Send teachers for mental screening now

The situation is serious enough to start sending all teachers and headmasters for psychometric assessment now and not wait for the new intake next year.
COMMENT

The Education Ministry has…

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The situation is serious enough to start sending all teachers and headmasters for psychometric assessment now and not wait for the new intake next year.
COMMENT

The Education Ministry has said it will improve the mental health screening procedures for new teachers from next year but more importantly it has to be done for the current batch now in view of cases of teachers displaying violent behaviour.

Recently, senseless beating of pupils has been on the increase and one wonders the mental state the teachers are in.

Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan has said new teachers from the Institutes of Teacher Education would undergo psychometric assessment.

He had said the assessment, scheduled to be implemented next year, was necessary as part of the measures to address issues of teachers with mental health problems.

Psychometric assessment had been practised in developed nations like the United States and Britain and we are only going to start next year.

What about the present batch of teachers and headmasters who are out of sync with the current problems and situations.

Most of them do not have a clue how to handle difficult situations they face in schools.

The ministry must start a programme soon to send teachers and headmasters for counselling courses which should include psychometric assessment.

These days both parents have to work to make ends meet and children are left under the care of maids or on their own. With little or no parental guidance the children are left to their own devices.

Children look up to anybody who will care and protect and gangs target these students and groom them to be members.

So teachers will have a tough time disciplining these children.

About 50 years ago when a student was punished by a teacher, telling the parents will be worse as they are likely to receive more beating.

Those days parents also think the teachers were right and their children deserved the punishment.

Teachers were held in high regard by society and respected. Of course most teachers then were trained in Kirkby, Britain.

Mental stress

In a fast changing environment where the world is borderless and all information are readily available, students are also becoming more intelligent and teachers should not be left behind.

One only have to look at the Facebook to know the embarrassing state the teachers are in now.

Teachers are being embarrassed because the students know more than them and this leads to frustration and later manifest as violent bahaviour among teachers.

Parents have pulled out their children from government schools and enrolled them in private institutions because students know more than the teachers.

Teachers are also under a lot of pressure because of workload and this can contribute to their mental stress.

The psychometric assessment should include stress management and modern techniques in dealing with student behaviour.

Teachers have to constantly update themselves with the latest information so as not be be left behind.

Gangsterism, drugs and truancy, were unheard of before or were rare, therefore the education system must be prepared to deal with these issues.

The system must be constantly evolving otherwise the education blueprint will not be realised.

Rama Segar is a FMT team member.

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‘Take action against Nijhar’

A Kedah MIC state exco wants party president G Palanivel to haul up his disciplinary committee chairman for questioning the leadership's decisions.

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel must haul…

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A Kedah MIC state exco wants party president G Palanivel to haul up his disciplinary committee chairman for questioning the leadership's decisions.

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel must haul up party veteran KS Nijhar for criticising Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and the MIC leadership, said a Kedah MIC youth exco member.

K Somasundram lodged a report against Nijhar with the party headquarters for questioning the deal brokered by Najib to prevent a contest between Palanivel and his deputy, Dr S Subramaniam.

Somasundram said Nijhar had, in an online report on Sept 5 titled ‘Palani-Subra deal a mockery to MIC democracy!’, challenged Palanivel to reveal details of what transpired at the meeting with Najib.

Nijhar, who is also MIC disciplinary committee chairman said that Palanivel and Subra could not make a deal on behalf of MIC without discussing the matter first with the CWC.

“If they go ahead with whatever they had agreed in front of the PM without the CWC having a say, it will be an insult to the CWC and the MIC members,” Nijhar was quoted in The Malaysian Times.

Somasundram claimed Nijhar was out to divide the party into two camps with his statements.

“I believed, by raising questions over the deal, Nijhar is also taking Najib Tun Razak who is the BN chairman to task as well,” he said. “Nijhar must be sacked from the party immediately.”

‘Nijhar a liability’

Palanivel, who is also the Natural Resource and Environmental minister, took over the MIC presidency from S Samy Vellu on Dec 5, 2010.

He was elected to another term unopposed in the presidential nominations held on Sept 1, after the Prime Minister stepped in to broker a deal between the top two leaders.

The majority of party members welcomed the no contest decision, claiming the deal brokered by Najib was good for party to re-structure itself and attract the Indian community back to MIC and BN.

Somasundram also wants the leadership to investigate an allegation that Nijhar had written letters to Umno leaders prior to the 13th GE, lobbying for a seat to be given to youth leader R Ramanan.

“If it emerges that he had indeed written such a letter, then it is clear that Nijhar challenged the MIC president and his veto powers,” he said. “It’s the president’s prerogative to pick candidates for the GE.”

He also alleged that as party disciplinary committee chairman, Nijhar had frequently made biased decisions.

He cited an example early this year, when no action was taken against PJ Selatan division chairman, V Subramaniam, despite the CWC recommending that a show cause letter be issued to Subramaniam.

Subramaniam, better known as ‘Barat’ Maniam, came under fire last year for criticising party vice president M Saravanan through media. Barat Maniam is said to be a close ally of Nijhar.

Somasundram insisted that Nijhar is a liability to party and that the top leadership must axe him from party.

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CWC member wants secret ballot at MIC assembly

KP Samy is persistent on finding out what transpired when top MIC leaders met Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

PETALING JAYA: MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member KP Samy will…

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KP Samy is persistent on finding out what transpired when top MIC leaders met Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

PETALING JAYA: MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member KP Samy will propose for a secret ballot at the party general assembly to find out if the delegates are in favour of knowing what happened when the top leaders met Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak recently.

Samy vowed to bring this up during the next CWC meeting and will propose for a secret ballot during the general assembly to be held later this year.

“My demand for an emergency CWC meeting still stands and there is no way I’m backing down.

“The members who had showed their support for me are asking for an explanation,” he said.

Last Saturday, party president G Palanivel had said Samy’s call for an emergency CWC meeting to explain what had happened was a waste of time.

Palanivel had said that he was not interested in discussing about it.

On Aug 18, Najib met Palanivel, deputy president Dr S Subramaniam and vice- presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, to discuss the party polls, especially the contest for the top post.

Until then, Subramaniam was touted to challenge Palanivel for the presidency. However following the meeting, Subramaniam announced that he would not be challenging Palanivel, who was re-elected unopposed as the president on Sept 1.

“Palanivel is duty-bound to explain what had transpired (at the meeting). The democratic rights of the party is now in question.

“He cannot turn a blind eye and not explain to the CWC members,” said Samy.

“If the party president himself hesitates to explain, what more the other three?” he asked, referring to Subramaniam, Saravanan and Devamany.

“I have also received information that Kamalanathan had attended the meeting as well. If this is true, what is his role in that meeting?” he asked.

The elections for the other posts would take place during the party AGM, scheduled to be held in November.

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Laid off workers in quandary

Workers of Japanese firm left in a lurch with sudden closure of business.
UPDATED

PUTRAJAYA: A total 45 laid off employees of a Japanese firm producing audio visual products are…

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Workers of Japanese firm left in a lurch with sudden closure of business.
UPDATED

PUTRAJAYA: A total 45 laid off employees of a Japanese firm producing audio visual products are demanding Human Resources Minister Richard Riot to champion their rights.

In a letter dated July 17 this year to the employees, Sanon Kogyo Sdn Bhd managing director Noriyuki Uwajima informed them that the company is winding up “ due to high production costs and low revenue effective immediately”.

Their plant is located in Bandar Baru Bangi.

This morning, about 25 of its’ laid off workers staged a picket to highlight their plight.

“We want the company to pay us salaries for the month of May and June,” said 49-year-old Hatijah Halimi who worked in the company for almost 23 years.

“We want work compensation based on our years of service. We are unable to get jobs now because of age factor,” she said.

Another ex-staff claimed that the company only paid summons instead of contributing to their employment provident fund (EPF) and social security (SOCSO) accounts.

“EPF and Socso contributions were deducted for the past 18 months but it is not in our accounts,” said Azizam Alang who worked there for the past 19 years.

Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas workers’ rights coordinator M Sivaranjani who led the workers today questioned the manner in which the workers were laid off.

“There is a proper procedure to follow if you lay off workers. Employers must stop overtime and inform workers earlier of their plans to lay them off.

“However, Sanon Kogyo Sdn Bhd paid overtime until June,” she said.

Management washing hands


She also said that Noriyuki Uwajima is attempting to wash off his hands when the case was brought to the Bangi labour office.

A case was filed there on July 22.

During the dispute hearing on September 5, Uwajima made a statutory declaration that he is not the company director.

The case was subsequently heard at the Labour Court.

“We want the minister to forbid Uwajima from absconding,” said Sivaranjani.

In addition to this, she also requested Riot to use the retrenchment fund to support the laid off workers.

Later a group of eight workers had a meeting with representatives from the Human Resources Ministry.

Labour Department’s senior assistant director Rhymie Mohd Ramli said, “the ministry can’t take action because the case is on trial.”

On the demands over EPF and Socso contributions, he said there were mechanisms within the respective departments to take action.

As for the retrenchment funds, he said he would relay the demand to his superiors.

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'Audio recording proves Seri Pristana HM didn't apologise'

 

An audio recording of the meeting between the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana and parents of pupils will reveal that no apology was tendered, said a school staff member.…

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An audio recording of the meeting between the headmaster of SK Seri Pristana and parents of pupils will reveal that no apology was tendered, said a school staff member.

"All the papers got it wrong," said the staff member, who did not want to be named.

"The recording can prove that the headmaster did not apologise."

This was echoed by Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairperson Hussein Mohd Ariff, who was at the two-hour meeting on Monday.

"As far as I can recall, the headmaster did not apologise ... perhaps the parents misunderstood," Hussein told Malaysiakini.

Malaysian Tamilian Today secretary K Gunasekaran (left) yesterday claimed that parents had told him that the headmaster, Mohd Nasir Mohd Nooh, had apologised to them.

The primary school in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, became the subject of a public outcry when photographs appeared on Facebook, showing non-Muslim students eating in the shower room during recess.

Parents who highlighted the incident later complained that their children were being targeted by teachers, the headmaster and the police.

Hussein said Selangor education director Mahmud Karim had called PTA representatives, parents and the principal to the meeting to resolve the matter amicably.

“I’m not sure if the purpose of the meeting was to expect an apology. But the main agenda was for the headmaster to give an explanation to the parents and justify (what he did),” said Hussein.

Asked what explanation Mohd Nasir (right) had given for using a shower room as a makeshift canteen during Ramadan, Hussein refused to give details, saying that the meeting was a closed-door one.

“More importantly, the parents accepted the explanation and everybody was happy and agreed to move on,” he claimed.

‘Consensus on silence’

Hussein also said consensus had been reached by those present not to talk about the issue any more.

“Apparently, the parents promised this too,” he said, added that they had been calm throughout the session.

This was borne out when Malaysiakini contacted some of the parents involved - they refused to divulge details of the meeting.

One parent said she has “given up” on the matter.

“Enough comment, enough publicity. Give me a break, please,” she said, requesting anonymity.

Gunasekaran blamed the current pressure on parents on yesterday’s calls by NGOs for stern action against the headmaster, after saying that an apology alone was not enough.

“I’m not trying to stop NGOs from saying anything, but you must know what you are talking about and get the whole picture. If the parents are happy, we should just move on,” he said.

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Guan Eng wants to meet jailed Uthayakumar

In a move that should gain him some sympathy from the Indian Malaysian community, DAP leader Lim Guan Eng said he is trying hard to meet imprisoned Hindraf de facto…

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In a move that should gain him some sympathy from the Indian Malaysian community, DAP leader Lim Guan Eng said he is trying hard to meet imprisoned Hindraf de facto leader P Uthayakumar.

However, Lim (right), denied his motive was political and said he would appeal to the home minister since his request to meet with Uthayakumar was turned down by Prison Department director-general Zulkifli Omar.

"As an ex-convict myself, I know the needs that are not met and I plan to see Uthayakumar as a humanitarian gesture, " Lim told reporters at the DAP headquarters today.
This would including helping to meet Uthayakumar's medical needs, he said.

Lim presented reporters with copies of letters he had written to the Prison Department and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in his official capacity as Penang chief minister.
Lim wrote the letters at the end of July and received a rejection letter on Sept 6.

He stressed that he had no previous relationship with Uthayakumar and that DAP has no ties with Hindraf.

Uthayakumar suffers a prolapsed disc

Utayakumar is currently at Kajang Prison, serving a jail term of two years and six months, after being convicted of sedition last June.
Uthayakumar's wife, S Indra Devi (left), said last month that Uthayakumar had shown her his swollen leg and hands, caused by a prolapsed disc, which could leave him paralysed if he is not given proper medical treatment.

Lim, who himself was once jailed for violation of the Printing Presses and Publications Act, said he sympathises with Uthayakumar.
The prison restricts the monthly visits to inmates to family members and lawyers, he said.

Uthayakumar is the elder brother of P Waythamoorthy, the deputy minister in the PM's Department.
He was sentenced to prison in June for making seditious statements in 2007.
The court imposed the sentence just hours after Waythamoorthy was sworn into office as a senator.

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Ku Nan, here's a reminder on Hindu temples

COMMENT The issue surrounding the Sri Muneswarar Kalayaman temple on Jalan P Ramlee in Kuala Lumpur has to be dealt with sensitively and imaginatively.
Otherwise, it will boil over, into…

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COMMENT The issue surrounding the Sri Muneswarar Kalayaman temple on Jalan P Ramlee in Kuala Lumpur has to be dealt with sensitively and imaginatively.
Otherwise, it will boil over, into the face of not only Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, but also his boss, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Najib has publicly acknowledged past policy lapses that resulted in problems for the Indian Malaysian community.

One of these has been the lack of sensitivity to the fact that when you demolish a temple, you are not just taking down bricks and mortar and the representations of deities within; you are hitting at the core of the psyche of millions of ordinary people.

The general erosion of Indian Malaysian support for the BN started with the mindless demolition of Hindu temples up to 2008. It looked like the BN had learnt its lesson after 2008.
And the ordinary Indian Malaysian vote did help the BN retain Putrajaya in the 13th general election. But it now looks like all of this has been forgotten.

Now, the question Tengku Adnan has asked is: why do only Hindu temples face a problem, and not churches, mosques and Chinese temples?
This only indicates the stubborn lack of knowledge of the problem.
It is also for this reason that P Waythamoorthy (left) has been inducted into cabinet as deputy minister.
He understands the problem best and there are clear ways of resolving the issues in a win-win fashion.

He should be allowed to function and not be myopically told to be silent, all in the name of collective responsibility when things are obviously being handled inappropriately.
Set up special committee

Tengku Adnan should expedite the special committee that was agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that the BN signed with Hindraf that is to look into the issue of temples and burial grounds for Hindus.

In fact, Tengku Adnan (right) had signed the MOU on behalf of the BN.
Surely he must have at least read what he was signing.
Let me quote from Section 1.4 of the MOU as a reminder:

1. A sub-committee shall be set up by the head of the New Unit and will work under the purview of the ESC, to conduct a detailed audit on Hindu temples, shrines and burial grounds throughout Malaysia and subsequently, to develop detailed proposals to totally eliminate the problems surrounding the locations of Hindu temples, shrines and burial grounds.

2. The main objective of this programme is to ensure that there shall be no more Hindu temples, shrines and burial grounds located on land other than which has been gazetted for their specific purpose by 2018.

Tengku Adnan, the solution is there - right where you had signed. Please maximise the government’s resources and deal with the problems.
Put Waythamoorthy to work. He is in the cabinet specifically for that purpose. Let me also quote from Section 3 of the MOU:

• A New Unit shall be established within the Prime Minister’s Department chartered to expressly implement the five-year blueprint, and to which full executive authority will be devolved and budgets allocated to carry out the charter in an effective and expeditious manner.

• The New Unit will be fully accountable for the delivery of the blueprint targets and will contract services and act as monitor and supervisor, as needed, to execute its charter from all related government bodies.

Tengku, if you want Hindu temples not to give you any more trouble, surely you cannot go about it the way you are doing now. Cool down, use a little wisdom and do the right thing.

The nation can hardly afford more of the current insensitivity.

---

N GANESAN is adviser to Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia.

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NGO goodwill evaporates as SK Seri Pristana HM denies apology

Precious Little Girl Dismembered While She Is Still Alive By Obama's Psychotic Syrian Rebels

Should the United States be allied with radical Islamic jihadists that dismember little girls while they are still alive?  That question sounds ridiculously absurd, but that is precisely what Barack…

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Should the United States be allied with radical Islamic jihadists that dismember little girls while they are still alive?  That question sounds ridiculously absurd, but that is precisely what Barack Obama is proposing.  Obama wants the United States to go to war so that it will be easier for al-Qaeda Christian killers to take over Syria.  What you are about to read should absolutely shock you.  Please send it out to your friends and share it everywhere that you can. 
If America willingly sides with psychotic, murderous savages that behead little children, it will bring a curse upon our nation.  It is imperative that the American people be told the truth about this.

Mother Agnes Mariam el-Salib is a Catholic nun and mother superior of St. James Monastery in Qara, Syria.  She has been living in the country for about twenty years, and she has been very active in reporting what has actually been happening on the ground inside Syria.

Posted below is an excerpt from what she told RT the other day.  According to her, the Syrian rebels have been brutally beheading people wherever they go and they even dismembered one little girl with a frame saw while she was still alive…

In the village of Estreba they massacred all the residents and burnt down their houses. In the village of al-Khratta almost all the 37 locals were killed. Only ten people were able to escape.

A total of twelve Alawite villages were subjected to this horrendous attack. That was a true slaughterhouse. People were mutilated and beheaded. There is even a video that shows a girl being dismembered alive – alive! – by a frame saw. The final death toll exceeded 400, with 150 to 200 people taken hostage. Later some of the hostages were killed, their deaths filmed.

What Mother Agnes is saying lines up very well with what is being reported in major international publications such as the Daily Mail…

Terrified Christians claim Syrian rebels ordered them to convert to Islam on pain of death when they ‘liberated’ their ancient village.
Opposition forces, including fighters linked to Al Qaeda, gained temporary control of the Christian village of Maaloula after fighting with regime forces.
The reports have reignited fears about western support for the rebel groups, which are increasingly being infiltrated by Islamic extremists.

According to eyewitness accounts quoted in that same article, innocent Christian villagers are being given the choice to either convert on the spot or be summarily executed…

One Maaloula resident said the rebels, many of whom had beards and shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is great), attacked Christian homes and churches shortly after moving into the village.
‘They shot and killed people. I heard gunshots and then I saw three bodies lying in the middle of a street in the old quarters of the village. Where is President Obama to see what has befallen us?’
Another Christian resident said: ‘I saw the militants grabbing five villagers and threatening them and saying, “Either you convert to Islam, or you will be beheaded”.’

And keep in mind that these psychotic Syrian rebels are doing this even though they know that the entire world is watching them.
So if this is how they are acting now, how bad would they be if they actually took power in Syria?
It is also very important to note that a high percentage of these “rebels” are actually foreigners.  In fact, as Business Insider reported back in January, a lot of them are actually death row inmates that Saudi Arabia set free and sent into Syria to wage jihad…

A leaked internal memo shows how Saudi officials commuted 1,200 death row inmates under the condition they go and fight against Assad in Syria, according to the Assyrian International News Agency.
From the memo:
We have reached an agreement with them that they will be exempted from the death sentence and given a monthly salary to their families and loved ones, who will be prevented from traveling outside Saudi Arabia in return for rehabilitation of the accused and their training in order to send them to Jihad in Syria.

Saudi officials apparently gave them a choice: decapitation or jihad? In total, inmates from Yemen, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, and Kuwait chose to go and fight in Syria.
These are the people that Obama wants to assist?
Is he insane?
If the rebels win, they will set up a hardcore Sunni government that will impose sharia law on the entire nation of Syria.  This is a nation where Christians, Jews and various types of Muslims have been living together peacefully for centuries.
If the jihadists that Obama is supporting win, all of that will be gone.
A similar thing happened in Afghanistan.  We have spent more than a decade “nation building” in Afghanistan, and now they have a government where members of parliament argue that anyone that converts to Christianity should be killed…

Converts from Islam to Christianity should be killed according to Islamic law (shari’a), in a bid to stop the growth of Christianity among Afghans inside and outside the country, according to one leading member of parliament cited by the Afghan Voice Agency news service.
Mohabat News, an independent Iranian Christian news agency, reported on Sunday that Nazir Ahmad Hanafi said several weeks ago that “Afghani citizens continue to convert to Christianity in India. Numerous Afghanis have become Christians in India. This is an offense to Islamic laws and according to the Qur’an they need to be executed.”
Hanafi, an independent who represents the province of Herat, is a prominent lawmaker who heads the parliament’s Legislative Commission and reportedly received the third highest number of votes in the 2010 parliamentary election.

Is that what thousands upon thousands of Americans shed their blood for?
Are we about to make an even worse mistake in Syria?
The Syrian rebels are not our friends.  They even put up pictures depicting the destruction of the White House on their Facebook pages.  They are murderous, psychotic jihadists that are the enemy of everything that is true and good.
Please share this article with as many people as you can.  It is so important that we wake as many people up as we can before our government starts a war that it will not be able to stop.

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NRD denies issuing ICs under 'Project Mahathir

SABAH RCI The National Registration Department (NRD) has denied issuing identity cards (ICs) to immigrants in Sabah under a citizenship-for-votes scheme dubbed ‘Project Mahathir’.
Director-general Jariah Mohd Said told the…

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SABAH RCI The National Registration Department (NRD) has denied issuing identity cards (ICs) to immigrants in Sabah under a citizenship-for-votes scheme dubbed ‘Project Mahathir’.
Director-general Jariah Mohd Said told the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into illegal immigrants in Sabah that the allegation, stated in a book by MD Mutalib, is not true.

She said that, while she had heard of such a "project", she had doubts about the authenticity of the allegation.

Jariah was questioned for four hours by conducting officers at today's sitting, but seemed unable to shed more light on the issue of dubious ICs being given to foreigners.

She maintained that the NRD would not have data on immigrants who have not registered themselves in a proper way.

In her opinion, she said, the issuance of such ICs could either be a mistake or the work of a syndicate - and blamed both possibilities on the absence of a cohesive system under NRD in the 1980s.

"All these problems (could perhaps have) happened because we were doing things (issuing ICs) manually back then. Now we have a system to approve it," said Jariah, who has held her current post since June 2011.

She expressed her belief that there would be no recurrence of officers illegally issuing ICs for profit, as had happened in the late 1990s and which led to several of them being arrested under the Internal Security Act.

"I don't think there's a chance of that happening now because, back then, the NRD officers in Sabah had the power to issue ICs in (the state)," she added.

"But now everything has been centralised. Only the headquarters can approve IC applications.”

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Allah issue, decision next month

Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew giving a press statement at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya. The court will deliver a decision on th
The Home Minister did not have…

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Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew giving a press statement at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya. The court will deliver a decision on th
The Home Minister did not have sufficient material before him when he made the decision to ban the word Allah in the Herald, the Court of Appeal heard today.

"He did not have enough evidence to ban the word on grounds of national interest and public order," said counsel Porres Royen who represented the Catholic Church.

Royen said the minister also imposed an unreasonable restriction on the publication as the word was intended only for Christians.

"This ban was a gross violation of a constitutional right, " he said in defending the 2009 High Court ruling in favour of the church.

On December 31, 2009, the High Court allowed the church's judicial review application and lifted the home minister's ban on the use of the word in the Herald.

Among other things, judge Lau Bee Lan had said then that the church had a constitutional right to use the word Allah in its newspaper on grounds that religions other than Islam can be practised in peace and harmony.

Royen, in his submission today said the government could not use events after the High Court ruling to reverse the court order.

Earlier, the government lawyer Suzana Atan, told the court that after the High Court ruling, there were several arson attempts on churches and an incident in which vandals tossed a pig’s head into a mosque.

Royen told the three-man bench that the government relied on public opinion that a "certain section of the society" was sensitive to the use of the word but pointed out that public opinion was irrelevent as legal and constitutional issues were now before the court.

"Non-Muslims have been using this word for a long time and there was no problem. We are not using the word to target Muslims. But we have the right to use it on non-Muslims to propogate the religion," he said.

He also told the bench, led by Datuk Seri Mohamad Apandi Ali, there was a ban on the word since 1986 but the government only imposed a prohibition in 2009. Also on the bench were judges Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim and Datuk Zawawi Salleh.

"The Herald started its publication in 1994 and the usage of the word prior to 2009 was never an issue," he said.

Royen said lawyers for religious councils had stated that state enactments prohibited the use of the word Allah.

He, however, pointed out the state laws should be read together with the Federal Constitution, especially the right of non-Muslims to practise their religion in peace and harmony.

Apandi then interjected and said that it could also mean that non-Muslims must practise their religions in peace and harmony in the interest of Islam.

Royen replied the constitutional safeguard was there to protect the rights of the minority.

"It also does not mean that non-Muslims must conform with Islam," he said.

Lawyers for councils had said that Islam being the official religion of the Federation had a special status.

Royen also questioned why the word was prohibited in the publication but was allowed to be used in the Malay, Indonesian and the ethnic languages of the Sabahan and Sarawakians.

"In legal terms, the minister was irrational," said Royen, adding that the prohibition came about because there were busy-bodies.

"For generations Christians have been using the word even in the Arab world and everything was fine," he said.

Abdul Aziz: How will this affect your client if the word is prohibited?

Royen: There is no other way to describe God in Malay except by using the word Allah.

Aziz: The government lawyer (Suzana) has indicated that this will cause a lot of confusion among Muslims.

Royen: This is not an issue about theological differences but our constitutional right to use the word.

Another lawyer Benjamin Dawson said the words "Lord" and "God" were used in the Bible about 8,000 times and the correct translation was "Allah".

Aziz: The minister is concerned that Allah only appeared in the Koran and is exclusive to Muslims.

Dawson said the word was used in the Herald which was only for Christians and that the newspaper was not for sale to the public.

At this juncture Apandi interjected and stated that even Harakah (PAS newspaper) and The Rocket (DAP newsletter) had the word "for members only" but was sold to the public.

Dawson said the 10-point solution by the Cabinet in 2011, just before the Sarawak election was to address the use of the word in the Bible.

"The 10-point solution is not about a book but about the word," he said.

Suzana who was given the right to reply clarified that the 10-point solution was about Bibles coming from Indonesia.

The Allah row erupted in early 2009 when the home ministry threatened to revoke the Herald’s newspaper permit for using the word when referring to God.

This action prompted the Catholic Church to sue the government for violating its constitutional rights.

The High Court allowed the church's judicial review application and lifted the home minister's ban.

Judge Lau Bee Lan said that the church had a constitutional right to use the word Allah in its newspaper on grounds that religions other than Islam can be practised in peace and harmony.

After submissions yesterday, Apandi said the court will deliver its decision next month.

He, however, pointed out that they will also take notice of the crowd outside the Court of Appeal.

"This in itself shows the sensitivity of the issue," he said.

Outside the court room at the Palace of Justice, a large group of people comprising Muslim and Christian had gathered.

Apart from Malay right wing group Perkasa and other Malay rights groups such as Pekida and Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia (Yadim), several Christian groups from Sabah and Sarawak were also in the crowd. - September 10, 2013.

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Sanjeevan: Police out to frame me

My informers are being coerced to give false statements against me, claims MyWatch chief who's recuperating from a life-saving operation.

PETALING JAYA: MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan today said police…

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My informers are being coerced to give false statements against me, claims MyWatch chief who's recuperating from a life-saving operation.

PETALING JAYA: MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan today said police have arrested many of his informers and are coercing them to give false statements linking him to the underworld.

He named Bukit Aman, IPK Negeri Sembilan and IPD Jempol as those going all out to frame him.

According to Sanjeevan, who is recuperating from a life-saving operation following an assassination attempt on his life, said all his informants are known to Federal Narcotics director Norashid Ibrahim.

“I am very upset at the way the police are handling the situation as some of my informants have been arrested and charged for drug related and gangsterism offences,” claimed Sanjeevan.

He said that before the attempt on his life on July 2, he had revealed the names of rogue cops in Negeri Sembilan, some of whom he alleged received as much RM30,000 in bribes from drug syndicates.

“Why haven’t these police officers I named been investigated or arrested as I have given all the details to IGP Khalid Abu Bakar,” asked Sanjeevan.

“It appears that Khalid is only paying a lip-service and covering up for his men in blue,” added Sanjeevan.

The anti-crime chief also added that the IGP and the Federal Narcotics director have not investigated anything pertaining to his revelations or even at least called in the cops to record their statements.

When asked if he had any inkling of the persons involved in his shooting, Sanjeevan said it could be either the work of illegal gambling den operators or the police to silence him.

He said he could only recollect that two Indian men on a motorcycle wearing full-faced helmets pulling alongside his car and one of them fired a shot in his direction.

Sanjeevan took a slug in abdomen on July 27 at his hometown in Bahau, Negeri Sembilan, and was first taken to the Jempol hospital, then to Kuala Pilah before being transferred to the Serdang hospital.

Two weeks later, he was operated on by doctors at the Serdang Hospital to remove the bullet from abdomen. He was discharged last Saturday and is now recuperating at his hometown.

Bukit Aman police who have taken over the investigation into the shooting at the request of Sanjeevan’s father P Ramakrishnan have yet to interview his son.

Musa Hassan still patron of MyWatch

On the allegation by MyWatch advisor S Gobi Krishnan that the NGO was being abused by certain quarters, Sanjeevan said that he was the one who founded the NGO and is fully responsible for it.

He added that Gobi Krishnan’s term as the advisor ‘expired’ in July and that he has also posted a statement to that effect on his Twitter account. FMT was however unable to track down that particular tweet.

Sanjeevan also said that former IGP Musa Hassan was still the patron of MyWatch even though he has formed a new anti-crime watchdog known as Malaysian Community Crime Care Association (MCCCA).

Last Thursday, Gobi Krishnan said that he was concerned that MyWatch was being used by certain quarters for their own personal benefit. He however did not name anyone.

When contacted today, Gobi Krishnan said he had intended to step down from his advisory role in MyWatch in June but had to continue following Sanjeevan’s shooting.

“Now that he is back, I will proceed with my plans to concentrate more on my own NGO, Power,” he told FMT.

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‘Suspend chair throwing teacher immediately’

There is also a suggestion that all headmasters and teachers be compelled to a psychological test as unwarranted problems are arising from them.

PETALING JAYA: The female teacher who hit…

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There is also a suggestion that all headmasters and teachers be compelled to a psychological test as unwarranted problems are arising from them.

PETALING JAYA: The female teacher who hit her student with a chair in the classroom must be suspended pending investigations by the state education department and police, said Malaysian Indian Progressive Association (MIPAS) secretary-general S Barathidasan.

According to Barathidasan, there is a serious problem brewing among teachers and the Education Ministry must take immediate actions without delay.

“Looks like most of the younger teachers are under stress and they should undergo counseling,” said Barathidasan.

On Sunday, the media reported that a 14-year-old student, Janpiter Steeman, was assaulted by his teacher with a chair which caused him injuries in the face, arms and legs.

The boy’s mother, S Gangga Devi said her son is traumatised and has not gone back to school since the incident on Aug 28.

The replacement teacher had allegedly lost her temper and believed that Janpiter was ‘showing off’ when standing on the chair for being punished, thus reacted by carrying the chair and beating the student repeatedly.

Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan promised a full investigation and stressed that such behaviour should not be allowed.

Gombak OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Rahim Abdullah confirmed the case, adding that it was being investigated under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt.

Transfer is just a slap on the wrist

The MIPAS sec-gen also stressed that transferring the teacher would not give any impact or make a difference, and that the teacher must indeed be suspended immediately.

He also suggested that all the headmasters and teachers be compelled to a psychological test as unwarranted problems are arising from them.

Meanwhile, a former teacher and Malaysian Tamilan Today’s secretary K Gunasekaran is extremely unhappy with this new incident.

“We just saw SK Seri Pristana matter settled and now a new problem has surfaced. Why teachers under stress behave in such a manner?” asked Gunasekaran.

He said that this was an assault; as such the police and ministry must look into it seriously to investigate why the teacher acted in such a manner.

“Since it’s under police investigation, I suggest the teacher be suspended,” added Gunasekaran.

In addition, he also urged teachers to be counselled to stop this sort of behaviour as it downgrades the noble profession.

“Teachers need to have high moral values and not otherwise as it sets a bad example among their students,” he said.

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Khalid: Let Jais counsel convert first

The Selangor MB urges the state religious authority to counsel the illiterate mother who has been converted to Islam without her knowledge before making any decision.

BANGI: Selangor Menteri Besar…

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The Selangor MB urges the state religious authority to counsel the illiterate mother who has been converted to Islam without her knowledge before making any decision.

BANGI: Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has urged the state Islamic Religious Department (Jais) to provide counselling first before making a decision involving an illiterate mother who was converted to Islam without her knowledge.

“Everyone has the right to choose their religion and how they want to live their lives.

“So Jais has to advise, counsel and resolve the issue if the person wants to leave the religion,” Khalid said after attending a convocation ceremony at the National Islamic University College (Kuis).

Khalid was commenting on a recent report where Madinah Kanniammah Abdullah,54, who lives in Subang, claimed that she was converted to Islam by her lover 30 years ago, without her knowledge.

Madinah also decided not to get MyKads for four of her children, fearing they may be registered as Muslims.

As a result, two of her children may have to skip their PMR and SPM examinations as they do not have MyKads.

Khalid, who is also in charge of the state Islamic affairs portfolio, said Madinah might have to undergo a series of counselling sessions with Jais before any decision could be made.

“But I can’t elaborate further as I need more details,” he said.

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Gangs deceive public by sponsoring community events

Police reveal that secret societies have been sponsoring community events and have even gone to the extent of inviting VVIPs to cover up their illegal activities.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police today…

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Police reveal that secret societies have been sponsoring community events and have even gone to the extent of inviting VVIPs to cover up their illegal activities.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police today revealed that some secret societies deceive the public on their illegal activities by sponsoring official community functions.

Principal assistant director of the federal police (Bukit Aman) Secret Societies, Vice and Gambling Division, Abdul Jalil Hassan said police realised this trend and that these secret societies targeted public functions, especially those attended by VIPs.

“They will sponsor such functions to show that they are involved in community activities. Their aim is none other than to portray that they also do good for society, and they will take photographs with the VVIPs present as proof that they carry out legal activities,” he told Bernama, here, today.

He said this trend among some secret societies was also aimed at infiltrating the local community to divert public attention from their actual activities.

A news portal had reported on certain senior political party leaders attending a function organised by the Kajang Sports and Recreation Club which was claimed to have links with the secret society Gang 36.

Following this, a police report was lodged after the disclosure of a letter through the Internet which claimed that three leaders of a political party were present at the function that was attended by about 6,000 people in Seri Kembangan last Dec 3.

Abdul Jalil said secret society members would become representatives in the local community and would sponsor community functions with important figures also invited to the functions.

“Sometimes the local community does not realise it. Perhaps they are happy with the function being sponsored by certain individuals when actually a secret society gang is behind that sponsorship. They (community) need to be careful.”

Abdul Jalil said police were always monitoring the situation and he advised resident committees to be more cautious about receiving sponsorship of their functions or activities by individuals with a dubious background.

He also urged VIPs and the public to check on the background of a community-organised function to prevent secret societies from taking advantage of it.

“Actually, their intention is to make use of the police…to show that they are strong by having their pictures taken with VVIPs at such functions in order to hide who they really area,” he said.

– Bernama

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Gerakan needs new leaders to remain relevant

Teng Chang Yeow will start as an overwhelming front-runner for the chairman post due to his experience and track record, but Baljit Singh is no pushover as he too has…

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Teng Chang Yeow will start as an overwhelming front-runner for the chairman post due to his experience and track record, but Baljit Singh is no pushover as he too has support.

GEORGE TOWN: Some leaders in Gerakan believe that the party has buried the “ghosts” of the 2008 general election debacle with the decision of their two veteran leaders not to contest in the state’s party polls.

This Sunday, Penang Gerakan will pick a new team with either former Penang Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Teng Chang Yeow or its state legal bureau head, Baljit Singh, as the new chairman.

What attracted the pundits’ attention was the move by incumbent chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan and his rival, Chia Kwang Chye, to step down, paving the way for a “Teng versus Baljit” contest.

Both Hock Nan and Chia have also refrained from commenting on the elections as it is believed that they do not want to be seen as taking sides.

Their decision not to contest was much appreciated as it allows Gerakan to move on from the past two general election debacles of 2008 and this year, where the party was wiped out in its home base, said party observers.

Six years later, it is still paying a price as the electorate in Penang has rejected them in favour of the more aggressive DAP.

The first oversight was the poor leadership by former Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon after he had allowed the squabble between Hock Nan, Teng and Chia to persist over who should lead Penang Gerakan.

The second mistake was allowing a contest for the state chairmanship between Chia and Hock Nan in 2009, delaying the “ascendancy” of Teng, who is the younger brother of Selangor DAP strongman Teng Chang Khim.

Teng is seen as BN national chairman and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s choice to lead the Penang opposition as he is not afraid to take on Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who enjoys an almost cult-like status in the state.

“Many see Teng as a leader. After BN was wiped out in the May elections, Teng offered to resign all posts. After a sabbatical he was convinced by the grassroots to make a comeback,” said observers.

In all fairness, one of the factors why Gerakan failed miserably in the May elections was due to the prolonged squabble between Teng, Hock Nan and Chia.

It dragged on for years, causing Najib to intervene in 2012, the observers said.

Teng was only appointed to lead the state BN in 2012, hardly a year before the general election.

“In less than a year what could Teng do against the powerful Lim? We went into battle in Penang with our hands tied,” said one observer.

Goodbye to diplomacy politics

But, Hock Nan, who is said to be bitter as his could not fulfill his legacy of restoring the glory days of Gerakan here, is not giving a “blank cheque” to Teng.

There is a consensus within his faction that they should not allow any leader to become too powerful, citing an example of how Lim allegedly conducts himself in DAP.

Thus, lawyer Baljit was encouraged to take on Teng.

Teng is also no “saint” as he had apparently “goofed” up in the May elections by allowing “outsiders” to campaign in Penang and turning a blind eye to the lavish dinners offered to voters just when the average person here was struggling with rising living costs, Hock Nan’s supporters said.

Gerakan has also worked out a compromise with Hock Nan and Chia’s camps when their proteges were given posts.

Rowena Yap, the fiery leader from Pulau Tikus, who is seen as a Hock Nan supporter, was returned unopposed as state women head while Hng Chee Wey, a young staffer under Chia, won uncontested the post of state youth wing head.

State Gerakan vice-chairman Wong Mun Hoe said the 399 delegates were expected to choose wisely because they knew it had become a “do or die” mission for the multi-ethnic party.

“If we cannot get our act together, it may be Sayonara for Gerakan,” Wong said.

Expect the delegates to choose between the proteges of Hock Nan, Chia and Teng, thus giving room for the likes of Dr Thor Teong Ghee, Michael Heah and Lee Boon Ten given slots in the six-member state committee.

Fourteen leaders are vying for the six elected spots in the state committee.

Teng will start as an overwhelming front-runner for the chairman post due to his experience and track record, but Baljit is no pushover as he too has support.

Since 2008, pundits are unable to predict with total accuracy on what happens in the nation’s politics since many new voices, representatives and organisations, have joined in the fray.

But Penang Gerakan has make it a fairly simple contest where compromise is the order of the party as it looks towards the bigger picture of becoming a credible opposition in the state, which it once ruled for 39 years.

The “diplomacy politics” era of Koh and Hock Nan, have passed on. Now, it is the birth of the “street fighting” generation – a trait identified with Teng.

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Standoff at Bukit Rajah

A group of the former Bukit Rajah estate workers are protesting against the demolition of their homes by the developer of the former estate.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: The planned demolition…

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A group of the former Bukit Rajah estate workers are protesting against the demolition of their homes by the developer of the former estate.

UPDATED

PETALING JAYA: The planned demolition of houses and a temple at the former Bukit Rajah estate today resulted in a standoff between ex-estate workers and the developer and owner of the land, Sime Darby Development.

The unhappy residents have blocked off access to the houses, not allowing demolition equipment by the developer to be brought in.

The Bukit Rajah Palm Oil Mill estate located three miles from Meru, in Klang, is owned by Sime Darby Development, who now want to develop the land by demolishing the former estate houses and a 70-year old Hindu temple in the process.

Presently about 10 police officers, Rela members and several people claiming to be from the media are at the site. Some grassroot political leaders and representatives of non-governmental organisations are negotiating with the developer to put off the demolition plans.

The developer had originally planned to start demolition work from 8.30am today.

The Bukit Rajah Palm Oil Mill, was bought over by Sime Darby Development in 1993. Since then, the former estate workers have demanded that the developer builds houses for them as compensation to vacate the land.

They had also filed a case against the developer and a few years ago Sime Darby identified a piece of land to construct houses for the former estate workers.

FMT learns that the houses for the estate workers have yet to be completed although it was due in Jan, this year.

Currently, there are 25 families staying in the estate.

Meanwhile as at 3pm, the developer has three bulldozers on stand-by to demolish the houses. FMT learns that they were awaiting court bailiffs to arrive to clear the confusion.

The former estate workers, on the other hand, are making a last ditch attempt to obtain an injunction from the courts to stop the demolition.

They are also upset with Tenaga Nasional Bhd which has disconnected power to the former estate today without prior notice.

There was a minor commotion between TNB officers and former estate workers when TNB employees wanted to cut the electricity supply.

The former plantation workers also took both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat indian leaders to task for “washing their hands” from the issue.

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Tengku Adnan draws fire from Hindus for suggesting only their temples cause problems

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At the centre of the storm, the temple which Tengku Adnan has downgraded to a 'shrine' in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, September 9, 2013. 

Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor stepped into a minefield when he "downgraded" a century-old Hindu temple into a shrine and then pointedly asked why the authorities "always had problems with temples and not churches, mosques or Chinese temples".

The attitude of the Federal Territories minister to a sacred Hindu spot hit a raw nerve among other politicians and the head of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, who responded strongly today.
They questioned if Tengku Adnan knew enough about Hinduism to make comments on what is a shrine or a temple and on the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Temple, in particular.


The Malaysia Hindu Sangam, the MIC youth chief, an Indian opposition politician and a lawyer took the minister to task.

On Tengku Adnan's suggestion that only Hindu temples were problematic, Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan shot back that it was because the government did not provide Hindus a proper site to build their temples.

"This is a ridiculous statement by the minister. We are the victims here. We are not the trouble-causers," Mohan responded.

"I have written a letter to Tengku Adnan on this matter and I am hoping for a speedy response," he revealed to The Malaysian Insider today.

MIC Youth chief T. Mohan, who was arrested when he tried to stop City Hall officers from demolishing part of the temple last week, was also upset by the remark that only Hindu temples caused problems.

He said, "If Hindus were given the proper avenue to fulfill their spiritual obligations in peace, issues such as this would have never occured."

Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice-president N. Surendran said Tengku Adnan has failed to realise that a shrine is the sacred spot of any Hindu temple.

"Tengku Adnan is simply mocking Hindus," he said.

Former Teluk Intan parliamentarian M. Manogaran said, "We have been sidelined and marginalised and this is why we remain a 'problem' according to Tengku Adnan.

"It is such a shame that Indians who are in the country's mainstream politics and economy get bullied this way."

Manogaran said this is the main reason that Indian leaders from the opposition pact had called for an “Indian Affairs Department” or a “Minority Affairs Ministry” under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's purview.

MIC’s Mohan also was disappointed with Tengku Adnan for claiming that political parties were exploiting this issue for mileage.

Mohan said, "When the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Selangor had demolished a shrine inside a home in Sepang, MIC Youth had intervened to condemn the act. We were then hailed as heroes. Now we are being accused of playing politics."

Tengku Adnan told reporters today that the Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle in Jalan P. Ramlee has always been a shrine and not a temple.

"I know what a temple and shrine is all about. I am also a pious man. I pray. I would not want to break something which people pray to,” he had said.

The temple sits on reserve land meant for roads or walkways and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall had wanted to claim back some eight feet of land.

This was resisted by scores of worshippers who rushed to protect the temple, raising the temperature in Malaysia's religious landscape and pitting the ruling Barisan Nasional government against politicians from its own coalition.

Tengku Adnan said the ministry will be upgrading the temple into a tourist attraction and look into gazetting the land where the “shrine” sits.

He had also said the temple, which he insisted be called a "shrine" from now on, will not be given the entire land on which it is currently situated.

"The allocation will be only for the size of a shrine as we would need the rest of the space... the whole land belongs to us and we need to build a drainage system and carry out other necessary construction work." – September 9, 2013.

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Islam and democracy

To understand this discourse, one needs to know the point of divergence between Islam and democracy and how certain practices in democracy may not be acceptable to Islam.

The…

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To understand this discourse, one needs to know the point of divergence between Islam and democracy and how certain practices in democracy may not be acceptable to Islam.

The acceptance of democracy in Islam has largely been on its basis as a political process and form of political system. Islamic scholars see no problem in recognising the term democracy in this specific Islamic viewpoint. Even principles of equality, justice and human dignity are not alien to Islam.
Enizahura Abdul Aziz, The Star
THE discourse on Islam and democracy has always been vibrant, whether it is in the Muslim world or even among scholars and practitioners of the democracy in the West.
The reason behind this is that Islam, as a religion, has some basic principles that might not be compatible to the sets of idealisms pursued by democracy. However, in order to understand this discussion, one needs to know the point of divergence between Islam and democracy and can practices in democracy be acceptable in Islam?

Basically, there are three perspectives on the relationship between Islam and democracy.

First, there are those who reject democracy outrightly, claiming that democracy and its secular nature are actually legacies of western imperialism on Muslims states.

Second, there are groups that embrace democracy in its entirety, believing that religion should remain outside the political sphere.

Finally, there are those who differentiate democracy as a political mechanism for forming legitimate governments from it being a set of values and principles for individuals to hold on to.

Modern democracy is a political reality that besieges most free nations today. It has evolved through history since the ancient Greek period, resurfaced in importance and modernised during the revolutions in America, Britain and France and further post-modernised through periods of world wars and the new world order.

Democracy also has many forms ranging from parliamentary, federalism and America’s very own. Some may be particular in its process and forms but many modern democracies today are very concerned about the fundamentals of democratic principles: sovereignty of the people, individual liberty and equality.

Leon P. Baradat, in his book, Political Ideologies: Their Origins and Impact, categorises these as process democrats and principles democrats. Baradat explains that process democrats view democracy as a form of decision-making and the rule of majority.

They claim that there is no real philosophy or theory of democracy. Principle democrats on the other hand, argue that democracy has a strong theoretical foundation and the procedure or process of democracy is secondary to the philosophical objectives of democracy.

In Islam, politics remains in the realms of the religion. This reflects the exact feature of the religion as a way of life that encompasses all areas of human interactions including his/her interaction with Allah the Almighty and his/her interaction with fellow human beings.

Therefore, politics in Islam must meet the objectives of the Shari’ah (Maqasid Shari’ah) which includes the preservation of the religion, life, mind, offspring and property.

In analysing the correlation between Islam and politics, Allal Al-Fassi explains that: “The general higher objective of Islamic Law is to populate and civilise the earth and preserve the order of peaceful coexistence therein; to ensure the earth ongoing well-being and usefulness through the piety of those who have been placed there as God’s vicegerents; to ensure that people conduct themselves justly, with moral probity and with integrity in thought and action, and that they reform that which needs reform on earth, tap its resources, and plan for the good of all.”

Several Islamic scholars believe that the essence of democratic process is actually compatible with Islamic principles. Prof Khurshid Ahmad, in his take on Islam and democracy, argues that Muslims should understand democracy as “rights of a people to self-determination and self-fulfillment” and this is in line with Islam. Meanwhile, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi firmly states:

“The tools and guarantees created by democracy are as close as can ever be to the realisation of the political principles brought to this earth by Islam to put a leash on the ambitions and whims of rulers.”

It is further agreed by many contemporary Islamic scholars that democratic tools and principles of elections, consultations, consensus and independent reasoning are also central in Islam.

The acceptance of democracy in Islam has largely been on its basis as a political process and form of political system. Islamic scholars see no problem in recognising the term democracy in this specific Islamic viewpoint. Even principles of equality, justice and human dignity are not alien to Islam.

However, the most important element that should surround this relationship between Islam and democracy is the understanding of the Tawhidic framework that ultimate sovereignty only belongs to God and the roles of human beings as His khalifah (vicegerents) on earth.

Realising this point of departure on the principles of liberalism, secularism and people sovereignty in democracy from the absolute sovereignty of God in Islam, how then can Islam position itself in modern democracy today?

One thing for sure, Muslims must realise that democracy is a mechanism, not a destination and not even a destiny. Although it is a political reality especially in those areas of the Muslim world that were once colonies of Western imperialists, there must be boundaries to the acceptance of this reality.

Throughout history, we have seen failures of democratic governments which brought about discussions on new forms of democracy, hence indicating that countries have freedom to determine democratic practices suitable to them. Even western democracy was born out of the polemics and conflicts that plagued the western world.

Therefore, on positioning Islam in democracy of the Muslim world today, Muslims must be critical enough to adopt the democratic principles that would best suit the conditions, history and heritage of the Muslim world.

On the other hand, Muslims’ acceptance of democracy as a tool for effective participatory in politics and means for governance must be acknowledged and respected.

Weaknesses and failure of democracy that we see happening in some parts of the Muslim world today are not about the compatibility between Islam and democracy but more about those who destroy the system under the pretext of democratic rights and liberties.

> Enizahura Abdul Aziz is Senior Research Officer at Ikim’s Centre for Study of Shari’ah, Law and Politics. 

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“I was apolitical before… May 5, 2013, changed it all”

Dr Mazlyn Mustapha regards herself a city girl through and through. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 10, 2013.Mazlyn Mustapha is a doctor. She enters the…

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Dr Mazlyn Mustapha regards herself a city girl through and through. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 10, 2013.Mazlyn Mustapha is a doctor. She enters the cafe we are in, in a crisp-like manner. Dressed in a blouse, long skirt, tudung and sporting sunglasses. Her hands are clasped tightly as she begins talking. She may cut a diminutive figure, but her speech is clear and measured, and she has very firm ideas.

She is from Petaling Jaya, and leads “a normal life. Nothing unusual.”
Her late father wanted one of his children to be a doctor, and when she received a scholarship to study medicine in Ireland, she did what he had planned for her. She did very well academically.

In short, she was the quintenssential school girl who excelled, and was expected to come back with a degree, marry, and practise, all of which she did.

A stranger in her own country

When she and her husband came back to Malaysia, they lived in Kelantan for awhile.
“To be honest, I had never been to Kelantan before that sojourn.”

She was a stranger in her own country. Everything was different there; the food was sweet, the Kelantanese spoke in their dialect, and life was quiet.

“I don’t mean to say Kelantan is bad, because it’s not, but it’s not home. I’m a city girl, and Kuala Lumpur is vibrant. I am sure the Kelantanese themselves don’t see KL as home, and wouldn’t want to stay here unless they have to. I need my polluted air!”

It is not just the few years in Kelantan that she has found rather unsettling. Having lived abroad, albeit for only seven years, but being trained, and used to a very efficient administration in Ireland, living and working in Malaysia has been eye-opening.

In Ireland, and Europe, many things are done online and within a stipulated time period. Telephone calls are responded to efficiently and with politeness.

“Now in Malaysia, if a doctor is not able to attend to a patient, his absence will be attended to by a locum. Our doctors are professional. But the administrative, operations side of things – you call and you are led around. In Ireland, they leverage technology, the Internet – it makes things so easy. ”
Being home in Malaysia has its pros and cons.

“The pay cut wasn’t very nice," she laughs, “but you do have to sacrifice for your country.”
Malaysia has a lot of potential that has yet to be fulfilled. She can be so much better.
“I debate with my friends all the time, how come we have yet to blossom?

"Let’s take Singapore for example. Malaysia has so much more (natural) resources, and yet Singapore has achieved so much more. I think this has to do with the policies that we have. It is not based on meritocracy.

"We should recognise people who are good, whatever background they come from. They should be rewarded. Then you get good people working (here) and we keep them in the country. However, I realise that not all Malays agree,” she said.

It is time for change

She noted that Islam in Malaysia is practised in a peculiar way. When she was overseas, she welcomed the curiosity as she could explain her faith. It gave her happiness and satisfaction to be able to tell people what Islam meant to her.

Back home, she does not know what to tell her children when Muslims do not practise the basic tenets of their faith.

Again, she stresses that Malaysia has much to offer, but “things can get better”.
The anger and frustration shows on Dr Mazlyn's face as she speaks of the recent general election. The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Abd Halim, September 10, 2013.The Allah debacle, the Sunni-Syiah divide that she sees, is something she cannot grasp. She cannot see why there is a fuss.

“Islam has always been the same. It is the people who politicise Islam.”

She looks up as she mulls over her situation.
"It's time for people in power to realise that the rakyat want a change, and not to expect special treatment. The recent general election has exhausted everyone.

“I was a different person before May 5. I felt politics was dirty and I refused to discuss it. After what happened, I realised I had to change. I could not not care anymore.
"I really thought we would have a new government, new leadership. I actually cried that morning. I had to work too and I felt that it was such a black Monday.”

So she has begun Facebooking with zeal now. Before it was just to socialise. Now she engages with her friends on issues and gets involved in causes and NGOs, as a volunteer.

“I have been thinking of participating in politics and I was thinking of joining a party. But my husband and friends are concerned. ‘Don’t Mazlyn, politics is dirty. You won’t be able to handle it'.”

Malaysia has progressed, she admits. Transportation is good. The LRT has been a godsend. Migrants working in Malaysia prosper in their way, and expatriates lead a good life.

“Malaysia is a place of opportunity. But at the same time,  there is still a lot to improve on. Students find it difficult to study because they have no money. There’s still poverty in Malaysia.”

She hopes when she is 50, and that would be when Malaysia is 70, things would have improved greatly and that she is part of the change.

She leaves the cafe in a very precise manner. One gets the feeling she will be part of the change. - September 10, 2013.

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Muhyiddin Puts Forward Malaysia's Views On Syria Crisis To UK Counterpart

From Abdul Aziz Harun

LONDON, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Russia's proposal that Syria place all its chemical weapons in the custody of an international body to avoid a possible attack…

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From Abdul Aziz Harun

LONDON, Sept 11 (Bernama) -- Russia's proposal that Syria place all its chemical weapons in the custody of an international body to avoid a possible attack from the United States, must be given due consideration before any military intervention takes place said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Tuesday.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia is worried that any military offensive against Syria would bring about a bigger tragedy.

The Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister voiced his concern during a meeting with his counterpart from the United Kingdom (UK) Nick Clegg, here,Tuesday.

According to Muhyiddin, UK had also voiced a similar concern over the issue but UK's respond had a slight variation because of its long standing close relationship with the United States.

"The slight difference in (UK) opinion could be due to the close relationship between UK and the United States. But whatever difference in opinion, the main concern must be to try and solve the crisis in Syria through a more cordial manner," he told reporters after meeting Clegg at the Whitehall, here.

The Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to chair a roundtable meeting with captains of industry in the United Kingdom (UK) during his five-day working visit to London from Sunday.

Muhyiddin said Malaysia was saddened and disappointed that the crisis in Syria had prolonged and claimed many innocent life.

"If possible we would like to see the crisis resolved without any intervention," he said.

He said he would also seek the assistance of the British government to assist Malaysia's candidature to become a member of organisations under the United Nations to try and solve various issues and crisis throughout the world like non-permanent status in the UN Security Council, International Maritime Organisation, Human Rights Commission and etc.

"He (Clegg) said the British government would not normally make any open statements in support but I told him that UK's moral support was important to Malaysia and I saw that he was quite positive and he also wants to see how the Malaysia-UK relationship can be strengthened," he said.

Muhyiddin said the Egypt issue was also touched on during his meeting with Clegg, and according to the latter, the British government would always try and assist in solving the crisis in both countries.

-- BERNAMA

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