Oh, and pay no attention to the Daily Mail’s usage of ‘far right’ and
‘extremist party’ bull crap, anyone who challenges the EU and
multiculturalism and Islamization is automatically labelled…
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Saturday, 4 February 2012
Schwarzenegger visits Taj Mahal, finds it closed
The former California governor traveled to the Indian city of Agra on Friday, the one…
The former California governor traveled to the Indian city of Agra on Friday, the one day each week the monument is closed to tourists because of Muslim prayers at a nearby mosque.
His tour guide Nitin Singh said the movie star was disappointed and had to view the Taj Mahal from a nearby road.
Schwarzenegger took pictures with his cellphone and posed for photos with the Taj as the backdrop.
He is in India for an environmental conference.
He told a TV channel he would consider acting in Bollywood if offered an interesting script with a good director.
"I'll be back," he told the cheering studio audience.
Shahrizat says NFCorp test from Allah, vows to fight on
SEPANG, Feb 3 — Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil says she plans to continue leading the women’s wing of the party despite the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp)…
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SEPANG, Feb 3 — Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil says she plans to continue leading the women’s wing of the party despite the National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) scandal implicating her family, The Star Online reported her as saying this evening.
Shahrizat (picture), who returned to Malaysia today after performing the umrah for the third time in two months, told the news portal the scandal is Allah’s way of testing her resilience as a leader.
The women, family and community development minister also said she “would not … succumb to this type of political theatre orchestrated by the opposition.”
In fact, the attacks have made her even more determined to lead Wanita Umno’s charge into the next general election, she added.
In a related development, Shahrizat declined to respond directly to recent statements by her deputy Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim as well as her Wanita Umno predecessor, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, saying only that she “knows where Kamilia is coming from.”
NFCorp’s assets were frozen after investigations were launched by the police and the MACC following a series of exposes by PKR against the company owned by senior minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family.
The opposition party has accused NFCorp of spending at least RM27 million in public funds on land, property and expenses unrelated to cattle farming.
Shahrizat returns to ministerial duties on February 6 after taking three weeks’ leave to allow the authorities to complete their probe.
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Shahrizat (picture), who returned to Malaysia today after performing the umrah for the third time in two months, told the news portal the scandal is Allah’s way of testing her resilience as a leader.
The women, family and community development minister also said she “would not … succumb to this type of political theatre orchestrated by the opposition.”
In fact, the attacks have made her even more determined to lead Wanita Umno’s charge into the next general election, she added.
In a related development, Shahrizat declined to respond directly to recent statements by her deputy Datuk Kamilia Ibrahim as well as her Wanita Umno predecessor, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, saying only that she “knows where Kamilia is coming from.”
NFCorp’s assets were frozen after investigations were launched by the police and the MACC following a series of exposes by PKR against the company owned by senior minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family.
The opposition party has accused NFCorp of spending at least RM27 million in public funds on land, property and expenses unrelated to cattle farming.
Shahrizat returns to ministerial duties on February 6 after taking three weeks’ leave to allow the authorities to complete their probe.
Orang Asal: Polis hina kami
Shafie Dris berkata sekatan manusia itu sebenarnya adalah jalan terakhir bagi mereka melindungi hak daripada terus diceroboh.
KUALA LUMPUR: Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) mendakwa polis menggunakan kekerasan…
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KUALA LUMPUR: Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) mendakwa polis menggunakan kekerasan…
Shafie Dris berkata sekatan manusia itu sebenarnya adalah jalan terakhir bagi mereka melindungi hak daripada terus diceroboh.
KUALA LUMPUR: Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) mendakwa polis menggunakan kekerasan menghalang masyarakatnya membentuk sekatan manusia bagi melindungi kawasan mereka semasa insiden 28 Januari lalu di Kampung Parit, Gua Musang di Kelantan.
Wakil JKOASM Shafie Dris berkata polis telah menghalang dan membakar struktur bersebelahan yang dibina oleh penduduk Orang Asli suku kaum Temiar yang mahu mempertahankan hak menuntut kembali tanah adat yang dirampas oleh lori-lori balak yang keluar masuk dari wilayah tanah adat mereka.
Dalam memorandum kepada Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam) itu, Shafie berkata sekatan manusia itu sebenarnya adalah jalan terakhir bagi mereka melindungi hak daripada terus diceroboh dan dimusnahi pembalak, ladang rakyat dam perlombongan emas.
“Kami terpaksa kerana usaha selama ini seperti menghantar memorandum kepada Menteri Besar Kelantan pada 13 Februari lalu, berhimpun di Pejabat Daerah Jajahan Gua Musang pada 3 April lalu dan berulang kali menghantar surat aduan tentang pencerobohan tanah adat tidak diendahkan dan tidak dilayan oleh kerajaan negeri,” katanya ketika penjelasan memorandum kepada pegawai Suhakam.
Beliau turut kecewa dengan perbuatan dan kata-kata pegawai polis semasa kejadian dan di balai apabila menuduh tindakan mereka itu
dihasut oleh pihak luar, serta menggunakan psikologi menakutkan Orang Asli supaya tidak menuntut hak mereka.
Malah katanya selain menahan 13 Orang Asli, polis turut menghalang ahli keluarga daripada mengiringi tahanan ke balai polis serta dinafikan hak mendapatkan peguam sebelum dibebaskan beberapa jam kemudian.
“Kami menuntut polis, kerajaan negeri dan kerajaan Malaysia amnya memohon maaf secara terbuka kerana menghina masyarakat Orang Asli seolah-olah bangsa kami tidak bermaruah, tidak berfikiran dan kurang mampu membuat keputusan terhadap diri sendiri,” tegasnya.
Sehubungan itu, pihaknya mahu kerajaan Kelantan membayar pampasan yang sewajarnya atas segala kerosakan dan kerugian yang Orang Asli hadapi serta menarik balik lesen kontraktor yang mengerjakan tanah adat mereka.
“Kami juga mahu semua rizab lain yang bertindih dengan tanah wilayah adat Orang Asli termasuk Rezab Melayu dan Hutan Simpan Kekal dibatalkan,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Pesuruhjaya Suhakam Shaani Abdullah berkata pemaju dan kerajaan negeri perlu menghormati keputusan mahkamah dan Deklarasi Hak Asasi Bagi Hak Orang Asal Sedunia (UNDRIP) yang telah mengiktiraf hak tanah kepada Orang Asal.
▲
KUALA LUMPUR: Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) mendakwa polis menggunakan kekerasan menghalang masyarakatnya membentuk sekatan manusia bagi melindungi kawasan mereka semasa insiden 28 Januari lalu di Kampung Parit, Gua Musang di Kelantan.Wakil JKOASM Shafie Dris berkata polis telah menghalang dan membakar struktur bersebelahan yang dibina oleh penduduk Orang Asli suku kaum Temiar yang mahu mempertahankan hak menuntut kembali tanah adat yang dirampas oleh lori-lori balak yang keluar masuk dari wilayah tanah adat mereka.
Dalam memorandum kepada Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (Suhakam) itu, Shafie berkata sekatan manusia itu sebenarnya adalah jalan terakhir bagi mereka melindungi hak daripada terus diceroboh dan dimusnahi pembalak, ladang rakyat dam perlombongan emas.
“Kami terpaksa kerana usaha selama ini seperti menghantar memorandum kepada Menteri Besar Kelantan pada 13 Februari lalu, berhimpun di Pejabat Daerah Jajahan Gua Musang pada 3 April lalu dan berulang kali menghantar surat aduan tentang pencerobohan tanah adat tidak diendahkan dan tidak dilayan oleh kerajaan negeri,” katanya ketika penjelasan memorandum kepada pegawai Suhakam.
Beliau turut kecewa dengan perbuatan dan kata-kata pegawai polis semasa kejadian dan di balai apabila menuduh tindakan mereka itu
dihasut oleh pihak luar, serta menggunakan psikologi menakutkan Orang Asli supaya tidak menuntut hak mereka.
Malah katanya selain menahan 13 Orang Asli, polis turut menghalang ahli keluarga daripada mengiringi tahanan ke balai polis serta dinafikan hak mendapatkan peguam sebelum dibebaskan beberapa jam kemudian.
“Kami menuntut polis, kerajaan negeri dan kerajaan Malaysia amnya memohon maaf secara terbuka kerana menghina masyarakat Orang Asli seolah-olah bangsa kami tidak bermaruah, tidak berfikiran dan kurang mampu membuat keputusan terhadap diri sendiri,” tegasnya.
Sehubungan itu, pihaknya mahu kerajaan Kelantan membayar pampasan yang sewajarnya atas segala kerosakan dan kerugian yang Orang Asli hadapi serta menarik balik lesen kontraktor yang mengerjakan tanah adat mereka.
“Kami juga mahu semua rizab lain yang bertindih dengan tanah wilayah adat Orang Asli termasuk Rezab Melayu dan Hutan Simpan Kekal dibatalkan,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Pesuruhjaya Suhakam Shaani Abdullah berkata pemaju dan kerajaan negeri perlu menghormati keputusan mahkamah dan Deklarasi Hak Asasi Bagi Hak Orang Asal Sedunia (UNDRIP) yang telah mengiktiraf hak tanah kepada Orang Asal.
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Native of Malaysia
NGO takes a swipe at Rayer for politicising Thaipusam
The Malaysian Indian Youth Council Penang branch claims the Seri Delima assemblyman was responsible for stopping extension of a PA system.
BUTTERWORTH: A local Indian NGO leader has accused Seri…
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BUTTERWORTH: A local Indian NGO leader has accused Seri…
The Malaysian Indian Youth Council Penang branch claims the Seri Delima assemblyman was responsible for stopping extension of a PA system.
BUTTERWORTH: A local Indian NGO leader has accused Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer of politicising next week’s Thaipusam festival in Penang.
Malaysian Indian Youth Council Penang branch chairman Reghu Devan Lopez claimed that Rayer was responsible in stopping the extension of single public address system until the Penang Sports Club tannir panthal (refreshment shed) near the Jalan Scotland-Jalan Utama junction.
Reghu claimed that he learnt Rayer’s interference on the issue when he called a certain state government official yesterday.
“This is religious matter and it should not be politicised.
“The single PA system will maintain a peaceful, harmonious and crime-free religious festival,” he told a press conference here today.
Also present were state chairmen of Malaysia Hindu Sangam chairman G Shanmuganathan and V Nandakumar, and Penang Indian Sports and Recreational Club president M Karthi.
Currently, the single PA system runs for 2.5km from the Waterfall hilltop temple, Balathandayuthabani Kovil until the Jalan Brown-Jalan Utama junction.
During a meeting organised by the hilltop temple with tannir panthal operators in Caring Society Complex on Jan 18, a resolution was adopted to extend the system for another kilometre.
However, a furious protest by some 200 affected tannir panthal operators on Jan 27 outside the hilltop temple office in Jalan Air Terjun had forced the temple management committee to back track on the plan.
In a petition handed over to the temple management committee via Rayer, the panthal operators claimed that the extension would surely “kill” the festive atmosphere of Thaipusam, and transform it into a mourning religious procession.
“Thaipusam will be dead, we don’t need to celebrate it anymore,” they argued.
Shanmuganathan said he was told that the decision to disallow the extension was taken by relevant authorities seemingly because it would affect the Indian votes for DAP.
“I don’t understand how it will affect votes.
“We proposed the single PA system because we want Thaipusam to be held in an organised way.
“We are in a way helping the police to combat and reduce crime rates among Indian youths,” he added.
He claimed that the current system which allowed panthals to play their own music was among the main reasons behind rising crime, gangsterism and unruly behaviour among Hindu youths.
“Anyway, we want the single PA system to be implemented next year.
“We cannot afford to drag on this issue and allow politics to get in between religious issues,” said Shanmuganathan.
▲
BUTTERWORTH: A local Indian NGO leader has accused Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer of politicising next week’s Thaipusam festival in Penang.Malaysian Indian Youth Council Penang branch chairman Reghu Devan Lopez claimed that Rayer was responsible in stopping the extension of single public address system until the Penang Sports Club tannir panthal (refreshment shed) near the Jalan Scotland-Jalan Utama junction.
Reghu claimed that he learnt Rayer’s interference on the issue when he called a certain state government official yesterday.
“This is religious matter and it should not be politicised.
“The single PA system will maintain a peaceful, harmonious and crime-free religious festival,” he told a press conference here today.
Also present were state chairmen of Malaysia Hindu Sangam chairman G Shanmuganathan and V Nandakumar, and Penang Indian Sports and Recreational Club president M Karthi.
Currently, the single PA system runs for 2.5km from the Waterfall hilltop temple, Balathandayuthabani Kovil until the Jalan Brown-Jalan Utama junction.
During a meeting organised by the hilltop temple with tannir panthal operators in Caring Society Complex on Jan 18, a resolution was adopted to extend the system for another kilometre.
However, a furious protest by some 200 affected tannir panthal operators on Jan 27 outside the hilltop temple office in Jalan Air Terjun had forced the temple management committee to back track on the plan.
In a petition handed over to the temple management committee via Rayer, the panthal operators claimed that the extension would surely “kill” the festive atmosphere of Thaipusam, and transform it into a mourning religious procession.“Thaipusam will be dead, we don’t need to celebrate it anymore,” they argued.
Shanmuganathan said he was told that the decision to disallow the extension was taken by relevant authorities seemingly because it would affect the Indian votes for DAP.
“I don’t understand how it will affect votes.
“We proposed the single PA system because we want Thaipusam to be held in an organised way.
“We are in a way helping the police to combat and reduce crime rates among Indian youths,” he added.
He claimed that the current system which allowed panthals to play their own music was among the main reasons behind rising crime, gangsterism and unruly behaviour among Hindu youths.
“Anyway, we want the single PA system to be implemented next year.
“We cannot afford to drag on this issue and allow politics to get in between religious issues,” said Shanmuganathan.
Is the definition of a “Muslim” unconstitutional?
Loyar Burok by LoyarBurokkers
Today,
the Federal Court hears a special Constitutional Reference from the
Shah Alam High Court which will have very far reaching consequences for a
small minority…
Loyar Burok by LoyarBurokkers
Today,
the Federal Court hears a special Constitutional Reference from the
Shah Alam High Court which will have very far reaching consequences for a
small minority of Malaysians living a double life. These Malaysians are
forced into having an official “Muslim” identity, when they in fact
profess and practice a different religion.
An
Indian Malaysian, Zaina Abdin @ Balachandran, who says he has spent the
whole of his life – more than 60 years now – as a Hindu, is being
unconstitutionally treated as a “Muslim” by the authorities.
Bala’s
father, also of Indian ethnicity, went through a formal conversion
process in order to marry his Indian Muslim mother in the 1950s. But
Bala’s father and mother lived as Hindus and continued to profess and
practice Hinduism as their religion.
In
the early 1970s, Bala officially changed his name by a Deed Poll
published in the Government Gazette. He went through a marriage
registered under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 to his
Hindu wife, and was blessed with 3 children.
But Bala and his three children are all all still being treated as Muslim even though all profess and practice Hinduism.
Profess
The
Constitution never uses the word “Muslim”. It uses the phrase “person
professing the religion of Islam” whenever it refers to the people we
call “Muslims”.
Bala professes Hinduism – he has never in his life professed Islam as his religion.
The
problem is because in 1989, they changed the law to include a
definition of a “Muslim” in the Selangor Administration of Islamic Law
enactment which had additional definitions other than “person professing
the religion of Islam”. Similar definitions founds its way into the
State Islamic Law of all States.
The
current 2003 legislation in Selangor includes as a definition of
“Muslim” a person who is born to a Muslim parent and a person who by
general reputation is considered a Muslim.
It is because of this that Bala and his three children are now caught in this crisis of identity.
Syariah Court and Islamic law
The
Government of Malaysia, and the Government of Selangor, both say that
Bala must go to the Syariah court first to get permission to “leave”
Islam. They say the other definitions of “profess” are all mere
extensions and elaborations of the phrase “person professing the
religion of Islam”.
But
Bala says that he is a Hindu. He does not want Islamic theological law
applied on him when he is a Hindu. He says it does not matter to him
that Islamic law classifies him as a Muslim – what is important to him
is that the Constitution does not allow Islamic law to be applied if a
person does not “profess” Islam, and the Constitution says he can
profess and practice his religion in peace and harmony.
Earlier,
the High Court had struck out the entire case saying it was an abuse of
process as Bala and his children had to go to the Syariah court. The
Court of Appeal unanimously allowed Bala’s appeal, and reinstated the case saying the issues were of constitutional importance.
Questions for the Federal Court to Determine
Yang Arif Nurchaya Arshad J referred 5 questions to the Federal Court in a Special Case Stated under section 84 of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964. Essentially, those 5 questions are:
1. Are the definitions of a “Muslim” in the relevant enactment, other than the definition “a person professing the religion of Islam” inconsistent with the Federal Constitution2. Under our constitution, does a parent of a child under 18 have the absolute right to determine the religion of the child3. Is it unconstitutional for Islamic law be applied to a person who professes himself to be a Hindu but is considered a Muslim under Islamic law4. Is the need to get permission from the Syariah authorities before a person can stop being considered a “Muslim” unconstitutional5. Is the rule that a person cannot register a change of name on his IC if the reason for the change is a change of religion unconstitutiona
The High Court Judge also gave her Grounds for
referring these questions, since the Government of Malaysia appealed
against her decision to refer this matter straight to the Federal Court.
Interestingly, the learned Judge said this:
I am satisfied that right to ‘profess’ his religion entitled a person with full liberty to declare his religion as he chooses, and that unfettered personal freedom is a fundamental right guaranteed by our constitution
(The appeal by the Government was dismissed because they had not named the other defendants in the High Court as Respondents in their appeal.)
Federal Court proceedings
The
case is scheduled to be heard at the Federal Court on Thursday,
Feberuary 2, 2012 before a panel of 5 Judges of the Court of Appeal.
LoyarBurokkers
Fahri Azzat, K Shanmuga and Aston Paiva will appear for Bala.
LoyarBurokker Edmund Bon will appear for the Malaysian Consultative
Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (who is
the 4th Respondent).
The
Government of Malaysia will be represented by the Attorney General’s
Chambers, whilst the Government of Selangor will be represented by the
Selangor State Legal Adviser. The Selangor Islamic Affairs Council
(MAIS) is represented by a firm of private lawyers.
UPDATED:
The Federal Court dismissed the Reference stating that there were still
facts in dispute making the case unsuitable for determination under
section 84. The matter was remitted to the High Court for a full
hearing. Read about the decision on Malaysiakini here and here, the Malaysian Insider and Free Malaysia Today.
The
written submissions of the lawyers are quite voluminous. What was filed
in Court beforehand and made available to LoyarBurok are the following.
All the submissions will be eventually uploaded here.
UPDATED: The following submissions have now become available.
For more on these issues, read the following:-
Labels:
Islam
Nik Aziz Reveals Wish To Step Down But Prevented By Party
KOTA BAHARU, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Friday revealed that he had wanted to withdraw from politics but the idea was…
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KOTA BAHARU, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat on Friday revealed that he had wanted to withdraw from politics but the idea was rejected by Kelantan Pas.
"I want to let out a personal secret of not wanting to contest in the general election anymore, but was rebuffed by Kelantan Pas. That is why I am still in politics until today," he told reporters after delivering a lecture at Dataran Ilmu, here, today.
Nik Aziz was earlier asked for his opinion on party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's intention of not contesting in the coming 13th general election to make way for any suitable echelon leader.
He said this was Hadi's own thing, and he (Nik Aziz) as the party's spiritual leader, could not do anything about it.
However, he suggested that Hadi contest at the parliamentary level to continue his struggle for the party.
Nik Aziz said Pas now had many qualified individuals to become candidates including the highly-educated ones with doctorates and professionals compared to previously where they were mostly pondok religious school teachers and ordinary villagers.
On another development, Nik Aziz said he would launch a fund to help the Muslim community in southern Thailand whose members were killed by Thai security forces.
He said the contributions would come from the people and not from the state government and the collection to be handed by a state government representative to the Thai consul here soon.
▲
"I want to let out a personal secret of not wanting to contest in the general election anymore, but was rebuffed by Kelantan Pas. That is why I am still in politics until today," he told reporters after delivering a lecture at Dataran Ilmu, here, today.
Nik Aziz was earlier asked for his opinion on party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's intention of not contesting in the coming 13th general election to make way for any suitable echelon leader.
He said this was Hadi's own thing, and he (Nik Aziz) as the party's spiritual leader, could not do anything about it.
However, he suggested that Hadi contest at the parliamentary level to continue his struggle for the party.
Nik Aziz said Pas now had many qualified individuals to become candidates including the highly-educated ones with doctorates and professionals compared to previously where they were mostly pondok religious school teachers and ordinary villagers.
On another development, Nik Aziz said he would launch a fund to help the Muslim community in southern Thailand whose members were killed by Thai security forces.
He said the contributions would come from the people and not from the state government and the collection to be handed by a state government representative to the Thai consul here soon.
Labels:
PAS
DAP calls to Najib – convene in mid-Feb RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to condemn all acts of religious desecration, particularly the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques to provoke racial and religious strife
DAP calls on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to convene in mid-February a RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to reaffirm moderation and condemn all…
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DAP calls on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to convene in mid-February a RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to reaffirm moderation and condemn all acts of religious desecration, particularly the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques, to provoke racial and religious strife.
It must be the concern of all reasonable and patriotic Malaysians that political and public discourse and conduct in the country in the past three years have taken on an increasingly shrill, irrational and intolerant edge.
Only last month, Najib convened the inaugural International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates and called on moderates of the world to unite and embrace moderation and reject all forms of extremism.
Sadly, Najib’s three years as Prime Minister have been marked by a creeping and insidious extremism seeking to incite racial hatred and foment religious tensions, as illustrated by the two incidents of pig’s head outside mosques in the Klang Valley in two days – in Sentul yesterday and Rawang on Tuesday.
Both these acts of religious descrecration, like the despicable act of arson against the Johor PAS deputy commissioner Dzulkifly Ahmad whose BMW car and house at Taman Universiti near Skudai were gutted early this morning, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all political parties, religious groups, NGOs and Malaysians who do not want to see Malaysia descend down the slippery slope towards political violence, racial animosity and religious strife.
This is the time for Najib to “walk the talk” of his 1Malaysia inclusiveness and call for moderates to unite against all forms of extremism – in particular to give substance to what he said at the International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates that “the real divide is not between Muslims and non-Muslims” but “between moderates and extremists”.
Is Najib prepared to stand together with all moderates in Malaysia against the extremists, like those responsible for the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques or the arson against the Johor PAS deputy commissioner?
Yesterday the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Dr. Koh Tsu Koon announced that the “highlight” of the forthcoming international week-long celebration of religious harmony will be a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister for major religious leaders on February 15.
Many Malaysians find this “highlight” announcement most laughable and pathetic as it is totally lacking in imagination and common sense.
No one could see how a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister could be a meaningful “highlight” of an international week-long celebration of religious harmony at a time when there are extremists in our midst trying their utmost to destroy Malaysia’s inter-racial and inter-religious harmony with irresponsible provocative acts like two Rawang and Sentul incidents.
Instead of a Prime Minister’s lunch as “highlight”, it would be more meaningful instead to have a Prime Minister’s RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to reaffirm commitment to moderation and to condemn all acts of religious desecration and all forms of extremism, whether political, ethnic or religious, and demonstrate to all Malaysians and the world that Malaysia in 2012 is committed to be “synonymous not with extremism but with moderation, inclusivity and tolerance”.
Is Najib able to rise up to the challenge of convening such a all-party/religious/NGOs
RoundTable Conference as the highlight of the forthcoming international week-long celebration of religious harmony?
▲
It must be the concern of all reasonable and patriotic Malaysians that political and public discourse and conduct in the country in the past three years have taken on an increasingly shrill, irrational and intolerant edge.
Only last month, Najib convened the inaugural International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates and called on moderates of the world to unite and embrace moderation and reject all forms of extremism.
Sadly, Najib’s three years as Prime Minister have been marked by a creeping and insidious extremism seeking to incite racial hatred and foment religious tensions, as illustrated by the two incidents of pig’s head outside mosques in the Klang Valley in two days – in Sentul yesterday and Rawang on Tuesday.
Both these acts of religious descrecration, like the despicable act of arson against the Johor PAS deputy commissioner Dzulkifly Ahmad whose BMW car and house at Taman Universiti near Skudai were gutted early this morning, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all political parties, religious groups, NGOs and Malaysians who do not want to see Malaysia descend down the slippery slope towards political violence, racial animosity and religious strife.
This is the time for Najib to “walk the talk” of his 1Malaysia inclusiveness and call for moderates to unite against all forms of extremism – in particular to give substance to what he said at the International Conference on the Global Movement of the Moderates that “the real divide is not between Muslims and non-Muslims” but “between moderates and extremists”.
Is Najib prepared to stand together with all moderates in Malaysia against the extremists, like those responsible for the dastardly incidents of pig’s head outside mosques or the arson against the Johor PAS deputy commissioner?
Yesterday the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Senator Dr. Koh Tsu Koon announced that the “highlight” of the forthcoming international week-long celebration of religious harmony will be a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister for major religious leaders on February 15.
Many Malaysians find this “highlight” announcement most laughable and pathetic as it is totally lacking in imagination and common sense.
No one could see how a lunch hosted by the Prime Minister could be a meaningful “highlight” of an international week-long celebration of religious harmony at a time when there are extremists in our midst trying their utmost to destroy Malaysia’s inter-racial and inter-religious harmony with irresponsible provocative acts like two Rawang and Sentul incidents.
Instead of a Prime Minister’s lunch as “highlight”, it would be more meaningful instead to have a Prime Minister’s RoundTable Conference of all political parties, religions and NGOs to reaffirm commitment to moderation and to condemn all acts of religious desecration and all forms of extremism, whether political, ethnic or religious, and demonstrate to all Malaysians and the world that Malaysia in 2012 is committed to be “synonymous not with extremism but with moderation, inclusivity and tolerance”.
Is Najib able to rise up to the challenge of convening such a all-party/religious/NGOs
RoundTable Conference as the highlight of the forthcoming international week-long celebration of religious harmony?
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