Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Advice on respectful treatment of Muslims arrested in Torquay
ADVICE has been given to Torquay Police on the best way to treat Muslims held in custody.
A representative from the Torbay Islamic Centre was invited to the custody unit to make sure best practice and correct standards were being met.
He gave advice on a range of matters which would be important to Muslims arrested and held in the Torquay cells.
It follows guidelines about best practice from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Sgt Howard Brugge of Torquay custody said: "We wanted to identify how we looked after Muslim detainees and were visited by Dr Ali from the Torbay Islamic Centre.
"Torquay didn't have any issues but we wanted to make sure things were being done in a respectful way."
Dr Ali gave advice about issues including halal food, food preparation, the Koran, washing before prayers, and prayer mats.
Temple demolition order came from Tengku Adnan, says his deputy
Loga
Balan (centre) meeting with the temple management and opposition MP
Tian Chua (3rd left) at the DBKL headquarters regarding the temple
demolition issue today. The Malaysian Insider pic by Yiswaree Palansamy,
November 19, 2013.The demolition order on the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman Hindu temple at Jalan P. Ramlee earlier this month came from Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, his deputy Datuk J. Loga Balan Mohan said.
At a closed-door meeting with the temple management at the City Hall headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today, Loga Balan said the order did not come from him but was instead a directive from his boss.
"The power to demolish lies with the minister," he said, maintaining, however, that the temple was not demolished.
"The temple is still there," Loga Balan said at the meeting which was also attended by Batu MP Tian Chua, Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) president Datuk R.S. Mohan Shan, PKR deputy chairman human rights and legal bureau S. Jayathas and several members of media.
This caused an irate member of the temple's legal team, G. Sivamalar, to rebut Loga Balan’s claim.
"Deities were removed ... how can you say the temple was not demolished?" Sivamalar said.
When Loga Balan insisted that it was Tengku Adnan who had “veto” power in the matter, the temple management committee demanded to meet Tengku Adnan and told Loga Balan he was of no use to the discussion as he did not have the power to execute any effective action in the matter.
Cty Hall demolished the annexe of the Hindu temple on November 10, eight days after the Deepavali celebrations.
Tengku Adnan had at the time defended City Hall’s demolition of the illegal extensions to the temple, claiming the place of worship may have been used as a “facade” for illicit activities.
He also said the temple - which its devotees say has been around for 101 years - was only a “shrine”, and did not meet the religious requirements to be labelled as a full-fledged temple.
The minister, however, refused to elaborate on the type of illicit activities that had allegedly been carried out within the temple.
Tengku Adnan also said his ministry had asked a Hindu “sami”, or priest, from India, who is based here, to examine the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple before Deepavali this year, and claimed that the priest was shocked at the condition of the house of worship.
“The sami was appalled. He said the temple should have been demolished that day itself,” Tengku Adnan related, claiming the Hindu holy man had found bottles of liquor in the temple’s bathroom.
Tengku Adnan had also said that the ministry would be upgrading the "shrine" into a tourist attraction and was looking into gazetting the land where it currently sits.
"Why do we always have problems with temples? Not with churches, mosques nor Chinese temples... why? Ask yourself, don't ask me," he had questioned.
"We will take action against anyone who does not abide by the laws, regardless of Christians, Hindus or Muslims."
He had insisted that the temple would be identified as a "shrine" and would not be given the entire land on which it currently sits on.
The first land clearance attempt by the City Hall came a day after Malaysia celebrated its 56th National Day.
The temple, which was built in 1911, sits on reserve land meant for roads or walkways and has to make way for a pedestrian walkway.
Last year, the temple committee received an eviction notice after Hap Seng Land, which is constructing a 30-storey office building on the adjacent plot, was told that it would only be given a Certificate of Fitness (CF) if it built a 2.4m walkway along the building according to City Hall requirements.
But that could not be done because the temple occupies the land. - November 19 2013.
Shahidan: MPs 'thank' Rosmah for 'fruitful' trip
Shahidan said that Rosmah’s trip, which was funded by the government with the use of the government’s private jet, had a positive effect on the country.
“May God make those who lie about this issue to repent or increase his wrath on them,” he said during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
Shahidan also said that Malaysians should be “proud” that Rosmah had been invited by other countries.
“We as Malaysians must be proud and be thankful to the hard work (penat lelah) of the prime minister’s wife,” he further added.
“This was a responsible and transparent visit,” he said.
“It was all done with the cabinet’s approval,” he added.
'Something rotten in Najib's best democracy'
This
is because most of the “mainstream Malaysian news media... is actually
more akin to a BN party organ”, Nottingham University Media and
Communications associate professor Tessa Houghton said.“When the only media functioning as anything like professional news journalism organisations are in Mandarin or are online, it's safe to say that something is seriously rotten in what aspires to be the best democracy in the world,” she said.
Houghton was responding to arguments against her media monitoring findings conducted in the lead-up to and during the 13th general election.
In particular, she was responding to crticism that she had chosen not to monitor party organs such as PAS mouthpiece Harakah and PKR organ Suara Keadilan.
In her article posted on Sunday in the Australian National University portal, the New Mandala, Houghton said: “Party organs and news media perform different roles, and the former cannot substitute for the latter.
“News media should facilitate informed political participation and hopefully, understanding of (if not agreement with) our socio-political community; party organs are for the express purpose of party advocacy, and are intended to ‘preach to the choir’.”
Houghton, who teaches at Nottingham University's Malaysian campus in Semenyih, also countered those who argued that the bias in print media was balanced by social media.
She argued that about 35 percent of Malaysians - mainly older, poorer and more rural groups - do not have access to the Internet and that this is reflective of the voting trends.
“These populations have and continue to consume primarily BN propaganda masquerading as news, whereas wealthier, younger, urban populations are constantly bombarded with and socialised into consuming a multitude of competing and critical perspectives,” she said.
Beware 'cyberbalkanisation'
As for social media, Houghton warned that continued reliance on social-media mediated political debate would lead to “cyberbalkanisation” - further polarisation based on political support.
“The media are key to the democratic and electoral integrity of any political system ...
“Malaysian
citizens who relied on English and Bahasa Malaysia newspapers and/or
television as their media source during the GE13 campaign ... were not
provided with fair and accurate information with which to construct
informed voting preferences.” Presented earlier this year, Houghton's research, done in collaboration with the Centre for Independent Journalism, found that news portals Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider and the Chinese press were more balanced in their election coverage.
On the flip side, national news agency Bernama was found to be biased in favour of the BN, as were English and Bahasa Malaysia newspapers and television channels.
Help bumiputera companies more, Petronas urged
National oil company Petronas is still failing in its mandate to help
bumiputera companies, which receive only five percent of its expenditure
budget, the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM) said today.MTEM, which consists of 42 Malay business groups, said of the RM200 billion total Petronas expenditure budget, only RM10 billion were received by bumiputera businesses and mostly under its vendor development programme (VDP).
MTEM said many major Petronas jobs, such as its billion ringgit upstream oil and gas drilling activities and plant engineering, design and construction contracts, were still reserved for foreign companies.
"The involvement of Malay and bumiputera vendors performing work for Petronas should be doubled in order to be able to achieve empowerment of the bumiputera agenda and Vision 2020, which is the dream of the past and present leaders of the country," MTEM said in a press statement.
It called on Petronas to strive to allocate at least half, or RM100 billion of its yearly expenditure to bumiputera companies.
Demands being made since February
It also wants Petronas to double the VDP programme time-frame from five to 10 years, so that the bumiputera companies will have a better chance to grow and succeed.
"This is to give a company the opportunity to implement effective, comprehensive business modules, including investment, development and training," MTEM said.
It noted that out of 77 companies that were under its VDP programme, only 11 have survived.
MTEM has been making the same demands on Petronas since February this year, even calling for Petronas president and chief executive officer Shamsul Azhar Abbas to take the responsibility for the failure and to step down.
In response, Petronas has often reiterated that it has not neglected Malay businesses at all.
In a Sinar Harian report today, a Petronas officer said that the company was strict with its VDP handouts as it wanted to discipline bumiputera businesses and prepare them to compete.
The officer said Petronas often could not give local companies the bigger jobs as they were not qualified and lacked the experience.
The company said that bumiputera companies already get at least 70 percent of its VDP business and that Petronas has spent RM7.5 billion since the programme began.
For petrol retail stations for example, Petronas revealed that it gave out total contracts worth RM242 billion between 1980 and 2012. Out of these, some 61 percent were given to bumiputera-owned companies.
Return of the Lizard King
101 East exposes an infamous wildlife trafficker at the helm of an illegal multi-million dollar business.
The illegal trade in wildlife is thought to be worth at least $19bn a year, a sum rivalled only by the black markets in drugs, counterfeit goods and people.
But while drugs and people smuggling are seen as profitable but extremely risky, the wildlife trade has become increasingly attractive to criminal networks because it is not only lucrative but the risks are far lower. The animals caught up in the trade - assuming they even survive the journey - often end up as pets, traditional medicines or food.
The US State Department says trafficking not only undermines conservation, it also threatens the rule of law and is a risk to global health. The concern is now so great that the trade has been designated a new form of transnational crime.
For more than two decades, Anson Wong has been the internationally recognised "face" of the trade; the 'Pablo Escobar' of animal trafficking, according to some. The Malaysian's notoriety stems from 1998 when he was arrested by US agents after they lured him to Mexico in a highly elaborate five-year investigation that became a best-selling book, The Lizard King. He was later convicted for smuggling endangered species and sentenced to 71 months in prison.
When Wong returned to Malaysia, his permits reportedly revoked, and many suspected he had returned to the business. In 2010, those fears were confirmed when Wong's bag broke open while he was in transit to Jakarta to reveal 95 boa constrictors.
Initially sentenced to five years in jail, his term was cut to 17 months on appeal and Wong was released in February 2012, despite evidence of his involvement in other smuggling cases.
Once again, he is back home in Penang, Malaysia. And once again, the Malaysian authorities say his permits have been revoked. Since getting out of prison, new reports have surfaced of his return to the illegal wildlife trade.
101 East goes undercover from Madagascar, to Thailand, to Indonesia and to Malaysia in an attempt to follow the trafficking trail and to infiltrate Wong's syndicate.
Our journey starts in Madagascar with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, an animal protection group that has spent decades trying to save the very endangered tortoises that Anson Wong has poached. There are only 400 adult Ploughshare tortoises left in the wild. And the fear among Durrell's workers is that they will soon fall prey to traffickers. The organisation's top representative in the country, Richard Lewis, says Wong to them is enemy no. 1, and all employees are warned to be on the lookout for him.
In Madagascar, we speak to Sarah Sahondrarisoa, a Malagasy woman who in 2010 was convicted of trying to smuggle endangered Ploughshares from Madagascar to Malaysia for Anson Wong. While she served eight months in jail, Wong has never been tried for his alleged involvement.
A man who worked for years with Wong, who we call "X", helps us see into the mind of the Lizard King and shares what motivates him. He also explains the routes taken by the Lizard King and his associates to smuggle valuable species from his favoured spots in species-rich Madagascar to Malaysia. He too confirms that Wong is still in business.
In Madagascar's capital of Antananarivo, we also come across Mario, the son of a presidential candidate, and an exporter of seafood and reptiles. He admits to having helped Anson Wong several years ago with a few shipments. Believing 101 East presenter Steve Chao is a reptile dealer, he offers to introduce Chao to one of his contacts. That contact produces samples - numbers of Radiated tortoises (the second most endangered in Madagascar) and promises that with the help of customs officials on-the-take, he will be able to ship hundreds at a time to a destination of Chao's choosing.
The ease of buying endangered species underlines how despite 40 years of efforts by the international community to combat wildlife trafficking, poachers and smugglers continue to get away with their crimes, aided in large part by officials in various countries.
In Indonesia, Daniel Tanuwidjaja, one of Wong's trusted distributors, claims he pays off wildlife and customs officials in both Indonesia and Malaysia to allow for shipments from Wong. He also says that the Lizard King continues to deal, and that Wong's wife is increasingly involved in the business.
Chao then flies to Wong's hometown of Penang, Malaysia, where he follows a paper trail of public records to various properties owned by the Lizard King, his family and associates. There he uncovers shell companies used to hide the illicit trade in reptiles, and also stumbles on a number of exotic wildlife awaiting buyers. Malaysian officials meanwhile insist that bans on his business and trading licences continue to be enforced, despite evidence on the contrary. It leads N Surendran, an opposition MP, to call for an official investigation into alleged corruption.
In the closing scenes, Chao, after a year-long investigation, finally tracks down the Lizard King and in a final confrontation, he presents to him the evidence 101 East has gathered.
Is the world's most notorious wildlife smuggler still at work? Share your thoughts with us @AJ101East #wildlifetrafficking
The illegal trade in wildlife is thought to be worth at least $19bn a year, a sum rivalled only by the black markets in drugs, counterfeit goods and people.
But while drugs and people smuggling are seen as profitable but extremely risky, the wildlife trade has become increasingly attractive to criminal networks because it is not only lucrative but the risks are far lower. The animals caught up in the trade - assuming they even survive the journey - often end up as pets, traditional medicines or food.
The US State Department says trafficking not only undermines conservation, it also threatens the rule of law and is a risk to global health. The concern is now so great that the trade has been designated a new form of transnational crime.
For more than two decades, Anson Wong has been the internationally recognised "face" of the trade; the 'Pablo Escobar' of animal trafficking, according to some. The Malaysian's notoriety stems from 1998 when he was arrested by US agents after they lured him to Mexico in a highly elaborate five-year investigation that became a best-selling book, The Lizard King. He was later convicted for smuggling endangered species and sentenced to 71 months in prison.
When Wong returned to Malaysia, his permits reportedly revoked, and many suspected he had returned to the business. In 2010, those fears were confirmed when Wong's bag broke open while he was in transit to Jakarta to reveal 95 boa constrictors.
Initially sentenced to five years in jail, his term was cut to 17 months on appeal and Wong was released in February 2012, despite evidence of his involvement in other smuggling cases.
Once again, he is back home in Penang, Malaysia. And once again, the Malaysian authorities say his permits have been revoked. Since getting out of prison, new reports have surfaced of his return to the illegal wildlife trade.
101 East goes undercover from Madagascar, to Thailand, to Indonesia and to Malaysia in an attempt to follow the trafficking trail and to infiltrate Wong's syndicate.
Our journey starts in Madagascar with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, an animal protection group that has spent decades trying to save the very endangered tortoises that Anson Wong has poached. There are only 400 adult Ploughshare tortoises left in the wild. And the fear among Durrell's workers is that they will soon fall prey to traffickers. The organisation's top representative in the country, Richard Lewis, says Wong to them is enemy no. 1, and all employees are warned to be on the lookout for him.
In Madagascar, we speak to Sarah Sahondrarisoa, a Malagasy woman who in 2010 was convicted of trying to smuggle endangered Ploughshares from Madagascar to Malaysia for Anson Wong. While she served eight months in jail, Wong has never been tried for his alleged involvement.
A man who worked for years with Wong, who we call "X", helps us see into the mind of the Lizard King and shares what motivates him. He also explains the routes taken by the Lizard King and his associates to smuggle valuable species from his favoured spots in species-rich Madagascar to Malaysia. He too confirms that Wong is still in business.
In Madagascar's capital of Antananarivo, we also come across Mario, the son of a presidential candidate, and an exporter of seafood and reptiles. He admits to having helped Anson Wong several years ago with a few shipments. Believing 101 East presenter Steve Chao is a reptile dealer, he offers to introduce Chao to one of his contacts. That contact produces samples - numbers of Radiated tortoises (the second most endangered in Madagascar) and promises that with the help of customs officials on-the-take, he will be able to ship hundreds at a time to a destination of Chao's choosing.
The ease of buying endangered species underlines how despite 40 years of efforts by the international community to combat wildlife trafficking, poachers and smugglers continue to get away with their crimes, aided in large part by officials in various countries.
In Indonesia, Daniel Tanuwidjaja, one of Wong's trusted distributors, claims he pays off wildlife and customs officials in both Indonesia and Malaysia to allow for shipments from Wong. He also says that the Lizard King continues to deal, and that Wong's wife is increasingly involved in the business.
Chao then flies to Wong's hometown of Penang, Malaysia, where he follows a paper trail of public records to various properties owned by the Lizard King, his family and associates. There he uncovers shell companies used to hide the illicit trade in reptiles, and also stumbles on a number of exotic wildlife awaiting buyers. Malaysian officials meanwhile insist that bans on his business and trading licences continue to be enforced, despite evidence on the contrary. It leads N Surendran, an opposition MP, to call for an official investigation into alleged corruption.
In the closing scenes, Chao, after a year-long investigation, finally tracks down the Lizard King and in a final confrontation, he presents to him the evidence 101 East has gathered.
Is the world's most notorious wildlife smuggler still at work? Share your thoughts with us @AJ101East #wildlifetrafficking
Sarawak cops: Fake ICs spreading, NRD staff involved
Berita Harian reported that state police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman said that an NRD staff member from the peninsula was among three arrested in Miri last Sunday in a raid at a suspected ‘fake MyKad transit house’.
Seized were equipment to make fake MyKads, including stamps belonging to different government agencies, a school and a village chief.
Besides the trio, 34 other individuals have also been nabbed in the anti-fake MyKad crackdown, and are to be charged under the National Registrtation Department Act 1990 and the Immigration Act 1959.
Meanwhile the New Straits Times reported that a fake MyKad costs RM400 in Sabah, while syndicates charge RM2,500 for passage into the country and a fake MyKad for illegal immigrants.
The daily quoted an illegal immigrant who was arrested in a joint operation in Kelana Jaya, Selangor as well as unnamed sources.
It added that the fake MyKads do not have biometric data, leaving holders at risk in the event of checks.
It reported that the Home Ministry is cracking down on this matter following the murder of bank manager Norazita Abu Talib, allegedly by a security guard who, it was claimed, held a fake MyKad.
It also reported that the Peninsula Malaysia Immigration Service Union (KPSIM) yesterday lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission following Berita Harian’s report yesterday that Immigration officers collect bribes to release foreigners trafficked into Malaysia.
Isma slams Anwar's 'liberal' views
This would have a major impact on Malaysia's identity as an Islamic country, which is centred on the majority Malay community, Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman said.
Abdullah said Pakatan and NGOs such as Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (Komas) and Institut Kajian Dasar (IKD) promoted this doctrine "in a planned manner" to influence politicians and the younger generation.
"Anwar has admitted himself to be a liberal democrat activist. Look at his speeches, he supports those ideals.
"Pakatan's
Buku Jingga (Orange Book) is based on liberal democracy. If we look at
the DAP's agenda, it too is in line with the liberal democratic
philosophy," he said in an interview with Malaysiakini."(DAP leader) Karpal Singh has said that DAP's partnership with PAS and PKR is based on liberalism and pluralism. It is clear - that is why we see many human rights NGOs hiding behind this."
It will be a "big calamity" for the Malays, he said, if their identity is lost, as the Malays will lose their power and the land that they have had all these years.
Elaborating, Abdullah said the Chinese and Indians already have their own "sovereign land" but at the same time, they want to equally own the land of Malaysia.
"Can the Malays, let's say in China, seek such equal share when they try to own land in China? The Chinese will not give in. Similarly, with the Indians (in India), they will not accept Malay demands for land in their country.
"Unfortunately, the Malays accept (the non-Malays) and in the end, the Malays will lose their political power and sovereignty. We may eventually become passengers in our own country," he warned.
Muslims will lose out
Asked whether the liberal-democratic thinking was also influencing PAS, Abdullah said the Islamic party was trying to accommodate such ideals.
He pointed to the PAS notion of a welfare state, its concept of ‘rahmatan lil'alamin', which refers to equality, and ‘karamah insaniah', which refers to the humanistic concept.
Abdullah said this showed that PAS was trying to put an Islamic underpinning to such concepts.
The Isma president said the ulama faction of the party wanted to see the party remain independent and not be restricted by its political cooperation with the opposition coalition.
However, he said, the Erdogan faction wanted the party to follow Anwar, who is also the PKR de facto leader."PAS need not abide to this political cooperation. PAS has certain rights and it should be free to make its own decisions as it involves party policies and the party's dignity.
"I view such a political cooperation would not benefit Islam and would put Muslims at a loss in Malaysia.
"PAS, in its involvement with Pakatan, will only result in the liberal democrats winning," he said, arguing that PAS should quit the opposition coalition.
Focus on economy, not hudud, PAS told
Supporters Congress chief says he's dismayed by polemics on race and religion.
KOTA BARU: The PAS Supporters Congress has urged the Islamic party to avoid being bogged down by polemics on race and religion at the expense of debate on urgent issues such as the high cost of living and the rising crime rate.
Congress president Hu Phang Chaw today expressed dismay over the recent resurrection of the hudud issue, saying he feared it would dominate the PAS muktamar opening tomorrow.
He said he considered the issue as “stale” and unproductive to nation building.
He urged PAS to give more attention to economic issues such as rising household debts and the Najib administration’s plan to impose the Goods and Services Tax.
“We must also maintain our momentum in fighting corruption, cronyism and nepotism,” he said.
“The people voted for leaders who can fight for a better country and a good life, but instead they are hearing mindless debates about race or religion.
“I subscribe to the belief that hudud is part of Islam. I am just questioning whether the legislation should be adopted here and whether the timing is right.
“Is PAS interested in securing more votes from the non-Muslims or is it only keen on championing one particularly segment of the community?
“Are there statistics to show that the crime rate will go down if hudud is adopted?”
Hu urged all parties to work towards transforming Malaysia into a wealthy and progressive nation, saying the crime rate would naturally go down if people had enough money in their pockets.
“Poverty is the root cause of crime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has challenged the Pakatan Rakyat parties to reach a consensus on whether hudud could be adopted in Malaysia.
“It’s time to bring closure to this contentious issue, which has dragged on for the past three decades,” he said.
“And the only ones who can resolve it are none other than Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.
“Once and for all, settle it. Find a common stand. Anwar and Kit Siang must answer and they must do it in a collective tone as PAS is part of Pakatan.”
He said the hudud issue had exposed a flaw in the opposition pact, showing that it lacked the collective leadership necessary to govern the country effectively and lending credibility to the BN contention that it was formed just to dethrone the ruling coalition.
KOTA BARU: The PAS Supporters Congress has urged the Islamic party to avoid being bogged down by polemics on race and religion at the expense of debate on urgent issues such as the high cost of living and the rising crime rate.Congress president Hu Phang Chaw today expressed dismay over the recent resurrection of the hudud issue, saying he feared it would dominate the PAS muktamar opening tomorrow.
He said he considered the issue as “stale” and unproductive to nation building.
He urged PAS to give more attention to economic issues such as rising household debts and the Najib administration’s plan to impose the Goods and Services Tax.
“We must also maintain our momentum in fighting corruption, cronyism and nepotism,” he said.
“The people voted for leaders who can fight for a better country and a good life, but instead they are hearing mindless debates about race or religion.
“I subscribe to the belief that hudud is part of Islam. I am just questioning whether the legislation should be adopted here and whether the timing is right.
“Is PAS interested in securing more votes from the non-Muslims or is it only keen on championing one particularly segment of the community?
“Are there statistics to show that the crime rate will go down if hudud is adopted?”
Hu urged all parties to work towards transforming Malaysia into a wealthy and progressive nation, saying the crime rate would naturally go down if people had enough money in their pockets.
“Poverty is the root cause of crime,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang has challenged the Pakatan Rakyat parties to reach a consensus on whether hudud could be adopted in Malaysia.
“It’s time to bring closure to this contentious issue, which has dragged on for the past three decades,” he said.
“And the only ones who can resolve it are none other than Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.
“Once and for all, settle it. Find a common stand. Anwar and Kit Siang must answer and they must do it in a collective tone as PAS is part of Pakatan.”
He said the hudud issue had exposed a flaw in the opposition pact, showing that it lacked the collective leadership necessary to govern the country effectively and lending credibility to the BN contention that it was formed just to dethrone the ruling coalition.
Ibrahim Ali guilty of contempt, jailed a day
The High Court made the ruling in regards to Perkasa's attack against former judge VT Singham, while he was presiding Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's suit against Utusan Malaysia.
UPDATED
PETALING JAYA: Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali was today found guilty of contempt of court over his NGO’s attack on Justice VT Singham early this year.
Justice John Louis O’Hara sentenced him to one day jail and RM20,000 fine. This means he could be home by the end of office hours at 5pm today.
On Jan 8, Perkasa published an article penned by Zainuddin Salleh, which questioned Singham’s impartiality, his past judgments and also insinuated on his sexuality.
Zainuddin launched the attack against Singham as the latter was the presiding judge in the RM50 million defamation suit filed by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim against Utusan Malaysia.
Speaking on the matter, PKR lawyer Latheefa Koya said that they brought a committal proceedings against Ibrahim and article’s author for defaming Singham while the defamation suit was on-going.
“And today, Justice John Louis O’Hara found Ibrahim and Zainuddin guilty of contempt,” she said.
Zainuddin meanwhile was slapped with a four weeks jail term.
PKR legal counsel R Sivarasa said that in his verdict, Justice O’Hara described Perkasa’s outburst against Singham as an attack on judiciary’s integrity.
“O’Hara also said the criticism was very serious and scandalised the judiciary. On top of that, he also said that Perkasa was attempting to influence the outcome of the defamation suit by launching a personal attack against Singham,” said the Subang MP.
On why Ibrahim was also punished, Sivarasa said that the judge did not see the Perkasa chief distancing himself from the article published in his NGO’s website.
“The article was published on his NGO’s website. In addition, Ibrahim did not distance himself from the post and he did not take steps to remove the article,” said Sivarasa.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim’s lawyer Adnan Seman said that his client would be appealing against the sentencing, claiming that the former had no link to the website.
“It is not Perkasa’s official website and Ibrahim did not come up with the content. My client didn’t know about the content neither when it was produced.” he said.
UPDATED
PETALING JAYA: Perkasa president Ibrahim Ali was today found guilty of contempt of court over his NGO’s attack on Justice VT Singham early this year.Justice John Louis O’Hara sentenced him to one day jail and RM20,000 fine. This means he could be home by the end of office hours at 5pm today.
On Jan 8, Perkasa published an article penned by Zainuddin Salleh, which questioned Singham’s impartiality, his past judgments and also insinuated on his sexuality.
Zainuddin launched the attack against Singham as the latter was the presiding judge in the RM50 million defamation suit filed by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim against Utusan Malaysia.
Speaking on the matter, PKR lawyer Latheefa Koya said that they brought a committal proceedings against Ibrahim and article’s author for defaming Singham while the defamation suit was on-going.
“And today, Justice John Louis O’Hara found Ibrahim and Zainuddin guilty of contempt,” she said.
Zainuddin meanwhile was slapped with a four weeks jail term.
PKR legal counsel R Sivarasa said that in his verdict, Justice O’Hara described Perkasa’s outburst against Singham as an attack on judiciary’s integrity.
“O’Hara also said the criticism was very serious and scandalised the judiciary. On top of that, he also said that Perkasa was attempting to influence the outcome of the defamation suit by launching a personal attack against Singham,” said the Subang MP.
On why Ibrahim was also punished, Sivarasa said that the judge did not see the Perkasa chief distancing himself from the article published in his NGO’s website.
“The article was published on his NGO’s website. In addition, Ibrahim did not distance himself from the post and he did not take steps to remove the article,” said Sivarasa.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim’s lawyer Adnan Seman said that his client would be appealing against the sentencing, claiming that the former had no link to the website.
“It is not Perkasa’s official website and Ibrahim did not come up with the content. My client didn’t know about the content neither when it was produced.” he said.
MIC div chief: I’m still in the veep race
Johor Baru MIC division chief S Balakrishnan says he will not pull out from the vice-presidential race even if he is promised the state chief post.
PETALING JAYA: MIC vice-president aspirant S Balakrishnan said today he is not pulling out of the race despite speculation that he has been offered the Johor MIC chief post for staying away from the contest.
“There is no compromise and I will contest,” he told FMT when contacted.
Balakrishnan is one of eight candidates fighting for the three vice-president posts in party polls on Nov 30.
Others in the race are incumbents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, former youth chiefs SA Vickneswaran and T Mohan, party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh, former vice-president S Sothinathan and Bukit Bintang division leader James Selvarajah.
Since nominations on Nov 16, speculation is rife that a top party leader had offered the Johor MIC chief post to Balakrishnan if he withdrew from the race.
“I have heard about it, but it is not true. I do not see any reason to pull out as my chance of winning is bright.
“I am ready to contribute to the party and I am serious in my campaigns,” said the Johor Baru MIC division chief.
This is Balakrishnan’s second attempt for the post with the first in 2009, when he came in fourth.
At the 2009 party polls, Balakrishnan came in fourth behind Dr S Subramaniam (1,260 votes), SK Devamany (1,122 votes) and M Saravanan(1,030 votes). He managed a respectable 471 votes. Seven candidates contested the veep race then.
“Most of the delegates who voted in 2009 have been retained and I feel my chances are brighter this time,” he added.
Today is the last day for candidates to withdraw from contesting.
PETALING JAYA: MIC vice-president aspirant S Balakrishnan said today he is not pulling out of the race despite speculation that he has been offered the Johor MIC chief post for staying away from the contest.“There is no compromise and I will contest,” he told FMT when contacted.
Balakrishnan is one of eight candidates fighting for the three vice-president posts in party polls on Nov 30.
Others in the race are incumbents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, former youth chiefs SA Vickneswaran and T Mohan, party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh, former vice-president S Sothinathan and Bukit Bintang division leader James Selvarajah.
Since nominations on Nov 16, speculation is rife that a top party leader had offered the Johor MIC chief post to Balakrishnan if he withdrew from the race.
“I have heard about it, but it is not true. I do not see any reason to pull out as my chance of winning is bright.
“I am ready to contribute to the party and I am serious in my campaigns,” said the Johor Baru MIC division chief.
This is Balakrishnan’s second attempt for the post with the first in 2009, when he came in fourth.
At the 2009 party polls, Balakrishnan came in fourth behind Dr S Subramaniam (1,260 votes), SK Devamany (1,122 votes) and M Saravanan(1,030 votes). He managed a respectable 471 votes. Seven candidates contested the veep race then.
“Most of the delegates who voted in 2009 have been retained and I feel my chances are brighter this time,” he added.
Today is the last day for candidates to withdraw from contesting.
Hasina denies her citizens voted in GE13
The Bangladesh Prime Minister apparently shook her head in disbelief when told about the opposition's allegations.
DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denied Pakatan Rakyat’s claim that 40,000 of her people were involved and voted for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Malaysia’s 13th general election(GE13).
Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said during his meeting with Sheikh Hasina, the South Asian leader shook her head in disbelieve at the erroneous claim.
Najib also said if the claim that his visit to Bangladesh was to meet and thank those people for voting for the BN in the last general election, then his mission had failed as he did not meet any of the purported voters.
“Looks like this second mission has failed because I did not meet the 40,000 Bangladeshis who were said to have voted for the Barisan Nasional,” he told reporters after a bilateral meeting with the Bangladesh government here.
Najib said the Bangladesh prime minister further dismissed the claim as absurd as it was unlikely for Malaysia to accord citizenship to 40,000 Bangladeshis.
Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim while winding up the Budget 2014 Bill in the Dewan Rakyat charged the claim made by the opposition during the GE13 to be a big lie, stressing that only 12 Bangladeshis had acquired Malaysian citizenship in the past 10 years.
- Bernama
DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has denied Pakatan Rakyat’s claim that 40,000 of her people were involved and voted for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Malaysia’s 13th general election(GE13).Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said during his meeting with Sheikh Hasina, the South Asian leader shook her head in disbelieve at the erroneous claim.
Najib also said if the claim that his visit to Bangladesh was to meet and thank those people for voting for the BN in the last general election, then his mission had failed as he did not meet any of the purported voters.
“Looks like this second mission has failed because I did not meet the 40,000 Bangladeshis who were said to have voted for the Barisan Nasional,” he told reporters after a bilateral meeting with the Bangladesh government here.
Najib said the Bangladesh prime minister further dismissed the claim as absurd as it was unlikely for Malaysia to accord citizenship to 40,000 Bangladeshis.
Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Shahidan Kassim while winding up the Budget 2014 Bill in the Dewan Rakyat charged the claim made by the opposition during the GE13 to be a big lie, stressing that only 12 Bangladeshis had acquired Malaysian citizenship in the past 10 years.
- Bernama
‘Allah’ on police emblem: No fatwa to forbid non-Muslim cops
Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi says the police cap is gazetted under the law as part of the accessories for the police force.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: There is no fatwa forbidding non-Muslim cops from wearing the Selangor police cap which has the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Prophet Muhammad’ on it, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
“Non-Muslim policemen can wear the cap because it is not used for prayers,” Wan Junaidi said when asked to comment on the use of the cap by non-Muslim policemen in the state.
The words appear in Arabic on the top half of the emblem.
On Nov 14, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ruled that non-Muslims in Selangor could not use the word Allah even in their respective holy books.
The ruling came in the wake of a Court of Appeal’s decision on Oct 14 to bar Catholic weekly The Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in their Malay section.
This prompted questions on whether ‘Allah’ can be used by non -Muslims in other context such as in the state anthem.
Selangor mufti Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid on Nov 16 clarified that Muslims and non-Muslims alike could sing the state anthem that contained the word Allah for the well-being of the sultan.
Wan Junaidi said all police accessories, including the cap, was gazetted under the law for the policemen, regardless of their faith.
State police chief: Stop politicising
Meanwhile Selangor police chief, Deputy Commissioner Shukri Dahlan said that the Sultan Selangor’s decree has nothing to do with the police force.
He also explained that the badge and logo containing the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Mohammad’ have been integrated under the law.
Speaking briefly to FMT this afternoon, he said it was okay for his non-Muslim policemen to don the uniform and the badge.
“It has nothing to do with the police force, the logo and badge are under the law. It is totally acceptable for my men to wear it,” he said.
The senior police officer also urged everyone to stop politicising the issue and adviced them to respect the Sultan’s decree and the law.
“I hope that we all can stop playing with the issue. Police logo is under the law and it has nothing to do with the Sultan’s decree. On another note, do respect the Sultan’s statement,” he said.
“I have seen blogs that are currently playing up this issue. . I hope they stop politicising the issue as it would not bring any good to the country,” Shukri said.
UPDATED
KUALA LUMPUR: There is no fatwa forbidding non-Muslim cops from wearing the Selangor police cap which has the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Prophet Muhammad’ on it, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.“Non-Muslim policemen can wear the cap because it is not used for prayers,” Wan Junaidi said when asked to comment on the use of the cap by non-Muslim policemen in the state.
The words appear in Arabic on the top half of the emblem.
On Nov 14, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ruled that non-Muslims in Selangor could not use the word Allah even in their respective holy books.
The ruling came in the wake of a Court of Appeal’s decision on Oct 14 to bar Catholic weekly The Herald from using the word ‘Allah’ in their Malay section.
This prompted questions on whether ‘Allah’ can be used by non -Muslims in other context such as in the state anthem.
Selangor mufti Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid on Nov 16 clarified that Muslims and non-Muslims alike could sing the state anthem that contained the word Allah for the well-being of the sultan.
Wan Junaidi said all police accessories, including the cap, was gazetted under the law for the policemen, regardless of their faith.
State police chief: Stop politicising
Meanwhile Selangor police chief, Deputy Commissioner Shukri Dahlan said that the Sultan Selangor’s decree has nothing to do with the police force.
He also explained that the badge and logo containing the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Mohammad’ have been integrated under the law.
Speaking briefly to FMT this afternoon, he said it was okay for his non-Muslim policemen to don the uniform and the badge.
“It has nothing to do with the police force, the logo and badge are under the law. It is totally acceptable for my men to wear it,” he said.
The senior police officer also urged everyone to stop politicising the issue and adviced them to respect the Sultan’s decree and the law.
“I hope that we all can stop playing with the issue. Police logo is under the law and it has nothing to do with the Sultan’s decree. On another note, do respect the Sultan’s statement,” he said.
“I have seen blogs that are currently playing up this issue. . I hope they stop politicising the issue as it would not bring any good to the country,” Shukri said.
‘Najib’s CHOGM trip – to help Sri Lanka’
Najib's participation in CHOGM was justified by Deputy Foreign Minister Hamzah Zainuddin as Malaysia's efforts in assisting Sri Lanka resolve their problems.
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Foreign Minister Hamzah Zainuddin today justified Malaysia’s participation in the Commonwealth Head Of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) summit held in Sri Lanka as a method to resolve the problem plaguing the island state.
“Malaysia is part of a Commonwealth committee working together to push for balanced development. We have agreed to set this agenda as part of Sri Lanka’s post 2015 development.”
“It is about CHOGM in Sri Lanka not CHOGM on Sri Lanka,” he said.
Hamzah who is also Larut MP said this was the method used to resolve the Sri Lanka issues, post 2015.
He made the clarification during a committee level debate on development expenditure matters.
M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh – Barat) earlier questioned the government’s rationale for attending CHOGM despite calls from various parties for Malaysia to boycott the event.
The DAP leader asked whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had raised concerns and highlighted the issue of human rights violations to his Sri Lanka counterpart, President Mahendra Rajapakse, during CHOGM.
“Has the PM spoken about the human rights issues which is a core value of the Commonwealth?” he asked.
He said that apart from the 100,000 ehtnic Tamil minorities who were killed during the Sri Lankan civil war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan Army, over a period of 20 years. About 200,000 Malays and Muslim minorities were equally affected by the civil war in the northern region of the country.
The violation of human rights was highlighted by British Prime Minister David Cameron while Kenya and Canada proceeded to boycott the summit.
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Foreign Minister Hamzah Zainuddin today justified Malaysia’s participation in the Commonwealth Head Of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) summit held in Sri Lanka as a method to resolve the problem plaguing the island state.“Malaysia is part of a Commonwealth committee working together to push for balanced development. We have agreed to set this agenda as part of Sri Lanka’s post 2015 development.”
“It is about CHOGM in Sri Lanka not CHOGM on Sri Lanka,” he said.
Hamzah who is also Larut MP said this was the method used to resolve the Sri Lanka issues, post 2015.
He made the clarification during a committee level debate on development expenditure matters.
M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh – Barat) earlier questioned the government’s rationale for attending CHOGM despite calls from various parties for Malaysia to boycott the event.
The DAP leader asked whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak had raised concerns and highlighted the issue of human rights violations to his Sri Lanka counterpart, President Mahendra Rajapakse, during CHOGM.
“Has the PM spoken about the human rights issues which is a core value of the Commonwealth?” he asked.
He said that apart from the 100,000 ehtnic Tamil minorities who were killed during the Sri Lankan civil war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan Army, over a period of 20 years. About 200,000 Malays and Muslim minorities were equally affected by the civil war in the northern region of the country.
The violation of human rights was highlighted by British Prime Minister David Cameron while Kenya and Canada proceeded to boycott the summit.
PAS at a Crossroads
This weekend’s elections for the top posts in PAS will reveal many things about the Islamist party. Are they a serious alternative for Malays and Malaysians or are they just a group of ideologues with no real prospect for government besides in the state of Kelantan?If incumbent deputy president Mohamad Sabu and his friends win well, and especially if the three incumbent Vice Presidents—Datuk Paduka Husam Musa, Datuk Mahfuz Omar and Salahuddin Ayub—are returned to their posts, then I will be reasonably confident that the party has a future in galvanising the democratic and moderate forces of the country.
On the other hand, their defeat will mean that right-wing conservatives in PAS may coalesce and join forces with those outside the party, particularly UMNO, to further the cause of extremist politics in Malaysia.
The forthcoming PAS elections will be a day of reckoning for the party, for the Malays and for Malaysia. Some observers have pointed out that the resurgence of PAS conservatives is a result of the defeat of party moderates at the recent General Election. This, say observers, is why delegates will abandon the moderates at the party polls and opt for the ulama faction. They also say that widespread talk of implementing hudud is a sign of the growing influence of the conservative faction.
It will be most disappointing if the conservatives prevail. UMNO will then have no reason to return to a moderate and progressive Malay-Muslim political platform, as some expected after the General Election.
Indeed I believe that the DNA of UMNO has totally mutated and it has become a completely different species from the original party that was founded 55 years ago and led by our first three Prime Ministers. The fact that the MCA, Gerakan, the MIC and other parties in East Malaysia are still attached to UMNO does not in any way indicate that they are real partners in Malaysian politics today.
Thus, the space for a moderate and progressive Islamic party is there for the taking. There is room for PAS to make new friends and build new alliances in addition to those they already have in the Pakatan Rakyat. If PAS were to opt for more practical and pragmatic politics and policies, they will fill the void by making it easier for others to work with them.
The first step towards greater acceptance must involve putting an end to using hudud as a tactic to scare people. PAS leaders know that this aspect of shariah law does not resonate in Malaysia and will not be implemented, whether by PAS or by UMNO, in the near future. We are not Brunei where the views of the many do not count. So why give Middle Malaysia no choice but to support the so-called “moderate” UMNO when UMNO has become extreme beyond recognition?
PAS leaders need only address the real issues of the rakyat and champion the cause of the people in order to make the party an acceptable alternative to UMNO. PAS leaders should remember the advice of Dr Burhanuddin Helmi, Tan Sri Asri Muda and Datuk Fadzil Noor, that uplifting Muslim life in economics and education is the only way to create a just Muslim society. As such, the structure and forms of the Islamic State, with its attendant ideologies such as hudud, do not enrich or empower Muslims and do not deserve priority when so much more can and must be done.
Malaysia today is desperately in need of a Malay-Muslim party that addresses the needs and hopes of the common people. The young need jobs. Those with jobs need good pay. Those who have gone to university need regular incomes to repay their student loans. The list goes on and on, and the country deserves a fairer party in power than UMNO. PAS has the potential to be this party if it can offer reforms in all walks of life to improve the lot of ordinary Malaysians of all creeds and colours.
I think that it will be easy for PAS to gain support and increase its parliamentary representation if it can convince Malaysians that it is not as narrow-minded and extremist as UMNO. PAS must develop models whereby Muslims can be shining examples to others, which is a practice demanded by the Holy Book anyway.
Harakah is already more moderate than Utusan, and this in a small way shows that PAS is acceptable to the middle class. There is no need to outdo UMNO in extremism and conservatism to gain the support of Malays in UMNO. PAS should look at the wider marketplace and should cease quarrelling with PKR about who has the right to stand in Malay constituencies.
A new image and more moderate credentials will open up new opportunities for PAS in the many mixed areas of the country. On the other hand, if PAS goes to bed with the UMNO right wing, they might get two seats in the Cabinet, some titles and a share of the political funds—but the party will disappear soon after. PAS delegates must decide if they want political power for the long term or some peanuts and ice cream from Putrajaya.
Many PAS members are highly educated professionals. They should spread the new wave of thinking that democracy and human rights are consistent with, and indeed demanded by, Islam. How differently they will sound from UMNO and other organisations such as ISMA and JAKIM!
PAS should bring fresh ideas to the people, gathered from the writings of Islamic scholars and historians, and even from the hadith sahih of the Prophet himself. They must do what UMNO is too lazy or incompetent to do, and if they succeed, I am sure a large segment of the Malaysian electorate will flock to this revitalised Islamic party.
There are many Islamic parties around the world and quite a few of these can serve as examples of good governance. Whatever the case, PAS should not opt for sermons and popular preachers without offering practical solutions to the people.
Finally, I call on PAS delegates to be brave. UMNO has too much to lose (in terms of business and positions) to effect any meaningful change in the country. Their idea of bravery is to support groups like Perkasa and ISMA, who only know how to threaten and humiliate others through fliers and other cowardly means.
UMNO will not stand up for the rakyat when the interests of the higher-ups are at stake. They will cower in the face of “sensitive issues” but PAS does not carry this burden. The country desperately needs a PAS, and it will come down to PAS delegates to make the giant leap forward.
Do not be afraid of change. PAS has nothing to lose and everything to gain by being what UMNO is now unable to become. PAS might lose some ulama in the process, but it stands the chance of gaining the entire country together with the Pakatan Rakyat.
India’s Gold Industry Loses its Sparkle
The average world gold price has fallen by 20 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, to an average US$1,326 per ounce from US$1,652 in October 2012. Prices have been declining in each quarter of 2013. But not in India.
Grappling with a high trade deficit and a weak rupee, India imposed a series of measures earlier this year to crimp demand for the metal – the second biggest item on its import bill after oil. It introduced a record 10 percent duty on gold imports and tied the volume of imports to exports, making it more difficult and expensive for gold to be sold to domestic markets. Imports shriveled from a record 162 tonnes in May to 24 tonnes in October.
Indians are estimated to hold close to 25,000 tonnes of gold personally. At the current price, that represents US$1.25 trillion in value terms. By the end of FY13, India will be a US$2-trillion economy, meaning that the gold stock represents over 50 percent of the economy. An official with the All India Gems & Jewelry Trade Federation points out that the $1.25-trillion value of physical gold as “dormant savings” which are not put to productive use towards investment and capital formation.
“If even 10 percent of these dormant gold savings are woken up, it would represent resources of Rs7 trillion (US$125 billion) - which is more than this year's gross borrowing by the government,” says the official.
The central bank also restricted banks to imports on a consignment basis only to meet the needs of exporters of gold jewelry, thus limiting the supply of the yellow metal through this channel for domestic use. This was done under the so-called 80/20 principle under which jewelry exporters get priority for supplies over domestic manufacturers. The principle states that 20 percent of all gold imported into India must be re-exported.
Gold imports virtually dried up after the federal government enforced the rule, creating confusion among government officials on its implementation and halting shipments for about two months.
The raw materials crunch, plummeting demand and the decision by major jewelers like PC Jewellers, TBZ, Tanishq and Gitanjali to curb gold sales and reduce head count, has imperiled the future of industry workers.
Ram Behari, 43, a third generation gold retailer in New Delhi’s crowded Kinari Bazaar, is a disenchanted man these days. His 18 sq meter shop in the walled city area with glassed-in wall displays, showcasing intricately-designed gold ornaments, has barely had any customers in the past three days.
This is ominous as the period from October to February traditionally marks the peak business period for the trade, encompassing as it does the biggest Hindu festival of Diwali coupled with the onset of the Big Fat Indian wedding season.
“Earlier at this time, my shop used to be bustling with buyers,” Behari said. “There were times when I didn’t get to go home before 2 am. But now, for smaller traders like me, it’s becoming a struggle to even stay afloat.”
"Our work has virtually stopped now. There is a huge premium of 7 percent on global prices. We can’t afford to buy gold at such high prices," added Veer Bose proprietor of Swarn Kamal, a wholesaler in Kolkata.
More than 500,000 gold artisans, craftsmen and salesmen have lost their jobs across the country since June, according to industry estimates. Worse, more than 50 percent of the gold industry workforce – an astonishing million-odd workers could further become jobless if the government’s decision to discourage gold import continues.
Adding to the complexity of the situation is the plummeting demand in the domestic market for gold jewelry due to the emergence of alternate investment options like gold exchange-traded funds, gold coins and bullion.
Due to stringent strictures on gold imports, and the suppressed domestic demand, India might even lose its crown as the world's biggest consumer of the precious metal to China, the World Gold Council said recently. The producer-funded industry body cut its forecast for demand from India in 2013 to around 900 tonnes from the 1,000 tonnes predicted previously.
Based on the World Gold Council’s third-quarter report, demand from India so far this year has totaled 714.7 tonnes, lower than mainland China's 779.6 tonnes. Demand from China has jumped nearly 40 percent this year.
"There are no supplies in the domestic market, and there is a little demand due to festivals... what little supplies that come, go to exporters," Bachhraj Bamalwa, director at the All India Gems and Jewelry Trade Federation told the media.
Few traders are convinced that the government’s approach to restrict gold imports will resolve matters. Rather, they point out, it is working adversely. While gold consumption has increased, shortage has been simultaneously created due to short supply, said regional chairman of Gems and Jewelry Federation Mitesh Khimji. “The hike in import duty will not only render more artisans jobless following the crisis in the industry but also promote smuggling of yellow metal,” he added.
More collateral damage has been a surge in gold smuggling. Illegal imports of gold have been on the rise in India in recent years. Last year, 102 tonnes of gold made its way into India through unofficial routes, said a Thomson Reuters report. The flow could spiral up to 140 tonnes this year, an increase of 40 percent, the report said.
The WGC has also warned that gold was finding its way into India through unofficial channels. "Gold entering the country unofficially through India's porous borders helped to meet pent-up local demand, together with an influx of recycled gold that was drawn out by higher prices and promotions offered by retailers," the World Gold Council said in its quarterly report.
Khimji points out that recent policy measures will further paralyze the industry and put artisans out of jobs and manufacturers out of business as there will be no gold available in the market.
Traders say it isn’t necessary to reduce consumption as all such past experiments have proved futile. On the contrary this leads to an augmented consumption by domestic buyers as purchases are brought forward and an artificial shortage is created due to slow supplies.
In a white paper submitted to the Finance Ministry earlier this year, the jewelers' federation suggested various means to help reduce the need of imports since consumption cannot be curtailed anyway as supplies will find their ways into the domestic market.
Plummeting demand from India could further pressure global prices,. which have plunged 24 percent this year on fears the US Federal Reserve would cut its economic stimulus.
(Neeta Lal is a New Delhi-based senior journalist; neetalal@hotmail.com)
IBAHRI Commonwealth Conference in Sri Lanka cancelled
As reproduced from here.
13/11/2013
Following the Sri Lankan authorities’ action last week of revoking visas for speakers of an
International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) delegation to attend the conference ‘Making Commonwealth Values a Reality’, the event has now been cancelled.
The
co-hosted IBAHRI and Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Conference,
scheduled to take place on 13 November 2013 in Sri Lanka’s capital,
Colombo, ahead of the start of the three-day Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM), will now instead take the form of a press
conference in Thailand.
In collaboration with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the IBAHRI will host a press conference at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club
in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday 14 November 2013 (10h30 – 12h00 (ICT);
03h30 – 05h00 (GMT); 09h00 – 10h30 (IST)). The event will be streamed
live via this link
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/fcct-live to the international community and will include a specially recorded message from the UN Special Rapporteur Gabriela Knaul. Speakers Will include Dato’ Param Cumaraswamy, barrister and first United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers; Sadakat Kadri, barrister and IBAHRI 2013 Sri Lanka mission rapporteur; and Alex Wilks, IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer. Sheila Varadan, International Legal Advisor, South Asia Programme, ICJ, will chair.
Mark Ellis, International Bar Association (IBA) Executive Director said, ‘It
is extremely disappointing, although not surprising, that the
Government of Sri Lanka would revoke previously issued visas in order to
prevent open debate. The salient question is why block a conference
intended to enrich the CHOGM discussions?’ He added, ‘The cancelled
Conference presented a valuable opportunity to discuss the role of the
Commonwealth in upholding the rule of law today. The Sri Lankan
Government’s actions highlight the pressing and urgent need for the
Commonwealth to be reformed so that it can engage meaningfully on human
rights and the rule of law.’
More
than 200 lawyers and diplomats were registered to attend the joint
IBAHRI and BASL Conference to discuss the rule of law and the
independence of the judiciary in the Commonwealth as a whole and to
contribute to, and inform, the discussions of Commonwealth officials,
diplomats and civil society members during the CHOGM. However,
government actions created a hostile environment making it impossible to
hold a fruitful exchange on Commonwealth values.
Sternford Moyo, IBAHRI Co-Chair commented, ‘In
view of recent Sri Lankan government statements to the media and the
current climate in the country, the IBAHRI fully understands and
supports the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’s decision to cancel the
Conference. Further, we consider any criticism directed at the Bar
Association of Sri Lanka for planning to co-host the Conference to be
reprehensible.’
ENDS
Notes to the Editor
130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504191 - Gabriela Knaul130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504192 - Paramasothi Cumaraswamy130826PG1218467 - 130826PM1504189 - Alexander Jeffrey Wilks
sheila.varadan@icj.org
For further information please contact:
Romana St. Matthew - Daniel
Press Office
International Bar Association
Mobile: +44 (0)7940 731 915
Direct Line: +44 (0)20 7842 0094
Main Office: +44 (0)20 7842 0090
Fax:+44 (0)20 7842 0091
E-mail: romana.daniel@int-bar.org
Website: www.ibanet.org
Kit Siang questions how Ambank guard got MyKad
The Sun Daily
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18, 2013): Gelang Patah DAP MP Lim Kit Siang today questioned how the security guard in the AmBank officer murder case received a MyKad which enabled him to work in the bank.
Lim said it is rather disturbing on how the suspect, who is a Sulawesi native, managed to circumvent the country’s security system in securing a MyKad.
“How can this person get a MyKad, and even if the MyKad is fake, how can he be allowed to open up a bank account, receive monthly salary and in fact be given a firearm license by the Home Ministry?
“Did this person also vote in the 13th General Election? Is it because the owner of the security firm is a crony of the ruling party?
“How many foreigners have enjoyed these privileges?” he questioned during his speech at the committee stage of the Budget 2014 debate in Parliament today.
The DAP stalwart also said such system has caused states such as Sabah and Sarawak to lose its sovereignty as it seems so easy for foreigners to obtain a MyKad and take over the economy.
“This directly effects the stability and the nation’s security. This also infringes the rights of the people of Sabah who live in such a rich state but are still poor,” said Lim.
Lim also congratulated the police for arresting the suspect and hopes that justice will be served.
It was reported that the main suspect in the AmBank officer murder case, who was detained on Nov 10 in Kampung Belungkor, Kota Tinggi, Johor, will be charged in court soon.
In the October 23 incident, Norazita Abu Talib, 37, was shot dead by a security guard as she was opening a safe in the bank’s vault, before he escaped with RM450,000 in cash.
On November 11, police found a pump gun believed to be the murder weapon in a drain at Jalan Subang 2, Subang Industrial Park, not far from the bank.
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18, 2013): Gelang Patah DAP MP Lim Kit Siang today questioned how the security guard in the AmBank officer murder case received a MyKad which enabled him to work in the bank.
Lim said it is rather disturbing on how the suspect, who is a Sulawesi native, managed to circumvent the country’s security system in securing a MyKad.
“How can this person get a MyKad, and even if the MyKad is fake, how can he be allowed to open up a bank account, receive monthly salary and in fact be given a firearm license by the Home Ministry?
“Did this person also vote in the 13th General Election? Is it because the owner of the security firm is a crony of the ruling party?
“How many foreigners have enjoyed these privileges?” he questioned during his speech at the committee stage of the Budget 2014 debate in Parliament today.
The DAP stalwart also said such system has caused states such as Sabah and Sarawak to lose its sovereignty as it seems so easy for foreigners to obtain a MyKad and take over the economy.
“This directly effects the stability and the nation’s security. This also infringes the rights of the people of Sabah who live in such a rich state but are still poor,” said Lim.
Lim also congratulated the police for arresting the suspect and hopes that justice will be served.
It was reported that the main suspect in the AmBank officer murder case, who was detained on Nov 10 in Kampung Belungkor, Kota Tinggi, Johor, will be charged in court soon.
In the October 23 incident, Norazita Abu Talib, 37, was shot dead by a security guard as she was opening a safe in the bank’s vault, before he escaped with RM450,000 in cash.
On November 11, police found a pump gun believed to be the murder weapon in a drain at Jalan Subang 2, Subang Industrial Park, not far from the bank.
Malaysia Wants To Improve Broadband Quality Especially In Rural Areas
By Minggu Simon Lhasa
BANGKOK, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia not only wants to achieve 100 per cent penetration rate for Internet services, but also targets to improve the quality of the services, especially in rural areas.
"If possible, the country wants to achieve 100 per cent broadband penetration rate compared with 67 per cent currently, and for the next level, quality will be the main agenda in its broadband development for all," said Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said this in an interview with Bernama on the sidelines of the ITU Telecom World 2013 which opens here Tuesday.
In the next few years, the government has targeted Internet speed for residential in rural areas to be at 4-10 megabit per second (Mbps), he said, which in his view was still not satisfactory.
The suitable speed in the future, he said, is at 40-50 Mbps for residential but for schools and others, the speed needed to be faster.
He said to achieve the agenda, the present model is via cooperation between the government and the private sector, and secondly, was to find ways to ensure that the private sector don't think of building infrastructure only in places where they think is profitable.
The other model was to find new technology so that it is cost-effective, he said.
He said the thinking should also change in that broadband is not a luxury infrastructure but a necessity.
He said Malaysia's efforts in expanding the use of broadband had become an example among the community at the international level.
For instance, Malaysia has utilised the Universal Service Provider (USP) fund to build telecommunication towers in rural areas which received less attention from telecommunication companies as they are seen as less profitable, he said.
BANGKOK, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia not only wants to achieve 100 per cent penetration rate for Internet services, but also targets to improve the quality of the services, especially in rural areas.
"If possible, the country wants to achieve 100 per cent broadband penetration rate compared with 67 per cent currently, and for the next level, quality will be the main agenda in its broadband development for all," said Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said this in an interview with Bernama on the sidelines of the ITU Telecom World 2013 which opens here Tuesday.
In the next few years, the government has targeted Internet speed for residential in rural areas to be at 4-10 megabit per second (Mbps), he said, which in his view was still not satisfactory.
The suitable speed in the future, he said, is at 40-50 Mbps for residential but for schools and others, the speed needed to be faster.
He said to achieve the agenda, the present model is via cooperation between the government and the private sector, and secondly, was to find ways to ensure that the private sector don't think of building infrastructure only in places where they think is profitable.
The other model was to find new technology so that it is cost-effective, he said.
He said the thinking should also change in that broadband is not a luxury infrastructure but a necessity.
He said Malaysia's efforts in expanding the use of broadband had become an example among the community at the international level.
For instance, Malaysia has utilised the Universal Service Provider (USP) fund to build telecommunication towers in rural areas which received less attention from telecommunication companies as they are seen as less profitable, he said.
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