Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Kilburn supporter of hate preacher Anjem Choudary admits grooming girl, 15, over Facebook
A supporter of hate preacher Anjem Choudary faces jail after he admitted grooming a 15-year-old schoolgirl on social media site Facebook
KILBURN TIMES
Mansoor Miah, of Hilgrove Road, Kilburn, invited the underage teenager to meet him for sex at a hotel in Kent, in November 2013.
The 21-year-old, who works as a sales assistant in Tesco in Brent Cross, also swapped lewd photos with the youngster and pleasured himself in front of the teen via webcam.
Southwark Crown Court heard the child’s mother was alerted after her daughter’s school reported online contact between the pupil and Miah.
Miah retweets several messages from Anjem Choudary including one just three days before his arrest on June 25 last year, which begins: ‘Which Muslim wouldn’t want to live in the Khilafah, ie Islamic ruling system...’
Today in court he admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Neville Rudston, defending Miah, said: “What is different about this offence is that he is a 21-year-old of limited sexual experience who unfortunately seized the opportunity to pursue a sexual relationship with someone who was 15.
“I will seek to distinguish him from someone who has deliberately targeting children rather than effectively being a relatively young person who has committed this act.”
Miah denied five charges of intentionally encouraging an offence and a further charge of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.
Prosecutor Stephen Requena said: “The plea is acceptable, we won’t seek trial on counts one to six.”
He was released on bail ahead of sentencing on February 26.
Judge Loraine-Smith told him: “Your counsel rightly concedes that this case crosses the custody threshold.
“He will be attempting to persuade the judge on that occasion to suspend the sentence. Whether he succeeds or not, time alone will tell.”
KILBURN TIMESMansoor Miah, of Hilgrove Road, Kilburn, invited the underage teenager to meet him for sex at a hotel in Kent, in November 2013.
The 21-year-old, who works as a sales assistant in Tesco in Brent Cross, also swapped lewd photos with the youngster and pleasured himself in front of the teen via webcam.
Southwark Crown Court heard the child’s mother was alerted after her daughter’s school reported online contact between the pupil and Miah.
Miah retweets several messages from Anjem Choudary including one just three days before his arrest on June 25 last year, which begins: ‘Which Muslim wouldn’t want to live in the Khilafah, ie Islamic ruling system...’
Today in court he admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Neville Rudston, defending Miah, said: “What is different about this offence is that he is a 21-year-old of limited sexual experience who unfortunately seized the opportunity to pursue a sexual relationship with someone who was 15.
“I will seek to distinguish him from someone who has deliberately targeting children rather than effectively being a relatively young person who has committed this act.”
Miah denied five charges of intentionally encouraging an offence and a further charge of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.
Prosecutor Stephen Requena said: “The plea is acceptable, we won’t seek trial on counts one to six.”
He was released on bail ahead of sentencing on February 26.
Judge Loraine-Smith told him: “Your counsel rightly concedes that this case crosses the custody threshold.
“He will be attempting to persuade the judge on that occasion to suspend the sentence. Whether he succeeds or not, time alone will tell.”
ISIS Opens Market in Mosul for Stolen Assyrian Property
Mosul (AINA) -- ISIS has opened a special market to sell property it
looted from Assyrian homes and churches in Mosul. The market, called
"Spoils Of The Nazarenes," sells televisions, refrigerators, microwave
ovens and other electronic devices, as well as furniture and artwork.
Prices range from 50,000 to 75,000 Iraqi Dinars ($42 to $63).
ISIS captured the city of Mosul on June 10. Almost immediately thereafter it began to drive Assyrians out of Mosul and destroy Christian and non-Sunni institutions. It imposed a poll tax (jizya) on Assyrians, ordered unmarried women to 'Jihad by sex', destroyed the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Immaculate Church of the Highest in the neighborhood of AlShafa in Mosul, as well as the statue of Mullah Osman Al-Musali.
- On June 26 Kurds clashed with ISIS near Baghdede, an Assyrian town east of Mosul, forcing nearly 50,000 Assyrians to flee.
- On July 8 ISIS removed the Cross from St. Ephrem Cathedral in the Shoorta neighborhood in Mosul, one week after the church was seized on July 1.
- On July 18 ISIS marked Christian homes with the Arabic letter "N" for the word Nasrani, which means Christian.
- On July 19 ISIS plundered Assyrians as they fled Mosul.
- On July 22 ISIS and Kurds clashed near the Assyrian town Tel Kepe; 2000 Assyrian families were driven from Mosul.
- On July 29 ISIS destroyed or occupied all 45 Christian institutions in Mosul.
- On August 2 ISIS looted 8 million dollars from Assyrian farms.
- On August 21 ISIS looted Assyrian homes, vandalized churches in Mosul.
Revisiting the Altantuya crime scene
And now, added to this is the interview political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda gave to The Malaysian Insider last week where his statements defending Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak over Altantuya's murder have instead raised more questions.
This is the second time Abdul Razak - the third accused charged six years ago with abetment to murder Altantuya - has defended Najib who is a close acquaintance of his.
The first was during a press conference in
November 2009 after his acquittal without his defence being called by
the Shah Alam High Court, when he emphatically said Najib was not
involved in the Altantuya murder plot.In his most recent interview, the political analyst likened Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar' actions to those of other rogue cops who have been found liable for death in custody cases. Azilah and Sirul were last month given the death penalty for the murder of Altantuya.
Blown to bits
Abdul Razak maintains her murder is a straightforward case but his comments on rogue cops has irked Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar who responded that the public would never know why the two elite police officers killed her.
The IGP's response, in turn, has been criticised by DAP parliamentary leader and Gelang Patah MP, Lim Kit Siang, who said the top cop was committing “dereliction of duty” by not revealing the truth behind the murder.
This led to Khalid to retort on Sunday that the motive
for Altantuya's murder had indeed been established by the cops but was
not revealed during Azilah's and Sirul's trial by the prosecution. He
added he was not empowered to reveal it post-conviction.Having covered numerous murder cases in the courts, I can say that in the majority of instances, motive is normally established. However, in Altantuya's case, it was not revealed by the prosecution throughout the entire duration of the trial.
For this case, it can certainly be said that her killing was pre-meditated as she was shot first and her body was then blown to bits with the intention of erasing all evidence of the murder.
Bright, sunny day
I remember that unforgettable day during the trial when all three accused and the court visited the macabre crime scene in Shah Alam.
This visit came after DPP Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah (now deputy solicitor-general) asked Shah Alam High Court judge Mohd Zaki Yasin whether the court would like to inspect the murder scene at Puncak Alam.
Prior to that, the court was shown the deceased's bone fragments which had been recovered from the scene of the crime.
The court visited the crime scene on the afternoon of July 17, 2007, nine months after the murder.
Some
60 journalists - including those from the international corps - decided
to go to the crime scene early with their photographers. From the main
road of what is now Persiaran Mokhtar Dahari, we took a right turn.There were various stalls going about their businesses as we drove along the road and parked our cars up ahead at a foothill.
It was a bright sunny day and some who did not have four-wheel drive vehicles decided to walk up the hill while others with motorcycles rode up.
I (then attached to a mainstream newspaper) fortunately managed to hitch a ride in a colleague's 4WD as the hill slope leading to the crime scene was quite steep.
Skies darken ominously
When we arrived at the hilltop, we saw a clearing with burn marks on the ground and some sort of blue sash tied to a tree. There were various other ornaments placed there including a rosary crucifix and Buddhist prayer items.
The
trees and their leaves of the surrounding area still showed burn signs
as a result of the explosion that tore apart Altantuya and that probably
resulted in a small fire.Just as the various parties - the judge, the prosecutors and lawyers and the accused - from the court were about to arrive, the skies began to darken ominously with thunderclouds.
From what had been a bright and sunny day, the weather rather rapidly changed to one of thunder, lightning and pounding rain by the time everyone gathered at the site at 3pm.
Reporters ran helter-skelter seeking whatever shelter they could find under the cover of the secondary forest while the prosecutors proceeded to show judge Zaki - who had an umbrella-wielding assistant - how the murder occurred.
The
prosecutors showed the exact place where Altantuya was shot as she
squatted and the nearby location where explosives were placed around her
dead body before being detonated.All this was done under the watchful eyes of the judge, defence counsel and accused Abdul Razak, Azilah and Sirul - the latter two sporting hoodies to hide their faces.
The pouring rain continued right until the whole entourage was beginning to leave the scene. And as we were leaving the place and going downhill, the rain suddenly stopped and it was sunny again.
An ordinary murder?
For me, the visit was memorable as it was my first and only time visiting the Altantuya murder crime scene.
It was also rather unforgettable as later that evening, we were startled to find out that one of the prosecutors who had briefed the judge at the murder scene had met with an accident as her car skidded and overturned later that day. Luckily, she escaped unhurt.
With
answers still lacking as to the motive for this apparently senseless
murder, what happened on July 17, 2007 will continue to be in the
public's consciousness as people ponder as to whether this was truly an
“ordinary” murder case (according to Abdul Razak).The other ponderable is why did Abdul Razak's wife Mazlinda Makhzan, a former magistrate, cry out in open court that “my husband does not want to be the prime minister” as her husband was being charged with abetment to murder Altantuya?
At that time in 2006, Najib was the deputy prime minister and he has since repeatedly denied any involvement in the murder whatsoever.
HAFIZ YATIM is a member of Malaysiakini team.
IGP plays down police dissent against Zahid
Inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar has accused Malaysiakini of attempting to drive a wedge between the police and Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said this when asked to respond to Malaysiakini's report
today on police officials taking to social media to mock Zahid for
sending a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Paul
Phua, who is allegedly linked to 14K, an international crime syndicate.
"You see, I want to call in the Malaysiakini chief editor (for questioning). This (article) is an attempt to instigate the police (against) the minister.
"I can't let this go on. If Malaysiakini continues to play this
up, I think they are looking for trouble. Don't try to stir things up
between the police and the minister.
"Report factual matters only. If there are police officers (who are not
happy), let me know who they are. Who were the ones who said this?"
asked Khalid.
Khalid was speaking to reporters after attending a function in Putrajaya.
Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported that several police officials have been openly criticising Zahid for writing a letter to the FBI in support of Phua (left), despite the latter's history with illegal gambling syndicates.
Following this, Zahid wrote to the FBI claiming that Phua had no links with the 14K triad and had previously helped Malaysia on "national security" matters.
Cops watching alleged 'economic saboteur'
On a separate matter, Khalid said cops will investigate The Edge Media group owner Tong Kooi Ong if there is any truth to allegations the tycoon was engaged in economic sabotage.
"If it is true, he must be ready to face the country's laws," said Khalid.
However, Khalid declined to elaborate on whether police had opened investigations against Tong, merely stating that cops will probe any threat to the country's security and prosperity.
Tong (left) has vehemently denied engaging in currency speculation, an allegation levelled against him by an anonymous blogger.On another matter, Khalid said Malaysian authorities has yet to receive confirmation on whether Zulkifli bin Hir, better known as Marwan, had been killed in clashes with Philippines forces.
"We are relying on the Philippines police department, there has been many reports, some say there was a cut finger but we are waiting for their official report," he said.
Zulkifli, a Malaysian who is among the most wanted terrorists in South East Asia, was reportedly killed by Philippines forces on Jan 25.
44 Filipino commandos were killed in the operation, the heaviest number of single-day casualties in recent history for the country.
The top cop also warned secessionists in Sabah that police will go after them following the arrest of nine individuals in Sabah last night who allegedly distributed pamphlets calling for secession from the federation.
"To those who are inciting the rakyat to support them for Sabah and Sarawak to exit Malaysia, wait for our action," he said.
On the 1MDB probe, Khalid said the investigation is still ongoing.
'I meant stubborn Chinese traders, not all'
Instead, he said the boycott should only be against "stubborn Chinese traders" who refuse to cut prices despite drop in fuel costs.
"Regarding my boycott call to Malays against Chinese traders, I was responding Facebook users who are angry at stubborn Chinese traders who don't want to cut prices," he said on Facebook.
He said that what he meant was that consumers should use their power as the majority to pressure producers.
"The principle is the same, that is those in the majority should use their majority power and stop complaining on Facebook."
He made the clarification on his public Facebook page, but the post calling for a boycott was on his private profile yesterday.
Using his private profile, Ismail Sabri had yesterday also clarified on what he meant by "boycott the Chinese".
"What I meant by 'Chinese' is Chinese traders, because most of the Chinese are also consumers. The ones who should be boycotted are Chinese traders," he said yesterday.
In his original controversial posting, Ismail Sabri said consumers are the ones who wield the power to compel businesses to lower prices, although the government has legal mechanisms to prevent profiteering.
"The majority of consumers are Malays. The Chinese are the minority. If the Malays boycott their busineeses, they will have no choice but to reduce prices," wrote Ismail Sabri.
He also questioned why Malays are still flocking to Chinese-owned restaurants even though their halal certificates may be dubious.
This prompted MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon to declare him unfit to be minister.
Malays urged to boycott Chinese businesses
Ismail Sabri had made the comment through his Facebook page, but the post is not accessible publicly.However, the post has been screencaptured and is in heavy circulation among pro-Umno blogs and social media, with many expressing support for the minister.
The Malaysian Insider reports that the minister has confirmed authoring the Facebook post.
In his post, Ismail Sabri said consumers are the ones who wield the power to compel businesses to lower prices, although the government has legal mechanisms to prevent profiteering.
"The majority of consumers are Malays. The Chinese are the minority. If the Malays boycott their busineeses, they will have no choice but to reduce prices," wrote Ismail Sabri.
Ismail Sabri also accused Chinese businesses of having suspect halal certifications, yet Malays are still patronising such establishments.
"Just
look at Old Town White Coffee... They are suspicious... but still
Malays are not boycotting (the company). Moreover, the company is owned
by the Ngeh family (of) Perak DAP, which are anti-Islam."As long as Malays don't change, the Chinese will take advantage and oppress the Malays," he stressed.
It is believed that Ismail Sabri is referring to DAP's Sitiawan assemblyperson Ngeh Khoo Ham.
When contacted, Ngeh denied an interest in Old Town White Coffee and said he will issue a press release later.
Old Town White Coffee denies any links to DAP
In addition, it noted that is a publically listed company on Bursa Malaysia’s main board, and that none of its board members are active members of any political party.
“We would also like to clarify once again that Old Town White Coffee is not affiliated with any political party, or any politician as recently alleged by a certain public figure, nor does the company have any political interests,” the company’s chairperson, Ahmed Tasir, said in a statement today.
Previously, Ismail Sabri (right) made a controversial Facebook posting urging for a boycott on Chinese Malaysian businesses, in which he made reference to Old Town.“Just look at Old Town White Coffee... They are suspicious... but still Malays are not boycotting (the company). Moreover, the company is owned by the Ngeh family (of) Perak DAP, which are anti-Islam.
“As long as Malays don't change, the Chinese will take advantage and oppress the Malays,” he pointed out.
He said this in claiming that Chinese businesses have suspect halal certifications and yet Malays do not boycott them.
Ismail Sabri has since clarified that he was referring to “stubborn Chinese traders” who refuse to drop goods prices despite falling fuel prices.
Meanwhile, a report by The Malaysian Insider quoted Perak DAP advisor Ngeh Koo Ham, as saying that he never owned any Old Town shares and denied that he is anti-Islam.
Ngeh (left)
reportedly demanded Ismail Sabri to retract his remarks within 48
hours, and said he would be lodging a police report against the minister
tomorrow.As for Old Town, Ahmed assured that the restaurant’s halal certification remained valid, and that claims to the contrary are untrue and misinformed.
“Old Town White Coffee does not serve any non-halal food products or alcohol, and all our food and beverages are prepared in a halal manner.
“We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that all our outlets in Malaysia remain halal-certified,” he said.
Devotees throng Batu Caves ahead of Thaipusam
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Dhevasthanam honorary secretary RT Sundaram said more than 1.6 million people are expected to gather at Batu Caves tomorrow, with 200,000 Hindus performing rituals in the annual religious event.
“The temple management has made thorough preparations to accommodate the crowds of people who will enliven Batu Caves during the Thaipusam festivities,” he told Bernama in Kuala Lumpur today.
Thaipusam is celebrated in the month of ‘Thai’, the 10th month in the Tamil calendar, and also commemorates the occasion (day) when Lord Murugan or Subramaniam or Kartikeya as he is also known, received the ‘Vel’ or divine spear from his mother, Parvati, so he could vanquish the evil demon ‘Soorapadman’.
Sundaram said the ‘silver chariot’ carrying the deities Lord Murugan and his two consorts Valli and Theivanai from, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple started at 10pm last night in a slow procession, covering 13 kilometres, to Batu Caves.
Sundaram said the ‘silver chariot’ with the deities will return to Sri Maha Mariamman Temple at 4pm on Wednesday (Feb 4).
He added that the ‘silver chariot’ has been given a facelift this year by widening its size, adding wheels and replacing the silver after 30 years.
Sundaram said that like previous years, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is expected to participate and witness the unique celebrations at Batu Caves at 10am on Thaipusam day (tomorrow).
Visitors can also witness a special photo exhibition celebrating 125 years of Thaipusam featuring 200 photographs which chronicles the development of the festival since 1891. The exhibition will be open to the public until Feb 8.
During Thaipusam, devotees carry ‘paal kudam’ (pots filled with milk) and decorated ‘kavadis’ up the stairs to the cave temple to fulfill their vows in exchange for answered prayers.
Thousands try to beat the crowd tomorrow
Meanwhile, a Bernama survey of Batu Caves found thousands of devotees had begun fullfilling their vows by shaving their heads, carrying pots of milk and offering prayers to beat the crowd tomorrow.
A devotee, G Ayanar, 68, from Felda Palung 8, Negri Sembilan, who was with his grandson G Kesavan, 17, and an acquaintance, K Murali, 43, said they had walked from Senawang via Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur since last Saturday to fulfill their vows at the Batu Caves temple today.
“I still want to maintain the tradition of walking 70km once a year to celebrate Thaipusam at Batu Caves temple, to offer my prayers and to seek the deity’s blessings for the whole family,” he said.
Murali said he will be shaving his head in gratitude for the well-being of his whole family after surviving a robbery incident that took place in 2010.
Kesavan expressed his excitement in having the opportunity to accompany his grandfather to carry on the tradition of celebrating Thaipusam in Batu Caves.
- Bernama
'I meant stubborn Chinese traders, not all'
Instead, he said the boycott should only be against "stubborn Chinese traders" who refuse to cut prices despite drop in fuel costs.
"Regarding my boycott call to Malays against Chinese traders, I was responding Facebook users who are angry at stubborn Chinese traders who don't want to cut prices," he said on Facebook.
He said that what he meant was that consumers should use their power as the majority to pressure producers.
"The principle is the same, that is those in the majority should use their majority power and stop complaining on Facebook."
Using his private profile, Ismail Sabri had yesterday also clarified on what he meant by "boycott the Chinese".
"What I meant by 'Chinese' is Chinese traders, because most of the Chinese are also consumers. The ones who should be boycotted are Chinese traders," he said yesterday.
In his original controversial posting, Ismail Sabri said consumers are the ones who wield the power to compel businesses to lower prices, although the government has legal mechanisms to prevent profiteering.
"The majority of consumers are Malays. The Chinese are the minority. If the Malays boycott their busineeses, they will have no choice but to reduce prices," wrote Ismail Sabri.
He also questioned why Malays are still flocking to Chinese-owned restaurants even though their halal certificates may be dubious.
This prompted MCA Youth chief Chong Sin Woon to declare him unfit to be minister.
Retract claims or I’ll sue, Ngeh warns Ismail
MP for Beruas gives Minister Ismail Sabri 48 hours to apologise over lies that he has shares in a restaurant and is anti-Islam.
FMT
PETALING JAYA: A DAP MP has reacted to a statement by minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob which he said were blatant lies and has given him 48 hours to retract the claims or face legal action.
Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham was referring to a message Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ismail Sabri Yaakob posted on Facebook urging the Malay community to boycott Chinese businesses who refused to lower prices, specifically Old Town White Coffee which Ngeh and his family had shares in. Ismail also accused Ngeh of being anti-Islam.
”There is not an iota of truth that I have shares in Old Town White Coffee or that I am anti-Islam.
“I never have, neither have I now nor in any part of my life, had shares in Old Town White Coffee,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.
He also said he had publicly denied any links to the franchise and stated his social work among his Muslim constituents in Beruas was proof enough that he was not anti-Islam.
Stating his shock that someone who he knew personally in Universiti Malaya could tell such outright lies, Ngeh said Ismail had 48 hours to retract the statement, failing which he would lodge a police report and take legal proceedings against him.
Ngeh also said prime minister Najib Razak should step in to reprimand Ismail as his Facebook message had gone against the principles of 1Malaysia.
“Najib has always been proud of his 1Malaysia slogan. He should ask himself whether this minister is fit to lead the country,” Ngeh said expressing his shock and saying that it was Ismail who was “racist”.
PETALING JAYA: A DAP MP has reacted to a statement by minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob which he said were blatant lies and has given him 48 hours to retract the claims or face legal action.
Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham was referring to a message Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Ismail Sabri Yaakob posted on Facebook urging the Malay community to boycott Chinese businesses who refused to lower prices, specifically Old Town White Coffee which Ngeh and his family had shares in. Ismail also accused Ngeh of being anti-Islam.
”There is not an iota of truth that I have shares in Old Town White Coffee or that I am anti-Islam.
“I never have, neither have I now nor in any part of my life, had shares in Old Town White Coffee,” he told The Malaysian Insider today.
He also said he had publicly denied any links to the franchise and stated his social work among his Muslim constituents in Beruas was proof enough that he was not anti-Islam.
Stating his shock that someone who he knew personally in Universiti Malaya could tell such outright lies, Ngeh said Ismail had 48 hours to retract the statement, failing which he would lodge a police report and take legal proceedings against him.
Ngeh also said prime minister Najib Razak should step in to reprimand Ismail as his Facebook message had gone against the principles of 1Malaysia.
“Najib has always been proud of his 1Malaysia slogan. He should ask himself whether this minister is fit to lead the country,” Ngeh said expressing his shock and saying that it was Ismail who was “racist”.
Ministry says structure on M’sian, not Indon soil
Indonesian residents claim 4-storey building is on Indonesian territory.
FMT
KUCHING: Malaysia has not encroached on Indonesia’s territory by erecting a structure within the republic’s borders as alleged by local residents of an island in North Kalimantan, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jafaar.
Indonesian news portal Kompas reported that residents of Kayu Mati Island – which is shared by both countries – claimed to have seen a new post built by Malaysians in an area that they believed falls within Indonesian territory.
Local leader Imam Basran was quoted as saying that he was sure it was a new structure, claiming that he had frequented the area over the past four decades.
“What happened was when we built the check-point there was an allegation from a local representative (Indonesia) that we built the facilities on their border but I have already checked and it is not,” he said when asked to comment on the allegation during a press conference here yesterday.
According to Wan Junaidi there was a river at Pulau Sebatik and the border runs through the middle of the river and it did not encroach the Indonesian and Malaysia border.
He said the four-storey building built by Malaysia was within its territory while the border runs through a river, called Puis Point and at the other side of the river was the Indonesian army check-point.
Wan Junaidi said Malaysia had no name for the island but the Indonesians called it Pulau Kayu Mati.
He said previously Malaysia did not have a check-point there and the government through the National Security Council constructed the building which would accommodate the police, immigration and custom offices as well as other agencies.
He said the construction of the building was expected to be ready by mid-year and would start operating by year’s end.
With the facilities, Wan Junaidi said Malaysia would have its enforcement agencies stationed there to help reduce illegal immigrants from Nunukan, Kalimatan from coming over to Tawau, Sabah and at the same time curb smuggling goods from Nunukan.
-- BERNAMA
FMTKUCHING: Malaysia has not encroached on Indonesia’s territory by erecting a structure within the republic’s borders as alleged by local residents of an island in North Kalimantan, said Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jafaar.
Indonesian news portal Kompas reported that residents of Kayu Mati Island – which is shared by both countries – claimed to have seen a new post built by Malaysians in an area that they believed falls within Indonesian territory.
Local leader Imam Basran was quoted as saying that he was sure it was a new structure, claiming that he had frequented the area over the past four decades.
“What happened was when we built the check-point there was an allegation from a local representative (Indonesia) that we built the facilities on their border but I have already checked and it is not,” he said when asked to comment on the allegation during a press conference here yesterday.
According to Wan Junaidi there was a river at Pulau Sebatik and the border runs through the middle of the river and it did not encroach the Indonesian and Malaysia border.
He said the four-storey building built by Malaysia was within its territory while the border runs through a river, called Puis Point and at the other side of the river was the Indonesian army check-point.
Wan Junaidi said Malaysia had no name for the island but the Indonesians called it Pulau Kayu Mati.
He said previously Malaysia did not have a check-point there and the government through the National Security Council constructed the building which would accommodate the police, immigration and custom offices as well as other agencies.
He said the construction of the building was expected to be ready by mid-year and would start operating by year’s end.
With the facilities, Wan Junaidi said Malaysia would have its enforcement agencies stationed there to help reduce illegal immigrants from Nunukan, Kalimatan from coming over to Tawau, Sabah and at the same time curb smuggling goods from Nunukan.
-- BERNAMA
IGP to call in Ismail Sabri for statement
"The police will ensure that racial harmony is respected," said Khalid.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar has confirmed in a tweet that Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be called in to give a statement on an allegedly inflammatory posting on Facebook.
“The police will ensure that racial harmony is respected,” said Khalid.
Ismail was reported to have posted, “Malays are still refusing to boycott (Old Town White Coffee) what more when its owner is said to be the DAP Ngeh family of Perak which is known to be anti-Islam. As long as the Malays don’t change, the Chinese will take the opportunity to oppress the Malays.”
Ngeh, furious with Ismail’s message has given him 48 hours to apologise or face a legal suit.
Ismail however has refused to do so claiming that he did not specifically say “Ngeh Koo Ham”. ”Ngeh… Is he the only one in Perak?” he asked Malaysian Insider in a WhatsApp message.
In a statement later, DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang said Ismail had committed three sins in two short sentences: firstly, fanning racism and hatred in inciting Malays to boycott Chinese businesses; secondly, spreading the lie that Old Town Bhd was owned by the “DAP Ngeh family”; and thirdly, fanning religious hatred, conflict and tensions by spreading the false accusation that DAP leaders are “known to be anti-Islam”.
KUALA LUMPUR: Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar has confirmed in a tweet that Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be called in to give a statement on an allegedly inflammatory posting on Facebook.
“The police will ensure that racial harmony is respected,” said Khalid.
Ismail was reported to have posted, “Malays are still refusing to boycott (Old Town White Coffee) what more when its owner is said to be the DAP Ngeh family of Perak which is known to be anti-Islam. As long as the Malays don’t change, the Chinese will take the opportunity to oppress the Malays.”
Ngeh, furious with Ismail’s message has given him 48 hours to apologise or face a legal suit.
Ismail however has refused to do so claiming that he did not specifically say “Ngeh Koo Ham”. ”Ngeh… Is he the only one in Perak?” he asked Malaysian Insider in a WhatsApp message.
In a statement later, DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang said Ismail had committed three sins in two short sentences: firstly, fanning racism and hatred in inciting Malays to boycott Chinese businesses; secondly, spreading the lie that Old Town Bhd was owned by the “DAP Ngeh family”; and thirdly, fanning religious hatred, conflict and tensions by spreading the false accusation that DAP leaders are “known to be anti-Islam”.
IGP warns separatists: Wait for my action
Sabah and Sarawak police have been ordered not to tolerate any violation of the Constitution.
FMT
PUTRAJAYA: Inspector-General of Polis Khalid Abu Bakar today issued a stern warning to those agitating for Sabah’s and Sarawak’s separation from Malaysia, saying it amounted to treason.
“Let me say this to those inciting the people to support the move to take Sabah and Sarawak out of Malaysia: just wait for my action,” he told reporters covering the launch of the police football tournament for 2015.
He said he had given strict directives to Sabah and Sawarak police against tolerating any violation of the Federal Constitution.
“The Royal Malaysian Police will not let it happen,” he said of the separatist moves.
Yesterday, Sabah police arrested nine people suspected of distributing separatist literature. They were detained under the Sedition Act but were released after their statements were recorded.
Sabah Police Commissioner Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said police also recorded statements from 14 witnesses.
PUTRAJAYA: Inspector-General of Polis Khalid Abu Bakar today issued a stern warning to those agitating for Sabah’s and Sarawak’s separation from Malaysia, saying it amounted to treason.
“Let me say this to those inciting the people to support the move to take Sabah and Sarawak out of Malaysia: just wait for my action,” he told reporters covering the launch of the police football tournament for 2015.
He said he had given strict directives to Sabah and Sawarak police against tolerating any violation of the Federal Constitution.
“The Royal Malaysian Police will not let it happen,” he said of the separatist moves.
Yesterday, Sabah police arrested nine people suspected of distributing separatist literature. They were detained under the Sedition Act but were released after their statements were recorded.
Sabah Police Commissioner Jalaluddin Abdul Rahman said police also recorded statements from 14 witnesses.
Kit Siang wants Najib to kick out Ismail Sabri
Lim describes minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as a "rabid racist" out to stoke racial tensions.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang wants to know whether Prime Minister Najib Razak will continue to tolerate “rabid racist” Agriculture and Agro-based Industries minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the Federal Cabinet.
Ismail, said Lim in a statement, “has been dishonest in resorting to lies and falsehoods to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension in the country”.
Commenting on the deafening silence from Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar regarding Ismail’s statement, the DAP veteran said the IGP would have jumped into action immediately, via tweets, if “the culprit” had been an Opposition leader instead.
Lim, who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, noted that Ismail had singled out the Old Town White Coffee chain owned by Old Town Bhd, by saying that the “anti-Islam” DAP Perak chairman Ngeh Khoo Ham owned shares in the company.
He quoted Ismail as saying: “Malays are still refusing to boycott (Old Town White Coffee) what more when its owner is said to be the DAP Perak’s Ngeh family which is known to be anti-Islam. As long as the Malays don’t change, the Chinese will take the opportunity to oppress the Malays.”
Ismail, fumed Lim, had committed three sins in two short sentences:
Firstly, fanning racism and hatred in inciting Malays to boycott Chinese businesses; secondly, spreading the lie that Old Town Bhd was owned by the “DAP Ngeh family”; and thirdly, fanning religious hatred, conflict and tension by falsely accusing the DAP leader of being “anti-Islam”.
“I have just spoken to DAP MP for Bruas, Ngeh Koo Ham, and he told me that he had (tweeted) his denial two or three times previously that he or his family owns a single sen of share in Old Town Bhd, but Ismail had just ignored Ngeh’s earlier denials so as to pump racial and religious vitriol and poison to create a tsunami in Malaysia’s multi-racial and multi-religious waters,” said Lim.
“If Ismail does not resign or is not sacked by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, right-thinking Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region would expect all the other Ministers to make an issue of Ismail’s suitability to continue as Minister.”
This is not an issue of Umno or BN, nor is it an issue of Malay, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asal, or Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, stressed Lim.
The issue is whether a rabid racist who could openly call for a confrontation of races, i.e. Malay consumers boycotting Chinese businesses, continued Lim, is qualified to continue as a Minister of government of a plural nation and “whether all other Ministers, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, Sabah and Sarawak BN parties, are prepared to be identified with Ismail by continuing to serve in the same Cabinet”.
FMT
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP elder statesman Lim Kit Siang wants to know whether Prime Minister Najib Razak will continue to tolerate “rabid racist” Agriculture and Agro-based Industries minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the Federal Cabinet.
Ismail, said Lim in a statement, “has been dishonest in resorting to lies and falsehoods to incite racial and religious hatred, conflict and tension in the country”.
Commenting on the deafening silence from Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar regarding Ismail’s statement, the DAP veteran said the IGP would have jumped into action immediately, via tweets, if “the culprit” had been an Opposition leader instead.
Lim, who is also DAP Parliamentary Leader and Gelang Patah MP, noted that Ismail had singled out the Old Town White Coffee chain owned by Old Town Bhd, by saying that the “anti-Islam” DAP Perak chairman Ngeh Khoo Ham owned shares in the company.
He quoted Ismail as saying: “Malays are still refusing to boycott (Old Town White Coffee) what more when its owner is said to be the DAP Perak’s Ngeh family which is known to be anti-Islam. As long as the Malays don’t change, the Chinese will take the opportunity to oppress the Malays.”
Ismail, fumed Lim, had committed three sins in two short sentences:
Firstly, fanning racism and hatred in inciting Malays to boycott Chinese businesses; secondly, spreading the lie that Old Town Bhd was owned by the “DAP Ngeh family”; and thirdly, fanning religious hatred, conflict and tension by falsely accusing the DAP leader of being “anti-Islam”.
“I have just spoken to DAP MP for Bruas, Ngeh Koo Ham, and he told me that he had (tweeted) his denial two or three times previously that he or his family owns a single sen of share in Old Town Bhd, but Ismail had just ignored Ngeh’s earlier denials so as to pump racial and religious vitriol and poison to create a tsunami in Malaysia’s multi-racial and multi-religious waters,” said Lim.
“If Ismail does not resign or is not sacked by the Prime Minister on Wednesday, right-thinking Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region would expect all the other Ministers to make an issue of Ismail’s suitability to continue as Minister.”
This is not an issue of Umno or BN, nor is it an issue of Malay, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asal, or Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, stressed Lim.
The issue is whether a rabid racist who could openly call for a confrontation of races, i.e. Malay consumers boycotting Chinese businesses, continued Lim, is qualified to continue as a Minister of government of a plural nation and “whether all other Ministers, whether Umno, MCA, Gerakan, Sabah and Sarawak BN parties, are prepared to be identified with Ismail by continuing to serve in the same Cabinet”.
Mutual friends: secularism and Islam
The Middle East will only be convinced by Islamic arguments for a secular state
By Brian Whitaker
On the first page of his book, Islam and the Secular State,
Abdullahi an-Na'im writes: "In order to be a Muslim by conviction and
free choice, which is the only way one can be a Muslim, I need a secular
state."
He explains that he is not advocating a secular society but a state which is neutral with regard to religion – a state whose institutions "neither favour nor disfavour any religious doctrine or principle", a state that has no enforcing role in religious matters.
The object of state neutrality, an-Na'im says, is to facilitate "the possibility of religious piety out of honest conviction" and allow individuals in their communities the freedom "to accept, object to, or modify any view of religious doctrine or principle". States that take sides in such matters become an obstacle to religious freedom.
To some readers, this may be little more than a statement of the obvious. But to many Muslims, especially in countries where the state poses as a "defender of Islam" and an enforcer of "Islamic values", it is not only an unfamiliar argument but one that sounds dangerously mad, even heretical.
Last week, in an article for Cif, I discussed the shutting-down of debate about Islamic secularism in most of the Arab countries and posed the question: how can it be re-opened? I'd now like to suggest an answer.
The idea of states enforcing correct "Islamic" behaviour is based on a presumption that such behaviour can be clearly and indisputably defined. But we have only to look at an issue such as female circumcision, where scholarly opinions range from saying it is obligatory to forbidden, to see that this is anything but the case.
In practice, the "Islam" they are seeking to enforce is nothing more than the prevailing local orthodoxy – modified, where necessary, to suit the political needs of the regime. Conveniently, this allows them to invoke religion to justify all manner of abuses that cannot be defended by rational argument.
In 2000 Saudi Arabia, which is probably the world leader in institutionalised discrimination, signed up to the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) but added a reservation saying it did not consider itself bound by any part of the convention that conflicts with "the norms of Islamic law". In effect, it was claiming the right to choose which bits of the treaty, if any, it would implement. As Denmark noted in an objection at the time, the Saudis' references to the provisions of Islamic law were "of unlimited scope and undefined character".
Abuses of power are often dressed in a religious gloss which helps to win acceptance from Muslims but doesn't stand up to much serious scrutiny. Saudi Arabia, besides its achievements in the field of discrimination, also has the most comprehensive system of internet censorship in the Middle East and it cites verses from the Qur'an in support of this practice. The passage it quotes is about resisting sexual temptation and the verses (12: 33-34) imply that God will protect those who seek His help. If this has any relevance to internet use its point, surely, is that the temptations of the internet are a matter for users to sort out between themselves and God. So there is no reason for the state to become involved – unless the Saudi authorities are saying they don't trust God to do His job properly.
The central illusion here is that states can determine the one "true" voice of Islam, regardless of the diversity of Islamic thought through the ages, and also have the right to impose it on the public.
The question "How do they know their version is correct?" is what starts to undermine this edifice. Of course, they don't really know but they have power on their side, and might is right. The need here is not to categorically refute their religious arguments but to neutralise them by pointing out that other interpretations are possible. In that way a space is created where people can confront the underlying moral issues themselves and feel free enough to make their own choices.
To begin the process of separating states from religion, secularists have to be prepared to engage with religious arguments – something they are often reluctant to do. Human rights activists, for example (even those in Muslim countries) often fail to address the religious dimension, with the result that their arguments cut little ice among the public. Kecia Ali writes:
Official discrimination against the Baha'is in Egypt is one example of a problem that cannot be tackled though secular arguments alone, because of the claims that it is sanctioned by Islam.
"One scholar after another, one government official after another, would insist that under Islam only three religions are allowed – Islam, Christianity and Judaism," Hossam Bahgat of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights recalled when I spoke to him about this in Cairo last summer. He continued:
He explains that he is not advocating a secular society but a state which is neutral with regard to religion – a state whose institutions "neither favour nor disfavour any religious doctrine or principle", a state that has no enforcing role in religious matters.
The object of state neutrality, an-Na'im says, is to facilitate "the possibility of religious piety out of honest conviction" and allow individuals in their communities the freedom "to accept, object to, or modify any view of religious doctrine or principle". States that take sides in such matters become an obstacle to religious freedom.
To some readers, this may be little more than a statement of the obvious. But to many Muslims, especially in countries where the state poses as a "defender of Islam" and an enforcer of "Islamic values", it is not only an unfamiliar argument but one that sounds dangerously mad, even heretical.
Last week, in an article for Cif, I discussed the shutting-down of debate about Islamic secularism in most of the Arab countries and posed the question: how can it be re-opened? I'd now like to suggest an answer.
The idea of states enforcing correct "Islamic" behaviour is based on a presumption that such behaviour can be clearly and indisputably defined. But we have only to look at an issue such as female circumcision, where scholarly opinions range from saying it is obligatory to forbidden, to see that this is anything but the case.
In practice, the "Islam" they are seeking to enforce is nothing more than the prevailing local orthodoxy – modified, where necessary, to suit the political needs of the regime. Conveniently, this allows them to invoke religion to justify all manner of abuses that cannot be defended by rational argument.
In 2000 Saudi Arabia, which is probably the world leader in institutionalised discrimination, signed up to the international Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) but added a reservation saying it did not consider itself bound by any part of the convention that conflicts with "the norms of Islamic law". In effect, it was claiming the right to choose which bits of the treaty, if any, it would implement. As Denmark noted in an objection at the time, the Saudis' references to the provisions of Islamic law were "of unlimited scope and undefined character".
Abuses of power are often dressed in a religious gloss which helps to win acceptance from Muslims but doesn't stand up to much serious scrutiny. Saudi Arabia, besides its achievements in the field of discrimination, also has the most comprehensive system of internet censorship in the Middle East and it cites verses from the Qur'an in support of this practice. The passage it quotes is about resisting sexual temptation and the verses (12: 33-34) imply that God will protect those who seek His help. If this has any relevance to internet use its point, surely, is that the temptations of the internet are a matter for users to sort out between themselves and God. So there is no reason for the state to become involved – unless the Saudi authorities are saying they don't trust God to do His job properly.
The central illusion here is that states can determine the one "true" voice of Islam, regardless of the diversity of Islamic thought through the ages, and also have the right to impose it on the public.
The question "How do they know their version is correct?" is what starts to undermine this edifice. Of course, they don't really know but they have power on their side, and might is right. The need here is not to categorically refute their religious arguments but to neutralise them by pointing out that other interpretations are possible. In that way a space is created where people can confront the underlying moral issues themselves and feel free enough to make their own choices.
To begin the process of separating states from religion, secularists have to be prepared to engage with religious arguments – something they are often reluctant to do. Human rights activists, for example (even those in Muslim countries) often fail to address the religious dimension, with the result that their arguments cut little ice among the public. Kecia Ali writes:
For the vast majority of Muslims worldwide – not only extremists or conservatives, but also those who consider themselves moderate or progressive – determining whether a particular belief or practice is acceptable largely hinges on deciding whether or not it is legitimately "Islamic".Increasingly, feminists and others in Muslim countries are finding that if they want to make headway they have to present their case in terms that people can perceive as compatible with Islam. That means studying the scripture and exploring its various interpretations. Once the possibility of multiple "Islamic" interpretations is acknowledged, rational debate can begin.
Official discrimination against the Baha'is in Egypt is one example of a problem that cannot be tackled though secular arguments alone, because of the claims that it is sanctioned by Islam.
"One scholar after another, one government official after another, would insist that under Islam only three religions are allowed – Islam, Christianity and Judaism," Hossam Bahgat of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights recalled when I spoke to him about this in Cairo last summer. He continued:
When we started doing research we realised there is no basis in the Qur'an or the Sunna to support their claim that Muslims may only coexist with "people of the book" – and we started saying so.Once the religious cover has been blown or neutralised, the way is open for a reasoned debate based on facts and logic rather than what someone in authority claims to have been told by God.
I was once in a televised debate with the former president of al-Azhar university who was one of the chief jurists of the Islamic Religious Council and we were talking about the Baha'i faith. He started stating the usual position that Islam only allows adherents to the three Abrahamic religions. So I challenged him on this and said: "What's your evidence?"
I think he was stunned … I cited all the evidence about how the Prophet Muhammad in Madina never discriminated between people of the Book and others who adhered to other faiths – like the Zoroastrians, for example. He couldn't argue with my evidence because my evidence came not from fringe opinions but from major books that are selectively avoided by scholars because they don't give them the cover they want for their bigotry.
So immediately he shifted. He said: "Yes, but they [the Baha'is] have their headquarters in Haifa in Israel and they work against the fabric of our society, their presence is against national unity," etc.
Malaysia has abandoned rights reforms – Human Rights Watch
The authorities continued their politically motivated prosecution of parliamentary opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for sodomy.
In the 656-page world report, its 25th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries.
In his introductory essay, executive director Kenneth Roth urges governments to recognise that human rights offer an effective moral guide in turbulent times, and that violating rights can spark or aggravate serious security challenges.
The short-term gains of undermining core values of freedom and non-discrimination are rarely worth the long-term price.
“Prime Minister Najib’s shameful reversal of his pledge to end sedition shows his willingness to put politics over human rights,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
“Malaysia’s human rights are in a downward spiral because the government evidently believes that continued rule depends on suppressing speech, harassing opposition groups, and targeting prominent figures with legal action.”
During 2014, Malaysian authorities arrested dozens of people under the Sedition Act for making remarks critical of the government, its political leaders, the ruling party, and sultans.
At least 20 people were charged, including four senior opposition members of parliament. The crackdown generated public opposition from the Malaysia Bar Council and other organisations, and a suit contesting the constitutionality of the Sedition Act.
Najib, who in 2012 had promised to repeal the Sedition Act, announced on November 27, 2014, that the law would instead be revised and strengthened to penalise those who violate the sanctity of Islam and other religions or call for the secession of Sabah and Sarawak from Malaysia.
The Malaysian authorities also continued their politically motivated prosecutions to cripple the political opposition.
In March, an appeals court overturned a 2012 not guilty verdict against parliamentary opposition leader Anwar on sodomy charges and sentenced him to a five-year prison term in a rushed judicial proceeding. Should the Federal Court uphold his conviction, he faces imprisonment and loss of his seat in parliament.
The government’s repeated prosecutions of Anwar under the sodomy law (penal code article 377), invoked only seven times since 1938, highlights the dangers this discriminatory law poses so long as it remains on the books.
The Royal Malaysian Police continued to abuse rights of detainees in police custody with impunity.
There were at least 10 new cases of custodial deaths in 2014, and police used excessive force during apprehension of suspects.
However, police stymied proposals for an effective and independent external oversight such as an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.
Malaysia’s image as a moderate Muslim country was tarnished by new government restrictions on freedom of expression and association in 2014.
The government-controlled Registrar of Societies tightened its restrictive oversight on civil society groups seen as critical of the government, refused newspaper licences to critical outlets, and prosecuted an activist on film censorship charges.
The government continued to vilify lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. However, in November 2014, in an unprecedented action, the Appeals Court unanimously ruled that a Shariah law ordinance prohibiting cross-dressing was unconstitutional.
Senior national and Negri Sembilan government officials criticised the decision as “anti-Islamic,” with a senior minister calling for Muslims to defend Islamic teachings “by any method”.
“The Malaysian government appears to be resting its global reputation on its new term at the UN Security Council rather than addressing the country’s serious rights problems,” Robertson said.
“The government will need to reverse course on rights in 2015 if it wants to truly bolster its international standing.” – January 29, 2015.
* To read Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2015 chapter on Malaysia, visit http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2015/country-chapters/malaysia.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/malaysia-has-abandoned-rights-reforms-human-rights-watch#sthash.uhY0lmYp.dpuf
Government Committed To Work Together With Indian Community Based On 'Nambikei' - PM
Datuk Seri Najib Tun RazakKUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Monday reiterated the government's commitment to stand by the Indian community and work together based on nambikei (trust) towards overcoming the challenges faced by the community.
The Prime Minister said the government is also committed to help the Indian community in achieving the success the community strives for.
Najib said this in his message in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration tomorrow in his blog www.najibrazak.com.
"As our Hindu brothers and sisters observe this day by offering prayers of thanksgiving and fulfilling their vows at temples throughout the country, let us come together in solidarity to show our respect for each other's religious festivals," he said.
Najib said: "As the Malaysian Hindus mark the auspicious festival of Thaipusam, we are, once again reminded of our rich and diverse culture.
"As Malaysians, we are indeed blessed that people of different faiths and ethnicities live together in peace and harmony."
Thaipusam will be celebrated tomorrow nationwide. More than three million devotees, spectators and tourists, both local and foreign, are expected to converge at a few hot spots among them Batu Caves in Selangor and Waterfall Road in George Town, Penang.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin said Malaysia was fortunate that the majority of the people adopted a rational attitude even though there were elements out to destroy unity and cause racial discord in the country.
"We are also thankful because the people support the government's efforts to preserve the peace in the country using existing laws," he said in a statement in conjunction with Thaipusam.
On Thaipusam, Muhyiddin said he hoped Malaysian Hindus would further intensify efforts to enhance racial harmony, unity and patriotism besides contributing to national development and the people's wellbeing.
He said Thaipusam like other major festivals could be celebrated full of joy by not only Hindus but all Malaysians who loved peace, harmony and multi-racial unity.
He said large scale religious celebrations in the country were the manifestation of freedom of religion practised by the government and the people.
"Although Islam is recognised as the official religion of the federation and Muslims form the majority of the population, it does not negate the freedom of others to practise their own faiths.
"It is also the same with language, culture and customs. Each community is free to practice their own language, culture and customs without any restrictions," he said.
Muhyiddin said although this was taken for granted, these freedoms must be valued by Malaysians in this blessed land.
"In some contries, minorities are discriminated and their rights trampled on.
"But this does not happen in Malaysia. The rights and freedoms are protected by the Constitution and the country's laws," he said.
He said Malaysia was very blessed because of the tolerant nature of its multi-racial people which has been the case since the very beginning and had brought about the desired unity and harmony.
"This formula has been accepted since Merdeka (Independence). Its effectiveness is proven because Malaysia is a success story," he said.
Meanwhile, MIC President Datuk Seri G. Palanivel in his Thaipusam message urged those who are offering prayers of thanksgiving and fulfilling vows at temples to do so with calm and orderliness, given the big crowds expected at major temples like in Batu Caves, Penang and Ipoh.
He hoped devotees going to temples for prayers follow the guidelines set by the temple authorities to avoid unwanted incidents.
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish all devotees in Malaysia and all over the world a blessed Thaipusam," he said.
-- BERNAMA
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