PAS playing dangerous game

If PAS continues with its 'Islam superior' stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the 'mother of all elections'.
COMMENT

Islamic party PAS cannot distinguish the tree from the woods with its stubbornness in wanting only a Muslim leader to serve as prime minister.

In his pre-election ceramah or speech recently, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said the party stand was that only Muslims can be the prime minister of this country.

Saying that anybody can be a minister regardless of whether the person was a Muslim or a non-Muslim if the opposition pact under the Pakatan Rakyat banner formed the next government after the May 5 general election, Abdul Hadi added:

“Non-Muslims can work with Muslims to administer this country on condition the prime minister must be a Muslim.

“The person in charge of policies must be a Muslim in an Islamic nation. If he is a non-Muslim, then he should embrace Islam.

“For instance, for the Works Minister’s post, if the person picked is a non-Muslim, but he has the knowledge and expertise in road and building construction, we will appoint him, but we will not appoint a non-Muslim to take charge of mosques.”

With only days to go before Malaysians step out to choose the government of their choice, Hadi’s defiance and acerbic remarks have not gone down well with Malaysians.

But then Hadi is not alone. PAS deputy spiritual leader Haron Din says that hudud will take effect if Pakatan comes into power upon winning the 13th general election.

PAS’ move to implement hudud never sat well with DAP, but Haron could not care less and says hudud it is if Pakatan makes it to Putrajaya, regardless of whether DAP is against the move.

“I’m confident that DAP will accept hudud because of its willingness to contest under the PAS symbol. However, this can only be done after Pakatan is given the mandate to rule the country.

“Pakatan must take over the federal government. Only then can we amend the (Federal) Constitution to implement hudud,” Haron had said.

Haron, who is the candidate for the Arau parliamentary seat, is of the opinion that Pakatan parties must “give and take” in order to work together.

Whose cause is PAS championing?

PAS a few years ago had enacted hudud (prescribed Islamic penalties) in Kelantan, to be imposed only on Muslims who represent about 90% of the state’s 1.5 million population.

The laws introduced Syariah punishments for theft, robbery, adultery, liquor consumption and apostasy.

It is not just hudud. Haron also wants DAP to concur with PAS’ decision not to allow the use of the term “Allah” by non-Muslims.

Looks like both Hadi and Haron have forgotten that their existence as politicians is not to serve vested interests but that of the rakyat.

If PAS continues with its “Islam superior” stance, there is little chance for Pakatan to win big in the May 5 general election dubbed as the “mother of all elections”.

It is not just the hudud and “only Muslim prime minister” that PAS has set its sight on. The party’s “new kid on the block”, the former Selangor menteri besar, Muhammad Muhammad Taib, has wasted no time in declaring that Islam is the way of life, saying that all Muslim women should wear the tudung.

Muhammad, the former Umno vice-president, is unhappy that Muslim women newsreaders and schoochildren did not wear the tudung.

“They say Islam, but look at the newsreaders not wearing headscarves. They say Islam, but there are schoolchildren who wear skirts,” Muhammad was quoted by Bernama as saying.

Not only that, Muhammad thinks he has “seen the light” when he remarked that albeit its development, Selangor’s progress was one that lacked “soul” which had resulted in the (moral) decline among children of affluent families in the cities.

How Muhammad came to that conclusion is anyone’s guess. If he blames the Selangor government for the moral decay of its children, whom does he assign blame to in the case of off-springs of politicians going astray, indulging in vices of all sorts?

Will Muhammad dare blame the federal government over its failure in emphasising “soul” in the success of the nation?

In case Muhammad forgets, moral decay was present way back during his 11-year tenure as Selangor menteri besar when he eloped with the then Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah’s daughter, Tengku Puteri Zaharia Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah to Thailand where they reportedly got married.

It was also Muhammad who claimed that he could not understand English to escape sentencing after he was charged in Australia over currency irregularities amounting to RM3.8 million – an incident which forced him to resign as Selangor menteri besar.

It is another matter that an investigative committee later found that the court had erred in its judgment.

Was Muhammad’s “reputation” good enough for PAS to welcome him on board to help enlighten fellow Muslims out there?

PAS has to stop being dogmatic

The general election is only days away and no thanks to remarks coming from Hadi, Haron and Muhammad, the rakyat’s willingness to support PAS is questionable.

Instead of a display of arrogance, it will do PAS much good if it took the trouble to understand the needs and sentiments of the people and not court one controversy after another through its scandalous edicts.

While PAS remains adamant over the hudud issue its ally in Pakatan, the DAP, insists that it rejects PAS’ proposed hudud.

DAP national chairman Karpal Singh in reacting to Haron’s statement said: “PAS allowing us to use its party logo does not mean we have shifted our stand on the establishment of an Islamic state or hudud.”

Karpal said the introduction of hudud would mean a system with two laws, “which is impossible to impose”.

“Although PAS has said hudud is only for Muslims, the implementation of two systems will cause conflicts and chaos,” Karpal said.

“If PAS wants to amend the Federal Constitution, DAP or PKR will not allow it. I don’t think PAS would insist on amending the Federal Constitution,” he added.

That said, if PAS refuses to mellow down and settle for a political compromise by way of toning down on its demands, there is little hope that Pakatan will succeed gloriously in the much talked- about 13th general election.

The verdict is clear: should PAS choose to disrespect the wishes of the rakyat, the show of disunity taking place is sure to end up in BN’s favour.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.

Meaning of Dharma and Adharma

About two weeks or so, a journalist asked an Indian which of the political party
was the appropriate party to govern Malaysia. His answer that it made no
difference whether it was ‘Rama’ or ‘Ravana’ brought forth comments from 2
other Indians on whether the reference to ‘Rama’ or ‘Ravana’ by the first Indian
was appropriate. None of three individuals involved including the writer are
noted experts on the mythological figures of ‘Rama’ and ‘Ravana’ from the
world’s longest epic tale, written in a poem format, named the Ramayana. As an
Indian, I have read about the figures either in books or articles.

One commentator expressed horror and chided the lightness or the
indistinguishable use of the two mythological figures because it sent a wrong
message to our children. The way I see it, the offence taken is that Ravana is an
evil figure while Rama represents everything good. Put to in Malaysian political
context: who is fits the bill of Rama and Ravana.

The following is an extract from the Internet.

The Difference Between Rama And Ravana
"See the difference between Rama and Ravana. Both were equally
eminent intellectually great scholars. Ravana was a great man. Rama was a good
man. The difference between greatness and goodness should be understood.
Ravana, out of egoism and uncontrolled desires, misused his knowledge and
brought about his ruin. Rama used his knowledge for the benefit of the people
and made them happy. Ravana did not digest his knowledge properly and
suffered from the consequences of indigestion. The difference between Rama
and Ravana was that of between righteousness (Dharma) and unrighteousness
(Adharma). Rama and Ravana are present in each human being. When a person
takes to unrighteous courses, he becomes a Ravana. When people pursue the
path of truth and righteousness, they become Ramas." Sai Baba, SS. 4/96, p. 93
- "Ravana was the master of the sixty-four types of knowledge, but he could
not receive God's grace. Since he did not put his knowledge into practice, he
suffered from 'indigestion'. That resulted in the sickness of sensual desires. Rama
also learnt all the sixty-four types of knowledge and He put them into practice.
Ravana was interested only in aggrandizement whereas, Rama was interested in
practice." Sai Baba, SS. 11/98. p. 293
Ravana
"Ravana was not an ordinary person. He belonged to the lineage of Brahma. He
was the brother of Kubera, the god of wealth. He had a brother, Kumbhakarna,
who was very powerful. He had a son by name Indrajit, who had conquered
mighty Indra, the king of gods. He was the master of four Vedas and six Shastras
(scriptures). Such a powerful and highly educated Ravana could not get rid
of the darkness of ignorance. Ignorance is the cause of birth and death (my
own underlining). When Hanuman set Lanka ablaze, though there was light all
around, Ravana's heart was filled with darkness." Sai Baba. SS. 11/98, p. 289

Ask a 100 ‘experts’ on the meaning of ‘Rama and Ravana’ and you will get a
hundred interpretations.

One explanation is thus: “Dharma is following the path of righteousness and
doing one’s duty in such a way that every action results in maintaining both the
cosmic order and the personal integrity. Adharma is acting in such a way that
the cosmic order and personal integrity are both hurt”

The complete picture of the two figures is equally important. In the mythical
battle of Dharma vs. Adharma, Ravana kidnaps Rama’s wife Sita who remains
his prisoner for 14 years. Ravana grows to admire Sita and makes no move to
take advantage of her. Rama eventually frees his wife; they go on to have two
children but Rama remains suspicious of Sita’s faithfulness to him that he does
nothing to prevent his wife from going through a trial by fire to prove her purity.
Sita who had emerged from the Earth invoked Mother Earth to take her back into
Earth and the condemned woman returned to her mother, never to re appear
again. Before she leaves, she chides her husband at length for not accepting her
word that she had been faithful to Rama during her captivity and for failing to
protect her reputation as his wedded wife.

I have only ever heard Academic Experts comment upon Rama’s silence on the
treatment of his wife as being Adharma as it was argued that she was neither
expected to defend herself nor possessed the skills to protect herself; that she
had no part in her own kidnap nor was there any evidence to suggest that she
had ever bedded Ravana during her captivity. Another interesting aspect of the
Tale pertaining to Sita is that she had a chance to escape earlier from Lanka but
she refused to leave until all of the other female captives were freed with her
[Act of Dharma?] yet at the end of the Tale, suspect adultery leads to her down
fall. What if she had been a male character? Without evidence of Sita's adultery
were her accusers acting Adharma? Was Rama’s silence not condemnation of his
wife and therefore Adharma?

The Tale is too complex for any novice. To simply conclude that Rama
represents everything Good and the other represents everything Evil ignores the
wholesome message in the Poem.
To me, the message in the Poem is that we must always act in good faith and if
we cannot, we must be slow or careful to judge another without good cause; and
even if so, to have a balanced view.

The practice of Dharma holds another important lesson for us - the Circular Code
of Practice: When we question another man’s alleged Adharam; we must act in
accordance with the Dharma code and/or the ‘Sita principle’.
Or as one Good Biblical Man warned: “Let he who is without sin; cast the first
stone”
The acts of Dharma and Adharma expressed in the tale are above any ordinary
human being; there are very few exceptional persons who can reach that height
but even they may not agree with me. Since none of us are perfect all of the
time; us ordinary folks, can probably carry out Dharma acts at specific points of
our lives and deciding what is the right course may require us to balance up all of
the factors pertaining to the situation at hand.

Dharma also expects us to first examine our own actions/motives before we
readily express opinion on another person’s alleged Adharma. Even if we have
evidence to hold the alleged person accountable; the challenge itself must be
done to the very high standard of Dharma.

In relation to the newspaper interview with Waythmoorthy, his alleged
offending comments were that for the Indians it mattered not whether it was
Rama or Ravana who governed the country. Let’s not get above ourselves; no
one is perfect and none has the right to judge (remember Sita? Or the prostitute?
) without full knowledge of the other person’s perspective. May be it was a
mistake for Waythamoorthy to use the Rama/Ravana reference but in reality
which of the two political figures can claim to be Rama? To be Rama is to be
virtuous all of the time [but even he failed his wife in the end].

Examining Waythamoorthy’s actions: When it came to his attention that there
were long standing serious social issues concerning his community had he acted
on them to his personal integrity and Dharma? Remembering the principles of
Dharma; are we above Dharma to judge if his actions are right? When we accuse
him of being a racist, are we above Dharma? What of those Malays and Chinese
who know of similar problems in their community but remain silent until now?
Are they above Dharma? When without full knowledge on Waythamoorthy’s
decision to evade the government clamp down in 2007, are we above Dharma
when we speculate whether that he ran away like a coward? When many do not
know how Waythamoorthy had survived in the UK; are we above Dharma by
speculating on his stay in the UK? When Waythamoorthy returned to Malaysia,
are we above Dharma, when we speculate and insinuate that Waythamoorthy
had bought his way home? Each time we write, speak or form an opinion
without evidence, we break the code of Dharma.
Waythamoorthy following his return had expressed his intention to engage
with both political parties. Commentators speculate on the truth that he had
hoodwinked Pakatan because he had always preferred BN. Those busy in
paddling the speculation are engaging in acts of Adharma. What of journalists
trying to sensationalise a story? Are they above Dharma?
The final condemnation of Waythamoorthy came after he had agreed to work
with BN to campaign in the GE13 elections. Speculations were rife that he had
received payments for his support. Where is the evidence of that? Agree that the
BN Government tends to offer payments to buy off political favours but that is
not enough to then speculate that Waythmoorthy, given his track record, would
have either entertained such payment or taken the offer. If we take it further, we
are acting against the principle of Dharma.

Waythamoorthy has explained his decision to go with BN and he has provided
further information on how he expects BN, if returned to power, to deal with
issues championed by him. If you disagree with him; then make you case based
on facts/knowledge – Rama/Dharma - not speculations/ignorance – Ravana/
Adharma.

So step forward…. the first man, free of sins, to caste the first stone….

Najib woos Chinese voters in Johor

Shariah Court, a challenge to Indian Judicial system. Sharia lovers Muslims in India set a goal to make Indian as a Land of Sharia.

Mumbai gets its first Shariah court to settle civil, marital disputes.

Mohammed Wajihuddin, TNN | MUMBAI | Apr 29, 2013:: The city is set to get its first Darul Qaza or Shariah court to settle civil and marital disputes in the Muslim community. The court, set up by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, will be inaugurated on Monday at Anjuman-i-Islam, near CST, and will serve to fill a long-felt need of the community.

Shariah courts already function at many places in the country, such as Hyderabad, Patna and Malegaon. Here qazis appointed by the AIMPLB hear the community’s various disputes, barring criminal cases, and deliver judgements. “This court will function to settle mainly family disputes pertaining to marriage, divorce and inheritance. Marriage disputes will be settled quickly and the couples will be told to either reconcile or separate if reconciliation is not possible. It will save the community much time and money as fighting cases in civil courts is expensive and time-consuming,” said AIMPLB secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani.

For a dispute to be heard by a Shariah court, both the parties in the dispute will have to approach the court. If one of the parties has approached a civil court, then it will have to withdraw the case for the Shariah court to accept the matter.

Rahmani said Shariah courts do not compete with the civil courts. “On the contrary, Shariah courts will lower the burden of the civil courts where thousands of cases are pending and the judges are overworked,” he said.

Senior advocate and head of AIMPLB’s legal cell Yusuf Muchalla called the city’s Shariah court a “significant alternative dispute settlement mechanism”. “This court will decide within the framework of Muslim personal laws and mainly deal with matrimonial disputes. This is a kind of domestic tribunal set up by the Muslim community.” He added that district and high courts in Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal and Orissa have upheld several decisions given by the Shariah courts established by the Imarat-e-Shariah (House of Shariah) headquartered in Patna. Muchalla maintained that the Shariah courts were well within the law of the land.

‘Shariah courts don’t compete with civil courts’

For a dispute to be heard by a Shariah court, both the parties in the dispute will have to approach the court. If one of the parties has approached a civil court, then it will have to withdraw the case for the Shariah court to accept the matter.

AIMPLB secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani said Shariah courts do not compete with the civil courts. “On the contrary, Shariah courts will lower the burden of the civil courts where thousands of cases are pending and the judges are overworked,” he said.

Senior advocate and head of AIMPLB’s legal cell Yusuf Muchalla called the city’s Shariah court a “significant alternative dispute settlement mechanism”. “This court will decide within the framework of Muslim personal laws and mainly deal with matrimonial disputes. This is a kind of domestic tribunal set up by the Muslim community.” He added that district and high courts in Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal and Orissa have upheld several decisions given by courts established by the Imarat-e-Shariah (House of Shariah) headquartered in Patna. Muchalla said that Shariah courts were within the law of the land.

Boston terrorist’s ex-girlfriend: He tried to brainwash me to convert and hate the U.S.

My boyfriend the bomber
Fanatic’s ex: He said I was ‘pure’ and he took my virginity. I loved him but he slapped me and tried to brainwash me to hate US like he did


Reprisal fear … Nadine Ascencao’s features have been obscured
WORLD EXCLUSIVE
From RYAN PARRY in Boston
AN ex-girlfriend of dead Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev has told how he tried to brainwash her into becoming a Muslim fanatic who hated America.
Nadine Ascencao, 24, said Tamerlan made her wear an Islamic hijab and pray to Allah and slapped her when she wore Western clothes.
But she was so blindly in love with the handsome boxer who had taken her virginity, she did her utmost to make him happy.

Fanatic … bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev
Nadine said: “I went to his mosque a couple of times and even looked into converting to make him happy. I thought, ‘This is crazy’ — but I still did it for him.
“Tamerlan had taken my virginity and said he loved me because I was pure and hadn’t been with any other guys. I was in love and scared he’d leave me if I didn’t do what he said. Looking back I had a lucky escape.”
Tamerlan, 26, who with 19-year-old brother Dzhokhar killed three people and injured 260 when they exploded two bombs at the Boston marathon, started dating Nadine in 2006 when she was 17.
During their three-year relationship she watched him change from a cannabis-smoking, party-loving teenager into a violent extremist.
She said: “One minute he’s this funny, normal guy who liked boxing and having fun, the next he is praying four times a day, watching Islamic videos and talking insane nonsense.
“He became extremely religious and tried to brainwash me to follow Islam. Tamerlan said I couldn’t be with him unless I became a Muslim. He wanted me to hate America like he did.

Convert … Tsarnaev’s wife Katherine, seen wearing Islamic hijab
“He wouldn’t let me watch TV or listen to the radio. He’d say, ‘TV is the project of Satan’ and claimed Satan sent us messages through commercial music.”
The couple even stopped having sex after he said it was wrong because they were not married.
Tamerlan, a Chechen who emigrated to the US with his family in 2002, became obsessed with Nadine’s clothes. She said: “He hated my tight trousers and made me wear long skirts. Towards the end I was wearing a hijab.
“He once ripped a pair of my jeans and hit me in the face with them. Tamerlan told me I should only talk to Muslim girls, not other ‘slutty’ girls.” Besotted Nadine moved into a flat in the house where the Tsarnaev family lived to be near Tamerlan.
And she was heartbroken when she learned he was secretly seeing another girl. Her rival was Katherine Russell, a student who was to become Tamerlan’s wife after converting to Islam. Crafty Tamerlan was soon playing the two women off against one another.
Nadine said: “He once made me learn a verse of an Islamic prayer and if I got it wrong he’d say, ‘Well Katherine can do it’.”

Horrific … marathon bombing: Dobson Agency
Tamerlan even attacked Nadine when he found her heading off to a friend’s pool party wearing cut-off jeans and a crop top.
She said: “He was shouting and screaming at me. He slapped me across the face really hard.”
Nadine called the police and Tamerlan was arrested and spent a night in the cells. Once out on bail he begged Nadine’s forgiveness.
But as soon as she dropped the charges Tamerlan dumped her and moved in with Katherine. Nadine’s relationship was over and within six months Katherine was pregnant with Tamerlan’s daughter.
Nadine put Tamerlan behind her and barely gave him a second thought until the early hours of April 19 when the FBI turned up at her home asking questions about her ex.
A few hours earlier officers had killed Tamerlan in a shoot-out in Watertown, Massachusetts.
Brother Dzhokhar, who is now in custody, was still on the run.
Nadine, who asked The Sun to obscure her face in photos for fear of reprisals, said: “When they said Tamerlan was dead, I didn’t cry.
“I was more shocked Dzhokhar was involved. He was a nice kid.”

Why I'm voting this GE13

By Sharyn Shufiyan

There are many things that we've inherited from our British colonial past; they helped us craft our federal constitution and they became the model on which we built our parliamentary and legal systems.

These are perhaps the good parts, but unfortunately, we also inherited the bad ones, like adopting paternalistic attitudes and prolonging their system of racial segregation.

Indeed our leaders learned well from our colonial masters.

Malaysians have largely been sheltered from a vibrant political history. We have been cautioned countless times that if we speak up, we will pay the consequences.

History has shown that we did pay; we paid with stinging eyes and heartburn, or with time under the ISA, EO or OSA.

Since independence, we have experienced prolonged indoctrination, of complete and absolute rule by a single party. It beats all other rationales of democracy.

We are such a young country that memories of the past are not too distant that it is so convenient to conjure the bogeyman to scare us into submission.

It is easy to feed an existing paranoia by propagating rhetoric that touches on our main weaknesses - race and religion.

And it has worked most times! For too long we have been baited into maintaining the status quo. We have been told to be appreciative and not to be ungrateful little children.

We are constantly reminded of the services that our ‘masters' have provided us, that they have taken care of us not because these services are their responsibility in the first place, but because they have made a ‘promise' and thus, have fulfilled and delivered to us.

It is sad that, we have not managed to free ourselves from the binds of political rhetoric that has been spewing from one generation to another.

What's more embarrassing is that they are the same things over and over again. It is disheartening to see how easy some quarters manipulate and make a mockery of institutions crucial to a democracy, most importantly the media.

The mainstream media is an unfortunate puppet that dances and twirls to the whims of its master, unable to break free from the strings that binds it to the puppeteer.

It is of grave concern that our institutions - the media, the judiciary, the anti-corruption agency, the police force - no longer serve the people but those who release their payrolls. I understand; their job is their bread and butter.

But I just wonder, as they gas a restaurant filled with families having lunch, or drag a woman, or beat the crap out of an inmate, or spin lie after lie, whether they are able to sleep at night.

These institutions which are supposed to be independent over the years have been bulldozed, trampled and desecrated so much so that a growing anger and distrust among the public is inevitable.

Our late prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman told Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh before he passed away that if ever he (Razaleigh) gets to power, he must amend the constitution to guarantee freedom of information. It was one of his greatest regrets that he failed to do whilst in office.

He acknowledged that without a free press, and active public opinion, you cannot avoid having a dictatorship in this country. Alas, his dying wish was not met and he prophesised what has become of Malaysia today.

When President Obama was re-elected earlier this year, he made this incredible speech, rousing even little Malaysian me.

"That's why we do this. That's what politics can be. That's why elections matter. It's not small, it's big. It's important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated.
We have our own opinions.

"Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.

"That won't change after tonight, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty.

"We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today."

Yes, people in distant nations would give their lives for a chance at democracy, for a chance to make their voices heard. We have it delivered into our hands yet some of us continue to live nonchalantly.

If you are not already awake, wake up now for goodness sake. There is a truly good reason why a call for political reform is being heard louder and stronger across the nation.

There are serious issues that need to be addressed - far more serious than race and religion - real issues that concern you and me. Issues of poverty, of human rights abuses, of economic inequality, of corruption.

Corruption, even when it happen so blatantly, like the alleged cronyism of Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud, until now, justice has not been served!

Malaysia is at an interesting junction; we have never known any other way but the one we have taken for 56 years since independence and yes, an alternative way seems daunting because we have never tried it.

But it doesn't have to be. We need not fall for deceptions again. Now that the GE13 is just around the corner, the ball is back in our court. Malaysians young and old must take ownership of the country, of our right to vote.

It is insulting to our intelligence that certain quarters treat their positions in power as a God-given right. They and their friends have been too comfortable that they are disgustingly arrogant and lawless. This simply cannot go on.

When I was old enough to vote, I was unfortunately out of the country and missed my chance to vote during the GE12.

Now, as a first-time voter, I look forward to exercising my duty as a citizen. I would like to remind our leaders that they have a people to serve. That's why I'm casting my ballot come May 5.

Eyeing big Johor win, Najib approves another Chinese school

JOHOR BHARU, April 29 – The Barisan Nasional (BN) is going all out to get the Chinese votes to keep Johor in Election 2013, with Datuk Seri Najib Razak approving another Foon Yew High School to be built in Pasir Gudang here.

The BN chairman said the school is to cater to the growing student population in the state and reflected the coalition’s concern for all races in the country.

Some 10,000 students are now enrolled at the main Foon Yew campus in Stulang and branch campus in Kulaijaya.

Earlier in Pontian, Najib expressed confidence that Johor BN would be returned to power with a thumping victory, securing more seats than in the 2008 general election.

The caretaker prime minister (picture) said the BN’s election machinery has been working on increased momentum across the country over the last few days than the opposition which appears to be mired in opposing views.

He said their misunderstanding and lack of consensus were visible when the allies in the opposition pact were often seen having differences in opinion on core issues.

“I’m not denying the BN has problems but a major part of our problems have been resolved unlike the opposition pact which is facing more problems and they are in a state of disarray.

“If we have problems, the opposition has even more problems. If I say the BN has no problems, that’s not right,” he was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

‘Simple majority enough to implement hudud’

A Gerakan lawyer says that there is a good chance that hudud may be implemented if Pakatan comes into power.

GEORGE TOWN: Hudud can be legislated as a parliamentary statute with a simple majority in the Dewan Rakyat, according to Gerakan lawyer Baljit Singh.

He said the Islamic criminal law can also be absorbed into the existing Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) by amendments passed through simple parliamentary majority.

Hence, he said it was a reality that hudud would come to effect if Pakatan Rakyat took over Putrajaya.

Given the elevation of Syariah to be on par with civil law via the 1983 constitutional amendment, he said hudud can be easily implemented by amendment or enactment of statutes.

“You need two-thirds majority only to amend the Federal Constitution.

“But to amend the Penal Code and CPC, or enact a new hudud statute, you only need a simple majority.

“PAS leaders are telling the truth that they can do it. A vote for Pakatan is definitely a vote for hudud.

“It’s no more a dream,” Baljit, who heads the state Gerakan legal and human rights bureau, told FMT here today.

He said DAP had misled the people by claiming that hudud can only be implemented by amending the Federal Constitution with a two-thirds majority.

DAP’s bluff

He called on the voters not to be deceived by DAP’s bluff that it would not allow PAS to implement hudud.

“What can the DAP MPs do if PAS wanted to enact a parliamentary act to implement hudud?

“Muslim MPs from both sides of the political divide cannot object it because religiously they are duty-bound to support it.

“DAP MPs would be hopeless and hapless to prevent it,” said Baljit.

He also warned non-Muslims not to live in illusion that hudud would only affect the Muslims.

He cautioned non-Muslims that they would also eventually be affected by the law because “we are all citizens living side by side under the same Malaysian roof.”

Over the last five years, he pointed out that the DAP-led state government did not tighten the legal screws to safeguard the rights and interests of non-Muslims nor liberalise Islamic laws in Penang.

Given that religious matter was under the state jurisdiction, he said caretaker Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng could have easily enacted a law to allow Muslims to leave Islam or even stop forced conversion of non-Muslims.

He recalled that Lim was active in enacting anti-hopping and local council election enactments even though such laws contradicted the Federal Constitution.

“But he did not amend the religious law which came under the state purview because he dare not irk Pakatan Rakyat partner PAS,” said Baljit.

He is also amazed on why PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim had been so quiet about hudud even though PAS leaders have declared they would implement it if Pakatan comes to federal power.

“As a prime minister-designate, Anwar should clarify his stand publicly.”

Ex-IGP now a Pakatan advisor on security

He and ex-army chief Hashim decry political violence.

PETALING JAYA: Former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan has joined Pakatan Rakyat’s security advisory council in the wake of violence ahead of the May 5 general election.

He told reporters today that he was invited into the panel by ex-army chief Hashim Hussein, who is the PKR candidate for the Johor Bahru parliament seat.

“We wish to categorically state that political violence has no place in our democratic process,” the two said in a joint statement.

“We are alarmed that the minister of home affairs minister publicly announced that these incidents would worsen.”

The council will assist Pakatan in ensuring a peaceful transition of power should the opposition pact win the coming election.

It will also advise Pakatan on matters of national security.

Musa said he would advise the council on how to engage with the police.

He called on the police to be fair in their investigations into reported cases of violence during the current political campaigning and advised members of the public not to succumb to provocation.

“If a provocation happens, do not take the law into your own hands,” he said, adding that the best way to deal with the situation would be to gather evidence that could be useful to the police.

Musa said he had no political affiliation and would have advised Barisan Nasional if it had sought his opinion on security matters.

The Pakatan security advisory council was set up last month.

PSM scales down on Labour Day activities

Against the backdrop of furious election campaigning, party leaders are limiting celebrations to constituencies in which they are contesting.

PETALING JAYA: Unlike previous years, Parti Sosialis Malaysia will not be holding national level celebrations this year in view of the 13th general election on Sunday.

Last year, PSM organised a street protest in KL and a cycling campaign for workers rights in Negeri Sembilan.

This year, however, PSM’s celebrations for workers rights have been downscaled and confined to constituencies where its candidates are contesting.

PSM is contesting the Sungai Siput parliamentary seat, and three states seats in Kota Damansara and Semenyih in Selangor and Jelapang in Perak.

PSM secretary general S Arutchelvan said there will be an event in Semenyih where he is involved in a three cornered fight with Umno incumbent Johan Aziz and PKR’s Hamidi Hassan.

“We’ll be hold a cycling for workers rights event around Semenyih town,” he said.

PSM deputy chairman M Sarasvathy who is the Jelapang seat in a three-cornered fight with MIC and the DAP said that she will be launching the PSM-Jerit workers demands for election.

“We have been discussing the issue for some time and will be launching it on May 1. We would also be involved in a joint programme with a rubber union here in Jelapang,” she said.

In Kota Damansara, party chairman Nasir Hashim said Workers Day events are not finalised as members because smack in the middle of the campaign period.

“I have received an invitation from local residents to put up PSM flags near Bandar Sri Damansara but I am afraid that the authorities would remove it later,” he said.

In Sungai Siput, where Dr D Michael Jeyakumar is the incumbent, talks on workers rights will be held during ceramah sessions, according to PSM central committee member R Mohana.

Waytha: Pakatan betrayed Indians

After riding piggyback on the 'Makkal Sakti' wave, its leaders turned their backs on the community, charges the Hindraf leader.

GEORGE TOWN: Hindraf today hit out at Pakatan Rakyat for betraying Indians after riding on the ‘Makkal Sakti’ (people’s power) wave to score unprecedented electoral success in the 2008 general election.

Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (Hindraf) leader, P Waythamoorthy, said that Pakatan leaders like Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng chanted ‘Makkal Sakti’ everywhere to woo Indian votes in 2008, only to turn their backs on the community.

He blasted Anwar and company for being cold, insensitive and unresponsive to the plight of the marginalised segment of the Indian community for the past five years, culminating in their arrogant rebuff of the movement’s blueprint.

“Pakatan leaders gave Hindraf a run around before dumping the blueprint. On stage they perform a multi racial political stunt. In reality, they look down on Indians. They only want Indian votes, not their problems,” said Waythamoorthy.

He also hit out against Pakatan state governments for alienating the marginalised segment of the community by demolishing their settlements, burial grounds and religious places in Kedah, Penang and Selangor.

He said that the PKR-led Selangor government had demolished many Hindu temples and settlements over the years.

The ruthless demolition of Kampung Buah Pala in Penang, said Waythamoorthy, was the first sign of Pakatan’s intention of using Indians for piggy-back rides to power before dumping them.

Even though the previous BN government started the condominium project plan, he said Lim’s Penang government could have still saved the village by a stroke of a pen by invoking Section 76 of the National Land Code (NLC) and Section 3 of the Land Acquisition Act (LAA)

“But Lim’s government chose not to do, giving lame excuses. He was directly responsible for the village demolition,” said Waythamoorthy.

Burial ground


Kampung Buah Pala, known commonly as Tamil High Chaparral due to the population of ethnic Indians, cattle and other livestock, was demolished in August – September 2009 to pave way for a posh condominium project, the Oasis, by Nusmetro Venture (Pg) Sdn Bhd.

Originally the village had 33 households. After the land was alienated, between 2005 and 2007, nine tol holders accepted the original compensation package, consisting of low medium cost flat units and cash, and left the village for good.

The remaining 24 tol holders fought for the land rights until the village was demolished. The land title was transferred to the Penang Civil Servant Cooperative Society on March 27, 2008.

On Oct 31, 2009, the, the new landowner, the cooperative society agreed to build 24 double-storey terrace houses as compensation on part of the flattened village land.

A unanimous decision was reached by 121 delegates at the cooperative society’s EGM that out of the 24 double-storey houses, nine units must be given to the former residents, who left the village after receiving the original compensation.

The remaining 15 houses were given to those among the 24 tol holders enlisted by the Pakatan state government, leaving nine families in a lurch without a single compensation.

Finally the nine families got their homes, double-storey houses, as a compassionate gift from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s adminsitration.

Waythamoorthy also slammed the PAS-helmed state government in Kedah for demolishing a 100-year-old, 0.8-acre Ladang Batu Pekaka Hindu cemetery in Kuala Ketil in December 2009.

The cemetery was demolished to make way for a RM320 million Kolej Universiti Insaniah (KUIN), an exclusive Malay-Muslim higher learning institute.

Waythamoorthy said again a Pakatan state government refused to use its power under NLC and LAA to preserve the burial ground that represented the history of Tamil Hindu community in Kuala Ketil.

Under Section 94 of the Local Government Act 1976, he said it was the statutory and legal obligation of local authorities to preserve, conserve, manage, operate and fund cemeteries for all Malaysians from all religious and racial backgrounds.

“But the ‘PAS for All’ didn’t. Would the PAS government dare to demolish a Muslim cemetery or Chinese burial ground? Pakatan really betrayed Indians,” said Waythamoorthy.

Waythamoorthy’s Hindraf recently signed an agreement with Barisan Nasional on proposals to solve the Indian community’s plights.

Three Kedah PKR executive councillors quit all posts in party

(The Sun Daily) - Three Kedah PKR state executive councillors not fielded to contest the 13th General Election (GEZ13) today announced their immediate resignation from all posts in the party.

Datuk S. Manikumar, Lim Soo Nee and Tan Joon Long alias Tan Chow Kang claimed that they had been betrayed by the party leadership.

"We were betrayed," declared Manikumar, who was the Kedah PKR vice-president III, speaking also for Lim and Tan.

Manikumar was also the Cabang Merbok PKR deputy chairman; Tan was the Kedah PKR vice-chairman, Sungai Petani PKR vice-chairman and head of the Keadilan team for the Kedah and Perlis Chinese; and Lim was the Kedah PKR Complaints Bureau chief.

Manikumar said they unanimously agreed to quit all their posts in the party because they had been betrayed by certain leaders in the party.

Manikumar said this had created uncertainty in Kedah politics because there was a drop in overall support in 10 constituencies contested by the PKR in Kedah.

Manikumar is the incumbent for the Bukit Selambau state seat which he won in a by-election in 2009 with a majority of 2,403 votes.

"I was not given the opportunity to defend the seat," he told a media conference here.

The trio will remain as PKR members but would not participate in party matters, including attending meetings. Manikumar said they were disappointed because they were not given any explanation by the PKR top leadership why they were dropped as candidates.

He said they were among the five top state leaders and were also in the state leadership council. Even the Kedah PKR chairman Datuk Wan Salleh Wan Isa himself was not notified about their being dropped, he said.

Tan said he was too disheartened to cooperate with PKR after having been isolated by the party.

Lim said the decision to resign was taken after a discussion with Wan Salleh, and he was advised to go ahead.

"I resigned not because I was dropped as a candidate but for other reasons. I expected to be dropped as a candidate," he said.

The transfer of power: What should happen?

The Nut Graph
by Jacqueline Ann Surin

SINCE independence, Malaysia has never had a government in power apart from the Barisan Nasional (BN), or its earlier manifestation, the Alliance. In this 13th general election since 1957 (GE13), what would happen if a new government in the form of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition is voted into power? How does the transfer of power happen? And what conventions determine the swearing in of a new prime minister, who will presumably be Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, should PR capture Putrajaya in GE13? The Nut Graph asks constitutional lawyer Tommy Thomas.

TNG: After the elections are over, how does the transfer of power happen should a new government be voted in?

We can expect the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and his palace advisers to be following the results of the general election like the rest of Malaysia. Once the results are confirmed that the PR has won the elections, say, sometime in the night on 5 May, the palace will have to invite caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for an audience with the Agong to tender his resignation. This can take place as early as the morning of 6 May. He must tender his resignation to the Agong in the palace because until he does so, there is no vacancy for the Agong to appoint a new prime minister.

At the same time, the palace will also invite Anwar to have an audience with the monarch on the same morning, after Najib has left. The Agong will then invite Anwar to be the new prime minister and to form a new government. Anwar will then be sworn in in a ceremony steeped in Malay tradition, which will be broadcasted live on TV, as in the past.

The convention is that the monarch has to invite the person who, in his judgement, commands the confidence of the majority of the Dewan Rakyat, for an audience on the morning after the polls. Politicians and their supporters cannot simply turn up at the palace without such an invitation.

What are some of the conventions that will ensure a seamless and peaceful transfer of power?

The transfer of power must be carried out by independent state agencies and civil servants. These would include all the top civil servants at the federal level, the secretary to the government, all ministry secretary-generals, the police, the armed forces, and the palace administration.  They are all meant to be neutral. They must respect the will of the people at the polls.

For example, if it is apparent that the PR is winning, you would expect the police to have contingency plans to ferry Anwar to the palace and provide him with protection because he would be the prime minister-in-waiting.

The same process is replicated at the state level with regard to the chief minister or menteri besar’s position. This is because all our state constitutions are written in nearly the same way as the Federal Constitution with regard to the appointment of the head of government by the Agong, sultan or governor.

How is the transfer of power done in other mature democracies such as the UK?

In the UK, in the last week before the polling date, a body of civil servants arrange to pack up the caretaker prime minister’s personal belongings at 10 Downing Street and to find the premier a hotel. They will also find out where the leader of the opposition is staying.

Once the results are confirmed on the night of the polls, if there is a change in government, the outgoing prime minister will leave the official residence and check into a hotel. The next morning, the outgoing prime minister will see the Queen and resign. The incoming prime minister will already be outside 10 Downing Street holding his or her first press conference.

So there are actually two sets of movers on standby. The point in the UK is, the new prime minister must already be in residence and meeting people as the premier from that morning itself.

The entire process is managed by the civil service and paid for by taxpayers. It’s all neutral and above politics. That’s how professional they are. Similar conventions are adopted in India, Australia and Canada, and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be adopted here as well.

When in our history has the transfer of power not been smooth and peaceful?

In Sabah in 1985. After the state elections^[1], Tun Mustapha Harun from the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno) and his allies from Berjaya ran to the governor’s residence to have him sworn in at 4am as the chief minister. He was removed on the same day later because the appointment was illegal. Instead, the head of Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, was sworn in as chief minister.

Mustapha filed an injunction against Governor Tun Mohd Adnan Robert and Pairin. In court^[2], the judge said that among others, Mustapha’s swearing-in was null and void because the governor was under pressure and was threatened to appoint Mustapha^[3]. This principle would apply at the federal level to the Agong. The head of state is entitled constitutionally to exercise judgement quietly, calmly, freely, independently and impartially. No pressure or threat must be used to influence the head of state. After all, this is the monarch’s most important function – appointing the new prime minister.

During a transition period before the new prime minister, chief minister or menteri besar is sworn in, who is in charge of or controls government resources, properties, documents, etc?

The civil servants are supposed to be looking after and protecting these items. What happened in Selangor after the 2008 elections when state government documents were destroyed was unlawful. The question is who gave them instructions to do so? If it was the politicians who had lost, then these politicians were no longer in a position to give out instructions to the civil service, as they had just been defeated at the polls.

If it was the civil servants who took it upon themselves without instruction to destroy the documents, they broke the law because the documents belong to the state.

What happens in the event of a hung Parliament, or state assembly?

At the federal level, as caretaker prime minister, Najib can remain temporarily in office. If he doesn’t resign, the Agong cannot appoint a new prime minister.

Over the next several days after the polls, both coalitions will try to strengthen their respective numbers in the Dewan Rakyat through crossovers and coalition building.  Throughout this period, the Agong should not participate, directly or indirectly, in this process. The monarch must let the politicians sort things out themselves so that he cannot be accused of taking sides. The palace must be seen to be above party politics.

At some point after all the political negotiations have concluded, the leader of one of the coalitions may say, “I have the majority support of the House.” And then the Agong would say, “I need evidence to satisfy myself of the numbers.” This evidence can be letters signed by the elected Members of Parliament (MPs) or the Agong can ask for these MPs to be presented to the palace.

The Agong may also conditionally appoint a new prime minister and direct the premier to call for Parliament to sit as soon as possible – within days – so that a confidence motion for the newly appointed prime minister can be voted on in the Dewan Rakyat. If the vote fails, the Agong must appoint somebody else and test the matter of confidence again in the House. This could go on for a while.

And as a last resort if none of these attempts work, a prime minister can recommend to the Agong that Parliament should be dissolved and fresh elections held. The monarch has the discretion to refuse and to instruct the political parties to continue to try to reach a compromise. A second general election would be the last resort.

What’s important to remember is that even with a hung Parliament, life goes on normally. In the UK in 2010, during the five days of negotiation before the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government was formed, everything went on calmly and normally. Hung parliaments are also a norm in countries like Japan and Italy where there is no government for weeks, and life goes on.

In fact, there are more examples where governments are formed post-election, rather than pre-election like in Malaysia.  And if there is a hung Parliament after GE13, what is needed is for the supporters of both coalitions to act in a patient manner, to behave maturely and peacefully. There should be no taunting, gloating and demonstrations.

At the same time, all state agencies must remain neutral and independent. The only people who should be negotiating at this stage would be the politicians. Such negotiations should also be secret and confidential. Only the outcome should be made public.

---

^[1] In that election, held on 22 April 1985, PBS won 25 seats, Usno 16 and the incumbent Berjaya six only.

^[2] The judgment is available in Tun Mustapha Harun v Tun Mohd Adnan Robert and Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan [1986] 2 MLJ 420.

^[3] Riots erupted in Kota Kinabalu in March 1986 just as the court was about to make its judgment. Demonstrators, led by Usno and Berjaya, took to the streets to protest Pairin’s appointment. A majority of the demonstrators were impoverished and undocumented Filipino Muslims who were paid to demonstrate. Bombs were detonated and five people died. For more, watch The Silent Riot.

Malaysia's Ruling Party Gets Desperate

Malaysia has in reality been a one party state for over 55 years with the ruling UMNO party winning a string of elections without much opposition. However, with the stellar rise of Anwar Ibrahim, the ruling party is facing its most tightly contested election in its history. In the final days of campaigning in an election which many pollsters now believe the government will lose, it seems to be pulling a number of desperate stunts.

Firstly is the amount of money the prime minister's office is spending on advertising. Industry experts have identified over 50 million USD in advertising buys by the prime minister's office alone. Sources say that the amount of money being spent on advertisements exceeds one million, a virtual buy out of all ad space on Microsoft networks (which include Skype and Bing) for the last 10 days of the campaign. On Facebook the PMO's office, again according to sources, is spending upwards of $200,000.

Last week various websites in Malaysia reported servers being blocked. The popular and independent online news portal Malaysiakini reported that its IP address was being blocked within the country in activities that could only be explained by the deliberate obstruction by local ISPs. The website for AnwarIbrahim.com which reported a ten-fold increase in traffic on Wednesday was subsequently hacked. The Digital Task Force running the website sent out an email indicating the severity of the attack, which was launched immediately after it reported a dramatic increase in online activity and support for Anwar Ibrahim.

During Malaysian elections it is nothing new for opposition sites to be targeted with DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks. It appears this year is no different. With a virtual monopoly on the mainstream media, one wonders why the government feels the need to disrupt other forms of communication.

Dr. Azeem Ibrahim is the Executive Chairman of The Scotland Institute and a Fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding.

BN Has Big Plans For Johor - Najib

JOHOR BAHARU, April 29 (Bernama) -- Barisan Nasional (BN) has big plans for Johor and wants the people in the state to give a strong mandate to it in the general election this Sunday, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Prime Minister, who is also BN chairman, said the people of Johor must make a wise choice on Sunday because their decision would have a deep impact on the future of the state.

"We (BN) have a vision and big plans for the people of Johor. Its big, we have big plans for Johor, choose wisely on May 5 because it will have an impact on the future of Johor," he told a gathering at Kolej Universiti Selatan here today.

According to Najib, a wrong decision on May 5 would not only derail the momentum of development in Johor but would also create a new political culture in Johor.

Najib said the people of Johor would face a new political culture if the opposition was given the opportunity to set foot in Johor in the election, which would be politics of confrontation and disunity.

80000 roar ‘Ubah!’ in Penang political quake (Videos)