Indonesia presents Saraswati to the US

The largest Muslim country presents a statute of Hindu goddess Saraswati to the US.

WASHINGTON: Indonesia has presented a 16-feet statue of Saraswati, a Hindu goddess of education and wisdom to US capital Washington DC as a gift.

The statue stands on a lotus flower and is a block away from the Indian Embassy in front of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi erected in the capital city several years ago, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Located a little over a mile from the White House, the statue is yet to be formally inaugurated but has already become an attraction for city residents and tourists who visit the city every day.

“Dewi Saraswati is one of the Goddesses in Hinduism, the primary religion practised among the Balinese people in Indonesia, which itself is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country,” a spokesperson from the Indonesian Embassy said.

The statue was first erected in Bali before being flown to the US capital in early April 2013.

It was constructed in mid-April this year by five native Balinese sculptors and was completed in five weeks time.

Instead of using bronze or stone, the sculptors opted for a mixture of cement to model the body of the statue.

“At its conclusion, this statue evidently presents a strong flair of Balinese art as the sculptors put particular touches of gold on the predominantly radiant white figure, especially on the dress and head accessory worn by the Goddess,” the official said.

“It is hoped that the statue could promote the importance of mutual understanding within a diverse society we are increasingly seeing today,” the spokesperson said.

The installment of the statue was initiated by Indonesian Ambassador to the US, Dr. Dino Patti Djalal.
- Bernama

‘We were unaware of Pakatan’s rejection’

PSM secretary-general Arutchelvan says his party was not informed that an application to join Pakatan was rejected.

PETALING JAYA: Parti Sosialis Malaysia’s (PSM) S Arutchelvan revealed today his party was not aware that their application to join Pakatan Rakyat was rejected until it was reported by The Star Online.

The PSM secretary-general said it was “puzzling” as to why his party was not informed of the rejection before the report, which was published last Friday.

It quoted PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution as saying the decision to allow PSM to be a part of Pakatan was negative.
He added that “he supposed” the small party had been informed of the decision by someone from the Pakatan secretariat.

“No members of Pakatan had communicated with us by phone or any other medium. It was puzzling as it was decided before the election, but we were not informed,” said Arutchelvan today.

“If it was decided in their meeting, then they should have informed us, and not let us find out from the Star report,” he added.

In a Facebook status update on Friday, Arutchelvan describe Pakatan as “very funny people”.

“First they question PSM’s loyalty for not joining PR & urged us to join them. Then when we agree to join, they drag their feet,” it read.

“Now after GE, they claim our request was rejected B4 GE…. Still nothing official. Lesson in good governance is to be transparent and why not just put it in a letter.”

Arutchelvan reiterated his call for Pakatan to convey the rejection in a “formal letter”.

“I think they should put everything down officially. We want everything in black and white,” he said.

Asked if PSM had been in contact with the Pakatan leadership since, Arutchelvan said: “We are not interested to communicate with them.”

“Right now, it is up to them. We are not going to call them and ask,” he said.

Asked if PSM would continue their friendship with Pakatan, Arutchelvan said it was not up to him to decide.

“The future and our relationship with Pakatan will be decided by the party at our Congress in two weeks,” he said.

29 NGOs slam Dang Wangi, Subang Jaya 'killing fields'

A coalition of 29 NGOs has questioned the alarming number of deaths in custody in two particular police districts, Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur and Subang Jaya, Selangor.

“The Subang Jaya police stations seem to be killing grounds for suspects. The USJ 8 lockup cells have seen two deaths in 2013.

“Chan Chin Te died this year on 14 January; adding to the list will be (Japanese national) Nobuhiro Matshushita.

“While on 20 January 2009, Kugan Ananthan died in Taipan Police Station, Subang Jaya,” said the Stop State Violence Movement in a statement today.

“Similar to those police stations, the Dang Wangi police station has also seen more blood on its hands last year within a duration of four months,” it added.

The group cited the 2012 deaths of Chandran Perumalu (September 10), Wong Tip Ping (November 29) and Nagarajan (December 24).

Human rights NGOs have previously noted that in the first half of this year alone eight deaths in custody have taken place.
The latest three occurred within under two weeks: N Dhamendran (May 21), R Jamesh Ramesh (May 26) and P Karuna Nithi (June 1).

Matshushita’s death on Saturday brings this year's tally to nine.

“Before even the waters calms down on the three deaths in police lockup within 11 days, we were shocked to hear of another death in police lockup,” said the Stop State Violence Movement
Not first foreign death

The group noted that Matshushita was not the first foreigner to die in Malaysian custody, citing a case last year that it said had gone under the radar.

“To be factually right, according to Suaram's monitoring, Malaysia has gone international last year itself in custodial death.

“Miss Tienthong Chaipaniya from Thailand died in Taman Johor Jaya police station on Sept 7, 2012. The case goes unseen by the public,” said the coalition comprising NGOs such as Tenaganita, Lawyers For Liberty and Suaram.

In Matshushita’s case, the movement warned the police not to be quick in declaring the cause of death.

“The Stop State Violence Movement would like to remind the police force not to (issue any speculative) information to the public, as this could be misleading,” it said.

It reminded that in Dhamendran’s case the police were quick to tell the public that the cause of death was “breathing difficulties” only to be contradicted later by the pathologist, who found that the victim had been beaten to death.

“In accordance to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), Section 334 clearly states that a magistrate shall in the case of a death in the custody of the police; hold an inquiry into the cause of death.

“Please stop speculating and assist for the rule of law to take place.”

Stop State Violence Movement also repeated the demand for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to “end these serious human rights violations”.

“The failure to ensure effective mechanisms to hold the Malaysian police accountable highlights a serious lack of political will by the government to take genuine steps to reform the police force in this country,” it said.

Palanivel gives in to Paari’s threat

Barely two hours after being issued an ultimatum, the MIC president has called for an emergency CWC meeting on Tuesday

PETALING JAYA: Barely two hours after being issued an ultimatum either to hold an emergeny central working committee meeting or face the consequences, MIC president G Palanivel announced that a meeting would be held at the party headquarters on Tuesday.

However, Palanivel said the main agenda of the meeting would be to discuss the party’s speaker’s post at the Perak state legislative assembly.

“MIC will not take up any positions, including posts of special officer and adviser to the Menteri Besar, if the Perak government deprives MIC a speaker’s post.

“MIC will convene a quick CWC meeting on Tuesday. We will also discuss issues related to branch elections, presidential elections , divisions elections and party elections for office bearers,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier this morning, MIC strategy bureau chief, S Vell Paari, issued an ultimatum to Palanivel to call for an urgent CWC meeting to discuss problems affecting the party.

“Do not take my politeness as a sign of weakness. I will not keep quiet and watch any harm come to MIC. I will not forgive those who for position turn a blind eye and allow harm to come to MIC.

“If I do not get a reply by Monday (June 10) 5pm from Mr Sakthivel (MIC secretary general) I give notice that I already have the one-third support of the CWC members as per the MIC constitution to call for a CWC emergency meeting.

“Don’t force me to use it,” Vell Paari said in a sms text message to Palanivel and Sakthivel. “Being an appointed CWC member, the leadership might even think of removing me to avoid calling this meeting. But be advised there are other elected CWC members ready to take over this cause.

“I am giving notice that this sms is being sent to all media so that the message will reach all MIC members that an action is being taken to address the constitutional issues and to avoid others from making anymore reports to ROS,” he added.

Serious consequences

The son of former party president, S Samy Vellu, also said the internet was abuzz with questions about the MIC with some eve alleging that the party is on the road to deregistration.

“There is an article on an online media that S Padnmanagan of MIC’s SS2 Tengah branch has filed a complaint on May 20 over MIC’s failure to conduct internal polls within the period stipulated in its constitution.

“He claims to have sent the ROS a legal notice on why the ROS is dilly dallying in investigating his complaint against MIC but is quick to act against DAP,” said Vell Paari.

He said the current constitutional issues should not be brushed aside as “my lawyer friends tell me that these are issues that may have serious consequences on the party.”

“I had earlier asked for a meeting on custodial deaths and there was no proper forthcoming reply. In the best interest of the MIC and its members, I am now seeking to set a date for an emergency CWC meeting to discuss the current constitutional issues.

“So please don’t take the same attitude as how my earlier request for an emergency CWC meeting to discuss custodial deaths was dealt with,” Paari ended the sms.

The MIC constitution allows for an emergency CWC meeting provided it is supported by one-third of its members. Party sources reveal Vell Paari has support from about 25 CWC members, much higher than the one-third required, which is support from 13 central working committee members.

Keep pledge on child conversion laws, gov't told

The government has been urged to uphold its promise to amend laws to stop parents from converting their children to another religion merely for the sake of winning custody after their separation.

The promise was made by the cabinet in April 2009 but no action has been taken until now to amend the relevant laws, DAP national vice-chairperson and Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran said today.

"In April 2009, the cabinet decided that children (are to) remain in the religion of the parents at the time of their marriage, should one of them later decide to convert to Islam.

"It also decided that outstanding issues in a marriage must be settled before conversion, to prevent the children from becoming victims.

"But until today, the government has failed to table amendments to the three laws - the Islamic Family (Federal Territories) Law 1984, Administration of Islamic (Federal Territories) Law 1993 and Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976," Kula said in a statement.

As a lawyer who has appeared in cases involving inter-religious custody disputes, Kula said the government has also not given any indication as to when these laws would be amended.

He was commenting on the case of a woman in Negri Sembilan who has discovered that her two children, of minor age, have been converted to Islam by her estranged husband, without her consent.

This was done after her husband had converted to Islam. The couple, according to a report in The Star, are separated but still married under the civil law.

The Star also reported the Negri Sembilan Islamic Affairs Department as saying that the law allows minors to be converted to Islam with the consent of only one parent.

'We must learn from Indonesia'

Kula, who has also acted on behalf of Indira Ghandi, whose children were converted to Islam without her consent, said he has raised this matter in Parliament before, but to no avail.

Despite winning custody of her three children through the civil court, he said, Indira has not seen or been given access to her youngest child for four years now.

This was because Indira's estranged husband was insisting that the syariah court has jurisdiction over conversions and has therefore refused to abide by the civil court order.

"There must be no further delay on this. I call on the prime minister to address the issue of inter-religious custody problems resulting from conversion to Islam...

"It has to be noted that Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world, has no problem relating to conversion cases. We have much to learn from the Indonesian authorities!" Kula added.