ISIS release new footage claiming to show a child executing two Russian 'spies' by shooting them in the back of the head

• Video released by ISIS allegedly shows young boy executing two men
• The men are said to have been caught spying on Islamic State for Russia
• Lack of evidence of injuries on the men suggests execution may be staged

By Sara Malm for MailOnline

ISIS has released a video claiming to show a young boy executing two Russian spies in the Islamic State.

The footage shows a boy and an ISIS soldier standing behind the two kneeling 'spies', after which the boy allegedly shoots the grey-clad men in the back of their heads.

However, lack of visible injuries on the men and evidence of blood after the killings suggest the executions may be staged for the cameras.

The seven-and-a-half minute video starts with interviews with the two men where they admit to spying on ISIS on behalf of Russia.

The men tell an interviewer off-camera their names are Mamayev Jambulat Yesenajovich and Ashimov Sergey Nikolayavich, that they are Kazakh and were recruited by 'Russian Intelligence'.

The 'execution scene' sees the ISIS soldier dressed in a camouflage uniform with the young boy standing next to him holding a handgun.

The soldier speaks to the camera, saying that 'Allah has gifted the Islamic State with these two spies'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2908498/ISIS-release-new-footage-claiming-child-executing-two-Russian-spies-shooting-head-just-staged-fake.html

Perkasa wants Hindu temple to face Banting

Perkasa Youth is curious as to why a Hindu temple has been constructed at a Malay-majority area, and suggests that perhaps the entrance should face Banting where there is a large Hindu population.

Its chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris said the soon-to-be-completed Sri Lalithambikai Alayam temple in Precint 20, Putrajaya has a “somewhat inappropriate location”.

“There are not many Hindus in Putrajaya and if the entrance faces Banting, this would make it easier for them to reach the temple,” Irwan told Malaysiakini.

“Although I am not sure of the exact figure, I know the majority of those living in Putrajaya are Malays,” he said.

Irwan (right), nevertheless, stressed that they were not questioning the freedom of religion, rather, merely questioning the temple’s location.

“We will not hold demonstrations over the matter as we respect the other religions,” he said.

He added that he will be meeting with the local authority, Perbadanan Putrajaya (Putrajaya Corporation), to obtain a more detailed explanation on the matter.

However, it is noted that a date has not been set for the meeting.

“We will also meet the Putrajaya Perkasa Youth to get more information on the matter since it is their area,” he said.

Former MIC president S Samy Vellu had announced, in January 2013, the construction of the temple - dubbed the “most unique temple in the country” - at a cost of RM12 million.

The temple mixes both Northern and Southern Indian elements, and is expected to accommodate close to 10,000 people during festivities.

Putrajaya Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Devotees' Association president R Kanagaraja had said that the 17,000 sq ft structure will be built on a one-acre plot, to be completed in mid-2015.

There are about 1,500 Hindus, most of them civil servants, living in Putrajaya.

 

Federal Court stays child custody order

 

In a surprising move, the Federal Court today granted Muslim convert N Viran @ Izwan Abdullah a stay of the order of both the High Court in Seremban and the Court of Appeal that granted custody of the children to the mother.

The apex court also granted a stay of the child recovery order and contempt proceeding against Izwan after he brought the six-year-old son to court this morning.

With this, the son is to continue to stay with the father while Izwan's former wife, S Deepa (right), has been given custody of the daughter.

By right, following the Seremban High Court order, custody to S Deepa, the mother, should have been maintained.

The stay order was granted by a five-member bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin.

Justice Zulkefli ordered an early trial date on this matter, ruling that the interests of the child are paramount for the appeal to be heard early.

The judge also allowed the questions of law posed by Izwan's lawyer, Hanif Khatri Abdullah, which basically involved revisiting the S Shamala and R Subashini interfaith custody battles.

This follows the apex court granting leave (permission) for it to hear Izwan's appeal proper, relating to the two questions of law.

Deepa's lawyers puzzled by haste

However, the court did not hear submissions from Deepa's lawyers, led by Fahri Azzat, Aston Paiva and Joanne Leong, who seemed puzzled by the haste in which the Federal Court granted the leave.

This came despite Fahri pointing to the five-member bench that Izwan was initially cited for contempt for his failure to return the six-year-old boy to the mother, as by right, the custody of the child should be given to Deepa.

Justice Zulkefli ignored this argument, and went on to say “we stay all the court orders below”.

He added: “This court views the interest of the child as paramount and an early hearing date (of the appeal) will be fixed."

Besides Justice Zulkefli, who headed the bench, the other judges sitting were Justices Abdull Hamid Embong, Suriyadi Halim Omar, Md Apandi Ali and Zaharah Ibrahim.

Ominously missing was Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Richard Malanjum, who was present in the earlier panel that sat last month that ordered Izwan to bring the child along or it would not hear his request for a stay or leave today.

Two questions posed

The two questions the bench allowed to be posed before the highest court in the country were:

• Whether, in the context of Article 121 (1) (a) of the Federal Constitution, where a custody order is made by the Syariah Court or the civil High Court on the basis that it has jurisdiction to do so, whether there is jurisdiction by the other court to make a conflicting order; and
   
• Whether in the interpretation of Sections 52 and 53 of the Child Act 2001, a recovery order can be made when there exists a custody order given by the Syariah Court that is enforceable at the same time.

The protacted legal battle stems from the conflicting jurisdiction between the civil High Court and the Syariah Court, as Malaysia has a dual court system.

Izwan and Deepa were married under Hindu rites in 2003 and they have two children, a nine-year-old daughter and the son.

Izwan converted to Islam in 2011 and also converted their two children converted to Islam. In 2012, the Syariah Court gave him custody of the children.

However, the mother was given custody of the children by the civil High Court in Seremban on April 7, 2014.

Two days after the High Court decision, Izwan came to Deepa's house in Jelebu and took away their son.

The Court of Appeal on Dec 19 last year dismissed Izwan's appeal against the Seremban High Court's decision, and refused to set aside the recovery order issued by the High Court in Seremban to the police to retrieve the son.

Aston told reporters outside court that Deepa's legal team was surprised by the manner in which the apex court decided to grant leave to Izwan without hearing their submission.

“Yes, we are surprised and despite Fahri raising the matter, it was not entertained,” he said.

Kes Altantuya: Mahkamah mungkin terkhilaf, kata peguam

Rotterdam's mayor tells Muslims to pack their bags and go if they don't like freedom

Rotterdam’s Moroccan born mayor tells his fellow Muslim immigrants they “can ---- off” if they do not appreciate freedom of speech in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack

By Telegraph reporter

Ahmed Aboutaleb, a Labour politician and former government minister, issued his uncompromising message on the day that Islamist terrorists attacked the French satirical magazine because it published cartoons mocking Islam.

“It is incomprehensible that you can turn against freedom. But if you do not like freedom, in Heaven’s name pack your bag and leave,” he said.

“There may be a place in the world where you can be yourself,” he continued. “Be honest with yourself and do not go and kill innocent journalists. And if you do not like it here because humorists you do not like make a newspaper, may I then say you can ---- off.”

Mr Aboutaleb, who became the Dutch city’s mayor in 2008, has repeatedly hit the headlines for his outspoken views on the integration of immigrants, including praise from Boris Johnson.

“[His] is the voice of the Enlightenment, of Voltaire. We can and will protect this country against these jihadist thugs,” wrote London’s mayor in Monday’s Telegraph.

“But if we are going to win the struggle for the minds of these young people, then that is the kind of voice we need to hear – and it needs above all to be a Muslim voice.”

A “secular Muslim”, Mr Aboutaleb grew up the son of an imam in northern Morocco, but moved to the Netherlands aged 15 in 1976.

He has been criticised by Geert Wilders, the popular Dutch anti-immigrant leader, for holding public office while possessing dual Dutch and Moroccan passports.

Surat FBI: PM perlu arah Zahid letak jawatan, kata PKR

Turkish foundation head faces lawsuit after suggesting six-year-old children could marry

Daily News

The head of a conservative foundation in Turkey has stirred outrage after suggesting that children as young as six-years-old could marry other children or adults, with a number of NGOs and opposition lawmakers preparing to file a complaint for his remarks.

Nureddin Yıldız, whose Social Fabric Foundation particularly focuses on family and education issues, said during a live broadcast on Jan. 10 that there was no age limit for marriage according to Islam.

“Children can even marry before puberty. There can be marriages between children or between a child and an adult - for example, marriage between a seven-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man, or a seven-year-old boy with a 25-year-old woman. There are no inconveniences preventing their marriage,” Yıldız was quoted as saying.

“For Muslims who believe the Quran, there is nothing such as an age limit for marrying. There aren’t any obstacles for marrying at 10, seven or six,” he added.

Yıldız’s remarks come at a time when many associations are making considerable efforts to organize campaigns to reduce the number of child marriages across Turkey, particularly in eastern Anatolia.

According to official data, 181 children were married in the country over the past four years – not counting the many cases in which families alter the age of their children to make them look older on paper. In 2013 alone, young girls between the ages of 15 and 17 gave birth to 20,374 babies.

Main opposition Republican People’ Party (CHP) lawmaker Nur Serter slammed Yıldız's words. “The statement made by that individual clearly incites child rape. There is no other understanding. You cannot marry a six-year-old child. You can only rape that child,” Serter said.

“I call on the foundation to remove that individual from his position,” she added.

Fellow CHP deputy Aylin Nazlıaka said they will meet representatives of civil society to file individual complaints against Yıldız. She also accused the government of “encouraging” such people to openly express their views.

“We have seen many conservative and authoritarian initiatives with remarks such as ‘pregnant women shouldn’t walk in the streets.’ Now Yıldız says women shouldn’t work, there shouldn’t be anchorwomen on TV screens, and six-year-olds can marry. These individuals are trying to impose on society their psychopathic views by using religion,” Nazlıaka said.

Yıldız’s remarks also come after several comments on women by government officials caused concern.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç made international headlines at the end of last year after suggesting that women should not laugh in public. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later raised the bar further, arguing that women are not equal to men before denouncing birth control as “treason.”

More recently, Turkish Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu said motherhood was a career, suggesting that women's role was to stay at home and take care of their offspring – at least three, if they want to please Erdoğan.

Child executes prisoners in new ISIS video

Redazione ANSA

(ANSA) - Rome, January 13 - The Islamic State (ISIS) fundamentalist organization has posted a new video showing a boy aged about 10 years old shooting two prisoners dead, the SITE Intelligence Group reported Tuesday.

"ISIS has reached new depths of moral depravation," said SITE director and co-founder Rita Katz, whose website published a still frame of the video.

SITE has studied, tracked, and analyzed international terrorists, the global jihadist network and terrorism financing for more than a decade, according to its website.

Sarawak cancels Islamic talk after Christians object

An Islamic talk deemed by Christians in Sarawak as highly provocative has been cancelled by the Chief Minister's Office today.

Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, the minister in charge of Islamic affairs in the state, said he “advised” the organisers to cancel the talk because of objections from the Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS), certain individuals and politicians.

The talk – organised by the Islamic Information Centre (IIC) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) – was scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday.

But it was deemed unhelpful in defusing religious tension between Muslims and Christians in the country.

“We have looked into the objections and we find that they have a valid reason,” said Daud.

“We do not want to create disharmony among the various religious groups especially the Christians and the Muslims and the various races.

“It’s totally unnecessary,” Daud, who is also a Minister in the Chief Minister's Office, told reporters after witnessing Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem hand over cheques to various organisations at his office in Kuching this afternoon.

The talk, in conjunction with Prophet Muhammad's birthday, was to feature Iraqi Islamic scholar Shaykh Afeefuddin Al-Jalani speaking on the Prophet Muhammad in the Bible.

It was planned to be held at the IIC tomorrow and Unimas on Thursday.

The Anglican Diocese of Kuching, Assistant Bishop Aeries Sumping Jingan, told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that he spoke to the chief executive officer of IIC, and a state authority on the ACS's objection to the programme.

Sumping, who was acting on behalf of ACS chairman Datuk Bolly Lapok, said he made it clear to the CEO of IIC and the state authority that “we want the talks to be cancelled”.

PKR state chief Baru Bian, who today faxed a letter to Daud, stated that the topic of the talk was “an affront to Christians because Prophet Muhammad was never mentioned in the Bible, contrary to what the topic implies”.

He said many church leaders considered the topic to be blasphemous.

“Imagine how the Muslims would feel if a group of Christians proposed to invite a Christian scholar to talk about the Quran.

“I shudder to think of the reaction from the extreme ‘defenders of the faith’ in West Malaysia,” he added.

Baru said his objection to the talks was not an attempt to curb people’s freedom of expression, but said it they had to be done in an inclusive and accommodating manner.

“Sarawak is considered to be the last bastion of religious harmony and mutual respect and we must be mindful to guard this fortress at all times,” he said.

IIC reportedly tried to salvage the talk by changing the topic to “Muhammad SAW: The Blessing for Mankind.”

It made changes to the talk's promotional poster on its Facebook page this morning but removed it soon after. – January 13, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/sarawak-cancels-islamic-talk-after-christians-object#sthash.qp0TmgZP.dpuf

Kes keluarga Aminulrasyid saman polis ditangguh ke 25 Februari

Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam hari ini menangguhkan untuk mendengar saman sivil terhadap polis dan kerajaan yang dikemukakan keluarga seorang remaja yang ditembak mati oleh seorang anggota polis lima tahun lepas.

Peguam N Surendran, yang mewakili keluarga itu berkata Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim membuat keputusan menangguhkan perbicaran kes itu kepada 25 dan 26 Februari.

Katanya hakim meminta kedua-dua pihak berunding dan menyelesaikan kes itu di luar mahkamah.

"Perbicaraan akan diteruskan sekiranya tiada penyelesaian dicapai antara keluarga Aminulrasyid dan kerajaan berhubung kes ini," katanya.

Plaintif mendakwa kematian Aminulrasyid berpunca daripada kecuaian Koperal Jenain Subi.

Keluarga itu mendakwa polis tidak mempunyai alasan wajar untuk menembak pelajar berusia 15 tahun itu ketika mengejarnya pada awal pagi 26 April 2010.

Pada November 2013, Mahkamah Rayuan mengekalkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi membebaskan dan melepaskan Jenain daripada tuduhan menyebabkan kematian Aminulrasyid.

Ketika membebaskan Jenain pada 2012, Mahkamah Tinggi memutuskan Jenain tidak berniat menyebabkan kematian Aminulrasyid, tetapi menembak kereta yang dipandu remaja itu dengan tujuan menghentikannya. – Bernama, 13 Januari, 2014.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/kes-keluarga-aminulrasyid-saman-polis-ditangguh-ke-25-februari#sthash.zXqzX4gN.dpuf

Bukan SOP tangkap peguam dengan 20 anggota polis, kata bekas KPN

Tan Sri Musa Hassan menegaskan bukan Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) polis untuk menahan peguam Eric Paulsen dengan menggunakan kekuatan 20 anggota.

Bekas ketua polis negara (KPN) itu berkata, Paulsen hanyalah seorang peguam maka memadai jika beliau dipanggil hadir ke balai polis.

“Saya tak tahu pasal apa 20 anggota nak tangkap dia seorang? SOP bukan begitu melainkan dia cuba melakukan kekerasan. Itu lain cerita," kata Musa dalam satu wawancara bersama The Malaysian Insider hari ini.

“Seorang atau dua anggota sudah cukup. Panggil dia serah diri di balai polis berdekatan. Dia peguam, serah diri saja,” katanya.

Susulan penahanannya malam tadi, kumpulan peguam Lawyers For Liberty (LFL) melalui akaun Twitter mereka berkata, lebih 20 anggota polis datang untuk menahan Paulsen yang kemudiannya dibawa ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Dang Wangi, Kuala Lumpur.

Ahli Parlimen Padang Serai N Surendran yang juga merupakan anggota LFL menerusi laman Twitternya berkata, polis membawa Paulsen ke firma guamannya, Daim & Gamany, dan merampas komputer ribanya.

Mengulas mengenai penahanan itu, Surendran berkata tindakan polis itu seperti tindakan terhadap seorang "gangster besar".

Peguam Paulsen, R Sivarasa hari ini berkata, polis menahan reman peguam hak asasi manusia itu untuk dua hari selepas ditangkap kerana mengkritik Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim).

Sivarasa berkata, Paulsen ditahan reman dua hari bagi membolehkan pihak polis mengambil cap jari, kenyataan dan menggeledah rumahnya.

Mengulas mengenai tangkapan Paulsen, Musa berkata polis mungkin mempunyai maklumat tertentu mengapa 20 anggota diperlukan bagi menangkap peguam itu.

“Polis punya maklumat tertentu. Berkemungkinan mereka bertindak sedemikian atas maklumat yang mereka ada. Saya bukan dalam pasukan lagi.

“SOP tengok keadaan. Kalau tiada ancaman serius, satu atau dua orang pun boleh,” katanya kepada The Malaysian Insider.

Sivarasa yang juga ahli Parlimen Subang hari ini menyifatkan penahanan Paulsen sebagai salah guna kuasa polis kerana tiada asas untuk menahan peguam itu di lokap.

“Jika mereka rasa perkataannya satu kesalahan, peguam negara boleh menuduhnya. penahanan ini tidak munasabah, bertentangan dengan undang-undang dan menindas Paulsen,” katanya.

Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar hari ini memberi amaran kepada pihak tertentu agar tidak mempolitikkan atau memanipulasi isu tangkapan Paulsen sehingga boleh menjejaskan keselamatan awam.

Katanya, tangkapan yang dibuat ke atas Paulsen adalah berlandaskan undang-undang demi menjaga keharmonian dan kesejahteraan masyarakat berbilang bangsa, kaum dan agama.

"Jangan lakukan sesuatu dengan niat jahat dan bersekongkol untuk membangkitkan sentimen perkauman dan keagamaan atas nama kebebasan yang boleh merosak dan menghancurkan fabrik masyarakat majmuk," katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.

Paulsen melalui akaun Twitternya sebelum ini mengkritik Jakim kerana menyebarkan kebencian melalui khutbah Jumaat.

“Jakim sedang mempromosikan ekstremisme setiap Jumaat. Kerajaan perlu menanganinya jika serius mahu banteras ekstremisme di Malaysia," tulis Paulsen. – 13 Januari, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/bahasa/article/mengapa-guna-20-anggota-tangkap-eric-paulsen-soal-bekas-ketua-polis#sthash.eUTulnCk.dpuf

Najib, Musa Safri may testify in Altantuya’s family suit against Putrajaya

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his former aide-de-camp Deputy Superintendent Musa Safri may be called to give evidence in a civil suit filed by Altantuya Shaariibuu's father, Setev, against Putrajaya.

Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh, who is representing Setev, said the stalled lawsuit could now proceed after the verdict of the Federal Court which today found the two police commandos – Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar – guilty of murdering the Mongolian model in 2006.

"Najib and Musa will be subpoenaed to testify in the case. But I do not know if they will attempt to make applications to exempt them from coming to court," he told The Malaysian Insider.

Ramkarpal said he would be writing to the Shah Alam High Court to fix a date for case management so that the trial could be held as soon as possible.

"The suit was in the backburner because the high court wanted the criminal trial to be concluded first," he said.

He said the guilty verdict against Azilah and Sirul gave Setev the edge in his suit.

"The prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt which is of a higher burden to secure the conviction. In our civil suit, it is on the balance of probability which is of a lower threshold," said Ramkarpal.

Setev filed a RM100-million civil suit against Abdul Razak Baginda, Azilah, Sirul and Putrajaya in June 2007.

Razak, a close ally of Najib, was initially charged with abetting in the murder but was later acquitted without his defence being called.

Setev filed the suit on behalf of his wife Altantsetseg Sanjaa and their two grandsons Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga who were minors.

The couple are guardians of Altantuya's children. The younger one suffers from a medical disorder which requires expensive treatment.

The family is seeking damages for "suffering, sorrow, as well as physical and mental anguish".

A five-man federal court bench chaired by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria sentenced the cops to death after allowing the government's appeal over the murder .

Federal court judge Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar, who delivered the ruling, said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

"The Court of Appeal's order is set aside. The order of conviction and mandatory death sentence against the cops by the high court is restored and affirmed," he said.

On August 23, 2013, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeals brought by Azilah and Sirul and acquitted them.

Four years earlier, High Court judge Datuk Zaki Mohd Yassin found the two guilty and sentenced them to death.

Evidence in court revealed that the Mongolian translator was either murdered by C4 explosives or was killed first and the remains destroyed on October 18, 2006, in the outskirts of Shah Alam, near the capital city Kuala Lumpur. – January 13, 2015.

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/najib-musa-safri-may-testify-in-altantuyas-family-suit-against-putrajaya#sthash.eCaS0u0B.dpuf

'Sirul in Australia, no money to return'

 

Sirul Azhar Umar, the second accused in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, is currently in Australia, according to Bernama.

The national news agency claimed that he did not have enough money to return to Malaysia for the Federal Court's verdict, which was delivered this morning.

Quoting sources, the report stated that Sirul, who has been out of the country for some two months, was aware of the court date.

Asked if Sirul did not return because he feared the verdict would be against him, the source replied: "It (verdict) was not something to be expected, but it was necessary for Sirul to be overseas."

The Federal Court found Sirul and another former policemen Azilah Hadri guilty and sentenced them to death for the murder.

Previously, the Court of Appeal had acquitted the duo and overruled the Shah Alam High Court's earlier decision.

Forgiveness sought from fiancé

Meanwhile Azilah’s former fiancé said he was ready for whichever way the Federal Court's verdict would go.

Norazila Baharuddin, 37, said Azilah conveyed this to her in a phone call yesterday and also sought her forgiveness over their failed relationship.

"Azilah was prepared to face whatever decision the court would take. Bad or good he would have accepted it. He did not want to run away from it," she said.

Norazila, who has since married (in May last year), said the last she met Azilah was in August 2013 when the Court of Appeal acquitted him and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar of murdering the Mongolian model.

Is it the end of the Altantuya murder or...?

 

In 2006, she was brutally murdered. Now, almost a decade later, two former policemen have been sentenced to death by the Federal Court, bringing the high-profile Altantuya Shaariibuu case to an end.

But has the curtain really come down?

From the Shah Alam High Court, which found Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar guilty, the Court of Appeal which overturned the verdict, and the Federal Court which sentenced them to death, one crucial factor has remained elusive - the motive.

The courts did not establish the reason behind the duo, who were attached with the elite special operations force then, dragging the Mongolian national into a jungle and blowing her up with highly restricted C4 explosives.

Another important question concerns the phone calls reportedly made by Azilah from the scene of the crime. It was not established with whom he communicated with.

And now Sirul himself has disappeared.

This has added another twist to the already convoluted murder case, which saw the likes of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the procurement of submarines, during his tenure as defence minister, being linked to the issue.

The police have cleared Najib while his close associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who admitted to having an affair with Altantuya, was acquitted of abetting in the murder, without Abdul Razak being called to make his defence.

Sirul’s absence has now fired up the conspiracy mills, with some believing that the fugitive might choose to open a can of worms.

He had already dropped hints of a being in possession of a bombshell when, during the hearing before the lower courts, he had claimed to have been made a scapegoat “for their plans”.

Though he never revealed who these people were, Sirul’s lawyer had also suggested that his client could have been framed.

Now, a warrant of arrest has been issued and the police are on the manhunt for the convicted murderer, who some claim could be seeking refuge abroad.

However, national news agency Bernama quoted a source claiming that Sirul has been overseas for two months and cannot afford to return to Malaysia.

So, would the police arrest him and bring him back or does Sirul have something up his sleeve?

The defence still has one option, which is to file for a review of the Federal Court judgment.

Mashitah and Paulsen cases different, says IGP

 

Police did not arrest Baling Wanita Umno chief Mashitah Ibrahim for claiming the Quran by the Chinese because she was investigated for a “non-arrestable offence”, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said.

Responding to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s claim of police double standard, he said Mashitah was investigated under Section 505b of the Penal Code for spreading rumours to cause public alarm.

"It is not an arrestable case as such she cannot be arrested. The YB's learned councils can advise him further on this.

"Therefore the question of double standard does not arise. Investigation will be commenced irrespective of race, gender etc," he said in a statement to Malaysiakini.

The Criminal Procedure Code states that an arrest can only be made under Section 505 with a warrant.

Lim had asked why police had arrested lawyer Eric Paulsen under the Sedition Act over a tweet questioning the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) but not Mashitah who claimed the Quran was burned in a Chinese ritual prayer.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, questioned why Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali was also not arrested for calling on the Bahasa Malaysia Bible to be burned.

Khalid said the Ibrahim matter has been explained at length by the attorney-general and need not be revisited.

"The YB must have missed it or chose to do so," he said.

AG decides

He said police can only investigate and the power to prosecute is with the attorney-general.

Likewise, police have turned in the investigation paper on Mashitah to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to decide whether or not to prosecute the matter.

Earlier Lim said that by failing to act on Mashitah and Ibrahim, the IGP was giving the impression that what the duo did was not unlawful.

“Clearly, there are double standards and abuse of power practiced by both BN and the IGP, when it involves those who support BN against Pakatan Rakyat,” he said.

Phone records, jewellery sealed their fate

Former police special action force personnel Azilah Hadri's phone records and Sirul Azhar Umar's inability to explain the presence of Altantuya Shaariibuu's jewellery in a jacket at his house led to their conviction and death sentence.

This morning, the Federal Court's five-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria unanimously found the pair guilty and allowed the prosecution's appeal to set aside the acquittal at the Court of Appeal.

Federal Court judge Suriyadi Halim Omar, who wrote the majority judgment, said the court is also satisfied that the prosecution had proven the common intention element.

"The discovery of the location of the scene of crime and certain items owned by the deceased came about because of the information obtained from the respondents (Azilah and Sirul).

"With Azilah's call logs establishing that he had made the calls from the scene of the crime, his defence of alibi was unsustainable. By no account could he have been at Bukit Aman or Wangsa Maju at the material time," said the judge.

"The statements made by Sirul did not carry much weight either not because it was unsworn but because his story was inconsistent...

“With the discovery of the deceased’s belongings eg blood-stained slipper in his car, the deceased’s jewellery found in his house, let alone his car was detected at the Kota Damansara (toll) plaza enroute to Puncak Alam totally discredited his unsworn statement that his involvement ended outside Abdul Razak Baginda's house," the judge added.

The jewellery found were a pair of earrings, a Larmens brand wristwatch, and a gold ring.

Justice Suriyadi said there was an abundance of evidence adduced by the prosecution.

Azilah in his alibi stated that he was in Bukit Aman as showed in the police station diary and later had dinner with his then girlfriend in Wangsa Maju.

However she was not called by Azilah's defence.

Time, space and opportunity

Justice Suriyadi said Azilah and Sirul were together in the latter’s car and they eventually ended up at Puncak Alam.

This provided them with the time, space and opportunity to formulate the criminal act.

In his judgment he said while the Court of Appeal faulted the trial judge (Justice Mohd Zaki Yasin) for not addressing his mind on the police station diary which states Azilah was in Bukit Aman, the entry merely showed that he collected a Glock (pistol) at 10.18pm there.

“However, we are unable to agree with the Court of Appeal's decision that the station diary is admissable per se.

“The investigating officer had testified that the station diary was true. But he was not the maker of the entry. Only the maker could confirm the truth of the entry and unless proven by the maker, the contents of the station diary remains hearsay.

"With only a notice of alibi and an unproven station diary to fall back, as opposed to the prosecution's watertight case, it was no surprise that a prima facie case was established,” he said.

The Federal Court judge said police had seized Azilah's mobile phone. Based on the call logs, Azilah made a phone call from Kampung Melayu (Subang) and two other calls at Puncak Alam at about 10.43pm and 11.16pm.

“It is common knowledge that Pekan Subang and Kampung Melayu are close to Puncak Alam, and quite a distance from Bukit Aman (Azilah's alibi).

"What was obvious too is that none of the calls made by Azilah were detected from Wangsa Maju or Bukit Aman, which are very far away from Puncak Alam, the scene of the murder.

“In short the respondents could not have been anywhere else except at those places as indicated by the call-logs, that is Puncak Alam.

“The assertion by Azilah that he was at Bukit Aman to collect the Glock and then leaving Bukit Aman for Putrajaya at 10.20pm was without any corroboration.

"With the call logs being admissable, and making short shrift of the unproved station diary, the alibi defence is no better than a mere denial of the murder accusation,” he said.

The Federal Court was also satisfied that the police did not know the exact location of the crime scene, had it not been pointed out by the two.

“Sirul's conduct of leading the police to the same scene of crime at Puncak Alam separately and independently, merely strengthened the prosecution's case against the two.

"Here the two had independently led the police to the crime scene which is a remote and isolated place and high-up in the hills.

“By logical deduction, they must have been there earlier in order to successfully and unerringly pinpoint the location of the scene of the crime, with Sirul's car as the mode of transport.

"All the evidence point to the respondents (Azilah and Sirul) not only having gone up the hills of Puncak Alam at one point of time, but had gone up in Sirul's car.”

There is abundance of evidence adduced by the prosecution, Justice Suriyadi said and in perusing the evidence the court can safely conclude the respondents had failed to cast a reasonable doubt.

“The Court of Appeal's order is thereby set aside. The order of conviction and the mandatory death sentence against the two by the High Court are restored and affirmed,” he said.

On the non-calling of then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's former aide de camp, DSP Musa Safri (left), Justice Suriyadi said there is no serious dispute that the exchange between Musa and Abdul Razak Baginda was over an exchange of text messages.

“We also observed Musa never instructed Azilah on how to assist Abdul Razak but merely was told to meet up, with him and Azilah had acted on his own discretion and sensibilities.

“We therefore conclude that the non-calling of DSP Musa or the non-tendering of all the text messages had not in any way caused unfairness to the respondents.

"We fail to see how the presumption of adverse inference under Section 114 (g) of the Evidence Act 1950, could be applicable here,” he said.

The appellate court in acquitting Azilah and Sirul, had ruled the non-calling of DSP Musa was fatal for the prosecution’s case.

Samy Vellu: MIC sec-gen can’t ban public from HQ

 

MIC secretary general G Kumaar Amaan’s decision that any event at the MIC headquarters must first obtain his approval is “illegal” said former MIC president S Samy Vellu.

He held that the newly-appointed MIC secretary general had no right to impose such an instruction.

“As far as I am concerned, we cannot stop the general public to come into the MIC headquarters,” he said in a statement.

This is especially since Maju Institute of Educational Develoment (MIED), Yayasan Pemulihan Sosial (YPS), Asian Institute of Science Medical Technology (Aimst) and  Koperasi Pekerja Jaya (KPJ), all of which he is chairman of, are located in the building.

“Seventy to eighty visitors come to seek aid for education, while the poor come to seek financial help for their children every day,” said Samy.

Kumaar (right) had on Sunday issued a press statement that any event at the MIC headquarters must have written approval from him, This follows press meets criticising MIC leaders being held there.

Only those with security tags will be allowed into the building and only authorised vehicles are allowed to enter the compounds, Kumaar had said.

Following this, Samy had called Kumaar over the matter, asking him who had given the latter the authority to give such instructions.

“For that he shouted and hurled abusive and vulgar words at me and said that it is his right.

“He said anybody who wants to enter MIC must have his approval, and an entrance pass. He raised his voice to threaten me and immediately hung up the phone,” claimed Samy.

Kumaar yesterday lodged a police report against Samy for allegedly calling him a “rascal” and threatening to “finish (him) off”.

The MIC secretary general had said that the line was cut off and when he called Samy back to discuss the matter, the latter had raised his voice.

Court finds duo guilty, arrest warrant for Sirul

 

LIVE REPORTS

10.20am: Kamarul Hisham, the lawyer who represents Sirul, confirms that he has lost contact with his client for six months.

"The last time I was contacted by my client was probably a week after the hearing in the Federal Court (from June 23 to June 25, 2014), after that (I couldn't) contact (Sirul)," he says.

"I have absolutely no idea where he is.

"From the last contact I had with him, I have absolutely no basis to say he acted strangely; I have reason to believe he will turn up for today's (verdict)," he adds.

He would also rather not use the stronger worded "disappeared" to describe the current situation with Sirul, but instead explained that Sirul is not around because he failed to receive notice to be present in court.

10.15am: In an immediate reaction, prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid says: "There is nothing much to say except we are glad it is over and our hard work has paid off."

10.02am: Azilah is seen discussing with his lawyers, Hazman Ahmad and J Kuldeep Kumar.

He hugs lawyer Kamarul Hisham (right) before being led by the police to prison through the side entrance of the courtroom.

10.01am: Azilah, wearing a dark suit, is spotted shaking hands with Tun Abdul Majid, who had been on his way out after the decision.

He also hugged his lawyers, who look visibly saddened by the outcome and offered him comforting words, before Azilah is led by police out from the court a few minutes later.

While Azilah mostly shown his back to the public gallery, only can see noticed he looked expressionless from at one or two glimpse.

10am: Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid says the court will issue an arrest warrant for Sirul.

Azilah appeared tense throughout the 30 minutes when the verdict was being read.

9.56am: Justice Suriyadi says the respondents had failed to cast reasonable doubt on the prosecution's case.

"The prosecution has successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court orders the Court of Appeal ruling be set aside and restore the death sentence," he says in allowing the prosecution's appeal.

Azilah looks expressionless on hearing the verdict. Tun Majid asks for a warrant of arrest to be issued for Sirul.

Justice Arifin agrees to issue warrant of arrest.

9.52am: Justice Suriyadi says Azilah did not deny his presence at Hotel Malaya - the hotel where victim Altantuya Shaariibuu stayed.

He says Azilah's girlfriend was the last to see Altantuya alive when she left them (Azilah, Sirul and Altantuya).

"There is irresistible conclusion that Sirul retrieved the jewellery from Altantuya. Whether he took it prior to the killing or after is irrelevant."

"The first respondent (Azilah) was with the second respondent (Sirul) in Puncak Alam. They must have been there and also managed to pinpoint the scene of the crime," he says.

We are satisfied the prosecution has managed to prove common intention.

"The defence of alibi is unsustainable," declares the judge.

9.48am: Justice Suriyadi says there is not much detail which DSP Musa Safri, then aide of deputy prime minister Najib Razak, could produce.

"We observe Musa never instructed the first respondent (Azilah) how to assist Abdul Razak. The non-calling of Musa has not caused unfairness to the defendant," he rules.

9.45am: Justice Suriyadi now refers to the jewellery found in Sirul's house.

He says Sirul led ASP Zulkarnain to his house and used the key to open the padlock.

"While taking the said jacket, the accused said he kept the jewellery in the jacket.

"A pair of earrings (and) a watch was retrieved. When the police officer asked whether these were the items seized (from the deceased), Sirul admitted they were," he says.

9.43am: Justice Suriyadi reads out the police officers' evidence about Azilah leading them to the scene of the crime.

"We are satisfied the police did not know the scene of the crime. They went separately and independently.

"The second respondent (Sirul) had agreed to show the scene and the second respondent had led the police to the same scene," he says.

The accused are police officers of an elite unit, and they could not be easily intimidated when being interrogated, says the judge.

9.40am: Justice Suriyadi rules the calls are admissible and Azilah's defence as a mere denial.

9.35am: Justice Suriyadi says there are calls made by Azilah from Kampung Subang as well as Puncak Alam.

The judge scrutinises the phone calls further. He says the calls made at 11.16pm on Oct 19 at Puncak Alam, affirmatively confirmed the prosecution's case.

"From the analysis of information, none of the calls made were from Wangsa Maju or Bukit Aman at that time (Azilah's alibi).

"The respondent (Azilah) could not be at any places other than Puncak Alam."

9.33am: Justice Suriyadi says although the notice of alibi is made, it is not sufficient until the prosecution has successfully produced a prima facie case.

"Azilah says he was not at Puncak Alam."

There is a record that Azilah retrieved a Glock pistol from Bukit Aman. He says only the maker of the entry (in the police armoury) can verify this.

Now he goes on Azilah's phone data.

9.30am: Justice Suriyadi notes Abdul Razak was acquitted but the two accused were convicted of murder.

However, they were later acquitted by the Court of Appeal.

He then spells out the alleged errors mentioned by the three-member Court of Appeal panel.

9.25am: Delivering the verdict, Justice Suriyadi reads the background of the case, saying that Abdul Razak Baginda was charged with abetment.

He says Azilah had sent a notice of alibi.

"This piece of evidence was produced at the prosecution's stage and the station diary was also produced. The entry to the station diary was marked."

9.22am: Despite Sirul's absence, Justice Suriyadi begins reading his 88-page judgment on behalf of the five-member Federal Court panel. He says he will read only the relevant parts.

9.20am: Azilah walks to the front the dock.

Prosecutor Tun Majid informs the judges that the court notice to Sirul could not be served to the second accused.

9:19am: Court buzzer sounds. The five-member Federal Court panel headed by chief justice Arifin Zakaria walks into the courtroom.

This is the panel hearing the prosecution's appeal. Still no sign of Sirul.

9.15am: Sirul's lawyers are looking around the courtroom trying to find their client. However, there is no sign of the second accused.

9.04am: Head of the prosecution team, deputy solicitor-general I Tun Abdul Majib Tun Hamzah is also in court.

Some reporters who arrived late are standing in the public gallery as the courtroom is already full.

8.58am: One of Sirul's three lawyers, Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, enters the courtroom. The public gallery is already filled to the brim.

There is still no sign of Sirul's family members or the accused.

8.55am: Some 20 journalists and photographers are waiting outside the courtroom, hoping to get pictures of the two accused, whose faces have been carefully concealed since day one of the murder trial.

Lawyers J Kuldeep Kumar, Hasman Ahmad and DPP Manoj Kurop are seen having a chat outside the courtroom, near a side staircase.

8.50am: One of the two accused, Azilah Hadri, enters the courtroom from the side court entrance wearing a black jacket, white long sleeve shirt and a blue tie.

There is no sign of the other accused, Sirul Azhar Umar, yet.

8.45am: Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, who is lawyer for second accused Sirul Azhar Umar, walks into the courtroom.

The public gallery is filled with journalists but there is no sign of family members of the accused.

8.38am: Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) P Manoj Kurup and lawyer J Kuldeep Kumar for Azilah have just arrived.

A group of journalists for the foreign media is in court to cover the decision.

8:20am: Azilah Hadri's lawyer Hazman Ahmad enters the court room. No sign of the accused yet.

8.15am: The verdict will be delivered at Federal Court 1. It is understood besides the Altantuya Shaariibuu decision, there is another decision to be delivered by the apex court bench on a civil matter.

7.45am: A five-member bench will today deliver its verdict on two members of the police Special Action Unit (UTK) members, chief inspector Azilah Hadri and corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, charged with the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.
                                  
The panel headed by Chief Justice Arifin Zakaria, will deliver its verdict on whether to allow the prosecution's appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision in August 2013 to acquit the two.

Sitting with the country's top judicial officer on the bench are Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Justice Richard Malanjum, and Federal Court judges Abdull Hamid Embong, Ahmad Maarop and Suriyadi Halim Omar.

Azilah and Sirul were jointly charged with murdering the Mongolian translator between 10pm on Oct 19, and 1am on Oct 20, 2006 at a jungle clearing in Puncak Alam near Shah Alam.

A military-grade C4 explosive was used to kill Altantuya (right), where evidence showed she was shot first and her remains blasted.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, who admitted having an affair with Altantuya, was also charged at the Kuala Lumpur High Court with abetting to murder Altantuya.

However, the former close confidante to then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak was acquitted without his defence called.

The two UTK officers were found guilty of murdering the Mongolian by Shah Alam High Court judge Justice Mohd Zaki Yasin, who subsequently handed down the mandatory death sentence.

However, on appeal, the three-member appellate court acquitted the two based on several misdirection by the High Court judge, which were listed by Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in an unanimous decision.

Both accused were members of the security detail of then deputy prime minister Najib, and the appellate court said among the material witnesses not called to testify included Najib's aide de camp DSP Musa Safri.

However, this controversial murder case may not end as Altantuya's father, Shaariibuu Setev (left), has also filed a civil suit against the Malaysian government.

The prosecution is headed by deputy solicitor-general I Tun Abdul Majib Tun Hamzah and DPP Manoj Kurup, who is head of the Appeals and Trials division of the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

Lawyers Hazman Ahmad and J Kuldeep Kumar appear for Azilah while Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Hasnal Rezua Merican and Ahmad Zaidi Zainal are representing Sirul.

Malaysiakini is covering the verdict live.

Minister vs ex-minister over 'Taliban' M’sia

 

In a tweet for tat, an Umno minister and a former Umno minister have offered different takes on whether Malaysia is a Taliban state.

The issue was sparked off by Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director Eric Paulsen, who in a tweet, accused the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) of sowing seeds of extremism.

Paulsen was arrested last night and is being investigated under the Sedition Act.

Urban Wellbeing Housing and Local Government Minister Abdul Rahman Dahlan said if the accusation was true, Malaysia would be a Taliban nation right now.

In a series of tweets today, he pointed out that Malaysia had 2,652 Friday sermons to date, and no Muslim has ever turned violent after listening to them.

“But if we are not careful, a lot would (turn violent) after listening to Paulsen’s sermon,” he said on a sarcastic note.

Although the minister did not name the state, it was an obvious reference to the Pakatan Rakyat-controlled Selangor.

LFL was co-founded by PKR legal bureau chief Latheefa Koya and PKR's Padang Serai MP N Surendran.

Meanwhile, former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim had a different take, and roped in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak into the issue as well.

“Malaysia (is) already a Taliban country, and the sermons referred to by Paulsen all started during Najib’s rule,” he tweeted.

The former Umno lawmaker also suggested that Abdul Rahman and others propose a motion that Malaysia is not a Taliban nation.

“I (would) like to oppose that motion,” he said.

Paulsen (left) has been remanded until tomorrow to facilitate investigations and Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar has warned all parties not to politicise the arrest.

“It is a lawful arrest, made to ensure harmony in this multiracial society.

“I would like to warn certain parties not to politicise or manipulate the issue of the arrest until it can affect public security,” he said.

Najib, ex-aide to be called for Setev’s suit

Lawyer Ramkarpal said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his former aide de camp DSP Musa Safri are potential witnesses to be called in the civil suit filed by Setev Shaariibuu.

Ramkarpal, who has been elected as Bukit Gelugor MP following the sudden death of his father Karpal Singh, said his firm will write to the High Court in Shah Alam tomorrow.

"We will be asking for an early case management date following today's decision on the two accused of Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder.

"The civil suit (against the government) could not go on pending this criminal trial. Following the judgment of the Federal Court today, we will ask for a hearing date," Ramkarpal (left) told Malaysiakini when contacted.

"Najib and Musa are certainly potential witnesses to be called," he added.

Karpal, who originally respresented Setev, said when commenting on the acquittal of Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar by the High Court in Shah Alam, that his client intended to call Najib and Musa as witnesses.

Citing the United States case of former American football star, OJ Simpson, who was acquitted of murdering his wife, Karpal in commenting on the acquittal of the two UTK officers said the civil suit against Simpson found him liable of the offence.

Setev filed a RM100 million suit against the government following his daughter's death.

The Federal Court, which is the highest in the country, today convicted Azilah and Sirul of Altantuya's murder, overturning their August 2013 acquittal by the Court of Appeal.

The Federal Court ruled that the phone calls Azilah made that fateful night, along with the jewellery of Altantuya found in Sirul's jacket, had proven the prosecution's case beyond reasoanable doubt.

 

Isma warns of 'ultra liberals' igniting discord

 

Ultra liberal elements in this nation are fanning the flames of discord with their excessiveness, warned the conservative NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).

Its president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman also described the arrest of lawyer Eric Paulsen under the Sedition Act as a lesson for the ultra liberals who accuse Islamists as extremists.

“What they have done is a crime of sedition which can divide the nation and threaten harmony,” he added in a statement.

Ironically, the right-wing movement itself has often been accused of churning out divisive and incendiary remarks, while Abdullah himself has been charged with sedition.

Blaming the “liberal media” for this, he said attacks against Isma had intensified over the last two weeks with the movement accused of being extreme and fanatical.

“Describing the struggle to defend Islam, the position of the Malays and bumiputera and Malay unity from a foreign agenda as extreme is a hate-filled slander which is dangerous,” he warned.

He said due to their excessiveness, these ultra liberals go overboard and behave aggressively.

Abdullah said the liberals would work with media organisations that share a similar agenda to incite the people to hate each other to the point that one might act beyond the ambit of the law.

“This means, they have abused their freedom of expression to carry out provocative, slanderous and seditious actions,” he added.

Abdullah also said that Islam is not an extreme religion.

Paulsen (left) was arrested last night over his tweet that the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) was promoting extremism.

The Lawyers for Liberty executive director has been remanded until tomorrow to facilitate investigations.

Charlie Hebdo Prints Magazine Cover With Prophet Mohammed As Millions Of Copies Published

By Jessica Elgot

The Prophet Mohammed, with a tear in his eye, is on the front cover of the first Charlie Hebdo edition published since Islamic extremists killed 12 people at the satirical magazine's offices in Paris.

French newspaper Libération published the Charlie Hebdo cover online late Monday night, ahead of the satirical magazine's sale on Wednesday. The cartoon shows a bearded man in a white turban, ostensibly the Prophet, with a tear streaming down his cheek, and holding a sign reading "Je suis Charlie". Overhead is the phrase: "Tout est Pardonne" - "All is Forgiven".

Many newspapers in Europe and the United States have chosen to publish the magazine's front cover, though only the Independent in Britain chose to print it. Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme, London Mayor Boris Johnson said that the magazine had "no choice" but to publish a cartoon of the Muslim prophet.

But one of the magazine's columnists, Zineb El Rhazoui, who was on holiday in Morocco during the attack, said that the team did not feel obliged to use such a cartoon while they were putting the issue together. "It wasn't necessary, no, it was important though," she said.

The cover was announced with a flourish in their temporary newsroom at the headquarters of Libération. One of the magazine's senior editors Gérard Biard, told the New York Times: “We asked ourselves: ‘What do we want to say? What should we say? And in what way?’ About the subject, unfortunately, we had no doubt.

“We don’t know how to do anything but laugh. We decided that we would do a normal edition, not a memorial issue. They killed people who drew cartoon characters. That’s it. That’s all these guys do."

Several staff members are still seriously ill in hospital. Simon Fieschi, the magazine's social media and web editor, is in a medically induced coma following surgery after a bullet ricocheted off his spinal vertebrae and perforated one of his lungs. Fabrice Nicolino, an environmental reporter for the weekly, has had to have part of his legs amputated, and Philippe Lançon, the TV columnist, was shot in the face but is expected to pull through. Cartoonist Laurent Sourriseau, known as Riss, was shot in the shoulder and is still recovering.

The publication of the magazine, in such dire circumstances, has been described as a victory for free expression.

Muhyiddin’s ‘no extremism’ another boo boo . . .

Lim Kit Siang says the DPM should be careful with his statements and speeches.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s faux pas claiming that extremism had never existed among Muslims in Malaysia is in the same class as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s faux pas praising and glorifying Islamic State terrorism last June, said DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang in a statement.

“Muhyiddin’s latest faux pas joins the DPM’s host of infamous “quotes” like “I am Malay first, Malaysian second” and “Malaysian youngsters are receiving better education than children in the United States, Britain and Germany”.”

Lim, who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, didn’t mention Muhyiddin also claiming that “Malaysia had the best civil service in the world” and remaining silent when the EC claimed that the “electoral rolls were the cleanest in the world”.

If there are no extremists among Muslims in Malaysia, how come the Bukit Aman Special Counter Terrorism Division had arrested 51 persons suspected of being Malaysian militants?

That’s what Lim wants to know from Muhyiddin.

Lim has more questions:

Furthermore, why have the number of Muslim Malaysians fighting for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria gone up from 39 to 59 since October?

And why have Muslim Malaysians even gone to the extent of taking personal loans from banks and money-lenders to pay for their passage to Syria to join the Islamic State and to fund their living expenses there, knowing that repayment of their loans was very slim?

Why have at least six Muslim Malaysians died in Iraq and Syria fighting for the Islamic State?

Is Muhyiddin also suggesting that Najib’s Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) has no relevance, role or importance to Malaysia but only for the rest of the world?

The fact is that there are extremists among all races and religions, whether in Malaysia or in the international arena . . . people who are so bigoted with racial and religious hatred and intolerance that they pose serious threats to the future of Malaysia and even the world, added Lim.

“This is why moderates in Malaysia, regardless of race, religion, region or politics, must stand united on this one common issue, to forge the unity of the moderates to save the country from the bigots and extremists and ensure that the majority voices of moderation, inclusion, tolerance and harmony drown out the voices and rhetoric of extremism, hatred and disharmony.”

Rule of law and the administration of justice in Malaysia

Lim warned Muhyiddin to be careful with his statements and speeches, for his call for “stern action” to be taken against Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) executive director Eric Paulsen was followed up by swift police action the same night, involving about 20 police personnel arresting him under the Sedition Act for his tweet accusing the Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) of promoting extremism.

Was it necessary for the police to stage such a major show of force, when Paulsen had agreed on Monday to be in Bukit Aman to co-operate with police investigations?

“Paulsen’s arrest under the Sedition Act has only highlighted the selectivity of law enforcement, from selective police investigations to the Attorney-General’s selective prosecutions, which have given Malaysia a bad name in the world with regard to the rule of law and the administration of justice in Malaysia,” said Lim.

Guan Eng challenges IGP to arrest Mashitah, Ibrahim Ali

Double standards . . . Eric Paulsen held under the Sedition Act but Mashitah and Ibrahim Ali left free.

FMT

GEORGE TOWN: The DAP Secretary-General is taking issue with Inspector-General of Police(IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar warning certain parties not to manipulate or “politicize” the sudden arrest last night of activist lawyer Eric Paulsen under the Sedition Act, which he claimed was lawful based on a tweet Paulsen made last week.

“Khalid said that Eric’s arrest was lawful, made to ensure harmony in this multiracial society,” said Lim who is also Bagan MP and Penang Chief Minister.

“DAP challenges BN and Khalid to prove that they do not practice double-standards, and are committed towards maintaining harmony in multiracial Malaysia, by arresting former Deputy Minister and Wanita Umno leader Dr. Mashitah Ibrahim for her inflammatory lies during the Umno General Assembly that the Chinese community in Kedah had burned the Quran in a prayer ritual, and Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali for threatening to burn the Malay and Iban versions of the Bible.”

Lim has questions for both BN and the IGP.

Can the IGP explain why no such arrests were made against both Mashitah and Ibrahim Ali?

By failing to act, isn’t both the IGP and BN giving the unfortunate impression that there is nothing unlawful to make malicious and evil lies against the Chinese community in Kedah or call for the burning of the Malay and Iban versions of the Bible?

“What is most disturbing is Mashitah’s lies were raised in an inflammatory and provocative manner in falsely claiming that the Chinese community in Kuala Kedah had burned the Quran, page by page during a prayer ritual,” said Lim. “The Kedah Menteri Besar had denied this in an earlier statement before her Umno speech.”

“The Kedah Menteri Besar had said the Quran was not burnt but torn by a Malay Muslim who was mentally unbalanced and sent to hospital for treatment.”

There was no plea for forgiveness by Mashitah for causing religious disharmony and racial discord in falsely blaming the Chinese community and neither was there any action taken by the police despite numerous reports being lodged against her, lamented Lim. “Can the IGP explain why Mashitah and Ibrahim Ali can escape punishment?”

Clearly there are double-standards and abuse of power practiced by both BN and the IGP when it involves those who support BN against PR, pointed out Lim.

“Their failure to act impartially and fairly gives rise to suspicion that the BN is trying to distract attention from the failure of the Federal Government to deal effectively with the recent floods, the worst in living memory, and the numerous scandals such as 1MDB and trillions of ringgit lost to illicit funds and corruption.”

‘I must be damned powerful’, Marina says of varsity ban

A local university has banned social activist Marina Mahathir from speaking at their campus.

FMT

KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Marina Mahathir has shrugged off the decision of a local university to ban her from speaking to its students at their campus, saying it must be because she is a “powerful” public figure.

Keeping the name of the university under wraps, Marina took to Facebook and announced the ban, saying, “Well, well, well….got invited by students from a public university and (what a surprise!) the same thing happened.”

She was referring to being banned for the fifth time by a local university and said, “That makes it the fifth time I’ve been ‘banned’ from a public university. I must be damned powerful.”

Marina was told that the Student Affairs Department at the university were “strict” about the ban as all public institutions of higher learning had taken the same approach.

Sounding upbeat all the same, Marina said, “It’s OK. Tomorrow I’m going to speak at a private college. And the students from the public university who had to cancel my invitation have a standing invitation from me to come and have a chat anytime.”

Last year, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was banned from speaking at Universiti Malaya, a ban he chose to defy that resulted in the students who organised it, getting suspended and fined.

How to end ‘insult to Islam’ claims

If someone screams “insult to Islam”, the media should take out the Quran and ask him to point out the verse that supports his claim.

FMT

It can be said at the very outset that there’s only Islam and no such thing as the “real Islam” or “political Islam” or any other Islam. As the late Ayatollah Khomeini said: “The Quran, not a word more, not a word less.”

It’s said that the Charlie Hebdo cartoon, swearing by the right to free speech, had a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad lamenting, “Why are so many of my people extremists?” Three individuals apparently decided that this, and caricaturing the Prophet, was “an insult to the Prophet” and allegedly went on a murderous rampage there instead of taking advice on what remedies were available for them within the French system.

Probably, the system does not allow for any remedies because none are possible in a society that thrives on individualism to nurture inventiveness, innovation and creativity. The copycat culture is one that’s frowned on even if made more palatable by using the euphemism “reverse engineering”.

One issue with Muslims in the west is the right to free speech, one of the many sacred cows in western civilization. Westerners believe in defending someone’s right to free speech even if they disagree with what is being said. Those who can’t reconcile themselves with this mindset obviously cannot continue to stay in the west if they want to keep their sanity. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you can’t beat them, join them.

The west will not buy into quelling criticism on the grounds that something can be deemed “an insult to Islam”. Nearer home Lawyers for Liberty executive director Eric Paulsen raised this issue in the media.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, uncharacteristically energetic, has urged authorities to investigate Paulsen for a statement in which he claimed that the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) promotes extremism through Friday sermons. If that’s happening, no one would be surprised because the public perception of religious authorities cannot be any worse. Between Paulsen and Jakim, there are no prizes for guessing who the people will believe.

So, we have “insult to Islam”, “extremism”, “political Islam”, “fundamentalism”, “militancy”, “terrorism”, “preaching hate” among the terms being bandied about around the globe with reference to Muslims.

In secular nations, wedded to the rule of law, some of these terms wouldn’t normally be on the agenda for a dialogue between the government and the people or among the people. It’s dialogue, and a continuing one at that, that would prevent people taking the law into their own hands, whether it’s call terrorism or comes under some other label like “preaching hate”, for example.

It’s disingenuous to say that westerners have nothing better to do than to sit around every day, thinking up ingenious new ways to “insult Islam”. The fringe media, with an eye on the bottom line, is not the sum total of western civilization. Still, it’s the “outrageous” actions of the few that grab headlines, not the quiet work of many good people.

Silent majority

However, a solution must be found so that the silent majority – here we are talking about the Muslim silent majority – would not feel trapped between their own “timidity and ignorance”, for want of better terms, on Islam and a vociferous minority which is willing to risk all and run amok at the drop of a hat whenever the word Islam is mentioned in an allegedly derogatory manner. It seems that they are willing to sacrifice the ummah (the community of the faithful) for no rhyme or reason just to flex their political and “religious” muscles in somebody’s else’s land which has welcomed them with open arms.

The solution lies in non-Muslims in the media, the west in particular, arming themselves with a copy of the Quran.

If someone screams “insult to Islam”, the media should take out the Quran, point at it, and tell those screaming, “look at the Quran and point out any verse which supports your claim”. The media should take the lead.

If they say, “It’s not in the Quran, but in the Sira – the biography of the Prophet – or the hadiths (the sayings of the prophet) or the syariah”, or some fatwa from somewhere, the media can politely decline to accept the claim and sources cited.

Only the Quran, Muslims will agree, is “from God”. So, the media does not have to entertain sources which are not from God.

The media lost an opportunity when Muslims took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya to claim without an iota of proof that “Allah was exclusive to Muslims”, a line apparently taken by the Home Minister when he directed the Herald, a Catholic weekly, not to use the term Allah in Malay print to refer to the Christian faith. The directive was ostensibly on “security grounds”, a point noted by the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court.

It’s syirik (blasphemy) in Islam to concede that there’s more than one God. In fact, to say that there’s more than one God is the biggest sin in Islam.

Shock Altantuya Murder Verdict in Malaysia

By John Berthelsen

Federal Court rules Mongolian woman’s killers were guilty after all

Malaysia’s highest court has written a new chapter in one of the country’s most spectacular and controversial crimes by condemning two of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s former bodyguards to death for the 2006 murder of Mongolian translator and international party girl Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The question is whether the verdict, reversing a 2013 appellate court ruling that freed the men, will impel Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azahar Umar to tell the full story of the crime. Who offered to pay them RM50,000 to RM100,000 (US$13,900-27,800) to “settle the case,” as Sirul said in a sworn confession that was never introduced in court despite the fact that Sirul had been read his rights and the statement appeared to be in order? The court never asked nor heard an answer to that question.

The guilty verdict shocked political circles in Kuala Lumpur. It had been expected that the Federal Court, which is closely aligned with the ruling Barisan Nasional and its leading party, the United Malays National Organization, would simply ratify the appellate court’s acquittal, given that the not guilty verdict had been issued without any particular controversy besides cynicism 16 months ago.

“It certainly is an uncharacteristic decision although a correct one,” said a longtime western observer based in Kuala Lumpur. “On the surface it does appear to be something that wouldn't please Najib. It’s worth noting however that it was the government prosecutors who were asking the court to overturn the acquittal.”

Onetime US Ambassador to Malaysia John Malott called Altantuya “the woman who knew too much” and added on Facebook that “the fact that Malaysia's courts, which are highly politicized, made this decision spells the beginning of the end for Najib.”

The prime minister, despite being photographed playing golf last month with US President Barack Obama, has been floundering politically in recent months, with Mahathir Mohamad, the prime minister who left office in 2003, having stepped up efforts to get rid of him. Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister, is said to be in Mahathir’s camp.

The verdict has also raised hopes on the part of Altantuya’s family and such groups as the human rights organization Suaram, which has pushed the case both in France and Malaysia, that it might be possible to get to the bottom of who ordered her murder. Many critics have pointed out that Azilah and Sirul had never met the woman and had no reason to kill her except for hire,

The affair peripherally involved allegations that €114 million in bribes were paid by the French munitions maker DCN and funneled to UMNO as the result of a US$1 billion purchase of submarines. Abdul Razak Baginda, one of Najib’s closest friends, was an agent for the deal. Altantuya, 28 when she died, was Razak Baginda’s lover and had performed a minor role in the deal as a translator.

The case struggled through the courts for eight years before today’s verdict. The two, from the elite Special Action Force, had been assigned to Najib’s office as bodyguards. Although Azilah showed up for the verdict in the federal court, Sirul was nowhere to be seen. He has repeatedly told others he was a scapegoat and there were reports that he may have left the country and was reported to be in Australia. His lawyer, who represented him in court, said he hadn’t heard from his client since last June after the appellate court’s acquittal.

Altantuya, who is believed to have been pregnant at the time of her death, helped translate in the late stages of the purchase of the Scorpene submarines by the Malaysian Ministry of Defense. According to a note found after her death, she had come to Malaysia from Mongolia to “blackmail” US$500,000 from Razak Baginda. According to a sworn statement by the late private detective Perumal Balasubramaniam, Razak Baginda “inherited” the woman's affections from Najib, who wanted to get rid of her before becoming prime minister. Razak Baginda apparently also grew tired of her after a whirlwind trip through Europe.

With Altantuya standing outside his home and demanding to see him, Razak Baginda, as he acknowledged in a sworn statement, called Najib’s aide de camp, Musa Safri, and asked for help in getting rid of her in October of 2006. A police car swooped down in front of his house and she was taken away and never seen alive again. She was dragged from a car in a patch of jungle near the suburban city of Shah Alam. According to Sirul’s statement, as she begged for her life and that of her unborn child, the two shot her in the head, wrapped her body in C4 explosives, and blew her up, possibly to destroy the DNA of the fetus. Her bones were found later after the two bodyguards led officials to them.

After a 159-day trial that ended in April of 2009 – in which all efforts were made by both sides to keep the names of prominent figures hidden – the court ordered the two bodyguards to be hanged. Substantial evidence connected Najib to the case, including text messages to Razak Baginda assuring him not to worry and saying Najib would fix things. The two bodyguards were later acquitted on a technicality in 2013. Despite his involvement in the case, charges against Razak Baginda were dismissed by the trial judge without a defense. He subsequently left Malaysia for an extended period although he has been seen in Kuala Lumpur.

The story began with Najib’s whirlwind tenure as defense minister, during which he sought to update the country’s defense capability through the purchase of submarines, patrol boats and Russian fighter jets. All of the purchases were later suspected of involving substantial kickbacks and bribes.

French prosecutors looking into massive bribery and kickbacks on the part of the government-owned DCN in half a dozen countries found voluminous evidence of the involvement of French officials up to then-Foreign Minister Alain Juppe in the case, and spelled out that the €114 million “commission,” paid to Razak Baginda’s wholly-owned company, Perimekar Bhd, was to be steered to UMNO. Another €36 million was routed through a Hong Kong shelf company called Terasasi Ltd., wholly owned by Razak Baginda and his father.

Call on Cabinet tomorrow to convene a special Parliamentary meeting end of this month to present a revised 2015 Budget

The Cabinet tomorrow should do what it should have done at its last Cabinet meeting for 2014 on Dec. 17 – to convene a Special meeting of Parliament this month to present a revised Budget 2015.

When the Budget 2015 was drawn up, it was based on the oil price assumption of US$100 (RM357) per barrel.

Since the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak presented Budget 2015 on Oct. 25, Brent crude prices had fallen from US$100 to a six year-low of US$47.36.

Oil and gas-related income is a backbone of the Malaysian economy as it currently accounts for 30% of the government’s total revenue.
With the plunge in crude oil prices, the Government is duty-bound to revise the 2015 Budget and seek parliamentary approval for revision of the 2015 Budget.

The Cabinet should decide on convening a Special Parliament before the end of January now that Prime Minister who is also Finance Minsiter has finally conceded today on the need to restructure the 2015 Budget.

The revised 2015 Budget is urgent and imperative as a result of economic and financial developments with far-reaching implications, like the Malaysian ringgit hitting a 5 ½ low versus the dollar, touching a low of 3.5870 versus the dollar as of 0626 GMT, it lowest since July 2009 and the RM36 billion fall in Malaysia’s foreign reserves in 2014.

The 2015 Budget of RM273.9 billion is clearly not sustainable as a result of the plunging commodity prices, not only oil, but also palm oil and rubber. In fact, economists are warning that Malaysia may be facing a deflation.

A special Parliament meeting should also debate the many urgent issues confronting the country, including (1) the worst floods catastrophe in living memory; (2) the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Illegal Immigrants in Sabah; (3) the RM1.3 trillion illegal capital flight in the ten years from 2003 to 2012; and (4) the urgent need for moderates in Malaysia regardless of race, religion, region or politics to unite and defeat the rhetoric and politics of hate, bigotry, intolerance and extremism.