Thursday, 6 November 2014
Shocking: ISIS Official 'Slave' Price List Shows Yazidi, Christian Girls Aged '1 to 9' Being Sold for $172
In a rather shocking revelation, it has been found that Islamic State militants have been selling Yazidi and Christian girls as young as one to nine years of age for a price of $172 in Iraq.
By Johnlee Varghese
Activists working 'secretly' out of Iraq have leaked a 'price list' of the ISIS slave markets, from where men can buy Yazidi and Christian women as 'sex slaves.'
According to a report published by Iraqi News, ISIS has imposed these 'price controls' over the sale of women and spoils of war, including cattle as the market lately has experienced a down-turn.
It also stated that those disobeying the diktat 'would be executed.'
On the price list, the youngest is a mere one-year-old girl, while the oldest is 50.
The price for the girls between one- and nine-years is the highest, followed by Yazidi or Christian girls between the ages of 10 and 20, priced at $130.
Women between the ages of 20 and 30 were being sold for $86; a 30 to 40 year was being sold for $75 and 40 to 50 year old women were listed for sale at a price of $43.
The barbaric group that has full-fledged slave markets both in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, Syria; has even gone to the extent of justifying its kidnapping of women as sex slaves citing Islamic theology.
"One should remember that enslaving the families of the kuffar -- the infidels -- and taking their women as concubines is a firmly established aspect of the Shariah, or Islamic law," the group had said in an online magazine report, reported CNN.
In the price list translated from Arabic, the ISIS says: "In the name of Allah, most gracious and merciful. We have received news that the demand in women and cattle markets has sharply decreased and that will affected Islamic State revenues as well as the funding of the Mujaheddin in the battlefield. We have made some changes. Below are the prices of Yazidi and Christian women."
After listing out the prices on the women, the ISIS notes that "consumers are allowed to purchase only three slaves at a time, except those from Turkey, Syria and Gulf."
The price list reportedly is dated 16 October,2014. The authenticity of the list that has widely been shared on social media could not be verified independently.
The revelation comes only days after a shocking video purports to show Islamic State (ISIS) fighters bargaining over Yazidi women at a "slave market."
The clip shows how ISIS fighters were negotiating the prices of girls based on their eye colour. Those with blue and green eyes fetched the highest amount.
Activists working 'secretly' out of Iraq have leaked a 'price list' of the ISIS slave markets, from where men can buy Yazidi and Christian women as 'sex slaves.'
According to a report published by Iraqi News, ISIS has imposed these 'price controls' over the sale of women and spoils of war, including cattle as the market lately has experienced a down-turn.
It also stated that those disobeying the diktat 'would be executed.'
On the price list, the youngest is a mere one-year-old girl, while the oldest is 50.
The price for the girls between one- and nine-years is the highest, followed by Yazidi or Christian girls between the ages of 10 and 20, priced at $130.
Women between the ages of 20 and 30 were being sold for $86; a 30 to 40 year was being sold for $75 and 40 to 50 year old women were listed for sale at a price of $43.
The barbaric group that has full-fledged slave markets both in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, Syria; has even gone to the extent of justifying its kidnapping of women as sex slaves citing Islamic theology.
"One should remember that enslaving the families of the kuffar -- the infidels -- and taking their women as concubines is a firmly established aspect of the Shariah, or Islamic law," the group had said in an online magazine report, reported CNN.
In the price list translated from Arabic, the ISIS says: "In the name of Allah, most gracious and merciful. We have received news that the demand in women and cattle markets has sharply decreased and that will affected Islamic State revenues as well as the funding of the Mujaheddin in the battlefield. We have made some changes. Below are the prices of Yazidi and Christian women."
After listing out the prices on the women, the ISIS notes that "consumers are allowed to purchase only three slaves at a time, except those from Turkey, Syria and Gulf."
The price list reportedly is dated 16 October,2014. The authenticity of the list that has widely been shared on social media could not be verified independently.
The revelation comes only days after a shocking video purports to show Islamic State (ISIS) fighters bargaining over Yazidi women at a "slave market."
The clip shows how ISIS fighters were negotiating the prices of girls based on their eye colour. Those with blue and green eyes fetched the highest amount.
EXCLUSIVE: ISIS threat to female fighters - lay down your weapons or we will capture and MARRY you (but they retaliate by vowing to kill as many jihadis as possible)
- Col. Nahida Ahmad Rashid says the jihadis have issued a marriage threat
- Commander of the 2nd Battalion Peshmerga Female says she is not afraid
- Has vowed that she and her troops will 'clean Iraq of dirty ISIS' jihadis
- Says that all fighters have been told to kill themselves if captured by ISIS
- ISIS fear that they will not go to Paradise if killed by a female fighter
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Colonel Nahida Ahmad Rashid, commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion Peshmerga Female, said that the jihadis even plan to wed women they are 'disgusted' by.
'The message said that whenever they catch any Peshmerga woman, they will marry them,' she explains.
But Colonel Rashid says she and her troops have other ideas and revealed that she has asked fighters to keep a spare bullet to hand in case of capture.
'I have told all my frontline soldiers to keep one bullet in their pocket in case they are captured,' she reveals. 'I never want any of them to be captured by ISIS.'
So far, Colonel Rashid and her fighters have not needed to use their spare bullets, although she says that other PKK [Kurdistan Worker's Party] soldiers fighting in the Syrian town of Kobane have been forced to do so.
'Last week, one of the PKK fighters found herself alone and surrounded by ISIS after all her friends had been killed. She shot herself rather than let them take her.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2820665/ISIS-threat-female-fighters-lay-weapons-capture-MARRY-retaliate-vowing-kill-jihadis-possible.html
Seized Bibles likely to be returned by next week, say Selangor sources
The Malay and Iban Bibles seized early this year containing the word "Allah" are to be returned to the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) soon, ending a 10-month standoff between Christians and the Selangor religious authorities.
The Malaysian Insider understands the 321 copies of the Christian holy books, seized by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais), which forbids other faiths from using the word "Allah", are expected to be returned within the next week.
It was learnt that new Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali had raised the contentious issue during a state council meeting which was also attended by the state mufti and religious authorities earlier this week.
"Azmin met with senior officers from both Jais and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) on Monday and brought up the matter with them," a source told The Malaysian Insider.
The outcome of the meeting was said to be positive and a source hinted that everything should be completed within a week. Azmin is scheduled to meet the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah next Tuesday and they will likely discuss the seized Bibles.
"It is a weekly meeting... most likely they will discuss this," said a source.
"If the sultan gives his approval, Azmin is expected to direct the religious authorities to return the Bibles immediately."
It was reported on Monday that Azmin had referred the matter to the Selangor palace, seeking a solution to the case which has dragged on for more than 10 months.
Azmin had also confirmed that he had met with Jais and Mais on the matter but was reluctant to reveal further details.
During a DAP fundraiser dinner in Petaling Jaya on Monday, Azmin once again reiterated his commitment in resolving the matter.
He told the crowd that the Bibles did not belong to Muslims and must be returned to the Christians, adding that Muslims must respect other faiths in Malaysia, and that the rights of non-Muslims to practise their religion were guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.
Azmin’s predecessor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, was widely panned by DAP and even his own party, PKR, for not taking a firm stance over the Bible issue, which had dragged on for months with no resolution in sight.
In January, Jais confiscated the Bibles during a raid at the BSM office in Damansara Kim as they contained the word Allah.
The Court of Appeal had ruled that non-Muslims could not use the word “Allah” to refer to God. The court also said the word “Allah” must be exclusive to Islam or it could cause
public disorder.
Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail then ordered the Bibles to be returned to BSM, after the Selangor government under Khalid, referred the matter to him.
Although Gani concluded that the Bible distributor had done nothing wrong, Mais insisted there were grounds to prosecute BSM under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation among Muslims) Enactment 1988.
Khalid later referred the matter to the sultan, who ordered Jais to liaise with the state public prosecutor.
Sultan Sharafuddin's private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani said that the sultan's order was in line with the minutes issued by the A-G's Chambers that "Jais has to act in accordance to the law on the issue of the seized Bibles".
"Jais should promptly refer it to the state public prosecutor for it to be brought to court for final determination," the sultan said in the statement.
He also said the issue should not be politicised by any quarter resulting in confusion by proposing solutions not based on the law.
But the ruler did not state to which court the authorities should refer the matter – civil or shariah. – November 5, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/seized-bibles-likely-to-be-returned-by-next-week-say-selangor-sources#sthash.OaPNgVxq.dpuf
Dr M says ‘defeated’ Selangor Umno needs a reality check
Selangor Umno should be dissolved and restructured following disappointing results in the 2008 and 2013 general elections, said Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
In his blog posting, the former prime minister said Selangor Umno leaders had to face up to reality and step down from their positions.
"They lost in the 12th and 13th general elections, they failed to wrest Malaysia's wealthiest state back from Pakatan Rakyat," Dr Mahathir said.
Dr Mahathir's comments come a week after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak lamented how embarrassed he was that Barisan Nasional (BN) was the opposition in Selangor.
Najib said he felt tired as it was humiliating that BN is mentioned as the opposition in Selangor.
In the 13th general election last year, BN won four parliamentary seats – Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang and Sungai Besar – and eight state seats – Sungai Air Tawar, Sungai Panjang, Semenyih, Dengkil, Jeram, Bukit Malawati, Sungai Burong and Permatang.
In GE13, Pakatan Rakyat won 17 parliamentary seats and 43 state seats.
"Today, even if we wanted to choose a candidate for the position of state Menteri Besar, there are no suitable candidates," Dr Mahathir said.
"This would not be an issue if Selangor Umno was prepared to accept new members but it will not happen as Selangor Umno leaders are afraid of being challenged.
"They are afraid that the entry of fresh members might cause them to lose their positions or not be nominated to stand as candidates in the general election."
Dr Mahathir added that Selangor Umno leaders were more intent on strengthening their position instead of the party.
"In order to carry out reforms in Selangor Umno, the first major change which must be implemented is the acceptance of new members.
"However, the new members should be carefully vetted by a body comprising veteran Umno members and members from other divisions."
Dr Mahathir said vetting was necessary as there were always certain quarters who wanted to manipulate Umno for their own personal agenda.
"Next on the list is focusing on the so-called Gen-Y. At the next general election, it is estimated that 2.5 million young voters will be casting their votes," he said.
Dr Mahathir said the Gen-Y voters were not interested in Umno as many of them who had studied abroad had absorbed Western values and cultures.
"For the Gen-Y voters, many of them do not appreciate what the party and nation's leaders have given in terms of educational opportunities.
"Even if the good deeds of Umno were mentioned to them, the Gen-Y would ignore this reminder and wonder why history was being revisited.
"In their minds, it is immaterial which party forms the government as they feel nothing will change," Dr Mahathir said.
He added that Selangor Umno also needed to do a lot more to attract Malay youths to join the party, including getting closer to those who are anti-Umno.
"Umno leaders should have a deep grasp and understanding of the party's history," Dr Mahathir said, adding the party leaders should be sent for courses.
He said Umno had to shed its reputation or image of being a corrupt party, and that its leaders had to lead a moderate lifestyle.
"They need to go down to the ground and build a closer rapport with the public. Do not drive luxury cars when going to the villages." – November 5, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dr-m-says-defeated-selangor-umno-needs-a-reality-check#sthash.TjBgs2k8.dpuf
Wage, property inequality in Malaysia on the rise, study shows
Wealth is concentrating in the already affluent as inequality in property and earnings in Malaysia are rising, a joint study by Universiti Malaya (UM) and the Khazanah Research Institute has found.
The study covered the private and public sector, and showed that data from the official Household Income Survey (HIS) yielded opposite findings when compared with data on private sector salaries, public sector employment and the National Property Information Centre (Napic).
UM's Dr Lee Hwok Aun and Khazanah's Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid found that while the HIS reported a decline in inequality of gross household income, the other data sources showed that inequality in terms of personal earnings and house ownership was increasing.
"We find evidence that inequality is growing in earnings in both the private and public sectors and increasingly concentrated at the topmost strata," Muhammed told a seminar titled "Has inequality in Malaysia really gone down?" in UM today.
"In terms of wealth ownership, there is also rising inequality in property ownership."
According to data from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the largest retirement fund in Malaysia, the Gini Coefficient of the savings accounts had risen from 0.643 in 2004 to 0.661 in 2013, the researchers said.
(The Gini Coefficient Index measures the distribution of income in a certain country. According to the HIS, the Gini Coefficient of Malaysia's gross household income in 2012 was 0.43.)
"The savings of the bottom half of EPF account holders has fallen from 2004 to 2013, while there is a slight increase in concentration at the top 1%," said Dr Lee, a senior lecturer with UM's Department of Developmental Studies.
The salaries of workers aged 26-35 had also grown at slower rates from 2004 to 2013, and lagged behind the earnings of those above 40 years of age, they said.
Meanwhile, in the public sector, the rank of managers and professionals have expanded disproportionately faster from 1999 to 2012, according to their compilation from the Employment List of Ministries and Departments in the Estimated Federal Budget."There is a concentration in the uppermost positions, which is similar to the findings from the EPF. The top management enjoys higher income," said Lee.
In 1999, the top management comprised 0.09% of the staff, while the management and professionals made up 14.07% of the staff.
But in 2012, 0.17% of the staff were top management and 29.80% were of the management and professionals.
"The disparity between the top 10% and bottom% may have increased," said Lee.
The researchers said the Gini Coefficient of residential properties sold a year had also increased from 0.51 in 1996 to 0.53 in 2011, according to their calculations based on data from Napic.
"The value of property purchased by high-end buyers has grown more rapidly than property purchased by low-end buyers throughout the years," said Muhammed.
The share of total property value by the bottom 20% from 2006 to 2011 has remained stagnant at 5%, while the top 10% have enjoyed a growth from 35% to 40% of total shares during the same period, according to the data.
The researchers also said that passenger vehicle sales data show increasing proportions of luxury cars from 2001 to 2011.
"There is a rising share of vehicles sold at the high end and bottom end, and rapid growth in luxury brands and compact cars," said Lee.
Data from private unit trust funds such as Amanah Saham Berhad showed that the majority own very little and have seen their shares declining from 2007 to 2012, said Muhammed.
The shares of the bottom 50% of ASB shareholders has dropped from 3% to 2%, while the 80th to 90th percentile have seen an increase from 76% to 77% share ownership from 2007 to 2012, according to the researchers.
But the researchers noted that according to the HIS, household income inequality has been on a downward trend since 2004.
"The HIS states that Malaysia's Gini Coefficient of gross household income shrank 0.84% per year from 2004 to 2012, while in the 2000s, the bottom 40% enjoyed relatively higher income growth," said Lee.
The researchers suggested that the disparity between the HIS and their own study may be due to the fact that the HIS did not take into account the earnings of each individual in a household.
"The HIS reports the aggregate gross household income. There is no distinction between earned income and gross income," said Lee.
"Gross household income inequality may be declining while personal earnings inequality rises due to transfers and multiple income earners in a household." – November 5, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/wage-property-inequality-in-malaysia-on-the-rise-study-shows#sthash.SntVGA2u.dpuf
'Religious schools for all, but SJKC dangerous'
Razlan said this at a press conference today in rebutting a statement by Sibu MP Oscar Ling, who compared religious schools with vernacular schools.
Razlan (left)
said religious schools are open to all Muslims regardless of race, and
cited a study to back his concerns that vernacular schools could be
divisive.The study supposedly found that 604 out of 14,000 National Service trainees in 2010 could not speak the Malay language, and this was highlighted in an Utusan Malaysia editorial last week.
“The SRJK C issue and the religious school issue are vastly different issues. Islam is a religion that is open to all and we have taken on an approach that is friendly to all races. There is no racial division in Islam.
“SRJK C schools is a very dangerous issue when we see that some 600 students entering the national service programme clearly could not speak Malay at all. Where did they come from? Where did they get their education, if not at the SRJK C?” Razlan told reporters.
He also claimed that there were many Chinese Malaysian businesses that could operate without a single staff able to speak in the national language.
Meanwhile, to a question on why is he not calling for vernacular schools to be scrapped, Razlan said more studies are needed, since 600 trainees are too small a number, and previous agreements still needed to be adhered to.
“We
have agreed to let the SRJK C to exist. If we are to withdraw that, we
have to first conduct a study and ask why should we withdraw it.“We will debate this in the coming Umno general assembly. Today, the facts available that 600 (cannot speak Malay) is a small number. We want to know how many Chinese companies can conduct their businesses without using the Malay language.
“We want to know. These studies will be conducted and we will debate every detail of it in the assembly. If there is consensus that SRJK C should not be continued, we will stop them,” he said, while stressing that this is his personal opinion.
Razlan also clarified that by ‘stop’, he meant that no new vernacular school should be built, but existing schools should be allowed to continue operations.
He added that he has no issue with the SRJK C if Chinese associations are willing to take steps to ensure that the position of the Malay language as the national language is secure.
“As Malaysians, we know that we can’t exile the Chinese, the Indians, the Malays, the Kadazans… No. This is our country.
“But why should the Chinese be able to live without the national language? Is it that the national language is no longer their language?” Razlan asked.
Zaid: Political leaders kow-towing to Islamic authorities who’ve usurped God’s power
The former de facto law minister was weighing in on a growing trend for federal and state Islamic authorities to label progressive Muslim groups and individuals deemed “liberal” and “pluralistic” as “deviants”; he noted too that while Muslims around the world have no clergy that act as intermediaries with God, it was not so in Malaysia.
“Here, there are religious authorities who have usurped the power of God and pass judgement on Muslims long before they die and long before The Day of Judgement,” Zaid wrote on his blog yesterday in a post titled “The real power in Malaysia”.
“What is abundantly clear to Malaysians who care to see is that Malay political leaders are afraid of the religious authorities. Our leaders are like the Imperial Chinese eunuchs who would always obey the Emperor for the privilege of living in the Palace and having control over state finances.
“In this matter, there is no difference at all whether Umno or the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) has political power and occupies Putrajaya — today the real power in our lives emanates from the religious authorities,” the vocal Kelantan-born politician said.
Recently, the Selangor Fatwa Committee issued a religious edict against Sisters in Islam (SIS), declaring the Muslim women’s rights group had deviating from Islam because it was purportedly promoting liberalism and religious pluralism — concepts which the conservative committee has yet to elaborate.
SIS filed last Friday for a judicial review on the fatwa that was gazetted last July in Selangor.
“Instead of calling up the religious authorities to explain to them the dangers of their rulings and how they violate our constitutional freedoms — and how Muslims will be adversely affected by such rulings — our political leaders have done nothing,” Zaid said in his blog post.
He criticised Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for purportedly saying at an international forum touting Muslim democracy that while there was nothing wrong with pluralism and liberalism, he would not change the decision of the Islamic authorities in Selangor, a state controlled by PR.
Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali made a similar remark last Sunday, saying he did not support the fatwa against SIS but was merely asking others to respect it as the decision has already been made.
Zaid said there was nothing sinful about being liberal, pointing out that it only meant that someone is “open-minded” and has “forward-looking and progressive” ideas.
“When the prime minister said that Umno Selangor had to think outside the box and come up with new ideas to retake the state, he was being liberal and progressive. You can also say that, in the context of Umno, Najib, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Khairy Jamaluddin are liberals and progressives while Utusan Malaysia, Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Isma are conservatives,” he said.
Zaid also said religious pluralism means, in the context of Malaysia, that all religions have the right to exist in the country and that it is not a judgment call on which faith is better or truer.
“As Muslims, we believe of course that Islam is better — but no one is preventing us from believing this. Equally, Hindus (for example) are entitled to their own set of religious beliefs in what constitutes the path to salvation,” he said.
“Pluralism means we accept that there are different religious faiths in the country and that our fellow-citizens have the right to practise those faiths freely. It is the idea that we must coexist peacefully. That’s the essence of Article 11 of our
Female snake charmer new ‘aurat’ target
The Kelantan state government says it will stop her show if she does not cover up.
FMT
KOTA BARU: After picking on women traders in the markets for not respecting its “aurat” rule, the Kelantan government is now targeting a snake charmer.
A Bernama report quotes a state executive councillor as saying that authorities would stop a snake charming show at the Kelantan Museum if the woman conducting it does not cover the parts of her body deemed as “aurat” under state law.
In Islamic terminology, the “aurat” constitutes those parts of the body that must be covered when one is in the presence of someone of the opposite sex who is not a close family member. There is some controversy as regards which parts of the body should be included.
In the snake charmer’s case, the offending body part is the hair on her head.
Abdul Fattah Mahmood, who heads the State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and the Environment, said any show held in the state had to be in compliance with the rules and regulations set by the state government.
“We will instruct her to stop the show if she cannot follow the rules and regulations,” he said.
“We have received reports that she did not cover her aurat. She has to cover it because the show is held at a public place.”
The Kelantan Musuem is holding a month-long snake exhibition. As part of the show, Rahiza Abdul Rahim, 28, charms snakes inside a glass cubicle. She is also known as Baby Andryanna and she is inside the cubicle with 20 snakes.
KOTA BARU: After picking on women traders in the markets for not respecting its “aurat” rule, the Kelantan government is now targeting a snake charmer.
A Bernama report quotes a state executive councillor as saying that authorities would stop a snake charming show at the Kelantan Museum if the woman conducting it does not cover the parts of her body deemed as “aurat” under state law.
In Islamic terminology, the “aurat” constitutes those parts of the body that must be covered when one is in the presence of someone of the opposite sex who is not a close family member. There is some controversy as regards which parts of the body should be included.
In the snake charmer’s case, the offending body part is the hair on her head.
Abdul Fattah Mahmood, who heads the State Committee on Local Government, Housing, Health and the Environment, said any show held in the state had to be in compliance with the rules and regulations set by the state government.
“We will instruct her to stop the show if she cannot follow the rules and regulations,” he said.
“We have received reports that she did not cover her aurat. She has to cover it because the show is held at a public place.”
The Kelantan Musuem is holding a month-long snake exhibition. As part of the show, Rahiza Abdul Rahim, 28, charms snakes inside a glass cubicle. She is also known as Baby Andryanna and she is inside the cubicle with 20 snakes.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT! Another bullying case exposed
Young boy is trashed by a group of seniors in latest bullying episode.
PETALING JAYA: Another video clip of group bullying, in what appears to be a school dormitory, has emerged online following a similar ragging clip that went viral on YouTube recently and that was reported on FMT today.
However, this close to seven minute clip is far more brutal in its nature as the clip showed just one boy being beaten up and kicked around by several older boys, believed to be seniors.
The clip showed the young victim crying and pleading for mercy, only to be beaten harder by the group of older boys.
Halfway through the clip, the bullies even played loud music and danced about while continuing to abuse the boy as if they were at a festival and the victim a human pinata.
The exact location of the brutal bullying has yet to be identified.
Nevertheless the video clearly shows some sort of a boarding school or dormitory setting, while faces of the bullies and victim are clearly captured in the footage.
PETALING JAYA: Another video clip of group bullying, in what appears to be a school dormitory, has emerged online following a similar ragging clip that went viral on YouTube recently and that was reported on FMT today.
However, this close to seven minute clip is far more brutal in its nature as the clip showed just one boy being beaten up and kicked around by several older boys, believed to be seniors.
The clip showed the young victim crying and pleading for mercy, only to be beaten harder by the group of older boys.
Halfway through the clip, the bullies even played loud music and danced about while continuing to abuse the boy as if they were at a festival and the victim a human pinata.
The exact location of the brutal bullying has yet to be identified.
Nevertheless the video clearly shows some sort of a boarding school or dormitory setting, while faces of the bullies and victim are clearly captured in the footage.
Two teachers plead not guilty in UPSR scandal
Two teachers in Nilai claim trial to the unauthorised possession of UPSR papers.
FMT
SEREMBAN: Two Tamil School teachers in Nilai claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to unauthorised possession of copies of this year’s Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) examination papers.
Subbarau@ Kamalanathan, 34, is facing five charges involving Mathematics Papers (I and II), Tamil Language Paper for Comprehension, and Tamil Language Papers, Writing and Science.
He allegedly committed the offences via a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 smartphone between September 9 and September 17.
P. Murugan, 36, is accused of unauthorised possession of Mathematics, Paper I, via a Lenovo smartphone.
If convicted, both accused could be jailed between one and seven years, under Section 8(1)(c)(iii) of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (Act 88).
Judge Jagjit Singh Bant Singh set RM3,000 as bail, with one surety for Subbarau, and RM2,000 with one surety for Murugan.
He also ordered their passports to be temporarily impounded by the court, and set December 15 for mention of both cases.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Muhamad Abu Hassan Ramli appeared for the prosecution.
Counsel Haresh Mahadevan, Ramzaini Idris, A. Patheeban, S. Veerapan, Lee Kai Yet, Lee Kok Wah and AK Dass represented the two accused.
- BERNAMA
SEREMBAN: Two Tamil School teachers in Nilai claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to unauthorised possession of copies of this year’s Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR) examination papers.
Subbarau@ Kamalanathan, 34, is facing five charges involving Mathematics Papers (I and II), Tamil Language Paper for Comprehension, and Tamil Language Papers, Writing and Science.
He allegedly committed the offences via a Samsung Galaxy Note 2 smartphone between September 9 and September 17.
P. Murugan, 36, is accused of unauthorised possession of Mathematics, Paper I, via a Lenovo smartphone.
If convicted, both accused could be jailed between one and seven years, under Section 8(1)(c)(iii) of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (Act 88).
Judge Jagjit Singh Bant Singh set RM3,000 as bail, with one surety for Subbarau, and RM2,000 with one surety for Murugan.
He also ordered their passports to be temporarily impounded by the court, and set December 15 for mention of both cases.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Muhamad Abu Hassan Ramli appeared for the prosecution.
Counsel Haresh Mahadevan, Ramzaini Idris, A. Patheeban, S. Veerapan, Lee Kai Yet, Lee Kok Wah and AK Dass represented the two accused.
- BERNAMA
The questionable trial of Anwar Ibrahim
In just the last two months, nearly two dozen activists have been charged under Malaysia's archaic Sedition Act.
Anwar Ibrahim is in the Malaysian Federal Court this week for what hopefully is the last chapter in a sordid affair that has done nothing but distract him from his reform agenda. We have been critical of Malaysia's judiciary in the past and hope that at this moment in time, the five judges who are tasked with reviewing the appeal of Ibrahim's March conviction on charges of sodomy, will adhere strictly to the rule of law and not be swayed by external political influences.
Malaysia's image as an example or a model of a Muslim majority country that is on a democratic path, economically vibrant, adheres to the rule of law, and a model to the world on how to exist as a pluralistic society is under tremendous strain today. Ibrahim's trial is just one example of how dissident voices calling for reform of institutions in Malaysia are being persecuted. In just the last two months, nearly two dozen activists have been charged under Malaysia's archaic Sedition Act, including Ibrahim.
Ultra right wing groups have targeted minority communities threatening to burn bibles and tell the "immigrant" Chinese and Indian population of Malaysia to go home.
Academic freedom is also under attack. Two highly regarded professors were charged with sedition and Ibrahim's lecture scheduled to take place at the University of Malaya on Monday night was systemically blocked. University staff, dismissed early in the day, and the front gates of the university were put on lockdown. A few thousand brave students defied the ban and were able to hear Ibrahim speak.
At a time when the world is confronting violent and regressive movements in parts of the Muslim world, Malaysia could be a shining example of what is possible when Muslims focus on rebuilding the tradition of scholarship, technology, and pluralism that is present throughout the history of Islamic civilisation. While the prime minister has made positive remarks about the need for a "movement of moderates" in the Muslim world, the actions of his party at home belie his intentions.
The continuing efforts to use the judicial system against opposition political leaders will undermine Malaysia's leadership role in regional and global affairs as well as weaken Malaysia's traditions of political openness and democracy.
Malaysian authorities, as Human Rights Watch Asia director, Phil Robertson, has stated, "risk making a travesty of the country's criminal justice system" unless they withdraw their case against Ibrahim.
Former US Vice President Al Gore framed the issue clearly last March when he said: "It is extremely disturbing that the government of Malaysia - by continuing to press this case beyond the bounds of reason, let alone the bounds of justice - has used the courts to short-circuit the political process."
John L Esposito is University Professor and Professor of Religion and International Affairs, Georgetown University. His recent books are The Future of Islam and (with I Kalin) Islamophobia and the Challenge of Pluralism in the 21st Century.
John O Voll is Professor of Islamic History at the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
Najib should also congratulate USM for being ranked No. 87 in the 100 Best Global Universities for Engineering and direct full inquiry why Malaysian universities could only get two out of 2,100 slots for the 21 subject areas for 100 Best Global Universities
Lim Kit Siang Blog The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should also congratulate the University Sains Malaysia (USM) for being ranked No. 87 in the 100 Best Global Universities Ranking 2015 for Engineering, as he seems to have overlooked USM’s listing when congratulating Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) for being placed in the 54th rank for agricultural science.
While congratulations to UPM and USM are in order, for being ranked in the 100 Best Global Universities in the field of agricultural science for UPM and in engineering for USM, the Prime Minister should be very worried and concerned about the overall failure and inability of Malaysian universities to compete with universities not only in Asia but also at the global level.
The Prime Minister cannot make a worse mistake or be more wrongly advised if he regards the Best Global Universities Ranking 2015 released by the US News and World Report on Oct. 27 as a cause for celebration, when it is in fact a terrible indictment of the lowly standards of public university education and excellence in the country.
Firstly, the country’s premier university, the University of Malaya is the only university listed in the 500 Best Global Universities Ranking 2015, and at a very lowly position of No. 423.
Secondly, the Best Global Universities Ranking 2015 also feature the top 100 global universities in 21 subject areas, namely agricultural sciences, biology/biochemistry, chemistry, clinical medicine, computer science, economics/business, engineering, environment/ecology, geosciences, immunology, materials science, mathematics, microbiology, molecular biology/genetics, neurosciences and behavior, pharmacology/toxicology, physics, plant/animal sciences, psychiatry/psychology, social science/public health and space science.
With 100 Top universities ranked for each of the 21 subject areas, this will mean there are 2,100 slots available for the cream of global universities.
It is shocking that University of Malaya, the only Malaysian university listed in the 500 Best Global Universities Ranking 2015 has not been ranked as Top 100 University for anyone of the 21 subject areas. Thanks to UPM and USM, Malaysia won two of the 2,100 slots in the Top 100 Universities for 21 subject areas.
The four top Asian universities in the 500 Best Global University Rankings 2015, namely Universities of Tokyo (No. 24), Peking (No. 39), Hong Kong (42) and Singapore (No.55) are all ranked Top 100 Universities in more than a dozen subject areas.
University of Tokyo is Top 100 Universities for 18 subject areas, such as ranked No.5 in physics, No. 6 in chemistry, No. 7 in Plant and Animal Science, No. 10 in biology/biochemistry, No. 13 in microbiology, No. 17 in geosciences, No. 20 in materials science, No. 34 in engineering, No. 36 in computer science, No. 42 in mathematics, No. 60 in clinical medicine and No. 85 in environment/ecology.
Peking University is Top 100 University for 14 subject areas, Hong Kong University in 13 subject areas and National University of Singapore in 15 subject areas.
It must trouble Malaysians who care about higher education that each of these four universities could be ranked as the Top 100 universities in over a dozen subject areas while Malaysia could only get into two of the 2,100 slots for the 21 subject areas – UPM for agricultural science and USM for engineering; and with the premier university, University of Malaya, unable to get ranked as Top 100 in anyone of the 21 subject areas.
This is not cause for joy and celebration by the Prime Minister but who should direct a full inquiry into the sad state of higher education in Malaysia.
Mud Floods In Camerons: One Killed, Four Injured, Child Missing
KUANTAN, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- A Nepali farm worker was killed while four
others were injured and a child is missing in mud floods in Ringlet and
Kuala Terla in Cameron Highlands tonight.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Morni Mamat said the disaster in Ringlet also forced the evacuation of 150 residents from 37 families to a multi-purpose hall in the small town, located about 10 kilometres from Tanah Rata, the main town in the highlands .
"A local man and two Indian nationals were almost buried alive at a car workshop in Ringlet but were rescued in time and sent to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries which were serious.
"An Indonesian man was also injured in the Ringlet incident while a boy is reported missing in Kuala Terlah near Kampung Raja at the opposite end of the highlands," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Morni said rescuers were frantically searching for the missing boy.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman in Cameron Highlands said heavy rain since late this afternoon cause mudslides and the water level in Sungai Bertam in Ringlet to rise fast resulting in a mud flood at around 7pm.
"However, the area where a similar disaster took place last year has not been affected till now," he said.
In Oct 24 last year, a controlled release of water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam following continuous heavy rain resulted in a massive mudflow downstream which claimed three lives and left nearly 100 houses destroyed.
Meanwhile, Cameron Higlands police chief DSP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the search operation for the boy, aged 13, who is feared to have drowned, had been halted temporarily due to unfavourable weather and would resume tomorrow.
He said the identity of the boy had yet to be ascertained.
He identified the Nepali farm worker as Md Yousus Miya, 66, and the Indonesian as Iswandi Nahrowi, 40.
Wan Mohd Zahari said Md Yousus was buried alive in a mudslide in Jalan Ulu Merah in Ringlet at around 7.30pm.
"His body was recovered at 8.30pm," he said.
He said that water from the dam was released in stages since this afternoon and residents were ordered to move to higher ground for their safety.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Morni Mamat said the disaster in Ringlet also forced the evacuation of 150 residents from 37 families to a multi-purpose hall in the small town, located about 10 kilometres from Tanah Rata, the main town in the highlands .
"A local man and two Indian nationals were almost buried alive at a car workshop in Ringlet but were rescued in time and sent to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries which were serious.
"An Indonesian man was also injured in the Ringlet incident while a boy is reported missing in Kuala Terlah near Kampung Raja at the opposite end of the highlands," he said when contacted by Bernama.
Morni said rescuers were frantically searching for the missing boy.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman in Cameron Highlands said heavy rain since late this afternoon cause mudslides and the water level in Sungai Bertam in Ringlet to rise fast resulting in a mud flood at around 7pm.
"However, the area where a similar disaster took place last year has not been affected till now," he said.
In Oct 24 last year, a controlled release of water from the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam following continuous heavy rain resulted in a massive mudflow downstream which claimed three lives and left nearly 100 houses destroyed.
Meanwhile, Cameron Higlands police chief DSP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said the search operation for the boy, aged 13, who is feared to have drowned, had been halted temporarily due to unfavourable weather and would resume tomorrow.
He said the identity of the boy had yet to be ascertained.
He identified the Nepali farm worker as Md Yousus Miya, 66, and the Indonesian as Iswandi Nahrowi, 40.
Wan Mohd Zahari said Md Yousus was buried alive in a mudslide in Jalan Ulu Merah in Ringlet at around 7.30pm.
"His body was recovered at 8.30pm," he said.
He said that water from the dam was released in stages since this afternoon and residents were ordered to move to higher ground for their safety.
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