Najib Razak: Dulu, sekarang dan...

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Nusra Front executes Syrian for 'insulting prophet'

Agence France Presse

BEIRUT: Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch Wednesday executed a man it accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad, in a summary killing mirroring those by ISIS, activists said Wednesday.

Nusra Front militants shot dead the civilian, identified as Mohammad al-Mir, in the town of Irbin, just northeast of the capital Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The man had been accused of "insulting the Prophet Mohammad and his family," said the Britain-based monitoring group.

Nusra has regularly executed members of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, but has rarely been accused of carrying out such killings on religious grounds.

It pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in April, distancing itself from the Sunni extremist ISIS notorious for summarily executing those it accuses of apostasy.

"We are all used to seeing ISIS doing this, but now it seems that other groups like Al-Nusra Front are following in their footsteps, and are terrorizing the population," Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

In December 2013, ISIS jihadis executed a Syrian boy accused of blasphemy, sparking protests in the northern city of Aleppo and condemnation from activists and Assad's opponents.

The group has since gained infamy for its near-daily executions -- often beheadings -- in areas that it co-opted, and for publicly committing some of the worst atrocities in Syria's war.

Until recently, many Syrian activists and rebels seeking Assad's overthrow had considered Nusra Front to be less radical than ISIS.

In many areas of the war-torn country, Nusra Front members and rebel fighters have fought side by side against forces loyal to Assad.

But in recent weeks, particularly after the launch of US-led strikes against jihadi positions in Syria in late September, Nusra Front has started mobilizing to expel rivals from areas out of government control.

Less than a month ago, Nusra pushed out Syrian rebels from most of their positions in the northwestern province of Idlib.

"The killing in Irbin shows us what Nusra Front is really about," said the Observatory's Abdel Rahman.

"The execution violates not only human rights, but also proves once again that Nusra's agenda has absolutely nothing to do with the Syrian people's desire for democracy," he added.

Syria's war began as a peaceful movement demanding Assad's ouster, but later evolved into a war after the regime unleashed a massive crackdown against dissent.

Nusra released its first statement in January 2012, and has since claimed responsibility for the majority of suicide attacks that have struck the country in the past three years.

The group has been classed by the United States since 2012 as a "terrorist" organisation.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Nov-26/279003-nusra-front-executes-syrian-for-insulting-prophet.ashx#ixzz3KJRVUciz
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Soccer Club Real Madrid Removes Cross From Logo to Appease UAE Bank

Fox News

If spreading religious intolerance is the goal, a Middle Eastern bank has scored by prompting Real Madrid to alter its world-famous logo so that a small cross does not appear on an officially-licensed credit card.

The Spanish soccer giant unveiled the adjusted logo that will adorn a new credit card issued by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, reported The Algemeiner. The new logo looks exactly like the club's 83-year-old trademark, except for the absence of a tiny Christian cross that normally sits at the top.

The logo change was agreed to by the world's wealthiest sports team, valued at nearly $3.5 billion, in order to avoid offending Muslim sensibilities as the team and the bank enter a three-year "strategic alliance," according to Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez.

"I know that the local people experience every match in a special way and that our links with the UAE are constantly growing stronger," Perez said recently. "This agreement will help the club to keep conquering the hearts of followers in the United Arab Emirates."

Noted Spanish soccer website Marca: "from the looks of things, the club is willing to compromise on aspects of its identity in pursuit of these new fans."

However, it was not the first time the soccer juggernaut tweaked its crest to avoid offending Islamic sensibilities.In the oil-rich Emirates in 2012, Real Madrid made the same change to smooth the way for a partnership with a UAE resort.

Real Madrid's most recent decision to cave into Muslim religious intolerance comes at a time of growing concern for Christians in the Middle East, where Islamic State terrorists have massacred and ethnically cleansed ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria, noted The Algemeiner, citing a recent State Department report highlighting several violations of international standards on religious freedom in the United Arab Emirates, of which Abu Dhabi is a part.

"The government prohibits proselytizing and the distribution of non-Islamic religious literature under penalty of criminal prosecution, imprisonment and deportation," the report observed. "The law prohibits churches from erecting bell towers or displaying crosses on the outside of their premises; however, the government does not always enforce this law, and some churches display crosses on their buildings."

Tinasha's family meets health minister

 

The family of G Tinasha, whose death is being blamed on hospital negligence, met with Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam at his office in Putrajaya yesterday.

According to the deceased’s uncle I Ramesh, the minister had advised the family to file a complaint with the Private Practice Control Unit (UKAPS), which is under the ministry.

"We lodged the complaint after meeting with the minister," he told Malaysiakini.

Following this, Ramesh (left) said the family held a two-hour meeting with the UKAPS director.

"The director told us that UKAPS will be doing a detailed investigation on this matter," he added.

Tinasha's parents have blamed Assunta Hospital for their 14-year-old daughter’s death, claiming that the medical staff were negligent in treating her.

The Petaling Jaya-based private hospital had denied this.

Meanwhile, Ramesh said the family also lodged an official complaint with the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) as well.

He added that the family would be meeting with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) today to explain their case.

"I really hope they can take action immediately," he said.

Tinisha's parents have since filed two police reports against the hospital. The second report was lodged when they could not obtain the medical report.

Ramesh had claimed that the hospital deliberately refused to hand them the report because the family took their grouses to the media.

However, Assunta Hospital chief executive officer Peter TL Leong said the family needed to follow proper channels to get the report.

MMA later dismissed the hospital's reasoning, explaining that since Tinasha was underage and under the custody of her parents, the family was entitled to the report.

Post-mortem punctures holes in cops' version

 

The post-mortem found that detainee Syed Mohd Azlan Syed Mohamad Nor died due to being hit in the chest with a blunt object and this, according to rights group Suaram, casts aspersion on the police's sudden death claim.

In view of this, Suaram said the police must answer for the bruises and "hole-shaped puncture marks" found on his body as well as bring the policemen "responsible" to justice.

"They cannot run away by classifying Syed Mohd Azlan's death as sudden death," it added in a statement today.

Previously, Johor CID chief Hasnan Hassan alleged that the 25-year-old unemployed youth was a drug addict with a prior criminal record and sustained injuries when resisting arrest.

Suaram questioned how could a "young and healthy person suddenly die after being detained by the police".

Criticising Hasnan, it said the police officer’s explanation "did not make sense" and "lacked integrity" .

Suaram also urged for an inquest to be hed as soon as possible to determine Syed Mohd Azlan's actual cause of death.

"If it is found that any police officer had used force to torture him while he was in custody, then the police officer should be charged and punished over the crime," it added.

Taking the police to task for "hiding" the deceased's death from his family, Suaram said this showed that the police had “something to hide”.

"Syed Mohd Azlan was pronounced dead by the hospital at 7.30am. However, his father was only informed of his death at 1pm," it said.

As for the deceased, who was detained for allegedly possessing a firearm, Suaram pointed out that the police did not find any firearm at the deceased's home.

"The police had confirmed that a struggle occurred between the police and the deceased when detaining him and they were injured in the process.

"This showed that the police were not responsible when they did not provide medical treatment to the deceased although he had suffered an injury," it added.

Suaram then urged for the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to be implemented "so that death in custody cases can be managed in a transparent and just manner".

The family’s lawyer and Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo was called in by the police today in connection with the case.

Gerakan 'perturbed' by volte-face on Sedition Act

 

Gerakan is "perturbed" by Prime Minister Najib Razak's latest announcement that the 1948 Sedition Act remains and will be fortified.

The party's national and human rights bureau chief Baljit Singh said that Najib has gone back on his promise in 2012 to abolish the Act and replace it with the National Harmony Bill.

"He should not make a U-turn. We must move forward and that is to come up with a National Harmony Act," Baljit said when contacted.

"The Sedition Act is outdated. It has outlived its usefulness," added the senior lawyer from Penang.

Baljit (left) said people were concerned that the Sedition Act was "unequally enforced" and there were incidences of selective prosecution when the law was applied to certain individuals.

"Serious cases which were seditious in nature were left off the hook," he quipped.

Baljit was asked to comment on Najib remarks at the Umno General Assembly today that ""Not only will this Act be retained, it will be fortified.

Najib's declaration was met with a thundering applause by members at the AGM.

He was confident that Umno's allies in BN was with him on the matter.

Baljit said he understood Najib and Umno's concerns resulting in strengthening the Act to protect Islam and other faiths as well as tp deal with calls for secession of Sabah and Sarawak.

"But all these concerns can be incorporated into the National Harmony Act," Baljit said.

He urged Najib to relook into the need for the Sedition Act, asking that the matter be rediscussed in the BN supreme Council.

Since Merdeka, at least 20 individuals comprising academicians, activists, student leaders, preachers, opposition politicians and a journalist was either probed or arrested under the Act.

But Najib said he had listened to suggestions given by Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, Wanita Umno, Umno Youth and Puteri Umno, for the Act to be retained as well as concerns raised by the grassroots on the issue.

So what happens to National Harmony Act, asks Mujahid

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has reneged on his promise to repeal the Sedition Act, despite having tasked the National Unity Consultative Council to draft a new bill, council member Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said today.

He also said that the NUCC – formed under the Prime Minister's Department – had been tasked with providing input on a new law to replace the Sedition Act, adding that this had already been completed.

"The prime minister, who is also Umno president, had in July 2012 pledged to replace the Sedition Act with the National Harmony Act on grounds that the Sedition Act was no longer relevant.

"So how did it become relevant again in 2014?" Mujahid asked in a statement today.

He said the NUCC's Law and Policy Committee had given its input and conducted public discussions in preparation of the new bill.

Even the draft had been handed over to the council's main committee and to the Prime Minister's Department, Mujahid said.

"By strengthening the Sedition Act, the prime minister is sending a wrong signal that this colonial era law needs to be maintained when the environment today demands more relevant laws to suit current times," he added.

Mujahid said the Sedition Act also had a low burden of proof and was exposed to misuse as to the meaning of the word sedition.

He added that in contrast, the proposed National Harmony Act tightened the burden of proof aspect and also offered protection on freedom of speech.

According to Mujahid, PAS in its recent muktamar had also passed a motion supporting the abolishment of the Sedition Act, to be replaced with a better legislation to protect national harmony.

"It is clear by the prime minister's announcement that he does not have a solid stand and has reneged on his promise to repeal the act.

"Has the prime minister bowed down to the extremists in Umno that want the Sedition Act to be maintained?" – November 27, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/so-what-happens-to-national-harmony-act-asks-mujahid#sthash.RXBHa0MO.dpuf

Umno can’t use Sedition Act to stay in power, warns Pak Lah

Amid Umno's jubilant greeting over the retention of the Sedition Act 1948, former party president and prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warned that the law should not be abused to help the party stay in power.

Writing in his blog soon after his successor Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced a U-turn on his promise to repeal the act, Abdullah reminded Umno members that the party could only stay in power with the people's support.

"In our enthusiasm to retain the Sedition Act, I remind Umno members that the act is not to be used to keep Umno in power.

"Umno's power and strength comes from the people's support. Remember, if the people no longer support us, there is no law on God's earth that can save Umno from losing power," Abdullah said.

The former prime minister, however, agreed with the decision to retain the colonial-era law.

He also noted the enthusiasm with which Umno delegates had shown when Najib said the act would remain in his policy speech earlier today.

"I support the decision to retain or amend any laws that protect national harmony, that uphold our constitution, that affirm the social contract forged by our forefathers.

"And that ensures that the federation of Malaysia is not destroyed by irresponsible people. All this, I support," he said before stating his caution.

At the Umno general assembly, Najib had said the Sedition Act would not only be retained, but strengthened with amendments to protect the sanctity of Islam, curb insults against other religions and to punish anyone who called for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak from Malaysia.

Najib said he decided this after considering feedback from Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Wanita Umno, Pemuda Umno, Puteri Umno, the grassroots, as well as non-governmental organisations.

"Hence I, as the prime minister, decided that the Sedition Act 1948 will remain," he said, amid roars of approval from the delegates gathered at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

He said this was Umno's wish, adding that he believed their friends in Barisan Nasional (BN) would be with them.

Gerakan president Datuk Mah Siew Keong, however, issued a nuanced protest in a statement this afternoon, noting public dissatisfaction over the abuse of the act against academics and public intellectuals.

"Gerakan's fervent hope is that the Sedition Act will eventually be replaced with a comprehensive National Harmony Act. The new framework must include a set of punitive and positive measures to ensure societal stability but at the same time promotes national unity and harmony," he said.

Noting the "long struggle" of 20 years to repeal the Internal Security Act, Mah said he believed a repeal of the Sedition Act would be done "when all parties are ready and open minded".

"In line with the growing tide of democratisation, I believe this will eventually happen.

"In the meantime, I urge the authorities to act without fear and favour and do not abuse the Sedition Act to silence legitimate political dissent."

Mah noted that the failure to charge Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali over the call to burn the Malay language Bibles had fuelled perceptions that the act has not been used in a fair and just manner. – November 27, 2014.

Umno AGM: Alvin Tan, Hisham Rais “make appearance”

(The Star) – Several controversial activists “made their appearance” on screen at the Umno general assembly as the party tried to highlight certain forces out to destabilise the country.

A video footage showing personalities like social activist Hishammudin Rais (pic) rambling about hasut (incite), sex blogger Alvin Tan and his “bak kut teh” greetings and seditious blog messages were shown on the huge screen just before president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak declared that the Sedition Act 1948 would not be abolished but strengthened.

The footage also showed Bersih 2.0 co-chair Datuk S Ambiga, student activist Adam Adli, scenes of the Bersih 3.0 protests, including people attacking a police car.

The prime minister picked a quote from Irish political philosopher Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph over evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Najib said: “This means, even though we are on the right path but if we do not do anything, the enemies will be king. Moreover, these si kitol-si kitol (trouble markers) will be the king.”

He said Umno should not be apologetic and should continue its struggle in upholding the struggle of the Malays despite accusations that the party was backwards and no longer relevant.

“They shouldn’t feel ashamed about this party. In reality, this is the place where many historic events are taking place.

“This is the place where UiTM is strengthened, this is the place where the future of the civil servants is protected, this is the place where the Royalty is given honour and this is the place where Islam is given priority,” he said.

Netizens have their say on Sedition Act staying

While some say ‘yes’, one has bluntly described the PM as a liar for renegading on his promise to repeal it.

FMT

PETALING JAYA: The Prime Minister’s recent decision to retain and strengthen the Sedition Act 1948 instead of repealing it as he promised two years ago, has drawn mixed reactions from Malaysian netizens of all races with some openly applauding the verdict, and others vehemently disapproving of it.

32-year-old Farhan Paan who said the act should be maintained to enable the authorities to take stern action against those who “hurt the feelings” of others in our multiracial and multi-religious society, added, “Even if the Act were to be amended, the amendments should strengthen the role of the Act in protecting important matters that were enshrined in the Federal Constitution and in preventing seditious actions from becoming rampant.”

Zul Hisyam too accepted the decision stating, “Taking a u-turn for the national security is (a) norm among the world’s renowned leaders. I don’t see anything wrong here. Najib’s decision should be welcomed to avoid any untoward incidents. We hope that the execution of the Sedition Act will be fair to all Malaysians.”

Another in favour of the PM’s decision was Thilagavathy Tanggarajah, 35, who said that as a Malaysian, she was well aware of how the government needed the Act to ensure stability and harmony among the country’s various races. “It should indeed be strengthened!” she added.

Meanwhile, Bank Manager Lawrence Tan, 54, said, “Our Prime Minister is no different than any (other) good politician around the world. To ensure UMNO remains relevant, he must be in a position to unite all Malaysians via the Umno vehicle. He chose the Sedition Act to promote this concept.”

Lawyer Oliver John, 31, however had a different interpretation of Najib’s decision saying, ”He’s playing the crowd. Simple as that really. Much of Najib and his initiatives have been marked by one set of talking points for conservatives versus another set of talking points for progressives or international media. I feel the Sedition laws are by their very nature archaic and ancient. At its core, it criminalises the simple act of voicing out thoughts.”

John also said that when such a huge power was given to an entire government, suppression of freedom of thought, speech and expression was inevitable.

John added, “Modern ‘sedition’ laws are now by and large replaced by defamation laws, which is simply a civil suit undertaken by the aggrieved party against the so-called defamer.”

Justin Chow, 29, meanwhile felt Najib’s retention of the Sedition Act was a reflection on Umno. He said, “People from Umno are losing confidence in him so I guess he needs to do something to regain the party’s confidence. Not only that, by retaining and strengthening (the Act) it shows how desperate Umno has become that they have to resort to using the Act to control the people and instil fear in them.”

Chindy Wong, 42 added, “Our Prime Minister is a liar for saying he will abolish the Act, then later retaining and strengthening it! How are we supposed to trust someone who goes against his word? If the act is retained, it should be reviewed and improvised so that it is not abused by anyone.”

Make Tamil and Chinese compulsory in national schools

If national schools can be strengthened by introducing Tamil and Chinese, vernacular schools can be closed down.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: One Umno delegate thinks that he has found a way to do away with vernacular schools: make Tamil and Chinese compulsory in the Malay-medium national schools.

He did not say whether Malay students in national schools would be required to learn Tamil and Chinese as well.

It was vital for Putrajaya to strengthen national schools, said delegate Mustafa Musa, before it attempted to shut down Tamil and Chinese schools.

“Include the Tamil and Chinese languages in the curriculum of national schools and make it compulsory,” he said in giving his take on the policy speech by party president and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. “We lose nothing in learning more to adapt to change.”

“If national schools are strengthened that way, completely equipped with computers, with Tamil and Chinese subjects, this is an alternative to the beginning of single-stream schools. And there will be no reason for anyone to say national schools are weak.”

So we strengthen our own schools, he stressed, “before we shut down other schools”.

Mustafa did not say in his speech whether it’s ever possible for Putrajaya, given its history of flip flops, to give iron-clad guarantees that the Tamil and Chinese languages in national schools would not be abolished once the vernacular schools are closed down.

He also did not touch on the arguments of Tamil and Chinese educationists that it’s a human and universal right for a child to be educated in his or her own mother-tongue. Having just Tamil and Chinese as subjects in national schools, and later doing away with vernacular schools, compromises this right.

Among the Chinese community in particular, Chinese schools reflect the importance of Chinese students having the Chinese character, the result of 4,000 years of recorded civilization.

Tamils point out that their language is 8,000 years old.

Bung Mokhtar: I’ll sue if gropings continue

Kinabatangan MP is 'sick' of being 'inappropriately manhandled by airport security and urges upgrades to scanners.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Not content with making a spectacle of himself weeks earlier in Parliament when he talked of “sexually stimulating” pat-downs during airport security checks, MP for Kinabatangan, Bung Mokhtar decided to relive his nightmare by bringing up the matter once again albeit in a totally unrelated debate on the Malaysian Airline System Berhad (Administration) Bill 2014.

Jolting everyone with his outburst, Bung remarked, “I don’t like to be touched here and there to have to go through the security.

“It doesn’t happen in other countries, but only in Malaysia. Even Cambodia has scanners, which doesn’t invade someone’s privacy.

Bung also went on to claim that if he was subjected to more gropings, he would not hesitate to sue the security officials.

Obviously feeling an irresistible urge to put Bung in his place, MP for Seputeh, Teresa Kok chastised Bung cautioning him to stick to the debate about the MAS Bill, instead of distracting the Dewan’s attention with his usual antics.

She said, “He went out of topic to touch on body checks, which is under MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad).”

Responding later to a joke Bung made, suggesting that he didn’t mind if the MP from Seputeh was being subjected to body checks herself, Kok retorted that his remark was sexist in nature.

She added, “Bung has never changed: Then, now and forever. The Prime Minister should discipline him.

Najib’s about-turn on Sedition Act for his survival

The Umno leader has betrayed the cause of wasatiyyah and his initiative on the Global Movement of Moderates, the subject of his three speeches to the UN General Assembly.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang is convinced that Umno President and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak did an about-turn on the Sedition Act to pre-empt moves by extremists and right-wingers in his own party who may be poised to oust him from power on this and other issues.

“It was heart-rending to see Najib succumbing to threats by rightists and extremists in Umno and Umno-sponsored NGOs,” said Lim, also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, in a statement. “He has become hostage to elements which are opposed to the policy of moderation and the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM).”

“He buckled under pressure to renounce the repeal of the Sedition Act which he had promised two years ago in July 2012.”

Najib’s hurried presentation in Parliament of the White Paper on the Islamic threat, alleged Lim, was to camouflage his betrayal of the cause of wasatiyyah and his initiative on the Global Movement of Moderates, the subject of his three speeches to the United Nations General Assembly since Sept 2010.

“The rightists, extremists and the opponents of the campaign of wasatiyyah have cause to celebrate,” said Lim.

“They made it very clear that they will be drawing the line in the sand at the 68th Umno General Assembly i.e. whether to tolerate or topple Najib as Prime Minister and Umno President before his terms were up.”

An ex-Umno Minister did not mince his words when he warned a fortnight ago that Najib’s days were numbered if he continued to disappoint the rightists and extremists, he pointed out, hinting at “another candidate” already waiting on the sidelines and ready to pounce on Najib should the unacceptable happen.

The Umno General Assemblies have confirmed the worst fears, added Lim. “Instead of becoming more inclusive and less exclusive after 57 years of governing Malaysia through six Umno Prime Ministers, Umno leaders and delegates have become more exclusive and less inclusive.”

DAP is becoming a more inclusive and less exclusive party in contrast to Umno and Umno Youth, under Khairy Jamaluddin, undergoing the passage of becoming a more exclusive and less inclusive party.

“It is quite obvious who is being exposed as being truly chauvinist, racialist and being more exclusive and less inclusive in the sixth decade of nation-building,” said Lim.

“Khairy revealed his worries that Umno is fighting a lost cause in the battle for the hearts and minds of the Gen Y when he lamented that Malay youths were joining DAP.”

Khairy said the Malays are under siege and the time for patience is over, noted Lim.

“No doubt MCA Youth Chief would declare that the Chinese are under siege and that the time for patience is over.”

“MIC Youth Chief would also say that the Indians are under siege and that the time for patience is over.”

The screening, during the Umno General Assembly, of slides of the bloody May 13 race riots, he alleged, confirmed Umno’s role and motive in producing the Umno May 13 bogey film Tanda Putera at a cost of RM5 million in public money in the run-up to the 13th General Elections in May last year.

All ‘Sabah, Sarawak Keluar Malaysia’ NGOs banned

The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has gazetted the NGOs concerned as unlawful.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Zahid Hamid declared on Thursday that all Sabah Sarawak movements involved in getting the two Borneo states out of the Federation with the peninsula would be declared unlawful with immediate effect.

Zahid said the declaration follows Umno President and Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak saying that the Sedition Act would be retained and strengthened with two key aspects including one on taking action against anyone instigating Sabah and Sarawak to leave the Federation. The other point is on Islam.

The Home Ministry, stressed Zahid, has taken steps against the NGOs concerned.

“The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has gazetted the NGOs concerned as unlawful,” said Zahid on the sidelines of the Umno General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.

If the Sedition Act is strengthened on the two aspects, continued Zahid, the police would take the necessary action against those flouting the law.

Najib, predictably, played to the gallery at the Umno General Assembly when he pledged that the infamous Sedition Act 1948, introduced by the British but abolished in the United Kingdom, will be retained and indeed strengthened.

He had promised, not once but thrice so far, that the Sedition Act will be abolished, the last time being on cable television in London.

In a contradiction in terms, elsewhere, he pledged that all promises made will be kept so that the people will know that the ruling Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) is a party that keeps its promises.

The meet broke twice into visual images of the reformasi movement and the Sabah Sarawak Keluar Malaysia movement. Activist Hishammudin Rais and Doris Jones of Sabah featured prominently.

However, he did put in a caveat: any action taken must be fair.

The Sedition Act, under its second prong, allows for legitimate criticisms of government mistakes.

The general criticism against the Sedition Act is that it circumvents the Federal Constitution and strips the right to free speech. The Act is being challenged in the Federal Court, sitting as the Constitutional Court.

It’s likely that Putrajaya will wait for the outcome in the Constitutional Court before deciding what to do on the Sedition Act.

Najib buckles under pressure to renounce the repeal of Sedition Act and becomes hostage to rightists and extremists who are opposed to policy of moderation and GMM

Blog Lim Kit Siang

Although the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s buckling under pressure to renounce the repeal of the Sedition Act, which he had promised two years ago in July 2012, has not come as a total surprise to Malaysians, it is nonetheless heart-rending to see the sixth Prime Minister succumbing to threats by rightists and extremists in UMNO and UMNO-sponsored NGOs and becoming a hostage to elements which are opposed to the policy of moderation and the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM).

Now I understand why the sudden urgency for the Prime Minister to table a White Paper and move a motion in Parliament to condemn Islamic State yesterday – which was made without any advance notice to MPs as the decision was apparently made only on Monday night: – i.e. to camouflage Najib’s betrayal of the cause of wasatiyyah and his initiative of the Global Movement of Moderates, which had been the subject of his three speeches to the United Nations General Assembly since Sept. 2010, when he delivered his UMNO Presidential Address this morning.

The rightists, extremists and the opponents of the campaign of wasatiyyah have cause to celebrate, for they have made it very clear that they will be drawing the line in the sand at the 68th UMNO General Assembly whether to tolerate or topple Najib as Prime Minister and UMNO President before his terms were up.

An ex-UMNO Minister did not mince his words when he warned a fortnight ago that Najib’s days were numbered if he continued to disappoint the rightists and extremists, hinting at “another candidate” already waiting on the sidelines and ready to pounce on Najib should the unacceptable happen.

Another riddle was also resolved at the opening of the UMNO General Assembly this morning. – the screening of slides of the bloody May 13 race riots, purportedly as a reminder to UMNO of the importance of national unity and the dangers of discord among the Malays, which confirmed UMNO’s role and motive in producing the UMNO May 13 bogey film “Tanda Putera” at the cost of RM5 million public money in the run-up to the 13th General Elections in May last year.

The UMNO General Assemblies have confirmed the worst fears – that instead of becoming more inclusive and less exclusive after 57 years governing Malaysia through six UMNO Prime Ministers, UMNO leaders and delegates have become more exclusive and less exclusive.

Oxford University-educated UMNO Youth leader, Khairy Jamaluddin revealed his worries that UMNO is fighting a lost cause in the battle for the hearts and minds of “Gen Y” when he lamented that Malay youths were joining DAP and tried to hide his fears by dismissing the DAP as a “chauvinist party”, not realising that what he said is in fact a testimony that the DAP is becoming more inclusive and less exclusive party in contrast to UMNO and UMNO Youth undergoing the passage of becoming a more exclusive and less inclusive party.

In fact, when in his closing speech, Khairy said the Malays are under siege and the time for patience is over, would he have also approved the MCA Youth Chief declaring that the Chinese are under siege and that the time for patience is over or the MIC Youth Chief saying that the Indians are under siege and that the time for patience is over?

It is quite obvious who is being exposed as being truly chauvinist, racialist and being more exclusive and less inclusive in the sixth decade of nation-building.

But the dishonour of being the most irresponsible in fostering the politics of intolerance, bigotry and hatred in the UMNO General Assemblies so far must go to the Kedah representative at the Wanita UMNO general assembly and former deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Mashitah Ibrahim who succeeded in arousing the UMNO Wanita delegates with her provocative speech alleging that the Chinese (community) in Kedah burned the Quran page by page during a prayer ritual.

The Malaysiakini report by reporter Abdul Rahman Sabri noted:

“Do you feel challenged? Sensitive? Sad? Frustrated?” she asked, prompting delegates to respond in the affirmative.
“If you feel that way, why not voice out? Don’t be quiet. Where is our voice in the media, in cyberspace? Don’t be the silent majority. (Don’t allow) the minority to talk.
“The position of Islam and the rights of Muslims are being challenged. After 57 years of independence, why is this happening?
“Is it to divide (us) or the political gimmick of certain quarters, or the revolution of ICT (information, communication and technology) or is the Islamic agenda envied in Malaysia?” she asked.
Therefore, Mashitah, who was attached with the Prime Minister’s Department, said Wanita Umno delegates and Muslims should not be the “silent majority” when their faith is challenged.

I believe I was not the only non-Malay or non-Muslim who was shocked and outraged that there was such an incident of the Chinese (community) whether in Kedah or elsewhere burning the Quran page by page during a prayer ritual, and I fully agree that such insensitive and sacrilegious incidents deserves not only the fullest public condemnation but the full weight of the law to preserve inter-racial and inter-religious goodwill, tolerance and harmony in plural Malaysia.

But was Mashitah tell the truth, as I have not read or heard of any such outrageous incident.

Of course, there were media reports a few days ago about an incident in Alor Star where the police detained a man after pages of the Quran were found burned in a container at a food court near a market.

Kedah State police chief Zakaria Yusof had told the media that the man would be referred to the hospital for examination and treatment.

He also revealed that traders at the market often saw the man wandering in the area and burning papers near the food court.

But was Mashitah referring to this deplorable action by one man when she had blamed the Chinese community for such insensitive and sacrilegious action against the Quran,”burning page by page in a ritual prayer”.

I have contacted the two DAP Kedah State Assemblymen, Tan Kok Yew (Derga) and Teoh Boon Kok @ Teoh Kai Kok (Kota Darul Aman) and both denied that there had been any incident in Kedah of the Chinese community burning the Quran page by page during a prayer ritual, and that the particular incident of a man detained by the police after pages of the Quran were found burned in an Alor Star market happened last Thursday (20th November) and the man concerned was a Malay and not a Chinese, who had been sent to the mental hospital for examination and treatment.

I also received a copy of the statement by the Kedah Mentri Besar, Dato’ Seri Mukhriz Tun Mahathir on 24th November on the incident, as follows:

“Saya telah menerima laporan lengkap berhubung kejadian cebisan Al-Quran yang didakwa dibakar di sebuah tokong kecil di Pasar Besar Alor Setar/Billion Supermarket, Alor Setar pada minggu lepas.
“Tiga cebisan Al-Quran itu dijumpai oleh seorang lelaki disitu pada pukul 9.20 pagi, 20 November 2014.
“Siasatan polis mendapati cebisan Al-Quran itu tidak dibakar tetapi dikoyak oleh seorang lelaki berbangsa Melayu yang tidak siuman. Lelaki itu kini ditahan di Wad Psikiatrik, Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Star.
“Saya kesal dengan tindakan liar tiga individu yang tanpa usul periksa, telah mencederakan seorang lelaki lain, dan kes membakar beberapa buah kedai di medan selera di situ. Ingin saya tegaskan di sini bahawa ianya satu tindakan yang melanggari undang-undang.
“Saya telah mengarahkan Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar supaya memperbaiki segera gerai-gerai yang rosak akibat perbuatan liar individu-individu berkenaan. Pihak Pejabat Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri juga telah menyediakan dua kertas siasatan berhubung dengan dakwaan kejadian koyak Al-Quran dan kes memukul orang awam untuk diserahkan kepada Peguam Negara.

Saya berharap orang ramai tidak terpengaruh dengan khabar angin mengenai kejadian tersebut sehingga bertindak di luar batasan undang-undang.”

Is Mashitah referring to this incident by a Malay “yang tidak siuman” and blaming it on the Chinese community, or is she referring to another incident.

Mashitah and the UMNO leadership owe the whole country a proper explanation for a most irresponsible exaggeration of an incident which could provoke the most serious and dangerous consequences inimical to the preservation of inter-racial and inter-religious peace, harmony and goodwill in plural Malaysia.

The ball is in their court.

Humanitarian hypocrisy

The Star
Reflecting On The Law by SHAD SALEEM FARUQI

A deeper understanding of the concept of freedom involves respecting others’ rights as much as knowing our own.

DEC 1O is international human rights day – a day to reaffirm our commitment to the belief that all human beings, irrespective of race, religion, or gender, are entitled to equal worth and dignity. Human rights are not given to us by the charity or generosity of the state. They are inherent in our human condition and are bequeathed to us directly by the hand of God. 

Dec 10 is also a day to remind ourselves that with rights come responsibilities. A deeper understanding of the concept of freedom involves respecting others’ rights as much as knowing our own. The first function of freedom is to free someone else.   

Regrettably, in much of Asia and Africa the international rhetoric of human rights rings hollow and arouses much scepticism and anger. The perception is that the mantra of “democracy” and “human rights” is nothing but a monumental deception to perpetuate the hegemony of the North Atlantic nations over “the lesser people” of Asia and Africa.

There is much evidence to justify this unmistakable perception. 

Fomenting war: Many nations of the West are addicted to war and need to wage continuous battles to keep their military-industrial complex humming. The US, for example, invaded Indo-China in the 60s and killed, maimed and scarred millions of people. It has bombed 30 countries since World War II. Its ongoing illegal drone attacks blow up “enemy combatants” around the world with sickening regularity. 

In the last decade itself, the US and its partners resorted to full scale invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq on trumped up charges plus bombing of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Syria. An American missile downed an Iranian civilian plane over the Atlantic killing all on board. 

The US and its European allies resort to massive bombings, issue nuclear threats, effectuate devastating invasions and regime changes against mostly Asian, African and Latin American nations on the justification that human rights violations have to be stopped through “humanitarian intervention”. 

The book by Adam Jones, Genocide, War Crimes and the West: History and Complicity (2005) rightly points to the Himalayan hypocrisy of western humanitarianism. 

Besides the US, France is notable for its military interventions in its former colonies of Algeria, Mali and Central African Republic. In Yemen, Libya, Syria and Ukraine Western proxies are in the forefront of Western initiated civil wars. The US and the UK are in the forefront of support for Israel’s dehumanisation of the Palestinians.   

Complicity in genocide: Case studies point to Germany’s abuses against the Herero in SW Africa; French atrocities in Algeria; US and European complicity in the 67-year old genocide against the Palestinians; US war crimes in Indo-China, Congo/Zaire, Chile, Bangladesh, Central America, Iraq, Somalia, Liberia and Yugoslavia; the Dutch complicity in the massacres in Srebrenica; and the role of the West and the Western controlled Security Council in the Rwandan holocaust of 1994. 

At the moment of writing the USA, European Union and their Gulf allies are funding terrorists to overthrow the Syrian government. The so-called ‘Islamic State’ (IS) is a Western invention to keep the region in turmoil. The breathtaking hypocrisy of both funding the IS and raining bombs on its strongholds is not a new phenomenon (the US supplied arms to both Iraq and Iran to destroy each other) but must be exposed. 

Propping up dictators: Despite their professed belief in democracy, Washington and the EU have a shameful record of collaborating with right wing military officers to overthrow elected leaders who do not do the West’s economic and political bidding. A partial list would include Mossadegh in Iran (1953), Arbez in Guatemala (1954), Allende in Chile (1973), Aristide in Haiti twice, Chavez in Venezuela (2002), Zelaya in  Honduras (2009), Morsi in Eypt (2013) and Yankovych in Ukraine (2014). 

In Cambodia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, undemocratic regimes are wholeheartedly supported because they succumb to the Western agenda at the expense of their own people. 

Structural injustices: Add to the above military horrors, the structural violence and oppressive economic systems of the West that keep our economies shackled.  No wonder the panic in the USA and Europe about Chinese efforts to provide alternative credit institutions to the third world.   

Selective sanctions: The US and EU employ trade and aid as levers to force compliance with their oppressive economic policies. They selectively impose sanctions causing death and of suffering to millions. The inhumanity of sanctions against Iran for its international law right to develop nuclear energy is a case in point. 

Along with the USA, the EU punishes a host of coloured states including China, Iran, Syria, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Yemen, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Congo, Eritrea, Somalia and Sri Lanka. But it applies a gross double standard to the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. 

International agencies: Many human rights agencies including the International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN Security Council, the Human Rights Council and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights are selective about their commemorations and condemnations. Mass murderers in the USA, Israel, UK and France appear absolutely immune from international sanctions. For example the ICC has ruled repeatedly that there is “insufficient evidence” for it to investigate Israel for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.  

Bush, Blair, Cheney and Rumsfeld have not been prosecuted for their lies and deceptions that led to the loss of thousands, possibly millions, of lives in the devastation of Iraq. The US and EU are guilty of massive deceptions and crimes of violence in Libya, Syria and Yemen.     

 As long as a culture of impunity surrounds the pernicious crimes of the “liberal democracies” of the West, there will always be skepticism and disbelief about the hoity toity, condescending  charade of human rights that spews forth periodically from the West. Many of us are not convinced when Tyranosaurus Rex preaches to us about the virtues of vegetarianism. 

Nevertheless we Asians should not turn our back to the human rights quest. While exposing the massive hypocrisies of the West, we need to put our own houses in order. The quest for rights and dignity for all is a moral, religious and legal duty. 

Shad Saleem Faruqi is Emeritus Professor of Law at UiTM. The views expressed are entirely the writer’s own.

Sedition Act Still Relevant To Maintain Harmony

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- The decision by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak to maintain and improve the Sedition Act 1948 shows that the act is still relevant to strengthen unity and racial harmony in the country, said several Umno leaders.

Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Hasan Malek said the announcement by the prime minister would eliminate the existence of groups who were not satisfied and wanted to see disunity in the country.

"Some of the do not stop inciting that majority of the people in Sabah and Sarawak want the two states to leave Malaysia," he added.

Another Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the announcement by Najib to maintain the Sedition Act was a gift for the Malaysian people in conjunction with this year's Umno general assembly.

She said solidarity emphasised by the prime minister in his speech should be absorbed and strengthen in all Umno activities.

Wanita Umno leader Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the decision to maintain the Sedition Act was in line with what the movement had been fighting for. The effort by the movement in collecting a million signatures in a move to get the government to not abolish the act had been successful with the announcement by the prime minister on Thursday, she added.

Meanwhile, Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah said the decision to maintain the Sedition Act and to improve the law was proof of Najib's firmness.

"Najib has to be firm in everything that has and being planned to ensure the agenda can be achieved.

"If there is no act, like a yoyo because the irresponsible ones will take advantage to play up various issues," he added.

Former Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah, Tun Sakaran Dandai said the additional new provisions to be included in the Sedition Act were necessary to safeguard peace in the country.

"Those who incite have to be punished because we want the people to live in peace and harmony," he added.

Haris Ibrahim challenges KJ to debate 'Malay special rights'

Rakyat Times

Activist and former lawyer Haris Ibrahim has challenged Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin to a debate on the special position of the Malays under the Constitution.

In his blog, The People's Parliament, Haris contended that "the idea of 'ketuanan Melayu' violently conflicts with the final sermon of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) at Arafat".

He added, "There is, in my view, therefore, no room in Islam for any race supremacist notions. Second, that there is nothing in the Federal Constitution that supports this perennial claim by Perkasa, Isma and the likes to there being special rights thereunder for the Malays.

"Special position, under Article 153, yes, but not special rights," he stressed.

Haris also said that he was surprised when he read that the Oxford-trained Youth, Sports and Culture Minister had reportedly said that in the run-up to, and as part of the agreement that led to independence, the Malays had agreed to citizenship being conferred on non-Malays and that in return, the non-Malays "were prepared to accept the special position of the Malays, the Malay language as the national language and the sovereignty of Malay rulers".

Let's debate it

Haris then threw down the gauntlet to Khairy to debate on whether it was the 'special rights or special position' of the Malays that was at the heart of the problem.

"If we both agree that it is only the latter, we all have tea and go home," he said.

 "But if, however, we differ, then we get it on... in the most cordial, friendly and civil fashion.

"KJ, you game? Your choice of moderator, KJ. Even your new found friend, Dr M, if you wish," Haris said.

The Rakyat Times Editorial team hereby offers the potential debaters its humble premises to host the debate.

We will even throw in tea, curry puffs and some kuih for this occasion.