LIVE: Najib unveils Budget 2014, announces GST

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak took two and a half hours to unveil the details of Budget 2014 today.

Clad in a bright orange 'baju Melayu', Najib - to the delight of Pakatan Rakyat MPs as they waved their orange alternative budget booklet - started to address Parliament at 4pm.

Malaysiakini brings you the salient points of the budget speech here as it unfolds.

You can also check out the updates on Twitter @malaysiakini and Facebook.com/malaysiakini.

In his speech, Najib takes potshots at Pakatan over allegations there were 40,000 Bangladeshis voting in the 13th general election.

"According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, estimates for 2013 indicate that there are 18.6 million Malays and bumiputera (67.9% of total population) including Muslims and non-Muslims, Chinese, 6.6 million (24%) Indians, 2 million (7.2%), while there are 259,000 (0.9%) people of other ethnic groups. This means there are about 27.4 million Malaysian citizens.

"However, this does not include the 40,000 Bangladeshis who were
brought in as phantom voters in the recent 13th general election as alleged by the opposition. Till today no one has even seen them or their shadow. Enough of lies. Ask for forgiveness from Him."

The theme of Budget 2014 is 'Strengthening economic resilience, accelerating transformation and fulfilling promises'.

Budget 2014 in graphics
AT A GLANCE

Total budget: RM264.2 billion

Operation expenditure: RM217.7 billion
Development expenditure: RM46.5 billion
GDP growth

2014: 4.5% - 5.5%
2013: 4.5% - 5.5%
2012: 4.5% - 5.0%

Revenue

2014: RM224.1 bil
2013: RM220.1 bil
2012: RM206.2 bil

Deficit

2014: 3.5% of GDP
2013: 4.0%
2012: 4.5%
Domestic economic prospects

• Net foreign direct investment was higher at RM18.2 billion in the first half of 2013 compared with RM15.9 billion during the same period in 2012.

• International reserves remained strong at RM444.9 billion at Oct 14, sufficient to finance 9.7 months of retained imports and 3.9 times the short-term external debt.

• For entire 2013, domestic economy expected to expand 4.5% - 5%. Growth supported by private investment, increasing 16.2% to estimated RM165 billion.

• Private and public consumption expected to grow 7.4% and 7.3% respectively

• Domestic economy projected to grow at a stronger pace of 5% to 5.5%. Growth to be driven by private investment at 12.7%, and private consumption 6.2%.

• Exports of goods expected to grow 2.5% over improving external demand. On the supply side, construction sector expected to grow 9.6%, services sector at 5.7%.

• Unemployment rate estimated at 3.1%, inflation rate to remain low between 2% and 3%.

• Per capita income for 2014 expected to reach RM34,126. Plans to achieve the target per capita income of RM46,500 in and even "achieve developed nation status much earlier than 2020".

Goods and Services Tax

• Government to introduce Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 6% starting April 1, 2015. Sales and Services Tax to be abolished.

• Items to be exempted from GST - rice, sugar, salt, flour, cooking oil, dhal, chilli, herbs, salted fish, cincalok, budu, belacan, piped water, electricity (for first 200 for domestic use), government services, public transport (bus, LRT, ferry, toll) sales and purchase of property or rental of property.

• Implementation comes with a reduction in tax structure effective from 2015. Generally, those with family and earning RM4,000 and below need no longer pay income tax.

• After GST, a one-off cash payment of RM300 to be made to those now receiving BR1M help.

• GST monitoring committee to be chaired by Minister of Finance II Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah to ensure smooth implementation.

Tax incentives

• In tandem with GST, individual income tax rates to be reduced by one to three percentage points for all taxpayers.

• Chargeable income subject to maximum rate to be increased from exceeding RM100,000 to exceeding RM400,000.

• Current maximum tax rate at 26% to be reduced to 24%, 24.5% and 25%. These measures to be effective from 2015.

• Tax rebate of RM2,000 for those earning less than RM8,000

• To help the employer's burden of implementing of minimum wage scheme - RM900 in Peninsula Malaysia and RM800 in Sabah and Sarawak, the government will introduce extra tax incentives for whole of 2014. This is to help employers to top up salaries of their employees to the minimum level.

• Corporate tax rate cut by 1 percentage point from 25% to 24%, for SMEs reduction from 20% to 19% from year of assessment 2016.

• Cooperative tax rate cut by 1 to 2 percentage points from year of assessment 2015.

Projects and allocations

• Projects to be implemented include 316km West Coast Expressway from Banting to Taiping. and double-tracking projects from Ipoh to Padang Besar and later from Gemas to Johor Bahru.

• National Entrepreneur Development Office to be established to plan and coordinate all entrepreneurship activities.

• RM1 billion investment in companies scoring high on Environmental, Social and Governance Index.

• RM265 mil to resolve electricity cuts in Sabah.

• Government to conduct audit on projects valued at more than RM100 million.

• 496 more CCTV at 25 areas. RM200 mil allocated for police to get more equipment (weapons, bulletproof vest, forensic vehicles, biometric equipments)

Education

• Education budget for 2014: RM54.6 billion or 21 percent of total budget.

• RM450 mil funds for school maintenance. Breakdown: RM100 mil for SK, and RM50 mil each for all the rest: SJK(C), SJK(T), Sekolah Mubaligh, Sekolah Asrama Penuh, MRSM, government-aided religious school and sekolah agama rakyat.

• Government to continue giving RM100 cash to all primary and secondary school students.

• Baucer Buku 1Malaysia for pre-U and tertiary students of RM250 to continue. RM325 mil to be allocated and it is estimated that this will help 1.3 million students nationwide.

• RM100 mil to improve education and training for Indians.

Tourism

2013 - RM25 mil tourist arrivals
2014 - Target: 28 mil tourist arrivals

2014 - Visit Malaysia Year
2015 - Year of Festivals

• Government to spend RM 1.2 bil to develop, promote and publicise tourism in 2013-2014.

• RM2 bil for Special Tourism Infrastructure Fund to finance building tourism infrastructure.

Air transport

• RM700 million to build new air traffic control and management system at KLIA. This is to replace the existing one in Subang.

• RM312 million to upgrade Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Miri, Sibu and Mukah airports, additional upgrade of terminals in Langkawi International Airport and Kuantan Airport.

• Services sector blueprint to be launched next year, the logistics sector master plan and national aviation policy to be formulated.

Public transport

• RM62 million for 'park and ride’ facilities at LRT, KTM Komuter and ERL stations.

• RM15.3 million for Centralised Taxi Service System to ensure efficient mobilisation of taxi services.

• RM28 million for building ‘last city terminals’, upgrading of bus stops and providing ‘drop-and-ride’ facilities. 

• Refurbishing electric trains at a cost of RM28 million to ensure frequency and efficiency of services.

High-speed broadband

• Second phase of the High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) project in collaboration with the private sector involving RM1.8 billion investment to expand coverage to major towns. Internet speed to be increased to 10 Mbps.

• RM1.5 bil to build 1,000 new telecommunications tower over three years. RM850 mil to build new undersea cable to improve internet in East Malaysia over 3 years.

Agriculture

• RM6 bil allocated to implement high value-added and commercially viable agriculture programmes.

• RM2.4 bil for agricultural subsidies and incentives for paddy and fish farming.

Subsidies reduction

• Sugar subsidy of 34 sen to be abolished tomorrow. Price to go up to RM2.84 per kg.

• Government to allocate RM47 bil for subsidies in 2013 and 53% or RM24.8 bil went to petrolem products that benefitted all, even the rich, the businessmen and foreigners.

• Najib cites the recent petrol price subsidy cut as an example of this structural changes to come for subsidies, which make up to a fifth of the total national budget. 

Retirement scheme

• To allocate RM210 mil for a private retirement scheme (PRS) to encourage young to start saving. Starting Jan 1, the government will top up RM500 into the account for those aged 20-30 years old who can save RM1,000.

• It is estimated that 420,000 youths may join this scheme to run for five years.

Increase of Real Property Gain Tax (RPGT)

• RPGT increased as follow:

        - 30% (first 3 years)

        - 20% (fourth year)

        - 15% (fifth year)

        - For foreigners: 30% for all five years

• Minimum property purchase price for foreigners to be doubled from RM500,000 to RM1 mil.

• Cheaper homes: Subsidy of RM15,000 to RM20,000 for private and public developers for low and medium cost homes, for sale to first home buyers.

BRIM 3.0

• Those earning household income of below RM3,000 to get RM650, an increase of RM150.

• RM450 for those households earning between RM3,000 and RM4,000.

• For single individuals earning below RM2,000, they get RM300 each.

• In total, RM4.6 billion will be handed out under BR1M 3.0.

Health

• Additional 6,400 nurses in government hospitals.

• RM3.3 bil for medication and medical equipment.

Why Saudi Arabia can't ban women from driving forever

(CNN) -- There's something extraordinary happening in Saudi Arabia right now. I should know -- you see, I was born there, lived there half my life, speak the language and understand the customs. Lately, I'm both amazed at and humbled by what I'm seeing: Extremely brave Saudi women, more driven than ever to change their society, despite the sad fact that they still aren't allowed to drive.

And while it's true there's no formal law that bans females from getting behind the wheel in the ultra-conservative kingdom, it is also by no means a stretch to say they are, indeed, prohibited from doing so. Unfortunately, that's just the way it's always been in a society where religious edicts are often interpreted to mean it is illegal for women to drive.

I've reported on this subject for years and must admit, it's a personal one for me. Some of my earliest memories entail trying to figure out why my American mother would always drive me around Oklahoma City, where we spent our summers, but could never take me around Jeddah, where we lived the rest of the year.

To be honest, I only began pondering that mystery at the age of four on the days when my Saudi father was out of town on business, our driver was off, and I wanted ice cream. In the U.S., it was easy for my mom and I to hop in her car and go grab a banana split. What I wanted to know was why it was such a big deal in Saudi Arabia. Now, as a new online campaign urging Saudi women to defy their country's driving ban kicks into high gear, I find myself reflecting on how much the issue has impacted my life.

Much of it goes back to one brutally hot afternoon when I was 6 years old, living in Jeddah, playing in the front yard -- completely startled seeing my 15-year-old neighbor sneaking out of her house dressed like her Saudi father. She wasn't just wearing his clothes, she'd drawn a moustache on her face and was hoisting his car keys too.

Her mission was simple but dangerous: Take her dad's car for a spin around the neighborhood as he napped. In any other country, a simple act of rebellion. In Saudi Arabia, one that can, and has, gotten women arrested.

A few days ago, as we were filming our latest report on the women's driving campaign, I asked prominent Saudi journalist Buthaina Al-Nasr if she'd ever done anything similar.

Laughing at the memory, she admitted how, once, at the age of 14, she'd borrowed her older brother's car and taken it for a spin around the farm, far from the traffic of the city and any of its police.

Buthaina went on, describing how much she and her female friends longed to drive cars. She explained how they also wanted to ride bikes, or even just simply walk around "freely" - other activities for which Saudi women can face severe disapproval. There was really only one solution.

"We'd dress up like men," explained Buthaina, "like boys, and we'd go around and it felt fun."

Her anecdote made me smile even as it struck me as terribly sad. You see, "fun" is something that many of my female Saudi relatives told me over and over again they needed a lot more of.

It was the main reason my neighbor took her dad's car for that joyride -- which she'd been able to do without getting caught. To me, seeing how absolutely exhilarating the experience had been for her, she'd become a hero. A couple of days later, I asked her when she'd do it again. A funny look appeared on her face.

"I don't know. I'm not sure what the point is," she told me. "It'll just make me want to keep driving more and more. I shouldn't want that."

It took me a long time to finally understand. She'd had a small but wonderful taste of fun and freedom, one she felt most Saudi women would never get. That made it hard to deal with, harder still for her to do it again. For her, it ended up being more bitter than sweet.

In Saudi Arabia, women aren't simply kept from obtaining drivers' licenses. No, they must contend with many more restrictions. The country's mandatory guardianship system means women cannot legally be responsible for their own affairs. As such, a growing number of voices, both male and female, are calling for those laws to be repealed.

Author Abdullah Al-Alami, one of the most prominent Saudi men supporting the women's new driving campaign, is among them.

"There is a group of ultraconservatives here who will try to do anything and everything to prevent women from exercising their rights," Al-Alami told me. "Be it driving, going to school, working, traveling for that matter, receiving medical care. Many men that I know, we feel that it is crucial for us to support women who do this."

During my formative years, I was lucky -- I got to spend lots of time with very strong, independent, assertive women. My American mother, Saudi aunts and female cousins - they discussed women's rights all the time. I listened to countless conversations where it was decided how it would be impossible for Saudi Arabia to forever bar women from driving.

They said the reasons were numerous: that it didn't make sense economically; that it was too much of a burden on families to hire drivers; that Saudi society was advancing.

And then there was the horror story recounted by my aunt about the woman who lived down the street from her -- the woman whose husband was at work, whose driver was running an errand, whose child had been injured. There was no way for her to get him to the hospital in time.

The laws will have to change, they'd say. In five to 10 years, they insisted, women would, no doubt, be allowed to drive. I first heard that refrain 33 years ago, in 1980, before my parents and I moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital.

I've been hearing it ever since. It wasn't until 1991 that I thought the time might have finally come. That's when 47 women protested the prohibition by driving through the streets of Riyadh. It was scandalous -- dozens of the women were detained, banned from travel and suspended from their workplaces.

A second ray of hope appeared in May 2011, when prominent women's rights activist Manal Al-Sharif uploaded to YouTube a video of herself driving in Saudi Arabia. As a result, she spent nine days in jail. But on June 17, dozens of women across Saudi Arabia, emboldened and inspired by her ordeal, went ahead, risked punishment and participated in the "Women2Drive" campaign -- they didn't just drive around, they also filmed and uploaded videos of themselves doing so. Still the laws did not change.

And now, the latest iteration is at hand. The October 26 Women's Driving Campaign has so far garnered more than 16,000 signatures on its online petition, but as it turns out, women aren't waiting until October 26. Many have already gone out, taken videos, posted them online. It's incredible to see.

Buthaina Al-Nasr is an active supporter of the campaign. She lives in Lebanon now but talked to me at length about why the Saudi government needs to finally lift the ban -- after all, it is the last country in the world that does not allow women to drive.

After driving her eight-year-old son Hisham to school, she told me a bit more about how much she'd love to be able to do the same in Saudi Arabia. She then shared a recurring daydream she has about being able to drive a car in her home country while wearing a dress -- not while dressed up like her father or brother.

"It's a silly daydream," she told me, "but that's a fact. It's the reality of my society."

Then she added, "I mean the daydream of a young girl should be how to get to the moon ... Not driving a car."

A little theatre does help first-time MP

Sometimes Parliament is not just a legislative arena for the clash of political opinions but can also be useful as theatre for the stirring of conscience gone insipid like leftover coffee on a backburner. 

Some must have felt it when PKR MP for Padang Serai, N Surendran held up a picture of tortured custodial death victim, A Kugan, during yesterday's debate on the Prison (Amendment) Bill.

Photos of the brutalised Kugan can conjure up visions of the anguished forms in Pablo Picasso's great depiction of suffering humanity in his painting ‘Guernica’.

Thus when Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar chided Surendran for engaging in what he called cheap drama, the PKR vice-president urged his detractor to convey the point to Kugan's mother.

Admittedly, conscience can be a poor resonator when it is swaddled in suits and ties and immured in air-conditioned chambers.

"They are so remote from the sufferings of others," sighed Surendran when commenting the morning after on his resort to histrionics during debate on the Prisons Bill.

That's probably why Surendran accepted inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar's unlikely invitation to be embedded in police operations against armed criminal suspects.

The matter is in limbo because the police are adamant about a 'no fault under any circumstances' indemnity for them while Surendran insists that he can only be an observer and not participant in the police operation.      

These days Surendran appears not only indefatigable in highlighting the causes he represents - stateless residents, custodial death victims, the indigent and the handicapped - he is increasingly resourceful in finding ways to project their plight on the national arena.

Suspension order

During last month's session of Parliament, he dusted off a long forgotten rule in the Standing Orders to raise as a public petition the cause of the N Karuna Nithi, the engineer who died in suspicious circumstances while in police custody earlier this year.

A series of custodial deaths in the middle of this year raised anew the subject of custodial deaths that has periodically sizzled in the public arena over the last 17 years at least.

Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia (left) rejected Surendran's petition under a rule that allowed for the suspension of the day's proceedings if a public petition is signed by the requisite number of people.

When Surendran insisted on the applicability of the rule in legitimising the petition he raised, Pandikar overruled him and ordered his suspension, which nominally would be for a period of two days.

But perhaps realising that the PKR lawyer was right, Pandikar curtailed the suspension order by a day which saw the MP return to the chamber after a day's absence.

Ironic vindication attended Surendran's return: he was informed that the speaker had chosen him to be a member of the select committee on standing rules which Pandikar himself chairs.

For the former Hindraf counsel who decided to diverge from the movement's radicalism and opt for the pursuit of a more egalitarian polity under the PKR banner, his relentlessness is opening up byways beneath the parliamentary mound.

The upshot: a few dormant consciences are being stirred to sit up and notice. No mean achievement for a first-term parliamentarian.

Prisons Dept confirms Uthaya held in solitary as punishment

Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar has been placed in solitary confinement at the Kajang Prison for a total of 13 days, on two separate occasions, for "refusing to take instructions".

Confirming this, the Prisons Department in a letter to the home minister and prime minister however denied that the solitary confinement was in a "dark room" as Uthayakumar had claimed.

"He was not placed in a dark room as the Kajang Prison or any prison in Malaysia does not have dark rooms," states the letter which was read out by Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (left) while winding up the Prison (Amendment) Bill debate in Parliament yesterday.

The solitary confinement room also has a mattress, blanket and toilet, just like other cell and Uthayakumar was given the same food as other prisoners.

The letter also says that while Uthayakumar was in solitary confinement on Oct 13, he was visited by his clerk and lawyer M Manoharan.

The letter also painted Uthayakumar as a recalcitrant prisoner who "often did not take instructions" and caused "tense situations" with the prison staff.

However, the Prisons Department said that the staff never treated him harshly and there was "no abuse" of the prisoner.

'MRI scan done'

The letter added that Uthayakumar, like other diabetic inmates, was being supplied with bread and vegetables instead of rice, as advised by the prison nutritionist.

He was reportedly sent for an MRI scan at Hospital Ampang for his bad back, caused by a prolapsed disc, on Oct 2 and a follow-up appointment has been set for next month.

Treatment has been administered by Hospital Kajang and has been approved by the Health Ministry deputy director-general, said the Prisons Department.

Uthayakumar, who is serving his 30-month sentence for sedition, has complained that he is being tortured, made to sleep on the floor and treated badly.

His open letter to the prime minister was read out by Gobind Singh Deo (DAP-Puchong) during the debate in the Dewan Rakyat at the same sitting.

Meanwhile, the Prisons (Amendment) Bill to add more lock-ups was passed, by a voice vote, without any change.

Unfinished slaughtering

by Mista A,

Saravanan, who had a heated argument with a school headmaster over slaughtering of cows in school compound, is ready to meet the police over the issue, albeit one condition. He demands the police took stern action on “racist” blogger Papa Gomo and his fans for instigating religious and racial hatred and issuing death threats to him on the issue. Saravanan said the police shall not practise double standards by going after him while Papa Gomo and his fans go scot-free. 

Anyway Saravanan, who claims to be based in an unnamed foreign country, said he was shocked to learn that the police was looking for him for questioning over his argument with the headmaster. “I have said nothing bad about other religions or uttered anything seditious. “I had only questioned the headmaster on whether the education ministry had allowed the cow slaughtering to take place in his school. “I don’t understand why the police are after me over baseless seditious allegations,” he said here today. Saravanan had the heated chat with the headmaster on Oct 16 on the same day when cows were freely slaughtered in the primary school compound in conjunction with Muslim Hari Raya Aidil Adha festival. 

Saravanan had promptly posted the recorded audio clip of his conversation with the headmaster. In the audio recording, Saravanan was heard questioning the headmaster on whether he had permission from the education ministry to slaughter cows in school. He also challenged the headmaster to produce a documented proof to show that cow slaughtering was allowed under the ministry’s rules and regulations, which the school head could not. Headmaster trying to justify that it was Muslim religious obligations to slaughter cows and that he had received consent from all teachers including Indian and Chinese staff. Saravanan then questioned on pigs can be slaughtered in schools during Chinese festivals, to which the headmaster claimed non-Muslim religious activities were disallowed in schools. 

Saravanan removed the audio posting, which drew many commentators criticising the headmaster, after a day. However, what appeared to be an inoffensive posting took a ugly turn when blogger Papa Gomo apparently downloaded Saravanan’s audio recording and posted in his blog. Papa Gomo also remarked: “Memang kurang ajar Keling DAP ni. Elok sembelih je haramjadah ni.Sampai bila Umat Islam nak bersatu? Ni tanah air kita tempat kita bukan tempat pendatang!!!!” Papa Gomo posting drew some 3524 comments, in which majority issued threats to Saravanan and verbally him and Hindu community in general. Following a report lodged by Perkasa Johor, police have said they were locating Saravanan for questioning. 

The case has been classified as seditious. Saravanan is bemused on why police were looking for him when they should press charges of criminal intimidating and sedition on Papa Gomo and his blog commentators. “It’s as if non-Muslims have no right to defend their religious rights and sensitivities in Malaysia. “I don’t mind meeting the police but they must take action on Papa Gomo and his followers. “They are threatening me and abusing me with racist remarks. “Why pick on me when I have done nothing wrong?” asked Saravanan. Slaughtering of cows in schools have drawn criticisms from non-Muslims parents, social commentators and Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) due to religious insensitivity, especially to Hindus.

Kula tells Kamala to opt for plain talk

DAP national vice-chairperson M Kulasegaran described the statement by Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan that the ritual slaughter of cows in schools is not permitted and that its sporadic practice was an oversight as "another instance of wavering by authorities belatedly trying to retrieve what is proper from what is plain folly."

In response to growing criticism over scattered incidents of cows undergoing ritual slaughter on school premises in commemoration of the Muslim feast of Eid-al-Adha, Kamalanathan said the practice was not permitted in schools but that no circular to that effect had been sent to the district education offices.

Presumably, schools that held the ritual slaughter were not aware that the practice was not permitted on the school grounds but could be staged at the nearest surau.   

Kulasegaran (left), the DAP MP for Ipoh Barat who had led the chorus of criticism against incidents of ritual slaughter, said he was relieved to know that the practice was not permitted by the Education Department but that knowledge of its impermissibility was not widely disseminated.

"Properly speaking, if the practice is not permitted, that should have been plainly made known to school principals," said the federal legislator.

"Perhaps, the authorities were reluctant to publicly make impermissible something that affects an Islamic practice but by not plainly proscribing it on school premises, no admonition can now be served on those principals who assumed that ritual slaughter is permitted," said Kulasegaran.

He said this reticent attitude on matters affecting Islamic practice would only lead to confusion.

"Reticence means no correction can be served on those who allow what is not permitted and have to infer rather than be informed of their mistake," he observed.

"This is a strange way to educate," observed the MP.

Muhyiddin: Peluang BN tawan Sg Limau cerah

Mukhriz: Alternative media as capable as mainstream to influence

NOT IN WORDS, ATTACK PAKISTAN IN LOC AND POK. THE BLOOD OF JAWANS IS NOT WORTHLESS. TEACH A LESSON TO PAK ENEMIES. JAI HIND.

Shinde don’t betray your words. Prepare a War against Pakistan, while they broke all norms of Peace and Friendship with Bharat. 

But, is this the duty of the Home Minister? When did Shinde become the Border Minister from Home Minister? What is our Defence Minister doing? If he is not well, can the country go without a DM?

Angry Shinde tells troops to give fitting reply to Pakistan….

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said India will befitting reply to Pakistan. (PTI)

Bharti Jain | TNN | New Delhi| 23 Oct 2013::  Agitated over the killing of a BSF jawan in firing by Pakistani troops along the international border in Jammu on Tuesday night, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde upped the ante, saying that all such unprovoked acts would be met with a “befitting” reply from the Indian side.

“We will give a befitting reply to Pakistan,” Shinde told reporters here, reacting to the large-scale firing since Tuesday on BSF positions along the international border in Jammu. He added that additional BSF troops were being deployed at vantage points in the wake of the recurrent ceasefire violations.

Senior officials in the BSF told TOI that each ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops was being countered with retaliatory fire, and that the force was fully geared to respond to every act of aggression from across the border. They feel that the large scale firing on Tuesday night, covering nearly 50 BSF outposts, was pre-meditated and part of a Pakistani ploy to step up border tensions.

Pakistan has reportedly shown little interest in sorting out issues through flag meetings. Their commanders failed to turn up for the flag meeting on October 18, when one of their jawans was killed in retaliatory fire, as well as on Wednesday.

The Pakistani Rangers, had on Tuesday opened fire and heavily shelled over 50 border outposts along the International Border overnight, in the biggest-ever provocative act from across the border during the last few years. BSF jawan, M L Meena of Rajasthan was killed in the firing.

Minister of state for home RPN Singh said acts of aggression on Indian soil would not be tolerated and “our troops will reply in the same coin”.

A policeman shows mortar shells recovered at Jerda village in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, about 52 kilometers south of Jammu. (AP Photo)

Pakistan’s aggressive act, which cost a BSF jawan his life in RS Pora, coincided with Shinde’s trip to Jammu on Tuesday to review the situation at forward positions on the international border/Line of Control and discuss steps with arms of the Unified Command to beef up Indian positions and effectively counter aggression from across Pakistan.

Altogether, more than 130 ceasefire violations have been reported so far this year, the highest in the past eight years.

Pakistani Rangers had on Monday opened fire at 10 border posts and heavily shelled over 50 border outposts the following night, killing a head constable of BSF.

Asked about the rise infiltration attempts – they totaled 254 until September 30 this year – Shinde said, “There are rivers and rivulets which are tough to fence. But we have discussed possible solutions”.

Shinde had on Tuesday conducted an aerial tour of the fenced areas along IB, besides surveying infiltration routes and damaged fencing and riverine border belts with Pakistan lying between Akhnoor in Jammu district and Pahadpur (in Kathua district). He even presided over a meeting with agencies that make up the Unified Command, asking the J&K Police, BSF and Army to get their acts together and work in complete synergy while countering the terrorists.

Culprits caught: Five-year-old allegedly given in Swara

 The National Assembly had earlier passed the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices 

(Criminal Law Amendment) Act 2011. PHOTO: FILE

MATTA: A case of Swara surfaced on Tuesday wherein a five-year-old girl was allegedly married off to settle a dispute in Baz Khela village of Matta tehsil.

Police said they arrested five members of a jirga along with the nikkah khawan who took the decision. “The jirga, which was convened last week, gave five-year-old Shah Mina, daughter of Sherzada, to be married off to Habibullah, son of Mohammad Iqbal,” a police official told reporters. “We arrested all five members of the jirga along with the nikkah khawan after receiving information from our sources about the incident,” he added.

After arresting the jirga members and parents of the girl and boy, police registered a case against them.

On Monday, two tribal jirgas in Kalam ordered five girls be handed over under swara to settle family disputes. Similarly last week, four girls were given away by two jirgas in Kalam.
Swara, an ancient custom, allows girls, including minors to be married – against their will – to men of rival families to settle disputes.

In 2011, the National Assembly (NA) passed The Prevention of Anti-Women Practices (Criminal Law Amendment) Act, which declared swara among other oppressive social practices unlawful. The bill had been stuck for three years prior to its passing, first in various NA committees and then the house itself.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2013.

Over 100 Saudi scholars say no to female driving

Authorities warn women against joining a driving campaign on Saturday

117 Saudi scholars signed a statement rejecting any decision to reverse 

the age-old ban and allow women to drive cars. (SUPPLIED)

Saudi Arabia appeared to be heading for a showdown over moves to allow women to drive cars after more than 100 prominent Muslim scholars voted against such moves and authorities warned women against joining a fresh driving campaign on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the scholars from Saudi Arabia said they were vehemently opposed to any decision to permit women to drive cars amidst intense female campaigns to have a permanent ban on their driving lifted.

The statement was issued just before the Ministry of Interior announced that it would not allow women to take to the streets and drive in response to a fresh call by female activists to break the official and social barriers for female driving.

Newspapers in the Gulf Kingdom said Sheikh Abdulla bin Al Jabrin, one of the most prominent Muslim scholars in the Gulf, and 117 other scholars signed a statement rejecting any decision to reverse the age-old ban and allow women to drive cars.

The statement, published in Alsaudeh Arabic language daily and other Saudi newspapers, said any such decision would give rise to family disputes, allow women to stay out of their houses for longer periods, push them to take their face veil off, mix with men more often and encourage rape and harassment of them.

“We say that allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia is not acceptable because this will lead to corruption and serious consequences in the society,” the statement said.

“There is no doubt that a decision to allow women to drive is the shortest way for them to take off their face veil so they can see the road more clearly and for security reasons…it will also push women to be absent from their homes for longer periods.”

The statement said in case the ban is lifted, women have to produce photographs of their faces to have a driving licence issued for them.

“This means men will see her face when a licence is issued or renewed or when she is stopped at a checkpoint, has an accident or commit an offence…this decision means women will be seen more by men and mix more often with men while it will also give them an excuse to travel on their own without a guardian.”

The statement said women driving cars on their own would also be vulnerable to harassment, molestation and rape by men.

“Allowing women to drive will also make husbands more suspicious of their wives and this in turn will lead to rifts and eventually to divorce.”

“Finally, we call on those who advocate lifting the ban on female driving to return to their senses and repent…they must stop spreading confusion and causing sedition in our society…we ask them to fear God the Almighty and at the same time express our thanks to all those who have warned of the consequences of such a decision.”

Female activists in Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative Muslim nations, have urged local women to take to the streets on Saturday and join another campaign for mass driving to force the government to bow to their demands. It will be the second major push by women after many of them defied the ban and drove cars through the Kingdom’s streets two years ago, prompting police to arrest some of them,.

“Regarding calls on social networks for women to gather and drive cars on October 26, and considering local laws which prevent any moves that will harm social peace and security and open the door for a sedition, the Ministry of Interior affirms to all that the competent authorities will enforce discipline and security with all available means and full force,” the Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Gov't: M'sia now worse than US mafia wars

PARLIAMENT The government is forced to include organised crime into the Security Offences and Special Measures Act (Sosma) because the gang situation is now very dire.

In fact, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Malaysian gangsters are even more daring that American gangsters during the 1920s gangster wars.

"They dare to hold a public procession during the funeral of their gang member.

"Even the Mafia in the United states in the 1920s-1930s did not dare do so and did things in secret," he said when winding up during the committee stage of the debate.

The US mafia wars of that era is recorded as a notorious period of violence, which saw incidents such as the 1929 Valentine's Day massacre involving seven rival gangs, and the prominent gangster Al Capone.

This period was compared by the deputy minister to a funeral procession for a slain gang member which brought traffic to a standstill in Penang, last August.
Wan Junaidi added that the members of gangs declared illegal by police outnumber the Communist Party of Malaya insurgents.

“They (the communists) had access to weapons before but today, (the gangsters) have access to weapons far more sophisticated,” said the deputy minister, who served in the police during the insurgency.

“Our concern is the 20 million people out there, their worries and their fears.”

Gov’t can’t guarantee no wrongful arrest

Meanwhile, to a question by Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam), Wan Junaidi said that the government cannot guarantee that no one will be wrongfully arrested under the Sosma.

“No government in the world can give this guarantee, but please believe that the government has no intention to mistreat (aniaya) anyone.

“The police or prosecutors will not act beyond limits, this I can guarantee, that they will play their roles well,” he said.

Khalid had raised the case of an individual who was arrested and remanded for 28 days, but released without charge.

After that, Khalid said, the police issued a “pathetic” letter “addressed to ‘whomever it may concern,” saying there is no evidence to charge him and that the police are “sorry for any inconvenience”.

“The only way to ensure the law is not abused for police to immediately pay compensation when it is found that someone has been wrongly arrested,” he said.

To this, Wan Junaidi said that those wrongly arrested are free to bring a civil case against the government for compensation.

‘Opposition funded by gangsters?’

Earlier, when debating in the second reading of the Bill, Che Mohamad Zulkifly Jusoh (BN-Setiu) speculated that the reason Opposition MPs are so against the amendment is because they are bankrolled by gangsters.

“What I mean to say is that maybe you are anxious (about the amendment) because some of you are funded by criminal groups,” he said when asked to clarify by Opposition backbenchers.

Che Mohamad Zulkifly added that the amendment to Sosma may not even be used, like many existing provisions of the law, so there is no need to worry.

To this Khalid (right) asked: “Let me try to understand your argument, are you saying that even if the Sosma is amended, it won’t be used?

“What kind of argument is this? It is this logic which cannot be used,” he said.

The Bill, which is to include organised crime into the Sosma, which primary deals with terrorism, was passed by the Dewan Rakyat without amendment by voice vote.

Kamalanathan: Korban in schools not permitted

The religious sacrifice of cattle, known as korban, cannot be carried out in schools and the incident in Puchong was an oversight, says Deputy Education Minister II P Kamalanathan.

"Actually that act (korban in schools) is not permitted. We have already investigated the matter. Usually it is not permitted, but the problem arose because the district education department (PPD) was not informed," Kamalanathan told a press conference today.

He was responding to the outcry from the non-Muslim community over the slaughter of cows at SK Puchong Jaya in Selangor during Aidiladha last week, which the school principal has reportedly defended.

"If they had informed the district education office, they would have been advised to carry out the ceremony at a nearby surau," Kamalanathan said.

He said everybody needed to remember school populations are multicultural and multireligious, and respect should be accorded to all.

Asked whether the authorities would issue a circular on the matter if none had been issued before, the deputy minister, who is from the MIC, said there was no need to issue a circular.

"No, we will advise from time to time. No need for that," he said.
To Hindus and Buddhists in particular, the cow is a sacred animal and carrying out the slaughter ritual in a public place like a school has been viewed by non-Muslim parents as insensitive.
Parents from a primary school kicked up a fuss last week, saying the ritual had shocked and distressed some children, who thought that the cows had strayed into the school compound by mistake.
The issue escalated when a man named "Saravanan" called the headmaster of SK Puchong Jaya, just one of the schools where the korban took place, to complain.

The conversation was posted on YouTube and it went viral. In the eight-minute conversation, Saravanan, claiming to be an overseas caller, is heard asking repeatedly about government rules, and challenging the principal, Mohd Amin Bahari, to explain: "Why can't the Chinese also slaughter pigs at the school during festivals?"

In his defence, Mohd Amin said non-Muslims were not made to watch the cow slaughtering. It was done only as a means to educate the Muslim students in the school and it was agreed to by the other school teachers.

However, this irked Malay rights NGO Perkasa, which filed a police report in Johor, calling for an investigation against Saravanan for making seditious remarks and challenging the rights of Muslims in the country.

Another pre-Deepavali briefing for teachers

A number of Hindu primary school teachers in Penang are being forced to change their holiday plans this coming weekend because of a last minute re-scheduling of a course that they have been instructed to attend.

Those affected are Year 4 English teachers in vernacular schools. The course is to brief them on changes to the curriculum following the implementation of the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) in 2011.

The course was originally scheduled to run between Oct 23 and 26, but the affected teachers were only informed on Monday about the new dates, which will be from Oct 28 to 31. The course is conducted by the Penang Education Department at the District Education Office in Seberang Perai Utara.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy (right) told Malaysiakini that he had received several complaints from the affected teachers who are celebrating Deepavali.

"The course ends two days before Deepavali. It spoils the plans of those teachers who need to leave for their home towns a few days earlier," he said.

'Make sure it doesn't recur'

Ramasamy said it was distressing that he received such complaints almost every year and it showed that the Education Ministry was insensitive to Hindus.

"Would they do this if it was Aidilfitri? This just shows that they are insensitive to others. Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan is aware of this and is keeping quiet.

"I want the Education Ministry to rescind this directive and make sure that this never happens again," Ramasamy said.

One senior teacher who spoke to Malaysiakini said that the course could have been conducted much earlier in the year and lamented that the Education Department often held courses only towards the end of a year.

"It's always like this. It always clashes with Deepavali," said the teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

This is the second of such incident brought to light in three days. On Tuesday, Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran raised the case of invigilators for SPM and STPM examinations having to undergo training on Nov 1, which is the eve of Deepavali.

Is Perkasa running our schools?

VOXPOP 'If you want to educate Muslim students studying in a national school, then take them to the nearest masjid where the ritual is carried out.'

'Man insulted Islam by questioning cow slaughter'

Pputeh: This is the height of not caring for others. We live in a multiracial country. It cannot be one-way traffic. If Muslims need to carry out religious activities like the slaughtering of cows, they should perform it in mosques or other places where only Muslims congregate.

It is not only against some religious beliefs but it's also inhumane to slaughter animals in school compounds.

MockingYou: If you want to educate Muslim students studying in a national school, then take them to the nearest masjid where the ritual is carried out. This a lame excuse from the headmaster.

Oriole: Is Perkasa running national schools in this country? If so, the government needs to clarify this so that people can make their own conclusions about the suitability of national schools for their children.

As for slaughtering cows, pigs or sheep, please use modern facilities that are efficient and hygienic. Stop traumatising children in schools, unless you're aiming to nurture brutish human beings.

Or is that part of the new education blueprint, Deputy Education Minister Mary Yap?

Siegfried: I heard the Saravanan's phone conversation on YouTube and opine that the school's headmaster was very calm and collected whilst responding to his questions and comments.

Saravanan could have been more civilised in his choice of words. Kudos to the headmaster for remaining calm throughout the phone conversation.

James Dean: A school is not a place to conduct religious rituals. Any religious ceremony must be done in the proper place, ie a house of worship. Pure and simple.

In any case, the headmaster should be the first to object such practices. By saying all the teachers were consult only goes to show the headmaster's lack of understanding between right and wrong.

MCA, MIC: A school is not a slaughterhouse. Where is Hindraf, Malaysia Hindu Sangam, Deputy Minister P Waythamoorthy, MCA, Gerakan and PPP? MIC is irrelevant.

Hamisu: I disagree that nothing can be done. This mindset represents giving up. There are times we need to give and take.

But Perkasa needs to take note that respect goes both ways. I doubt you will get respect when you keep disrespecting others.

Spate of senseless killings

Four innocent lives lost, in three separate tragedies. Killed with a dumb-bell, shot in the head and stabbed to death and all senseless.

PETALING JAYA: Three senseless killings all in a span of three days – four innocent lives lost and two women severely injured.

The latest occurrence took place in Gombak at 11.20am today, when a cigarette delivery man ran amok and stabbed four people with a rambo knife, killing two – an elderly man and a college student, and injuring two women.

The two women, a 60-year-old owner of a convenience store at the Gombak LRT station and her assistant, a pregnant 40-year-old, were badly injured in the incident and were rushed to Selayang hospital.

According to Kuala Lumpur deputy CID chief Khairi Ahrasa, the suspect was supposed to have delivered cigarettes to the convenience store but he stabbed the duo instead, before fleeing the scene in a white Daihatsu van.

“The man, a cigarette delivery personnel, stopped at the kiosk and stabbed both women before leaving the scene in his van driving towards Taman Melati,” said Khairi.

Khairi added that the suspect then collided with another van driven by an elderly man some 300 hundred meters away from the Taman Melati LRT station.

The elderly man became the third victim, when he was stabbed three times whilst trying to inspect the damage to his van – instantly killing him.

“The old man was with a lady believed to be his wife, the suspect hit the man’s van and the old man got out of his vehicle to check the damage.

“The suspect also got out of his van and mercilessly stabbed him [the old man] three times, killing him on the spot,” Khairi told reporters at the scene.

It is learnt that after killing the elderly man, the suspect then drove another kilometer before ramming his vehicle into a Toyota Prius driven by a teenager.

Khairi said that the young man was checking the damage to his car when the suspect proceeded to stab him, once.

The young man tried to run but the suspect managed to track him down before killing him with two more fatal stabs.

“The guy tried to run away after he was stabbed once, but the suspect chased him down and stabbed him two more times,” he added.

At this point, witnesses successfully apprehended the suspect and held him until the police arrived.

It is said that the man was reciting mantras when he was overpowered by the crowds.

Shot by security guard


The latest incident came right at the heels of another shocking killing yesterday when a female bank officer, 37, was shot at close range by a security guard at a bank in USJ Sentral Subang Jaya.

The bank officer, identified as Noarzita Abu Talib was shot in the head with a pump gun in the 6.20pm incident.

It was reported that the victim was opening the bank safe before she was shot by the guard who escaped with an unknown amount of cash from the vault.

The security guard is still at large.

While in a third incident – at about 8.30pm, on Tuesday, police located the body of a 15-year-old girl which was stuffed into a suitcase and discarded at a location near Jalan Kebun Nenas in Shah Alam.

The victim, Ng Yuk Tim, was murdered, with a dumb-bell, by her friend, a 23-year-old man after the suspect had tried to make sexual advancements towards her.

The incident happened at the suspect’s house in Petaling Jaya after the victim had gone to the suspect’s house on Monday morning to work on cosplay costumes for an event.

The suspect has been arrested.

This spate of killing has come at a time when the nation is just returning to normalcy after a brutal round of gun violence that rocked the nation which saw numerous assassinations by gangsters fighting to control turf, resulting in the police launching a special operation to nab gangsters.

‘What about carrying idols in public places?’

Following the outcry on the slaughtering of cows in schools, ex-mufti says objection to religious practices should apply across the board.

PETALING JAYA: While it is wrong for people to adopt the new practice of slaughtering cows in schools, the same applies to religious devotees who carry idols and smash coconuts in public areas.

Commenting on the outcry following the slaughtering of cows in school compounds during the Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations, former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said the objection to religious practices should be applicable to all.

“Schools are not places for slaughtering of animals and (the practice) may be inappropriate for some students”, the religious scholar acknowledged on his official Facebook page.

“However, in this country, there are a lot more things that are inappropriate, and places are misused.

“Among them, roads are not the place for religious parades like the carrying of idols or smashing of coconuts that will disrupt the use of the road by others or dirty a public place, as practiced by certain religious individuals,” he lamented.

“If you want to object to it (slaughtering of cows in school compounds), then do it across the board.”

It is understood that Mohd Asri was referring to the Hindu festival of Thaipusam and its age old ritual of breaking coconuts before an activity of any magnitude is undertaken.

During Thaipusam, devotees shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, with many resorting to mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers.

Yesterday, MIC deputy president Dr S Subramaniam commented that cow slaughtering is a sensitive issue, thus the sensitivities of other religions must be taken into consideration.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, whose constituency the involved school was situated, has also urged the Education Ministry to explain why the slaughterings were allowed.

On Tuesday, MIC president G Palanivel said cows can be slaughtered in mosques and suraus and other places including religious schools but slaughtering cows in schools could be a worrying problem and disturbing for non-Malay students.

Several Hindu parents have complained about the use of school compounds to slaughter cows in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations.

It was reported that a primary school in Kuala Lumpur slaughtered a number of cows in its compound during school hours. Similar events were held in schools across the country.

PAS bantah tuntutan COMANGO iktiraf LGBT, sensitiviti Islam

Keputusan yang eksklusif melibatkan umat Islam ini seharusnya dihormati Comango dan tidak dijadikan isu yang spekulatif dan berniat jahat.

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS mendesak Gabungan NGO Hak Asasi Manusia (Comango) yang menuntut perkara-perkara yang mencabar kedudukan Islam di negara ini ketika proses Semakan Berkala Sejagat (UPR) di Geneva, Switzerland hari ini, digugurkan.

Ini berikutan tuntutan Comango yang menuntut Malaysia menandatangani Perjanjian Antarabangsa mengenai Hak Sivil dan Politik (ICCPR) yang menyentuh mengenai kebebasan beragama dan kelonggaran seseorang untuk menukar sekaligus mencabar undang-undang Syariah negara.

Malaysia juga digesa mengiktiraf hak-hak orientasi seksual dan identiti jantina (SOGI) bagi golongan lesbian, gay, biseksual, dan transeksual (LGBT) termasuk memberi kebenaran untuk mengiktiraf perkahwinan sejenis.

Comango mempertikaikan peruntukan yang terdapat dalam Enakmen Kesalahan Jenayah Syariah dan menggesa untuk menggugurkan atau meminda peruntukan mengenai polisi moral yang didakwa menggugat hak privasi seseorang.

Selain itu, Comango turut mempertikaikan beberapa keputusan mahkamah Syariah terutamanya mengenai isu kalimah Allah, pengharaman ajaran syiah dan hak seorang Muslim untuk menukar agama anak bawah umur kepada Islam.

Mengulas mengenainya, Ahli Parlimen PAS-Temerloh, Nasruddin Hassan menegaskan keputusan yang eksklusif melibatkan umat Islam ini seharusnya dihormati Comango dan tidak dijadikan isu yang spekulatif dan berniat jahat.

“Kami turut mendesak agar campurtangan atau tekanan luar terhadap keputusan yang telah diambil melibatkan Islam tidak wajar dilobi ke peringkat antarabangsa memandangkan is harus ditangani secara ilmiah di negara ini disamping mewujudkan perundingan bersama di setiap peringkat,” kata kenyataan berkenaan.

Beliau bagaimanapun berkata PAS menyokong usahama sesiapa sahaja yang memperjuangkan hak asasi manusia, asalkan ia tidak bercanggah dengan amalan Islam.

Malaysia diwakili delegasi yang terdiri daripada wakil Kementerian Luar, Jabatan Peguam Negara, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) dan jabatan dalam kerajaan yang berkaitan dengan isu-isu yang ditimbulkan dalam UPR termasuk Kementerian Dalam Negeri.

Turut hadir Delegasi Gabungan Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Islam di dalam Proses Semakan Berkala Sejagat (MuslimUPro).

MIC CWC meeting set to be an explosive one

The MIC central working committee (CWC) meeting today is expected to a heated one as irreguralities in the division polls is top of the agenda.

PETALING JAYA:MIC president G Palanivel is expected to come under fire at the central working committee (CWC) meeting today as documents endorsed by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) showed that delegates from defunct branches voted in the division polls.

According to the documents, nine out of 109 branches in the Subang division were classified as defunct.

The branches are Taman Kayu Ara Indah, Bukit Lanjang, Desa Jaya Selatan, Desa Jaya Utara, Desa Permai 1, Damansara Damai Selatan, Merbau Sempak Elmina, Petempatan Sungai Buloh and RRI Sungai Buloh.

The documents were endorsed by ROS and forwarded to FMT by a branch chairman, who wish to be anonymous.

“This is a solid evidence on how the ‘hidden hand’ used his power to topple certain division leaders,” said the branch chairman.

He said this was a serious issue which could lead to the MIC being deregistered.

“The party members hope Palanivel will set up a committee to conduct a transparency investigation and bring to book election officers who manipulated the election results,” he added.

The CWC meeting was called after the party leaders received numerous complaints on the division polls.

Palanivel will be chair the meeting at 5pm at party headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

This is Palanivel’s first CWC meeting after being elected unopposed in the presidential election in September.

There were also irregularities in the Kota Raja, Petaling Jaya Selatan, Teluk Intan, Batu Gajah, Tambun, Setiawangsa, Bukit Gelugor and Hulu Selangor divisions.

In Kota Raja and Petaling Jaya Selatan, the party leadership was accused of allowing ineligible candidates to contest in the elections.

In Hulu Selangor, which is previously held by Palanivel, a branch chairman said there were also discrepancies in the division polls. The Setiawangsa and Tambun divisions also faced similar problems.

In Teluk Intan and Batu Gajah, five police reports had been lodged against Perak MIC chief A Ganeson and Palanivel’s political secretary P Palaniappan for trying to manipulate the election results.

Bukit Gelugor division chairman K Loganathan has threatened to report to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the alleged irregularities in conducting his division’s annual general meeting and nomination.

Ensure income equality before GST

Pakatan dwells on wide reaching issues pertaining to the GST; as they strongly believe that M’sia may well be heading towards more corruption and fraudulent practices.
COMMENT

By Raja Ahmad Shahrir

The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward – John Maynard Keynes

Today, Pakatan is presenting the shadow budget in anticipation of the Federal 2014 Budget. One important area that warrants serious attention is the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

In the past 20 years or so, GST (or in some countries VAT (value added tax)) has been implemented in developed and developing countries to broaden the tax base and increase government revenue. The official website of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department states that as of 2010, a total of 146 countries have implemented GST/VAT.

Malaysia is expected to generate revenue of RM20.5billion with the implementation of 4% GST (except on basic necessities such as rice, flour, cooking oil, education, public healthcare etc). This is a 36% increase in revenue compared to the existing sales and service tax (SST), which the GST is meant to replace.

Thus, the GST is expected to account for approximately 13-14% of total tax revenue if implemented, as compared to 9.9% in 2012 with SST.

However, the key question is, what are the risks involved when GST is implemented by a government that is not managed effectively and efficiently?

Historically, two key risks emerge when a country tries to implement GST without first having effective processes and policies in place for better governance.

Firstly, the potential for fraudulent practices may arise among businesses and government officials, and secondly, the potential for failure due to lack of proper planning.

Potential for fraudulent practices

In essence, the GST’s mechanism is such that products and services are taxed at each stage of the supply chain, resulting in an input and output tax. The input tax incurs on business purchases and expenses (relevant to manufacturers or retailers), while the output tax is the tax charged to the buyer. For businesses (consumers generally have no input tax), the difference between the output from the input tax is the amount paid to the government.

However, if the input tax exceeds the output tax, then the business can claim a refund. This creates an opportunity for corruption as the power of tax officials to make refunds may open doors to bribery by business owners. Furthermore, a government that faces budget pressures may also delay refunds to businesses. These fraudulent practices are not only evident with the implementation, but also during revisions to the GST.

In India, the GST was revised lower and consumers should have benefited from the reduced tax sales. Unfortunately, due to lack of monitoring, businesses were keeping the extra gain by charging consumers at the same price levels.

In Pakistan, government officials are wary of the potential for corruption and under-invoicing as the country is considering increasing the GST from 16% to 17%.

Without proper management, it is not surprising for some countries to discover that the implementation of GST indeed lowers government revenue, instead of increasing it.

Potential failure due to lack of proper planning

In 1995, Ghana implemented the VAT system that lasted only three and a half months.

The main reason for Ghana’s failure was due to improper management of public perception, insufficient time to identify the right people to implement procedures and starting taxpayers’ registration, and an unprepared tax administration. All these factors boiled down to the government’s inefficient and ineffective planning prior to implementation.

A similar case occurred in Ukraine from 1998 to 2004; real GDP rose by 49%, but the VAT to GDP ratio decreased by 33%. Generally as GDP grows, VAT yield should also rise with at least the same rate as GDP.

A study found that the decline in VAT to GDP ratio was caused by the country’s ineffective tax administration.

Successful GST implementation is contingent to income equality

The chart above (GST vs CPI) shows the transparency level of a country and its GST/VAT rate.

70% of the top four countries have GST/VAT rate of more than 15% (highest is 25% for Norway, Canada and Denmark, the most transparent at number 1).

Coincidently, Denmark leads the way with regard to distribution of income. Not surprising then, that Denmark has the lowest rate of poverty in Europe.

Having a broad based tax system can be socially successful if the income distribution is flatter within the country.

Gini Coefficient and GST

The issue of regressive tax will not be as evident if the gap between the rich and poor is not too large. Therefore, a quick look at the top ten most transparent countries shows that 8 have a GST/VAT that is more than 10%. However the Gini coefficient of these 7 countries is within the 25 – 35 range.

In comparison with countries such as Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Russia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Venezuela (GST/VAT rate of 10%, 15%, 12%, 10%, 10%, 10% and 16.5% respectively), the Gini coefficient ranges between 36 – 52, with Paraguay, Zimbabwe, Russia, Papua New Guinea and Venezuela all above the 40s mark.

In Malaysia, the Gini coefficient is higher even compared to Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines. Lower income groups will have to fork out more of their income to GST.

There are also other factors that should be taken into consideration prior to GST’s implementation. Among them are the infrastructure, the people, the processes and policies.

With the on-goings in Malaysia such as the NFC, guns missing in the sea (and possibly toilet), large spending on computers and study trips, the question looms if GST should be implemented.

The government should instead focus on the root cause that is causing serious leakages in public funds. From a government’s management perspective, we have a cost issue, and not revenue.

Raja Ahmad Shahrir is Research Associate at Institut Rakyat, a think tank affiliated with PKR. He tweets at @RajaShahrir and facebook Raja Ahmad Shahrir

Kerajaan tak serius laksana gaji minima

Jika kerajaan mahu syarikat ini melaksanakan skim gaji baru, bayaran ini harus ditingkatkan.

KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan dilihat tidak serius melaksanakan penyelarasan polisi gaji minima walaupun pengumuman mengenainya dibuat sejak awal tahun ini.

Antara syarikat yang belum melaksanakan gaji minima adalah syarikat kontrak yang membekalkan perkhidmatan keselamatan, pemberihan dan sebagainya kepada kerajaan.

Alasan yang diberi oleh syarikat kontrak ini adalah bahawa kontrak mereka belum diubahsuai oleh kementerian berkenaan untuk membolehkan mereka membayar gaji yang lebih kepada pekerja,

“Syarikat kontrak ini mengadu sebut harga mereka semasa memohon kontrak adalah berasaskan skim gaji terdahulu.

“Jika kerajaan mahu syarikat ini melaksanakan skim gaji baru, bayaran ini harus ditingkatkan.

“Sepatutnya bajet yang diluluskan pada November 2012 untuk tahun 2013 harus mengambil kira keperluan meningkatkan bayaran kepada semua kontraktor perkhidmatan supaya membolehkan mereka mematuhi skim gaji mulai Januari 2013,” dakwa Koordinator Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (Jerit) M Sivaranjani.

Beliau sebelum itu bersama kira-kira 50 penyokong Jerit, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), dan beberapa badan bukan kerajaan lain (NGO) melakukan demonstrasi dihadapan pintu masuk utama bangunan Parlimen pagi tadi.

Perhimpunan aman itu mengemukakan empat tuntutan supaya kerajaan lebih bertanggungjawab terhadap pelaksanaan gaji minima dengan adil termasuk terhadap pekerja asing.

Selain itu, 600,000 syarikat kecil dan sederhana (SME) yang melibatkan 70% pekerja tempatan harus dibantu untuk melaksanakan gaji minima mulai Januari 2014.

Kerajaan juga perlu menghulurkan bantuan kepada syarikat SME dalam kadar pengecualian cukai syarikat untuk satu tempoh tertentu, mengambil alih pembayaran syer majikan kepada Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) untuk satu tempoh masa tertentu, serta membekalkan kuasa elektrik dengan kadar yg lebih murah.

“Kami mahu kerajaan bersikap serius dalam hal ini dan berharap ada peruntukan perbelanjaan yang perlu untuk membolehkan SME melaksanakan gaji minima dalam Belanjawan 2014.

“Kami ingin mengingatkan semua pihak bahawa gaji sebanyak RM900 sebulan bukan satu jumlah yg lumayan.

“Tidak mencukupi untuk sebuah keluarga menampung segala perbelanjaan dengan pendapatan RM1800 sebulan (jika suami dan isteri bekerja).

“Tetapi apabila gaji minima yang begitu rendah pun tidak dapat dilaksanakan diseluruh negara, timbul keraguan pekerja terhadap keseriusan kerajaan menangani isu ini,” katanya.

Memorandum tuntutan itu kemudiannya diserahkan kepada Menteri Sumber Manusia Datuk Richard Riot Jaem di Parlimen.

Former Anwar aide to debate Ambiga

Tweets between a former Anwar aid and Ambiga suggest that a debate is in the making on issues related to the People’s Tribunal

GEORGE TOWN: Bersih co-chairperson S Ambiga is set to debate Yuktes Vijay, former aide of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, on the recent general election, according to some tweet exchanges between them.

Ambiga and Yuktes tweeted and mutually agreed to hold the debate on Nov 16.

Ambiga recently organised a People’s Tribunal to put some light on Pakatan Rakyat’s allegations that the 13th General Election held on May 5 this year was marred by fraud.

Yuktes on the other hand attempted to hold a public forum on October 11 to scrutinise the findings of Bersih’s People’s Tribunal.

The forum was to expose the lies spread by Pakatan and Anwar on the election.

The forum however was disrupted by a group of rowdies, who Yuktes alleged, was led by a special officer to Anwar.

Yuktes has already emailed Anwar to claim compensation for his financial loss.

“Until today, Anwar has failed to reply to my email,” said Yuktes.

Following the fiasco, a former aide of Zaid Ibrahim, Firdaus Christopher tweeted to question Ambiga on the incident.

In her tweet, Ambiga said that she was least concerned about the forum and had nothing to do with the disturbances that occurred.

Thereafter Yuktes joined into the tweeting and challenged Ambiga for a head-on debate in relation to the election issues.

The tweet exchanges suggest that Ambiga has accepted Yuktes’ challenge and even named a Macfaisal, as the moderator.

According to Ambiga, Macfaisal is a lawyer.

Indeed it was Macfaisal who tweeted to propose Nov 16 for the debate, which both Ambiga and Yuktes accepted.

Yuktes is now on the hunt for a suitable venue for the public debate and above all, sponsorships to fund the event.

“The debate, if on, will be to reveal whether the People’s Tribunal was fair or bias,” Yuktes told FMT.

Latest SOSMA Amendments are Needless and Dangerous

The inclusion of migrant smuggling and organized crime into the definition of security offences is an act of laziness to transform the term ‘security offences’ into a ‘catch all’ category where virtually any offence comprising more than one participant will amount to an offence threatening to public order.

Lawyers for Liberty

We call for caution against placing offences from the Penal Code and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIP) when amending the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA). These amendments reflect an attempt to widen the very draconian ambit of security offences in Malaysia.

SOSMA has been put in place for the purpose of ‘maintaining public order’ and ‘security’, pursuant to Article 149 of the Federal Constitution, which allows its derogation from constitutional articles for the greater ‘safety’ of the federation. Article 149 envisaged these measures to be temporary and operative against subversion and dangers to public order.

Our objection to placing the Penal Code and anti-trafficking offences into the security offences framework stems from the fact that these are not extraordinary offences and should therefore be governed by the Criminal Procedure Code, with established and basic fair trial safeguards unlike SOSMA.

SOSMA is only supposed to apply to genuine security offences as opposed to crimes which occur daily such as trafficking and organized crime.

LFL is against the inclusion of these offences because they widen the ambit of security offences under SOSMA and will allow the state to derogate from its responsibilities in upholding constitutional rights and standards of fair trial.

The inclusion of migrant smuggling and organized crime into the definition of security offences is an act of laziness to transform the term ‘security offences’ into a ‘catch all’ category where virtually any offence comprising more than one participant will amount to an offence threatening to public order.

Rather than creating more unnatural security offences, we urge the state to focus its resources properly in tackling organized crimes and people trafficking via standard law enforcement and prosecution norms that respect human rights, legal procedures and standards of fair trial.

The Allah decision is wrong in constitutional law

(Aliran) - The three judgments are poorly reasoned, the law misread and the conclusions reached would baffle any right-thinking student anywhere in the common law, says Tommy Thomas.

The sustained public attack on last week’s decision of the Court of Appeal in prohibiting the Catholic Church from using the word “Allah” in their internal publication, the Herald, is absolutely unprecedented, even in a nation very used to bad court decisions.

From a constitutional perspective, the three judgments are poorly reasoned, the law misread and the conclusions reached would baffle any right-thinking student anywhere in the common law. The decision is not just wrong, it is horribly wrong, and will represent a terrible blot on our legal landscape, unless overturned quickly by the apex court, the Federal Court. Regrettably, what follows may seem unduly legalistic, but it cannot be avoided in a critique of a court decision.

Relevant facts disregarded

By their very nature, judicial review proceedings are determined in the first instance by a single judge of the High Court who does not hear witnesses. Instead, the application is disposed of by Affidavits and Exhibits, supplemented by submissions of lawyers. In the High Court ([2010] 2 MLJ 78, 95.), the Government baldly denied about 20 facts which the Catholic Church referred to in their affidavits.

In such circumstances, the judge accepted, as she was duty bound in our adversarial system, the evidence produced by the Church. In effect, the High Court made findings of fact, as it was entitled to do. Some of these facts are worth recalling:

• The word Allah is the correct Bahasa Malaysia word for ‘God’ and in the Bahasa Malaysia translation of the Bible, ‘God’ is translated as ‘Allah’ and ‘Lord’ is translated as ‘Tuhan’;
• For 15 centuries, Christians and Muslims in Arabic-speaking countries have been using the word ‘Allah’ in reference to the One God. The Catholic Church in Malaysia and Indonesia and the great majority of other Christian denominations hold that ‘Allah’ is the legitimate word for ‘God’ in Bahasa Malaysia;
• The Malay-Latin dictionary published in 1631 had translated ‘Deus’ (the Latin word for God) as ‘Alla’ as the Malay translation;
• The Christian usage of the word Allah predates Islam being the name of God in the old Arabic Bible as well as in the modern Arabic Bible used by Christians in Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and other places in Asia, Africa etc;
• In Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, the word Allah has been used continuously in the printed edition of the Matthew’s Gospel in Malay since 1629, in the first complete Malay Bible from 1733 and in the second complete Malay Bible since 1879;
• Munshi Abdullah, considered the father of modern Malay literature, had translated the Gospels into Malay in 1852, and he translated the word God as ‘Allah’;
• The Bahasa Malaysia-speaking Christian natives of Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah had always and have continuously and consistently used the word Allah for generations and the said word Allah is used in the Bahasa Indonesian translations of the Bible used throughout Malaysia;
• At least for the last three decades, the Bahasa Malaysia congregation of the Catholic Church have been freely using the Alkitab, the Bahasa Indonesia translation of the Holy Bible wherein the word Allah appears;
• In any event, the word Allah has been used by Christians in all countries where the Arabic language is used as well as in Indonesian/Malay language without any problems and/or breach of public order and/or sensitivity to persons professing the religion of Islam in these countries.

The above matters provide the factual background in this dispute. No case can ever be decided in a vacuum, isolated from the facts. Unbelievably, none of the judgments gave any weight to the findings of fact made by the High Court — a gross error.

Nordin Salleh ignored

It is incredible that none of the judgments even mentioned, let alone considered, the impact of the most important constitutional case ever decided by our courts, which had a direct bearing on the dispute. The Supreme Court decided in Nordin Salleh ([1992] 1 MLJ 697 [SC]), that in testing the validity of any state action impinging any of the fundamental liberties enshrined in Part II of the Constitution, the court’s duty is to look at the effect, result or consequence of state action.

If such effect is to render the exercise of such fundamental liberty “illusory or meaningless”, it is unconstitutional. If the ratio of Nordin Salleh, which incidentally is binding on the Court of Appeal, had been applied in the Herald case, the decision would have been different because the effect of the State prohibiting Christians from using the word Allah in their worship is to render their right to practise their religion under Article 11(1) and (3) illusory or meaningless. It is as plain and simple as that. The appeal ought to have been dismissed for that obvious reason alone.

 Read more at: http://aliran.com/15380.html

Ambiga calls on government to put Penal Code, Sosma amendments on hold

Viswaree Palansamy, TMI

Bersih co-chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (pic) wants Putrajaya to put on hold the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2013, and to agree not to gazette it until further discussions are held with concerned stakeholders.

She described Section 203A of the Penal Code as a "muzzling provision”, referring to the contentious provision that restricts civil servants from disseminating any information gathered during one's tenure of duty or the exercise of one's functions.

"Amendments always warrant further scrutiny," she told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

The Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2013 was passed by the Lower House on Tuesday, while the Security Offences (Special Measures)(Amendment) Act 2012 was passed today without changes.

Ambiga said that even lawmakers did not have enough time to pour over the amendments as they only received the copies of the relevant Bills a day before the tabling of its first reading.

"The Bar Council has been asking for Bills in advance for many years and I don’t think that is unreasonable if we want to be the so-called ‘best democracy in the world’,” she said.

Opposition lawmakers had objected strongly to the amendments and warned that the inclusion of two ordinary criminal offences - organised crime and anti-human trafficking - contradicted the government's stand that Sosma was created to curb terrorism activities. Under this law, bail is not allowed and the remand period is 28 days.