar akhbar ini sebagai pengajaran terhadap kebiadapan mereka," katanya.

Muslim writer: zakat (Islamic almsgiving) may not be given to non-Muslims or to build hospitals or orphanages, but can go for jihad warfare

Ever wondered why so many Islamic "charities" have turned out to be jihad-financing factories? Here are some telling sections from "21 Common Misconceptions about Zakaah," by Asma bint Shameem, an article that came to me in my morning mailing from the "Islam_1_God_1_Religion_1_Truth" Yahoo Group. Someone made me a member of that in hopes, I guess, of converting me to Islam. Every mailing contains the tagline, "Only Authentic Information about Islam is passed backed by Quran or Hadith's [sic]." In them, Asma bint Shameem explains that zakat, the obligatory alms that Muslims must pay, may not be given to non-Muslims, and may not be used to build hospitals, orphanages, or even to print Qur'ans or build mosques, but may be used to finance jihadists.
Will Honest Ibe Hooper or Boy Reza Aslan or some other giant of Moderate Islam denounce Asma bint Shameem as a Misunderstander of Islam or even as a Greasy Islamophobe? Or is she right on these points?
One thing is certain: even though she is accurately stating the position of Islamic regarding zakat, it is I who will be denounced as an "Islamophobe" for passing this on, not she who will be denounced for these positions promoting hatred and warfare.

Misconception # 18: Zakaah can be given to Non-Muslims if they are poor It is not permissible to give Zakaah to any kaafir except the one who is inclined towards Islam, in the hope that he will become Muslim if you give him zakaah (al-Tawbah:60).

Al-Tawbah:60 is Qur'an 9:60: "Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."

Misconception # 19: I will use Zakaah to build hospitals, masjid and orphanages That is not permissible, because this is not included in the eight categories on which zakaah may be spent.

Allaah tells us that Zakaah may be spent on the following:
“As-Sadaqaat (Zakaah) are only
for the Fuqaraa (poor),
and Al-Masaakeen (the poor)
and those employed to collect (the funds);
and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam);
and to free the captives;
and for those in debt;
and for Allaah’s Cause (Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle),
and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything)” [al-Tawbah:60]

But if the intention in giving the money to an orphanage is so that this money will be spent on the poor orphans, then this is permissible, if the orphans are poor.
Similarly, Zakaah cannot be used to print Quraans and other Dawah material.

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/08/muslim-writer-zakat-islamic-almsgiving-may-not-be-given-to-non-muslims-or-to-build-hospitals-or-orph.html

Hindraf collecting evidence against British gov't

(Malaysiakini) Suresh Grover, the attorney acting on behalf of outlawed Hindu rights group Hindraf, is making the rounds of Indian communities in Malaysia, 'to collect evidence' for its civil suit against the British government.

The suit, initiated and filed by Hindraf chief P Waythamoorthy (right) in 2007, prior to the group being outlawed and its leaders picked up under the Internal Security Act or forced to flee the country, has been in limbo since then.

"Because of the time limitation, we must go to trial before 30 August 2013," said Grover, explaining why his evidence gathering visit is of the utmost urgency.

He was speaking today to over 1,500 supporters of Hindraf and members of the Indian community at the Hokkien Assembly Hall, Klang.

Grover is scheduled to visit more locations around Malaysia to meet with more citizens of Indian descent to explain about the legal challenge, gather evidence and add more names to the list of claimants.

The civil suit which named the British Crown and government as the defendants, is to seek recompense for the alleged victimisation of Indians, whose forced relocation to then Malaya by the Empire, Hindraf claimed, had led to them a life of abject poverty.

Grover said that it is essential that he meet with as many Malaysians of Indian descent as soon as possible to include them in the list of claimants to the civil claim and to use evidence of their current life as a basis for their abject poverty argument.

However he assured those who may want to come forward that as provided under British law, their identity will be kept confidential in case of intimidation or possible reprisal by the Malaysian government.

'It will not stop here'

Grover also condemned the deportation of his fellow London based legal colleague Imran Khan.

"It does not make sense to exclude Mr Khan, when I am also going to do the same thing.

"They (the government) don't want the suit to succeed. They are afraid of you and your tenacity," claimed the London-based legal professional.

Khan (left) who is legal advisor to Waythamoorthy, was supposed to accompany Grover but was deported by Malaysian authorities yesterday for being a "prohibited immigrant.

Grover said that they will not stop there but will continue their fight for the case, including to challenge Khan's deportatation.

"Mr Khan will travel here again," said the lawyer.

The lawyer arrived at the packed hall to the cries of "Hindraf Vaalzhal!" by youths waving the orange flag of the outlawed organisation.

There was no obvious police presence throughout the event although there were individuals who could have been plainsclothes officers.

Prior to his arrival the sizeable crowd gave their rapt attention to videos and slideshow of photos featuring Waythamoorthy and other Hindraf leaders in heroic moments to the rousing 60s era Tamil songs.

Perkasa: We will take over PAS' role as "defender of Islam"

Perkasa bakar akhbar Star

Akhbar itu menyiarkan iklan juadah Ramadan mengandungi daging babi.

KUALA LUMPUR: Perkasa membakar akhbar The Star sebagai memprotes akhbar itu menyiarkan iklan hidangan Ramadan baru-baru ini.

Akhbar itu menyiarkan iklan juadah Ramadan mengandungi daging babi.

Pembakaran itu diketuai oleh Ketua Wira Perkasa Irwan Fahmi Idris.

Dalam ucapannya, Irwan berkata. Penyiaran iklan oleh akhbar The Star itu menghina orang Islam.

“Perkasa meminta akhbar The Star meminta maaf secara terbuka kepada orang Islam,” katanya.

Dalam ucapannyqa, Irwan juga menyelar MCA dan MIC yang dianggapnya suka menjaga hal ehwal orang Melayu.

“Kamu kerjalah untuk kaum kamu sendiri kerana dalam pilihan raya tidak mendapat sokongan.
“Tolong hormati kaum majoriti,” katanya.

THE NEP

1. Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam is vehement that the New Economic Policy is the cause of poor inflow of Foreign Direct Investments here.

2. One can fault the NEP for a lot of things but to blame it for the current slowdown in Foreign Direct Investments is not quite correct.

3. There are of course some investors who were and are put off by the NEP and the abuses involving it. But FDI actually contributed much to Malaysia’s industrialisation. And this happened when the NEP was in full swing, in fact picked up during the time when the NEP was being implemented.

4. Between 1986 to 1997, Malaysia attained the highest growth rates with FDI contributing much towards this achievement.

 

5. The FDI began to slow down only when China and Vietnam opened themselves to foreign investments. As the cost of labour in Malaysia rose, the countries with much lower cost of labour such as Indonesia and Thailand begun to attract more foreign investment. All these affected the flow of foreign investments into Malaysia.

6. Today foreign investments have decreased because of the financial problems faced by the developed countries.

7. Blaming the NEP is political. That is all there is to it.

8. That “the majority would argue that the (NEP) policy is the source of all problems facing the nation” as quoted by Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid here, does not mean that he agrees with the said majority.

9. Therefore he was correct in saying that Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam was “factually incorrect”.

10. Let us resurrect at the figures of FDI before NEP, and during the years the NEP was being implemented and compare them with those of neighbouring countries. We should also look at the economic growth figures of Malaysia since the NEP was implemented and compare with the period before NEP.

11. These figures would validate or disprove the claims of Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam and the majority that the NEP was at the root of all the problems in Malaysia.

12. Finally Malaysia was able to tackle the depression caused by the devaluation of its currency by currency traders without the social problems as witnessed in other countries affected by the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-98 and thereafter. Indeed it was the partial success of the NEP in correcting the disparities between the races in Malaysia that the racial problems seen in neighbouring countries did not plague the nation.

JAIS serah laporan awal kepada MB

Utusan Malaysia

SHAH ALAM 13 Ogos - Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) telah menyerahkan laporan awal berhubung pemeriksaan yang dilakukan agensi penguat kuasa itu di Gereja Methodist, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya baru-baru ini kepada Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Menurut sumber, laporan yang mengandungi maklumat mengenai bagaimana pemeriksaan dilakukan JAIS terhadap gereja itu dan mereka yang berada di dalamnya diserahkan kepada Abdul Khalid minggu lalu.

Kata sumber itu, JAIS kini sedang melengkapkan siasatannya berdasarkan pemeriksaan yang dilakukan.

"Laporan yang dihantar ke Menteri Besar hanya laporan awal dan laporan lengkap sedang disiapkan. Selepas siap kita akan hantar laporan itu kepada pihak yang berkenaan," katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Pada 3 Ogos lalu, pasukan penguat kuasa JAIS menjalankan pemeriksaan di Dream Centre milik Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama dekat Petaling Jaya.

Bagaimanapun, pemeriksaan gereja tersebut menjadi isu hangat apabila Abdul Khalid memberikan kenyataan yang bercanggah dengan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Hal Ehwal Islam, Adat Istiadat Melayu dan Kemudahan Awam negeri, Datuk Dr. Hasan Mohd. Ali.

Abdul Khalid menyatakan kekesalan dengan insiden itu dan mahu laporan penuh diberikan kepada beliau sementara Hasan pula menyokong tindakan JAIS yang membuat pemeriksaan selepas mendapat bukti berlaku penyebaran agama bukan Islam ke atas penganut Islam.

Keadaan bertambah panas apabila Abdul Khalid dikatakan meminta semua Exconya tutup mulut mengenai pemeriksaan tersebut sementara Hasan pula sanggup dipecat kerana melanggar arahan itu apabila mengeluarkan kenyataan menyokong JAIS.

Ekoran kontroversi yang berlaku, banyak pihak yang tampil menyokong JAIS dan Hasan serta mempertikaikan kredibiliti Abdul Khalid sebagai pemimpin beragama Islam.