Penjaga anjing Melayu tidak kesal dihalau, berusaha cari tapak baru

(TMI) Pasangan Melayu yang menjadi tempat berlindung 800 ekor anjing dan kucing liar di Alor Setar diperintahkan keluar dari tanah yang mereka gunakan hari ini namun ia tidak akan mengakhiri usahanya untuk terus menjadi pelindung haiwan-haiwan itu.

Pak Mie atau nama penuhnya Muhammad Azmi Ismail (gambar), berkata beliau tidak kesal. Dia tahu bahawa dia dan anjing serta kucingnya tidak boleh tinggal kekal di atas tanah di tepi teping sungai di Tanjung Bendahara, Alor Setar itu.

Bekas kontraktor yang berusia 56 tahun itu sedang berusaha untuk mendapatkan sebidang tanah yang sesuai dan cukup untuk haiwannya.

"Isteri (Halijah Idris, 66, atau Mak Intan) dan saya tahu kami terpaksa keluar juga satu hari ini. Tetapi untuk mendapat dan membeli tanah untuk tujuan itu bukan senang. Tanah yang sesuai mesti jauh dari kawasan kediaman," katanya.

"Jika saya boleh memperoleh dana, saya ingin mendapatkan 50 ekar tanah dan membina rumah perlindungan di tengah-tengah kawasan itu. Saya akan membiarkan kawasan sekeliling kosong bagi mengelakkan sebarang aduan daripada pemilik tanah berhampiran," katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider hari ini.

Pak Mie telah mengalami pengalaman yang perit sewaktu beroperasi di tanah miliknya di Kuala Nerang, yang terletak lebih kurang 37km dari bandar.

Beliau membeli tanah berkenaan dengan menggunakan wang sumbangan untuk menubuhkan tempat perlindungan haiwan yang baru dan merancang berpindah ke sana tahun lepas. Bagaimanapun, perancangan tergendala apabila penduduk kampung berdekatan membantah.

Beliau berkata, tiada harapan untuk mengubah fikiran penduduk berkenaan dan berpindah ke sana sekarang.

"Penduduk kampung di situ adalah orang Melayu. Saya juga seorang Melayu dan saya faham perasaan mereka. Saya tahu tidak guna cuba mengubah fikiran mereka. Selain itu, saya juga tidak mahu mengambil sebarang risiko dengan keselamatan anjing-anjing saya.

"Kuala Nerang tidak akan menjadi tempat kami. Saya perlu mencari pembeli bagi tanah itu. Sekurang-kurangnya, saya boleh mendapatkan wang yang benar-benar diperlukan sekarang, " katanya.

Walaupun diusir, Pak Mie masih yakin walaupun sedih dan terkejut dengan tindakan Majlis Bandaraya Alor Star semalam mengeluarkan amaran terakhir bagi meninggalkan Tanjung Bendahara.

Akhbar The Star hari ini melaporkan bahawa tempoh tiga bulan bagi Pak Mie berakhir semalam dan beliau kini terpaksa membersihkan tempat perlindungan sementara yang dibina di tebing sungai dan mengosongkannya.

Tanah kerajaan itu dimiliki Indah Water Konsortium.

Pak Mie berkata, beliau beranggapan telah diberi masa lebih daripada tiga bulan oleh pihak majlis untuk menyelesaikan segala-galanya.

"Mengapa majlis menghantar pegawai pada Oktober lalu agar saya menaik taraf pusat perlindungan ini dengan bumbung, lantai simen, sistem saliran dan tangki septik apabila ia akan menghalau saya dan semua haiwan keluar selepas tiga bulan? Siapa yang akan melakukan semua ini jika ia hanya untuk tempoh tiga bulan?

"Memang benar bahawa majlis itu tidak pernah memberikan saya apa-apa dalam hitam putih mengenai perkara ini, tetapi saya percaya bahawa ia akan membolehkan saya diberi lebih banyak masa daripada tempoh pendek hanya tiga bulan," katanya.

Pak Mie mendakwa dengan melakukan kerja menaik taraf itu, dia akan diberi lesen untuk anjing-anjing jalanan yang diselamatkan oleh beliau dan isteri.

"Apabila pihak majlis memberitahu saya untuk melakukan kenaikan taraf ini, saya fikir patut melakukannya dengan serta-merta. Saya juga mahu lesen anjing supaya boleh menangkis aduan.

"Majlis berbuat demikian kerana aduan, yang saya tahu ia bukanlah daripada penduduk di kawasan perumahan berhampiran. Saya berharap orang-orang yang mempunyai masalah dengan saya dan rumah perlindungan akan datang dan bercakap dengan saya sebelum membuat sebarang aduan, " kata beliau sambil menambah dia bukan seorang lelaki yang tidak bertolak ansur.

Walaupun Pak Mie sedang berhadapan pengusiran, beliau dan isteri bertekad melindungi haiwan-haiwan yang ada.

"Kami tidak boleh berhenti mengambil haiwan baru jika seseorang datang kepada kami membawa kotak berisi samada anak kucing atau anjing.

"Jika kami menolak, kami tahu haiwan berkenaan akan dibuang begitu sahaja dan dibiarkan hidup mencari makanan sendiri. Ia sesuatu yang kejam dan kami tidak boleh membiarkannya.

"Menjaga beratus-ratus anjing dan kucing adalah sukar tetapi ia memberi kepuasan tersendiri . Berurusan dengan manusia adalah lebih sukar," katanya.

Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Alor Star Gooi Hsiao Leung berkata beliau terkejut apabila mendengar tentang amaran terakhir pihak majlis untuk Pak Mie, kerana dia juga telah diberi gambaran bahawa rumah perlindungan itu telah diberikan lebih banyak masa.

Katanya, beliau akan menyiasat dengan majlis untuk mengetahui apa sebenarnya yang berlaku dan membantu Pak Mie. - 1 Januari, 2014.

Illegal rally an undemocratic act, says Mahathir

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad condemned the illegal rally held during the New Year’s Eve celebration last night, describing the act as undemocratic.

He said the group who attended the rally deliberately wanted to create a problem to the majority of the people who were not involved.

“As a democratic country, the minority, too, has rights. But they don’t have the right to spoil the life of the majority who wants to celebrate the New Year celebration, they can’t celebrate New Year, what democracy is that?” he told reporters when met at the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) New Year open house at the Merdeka Hall, Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

Last night, thousands of protesters who joined the rally disrupted the New Year’s Eve celebration at the Dataran Merdeka, resulting in the celebration  being called off earlier.

Dr Mahathir said the protesters had deprived the majority of their human rights by doing such acts at the wrong time and place.

“You want to do it, do it somewhere else, but don’t go and disturb other people... the minority has rights but don’t do it at the expense of the majority,” he said.

Meanwhile, asked on the 11 steps taken by the government to reduce the expenses of public service, Dr Mahathir said he was happy that the steps were taken.

- Bernama

Turun hails protest as a success, claims crowd at 50k

The NGO Turun, set up specifically to oppose the slew of price hikes, has declared its rally last night in Dataran Merdeka a success, estimating that the attendance numbered at 50,000.

It also said that participants singing the national anthem right before dispersing was a sign that those who joined the protest loved the country and did not intend to topple the government as alleged by the authorities.

"Thank you Malaysians, from well known individuals to the common man who assembled peacefully and dispersed right after the new year celebration," said Turun chief Azan Safar in a statement today.

Azan denied any involvement in alleged "provocative" acts that disrupted the New Year's Eve celebrations at Dataran last night, where a concert was taking place.

"In fact, we, too, condemn such actions," he said.

Thanking the police and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers for their cooperation, Azan said that the rally was just the beginning of greater challengers for the year 2014.

"Congratulations to all Malaysians," he said.

Equality in freedom of religion

From Saravanan, via e-mail

Article 11 of the federal constitution says every person has the right to profess and practice his own religion. Every person has the right to propagate his religion, but state law and, in respect of the Federal Territories, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among Muslims. There is, however, freedom to carry on missionary work among non-Muslims. All of us been created by the same God who is so merciful towards us. We should respect the equality which created by the same God too. None of us was created with blue blood or without skull and without nerves system. So inequality in the law creates hatred among citizens in a long term.

Muslims have protected their freedom of religion by having shariah court and Islamic law which can restrict a Muslim to give up the religion. But to convert other race into Islam or Christianity doesn’t have any restriction in Malaysia. This inequality is simply an example of domination. In a recent case a Hindu lady who has two kids and her husband converted to Islam. Without the mother’s knowledge both kids were converted to Islam by the newly converted father. This case didn’t end there. The converted father or husband kidnapped the son without the knowledge of the mother. Even after police reports, the converted father and the kidnapping has been supported by the Islamic religious department. To separate young calve and mother cow is already a sin, what about kidnapping kids from mother with the help of double standard laws?

With due respect, Malaysian Buddhist Association , Hindu Sangam and Prime Minister Umno-led government should find a better solutions. I personally would suggest that every Buddhist or Hindus who would like to convert either to Islam or Christianity should undergo a special course to understand his/her present religion after that should file a case in civil court for per-conversion. This will make the law equal to avoid body snatching, kidnapping, conversion without family concern and skin attraction marriages. End of the day all of us are human beings and we should be treated equally.

I urge Malaysian Buddhist Association, Hindu Sangam and Sikh foundation to protect the right of every believer in your faith. Our Malaysian citizens are unique in this world because we live in harmony, the inequality in the system should not create hatred in the heart of other faith. To safe guard the peacefulness and harmony it is the responsibility of every religious authority associations. Without taking any action and ignoring the situation will create a great impact for the future generation.

Article 153 Stipulates that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, acting on Cabinet advice, has the responsibility for safeguarding the special position of the Malays and the indigenous peoples of the Sabah and Sarawak, and the legitimate interests of all the other communities. It is clearly stated in the Article 153 that our Yang di-Pertuan Agong have the legitimate interests of all the other communities.So by creating a system pre conversion of Non Muslims and Christian doesn’t create chaos whereas it create a harmonious Malaysia in the interest of our Agong.

The ball is the court of Non-Muslim Associations and NGOs to create a better Malaysia. Otherwise it will create an imbalance society which lead to cancerous dissatisfaction . All civilised society please give more suggestion and urge our government to implement a law for all. I am sure this doesn’t suppresses Article 11 mentioned above.