‘Million Muslim March’ a Virtual No-Show in Nation’s Capital

WASHINGTON – A Million Muslim March that was scheduled for the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on American soil was a virtual no-show today in the nation’s capital as many opposed the selection of the date for the event.

As previously reported, the American Muslim Political Action Committee (AMPAC)—an organization that strives to “stimulate an active interest in Muslim Americans relating to political and governmental affairs”— had announced plans last month for a large Muslim rally in Washington, D.C. on September 11th. The “Million Muslim March” had been advertised as a “historic event” for “establishing the humanity and justice through civil rights.”

“We at AMPAC are planning an historic event for 9.11.13 where one million Muslims will march to Washington D.C. and demand that our civil rights be protected by our government,” an announcement on the organization’s website stated.

“We are demanding that laws be enacted protecting our 1st Amendment,” it continued. “We are asking President Obama to fulfill his promise from his first campaign for presidency of a transparent government. Lastly, we are asking for the release of the 9/11 commission report to the American people.”

View of National Mall Wednesday afternoon as event was underway.

The AMPAC statement also alleged that Muslims are continually “victimized” and “made the

villains” for the September 11th terrorist attacks, while “every media outlet and anti-Islamic organization has committed slanderous and libel statements against us as Muslims and our religion of Islam.”

“These lies told to the American population has made it impossible for us to do true Dawa [Islamic proselytization],” the announcement claimed. “Why do we have to defend our religion while doing Dawa? Why can’t we just share the perfection of the Quran and the beauty of our beloved Prophet Muhammad?”

AMPAC leaders generally believe that the U.S. is responsible for provoking recent terrorist attacks and ill will toward America. In a blog post earlier this year, Isa Hodge—project manager of the Million Muslim March—condemned the United States’ overseas war on terror as a “needless, unjustified and immoral” war “based on propaganda and false evidence” that has led to “the impoverishment of people throughout our nation as well as those devastated in the war zone.”

However, weeks later, the event was renamed “Million Americans Against Fear,” and according to the Huffington Post, police anticipated “somewhere in the hundreds, [but] not thousands, of participants.” The secular groups 9/11 Truth Movement and Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth also partnered with event organizers to join in the effort.

Additionally, numerous visitors to the event website expressed disgust at the selected date for the

Christian evangelists preach at the nation’s capital as Muslim march a virtual no-show.

gathering, commenting that it was “antagonistic” and meant to “rub salt in [the] wounds” of Americans. One Muslim visitor agreed.

“I think this does a disservice to those who were the victims of innocent bloodshed by holding this on the anniversary of this tragedy,” he wrote. “Not only does your message get lost due to the date, but you antagonize people and raise tensions for no reason.”

As the rally was set to take place today at noon, less than a dozen attendees were reported to be present. Conversely, several groups opposed to the march gathered in D.C., including a large throng of patriotic bikers and a number of Christian evangelists who traveled to Washington to share the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ with attendees.

The National Mall, which had been reserved for the gathering, was largely vacant throughout the day. A number of reporters and photographers were present, however, to capture the handful of event organizers assembled on the small stage set up on the lawn.

Virginia: Muslim Man Arrested After Police Find Shrapnel-Laced Bomb In Home

Female Suicide Bomber for Al-Qaeda: “We are defending Islam and its sanctity”

Hadith, Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 992, ”Fight everyone in the way of Allah and kill those who disbelieve in Allah.”

NBC4 Washington – “A Fairfax County man has been charged with possessing a crude homemade bomb constructed out of fireworks.

Thirty-eight year-old Atal Bashar of Burke is a native of Afghanistan and a naturalized U.S. citizen. He made an initial appearance Monday in federal court in Alexandria.

According to an FBI affidavit, a cleaning service hired by a real estate agent found what appeared to be a bomb while cleaning Bashar’s father’s home in the Alexandria section of the county in March 2012.

According to the affidavit, Bashar admitted to investigators last week that he built the device for self-defense by placing fireworks in the duffel bag and surrounding it with shrapnel like nails and screws.

Bashar is being held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday.” Source – NBC4 Washington.

The crime of marginalisation

by Nicholas Chan

A WEEK or so ago, it was like Christmas for the concerned citizens and crime enthusiasts of Malaysia.

The Home Ministry officially released a list of 49 groups alleged operating as criminal gangs and announced the banning of their existence under the Section 5(1) of Societies Act 1966.

Such a public disclosure of not just the name of the gangs, but their zone of activities, demographics and even the numbers of members they have is unprecedented for Malaysia.

Ops Cantas swiftly followed as a major clampdown exercise, and as of Sept 7, it has already nabbed 4,806 suspects for involvement in criminal activities.

Historically, the only similar approach of formally banning criminal organisations was in 1890, when the Straits government of British declared all Chinese secret societies to be illegal with the Societies Ordinance and give them six months to wind up their enterprise.

In hind sight, it is déjà vu, as it appeared that our police force only sprung to action after a spate of gang-related murders rocked the nation. The British too, only recognised the threat these secret societies posed after the massive Penang Riots in 1867 and their deep involvement in the Larut Wars.

However, such high-handed approach only resulted in a short period of outward calm and was said to have a more malignant effect of driving the society members underground, turning them from Chinese communal bodies into violent criminal gangs .

Unlike many, I do not look at this public shaming of criminal gangs with awe and wonder. Instead, the statistics is highly worrying and I sense another historical déjà vu.

Among the 40,313 individuals suspected of involvement in gang activities (as provided by the Home Ministry), 28,926, or 70% of them are of Indian origins. Gang 36, Gang 04 and Gang 08 were named as the most notorious of all the criminal gangs and they are majorly dominated by the Indians, although Gang 36 was said to be backed by Chinese funders.

It would appeared that gone were the days of Chinese domination of the underworld, when the most revered of gangs has a Chinese rhyme to their names, like the Sio Sam Ong of Penang and Long Fu Tong of Kuala Lumpur.

Outlanders in their own country?

To understand this déjà vu, one would have to go back to the origins of the secret societies in Malaysia, tapping into the sentiments of Chinese immigrants that arrived in Penang as labours, or coolies since the 1800s.

Secret societies arise because these people had no protection or anyone to represent their interests under the British rule which has hardly any officer that speaks Mandarin or any other Chinese dialects.

The secret societies, which unite the Chinese immigrants mostly by their provincial origins or dialects, came into existence to provide mutual aid and protection to their own kind in a foreign and potentially hostile land.

The secret societies or the kongsis (which means "company" in Mandarin) is a creation of necessity and circumstances rather than convenience for those that are politically and socio-economically disadvantaged and marginalised. They are more than just criminal organisations; they are the governing, economic and welfare entity for the fast-growing Chinese immigrant community.

In the present day, as the Chinese slowly gained solid social and economic footing and moved away from the life of crime, it would appear that the Indian community has taken up the mantle. And they do it in disproportionately large numbers despite being the smallest among the three major ethnic groups of Malaysia.

Stories have it they are succeeding the originally Chinese gangs as the Chinese could no longer get recruits for their ground level operations. These organisations are fast-growing and fearless (to the extent of spray painting their symbols on the wall of a police station as a declaration of war), not unlike the brazen Chinese secret societies during the British days.

If it is indeed déjà vu, then it would be a sad and worrying trend.

This implies that a substantial portion of the Indian community, like the Chinese immigrants in the 19th century, felt like they are staying in a foreign land, with little glimmer of hope for protection and success unless they stick to each other.

In other words, they feel disenfranchised. Frustrated, disappointed and largely forgotten by the system. Symptoms of marginalisation like entrenched poverty, volatile neighbourhoods, high unemployment and dropout from schools are like warm beds for crime.

Indian pupils formed the second highest of dropouts after the Orang Asli, with 27% of them dropped out of schools before completing their SPM exam , it is no wonder that schools serve as fertile recruiting grounds for these gangs.

A snapshot of the phenomena is like this. You have these youngsters, dropped out of school with little chance of good employment, and had no choice but to join these gangs that could offer them protection, an income and most importantly, a sense of belonging.

They are violent because they realised nobody's on their side and the institution won't take care of them; they are intimidating because that is their only commodity.

Crime evolves with society

As proven by the befuddled dropping of violent crime rates in developed countries as well as the declining Malaysian Chinese involvement in organised crime (only 618 Chinese was detained so far by Ops Cantas despite 8,214 was being listed as members by the Home Ministry, implying most of the identified members are no longer "active" in business), a community will stay away from violent crimes when they have an alternate and legal means of survival.

It's not that greed and desperation will no longer empower a person to do bad things, but as society develops, crime tend to become more sophisticated and nuanced, although the damage could still be extensive as can be seen in white collar crimes.

Crime of violence with a penchant for brute force like racketeering, kidnapping, murder, extortion, drug/human trafficking, tend to be the workings of those whom have the least to lose, those on the lower rungs of society.

Crime by marginalisation, not by race

It is rather sad that after five decades of independence, we allowed this to happen. With a noticeably growing trend for Malay gangs, it would appear that the pattern of marginalisation-cum-crime is replicating over different segments of our society.

According to the Labour Force Survey 2012, the Malays formed the biggest cohort in unemployed personnel (46%) while more than 50% of the unemployed in Malaysia is in the age group of 20-29 with only a secondary school qualification, precisely the highest risk group for enrolment into crime.

Their vast number, coupled with the practice of escapism through the dangerous Rempit culture and a rather hostile urban environment to cope with spells a cause for concern. It would be disastrous if the Malay majority gangs are to see an escalation in their enterprise and ferocity.

Although treated as newcomers to organised gangs, the arrest of Malay individuals actually topped the list in Ops Cantas, even superseding the number of Indian arrests.

The government is now faced with the truth that the social security net they weaved, if there's any, simply isn't good enough for everyone. There are big gaps for marginalisation and their subsequent festering into crime, despite all those grandiose promises by the New Economic Policy (and its subsequent manifestations) that no one shall be left out.

The argument of crime was never a race-based polemics to begin with. The Chinese gone through it in the colonial days, the Indian youth seems to be the current issue while a substantial portion of the Malay youth are worriedly lingering in the high-risk category.

Inequality and disenfranchisement are real. We have more and more of our youth feeling angry, disillusioned and "foreign" at their homeland, feelings that would empowered them to severe all constructive societal relations and turn to the underworld for a sense of belonging and control.

"Criminals thrive in the indulgence of society's understanding."

Those are the words of Liam Neeson in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. I would argue the contrary. Criminals actually thrive in the indulgence of society's mis- or non-understanding. Make no mistake; these perpetrators of crime must answer to the law. But in the same time, shall the society answer to them as well as the forgotten children of Malaysia?


Nicholas Chan is a forensic scientist by education and a socio-economic research analyst at Penang Institute by profession.

Pondering Tamil schools in Malaysia

Crest of Kirkby Teacher's Training College

About 2 months ago The Star reported that the Deputy Minister for Education, who is also an elected Member of Parliament and a leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), announced that 13 Tamil schools will receive RM20 million in total under the Action Plan for the Future of Tamil Schools in Malaysia (PTST), to upgrade “classrooms, canteens, sports fields, fences and safety.”

I’ve not reviewed the PTST action plan. I decided that before I review it, I should assemble some thoughts and questions about Tamil schools in Malaysia. This is my first attempt to do so.

Please indulge me. Before you read further, name 5 Indians in Malaysia. They don’t have to be alive, it doesn’t matter if they’re long dead. Just name them. Now ask: which of them was most likely educated in a Tamil school in Malaya/Malaysia?

My experience of Tamil schools

My brother was 2 years older than me. When my parents sent him to Standard One in the local, national school, I wailed daily. I too wanted to go to school. But I was too young. I was so miserable I became sick. What were my parents to do?

Kindergarten was not an option. At that stage in its history, our little town in Johor had no kindergartens.

As usual, it was my mother who came up with a solution. She reminded my father that he was the chairman of the board of the local Tamil school. She implored him – and if you knew my mother you’d know that’s not too strong a term – to send me to Standard One in the Tamil school.

I was an “auditor,” i.e. one who attends without being on the register and gets no credit.

The Tamil school was in town. It met on the top floor of a dilapidated wooden shop which certainly would have failed a fire and safety inspection. Below it was an Indian barber shop. The schoolroom was actually the meeting place of the Indian Association – of which my father was also the elected chairman.

I can only recall one teacher and one classroom, so the school must have been in its infancy. I think my father’s decision to send me to the Tamil school was an abuse of his authority.

In any case, my health and my self-esteem were soon restored. Self-esteem? Well, I showed them! As the youngest in the family of four, I made it clear once again that I could get what I wanted!

As it turns out, I was the top student in my class.

Though only 5, I could read and write in Tamil before I was ‘enrolled.’ This was because my mother included me when she taught my brother at home while my father was at work. In the evenings, when my father was home, he would teach my brother English, and I would join in as well.

After one year at the Tamil school I was moved to the national school. I suppose tongues wagged in the community because the chairman of the board didn’t send his own children to the Tamil school. (We continued to study Tamil at home.)

I don’t know how the Tamil school eventually moved into more appropriate buildings, how a headmaster was appointed, teachers were selected and hired, etc.

I just know that about 20 years later the Tamil school headmaster became chairman of the local branch of the MIC. He also wrote and sold short stories to the  Tamil Nesan newspaper, to supplement his meagre income. I don’t recall any other Tamil school teachers.

Tamil/Indian teachers and teacher training

There were many Tamil teachers in the national schools which I attended. The national schools also had Anglo-Indian, Ceylonese, Malayalee and Telugu teachers.

In 1976, after sitting for the Form 5 MCE examination the previous year, I applied to Teacher Training Colleges (TTC) in Malaysia, although I was sure I would be offered a place in Form 6.

I learned later that I was not accepted for teacher training because my results were “too good for TTC” and wise administrators had decided I should go to Form 6 instead. I suppose they thought I was likely to eventually qualify for University admission.

If you’ve read any history of schools in Malaysia, you’ll have heard of Kirkby.

I recently came across an excellent collection of photos of students who trained at the Malayan Teachers’ Training College in Kirkby, Liverpool, UK. The photos were shared by Cikgu Ramli Shaari, who was in the 2^nd batch of students who studied there (1952-1954).

Yes, prior to Merdeka, the British were training Malayan teachers, many of whom were from the Malay community.

Kirkby was where Primary school teachers were trained. Brinsford, in Wolverhampton, was where Secondary school teachers were trained.

Goals: Kirkby-Brinsford and Tamil schools

A retired Malaysian teacher, Cikgu Joe Chelliah @ Johami Abdullah has a nice post here, titled "Kirkby and Brinsford Trained Teachers and our DPM’s Dream." He points out that you had to have excellent results before being considered for Kirkby or Brinsford: compare this with my experience in 1976.

Kirkby and Brinsford were the seeds and catalysts for training teachers in Malaya. In the following decades, Teacher Training Colleges were established in our homeland, and in the course of time we stopped sending teachers to Kirby and Brinsford - I think as early as 1964.

How is it with Tamil school teachers? Where did the early Tamil school teachers learn about curricula, pedagogy, etc.? Where do current Tamil school teachers learn the same things?

In a piece published in the New Straits Times on 22 September 2001, and reproduced here, Yunus Raiss, at that time Principal of Sels College in London, had this to say about the vision and the achievement of Kirkby-Brinsford:

“Kirkby-Brinsford made every student feel, think and act as a Malayan. They were no longer Malay, Chinese, Tamil, Sikh or Eurasian. They were Malayans from a country called Malaya who presented a united front despite differences in appearance and speech.”

Do Tamil schools subscribe to that vision? What’s the achievement of Tamil schools? What’s the future of Tamil schools? Should questions about vision, achievement and future be limited to Tamil schools?

How many Indians did you name that you think went to Tamil schools? Apart from “classrooms, canteens, sports fields, fences and safety,” what do you hope is in the PTST Action Plan?

Notis pindah: Pak Mie, saman saya jangan salahkan anjing

Lawyers for liberty 'solved citizenship issue in one day'

Project IC: Ask Anwar, says Mahathir

The former strongman, fresh from denying any knowledge on the citizenship-for-votes scam, suggests that his former deputy would know more about the secret project.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has once again alluded that his former deputy Anwar Ibrahim was the right person to be grilled on the controversial IC-for-votes project in Sabah in the 1990s.

Without naming Anwar today, Mahathir suggested that the former knew more about the project – dubbed Project IC/Project M – than he himself.

“If that is government policy, why didn’t he stop it? Is he going to lie to the commission and claim that I ask him to do all these?”

“He should know, he was my deputy,” he was quoted as saying by The Malaysian Insider news portal today.

When Mahathir was asked if he was referring to Anwar, he replied in jest: “Maybe.”

Earlier in January this year, Mahathir blamed Anwar as the main man behind citizenship-for-votes scam in Sabah, disputing Anwar’s previous claims of ignorance on the matter.

Mahathir said then that Anwar had, at times, acted without orders from him (Mahathir).

“He normally takes the initiative and sometimes do more [than is required]. What happens on the ground is often different from the directive [from above],” Mahathir had said.

He had said that Anwar and other implementing officers in Sabah had at times failed to follow instructions from him, adding that the government had taken action against these errant officers.

A week before that, Anwar told reporters that he was ready to testify at the RCI called to look into this matter but quickly added that he was also in the dark about the project.

“I have no problem whatsoever. I knew for a long time the project was under the prime minister, that it did not involve a Cabinet process, so it is the full responsibility of the prime minister and finance minister.

“When I was there, even I was not briefed on the issue [of providing citizenship to immigrants],” Anwar had said.

Anwar is now expected to testify before the Royal Commission of Inquiry in Kota Kinabalu on Sept 19.

The RCI started in January and is investigating claims that citizenship was given to illegal immigrants in Sabah during Mahathir’s administration.

Mahathir testified yesterday and said that he was not aware of Project IC, and blamed overzealous civil servants.

He however admitted that Sabah’s illegal immigrants were granted citizenship as the law allowed for it if a person had stayed in the country for more than 10 years.

Jeffrey: Anwar was in charge


Previously Sabah’s veteran politician Jeffrey Kitingan had told FMT that he hoped Anwar would “tell the truth” when he testifies in the RCI.

“However, I do hope he would tell the truth about his own role in the citizenship fiasco,” Jeffrey had said.

“From what I know, he was indeed in charge of Sabah [for Umno]. He was the director of operations and was involved actively in the citizenship project,” he added.

“I am very sure he was in the know of what was happening in Sabah at that time.”

“I am sure Anwar, being the second most powerful Umno leader at that period, would not have been ignorant of what the then prime minister and Umno were doing to win at all costs in Sabah,” he had said.

“As I said, he knows more about the citizenship project than many others and if he is indeed called up to testify at the RCI, I sincerely hope he would tell the truth,” he said.

Najib’s MIC peace deal in tatters

While the Prime Minister and Umno president has averted a tussle for the top posts, a proxy war threatens to tear the party apart.
COMMENT

PETALING JAYA: Last month Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak met up with four MIC top leaders to broker a peace deal in an effort to ensure that the party is not split by a tussle for the party top post.

The intention of Najib, who is also BN chairman, was to avert an internal fight and ensure MIC stayed intact to win back the 1.8 million Malaysian Indian community and to use the party as a vehicle to reach out to Indian voters.

The four – president G Palanivel, deputy president Dr S Subramaniam, vice-presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany – agreed to the deal, patting each other’s backs after the meeting with Najib, close to midnight.

Like a band of brothers, the four then adjourned to a five-star hotel for a “teh-tarik” where they ironed out details of the deal. It was all fine and dandy at this point.

When news broke of deal, supporters of at least three of the leaders were miffed, telling them that they should not have agreed to the deal and that MIC matters should be handled internally and not by the Umno president.

Till today none of the four have gone public on the contents of the deal. MIC CWC member KP Samy broke the silence, asking Palanivel to reveal details of the deal. He was brushed-off by the party chief a few days later.

However, the gist of the deal was that Dr Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, will not take on Palanivel for the presidency at the presidential election on Sept 22.

Instead, Palanivel would hand over the top post to Dr Subramaniam in 2016. The four leaders also agreed that the No 2 post, held by Dr Subramaniam, would not be challenged. But these are just sketchy details of the deal.

Although Palanivel has ensured that he kept the MIC crown, the same cannot be said of Dr Subramaniam’s position.

Palanivel became the party’s eighth president on Sept 1 when he won the post uncontested at the presidential election nomination. Dr Subramaniam’s position as party No 2 is, however, not safe.

Anyone can mount a challenge for the No 2 post as a contender will only need one nomination to fight for the deputy presidency. And this contender could be a proxy of any leader, including Palanivel.

A real fear

Now the party, which was supposed to have become stronger after the Najib brokered peace deal, is on the brink of a proxy war that threatens to tear MIC apart.

Palanivel’s camp is already moving to ensure “the president’s men” fill up all important positions in the party. The elections for deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 CWC members – will only be held in November.

The current batch of leaders who fill these positions are all former president S Samy Vellu’s men. The party has not held an election since 2009. Party polls was scheduled for 2012 but postponed due to the 13th general election.

Palanivel’s supporters argue that since the Natural Resources and Environment Minister would be in charge of the party for the next three years, it is only right that “his people” hold important positions in the party.

Already there is a divide on who should helm the party’s Youth chief wing. Both camps have their horses ready for the race.

Palanivel’s camp is backing V Mugilan, the deputy Youth chief, while Dr Subramaniam is pushing for C Sivaraajh, a Youth leader who’s now the special officer to Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir.

This is just the start, say party insiders. Both Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam are expected to come to come out with their “preferred list” respectively, closer to the polls.

The main tussle is expected to be in the election of the three vice-presidents and 23 CWC positions. Both camps would put up a list and this would tear the party apart.

Current vice presidents, Saravanan and Devamany, are expected to feature in Dr Subramaniam’s list, although the third “preferred” candidate is still a mystery.

Palanivel on the other hand may want to retain Saravanan but bring in two other leaders aligned to the president to contest the post.

Saravanan has become a prized asset for both the camps as the 45-year-old Youth and Sports deputy minister has managed to carve a following in the party due to his down to earth approach.

Saravanan has over the past five years managed to steadily increase his support base and is now a main player in MIC politics.

However, soon after the party announced that elections would be held this year, the deputy minister was quick to drop hints that he would go for the deputy president’s post in the polls.

But this was before the peace deal was brokered. He has now scaled down his ambition and is said to be hell-bent on retaining one of the three vice-president seats.

Tight CWC race

On the CWC front, more than 60 candidates are expected to fight it out for the 23 available positions. Both Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam’s camps are expected to come-up with a list on this soon.

While these lists are not expected to be announced in the open, they would be circulated internally. Both leaders are also expected to drop hints on who they want as the vice-presidents.

While Najib has averted a tussle for the top post, he cannot do much to stop contenders from taking on the incumbents for other top positions, especially when the No 1 and No 2 have their preferred list of leaders they want as vice-presidents and CWC members.

This threatens to tear the party apart. The peace deal brokered by Najib to ensure MIC is not embroiled in an internal tussle is only a temporary and this bund built by Prime Minister is just waiting to burst its banks.

S’gor police catches Colombian fugitive but loses Iranian suspect

In the morning, Selangor police proudly announced the capture of a fugitive who escaped last December. In the evening, they allowed an Iranian suspect to escape.
FULL REPORT

SHAH ALAM: Nine months ago, a 22-year-old Colombian man and his 26-year-old accomplice suspected of burglary, escaped police custody by jumping off a moving police van enroute to the Petaling Jaya Sessions court.

However, the fugitives’ freedom came to an end on Monday after one of the suspects, Sana Bria Floria Jorge Luis, aged 22 was arrested by the Selangor police in an apartment in Ampang.

The escape took place on Dec 4 last year under the nose of policemen, compelling the Selangor police to launch a high level investigation.

At a press conference this morning, Selangor Police Chief Mohd Shukri Dahlan said Luis was detained with two women from Costa Rica after a tip-off from the public.

The newly-appointed CPO of Selangor added that the apartment in Taman Dato Ahmad Razali had been used as a hideout for the group and to store the burgled items for over a year.

“We arrested three individuals in the house and confiscated several laptops, cameras, mobile phones, passports and foreign currencies,” he said.

“Further investigation showed that the male suspect is the one who escaped police custody back in December last year. However, the other escapee has fled the country,” Shukri said.

When asked whether police have identified other Latin American burglar groups in Selangor, Shukri said his men would conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.

“I believe there are more of them and I am glad that we managed to apprehend the male suspect who jumped off the moving van to escape police custody,” he said, adding that they would make more arrest if they receive solid information on other groups.

According to Shukri, Selangor police had detained 12 Latin Americans in the past six months as they are all believed to be in the same syndicate.

“Last year, Selangor police caught 28 of them (Latin Americans), this year alone we have arrested 12. They are professionals and know how to do their job. They mingle around with locals and move in a small group to avoid being caught,” he said.

Iranian escapes police custody

In another development, a 48-year-old Iranian drug dealer escaped from police custody at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court this morning soon after his case hearing ended.

According to Petaling Jaya district police chief, Arjunaidi Mohamed, the suspect, known as Rafat Manesh Gahvei Mahmood was not handcuffed and was accompanied by a police officer while he was taken to the detention cell from the courtroom.

Arjunaidi said that police have apprehended a 50-year-old corporal to assist the police with the investigation.

“The suspect escape on foot and it is believed that the suspect and 50-year-old police officer were involved in a scuffle before he managed to run away from the court,” said the district police chief.

“The suspect was brought to court today from Sungai Buluh prison. He was brought to court for the case to be transferred to the high court,”Arjunaidi said.

When asked about the standard operating procedure during the court process, Arjunaidi told reporters that the police officer did not follow the standard operating procedure as the suspect was not handcuffed.

“Our officer did not follow the SOP. We have arrested him and will investigate if more of my officers are involved with this case,” he said.

Meanwhile, another shocking discovery was learnt during the escape. The CCTVs installed inside the court house were not functioning, thus leaving the police with no evidence on what transpired during the incident.

Arjunaidi told reporters briefly that the CCTVs at the Sessions Court were not working.

“Tak berfungsi,” he said.

ADUN DAP pertikai projek pembakar

Sedangkan tidak ada sebarang perbincangan atau pandangan orang ramai khususnya penduduk yang tinggal di Sendayan diambilkira sebelum projek ini diluluskan.

SEREMBAN: Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Bukit Kepayang, Cha Kee Chin (DAP) mempertikaikan kelulusan kerajaan yang membenarkan sebuah pembakar dibina di Tanah Merah berdekatan Sendayan tanpa mengambil kira pandangan orang ramai.

“Saya amat kecewa apabila semalam Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan mengumumkan pembinaan sebuah insinerator di Tanah Merah, berdekatan Sendayan secara tiba-tiba,” katanya.

Sedangkan dakwanya, idak ada sebarang perbincangan atau pandangan orang ramai khususnya penduduk yang tinggal di Sendayan diambilkira sebelum projek ini diluluskan.

“Saya amat bimbang pada satu faktor sahaja dalam projek insinerator ini, iaitu faktor keselamatan penduduk sekitar Sendayan,” katanya lagi.

Beliau berkata sepatutnya kerajaan mendapatkan pandangan penduduk setempat dan NGO-NGO yang mempunyai kepakaran dalam teknologi pembakar ini sebelum projek ini diluluskan.

“Kerajaan dan syarikat yang hendak membina dan kendalikan pembakar ini sepatutnya memberi taklimat dan maklumat penuh bagaimana sistem pembakar ini akan beroperasi dan bagaimana tahap keselamatan termasuk gas dan sisa buangan akan dikawal,” katanya lagi.

Cha menambah apabila Menteri Besar mengumumkan nama syarikat yang akan membina dan mengenadalikan insinerator ini, ini membuktikan semuanya telah diputus dan dimuktamadkan dan barulah diumum pada rakyat.

“Pendekatan ini sangat tidak betul,” katanya.

Beliau berkata sepatutnya kerajaan belajar daripada insiden bantahan penduduk Broga di Selangor lebih kurang 10 tahun lepas apabila ketika itu kerajaan bercadang untuk membina sebuah pembakar di Broga.

“Akibat bantahan berterusan atas faktor keselamatan penduduk sekitar Broga, projek tersebut dibatalkan,” ujarnya.

“Kini muncul pula projek seumpama itu di Negeri Sembilan.Saya difahamkan lesen operasi Pusat Kualiti Alam (Pusat pelupusan sisa toksid ) di Sendayan akan tamat pada awal tahun 2015 dan apa yang saya bimbang, ada kemungkinan jika lesen Pusat Kualiti Alam tidak disambung oleh Kerajaan Negeri, maka pembakar ini akan menggantikan operasi Pusat Kualiti Alam.

Beliau mendakwa ramai yang tidak faham isu pembakar ini.

“Apa yang kita bimbang bukan sekadar bau tetapi kita bimbang jika timbul masalah penyakit kepada penduduk terutama kepada generasi akan datang,” katanya.

Beliau juga bimbang sekiranya tahap keselamatan pembakar ini tidak memuaskan ia boleh memudaratkan kesihatan masyarakat setempat.

“Justeru itu saya merayu pada NGO-NGO yang mempunyai kepakaran tentang bahaya dan operasi insinerator ini agar dapat tampil dan membantu kami untuk mengambil langkah dan tindakan sewajarnya.K ami tidak menghalang pembangunan tetapi kami prihatin tentang tahap keselamatan rakyat,” ujar Cha.

Right leader needed for Gerakan’s survival

Gerakan delegates voting for a new state chairman must dare to change if they are serious in revitalising the party, says political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

GEORGE TOWN: The contest for the state Gerakan chairman post this Sunday signified a demand for a sweeping change to revive its original multi-racial formula, which had fallen by wayside, said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

Khoo said the contest between Tanjung division chairman Teng Chang Yeow and state Gerakan legal and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh was crucial to define the party’s survival and future direction.

“It is a test on members’ resolve to change and return the party to its original struggle and objectives.

“Gerakan is now at the crossroads and needed urgent reforms to re-emerge from scratch by going back to the party basics when it was formed in 1968.

“The contest is all about the party survival. It’s either do or die,” Khoo told FMT today.

He said Gerakan was in need of a new, young, enthusiastic and smarter leadership that could offer new ideas and strategies to the public, not just members.

He added that Gerakan should realise that it could never be a major political player again by being over dependable on Barisan Nasional and Umno.

Khoo said Gerakan must reform to regain the public support and trust on its own not by living under the patronage of BN and Umno.

“Gerakan grassroots leaders and members must dare to change if they were serious in revitalising the party and becoming a formidable political force on its own right,” he said.

He added that the change must start in Penang because the state had been fundamental to the party’s foundation.

“If they failed, the party will meet its natural demise after the next general election,” said Khoo.

Some 399 delegates will cast their ballots in the state elections on Sunday.

The seat fell vacant after outgoing state Gerakan chairman Dr Teng Hock Nan decided not to seek re-election.

Tough fight for Baljit

Khoo said Baljit could face difficulties in securing votes among the largely ethnic Chinese delegates.

He said Baljit’s candidature would also present the ideal challenge to Gerakan members whether to revive the party’s original non-communal politics by choosing a leader on merit regardless of his ethnic background.

He recalled that the party on its birth was led by Syed Hussein Alatas and had an ethnic trade unionist V David as a top leader.

He said the contest was a real chance for Gerakan to start working to offer Penangites an effective, competent, viable and dynamic alternative to the ruling party, the DAP.

Given that Gerakan would lead the state BN, he said the party’s revival as a non-communal political force was imperative for growth of the state’s two-tier political landscape.

He rubbished the suggestion made by Pakatan Rakyat, that Gerakan was a spent force following successive electoral defeats.

Khoo said if the delegates failed to go for change now to a new leadership without political baggage, the party could never recover from its slump.

He said delegates had two choices now as to either maintain status quo and continuity by choosing an old tried guard, who had flopped miserably as BN state chairman in the recent general election.

“Or, they can choose a new man at the helm to transform the party as an effective state opposition with new ideas and strategies reviving the old Gerakan spirit,” he added.

Khoo said a new political leadership was vital to rid the party of factionalism and build unity.

He said if the delegates retained an old guard, factionalism would continue to dampen the party spirit.

“Gerakan can play a pivotal opposition role in Penang with the right leadership and strategies.

“Its survival now depends on the decision of the delegates,” said Khoo.

Khoo felt that Teng, being the party secretary-general, should focus on the national level and leave the state administration to local leaders.

By political convention, he said Teng should step aside from state politics especially when he had led BN to defeat in last general election.

Moreover, he pointed out that Teng had quit as state BN chairman immediately taking responsibility for the defeat.

“He should go for national politics and allow new younger leadership to take over in Penang,” said Khoo.

Two wanted men shot dead in Malacca

Policemen carrying out their investigations at the crime scene

MALACCA: Two suspected robbers were shot dead at the traffic junction next to the Tesco Hypermarket in Cheng here on Thursday.

According to police sources, the suspects, who were in a Perodua Myvi, fired shots at police officers who had approached the car for inspection at 9.20am Thursday following a car chase. The officers returned fire killing both the men.

One of the men is believed to be a former Emergency Ordinance detainee. It is also learnt that police recovered two pistols in the car.

'Sanjeevan does not know what he's tweeting'

Anti-crime watchdog MyWatch chairperson R Sri Sanjeevan's tweets sent out recently are not reliable as Sanjeevan does not know what he is tweeting about, his father told Malaysiakini today.

P Ramakrishnan said that Sanjeevan "does not know what he's doing", even though he could now recognise the whole family and is back at the family home in Negri Sembilan, resting.

"His memory, almost all of it, has returned. What happened recently, he remembers it all. But he still hasn't fully recovered," Ramakrishnan (right) said.

He expressed his worry over Sanjeevan's tweets and behaviour over the past couple of days.

"I'm really sad, I need to take him to see a doctor again," Ramakrishnan said.

He suspects that his son, who spent weeks in the Serdang Hospital after surviving an attempt on his life by two men in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan, on July 27, is still suffering from trauma.

Sanjeevan, who tweets using the Twitter handle @SanjeevanSS, has tweeted that some people were trying to "silence" him.

He has also claimed that masked people were coming to his house, and that the police have refused to provide him and his family with protection.

He underwent a critical surgery recently to remove a bullet lodged in his ribcage for 18 days since the shooting.

After the surgery, Sanjeevan started suffering amnesia and is said to be slowly recovering his memory.

Palanivel wants Subra to remain No 2 uncontested

Having been returned as MIC president uncontested, G Palanivel now wants his deputy Dr S Subramaniam to be retained without contest.

While Palanivel did not give a reason for his stand, it could be an outcome of the peace deal between him and Subramaniam, said to be brokered by the prime minister.

Instead, Palanivel only said that he expects greater competition for the three vice-president positions.

"I don't know how many people are interested, but there will be more than three contestants," he said in a statement today.

The national MIC elections are due to take place in December, after state conventions. Divisional Youth and Wanita elections will come before the state conventions.

In the truce, Palanivel is to return as president uncontested, but will make way for Subramaniam in 2016. The truce is to preserve the party from severe infighting.

Among those who had expressed interest in contesting for vice-president is former president S Samy Vellu's son, S Vell Paari.

Vell Paari had earlier been dropped from the MIC central working committee by Palanivel.

View comments (4)

Hindraf report card gives red marks for MOU progress

A hundred days after its chairperson P Waythamoorthy joined the federal government, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia says it has made progress in only one of 32 areas of its agreement with BN: to set up a new unit under the Prime Minister’s Department.

Even then, Waythamoorthy as a deputy minister has little real power, reads the NGO's 100-day report card released today.

“(The unit is) not able to independently operate yet – the PM (Najib Abdul Razak) has to be involved in all matters. The time with PM is also limited so, matters are held up,” it said.

Further hampering its efforts is that it has yet for form an Expert Steering Committee (ESC), which the report says will delay many other aspects of the blueprint.

“The two members from the Hindraf side have been identified for this committee, (but we are still) waiting for the government’s side for identification of the chairperson and two committee members,” it said.

Among the issues stalled by the ESC delay include the setting-up of a subcommittee to deal with issues related to temples and burial grounds, and conducting of studies to resolve a myriad of issues such as displaced estate workers and the provision of skills programmes and housing.
Nine activities deemed feasible

The setting-up of the committee is deemed to one of nine initiatives that it deemed feasible in the first 100 days.

It expressed concern that unless this is rectified soon, the committee would not be able to provide input to the Budget 2014 planners for its implementation plans.

“The Budget 2014 planning cycle has begun. Unless the committee gets to work very soon, it is likely that the budget input for the implementation plan may be in jeopardy.

“In addition, this plan drives the infrastructure set-up for the unit and several activities in the plan. This is a major bottleneck for the plan at this stage,” it said.

In addition, it said it has already proposed a budget and an organisational structure for Waythamoorthy’s unit. However, the former is yet to be approved, while the latter has been rejected for being “too elaborate”.

The report card tracks the progress in 32 performance areas in the implementation of Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia’s 32-point MOU with BN from June 5, when Waythamoorthy was sworn into office, up to Sept 12. 
After courting Pakatan Rakyat for months leading up to the last general election, Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia made an about-turn on April 18 by signing what it called a "historic" memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BN.

Waythamoorthy then urged the Indian community to throw its support behind BN in the election and was made a senator and roped into Prime Minister Najib Razak's administration after May 5.
The eight-page report concludes with a large blue ‘frownie’ (a frowning face) under the heading “Overall performance rating for this report period”.

“Our performance in this period is certainly unsatisfactory, but we believe this has much to do with the learning curve involved of this unprecedented effort deriving from the agreement.

“We believe that performance will certainly pick up with the approaches we are taking or planning to take,” the report said.
For the full report card, go here.

100 days report card

100 days report card

'Gov't failed to fill 7.5pct matric quota for Indians'

The government has failed to fill a 7.5 percent quota for Indian Malaysians in matriculation and skills training institutes, says Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia in its 100-day report card today.

“It is also not clear what 7.5 percent works out to. From next year onwards a clear and transparent system needs to be set up to prevent this from being a recurring event,” it added.

The item is one of nine performance areas that are deemed feasible in the 100-day reporting period beginning on June 5, when its chairperson P Waythamoorthy was sworn in as senator and took office as deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

No figures were provided in the report card on this issue, but MIC treasurer-general Jaspal Singh was previously quoted as saying that only 1,142 matriculation places had been filled by Indians, out of 1,500 that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had promised in March.

Out of the nine performance areas, the only one that was fulfilled was the setting up of a unit under the Prime Minister’s Department to implement Hindraf’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BN and naming Waythamoorthy as its head.

The other seven that are not done are:

• Giving executive powers to Waythamoorthy, without which his unit cannot operate without Najib’s direct involvement.

• Providing sufficient budget to implement the MOU. Thus far a budget has been proposed relating to the resettlement of displaced estate workers, rebuilding of primary schools and relocating temples, but this has yet to be approved.

• Establishing the unit’s organisation structure, for which a proposal has been made but has been rejected for being “too elaborate”.

• Establishing an Expert Steering Committee (ESC) to make plans for the Hindraf blueprint. Two Hindraf representatives have been identified and it is awaiting the government to name its own representatives and a chairperson.

• Setting up an arbitration committee.

• Setting up a subcommittee under the ESC to address issues related to temples and burial grounds.

• Develop proposals for resolving statelessness amongst the Indian community. The report says that a study has identified 10 causes of statelessness, and its recommendations are subject to review.

Hindraf’s report says the performance thus far is unsatisfactory, but believes this would improve and promises another report card after 12 months in government.

“This exercise will increase accountability of all parties concerned to the pledges made before getting into office.

“The people can use this report card to make their future decisions about the government,” it said.
For the full report card, go here.

12 opposing demolition of houses in Mantin arrested

Twelve villagers and activists in Kampung Hakka in Mantin, Negri Sembilan, including the village head, were arrested by police today as they tried to stop a developer from demolishing their houses.

Armed with a High Court order, the developer moved in this morning to demolish the village where about 40 families live, with the residents objecting on grounds that they are appealing the court decision.
On its Facebook page, the residents claimed they had already filed an appeal to the High Court decision and was hoping that the court could possibly hear the appeal as soon as possible to grant a stay.

The Seremban High Court has ordered their eviction as their temporary occupation licence had expired.

This was despite the residents, who comprise of 40 families, claiming they had been staying on the land for more than 100 years and have been paying quit rent and land assessment tax.

According to Jerit activist S Parames, the developer and the authorities had earlier this month demolished two houses in Kampung Hakka and they have not been paid any compensation.

Following this, she said the villagers have since been trying to prevent them from tearing down the other houses.

"As a result, eight villagers and activists who tried to stop today's demolition were detained by the police.

“They included village head Chong Tza Yew. Four people who went to the Mantin police station to help those detained were also arrested by the police,” Parames said, adding that the appeal was still pending and she could not understand why the developer had moved in.

Lived there for five generations

She said the villagers have been living in Kampung Hakka for five generations, on a piece of state government land that has since been sold to a property developer to build the new Mantin township.
Of the 12 arrested, seven of them are residents of Kampung Hakka, while five of them are Jerit activists.

Jerit or Jaringan Pekerja Malaysia is a non-governmental organisation affiliated to PSM.

Parames said the investigating officer had just arrived at the scene from the Nilai district police station.

The villagers are lodging separate police reports against the Mantin police station chief for unlawful arrest.

Chief Inspector Rashid Kasim, the officer in charge of the Mantin police station, when contacted confirmed the arrests.

Rashid said those arrested are being investigated for encroachment into private property and also for preventing the police from conducting their duties.

“An investigating officer has been appointed to investigate. That is all that I can say,” he added.

Dr M: Project IC? Never heard about it until recently

Prayers resume. Kedarnath Temple reopens after 86 days.

After 86 days, prayers resume at Kedarnath Temple. 

KEDARNATH |PTI | Sep 11, 2013::  The deathly silence brooding over Kedarnath since the June calamity hit Uttarakhand broke early on Wednesday morning by the chanting of Vedic hymns as prayers resumed at the Himalayan shrine, 86 days after ravaging floods left over 400 people dead in the Kedar valley.

Shortly after the dawn, as the clock stuck seven, the chief priest of the 6th century shrine, Rawal Bhima Shankar Ling Shivacharya, unlocked the portals of the temple and stepped into the sanctum-sanctorum to perform the puja.

.

The prayers commenced on Wednesday on Sarwartha Siddi Yog, considered to be auspicious.Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna, who was also scheduled to attend the prayers along with some of his ministerial colleagues, could not take off from Dehradun due to inclement weather.

.

The Kedar Valley is enveloped in a thick veil of fog and various media teams, which had to come here to cover the ceremony, are stuck in Guptkashi, some 22 kilometres from here, due to bad weather.The Puja began with a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) of the temple and ‘prayashchitikaran’ (atonement for prolonged suspension of prayers at the shrine).The chief priest was accompanied by a large number of ‘teerth’ purohits and Badrinath Kedarnath Samiti officials.

The shrine reverberated with the collective recitals of Vedic hymns and blowing of conch shells.

However, the resumption of prayers at the 13,500 ft-high shrine is of limited nature, as no pilgrim is being allowed right now to visit the temple.

A meeting is scheduled to be held on September 30 to decide the date for resumption of Yatra to the famed Himalayan temple.

The temple, cleaned and spruced up for the occasion, came back to life after the deathly silence of all these months.

Prayers at the shrine were suspended after the flash floods wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand, especially in the hill districts of Rudraprayag, Urttarakashi, Chamoli and Pittoragrh, leading to the death of over 600 people as per official figures, and leaving more than 4,000 missing.

Now Fatwa against photography!

India's leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa branding photography ‘unlawful and a sin’.

Mufti Abdul Qasim Nomani, Mohtamim (Vice-Chancellor) of the institution, has said Islam does not permit videotaping of marriages or taking of pictures to save as mementos.

"Photography is un-Islamic. Muslims are not allowed to get their photos clicked unless it is for an identity card or for making a passport," he was quoted as telling the Press Trust of India over phone.

Saudi Arabia allows photographers inside Makkah and live telecast of namaz and Hajj on TV across the world.

Mufti Nomani said Saudi Arabia “can do it, but they will not allow it”.

The Darul Ifta in Deoband had issued a religious edict on a query from an engineering graduate, saying he was passionate about photography and wanted to pursue it as a career.

"Photography is unlawful and a sin. Hadith warns sternly against it. Do not do this course. You should search any suitable job based on your engineering course," reads the fatwa posted on the school's website.

Mufti Nomani agreed with the fatwa.

Another platform of Indian Muslims, All India Muslim Law Personal Board, has agreed with the Deoband fatwa.

Its member Mufti Abul Irfan Qadri Razzaqi told PTI: "Islam forbids photographing of humans and animals. Whoever does that will be answerable to God."

A similar fatwa was issued when a television reporter asked if his "facing the video camera" is against Islam.

"…it is prohibited in Islam to photograph and to let others photograph you," reads the fatwa.

Another one reads that any work which involves ‘unlawful things’ is ‘unlawful’. If part of a person's job includes oral or written reporting as well as photography, then the entire income will not be labelled unlawful.

Shia Chand Committee President Mufti Saif Abbas, however, differed.

He said his sect allows photography and television viewing.

"Islamic channels such as Peace TV, QTV, ARY and others beam live coverage of namaz, Hajj...are they all wrong?

“I have argued with my Sunni colleagues that there is nothing wrong with photography," he said.

On Jan 1, 2001 the High Court in Bangladesh declared fatwa illegal.

In 2010, the High Court had ruled against extralegal punishment of people by issuing fatwa in local arbitrations in Bangladesh.

Fatwa has been often used as a tool of punishment in Bangladesh and was in practice particularly in some the rural area.

A petition said local religious leaders and socialites torture, harass and punish women in the name of fatwa, which cause incidents like injuries, killings and suicide.

The bench of justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur had issued the verdict.

The opinion enclosed in the copy of the judgment said persons found involved in ordering, executing or assisting such extra-legal punishment will face criminal proceedings.

Report: Japanese woman killed in Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Knife-wielding assailants attacked two Japanese women tourists in Turkey, killing one of them and critically wounding the other, the Japanese Embassy said.

Kyodo News quoted the Embassy as saying the attack occurred Monday near Zemi Valley in the Cappadocia region, a World Heritage site popular with tourists in Nevsehir province in central Turkey.

Killed in the attack was Mai Kurihara, 22, Kyodo reported. The other tourist, who was not identified, was in intensive care at a hospital.

The two, both students at Japan's Niigata University, were walking when they were attacked. Both were found lying on the ground by another tourist, the report said.

Turkish authorities said they were searching for the assailants.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/09/10/Report-Japanese-woman-killed-in-Turkey/UPI-65641378812661/#ixzz2ec1dxbG8

Wasn’t ministry aware of CCTV-in-toilets plan?

Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) strongly condemns the installation of 64 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the toilets of SMK Seri Sentosa recently.

It was ridiculous to place CCTVs in toilets just because the school wanted to deal with many cases of vandalism, students cutting class, gang fights, cheating during exams, lepak (loitering) cases and many more.

Mipas finds that no matter what the reason, it is fundamentally wrong to install CCTVs in toilets or bathrooms, which are meant to be private places and therefore students' rights to privacy are being infringed.

Mipas also queries how the Education Minister and department were not aware about this matter and had given the school the green light to install the cameras inside the toilets.

Some document of the school’s plan must have been submitted to the Education Ministry and it’s department, before the school was granted approval to install the CCTVs.

Mipas suggests that the school installs the CCTVs at the entrances to the toilets, so that it could monitor who goes in and out.

SMK Seri Sentosa is the first to install CCTVs in toilets. Internationally we don’t see any other schools which have done that before.

It could be that in the future, many schools around the world would follow in SMK Seri Sentosa’s footsteps. This is no laughing matter. It is really serious and must take it into consideration all aspects before being implemented.

---

S BARATHIDASAN is Malaysian Indians Progressive Association (Mipas) secretary-general.

Meritocracy key to bridging NUS-UM gap, says Karpal

Malaysian universities will not be able to catch up with its Singaporean counterparts as long as it does not practice meritocracy, said DAP chairperson Karpal Singh.

“If that is not lacking (meritocracy), then I think the other things will fall in place. We must strive for meritocracy, competition and so many things,” he said.

Karpal (right) himself had graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) law school, class of 1967/68, about five years after it broke off from being a Universiti Malaya (UM) campus to become its own university.

He was commenting on the disparity in the world rankings between the two institutions, with NUS on the 24th place, and as Asia’s best public university, while UM dropped to 167th place.

Karpal also told Malaysiakini that the key to the performance of Singaporean universities is that they have better facilities than Malaysian universities, and have the ability to attract quality teaching staff.

“And to top it off, (its classes) are in English. The English language is the international language and I think that is one of the reasons why NUS is one of the best in the world,” he said.

Culture of sycophancy

Former UM student leader Hishamuddin Rais echoed Karpal’s views, saying that the university’s performance started to degrade when its culture of learning was replaced by a culture of sycophancy and affirmative action in favour of bumiputeras.

"As a result, there is no longer a meritocracy. It has become a privilege. It is no longer on merits, it is no longer on the best brains.

"It is on the best skin - the colour of the skin," he said, adding that this is not unique to UM but is pervasive in other Malaysian universities.

Hishamuddin (right) added that UM had sacked its “best minds” such as prominent economist KS Jomo and then sociology professor Syed Husin Ali, leaving the university with the "second and third best".

In the annual Quacquarelli Symonds’ World University Rankings 2013/2014 released yesterday, none of Malaysia’s universities managed to clinch a position in the top 100, out of 800 universities ranked.

Instead, it reported that all but one of Malaysia’s public universities - Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) - had worsened, although UM remains as Malaysia’s top university.

Meanwhile, the same report said NUS is now Asia’s best university after outdoing the previous top Asian university, the University of Hong Kong.

In contrast, Hishamuddin said that when he was the UM students union's secretary-general for the 1973/74 term, UM was a world-renown research university especially in the area of engineering, agriculture and tropical medicine.

The history student was also the union’s president-elect for the 1974/75 term, but was forced to flee abroad after the government cracked down on student protests in December 1974 following the Baling protest.

Another factor in UM’s decline, he added, was that the amendment of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) in 1974, which prevented students from organising themselves and have to rely on the Student Affair’s Department’s consent and resources instead.

He said in the 1970s, UM students, academic staff, and administrative staff each had their own union. The students union in particular, held regular discussions with the academic staff union and had its own financial resources to operate autonomously and provide student services such as cooperatives and buses.