Shahul’s Hinduism insult to go to fatwa body - Malaysiakini

Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor said today his department has no control over controversial Islamic speaker Shahul Hamid as he is an "independent" ustaz.

"We cannot prevent preachers from sharing their knowledge and expressing their thoughts based on their knowledge," Wan Salim told Malaysiakini.

"We can apply our guidelines on registered preachers but we cannot control the independent ones. We can only advise them," he said.

However, Wan Salim said he would give his views on Shahul’s insulting of the Hindu religion in his lectures, and propose proper guidelines for such preachers at the next National Fatwa Council meeting in September.

This was necessary, he said, as the latest incident in which the sensitivities of non-Muslim communities were affected by religious issues occurred in other states as well.

"The bodies that can then enforce these guidelines are Majlis Agama Pulau Pinang (Penang Islamic Religious Council) and Jabatan Agama dan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) at the federal level," he said.

Wan Salim said this after meeting with Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (PHM) national adviser N Ganesan and its Penang chief K Kalay Selvam at his office in Komtar today.

Accompanying Wan Salim at the meeting was MAIPP president Salleh Man.

Shahul (left), who is also a member of the PAS Tanjong division, cooked up a storm last week when a video clip of one of his lectures at a closed-door session in Shah Alam went viral on the Internet.

Shahul was widely condemned for saying in his lecture that Muslims should not be buying products such as curry powder from Hindu companies like Alagappa and Baba’s.

He also made some references to Hindu deities which were deemed insulting to the community.

Shahul’s actions prompted a rally, organised by various NGOs and the MIC, in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, and there were also 400 police reports against him.

Shahul has since apologised for his statement while the police have recorded a statement from him and said he is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 233 (1) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

Met after his meeting with the Penang mufti, Ganesan said Wan Salim was cooperative and was willing to look into their complaint against Shahul.

‘We don’t want such acts repeated’

He said PHM submitted a letter to Wan Salim today so that the department can act on Shahul to prevent a recurrence of such acts by its preachers.

"Shahul's apology was good but it is a one-time thing. We don't want such acts to be repeated by others," Ganesan (right) said.

"We recommended that the Penang mufti’s office takes away his licence or put Shahul in probation to set aan example to other preachers not to hurt the sensitivities of other communities," he added.

Ganesan said Shahul would not have apologised if the video clip of his insults was not publicised.

He also urged the National Fatwa Council to clarify whether Shahul's remarks were consistent with his Islamic knowledge, as he had claimed.

"We have also decided that from now on, we will not only issue petitions, statements or organise rallies but will take up issues directly with the relevant authorities," he said.

 

PKR S'gor sedia hadapi pilihan raya negeri, yakin menang

2005 Bali Bomb Convict Released on Parole

Terror convicts are being transported to the Lowokwaru Prison in Malang, East Java. (Antara Photo/Ari Bowo Sucipto)

Malang, East Java. After receiving a sentence cut for Idul Firi, 2005 Bali bomb convict Kholili on Wednesday was released on parole.

Kholili, who was a member of the terrorist network led by Dr. Azahari and Noordin M. Top, was sentenced to eighteen years in prison for delivering the bomb produced by Azahari. He was arrested in Central Java in November 2005.

“He served less than ten years,” Herry Wahyudiono, the chief of Lowokwaru Prison in Malang, East Java, said on Wednesday.

Herry added that Kholili deserved the sentence cut and the parole, as he behaved well in jail and had repented.

Kholili, who is also known as Yahya, said he was surprised to find out that he would be released on parole, but that he was happy to leave prison.

“I’ve just got the information from the prison warden today,” Kholili said upon release. “No members of my family know.”

Kholili said that had not thought of what to do after being released. “The most important thing is to go home and meet my family,” he said.

The bombings in Kuta and Jimbaran on Oct. 1, 2005, killed 20 people and left over 100 injured.

Yazidi Woman Collapses While Begging for Help against ISIS Genocide

The Yazidis are a Kurdish community in northern Iraq. They have been making a valiant attempt to stop ISIS from seizing more territory, but ISIS is gaining ground. Any idea what ISIS does with captured Yazidis?

Deepak seeks to strike out suit by PI Bala's widow - Malaysiakini

Controversial carpet dealer Deepak Jaikishian filed an application in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today to strike out the suit filed by the widow of the late private investigator P Balasubramaniam.

This was confirmed to Malaysiakini by lawyer Americk Sidhu (right) who is appearing for the widow, A Santamil Selvi, and her three children.

The matter came-up for case management before deputy registrar Norfauzani Mohd Nordin today.

Santamil Selvi and the children filed the RM1.9 million suit on June 11, alleging conspiracy by nine defendants they named for using unlawful means or unlawful acts to cause injury or damage against them and the late Balasubramaniam.

It was previously reported that Deepak had yet to be served with the writ of suit, despite eight others, including Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor, having been served the papers.

Besides Najib and Rosmah, the others named in the suit are two of Najib's brothers Johari and Nazim, senior lawyer Cecil Abraham and his lawyer son Sunil, commissioner of oaths Zainal Abidin Muhayat and lawyer M Arunampalam.

Last month, all the eight named applied to strike out the suit filed by Santamil Selvi (left) and her children.

Today, Deepak and his lawyer, Gabriel Daniel, applied for extension of time to file the necessary papers to strike out the application of Santamil Selvi and her children.

Norfauzani fixed Aug 21 as the deadline for Deepak to file the application. She also fixed the same date for case management.

Americk said after getting all the necessary applications he will then seek instructions from Santamil Selvi to respond to all of them.

At present, he said, all eight have already filed the application tom strike out the suit and he wanted to respond to all the applications at one go.

'Unlawful acts' caused family to go into exile

In their suit, Santamil Selvi and the children claimed that conspiracy among the nine defendants resulted in them having to go into exile for almost five years from July 2008.

This took place after Balasubramaniam was forced to retract his first statutory declaration linking Najib with the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The widow and the children are claiming for loss and damages as a result of being forcibly removed from Malaysia against their will on July 4, 2008.

They claim they were threatened or induced by the defendants, who conspired with one another against her husband and their family after Balasubramaniam was forced to come up with the second statutory declaration to deny the content of the first.

Balasubramaniam, or Bala as he was widely known, was hired by political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (left), then a close confidante of Najib, who was then deputy prime minister, to stop Altantuya from disturbing him.

He was among the last to see Altantuya alive when he accosted her at Razak's Bukit Damansara home and handed her to Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar.

Azilah and Sirul were convicted of murdering Altantuya by the High Court in Shah Alam, while Razak, who was named as an accomplice in the murder, was acquitted without his defence being called.

However, the two Special Action Unit members were acquitted by the Court of Appeal last year, while a decision on the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal is pending before the Federal Court.

Besides this, the Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board is scheduled to hear proceedings against Cecil and Sunil on Aug 23 over their alleged role in drafting Bala's second statutory declaration.

This follows the revelation made by Americk at a special annual general meeting of the Malaysian Bar last year that Cecil admitted his role in the second SD to him.

Four arrested for alleged murder of two British nationals in Kuching - TMI

Sarawak police said that the two victims were taken to the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching for post-mortem. - August 6, 2014. Four people have been arrested over the murder of two British medical students in Kuching early today, Bernama reports.

Three suspects were arrested at 6am, about two hours after the murder took place, and the knife, which is believed to be the murder weapon was also recovered, police said.

According to Bernama, Kuching deputy police chief Supt Fauzilan Abdul Aziz said that the fourth suspect, a 35-year-old man, was nabbed at Kenyalang Park in Kuching at 4.45pm today.

The two British citizens, aged 22 and 23, were found dead with stab wounds at Jalan Padungan, and their remains were subsequently sent to the Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching for a post-mortem.

The police said that the victims were medical students at a university in Britain and were doing their practical training at a hospital in Kuching, with their placement due to end this Friday.

Police also revealed that two of the suspects were found to have criminal records for drug abuse and armed robbery.

Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Chai Khin Chung said police also seized a Perodua Viva car that was allegedly used in the incident.

"Technically, the case is solved with the recovery of the knife believed to have been used in the murder," Chai was quoted as saying by Bernama.

"The victims' identities cannot be disclosed to the media at the moment, to respect their families who might not have been informed yet of the incident," he added.

Police said initial investigations revealed that the two victims had earlier entered a cafe in Jalan Abell, Padungan, and were drinking alcohol before an argument ensued with the suspects.

One of the suspects was said to have approached the victims and scolded them for being too loud. A war of words followed, with the students eventually leaving the premises.

However, the suspects pursued them in a car and after catching up with the victims, one of the suspects alighted and allegedly attacked them with a knife.

According to Bernama, Chai said a police forensic team which arrived at the scene found the first victim lying face down on the road with two stab wounds in the chest and two in the back.

The second victim was lying on the five-foot way of a shop, about two metres from the first victim, with a single stab wound to his chest.

Police have also obtained a seven-day remand order on three of the suspects to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code, Bernama reported.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/four-arrested-for-killing-two-british-medical-students-in-kuching#sthash.458tMXKX.dpuf

Kalau TV3, Utusan, RTM sokong Khalid, bermakna Khalid jahat

Menurut Hishamuddin, Khalid tidak lagi mewakili sesiapa dan PKR juga tidak lagi menyokongnya. Hanya tinggal Hadi dan 'Din Ayam' yang setia menyokong Khalid.

PETALING JAYA: Pemerhati Hishamuddin Rais menjelaskan Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim sepatutnya meletakkan jawatannya bukan hari ini, tetapi semalam.

“Khalid tidak lagi mewakili sesiapa, dan partinya juga tidak lagi menyokongnya dan kini yang menyokongnya hanyalah Hadi dan ‘Din Ayam’,” katanya dalam Forum Krisis Selangor-Pakatan Berpecah di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina KL-Selangor (KLSCAH), malam tadi.

Beliau yang juga merupakan seorang aktivis politik difahamkan bahawa PKR telah bermesyuarat dan Presiden PKR meminta untuk bertemu dengan Khalid yang pada awalnya telah bersetuju namun kemudiannya dibatalkan.

“Kalau parti tidak lagi menyokong kamu, kamu mewakili beruk mana?”soalnya.

Dalam majlis yang sama, Hishamuddin turut menyatakan bahawa beliau sering mendapat surat yang mempersoalkan kenapa masalah rasuah dan sebagainya tidak disiasat oleh pihak Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM). Respon beliau berkenaan hal tersebut adalah kerana SPRM hanya senjata dari BN untuk membunuh musuh politiknya dan bukan untuk menyelesaikan masalah rasuah.

“Kenapa tuan-tuan semua tidak faham, kalau SPRM menjalankan tugasnya untuk menyelesaikan masalah rasuah, Najib, Hishamuddin, Muhyiddin semuanya kini duduk di Kajang,” ujarnya.

Sementara itu, bercakap mengenai Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) Faekah Husin yang mengancam untuk membubarkan DUN, Hishamuddin dengan tegas mengutarakan pandangannya.

“Teruskan dan kita tidak takut kerana orang kampung suka. Kalau dibubarkan DUN, inilah masanya untuk PKR tidak melantik lagi Xavier dan Amir Shaari, kita buang mereka.”

Beliau turut menjelaskan bahawa mungkin PKR kalah pada kali ini, tetapi PKR tidak mahu hilang kredibiliti.

“Di Malaysia, politiknya mudah sahaja, tidak perlu belajar tinggi-tinggi, siapa yang disokong oleh Utusan Malaysia dan TV3, itu bermakna orang itu adalah orang jahat.

“Takkan kamu semua tidak faham-faham lagi, kalau musuh kita memuji kita, ada maknanya tu,”ujarnya.

Jelasnya, jika pihak RTM, TV3 memuji Khalid, bermakna Khalid itu orang jahat.

“Kalau RTM puji Tony Pua, itu bermakna Tony Pua telah memegang kerajaan,” katanya.

Khalid menolak surat tunjuk sebab

Surat tersebut tidak menyebutkan secara jelas dan spesifik semua tuduhan yang di kenakan terhadap
saya dan tidak menyatakan pelanggaran mana-mana peruntukan di dalam perlembagaan parti.

PETALING JAYA : Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim hari telah menjawab kepada surat tunjuk sebab yang diterbitkan oleh Lembaga Disiplin PKR bertarikh 5 Ogos 2014 yang ditujukan kepada beliau.

Di dalam jawapan Khalid, beliau telah menolak surat tunjuk sebab itu atas alasan ianya tidak mengandungi secara jelas dan spesifik semua tuduhan yang dikenakan terhadap beliau dan juga tidak menyatakan perlembagaan parti yang mana telah beliau langgar.

“Apabila surat tunjuk sebab ditujukan kepada seseorang, ianya harus memenuhi beberapa syarat iaitu dijelaskan secara spesifik tuduhan-tuduhan dan pelanggaran-pelanggaran yang dilakukan oleh tertuduh,” jelasnya.

“Namun surat yang diterbitkan oleh Pengerusi Lembaga Disiplin PKR, Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong ternyata cacat kerana tidak mengandungi butir-butir relevan berkenaan dan memadai untuk membolehkan saya menjawab.”

“Seharusnya surat itu juga menjelaskan perlembagaan parti mana saya langgar dan apakah hukumannya,” kata beliau lagi.

Surat tunjuk sebab itu diterima oleh Khalid semalam di tengah-tengah pergolakan penggantian menteri besar akibat ‘Langkah Kajang’ yang menurut Khalid dilaksanakan tanpa persetujuan beliau.

Jawapan Khalid merangkumi 3 halaman kertas berukuran A4 sambil menambah bahawa beliau akan menunggu surat tunjuk sebab yang ‘sah’ daripada Dr Tan.

Selangor MB crisis: Show cause letter was fair, says Surendran

(The Star) – Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim may have stated that the show cause letter issued to him does not have specifics and is defective, but his words were rubbished by PKR vice-president N.Surendran, who stated that it is proceduraly correct and fair.

Surendran said the Port Klang assemblyman’s criticism is completely baseless as procedural fairness only requires that the charge against the offending party member be clearly stated in the show cause letter.

“This has been done. The charge contained in the letter dated Aug 5 states that Khalid had by way of a press statement on July 22 defied the decision of the Central Leadership Council to put forward (Datuk Seri) Dr Wan Azizah as Mentri Besar.

“There is thus no ambiguity or lack of detail in the letter as alleged by Khalid. The letter then gives him an opportunity to explain his actions, as required by natural justice.

“There is no requirement to quote specific clauses of the party constitution in the show cause letter as claimed by Khalid,” said Surendran in a press statement.

On Tuesday, PKR slapped Khalid with a show cause letter for his refusal to step down as the Selangor Mentri Besar.

In a statement on Wednesday, Khalid lamented that the ‘Kajang move’ involving his removal, was unfair as its details were never made clear to him from the start.

He has insisted on completing his second term in office. PAS leaders have also openly backed Khalid to remain as MB and on Wednesday, PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat restated his support for the beleaguered Mentri Besar.

This prompted PKR to release an expose on Khalid to convince their allies on Tuesday.

“On the position of Mentri Besar, it is astonishing that Khalid desperately clings on to the position after his party has decided to replace him.

“It is also against all precedent and practice in modern political party based democracies. His stand is undignified, he must accept the party’s decision and leave office,” said Surendran.

PKR has given him three days to respond the show-cause letter. In response, Khalid has reiterated his willingness to answer the accusations thrown at him by the party leaders.

Defend Khalid like how we defended Anwar against Dr M, says PAS leader

(Malay Mail Online) – Drawing parallels between the move to remove Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s dismissal by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1998, a PAS leader today urged the public to rise up again, this time to defend the beleaguered Selangor mentri besar.

PAS central committee member Nasrudin Hassan also sought to reinforce the link to Anwar’s controversial sacking as deputy prime minister by suggesting the new movement be called Gerak 2.0, after the 1998 effort.

“I think, if Khalid is now ousted by Anwar from the mentri besar seat through many allegations, it is appropriate for PAS led by Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to rise and defend Khalid who is persecuted and humiliated,” the Temerloh MP said on his Facebook page.

In 1998, then PAS president Datuk Fadzil Mohd Noor started the Gerak movement to spur the public towards defending Anwar, after he was sacked as DPM and finance minister as well as being expelled from Umno.

The former PAS Youth leader today said Anwar’s move to remove Khalid’s situation mirrored the PKR de facto leader’s own tribulations in 1998 when he claimed he had been removed on fabricated charges.

“What was his scandal and misconduct that forces Khalid to be sacked from PKR, then dropped from being Selangor mentri besar? Should this be seen as a PKR internal matter, and should the public rise up to defend Khalid?” asked Nasruddin.

In his defence of Khalid, Nasruddin also claimed that Khalid had been a victim of double standards over the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) that is among the claimed reasons for his removal.

The PAS leader said the issued mirrored that of the Penang Tunnel, for which Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has escaped criticism.

“I find it weird why Khalid is criticised badly for a project which is not under his powers. But at the same time, this does not happen to the Penang administration under Lim,” said Nasruddin in an opinion piece titled “What is the difference between Kidex and Penang Tunnel” published in Malay news portal Sinar Harian Online.

Nasruddin also accused Penang of awarding the RM4.63 billion project to Construction Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation, which he suggested was unnecessary.

He pointed out to the heavy criticism against the tunnel, including worsening traffic flow and the option of building a light rail transit (LRT) system in the island.

Nasruddin added that the undertaking was made despite Penang’s budget shorftall of RM255.44 million in 2014, the sixth year of deficit for the state.

“What was Lim thinking until he dares to spend big on an unnecessary thing in a critical financial situation? Where is the voice of Pakatan leaders in berating Lim’s attitude?” asked the former PAS Youth chief.

“Were we not against direct negotiations once upon a time?”

The Penang government touts Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT) as its guiding principles.

Khalid’s PKR colleagues are seeking to oust the second-term mentri besar from office but the beleaguered politician has found support in PAS through its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, spiritual leader Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, and its religious scholars, the ulama.

A Pakatan Rakyat presidential meeting will be held this Sunday where top leaders from PAS, PKR and DAP will decide whether or not to keep Khalid or replace him mid-term.

Khalid has refused his party’s directive to step down and allow PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take over, prompting PKR to serve him a show-cause letter that demanded an answer by Friday.

Racism will flourish if leaders do nothing, say civil society, lawyers

The Malaysian Insider
by V. ANBALAGAN

Malaysians are getting bolder in displaying religious and racial hatred as the Barisan Nasional-led government has failed to act against extremists, says former Bar Council chairman Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.

She said condoning such acts were now a licence for others to make disparaging remarks.

"People think they can do this now because others are have done it and have gotten away with it."

Ambiga (pic, left) was responding to calls to punish Kelvin Yip and Shahul Hamid Seeni Mohd who had made derogatory remarks that offended Muslims and Hindus.

Yip had posted a profane comment on his Facebook on the volume of the early morning azan, or the Muslim call to prayer.

On the other hand, Shahul was seen in a viral video telling Muslims to boycott curry powder made by "Hindu companies" such as Alagappa's and Baba's.

"If you go to the Alagappa's factory near Permatang Pauh, you will see a statue (goddess) at the entrance, and the tongue is out. Why is the tongue out? Because the goddess must taste all the curry powder before they sell it," Shahul said during a "halal and haram" forum.

Both men have apologised for their comments. But, there are calls to charge them with sedition or under the Penal Code.

Ambiga said the Sedition Act should not be used against those uttering insensitive remarks on race and religion, unless they are harmful.

"We should all condemn it in the strongest terms and that should be the end of it. To gun for them to face prosecution is not, in my view, a proportionate response."

She called on Malaysians to stop extremists from setting the tone for the country.

"I also believe that people who are in a position to mould public opinion like the Uztaz (Shahul Hamid) should be more responsible."

She said the fault lies squarely with the leadership as they allowed this to happen when they did not act against those who had encouraged racial and religious hatred.

Ambiga, who is a patron of Negara-Ku, said leaders must set the example and show that such comments were unacceptable.

"We are now witnessing unbridled racism that we have allowed, and now we want to punish them."

Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen (pic, left) said comments by Yip and Shahul were petty and “we should just relax and chill”.

"Instead of asking the state to punish, we must engage this people for making insensitive and ridiculous statements."

Civil rights lawyer Syahredzan Johan said Yip and Shahul Hamid were reflections of a generation who were not given the opportunity to experience different religions and cultures.

"Our education system had divided us as some went to national, vernacular and private schools."

Syahredzan, a member of the Malaysian Bar Council, said he agreed with a proposal by the National Unity Consultative Council that those who utter such insensitive remarks be referred to a tribunal, instead of dragging the police and the public prosecutor into this.

"We should be more tolerant and forgiving in order to make Malaysia a better place to live and work."

Special Meeting Tomorrow To Discuss Reception For MH17 Crash Victims

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- The government will announce the handling and ceremonial aspects to receive the bodies of Malaysians killed in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH17 crash after a proposal on the matter is submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin next week.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said a special meeting would be held tomorrow during which the relevant ministers and agencies would submit proposals on the matter.

He said among the matters to be decided tomorrow would be on the role and responsibilities of the ministries and agencies concerned.

"It will be the first meeting of the 10 Ministerial Coordination Committee under the patronage of the deputy prime minister," he said, adding that the meeting would be held at noon at the Defence Ministry and would be chaired by him.

In a statement here today, Hishammuddin also said that the views and suggestions given at the meeting would be submitted to Muhyiddin at a special meeting, scheduled for next week.

The meeting will discuss in detail preparations to receive the bodies of the Malaysian victims, as well as the demands made by their next of kin.

Those who will be involved in tomorrow's meeting are Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.

It will also be attended by the ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and Datuk Wee Ka Siong.

Several agencies will also be involved, including the Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim), National Unity and Integration Department, MAS and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.

The ceremony to receive the bodies will be held at the Bunga Raya Complex, KL International Airport, on a date to be announced later.

The MAS plane on flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 while on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board.

The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is believed to have been shot down by a missile over the troubled country.

Besides Malaysians, nationals from the Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines, Canada and New Zealand were among the 298 passengers and crew on board.