Friday, 19 December 2014
Hate Message Dominate Mosque Wall at Funeral for Slaughtered Children in Pakistan
At a funeral service for the children who died at great hands of the Taliban, a newly minted banner on the mosque wall has hate all over. It reads:
Source: Tarek Fatah
Why pretend to mourn children when the mourners themselves are hate mongers? Typical Muslims. Neither India, America nor Israel has anything to do with this mass murder of 130+ children and teachers burnt alive. Nor is any foreign country responsible for the 1,400-year jihad mentality that the Taliban operate under.
“The Blood of innocent children
will Allah-willing turn
India, America and Israel into dust.”
Source: Tarek Fatah
Why pretend to mourn children when the mourners themselves are hate mongers? Typical Muslims. Neither India, America nor Israel has anything to do with this mass murder of 130+ children and teachers burnt alive. Nor is any foreign country responsible for the 1,400-year jihad mentality that the Taliban operate under.
Islamic State selling church artefacts worth millions to western collectors
Western collectors are thought to be in direct contact with Islamic State looters, who have taken 
millions of pounds worth of artefacts from ancient churches across Iraq and Syria, it has been claimed.President of the Belgian federal police council, Willy Bruggeman, told The Times that ISIS are "using their own networks to come into contact with the final buyers...they want to have a one-to-one relationship with the collectors".
Bruggeman also said that some looted goods had almost certainly been sold to UK buyers, though none have as yet been traced.
Goods are most likely smuggled across the borders using the same illegal channels as oil and arms. ISIS has secured huge amounts of money from oilfields in eastern Syria, and has also pillaged ancient sites – taking priceless antiques from monasteries and churches, among other sites.
A senior Iraqi intelligence official told the Guardian in June that militants had taken $36million, around £23million, from the al-Nabuk area – a mountainous region west of Damascus – alone.
The group has specifically targeted Christian sites, and Bruggeman confirmed that murals and masonry ripped from church walls are among the most commonly traded artefacts. ISIS doesn't just steal, but also usually entirely desecrates religious sites. A fourth-century Syrian monastery was seized by insurgents in July, and militants also destroyed a tomb thought to be that of biblical prophet Jonah.
Bruggeman said the attack of religious sites is a means by which ISIS can "undermine the morale of the communities they invade".
"You...see a kind of cultural cleansing," he said.
Last week, it was revealed that churches in Qaraqosh, Iraq, are being used as torture chambers by Islamic State militants.
Abu Aasi, told The Sunday Times that Bahnam Wa Sara and Al Kiama churches in Qaraqosh were being used to hold and torture prisoners.
"Most inside are Christians and they are being forced to convert to Islam," Mosul priest Abu Aasi said.
"Isis have been breaking all the crosses and statues of Mary."
BFM 5 hauled up for radio shows on Islam
Five radio presenters from BFM 89.9 will be called by police to facilitate investigations after Muslim groups lodged a report today against the business radio station, demanding that it be probed under the Sedition Act.Deputy Kuala Lumpur CID chief Assistant Commissioner Khairi Ahrasa said that investigations have been opened under Section 505(c) of the Penal Code on inciting or stirring up prejudicial feelings.
The presenters are Sharaad Kuttan, Umapagan Ampikaipakan, Ezra Zaid, Caroline Oh and Patrick Teoh.
Khairi confirmed that police received a report today lodged by Muslim groups including Malaysia Islamic Consumers Association (PPIM) and Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) at the Dang Wangi police station in the capital.
"We will record the statements from all the deejays who were involved," Khairi told The Malaysian Insider in a text message.
Section 505(c) states that it is a crime to make, publish or circulate any statement, rumour or report with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons, or to commit any offence against any other class or community of persons.
If found guilty, the punishment is imprisonment, which may extend to two years, or a fine, or both.
PPIM and Isma's police report was on talk shows broadcasted on December 12, in which they said BFM had "challenged the sovereignty of Islam" by talking about the "Allah" controversy, about wearing the tudung, or Muslim headscarf, and about sacrificial meat.
This police report comes after news that the radio station had been fined RM10,000 over an interview with Iranian-American Muslim scholar Reza Aslan on October 21, 2013, in which he discussed Malaysia's ban on the use of "Allah" by non-Muslims.
Isma vice-president Aminuddin Yahya told Malaysiakini this morning that BFM had a "strategy" to create a "liberal country".
"This is a strategy by the liberals to break apart the racial harmony in Malaysia," he was quoted as saying at the Dang Wangi police station this morning.
"They are trying to destroy the integrity of Islam and create confusion among the people."
PPIM official Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah was also reported as saying that young people would form wrong conclusions about these issues.
"They will begin to hate Islam, the law, the rights of Malays and the New Economic Policy," he said.
The five presenters had been the hosts of the talk shows aired on December 12.
One of the presenters, when contacted by The Malaysian Insider, declined to comment on the police probe until the management had met to discuss the latest development.
The radio station is expected to issue a statement tomorrow. – December 18, 2014.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/bfm-4-hauled-up-for-radio-shows-on-islam#sthash.ftYUK1dt.dpuf
Scuffles erupt, MIC leader's car attacked
Video l 2.30 min
Pandemonium erupted outside the MIC headquarters as the party's Central Working Committee (CWC) members exited the building after an emergency meeting this evening.
A
crowd swarmed a blue BMW believed to be that of CWC member G Kumar
Amman, kicking and punching it, forcing the police's Light Strike Force
personnel to form a barricade to escort the vehicle out.The MIC leader is said to be aligned to party president G Palanivel.
Palanivel himself was mobbed by angry MIC members while exiting the meeting room and later as he headed towards his car amid shouts of "Resign" and "We want a re-election".
Also shoved and shouted at was MIC disciplinary committee chairperson KS Nijhar, who is a close associate of Palanivel.
In another incident, former Youth chief SA Vigneswaran became embroiled in a scuffle with an unidentified member.
Various scuffles also took place at the scene.
MIC has been split over the Registrar of Societies (ROS) directive for the party to hold a re-election.
Earlier,
as the CWC convened its meeting at 2pm, the atmosphere outside was
already tense with some 500 members having gathered, many of whom called
on Palanivel to step down.There was also a huge banner fastened to the overpass facing the MIC headquarters, bearing a photograph of Palanivel with the words 'Please step down', with smaller banners with a similar message put up in the vicinity as well.
There were also banners in support of the embattled president.
Some 100 MIC members also held a protest march near the building against the holding of the CWC meeting, calling it "invalid" since the committee members are not recognised by the ROS.
At
one point, as an MIC member addressed the crowd with a loudhailer,
party strategy director S Vell Paari shouted at him from a window on the
first floor, where the meeting was held."Stop talking on the loudhailer. There is a meeting going on here," Vell Paari thundered.
The ROS nullified the elections for the three vice-presidents and 23 CWC posts held during the party's general assembly in Malacca last November.
Last week, Palanivel said the meeting would discuss "some uncertainties" in the ROS letter.
Palanivel: Only a few are telling me to quit
Speaking to reporters after a meeting this evening, he said only a small number of people were calling for his resignation.
"All that is nothing, only a few people are saying that," he added.
Since the Registrar of Societies (ROS) directed MIC to hold a re-election, Palanivel has been faced with calls to step down.Palanivel also said that he and his deputy Dr S Subramaniam would meet the ROS next week to clarify the matter.
"Subramaniam and I will meet ROS next week to seek clarification on its directive. We will also be meeting with Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
"The party must move forward. We do not want to be de-registered. That is the most important thing," he added.
The Cameron Highlands MP also explained that the meeting held today was not an emergency Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting, as touted earlier.
He said it was a management meeting, which included state leaders, to discuss the ROS directive.
Previously, Palanivel's opponents objected to an emergency CWC meeting on the grounds that the ROS had already nullified the committee.
Hence, they said decisions made at the meeting would be considered void.
In view of this, former CWC members were also allowed to join the meeting.
Former Youth chief T Mohan, MIC Puteri chief J Usha Nandhini, MIC Youth chief C Sivarraajh and party strategic director S Vell Paari were allowed into the meeting to join the current crop of CWC members who were elected in the 2013 party election.
Palanivel also said a special committee would be formed, comprising 10 people from the current CWC and the opposition faction to further investigate the allegations by ROS.
However, he refused to comment on what the special committee would discuss.
"That I cannot tell you. It is private and confidential," he said when quizzed by reporters.
Palanivel said a decision would be made soon as ROS had given the party 90 days to respond to its directive to hold a fresh polls.
Meanwhile, following a separate meeting, Mohan, who is part of the opposition faction, said that they would be giving the president the benefit of the doubt.
"Let them talk to ROS first and let's see what the outcome is. However, we still want a re-election because there have been numerous discrepancies in the previous polls," he added.
Cops to return hymnals, priest wants no catches
The police will return the 31 hymn books with the word 'Allah' seized in Johor a fortnight ago to the Catholic church tonight.
However, Father Cyril Mannayagam said he will not accept them if they are stamped or a limit is set on their circulation.
"If any conditions are set, I won't receive them," he said when contacted.
Mannayagam (right) said he received a phone call from the police informing him to collect them at the Ledang police station in Tangkak, Johor, at 8pm.
"I had asked to collect them this morning itself, but they said 8pm," he added.
The hymnals are titled 'Kepujian Kepada Tuhan Allah' and are meant for Orang Asli parishioners.
Mannayagam was taken in for questioning for more than four hours on Dec 5, after sending the books for photocopying at a local store.
He was investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code, but that section was in 1988 declared unconstitutional and struck out.
The section relates to the offence of causing disharmony, disunity or feeling of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity on grounds of religion.
Lawyers worked hard to secure release
Mannayagam will be accompanied by the Catholic Church's lawyers tonight.
"The lawyers have been working hard on this and have written to the higher authorities for the release (of the hymnals)," he said.
They were meant for a Christmas service for the Orang Asli community on Dec 7.
The Federal Court in a 4-3 majority decision in June dismissed
the Catholic Church's application for leave to appeal the Court of
Appeal on the use of the word 'Allah' in the Catholic weekly, the Herald.
The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision quashing a Home Ministry ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by the Herald.
Enactments in 10 states, including Johor, ban the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, even if it is not used for propoagation to Muslims.
Last month, the Selangor religious authorities returned copies of the Bible containing the word 'Allah' siezed from Bible Society of Malaysia in January and imposed a strict condition that they are not distributed in Selangor.
This condition was also stamped on the holy books, to BSM's dismay.
However, Father Cyril Mannayagam said he will not accept them if they are stamped or a limit is set on their circulation.
"If any conditions are set, I won't receive them," he said when contacted.Mannayagam (right) said he received a phone call from the police informing him to collect them at the Ledang police station in Tangkak, Johor, at 8pm.
"I had asked to collect them this morning itself, but they said 8pm," he added.
The hymnals are titled 'Kepujian Kepada Tuhan Allah' and are meant for Orang Asli parishioners.
Mannayagam was taken in for questioning for more than four hours on Dec 5, after sending the books for photocopying at a local store.
He was investigated under Section 298A of the Penal Code, but that section was in 1988 declared unconstitutional and struck out.
The section relates to the offence of causing disharmony, disunity or feeling of enmity, hatred or ill-will, or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity on grounds of religion.
Lawyers worked hard to secure release
Mannayagam will be accompanied by the Catholic Church's lawyers tonight.
"The lawyers have been working hard on this and have written to the higher authorities for the release (of the hymnals)," he said.
They were meant for a Christmas service for the Orang Asli community on Dec 7.
The Federal Court in a 4-3 majority decision in June dismissed
the Catholic Church's application for leave to appeal the Court of
Appeal on the use of the word 'Allah' in the Catholic weekly, the Herald.The Court of Appeal overturned a High Court decision quashing a Home Ministry ban on the use of the word 'Allah' by the Herald.
Enactments in 10 states, including Johor, ban the use of the word 'Allah' by non-Muslims, even if it is not used for propoagation to Muslims.
Last month, the Selangor religious authorities returned copies of the Bible containing the word 'Allah' siezed from Bible Society of Malaysia in January and imposed a strict condition that they are not distributed in Selangor.
This condition was also stamped on the holy books, to BSM's dismay.
Another group of 25 pens letter to Najib
The open letter by the 25 Malaysians has been posted as a form of petition in the Change.org website, and is available here.
The group, calling itself "KamiJuga25" (We, too, are 25), said, among others, that they reject the notion that Islam is under attack in Malaysia.
They also rejected the notion that concepts such as liberalism and humanism are in contradiction with Islam and undermine Islam's position in the Federal Constitution.
"Malaysia
cannot stand in the eyes of the world and claim that it is a model
country for moderation and progressive Islam when it violates the very
guarantees and teachings of the religion regarding other faiths,
oppresses and punishes moderates, rewards and protects extremists and
radicals," the letter reads.The letter is signed by 25 Malaysians across all races.
Writer and actor Kee Thuan Chye (above, left) and Sharyn Lisa Shufiyan, the great-granddaughter of first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, are among the signatories.
The group comprises lawyers, radio hosts and a variety of people from other professions.
"As Malaysians, we must find the courage within us to acknowledge and fight injustice. If we disagree with others, let’s not ban them. Let’s engage, discuss, argue and work to convince. The Federal Constitution of Malaysia guarantees the right to freedom of expression," the letter says.
"Great moments are born from great opportunity. This is one such opportunity.
"We cannot and must not stand silently by and allow faith to be misused as a weapon to suppress peaceful dissent, intellectual discourse and opinions and to oppress those who would challenge and support contrarian positions. It is unjust and we should never tolerate the use of faith to divide us," it adds.
At this time of writing, the petition has been signed by 333 supporters.
Return grandson, pleads Deepa's Muslim mum
S Deepa's mother Siti Aishah Abdullah has asked
her former son-in-law N Viran, who had also embraced Islam, to return
her six-year-old grandson.
Siti Aishah was reported in The Star to have made the impassioned plea to Izwan Abdullah, who lost his appeal over the right to custody of his son in the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya yesterday.
She said it was unfair of Izwan to forcefully keep the boy, as he was the one who left Deepa (right) and her children.
“The court has made its decision and I hope Izwan will abide by it soonest. It is a sin to keep a child away from his or her mother, and for such a long time.
“I hope he will realise this and return the boy to his mother and sister,” Siti Aishah is quoted as saying.
Siti Aishah, who is an administrative assistant at a school in Jelebu, said she has been having sleepless nights worrying over the outcome of the appellate court decision.
The grandmother embraced Islam after marrying Mohd Sofi Yusof, 53, about five years ago.
Deepa was awarded custody of her two children after Izwan lost his appeal in the unanimous Court of Appeal decision.
Izwan had also lost custody of his children in the decision of the High Court in Seremban on April 7 this year.
Two days after the civil court decision, Izwan took away the couple's son from Deepa's Jelebu home.
Siti Aishah was reported in The Star to have made the impassioned plea to Izwan Abdullah, who lost his appeal over the right to custody of his son in the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya yesterday.
She said it was unfair of Izwan to forcefully keep the boy, as he was the one who left Deepa (right) and her children.“The court has made its decision and I hope Izwan will abide by it soonest. It is a sin to keep a child away from his or her mother, and for such a long time.
“I hope he will realise this and return the boy to his mother and sister,” Siti Aishah is quoted as saying.
Siti Aishah, who is an administrative assistant at a school in Jelebu, said she has been having sleepless nights worrying over the outcome of the appellate court decision.
The grandmother embraced Islam after marrying Mohd Sofi Yusof, 53, about five years ago.
Deepa was awarded custody of her two children after Izwan lost his appeal in the unanimous Court of Appeal decision.
Izwan had also lost custody of his children in the decision of the High Court in Seremban on April 7 this year.
Two days after the civil court decision, Izwan took away the couple's son from Deepa's Jelebu home.
The screw is tightening on Najib
K Kabilan, The Ant DailyAre we seeing the beginning of an internal Umno revolt to push out Prime Minister and party president Datuk Seri Najib Razak?
While there had been rumblings for some months that Umno warlords were preparing to force Najib out, only now are we seeing slight movements to the effect on the ground.
Prior to this all we had were sharp criticisms raised by old-timers like former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, ex-information minister Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin and senior journalist Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin.
The attacks against Najib started earlier this week with Batu Kawan Umno division deputy chief Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan lodging a police report against the controversial state sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Fund (1MDB).
1MDB is Najib’s brainchild and he is the chairman of the 1MDB advisory council.
Khairuddin wants the police to investigate the financial dealings on 1MDB, and to interrogate 1MDB’s directors. 1MDB has been in the spotlight over its enormous debts, dubious land deals and secret transactions.
Mahathir is a vocal critic of 1MBD, and Najib’s failure to address the issues surrounding the sovereign wealth fund was among the reasons for the former to withdraw his support for Najib.
Interestingly, Khairuddin deems Mahathir as his mentor but had been quick to dispel any talk that his police report against 1MDB was at the behest of the former Umno strongman.
Another interesting twist to this saga is that Khairuddin was the publisher of controversial “50 Dalil Kenapa Anwar Ibrahim Tidak Boleh Jadi PM” book written by Khalid Jafri that mooted Mahathir’s move to oust Anwar Ibrahim from Umno and government in 1998.
Following Khairuddin, former Election Commission chairman and self-confessed Umno member Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman openly criticised Najib, telling the premier to “stop lying to the rakyat and go do your work”.
His criticism coming at a Perkasa’s annual group meeting tells a lot for the Malay right wing group which has until now been a strong Najib ally.
And on Wednesday (Dec 17), an Umno grassroots leader urged Najib to step down for the sake of the party.
Umno Taman Chempaka information head Syed Rosli Jamalullail penned an open letter to Najib to say that he had become a liability and that Umno had become weak and was losing support from not only the Malays but also from the Chinese and Indian communities.
He pressed on Najib to “help Umno to become strong again by leaving”, wanting the prime minister to step down voluntarily before the 14th general election.
These internal criticisms against Najib are only now beginning to surface in the open. It is not certain if they can gain any momentum to the extent which resulted in Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi being shown the door after the 2008 general election.
Party leaders have been quick in reacting to extinguish the fire of discontent by cajoling the dissenters to revoke their criticism against their big boss.
However, it remains to be seen if the open act of dissent against Najib will gain any traction. That will only happen if senior leaders in the party start raising their concerns openly.
The next few days will be interesting to watch indeed.
SIS: Shut up Ridhuan, you’re an embarrassment
“If people like Ridhuan are not confronted and put in their place, Malaysia might soon have its own IS.”
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, according to Sisters in Islam (SiS), is propagating views which will eventually result in terrorism in the country.
The NGO was referring to Ridhuan’s column, in a Malay daily on Monday, in which he claimed that there was no such thing as a ‘moderate Muslim”, implying that Muslims were extremists.
He described himself in the interview as a “fundamentalist”, a term linked with militancy, while others who beg to differ and say it means setting aside the Hadiths and returning to the Quran.
“‘Moderation’ in Islam, ‘Al Wasathiyah’, is an important element. Departing from this principle means ‘Irhab Al Fikri’ or ‘terrorism in thought’,” said Sisters in Islam (Sis) researcher Afiq Mohamad Noor in a statement.
“In Malaysia, we don’t have IS, but if people like Ridhuan are not confronted and put in their place, Malaysia will soon tread the IS path.”
”Terrorism in thought”, he stressed, could result in “physical terrorism” i.e. a breakdown in law and order and a return to the law of the jungle for no rhyme or reason.
Moderation, according to Afiq, was promoted by Islamic scholars like Al Imam Ibnu Taymiyah, Ibnu Al Qayyim, Al Syathibi and Ibnu Atheer.
“Ridhuan probably never read the works of the great scholars who argue that moderation (Al Wasathiyah) is an integral part of Islam,” he asked.
Islam, he said, has never recognised societal classification such as “clergies”, for example. He added that having a group of people who dominate and control Islam is “foreign and unheard of” in the traditions of the religion.
“These are people who reject scientific discussions and debates, which also use their influence and power to label people as infidels and heretics,” he said. “Islam seems like a religion that is rigid, stationary and anti-establishment.”
Islam, he warned, cannot be “monopolized” by any group. “It’s not an exclusive religion. Authorities and religious groups who monopolize religion are like robber barons controlling companies.”
“Ridhuan’s personal attacks contradict Islamic values as well as Malay culture,” he said.
“If I were given a choice to leave behind the principles of human rights and freedom of expression which I believe in, then without a doubt, I would advise Ridhuan to shut up and stop embarrassing and polluting a religion that I love.”
“They claim to be moderate Muslims? What is the meaning of moderate? Islam is not a moderate religion. Islam is fundamental in nature,” said Ridhuan in his column, criticizing the Group of 25 Eminent Malays for penning an Open Letter on Islam, civil law and the secular Federal Constitution.
KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial academic Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, according to Sisters in Islam (SiS), is propagating views which will eventually result in terrorism in the country.
The NGO was referring to Ridhuan’s column, in a Malay daily on Monday, in which he claimed that there was no such thing as a ‘moderate Muslim”, implying that Muslims were extremists.
He described himself in the interview as a “fundamentalist”, a term linked with militancy, while others who beg to differ and say it means setting aside the Hadiths and returning to the Quran.
“‘Moderation’ in Islam, ‘Al Wasathiyah’, is an important element. Departing from this principle means ‘Irhab Al Fikri’ or ‘terrorism in thought’,” said Sisters in Islam (Sis) researcher Afiq Mohamad Noor in a statement.
“In Malaysia, we don’t have IS, but if people like Ridhuan are not confronted and put in their place, Malaysia will soon tread the IS path.”
”Terrorism in thought”, he stressed, could result in “physical terrorism” i.e. a breakdown in law and order and a return to the law of the jungle for no rhyme or reason.
Moderation, according to Afiq, was promoted by Islamic scholars like Al Imam Ibnu Taymiyah, Ibnu Al Qayyim, Al Syathibi and Ibnu Atheer.
“Ridhuan probably never read the works of the great scholars who argue that moderation (Al Wasathiyah) is an integral part of Islam,” he asked.
Islam, he said, has never recognised societal classification such as “clergies”, for example. He added that having a group of people who dominate and control Islam is “foreign and unheard of” in the traditions of the religion.
“These are people who reject scientific discussions and debates, which also use their influence and power to label people as infidels and heretics,” he said. “Islam seems like a religion that is rigid, stationary and anti-establishment.”
Islam, he warned, cannot be “monopolized” by any group. “It’s not an exclusive religion. Authorities and religious groups who monopolize religion are like robber barons controlling companies.”
“Ridhuan’s personal attacks contradict Islamic values as well as Malay culture,” he said.
“If I were given a choice to leave behind the principles of human rights and freedom of expression which I believe in, then without a doubt, I would advise Ridhuan to shut up and stop embarrassing and polluting a religion that I love.”
“They claim to be moderate Muslims? What is the meaning of moderate? Islam is not a moderate religion. Islam is fundamental in nature,” said Ridhuan in his column, criticizing the Group of 25 Eminent Malays for penning an Open Letter on Islam, civil law and the secular Federal Constitution.
MIC to meet with Zahid, ROS to iron out irregularities
MIC president meanwhile calls for calm and sets up temporary joint committee to oversee administrative matters within the party.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC has announced that party leaders G Palanivel and S Subramanian will meet with Home Minister Zahid Hamidi and officials at the Registrar of Societies (ROS) next week to seek clarification over issues concerning MIC’s internal elections.
The ROS on December 5 ruled that due to irregularities within the party’s internal elections, fresh elections for its three vice president positions and 23 Central Working Committee positions, among others, must take place.
The decision came after almost three hours of deliberation by the party’s top members which included former CWC member T Mohan and the party’s legal advisers at its headquarters in Menara Manikavasagam in Kuala Lumpur today.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MIC President, G Palanivel said, “It’s not an appeal as we are not at that stage yet.
“We will meet with ROS and the Home Minister to seek clarification over the charges and irregularities that they found in order to resolve the issue,” he clarified.
Palanivel who was away on official business in Peru when the ROS letter was delivered to MIC, met with his party members for the first time today, and called for them to remain strong.
He also instructed a temporary joint committee be set up to oversee administrative matters within the party until such time when the party had resolved all outstanding issues with the ROS.
“We have to remain strong while we are going through these trying times.
“The party has to be managed well, and if not MIC will be de-registered as a political party,” he added.
Mohan who had earlier led the movement to reveal ROS’ findings on MIC’s elections and who pressed for re-elections, welcomed the party’s decision saying, “We appreciate the fact that we were included in the meeting.
“If they want to discuss the matter with ROS, we must agree with the leadership’s decisions,” he said adding, “Re-election must take place after the discussion.”
Earlier today, a minor fracas broke out between 500 MIC supporters who gathered outside the party’s headquarters when their leaders made an exit, necessitating the deployment of Federal Reserve Unit officers to manage the crowd.
The supporters were split into two factions with one faction led by Mohan and S Vellpaari and the other standing in solidarity with party President, Palanivel.
KUALA LUMPUR: MIC has announced that party leaders G Palanivel and S Subramanian will meet with Home Minister Zahid Hamidi and officials at the Registrar of Societies (ROS) next week to seek clarification over issues concerning MIC’s internal elections.
The ROS on December 5 ruled that due to irregularities within the party’s internal elections, fresh elections for its three vice president positions and 23 Central Working Committee positions, among others, must take place.
The decision came after almost three hours of deliberation by the party’s top members which included former CWC member T Mohan and the party’s legal advisers at its headquarters in Menara Manikavasagam in Kuala Lumpur today.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, MIC President, G Palanivel said, “It’s not an appeal as we are not at that stage yet.
“We will meet with ROS and the Home Minister to seek clarification over the charges and irregularities that they found in order to resolve the issue,” he clarified.
Palanivel who was away on official business in Peru when the ROS letter was delivered to MIC, met with his party members for the first time today, and called for them to remain strong.
He also instructed a temporary joint committee be set up to oversee administrative matters within the party until such time when the party had resolved all outstanding issues with the ROS.
“We have to remain strong while we are going through these trying times.
“The party has to be managed well, and if not MIC will be de-registered as a political party,” he added.
Mohan who had earlier led the movement to reveal ROS’ findings on MIC’s elections and who pressed for re-elections, welcomed the party’s decision saying, “We appreciate the fact that we were included in the meeting.
“If they want to discuss the matter with ROS, we must agree with the leadership’s decisions,” he said adding, “Re-election must take place after the discussion.”
Earlier today, a minor fracas broke out between 500 MIC supporters who gathered outside the party’s headquarters when their leaders made an exit, necessitating the deployment of Federal Reserve Unit officers to manage the crowd.
The supporters were split into two factions with one faction led by Mohan and S Vellpaari and the other standing in solidarity with party President, Palanivel.
Opposition wants ‘answers’ on former CJ
“There is clearly something amiss in the appointment of judges where an extremist with racial and religious prejudice could rise up.”
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition wants to know, taking its cue from the social media, the legal fraternity and various press statements, how former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad could rise up to become the top judicial officer of the land.
The question arises after Abdul Hamid has been linked of late with various extremist, racist, prejudiced, and bigoted public statements.
“There is clearly something amiss in the appointment and promotion of judges in Malaysia where an extremist with racial and religious prejudice could rise up all the way to become Chief Justice of the country,” said DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang in a statement.
“Hamid should have been hauled before the judicial tribunal for extremist, racial and religious prejudice and not be allowed to be promoted up the judicial ladder.”
Instead, noted Lim, he rose up the judiciary ranks from High Court to Court of Appeal and Federal Court, and was then appointed Court of Appeal President and Chief Justice of Malaysia. Hamid was elevated to the highest judicial post when he was appointed Chief Justice from 2007-2008, succeeding Fairuz Abdul Halim, and preceding Zaki Azmi.
Lim, also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, said that many people have still not got over a recent statement by Hamid that Malays in the peninsula will end up like the Red Indians in America i.e. on reservations if PAS and Umno do not work together to “defend the Government from PKR and DAP”.
It was not known whether Hamid was referring to the reservations created by the British by gazette in the peninsula to get the Malay-speaking Muslim communities out of the way so that they could plant rubber and mine tin.
“Hamid was never interested in national unity in the sense of Malaysian unity but only in his concept of Malay unity,” said Lim in pointing out that majority rule, under the law, meant that in the legislature irrespective of the ethnic composition. “It’s a fallacy that Malay unity means PAS and Umno coming together.”
“The Malays and Islam could not be under threat after 57 years of Umno government under six Umno Prime Ministers.”
Lim, holding up Hamid’s “black record”, referred to retired Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram telling the media not so long ago that “the errant member of the bench” had shown extremist prejudice in a decision on a civil case which he heard as a High Court judge in the 90s.
Hamid, who had written the judgment in Bahasa Malaysia, apparently accepted the claim by a Malay defendant because “as a Muslim he would not tell lies”. He, however, did not accept the allegation of an Indian gentleman who was the partner. The bank and the Indian gentleman appealed to the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal, comprising Gopal Sri Ram, the late Abdul Malek Ahmad and Siti Normah Yaakob, dismissed the bank’s appeal, set aside Hamid’s judgment and ordered a re-trial.
In that case, the bank had sued the two business partners, the Malay and Indian, who had stood guarantors for a loan. Both defendants relied on the defence that their signatures were forged by a third party.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Opposition wants to know, taking its cue from the social media, the legal fraternity and various press statements, how former Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Mohamad could rise up to become the top judicial officer of the land.
The question arises after Abdul Hamid has been linked of late with various extremist, racist, prejudiced, and bigoted public statements.
“There is clearly something amiss in the appointment and promotion of judges in Malaysia where an extremist with racial and religious prejudice could rise up all the way to become Chief Justice of the country,” said DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang in a statement.
“Hamid should have been hauled before the judicial tribunal for extremist, racial and religious prejudice and not be allowed to be promoted up the judicial ladder.”
Instead, noted Lim, he rose up the judiciary ranks from High Court to Court of Appeal and Federal Court, and was then appointed Court of Appeal President and Chief Justice of Malaysia. Hamid was elevated to the highest judicial post when he was appointed Chief Justice from 2007-2008, succeeding Fairuz Abdul Halim, and preceding Zaki Azmi.
Lim, also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, said that many people have still not got over a recent statement by Hamid that Malays in the peninsula will end up like the Red Indians in America i.e. on reservations if PAS and Umno do not work together to “defend the Government from PKR and DAP”.
It was not known whether Hamid was referring to the reservations created by the British by gazette in the peninsula to get the Malay-speaking Muslim communities out of the way so that they could plant rubber and mine tin.
“Hamid was never interested in national unity in the sense of Malaysian unity but only in his concept of Malay unity,” said Lim in pointing out that majority rule, under the law, meant that in the legislature irrespective of the ethnic composition. “It’s a fallacy that Malay unity means PAS and Umno coming together.”
“The Malays and Islam could not be under threat after 57 years of Umno government under six Umno Prime Ministers.”
Lim, holding up Hamid’s “black record”, referred to retired Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram telling the media not so long ago that “the errant member of the bench” had shown extremist prejudice in a decision on a civil case which he heard as a High Court judge in the 90s.
Hamid, who had written the judgment in Bahasa Malaysia, apparently accepted the claim by a Malay defendant because “as a Muslim he would not tell lies”. He, however, did not accept the allegation of an Indian gentleman who was the partner. The bank and the Indian gentleman appealed to the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal, comprising Gopal Sri Ram, the late Abdul Malek Ahmad and Siti Normah Yaakob, dismissed the bank’s appeal, set aside Hamid’s judgment and ordered a re-trial.
In that case, the bank had sued the two business partners, the Malay and Indian, who had stood guarantors for a loan. Both defendants relied on the defence that their signatures were forged by a third party.
Why Malays should back the ‘I am #26' petition
BY Hafidz Baharom
I was recently roped in to support the ‘I Am #26' petition, a subsequent reaction to the letter of the G25, a group of eminent Malays who long for thorough moderation and not just words without action.
Written by a columnist for The Malaysian Insider, it has at the time of my writing this gained 3,760 signatories in the last four days, averaging 1,000 people a day.
And quite wholly, I agree to what the petition stands for, because it is, in fact, what an Islamic society is supposed to be; thorough, enlightened and in the spirit of brotherhood or sisterhood.
Personally, the five points of the petition to the prime minister requires urgent and immediate attention, and as such, I am wondering what the hesitance is about.
Firstly, it urges a review of the Sharia Criminal Offences laws in the country, which make sinning criminal. Is it not in the best interest of the entirety of the Islamic population in Malaysia to see what sins should be criminalised?
Is it not necessary to standardise all these laws in all the states in line with the federal constitution?
For myself, it is. A review would also shed light on a lot of issues that have been plaguing the dual legal system.
The second point in the petition is a clarion call to ensure that parliamentarians and the public know the limitations to the sharia legal system as set by the federal constitution.
This is definitely needed for everyone to note, because there are limits to the state-specific religious legal system as defined by our founding laws. Perhaps this has gone forgotten for far too long, or has been left without clarification for everyone to note.
Perhaps this is the way it is out of ignorance or necessity by people with their own agendas, God only knows.
Shouldn’t we, the public at large, know what limits the religious authorities have?
And since Islam itself promotes speaking from a point of enlightenment and to share knowledge, how can we say this point is an attack on Islam?
The third point is to allow civil society to consult on Islam being used as a source of public law and public policy. Yet again, this is necessary.
As I have mentioned before, Islam has now grown to a point of multiple facets in which everything and anything can be accessed online from multiple sources.
Islam has evolved, and we should evolve with it. In addition to this, how can you do laws and policies without contribution from civil societies?
We do it for everything from economics to education to welfare. When did Islam ever tell us to avoid having intellectual discourses as a basis of law and policy?
Is that not what a syura, or a political congress or a muktamar all about?
How can you not have the same for the government?
Nobody has a monopoly
The fourth point of the “I Am #26” petition is exactly what I just said above. Islam has now evolved to be multifaceted, to the point that nobody truly has a monopoly on which or what the right Islamic laws and policies are.
What was implemented in Turkey and Arab Saudi, to exemplify, are two different brands. Commonalities are abound, true, but they are different, suiting different peoples, cultures and thus, forming different laws and policies.
Similarly, Malaysia and Malaysians should come from the same points of view, since we are equally diverse but united in worshipping one God.
So, how can we not allow the inclusion of all information through the different interpretations and juristic schools of thought?
The final point raised in the petition is leadership, or as I interpret it, a moderator who will allow the intellectual debates on Islamic jurisprudence in the establishment and review of sharia law and policies.
As I read it, we do not expect the prime minister himself to lead this move, but to appoint someone who is knowledgeable enough in both legal systems and intellectual discourse to lead it to fruition.
Is this not what we want?
For too long, Islam and the Malays have been made the boogeyman of Malaysia. We have been made scapegoats to anything and everything - from riots that would cripple the nation to even veiled threats of violence against non-Muslims.
This has never been the Islamic way.
Transparency, moderation, knowledgeable, intellectual discourse; these have been the hallmarks of the best of Islamic governance throughout history. Look at the rich history of Islam and you will find that the intellects in arithmetic and medicine were also the same intellects in philosophy and jurisprudence.
Historically the renaissance men
To be frank, Muslims were historically the renaissance men. This has been historically recognised even since the days of Kublai Khan. How can we ignore knowledge in any form?
With all this in mind, how can Malays reject a petition which truly stands for the best of what Islamic culture has offered in the past?
As such, there is nothing in this petition that is against Islam. In fact, it encourages the best qualities of our religious culture has to offer to combat ignorance and the hijacking of our religion by those who treat it as a monopoly.
These, by and large, are un-Islamic qualities that the petition wants to combat.
And thus, I urge my Muslim brothers and sisters to support it.
Written by a columnist for The Malaysian Insider, it has at the time of my writing this gained 3,760 signatories in the last four days, averaging 1,000 people a day.
And quite wholly, I agree to what the petition stands for, because it is, in fact, what an Islamic society is supposed to be; thorough, enlightened and in the spirit of brotherhood or sisterhood.
Personally, the five points of the petition to the prime minister requires urgent and immediate attention, and as such, I am wondering what the hesitance is about.
Firstly, it urges a review of the Sharia Criminal Offences laws in the country, which make sinning criminal. Is it not in the best interest of the entirety of the Islamic population in Malaysia to see what sins should be criminalised?
Is it not necessary to standardise all these laws in all the states in line with the federal constitution?
For myself, it is. A review would also shed light on a lot of issues that have been plaguing the dual legal system.
The second point in the petition is a clarion call to ensure that parliamentarians and the public know the limitations to the sharia legal system as set by the federal constitution.
This is definitely needed for everyone to note, because there are limits to the state-specific religious legal system as defined by our founding laws. Perhaps this has gone forgotten for far too long, or has been left without clarification for everyone to note.
Perhaps this is the way it is out of ignorance or necessity by people with their own agendas, God only knows.
Shouldn’t we, the public at large, know what limits the religious authorities have?
And since Islam itself promotes speaking from a point of enlightenment and to share knowledge, how can we say this point is an attack on Islam?
The third point is to allow civil society to consult on Islam being used as a source of public law and public policy. Yet again, this is necessary.
As I have mentioned before, Islam has now grown to a point of multiple facets in which everything and anything can be accessed online from multiple sources.
Islam has evolved, and we should evolve with it. In addition to this, how can you do laws and policies without contribution from civil societies?
We do it for everything from economics to education to welfare. When did Islam ever tell us to avoid having intellectual discourses as a basis of law and policy?
Is that not what a syura, or a political congress or a muktamar all about?
How can you not have the same for the government?
Nobody has a monopoly
The fourth point of the “I Am #26” petition is exactly what I just said above. Islam has now evolved to be multifaceted, to the point that nobody truly has a monopoly on which or what the right Islamic laws and policies are.
What was implemented in Turkey and Arab Saudi, to exemplify, are two different brands. Commonalities are abound, true, but they are different, suiting different peoples, cultures and thus, forming different laws and policies.
Similarly, Malaysia and Malaysians should come from the same points of view, since we are equally diverse but united in worshipping one God.
So, how can we not allow the inclusion of all information through the different interpretations and juristic schools of thought?
The final point raised in the petition is leadership, or as I interpret it, a moderator who will allow the intellectual debates on Islamic jurisprudence in the establishment and review of sharia law and policies.
As I read it, we do not expect the prime minister himself to lead this move, but to appoint someone who is knowledgeable enough in both legal systems and intellectual discourse to lead it to fruition.
Is this not what we want?
For too long, Islam and the Malays have been made the boogeyman of Malaysia. We have been made scapegoats to anything and everything - from riots that would cripple the nation to even veiled threats of violence against non-Muslims.
This has never been the Islamic way.
Transparency, moderation, knowledgeable, intellectual discourse; these have been the hallmarks of the best of Islamic governance throughout history. Look at the rich history of Islam and you will find that the intellects in arithmetic and medicine were also the same intellects in philosophy and jurisprudence.
Historically the renaissance men
To be frank, Muslims were historically the renaissance men. This has been historically recognised even since the days of Kublai Khan. How can we ignore knowledge in any form?
With all this in mind, how can Malays reject a petition which truly stands for the best of what Islamic culture has offered in the past?
As such, there is nothing in this petition that is against Islam. In fact, it encourages the best qualities of our religious culture has to offer to combat ignorance and the hijacking of our religion by those who treat it as a monopoly.
These, by and large, are un-Islamic qualities that the petition wants to combat.
And thus, I urge my Muslim brothers and sisters to support it.
Opposing hudud does not mean opposing Islam — Nadira Ilana
APRIL 23 — I’m just not sure what’s a ‘nice’ way to have a conversation about a set of laws that legitimises amputations, slavery and public stoning in God’s name. There are many reasons why I think that hudud has no place in the modern world.
Hudud neglects what we know today about economics and social science. We know that robbers don’t all rob because they’re bad, it’s because they’re often poor, sick or desperate. We know that sociopathy and psychopathy are personality disorders and that people are a product of their environment therefore evil acts are not Satanic manifestations in men. In that respect, not all women and men can be judged the same.
We know that just because four men didn’t witness a rape, it doesn’t mean that a woman has committed adultery. A woman is not the proverbial tree fallen in the forest so a rape kit will do just nicely to prevent her from getting stoned. Consider that if accusations of adultery are punishable too then Mahathir should get a huge walloping for what he’s dragged Anwar through.
Another inconsistency with hudud is that in Islam you can’t amputate livestock if you want to consume their flesh because it’s inhumane but then if a man steals you can amputate his hands. I don’t see the justice here. Taking away the hands of a man who steals because he is hungry is a low blow.
We know that people are capable of reform and that humanity is largely good before it is bad. We know that people can change when they are treated with kindness and given an education or opportunities, not stoned by various sizes of rock. People can’t be ‘scared away’ from crime. Dead men don’t learn. Deterrents are what you tell children to make them finish their dinner. The human conscience should be guided by reason, not fear if you want meaningful change hence the importance of education and independent thought.
Another thing about hudud is that it deals with petty misdemeanours excessively. Theft and adultery are the things of tabloids. There are worse crimes out there with extremely lenient sentences like wildlife trafficking and animal abuse. The monstrosity of it all is that child marriage is legal in Malaysia under Islamic law. Politicians and developers get away with building dams and deforestation, capitalism and corruption. How does hudud address these bigger issues? Hudud has no place in a society whose priorities have changed. It’s perfectly medieval.
If we thought that ISA abuse was bad, hudud will be far worse because our religious authorities are government funded. Ultimately the people whose lives will be endangered the most will be Muslims themselves yet – none of us live in a bubble. We all have Muslim family members and friends. Because of certain Islamic laws in place, the number of Muslims in the country is growing artificially. No one will be unaffected by hudud. Not even non-Muslims. Hudud is not going to frighten people from committing crime. It’s just going to make people afraid of Islam. Religious freedom in Malaysia is on its death bed as it is. Should we be entertaining a debate on something that is only going to make things worse?
Even Mahathir has pointed out that the poor are the most likely to commit crime and that the majority of Malaysians living in poverty themselves are Malays, the very people whom ISMA, PAS and Perkasa are trying to defend in the first place – when they’re not fighting to implement hudud.
So no, this isn’t a discussion that needs to take place between Muslims and non-Muslims but between the proponents and opponents of hudud. For this discussion to go further, Malaysian Muslims and non-Muslims, need to be assured that opposing hudud does not mean opposing Islam.
It also helps for contemporary Muslim scholars who oppose hudud to chime in so there can be fair discussion. I understand why people might suggest that we tone down emotional language by not using words like “barbaric” or “inhumane” in discussions on hudud but I don’t think it helps to dumb a conversation down for the mere sake of diplomacy. Call a fork a fork because most of our politicians won’t and that’s why they’re wasting their breath on hudud and not education, the environment or the economy.
You know, stuff that politicians should really be talking about.
Most politicians (save for the dearly departed Karpal Singh) continue to play it safe by avoiding the topic because hardly any of them have the guts to oppose religious authorities outright for fear of seeming anti-Islam, that is, if their Islam stood for violence and vengeance.
Ask the proponents of hudud why they are not as passionate about championing education and compassion first since Islam is a religion of peace and reason, as they say. Ancient Muslims were great philosophers, scientists and thinkers. Why should modern Muslims have to go back to where others left off thousands of years ago instead of evolving themselves? Especially in an age where people are learning faster than ever.
Muslims should submit to Allah, not to self-appointed ‘religious authorities’ who want to play Qada and Qadar by speaking and acting upon others on Allah’s behalf, which is worse than any Dutch cartoon or Aronofsky movie.
People should be entitled to have an unadulterated say on the big decisions to do with religion because it affects our private lives from the birth of our children to our funerals. Especially since we live in a country that refuses to acknowledge the part of our constitution that stipulates that Malaysia is a secular state. We should definitely be included on discussions on whether Jakim officers should be given guns. I can’t believe I even have to say this out loud.
If Islam stood for good things then it should be a prerogative for Muslims to do the right thing even if that means acting contrarily to what others tell them their religion demands of them. Promote Ijtihad and reasoning. Stop dumbing people down with half truths because it’s only turning us into really polite hypocrites.
Hudud is messed up. Just say it. Why should we get caught up by people who want to fight to be the Muslimest-Muslim they can possibly be but can’t even wrap their heads around what it means to be a Muslim or even just decent people in the first place? Kindness, compassion, respect for others should be the forefront of every God fearing man. Not suspicion and moral policing. While we are on this earth, people should be entitled to learn from their own mistakes.
Ultimately we all know the answer to this debate. Instil the fear of God in people through religious authority and people won’t be able to tell the difference between the fear of God or the fear of men. At the end of the day, hudud is not a conversation about Allah’s will but the supremacy of a few men trying to play Allah because we refuse to separate religion from state. So what’s unIslamic about opposing hudud then?
*Nadira Ilana is a filmmaker and aspiring aspirer currently based in Kuala Lumpur. She makes fiction films and documentaries and wants to shoot her first feature in her home state of Sabah. You can watch her Freedom Film Fest documentary ‘The Silent Riot’ here on Youtube.
**This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of the Malay Mail Online.
Hudud neglects what we know today about economics and social science. We know that robbers don’t all rob because they’re bad, it’s because they’re often poor, sick or desperate. We know that sociopathy and psychopathy are personality disorders and that people are a product of their environment therefore evil acts are not Satanic manifestations in men. In that respect, not all women and men can be judged the same.
We know that just because four men didn’t witness a rape, it doesn’t mean that a woman has committed adultery. A woman is not the proverbial tree fallen in the forest so a rape kit will do just nicely to prevent her from getting stoned. Consider that if accusations of adultery are punishable too then Mahathir should get a huge walloping for what he’s dragged Anwar through.
Another inconsistency with hudud is that in Islam you can’t amputate livestock if you want to consume their flesh because it’s inhumane but then if a man steals you can amputate his hands. I don’t see the justice here. Taking away the hands of a man who steals because he is hungry is a low blow.
We know that people are capable of reform and that humanity is largely good before it is bad. We know that people can change when they are treated with kindness and given an education or opportunities, not stoned by various sizes of rock. People can’t be ‘scared away’ from crime. Dead men don’t learn. Deterrents are what you tell children to make them finish their dinner. The human conscience should be guided by reason, not fear if you want meaningful change hence the importance of education and independent thought.
Another thing about hudud is that it deals with petty misdemeanours excessively. Theft and adultery are the things of tabloids. There are worse crimes out there with extremely lenient sentences like wildlife trafficking and animal abuse. The monstrosity of it all is that child marriage is legal in Malaysia under Islamic law. Politicians and developers get away with building dams and deforestation, capitalism and corruption. How does hudud address these bigger issues? Hudud has no place in a society whose priorities have changed. It’s perfectly medieval.
If we thought that ISA abuse was bad, hudud will be far worse because our religious authorities are government funded. Ultimately the people whose lives will be endangered the most will be Muslims themselves yet – none of us live in a bubble. We all have Muslim family members and friends. Because of certain Islamic laws in place, the number of Muslims in the country is growing artificially. No one will be unaffected by hudud. Not even non-Muslims. Hudud is not going to frighten people from committing crime. It’s just going to make people afraid of Islam. Religious freedom in Malaysia is on its death bed as it is. Should we be entertaining a debate on something that is only going to make things worse?
Even Mahathir has pointed out that the poor are the most likely to commit crime and that the majority of Malaysians living in poverty themselves are Malays, the very people whom ISMA, PAS and Perkasa are trying to defend in the first place – when they’re not fighting to implement hudud.
So no, this isn’t a discussion that needs to take place between Muslims and non-Muslims but between the proponents and opponents of hudud. For this discussion to go further, Malaysian Muslims and non-Muslims, need to be assured that opposing hudud does not mean opposing Islam.
It also helps for contemporary Muslim scholars who oppose hudud to chime in so there can be fair discussion. I understand why people might suggest that we tone down emotional language by not using words like “barbaric” or “inhumane” in discussions on hudud but I don’t think it helps to dumb a conversation down for the mere sake of diplomacy. Call a fork a fork because most of our politicians won’t and that’s why they’re wasting their breath on hudud and not education, the environment or the economy.
You know, stuff that politicians should really be talking about.
Most politicians (save for the dearly departed Karpal Singh) continue to play it safe by avoiding the topic because hardly any of them have the guts to oppose religious authorities outright for fear of seeming anti-Islam, that is, if their Islam stood for violence and vengeance.
Ask the proponents of hudud why they are not as passionate about championing education and compassion first since Islam is a religion of peace and reason, as they say. Ancient Muslims were great philosophers, scientists and thinkers. Why should modern Muslims have to go back to where others left off thousands of years ago instead of evolving themselves? Especially in an age where people are learning faster than ever.
Muslims should submit to Allah, not to self-appointed ‘religious authorities’ who want to play Qada and Qadar by speaking and acting upon others on Allah’s behalf, which is worse than any Dutch cartoon or Aronofsky movie.
People should be entitled to have an unadulterated say on the big decisions to do with religion because it affects our private lives from the birth of our children to our funerals. Especially since we live in a country that refuses to acknowledge the part of our constitution that stipulates that Malaysia is a secular state. We should definitely be included on discussions on whether Jakim officers should be given guns. I can’t believe I even have to say this out loud.
If Islam stood for good things then it should be a prerogative for Muslims to do the right thing even if that means acting contrarily to what others tell them their religion demands of them. Promote Ijtihad and reasoning. Stop dumbing people down with half truths because it’s only turning us into really polite hypocrites.
Hudud is messed up. Just say it. Why should we get caught up by people who want to fight to be the Muslimest-Muslim they can possibly be but can’t even wrap their heads around what it means to be a Muslim or even just decent people in the first place? Kindness, compassion, respect for others should be the forefront of every God fearing man. Not suspicion and moral policing. While we are on this earth, people should be entitled to learn from their own mistakes.
Ultimately we all know the answer to this debate. Instil the fear of God in people through religious authority and people won’t be able to tell the difference between the fear of God or the fear of men. At the end of the day, hudud is not a conversation about Allah’s will but the supremacy of a few men trying to play Allah because we refuse to separate religion from state. So what’s unIslamic about opposing hudud then?
*Nadira Ilana is a filmmaker and aspiring aspirer currently based in Kuala Lumpur. She makes fiction films and documentaries and wants to shoot her first feature in her home state of Sabah. You can watch her Freedom Film Fest documentary ‘The Silent Riot’ here on Youtube.
**This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of the Malay Mail Online.
Indira Gandhi case ruling sets worrying precedent, says lawyer
Malay Mail
KUALA
LUMPUR, Dec 17 — The Court of Appeal’s decision not to enforce a
mandamus order on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in a child
custody tussle raises concern that any civil servant can choose to
ignore a court order, the lawyer for M. Indira Gandhi said today.
M.
Kulasegaran, who represented Indira in her bid to be reunited with her
daughter who was snatched by her convert ex-husband five years ago, said
the court “seems to have failed to appreciate” that the IGP is legally
bound to abide by the Police Act and enforce a court order without
question.
“By
saying that the IGP has discretion in the court is sending a message
that any civil servant can question a court order and need not adhere to
it,” he said in a statement.
Earlier
today, the appellate court in a 2-1 majority ruling dismissed Indira’s
bid to compel the IGP to recover her six-year-old daughter, stating that
a mandamus order cannot be enforced in a civil dispute.
“The
order cannot be issued where only the right of an individual is taken
into account,” Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim said
when reading out the majority decision.
Abdul Aziz noted that even without the police, Indira still has the option of hiring the court bailiff to recover her daughter.
Kulasegaran
today maintained his argument that Indira is left without any remedy to
her predicament as there is little that the bailiff can do to help her
if she is unable to locate her ex-husband, Mohd Ridzuan.
Kulasegaran,
who is also DAP’s Ipoh Barat MP, stressed that it is the IGP who has
access to the necessary resources to find Mohd Ridzuan, whose location
remains unknown to Indira.
Five
years ago, Indira was separated from her daughter Prasana Diksa, then
an 11-month-old toddler, when Mohd Ridzuan ran off with the child.
Mohd
Ridzuan later unilaterally converted all their three children to Islam
and obtained a custody order in the Shariah court for all three.
In
the long drawn-out child custody battle, Indira won full custody of her
three children in the Ipoh High Court in 2010, with the same civil
court issuing a recovery order in her favour.
Lee had also nullified the Shariah court’s custody order and subsequently issued the mandamus order compelling the IGP to act.
On
May 30, the civil court also cited Mohd Ridzuan for contempt of its
custody order and issued a warrant to arrest and jail him, unless he
gave up the child that he had taken away in 2009.
Mohd
Ridzuan’s bid to appeal against the High Court’s custody order in
favour of Indira was previously dismissed in both the Court of Appeal
and Federal Court.
Government Has Rehabilitated 74 Per Cent Of Abandoned Housing Projects - Najib
SEPANG, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The government has rehabilitated 74 per cent
of abandoned housing projects, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak said today.
He said 10.7 per cent more or 23 projects were in the process of rehabilitation while 15.3 per cent or 33 projects were in the planning stage.
"Government intervention in rehabilitating housing projects is in line with its objective to champion and give preference to the people's interests," he said when handing over house keys of the Bandar Salak Perdana redevelopment project here.
Najib, who is also the finance minister, handed over the keys in a symbolic gesture to five purchasers of houses in Bandar Salak Perdana, a project that had remained abandoned for 12 years.
The prime minister said it was beyond the responsibility of the government to rehabilitate abandoned private sector housing projects because the house purchase was a transaction between the buyers and a private company.
"If the government were to state that it was not its responsibility, no one can blame the government for that. It is the responsibility of the original developer.
"As the government is a concerned one, we have worked out a method to revive abandoned housing projects. This is a special additional measure of the government," he said.
Najib said Malaysia Building Society Berhad (MBSB), a government-linked company, revives abandoned houses on the government's directive.
"This has helped to raise the property value from RM140,000 a unit to RM400,000 besides creating a new growth centre," he said.
Bandar Salak Perdana was previously known as Taman Kenanga. It was declared abandoned on Dec 31, 2002, after the developer faced financial problems. The project has been redeveloped by MBSB and NCT United Development Sdn Bhd.
The rehabilitation of the abandoned project was completed in two years with an injection of funds totalling RM213 million.
The rehabilitation encompassed four phases covering 369 units of double-storey terrace house, 180 units of 2-1/2-storey terrace house and 164 units of medium-cost apartment. A total of 713 buyers and house owners were involved.
Najib said the rehabilitation of abandoned housing projects was also a government measure to achieve one million units of affordable housing in five years.
Meanwhile, Deputy Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique said that between 2009 and Oct 31 this year, there were 215 abandoned private housing projects involving 59,748 units of houses and 39,691 purchasers.
Of these, 159 projects involving 43,768 units of houses and 28,714 purchasers had been revived, she said.
-- BERNAMA
He said 10.7 per cent more or 23 projects were in the process of rehabilitation while 15.3 per cent or 33 projects were in the planning stage.
"Government intervention in rehabilitating housing projects is in line with its objective to champion and give preference to the people's interests," he said when handing over house keys of the Bandar Salak Perdana redevelopment project here.
Najib, who is also the finance minister, handed over the keys in a symbolic gesture to five purchasers of houses in Bandar Salak Perdana, a project that had remained abandoned for 12 years.
The prime minister said it was beyond the responsibility of the government to rehabilitate abandoned private sector housing projects because the house purchase was a transaction between the buyers and a private company.
"If the government were to state that it was not its responsibility, no one can blame the government for that. It is the responsibility of the original developer.
"As the government is a concerned one, we have worked out a method to revive abandoned housing projects. This is a special additional measure of the government," he said.
Najib said Malaysia Building Society Berhad (MBSB), a government-linked company, revives abandoned houses on the government's directive.
"This has helped to raise the property value from RM140,000 a unit to RM400,000 besides creating a new growth centre," he said.
Bandar Salak Perdana was previously known as Taman Kenanga. It was declared abandoned on Dec 31, 2002, after the developer faced financial problems. The project has been redeveloped by MBSB and NCT United Development Sdn Bhd.
The rehabilitation of the abandoned project was completed in two years with an injection of funds totalling RM213 million.
The rehabilitation encompassed four phases covering 369 units of double-storey terrace house, 180 units of 2-1/2-storey terrace house and 164 units of medium-cost apartment. A total of 713 buyers and house owners were involved.
Najib said the rehabilitation of abandoned housing projects was also a government measure to achieve one million units of affordable housing in five years.
Meanwhile, Deputy Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Halimah Mohd Sadique said that between 2009 and Oct 31 this year, there were 215 abandoned private housing projects involving 59,748 units of houses and 39,691 purchasers.
Of these, 159 projects involving 43,768 units of houses and 28,714 purchasers had been revived, she said.
-- BERNAMA
U.S. airstrikes kill 3 top ISIS leaders
By Jim Sciutto, CNN
Washington (CNN) -- U.S. airstrikes have killed two top-level and one mid-level ISIS leader, a senior U.S. military official tells CNN.
Haji Mutazz was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's deputy in Iraq; Abd al Basit was his military emir in Iraq; and Radwan Talib was his Mosul emir. Their deaths resulted from multiple strikes going back to mid-November -- it has taken until now to determine conclusively they were killed.
Obama says U.S. 'hammering' ISIS
"I can confirm that since mid-November, targeted coalition airstrikes successfully killed multiple senior and mid-level leaders within the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby, in a statement on Thursday.
"We believe that the loss of these key leaders degrades ISIL's ability to command and control current operations against Iraqi Security Forces, including Kurdish and other local forces in Iraq," he said.
News of the killings was first disclosed by Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Everything to know about the rise of ISIS
In addition, President Barack Obama signed deployment orders yesterday for 1,300 troops to Iraq. This is the lion's share of the 1,500 additional troops he authorized last month. By February, the U.S. will have roughly 3,000 U.S. troops on the ground.
The U.S. troops are also going further afield than they previously were: There are now nearly 300 U.S. forces at Al Asad base in Anbar province, up from just 50 earlier this month. The U.S. military is following through on announced plans to deploy these military advisers and trainers outside of Baghdad and Erbil.
Washington (CNN) -- U.S. airstrikes have killed two top-level and one mid-level ISIS leader, a senior U.S. military official tells CNN.
Haji Mutazz was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's deputy in Iraq; Abd al Basit was his military emir in Iraq; and Radwan Talib was his Mosul emir. Their deaths resulted from multiple strikes going back to mid-November -- it has taken until now to determine conclusively they were killed.
Obama says U.S. 'hammering' ISIS
"I can confirm that since mid-November, targeted coalition airstrikes successfully killed multiple senior and mid-level leaders within the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," said Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby, in a statement on Thursday.
"We believe that the loss of these key leaders degrades ISIL's ability to command and control current operations against Iraqi Security Forces, including Kurdish and other local forces in Iraq," he said.
News of the killings was first disclosed by Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
Everything to know about the rise of ISIS
In addition, President Barack Obama signed deployment orders yesterday for 1,300 troops to Iraq. This is the lion's share of the 1,500 additional troops he authorized last month. By February, the U.S. will have roughly 3,000 U.S. troops on the ground.
The U.S. troops are also going further afield than they previously were: There are now nearly 300 U.S. forces at Al Asad base in Anbar province, up from just 50 earlier this month. The U.S. military is following through on announced plans to deploy these military advisers and trainers outside of Baghdad and Erbil.
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