Acid attack: Two women burned by husbands

The man, 90, had suspected that his [young] wife was having an illicit relationship, said Police. PHOTO: FILE

BAHAWALPUR / MULTAN: An elderly man was arrested on Sunday for throwing…

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The man, 90, had suspected that his [young] wife was having an illicit relationship, said Police. PHOTO: FILE

BAHAWALPUR / MULTAN: An elderly man was arrested on Sunday for throwing acid at his wife.

The woman was taken to the rural health centre, where she was said to be out of danger. Doctors treating her said her chest had been affected.

Police said they were told that Ghulam Qadir, a resident of Taranda Muhammad Panah, was suffering from a psychological disorder.

They said his wife had died a decade ago. A few years ago, they said, he married a young widow from the same village. Police quoted some neighbours as saying that Qadir suspected that his wife was having an illicit relationship. They said he often beat her and would stop after some neighbours’ intervention.

On Sunday, police said, some neighbours heard the woman’s cries. When they rushed to her rescue, they found that Qadir had thrown acid at her.

Police were called and Qadir was arrested. Police said they were investigating the matter.

“Burned for giving birth to a girl”

A woman was burned with acid allegedly by her husband apparently for giving birth to a girl, who their relatives said was thrown into a canal. The relatives told the police that the man told them that his wife had had a still birth.

The woman was taken to Nishtar Hospital in Multan where doctors said she had 60 per cent burns. They said she would likely survive.

The assailant fled and has been missing.

Police said the 22-year-old Saiqa Bibi* of Jinnah Colony in Jahanian had married Muhammad Alam, 24, a daily wager.

Saiqa Bibi told police that Alam had been quarreling with her since the day he discovered that she was pregnant with a girl. She said he often beat her publicly. She said he had wanted a son.

On Sunday, she said, shortly after she gave birth to a girl, he told the midwife to leave.

She said he took the newborn with him and returned a few hours later without it. He told them that the baby was dead and that he had thrown it in the Lower Bari Canal in Chak 10-R.

She said when she started shouting, he threw a jug full of acid at her that he had brought with him. He fled.

She said some neighbours rushed to help her and took her to the tehsil headquarters hospital, from where she was sent to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. Doctors treating her said her face was unharmed. They said her chest, abdomen and arms had been burned.

Khalida Bibi, an aunt of the woman, told police that she was at the house when Alam took the baby and attacked his wife.

She said he had taken the child as soon as it was born. She said she was not sure if the child was alive or not. “It wasn’t crying,” she said.

Jahanian SHO Asim Shaheen said the police were looking for Alam and the midwife. He said rescuers had been asked to look for the baby in the canal.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2013.

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Kedah issues stop-work order on relic site

The Kedah state government has ordered the housing developer involved in the demolition of several 8th century heritage site temple remnants known as Candi Sungai Batu or Bujang Valley site…

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The Kedah state government has ordered the housing developer involved in the demolition of several 8th century heritage site temple remnants known as Candi Sungai Batu or Bujang Valley site 11, to stop development at the site immediately.

Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir said the developer was asked to stop work immediately after a request made by Kedah exco member Tajul Urus Md Zain today.

"I cannot comment further because I need the full report of what happened there. I will have a meeting to find out what actually happened because there seem to be two versions of what happened in Sungai Batu and I want to get the actual picture myself," he said.

The Bujang Valley is an archeological site and excavation had revealed jetty remains, iron-smelting areas and a clay-brick monument dating back 110AD, making it the oldest man-made structure to be recorded in South-east Asia, said a report.

It is said to be the most important entry port before Melaka (15th century) and Singapore (19th century) as the Bujang Valley was believed to be a transit point for Arab nations, India and China.

Mukhriz who officially opened the 'New Seasons Ward' at the Kedah Medical Centre (KMC) in Alor Setar today was asked to comment on the outrage of netizens after a tomb temple was destroyed by a developer.

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said the state government which owns 46 percent share of KMC had spent RM3 million to upgrade the New Seasons Ward at the 7th floor of the hospital with 28 beds, including a VVIP room.

He added that such investment was necessary to cater for the growing demand for quality service and privacy.

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MIC leader: How can you sell history?

An MIC leader is shocked that the Kedah state government sold the land that housed ancient Hindu temples and wants the state administration to repurchase it.

"Can the present state…

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An MIC leader is shocked that the Kedah state government sold the land that housed ancient Hindu temples and wants the state administration to repurchase it.

"Can the present state government disclose when it was sold?

"Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government? In any event, it is unpardonable, no matter which government did it," said S Murugesan (right).

The MIC central working committee member said Bujang Valley is a historical and archaeological site that is even older than the Malacca Sultanate.

"What were they thinking of when they sold the land to a developer?" Murugesan asked.

He also said he was not convinced by Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed any time soon.

"Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and it is part of our history and heritage.

"Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who made the decision," Murugesan added.

He urged the menteri besar to repurchase the land and ensure that the area remains a historical site that belongs to all Malaysians.

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Poultry traders cry foul over slaughter ban

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has been urged to suspend the ban on poultry slaughtering at the Pudu wet market until the new centralised abattoir at Desa Tun Razak is…

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Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has been urged to suspend the ban on poultry slaughtering at the Pudu wet market until the new centralised abattoir at Desa Tun Razak is completed.

At a press conference today, Pudu Hawkers and Petty Traders Association president Jeff Tan said traders are unable to adhere to the ban, which comes into effect on Jan 1, without the new abattoir.

Compounding the issue further was the fact that DBKL has yet to inform the traders of the completion date for the new abattoir and Tan said little was currently known about the facilities to be provided.

"They ordered us to cease slaughtering, but never informed us when the the new abattoir will begin operation. Where should we do our poultry slaughtering? In our homes?

"We want this ban to be suspended until the abattoir is ready. We are not certain how the abattoir will function. We want to know there will be transparency in its management," Tan said.

Poultry traders were issued with notices in September and November, informing them that poultry slaughtering could no longer be carried out at the Pudu wet market, for reasons of hygiene.

A monopoly in the offing?

Tan warned that if the order was not rescinded and put off until the abattoir was completed, the livelihoods of many poultry traders would be affected.

Meanwhile, Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai said he had written two letters to DBKL, on Nov 8 and Nov 29, to urge the city council to suspend the poultry slaughter ban and urged it to consult the hawkers involved.

"I want to ensure that the proposed abattoir is managed transparently, will have a fair distribution and cost to the hawker traders. I do not want this to be monopolised by any crony out there," said Kok Wai, who is the association's adviser.

He also dismissed DBKL's claim that the poultry slaughtering techniques currently in practise by the hawkers are unhygienic, noting that the current practise has not changed for decades.

Putrajaya has considered banning the slaughter of poultry in markets following the outbreak of the the H5N1 virus in 2005, not no action has been taken on this since then.

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Explain 'cultural barbarism', Najib, MB told

Describing the destruction of an ancient Hindu temple in Kedah as nothing short of “cultural barbarism”, an opposition MP has called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Menteri Besar…

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Describing the destruction of an ancient Hindu temple in Kedah as nothing short of “cultural barbarism”, an opposition MP has called on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir to break their silence on the matter.

Padang Serai MP N Surendran (left) said the nation is stunned by the destruction of the ancient temple structure dating from the 8th century in the historic Bujang Valley archaelogical site.

“The destruction, carried out by a private developer, is an act of cultural barbarism, comparable to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban.

“It is a shame and embarrassment to our country,” added the PKR vice-president.

Bujang Valley, said Surendran, is the most important archaeological site in Malaysia, and is famed throughout Southeast Asia.

The destroyed Candi Number 11, he added, was a tangible part of Malaysian history and invaluable to the nation.

“It is simply incomprehensible that the area was not gazetted as a historical site. How could the federal government and Kedah government allow this to happen?” he asked.

'What's the use of Culture and Tourism Ministry?'
Surendran also took the state government to task for its excuse that the land was privately owned, calling this “pathetic and unacceptable”.

“Why did the Kedah state authorities give the necessary approvals for development to proceed, knowing full well that the area is historically significant?

“The Kedah government and authorities have displayed breathtaking irresponsibility and cultural philistinism in allowing the development to proceed,” he added.

The federal government, he said, also has a positive duty to ensure that historically significant sites are preserved.

“What is the use of having a Ministry of Culture and Tourism if the nation's heritage is so easily destroyed for private profit? How do we answer for this cultural vandalism to future generations of Malaysians?” he added.

The PKR leader called on the Kedah government and the federal government to take urgent and effective steps to protect the Lembah Bujang archaeological site.

“We demand that the state government immediately issues a stop work order for the development projects at the site.

“We further call  for the urgent preservation of the debris and wreckage of Candi No 11 with a view towards repair and full restoration.

“Meanwhile both Najib and Mukhriz must break their silence on this matter. The people are entitled to an explanation,” he added.

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Kedah to get 'experts' to probe ruins before acting

Amid the outcry over alleged destruction of ancient ruins in Kedah's Bujang Valley, the state said it will act only after engaging experts to probe the claims.

The state's arts,…

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Amid the outcry over alleged destruction of ancient ruins in Kedah's Bujang Valley, the state said it will act only after engaging experts to probe the claims.

The state's arts, culture and heritage committee chairperson Aminuddin Omar told Malaysiakini that they are bringing in experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to investigate the priceless archeological site.

Aminuddin said the state government was aware of the situation but needed experts to investigate the site before any action could be taken.

"Both Tanjong Dawai assemblyperson Tajul Urus Mat Zain and USM academic staff will meet up to identify the exact area involved and its focal point," he said when contacted yesterday.

Aminuddin said that Bujang Valley comprises a huge land area which could not be completely gazetted as a heritage area.

He was responding to questions on the destruction of the remnants of a 8th century Hindu temple in Bujang Valley, known as Candi Sungai Batu.

Some groups are appealing to the state government to recognise the historical significance of the site as it is a sign of early civilization in what is now known as Merbok, Kedah.

In an oil palm estate

Meanwhile, Tajul Urus told Malaysiakini that the location of the demolished heritage site was situated on private land.

"We will identify if any candi was demolished (as reported). I drove by the said area, and I only saw an oil palm plantation.

"We will get the archaeologist to look into this," Tajul Urus said, while sounding a bit sceptical.

Tajul Urus said he will try his best to have the site preserved if the veracity of the claims were confirmed, adding that there are numerous ancient temple ruins throughout the Bujang, Merbok and Semeling districts.
Proposed funding from federal gov’t or Unesco

Meanwhile, The Star reports that Kedah exco member for Religion, Indian and Siamese Community Affairs Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid had said that the housing developer could have deliberately failed to inform Sungai Petani Municipal Council about the presence of the candi structure within its development plan.

In expressing disappointment over news reports that the Candi Sungai Batu had been demolished, he said the developer could have neglected to inform the officers over the candi’s location and the officers themselves could have overlooked its significance.

Mohd Rawi said it may need huge amounts of fund as Lembah Bujang covers a vast area containing about 50 candis.

“The state government wanted to protect such heritage monuments and I will propose to the Kedah exco that a special allocation be provided by the federal government or through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) so steps can  be taken to purchase back the land with the heritage sites.

“If we want to block everything, we need to buy it (the land) back,” said the Kedah exco member. 

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Has MIC no more energy to assert its position in BN?

ANALYSIS Having postponed its party elections in order to accommodate the hotly-contested 13th general election last May, MIC now stands at the crossroads, appearing to have run out of ammunition…

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ANALYSIS Having postponed its party elections in order to accommodate the hotly-contested 13th general election last May, MIC now stands at the crossroads, appearing to have run out of ammunition to assert its strength within the BN coalition - as evidenced at its annual general meeting in Malacca yesterday.

The party delegates did not miss the chance to openly express their worries about the "cold shoulder" Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak gave them when launching their AGM.

Contrary to the handouts and programmes Najib constantly dolled out to Indians before GE13, the prime minister this time around did not have any cheerful announcements to make at the MIC event, despite explicit requests from party president G Palanivel in his speech just before Najib's address.

In fact, Najib took time taking sly shots at MIC leaders, at varying degrees, in his speech. First, he said that MIC could not claim to be the best party representing Indians in this country unless it earned the overwhelming trust of the community at the grassroots level.

He called for the party to have more professionals as its grassroots leaders, and even called for a show of results and implementation before he would consider increasing allocations, as requested by the party.

'Account for all the money allocated'

The prime minister is now asking MIC to account for all the money that Najib purportedly has allocated to Indians via the party's coffers.

Whether Palanivel and his team of leaders will actually take the pains to show these results to the PM and convince him that their programmes delivered the right results is beyond anyone's knowledge.

But one thing was certain: the party leaders did not take pains to explain to their own delegates as to how they spent these allocations specifically, instead of just dolling out numbers, time and again, and claiming that their programmes benefited "many" Indians.

The delegates in their brief, often interrupted speeches, displayed the kind of rupture in the party structure.

Many asked where the money had gone to, many expressed disappointment with the PM, even more said that the party needed to be more assertive on Indian issues, and quite a few spent their time talking about money politics that affected the elections.

Palanivel claimed pride yesterday in conducting what he claimed to a clean and transparent party election, and he used the fact that 40 percent of the central working committee and vice-presidents posts experienced changes in this party elections to drive home this point.

While change is welcome in a party that increasingly looks like a junior party and is largely silent on issues pertaining to the very community it claims to represent, any real change in direction will not take place unless there is an overhaul in the top leadership of the MIC.

The 40 percent changes is irrelevant, unless the president and deputy president's posts are contested.

Allegations of money politics will always to surface, but watching delegates feeding RM50 notes to one another, while claiming that a candidate had channelled this money to the recipient, smacks of a party that has not even matured beyond the ad-hoc value of delegates' votes.

Campaigning with eight pretty models displaying their sarees, textile giant R Raghu Moorthy stormed to first place in the CWC elections.

Attracted by quirky campaigning methods

And the MIC delegates seemed to know more about a candidate through their quirky campaigning methods instead of knowing about them through word of mouth, or having any real knowledge about the candidate's grassroots connections and leadership potential.

While leadership change makes it seem like a fruitful election, the almost comical way with which the election was conducted, with bad handling of the media, and even their own delegates, says a lot about the unity in the party, post the general election.

Media personnel were initially only provided two measly tables to work on, before the room was expanded, and were not even provided with a monitor to watch the speeches and the voting process from their work stations, leaving them to fight out with delegates to get a decent peek at the stage.

Delegates who did not know where and how to vote simply flooded the hotel lobby, hardly leaving any space for the other hotel visitors to get to the concierge.

And when there was no handout from Prime Minister Najib to cheer on, all that was left for the delegates was to have a go at their own newly-elected leaders on the party's past and future directions.

When there is no money, the crack in MIC is so painfully obvious to the anybody who chances by the AGM venue. When the party can't represent its own interests within the BN coalition, how can it claim to represent the Indians out there who need real, genuine help?

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‘Demolished temple site for Unesco listing’

Historian describes the demolition of ancient several temples sites in Bujang Valley as shameful and unforgivable.

PETALING JAYA: The ancient temple area in Bujang Valley, Kedah, has been submitted to…

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Historian describes the demolition of ancient several temples sites in Bujang Valley as shameful and unforgivable.

PETALING JAYA: The ancient temple area in Bujang Valley, Kedah, has been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site and it is shameful and unforgivable to demolish the structures before the listing.

Penang Heritage Trust honorary secretary Clement Liang slammed the Kedah government today for “carelessly letting a private developer destroy heritage sites”.

“I cannot believe it. This is unforgivable. Why are they allowing the developer destroy the sites when they should do everything to save it,” Liang told FMT today.

“Any other country will not do such a thing. We cannot feel proud for what we have done,” he said.

Liang said Bujang Valley “is a very important archeological site” and had been submitted to Unesco to be certified as a World Heritage site.

“However, before Unesco can certify it, we have disqualified ourselves first,” he said.

“It’s so disappointing. I feel we don’t deserve to be listed,” he added.

MIC central working committee member S Murugesan expressed shock over the Kedah state government’s decision to sell land upon which the Bujang Valley temple was situated on.

“Can the present state government disclose when it was sold? Was it done by the previous PAS government or the present BN government?” he asked.

“In any event, it is unpardonable no matter which government did it,” he said in a press statement.

Murugesan disclosed he was not convinced by Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir’s assurance that the land would not be developed anytime soon.

“Bujang Valley belongs to all Malaysians and its part of our history and heritage. Selling it to a private company shows the short-sightedness and insensitivity of those who took the decision.

“I call upon the present MB to buy back the land and ensure that the the historical site belonged to all Malaysians,” he added.

No action from authorities

Last Friday, it was reported that a housing developer had demolished several temple sites, including an 8th century heritage site, in Bujang Valley, and the authorities are not taking any action to stop the act.

Non-governmental organisation Bujang Valley Study Circle chairman V Nadarajan had urged the Tourism and Culture Ministry to stop the developer from further destroying the area and preserve the site.

Nadarajan said several ancient temples, called Candi or tomb temples, had been demolished in the last few years to make way for development.

He said the developer had now demolished the remants of the most famous 8th century temple, Candi Sungai Batu estate or Bujang Valley site 11.

Nadarajan, who is a lawyer, urged Tourism and Culture Minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz to stop the demolition process.

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Sivarasa: Tengku Adnan misled the House

The Subang MP says Justice VT Singham's court order on July 5, 2012 did not approve the demolition of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Territories Minister Tengku…

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The Subang MP says Justice VT Singham's court order on July 5, 2012 did not approve the demolition of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor was today accused of misleading the House when he said a court order was given to approve the demolition of the Sri Muneswarar Kaliyaman temple.

Subang MP R Sivarasa told reporters in Parliament today that presiding judge of the case, Justice VT Singham, had clearly said in his judgment that the court order cannot be used to demolish the temple.

“The order of the court dated July 5, 2012 does not include any order of demolition of the wall of the temple building and it is also not an eviction order,” stated the judgment.

Sivarasa added that as such, Tengku Adnan’s statement amounts to contempt of the House and he can be referred to the rights and privileges committee.

“The question is whether he did it knowingly or not. If he says he did not say it knowingly, he must then explain why and how he was given the wrong information,” said Sivarasa.

Sivarasa said Tengku Adnan must also explain the action he will take against the civil servant who misinformed him.

“Since he is the minister in charge, he should be more careful in his statements,” said Sivarasa.

City Hall had demolished a part of the temple located in the city centre on Nov 10.

Get your facts right

Commenting on his eviction from Parliament last week, Sivarasa said that as the Speaker, Pandikar Amin Mulia should not have taken sides and instead be neutral and unbiased.

“The Speaker and Tengku Adnan must get their facts right,” he said.

Sivarasa was thrown out of Parliament last Wednesday for bringing up the issue on the temple’s demolition.

Sivarasa had refused to budge when Pandikar asked him to move to another topic and was then suspended for two days.

On Tengku Adnan’s statement which stated that the temple was only a shrine, he said: “It’s not a matter of interpretation, rather, it’s a false statement.”

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Defeated duo accept results of ‘clean election’

Early favourite for MIC veep post Jaspal Singh and defeated incumbent SK Devamany say they will now concentrate on working for the Indian community.

PETALING JAYA: Two defeated candidates in…

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Early favourite for MIC veep post Jaspal Singh and defeated incumbent SK Devamany say they will now concentrate on working for the Indian community.

PETALING JAYA: Two defeated candidates in the MIC vice-presidential race said that they were satisfied with their showing and would accept the results.

Both party treasurer-general Jaspal Singh and defeated incumbent SK Devamany told FMT today that they would concentrate more on working for the Indian community now.

Jaspal was tipped to be a hot favourite to win one of the three available slots and in the first count on Saturday had come in third.

However after recounts, he was pushed to the fourth slot, losing out to another newcomer, Johor Baru division chief S Balakrishnan.

The top slot was won by former party vice-president S Sothinathan who made a comeback to MIC politics after a five-year gap. He was out of the scene after losing to G Palanivel in the 2008 deputy president contest, with the latter eventually becoming the party president.

Second in the vice-president’s race was incumbent M Saravanan.

Initially Jaspal was said to be upset with the outcome with SMSes believed to be from him being sent out to delegates to express his disappointment.

The SMSes stated that Jaspal was not satisfied with the results and had questioned the existence of an additional 77 ballot papers in the second recount of votes.

However when contacted today, Jaspal said that he accepted the results and thanked those who voted for him.

“The election was close and I accept the result with a willing heart,” he said.

“Even though I lost, I am happy to get so many votes. I am thankful to the MIC members that voted for me.

“MIC members still have trust on me,” he said.

Jaspal said he will continue to serve the Indian community and hoped that more of the younger generation Indians will support MIC.

Devamany too when contacted said his defeat would not mean he would stop working for the Indian community.

He also rubbished claims that there were irregularities in the elections.

“It was a clean election and I accept the loss,” he said.

“The main priority for me now is to serve the community,” he added.

He congratulated the candidates that won and hoped that they will be responsible in their selected positions.

The final outcome of the vice-presidential race is as follows:

1. S Sothinathan: 717 votes

2. M Saravanan: 716

3. S Balakrishnan: 683

4. Jaspal Singh: 670

5. SA Vigneswaran: 572

6. T Mohan: 530

7. SK Devamany: 332

8 James CS Selvaraja: 52

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Mukhriz, Najib ticked off over Bujang Valley

PKR veep N Surendran hits out at Kedah MB Mukhriz Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for their indifferent attitude in preserving the historical site

PETALING JAYA: Kedah Menteri…

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PKR veep N Surendran hits out at Kedah MB Mukhriz Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for their indifferent attitude in preserving the historical site

PETALING JAYA: Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak were taken to task for allowing the destruction of the 8th Century Bujang Valley temple structure in Kedah

“How could the Federal government and Kedah state government allow this to happen? The Kedah government’s excuse that the land is privately owned is pathetic and unacceptable.”

“Why did the Kedah state authorities give the necessary approvals for development to proceed, knowing full well that the area is historically significant?” asked PKR vice president N Surrendran.

Surrendran, the first-term Padang Serai MP who is currently suspended from Parliament, was responding to Friday’s FMT’s report ’8th century temple site in Bujang Valley demolished’.

A NGO called Bujang Valley Study Circle revealed that a private developer demolished the most famous eighth century temple remnants in Bujang Valley’s Site 11.

Excavations at the archeological site had revealed jetty remains, iron-smelting areas and a clay-brick monument dating back to 110AD, making it the oldest man-made structure recorded in Southeast Asia.

‘Cultural barbarism’

The Kedah government has said that it was powerless to act since the land is owned by a private company.

Calling the destruction ‘cultural barbarism’, Surendran said the irresponsible act is equivalent to the destruction of Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan by Talibans in 2001.

He added that the Kedah state government and authorities were irresponsible and ignorant of ancient cultures and that they favoured developers demolishing the site in Bujang Valley.

He also vented his anger at the Najib administration.

“The federal government also has a positive duty to ensure that historically significant sites are preserved. This they have miserably failed to do in the case of Lembah Bujang.

“What is the use of having a Ministry of Culture and Tourism if the nation’s heritage can be destroyed for private profit? How do we answer for this cultural vandalism to future generations?” he asked.

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Rumblings of rebellion in MIC Youth may spoil Palanivel’s party

MALACCA: MIC president Datuk Seri G Palanivel must be heaving a huge sigh of relief with the new line-up of vice-presidents and central working committee (CWC) members voted in at…

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MALACCA: MIC president Datuk Seri G Palanivel must be heaving a huge sigh of relief with the new line-up of vice-presidents and central working committee (CWC) members voted in at the party’s annual general assembly on Nov 30.

After all, two of the vice-presidents and 17 of the 23 elected CWC members are believed to be the president’s men.

He has yet to appoint another seven CWC members, which will surely be his men, effectively putting decision-making control in his hands.

But Palanivel might not want to be overly jubilant just yet for he might have underestimated the power of the Youth wing in the party.

A party insider, who spoke to theantdaily on condition of anonymity, said the Youth wing is not going to keep quiet about its former leader Datuk T Mohan being ousted in his bid for the vice-presidency.

Mohan was one of eight candidates who vied for the vice-presidency in the election, which saw former vice-president Datuk S Sothinathan, incumbent Datuk M Saravanan and Johor Baru division chairman Datuk S Balakrishnan elected as the three vice-presidents.

The other candidates were Perak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk SK Devamany, former Youth chief Datuk SA Vigneswaran, MIC treasurer-general Datuk Jaspal Singh and Bukit Bintang division vice-chairman James Selvarajah.

The elections drew the ire of many delegates as a Tamil daily, regarded as Palanivel’s “mouthpiece”, had splashed photographs of Sothinathan, Jaspal, Vigneswaran and Balakrishnan as the president’s preferred choice of candidates a week before polling.

“It’s no longer fighting behind closed doors and presenting a united front to the public, it’s now outright war. The fight is now personal and public,” said the party insider.

This is also due to the fact that newly elected MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh is closely aligned to Mohan.

The party insider said MIC elections had always been determined by two factors, namely the party president and the caste-based system.

“This is the reason factions are created within the party. Sothinathan’s win is proof of this. Usually the whole contest will be determined by the combination of the above two factors,” he said.

Saravanan and Mohan are believed to be in Team B who are said to be aligned with former MIC president Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu and who also happens to command huge support within the party. Those aligned to Palanivel’s camp are said to be in Team A.

How will the election results affect party unity?

“Mohan’s loss is a major issue in the party, especially since he still exerts a strong influence on the Youth wing. With Saravanan being the only surviving lone ranger from the other camp in the vice-presidential list, this effectively wipes out the influence of Team B in the party.

“Going down to the grassroots level and fighting for Indian issues, such as temple demolitions and statelessness, was the Youth wing’s job, which was then led by Mohan. So the youth of the party were the ones upholding MIC’s public image of standing up for the Indians.

“Removing Mohan is a clear indication that the Youth wing may not work along with the party president. Unity in the party will be affected,” said the party insider.

He believes the latest results will push the Youth wing to test the boundaries of party solidarity.

“Even though Team B members will not be in the top echelons of the party, they can still cause mischief from outside and this will be seen as outright disloyalty to the president, which will further fracture unity within the party.

“Closing ranks does not seem likely unless the new Youth chief and his new team decide to make a U-turn and support the president. This seems highly unlikely as Mohan still wields considerable influence over the Youth wing,” he said.

He said that although there was disunity within the party in the past, it was handled internally while a united front was presented to the public.

“There will always be problems within the family, but we all have a common aim. We can fight with the party president when it comes to issues but we work towards a common aim. Now Team B will only have one agenda, that is, to transform the party which would include removing a few selected people.

“They will not present a united front anymore. The fight is now personal and public,” said the party insider.

In his keynote address at the MIC AGM on Dec 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak congratulated the MIC on transforming itself with more Indian professionals in the party.

Najib also stressed that unity within the MIC is an important factor.

But the problem with professional Indians is that they are no longer just prepared to be “yes men” of the president and are not afraid to speak up, even publicly, when they feel something is not right.

So will Najib’s united MIC be just a pipe dream?

Maybe Palanivel realised this and that is why, in his policy speech at the AGM, he said: “MIC is not just an Indian party. It is a party for all but they must be loyal to the general. That is very important.”

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BLOG: IGP, what is seditious in Mariam’s article?

Columnist Kee Thuan Chye is saying the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is…

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Columnist Kee Thuan Chye is saying the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is highly unwarranted and deserves to be censured.

I cannot see a fellow writer being threatened by someone in public authority for what she writes and not stand up for her. I’m therefore saying that the recent warning issued by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to political commentator Mariam Mokhtar against writing articles that could be deemed seditious is highly unwarranted and deserves to be censured.

Now, if the IGP was giving her friendly advice in saying she should not write articles that were seditious, he might have good cause to do so. Even if the articles she has written so far have not proven to be so. But that does not seem to be the tone and tenor of what he said a few days ago.

What makes his remark deserving of censure is what he added: “She had better watch out or we will go after her.” That comes across, undoubtedly, like a threat. And it’s inappropriate coming from someone like the IGP.

I don’t know Mariam personally and have never met her. (Sorry for sounding like Najib Razak talking about a different person – I think you know who.) I also can’t say I’ve read every article she’s written. But those I have do not strike me as being seditious - certainly not as is spelt out in the Sedition Act.

In fact, her writing impresses me as that of someone who cares about her country and wants it to be better. She criticises wrongdoing by people in power, exposes their foibles and points out the contradictions between what they say and what they do in order to make Malaysians aware of right and wrong.

She provides a much-needed public service by highlighting issues of pressing and immediate concern to Malaysians, giving voice to thoughts that many of her fellow countrymen and women may share but are unable to articulate.

She has written about racial discrimination, social injustice, domestic violence, child abuse, the rise in crime, political scandals, the ‘Allah’ issue, the ineptness of Najib as prime minister, the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the illegal immigrants in Sabah, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s attempt to muzzle the media, the disservice to the Malaysian electorate done by the Election Commission … and many, many more topics of public interest.

She should not be intimidated for creating awareness and putting issues in perspective. She should not be shut up.

IGP Khalid Abu Bakar is reportedly displeased with her article ‘One ideology, two reactions’ that appeared on the online news website Free Malaysia Today on November 29.

In it, she asked why the Government was willing to welcome home Siti Aishah Abdul Wahab from London when it had been dead against allowing even the ashes of the late Malayan Communist Party leader Chin Peng to be brought back from Thailand.

After all, Siti Aishah was also a left-winger. She was on the Malaysian police’s ‘wanted’ list in the 1970s for being considered an extremist. When she went to study at the London School of Economics, the police kept her under surveillance. Subsequently, she was allegedly held as a “slave” in London by a Maoist sect for 30 years, until she escaped several weeks ago.

Khalid said Mariam’s article was “highly seditious”.

I have since read it a few times, but I cannot in all honesty find anything in it that is seditious.

Mariam states the facts about Siti Aishah and Chin Peng. She asks a pertinent question: “Malaysians must wonder why Aishah is considered safe but Chin Peng’s ashes are deemed a national threat.” Indeed, that has been in the minds of many people this past week.

She informs us, “The High Commission in London has said that it would extend its full cooperation to reinstate Aishah’s citizenship if she had unknowingly lost her identification papers during her 30-year imprisonment. We are thankful that the global network of the Foreign Ministry is diligent in performing its responsibilities in assisting Malaysians in various parts of the world.”

She asks, again pertinently: “So why can’t the same assistance be made available by the necessary departments in Malaysia to serve the hundreds of thousands of stateless people who were not registered by their poor and uneducated parents? Parents who may be the rural Orang Asli, the interior bound Penan or Indians who live on rubber estates?”

What is wrong with any of that? What is seditious in what she has written?

She also writes: “Wisma Putra, the Women’s Ministry and the IGP are keen to help Aishah. By all means show compassion but make sure that compassion is extended to all Malaysians and not a select few individuals who just happen to be making headlines in the developed world. If Aishah is promised counselling, the same should be given to the traumatised victims at home; the ostracised Penan women and young girls who were raped by timber workers, the family members of people killed in violent incidents like Batangkali, Memali, Kampung Medan and May 13.”

Again, I ask, where is the sedition?

She is asking for social justice and compassion across a wide spectrum. That’s a positive thing. Does that constitute sedition?

So why is the IGP displeased?

And why must he invoke sedition? The Sedition Act has of late become too obvious an instrument being used by the ruling party to bully citizens who speak up because they want things to be better, like cartoonist Zunar, activists Hishamuddin Rais and Haris Ibrahim, student leaders Adam Adli and Safnan Awang.

On the other hand, people like Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali, ex-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and politician Zulkilfli Noordin and the newspaper Utusan Malaysia that have said things for the worse, like insulting the religions of others or causing hatred between the races, have not received even the slightest ticking off from the authorities. Ironically, what they have said subscribe more to the definition of sedition as spelt out in the Act. And yet they are seemingly immune to prosecution.

So, please, IGP, don’t threaten Mariam with sedition and appear so obviously selective with your targets. Go instead after the people who really commit sedition. Don’t turn this into another farce as you did with your explanation of how policemen lost their guns (the weapons fell into the sea!).

And do learn how to make a critical discourse analysis of a piece of writing so that you don’t see things that are not in it. I arrived at my conclusion that ‘One ideology, two reactions’ is not seditious by using logic and reasoning. What did you use to arrive at yours?

Oh, one last point. The Malaysian police were monitoring Siti Aishah when she was in London. How did they miss the moment when she got ‘enslaved’ by the Maoist sect? And were they unaware of it for 30 years? Can we conclude from this that the police were slack in their work? Or is there more to it than meets the eye?

These are not seditious questions, IGP, so please provide us the answers.

* Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to MSN Malaysia

* Kee Thuan Chye is the author of the new book The Elections Bullshit , now available in bookstores.

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Police Station Special Team To Curb Smuggling Of Firearms

KOTA BAHARU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Kelantan police have stationed a special team to monitor smuggling activities involving fire arms and weapons through the Malaysia-Thailand border from Tumpat to Jeli.…

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KOTA BAHARU, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Kelantan police have stationed a special team to monitor smuggling activities involving fire arms and weapons through the Malaysia-Thailand border from Tumpat to Jeli.

Kelantan police chief, Datuk Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said they (Malaysian police) have initiated a close working relationship with the police force in Thailand to curb activities involving weapons and the use of fire arms.

"The sales of firearms as reported by local dailies happen in Sungai Golok, Thailand and outside the jurisdiction of Malaysian police. The Malaysia-Thailand border, especially in Sungai Golok, is vast and difficult for the police to have total control.

"We also cannot deny the fact that some firearms have been smuggled out. However, we (Kelantan police) are serious in curbing such smuggling activities and throughout 2013, we seized 31 firearms of various make and models that were smuggled in," he said in a statement, Monday.

Jalaluddin when commenting on reports that criminals from Malaysia bought their firearms from Sungai Golok, said the motive for such initiatives could be to safeguard their drug trafficking activities or to seek revenge against their enemies.

Over the past two years, serious crimes involving firearms had seen a drastic increase in Malaysia since many people have been shot dead using guns.

"People with information must come forward to inform the police about such activities. The people must also be the eyes and ears of the police to combat crime and smuggling activities," he said.

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